05 Aug 2011

Posted at 13:42h in The Friday Brief by
A friend suggested the other day that “if we are in a recession, at least we can now begin looking forward to the recovery.” The economy has certainly received some serious knocks lately and one could easily make the case that the two-year recovery is in trouble. Supply disruptions from Japan’s earthquake dealt the first blow followed by an equally devastating rise in oil and gasoline prices. Then came the political train wreck over the debt ceiling with questionable warnings of US default coupled with more substantial threat of a downgrade of US debt (S&P has not yet announced their decision). Add Europe’s debt problems and emerging market slowdowns and the global picture gets darker.  

29 Jul 2011

Posted at 13:45h in The Friday Brief by
Our nation’s motto was enacted unanimously in 1955 and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The words appear on every denomination of US currency. They are inscribed in stone in the Capital’s main lobby, its southwest entrance, and the House Chamber. Both houses of Congress begin each day with prayer. So, in this time of national crisis, when leadership seems lost, would we and our leaders not do well to seek God’s counsel? 

22 Jul 2011

Posted at 13:53h in The Friday Brief by
As the clock ticks with little more than a week to go before the August 2 deadline, Democrats and Republicans say they are no closer to a deal to raise the debt limit and cut spending. The latest out is that Obama and House Speaker John Boehner may be close to a deal. Even though details are sketchy, Democrats are critical of it because spending would be immediate and tax increases would come only later, if at all. 

08 Jul 2011

Posted at 13:58h in The Friday Brief by
Last week’s Brief posed a question within a question. First, has the US economy hit a temporary slow patch or is a prolonged slowdown looming? The question within is general and aimed at the cause of the latest slowdown. Answers include; disruptions in Japanese supply lines caused initial slowing; a retreating European economy, driven by debt concerns, further reduces demand for American goods and services, and emerging markets such as China, Brazil, and India are slowing their demand for US exports as their central banks attempt to rein in skyrocketing inflation.