It's different this time...?

[AnalogPackrat]

In this day and age it was probably the internet or maybe TV.

I guess the sar-chasm may have taken another victim.

 

[boji]

Poor people in distant lands need the wealth that free trade can bring them.

How many centuries of being robbed, murdered, raped and exploited does the world have to endure before that fairy tale is buried?

interactive charts on global economic growth (UK nonprofit)

 

[cyrano]

You world view (movie) sounds really depressing...

I'll stick with my world view, but I am an optimist.

JR

You know what they say...

An optimist is just a badly informed pessimist.

Of course, this is a Russian saying. ;-)

 

[Gold]

He's pushing the crazy electric future without understanding the fundamental back-of-the-envelope math needed to support it. That indicates that not only is he clueless, but he either has hired clueless underlings or isn't listening to those who know these facts.

He's virtue signalling instead of solving actual transportation problems. He also seems to seek publicity like he's still running for President. Fail.

He’s is implementing the transportation act that was passed in a bipartisan vote. He hasn’t made any of those large policy decisions.

 

[cyrano]

interactive charts on global economic growth (UK nonprofit)

Thanks, Pucho. Interesting site.

I know poverty in general is declining around the world. But I don't think that's due only to economic growth.

I've been studying money streams for many years now and I've never seen an example where it wasn't the inverse: first basic needs were supplied and that lead to the start of small businesses.

The best example are micro loans. These have been very successful in Asia and Africa. In India, fi, the govt wanted to get everyone a bank account and a phone. They developed a 9$ basic phone with some smartphone features and every one of the 32? languages spoken in India. The fact that even the poorest had a possibility to communicate AND transfer money easily produced small enterprise everywhere. Provided basic needs were already filled. You can't eat a phone.

It has done a lot for the poor in India.

What I see happening is waves. The first wave fills basic needs. The second one opens economic opportunities. The third one will consolidate: the newly required "wealth" leads to investment. Building a house, or acquiring a tractor or something like it.

It's only after the third wave that global economics come into play. The farmer is now able to cut out the middle-men. He can reach a much larger market and isn't dependent on that one mobile buyer he sold his harvest to before. But now he must face the sharks. The big conglomerates that buy his harvest, prepaid, but with stringent rules.

It's also funny that I write about a male farmer, as most who succeed in this way, are women.

Much of the money put into humanitarian help isn't a loss. It's what fuels small economic growth in most poor countries. It's knowing where and how to infuse communities that's hard.

 

[JohnRoberts]

You know what they say...

An optimist is just a badly informed pessimist.

Of course, this is a Russian saying. ;-)

Russian humor leans a little dark... It isn't easy being an optimist in today's world, no wonder suicides happen.

I know poverty in general is declining around the world. But I don't think that's due only to economic growth.

Free trade and rule of law lifts people out of poverty.

I've been studying money streams for many years now and I've never seen an example where it wasn't the inverse: first basic needs were supplied and that lead to the start of small businesses.

The best example are micro loans. These have been very successful in Asia and Africa. In India, fi, the govt wanted to get everyone a bank account and a phone. They developed a 9$ basic phone with some smartphone features and every one of the 32? languages spoken in India. The fact that even the poorest had a possibility to communicate AND transfer money easily produced small enterprise everywhere. Provided basic needs were already filled. You can't eat a phone.

It has done a lot for the poor in India.

What I see happening is waves. The first wave fills basic needs. The second one opens economic opportunities. The third one will consolidate: the newly required "wealth" leads to investment. Building a house, or acquiring a tractor or something like it.

It's only after the third wave that global economics come into play. The farmer is now able to cut out the middle-men. He can reach a much larger market and isn't dependent on that one mobile buyer he sold his harvest to before. But now he must face the sharks. The big conglomerates that buy his harvest, prepaid, but with stringent rules.

It's also funny that I write about a male farmer, as most who succeed in this way, are women.

micro lending has been in news for years. Banking access via smart phones is smart.

Much of the money put into humanitarian help isn't a loss. It's what fuels small economic growth in most poor countries. It's knowing where and how to infuse communities that's hard.

Rule of law, i.e. property rights, and free trade.

What fraction of humanitarian aid is effective?

Give a man a fish... etc.

He’s is implementing the transportation act that was passed in a bipartisan vote. He hasn’t made any of those large policy decisions.

The "Chips" bill was passed with bipartisan support for the IC industry while it's unclear that they need financial help, it is a matter of national security to have a reliable domestic supply of semiconductors, especially as China is proceeding with their plan to capture Taiwan. The chips bill was also loaded up with pork but that is business as usual in the swamp.

Almost immediately Schumer and Manchin announced their secretly negotiated new reconciliation spending act, not as big as "build back better", but too big IMO. The details are still dripping out about what Manchin got for his acquiescence. Nowadays when Manchin votes with the democrats that is almost considered bi-partisan. Sen Sinema, the other moderate democrat has not signed on to the mini BBB yet.

For the record "reconciliation" is a budget adjustment legislation technique that only requires a simple majority, but that is all the democrats have in the senate these days.

JR