US State Revenue Down a Third While Spending Increased

While US state governments continued spending at a voracious rate in 2009, recent US Census data that shows state tax revenue was plummeting, down almost a third.

The states were only able to finance their largesse via American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds provided by the federal government. However, many of its provisions will expire this year… and the feds would have a tough time affording its marked level of support much longer anyway.

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Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (NYSE:PPC) — Should Benefit from Lower Feed Costs in 2011

It’s early in the new year and time for 2011 predictions. Today, Chris Mayer, Agora Financial’s editor of Mayer’s Special Situations, looks at the upcoming year in terms of commodities and he also provides specific insight on Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (NYSE:PPC), a vertically integrated chicken products company in the US, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, that exports to 90 countries.

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What’s Wrong With a Win-Win-Win(-Lose)?

This past Friday, President Obama signed the kind of law that makes everyone happy… an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts. It’s a deal Republicans like because it keeps income, dividend, and capital gains tax rates relatively low for another two years. While Democrats like it for its extension of unemployment benefits, reduction of Social Security payroll taxes, and extension of tax credits for children, college tuition, and a variety of other items.

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Shadowstats’ John Williams Expects Hyperinflation Within Months

There are those predicting inflation, those predicting deflation, those in between… and then there’s the ultra-hardcore hyperinflationists. It’s easy to see where John Williams, founder of Shadowstats.com, fits in. He’s forecasting a hyperinflationary future which he anticipates coming home to roost within months.

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France’s Sarkozy Joins Chorus to End Dollar Dominance

Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy laid out his position against the current world monetary system dominated by the “accumulation of dollar reserves.”

Further, he suggested the expanded use of the International Monetary Fund’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR), and — as China and several other nations have already recommended — insisted the renminbi be included in the SDR’s basket of currencies.

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Ron Paul: The Fed Spends “More Money Than the Congress Does�

This morning, Dr. Ron Paul (R-TX) held his first interview since being appointed chair of the House Monetary Policy Subcommittee. From what he says in the video below, he’s going “to think things through and not overdo things too soon,” but ultimately plans to stick to his guns, and “emphasize the oversight of the Federal Reserve.”

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Dr. Ron Paul Takes Over Chair of Domestic Monetary Policy, Including Fed Oversight

Today it’s been announced that Congressman Dr. Ron Paul (R-TX) will become Chairman of the Domestic Monetary Policy House Subcommittee in 2011. If ever the US could benefit from a turning point in monetary policy it’s now. This is one of Congress’ most relevant entities for supervising that work, as a component of the overall House Financial Services Committee, the Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology Subcommittee oversees:

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Congress Growing up, Putting Away Childish Things… Sort Of

The co-chairmen of President Barack Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform — former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson and University of North Carolina President Erksine Bowles — have called for increasing taxes and cutting spending in order to trim some $4 trillion from the nation’s budget over the next ten years.

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Putin Suggests Russia Could Join Euro Zone, Make Euro World’s Reserve Currency

At a recent conference on economic cooperation in Germany, Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin explained it was “quite possible” that in the future Russia would join the eurozone.  He also expressed that the move would probably bring about the replacement of the US dollar with the euro as the world’s reserve currency.

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McMoran Exploration Co. (NYSE:MMR) — Still Bullish on Drilling in Shallow Waters

McMoran Exploration Co. (NYSE:MMR) performs on- and offshore exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in areas like the Gulf Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Today, Byron King, Agora Financial’s editor of Energy & Scarcity Investor, has the company on his mind due to a recent and significant uptick in its share price.

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