Just Say No…

…To Socialism.

If you’ve been with me for longer than 10 minutes, then you already realize I’m what you would call an Anti-Socialist.

While I have vast and varied views, first and foremost I stand in opposition to all forms of Socialist thought. You can call it whatever you want; Socialism, Liberalism, Leftist, Progressive, Fascist, Communist, Democrat, No Labels, Crony Capitalist, RINO, John McCain… or whatever new names they come up with to keep you confused.

Why do I oppose Socialism?  Why do I oppose a political theory that promotes Elitists exercising force over all those they deem inferior?  Why do I oppose an Ideology that has resulted in the greatest destruction to the common good, and ultimately the loss of life, in the history of the world?

I am a Free-Market Capitalist.

But what apparently sets me apart is I know what that means, which is more than I can said for the majority of our elected officials… and certainly more than our electorate.

(If you would like to join me in actually KNOWING what a Free-Market Capitalist is instead of allowing Leftists to tell you what they want you to think it is… here’s a good start:  Wealth of Nations, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, The Road to Serfdom, Freedom to Choose, The Romantic Manifesto, The Constitution of Liberty, The Age of Reason, The Law, Conflict of Visions… and the list can go on.  Come join us… it is rare air to breathe indeed.)

I will share with you, the people being demonized by the press are the people you must listen to carefully. (Actually listen to them… not whatever sound bite John Stewart or Bill Mahr decide to let you hear, followed by a studio audience of the above mentioned know nothings yucking it up and a laugh track from the fifties.)

The folks you will be told are Mean, Evil, Stupid and In the Way of your Happiness are the very individuals who, most likely, have the best interest of our amazing country at heart. And, they are the few deserving an honest, unedited, un-editorialized hearing of why they stand in opposition of more Socialism.

But let me get you started:

Socialism gets you Detroit.

Socialism gets you Mexico.

Socialism gets you Domestic Spying.

Socialism gets you incredibly horrible public schools.

Socialism gets you Unions who make promises to their members they know they can’t honor.

Socialism put’s your medical records out there for all to see.

Socialism gets you expensive, crappy health care.

Socialism gets you high taxes.

Socialism gets you high unemployment.

Socialism gets you Crony business deals.

Socialism gets a quadrupling of the money supply devaluing everything you’ve worked so hard to save.

Socialism spends your money with no consideration of reason or result, because it believes it owns the money… not you.

Socialism gets you National Debt so large you cannot possibly conceive it.  You literally can’t count that high… before you die of old age.

Socialism gets you racial hatred because without it, it dies.

Socialism gets you a bigger and bigger gap between the rich and poor, because it relies on that too.

Socialism puts self-anointed Elitist A-holes in power and keeps them there… forever.

Socialism is Force.

So the very least MY representatives can do IS NOT GET ALONG WITH SOCIALISTS.  AT ALL… EVER.

The very least MY representatives can do is say NO in the face of bigger government and more spending… or should I SAY WASTING MY MONEY.

The VERY LEAST my representatives can do IS STAND IN OPPOSITION to everything… every single thing… the Socialists want to do.

And, if they DO NOTHING ELSE… I will consider them to be doing a great job.

If they really want to impress me, then start taking apart 100 years of Socialist schemes which have not only stood in the way of this country being greater than it is, but has set it back on every level.  Doubt me?  Do you think the founding fathers would have asked the public to tolerate Domestic Spying after fighting a War in order to establish a new type of Government designed to protect the Individual, Their Freedom, Liberty and Property?  (There were plenty of “Terrorists” back then too.)

So I expect that 20% of the Republican Party who are about to be positioned as the worst people in the world… will do the right thing.

I expect them to be the Party of No!

NO!  NO!  NO!

It is the least they can do.  When I say “the least”, I mean the LEAST.

(072413)

President Feckless

There has been much talk lately about our President being Feckless.

I cannot stand idly by and allow such charges to go unchallenged!

Our President deserves the respect he has earned and I’m here to offer a defense in his absence.

President Obama is quite an accomplished Fecker.

He has employed his talent to Feck up:

The Middle East – on Fecking fire.

The Economy – Completely Fecked.

Our Health Care – Fecked and getting even more Fecked.

The Free Market – Fecked-Up Beyond All Recognition.

He continues to Feck with our personal liberty, our freedom and our property rights.

Frankly, he came into office promising to Feck-up everything in his “Blue print for America” and he has accomplished many of his Fecking goals.

So anyone accusing him of being Feckless is simply wrong, he has Fecked-up almost everything.

I think he has done a fantastic job Fecking everyone.

And, I don’t know about you but I feel like I’ve been Fecked enough by the President.

But I guess there are still folks out there who need some more Fecking…  (They’ll be voting for Bill’s wife.)

(It’s been a while since this post, but apparently someone broke out their thesaurus again…  so I couldn’t resist… again… and again.)

It’s that Time of year again…

As we all know, many of us will soon be receiving hundreds and hundreds of Thank You Cards from all over the United States written by those who are getting Welfare in its myriad forms.

I realize times can be tough and sometimes a person Very Desperately needs help.  With that in mind, it’s the level of Genuine Appreciation that I find so Wonderful and Heart Warming.  If anything, it’s the simple “Thank You” that makes it so easy to get up everyday and go to one of three jobs a hate so very much.  It’s truly the little things that keep me going.

So when the bags and bags full of Thank You Cards come rolling in it can be a bit overwhelming even for me.  And a little emotional as well.  But, so you all know, I take what time I have to read each and every one of them.

Frankly, there is little in this world I enjoy more than hearing how they’re working diligently to stop receiving my tax dollars, not to mention the rewards of self-sufficiency that are being reaped in their homes.  I also relish the many mentions of how their children are learning some of the most difficult lessons in life, such as what it means to be honest, learn a trade, work hard, make wise decisions, delay gratification, live within one’s means, avoid debt, save even when you think you can’t, and of course spend wisely.

If you’re one of these folks, please find it within yourselves to forgive me but given the time constraints due to my jobs, I’d like to once again offer this as my annual response;

“You’re Welcome.”

When Government interferes with Wages…

…companies go out of business.

The American Institution of McDonald’s in trouble.

Or, they fire everyone and automate.

How does this Liberal idea of ‘a living wage’ actually help anyone?

I’ll help you… Unemployment means NO WAGE.

So, IT DOESN’T.

Unless, of course, you’re a politician who needs a bunch of people (voters) dependent upon you to supply them with their welfare check.

For you, keeping The Poor poor… is BRILLIANT!  Just keep them voting!

Economics IS Politics IS Economics

It’s Everything, Stupid!

James Carville famously stated “It’s the Economy, Stupid!”

He was Hailed at the time by the Press for his Simple Brilliance.  Simple Indeed… like his much ignored by the Anti-War on Women Soldiers “That’s what you get if you drag a $100 bill through a Trailer Park!”

Anyway… that was Clinton and this is Now.  (Well… Clinton is still dragging $100 bills through trailer parks… but I digress.)

Now is the Age of Obama and the Liberal Progressive Renaissance.

With the Awakening of the Socialist Left, it has ceased to be just about the Economy…

It’s now About:

Ebola Killing

NSA Spying

IRS Targeting

DHS Militarizing

EPA Regulating

NEA Dumbing

CDC Stumping

TSA Groping

FBI Sleeping

VA Wait Listing

Lobbyist Working

Bank Bailing

Money Printing

Debt Monetizing

Market Distorting

Secret Service Whoring

Illegals Voting

The Middle East Burning

War Losing

Black Water Flourishing

Soviet Expanding

Anti-Capitalist Loving

GM Nationalizing

Small Business Ruining

Children Coughing

Insurance Company Destroying

Park Occupying

Health Care Socializing

Inflation Ignoring

Unemployment Fantasizing

Economy Failing

Government Controlling

Above the Law Posturing

WMD Surprising

Diplomat Abandoning

Drug Cartel Arming

Race Rioting

Golf Playing

Party Having

Climate Distracting

Science Fabricating

Consensus Prevailing

Poll Taking

Official Prevaricating…

Stupid!

Burger King and Brown Gravy

It appears Burger King is Buying Tim Horton’s in Canada so it can move it’s base of operations up North to avoid the confiscatory corporate tax rates in the United States.

Let me ask anyone who see’s this as a Treasonous Betrayal…

Do you want the Number Two Fast Food Chain to stay in business so it can pay the Artificially High Minimum Wages set by politicians and moronic voters?

Yes… I do!

Well that’s what they’re trying to do, so you should be headed to the Burger Kind Drive-Up Window for your Double Whopper with Cheese and a Large Coke that you know you Love. (Eat it while you drive.)  Instead of calling for a Boycott.

No… I don’t!

Then you Hate minimum wage workers. You Hate readily available nutrition for the poor. You Hate the additional time afforded those single Moms who have to work three jobs and don’t have time to make dinner at home. You just Hate.  Hater.

You created this conundrum.  Sleep in it.

I’m just excited now that I can get my Double Whopper with Cheese, Extra-large Coke and an order of Fries WITH Gravy and Cheese Curds!  Brilliant!

(Some Day BK might see clearly and bring back the Veal Parmesan Sandwich.  I would buy shares at that point.)

The Minimum Wage Effects Everybody

Artificially setting wages causes everything, up and down the supply chain, to get more expensive.  Way more expensive…

It causes the Buying Power of those it’s intended to help to go down. The “New” money they have never keeps up with the rise in prices of what they need to survive.

It causes the Employment Options for those it’s intended to help to disappear. The lack of a job has never helped anyone to provide for their family.

Raising the Minimum Wage puts even More Money in the Pockets of Big Labor Unions… and by Extension Socialist Democrats, who then cry for yet More and Bigger Government.

There is nothing good that comes from manipulating markets, regardless of what your economically challenged Liberal Progressive friends tell you.

Raising, Having, even Suggesting Minimum Wage Controls creates distortions in markets and ultimately hurts those who most need help.

If you think you support the idea you should think a little more and a little harder.

Stop this War on Women, Children and the Poor!

Stop this War on the Entire Nation.

Raising the Minimum Wage doesn’t help anyone.

It affects us all.

Number Monkeys

(Does ANYONE believe that the Administration Magically produced 7 million enrollees in Obama Care in just two weeks?  Bueller…. Bueller… Anyone?  Really?  We have Seen This Before.  In fact, we’re still seeing it with the Unemployment numbers.  Please re-read the below post, then ask yourself is Anything this Administration says believable?  Anything?  Then ask yourself, Is the Press now totally co-opted by the ruling party?  Are our Media simply Propaganda Arms of the Government?  It’s all so Incredible to be Unbelievable if it wasn’t happening right before our eyes.)

(And yesterday, Sibelius actually said that 5.3-5.4% Unemployment should represent “Full Employment”.  Not long ago a President was Condemned Roundly by the Left when Unemployment went over 5%.  5%.  Again… 5%.  These people know no bounds when it comes to blatantly insulting our intelligence.)

Why isn’t anyone asking for the exact formula used to calculate unemployment and then posting it on the screen every time the numbers are presented?  How hard can this be?

I contend that just like the rhetoric employed by politicians such as “Forward”, “Hope and Change” and “Country First” the formulas we use to get our numbers are always left intentionally vague.  Think about it for a moment… If you know exactly how the data is arrived at, you might be able to do it yourself.  And… if you could do it yourself then there is no way for any Administration to monkey with the results.

In other words, if you define anything, it will be used to measure your performance.  We certainly cannot have any of that in government.  And clearly we are willing to accept, allow, endorse this behavior from our political leaders.  Why on earth would you be specific when you can leave it all up to the listeners imagination?  If they like you, they’ll make it mean whatever they think is favorable, if they don’t like you… well, who cares?

So once again we have an unemployment number that is meaningless except that it’s bad, or good, depending on who you like.  Keep in mind, it’s the best one the Monkey’s could produce… and sometimes it’s better than the last one, until the Monkey’s revise it when no one is looking, and then it’s not… or it is.

My latest favorite bit of Monkey business has applied a number to those “dropping out fo the work force” and “those who have stopped looking for work”.

I’m not the sharpest bowling ball in the deck, so it’s probably no surprise that I don’t understand what that means.  Help me here.  Does that mean that these people have disappeared from the face of the earth?  Does it mean they have illegally crossed the border into Canada to find work?  Does it mean that they are no longer a burden on our already overwhelmed social safety net because they stopped taking welfare? (This one I would be happy with.) Apparently none of the above.  It simply means they are not considered “unemployed”.

Well okay!…  Let’s all drop out of the workforce thus solving our problem.

Frankly, I’m not sure why our government goes through all the posturing to create an idea that any of this is based in reason.  I would have more respect if they just came out and said “We made up this months unemployment number, at it’s X.”  (It’s been done before… FDR did it with gold.)  Then at least there would be some honesty, even if inaccuracy remains, in the system.

I can hear it now… “Mike, you’re just not educated enough to understand the complexities involved when trying to get an accurate number for something like unemployment. It’s just not that simple.”  Yes… Yes… it’s FAR TOO COMPLEX for small minds like mine.  I seem to hear this anytime the Number Monkey’s get challenged.  Well, yes, it is that simple which is why I’m educated enough to understand it.

Floating metrics are loved by anyone not wishing to be held accountable to the results of their prognostications.  “We created 4 million new jobs!”  Just don’t bother me with the fact that unemployment is going up, not down.  And don’t bother me with the fact that many of these jobs already existed but we decided to call them something else in order to count them.  I get to decide what job is and I get to decide how I calculate it… so SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP and stop bothering me…  As long as we let them get away with it then they will keep behaving like your little sister.  This truly is supposed to be the function of our news media as our watchdogs over government.  Where are these bastions of objectivity when you need them?

I guess it’s up to us.

So, let’s all agree on a single, unalterable, formula and stick to it.  We should also agree that people don’t simply disappear.  I’m sure all the media will jump on this idea after they read this post.

If nothing else it would be fun to watch the politicians screams out in pain after being shown the cross of accountability.  Remember, the formulas should not change from Administration to Administration.

And, let’s start making a public list of those “surprised” economists every time the economic numbers come out.  I think it would be useful for the news agencies (since they are incapable of doing this themselves) to finally figure out who not to listen to.  (For all you news nets out there, you can just send me a check for that one.  I also accept scotch.)

(Originally posted 091912… yet here we are again.)

(And Again… and again…)

Got Mad Skillz?

And you ain’t got no J.O.B.?

Or

Taxpayer Financed Workforce Training is Stupid….

Or

Outsourcing totally makes sense…

Or

Let’s get back to the Fundamentals…

Anything other than a business directly training its staff is ridiculous, and a colossal waste of taxpayer money.

Only the Business, Corporation, LLC etc. knows what specific skills are needed at any specific moment. And only they have the ability to “re-tool” quickly enough to meet market demand and best practices. Thus, they are the only ones equipped to train personnel in a competitive environment because of their flexibility due to their market participation and the knowledge derived from it.  This was called “On The Job Training”.

Then why doesn’t this happen?

So why is “On The Job Training” a phrase of the past. In other words, what happened to the days when “unskilled” workers would be hired and trained to fill the desired positions within a company?

The Minimum Wage happened.

The Minimum Wage is why you have to go to school and GUESS what skills will be necessary to secure a job of your liking.

Decades have passed since “getting into”, “starting in the mailroom” or “getting in on the ground floor” of the profession of your choice was an option. Now those industries must hire “trained” or “skilled” employees because they cannot afford to spend any time paying you to learn on the job. It is simply too expensive… because there is an artificial Minimum of which they must pay.

This is why “unskilled” labor in other countries such as China CAN be employed to make things like Apple iPad’s because the wages are far lower and make it possible to build the time spent training the workforce into a product cost consumers are willing to pay.

This is why companies, who want to stay in business, outsource jobs…

If they could not outsource jobs… you would not have an iPad to play with in addition to many other things you take for granted.

Are you with me so far?

Outsourcing, because labor is too expensive in the U.S., enables YOU to have cool stuff you would otherwise NOT HAVE.

But instead of illustrating this simple truth for all to understand, we embrace ideas like “The Living Wage”. (As an aside… considering the “Living Wage” kills jobs as illustrated above resulting in “No Wage”, I’m not sure why anyone supports it. But too few out there seem to think past the warm, pleasant, feeling of the inane goo being poured into their ears. I digress.)

Another problem that should be understood is Big Labor’s relationship to the Minimum Wage/Living Wage. If you’ve ever been confronted by someone with a clipboard asking you to sign a petition to “raise the minimum wage” it is always a Union Member or someone being paid by a Union. Weird… right?  We all know Unions don’t get paid minimum wages!

Well, the Unions base their “scale” or pay rate upon whatever the minimum wage is.  So… by raising the Minimum Wage (A Wage hardly anyone other than first time, entry-level, workers earn) you are handing the Unions an exponentially larger raise. For example, a 25-cent increase in the minimum wage can hand the Unions a $1.25 raise in their base scale. Play around with that math for a second… we have lately seen the minimum wage raised from $5.25 to $7.50+ in some areas with Union base wages already at $35. So using this example, a $2.25 raise to a “Living Wage” gives the Unions a… wait for it… $11.25 raise! That’s a 30% increase in pay per hour to $46.25. That’s just for one hours worth of the same work they were doing prior to the law being changed.  That takes a Union member making $72,800 a year to $96,200 plus benefits!  Are we still talking about the “minimum wage” here?  No… no we are not.

What also happens is the artificially higher wages prevents companies from being able to afford to hire unskilled labor and train them to fulfill the need of the company.  And, in the dim thinking of the Unions, assures their employment at their already exorbitant hourly wage rates… right up until the company lays them off, or goes out of business completely.  Hostess Twinkie anyone?  Seems self-explanatory… but apparently it’s just complicated enough for the Union membership not to understand, so the Union dues keep pouring in.  Then pouring out to the Union Bosses and Leftist Politicians for their election campaigns.

So is it any wonder that jobs move overseas?

If you’re still not convinced… let’s take your $750 iPad and multiply the cost of the labor alone ($250) by 30% with a required 33% profit margin on each unit… now you would have to pay $1100… which you would most likely not do, thus too few people would be interested in buying it over a lap-top… so nobody would have one because there would be no profit available incenting Apple to make it.  If you doubt this and think Steve Jobs would have made it anyway just because he was a “caring”, “altruistic” humanitarian… read his book.

Can you imagine the cool stuff we would have if the government, and those people with the very best of intentions, would just keep their fingers, and noses, out of the Free-Market.

There’s no telling how great our lives might be…

We’ll never know, because this issue is too easy for the Demagogues to make anyone speaking the truth about a Government Mandated Minimum Wage out to be evil.  Which, frankly, illustrates the ignorance of the masses who allow themselves to be manipulated by the Unions and Politicians.  Too bad… it’s a huge loss for all of us, including them.

This is a very important concept to understand as it’s a building block in the foundation of basic economics.  Once you can wrap your mind around what is being explained here you are half way to fully understanding how the world works.

So if you got Mad Skillz and ain’t got no J.O.B. it’s your fault if you support a minimum wage…

…Biaaoootch!

(Originally posted 111112.  But some things need repeating.)

If You’re in the Banking Industry

Get ready to get Hammered.

Actually… getting hammered might be the best way to deal with what you’re in for.

The Left has no victory… no achievement… no success they can point to as justification for you voting for them. And to keep up the façade of everything not just being “okay” but “Improving” they need more money. A lot more money.  Well, You and I are out of money and not buying that everything is Okay, let alone Improving. In fact, it seems that Major News Outlets are the only one’s climbing on the “everything is okay” bandwagon offered up by the Obama Administration.

With Detroit bankrupt and more to follow including the entire state of California, the majority of us Hating Socialized Medicine, Work Hours being Cut, Salaries dropping, Unemployment Rising and the Dollar being Devalued the Progressive Liberals will have to go after Someone.

Enter the Banks.

As if it hasn’t been bad enough for our lenders being forced by our elected officials (Hello Barney Frank and Chris Dodd) to give people money they could never pay back, they are about to get a hefty second dose of a pointed finger accompanied by a shrill scream of how Evil they are. This is the only page left in the “gin up the base” play book.

So batten the hatches and get ready for the storm. Get ready to hear about all the “favors” granted to the banks by a benevolent Government. Get ready to hear a constant whine of how unfair the banks have been to those segments of society who always seem to get treated unfairly. Get ready for the barrage of example where the banks have not yet paid their dues for the malfeasance during the housing bubble and subsequent collapse…

Even though it was Representative Barney Frank and Senator Chris Dodd who designed to scenario for it occur, then forced it to happen.

Why again are these two not in jail?

Anyway, here we go! It’s election time!