Blog Entries

F.A. Hayek on Statists and Central Planners

nedryun@yahoo.com — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

It seems these days when I read Rand or Hayek I am reading something prophetic. Both were writing 40-50 years ago and it seems almost every day the truth of their writings is becoming more and more evident. Just proves that the times change, but the nature of man stays the same. I was reading The Road to Serfdom and came across this section:

"But it would make the very men who are most anxious to plan society the most dangerous is they were allowed to do so-and the most intolerant [...]

First Principles

nedryun@yahoo.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I am growing more and more concerned that the idea of limited government conservatism has been so diluted in its meaning that we've lost sight of what it really means. People proclaim their conservatism, but act in ways that are not true to those principles. Even worse, their identifying themselves as conservatives leaves those watching with badly mistaken idea of what conservatism is actually about. My thinking has been that we have to go back to the basics: teach what conservatism really means [...]

President Obama Wouldn't Hurt a Fly, Eh?

team@americanmajority.org — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

A little light-heartedness for this Wednesday morning. For all those who claim that President Obama is so harmless that he wouldn't hurt a fly, I dare you to watch this video.

As of this posting, the linked video had 21 views. That's 17 more views than the viewership of the show this clip was featured on: Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

American Majority in The American Spectator

nedryun@yahoo.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

There's a nice article about American Majority in the recent edition of The American Spectator. My hope is that many who attended the tea parties, who want to become empowered as better activists or leaders in their communities will tap into American Majority trainings.

Market Entrepreneurs, Political Entrepreneurs and State Economic Development

nedryun@yahoo.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I just finished reading Burton Folsom's The Myth of the Robber Barons. Interesting study of the mythology behind the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, etc. Folsom draws a distinction between two types of entrepreneurs: the market vs. political. The market ones were the true entrepreneurs, who were the innovators and competed effectively in the open market, with the end result being a better and cheaper product for the great populace. The political ones were those who tried to succeed through subsidi [...]

Steel City a Model for Detroit

team@americanmajority.org — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Last week, President Obama announced that the upcoming G-20 summit will be held in Pittsburgh, PA. My first reaction is that this was purely a political move. Hosting a summit in a consistent battleground state next door to another battleground state seemed like a shrewd move. Obama praised the city for its transformation over the past couple decades and how it serves as a model for what is currently facing Detroit and the auto industry.

After reading this comm [...]

Russell Kirk and The American Cause

nedryun@yahoo.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I just finished reading Kirk's The American Cause. I have most of my staff reading it, but I wanted to highlight a few points from the book. Kirk writes that there are three cardinal ideas in western politics: the idea of justice, the idea of order, and the idea of freedom. "Justice is the principle and the process by which each man is accorded the things that are his own-the things that belong to his nature (life, property, rights, station in life, dignity). . . Order is the principle and [...]

Where Does Your State Rank?

team@americanmajority.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

William Ruger and Jason Sorens through the Mercatus Center at George Mason university have released an interesting study on personal and economic freedom in all fifty states. Each state was ranked according to its fiscal policies, regulatory policies, economic freedom, and personal freedom. Finally, the results of each were aggregated into one overall freedom ranking.

The authors claim this study is the first of its kind measuring both economic and personal freedom in all fifty states. In t [...]

The Government's 'Trak' Record in Business

team@americanmajority.org — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Yes I know how to spell track and no I do not believe that the government owning more than 70% of GM (Government Motors?) is a positive thing.

Consider the government's "management" of Amtrak. I wrote a blog about the woes of Amtrak last fall and nothing has a changed. Amtrak remains one of the biggest financial black holes among the many the government has affection for.

After considering Amtrak's record over 35 years, what makes anyone think that sud [...]

Where's the Outrage?

team@americanmajority.org — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Short post for today, but I wanted to share a good read with you. It's one thing to ask for information and allow a person to opt out, it's another thing altogether to make it mandatory and threaten punitive action if one does not comply.

Proof that Raising Taxes on Millionaires Does Not Increase Revenue

nedryun@yahoo.com — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Proof that the ever popular "soak those bad rich people" philosophy actually backfires. Maryland decided to raise the marginal income-tax rate to 6.25%. What did the millionaries in Maryland do? A full third of them left Maryland, causing a revenue shortfall of $100,000,000.00.

Russell Kirk's Ten Conservative Principles

nedryun@yahoo.com — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

An article that is well worth the time to read. I know some would disagree with some of Kirk's conclusions, but I think his insights on moral order are very appropriate.

Ten Conservative Principles

by Russell Kirk

Being neither a religion nor an ideology, the body of opinion termed conservatism possesses no Holy Writ a [...]

Capitalism and the Cheating Ethic

nedryun@yahoo.com — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I'm still staggered by this story of Edmund Andrews of The New York Times.I think Steven Malanga nails it on the head with his article, Capitalism and the Cheating Ethic.

California Voters 'Just Say No'

team@americanmajority.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Nancy Reagan would be proud. On Tuesday, Californians came out to the polls to "just say no" to proposed tax increases and budget reallocations to help trim the state's multibillion dollar shortfalls. The one measure they did pass prohibits lawmakers and other elected officials from receiving pay raises in years where there are budget shortfalls.

Good for California citizens, bad for a legislature and a Governor that has bitten off more than they can chew.

In [...]

F.A. Hayek on Central Planners

nedryun@yahoo.com — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Hayek's The Road to Serfdom is as insightful as ever, even 60 years after it was written. The amazing thing about human nature is how we think that we are more intelligent, more advanced than previous generations, when in fact it might behoove us to observe and learn from both their triumphs and mistakes. I think the section below encapsulates some of the wrong thinking that many, regardless of party, have fallen prey to:

"The movement for planning owes its present strength largely [...]

Our Founding Fathers Never Envisioned This

nedryun@yahoo.com — Mon, 18 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

An excellent piece in the Wall Street Journal about the current state of American politics and earmarks. It has been said that democratic republics last until the people realize they can start voting themselves payraises from the public til. Things cannot continue on like this, or we are going to have serious problems in the very near future. At a certain point, there is no more money. Then what?

Governor Daniels of Indiana smacks down baby boomers

chris@faulknerstrategies.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Governor Daniels of Indiana is not an easy guy to figure out. He confuses members of the press and political people of both parties. Why you ask? Because he is a leader.

Case in point: the Butler University commencement speech of 2009. A nice, safe, warm and fuzzy send off for the graduating class right? Wrong. More like a 2x4 to the collective face of baby boomers.

Read some excerpts from this incredible speech below:

"As a 10-year-old, new to Indiana, Butler bas [...]

I Call it Soda, You Call it Pop, Uncle Sam Calls it Taxed

team@americanmajority.org — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I find it ironic that when a government is searching for revenue (code word for more tax money), it suddenly becomes amazingly innovative. Last year there was a story of a texting tax proposed in California (where else?). Of course, don't get me started on so-called "education" lotteries that are used around the country. While these are not taxes, per se, the government does use these lotteries to prey on the poor and irresponsible.

Today on Drudge there's a [...]

Supreme Court Opening Shines Spotlight on Judicial Races

team@americanmajority.org — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

In reality, most people do not pay attention to our judicial system unless 1) they've done something that warrants a trip before a judge or 2) there's a vacancy on the Supreme Court. The latter is about to be the case at the end of this year's Supreme Court session.

As we saw with the confirmation hearings of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, as well as the botched nomination of Harriet Miers, the first nomination by President Obama to replace retiring Ju [...]

A Couple Good Reads

team@americanmajority.org — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Here are a couple good reads for today.

1. Ned Ryun, President of American Majority, talks more about AftertheTeaParty.com on The Next Right.

2. Ned is quoted in this Washington Times piece.

Good stuff.