Loot and Lobby
Always and everywhere, the regime loots productive members of society to benefit corporate cronies, interest groups, and key voting blocs. The result is taxes, inflation, regulation, and war. The Loot and Lobby Podcast takes a closer look at how this happens, and who’s on the losing side.
Want to Pay Down the National Debt? First, Cut Federal Spending
If a politician claims that he cares about the national debt, but then won't make big cuts to current federal spending, he's either a liar or a fool.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Trump's Monetary Policy Favors the Wealthy over Ordinary People
Trump has tried to claim that he favors "Main Street over Wall Street." Unfortunately, by pushing aggressive low-interest-rate monetary policy, Trump has put himself squarely in the camp of “Wall Street over Main Street.”
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Why Trump Can't (or Won't) Abolish the IRS
Two reasons why Trump won't/can't get rid of the IRS:
1. It's political suicide to get rid of payroll taxes.
2. Tariff revenue isn't nearly enough to fund the federal government at the levels the welfare/spending-addicted voters demand.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Why the Government's Gold Reserve Is a Bad Thing
Does the US government need a gold reserve? No, it doesn't. The government's gold is basically an emergency slush fund for elites to use to preserve their political power.
Citation: "What share for gold? On the interaction of gold and foreign exchange reserve returns" by Omar Zulaica, BIS Working Papers, No. 906: bis.org/publ/work906.pdf
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
How Big Is the US Gold Reserve and What Is It Worth?
Should we audit the US gold hoard? First, let's take a look at what the official numbers say about how big the US gold reserve is, where it is located, and how much it is worth in US dollars.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
33 Counties In Illinois Have Voted to Leave the State
Activists in Illinois and Indiana are talking about changing the state borders so separatist Illinois counties can join Indiana. As you'd expect, many politicians hate the idea.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The Fort Knox Gold Was Stolen From the American People
The gold in the US gold reserve is a legacy of the time the US government refused to keep its promise to redeem dollars in gold, and when it reneged on its legal obligations to repay debts in gold.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
California Secession Would be Great for the Rest of America
California secession would not change the US into a laissez-faire paradise, but the positive change would be immense.
See also Breaking Away: The Case for Secession, Radical Decentralization, and Smaller Polities by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/BreakingAway
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Don't Put Your Trust in the Supreme Court
No matter how the court rules on birthright citizenship (or anything else), it certainly won’t be the “last word” on the matter, and nothing is decided beyond the short term.
Additional Reading“Birthright Citizenship Isn’t Real” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/power-market/birthright-citizenship-isnt-real
“Don’t Confuse Immigration with Naturalization” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/dont-confuse-immigration-naturalization
“The Problem with the Arbitrary Line between Legal and Illegal Immigration” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/power-market/problem-arbitrary-line-between-legal-and-illegal-immigration
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The World Is Getting Rid of Birthright Citizenship
Europe has no countries that offer “birthright citizenship” anymore. The US and Canada are rare exceptions. Most countries that still have it are countries with net out-migration like Mexico.
Additional Reading“Birthright Citizenship Isn’t Real” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/power-market/birthright-citizenship-isnt-real
“Why Birthright Citizenship Is Rare In Europe” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/why-birthright-citizenship-rare-europe
“Don’t Confuse Immigration with Naturalization” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/dont-confuse-immigration-naturalization
“The Problem with the Arbitrary Line between Legal and Illegal Immigration” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/power-market/problem-arbitrary-line-b...
The Problem with "Birthright Citizenship"
In the 1870s and 1880s, and through the 1920s, it's clear that many legislators and judges did not agree that birthright citizenship applied to everyone born in the borders of the US. The modern interpretation is highly debatable.
Additional Reading"Why the World Is Giving Up on Birthright Citizenship" by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/why-world-giving-birthright-citizenship
“Why Birthright Citizenship Is Rare In Europe” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/why-birthright-citizenship-rare-europe
“Don’t Confuse Immigration with Naturalization“ by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/dont-confuse-immigration-naturalization
“The Problem with the Arbitrary Line between...
2025’s Federal Deficit May Be the Biggest Ever
If you thought federal deficits and spending would go back to normal after the covid panic, you were wrong. If anything, deficits are now on track to be bigger than the covid years.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Trump’s Immigration Plans: The Good and the Bad
One does not need to be an advocate of open borders to have concerns when one hears about a federal law enforcement agency engaging in a “crackdown.”
See also "A Free-Market Guide to Trump’s Immigration Crackdown" by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/mises-wire/free-market-guide-trumps-immigration-crackdown
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Presidential Elections Are a Lot Closer than You Think
Since 1956, few presidential candidates have managed to get more than 51 percent of the vote in national elections.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Why "Majority Rule" Doesn't Work
Even if whole regions of the country vote overwhelmingly against a president, they are still forced to submit to four years of that president’s rule-by-decree.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Congress Should Fire Jerome Powell
The Fed wants independence so it can serve the interests of the banker class. There is no higher principle here. There is only power.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
3 Tough Questions for the Fed at Thursday's FOMC Presser
The Fed claims things are going very well, but Fed Chairman Jerome Powell got three questions at the press conference that he had trouble answering honestly.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The Private-Sector Job Market Is Shrinking
Job growth was only positive in October because of government jobs, funded by huge federal deficits.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The Problem with Trump’s Pro-Tariff “Tax Reform”
Trump’s tax reform just replaces one tax with another. And would probably result in higher taxes.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Why the Money Supply Is Growing Again
In August, the money supply grew at the fastest rate in 23 months. The Fed fears a recession, so we can now expect even more monetary growth.
For graphs and more, read https://mises.org/mises-wire/money-supply-growth-hit-23-month-high-and-fed-wants-more
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
What the New Jobs Report Really Says
September's job numbers were driven by big increases in government jobs and part-time work.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The Fed's Two-Percent Inflation Target Is Meaningless
The two-percent price inflation target is just a political slogan, and the Fed has many ways of ignoring its supposed two-percent target.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The Fed Hits the Panic Button
The Fed is desperate for you to think that "this time is different." Unfortunately, Powell can't seem to come up with an explanation of why that is the case.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
America Now Has Fewer Employed Workers than It Did a Year Ago
The total number of employed persons has fallen by 66,000 since August of 2023. Moreover, the new job growth is almost all in part-time jobs.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Rising Prices Are Caused by Monetary Inflation, Not Greed
Price inflation is never caused by greed. It's always caused by a growing money supply. The money supply has grown big-time since 2020, and now we pay a lot more for food and housing.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Powell: More Easy Money Is Coming Soon
The Fed promises a soft landing, but the fact that the Fed now plans to start cutting interest rates is one of the strongest recession signals we can get.
Be sure to follow the Loot & Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
The Feds’ Runaway Deficits Are Here to Stay
The US will add another $2 trillion to the total debt this year, and the US is now spending a trillion of your dollars on interest per year. There is no end in sight.
Be sure to follow the Loot & Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
Federal Jobs Report Slices Total Jobs in New Revision
We already knew recent jobs reports—as far as the establishment survey is concerned, were based largely on made up numbers.
Be sure to follow the Loot & Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL
