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Magic Words in Politics (Thomas Sowell)
Jewish World Review ^ | April 14, 2009 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 04/13/2009 8:45:20 PM PDT by jazusamo

China is the largest foreign holder of U.S. government bonds. But, instead of buying more of those bonds as our skyrocketing national debt leads to more bonds being issued, China has been selling some of its U.S. government bonds this year.

The Chinese are no fools. They know that all this unbridled spending — even when it is called "investment" — means that inflation is coming. That in turn means that the dollars with which U.S. government bonds will be paid off will be worth a lot less than the dollars with which the bonds were bought.

Governments around the world have played this game for centuries, robbing those who trusted them enough to buy their bonds. Like Bernard Madoff, they call it "investment."

Inflation also means that all the talk about how higher taxes will be confined to "the rich" is nonsense. Inflation is a hidden tax that takes away the value of money held by everyone at every income level.

Abraham Lincoln once asked an audience how many legs a dog has if you count the tail as a leg. When they answered "five," Lincoln told them that the answer was four. The fact that you called the tail a leg did not make it a leg.

It is too bad that Lincoln is not still around today. He might emancipate us all from our enslavement to words.

When you call something a "stimulus" package, that does not mean that it actually stimulates. The way individuals, banks and businesses in general are hanging onto their money suggests that "sedative" package might be more accurate.

(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: sowell; thomassowell

1 posted on 04/13/2009 8:45:21 PM PDT by jazusamo
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To: abigail2; Alia; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
*PING*
Thomas Sowell

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Recent columns
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Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to, or removed from, the Thomas Sowell ping list…

2 posted on 04/13/2009 8:47:34 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

I hope Palin picks Sowell for treasury secretary when she is president

And Ann Coulter for Press Secretary (hee hee hee )


3 posted on 04/13/2009 8:49:38 PM PDT by Mr. K (physically unable to proofreed (<---oops))
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To: Mr. K

That’d be nice. :)


4 posted on 04/13/2009 8:52:43 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
"Abraham Lincoln once asked an audience how many legs a dog has if you count the tail as a leg. When they answered "five," Lincoln told them that the answer was four. The fact that you called the tail a leg did not make it a leg. It is too bad that Lincoln is not still around today. He might emancipate us all from our enslavement to words."

I wish I could write this in the sky.

5 posted on 04/13/2009 9:07:17 PM PDT by VR-21
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To: jazusamo

I love the way Sowell takes an idea and makes it so clear and easy to follow. I wish more people would read his articles.


6 posted on 04/13/2009 9:23:31 PM PDT by Scutter
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To: Scutter

Amen to that. Sowell is a great thinker and writer, he makes complex issues easy to understand.


7 posted on 04/13/2009 9:33:17 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo; Scutter
I love the way Sowell takes an idea and makes it so clear and easy to follow. I wish more people would read his articles.
Unfortunately, Libs will deny the truth, even if you beat them with it.
8 posted on 04/13/2009 9:43:36 PM PDT by wjcsux (Germany, 1933. America, 2009. History repeats itself again.)
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To: wjcsux

You’re correct. Libs and many blacks have ignored him for years, they know they can’t debate him and come out on top.


9 posted on 04/13/2009 9:53:24 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

Strong rent control laws can bring residential building to a screeching halt.


10 posted on 04/13/2009 10:39:58 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: Mr. K

maybe some FReepers for federal judges


11 posted on 04/13/2009 10:58:29 PM PDT by GeronL (tea parties quarterly until we get big enough to simply take over by force if necessary)
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To: jazusamo

Liberals live their whole lives under the banner of “good intentions”. By giving a high-sounding name to a government takeaway, they try to give themselves cover. “Welfare”, “Social Security”, a “jobs program” - none of these accomplish what they were promised to accomplish. But no one cares, because in the Liberal World, it’s the thought that counts.


12 posted on 04/14/2009 12:53:40 AM PDT by Rocky (OBAMA: Succeeding where bin Laden failed.)
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To: jazusamo

Thank G_d for TS!


13 posted on 04/14/2009 1:25:31 AM PDT by rawcatslyentist (Yes we can ~ Thank you satan.)
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To: wjcsux
Unfortunately, Libs will deny the truth, even if you beat them with it.

That's because liberalism is about avoiding the truth, in the name of the truth.

Stop being confused. Know thine enemy.

14 posted on 04/14/2009 2:32:19 AM PDT by Talisker (When you find a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be damn sure it didn't get there on it's own.)
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To: jazusamo

bttt


15 posted on 04/14/2009 2:45:37 AM PDT by PogySailor (We're so screwed.....welcome to the American Oligarchy)
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To: jazusamo
A nice piece of work by the good professor: Indeed, "calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg."

16 posted on 04/14/2009 3:02:37 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (The conceit of journalistic objectivity is profoundly subversive of democratic principle.)
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for the ping jaz. Excellent commentary by Dr. Sowell as usual.


17 posted on 04/14/2009 3:50:30 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...Call 'em What you Will, They ALL have Fairies Living In Their Trees.)
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To: jazusamo

BTTT


18 posted on 04/14/2009 5:26:09 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kalee

for later


19 posted on 04/14/2009 5:58:35 AM PDT by kalee (01/20/13 The end of an error.... Obama even worse than Carter.)
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To: Mr. K

If those are your picks for Sarah’s cabinet, then she needs to pick you, Mr. K., for Chief of Staff! :)


20 posted on 04/14/2009 4:01:52 PM PDT by GWMcClintock ("When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Ps. 11:3)
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