Here’s a very good explanation by J.P. Moreland, professor of philosophy at Biola University, from his recent interview with Hugh Hewitt: A negative right is a right for me to be protected from harm if I try to get something for myself. A positive right would be my right to have something provided for me. […]
Archives for January 2009
Cato Institute to Obama: "Mr. President, We Disagree"
The Cato Institute has taken out a full page ad in some major publications stating that “we the undersigned do not believe that more government spending is a way to improve economic performance.” From their site: President Obama says that “economists from across the political spectrum agree” on the need for massive government spending to […]
Thomas Sowell on the Stimulus
Thomas Sowell has a very thought-provoking column on the stimulus called “What Are They Buying?” I talked yesterday about how government spending is not the way to stimulate the economy. On top of this, Sowell makes note that “out of $355 billion newly appropriated, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that only $26 billion will be […]
Children Are Not a Burden on the Economy
I find Nancy Pelosi’s recent comments shocking. I probably shouldn’t. Denny Burk summarizes her comments well: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is defending the fact that hundreds of millions of dollars of the forthcoming stimulus package are to be spent on “family planning.” Her argument is very simple. The economy is bad. Having babies […]
How Economic Turmoil Breeds Innovation
Wired has a great article on recessions and the birth of big ideas. Recessions are a time to streamline in many ways for sure, but they are also a time to thoughtfully advance — not retreat. The article says this well in many places, including this one: When VCs from Foundation Capital met with their […]
Tomorrow's Inauguration and Thoughts on Looking Back for the Way Ahead
Here’s a schedule of events for tomorrow’s inauguration. This is a good time to take a look back as well as ahead. So in addition to watching Obama’s swearing-in and inaugural address tomorrow, I would recommend watching Reagan’s swearing-in and inaugural address from 1981: I still love Reagan’s timeless line: “Government is not the solution […]
Recessions Are Not for Hunkering Down
Recessions are for recalibrating. Do not take the approach of waiting things out, only to come out on the other side doing the same things you were doing before. The world changes too fast. The recession is a chance to give more focus to adapting to how things have changed — things that have changed […]
Don't Be a Cynic
A cynic is: 1. a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view. 2. a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude. Don’t be one of those people. Don’t be someone who thinks that everyone has ill […]
What is Good About Free Markets
James Stoner has a good article today called “Does Economic Liberty Merit a Public Defense?” His point is that “despite the financial crisis, markets deserve a spirited public defense that acknowledges both their virtues and limits.” He discusses four essential things that free markets provide, and then outlines a few guidelines on regulation. While I […]
Greatness and Modern Historians
I just picked up the book Greatness: Reagan, Churchill, and the Making of Extraordinary Leaders and it’s proving to be a good read. The comparison between Reagan and Churchill has not been often made. But in writing extensively on both individuals, the author began to see the many parallels between these leaders, which he explores […]