Similar to many people this blogger was expecting a Clinton victory not because of political party, but to send a signal to anyone who wants to run for public office they need to be prepared and offer a reasonable idea of what they would do with power. President-elect Trump is all over the map on his solutions, although he has identified many problems. This is why markets like consistency and some form of clear direction, with Mr. Trump we do not know what he will do and consequently what the effects will be. In all policies, some sectors benefit more than others, at the moment all you can do is try an educated guess, but it is a guess.

In expecting Mrs. Clinton to win, a book about the journeys to go west was read. In the 1800’s most Americans came to American from Europe and many of them settled on farms, but if you look around your place of living not all lands make great farming. In 1840’s to 1855, prior to the railroads, there was talk about better and less expensive farmland (free) on the Pacific Coast – California, Oregon and Washington and it was true. At a time when there was no railroads, to get to the Pacific Coast there were two methods – ship (6 month journey) or wagon across the west. There are many books written about the westward journey but few from the woman’s perspective. One such book was written by Lillian Schlissel called Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey published by Schocken Books, NY, 1982.

Ms. Schlissel read diaries from women who travelled the trail. From the diaries one clear message comes forth, most of the women did not want to move, their husbands did. Their husbands after a few years of farming were looking for new opportunities for themselves and their families. They sold the farm, packed the things in the wagon and started the journey. Most of the people brought their kids and normal sexual activity prevailed as women became pregnant and were expected to deal with life on the wagon train trail. The journey across the plains was relatively easy for there was plenty of food for people and animals. Once in the mountain ranges, things change. There are more problems with carts, animals, weather, food and people and normal things in life. If you can imagine a road trip that took a couple days you took with your family and the kids asking are we there yet? what if the trip took 6 months to a year? It was the responsibility of the women to manage the household – cooking, looking after the kids, it is credit to the women that when many made it to the west new homes were created.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, as a society we often undervalue the work of women, but without their work and doing all the things men do not do well, would new homes be created? Ideally a woman President would have started the process to value women better, however democracy picks the right winner. Many dividend stocks, need women who traditionally buy items for the household to continue buying similar goods. If they do and the companies appeal to the value of the woman, sales will go up. If they appeal to men, sales go down. Who does your investments appeal to?

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.