Stuff I've Read Today: I am Full of Hope

From a blog that usually deals with weather and climate and other such combined scientific and conversation staples: some notes on an economic classic—Hayek's The Road to Serfdom In addition to remarking on the brilliance of the economic reasoning of Professor Hayek, the writer also plays with the label 'liberal' and reckons that he is one too. Now that those on the Left have fled the field wherever the term is used to describe them, it seems reasonable to me for many of those on the Right to just pick up the label and use it for ourselves. Wouldn't it be useful for all of us to have the word 'liberal' mean something related to liberty or freedom? I know our ESL friends would appreciate it very much.

Today's Wall Street Journal has some good articles on its op-ed page by Dick Armey and Pat Toomey, making concrete suggestions on how to deal with our massive deficit. I am always moved to laugh whenever our friends on the Left say sassily, 'Well, tell us where you would cut?' The first two thousand entries in any telephone book you choose would have a pretty good idea of what to cut, much more easily than many of our elected representatives.

This morning's Billings Gazette has an article from the Associated Press, so I can't vouch for its truthfulness, but it may have some heuristic value even if not the whole truth. They tell us that, according to their measurements, our college students are not learning much. I hope they didn't spend too much money on this study. The reason for hopefulness after reading this is the possibility that at least some within the Academy are willing to study the Academy.