For the next month I am going to be taking an assessment of the Liberty movement as a political force in American political life. I am going to attempt to gage the prospects for the 2010 and the 2012 elections as well as vet and sort out the level and sophistication of political organization. We will take a look at supporters, polling and financing, as well as attempt to reach out to the candidates themselves. A daunting task, but just in time to gage the depth, crystallization and meaningfulness of the Ron Paul rEVOLution.
“Let it not be said that we did nothing.”- Dr. Ron Paul
In the meantime, enjoy this punk classic from Bad Religion (a atheist-socialist band, I know :P).
posted by Luke at 00:31:25
From the Mises.org:
The zero-interest-rate policy of the Fed is sold to the public as a benign economic rescue in the public interest. The stark reality is that this policy is a disguised tax implemented by the Fed. It takes income from savers and hands it as a subsidy to borrowers. It also facilitates and funds the fiscal deficit policies of central government. Such a well disguised tax is a boon for governments. The cruelest tax of all is this 100 percent tax on interest income, disguised and rationalized as “good” policy.
The zero-interest-rate policy deserves closer scrutiny. Would a saver willingly agree to an economic environment of zero interest rates? Certainly not. Would a debtor prefer a zero interest rate? Absolutely. The saver and the debtor would, under normal, willing-economic-participant conditions, negotiate a “price” for the use of money saved. That price for the use of funds is interest.
The central bank enters the negotiation between saver and borrower, and by counterfeiting money it destroys the negotiating base of the saver. Counterfeiting money through policies of unlimited liquidity provision is a “price control” over interest rates, instituted to force interest rates down and eventually spiral them downwards out of control to zero. The interest income of the saver is eventually taxed to extinction at zero interest rates.
It is basic economic theory that price control actually reduces the availability of the item subject to the control. It should therefore come as no surprise that available credit is falling despite unrestrained liquidity provision at zero interest rates. Banks have no direct cost implication when they hold funds at zero (apart from opportunity cost). Thus there is no direct cost penalty for doing nothing.
Not exploiting a lending opportunity in a high default-risk environment, where the margin between a zero-interest cost of funds and the lending rate is insufficient to protect bankers against default risk, is an entirely rational choice for bankers. While the intended consequence is to increase the availability of credit, the ultimate “zero-rate” intervention actually reduces credit availability. One wonders how significant this unintended consequence would be in the absence of Cash for Clunkers, the now-expanded subsidy policy for housing purchases, and the constant Fed, Treasury and Federal Housing Finance Agency support for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. We shall find out when fiscal deficits can no longer fund such excesses.
posted by Luke at 13:47:02
posted by Luke at 16:45:04
After a brief hiatus while I helped my wife recover from surgery, I return just in time to help shape an agenda of Liberty and Freedom for the next session of the Idaho Legislature. Posts will resume in short order. In the meantime, connect with us on Facebook.
posted by Luke at 22:01:37
From the NYPost:
New Yorkers are fleeing the state and city in alarming numbers — and costing a fortune in lost tax dollars, a new study shows.
More than 1.5 million state residents left for other parts of the United States from 2000 to 2008, according to the report from the Empire Center for New York State Policy. It was the biggest out-of-state migration in the country.
The vast majority of the migrants, 1.1 million, were former residents of New York City — meaning one out of seven city taxpayers moved out.
“The Empire State is being drained of an invaluable resource — people,” the report said.
What’s worse is that the families fleeing New York are being replaced by lower-income newcomers, who consequently pay less in taxes.
Overall, the ex-New Yorkers earn about 13 percent more than those who moved into the state, the study found.
And it should be no surprise that the city — and Manhattan in particular — suffered the biggest loss in terms of taxable income.
The average Manhattan taxpayer who left the state earned $93,264 a year. The average newcomer to Manhattan earned only $72,726.
That’s a difference of $20,538, the highest for any county in the state. Staten Island was second, with a $20,066 difference.
It all adds up to staggering loss in taxable income. During 2006-2007, the “migration flow” out of New York to other states amounted to a loss of $4.3 billion.
While we are on the subject, don’t forget to take your own John Galt Oath here.
posted by Luke at 12:19:23
From the LATimes:
This morning comes word from a new ABC News/Washington Post poll that almost four parents out of 10 do not believe the vaccine is safe and have no intention of allowing their children to receive it.
More than 60% of adults say they have no intention of getting the vaccine either.
Using an open-ended question, the poll also found the overwhelming reason for rejecting the vaccine this year despite federal warnings and mounting concern about the illness’ seriousness was concern about side effects and disbelief in its safety, especially suspicions that it has been inadequately tested. Other reasons included general ignorance and a belief the illness was probably less serious than the danger of the vaccine.
So much for the persuasive powers of the U.S. federal government. Think about that for a minute: A whopping majority of Americans (62%) would rather risk illness than believe in their government’s urgings of necessity and safety.
This, of course, is great news. Numerous sources are reporting that the Swine Flu Vaccine is untested, skipped over numerous safety tests, and is vaccinating against a relatively minor flu bug. No wonder the State felt the need to grant the Vaccine makers legal immunity from their product. Given the dubious origins of the Swine Flu, it is refreshing to see skepticism of this virus.
Government Propaganda- 0
The People- 1
For more coverage on the Swine Flu click here.
Update 2:56 pm
Do as I say, not as I do? The President’s own daughter’s have not received the H1N1 vaccine.
posted by Luke at 05:30:31
VACCINE AWARENESS SEMINAR
Columbia, SCSaturday, October 24, 2009 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
The River Center at Saluda Shoals Park
5605 Bush River Rd., Columbia 29212
Featuring Mary Tocco
Mary has been independently researching the vaccine issue and many other health care issues that face the American Family for over 29 years. She has been publicly speaking for the last 15 years and has spoken to thousands of parents across the country. Her goal is to reach every parent with this information. Her DVD”Are Vaccines Safe?” is now available on many websites. She exposes the deception and greed that fuels the vaccine industry and helps parents to understand what they must do to promote their family’s health without toxic vaccines or drugs.
The Seminar topics will include:
Childhood Vaccines and their ingredients
What are your vaccination rights?What are the risks associated with
Swine Flu (H1N1) Vaccine?
What are your Natural Alternatives?
The Event is Sponsored by:The South Carolina Vaccine Awareness Coalition
posted by Luke at 05:30:17
From Gary North, as seen on LewRockwell.com:
Gold does not have intrinsic economic value. No resource in history does. History is the realm of change. In such a world, there is no intrinsic economic value.
There is imputed economic value. There is historic economic value. Neither of these concepts of economic value rests on a theory of the supposed autonomy from free market pricing.
In a free society, final users of any asset have authority over its free market pricing. Owners of gold possess uncommon authority, for gold allows people to invest on the assumption that the larceny in men’s hearts focuses on money, and central banks in turn control the supply of money. Those who do not trust the wisdom, motivation, and tools of central bankers have a way to express their lack of trust. They can buy some gold coins.
This upsets politicians. It also upsets court economists, who are well-paid sycophants of central bankers. The more unreliable the decisions of the central bankers, the more upset the economists are with owners of gold. They do not want the price of gold to rise. Such an increase would signal a voice of protest by a small group of private citizens.
If you would like to protest the extension of centralized government power over your life and society in general, buy a few gold coins. I like protests that can turn a profit. This is such a protest.
posted by Luke at 09:38:29