I dream of living in ... a World Without Dictators! I'm a Libertarian Paternalist in Slovakia - Freedom with Responsibility - 10% of income into your own Pension; Tax Loans for education, health, housing; now supporting Employment Maximizing Companies!

Real Life Business Lessons

Very interesting Top Ten things learned by BusinessPundit in 5 years of blogging (now ending, since he's got a child coming).  (Great reason!)

#10 was Luck Matters -- so it does.

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/27/08 02:45 | link | comments (2)

President and Reality

It’s a sad reality that

1) the Congress, not the President, decides on the budget.  It is far more the diverse Congressmen who caused the huge increase (though without even bully pulpit objections by Bush).  Why aren’t the conservatives more intensely targeting the big spending Congressmen (and the horrible gerrymandering)?  Because it’s too much work; easier to complain about the President.

2) Presidents want to be “successful”.  With respect to significant programs, it’s easiest to get laws passed that the OTHER party likes.  Thus, Clinton, but not Reagan nor Bush, was able to pass welfare reform, and NAFTA.  Many anti-Reps point out, correctly, that Bush, like Reagan, had huge increases in the deficit.  For less spending, what is best is a Dem President facing a majority Rep Congress.  (Of course, I’ve yet to see an anti-Rep who points this out to follow thru and claim that, because he supports more gov’t spending, he’s going to vote Rep.  It’s always that the anti-spending conservatives shouldn’t vote Rep, never that the big-spending liberals, should.)

3) On Foreign Policy, it’s not clear that the non-interventionist position is the best.  But it IS clear that the President pushes this the most.

4) On US SC justice appointments—this has become the “moral value” battleground, and IS a Presidential perogitive.

Note in 2004, some 21 mil. voters voted for Bush on Iraq, some 8 mil. on economic issues, some 26 mil. on moral values (Pew exit interviews).  For Reps, the Iraq War and moral values (mostly pro-life) are the correct two big Presidential legs on the 3-legged conservative stool.  For economics, the focus should be on Congress.
(but it mostly isn’t.  Jerry Lewis in CA, again???)

[And some 5 mil for other reasons (anti-Kerry?).]

David Frum seems pretty worthy, too—even if he was Mitt smitten.

(Via Prof. Bainbridge, I have to laugh at bit at the good Professor, and most other anti-Bush “conservatives” who object to the huge increase in gov’t spending.)

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/26/08 23:24 | link | comments
democracy

Organizational Competence

The need for "organizational competence" is even more important than an entrepreneur's ideas or drive.

This is under-discussed and under-studied in economics, and not quite explained well by MBA folk.  In fact, with big bucks coming from buyouts, the org competence is being  ignored somewhat.

And, in the EA buyout case, the product is more important; yet the vulnerability to a hostile takeover is because of less org competence.

(Via Ideoblog)

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/26/08 03:56 | link | comments
economics

Iraq is getting better

See Bill Ardolino for notes about inside Iraqi Politics--and the big silence of the MSM.

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/26/08 03:14 | link | comments
iraq

IMF should rate bonds by buying them

The IMF should sell its gold and buy gov't denominated debt of developing countries -- but in ratios dependent on their following of IMF advice.

They should attempt to be like bond raters of risky bonds, but the IMF rating of the bonds means buying more of the bonds from the gov'ts making "good" (IMF defined) policy.

Thus, for two developing countries with the same "need", the one with good policy might get 90% of its "allocation", while the one with poor policy gets only 40%.

Over time, the one with good policy will have less need as it becomes developed, so it might reach 100% of the allocation, and then the IMF stops investing there, but should be "profiting", at essentially (IMF influenced, like rating agency influences) market rates.

(via Marginal Revolution)

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/26/08 02:55 | link | comments
economics

How my family Prays

Whereas my Catholic wife's upbringing in prayer tended to be more ritualistic, but very strong, my own Episcopalian / Protestant upbringing was towards more topical, "in our own words" prayers.  At our Children's Mass, there is a big section where the kids can go and pray for something, or thank God for something.  This has inspired our own family tradition of a nightly prayer:

We pray the Lord's Prayer (in English), together.  I'll then pray for some things, and give thanks for others (family safety often, also Peace, and World Without Dictators).  The three speaking children with then give some thanks/ pray for some good things (the two year is often on my lap, often quietly playing) -- these can be either in Slovak or English.  Then my wife will pray/ give thanks, in Slovak or English.

We didn't strongly agree on this before, but after lightly trying it some 5 years ago, we've been very happy with and recently discussed our happiness.

Happy enough to share!

Via The Anchoress, where I also added:

My Lent is going OK -- but giving up "negativity" in blog posts has perhaps been too easy.  (While I support Huckabee, and will support McCain, Obama's Tax Credits in his wonk section are interesting.)

There was fine children's film on Lourdes, that was even translated into Slovak (so our 4 kids can watch it).

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/18/08 00:52 | link | comments
christianity

McCain & Moral Value Voters

While it seems 52% of the "Catholics" voted Rep in 2004, still 48% of them voted for the pro-abortion "Catholic" Kerry.

According to the Pew exit interviews on "most important issue", Bush's voters were
~21 mil for Iraq-WoT,
~8.5 mil for Tax Cuts-Economy,
~27 mil for Moral Values
~4 mil. Other
= ~60 mil votes

(see my 2004 3-d analysis of the Pew numbers:
http://tomgrey.motime.com/1103050095#389023)

I'd guess McCain will get most of these votes, especially the Iraq & Moral Values.

It seems quite likely that even MORE than 52% of the Catholics will vote Rep this year, as the pro-life message keeps getting stronger.  (And will, until Roe is overturned).
(via Professor Bainbridge)

Oops, I didn't quite answer the question: Should a Catholic University host a Clinton Campaign Event.  I would say "No".

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/16/08 01:33 | link | comments
democracy, christianity

McCain - Huckabee 2008

Congrats to McCain, almost locked up the Rep nomination, but also I'm happy for Huckabee to stay in the race.  This reminds folks about the voting power of the pro-life Christians, most of whom won't have much trouble with McCain, but prefer Huckabee.

It's also a bit of a push to either get the VP slot, or be involved with the choice -- and it's certainly excellent practice for Huckabee 2012.

Huck is an anti-elite. He’s proud to be a Christian, and many Rep voters want more pride in the reality of Christianity, vs. the anti-Christian secular alternatives.

More Americans are proud to be American, and proud to be Christian.

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/10/08 16:43 | link | comments
politics

Lent 2008 -- give up negative blogposts

I'm going to try to give up negative blog posts for Lent.

I want more happiness in my life, and more positive energy.  Almost everything has good points, so I'm going to go out of my way and try to highlight them.

Even politicians whose policies I generally think are negative.

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/10/08 16:38 | link | comments
christianity

McCain - Huckabee 2008

I voted for Huckabee in the CA primary.  I like McCain OK, and especially his desire for victory in Iraq.  But the need for Christians to gain a better hearing in the public square.

I don't like Romney so much, and I'm becoming more anti-elite, tho he'd be better than any Dems.

Joe at EvangelicalOutpost has a great post on why not Mitt.

A Jacksonian notes the 3-legged Rep stool includes both Christian and Traditional social conservatives.  The Christians are more big gov't types, tho.

Posted by: TomGrey at 02/07/08 03:07 | link | comments
democracy