RE: [Futurework] Walmart and the American dream

[Harry Pollard]

Arthur, The figure at the moment is 100 homes and I believe more than 30 dead. We are surrounded by chaparral covered hillsides that haven't burned for 24 years. So there's a lot of fuel up their if we are unlucky. At the moment, the fires are about 20 mi. to the east and 15 mi. to the west. Had you studied classical political economy, you would know that the market price mechanism is fairly affective with regard to the erection of houses. Trouble is that land is not controlled by the market price mechanism. It behaves rather like a collectible market. The market price mechanism is a negative feedback mechanism. The collectible market has a positive feedback mechanism. While negative feedback continually returns to equilibrium, positive feedback moves away from equilibrium -- hence soaring land prices. Were housing in the free market, higher prices would attract builders in from the moon. (It was once said that a rise in the interest rate was bringing gold from the moon, but that was in a more uncomplicated time.) The free market does what is necessary while the "economic controllers" are still choosing members of the committee that will decide what to do (or decide that nothing can be done). But you know that. Harry From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 6:08 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Futurework] Walmart and the American dream But Harry the market will resolve all this.   If 500 or 5000 or 50000 homes burn to the ground the market will send the appropriate signals to make changes as where new construction should take place and the cost of that construction as well as land values.   It's those darn transition costs that are so worrying.   But then again us free marketeers can just assume those away.   arthur -----Original Message----- From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 7:47 PM To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Futurework] Walmart and the American dream Arthur, As you probably know, in Southern California we have been enjoying the late summer heat. Now the enjoyment has faded as fire is taken hold of the hillsides from 50 mi. north of us down to San Diego -- some 150 mi. to the south. Firefighting is spread pretty thin and hundreds of houses have already been lost. My daughter in Poway, about 20 mi. north of San Diego, thinks they might have to evacuate if the fire gets closer. The problem is the Santa Ana winds -- northeastern winds that sweep over the mountains and warm us during the winter. These are not merely pushing the fires, they are also making aerial water drops more difficult and even dangerous. All this to point out that the question of supplying gadgets seems trivial. Harry From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 1:47 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Futurework] Walmart and the American dream If our purchasing power drops, and unemployment rises to, say, 25 percent, we will be living in a very different sort of world.   The question of supplying gadgets will seem trivial.   arthur     -----Original Message----- From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 3:44 PM To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Futurework] Walmart and the American dream Arthur,   If we don't have the purchasing power to buy it, it will stop coming in. Then we'll supply it ourselves.   What's the problem?   Harry   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 4:46 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Futurework] Walmart and the American dream America's dirty little secret.    Helps to keep the US competitive.  Also in agriculture in California.   So the question is:  If Americans are buying products made in low wage conditions in China (perhaps in PLA prisons) which are then sold in non-unionized Walmarts, cleaned by illegals earning low wages---who (morality and ethics aside)  do we think will have the purchasing power to buy all this stuff????   arthur