Liberals hate the Declaration of Independence. That’s one quirk of the Liberal mentality I’ve encountered repeatedly throughout the years — as much as they despise and subvert the Constitution, they reserve even more bile for the Declaration.
They hate it so much, in fact, that they will manufacture endless excuses for ignoring it, even to the point of flat out denying that it is a legal document, despite its being passed unanimously by Congress, and going even further to denying that the United States existed as a nation until our independence was “granted” — not won, “granted” like a Christmas present — by the British king.
This used to be puzzling to me, but it long ago became clear that what Liberals really objected to was the fact that the Declaration spells out in plain language that government is subservient to the people, and people get their rights — as Conservatives know — from God the Creator. The reason, too, is clear: Liberals have to destroy that principle in order to push forward their worldview and agendas, in which the state is supreme, effectively God, rights come from and can be repealed by government, the individual must serve the collective for the betterment of the state, and certain classes of people are worthier of government largesse and political favor than others.
Illinois nuclear plant operators have demanded more subsidies, to help keep unprofitable nuclear plants open, to prevent a surge of fossil fuel usage which they claim will occur if they are closed. If the British experience is any guide, this is just the beginning.
State lawmakers are debating whether to keep ailing nuclear plants alive. The outcome will set a precedent for more states to come.
With hard times setting in for some nuclear power plants, Illinois state legislators are trying to decide whether they should put nuclear facilities on life support, or lay them to rest early.
A combination of market forces and policy choices has made the nuclear business tougher in recent years, and that’s the case at two facilities in Illinois operated by Exelon. The company is telling lawmakers that the money-losing reactors will have to be brought offline prematurely unless the state lends support. That would result in lost jobs and a big dip in the state’s capacity to produce electricity—one that could have dirty, carbon-burning power plants stepping up to close the gap. With jobs, tax dollars, and environmental quality at stake, it’s turned into a dramatic battle in the final days of the state’s legislative session.
Getting back to the economic version of rocket science (don’t even tell me that isn’t funny), we have been hearing the term for the past several years. Ironically it started with the central banking crowd, although they never quite told us what exactly the economy had to do to accelerate beyond the grasp of the ‘great recession’.
and scientists are unwilling to look to themselves to stop the rot.
All of these reasons were on display in the leaked emails from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU).
A new study released today by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) argues that to alleviate poverty, our leaders, policymakers, and activists must reexamine how they view and address the problem in America and worldwide. Instead of focusing on a ratio of income inequality, people need reforms that remove barriers to jobs and opportunities, promote an honest price-setting system for goods and services, and bolster institutions that promote entrepreneurship, openness, and commerce.
J. Spittler, editor of Casey Daily Dispatch: Nick, your advisory is called Crisis Investing. Could you explain what “crisis investing” is?
Nick Giambruno: Crisis investing is basically buying elite companies in beaten-up countries or industries. When there’s a crisis, most people only see danger. But it’s actually an opportunity. A crisis often allows you to buy a dollar’s worth of assets for a dime…or less.
Many of the world’s greatest investors have made their fortunes this way…but anyone can do it. You don’t need be rich or well-connected. You don’t even need to travel to do it.
In fact, if you have a regular brokerage account—and the courage to buy when others are fearful—you’re all set. The courage part is key. You can’t be a successful crisis investor if you’re not willing to go against the crowd.
Regulations are nearly always introduced with the best intentions. In financial services, they aim to stop unscrupulous brokers and banks from ripping off the public through bad practices. Manufacturers are banned from making products which are dangerous to children, the environment, or which might fail through shoddy workmanship. However, state intervention in commercial matters is based on shaky grounds, consistent with denial of the role and workings of markets, and an overriding desire to interfere.
This contrasts with a true understanding of why free markets work, and the control the consumer exercises over prices and choice, subordinating them to his subjective decisions. Consequently, regulation is based on an unreasoned belief that the individual needs state intervention to ensure standards are maintained, and that bad practices will be eliminated. The incorrect assumption is that free markets encourage unscrupulous manufacturers and service providers to defraud the consumer, when in fact, reputation becomes the paramount relationship in trade.