POLITICS

The basic and crucial political issue of our age is: capitalism versus socialism, or freedom versus statism. For decades, this issue has been silenced, suppressed, evaded, and hidden under the foggy, undefined rubber-terms of “conservatism” and “liberalism” which had lost their original meaning and could be stretched to mean all things to all men. – AYN RAND

A Pro-Capitalist Foreign Policy (Part 7 of 10)

In the present-day world, a procapitalist foreign policy is indistinguishable from a pro-American foreign policy.

Nonsense Ideas About Economics

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There are some ideas and feelings that sound plausible but given just a wee bit of thought can be shown to border on lunacy. Let’s examine a few. Some U.S. companies have been accused of exploiting Third World workers with poor working conditions and low wages....

Social Security is a Monstrous Injustice

Social Security is a Monstrous Injustice

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Throughout the nation, a fierce debate rages over Social Security. One side, led by President Bush, says the system is in crisis and must be saved via “partial privatization.” The other side says the system is basically sound and can be saved with a little...

Multiculturalism’s Real Agenda

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Back to school nowadays means back to classrooms, lessons and textbooks permeated by multiculturalism and its championing of “diversity.” Many parents and teachers regard multiculturalism as an indispensable educational supplement, a salutary influence...

Washington’s Make-Believe Policy on Iran

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The Bush administration claims to have a way to deter the militant theocracy of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons–and thwart its ambition to bring “death to America.” Washington’s plan aims to pressure Teheran, financially and...

Panic in Boston

Panic in Boston

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A few weeks ago, men working for an advertising agency installed light screens in cities to promote a Cartoon Network program. No one seemed alarmed by the signs featuring cartoon characters flipping the bird — until suddenly, weeks after the promotion began,...

World Poverty

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If you’re looking for a map of world poverty, check out the “2007 Index of Economic Freedom” jointly published by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. You might think that’s a strangely titled source for a poverty map. The 13th...

Property Rights After the Kelo Decision

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“Imprimis” is Hillsdale College’s monthly publication that has over 1.25 million readers. It’s Hillsdale’s way of sharing the ideas of the many distinguished speakers invited to their campus. And, I might add, Hillsdale College is one of...

Faith's War against Worldliness

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  “The Muslim loves death and martyrdom, just as you love life. There is a great difference between he who loves the Hereafter and he who loves this world. The Muslim loves death and seeks Martyrdom.” So declared an Islamic clergyman in Jerusalem just...

Doctors Shrugging

Doctors Shrugging

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Doctors should demand to work on their own terms and recognize they have a right to trade their services voluntarily in exchange for what the market will bear.

Portland’s Metro Fraud

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The Federal Highway Administration has apparently reached its limit with Portland’s fantasy transportation planning. In comments filed recently on Metro’s so-called “Regional Transportation Plan”, the federal government noted that,...

Big, Big Government

Big, Big Government

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Two weeks ago, U.S. drug agents launched raids on 11 medical-marijuana centers in Los Angeles County. The U.S. attorney’s office says they violated the laws against cultivation and distribution of marijuana. Whatever happened to America’s federal system,...

Potter’s Morals vs. Bible’s Magic

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Christians have it backward. If you’re worried about your child obsessing over magic, it’s not Harry Potter you should guard against; it’s the Bible. Author J.K. Rowling doesn’t bill her writing as anything other than fiction. Youngsters are...

Subsidized “Free Trade” Is Not Free Trade

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For a small-scale corn farmer driven out of business in Mexico by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the fancy economic theories about the benefits of “free trade” might not seem too believable. As the theory of comparative advantage goes,...

Life In Junior High, Part 1

Life In Junior High, Part 1

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When I tell people that I teach literature to junior high students, the response is nearly universal: an expression of profound sympathy. Teaching junior high is regarded as a martyr’s job, to be taken on only by those with such a selfless commitment to children...

Losing Sleep over the Trade Deficit?

Losing Sleep over the Trade Deficit?

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I’m told to worry about the trade deficit. Commentators and populist politicians are wringing their hands. The trade deficit is a “malignant tumor in the intestines of the U.S. economy,” says Pat Buchanan. Lou Dobbs is very upset that...

Trade Deficits: Good or Bad?

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Two recent articles ought to give pause to current political and journalistic ignorance, perhaps demagoguery, about our international trade deficit. In a December Wall Street Journal article titled “Embrace the Deficit,” Bear Stearns’ chief economist...

An Open Letter to Businesspeople

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Entrepreneurs, risk-takers, men and women of creative ability, of talent, of inventiveness, of productive achievement–for what you do, you are good! Yes, good–as in “moral,” “ethical,” “virtuous.” Throughout history,...

Writing and Understanding

Writing and Understanding

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Several weeks ago, in my article “Pattern Recognition vs. Real Understanding,” I stressed the crucial connection between writing and understanding: For the student to write explanations, in complete sentences, about every subject–whether history,...

Trans Fat Ban

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In the wake of New York City’s ban on restaurant use of trans fat, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the ban is “not going to take away anybody’s ability to go out and have the kind of food they want, in the quantities they want. . . . We are just trying...

Is This Any Way to Help the Homeless?

Is This Any Way to Help the Homeless?

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Mary Baker and Ruth Neikirk love to cook. What’s more, they love to cook for poor people. They do it frequently, preparing meals at home and bringing them to their church in Virginia. “I love it,” Mary says. “I can take a little bit of...

Sticking it to Low-Skilled Workers

Sticking it to Low-Skilled Workers

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In the first hundred hours of the just-started session of Congress, the new leadership promises to raise the minimum wage. The Democrats won’t be opposed by many Republicans. President Bush says he’ll go along with a higher minimum wage if it’s...

Rules More Important Than Personalities

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Not that many complimentary things are said about politicians. When a problem arises, people say, “Government ought to do something.” They seem to have forgotten that it’s the politicians who are running the government. Many think things can be...

Pluto, Democracy and Science

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Back in September 2006, Gus Van Horn blogged about a first grade teacher who got her students to start a school-wide petition to protest the demotion of Pluto to “dwarf planet” status on the grounds of “sticking up for the little guy,” (or more...

The Imperative of Lecturing

The Imperative of Lecturing

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Every class in elementary and junior high school should be in a lecture format. The teacher must be an authority on the subject, he must grasp its basic purpose, he must carefully define the knowledge to be conveyed by reference to that purpose, and he must present...

America’s Sanction of its Enemies

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On March 1, 1973, eight Palestinian Black September killers stormed the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Khartoum during a send-off party for American Charges d’Affairs George C. Moore. They took Moore, U.S. Ambassador Cleo A. Noel, Jr., Belgian Charges d’Affairs...

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