One of the great things about attending events like Liberty Fund seminars is that you meet tons of interesting people.
For instance, at a recent seminar I met Don Boudreaux an economics professor who teaches at George Mason and who also runs the Cafe Hayek blog.
Anyway, one of Boudreaux's hobbies is writing letters to the editor. He writes tons of them to papers like the Washington Post and New York Times.
Here's a letter he recently sent to the Times that's sure to raise the ire of both the right and left:
Paul Krugman is confused ("Know-Nothing Politics," August 8).
While I agree that Bush's attack on Iraq was both stupid and immoral, many of the reasons that persons on the left (such as Mr. Krugman) offer against military intervention abroad apply equally to "liberals'" case for government intervention domestically.
Just as many on the right naively fantasize that foreign problems are best solved by force, "liberals" fantasize that domestic problems - real and imaginary - are best solved by force.
Jobs disappearing in Ohio? No problem - force Americans to buy fewer foreign goods.
Too many Americans without health insurance? Force taxpayers to give it to them. The "distribution" of income doesn't satisfy some Very Caring Person's criterion? Government should forcibly redistribute.
A mine collapses in West Virginia? Uncle Sam should force mine-owners to increase safety. See? All very simple.
Unlike Mr. Krugman, I believe that both political parties are the party of the stupid - specifically Republicans are the party of the stupid and the hypocritical and the Democrats are the party of the stupid and the arrogant.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
... Thanks for printing this one.
ReplyDelete... Except for his senseless last line, he clearly distinguishes between the use of force and freedom in achieving values- a crucial lesson these days.
... It is equally essential to recognise that there is no middle ground between the two.