Yearly Archives: 2011

The Sixty Six who resisted “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal (Part 24)

August 27, 2011 – 7:58 am

The Sixty Six who resisted “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal (Part 24)

This post today is a part of a series I am doing on the 66 Republican Tea Party favorites that resisted eating the “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal. Actually that name did not originate from a representative who agrees with the Tea Party, but from a liberal.

Rep. Emanuel Clever (D-Mo.) called the newly agreed-upon bipartisan compromise deal to raise the  debt limit “a sugar-coated satan sandwich.”

“This deal is a sugar-coated satan sandwich. If you lift the bun, you will not like what you see,” Clever tweeted on August 1, 2011.

Rep. Johnson’s Statement on Debt Deal

08/01/11

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Timothy V. Johnson issued the following statement today in opposition to the Budget Control Act.

            “The legislation falls far short of making the fundamental structural reforms and the fundamental spending reductions necessary to get our nation working again,” Rep. Johnson said.

            “Our legislative leaders call it compromise but only in Washington where money isn’t real can it be deemed acceptable to add $2.4 trillion this year to the current $14.3 trillion in debt in exchange for a promise of $2 trillion in cuts over the next decade.

            “Leader Boehner is to be commended for changing the course of debate so that we are all now focused on the need to rein in spending and provide certainty to our financial markets. Would that have been the focus before the stimulus package, bailouts and health care changes, perhaps we wouldn’t be facing a debt-ceiling limit.

            “Washington’s spendthrift habits are the reason 87 Republicans were swept into the House in 2010. That frustration has not changed. I also find it regrettable that under this new plan, Congress won’t be able to revisit the debt ceiling until 2013.

            “We have accumulated $3.5 trillion in new debt under President Obama. Under the Budget Control Act, we’re still spending more than we did last year. And nothing in this bill prevents the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction from reporting legislation to increase taxes. I hope the American people are watching. I fear this kind of compromise will only maintain the status quo.”

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in spending out of control | Comments (0)

Potential Headlines: Beebe beats Pryor in 2014, Hillary beats Obama in 2012

August 27, 2011 – 6:50 am

Run, Hillary, run!

It is my view that if the economy keeps stinking that Republicans will have a field day  in November of 2012. However, the same principle holds true that challengers to Democrats will be  very successful in Democratic primaries.

In Arkansas many have longed for another Clinton in the White House. Could it happen? It is my view that it is a foregone conclusion that the Republicans are heavy favorites to take the Senate back and win the presidency in 2012. Nevertheless, it would not surprise me if there are some big surprises in the Democratic primaries. Matthew Dickinson wrote a fine article, “Run Hillary, Run,” Salon, August 4, 2011 and in that article he makes three points:

1. “To begin, her stint as secretary of state has done wonders for her approval rating, as indicated by Gallup poll surveys dating back to her time in the White House.”

2.  “Her second advantage relates to the first: She’s not part of the mess at home. She didn’t weigh in on the stimulus bill, or healthcare, or the banking overhaul, and she certainly bears no responsibility for the state of the economy.”

3. “This leads to a third point: buyer’s remorse. It’s not one she can directly bring up (after all, she’s above politics), but others will certainly remind voters that she did warn you. Remember that 3 a.m. phone call?”

Senator Mark Pryor is part of the establishment too and will face the same problems that President Obama faces in 2012, but that could not be said about Mike Beebe. Beebe is  very popular and won with overwhelming numbers in Arkansas when many other big names in the Democratic party went down like Broadway and Lincoln.

In April of 2011 polls numbers came out and Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times Blog in his post, “Poll: Beebe, yes!; Pryor,eh.,” commented, “Gov. Mike Beebe’s approval is bipartisan and huge. U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor’s numbers are tepid.”

John Brummett goes on record today saying that Beebe will be playing golf mostly after he leaves office. Time will tell, but I am betting there will be some big upsets in Democratic primaries in the next few years. .

Announcement Hillary was running for president in 2008:

Related Posts:

Will Senator Pryor be re-elected in 2014? (Part 4)(Royal Wedding Part 5)

Dr. Jay Barth with Hendrix College comments on our latest poll results on Arkansas politics (clip from Talkbusiness) Talk Business reported today in the article “Poll Shows Beebe Strength, Pryor Shaky,” the following: A new Talk Business-Hendrix College Poll shows Gov. Mike Beebe (D) maintaining his high job approval rating, while Sen. Mark Pryor (D) […]

Will Senator Pryor be re-elected in 2014? Part 3 (The Conspirator Part 16)

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor at the 2009 Democratic Party Jefferson Jackson Dinner, Arkansas’s largest annual political event. Mark Pryor is up for re-election to the Senate in 2014. It is my opinion that the only reason he did not have an opponent in 2008 was because the Republicans in Arkansas did not want to go […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Hillary Clinton | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

“Soccer Saturday” Top Ten Best Players of all time by E. Hatcher

August 27, 2011 – 6:27 am

My 10th best player is Brian McBride and I think this video clip says it all.

Brian McBride – US soccer legend

Brian McBride

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

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For other people of the same name, see Brian McBride (disambiguation).
Brian McBride
BrianMcBride USMNT 20060511.jpg
Personal information
Full name Brian Robert McBride[1]
Date of birth June 19, 1972 (1972-06-19) (age 39)
Place of birth Arlington Heights, Illinois, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
1990–1993 St. Louis Billikens
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1994 Milwaukee Rampage 18 (17)
1994–1995 VfL Wolfsburg 18 (2)
1996–2004 Columbus Crew 161 (62)
2000–2001 → Preston North End (loan) 9 (1)
2003 → Everton (loan) 8 (4)
2004–2008 Fulham 151 (41)
2008–2010 Chicago Fire 59 (18)
  Total 424 (145)
National team‡
2008 United States U-23 3 (0)
1993–2006 United States 96 (30)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 24, 2010.
† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of March 26, 2009

Brian Robert McBride (born June 19, 1972) is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer (MLS), but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League.

During his time in London, McBride became a fan-favorite[2] as well as team captain; after leaving the club, Fulham re-named the sports bar at Craven Cottage McBride’s in his honour.[3][4]

Contents

[hide]

[edit] Career

[edit] High School and College

Born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, McBride played varsity soccer at Buffalo Grove High School, under coach John Erfort, where he led the Bison to the Illinois state championship in 1988, his junior year. During a playoff game against Fremd, McBride broke his nose in the first half, but came back into the game to score the game winning goal. In his four years in high school, he scored 80 goals, 33 as a senior despite playing his senior season as a defender.[5] In the regional final against Stevenson High School his senior season, McBride played goalkeeper, stopping four of eight penalty kicks after the game ended tied.[6] McBride was also named an All-American by Parade Magazine.[5] Later, as a professional, he signed a contract with Nike with the condition that the boys’ varsity soccer team receive new uniforms every two years.

McBride had an illustrious career with Saint Louis University, from which he graduated in 1993. In his four seasons with the Billikens, he played (and started) in 89 games, and set career records for goals (72), assists (40) and total points (184).[5] While at school, McBride was a 1992 second team and a 1993 first-team All-American.[7][8] He also was named Most Valuable Player of the Great Midwest Conference three years straight, as well as being named to the All-Conference first-team during this stretch. He trained at the world famous Magna Fitness Center. In August of 2009, Brian McBride received a nursing degree from the College of William and Mary.[9]

[edit] Club

[edit] Milwaukee Rampage

McBride briefly played for the minor league Milwaukee Rampage. In 18 games, he scored 17 goals and assisted another 18. That year also saw Tony Sanneh playing with the Rampage. Both Sanneh and McBride would play professionally in Germany, in MLS and on the U.S. men’s national team.

They linked up for a historic goal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In a game against Portugal, Sanneh, playing right back, played a cross into the box which McBride put into the top corner. After the game, McBride mentioned, “We joked about it in the locker room, it is a play we have done a thousand times [while teammates with the Milwaukee Rampage]. “I took a step in at the far post and lost my marker. He delivered a beautiful cross and I knocked it home.”[10]

[edit] Germany

In 1994, McBride left the United States to ply his trade in Germany. At the time, VfL Wolfsburg played in the German Second Division and provided several aspiring American players an opportunity to play football in Europe. These included Chad Deering, Claudio Reyna and Mike Lapper, as well as McBride. McBride struggled to find playing time with the club and also had difficulty scoring. However, one of his two goals came in an 2-1 upset victory over Bayern Munich in the German Cup quarterfinals. At the end of the season, McBride gained a release from Wolfsburg and when MLS was created, chose to return to play in the United States.

[edit] Columbus Crew

McBride returned to America in 1996 for the inaugural season of Major League Soccer, for whom he was the first overall pick of the MLS Inaugural Draft. McBride would proceed to play eight years with the Columbus Crew, amassing 62 goals (no longer tied for the club record with Jeff Cunningham) and 45 assists in 161 league games, before his move to England. In 2005, he was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI.

In 2011, the Crew honored McBride by naming him the inaugural member of its Circle of Honor.

[edit] Loan spells in England

While playing for Columbus in the MLS, McBride spent two loan periods in England. The first came in 2000 when McBride played for Preston North End, then managed by David Moyes. While McBride played well for the club, he sat out several games after having a blood clot surgically removed from his arm, which consisted of having a rib removed.[11] The clot came as a result of a hard collision McBride had suffered during his first game with Preston. As McBride’s loan spell came to an end, Preston attempted to purchase his contract from MLS for $1.8 million. MLS rejected it, considering McBride to be worth twice that amount.[12] Two years later, Premier League club Everton were beginning to slide down the table. David Moyes, now with Everton, remembered McBride’s success with Preston and sought the forward’s services to help Everton. During McBride’s three months with the club, he did not disappoint Moyes, scoring four goals in eight games, including his first game with the club, a 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. He made close friends during the short time with players such as Leon Osman (with whom he still plays football) and Richard Wright.[13] Everton, unlike Preston, merely sought to extend McBride’s loan period, but MLS rejected it, preferring a transfer over an extended loan for McBride.[14]

[edit] Fulham

McBride playing for Fulham in 2005

In January 2004, Premier League club Fulham bought McBride’s rights from MLS for $1.5 million. He played 18 games during the last half of the 2003-04 season, scoring a total of five goals. His scoring pace remained steady through the next two seasons. In 2004-05, he played 31 league games and six cup games, scoring six league and three cup goals. In 2005-06, he played 38 league games and one cup game, scoring 10 league goals and one cup goal. McBride’s original contract with Fulham continued only through the 2005-06 season. However, on 10 March 2006, he signed a one year extension which took him through the end of the 2006-07 season. On February 2, 2007, he signed yet another one year extension, taking him through the 2007-2008 season. He has a reputation as a battler with a high work rate, a trait prized in English football.

McBride was Fulham’s top scorer for their 2006-07 Premier League campaign with twelve goals to his name. He was given Fulham’s captaincy in August 2007.[15]

When scoring the opening goal in a home match against Middlesbrough on August 18, 2007, McBride dislocated his kneecap. He wouldn’t make his return to action until a friendly against Cardiff City in late January 2008, and resumed his Premier League duties as a substitute against Aston Villa on February 3, 2008.[16] McBride scored his first goal since his injury against Everton at Craven Cottage on March 16, 2008, in a 1-0 victory for Fulham.[17][18] The then Fulham manager Chris Coleman commented it was such a shame that McBride hadn’t been ‘discovered’ earlier in his career, and played more in England.

On May 28, 2008, McBride announced that he would be leaving Fulham to return to the United States to play in MLS.[19]

After scoring twelve goals in 2006-07 season which helped Fulham retain their Premier League status, on May 14, 2007, McBride won the Club’s Player of the Year award. He won it again in 2008, and became such a popular figure that the club renamed a bar inside Craven Cottage “McBride’s” in June 2009.[20]

[edit] Chicago Fire

McBride playing for Chicago in 2010

Following the end of his one-year contract extension, McBride decided to return to the United States to end his career in MLS. He expressed his desire to play for Chicago, his hometown.

On July 30, 2008, McBride was traded to the Chicago Fire for Chad Barrett, a first round pick in the MLS SuperDraft and conditional future considerations. He made his Fire debut on August 16, 2008, coming on as a second-half substitute against D.C. United. McBride scored his first goal against Houston Dynamo. McBride scored the first goal in the MLS Playoff Eastern Conference Championship against the Columbus Crew, his former club. However, Chicago lost that game 2-1 and were kept from being in the MLS Playoff final.

McBride scored nine goals during the 2009 season, including two goals in the three SuperLiga games in which he played.

On September 3, 2010, McBride announced that he would retire following the 2010 MLS season. McBride scored his 80th career goal (in MLS) during his final match before being substituted off to a standing ovation.[21]

[edit] Coaching

McBride established the Brian McBride Soccer Academy which is based in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

[edit] International

McBride was a significant player for the United States national team, earning 96 caps and scoring 30 goals for the national team. He made his international debut in 1993.[5]

He was part of the U.S. team that played at the 1998, 2002, and 2006 FIFA World Cups. He scored at the 1998 and 2002 tournaments and in doing so, became the first American player to score at two World Cups. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan have since equaled this feat. McBride is third behind Bert Patenaude and Donovan for the most World Cup goals for an American with three.

On May 2, 2006, McBride was named to the U.S. roster for his third consecutive World Cup. At the 2006 World Cup, McBride was severely bloodied in a group stage match against Italy after being elbowed in the face by Daniele De Rossi. He needed three stitches. As punishment, De Rossi was banned for four matches and fined CHF 10,000.[22]

Following the end of the tournament, McBride announced his retirement from international duty on July 26, 2006.[23] He is the first-ever spokesperson for the Central Ohio Diabetes Association. He donated $100 to the association for every goal and assist he tallied for the U.S. National Team.[5]

On July 18, 2008, McBride was named as one of the three overage players on the U.S. Olympic Team and served as captain.[24][25]

Below is a list of the best 10 players. I do not agree totally with the list.

Best Soccer (Football) Players of All Time

.

The Top Ten

 

Your List
TheTopTens List

1Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)

“This is a century old question that will impact future generations, some say that he won everything with the best team, but in that same thought, remember this is a team game. Pele was terror to any goalie, he only presence in the area shuke fear in their very core. But beyond that a player goes beyond the field, sets standards of living for other players and fans, the only one to positively do this is not but Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, any more questions check his numbers.

“Just look at his goals on You Tube, he could whack the from a mile out or dribble them into the back of the net, he was the most complete player the game has ever seen and unlike modern players didn’t have the comfort of referees protection… opposing players tried to kick him off the park. I remember seeing him in the early 70’s and frankly it was a time to really watch football rather than spoilt brats thinking they are a lot better than they really are.

“When you see this guy play, it’s like everything else around you doesn’t matter. The ringing phone doesn’t disturb you. The chatter of the people makes no impact on you at all. It’s just him, him and his game. Pele wasn’t just another amazing football player, he was an excellent one, a prodigy, incomparable, and probably, someone this world will never see again in the next 100 years. He simply is, a football legend.

kusanagi_sanasara

More comments about Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)

2Cristiano Ronaldo

“he is the perfect player, A complete package who can drible, juggle, freekick, deadly crosses, long range efforts, never ending stamina, great accuracy with both feets, serious pace, his hight which he can achieve when he jumps for the ball, perfect body shape, unforgetble free kicks and last but not the least he is from portugal and unarguabley he is the player they have ever produced and might not produce same again, his coutry of origin is not that famous as for pele, maradona, messi, ronaldhino and zidane but still he is now among them which means his will and hungar for goals and win is greater then any of em! I love his style!

“I just had to! he is one of the best, he scores goal, he set up goals, good at taking free kicks ^^ he is the most skillful player ever lived! he made a good decision to leave man utd because now he can go up against he’s arch rival lionel messi which he lost to a couple of time but he never gave up thats exactly the pasion you want for football! he’s the best and you all know it but just wont admit it…

“Crisitiano Ronaldo Is amazing, His an inspiration. He inspires me to play soccer and to live my dreams. ” Im living a dream I never want to wake up from” Thanks Ronaldo youve shown me that anyone can be anything & live up there dreams you just gotta make it happen & Believe. Love you Cristiano! Good luck in the future (:

More comments about Cristiano Ronaldo

3Ronaldo (Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima)“ronaldo is the greatest striker ever played football with that speed an skill he’s the best ever may i call him the phonomonen, the king , the number 9,the best ever rooooooooooooooooooonaldo“Ronaldo is the best footballplayer I have seen！Thestar_lol“how is he not number 1? he’s the maddest player ever, SCREW PELEdecorulez97More comments about Ronaldo (Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima)
4Diego Maradona

“maradona is much better then ronaldo, cristiano ronaldo and much better than Pele he’s so dumb I dot even know him wow that is sad right. Diego Maradona may score a goal with his hand but thats how smart he’s he always want’s to win and never wants to lose like some other. you should put him number 1. He can dribble all the field without losing the ball that must be cool. Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo can’t do that. I don’t know about Pele couse again I don’t know him. Everybody thinks he’s a bad player only because they are jelous. He’s not sneaky because it is not his foult that the revery didn’t look. What would you say if he didn’t score with his hand. If that never happend you would say he’s far far the best player in the world.

“no one can move the ball with such pin-point accuracy as Maradona can (and still can at the age of 50)… Pele’s goal score is misleading. Half of his goal scores came from unofficial matches, including state and suburban competitions, practice matches, and meaningless club friendlies. He recorded these goals unofficially himself, how petty! This explains why his record of the number of matches he played was much higher than fellow Brazilian players at the time. He could win no world cup in the 50s and 60s if he was born in Argentina.

“Diego Maradonna was the greatest and had skill no other footballer could even dream of. He was better than Pele.

Some of the names on this list though are an absolute joke like Beckham rated at 11 and Michael Owen being rated so highly. Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer are way better footballers than both Owen and Beckham who shouldn’t even be anywhere near the list. Especially Beckham the most over rated player in the history of the game.

steviejj

More comments about Diego Maradona

5Zinedine Zidane

“Put France back onto the worldwide football map.

His playing skills were simply marvelous, amazing, punctuated in my opinion by his incredible performance against Brazil in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. At that point of his career he was more Brazilian than any Brazilian at the time.

Always present when needed, he led France to back-to-back major championships in 1998 and 2002.
Came back in 2006 and almost won it for France in overtime with another amazing headshot (his specialty in the Finals) blocked by a certain Gianluigi Buffon, at the top of his craft.

Zidane’s name should be well ahead of the two Ronaldo’s. Cristiano is a great player but he hasn’t won anyhting worthy now and probably won’t.

“Zindane is higher than Ronaldhino.
Ronaldhino cant play big games. He can never use his tricks when he play. The fake u-tube video(gitting the post several times) does not make him great.
Pele …dont know about hi. Looking at the videos, i dont think he can be compared to Zidane.
Football was different then. It was not competetive.
Pele is better than general but not great because he did not face great opposition and he didnt have magic touches like zidane or other players have these days. he was just a mere shooter like Trazeguet….he got lucky. But zico is better in Brazilian player.

“not the most amazing but the best, the coolest, one of the most passionate, the best playmaker, the greatest player ever!
i’m not french, he’s never played for my team, I am totally neutral and rarely wrong! 😀

More comments about Zinedine Zidane

6Ronaldinho

“He is the greatest, a perfect dribbler, free-kick taker, Guys don’t forget the free-kick against England on the quarter finals on 2002 world cup. He was great in Barcelona too, where he remarkably gained popularity and love of millions of fans, I really don’t think any other player has such a dribbling ability. When I see his videos of Barcelona and Bralizian days of him I feel so happy to see his style of play, Two times World Player of the year consecutively is not a joke. He is the god for me and all the other DIHNO’s fans.

“RONALDINHO IS ONE OF THE BEST SOCCER PLAYERS EVER HE IS EVEN BETTER THAN MARADONA. HE HAS GOOD DRIBBLING ABILITIES. HAVE U SEEN THE GAME HE PLAYED AGAINST ENGLAND WOW. THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST GAMESHE PLAYED HE ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT TO DO HE NEVER USES THE SAME TRICKS HE HAS BLESSED FEET. THATS WHO I WANT TO BE LIKE WHEN I BECOME A PRO HOLLAR AT ME IF U THINK I CAN MAKE IT

“no one can tosh him he is a ninja he is di only complete footballer in di world only man I see use is back to make a true pass is that amazing marodana could not class with him di reason why he use drugs to play di game I would not have marodana in my 5,000 thousand list

More comments about Ronaldinho

7Lio Messi

“What! is this possible? Messi down here? I frankly think you guys should throw away those Black and White televisions and get a better one. What are you even telling me? That Cristiano Ronaldo Ronaldo Zidane Zico Jari Litmanen(No way) and Gheorghe Hagi(Who is this guy anyway) are better than Messi? Even Maradona can’t compare himself with Messi, Almost all the things Maradona did, he did them when he was high but Messi doing his stuffs with clear eyes, That guy is almost the greatest and he will be very soon. This is how the real list should be:
1. Pele(No doubt about that)
2. Ronaldinho (The most gifted feet in football ever)
3. Messi (The magnetic touch and heading towards the 2nd position soon)
4. Xavi (The 360 degrees turn master)
5. Cruyff (First apprentice of the total football). Then maybe
6. Maradona (The King of stamina)

“He is a fantastic team player (unlike C. Ronaldo)
He can dribble like Maradona.
He has scored more goals in one season in La Liga than Ronaldo (the better one)
He never seems to dive (he realises he has better impact on the game if he stays on his feet)
When he is fouled he rarely flies off the handle. (Unlike Maradona)
He would never (and has never) claimed to be the best player ever over others.
He generally keeps quiet and lets his football do the talking. (Unlike Pele)
Admittedly, I am biased and am too young to have a fully informed viewpoint. I am CERTAIN Messi is better than CR7, to suggest otherwise is dellusional…

“How can C. Ronaldo be a better player than Messi. Messi is a better dribbler, better passer and he has an exellent accuracy(when hitting on the target), an accuracy which C. Ronaldo will never have. The only thing that C. Ronaldo can do better then Messi is run faster and hit stronger, but thats nothing if you don’t have accuracy(from 10 shots only 1 is on the target). He is just hitting the ball(by luck) until one of the will go straight to the goals. So what I whant is Messi is a better player than C. Ronaldo. I hope most of the people will agree with me.

More comments about Lio Messi

8Zico“his free kick could kill any goalkeeper…Mpafoklaniaris“He is a coach of FENERBAHÇE…Fenerbahçe was played quarter final match with chelsea in CL.Fenerbahçe will be most valuable football clup with Arthur ZÄ°COWE LOVE WHÄ°TE PELE ‘ZÄ°CO’MAWENSY“he is the best turkey footballer over i’m love ithe’s the best; )

More comments about Zico

9Jari Litmanen“See some old footage him playing… Simply the best!“He is the greatest Finnish player in history! he is very good and reminds of the prime time of Soccer!“Unbelievable first touch on ball and he is always aware what is happening in game. He has eyes on his back. Definitely a big team player. He is master of passes and he can shoot accurately too.
10Gheorghe Hagi

“truly one of the greatest players what the world had, only a miracle had held back Romania to reach the World Cup 1994 Semi Finals with him

MatrixGuy

“The BEST player in Turkey and one of the best in the world.. Turkey and Galatasaray will never forget him!..

LEO75

“The current romanian football needs NOW a football player like Hagi! (or more players better than Ghorghe Hagi, like me:) )

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Famous Milton Friedman Quotes(“Friedman Friday” Part 4)

August 26, 2011 – 8:32 am

Milton Friedman on the Causes of Inflation

(“Friedman Friday” Part 4)

FRIEDMAN FRIDAY APPEARS EVERY FRIDAY AND IS HONOR OF THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNING ECONOMIST MILTON FRIEDMAN

Famous Friedman Quotes

By John Beagle

Milton Friedman – University of Chicago School of Economics Professor

As I read the comments by Milton Friedman, I can’t help but think about how his words relate so much to today’s economic and political issues.

“Nobody spends somebody else’s money as carefully as he spends his own. Nobody uses somebody else’s resources as carefully as he uses his own. So if you want efficiency and effectiveness, if you want knowledge to be properly utilized, you have to do it through the means of private property.”

See Video: Friedman Explains Spending

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

“The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that’s why it’s so essential to preserving individual freedom.”

“The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit.”

“My major problem with the world is a problem of scarcity in the midst of plenty … of people starving while there are unused resources … people having skills which are not being used.”

“The most important ways in which I think the Internet will affect the big issue is that it will make it more difficult for government to collect taxes.”

“The black market was a way of getting around government controls. It was a way of enabling the free market to work. It was a way of opening up, enabling people.”

“The Great Depression, like most other periods of severe unemployment, was produced by government mismanagement rather than by any inherent instability of the private economy.”

“Governments never learn. Only people learn.”

“Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless.”

“The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.”

“So the question is, do corporate executives, provided they stay within the law, have responsibilities in their business activities other than to make as much money for their stockholders as possible? And my answer to that is, no they do not.”

“Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.”

“We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork.”

“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.”

“Inflation is the one form of taxation that can be imposed without legislation.”

 

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Milton Friedman | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The Sixty Six who resisted “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal (Part 23)

August 26, 2011 – 7:52 am

The Sixty Six who resisted “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal (Part 23)

This post today is a part of a series I am doing on the 66 Republican Tea Party favorites that resisted eating the “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal. Actually that name did not originate from a representative who agrees with the Tea Party, but from a liberal.

Rep. Emanuel Clever (D-Mo.) called the newly agreed-upon bipartisan compromise deal to raise the  debt limit “a sugar-coated satan sandwich.”

“This deal is a sugar-coated satan sandwich. If you lift the bun, you will not like what you see,” Clever tweeted on August 1, 2011.

Hultgren Statement On Opposition To Budget Control Act

Monday August 01, 2011

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) released the following statement after voting against the Budget Control Act.

“Tonight, I voted against a flawed bill that doesn’t go far enough,” said Hultgren. “I’ve been clear from the very beginning I would not support any effort to increase our nation’s debt ceiling if the proposal does not hold true to the values of Cut, Cap, and Balance, as well as enact serious structural changes.

“It is my opinion that the proposal approved by the House tonight falls short of what we need to do to put our country back on the right track. By failing to require Congress to approve a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) prior to any further increases in the debt ceiling, this bill does not provide the structural changes that I stated were necessary to earn my support.

“When leadership changed the bill on Thursday night to strengthen the BBA provision, that change earned my support; in failing to keep that strong language, I could not, in good conscience, support this bill.”

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in spending out of control | Comments (0)

Welfare States in Europe can not keep their promises of goodies (Part 2)

August 26, 2011 – 5:56 am

I have been saying over and over that the USA is heading to Greece. I will post this story in two different posts. It should show us why the destination of European Welfare State is not a good one even though we are heading there fast under President Obama.

Flashing Red: European Debt Crisis Signals Collapse of Social Welfare State

By James Roberts and J.D. Foster, Ph.D.
August 16, 2011

Social Results of the Welfare State

For decades now, one of the most tragic costs of the European welfare state has been Europe’s structural unemployment, especially among the young, combined with welfare payments that turned unemployment into an acceptable—even desirable—status, while stripping those affected of their dignity and sense of responsibility. The recent riots in the U.K. are an ominous reflection of this failure.

One of the key questions now is: How much longer will workers and taxpayers in Germany and other relatively more fiscally prudent countries in northern Europe be willing to work into their late 60s to subsidize (via eurozone bailouts and managed defaults) their neighbors in southern Europe so that the latter can retire early in their 50s on generous state-funded pensions and go to the beach?[3]

The Next Monetary Policy  

The euro elites’ response to date has been to try to address the solvency crisis through fiscal policy, and the liquidity crisis through additional debt—ignoring the EU’s monetary policy failure because they have no politically acceptable solution. It is obvious where this will lead, as Heritage Foundation analysis has noted in the past.[4]

Maybe, instead, some of the PIIGS will decide to exit the euro. Or perhaps the northerners will leave the euro (and the euro-denominated sovereign debts of the PIIGS) behind and resuscitate the Deutschmark? One path or the other appears inevitable.

The European social welfare state has contributed mightily to this situation by making all of Europe less competitive relative to the rest of the world, which is why the U.K., though not subject to the monetary policy failure, cannot escape the growth consequences entirely. Meanwhile, Germany’s inherent strengths have allowed it to take advantage of its Euro-linked trading partners.

Lest there be any doubt, the underlying monetary policy failure is the euro. It is now quite clear that this policy was doomed, not solely because Europe failed to harmonize it with other policies, but because monetary union between fast-growth states and slow-growth states can only end in tragic monetary disintegration. The hope that it would cause slow-growth states to catch up was a pipe dream.

Will Europe’s elites succeed in making one more try to save the eurozone, perhaps by creating a central EU treasury that alone has the power to issue new debt for EU countries? This would guarantee that the PIIGS pay lower interest rates than their credit histories would mandate, while the north pays more.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy reportedly aims “to seize the Greek crisis to make a quantum leap in eurozone governance.”[5] The recent assertion by Berlin and Paris that a new eurobond is dead on arrival,[6] however, suggests Germany’s patience has just about run out—apparently, that quantum leap will have to be in a different direction.

For the U.S., Europe is the ultimate object lesson—a warning of what happens when government is allowed to run wild, with the resulting loss of liberty and fiscal deficits. Fortunately, though the United States has a single currency, it largely achieved the necessary conditions for such an arrangement to be successful long ago.

Rescuing Europe and Protecting the U.S.

It is almost certain that this crisis will produce something new out of Europe. The emergence, whether collectively or individually, of stronger European societies with durable financial and monetary regimes would certainly be in the best interest of the U.S. and the rest of the world.

As Ambrose Evans-Pritchard reports in The Telegraph (U.K.),[7] the likely short-term outcome is described by Daniel Gross from the Centre for European Policy Studies: “Germany and the other AAA states must agree to some sort of Eurobond regime. Otherwise the euro will implode.” However, as noted above, France, and especially Germany, have been stoutly opposed to a eurobond, and for very good reasons. Assuming Gross is correct in his assessment, and he most likely is, the future of the euro is bleak indeed.

Meanwhile, spending by the U.S. government—presently on track to consume one-third of the economy by the time today’s newborns graduate from college—must be reduced. Entitlements must be reined in and reformed; non-defense discretionary spending must be rolled back to 2008 levels.

To reduce federal spending and prevent economic collapse, U.S. policymakers should follow The Heritage Foundation’s plan in “Saving the American Dream.”[8]

James M. Roberts is Research Fellow for Economic Freedom and Growth in the Center for International Trade and Economics, and J. D. Foster, Ph.D., is Norman B. Ture Senior Fellow in the Economics of Fiscal Policy in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in spending out of control | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Tea Party representatives claim debt deal responsible for downgrade because it did not cut enough (Part 3)

August 26, 2011 – 5:32 am

The Tea Party members in the Republican Party voted against the debt deal and have even claimed that the debt deal did not cut enough out of the budget and that is why the USA got a downgrade in the  credit rating.

Scalise: Downgrade of AAA rating a resounding indictment of President Obama’s failed liberal policies

Calls on Geithner to resign followed by reversal of radical agenda

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Washington, DC — Congressman Steve Scalise today released the following statement after the S&P downgraded the US credit rating from AAA to AA+.

“The unprecedented downgrade of the US credit rating is a resounding indictment of President Obama’s failed extreme liberal agenda that has run millions of jobs out of our country due to job-killing taxes, rampant out-of-control government spending, and radical policies like the President’s health care law,” Scalise said. “We cannot allow our nation to keep sinking like quick sand into financial ruin, and we need immediate accountability to correct the damage done by the Obama Administration.  Just a few months ago, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner assured Americans that there would be no downgrade, and in light of last night’s announcement it is time for him to do what is best for our country and resign from his post, followed by a reversal of the extreme liberal agenda pursued by President Obama that devastated our once-golden credit rating under his watch.

“The U.S. House of Representatives continues to offer solutions to create American jobs and get our economy back on track, only to have those bills be opposed by the White House and liberals running the Senate.  Senate Leader Harry Reid and President Obama must stop playing politics with America’s future if we are going to preserve the American dream and create good jobs.”

LATHAM STATEMENT ON DOWNGRADE OF U.S. CREDIT RATING

Washington, Aug 6 – Iowa Congressman Tom Latham issued the following statement on Saturday following Standard & Poor’s decision to downgrade the U.S. credit rating:

“Standard & Poor’s had been attempting to send Washington a wake-up call since April when they changed their outlook on U.S. Treasury securities from “stable” to “negative.” Friday’s credit downgrade is yet another alarm to warn us that our national debt and reckless spending has reached a point of crisis.  It reinforces my opposition to the recent debt ceiling agreement as it did not go far enough to put us on true path towards long term fiscal sustainability.”

“Washington must heed this warning and recognize that regardless of political differences, the simple truth is that we have a responsibility as a Congress and as a government to work together to find real solutions to these problems – to put people before politics and progress before partisanship. I am, as I have always been during my service to Iowans, committed and ready to work with any members of the House or Senate, regardless of political affiliation, who are willing to join me to move our country forward on the path to fiscal responsibility to save the American Dream for our children and grandchildren.”

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in spending out of control | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Conway Christian v Arkansas Baptist 7pm in Little Rock at Sept 2

August 25, 2011 – 4:11 pm
My son played football for Coach Carter at Arkansas Baptist in 2004 when the Ark Bapt Eagles won their only Conference Championship in Football that they did not have to share (in 98 they shared a championship with Carlise and Harding). I will be pulling for my Ark Bapt Eagles but I wish him well too.

CCS’ Carter has seen football from many viewpoints

 
Posted: August 22, 2011 – 5:46pm

Michael Carter has a range of experience, both public and private, in Arkansas high school football.

He played at Greenbrier when it was a AA school, then coached at Vilonia, Clinton, DeWitt, Arkansas Baptist and Little Rock Christian. He worked at many of those programs when they were AA schools.

So he’s ready and eager to take over the reins at Conway Christian from Chuck Speer, who birthed the program and guided it through infancy during a seven-year span before leaving for Corning last spring.

“I’ve coached public and private schools and there is not really any difference with the kids; kids are kids,” he said. “The difference is public schools don’t have to rely as much on outside help for just about everything. You have to do a lot of community work in the community and have to have support from the private sector to get to where you are.”

He’s been pleased with the support of the Conway Christian community as the school has its sites set on making the state playoffs for the fourth straight year as an Arkansas Activities Association member.

“The hardest thing and the biggest challenge has been the mental aspect of what we’re doing — not only for players, but for parents in getting them to buy into what is going on and they’ve done a great job of buying in,” he said

“We’ve been coaching the heck out of these players and I have been very pleased with how the players and the community has bought in,” said Carter, who was a quarterback at Greenbrier and a tight end under Harold Horton at the University of Central Arkansas. “The most pleasant surprise is you hear talk about this kid and that kid when you arrive and now a couple of kids have stepped up who nobody talked about and expected to step up. We have some great kids, smart kids who have picked up the new offense well.”

Carter, who has coached 14 years, has installed a completely new offense and defense. The run-powered pistol spread of past years has been scrapped for the more wide-open spread, very similar to what Conway High runs.

“We’ll run a lot of option out of it,” he said. “And we’re not abandoning the run, just throwing the ball more. I think this is the style of offense that will help us compete year in and year out.”

Defensively, the Eagles will switch from a read-and-react style to one more aggressive at the point of attack. “We’re are going to attack all over the field,” he said.

While his offensive and defensive philosophies are different than when he played under Horton, the basics are the same.

“Coach Horton always said that everything runs through the front and we want to make the offensive line the strongest part of the team, this year I think it is our strength,” he said.

And from what he’s seen early, he’s not bashful in setting his sights on the Eagles making another playoff appearance.

“The first week I was here, people asked me how I was gonna replace a good quarterback (Kirby Powell) and two good running backs (Bates Isom and Adam Ragland),” he said. “Now that I’ve seen what we’ve got, I’ve got high hopes for this team.”

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Josh Wilson coming to Little Rock First Baptist

August 25, 2011 – 10:55 am

Josh Wilson has some great music below are two of them.

 

Josh Wilson Poster

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Brummett still resistant to vouchers because he wants us to save public schools at all cost

August 25, 2011 – 8:45 am

John Brummett in his article, “A new civil rights struggle in Little Rock?” Arkansas News Burea, August 25, 2011, asserted the main role vouchers should have is  “providing new models for regular public schools to emulate, not about replacing regular public schools.”

The Heritage Foundation cares nothing about saving the public schools. If the public schools do not adapt then they will fail under the voucher system. That is the point. I am sure that many public schools will adapt and survive. However, those who don’t will be knocked out of business. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SAVE ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

The cost of public education per student is too high. Over $28,000 for kids in Washington D.C. and over $12,000 in Houston, Texas.

Uploaded by on Mar 5, 2010

What is the true cost of public education? According to a new study by the Cato Institute, some of the nation’s largest public school districts are underreporting the true cost of government-run education programs.

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11432

Cato Education Analyst Adam B. Schaeffer explains that the nations five largest metro areas and the District of Columbia are blurring the numbers on education costs. On average, per-pupil spending in these areas is 44 percent higher than officially reported. Districts on average spent nearly $18,000 per student and yet claimed to spend just $12,500 last year.

It is impossible to have a public debate about education policy if public schools can’t be straight forward about their spending.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)