Tag Archives: Regulation

Bank Regulations: Incentives

I am fascinated by the study of the use of scare resources which have alternative uses.  Further, I’m frustrated by the fact that I shrugged off Economics while I was going to college.  Instead, I focused on engineering and math, physics and chemistry.  In retrospect, how boring and useless ;-).

But the idea that all things have alternate uses is fascinating.  And critical.  Combine this with the fact that all people will pursue their individual self-interests and you will find the decisions people make to be interesting as well.

And it’s within this light that I judge and critique government policy.

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I’m Not Always Right. Right?

I get it; I’m hard to argue with.  I have the cursed combination of:

  1. Never walking away from a fight
  2. Being overly aggressive
  3. Never willing to compromise

With that said, I know, I KNOW, that I can’t be always right.  There simply have to be positions where I’m wrong or where I at least have to compromise.

So, looking back, where do I think I’m wrong?  Where do you think YOU are wrong?

I’ll start.

I am a massive believer in markets and think that we need drastically less regulation.  I’m probably wrong on how far back I wanna go.

I don’t think that we should raise taxes; in fact, I’m for lowering them.  I’m probably wrong on the degree of taxation that’s healthy.

Okay, my name is Pino and I’m a debater.

Your turn.

Unintended Consequences: California Style

There are some good things in California.  For example, I can think of two:

1.  California Pizza Kitchen

2.  That little corner store on Inter-State 8 East just before you hit the Arizona line.  How can’t you like the last thing in California?

But seriously, California must be a nice place to live.  It HAS to be, or so many otherwise sensible people wouldn’t live there.

But that doesn’t mean business find it a nice place to live.

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Government Can’t Get Too Large

Because really, nothing should go unregulated.

In an age where we believe that the only valid unassisted choice a person can make is to abort or not abort a child, the government continues to restrict our liberties.  In the name of “safety” the government, and those who are government fan-boys, march toward the regulation of every movement and decision we make.

Buy too big a house and can’t afford the payments?

Regulate it.

Wanna consume cheap energy?

Regulate it.

Wanna sell flowers in New Orleans?

Regulate it.

And now this.  Kids selling lemonade to people who are hot.  Regulated:

BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA) — You can make a fortune selling parking spots outside the US Open, but don’t even dream of setting up a lemonade stand.

A county inspector ordered the Marriott and Augustine kids to shut down the stand they set up on Persimmon Tree Rd., right next to Congressional.

Yup.

Some kids set up a lemonade stand and were told they needed a $300 permit.

No regulation is too big to save us from the next Wall Street greed induced bubble!

Only The Government Can Save Us: Alabama Tornadoe Edition

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.

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Free Checking Accounts: This For That

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.

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Too Much Government Regulation

Think government isn’t broken?

Think government can fix all our problems?

Even if it can’t fix ’em ALL, folks STILL think that government can generally do better than the public sector can do.  Why this is true baffles me.  Some folks claim that corruption reigns supreme in the private sector and is therefore blemished.  Other folks think that profit reigns supreme in the private sector [and I think it does] and THAT makes the system inefficient.

Whatever it is, the idea that government can “do better than the private sector is one of the deepest misguided beliefs in human thinking.  The government CAN’T operate more efficiently than the private sector.

And here is proof via Coyote Blog.

For a few years, Mike Haege’s sister lived in north Minneapolis. He knows the neighborhood at least a little bit, and when a tornado tore through the area on Sunday, May 22, he took notice.

On the news he saw trees strewn about lawns and streets. Then inspiration struck. He wanted to help. His schedule for Monday, May 23, was wide open. And, since he operates Custom Cut, a tree trimming business here, he figured his services could be put to good use.

Now check this out:

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Jobs, Hiring and Uncertainty

We all know how to mitigate risks.  We do it everyday in our everyday life.

We drive a car to work, or to school or to a bus stop.  Or we walk.  Across a street or next to one.

We swim.

Or buy a gun.

We know, as rational people, what our risks are.  And we are remarkable at acting in such a way, as a group, that our risks are minimized while our rewards are maximized.

We all do this.  All. Of. Us.

So don’t think for a second that business owners don’t do this as well.

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So How Is Obama Doin’ With The Economy

We all wanna compare; we wanna know.  How is one team vs. another?  How am I compared to my peers?  So, it’s only natural that we do the same thing for the economy and how we’re managing our way out of it.

So.  How is Mr. Obama doing?

Well, let’s look.

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Regulation – Private Sector Style

So, this past weekend my wife informed me that we were going to buy a new washer and dryer.

Fine.

Then she told me that she would appreciate it if I conducted some research and came up with a make and model before we went to the store.

Fine.

The entirety of my research was this:

google.com

“Do front load washers work”

When I found out that the stink and break, I went to step 2:

consumerreports.com

“Top Load Washers”

Sort – Price

I found the top rated set in the price range I wanted.  I looked to make sure there was more than a dozen reviews.

Then I wrote it down on my paper.

Total time invested – 7 minutes.

Confidence – High.

My point is that there aren’t any written rules that document how a manufacturer should create a well made and quality machine.  Rather, they have to answer to the market.  It is CRITICAL to these folks that they are rated high in Consumer Reports.  If they aren’t rated well, I don’t buy.

And neither do you.

Why that wouldn’t work for milk is beyond me.