by Runaway Slave | Sep 5, 2007 | Essays & Articles, Government, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Socialism
Always suspicious of being watched for my own protection I often wonder what everyday life in a police state might be like. Certainly we can gather nuggets of insight on a visit to an airport or courthouse, or enjoy a depressing civics lessons from most Building...
by Runaway Slave | Feb 7, 2007 | Education, Essays & Articles, Freedom, Government, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Liberty, Socialism
“The Youth of today is ever the people of tomorrow. For this reason we have set before ourselves the task of inoculating our youth with the spirit of this community of the people at a very early age, at an age when human beings are still unperverted and...
by Runaway Slave | Apr 17, 2006 | Costa Rica, Economics, Essays & Articles, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Politics, Socialism
“Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other” — Oscar Ameringer “Gap Grows Between Rich, Poor” hollered the headline from last week’s Tico Times. It could have said "Costa...
by Runaway Slave | Apr 5, 2006 | Costa Rica, Education, Essays & Articles, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Politics, Socialism, Taxes
There are two distinct classes of men…those who pay taxes and those who receive and live upon taxes. — Thomas Paine Living in a shamelessly socialist country I am occasionally surprised by the candor of members of the local tax consuming class even if they do fall far...
by Runaway Slave | Mar 29, 2006 | Libertarian Curmudgeon, Socialism
The Mexican government is running ads promoting an easy immigration policy in the U.S. The question that comes first to mind is why so many Mexicans are so eager to escape Mexico. The obvious answer: The Mexican government has tuned their own country into a...
by Runaway Slave | Jan 5, 2005 | Charity, Essays & Articles, Law, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Socialism
There is nothing like a disaster of Biblical proportions to bring out the best in people and the worst in government organizations. Within a week of the Indonesian tsunami foreign bureaucrats in charge of using other people’s money for humanitarian aid were accusing...
by Runaway Slave | Jan 5, 2005 | Essays & Articles, Freedom, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Liberty, Politics, Socialism
Pop Quiz! Here are three quotes from famous modern politicians. They express, in slightly different words, the same idea. They show us why ideas matter. See if you can identify who said them. As part of my devious scheme to keep you reading, and to emphasize the point...
by Runaway Slave | Aug 10, 2004 | Charity, Essays & Articles, Libertarian Curmudgeon, Socialism
Over a wonderful dinner recently a dear friend and lifelong socialist asked me, “What do you have against socialism? Don’t you want to help people?” My objection to socialism, I said, is that it is immoral and coercive. I want to help people as much as anyone but I...
