Aristotle on Mixed Economies

By Isaac M. Morehouse

(Originally published by the Ludwig von Mises Institute)

A friend recently commented that he has found wisdom in moderation. He said it seems that truth and goodness are found not at the extremes, but at the place of balance between extremes. This can be very true.

As Aristotle wrote in his Nicomachean Ethics, "Virtue must have the quality of aiming at the intermediate." In Aristotle's examples, it is cowardice and recklessness that are the extremes, courage the middle ground. It is drunkenness and uptightness that are extremes, and moderate drinking the mean.

My friend went on from this concept to state that he believed in neither socialism nor capitalism, but in a mixed economy — or what he called a "messy middle ground." There are two main problems with this conclusion.

Electoral Eugenics

By Marty Beckerman

"By the people, for the people.”

By Isaac M. Morehouse

I don't like to solicit donations, but this one is as cheap as $1, and is something that touches the very foundaiton of our American freedoms and values.

The Institute for Justice (www.ij.org) has launched an incredibly bold drive to raise 10,000 separate donations on Monday to fight eminent domain (property rights) abuses. 10,000 also happens to be the number of times government used its eminent domain power to unjustly take property from its owners over a five-year period. Remember Suzette Kelo, whose little pink home was taken by the City of New London, Connecticut so they could hand the land over to some strip-mall developers? That's what IJ is fighting all over the nation.

I pledged a very small amount so I can be considered one of the 10,000. It's not about the amount, it's about getting a whopping 10,000 people to donate SOMETHING to the cause of protecting property rights. IJ has publicly proclaimed that they are seeking 10,000 contributions in one day - an incredible and record breaking number - if they do not reach their goal, it could appear that they do not have strong support from citizens in their mission to protect property rights.

IJ would rather have 100 contributions of $1 each than a few $100 contributions, so even a tiny gift helps them achieve their goal of 10,000 donations. I just went to their www.ij.org/keloday web page and all I had to enter was my first and last name, email address, and pledge amount. They'll email me a reminder to give on Monday.

PI readers should count it an honor to be counted as one of the 10,000 who want to end eminent domain abuse. More information below...

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Friends,

Two weeks ago, you received an e-mail from Susette Kelo inviting you to join the Susette Kelo Liberty Club. Three years ago this Monday, June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that New London, Conn., could take Susette's little pink cottage in order to try to generate more tax revenue.

Now three years after the decision and $78 million in taxpayer dollars later, nothing has happened with the land. All that's left are brown, barren fields.

Yet the travesty here is not only that the lives of Susette and her neighbors were unnecessarily uprooted, but that this type of thing is happening all over the country.

Don't let the fights of these courageous individuals go in vain!

We need 10,000 people to go to www.ij.org/keloday and pledge to make a small donation - just $5 or $10 - to the Institute for Justice this coming Monday, June 23. This will send a message to policymakers and the media that our homes and businesses are not political capital that can be bandied about for personal and political gain.

We have never solicited our members for donations before, but this is a very special occasion and one that we hope you don't pass up being a part of. Your small contribution will help us continue the fight to end eminent domain abuse.

And if you're in the area of New London, Conn., please join us this coming Saturday from 1 to 3 pm when we'll reopen Susette's home at its new location in New London (36 Franklin Street).

Thank you so much, and please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Best,

Christina Walsh
Castle Coalition Coordinator
Institute for Justice
www.ij.org
www.castlecoalition.org

Libertarians are Spoiled Children

Air America’s Thom Hartmann critiques  the “Ron Paul Revolution”

By: Matt Fay

There are no truly libertarian shows out there in talk radio land – yeah, the conservatives talk about free markets and used to talk about the Constitution, but we all know how much they truly believe in them.  So, I spend most of the time I’m in my car switching back and forth between conservative and progressive radio – or ESPN Radio.  I have tended, as of late, to lean toward the progressive radio programs despite the fact that I consider myself much more of a moderate to conservative libertarian.  I guess there are only so many times I can be told how I want to destroy America because I believe in Constitutional principles, how I do not support the troops and provide “aid and comfort” to terrorists by not supporting the Iraq War, and what a moral degenerate I am because I listen to rap music and have a subscription to Playboy (I only get it for the articles!).

The one thing I really can’t stand about listening to the progressives, though, is not that they can’t identify what the problems are in America, but that their solutions consist of government, government, and more government – as well as their fear of allowing private individuals and organizations to make their own decisions about ANYTHING! 

One case in point occurred on Friday, June 6.  I was listening to the Thom Hartmann radio show when a caller made the ludicrous suggestion that Barack Obama may be well served in choosing Ron Paul as his running mate.  This is a ridiculous contention on its face, but what was more ridiculous was the uber-progressive – borderline socialist – host’s contentions about libertarians and the spoiled children that we all apparently are.