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Today

Samuel Ward died, Tom Foley born

On March 26, 1776, Samuel Ward, a colonial Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and a delegate to the Continental Congress, died. Ward was the only colonial governor to oppose the Stamp Act, threatening his position, but bringing him recognition as a great patriot.

On March 26, 1929, Tom Foley was born in Spokane, Washington. Foley would serve in Congress for 30 years and become Speaker in the House. But after suing the people of his Washington state to overturn the term limits initiative they passed in 1992, Foley became the first House Speaker in 132 years, since 1862, to be defeated for re-election.

Categories
Thought

By Robert Frost (born March 26, 1874)

“The Road Not Taken”

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Categories
Thought

George Washington

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

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links

Townhall: Another Skittles-related death

This weekend’s Townhall.com column is about the Trayvon Martin case. Check it out, and come back here for relevant links:

And finally, there’s Geraldo:

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Today

Quartering Act, Elvis inducted

On March 24, 1765, Parliament passed the Quartering Act, ordering the American colonies to provide housing for British soldiers in barracks, or if necessary to accommodate the soldiers in local inns, livery stables, ale houses, and the houses of sellers of wine. The popular belief that the Redcoats tossed colonists from their homes or moved into private homes was not the intent of the law or the practice. The New York colonial assembly refused to comply with the law, leading to Parliament enacting the New York Restraining Act in 1767. The Restraining Act prohibited the royal governor of New York from signing any further legislation until the assembly complied with the Quartering Act.

On March 24, 1958, Elvis Presley was conscripted into the U.S. Army.

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Thought

Benjamin Franklin

“Never has there been a good war or a bad peace.”

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video

Video: Matt Ridley Accepts the 2012 Julian L. Simon Award

The Competitive Enterprise Institute honored science writer Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist and other works, with an award. Ridley honored us with a great talk:

2012 Julian L. Simon Memorial Award Dinner from CEI Video on Vimeo.

Categories
free trade & free markets ideological culture too much government

From Local to Federal

Both the politics of “getting what we want” and the politics of reasonable principles — too often two very different things — rely, ultimately, upon the local, upon voters in actual communities.

In a review of a book with the provocative title How Local Politics Shapes Federal Policy, economist Robert Meiners considers the political economy of America’s most famous dam:

[M]ultiple states wrestled for control of the multi-state Colorado River and for control of the electricity that might be generated. When there is a pot of gold on the table, the stakes are high. Eastern interests opposed the dam. The rhetoric was about “states’ rights” . . . but likely had more to do with eastern members of the legislature seeing no benefit, only costs, for themselves. Again, assuming the dam had net benefits, there is no reason the national government needed to be involved in a project that provide benefits to six states at best.

The book’s author tells the story in terms of ideology, but the reviewer counters that it looks, to him, “more like traditional rent-seeking and logrolling. . . .” Our folks in Congress “constantly think about how to satisfy local interests at the expense of non-local taxpayers,” and that’s certainly the current problem.

And here ideology comes back into the picture. If you think that some people’s lives or property should be sacrificed for some other people’s lives and property, then the ultimate result is the mess we have today. Voters have little option but to take a stand and “ideologically” place limits on politicians and their very own selves.

In our limits, our liberty.

Lacking those limits, we’re each others’ hosts and leeches.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
Thought

Patrick Henry

“They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

“It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Categories
Today

Patrick Henry “Give Me Liberty” Speech

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry gave his famous speech exclaiming “Give me liberty or give me death!” at St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, where more than 100 Virginia patriots, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, and Peyton Randolph gathered after leaving the colonial capitol of Williamsburg to avoid the wrath of Royal Governor Lord Dunmore. Less than a month later, the American Revolution began at Lexington and Concord with the shot heard ‘round the world.