John A. Parnell, Ph.D.
I was discussing the merits of capitalism the other day when my colleague asserted that economic systems—capitalism, socialism, fascism, etc.—are neither moral nor immoral. I had affirmed what I believe to be capitalism’s morality when he stated confidently, “We all know that capitalism is amoral. It’s just an economic system; it has no morality.” His […]
Read MoreEarlier this month Richard Trumka—President of the AFL-CIO—penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. Those who have followed Trumka in the past are already well aware of his socialist leanings, but rarely does one piece say so much, especially coming from the left. His work is so revealing that it deserves its own blog […]
Read MoreWhen we discuss politics, my moderate and liberal friends often address me as the defender of business interests. As they see it, liberals represent “the people” and conservatives represent “big business,” while the government weighs both sides and develops policy. But this interpretation is both misleading and harmful. It certainly sounds better to side with […]
Read MoreWisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to balance the state budget is well known. Like many other states, Wisconsin faces a $3.6 billion budget shortfall in the next biennium, and something has to be done. The proposal is not nearly as “extreme” as the left wants us to believe. Under Walker’s proposal, government workers would contribute […]
Read MoreI recently attended a conference devoted to analyzing the Federal Reserve’s record since its inception in 1913. Presenters included well known economists on various sides of the issue, former Fed officials, and even a former bank CEO. I returned home more knowledgeable about the Fed, but also with a clear understanding of a deeper problem. […]
Read MoreThe NHTSA and NASA released the findings of a 10-month investigation into the cause(s) of Toyota’s “unintended acceleration” problem, concluding that driver error was the culprit for most of the incidents. Even the “government watchdogs” must concede now that the severity of the problem was much overblown. This was no surprise. Toyota’s predicament served as […]
Read MoreFebruary 6 was Ronald Reagan’s birthday; he would have been 100. The older I get, the more I admire Reagan. His legacy is much greater than can be posted in a single blog, but I’d like to present three things we can learn from his presidency: 1. The private sector works. Reagan exhibited confidence in […]
Read MoreIn his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a five-year spending freeze to address the ballooning deficit. Some conservatives might consider this to be a baby step in the right direction, but I reject it outright. There are several fundamental problems with the proposal. First, Obama assumes that current spending levels in various government […]
Read MoreNew York Senator Chuck Schumer is calling for legislation that calls China on the carpet over its currency manipulation practices. According to Schumer, “we are fed up with your government’s intransigence on currency manipulation. If you refuse to play by the same rules, we will force you to do so.” It is true that China’s […]
Read MoreI’ve grown tired of the left’s flippant use of “the people.” New York Representative Louise Slaughter provided us with the latest example over the weekend in light of the Arizona tragedy. Arguing that conservative politics is somehow responsible for the behavior of a lunatic and that an FCC clampdown is in order, Slaughter remarked: “No […]
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