Yellen Says Only Good Outcome Is Congress Raising Debt Ceiling (US CDS Remains Elevated As Child-like Biden Refuses To Negotiate The Debt Ceiling)

Treasury Secretary Janet “The Evil Hobbit” Yellen is a Statist. She can only think of an all powerful central government calling the shots since the private sector and individual liberties are something to be eliminated.

So, it is not surprising that Yellen is pushing for Congress to raise the debt ceiling without conditions. Even Democrat Senator Joe Manchin is saying that Biden is ‘Hypocritical’ On Debt-Limit Demands’.

Yellen has mostly declined to spell out what her department would do if Congress fails to raise or suspend the debt limit before the Treasury finds itself unable to cover all the government’s obligations.

Back in Mordor on The Potomac, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy postponed a meeting on the debt ceiling set for Friday. People familiar with the talks said the postponement was a sign that staff-level talks were yielding progress.

Biden and congressional Republicans have been locked in disagreement for weeks over raising the US federal government’s $31.4 trillion borrowing limit. GOP leaders have demanded promises of future spending cuts before they approve a higher ceiling. Biden has jinsisted on a “clean” increase, with budget talks kept separate.

Now what no one in our lame pro-government media or Congress or Administration has said is the a US debt default does NOT necessarily mean that the US walks away from its debt. Very likely, China and Japan, our two biggest foreign debt holders, will insist on debt restructuring so that the US pays some fraction of debt owed, like 80%.

But foreign debt holders are a relatively small percentage of US debt holders. The Federal Reserve is the largest single borrower, thanks in part to Yellen who has formally Federal Reserve Chair,

Of course, financial entities like Vanguard, Blackrock and Fidelity are the largest holders of US debt. Since pensions invest heavily with these enetitites, the Federal government would restructure the debt rather than outright default.

US CDS 1Y continues to remain high as Biden/Yellen/Schumer play chicken with the lives of the American middle class while the political donor class is clamoring for endless spending and wealth transfers.

Remember, Biden, Yellen and Schumer all Statists and believe that their job is growing Federal government to wear it is all powerful and their donors get billions in subsidies and wealth transfers. You don’t think green energy subsidies make any common sense, do you? Wind turbines (aka, whale and eagle killing machines) are ineffective. We need nuclear power but Progressives fear nuclear power as much as they have Donald Trump.

US April Core Inflation Remains High At 5.5% YoY As Real Weekly Hourly Earnings Growth Declines -1.1% YoY For 25th Straight Month (Biden Economy Sucks For Middle Class)

Another dismal economic report under “Middle class” Joe Biden.

April’s inflation report is out and … it sucks. Core inflation (CPI less food and energy) remains elevated at 5.5% YoY, much higher than The Fed’s target rate of 2%. Even worse, US REAL average weekly wage growth is negative again at -1.1% YoY, negative growth for the 25th straight month.

Turns out that core inflation is higher than overall inflation. 4.9% YoY compared to core of 5.5% YoY.

Despite the hot core inflation report, Fed Funds Futures are pointing to declining rates over time.

While the US middle class is getting screwed, The Biden family are raking in millions …. from China.

Middle class Joe is now “Pay to play” Joe.

Unaffordable Joe! Housing, Food, Autos Are More Expensive Under Biden (Car Prices Rise 19% And Food UP 44% Under Biden, Interest Rates On Cars Highest Since 2008)

Biden’s approval ratings are terrible. Okay, Biden is the worst President in history, weak, can’t speak coherently and is letting chaos reign on the southern border. But from a consumer standpoint, he and crazy spending Congress have helped make America simply unaffordable for miillions.

Once again, Biden’s obsession with foolish green energy, Congress using Covid to spend trillions, then the green energy subsidy Act (aka, Inflation Reduction Act) where Biden and Congress agreed to make massive payoffs to big donors (the donor class). All this resulted in 40 year highs in inflation leading The Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to combat inflation.

For autos, the interest rate on an auto purchase has soared to it highest level since 2008. And car prices at up 19% under Biden’s Reign of Error.

And when we consider that US Real Average Weekly Earnings growth continues to be negative under Unaffordable Joe.

Housing? At least home price growth is slowing and even negative in some cities. But housing is still unaffordable for millions of Americans.

The housing situation will only get worse as Title 42 expires and millions of illegal immigrants invade the US. Texas Governor Abbot should ship all of them to Wilmington Delaware, home of Unaffordable Joe Biden. Let him suffer for once from his own folly.

Food? Don’t get me started. The Commodity Research Bureau is up 44% under Unaffordable Joe.

Okay, Biden is a useful idiot for BIG banks, BIG Pharma, BIG tech, BIG defense, and BIG government. He is popular with the 1% and people who watch “The View.” But many of the 99% are suffering under Unafforable Joe.

Gov’t Gone Wild! California Defaults on $18.6 Billion Debt, Now Businesses Have to Pay (Reparations Plan In California Could Cost The State Billions)

California just did what Slow Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuckles Schumer are threatening to do. Biden and Schumer still refuse to negotiate (allegedly) sending the US Federal government careening towards a staggering debt default. The source of both California and US Federal government fiscal problems? Out of control government spending, aka, government gone wild!

Now we have the State of California defaulting on $18.6 BILLION in debt. This is Governor Gavin Newsom (Nancy Pelosi’s nephew) bragging point to be President? Horrible fiscal management and a default?

In any case, California borrowed approximately $20 billion from the federal government to cover unemployment benefits during the pandemic, and with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent decision to not pay it back, employers are now saddled with the expense, according to experts.

“The state should have taken care of the loans with the COVID money it received from the government in 2021,” Marc Joffe, policy analyst at the Cato Institute—a public policy think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.—told The Epoch Times.

In the proposed 2023–2024 budget, $750 million was allocated to start paying down the loans, but Newsom made changes to the plan in January and withdrew the funding.

The Epoch Times’ request for comment from Newsom’s office was not returned on deadline.

The decision leaves businesses in the state responsible for the loans—as mandated by federal regulations—so the federal unemployment tax rate of .6 percent is set to increase by .3 percent annually, starting in 2023, until the loan is extinguished.

“California is just not really an employer-friendly state,” Joffe said. “This one thing will not be a difference between a business remaining open or closing, but it’s just another burden on top of the many burdens the state puts on employers.”

Twenty-two states borrowed money for unemployment insurance from the federal government during the pandemic, with all but four—California, Colorado, Connecticut, and New York—paying back their debts.

California owes the most, by far, with approximately $18.6 billion outstanding as of May 2, followed by New York’s $8 billion, Connecticut’s $187 million, and Colorado’s $77 million, according to U.S. Treasury Department data.

The discrepancy in amounts borrowed and owed by states lies in the different approaches to managing the pandemic, with California’s stricter lockdown causing unemployment to remain higher and longer, according to experts

And CA CDS 1Y is tame (only 31), the CDS curve over a longer time frame looks miserable.

Now, Gruesome Newsom only default on Covid-related loans. The California municipal bond market is huge and CA has defaulted on those loans …. yet.

Speaking of insane fiscal “management,” a repartations plan in California could cost billions.

California’s reparations task force, which first convened nearly two years ago, has given the final approval to a list of recommendations on how the state may compensate and apologize to Black residents for historical discrimination.
“Reparations are not only morally justifiable, but they have the potential to address long standing racial disparities and inequalities,” Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) said during a weekend meeting. The proposals now go to state lawmakers to consider reparations legislation and a final sum, which some economists could cost the state upwards of $800B, or almost 3x the state’s annual budget.

To be initially eligible, applicants must be a descendant of Black people who were in the country by the end of the 19th century, thouqh there are not yet details on how the payments would be funded. Age, state residence, and other factors will also play a role in determining compensation.

There is the rub – how does California finance the reparations? Raise taxes (unfair to people who never did anything wrong to blacks)? Borrow billions? Given that Newsom just defaulted on loans to California might mean that there will be relucatance to lend CA billions more.

CA Governor Gavin “Slick” Newsom. The Defaulter In Chief of California.

The Borg Identity! US Bank-Run Escalates, Deposit Outflows Top $360 Billion In Last 3 Weeks (Fed Rate Hikes To Combat Inflation Is Crushing Regional Banks)

Yes, the banking system under green zealots and spendiholics Biden, Pelosi and Schumer have helped drive inflation to 40 years highs leading The Fed to counterattack and raise interest rates and slow M2 Money supply.

The result? As Bank of America analysts said. Fed tightening ‘always breaks something’. And in this case it is regional and community banks. Or as BofA’s Harnett said, “The Fed Hiked Until It Broke The Regional Banks”.

Despite the attempts from The Fed and Treasury Secretary Janet “The Evil Hobbit” Yellen to mollify depositors, bank deposits contine to sink.

And they are sinking faster at smaller banks than larger banks.

Meanwhile, FDIC bridge loans are exploding in terms of useage.

We all know Biden gets bought off by China and big corporate America. Like The Borg (our Too-Big-Too-Fail or TBTF banks).

The Highlander Banking System: PacWest Says in Talks With Potential Partners After Share Plunge (But Powell Promise That The Banking Crisis Is Close To Over)

As Connor MacLeod said in the film Highlander, “There can only be one!” The US banking system under Joe Biden’s Reign of Error is like the film Highlander: apparently, there can only be one bank. And it is likely JP Morgan Chase.

Take the JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) acquisition of First Republic Bank:

In Acquiring First Republic Bank, JP Morgan Has:

Bypassed laws against acquiring bank while controlling 10%+ of US deposits
Shared $13 billion in losses with the FDIC
Received a $50 billion loan from the FDIC
Effectively bought back its own deposits
Expects to profit $5 billion+ over the next 5 years

This crisis has taught us that rules don’t matter in times of panic, particularly to regulators.

And now we have PacWest Bancorp. Lender says it’s been approached by potential investors. Bill Ackman warns US regional banking system at risk.

The turmoil at PacWest shows how investor angst still remains elevated after a string of failures and deposit outflows in the sector despite Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s assurance Wednesday that authorities were closer to containing the crisis. It’s reignited the debate over whether more US regional lenders will fall after this year’s collapse of SVB Financial Group’s Silicon Valley Bank, Silvergate Capital Corp., Signature Bank and most recently First Republic Bank.

Smaller banks are under pressure after a year of interest-rate hikes hammered the value of their bond holdings and drove unrealized losses to an estimated $1.84 trillion. Trouble in commercial real estate is adding to the pain, while depositors take their money out to seek better returns elsewhere. These stresses have put the spotlight on these lenders, which typically have fewer resources to defend themselves.

We are seeing a consolidation of the banking system .. again as smaller and regional banks fail and get gobbled up by the Too-Big-To-Fail (TBTF) banks like … JP Morgan Chase.

Biden’s Reign of Error is not over yet. His campaign slogan (which was also Bill Clinton’s campaign reelection slogan) is “Finish the job!” With Biden’s idiotic mortgage idea of punishing borrowers with good credit and giving subsidies to those with bad credit, Biden is trying to finish off the US economy and banking system.

We are in for more hell.

One More Hike! Fed Expected To Raise Rates One More Time, Then Start Cutting Rates (Large Bank Failures, Slowing Economy)

Like the Phil Collins song “One More Night”, there will be one more hike.

The Fed Funds Futures data is pointing to one more hike at the upcoming May FOMC meeting. Then reversal of policy.

With the massive bank failures under Clueless Joe, The Fed will intervene to make the problem worse. And with Biden’s insane mortgage policies, Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy!” is the perfect themesong for Biden and The Fed.

The Punisher! Biden “Punishes Responsibility” As New Mortgage Equity Program Begins

Joe Biden should be nicknamed “The Punisher” for his new woke mortgage idiocy.

Starting yesterday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mortgage pricing adjustments will increase fees for borrowers with high credit scores while reducing costs for those with subpar credit scores. This upside-down policy is blatantly socialism, and one can’t help but wonder if anyone in the Biden administration learned anything from the subprime mortgage meltdown that occurred more than a decade ago.

As part of the Biden administration’s plan to make housing affordable for everyone (we’ve seen this story before), upfront fees for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be adjusted based on the borrower’s credit score. Borrowers with high credit scores will pay more in fees, while those with lower credit scores will pay less.

The Wall Street Journal cited data from Evercore ISI that shows borrowers with credit scores between 720-759 who make around 15-20% down payments will see loan-level pricing adjustment (LLPA) costs rise by .750%. Inversely, under the new adjustments, risky borrowers with a credit score below 639 and who put down only 5% of the value of their home will only have to pay 1.750%, compared with 3.750% under old rules.

Backlash over LLPA changes prompted the FHFA to publish a statement last week, calling such concerns “a fundamental misunderstanding.” The Biden administration ensures the new changes are meant to help those with poor credit scores obtain homes amid the worst housing affordability in a generation. Note that Biden did not speak on this himself since he would undoubtedly get confused and call people names. And get lost leaving the podium.

According to the FHFA, the new adjustments will redistribute funds to reduce the interest rate costs paid by risky borrowers. This sounds like socializing home buying to us.

Even more alarming is data from the American Enterprise Institute found that default rates of Fannie/Freddie owner-occupied 30-year fixed-rate purchase loans acquired in 2006-2007 were between 39.3% and 56.2% for borrowers with credit scores between 620 and 639 and less than 4% down payments. Those with credit scores between 720 and 769 and 20% down payments had default rates between 4.2% and 8.8%.

Joe Biden’s new nickname is “The Punisher.” Not only for this sick and twisted theft from people who work hard and are careful with their credit, but also for his crazy obsession with going green and driving energy prices (and inflation) through the roof.

The United Banana Republics Of America! US Credit Default Swap (CDS) Price Hits 176.53 As Debt Default Looms

Thanks to O’Biden (Obama/Biden) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s failure to negotiate a debt ceiling increase, the US has officially become a banana republic. Crazy government, lawless censoring and arrest of opposing political candidates.

The US CDS 1Y SR Eur just hit a staggering 176.53. That is the price of insuring against a debt default by O’Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Is a US debt default likely? It shouldn’t be. But you never know with the circus clowns in the White House and nasty Chuck Schumer. But arresting the leading Republican Presidential candidate before the elections is pure Chavez/Maduro Banana Republic politics.