Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

The American Enterprise

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

Choosing Between the Crowd and the Truth: A Practical Guide

In business and life, we often face a tough choice: Do we follow the safety of the crowd—or stand alone for the truth?

7 Strategies to Build Personal Power and Influence

Personal power isn’t about titles or authority—it’s about the ability to influence outcomes, inspire others, and maintain control over your own life. True power is a blend of internal strength and external perception. Here are seven practical strategies to help you build both.

Building Personal Power: From Inner Agency to Outward Influence

You shape the outcome, but others decide on your credibility and trust. They are the ones who determine if you have power.

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.

Ever Wondered What ‘Irrational Exuberance’ Means in the World of Finance and Beyond?

“Irrational exuberance” refers to unjustified or overly optimistic investor behavior that drives asset prices far beyond their fundamental value. In other words, it’s when enthusiasm and speculation in markets become detached from economic reality.

Systemic Barriers to Learning Critical Thinking in U.S. Public Schools: What to Do About Them

When was the last time we heard of one or more classes designed to help children function in society, such as business mathematics? How about classes that contain education on obtaining a job, budgeting, awareness of the business, and profit-motivated industries, as opposed to public financing, and where public funding comes from, taxation, hidden taxation, inflation, and the reduction of the purchasing power of their hard-earned dollars from their wages?

Irrational Exuberance Was First Used to Describe an Overly Optimistic Business Environment

“Irrational exuberance” refers to unjustified or overly optimistic investor behavior that drives asset prices far beyond their fundamental value. In other words, it’s when enthusiasm and speculation in markets become detached from economic reality.

Motivation Isn’t a Mood—It’s a System. Build It Like One.

When we discuss motivation, we often envision conscious decisions, such as setting goals, making plans, and propelling ourselves forward. However, the staggering revelation that up to 95% of our behavior is driven by subconscious processes—patterns and beliefs that operate beneath our awareness-opens a fascinating window into our minds. If we’ve ever wondered why we sabotage our own goals or struggle to stay consistent, the answer likely lives in this powerful, yet often overlooked, part of our mind.

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.

How to Create a Set of Daily Action Habits that will Boost Productivity

Building a series of daily action habits for productivity works best when you combine clarity, consistency, and accountability.

The 80/20 Rule: How Empowering is the Application?

The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) is highly applicable in productivity, but its effectiveness depends on how you implement it.

How Are FICO Scores Calculated, and Why Are They Important?

✅ How FICO Scores Are Calculated

Makers or Takers: America’s Crossroads

America was built on a foundation of self-reliance, innovation, and personal accountability. Yet today, we face a pressing cultural and economic shift: too many are being incentivized to become takers rather than makers. This isn’t just a financial problem—it’s a philosophical one that demands our immediate attention.

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.

“Just Going Through The Motions:” Turning Employees Into High Engagement Dedicated To Achieving Company Goals: Management Guide

For every minute, every hour, and every day that employees maintain a state of non-productivity, a company bureaucracy and a counterforce to productivity are created. Hiring more of the same is not the solution.

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