Hot Richard

Detroit's Loser Status Isn't New

You guys are being nice, so I'll put it in print:

Detroit is what huge, massive government gets you. No city in America represented the massive-government-mee... relationship more than Detroit. Detroit was/is the top of the food chain of what the American government is capable of when it gets its way with a willing population eager for a blankie from Uncle Sam. Republican or Democrat doesn't matter. There's one party: Big Government. And, this is what awaits at the end of all those self-serving politicians, politically motivated programs, massive budgets, statist capitalists(1), and tax policies.

The trend in the USA is TOWARD Detroit. Detroit is just the first to fail massively as it was the most pure example of the quasi-socialistic government uber plan.

You cannot turn Detroit around while the people of Detroit elect incompetent and corrupt politicians who have virtually unlimited power while they implement insane, damaging social policies. The people of Detroit, although good, are directly to blame for who they elected, the life values they cherished, and the programs they supported. Not to mention the criminal power of labor unions to team with politicians to skyrocket labor costs for work that robot monkeys can do. Not even good robot monkeys...just robot monkeys.

Now you have an America, deeply deeply deeply deeply in debt, looking at making the most expensive purchase of any nation in the world: Collectivist Health Care for 300 million. Folks, Detroit (like Maddoff) is supposed to be a warning bell.

Barry Sanders quit because his coach and the whole Detroit Lions management team weren't very good at their jobs. THAT is what competitiveness is about. Detroit failed because the same is true about all the characters in the Detroit tragedy.

Or maybe I'm wrong and there are no consequences of our actions and it really is just the Gods bowling.

Either way, I'll be investing/betting on the insanity in America to continue and profit mercilessly from every failure of these policies.

(1) Yes Michael Moore, there is a difference between "statist capitalist" and "capitalist". One is not really a capitalist.

The Hindenburg Omen (Extended)

Freya,
If you are really arguing about the use of the "eff word" (the most useful, commonly used, beautiful, inspirational, and efficient word in the world...not just the English language), then the jury has reached its decision.

My multi-linguistic appreciation for that word knows no limits. It is precious.

Potash Gets a Soros-Led Boost

You look a bit like him, YH.

A Look at George Soros's Recent Trades

XOM is a great play and I'm glad to see Buffett getting in. It might mean he won't go down with the dollar ship.

Make no mistake, Ford got screwed. Run your company right, pay your taxes, and have those taxes (and a lot of other people's taxes) used to strengthen your competition. Wow.

I don't see how Soros plans to make money on VZ or T.

Energy is about all I'm investigating right now as I'm all full of gold and silver.

Banning Derivatives and Other Such Foolishness

"the moral hazard created by the lack of insurable interest."

"Moral hazard" is the great broom for sweeping everything into the domain of state control. Americans seem to know as much about markets as they do about dealing with Islam (for those of you wondering...this is "almost nothing").

"Let's all remember that without the state, markets--and people--cease to exist." --Dr. McCrazypants

"Regulatory authority doesn't prevent collapse, it only creates regulatory authority." -- Dr. McSanepants

The Unsustainable Lie of Inflation

The author avoids the real question: Were the dinosaurs Christian?

The Unsustainable Lie of Inflation

Your elected officials are systematically destroying your currency -- along with the economy – as they manufacture the illusion.

Why? If you haven't figured it out yet, your children might. But their school books will be written by those in charge of the destruction.

The Intrinsic Value of Nothing, Part 2

"It is dangerous to both the ability to marshall forces during war, or promoting balance during peace."

There is constant war BECAUSE OF THE STATE! There is no peace. There is no peace. There is no peace. There is no peace. There is no peace.

Walk into a biker bar after crashing your truck into their bikes, call them all pussies, and then run outside and "marshall the troops" to protect you from the evil, enemy bikers. Congratulations! You have what it takes to run a country.

PS: I believe when people use "von Mises idiot" it is a WIN. First they ignore you, then they fight you, then you win.

The Intrinsic Value of Nothing, Part 2

Not just the shell game, but the Ponzi scheme also is about to end.

Let me get muddy...

"You von mise idiots are clueless."
Always a hint that someone smart is posting.

"Sovereignty is priceless."
Only the biggest gun has sovereignty, and no one else. This is the rule of violence in which we live, but refuse to admit.

"The ability to direct affairs to protect an entity in crises is as valuable as life itself."
The state will sacrifice ALL for the continuation of the state--even when the people would be better off without the state. Horribly, the people are often complicit and walk willingly to their death for the state.

"Laissez-faire in peace.... direction during crisis... is the essence of why one system of belief's survive and another collapses."
There is never peace and never Laissez-faire--only the illusion--if there is the state.

"The value of a wise structure of sovereignty, like american democracy is what you are attacking."
Let me be the most ardent attacker of the false god: democracy. No need to use "America" or "wise" as adjectives here. They don't apply.

It's Raining Silver!

Reminds me of a weekend of experimentation in Thailand.

Wal-Mart Executives: There Are Families Not Eating at the End of the Month

Walmart sent good paying manufacturing jobs overseas...where kids overseas now could eat because their parents now had jobs. AND back in the USA, millions of consumers got more for less at Walmart (oh, the horror of capitalism). Why does all the socialism and moral hugging stop at the border? Hungry kids across the border are still hungry kids. If I "gots to help the children", I "gots to help 'em all." Praise Jesus. We are all God's children.

Hungry kids in the USA and some of you are blaming Walmart? UCMTSU! Start (and end) with Congress and American's support of a one-party (Big Government) system that is corrupt and inefficient as the day is long while also knowing diddly-poo about economics.

Wowzer. America sinks to being TERRIFIED of competition for low-ass-paying jobs. Don't worry, they're coming back...your kids and grandkids will have them.

I've done a considerable amount of charity work the last decade with the poorest of the poor. I cannot remember a single instance of someone being without food who didn't also have horrible spending priorities. Don't smoke, don't buy booze, have roommates, cook your own food (live mostly vegetarian), don't own a cell phone, don't own a car, don't have a cable TV bill, and shop for bargain clothes. Done and done. You aren't going to be living large, but you can at least feed your damn kids!

Yes, there is a penalty for electing morons for most of this century. Your citizens start to starve. Stop crying "no fair".

I sincerely hope that a lot of Americans get the opportunity to experience socialism. You'll love it, really, because they'll tell you that you love it.

Unemployment: It's Even Worse than You Think

If I had a time machine and Ron Paul, I wouldn't waste my time saving the USA. You can have your government-provided utopia illusion.

Remember people, we are WAY PAST the event horizon. The downward spinning will continue to accelerate at an accelerating pace.

Burn, baby, burn...and profit from it. Not real popular, but I'm not the one crashing the plane.

And Bernanke Didn't Think Unemployment Would Reach 10%

You migh want to consider that Bernanke is a liar.

Employment: Neither Quality Nor Quantity

Government is the fox guarding the hen house and the fox doesn't give a hoot if he eats all the chickens. All the fox cares about is getting his noms. Hint: you, your kids, and your earnings are the chickens.

Gov spending (and debt) will increase and increase and increase and increase and increase. You are not fighting for fiscal responsibility. You are at war with the dogma of socialism. But don't worry, serfdom is just up the road.

America, The Nanny State

This is no crossroads. It is 200mph down a road that ends in a brick wall. Socialism will expand (and State powers will grow) until collapse. There will be no intellectual revolution in the voting booth. And it'll take more than one collapse before capitalism returns.

Invest accordingly. But be aware that there is no limit to the State's ability to tax you and limit your options to flee.