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Trucking Industry Is Set to Expand Its Use of Natural Gas

        

The natural gas boom has already upended the American power industry, displacing coal and bringing consumers cheaper electricity.

                                Image from Shutterstock

"Stalingrad forever – central planning works"... Until it doesn't.

From ZeroHedge, Tyler Durden, Dow Jones At New All Time Highs - Here's Why

The myth of America’s stagnating middle class | AEIdeas

In today’s WSJ, Don Boudreaux and I address the myth that America’s middle class has stagnated in recent decades, here’s an excerpt:

No single measure of well-being is more informative or important than life expectancy. Happily, an American born today can expect to live approximately 79 years—a full five years longer than in 1980 and more than a decade longer than in 1950. These longer life spans aren’t just enjoyed by “privileged” Americans. As the New York Times reported this past June 7, “The gap in life expectancy between whites and blacks in America has narrowed, reaching the lowest point ever recorded.” This necessarily means that life expectancy for blacks has risen even more impressively than it has for whites.

Americans are also much better able to enjoy their longer lives. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, spending by households on many of modern life’s “basics”—food at home, automobiles, clothing and footwear, household furnishings and equipment, and housing and utilities—fell from 53% of disposable income in 1950 to 44% in 1970 to 32% today (see chart above).

Bottom Line: Despite assertions by progressives who complain about stagnant wages, inequality and the (always) disappearing middle class, middle-class Americans have more buying power than ever before. They live longer lives and have much greater access to the services and consumer products bought by billionaires.

via www.aei-ideas.org

Mortgage Rates Continue to Plummet - 30 year fixed at 3.32%!

BERK: Refinance or buy now - I mean right now...the government has bailed out big banks, public and private unions, delinquent homeowners and others --- now's your chance to get a bailout too - borrow money...it's all the rage and the housing market looks poised to breakout...look at this chart on thirty year mortgages.  Wow!

 

 

 

Declining Economic Freedom Means Lower Expected Returns

Such bad policies and economics will have a drastic impact on our economic freedom, which is already in trouble after four years of the “Yes, We Can” Administration’s programs and spending. Since 2008, America’s economic freedom has been declining at alarming rates: America has fallen from fifth freest economy in the world to 10th freest. (continues below chart)

via blog.heritage.org

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Line up at bank and buy a house...now...borrow money NOW!

At that outstanding, almost unimaginable level, everyone who doesn't own a home should be willing to stand in line outside a bank for however long it takes to qualify for a mortgage, and then turn around and buy just about any home on the market. The Fed has succeeded in creating the housing market's biggest "blue plate special" of all time. Come and get it! A once in a lifetime opportunity to lock up unbelievably low fixed-rate financing and buy a home at a price that's not going to last much longer.

Scott Grannis,  Calafia Beach Pundit

Four threats to economic prosperity

Brian Westbury from First Trust Portfolios on the 4 threats to economic prosperity:  Summed up in two words -Government intervention.

1.   Deflationary Monetary Policy

2.  Tax Hikes

3.  Regulatory Overreach

4.   Protectionism

It's Been About the "Transformation" All Along

BERK: It's been about our lack of understanding which way government is going to go - the less regime uncertainty - the better the stock market anticipating the above trend turning around.

             From Investors.com

What small firms need is a low-tax, pro-market, stable regulatory regime.

But do that, Democrats would have to accept the idea of earned success, something the party in 2012 can't grasp.

 

 

Marcellus Shale Gas Production Doubles

  

 

 

1. The shale gas boom continues in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale region, with output doubling this year during the January-June period compared to the same period in 2011, and energy industry jobs in Pennsylvania increasing by 150% from 2009 to 2011.  Here are some details:

The data are evidence that – despite near record-low prices for natural  gas that have caused some companies to slow production and the creation  of a new state tax on extracting natural gas – the Marcellus Shale boom  is continuing in Pennsylvania.

Patrick Creighton, spokesman for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an  industry group, said the increased drilling was creating jobs,  benefiting consumers with lower utility bills and helping the  manufacturing sector. “These production reports are proof positive that … Marcellus Shale holds tremendous potential for decades to come,” he said.

via mjperry.blogspot.com

The Surprising Moral Case for Free Enterprise