Ravengate
Partners - Stock market, economic and political commentary by Patricia Chadwick

Enough is enough. If the stock market is ever to turn all the way around, there must be an end to what is clearly becoming a witch-hunt on the part of the Congress. Congress, which cannot seem to keep its own books straight, is hell bent on straightening out corporate America – and it is obviously acting, with elections around the corner, for political gain.

(more…)

The new year has witnessed the political rhetoric become pointedly directed at the economy. Not surprisingly, the Democrats, aggressively led by Senate Majority leader, Tom Daschle, are now blaming Republicans for creating a budget deficit with the tax package that was passed in the spring. That tax package was not only appropriate but it was good (not bad) economics. Even more astonishing has been the performance of President Clinton’s one-time national economic adviser, Laura D’Andrea Tyson. On television a few days ago, she actually blamed the current recession on the tax cuts put into effect last spring. Where was she when President Clinton was cutting the capital-gains tax?

(more…)

Two airport security events struck me on my trip to Florida this past weekend. Firstly, the x-ray scanner at LaGuardia Airport detected a small nail clipper in my cosmetic case and the security staff gave me the option of checking it in (which meant going back through the long check-in line) or of giving it up immediately and buying a replacement later. That was an easy decision. Why not help out the economy a bit and avoid a hassle?

(more…)