You raise an important point, that restricting your investment options is a loosing proposition. But more importantly you say without saying we are loosing almost an entire generation to the knowledge that the right to bear arms is fundamental to Americans freedom. You don’t have to hunt or even own guns but the important thing is that you can if you so choose. When we were growing up almost every household had a gun rack or cabinet, notice I did not say safe. Today so many young people have no knowledge of the proper use and importance of firearms. IMHO it does not bod well for the future.
I was good friends with the guy who ran the Social Justice program for the Archdiocese of Chicago under Cardinal George. He was an unconventional liberal, pushing job training and addiction/recovery programs rather than handouts (he rightly noted that is a part of the charitable ambulatory care side of the Arch, not the Justice side).
He had the thankless job of being the gun-control guy for the Arch, lobbying various government agencies for more (stupid) gun laws, aimed at keeping law abiding people from being armed. He was nominally against gun owners rights but.....
He got transferred to the Diocese of Springfield Missouri and called me after about a month there. He said 'guess what I am doing? I am putting a gun rack in my pickup truck. It turns out the gun laws only affect law-abiding people. No one else cares and we are an open carry State'
Sometimes, Chicago people bewilder me with their attitudes about guns. Capone used to shop on Wabash Street at VL&A for his machine guns. The laws changed and they stopped selling them, but guess what.....the gangs still were able to purchase guns.
Intimidation: Years ago the then country Sheriff was relating a story of his daughter starting to date at a neighbor’s get together and mentioned he was planning on being on his front porch oiling his shotgun when the suitor called. “Young man, are your intentions honorable?”
Sadly he was a Democrat, and the event was at the home of a future Democrat state rep. Nonetheless, he showed me his NRA membership card.. sobering i don’t think he mentioned in his political ads, as if he needed them in this country.
Most of those that lobby for gun “control” know next to nothing about guns. Owners and hunters, in my experience, always advocate for training and practice to keep one’s skills sharp. The skeet sounds fun, Jeff; last time we shot skeet was a few years ago for our son’s birthday. A beautiful outing!
1. Do values not matter in investing public funds? A pharma company that make abortion medications, clean energy. Is there a fiduciary responsibility to invest in these high return areas? What about the opposite - will Nevada be investing in tobacco and private prisons?
2. For 220+ year the 2nd amendment had nothing to do with individual gun ownership - it was interpreted through the lens of militia and collective defense. Then the NRA lobbied for individual gun rights and in 2008 the conservative leaning Supreme Court said ok. It's a joke that anyone claims the founding fathers would agree with the current interpretation.
1. If I am treasurer we will invest for ROA, not virtue. Virtue is not positive economics, it's normative. Also, the treasurer is restricted into what they can invest in, along with being restricted based on the liquidity demands of constituents.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_3ad8f172-9a60-47c0-a5ed-355b5d825d5f.html our current Nevada Treasurer is a big proponent of ESG/DEI. It's getting defeated fortunately
Jeffery,
You raise an important point, that restricting your investment options is a loosing proposition. But more importantly you say without saying we are loosing almost an entire generation to the knowledge that the right to bear arms is fundamental to Americans freedom. You don’t have to hunt or even own guns but the important thing is that you can if you so choose. When we were growing up almost every household had a gun rack or cabinet, notice I did not say safe. Today so many young people have no knowledge of the proper use and importance of firearms. IMHO it does not bod well for the future.
Keep up the great work.
I was good friends with the guy who ran the Social Justice program for the Archdiocese of Chicago under Cardinal George. He was an unconventional liberal, pushing job training and addiction/recovery programs rather than handouts (he rightly noted that is a part of the charitable ambulatory care side of the Arch, not the Justice side).
He had the thankless job of being the gun-control guy for the Arch, lobbying various government agencies for more (stupid) gun laws, aimed at keeping law abiding people from being armed. He was nominally against gun owners rights but.....
He got transferred to the Diocese of Springfield Missouri and called me after about a month there. He said 'guess what I am doing? I am putting a gun rack in my pickup truck. It turns out the gun laws only affect law-abiding people. No one else cares and we are an open carry State'
Sometimes, Chicago people bewilder me with their attitudes about guns. Capone used to shop on Wabash Street at VL&A for his machine guns. The laws changed and they stopped selling them, but guess what.....the gangs still were able to purchase guns.
Intimidation: Years ago the then country Sheriff was relating a story of his daughter starting to date at a neighbor’s get together and mentioned he was planning on being on his front porch oiling his shotgun when the suitor called. “Young man, are your intentions honorable?”
Sadly he was a Democrat, and the event was at the home of a future Democrat state rep. Nonetheless, he showed me his NRA membership card.. sobering i don’t think he mentioned in his political ads, as if he needed them in this country.
Most of those that lobby for gun “control” know next to nothing about guns. Owners and hunters, in my experience, always advocate for training and practice to keep one’s skills sharp. The skeet sounds fun, Jeff; last time we shot skeet was a few years ago for our son’s birthday. A beautiful outing!
Two quick points:
1. Do values not matter in investing public funds? A pharma company that make abortion medications, clean energy. Is there a fiduciary responsibility to invest in these high return areas? What about the opposite - will Nevada be investing in tobacco and private prisons?
2. For 220+ year the 2nd amendment had nothing to do with individual gun ownership - it was interpreted through the lens of militia and collective defense. Then the NRA lobbied for individual gun rights and in 2008 the conservative leaning Supreme Court said ok. It's a joke that anyone claims the founding fathers would agree with the current interpretation.
1. If I am treasurer we will invest for ROA, not virtue. Virtue is not positive economics, it's normative. Also, the treasurer is restricted into what they can invest in, along with being restricted based on the liquidity demands of constituents.
2. You are incorrect.
Since when is the government the arbiter of values?
You have no clue about the Second Amendment.
Exactly what I said. Positive economics is an objective branch of economics that relies on facts or what is happening.
Conclusions drawn from positive economics can be tested and backed up by data.
Positive economic theory differs from normative economics, which is more rooted in value judgments.