Author Archives: Ray
Definition of Philosophy
The definition of philosophy — judging, at least, from very nearly every philosophical dictionary on the planet — has confounded philosophers for centuries, the concept being “too large,” it is sometimes said, to properly capture in concise fashion. Yet at the same time, in all branches of philosophy, minutia is cataloged to complete weariness. This…
Middle-of-the-Road Policy Leads to Socialism
Economics deals with society’s fundamental problems; it concerns everyone and belongs to all. It is the main and proper study of every citizen (Ludwig von Mises, Human Action). The following address was delivered before the University Club of New York, April 18, 1950, by Doctor Ludwig von Mises: How Middle-of-the-Road Policy Leads to Socialism The…
Lt. Col. Terry Lakin Refuses To Deploy To Afghanistan; Considers Obama “Illegal”; Faces Army Court Martial
From NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski and Mark Murray U.S. military officials tell NBC News that the U.S. Army will court martial a lieutenant colonel who refuses to deploy to Afghanistan because he considers orders from President Obama to be “illegal.” Army doctor Lt. Col. Terry Lakin believes Obama does not meet the constitutional requirements to be…
Live Free Or Die In The Show-Me State
This giant billboard was posted along I-70 in Lafayette County, Missouri. If you can’t quite make it out, it displays this message: “A Citizens Guide to Revolution of a corrupt government.” It then displays the following list of actions: 1. Starve the Beast. 2. Vote out incumbents. 3. If steps, 1 & 2 fail? Prepare…
The Green Jobs Racket Exposed (Again)
Here’s an economic axiom which we’ve discussed here before, but which in this day and age is always worth repeating: If something is economically tenable, it never ever needs to be subsidized. The latest concretization of this fact comes from none other than the state-run Associated Press: After a year of crippling delays, President Barack…
An Easy Way To Prove That Healthcare is NOT A Right
Dr. Jack Cassell is a urologist in Florida. Just recently, he put the following notice on his Mount Dora practice: “If you voted for Obama, seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years.” Cassell told reporters that he wasn’t refusing care to patients; he wanted only to educate…
Easter And Its Origins
A reader writes: Dear Sir: Why do rabbits and eggs represent Easter, which also celebrates the resurrection of Christ? — Peter Dear Peter: Easter primarily represents the advent of springtime, just as Christ’s resurrection does. The Old-English word Eastre derives from an Anglo-Saxon Pagan goddess named Eostre, about whom very little is known. What we…
Myths About Markets
There are approximately twenty million myths about markets and market capitalism, one of the most common being this: Markets don’t work well (or are inefficient) when there are negative or positive “externalities.” Here’s how Tom Palmer, philosopher and economist, bunks that canard: The mere existence of an externality is no argument for having the state…
The Truckdriver
The trucker who lives next door is seldom home. He’s a long-haul trucker, he’s over-the-road. He earns good money and does not spend. Something of the ascetical about him. He’s forty. His hair is long. He wears jeans and combat boots. Sallow and haggard, his face is handsome nevertheless. His willowy wife does not ride…
How Capitalism Enriches The Poor And The Working Class
When portable radios first appeared in American stores, the average American worker had to labor 13 hours to buy one; today he or she toils for about 1 hour. In the 1920s it took 79 hours of work to buy a nice men’s suit; today it takes less than half that. At the beginning of…
Seven Simple Rules for Health Care Reform
The 2000-plus-page ObamaCare legislation would of course obliterate any remnants of free-market medicine that still exists in this country, and in so doing it would not lower the cost of medicine, nor would it improve medical quality, nor would it ultimately insure more people, as the democrats themselves admit. The reason American medicine is so…
Political Theory: Theory of Government
Political theory is the theory of government. It is a sub-branch of ethics, and economics, in turn, is a sub-branch of politics. Ethics — the science of human action — precedes politics because politics is the science of human action in societies, and societies are composed only of individuals. For this reason, the individual has…
Rack and Pinion Steering
A reader writes: Dear Ray: What exactly is rack and pinion steering? Thanks, — Claude Bawls Dear Claude Bawls: The steering rack, as it’s known in the parlance of the trade, is a long iron bar, flat on one side, with thin serrations, known as “teeth,” which run the entire length of the steering rack.…
Are The Fish Really Being Mercury Poisoned?
If you smell something fishy in this latest wave of methyl mercury talk, the reason is that there is something fishy in it — very fishy — and it stinks to high heaven. Don’t be lured in. The relevant facts are these: In this country, there hasn’t been a single scientifically documented case of fish-related…
Vasily Grossman
The following is from Chapter 30 of my book Leave Us Alone — A Capitalist Credo: The Russian writer Vasily Grossman was born in 1905 in what is now the Ukrainian town of Berdichev. At that time, Berdichev was still part of the Russian Empire. Vasily Grossman attended high school in Kiev and then the…