Free kibbles

ECONOMY:

The capitalist one percent provides the standard of living the rest of us enjoy.

"In addition to not realizing that the wealth of the so-called 1 percent is the foundation of the standard of living of the so-called 99 percent, what the protesters also do not realize is that the "greed" of those who seek to become part of the 1 percent, or to enlarge their position within it, is what serves progressively to improve the standard of living of the 99 percent."

This would be true in a free market, and it's largely true in our economy, but because government has effectively seized control of most production in America, we're a lot poorer than we yet realize.

"Of course, this does not apply to wealth that has been acquired by such means as obtaining government subsidies or preventing competition through protective tariffs and other forms of government intervention. These are methods that are made possible to the extent that the government is permitted to depart from a policy of strict laissez-faire and thereby arbitrarily reward or punish firms."

Exactly.

TAX AND SPEND:

How government spending harms the economy.

Rothbard on the consumption tax: the form of the tax doesn't matter.

"We conclude with the observation that there has been far too much concentration on the form, the type of taxation, and not enough on its total amount."

All government spending is ultimately a tax no matter what form it finally takes. John Say explains how government spending makes us poorer:

"Taxation deprives the producer of a product, which he would otherwise have the option of deriving a personal gratification from, if consumed … or of turning to profit, if he preferred to devote it to an useful employment.… [T]herefore, the subtraction of a product must needs diminish, instead of augmenting, productive power."

We loose the product of our labor and our capital.

EDUCATION:

Another happy man just sent his children to private school.

"The school they are attending now is very affordable, and if it weren't for the gov't, all children could afford a quality education like this. Five grand a year, including books and all fees for two kids, 10 and 12, while the state of Alabama spends about 9 grand a year to indoctrinate one student."

Cheaper. Better. We should put government schools out of our misery.

GLOBAL WARMING AND ENERGY:

California implements cap and trade law. California's government is intent on destroying that state.

Dept. of Energy busted for retroactively editing press releases to cover up loans to bad green companies.

WAR ON DRUGS:

Prison supply corporation doesn't want drug decriminalization because it makes so much money of making drugs illegal.

WAR:

Glen Greenwald points out US troops are leaving Iraq in spite of Obama, not because of him. The agreement to withdraw all US troops by year's end was negotiated by Bush. Obama tried to negotiate a new agreement keeping US troops in Iraq, but failed. Moreover,

"There will still be a very substantial presence in that country, including what McClatchy called a “small army” under the control of the State Department. They will remain indefinitely, and that includes a large number of private contractors."

So much for the propaganda.

War profiteers head to Libya.

"As the UK Independent reported yesterday, "British firms were today urged by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to head to Libya to secure contracts for its reconstruction." Sayeth Secretary Hammond: "Of course I would expect British companies to be, even today, British sales directors, practically packing their suitcases and looking to get out to Libya and take part in the reconstruction of that country as soon as they can.""

And remember when NATO supposedly bombed Libya to save people?

"Lindsey Graham: "Sixty-thousand Libyans have been wounded, 3,000 maimed, 25,000 killed. Let’s get in on the ground. There is a lot of money to be made in the future in Libya.""

25,000 killed. Most of those people would have lived if NATO hadn't invaded. Our government now wages war to destroy countries so our rulers can make money rebuilding them. That's abominable. On Qaddafi's murder:

"CNN showed the tape of his being beaten bloody before he was shot in the head, again and again and again, for our delectation. It was a tribal killing, ordered by the US, and savored by the establishment as well as the perps."

Glad I missed it. This post has a link to video. It's odd how we have video of Saddam Hussein and Qaddafi's deaths, but not Osama bin Laden's.

POLITICS:

This article talking about the further centralization of power in Europe because of the euro crisis is frightening.

MISC:

Is Mikhail Gorbachev the new champion for one world government?