Month: March 2018

Economics, PoliticsLeave a comment

Shifting the Blame

Podritske

Prices of goods and services are going up, to the surprise of no one. The modern welfare state however, has the causal relationship completely backwards. In a typical report of this false revelation Statistics Canada points to rising fuel prices and the cost of restaurant meals as the principal cause of a spike in inflation. Actually, an increase in the general level of prices in an economy cannot occur without a concomitant increase in the supply of money and credit. A stable supply of money would see the decline of prices over time for most efficiently supplied goods and services … Continue reading Shifting the Blame

Ethics, Media2 Comments

“I Want To Be Let Alone”

Podritske

Greta Garbo was mimicked in a faux Swedish accent for saying “I vant to be alone”. Originally a line from one of her movies, observers noted that it fit her role in private life. She once clarified that attribution as false and a correct version was “I want to be let alone”. That made all the difference. I think Garbo’s point was that she was in control of her own life and didn’t want anybody’s advice or interference in living it. She retired from her film career partly because she would not compromise with an industry which compels its stars … Continue reading “I Want To Be Let Alone”

Canada, Economics, Political EconomyLeave a comment

“Spending” Fundamentals

Podritske

Canada’s Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, donned his new pair of designer shoes last Tuesday and delivered the government’s budget. For clarity it ought to be called the government’s spending plans, larded with lots of “feel good” spending initiatives that have nothing to do with practical finance or economics. To many of us the hoopla that surrounds the government’s budgeting process and the endless commentary that follows release of the budget itself is mind-boggling. Lawyers, accountants, journalists and various pundits on television are engaged in analyzing the government’s budget. It is easier to understand what’s going on if you identify and … Continue reading “Spending” Fundamentals