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Free Markets  - by Wayne Bereman

Many conservatives today are facing what seems to be a conundrum.  They see the neo-con led GOP, and particularly the White
House, moving rapidly along a pathtoward globalism.  The White House wants open borders so that cheap labor can be imported
as quickly as possible.  The White House appears ready to support building a superhighway to transport people and imported
products right through the heart of the United States.  The traditional conservative might also be struggling to reconcile his
nationalist beliefs with the so-called conservative leadership that supports free trade, open borders, and expanded international
government.  Conservatives already know not to trust most of the socialist globalists in the Democrat party, but the market driven
globalists at the GOP might seem appealing to some conservatives, if they possess only a surface level understanding of the crown
jewel of globalism; free trade.  Free trade *seems great the way it’s presented to them: freedom from government intervention in the
global market.  Without a more critical examination, well meaning people are easily duped into supporting this dangerous
philosophy.  Soon you’ll see why.


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The Fallacy of Comparative Advantage - by Wayne Bereman

The United States was formed as and prospered, for roughly a century and one half, as a national, protected free market economy.  
This historical fact, however, is often unknown to policy makers, elected officials, educators, and to the general public.  It’s very
important, therefore, to remind free traders of this fact before proceeding with a discussion on economic policy.  After dispelling any
misnomers about what is, and what is not a free market economy (see my short essay below for an introduction to that topic), the
next step is to remind the free trader that the idea of free trade is an idea that is foreign to the formation and growth of the United
States into an economic powerhouse.  A good next point of discussion is the theory upon which unilateral, unquestioned free trade
is built; comparative advantage (or comparative cost).


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Education Spotlight
The United States Was Built On Protectionism; not Liberalism, Classical Liberalism, Globalism, Egalitarianism, or Any of the Other nonsensical
things your high school civics and history teachers probably told you.  
Here's an entertaining bit of history from Senator Ernest (Fritz) Hollings.
We Need Alexander Hamilton Back
An Open Letter to Congressman Ron Paul, and any similar libertarian who seeks to protect the United
States - by Wayne Bereman

"... We certainly agree with Von Mises where he discusses economic science.  For instance, when he illustrates that “every political intervention,
other than that needed for the preservation of the market society, must lead to malinvestment” we agree.  But it is where he becomes a philosopher
that we have to disagree and refer back to our first principle; the preservation of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence.  Where Von
Mises and the Austrian school inadvertently seek the destruction of the United States and our Constitution is when they enter the realm of
philosophy, leaving economics behind, asserting that the market economy is the entire world.  Indeed, the market economy is rightfully a national
construct, and the tariff protecting the market economy from external institutional interferences (one particular example of #3 above) in effect
establishes the boundaries of the division of labor (#2 above).  For cohesion in the peaceful operations of the market economy, the government
function (#4 above) is to preserve the market internally, and protect it externally.  Indeed, this was the success of our Constitution (and the failure of
the Articles of Confederation to boot).  Our Constitution created as closely as could be accomplished a national free market economic system,
protected by a tariff to prevent harmful external interference and establish a division of labor.  And our nation prospered as no other nation in history
has prospered.  It is only more recently, with the advent of the Federal Reserve and free trade agreements, that this has been broken down.  Indeed it
is an historical, verifiable, and undeniable fact that our greatest period of growth and prosperity came while a 40% average tariff was in place...."

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A Potential Solution to the Collapse of our Stock and Credit Markets - by Wayne Bereman

"...Of course, at the root of this problem is the loss of value in real estate.  In order to begin finding a bottom in real estate, three things must be
accomplished: supply must be reduced relative to demand, credit must be available to buyers, and there must be employment available in the local
market.  More on the employment problem later.  Credit must be made available to buyers by the now nationalized Fannie and Freddie with solid
mortgage insurance from FHA.  Underwriting must be based on solid standards which were lacking previously, with less attention paid to credit
score, and more attention paid to credit history, with less attention paid to gross income ratios, and more attention paid to disposable income and
assets, and more scrutiny of valuation.  The value pushing appraisers and fraud pushing mortgage brokers have to be eliminated from the industry
(and prosecuted if necessary)..."

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