Some Common Cents for September 16th, 2016

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Last Friday afternoon, I made a 3.5 hour long economic presentation to a group of CPAs who had waited until the last minute to get their continuing education credits for the year. You could say I was their penance, if not punishment. While I would like to think I am a decent public speaker, it is nigh impossible to keep everyone’s attention for that long on, admittedly, pretty dry stuff.

Unless someone asks an extremely direct question during the Q&A, I typically try to avoid discussing politics. However, with so much time to kill and it being an election year, I touched on the highlights of the primary candidates’ economic platforms. The devil is always in the details, and campaign promises are worth about as much as a box full of mosquitoes.

If you have read this newsletter for any length of time, you know my opinion(s) on simplifying the tax code and reducing the corporate income tax rate. If you haven’t, simply put, I am for both things. As a matter of fact, if I were running for President, they would be at the very top of my economic agenda, if not the only things on it.

On this one issue(s), Mr. Trump and I are in agreement. When I said as much, you would have thought I was spouting off heresy to a group of clerics, at least to a couple of folks near the back. Their sticking points? Wealth and income inequality.

At the break, one of the disgruntled approached the rostrum, and, brother, I could tell he wasn’t approaching to be congratulatory. Far from it. Let me give you a taste of our conversation: …Read On…

The opinions expressed within this report are those of John Norris as of the initial publication of this blog. They are subject to change without notice, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Oakworth Capital Bank, its directors, shareholders, and employees.