Okay, so the report is out or at least the abridged version of the Central Intelligence Agency‘s (CIA) interrogation methods employed after 9-11. The Senate Intelligence Committee hit the spy agency hard saying things like waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and tight confinement did not yield any unique information. Of course, the CIA, while admitting mistakes were made early on, says their tactics worked and were not torture but rather enhanced interrogation techniques.

I happen to believe the CIA has saved more lives than we could ever count, and while I understand the high road of justice reserved for Americans is the glue that makes us the greatest nation in the world, I do not think it should be afforded to our sworn enemies. On that note; however, we are winning the war on terror and any time a politician of any party takes credit, I will know they have enhanced interrogation techniques to thank.

Since this report had to come out now, despite the increased risk it creates for Americans, maybe the Left can come through with a compromise.

How about Hollywood stop making movies about waterboarding or with waterboarding scenes?  Please…most of them are terrible, not because it is hard to watch, it is because the movies themselves are a form of torture. I have not seen, but I understand, that “Zero Dark Thirty” is okay, but “G.I. Jane,” “Safe House,” and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” that gave us Jonathan Pryce as the President saying, “they call it waterboarding, but I never get bored” must violate some war convention.

Moreover, I thank the men and women who have kept Americans safe and able to practice democracy in our Republic.

JOLTS

There are positive signs for the economy from yesterday’s JOLTS report.  The data is a little backwards looking, but it is worth the view.

• 5.1 M People got new jobs
• 4.8 M Jobs were listed
• 2.7 M People quit

These numbers at multi-year higher reflect optimism and confidence.

Pay Me...I Quit

The moment of truth will happen sooner or later as there have been signs employers will have to pay more to keep talent. People are certainly saying, "pay me or I quit."

Today’s Session

Once again, the market is off to a rough start thanks to crude oil prices. This morning, OPEC lowered its projection for 2015 by about 300,000 barrels a day, to 28.9 million a day. That’s about 1.15 million a day less than its 12 members pumped last month, and the 30-million barrel target they reaffirmed at the recent meeting in Vienna. As a result, the price of crude oil has dropped further, below $63 per barrel to a level not seen since July 2009. This following is a chart of crude oil prices over the last six years.