Alternative Visions - Potholes Emerging in the US Economy? -05.19.17

Last week the US stock market experienced a major hiccup as it now appears the US economy is softening in areas and the ‘Trump Trade’ may not materialize. Dr. Rasmus explores the soft spots in the US economy in US policy, business spending, household consumption, trade and government spending. Consumer and Corporate debt data released by the NY Federal Reserve raises a red flag. Rasmus explains the relationship between debt, income to service debt, and terms and conditions affecting debt payments and the importance of these relationships to the US economy. Why jobs and real wages are not going to improve much more, why household debt is now greater than in 2008 and business debt twice the levels it was in 2008.  Rasmus predicts the US economy will grow less than 2% for the entire year, far less than the Trump administration’s prediction of 3-3.5%, and explains why this will be so. (Next week: review of the Trump final budget proposal of spending cuts, defense spending increases, and tax cuts).