Zitat des Tages von David Harsanyi:
Few things trigger fear and misconception more than economic tribulation, and nothing prompts elected officials to react with more simplistic populism.
My parents both defected from communist Hungary and were what most people would today call libertarian. I grew up with a general distaste for taxation and any policy that intruded on our lives.
Democracy allows rhetoric, false empathy and emotion to pummel rational thinking - so it's no wonder so many politicians thrive in it.
A cultural shift is not always an ideological one - or at least not always the one you imagine. Our norms are always evolving.
I don't think that voters should be fixated on public policy. In a healthy republic, they wouldn't have to worry every waking hour about what their government is doing.
Progressivism is the belief that we have too much freedom with which to make too many stupid choices.
Simplification of the tax code would not only unlock dormant economic potential, but, in the process, it would blunt the preferred weapon of social engineers, who reward favored industries, punish success and distort economic incentives.
The problem is that Americans use the state as a moral compass. For libertarians, it is often frustrating to explain that advocating the decriminalization of x is not synonymous with endorsing x.
Biblical movies need not sermonize, just be honest to the foundational story. As powerful as the message is for people of faith, it's really great storytelling.
It would probably strike the average politician as absurd to argue that the best way to fix the economy is to stop trying to 'fix it.'
It's difficult for democracy to function properly under the most favorable circumstances, but it has no chance at all when millions of voters are divorced from objective reality and incapable of understanding what is going on in Washington.
A boatload of government money is indeed a gift. Unless, I suppose, you're one of the saps paying for the cargo.
Whether you're a believer or not, a flawed biblical epic is going to be more entertaining than a remake of a Paul Verhoeven movie or some third-rate sci-fi flick.
Anyone who's had a casual conversation with his neighbors or is cognizant of reality TV should already be petrified of democracy.
Every decade or so, Hollywood has an epiphany. It turns out faith-based audiences enjoy going to the movies, too.
If progressives were interested in mitigating inequality, they would support the dynamism of free markets to allow the merit of ideas, products and services to win the day rather than stifle companies and pick winners in the name of imagined 'progress.'
Throughout the Old Testament, God warns his chosen people about the perils of assimilation, shiksappeal and false gods.
Now, admittedly, Twitter can be entertaining on occasion, as it turns out that 140 characters offers a great chance to be misunderstood - and an even greater chance one will expose his inner troglodyte.
If had to label myself, I guess classical liberal would be best.
In summation, like your beloved pet rock, Twitter is useful only in your imagination.
For Philistines like me, the mysteries of Washington can be both perplexing and wondrous.
Political correctness is one of the engines of nannyism. Allowing and even encouraging 'offensive' ideas is vital for the intellectually health of a free society.
When I was younger, I was drawn to Ayn Rand books and other works of fiction celebrating individualism.
You'll often hear the left lecture about the importance of dissent in a free society.
Are you sick and tired of these moralizing moralizers imposing their morality on the rest of us? I know I am.
The crusade to convince us that global warming can only be dealt with by wealth destruction and higher energy prices began with an effort to 'raise awareness,' which turned into some delicate nanny-state prodding before efforts to artificially inflate prices.
The Founding Fathers worried that 'some common impulse of passion' might lead many to subvert the rights of the few. It's a rational fear, one that is played out endlessly.
You will notice that the Occupy Wall Street crowds - and the progressives who support them - focus on bringing the wealthy down to earth rather than lifting the 99 percent. They have a nearly religious belief that too much wealth is fundamentally immoral and unhealthy for society.
You don't have to get things done all the time to be productive.
