OptionEye...Dec 18th

[ShelladyOptions]

Good morning.

Not a good day for longs. Reports that the Brazilian outlook is improving combined with slowing demand. Doesn't take much to give us a good knock on the head lately. The volumes are down significantly so that will lead to exaggerated swings.

Fiscal cliff talk still permeating the floor. Interesting articles out there suggesting that the stalemate in Washington is not hindering business activity but its the plain fact that the economy still isn't that good.

After the cliff is resolved (and it sure as heck will be) the next big thing to worry about will be the Debt Ceiling. It just never ends. Like I have said before, we invited the government into our live in 2008 like never before and they will not leave easily. It's just that simple. As we sit with our eyes and ears glued to wrangling in Washington I believe it is a basic citizen's right to know what his/her tax rate will be next year before we are in next year.

[vandenplas]

Optioneye--you sound very republican.

[ShelladyOptions]

Nope. Just fiscally conservative. I try and fly by common sense and want to be in charge of my future. I was not a Bush fan and believed the 'weapons of mass distruction' to be a total farce only be trumped by the idea that you can continue to print money as long as you have paper and green ink. This cannot end well.

[vandenplas]

Bush did give us a large tax cut, which we are about to lose unless the rich fiscal conservatives give in. 

[JRfrom OR]

Optioneye--you sound very republican.

To me you sound like someone who knows how thin the ice is, how unsustainable this economy is, and can see the gathering storm.  Am I wrong?

[vandenplas]

Optioneye--you are absolutely correct.  The problem is the people who can address it are unwilling to do so.

[farmer46]

The dollar is falling again today.  But corn in also going down.  Should not exports be less expensive?  The dollar has fell around 10% since early 2009.  This would lead me to believe - imports more expensive and exports less expensive.  I have heard the falling dollar really only means our standard of living is decreasing relative to other areas in the world.

[kraft-t]

The Bush Tax rates expire at the end of this month. Count on it. If they come to new terms it will benefit you. You have had ten years to learn that the Bush tax rates are TEMPORARY legislation. You had no reason to expect it to be permanent beyond the original 8 years.

It's like given the kids a thousand bucks for christmas and they plan on getting  thousand another  every year after. Grow up and quit yer bellyaching. Or are you one of those spoiled brats that are gonna quit working because of oppressive taxes. Whoopty doo a 3% tax increase will break you!