by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Birthplace of Independent Conservatism

We have become a nation of cynics. To a ceertain degree we no longer concern ourselves with a focus on the ethics and values that formed this nation and resulted in it achieving a preeminent place among people and nations. We seldom discuss in a serious sense the principles of integrity, productive work, personal responsibility for our actions, ethical behavior in government or the business sector, personal liberty and what it means in within the context of meeting personal obligations, or the meaning of rational self interest within the framework of a value based ethical system that leads to a morally just society.

We are so busy pointing fingers at the “opposition” we rarely take the time to look in the mirror. Either the national or the personal one. Perhaps if we were to occasionally do so we would not like {very much} what we might see. It is easier to dismiss those things which make us “feel” uncomfortable, than it is to consider the data {facts}, and arguments we don’t like before we make a decision as to validity and then take a rational position.

Rational self interest requires one to hold to the unyielding pursuit of truth. It requires individuals (note that groups, organizations, businesses, and government are made up of individuals)to formulate self interest based on value. Value, with respect to rational self interest, means ones life and the interconnected actions which lead to the fullest and happiest life possible. Put another way…. Rational self interest is taking action(s) that advances ones life {the highest standard of value} towards the greatest happiness possible. Note that rational self interest does not mean self absorbed destructive personal behavior in the pursuit of instant self gratification or “pleasure.”

This post was inspired by the insight that in order to find truth one must apply reason and rational principles to life rather than the fog of emotion or emotionalism. By so doing a person {organization, business, or government} is able to achieve rational self interest in the value based system on which it is depended.

Today our personal as well as national life is driven by “sound” and “visual” bites if you will that are intentionally designed to give the distracted and busy person a quick snippet of reality. They are always presented as factual and are slanted towards a particular ideology or agenda. More often than not the “bite” contains some element of emotionalism and is geared to created the fog that actually prevents finding of the truth. Such is the modus operandi of all of todays politicians. The people of the nation, largely because they are so busy just trying to live, are hooked on platitudes, half truths, and occasionally just plain old lies willingly offered up by politicians as facts.

It is time We the People take action into our own intellectual “hands” if you will and force the changes neccessary to acheive “our persoanl and national {rational] self interest. Doing so will require “thinking outside the box” our politicians, pundits, and media have worked so diligently to place us in. Their “box” is almost always based upon emotion and plays to the base “emotionalism” they know work to their advantage if the people buy it. From my perspective we have bought it for far to long, hence the current state of our personal and national life.

The preceding are admittedly just my considered and researched opinions. As much of what I have said is based in the discipline known as philosophy, more specifically the branch of philosophy called Ethics, I cannot hope to offer an in depth and full discussion on the these pages. This is partially do to the fact I am not a person formally trained in the discipline of philosophy, I just read a lot and the subject interests me greatly. As I believe it should all thinking people, especially those who profess to lead and guide the nation.

There are two books that if read {with an open mind,}and understood offer the best insight into the ethics of rational self interest. Both for the individuals, and the nation. I highly recommend them to anyone, and everyone who has a thirst for knowledge and truth. Irrespective of ones political leanings or beliefs {free yourself of the box}they can be instructive and evening revealing if read with the open mind.

They are…. Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics by Tara Smith, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas, Austin. And…. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand, Playwright, Author, and The Philosopher responsible for Objectivism.

Cross posted to the Left Coast Rebel and Rational Nation USA

Via: Memeorandum

I have to chuckle when I listen to the business community and or the governemnt. specially when either talks about capitalism.

Capitalism is something our founders understood. For a brief, maybe one hundred years or so following them so did most Americans. They understood what it is as well as the value it gave to a free society.

However, after 1900 or thereabouts something changed. I think we all know what it was that began to slowing erode capitalism until today we have only a shell of real capitalism. And a  perverted shell at that.

Yes, certainly I blame the anti capitalist governemnt mentality that took hold and ultimately grew in America, much to its great detriment. I also blame equally the businessmen and the manufactures that once were responsible for this nation’s prosperity and the creation of  national wealth {those who produce}because they became willing partners in the efforts that served to eliminate true capitalism.

By asking for and accepting favors in the form government subsidies, business played into the hands of the progressive elements  of society and a progressive socialistic government  and in the process played their cards against the best interest of capitalism, the American people, and a free society.

Consider the following from Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal…. “I said that the “liberals” are coining and spreading the “anti concepts” in order to smuggle this country into statism by an imperceptible process – and that the primary target marked for obliteration is thew concept of “capitalism,” which if lost would carry away with it the knowledge that a free society can and did exist”

Consider as well this, again from Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal…. ” “No “anti concept” launched by the “liberals” goes so far so crudely as the tag “consumerism.” It implies loudly and clearly that the status of “consumer” is separate from and superior to the status of “producer”; it suggests a social system dedicated to the service of a new aristocracy which is distinguished by the ability to “consume” and vested with a special claim on the castes serfs marked by the ability to produce. If taken seriously, such a tag would lead to the ultimate absurdity of the communists proclaiming: “Who does not toil, shall not eat” – and the alleged representatives of capitalism replying: “Oh yes he shall!”

Anyone truly interested in understanding true capitalism and its force for good should read Ayn Rand’s book, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal.

I vaguely recall a time when the banking industry was lauded as “Pillars of the Community.” Well, given the recent past and the financial meltdown I suppose we can all agree the neither banking industry nor the financial industry in general represent any such “pillars.”. Rather they, as well as the government represent corruption and control. Today neither represent anything even close to an understanding of what true capitalism is.

Consider the following from the third President of these United States, Thomas Jefferson…. “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” Thomas Jefferson, 1821

Indeed, if President Thomas Jefferson and Ayn Rand where with us today there is no doubt but they would be appalled at the Corporatism, Crony Capitalism, Anti Concepts, and lack of Intellectual Honesty that currently pervades our society.

Unfortunately neither modern liberals nor modern conservatives are talking honestly and rationally on the issues herein introduced. This is not all that surprising if one thinks about it. After all, as we have grown to observe {assuming we have observed reality at all}, regardless of party, ideology, or level of awareness it is likely that all roads eventually converge at the same point. The failure to reexamine the principles of capitalism. and allow a true capitalism to again take root and eventually flourish will, at a not to distant time, result in our society becoming {willingly}enslaved to the corporatist, crony capitalist, and the anti concept snake oil salesmen.

The choice we make must be that of people. The road we choose to take rests with us. Isn’t it time that all Americans that truly long for a better more prosperous future take action to insure we remain a free people. A   people at liberty to choose the course of or life and succeed own our own merit and hard work.

This is The United States of America. We can accomplish great things if we renounce emotionalism and lead our lives and our nation by rational concepts. Concepts borne of physical reality and determined to be true based on cognitive reasoning and logic.

Cross posted to the Left Coast Rebel and Democracy Central and Rational Nation USA

Via: Memeorandum

Glenn Beck is under rhetorical “fire” {how’s that for PC?} from the left. This is of course common fare as he — being a staunch conservative advocate of our founding principals and the Constitution as written — is anathema to the most liberal element of our society. Note I did not say all liberals. There are liberal that while disagreeing with his views do not see him as the “devil in disguise” as some liberals do.

Beck is certainly opinionated. Who isn’t? In fact some of the most opinionated personalities can be found on the left. As stated in recent posts at Rational Nation USA, expressing one’s opinion respectfully should be welcomed and encouraged.

I do not always agree with Beck. In fact I seldom watch his show as I am usually occupied with other more important activities at that hour. However, I have had the opportunity to catch a few of his shows recently I have found him to be measured in his rhetoric and clear on his denunciation of incivility in general and violence in particular.

There are some on the left that see it otherwise. In my opinion such individuals and organizations are really just concerned with shutting down conservative pundits for the sake of shutting down opposing views. This is indeed unfortunate as both liberal and conservative views need to be heard for people to make informed decisions.

I had no intention and certainly no desire of posting on Beck until I saw the following from today’s The Washington Monthly by Steve Benen.

Excerpts:

WHEN BECK’S MINIONS GET THE MESSAGE…. Glenn Beck doesn’t just rail against perceived enemies, whom he considers dangerous villains who must be stopped; he also chooses obscure enemies he considers worthy of his rage.

It’s one of the many oddities of Beck’s bizarre message. The condemnations of President Obama and Nancy Pelosi are predictable, but Beck sees imaginary patterns and conspiracies involving figures most Americans neither know nor care about: Van Jones, Frances Fox Piven, George Soros, Saul Alinsky, the Tides Foundation, etc.

In Beck’s unhealthy imagination, each are nefarious players in a plot to destroy you and everything you hold dear. Sane people don’t see the danger, Beck says, but that only proves the point — the mentally healthy are probably in on it.

The problem, of course, is Beck’s minions take all of this seriously, and consider Beck’s perceived enemies their perceived enemies.

Read the rest of here.

First: Beck has never advocated violence against anyone and rhetorical political comments do not constitute threats. Second: Beck ties quotes and information relative to the subject matter he is speaking on to the people who are responsible for the quotes.

Apparently some do not understand it is not the person per se that he is taking issue with, rather it is their philosophy or ideology. His sole purpose is to expose his viewing and listening audience to views he considers {often rightly} to be wrong-headed.

Glenn is not a news caster, although he and his staff do the research necessary to gather facts for his program. He is a television op-ed personality. He presents the data on the subject matter and then gives his opinion on the subject. While he can be tedious at times he has a useful and important place in our political dialogue. Just as Olbermann, Maddow, and Schultz have.

I can’t help but wonder what the left is really fearful of…. On second thought I know.

Cross posted to Rational Nation USA and Left Coast Rebel

Via: Memeorandum

I have talked about this often on the radio, Fox News’ Strategy Room, and in this column.  On a visit to the Fox News network there was a discussion on the consequences of economic policy that reminded me of the situation today.  The debate focused on the approaches the Administration was taking and the results they were producing.  Some of the issues discussed continue on today.

• Tax cuts vs. tax credits. The President has been emphasizing short term and often politically convenient “tax credits,” when what is actually needed are deep and across the board tax cuts, if we are serious about creating more jobs. There are, of course, various types of tax cuts. “Demand side” or “consumer driven” tax cuts are geared towards the middle class. They are designed to increase consumer demand and votes for those who offer them, but in an economy such as this, they are used to pay bills and little else. This is why they have little or no impact. Supply-side tax cuts, made famous by Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and even George W. Bush are across the board and proportional in their reach. These cuts lead to significant wealth (and job creation).  The reason for  this is simple, they make it cheaper for businesses to create more jobs and to participate in economic activity.  If the cost becomes too high, businesses do as little as possible to handle economic uncertainty.  This was the exact topic of a recent Price of Business program in which I interviewed Brian Sullivan of the Fox Business Network.
• If the President is serious about spurring broad economic growth, he should be very worried about his own banking regulation. The recent bill passed by Congress and signed into law by him has added hundreds of new regulations, with thousands of pages of bureaucracy, and promises to raise the price of banking and the cost of employment.
• The current administration seems to have open hostility towards small to medium businesses.  Virtually all of its policies seem designed to pity the poor and will likely create more of them and his policies seem to desire mega corporations, because they are easier to control. What the Obama Administration seems to despise are the small businesses and entrepreneurs that drive the vast majority of job creation in this country.  Approximately 80 percent of all jobs are created by small businesses, it should be no surprise that unemployment has practically doubled in the last few years as the war on entrepreneurship continues.

If Barack Obama is serious about correcting the weak economy and anemic job growth, he is going to have to be diligent about attacking the forces that are causing such — excessive taxation and regulations.  Unfortunately, productive economic reform seems far from his policy priorities.

______________________________________________________

Kevin Price is a syndicated columnist whose articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media.  Kevin Price is also host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN radio).  Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com.  Visit the archive of past shows here.