Anyone who caught Peter Schiff negotiating/talking/debating with Occupy Wall Streeters yesterday would have to concede he's one of the greatest popular conversationalists of our era (I want credit for that term when it shows up on his Wikipedia entry). Schiff is masterful in the way he listens to opponents, but then pounces of flawed arguments. He is never unnerved and balances intelligent, accurate reasoning with a smooth and often amusing delivery. If he hadn't elected to earn tens of millions in the investment world he would have been a superb trial attorney.
I don't invest with his firm, EuroPacific Capital, by the way. I would, but since I spend a significant amount of time listening to him and like minded people, and following the market closely myself, I can't see why I would pay someone else to manage my money. I do pay for his radio show though, which I listen to everyday.
I've been doing so since about 2008. Each morning I pump Schiff in my ears and iron in the gym. I swear I lift more and run faster when Schiff's debating the merits of decreased capital controls with a guest. This summer I spent (too much) time in Washington. Each time I ran up the steps of the Capitol Building, I had Schiff yapping in my ear, reminding me of why he should have won his Senate election in Connecticut last year.
But he didn't. And he might not ever.
Connecticut is not amenable to Schiff's free market and liberty ideals, at least not now.
I've heard some commentators say that Schiff's father, who is in federal prison for tax violations, is a political liability. I think it's worth noting though that Schiff Senior's offenses appear to be grounded in a political dispute with the government- not an overt attempt to dodge taxes. I'm not saying his views are correct or incorrect; I don't have all the facts. But he's distinguishable from other convicts in that the sense that he really believes his actions were legal and needed to demonstrated as so in court. He actually sought out and challenged the USG on his view of the tax system. In that sense, Schiff's father seems less of a political liability than a political prisoner, if characterized so by a competent campaign director.
Either way, the younger Schiff doesn't appear to desirous of running for political office again anytime soon, and maybe he shouldn't. Perhaps he should concentrate more on his broadcasting career. Often times on his radio program he says he's a businessman first and commentator second, but he really has the talent to work full time in front of a camera.
He needs a show on Fox.
To that end, I think someone, maybe someone who listens to Schiff daily and is precluded from raising money for a candidate for office or commenting on foreign affairs and runs a small but insightful commentary on excessive USG action should start an effort to get Schiff a cable news program.
I'm going on vacation soon. I'm going to get on a plane and I'm going to fly away for a few weeks to someplace with nice beaches and casinos and no threat of frost or snow. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone for. I have some time and (thanks in many ways to Schiff's advice) money to spend. When I get back, I will elaborate on this. Posting will be sporadic until then......
Sensible libertarian views on nearly everything- except foreign affairs.