Are Democrats Smarter than a 6th grader on economics?


English: A teacher and young pupils at The Bri...

Dr. Jay Richards tells a great story about his sixth grade teacher’s explanation of economics. One day the teacher came into class and gave each student a small toy…a silly putty egg, a whiffle ball, a set of Barbi trading cards, and so on. (This was back in the day when 6th graders were still kids, not the mini adults parents send to school today.) The teacher said, “Each of you look at your toy and the ones around you. Then I want you to mark on a piece of paper how much you like the toy on a 1 to 10 scale. A 10 means you love it and you wouldn’t trade for anything you see. A 1 means you hate it and would trade for anything else. Everything else means you are somewhere in the middle.” Each child submitted a number. The teacher added them up, and wrote the sum on the board.

“Now,” said the teacher, “you are sitting in five rows of five desks each. You may trade freely with any student in your row, but you don’t have to trade if you don’t want to.”

After a few minutes some of the students had traded toys, and the teacher once again asked them to write a number representing how much they liked their toy. Amazingly (if you are a zero sum believer) the sum of the numbers was higher. The toys were the same, but free trade had made the children collectively much happier.

The teacher then told the class they could now trade with anyone in the room as many times as they liked. There was pandemonium for a few minutes as the kids moved around trading, re-trading, laughing, and enjoying the exercise. At the end, the teacher added up their submitted numbers. As someone who believes in a free economy would expect, the last sum was much higher than the earlier ones.

One notable thing from this elementary school exercise is that there was nothing new added to the equation…no new wealth, in other words. The kids made themselves happier by creating an exchange on their own terms, without strict rules (government regulations), without intervention by the teacher or school board (bureaucracy), without someone taking away their toys (taxation) and giving them to someone else (redistribution). Imagine what the result might have been if, like in a free economy, new and better toys (new wealth) had been added to the exchange. Eventually, newer and better toys would have allowed every child in the room to mark his or her toy as a “10.”

Zero sum? Don’t believe it! Zero sum economics is one of the many canards invented by Marxists and adopted by Democrats whose main desire is to control all the wealth generated by the working people of America. Free trade coupled with invention will create more wealth and greater contentment for all.

Obama and the Democrats are wrong. American ingenuity and businesses do not steal dollars from the poor; quite the contrary, those once-lauded elements of the American experience actually create new wealth, which creates new jobs and opportunities for all citizens, which creates even more wealth!

Proving that they are not smarter than a 6th grader. 

eagle_feather_icon.gifThis is a view from the nest. What say you?

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

Along for the journey

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This has been A View from the Nest. The statements, comments, or opinions expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of the host of this site or any affiliates thereof. Any questions or comments should be directed to myself and not to the host or hosts of this site.
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Fed Up!


English: Detail of Preamble to Constitution of...

English: Detail of Preamble to Constitution of the United States Polski: Fragment preambuły Konstytucji Stanów Zjednoczonych (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HEY BOEHNER AND FRIENDS if you really want to help the economy take your JACK BOOT off the neck of the PRODUCERS and place it instead on the hose that feeds the federal government. Turn off the spigot that feeds into the BOTTOMLESS pool of money the government spends so freely. Instead of asking the AMERICAN people to put their plans and aspirations on hold to clean up your mess how about you lead by example. CUT YOUR OWN BUDGETS and salaries and lay-off some of your employees. DOWNSIZE the government instead of asking the private sector to DOWNSIZE their plans and objectives. SINCE WHEN is our sweat and toil yours to take whenever you want simply because you can not stifle your insatiable appetites to continually spend spend and spend?

You do not have a mandate to invent new and grander ways to steal our labor and industry. There was no mandate for OBAMACARE in 2008 nor was there one in 2012 kill it we can not afford it! The people did not ask for nor want this intrusion into their lives. All your GRAND PLANS and programs to date have gone bust and you guys continually want to invent new ways to spend even more money. STOP IT!

Your only mandate is to DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION of the United States. Since you do not know how to do that perhaps you should take a refresher course on the Constitution. I am sure Hillsdale College would be more than willing to teach you. They offer a free on-line course. HIRE a tutor if you who are intellectually challenged.

Since the House controls the purse strings, lock the vault, tear up the credit card, put a lock and key on the check book, refuse any additional requests for an increased debt limit, turn out the lights and go home. I believe the AMERICAN people can live a few months or even years without you guys constantly harassing us and pestering us for more of our hard-earned cash. WHEN you guys finally get serious about doing what is GOOD AND RIGHT for the AMERICAN people and not just for your OWN POLITICAL BACKSIDES then we’ll talk in the mean time take some time off.

And Harry Reid we are not interested in a compromise. YOU have failed to produce a budget for the entirety of Obama‘s first term. DO YOUR JOB! Figure out a way to live within your means or do without. You already collect $2 trillion each year that should be enough to provide BASIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES.

That is all we want, we do not want any more GRAND SCHEMES or more social programs. WE WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE to engage our OWN GRAND SCHEMES and plans and programs. WE WOULD LIKE to save for our own futures instead of constantly having to fork over any advances we make for ourselves and our families to fund another of your grand schemes. YOU MADE THE MESS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FIX IT! TAP YOUR OWN FORTUNES AND DENY YOURSELVES YOUR FUTURES since you have stolen ours and robbed our kids of theirs.

Call me fed up!

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Time to Pony Up America: Do Your Fair Share


Now that half of the voting public has re-elected spendthrift Obama for another round of spending we must brace now for the unending raiding of our bank accounts. Anyone who believes that taxing the RICH will put even the slightest dent in the huge hole Obama has dug for us is kidding themselves. There will be tax increases alright, lots of them, on lots of things and on most of the American population.

DON’T worry those of you who do not pay any income taxes, you shall not see any change to your budgets. Your stimulus checks will continue to come to you and you will probably even get a cost of living increase besides. Those Americans who do not have to actually earn their incomes will not have to worry since no one will ask you to SHARE THE PAIN. You shall be exempt from any obligation to repay any of the borrowed money that was given to you.

As for the rest of you, you will be asked to bring over buckets of dirt to fill in the CRATER that was dug all the way to China. Resistance is futile since half of the country wants it this way. You shall be asked to fill-in this hole regardless of the fact that you told them not dig it in the first place, nor provided the shovels to dig the hole. Ignore the fact that your objections to the project were ignored, you still will have to pony up and contribute. AFTER ALL it is only fair.

Again I need to reiterate that anyone who receives a government check or is paid from the general fund will not see any reductions in their incomes and in fact might actually see a cost of living increase. This is to be expected and a reward for your faithful service to the cause.

Back to the rest of you louts. If you ask why we are asking you to fill-up the hole it is because we intend to dig another one and we need the dirt. OKAY AMERICA grab your shovels and start to dig oh I mean fill-in the hole.

Ain’t it grand to be an American? Aren’t you proud to serve your fellow-man and willing to sacrifice for the good of the cause? What is the cause you ask? CAUSE WE SAY SO!

This has been A View from the Nest. The statements, comments, or opinions expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of the host of this site or any affiliates thereof. Any questions or comments should be directed to myself and not to the host or hosts of this site.
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Obama Debates Founding Fathers


The talk of the town is the upcoming Presidential Debate tomorrow evening and as such I thought I would ponder what would happen if President Obama had to actually debate our founders. Here in their own words are their rebuttals to Obama’s many accusations.

Taxes and Debt

Obama likes to say: “Are we going to double-down on the top-down economic policies that helped to get us into this mess? Or do we embrace a new economic patriotism?”And in response we could note that Obama Tax that has effected every working American citizen since he took office. Median household income has declined by $4,520 (8.2 percent) across the board since this president took office. That is the Obama Tax already in place even before the Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire on Jan 1 2013.

First up in response to taxes we turn to Thomas Jefferson:

“The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large-scale.” And if 6 trillion dollars in new deficit spending isn’t large-scale swindling I do not know what is.

Point for Jefferson.

Next up…

Obama’s It’s not my fault I inherited a crisis.

In the first debate Obama repeatedly invoked his now-familiar refrain about the financial crisis he “inherited”: “When I walked into the Oval Office, I had more than a trillion-dollar deficit greeting me. And we know where it came from…”

Yes we do actually. It’s true that the economy Obama inherited wasn’t the solid recovery that began some months after 9/11 under President George W. Bush and his Republican Congress. Instead, it was the gravely weakened economy of Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Harry Reid (D-NV) and their Democrat congressional majorities in both houses. On January 3, 2007, the date that the Democrat-controlled 110th Congress took office after a record 52 months of job growth accelerated by Bush administration tax cuts, unemployment was at 4.6 percent, and the economy was growing at three times the current rate.

Let’s turn to former President James Wilson for his response to Obama’s claims of inheriting a mess.

“[The President] is the dignified, but accountable magistrate of a free and great people.” –James Wilson

Ultimately it is the job of the President to look after the affairs of the state, and if he sees a problem it is his responsibility to discuss that problem. After all Obama asked us for the job of inheriting Bush’s fiscal mess. I guess he thought if Bush could get away with out-of-control spending then he could get away with even more.

Next up Jobs:

Obama will insist that the latest jobs numbers support his economic plan — “We found out the unemployment rate fell to its lowest rate since I took office. It’s a reminder this country has come too far to turn back now.”(in spite of all his efforts to shut it down completely)

Obama will then try to back-up his claim with another report from the Dept of Labor. A DoL report noting that weekly jobless claims dropped by 30,000 to a mere 364,000 new unemployment claims, lower than it was when Obama was elected —

But if you take time to read the fine print in the DoL data you will find this:

“One large state didn’t report some quarterly figures.” That “one large state” would happen to be the nation’s largest state, California, and a DoL analyst concluded that the “missing figures” account for most of the decline. ( in other words there was no decline, it was an accounting trick)

John Adams what do you have to say to this?

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

Facts have never stopped a democrat before, and I am sure they will not stop Obama now.

Next up the 47% comment

Vice President Joe Biden couldn’t help himself but to hammer Paul Ryan with the 47% comment over and over as if to imply that the Romney Ryan ticket is not concerned about these people.

Let’s start by saying 47% of Americans pay no federal income taxes is correct, it also coincides with Obama’s current support in the polls — and that was the basis for Romney saying they will not support him and thereby he is not concerned about trying to reach them.

By contrast Obama believes 100 percent of Americans are dependent on government, as he made plain in his now-infamous assertion, ‘You didn’t build that. Somebody else [read: “government”] made that happen.’ The Democrat plan envisions that all Americans would be enslaved on the government plantation.” and looking to government for their needs to be met.

Benjamin Frankly chimes in with a response to this argument:

“Repeal that [welfare] law, and … industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.”

And this explains why democrats are always opposed to welfare reform. By changing welfare into workfare you enable an individual to mend their own circumstances and thusly they are no longer looking to the government for help. Well stated Ben.

You see folks Democrats could care less what hardships you face in life as long as you are dependent upon them to bring you limited relief. They do not wish to see you prosper but rather they want you to stay as you are or even get progressively worse, because by so doing they will increase in their own power and influence in your life, thus depriving you of liberty and making you a slave to the state. Republicans believe in personal freedom.

James Madison wanted to jump into this discussion with this:

“If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions.”

Next up Foreign Policy

Obama is going to do his best to avoid any talk about Libya and the consulate raid and later deaths. The news outlets are falling all over themselves to find someone to pin the blame on but actually the buck stops with the White House and the commander-in-chief, Barry O.

Libya is just the latest symptom of a larger problem, and that is Obama’s appeasement of our enemies — from his apology tour following his election, to his continual snubbing of our most significant ally in the Middle East, Israel. He seems to have time to appear on many television programs and fund-raising tours but he can not seem to find the time to actually meet with foreign leaders to discuss the Middle East meltdown.

John Adams boldly condemns Obama on this issue when he said:

“National defense is one of the cardinal duties of a statesman.”

Yes indeed Mr Adams, I am sure fund-raising, golfing, family vacations, late night television appearances are just as important too! Right?

Oh there is more how about Fund-raising Irregularities?

The issue of illegal foreign and fraudulent on-line campaign donations is important, and yet another reason not to trust Obama.

What do you have to say about that  Mr Adams?

“If an election … can be procured by a party through artifice or corruption, the Government may be the choice of a party for its own ends, not of the nation for the national good.” –John Adams

Our closing remarks on this debate are brought to you by none other than George Washington and Noah Webster.

“A few short weeks will determine the political fate of America for the present generation, and probably produce no small influence on the happiness of society through a long succession of ages to come.”George Washington

‘In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate — look to his character.’ Noah Webster

Our nation is at such a turning point and I ask us all to look at the character of the men who want to be our leaders and decide which one holds to the highest standard in personal conduct and character. Let prudence by your guide.

And that is the way I see it. What say you?

This has been A View from the Nest. The statements, comments, or opinions expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of the host of this site or any affiliates thereof. Any questions or comments should be directed to myself and not to the host or hosts of this site.
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Mother of Slain State Dept. Employee Rips Obama Over Handling of Son’s Death


Mother of Slain State Dept. Employee Rips Obama Over Handling of Son’s Death.

Sean Smith worked as a computer specialist for the U.S. State Department.  He was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Libya and found himself stationed at the make-shift consulate in Benghazi.  On September 11, Sean was killed when the compound was overrun by Muslim terrorists along with U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

The first reports out of Libya blamed the slaughter on a spontaneous protest by local Muslims over a garage produced video that insulted Mohammad.  While the Obama White House and State Department clung to the video protest story for two weeks after the attack, almost everyone else in the world knew within days of the attack that it was a planned terrorist attack and had nothing to do with a protest.

On September 14, President Obama spoke at a ceremony to welcome home the remains of the four victims.  At that ceremony, Pat Smith, mother of Sean, had a chance to speak with President Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and other members of the Obama administration.  They all promised to tell her the truth about what happened to her son and how he died.  She even cried on Obama’s shoulder as everyone kept telling her to trust them and they would tell her as soon as they knew anything.

A month later, Pat Smith is still waiting to hear what happened to her son.  No one from the Obama administration has given her the slightest hint of how her son died.  She feels betrayed by Obama, Panetta, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  They all promised to tell her and none of them have kept their promise.  Pat feels that they were merely placating her out of duty and really could care less about her and how she feels.

Obama wastes no time in producing an advertisement apologizing to Muslims for offending their sensibilities, but when it comes to American citizens and family members of our service men he does not seem to care about them. Obama will bend over backwards and twist himself into a pretzel to try to appease Muslim sensibilities, but when it comes to offending the American people he seems to always side with those who are offending. The only war Obama and his administration can seem to muster any energy to fight is the war on America and her values. I am so glad that the election is only days away.

 

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