12/20/2015 articles
The mysterious privately owned Federal Reserve raised its rates on December 16 for the first time since 2006.
The unanimous move of a quarter of a percentage point is considered to be a step toward returning the American economy to normal.
“The underlying health of the U.S. economy I consider to be quite sound,” said Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen. “For ordinary households, the Fed’s decision probably means that rates on mortgages, auto loans and credit cards will start to creep higher, particularly if the central bank raises its target rate more over the next year.”
Policymakers also “want to avoid a repeat of the temper tantrum,” the moniker for the spike in Treasury yields in 2013 after Fed officials signaled they were poised to wind down a bond-buying stimulus,” said Barclays economist Michael Gapen.
Russian Chief Praises Trump
Donald Trump is not a world figure who’s at a loss for words or praise. And Russian President Vladimir Putin is the latest to heap praise on The Donald.
The focal point for the Russian praise was in a press conference held by Putin.
After the news conference, Putin said the Republican presidential front-runner “is a very outstanding man, unquestionably talented.” He then made light some of Trump’s proposals such as the one temporarily baring Muslims from entering the USA—as well as attacks Trump has made on the Russian leader.
Putin said in October that “he would probably get along well with Trump.”
Regarding the Islamic State, Putin said: “The Islamic State is a business, a huge trafficking operation run on an industrial scale.” He claimed that the Russian Defense Ministry spotted 11,000 oil trucks in one place. “Unbelievable,” he said.
Hoping to deflate Trump’s lead as the strong front runner, his opposition is suggesting a Trump-Putin ticket.
Ted Cruz
The New York Times, Dec. 18, reports that “(Ted) Cruz’s Unpopularity Is Taken as a Strength.”
Last week. Ted Cruz, according to The Times, is noted for putting Ted First. As a result he is noted for having no friends “across the aisle,” members who are Democrats.
The antipathy toward Mr. Cruz is personal and long-standing and seems to stem largely from his non-senatorial proclivities for holding up legislation, insulting members- even leaders, in personal terms; and targeting members of his own party when they do not join him in futile missions against the Obama administration.
Recently, Cruz failed to show up for a meeting of the Judiciary Committee that was focused on national security legislation, including his own “contentious” bill.
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio's strategic stances while campaigning in New Hampshire are sometimes confusing because he advances two positions at once. According to The Washington Post, December 19, 2015, Sean Sullivan and David Fahrenthold, “He has a habit of advocating two positions at once. He tells voters that he has a personal view on the subject – whether abortion, immigration, Syrian refugees or gay marriage. He also has a view of what is politically possible which, usually, is not what he personally wants.”
Competing as candidates in the 2016 race for president, Cruz and Rubio are at odds with each other.