Reason for Optimism

by John Russell Turner

I'VE BEEN OPTIMISTIC. I've been telling people that the economy will improve after the usual post Holiday slump. The reason I am so is because the tax cuts were extended. Now people know. The uncertainty is gone-they know that their tax rates will remain the same as it was since the Bush administration enacted a reduction in taxes a few years ago. Prior to the extension of the tax cuts, there was a lot of uncertainty about just how much money people would have after the government took it's "share". Couple that with the remarkably anti-capitalist/pro-socialist sentiment coming from the White House and Capitol Hill, and most people were afraid to spend their money. No one knew how things would go-so they played it safe. Now, however, people are far more likely to spend and invest their cash-the essential factor in an economic recovery.

Let us make it easy for people to participate in the capitalist system by removing the barriers to their entry. High taxes and burdensome regulation is the single most difficult barrier most people face. If there is going to be a "war on poverty", then it must be fought to win, and to win quickly-and the only way this can be is if people are free to earn the most effective cure to poverty there is: cash.

I don't believe there should be a debate about this anymore. Socialists cannot be taken seriously in the realm of ideas, for any number of reasons. We have debated for decades now. We have seen the results of socialism in action. We know that the ideologies upon which socialism is based has ruined the societies upon which it was imposed. In fact, it could be logically deduced that this ideology-basically, that it is moral to take the property of another by force and give it to someone else who needs it-has caused more death and pain than any other cause, including disease. All of what I write here has been shown to be true over and over again. There is no legitimate doubt anymore, we all know it: socialism is a failure, capitalism is a success. Should you have doubts, imagine if you will a North Korean mission successfully landing on the moon. Imagine a Saudi Arabian discovery of a cancer cure. Or any totalitarian government doing anything but ruling. Capitalism makes it possible for individuals to realize their utmost potential, for individuals to dream and then make those dreams a reality.

Sure, money isn't everything.
Yes, but it will cure poverty.
And as a tool, it enables people to thrive.

Bea Arthur Was a Marine

I always loved actress Bea Arthur, who played the character Maude on the TV show of the same name, and who played Dorothy on The Golden Girls. I came across this article about her, and her military service.

Bea Arthur, who passed away recently, reminded me of my aunt. I loved her dry, sarcastic sense of humor and her appealing mixture of toughness and feminity. I used to watch The Golden Girls just to see her; many times she had me almost asphyxiating with laughter.

How Best To Help the Poor...and Everyone Else

by John Russell Turner



The Laffer Curve

 Liberals and conservatives usually agree on the importance of helping the unfortunate ones amongst us, the poor and downtrodden; all or most of the disagreement today is on the means to this ends. How do we help the poor?

The left wing answer is: let the government handle it. They have lots of money and other resources, so they can do the job better than any one of us can.

The right wing answer is: let private charities and individuals do what they can to ease the sufferings of others. Maintain a culture where the individual is free to earn as much money as his abilities allow him. The government should stay out of the altruism business because it must tax it's citizens in order to do anything, and this means less money in everyone's pockets-which means people will be less likely to invest. And since investing creates jobs, with decreased investment there will be fewer jobs. Let's face it, gainful employment is the cure for poverty. It will totally eliminate it, if the individual acts rationally.

These are the basics of the arguments on both sides. Some would say that a little bit of government and a little bit of private charity can't hurt. That's what we have in place today. To fully understand why such a mixture is immoral, and in the long run will lead to societal collapse, it is important to see taxation for what it really is.

Taxation is not production, it is not earned income; taxation is money taken by the government from its' citizens so the government can operate. Because it is not production, but rather a tax on production, government growth must be funded by those in the economy who make money and wealth. At certain levels of taxation, most of us can still do whatever it is we are planning; there is money left over to invest in a mutual fund, stocks and bonds, or in a business of our own...but there comes a point when the amount of taxes we pay influences our other economic activity. With less money, we are less inclined to take risks. With less money, we do not invest it anywhere but at home. Taxes risen past a certain point actually winds up sending less money to the government treasury-the famous "Laffer Curve".

The problem is the government has a lot of projects and programs it administers and funds. Also, a question arises: is it appropriate for the government to do anything at all except govern? When and how did it get in the business of altruism, social engineering, and such? This is a relevant question because people have property rights at birth-all of us must be free to keep what we own, otherwise we cannot survive at all-therefore, the right to property is about as important and just as equal as the right to live! People should keep as much of what they earn as possible. But when the government decides to go past its' proper role in human affairs, it is we who must pay for it, and suppose we don't want to pay (with our hard earned money) for the various government programs out there? Well, we get arrested, of course, and sent to jail-and don't think about refusing to go to jail, because they'll kill you if you put up a strong enough resistance. This illustrates perfectly what the government and an armed robber have in common, and gives a clue as to why government help programs are immoral. They are a drain on the economy, it's not the government's job to be in any kind of business except governing, they violate the property rights of others (as any wealth transfer scheme does), and they all essentially rely on the use of physical force. Finally, as more and more money is taxed away from the productive (this includes wage earners), the incentive to work is weakened, and in some cases, eliminated. The economy stagnates. People produce less, and government revenue rapidly declines. Soon, the government cannot even fund its' most basic, proper functions, and anarchy results.

The solution to poverty, therefore, is an environment of free enterprise with minimal taxation and regulations, thus creating more jobs (and more entrepreneurs), thus giving more people the ability to create wealth.

John Lennon's Last Days | Rolling Stone Music

Rolling Stone magazine's interesting article on John Lennon, including audio of his last interview.




John Lennon's Last Days | Rolling Stone Music

Free Market Education?

by John Russell Turner

The government is paying for me to go to school, therefore I must abide by the situation I find myself in. I can not control the curriculum. Either I learn the things they say I must learn, or I leave the school. If I were paying with my money, I don't know if I'd have any real control over what I study, because the educators get together and decide what shall be mandatory and what shall be elective. So I don't think my situation is caused by government funding. It is caused by educators thinking that they know what is best for me and the other students. Or, it was caused by educators wanting to maintain the credibility of their school...therefore they ensure that their students are "well-rounded", and knowledgable in their chosen major, I assume. More likely it is the personal agenda of the educators (see David Horowitz).

Better Than Me

by John Russell Turner


The most important thing I should do is  remember to never, ever indulge my natural inclination to feel superior than others. For some reason, this doesn't do well with people. They are not "sheeple", "the masses", members of the "hoi-poloi", the "mob", et al.


Imagine that, most people are alright!

Note to the Elitists out there:
I know, I know, you get that warm special glow whenever you think about how so much better you are than all those low-lives lurking in the trailer parks and bowling alleys. I also know that if it weren't for those people, you'd have nothing at all to base your self-esteem on. That's why I suggest that you be nicer to them. Stop calling them sheeple. Or whatever, because one day they might refuse to give you your sense of self worth, and then what will you do?

Burning the Midnight Oil

I'm writing this at the King County Administration Building Emergency Shelter, where I work checking in the homeless men who come here every night for a place to sleep.  It's 12:07 AM. I'll be off at 5AM, and my biggest challenge so far is keeping awake until then. A group of people came by the shelter tonight to donate some jackets and blankets, but I had to turn them away since we are not allowed to let anyone in the building except our clients. They promised to come back tomorrow night during intake.

I also had to turn away this man who couldn't speak English at all. I am required to document everyone who comes here for shelter, which includes his name, age, date of birth, the reason why he's homeless, et al. When I asked him his name, he merely looked at me with a blank, uncomprehending stare. I had to use hand signals to tell him to leave, and off he went, into the cold night. I felt like a jerk. I mean, first I had to deny these people free jackets and blankets, and then I had to throw someone out of here because he couldn't speak English (so I could do the paperwork on him). But those are the rules of the people who hired me to run this place, and I can't do anything about it.