“What would probably get the economy recovering fastest and most completely would be for the President of the United States and Congressional leaders to shut up and stop meddling with the economy. But it is virtually impossible that they will do that. … If the stimulus isn’t working, the true believers have to believe that it is only because it hasn’t been tried long enough, or with enough money being spent. There are always calls for the government to ‘do something’ when things are going bad. Those who make such calls have almost never bothered to check out what actually happens when the government does something, as compared to what happens when the government does nothing. It is not just free market economists who think the government can make a mess bigger with its interventions. … The history of the United States is full of evidence on the negative effects of government intervention. For the first 150 years of this country’s existence, the federal government did not think it was its business to intervene when the economy turned down. All of those downturns ended faster than the first downturn where the federal government intervened big time — the Great Depression of the 1930s. … There is another set of facts: The record that was set in 1929 for the biggest stock market decline in one day was broken in 1987. But Ronald Reagan did nothing — and the media clobbered him for it. Then the economy rebounded and there were 20 years of sustained economic growth with low inflation and low unemployment. Can you imagine Barack Obama doing another Ronald Reagan? I certainly wouldn’t predict that.” –economist Thomas Sowell
By now we’re all privy to CU’s consideration with getting a visiting chair in conservative thought and policy in order to cultivate some intellectual diversity on campus. Or at the very least, have one highly paid target to throw pies at. It has been covered in the Rocky, the Post, the Associated Press, and even in a NY Times opinion piece. Ostensibly the position would be rotating, and would feature high profile conservatives with strong ideological backbones. For example, names like Bill Kristol, George Will, and Condi Rice have been kicked around. For the record, I’m still waiting to be asked. Anyway, in the meantime I wish there was some outlet, some class that embodied the type of conservative, free-market perspective CU is going for….
….. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that’s right! Our Free People, Free Markets class! A class that features so much “intellectual diversity,” it has a disclaimer that reads, “if you live, or have lived in Boulder, please be aware. What you hear in the classroom might induce a conniption fit or make your head explode.”
For those thinking of attending, don’t think, just do it. It will change your life. The class will take place for five consecutive Saturdays here at the Institute, from 9am to noon, beginning July 12th and going to August 9th. You can reserve your spot by either calling Kay at 303.279.6536 or emailing rsvp@i2i.org.
Conservative Libertarian Outpost 