Points And Figures

Points And Figures focuses on critical analyses of markets, politics, and societal trends, with a particular emphasis on the dynamics of American cities, the impact of governance on economics, and the principles underlying free markets versus government intervention. It advocates for entrepreneurship, competition, and scrutinizes political and economic policies.

Markets Economics Politics Business Trends Government Policy Entrepreneurship Market Dynamics Political Commentary Free Market Economics

The hottest Substack posts of Points And Figures

And their main takeaways

Continuous Fights

746 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education Abortion Taxes Spending Trump
  1. Education funding doesn't always result in better student performance; embrace school choice for improved outcomes.
  2. Republicans should address the abortion issue firmly, defund the abortion industry, and focus on education and conversation.
  3. Changing the tax code to consumption-based taxation could provide economic incentives for growth and burden levied based on richer individuals.

Would It Be Over?

932 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Conflict Terrorism Diplomacy Foreign Aid Peace negotiations
  1. The bombing of German cities during WWII had a significant impact on post-war Germany, changing behaviors and diminishing the desire for another war.
  2. A large majority of Palestinians desire the erasure of Israel from the international map, similar to the sentiment among German citizens under Hitler in the 1940s.
  3. Complete and total war on terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah is seen as necessary for the peace of Israel and the world, rather than proposing humanitarian aid or two-state solutions.

Cooking The Books

719 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economy Government Statistics Unemployment
  1. Government-reported economic numbers can be misleading, especially in non-democratic countries where they may be fake.
  2. Statistic revisions are common in economic releases, but major revisions like a 35% drop raise concerns about accuracy.
  3. Unemployment numbers from the US Department of Labor under President Biden have seen significant and questionable revisions, impacting predictions and planning based on them.

Democrats Want to Tax Unrealized Gains, Badly

799 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Political parties Taxation Government oversight Ideology
  1. Democrats are pushing to tax unrealized capital gains, which has sparked debate and concern about overreach in government interference in private business.
  2. There is dissatisfaction with both Republican and Democratic parties for their roles in supporting legislation that may infringe on individual business privacy and rights.
  3. The issue of government overreach and control extends beyond tax policies, as political motivations and power dynamics play a significant role in the push for increased transparency in private ownership.
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Free Speech Is Truly Under Assault

932 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Government Elections Censorship Free speech
  1. Free speech is facing significant challenges, especially with the way information is being controlled and manipulated by various entities.
  2. There is a growing concern about government interference in elections and the use of agencies to suppress opposing viewpoints.
  3. Calls have been made to disband certain government agencies, overhaul the system, and start over in order to address the issues around free speech and manipulation of information.

Why Should Government Solve This Problem?

453 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government intervention NCAA Public Policy
  1. College athletics is undergoing a major transformation due to changes like the transfer portal and name, image, likeness (NIL) rules.
  2. Coaches like Nick Saban are important figures in guiding the future of college sports amid these changes.
  3. The author questions the need for government intervention in the evolving college athletic marketplace and advocates for letting the free market and NCAA adapt on their own.

Doofuses That Write About Economics

852 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economics Immigration Government Policy Partisanship
  1. The author criticizes mainstream media for lacking understanding in economic analysis, particularly in their coverage of immigration and its impact.
  2. The author argues against the notion that illegal immigrants bring economic benefits, highlighting the importance of considering opportunity costs and the true impact on wages.
  3. The author suggests a solution to the issue of illegal immigration by advocating for securing borders and deporting all illegal immigrants, emphasizing the potential cost savings in comparison to housing them.

Why The Emphasis On Transgender?

719 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Health Politics World Politics Finance News Business
  1. The emphasis on transgender issues has shifted from other social issues due to the potential financial incentives and long-term profit from transgender-related treatments and services.
  2. Businesses analyze customer acquisition costs and cash flows to understand why certain decisions are made regarding transgenderism and abortion, showing that transgender-related treatments offer a more sustainable revenue stream compared to abortion services.
  3. The transgender industry presents a significant financial opportunity, with ongoing cash flows from hormone treatments, surgeries, and other related services, highlighting the motivations behind the push for transgenderism acceptance and coverage by insurance companies.

Unbridled Capitalism Works

399 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
💼 Business Economics Startups Industry Management Innovation
  1. Unbridled capitalism works: In a capitalist society, businesses must prioritize growth to survive. Without growth, businesses risk failure or acquisition.
  2. Philanthropy and profit: Successful entrepreneurs historically engage in philanthropy after building their businesses. Making money is essential for a business to exist.
  3. Employee culture and strategic decisions: Maintaining employee trust and fully committing to strategic decisions, like pivoting to blockchain, are crucial for the success of a startup.

What Do They Want?

559 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Government Economics Social Issues Cryptocurrency
  1. Power is the ultimate goal for those in political positions, beyond money or economic profit.
  2. Political systems can be analyzed using economic theories like supply and demand curves applied to power dynamics.
  3. The push and pull between centralized and decentralized government is evident in various aspects, including cryptocurrency and tokenization.

The Tucker Interview

746 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy NATO Russia Ukraine China
  1. The Tucker Carlson interview with Putin didn't break new ground, but generated views and highlighted the power of Twitter for news.
  2. Putin's incorrect historical claims were discussed, shedding light on the importance of transparent cost/benefit analyses in foreign policy decisions.
  3. Various political dynamics and implications surrounding the Ukraine situation, including corruption, global power struggles, and potential military actions, were analyzed.

Don’t Be Fooled

906 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economy Energy Abortion
  1. Don't just focus on all-time highs in the stock market, also consider the rate of change and velocity of growth.
  2. Analyze hard statistics objectively to compare economic performance under different presidencies.
  3. Take into account various economic indicators like natural gas and crude oil production when evaluating administration policies.

CPI 3.1%

666 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
💰 Finance Markets Inflation Investing Policy Economics
  1. Inflation might be higher than reported due to isolated evidence like price increases in certain sectors.
  2. The government's policies are putting strong inflationary pressure on the economy, impacting various sectors and housing market.
  3. Business news sources may have biases and push narratives, so it's important to seek objective insights for informed decisions.

Why Is Caitlin Clark Hyped With Men?

399 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🎾 Sports Basketball
  1. Caitlin Clark is a unique talent in women's basketball, deserving of the hype she receives, but comparisons to male players are not fair due to differences in the way the game is played.
  2. Comparing Caitlin Clark to male basketball stars like Pete Maravich or Steph Curry may not be accurate, as they played in different eras and with different dynamics in the game.
  3. It's important to appreciate Caitlin Clark for her impressive skills as a shooter and scorer in the college women's game, without needing to compare her to male players.

Fighting The Fed

426 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
💰 Finance Markets Investing Economics Trading Banking
  1. Interest rate futures, including SOFR and Fed Funds, are indicating market expectations of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve by the end of the year.
  2. The author predicts that the Federal Reserve will not lower rates in 2024 due to concerns about inflation and unemployment.
  3. Considering predictions about the Fed and interest rates, strategies like buying real estate without waiting for lower rates, buying out-of-the-money puts, and playing butterfly spreads are suggested.

Bitcoin $70K

319 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💰 Finance Cryptocurrency
  1. Bitcoin hit $70k, causing excitement among investors and discussions about the potential for other cryptocurrencies to increase significantly.
  2. Including Bitcoin in a portfolio can positively impact return, volatility, and drawdown, leading more institutional investors to consider its value.
  3. Despite Bitcoin's high returns, skepticism remains about the actual value and utility of cryptocurrencies compared to traditional assets.

Entrepreneurial Grift

506 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Government Startup Ecosystem Tech
  1. Entrepreneurial grift involves people leveraging connections to obtain government funding through questionable means.
  2. Successful tech ecosystems like Silicon Valley thrive due to early risk-loving capital and mentorship, not government intervention.
  3. Building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem requires genuine risk-taking, execution, and tangible results, not just social connections and titles.

Where Should I Incorporate?

532 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
💼 Business Startup Legislation Location Investment
  1. Institutional investors prefer C-Corps for specific tax benefits and legal protections.
  2. Nevada is emerging as a compelling option for business incorporation due to favorable legal environment and objectivity of judges.
  3. Nevada's business-friendly culture, favorable weather, and infrastructure make it an attractive choice for startups over traditional options like Delaware.

It's Logical

346 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
💼 Business Startup Investing Product-Market Fit Venture Capital Market Analysis
  1. The main reason for business failure often boils down to individuals not being able to achieve product-market fit.
  2. Businesses that may seem logical on the surface can actually struggle to succeed in the startup world.
  3. Investing in startups involves understanding that success may not always follow a straightforward, logical path, and accepting the inherent risks involved in the process.

The Antidote

746 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economics Policy Ideology Government Entrepreneurship
  1. The speech emphasizes the importance of free market principles for policy success and individual liberty.
  2. Entrepreneurship programs are being influenced by social justice ideals, imposing artificial limits on innovation.
  3. Successful companies focus on fulfilling customer needs to drive growth and prosperity.

Can't Even Agree

612 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Partisanship Elections Economy Government
  1. The political divide in 2024 is expected to escalate due to Democrats and Republicans each having different motives.
  2. Lack of trust and differing approaches on issues like immigration, education, health, free trade, and taxes contribute to the division.
  3. Advocacy for free markets as a way to restore trust, build consensus, and promote personal responsibility.

CryptoWinter is Over

266 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🔮 Crypto Investment Technology Regulation Market Trends
  1. CryptoWinter is over, as indicated by the strong performance of Coinbase stock and Bitcoin hitting $60k per token.
  2. Bitcoin is viewed more as a speculative instrument than a hedge against inflation or store of value, and the thawing of purse strings among crypto VCs suggests a positive shift.
  3. The emergence of physically deliverable crypto-assets, like on Bitnomial, underlines the potential for improved risk management in the crypto market, but the absence of widely used applications built on crypto remains a concern.

What Now?

719 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conservatism Education Media Values Government
  1. The firing of leaders in institutions won't bring significant change, just push issues underground.
  2. Some well-known figures are starting to realize the flaws in institutions they trusted before.
  3. Conservatism values individual rights, limited government, rule of law, and a market-based economy.

Hertz And EV's

532 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💼 Business Electric Vehicles Operational Efficiency Cost Analysis Industry Impact
  1. Hertz is selling off their 20,000 EVs due to operational challenges and inefficiencies in the EV business.
  2. Tesla is highlighted as the top choice for EVs with the best range, features, and price.
  3. The real issue with EVs isn't the vehicles themselves but rather the government subsidies and operational complexities, such as charging and maintenance, that impact rental car companies like Hertz.

Is Bitcoin Anti-Productive?

319 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💰 Finance Cryptocurrency Investing Blockchain Regulation Tech Companies
  1. Bitcoin is often underestimated as a fraud, but it has potential for legitimate uses in finance and marketing.
  2. Investing in new, seemingly 'crazy' ventures like cryptocurrency is risky but crucial for progress and innovation.
  3. Cryptocurrency has the potential to revolutionize industries by breaking down monopolistic structures and introducing new possibilities like tokenized systems for immigration and voting.

Tariffs Do Not Work

506 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tariffs Taxes Trade Economy Policy
  1. Tariffs do not work as intended, often leading to higher prices for consumers and businesses.
  2. Repealing all tariffs on foreign goods and shifting to a consumption tax system could make imports cheaper and boost competitiveness of US products.
  3. Using a consumption tax system could lower prices for American consumers and create a more competitive market without the need for tariffs.