Category: Philosophy

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

On By Citizen TomIn 2016 Election, Philosophy, unraveling3 Comments

school.pngSometimes the good guys win.

Here is another email from the Chairman of the PWC Republican Committee. It is a thank you note.

Dear Faithful Republicans,

I want to thank each and every one of you for your overwhelming support sending emails and for showing up to the PWC School Board Meetings. It truly made a difference! It was particularly encouraging to see the unity that came out of this very divisive issue. While the fight is not over, we can keep this momentum going by continuing to show up and let our voices be heard. Thank you again!

“Yes” for Brentsville and Gil Trenum; “Wait” on Trans Gender – An Update from the PWC School Board Meeting on September 21st.

Nearly 500 people showed up last night while the board took citizen comments from 7:00pm to 1:00am on policy 060, the policy change to add sexual preference and gender identity to the lists of protected classes.  The entire Kelly Leadership Center school board complex was full, to include an over flow room and the atrium.

Approximately 150 people spoke.  Speakers came from all backgrounds: Hispanic, African American, Muslim, Christian, parents and kids.  Some of the more moving arguments came from young ladies who simply pleaded, “Please protect my privacy and dignity.”  Several African American speakers said “this was not the civil rights issue of the 21st century.”

More than 90% of speakers were against changing policy 060.  Their arguments were: legal “wait for the Virginia Supreme Court to Rule”; transparency “why are you making this decision so hastily without soliciting staff or public input”; and safety “please don’t force a child to undress in front of another student of the opposite biological sex.”

Proponents of policy 060 talked about bullying, hatred and discrimination.  But there was no hatred or discrimination on our side last night. In fact our speakers talked about loving and protecting all children. Sadly, gay and transgender kids are the subject of bullying.  But as a Muslim parent of kids who have been bullied for their faith noted, this policy doesn’t stop bullying. He said we cannot equate bathroom preference with bullying.

Speakers asked the board to focus on meaningful bullying prevention, SOL scores, crowding, in short, real education policy.

In the end, Chairman Sawyers pushed his policy proposal ahead, as originally written.  Loree Williams (Woodbridge) seconded his motion.  Diane Raulston (Neabsco) offered a competing motion to stay the vote until the second SB meeting in June 2017 (presumably after the courts have issued their ruling).

After some deliberation the vote to delay was 5 aye, one nay (Sawyers) and one abstain (Williams).  The Brentsville seat was empty during this vote.

Bottom Line: we showed up, stuck to our message and won the night.  But we need to stay engaged.  This issue isn’t going away.

At around 2:00am, the board voted unanimously to appoint Shawn Brann to fill Gil Trenum’s seat until Gil returns for the 2017-2018 school year.  Shawn was one of Gil’s recommended replacements and is well qualified to serve on the School Board!

Warm Regards,
Dottie Miller
Chairman PWC Republican Committee

It is an old expression, but it applies. We are at a crossroads. What Dottie Miller describes sounds like a great victory. It could be, but so long as we keep electing big government busybodies, such people will push increasingly crazy agendas. Eventually, they will have us at each others throats, more concerned about demanding our “rights” from each other than we are about protecting each others God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Whatever it takes, we must remember the people who vote for expanding the power of government, and we must vote for someone else. Whatever it takes, even if it seems to go against our best interests in the short term, we must vote only for the government we deem absolutely necessary. Otherwise, the busybodies will wear us down with nitnoid nonsense.

In a country where government runs everything, gender confusion will be the least of our concerns. Here is why. When we pass from this life, we will be rightfully ashamed. We will have left our children entirely confused and in the power of leaders who do not even care about the difference between what is right and what is wrong.

FREDERIC BASTIAT ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD AND A BAD ECONOMIST

On By Citizen TomIn Culture War, history, Philosophy, religion, schools6 Comments
Mankind's Eternal Dilemma: The Choice Between Virtue and Vice by Frans Francken the Younger depicts three choices: heaven, earth, and hell (from here)
Mankind’s Eternal Dilemma: The Choice Between Virtue and Vice by Frans Francken the Younger depicts three choices: heaven, earth, and hell (from here)

The American news media has a good business model. Suffering, sex, violence, and so forth attracts viewers, but is the news media’s business model good for us? When they show us suffering, what is the first thought of the news media and its too often mindless admirers? It is a crisis! The government has to do something!

Why the government? Well, it makes for a good story. The reporters can point their cameras at somebody and tell us what he is doing or not doing.

Is our government always supposed to do something? Why? When there is a problem, how far ahead does the news media look? Doesn’t the news media always gravitate to the next crisis? Do they actually give much thought to anything?

Consider Frédéric Bastiat‘s observation on the importance of foresight.

In the department of economy, an act, a habit, an institution, a law, gives birth not only to an effect, but to a series of effects. Of these effects, the first only is immediate; it manifests itself simultaneously with its cause–it is seen. The others unfold in succession–they are not seen: it is well for us if they are foreseen. Between a good and a bad economist this constitutes the whole difference–the one takes account of the visible effect; the other takes account both of the effects which are seen and also of those which it is necessary to foresee. Now this difference is enormous, for it almost always happens that when the immediate consequence is favourable, the ultimate consequences are fatal, and the converse. Hence it follows that the bad economist pursues a small present good, which will be followed by a great evil to come, while the true economist pursues a great good to come, at the risk of a small present evil.

In fact, it is the same in the science of health, arts, and in that of morals. If often happens, that the sweeter the first fruit of a habit is, the more bitter are the consequences. Take, for example, debauchery, idleness, prodigality. When, therefore, a man, absorbed in the effect which is seen, has not yet learned to discern those which are not seen, he gives way to fatal habits, not only by inclination, but by calculation.

This explains the fatally grievous condition of mankind. Ignorance surrounds its cradle: then its actions are determined by their first consequences, the only ones which, in its first stage, it can see. It is only in the long run that it learns to take account of the others. It has to learn this lesson from two very different masters–experience and foresight. Experience teaches effectually, but brutally. It makes us acquainted with all the effects of an action, by causing us to feel them; and we cannot fail to finish by knowing that fire burns, if we have burned ourselves. For this rough teacher, I should like, if possible, to substitute a more gentle one. I mean Foresight. (from here)

Over the last couple of centuries, our nation has accumulated many unjust laws. In each instance a large segment of the population conspired together to make “other people do the right thing”. In others words, some busybodies insisted upon making everyone else do things their way.

What has been the result? Here are some examples.

  • We have a public education system that worked at first. Then our leaders slowly stripped it of any religious content. Our knowledge of civics is also abysmal. Man on the street interviews have become a national joke.
  • Some time back too many of us started letting our leaders ignore the Constitution whenever we wanted what they promised. Now our president routinely issues executive orders everyone knows are unconstitutional.
  • We created the Fed to prevent bank runs. Now we have a fiat currency that steadily loses value, and our banking system gives everyone the shivers.
  • We passed the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. The income taxes that that amendment allowed were only supposed to affect the top one percent.
  • To allow the direct election of senators, we passed the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.  Now the Federal Government has more raw power than all the state governments combined. Perhaps a Convention of the States could change that. Perhaps.
  • Social Security once looked like a humane way to save the elderly from poverty. Now that costly system threatens to go bankrupt.
  • More and more our healthcare system, responsible for prolonging so many lives, is government-run. Such a system will almost certainly lead to rationing. Then we will die waiting in line to be treated.
  • We created a great safety-net to prevent the effects of poverty. Who anticipated those generous welfare programs would encourage greater social ills such as unwed motherhood?
  • In the name of civil rights, our great and glorious leaders decided to protect everyone’s “rights”. Now many think their “rights” are something “the man” owes them.

Earlier this year I wrote PART 4 FOR BOTH “HOW A POOR WIDOW ANSWERED HER CALLING” AND “GOVERNMENT-GIVEN RIGHTS VERSUS GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS”. That post included a section on The Seven Christian Virtues. That section describes how and why those who believe in government have worked to pervert the virtues of our people.

To have foresight is to be wise, and it is worth remembering that wisdom is something we each must learn. Our government cannot give us wisdom. It is also worth remembering that virtue is something we each must practice. Our government cannot be virtuous for us.

LATEST ON THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 21st

On By Citizen TomIn Culture War, Delegate Bob Marshall, Philosophy, Republican Party13 Comments

school.pngHere is an update to IMPORTANT SCHOOL BOARD UPDATES FOR SEPTEMBER 21st MEETING. It is another email from the Chairman of the PWC Republican Committee. Continue reading “LATEST ON THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 21st” →

WHEN ECONOMISTS BECOME THE COURT MAGICIANS — PART 2

On By Citizen TomIn Constitution, Philosophy, 2016 Election, Donald Trump4 Comments

bad economySome time back I got the itch to write WHEN ECONOMISTS BECOME THE COURT MAGICIANS — PART 1. With the title I promised there would be a Part 2. So here it is. Why the lack of enthusiasm? Well, I don’t see economics as a dismal science, but I do weary of pointless argument.

Consider. Here of late I have had a debate (see here, here, and here) with Stephen. wants to redesign our entire socioeconomic system. He is smart, but he has a warped understanding of the purpose of government and how economics works. He has a very limited understanding of that thing we call money. He equates interest with usury. What can I say that would change his mind? I don’t know, but I have tried.

Am I an expert on economics? No, I am not. I actually wonder if there is such a thing.

Ask five economists and you’ll get five different answers – six if one went to Harvard. (from here) — Edgar R. Fiedler

Instead of promoting my expertise in economics, I am just writing to observe that we don’t know enough to identify an “expert” we should trust as much as the ones are trusting. Look at how we “manage” our economy. How many of us voters even have a clue as to what the “experts” are doing? Let’s see what we know about fiscal and monetary policy.

Fiscal Policy

Fiscal policy is the more transparent of the two policies.

Fiscal policy is when our government uses its spending and taxing powers to have an impact on the economy. The combination and interaction of government expenditures and revenue collection is a delicate balance that requires good timing and a little bit of luck to get it right. The direct and indirect effects of fiscal policy can influence personal spending, capital expenditure, exchange rates, deficit levels and even interest rates, which are usually associated with monetary policy. (from here)

According to some “experts”, Congress is supposed to exercise control over the economy thru taxes and spending. Instead of taxing us and spending our money just to do what the Federal Government is supposed to do, according to some economists  “good” fiscal policy requires Congress to also tax and spend to regulate economic growth. Somehow or another government spending is supposed to stimulate economic growth and taxes are supposed to bring economic growth under control.

As a practical matter,  Congress tends to use “good” fiscal policy as an excuse to tax and spend to excess. So we are in debt up to our ears. Congress has wasted huge sums that undoubtedly would have been better spent by the people who earned that money in the first place.

Want a “good” laugh? Check out some of these quotes on fiscal policy.

Monetary Policy

Almost everyone is familiar with the expression “Federal Reserve“, but what does the Fed do? Here is a brief description.

The “Fed” is an independent agency, one that is self-funded (see here). The Fed is a powerful group of economists, “experts” who regulate the banking industry. We routinely hear the Fed’s latest announcement of the Fed funds rate. The other thing we hear from the Fed these days is its latest announcement of quantitative easing. That’s a fancy way of saying the Fed is electronically “printing money” out of thin air. These two activities are the most visible aspects of the Fed’s role in monetary policy, that is, controlling the money supply.

Since the Fed also supervises and regulates banking institutions, the Fed does stuff in the background that only the financial experts notice. These activities relate to the risky nature of fractional reserve banking.

Fractional reserve banking is a banking system in which only a fraction of bank deposits are backed by actual cash on hand and are available for withdrawal. This is done to expand the economy by freeing up capital that can be loaned out to other parties. Many U.S. banks were forced to shut down during the Great Depression because too many people attempted to withdraw assets at the same time. (from here)

Not enough money in the vault? That is called a bank run. The bankers want us to believe that that problem is not real. I guess it depends upon one’s point-of-view. What if you want your money, and the bank says you cannot have it?

Audit the Fed

The Fed is one of the Federal Government’s most powerful institutions. It operates as an independent agency.  Some people think the Fed is too independent and needs to be audited so we can find out what it is doing. That proposal has created considerable controversy. Partly, that is because the Fed is already audited to some extent. The issue is that not everything is audited, and what is not audited is actually quite important.

Bottom Line

Our experiments in fiscal and monetary policy have failed.

  • We do not have a fiscal policy, and it is doubtful whether such a policy would be moral. Why should the government spend other people’s money to stimulate the economy? The idea doesn’t even make sense. We cannot spend our own money? Our elected officials just want to spend and spend and tax and tax. Fiscal policy is just another excuse. Unnecessary Federal Government spending diverts capital and human resources into low priority or even unnecessary projects and programs. Most Federal Government spending now goes into Social Security and Medicare. The Constitution does not even charter the Federal Government to spend money on such programs, but these programs serve to bribe voters old enough to know better.
  • Our fiscal policy is also a dubious enterprise. The Fed exists to prop up fractional reserve banking, a dubious practice that most likely would have been replaced with something less risky without government interference. In addition, the Fed works to “hide” Congress’ huge deficits by manipulating the currency and the banking industry. This puts unelected officials in control of huge sums of money, officials who can operate in relative secrecy. That is just a recipe for thievery and other sorts of trouble.

So what is the alternative? We probably ought to try reading our Constitution and doing what it says. Most of the government in this country is supposed to be at the state and local level. The Constitution does not empower the Federal Government  stimulate or regulate economic growth. The Federal Government was supposed to borrow money, if needed, and to regulate interstate commerce to keep the states from interfering in interstate commerce. In addition, the Constitution says the Federal Government is supposed to coin money.

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

…….

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; (from Article. I., Section. 8)

How did we get from that to the Federal Reserve?

The bottom line is we need to elect Donald Trump. Will he get rid of the Fed? Probably not, but who knows what might happen if we thoroughly audit it?