Be Prepared for the Worst

Ron Paul10.29.09, 09:20 AM EDT  Forbes Magazine dated November 16, 2009

The large-scale government intervention in the economy is going to end badly.

image

Any number of pundits claim that we have now passed the worst of the recession. Green shoots of recovery are supposedly popping up all around the country, and the economy is expected to resume growing soon at an annual rate of 3% to 4%. Many of these are the same people who insisted that the economy would continue growing last year, even while it was clear that we were already in the beginning stages of a recession.

A false recovery is under way. I am reminded of the outlook in 1930, when the experts were certain that the worst of the Depression was over and that recovery was just around the corner. The economy and stock market seemed to be recovering, and there was optimism that the recession, like many of those before it, would be over in a year or less. Instead, the interventionist policies of Hoover and Roosevelt caused the Depression to worsen, and the Dow Jones industrial average did not recover to 1929 levels until 1954. I fear that our stimulus and bailout programs have already done too much to prevent the economy from recovering in a natural manner and will result in yet another asset bubble.

Anytime the central bank intervenes to pump trillions of dollars into the financial system, a bubble is created that must eventually deflate. We have seen the results of Alan Greenspan's excessively low interest rates: the housing bubble, the explosion of subprime loans and the subsequent collapse of the bubble, which took down numerous financial institutions. Rather than allow the market to correct itself and clear away the worst excesses of the boom period, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury colluded to put taxpayers on the hook for trillions of dollars. Those banks and financial institutions that took on the largest risks and performed worst were rewarded with billions in taxpayer dollars, allowing them to survive and compete with their better-managed peers.

This is nothing less than the creation of another bubble. By attempting to cushion the economy from the worst shocks of the housing bubble's collapse, the Federal Reserve has ensured that the ultimate correction of its flawed economic policies will be more severe than it otherwise would have been. Even with the massive interventions, unemployment is near 10% and likely to increase, foreigners are cutting back on purchases of Treasury debt and the Federal Reserve's balance sheet remains bloated at an unprecedented $2 trillion. Can anyone realistically argue that a few small upticks in a handful of economic indicators are a sign that the recession is over?

What is more likely happening is a repeat of the Great Depression. We might have up to a year or so of an economy growing just slightly above stagnation, followed by a drop in growth worse than anything we have seen in the past two years. As the housing market fails to return to any sense of normalcy, commercial real estate begins to collapse and manufacturers produce goods that cannot be purchased by debt-strapped consumers, the economy will falter. That will go on until we come to our senses and end this wasteful government spending.

Government intervention cannot lead to economic growth. Where does the money come from for Tarp (Treasury's program to buy bad bank paper), the stimulus handouts and the cash for clunkers? It can come only from taxpayers, from sales of Treasury debt or through the printing of new money. Paying for these programs out of tax revenues is pure redistribution; it takes money out of one person's pocket and gives it to someone else without creating any new wealth. Besides, tax revenues have fallen drastically as unemployment has risen, yet government spending continues to increase. As for Treasury debt, the Chinese and other foreign investors are more and more reluctant to buy it, denominated as it is in depreciating dollars.

For the full article click here: being prepared for the worst 

ENEMIES TO AMERICA... THE INTERNATIONAL AGENDA

By Dr. Laurie Roth October 30, 2009 NewsWithViews.com

The push to flatten us into submission to the International elites is going just as planned. The Copenhagen Climate Treaty is set to take off December 8th, 09 just weeks away and President Obama has promised to sign it. This would cede our sovereignty to the International elites running this Treaty. Once the Senate had ratified this, international taxes and new rules would be levied on the American people to lower the mythological effect of carbon emissions. This would lead beautifully to its domestic relative and nightmare, the Cap and Trade Bill, also a carbon emissions bloodhound Obama will gladly sign. Neither of these international schemes should happen. We must fight them with all that we have.

The UN has been exploring international controls and a one world Government for decades while the U.S. has largely looked the other way. One of the UN’s offspring, boldly declaring their real agenda was started clear back in 1945,UNESCO – United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. Their declared goal laid out for all to see is to push for a standardized one-world culture in preparation for world government.

One of UNESCO’S founding members Julian Huxley (brother of Aldous Huxley and grandson of T.H. Huxley) stated if you can believe it: “The lowest strata are reproducing too fast. Therefore…they must not have too easy access to relief or hospital treatment lest the removal of the last check on natural selection should make it too easy for children to be produced or to survive long unemployment should be a ground for sterilization.”

The Internationalists of today i.e. global elites, environmentalists and global warming crowd are nothing more than communistic agents hiding behind the created crisis of trees in trouble, animals disappearing and suffering, mystery poor folks needing the wealth and money from workers and rich people, and the endless sea of special rights for special people, Muslim, Gay, Illegal alien and of course misunderstood terrorists. We all know that Christians, conservatives and Vets are domestic terrorists so we can just write them off.

As Americans we have pursued excellence, achievement and freedom. We have done this for several hundred years with the blessing of God since we were indeed a nation founded and inspired by God and His morals. We have drifted very far from our roots and heritage but I believe with all my heart that our skeletal structure and core is still in place though threatened by the Internationalists who hate our spirit and freedom. They must size us down in the world and steal our wealth or be challenged sooner or later by their own people demanding American style freedom. Will we fight for our sovereignty, freedom and spiritual core? God bless America.

© 2009 Dr. Laurie Roth - All Rights Reserved

http://www.newswithviews.com/Roth/laurie187.htm

Coburn Questions Stimulus Contracts to Suspended Contractors

by Michael Grabell, ProPublica - October 27, 2009 8:01 am EDT

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., has sent a letter (PDF) to Defense Secretary Robert Gates asking why contractors under criminal investigation were able to obtain millions of dollars in work from the $787 billion federal stimulus program.

In a story co-published this morning in USA Today, wereported that six companies suspected of defrauding a small-business program have been awarded 112 stimulus projects, worth nearly $30 million, at Air Force and Army bases across the country.

The government investigation began more than a year ago, but the companies weren’t suspended from receiving new government contracts until Sept. 23, after they’d already begun working on the stimulus projects.

Coburn, who sits on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told Gates that he wanted to work with his office “to ensure that contractors in the midst of federal suspension and debarment proceedings are not rewarded with continued stimulus funding simply because their malfeasance was not discovered until the contract was under way.”

In an interview Monday, Coburn said the projects point to concerns he raised early on about the potential for fraud and abuse in the stimulus package.

“Where’s the notification so you don’t give additional contracts to folks who are under investigation?” he said. “If somebody fixed your garage door and they defrauded you—or, rather, you thought they defrauded you—would you give them more business? Nobody else in the country would do that.”

According to the Air Force suspension order, which was first reported by the Dayton Daily News, the six companies claimed to be small minority-owned businesses, but in reality they were all controlled by Craig Jackson, a Southern California businessman known for mentoring minority contractors.

Jackson had already benefited from the Small Business Administration’s minority contractor program, and his firm, Sanders Engineering, had grown too large to compete for government contracts set aside for “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.” But the arrangement with the other businesses allowed him to continue to profit from the special contracts, the Air Force alleged.

Read more…

Source :http://www.propublica.org/ion/stimulus/item/coburn-questions-stimulus-contracts-to-suspended-contractors-1027

The school with 100 spy cameras: 'Big Brother' system watches pupils everywhere

By LAURA CLARK

Last updated at 1:09 AM on 21st July 2009

A school has installed nearly 100 security cameras to monitor classrooms, corridors and play areas, it emerged yesterday. 

The £60,000-a-year surveillance system at Stockwell Park High is believed to be the most extensive in a school. 

Cameras also film lessons to help staff improve their technique and may be used to expose poor teaching. 

The comprehensive intends to kit out every classroom with the technology because staff say it helps tackle truancy, indiscipline and false allegations against them. 

Teachers' leaders last night warned against using the 'Big Brotherish' system. 

Almost 100 schools have introduced similar in- class cameras while a quarter use some kind of CCTV, mainly for security reasons. But the average number of classrooms fitted with the technology is five, while Stockwell Park High, in South , has two cameras in 28 classrooms  -  56 in total.

In addition there are 40 cameras in corridors, stairwells and outdoor areas. 

The school began by training CCTV cameras on its perimeter fences to deter intruders and then put them in classrooms to prevent damage to costly whiteboards. 

Now it is taking advantage of major renovation work to install the hi-tech Classwatch system  -  which promises digital sound and images ' admissible in a court of law'.  

The 985-pupil school, which serves disadvantaged areas, was rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in 2006 with pupil behaviour described as 'good' and attendance 'satisfactory  and improving'. It said the cameras were intended to help deal with 'rare' incidents and act as a deterrent to misbehaviour rather than tackle a particular problem. 

However the use of cameras to identify and punish children who disrupt lessons and indulge in classroom pranks is not without controversy. 

STOCKWELL PARK HIGH SCHOOL, STOCKWELL, SOUTH LONDON.

Security: The south London school intends to put the technology in every classroom as staff say it helps tackle truancy and false allegations against them 

One primary school was criticised for using surveillance equipment to identify an eight-year-old girl who hid her friend's shoes. 

Stockwell Park headmistress Judette Tapper said: 'We are very mindful of students' and parents' sensitivities. 

'The system gives teachers a real sense of security and reassurance in the case of the rare disciplinary incidents in which a student disputes the teacher's account of events. It also helps to combat bullying and aggressive behaviour. 

'We are finding the system is a useful tool in investigating and discouraging truancy.'  Footage is stored for one month then destroyed. Access is strictly controlled and monitored by a member of the school's board of governors. 

But Dr , general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: 'This all sounds very Big Brotherish. 

'Schools should not have to resort to technology to fight bullying and bad behaviour.  'CCTV can be useful to monitor outside areas and may help cut down on vandalism, but we have grave concerns about using it as panacea for all the problems a school faces.' 

Pupil Daniel Bryan said: 'Cameras can be useful but they are an invasion of your privacy and sometimes they make me feel uncomfortable.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1201045/The-school-100-spy-cameras-Big-Brother-watches-pupils-everywhere.html