Liberty and Economic Freedom

Despite what socialists try to convince people of, economic freedom goes hand in hand with political freedom.  There is not so much an inequity of wealth around the world, rather than an unequal distribution of freedom.

If despots, leaders of impoverished nations, and democrats want to improve the quality of life around the world, then we need more economic freedom.  Economic freedom means property rights, small government relative the size of the economy, free trade, and the right to work.

Ford Skipping Pride Parade

First, I'm not saying that Mayor Ford should be skipping along in the Toronto Pride Parade.  I mean that there's nothing wrong with the mayor being absent from the parade. The forces of political correctness enjoy bullying and intimidating anyone they can into adopting whatever "progressive" cause celeb of the day is most fashionable.  Apparently Mayor Ford's decision to continue a family tradition of enjoying the long weekend in Muskoka is a cardinal sin to the gay pride community.  But if tolerance is to be celebrated by such progressives, why are they so intolerant of Ford's decision to skip the event.  Does he not have the freedom to decide what to march in and what not to?

Jonathan Kay of the National Post makes an excellent point as to why Ford may be choosing family over a hyper-sexualized adult party.  It may be surprising to the urban-elites, but there are significant numbers of people who have no interest in attending a racy, sexualized event in which people are dressed in leather, S&M attire, and it's common to see people being led around on leashes.  Personally, that doesn't appeal to me and I believe that a majority, if not at least a sizable minority, of Torontonians aren't really interested in such an event.

While the organizers may insist on Gay Pride being a family event, there are enough lewd activities going on that bringing children anywhere near it would be a significant risk for a responsible parent and vulnerable, impressionable child.  Kay's final point hits the nail on the head: "we should stop pretending that gay-pride events are something solemn and politically necessary. They are big racy parties for adults. And politicians shouldn't have to come to big, racy parties."

Like Ford, I too will be enjoying Canada Day in beautiful Muskoka with family.

America Moves Towards the Edge of the Cliff on Debt

Democrats are insisting on, wait for it, another stimulus package and hire taxes to get the economy going.  Unfortunately, their first stimulus failed miserably, quantitative easing has done little, and low interest rates aren't spurring investment.
Whoever has money is sitting on it because they have no clue what their costs will be once Obamacare kicks in and the EPA starts regulating how many breaths each worker can take in a day at the office, not counting overtime and weekends of course.

GOP members are basically giving up on talks with the Democrats, partly because talks involve Joe Biden who wants to play with his train set more than he wants to be realistic about the fate of America's economic future.  If Joe Biden wants to see what lies ahead, he should just look at Greece and the potential of default.  That is America's future unless the listing ship is righted, and quickly.

WSJ: "House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) said he wouldn't be attending Thursday's scheduled meeting of the deficit-reduction leadership group because he believed it was time for the talks to move to a higher level. After Mr. Cantor's remarks, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.) also withdrew from the talks, and the Thursday meeting was canceled."
The GOP will also be considering a balanced budget amendment in Congress, something the majority of reasonable Americans will likely support.

Americans aren't under-taxed, it's the government that's overstretched and over-committed.

Patriotic Ice Tea from Rush Limbaugh

There is now available ice tea called "Two if By Tea" taken from a poem about Paul Revere's last ride.  Regarding the tea, Rush's website says: "'traditional American values of capitalism and the pursuit of excellence', and each bottle 'is designed to rise above the sameness and mediocrity that threatens our great nation."

The tea comes in regular and raspberry flavour and there are diet versions of both.  It costs about $24 for a 12 pack.

The Daily Mail reports: "A percentage of every sale will go to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, a charity which helps the children of servicemen who died in combat.

He said: 'I wanted to demonstrate that even in this economy, with an oppressive regime like the one we have standing in the way of economic growth that it can still happen with ambition and with ingenuity and with desire.

Drink up America, and stop drinking Obama's declinist, defeatist, socialist cool-aid.

MP Pensions

I hope someone at the PC Convention raises this, but it would be nice to see the Conservative Party take the lead on the disgusting pensions that MP's are "entitled" to.  Seeing recently that Canadian taxpayers add $5 to every $1 of contributions from the MP is sickening.  Why should taxpayers fund lavish pensions for the political elite?  Is there a purposeful intent to establish an aristocracy or something?

Mr. Harper, take the lead and cut the pensions.  Most taxpayers have to save for their own retirement, if that's even possible any more.

The Economy Isn't Rocket Science

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Francis Fukuyama posed the question as to whether we had reached the "end of history".  He wasn't saying there would be no history, but rather whether human kind had reached a kind of consensus on the liberal democratic state coupled with capitalism as being the best form of government.

Clearly, even if Fukuyama is right, President Obama is not buying into the theory.  Never before has a president moved the United States so quickly and drastically towards socialism.  The takeover of industry, the flouting of the law in favour of special interests, and the blatant anti-business attitude is wreaking havoc on the American economy.

However, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to make things better.  Quite simply, the US government needs to make the cost of doing business less while at the same time increasing the potential benefits of doing "good" business.

The regulatory and tax burden on American businesses is, without a doubt, limiting or preventing any real recovery from the recession.  Furthermore, the government has entered into the arena of picking winners (GM, Chrysler) and losers (Lehman Bros.).  Instead of allowing for creative destruction and the self-correction of the free market, the government believes some companies are too big too fail, while others must be subsidized because of their importance (think UAW).

Obama, having never worked in the private sector EVER, has no idea on what truly creates jobs.  His thinking is anchored in outdated Keynesian theory which failed when FDR tried it in the 1930's.  In fact, many notable economists now believe that the New Deal actually prolonged and deepened the Great Depression.

Obama has pandered to unions, increased regulations through the EPA and financial system (Dodd-Frank), while allowing the very dangers of zero-risk mortgages fester through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The economy is heading towards a cliff and the politicians in Washington seem keen on doing nothing to stop it.

The debt poses a fundamental threat to the security of the United States, and Obama and his administration are busy thinking about QE3 and new spending stimuli to prevent the inevitable.  The fact is, the more money the government sucks up from the economy, the less money is available for genuine production and wealth creation.

Companies are sitting on cash because they are terrified of what the future may hold in terms of government seizures, government regulation, and the possibility of a government default on debt.  Hiring new employees presents great risks in good times, but with Obamacare pending to come into full effect, it presents unsearchable risks about benefits and obligations of employers towards their employees.

If the US government is truly serious about getting things in order it needs to do the following 7 things:
1. Decrease the cost of doing business in America
2. Reduce regulations on business
3. Have a simpler, more competitive tax rate
4. Reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes
5. Provide certainty to employers by reducing risks of hiring, this mean replacing Obamacare with an acceptable and market-oriented approach
6. Fundamentally reform entitlement programs which will inevitably bankrupt the United States
7. Stop picking winners and losers, end crony-capitalism which is essentially legalized corruption

Seven steps, and a limited amount of time before disaster.

NDP Dumb as Rocks

Proving that the NDP has no concept of history and has no clue how a free market system works, Andrea Horwath (ON NDP Leader) is vowing to have weekly caps on gasoline prices.  Ms. Horwath should do some research on a fellow named Jimmy Carter and also read up on the disastrous policies of the federal Liberal government from the 1970's which made the lives of consumers miserable as they waited in gas lines thanks to OPEC.

The NDP plan won't protect anyone against high gas prices, all it will do is ensure that gasoline sales will be permanently high so that producers will protect themselves from this Soviet-style command and control.  The NDP, Liberals, Democrats, and other statists prove time and again that they are Central Planners at heart.  Their goal is power, their method is controlling people through legislation and regulation.

Horwath stated: "Filling your tank should not be a game of chance. Drivers will know what they will be paying that week. No surprises, no shocks, no waking up the next morning to a price that's 10 cents more than it was the night before."

So why shouldn't that rule apply to food, housing, Tylenol, and diapers?  Maybe we can have a central government ministry in charge of prices so that consumers are protected against all kinds of price manipulation!?!? 

For any Dippers or Liberals, my last sentence was sarcastic in nature.  The Globe and Mail, to its credit, points out: "A quick scan of current gas prices reveals that consumers can pay more to fill up their tank in provinces with regulation. In Ontario, gas prices ranged from a low of 122.9 cents a litre on Thursday to a high of 132.9 cents. In Nova Scotia, the range was 127.9 cents to 132.6 cents. And in New Brunswick, 120.9 cents to 129.9 cents."

This is because manipulation of the market by the government leads to inefficiency, and ultimately higher prices for consumers.  This is a law of economics, not a theory.

Just as Obama is trying to control health care costs in the US and the result is skyrocketing costs, taxes and higher unemployment, so will any attempt to manipulate and control the energy market in Ontario.  Central planning fails every time it is tried.