March Madness

College students are on spring break and the cruise ships have plenty of idle capacity .
While the coronavirus rightly keeps seniors away , the risks to young people are probably not much greater than getting on an airplane .
Fuel costs plunged last week as the Saudis and Russians engage in a price war , putting even more downward pressure on costs .
Amid this free market match made in heaven , the cruise operators are suspending operations for a month .
One of the more annoying narratives going viral is the notion that we ’ re all a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herding us around we ’ d die by the hundreds of thousands .
The assumption is that in times of crisis , central control is superior to letting people fend for themselves .
A tiny minority , among them AIER ’ s Jeffrey Tucker , say the conventional wisdom has it backwards : I don ’ t know what should and shouldn ’ t be shut down .
But neither does the government have some special magical access to information on risk probabilities and the proper way forward .
In fact , government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making this judgment .
Government acts out of self-interest ; enterprise acts in the public interest .
The obvious answer here is to leave the decision to private actors who are in the best position to make a good judgment on what should shut and what should open .
So why are cruise operators mothballing ships at immense cost when they could be offering cheap rates that would give many young adults the opportunity of a lifetime to travel the world ?
Part of the reason is that the government is wielding a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pushing people into semi-isolation .
The cruise operators also expanded too rapidly , took on debt and left themselves with little margin of safety , another consequence of the 2008 financial bailouts and a decade of ultra-cheap credit .
When the coronavirus first appeared in China , they remained complacent , maintaining dividends and reassuring investors that the outlook was bright .
Rather than take responsibility , pick a fight with the government , and try to claw their way back , they ’ ve decided to toss in the towel and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Who can blame them ?
The financial press is back begging for bailouts , just as they did when the first cracks in the credit bubble appeared in 2007 , well over a year before the 2008 meltdown .
The weekend issue of Barron ’ s shamelessly promotes a massive government response to fight the coronavirus and its spillover effects : The Real Crash : Americ ... Peter Schiff Best Price : null Buy New $ 23.95 Investors are like spoiled children who go crying to daddy every time they get into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditioned a whole host of economic actors to believe any downturn would be painless and brief , they ’ ve become devoid of critical thinking and prone to emotional reactions .
Since stocks peaked February 14 , the S & P 500 has dropped 20 % , yet Treasury bonds have been the safe haven of choice – with the “ TLT ” up 7 % – while gold has actually fallen 4 % .
Early last week , the yield on 30-year T-bonds hit an all-time low and now stands at 1.55 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. government at 1.55 % for the next 30 years needs to have their head examined .
It is $ 23 trillion in debt .
Its economy is heading into recession .
It is about to take out the bazooka and go on a spending and money printing spree .
As a friend warned me after the 2016 presidential election , “ If you are a creditor , the last person you want to see on the other side of the table is Donald Trump.
” Will the confidence game work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a burning theater ?
Don ’ t bet against it .
Of course , that won ’ t extinguish the fire .
Most analysts believe the cruise ship industry can survive the coronavirus pandemic as long as it doesn ’ t last more than a few quarters .
Even so , these companies will be forced to tap into credit lines , making them more vulnerable to the next shock .
Meanwhile , the large banks which provide these loans will become more fragile as well .
The government , too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Boomers are set to swamp entitlement programs ) .
Just as the system ’ s defenses are dilapidated , a severe economic storm is bearing down .
After decades of lifeboats showing up on cue , there are no more rescues .
Investors and businessmen , you ’ re on your own .
The Best of Kevin Duffy

College students are on spring break and the cruise ships have plenty of idle capacity. While the coronavirus rightly keeps seniors away, the risks to young people are probably not much greater than getting on an airplane. Fuel costs plunged last week as the Saudis and Russians engage in a price war, putting even more downward pressure on costs. Amid this free market match made in heaven, the cruise operators are suspending operations for a month.
Wait, what?
One of the more annoying narratives going viral is the notion that we’re all a bunch of imbeciles and without the authorities herding us around we’d die by the hundreds of thousands. The assumption is that in times of crisis, central control is superior to letting people fend for themselves. A tiny minority, among them AIER’s Jeffrey Tucker, say the conventional wisdom has it backwards:
I don’t know what should and shouldn’t be shut down. But neither does the government have some special magical access to information on risk probabilities and the proper way forward. In fact, government is the last institution that should be making this judgment. Government acts out of self-interest; enterprise acts in the public interest. The obvious answer here is to leave the decision to private actors who are in the best position to make a good judgment on what should shut and what should open.
So why are cruise operators mothballing ships at immense cost when they could be offering cheap rates that would give many young adults the opportunity of a lifetime to travel the world? Part of the reason is that the government is wielding a big stick, interfering in international travel and pushing people into semi-isolation. The cruise operators also expanded too rapidly, took on debt and left themselves with little margin of safety, another consequence of the 2008 financial bailouts and a decade of ultra-cheap credit. When the coronavirus first appeared in China, they remained complacent, maintaining dividends and reassuring investors that the outlook was bright. Rather than take responsibility, pick a fight with the government, and try to claw their way back, they’ve decided to toss in the towel and get in line for potential future bailouts.
Who can blame them?
Barron’s – March 16, 2020
The financial press is back begging for bailouts, just as they did when the first cracks in the credit bubble appeared in 2007, well over a year before the 2008 meltdown. The weekend issue of Barron’s shamelessly promotes a massive government response to fight the coronavirus and its spillover effects:
This isn’t 2008, when deep problems were rooted in the financial system. Covid-19 is a health crisis, an economic crisis, and a financial crisis rolled into one – and policy makers will need to get creative to keep panic at bay… [P]oliticians from both sides of the aisle must find a way to work together – or risk something worse than the financial crisis.
The Real Crash: Americ... Peter Schiff Buy New $23.95 (as of 05:55 UTC - Details) Investors are like spoiled children who go crying to daddy every time they get into trouble. After decades of moral hazard conditioned a whole host of economic actors to believe any downturn would be painless and brief, they’ve become devoid of critical thinking and prone to emotional reactions. Since stocks peaked February 14, the S&P 500 has dropped 20%, yet Treasury bonds have been the safe haven of choice – with the “TLT” up 7% – while gold has actually fallen 4%. Early last week, the yield on 30-year T-bonds hit an all-time low and now stands at 1.55%.
Anyone who would loan money to the U.S. government at 1.55% for the next 30 years needs to have their head examined.
It is $23 trillion in debt. Its economy is heading into recession. It is about to take out the bazooka and go on a spending and money printing spree. As a friend warned me after the 2016 presidential election, “If you are a creditor, the last person you want to see on the other side of the table is Donald Trump.”
Will the confidence game work again? Will panicked moviegoers rush back into a burning theater? Don’t bet against it. Of course, that won’t extinguish the fire.
Most analysts believe the cruise ship industry can survive the coronavirus pandemic as long as it doesn’t last more than a few quarters. Even so, these companies will be forced to tap into credit lines, making them more vulnerable to the next shock. Meanwhile, the large banks which provide these loans will become more fragile as well. The government, too, will become more leveraged (just as the Boomers are set to swamp entitlement programs). Just as the system’s defenses are dilapidated, a severe economic storm is bearing down.
After decades of lifeboats showing up on cue, there are no more rescues. Investors and businessmen, you’re on your own.
The Best of Kevin Duffy


lewrockwell--2020-03-16--The Real Crisis Starts Now in Europe

The Real Crisis Starts Now in Europe

I think it ’ s safe to say the new crisis just killed the Schengen Treaty .
That ridiculous document which guaranteed freedom of movement across the European Union finally hit something it couldn ’ t bully , COVID-19 .
Regardless of whether you believe the pandemic is real or not , the reaction to it is real and is having real consequence far beyond the latest print of the Dow Jones Industrial Average .
The lockdown of Italy isn ’ t a temporary thing .
Oh , the suspension of free movement is temporary , but it portends something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the real political balkanization that ’ s coming to the European Union over the next few years .
Old enmities and prejudices have not been stamped out under the boot heel of oppressive legislation coming from a bunch of disconnected technocrats in Brussels .
They have only been suppressed .
Because when there are existential threats there ’ s no time or desire to virtue signal about how we ’ re all one big happy dysfunctional family .
Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For decades Germany refused to lighten up on its fiscal inflexibility believing , rightly , that it shouldn ’ t subsidize profligacy in places like Italy , Spain and Greece if it didn ’ t want to .
At the same time , however , Germany transmitted those rules to the single currency regime of the euro .
That was the price they forced on the rest of Europe .
This ensured that eventually they would have to do exactly that , subsidize or bailout debts , as the mispricing of labor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currency applied over multiple economies drove capital to Germany and out from those countries .
Now Germans face the existential threat of COVID-19 imported into Europe mostly through Wuhan textiles workers in Milan ’ s leather shops/ Their leaders will force them to accept looser spending rules .
And do you think this will engender an outpouring of love and affection towards Italians ?
If you do you might be delusional or an open-borders libertarian… but I repeat myself .
Chancellor Angela Merkel has signaled for months she would spend more to satisfy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political left .
Her finance minister , Olaf Scholz , unleashed the full force of Germany ’ s sovereign wealth fund to offer unlimited support to German businesses facing troubles because of this virus .
This is as good a cover story for the gargantuan holes in the balance sheets of zombie German banks as they were likely ever going to get folks .
ECB President Christine Lagarde was brought in to ram through the political changes needed to loosen Germany ’ s tie .
She knew the only way the EU would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sovereign debt market was to print money to the high heavens .
Or allow the union to break up .
But , there is no Door # 2 in Europe .
All doors lead to Brussels .
Germany stood in the way of that while at the same time Merkel ruthlessly enforced Schengen .
She weakened the political center in Germany and inflamed memories of a Germany which rampaged across Europe militarily in the 20th century through enforced austerity hollowing out less-efficient euro-zone economies .
So in the midst of this mess comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it from the political center of Europe to date .
Only now are they coming to the conclusion they need to restrict travel , after sitting on their hands for a few weeks while Italians died by the hundreds .
And do you think that ’ s engendering waves of love and affection among Italians towards Germans ?
If you do then you don ’ t know Italians… at all .
And this is your signal that this is the beginning of the real crisis .
Because while COVID-19 may have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets , capital markets were simply waiting for that spark to occur .
Any other type of spark , a bank failure from a run of bad loans , could have been handled and absorbed .
There was no Credit Anstalt the central planners weren ’ t prepared for .
They ’ ve been able to keep Deutsche Bank operational for the past few years , for pity ’ s sake , they could have handled any other single bank failure .
But with COVID-19 being the ultimate form of exogenous shock to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the financial contagion .
And that ’ s why we saw a strong unwind of U.S. equities and a sharp rise in both the Japanese yen and the euro when this thing began .
Part of what had been pushing U.S. equities higher was the capital flow from Europe and Japan into the U.S. That reversed for short time as the eurodollar markets seized up and the demand for cash locally rose sharply .
It ’ s no different than what is happening here .
I went to my bank yesterday to grab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( we ’ d bought extra toilet paper weeks ago ) .
The teller told me she ’ d moved out a lot more cash than normal and it wasn ’ t even the end of lunch hour .
Then I told her the bank run on corporate credit began earlier in the week as companies like Boeing maxed their credit revolvers to front run the bank pulling it .
That got her attention .
The same thing on a larger scale was happening in Europe until Lagarde told the world that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loosening its stance on fiscal rules at her presser on Thursday .
And the rally in the euro , which was already sick , died .
What we saw to end this week was an epic reversal of that capital outflow as the USDX and U.S. equities rallied while the euro crashed back to $ 1.11 .
And now that it ’ s started I don ’ t expect it to stop .
The Fed fired major blanks at the dollar-funding crisis in the credit markets this week .
What is the ECB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising in Europe as money flees their incompetence ?
Fairy dust springs to mind , honestly .
But , more likely there will be a very quick move to close the banks and cancel the use of cash while new rules are adopted and Lagarde turns to the IMF to bailout the ECB which can very easily go bankrupt here .
The weakest banking system in Europe serves a country on lockdown over this virus .
So , it doesn ’ t matter now that Germany has acquiesced , pledging its own savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All the printing will does is feed the vortex of unpayable debt that is far bigger than their prodigious piggy bank .
The next stage of the crisis is here with the focus finally turning to Europe .
The U.S. , for all of its faults , is one nation with a unified debt market and an executive who can and has exercise powers necessary to keep the wheels from completely falling off the U.S. economy .
Will Trump spend money he doesn ’ t actually have ?
Yes .
So what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Price : null Buy New $ 25.00 That money will go into a logistical pipeline that far outstrips Europe ’ s to combat a disease over a smaller population spread across larger distances .
That limits the damage to the U.S .
It ensures political stability that the EU can not hope to compete with for the trust of spooked capital .
Add the global economy grinding to a halt .
We ’ ll see the crisis emerge in Europe to feed a widening gyre of debt servicing that will look like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will force fundamental reform of the euro and the ECB .
They are necessary for the EU to survive this crisis in anything close to its current form .
I ’ m not laying odds that will work .
Instead I expect Schengen ’ s suspension to hold and more countries go the way of the Brits by exiting the EU itself .
While this crisis is tailor-made to shove the federalization of Europe down the throats of what ’ s left of the German middle class , I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to bail out Italian banks , there is no solution to this .
And while I think Merkel is willing to fall on her sword to get this done , It may still not work .
How convenient it is that Merkel ’ s CDU just cancelled their April 22nd leadership vote because of this crisis .
This forestalls any possibility of Merkel losing control of her party until after Germany begins its EU Commission Presidency .
Whatever she has planned she has to do soon .
Her political capital is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change of leadership during a crisis like this .
She ’ s almost done completing the sell out of Germany to the EU begun by Helmut Kohl .
Just in time for the whole experiment to come crashing down .
The Best of Thomas Luongo

I think it’s safe to say the new crisis just killed the Schengen Treaty. That ridiculous document which guaranteed freedom of movement across the European Union finally hit something it couldn’t bully, COVID-19.
Regardless of whether you believe the pandemic is real or not, the reaction to it is real and is having real consequence far beyond the latest print of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
The lockdown of Italy isn’t a temporary thing. Oh, the suspension of free movement is temporary, but it portends something far bigger.
It’s the beginning of the real political balkanization that’s coming to the European Union over the next few years. Old enmities and prejudices have not been stamped out under the boot heel of oppressive legislation coming from a bunch of disconnected technocrats in Brussels.
They have only been suppressed.
Because when there are existential threats there’s no time or desire to virtue signal about how we’re all one big happy dysfunctional family. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
For decades Germany refused to lighten up on its fiscal inflexibility believing, rightly, that it shouldn’t subsidize profligacy in places like Italy, Spain and Greece if it didn’t want to.
At the same time, however, Germany transmitted those rules to the single currency regime of the euro. That was the price they forced on the rest of Europe.
This ensured that eventually they would have to do exactly that, subsidize or bailout debts, as the mispricing of labor and capital efficiency inherent in the any single currency applied over multiple economies drove capital to Germany and out from those countries.
Now Germans face the existential threat of COVID-19 imported into Europe mostly through Wuhan textiles workers in Milan’s leather shops/ Their leaders will force them to accept looser spending rules.
And do you think this will engender an outpouring of love and affection towards Italians?
If you do you might be delusional or an open-borders libertarian… but I repeat myself.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has signaled for months she would spend more to satisfy the rising Greens on Germany’s political left.
Her finance minister, Olaf Scholz, unleashed the full force of Germany’s sovereign wealth fund to offer unlimited support to German businesses facing troubles because of this virus.
This is as good a cover story for the gargantuan holes in the balance sheets of zombie German banks as they were likely ever going to get folks.
ECB President Christine Lagarde was brought in to ram through the political changes needed to loosen Germany’s tie. She knew the only way the EU would survive the growing crisis within its non-functional sovereign debt market was to print money to the high heavens.
Or allow the union to break up. But, there is no Door #2 in Europe. All doors lead to Brussels.
Germany stood in the way of that while at the same time Merkel ruthlessly enforced Schengen. She weakened the political center in Germany and inflamed memories of a Germany which rampaged across Europe militarily in the 20th century through enforced austerity hollowing out less-efficient euro-zone economies.
So in the midst of this mess comes COVID-19 and the uncoordinated and inept response to it from the political center of Europe to date. Only now are they coming to the conclusion they need to restrict travel, after sitting on their hands for a few weeks while Italians died by the hundreds.
And do you think that’s engendering waves of love and affection among Italians towards Germans?
If you do then you don’t know Italians… at all.
And this is your signal that this is the beginning of the real crisis. Because while COVID-19 may have been the catalyst for the breakdown of capital markets, capital markets were simply waiting for that spark to occur.
Any other type of spark, a bank failure from a run of bad loans, could have been handled and absorbed. There was no Credit Anstalt the central planners weren’t prepared for.
They’ve been able to keep Deutsche Bank operational for the past few years, for pity’s sake, they could have handled any other single bank failure.
But with COVID-19 being the ultimate form of exogenous shock to the global economy there is no containing the financial contagion. And that’s why we saw a strong unwind of U.S. equities and a sharp rise in both the Japanese yen and the euro when this thing began.
Part of what had been pushing U.S. equities higher was the capital flow from Europe and Japan into the U.S. That reversed for short time as the eurodollar markets seized up and the demand for cash locally rose sharply.
It’s no different than what is happening here.
I went to my bank yesterday to grab some cash and finish our self-quarantine prep (we’d bought extra toilet paper weeks ago). The teller told me she’d moved out a lot more cash than normal and it wasn’t even the end of lunch hour.
Then I told her the bank run on corporate credit began earlier in the week as companies like Boeing maxed their credit revolvers to front run the bank pulling it.
That got her attention.
The same thing on a larger scale was happening in Europe until Lagarde told the world that she wasn’t done blackmailing Germany to loosening its stance on fiscal rules at her presser on Thursday.
And the rally in the euro, which was already sick, died.
Annnnd…. it’s gone!
What we saw to end this week was an epic reversal of that capital outflow as the USDX and U.S. equities rallied while the euro crashed back to $1.11. And now that it’s started I don’t expect it to stop.
The Fed fired major blanks at the dollar-funding crisis in the credit markets this week. What is the ECB going to do to stop rates from rising in Europe as money flees their incompetence?
Fairy dust springs to mind, honestly. But, more likely there will be a very quick move to close the banks and cancel the use of cash while new rules are adopted and Lagarde turns to the IMF to bailout the ECB which can very easily go bankrupt here.
The weakest banking system in Europe serves a country on lockdown over this virus.
So, it doesn’t matter now that Germany has acquiesced, pledging its own savings and lifting fiscal restraints of euro-zone members. All the printing will does is feed the vortex of unpayable debt that is far bigger than their prodigious piggy bank.
The next stage of the crisis is here with the focus finally turning to Europe. The U.S., for all of its faults, is one nation with a unified debt market and an executive who can and has exercise powers necessary to keep the wheels from completely falling off the U.S. economy.
Will Trump spend money he doesn’t actually have? Yes. So what? Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $25.00 (as of 11:14 UTC - Details)
That money will go into a logistical pipeline that far outstrips Europe’s to combat a disease over a smaller population spread across larger distances. That limits the damage to the U.S. It ensures political stability that the EU cannot hope to compete with for the trust of spooked capital.
Add the global economy grinding to a halt. We’ll see the crisis emerge in Europe to feed a widening gyre of debt servicing that will look like a global bank run on dollar liquidity.
It will force fundamental reform of the euro and the ECB. They are necessary for the EU to survive this crisis in anything close to its current form.
I’m not laying odds that will work. Instead I expect Schengen’s suspension to hold and more countries go the way of the Brits by exiting the EU itself.
While this crisis is tailor-made to shove the federalization of Europe down the throats of what’s left of the German middle class, I don’t think it succeeds.
Until Germany is willing to bail out Italian banks, there is no solution to this.
And while I think Merkel is willing to fall on her sword to get this done, It may still not work.
How convenient it is that Merkel’s CDU just cancelled their April 22nd leadership vote because of this crisis. This forestalls any possibility of Merkel losing control of her party until after Germany begins its EU Commission Presidency.
Whatever she has planned she has to do soon. Her political capital is just about spent.
There will be no change of leadership during a crisis like this. She’s almost done completing the sell out of Germany to the EU begun by Helmut Kohl.
Just in time for the whole experiment to come crashing down.
Reprinted with permission from Gold Goats ‘n Guns.
The Best of Tom Luongo


lewrockwell--2020-03-16--Britain Is Infected, by a Bad Case of Madness

Yes , you are right .
We have gone quite mad .
I know that many people are thinking this , but dare not say so .
I will be accused of all kinds of terrible things for taking this view – but that is another aspect of how crazy things are .
Yes , coronavirus poses a risk .
No , our response to it is not intelligent or useful .
In fact , I think it is increasingly damaging and will soon become more so .
The key word here is proportion .
There is nothing wrong with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many years believed that door handles pose one of the greatest threats to health , and try never to touch them with the naked hand .
I was taught from my earliest years to wash my hands before eating .
I am a health faddist .
I work at a standing desk .
For many years I have walked and bicycled wherever I can .
I often take the stairs rather than the lift .
I can ’ t understand how anyone in my generation or younger can smoke , given what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sugar as a delicious poison to be avoided as much as possible .
I drink little .
I get up early and go to bed early .
I believe cars are heart-attack machines , noisy , smelly , ugly devices , which depreciate in the gutter while they are not stopping us from exercising and wrecking our lower backs .
Pure Acerola Cherry Po ... Buy New $ 29.95 ( $ 3.74 / Ounce ) Yet our country is so badly planned that few families can manage without them nowadays .
For these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from coronavirus is quite small .
If I catch it , and I quite possibly will , I doubt it will trouble me all that much .
The truth is , people with what are called ‘ underlying conditions ’ , many of which follow decades without exercise , are in danger not just from coronavirus but from almost everything .
If the Government is so worried about them , why has it followed transport and housing policies that have made it hard and dangerous to walk or bicycle , and so devastated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the sale and possession of cigarettes still even legal ?
I wouldn ’ t normally raise these questions quite so fiercely , but the ever-increasing panicky bossiness of the authorities is annoying me .
I must ask them : are you really worried about our health , or are you just afraid of being blamed for a small number of the deaths that your policies are causing ?
And are you just anxious to try to demonstrate how good you are ?
In such matters , we fuss where we do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent action is required .
If a train crashed tomorrow and ten people died , it would be huge headlines for days , even though railways are , in fact , extremely safe .
An inquiry would be held .
But each year more than 1,700 people die in road crashes , and another 25,000 are seriously injured , and it barely registers , because their lives are ended or ruined in ones and twos .
Governments distil fear into power .
In a way , they are right to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ builds a navy to protect us .
We fear crime and disorder .

This is Peter Hitchens’s Mail on Sunday column
Yes, you are right. We have gone quite mad. I know that many people are thinking this, but dare not say so.
I will be accused of all kinds of terrible things for taking this view – but that is another aspect of how crazy things are.
Yes, coronavirus poses a risk. No, our response to it is not intelligent or useful. In fact, I think it is increasingly damaging and will soon become more so.
The key word here is proportion. There is nothing wrong with simple, practical precautions.
I have for many years believed that door handles pose one of the greatest threats to health, and try never to touch them with the naked hand. I was taught from my earliest years to wash my hands before eating.
I am a health faddist. I work at a standing desk. For many years I have walked and bicycled wherever I can. I often take the stairs rather than the lift. I can’t understand how anyone in my generation or younger can smoke, given what we know about it.
I regard sugar as a delicious poison to be avoided as much as possible. I drink little. I get up early and go to bed early. I believe cars are heart-attack machines, noisy, smelly, ugly devices, which depreciate in the gutter while they are not stopping us from exercising and wrecking our lower backs.
Yet our country is so badly planned that few families can manage without them nowadays.
For these reasons, I reckon that my risk from coronavirus is quite small. If I catch it, and I quite possibly will, I doubt it will trouble me all that much.
The truth is, people with what are called ‘underlying conditions’, many of which follow decades without exercise, are in danger not just from coronavirus but from almost everything.
If the Government is so worried about them, why has it followed transport and housing policies that have made it hard and dangerous to walk or bicycle, and so devastated the health of the people?
Why is the sale and possession of cigarettes still even legal? I wouldn’t normally raise these questions quite so fiercely, but the ever-increasing panicky bossiness of the authorities is annoying me.
I must ask them: are you really worried about our health, or are you just afraid of being blamed for a small number of the deaths that your policies are causing?
And are you just anxious to try to demonstrate how good you are? In such matters, we fuss where we do not need to, and do nothing where urgent action is required.
If a train crashed tomorrow and ten people died, it would be huge headlines for days, even though railways are, in fact, extremely safe. An inquiry would be held.
But each year more than 1,700 people die in road crashes, and another 25,000 are seriously injured, and it barely registers, because their lives are ended or ruined in ones and twos.
Governments distil fear into power. In a way, they are right to do so. We fear foreign invasion. The State builds a navy to protect us. We fear crime and disorder.
The State hires police and builds prisons. But they have become less and less good at these basic tasks, and perhaps they now seek other fields, where they can show how much we need them.
I have serious doubts about whether our Government has any idea how to slow the spread of this virus. I suspect it quietly reached these shores long before anyone noticed.
But I am quite sure that many of the current panic measures do far more harm than good. They create the idea that we are in the midst of a terrifying plague that will kill us all, when the truth – though disturbing – is far less frightening.
Their worst effect is to savage the economy by scaring people away from normal activities.
I went to the cinema last Sunday evening and there were six people in the theatre for what ought to be a successful film.
A florist known to me has just lost hundreds of pounds in business from cancelled events this weekend.
We have all seen the staggering, tottering behaviour of the stock markets, possibly triggered and certainly worsened by virus frenzy.
No doubt it will soon become impossible, under some frantic Emergency Powers Regime, to make this point.
I’ll be accused of giving aid and comfort to the virus, or of spreading Alarm and Despondency.
But before the roadblocks go up, and you need a pass to go to work, I thought I’d say it anyway.
Moving reminder of a pointless war
Normally, I might be a bit cool about a movie such as Military Wives, which dramatises the foundation and success of a choir of women worrying at home, as their soldier husbands face danger far away in Afghanistan.
It barely brushes against the other problem – that it was very hard to work out what those soldiers were risking their lives for.
But the film – pictured above – moved me because it reminded me very strongly of that stupid, utterly pointless war whose victims often returned home in their flag-wrapped coffins, along a road not far from where I live.
I went, whenever possible, to stand with my head bowed as they went past, while silently cursing the governments that had sent them there.
I notice that a group of senior officers and MPs have recently written to The Times daftly attacking the new peace deal in Afghanistan – which might at last get Western troops out of a place they should never have entered.
In some way, apparently, the deal will tarnish the memories of the British dead.
Idiotically, they wrote: ‘These hasty negotiations may compromise the Afghan people and the gains that they have made in the past 19 years. They do not want to surrender women’s rights, freedom of speech and their democratic institutions.’
Well, do you know what? I don’t care. If anyone really wants to impose third-wave feminism on Afghanistan, let them get up an international brigade of volunteers and see how they get on.
Our soldiers, who joined to serve Queen and Country, went because they were ordered to.
The real problem with the planned deal is that it exposes the stupidity and vanity of the politicians who sent troops to Afghanistan, and never should have done.
End this wicked trap
I learned last week that a large group of military widows have been caught in a stupid legal trap.
Because they have remarried, they have lost pensions, under former strict rules.
These rules were abolished in 2014 for those bereaved in later years, but the change does not apply to 300 women, widowed by long-ago conflicts such as the Falklands.
According to Julian Lewis MP, these 300 can get the money they are entitled to only if they divorce, and then marry again. This is obviously absurd.
Can Mr Johnson please put it right?
Did we 'get Gordon Brown out' Or has he taken over the Tories?
I remember being told in 2010 that I should support David Cameron’s Tories because ‘we must get Gordon Brown out’. Since Wednesday’s terrifying spendthrift Budget could have been written and delivered by Mr Brown, as could most of the government’s other policies, I don’t think that plan worked out very well.
If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens, click on Comments and scroll down


lewrockwell--2020-03-16--Since When Is Joe Biden a ‘Moderate’?

Since When Is Joe Biden a ‘Moderate’?

In an exultant commentary on Joe Biden ’ s victory on Super Tuesday , New York Post-syndicated columnist Salena Zito tells us : “ The Dems ’ silent majority , which doesn ’ t tweet , is finally crying out for moderation from the party.
” Zito also quotes Dave Saunders , “ a legendary Democratic strategist in Virginia , ” who “ finds it ‘ ironic ’ that southern voters are often criticized by the national party for being too moderate , but they ’ re the ones who saved the party from a left-wing candidate like Sanders.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moderation , ” as I ’ m reminded whenever I hear the Fox News All-stars praise him , while attacking the evil Bernie as a commie-loving radical .
It ’ s been Joe ’ s accomplishment to rescue his party and nation from the “ leftist demagogue ” who is running against him .
He is helping to return the country to “ moderate ” government , which presumably is not something that Trump has been doing because of his divisive personality .
Unfortunately , there is no indication that Biden will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if elected .
For one thing , depictions of him as a moderate overlook the inconvenient fact that he is running well to the left of former president Obama , who was our most leftist chief executive up until his election in 2008 .
Candidate Obama publicly opposed gay marriage , favored strict border controls , and would never have announced , in contrast to Biden , that he wished to provide medical assistance and public benefits to those who were here illegally .
On just about every social issue , Biden the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the left of Obama .
On immigration and advancing the LGBT , feminist , and Black Lives Matter agendas , I don ’ t find any distance between Joe and Bernie .
Certainly not enough to justify the exaggerated contrasts between the “ moderate ” Biden and the “ radical ” Sanders .
Multiculturalism and t ... Paul Edward Gottfried Best Price : $ 14.51 Buy New $ 25.00 Second , in assessing how Biden would govern this country , we should consider his continuing gaffes on the stump .
Why are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stumbling for words , incoherent outbursts , and inability to recognize what day of the week it is or what state he is in tell us nothing about how he would govern ?
Biden may well be in mental decline , and if that is the case , there are lots of people out there waiting to take advantage of his presidency .
We might start the list with the Secret Service officials who have been in trouble because of their felonious misdeeds and rank partisanship .
But perhaps we should look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration more generally .
Federal employees are overwhelmingly Democrats and would be delighted with a presidency that allowed them to have their way .
However ineptly Trump has called out his bureaucratically entrenched enemies , he has correctly observed where they are .
Biden is also indebted to the media for methodically covering up his ridiculous statements and his fits of anger when encountering unwanted questions .
He also owes the media big time for their steady recent attacks on Sanders , which helped cleared the way for Biden ’ s nomination .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ high price , if Biden is elected .
And let ’ s not forget those black leaders like Jim Clyburn of South Carolina , who have vigorously campaigned for Joe .
What exactly will a President Biden owe such leaders for gaining him the overwhelming support of black Democrats ?
One can only imagine .
Of course , Biden ’ s helpers were right to pick him over the principled socialist Sanders .
Joe is not likely to refuse favors and he does have a proven record of corruption , and very corrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Best of Paul Gottfried

In an exultant commentary on Joe Biden’s victory on Super Tuesday, New York Post-syndicated columnist Salena Zito tells us: “The Dems’ silent majority, which doesn’t tweet, is finally crying out for moderation from the party.” Zito also quotes Dave Saunders, “a legendary Democratic strategist in Virginia,” who “finds it ‘ironic’ that southern voters are often criticized by the national party for being too moderate, but they’re the ones who saved the party from a left-wing candidate like Sanders.” Presumably Biden is the personification of “moderation,” as I’m reminded whenever I hear the Fox News All-stars praise him, while attacking the evil Bernie as a commie-loving radical. It’s been Joe’s accomplishment to rescue his party and nation from the “leftist demagogue” who is running against him. He is helping to return the country to “moderate” government, which presumably is not something that Trump has been doing because of his divisive personality.
Unfortunately, there is no indication that Biden will be practicing any kind of “moderation” if elected. For one thing, depictions of him as a moderate overlook the inconvenient fact that he is running well to the left of former president Obama, who was our most leftist chief executive up until his election in 2008. Candidate Obama publicly opposed gay marriage, favored strict border controls, and would never have announced, in contrast to Biden, that he wished to provide medical assistance and public benefits to those who were here illegally. On just about every social issue, Biden the “moderate” has positioned himself well to the left of Obama. On immigration and advancing the LGBT, feminist, and Black Lives Matter agendas, I don’t find any distance between Joe and Bernie. Certainly not enough to justify the exaggerated contrasts between the “moderate” Biden and the “radical” Sanders. Multiculturalism and t... Paul Edward Gottfried Best Price: $14.51 Buy New $25.00 (as of 06:40 UTC - Details)
Second, in assessing how Biden would govern this country, we should consider his continuing gaffes on the stump. Why are we supposed to think that Biden’s stumbling for words, incoherent outbursts, and inability to recognize what day of the week it is or what state he is in tell us nothing about how he would govern? Biden may well be in mental decline, and if that is the case, there are lots of people out there waiting to take advantage of his presidency. We might start the list with the Secret Service officials who have been in trouble because of their felonious misdeeds and rank partisanship. But perhaps we should look for Biden’s beneficiaries in public administration more generally. Federal employees are overwhelmingly Democrats and would be delighted with a presidency that allowed them to have their way. However ineptly Trump has called out his bureaucratically entrenched enemies, he has correctly observed where they are. Biden is also indebted to the media for methodically covering up his ridiculous statements and his fits of anger when encountering unwanted questions. He also owes the media big time for their steady recent attacks on Sanders, which helped cleared the way for Biden’s nomination. Such unfailing support may come at a high price, if Biden is elected. And let’s not forget those black leaders like Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, who have vigorously campaigned for Joe. What exactly will a President Biden owe such leaders for gaining him the overwhelming support of black Democrats? One can only imagine. Of course, Biden’s helpers were right to pick him over the principled socialist Sanders. Joe is not likely to refuse favors and he does have a proven record of corruption, and very corrupt relatives whose corruption he’s facilitated.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Paul Gottfried


lewrockwell--2020-03-16--Rigged US Primaries Aren’t the Problem – the Rigged Election System Is

Activists are calling for international observers for US primaries , claiming they ’ re rigged .
The thing is , observers aren ’ t mandated to watch internal party processes – but the real problem lies in multi-party competition , anyway .
With hashtags such as # RiggedDNC and # RiggedPrimary trending , there has been a flurry of calls for outside monitors on social media and by activists , who cite a series of voter-suppression acts and possibly rigged voting machines .
CODEPINK and the Grayzone Project staged a demonstration Tuesday outside of the Organization of American States ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intergovernmental body to dispatch “ emergency international election observers ” to the US Democratic presidential primary , noting that the contest has “ been the scene of severe discrimination against minority , poor and elderly voters.
” Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 But the dirty secret is that international observers , even if allowed at the primaries , would have no standing to prevent parties from rigging their internal elections as much as they want .
The real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigged primaries , it ’ s a rigged electoral system that prevents multi-party competition .
Deploying for a primary process falls outside of observers ’ mandates to begin with .
While the United States is obligated under international agreements to issue invitations to observe its elections , it is under no obligation to invite observers to monitor how political parties select their leaders .
The criteria that observers use to assess elections include international agreements such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the OAS 2001 Inter-American Democratic Charter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties conduct their internal business .
The OAS Charter provides for the “ holding of periodic , free , and fair elections based on secret balloting and universal suffrage ” and a “ pluralistic system of political parties and organizations.
” Article 5 of the Charter identifies “ the strengthening of political parties and other political organizations [ as ] a priority for democracy.
” While it notes that attention should be paid to campaign financing , it does not address issues of party procedures for selecting leaders .
Criteria used by another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections in the United States since 2004 , also provides no basis for observing political parties .
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) , which counts the United States as one of its 57 members , uses criteria outlined in the Copenhagen Document , which set out principles for free elections in 1990 .
The Copenhagen Document requires that individuals are guaranteed the right “ to establish , in full freedom , their own political parties.
” Governments must “ provide such political parties and organizations with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities.
” As the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights elaborates in its election observation handbook , a free election must respect basic fundamental freedoms such as “ the right to freely establish political parties and compete for public office on a level playing field.
” This is actually where the United States falls short of its international obligations .
There is little respect for the rights of independents and third parties and no real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US ’ rigidly enforced two-party system .
Indeed , as the OSCE noted in its assessment of the 2016 election , the undue obstacles faced by minor parties and independents trying to attain ballot access across the country could constitute a breach of democratic commitments .
“ The number of signatures required and the signature submission deadlines vary from state to state , which made it cumbersome for third party or independent candidates to register across all states for presidential elections , ” the OSCE pointed out .
“ Both the Green Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in several states , with success in a few instances.
” The OAS noted the obstacles third parties face in gaining access to the media and specifically the practice of excluding them from televised debates .
“ Due to the high threshold required for candidates to participate in these debates , in 2016 only the Democratic and Republican candidates qualified for them , which resulted in complaints from the independent and third party candidates , ” the OAS observed .
OAS monitors said that this “ may serve to reinforce the two-party system.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to democratic shortcomings in the United States .
While primaries might feel like an integral part of the electoral process to the typical American voter , they are not elections and are not covered under international election-related obligations .
What is covered quite clearly is the requirement to provide a level playing field for all political parties that seek to compete .
So , rather than focusing on ensuring fair primary elections in the United States , democracy activists might be better off highlighting the shortcomings of the two-party system itself @

Activists are calling for international observers for US primaries, claiming they’re rigged. The thing is, observers aren’t mandated to watch internal party processes – but the real problem lies in multi-party competition, anyway.
With hashtags such as #RiggedDNC and #RiggedPrimary trending, there has been a flurry of calls for outside monitors on social media and by activists, who cite a series of voter-suppression acts and possibly rigged voting machines.
#RiggedDNC is exactly the reason why @BernieSanders and some of his supporters are no better than trump. Support your preferred candidate, but if/when they come up short, don’t mimic trump claims of rigged elections. Reminder – you’re democrats, not republicans. — Maggie Jordan (@MaggieJordanACN) March 4, 2020
CODEPINK and the Grayzone Project staged a demonstration Tuesday outside of the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters, calling on the intergovernmental body to dispatch “emergency international election observers” to the US Democratic presidential primary, noting that the contest has “been the scene of severe discrimination against minority, poor and elderly voters.”
Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details) But the dirty secret is that international observers, even if allowed at the primaries, would have no standing to prevent parties from rigging their internal elections as much as they want. The real problem in the United States is not rigged primaries, it’s a rigged electoral system that prevents multi-party competition.
Working as intended
Deploying for a primary process falls outside of observers’ mandates to begin with. While the United States is obligated under international agreements to issue invitations to observe its elections, it is under no obligation to invite observers to monitor how political parties select their leaders.
The criteria that observers use to assess elections include international agreements such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the OAS 2001 Inter-American Democratic Charter, which include no provisions for how political parties conduct their internal business.
The OAS Charter provides for the “holding of periodic, free, and fair elections based on secret balloting and universal suffrage” and a “pluralistic system of political parties and organizations.” Article 5 of the Charter identifies “the strengthening of political parties and other political organizations [as] a priority for democracy.” While it notes that attention should be paid to campaign financing, it does not address issues of party procedures for selecting leaders.
Criteria used by another international body, which has regularly observed elections in the United States since 2004, also provides no basis for observing political parties. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which counts the United States as one of its 57 members, uses criteria outlined in the Copenhagen Document, which set out principles for free elections in 1990.
The Copenhagen Document requires that individuals are guaranteed the right “to establish, in full freedom, their own political parties.” Governments must “provide such political parties and organizations with the necessary legal guarantees to enable them to compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities.”
‘As intended’ doesn’t mean ‘fair’
As the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights elaborates in its election observation handbook, a free election must respect basic fundamental freedoms such as “the right to freely establish political parties and compete for public office on a level playing field.”
America is one of the most corrupt countries on Earth. The “elections” are all rigged. The politicians are all bought & paid for. And the media is owned & controlled by Oligarchs who want the current endemically corrupt system to remain in place.#RiggedPrimary pic.twitter.com/wD61vcqMR7 — Ian56 (@Ian56789) March 4, 2020
This is actually where the United States falls short of its international obligations. There is little respect for the rights of independents and third parties and no real opportunity for them to compete within the US’ rigidly enforced two-party system. Indeed, as the OSCE noted in its assessment of the 2016 election, the undue obstacles faced by minor parties and independents trying to attain ballot access across the country could constitute a breach of democratic commitments.
“The number of signatures required and the signature submission deadlines vary from state to state, which made it cumbersome for third party or independent candidates to register across all states for presidential elections,” the OSCE pointed out. “Both the Green Party and Libertarian Party challenged ballot access requirements in several states, with success in a few instances.”
The OAS noted the obstacles third parties face in gaining access to the media and specifically the practice of excluding them from televised debates. “Due to the high threshold required for candidates to participate in these debates, in 2016 only the Democratic and Republican candidates qualified for them, which resulted in complaints from the independent and third party candidates,” the OAS observed. OAS monitors said that this “may serve to reinforce the two-party system.”
I don’t know one way or another if it’s #RiggedPrimary. It is a sad commentary that a great many Democrats believe Joe Biden is the absolute best America can do. #SMH pic.twitter.com/F4LTfXM7wP — 🌹 Clark wants Joe Biden to draw a clock (@Clarknt67) March 4, 2020
This is the real issue when it comes to democratic shortcomings in the United States. While primaries might feel like an integral part of the electoral process to the typical American voter, they are not elections and are not covered under international election-related obligations.
What is covered quite clearly is the requirement to provide a level playing field for all political parties that seek to compete. So, rather than focusing on ensuring fair primary elections in the United States, democracy activists might be better off highlighting the shortcomings of the two-party system itself.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.


lewrockwell--2020-03-16--Genetic Study Challenges Darwin

Genetic Study Challenges Darwin

If you have been following genetic and epigenetic studies conducted within the edifices of modern science over the past couple of decades , you likely have suspected what I am about to tell you : Mr. Darwin has already left the building , his disheveled ‘ Theory of Evolution ’ in tow .
A massive new genetic study by Mark Stoeckle from The Rockefeller University in New York and David Thaler at the University of Basel in Switzerland puts a few more nails into an already-rotting coffin , opening the door for new theories about our origins and the mechanisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet .
In the conventional narrative of how evolution proceeds through survival-of-the-fittest and adaptation to new environments based on random genetic mutations , it is natural to expect that species with large , far-flung populations like ants and humans will become more genetically diverse over time than species who remain in one milieu .
But is it true ?
“ The answer is no , ” said Stoeckle , lead author of the study , published in the journal Human Evolution .
In fact , the genetic diversity of most species on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no matter their history of migration , relocation or proliferation .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Best Price : null Buy New $ 25.00 The study ’ s most startling result , perhaps , is that nine out of 10 species on Earth today , including humans , came into being 100,000 to 200,000 years ago .
“ This conclusion is very surprising , and I fought against it as hard as I could , ” said David Thaler .
Indeed it is surprising–since it presents a stunning invalidation of the commonplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been slow , linear , progressive , and unbroken .
Previous challenges to this notion in the form of ‘ missing links ’ could be perceived as grounded in a lack of physical evidence which one day would be resolved .
Now , we are really forced to start looking at things in a completely new way .
The study relies not on an examination of regular ‘ nuclear ’ DNA , but rather mitochondrial DNA .
As this article in AFP explains , All animals also have DNA in their mitochondria , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cell that convert energy from food into a form that cells can use .
Mitochondria contain 37 genes , and one of them , known as COI , is used to do DNA barcoding .
Unlike the genes in nuclear DNA , which can differ greatly from species to species , all animals have the same set of mitochondrial DNA , providing a common basis for comparison .
Around 2002 , Canadian molecular biologist Paul Hebert–who coined the term “ DNA barcode ” –figured out a way to identify species by analysing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has proved perfect for this all-animal approach because it has just the right balance of two conflicting properties , ” said Thaler .
On the one hand , the COI gene sequence is similar across all animals , making it easy to pick out and compare .
On the other hand , these mitochondrial snippets are different enough to be able to distinguish between each species .
In analysing the barcodes across 100,000 species , the researchers found a telltale sign showing that almost all the animals emerged about the same time as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of variation in so-called “ neutral ” mutations , which are the slight changes in DNA across generations that neither help nor hurt an individual ’ s chances of survival .
In other words , they were irrelevant in terms of the natural and sexual drivers of evolution .
How similar or not these “ neutral ” mutations are to each other is like tree rings–they reveal the approximate age of a species .
Alternative Theory Of How We Evolve Let ’ s look at the implications of the study , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A few points made in the conclusion are of interest .
The same explanation offered for the sequence variation found among modern humans applies equally to the modern populations of essentially all other animal species .
Namely that the extant population , no matter what its current size or similarity to fossils of any age , has expanded from mitochondrial uniformity within the past 200,000 years .
Nonhuman animals , as well as bacteria and yeast , are often considered “ model systems ” whose results can be extrapolated to humans .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence for mammalian evolution in Africa implies that most species started with small founding populations and later expanded [ 157 ] and sequence analysis has been interpreted to suggest that the last ice age created widespread conditions for a subsequent expansion [ 158 ] .
The picture we get here is that somewhere in the past , no farther back than 200,000 years ago , most or all animal species ‘ got started , ’ with a mitochondrial clock set to 0 .
There is evidence that these species ‘ started with small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that extreme conditions — like the last ice age — can give rise to a subsequent expansion .
It almost resembles the Noah ’ s Ark scenario , doesn ’ t it ?
A cataclysmic flood wipes out all humans and animals on the planet except a small few of each species , who begin again to proliferate anew once the flood ends and the Earth becomes habitable .
But to really make this idea fit , we would not be taking species from the previous world before the catastrophe , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 0 .
Rather , we have to see it as a new ‘ seeding ’ of species on the planet after a catastrophe wipes out most or all of the species that were there before .
And who would be the ones doing the seeding ?
You guessed it .
One or more advanced extraterrestrial races .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Best Price : null Buy New $ 15.00 It was back in my grade 8 history class that I first came across claims that extraterrestrial races were prevalent in molding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were all asked to do a critical analysis of Erich Von Daniken ’ s ‘ Chariots of the Gods.
’ I recall being perplexed that we were actually reading this in school , and I certainly didn ’ t have the discernment at the time to notice that it was part of a campaign to make us all work on discrediting Von Daniken ’ s claims based on a lack of scientific evidence .
I remember being not-so-subtly persuaded by the teacher that this was the only reasonable line of analysis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would write whatever would give me the best mark , I followed suit .
It seems to me that this was an experimental ‘ pre-emptive strike ’ on our minds by the scientific establishment .
Whether or not this actually succeeded in making people have a more skeptical bent about such matters , I ’ m not sure .
Today , the idea that extraterrestrial civilizations are and have always been involved in our physical , mental/emotional and spiritual evolution is quite common within the awakening community .
More highly evolved beings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the genetic manipulation of species .
For example , the idea that we are part of a ‘ Grand Experiment ’ has been proposed by whistleblower/speaker Corey Goode , who says that a ‘ Super Federation ’ of extraterrestrial beings are conducting 22 genetic experiments on the Earth that are purportedly designed to enhance humanity ’ s evolution .
Is it possible that the evolution of the human race has been fostered in part by the genetic seeding of today ’ s human and animal kingdom by advanced extraterrestrial civilizations almost 200,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is some new scientific evidence that leads us to ponder this possibility .

If you have been following genetic and epigenetic studies conducted within the edifices of modern science over the past couple of decades, you likely have suspected what I am about to tell you: Mr. Darwin has already left the building, his disheveled ‘Theory of Evolution’ in tow.
A massive new genetic study by Mark Stoeckle from The Rockefeller University in New York and David Thaler at the University of Basel in Switzerland puts a few more nails into an already-rotting coffin, opening the door for new theories about our origins and the mechanisms behind the evolution of species on our planet.
Challenges To Convention
In the conventional narrative of how evolution proceeds through survival-of-the-fittest and adaptation to new environments based on random genetic mutations, it is natural to expect that species with large, far-flung populations like ants and humans will become more genetically diverse over time than species who remain in one milieu. But is it true?
“The answer is no,” said Stoeckle, lead author of the study, published in the journal Human Evolution. In fact, the genetic diversity of most species on the planet “is about the same”, no matter their history of migration, relocation or proliferation. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $25.00 (as of 11:14 UTC - Details)
The study’s most startling result, perhaps, is that nine out of 10 species on Earth today, including humans, came into being 100,000 to 200,000 years ago.
“This conclusion is very surprising, and I fought against it as hard as I could,” said David Thaler.
Indeed it is surprising–since it presents a stunning invalidation of the commonplace notion that evolution on the planet has been slow, linear, progressive, and unbroken. Previous challenges to this notion in the form of ‘missing links’ could be perceived as grounded in a lack of physical evidence which one day would be resolved. Now, we are really forced to start looking at things in a completely new way.
Study Methods
The study relies not on an examination of regular ‘nuclear’ DNA, but rather mitochondrial DNA. As this article in AFP explains,
All animals also have DNA in their mitochondria, which are the tiny structures inside each cell that convert energy from food into a form that cells can use. Mitochondria contain 37 genes, and one of them, known as COI, is used to do DNA barcoding. Unlike the genes in nuclear DNA, which can differ greatly from species to species, all animals have the same set of mitochondrial DNA, providing a common basis for comparison. Around 2002, Canadian molecular biologist Paul Hebert–who coined the term “DNA barcode”–figured out a way to identify species by analysing the COI gene. “The mitochondrial sequence has proved perfect for this all-animal approach because it has just the right balance of two conflicting properties,” said Thaler. On the one hand, the COI gene sequence is similar across all animals, making it easy to pick out and compare. On the other hand, these mitochondrial snippets are different enough to be able to distinguish between each species. In analysing the barcodes across 100,000 species, the researchers found a telltale sign showing that almost all the animals emerged about the same time as humans. What they saw was a lack of variation in so-called “neutral” mutations, which are the slight changes in DNA across generations that neither help nor hurt an individual’s chances of survival. In other words, they were irrelevant in terms of the natural and sexual drivers of evolution. How similar or not these “neutral” mutations are to each other is like tree rings–they reveal the approximate age of a species.
Alternative Theory Of How We Evolve
Let’s look at the implications of the study, which you can read in full here. A few points made in the conclusion are of interest.
The same explanation offered for the sequence variation found among modern humans applies equally to the modern populations of essentially all other animal species. Namely that the extant population, no matter what its current size or similarity to fossils of any age, has expanded from mitochondrial uniformity within the past 200,000 years. Nonhuman animals, as well as bacteria and yeast, are often considered “model systems” whose results can be extrapolated to humans. The direction of inference is reversible. Fossil evidence for mammalian evolution in Africa implies that most species started with small founding populations and later expanded [157] and sequence analysis has been interpreted to suggest that the last ice age created widespread conditions for a subsequent expansion [158].
The picture we get here is that somewhere in the past, no farther back than 200,000 years ago, most or all animal species ‘got started,’ with a mitochondrial clock set to 0. There is evidence that these species ‘started with small founding populations and later expanded,’ and that extreme conditions — like the last ice age — can give rise to a subsequent expansion.
It almost resembles the Noah’s Ark scenario, doesn’t it? A cataclysmic flood wipes out all humans and animals on the planet except a small few of each species, who begin again to proliferate anew once the flood ends and the Earth becomes habitable.
Extraterrestrial Intervention
But to really make this idea fit, we would not be taking species from the previous world before the catastrophe, because their mitochondrial clocks would not be set to 0. Rather, we have to see it as a new ‘seeding’ of species on the planet after a catastrophe wipes out most or all of the species that were there before. And who would be the ones doing the seeding? You guessed it. One or more advanced extraterrestrial races. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $15.00 (as of 12:45 UTC - Details)
It was back in my grade 8 history class that I first came across claims that extraterrestrial races were prevalent in molding the history of the planet, as we were all asked to do a critical analysis of Erich Von Daniken’s ‘Chariots of the Gods.’ I recall being perplexed that we were actually reading this in school, and I certainly didn’t have the discernment at the time to notice that it was part of a campaign to make us all work on discrediting Von Daniken’s claims based on a lack of scientific evidence. I remember being not-so-subtly persuaded by the teacher that this was the only reasonable line of analysis, but given that at the time I would write whatever would give me the best mark, I followed suit. It seems to me that this was an experimental ‘pre-emptive strike’ on our minds by the scientific establishment. Whether or not this actually succeeded in making people have a more skeptical bent about such matters, I’m not sure.
Today, the idea that extraterrestrial civilizations are and have always been involved in our physical, mental/emotional and spiritual evolution is quite common within the awakening community. More highly evolved beings are seen to be able to work directly in the genetic manipulation of species. For example, the idea that we are part of a ‘Grand Experiment’ has been proposed by whistleblower/speaker Corey Goode, who says that a ‘Super Federation’ of extraterrestrial beings are conducting 22 genetic experiments on the Earth that are purportedly designed to enhance humanity’s evolution.
Is it possible that the evolution of the human race has been fostered in part by the genetic seeding of today’s human and animal kingdom by advanced extraterrestrial civilizations almost 200,000 years ago? Well, at least there is some new scientific evidence that leads us to ponder this possibility.
Reprinted with permission from Collective Evolution.


lewrockwell--2020-03-16--What To Avoid–Ibuprofen–and What To Take

Our misery continues !
Today , I went to buy my mother toilet paper at 6am and the local grocery store shelves were emptied .
Do not fear , as I found it later at a different store .
Later today , mom tasked me with finding eggs .
That took two different stores as well before I found them !
But , this is a time not to panic .
It is a time to pull together and support each other .
Many are recovering uneventfully–we just don ’ t hear about it .
I have seen numerous patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had it .
I couldn ’ t test them because of a lack of kits , but they all recovered .
Of course some are very sick and dying .
Overall , I believe we will come through this with a death rate similar or slightly higher than the rate for the common flu .
But , we will never know the true numbers because of a lack of test kits .
I do not think this crises will persist into the summer months .
As we begin to test more patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Of course , those are only my predictions we know that viruses can mutate .
This virus is very contagious but it is a flu-like illness for most who get it .
That must be kept in mind .
And , eating a healthy diet and maintaining optimal hydration can help dramatically .
More about that later .
We are in this mess due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
If the CDC had done their job , COVID-19 would be contained and manageable .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other countries .
My recent blog post “ Coronavirus VIII : Why Does S. Korea Have Lower Death Rate Compared to US ?
” was about the success in S. Korea at fighting COVID-19 .
Taiwan is another example for the US CDC to learn from .
As of March 13 , Taiwan has 50 COVID-19 cases and 1 death .
( 1 ) Keep in mind that Taiwan is 81 miles from mainland China and has 24 million citizens .
A March 3 , 2020 JAMA article detailed the rapid and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the beginning of this crisis .
Pure Acerola Cherry Po ... Buy New $ 29.95 ( $ 3.74 / Ounce ) December 31 , 2019 was the day Chinese officials notified the WHO that Chinese citizens were suffering unusually severe cases of pneumonia .
That same day Taiwan began monitoring all passengers who arrived from Wuhan .
A few days later , they started monitoring all people who had travelled to Wuhan since December 20 .
They increased their surveillance and testing and the rest is history ; 50 cases and 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I have discussed what our CDC did in previous blog posts .
They refused test kits from the WHO , developed their own faulty kits and refused private labs from testing sick individuals .
The postmortem on this story will be ugly for the CDC .
We are in a mess now with COVID-19 spreading across the country .
But , all is not lost .
As I have detailed in other posts , there are many things you can do to improve your immune system and help you avoid COVID-19 problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OF REFINED SUGAR !
It should also be free of all refined food sources including salt , flour , and oils .
Remember , refined sugar paralyzes the ability of white blood cells to perform their duties for hours .
– Make sure you always STAY WELL HYDRATED with clean water .
Take your weight in pounds , divide the number by 2 and the resultant number is the minimum amount of water in ounces to drink per day .
– NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS can help to improve the immune system ’ s ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help it kill an active infection .
I have over 25 years of practicing holistic medicine to back that statement up .
I have seen it work .
My partners have seen it work .
My patients have seen it work .
We have used this approach successfully for many viral infections .
I have no doubt it will work for COVID-19 as well .
In my blog post “ Coronavirus Part Vl : Why COVID-19 Is More Deadly to the Chinese ” ( 3 ) I told you why COVID-19 was more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese men smoke cigarettes .
Smoking increases ACE2 receptors in the lungs where COVID-19 has been shown to bind to .
Similarly , ibuprofen has been shown to increase ACE 2 expression .
( 4 ) Ibuprofen should be avoided as it may enhance the infectious capabilities of COVID-19 .
Ibuprofen also causes problems for the kidneys and the GI tract .
It is best to let the body utilize its innate abilities to fight an infection .
One of the body ’ s main ways to do this is by mounting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to mobilize the immune system into action as well as to enhance the killing effect of a foreign invader .
Fevers can often be managed by tepid baths , lots of hydration and rest .
It is important to maintain electrolyte balance with any infection but particularly when there is fever involved .
Supplementing with unrefined salt is crucial here .
It can be added to each glass of water .
Again , it is best to work with a knowledgeable health care provider before doing any of the suggestions I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be avoided for fevers .
It depletes a crucial antioxidant–glutathione .
In fact , acetaminophen should be severely limited for any condition .
It has a poor safety profile .
The Best of Dr. David Brownstein

Our misery continues! Today, I went to buy my mother toilet paper at 6am and the local grocery store shelves were emptied. Do not fear, as I found it later at a different store. Later today, mom tasked me with finding eggs. That took two different stores as well before I found them! But, this is a time not to panic. It is a time to pull together and support each other. Many are recovering uneventfully–we just don’t hear about it. I have seen numerous patients over the past month that may have had it. I couldn’t test them because of a lack of kits, but they all recovered. Of course some are very sick and dying. Overall, I believe we will come through this with a death rate similar or slightly higher than the rate for the common flu. But, we will never know the true numbers because of a lack of test kits. I do not think this crises will persist into the summer months. As we begin to test more patients, we will see the mortality rate decline. Of course, those are only my predictions we know that viruses can mutate. This virus is very contagious but it is a flu-like illness for most who get it. That must be kept in mind. And, eating a healthy diet and maintaining optimal hydration can help dramatically. More about that later.
We are in this mess due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If the CDC had done their job, COVID-19 would be contained and manageable. The Powers-That-Be at the CDC failed miserably compared to other countries. My recent blog post “Coronavirus VIII: Why Does S. Korea Have Lower Death Rate Compared to US?” was about the success in S. Korea at fighting COVID-19. Taiwan is another example for the US CDC to learn from. As of March 13, Taiwan has 50 COVID-19 cases and 1 death. (1) Keep in mind that Taiwan is 81 miles from mainland China and has 24 million citizens. A March 3, 2020 JAMA article detailed the rapid and complete response the Taiwanese health authorities implemented at the beginning of this crisis. Pure Acerola Cherry Po... Buy New $29.95 ($3.74 / Ounce) (as of 10:43 UTC - Details)
December 31, 2019 was the day Chinese officials notified the WHO that Chinese citizens were suffering unusually severe cases of pneumonia. That same day Taiwan began monitoring all passengers who arrived from Wuhan. A few days later, they started monitoring all people who had travelled to Wuhan since December 20. They increased their surveillance and testing and the rest is history; 50 cases and 1 death as of March 13, 2020.
I have discussed what our CDC did in previous blog posts. They refused test kits from the WHO, developed their own faulty kits and refused private labs from testing sick individuals. The postmortem on this story will be ugly for the CDC. We are in a mess now with COVID-19 spreading across the country.
But, all is not lost. As I have detailed in other posts, there are many things you can do to improve your immune system and help you avoid COVID-19 problems:
– Eat a healthy diet FREE OF REFINED SUGAR! It should also be free of all refined food sources including salt, flour, and oils. Remember, refined sugar paralyzes the ability of white blood cells to perform their duties for hours.
– Make sure you always STAY WELL HYDRATED with clean water. Take your weight in pounds, divide the number by 2 and the resultant number is the minimum amount of water in ounces to drink per day.
– NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS can help to improve the immune system’s ability to fight off an infection and to help it kill an active infection. I have over 25 years of practicing holistic medicine to back that statement up. I have seen it work. My partners have seen it work. My patients have seen it work. We have used this approach successfully for many viral infections. I have no doubt it will work for COVID-19 as well.
In my blog post “Coronavirus Part Vl: Why COVID-19 Is More Deadly to the Chinese” (3) I told you why COVID-19 was more deadly to younger Chinese males. Most Chinese men smoke cigarettes. Smoking increases ACE2 receptors in the lungs where COVID-19 has been shown to bind to. Similarly, ibuprofen has been shown to increase ACE 2 expression. (4) Ibuprofen should be avoided as it may enhance the infectious capabilities of COVID-19. Ibuprofen also causes problems for the kidneys and the GI tract. It is best to let the body utilize its innate abilities to fight an infection. One of the body’s main ways to do this is by mounting a fever. The increased body temperature is a way to mobilize the immune system into action as well as to enhance the killing effect of a foreign invader. Fevers can often be managed by tepid baths, lots of hydration and rest. It is important to maintain electrolyte balance with any infection but particularly when there is fever involved. Supplementing with unrefined salt is crucial here. It can be added to each glass of water. Again, it is best to work with a knowledgeable health care provider before doing any of the suggestions I have written about.
Acetaminophen should also be avoided for fevers. It depletes a crucial antioxidant–glutathione. In fact, acetaminophen should be severely limited for any condition. It has a poor safety profile.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Dr. David Brownstein


The Coronavirus Hoax

Governments love crises because when the people are fearful they are more willing to give up freedoms for promises that the government will take care of them .
After 9/11 , for example , Americans accepted the near-total destruction of their civil liberties in the PATRIOT Act ’ s hollow promises of security .
It is ironic to see the same Democrats who tried to impeach President Trump last month for abuse of power demanding that the Administration grab more power and authority in the name of fighting a virus that thus far has killed less than 100 Americans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump now claims the power to quarantine individuals suspected of being infected by the virus and , as Politico writes , “ stop and seize any plane , train or automobile to stymie the spread of contagious disease.
” He can even call out the military to cordon off a US city or state .
Swords Into Plowshares ... Paul , Ron Best Price : $ 4.00 Buy New $ 15.99 State and local authoritarians love panic as well .
The mayor of Champaign , Illinois , signed an executive order declaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guns and alcohol and cut off gas , water , or electricity to any citizen .
The governor of Ohio just essentially closed his entire state .
The chief fearmonger of the Trump Administration is without a doubt Anthony Fauci , head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health .
Fauci is all over the media , serving up outright falsehoods to stir up even more panic .
He testified to Congress that the death rate for the coronavirus is ten times that of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific basis .
On Face the Nation , Fauci did his best to further damage an already tanking economy by stating , “ Right now , personally , myself , I wouldn ’ t go to a restaurant.
” He has pushed for closing the entire country down for 14 days .
Over what ?
A virus that has thus far killed just over 5,000 worldwide and less than 100 in the United States ?
By contrast , tuberculosis , an old disease not much discussed these days , killed nearly 1.6 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the panic over this ?
If anything , what people like Fauci and the other fearmongers are demanding will likely make the disease worse .
The martial law they dream about will leave people hunkered down inside their homes instead of going outdoors or to the beach where the sunshine and fresh air would help boost immunity .
The panic produced by these fearmongers is likely helping spread the disease , as massive crowds rush into Walmart and Costco for that last roll of toilet paper .
The madness over the coronavirus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
The head of the neoconservative Atlantic Council wrote an editorial this week urging NATO to pass an Article 5 declaration of war against the COVID-19 virus !
Are they going to send in tanks and drones to wipe out these microscopic enemies ?
People should ask themselves whether this coronavirus “ pandemic ” could be a big hoax , with the actual danger of the disease massively exaggerated by those who seek to profit – financially or politically – from the ensuing panic .
That is not to say the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die from coronavirus .
Those in vulnerable categories should take precautions to limit their risk of exposure .
But we have seen this movie before .
Government over-hypes a threat as an excuse to grab more of our freedoms .
When the “ threat ” is over , however , they never give us our freedoms back .
The Best of Ron Paul

Governments love crises because when the people are fearful they are more willing to give up freedoms for promises that the government will take care of them. After 9/11, for example, Americans accepted the near-total destruction of their civil liberties in the PATRIOT Act’s hollow promises of security.
It is ironic to see the same Democrats who tried to impeach President Trump last month for abuse of power demanding that the Administration grab more power and authority in the name of fighting a virus that thus far has killed less than 100 Americans.
Declaring a pandemic emergency on Friday, President Trump now claims the power to quarantine individuals suspected of being infected by the virus and, as Politico writes, “stop and seize any plane, train or automobile to stymie the spread of contagious disease.” He can even call out the military to cordon off a US city or state.
Swords Into Plowshares... Paul, Ron Best Price: $4.00 Buy New $15.99 (as of 11:36 UTC - Details) State and local authoritarians love panic as well. The mayor of Champaign, Illinois, signed an executive order declaring the power to ban the sale of guns and alcohol and cut off gas, water, or electricity to any citizen. The governor of Ohio just essentially closed his entire state.
The chief fearmonger of the Trump Administration is without a doubt Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Fauci is all over the media, serving up outright falsehoods to stir up even more panic. He testified to Congress that the death rate for the coronavirus is ten times that of the seasonal flu, a claim without any scientific basis.
On Face the Nation, Fauci did his best to further damage an already tanking economy by stating, “Right now, personally, myself, I wouldn’t go to a restaurant.” He has pushed for closing the entire country down for 14 days.
Over what? A virus that has thus far killed just over 5,000 worldwide and less than 100 in the United States? By contrast, tuberculosis, an old disease not much discussed these days, killed nearly 1.6 million people in 2017. Where’s the panic over this?
If anything, what people like Fauci and the other fearmongers are demanding will likely make the disease worse. The martial law they dream about will leave people hunkered down inside their homes instead of going outdoors or to the beach where the sunshine and fresh air would help boost immunity. The panic produced by these fearmongers is likely helping spread the disease, as massive crowds rush into Walmart and Costco for that last roll of toilet paper.
The madness over the coronavirus is not limited to politicians and the medical community. The head of the neoconservative Atlantic Council wrote an editorial this week urging NATO to pass an Article 5 declaration of war against the COVID-19 virus! Are they going to send in tanks and drones to wipe out these microscopic enemies?
People should ask themselves whether this coronavirus “pandemic” could be a big hoax, with the actual danger of the disease massively exaggerated by those who seek to profit – financially or politically – from the ensuing panic.
That is not to say the disease is harmless. Without question people will die from coronavirus. Those in vulnerable categories should take precautions to limit their risk of exposure. But we have seen this movie before. Government over-hypes a threat as an excuse to grab more of our freedoms. When the “threat” is over, however, they never give us our freedoms back.
The Best of Ron Paul, MD


lewrockwell--2020-03-17--Government Is No Match for the Coronavirus

The Coronavirus is reminding everyone that you can not rely on government and that ultimately it is the private sector that will provide the solutions .
Many non-medical government officials and members of the media are predicting massive cases of COVID-19 and death , when in fact no one can predict the outcome .
What we do know is that government has created a full blown national panic , when at this point the normal flu season is far more deadly .
Decentralization is critical to a functioning society but often precluded by federal regulations .
The Washington Post reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control : Be Ready for Anything : ... Daisy Luther Best Price : $ 10.45 Buy New $ 9.69 Tests begin with the CDC to insure quality , which is exactly the wrong approach .
It assumes the government can outperform the best medical industry in the world .
Even at this hour the CDC has failed , shipping test kits that are defective .
The CDC does not have a solution , but it also becomes the classic blocker to progress .
Labs can not act without a lengthy approval process from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls violate the principle of subsidiarity ( problems should be solved at the lowest level possible ) .
Ultimately care is provided by local hospitals , care facilities , and labs .
South Korea ’ s rapid testing allowed for early treatment and containment of the virus .
These test kits were created in three weeks .
Many labs in the U.S. could have solved the test kit problem but were restrained by the FDA and CDC .
The South Koreans offered to help us , but was the CDC listening ?
Evidently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request on Friday , America ’ s robust private sector , including Walmart , Walgreens , CVS , Roche Laboratories , and LabCorp , came up with a solution for mass testing .
Roche has received fast-track FDA approval for its COVID-19 diagnostic test .
This testing will be done on a drive-thru basis in parking lots .
This minimizes contact and allows for mass testing of thousands across the country .
The more Americans are tested , resulting in a lower death rate percentage , the more the testing will have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider regulators and government to be sacrosanct , but in fact government agencies are slow and often fail us .
Think of the FAA , which allowed Boeing engineers to bypass basic engineering standards , resulting in the crash of two Boeing 737 Max airliners and the grounding of 900 planes around the world .
We all know that anytime we expect service from the government , it will be slow and painful vs. the private sector , which is mostly fast and courteous .
In spite of some minor shortages , due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplying us with gas , food , prepared meals , medical supplies , and health care .
The Coronavirus crisis must cause us to rethink government .
The Trump administration has restricted new regulation and reduced arcane strictures , which has resulted in a booming economy .
It is absolutely true that most private industry can be trusted because the alternative for poor or unscrupulous providers is failure .
Private industry can be sued and suffer financial decline , unlike government , which simply demands more money for poor performance .
Business or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil and criminal penalties .
The federal government spends 21 percent of our national GDP .
All federal spending comes from business and citizens , which restricts their ability to allocate those funds to their families and to spur economic growth .
American entrepreneurs are excellent capital allocators , creating the jobs and technologies that keep us safe and allow a very high standard of living for most citizens .
In spite of enormous federal deficits , every protected class of workers and business expects the government to bail it out during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to government workers .
We will now witness a litany of spending beginning with $ 8 billion for the Coronavirus , moving to a $ 50 billion pork-laden House bill , and a third spending bill coming from Treasury .
This system is grossly unfair , as working class individuals and small businesses do not get paid when businesses shut down .
It ’ s time we heed the advice of President Ronald Reagan : government is the problem , not the solution .
The Welfare-Warfare state is not only consuming a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse it is also spending far beyond its means , creating debt now surpassing $ 23 trillion vs. under $ 6 trillion in the year 2000 .
The solution is to reduce federal spending to 18 percent of GDP , which will downsize or eliminate many counterproductive agencies and allow American business and individuals to perform and innovate .
If you are unconvinced , think of Walmart now offering ultra-low cost medical services , along with a host of competitors including CVS and Walgreens .
Gas is very cheap because of our fracking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food is available from thousands of grocery stores , restaurants , and now home delivery from many sources .
Americans are hard-working , resilient , and innovative .
The time has come to unleash this talent to create a higher living standard and solutions to the most perplexing national challenges .

The Coronavirus is reminding everyone that you cannot rely on government and that ultimately it is the private sector that will provide the solutions. Many non-medical government officials and members of the media are predicting massive cases of COVID-19 and death, when in fact no one can predict the outcome. What we do know is that government has created a full blown national panic, when at this point the normal flu season is far more deadly.
Decentralization is critical to a functioning society but often precluded by federal regulations.
The Washington Post reported the following about the Centers for Disease Control:
The problems started in early February, at a CDC laboratory in Atlanta. A technical manufacturing problem, along with an initial decision to test only a narrow set of people and delays in expanding testing to other labs, gave the virus a head start to spread undetected — and helped perpetuate a false sense of security that leaves the United States dangerously behind.
Be Ready for Anything:... Daisy Luther Best Price: $10.45 Buy New $9.69 (as of 07:15 UTC - Details) Tests begin with the CDC to insure quality, which is exactly the wrong approach. It assumes the government can outperform the best medical industry in the world. Even at this hour the CDC has failed, shipping test kits that are defective.
The CDC does not have a solution, but it also becomes the classic blocker to progress. Labs cannot act without a lengthy approval process from CDC and the FDA. These government controls violate the principle of subsidiarity (problems should be solved at the lowest level possible). Ultimately care is provided by local hospitals, care facilities, and labs.
South Korea’s rapid testing allowed for early treatment and containment of the virus. These test kits were created in three weeks. Many labs in the U.S. could have solved the test kit problem but were restrained by the FDA and CDC. The South Koreans offered to help us, but was the CDC listening? Evidently not.
At the president’s request on Friday, America’s robust private sector, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Roche Laboratories, and LabCorp, came up with a solution for mass testing. Roche has received fast-track FDA approval for its COVID-19 diagnostic test. This testing will be done on a drive-thru basis in parking lots. This minimizes contact and allows for mass testing of thousands across the country. The more Americans are tested, resulting in a lower death rate percentage, the more the testing will have a calming effect on our citizens.
Americans consider regulators and government to be sacrosanct, but in fact government agencies are slow and often fail us. Think of the FAA, which allowed Boeing engineers to bypass basic engineering standards, resulting in the crash of two Boeing 737 Max airliners and the grounding of 900 planes around the world.
We all know that anytime we expect service from the government, it will be slow and painful vs. the private sector, which is mostly fast and courteous. In spite of some minor shortages, due to hoarding, the private sector is supplying us with gas, food, prepared meals, medical supplies, and health care.
The Coronavirus crisis must cause us to rethink government. The Trump administration has restricted new regulation and reduced arcane strictures, which has resulted in a booming economy. It is absolutely true that most private industry can be trusted because the alternative for poor or unscrupulous providers is failure. Private industry can be sued and suffer financial decline, unlike government, which simply demands more money for poor performance. Business or individuals that commit fraud are subject to civil and criminal penalties.
The federal government spends 21 percent of our national GDP. All federal spending comes from business and citizens, which restricts their ability to allocate those funds to their families and to spur economic growth. American entrepreneurs are excellent capital allocators, creating the jobs and technologies that keep us safe and allow a very high standard of living for most citizens.
In spite of enormous federal deficits, every protected class of workers and business expects the government to bail it out during a crisis, from airlines and cruise ships to government workers. We will now witness a litany of spending beginning with $8 billion for the Coronavirus, moving to a $50 billion pork-laden House bill, and a third spending bill coming from Treasury.
This system is grossly unfair, as working class individuals and small businesses do not get paid when businesses shut down.
It’s time we heed the advice of President Ronald Reagan: government is the problem, not the solution.
The Welfare-Warfare state is not only consuming a large portion of our national income, but worse it is also spending far beyond its means, creating debt now surpassing $23 trillion vs. under $6 trillion in the year 2000.
The solution is to reduce federal spending to 18 percent of GDP, which will downsize or eliminate many counterproductive agencies and allow American business and individuals to perform and innovate.
If you are unconvinced, think of Walmart now offering ultra-low cost medical services, along with a host of competitors including CVS and Walgreens. Gas is very cheap because of our fracking industry. An abundance of high quality food is available from thousands of grocery stores, restaurants, and now home delivery from many sources.
Americans are hard-working, resilient, and innovative. The time has come to unleash this talent to create a higher living standard and solutions to the most perplexing national challenges.
Reprinted with the author’s permission.