[Just wait until they raise Interest Rates, kaboom.]
I agree. This may be why the GOPe is trying to lose with the guaranteed loser, Jeb Bush. If it doesn’t blow up by the election, and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t, it most certainly will in the early days of the next President.
The charades of the past 7 years, especially, will be laid bare. If they’re stupid enough to try and raise rates, it will start the cycle, IMHO, that they won’t be able to back out of no matter what they try. Few have discretionary income and some, I think, are betting on their 401k’s paper value.
I still meet people who think it’s 2003-2004 out there. Nothing could be further from the truth. Things were quite a bit harder even then, but it’s far and away different from now.
It might be that because interest rates have been near-0% for so long that it might be a factor in people holding back on some spending. Then there's the consumer money being diverted to increased medical expenses. Then there's, (I wonder if it's significant) hording of silver and other assets because of worries about the future. Then there's those at or near retirement holding back on spending for fear that savings aren't adequate for their futures, and there's no safe way to grow them.
Some would argue that a healthy economy cannot be sustained if there isn't a meaningful interest rate paid on safe savings.
Correct. If a Republican is elected in 2016, any Republican, you can bet with absolute certainty that the Left in and out of government, banking, finance, etc. will let the whole house of cards collapse. I believe they are now actively holding things together as best they can on behalf of Obama and Democrats. Should a Republican be elected sure as shootin’ they will withdraw their active support and then things will come crashing down just in time to blame the Republicans.