Looking for questions for a senatorial debate relating to sound money or free markets. This needs to be understandable by the laymen yet revealing as to the candidates economic positions. Any ideas?
“Sir, the Federal Reserve exists to prevent booms and busts form happening. Yet when a crisis occurs, they don’t take blame but demand more power and secrecy to make sure they can prevent the next bust. Some economists also argue that a lot of the cheap money the FED created after 9/11 went into the housing market, causing the unsustainable boom in the first place. I guess my point is that I am sceptical of the FED. What is your opinion on the role of the FED with regards to causing or not preventing the boom and bust?”
Ask them their opinion on the 10th amendment…
China has had great success with “Special Economic Zones”. These are regions in china that have a very low tax rate and low regulations. Since they are so economically great, why have no SEZs been set up in America? It would stimulate economic growth and keep jobs in the country without giving up protective labor regulations in the mainland of America.
How about this? Nearly every member of the government constantly blames the economic collapse on a failure of the free market. Ask how could you have a free market if your monetary policy and interest rates are being set by an central economic planner?
Follow up question. Since we know that our economy was not a free market system but a planned economy, can we agree that the cause of the economic collapse was the failure of central planning and government?
Is it fair to ask people who aren’t even born yet to pay off the national debt for the people who acquired it?
Does anybody have a right to another person’s labor?
Thanks so much for the input. It is a great help. If anything else comes to mind please post.
With the national debt close to $14 trillion and unfunded liabilities at about $108 trillion, why do you guys care about what baseball players stuck needles in their asses?
Present a scenario that requires government to calculate.
"A study is performed and finds that the optium number of firefighters per 1,000 homes is X. It is currently Y.
Would you raise taxes?"
@ fldave,
Do you really believe that asking questions to U.S. Senators will have any impact on anything? They do not understand sound money or free markets. All they know is spend, tax, borrow and print. Then, make more promises, have a $1,000 per plate fund raiser, “send more troops”, or start another war. They also know how to listen to lobbyists and mainstream economists.
Your question will be rebuffed and ignored. People in the crowd (voters) will think you are a kook. Voters believe we need more government, not less. They are dependent on government more than ever given the economy has imploded.
Chris’s question is excellent, I would ask it exactly as he phrased it.
Sorry to be such a wet towel. It’s just that I went through that phase about contacting my “elected representatives”. Waste of time.
Chloe732
Well, hopefully there will be a debate, and questions will be asked. They might as well be the best questions possible. I knew the best questions would come from you guys. My goal is to try to educate at least a few of the listeners and, who knows maybe even a candidate or two. Isn’t that the point of The Mises Institute? I understand the impact thing. I was helping at a table at a gun show and most of the people that would have even tried to vote for a principled knowledgeable candidate have instead opted out and given up, shrinking the voter base and diluting the free thinking voter base. We don’t know for sure that a libertarian or Constitution party candidate would do the same as the Republicrats. They haven’t had the opportunity to show us if they will join the club when elected. All the parties have been invited to this debate, only one sheet of paper holding me up right now.
A worthy objective. Noble, even. I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Maybe others can add some ideas for questions, though I guess it’s getting late by now. The debate is probably over.
Well, I speak only for myself, but I don’t think educating voters and lawmakers is the point of the Mises Institute. I think the point is to provide the best resource in the world regarding a) the Austrian School of Economic thought and b) Libertarian thinking. I think the point is to provide this to anyone who will listen, read, and learn.
I just think it is unlikely that voters and politicians (other than the only member of Congress worthy of a vote, Ron Paul) listen to or consider such ideas. You see, voters are stuck in the false paradigm of the two party system. There is only one party, the Big Government Party.
You may be surprised, but I’m going to vote for a Tea Party candidate tomorrow in a primary election. I do this only for amusement purposes. The guy will get less than 1% of the vote, but it does give me satisfaction. Just like when I voted for Ron Paul in the Republican Primary. I was happy for a day.
The political process is a sham. It is not what it appears to be on the surface. I certainly don’t want to discourage you or anyone from voting. But it just does not matter who wins elections. The purpose of government (actually, the purpose of those who hold the position of government) is to do the things I outlined earlier.
Ron Paul is the eclectic exception, the only man in Congress worthy to be called “Representative”. Probably the last.
There is still plenty of time before the debate.
I agree with everything you said in both replies. I am still new to this and I guess I am just stubbornly choosing to hold onto my naive hopefullness.
fldave,
Did the debate take place? Did you ask questions? Did those who are warped enough to want to become U.S. Senators provide meaningful, thoughtful answers to your questions?
How has process affected your “naive hopefulness” as you call it?
Just curious to know how this turned out.
Thanks for your interest. It is still more than a month away and the questions haven’t been finalized. I was just looking for input in the process.
Please post a reply after the debate. Thanks.
“People always tell you what they’ve done right. What have you done wrong?”
Dear senator, why don’t you get a real job?