Applaud, Don’t Attack, Robinhood

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – September 14, 2020

I had been thinking about the purchase of a few shares of stock in a well-known company that’s clearly undervalued in this pandemic economy. As I sat in a long line, not going anywhere, at a fast-food restaurant, I decided to make the purchase. It took me less than 30 seconds to buy the shares via the Robinhood app on my phone.

Ain’t technology great? 

When it comes to making it easier and more affordable to invest for the average person, the logical answer should be an enthusiastic “yes.” But, of course, logic doesn’t always prevail.

On the logical side, more individuals becoming investors is a good thing for many reasons. For example, individuals are able to more easily build up their assets and savings for a wide array of purposes in life, from paying for college to retirement to passing on assets to children to making major purchases, and so on. (And yes, let’s offer the standard disclaimer: Of course, that requires individuals to invest responsibly.)

In addition, more people becoming part of what someone not that long ago called the “investor class” ranks as a plus in terms of better understanding how our free enterprise system works, and why investment matters in terms of providing liquid markets in which businesses can raise financial capital for growth, and people are incentivized to invest, including being able to move in and out of investments according to changing circumstances. Those changing scenarios can pertain to the investor herself, or to the company, industry and/or economy.

And while many Americans are investors through their 401ks or pensions, making one’s own investment decisions can have a greater impact than the more disconnected process of 401ks and pensions. Being an active investor encourages people to look at a host of undertakings in a different light, including how government taxes and regulations can impact businesses. Owning a few shares in a company can suddenly change one’s perspective on government supposedly having to do something about those presumably big bad corporations. Perhaps being an investor requires a more sober assessment of various crusades spouted off by assorted activists, from trade protectionism among populists to excessive environmental regulations on the Left.

These are all positive developments thanks to technology reducing the costs – Robinhood offers zero-fee trades – and increasing opportunities to invest.

At the same time, any endeavor in life is going to have some negatives or costs. And there always will be Luddites of various stripes and leanings who will gin up unwarranted and/or off-base worries about technological advancements. 

So, we get treated to assorted reports raising questions based on anecdotes and speculation. There was a CNBC report warning that “critics say Robinhood gamifies investing,” with one financial planner declaring, “These are super dangerous.” That’s right not just dangerous, but “super dangerous.”

The New York Times chimed in with the standard story of grim tales based on interviews with nine current and former employees, plus “more than a dozen customers.” Oh yeah, Robinhood has more than 13 million accounts.

Even the normally sober folks at The Dispatch published a piece declaring, “The coronavirus pandemic also led to a temporary moratorium of professional sports, meaning those who previously spent their days sports betting or playing Texas Hold ‘em in their local casinos have flocked to day trading as an alternative form of gambling.” Whoa. Is there any basis for such a comparison? Well, no, not really.

Robinhood’s responses to these attacks have been solid. CNBC quoted Robinhood’s response: “We believe that broader participation in the markets is more democratic and can bring opportunities to many. Those who dismiss retail investors as ‘gamblers’ or ‘gamers’ perpetuate the myth that investing is only for the wealthy and highly educated.” And Robinhood was quoted by The Dispatch: “Those who dismiss retail investors as ‘gamblers’ perpetuate the myth that investing is only for the wealthy and highly educated. We built Robinhood to be a platform for customers to learn and to invest responsibly, and most of our customers use a buy and hold strategy with their investments.”

People have long made bad financial decisions, often with tragic results. And I certainly am not denying the often severe pain that can occur. Unfortunately, that will never change. 

If one opens an investment account, whether with Robinhood or any other financial institution, doing your homework is required. That includes the benefits of having a diversified portfolio and purchasing, for example, mutual funds for the long run. And day trading is rarely a sound endeavor, while buy-and-hold makes sense. It’s also a good idea to only invest with funds that you can afford to lose. Such common-sense observations are ubiquitous for anyone willing to click or swipe online. Overwhelmingly, people heed such lessons, but some inevitably will not, again, no matter where the investment account happens to be housed.

In the end, comparing Robinhood’s services to gaming and gambling says more about the ignorance and bias of the people penning these various pieces, than it does about the realities of reducing the costs of and expanding opportunities for investing.

Indeed, the entrepreneurs who started Robinhood – Vladimir Tenev and Baiju Bhatt – should be applauded, not attacked, for making it easier and cheaper for the average person to invest.

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Worth noting…

Tune in to the episode of Ray Keating’s “Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast” titled “What’s the Deal with the Stock Market?”

__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  You can order his new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

Keating’s latest novel is  The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12thbook in the series. There is a big sale on signed books and sets at https://raykeatingonline.com/t/book-of-the-month. Also, the best way to fully enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

Reflecting on 9/11: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

by David Keating

The Keating Files – September 11, 2020

For I know that my Redeemer lives,

and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

And after my skin has been thus destroyed,

yet in my flesh I shall see God,

whom I shall see for myself,

and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

My heart faints within me! - Job 19:25-27

Each year on September 11th we pause to remember those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, as well as at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, in 2001. Upon seeing a disaster of that scale, many people had their faith shaken. People poured into the pews of churches the following week, many with the same thought: How could God let something like this happen? Everyone seemed to be wrestling with the most difficult question in all of theology: Why do bad things happen to good people?

Job wrestled with similar questions. He was the recipient of disaster after disaster. He had his family taken from him. He had his livelihood stripped away and he lost his home. Surely, if anyone had a right to curse God, it would be Job. 

Yet, Job didn’t curse God. Job knew that everything in this life is passing away. We often are plagued by the evil deeds of other men and have those things which we love in this life stripped from us. But, Job’s hope wasn’t in any of these things. Job’s hope wasn’t in his home, the people around him, or in his health. Instead, Job’s sure and certain hope was in his redeemer. 

Job knew that, if his redeemer lives, then he too will inherit eternal life and will see God face-to-face. No kind of disaster or calamity could take that away from Job. No disaster, whether man-made or natural, can take that away from the Church today, either. Because Christ Jesus is risen from the dead, we, too, will inherit the eternal life that is found in the resurrection. Even when disaster strikes and it feels like the world around is collapsing, the cross stands forever.

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The Reverend David Keating is pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Curtis, Nebraska.

Sports Are Back But Americans Aren’t Happy

 by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – September 10, 2020

 

Many of us were waiting anxiously for the return of sports during this pandemic. And now that the NHL and NBA are in their postseasons, MLB is playing a dramatically shortened season, and the NFL kicks off tonight, well, it seems like a lot of Americans are pissed off with pro sports.

 

Just how bad has it gotten for the business of pro sports? Well, in a new Gallup pollmeasuring Americans’ views on 25 business or industry sectors, the sports industry ties for dead last – with the federal government. Yikes.

 

The sports industry is viewed positively (either very or somewhat positive) by only 30 percent of Americans. Again, that puts pro sports at the very bottom of the list with the federal government. However, at least the sports industry’s negatives aren’t as big as government’s, with the sports industry earning a 40 percent negative take (again, either very or somewhat) versus the federal government’s 50 percent (worst among the 25 sectors). (By the way, amidst all of the current and recent political insanity, it’s good to see that a notable chunk of Americans still holds a skeptical view of government.)

 

The sports industry also holds an edge over the federal government in terms of people holding a neutral view – 29 percent for sports compared to 20 percent for the feds.

 

But as Gallup makes clear, the big story in this year’s polling is the change for sports. It was noted, “The biggest slide … has been for the sports industry, with its positive score falling 15 points – from 45% to 30%. The sports industry now has a negative image, on balance, among Americans as a whole, with 30% viewing it positively and 40% negatively, for a -10 net-positive score. This contrasts with the +20 net positive image it enjoyed in 2019, when 45% viewed it positively and 25% negatively.”

 

And it’s gotten worse for sports across the board in terms of assorted breakdowns. From the 2019 poll to this 2020 poll, the net positives for sports moved in the wrong direction in category by category, such as going from +17 net positive to -7 among men; from +21 to -13 among women; from +36 among 18-34 year olds to +21; from +25 to -19 among 35-54 year olds; from +6 to -23 among 55+; from +4 to -22 among white Americans; from +51 to +16 among non-white Americans; from +11 among Republicans to -35; from +26 to -10 among independents; and from +16 to +11 among Democrats.

 

Parsing out the specific percentage-point contributions to this negative movement isn’t easy, but identifying the causes seem pretty straight forward. Some people are upset that sports leagues have become too political. Others believe that sports leagues haven’t done enough to address assorted societal ills, such as racism. And then there are simply sports fans who are displeased with how certain or all of the sports leagues have handled the challenges of this pandemic. 

 

We wanted sports, and far fewer are happy with sports. Go figure. I actually have a bit of sympathy for the people running the NFL, MLB, NHL and the NBA. Currently, they are in a no-win scenario. No matter what they do, significant parts of their fan base are going to be disgruntled. 

 

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See related...

 

“Should We Take Our Ball and Go Home When Pro Athletes Disagree with Us?”

 

“New Name for Redskins is Obvious: Washington Americans”

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  You can order his new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating’s latest novel is  The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12thbook in the series. The best way to fully enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at

 https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

 

Should We Take Our Ball and Go Home When Pro Athletes Disagree with Us?

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – September 5, 2020

I swear – there was a time, not that long ago, when political reflection and commentary actually was independent. That’s right. Conservative and liberal observers and commentators used to – now, get this – inform and instruct Republicans and Democrats, respectively. Not the other way around, as seems to be the rule today.

Indeed, we exist in an era when many political commentators seem to do little more than recite talking points emailed to them by the RNC or DNC. These “thinkers” often pander to a variety of audiences, for political and funding purposes. Intellectual inquiry, depth and independence have become quite rare.

So, if we can’t take assorted people in the political commentary business all that serious, why should we take seriously the views spouted off by sports, music and Hollywood stars – whether they happen to agree with us or not?

Pick your favorite or least favorite professional athlete or actor who likes to chatter about politics, and consider that most (with occasional exceptions over the years – the most notable being Ronald Reagan) have little to no idea what they’re talking about, that is, beyond how they “feel” about this issue or that. The recognition they receive when speaking out is not due to their understanding rooted in serious study, but instead from their fame and feelings. 

Why then do people get so upset when a sports, music or Hollywood star takes a position with which they disagree? After all, again, this is a pretty clueless bunch. But I get the knee-jerk reaction. Not that long ago, I found myself getting upset about the same thing. But then I asked myself: Why do I care? Or better yet, why should I care whether someone in the entertainment business happens to agree with me or not?

When you stop and think, it’s all pretty silly. Why get so upset when a pitcher, point guard or punter says something about social issues, foreign policy, or taxes? Who cares?

Yet, once disagreement is discovered, I can’t tell you how many conservative friends I see on my Facebook feed declaring that they’re never going to watch a game ever again? Really? Are you not watching then most movies and television series, including an assortment of classic movies and shows because many of those old-time stars you love so much disagreed with you on a host of issues? Oh yeah, and what about all of the people in the sport who agree with you?

What’s the alternative? One option would be to appreciate (to the degree warranted) what people excel at, such as singing, acting, or playing sports. Their political views don’t cancel out that excellence. As for when these same people spout off on assorted issues, sure, make clear your disagreement and why you disagree, but in the end, just ignore their ignorance. 

Or even better, how about engaging with people constructively by trying to engage, teach and persuade, rather than just having a hissy fit, taking your ball, and going home? I know that doesn’t exactly fit with the times, but what the heck, give it a try.

__________

See recent...

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__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  You can order his new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

Keating’s latest novel is  The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12thbook in the series. The best way to fully enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at

 https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

PRESS CLUB C Podcast with Ray Keating – Episode #30: Tips for Working at Home from 30 Years of Experience

Ray Keating seems a little surprised that he will be celebrating his 30th anniversary of working in a home office in 2021. His experience of working remotely, however, means that he can serve up some tips for those who are working at home due to the pandemic. Tune in here!

The Polls After the Party “Conventions” and Before Labor Day

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – September 4, 2020

The quasi-virtual Democratic and Republican conventions are behind us (thank you, Lord) and Labor Day is upon us. So, where does the 2020 presidential race stand at this point in time?

As for the less-than-titanic struggle between the eloquence-challenged major party candidates for president – that is, President Donald Trump (R) and former Vice President Joe Biden (D) – Biden continues to hold a solid lead in the national polls, while matters get a bit more “interesting” when breaking the race down by state.

It’s clear that Trump received no convention bump after GOP finished up their gathering with Trump’s speech on August 27 before a maskless Republican Party. Looking at all of the national polls taken after the last day of the GOP convention, Biden’s lead ranges from anywhere from 5 percentage point to 11 points. 

It’s also stunning that nearly all of these polls show Biden polling in the low 50s and Trump in the low 40s. If the election were held today (which it obviously is not), this would mean a big win for Biden in terms of the national popular vote. In fact, one could make the case that Democrat Biden got a bump coming out of the Republican convention.

But let’s look at the battleground states.

Arizona (11 electoral votes) has moved in Biden’s direction in a major way, with the latest polls putting him up by 9-10 percentage points.

Florida (29 electoral votes) ranks as a toss-up, with one post-convention poll putting Trump up by three points, and the other putting Biden up by three points. However, the Quinnipiac poll, which has Biden up by three, tends to be more reliable that the Trafalgar poll with Trump up by three.

Michigan (16 electoral votes) still leans to Biden. Trump has consistently trailed Biden, and the two post-convention polls show Biden up by 4 to 10 points.

Minnesota (10 electoral votes) still offers Trump some hope, as the race appears closer than anticipated. However, Biden continues to hold a small lead in the latest state polls.

North Carolina (15 electoral votes) is a dead heat. Among post-convention polls, two have Biden up by four points, and the other has Trump up by two.

Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes) remains a challenge for President Trump, but the race clearly has tightened. The post-convention polls show the Pennsylvania contest ranging from even to Biden up by eight points.

Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) has been and remains looking strong for Biden, with the post-convention polls showing him having an eight percentage point lead.

Ohio (18 electoral votes) has not served up any polls clear of the convention. However, based on the polls we do have, Trump seems to have a very narrow lead. 

Iowa (6 electoral votes) has not offered any recent polls. The latest surveys from late July/early August indicate a dead heat.

Georgia (16 electoral votes) has one poll clear of the convention, and it shows Trump up by seven points. That’s where one might expect this long-GOP state to be, but assorted previous polls showed the race very close. Georgia certainly warrants watching.

Nevada (6 electoral votes) has been sparse on polling, but the latest poll (in the field from August 20-30) put Biden up by four points (i.e., within the margin of error).

Texas (38 electoral votes) should be Republican country, but it has loomed as a battleground in this election. There are no polls clear of the convention. But the latest surveys from the latter half of August have the race a dead heat – one poll with Trump up by a point and one with Biden up by a point. If you need an example of how crazy politics are today, just consider Texas being a battleground state.

Keep in mind that everything had to break Donald Trump’s way to get elected in 2016, with him taking took the Electoral College 306-232 (though the final tally of actual votes was 304-227). In order to win the presidency, 270 electoral votes are needed. 

This year, it appears the Trump is at least competitive in two states won by Hillary Clinton in 2016 – Minnesota and Nevada. 

At the same time, Biden is showing real strength in at least four states that Trump won in 2016 – Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Plus, there are effective dead heats in five other states that went for Trump in 2016. 

This tallies up to a formidable challenge for President Trump to be re-elected. Indeed, if the election were held today, a conservative estimate would have Biden winning the White House with 310 to 339 electoral votes.

Of course, even in a presidential election with so many voters’ views seemingly hardened in place, anything can happen over the coming two months. And in the end, the story will be told by who actually votes.

An aging, inarticulate populist versus an aging, inarticulate leftist hardly makes for an encouraging election, but I guess it could at least be entertaining?

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__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  You can order his new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

Keating’s latest novel is  The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12thbook in the series. The best way to fully enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at

 https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

“Greyhound” Ranks as Strong Storytelling – Even on a Smaller Screen

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – August 29, 2020

The film Greyhound – written by and starring Tom Hanks, and directed by Aaron Schneider – ranks as strong storytelling on the big … oh, wait … on your favorite streaming device.

When storytellers manage to convey real suspense and emotion; the significance of the tale (you know, why this matters); character essence (including why we should care); and, especially when dealing with historical events, respect for the material, that is a noteworthy accomplishment. Hanks and his fellow storytellers do exactly this in Greyhound.

This movie tells the story of the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II by focusing on one U.S. destroyer, led by Captain Ernest Krause (Hanks), on a particular crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. The Battle of the Atlantic refers to the convoys of ships carrying supplies and personnel from the United States to Europe in support of the war effort. These convoys were protected by the U.S. Navy, and hunted by Nazis U-boats.

The film is based on the novel The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester, but stays true to the Battle of the Atlantic. The movie focuses on a two-day portion of a 37-ship convoy’s crossing in February 1942, specifically, the part of the journey in the middle of the Atlantic when convoys were vulnerable due to the lack of air cover. 

This is Krause’s first command and crossing. His ship – the U.S.S. Keeling, nicknamed Greyhound – is the lead destroyer protecting the convoy.

After hearing the words of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the very start of the film, the viewer is introduced to Krause as he is kneeling in his cabin. He is saying part of Martin Luther’s morning prayer: “Dear Lord, let your holy angel be with that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.” We also see a card hanging on his mirror that says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8.” So, along with a few other moments, the filmmakers establish that Krause is a man of faith. This is done ably and not in an overhearing, heavy-handed way; it’s simply part of telling the story of who this man is. (Filmmakers calling themselves “Christian filmmakers” might want to take note.)

As a commander, Krause is put to the test as a “wolf pack” of Nazis U-boat submarines pursue the convoy. Tense, often edge-of-your-seat action is central to this military thriller at sea. Excellent visual effects and the right music convey the hunt going on between Greyhound and the U-boats, and how the roles of the hunter and the hunted shift during battle.

But there’s much more. The viewer sees Hanks in a powerfully unstated performance wrestling with no-win decisions whereby whichever direction the captain chooses, lives will be lost. The weight of command is made clear, including the toll it takes on Captain Krause mentally and physically. At the same time, the viewers see the silent strength and resolve of Hanks’ character.

Greyhound embraces the details of a battle at sea during World War II, but it doesn’t get lost in those details. Instead, a very human story shines through, along with perhaps a newfound respect for those who fought the Battle of the Atlantic.

The film ends (small spoiler alert!) in fitting fashion. Hanks’ character returns to his cabin after being up for more than two days, and with bloody feet. He kneels once again and prays part of Luther’s evening prayer: “I thank you, my heavenly Father, that you have graciously kept me this day. Into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul. Amen.”

Do I have any complaints? Just one. Elizabeth Shue plays Evelyn, the love that Hanks’ character left behind at home. We see her in brief flashbacks that turn out to be far too brief. A bit more on this front would have added to Hanks’ character and the sacrifices made during wartime. Indeed, I had the feeling that more was filmed, but wound up on the cutting room floor.

It also seems necessary to say something about seeing Greyhound via the Apple TV+ streaming service rather than in theaters. Clearly, this movie would have been even more enjoyable on the big screen given its focus on naval warfare. Also, along with Mulan arriving on Disney+ on September 4, Greyhound is an early test case in bypassing theaters for streaming with a major film. Of course, both cases are resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, but those making and enjoying movies are watching for clues as to where the movie business might be headed. 

Sony had originally scheduled Greyhound to be theatrically released in the U.S. on May 8 and then it was moved to June 12. With the pandemic persisting, it was reported in May that Apple paid Sony $70 million for 15 years of streaming rights for the film, with Sony retaining distribution rights in China. There would be no theatrical release in the U.S. for Greyhound. As for Apple TV+, Greyhound stands out on a service that has, at this point, little else. Indeed, given the very limited menu of original material, Apple TV+ offers every incentive for the movie consumer to sign up for the one-week free trial, enjoy Greyhound, and then cancel the service before being charged. Apple has a great deal of work ahead to present consumers a respectable selection of content.

My final point is a tip of the hat to Tom Hanks for ably taking on some significant and focused historical roles that treat the subject with respect. In addition to this movie, I am reminded of his work with Steven Spielberg in Bridge of Spies (2015).

Check out Greyhound, you will not be disappointed.

__________

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__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  You can order his new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

Keating’s latest novel is  The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12thbook in the series. There is a big sale on signed books and sets at https://raykeatingonline.com/t/book-of-the-month. Also, the best way to fully enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at  www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating – Episode #75: Health Care Economics 101

Ray Keating lays out how to think about the basics of the ongoing debate over health care from an economics perspective. Tune in here!

PRESS CLUB C Podcast with Ray Keating – Episode #27: Reason over Nonsense on International Trade

Listen to Ray’s conversation with a leading voice in our nation’s debate over trade. Bryan Riley is the Director of NTU’s Free Trade Initiative. He subscribes to sound economics when it comes to trade. That is, he is a rare, welcome voice of reason in a national discussion on trade that too often careens into nonsense. Oh, and is Cheap Trick the greatest band ever? Bryan thinks so. Tune in now!