“The Tea Party and the Alt-Right are surface expressions of something neither of them fully capture, momentary flecks in a pyroclastic flow. The Tea Party, classically activist, was the last polite grievance by a now largely defunct middle class. Ignored and betrayed by turns, it metamorphosized into the Alt-Right, classically territorial, kickers-in of doors, fronted by berserkers talented at holing the enemy. It sows confusion and fear by being everywhere and nowhere in a merry game of whack-a-mole, most visibly the Pepe meme, after Kek, the frog god of chaos in ancient Egypt.
Just as the Tea Party expanded and metamorphosized into the Alt-Right, so too is the Alt-Right expanding and metamorphosizing. The game is afoot. With ominous groans and shuddering the worm is turning, shaking off the dust of a century and alarming the apparatchiks. Whether the collectivists retreat, attack or go mad is of no lasting consequence. The “business not quite as usual” of the Trumpists will be the good old days of their future.
Data Point – Mass Shootings by President
(H/T: The Truth About Guns)
Notable Quote – James Madison
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
– James Madison
Alas and alack, I fear that this admonishment has fallen on deaf ears, at least in our current times. Thanks to our celebrity / fame oriented culture that care more about who is famous for being, well, famous, it seems that most of our “people” have given up on self-government. Instead, it appears with most “man in the street” interviews I post here, it is clear that they have little care for the important issues that have real meaning and instead, have fallen sway to the modern versions of “bread and circuses”.
Notable Quote – F.A. Hayek
That we can never know all that the people know whose actions determine the formation of prices and the methods and direction of production is, of course, of decisive importance not only for theory. It has also the greatest significance for political action. The fact that much more knowledge contributes to form the order of a market economy than can be known to any one mind or used by any one organization is the decisive reason why a market economy is more effective than any other known type of economic order.
-Prof. F.A. Hayek (Ph.D, Economics, author, writer, lecturer)
Prof. Don Boudreaux adds:
Notable Quote – Bob Higgs
People who think, work, create, invest, plan, and carry out productive projects make the world work. People who collect taxes, create mountains of unnecessary regulations, threatening violence against those who fail to comply with them, and devote vast amounts of extorted resources to wreaking senseless death and destruction at home and abroad also make the … Read more
Notable Quote – Teddy Roosevelt
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” -Theodore Roosevelt (President, Soldier, Naturalist, Adventurer, November 4th, 1910) Even … Read more
Notable Quote – H.L. Mencken
On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. — H. L. Mencken (H/T: RedState)
Notable Quote – Victor Davis Hanson
Orwell was wrong only on his dates. Had he entitled his novel 2016, we would immediately have recognized his parallels to the present “overseas contingency operations,” “violent extremism,” “undocumented immigrants,” and “man-caused disasters.” The campus diversity czar is our Big Brother. Imagining that all lives matter is a thought crime. Due process on a campus … Read more
Notable Quote – Glen Reynolds
Leftism impoverishes and kills, again and again. But politicians like it because it offers them control, and opportunities for graft. Voters like it because, well, it’s a con game designed to take advantage of greed and envy. Remember, under free markets the rich become powerful. But under socialism, the powerful become rich. -Glenn Reynolds (Da … Read more
Notable Quote – Seth Barrett Tillman
“In Western societies, there is now a tremendous disconnect between the traditional political and business elites and the citizenry. The populations of the West now find themselves ruled by a transnational elite who see tradition, loyalty, and patriotism as primitive, and whose promoters within academia, nonprofits, government bodies, labour unions, NGOs, and the media teach … Read more
Notable Quote – Richard Epstein
On (in part) Freedom of association, Government, and public accommodation (emphasis mine): Historically, Title II [of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, with public accommodation provisions] had two potent justifications. The first is that it was a necessary corrective against massive abuses of state power under Jim Crow. Thankfully, that risk is gone today. The … Read more
Notable Quote – Prof. Walter Williams
On minimum wage laws: There are many real-world examples of compensating differences. Full-fledged doctors receive hourly pay that ranges between $80 and $157. A brand-new intern earns about $34 an hour. What do you think would happen to a hospital’s willingness to hire an intern if there were a minimum hourly wage for interns of, … Read more
Notable Quote – Milton Friedman
Fair’ is in the eye of the beholder; ‘free’ is the verdict of the market. The word ‘free’ is used three times in the Declaration of Independence and once in the First Amendment to the Constitution, along with ‘freedom.’ The word ‘fair’ is not used in either of our founding documents. -Milton Friedman, Ph.D, economist, … Read more
Notable Quote – David Boaz
When you lay out a picnic, you get ants. When you hand out more wealth through government, you get lobbyists. The federal budget is the biggest picnic in history. -David Boaz (The Libertarian Mind) (H/T: Cafe Hayek)
Notable Quote – Ronald Reagan
“Freedom is the right to question, and change the established way of doing things. It is the continuing revolution of the marketplace. It is the understanding that allows us to recognize shortcomings and seek solutions. It is the right to put forth an idea, scoffed at by the experts, and watch it catch fire among … Read more
(H/T: Powerline)
Notable Quote – F. A. Hayek
Where it is a question, not of a momentary emergency, but of obtaining the largest supplies over a period and at the least sacrifice of other production, the price mechanism is infinitely superior to any other method. A rise of prices not only forces people to use the commodity sparingly in every possible use, including … Read more
Backwards
CALIFORNIA WILL NOW REQUIRE AN ID AND BACKGROUND CHECK FOR AMMUNITION PURCHASES, BUT… (Wait for it!) …Not to vote. Democrats know that that those that shoot aren’t likely to vote for them. So, why NOT make it harder and more expensive (in time, angst, and effort) to exercise their 2nd Amendment? And as for no … Read more
What Makes America Different?
Nick Adams, a best-selling Australian author, and political commentator gives an outsider’s view of the USA. Prager U