Framing the Dialogue

Posts Tagged ‘stimulus’

Everything Before “But” Is Bull

Over the years, there have been only a few phrases or sayings that have stuck with me.  We all have learned the Golden Rule from our parents and that is a basic way to you’re your life.  What I am talking about are phrases that stick in my head and make me hesitate when I say something often forcing me to reword what I was about to say.

I first heard one of these phrases on one of my favorite talk shows, Quinn and Rose in the Morning.  One of my favorite quotes from Jim Quinn is “everything before “but” is bull.”  When you speak and use the word “but” to qualify the statement, that qualification is nonsense, untrue, a lie, or bull.

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Economics In One Lesson

In 1946 the price of gasoline was 15 cents a gallon, the average cost of a car was $1,120 and an average house was $5,600 and I wasn’t born.  Also in 1946, Economics in One Lesson was published as an economics textbook.  A few questions probably come to mind:

  • Why read a textbook?
  • Why read a book about economics?
  • Why read a book written in 1946?

I bought the book because Henry Hazlitt is credited as the author of the Broken Window Fallacy and I was interested in the concepts behind the story.  I did not realize that it was a textbook and didn’t expect much as I started to read.  It only took a few pages to become immersed in the pages.

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The Broken Window

I started to write this posting a month ago.  As I started my research about the broken window economic “fable” I found out that it is attributed to Henry Hazlitt.  He was a noted economist that I had never heard about.  I really wanted to find out about his thoughts and purchased his book, Economics In One Lesson.

More about the book in a later posting, but here is an abbreviated version of the broken window:

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The Obama Man

(Sung to the The Candy Man as made famous by Sammy Davis, Jr.)

Obama Man, hey Obama Man
Alright Everybody, Gather round
The Obama Man is here
What kind of porky do you want?
Sweet mortgage? A brand new bridge?
New jobs? Anything you want
You’ve come to the right man because
I’m the Obama man!

Who can take a crisis?
(Who can take a crisis?)
Sprinkle it with fear
Cover it with stimulus and a miracle or two

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Do You Believe In Magic?

Do you believe in magic

As I was thinking about the “stimulus” package that our wonderful elected officials are about to strap to our backs, this famous song popped into my head. 

And it’s magic, if the music is groovy
It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie

Politicians are telling us that they know what is best for us.  How we should stop talking about this and support their plan.  If we do not act now things will get worse.  Support us and we can move on with a smile.

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