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

For Zombie companies that do not have cash flow to sustain their business, they must issue more stock or borrow to keep operating. How does the ultimate collapse occur? Gradual, then absolute!

The collapse of a zombie company, a firm that cannot generate enough operating cash flow to cover its debt service and must rely on issuing equity or borrowing more, follows a predictable sequence of financial stress events. This predictability is crucial in understanding the systemic implications of such collapses.

"The Invisible Obstacle: How Secretive Bureaucracies Undermine Progress"

Many employees are so entrenched in their jobs as to create an aura of business activity without disclosing anything to the manager or the leadership. Sally has been with us so long that “I’m confident she is doing her job.” But Sally is deeply entrenched, while playing the quiet-quitting and quiet resignation. She is victimizing her company. This is particularly prevalent when affirmative action is part of the equation.

Mark Twain: The Life and Times

Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri, and grew up in Hannibal. This Mississippi River town later inspired the fictional St. Petersburg in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. His childhood was marked by both idyllic river life and harsh realities like poverty, disease, and slavery, which profoundly influenced his later writings.

Long-Term Capital Management Collapse: In 1998, the Event was a Significant in Financial History that Warrants a Detailed study.

The shortcomings of financial leverage, computerized annualization, market hype, and moral hazards. A great read is the book “Conspiracy of Fools,” about the collapse of LTCM.

What is the Impact of Financial Leverage On Investment Yields? Understanding the potential benefits of financial leverage can be a game-changer for your investment strategy.

The impact of financial leverage differs significantly between stocks and real estate, primarily due to differences in asset characteristics, financing structures, volatility, and income generation.

Truth and Illusion in American Politics: An Analysis of Facts, Frames, and the Post-Truth Challenges.

In an era where the battle between objective facts and manufactured narratives is shaping American politics, understanding the difference between truth and illusion is more crucial than ever.

Police State, Tyranny, Authoritarianism, and Totalitarianism:

Understanding the Differences and Lessons for Modern Governance

Social Security Trust Fund Illusion of Safety: What Americans Should Know

For decades, Americans have been told that the Social Security Trust Fund is a reserve of assets set aside to pay future benefits. In everyday language, “trust fund” evokes an image of money invested and waiting to be drawn down.

Engagement Matters More Than You Think: The Hidden Driver of Productivity

Executives often focus on tools, generally technical, time management, and objectives and key results (OKRs). However, the key factor that consistently distinguishes ordinary performance from exceptional results is engagement.

Intrinsic Motivation: Why People Want to Learn, Work, and Excel Without Coercion

People do not need compulsion from the state—or any heavy-handed authority—to learn and get ahead. They need conditions that unlock the empowering force of intrinsic motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh: A Distinctive, Iconic Character of Dreariness, Sadness, and Hopelessness.

Eeyore is one of A.A. Milne’s most iconic characters, introduced in Winnie-the-Pooh (1926). He is an old, grey stuffed donkey who lives in the Hundred Acre Wood in a place called “Eeyore’s Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad.”

Mr. Rogers: The Life and Times

Fred Rogers—known to millions simply as Mr. Rogers—was a profoundly influential figure in American television and childhood education

How connected is the USA to Israel?

The relationship between the U.S. and Israel is not just a bilateral alliance, but a unique and significant factor in global geopolitics. It stands as one of the most financially and politically intertwined alliances in the world, underscoring its exceptional nature--In terms of payments to, and in turn, Israel lobbying the U.S legislature for preferential treatment?

Entitlement Arbitrage: Property Owners Unlocking Hidden Value in California Real Estate

California’s evolving land use laws have created a rare window of opportunity for real estate property owners and investors. With the state now overriding local municipalities in the approval process, properties once constrained by zoning limitations can now be repositioned for high-density residential development—dramatically increasing their value.

Why Mutual Cooperation Is Breaking Down—and What’s Driving It

For decades, commerce and civic life rested on an implicit social contract: cooperation and mutual respect.

John Stuart Mill’s Contributions to Freedom: Historical Context and Impact

“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.”

John Stuart Mill: Historical Context and Enduring Impact

John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) wrote in the long shadow of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian reform era—a period marked by expanding literacy, democratization, religious pluralism, and unprecedented social mobility, but also by entrenched hierarchies and intense pressure to conform.

Police State, Tyranny, Authoritarianism, and Totalitarianism: Understanding the Differences and Lessons for Modern Governance

Throughout history, societies have grappled with different forms of oppressive governance. While terms like police state, tyranny, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism are often used interchangeably, they describe distinct political realities. Understanding these differences is crucial for recognizing early warning signs in modern democracies.

W. Edwards Deming: The Architect of Modern Quality Management

W. Edwards Deming (1900–1993) was a statistician, engineer, and management visionary whose ideas transformed global industry. Best known for his work in post-war Japan, Deming introduced principles that shifted quality from an inspection-based activity to a management-driven, systemic process.

Joseph Juran and the Pareto Principle: How 80/20 Thinking Transformed Quality Management

Joseph Juran, a pioneer in quality management, introduced the transformative power of the Pareto Principle—the idea that a small number of causes often account for the majority of effects.