This week we begin by taking the pulse of the US economy, which is holding up better than most analysts have expected. 1Q growth was better than forecast, and it now looks like the 2Q will be better than expected as well. The bad news is that inflation is on the rise, and there are fears that the Fed will begin to hike interest rates soon - but then maybe not - I'll give you my take on it. Finally, we focus on the presidential race which seems to be tightening according to the national polls. I will highlight Obama's background and his positions that bother me, and why I think he is the most arrogant candidate in a long time. Finally, we will take a detailed look at the 11 "battleground" states where the race could go either way. Feel free to share this analysis as you see fit....