Michael Lucas

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December CPI, Rates & Yield Curves

Jan 16, 2025 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas

CPI Registers Price IncreasesCPI figures for the month of December were released on Wednesday, January 15th. The two main versions of the BLS's price inflation index––Core CPI and CPI: All Items––registered an increase in nominal consumer prices on a year-over-year basis. However, headlines reported a decrease in so-called "inflation".
You Can't Have Both: Low Rates and Low Inflation

Nov 11, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas

FED Cuts Interest Rates AgainToday, on Monday, November 11th, the FED will yet again cut interest rates, lowering the Federal Funds target rate by 25 basis points. On November 8th, FED Chairman, Jerome Powell, gave a press conference announcing and rationalizing the FED's decision by making a series of false and contradictory claims: "the economy is strong overall," the labor market is "cooling," and inflation "has eased substantially."All of that is nonsense and almost all of it is false.
The Jobs Report Is Worse Than You Think

Nov 4, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas

Only 12,000 JobsMany have no doubt seen the headlines regarding the abysmal job growth reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the month of October. The BLS's favorite and "official" survey of the labor market, the so-called Establishment Survey, reported a total increase of only 12,000 jobs in October. This is the lowest monthly increase in employment in almost four years, which can only mean that the real job growth numbers are actually much worse.
Wisconsin's Biggest Bank Is Worried

Oct 27, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas

Wisconsin's Associated BankThe largest Wisconsin-based bank, the Associated Bank of Green Bay, is in a very precarious position. Like many other banks in the U.S., the Associated Bank is weathering a severe financial storm that could spell disaster for America's financial system. In the wake of five bank failures in 2023––notably Silicon Valley, Signature, and First Republic––many banks are skeptical that they'll be able to remain solvent through the year 2025.
Why Are There Socialists?

Oct 14, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas

Why Are There Socialists? Human beings are naturally inclined toward socialism. We are hard-wired to care for our friends and family by virtue of our empathy and benevolence. At the same time, we are also inclined toward envy and hubris. Ultimately the existence of and tendency toward socialism is a product of human nature. All of us are socialists to some extent, particularly within a family setting.
"How To Destroy An Economy" by Kamala Harris

Oct 8, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas

Dumber and DumbererEven though history, economics and common sense exist, presidential hopeful, Kamala Harris, has never heard of any of them. Her economic plan––which is nothing but economic illiteracy wrapped in feel-good phrases and false promises––gets worse and worse by the day. Any and every opportunity she gets to "stick it to the 1%" or to sound like a complete buffoon is readily seized upon by her and her nightmare of a running mate.
Econ 101: Understanding Inflation

Aug 22, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas |Rockstar Design |David Hume

What Is Inflation? Inflation is an increase in the quantity of money. This simple definition eludes hundreds of millions if not billions of people all across the globe. And yet, despite its simplicity and truth, almost no one knows it. So why is there so much confusion?
Kamala Harris's Economic Plan: The Road to Socialism

Aug 17, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas |Rockstar Design

It ought to be apparent to all that presidential hopeful, Kamala Harris, doesn't know the first thing about economics. Yet the display put on by supporters at her recently-concluded rally in North Carolina has made it abundantly clear that lots of people don't care about that!Clearly, the lessons of the twentieth century have not been disseminated to the American public.
The Runaway Federal Debt

Aug 2, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas |Rockstar Design

The federal debt has just surpassed $35 trillion and is increasing at a rate of $330 million per hour. That’s $7.9 billion per day and $2.8 trillion per year. How did this happen? 35 Trillion and CountingNot long ago, in the Summer of 2017, we Americans were marveling at the prospect that the Federal debt would soon reach $20 trillion. Just a few short years later we have not only reached that milestone, but have increased the debt by another 75%.
Wisconsin Farming

Jul 29, 2024 | maciverinstitute.com | Michael Lucas |Rockstar Design

Total farms in Wisconsin have decreased by 6,272 and now utilize 533,952 fewer acres. Middling farms are fewer in number and large-scale farms are greater. However, small-scale farms have seen little change. –Michael LucasIntroductionIn February of 2024 the U.S. Department of Agriculture released their latest report on farming in the United States—the Census of Agriculture survey. The report relies on data collected from 2022 and presents some seemingly troubling facts.