Sterling Terrell

recovering economist

Poems Of Thanks

Poems Of Thanks

I just wanted to encourage you today.

Maybe a few poems of thanks can cause us to reflect on life in a different way.

Keep going. Keep moving. Keep loving.

Let me share the Beatitudes again.

I think it is some of the most beautiful, and encouraging poetry that was ever written.

Matthew 5:1-10:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

How To End Poverty

How To End Poverty

I am always struck by discussions around how to end poverty.

They seem to usually center around the wrong place.

To cure poverty one should maybe ask: What is the opposite of poverty?

The answer is: Wealth.

Then the question becomes: How does one create wealth?

– How are jobs created?
– What increases wages?
– And how does an economy grow?

I will stay out of the politics of it, but there are good answers to all of these questions in the economics literature.

Carlos Slim Helú, the Mexican telecommunications mogul and the only man in the world richer than Bill Gates, had a more nuanced view on not being charitable. “The only way to fight poverty is with employment,” he said according to a Wall Street Journal report. “Trillions of dollars have been given to charity in the last fifty years, and they don’t solve anything.”

-Paul Sullivan, The Thin Green Line (Amazon)

Sterling Terrell