Tag Archive for: government shutdown

Stunningly Wrong College Football Poll Teaches Great Lesson About Economy

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I never watch college football, but I follow the outcomes because the stakes are crazy high (entire careers and millions of dollars are on the line every week for the coaches and the young players) and because there are some incredible lessons. And this week provided a fascinating lesson that we can all learn from: In preseason polls, Texas was ranked #1, Penn State was ranked #2, and Clemson was ranked #4. But now, 6 weeks into the season, their combined records are 8 and 7…and they pretty much suck. Non-football fans, please keep reading, as I promise this will be brief and you will find this interesting.Read More

The Gov’t Shut Down & The Economy Doesn’t Care; Where Will We Get Our Data?

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Oct. 3, 2025: It’s day 3 of the government shutdown, and I am out of food and running low on water - and I am not sure how long my generator, fuel supplies, and ammo will last… Or not. I flew from DFW to SFO yesterday, and the airports were packed and running perfectly – and everyone was in good spirits. And that is a good illustration of how the entire economy is responding to the shutdown so far.Read More

Merry Government Shutdown! Facts & Myths; Rates Are Gonna Fall

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I am a sucker for tradition – and that is why my wife and I so zealously celebrate government shutdown season every year. We, of course, buy a shutdown tree and adorn the entire house with shutdown decorations (that are now a lot more expensive thanks to Trump’s tariffs). But the best part of the shutdown season is singing shutdown carols (Have Yourself A Merry Little Shutdown is my favorite).Read More

Why 1st/2nd Combos Are Back; Inflation Cools/Rates Plummet; Government Shutdowns; Permanent Daylight Savings Time? (Maybe Not)

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The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Index (PCE), came in cooler than expected today. This shocked the markets, given all the fearmongering about “resurging inflation,” and rates have been falling all morning as a result.Read More

Government Shutdowns – Much Ado About Very Little; The Impact of Shutdowns!

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It looks like we averted another government shutdown at the 11th hour over the weekend. While shutdowns do impact people within the government, they do not actually impact the rest of us that much. The media like to make a big deal of out shutdowns because their biggest impact is often making one of the political parties look worse in the eyes of voters, and thus impacting elections.Read More

Why Rates Matter So Much Now

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GOV’T SHUTDOWN UPDATE The IRS has agreed to process tax transcripts (tax return verifications). This is good news, as this could have held up the funding of numerous loans. REALTOR […]Read More

How The Government Shutdown Will Affect Mortgages

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Many people are wondering how the government shutdown will affect the funding of mortgages. The last time we endured a protracted gov’t shutdown was in 2013 when it lasted for […]Read More