Liberty Pen: Milton Friedman: ‘A Conversation On The Free Market’

Source:Liberty Pen- Economics Professor Milton Friedman, talking about the so-called free market, in 1980.

Source:FreeState Now

“From Milton’s award-winning series, “Free To Choose. Liberty Pen." 

From Liberty Pen 

We need to get past the notions of free market and free enterprise, because those things simply do not exist in the developed world as much as Libertarians or economic Libertarians, like to use these terms. What economic Libertarians are talking about things that aren’t real.

Any economic system that is subjected to taxes and regulations which exist everywhere in the developed world, as well as developing world are not part of any free market. What developed nations or developing nations that are developing fast like Brazil or Mexico or China have, as well as the developed world have are private markets and private enterprise.

Private enterprise, is a private economic system run by individuals. But subjected to taxes and regulations by government. To perform government services that individuals consume.

And the difference between free enterprise and private enterprise or private markets and free markets and private enterprise and free enterprise, is that in a private enterprise system like in America or Canada (to use as examples) is that they have private enterprise economic system. Where a lot or most of the economy is in private hands owned by people, not government. Which is a private sector, but these private enterprises are subjected to taxes and regulations by government.

If these countries had free markets and free enterprise, these private companies wouldn’t be subjected to taxes and regulations. Private companies, aren’t free to be bigoted towards their employees, or potential employees, or customers. Or free to pollute the air. They would be in a free market however.

In a true free enterprise system, (and not a made up one) private companies could essentially if not in complete actuality, do whatever they want under law with their companies. Because they wouldn’t have to pay any taxes, or have to deal with regulations, like monopoly laws, because there would essentially be no rules of the road. Because it would be a free market economic system. That is just not the economic system that we have in America, or anywhere else in the developed world.

As much as Ayn Randian’s dream about in their fantasies for that to come about, if you truly believe in a free market and free enterprise, then you would be against things like corporate welfare. And other taxpayer-funded investments in the economy. And let the true free market decide the success’ and failures of private business’s. Why, because you don’t want government involvement in the economy and taking taxpayer money. But many so-called Conservatives, support corporate welfare and don’t even view it as welfare. So let’s stop throwing around labels and terms as if they don’t have any real meaning.

We obviously don’t have a socialist economic system at least in a pure form. And no developed country does. (And thank God for that!) But again no developed country in the world has an economic system where charity and economic assistance, is in complete private hands. Where taxes and regulations don’t exist. Which is a great thing, because if we did we wouldn’t have the national highway system (to use as an example) because that wouldn’t be very profitable for private companies.

Liam Leahy: NBA 1986- ‘The Boston Celtics Win Sweet Sixteen’

Source:Liam Leahy- perhaps you already know who this guy is.

Source:Real Life Journal 

“1985-1986 Boston Celtics – “Sweet-Sixteen” The road to the championship…

From Liam Leahy

1986 was a very interesting NBA season with the upstart Houston Rockets with their twin towers Hakeem and Ralph Sampson. And their very good and up-incoming backcourt Mitchell Wiggins Louis Lloyd and of course the Rockets upsetting the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Finals. And of course the 1986 Boston Celtics who had the MVP in forward Larry Bird who was the best player in the NBA in 1986. And leading the Celtics to the 1986 NBA Finals Championship over the Houston Rockets. 

Perhaps the 1986 Celtics were the best passing team and big team of all-time with all of their stars and former stars upfront, in Larry Bird a 6’9 small forward who was big and strong enough to be an all-star power forward. But with great passing, ball handling and shooting skills of the great small forward and the best small forward of all-time that he definitely is. And the two great big man down low in power forward Kevin McHale and center Robert Parish. And if that is not great enough, Bill Walton off the bench.

But 1986 wasn’t just about the Celtics and Rockets. You also had the Lakers taking a step back and not just failing to defend their 1985 championship, but not even getting back to the NBA Finals. You had the emergence in the Eastern Conference Playoffs with the Atlanta Hawks who looked like they were going to be an Eastern contender for years to come led by Dominique Wilkins. And the emergence of the Detroit Pistons as a serious Eastern Conference contender as well.

1986 was a great year for the NBA, because it proved that the NBA was more than just the Lakers and Celtics and even Philadelphia 76ers. That there were other very good if not great teams that were perhaps just one or two players away from winning the NBA Finals as well. Like the Rockets, Hawks and Pistons, and even the Dallas Mavericks. That the future of the NBA was going to very good if not great.

CBS Sports: NFL 1986-Week 14-New York Giants @ Washington Redskins

Source:CBS Sports-  The Giants and Redskins: Week 14 1986 at RFK Stadium.

Source:Real Life Journal

“In a battle of two 11-2 teams the Giants beat the Skins 24-14 on their way to winning the NFC East and ultimately Super Bowl XXI.”

From Ken Gelman 

One of the classic games in the great Giants-Redskins rivalry with the Giants winning at RFK 24-14. Breaking a trend in the rivalry where both teams would win at home every year. As well as the Giants sweeping the series. But the 1986 Giants were special and accomplished things they hadn’t accomplished in while like winning an NFL Championship for the first time since 1956. As well as sweeping the Redskins and beating the Redskins in Washington. And beating the Redskins in the NFC Final in a 17-0 shutout.

But this post is really about the Pat Summerall intro. He was the master at that and is no secret why he was the number one play-by-play NFL announcer at CBS Sports for what twenty-years. Because of his voice, his delivery and his simple great knowledge of not just the NFL, because he played himself, but because of his knowledge of the New York Giants, Redskins and NFC East more broadly, because he and John Madden did so many NFC East games together. Because they were the number one NFC broadcast team at CBS Sports and the NFC East was a great division back then.

NBA-TV: NBA 1975- NBA-Finals-San Francisco Warriors vs Washington Wizards: Feature

Source:NBA-TV- perhaps game 1 of the 1975 NBA Finals.

Source:Real Life Journal

“The GoldenState Warriors face the Washington Bullets in the 74 – 75 NBA Finals. Warriors win in a 4 game sweep”

From Knag 91

The 1975 NBA Finals and perhaps the 1979 NBA Finals are two Finals the Bullets would love have to have back. Because they both cost them opportunities to be the NBA team of the 1970s. And being able to win three NBA Finals in that decade, instead of just the lone championship in 1978. When they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1971 Finals, I believe at least they lost to a better team. But in 75 and 79, they were the clear favorites going in and could’ve won both Finals in five games.

The 1975 San Francisco Warriors (as I called them) were a very good team. Great player in Rick Barry, sort of like the Larry Bird of the 1970s with his ability to shoot, pass and handle the ball at the small forward position. A great head coach in Al Attles and a very good supporting case around Barry. But the Bullets had the better team and better players, but were simply beat in this series.

ABC Sports: MLB 1986- NLCS Game 3- Houston Astros @ New York Mets: Full Game

Source:ABC Sports- New York Mets CF & leadoff hitter Lenny Dykstra.

Source:Real Life Journal

“Houston Astros 5 at New York Mets 6, F — Game 3 in a series tied 1-1 are always critical momentum changers. Mets’ starter Ron Darling was shaky early, allowing four runs in the first two innings, but settled down after that. The Mets got back into the game in the 6th, tying it on Darryl Strawberry’s three-run shot. Ray Knight committed the Mets’ only error of the series in the 7th, allowing the Astros to regain the lead, 5-4, and it stayed that way until the bottom of the 9th. With Astros’ closer Dave Smith on the mound, Wally Backman bunted his way on, benefiting from a controversial runner-out-of-the-baseline call. He advanced to second on a past ball, but it would not matter. One batter later, up stepped fan favorite, firebrand Lenny “Nails” Dykstra, who struck out in his first at-bat as a pinch-hitter in the 7th. Not known as a power hitter, Nails got ahold of one and enjoyed the two-run walk-off, as the Mets took the game 6-5, and lead in the series, 2-1.”

From MLB Vault

An interesting matchup in the 1986 NLCS, because it sort of looked like a miss-match on paper. The Mets clearly looked like the best all around team in MLB in 1986 and dominated the National League. One of the best teams since divisional play started in MLB in 1969. They had great pitching, starting and the bullpen. A very good defense and very good, deep and balanced lineup offensively, as well as a very good bench. They had both speed and power in their lineup and Davey Johnson was their manager. All of these qualities for one team tend to equal MLB World Series champion.

The 1986 Astros sort of reminds me of the 1969 Mets: very good pitching, very good defense and a lineup that only seemed to produce enough hits and runs for the team to win. This would’ve been a miss-match had the Astros not of gotten the pitching and defense that they did in this series. And they got a lot of timely hitting Kevin Bass in this series who had a career year and didn’t do much pre-86 or after 86. Which sounds like several New York Mets of 1969. The Astros did enough in 86 to make this series one of the best NLCS’s of all-time.

CBS Sports: NBA 1975-NBA Finals-Game 3-Washington Wizards @ San Francisco Warriors: Full Game

Source:CBS Sports coverage of the 1975 NBA Finals.

Source:Real Life Journal

“NBA Playoffs 1975 / The Finals / Game 3 / Washington Bullets @ Golden State Warriors”

From Basket Old Videos

The Bullets down 0-2 in this series after losing game one at home and game two on the road. Don’t know why the NBA scheduled the NBA Finals that way back then going home and home instead of the first two games at one arena and the next two at the other team’s arena, but that is a different story.

The Bullets still in San Francisco trying to avoid being down 0-3 in this series, a series that they were supposed to win going in and were a heavy favorite. And yes, the Warriors played very well in this series. But the Bullets probably didn’t take them seriously enough and had a big let down.

I think the Bullets were also out coached in this series. Al Attles did a great job in this series and always made the right moves and knew from the first game how his team needed to play to beat the Bullets.

K.C. Jones for the Bullets, never figured out the Warriors and exactly what they were doing and how to attack them. And they were never really able to get their big man power forward Elvin Hays involved and dominating a smaller team that the Warriors had. And not having Elvin at his best cost the Bullets in this series.

CBS Sports: NBA 1979- NBA Finals- Game 5- Seattle Sonics @ Washington Wizards: 4th Quarter

Source:CBS Sports with game 7 of the 1979 NBA Finals.

Source:Real Life Journal

“Being born and raised in Seattle and having attended that game, I found it a crying shame that the most important game in Seattle sports history besides the 2014 Super Bowl was nowhere to be found on the net except for a crappy VHS clip of its final seconds. Seattle’s KIRO-TV was gracious enough to release the entire fourth quarter of that game for the 34th anniversary of the championship, and even tho it was a Brightcove protected video I was bound and determined to release it for all to enjoy. So here it is, in perfect wide-screen video :)” 

From John Bonifas 

The 1979 NBA Finals was one of the closest played NBA Finals of all-time. Even though it was just a five-game series with Seattle winning the series. But the games were very close, it’s just that the Sonics made more plays, especially in the clutch than the Bullets. The key bucket, the key defensive stop, the key rebound. Similar to the 1975 NBA Finals between the Bullets and San Francisco Warriors, the Sonics simply played better as a team than the Bullets. Even though I at least believe the Bullets had better personal in both 75 and 79 and finally won the NBA Finals in 78.

I’m sure we ever got to see how good the Bullets could’ve been in the 1970s. I don’t think we ever saw the great team that they had the potential to be, at least not in the NBA Finals. The 1978 team that finally won the Finals, was 44-38 in the regular season. They had all sorts of injuries during the regular season and didn’t play very consistently. Finally got healthy late in the 78 season in time to make the great playoff run that they did in the Eastern Conference. And beating the Sonics at Seattle in-game 7 to finally win their first NBA Finals.