Daily Briefing For Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Economist Confirms What We've Been Saying And Thinking

Take a look at this recent story in The Economist about the state of public finance in America.  From the article:

Other states and cities should pay heed, not because they might end up like Detroit next year, but because the city is a flashing warning light on America’s fiscal dashboard. Though some of its woes are unique, a crucial one is not. Many other state and city governments across America have made impossible-to-keep promises to do with pensions and health care. Detroit shows what can happen when leaders put off reforming the public sector for too long.

I realize there are many economic indicators out there telling you everything is fine and that you should go take out a home equity loan and buy a boat and more toys with the money.  But when 47 million Americans are on food stamps, it's hard to believe everything is going well in the economy.

Do you own homework.  Reach your own conclusions.  Plan and act accordingly.


Cold Winter vs. Warm Winter; Farmer's Almanac vs. NOAA

The Farmer's Almanac is calling for a cold winter for much of the U.S.  Meanwhile, NOAA is going all in on the other side of that forecast, calling for above average temperatures this winter.

So who has a better track record?  Penn State University researchers have some insights.


Let's Not Go Into Syria.

I suspect I am preaching to the choir on this one.  I keep waiting for someone to explain to me why Assad, knowing it would invite a massive military intervention into his country, would even think to use chemical weapons on his own people.  It would be completely illogical, which in my mind makes me think this was a false flag operation by the rebels in an effort to get the West to attack government forces.

And the roster on the other side of the issue continues to grow.  Russia and China continue to stake out pro-Assad positions.  Are we willing to take them on in a proxy war?  Chief pariah of the left, Glenn Beck, made this observation today, going as far as to say that conservatives should be joining with anti-war liberals on this issue as they share much common ground.

Then there's the Saudi element to all of this, the importance of which cannot - and let me stress cannot - be under emphasized here.  We all need to know where the Saudis stand and how they use Chechin terrorists to threaten the Russians.

As Reason magazine pointed out tonight, there are plenty of reasons not to intervene into Syria.  I fear the Obama Administration and the hawkish wing of the GOP are hell bent on doing otherwise.