Follies

I am ashamed to say that my plan to finally watch the last J! episode and do all of the follow-up stuff from yesterday's meeting was not done; after gym and chores after work, plowing through some other action items, and a 30-minute call with a friend having some tough times...well, here we are.  I guess I can do it tomorrow, as there is nothing to do, though there is something to be said for middle age that a big Friday night for me now is catching up on administrative stuff.  Sigh and alas.

The Other Big SNAP Cuts States Are Facing
This could be me, but 1) It is true that we are spending too much as it is; 2) We shouldn't have been spending the money anyways; and 3) From what I have read, the states are doing a poor job of running the programs as it is, and forcing them to spend their own money might (ha!) solve that.

Looking at all of the tariff news...well, I hope that POTUS knows what he is doing.  To be sure, I suspect that these moves are yet another round of high-stakes brinkmanship, as in many cases, they need us more than we need them -- and I think the markets are factoring that in.  I know many call it TACO, but I think most of us realize that is simply how he negotiates, as roller-coaster as it may be.  Certainly, the flurry of deals (incomplete as they are) helped the markets last week.

I got around to listening to the Fed presser, and I literally spewed my coffee when Powell said that the best thing he could do for the housing market was to keep rates steady.  What?  It's his high rates that are a big cause of the issue -- both on the supply side (people don't want to buy at these rates, and do not, and builders slow down their activities) and on the demand side (if rates were lower, more people would sell, as there would be less worry about giving up a low-rate mortgage).  One would think some GOPers would be on the warpath and start talking about reducing the role of the Fed in things, and I think they would be completely justified in doing so.