Approval Voting for the President

Problem: Presidential politics is broken. Elections are negative and third party candidates have no chance. Candidates know that they can gain advantage by slandering their opponent. Because we can only vote for one candidate, it’s not enough to show your qualifications; you also have to destroy the opponents.

Solution: Approval Voting! Allow voters to vote for as many candidates as we want.

Benefits: Every candidate will try to win your vote. Campaigns would be positive and collaborative, rather than negative and combative. You can vote for several candidates if you think they would each be a good President. Voting for 3rd party candidates would no longer be a wasted vote. These candidates would finally have a chance, and would be able to run without fear of “stealing” votes from other candidates. Finally, winners of Presidential elections would have much more votes, giving the country far less partisanship, and a greater feeling of approval.

This would change the nature of Presidential politics — for the far better.

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Tax Retirement Savings Fairly

Problem: The 401(k) system means that my employer determines my tax rate on retirement savings. This means that any workers who do not have access to 401(k) plans through their employers have a higher tax rate on their retiment savings. This usually means that low-wage, hourly, and part-time employees pay higher tax rates on their retirement savings; obviously unfair.

Solution: Combine 401(k) into existing IRA program and eliminate old 401(k) program. In effect, increase the IRA contribution amount to $18k and eliminate 401(k)s.

Benefit: Everyone will have access to tax-advantaged retirement savings plans, not just those fortunate enough to work for companies that offer 401(k)s. Eliminates administrative cost for businesses. Simplifies tax code. Also, this plan helps small businesses by letting them compete more fairly with large companies that can offer 401(k)s.

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Trade keeps inflation lower

My latest quarterly investment commentary discusses how trade is effectively importing low inflation.

“Prices are only stable for imports.”

“The US imports a low inflation rate.”

Download: 2005 Q4 Investment Commentary

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Inflation: Labor, Commodities and Energy

There has been a lot of talk about the impact of rising energy prices on corporate profit margins. This is over-rated.

Corporate costs in America are much more heavily weighted toward labor. And it is labor cost inflation that hurts corporate profit margins most. Corporate costs are, on average, 70% labor, 5% commodities, and 3% energy. Energy and commodity prices could continue to rise – even double from here – without changing the cost structure of American businesses in a drastic way. The same dynamic is not true in many other countries, including emerging markets, where labor costs represent a smaller proportion of corporate costs. As energy and commodity prices rise, those companies may encounter much more pressure on their profit margins.

So what’s the bottom line? Energy and commodities can continue to rally without significantly damaging corporate profit margins. Furthermore, rising energy and commodity prices will give a relative advantage to the most efficient producers.

Population, Productivity, and Commodities

My latest quarterly investment commentary discusses some longer term global demographic trends, and implications for investors.

Download: 2005 Q3 Investment Commentary

Recent global growth rates are unprecedented in economic history.

Economic growth at this pace will put predictable strains on resources.

Population, productivity, economic growth, and production capacity point to long-term commodity gains.