Hedo-Economics

Hedonism is the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good. Economics is the science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind. So Hedo-Economics is the science whereby production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services are devoted towards an individual's pleasure and happiness.

This is the world that we live in today. A world devoted to the pursuit of happiness through unabashed materialism and Greed. A world of demanded immediate gratification. Greed is ok in the world of Hedo-Economics, because it helps one to secure pleasure and happiness.

People are quick to throw capitalism under the bus these days. The socialists claim that capitalism is ruining our lives. That capitalism has led to people's greed and anti-social behavior. I vehemently disagree, all capitalism does is create an economic system that allows individuals to secure private property, which gives them the ultimate control in the decision making process of how best to take care of their property. That creates ambition and gives people the right to self-determination, which creates stronger character.

Capitalism does not espouse any philosophies of lawlessness or anti-social behavior. To the contrary, for a marketplace to be created one needs to have a social network set up with rules and regulations. There have to be guidelines (laws) in order for the marketplace to function properly. Those guidelines have to be administered by a non-partisan body which represents all of the people who have an interest in the marketplace.

That is where the government has evolved. The government is supposed to be a non-partisan entity that allows the social network to function. The people (the social network, marketplace, citizens) are the individuals that should determine the laws. The government's job is to regulate and enforce the will of the people. As governments overstep their role, the marketplace gradually becomes more and more inefficient. Authoritarian governments do not have true marketplaces, but they do end up having black markets.

The Hound Knows that somewhere along the way our system has been derailed. Our system was never and will never be perfect, not because it was created or instituted by man, but rather because it is administered by man. We must not give up on our traditional social system just because it isn't perfect, the alternatives are much worse.

Instead we must castigate and shun the purveyors of Hedo-Economics. Greed is not good!!! Because their is no virtue in greed. It also isn't virtuous to punish everyone, because of what a few people have done to sabotage our way of life. We know the instigators and they must be held accountable. Under any system, if you arbitrarily allow anti-social behavior amongst a given class, then you will surely see that society devolve into chaos.

John Adams stated we are supposed to be "a nation of laws, not men." That means that no one should be above the law. NO ONE!!!

Ask yourself, should we not hold the purveyors of Hedo-Economics accountable? Should we not be held accountable when we personally practice financial Hedonism? Think about it. Parts of the 10 Commandments say that you should not make yourself an Idol, you shall not steal, and you shall not covet. To me these three commandments define Hedo-Economics. These people think they are Gods and they try to justify stealing from others, predominantly because of jealousy and greed.

We have to get back to Common Sense Economics. If you can't afford it, then don't buy it. You need a rainy day fund. You have to set goals and separate out the needs from the wants. Besides your house, your debt should be no more than 10% of your income. We as individuals, or as a social network, cannot consume our way to prosperity. That creates a personal Ponzi Scheme and eventually the bill will come due and your finances will collapse under the weight of the debt you accumulate.

Hounds Summation We as a nation are going to go through some pain. There is no way out of it. We cannot afford to play the finger wagging and pointing blame game. We have got to start a concerted grass roots effort to tell Washington and Raleigh that we are no longer going to sit back and watch them fritter away our future.

It does no good to talk to our own Congressmen and State representatives, when they are following Common Sense principles. We need to start harassing the representatives of other districts and let them know that when the glass house they have built gets shattered, then their actions will leave them as exposed as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. These Emperors have no clothing.

Catawba County Unemployment Rate hits 9.7%

The new unemployment rates are out and Catawba County has an Unemployment rate of 9.7%.
Here is the press release from the Charlotte Observer.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/597/story/455081.html

The PR releases will not be able to put any kind of positive spin on this issue that the public will accept. It is time for our leaders to step up to the plate and do something. We cannot build our economy by competing with India for call center jobs. Do we really aspire to be India?

WE HAVE TO MANUFACTURE PRODUCTS TO HAVE A VIABLE ECONOMY!!!

Happy New Year

Can We At Least Admit that last Year didn't live up to expectations. In any 12 step program, the first step to solving a problem is admitting that we have one.

Let's not talk about this being our year. Let's make it our year. There is no time for reflection. This needs to be a year of participation and realization that it is going to take leadership and vision to right our wrong direction.

Don't be afraid to speak your mind and don't be afraid to take sides. We are in a time of change whether we like it or not. There will be no comfort or security, so it is best not to seek it. During times of great change it is best to take bold steps and make decisive decisions. During these times, the timid will be squashed like a bug.

I hope that you will read the two articles below The Hottest Places in Hell & Change the Archaic Law about Public Meeting Notices -- Part 2.

These 2 articles show two important issues that I believe will define The Hound as we head into this new year. None of what I have said in this blog is meant to be antagonistic. My only intentions are to give people information that they just aren't getting anywhere else. If that gets me labelled a troublemaker, then so be it.

I just want Hickory to move forward in a realistically positive direction. If you want to participate, then I am here for you. And I mean that in all sincerity.

P.S. Read Kenneth Haynes solution for downtown that he posted today (12/31/2008) in the Solutions Forum. That is a very intelligent idea.

Thank You and God Bless You this Year

Change the Archaic Law about Public Meeting Notices -- Part 2

I want to further this discussion and I don't want it to get lost in the shuffle as this site continues to grow. This issue needs to be addressed. We all see so many problems these days, well here is an item that I believe can and should be resolved.

In Harry Hipps earlier article Time to Change the Archaic Law about Public Meeting Notices he espouses his belief that in the internet age we should not be spending money on newspaper ads when cities and towns can communicate directly to their constituents. Newspaper readership is declining and government at all levels have a cost effective way to increase the dialogue and participation with the internet.

It was pointed out to me that the City of Hickory is one of the largest advertising accounts that The Hickory Daily Record has and the city isn't shopping around for competitive rates. Therefore in my opinion, we once again have a situation rife with the appearance, and at least the potential for, conflicts of interest.

It was pointed out by an anonymous poster that they believed that the city is required to publish notices in the publication reaching the largest number in their population. This person believes some shut-ins do not have any real access to the news other than a newspaper delivered daily to their home. As long as there are homebound citizens who do not have internet service and rarely if ever get out of their homes to access it elsewhere, a newspaper delivered to their home is the only means of getting this information.

Harry' rebuttal stated the main issue is better dialogue between government entities and citizens. There is no use to use money to disseminate information that could be sent out virtually free. There is no need to use third party intermediaries when direct communication is available.

Ant A. has a brilliant point that continues this argument in an even more logical direction. Here is what he has to say: "Hipps has a strong case for the internet; moreover, these notices could be added to the City Snippets sent out each month with the water bill alleviating Anon2's concerns about access for those without the internet."

The Hound wants to know: Someone tell me why this can't be done? Between City Snippets that are delivered to everyone in their Utility bill, The Hickory.Gov website, and having a process whereby people can apply to have e-mails sent to their personal inbox; there is no need to spend tens of thousands of dollars advertising in the local paper.

How many people that actually receive the HDR even read those public notices? I am sorry, but that argument is specious to say the least. It is time to move into the 21st century!

The Hottest Places in Hell

I watched a documentary about President John F. Kennedy this week. The man was an enigma. He wasn't stuck within a political party mindset. I truly believe that he wanted to represent all of the people and if that meant making controversial decisions, then so be it. That is most assuredly what got him killed. But, he did not live a life in fear.

JFK was a leader, who never stuck his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing. He also didn't play the blame game. He was a visionary with a mind set towards accomplishing goals. He realized and communicated time and time again, through words and actions, that those who do not take a stand in life are relegated to a life of insignificance. He road tall and proud on that fateful day in Dallas, because he believed in his cause.

From the JFK Library online: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Dante+Quote.htm

One of President Kennedy's favorite quotations was based upon an interpretation of Dante's Inferno. As Robert Kennedy explained in 1964, "President Kennedy's favorite quote was really from Dante, 'The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality.'" This supposed quotation is not actually in Dante's work, but is based upon a similiar one. In the Inferno, Dante and his guide Virgil, on their way to Hell, pass by a group of dead souls outside the entrance to Hell. These individuals, when alive, remained neutral at a time of great moral decision. Virgil explains to Dante that these souls cannot enter either Heaven or Hell because they did not choose one side or another. They are therefore worse than the greatest sinners in Hell because they are repugnant to both God and Satan alike, and have been left to mourn their fate as insignificant beings neither hailed nor cursed in life or death, endlessly travailing below Heaven but outside of Hell. This scene occurs in the third canto of the Inferno.

In this era of Tumult, does this fit you? For all who espouse themselves to be followers of the Kennedy Ideal, how do you defend your inaction?

There is hope. Today is a new day. You can shed your neutrality today and strive for a life of significance. Ambivalence won't change anything. Contributing to our community can change everything!!!

Welfare by any Other Name is still Welfare

In my eyes, it is obvious that there is no hope for our economy until macro-economic governmental policy is corrected. The days of cooking the books have to end. We have to have fundamental balance restored to the economy. The Democrats are in charge and it would take a major shift in that party's economic beliefs for that to happen. I am not picking on the Democrats, because the Liberal wing of the Republican Party has gone right along with the spendthrift, "why do today what can be put off until tomorrow" mindset.

The people in Washington (and Raleigh) seem like they would rather tank the economy for petulant ego's sake than admit that they have been wrong, show some leadership, and take a chainsaw to the governmental budgets that have smothered the private sector. Funny how the economies of governmental areas are weathering the storm, while areas that rely on private sector money are drowning.

The bureaucrats are so insulated from the negative consequences of their action, that they have no skin in the game and thus no reason to fix a situation that they are still benefiting from. This arrogance is leading to a historical train wreck that none of us can fathom. You have to be on a steady diet of Prozac to think that this economy will turn around any time soon.

This whole country has been permeated by the stench of Keynesianism. Everyone is on welfare. The rich, the poor, and the middle class have their hands permanently extended asking, "Where's mine, is that all I get?"

Look at the fat cat's on Main Street. They expect cities to pay to help renovate their buildings with new windows and awnings. They expect cities to pick up the tab for landscaping. People in Hysterical Districts expect cities to cowtow to their stifling whims and fantasies. Folks, this is as much welfare as anything. And it is done in the most arbitrary of manners.

Business leaders send commerce across the border and re-import crap products. They never give second thought to the fact that all of their foreign assets can be nationalized in a heartbeat. We must institute consequential accountability for companies that push to gain the fast buck at the expense of long term viability and profitability. Most of the CEOs are small potato shareholders of the businesses that they represent. Once they plunder and bleed the turnip for their own personally greedy purposes, then they have no remorse when that corporation has completely tanked. These individuals need to be punished.

Middle Class people want the government to supply their kids with grants and student loans and then they turn around and wonder why tuition and book costs have skyrocketed. They run up huge amounts of personal debt and then can't understand why they have been caught in such a bind. People, if you spend more than you take in, then at some point you are going to have to spend less than you take in. That artificial increase in your standard of living today is going to reduce your standard of living exponentially 5 to 10 years down the road. The Ponzi scheme route of personal finance always leads to collapse.

The same goes doubly for the poor. We aren't helping anyone out by teaching them to be dependent on others. We need to lift their circumstances, not confiscate others finances so that these people can live on a meager subsistence. The way that we are supposedly helping the poor kills their ambition and drive. We need to encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be.

Anything other than convoluted, cooked-book dynamics point to the fact that there is no way out of our current predicament by following the current macro-economic Ponzi scheme that our governmental leaders have been practicing for nearly 40 years. We have to restore balance to our economy and follow Common Sense fundamentals to get the economy back on track. That will take years; but the sooner we start, the sooner we will get there.

Bottom line is if we don't change the way this country functions, then we are in for the negative consequences of a world that none of us can even fathom.

Happy Birthday Jesus

and Merry Christmas to the rest of you. I hope you have a wonderful day!!!