Bill Tatro's Townhall.com Column

Pleading the Fifth to Save Obama

2013-05-23T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
It would appear the underlings are all falling in line in order to protect the commander-in-chief. In fact, I’m quite sure that if Obama was asked about the Associated Press phone hacking situation, which has quietly slipped away from the front pages of the newspaper; he would definitely pull a Sergeant Schultz (“I know nothing.”)

Obama's Life on the 13th Tee

2013-05-22T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
As the drama continues to unfold, it will be very interesting to observe who in the Obama administration knew what —and when they knew it, while all along Obama lived life on the 13th tee.

You Call This a Recovery?

2013-05-21T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
The familiar saying used to be, “I can afford it, but I don’t want it.” Conversely, now it’s “I want it, but I can’t afford it.”

Keep Taxing the Little Guy

2013-05-18T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., recently stated that a 35% U.S. corporate tax rate is too high. But, according to President Obama, for American small businesses that have all their money right here in our country the tax rate is just right.

President Ford, err, Biden?

2013-05-16T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
After 4 ½ years in office, Barack Obama, the 44th U.S. President, has endured Operation Fast and Furious, Benghazi, the current IRS targeting scandal, and now the Associated Press phone hacking dilemma, all to hang his mantle on. These are what we know of so far.

Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln or Obama?

2013-05-14T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
I visually wandered through my biography collection of the Presidents of the United States in order to determine what I would read next. I was overdue to once again experience “time travel” and see, feel, and be part of our nation’s past through the eyes of its chief executive. In fact, I try to do that every few weeks.

This Time is No Different

2013-05-11T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
This popular belief seems to suggest that all the various technical and fundamental indicators, including moving averages and Dr. Copper, are all misguided — and that this time around it will definitely be different.

With All of Our Deployments, We Couldn't Get to Benghazi in Time?

2013-05-10T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
So here’s my dilemma: We can send a military show of force from Missouri to South Korea in a matter of hours, but not from Italy to Libya. The last time I looked, the distance was shorter from Rome to Benghazi than from Joplin to Seoul.

What Bubble?

2013-05-07T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Bernanke seemed to be much more like Alfred E. Neuman of Mad magazine fame who continually said, “What, me worry?”

Follow the Bankers

2013-05-05T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
After four years of recovery following that horrendous stock market low on March 9th, 2009, and now subsequently achieving all-time market highs, the central bankers have finally decided that it’s not only safe to stick a toe into the market’s water, but it’s also time to essentially submerge the rest of the body.

Central Banks Clipping Coins

2013-05-03T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Knowing the Roman coin was 100% silver, the only way to devalue the currency was to take a knife and shave, or “clip,” some silver off the edges of the coin.

The Problem with Social Security Reform is the Gov Already Stole the Money

2013-04-30T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
I’ve been waiting in the wings very patiently for the all the uproar to die down before I weighed in on the incredibly stupid 2010 comment made by former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson in which he called me and my fellow senior citizens, “The greediest generation.”

For Wine-Drinking Euro Economists, the End is Nearer than They Think

2013-04-27T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Truth be told, the growth rate of most European countries is hanging by a thread, and when really scrutinized from a day-to-day perspective, European gross domestic product is mired in economic depression.

When Interest Moves Past Zero

2013-04-26T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Perhaps if the pundits considered the reason for holding U.S. paper as not to be the professed return on investment, but rather the return of investment.

The Bank of Apple (AAPL)

2013-04-23T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Apple’s most significant positive attribute is that all of their real value resides in their non-taxable overseas cash accounts. If they relocate this money back to the U.S., they will be taxed — making this a very foolish idea.

The Perfect Touché

2013-04-18T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
“We’re better off now than when President Obama took office,”she proudly thrust.

How Low Can Gold Go?

2013-04-16T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
It is not a difficult stretch of the imagination to envision Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece, among others, finding themselves in the very same dilemma as Cyprus when it comes to being forced to sell gold.

The Great Grab Has Begun

2013-04-13T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
If interest rates rise, as most of the world assumes will happen eventually, then a million dollars instantly becomes a lot less.

Oh, Gross! Welcome Back

2013-04-12T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Should you wish to take a chance and put a real risk premium on your bond buying, go Italian and get 4.28% for a 10-year — a much greater yield than current U.S. paper.

The Nobility of Our Betters

2013-04-09T00:01:00-04:00

Bill Tatro Column
Apparently, like sympathy strikers, both Obama and Hagel are demonstrating the lost wages of the common folk due to the sequestration — noble, very noble indeed.