Recently in economics Category

I've stayed away from politics/economics/social theories for a while - because honestly I twitter (see twitter box at right) - and the people I follow, both via blogs/twitter do politics so much better than I. But this is truly sticking in my craw.

I was...ok, let me be honest...I believe I was watching the True Blood season finale on 9/18, and left HBO on because I was in shock, lol. But I caught Real Time with Bill Maher, as his guests were: Journalist Matthew Continetti (editor of The Weekly Standard, contributing writer to the Washington Post and the LA Times); historian Annette Gordon-Reed (The Hemingses of Monticello, Harvard Professor); author Jeffrey Toobin (staff writer at The New Yorker since 1993 and the senior legal analyst for CNN); former health insurance executive Wendell Potter; and comic David Cross.

And (of course) the first topic of discussion was Obama's health reform efforts, debates regarding it, etc....and the following discussion snapped me back to reality:

Bill Maher: Are we (Americans) a good people? ......what is it about the American character that allows us to do what no other nation in the world does, which is make a buck off of breast cancer?

Matthew Continetti: I don't think it's the American character...I think it's the American political system.

Bill Maher: But doesn't one lead to the other?

Matthew Continetti: No, not at all...you can have....

note: this is where Bill & I both simultaneous pumped the brakes

Bill Maher: Our political system is not the outgrowth of our character?

Matthew Continetti: Well, our political system was created 200 years ago, so it's not going to reflect the characters of people.

Bill Maher: The system we have now does not reflect the system we had 200 years ago.

Matthew Continetti: Well, it's also the case that as government grows, and lobbyists are able to get their way, what the lobbyists want is to protect the status quo......I want a competitive marketplace....I want to go in another direction, where you have a free market.

Jeffrey Toobin: This is why we don't have....why we have the system we do. Because people like Matthew genuinely believe that the market is the answer to virtually all problems...and that is a well established view in this country across the board...

...and I totally agree with Jeffrey. And I find this both maddening and terrifying.

I zoned out as they debated the Healthcare public option vs. single payer systems, and whether or not a "free market" could work in the health insurance industry. I zone out - because I couldn't get past Matthew's awkward marginal response to Bill Maher's original question: "Are we a good people?" It was almost as if the idea of a collective "us" (i.e. Americans) being a good people was antithetical to him.

"Good? Pssshaw - America is soulless. The free market should step in, to avoid us making moral decisions, and the government being charged to execute/implement them."

The conversation continued, with some discussion about whether compassion should be expressed by the government spending money, whether Bush was compassionate (!), etc. And as it continued, the only thought that crossed my mind was that Matthew had no experience or frame of reference with America's collective social conscious, so his responses shouldn't be surprising.

See, Matthew, like so many people now, is a product of the 1980's, and their collective consciousness is capitalist; their guru is Gordon Gecko:
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Greed, indeed, is good.And the free market defines/clarifies/purifies it all. (and if it wasn't clear, yes - that is sarcasm).

what's a collective social conscious you ask?:: I can remember being a kid in the 1970's, and being held captive in class watching movie reels of public service announcements ranging from the benefits of nuclear energy, why littering is bad for the environment, why it's good to eat breakfast, why you should listen to your parents (Timmy was forever making bad decisions, wasn't he?)... to not drinking the stash of brightly colored liquids underneath mom's sink:

But also, I can remember PSA's about the role of government in our lives, and the 3 branches of government, and how bills are passed, and why (as good American citizens) we're required to participate in the voting process. Now, mind you - it was all propoganda, granted. But it did create a spirit of collectivism (well that, and those air raid drills which were terrifying). We were in this together. And together, we knew (from these movie reels) what was important to us: family, values, taking care of each other, participating, making a difference. Oh, and brushing our teeth.

the decline:: whose idea was it to take all this out of the minds of our youth? Out of the classroom, and off Saturday morning tv? I can remember watching cartoon's in the 1990's with my daughter, and it seemed like most of them were geared toward combating our declining moral values, than instilling any values in us, they talked about STD's, and not smoking, internet safety, and not being prejudiced. Ok, I get it - I know what NOT to do. But when did we teach the kids what they SHOULD do?

We took values out of the classroom, off of popular media, and left it strictly to parents, even as we said "it takes a village". And what happened? We created a nation of Matthews. The idea of a collective social conscious totally escapes them. Then we wonder why the idea of socialism is completely abhorent to them. But someone should've created a PSA about Socialism, Communism, Democracy and other socio-economic/political ideologies, so they'd truly understand the concepts they so freel bandy about.

But back to the original question:: Are we a good people? Matthew's answer seemed like deflection. It was a classic non sequitor, or if not that - at least an appeal to common practice, which in this case is free market capitalism, which obviously is the only solution to our nations' problems.

This premise that capitalism/free markets is the only solution is flawed. We haven't taught our children that there may possibly be other options that are not only applicable, but viable, in certain applications. We haven't taught them that those other options may have value. Don't get me wrong - I couldn't live in a purely socialist country. But universal health care is far from socialist. And we never taught our children that. Hell, a lot of us know this, but are willfully ignorant because it serves us well to promote Capitalism.

How to turn this around? I don't know. And even though Michael Moore's movie "Capitalism: A Love Story" opens next weekend, his reputation will prevent the audience that needs to hear a different perspective, from going to see it. It's preaching to the choir, IMHO.

Right now, I've love a SchoolHouse Rock remix, that illustrates our insurance system for the masses. And an animated Supernews explanation of Socialism/Capitalism/Deomcracy and social consciousness for Matthew. Not that I think he'd actually watch it. SMH

I'm a water baby. I love water, oceans, rivers, streams and lakes. I'm drawn to them, and periodically feel the need to just jump in. So one of the decisions on where to buy my home was its proximity to a body of water. The one you see pictured here.

Now, it's notable that when I moved into my house, the body of water in question is as pictured at left. Pretty, but not necessarily attractive. And not necessarily functional.

Here's where an opportunity meets imagination, and an entrepreneurial spirit. You & I might just see a body of water, a lake that's worthy of fishing, or pondering over. Maybe running around. You & I might think - yanno, it would be cool if I could come down here every once in a while, and chill, read a book or just watch the sun set.

But someone saw something else. Someone saw this:

A waterski park. A modest beach - including sand. But probably more importantly - A recreation area where families new to the area might be glad to pay a fee to boat, waterski and otherwise enjoy an otherwise underutilized lake.

Enter the entrepreneur (and play their theme music ♫ "I'm a hustla,baby" ♫):: Someone saw an opportunity and used their imagination to figure out how they could both provide a service, and charge a fee for it. That, my friends - is the crux of being an entrepreneur. Not just to make a buck, but to find opportunities to meet the needs of potential customers, or create those opportunities. I ♥ this!

I know some of you may be distressed about what said entrepreneur has done to the natural beauty, by shipping in sand and opening this up for litter. Rest assured - this area was already being misused by avid fisherman, runners and random teenagers. I'd hope if this venture doesn't float (pun intended) - that the sand and structures would be dismantled, but even if they aren't - the hustla in me is still admiring the hustla in them.

Are you concerned about your job in this recessionary climate? Concerned about job security? Laid off and wondering what your next move is? Take this as either a cautionary tale - or (like me) as inspiration. And moi? I'm going for a ski...

I can't find this story online, so my first blog in over 60 days is a straight news story:

Atlanta Area Business Fires Staff Via Text:

Facing a federal indictment in Gwinnett County, Access Business Services closed it's doors, and surprised its employees with "virtual" pink slips. Per WSB-TV, employees received notice via text messages that the company was closing permanently, and to not report to work today. However, not all employees received the messages - arriving to a box of letters explaining the firing, and elaborating by stating they "could make no comments on the delayed payroll" due to employees. One employee interviewed by WSB claimed that Access owed them $2,000, for backpay and commissions.

The telemarketing company is under indictment for telephone fraud, related to Access' business practices. Again, per WSB TV, Access sold preparatory exams for the Post Office Exam, which is problematic, because the post office isn't hiring. The court date is scheduled for next month, and the letters left for employees stated Access' closing is related to the court date.

Wow, so yeah - this is where the economy is at now? Via text message?

I hate to say I told ya so....but.....
I've been saying for a while now - that skillset you possess better be mobile, and like a nomad - you'd better be ready to pack your skillset and take it on the road. And make sure you can do what you do no matter WHO you work for....

Better yet - now would be a good time to make it do what it do for YOU. But that's another post.

Meanwhile, where have I been? Since I'm gainfully unemployed, I'm hustling. I left theGig for a better paying Gig, then got downsized. Meanwhle, I'm teaching, and freelancing, and writing and networking - anything to make the ends meet. Or preferably overlap.

I'm an entrepreneur. I'm making it do what it do for ME - but again, that's another post.

Firing via text? I might have to bust the windows out of somebody's car for that one. Real talk.