Category: News and Politics
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2017 real estate shakeup
Real estate ownership has long been one of the three primary wealth builders and tax reducing tools for businesses and individuals. I covered this topic in my blog yesterday. That may change radically in 2017 under tax reform proposals pushed by the new Republican leadership. The Congressional leadership in both houses and our new president…
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Trends in home ownership
The rate of individual home ownership is stuck at the lowest point in our lifetime. The trend will be further aggravated in 2017 as interest rates rise, real estate tax incentives diminish, and disposable income falls for the lower half of American households. Yet it remains unclear whether the homeownership issue indicates a serious underlying economic problem or a…
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Five things we know about tax reform in 2017
At this point, of course, there are more unknowns than knowns. But a few points seem clear enough that we can begin using some ideas for our planning purposes. Republican leaders are planning for federal tax reform plan in early 2017 that requires no Democratic support. That means than no compromises will be necessary to pass…
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Leadership strategies to oppose the Trump regime
“I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.” —President Barack Obama, farewell address 1/10/2017 9 tactics for local boards Leaders of progressive businesses, community organizations and especially nonprofit environmental organizations whose future is at stake are scrambling to reorganize their government relations strategy since the…
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Electoral college surprise?
Early this evening the electors gathered enough voted to make Trump the next president as was expected. I predict this is the beginning of the end of the electoral college. An unprecedented legal maneuver is underway among 270 of our nation’s leaders and it seems too soon to predict the outcome. Harvard Law Professor Larry Lessig…
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Parts of NJ are not ready for online legal notices
Today I sent this message to our NJ legislators. I am writing to voice opposition to Senate Bill Number 2855 / Assembly Bill Number 4429, introduced December 12, 2016. This bill proposes to allow municipalities to save money by publishing public legal notices on web sites instead of more costly print methods. This in itself…
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Reality has a liberal bias
A friend shared this graphic that appears to have over 2 million views online. That’s encouraging considering all that we are learning of the fake news industry and international propaganda efforts through fake news. I do not know the original source. I commented that conservatives would likely say that those mainstream sources listed as “great…
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Trump’s evolving priorities
What do we know so far about the incoming Trump administration’s priorities and evolving 100 day plan? Specifically, how will it affect my small business clients? What issues should advisers focus on with clients? Over the past five weeks we’ve heard these position statements that I am using personally to base my own economic forecasts.…
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Climate change denial: crime, mental disorder or both?
In 2005 I published an editorial that forecast that climate change denial would eventually be ruled a culpable offense by some court. I predicted that certain New Jersey governments denying climate change, specifically those that refused to respond to sea level rise, would eventually be held responsible for property loss that could otherwise have been…
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U.S. risks abadnoning Declaration of Human Rights
The flaws of “putting America first” Long before the nationalistic and discriminatory rhetoric of Trump, the United States committed to uphold the basic human rights of all people of the world equally without preference: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as…