Our Earliest Heroes

On this Memorial Day weekend, there are a few I wish to single out for extra honor and appreciation: Those men who risked and often lost all during the Revolutionary War. This conflict started April 19, 1775, not a year later when someone signed a document.

At 4:30 a.m., the first Americans lost their lives to the big red machine. The British army was marching on Lexington and Concord to seize weapons and ammunition stored there. It marched over the dead in Lexington, then were harassed and killed all the way back to Boston. Patriots from surrounding towns and counties raced to take on the British who had killed their brethren.

 Over the next decade, many died defending this country that might never exist. In fact, the odds of winning against the greatest military power of their age were dismal. They risked all anyway, just on the off chance that something new and wonderful might result. They fought and died for an idea.

Student Loan Rates and Government Spin

Actually this is political BS. The government charges students 3.4% now, on money they borrow for 2.7% average, so government profits already. By doubling the rates charged to 6.8%, government would generate an extra $34 billion in profit.  This extra profit is what they are trying to replace. In other words, they aren't giving anything to anybody unless you count the banksters.

Banksters borrow from the Fed window at 0.25% (no sic). They then buy government bonds paying 5.5%, take those back to the Fed window as collateral to borrow that much more at 0.25%, which they use to buy government bonds paying 5.5%, which they can take back to the Fed window, ad nauseam. Figured on a trillion dollars, the banks are making $55 billion less $2.5 billion they are paying to the Fed on little initial capital. If you wonder why banksters are not overly interested in making loans; It would cost them too much. In the meantime, the Fed proudly announces they have made $1.5 billion (0.25% minus the average note rate of 0.10%) profit from the banksters.

As Henry Ford once quipped, "It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning." It's morning.

So what the government proposes "giving" students is total BS. So is what they really are giving the banksters. Like I say, it's morning.

World War II GI Bill's Return on Investment

One of the most profitable actions the federal government ever took was the World War II GI Bill. Its primary purpose was not that, but to prevent the economy from falling back into the Great Depression with the return and discharge of 15-million veterans into an economy that was shifting out of full-blown war production.

 It greatly expanded the middle class because the degrees earned allowed many to earn previously undreamed of incomes and send their children to college, too. The additional income generated a long-term stream of increased tax revenues that is only ending now with retirement of the boomers. When the World War II GI Bill was being considered in Congress, the most heard criticism was it's socialist. It turned out the best thing the government could have done for its citizens and itself.

Now, we have this cannibalistic pretense that hurts both its citizens and itself--and an opposition complaining its socialist. Actually investing in one's citizens is the best of capitalism. If education seems expensive, try ignorance.

Greenland Ice Core Temperatures

These are the ice core temperatures from Greenland. Global Warming is the uptick at the left. Please, note that it is less than the peak 1000 years ago, which is when Vikings were populating Greenland. Please, note, too, that the temperatures since the last ice age have for the most part been higher than the current temperatures. These higher temperatures are known as the Holocene Optimum, which you don't hear much about from the Warmistas. It clearly illustrates with data that man-made global warming is a ploy to grab government funds--and not related to anything scientific. That's technical for "AGW is BS!" 
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 The graphic has an indicator called the 8.2 Kiloyear Event. It was not part of the point I was making, but it is where I obtained the graph. For those interested, more information can be obtained: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.2_kiloyear_event

Global Temperatures 2500 BCE to Present

Warm and cool periods associated with history: Note the Roman Empire occurred during a warm period, followed by the Dark Ages during a cool period. No one has explained the sudden cold down around 1300, which led into the Little Ice Age. Temperature rises within the lifetimes of people alive today are recovering from the Little Ice Age, not overheating from too many SUVs.

Taiwan Doubles GDP in the Decade

Taiwan has virtually no natural resources, yet doubled per capita GDP in the last decade; America has not. While providing quality health care for all citizens, Taiwan cannot send its manufacturing jobs to Communist China. Taiwan accomplished its GDP doubling by investing in its people instead of feeding them to the special interests.