John A. Parnell, Ph.D.
Bolivia’s president Evo Morales is a minor league Hugo Chavez. Like Chavez, he is leading his nation down the socialist road to ruin. The Morales regime has promoted the typical left wing solutions to an economic downturn: price controls, hikes in the minimum wage, subsidies for popular commodities, and the like. Collectively, these measures remove […]
Read MoreRarely does a day pass when I don’t hear multiple complaints blaming capitalism for maladies ranging from war and hunger to mass inequality and social injustice. Many of these tirades come from otherwise nice and informed people, but they just don’t seem to understand economic realities. I am always searching for simple ways to explain […]
Read MoreI received one of those “I really like your blog but…” emails the other day. This one followed the typical pattern. The sender claims to be a conservative but takes issue with one or more of my “extreme positions.” He then makes an emotional case for a moderate/liberal viewpoint, wishes me well, and challenges me […]
Read MoreA federal judge ruled today that Congress lacks the authority to require Americans to purchase health care. This is a serious blow to the scheme that opened the door to universal coverage in the United States. Here’s why. According to Obamacare, everyone has a right to coverage without regard to individual risk or lifestyle considerations, […]
Read MoreFor once I agree with most of the liberal Democrats in Washington. The compromise on the Bush tax cuts is a bad idea. Here’s why: We lost the language battle. The two-year extension suggests that Washington is giving Americans some kind of temporary reprieve. Why not insist that the tax cuts be made permanent? Obama […]
Read MoreWhether it’s GM or the banks, states or municipalities, or Greece and Ireland, the concept of one entity suffering at the expense of another is now sacrosanct. Why are we seeing so many bailouts today? Ask the left and you’ll get a simple answer—the Bush recession. Bailouts are necessary to maintain stability when the economy […]
Read MoreThe Wall Street Journal is reporting today that General Motors in on track to sell about $18 billion in shares in what will likely become the world’s second largest initial public offering (IPO). So why are some investors interested in GM now when nobody would touch the company two years ago? Has GM been nursed […]
Read MoreThe global catfight among central economic planners has begun. The Fed’s $600 billion cash infusion in the economy is ill-fated to be sure, and it hasn’t won many supporters around the globe. Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega put it like this:”It is doubtful the Fed decision will produce any results…Throwing money out of a helicopter […]
Read MoreThe dollars are still flowing from the U.S. Treasury to General Motors. There’s been a lot of talk about GM’s relisting on the stock exchange this week. This is supposed to be evidence that bailout funds are being paid back and GM is on the road to sobriety. But there’s something you probably did not […]
Read MoreNow the real battle begins. Many of you might think we can take a breather after the midterms, but now isn’t the time. Tuesday was a good day for Republicans, but Reid’s reelection in Nevada reminds us that the era of big government is still alive and well. Nonetheless, I hope Tuesday was a good […]
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