State of the race

[WhyteRain]

I just wanted to put up the maps of the results for the last two incumbent U.S. presidents whose economic performances in office were comparable to Obama's.  Just to bring a bit of reality to the discussion.

[WhyteRain]

Honestly, I can live with an Obama defeat by a qualified candidate. But I won't be able to stomach a guy like Mitt Romney being in the right place at the right time this year, if the economy double dips, and becoming president. America can do better than him.

Who among Romney's GOP rivals would you have considered a "quality candidate" with whom "I can live with defeating Obama"?  (No making up candidates who didn't run.  Or Huntsman since he was an exact clone of Romney.)

[WhyteRain]

So for all you armchair economists out there: what's going to happen next? Are we in for a double dip or is this a temporary bump?

I'm an investor, and in 2009 and 2010 I was telling friends to buy oil -- I recall saying to one, "You'll never go broke buying $30 a barrel oil".

Just recently I told a different friend, "You'll never go broke buying $28 silver".

Anyway, my best advice ... well, it depends on your age, but protect yourself by investing in the companies that make the things you use -- especially energy and food -- and hedge for general inflation by having at least 10% of your portfolio in precious metals.

Like everyone else, I'm shocked at bond yields.  The American and German ones, that is.

[WhyteRain]

This is what happened the last time a President ran for re-election with job numbers worse than Obama's.

This year the failed states that are bleeding economic refugees won't beat the successful ones that are accepting them.  See http://interactive.taxfoundation.org/migration/