First, out of the gate: Unions are loathsome awful things.
They produce nothing; create nothing.
They drain resources from the companies they work for and inhibit growth and expansion.
They do this by appealing to the populist message that unions protect the worker, the everyday guy gettin’ ‘er done.
Fair wage, safe conditions and equality for all.
But it’s not true. Precious little of it is true.
Madison – Acting with unusual speed, the state Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to all but end collective bargaining for tens of thousands of public workers.
The court found a committee of lawmakers was not subject to the state’s open meetings law, and so did not violate that law when they hastily approved the measure and made it possible for the Senate to take it up. In doing so, the Supreme Court overruled a Dane County judge who had struck down the legislation, ending one challenge to the law even as new challenges are likely to emerge.
More thoughts later tonight.
Okay, okay. For a second, close your eyes and follow along.
Wait.
Doesn’t work in this medium.
Read this and THEN close your eyes and think through the scenarios.
Or whatever.
Consider dinner. Fine dining at a fancy schmancy restaurant.
Over the course there will be 1000 people served. They can come in tables of 2 or or 4. 1 or more even. Doesn’t matter. Now, consider these two scenarios:
These two methods of payment are going to cover the cost of the whole experience. Appetizers, desserts, cocktails and even valet parking – heck, coat check too.
Now, here is the question:
Under which scenario would you expect the restaurant to sell more desserts in?
How about appetizers?
For extra credit, explain your answer.
Republicans hold both houses of congress here in North Carolina for the first time in about 140 years. That’s a long time to wait.
For once, it’ll be a Republican lead agenda that shapes the fiscal direction in Raleigh. Whatever bill ends up being passed into law will be one the Republicans drafted, and built and approved. And it looks like Governor Purdue is making sure that the folks of North Carolina know that.
Posted in Economy, Elections 2012, Politics: North Carolina
Tagged Bev Purdue, Democrats, North Carolina, North Carolina Politics, Politics, Republicans
I’ve been a reader of Mark Perry’s for years and years. I love his stuff. One of my favorite installments that he runs is the “Chance of Recession”. Here, he highlights data delivered by the New York Federal Reserve bank.
The bank does a neat analysis of some different values and comes up with the chance that the economy will be in recession in the next year. The data isn’t perfect, but the rough strokes are enlightening.
Let’s look.
Posted in Economy, Politics: National
Tagged Intrade, Mark Perry, New York Fed, Recession
Care to guess when the last time a Federal Budget has been passed?
Why won’t the Democrats propose a budget?
Could it be:
Posted in Economy, Elections 2012, Government
Tagged Barack Obama, Democrats, Federal Budget
Profit
Greed
Corporate
Crime
Money
Exploitation
All are failings of men. People, left to their own devices are unable to care for their neighbor. At least without profit or reward. And so it is that government must come to the rescue. It is government, and only government, that can take away the risks of life and grant peace and serenity.
There was a time, not so long ago, that people were free to choose. They could do a thing, and, based on that thing, expect a specific outcome.
This was as true in banking as it is in everything in life. There is no free lunch.
However, then came along lawmakers. Those people who think they can institute “fairness” and legislate morality.
These people felt they could pass laws that would limit banks and limit ill begotten profits all in the name of “the common man”.
Now we see the fruits of their labor.
Posted in Economics, Politics: National
Tagged Banks, Free Checking, Incentives, Regulation
The rush of technology and the din of the day can, at times, seem overwhelming. And a lot of the time, it seems that technology, the gadgets and the drive for more things, takes much of the blame. To be sure, there is much to be said that supports that.
E-mail is never ending.
Twitter is all encompassing.
Facebook can be a time sink that destroys entire days.
Blogging and on line news delivered to your shirt pocket? Don’t even get me started.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
HBO has the documentary “Too Big To Fail” playing right now. Ive watched it twice now and I have some thoughts.
First, the show is top notch. The acting is A grade and the quality of the production is excellent. This is a great movie.
I’m a big believer in incentives. People tend to look out for their own self interests. Always have, always will. And this isn’t bad – wolves and cows and sparrows and gophers do the same thing. But we NEED to acknowledge that fact.
“Too Big To Fail” does a remarkable job at showing the thinking going on at the time of the failures. But I get the feeling that the message is wrong. That the message is “Greed”.
There is certainly enough to go around. However, I think the message of intervention and policy is underscored. Not one time in the show is it mentioned WHY these institutions would make these loans. For sure, there is talk about Fan and Fred being nationalized….but there isn’t a whiff about the impact they had on the market thinking.
The movie is worth watching. However, understand, it’s got a Left leaning slant.
And does a good job making that case.