Post-Peak Liberal: Recent Comments

Comment on The Capitalist Rapture: Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"

2011-06-06T13:06:57Z

"The dirty secret of the business world is that most large companies prefer government regulation, as it can be crafted to their desires by their crones in power, to suit their needs and limit competition. And of course, a growing tax pie means more deals for more private contractors, especially if your business happens to be defense-related."

How is this Capitalism and not democratic Socialism? What you've illustrated is clearly a case where the wealth of the population once acquired is traded to the government for favors.

This is not Capitalism. Sure it's happening as we speak, but it isn't Capitalism.

Rand did not contradict herself. Check your premises. What you've done is indict the current American Corporate and Political system.

And in that particular aim, we stand shoulder to shoulder in lock step.

But it isn't Capitalism.

Under a pure laissez-faire policy, no corporation would benefit from the intervention of the government in any fashion whether to curtail and stifle competition or to provide subsidies.

The thing you hate and condemn is not Capitalism. Rather you bear the standard aloft of he who chains you.

You decry the evils of Capitalism, but the particular policies you condemn are more Socialist and Fascist in nature.

You denounce his policies, but you champion his name.

It is more pertinent to identify and root out Socialist economic policy and call it Socialism, not Capitalism.

Socialism is evil. Let's not practice Socialism, but call it Capitalism, and then condemn it.

Rather, let's call it Socialism and condemn it. Doing so is the first step towards being to able actually understand and practice Capitalism.

By calling that which is unfair, unjust amoral Capitalism, you give credence to the erroneous notion that Capitalism is evil.

Soon enough, we have an entire generation of ill-informed children who don't know what's best for them clamoring for the death of an idea they don't even understand.

Or has this already come to pass?

Comment on The Capitalist Rapture: Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"

2010-12-08T21:47:45Z

This is probably one of the best, if not the best, reviews I have read of Atlas Shrugged. I read most of it in high school, skimming some parts. I didn't like it at the time, but I was also awfully immature at the time too. However, since then, during college, I read most of the philosophical essays in 'The Virtue of Selfishness' by Rand and Nathaniel Branden. The essays were interesting. Anyways, I decided to search "Ayn Rand" on Google today, and I came across this page on your blog. Thanks for writing a thorough and original review of her big book.

Comment on Lagging Indicator Nation

2009-10-04T19:13:03Z

Well put JR. I agree with your sentiments - yet I also believe that America, in some respects has forgotten that we used to actually "make stuff." Now it's "Made in China or insert 3rd world country here." Americans have progressed to the point that factory work is beneath most, and therefore, has gone elsewhere, cheaper, so we can buy it at a lower cost. Often, better quality - look what is driving on America's roads today - Toyota, Honda, Subaru. America has outsourced itself to the point that has got us in this mess today. You cannot help the software engineer whose basic industry is now in India, and probably won't come back. Companies, enslaved to stock prices and shareholder value have sold out (Hyatt hotels). America no longer values itself or workmanship, rather, the greed factor has skewed everything. It's about profits, not life. Corporate America gave the jobs away.

Until there is a major shift in what American capitalists value, there will be no change. Those who have sold off America are hopefully looking at their unemployed children or grandchildren.

One possible idea is to remain competitive, build things here to sell elsewhere, at a profit, not the other way around. In other words, employ Americans again.

Comment on Palin, Pandering, and Paranoia

2009-10-04T17:36:39Z

JR - admirable thoughts and overall great post. As I listen to Sarah Palin and try to decipher what the hell she is actually saying, I realize she isn't saying anything at all. These are simply rallying cries to appeal to a certain audience (a weak attempt at possibly motivating a-la-Obama) that enjoy a good rodeo.

The GOP typically love a beauty queen, McCain's first wife was a swimsuit model who was tragically maimed in a car accident...in comes model #2, Cindy McCain...and now Sarah Palin. All I can say is thank you Tina Fey and Katie Couric who managed to get the public to think about what this girl is about. Or isn't about.

-CP

Comment on All the Rage

2009-06-05T03:09:00Z

Great post Jeremy. I'm a little depressed now. Thankfully, I can wallow in it with an Angry Whopper. I think I got a coronary just reading the ingredients.

Is Limbaugh actually on TV for three hours or just the radio. Good god.

Comment on The President and the Page

2009-02-26T17:02:51Z

Yeah, the Kenneth thing was immediately noticeable to me b/c I was out of the room and could hear him, but not see him.

As for his content, it was vapid at best and disingenuous at worse. It is always annoying when Repubs flog the 'big government' dead horse.

Much of their policy either over-expands government on the military side or they're hell bent on laws that invades personal rights and privacy like gay marriage amendments, anti-abortion legislation, and laws on the local/state levels that attempt to control what people do in the privacy of their own homes -sodomy and/or oral sex is still illegal in quite a few states. When government is reaching directly into your house to control consenting activity, that is a very big government.

Comment on Don We Now...

2008-12-23T14:54:16Z

I read this and immediately thought of a clip of the interview I saw with Pastor Rick Warren. He was asked if he would change his mind on gay marriage if it was scientifically proven that homosexuality was a biological tendency not a "lifestyle choice." His answer was no with the following explanation:

Rick Warren: I'd be happy to tell you why. The reason why is because it doesn't matter to me. If it's biological, we'll be glad to know. We all have biological predispositions. Some people struggle with anger. And other people say, "I don't struggle with anger, but I sure struggle with fear." Some people say, "Oh, I don't struggle with this. I struggle with being shy."

Ann Curry: You're saying if it's part of your biology, it's your job to struggle against it if, in fact, it's the wrong--

Rick Warren: Well, here what I'm saying. I've had many gay friends tell me, "Well, Rick, why shouldn't I have multiple sexual partners? It's the natural thing to do." Well, just because it seems natural doesn't mean it's best for you or society. I'm naturally inclined to have sex with every beautiful woman I see. But that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. And why should I reign in my natural impulses and you say, "Well, because I have natural impulses towards the same sex, I shouldn't have to reign them in." Well, I disagree. I think that's part of maturity. I think it's part of delayed gratification. I think it's part of character.

Full interview: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28298093/

I love that final part where he scares up the old 'gay = promiscuous' mythology playing into the right wing fear of hedonism run amok. And the the interviewer never counters that the idea of gays marrying and being monogamous is antithetical to that argument.

Comment on Nostalgia, Community, and the Power of Place

2008-11-26T19:52:19Z

Nostalgia. It's almost a condition. A scent can make you feel nostalgic. A place, such as Hull, urges nostalgia upon you. A point of view has a lot to do with nostalgia. Each point of view bringing it's own emotions.
The lucky thing is that Hull is not the only place to bring this on. It happens everyewhere, with a lot of people. Suddenly Nostalgia becomes a community with more diversity than can ever be known. Community can be likened to Human Energy. That's all you need for Nostalgia to happen too. I don't think about what was happening in the world when I feel nostalgic for a place, it's more personal. Like being locked into a place and all the moments that happen on it. Can nostalgia be a quantum measruement of time? Does our brain actually recognize or distinguish between the two? Or is that why we feel it? Feeling connected to a place, you're right, is about being connected to the Human Energy of a place. People didn't invent nostalgia, it happens, it's natural.

Comment on Debate #4 -- McCain's Epitaph: Grumpier Old Man

2008-10-20T00:49:06Z

I really would vote for you for.. what office did you want again? I'd never read your blog until tonight- but damn, you're good. Spot on, mate.
I think you should continue to practice various presidential waves in the hallways. Who knows- maybe the beer chugging sesquipedalian with a brain might just have a better grasp than Americans expect....

Comment on Debate #2 - Biden Palin

2008-10-04T23:58:53Z

I agreed with most of the article with the exception that the race is over. In Nick Saban's college football words, it's time to finish.
Palin came out today annoucing their new plan - stepping up the notch with the nastiness. Maybe they'll even be desperate enough to bring the Rev Wright skeleton out of the closet.
Of course, what Palin doesn't realize because she only reads the Anchorage Daily News (or was it that she read all periodicals ever published) - what she doesn't realize is that most voters have heard it all before. Too bad she's only been involved for 5 weeks, because it wasn't fun with the other female politician presenting this nastiness either.
And it's still not enough smeer to make voters turn to the Maverick.
I found the time to look up the definition of Maverick on Wikepedia and found the biography on the original Samuel Maverick, for whom the word is derived, quite humorous.
The article says that the origainl Samuel Maverick wasn't really a Maverick at all, but because he was not interested in his profession, (ironically he was a Texas rancher) people took some of his actions as independence - although a better explanation was likely indiference.
What an image for a presidential candidate.
Thanks for the insight!