'Croynism,The American Way'

Vernonique de Rugy:

In their new book Why Nations Fail, economists Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson explain a country’s institutions’ impact on its wealth and economic growth. They, for instance, argue “that the ultimate cause for economic success or failure is rooted within each countries’ institutions, and that understanding how those institutions evolve is crucial for development.”

In a recent interview, which I already mentioned this morning, Acemoglu warned us about how in most countries, including the United States, the biggest rent seekers and moochers today are politicians themselves.

But nowadays in most countries, the most extractive elite is the politicians themselves. Think of Greece. You cannot understand the last three decades without understanding corrupt political system. But the same is true even for the United States. The US political system has become dominated by the political elite and the lobbying industry funneling money to them. We are seeing the costs of this at this moment.

Whether America’s institutions have now become more exclusive than inclusive is obviously an empirical question. But there is plenty of extraction going on right now. In this piece, for instance, the Washington Examiner’s Tim Carney reports on how companies like Microsoft were given very strong signals that hard work isn’t enough to do business in this country and that the right to produce and sell goods and services also requires, political contributions and lobbying capabilities.

Crony capitalism,where the government picks their favorites,is destroying America.There is no free markets when the government is involved,just coercion.

Why I'm Voting For Ron Paul

In the beginning I was hoping that Sarah Palin would enter the race,but she chose not to.After looking at all of the 'approved' candidates,I found they were conservatives in name only,more of a continuation of George W. Bush.So I decided to vote for my ideals and convictions instead of a personality.

I decided to vote for Constitutional government.A government that is clearly defined,with limits on what it could do and not do.A government that is committed to protecting my God given rights.

I decided to vote for sound money.A currency that is stable,that is able to retain its value over time,and able to resist inflation.

To have a sound currency,I decided to vote against the Fed.A cabal that chooses inflation to a strong dollar,that's does nothing but erode wealth,the life savings of our elderly.

Most importantly I decided to vote for freedom.Free markets,free speech,freedom of religion,I'm voting for the right to be my own master,and not be a ward of the state.Today our government has criminalized freedom.I cannot speak what I wish or it maybe labeled 'hate speech.'The government assumes criminal intent when I purchase a firearm.I am assumed to be a terrorist if I fly and don't meet the TSA's approval.On and on I'm a criminal,if I choose to live free.

These are the reasons I am voting for Ron Paul,because I simply want to live free.

'A Simple Observation about Job Creation And The Free Market'

Via Patterico's Pontifications:

When we talk about how many jobs some government official or entity has created, we are missing the point, and falling into the trap of using the other side’s terminology.

In connection with Karl’s point below about regulation: government doesn’t create jobs, except when government actually hires people. Government creates jobs by getting out of the way.
The free market isn’t some crazy abstract libertarian concept. It is what happen when millions of individuals make decisions on their own about what is best to buy and sell. When those decisions are free and unfettered by government intervention, the results of those decisions are determined by the collective wisdom of all those millions of people. When the decisions are handed down by a central authority, the results are determined by a handful of people who think they are smarter than the country as a whole.
I employ this model in blogging. I rely on readers because I don’t believe in the model of blogging where the blogger is like a cult figure, to whom everyone pays obeisance and talks endlessly about how brilliant they are. I believe in the model of blogging where you bring a bunch of smart people together to form a community. No matter how smart any one blogger may be, chances are their audience is, collectively, smarter. That’s because groups of people tend to have more collective brainpower at their disposal than any one person.
The same goes for the economy. When the central Soviet authority decided who was going to grow how many crops where, they didn’t know what the farmers knew. And people starved.
The free market is just free people making decisions for themselves.
So let’s not talk about who created more jobs. Let’s talk about who got out of the way — and let employers create more jobs.

'Obama: "None Of Us Make It On Our Own" Without Government'

Obama:

"Now, I want to be very clear here. Nobody wants to punish success in America. The Republicans talk about class warfare. That’s — our goal is to make success available for everybody. What’s great about this country is you’ve got a good idea, you’ve got a service that nobody else has thought of, you know what, go out there, start a business. Make money. I want everybody out there to be rich. That’s great. Anybody in America should be able to make it if they try."

"But none of us make it on our own. Somebody — an outstanding entrepreneur like a Steve Jobs — somewhere along the line he had a teacher who helped inspire him. All those great Internet businesses wouldn’t have succeeded unless somebody had invested in the government research that helped to create the Internet. We don’t succeed on our own. We succeed because this country has, in previous generations, made investments that allow all of us to succeed."

Wrong,Wrong,Wrong!

Without private business's,like BBN Technologies,the Department of Defence would not have had the Internet to begin with,Mr. President.Its the other way around,without free markets the government wouldn't make it on its own.

The government,like most people is a consumer.Unlike individuals though,the government doesn't create or produce anything,and is totally dependent on what it can purchase from others.

Also,Steve Jobs wasn't inspired by a teacher or anyone else from the government.Steve Jobs was inspired by this man,the creator of Polaroid:

Steve Jobs idolized Edwin Land, and it's clear he learned a lot from him.

Like Jobs, Land dropped out of college. Like Jobs, Land obsessed about function and form. Like Jobs, Land scoffed at the idea of "market research." (Both men believed that consumers don't know what they want until they see it.)

As Ronald Reagan said,"government isn't the answer,it is the problem."

Ultimately Violence Will Be Necessary, Says Occupy L.A. Speaker

Some conservatives/libertarians need to wake up and understand that this Occupy crowd isn't an anti-crony capitalism movement!They are not supporters of Ron Paul!They do not want smaller government!They do not believe in free markets!

What they want is to over throw free market capitalism and replace it with absolute socialism,by any means necessary,even with violent revolution.

All I have to say to this crowd is,"Don't Tread On Me!"

Hat tip to Ace Of Spades.

Eat The Rich Today And Then Starve Tomorrow

'BET's founder Robert Johnson To Obama:Stop Attacking The Wealthy'

BET founder Robert Johnson:

"I didn't go in to business to create a public policy success for either party, Republican or Democrat. I went in business to create jobs and opportunity, create opportunity, create value for myself and my investors. And that's what the president should be praising, not demagoguing us simply because Warren Buffet says he pays more than his secretary. He should pay the secretary more and she will pay more."