Name:   MartiniMan - Subject:   Comments on the stock market for Archie Date:   12/12/2018 10:59:38 AM

What I have never gotten is the desire to lay blame or take credit for what the markets do because it's a double edged sword.  So let's blame Trump for the recent correction.  OK, so what you are saying is that he gave us such a great economy with nearly full employment which has stoked the fears of inflation and caused the Fed to raise interest rates.  Guilty as charged!  Or alternatively we could talk about how well the market did from the 2008 correction as a result of the recession up through the Obama years.  OK, so what you are saying is that the recovery sucked so bad and unemployment was so high that the Fed had to keep the quantitative easing going so the markets did reasonably well.  Again, guilty as charged! 

So which do you prefer under the current climate where the Fed actions have such an impact on the markets, a lousy economy with low rates or a strong economy with higher rates?  This is obviously a bit simplistic but that's where we are with the stock markets and the back and forth with blaming our political opponents and giving credit to our political allies.  And if you want to pillory Trump for crowing about the stock market rise before this correction you need to also include Obama who constantly took credit for it in his speeches.  The reality is that neither was solely responsible for anything the market does.  Their policies can impact economic growth and activity in a way that indirectly impacts the ups and downs, but they are but one of many causes.