As The Far Middle episode 102 lands between National Teachers Day and National Nurses Day, Nick tips off the episode offering his appreciation to both professions before jumping into this week’s dedication: Boston Celtics all-time leading scorer, John Havlicek. Last week, April 25, marked the four-year anniversary of the icon’s passing. Nick celebrates “Hondo’s” career and how he revolutionized the pro game, epitomizing the sixth man.
After reviewing the track record of Havlicek, Nick proceeds to examine the track record of the Federal Reserve over the past 25 years and where it’s placed the American economy. “What’s amazing, is how bad the Fed’s crystal ball has been at the most crucial of moments,” says Nick. He adds that as government regulation and intervention via Fed policy gets more invasive and pervasive, it’s making markets more volatile.
Moving from the track record of the Fed, Nick looks at where the track record ends and where future predictions begin in the world of energy demand and carbon emissions. Nick calls out two competing projections: net zero carbon pledges on one hand, with energy demand growing globally for the foreseeable future on the other. Nick says these projections can’t both be true, and we know which one is false.
“Despite the zero carbon by 2050 myth being busted by science and reality, the policy insanity with respect to that, it marches on,” says Nick, taking the conversation to the Empire State where state lawmakers are looking to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings. Should the ban be enacted, Nick says it’ll chop off whatever remaining economic activity is left in New York.
“Blind adherence to ideology at the expense of logic and science, it exacts a heavy toll and not just when it comes to energy policy,” says Nick. We’re seeing the same price being paid in the arena of geopolitics and foreign affairs. Nick proceeds to discuss the current administration’s twisted definition of democracy, that being a nation who subscribes to the correct ideology. “Our government would rather have an ally nation not hold democratic elections but back progressive values, instead of an ally holding open fair elections that doesn’t back progressive values. That’s not supporting democracy.”
Next, Nick recounts a recent evening in Waynesburg, Pa., with VFW Post 4793. Nick says he’s all-in with supporting the region’s veterans through VFW and American Legions; read more about the evening with Post 4793 at nickdeiuliis.com. And staying on the topics of the military and geopolitics, Nick examines the Battle of the Coral Sea as we mark the Battle’s 81st anniversary. “For me, the key to this Battle is that it was the first time the Japanese were turned back since the start of the war,” says Nick and adds that it had implications for the Battle of Midway. And for the episode’s final connection, Nick highlights Jason Robards, the acclaimed actor who also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.