Deep state enclavesMeanwhile, the real economy withers. Here’s...

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    Deep state enclaves
    Meanwhile, the real economy withers.
    Here’s Bloomberg:‘A Third of America’s Economy Is Concentrated in Just 31 Counties’‘
    While America’s economy has grown for over a decade, that growth is increasingly concentrated in 1% of the nation’s counties.‘Just 31 counties, or the top 1% by share, made up 32.3% of U.S. gross domestic product in 2018, according to data released last week by the Bureau of Economic Analysis that included nearly 20 years of county-level GDP data. That’s despite these counties only having 26.1% of employed Americans and 21.9% of the population last year. Their combined GDP share is also up from a recession low of 30.1% in 2009.’The distribution of wealth is heavily skewed towards a few places — 1% of the nation’s counties, according to the Bloomberg reckoning. Need we mention that these places tend to be Deep State enclaves?The Bloomberg telling is in line with our own research. As you’ll recall, our team found 2,278 counties with ‘depressed’ conditions. That’s 73% of US counties. (You can download the full report, America’s Hidden Depression, by following this link.) And it confirms a casual observation…If you drive to visit Washington, DC or Manhattan, you will no doubt pass through areas with Trump signs in the windows…few fine houses…few nice restaurants…and little in the way of new industrial/commercial activity.Often, depending on the route you take, you will pass through towns that appear to have peaked out 50 years ago…and rural areas that are little changed — except for wear and tear — in the last 30 years. Then, arriving at your destination, you will be surprised by the prices…the luxury…and the money.

    Rigged game
    Washington is one of the most favoured areas. It’s home to The Swamp and has benefited from the growth of government, bureaucrats, the military, lobbyists, hangers-on, chiselers, zombies, and bloodsuckers.Manhattan’s silky zip codes are also among the 1%. No area of the country has gotten more of the Fed’s funny money…nor made more money by front-running its foolish policies.In other words, neither Washington nor Manhattan has earned its wealth honestly. Instead, the game was rigged in their favour.And therein lies a critical point. While the folks in rural counties may now have more movie selection than ever…and 100 times more computing power at the tips of their fingers……and perhaps they can buy — with their time — more bushels of wheat than any other time in history……so what?

    What matters is not absolute wealth, but relative wealth. No one really minds being poor… so long as everyone else is poor, too. No one can really appreciate being rich…unless he has some poorer in-laws to whom he can feel superior. And nobody likes it when someone cuts in line ahead of him.

    Conclusion
    You would think that everyone other than 'swamp-critters' would be cheering Trump on.
 
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