David Westerfield

Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine – 1961

On August 14, 2009

In Audio, Business, Economics, Health, History, Politics

This couldn’t be any more prescient:

Interesting quotes by Norman Thomas, six times candidate for President under the Socialist Party ticket, one of which is mentioned in the audio above:

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism, but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened.” – Norman Thomas, 1927

“I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform.” – Norman Thomas

Hans-Hermann Hoppe on Healthcare Reform

By David Westerfield

On August 14, 2009

In Business, Culture, Economics, Health, Politics

A Four-Step Healthcare Solution (Archive)

This post will undoubtedly be met with a complete misunderstanding of what these solutions would actually do for those who cannot currently get health insurance (namely because of costs, resulting ultimately from government meddling, which has had a domino effect in the private sector). In particular, many will consider the proposal below of “[eliminating] all subsidies to the sick or unhealthy,” as a flagrant attack on the poor, sick and disenfranchised, when in reality, it will actually have the opposite effect of what might be expected. To many, such a proposal seems counter-intuitive, but the incentive created for the poor will be that costs are lowered, making it affordable for them.

I just wanted to preface the intent here, since some seem intent on framing such a proposal as “evil conservatism.” Such an assumption by some, to me at least, shows a great deal of intellectual dishonesty in not dealing with the argument proposed here. Letting the free market work, and getting the quasi-Marxism out of the mix, will have drastic effects on getting better healthcare coverage for all, including the poor and sick. If you disagree, fine. But don’t label such an idea as evil when clearly the goal is making healthcare available and more affordable for everyone.

The solution to our health care woes is not to put more regulations or government control over this sector of our economy or to provide a public option which will stifle competition and create less incentive in the market. The real solution is to free it from the bureaucratic and government constraints, getting rid of the subsidies and red tape. This will inevitably lower prices, which will create the incentive for many more people to purchase insurance at a reasonable price that cannot currently.

Uncharted Waters

By David Westerfield

On August 13, 2009

In Business, Economics

I’m just not sure why the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee), after having been wrong on multiple assessments of the economy in the not so distant past, would be so quick to say we’re now on the fast -track to recovery when the stats and the history of past crises does not lend us that kind of optimistic conclusion. From Ambrose Evans-Pritchard (Archive):

AT&T Digging Up My Yard

By David Westerfield

On August 5, 2009

In Personal, Technology

Update 8.6.2009: Well, to give them credit, they did leave a note on my front door letting me know the day before. So, nevermind. It is AT&T and they are putting Uverse in the neighborhood. So, that’s pretty cool!

Okay. I know AT&T or the power company can come and dig up your yard as they please, since they basically own the right to that portion of your yard. But it would at least be a nice courtesy to call and let residents know their yard will be all torn up when they get home. They just came this morning and started digging with no advisory or note. Even a flier would have worked. Come on guys …

CRE Foreclosures Rising (Video)

By David Westerfield

On August 4, 2009

In Business, Economics, Video

Jim the Realtor driving around Oceanside, CA, showing the rate of commercial foreclosures in the area.

Something I Forget About Man-Made Organizational Structures

By David Westerfield

On August 4, 2009

In Culture, Economics, Politics, Theology

All man-made systems of governance, economies and organizational structures are all flawed and marred by sin. I hear someone saying, umm … yeah? This is something that is, on its face, so basic to the presuppositions of Christianity, yet in the process of taking your eyes off Christ, it is easy to get caught up in defending a system as if it were not flawed. I have fallen into this thinking, once again, and it can be very distracting from things that matter infinitely more.

Socialism is flawed in that it makes an assumption about the nature of humanity, that man’s deepest motivation is to always do the right thing and help his fellow man; that he will be, by nature, other-oriented. This flies in the face of Romans 3. Capitalism is also flawed in that it assumes the greedy won’t gain unwarranted, unbalanced power over the majority via corporate structures, which can result in fascism and dictatorial reign.

The Natives Are Getting Restless (Videos)

By David Westerfield

On August 3, 2009

In Culture, Video

Bottom line: healthcare proposals and current/proposed taxes are ticking people off. As the unemployment rate sinks further, and these people can’t find jobs, and on top of this, the weight of more taxes and payments are forced on the American public by an incompetent government, people are going to start fighting back in various forms. As Gerald Celente says, “When people lose everything and have nothing to lose, they lose it.” Unless things start turning the tide in the broader economy, we’re going to start seeing more of this I believe. And it could get ugly.

Hyperinflation Nation (Videos)

By David Westerfield

On August 2, 2009

In Business, Economics, Video

The Collapse of ’09

By David Westerfield

On August 1, 2009

In Business, Economics, Video

I have no idea if these things will come to pass. It’s merely conjecturing and forecasting, so don’t stake your emotions in this and get all worked up. However, at the same time, this particular trends forecaster, Gerald Celente, has been dead-on in predicting major market crises and global events since 1980. He correctly predicted the ’87 crash, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the dot com bust, amongst a host of other things.

Bernanke Testimony from Today – Stonewall Jackson

By David Westerfield

On July 21, 2009

In Economics, Video

As it was said on the Naked Capitalism blog entry pertaining to this testimony, “Bernanke basically stonewalls and refuses to offer reasonable explanations. Not sure if he is treating the Congress as stupid or not entitled to know, but he backs himself into a real whopper with his non-defense defense (see 2:55 to 3:20).”

In answer to the Congressman’s question about who gave the Federal Reserve the authority to lend a half a trillion dollars to foreigners, Bernanke responds that it was enacted in the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Basically what he’s saying is we can do what we want, lend money to whomever we please, and all this without any true approval from the Senate, which is exactly what has been happening since the fall and even before that.

Basically, when you get down to it, if you are of the persuasion that we’ve just recently lost our economic rights, you’re mistaken. We lost those rights almost a century ago through the groundwork that was laid in the Federal Reserve Act. It gave power to this super bank, or Bank of banks, who could then later use that power in any way it deemed fit. Bernanke’s rebuttals make that clear. They are acting without the authority of the people, in contradiction of the Constitution.