Windmast, Thank you for your feedback. You are free to disagree with my thoughts on this issue. I know what I said is unpopular with many stockholders. But I offer it as another perspective to consider when trying to figure out what is going on in the economy. Like it or not the Fed is in the driver seat. They can just take their hands off the wheel and let the car go where it wants until it crashes or they can steer the banking system based on what they see. There are many variables in the banking system that the Fed controls. Reserve requirement ratios, etc..that greatly affect the money supply, I would hope they are using some solid criteria in making decisions affecting the money supply. I think believing the sole purpose of raising interest rates, is to bring the stock market down, is simplistic. Just a few other thoughts:
I firmly believe in the free market, and I believe the government's role is to act like a referee. I also believe that we are in the middle of a technology revolution like you suggest. I don't agree that it has delivered a Utopian world, yet, where everything is perfect and economic indicators can be ignored. I think techology is improving our ability to allocate resources to more rapidly overcome bottlenecks in our economic system, but I think there is plenty of proof that bottlenecks are developing. If Europe is hurting so bad, why is demand so high for goods and services. If there are no bottlenecks developing, why is my PCB Assembly House telling me Analog Devices is quoting 6 months delivery on my 40,000 ICs, and why is my sheetmetal manufacturer telling me there is currently a shortage of steel pushing out leadtimes and raising prices. I think because of technology we are in great shape here, and that the bottlenecks will be dealt with quickly and equilibrium will be reached between supply and demand. But economic indicators need to be weighed carefully in the decision process. |
