Rich Gov, Poor Gov: Why Obama can’t Fix the Economy

(Originally posted on http://patriotroom.com/article/rich-gov-poor-gov-why-obama-can-t-fix-the-economy)

Last night, as I reread Robert Kiyosaki’s 1997 Bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad, I realized why Barack Obama will be unable to do what is necessary to fix America’s economy. It’s not just that he believes in government intervention in business, although that’s a big part of it. But what makes it even worse is that President Obama is Poor Dad.

For those who haven’t read the book, let me give you the gist so you can follow along. The author uses a fable, loosely-based on his life growing up. The purpose is to compare and contrast the differences between his highly-educated and professional father (who he refers to as Poor Dad) and his best friend’s father, an informally educated, business savvy mentor (who he calls Rich Dad). I don’t wish to debate the merits of the book, which I believe are plenteous if you can distinguish the good advice from the bad. It’s irrelevant here, because I am only going to focus on the advice that is, in fact, generally good and true.

Let’s get into it…

1. Poor Dad accumulates liabilities, while Rich Dad accumulates assets.

Rich Dad believes that most people spend their whole lives never getting out of the rat race because they accumulate liabilities instead of assets. They accumulate lines of credit, mortgages that they will never pay off, toys that depreciate the minute they are bought, etc…

This is not true of Obama in his personal finances. He has gotten some good advice recently. While President Obama didn’t accumulate much of anything until his book revenue started coming in. Since then, he has shown that in his personal life, he understands building assets. He and his family are doing well.

But as we regularly see with Obama, what is good for his life is not what he advocates for America. What has Obama proposed and accomplished since taking office? The Federal Government has purchased one liability after another. Obama has purchased failing financial institutions, auto companies and picked up consumer credit debt. He has set America on a path of borrowing that seems as if it will never end. And if he gets his way, it never will.

That’s because he also hopes to create a health care system that would eventually become the largest entitlement (government debt) program in the history of the world. He seeks to turn American productivity (an asset) into a cap and trade program (a liability) whereby productive companies will be taxed punitively for the very productivity they have created.

Obama has clearly signaled his intent to use the Federal Government to accumulate liabilities and punish America’s greatest assets.

2. Poor Dad believes the rich owe the poor.

My two dads had opposing attitudes in thought. (Poor Dad) thought that the rich should pay more in taxes to take care of those less fortunate. (Rich Dad) said, “Taxes punish those who produce and reward those who don’t produce.”

So he promises to raise taxes on the top 5 percent of income earners, which only serves to unnecessarily punish the poor, who rely on the rich for jobs. Now relate this one to Obama’s nanny state mentality, where we are the kids:

(Poor Dad) said, “The reason I’m not rich is because I have you kids.” (Rich Dad) said, “The reason I must be rich is because I have you kids.”

So Obama says that America is going further into debt because he has to take care of us kids, instead of deciding that America’s finances must be made sound, so that us kids don’t have to spend the rest of our lives taking care of government.

3. Poor Dad doesn’t give charitably, Rich Dad gave liberally (by which I mean “not at all like a liberal.”)

My Rich Dad gave lots of money away. He gave to his church, to his charities, to his foundation… (Poor Dad) always said, “When I have some extra money, I’ll give it.”

Both Obama and Joe Biden are Poor Dads, here. They are both downright stingy in their personal lives, with Obama apparently changing the above quote to: “When I’m trying to get elected President, then I’ll give it.”

Biden, in fact, makes an even better Poor Dad than Obama, having bragged that in all his time in Congress, he’s still never really made anything of himself. (Joe Biden: Stingy, Hypocritical Bastard)

Poor Dad thinks government gives, not people.

4. Poor Dad thinks management (capital) exploits labor.

Rich Dad: “When it comes to money, most people want to play it safe and feel secure. So passion does not direct them. Fear does… (Obama loves to talk about the fear of average Americans today, which he sympathizes with and utilizes to make them more dependent on government.)

Some people say I exploit people because I don’t pay as much as… the government. I say the people exploit themselves. It’s their fear, not mine…

And besides, more money will not solve the problem. Just look at (Poor Dad). He makes a lot of money and he still can’t pay his bills.”

My point is not that the working class shouldn’t make what they are worth. My point is that labor is not worth what capital is worth, because it is capital that takes the risk of losing all that it invests. If management loses all its investment, labor still gets paid for the time it worked. This is part of the trade-off between choosing your profession.

The safe route is generally not going to result in Obama trying to limit your pay. No, that is a penalty reserved for the capitalist, in Obama’s world.

5. Most importantly… Poor Dad, while highly educated, doesn’t understand economics.

Kiyosaki notes that knowledge of personal finances and economic principles are simply not taught in school, unless one actively seeks them out. I know this to be true, as I recently graduated from Arizona State University, and I never was required to take an economics class. In most courses, college professors belittle capitalism. It certainly is not understood by most professors, who have never had to succeed in anything but academia, where their ideas are never put to the test.

Poor Dad was brilliant, but knew nothing of how wealth is created. Clearly, neither does Obama. For he is the most Anti-business President this country has ever seen.

Democratic presidents are not famous for appointing businessmen, merchants, or entrepreneurs to their cabinet or senior White House staff. These are people who have started or run private businesses, created jobs, met payrolls, and made profits. Thus they might be sensitive to how government can help or hurt business enterprises, especially during an economic downturn.The number of such people appointed by Obama: zero. Members of his cabinet and White House staff come predominantly from government, academia, think tanks, and the law. True, several were business consultants, Defense Secretary Bob Gates and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki served on corporate boards, and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel spent four years as an investment banker between government jobs.

But there’s no one who ran a company, hired or fired workers, or was an entrepreneur. Obama doesn’t qualify either. He worked as a lawyer, law school instructor, and community organizer. As a community organizer, he did many things, but starting a profit-making business and creating jobs weren’t among them.

When Obama speaks of getting America back to work, of “creating or saving” jobs, he knows nothing of which he speaks. He has never created a job. He has never made a profit for a shareholder. He believes that government creates jobs, while business screws labor.

When Obama announced last week the acceleration of his economic “stimulus,” he was referring only to programs run or funded by the federal government. He offered nothing, not even a tiny tax incentive, to encourage investment in business and private job creation. This reflects Obama’s policy initiatives across the board. They rely entirely on more government spending, regulation, and control.

For these reasons alone, President Obama cannot and will not come up with policies that will improve the economy over the long haul. Sure, our economy should improve eventually, if only because America’s greatest asset is its productive citizenry and the fact that things can hardly get worse. But Poor Dad’s policies will never restore America to what it could, and should, be.

For that, we need someone who thinks like Rich Dad.

A breathless op-ed in the New York Times called for further scrutiny of the Bush administration over the acts discussed in these memos.

Until Americans and their leaders fully understand the rules the Bush administration concocted to justify such abuses — and who set the rules and who approved them — there is no hope of fixing a profoundly broken system of justice and ensuring that that these acts are never repeated.

But
what of the acts discussed in these memos? Do the acts constitute torture in the minds of most Americans? In my view, most of them sound like activities that fraternity pledges willingly submit themselves to during Hell Week each and every year in our academies of higher learning. I would like for you to decide for yourself.

In the first memo dated August 1, 2002, we learn the following:

You have asked for this advice in the course of conducting interrogations of Abu Zubaydah. As we understand it, Zubaydah is one of the highest ranking members of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization…

Zubaydah
is currently being held by the United States. The interrogation team is certain that he has additional information that he refuses to divulge.Specifically, he is withholding information regarding terrorist networks in the
United States or in Saudi Arabia and information regarding plans to conduct attacks within the United States or against our interests overseas. Zubaydah has become accustomed to a certain level of treatment and displays no signs of willingness to disclose further information.

In other words, the terrorist had become accustomed to the prayer mats, the Quran reading time, the Muslim chefs preparing three squares a day and the five prayer breaks each day that made Club Gitmo a favorite vacation spot for terrorists in the first place.

Moreover, your intelligence indicates that there is currently a level of “chatter” equal to that which preceded the September 11 attacks. In light of the information you… wish to move the interrogations into what you have described as an “increased pressure phase.’”

As part of this increased pressure phase, Zubaydah will have contact only with a new interrogation specialist, who he has not met previously, and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (“SERE”) training psychologist who has been involved with the interrogations since they began. This phase will likely last no more than several days but could last up to thirty days. In this phase, you would like to employ ten techniques that you believe will dislocate his expectations regarding the treatment he believes he will receive and encourage him to disclose the crucial information mentioned above.

I think most of us can agree that this seems reasonable so far. The terrorist likely knows of future attacks and the interrogators wish to trick him into believing that he may face actual torture if he doesn’t cooperate. Unfortunately, thanks to the release of these memos, future terrorists now know that we won’t ever actually do so. Let’s look at the ten techniques noted in the first memo:

1) The Attention Grasp (It sounds more sinister if you say it in a hushed tone.)

The attention grasp consists of grasping the individual with both hands, one hand on each side of the collar opening, in a controlled and quick motion. In the same motion as the grasp, the individual is drawn toward the interrogator.

Compare that to this example of 1950s fraternity hazing techniques:

The Attention Grasp: Torture, Fraternity Hazing or Just Right

( online polls)

2) Walling

For wailing a flexible false wall will be constructed. The individual is placed with his heels touching the wall. The interrogator pulls the individual forward and then quickly and firmly pushes the individual into the wall. It is the individual’s shoulder blades that hit the wall. During this motion, the head and neck are supported with a rolled hood or towel that provides a c-collar effect to help prevent whiplash. To further reduce the probability of injury, the individual is allowed to rebound from the flexible wall. You have orally informed us that the false wall is in part constructed to create a loud sound when the individual hits it, which further shock or surprise in the individual. In part, the idea is to create a sound that will make the impact seem far worse than it is and that will be far worse than any injury that might result from the action.

A little push into a collapsible wall and a loud noise? I’m not even going to bother finding more butt-paddling to compare this one to.

Walling: Torture, Fraternity Hazing or Just Right?

( online polls)

3) The Facial Hold

The facial hold is used to hold the head immobile. One open palm is placed on either side of the individual’s face. The fingertips are kept well away from the individual’s eyes.

Do I really need to ask?

The Facial Hold: Torture, Fraternity Hazing, Just Right or How you place your hands when going in for a kiss?

( polls)

4) The Insult Slap (May be used in conjunction with the prepare-to-kiss move.)

With the facial slap or insult slap, the interrogator slaps the individual’s face with fingers slightly spread. The hand makes contact with the area directly between the tip of the individual’s chin and the bottom of the corresponding earlobe. The interrogator invades the individual’s personal space. The goal of the facial slap is not to inflict physical pain that is severe or lasting, instead, the
purpose of the facial slap is to induce shock, surprise, and or humiliation.

I hear the usual reaction is, “Allah-damn it! I thought he was going to French-kiss me, but instead he French-slapped me.”

The Insult Slap: Torture, Fraternity Hazing, Just Right or Can we get to some real torture?

( polls)

5) Cramped Confinement

Cramped confinement involves the placement of the individual in a confined space, the dimensions of which restrict the individual’s movement. The confined space is usually dark. The duration of confinement varies based upon the size of the container. For the larger confined space, the individual can stand up or sit down; the smaller space is large enough for the subject to sit down. Confinement in the larger space can last up to eighteen hours; for the smaller space, confinement lasts for no more than two hours.

In other words, treating terrorists like we treat poorly behaving prisoners. I see now why the Times is so sure this is all torture. It sounds almost as bad as this more recent fraternity hazing technique:

Two freshmen at Ohio State University were brought to the “dungeon” of their prospective fraternity house after breaking the rule requiring all pledges to crawl into the dining area prior to Hell Week meals. Once locked in the house storage closet, they were given only salty foods to eat for nearly two days. Nothing was provided for drinking purposes except a pair of plastic cups in which they could catch their own urine (Described in Cialdini, 1985).

Cramped Confinement: Torture, Fraternity Hazing, Just Right or Routine Police Tactic?

( online polls)

6) Wall Standing

Wall standing is used to induce muscle fatigue. The individual stands about four to five feet from a wall, with his feet spread approximately to shoulder width. His arms are stretched out in front of him, with his fingers resting on the wall. His fingers support all of his body weight. The individual is not permitted to move or reposition his hands or feet.

Stretching exercises, anyone?

Wall Standing: Torture, Fraternity Hazing, Just Right or Health Club Workout?

( online polls)

7) Stress Positions

(T)hese positions are not designed to produce the pain associated with contortions or twisting of the body. Rather, somewhat like walling, they are designed to produce the physical discomfort associated with muscle fatigue. Two particular stress positions are likely to be used on Zubaydah:

1) sitting on the floor with legs extended straight out in front of fhim with his arms raised above his head; and

2)
kneeling on the floor while leaning back at a 45 degree angle. You have also orally informed us that through observing Zubaydah in captivity, you have noted that he appears to be quite flexible despite his wound.

Good, we wouldn’t actually want to hurt the poor terrorist, would we? More calisthenics?

Stress Positions: Torture, Fraternity Hazing, Just Right or Boring?

( online polls)

8 ) Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation may be used. You have indicated that your purpose in using this technique is to reduce the individual’s ability to think on his feet and, through the discomfort associated with lack of sleep; to motivate him to cooperate: The effect of such sleep deprivation will generally remit after one or two nights of uninterrupted sleep. You have informed us that your research has revealed that, in rare instances, some individuals who are already predisposed to psychological problems may experience abnormal reactions to sleep deprivation. Even in those cases, however, reactions abate after the individual is permitted to sleep. Moreover, personnel with medical training are available to and will intervene in the unlikely event of an abnormal reaction. You have orally informed us that you would not deprive Zubaydah of sleep for more than eleven days at a time and that you have previously kept him awake for 72 hours, from which no mental or physical harm resulted.

It seems we get all our good ideas from the Greeks on campus:

Drinking bottles of liquor, not sleeping for days, streaking, being chained and drug around campus, fighting, not bathing, and humiliating themselves are all parts of a pledge’s hazing process.

Sleep Deprivation: Torture, Fraternity Hazing or Just Right?

( online polls)

9) Cramped Confinement Box plus Insect

You would like to place Zubaydah in a cramped confinement box with an insect. You have informed us that he appears to have a fear of insects. In particular, you would like to tell Zubaydah that you intend to place a stinging insect into the box with him. You would, however, place a harmless insect in the box. You have orally informed us you would in fact place a harmless insect such as a caterpillar in the box with him.

Caterpillars? Oh my!

Cramped Confinement: Torture, Fraternity Hazing, or Just Right ?

( online polls)

10) Waterboarding (Maniacal, evil laugh here.)

In this procedure, the individual is bound securely loan inclined bench, which is approximately four feet by seven feet. The individual’s feet are generally elevated. A cloth is placed over the forehead and eyes. Water is then applied to the cloth in a controlled manner. As this is done, the cloth is lowered until it covers both the nose and mouth. Once the cloth is saturated and completely covers the mouth and nose, air now is slightly restricted for 20 to 40 seconds due to the presence of the cloth.

This causes an increase in carbon dioxide level in the individual’s blood. This increase in the CO2 level stimulates increased effort to breathe. This effort plus the cloth produces the perception of “suffocation and incipient panic,” i.e., the perception of drowning. The individual does not breathe any water into his lungs.

During those 20 to 40 seconds, water is continuously applied from a height of twelve to twenty four inches. After this period, the cloth is lifted, and the individual is allowed to breathe unimpeded for three or four breaths. The sensation of drowning is immediately relieved by the removal of the cloth. The procedure may then be repeated. The water is usually applied from a canteen cup or small watering can with a spout…

(A) medical expert with SERE experience will be present throughout this phase and that the procedures will be stopped if deemed medically necessary to prevent severe mental or physical harm to Zubaydah.

This is the only one that I can see a majority being concerned about. You will be pleased to know that those who go through SERE training voluntarily consent to all of the above methods. The memo states the findings of a person with ten years SERE experience:

(H)e trained 10,000 students. Of those students, only two dropped out of the training following the use of these techniques. Although on rare occasions some students temporarily postponed the remainder of their training and received psychological counseling, those students were able to finish the program without any indication of subsequent abnormal health effects…

Another trainer noted the following:

He informed you that there was one person who did not complete the training. That person experienced an adverse mental health reaction that lasted only two hours. After those two hours, the individual’s symptoms spontaneously dissipated without requiring treatment or counseling and no other symptoms were ever reported by this individual.

Waterboarding: Torture, Fraternity Hazing or Just Right?

( polls)

The second memo included a couple new techniques:

1) Dietary Manipulation.
This technique involves the substitution of commercial liquid meal replacements for normal food, presenting detainees with a bland, unappetizing, but nutritionally complete diet.

2) Nudity.
This technique is used to cause psychological discomfort, particularly if a detainee, for cultural or other reasons,is especially modest. When the technique is employed, clothing can be provided as an instant reward for cooperation. During and between interrogation sessions, a detainee may be kept nude.

Diet Manipulation and Nudity: Torture, Fraternity Hazing or Just Right?

( online polls)

The New York Times, the ACLU and the liberal media and academic elites now know our interrogation techniques, and they are hysterical. Al Qaeda now knows our interrogation techniques, and they are laughing at us.

This issue doesn’t cleave neatly at the center of the left-right political spectrum. Heck, left-wing authoritarian governments spent most of the 20th century perfecting methods of torture. But in America today, liberals tend to object, strenuously, to any tactic that even hurts a prisoners feelings, as shown by the fact that some readers have called “The Attention Grasp” torture.

Conservatives tend to view protecting the citizens of the United States as a larger and more important objective of the federal government than prisoner comfort.

Shouldn’t there be a middle way? Can’t we recognize that, yes, we do have a moral obligation to treat our prisoners as humanely as possible, and yes, a primary duty of our government is to protect the safety of its citizens.

I believe we can. I believe reasonable people can agree on these things, and support a policy that never puts a prisoner through anything that the person conducting the interrogation has not gone through himself. A policy in which all but the most high-level subjects are never subjected to any of the aforementioned questioning tactics, but one which allows reasonable tactics to be used on people who definitely have information that will save American lives and who will not divulge said information under other circumstances. Is taking any possible
action officially off the table really an intelligent way to handle those who wish to do harm to Americans?

Let’s not forget, these tactics unquestionably prevented further attacks and saved American lives. For this we should all be thankful.

Most Americans won’t read the reports for themselves. They will read the paper, watch the MSM and conclude that we were doing Jack Bauer. In my opinion, we were mostly doing Jack, and thank God we did.

What say you?