Strongest Monthly Gain Since 2021
Strongest monthly gain since 2021, the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index increased in October to 108.7 from 99.2 in September. While the strongest monthly gain since March 2021, it still did not break free of the narrow range that has prevailed over the past two years.
Real GDP Increased in Q3 2024
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024, according to the “advance” estimate. In the second quarter, GDP increased 3.0 percent. The problem with this number is that most of the job growth is attributed to government jobs and spending, meaning they don’t produce or manufacture anything. That is not what the country needs.
US Raw Steel Production Down from Previous Week
In the week ending October 26, 2024, US raw steel production was 1,660,000 net tons at an ACUR of 74.7 percent, down 0.2 percent from the previous week. Adjusted year-to-date production was 72,729,000 net tons at an ACUR of 76.4 percent.
Texas Manufacturing Survey Reports Growth Continued in October
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released its Texas Manufacturing Survey results and reports growth in Texas manufacturing activity continued in October, according to executives responding to the survey. The production index, a key measure of state manufacturing conditions, posted a second positive reading after four months in negative territory.
Other measures of manufacturing activity showed mixed signals this month. The new orders index remained negative, the capacity utilization index posted a second consecutive positive reading, the shipments index remained near zero. Perceptions of broader business conditions continued to worsen in October.
Chicago Business Barometer Dropped in October
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Chicago Business Barometer, a regional view of the national economy reports its index dropped 5.0 points in October after edging up for two consecutive months, making the barometer the lowest since May 2024, and 1.6 points below the year-to-date average. The decline was due to four of the five subcomponents falling (Production, New Orders, Order Backlogs and Employment), with only Supplier Deliveries rising in October.
Headline News
“He’s Hitler,” “He’s a fascist” Kamala
“The only rubbish I see floating out there is his supporters” Biden
These are quotes from the “elite” liberal president and vice president about their political opponent, Donald J. Trump. These narratives are vomited by the main-stream media ad nauseum. These leftists are desperate to hold power and have no hesitation to swim in human effluent to spew their nonsense.
THE SUPREME COURT’S FUTURE IS on the BALLOT (EXCERPTS from an opinion piece in the WSJ 10/28/24.
Ms. Harris on packing the Supreme Court:
The American people increasingly are losing confidence in the Supreme Court, in large part because of the behavior of certain members of the Court, and because of certain rulings, including the Dobbs decision, and taking away a precedent that had been in place for fifty years, protecting a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. So, I do believe that there should be some reform of the Court, and we can study what that actually looks like.”
There you have it. Ms Harris has already endorsed president Biden’s plan to impose “ethics” rules on Justices that would invite political harassment and compromise judicial independence. Now she won’t disavow packing the Court She has called for Democrats, if they keep the Senate in November, to bypass the 60 vote filibuster rule, letting them enact such bills without even a modicum of compromise.
How far would they go? The best guide is what they have already proposed. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden introduced a bill last month to expand the court to 15 Justices from nine over three presidential terms. The legislation says the High Court “may invalidate an Act of Congress” only if two-thirds of participated Justices agree. If Congress votes to censor opponents, 10 of Mr. Wyden’s Justices would have to agree that this violated the First Amendment.
Mr Wyden’s bill would also require the IRS to audit and publish the Justices’ tax returns. This isn’t required of Congress or Presidents. Instead of leaving recusal decisions to individual Justices, based on criteria like financial interests, Mr Wyden’s bill says litigants could file recusal motions, and the Justices “shall” reply in writing. Even if a Justice thinks recusal isn’t warranted, a vote by two-thirds of the Court could force him or her off the case. This would invite political jockeying to flip outcomes by disqualifying Justices on the other side.
Then there’s Mr. Biden and Ms Harris’s call for term limits. The Constitution says Supreme Court Justices have life tenure…the idea is to strip Justices of the ability to hear appeals while pretending they retain their offices. It’s unconstitutional, which isn’t to say Democrats won’t try it anyway in a statute.
What’s at stake this year, however, is much larger. If Ms Harris wins next week, while Democrats hang on to 50 Senate seats, they have promised progressive voters they’ll take a wrecking ball to the current Supreme Court. It used to be a fringe position to propose fundamental “reform” of the Court, but Mr. Biden has embraced it, Ms Harris has endorsed it, and the Senate Judiciary Committee has passed it.
Democrats are serious. They say Mr. Trump is a threat to democracy and US institutions, while they’re pledging to restructure the judiciary wholesale. Do they notice the cognitive dissonance? Apparently not. But voters might.”
It is very close to “go time” folks. I am going on 74 years of age, and in my opinion, this is the most consequential election of my lifetime. For our country, for our children, our grandchildren and those to follow, the liberty and freedom we hold dear are on the line. It is the difference between good and evil. Look what they have done to America in four short years. It is a catastrophe, those who do not see it, are blind to the truth.
GET OUT AND VOTE
“KEEP AMERICA GREAT”
Have a great weekend…. God bless America!
Buy American made products whenever you can, it’s good for you, good for your friends and neighbors and good for our country.
If you are hiring…try to hire a veteran…. they are loyal, disciplined, hardworking…and they deserve our support.
By the way, if you wish to comment on my rants or offer any other insights you may have, you are encouraged to email me.
TEDDY ROOSEVELT ON IMMIGRANTS IN AMERICA…1907
In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag…We have room for but one language here and that is the English language…and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”
