Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

The American Enterprise

A Contrarian’s Look at America’s Enterprise—Economy, Government, and Leadership—Minus the Public-Relations Gloss.

Dan's unique perspective on the economy, the government, and our country's leadership is not commonly found in mainstream media. Designed to enlighten and engage you with what he believes is a refreshing dose of truth, his articles challenge the narratives often presented by mainstream media and encourage critical thinking about the state of our country's enterprise.

Dan offers workarounds and solutions when possible. His aim is to provide actionable solutions to the challenges we may face in these areas.

Search Results

Ideological Zealotry Has Replaced Critical Thinking

Empower yourself with critical thinking, a tool that enables you to examine facts, opinions, propaganda, and illusions skeptically. It's your key to determining the most likely outcome and discerning truth from propaganda.

Shoplifting Begets Financial Losses for the Business Owners, Causing Them To Close Up Shop In Mass.

Financial losses render the business unprofitable, and therefore, there is no motivation to continue operating.

Wimpy, Buy Now, Pay Later! A Lesson in Government Spending

Like Wimpy, who practices getting things today and deferring payment until later, the government subscribes to the same principle.

Make Profits Purchasing Promissory Notes Secured by Real Estate

Note purchases are a large, sophisticated industry designed for sophisticated investors, typically those who are accredited.

How To Reinvent Ourselves, Part II

When Failures Are Within Our Control

Systemic Failures Outside Our Control: Part I- Reinventing Ourselves

How To Respond When Systemic Failures Are Outside Our Control

Legacy Media as an Arbiter of Truth Is Dead, and No Time Too Soon

Since the days of Edward R Morro, the media has served as an establishment propaganda arm. Their pay was power, access, and advertising dollars while they sold out the American public.

SB-549: We Could Have Guessed That This Was Coming:

The California government, using taxpayer dollars, gets into the development game in the Palisades and Eaton fire rebuilding efforts.

When I Was Much Younger, Having Differing Opinions was a Minor Irritation.

You jabbed at friends who thought differently, suggesting they had inferior intelligence or were uneducated, laughed about it, and had a beer together, essentially getting on with life as it should be.

A Text Message Arrived on His Birthday From the Kids, “Hi, Dad, Just wanted to Wish You a Happy birthday. See You Later!”

No update on the kids, no mention of the grandbabies, no pictures, and no reinforcement proving the strength of family ties. Dad’s heart sinks and suffers a big thud, with a feeling of disappointment, depression, and isolation.

To “Skate by” Means Sliding by Without Doing Any Visible Work or Spending any Effort.

Have you met people who accomplish little, make little, or no progress, but seem to meander through life and appear as normal?

SB-79: A Shocking Turn in California's Housing Laws, Where the Unthinkable Becomes Reality

How about allowing multiple high-rise apartment buildings in your neighborhood up to 65 feet tall, for the simple fact that the property is within ½ mile of a bus stop.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not an unbiased arbitrator of information

The compilation of codes is written by people who are biased and have ideological leanings.

Welcome to The Friendly Town of Successville

Welcome to Successville, a satirical take on a society obsessed with negative connotations and warnings.

A Dripping Downslide, Cautioning Potential Buyers to Stay Out Of The Housing Market

Drip, Drip, Drip, a Very Sustained Slippage of Buyer's Interest to Take the Plunge to Purchase Owner-Occupied And Investment Properties.

California: Random vs Non-random Events.

There are no random events in California. Dark forces tightly control everything. We are not allowed to question or obtain an entry pass to the elite club.

Eliminate Time Wasters in Personal Life and Business

A Good Percentage of Our Days is Spent Flittering Around Without Getting Results: The question remains, why?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where guests or relatives seem to prolong their stay? It's a familiar scenario that many of us can relate to.

Every visit follows a distinct pattern. It begins with a joyful phase of catching up and strengthening the relationship, then transitions into a phase where the guest or relative starts to feel at home in your space.

SB-1123: Planning and Zoning: Subdivisions: Ministerial Review.

This new law was signed into law on September 19, 2024 by California’s Governor Gavin Newsom and became effective July 1, 2025.

How Important Are The “5-C’s” in Credit Approval Decisions

The credit approval process is characterized by industry standards, best practices, related litigation references, and regulatory requirements from both state and federal levels.