I haven’t written in a while mainly because I’ve been spending almost all of my time remodeling and updating my kitchen. I’m planning on selling the house soon and moving out of California where the taxes are high and the environmentalism is rampant. So my motivation is to not only enjoy the rest of my time living here, but to fetch top dollar by improving the home’s value.

The though crossed my mind of how wonderful capitalism is compared to any other system. I own my property and get financial rewards if I work to improve it. This selfish financial motivation has inspired many people to create new wealth to trade with others.

If I did not own my property or if the housing market was controlled by some government “fairness” agency, I would put my efforts in to something that I did own, and the world would still have a house with an old stinky kitchen.

Instead, because of capitalism, my house will be made better for someone else to enjoy.

I’ve updated the IPCC computer climate model to include a start/replay button, and to further emphasize Gore’s role in humanity’s future. I’ve copied over the previous model so that any web links load the newest model.

http://www.rationalopinions.com/images/climate-model03.swf

The US continues to attract huge numbers of immigrants. This is certainly largely due to the relative freedom enjoyed in the US: free economies beget more wealth. The Central and South American source nations of most US immigrants are typically more Marxist in which some ruling party/union/junta righteously controls the economic laws to suit its goals. This leads to poor economic conditions and an exodus of people to the US.

However, the US has long used protectionist policies to keep would-be immigrant workers from competing for union jobs. This gave rise to quotas which limit the number of people allowed to enter the US to work or eventually choose to become a citizen. This, of course, has given rise to the “illegal immigrant” phenomenon: people enter the US in spite of the quotas, and there aren’t enough police or military to stop the flow.

Aside from checking people for nefarious intentions, disease, or criminal records, the US borders should allow people to enter to work, conduct business, vacation or live under US laws for as long as they wish.

However, there is a catch that normally wouldn’t be a problem in a free society: Socialism.

Because the mixed US economy is wrought with so much socialism (stealing from those who do to give to those who don’t), the effect of open immigration tends to strain the US economy. If the US put a stop to all social programs (e.g., handouts, subsidies, free health care, free education, etc.), then people would only come to earn a living by freely trading goods and labor with others, not to consume the unearned wealth that other individuals created.

To solve the immigration fiasco, the US should first stop all handouts for both citizens and non-citizens. Then, repeal the limits on immigration (but check the people that do immigrate) and enjoy the increased wealth from the influx of people wishing to earn a living in a free economy.