This is a small excerpt from an economic newsletter that I subscribe to.
The larger, more comprehensive economic picture is more long term unchecked spending.
65% of all working families are now living paycheck to paycheck, and that gets worse as gas and food prices stay high, or go higher. For the average wage earner, life is getting tougher. Summer travel is likely to be a disappointment for the hotel and airline industries as inflation eats more savings and paychecks, and Covid lockdowns recede into history. Retail sales may have increases well at 3% in January, but don’t think this is a upturn in the economy. It will get worse from here, although a soft landing may now be possible.
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I don't want to be the guy that regularly copies and pastes a copyrighted publication and forwards to another site, but decided this piece would be appreciated on this thread. Hope the author would agree.
Concerning Putins aggression against the Ukraine:
Ukraine is still a big unknown. Russia has begun its well advertised offensive, and is throwing bodies at the attack in huge numbers. They are getting mowed down by the hundreds every day. They are losing tanks and other armor in large numbers. None of that means the Ukrainians will be able to hold out and prevail. Chances are they may not be able to. Statements by Miley and Austin this past week that the Ukrainians are wining is nonsense and pure politics. We need to wait a few more weeks to see which way this goes. Tanks and other heavy armor from the US and NATO remain several weeks away and will not arrive to make the near term difference. We should give them a bunch of A-10s and Apaches and let them rip apart the Russians. The A 10 is not being sent because the ammo is spent uranium and Biden and the Pentagon are afraid that will push Putin to say it is a major escalation and now I can use a nuke. I find that reason to be ridiculous. UK Intel says Russia has committed 90% of its armed forces to this offensive effort. If true, and if the Ukrainians can hold out, Russia becomes a third rate military force, and Putin becomes more dangerous as he gets more desperate. The next month to six weeks will tell the story of Ukraine as the offensive unfolds or fails.