Eventually We Have To Do The Right Thing

Personally, I find MSNBC to be an abomination. However, this interview between Peter Schiff, Joe Scarborough, Mike Barnacle, and the lovely Mika Brzezinski (along with another character whom I do not recognize) was spot on. Peter lays out a clinical discussion and explanation of where we have come, what we should do, and why, eventually, we will have to do it.

Of course, to the capitalist-minded amongst us and, particularly, those out here who may have taken my admonition to study Dr. Reisman’s 1000 page opus, Capitalism, none of what Peter argues is honestly debatable or unrecognized. Schiff’s commentary regarding Keynes is tart, bold, BUT precise.

Peter speaks rather quickly, so let me briefly point out the four key points he states are necessary to right the economy and thereby not send us down the bubble path once again – only to face a far far more devastating outcome.

1. Contract government at all levels: Federal, State, and Local.

2. Restore sound money (this implies a modern metal standard, or in the least allowing a metal to compete with fiat currency).

3. Higher, not lower, interest rates are needed immediately. The effect of this will incentivize savings relative to consumption because of the interest returns relative to other investments and, especially, consumption.

4. Allow companies to fail and thereby deal directly with the consequences of the fundamental actions that brought about the failures, particularly Federal Reserve policy.

h/t to Lew Rockwell

One wonders..

Leading members of the Texas scientific community, in collaboration with AAAS, have urged the Texas State Board of Education to reject amendments to the state’s draft science standards that would undermine sound science teaching. And in a commentary published in the San Antonio Express-News online edition, AAAS officials warned that approval of the anti-science amendments could undermine Texas’s reputation as a world engine of scientific discovery and innovation.

One wonders how it got to this point?

**Update** Real science dealt a blow in Texas.. Chalk one up for the mystics.

Of course, those very scientists who are lamenting this outcome in Texas also signed onto the psuedo-science of Global Climate Change… is turnabout here fair play?

No. Both situations are outrageous; the scientists at AAAS should be ashamed of their statement, which is still on their website, from 2006, and the Texas Board of Education should be ashamed for allowing the intelligent design nonsense into the mix of the science curriculum in Texas.

Thirteen Pillars of Conservatism

What it means to be a conservative over the last 25 years …

You are a conservative if you believe or have:

1. faith in the two party system, with Republicans being the political party of conservative ideology; so-called third party candidates are illegitimate and should not be supported because of the premise that they are unelectable.

2. lower tax rates are good and proper principally because lower tax rates spur more economic activity and thereby return more revenue to the federal government.

3. pre-emptive war (rejection of the Just War Theory) is a legitimate view for our nation’s security.

4. the Holy Bible is the word of God, and that being a conservative implies being a Christian; to one degree or another subscribing to the Christian conception of justice and its concomitant dedication to altruism.

5. that America was founded as primarily as a Christian nation, by Christians, so that Christians could practice their religious beliefs apart from government dictates or coercion while tolerating those of other faiths.

6. non-believers (Atheists, Agnostics, some other faiths) are not to be considered citizens or patriots as stated matter of factly by George H.W. Bush in August of 1987: ” . . . I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.”

7. homosexuality is an abnormal state for a human being, and it should not be tolerated by society.

8. abortion is wrong for principally two reasons including religious dogma, and a belief that a human embryo is, in fact, a human being with full rights that are equal to those of the woman in whose body it is located; that at no time is an abortion a legitimate choice of the woman.

9. government, when run by Republicans, can be a force for good in society; it is essentially virtuous.

10. laissez faire capitalism is not a reasonable (workable) social system; there must be restraints on capitalism, and, in times of “financial crises,” free markets must be abandoned in lieu of government intervention and dictate.

11. the federal government has a role in education.

12. public (government) schools are necessary, but must be held to high standards through nationalized standards and testing.

13. Abraham Lincoln was a great president because he freed the slaves and forced the nation to remain a federation; the sacrafice of 600,000 lives was worth the cause.

I submit that, by and large, the above thirteen pillars are the essential day to day beliefs for the majority of people who call themselves conservative.

I utterly reject all of the above for any of a variety of reasons – chief among them: individual rights.

For a 30 minute review of where to go from here see Ms Rand (1961).

Lastly, you only need to listen to the 90 seconds of this – Lew says it pretty well..