Edward Lotterman

Just did a quick calculation. If total Covid cases and deaths continue to grow at the rate of the last 14 days, we will have 18.7 million cases and 308,000 deaths by Inauguration Day. If at the rates from August 1-November 4, the numbers will be 16.7 million and 324,000.

Israel Putnam at Bunker Hill, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” Tony Fauci, 44 hours before polls open, Biden “is taking it seriously from a public health perspective.” Trump, is “looking at it from a different perspective.”

RNC chairwoman says Republicans who distance themselves from Trump are 'hurting themselves in the long run'. That is like Captain Edward Smith on the bridge of the Titanic saying "Yes! Yes! There is another iceberg right ahead!"

The CRP program started in 1985, but it was a thin re-do of the 1956 Soil Bank program. Biden knows the CRP well, it was written with the watershed of Chesapeake Bay in mind. The proportion of land enrolled in that area is the highest in the U.S.

Watching the news tonight, I wondered: On Nov 19, 1863, when Abe Lincoln made a few remarks at Gettysburg, did he start clapping for himself when he got up on the platform? Probably not, dumb hick did not know how to work a crowd. Loser!

Today, Senator Ron Johnson raised the bar for utter stupidity today by asking: "Why do we think we actually can stop the progression of a contagious disease?" Well, maybe because we stopped the progression of smallpox, of tuberculosis, of measles, mumps, cholera, whooping cough.

Sorry, but there is strong new evidence Trump is near death. Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow has said Trump has "a mild case." Since Kudlow has never been right in his life, and usually is SPECTACULARLY wrong, this bodes poory for the president.

Read Admiral William Macraven's: "If good men like Joe Maguire can’t speak the truth, we should be deeply afraid" in the Feb 21 issue of the Washington Post. I'm A USAR Infantry Major, O-4. enlisted in September 1967. He is a four-star, full Admiral, O-10. We agree on all.

Read WAPO columnist Jenifer Rubin Feb 25 column on Republicans voting on emergency declaration. Many claim to be devout Christians so they should read "The Practice and Prohibition of Self-Castration in Early Christianity," Daniel F. Caner' Vigiliae Christianae, Nov., 1997),

For more on Fed/president relations read R.P. Bremmer’s “Chairman of the Fed” on Wm. McCh. Martin’s standing up to LBJ and telling Nixon he would NOT step down before his term ended. A great man!

Read Jim Puzzanghera’s LA Times piece on whether Trump could/should fire Jerome Powell. Good! Saves me a column. Trump should heed wisdom of James Carville

Hint from an old C-119 jumper: Always be prepared to go out door on your reserve any time pilot rings emergency bell. Good advice for all of life!

With Galbraith’s 1929 book, I read Barbara Tuchman’s The Guns of August every five years. Wise woman, among very best writing I have ever read. Applies to any government in crisis.

JK Galbraith’s The Great Crash 1929 is must read for anyone in finance. Deep insights, tremendous wit. I'm not predicting anything, but it helps to understand contemporary news

Gene Fama is brilliant man but the two biggest forces in “efficient” financial markets are greed and fear. Neither is particularly rational.

Charles Mckay’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds good background reading for understanding contemporary markets.

Financial markets are like C130 full of paratroopers. Air is choppy, turbine exhaust coming in doors. Everyone nauseous but no one pukes. Then one guy does and in five seconds whole plane is full of vomit. Hang on for ride