The following will appear Wednesday in USAToday.
Please consider...
If you are unable to read it, click on the image.
PS, I hope noone finds these images offensive.
If not now, when?
Moderator: Jim O'Bryan
-
Donald Farris
- Posts: 309
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 8:31 pm
- Location: Lakewood and points beyond
- Contact:
If not now, when?
Hi,
The following will appear Wednesday in USAToday.
Please consider...
If you are unable to read it, click on the image.
PS, I hope noone finds these images offensive.
The following will appear Wednesday in USAToday.
Please consider...
If you are unable to read it, click on the image.
PS, I hope noone finds these images offensive.
Mankind must put an end to war or
war will put an end to mankind.
--John F. Kennedy
Stability and peace in our land will not come from the barrel of a gun, because peace without justice is an impossibility.
--Desmond Tutu
war will put an end to mankind.
--John F. Kennedy
Stability and peace in our land will not come from the barrel of a gun, because peace without justice is an impossibility.
--Desmond Tutu
-
ryan costa
- Posts: 2486
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:31 pm
great
most of those points seem pretty valid. I don't remember the founding fathers presenting any thing close to a consensus on a fiat money system though.
so far as I remember, most of international trade back then was more like bartering. Salted Cod for Rum for Slaves for cotton for textiles for tobacco for tea, etc etc mostly delivered by sailing ships staffed by guys with no healthcare plan or checking accounts. Scrip was just as easily backed by a cargo of tobacco or tea as by bullion. Johnny Appleseed set up a working finance system backed on Cider and apple pie...
The hoopla about gold and centralized banking is to avoid taking a hard look the bogus free trade mantra both parties' higher ups are indoctrinated with. Well, the founding fathers gave congress the power to regulate trade, currency, tariffs, etc. It must have been pretty important, because back then there wasn't much to trade across oceans.
There's an interesting snippet in Collapse, by Jared Diamond. He makes a reference to a farmer being able to sell 2 cows 50 years ago and then being able to get a new truck or tractor. Nowadays a farmer has to sell over 35 cows to get a new tractor or a new truck. That makes you think on the nature of inflation. Assembly line workers aren't making 17 times what they made 50 years ago(adjusted for inflation). Steel isn't 17 times what it cost then adjusted for inflation. A truck or tractor doesn't last 17 times as long, 17 times cheaper to maintain and repair, etc. Meat isn't 1/17th its price relative to median income. Americans aren't 17 times more well nourished than 50 years ago, or 17 times healthier. Where's all the added "efficiency" going?
so far as I remember, most of international trade back then was more like bartering. Salted Cod for Rum for Slaves for cotton for textiles for tobacco for tea, etc etc mostly delivered by sailing ships staffed by guys with no healthcare plan or checking accounts. Scrip was just as easily backed by a cargo of tobacco or tea as by bullion. Johnny Appleseed set up a working finance system backed on Cider and apple pie...
The hoopla about gold and centralized banking is to avoid taking a hard look the bogus free trade mantra both parties' higher ups are indoctrinated with. Well, the founding fathers gave congress the power to regulate trade, currency, tariffs, etc. It must have been pretty important, because back then there wasn't much to trade across oceans.
There's an interesting snippet in Collapse, by Jared Diamond. He makes a reference to a farmer being able to sell 2 cows 50 years ago and then being able to get a new truck or tractor. Nowadays a farmer has to sell over 35 cows to get a new tractor or a new truck. That makes you think on the nature of inflation. Assembly line workers aren't making 17 times what they made 50 years ago(adjusted for inflation). Steel isn't 17 times what it cost then adjusted for inflation. A truck or tractor doesn't last 17 times as long, 17 times cheaper to maintain and repair, etc. Meat isn't 1/17th its price relative to median income. Americans aren't 17 times more well nourished than 50 years ago, or 17 times healthier. Where's all the added "efficiency" going?