Economic Man (@EconomicManBlog) header
Economic Man (@EconomicManBlog) profile picture

Retired RE and special situations investor (GS and own firm). Economics (Bowdoin College/LSE) and Finance (Univ of Mich). Libertarian. NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE.

United States
Joined March 2016
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This is why tennis is the greatest sport in the world. A đŸ§”
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How many times does a Donald Trump - or a Friedrich Merz with his 10% approval rating - have to get elected (or France's coming Red vs Black choice) before idiots stop talking about "democracy" as a univeral solution instead of just the least bad alternative? @IsabellaMWeber
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Replying to @powerbottomdad1
To be honest, she looks like she could benefit from a bit of trampoline exercise.
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Are CONSUMERS and VOTERS different people? Or is it just that CONSUMERS gain IQ points, expertise and judgment when they walk into the voting booth, even though it is strictly irrational (on an expected value basis) for any VOTER to be particularly wise or informed?
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What thing that always amazes me that perhaps you can explain: CONSUMERS are so easily duped that they cannot be trusted to make wise choices with their own money, but VOTERS should be allowed to make these decisions even with no direct skin in the game.
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Replying to @PhilWMagness
Don't forget NC: Trump forced out Thom Tillis, who would have run as an incumbent.
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Like I always want to point out to the @SenSanders and @AOC 's of the world: if they really like socialism, France should be their North Star, not Denmark. Jeez, I wonder why they prefer to point to Denmark? đŸ€”đŸ€”đŸ€”
Je vous prĂ©sente une des pires pays d'extrĂȘme-droite d'Europe, le Danemark đŸ‡©đŸ‡° - 10 points de moins de dĂ©penses publiques que la France - ExcĂ©dents budgĂ©taires et dette publique de 29% du PIB - Licenciement sur simple lettre du patron. Taux de chĂŽmage de 3%. - Pas de SMIC imposĂ© par l'Etat - Age de dĂ©part Ă  la retraite Ă  67 ans, bientĂŽt 68 - Retraite partition limitĂ©e Ă  un minimum vieillesse Ă©gal pour tous. Les complĂ©ments de retraite se font uniquement par capitalisation - Environ 48 % de la population a une assurance santĂ© privĂ©e - Politique d’immigration trĂšs restrictive : protection temporaire par dĂ©faut, regroupement familial difficile, obligation d’intĂ©gration rĂ©elle - RĂ©sidence permanente seulement aprĂšs 8 ans + langue + preuve d’emploi soutenu - Fin du visa automatique pour les migrants au chĂŽmage depuis plus de 3 mois - « Paradigm shift » sur l’asile : protection temporaire par dĂ©faut, objectif prioritaire de retour au pays plutĂŽt que d’intĂ©gration dĂ©finitive - Contrat ordinaire pour l'immense majoritĂ© des employĂ©s du service public - DurĂ©e de travail limitĂ©e Ă  48h par semaine par l'Etat. MajoritĂ© des conventions collectives Ă  37h par semaine. - Un des taux d'activitĂ© les plus Ă©levĂ©s au monde - Allocation chĂŽmage conditionnĂ©e Ă  une recherche d’emploi trĂšs active : au moins 2 candidatures par semaine, obligation d’accepter des jobs hors de son domaine, risque de perte des droits si on ne prouve pas sa disponibilitĂ© - Interdiction du droit de grĂšve pour certains fonctionnaires - ImpĂŽts sur les bĂ©nĂ©fices parmi les plus faibles d'Europe - Aucun impĂŽt sur la fortune - Protection de la propriĂ©tĂ© et justice parmi les meilleures du monde - CrĂ©ation d’entreprise en 1 jour, entiĂšrement en ligne. - ClassĂ© 7e Ă  l'indice de libertĂ© Ă©conomique contre 65e pour la France. - ClassĂ© 4e pays de l'OCDE oĂč il est le plus simple de faire des affaires. La France est avant-derniĂšre. Ça fait peur, trĂšs peur. Un vĂ©ritable enfer nĂ©olibĂ©ral. Les heures les plus sombres, Ă  1 heure de Paris en avion.
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You know what else is part of normal capitalism? Assuming that people voting with their own pocketbooks for apps is a better indication of their real preferences than whatever political process you would use to "price" them as an "addictive" negative externality.
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This is a great example of what it's like to argue with an leftist: Foster uses facts and logic. His opponent responds by parroting smug, vague, indoctrinated shibboleths about which she has clearly nearly given any real thought. So frustrating.
BREAKING 🚹: Kmele Foster: “It's one thing to not think capitalism isn't working, ideally. It's another thing entirely to insist that it is oppressive, that it is bound up with white supremacy.” Jemele Hill: “How is it not?” Kmele Foster: “I've always preferred Adam Smith's description of capitalism as the natural system of liberty. The idea that people can own property, that they can exchange it freely with one another for profit, that they can find ways to put their resources to good use and profit in a way that is actually beneficial to everyone else, that there can be gains from trade that are mutually beneficial. These are foundational ideas that have created more wealth than any other system in human history. That is what capitalism is. That is not white supremacy.” Jemele Hill: “Do you think capitalism has always worked that way?” Kmele Foster: “I’ve actually just described the basic facts of the economics.” Hill: “That ain't how it's always worked.” Kmele Foster: “Slavery is an institution that is older than writing. It predates capitalism. The notion that white supremacy and all these other things are bound up with capitalism in an intrinsic and fundamental way is so absurd and laughable, it barely needs to be defended.” Jemele Hill: “How was it absurd?” Kmele Foster: “It barely needs to be defended.” Jemele Hill: “What do you mean it barely needs to be defended?” Kmele Foster: “You actually have to articulate what the connections is. How are these two things the same? I'm talking about private property, the right to exchange and sell with whomever you like. What does that have to do with white supremacy?
 What is the white supremacy dynamic of private property?”
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Replying to @BradMunchen
UFB that he thinks he can pull this off.
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This is the point I always make: Fed's relative weakness was his lack of mental toughness.
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Replying to @davebudge
The good news is that they can use the wording from the 1994 Budapest agreement guaranteeing Ukraine’s independence and borders. So they can save on legal fees.
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The TL;DR version was delivered by FrĂ©dĂ©ric Bastiat over 170 years ago: “The state is the great fiction by which everyone endeavors to live at the expense of everyone else” @scottlincicome @PhilWMagness
đŸ‡«đŸ‡· FLASH - LFI a dĂ©voilĂ© le programme de Jean-Luc MĂ©lenchon pour la prĂ©sidentielle de 2027. Parmi les propositions : - Autoriser jusqu’à 3 jours d’arrĂȘt maladie autodĂ©clarĂ©, sans consulter de mĂ©decin. - Accorder 7 jours de congĂ© aprĂšs le dĂ©cĂšs d’un ami. - Porter le SMIC Ă  1.700€ net par mois, soit une hausse de 220€. - Ramener l’ñge de dĂ©part Ă  la retraite de 64 Ă  60 ans, avec une retraite Ă  taux plein aprĂšs 40 annĂ©es de cotisation. - RĂ©duire progressivement la durĂ©e du travail Ă  32 heures par semaine. - Instaurer un service Ă©cologique obligatoire de 9 mois pour les moins de 25 ans, rĂ©munĂ©rĂ© au SMIC. - Faire rembourser les soins Ă  100% par la SĂ©curitĂ© sociale. - Prendre en charge les sĂ©ances de psychothĂ©rapie des moins de 26 ans. - Fixer un plafond de 12 millions d’euros pour les hĂ©ritages. - Augmenter les APL de 10% pour aider Ă  payer les loyers. - Bloquer les prix de certains produits essentiels afin de limiter les hausses excessives. - Revaloriser les salaires des fonctionnaires. - Garantir un revenu minimum aux jeunes grĂące Ă  une allocation. - Proposer aux Ă©tudiants des repas Ă  1€. - Limiter Ă  1 pour 20 l’écart entre les rĂ©munĂ©rations au sein d’une mĂȘme entreprise. - Soumettre les aides publiques aux entreprises Ă  des engagements sociaux et Ă©cologiques. - RĂ©tablir l’ISF afin d’accroĂźtre l’imposition des grandes fortunes. - Mettre en place la taxe Zucman pour taxer davantage les milliardaires. - RĂ©partir l’impĂŽt sur le revenu en 14 tranches pour augmenter la contribution des plus riches. - Engager une sortie progressive du nuclĂ©aire. - Atteindre une production d’électricitĂ© issue Ă  100% des Ă©nergies renouvelables d’ici 2060. - Interdire les vols entre 23h et 6h. - Suspendre les zones Ă  faibles Ă©missions (ZFE), qui restreignent la circulation des vĂ©hicules les plus polluants dans certaines villes. - Passer de la Ve Ă  la VIe RĂ©publique en donnant davantage de pouvoir aux citoyens. - Supprimer le 49.3, qui permet au gouvernement de faire adopter un texte sans vote. - Intensifier la lutte contre les discriminations, notamment au sein de la police. - ReconnaĂźtre comme crime d’État le massacre des AlgĂ©riens du 17 octobre 1961. - RenĂ©gocier les traitĂ©s europĂ©ens et refuser l’application de certaines rĂšgles europĂ©ennes jugĂ©es incompatibles avec le programme. - Quitter progressivement le commandement militaire intĂ©grĂ© de l’OTAN. - Soutenir la crĂ©ation d’un État palestinien aux cĂŽtĂ©s d’IsraĂ«l.
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I can't blame CBS for this. It's called "60 Minutes" and when Trump can lie and say totally crazy shit for much longer than that, editorial decisions have to be made.
Shocking what was edited out by CBS.
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I said yesterday that this guy's imitation of Tucker Carlson is his best....but I have to revise my opinion. The outfit. The accent. The sexual malapropisms. Classic.
Russell Brand explains why he believes the govt. targeted him.
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Replying to @mmomboisse
And too profitable.
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As satisfying as it is, Massie's attempt to impeach Hegseth is probably counterproductive. I think Trump was on his way to using Hegseth as a scapegoat - since Dear Leader can never fail but can only be failed - and now both Trump and Hegseth are going to dig in. A pity.
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Replying to @scottlincicome
Generations of econ majors have been taught to believe that any "market failure" should automatically be met by government actions, because, apparently, "government failure" is not a thing.
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Replying to @davebudge
She has a job waiting for her in the theater.
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Yes. The courts will summarily slap this down -- like most of the lawfare idiocy from Trump -- but it could be another case of "the process is the punishment."
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Djoko is past his prime, but even in his prime he could not compare with these two, both of whom have many more weapons than Djoko and who are equally strong mentally.
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