This is the story of an innocent man from Bosnia who was detained in Guantanamo Bay for seven years before he was finally allowed a trial and found innocent. It is not very long, but very worth reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/my-guantanamo-nightmare.html?_r=1
There are still prisoners in Guantanamo who have not received their day in court.
Look at what Romney said about Guantanamo during the 2008 election:
Is it any wonder I don't like Romney-- this is just one thing-- does he really know what's going on and is he willing to see the reality of many situations and deal with them?
Ron Paul on the otherhand-- Here's a video of his predictions from 2002:
My husband was the one who found all these links-- I liked them so much I wanted to share. Knowledge is power.
Showing posts with label economics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economics. Show all posts
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Ron Paul's Response to the President
This was an excellent rebutal to the ridiculous bailout plan now termed a rescue plan as Paul points out in his essay. It was very refreshing, informative and funny in places. I won't go into a lot of detail here because I think Paul's words speak for themselves. If you're not sure about what the heck is going on out there with all these failing banks and companies and buyouts, read this essay. I think it will shed some light.
We need as many educated people as possible, as Ron Paul says, go educate yourself and then educate and encourage others to do the same. If we don't educate ourselves, we could end up with something much worse, like the Amero or I don't know what else. Buy tangibles, things that have intrinsic value, have some cash on hand in case you can't get your money out of the bank, and as the LDS prophets have been saying for years: GET OUT OF DEBT and GET YOUR FOOD STORAGE!!!
Here's the link to this most excellent essay, it's not too long, please read it!!:
http://www.campaignforliberty.com
We need as many educated people as possible, as Ron Paul says, go educate yourself and then educate and encourage others to do the same. If we don't educate ourselves, we could end up with something much worse, like the Amero or I don't know what else. Buy tangibles, things that have intrinsic value, have some cash on hand in case you can't get your money out of the bank, and as the LDS prophets have been saying for years: GET OUT OF DEBT and GET YOUR FOOD STORAGE!!!
Here's the link to this most excellent essay, it's not too long, please read it!!:
http://www.campaignforliberty.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
I have postponed posting on this because it was a little sobering to read and discuss even though I have been aware of what is in there for awhile. It is a very short piece probably about 30 normal pages (my great books pages have very small print and large pages, it was 15 pages in there), it is worth reading. It really doesn't take long. There are 4 sections.
The first section is about the proletariat (the people) and the burgeoisie ( the ruling class) and the problems between them and how the proletariat could oust the burgeoisie if they combined against them. He talks about some of the problems of capitalism such as how laborers are replaced by machinery and improved methods of production, there is a great problem of over production and the constant revolutionizing of methods and finding of markets cannot go on forever. I found myself agreeing that there are definitely some problems with capitalism. Then he talks about how the proletariat is the revolutionary class and they should combine against the evil burgeoisie.
The second section talks about how the proletarians should adopt the communist view. And he talks about how we should ban the private property of the rich beorgeoisie and abolish the family because burgeoisie husbands and wives are unfaithful to each other anyway and a few other things. He sets out 10 mandates to make a society where "the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all." They are:
1-Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2- A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3-Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4-Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5-Centralization of credit in the hands of the state by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6-Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7- Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringining ino cultivatioon of wastelands, and the improvemetn of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8- Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9-Combination of agriculture with manufacturning industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10-Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of child factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production etc.
So this is the sad part, how many of these mandates have we adopted? Too many!!! Are we really a capitalist country anymore? In light of the recent and future bailouts, not to mention other indicators, I would say we most definitely are not. That is why I postponed this post. Our awesome America is simply not the same country it was 100 years ago. I don't think the communists stopped trying to implement their ideas when we had the red scare in the 50's; they just changed their approach or influenced people to adopt their ideas and here we are today in the United States following more than half the mandates for the communist manifesto.
In the third and fourth sections he talks about the socialist parties in Europe and how that is not enough. Communism will also abolish the differences between cities and towns and countries. Everybody will be equal. The best way to run countries and people is through communism and the above madates. This is the final paragraph:
The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution. The proletarians hve nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all countries, unite!
The first section is about the proletariat (the people) and the burgeoisie ( the ruling class) and the problems between them and how the proletariat could oust the burgeoisie if they combined against them. He talks about some of the problems of capitalism such as how laborers are replaced by machinery and improved methods of production, there is a great problem of over production and the constant revolutionizing of methods and finding of markets cannot go on forever. I found myself agreeing that there are definitely some problems with capitalism. Then he talks about how the proletariat is the revolutionary class and they should combine against the evil burgeoisie.
The second section talks about how the proletarians should adopt the communist view. And he talks about how we should ban the private property of the rich beorgeoisie and abolish the family because burgeoisie husbands and wives are unfaithful to each other anyway and a few other things. He sets out 10 mandates to make a society where "the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all." They are:
1-Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2- A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3-Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4-Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5-Centralization of credit in the hands of the state by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6-Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7- Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringining ino cultivatioon of wastelands, and the improvemetn of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8- Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9-Combination of agriculture with manufacturning industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10-Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of child factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production etc.
So this is the sad part, how many of these mandates have we adopted? Too many!!! Are we really a capitalist country anymore? In light of the recent and future bailouts, not to mention other indicators, I would say we most definitely are not. That is why I postponed this post. Our awesome America is simply not the same country it was 100 years ago. I don't think the communists stopped trying to implement their ideas when we had the red scare in the 50's; they just changed their approach or influenced people to adopt their ideas and here we are today in the United States following more than half the mandates for the communist manifesto.
In the third and fourth sections he talks about the socialist parties in Europe and how that is not enough. Communism will also abolish the differences between cities and towns and countries. Everybody will be equal. The best way to run countries and people is through communism and the above madates. This is the final paragraph:
The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution. The proletarians hve nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all countries, unite!
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith Book 1 and the introduction
Adam Smith is considered the father of economics and now I know why. I read chapter one and the introduction of Adam Smith's, The Wealth of Nations. If we as Americans read and understood what Adam Smith was telling us in 1776, maybe we wouldn't be in the economic situation we are in now. The aspects I will discuss in this essay are the devaluation of currency, price of commodities and price of labour and wages.
Smith gives an excellent history and lesson on money and how metals were first chosen as a means of exchange because of their portablility and stability. Then he talks about how rulers would issue coins that actually contained less gold or silver than they did previous and how this devalued the money which would lead to inflation. I wish we understood this concept today. The dollar isn't even backed by anything, all it is is a piece of paper and in many cases today it's not even a piece of paper; it's just a number in a computer somewhere. No wonder we are experiencing massive inflation now. We don't have a stable means of exchange. It's unfortunate we left the gold standard, we are paying the price now.
Another very interesting and applicable point Smith makes in this first book is that prices are almost always measured by the amount of corn or wheat that can be bought. In times of plenty the price of food is lowered and price of luxuries are increased, but in times of scarcity, the price of food will rise and luxuries may no longer even be exchanged. People will not care for extras, just the necessities in times of scarcity. Food is always necessary and is a good measure of the economy. He also discussed the interesting idea that laborers earn more money in times of plenty and are more independent than in times of scarcity. He says the opposite is also true:
"Masters of all sorts, therefore frequently make better bargains with their servants in dear that in cheap years, and find them more humble and dependent in the former than in the latter. They naturally therefore, commend the former as more favourable to industy." (towards the end of Chapter VIII Of the Wages of Labour)
He also points out that the masters, landlords and farmers, often make a better profit in dear years because the price of labour is less. Another interesting point he brought up earlier in this chapter is that wages for laborers are the highest when the economy is growing rapidly. He says:
"It is not the actual greatness of national wealth, but its continual increase, which occasions a rise in the wages of labour. It is not, accordinigly, in the richest countries, but in the most thriving, or in those which are growing rich the fastest, that the wages of labour are highest."
This was an excellent read and very thought provoking. I highly recommend this book especially if you want to learn more about Economics. So many things begin to make sense under this new light. Adam Smith is very exact and uses many case studies from history to illustrate his points. If you are willing to take the time to really delve in and understand his points, then you can certainly draw parallels to the present. Good luck, thanks for reading!!
Smith gives an excellent history and lesson on money and how metals were first chosen as a means of exchange because of their portablility and stability. Then he talks about how rulers would issue coins that actually contained less gold or silver than they did previous and how this devalued the money which would lead to inflation. I wish we understood this concept today. The dollar isn't even backed by anything, all it is is a piece of paper and in many cases today it's not even a piece of paper; it's just a number in a computer somewhere. No wonder we are experiencing massive inflation now. We don't have a stable means of exchange. It's unfortunate we left the gold standard, we are paying the price now.
Another very interesting and applicable point Smith makes in this first book is that prices are almost always measured by the amount of corn or wheat that can be bought. In times of plenty the price of food is lowered and price of luxuries are increased, but in times of scarcity, the price of food will rise and luxuries may no longer even be exchanged. People will not care for extras, just the necessities in times of scarcity. Food is always necessary and is a good measure of the economy. He also discussed the interesting idea that laborers earn more money in times of plenty and are more independent than in times of scarcity. He says the opposite is also true:
"Masters of all sorts, therefore frequently make better bargains with their servants in dear that in cheap years, and find them more humble and dependent in the former than in the latter. They naturally therefore, commend the former as more favourable to industy." (towards the end of Chapter VIII Of the Wages of Labour)
He also points out that the masters, landlords and farmers, often make a better profit in dear years because the price of labour is less. Another interesting point he brought up earlier in this chapter is that wages for laborers are the highest when the economy is growing rapidly. He says:
"It is not the actual greatness of national wealth, but its continual increase, which occasions a rise in the wages of labour. It is not, accordinigly, in the richest countries, but in the most thriving, or in those which are growing rich the fastest, that the wages of labour are highest."
This was an excellent read and very thought provoking. I highly recommend this book especially if you want to learn more about Economics. So many things begin to make sense under this new light. Adam Smith is very exact and uses many case studies from history to illustrate his points. If you are willing to take the time to really delve in and understand his points, then you can certainly draw parallels to the present. Good luck, thanks for reading!!
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