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2019-09-20 Home Front: Politix

How US senators invest in firms they are supposed to regulate

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Posted by Besoeker 2019-09-20 01:24|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 Peter Schweitzer wrote a book about ten years ago about what goes on in Capitol Hill (both parties) that would put us in jail for insider trading. And, of course, it's all perfectly legal, even House & Senate "ethics" committees bless off on this.
Crony capitalists such as Warren Buffet make out quite well, too. Quite well.

Posted by Clem 2019-09-20 05:10|| 2019-09-20 05:10|| Front Page Top

#2 Politics are the best business there is - if you're willing to take risks. Academia is the best if you aren't.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2019-09-20 11:00|| 2019-09-20 11:00|| Front Page Top

#3 Johnny Caspar talks about ethics...

Posted by M. Murcek 2019-09-20 11:55|| 2019-09-20 11:55|| Front Page Top

#4 Not just Senators, but Congresscritters and the Office of the President itself. How else could Obama afford his new pad?

Posted by BA 2019-09-20 12:56|| 2019-09-20 12:56|| Front Page Top

#5 Shitshow, Part 93.

Most corrupt era in US history since the Robber Baron days.

Posted by Lex 2019-09-20 13:38|| 2019-09-20 13:38|| Front Page Top

#6 It's not illegal if you're the one who writes the law.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2019-09-20 13:52|| 2019-09-20 13:52|| Front Page Top

#7 Crony capitalists such as Warren Buffet make out quite well, too. Quite well.

His dad was a congress-critter. Junior learned early on how important government regulation can be for a company's competitive position.

His concept of a "moat" was almost always applied to companies that benefited from near-monopoly status, or favorable regulatory treatment: insurance companies and local newspapers were early favorites, including the Government Employees Insurance Company. His recent wins came from arbitraging the government bailout of Wall Street.

But his biggest scam of all has been to use Congress's favorable tax treatment of debt to borrow against his holding companies and thereby juice up his equity returns.

The man who rails against hedge funds is himself running a gigantic hedge fund. According to academics who've studied his returns, about 60% of his fund's performance can be attributed to financial leverage.

And he's our folk hero investor. We are living through the most corrupt period in over 100 years.

Posted by Lex 2019-09-20 16:43|| 2019-09-20 16:43|| Front Page Top

#8 Not corrupt if you have no morals, and that seem to be part of the problem.

Posted by Bobby 2019-09-20 18:53|| 2019-09-20 18:53|| Front Page Top

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