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Posts Tagged ‘politicians’

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Politicians Forced To Cancel Prayer Breakfast After Lightning Keeps Striking Building

Posted by M. C. on September 21, 2024

https://babylonbee.com/news/politicians-forced-to-cancel-prayer-breakfast-after-lightning-keeps-striking-building

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 2023 National Prayer Breakfast came to an abrupt and premature end today due to severe lightning that kept striking the building where the politicians were gathered.

“Well anyway, you know, we’re here to pray to, you know… the thing!” said a barely audible Biden as deafening thunder shook the room. “Let’s all remember that a woman’s right to choose is fundamental to our…”

The President was unable to complete his sentence as lightning struck again and killed power to the entire building.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Congressman Scalise as he dove out of the way of a piece of the roof as it caved in. “Why is the lightning only striking this building and none of the others? It just doesn’t make sense!”

Eyewitnesses have confirmed that a small local storm formed directly over the Hilton’s International Ballroom at approximately 8 am and has been striking the building with lightning over and over again for hours.

At publishing time, the storm had mysteriously ceased after all the politicians left the building.

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Insider Trading… Why Politicians Can Do It and You Can’t

Posted by M. C. on June 28, 2024

Is the use of insider information ethical? The government says, “No!” I say, “Absolutely, whenever the data is honestly gained, and no confidence is betrayed by disclosing or using it.” The whole concept of inside information is a floating abstraction, a witch hunter’s dream, and a bonanza for government lawyers looking to take scalps.

There’s a reason why everybody who stays in the upper echelons of government for a few years emerges someplace in between extremely comfortable and extremely rich. The revolving door between big business and government is very convenient.

A perfect example of this is Janet Yellen, who accepted $7 million worth of speaking fees from banks just before she became the US Secretary of Treasury. It was obviously a payoff.

By Doug Casey

International Man

International Man: What exactly is insider trading? Is it inherently unethical?

Doug Casey: The term insider trading is nebulous and as open to arbitrary interpretation as the Internal Revenue Code. A brief definition is to “to trade on material, non-public information.” That sounds simple enough, but in its broadest sense, it means you are a potential criminal for attempting to profit from researching a company beyond its public statements.

Is the use of insider information ethical? The government says, “No!” I say, “Absolutely, whenever the data is honestly gained, and no confidence is betrayed by disclosing or using it.” The whole concept of inside information is a floating abstraction, a witch hunter’s dream, and a bonanza for government lawyers looking to take scalps.

When the SEC prosecutes someone, it can cost millions of dollars in legal fees to defend against them. And as with most regulatory law, concepts of ethics, justice, and property rights never even enter the equation. Instead, it’s a question of arbitrary legalities.

Whether someone is prosecuted of insider trading is largely a question of who he is. A maverick researcher and a powerful government official will tend to get very different treatments. It’s also a question of the psychology and motives of the prosecutor. Insider trading is generally a non-crime that can be used in a Kafkaesque manner by upward-mobile prosecutors.

Insider trading should, at best, be the basis of a tort suit by a company if a board member betrays a trust. It shouldn’t be a crime prosecuted by the State.

Any ethical problem shouldn’t be about how information is used or who profits but whether it’s acquired honestly. Whether information is “inside” has no moral significance as long as it is honestly acquired. The market is a register of information, and impeding the free flow of knowledge in any way makes it less efficient. A morass of regulation only opens the door to real corruption. This is nothing new. Tacitus correctly said “The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the State.”

In addition, the very concept of insider trading is ridiculous from a practical point of view. Someone always gets the information first. If an announcement is made, the people in the room who hear it first act on it first. By the time it’s published, it’s old news. It’s physically impossible for everyone to get information at the same time.

Insider trading has never cost shareholders a penny. Other actions taken by management insiders have, however, cost shareholders many billions. Regardless of the rhetoric, the name of the game in hostile takeovers and proxy battles is often management versus the shareholders. But that’s a story for another time.

International Man: In the past, politicians in Congress and elsewhere have allegedly engaged in insider trading with impunity.

Meanwhile, the penalties inflicted upon regular citizens can be severe. The maximum criminal penalty for insider trading is 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.

What is your take on this?

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Organized Crime

Posted by M. C. on June 27, 2024

“The way people speak of those in power, calling their commands “laws,” referring to disobedience to them as a “crime,” and so on, implies the right of “government” to rule, and a corresponding obligation on the part of its subjects to obey. Without the right to “rule,” (“authority”) there is no need to call the entity “government,” and all the politicians and their mercenaries become utterly indistinguishable from a giant organized crime syndicate, their “laws” no more valid than the threats of muggers and carjackers.”

~ Larken Rose, “The Most Dangerous Superstition”

“These so-called governments are in reality only great bands of robbers and murderers, organized, disciplined, and constantly on the alert.”

~ Lysander Spooner

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Why Are So-Called ‘Anti-State’ Types Still Supporting the State and the Politicians Who Wish To Rule?

Posted by M. C. on September 7, 2023

There is but one big picture, and that is that the State is the mortal enemy of all that is good in this world. Perpetuating and supporting the lie that government is necessary, that control by the few is legitimate, that representative rule is needed, that independence leads to chaos, and that arbitrary laws enforced at the point of a gun somehow create harmony, is the epitome of a society consumed by irresponsibility, and one that seeks its own enslavement.

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2023/09/gary-d-barnett/why-are-so-called-anti-state-types-still-supporting-the-state-and-the-politicians-who-wish-to-rule/

“He had just about enough intelligence to open his mouth when he wanted to eat, but certainly no more.”

~ P.G. Wodehouse

Once again, I find it necessary to write about the insanity of so-called freedom supporters (or anyone else) who voluntarily choose to continue to promote politicians for political office, as if keeping this heinous and evil system alive in the ‘hope’ that it will work this time around, is a viable option. Every single election brings out supposed anti-state individuals and groups, stumping for their candidate(s) of choice, without ever once considering that the entire system is not only flawed beyond imagination, but is, and has always been, and by design, controlled, corrupt ,and criminal since the very beginning. Choosing a new master in an ocean of government scum, will never lead to freedom and prosperity, as the problem is not who rules, but that rule exists at all.

It is brutally obvious that politicians, most all politicians, are either fully controlled, or are willing accomplices in crimes against mankind.  If that was not so, things would not have worsened incessantly throughout all of time, regardless of which worthless trimmer got ‘elected’ (selected) in these make-believe and fraudulent ‘elections.’ Despite party affiliation or rhetoric, any elected politician is agreeing to uphold abhorrent State ‘laws,’ including the government-created Constitution, which is an assault against natural rights and liberty. Voting is a fool’s game, and is only allowed in order to trick the weak of mind into thinking they are controlling their own destiny. Anyone who still believes such nonsense, is a completely lost soul.

I always consider voting for a ‘master’ asinine, but I do not expect those claiming to be anti-state to fall for such nonsense. It matters not who is ‘elected,’ as it is the system that is rotten, so simply replacing one politician with another cannot ever bring a good outcome. The abolishment of government, or at the very least, the elimination of all power to regulate or restrict, is necessary if freedom is to exist.

The main focus of this rant is directed at those claiming to be conservative, ‘liberal,’ independent, or libertarian, who continue to support and promote this governing system by advocating the choosing of different candidates working within the very same flawed, dishonest, and horrendous system, that brought us this extreme tyranny in the first place. It is as if, whether innocently or by design, they believe that simply choosing a new face will put out the fire of totalitarianism, while leaving in place a dominant master ruling cabal. This kind of illogical non-reasoning is usually based on blind hope, or on knowingly presenting this ludicrous option so as to keep a corrupt agenda in place. Either way, it is always doomed to failure, and does nothing but perpetuate the enslavement of the masses.

See the rest here

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TGIF: What about Politicians?

Posted by M. C. on July 31, 2023

Caplan asks, “How much time and mental energy does the average politician pour into moral due diligence?  A few hours a year seems like a high estimate.” He gives them too much credit. Do they even know what due diligence is? “They don’t just fall a tad short of their moral obligations,” Caplan continues. “They’re too busy passing laws and giving orders to face the possibility that they’re wielding power illegitimately.”

https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/tgif-what-about-politicians/

by Sheldon Richman

politician

The best-selling social scientist and, it so happens, libertarian Bryan Caplan thinks politicians are immoral. Sounds promising. He’s discussed this online and in one of his published blog-post collections, How Evil Are Politicians?: Essays on Demagoguery. What are we to make of his contention?

Caplan isn’t using the libertarian nonaggression standard here. Even people who never heard of that standard or who oppose it ought to be at least open to his case. He’s really talking about basic decency: the need to avoid gross negligence. Moreover, he thinks it’s irrelevant that politicians may believe they are doing the right thing. That’s not good enough; it doesn’t get them off Caplan’s hook.

He starts by talking about everyone and not just politicians. It won’t do, he writes, for people merely to go along with what everyone else expects them to do — not if they want to be virtuous.

[V]irtuous people can’t just conform to the expectations of their society. Everyone has at least a modest moral obligation to perform “due diligence” – to investigate whether their society’s expectations are immoral. And whenever their society fails to measure up, virtuous people spurn social expectations and do the morally right thing.

Caplan doesn’t say here what he means by virtuous (from other writings we know he’s a moral intuitionist), but that statement surely makes sense. Think of Socrates. No one should suspend their moral judgment or rest content with an unexamined life even in the face of social opposition. Taking into consideration the predominant opinion among most people or the most reputable people is a good starting point (as Aristotle acknowledged), but it is no substitute for thinking for oneself. One should be on the lookout for good reasons for questioning and even rejecting conventional wisdom.

Then Caplan moves on to politicians, who face an even tougher standard for obvious reasons.

See the rest here

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Why Do We Elect Politicians and Governments that Wage War on Sovereign States?

Posted by M. C. on June 8, 2023

This deprives the people of their elementary right to peace and freedom. Are governments a clique separate from the population?

Many adults react to these politicians like children in the form of a magical belief in authority, uncritical and clouded by moods, feelings and promises of happiness. And this has consequences: Belief in authority inevitably leads to allegiance to authority, which usually triggers the reflex of absolute spiritual obedience and paralysis of the mind.

https://www.globalresearch.ca/why-do-we-elect-politicians-governments-wage-war-sovereign-states/5821440

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*** 

Introduction

After reading two articles in “RTD”, I asked myself again why we citizens elect politicians and governments year after year that go to war against sovereign states – for example against the nuclear power Russia? The article by “RIA Novosti” is “NATO plans direct war against Russia” (1) and the second article is a documentary by Anna Chapman “Red Alert: Why is Germany so bent on war?” (2), which was probably first published on 24 January.

The people and their citizens are deprived of the management of their own affairs, the determination of their own actions and the care of their own welfare by such an election. Why should the people not be able to realise their own ideas and put their self-developed concepts of life into practice?

My demand therefore remains: “Hand over power to no one!” (3) and on the question of war and peace the people should have the last word. We humans are capable of living together without weapons and wars (4).

NATO’s secret plans for military action against Russia

According to Viktoriya Nikiforova, a columnist for “RIA Novosti”, the US magazine “Newsweek” reports on secret plans of the NATO alliance to go to war against Russia. These plans are to be adopted at the next NATO summit, which will take place in Vilnius on 11 and 12 July (5).

Literally, she writes:

“Officially, the summit programme lists only six tasks for the bloc in connection with the confrontation with Russia. These are the harmonisation and coordination of the Alliance’s forces in all theatres of war, long-term cooperation with private companies in the field of defence, increasing the production of weapons and ammunition, and building up reserves in the event of a long-term war. These are not tasks just for today – it is openly admitted that the realisation of these goals will take several years.” (6)

Why is the German mainstream so obsessed with war?

The opening credits of Anna Chapman’s documentary state:

“Ken Jebsen, Liane Kilinc, Dagmar Henn… The number of people persecuted for their opinions in Germany is growing inexorably: anyone who does not obediently follow the anti-Russian, pro-Ukrainian war course is in trouble. Why is the German mainstream so bent on war?” (7)

Towards the end she writes:

“Those who oppose the self-destructive course, advocate peace with Russia and call for an end to the European imperialist expansionist course in Ukraine are muzzled in various ways, up to and including prosecution.

What has become of Germany? Why and where are we heading? Why is Berlin so bent on imposing sanctions and supporting Kiev at the expense of its own economy and population? Who is really steering the country? And who is manipulating the German mainstream?” (8)

Surely the truth is that Germany has a great responsibility both to the previous generation and to its youth?

The post-war generation did a great deal to make Germany a respected and economically strong state again after the Hitler blow and the horrors of the Russian campaign. A war against Russia must not be repeated and should be taught to the partly history-less German youth both at the family table and in school.

In her book “Eichmann in Jerusalem. An Account of the Banality of Evil”, Hannah Arendt reproduces a quote by Bertolt Brecht from 1933 in the preface:

“O Germany, pale mother!

How besmirched thou sittest

Among the nations.

Among the stained

You stand out.

…

Hearing the speeches that come from your house, people laugh.

But he who sees you reaches for the knife.”  (9) 

Are governments a clique separate from the population?

Every four to five years in our Western democracies, corrupt politicians are elected to high government offices and are regarded as respectable authorities. Politicians immediately associate this attribution with claims to power, create a relationship of superiority and subordination and impose their will on the citizens; more precisely, the will or instructions of their clients, the global power elite.

In doing so, they pursue a policy at the expense of the working population that enables the billionaire elite in the background to steal so many billions of dollars that they can buy almost anything or anyone, from venal politicians to the corrupt World Health Organisation (WHO). These rulers cannot be trusted now or in the future.

The government or the state is the totality of all political, legislative, judicial and military institutions that deprive the people of the management of their own affairs, the determination of their own actions, the care of their own welfare.

Do government politicians then possess certain moral qualities such as wisdom, justice or impartiality? Are they so exceptionally gifted that they can put themselves in the place of the whole people and take better care of the interests of the people? Are they infallible and morally uncorruptible, so that the lot of anyone can reasonably be entrusted to their goodness?

In any case, the rulers are those who have the power to make laws to regulate the relations of men with each other and who have, among other things, the power to make war or peace with the governments of other countries.

Who puts them in their high places? Do they impose themselves by the right of war, conquest or revolution? Or are the governments “elected” by universal suffrage? But this in no way proves the justice, the wisdom, the abilities of those elected. Often those who can best lie (Tolstoy) and deceive the people are elected and the minority, which may be half of the electorate, is sacrificed.

As a rule, governments are made up of the haves and those who serve them; therefore, they are completely at the service of the haves. The very richest among them do not even have to bother to be part of the governments, MPs or ministers themselves. It is enough for them that the deputies and ministers are at their disposal.

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Politicians Abdicated Their Responsibilities to Public Health Experts

Posted by M. C. on August 6, 2022

Roman Baber is a former Member of Ontario’s Provincial Parliament. He is running for Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada because he will not “sit back while Canadians are losing faith in Canada’s democracy and Canadian opportunity.” He was removed by Doug Ford from the Ontario government caucus after calling out the collateral harm of lockdowns in January 2021. Since then, Roman has been a staunch advocate in favour of a balanced covid response and in particular against lockdowns due to their toll on the health and mental health of Canadians. Roman brought legislation to cut MPP pay to CERB levels while Emergency Orders are in place, commenced and is in litigation against the Attorney General of Ontario over Canadians’ right to protest and worship outdoors and recently brought a Bill to outlaw workplace mandates. Roman is passionate about and is well familiar with justice, transit and autism policy. Roman was born and lived in the former Soviet Union until he was almost 9. He then lived in Israel until he immigrated to Canada with his family at age 15 and settled in the heart of the north Toronto district he now represents. Roman obtained a BA from York University and graduated from law school at the University of Western Ontario. During his last year of law school, Roman was a supervisor with the school’s legal aid funded clinic. Roman was called to the Ontario Bar in 2006 and practiced civil and commercial litigation until his election in 2018. He served as Chair of the Ontario Provincial Parliament’s Standing Committee on Justice Policy from September 2019 until January 2021. Roman is an occasional lecturer at an after-school program, engaging high school students on constitutional and criminal law topics. He loves Canadian kindness, the Toronto Raptors and his special someone, Nancy Marchese.

https://youtu.be/G9F9F0BGwUk

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Politicians

Posted by M. C. on October 15, 2021

No one will really understand politics until they understand that politicians are not trying to solve our problems. They are trying to solve their own problems – of which getting elected and re-elected are number one and number two. Whatever is number three is far behind.

Thomas Sowell

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Why Businessmen Make Such Unimpressive Politicians | Mises Wire

Posted by M. C. on October 6, 2021

But it does not matter whether or not he was a competent businessman, because the minute he took his oath of office, he became part of a bureaucracy and any expectations of fiscal or monetary responsibility were immediately lost. This is because it is impossible to run a government “like a business.” There’s no economic calculation and no way of measuring profit.

https://mises.org/wire/why-businessmen-make-such-unimpressive-politicians

Connor Mortell

In 2016, we watched time and time again as polls stated that people liked Donald Trump because he is a businessman and came from outside the world of politics. Dozens of factors led to his election but there is no doubt that among voters this mindset of the potential for a savvy businessman in charge was at play. However, looking at it in hindsight, can we really say that a savvy businessman was ever in charge? Perhaps the most successful libertarian there has ever been, the great Dr. Ron Paul, wrote explaining that when it comes to spending the argument was always “Trump vs. Trump.” He’d speak seeking to cut taxes and then would ask for raises on spending and print money to close the gap. Dr. Paul goes as far as to say, “Following the President’s constantly changing policies can make you dizzy.” So why is it that this businessman would come into office and then act in direct opposition to the business-oriented nature he claimed he’d demonstrate? The easy answer would be that it turned out that he was never really a good businessman to begin with. There may or may not be merit to this argument. But it does not matter whether or not he was a competent businessman, because the minute he took his oath of office, he became part of a bureaucracy and any expectations of fiscal or monetary responsibility were immediately lost. This is because it is impossible to run a government “like a business.” There’s no economic calculation and no way of measuring profit.

What makes an entrepreneur so successful is his ability to allocate scarce resources to their most profitable ends. This is achieved through economic calculation. Under normal market conditions, prices allow a bright entrepreneur to take the necessary risks to direct resources where he understands they would be most profitable. Some are unsuccessful in their attempts but the ones that do this correctly are the people we as a society end up deeming as savvy businessmen and businesswomen.

The difference between such an individual and a bureaucrat is described by Ludwig von Mises in his book Bureaucracy: a bureaucrat is one who manages “affairs which cannot be checked by economic calculation.” A government official finds him-/herself in a completely different environment where prices do not adequately reflect market conditions, and as a result, even one who would’ve been the most successful of entrepreneurs is now stripped of his most useful tool and can no longer calculate successfully. This is one of the most pressing reasons that governments time and time again make such atrocious decisions. It is also why the minute a businessman/-woman takes an oath of office, he/she is no longer a bright entrepreneur but is immediately dropped to the level of bureaucrat. This is explained best by Mises, later in Bureaucracy:

It is vain to advocate a bureaucratic reform through the appointment of businessmen as heads of various departments. The quality of being an entrepreneur is not inherent in the personality of the entrepreneur; it is inherent in the position which he occupies in the framework of market society. A former entrepreneur who is given charge of a government bureau is in this capacity no longer a businessman but a bureaucrat. His objective can no longer be profit, but compliance with the rules and regulations. As head of a bureau he may have the power to alter some minor rules and some matters of internal procedure. But the setting of the bureau’s activities is determined by rules and regulations which are beyond his reach.

It is for this reason that I claim it never mattered whether Donald Trump is a savvy businessman or not. If he is not, then the point is moot; but even if he is, no bureaucrat has the tools to steer in the right direction. This, however, is most important not looking back at Donald Trump, but rather looking forward at future elections. In 2024 we are likely to see presidential candidates explaining their past experience, in 2022 we are likely to see candidates in the midterm elections leaning on the same kinds of credentials, and most certainly in your own local elections you will hear budding young bureaucrats claim their business experience will give them the ability to more successfully lead your town. This is not to say one must never support business-experienced candidates—plenty of them do understand a great many things and may be skilled in other ways. But it’s also helpful to remember that business experience is not an especially helpful tool that a candidate brings to the table.  Author:

Connor Mortell

Connor Mortell graduated from Texas Christian University with a BBA in finance, minoring in Chinese language and culture. After graduation, he worked as a legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives from 2019–21. Currently he is an MBA student at Florida State University. Additionally, he is a graduate of Mises University, where he passed the Mündliche Prüfung Viva Voce Exam on economics.

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Politicians

Posted by M. C. on July 31, 2021

Is he talking about politicians or the FIB? Is there a difference?

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