HOLLYWOOD WILL SAVE US FROM COMMUNISM

11-05-08
Two years ago, I thought the world had seen the end of communism. The Soviet Union was gone, Europe and Canada, waking up to double digit unemployment and stagnant economies, began to abandon the stifling socialist policies that brought them to the verge of bankruptcy. Even China accepted forms of market capitalism (which in turn led to an improvement in human rights) to fuel their growth. In the U.S., property rights were strengthening, regulations were easing, union membership was dwindling. I naturally thought Communism was on its last breath. I was wrong. It's making a global comeback. And America has done an about face, questioning free markets and about to elect what may become the most liberal government since Roosevelt. Some wonder if America is sliding down the path of Venezuela and China.

I think not, for we have an unlikely savior -- Hollywood. That's right, we will be saved from communism by the liberal, left slanted, never-grounded in reality Hollywood. I am serious. The themes produced on the silver screen that flow into the consciousness of America will prevent the tyranny of communism from taking root.

True, Hollywood likes to tout a liberal cause. Movies bash big business and greedy tycoons, while promoting alternative energy, green agendas and vegetarianism. But there is one theme it loves even more -- Individualism. Hollywood can't help but glorify the lone wolf hero, the outsider, the maverick. And Americans can't get enough -- the guy who acts on his own, breaks all the rules and thinks for himself. Batman, James Bond, Indiana Jones, Rambo, Rocky, Forrest Gump. Their guiding self interest is the hallmark of individual freedom and is a bright beacon sure to keep the masses from crashing into the collectivist rocky shore..

There's some strong individual females too -- Scarlett O'Hare, Laura Croft, Resident Evil's Alice. You're not going to see them lining up in the state run bakery anytime soon. And After Color Purple, Glory and Amistad, any communist government who even thinks about directing an African American to work the state owned farm is going to have a riot heretofore unrivaled.

Does there exist a Hollywood movie where the central character was a hapless drone acting only for the good of society, with no sense of his own identity?

Consider the animations -- A Bee Movie, A Bugs Life, Antz -- all about bugs who don't want to be one of the collective hive. Happy Feet, a penguin whose strange dancing is ostracized but ultimately saves the colony. And Wall-e, a cute little robot who overcomes his "programming" to think and act for his own selfish love interest, rescuing humanity in the process. Hollywood produced these, and what's really funny -- they thought these were liberal movies!

Star Trek, a show with liberal leanings toward the Great Society, still showcased individual thought and action as virtuous. In fact, the most sinister villain in the Star Trek world was the Borg -- a collective of human/machines who were not allowed to think for themselves, and worked only for the good of the whole. And The Incredibles? Don't even get me started. Barry Goldwater could have written that script.

It's true that movies that bash the government and military are in vogue, but that message hurts rather than helps the communist cause. That's because distrust grows toward government of either party. More than 75% of the population distrusts the government regardless of who holds the White House.

These ideals of individual liberty, so engrained now in the American Consciousness, are poison to the collective society. Communism cannot survive unless it is fed with blind trust and abandonment of self. As long as Hollywood continues to make shows that glorify the individual and vilify central government, we are safe. And as long as Americans keep paying to see them, Hollywood will continue to make them. Capitalism at its best.

So everyone, go to the movies. It will keep America safe from communism, it's good for our market based capitalist economy, and it's a heck of a good time too.

FORECLOSURES CONTINUE TO GROW

I just ran a calculation: Las Vegas has been selling about 1800 foreclosures a month, but banks have been taking back an average of 3800. That means the foreclosure pool is GROWING by 2,000 a month. Based on the last five months of pre forclosures notices, we will continue this trend for at least the next five months.

Banks are going to have to continue to slash prices to move this inventory. I see another 20 to 30% drop -- maybe more.

Minimum Wage Increase Kills More Teen Jobs

3-07-09 Update: The Teen Unemployment rate is now at a 17 year high, at 21.6 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Research from the University of Georgia found that for every 10 increase in minimum wage, there is a decrease of up to 9% in teenage employment.

6-19-08: As you know, I adamantly opposed a minimum wage hike last year because history shows us a minimum wage hike costs jobs of the very people it is intended to help. Employers have to cut somewhere and the first to go are the young, minimum paid workers. Did that happen?

The Federal Govt passed a wage hike and not long after, unemployment began to rise. Coincidence? Look at who is filing for unemployment. According to Dr. Mark Perry, professor of economics at University of Michigan, unemployment increased a whopping 3.3% for 16 to 24 year olds, putting them at nearly 19% unemployed! Compare that to 25 and over who have seen virtually no increase in unemployment -- only .2% with a healthy 4.1% unemployed overall.

That's not the bad news: The minimum wage is set to rise twice more in the next year -- a 24% increase and the largest in history. The next President is going to have lots of young unemployed workers to deal with.

Maybe he can blame it on global warming ...