Category Archives: Economics

Economics, Energy, Philosophic, Political, Religious

Prisoner Restitution

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Citizens of the United States of America have rights. Such as the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

When a citizen commits a crime, they do so in trade for some of their rights. In other words, were I to kill someone, I would give up my rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness and depending on the scenario, I could lose my right to life.

This is natural cause and effect. Every action has a consequence. Certain consequences are desirable, others are not. We learn what to do and what not to do based on receiving these consequences. This is a law of the universe. It cannot be changed.
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Economics, Political

Tax the Rich

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Just doing a little math here. A true “flat tax” might look something like this:
US Population 2010: 309 million people (309000000)
US Federal budget request for 2010: $3.55 trillion ($3550000000000)

3550000000000 / 309000000 = $11,488.67/person/year

That is quite a bit of tax. Although, consider what we pay in taxes across the board in sales, property, gas, income, SS, etc, etc.

I just read some articles that I found interesting.

Tax the Rich!

“1. Poor Americans do pay taxes… including federal payroll taxes. Between gas taxes, sales taxes, utility taxes and other taxes, no one lives tax free in America.”

“[D]uring seven of the eight Bush years, the IRS report on the top 400 taxpayers was labeled a state secret, a policy that the Obama administration overturned almost immediately after his inauguration.”

“Since 1980, when President Reagan won election promising prosperity through tax cuts, the average income of the vast majority—the bottom 90 percent of Americans—has increased a meager $303, or 1 percent. Put another way, for each dollar people in the vast majority made in 1980, in 2008 their income was up to $1.01.”

Tax The Rich? 14 Facts You May Want To Consider

“The ultra-rich simply are not going to be taxed into oblivion. They will do whatever it takes to avoid high tax rates.”

“The truth is that our tax system is completely and totally broken.”

“When you crush small businesses you crush job growth in this country.

“If you wanted to truly ‘tax the rich’, you would need to completely throw out our current tax system and come up with something completely and totally different.

And actually, when you get right down to it, an income tax is not even needed to run our country. Until 1913 the United States did just fine without a federal income tax.”

“[T]he solution is to change the rules of the game so that money and financial power does not become so concentrated in the hands of just a few. Our founding fathers intended for all Americans to be able to start businesses and compete. They never intended for gigantic mega-corporations to dominate everything.”

What are your thoughts on taxes?

Economics, Philosophic

Scarcity vs Abundance Quiz

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How do you think about money? Read each question and pick the answer that most closely resembles the way that you think.

1) My friend lands a new job that pays a lot more than money than my job does, and it has amazing benefits, including 4 weeks of vacation.

  1. I feel very excited for my friend and congratulate them.
  2. I feel jealous, angry, and wonder how they get all the luck.

2) There is enough money in the world for everyone to be fabulously rich.

  1. True
  2. False

3) I just bought a new couch. Now the Boy Scouts are knocking at my door for $25 to help them get to summer camp.

  1. I will give because I have plenty and I admire these Scouts for putting forth the effort to build character through fund raising.
  2. I can barely feed my kids and that new couch was purchased on credit so I am now under a mountain of debt.

4) The news reports that the economy is in a recession, unemployment is at an all time high, and property values are down.

  1. I thank God for the blessings I enjoy and look for opportunities to create value for others.
  2. I feel scared, worry that I might lose my job and my house, and I stop spending money however possible.

5) I am poor. I barely have enough to make ends meet.

  1. False
  2. True

6) I am very richly blessed and wealthy.

  1. True
  2. False

7) I have thousands of dollars of debt.

  1. Some of those debts were good investments and know there is a way for me to take responsibility of my bad choices and get out of debt.
  2. I have nothing to show for all of my spending and I have no hope of ever getting out of debt. Bankruptcy looks very appealing.

8 ) I am eating a bag of my favorite snacks. My child comes into the room, sees what I am eating and asks for some.

  1. Sure you can have some. I love to share my snacks with you.
  2. No! These are mine snacks.

9) I am driving on the highway. Someone turns on their blinker indicating a desire to move in front of me.

  1. I wave them in, thinking, “there is plenty of road for everyone”.
  2. I speed up and give them a dirty look. My road! Mine!
In case you did not already figure it out, all the “A” answers indicate a mentality of “abundance” and all of the “B” answers indicate a mentality of “scarcity”.

We are what we think.

Scarcity is the mentality of a child. Many of us do not grow out of it, for many number of reasons. Most often we learn to stay in the scarcity mindset by example.

How do I fix a mentality of scarcity?

Scarcity is an addiction. We handle this addiction in much the same way that we handle any other addiction. The first steps are:
1 – Recognize that you have a scarcity mentality.
2 – Admit to yourself that you have a scarcity mentality.
3 – Admit to you spouse or someone significant in your life who can help to hold you accountable.

Which mentality do you have? And why?

Economics, Philosophic, Political, Religious

Is there a situation where democracy won’t work?

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This important question was asked and answered by Clayton M. Christensen on 16 May 2009 in a commencement speech given at Southern New Hampshire University.

I encourage everyone to read this speech. Here are a couple of quotes from it that caught my attention:

Too often, as a result, we overlook an obvious fact: finding the right answer is impossible unless we have asked the right question.

You just think that because democracy works for you that it will work everywhere. It only works where there is a strong foundation of this particular type of religion.

Those who seek to minimize the role that religions can play on the public stage are … seeking to minimize the very institutions that have given us our civil liberties in the first place.

The full speech can be found here: “The Importance of Asking the Right Questions”

(Thanks to Marie Norris for introducing me to this speech.)

Economics, Political

Grassroots Economic Stimulus

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Those boys and girls in Washington keep trying to mess around with the economy, thinking they know how to “force” the economy into doing their bidding. I am tired of hearing of bailouts and stimulus packages.

A friend of mine had an idea and acted on it, to start a grassroots campaign to show Washington how the economy is supposed to work and give it a boost from the people who ARE the economy. WE are the economy.

Uncle Sam in Green

Tired of waiting for Washington to patch up the economic mess we’re in? I am too. Everywhere I turn, I see or hear about Washington’s plans to ’save’ businesses, industries, communities, and the economy in general.

The only real economic stimulus is that which the citizens of this nation provide when they let go of fear and live abundantly.

I encourage everyone to “join the Green 317 movement” and together we can send a message to Washington and show them what a real economic stimulus is.

Here are some more helpful links. Podcast episodes that will help you change the way you think about money in a more positive and productive way:

Economics, Philosophic, Political

I oppose the $25 billion bailout

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Congress wants our opinion on the requested auto industry bailout.

DOES THE AUTO INDUSTRY NEED A BAILOUT?
The big three automakers say they need $25 billion in emergency short-term loans to avoid bankruptcy. Opponents say we shouldn’t reward poor management. Some in Congress say if we do provide loans we need to attach conditions such as environmental regulations or management changes. Tell Congress and President George W. Bush what you think.

(congress.org)

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