If you didn't hear this exchange, you really missed out. Milton Friedman was having an interview with Phil Donahue and the subject came around to Capitalist Greed. Friedman, in a voice that was level, self-assured and, above all, calm just completely destroyed Donahue and every other Communist/Socialist/Marxist/Leftist/Statist out there, EVER. This was the reasoned discourse you wish you could find on the alphabet networks. No shouting, no hysterics, just two men trying to be reasonable with each other. Here's the money quote:
Donahue: When you see around the globe the mal-distribution of wealth, the desperate plight of millions of people in underdeveloped countries, when you see so few haves and so many have-nots, when you see the greed and the concentration of power, did you ever have a moment of doubt about capitalism and whether greed’s a good idea to run on?
Friedman: Well, first of all, tell me is there some society you know that doesn’t run on greed? You think Russia doesn’t run on greed? You think China doesn’t run on greed? What is greed? Of course none of us are greedy; its only the other fellow who’s greedy.
The world runs on individuals pursuing their separate interests. The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus. Einstein didn’t construct his theory under order from a bureaucrat. Henry Ford didn’t revolutionize the automobile industry that way. In the only cases in which the masses have escaped from the kind of grinding poverty you’re talking about, the only cases in recorded history are where they have had capitalism and largely free trade. If you want to know where the masses are worst off, it’s exactly in the kinds of societies that depart from that. So that the record of history is absolutely crystal clear: that there is no alternative way so far discovered of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by a free enterprise system.
Donahue: But it seems to reward not virtue as much as ability to manipulate the system.
Friedman: And what does reward virtue? You think the communist commissar rewards virtue? You think a Hitler rewards virtue? You think – excuse me, if you will pardon me – do you think American presidents reward virtue? Do they choose their appointees on the basis of the virtue of the people appointed or on the basis of their political clout? Is it really true that political self interest is nobler somehow than economic self interest? You know I think you are taking a lot of things for granted. Just tell me where in the world you find these angels who are going to organize society for us? Well, I don’t even trust you to do that.
********
Neal Boortz aptly described the exchange as a battle of wits, to which Donahue came unarmed.
********
Friday, November 05, 2010
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Just what is America's culture?
I think we have lost our culture in pursuit of our own individual life, liberty and happiness. We have forgotten that we need to be respectful and tolerant of others. Ironically and perhaps inconceivably to too many, by accepting that responsibility we are freer. We must accept the central premise of responsibility and respect for one another in order to freely enjoy our own pursuits. Too many of us have become too strident, too intolerant.
Take for instance that jerk at the Discovery offices. To him, climate change was paramount. In my opinion it was ok for him to proselytize to urge others to act. When he harmed and threatened others to persuade them to his point of view he crossed the line and shirked his responsibilities. Similarly, others who use their wealth or guile to mislead, bend and misinform shirk their responsibilities.
If we desire freedom, then we must accept responsibility for ourselves, for our actions and for our welfare. If we accept that responsibility then government need not provide for us, to enact a social agenda. Government should simply support a free, open and tolerant society.
To me, that is our culture and I wish we could get back to it.
Take for instance that jerk at the Discovery offices. To him, climate change was paramount. In my opinion it was ok for him to proselytize to urge others to act. When he harmed and threatened others to persuade them to his point of view he crossed the line and shirked his responsibilities. Similarly, others who use their wealth or guile to mislead, bend and misinform shirk their responsibilities.
If we desire freedom, then we must accept responsibility for ourselves, for our actions and for our welfare. If we accept that responsibility then government need not provide for us, to enact a social agenda. Government should simply support a free, open and tolerant society.
To me, that is our culture and I wish we could get back to it.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Start collecting the oil, STUPID!!!
Obama is thinking about the oil spill ... and what he can do ... and what the government should do ... and what BP can do ... and he's right on top of BP's efforts ... and he's mad as hell ... and he's ordered them to stop the spill ... and blah, blah, blah!
SO, why isn't he and the government doing something about collecting the oil that's already out in the gulf and floating around and waiting to be collected???
NO, I am not making a request here for more or bigger government or more or better government oversight. I am not being hypocritical. We NEED to do what we can NOW to collect the oil and we NEED to send BP the bill!
I am saying is that there is a tremendous amount of oil freely floating about in the Gulf and all our federal, state and local governments and private citizens should be trying to collect the already escaped oil instead of simply thinking about the problem!!
Just to be clear, that was meant as a dig against our president who says he's thinking about the problem when he wakes up in the morning and before he goes to sleep at night. He didn't mention it, but, ... does the spill elude him during the day? But I digress.
Ahem, ... if President Obama is thinking about the spill so much, why hasn't he thought about collecting the freely floating oil? Why hasn't he ordered resources to collect the millions of gallons of free floating oil that that everyone says is the biggest natural disaster in the history of the U.S.?
Let me proffer a couple of suggestions why he's not.
Remember when Rahm Emanuel said never waste a good crisis? Perhaps, just perhaps, the President and his cabal are letting this go so they can press their agenda AGAINST more drilling and FOR Cap and Trade. Letting the oil spread while he puts on a public face of concern and outrage nicely dovetails with President Obama's Hopey, Changey thing that got him elected. Yeah, that's pretty evil idea; but, it could be true. And the rational for it being true is this could be the crisis that wakes the American people up to a green agenda, off our dependence for foreign oil and stops us from sending billions to countries that don't like us. Admirable goals that Saul Alinsky would say justify any action or, in this case, inaction to achieve.
Don't believe President Obama is that scheming? That manipulative? The President, through Robert Gibbs, has already denied this, so it simply cannot be true. I say this facetiously and I point this out because, well, this is written and you can't see the incredulity on my face.
Well then, what's left? Me personally, if he's not leveraging the opportunity, then it's simple. President Obama's thinking skills are simply too limited to come up with the idea. Bluntly, he's too intellectually challenged! Yeah, that's it!! Just like the schmucks at BP, Deepwater Horizon and Halliburton that erred so spectacularly in thinking that they could and should ignore a couple small problems with the well in the first place, President Obama has mismanaged his response.
Neither is very palatable.
Regardless, please contact your elected officials and tell them to get off their duffs and start implementing strategies to collect the oil!!
I'll be keeping an eye on the beaches near me. Please, if you have some time or the opportunity arises, why not adopt a segment of beach or shoreline like others adopt a segment highway to make and keep our country clean. To you who do, I offer my sincerest thanks.
SO, why isn't he and the government doing something about collecting the oil that's already out in the gulf and floating around and waiting to be collected???
NO, I am not making a request here for more or bigger government or more or better government oversight. I am not being hypocritical. We NEED to do what we can NOW to collect the oil and we NEED to send BP the bill!
I am saying is that there is a tremendous amount of oil freely floating about in the Gulf and all our federal, state and local governments and private citizens should be trying to collect the already escaped oil instead of simply thinking about the problem!!
Just to be clear, that was meant as a dig against our president who says he's thinking about the problem when he wakes up in the morning and before he goes to sleep at night. He didn't mention it, but, ... does the spill elude him during the day? But I digress.
Ahem, ... if President Obama is thinking about the spill so much, why hasn't he thought about collecting the freely floating oil? Why hasn't he ordered resources to collect the millions of gallons of free floating oil that that everyone says is the biggest natural disaster in the history of the U.S.?
Let me proffer a couple of suggestions why he's not.
Remember when Rahm Emanuel said never waste a good crisis? Perhaps, just perhaps, the President and his cabal are letting this go so they can press their agenda AGAINST more drilling and FOR Cap and Trade. Letting the oil spread while he puts on a public face of concern and outrage nicely dovetails with President Obama's Hopey, Changey thing that got him elected. Yeah, that's pretty evil idea; but, it could be true. And the rational for it being true is this could be the crisis that wakes the American people up to a green agenda, off our dependence for foreign oil and stops us from sending billions to countries that don't like us. Admirable goals that Saul Alinsky would say justify any action or, in this case, inaction to achieve.
Don't believe President Obama is that scheming? That manipulative? The President, through Robert Gibbs, has already denied this, so it simply cannot be true. I say this facetiously and I point this out because, well, this is written and you can't see the incredulity on my face.
Well then, what's left? Me personally, if he's not leveraging the opportunity, then it's simple. President Obama's thinking skills are simply too limited to come up with the idea. Bluntly, he's too intellectually challenged! Yeah, that's it!! Just like the schmucks at BP, Deepwater Horizon and Halliburton that erred so spectacularly in thinking that they could and should ignore a couple small problems with the well in the first place, President Obama has mismanaged his response.
Neither is very palatable.
Regardless, please contact your elected officials and tell them to get off their duffs and start implementing strategies to collect the oil!!
I'll be keeping an eye on the beaches near me. Please, if you have some time or the opportunity arises, why not adopt a segment of beach or shoreline like others adopt a segment highway to make and keep our country clean. To you who do, I offer my sincerest thanks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)