Tag: free markets

Is America Losing Its Way?

G’Day!

As a nation, have we gone crazy? Have we forgotten our history, our fundamental principles and why we created this wonderful country? Is our country losing its way?

Our great country was founded on principles of equality, individual freedoms, capitalism, rule of law and democratically elected government. Until now, our Declaration of Independence and Constitution with Amendments have guided and supported these fundamental goals. Our historical success as a nation in pursuing and defending these principles are the reasons for approximately 250 years of progress and why other races, ethnicities, nationalities, and religions have legally immigrated to our great country to pursue the opportunities and freedoms America offers.

Are the principles of equality, individual freedoms, rule of law and democratically elected government just interesting concepts? Apparently, the ANTIFA, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Socialist Democrats and the left wing media think so. The anarchists and BLM supporters have torn down monuments, renamed streets and continue rioting, looting, destroying commercial neighborhoods, intimidating & harassing ordinary citizens, attacking police and killing innocent people. They even tried to establish a separate country in Seattle, Washington, and have persisted in daily anarchy & destruction in Portland, Oregon, for months. This is madness and must be stopped.

Virtually all these activities are illegal and the perpetrators have suffered few adverse consequences. In the relatively few instances where arrests have been made, most of the individuals who committed the alleged crimes have have been quickly released back into society, thanks to left wing local District Attorneys and socialist organizations such as “The Bail Project”. In fact, the police, the victims and the defenders against these crimes are suffering far more than the individuals committing these despicable acts. Strangely, these criminal actions have been ignored or are receiving support from Socialist Democrats in local and state governments and the left wing media! Our system of law & order and the ethical principles that have guided America for over two centuries appear to be upside down in these Democrat-controlled locations.

What’s next? Destruction of historic statues and monuments will not change history but the actual destruction of our country’s culture, facilities and infrastructure will and has destroyed lives, local economies and law & order. Already crime and murders in these communities has increased dramatically. If not halted, these illegal activities will seriously undermine our future as a free nation.

Our country, our culture, our fundamental principles, law & order and our entire way of life are under attack & we must resist these attempts to destroy them.

Vote accordingly in November!

The Old Guy PhD 🇺🇸

Save America – Elect Romney & Ryan in November!

G’Day!

Romney and Ryan! Hooray! The Republicans have chosen intelligent, honest, dedicated, and responsible candidates for President and Vice President of our country. Unfortunately, Obama and Biden are currently still in office. They cannot be replaced fast enough for me. The longer Obama and the Democrats continue in power, the greater the decline of America. In my opinion, a vote for Obama and the Democrats is suicidal for our exceptional nation. I trust and believe that the American people are wise enough to see through the rhetoric of deception, division, and blame and recognize the true economic and social failures of Obama’s centrally planned socialism. In November we must vote Obama and enough Democrats out of office to save our country from financial collapse under a mountain of unsustainable debt, which in the next week will reach $16 Trillion or over $50,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. This is an increase of approximately 60% since Obama was elected and is absolutely intolerable!

The team of Romney and Ryan are real Americans who personally share and support the opportunities and values inherent in “The American Dream”. They believe in the values expressed in “The Declaration of Independence” of equal opportunity for all to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. They further believe in strong national defense, individual freedom, free market capitalism, sound fiscal and monetary policy, freedom of religion, and Constitutionally limited government. Unlike Obama, Romney actually has a business-friendly five point plan to correct our fiscal and debt crisis, create millions of new private-sector jobs, save Social Security & Medicare, and get America back on a path to prosperity. Fortune Magazine summarized the five key areas in the plan as follows: “(1) Aggressively promote domestic energy development, especially fossil fuels. (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. (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. (4) Attack the deficit through budget cuts, not tax increases. And (5), reshape the regulatory climate to “encourage and promote small business” rather than swamp it. That last item covers his most consistent and passionate campaign pledge, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act — “reshaping health care reform,” he says, “by replacing Obamacare with measures that will bring down the cost of health insurance rather than, as Obamacare does, increasing it.” This plan, combined with the Romney-Ryan Budget and a proposed “Cap” on Government Spending at 20% of GDP, is an excellent start.

On the other hand, Obama has America on a suicidal path to fiscal and economic failure with no serious plan to grow the economy, create private sector jobs, and reduce the national debt and deficit. Obama’s alternative is more of the same: more government spending, more government regulations, more government taxes, more government control, and less personal and business freedom. Obama doesn’t seem to care about our national security, the US Constitution, our allies abroad, personal liberty, private property rights, economic growth, free market capitalism, or traditional American values. Apparently, Obama cares more about wealth redistribution, bigger and bigger government, labor unions, and, most importantly, personal reelection. Unlike Obama, Romney and Ryan are telling us the truth about the economic crisis we face and have logical and reasonable plans to correct the Obama debacle over the next decade. Their plans are not radical but rational and should be supported by a majority of Americans who want our country to grow and prosper.

Obama is the antithesis of nearly everything I believe about America & virtually everything that has made America exceptional. The centrally controlled “trickle up poverty” collectivist policies of dependency & unsustainable entitlements by Obama and the Democrats are not working in America, are creating crisis and potential disaster in Europe, and have failed historically. Obama has had his opportunity and he has failed as a leader. Perhaps his failure was inevitable given his serious lack of qualifications when he was elected. It is time to replace him and Vice President Biden with a truly qualified and experienced leadership team.

The growth of Western Civilization and especially the United States was fuelled by the expansion of individual liberties, private property rights, and a free market capitalist society. Our nation was established on the basic principle that government is the servant of the people, not that the people are the servants of government. It’s time to take back our country and return to the individual liberties, free markets, economic growth, and limited government we have long enjoyed. The United States of America is the greatest, most prosperous, most unselfish, and most exceptional country in history. There is still an opportunity to save The American Dream but time is rapidly running out. Vote for the real American “Hope & Change” offered by Romney and Ryan in November.

The Old Guy PhD

“Obamacare” Revisited!

G’Day!

Originally I intended to post an article on the subject of “Fairness”, but the unexpected decision by the Supreme Court to uphold “Obamacare” has placed the healthcare issue firmly back on the political table. It is expected that the House of Representatives will vote to repeal “Obamacare” in its entirety in the next few weeks and, like the fate of nearly all House proposals passed, it will die from total avoidance and neglect in the Democrat controlled Senate. This makes healthcare, along with the economy and job creation, again a key issue for the November election and one we should seriously reconsider. Therefore, the article noted above will be delayed and posted in the future.

Over a year ago I posted two articles on the subject of fixing healthcare, “How to Solve Healthcare Part I” and “How to Solve Healthcare Part II”. The suggestions proposed in these articles are as relevant today as they were last year. Because many of you may not have read them previously, I am summarizing the important points of these articles below. Reconsider them carefully in light of the current situation, follow closely the proposals put forward, and vote accordingly in November.

First, while I am deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court decision, perhaps its most troubling aspect is the justification by Chief Justice Roberts of the “Mandate” on the principle that Congress has the power to tax in order to force us to buy products consistent with laws they pass. This seems to open a new Constitutional power for Congress to dictate what we should (or should not) buy or to “tax” us if we do not comply. In this case we must buy insurance or a penalty (now considered a “tax”) for non-compliance will be imposed. What are the limits of this new power? Can the federal government demand that we buy (or not) certain foods or buy specific energy sources (or not) or buy other specific products (or not) or we will be penalized (“taxed”) into compliance? This is a troubling development that was not in the original bill and now permanently stands as a constitutional Supreme Court ruling regardless of the ultimate fate of “Obamacare”. This is not a good outcome.

Next, as stated in the two articles referenced above, “Obamacare” will only increase costs, undermine individual freedom of choice, result in jobs lost in the private economy, reduce competition, increase government size, spending, regulations, and ultimately lead to government-only rationed health services & treatment. This is still true. Nothing has changed. If anything, the damage to the economy and free markets from “Obamacare” has become even more obvious to all except Obama and his hardcore supporters. Obama’s tax and spend supporters actually want fewer freedoms for citizens, bigger government, and more control over individuals, private property, and business. “Obamacare” is just another big government program of tax and spend, which in my opinion is neither necessary nor desirable for the country. As I said in the above articles, there are free market solutions available, which would expand individual choices and minimize or prevent a government takeover of healthcare. The Republicans are right to oppose the bill, but the question of how we can fix it, reduce costs, and maintain our freedom of choice is still an issue. Perhaps the biggest question to be answered is, “Who should make healthcare decisions, the government or the patient in consultation with his or her doctor?” For me, given my belief in personal liberty and the effectiveness of free markets, individual freedom of choice is the correct answer.

In the two referenced articles the major issues upon which there is general agreement for improvement were identified. These are still applicable: 1) cost reduction, 2) coverage for “pre-existing conditions”, 3) patient choice in doctor selection & treatment, 4) portability of existing coverage in relocation, 5) coverage for catastrophic events, 6) tort reform, and 7) coverage for those involuntarily uninsured because of need. In the referenced articles I explain why largely non-government free market alternatives to “Obamacare” can provide specific solutions to each of these issues. We can do this at lower cost, with greater freedom of individual choice, and without an intrusive and expensive government takeover of healthcare in America. President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society introduced the Medicare and Medicaid programs that started us on our current unsustainable healthcare path to ultimate fiscal collapse. We need to curtail these programs to cover only the truly needy not expand these unsupportable models for our future.

Simple and rational changes can and should be pursued such as:

  • Insurance competition across state lines,
  • Repeal/amend the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, which exempts insurance companies from anti-trust acts,
  • Require portability of existing policies when relocating,
  • Enact tort reform (capped punitive damages and “loser pays”),
  • Create a national catastrophic healthcare insurance pool (similar to “Flood Insurance”,
  • Require coverage of pre-existing conditions with appropriately higher premiums (like car insurance for bad drivers),
  • Elimination of employers from the healthcare system with the current tax-deductible payments going directly to the employee with the option to buy his or her own insurance (also tax-deductible) (see “How to Solve Healthcare Part II” for details).

All of these changes except the last should be doable with some common sense and a little political will and are explained in greater detail in the original articles.

Healthcare should be a choice and responsibility of individual citizens in a nationwide market-driven economy. Let’s keep our government’s role at the minimum necessary to provide a competitive level playing field and a safety net for only those in temporary need and medical catastrophes.

“Obamacare” is another big government socialist attempt to take over our country, reduce our freedoms, and control our lives. Individual choice in a competitive free-market economy is the best way forward. Study the issues and policies carefully and vote accordingly in November.

The Old Guy PhD

Obama’s 2013 Budget – More “Obammunism”!

G’Day!

Tax and Spend! Spend and Tax! Spend, Spend, Spend! These are the only fiscal policies the President appears to support. They were also reflected in his populist State of the Union oration in January. President Obama’s socialist concept for our country is painfully transparent. Higher taxes, excessive federal spending, unsustainable entitlements, reductions in National Defense, and another fiscal deficit of approximately $1 trillion for 2013 are all included in his push for more and bigger central government. Obama appears to believe in “Trickle-down Government”, where a parasitic government extracts wealth created by the productive private sector, adds an administrative processing fee, and returns the residual to government selected individuals and businesses in the hope for “stimulated” economic growth. Does this concept make any sense?

The Democrat-controlled Senate has not passed a budget in over three years. In every year of the Obama Administration federal deficits have exceeded $1 trillion (in 8 years of President Bush the maximum federal deficit was $0.5 trillion). Obama claims that his new budget “saves” approximately $4 trillion over the next ten years. It actually increases the cumulative deficit and debt over this ten-year period by approximately $6 trillion. Other than National Defense, his proposed budget makes no serious attempt to reduce government discretionary spending or entitlements. It appears that the President’s rhetoric is to create class warfare intended to improve his chances for reelection and not for the future benefit of our nation. How far behind Greece are we?

In my opinion, this budget and the State of the Union speech are more of what I call “Obammunism” and is bad for our country. “Obammunism” is essentially turning America into a centrally planned, European-style, bureaucratic, welfare state. This concept is based on a socialist doctrine of forced economic equality determined by an arbitrary bureaucratic definition of “Fairness” or “Fair Share”. Obama apparently wants to establish a socialist nanny state by transferring wealth from the successful businesses and individuals above a government-determined wealth “Threshold” to those below this level. “Obammunism” penalizes hard work and achievement and rewards idleness and failure. Simultaneously, it is stifling economic growth, promoting class warfare, lowering the potential standard of living for all citizens (especially the middle class), and continuing our nation’s decline under a mountain of debt. Obama’s policies continue to undermine our Constitution, our heritage, our culture, and our fundamental principles of individual freedom, free markets, sound fiscal and monetary policy, economic growth, and limited government.

Consider this, who determines “Fair Share”? Under Capitalism, “Fair Share” is objectively determined by the choices of the people in a free market. Under “Obammunism”, bureaucrats subjectively and arbitrarily determine “Fair Share” and impose it on the people. What is to protect you from the “Bureaucratic Elite” changing the wealth “Threshold” from $1 million, to $250,000, to $100,000, to $75,000 or lower? If you support Obama’s policies, nothing can prevent the “Government” from arbitrarily changing “Fair Share” to adversely penalize more and more successful people. If you work hard and succeed in improving yourself and your family, what is to prevent the government from penalizing you for becoming “Rich”?

A society built on “Obammunism” has few incentives for anyone to create value (except bureaucrats, who subjectively divide the wealth, frequently among themselves). If value is created, it is likely to be taken away and redistributed to others. Taking from those who earn and redistributing to those who do not does not create wealth and prosperity. Margaret Thatcher said it best, “The problem with Socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money!”

The Communists put it this way, “from each according to their abilities, to each according to their need”. This did not work well for the people in the former Soviet Union. Communism’s precursor, socialism, is currently eroding the freedom, growth, and prosperity of the European Union. The path from democracy based on personal freedoms and private property rights to authoritarian wealth-sharing socialism based on central planning and control is not necessarily a long one (see “The Road to Serfdom” by Nobel Prize winner, Friedrich A. Hayek). If it is allowed to continue in America, it will further damage and perhaps destroy both the culture of constitutionally protected personal liberty and opportunity that we have enjoyed for over 200 years. Socialist societies penalize success and reduce economic growth and living standards. Capitalist societies reward success and increase economic growth and living standards. Which future do you want for yourself, your children, and our country?

The growth of Western Civilization and especially the United States was fuelled by the expansion of individual liberties, property rights, and a free market capitalist society. Our nation was established on the fundamental principle that government is the servant of the people, not that the people are the servants of the government. It’s time to take back our country and return to the individual liberties, free markets, economic growth, and limited government we have long enjoyed.

The Old Guy PhD

Election 2012 – America’s Choice Has Never Been More Clear!

G’Day!

Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season was enjoyable and successful and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2012!

This year we will face an election that will probably decide our nation’s course for many years to come. 2012 may be the most important election in our lives. Never have the choices been clearer than they are today: small government vs. big government – free market capitalism vs. centrally planned socialism – individual liberty vs. bureaucratic control of freedoms. At stake is the future of our economy, the relationship between our government and ourselves, federal fiscal and debt solvency, taxation levels, America’s role in the world, and the legacy we are endowing to our children. The key issue is which choice offers the best opportunity for economic & job growth, wealth creation, and a higher standard of living for the American people. It is critical that we each take the time and make the effort to understand the potential consequences for our culture, our opportunities, and our country from these two widely different visions of the role of government and vote accordingly.

Choice 1: Overall, the Republican Party generally supports small government, free market capitalism, and individual liberty. More specifically, they further believe in the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers, individual & business freedoms, sound fiscal and monetary policies, tax reform for business and individuals, a government limited to protecting the legal rights of individuals, property, and the security of our nation, and equality of opportunities for all citizens. They believe that a reasonable but not unlimited social safety net is desirable for those truly in need. Republicans believe that prosperity and job growth is derived from entrepreneurial business activity free from excessive government interference and is promoted by minimizing regulations and maximizing freedoms and opportunities. Individual success is honored and rewarded. Free markets determine winners and losers and wealth is distributed based on objective “achievement”.

Choice 2: Overall, the Democrat Party supports big government, centrally planned European-style socialism, and bureaucratic control of freedoms. They support a “living” Constitution to be interpreted and modified by the judicial system as desired, regulated individual & business freedoms, unsustainable government spending and entitlements, higher taxes, and forced wealth transfer from the successful to the less successful. Democrats and especially the current President believe in regulated and even hostile control over businesses and the use of Administrative Executive Power as desired to accomplish this. They believe that economic and job growth is derived from government planning, controls, and subsidies to bureaucratically selected companies and industries. Individual success is envied and resented and should be corrected through wealth redistribution. The government determines winners and losers based on fiat and wealth is distributed based on an arbitrary determination of “fairness”.

For months we have heard impressive speeches from our President promising more “Hope and Change” supported by more government regulations, unsustainable entitlements, and higher taxes on the “Rich”. No doubt we will hear many more. But no volume of skillful oratory by the President or his eventual Republican contender can disguise the fact that the two fundamental choices above are the issues in the forthcoming election.

Do you believe that big government, centrally planned European-style socialism, and bureaucratic control of freedoms with increasing control over your lives and businesses are best for you? Do you believe that government administrators can make better decisions for us than we can make for ourselves? Do you believe that these bureaucratic decisions are the best approach to economic growth, job creation, and a higher standard of living? If you believe this, vote for Democrats.

On the other hand, do you believe in small government, free market capitalism, and individual liberty with the freedom to make our own decisions about our lives and businesses? Do you believe that we can make better decisions for ourselves than the government? Do you believe that individual decisions under free markets are the best approach to economic growth, wealth creation, and a higher standard of living? If you believe this, vote for Republicans.

President Obama’s position on the above choices is precisely clear and soon we will have a Republican Presidential Candidate to compare. Please take the time to study the choices, the potential outcomes from each on your lives, consider what is at stake for our nation and our children, and vote accordingly. The choice will be yours in November.

The Old Guy PhD

Capitalism is the Answer – Socialism is the Problem!

G’Day!

Yes, Free Market Capitalism IS the answer to our economic malaise. America is the country of equal opportunity (not equal income) and self-improvement through economic and social mobility, not stagnation, stratification, and redistribution of other people’s money. Capitalism is founded on growth, innovation, unlimited production, and decentralized decision-making through free market pricing. Capitalism properly allocates our economic resources as citizens’ wish (not the government), rewards creativity, and expands the wealth “Pie” for all to share based on effort and contribution. Socialism is founded on personal immobility, government control of production through central planning, and price controls. Socialism predetermines and distorts proper allocation of goods and services as the government wishes (not the citizens), restricts innovation, and redistributes the existing wealth “Pie” based on arbitrary administrative decisions of the government “elite”.

While no system is perfect in all respects, history has proven that Free Market Capitalism works best for maximizing economic growth and prosperity and improving living standards. History has also shown that Socialism does not work and over time retards economic growth and prosperity, and produces a lower standard of living. The demise of communist Russia, China under Mao, and the current European Union fiscal and debt crises are recent examples of the failures of Socialism and central planning. Our government should realize that it cannot tax and spend America into prosperity. Only growth in the private sector can create long-term prosperity and new jobs for our nation. The government should get out of the way, reduce regulations, shrink spending and entitlements, reform personal and business taxes, and let the innovative forces of Free Market Capitalism work.

Our current socialist-oriented, anti-business government has assaulted and discouraged innovative opportunities by enacting legislation and imposing regulations that restrict our ability to engage domestically in creative and profitable endeavors. These policies, including taxation, have stifled domestic investment, encouraged companies to create new jobs offshore, and suppressed the economic growth for which our nation is famous. If Obama’s policies continue and he is reelected, the “Middle Class” will suffer most from the continuing consequences of our economic stagnation. The current “Middle Class” will increasingly join America’s “Dependent Class” who rely on government handouts that sustain and maintain lower living standards. Is this the future you want for our nation and your children?

The factors that have made our country great and the envy of the world are the equal opportunities to improve ourselves through personal hard work, innovation, risk-taking, and thrift. To grow and prosper as our nation has historically done, we need to return to our foundations and encourage entrepreneurial opportunities for wealth creation based on individual freedoms, free markets, private property ownership, and limited government. We don’t need a handout; we want a hand up. Without government support and encouragement for vibrant and profitable financial and business sectors, our economy will continue to underperform. This will result in less, if any, economic growth; less, if any, wealth to redistribute; and fewer, if any, new jobs. Wealth is not created by attacking the institutions and individuals who create it. The choice for the future of our country will be ours at the 2012 election. Vote wisely.

The Old Guy PhD

Debt Crisis – Whatever happened to Bowles-Simpson?

G’Day!

The bipartisan Debt Reduction Commission co-chaired by Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson completed and submitted to President Obama in February a rational and comprehensive approach to our country’s fiscal and debt crises. I posted articles praising the work of the co-chairs and the commission members on April 1, April 16, and July 22. (See “Bowles & Simpson Have it Right!”, “Obama Ignores Bowles-Simpson Debt Reduction Commission – Again!”, and “Debt Reduction: Bowles & Simpson Have it Right – Redux!”) To date, President Obama, the Democrats and the Republicans in the House and Senate have fundamentally ignored their proposal. Why their recommendations have been ignored by our government, and especially by the President, who established the commission, is a “puzzlement”?

The final Co-Chair’s proposal, “The Moment of Truth”, included both long and short-term government actions to resolve our fiscal and debt crises, contains nearly $4 trillion in debt reduction over 10 years, and was approved by eleven (61%) of the eighteen bipartisan members of the commission. As stated in Guiding Principle #2 of the draft report, “The Problem is REAL – the Solution is Painful – There’s no Easy Way Out – Everything Must Be On the Table – and Washington Must Lead”. Their proposal is comprehensive. It includes cuts and caps on discretionary spending and revenue enhancements through major tax reform to broaden the tax base, simplify the code, reduce tax rates, and cap revenue at 21% of GDP. It reduces spending for entitlements including healthcare and social security and eventually caps total spending at 21% of GDP. The proposed plan stabilizes the debt by 2014, reduces debt to 60% of GDP by 2024 and 40% by 2037. What’s not to like??

As noted above, it is a mystery to me why this proposal, developed and approved with bipartisan support, was shelved by Obama and ignored by Congress since it was formally delivered to the President nine months ago. While these are difficult and trying times, we should expect and demand that our President and Congress put partisan bickering and reelection concerns aside and act for the benefit of the American People. Time spent on campaign fundraising does not reduce our debt or improve job creation and economic growth. We deserve rational behavior from our elected representatives and should demand the compromise and cooperation necessary to correct our economic problems and return our great nation to a path of growth and prosperity. Admittedly, the Co-Chair’s proposal is controversial. It is also realistic, responsible, comprehensive, and should be receiving the immediate and serious attention of our President, Congress, and currently the “Super-Committee” (who are looking for a mere $1.2 trillion over ten years).

Every sensible citizen knows America has an unsustainable debt crisis that, if not corrected quickly, will lead to financial and economic disaster for our country. Socialism does not work. Greece is not a role model for government in America. Our current government is too large, too oppressive and is out of control. Economic growth is based on opportunities not restrictions and lower tax rates not higher regulations. Escalating government spending must be halted and its intrusion in our lives and businesses reversed. Tax reform to broaden the tax base, simplify the code, lower rates (especially corporate), and increase revenues is essential. Our government MUST be business friendly and promote the entrepreneurial spirit necessary for economic growth and global competitiveness. We need to bring back the constitutional freedoms and personal liberties that led us to be the greatest nation on earth. The Bowles-Simpson proposal is a good start.

The Old Guy PhD