Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

California Economy

"Onerous Laws & Regulations” and “Unintended Consequences” are the State’s Most Reliable Output.

A reality-based look at housing, lending, regulations, and the consequences nobody expected, nor budgeted for.

California isn’t just an economy—it’s a live experiment in what happens when ambition meets regulation, and regulation meets… more regulation. I break down what’s really driving outcomes in housing, insurance, construction, and credit—tracking the intended and unintended consequences all the way to NOI, DSCR, and deal viability. Humor included, because if you don’t laugh at policy irrational logic, you’ll end up crying into your escrow impound account.

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How to Overcome Deep-Rooted Insecurities: With Self-Awareness, We Can Effectively Manage and Eliminate Them.

Overcoming deep-rooted insecurities is a gradual process that begins with self-awareness and self-acceptance. It involves mindset shifts and consistent practice. It’s crucial to understand that change takes time and to be patient with oneself as one embarks on this journey. Please share this article with someone who may find value in it.

Marxism and DEI: Overlap, Divergence, And What’s Really at Stake?

It’s a topic that’s both fascinating and complex, offering a rich ground for exploration. Let’s delve into it:

Consumers are Encouraged to Pay Down Debt to Achieve Economic Freedom, While the Government Does the Opposite by Taking On More Debt and Accelerating Deficit Spending.

That causes the national debt to climb past $40 trillion, which is a public obligation. There is a critical contradiction: individuals are urged to reduce personal debt for financial stability, while the federal government expands deficit spending, pushing the national debt into unprecedented territory. Crossing $40 trillion would indeed be alarming because:

Moral Hazards in The GDP Calculation of Economic Growth

A moral hazard occurs when one party takes on excessive risk because they do not bear the full consequences of that risk—often because someone else will absorb the cost.

Fiat Currency Issuance and GDP

If the government creates fiat currency out of thin air that becomes the taxpayer’s debt and then spends it, is that economic growth, or a sham of growth?

Who Drafts New Legislation in Washington, D.C: the Lawyers of Special Interest, or the Legislators’ Staff Members?

Lobbyists and Legislative Drafting: Scope, Evidence, and Trends

The First Amendment Provides Strong but not Absolute Protections Against Religious Bias and Persecution in the United States.

Designing Business Feedback Loops for Sustainable Growth and Risk Control

Feedback loops—reinforcing (positive) and balancing (negative)—shape how businesses grow, stabilize, or stall. Reinforcing loops create flywheels that amplify momentum (e.g., reputation → demand → revenue → reinvestment → quality), while balancing loops impose constraints (e.g., capacity, risk, cash) to prevent runaway failure. In practice, both types interact, and time delays between cause and effect often produce oscillations and unintended consequences.

The Term “Police State” in U.S. Political Discourse

The concepts of the police state and police state overreach are not new. It has a long history. It may be layered in truth or used in a political context to harass the opposing party as though they are the culprit. Police, state, and government overreach go hand in hand.

The Four Components of American Enterprise--interdependent—competing forces--and Why They Matter

The U.S. economy runs on four interdependent components: workers, consumers, government, and the Federal Reserve. Understanding their roles—and how they interact—helps explain both growth and volatility. This is a shortened version of an article of the same title.

The Four Interlocking and Competing Forces Driving—and Distorting---the American Economy—and Why They Matter

The U.S. economy is driven by four interdependent components: workers, consumers, government, and the Federal Reserve. Understanding their roles—and how they interact—helps explain both growth and volatility.

Debt Monsters-Credit Cards-Locked into A Spiral of Dread

The current state of credit card defaults is not just a concern; it’s alarming. We’re witnessing the highest rates in 14 years, a stark reminder of the 2007-08 meltdown.

Credit Card use can be beneficial. It can also become a curse to deal with. Consumer habits will dictate whether it is advantageous or a curse.

Credit cards can be powerful financial tools, but they come with both advantages and disadvantages.

Insurance Companies: Admitted vs. Non-Admitted

Here’s the difference between admitted and non-admitted insurance carriers in California:

The Moral Hazard of Dependency: Why America Must Reclaim Self-Sufficiency

Moral hazard is a term often reserved for insurance and finance, but its most corrosive form may be cultural. It occurs when people take on more risk—or exert less effort—because they don’t bear the full consequences of their choices. In social policy, moral hazard emerges when systems reward dependency over self-sufficiency. The result is predictable: fewer people strive to stand on their own, and more people settle into reliance on others—whether government, employers, or family—without a plan to regain independence.

Welfare vs. Entry-level Job Comparison in California:

How did the term entitlements and benefits become so ingrained in the public persona? We can work and pay taxes, or choose to go on the welfare system, tax-free

Should Commercial Lenders Enforce the Due-on-Encumbrance Clause if a Borrower Records a PACE Loan?

Yes, a commercial lender can generally enforce a due-on-encumbrance clause if the borrower records a PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) loan, because:

List Hidden Taxation in the American Enterprise System

If there is any question about the top tax bracket being 70% or more, think again. Hidden taxes are the culprit.

Inflation as a “Hidden Tax”: What It Is, Who Pays, and Why It Matters

Economists have long referred to inflation as a hidden (or stealth) tax because it reduces the purchasing power of money without a vote or new legislation. Milton Friedman put it bluntly: “Inflation is a form of taxation without legislation.” He argued that it acts directly on cash balances and—through unindexed tax rules—quietly raises practical tax burdens as prices rise.

The Power of Repetition: How Lies Become “Truth” and How to Fight Back

Propaganda, a potent force that thrives on a simple yet powerful principle: repeat a lie often enough, and it begins to feel true. This isn’t just a political tactic—it’s a psychological phenomenon deeply rooted in how our brains process information. Understanding why repetition works—and how to counter it—is not just important, but urgent in today’s media-saturated world.