Letter to the editor, 10.27.09

My following letter to the Daily Beacon, the U. of Tennessee’s student newspaper, appeared on October 27, 2009.
For an exemplary misunderstanding of economics, freedom, and human action, refer to Amien Essif’s October 19 column, “Resisting self-interest an act of freedom”.
 In order to understand the human world, we must first recognize that each and every person [...]

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s false mandate

In my many college political science courses, I have yet to meet a professor who did not subscribe to the belief that Franklin D. Roosevelt was given a mandate by the people to institute his New Deal reforms.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Like many elected since, President Roosevelt attained office through deception. [...]

Free market, profit incentive eliminate racism

I relay the following explanation, which I gave to an anonymous friend who believed that the free market fosters racism, and could not understand why he was wrong.
Okay, I will explain, with a preface.  Your hypothetical situation, in which many employers are racists, assumes that free people are, in large part, naturally racist and averse [...]

Keynes and the “intellectuals” v. America

I wrote an email about John Maynard Keynes a couple of weeks ago that I want to share with you.  It was to my mother.  As a university instructor, she receives emails from intellectual colleagues of all fields, who often know little or nothing of economics, but strongly support Keynesian theories.  Such professors, living comfortably [...]

A letter concerning economic reality

As a response to this bloomberg.com article, which declares and celebrates the end of laissez-faire economic influence, I shared with my mother (who forwarded the article to me) thoughts so relevant to the economic discussion in America today, they are worth repeating here:
This article, besides unpardonably confounding economic liberty with imperial oppression and brutal dictatorhip, [...]

Emerson cherished gold standard, limited government

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writing is popular among progressives, who often share his criticisms of materialism, simony, and intolerance.  When I began reading his complete works, I wrongly expected to see “progressive” economic and political views; I did not.  I was surprised to learn that, regarding the size and scope of government, Emerson is at odds [...]

Open bailout opposition letter to Congress

“That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.” – Thomas Jefferson
There is a lot of hype in Washington this week, a lot of short-term thinking, but very little honest reflection and philosophically sound governance based on the long term prospects of the American economy.  Jefferson was right: our financial markets [...]

Want some bad debt? Bailing on America.

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” – Presidential Oath of Office in its entirety
“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face!  It’s just a goddamn piece of [...]

B.J. Lawson: a common sense conservative

Remember when Republicans were elected to downsize government? In 1994, the American people were inspired by the prospects of economic freedom to vote Republicans into office. In 2001, George W. Bush was expected to come in and aid them in that effort. It did not happen. Under Bush and the Republican [...]

The market miracle of a pencil named Leonard Read

“The mere preservation of what we have so far achieved depends on the coordination of individual efforts by impersonal forces.” – F.A. Hayek
In a remarkable essay explaining the wonders of the free market, “I, Pencil”, Leonard Read takes on the role of–you guessed it–a pencil, simple and wooden, but as he explains, not so [...]