Job creation is a function of the free market

http://reason.com/blog/2010/02/08/the-good-news-is-the-bad-news

Tim Cavanaugh at Reason's Hit and Run makes a good point -- it's not within government's power to create meaningful jobs. The governent can create the illusion of productive activity by creating temporary, unproductive positions in which people are paid with money taken from people who are being productive, but only the market creates jobs that are required to meet consumer demand, which create new wealth and trade production for production. The money we've already paid in taxes to take care of road maintenance and bridge building has obviously already been spent by a wasteful government, so now they're borrowing money which will have to be paid back in the form of higher taxes, so those types of jobs, although in some cases helpful, aren't creating wealth, and they are temporary.

If "green" products and services, whatever they are, were in demand, the market would be meeting that demand, so "green" jobs are an illusion. This is government's attempt to play the part of producer, but it's a joke. The administration seems to think that by calling make-work "green" it will somehow add value. The State can get out of the way, if they want to help, and not add regulatory and tax burdens to the free market. There's a fundamental problem with the State when it attempts to control economic activity and create growth by interfering in the market and attempting to spur and guide production by "creating jobs".

When the State attempts to adjust economic growth upwards because slow growth is politically damaging, it places political wishes above economic reality. If the State has this kind of power it would have found the right combination of interventions by now, after decades of tinkering, to maintain permanent  full employment and steady economic growth.

You don't stimulate the healing of a recuperatng patient by adding unnecessary layers of bangages and hiring more unnecessary doctors and nurses, even if the bangages are green and the healthcare workers will like you for giving them the work. The patient doesn't heal faster and the cost of treatment skyrockets. 

Predictable reactions to Sarah Palin's speech

The MSM, political pundits and moderates are becoming even more predictable, if that's possible -- it's like an automatic reaction -- they could use old footage, blogs and columns rather than going through the ritual each time.

Speaking of moderates, David Frum and his cohorts are calling for a Moderate Convention -- hmm, in Peoria, perhaps? The moderates say they are passionate about their centrism. There used to be talk about the radical center, but I never hear about that anymore, since no one could really figure out what it meant. I think it was just a macho reaction to being seen as squishy.

I've never understood "moderate" as a permanent political position, since, so often choices have to made regarding one postion or another. There's not often a center position, so what does a "moderate" do? Accept both sides? Refute both sides? I can see being moderate at times when extremes are unreasonable, but extremes are necessary at other times. Many times when simply mixing two opposing views you get gobbledygook -- you get a lot of on the one hand and then on the other hand without ever clarifying a position. The main convention speech would go on for ever as synthesis is sought on every controversial issue. I don't like conventions in general, and I'm sure I wouldn't like a moderate convention -- it sounds awfully boring.

Getting back to Palin -- I love it when she stirs up people like on Joe Scarborough's coffee show this morning -- Peggy Noonan, Mike Barnicle, Andrea Mitchell -- Oh, it was wonderful.

Birther Goofballs

If all factions of the Tea Party movement want to avoid unnecessary flack from the MSM, they will renounce all interest in Obama's birth certificate.

No one cares, and whatever the facts are, they are close enough for government work. It's a dead issue, and there are many more issues which are far more important. Obama is embracing statism, so that is a fair attack. Make Obama and his supporters defend statism without double-talk, not where he was born.

Make Obama and those who promote more presidential power defend this.

Bankers need to embrace a free market

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/us/politics/08lobby.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

I don't separate banks into a category of "evil companies", just as I don't separate insurance companies into such a category. A company is a company as long as they are competing fairly in the free market. When banks, and companies from other industries, begin rent-seeking looking for government protection and an unfair advantage in the market place, then I'm judgemental -- both government and the rent-seeking companies are then acting in opposition to free market principles -- this is bad.

Big banks have sunk neck-deep in government protection and many are likely regretting their cowardice -- hopefully, they've learned a deeper lesson than simply that government is a lousy, dangerous and fickle partner -- hopefully they've learned they need to compete in the free market without unfair avantage.

There is a price to pay for protection, and big banks might be understanding this price is too high, although, like I said, I hope they learn something more fundamental and meaningful.

The link above is to an article showng that banks are reacting to Democrat tenacles by contributing to the Republicans. Expect Democrats to fight hard for regulation blocking companies from trying to buy their way free of the tenacles. The banks might be screwed -- it might be too late to escape the price charged for protection. One part of me will regret the damage done to free market principles, and another part will understand that when you play with rattlesnakes you'll soon get bitten.

Sarah Palin's influence

Although there are many on the right pressuring Sarah Palin to run for president, I still maintain it would be a mistake and that her greatest influence is in the private sector. Washington DC will change from pressure applied through the private sector, not from internal insight. The State doesn't have the capability or will to heal itself.

The private sector needs voices and personalities like Sarah Palin, but once she gets into national politics as a candidate or offcie holder, if elected, she will be constantly atacked and diverted. She can't be touched in the private sector, plus she has the freedom to be herself. Some people, it seems, are born to be politicians, and when they run or get elected it's sort of expected they will wheel and deal -- but if someone like Palin turns into just another politician it weakens the external pressure to change government -- more people become disillusioned and give up.

Government work is too small and restrictive for big personalities and principled people who can influence others in a positive way. Politics get dirty and bogged down in process. Some people are suited for the process of government work, but my hope is that our best personalities are not misused and abused in government work. The allure of national politics should never have become such a reality. It should be boring work done by personality types who are suited for it. The celebrity status placed on representatives is likely to change, and fewer people will find it appealing, thus not running for office for the wrong reasons.

In the private sector, with the information age growing by leaps and bounds, there's more opportunity to shine and be influential, because people are free to be themselves and say what they want to say. From outside the system, influential personalities can shape debates and help good, qualified people get elected who are suited for government positions and can do the grinding work to limit State power and free the markets to grow and create new wealth. America needs to shrink it's Super-State persona in the world and get down to the business of producing, and not just widgets, but art and culture and intelligent discourse and all the other things it takes to build an exceptional place in the world where free people can flourish. Personalities like Sarah Palin can rally for this type of America and be much more influential in private roles than getting bloody in political knifefights over State power.

We need many voices in the private sector to step forward and help build this type of space for individuals to flourish and overcome the chains of poverty and preventable sickness -- to enrich themselves intellectually and spiritually -- to be an example of reason, fair competition, smart co-operation, good common sense, peaceful co-existence and diversity. We need men and women from science, industry, arts, technology, literature, etc., to rise and create a private sector that isn't dependent on government nannies, but rather controls our government to perform the duties we hire them to perform.

President would be a demotion compared to what can be accomplished in the private sector.