Thoughts on changes for the New Year./ The ” Honey Trap” beware an increased Social Safety Net without the Benefit of Regulation. You don’t want one without the other. I’ ll tell you why?
1. Thoughts on Regulations; obscure, redundant , costly except where they need to be strengthened. Like Dodd Frank, a waste of 14,000 pages when you count amendments. When you don’t or can’t or won’t argue on the facts, dazzle them with bull sh*t . That’s Dodd Frank, it will remain in litigation for years . It is an Obamination! According to the Economist, 12/14/13 The Volker Rule, will keep Lawyers richer, as the Banks struggle to determine, what is trading for their own account or for their client’s account. It’s a huge problem and will encourage less liquid markets and a weaker financial system. England is proposing to ” ring fence their retail operations from the roulette players in the investment banking division. ”
However, when Foreign Affaires magazine predicts America‘s Social Democratic Solution ( this months Foreign Affaires Issue Jan/Feb 2014), they for see less regulation coupled with a larger social safety net, Comparable to the Nordic Countries and the UK. However, if you reinforce one without the other, I don’t understand how the middle class will achieve upward Mobility. It appears they will be more comfortable but with less involvement in the system? The operative word, is appears, the system will and can effect us negatively, but it will appear to be a better deal. We have choices to make when Politics effects us? Education is one of them.
2. Healthcare for millions is part of the new social safety net. It isn’t perfect. It is according to Howard Dean, fashioned after the Romney Health Plan. If we had our say, ” They never would have developed a system with the Insurance companies in charge, Or the Pharmaceutical companies. “. Who said, thou shalt not negotiate. Everything is negotiable, except death, so far! However, it is what it is. By March, we should know how many people have benefited and there is always room for improvement? We should have a choice? Many will have more choice as the State’s improvise and start providing ” better” benefits.
A new caveat, something to think about, if Insurance companies are now becoming traders, what happens to ” health insurance “, if there is another financial crisis? As the Banks get out of some businesses,” The Economist, predicts dark pools of money will shift to the less regulated Insurance Companies. Remember AIG, an insurer which had built up a fatal exposure to credit default swaps.” Worse, what happens to Health Care if it is Privatized? Who would the Insurance Companies protect, their trading accounts or the People they serve? We’ve seen this movie before, too. The end result of Banker’s greed and over leveraging was the crash of 2008, we don’t need a repeat? We need to think about our choices and include insurance companies when thinking ” dark pool” legislation and regulation. So many choices to make when Politics effects us!
3. Another comforting thought, the lead topic for discussion , this months Foreign Affaires magazines , Jan/Feb 2014, ” Where to BET now, 6 markets to watch. “. On 12/31/13 , Bloomberg News echoed, this title on The Call: Where to place your Bets in 2014. They didn’t say invest, no, they said BET, because that’s what the ” free market” has degenerated into, a large casino, where you step up, place your Bets, though you know, the bank/ house always wins. That’s a big problem for baby boomers who grew up reading Peter Lynch, who stated, invest in companies you know and respect. So much for old school values. Looking for good companies, making a good product , at good value, a dated concept?
4. LOL : No wonder we long for the good old days. I don’t know what an algorithm thinks, nor can I compete at a millisecond? If I’m left out, how is everyone else feeling? We should have a choice? Politics effects us all.