1
BEA: April Vehicles Sales decline to 16.4 Million SAAR
The BEA released their estimate of April vehicle sales this morning. The
BEA estimated sales of 16.43 million SAAR in April 2019 (Seasonally
Adjusted Annual Rate), down 5.8% from the March sales rate, and down 4.5%
from April 2018.
With the weak sales in April, sales in 2019 are averaging 16.7 million
(average of seasonally adjusted rate), down 2.3% compared to the same
period in 2018.
[image: Vehicle Sales]*Click on graph for larger image.*
This graph shows light vehicle sales since 2006 from the BEA (blue) and an
estimate for April (red).
This was below the consensus forecast fo... more »
A down guess.
2
Where Michael Bennet Stands on the Issues
Mr. Bennet, a moderate Democrat from Colorado, has been involved in
bipartisan Senate compromises on immigration, education and other issues.
Mr Bennet stands in the shadow of the Republican party.
3
The Hearing that William Barr Didn’t Show Up To
Attorney General William P. Barr pulled out of a Thursday House hearing,
and he has left House lawmakers investigating the president fuming and
calculating.
"House Democrats, decrying what they called an erosion of American
democracy, threatened on Thursday to hold Attorney General William P.
Barr in contempt of Congress"
Do it.
4
Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims at 230,000
The DOL reported:
In the week ending April 27, the advance figure for *seasonally adjusted
initial claims was 230,000*, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised
level of 230,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,500, an increase of
6,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 206,000
emphasis added
The previous week was unrevised.
The following graph shows the 4-week moving average of weekly claims since
1971.
*Click on graph for larger image.*
The dashed line on the graph is the current 4-week average. The four-week
average of weekly unemployment claims increased to ... more »
Seasonal employment is still weak.
5
On Politics: Barr Faces Senate Scrutiny
NYT > Politics - 8 hours ago
The attorney general appeared at a contentious Judiciary Committee hearing
to answer questions about his handling of the Mueller report.
Trump does not learn.
6
Facebook Set to Create Privacy Positions as Part of F.T.C. Settlement
Talks include creating a new committee and an external assessor that would
scrutinize how well the social network protects user data.
I am much more concerned with results.
7
Fact ChecK: 6 Evasive or Inaccurate Statements in Barr’s Senate Testimony
The attorney general made misleading and false claims about his handling of
the special counsel’s report, his own previous comments and President
Trump’s actions during the investigation.
This was with a "friendly" examiner.
8
News Analysis: With Maduro Still in Power, Questions About the U.S. Role in Venezuela
While the Trump administration got off to a sure-footed start, rallying
dozens of countries against the Venezuelan leader, critics say its response
had become haphazard and chaotic as the crisis has dragged on.
The banks and oil companies have been working on Venezuela for years.
Venezuela remains a sovereign nation.
9
Biden Faces Conflict of Interest Questions That Are Being Promoted by Trump and Allies
As vice president, Joe Biden played a key role in the dismissal of a
Ukrainian prosecutor who had opened an investigation of a company employing
Mr. Biden’s son.
Campaign early and often.
10
Barr Defends Handling of Mueller Report Against Withering Rebukes
Attorney General William P. Barr faced blistering criticism from Democrats
about his characterizations of the Mueller report, but told the Senate
Judiciary Committee he had been truthful.
Barr knows it is better to not change a lie under questioning.
11
News Analysis: Is an Attorney General Independent or Political? Barr Rekindles a Debate
Friction over how Attorney General William P. Barr handled the Mueller
report underscored a gap between the ideal and political reality of his
post.
An Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the president.
It is a political office.
12
Ex-C.I.A. Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring With China
Jerry Chun Shing Lee entered the plea as part of an agreement with
prosecutors, who dropped two charges related to retaining classified
information.
China should buy him.
13
Harris, Booker and Klobuchar Try to Hone Their Brands in Barr Hearing
The three Democratic presidential candidates who got to question Attorney
General William P. Barr at a Senate Judiciary Committee came away with
varying levels of success.
Barr must answer to the house.
14
Trump Administration Files Formal Request to Strike Down All of Obamacare
The court filing, which goes beyond an earlier administration position, is
expected to be an issue in the presidential campaign.
Another reason to defeat Trump.
15
Barr Defends Actions as ‘What the Department Normally Does’
NYT > Politics - 12 hours ago
Attorney General William P. Barr rebuffed accusations that he distorted the
conclusions of the special counsel’s report.
Normal for Trump.
16
‘Medicare for All’ Gets Much-Awaited Report. Both Sides Can Claim Victory.
The Congressional Budget Office usually offers detailed estimates, but not
in this case.
The power to pass such a program will come. Keep thinking.
17
Ellen Tauscher, Congresswoman and Diplomat, Is Dead at 67
Ms. Tauscher had a career on Wall Street before being elected to the House
as a Democrat. She later helped negotiate a nuclear arms treaty.
The Republicans would have no center.
18
Guatemalan Boy Dies in U.S. Custody After Illness, Officials Say
It was the third death of a migrant child from Guatemala in U.S. custody in
recent months.
An effort was made. It was not enough.
19
Zillow Case-Shiller Forecast: National YoY House Price Gains in March similar to February
The Case-Shiller house price indexes for February were released yesterday.
Zillow forecasts Case-Shiller a month early, and I like to check the Zillow
forecasts since they have been pretty close.
From Matthew Speakman at Zillow: February Case-Shiller Results and March
Forecast: Home Price Growth Slowest Since 2012
Home prices continued to tap on the brakes in February, moderating their
earlier breakneck speeds, particularly in pricey West Coast markets. The
S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, which tracks home
prices nationally and in major metro areas, rose 4% in ... more »
Cities are up some.
20
As Biden Woos Labor, Trump Uses Twitter Barrage to Stake His Own Claim
A blizzard of tweets by the president suggested he was anxious about Mr.
Biden’s appeal with union workers, especially in the Midwest.
Labor is learning.
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