by James Quinn Courtesy of: Visual Capitalist Back in 2000, less than 1% of retail sales came from e-commerce. However, online sales have climbed each and every year since then, even through the Great Recession. By 2009, e-commerce made up about 4.0% of total retail sales, and today the latest number we have is 8.3%. … Read more
by Michael Snyder Our world is changing at a blinding pace that is accelerating with each passing day. Thanks to the Internet, information travels at a speed that would have been unimaginable at other times in human history, and our technological capabilities are advancing at a rate that is exponentially increasing. What all of this … Read more
By Gabrielle Seunagal Friday marked the first day of this year’s annual gathering of the National Rifle Association convention. NRA leaders and members are meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center on April 28-30 to admire the plethora of guns that embody America’s beloved Second Amendment. I was privileged enough to attend the event … Read more
by Robert Carbery Looking back on his first 100 days in office, President Trump is realizing that the reality of running the world’s largest economy, biggest and baddest military, and likely most politically divided country in the world right now is much more of a headache than he imagined on the campaign trail. … Read more
By Michael Snyder Those that were predicting that the U.S. economy would be flying high by now have been proven wrong. U.S. GDP grew at the worst rate in three years during the first quarter of 2017, and many are wondering if this is the beginning of a major economic slowdown. Of course when we … Read more
Umar Farooq Almost every one of us knows that we are on the brink of an imminent economic and market crash considering the surrounding circumstances. Here is a list of eight major systemic risks that vindicate this fear. 1.China’s Hidden Debt Rising defaults in China are unearthing hidden debt at companies across … Read more
by Robert Carbery Photo: ScotHibb/Reddit Megan, a server at a Tex-Mex restaurant in Missouri recently got this “tip” from someone who is not a fan of the individual income tax. Undoubtedly, a libertarian. On the tip line, the customer put a big zero, in addition to: “Taxation is Theft.” To further clarify, the … Read more
by Umar Farooq A trade deficit occurs when an economy imports more than it exports. If this persists, it will eventually cause a shift in the exchange rate, making imports more expensive and–crucially–exports cheaper as the “invisible hand” of the price mechanism brings trade back into balance. “American politicians have long complained of trade … Read more
Bloomberg reports: Prosecutors in Florida have told jurors a former congresswoman financed a lavish lifestyle of Beverly Hills shopping trips and fancy parties on donations to a charity ostensibly set up to help poor children with scholarships. Testimony will continue for a second day Thursday in the trial of former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, 70. … Read more
Politico reports: It seems like nobody is doing anything about it. Worse—they’re pretending that they are. There are currently multiple investigations into the Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible involvement by the Trump campaign. But all of them are compromised to one degree or another by incompetence, listlessness and deliberate foot-dragging. Congress is completely … Read more