Author: Redactor

Today

June the 28th

June 28 birthdays include that of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, philosopher, in 1712.

On this date in 1914, 19-year-old Gavril Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, and the Archduke’s wife Sophie. The Archduke had earlier missed a bomb thrown at his car, which necessitated a change in the motorcade route, which the driver forgot, which is why the car paused at the precise intersection in which Princip fired his fatal shots.

The shooting began a series of events that led to “The Great War,” now known as “World War I.”

On June 28, 1992, the Constitution of Estonia was signed into law.

Thought

Ayn Rand

An individualist is a man who says: ‘I’ll not run anyone’s life — nor let anyone run mine. I will not rule nor be ruled. I will not be a master nor a slave. I will not sacrifice myself to anyone — nor sacrifice anyone to myself.

Ayn Rand, Textbook of Americanism (1946)

Today

Mauser, Goldman, Keller

Paul von Mauser was born on June 27, 1838, and would go on to become a weapons designer. In 1869, Emma Goldman was born, to later become known as a feminist, anarchist, and early leftist opponent of Soviet Communism. In 1880, Helen Keller was born on this date.

Today

Emperor Julian

On June 26, 363, Roman Emperor Julian was killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. On this same date in 1960, Madagascar gained its independence from France; in 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech.

Thought

Doris Lessing

There are certain types of people who are political out of a kind of religious reason. I think it’s fairly common among socialists: They are, in fact, God-seekers, looking for the kingdom of God on earth. A lot of religious reformers have been like that, too. It’s the same psychological set, trying to abolish the present in favor of some better future — always taking it for granted that there is a better future. If you don’t believe in heaven, then you believe in socialism. When I was in my real Communist phase, I and the people around me really believed — but, of course, this makes us certifiable — that something like 10 years after World War II, the world would be Communist and perfect.

Doris Lessing, quoted by Lesley Hazelton, “Doris Lessing on Feminism, Communism and ‘Space Fiction,’” New York Times Book Review (July 25, 1982)

links

Townhall: The Great American Overdose

Post author By Redactor
Post date June 25, 2017
No Comments on Townhall: The Great American Overdose

Our politicians are addicts. Not on drugs, exactly (though that is probably true in some cases), but on . . . well, click over to Townhall.com for the full argument. It may be something you want to share with your friends. You know, like a ~~needle~~ pizza.

This weekend’s column is an expansion of Friday Common Sense entry, “The Real ObamaCare Opposition.” See also:

Politico: “Inside McConell’s plan to Repeal ObamaCare,” by Burgess Everett
Politico: “How McConnell gets to 50 votes to repeal Obamacare,” by Jennifer Haberkorn
Los Angeles Times: “Senate Obamacare repeal bill would slash federal healthcare funding for Medicaid,” by Noam N. Levey and Lisa Mascaro
Townhall: “The Illusory Savings From Cutting Medicaid,” by Steve Chapman

Today

Tenth State to ratify U. S. Constitution

Post author By Redactor
Post date June 25, 2017
No Comments on Tenth State to ratify U. S. Constitution

Virginia became the tenth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, on June 25, 1788. Other events on the 25th of June include Custer dying at the Battle of Little Bighorn (1876); Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird debuting (1910), with the composer becoming an instant celebrity; and Civil War veterans began arriving at the Great Reunion of 1913 at Gettysburg.

Thought

Auberon Herbert

“Private property and free trade stand on exactly the same footing, both being essential and indivisible parts of liberty, both depending upon rights, which no body of men, whether called governments or anything else, can justly take from the individual.”

Auberon Herbert, The Right and Wrong of Compulsion by the State (1885)

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