Has This Become a Four Letter Word in America?
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Hi, Grant Linhares here, the Trading Services Director for Mark Skousen. I want to let you know that “Winner’s Circle,” a lifetime bundle of all of Mark’s services, is now open. This is a great opportunity to use all of Mark’s services to navigate and profit in these markets. The markets have been up this year, and we see a strong second half of more gains in all of his services. Simply give me a call at 1-202-677-4492 today, and I’ll give you your personalized quote to join as you get a prorated refund for your current products. But hurry, this offer expires on June 30 and is limited to the first 35 people who become a Winner’s Circle member!
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“The Way to Wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, Industry and Frugality.” — Ben Franklin
This year’s celebrity speaker at FreedomFest is none other than Mike Rowe, the host of the famous “Dirty Jobs” series on TV. He has over a million followers on Facebook and other social media. At FreedomFest, he will talk about how he’s making a difference in reinvigorating America’s work ethic.
His mikeroweWORKS Foundation is committed to improve the skilled trades and has awarded over $6 million in work ethic scholarships to over 1,500 men and women. “One of the biggest mistakes in American education was dropping shop classes from high school,” he stated. As a result, trade jobs, such as plumbers, electricians and construction workers, are in short supply and paying high wages.
Has Work Become a Four-Letter Word in America?
He warns that the American Dream is “on the ropes.” According to Rowe, “There are seven million able-bodied men not working today. This has never happened before in our history.”
The Labor Participation Rate is in secular decline, largely due to an overgenerous welfare and unemployment compensation programs. See the following chart.
The labor shortage is real. Last week, I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Orlando, Florida, only to find the place was closed temporarily. The problem was that it couldn’t find enough workers to stay open. Sometimes, the government pays people more to stay at home than to go to work.
Another problem is government interference in the labor markets. Many states have passed minimum wage legislation that makes it unprofitable to stay in business, forcing companies to replace labor with machines where possible. More and more restaurants require you to order your food using a computer.
Speaking of computers, last week, my wife and I had lunch with Robert Skidelski, a member of the House of Lords and the world’s expert on John Maynard Keynes. He’s writing a new book on the “Age of the Machine,” and worries that AI and other technologies will finally do us in and eliminate jobs by the millions.
I’m not that pessimistic. New technologies have always created more job opportunities in other sectors of the economy. The late Harvard management guru Clay Christensen called this transition period “creative disruption,” and the long-term results of such a period have always been positive.
There will always be job opportunities in certain fields — engineers, computer science, business & finance, medical/healthcare and (sadly) human resources (HR). I tell my students at Chapman University to seek out jobs in industries that have higher profit margins. I tell them, “Companies that have higher profit margins pay their workers more.”
Mike Rowe: “FreedomFest will be a blast!”
Mike Rowe is excited about speaking at FreedomFest, July 12-15, in Memphis. He’s planning to be there all three days. We are thrilled to have him speak and attend. He’s a motivational speaker extraordinaire. I just finished reading his new book “The Way I Heard It,” and found it enthralling. He’s a modern-day Paul Harvey!
In fact, he just produced this short video about FreedomFest. It’s hilarious! Watch it here: Freedom Fest.mov (dropbox.com)
At our conference, you will get a chance to meet him in person. Unlike other conferences, we don’t have a green room. We have also arranged for a special opportunity to meet him and have a photograph taken, and have him sign one of his books.
FreedomFest: Only Three Weeks Away!
As long-term subscribers know, my wife and I put our hearts and souls into our annual FreedomFest conference and Anthem film festival. There’s a reason why thousands of subscribers attend every year. We have over 300 speakers and 150 exhibitors. It’s an incredible line up. We just posted our full agenda online. Go to www.freedomfest.com/agenda.
Announcing My Special 1-Hour July 7 Interview with the ‘Twin Towers of Finance’: Exclusively for Subscribers Coming to FreedomFest. Sign up TODAY!
But there’s more! Alex Green (Oxford Club) and I will be interviewing Jeremy Siegel, the Wizard of Wharton, and Burt Malkiel, the Financial Guru of Princeton, in a special “pre-conference” live video presentation on July 7, a few days before FreedomFest.
This will be an historic online interview and probably the last public appearance of these two legends of Wall Street.
To watch this interview live, you must be registered to attend FreedomFest, July 12-15, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee. Once you register, I will send you a link to watch the interview live. It will be online only.
My gift to you: I’ve arranged for 200 complimentary copies of the latest hardback editions of “Stocks for the Long Run” and “A Random Walk Down Wall Street” to be handed out to my subscribers at FreedomFest. These copies will be autographed by the authors, a $70 value. A real keepsake. First come, first serve!
The topic of the interview will be “The Most Important Lesson I’ve Learned After 50 Years on Wall Street: What Works and What Doesn’t.” Siegel and Malkiel spoke at FreedomFest at the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008, and now they have returned for an encore “pre-conference” appearance that you won’t want to miss.
I consider these two professors THE pioneers in finance: Jeremy Siegel, the Wizard of Wharton and author of the classic “Stocks for the Long Run,” and Burt Malkiel, Princeton economist and author of the classic “A Random Walk Down Wall Street.” Both have just released their latest editions. I will be interviewing these two legends on the following topics:
–The last time you both spoke at FreedomFest was in 2008. Are we headed for another financial crisis and bear market, or is that behind us? Are you bullish or bearish about the future of America?
–Both of you have written classics in finance: Prof. Malkiel, “A Random Walk Down Wall Street” starting in 1973… and Prof. Siegel, “Stocks for the Long Run,” since 1992. Have either of you changed your mind about your basic thesis, and what’s new in your latest editions?
-Is there a single “best technique” to achieve financial success, and what is the greatest danger to one’s portfolio?
–Based on your long experiences, what works and what doesn’t on Wall Street? What’s your opinion of the rare people on Wall Street who beat the market?
And last but not least:
–You both have had a long career of 50 years or more in the highest echelons of Wall Street. What is the most important lesson you have learned in investing?
Special Bonus!
Send me your question to ask our two guests, and I will incorporate them into the interview. Send your question to skousenmark23@gmail.com.
Register Today
There’s still time to register for FreedomFest and receive your special invitation to this live event.
To reserve your spot, register at https://freedomfest.swoogo.com/memphis2023. Or call Hayley at 1-855-850-3733, ext. 201.
P.S.: I’m putting together the best group of financial experts for this year’s big show, including Louis Navellier, Alexander Green, Steve Forbes, David Bahnsen, Jeffrey Hirsch, Van Simmons and Dave Phillips. Our Eagle editors Jim Woods, George Gilder, Roger Michalski and Paul Dykewicz will also be there. Stop by our booth and get your free copies of “Stocks for the Long Run” and “A Random Walk Down Wall Street.”
Steve Forbes says it best, “FreedomFest is my favorite conference. I attend all three days. I wouldn’t miss it.”
P.S. I will be holding a subscribers-only teleconference on June 27 at 2 p.m. EST entitled “Will the Surprise Market Rally Continue to Soar?” The event is free to attend but you must register here to attend. Don’t miss out!
P.P.S. Come join me and my Eagle colleagues on an incredible cruise! We set sail on Dec. 4 for 16 days, embarking on a memorable journey that combines fascinating history, vibrant culture and picturesque scenery. Enjoy seminars on the days we are cruising from one destination to another, as well as dinners with members of the Eagle team. Just some of the places we’ll visit are Mexico, Belize, Panama, Ecuador and more! Click here now for all the details.
Good investing, AEIOU,
Mark Skousen
You Blew It!
Are the Global Warming Alarmists Right about Rising Sea Levels?
The global warming alarmists are constantly warning us that the Florida coast will be inundated with flooding and storm surges. Is there any evidence of this dire prediction?
According to the U.S. government, the sea level has been rising gradually since 1880:
Yet, I see no evidence that the sea rise has accelerated.
I’ve visited both the Florida and California beaches for decades, since the mid-1960s in Southern California, and since the mid-1980s in Florida, and to be honest, I can’t see any evidence of rising tides and worsening hurricanes and flooding. The beaches look the same to me, and the beach hotels are still standing.
This chart indicates that hurricane activity worldwide has not increased:
If, indeed, the sea is rising, why are real estate developers building huge skyscrapers in Miami?
Why have Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Bill Gates and other climate alarmists purchased large beachfront properties?
Perhaps they know that the flooding of Florida and other seacoasts is so marginal that it won’t affect them in our lifetimes. I don’t put much stock in AOC’s dire warning made in 2019 that “the world will end in 12 years” due to global warming.
Put down as a skeptic. We will have a debate on this topic at FreedomFest between historian Douglas Brinkley and environmentalist Michael Shellenberger, moderated by Skeptic publisher Michael Shermer. Check it out at http://www.freedomfest.com/agenda.
