Non-Liberal (NL): What business does the government have spending people’s money against their will? Not only the money of real people, but money from generations far into the future — wealth yet to be created, money yet to be earned … Continue reading
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Does Having Problems Automatically Make You Nice?
You often hear people say things like, “That Joe. He has problems. But he can be quite a jerk, too, Is that it — or does he have problems?” My question is: Why not both? You have to understand something. … Continue reading
Barack’s Youth Problem
Newsmax.com reports that more than half of all voters do not trust President Barack Obama to lead America back to economic prosperity. And the young who turned out in such great numbers for Obama in 2008 have even less confidence … Continue reading
China’s Warning: Trouble Ahead
In the movie “Titanic” — and most likely during the real-life event, as well — a top aide to the ship’s Captain spotted trouble ahead and shouted, “Iceberg!” The warning, as we all know, was not heeded in time. Consider … Continue reading
Help: I’m Talking and I Can’t Shut Up!
Dear Dr. Hurd: I consider myself a compulsive talker. A talker that gets myself into trouble. For me it’s not so much an inadaquency as some kind of crazy need to say something or answer someone when an answer is … Continue reading
Public Schools Leave Every Child Behind
Dear Dr. Hurd: I am a counselor working in a public school setting. This is starting to become a source of great conflict for me because after months of reading and contemplation, I have reached the conclusion that the government shouldn’t … Continue reading
America’s Politics Hits Bottom
According to nearly everyone, the downgrading in American credit is the fault of the Tea Party Republicans. “If they weren’t so partisan and ideological,” the conventional “wisdom” spouted by academia and the media goes, “then we wouldn’t be in this … Continue reading
The Ethical Basis for a Free Country
Is there such a thing as a duty to others? Yes: To leave them alone. And that’s it. There is no given, preexisting duty to others, outside of this. Once you CHOOSE to associate with particular others, then there are … Continue reading
Shooting the Tea Party Messenger
There are essentially two parties in Congress today. One is the liberal-socialist Democrat-Republican party. These consist of all Democrats plus most of the Senate Republicans, leaving aside the Tea Party Republican Senators elected in 2010. The second party consists of … Continue reading
Is Hatred Actually So Bad?
Richard Nixon said: “Always remember that others may hate you but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.” Intuitively, most people agree, or want to agree, with this quote. But I see … Continue reading
A Conversation Between Irrational Anxiety and Reason
Anxiety: You cannot take a risk. It’s too painful. What if your risk doesn’t work out? Reason: You’ll be no worse off than before you started. Anxiety: But you’ll feel badly. Reason: Won’t you feel badly if you don’t try … Continue reading
The “Pleasure” of Being a Victim
It’s wrong and irrational to pretend that you’re a victim when you’re not; but it also serves an emotional purpose, for many people. By “emotional” I mean irrational. It’s not that emotions are always mistaken or irrational, but in this … Continue reading