Comments on: Truly Productive People

By: Carlo

Carlo — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:05:00 +0000

I strongly disagree: unfortunately the Catholic Church is not an easily ignorable organization, but my point was different.

Politicians’ legitimation, unlike for priests, comes from citizens. Having people continuously saying that all politicians are just like priests (they tell you what to do and make a living out of your gullibility, thereby avoiding to have a productive job) is not only false, but weakens the democratic process itself.

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:56:00 +0000

Re; “a trivial form of populism”

Not so trivial. It was disrespect that ended the power of the Catholic church and reduced it to an easily ignorable organization with a moral perspective, and it is disrespect that will do the same to the Progressives. A new reformation.

By: Carlo

Carlo — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:29:00 +0000

I don’t find the argument that any politician is less productive than most ordinary people very compelling.
Like every other job, there are good politicians and bad politicians. Good politicians provide immense value to every people in a society and should be celebrated: try to put Lincoln, Churchill or Reagan instead of Pelosi, Bush and Grassley, and you will find it a bit harder to agree with the letter.

Whether Ted Kennedy was a good politician is not obvious, but keep saying, like a lot of people do, that elected politicians are the unproductive, rotten apples of a society is simply too easy: is just a trivial form of populism.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:48:00 +0000

the extremely wealthy will eventually buy up all the land and allow YOU to till their soil for a price.
Thanks. That made my day.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:40:00 +0000

Great letter. It reminds me of this quote from Isabel Paterson’s “The God of the Machine:”

If the full roll of sincere philanthropists were called, from the beginning of time, it would be found that all of them together by their strictly philanthropic activities have never conferred upon humanity one-tenth of the benefit derived from the normally self-interested efforts of Thomas Alva Edison, to say nothing of the greater minds who worked out the scientific principles which Edison applied. Innumerable speculative thinkers, inventors, and organizers, have contributed to the comfort, health, and happiness of their fellow men — because that was not their objective.

Of course, she was speaking about individuals who solicit voluntary contributions. I’m sure the benefit derived from political activities is much less.

By: hamilt0n

hamilt0n — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:35:00 +0000

I enjoy a comment like this, as it helps me learn things. All this time I thought I had been reading CBO reports that said Obamacare would dramatically increase costs! Thanks for letting me know it will save us billions, muirgeo!

By: Bartles

Bartles — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:33:00 +0000

This is 100% TRUE. I would only add the insufferable ongoings of ANY and ALL celebrities. Their only cause for such adornment of “affection” is their seemingly attraction to MASS news. Common sense is not as common as commonly believed. I wish it was though.

By: robertobot

robertobot — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:21:00 +0000

Ted kennedy was a complete lib,douche bag,but he stood for what he belived in,no individual rights,unlike conservatives who say they are for limited government then when elected turn their backs and screw the electorate.

By: robertobot

robertobot — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:18:00 +0000

this guy was a complete douche bag.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:14:00 +0000

A politician deductible. They should have to immediately write a cheque for whatever their proportionate tab will be for a policy down the line. Cheques can be made out to all those who vote nay. It’s not a lot, but it would discourage kicking the expense cans down the road.

By: Peter .B.P.

Peter .B.P. — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:35:00 +0000

Strawman, that isn’t a libertarian rule.

And yes, under big government that dishes out privilege left and right to the friends of politicians, yes, of course it’s possible getting rich without labor. Oddly, you seem to support such a model.

By: Peter .B.P.

Peter .B.P. — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Principal content of this post is false dichotomy, false stereotyping and the good old democratic “if you don’t like it, leave”; implying that dissidents should not have a say in matters.

By: Peter .B.P.

Peter .B.P. — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:31:00 +0000

10% mostly logically flawed content, 90% emotion.

By: Marco

Marco — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:16:00 +0000

Yes. Its called ‘stealing’.

By: Randy

Randy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:28:00 +0000

It is a fact that the planet must be shared. It is also a fact that it must be shared with thieves. But neither of these facts leads to the conclusion that the thieves must be respected. A thief, even one who claims to act in my interest, is still a thief.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:07:00 +0000

True, oh so true.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:58:00 +0000

I know of at least one that Teddy killed!

By: The Reticulator

The Reticulator — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 03:51:00 +0000

You should show a little more respect to the news media people among us. The Kennedy family was very important to their lives. This is a difficult loss for them. Let them have their time of mourning.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Don…Like politicians, bloggers and letter-to-the-editor writers like you are mortals, whose greedy lust for ego gratification through the self-publication of every letter you write, suggests the “mortals especially flawed” category includes you along with the late Senator.
We get it, Don. You don’t like government or politicians. Well, there is much to like and dislike about both. But to say that the thousands of largely anonymous people who die each day — very few of whom, if any, you know — have “…been more productive than has Ted Kennedy…or any other politician you name” living or dead,
is just plain dumb.
Bless the window installers, pilots, truckers and others — flawed mortals all — with whom we voluntarily conduct commerce. Bless too the flawed mortals who govern, police and defend our nation.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:49:00 +0000

No matter how grotesque the celebrity, no matter what field of endeavor the celebrity came from, no matter how immoral or corrupt a scum, or how mundane the talent or ability of the celebrity, if the celebrity meets the right criteria of the MSM, that celebrity will be canonized.

Teddy met the criteria, uber-socialist, mouthing the right words. Nuff said.