Monday, October 22, 2012
Populist, Left Leaning Economist Writes
Barry, My Liege :
This space has been honored to be identified as an '...explicitly populist and left-leaning economic blog ...'.
Well, alrighty then.
Without further ado, I will try to provide a basic four of the principles which guide comments in this space ; please bear in mind that this is NOT a formal essay but rather a short list of fundamentals, many of which have been published previously.
A. RECOVERY - GREAT FORTUNES, GREAT INCOMES - published 5.18.12 :
The accumulation of great fortunes and large incomes in the United States has a deleterious effect on economic growth and job creation.
Economic growth and job creation comes from people who invest in businesses. It is well known that business investing is risky...
In conclusion, My Liege, it is clear both theoretically and practically that people with large incomes and fortunes do not wish to invest in business start-ups. Any activity that increases already large fortunes will take money away from people wishing to start new businesses, thus reducing economic growth and the Economic National Security of the United States.
B. CONSERVATIVE ECONOMIC THEORY, WRONG IN 1776, WRONG NOW - published 9.30.12 :
Adam Smith's WEALTH OF NATIONS, the book which codified and justified [today's conservative] philosophy, was published in 1776, the year of our revolution. Some of our founding fathers explicitly acknowledged that the invisible hand identified by Adam Smith helped in drawing our Constitution.
And, our conservative friends rely on that coincidence to support their free market beliefs.
But, it is significant that even Adam Smith suggested that a just and moral society requires curbs on the free play of market forces in order to secure a decent life for all people.
As he wrote his book, he surely observed the life around him. The life he observed consisted of great accumulations of capital and material wealth together with unimaginable social misery in the England of the 18th century.
C. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE GOVERNMENT IS DOWNSIZED - Published 8.16.12 :
Part of the populist credo is the idea that an adequately sized Government is required to protect citizens from the effects of both criminals and unbridled market forces.
In August, this space discussed the real world effects of 'drowning government in the bathtub' by looking at places where the government is unable to restrain criminal elements.
'According to John P. Sullivan, who has written extensively on this phenomena over the past several years, a "criminal insurgency" occurs when criminal enterprises compete with the state not for traditional political participation, but rather to free themselves from state control in order to maximize profits from illicit economic activity. In so doing, TOC [transnational organized crime] elements seek to establish zones of "dual sovereignty" within states where they have freedom of movement, perceived legitimacy from the communities they exploit, and the complicity or acceptance of state political actors. Ultimately, the result is pervasive corruption, evidenced by a reciprocal criminalization of politics and politicization of crime.'
D. THE JOBS THEORY OF GROWTH [http://www.mkeever.com/apply.html]
This space uses a new theory of economic growth and bases its comments on that theory. This JOBS THEORY OF ECONOMIC GROWTH is delineated in the parent website at the link above.
Previous theories of economic growth measured numbers of ourput and dollars while ignoring any social effects ; this new theory addresses the social results of growth for each person.
In the economic circular flow of money and goods, businesses sell goods to consumers and hire workers to produce and sell those goods. The workers take their wages and buy products and services from businesses.
The classical economist's way of looking at the flow was to say that 'Supply creates Demand'. In other words, business must hire workers to create products and those workers in turn use their incomes to create demand for businesses by spending their wages. Classical economics then looks at businesses as the foundation of economic activity for their efforts to create products by hiring workers. While creating a product or service the business pays workers wages which then creates an income for consumers. Classical economics focuses on business product creation and assumes the demand will follow.
The jobs theory turns that around to make this statement: 'Demand Creates Supply'. In other words, if consumers have an income, businesses will be formed to supply products to consumers. Then, the focus is on the consumer's income - if consumers have an income, business will cater to that income by creating products for consumers to buy.
Economic growth then becomes the creation of new businesses and jobs; and, it is measured by the number of jobs created. One cannot just measure the number of businesses created since one new business may create hundreds of jobs while another new business creates only one job.
When more jobs are created, then the economy grows. It is measurable - just count the number of new jobs created and subtract the number of jobs lost. If the number is positive, then there is economic growth. If the number is negative, then the economy has shrunk.
For example, the number of people working in the USA grew from 64,630,000 in 1959 to 145,926,000 in December of 2006, according to the 2007 Economic Report of the President [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/tables07.html]. This is a growth of two and one quarter times over a 47 year period.
During that same period, the population grew from 177,830,000 in 1959 to 299,801,000 in 2006. This was a growth of about 68%.
Not only did the absolute number of jobs grow by 125% during that period, the number of jobs grew almost twice as fast as the population.
The number of jobs per capita is derived by dividing the number of jobs by the population. It grew from 0.36 in 1959 to 0.49 in 2006. In other words, one working person supported nearly two non-working people in 1959, but one working person supported only one non-working person in 2006. Economic growth is measured by an increase in per capita jobs.
Thank you for your attention, My Liege.
It is an honor to be considered a populist and I hope that the views above may help you in your campaign to defeat the forces of Republican repression.
Your faithful servant,
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Plutocrats USA
Barry My Liege :
A new book, 'Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else', by Chrystia Freeland is attracting some attention since the author has personally interviewed some of the new very rich.
While I have not read the book yet, I listened to an interview with Ms. Freeland during which she described the attitudes of some of the newly rich toward those less fortunate.
Apparently, some of the new rich who have created fortunes with their enterprise and genius have little or no interest in sharing any of their wealth with anyone.
Still resonating is a quote from one of the new rich as mentioned by Ms. Freeland to the effect that if American workers want to make more wages than Chinese peasants, then American workers will have to be more productive than Chinese peasants.
My Liege, we both know that worker productivity, or the value of work produced per hour worked, is primarily a function of the capital and technology invested into the workplace.
In fact American workers ARE more productive than Chinese workers largely because we have more capital invested in our workplaces than do Chinese.
There is a deeper problem here, though : the deeper problem is the attitudes of some of the new rich. It is the 'Let them eat cake' attitude of Marie Antoinette which tipped into the French Revolution beginning in 1789.
This attitude is well represented throughout history wherever there is a large gulf between the super rich or royalty and the mass of population.
Whether in American plantations operated with slave labor before the Civil War, European Feudal villages, slave labor camps in Nazi Germany or the Gulags of Soviet Russia, powerful people routinely abuse and profit from the less fortunate.
Our 1776 Revolution sprang from a desire to treat people differently. But, the new rich would drive us back to feudalism and slavery.
In order to more fully understand where the drive toward world markets is taking us today, here's what life looks like for those Chinese peasants who have become the standard bearer of workers' rights and privileges as taken from an article by Gethin Chamberlain in The Observer, Saturday 3 December 2011 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/04/chinese-toy-factories-christmas-disney]
'....investigators spent three weeks in the industrial cities of Shenzhen and Dongguan. In some cases, they found that employees:
■ worked up to 140 hours overtime a month;
■ were paid up to a month late;
■ claimed they were expected to work with dangerous tools and machines without training or safety measures;
■ had to work in silence and were fined up to £5 for going to the toilet without permission.
Perhaps the most insidious effect of the long hours and poor wages was how it tore families apart, separating mothers and fathers from their children for all but a few days a year. Many workers were too afraid to speak to the investigators from human rights group Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (Sacom), but two women did agree to talk on condition that their names were changed.
Wang Fengping, 27, has two daughters, seven and five. They live a 10-hour train journey away from the On Tai Toys factory. She and her husband earn £200 a month making toys for Disney and others, but cannot afford to bring the children to the city. Instead, the girls are cared for by their grandparents. Wang calls them two or three times a week. The younger one always asks her when she is coming home. "Very soon," Wang always replies.
The reality is that they will meet only once a year, at Chinese New Year. She keeps her spirits up by telling her workmates stories of how well the girls are doing at school. Sometimes she sings them songs the girls have learned at school and then sung to her down the phone. "Our family will not die from hunger, but cannot be fed with this wage level," she said....'
My Liege, that is a future we do not want for our children and grandchildren. We pray you can find a way to prevent our drift toward that future.
Your faithful servant,
Barry My Liege :
A new book, 'Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else', by Chrystia Freeland is attracting some attention since the author has personally interviewed some of the new very rich.
While I have not read the book yet, I listened to an interview with Ms. Freeland during which she described the attitudes of some of the newly rich toward those less fortunate.
Apparently, some of the new rich who have created fortunes with their enterprise and genius have little or no interest in sharing any of their wealth with anyone.
Still resonating is a quote from one of the new rich as mentioned by Ms. Freeland to the effect that if American workers want to make more wages than Chinese peasants, then American workers will have to be more productive than Chinese peasants.
My Liege, we both know that worker productivity, or the value of work produced per hour worked, is primarily a function of the capital and technology invested into the workplace.
In fact American workers ARE more productive than Chinese workers largely because we have more capital invested in our workplaces than do Chinese.
There is a deeper problem here, though : the deeper problem is the attitudes of some of the new rich. It is the 'Let them eat cake' attitude of Marie Antoinette which tipped into the French Revolution beginning in 1789.
This attitude is well represented throughout history wherever there is a large gulf between the super rich or royalty and the mass of population.
Whether in American plantations operated with slave labor before the Civil War, European Feudal villages, slave labor camps in Nazi Germany or the Gulags of Soviet Russia, powerful people routinely abuse and profit from the less fortunate.
Our 1776 Revolution sprang from a desire to treat people differently. But, the new rich would drive us back to feudalism and slavery.
In order to more fully understand where the drive toward world markets is taking us today, here's what life looks like for those Chinese peasants who have become the standard bearer of workers' rights and privileges as taken from an article by Gethin Chamberlain in The Observer, Saturday 3 December 2011 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/04/chinese-toy-factories-christmas-disney]
'....investigators spent three weeks in the industrial cities of Shenzhen and Dongguan. In some cases, they found that employees:
■ worked up to 140 hours overtime a month;
■ were paid up to a month late;
■ claimed they were expected to work with dangerous tools and machines without training or safety measures;
■ had to work in silence and were fined up to £5 for going to the toilet without permission.
Perhaps the most insidious effect of the long hours and poor wages was how it tore families apart, separating mothers and fathers from their children for all but a few days a year. Many workers were too afraid to speak to the investigators from human rights group Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (Sacom), but two women did agree to talk on condition that their names were changed.
Wang Fengping, 27, has two daughters, seven and five. They live a 10-hour train journey away from the On Tai Toys factory. She and her husband earn £200 a month making toys for Disney and others, but cannot afford to bring the children to the city. Instead, the girls are cared for by their grandparents. Wang calls them two or three times a week. The younger one always asks her when she is coming home. "Very soon," Wang always replies.
The reality is that they will meet only once a year, at Chinese New Year. She keeps her spirits up by telling her workmates stories of how well the girls are doing at school. Sometimes she sings them songs the girls have learned at school and then sung to her down the phone. "Our family will not die from hunger, but cannot be fed with this wage level," she said....'
My Liege, that is a future we do not want for our children and grandchildren. We pray you can find a way to prevent our drift toward that future.
Your faithful servant,
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
This Space - Officially Enlightened !
Barry , My Liege :
This space has been included as one of the 100 most enlightened economics sites on the interweb.
The entire list is here : http://www.economicsdegree.net/enlightened-economists/
This space is listed under the Global Economics heading as Number 82. Here is the introduction from that site :
'82. Clear and Present Danger
This explicitly populist and left-leaning economic blog responds to political and economic news and topics. In addition to its analysis, the site contains a clearly humorous tone, with its oddly feudal theming and all of its posts beginning with “Barry, My Liege.”
Econ Highlight: Conservative Economic Theory, Wrong in 1776, Wrong Now'
Below is the offical notification :
'Hello
I'm following up with you about the list EconomicsDegree.net has published of the Top 100 Sites for Enlightened Economists.
I emailed you last week to let you know you'd been nominated, and I'm pleased to report that your site made the Top 100. You can view the list here: http://www.economicsdegree.net/enlightened-economists/
We've created a badge you can post on your site to let your readers know you were selected. You can use the embed code below or the attached image.
While our site is geared toward prospective students in economics, and they will no doubt find this list to be useful, we also published it to benefit all readers interested in economic topics. Congratulations, and thanks for maintaining such a useful site!
Feel free to email me with any questions or feedback about the list.
Best,
Amy'
Your faithful servant,
This space has been included as one of the 100 most enlightened economics sites on the interweb.
The entire list is here : http://www.economicsdegree.net/enlightened-economists/
This space is listed under the Global Economics heading as Number 82. Here is the introduction from that site :
'82. Clear and Present Danger
This explicitly populist and left-leaning economic blog responds to political and economic news and topics. In addition to its analysis, the site contains a clearly humorous tone, with its oddly feudal theming and all of its posts beginning with “Barry, My Liege.”
Econ Highlight: Conservative Economic Theory, Wrong in 1776, Wrong Now'
Below is the offical notification :
'Hello
I'm following up with you about the list EconomicsDegree.net has published of the Top 100 Sites for Enlightened Economists.
I emailed you last week to let you know you'd been nominated, and I'm pleased to report that your site made the Top 100. You can view the list here: http://www.economicsdegree.net/enlightened-economists/
We've created a badge you can post on your site to let your readers know you were selected. You can use the embed code below or the attached image.
While our site is geared toward prospective students in economics, and they will no doubt find this list to be useful, we also published it to benefit all readers interested in economic topics. Congratulations, and thanks for maintaining such a useful site!
Feel free to email me with any questions or feedback about the list.
Best,
Amy'
Your faithful servant,
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
US Fails GINI Test
http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/2012/fall/leadership/income-inequality.html
Barry, My Liege :
The United States of America is more unequal in income distribution than most European countries as well as Japan, South Korea, India, Turkey, and Israel.
Several rapidly growing developing economies, including Brazil, show greater inequality, according to the Rand Corporation in the link above.
This is remarkable since the United States is classified as an industrialized country where citizens should enjoy the benefits of that development.
My Liege, this is the biggest problem for your second term.
We pray you act wisely for all our benefit.
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Romney Slip Slides
Barry, My Liege :
While it is true that the public perception of Mr. Romney is poor, your job is to aggressively pin him down.
We cannot rely on those assumed negative perceptions to sway voters to you unless you call him out in public.
You will be helped by finding a few points he makes that are either inconsistent or intensely disliked and then nail him to the wall on those issues.
It is time to kick him when he is down.
My Liege, he throws up so much smoke that it gives the impression of a fire.
Truly, his was a show of smoke and mirrors
But, your job is to call him on it.
And, please don't be polite about it.
We want you to fight for us.
Your faithful servant,
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
This Space - Enlightened !
Barry, My Liege :
This space is honored to be nominated by Economics Degree.net for inclusion in a list of the 100 most Enlightened economics websites available for people wishing to learn about economics.
You can learn more about the organization here : http://www.economicsdegree.net/
Here is the nomination notification :
" Hello
I work for EconomicsDegree.net, a website that offers news and informational resources about higher education in the world of economics and finance. In addition to providing info for prospective students, we aim to highlight economic trends locally and globally through blog posts and other content on our site. With that goal in mind, we’re preparing a list that acknowledges the Top 100 Sites for Enlightened Economists.
I’m pleased to tell you that we have nominated Clear and Present Danger for inclusion on our list!
If your site is featured on the final list, we’ll provide a badge that you can use to publicize your inclusion through your site and social media accounts.
Once the list is published, we’ll be reaching out to other sites about economics, international politics, business, and finance to ensure maximum recognition for your site.
Additionally, if you wish to nominate another economics blog or website that you feel is worthy of a spot on our list, please let us know.
Best,
Amy "
This space will post further information as it becomes available.
Your faithful servant,
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Conservative Economic Theory, Wrong in 1776, Wrong Now
Barry, My Liege :
It is stated and implied by economic conservatives that a minimum of government interference into the everyday activities of the economy will create the best of all possible worlds.
'When producers are free to sell what they wish and consumers are free to buy what they will, then the invisible hand of the market place will deliver the greatest material good to the greatest number of people' is how many conservatives express it.
Although this bedrock belief of many conservatives has been proven wrong by countless studies and theories, it persists to this day.
My Liege, it is worth considering the world in which those theories were created to see where they may be correct and or false.
That world of the 18th Century coincided with the birth of the United States of America.
Adam Smith's WEALTH OF NATIONS, the book which codified and justified this philosophy, was published in 1776, the year of our revolution. Some of our founding fathers explicitly acknowledged that the invisible hand identified by Adam Smith helped in drawing our Constitution.
And, our conservative friends rely on that coincidence to support their free market beliefs.
But, it is significant that even Adam Smith suggested that a just and moral society requires curbs on the free play of market forces in order to secure a decent life for all people.
As he wrote his book, he surely observed the life around him. The life he observed consisted of great accumulations of capital and material wealth together with unimaginable social misery in the England of the 18th century.
Describing that life, here is Esme Wingfield-Stratford, D.Sc., M. A., Ex-Fellow of King's College, Cambridge in THE HISTORY OF BRITISH CIVILIZATION, Routledge & Kegan Paul, Ltd., London, 1928, pp 739-740:
"Such was the agricultural revolution of the eighteenth century, and true to the principles of the time, full play was given to individual enterprise in the simple faith that all things would work together for good for those who loved money. It would have been utterly alien to contemporary habits of thought to have made a serious effort to estimate, much less to control, the social relations of this increase of productive capacity. The peasantry and yeomanry, who were so hard hit by the process of enclosure [diverting public lands to private ownership], were at the same time crippled by the rapid development of the factory system, and the consequent loss of domestic manufactures which had helped them to eke out a living. But quite apart from either of these handicaps, the small man, in this age of rapid innovation, was at a hopeless disadvantage against superior capital and education. Gradually the big estates began to eat up the small ones, and the poor man, with all the odds against him, was silently edged off the land by encroaching capital."
We pray you are able to see the dangers to our countrymen from the application of that philosophy.
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, September 27, 2012
UPDATE 10.25.12 : Drones Create Terrorists and Will Continue
http://livingunderdrones.org/
Barry, My Liege :
It is time to scale down the drone campaign. It appears to be killing more civilians than militants.
With that result, we are creating families and tribes of people with very good reasons to hate us.
Many people hate us already.
We should not inflate that number recklessly.
But, My Liege, your administration has codified the program and it will likely continue for the forseeable future.
Read it here : http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/plan-for-hunting-terrorists-signals-us-intends-to-keep-adding-names-to-kill-lists/2012/10/23/4789b2ae-18b3-11e2-a55c-39408fbe6a4b_story.html
Your faithful servant,
Barry, My Liege :
It is time to scale down the drone campaign. It appears to be killing more civilians than militants.
With that result, we are creating families and tribes of people with very good reasons to hate us.
Many people hate us already.
We should not inflate that number recklessly.
But, My Liege, your administration has codified the program and it will likely continue for the forseeable future.
Read it here : http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/plan-for-hunting-terrorists-signals-us-intends-to-keep-adding-names-to-kill-lists/2012/10/23/4789b2ae-18b3-11e2-a55c-39408fbe6a4b_story.html
Your faithful servant,
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Recovery and Restoration of the USA, 2013
http://www.mkeever.com/owsplaneleven.doc
Barry, My Liege ;
There appears to be a possibility that the Democratic Party will capture your office as well as both Houses of Congress.
Regardless of the degree of probability of that outcome, you have the immediate responsibility to write a series of laws and regulatory changes before your inauguration which will restore the United States of America to a democratic country and reduce the power of our moneyed elites.
My Liege, as I have said before, if that fortunate circumstance should arise it will be our last chance to keep our country great and honorable.
But, My Liege, seizing that opportunity will REQUIRE that you and your second term administration IMMEDIATELY after inauguration pass the series of laws that you are preparing now.
You will have a very small window of opportunity to accomplish this task.
We pray you administer that work diligently.
As a start I offer below my list of 13 specific areas that require changes. These suggestions have been published before and I beseech you to take each seriously.
1. STRENGTHEN UNIONS - Union organizing and negotiating rights are created by Federal labor laws. When unions can organize and press for higher wages, the country benefits from higher incomes going to the middle class. It is true that unions can be messy organizations, but overall they succeed in raising middle class incomes when they can function freely. This will increase middle class purchasing power and help restore Aggregate Demand.
An inevitable result of raising wages through union activity will be that businesses have to raise prices to survive - that will require some adjustments to our trade policies as discussed below.
2. ENHANCE LABOR LAW ENFORCEMENT - Some business owners think they have an economic incentive to interfere with union actions ; they will have to pay higher wages if unions are successful. In our history, blood has been shed in labor disputes.
Henry Ford knew that true national prosperity lies with workers receiving wages high enough to buy the cars he made, but many business owners are not so enlightened.
When there is little labor law enforcement or penalties for labor law violations, then labor law has little effect.
The United States should enforce labor laws vigorously.
3. ESTABLISH ANTI-MONOPOLY LAWS - Monopolies are bad for the country, per se. Such firms have economic incentives to charge higher prices and sell fewer products than firms in competition. Their actions create a deadweight loss from economic activity not undertaken and further transfer some consumer surplus to monopoly profit. This results in less economic welfare for the country and thereby damages our National Security.
The United States should strengthen existing anti-monopoly laws, increase enforcement activity and write additional anti-monopoly laws.
The concept that monopoly is a reward for efficient firms is a false concept which serves to undermine National Security.
4. CANCEL FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS - United States trade policy does not work. We adhere to a low tariff concept that undermines our National Security. It does so by transferring jobs to foreign countries and by facilitating huge trade imbalances which serve to transfer wealth created in the United States to our trade partners.
It is time to change trade policies so that we import only as much as we export.
Our trade partners do not reciprocate our trade encouraging practices and in fact use their trade laws and national customs to protect their domestic industries. It is time to recognize reality in trade.
5. TAX AWAY GREAT FORTUNES AND GREAT INCOMES - Huge concentrations of wealth and annual income harm our economy by diverting money away from risky investments in economic growth and into safety seeking investments.
It is well known that the primary criterion of investing is safety of principal. People with large amounts of money are risk averse and do NOT wish to risk that money in new ventures, preferring to find safer investments.
Our economy will grow faster and we will be more secure when we do not have extraordinarily large income and wealth concentrations. Then will capital have greater incentives to take risks and create growth.
6. CREATE NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL POLICY - The United States should create a blueprint for our future economic growth. We should establish industries in which we wish to participate and then establish policies which encourage and protect companies in those industries.
Industries should be chosen on the basis of the likelihood that they will create good jobs in the future.
Critics argue that the government is unable to make sound predictions in this area since even private companies have difficulty doing so.
While that may be, there are countries which use this practice with great success and many more countries which are beginning to establish this process. The government of South Korea established this practice in the 1950's and was able to convert a nation of rice farmers and fishermen into an industrial powerhouse.
7. EXPAND PUBLIC UTILITY INDUSTRY DESIGNATIONS AND REGULATE EACH DESIGNATED INDUSTRY WITH AN ELECTED COMMISSION - There are some businesses which require a government protected monopoly for some reason ; for example, some industries like electricity generation and distribution require such huge capital investments that investors will not make that investment unless assured of freedom from future competition.
In these cases it makes economic and national security sense to regulate the prices charged to the public so that the company earns a normal profit, which allows a return to investors sufficient to ensure survival and uninterrupted service provision, but does not allow for monopoly profits.
Any industry whose products or services are regularly used by more than one third of the population and in which there are few suppliers is a candidate for public utility designation.
8. ENSURE FINANCIAL SYSTEM STABILITY BY RESTORING GLASS-STEAGALL - Stability in our financial system is required for our national security.
We know absolutely that the financial system cannot regulate itself without great harm to our economy.
Under Glass-Steagall we had stability for 50 years.
Restore it.
It is the only choice.
9. KEEP SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE - Not only do these programs provide dignity to people who have worked all their lives, they provide significant income to help support Aggregate Demand.
There are pressures to reduce or destroy these programs. The stated reason is the budget deficit, but the real reason is simple greed from the financial system.
Countries which have chosen to reduce pensions and healthcare because of a fiscal deficit problem are now experiencing recessions and high unemployment.
No country in history has been able to cut its way to prosperity. Many countries have found prosperity by borrowing in bad times to sustain employment.
10. INSTALL SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE - Regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision, there is no place for profit in the healthcare system. If we can eliminate insurance company profits, we can pay for our healthcare with current expenditures.
11. MANAGE DEBT TO BORROW IN BAD TIMES, PAY BACK IN GOOD TIMES - With a properly functioning national government, we can use fiscal policy wisely to keep full employment and growth achievable.
The Federal Budget is the flywheel of the economy - it prevents stalls when the engine's speed declines.
12. REDUCE MONEY REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL ELECTIONS BY REQUIRING BROADCASTERS TO PROVIDE FREE POLITICAL ADS - One of the reasons for our corrupt political system is that elections are very expensive.
But, most of the money goes to running political ads on broadcast media. Since broadcast media receives a license from the FCC to use their frequencies, we can require them to run free ads as a condition of their licenses.
This would reduce the cost of running for office and, consequently reduce the opportunities for political corruption.
Other election financing reforms should be pursued as well.
13. RESPECT BUT DO NOT FEAR OCCUPY PROTESTORS - Occupy protestors are about 20% of our people who have been harmed by market failures in our system. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to seek redress of their grievances.
Creating a rigid, militaristic response to a peaceful protest is the opposite of our founding principles.
If they follow our past history of peaceful protest, they may well be the force that helps correct our imbalances.
In conclusion Barry, My Liege, we pray that you will remember these issues after you finish discussing any limited election issues such as gay marriage and student loan costs.
Your faithful servant,
Barry, My Liege ;
There appears to be a possibility that the Democratic Party will capture your office as well as both Houses of Congress.
Regardless of the degree of probability of that outcome, you have the immediate responsibility to write a series of laws and regulatory changes before your inauguration which will restore the United States of America to a democratic country and reduce the power of our moneyed elites.
My Liege, as I have said before, if that fortunate circumstance should arise it will be our last chance to keep our country great and honorable.
But, My Liege, seizing that opportunity will REQUIRE that you and your second term administration IMMEDIATELY after inauguration pass the series of laws that you are preparing now.
You will have a very small window of opportunity to accomplish this task.
We pray you administer that work diligently.
As a start I offer below my list of 13 specific areas that require changes. These suggestions have been published before and I beseech you to take each seriously.
1. STRENGTHEN UNIONS - Union organizing and negotiating rights are created by Federal labor laws. When unions can organize and press for higher wages, the country benefits from higher incomes going to the middle class. It is true that unions can be messy organizations, but overall they succeed in raising middle class incomes when they can function freely. This will increase middle class purchasing power and help restore Aggregate Demand.
An inevitable result of raising wages through union activity will be that businesses have to raise prices to survive - that will require some adjustments to our trade policies as discussed below.
2. ENHANCE LABOR LAW ENFORCEMENT - Some business owners think they have an economic incentive to interfere with union actions ; they will have to pay higher wages if unions are successful. In our history, blood has been shed in labor disputes.
Henry Ford knew that true national prosperity lies with workers receiving wages high enough to buy the cars he made, but many business owners are not so enlightened.
When there is little labor law enforcement or penalties for labor law violations, then labor law has little effect.
The United States should enforce labor laws vigorously.
3. ESTABLISH ANTI-MONOPOLY LAWS - Monopolies are bad for the country, per se. Such firms have economic incentives to charge higher prices and sell fewer products than firms in competition. Their actions create a deadweight loss from economic activity not undertaken and further transfer some consumer surplus to monopoly profit. This results in less economic welfare for the country and thereby damages our National Security.
The United States should strengthen existing anti-monopoly laws, increase enforcement activity and write additional anti-monopoly laws.
The concept that monopoly is a reward for efficient firms is a false concept which serves to undermine National Security.
4. CANCEL FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS - United States trade policy does not work. We adhere to a low tariff concept that undermines our National Security. It does so by transferring jobs to foreign countries and by facilitating huge trade imbalances which serve to transfer wealth created in the United States to our trade partners.
It is time to change trade policies so that we import only as much as we export.
Our trade partners do not reciprocate our trade encouraging practices and in fact use their trade laws and national customs to protect their domestic industries. It is time to recognize reality in trade.
5. TAX AWAY GREAT FORTUNES AND GREAT INCOMES - Huge concentrations of wealth and annual income harm our economy by diverting money away from risky investments in economic growth and into safety seeking investments.
It is well known that the primary criterion of investing is safety of principal. People with large amounts of money are risk averse and do NOT wish to risk that money in new ventures, preferring to find safer investments.
Our economy will grow faster and we will be more secure when we do not have extraordinarily large income and wealth concentrations. Then will capital have greater incentives to take risks and create growth.
6. CREATE NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL POLICY - The United States should create a blueprint for our future economic growth. We should establish industries in which we wish to participate and then establish policies which encourage and protect companies in those industries.
Industries should be chosen on the basis of the likelihood that they will create good jobs in the future.
Critics argue that the government is unable to make sound predictions in this area since even private companies have difficulty doing so.
While that may be, there are countries which use this practice with great success and many more countries which are beginning to establish this process. The government of South Korea established this practice in the 1950's and was able to convert a nation of rice farmers and fishermen into an industrial powerhouse.
7. EXPAND PUBLIC UTILITY INDUSTRY DESIGNATIONS AND REGULATE EACH DESIGNATED INDUSTRY WITH AN ELECTED COMMISSION - There are some businesses which require a government protected monopoly for some reason ; for example, some industries like electricity generation and distribution require such huge capital investments that investors will not make that investment unless assured of freedom from future competition.
In these cases it makes economic and national security sense to regulate the prices charged to the public so that the company earns a normal profit, which allows a return to investors sufficient to ensure survival and uninterrupted service provision, but does not allow for monopoly profits.
Any industry whose products or services are regularly used by more than one third of the population and in which there are few suppliers is a candidate for public utility designation.
8. ENSURE FINANCIAL SYSTEM STABILITY BY RESTORING GLASS-STEAGALL - Stability in our financial system is required for our national security.
We know absolutely that the financial system cannot regulate itself without great harm to our economy.
Under Glass-Steagall we had stability for 50 years.
Restore it.
It is the only choice.
9. KEEP SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE - Not only do these programs provide dignity to people who have worked all their lives, they provide significant income to help support Aggregate Demand.
There are pressures to reduce or destroy these programs. The stated reason is the budget deficit, but the real reason is simple greed from the financial system.
Countries which have chosen to reduce pensions and healthcare because of a fiscal deficit problem are now experiencing recessions and high unemployment.
No country in history has been able to cut its way to prosperity. Many countries have found prosperity by borrowing in bad times to sustain employment.
10. INSTALL SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE - Regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision, there is no place for profit in the healthcare system. If we can eliminate insurance company profits, we can pay for our healthcare with current expenditures.
11. MANAGE DEBT TO BORROW IN BAD TIMES, PAY BACK IN GOOD TIMES - With a properly functioning national government, we can use fiscal policy wisely to keep full employment and growth achievable.
The Federal Budget is the flywheel of the economy - it prevents stalls when the engine's speed declines.
12. REDUCE MONEY REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL ELECTIONS BY REQUIRING BROADCASTERS TO PROVIDE FREE POLITICAL ADS - One of the reasons for our corrupt political system is that elections are very expensive.
But, most of the money goes to running political ads on broadcast media. Since broadcast media receives a license from the FCC to use their frequencies, we can require them to run free ads as a condition of their licenses.
This would reduce the cost of running for office and, consequently reduce the opportunities for political corruption.
Other election financing reforms should be pursued as well.
13. RESPECT BUT DO NOT FEAR OCCUPY PROTESTORS - Occupy protestors are about 20% of our people who have been harmed by market failures in our system. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to seek redress of their grievances.
Creating a rigid, militaristic response to a peaceful protest is the opposite of our founding principles.
If they follow our past history of peaceful protest, they may well be the force that helps correct our imbalances.
In conclusion Barry, My Liege, we pray that you will remember these issues after you finish discussing any limited election issues such as gay marriage and student loan costs.
Your faithful servant,
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Feudalism Redux : Romney's Economic Plan
Barry, My Liege :
Your opponent has taken the trouble to tell us exactly what he would do if elected.
Even though he is not worthy of our trust, let us take him at his word for the nonce.
According to FORTUNE Magazine in its September 3 issue, his plan is presented as a 5 point plan with each point numbered below.
My Liege, how anyone can imagine that the economic travail we experience today can be solved by five overly simplistic mantras is insulting to any thinking person.
Putting that aside, here then are the essential points of the Romney plan, with my comments below.
(1) "Aggressively promote domestic energy development, especially fossil fuels."
Even if we disregard the obvious corruption evidenced in this idea, it is clearly a disastrous public policy for the economy and the environment. Economically, our appetite for foreign oil funds many of our sworn enemies and destroys our economy by inflating our foreign trade deficit.
Our future lies with alternative and renewable energy.
(2) "Expand the market for U.S. goods overseas by negotiating new trade agreements and standing up to China on intellectual-property and currency issues."
It is a good idea to manage trade more effectively. We can give him that.
However, the problem is that our current policies create incentives to offshore and outsource jobs created by American companies. We should focus our policy changes in that area.
We will experience higher demand for our exports when, and only when, the domestic economies of our trading partners become stronger.
(3) "Improve workforce skills by transferring job-training programs to the states and going after teachers' unions, which, he says, stand in the way of school choice and better instruction."
This abomination ties together two disparate canards; each has to be considered separately.
Nearly all job training programs do not result in measurable job gains. The single effective remedy for job loss is to stimulate domestic aggregate demand by raising middle class incomes.
Our current policies do the exact opposite: our policies reduce middle class incomes and transfer incomes and wealth to the super rich monopolists.
The best way to raise middle class incomes is to reverse the trend toward weakening unions. With stronger unions, workers will have an opportunity for a middle class life.
Teachers' unions are not hurting public education; lower tax revenues are hurting public education. The only way to get better public education is to raise tax revenues by raising tax rates or growing the economy.
(4) "Attack the deficit through budget cuts, not tax increases."
Here is the centerpiece in the Romney/Kock plan to return the United States of America to feudal times. The plan is astoundingly simple : loot all funds devoted to middle class and poor people and transfer them to the 'private markets'. Then, lower taxes on rich people and raise them on poor people.
That will solidify our present kleptocratic, oligarchic social structure and reduce the possibility that we may someday return to a Democracy.
Tax cuts do NOT create jobs says the Congressional Research Service [http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/editorials/article/Low-tax-rates-may-not-boost-economy-3872573.php].
(5) "Reshape the regulatory climate to 'encourage and promote small business' rather than swamp it."
That last item, says Fortune, "covers his most consistent and passionate campaign pledge, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act."
I will simply misquote James Carville here : 'The only reason Republicans don't like regulation is the same reason that crooks don't like cops - they can't steal as much.' Apologies to Mr. Carville.
As an additional comment, and as a student of economic thought since 1960, it is my humble opinion that the 'economists' who write this drivel should be forced to disclose both their financial interests and the theoretical foundations of their incoherent rants.
Your faithful servant,
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Muslim Fanatics
Barry, My Liege :
It is difficult to sympathize with the outrage of a few Muslims over a stupid video.
These may be the same people who think a religious act is to slit the throat of an innocent civilian on live television.
Treat them with distance, keep our powder dry and otherwise ignore them. Such demonstrators will evenutally go away.
Of course, some may continue to blame the United States for their difficulties.
That cannot be changed.
Your faithful servant,
It is difficult to sympathize with the outrage of a few Muslims over a stupid video.
These may be the same people who think a religious act is to slit the throat of an innocent civilian on live television.
Treat them with distance, keep our powder dry and otherwise ignore them. Such demonstrators will evenutally go away.
Of course, some may continue to blame the United States for their difficulties.
That cannot be changed.
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, September 13, 2012
California Hardens Heart - Tells Students to Join Fastrack or Leave
Barry My Liege :
Now, it's official - students have to grow up, now.
In California you don't have time to try out things or explore different directions.
If you don't commit to a four year plan, you can't enroll in Community College.
That means that immigrants who want to learn English so they can communicate with their Americanized grandchildren, downsized folks who want to train for a new job and average kids who are not sure of what they want to do by age 18 are all out of luck.
There is no room in the California Community College system for them anymore.
Jeffery Fang, a City College of San Francisco student says it best : 'it won't be possible to require students to develop education plans because there aren't enough counselors to help them. He said the new rules also "will pretty much shut out re-entry students because they have too many units."'
My Liege, the hands that used to offer help are withdrawn. Folks who look for that helping hand are left to the marketplace.
Here's what the market sounds like -
'Step right up! English language lessons for 4 weeks of 50 minutes per lesson, four lessons per week, that's 28 lessons with free access to our library for only $1,500. But wait, student loans are available. Our consellors will help you apply. Don't be left out. Other plans are available and REMEMBER - SOME CLASSES QUALIFY FOR A STUDENT VISA!!!
Don't forget, community college classes are not available to you so you can no longer sign up for classes at $150 per semester. This is your best deal.'
It is just sad.
These colleges have been a stairway to the middle class for generations of students of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds.
My Liege, we undestand that money is short everywhere.
But, how can it help our country to take away a ladder to the middle class?
Here is the article : http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Community-colleges-No-room-for-lingerers-3854934.php
Your faithful servant,
Now, it's official - students have to grow up, now.
In California you don't have time to try out things or explore different directions.
If you don't commit to a four year plan, you can't enroll in Community College.
That means that immigrants who want to learn English so they can communicate with their Americanized grandchildren, downsized folks who want to train for a new job and average kids who are not sure of what they want to do by age 18 are all out of luck.
There is no room in the California Community College system for them anymore.
Jeffery Fang, a City College of San Francisco student says it best : 'it won't be possible to require students to develop education plans because there aren't enough counselors to help them. He said the new rules also "will pretty much shut out re-entry students because they have too many units."'
My Liege, the hands that used to offer help are withdrawn. Folks who look for that helping hand are left to the marketplace.
Here's what the market sounds like -
'Step right up! English language lessons for 4 weeks of 50 minutes per lesson, four lessons per week, that's 28 lessons with free access to our library for only $1,500. But wait, student loans are available. Our consellors will help you apply. Don't be left out. Other plans are available and REMEMBER - SOME CLASSES QUALIFY FOR A STUDENT VISA!!!
Don't forget, community college classes are not available to you so you can no longer sign up for classes at $150 per semester. This is your best deal.'
It is just sad.
These colleges have been a stairway to the middle class for generations of students of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds.
My Liege, we undestand that money is short everywhere.
But, how can it help our country to take away a ladder to the middle class?
Here is the article : http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Community-colleges-No-room-for-lingerers-3854934.php
Your faithful servant,
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Used Car Salesman - Romney
Barry, My Liege :
It seems appropriate to suggest a stump speech gambit for your consideration.
It is a stump speech gambit since it is somewhat mean spirited - although spot on for voters - and televising it would likely call forth an equally mean spirited response from the Reps.
Maybe the idea can go under the radar on the stump; but, it'll be even more effective if the Reps pick it up and make it a news item.
Here it is :
'How y'all doing tonight? I am really glad to be here in ________________.
You know, one of the things my opponent says a lot is that you should ask the question "Are you better off than you were four years ago?
Well, you know what, I like that question. If you remember, four years ago the economy was in free fall, folks were losing their jobs, the stock market average was down to half what it is now and housing prices were starting to fall. It was a pretty bad time for us all.
Things ARE better now.
But, good ol Paul Ryan keeps saying we are not better off. Dude, you don't get to make up facts. Holy Cow, where is he anyway?
We know we're not done with fixing the economy, but we have made some pretty good steps in the right direction.
And, we KNOW that you want us to finish the job!
Now, my opponent is asking you to vote for him so he can take over.
He wants us to change horses in mid-stream - you know what, my grandmother always said that was a bad idea. And, she was usually right, and she is right this time too. Changing horses in the middle of a river is a really bad idea.
But, here's another thing about my opponent : he is a pretty slick guy who plays fast and loose with the truth.
If he were selling me a used car, I'd want someone else to vouch for what he told me because I just don't trust the man.
Plain and simple, I just don't trust him.
And, if you don't trust him either, then it is a real bad idea to trust him with the whole economy.
After all, he and his running mate told us that they want to take away Social Security and Medicare. And that was just before they said they would make Social Security and Medicare stronger.
How can you trust that?
He has a record of saying that everything will be just fine and then firing a whole lot of people.
He works from the same playbook as some of the State governors like Scott Walker. He was the guy who promised fiscal conservatism for Wisconsin; then, after he was elected, he cut taxes for corporations and claimed a fiscal crisis as a result of declining tax collections. His solution was to cut State government union bargaining rights and to reduce pensions.
We don't want that in the United States.
We want to take care of our people. We don't want to leave them to fend for themselves in a cutthroat market.
Folks, I am asking for your votes so I can finish the job we started in 2008.
Don't let the super slick hucksters bamboozle you into doing something you will regret for the rest of your life.'
My Liege, please use whatever portion of the foregoing you find useful.
Your faithful servant,
It seems appropriate to suggest a stump speech gambit for your consideration.
It is a stump speech gambit since it is somewhat mean spirited - although spot on for voters - and televising it would likely call forth an equally mean spirited response from the Reps.
Maybe the idea can go under the radar on the stump; but, it'll be even more effective if the Reps pick it up and make it a news item.
Here it is :
'How y'all doing tonight? I am really glad to be here in ________________.
You know, one of the things my opponent says a lot is that you should ask the question "Are you better off than you were four years ago?
Well, you know what, I like that question. If you remember, four years ago the economy was in free fall, folks were losing their jobs, the stock market average was down to half what it is now and housing prices were starting to fall. It was a pretty bad time for us all.
Things ARE better now.
But, good ol Paul Ryan keeps saying we are not better off. Dude, you don't get to make up facts. Holy Cow, where is he anyway?
We know we're not done with fixing the economy, but we have made some pretty good steps in the right direction.
And, we KNOW that you want us to finish the job!
Now, my opponent is asking you to vote for him so he can take over.
He wants us to change horses in mid-stream - you know what, my grandmother always said that was a bad idea. And, she was usually right, and she is right this time too. Changing horses in the middle of a river is a really bad idea.
But, here's another thing about my opponent : he is a pretty slick guy who plays fast and loose with the truth.
If he were selling me a used car, I'd want someone else to vouch for what he told me because I just don't trust the man.
Plain and simple, I just don't trust him.
And, if you don't trust him either, then it is a real bad idea to trust him with the whole economy.
After all, he and his running mate told us that they want to take away Social Security and Medicare. And that was just before they said they would make Social Security and Medicare stronger.
How can you trust that?
He has a record of saying that everything will be just fine and then firing a whole lot of people.
He works from the same playbook as some of the State governors like Scott Walker. He was the guy who promised fiscal conservatism for Wisconsin; then, after he was elected, he cut taxes for corporations and claimed a fiscal crisis as a result of declining tax collections. His solution was to cut State government union bargaining rights and to reduce pensions.
We don't want that in the United States.
We want to take care of our people. We don't want to leave them to fend for themselves in a cutthroat market.
Folks, I am asking for your votes so I can finish the job we started in 2008.
Don't let the super slick hucksters bamboozle you into doing something you will regret for the rest of your life.'
My Liege, please use whatever portion of the foregoing you find useful.
Your faithful servant,
Saturday, August 25, 2012
U S Incomes Drop : NO FED Action !
Barry, My Liege :
The continuing decline in wage income in the USA will make any recovery more difficult. As noted before in this space, our current problem is that Aggregate Demand is too low to spark a recovery.
On top of that, the Government of the United States is poised to create a fiscal and financial crisis due to the likely inability to make any compromises on the Federal Budget.
The question arises - Should or should not the FED create another monetary stimulus? It should not since there already exist oceans of cash that are idle. More will not help.
In the immortal words of the Jack Nicholson movie, '....maybe this is as good as it gets.....'
My Liege, if that is true, then we are in a new normal of declining incomes, declining living standards, high unemployment and decreasing Economic National Security.
Here's what Bloomberg says about our wages : 'American incomes declined more in the three-year expansion that started in June 2009 than during the longest recession since the Great Depression, according an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Sentier Research LLC.'
Read the whole article here :
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-23/u-s-incomes-feel-more-in-recovery-sentier-says.html
Here's a new article on 'HOW TO FIX THE ECONOMY' by Henry Blodgett :
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-fix-the-economy-in-one-simple-chart-2012-8
It is not rocket science, My Liege, even magazine writers get it.
Evem more on shrinking middle class :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/bottomline/article/Middle-class-shrinks-as-incomes-decline-3819526.php
Your faithful servant,
The continuing decline in wage income in the USA will make any recovery more difficult. As noted before in this space, our current problem is that Aggregate Demand is too low to spark a recovery.
On top of that, the Government of the United States is poised to create a fiscal and financial crisis due to the likely inability to make any compromises on the Federal Budget.
The question arises - Should or should not the FED create another monetary stimulus? It should not since there already exist oceans of cash that are idle. More will not help.
In the immortal words of the Jack Nicholson movie, '....maybe this is as good as it gets.....'
My Liege, if that is true, then we are in a new normal of declining incomes, declining living standards, high unemployment and decreasing Economic National Security.
Here's what Bloomberg says about our wages : 'American incomes declined more in the three-year expansion that started in June 2009 than during the longest recession since the Great Depression, according an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Sentier Research LLC.'
Read the whole article here :
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-23/u-s-incomes-feel-more-in-recovery-sentier-says.html
Here's a new article on 'HOW TO FIX THE ECONOMY' by Henry Blodgett :
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-fix-the-economy-in-one-simple-chart-2012-8
It is not rocket science, My Liege, even magazine writers get it.
Evem more on shrinking middle class :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/bottomline/article/Middle-class-shrinks-as-incomes-decline-3819526.php
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, August 23, 2012
SUPREMES AND NSA UPDATE - Supremes Won't Stop Domestic Spying
Barry, My Liege:
The NSA collects and saves every telephone call and email made by every United States citizen and does so without a warrant and in direct violation of the US Constitution.
The operation is called TRAPWIRE, and you can read about it here :
http://rt.com/usa/news/trapwire-abraxas-cubic-surveillance-251/
HERE'S WHERE THE SUPREMES PASS THE BUCK: http://libertycrier.com/u-s-constitution/supreme-court-lets-stand-telecom-immunity-in-wiretap-case/
And here :
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/opinion/the-national-security-agencys-domestic-spying-program.html
The people who reported this have been deemed 'enemies of the state'. These American heroes are William Binney, Kirk Wiebe and Thomas Drake.
See a video of their discussion here: http://current.com/shows/viewpoint/videos/nsa-whistleblowers-warn-of-secret-spying-programs-that-can-target-anyone/
The 'data' remains available for any law enforcement official to request at any time in the future. That is the purpose of the Colorado data center - to warehouse our calls and emails so they will be available in case we become an 'enemy of the state' someday.
England is proposing the same thing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/uk-surveillance-law_n_1527145.html
Your faithful servant,
The NSA collects and saves every telephone call and email made by every United States citizen and does so without a warrant and in direct violation of the US Constitution.
The operation is called TRAPWIRE, and you can read about it here :
http://rt.com/usa/news/trapwire-abraxas-cubic-surveillance-251/
HERE'S WHERE THE SUPREMES PASS THE BUCK: http://libertycrier.com/u-s-constitution/supreme-court-lets-stand-telecom-immunity-in-wiretap-case/
And here :
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/opinion/the-national-security-agencys-domestic-spying-program.html
The people who reported this have been deemed 'enemies of the state'. These American heroes are William Binney, Kirk Wiebe and Thomas Drake.
See a video of their discussion here: http://current.com/shows/viewpoint/videos/nsa-whistleblowers-warn-of-secret-spying-programs-that-can-target-anyone/
The 'data' remains available for any law enforcement official to request at any time in the future. That is the purpose of the Colorado data center - to warehouse our calls and emails so they will be available in case we become an 'enemy of the state' someday.
England is proposing the same thing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/uk-surveillance-law_n_1527145.html
Your faithful servant,
Sunday, August 19, 2012
What Will Happen if the Government is Downsized
Barry My Liege :
It is no secret that the Republican Party and its backers want to reduce the size of the American national government.
Perhaps it is worthwhile to look to countries where the national government has been downsized to see how people are doing there.
We can look at Central America to find places where the national government is unable to provide basic services to people.
'According to John P. Sullivan, who has written extensively on this phenomena over the past several years, a "criminal insurgency" occurs when criminal enterprises compete with the state not for traditional political participation, but rather to free themselves from state control in order to maximize profits from illicit economic activity. In so doing, TOC [transnational organized crime] elements seek to establish zones of "dual sovereignty" within states where they have freedom of movement, perceived legitimacy from the communities they exploit, and the complicity or acceptance of state political actors. Ultimately, the result is pervasive corruption, evidenced by a reciprocal criminalization of politics and politicization of crime.'
But, My Liege, such places are not just problems for their residents, they become problems for the United States as well.
Here's a second quote from David C. Eckley in his article "Criminal Insurgency' is a Growing Threat in Central America" : 'Governments that are incapable of meeting their citizens' basic needs represent unstable regions that may directly threaten the American people.'
See, the thing is that these transnational organized crime (TOC) elements corrupt or kill local government officials and enlist the entire population in their violence.
Read the entire article here : http://www.mexidata.info/id3430.html
It's something that you need to monitor carefully, My Liege. We do not want TOC elements bringing their activities to the United States.
Your faithful servant,
It is no secret that the Republican Party and its backers want to reduce the size of the American national government.
Perhaps it is worthwhile to look to countries where the national government has been downsized to see how people are doing there.
We can look at Central America to find places where the national government is unable to provide basic services to people.
'According to John P. Sullivan, who has written extensively on this phenomena over the past several years, a "criminal insurgency" occurs when criminal enterprises compete with the state not for traditional political participation, but rather to free themselves from state control in order to maximize profits from illicit economic activity. In so doing, TOC [transnational organized crime] elements seek to establish zones of "dual sovereignty" within states where they have freedom of movement, perceived legitimacy from the communities they exploit, and the complicity or acceptance of state political actors. Ultimately, the result is pervasive corruption, evidenced by a reciprocal criminalization of politics and politicization of crime.'
But, My Liege, such places are not just problems for their residents, they become problems for the United States as well.
Here's a second quote from David C. Eckley in his article "Criminal Insurgency' is a Growing Threat in Central America" : 'Governments that are incapable of meeting their citizens' basic needs represent unstable regions that may directly threaten the American people.'
See, the thing is that these transnational organized crime (TOC) elements corrupt or kill local government officials and enlist the entire population in their violence.
Read the entire article here : http://www.mexidata.info/id3430.html
It's something that you need to monitor carefully, My Liege. We do not want TOC elements bringing their activities to the United States.
Your faithful servant,
Boogie Man Romney Wants to Kill Social Security
Barry, My Liege :
There is no terminal problem in Social Security.
We can fix all its future shortfalls with small, simple tweaks.
The only catch is that we have to fix it soon. The price of fixing the system goes up every year we wait.
Read about them here :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Social-Security-fixable-changes-politically-tough-3799155.php
My Liege, the question arises : Why do we not fix it ?
The only possible answer is that our Big Money Bastards want to kill the system.
The Boogie Man and the Dragon are real, My Liege.
And, they are not hiding in the closet or under the bed.
They are running for President and Vice President.
You can borrow my sword, My Liege, but please kill them quickly.
Your faithful servant,
There is no terminal problem in Social Security.
We can fix all its future shortfalls with small, simple tweaks.
The only catch is that we have to fix it soon. The price of fixing the system goes up every year we wait.
Read about them here :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Social-Security-fixable-changes-politically-tough-3799155.php
My Liege, the question arises : Why do we not fix it ?
The only possible answer is that our Big Money Bastards want to kill the system.
The Boogie Man and the Dragon are real, My Liege.
And, they are not hiding in the closet or under the bed.
They are running for President and Vice President.
You can borrow my sword, My Liege, but please kill them quickly.
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Did Bankers Buy the Presidency ?
Barry, My Liege :
Your Justice Department recently dropped criminal charges against Goldman Sachs in a publicized case [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/goldman-sachs-justice-department_n_1762455.html?utm_hp_ref=business].
This action gives the appearance of an impropriety because Goldman Sachs is a contributor to your Presidential campaigns.
My Liege, such an appearance can create doubts about the independence of your office, regardless of facts.
We live in times where the Federal Government of the United States of America has been proven to be and is perceived as corrupt.
While you may have the opportunity to correct our drift toward oligarchy in a second term, your legacy may not reflect your actions if you allow any perceptions of impropriety to persist.
Such appearances can brand you as another corrupt politician.
That would be your legacy.
In order to create a positive image in history, your administration should be perceived as aggressively pursuing those firms and individuals who contributed to the economic collapse of 2007 and 2008.
My Liege that does not seem to be the case.
More to the point, such appearances of impropriety encourage actions by others which harm the Economic National Security of the United States.
It gives the impression that wrongdoers will not be prosecuted as long as they make sizeable campaign contributions.
And, if that is so, then why would any person take trouble to be honest when honesty is not rewarded at the highest levels ?
Remember what Jesse 'Big Daddy' Unruh said about lobbyists : "If you can't eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them, you have no business being up here."
My Liege, we would like to think that you are in the right place to protect us from the oligarchs.
Your faithful servant,
Your Justice Department recently dropped criminal charges against Goldman Sachs in a publicized case [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/goldman-sachs-justice-department_n_1762455.html?utm_hp_ref=business].
This action gives the appearance of an impropriety because Goldman Sachs is a contributor to your Presidential campaigns.
My Liege, such an appearance can create doubts about the independence of your office, regardless of facts.
We live in times where the Federal Government of the United States of America has been proven to be and is perceived as corrupt.
While you may have the opportunity to correct our drift toward oligarchy in a second term, your legacy may not reflect your actions if you allow any perceptions of impropriety to persist.
Such appearances can brand you as another corrupt politician.
That would be your legacy.
In order to create a positive image in history, your administration should be perceived as aggressively pursuing those firms and individuals who contributed to the economic collapse of 2007 and 2008.
My Liege that does not seem to be the case.
More to the point, such appearances of impropriety encourage actions by others which harm the Economic National Security of the United States.
It gives the impression that wrongdoers will not be prosecuted as long as they make sizeable campaign contributions.
And, if that is so, then why would any person take trouble to be honest when honesty is not rewarded at the highest levels ?
Remember what Jesse 'Big Daddy' Unruh said about lobbyists : "If you can't eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them, you have no business being up here."
My Liege, we would like to think that you are in the right place to protect us from the oligarchs.
Your faithful servant,
Monday, August 13, 2012
Ryan Favors Glass-Steagall ?
Barry, My Liege :
A report from marketwatch.com has Paul Ryan in favor of restoring Glass-Steagall.
Read it here: http://blogs.marketwatch.com/election/2012/08/13/is-ryan-really-good-for-bankers/
My bet is that he will recant that position within five days, after he will have been bought by bankers.
Your faithful servant,
A report from marketwatch.com has Paul Ryan in favor of restoring Glass-Steagall.
Read it here: http://blogs.marketwatch.com/election/2012/08/13/is-ryan-really-good-for-bankers/
My bet is that he will recant that position within five days, after he will have been bought by bankers.
Your faithful servant,
UPDATE 11.30 BANKS SPECULATE IN Food, Water Shortages
Barry, My Liege :
Today's drought in the United States of America will have severe effects on food importing countries.
The resulting food shortages will result in riots and social unrest.
NOVEMBER 30, 2012 - Here's something that makes it worse for us all : banks are SPECULATING in food supplies, thereby making famine worse.
Article here : http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/11/barclays-food-speculation/
That social unrest will affect the Economic National Security of the United States negatively.
Predictions are that Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sudan, South Sudan, and Egypt will face social unrest when food prices rise.
My Liege, you may recall that the Arab Spring was created when food prices rose to the point that many families could not eat.
The State Department reported that 60 food riots were results of the recent food shortage in 2007 and 2008.
It will happen again.
This is in addition to current famine conditions in Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe Kenya, Djibouti and Darfur.
The long term future does not look better.
The National Intelligence Council [http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/Global%20Trends_2025%20Report.pdf] estimates that 21 countries with a combined population of 600 million are either cropland or water scarce today.
That number will INCREASE by 36 countries with a population of 1.4 billion people by 2025.
New entrants will include Burundi, Colombia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Malawi, Pakistan, and Syria.
Barry, My Liege, what are our plans to address this question?
Will we leave the poor to starve?
Or, will we beggar the United States to prevent it?
These questions require answers, My Liege.
Your faithful servant.
Today's drought in the United States of America will have severe effects on food importing countries.
The resulting food shortages will result in riots and social unrest.
NOVEMBER 30, 2012 - Here's something that makes it worse for us all : banks are SPECULATING in food supplies, thereby making famine worse.
Article here : http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/11/barclays-food-speculation/
That social unrest will affect the Economic National Security of the United States negatively.
Predictions are that Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sudan, South Sudan, and Egypt will face social unrest when food prices rise.
My Liege, you may recall that the Arab Spring was created when food prices rose to the point that many families could not eat.
The State Department reported that 60 food riots were results of the recent food shortage in 2007 and 2008.
It will happen again.
This is in addition to current famine conditions in Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe Kenya, Djibouti and Darfur.
The long term future does not look better.
The National Intelligence Council [http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/Global%20Trends_2025%20Report.pdf] estimates that 21 countries with a combined population of 600 million are either cropland or water scarce today.
That number will INCREASE by 36 countries with a population of 1.4 billion people by 2025.
New entrants will include Burundi, Colombia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Malawi, Pakistan, and Syria.
Barry, My Liege, what are our plans to address this question?
Will we leave the poor to starve?
Or, will we beggar the United States to prevent it?
These questions require answers, My Liege.
Your faithful servant.
Friday, August 10, 2012
2012 Stakes
Barry, My Liege :
We know that the Economic National Security of the United States will be decided in the coming election.
As a reminder of recent history, during the many decades of industrial development after the Civil War and through the 1920's, the United States was guided by the classical economic theory epitomized by the 'laissez faire, laissez passer' or free market philosophy. Following that idea gave us both a developing economy and the Great Depression with its years of social malaise.
The New Deal enacted by Congress to remedy the excesses of that unbridled free market society gave the United States more than half a century of sound economic growth and a solid middle class.
Since 1990, the underpinnings of the New Deal have been systematically weakened by successive Congresses and Presidents.
Now we face the likelihood that the last vestiges of the New Deal and a sound middle class will die away.
My Liege, you MAY have an historic opportunity to reverse our current drift toward oligarchy and the death of democracy; but, let us be clear, you will have that chance only if you win and your party controls or is able to work with both Houses of Congress to pass meaningful legislation.
If the fortunate circumstance arises that you and your party control the elected government, then you will have a very limited time to enact legislation to restore democracy and the middle class.
I hope you have a series of laws written so that you may enact them at the first window of opportunity.
But, if you win while the opposing party controls Congress and continues its stubborn refusal to work for the country instead of its selfish interests, then it may be impossible for you to make any significant changes to our current trajectory.
If that happens, the exceptional experiment we began in the 1600's will end with the capture of government by forces of wealth and power. And, the Economic National Security of the United States will be fatally harmed.
Godspeed, My Liege, we wish you success.
Your faithful servant,
We know that the Economic National Security of the United States will be decided in the coming election.
As a reminder of recent history, during the many decades of industrial development after the Civil War and through the 1920's, the United States was guided by the classical economic theory epitomized by the 'laissez faire, laissez passer' or free market philosophy. Following that idea gave us both a developing economy and the Great Depression with its years of social malaise.
The New Deal enacted by Congress to remedy the excesses of that unbridled free market society gave the United States more than half a century of sound economic growth and a solid middle class.
Since 1990, the underpinnings of the New Deal have been systematically weakened by successive Congresses and Presidents.
Now we face the likelihood that the last vestiges of the New Deal and a sound middle class will die away.
My Liege, you MAY have an historic opportunity to reverse our current drift toward oligarchy and the death of democracy; but, let us be clear, you will have that chance only if you win and your party controls or is able to work with both Houses of Congress to pass meaningful legislation.
If the fortunate circumstance arises that you and your party control the elected government, then you will have a very limited time to enact legislation to restore democracy and the middle class.
I hope you have a series of laws written so that you may enact them at the first window of opportunity.
But, if you win while the opposing party controls Congress and continues its stubborn refusal to work for the country instead of its selfish interests, then it may be impossible for you to make any significant changes to our current trajectory.
If that happens, the exceptional experiment we began in the 1600's will end with the capture of government by forces of wealth and power. And, the Economic National Security of the United States will be fatally harmed.
Godspeed, My Liege, we wish you success.
Your faithful servant,
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Kill Assad
Barry, My Liege :
It is time for Assad to go.
Deaths have reached between 10,000 and 15,000, depending on who is counting [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18093967].
Helicopter gunships and tanks are attacking suburbs.
It is a moral outrage and not acceptable. We cannot continue to do nothing.
My Liege, I cannot imagine that even the Russians and Chinese will object to an action to change the government. But, it does not matter what they say or do.
Assad must go.
The only question is this : Who will restore order in the country after his death?
Without a credible, international force in place, Syria will degenerate into a spasm of tribal and terrorist violence that has the potential to destabilize the entire region.
Here's a proposal :
Install a No-Fly zone immediately so Assad grounds his helicopters and planes.
Send in a limited force to secure the WMD.
Establish connections with a rebel organization so that there is a governmental framework in place to take over when the regime falls. Let them understand that as a condition of support they will accept members of the current government who have the necessary skills and are willing to swear a loyalty oath.
Assemble the largest possible coalition of countries willing to participate and station troops on the borders. It does not matter what organization they belong to.
KILL ASSAD. Use drones, SEALS, whatever is available.
After his death is confirmed, send in the international force to restore order. They will stay until the country is able to keep order by itself.
Your faithful servant,
It is time for Assad to go.
Deaths have reached between 10,000 and 15,000, depending on who is counting [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18093967].
Helicopter gunships and tanks are attacking suburbs.
It is a moral outrage and not acceptable. We cannot continue to do nothing.
My Liege, I cannot imagine that even the Russians and Chinese will object to an action to change the government. But, it does not matter what they say or do.
Assad must go.
The only question is this : Who will restore order in the country after his death?
Without a credible, international force in place, Syria will degenerate into a spasm of tribal and terrorist violence that has the potential to destabilize the entire region.
Here's a proposal :
Install a No-Fly zone immediately so Assad grounds his helicopters and planes.
Send in a limited force to secure the WMD.
Establish connections with a rebel organization so that there is a governmental framework in place to take over when the regime falls. Let them understand that as a condition of support they will accept members of the current government who have the necessary skills and are willing to swear a loyalty oath.
Assemble the largest possible coalition of countries willing to participate and station troops on the borders. It does not matter what organization they belong to.
KILL ASSAD. Use drones, SEALS, whatever is available.
After his death is confirmed, send in the international force to restore order. They will stay until the country is able to keep order by itself.
Your faithful servant,
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Speech
Barry, My Liege :
I have been thinking about the speech we would like you to give at the next campaign appearance. Of course, some of this speech MAY be a little harsh.
It's about taking it directly to Mitt Romney.
The speech :
'Howdy folks.
How y'all doin tonight.
You're in for a treat today, because I am going to let my hair down - figuratively speaking - just a little, and tell it like it is.
That's right, folks, this is the rarest of nights.
You are gonna get the truth.
Let's start with the claim that I am a Muslim and was not born in the United States and am therefore unqualified to be President.
That is just the biggest piece of crap I have ever heard in my life. I have refuted it time and again but it keeps coming back, sort of like black mold in the bathroom.
Seems that there are a lotta folks who want to believe something bad about me regardless of facts. So, I suppose that it will never go away.
My guess is that there are a lot of folks who just don't like black people. When they can't find anything wrong with a person they don't like, they just go ahead and make up something.
I'd like to assume they are well intentioned, but I can't do that. They are just bigots, plain and simple.
So here's the deal:
I AM BLACK.
I AM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
GET OVER IT.
For God's sake, please get over it so we can work together on our real problems.
Here's another thing about bigots : thanks to George W. Bush, I have some far reaching powers as President. These are powers I did not create and don't really want, but I have them.
For example, I can put a terrorist on a list and kill him with a drone or a night raid with Navy Seals just on my say so.
I am a patient man, but for Christ's sake, maybe it is time to put some of these dingbats on the terror list.
About this Muslim business, that probably came from the fact that my middle name is Hussein. I am proud of that name. It reminds me of my father. He was a Muslim, I am not.
I am a Protestant and go to church with my family regularly. You remember that flapdoodle over Reverend Wright and his motor mouth. Obviously not one of my better moments, but HE IS A PROTESTANT MINISTER, not a Muslim. Get a grip.
I have lived in countries where the predominant religion is Islam and I attended a Muslim school as a child. It was a good school and they did not require that I swear allegiance to Allah to attend.
How many folks do you know with Irish names that are not remotely Irish? Probably a lot. It's one of the fun things in our country to watch an NFL football game and try to guess how a 300 pound black lineman from Detroit got the name Sean McDougal. By the way, that is a totally made up name - I mean no offense to any real Sean McDougals out there.
The point is this : just because I have a Muslim sounding name does NOT make me a Muslim any more than an Irish name makes a black man Irish.
Of course you all know that I really am Irish on my mother's side. This is America. We are PROUD of that.
As far as citizenship and religion go, take a look at Romney's background. Romney's family was polygamous; his father had three wives and his grandfather even more. The family fled to Mexico because they could not practice their religion in the USA. It is possible that Mitt Romney entered the country illegally and is an illegal alien.
Check THAT out and get back to me.
Let's take a look at the question of jobs.
Romney says he is a better candidate because he understands how to create jobs better than I do.
The only thing correct about that statement is the idea that job creation is important. The rest is pure BS.
Under my administration the country has created more than 3.3 million jobs since I took office. We need more, but, hey, 3.3 million new jobs ain't exactly petunias.
So, I know how to create jobs. My understanding of economics and job creation is way better than Mitt's. I'll match him line by line any day of the week.
What does Mitt Know? He knows how to take over companies and cut jobs or outsource them so he can sell the company for a profit. He makes a lot of money that way while a lot of hard working Americans who work in those companies lose jobs, savings, pride and healthcare.
It is legal under our system, but it aint right. It just is not right for America.
What is Mitt's plan for the economy and job creation? Well, according to his repeated statements, Mitt's plan is to do exactly what George W. Bush did.
That means he will reduce taxes on rich people, raise taxes on poor and middle class people, reduce or do away with regulation, encourage out sourcing of American jobs, reduce or eliminate Social Security and Medicare and basically do the opposite of what I have done.
All that means that we will get the same economic results as we did under Bush: namely, the worst financial crisis since the 1930's and a net job LOSS of 1.8 million jobs in eight years. [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jobs_created_during_U.S._presidential_terms]
That's right, Mitt wants to KILL 2 MILLION jobs and create another recession.
My only question is this - why would any sane person vote for him?
Take the Tea Party, they seem like a group of sincere folks who want to help the country. But, for some reason, they want to adopt economic policies that will directly hurt them by taking away their Social Security, their Medicare and their jobs.
It's a puzzlement.
So, listen up Tea Party, the election is about the ECONOMY. It is NOT about gay marriage, gun rights or any other distraction.
The rich oligarchs who fund your movement want you to be distracted by side issues so they can lower their taxes and raid your social security.
They are running a shell game.
You gotta keep your eye on the prize folks, or the oligarchs are gonna take away your children's future.
Here's another thing about Mitt : He is a liar. Plain and simple, he lies. He is the worst type of politician. He will say anything to get elected and then do whetever he wants after winning the election. We have seen this with some Republican governors who ran on one platform, then pretty much did the opposite when they were elected.
Governor Walker in Wisconsin ran on a fiscally conservative platform. Then after he was elected, he reduced taxes on corporations thereby lowering tax revenues for the state. Then he claimed a budget crisis since revenues had declined. His solution was to cut public employee pensions and take away collective bargaining for public employees.
Listen up Tea Party, this is what Mitt will do to you. He will cut taxes on rich folks like himself, claim a budget crisis and demand that we eliminate or reduce Social Security and Medicare to balance the budget
It is just plain old greed folks; plain old greed.
And another thing, what is up with the 'retroactive retirement' from Bain? That's double talk, plain and simple.
Mitt was running Bain during the time the company outsourced jobs. Lying does not make it so, Mitt. You gotta get your facts right.
If you want my job, and it sure seems like you do, you have to be better than I am. And, Mitt, you are not looking so good right now.
Americans can smell a con job, and we are smelling one right now.
Well that's all for now. Thanks for listening folks.
Good night and may God bless America.'
Your faithful servant,
I have been thinking about the speech we would like you to give at the next campaign appearance. Of course, some of this speech MAY be a little harsh.
It's about taking it directly to Mitt Romney.
The speech :
'Howdy folks.
How y'all doin tonight.
You're in for a treat today, because I am going to let my hair down - figuratively speaking - just a little, and tell it like it is.
That's right, folks, this is the rarest of nights.
You are gonna get the truth.
Let's start with the claim that I am a Muslim and was not born in the United States and am therefore unqualified to be President.
That is just the biggest piece of crap I have ever heard in my life. I have refuted it time and again but it keeps coming back, sort of like black mold in the bathroom.
Seems that there are a lotta folks who want to believe something bad about me regardless of facts. So, I suppose that it will never go away.
My guess is that there are a lot of folks who just don't like black people. When they can't find anything wrong with a person they don't like, they just go ahead and make up something.
I'd like to assume they are well intentioned, but I can't do that. They are just bigots, plain and simple.
So here's the deal:
I AM BLACK.
I AM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
GET OVER IT.
For God's sake, please get over it so we can work together on our real problems.
Here's another thing about bigots : thanks to George W. Bush, I have some far reaching powers as President. These are powers I did not create and don't really want, but I have them.
For example, I can put a terrorist on a list and kill him with a drone or a night raid with Navy Seals just on my say so.
I am a patient man, but for Christ's sake, maybe it is time to put some of these dingbats on the terror list.
About this Muslim business, that probably came from the fact that my middle name is Hussein. I am proud of that name. It reminds me of my father. He was a Muslim, I am not.
I am a Protestant and go to church with my family regularly. You remember that flapdoodle over Reverend Wright and his motor mouth. Obviously not one of my better moments, but HE IS A PROTESTANT MINISTER, not a Muslim. Get a grip.
I have lived in countries where the predominant religion is Islam and I attended a Muslim school as a child. It was a good school and they did not require that I swear allegiance to Allah to attend.
How many folks do you know with Irish names that are not remotely Irish? Probably a lot. It's one of the fun things in our country to watch an NFL football game and try to guess how a 300 pound black lineman from Detroit got the name Sean McDougal. By the way, that is a totally made up name - I mean no offense to any real Sean McDougals out there.
The point is this : just because I have a Muslim sounding name does NOT make me a Muslim any more than an Irish name makes a black man Irish.
Of course you all know that I really am Irish on my mother's side. This is America. We are PROUD of that.
As far as citizenship and religion go, take a look at Romney's background. Romney's family was polygamous; his father had three wives and his grandfather even more. The family fled to Mexico because they could not practice their religion in the USA. It is possible that Mitt Romney entered the country illegally and is an illegal alien.
Check THAT out and get back to me.
Let's take a look at the question of jobs.
Romney says he is a better candidate because he understands how to create jobs better than I do.
The only thing correct about that statement is the idea that job creation is important. The rest is pure BS.
Under my administration the country has created more than 3.3 million jobs since I took office. We need more, but, hey, 3.3 million new jobs ain't exactly petunias.
So, I know how to create jobs. My understanding of economics and job creation is way better than Mitt's. I'll match him line by line any day of the week.
What does Mitt Know? He knows how to take over companies and cut jobs or outsource them so he can sell the company for a profit. He makes a lot of money that way while a lot of hard working Americans who work in those companies lose jobs, savings, pride and healthcare.
It is legal under our system, but it aint right. It just is not right for America.
What is Mitt's plan for the economy and job creation? Well, according to his repeated statements, Mitt's plan is to do exactly what George W. Bush did.
That means he will reduce taxes on rich people, raise taxes on poor and middle class people, reduce or do away with regulation, encourage out sourcing of American jobs, reduce or eliminate Social Security and Medicare and basically do the opposite of what I have done.
All that means that we will get the same economic results as we did under Bush: namely, the worst financial crisis since the 1930's and a net job LOSS of 1.8 million jobs in eight years. [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jobs_created_during_U.S._presidential_terms]
That's right, Mitt wants to KILL 2 MILLION jobs and create another recession.
My only question is this - why would any sane person vote for him?
Take the Tea Party, they seem like a group of sincere folks who want to help the country. But, for some reason, they want to adopt economic policies that will directly hurt them by taking away their Social Security, their Medicare and their jobs.
It's a puzzlement.
So, listen up Tea Party, the election is about the ECONOMY. It is NOT about gay marriage, gun rights or any other distraction.
The rich oligarchs who fund your movement want you to be distracted by side issues so they can lower their taxes and raid your social security.
They are running a shell game.
You gotta keep your eye on the prize folks, or the oligarchs are gonna take away your children's future.
Here's another thing about Mitt : He is a liar. Plain and simple, he lies. He is the worst type of politician. He will say anything to get elected and then do whetever he wants after winning the election. We have seen this with some Republican governors who ran on one platform, then pretty much did the opposite when they were elected.
Governor Walker in Wisconsin ran on a fiscally conservative platform. Then after he was elected, he reduced taxes on corporations thereby lowering tax revenues for the state. Then he claimed a budget crisis since revenues had declined. His solution was to cut public employee pensions and take away collective bargaining for public employees.
Listen up Tea Party, this is what Mitt will do to you. He will cut taxes on rich folks like himself, claim a budget crisis and demand that we eliminate or reduce Social Security and Medicare to balance the budget
It is just plain old greed folks; plain old greed.
And another thing, what is up with the 'retroactive retirement' from Bain? That's double talk, plain and simple.
Mitt was running Bain during the time the company outsourced jobs. Lying does not make it so, Mitt. You gotta get your facts right.
If you want my job, and it sure seems like you do, you have to be better than I am. And, Mitt, you are not looking so good right now.
Americans can smell a con job, and we are smelling one right now.
Well that's all for now. Thanks for listening folks.
Good night and may God bless America.'
Your faithful servant,
Monday, July 23, 2012
Tax havens: Super-rich 'hiding' at least $21 trillion
Barry, My Liege :
While I do not normally reproduce news articles, the following is significant enough to change practice.
Just in case you were wondering why we cannot get any growth or jobs in the economy, here's the answer : Super Rich squirrel away cash and hide it from the rest of us, according to the following article in the BBC [Seen here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18944097]
" Tax havens: Super-rich 'hiding' at least $21 trillion
A global super-rich elite had at least $21 trillion (£13tn) hidden in secret tax havens by the end of 2010, according to a major study.
The figure is equivalent to the size of the US and Japanese economies combined.
The Price of Offshore Revisited was written by James Henry, a former chief economist at the consultancy McKinsey, for the Tax Justice Network.
Tax expert and UK government adviser John Whiting said he was sceptical that the amount hidden was so large.
Mr Whiting, tax policy director at the Chartered Institute of Taxation, said: "There clearly are some significant amounts hidden away, but if it really is that size what is being done with it all?"
Mr Henry said his $21tn is actually a conservative figure and the true scale could be $32tn. A trillion is 1,000 billion.
Mr Henry used data from the Bank of International Settlements, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and national governments.
His study deals only with financial wealth deposited in bank and investment accounts, and not other assets such as property and yachts.
The report comes amid growing public and political concern about tax avoidance and evasion. Some authorities, including in Germany, have even paid for information on alleged tax evaders stolen from banks.
The group that commissioned the report, Tax Justice Network, campaigns against tax havens.
Mr Henry said that the super-rich move money around the globe through an "industrious bevy of professional enablers in private banking, legal, accounting and investment industries.
"The lost tax revenues implied by our estimates is huge. It is large enough to make a significant difference to the finances of many countries.
"From another angle, this study is really good news. The world has just located a huge pile of financial wealth that might be called upon to contribute to the solution of our most pressing global problems," he said.
James Henry says his $21tn figure is a conservative estimate
The report highlights the impact on the balance sheets of 139 developing countries of money held in tax havens that is put beyond the reach of local tax authorities.
Mr Henry estimates that since the 1970s, the richest citizens of these 139 countries had amassed $7.3tn to $9.3tn of "unrecorded offshore wealth" by 2010.
Private wealth held offshore represents "a huge black hole in the world economy," Mr Henry said.
Mr Whiting, though, urged caution. "I cannot disprove the figures at all, but they do seem staggering. If the suggestion is that such amounts are actively hidden and never accessed, that seems odd - not least in terms of what the tax authorities are doing. In fact, the US, UK and German authorities are doing a lot."
He also pointed out that if tax havens were stuffed with such sizeable amounts, "you would expect the havens to be more conspicuously wealthy than they are".
Other findings in Mr Henry's report include:
· At the end of 2010, the 50 leading private banks alone collectively managed more than $12.1tn in cross-border invested assets for private clients
· The three private banks handling the most assets offshore are UBS, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs
· Less than 100,000 people worldwide own about $9.8tn of the wealth held offshore.
Mr Henry told the BBC that it was difficult to detail hidden assets in some individual countries, including the UK, because of restrictions on getting access to data.
A spokesman for the Treasury said great strides were being made in cracking down on people hiding assets.
He said that in 2011-12 HM Revenue & Customs' High Net Worth Unit secured £200m in additional tax through its compliance work with the very wealthy.
He said that agreements reached with Liechtenstein and Switzerland will bring in £3bn and between £4bn and £7bn respectively."
Your faithful servant,
While I do not normally reproduce news articles, the following is significant enough to change practice.
Just in case you were wondering why we cannot get any growth or jobs in the economy, here's the answer : Super Rich squirrel away cash and hide it from the rest of us, according to the following article in the BBC [Seen here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18944097]
" Tax havens: Super-rich 'hiding' at least $21 trillion
A global super-rich elite had at least $21 trillion (£13tn) hidden in secret tax havens by the end of 2010, according to a major study.
The figure is equivalent to the size of the US and Japanese economies combined.
The Price of Offshore Revisited was written by James Henry, a former chief economist at the consultancy McKinsey, for the Tax Justice Network.
Tax expert and UK government adviser John Whiting said he was sceptical that the amount hidden was so large.
Mr Whiting, tax policy director at the Chartered Institute of Taxation, said: "There clearly are some significant amounts hidden away, but if it really is that size what is being done with it all?"
Mr Henry said his $21tn is actually a conservative figure and the true scale could be $32tn. A trillion is 1,000 billion.
Mr Henry used data from the Bank of International Settlements, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and national governments.
His study deals only with financial wealth deposited in bank and investment accounts, and not other assets such as property and yachts.
The report comes amid growing public and political concern about tax avoidance and evasion. Some authorities, including in Germany, have even paid for information on alleged tax evaders stolen from banks.
The group that commissioned the report, Tax Justice Network, campaigns against tax havens.
Mr Henry said that the super-rich move money around the globe through an "industrious bevy of professional enablers in private banking, legal, accounting and investment industries.
"The lost tax revenues implied by our estimates is huge. It is large enough to make a significant difference to the finances of many countries.
"From another angle, this study is really good news. The world has just located a huge pile of financial wealth that might be called upon to contribute to the solution of our most pressing global problems," he said.
James Henry says his $21tn figure is a conservative estimate
The report highlights the impact on the balance sheets of 139 developing countries of money held in tax havens that is put beyond the reach of local tax authorities.
Mr Henry estimates that since the 1970s, the richest citizens of these 139 countries had amassed $7.3tn to $9.3tn of "unrecorded offshore wealth" by 2010.
Private wealth held offshore represents "a huge black hole in the world economy," Mr Henry said.
Mr Whiting, though, urged caution. "I cannot disprove the figures at all, but they do seem staggering. If the suggestion is that such amounts are actively hidden and never accessed, that seems odd - not least in terms of what the tax authorities are doing. In fact, the US, UK and German authorities are doing a lot."
He also pointed out that if tax havens were stuffed with such sizeable amounts, "you would expect the havens to be more conspicuously wealthy than they are".
Other findings in Mr Henry's report include:
· At the end of 2010, the 50 leading private banks alone collectively managed more than $12.1tn in cross-border invested assets for private clients
· The three private banks handling the most assets offshore are UBS, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs
· Less than 100,000 people worldwide own about $9.8tn of the wealth held offshore.
Mr Henry told the BBC that it was difficult to detail hidden assets in some individual countries, including the UK, because of restrictions on getting access to data.
A spokesman for the Treasury said great strides were being made in cracking down on people hiding assets.
He said that in 2011-12 HM Revenue & Customs' High Net Worth Unit secured £200m in additional tax through its compliance work with the very wealthy.
He said that agreements reached with Liechtenstein and Switzerland will bring in £3bn and between £4bn and £7bn respectively."
Your faithful servant,
TEPCO Incompetent Liar
Barry, My Liege :
We cannot trust neclear energy.
We cannot trust it because we cannot manage it.
TEPCO stands accused of misstating the extent of damages and acknowledges its inability to fix it.
Read it here : http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Gov-t-panel-Nuke-plant-operator-still-stumbling-3726856.php
It WILL happen here, My Liege.
We are warned.
Your faithful servant,
We cannot trust neclear energy.
We cannot trust it because we cannot manage it.
TEPCO stands accused of misstating the extent of damages and acknowledges its inability to fix it.
Read it here : http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Gov-t-panel-Nuke-plant-operator-still-stumbling-3726856.php
It WILL happen here, My Liege.
We are warned.
Your faithful servant,
Friday, July 20, 2012
Mitt Romney - Psychopathic Behavior ?
Barry, My Liege :
Some of Mitt Romney's campaign behavior raises troubling questions.
Consistently, he appears unable to connect with people and/or keep a constant position.
Additionally, he has profited from creating financial misery for others.
One possible explanation - but by no means the only explanation - is that he may be one of the 1 to 3% of the population with unusual brain wiring such that he has predilections toward psychopathic behavior.
However, he also displays some counter-indicating behaviors.
To establish whether there is a possibility of psychopathic behavior in an individual, there is a well known questionnaire which is used to determine whether an individual may have such tendencies. It is called the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R).
While it is impossible to make any conclusion about Mr. Romney from a superficial test and limited exposure to his speeches and actions, the questions on the test appear to raise concerns about the National Security of the United States, should Mr. Romney be elected.
Here is a link to a thoughtful discussion of that test : http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/190/49/s39.full
And, below is a discussion about the test itself including a 20 question self-administered test. [While this appears a valid presentation, the author is anonymous and provides no references. However, the test is discussed in Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathy_Checklist-Revised_%28PCL-R%29]
"The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a diagnostic tool used to rate a person's psychopathic or antisocial tendencies. Originally designed to assess people accused or convicted of crimes, the PCL-R consists of a 20-item symptom rating scale that allows qualified examiners to compare a subject's degree of psychopathy with that of a prototypical psychopath. It is accepted by many in the field as the best method for determining the presence and extent of psychopathy in a person.
Precautions
Obviously, diagnosing someone as a psychopath is a very serious step. It has important implications for a person and for his or her associates in family, clinical and forensic settings. Therefore, the test must be administered by professionals who have been specifically trained in its use and who have a wide-ranging and up-to-date familiarity with studies of psychopathy.
Scoring and Result
The PCL-R provides a total score that indicates how closely the test subject matches the "perfect" score that a classic or prototypical psychopath would rate. Each of the twenty items is given a score of 0, 1, or 2 based on how well it applies to the subject being tested. A prototypical psychopath would receive a maximum score of 40, while someone with absolutely no psychopathic traits or tendencies would receive a score of zero. A score of 30 or above qualifies a person for a diagnosis of psychopathy. People with no criminal backgrounds normally score around 5. Many non-psychopathic criminal offenders score around 22.
The twenty traits assessed by the PCL-R score are:
Score 0 if it does not apply to you, score 1 if it somewhat applies, score 2 if it fully applies to you.
1. Glibness and superficial charm
– smooth-talking, engaging and slick.
2. Grandiose self-worth
– greatly inflated idea of one’s abilities and self-esteem, arrogance and a sense of superiority.
3. Pathological lying
– shrewd, crafty, sly and clever when moderate; deceptive, deceitful, underhanded and unscrupulous when high.
4. Cunning/manipulative
– uses deceit and deception to cheat others for personal gain.
5. Lack of remorse or guilt
- no feelings or concern for losses, pain and suffering of others, coldhearted and unempathic.
6. Shallow affect / emotional poverty
– limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness.
7. Callous/lack of empathy
– a lack of feelings toward others; cold, contemptuous and inconsiderate.
8. Fails to accept responsibility for own actions
– denial of responsibility and an attempt to manipulate others through this.
9. Needs stimulation/prone to boredom
– an excessive need for new, exciting stimulation and risk-taking.
10. Parasitic lifestyle
– Intentional, manipulative, selfish and exploitative financial dependence on others.
11. Poor behavioral controls
– expressions of negative feelings, verbal abuse and inappropriate expressions of anger.
12. No realistic long-term goals
– inability or constant failure to develop and accomplish long-term plans.
13. Impulsiveness
– behaviors lacking reflection or planning and done without considering consequences.
14. Irresponsible
– repeated failure to fulfill or honor commitments and obligations.
15. Juvenile delinquency
– criminal behavioral problems between the ages of 13-18.
16. Early behavior problems
– a variety of dysfunctional and unacceptable behaviors before age thirteen.
17. Revocation of Conditional Release
– Violating probation or other conditional release because of technicalities.
18. Promiscuity
– brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs and an indiscriminate choice of sexual partners.
19. Many short-term marital relationships
– lack of commitment to a long-term relationship.
20. Criminal versatility
– diversity of criminal offenses, whether or not the individual has been arrested or convicted."
Perhaps it is worthy of serious consideration.
Your faithful servant,
Some of Mitt Romney's campaign behavior raises troubling questions.
Consistently, he appears unable to connect with people and/or keep a constant position.
Additionally, he has profited from creating financial misery for others.
One possible explanation - but by no means the only explanation - is that he may be one of the 1 to 3% of the population with unusual brain wiring such that he has predilections toward psychopathic behavior.
However, he also displays some counter-indicating behaviors.
To establish whether there is a possibility of psychopathic behavior in an individual, there is a well known questionnaire which is used to determine whether an individual may have such tendencies. It is called the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R).
While it is impossible to make any conclusion about Mr. Romney from a superficial test and limited exposure to his speeches and actions, the questions on the test appear to raise concerns about the National Security of the United States, should Mr. Romney be elected.
Here is a link to a thoughtful discussion of that test : http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/190/49/s39.full
And, below is a discussion about the test itself including a 20 question self-administered test. [While this appears a valid presentation, the author is anonymous and provides no references. However, the test is discussed in Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathy_Checklist-Revised_%28PCL-R%29]
"The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a diagnostic tool used to rate a person's psychopathic or antisocial tendencies. Originally designed to assess people accused or convicted of crimes, the PCL-R consists of a 20-item symptom rating scale that allows qualified examiners to compare a subject's degree of psychopathy with that of a prototypical psychopath. It is accepted by many in the field as the best method for determining the presence and extent of psychopathy in a person.
Precautions
Obviously, diagnosing someone as a psychopath is a very serious step. It has important implications for a person and for his or her associates in family, clinical and forensic settings. Therefore, the test must be administered by professionals who have been specifically trained in its use and who have a wide-ranging and up-to-date familiarity with studies of psychopathy.
Scoring and Result
The PCL-R provides a total score that indicates how closely the test subject matches the "perfect" score that a classic or prototypical psychopath would rate. Each of the twenty items is given a score of 0, 1, or 2 based on how well it applies to the subject being tested. A prototypical psychopath would receive a maximum score of 40, while someone with absolutely no psychopathic traits or tendencies would receive a score of zero. A score of 30 or above qualifies a person for a diagnosis of psychopathy. People with no criminal backgrounds normally score around 5. Many non-psychopathic criminal offenders score around 22.
The twenty traits assessed by the PCL-R score are:
Score 0 if it does not apply to you, score 1 if it somewhat applies, score 2 if it fully applies to you.
1. Glibness and superficial charm
– smooth-talking, engaging and slick.
2. Grandiose self-worth
– greatly inflated idea of one’s abilities and self-esteem, arrogance and a sense of superiority.
3. Pathological lying
– shrewd, crafty, sly and clever when moderate; deceptive, deceitful, underhanded and unscrupulous when high.
4. Cunning/manipulative
– uses deceit and deception to cheat others for personal gain.
5. Lack of remorse or guilt
- no feelings or concern for losses, pain and suffering of others, coldhearted and unempathic.
6. Shallow affect / emotional poverty
– limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness.
7. Callous/lack of empathy
– a lack of feelings toward others; cold, contemptuous and inconsiderate.
8. Fails to accept responsibility for own actions
– denial of responsibility and an attempt to manipulate others through this.
9. Needs stimulation/prone to boredom
– an excessive need for new, exciting stimulation and risk-taking.
10. Parasitic lifestyle
– Intentional, manipulative, selfish and exploitative financial dependence on others.
11. Poor behavioral controls
– expressions of negative feelings, verbal abuse and inappropriate expressions of anger.
12. No realistic long-term goals
– inability or constant failure to develop and accomplish long-term plans.
13. Impulsiveness
– behaviors lacking reflection or planning and done without considering consequences.
14. Irresponsible
– repeated failure to fulfill or honor commitments and obligations.
15. Juvenile delinquency
– criminal behavioral problems between the ages of 13-18.
16. Early behavior problems
– a variety of dysfunctional and unacceptable behaviors before age thirteen.
17. Revocation of Conditional Release
– Violating probation or other conditional release because of technicalities.
18. Promiscuity
– brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs and an indiscriminate choice of sexual partners.
19. Many short-term marital relationships
– lack of commitment to a long-term relationship.
20. Criminal versatility
– diversity of criminal offenses, whether or not the individual has been arrested or convicted."
Perhaps it is worthy of serious consideration.
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Why, Mitt, Why ?
Barry, My Liege :
Keep up the good fight, My Liege, your aggression seems to discombobulate the Reps and we are loving it.
But a broader question is trying to figure out exactly what drives Mitt Romney.
Here's one idea about what makes Mitt tick : He thinks he is a Royal. After all, he was born into a Royal family and made a lot of money on his own, so that means that he is simply better than the rest of us.
Besides, we would not understand him if he did explain because we just don't know how the world really works.
And, if he is just better than us, then he does not have to explain anything. Here's his wife on releasing his tax returns : "we've given all that people need to know" about the family's finances.
He answers to a higher power embodied in the form of really, stinkingly rich people who want to stay in the shadows.
If he can win an election by saying nothing, then he is free to do what he and his betters want him to do.
That may be the real reason he changes positions so often - we would not understand him if he told the real truth, so he can just say what the moment demands.
Just about the most ridiculous thing I have heard in years is the statement that he 'retired retroactively' from Bain.
Only addled Royalty thinks like that.
My Liege, it is a little discouraging to think that he might actually win the election.
Your faithful servant,
Keep up the good fight, My Liege, your aggression seems to discombobulate the Reps and we are loving it.
But a broader question is trying to figure out exactly what drives Mitt Romney.
Here's one idea about what makes Mitt tick : He thinks he is a Royal. After all, he was born into a Royal family and made a lot of money on his own, so that means that he is simply better than the rest of us.
Besides, we would not understand him if he did explain because we just don't know how the world really works.
And, if he is just better than us, then he does not have to explain anything. Here's his wife on releasing his tax returns : "we've given all that people need to know" about the family's finances.
He answers to a higher power embodied in the form of really, stinkingly rich people who want to stay in the shadows.
If he can win an election by saying nothing, then he is free to do what he and his betters want him to do.
That may be the real reason he changes positions so often - we would not understand him if he told the real truth, so he can just say what the moment demands.
Just about the most ridiculous thing I have heard in years is the statement that he 'retired retroactively' from Bain.
Only addled Royalty thinks like that.
My Liege, it is a little discouraging to think that he might actually win the election.
Your faithful servant,
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Corralling Bankers ?
Barry, My Liege :
American bankers' recent egregious and criminal behavior has damaged the Economic National Security of the United States. As a result, there have been some attempts at rectification through consumer protection legislation.
At the national level, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been working diligently to propose new rules and to investigate and prepare prosecutions.
Some new rules and some news stories will appear soon from this agency. Details are here :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/Consumer-bureau-poised-to-unleash-rules-3707333.php
In California, the California Homeowners Bill of Rights is a step toward fairness for homeowners ; here is the background :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/bottomline/article/Noe-Valley-faces-evictions-and-denial-3707324.php
But, Barry, My Liege, bankers are clever and will find ways to circumvent the new rules.
The intentions are good, My Liege, but the results will be inadequate. The Economic National Security of the United States will continue to be harmed by banks - unless the more stringent regulations discussed in the space previously are enacted.
There is some effort at the Justice Department toward criminal prosecutions ; see it here :
http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Criminal-cases-being-built-against-banks-3707662.php
Your faithful servant,
American bankers' recent egregious and criminal behavior has damaged the Economic National Security of the United States. As a result, there have been some attempts at rectification through consumer protection legislation.
At the national level, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been working diligently to propose new rules and to investigate and prepare prosecutions.
Some new rules and some news stories will appear soon from this agency. Details are here :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/Consumer-bureau-poised-to-unleash-rules-3707333.php
In California, the California Homeowners Bill of Rights is a step toward fairness for homeowners ; here is the background :
http://www.sfgate.com/business/bottomline/article/Noe-Valley-faces-evictions-and-denial-3707324.php
But, Barry, My Liege, bankers are clever and will find ways to circumvent the new rules.
The intentions are good, My Liege, but the results will be inadequate. The Economic National Security of the United States will continue to be harmed by banks - unless the more stringent regulations discussed in the space previously are enacted.
There is some effort at the Justice Department toward criminal prosecutions ; see it here :
http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Criminal-cases-being-built-against-banks-3707662.php
Your faithful servant,
Friday, July 6, 2012
ELECTION UPDATE NOVEMBER 8 City College of San Francisco Spared Ax
Barry, My Liege :
UPDATE NOVEMBER 8, 2012 : GOOD NEWS
In Tuesday's election California voters passed Prop 30, which raises taxes on wealthy folks and gives money to education, and San Francisco voters passed Prop A, a special tax for CCSF.
It is very good news for City College in the short term. But, there are still reactionary forces looking to defund public education in the State and the Country.
**********************
The CCSF Board is meeting daily with the public, WASC, students, faculty and administrators to devise a plan to keep the College's accreditation. All have committed to keeping the college open.
Community support is high and sentiment propels the necessary efforts. I am hoping it will happen ; details here : http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/S-F-City-College-trustees-try-to-calm-fears-3697865.php
As background, CCSF is in danger of losing its accreditation. If it loses that status, then its credits will not transfer to four year colleges and, most likely, it will shut down.
The college enrolls about 90,000 students. That means that 10% of the population of San Francisco is currently taking classes.
It is a civic jewel and part of the heart of San Francisco.
If you emigrate to San Francisco from Moscow and don't speak English, you can take English classes at CCSF.
If you want to change careers and don't know what to do, you can explore options at CCSF for a modest fee.
If you have athletic talent but are not so good at academics, you may get a second chance on a CCSF national championship team.
If you are LGBT, you can join a support group at CCSF.
CCSF problems are manageable, but the current governing structure and personnel do not have the ability to solve the problems in the time required, IMHO. [While I am employed at CCSF, I do not speak for the college and this is my personal opinion only.]
With my business and planning background, the problems and solutions are readily apparent to me, as are the difficulties in implementation.
There is an urgent need to solve the immediate problems and create structures and systems which will manage the issues into the future.
This is a call to the Northern California community for help. The Board and Administration will benefit from a blue-ribbon, politically connected and effective team to guide them over this problem. Without that help, there is a real probability that CCSF will close.
Here is the background including a link to the report :
http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/City-College-of-San-Francisco-on-brink-of-closure-3682955.php
Your faithful servant,
UPDATE NOVEMBER 8, 2012 : GOOD NEWS
In Tuesday's election California voters passed Prop 30, which raises taxes on wealthy folks and gives money to education, and San Francisco voters passed Prop A, a special tax for CCSF.
It is very good news for City College in the short term. But, there are still reactionary forces looking to defund public education in the State and the Country.
**********************
The CCSF Board is meeting daily with the public, WASC, students, faculty and administrators to devise a plan to keep the College's accreditation. All have committed to keeping the college open.
Community support is high and sentiment propels the necessary efforts. I am hoping it will happen ; details here : http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/S-F-City-College-trustees-try-to-calm-fears-3697865.php
As background, CCSF is in danger of losing its accreditation. If it loses that status, then its credits will not transfer to four year colleges and, most likely, it will shut down.
The college enrolls about 90,000 students. That means that 10% of the population of San Francisco is currently taking classes.
It is a civic jewel and part of the heart of San Francisco.
If you emigrate to San Francisco from Moscow and don't speak English, you can take English classes at CCSF.
If you want to change careers and don't know what to do, you can explore options at CCSF for a modest fee.
If you have athletic talent but are not so good at academics, you may get a second chance on a CCSF national championship team.
If you are LGBT, you can join a support group at CCSF.
CCSF problems are manageable, but the current governing structure and personnel do not have the ability to solve the problems in the time required, IMHO. [While I am employed at CCSF, I do not speak for the college and this is my personal opinion only.]
With my business and planning background, the problems and solutions are readily apparent to me, as are the difficulties in implementation.
There is an urgent need to solve the immediate problems and create structures and systems which will manage the issues into the future.
This is a call to the Northern California community for help. The Board and Administration will benefit from a blue-ribbon, politically connected and effective team to guide them over this problem. Without that help, there is a real probability that CCSF will close.
Here is the background including a link to the report :
http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/City-College-of-San-Francisco-on-brink-of-closure-3682955.php
Your faithful servant,
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Billionaires Giving Back
Barry, My Liege :
There may be some really rich folk who would like to give back to the Economic National Security of the United States of America, but who don't know what to do.
I will grant you that it is unlikely, but who knows?
Here is the proposal :
Let us create a list of critical projects at the national, state and local levels where there is an immediate need and the need is critical. These will be projects that have more immediate importance than mining gold on Mars or creating a privately owned space program - fun though each of those may be.
With decreasing tax revenues, it should be easy to write a list of deserving projects.
Let elected officials at each level decide which projects will be on the list and in which priority; then ask them to provide a description of the project, the amount of money needed and, most importantly, where to send the check.
Then we can publicize the list and track publicly which projects are funded and which do not receive any interest.
My Liege, this space will be delighted to administer such a list in the event there are no government resources available.
By all means, it should be said by all the billionaires that 'Well, at least I know where to send my money.'
Your faithful servant,
There may be some really rich folk who would like to give back to the Economic National Security of the United States of America, but who don't know what to do.
I will grant you that it is unlikely, but who knows?
Here is the proposal :
Let us create a list of critical projects at the national, state and local levels where there is an immediate need and the need is critical. These will be projects that have more immediate importance than mining gold on Mars or creating a privately owned space program - fun though each of those may be.
With decreasing tax revenues, it should be easy to write a list of deserving projects.
Let elected officials at each level decide which projects will be on the list and in which priority; then ask them to provide a description of the project, the amount of money needed and, most importantly, where to send the check.
Then we can publicize the list and track publicly which projects are funded and which do not receive any interest.
My Liege, this space will be delighted to administer such a list in the event there are no government resources available.
By all means, it should be said by all the billionaires that 'Well, at least I know where to send my money.'
Your faithful servant,
Saturday, June 30, 2012
CFTC Proposed Rules - Offshore Trading In Derivatives
Barry, My Liege :
The CFTC has proposed some rules to regulate derivatives in offshore trading.
The rules [seen here : http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/30/cftc-cross-border-idINL2E8HTFR620120630] make some sense.
My Liege, here is the question : Do we have the ability to place and enforce sensible rules, or will the bank lobbyists succeed in watering them down ?
It is a big question.
Your faithful servant,
The CFTC has proposed some rules to regulate derivatives in offshore trading.
The rules [seen here : http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/30/cftc-cross-border-idINL2E8HTFR620120630] make some sense.
My Liege, here is the question : Do we have the ability to place and enforce sensible rules, or will the bank lobbyists succeed in watering them down ?
It is a big question.
Your faithful servant,
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Primer : Profit Motive and Public Institutions
Barry, My Liege :
There appears to be a trend of appointing successful business people to the governing boards of public bodies. The University of Virginia created headlines recently with its attempt to introduce business methodology into a publicly supported University.
It is no secret that public funding at State and local government levels for the support of public education is in danger due largely to lower tax collections. Additionally, there does exist a political philosophy which encourages the demise of public education for some reason.
In response, some institutions are downsizing in order to meet the lower level of tax support available today, while others are applying business models in an attempt to increase revenues.
However, My Liege, there is a fundamental contradiction between a business model and a public model.
As we go forward, it will be well to remember this contradiction.
In a business model, the objective is to reduce costs in order to increase profits. In some cases, costs can be reduced for the business by having other entities pay the costs. The economic term for this is 'externalized costs'.
For example, automobile manufacturers are not required to pay all the costs which their products incur ; costs such as air pollution, road construction and maintenance and costs associated with accidents are all borne by the society at large.
If automobile manufacturers were required to pay all the costs they create, the price of an automobile would be so high that the companies would sell very few cars.
But, public institutions have different objectives. In most cases, public institutions attempt to provide services which have 'externalized benefits' ; in other words, the benefits which public institutions create accrue to society at large and not to the institution.
For example, consider a public water delivery agency which charges very low prices and attempts to provide all people with clean water. Society at large will benefit from its operations even though the fees the agency charges its customers will barely cover its out of pocket costs.
Were we to privatize that water agency, the profit seeking managers would logically raise rates, cut off customers who are slow to pay, defer maintenance on its system and skimp on water quality testing and treatment.
Clearly, society as a whole is better off with a public agency than with a private company delivering water.
We will be wise to remember this contradiction as we seek to work our way out of the current recession.
For more on the growing trend to finance public works with private funds, see this article :
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/More-mega-projects-turning-to-private-investors-3690367.php
Your faithful servant,
There appears to be a trend of appointing successful business people to the governing boards of public bodies. The University of Virginia created headlines recently with its attempt to introduce business methodology into a publicly supported University.
It is no secret that public funding at State and local government levels for the support of public education is in danger due largely to lower tax collections. Additionally, there does exist a political philosophy which encourages the demise of public education for some reason.
In response, some institutions are downsizing in order to meet the lower level of tax support available today, while others are applying business models in an attempt to increase revenues.
However, My Liege, there is a fundamental contradiction between a business model and a public model.
As we go forward, it will be well to remember this contradiction.
In a business model, the objective is to reduce costs in order to increase profits. In some cases, costs can be reduced for the business by having other entities pay the costs. The economic term for this is 'externalized costs'.
For example, automobile manufacturers are not required to pay all the costs which their products incur ; costs such as air pollution, road construction and maintenance and costs associated with accidents are all borne by the society at large.
If automobile manufacturers were required to pay all the costs they create, the price of an automobile would be so high that the companies would sell very few cars.
But, public institutions have different objectives. In most cases, public institutions attempt to provide services which have 'externalized benefits' ; in other words, the benefits which public institutions create accrue to society at large and not to the institution.
For example, consider a public water delivery agency which charges very low prices and attempts to provide all people with clean water. Society at large will benefit from its operations even though the fees the agency charges its customers will barely cover its out of pocket costs.
Were we to privatize that water agency, the profit seeking managers would logically raise rates, cut off customers who are slow to pay, defer maintenance on its system and skimp on water quality testing and treatment.
Clearly, society as a whole is better off with a public agency than with a private company delivering water.
We will be wise to remember this contradiction as we seek to work our way out of the current recession.
For more on the growing trend to finance public works with private funds, see this article :
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/More-mega-projects-turning-to-private-investors-3690367.php
Your faithful servant,
Monday, June 25, 2012
Recovery : Cost, Benefit Analysis
Barry, My Liege :
It is time to summarize the costs and benefits to the Economic National Security of the United States of all of the 13 specific proposals made in this space to remedy economic maladies facing the United States today.
1. Strengthen Unions
Costs - Some companies will face higher wage and benefit costs.
Benefits - Middle class wages and benefits will rise thereby increasing aggregate demand and GDP.
2. Stop Union Busting
Costs - Some companies will face higher wage and benefit costs.
Benefits - Middle class wages and benefits will rise thereby increasing aggregate demand and GDP.
3. Destroy Monopolies
Costs - Some monopolies and oligopolistic firms will lose monopoly profits.
Benefits - Consumer surplus and economic welfare will increase thereby increasing aggregate demand and job creation.
4. End Free Trade
Costs - Tariffs and protections will raise retail prices of some goods, slightly reducing consumer surplus.
Benefits - GDP will increase by about $ 1 trillion per year by eliminating Balance of Payments deficit, domestic employment will increase.
5. Tax Away Great Fortunes, Great Incomes
Costs - Taxing away great fortunes and incomes will harm the rich.
Benefits - Wealth redistribution will increase aggregate demand and job creation.
6. Create National Industrial Policy
Costs - Some companies which are not chosen as worthy of protection will face increased competition and may fail.
Benefits - By targeting growth industries, our economic future will be more secure.
7. Extend Utility Regulation
Costs - Some companies will no longer enjoy monopoly profits.
Benefits - Consumer costs will decrease, thereby raising aggregate demand and GDP.
8. Install Punitive Bank Regulation
Costs - Some banks will be harmed although depositors will not.
Benefits - Consumers and the economy will benefit from a stable financial system.
9. Keep Social Security and Medicare as they are
Costs - Some additional borrowing may result and some formulae may be adjusted.
Benefits - Keep aggregate demand at current levels; provide secure future for elderly and infirm.
10. Single Payer Health Care
Costs - Some insurance companies will fail.
Benefits - We will provide health care to all and save about 9% of $ 2 trillion per year, or $200 billion, compared to what we spend now on total health care.
11. Follow Keynesian Fiscal Policy
Costs - We will borrow more in a recession.
Benefits - We will have less drastic recessions and lower unemployment rates.
12. Require Media Provide Free Political Ads
Costs - Some media companies will receive less income.
Benefits - Reduce amount political candidates raise, reduce corruption.
13. Encourage Occupy Movement Protests
Costs - Several deaths may result from protest over-reaction by authorities, costs for policing demonstrations will be high.
Benefits - If peaceful political actions fail to provide leadership, it will be the last chance to save the political future of the United States of America.
There you are, My Liege.
That is the list of economic maladies together with proposed remedies and the costs and benefits of each.
We pray you choose your actions wisely.
Your faithful servant,
It is time to summarize the costs and benefits to the Economic National Security of the United States of all of the 13 specific proposals made in this space to remedy economic maladies facing the United States today.
1. Strengthen Unions
Costs - Some companies will face higher wage and benefit costs.
Benefits - Middle class wages and benefits will rise thereby increasing aggregate demand and GDP.
2. Stop Union Busting
Costs - Some companies will face higher wage and benefit costs.
Benefits - Middle class wages and benefits will rise thereby increasing aggregate demand and GDP.
3. Destroy Monopolies
Costs - Some monopolies and oligopolistic firms will lose monopoly profits.
Benefits - Consumer surplus and economic welfare will increase thereby increasing aggregate demand and job creation.
4. End Free Trade
Costs - Tariffs and protections will raise retail prices of some goods, slightly reducing consumer surplus.
Benefits - GDP will increase by about $ 1 trillion per year by eliminating Balance of Payments deficit, domestic employment will increase.
5. Tax Away Great Fortunes, Great Incomes
Costs - Taxing away great fortunes and incomes will harm the rich.
Benefits - Wealth redistribution will increase aggregate demand and job creation.
6. Create National Industrial Policy
Costs - Some companies which are not chosen as worthy of protection will face increased competition and may fail.
Benefits - By targeting growth industries, our economic future will be more secure.
7. Extend Utility Regulation
Costs - Some companies will no longer enjoy monopoly profits.
Benefits - Consumer costs will decrease, thereby raising aggregate demand and GDP.
8. Install Punitive Bank Regulation
Costs - Some banks will be harmed although depositors will not.
Benefits - Consumers and the economy will benefit from a stable financial system.
9. Keep Social Security and Medicare as they are
Costs - Some additional borrowing may result and some formulae may be adjusted.
Benefits - Keep aggregate demand at current levels; provide secure future for elderly and infirm.
10. Single Payer Health Care
Costs - Some insurance companies will fail.
Benefits - We will provide health care to all and save about 9% of $ 2 trillion per year, or $200 billion, compared to what we spend now on total health care.
11. Follow Keynesian Fiscal Policy
Costs - We will borrow more in a recession.
Benefits - We will have less drastic recessions and lower unemployment rates.
12. Require Media Provide Free Political Ads
Costs - Some media companies will receive less income.
Benefits - Reduce amount political candidates raise, reduce corruption.
13. Encourage Occupy Movement Protests
Costs - Several deaths may result from protest over-reaction by authorities, costs for policing demonstrations will be high.
Benefits - If peaceful political actions fail to provide leadership, it will be the last chance to save the political future of the United States of America.
There you are, My Liege.
That is the list of economic maladies together with proposed remedies and the costs and benefits of each.
We pray you choose your actions wisely.
Your faithful servant,
Recovery : Occupy Movement
Barry, My Liege :
The previous several postings in this space have discussed various economic maladies which afflict currently the Economic National Security of the United States.
Those postings have included suggested economic remedies and estimates of the costs of each malady which remains un-remedied.
My concern, My Liege, is that the political process in the United States is both too corrupt and too gridlocked to install any of the remedies suggested.
This situation constitutes a vacuum of national political leadership.
It is an old truism that 'Nature abhors a vacuum.'
That is the reason for specifying the Occupy movement as a Recovery issue.
As you know, the United States has a long history of political demonstrations, strikes, riots and general unrest beginning in 1619 with a strike by Polish craftsmen in the Jamestown colony for voting rights and continuing through today with the Occupy movement.
My father served in the National Guard that was called to San Francisco from Los Angeles in the International Longshoremans and Warehouse union strike of 1934. Two longshoremen, Nick Bordoise and Howard Sperry, were shot to death by the San Francisco Police. May 1934.
Should you, Barack H. Obama, fail to remedy or ameliorate some of the maladies listed here through government action, then the last remaining hope for the Exceptional Experiment that was the United States is the Occupy movement.
We can hope that the movement will continue with its protests and that there will be real reform as a result.
The danger is that the Occupy Movement will be co-opted by a violent group and that the recently militarized police and Homeland Security will overreact, killing some protestors.
We also hope that the Movement stays on its current non-violent course and lobbies peacefully for economic change.
Just about every country in the world contains a privileged class of people who abuse and exploit the average and the poor.
If we fail to redress our current situation, we may become just another country where the privileged exploit the underprivileged.
Your faithful servant,
The previous several postings in this space have discussed various economic maladies which afflict currently the Economic National Security of the United States.
Those postings have included suggested economic remedies and estimates of the costs of each malady which remains un-remedied.
My concern, My Liege, is that the political process in the United States is both too corrupt and too gridlocked to install any of the remedies suggested.
This situation constitutes a vacuum of national political leadership.
It is an old truism that 'Nature abhors a vacuum.'
That is the reason for specifying the Occupy movement as a Recovery issue.
As you know, the United States has a long history of political demonstrations, strikes, riots and general unrest beginning in 1619 with a strike by Polish craftsmen in the Jamestown colony for voting rights and continuing through today with the Occupy movement.
My father served in the National Guard that was called to San Francisco from Los Angeles in the International Longshoremans and Warehouse union strike of 1934. Two longshoremen, Nick Bordoise and Howard Sperry, were shot to death by the San Francisco Police. May 1934.
Should you, Barack H. Obama, fail to remedy or ameliorate some of the maladies listed here through government action, then the last remaining hope for the Exceptional Experiment that was the United States is the Occupy movement.
We can hope that the movement will continue with its protests and that there will be real reform as a result.
The danger is that the Occupy Movement will be co-opted by a violent group and that the recently militarized police and Homeland Security will overreact, killing some protestors.
We also hope that the Movement stays on its current non-violent course and lobbies peacefully for economic change.
Just about every country in the world contains a privileged class of people who abuse and exploit the average and the poor.
If we fail to redress our current situation, we may become just another country where the privileged exploit the underprivileged.
Your faithful servant,
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Recovery : Media and Campaign Finance
Barry, My Liege :
It is time to consider requiring that the media which receive its frequency allocations from the Federal Government provide free campaign ads to political campaigns.
Since the public owns the frequencies, the public has the right and duty to ensure that they are used in the public interest. It is the responsibility of the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that the public interest is protected.
The FCC is failing its duty.
At the moment, media receives billions of dollars in revenues from political campaigns. One estimate is that the 2012 election will cost $ 8 Billion ; much of that will go directly to media outlets to buy political ads.
Using a very rough guess of 75% of campaign finance going to media buys, which means media will receive $ 6 billion this year alone.
It is bad enough that the media receives an indirect subsidy from the government through political ads, but the bigger problem is that the politicians who write our laws must raise that money from campaign donors in order to be elected.
Politicians who receive campaign contributions are naturally disposed to consider the interests of their campaign contributors when writing legislation.
The question then becomes this : What exactly do donors want that is contrary to the public interest?
There are at least three things that moneyed interests can obtain through campaign contributions that damage the public interest.
First - Monopoly.
Campaign donors seek laws and regulations which enable them to obtain or expand a monopoly or oligopoly. The deleterious effects of monopoly profits were discussed earlier in this space. Monopolies and oligopolies harm the public interest simply because they exist.
Second - Favorable treatment from legislators and regulators.
Jamie Dimon of J. P. Morgan recently testified before Senate and House committees about a large loss made by his bank. The questions were embarrassing for the country. There were no questions which reflected the public interest, only questions which allowed Mr. Dimon to gloss over any potential dangers to the public from his bank's incompetence.
My Liege, you will not be surprised to learn that Mr. Dimon and his family have given $400,000 to Congressional campaigns since 1998. Some of those contributions went to the very Congress persons who questioned Mr. Dimon. Some of the questioners had received $2,000 from the Dimon family.
Now, we can only imagine what happens to the public interest when legislators and Presidential candidates must raise $ 8 Billion in one campaign.
Third - Writing Legislation.
The American Legislative Exchange Council [ALEC] is a group composed of legislators at State and Federal levels and corporate lobbyists who convene and propose laws for State and Federal governments. Some of the laws proposed by ALEC have been adopted word for word by various States.
Fortunately, public pressure has encouraged some corporations to withdraw from ALEC and its influence is waning. But, we can expect that another similar effort will be launched in the near future.
Proposed Solution
The above argues for overall campaign finance reform, and it is well needed.
This space suggests an alternative method to achieve positive public interest results : namely, requiring the media to provide free political as part of their licensing.
It is not expected that this will be easy inasmuch as it will be very effective.
Your faithful servant,
It is time to consider requiring that the media which receive its frequency allocations from the Federal Government provide free campaign ads to political campaigns.
Since the public owns the frequencies, the public has the right and duty to ensure that they are used in the public interest. It is the responsibility of the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that the public interest is protected.
The FCC is failing its duty.
At the moment, media receives billions of dollars in revenues from political campaigns. One estimate is that the 2012 election will cost $ 8 Billion ; much of that will go directly to media outlets to buy political ads.
Using a very rough guess of 75% of campaign finance going to media buys, which means media will receive $ 6 billion this year alone.
It is bad enough that the media receives an indirect subsidy from the government through political ads, but the bigger problem is that the politicians who write our laws must raise that money from campaign donors in order to be elected.
Politicians who receive campaign contributions are naturally disposed to consider the interests of their campaign contributors when writing legislation.
The question then becomes this : What exactly do donors want that is contrary to the public interest?
There are at least three things that moneyed interests can obtain through campaign contributions that damage the public interest.
First - Monopoly.
Campaign donors seek laws and regulations which enable them to obtain or expand a monopoly or oligopoly. The deleterious effects of monopoly profits were discussed earlier in this space. Monopolies and oligopolies harm the public interest simply because they exist.
Second - Favorable treatment from legislators and regulators.
Jamie Dimon of J. P. Morgan recently testified before Senate and House committees about a large loss made by his bank. The questions were embarrassing for the country. There were no questions which reflected the public interest, only questions which allowed Mr. Dimon to gloss over any potential dangers to the public from his bank's incompetence.
My Liege, you will not be surprised to learn that Mr. Dimon and his family have given $400,000 to Congressional campaigns since 1998. Some of those contributions went to the very Congress persons who questioned Mr. Dimon. Some of the questioners had received $2,000 from the Dimon family.
Now, we can only imagine what happens to the public interest when legislators and Presidential candidates must raise $ 8 Billion in one campaign.
Third - Writing Legislation.
The American Legislative Exchange Council [ALEC] is a group composed of legislators at State and Federal levels and corporate lobbyists who convene and propose laws for State and Federal governments. Some of the laws proposed by ALEC have been adopted word for word by various States.
Fortunately, public pressure has encouraged some corporations to withdraw from ALEC and its influence is waning. But, we can expect that another similar effort will be launched in the near future.
Proposed Solution
The above argues for overall campaign finance reform, and it is well needed.
This space suggests an alternative method to achieve positive public interest results : namely, requiring the media to provide free political as part of their licensing.
It is not expected that this will be easy inasmuch as it will be very effective.
Your faithful servant,
Friday, June 22, 2012
Governments can help companies work with nature
Barry, My Liege :
Below is the entire text of a copyrighted column by Jon Rogers that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle about how governments can help with environmental problems.
His approach appears grounded in reality and is worth further investigation.
Jon B. Rogers
The United Nations' Rio +20 Summit arrives at a critical time in the perceived conflict between economic expansion and preservation of natural resources.
The challenge: How to balance myriad interests to produce a win-win for all - people, land, plants and animals?
Our family's coffee company - which works directly with coffee farms from Central America to Africa to Indonesia - knows firsthand that sustainable development can lift people out of poverty and preserve nature.
We've also witnessed shortsighted socioeconomic models.
In the 1980s, on some farms barefoot children - some wheezing from chronic respiratory problems - huddled or played in filthy, three-walled shacks with dirt floors. Some picked coffee. Breakfast was sometimes sugar water.
One elementary classroom was an old fertilizer shed where fumes from toxic chemicals stuck to clothing.
Untreated waste and pollutants flowed from farms into rivers where fish labored for oxygen. Poaching occurred in forests also used as a firewood source.
We've learned that making a difference requires investment - providing modern housing, medical and educational facilities and paying the farmer enough to stay in business for example - but the payoff is enormous.
Technology plays a role. But nature itself offers solutions.
In Central America, a "biodigester" system prevents coffee bean waste from contaminating rivers, reduces greenhouse gases and helps power organic farms.
A "green army" - billions of worms - digest and transform coffee pulp into organic mulch that's given to farmers to help promote organic production in Africa and Central America.
The coffee farms support a tremendous range of bird and animal species as well as jobs performed around native vegetation and forest - proof the economy and environment can coexist.
The past may also hold some promise for the future of sustainable agriculture.
We discovered an ancient Amazonian agricultural technique - terra preta - that mixes charcoal, microorganisms and other waste to create a "super soil" that also retains carbon.
The increased yield - up to 300 percent - could reduce the destruction of forests for farming and greenhouse gases.
Here's what governments can do to help promote such efforts:
-- Provide tax breaks or other incentives for companies to become "carbon negative," undertake "green" measures or create sustainable jobs.
-- Strengthen the economic and environmental standards required for a company to claim its product is "sustainable" or "fair."
-- Offer unused or surplus land at a good price to companies engaged in sustainable development.
-- Encourage the private sector to offer financial incentives to individuals who devise programs that further a "green economy."
-- Encourage organic production and preservation of natural resources.
Sustainable development can involve simple, inexpensive measures or require significant capital.
In the end, the cost of not investing is much greater than the cost to invest in sustainable development for future generations.
Jon B. Rogers is co-founder/president of the Rogers Family Co., Lincoln, CA (rogersfamilyco.com).
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/22/EDQ81P51B0.DTL
© 2012 Hearst Communications Inc.
Below is the entire text of a copyrighted column by Jon Rogers that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle about how governments can help with environmental problems.
His approach appears grounded in reality and is worth further investigation.
Jon B. Rogers
The United Nations' Rio +20 Summit arrives at a critical time in the perceived conflict between economic expansion and preservation of natural resources.
The challenge: How to balance myriad interests to produce a win-win for all - people, land, plants and animals?
Our family's coffee company - which works directly with coffee farms from Central America to Africa to Indonesia - knows firsthand that sustainable development can lift people out of poverty and preserve nature.
We've also witnessed shortsighted socioeconomic models.
In the 1980s, on some farms barefoot children - some wheezing from chronic respiratory problems - huddled or played in filthy, three-walled shacks with dirt floors. Some picked coffee. Breakfast was sometimes sugar water.
One elementary classroom was an old fertilizer shed where fumes from toxic chemicals stuck to clothing.
Untreated waste and pollutants flowed from farms into rivers where fish labored for oxygen. Poaching occurred in forests also used as a firewood source.
We've learned that making a difference requires investment - providing modern housing, medical and educational facilities and paying the farmer enough to stay in business for example - but the payoff is enormous.
Technology plays a role. But nature itself offers solutions.
In Central America, a "biodigester" system prevents coffee bean waste from contaminating rivers, reduces greenhouse gases and helps power organic farms.
A "green army" - billions of worms - digest and transform coffee pulp into organic mulch that's given to farmers to help promote organic production in Africa and Central America.
The coffee farms support a tremendous range of bird and animal species as well as jobs performed around native vegetation and forest - proof the economy and environment can coexist.
The past may also hold some promise for the future of sustainable agriculture.
We discovered an ancient Amazonian agricultural technique - terra preta - that mixes charcoal, microorganisms and other waste to create a "super soil" that also retains carbon.
The increased yield - up to 300 percent - could reduce the destruction of forests for farming and greenhouse gases.
Here's what governments can do to help promote such efforts:
-- Provide tax breaks or other incentives for companies to become "carbon negative," undertake "green" measures or create sustainable jobs.
-- Strengthen the economic and environmental standards required for a company to claim its product is "sustainable" or "fair."
-- Offer unused or surplus land at a good price to companies engaged in sustainable development.
-- Encourage the private sector to offer financial incentives to individuals who devise programs that further a "green economy."
-- Encourage organic production and preservation of natural resources.
Sustainable development can involve simple, inexpensive measures or require significant capital.
In the end, the cost of not investing is much greater than the cost to invest in sustainable development for future generations.
Jon B. Rogers is co-founder/president of the Rogers Family Co., Lincoln, CA (rogersfamilyco.com).
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/22/EDQ81P51B0.DTL
© 2012 Hearst Communications Inc.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Recovery : Keynesian Fiscal Policy
Barry, My Liege :
After World War II, most industrialized countries adopted a Keynesian philosophy of fiscal policy. The United States of America has followed this philosophy consistently since before the War.
In its essence, a Keynesian fiscal policy is counter cyclical. That is, the national government should take expansionary measures to raise consumption spending when the economy is in recession and should take contractionary measures to reduce consumption spending when the economy has inflationary pressures.
While these expansionary or contractionary measures may include borrowing to expand spending in a deficit position or paying down debt in an expansion, fiscal measures are not limited to debt management.
Keynesian measures may include tax policy as well as spending and borrowing policy.
Clearly, the difficulty with this approach in a democracy is that political considerations may trump economic policies.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the Republican Party's position on additional borrowing and stimulus in 2012.
So far, they have refused to allow adoption of additional Keynesian fiscal policies in the United States beyond the stimulus of 2008 and 2009.
Nevertheless, that stimulus has resulted in an amelioration of the recession and has made the United States one of the stronger economies in the world.
But we need additional stimulus to reduce our unemployment and to create additional consumption spending.
We see, my Liege, the effects of a non-Keynesian fiscal policy in some European countries today; the results include increasing recession and unemployment.
The economics is clear and convincing.
We pray you success, My Liege, with the politics.
Your faithful servant,
After World War II, most industrialized countries adopted a Keynesian philosophy of fiscal policy. The United States of America has followed this philosophy consistently since before the War.
In its essence, a Keynesian fiscal policy is counter cyclical. That is, the national government should take expansionary measures to raise consumption spending when the economy is in recession and should take contractionary measures to reduce consumption spending when the economy has inflationary pressures.
While these expansionary or contractionary measures may include borrowing to expand spending in a deficit position or paying down debt in an expansion, fiscal measures are not limited to debt management.
Keynesian measures may include tax policy as well as spending and borrowing policy.
Clearly, the difficulty with this approach in a democracy is that political considerations may trump economic policies.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the Republican Party's position on additional borrowing and stimulus in 2012.
So far, they have refused to allow adoption of additional Keynesian fiscal policies in the United States beyond the stimulus of 2008 and 2009.
Nevertheless, that stimulus has resulted in an amelioration of the recession and has made the United States one of the stronger economies in the world.
But we need additional stimulus to reduce our unemployment and to create additional consumption spending.
We see, my Liege, the effects of a non-Keynesian fiscal policy in some European countries today; the results include increasing recession and unemployment.
The economics is clear and convincing.
We pray you success, My Liege, with the politics.
Your faithful servant,
Monday, June 18, 2012
Recovery : Single Payer Health Care
Barry, My Liege :
Our current health care system does not make sense. It will be a little better if the Supremes validate the current Affordable Care Act [ACA] system.
But even if the ACA program is upheld, the system will cost too much, deliver too little care and leave too much money in private insurance companies.
By moving to a single payer system, we can deliver better care to all citizens at a lower cost.
In a study of the Minnesota Health Care system, the Lewin Group forecasts that a single payer system will reduce total health care spending in the State by 8.8% as compared to a fully implemented ACA[http://growthandjustice.org/sites/2d9abd3a-10a9-47bf-ba1a-e315d55be04/uploads/LEWIN.Final_Report_FINAL_DRAFT.pdf].
The current and proposed ACA systems create market failures which leave significant numbers of people without health care.
Those market failures reduce our Economic National Security since sick people are unable to contribute economically and since the sick and uninsured are directed to the emergency system.
Your faithful servant,
Our current health care system does not make sense. It will be a little better if the Supremes validate the current Affordable Care Act [ACA] system.
But even if the ACA program is upheld, the system will cost too much, deliver too little care and leave too much money in private insurance companies.
By moving to a single payer system, we can deliver better care to all citizens at a lower cost.
In a study of the Minnesota Health Care system, the Lewin Group forecasts that a single payer system will reduce total health care spending in the State by 8.8% as compared to a fully implemented ACA[http://growthandjustice.org/sites/2d9abd3a-10a9-47bf-ba1a-e315d55be04/uploads/LEWIN.Final_Report_FINAL_DRAFT.pdf].
The current and proposed ACA systems create market failures which leave significant numbers of people without health care.
Those market failures reduce our Economic National Security since sick people are unable to contribute economically and since the sick and uninsured are directed to the emergency system.
Your faithful servant,
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