Free Republic

CONGRESSMAN____________________________________ If you aren’t going to read the entire HealthCare bill, here is a summary: PG 22 MANDATES the Government will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!! PG 24 Line 116 Government effectively sets prices for ALL private health plans. PG 30 Line 123 THERE WILL BE A Government COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get. PG 37 Line 132 The Government will be reviewing grievances about themselves and will decide on appeals for rejected claims. PG 29 Line 4-16 YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!! Additionally you can reference PG 15 Line 19-25. PG 42 The Health Choices Commissioner...

Fleckenstein to Shutter Short-Selling Hedge Fund December 8, 2008, 7:25 am Topics Hedge FundsIndustries Financial Services One of the most public defenders of short-selling is closing down his fund. Bill Fleckenstein, the hedge fund manager, wrote in his Daily Rap column that he was closing down his Fleckenstein Capital fund. Mr. Fleckenstein’s column was reprinted on the Calculated Risk blog. In it, the fund manager writes that he always intended to return to the long side of investing, as opposed to the short-seller’s strategy of betting against stocks. He became a short seller in part because of what he described...

Wall Street has a soft spot for the "soft landing" thesis, but to me it's crystal clear that a serious economic slowdown is under way. What has been surprising: not that the economy is weakening but that so many people seem to expect a soft landing, and therefore remain in denial about the seriousness of the slowdown. I guess the predilection toward a soft landing is a function of the following: So many folks in the investment business -- and in the country at large-- haven't experienced a consumer-led recession in so long that they think this outcome is just...

When the 'pros' lap up forecasts from money-losers, ignore the risk of disaster and believe a 13th rate cut will do the trick, the party's on its last legs. Imagine this: Tech guidance that dares to disappoint folks by saying "Business stinks." Imagine a tech analyst who downgrades a stock because its stinking business sells for a silly price. Imagine a Fed that says, we made a mess of monetary policy, but we'll try not to make things worse with further rate cuts. . . . Let's drink to dreams, as we delve into reasons to rant. Texas Instruments (TXN)...