Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Apr 11, 2023 by Martin Armstrong
Neocon’s Endorsement for 2024
Tag Archives: Marxism
When It Comes to Economics, Trust Your Instincts
Posted originally on the CTH on April 11, 2023 | Sundance
A few days after the terror attack of 9-11-01, someone in media asked George W. Bush what Americans can do to help. Dubya’s response drew instant criticism, because he asked people to go shopping… but in the big picture, President Bush knew what could happen if the economic freeze continued.
When it comes to politics and economic outlooks, trust your instincts. The economics of the ‘thing’ is always the reason the ‘thing’ exists or does not exist.
When you are looking at economic news, always remind yourself… the people producing the news have a vested interest in maintaining a very specific outlook. The motive behind what Dubya said in September of 2001, pertains every bit as much today. Economic outcomes can topple entire governments.
Remember, this current ‘supply-side energy policy driven inflation‘, a purposeful effort to shrink the economy and yet tenuously maintain control, has never happened before. The people behind the Build Back Better agenda are, in reality, experimenting with a theory. DATA…
(ISM) – The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI contracted for the fifth straight month in March registering 46.3, the lowest level since May 2020. Any reading below 50.0 indicates contraction. The employment index declined by 2.2 percent to a level of 46.9.
Most of the impediments to manufacturing growth — such as shortages and lockdowns — have subsided, said Tim Fiore, chair of the ISM’s manufacturing survey committee, with the exception of pricing. ISM’s pricing index fell below 50 in March but at 49.2 remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.
“The beginning of the second half may not be the beginning of a recovery,” said Fiore. “Manufactures reduced headcounts because of uncertainty of demand and over-ordering has burned off. Demand isn’t coming back quickly enough to support current headcounts.”
All these trends were prevalent in March, he added, although the PMI has only lost 3 to 4 points since October 2022.
Back in December, ISM panelists anticipated an uptick in demand by the beginning of Q2. “We thought this recovery would be lumpy, but I think this indicates the recovery has been delayed,” Fiore said. “I think we are talking about expansion toward the end of Q3—it’s unlikely we’ll see a lot of activity in the summer.” (read more)
It’s not a recovery now, it will not be a recovery this year.
On a per unit basis, we have been in an economic contraction cycle since mid 2021. However, because economic outcomes are measured in dollars, the shrinking unit output, and the fewer units being sold at wholesale and retail level, is being hidden.
Inflation has hidden serious drops in unit purchases…. and fewer unit purchases mean lowered production output…. and lowered production output means less production is needed.
(CNBC SURVEY) – Inflation, economic instability and a lack of savings have an increasing number of Americans feeling financially stressed.
Some 70% of Americans admit to being stressed about their personal finances these days and a majority — 52% — of U.S. adults said their financial stress has increased since before the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, according to a new CNBC Your Money Financial Confidence Survey conducted in partnership with Momentive.
Anxious and uncertain about whether they can get a better handle on their money, some may be intimidated by the prospect of creating a budget or unsure of where to stash their cash to get the highest returns. Others may be wondering how to begin saving for retirement when they’ve gotten off to a late start.
“People are worried that the money they’ve saved won’t last and are worried they’re going to have to lean more on their credit cards and other sources of debt just to get by,” said Bruce McClary, a senior vice president at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. (read more)
If you want to know what’s going on in the larger U.S. economy, just look around you.
Don’t turn on the television and read the newspaper to see what is happening in the U.S. economy for your purchasing or life planning. Just look around you.
Look at restaurants and bars. Do you see continued high-volume business or not.
Look at the grocery stores. Do you see continued optimism, or not.
Look at the malls and shopping centers. Do you see foot traffic, or not.
Look at the real estate in your neighborhood – your local view. Do you see prices going up or going down.
That’s the reality of the economy as it impacts you….. and critically, that’s the reality of the economy nationwide.
When it comes to data and economics, do not let the media created ‘illusion of the thing‘ cloud your ability to see the reality of the thing.
Trust your instincts.
Macron Claims Innovation and Capitalism Is Needed While Decrying Economic Nationalism in the Nation State
Posted originally on the CTH on April 11, 2023 | Sundance
French President Emmanuel Macron was in the Netherlands today speaking to an audience in the Hague about his vision for the future of Europe. A remarkably disassociated speech was the outcome.
Speaking of the importance of innovation to maintain economic competitiveness, on his right-hand Macron cheers for capitalism as an outcome of competition from the only venue it exists, the nation state. Yet on his left hand, Macron proclaims the importance of ‘globalism’ and economic socialism, which is the anthesis of creating innovation.
Economic nationalism is the only way competition between nation states succeeds. Innovation is born from competition, and without the nation state there is no baseline to maintain capitalism. Globalism creates socialism, equity as the baseline for distribution of innovative outcomes. Capitalism and socialism cannot coexist if innovation and competition is the goal. The pillars which form the baseline for Macron’s view of a new Europe, collapse in his contradictory worldview. Prompted to 10:55, WATCH:
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Macron’s solution to the problem of innovation lacking in ‘globalist‘ economic models, is to force citizens to produce and innovate. This is what he means by “reforms” in the competitive agenda. Forced innovation, is the worldview of totalitarians. Capitalism relies on freedom, not coercion.
French Protestors Target BlackRock
Armstrong Economics Blog/Civil Unrest Re-Posted Apr 11, 2023 by Martin Armstrong
The pension reform protests in France grew to new proportions. Protesters have not allowed the government to silence them. On Thursday, over 100 people stormed BlackRock’s office in Paris and nearly burned it down. “The meaning of this action is quite simple. We went to the headquarters of BlackRock to tell them: the money of workers, for our pensions, they are taking it,” a protestor told a CNN affiliate. The protest was organized and the message was clear.
We have seen a slew of failed protests in America where groups without leadership burn down the private property of their neighbors and small businesses. We’ve seen protests divided over the wrong causes, such as the nurses’ strike that failed because some felt the leadership was not diverse enough. Some protests, such as the BLM movement, became so obscure that no one even knew what they were protesting. Here, the Parisians are not allowing government mismanagement to change their retirement plans. It may seem like a small sacrifice to those without pensions, who could not dream of even retiring in their 60s, but the problem is much deeper than a change in the retirement age.
Governments historically target the people, who they see as the disposable Great Unwashed, when their plans fail. The French government believes the people should make a sacrifice due to the steep budget deficit. Across the world, governments are taking more from their citizens. People are asked to suffer to promote the climate change agenda, eat less meat, drive less, and even refrain from heating their homes. Inflation has made the cost of living unsustainable but that has not prevented governments from raising taxes and asking for more while we receive less. Give an inch, and they’ll take a mile (or a kilometer in this instance). This is why effective government opposition is essential to sustaining our fundamental rights. They will take as much as possible if we allow it to happen.
When the Body Bags Start Coming Home
Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Apr 10, 2023 by Martin Armstrong
The Neocons are on both sides of the aisle. In the Republican camp, of course, we have Lindsy Graham, but there is also Marco Rubio who has the audacity to tell Europe they better pick sides. Then there is Michael McCaul of Texas. Based on reliable sources, the military has been instructed to prepare for war. This is inevitable.
The Democrats intend to beat the war drums to make sure the Republican Neocons will vote with them. Biden intends to Run in 2024. The Neocons need him because he is senile and will say what they write on his cue cards and sign whatever they put in front of him. Blinken is the leader of the Neocons in the White House. They are pushing for war BEFORE the 2024 election for these people looks at war and that typically the president in power is always reelected in times of war. So, hunker down. Hide your kids. It’s off to war we go so Biden can be reelected. They thought Trump would be the Republican and Biden could beat him. That remains to be seen when the body bags start coming home. These people have no respect for the people or human rights. It’s all just a chess game to them.
Louisville Bank Shooter Carried Familiar Unstable Profile
Posted originally on the CTH on April 10, 2023 | Sundance
A 25-year-old bank employee named Connor Sturgeon opened fire at his workplace in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday while livestreaming the attack that left five members of the bank leadership dead and nine others injured. {Direct Rumble Link} The shooting took place at Old National Bank, Sturgeon was killed by police after a shootout, according to interim Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel.
Soon after the murders the shooters profile on social media began surfacing. Connor Sturgeon profiled as an unstable wokester identifying with he/him pronouns. Sturgeon learned he was about to be fired from the bank, according to CNN, who said he also left a note for his parents and a friend explaining his intention to go and shoot up the bank.
Killer Identified in Louisville Bank Shooting
Police are trying to determine what triggered his attack. Obviously, the shooter was unstable, and reports of his psychological condition identify him as prone to depression. CNN REPORTS:
[…] In a 2018 college essay posted to the website CourseHero, a user identified as a University of Alabama student named Connor Sturgeon wrote that he had had trouble fitting in at school.
“My self-esteem has long been a problem for me,” the essay read. “As a late bloomer in middle and high school, I struggled to a certain extent to fit in, and this has given me a somewhat negative self-image that persists today. Making friends has never been especially easy, so I have more experience than most in operating alone.”
Poor Kids (documentary)
Armstrong Economics Blog/North America Re-Posted Apr 10, 2023 by Martin Armstrong
This documentary is extremely hard to watch but accurately depicts the hardships millions face in the modern industrialized world. We cannot turn a blind eye to the pain and suffering that poverty creates. This is happening today in the wealthiest country in the world.
Below is an update from the documentary that aired in 2012. There was a slight glimpse of hope when Obama left office and the economy improved under Trump. Still, the funds we send overseas are needed at home. Those with the least suffer the most when the economy turns down.
This a raw reminder to count your blessing on this Easter Monday.
Now, This Makes Sense – Marketing VP Alissa Heinerscheid Explains Why She Made Bud Light the Brand for Woke Transvestites
Posted originally on the CTH on April 9, 2023 | Sundance | 712 Comments
Budweiser Light Vice President of Marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, explains why she decided to make Bud Light the beer of transvestites. Trust me, once you see the background of Heinerscheid, in her own words, it all makes sense.
A middle aged, upper income highly educated white woman with three children, all born from surrogates, explains how her worldview, everyone needs their safe space to find their best identity, shapes her brand representation.
Mrs. Heinerscheid graduated from the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania 2012/2013), around the same time as Ivanka Trump. She interned with General Mills (Cheerios brand), before ultimately landing the job with Anheuser Bush as VP of Marketing for Bud Light.
How her ideological outlook passed through the corporate filtration, is a case study on corporate stupidity. {Direct Rumble link}
Against the backdrop of micro-brew beer being popular with young people, Ms. Heinerschied defined her brand of Bud Light as the “fraternity/out of touch humor” brand amid young people. She wanted to create a more “inclusive” image for beer; representation in the brand image became her cause celeb. Wokeism was the mechanics to deliver the brand change, so that’s what she did.
At her intentional direction, Bud Light is now the beer for Woke Transvestites. Ms Heinerscheid made Bud Light a beer of, by and for transvestites. Pick up that selected beverage, and the consumer identity is now defined. You are what you drink. Watch This First:
Any corporate headhunter or recruiter who could not see the risk Mrs. Alissa Heinerscheid represented to their CPG product was/is an idiot. There are two videos below that clearly show what was predictable in the hiring of Heinerscheid.
Not only has she destroyed the brand she was supposed to steward, but she has also created a massive financial problem for Anheuser Bush along with entire business network from manufacturing to wholesale distributors, to restaurants and bars. No one is buying the product.
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Here’s Alissa Heinerschied during her 2012 Wharton school internship. (Via General Mills)
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Here’s Alissa Heinerschied after she took the job at Bud Light.
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Anyone with a clue about how to interview executives could predict what result Ms. Heinerschied was going to deliver.
It really is quite funny in the big picture.
The brand is destroyed.
The Wharton School aspect is ironic….
Centinel2012 