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HomeIncome Distribution in America
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 13th, 2013 6:19 AM |
I would like to believe I am the ultimate free market capitalist. I embrace and respect those who take risk and embody the entrepreneurial spirit that is the engine of our nation.
I detest and abhor those who utilize their positions to further a spirit of crony capitalism in America. I would count many of our politicians from both sides of the aisle in this camp.
How do we advance the former group while exposing the latter? Well, that is a topic for another day.
Today let’s review a brief video (thank you to the readers who brought this to my attention) that some may like to use to advance a liberal agenda of income redistribution. I strongly believe that approach would be an enormous mistake, and merely serve to perpetuate and exacerbate our current problem with cronyism and government handouts/bailouts. Watch the video, and then I’ll make a few comments: (more…)
Will Uncle Sam Expand “Too Big to Fail?”
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 20th, 2013 9:45 AM |
There is not even one credible individual in the world today who would believe that we do not still operate under a “too big to fail” model for our banking industry.
We now know that “too big to fail”also means “too big to regulate” and “too big to prosecute.” Free market capitalism is dying a slow and steady death in the process.
Might we ever get out from under the heavy burden of this model? We can only hope. Yet I awaken this morning and vomited my coffee as I read in the WSJ,
Should the government backstop even more of the financial system than it already does?
Sure, if you love a mix of crony capitalism and socialism, wave it in, right? (more…)
Libor Scandal: “Companies Do NOT Commit Fraud, People Do”
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 7th, 2013 6:19 AM |
I will tell you what it means. It means that free market capitalism is losing, and cronyism in the financial system is simply becoming more deeply embedded. Do you disagree? (more…)
How Much Did Crisis Cost Economy? Begins with a T
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 29th, 2013 2:05 PM |
Have you ever wondered what a best guesstimate might be as to how much the 2008 crisis cost our economy? Well, not that many outlets around here may care to highlight this information, so let’s navigate to a Russian site, Rianovosti, at which we can read and learn,
The absence of criminal accountability for a crisis that cost the U.S. economy trillions of dollars in GDP and wiped out billions more in personal wealth amplifies the risk of a similar financial meltdown in the future, according to securities experts and former regulators.
Trillions?? That is a large number even by today’s standards where many in Washington throw the “t-word” around like it is no big deal. Can we get more specific? (more…)
Sense on Cents 2012 Halls of Fame and Shame
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 28th, 2012 12:06 PM |
As I reflect on the year 2012 I am compelled to bring honor and fame on many individuals who brought real distinction upon themselves while upholding and promoting our prized virtues of truth, transparency, and integrity. This year’s inductees into the Sense on Cents Hall of Fame is obviously incomplete.
I remain eternally hopeful and optimistic for our nation knowing that there are individuals such as these in our midst who are willing to stand up and speak out for virtues all too often overwhelmed by those more driven by self-interest and cronyism. For those whom I consider more an embodiment of these character traits, the doors to the Sense on Cents Hall of Shame are also opened today and we will find a special spot for them inside.
I do find it particularly interesting that much of the fame is relegated to individuals, while the shame is often directed at organizations and institutions. I link to prior year’s inductees at the end of this commentary. On that note and with no further adieu, let’s commence with the induction ceremonies: (more…)
Barney Frank to Eric Holder: Time for Prosecutions . . . Really?
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 21st, 2012 9:24 AM |
The American public in totality is not stupid, although they are often treated that way by many in Washington.
Scandalous behavior within major Wall Street institutions has run rampant over the last decade — and likely a lot longer than that — and been addressed almost uniformly with token fines (relative to revenues generated) that are little more than a cost of doing business. Why does such scandalous behavior persist? (more…)
Libor Scandal et al: The True and Total Cost
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 12th, 2012 8:29 AM |
Would it be even possible to measure the total cost of the manipulation of Libor? A basis point here, a few basis points there and nobody really gets hurt, right? No, not right.
The simple fact is the manipulation of the most widely tracked short term interest rate in the world comes with the same very real costs attached to all forms of corruption, including the money laundering scandals at HSBC, Standard Chartered and who knows how many other institutions.
What are these costs? (more…)
Libor Scandal: This is Racketeering, Folks!!
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 10th, 2012 9:00 AM |
If it looks like a racket, and smells like a racket, and feels like a racket, it is probably a racket.
Those involved in the Libor scandal either directly or on the periphery certainly have little interest in this scandal being defined as a racket and thus subject to the RICO Act. Yet if we are going to have a degree of integrity in defining just what the hell goes on in our financial markets, then we had better hold the bar at the appropriate level if we ever care to root out the cronyism that is eroding our public interest.
The key point there being whether those charged with regulating our markets are truly willing and able to do just that. What is racketeering? (more…)
From the Archives: Stifling the Truth Is Abuse of Capitalism
Posted by Larry Doyle on October 1st, 2012 6:14 AM |
Given the strong and varied response to a few of my most recent commentaries, I thought it may be insightful to take a look back into the archives. In September 2011, I took a bit of a sabbatical from writing. I would like to rerun the first post back from that break which ran in early October 2011. Has anything really changed from where we were a year ago this week? I think not.
In fact, I think the issues our nation has in finding, embracing, and revealing the truth are now more troubling than ever. What does that say about us as a people and a society? One reader the other day equated us to mushrooms being “fed manure and kept in the dark.” With no desire to sit idly by being fed a daily dose of dung, I welcome the challenge of continuing to pursue the truth as we navigate the economic landscape. LD
From the archives written here at Sense on Cents on October 6, 2011
Information is everything.
Access to information combined with fair and open markets are cornerstones of our free market capitalist system. With our economy continuing to lag, I have witnessed an increase in the stifling of the truth. (more…)
Who Pays The Taxes in America?
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 14th, 2012 12:43 PM |
When politicians out there want to talk about “fairness in the tax code”, you may care to forward them the bar graph highlighted below.
With credit to the folks at Business Insider,
Here are the income taxes paid by the respective income percentiles. Note how little the bottom half pay (blue). Note how much more as a percentage of the whole the top 5% are paying. (more…)
