politics

You are probably a federal felon

There are a lot of laws, indeed they are growing so fast that not only can they not be read by legislators, but with in creasing frequency not even printed, existing only in electronic form, no longer practical to commit to paper.  Further, many of these laws are deliberately overbroad for the convenience of prosecutors Thus for example  Krister Evertson was convicted of abandoning hazardous waste – notwithstanding the fact …

economics

British political prisoners.

Two british nazis, Simon Shappard and Stephen Whittle, were charged with writing heresy.  They fled to the USA, but last month were forced back to Britain, where they have each been jailed for two years and two months for publishing thought crimes:  They posted on their web site that Hitler did not exterminate the Jews, but that he should have.

economics

A politician speaks the truth!

Usually, any statement or report emanating from government, any government white paper, is a lie, but in a remarkable fluke outburst of truthfulness,  the U.S. House of  Representative Committee on Oversight and Government Reform  has issued a report: The Role of Government Affordable Housing Policy in Creating the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 The long and the short of the report being that the government pressured financiers to issue easy …

economics

I predict: 1. Seemingly good economic news

I predict that around 2009 October or so, there will be lots of seemingly cheerful economic news. Quite possibly sooner, possibly some time in August. I predict that the Keynesian element of the depression will rapidly and visibly diminishing towards the end of the year.  Crises that are well described by Keynes (aggregate demand falling below aggregate supply) never last long, except to the extent government intervenes to forbid businessmen …

party politics

One more crazy murderous totalitarian pal of Obama’s

I conjecture that Obama, and Obama’s science czar, is enabled by people like Larry Summers, who can find no end of rationalizations along the lines that Reverend Wright and John Holdren are moderate reformers who want reasonable and moderate changes in our lifestyles, not withstanding the fact that these guys are screaming their heads off that they are fanatics who want to totally smash our way of life. Coalition building is a lot easier if you maintain total delusion about your allies.

economics

Speaking power to truth

If  an economist wants to get places, he had best tell politicians and bureaucrats what they want to hear.  The danger is that if says it often enough, he will himself come to believe it. Larry Summers is an economist.  When Bush was in power, he believed in Bushonomics, which got him into trouble in an academic environment of rigid, mindless, and unthinking left wing orthodoxy.  Now, however, it seems …

economics

The “stimulus” is far too large and far too small.

Republicans are getting traction by condemning the “stimulus”, as an outlandishly extravagant porkfest, as miserly and inadequate, and as a disaster that should not be repeated – an attack made all the more effective by the many radical Democrats who complain the porkfest was inadequate, and call for a bigger and better porkfest: “Stimulus II” Obama’s approval ratings, though still high, are plummeting fast under this withering criticism. In Japan, …

economics

Constitutionality of the removal of the Presidente of Honduras

Because the president of Honduras proposed to change the constitution to allow him further terms of office, he was accused of violating article 239 of the Honduran Constitution: No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform, as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions …