Free Download: Reframing the Inequality Debate

Sep 18, 2015 | Politics

From Don Watkins at ARI:

Today’s opponents of economic inequality are fighting to dramatically expand government control over our lives, including through higher taxes, a larger regulatory-welfare state and an unprecedented hike in the minimum wage. And they are winning.Despite reams of criticism from free-market-oriented economists, columnists and policy analysts, the inequality alarmists continue to hold the moral high ground in this debate. How can we change that?

In a new essay, Yaron Brook and I argue that the key to turning the tables on the inequality alarmists is to expose them as the enemies of the only kind of equality that matters: political equality. You can download a PDF of the essay at: https://ari.aynrand.org/~/media/pdf/turning_the_table_on_the_inequality_alarmists.ashx?la=en This is a message that urgently needs to be spread. I hope you'll help me out by sharing this as widely as you can.

Venezuelans Living The Socialist Dream: An Equality of Shortages, Lines and Hunger

Sep 14, 2015 | Politics

From Venezuelan farmers ordered to hand over produce to state:

[..] Shortages, rationing and queues outside supermarkets have become a way of life for Venezuelans, as their isolated country battles against rigid currency controls and a shortage of US dollars – making it difficult for Venezuelans to find imported goods.

Pablo Baraybar, president of the Venezuelan Food Industry Chamber, said that the order was illogical, and damaging to Venezuelan consumers.

"Taking products from the supermarkets and shops to hand them over to the state network doesn't help in any way," he said. "And problems like speculating will only get worse, because the foods will be concentrated precisely in the areas where the resellers go.

He pointed to statistics showing that two thirds of hoarders – or "bachaqueros", giant ants, as they are nicknamed in Venezuela – buy their goods from the three state-owned chains, to resell at a profit.

"Consumers will be forced to spend more time in queues, given that the goods will be available in fewer stores."The state owns 7,245 stores, compared to more than 113,000 in private hands. Mr Baraybar said that many of the private shops were in densely-populated areas, meaning that people will now be forced to make longer journeys to the state stores.

The Energy Liberation Plan

Aug 25, 2015 | Politics

Writes Alex Epstein on The Energy Liberation Plan - Forbes:

The energy industry is the industry that powers every other to improve human life. The more affordable, plentiful, and reliable energy we can produce, the more (and better) food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical care, sanitation, clean water, technology, and everything else we can have.Unfortunately, because of backwards energy and environmental policies that are anti-development, not anti-pollution, we are squandering the opportunity of a generation, through blind opposition to our three most potent sources of power: hydrocarbon energy (coal, oil, and gas), nuclear energy, and hydroelectric energy.It’s time to replace today’s energy deprivation policies with energy liberation policies.

Logical Leap: Corrections to Minor Errors in Book

Aug 15, 2015 | Politics

From the Logical Leap:

I’m also grateful for the opportunity to correct some minor errors in the original book. I will add posts on my editing — in which I explain why the Spanish edition is slightly better than the English edition. 

Three Things About Islam

Aug 13, 2015 | Politics