#150 - The Importance of Utopia

Many criticize politicians like Ron Paul who articulate goals such ending the IRS and the Federal Reserve as if they don't understand that it PRACTICALLY can't be done overnight. Although, in order to consistent and productive policy views you must have a vision of where you are going, a utopia to which base policy decisions as a path towards.

Whether it'd be the world where all needs are met through coercsion of production and wealth via socialism

Whether it'd be the world where strict value and genetic adherence create an efficient human race via facism

or even the coercion free world where people are free to pursuit their own ends and own their property, life, and actions of freedom minded people such as myself, Ron Paul, and everyone else in the movement.

We all have utopia, and it's this utopia that must exist in order to form policy for without a utopia policy becomes solely shortsighted and reactionary focusing solely on how to alleviate current problems which are usually just symptoms of larger more fundamental problems.

This is what the US has become, a household for reactionary policy

- the war on Iraq/Afghanistan, reaction to an event that is part of a bigger gap in US foreign policy

- The bailouts, addressing an instance of the business cycle which is the creation of the fundamental banking system which fosters it

- building a fence, a shallow attempt to address the burden created by mixture of managed trade, wage/price controls, and a welfare system


Only with a vision of a utopia can one be led to look at the foundation of a problem, for a reaction only exists in the now, only cares about the now. We need to return to a vision of utopia, no matter which utopia you choose at least in the end the debate of the fundamental US system will come back to life in doing so.

#149 - Hope for Non-Partisan Unity

In the new writing by Ron Paul, he really highlights what made him standout in the crowd during this years elections. His focus not on what we disagree on which separates us, but on what we agree on which brings us together.

It's no secret that most Ron Paul supporters don't agree with Ron Paul on most issues, even disagree with him on very decisive issues such as abortion. In the end people supported him cause the common ground was stronger than he divisions which is why we saw people from all over the political spectrum embrace the movement.

This is my problem with Democrats and Republicans.

Republicans spend all day focusing on the differences with Democrats

Democrats spend all day focusing on the difference with Republicans

they spend so much time being decisive that they abandon issues and focus solely of differentiating themselves from each other in useless bickering/marketing. This is why seeing Ron Pauls press conference with Nader, Mckinney, and Chuck Baldwin was so important cause you had candidates from such different political philosophies uniting on common ground.

This is what reaching across the aisle for change really looks like, putting aside SUBSTANTIAL differences for advancements of SUBSTANTIAL similarities.

The system is setup to create stalemates in the areas of disagreement, but change can happen in the common ground if we focused on that instead. Don't let the system blind you from the potential of nation united.



(NOTE: I do realize Ron Paul has officially endorsed Chuck Baldwin, if you read between the lines it's all a strategic move to target the group who's been the hardest to involve in the movement, the evangelicals. Like them or not, a coalition must be formed for change which can only be formed on common ground. I'm in this to create change, not to play to the marketing of some party.)

#148 - More videos discussing economics

Alex Merced on Economics #7 - Supply & Demand side economics

Alex Merced on Economics #8 - A bit about the depression

#147 - How depressions/recessions get prolonged

when credit runs loose, prices get artificially high, and there isn't enough saving to serve as a foundation for the corresponding economic adjustment.

The great depression, and the currenct economic crisis are economic adjustments similar to cup with too much water.

Let's say the cup is the economy and water is credit, if you pour too much water in the cup what happens?

It overflows, but for how long, until you let enough water spill out till it reaches a point where the cup can support the amount of water still left. Although if you keep pouring water in hopes of keeping the same level of water you had originally you just prolong the overflow.

The government is feeding more credit into the overextended economy with bailouts and price manipulation which only prolongs the inevitable and sets the stage for a monetary collapse.

Of coursge to learn all the technical details go to http://www.mises.org


Note: During the depression the new deal which manipulated wages and prices actually suppressed job creation instead of helping it, prolonging the depression. The depression ended in spite of the new deal, not cause of it. Also, Herbert Hoover did not cause the depression by being hands off the market, he also signed in plenty of legislation increasing tariffs and manipulating prices which help make the great depressions worse.

For more on this read the book "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism"

#146 - Financial Crisis in a very simplified nutshell

The current economic crisis is beast created by irresponsible banking, and the governement that creates the environment that makes banks think they can get away with it. What is needed is not more regulation, but stripping away of some of the powers that are given to banks by government, which means less laws not more.First you need to learn a few things about the current system:

- Fractional Reserve: We have a fractional reserve system which allows banks to lend as much as they want as long as they have enough deposits to cover a certain % of it (currently 10%). If I had one buck and tried to lend somebody 10... I think someone would call BS on me.

- Securities: to be blunt, Stocks and Bonds- Derritives: Securities backed by other securities, the ones causing the problem specifically are CDO/CMO.

Summary of a CMO/CDO- money is lent out @ 6%- I then take those loans and create a bond backed by those loans @ 4%

Result: banks make a free 2% cause the money from the bonds pay the loans... but then those bonds can be repackaged into Variable Annutiies and Mutual Funds which can be repackaged into participating investments trusts etc.Eventually it gets repackaged so many times that when the oroiginal mortage is defaulted on (due to interest rate manipulation by our central bank, The Federal Reserve, boooo) all the securities derrived from this mortages are also defaulted.This creates a very strong interdependency among banks... so when one falls... you get a domino effect that has only begun.

In the system we should have, a 100% reserve system with NO CENTRAL BANK this wouldn't happen cause:

a) credit would tighten since banks have to have enough deposits to cover their loans, even though at first less loans seems like it constrict the economy. This is alright cause the loans lent out will be fairly secure, and the businesses funded will be sound so during tough economic crisis they will be able to survive instead of having massive job losses during economic downturns.

b) same as above, but this will also be in part due to market interest rates instead of it being dictated by the federal reserve with inflation, which would mean stronger currency and more sound business practices and bank.

it goe s alittle farther than that, but that's the gist.In general... things are pretty bad.

#145 - Denouncing "Liberal" and "Conservative"

Today I denounce the old labels and old hats...

 I was orginally self-labeled a liberal believing that it stood for peoples rights over their own lives, and individual responsbility over peoples own decisions and actions. Later on, I learned liberal had transformed into an ideaology of government welfare stealing personal responsibilty from individuals over their property, labor, and businesses labeling all those who descent selfish and greedy to guilt them into foregoing their rights.

 I then briefly followed the label conservative thinking it was about the belief in personal responsibility and freedom over ones successes and failures, along with a conservation of those rights outlined by by the constituion. Again, this label had transformed itself into an ideology of sub-verting power over other nations and surveilling those who do not fall in line with the hierarchy.

 So one would think I'd embrace a "libertarian" or "consitutionalist" title, but chaining myself to another smaller establishment would do no good or matter cause...

1. Liberty operates independant of the constitution, as much I love the constitution and the foresight of the founding father, if the nation fell tomrrow it would not mean I have lost my right to my will and freedom which is intrinsic in my very existance.

2. To be free of a label doesn't forgoe the reality that changing the system requires playing in the system. The challenge is not losing who you are and what your fighting for as you make your way through.

 So in the end the truly free put on many hats as Lovers of Liberty, and Fighters for Freedom when it's time for change. Whether you call me a Liberty Lover or a Freedom Fighter, when the revolution comes around, you better call me.

#144 - Alex on Economics 3-6

#143 - Thoughts on the Beauty of Liberty

I sit in anticipation of Monday when Ron Paul will be having a joint press conference not only with libertarian candidate Bob Barr, but also with Constitution party candidate Chuck Baldwin. I'm not sure what this will be about but I'm sure Paul knows what he is doing.

It's funny to think about everything that has happened this year, and how much i've come to truly appreciate the beauty of freedom, liberty, and being an individual. These three things carry huge responsibility, but anything worth having usually does. There are those who don't want that responsibility or think other should have it and are hoping to place that responsibility eslewhere through dangerous policies and misguided principles.

Although, in a free world, you can wish to not be responsible for your own life but in the end you are cause your life is yours to live. The beauty of liberty is that you can speak against and hate liberty all you want, but liberty will always be available to you cause it truly comes from within, from the choices and actions you make. You can believe in socialism, protectionism, but in the end you are still free to make choices and actions and suffer the consequences.

Freedom isn't a gift, or a burden, it's the reality of being an individual and no amount of policies can truly enslave a true individual. On the same hand, no matter how much you reduce the scope of government, someone with collectivist mindset will still be no less free than before.

Liberty, Freedom, and Individuality is within you, and your for the taking. Take it.

#141 - Ron Paul at the Rally for the Republic

Ron Paul is truly my hero and always hearing him talk always reminds me why I've dealt with the alienation from people on both sides who don't want to tolerate people who don't follow party lines. Wh I've lost many of my friends on the left and the right to choosing the constitution and freedom. I get it now, it's my responsibility to help in the fight for freedom and not become complacent to a binary opposition of state control.

- Alex Merced

Here is Ron Paul Speech @ The Rally for the Republic, a Shadow Convention held next door to the Republican National Convention

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