The Current Financial Crisis

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The only major party presidential candidate who understands both the problem and the solution to our current economic crisis is Ron Paul. Either that or he's the only one with guts enough to talk about it. You can find Paul's analysis of the situation here.

For a really good introduction to economics in general, read Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy. In fact, read anything and everything you can get your hands on by Sowell. In my opinion, he's one of the most insightful thinkers of our day. You can read his weekly column here.

Another fine introduction to economics is Henry Hazlitt's, Economics in One Lesson. It's become a classic.

Murray Rothbard's What Has the Government Done to Our Money is good at explaining how monetary policy affects the value of the dollar, especially the effect of removing the dollar off the gold standard.

For a distinctively Christian approach to these subjects, try R. C. Sproul Jr.'s Biblical Economics, and Gary North's Honest Money and Salvation Through Inflation.

Our current economic situation really is dire. Unfortunately, as Ron Paul says, just like the proposals of FDR during the Great Depression, the various popular prescriptions to address today's crisis (including President Bush's bail out plan) are only going to make matters worse...far worse, like a doctor prescribing a Super-sized Double Quarter-pounder meal to treat a patient with high-cholesterol.

The problem is systemic. That is, it's not just an isolated problem here or there. The problem goes to the very core, and affects every aspect of our economic system: unbacked fiat money; fractional reserve banking; expansion of credit; artificially low interest rates; lowering of lending standards; government-backed home mortgages; and a host of other ways the Federal Reserve manipulates the market; etc.

The president's bail-out plan is just more of the same.

Comments

Derek said…
Pastor Doug,

Amen to the idea that the only politician making much sense these days is Ron Paul. Whether the neocons will hear him is another matter entirely.

I'm not as big on Thomas Sowell. I thought Doug Jones did a good job at deconstructing Sowell on his old Scriblative site before it shut down (http://wordpress.com/tag/3-rethinking-economics/). Thought provoking stuff.

Grace and peace to you and yours.

Derek Hale
September 27, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Doug Enick said…
Derek,

I could give the customary "I don't agree with everything so and so says," disclaimer whenever I recommend an author (heaven knows I could in recommending Gary North!); but even with my disagreements with Sowell, I still think his is an extremely valuable voice. His books, "Race and Culture" and "Conquests and Cultures," volumes 2 and 3 of a trilogy on culture (I haven't read volume 1: "Migrations and Cultures") ought to be required reading for anyone who wants to speak publicly on the subject of either race or culture. His "Vison of the Anointed" is excellent at exposing the Messianic character of the left.

I wish Sowell wrote from a self-consciously biblical worldview. It would make his insights all the more valuable.

I've not read Doug Jones on Sowell. I look forward to doing so. Maybe he'll convince me otherwise. But that will be quite an undertaking :)
September 29, 2008 at 9:52 AM
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