Why is Wall Street worried? Should it consider these reasons?

1) The proverbial Wall Street capitalists believe that, with new federal income tax rates, the removal of FICA ceilings, increases in capital gains ra...


1) The proverbial Wall Street capitalists believe that, with new federal income tax rates, the removal of FICA ceilings, increases in capital gains rates, decreases in deductions, and simultaneous tax raises, not only will Obama remove incentives for innovation and productivity, but that he does not seem to care about—or perhaps appreciate—the consequences?

On the spending side, investors see too many subsidies and entitlements that may Europeanize the populace and erode incentives, while creating so much debt that in the next decade, should interest rates rise, the federal budget will be consumed with servicing borrowing and entitlement obligations. A redistributive economy in which government ensures an equality of result is Wall Street’s worst nightmare. Debt can only be paid back by floating more foreign debt, issuing more US bonds at home, raising taxes, or printing money—all bad options in the mind of the investor.

3) Too many are beginning to think Obama is, well, a naïf—and hence dangerous. He chest-thumps speeches Geithner cannot deliver. He says we are near the Great Depression—but then, after the stimulus package passes, suddenly hypes future growth rates to suggest that we will be out a recession, soon after all? Add in all the talk of high-tax, Al-Gorist cap-in-trade, wind and solar, socialized medicine in the midst of a financial crisis, and at best Obama comes across as confused and herky-jerky, and at worse, clueless on the economy—as if a Chicago organizer is organizing a multi-trillion-dollar economy. Talking about ‘gyrations’ and confusion about profits and earnings, and offering ad hoc advice about investing do not restore authority.

`4) Given the amount of debt the US is incurring (and the decades needed to pay it off), given the loose talk about the ‘rich’, and given the rumors about nationalization, investors are unsure whether the United States will remain a safe haven for investment, or even offer a climate for profit-making, since it would either be taxed to the point of seizure, or its beneficiaries would be culturally and socially demonized. Ultimately perhaps some will accept that as the price of doing business in a socialist US, but for now it creates doubt. This is not a defense of Wall Street (a year ago Richard Fuld and Robert Rubin were our Zeuses on Olympus who strutted like gods), simply a warning that we are going from excess to stasis, and the cure will be as bad as or worse than the disease.

IMO, this man is the most thoughtful thinker in the world today:

http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/

Calvin: one can’t change the facts can they?
obamaBot: what history book are you reading?
When I placed this question in another place on YA, my stalker "badboyinheat" reported me… only been reported by one person – 8 times! so read while you can!!
actually, I have 2 stalkers who love to report others to YA … "bob" is on duty when "badboyinheat" is sleeping LOL

7 Responses to “Why is Wall Street worried? Should it consider these reasons?”

  1. Calvin says:

    We are well beyond worry….the markets are in all out panic.

    Six months ago the DJI was at 11500….as of right this minute its at 6511. I would call that more than worried. I would call that convinced.

  2. Adam T says:

    The wall street journal, as well as other top economic officials said that obama’s stimulus package will fail and only worsen the depression that is developing.

    That is why they are worried

  3. black leopard says:

    with obama in control is a lot to worry about

  4. ObamaBot THX-1138 says:

    Actually, innovation and productivity come from competitive forces. If two businesses share the same tax, it wouldn’t effect it.

    I suppose there are some marginal investments that won’t get made, but history has shown this is irrelevant – the economy has zoomed ahead under much higher tax rates before.

    But wait a second, I have said all this before! And still no response. Let me ask you a quesiton. How did we become the world’s greatest superpower with relatively high tarrifs, incredibly high top income taxes?

  5. Vultureman says:

    If every company that is ready to collapse gets nationalized, then the first wave of nationalizations will cause investors in other companies to fear that they will lose all their shareholder equity if theirs is next.

    They will sell their shares and refuse to lend or invest, causing insolvency in more companies causing more nationalizations,

    Endless vicious cycle.

  6. David S says:

    Thanks for the link. This should be recommended reading for everyone.

  7. semper_paratus_1776 says:

    They deal in real money based on their best guess of the future. It looks dim.

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