I ran across two people in the past week who were employed at two Jobs each. If that is widespread, the payroll number, as you say, Mish, is massively bloated.

This article is a helpful resource. However, you say: "#Russia will continue to play spoiler and peacemaker in the Middle East." I am not sure when a peacemaker can be labeled a spoiler. We spoiled the middle east with regime change. We are the spoiler and Russia is the peacemaker. While not being a fan of #Trump as a man, I think he is correct on this issue. Regime change has put women and children, innocent victims, in harms way throughout the middle east. I think it is bad policy, and has created refugees, and helped motivate #BREXIT, although having your own currency may be the best way to go for the UK and for any nation for that matter. The idea of regime change and the resulting refugees may fuel the end of the Eurozone itself! I don't think that was the intent of the planners of this policy.

AS labor takes a beating, it is often reflected in a slow December. That is what we had. And a slow December translates into fewer customers and customers with less money to spend. You can automate all you want but if there are fewer and fewer left to buy your products you are on track to financial difficulty as a business. Growth may one day become a fantasy.

Failure to get enough cash into the hands of labor is a major failure of central banks. Time for #HelicopterMoney as Kyle Bass has warned.

Edward Lambert's effective demand measurements and diminished tax receipts are two indicators showing possible recession within 3-6 months. Trump may or may not impact recession, and it could be positive or negative impacts.

Very clear synopsis of what Trump is facing. Housing is going to have to correct, some. And infrastructure in this nation is horrible. But even if those are corrected in the future, that will not mean sustained growth. The Fed will protect the bonds, and will not allow massive growth. Having said that, I think McConnell does not want to be on the wrong side of Trump. He does not want to make Trump crazy. If he does there will be some consequences. I don't know what those will be but there will be some.

Peter, tax cuts for the top 20 percent may be fairly useless. They will just invest the money. That won't fix main street, Peter. Clearly, tax cuts at the top on top of the damage done by QE in building the wealth divide is just, well, same old stupid.

Retailers are trying automation with or without additional increases. It is up to customers to reject automation. It is crucial that this be done. It is in the best interest of customers to reject automation, because it is often times important to speak to someone who knows something about the products. If you have ever gone to a store wanting information, only to find that there are few retail employees to be found, that results in a negative store experience.

This article is correct, unless all markets are manipulated. Bond tantrums show that even bond markets can be manipulated, usually to try to raise yields.

Except for the inflation call, I like this article. Fiscal stimulus does work better if there is big unemployment. Not sure nations didn't wait until it was too late for this cycle to implement fiscal stimulus.