Ian Myslivec

California - And by Extension the U.S. - Headed for Permanently Smaller Economy

That would be the Hopi (although they didn't make it to California).


On Jul 07 08:37 AM Tony Petroski wrote:

> Surely there are a few Anasazi who made it through to modern days
> and even ended up in California. In that case, the story continues.

California: The Haves and Have-Nots

Most states need a simple majority to pass a budget.

California requires 2/3 of the legislature to do anything.

This sort of ridiculum in government has not been seen since the heyday of the Polish Parliament and the liberum veto.

Bank Overdraft Brouhaha: Why Can't People Take Responsibility for Themselves?

I would have no complaint about overdraft fees if I was allowed the option of not being able to overdraft. If this was clearly presented when I opened an account, I would have no sympathy for the people who chose the overdraft option and got burned.

But I don't. My bank (for my 'convenience') lets me overdraft for days on end, racking up a nice little fee every time.

The Looming McMansion Attack

Buying up distressed McMansions and making 4-6 apartments out of each might be the real estate game of the future..... attorneys that can break up (or emasculate) HOA's will be in high demand....

BRIC to BIC to BICI?

Russia's great-power status says nothing about its potential to drive global growth. Russia has a wonderful scientific base, but can't seem to put it to work economically, or have the will to put policies in place that would.
I'm not saying that Indonesia does not have its own problems, but it has far more potential for Chinese/Indian style growth than Russia

As an Investment, Gold's Just a Brick

In case of Armageddon, you''d get a way better ROI on a few cases of whiskey than the equivalent amount of gold.

The Coming Economic Collapse, Part 2

On Jun 08 06:40 AM User 353732 wrote:

> I suggest that the path to a cure requires clarity about making and
> honoring distinctions between markets and governments.
> Markets allocate resources based on merit. Governments misallocate
> resources based on patronage. Markets create wealth, Governments
> destroy it. Markets promote choice; Governments suppress it. Markets
> are based on a voluntary system of property rights and willing exchanges.
> Governments are based on a coercive system of entitlements and impositions.
>
> It is not, I beleve, for individuals or Governments to decide the
> what, when and where of jobs and the composition of the economy:
> no individual can and Governments , by their very nature get in not
> just wrong but horribly wrong.
>
> Only Free and Fair markets can get it right.
>
> Our present grave economic/financial and decision making perversions
> and pathologies arise from the fact that free and fair markets are
> no longer permitted to function in important, indeed essential parts
> of the economy. This is because corrupt and self obsessed Big Corporations,
> advocacy and special interest groups and the Government profit hugely
> and consistently from suppressing or distorting market( eg credit,
> energy,water, labor, real estate, education, healtcare) signals.
> In large and growing parts of the economy Free and Fair markets do
> not exist or are no longer allowed to operate.
> The more the markets are tortured and weakened the more the Government
> and its corporate, special interest and media allies claims that
> only they, the annointed few, have the answers.
> Governments cannot credibly address the issues you discussed in
> Parts 1 and 2 of your essay and markets are not allowed to. No wonder
> the fundamentals of the economy, society, culture and national global
> stature continue to deteriorate.
>
> Until the Government/market balance is reasonably restored, property
> rights and the rule of contracts are again honored, free and fair
> markets are again the norm and the middle class is again central
> in national decision making our condition cannot, reliably and consistently
> improve. It can, however, greatly worsen.

If governments only destroy wealth, not create it, then I assume you consider the Interstate system (actually, all government-built and -maintained roads) simple destruction of wealth. The same with ARPAnet and what came of it.

Give the ideology a break and get real, buddy.