Sense on Cents

What do I see as recurring themes on our global economic landscape? Unrecognized financial losses lead to overreaching economic programs. Those programs influence political change, but also ultimately varying degrees of social and civil unrest.

Over the course of the last year, we have witnessed differing iterations of this scenario play out in Greece, England, Ireland, and elsewhere. The current hotspots on our global map are Middle Eastern and northern African nations, specifically Libya. The distance from Tripoli, Libya and Cairo, Egypt to Madison, Wisconsin is approximately 5000 miles and 6000 miles respectively. Is the distance between these locales actually much closer than that?  Are there any similarities to the bloodshed being experienced in Tripoli, and previously Cairo to the tame protests on the university town of Madison, Wisconsin?

I believe there are. Recently, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan made this comparison as well. Let’s view Ryan’s comment and then navigate further.

Regardless of what you think of Ryan, I do believe there are real similarities between the unrest in the Middle East and that on display in Madison. How so? Well, what is the basis for the unrest in the Middle East? Rent.

What are you talking about, LD? What the hell is rent? (more…)