"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
My portfolio has also done very well, but I do worry about the bubble bursting. Every time the Fed just hints at ending QE, the market declines.
I think a short, sharp, shock could collapse the market by one third.
And today Wal-Mart expects sales to be down as families plan to increase they amount they spend on medical health insurance under the new ACA requirments.
And Obamacare is now disliked by 58%.
Maybe time to give every American a $3000 check rather than keep bailing out Wall Street and the banks? People need to find some way to pay for the extra benefits of ACA.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
Because the rise in the Dow doesn't represent increased wealth, it represents the decreased value of the USD that has resulted from all of the QE done by the Fed. It takes more dollars to buy the same value these days, so each share requires more dollars to purchase, which is what the rise in the average of the Dow is telling you at the moment.
That's why it doesn't feel like we are doing so well. We actually aren't doing very well at all.
On the face of the headline this should be excellent news and a sign that the economy is turning around, private industry is booming and all is well. Unfortunately I have to agree with others who have indicated that it's the exact opposite of good news, it's direct evidence that the fed is manipulating the value of the dollar and the press is spinning the results.
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him; better take a closer look at the American Indian." - Henry Ford
Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges; When the Republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous. - Publius Cornelius Tacitus
Gee, I pulled all my money out of far off businesses I know little about - are people still invested in these companies? Who has time to learn enough about them to know you are doing the right thing?
I have put my money where my mouth is and have invested locally in companies and people I know...with better return and less concerns that I am investing in violent or immoral things. I also invest in my employees and their future.
Oh and the reason people are not doing so well is that you have a govt that is designed to make these larger firms do well. They ask for stuff and they get it. Average people often cheer for it (see wars, ACA, etc.). The dow and the S/P are measurements of how the biggest firms in the country are doing, not you. The govt and the people have prioritized these companies over themselves.
Anyone see that new Brand Logo board game .... or gotten a hand job down at starbucks lately?
Also remember we set up many govt programs to get you to funnel you retirement away from savings and into these companies. We even gave tax breaks (that we all have to refund) so that you will send the companies this money. We have 401ks and IRA for the dumb folks, so even if you wanted to make an informed decision, you cannot, except to send them your money (which you will and will again, even after they loose it). So you send them them all your extra money, they invest it, loose it, gain some and you wonder why you are not doing great but they are, you sent them all your wealth....and then pretended because of a year like this you made money. It is downright cute. The average (someone who made less than $100k on average a year) should not feel secure in their retirement, esp if you money is tied up in companies you know little about.
sound bite from Bernake......"irrational exuberance".......the REAL story is NOT on Wall Street,but
rather on Main Street....."bubble economy" comes to mind......we all know what bubbles do,don't
we? (3,000 point correction does NOT seem unrealistic.)JMO
Maybe time to give every American a $3000 check rather than keep bailing out Wall Street and the banks? People need to find some way to pay for the extra benefits of ACA. 
