I am sure everyone has seen the job numbers today. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 18,000 which is the weakest announcement since September, below the 90,000 rise that economists expected. The economy has to create between 125,000 -150,000 new jobs a new month to show the new work force entering the market. The government is looking toward the private sector to bailout the world. They want insurance companies, hedge funds, etc. to buy the treasuries when the debt ceiling is raised. They want this sector to jump in and help Greece. Oh, and let’s not forget NASA wants the private sector to help them too. Sounds like Desperation if you ask me.

So the current administration wants to add taxes to those who work hard and are successful. What is this Robin Hood! This might make people not attend college for fear if they do make a good living that  they may not make as much as in the past. Sure, lets tax those that are spending and force people to leave the country. How come no one is asking about the stress test on banks? It looks as though we are so concerned with China and Europe that we forgot about how the banks are holding up. We know they are cash rich from laying people off, not giving loans out, etc.

What a wild ride the past 2 days has been! The things that kills me is why Obama would tap into reserves on oil when prices have retreated. Why didn’t he do this when crude was $113 a barrel? Oh, maybe that’s because his 2012 campaign is happening right now and he wants to show consumers he is working for them. What he doesn’t realize is this could drag down stocks and the consumer’s 401k could get beat up. The President needs to fix the debt-ceiling issue and not worry about his campaign!

Target and other retail workers want to be unionized. I do not blame them but most of them are part time workers without benefits. Full-time workers that have been at the company for 3-5 years or more should have this opportunity. I am not against it but it should be offered to long term employees. This would create a better worker and take better employees from competitors.

A choppy market? I think people who are new to the market expect a one directional type attitude. In times like this new rules, regulations, and political actions can send the market up or down each day. Basically, one must disseminate the news each day. But what about earnings and economic data? Again, each day shows something that has to be disseminated but economic data points to a slower economy. Companies are looking to cut more employees. This shows a weak market and I do not care what anyone says. Consumers are jittery and worried about living month to month and do not want to hear about rich companies saving money or making billions. They want jobs, to stay in their home, and to be able to afford groceries without having to worry if gas will go off the charts.

The market has not changed since 2008, which means when panic selling starts the market could jump off of the cliff. The people that want your money want you to pay fees and keep your money with their firm. Being in a short fund, playing options on the short side, and or holding in cash are smart plays. There are excellent straddles one can do to be safe just in case a sell-off does not happen. Let’s face it! There is a bunch of stuff that has happened that we are still recovering from. There is more to come and the markets are not healed from the last round. Will treasuries be safe? Will the U.S . lose its A rating? Will the housing sector come back? Will jobs be created? It takes 5-7 years after a recession for an economy to bounce back. This means in that time period an economy is vulnerable like a person with a weak immune system. If anything big happens the sickness could be terminal.

A bailout for Europe! What about one for the United States? So, we help every country out when a storm hits, in earthquake rattles a nation, or when a war breaks out, yet no one is here to help us out? The reason our debt is this is high is because of over spending, wars, and bailing out the world.  If we base our premise on the fact that we have policed the world for decades than one might assume our debt is higher because of it. Is my line of thinking 100% accurate, probably not, but if is then we should let China take over as the police! After all, they are the brightest light, so let’s let them shine and spend the money they have in reserves.

Does anyone find it sketchy that China is buying up Portugal’s debt? When has China every helped another country out before; unless they either profit from it. They could be getting nervous that more countries could be defaulting over the next few years. If a number of countries cannot buy exports from China, than China could start their recession rather quickly. Please do not count a second recession out in the next few years! The debt crisis might be contained by then but the debt ceiling being raised, more money being printed, and a lack of education by leaders, could cause another recession.

McDonalds and Dupont seem to be doing well financiallt today. While Citibank announced a 10 for 1 reverse split. This could mean the volume drops by over 80%. Lets see if the major sareholders dump the stock! Some traders are looking in healthcare stocks and realestate companies that have been supressed. Remember, even though 2 million housng units are in foreclosure and delinquincies are higher, these markets will be a buy in the not to distant future.

The technical level of 1345.00 on the S&P can be reached if more money is pumped back into the market. It seems as though money that has been on the sidelines may be coming back. If this is true the market might push through this technical level. Nothing is ever 100% and with all of the wild cards overseas such as Northern Africa, most of the Middle East, Japan, etc the market can swing in either direction. Political concerns in these countries are what I am mainly concerned about. The people in the Middle East play follow the leader and unrest could spread further.

The United States has over 80 billion barrels of oil in reserves which is far greater than any other country. Why all of the hype over 2% of the world’s oil. I understand that the Suez Canal and Africa play a large part in future oil production but we have oil. Now, if Saudi Arabia suffers the same fate as Egypt and Libya than we should worry. The King of Saudi Arabia may start selling more oil to pay for his new plan to help create new jobs and stimulate his country’s economy. The King is wise to do this plan because people in these countries have been known to use physical force and little to no diplomacy. Is this a just a reason to raise oil prices?