Our Voice:

We live in a time of mass economic illiteracy and mass monetary delusion.

The Illiteracy: The public is taught that they can live off of one another’s income and labor and, if they are only vocal enough, they have the right to appropriate – to take – from those that may have more or from those they think have more.

The Delusion: We have been taught – and it is reinforced everyday in the media and by politicians – the poisonous lie that we can get something for nothing.

The public has not been taught how Ethics, Natural Law, Private Property and Sound Money are pillars that support a more peaceful and harmoniously cooperative world.

Our Voice, your voice, will help educate the public to understand that Economics is two things that can – and needs to be – learned by all:

1. The understanding of the management of the resources and stuff of life, and
2. The understanding of our Human Ecology, our Human Environment

We all have a choice to cooperate in harmony with others – or not.

About Us

Founder, Michael McKay

Capping a 20 year career in sales to the Fortune 100, Michael McKay founded Iowa Capital Management (ICM) in 1994.  ICM is an investment firm with an international clientèle, where he currently serves as Chief Economist and President.

Michael has been a life long student of how the world works and, specifically, what incentives and motivations cause people to choose to cooperate in harmony with each other – or not. This naturally led him to study the integration of Economics, History, Law and, in particular, Ethics which Michael considers the foundation of Law and Economics.  It is Michael’s thesis that together these form our Human Ecology.

As Ludwig von Mises said:

“…all problems are linked to one another.  In dealing with any part of the body of knowledge one deals actually with the whole.  Economics … invariably deals with all the phenomena of action.”

For the past decade Michael has deeply studied and vocally advocated ‘Reality Economics’, a term he coined for what academics call ‘Austrian Economics’.

Michael believes we have entered an era where reality is not optional. Understanding this development is required of everyone wishing to survive, and ultimately prosper, in this climate of economic transformation.

Executive Director, Patrick Barron

Professor Patrick Barron is a private consultant in the banking industry.

He teaches in the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin and teaches Austrian Economics at the University of Iowa.

Pat is a sought after speaker who has been, on numerous occasions, invited to present the principles of Reality Economics to Members of the European Parliament in London, England and Strasbourg, France.

He also blogs at http://www.patrickbarron.blogspot.com.

Special Commentator, Chris Oppermann

Chris is in the class of 2013 at Harvard University, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in economics. His interests in economics began in high school, when he was introduced to the works of Milton Friedman and Thomas Woods. Since then, he has attended Mises University 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 as well as Acton University 2008, 2009, and 2010. He was also a 2010 Koch Summer Fellow at the Acton Institute and a 2012 Summer Fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

Chris’s main interests are Austrian Economics, political economy, and the relationship between free markets and morality, particularly Catholic Social Teaching.

Initially raised in Mexico City, Chris now calls Sandy Springs, GA, his home.

Special Commentator, Luke McGrath

Luke graduated from Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, with a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) and a Bachelor of Social Science (Politics and International Relations).

He is a scholar of the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation which is based in Perth, Western Australia. He is also the Development Director of Liberty Australia (www.la.org.au).

In January 2009 Luke completed a month-long internship at the Lion Rock Institute in Hong Kong and in August 2009 was awarded the Kennard Freedom Prize and traveled to Bodrum,Turkey to attend the Property and Freedom Society Conference. Luke is a 2010 graduate of Mises University. Luke currently resides in New York City.

Special Commentator, Drew Hjelm

Drew graduated from the University of Iowa in 2012 and holds a Bachelors of Economics and Management Information Systems. He is a Veteran of the United States Army, where he was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan working in communications.

Seeing Peter Schiff and Ron Paul talking about the economic crisis on television led him to study more about Austrian Economics.

He is a graduate of Mises University in 2010 and 2011. He blogs at Ad Libertad.wordpress.com

Special Commentator, Andy Katherman

Andy graduated from the University of Iowa and holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Management Information Systems. During the events surrounding the financial collapse of 2008, he started educating himself by reading the works of Ron Paul, Thomas Woods, Peter Schiff, Murray Rothbard, and other scholars from Mises.org and LewRockwell.com.

Andy’s interests include history, political economy and ethics. He works full time as a .Net Developer and helps keep our website running smoothly.

Andy blogs at:  libertyforlaymen.