Commentary
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Thursday, December 30th, 2010As we end 2010 and look forward to what we might expect in 2011, many investment gurus and economists are denying that inflation will be a problem. I don’t pretend to know the future, but I do believe the reasons given for a low inflation outlook are very shallow. Some point to high unemployment and [...]
Your Siamese Twin
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010Suppose you were going to spend the rest of your life attached to your Siamese twin – someone who would be with you every second of the rest of your life – someone you could never get away from. Also, suppose you have a choice as to who that Siamese twin will be. Now imagine [...]
Veteran’s Day
Thursday, November 11th, 2010Our military personnel risk their lives in defense of freedom. Our voters exchange that freedom for government “benefits”. We are at war, but not with a foreign power.
Bubbles II
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010On October 20, 2008, I wrote a post entitled, “Bubbles”. As I explain there, bubbles are an inevitable result of the type of monetary policy pursued by the U.S. Federal Reserve – artificially low interest rates coupled with inflation, giving investors incentives to speculate in the economy, rather than invest their money in productive enterprise. [...]
Why the U.S. Government is Afraid of Free Markets
Sunday, September 12th, 2010Why the U.S. Government is Afraid of Free Markets And Why You Should be Afraid of the U.S. Government By John L. Pehrson OK. Let’s stop trying to analyze how we got into this financial crisis. Let’s take stock of where we are and where we are headed. After all, you can’t plan for the [...]
The Purpose of Economic Activity
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010The purpose of economic activity is to create wealth. It is not to create “jobs”. It is not to redistribute wealth. It is not to pad statistics, such as GDP. It is not to create winners and losers. It is to create only winners. Bringing manufacturing back to the United States from other, lower labor [...]
Capitalism vs. Consumerism
Monday, June 14th, 2010“Income redistribution” or “spreading the wealth” has enormous consequences beyond the simple transfer of wealth from one segment of society to another. Those who advocate such government policies attack the traditional values of Americans. But they also damage the basic system by which wealth is created. Until recently, taxes were viewed as the price paid [...]
Are you an Idiot?
Saturday, June 5th, 2010In 1960, I would work all week for $50 – about 50 hours. Back then, before the US Gestapo became so powerful and intrusive, I could work for cash, with no taxes withheld or paid. I worked 50 hours, earned $50, and received $50. In 1960, I was pretty frugal. I needed money to live [...]
Educational Standards
Friday, April 9th, 2010The plea of some industry leaders in the U.S. for common educational standards smacks of more central planning and attempts to turn children into products of assembly line processes. Yes, we need better education in this country. No, the answer is not more standardization. That does not mean we don’t need standards. We need individual [...]
What Should I do with My Money?
Sunday, March 14th, 2010What should I do with my money? Interest rates are low. Inflation is low. Should I be investing in stocks? How about bonds? Money market funds? Bank CDs? Real estate? Precious metals? I have very strong opinions about these questions. First, it is difficult to answer these questions without facts, and the “facts” being supplied [...]
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