LouieK's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/246999/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/171393-what-if-world-governments-had-washed-their-hands-of-the-financial-crisis?source=feed#comment-746271 746271 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:20:14 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/171393-what-if-world-governments-had-washed-their-hands-of-the-financial-crisis?source=feed#comment-746196 746196 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:44:18 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/158875-distinction-between-positive-and-normative-economics-misses-the-point?source=feed#comment-652815 652815
I understand the distinction made between positive and normative, but economics is different methodologically speaking from physics. One way to know this is just to see the power of prediction in either case.

Economics is based on human choice and scarcity, and that goes to a psychological level which demands rigid structuralization of assumptions to come out with anything meaningful.

The point: anything positive in the field of Economics is just not comparative to physics and hence presents a problem of definition before one even gets to the question of the difference between positive and normative.

Humans build economic systems, G-d builds physics. So the positive question about the working of the economic system is dependent on the normative construction side of things. Or perhaps better stated, interdependent.

Construct a fiat money system with a Federal Reserve and this affects the postive nature of eonomic workings one would find without such institutions.]]> Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:15:40 -0400
I understand the distinction made between positive and normative, but economics is different methodologically speaking from physics. One way to know this is just to see the power of prediction in either case.

Economics is based on human choice and scarcity, and that goes to a psychological level which demands rigid structuralization of assumptions to come out with anything meaningful.

The point: anything positive in the field of Economics is just not comparative to physics and hence presents a problem of definition before one even gets to the question of the difference between positive and normative.

Humans build economic systems, G-d builds physics. So the positive question about the working of the economic system is dependent on the normative construction side of things. Or perhaps better stated, interdependent.

Construct a fiat money system with a Federal Reserve and this affects the postive nature of eonomic workings one would find without such institutions.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/154281-market-cycles-a-look-at-the-historical-evidence?source=feed#comment-619803 619803 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:21:45 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/152909-cash-for-clunkers-may-cost-up-to-45-354-per-vehicle?source=feed#comment-613069 613069 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:00:40 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/136615-animal-spirits-by-shiller-and-akerlof-questioning-economic-motives?source=feed#comment-496774 496774
And also why are governments less prone to "animal spirits." I would say they are more prone to them. The argument touted, as I see it, is that we need more government to fix the problems that government has created. There may be some sense in that, but I would desire as a goal to create markets that are not regulated and only use government to get there. In other words, if you fix the locus of the problem in "animal spirits" then you make the case for government intervention, and if you posit the problem as one of government intervention, then you decrease the role of the government. ]]> Sat, 09 May 2009 12:25:20 -0400
And also why are governments less prone to "animal spirits." I would say they are more prone to them. The argument touted, as I see it, is that we need more government to fix the problems that government has created. There may be some sense in that, but I would desire as a goal to create markets that are not regulated and only use government to get there. In other words, if you fix the locus of the problem in "animal spirits" then you make the case for government intervention, and if you posit the problem as one of government intervention, then you decrease the role of the government. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/136065-housing-recovery-where-will-demand-come-from?source=feed#comment-493655 493655
How about costs such as depreciation on that home? Figure 1% to 3% on average depending on age. And just because you give yourself the job of managing the home doesn't mean there exists no cost to you for doing it. Rents are almost always lower than the costs of ownership. It is the appreciation that the homeowner looks to gain from ownership for the most part.]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 10:08:54 -0400
How about costs such as depreciation on that home? Figure 1% to 3% on average depending on age. And just because you give yourself the job of managing the home doesn't mean there exists no cost to you for doing it. Rents are almost always lower than the costs of ownership. It is the appreciation that the homeowner looks to gain from ownership for the most part.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/124852-what-keynesian-actions-should-the-government-take?source=feed#comment-418931 418931 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:52:27 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/124852-what-keynesian-actions-should-the-government-take?source=feed#comment-418925 418925 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:48:06 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/124520-the-bubble-of-uncertainty-is-about-to-burst?source=feed#comment-415819 415819
"the rise of "Ineptomania" personified by Rush Limbaugh - the pied piper of the uninformed."

I listen to Rush Limbaugh from time to time. Do you? My guess is you don't listen to him very often, if at all.

In any case, I would rather have my brain than your brain any day, even it is older.]]> Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:54:13 -0500
"the rise of "Ineptomania" personified by Rush Limbaugh - the pied piper of the uninformed."

I listen to Rush Limbaugh from time to time. Do you? My guess is you don't listen to him very often, if at all.

In any case, I would rather have my brain than your brain any day, even it is older.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/124520-the-bubble-of-uncertainty-is-about-to-burst?source=feed#comment-415801 415801 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:43:24 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/121706-rick-santelli-the-best-five-minutes-in-cnbc-history?source=feed#comment-399515 399515 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:50:48 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/117739-wsj-weighs-in-on-peter-schiff?source=feed#comment-372258 372258 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:32:23 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/117739-wsj-weighs-in-on-peter-schiff?source=feed#comment-372257 372257

"In Europe, it is illegal to talk about the awful close similarity of Naziism with Zionism. But luckily for me, right now I have some freedom of speech. So I can deduce the obvious. More proof comes in every day, that the Jews in Israel are going insane and are very tempted to have a Final Solution. Obama and his new envoy will struggle to tame this beast but we shall see. Will AIPAC pull strings? Will the US media begin hammering Obama mercilessly? If he is fair, he is a dead man walking."

I am not sure, even after searching the site, if she is writing this stuff, or it belongs to others, but she is using the site as evidence in her favor so I start there. I couldn't even find anything particularly about her and her views, so I am not sure the site supports her at all. However, again, she cites it, so I am assuming it comports with her views. Maybe not, and she would do well to explain that connection.

But the use of this site by her at all says something to me about her state of mind and presents a question of credibility in the first place.

]]> Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:30:54 -0500

"In Europe, it is illegal to talk about the awful close similarity of Naziism with Zionism. But luckily for me, right now I have some freedom of speech. So I can deduce the obvious. More proof comes in every day, that the Jews in Israel are going insane and are very tempted to have a Final Solution. Obama and his new envoy will struggle to tame this beast but we shall see. Will AIPAC pull strings? Will the US media begin hammering Obama mercilessly? If he is fair, he is a dead man walking."

I am not sure, even after searching the site, if she is writing this stuff, or it belongs to others, but she is using the site as evidence in her favor so I start there. I couldn't even find anything particularly about her and her views, so I am not sure the site supports her at all. However, again, she cites it, so I am assuming it comports with her views. Maybe not, and she would do well to explain that connection.

But the use of this site by her at all says something to me about her state of mind and presents a question of credibility in the first place.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/110490-it-s-a-mad-mad-mad-madoff-world?source=feed#comment-328580 328580 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:12:00 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/108470-ben-stein-watch-november-30-2008?source=feed#comment-318571 318571 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:35:29 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/106856-yet-more-paulson-revisionism?source=feed#comment-310261 310261 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:49:08 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/97539-the-simple-explanation-of-bailouts-inflation-and-deflation?source=feed#comment-266866 266866 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:10:14 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/97539-the-simple-explanation-of-bailouts-inflation-and-deflation?source=feed#comment-266862 266862 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:04:59 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/96782-in-the-midst-of-an-extreme-black-swan-part-ii?source=feed#comment-263143 263143 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:47:08 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/95471-wall-street-breakfast-must-know-news?source=feed#comment-254797 254797 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:29:03 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/95339-how-much-have-our-real-estate-assets-gone-down?source=feed#comment-254094 254094 Billions of dollars; amounts outstanding end of period, not seasonally adjusted.]]> Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:35:51 -0400 Billions of dollars; amounts outstanding end of period, not seasonally adjusted.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/95339-how-much-have-our-real-estate-assets-gone-down?source=feed#comment-254072 254072 Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:11:54 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/94521-is-mccain-s-tax-plan-really-any-different-from-current-policy?source=feed#comment-249306 249306
"There’s no doubt that Obama’s higher tax rates would mean weaker incentives to work, take risks and innovate; and stronger incentives to waste time and effort on avoiding the tax man.

But those bad effects must be weighed against a good one: Higher tax rates mean a lower budget deficit."

The Democrats' reputation for tax and spend is to tax and then take the taxes and spend it on special interests such as unions, government bureaucracy, welfare, Leftist ideas such as the environmental lobby, etc.

I think historically, the Democrats have been the party of tax and spend, and the Republicans the party of tax and spend, but the difference is the Republicans tilt toward less tax and spend and more encouragement of private, business investment (via lower tax rates on the rich, small business and corporations). Spin all you want, but you are not correct. Give either party more tax money and they will spend it, largely, foolishly, not necessarily decrease the budget. The truth is that the Democrats are the party that has created (and threatens to continue) the policy of winning elections based on promises intended to buy the electorate. The Republicans find the need to follow suit to keep up with the Democrat inspired largesse.

Rogers writes like an ideologue and spins, spins, spins. For instance, she quotes from MSNBC (who had to demote two left-wing anchors they were doing so badly) and CNN and disaffected Bush Republicans such as Gerson and poses this as an adequate rendering of McCain.]]> Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:43:35 -0400
"There’s no doubt that Obama’s higher tax rates would mean weaker incentives to work, take risks and innovate; and stronger incentives to waste time and effort on avoiding the tax man.

But those bad effects must be weighed against a good one: Higher tax rates mean a lower budget deficit."

The Democrats' reputation for tax and spend is to tax and then take the taxes and spend it on special interests such as unions, government bureaucracy, welfare, Leftist ideas such as the environmental lobby, etc.

I think historically, the Democrats have been the party of tax and spend, and the Republicans the party of tax and spend, but the difference is the Republicans tilt toward less tax and spend and more encouragement of private, business investment (via lower tax rates on the rich, small business and corporations). Spin all you want, but you are not correct. Give either party more tax money and they will spend it, largely, foolishly, not necessarily decrease the budget. The truth is that the Democrats are the party that has created (and threatens to continue) the policy of winning elections based on promises intended to buy the electorate. The Republicans find the need to follow suit to keep up with the Democrat inspired largesse.

Rogers writes like an ideologue and spins, spins, spins. For instance, she quotes from MSNBC (who had to demote two left-wing anchors they were doing so badly) and CNN and disaffected Bush Republicans such as Gerson and poses this as an adequate rendering of McCain.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/94510-some-inconvenient-truths-about-the-mccain-and-obama-tax-plans?source=feed#comment-249228 249228
"There’s no doubt that Obama’s higher tax rates would mean weaker incentives to work, take risks and innovate; and stronger incentives to waste time and effort on avoiding the tax man.

But those bad effects must be weighed against a good one: Higher tax rates mean a lower budget deficit."

The Democrats' reputation for tax and spend is to tax and then take the taxes and spend it on special interests such as unions, government bureaucracy, welfare, Leftist ideas such as the environmental lobby, etc.

I think historically, the Democrats have been the party of tax and spend, and the Republicans the party of tax and spend, but the difference is the Republicans tilt toward less tax and spend and more encouragement of private, business investment (via lower tax rates on the rich, small business and corporations). Spin all you want, but you are not correct. Give either party more tax money and they will spend it, largely, foolishly, not necessarily decrease the budget. The truth is that the Democrats are the party that has created (and threatens to continue) the policy of winning elections based on promises intended to buy the electorate. The Republicans find the need to follow suit to keep up with the Democrat inspired largesse. ]]> Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:21:20 -0400
"There’s no doubt that Obama’s higher tax rates would mean weaker incentives to work, take risks and innovate; and stronger incentives to waste time and effort on avoiding the tax man.

But those bad effects must be weighed against a good one: Higher tax rates mean a lower budget deficit."

The Democrats' reputation for tax and spend is to tax and then take the taxes and spend it on special interests such as unions, government bureaucracy, welfare, Leftist ideas such as the environmental lobby, etc.

I think historically, the Democrats have been the party of tax and spend, and the Republicans the party of tax and spend, but the difference is the Republicans tilt toward less tax and spend and more encouragement of private, business investment (via lower tax rates on the rich, small business and corporations). Spin all you want, but you are not correct. Give either party more tax money and they will spend it, largely, foolishly, not necessarily decrease the budget. The truth is that the Democrats are the party that has created (and threatens to continue) the policy of winning elections based on promises intended to buy the electorate. The Republicans find the need to follow suit to keep up with the Democrat inspired largesse. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/92342-a-quick-review-of-i-o-u-s-a?source=feed#comment-237794 237794 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:51:18 -0400