From Ancient Rome to Argentina under Peron to the U.S. over the past two decades, extreme spending unmoored to tax revenue has a hoary history ill befitting the title “Modern” Monetary Theory. This podcast (7:42) argues that MMT is not a theory awaiting adoption but rather a description of the bipartisan policy of the United States for some time now, though never more so than under its current “go big” moniker. But will “go big” become “go bankrupt?” 
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The Argentine conglomerate Cresud lies at the intersection of real estate and commodities, sectors that tend to do well in periods of changing inflation expectations, and its P/E is just 5. This podcast (7:47) explores why the stock seems to be especially well positioned to thrive in the current period, while raising questions about management and deeper concerns about the political and economic environment that weighs down Argentina.
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Government stimulus and Fed indifference are stoking an investor fear of inflation that has been dormant for decades. This podcast (6:07) looks at research by investment strategist Michael Crook indicating that a global-equity portfolio may offer the most protection against inflation. It also contains surprising findings about gold’s relationship to price changes and interest rates.
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The lesson I take from the GameStop affair is that the stock market does not necessarily reward investment sophistication but is exquisitely responsive to investment speculation. This podcast (4:29) argues that no matter how smart you as an individual may be, your chances of success in the stock market are overwhelmingly influenced by how dumb everyone else is. To succeed in such a market, we must take a self-consciously long-term approach, as if we’re purchasing shares for our grandchildren.
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The dollar is worth about one-twenty-sixth of its value a century ago, and loose fiscal and monetary policies portend a deepening of the trend. This podcast (8:03) looks at the few currencies that have held up well to the dollar over a decade or more, reflecting underlying monetary and fiscal discipline.
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Financial advisor work should be regarded as a helping profession. This podcast (5:34) frames that notion via a few inspirational quotes from poets Edwin Markham and Rudyard Kipling, and Israel’s first prime minister David Ben-Gurion and anthropologist Margaret Mead.
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Analyst Marc Gerstein argues that senior secured loans are a safer bet than junk bonds, but even he considers them aggressive. This podcast (7:52) favors privately owned real estate as a source of income for those comfortable with that commitment, but suggests that accepting today’s low yields is a better choice than accepting a level of risk that can ruin your retirement.
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A new paper by David Blake of London’s Pensions Institute explains how nudges and peer-group networks further people along toward greater retirement security. This podcast (6:56) argues that instead of seeking peer-group validation, it would be far more helpful if younger people were paired with older people, a pairing financial advisors are uniquely capable of making, to everyone’s advantage.
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The story of America’s first celebrity economist, Irving Fisher, should cure anybody still milling about for expert predictions. This podcast (7:06) argues that investors, instead of spinning their heads listening to other people’s predictions, would do well to secure for themselves predictable income.
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The Society of Actuaries has released a report on over a dozen significant retirement risks. This podcast (8:32) suggests that investors needn’t sweat such lengthy checklists if they get the big issues right before entering retirement, and proposes a major issue people ought to concern themselves with but which nary gets a mention.
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