Let’s be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. In science consensus is irrelevant. Michael Crichton.
Is it really likely that a National Planning Officer would have a better judgement of ‘the number of cars, the number of generators, and the quantities of frozen foods we are likely to require in, say, five years,’ than Ford or General Motors etc., and, even more important, would it even be desirable that various companies in an industry all act on the same guess? Friedrich Hayek.
If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. James Madison.
One of the arguments against Obamacare goes like this: “The whole thing is unconstitutional since Congress has no authority to compel individuals to purchase health care insurance.”
While this point of view may be intellectually interesting, it is one that I fear more than most.
Civilization, in fact, grows more and more maudlin and hysterical; especially under democracy it tends to degenerate into a mere combat of crazes; the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary. H.L. Mencken [...]
Generalissimo Francisco Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. While it’s tempting to make sport of the lunacy of awarding this prize to someone of so few tangible accomplishments, considering some of the committee’s other recent recipients, this seems a relatively sober decision.
If duties are too high, they lessen the consumption; the collection is eluded; and the product to the treasury is not so great as when they are confined within proper and moderate bounds. This forms a complete barrier against any material oppression of the citizens by taxes of this class, and is itself a natural limitation of the power of imposing them. Alexander Hamilton.
Memo to EPA: CO2 is plant food. It’s a byproduct of breathing. It makes one wonder about the impact of sex on the environment. After all, breathing hard produces more CO2 than watching TV. Just thought I’d mention it.
Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded…are the work of an extremely small minority…. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating…the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as “bad luck.” Robert A. Heinlein.
BHO’s Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings is the founder of a group called GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) that has helpfully provided a reading list to help raise your children in their version of appropriateness. So what does Jennings’ group think is good for your kids? How about a picture of two men engaging in anal sex with a boy scout and his troop leader watching.
