A hero is a man who does what he can.
Roman Rollard
Voter Quote of the Day
Berlin resident David Viger says Obama’s tax and regulatory policies have hurt and in some cases shut down local businesses. The 61-year-old auto repair shop owner says he is eager to vote for Romney.
“Romney is a successful businessman. Obama is not,” Viger said. “Obama has no clue on how to run a business. Obama couldn’t run a lemonade stand.”If Obama had his way, 16 federal agencies would be promulgating conflicting regulations for lemonade stands, checking for violations of child labor laws. and Ms. Obama would prohibit its presence on school grounds. Obama would run a $5K deficit and make the rich kids in line pick up the check.
Implausible "October Surprise" Job Numbers
Nonfarm payrolls increased only 114000, which at best merely keeps pace with new labor force entrants and what shadowstats calls statistically insignificant. So how do you get a huge Obama-favorable drop from 8.1 to 7.8, below 8.0 for the first and only full month since Obama took office. It's not good news {i'm not referring to the politics but employers don't hire with slowing GDP numbers and the Fed specifically noted the poor labor market in recently announcing QE3)--for example, lower attrition could reflect people fearful of getting a job elsewhere, or as Romney points out, people have dropped out of the labor force and hence are not counted in official statistics. There is a huge increase in the household vs. establishment survey. One can't help but wonder if Obama is the beneficiary of some apples-and-oranges methodology change.
The Latest Nauseating Obama Campaign Ad
The fact is that Chinese entrepreneurs have access to a vast pool of inexpensive low-skilled labor. The Obama campaign labor protectionist nonsense is little more than a culturally biased,economically illiterate state of denial. One has to look at the cost of living; for example, I got my highest salary offers in California but my state income taxes tripled, my food costs probably went up a third, and my rent up by half. A newly engaged Indian female project manager I knew 3 years ago talked about an $1800/month apartment lease in DC; I have a good Indian friend whom will tell you how far $1800/month goes in India.
We have to respect economic liberty and stop engaging in unwanted busybody paternalism, a characteristic of this administration kowtowing to its special interest Big Labor bosses. The fact is that these jobs were based on a failing business model; even if these jobs left China they would find accommodating governments in Vietnam and other developing nations in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.
This administration is at its core anti-consumer. It is not ethical to put arbitrary constraints on their ability to stretch their income on inexpensive goods. Perhaps labor-saving production technology can make a difference, e.g., some possibilities with 3D printing.
Don't get me wrong, This blog has been a consistent critic of Romney on China--on the philosophic grounds of free markets and free trade. But Obama is 10 times worse on those criteria.
The Truth About Sweatshops
Musical interlude: My Favorite Groups
Alan Parsons Project, "The Raven"
