Dec
20
Harry Reid – Health Care Bill
Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment
Bloomberg provides a telling example of what is wrong in DC. Senate’s Health-Care Legislation Poised for Passage
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to win final passage by Dec. 24 now that he secured the vote of his party’s last holdout, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson.
He finally struck a deal that satisfied his demand to keep U.S. subsidies from being used for abortion and won an agreement for more aid to help Nebraska provide coverage for the uninsured.
Nelson said the language satisfied him, though it drew criticism from antiabortion groups. The Nebraska lawmaker also won another prize, with additional Medicaid costs to his state being absorbed by the federal government.
The agreement came late on Dec. 18 over a handshake.
“It was a pretty powerful moment,” said Reid, a Nevada Democrat. “That’s what this place is built on, handshakes legalized bribery.” (emphasis Inthon)
Upon closer inspection of its “accomplishments”, we discover our government is a transparent kickback machine; something which is manipulated and used to advance one’s career and line one’s pocket.
Governments disintegrate when citizens and lawmakers reject individual, familial and community responsibility and instead believe in the goodness of “free money” (printed up or borrowed, of course) and citizens and lawmakers feel no sense of self-ownership.
What hope remains for the future when there is no incentive to encourage individual responsibility and self-ownership?
Governments stop functioning and cannibalize themselves when politicians shift from representing an informed group of constituents to becoming professional raiders for their financial backers (unions, other politicians or corporate interests).
Takeaway: Have no faith in national politics or national politicians. Self-reliance and community reliance are more robust and sustainable.
Dec
1
Goodbye from Nassim Taleb
Filed Under Intellectual Honesty | 1 Comment
A gem from Nassim Taleb, a trader who predicted the crash and sees more difficulties ahead:
What I am seeing and hearing on the news — the reappointment of Bernanke — is too hard for me to bear. I cannot believe that we, in the 21st century, can accept living in such a society. I am not blaming Bernanke (he doesn’t even know he doesn’t understand how things work or that the tools he uses are not empirical); it is the Senators appointing him who are totally irresponsible — as if we promoted every doctor who caused malpractice. The world has never, never been as fragile. Economics make homeopath and alternative healers look empirical and scientific. (emphasis by Inthon)
No news, no press, no Davos, no suit-and-tie fraudsters, no fools. I need to withdraw as immediately as possible into the Platonic quiet of my library, work on my next book, find solace in science and philosophy, and mull the next step. I will also structure trades with my Universa friends to bet on the next mistake by Bernanke, Summers, and Geithner. I will only (briefly) emerge from my hiatus when the publishers force me to do so upon the publication of the paperback edition of The Black Swan.
Bye,
Nassim
Bingo.
I would go one step further; rather than blaming the Senators, blame the voters who elected these Senators (all of whom are ignorant of the dangers of fiat currencies, central planning and central banking).
The U.S. has never been this fragile. An economy reliant on consumption, cheap energy/commodities, easy credit, entitlements, corporate welfare and social welfare is not durable or sustainable.
The years ahead will require deleveraging on a large scale and small scale. Those grounded with an awareness of our current unsustainability will be more apt to mentally weather the future slowdown/economic pain.
Takeaway: Borrowing money to spend on entitlements, wars and handouts cannot go on forever. Prepare yourself for the consequences of our current financial immaturity.
