US Manufacturing Output Rebounded

US manufacturing output rebounded more than expected in November, as the end of an almost six-week long strike at General Motors plants boosted auto production. The Federal Reserve said on Tuesday that manufacturing production rose 1.1% last month after a downwardly revised 0.7% fall in October. Industrial output also rose 1.1% in November after a downwardly revised drop of 0.9%. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, overall industrial and manufacturing output in November rose 0.5% and 0.3% respectively. Reuters

US-China Phase 1 Trade Agreement

Late last week the United States and China agreed in principle to a Phase 1 trade agreement which will include billions in spending on agricultural products, manufacturing, intellectual property, currency and a host of other trade issues. This is just the beginning…

Empire State Manufacturing Survey for December 2019 Reports Little Change

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released its Empire State Manufacturing Survey for December 2019 and reports business activity was little changed, according to firms responding to the survey. The headline general business conditions index held steady, new orders were little changed while shipments grew gradually, inventories held steady. Optimism about the six-month outlook picked up and capital spending plans were notably stronger.

US Drill Rigs Running Unchanged from Prior Week

There were 799 drill rigs running in the US last week, unchanged from the prior week and down 272 from the same period last year. Canadian drilling rose by 15 rigs to 153, down 21 rigs from the same period last year.

US Raw Steel Production at ACUR 79.7%

In the week ending December 14, 2019 US raw steel production was 1,844,000 net tons at an ACUR of 79.7 percent. Thus far this year mills have produced prox 92,584,000 net tons compared to the 90,916,000 tons produced in the like period last year

December 2019 Manufacturing Outlook Survey Reports Business Remained Flat

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released its December 2019 Manufacturing Outlook Survey and reports business remained flat in the region. The survey’s broad indicator dropped to near zero this month while indicators for new orders, shipments and employment remained in higher, positive territory. The indicators for business optimism remained positive suggesting growth over the next six months.

Battle of the Bulge 75th Anniversary

Today, December 16, 2019 is the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge which began on this date in 1944. 19,000 Americans lost their lives, some 46,000 were injured. I am proud to say that one of my uncles was an interrogator for the Allied Forces during that battle. Never forget…

The President is Impeached

Wednesday December 18, 2019…the day the Democrats finally did what they had been hoping to do since the day President Trump was elected in 2016. This is a disgusting display of partisanship for our country and these people should be ashamed of themselves for pursuing this path. The Dow Industrials have risen 10,000 points since his election, our military might is now unequaled anywhere on the planet, unemployment at a 50 year low, 7,000,000 jobs created, renegotiated trade deals with Mexico, Canada and soon China’s Phase 1 deal, securing our southern border, rolling back government regulations. Just look at his accomplishments in his first administration despite all the resistance coming from the left. How do you vote against a man who has done so much good for our country, for every American of every sex, race, religion, creed, whatever, we all bleed red American blood. God bless this country and God bless our President Donald J. Trump, keep him healthy and safe from harm, for our freedom and liberty ride on the balance.

I also read last week that Nancy Pelosi said “we ate their lunch” when it came to the spending concessions she forced Republicans to “eat” in order to pass the USMCA. In other words, she is saying “screw the American people, they want this trade deal, it is going to cost them big…” That is real nice Nancy.

IN HOC ANNO DOMINI

When Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There was one master for it all, and he was Tiberius Caesar.

Everywhere there was civil order, for the arm of the Roman law was long. Everywhere there was stability, in government and in society, for the centurions saw that it was so.

But everywhere there was something else too. There was oppression-for those who were not the friends of Tiberius Caesar. There was the tax gatherer to take the grain from the fields and the flas from the spindle to feed the legions or to fill the hungry treasury from which divine Caesar gave largess to the people. There was the impressor to find recruits for the circuses. There were executioners to quiet those whom the Emperor proscribed. What was a man for but to serve Caesar?

There was the persecution of men who dared think differently, who heard strange voices or read strange manuscripts. There was enslavement of men whose tribes came not from Rome, disdain for those who did not have the familiar visage. And most of all, there was everywhere a contempt for human life. What, to the strong, was one man more or less in a crowded world?

Then, of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God, the things that are God’s.

And the voice from Galilee, which would defy Caesar, offered a new Kingdom in which each man could walk upright and bow to none but his God. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And he sent this gospel of the Kingdom of Man unto the uttermost ends of the earth.

So the light came into the world and the men who lived in darkness were afraid, and they tried to lower a curtain so that man would still believe salvation lay with the leaders.

But it came to pass for a while in divers places that the truth did set man free, although the men of darkness were offended and they tried to put out the light. The voice said, Haste ye. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness knowest not whither he goest.

Along the road to Damascus the light shone brightly. But afterward, Paul of Tarsus, too, was sore afraid. He feared that other Caesars, other prophets, might one day persuade men that man was nothing save a servant unto them, that men might yield up their birthright from God for pottage and walk no more in freedom.

Then might it come to pass that darkness would settle again over the lands and there would be burning of books and men would think only of what they should eat and what they should wear, and would give heed only to new Caesars and false prophets. Then might it come to pass that men would not look upward to see even a winter’s star in the East, and once more, there would be no light at all in the darkness.

And so Paul, the apostle of the Son of Man, spoke to his brethren, the Galatians, the words he would have us remember afterward in each of the years of his Lord:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

This editorial was written in 1949 by the late Vermont Royster and has been published annually in the Wall Street Journal since that time. I reprint his each year at Christmas.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with Peace, Good Health and Prosperity.
God Bless America

As an American citizen, how do you want our country to move forward for you and your family:

SECURE BORDERS? OPEN BORDERS?
MORE GOVERNMENT? LESS GOVERNMENT?
A STRONG MILITARY? A WEAK MILITARY?
LESS TAXATION? MORE TAXATION?
LESS GOVERNMENT REGULATION? MORE GOVERNMENT REGULATION?
FAIR TRADE AGREEMENTS? QUID PRO QUO TRADE AGREEMENTS?
PROPER CARE FOR OUR VETERANS? DON’T CARE FOR OUR VETERANS?
MERIT BASED IMMIGRATION? THE SHIT WE HAVE NOW?
RESPONSIBLE HELP FOR THE POOR? THROW MONEY AT THE PROBLEM?
TEACH AMERICAN HISTORY TO OUR CHILDREN? ERASE AMERICAN HISTORY?
RESPECT OUR FLAG? DON’T GIVE A SHIT?
SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN SCHOOL? WHAT IS THAT?

Infrastructure X (Keystone & Dakota pipelines) Regulation Reform XX 1 in 2 out
Individual Tax Reform XX Entitlement Reform
Business Tax Reform XX Education Reform X
Healthcare Reform Veterans Administration Reform X
Rebuild our Military X Trade Reform X
Secure our Borders (The Wall) XX Lead the world from the front XX
Help for the poor XX Drain the swamp X as we speak
Peace through unmatchable strength Support Israel X
Destroy ISIS XX Extreme Vetting XX
Conservative Supreme Court nominees XX American Jobs XX

I will track these campaign promises and will check them off as each is accomplished adding those I have missed as they become apparent. This is quite an agenda and will be difficult to achieve all in one term, but I believe the American people are behind him and know these things need to be done. Now, if he can get our legislators to support him instead of fighting him….

“MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”

and

“KEEP AMERICAN 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.”