Tag Archives: Socialism

Papa Francisco’s Populist Discourse and the meaning of Evo’s Gift

8/2/2015 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

During the month of July we found ourselves south of the equator in our second home, Bolivia.  It has been two long years since we have walked the earth there and much has changed.  The following are some observations made on our journey.

First off, it is obvious that money is everywhere.  From the construction of new apartment buildings to a new style of McMansions that are being erected by those who have benefited by the DEA’s absence in this country:  The Cholet.  The same increase in economic activity that we have noted in Portland is evident here in spades.  Everywhere you look, there is a new store, restaurant, cafe, or industrial park, all with the comforts of modern architecture with inimitable South American flair.

The first part of our visit coincided with the visit of the extremely popular Pope Francisco, or “El papa Francisco” as he is known here.  We arrived in Santa Cruz on July 6th, two days before the Holy See arrived.  On the 8th, we listened, along with all of Bolivia, the radio call of his descent and landing at the airport in El Alto.  The radio call resembled the call of a soccer game here, with the announcer screaming “Llegó” with the same passion that they yell “gol” when the home team scores.

As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, we are ambiguous to the activities of the Pope, who to us is simply another follower of the same Jesus, with a slightly larger following.  In other words, we do not recognize or attribute any special authority nor clairvoyance to the Catholic church that is not available to all believers.

That said, it is undeniable that papa Francisco is something special to the Catholic faithful, especially here in South America, as Francisco  (or Francis, as he is known in the English speaking world), an Argentinian (though you would never know it as he does not seem to swear like a sailor) is the first Pope to hail from the continent.

Having listened to his discourses over two days, it was obvious that Francisco is well schooled in the populist platitudes that the likes of Che Guevara awakened and contemporary leaders Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales have resurrected.

True to the populist playbook, Pope Francisco derides economic inequality and envisions a society where all elements of the economy, the productive sector, distributors, and retailers, all carry out their daily chores in harmony with mother earth and one another.  Where every child can enjoy a happy childhood, every worker enjoy a dignified position, and every elderly person enjoy a dignified retirement.

Evo Morales, the Bolivian President, welcomed Pope Francisco with a unique gift, a crucifix where in the place of the cross, Jesus of Nazareth is portrayed as being crucified on a hammer and scythe, a symbol synonymous with Socialism.

Regalo de Evo a papa Francisco
Regalo de Evo a papa Francisco

Was the Pope offended?  Hardly, you see, the artistic origins of the gift lie with a popular Jesuit priest who made what to some is the obvious connection between the Gospel and Socialist doctrine.  There is more to the story behind the gift, which you can read here:

http://www.ehagendaurbana.com.ar/2015/07/el-cristo-del-martillo-y-la-hoz.htm

We bring the whole matter up to state once and for all that the Gospel and Socialism have just one common thread:  The Gospel, or the Good News, is that God forgives, and expects us to do likewise.  Nothing more, and nothing less.  It is the most important spiritual and natural event that has ever occurred, in our lives and the lives of countless others, for it is forgiveness and forgiveness alone that unleashes the supernatural and eternal presence of Yahweh in the here and now.

To the extent that Socialism demands that mankind treat one another as they would like to be treated, it is in harmony with the Gospel.  However, any attempt to enforce what should be spontaneous acts of goodwill towards one another makes a mockery of the Gospel and subjects it to the rules of men.  As we have explored in our economic treatise, Why What We use as Money Matters, rules made by men are incompatible with freedom, which is the reason for the Gospel in the first place.

This Freedom extends to the right to be Socialist, but it does not extend to the right to enforce this destructive doctrine on one’s unwilling fellow man or woman.

We admire the Pope, heck, he gave mass in La Paz with one lung and drew out millions of the faithful in South America.  If he wants to use his enormous platform and the freedom afforded to him by the forgiveness of sins through Jesus of Nazareth to expound upon an idyllic worker’s paradise. more power to him.

The Pope speaks to the Socialist Movements in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia:

The danger in the Socialist doctrine is not evident in meaningless platitudes spewed by its proponents, nor is it evident in postulations about goals that are as unattainable as they are unmeasurable, such as universal dignity in work and retirement.  The danger of this poisonous doctrine is only evident in the blood spilled silently over the years in its name.  For when authoritarian regimes are allowed to define and enforce such concepts on a large scale, the previously unimagined economic burdens of such a program fall upon everyone, and the end result is invariably a society that lives and treats each other in a quite undignified manner.

A side note, and certainly fodder for further debate here at The Mint, our Mother-in-law posed a very interesting hypothesis about what may be wrong with Bolivian society, which seems hell bent on self destruction despite the gifts Mother Nature has seen fit to surround it with:  The poisonous union of the lie by two strata of society.

First the rich, or those who come into money, those whom we will call the upper strata of society.  This strata of society learns to lie as a means to maintain or improve their status both within their social circle, which in turn feeds a continuous chorus of lies as a group to the populations which they enslave and exploit.

Second, there are the lies of the exploited populations themselves, who learn to lie as a powerful tool of survival in a society where, to paraphrase President Snow of the Hunger Games, the odds are never in their favor.

The union of the accumulated lies tend to make any society impossible to navigate with any form of moral or ideological compass.  For to run the straight and narrow is to be stabbed in the back, and the lies create the sad and universally acknowledged truth that no one can be trusted.

Into such societies the seeds of Socialist ideology find fertile ground in which to grow and take root in the minds of the underprivileged.  They begin to grow and, like GMO crop production, look good until one realizes that the crops are only viable with a disproportionate quantity of productive inputs, and that they leave the soil and its inhabitants desolate once the massive inputs stop flowing.

It is then that the inevitable bloodshed begins, and no amount of platitudes or lofty goals, whether spoken by the Pope or the President, can stop it.

Stay tuned and Trust Jesus.

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com

Key Indicators for August 2, 2015

Copper Price per Lb: $2.37
Oil Price per Barrel:  $46.77

Corn Price per Bushel:  $3.68
10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  2.20%
Bitcoin price in US:  $279.31
FED Target Rate:  0.14%
Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,095

MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  0.25%
Unemployment Rate:  5.3%
Inflation Rate (CPI):   0.3%
Dow Jones Industrial Average:  17,690
M1 Monetary Base:  $2,998,600,000,000

M2 Monetary Base:  $11,991,900,000,000

What created the Bolivian Economic Miracle?

10/27/2014 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

For those who do not follow Bolivian Politics, Evo Morales has one a third term as President of the South American nation we are happy to call our second home.

Evo Morales - President of Bolivia in Brazil 2007
Evo Morales – President of Bolivia, photo taken December 17, 2007 in Brazil by Marcello Casal Jr. of Agencia Brasil http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/media/imagens/2007/12/17/1840MC44.jpg

As Morales is seen as a Socialist hero, his reelection coincided with a deluge of praise for his hand in the Bolivian Economic miracle that has unfolded over the past 10 years from the left.  It seemed to start with an article from the New York Times back in February, which highlights Morales’ success and the paradox that it presents.  On one hand, he is a, well, a proclaimed Socialist.  On the other, he runs a balanced budget and has largely rejected the advice of the IMF and other financial overlords of the world:

Turnabout in Bolivia as Economy Rises from Instability

Then, a widely read article in the Guardian, where the author makes the bold claim that “socialism doesn’t damage economies,” which sparked a swift reaction from the neo-con/neo-lib right.

Evo Morales has proved (sic) that socialism doesn’t damage economies

It is true that the Bolivian economy has grown at a mighty pace over the past 10 years, however, to simplify this miracle to solitary policy changes such as the legalization of coca farming, a deeply personal matter for Morales, or other various social policies noted by the authors is to miss the point completely.

As a public service, we present to you today the short list of reasons why Bolivia is experiencing an economic miracle in the eyes of many Westerners:

  • Benford’s Law, which would account for Bolivia’s rapid relative growth. As a country, it was near the bottom of many world measures in terms of economic statistics.  As such, things tend to go up from a low level quickly on a relative basis.
  • Currency policy: The Boliviano trades tightly with the USD similar to the Yuan.  This is due to the fact that much of the country’s savings are held in dollars.  Currency stability = real growth
  • Legalize it: While the legalization of coca is controversial, the removal of regulations has opened up a wild west of trade and attendant economic activity.
  • Anarchy reigns: Ever since Simon Bolivar freed it from Spanish rule in 1825, Bolivia has had 81 Presidents and been ruled by various “Juntas” or forms of military rule 9 times.  By contrast, the US has been around for 50 years longer and had just 44 Presidents.  If our theory that Anarchy produces stability holds, it would follow that the Bolivian economy is one of the most resilient on the planet, one that cannot help but grow from a solid base.
  • Evo’s Charisma: While Evo Morales is often chided, he is simple and lovable at heart, an anomaly in the cesspool of modern politics.  He has drawn a great deal of positive attention to Bolivia as the first indigenous President in the nation’s history.  This has given Bolivia international exposure not before seen.
  • The Open Letter: While it is a longshot, perhaps Evo has read our open letter to him and is secretly implementing our policy proposals.
  • While Bolivia was extremely poor in the eyes of the world, yet rich in so many ways.

We love Bolivia, it is one of the most precious, pristine, and complicated places on the planet and we are honored to call it our second home.  While speculation as to what has caused the current economic miracle there will continue, we know one thing to be true:

It is Bolivia’s time.

Stay tuned and Trust Jesus.

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Key Indicators for October 27, 2014

Copper Price per Lb: $3.08
Oil Price per Barrel (WTI):  $80.66

Corn Price per Bushel:  $3.63
10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  2.26%
Bitcoin price in US:  $350.95
FED Target Rate:  0.09%
Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,225

MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  0.25%
Unemployment Rate:  5.9%
Inflation Rate (CPI):   0.1%
Dow Jones Industrial Average:  16,818
M1 Monetary Base:  $2,747,700,000,000

M2 Monetary Base:  $11,514,900,000,000

Marx and Rand together in perfect harmony set for release!

4/25/2013 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

As the financial world continues to turn in an ever inflated manner, we have been diligently working to complete the latest volume of the Why what we use as Money Matters series before the joyous distractions of summer in the Northwest call us away.

The following is an excerpt of Volume VI in the series, entitled Natural Law and the Theory of Economic System Fluidityis perhaps the most important volume because it forms the ideological core of our economic treatise.

Enjoy and stay fresh!

Marx and Rand together in perfect harmony

It is increasingly important that mankind take adequate time to pause and reflect as to what ideology is being tacitly or actively pursued as a guide for his daily toils.  As the collective efforts of mankind reach an effectiveness that was unimaginable a generation ago, the throws of human action are having a profound impact not only on an increasingly interconnected global economy, but on the very earth which mankind has been entrusted with.

Natural Law and the Theory of Economic System Fluidity
Natural Law and the Theory of Economic System Fluidity

It is no longer a safe assumption that the natural world can perpetually work to correct the mistakes in favor of mankind.  A deep examination of our motives in light of the Golden Rule is desperately needed to ensure a prosperous future for many.  The key to material prosperity is allowing mankind to tacitly coordinate his varied productive efforts by promoting the ideals of true capitalism in large scale dealings, for it is the ideology which best allows mankind to respond to the incessant demands of natural law. Continue reading Marx and Rand together in perfect harmony set for release!

A Tale of Two Responses to Anarchy

4/22/2013 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

The world keeps turning and has become quite unpredictable.  Check that, it has always been unpredictable, the realization of one’s inability to predict what will happen comes with age.

On one hand, money supply measures around the globe are going through the roof, as is indebtedness.  On the other had, the underlying economy, which had barely picked itself off of the canvas, appears to be up again, ready to be pile driven once again.  What is one to make of it?

The Bitcoin is once again racing ahead in USD terms, while Gold and Silver peel themselves off of the pavement after encountering a steamroller in their path (as an aside, it will be interesting just how much $1,350 gold and $23.50 silver can be delivered, our guess is, not much.)

Karl Marx
Will Karl Marx dance with Rand?

Our upcoming eBook, Natural Law and Economic System Fluidity – Marx and Rand together in perfect harmony, wrestles with unexplained economic phenomena such as the seeming impossibly of Capitalism and Socialism coexisting in harmony with one another, which are rapidly becoming important.

The following is a brief excerpt of our latest offering, scheduled to release late this month.  Enjoy!

A Tale of Two Responses to Anarchy

In the current economic debate that rages between the productive virtues of what is referred to as Capitalism and the humanistic virtues of the Socialist ideal, it has become fashionable to assume that the virtues of one system, were its guiding principles put into action at once by all of the members of society, would eventually bring about the virtues promised by the other system in a peaceful manner.

This narrow, apologetic view taken by Capitalists and Socialists alike ignores the fact that the systems are wholly incompatible.  It also ignores the fact that mankind is in a constant struggle to bring order to surroundings that are inherently anarchic in nature.  The only laws that must be adhered to are natural laws, which are explored in section II of this volume.

For purists on either side of the ideological fence, compromise on any point is a slippery slope, and in the sense that the two systems are wholly incompatible, the view is technically correct.  However, most economists miss the fact that it is perfectly normal and beneficial for each system to operate side by side.  In fact, it is the only way in which mankind can reap the benefits of both systems at once.

All humans live and operate in both systems to some extent.  The Capitalistic system is best equipped to organize resources on a grand scale and provide material goods for the greatest number of people, the Socialist system is the system that offers refuge from the rigid and unrelenting demands of the Capitalistic system’s incessant response to anarchy and the demands of natural law.

This refuge is commonly referred to as the family, and it can be observed operating the world over in all shapes and sizes.

The inescapable fact that Capitalism and Socialism are at once incompatible and completely reliant upon one another is the basis for the Theory of Economic System Fluidity.

More to come as we hack and slash our way through the draft.

Stay tuned and Trust Jesus.

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com

Key Indicators for April 22, 2013

Copper Price per Lb: $3.14
Oil Price per Barrel:  $89.36
Corn Price per Bushel:  $6.46
10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  1.70%
Mt Gox Bitcoin price in US:  $126.75
FED Target Rate:  0.15%  ON AUTOPILOT, THE FED IS DEAD!
Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,424 THE GOLD RUSH IS STILL ON!
MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  0.25%
Unemployment Rate:  7.6%
Inflation Rate (CPI):  -0.2%
Dow Jones Industrial Average:  14,567
M1 Monetary Base:  $2,437,900,000,000 LOTS OF DOUGH ON THE STREET!
M2 Monetary Base:  $10,645,600,000,000

Perpetuation of the Trillion dollar coin solution to US Debt

As our site name implies, we have more than a passing interest in monetary theory.  As such, ideas for new types of coin and currency are of special interest.  When the value of the coins proposed contains an insane amount of seigniorage, we are compelled to call it out.

 

The Fiscal Cliff melodrama playing out in the halls of US Federal Government’s Capital has given rise to the above mentioned monetary insanity.

As the so called, moronic “Fiscal Cliff” false alarm approaches, it becomes more common for those of a Socialist/Statist leaning philosophy to search for easy solutions to what amounts to enabling catastrophic policy failures, out of control spending, and unsustainable debt pacts.

This is not surprising, as Socialism and economics are incompatible philosophies. Anyone who claims otherwise either mistakenly applies small system theory to large scale systems or is a shill. From one of these insane theorists comes the idea of the US Treasury coining a trillion dollar platinum coin to deposit at the FED, who would then cancel the Treasury’s debts.

This will not happen, first and foremost, because the insane monetary system relies on debt as its lifeblood, as such, any debt cancellation by the underlying foundation of US Treasury debt is out of the question.

Second, it must be recognized that coining a trillion dollar coin, theoretically equal to 1/60 of global GDP, that anyone other than the FED would accept at face value, is impossible, it simply flies in the face of reason.  The FED has been paying 100 cents on the dollar for the MBS toilet paper that banks have sold to them for years now, as such, any concept of value left the halls of the Federal Reserve years ago.

The third reason is that the US debt at the FED has already been largely canceled via the FED’s various QE operations over the past several years. For the reasoning as to why the official US Debt held by the FED hasn’t been lowered to better reflect its true drag on GDP, we refer fellow taxpayers back to reason one.

We will present more data to back this claim in the coming week. In the meantime, if someone offers you a trillion dollar coin, be sure to check the spot price of platinum before making a more reasonable counter-offer. In any event, you are better off holding the platinum, as someday it will be worth are least a trillion Federal Reserve notes, the shills at the FED and Treasury have assured it.

Margaret Thatcher’s Last stand against Socialism and Clairvoyance on the Euro

Margaret Thatcher is truly one of a kind.  This brief clip, besides depicting a session of British Parliament at its best, shows Thatcher rebutting the Socialist leanings for her ideological adversaries with classic lines such as, “by lowering the income gap you mean to say that you wish the poor to be poorer, if only the rich would be poorer as well,” and, “I condemn your Socialist policies along with the millions in Eastern Europe who have suffered under them.”

What is perhaps most striking about this discourse, which took place in 1990, is the final part of the clip where Thatcher saw clearly that the Euro currency would mean the end of democracy and Parliamentary sovereignty for the countries who adopted it, a prophecy which has begun to play out in Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and even the economic juggernaut Germany, where all branches of government are at the mercy of the whims of the ECB.

Enjoy the Iron Lady at her best via YouTube:

  

Our Theory of Economic System Fluidity: Marx and Rand together in perfect harmony

10/22/2012 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

In the realm of economic thought, there are two extremes.  On one end of the spectrum sits the economic equivalent of Karl Marx’s workers’ paradise, known as Socialism.  On the other end sits the economic expression of Ayn Rand’s rugged individualism, known as Capitalism.  As anyone who has studied these philosophical extremes can tell you, the operation of real world seems to constantly fall somewhere in the space between the two, making strict adherence to either an indefensible position.

While apologists for these extreme positions do a wonderful job of explaining why complete adherence to their ideals by all would lead to an utopia on earth, a careful examination of the arguments, along with a quick glance at how things operate in the real world, lead one to conclude thatevidence of both Socialist and Capitalist ideals can be found in nearly any system.

How can this be?  If the extremes are both correct in their reasoning, they msut be mutually exclusive of each other.  However, we look around at the world around us, as well as into the depths of our own souls, and we invariabley find an uncomfortable coexistence of ideals that is difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile.

That is, until today.

Our aim today is to reconcile this age old dilemna.  Fret no more, fellow taxpayer, for the answer is simple:  Socialism works for local systems, while large scale systems are best served by embracing Capitalist ideals.

How can this be?  The answer is simple.

Socialism, with its embrace of community property and centralized decision making, is a superior policy for systems until they reach a critical mass.  Socialism unwittingly provides the framework in which society cares for its economically weaker members.  It is a system which is entered into with the understanding that at least a portion of one’s actions will take the form of altruism, that is, they will work for the benefit of others without the expectation of material compensation.  In fact, socialism is the basis for the family unit into which a great deal of humanity enters the world.

Karl Marx
Karl Marx

Given the barbarities which are justified in the name of profit, it can be said that the basis for morality and human decency most frequently occurs in a Socialist setting.  Given the inherent requirement of altruism, Socialism is the system which asks the individual to look beyond themselves.  However, as we touch on later, Socialism on a large scale tends to bring out the worst in human beings, as the inevitable onset of poverty quickly diminishes any moral advantage that small scale Socialism may enjoy.

We digress on the question of morality for a moment and instead submit to you an insightwith regards to the corporate structure.  It is the revelation that Corporations, entities which are held out as the champions of Capitalism, are, in fact, Socialist institutions (the stunned silence is deafening, please do read on, fellow taxpayer, it will make sense, trust us.)

It is for this reason that wages do not fit well into free market pricing mechanism and instead lend themselves to the “Labour theory of value” which is a base concept of Socialist philosophy.

The logical proof is the following:  The employer, employee relationship is based on a set rate per time period of work.  Once it has been agreed upon, the wage rate ceases to adhere to free market theory and bcomes a component of the Labour theory of value.  The top level managers in corporations that employ persons in an employee capacity become the centralized authorities in what is a socialist realm.

Another proof of this can be found in that property, which is held in the name of the Corporation, is cared for and used by employees.  As such, corporate property, as its name would imply, is held in common by subjects who themselves have no property rights in said property.  They may be offered shares in the corporation themselves, but this does not directly effect their day to day use of the Corporation’s (their employer’s) real and personal property.

A majority of human beings today find themselves as part of a Socialist entity of some sort, be it a family, household, corporation, or governmental employer (which, for purposes of analysis, behaves in a similar fashion to a corporation).  It is within these systems that we have most of our day to day interactions.  It is understandable, then, that most people would see a form of Socialism as the basis for a utopian ideal.

However, the members of these same Socialist organizations, the heads of household, CEOs, heads of government, members of Boards of Directors, salespeople, security personnel, customer service agents, and a host of others, well know that the “esprit de corps” which may exist in their organization is thrown aside in their dealings with the outside world.  The outside world, where individual corporations collide, is marked by brutal self interest and the protection of private property rights which are the hallmarks of Capitalism.

What gives?

Capitalism, the system which honors private property rights and glorifies the pursuit of self interest, must be embraced and allowed to operate in an unhindered state as the basis for the interactions between the small scale Socialist systems (families, corporations with employees, and those brave individuals who choose to face the Anarchic system of the world alone.)

Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand

The reason that Capitalism must be embraced by the smaller systems is that its principles, namely the laws of supply and demand and the Golden Rule, must be allowed dictate their day to day activities so that the smaller systems can better adapt and survive in a harsh, unforgiving environment.  To put it another way, Capitalism is a superior response to the Anarchy in which we all find ourselves, whether we are willing to admit it or not.

However, apart from its invaluable contributions to understanding the material world, even hard core Capitalists would agree that blind adherence to the Capitalist creed would not only lead to a trampling of those less fortunate in society, but the potential isolation of the individual from human warmth, feeling, and dare we say, loss of the ability to love.

For all of the virtues of Capitalism, its potential frigidness at the individual level and lack of a clear moral compass make it unpalatable to the majority as an absolute ideal.

So the answer is simple.  Socialism operates on a small scale, Capitalism on a large scale.  Marx asks Rand to dance, she accepts, and the world makes sense.  As the theory of biologos attempts to bring harmony to the polarization of two views of the world’s origins, our theory of economic system fluidity allows the economist and politician to embrace both the virtues of the Socialist ideal as well as the Capitalist economic imperative.

The final question which begs to be asked is the following:  In terms of size, at what point is it appropriate for a system to stop being guided by Socialist principles and to break up into units better able to cope with the Anarchic surroundings, meaning a leap to the Capitalist model, which naturally defines the size limitation of what may be called a functional Socialist system?

While there is no firm answer, it is clear that a Socialist system has reached its limit when it is corporately bankrupt and unable to fulfill its commitments, either morally or financially, to its members.

In the case of the corporation, it must adjust its productive activities and/or release either property or employees into the capitalist system until it finds equilibrium.  The released Employees then find themselves, albeit for a moment, in what may be called the free market for labor.  In it, they will either learn to compete perpetually in the capitalist environment and form their own small scale socialist entity, or link up quickly with another socialist entity, be it another corporation, state welfare, or the generosity of a family unit.

The fact that both families and corporations can accumulate wealth are proof that socialist entities can and do compete and thrive in a world where capitalist thinking and political structures are an imperative.  It is the ability of each unit to adapt to changes and to seize opportunities which makes the difference.

There is much more to say about this but it will have to wait for another day.  We leave you with what should now be obvious.  When Socialism is employed on large scales, it looses both its ability to compete as well as any moral superiority which it may have enjoyed.  When persons are thrust headlong into poverty, which is the logical economic end of large scale Socialism, what were once moral imperatives are tossed aside in pursuit of purely Capitalistic aims in a desperate attempt to eat.

Anyone who has lived such an event will attest that it is in these unfortunate circumstances that the rotten core of humanity is laid bare for all to see.  While unbridled Capitalism has its own faults, which are daily brought to light in the media as a reminder of when it has been allowed to run too far.  It is this consciousness, and the human desire for mercy, which work to keep the evils of Capitalism in check.

The beauty of the theory is that the normal operation of each system keeps the proliferation other in check, any attempts by government or sovereigns to impose or preserve one system over the other will end in disaster.

Rushing to extremes is for fools, for the Kingdom of God is one of perfect balance.

Stay tuned and Trust Jesus.

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com

Key Indicators for October 22, 2012

Copper Price per Lb: $3.64
Oil Price per Barrel:  $89.16
Corn Price per Bushel:  $7.61 
10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  1.80%
FED Target Rate:  0.15%  ON AUTOPILOT, THE FED IS DEAD!
Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,729 PERMANENT UNCERTAINTY
MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  0.25%
Unemployment Rate:  7.8%
Inflation Rate (CPI):  0.6%
Dow Jones Industrial Average:  13,345  
M1 Monetary Base:  $2,334,000,000,000
M2 Monetary Base:  $10,199,400,000,000

You Might be a Socialist if…

3/5/2012 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

Nearly 20 years ago, Jeff Foxworthy topped the comedy charts when he released his now famous album “You Might be a Redneck if…”  While we have no illusions that today’s musings will attain the fame that Mr. Foxworthy’s have, today’s Mint is an entirely accidental homage to Mr. Foxworthy in which we present a series of one-liners which we hope will provide an invaluable service to the American public.

Namely, we aim to provide the public with comical assistance in helping one properly identify whether or not they are a Socialist.  It is a handy, self convicting exercise which is meant to help all of us to identify and perhaps deal with our latent Socialist tendencies.

In other words, you may laugh heartily, knowing that the laughter, like the accumulated loss of capital in a Socialist society, is at the expense of the proletariat.  Enjoy:

You might be a Socialist if… (with apologies to Mr. Foxworthy):

You default to the government when asked who should solve a social problem

You get a measure of self righteous gratification when passing through a body scanner

You believe in economic equality

You have attempted to define economic equality

You make special exceptions for yourself when defining your concept of economic equality

You still believe in economic equality after attempting to define it

You are a member of a labor union

You wish you were a member of a labor union

You wish you were an unemployed member of a labor union

You believe that tariffs save jobs

You believe that limitations on immigration save jobs

You believe that taxes create jobs

You believe that regulations create jobs

You vote for tax increases

You vote for a representative government which asserts authority over those who are not permitted to vote

You are entirely comfortable living in a world where the “end justifies the means”

You regularly give unsolicited advice to strangers

You get angry when such advice is ignored

You use a central bank issued currency as a savings instrument

You have attempted to describe the economic benefit of homogenized interest rates

You prefer a higher national GDP to a higher personal income

You believe that certain projects are so big that only the government is qualified to do them

You can say “government efficiency” with a straight face

You have ever defended TARP on the grounds that a nebulous “greater disaster” was averted

You’ve referred to “Cash for Clunkers” as good for the environment

You’ve referred to “Cash for Clunkers” as good for the economy

You’ve referred to war as good for the economy

You’ve referred to a natural disaster as good for the economy

You believe that there is a universally fair price for certain goods or services

You believe that said universally fair price should be a dictated by the government

You would feel guilty paying less than said universally fair price

You think you are saving money because an expense is tax deductible

You have uttered the words “necessary evil” as an explanation for a moral contradiction

You have uttered the words “the lesser of two evils” to explain an unpopular decision

You use the words “quality” and “equality” interchangeably

And finally, the last one we can think of for today, which, as you can see, if far from qualifying as a punch line:

Your list of inalienable rights extends beyond or excludes life, liberty, and property

If you have said “that’s me” to one or more of the above, you might be a socialist.  If you find that you truly are a Socialist, take comfort in the fact that you form part of a large and vocal majority.  The most logical response, if this is the case, is to fully embrace one’s socialist identity and to leave behind the inherent contradictions of calling oneself a “liberal” or “conservative.”

There is absolutely no shame in identifying as a Socialist.  As Polonius urged his son so we urge you, fellow taxpayer, “To thine own self be true.”

However, if it disturbs you to have identified with any of the above statements, please continue to peruse The Mint, as all of us can aspire towards embracing True Capitalism, and move towards creating a future full of the blessings of real freedom for our children.

Stay tuned and Trust Jesus.

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com

 

Key Indicators for March 5, 2012

Copper Price per Lb: $3.84

Oil Price per Barrel:  $106.97

Corn Price per Bushel:  $6.66

10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  2.01%

FED Target Rate:  0.11%  ON AUTOPILOT, THE FED IS DEAD!

Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,705

MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  1.00% AWAY WE GO!

Unemployment Rate:  8.3%

Inflation Rate (CPI):  0.2%

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 12,964

M1 Monetary Base:  $2,199,000,000,000

M2 Monetary Base:  $9,759,800,000,000

Don’t be Fooled! June Unemployment Numbers cooked to keep interest rates and wages down

7/8/2011 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

Sound the alarms!  The today the BLS took the pulse of the labor market today and market observers jumped back, aghast that the patient, the US labor market, should be so weak.  According to the charts, he was well on his way to recovery.  After being in a coma for the past three years, it appeared that he would be back to his old self and dancing in the halls in a matter of months.

Now, the prognosis has taken a turn, albeit a small one, for the worse.

Here at the Mint, we take numbers with a grain of salt.  We have nothing against numbers; on the contrary, we are rather fond of them.  They give one the ability to appear to make sense of extremely complex phenomena.  They make mankind appear intelligent, cunning, even clairvoyant at times.

It should come as no surprise, then, that mankind, specifically those bent on “improving the world,” should place so much faith in them.  To understand and interpret numbers and then act on the data gives man a power rush that is exhilarating.

It is a fatal conceit.

It is illogical, perhaps insane, to think that something as complex as creation and the countless phenomena that occur every nanosecond can be adequately expressed (much less understood) in numbers.

On a small scale, such as a family farm, a small town, or even a remote island, numbers can prove very useful.  They can provide accurate, timely information about productivity and relative scarcity.  In these instances, numbers can be invaluable.

Begin to aggregate theses numbers and try to use them to understand phenomena on a large scale and they become not only devoid of meaning but dangerous.

Why does this happen?  Simply because the farther removed that the decision maker reviewing the number is from the processes on the ground, both in space and time, the less able he or she is to react in a coherent manner.  This, in a nutshell, is why Socialism, Communism, and any other form of Centralized planning or “world improvement” does not work on a large scale.

With this in mind, we will interpret today’s BLS unemployment numbers for you.  Economic observers have been trained to understand that 9.2% unemployment is bad for the economy.  Why it is bad, few stop to wonder, but that is a rant for another day.

It is simply understood to be bad, and since the economy needs to be “good,” the world improvers must do something.  What will they do?  First, they will use this as an excuse for the FED to keep the short term rates insanely low for a longer period of time.  This will not create employment but will create hyperinflation.

Second, the US Congress will raise the debt ceiling and resort to the Bush era style of stimulus, they type where every taxpayer gets a check in the mail from the Treasury.

Third, and most importantly, this announcement is a desperate attempt to keep domestic inflation in check.  Inflation, and then hyperinflation, will begin once wages increase.  The rise in unemployment sends the subliminal message to the working classes that they cannot demand raises because they are just “lucky to have a job.”

Are you really lucky to have a job?  The not so subliminal truth is that YOU ARE IRREPLACEABLE AND ARE WORTH MUCH MORE THAN YOU ARE CURRENTLY MAKING!

Lives and economies were never meant to be measured in numbers.  Numbers used to make large scale policies generally do more harm than good.  Numbers produced by a central authority often are done so either with the intent to deceive or are so untimely and incompetently compiled that they become deceptive as they do not accurately reflect present circumstances.

“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows!”

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com

P.S.  If you enjoy or at least tolerate The Mint, please share us using the Facebook, Twitter, or other sharing options at the bottom of this post.  Thanks!

Key Indicators for July 8, 2011

Copper Price per Lb: $4.36
Oil Price per Barrel:  $96.20

Corn Price per Bushel:  $6.72
10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  3.02%
FED Target Rate:  0.07% JAPAN HERE WE COME!

Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,544 PERMANENT UNCERTAINTY

MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  2.00%
Unemployment Rate:  9.2%
Inflation Rate (CPI):  0.2%
Dow Jones Industrial Average:  12,657 TO THE MOON!!!
M1 Monetary Base:  $2,020,000,000,000 RED ALERT!!!
M2 Monetary Base:  $9,112,300,000,000 YIKES!!!!!!!

*See the MINT Perceived target Rate Chart.  This rate is the FED Target rate with a 39 month lag, representing the time it takes for the FED Target rate changes to affect the real economy.  This is a 39 months head start that the FED member banks have on the rest of us on using the new money that is created.

What is so Complex about a Default? The Greek Bailout Highlights The Shortcomings of Debt as Money

7/5/2011 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…

Another day, another Euro.  It appears that it is still all systems go for the Greek bailout.  Athens will get another shot of hot money in mid July and the charade will keep going on.

In the old communist days, the joke went “we pretend to work and they pretend to pay us.”  In the current socialized monetary system, the joke goes “we pretend to cut back and they pretend we will pay them back.”

As our astute fellow taxpayers are already aware, the Greeks have no intention of changing their ways.  Parliamentary promises and austerity measures are of little value when 90% of the population is against them.  It is doubtful that the money lenders in Germany and France will step out of their high rises to come repossess the Parthenon.

No, they will leave that to foreign militaries as they march on Palestine.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.  Our topic of the day is why the Euro/IMF and now, reluctantly, the private sector are “thrashing” (which must be somewhat harsher than mere hashing) out an aid plan for Greece tomorrow in France.  From Reuters:

International banks and insurers will meet on Wednesday to thrash out a plan for the private sector to contribute to Greece’s bailout effort as fears grow that the proposal will be derailed.

The Institute of International Finance (IIF) lobby group said it will chair the meeting of private-sector creditors.

It needs to resolve how a deal can get past credit rating agencies without it being termed a default, and how accountants will deal with it.

A lot of work remains to be done and Wednesday’s meeting will not be decisive, several sources said.

“It’s a process. The new French finance minister said today it will take weeks, over the summer. It’s complex. It can’t be settled overnight,” a French private sector source involved in the talks said.

He said there was unlikely to be a single “one-size-fits-all solution” but rather several options, given the number of different bondholders and stakeholders involved.

“The issue is so complex that we need more time,” a German banking industry source added.

Of course, the issue is not complex.  The Greeks have promised more than they can deliver.  Anyone can do this for a time but if too much time passes, actions (overspending) speak louder than words (austerity measures).

Besides, for a socialist tax collecting entity such as the Greek government, austerity measures starve its customer base of revenue, lowering its own tax revenues, which in turn demand’s more austerity, etc.

For a generally unproductive country that has made the mistake of outsourcing its money printing operations like Greece, austerity is collective suicide.  Even credit ratings agencies and accountants can no longer ignore this dubious state of affairs.

Greece, Where the Euro pays tourist prices

Yet paradoxically, the international bankers seem intent on forcing the Greeks, against their collective will, to starve themselves.  Why?  Even in the parallel universe of our current monetary system this course of action makes absolutely no sense.

And that is precisely why it must be done.  Somehow, the banking cartel must put on the charade of solvency.  Most people, accountants and ratings agencies amongst them, have a vague understanding that saving money is equal to solvency.

How right they would be, if silver and gold were still money.  In the current insane “debt is money” socialist monetary system, savings remove the lifeblood of the currency regime.

Don’t be deceived by the Euro and IMF’s words, Greece is a lost cause.  It has problems that not even Christine Lagarde and her $550K pay package cannot solve.

But that won’t stop them from trying!  As the explanations become more and more ludicrous across the Atlantic and Mediterranean, keep your eye on The Mint’s Key Indicators, which are still pointing at raging inflation with no end in sight in dollar land.

The only protection for savings is anything real that is not a dollar (or a promise to pay a dollar in the future, such as dollar denominated bonds).  How is that for investing made simple?  So many options!

Stay Fresh!

David Mint

Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com

P.S.  For more ideas and commentary please check out The Mint at www.davidmint.com

Key Indicators for July 5, 2011

Copper Price per Lb: $4.30
Oil Price per Barrel:  $96.83 A FAILURE TO INFLATE, WILL TREND LOWER

Corn Price per Bushel:  $6.80 MONETARY POLICY IS NOT WORKING
10 Yr US Treasury Bond:  3.14% WITH THE FED OUT, THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
FED Target Rate:  0.07% JAPAN HERE WE COME!

Gold Price Per Ounce:  $1,516 BENEFITING FROM PERMANENT UNCERTAINTY

MINT Perceived Target Rate*:  2.00%
Unemployment Rate:  9.1%
Inflation Rate (CPI):  0.2%
Dow Jones Industrial Average:  12,570 WINDOW DRESSING FOR 401K PORTFOLIOS
M1 Monetary Base:  $1,954,300,000,000 RED ALERT!!!
M2 Monetary Base:  $9,098,400,000,000 YIKES!!!

*See the MINT Perceived target Rate Chart.  This rate is the FED Target rate with a 39 month lag, representing the time it takes for the FED Target rate changes to affect the real economy.  This is a 39 months head start that the FED member banks have on the rest of us on using the new money that is created.

Watch “Salvados 23 de enero 2 de 4. Entrevista al Alcalde Comunista de Marinaleda” on YouTube

An interview with a communist mayor on Spain.  While hilarious, the video shows the merits of small scale communism, which is simply a small function of cooperation within a broader capitalist world.

The house they tour is only 15€ per month and is private property of the inhabitants.

The point is that what people think of as communism/socialism works well on a small scale because it is akin to a well run capitalist company and subject to the same immutable economic laws that everyone is.

Communism/socialism breaks down on a large scale when it trys to operate outside of these laws.

Enjoy!

The Chinese Socialist Experiment Begins to Unravel

It appears that the Chinese Socialist / Communist Experiment is beginning to rapidly unravel. From AP:

Rising prices are a political threat to China’s communist leaders and they have declared taming inflation their priority. But they suffered a setback in March, when a double-digit jump in food costs pushed inflation to a 32-month high of 5.4 percent. That was despite four interest rate hikes since October, curbs on bank lending and government orders to producers to hold down price increases.

Logically, this means price controls…

Attempts at price controls, subsidies for the poor and orders to local leaders to guarantee adequate vegetable supplies have had mixed results.

But price controls have nasty side effects…

In the southeast, export regions are suffering power shortages that force factories to suspend production every other day. Power companies are squeezed between low state-set rates and high gas and coal prices, so they have avoided adding more generating capacity despite double-digit annual increases in demand.

Enough said, right? But My favorite part is where the government promises to “manage” vegetable prices…

“I think you should have confidence in the Chinese government’s capability in managing vegetable prices well,” said a deputy commerce minister, Fu Ziying, at a news conference this week. He gave no time frame for when inflation might subside.

Centrally managing an economy is a futile and destructive exercise. Price controls of any kind inevitably lead to shortages. The Chinese are now taking a step backwards on their road to a Capitalist economic model.

Unfortunately, when you take a step backwards out of a high speed train going 400km per hour (which is what the Chinese economy essentially is), you can imagine that the results are not pretty. Unfortunately, the Chinese authorities are about to push the Chinese People off of the train.

Check out the full story here.

or at this link:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Beijing-turns-to-currency-to-apf-973357724.html?x=0