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4 Letters Liberty's readers are a verbose lot. Look at all the letters we got! 7 Reflections Liberty's editors bury athletes, shoot cash into space, step into the planners' confessional, and celebrate those who outwit the Rubbing Red Hand. 13 Medianotes Liberty's editors audit other media. Features 15 The Real Health Care Crisis Hillary Rodham Clinton's cure for the medical care system is worse than the disease, and the conservative alternative isn't muchbetter. R. W. Bradford prescribes a different sort of therapy. 19 A Victory for Justice Stefan B. Herpel explains the Supreme Court's hesitant steps back toward respecting the Bill of Rights. 23 Old-Growth Government The culture ofWashington is ruining the silviculture ofthe nation. Randal O'Toole shows how and why. 25 White Liberals Can Jump William Moulton reports from the campus of Michigan State University, where PC power is being exercised for its own sake. 30 The Significance of Fifty years ago, Isabel Paterson wrote a classic libertarian polemic, The God ofthe Machine. Stephen Cox sheds some new light on this leading star of the individualist revival. 39 A Paterson Collection The world according to Isabel Paterson, master aphorist. 42 The Oldest Permanent Floating Anarchy in Salt Lake The Libertarian Party met in to consider its future, celebrate the present, and forget its past. Chester Alan Arthur files a report from the Beehive State. 47 How I Walked into the Michigan House Political success is possible - even if you're a libertarian. Greg Kaza writes from personal experience. 49 Reindustrialization Redux Christopher Thomas Freeburn watches big government pick the economic losers. Welcome to the world of "industrial policy." 51 Mapping Maturity Put away your Cosmo quiz; Robert F. Tinney has all the questions you need. Reviews 55 No Place Like Cyberspace Brian Doherty explores the weird world evolving around computers, and the cops and robbers who call the place home. 57 After ... Liberalism Leland Yeager looks behind 's "post-liberalism," and finds yet another reasonable man with unreasonable expectations. 60 Pucker or Perish Richard Kostelanetz figures out what the literary crowdis up to in this age of subsidy and less-than-meets-the-eye journalism. 61 Booknotes Welfare mothers in a bind, businessmen unbound, economists bound and gagged, and garbage liberated. Departments 66 Index to Uberty Articles, Reflections, and Reviews from Volume 6. 65 Classified Ads The market can't equilibrate ifyou don't read this. 69 Notes on Contributors Who we are and whywe fight. 70 Terra Incognita Signs of the endtimes, or just the usual booboisie stupidity? Lett ers J] cultural anthropologist). A coup:~ 1993 [..:::======~ whichyears back,producesAPRMarketplace,(American PublicanotherRadio,pro- gram featured on most NPR stations) Pepsi Degeneration in governmental intrusion into people's private lives through a multi-billion dol­ asked me to be a regular commentator on Your humorous portrayal of Pepsi­ matters relating to business and econom­ Cola's loss of Kashrut approval is off the lar "War on Drugs" and a mindless cru­ sade against "pornography") were free­ ics. When I sent in a few sample com­ mark (Terra Incognita, August 1993). ments - 90 seconds on why "hostile" Pepsi-Cola wished to have the broadest market policies. Thanks to , we now have legions ofdunder­ takeovers are often friendly to stockhold­ possible market for its product and there­ ers and customers -I was asked to make fore obtained Kashrut approval by the heads coast to coast proclaiming that "we've tried the and it didn't my comments less opinionated. I tried to more rigorous licensing authority, the re­ tone down the style but kept the content ligious court, or Beis Din Tzedek (B'Datz) work." But never mind all this, Boaz tells us; in focus - observations on how most of the Eida Chareidis ofJerusalem. The people get bad analysis about what ails ~ida Chareidis is a religious community think of the multitudes of superbly quot­ able bon mots for which Reagan was re­ our economy. The offer was rescinded. mJerusalem established during the Heaven help it if public radio featured British Mandate precisely to be complete­ sponsible during the years ofhis presidency. It was Ronald Reagan, Boaz someone who does not share the sophisti­ ly independent of the government. cated political and economic philosophy No one forced Pepsi to seek this high reminds us, who said, "There you go again." And was it also Reagan who gave of Daniel Schorr. level of Kashrut certification. It was also Tibor R. Machan their choice to engage in marketing and us such immortal lines as "So's your old Auburn, Ala. promotional practices such as sabbath vi­ man" and "It takes one to know one"? olations, etc., which are totally abhorrent Elsewhere in his review, Boaz la­ Lies, Damn Lies, and Book to those who voluntarily subscribe to the ments the failure of Bartlett's to acknowl­ ege as the actual author of Reviews standards of the B'Datz. ''Lies, Damn Lies, and AIDS Libertarians support the voluntary 's "famous 'extremism' quotation." But surely he knows that Research" by Brian Doherty is just one creation of extra-governmental communi­ more article playing down the most dan­ ties and judicial systems whose authority anything Ronald Reagan ever said that is legitimately quotable was actually writ­ gerous epidemic ever to face our nation. is binding without the monopoly of coer­ The statement, "The human immunodefi­ cive force. It does not behoove a publica­ ten by someone like Peggy Noonan, , or Dana Rohrabacher. So why, ciency virus (HIV), commonly under­ tion of Liberty's standards to make light stood to be the cause of the range of of an organization which has been a para­ pray tell, should Reagan's name ever be allowed to deface any edition of Bartlett's diseases we call AIDS, may in fact be no digmatic example of such voluntary or­ more than a cofactor, if that" characteriz­ ganization for the last 60 years. - or any other dictionary ofquotations, for that matter? - es the effort to confuse and mislead read­ Jay L. Gottlieb ers into thinking thatmv is not New York, N.Y. Jeff Riggenbach San Francisco, Calif. responsible for theprogressive destruc­ tion of the immune system in millions of Ahhh, SO'S Your Old Man Editor comments: Previous editions of David Boaz laments (''You Can Quote Bartlett's have cited Hess as author of the people throughout the world. The ques­ tion as to whether Robert Gallo or Luc Me on This," August 1993) that "[Ronald] "extremism" quotation. Montagnier discovered the virus has Reagan's impact on the world ... seems nothing to do with the fact that homosex­ to have bypassed" the editor of the new And While We're At It, Why Are uals infected with disease undergo edition of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. Anarchists Running for Public mv But what precisely has "Reagan's impact Office? progressive destruction of their immuno­ logical system. Recent articles in both on the world" been? As far as I can see In the June issue of Liberty, Jane Shaw Nature and Lancet comparing comparable Ronald Reagan is a semi-literate halfwit has a column titled "Just Say 'no' to the whose only impact has been to do more ~ibertarianParty." In the August issue, it groups of homosexuals have shown that only those who are HIV-infected progress than perhaps anyone else in history to IS revealed that Ms Shaw is a member of to the terminal stage of the disease which give the free market a bad name - by the LP's "Shadow Cabinet." is referred to as AIDS. persuading the endlessly gullible popu­ By what convoluted reasoning would lace that his policies (massive increases in Ms Shaw accept the above position, as The statement, "The problem is that not one example ofa retrovirus has ever government spending, massive increases well as have a speaking engagement at the LP convention, while urging the de­ been known to cause disease in humans" ~ // mise of the organization? is blatantly false, HTLV-l is a retrovirus' William J. Hickman that produces a T-cell leukemia. HTLV-2 Letters Policy Grantville, Ohio isa retrovirus that produces progressive spinal degeneration. The Limits of Discourse The question is asked how mv dis­ Just a footnote to Glenn Garvin's ease produces its changes. Dr Anthony wonderful piece on NPR ("How Do I Fauci of NIH has recently published Hate NPR? Let Me Count the Ways," work showing that mv lives in the August 1993), all of which squares exact­ lymph nodes for many years, silently ly with my experience of NPR listening working to destroy the immune system over quite a few years (in my capacity as continued on page 68 n Her Life, Her Ideas, and the Movement She Founded

Eleven Hours of analysis, Interviews with: opinion, interpretation, Michael Berliner Henry Mark Holzer anecdotes, sorrow, laughter, Alan Blumenthal David Kelley Joan Blumenthal Paul Kurtz argument, reflection, and Barbara Branden Ronald Merrill revelation about the Nathaniel Branden Leonard Peikoff Mark Breslin John Ridpath remarkable woman whose Roy Childs Robert Sheaffer writing ignited the Edith Efron Kay Nolte Smith Albert Ellis Phillip Smith AntonyAew Renaissance of Liberty! Joan Taylor Mary Gaitskill Contents: Allan Gotthelf interviewed by Tape 1: 's Slightly Paranoid Personality: Erika Holzer Jeff Walker Her Psychological Unsophistication, Rand & Happiness & Selfishness Tape 2: The Cult of Ayn Rand (part 1) , Tape 3: The Cult of Ayn Rand (part 2) r------I Please send me the tapes I have Tape 4: The Objectivist Movement: The Palace I.Yes indicated below. Guard, Personal Engineering I Tape 5: The Roles ofNathaniel Branden and o Please send me the following tapes: Leonard Peikoff; the Intellectual Isolation of Objectivists (part 1) I ______at $9.50 each = __ I Tape 6: The Intellectual Isolation ofObjectivists o Send me the complete set (eleven tapes) (part 2); Ayn Rand's Theory of Concepts; Ayn I at $59.95! = __ I Rand and Music; Ayn Rand and the Bankrupt­ cy of American Culture; Rand and Nietzsche Postage & Handling: ---S.J!O... Tape 7: Ayn Rand as Fiction Writer and as Teacher I I of Writing Total: Tape 8: The Philosophy of (part 1) I enclose check or money order Tape 9: The Philosophy of Objectivism (part 2); I o I Ayn Rand's Jewishness; Rand and Feminism; o Please charge my Visa or Mastercard Rand and the Right I I Tape 10: Ayn Rand and the Founding Fathers; signature Rand's Moral Basis for Capitalism; ; Rand and account II expires Tape 11: Ayn Rand's Influence; Rand on Environ­ I I name mentalism and Animal Rights; The Ayn Rand Institute vs The Institute ForObjectivist Studies I address I Each Tape. .. $9.50 city, state, zip I send to: Sa\e 43 l l( ! Liberty Publishing, Dept. L37 I PO Box 1181, Port Townsend, WA 98368 COlllplctc Set 11 rrapcs: $59.95 L ------.I "Voila logic!" -EJ. 0' ROURKE

"A "A serious splendid blueprint collection for change." of -GEORGE E WILL infonned analyses ... mustreading." "A futuristic.. I.I~ - VISIon ••• APa,ro(ligllllol'tile chartsnelV 21st (~eol:,;I.lr~T territory for "Bristles the decades with (~di':('ld ahead." 1).lVid (Iooz.-nd J~;U"'/~U'd·II.~(;lrUn(~ uncomfortable -Go~WILLIAM E WELD ideas." -PETE DU PONT "Provocative neW'" "Should be ideas ... a road the principal ntapforour "Facts, compass new president." reason, for -Go\!. L. DOUGLAS WILDER clear-eyed policymakers and and " Should be read disinterested public servants." andre-read analysis ... -MALCOLM s. FORBES, JR. by every member voila logic!" of Congress." -~ J. O'ROURKE -JACK KEMP

THE 'S PRIMER FOR THE '90s! ~. 404 pp.l$25.95 cloth/$15.95 paper Available at bookstores or call toll-free 1-800-767-1241 HNSTlITUTE (noon-9:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday-Friday) 1000 Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001 • (202) 842·0200 Lloyd Bentsen in one lesson - Treasury cided to remodel his official residence with redwood and Secretary Lloyd Bentsen said the Mississippi flood rebuilding Douglas fir, two species Gore's campaigned to protect from effort would mean 1/a lot of concrete poured, a lot of tractOrs logging in old-growth forests. -ATS working," and therefore be good for the economy. Good thing those levies failed; and too bad the one around St. Louis held Mars beckons - Some libertarians, such as Patrick out. And why are the World Trade Center bombers being Cox of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, have used the fail­ tried? Think of the concrete poured! -JSR ure of NASA's Mars probe to argue for abolishing NASA and leaving space exploration to the private sector. Me, I think the Stealin~ second base - George Steinbrenner, spectacle of the federal government stuffing $1 billion into a who runs the most profitable franchise in baseball, has been metal canister and shooting it into outer space is such a perfect threatening to move my beloved New York Yankees to New metaphor that if NASA is abolished, the program should be Jersey. What he really wants is or State continued by the National Endowment for the Arts. -DB (Governor Mario Cuomo has expressed support) to build him a new stadium within the five boroughs. He complains that Their day in court - In the August Liberty, I the current stadium's location in the South Bronx keeps away wrote that by examining the case of Randy Weaver we could customers. He even marshalls statistics that demonstrate de­ get a pretty good idea of what might have happened to the clining attendance. What he does not mention is that in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Branch past few years the cost of general admission tickets (which is Davidians had the government siege of the Davidian property all you can get before the game, because all others were sold not ended with the deaths of virtually all the Davidians and out to season ticket holders) has risen from $7.50 to $10.50, the total destruction of the scene of the events. which is to say from a price competitive with a movie to one Weaver was the right-wing nut who was accused of a mi­ that isn't. No wonder previous customers decide against going nor firearms violation in 1989, and moved with his family to a to Yankee games. small shack in the mountains of northern Idaho where he Most of us would say that anyone raising prices in an eco­ lived peacefully until he was attacked by federal agents, who nomic slump was either a fool or a schemer. The scheme here killed his wife and teenage son. While the Weaver case started is using self-induced lower income as a rationale for demand­ out like the Davidian case, it took one critical tum: Weaver ing public funds. This threat is ultimately not local but nation­ surrendered before the final assault by the federal authorities, al. Mark my words: if Steinbrenner succeeds, every major­ so he survived'to have his day in court. league municipality and all major-league fans will be similarly As we went to press in July, Weaver and a friend who threatened. If the state has any function in a free market, it had been in his mountain cabin at the time of the assault and should be to hasten the departure of those who charge too survived were on trial, charged with eight different crimes. much, especially if they display the chutzpah to ask the state to The jury found both defendants not guilty of the charges that compensate for unnecessary losses. -RI< grew out of Weaver's resistance to the federal assault (conspir­ acy, assaulting u.S. Marshalls, murdering u.S. Marshall Don't tell Robert Reich - Never let it be said William Degan, possession of firearms while a fugitive, using that government cannot create jobs. According to the London firearms in the commission of a violent crime) as well as the Observer, a group of Chinese soldiers has for some time been charge for which Weaver had originally been charged. It employed shoveling sand from railroad tracks in Quinghsa, found Weaver guilty of two relatively minor charges related deep in the Gobi Desert. Without this heroic effort, no trains to his failure to appear in court for the original alleged viola­ would be able to reach that godforsaken region. tion ofgun regulations. . And for what purpose do the railroad tracks stretch to But David Koresh did not get his day in court. Instead, he Quinghsa? For one reason, and one reason only: to supply the got killed, just as the federal police had tried to kill Weaver. soldiers who are busily shovelling sand. -JW The scene of Koresh's supposed crime was burned over and Progress report - In the past few months Russia bulldozed, so it is unlikely to reveal any evidence that might has promulgated a plan, repealed its sodomy clear Koresh. The public was kept more than three miles away law, and guaranteed the right of private land ownership. In from the scene of the assault, and the Davidians were not al­ May and June, China cancelled 80 taxes and fees imposed on lowed any communication with the outside world. farmers. Meanwhile, here in America ... well, you know. But it now looks as if some Davidians may get a chance to -DB defend themselves. A federal grand jury has indicted twelve of the surviving Davidians for the murder of the ATF agents Think globally, act locally - AI Core has de- who were killed in the initial raid. Liberty 7 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

The federal police may live to regret their decision to go af­ all their faults, are the better way-station for those who abhor ter the survivors. There are strong indications, including a mass murder. -BK videotape record, that the AlF casualties at the initial raid were the result of "friendly fire." Confederacy ofdunces - Boutras Boutras-Chali And even if the prosecutors somehow manage to prove continues to push for a strong United Nations. I can sympa­ that the agents were killed by fire from within the compound, thize -I did much the same in my days as an important U.N. they will still have to demonstrate what they could not in the official. Weaver trial: that the actions of those defending their homes All right, I wasn't really a U.N. official. But I was a member was something other than self-defense. -RWB of my high school's Model U.N., a group that simulated the real thing. (I realize that in some circles, that is sure to be tak­ At home in the - How far away en as a confession of nerditude, so for balance let me point out 1988 seems. In the space of a mere lustrum the flag in which my teenaged membership in a short-lived, very bad garage George Bush wrapped his wan and witless self has magically rock group, the Velvet Undies.) At one local meet, in which I changed colors, from the red, white, and blue of the Old represented the People's Republic of China, I got together Republic to the blue and white globe-in-a-bull's-eye of the with my counterparts from the United States and the Soviet United Nations. Union (the latter wearing an enormous and incongruous Ah, for those carefree halcyon days of yore, when the two Reagan button) and wrote a resolution that essentially stated: wings of our one-party system engaged in a hilarious debate (1) The United States, U.S.S.R., and Red China are now of­ over the relative criminality of burning an American flag and ficially joint rulers of the world, and the U.N. is our raping Kitty Dukakis. It seemed like a big deal at the time - at instrument; least to everyone but Kitty's husband, legalistic Creek that he (2) All who oppose this edict will be occupied by U.N. was - but now, five years later, a synthesis presents itself. All troops; and the eminences of the Sole and Glorious Party agree: the death (3) All who vote against this edict will be occupied by U.N. penalty for anyone who bums a United Nations flag! troops. Cod knows how many Somalis, dark and poor as It passed, mostly because other delegates wanted to get on Washington's murder victims usually are, will lie dead in their to other things and passing our resolution seemed as good a provincial little streets, executed by the justly hated janissaries way as any to get rid of it. So my friendly suggestion to Mr of the United Nations for the crime of loyalty to a local thug Boutras-Chali is: Staff the United Nations with bored high school ("warlord," in Corporate Media Speak) instead of the New students. They'll give you whatever you want! World Orderlies ("peacekeepers"). My secret agenda, of course, is to fill the U.N. with dele­ The blue and white flag of the Total State flies over this oc­ gates who can't even find the countries they're supposed to cupied land of light chocolate Willie Hortons. Next it will rip­ meddle in on a map. -JW ple in the Cambodian breeze, and after that its staff may be I recently spoke about libertari­ transplanted into the soil of Haiti or Azerbaijan or, sooner than Planners' ritual - an approaches to economic and social problems at the we think, even these once-sovereign states. International City/County Management Association, a profes­ Who has spoken up against the slaughter in Somalia? As I sional organization of local government planners. They react­ write, only Pat Buchanan and Senator Robert Byrd and a few ed the way you might expect of someone being told that there black Democratic congressmen. The Republicans, erstwhile foes was no justification for his job. When I asked why "planning" of that great Right hobgoblin, World Government, stand re­ wasn't a dirty word in this day of Communist collapse, they vealed as bumbling One-Worlders who combine the worst fea­ protested that they were not for central planning, just city tures of Wendell Willkie, Henry Kissinger, and Charlie planning. They insisted that their kind of planning was "com­ Starkweather. (Ordinary Republicans of the Main Street variety munity-based" and took into account the needs of people. I have no enthusiasm for our never-ending global adventures, of scoffed and said that planners were incurably out of touch course, but they all voted for Perot anyway.) with real needs. The other truly atrocious act of Champ Clinton - the mas­ Mterwards, my hostess approached me, out of earshot of sacre of religious dissidents in Waco, Texas - also elicited a the others, and confessed that when she worked for the city of cowardly mewling assent from the purported opposition party. Austin, the planners went through an elabo­ Congressman John Conyers, the black leftist rate ritual of consulting the community. from Detroit, and Ohio's zany and frequently Liberty's Editors "Then we went back to our offices, said 'the right-on populist Democrat James Traficant heck with what they want,' and unveiled [the were the only gutsy defenders of the old values Reflect planning document) Austin 2000." (freedom of worship, the right to bear arms, the DB David Boaz Confession must really be good for the soul. right to be left alone) whose voices I heard. RWB R.W. Bradford -SR As far as I can tell, the Republican commit­ BK ment to liberty is limited to advocating lower­ RK Richard Kostelanetz The values of the Elders - ing the tax burden on the wealthy and the SR Sheldon Richman The notorious Joycelyn Elders, collector of upper-middle class. Until my ideal party comes JSR James S. Robbins three tax-funded salaries and distributor of into being - a cheerful gang of the bohemian SS Sandy Shaw slightly flawed condoms, told the Senate Right, the America First Left, and the angry pa­ ATS Aaron T. Steelman Labor and Human Resources Committee, "1 triots of the radical center - the Democrats, for TWV Timothy Virkkala have seen bright young people all over this JW Jesse Walker 8 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 country in an ocean surrounded by the sharks of drugs, alco­ so many and communities, it could never be put hol, violence, homicide, suicide, AIDS, and teenage pregnancy into effect as is - and may by association help bring down its while we argue over whose values we are going to teach." philosophical predecessor, the Endangered Species Act. Does President Clinton's nominee for surgeon general really The people who proposed this plan seem to think that the believe that the values taught to children are unrelated to such present catalog of animals and plants must always exist, in issues as drugs, violence, and teenage pregnancy? Has she precise and constant ratios, that it is some kind of ideal that contemplated the uncomfortable fact that when schools did must be maintained at all costs, including massive coercion. teach traditional values, children were less likely to encounter But in 10,000,000 years, what we humans have done today in these sharks? Has she noticed that children in schools that still terms of fostering animal or plant species will not make the teach values - notably Catholic schools - suffer less from slightest difference to the survival of the planet. New ecosys­ such problems? Or is it "blaming the victim" to point out that tems emerge; old ecosystems adjust. One day, all species will drugs and AIDS are not just mysterious, impersonal be extinct. And "the planet" doesn't care. phenomena? When science mixes with the state, you get plenty of "big- I for one would not support a blind return to Victorian or ness" and "fierceness" - and evil. -ss Eisenhower-era values, nor do I think such a step is possible. But I am appalled that a high-ranking federal appointee, a Viva la videotape, again - In the June Liberty, close associate of the president of the United States, can cava­ I observed that Janet Reno had virtually confessed to the mur­ lierly dismiss the very notion that the values taught to chil­ der of the Branch Davidiansin her public statements defend­ dren might bear some relation to the terrible social problems ing the decision to attack them with tanks and poison g~s. But that children face today. -DB I did not believe her confession; more likely, I figured, she was a posturing politician, ineptly trying to portray her b~havior Whither the yellow peril? - The Chinese as positively as possible, unC\ware of the implications of what CommuniSt government is mounting a campaign against "un­ she was saying. It seemed to me that the fiery death of the derground sperm donor brigades," groups of individuals who Davidians was the result of bureaucratic ineptitude, at most "wantonly and excessively" donate sperm - leading, accord­ "mass negligent homicide." ing to the government, to the reproduction of "inferior A reader sent me a videotape produced by the American strains." The artificial insemination business is largely unregu­ Justice Federation that calls my conclusion into question. It lated in China, and the government seeks to bring this anar­ quite plainly shows a tank shooting fire into one of the build­ cho-eapitalistic activity under state control. Why a country ings, as FBI agents calmly jump from the roof and walk away with over a billion people even needs sperm banks is any­ just after the fires are started. And that's not all: there are also body's guess, but why question the genius of the market­ images of FBI tanks breaking holes into the underground bun­ place? And the conclusion that these men carry "inferior kers, which could explain how the poison gas·got to those strains" seems premature - after all, they're outwitting the li­ Davidians who had been taking refuge in the bunkers at the censed Communist masturbaters. -JSR time of the assault. The tape also shows footage of the original assault on Feb. 29, and it surely looks as if the Davidians are Biodiversity grows out ofthe barrel ofa not returning the ATF's fire. In one chilling episode, an A1F gun - On June 11, 1993, at the seventh annual meeting of agent throws two grenades through a window through which the Society for Conservation Biology at Arizona State three other ATF agents have just broken into the compound, University, the Wildlands Project was proposed. It is, in es­ and then rakes the interior with machine-gun fire. The narra­ sence, a massive land use plan for the entire U.S., banning or tor says that the three agents who had preceeded the grenade­ restricting human access to up to half the continent. The tossing machine gunner were all killed. I'm not surprised. Oregon coastline, for example, would see 23.40/0 of its land re­ The tape concludes with the ATF flag triumphantly ­ turned to wilderness (Le., no people are allowed) and another and ominously- flying over the smoldering ruins. 26.2% set aside for only severely restricted use. The plan does I am no expert on authenticating videotapes, so I suppose not specify what would happen to the nearby inhabitants. it is possible that what I saw was somehow faked. But it cer­ The project is designed to preserve "bigness" and "fierce­ tainly looked like the tapes of the original raid and of the ness" in the environment. That means it will be considered OK for animals to kill and eat anyone who wanders into their protected areas. The planners have not yet figured out how they want to handle wild animals who wander into the human areas and kill and eat people there. There is a word for all this: "insanity." But I read about it in the June 25 issue of Science, which appears to take it all quite seriously, at least from a "scientific" point of view (Le., This Is What We Must Do To Preserve Biodiversity). Indeed, over the past few years Science has increasingly favored cen­ tralized planning for the achievement of "scientific" goals; the --::;.--_. Wildlands Project is only the latest in a series. But this bio­ diversity plan may be so extreme it becomes a blessing in dis­ guise: so radical is its sweep, and so adversely would it affect "'Drp'? - What kind ofmantra is that?" Liberty 9 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 scene that I had seen on television. If these scenes were faked, the sudden death of first-round pick Len Bias in 1986, someone went to a lot of trouble to duplicate the Davidian and could ill afford to lose Lewis' services. compound. MUdge's diagnosis was wrong; the autopsy proved the If federal prosecutors actually take their case against the original twelve doctors' appraisal correct. Whether or not the survivors to trial, they will have to deal with the Videotape way Mudge and Celtics management advised Lewis was ethi­ that I saw, as well as substantial amounts of additional video­ cal is not so certain. But the death can be blamed on no one tape produced by the BAIF and the FBI. Unless, of course, the but Lewis himself. Twelve doctors wamed him of the danger. FBI and AlF have already destroyed or doctored their video He chose to ignore them. No amount of prodding could have record. -RWB forced him to keep playing if he did not want to. Already it has been suggested that Mudge and others be Regulation at a new height - In a memo to sued for their part in this tragic episode. That is ridiculous. President Clinton, Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has pro­ Reggie Lewis died as a result of his own actions, not those of posed raising the minimum wage from the current $4.25 an Mudge or Celtic management. I do not mean to admonish the hour to at least $4.50 an hour, and then indeXing it to inflation. man. He died doing what he loved to do, shooting baskets After all, surely workers would be better off making $4.50 and talking with his fans. But to deny his responsibility is to than $4.25. In that spirit, I wonder if the Clinton administra­ deny that man is free to live his life as he chooses. It's time to tion would consider increasing the minimum height for U.S. quit pretending that people are not responsible enough to live workers to five feet. After all, surely workers would be better their own lives by their own volition and face the consequenc­ off if they were at least five feet tall. Robert Reich would be es of their own decisions, be they good or bad. -A1'5 out of a job, but isn't it better to have a few people on welfare as long as most workers are taller? -DB Out in center field - The conservative wing of the media, led by Rush Limbaugh and American Spectator's ideo­ By his own hand - On July 27, Reggie Lewis, cap­ logues of the frat-boy Right, have formulated their take on the tain of the Boston Celtics, collapsed while shooting baskets at Clinton administration: Bill Clinton and (especially) his wife Brandeis University. He was pronounced dead two and a half are socialists of the far, far left, ready to impose McGovernite hours later. PC hell on the rest of us. He had collapsed three months earlier, during Boston's Honly things were that simple. first playoff game of the season at Boston Garden; afterwards, There certainly is an ugly leftist odor to some of the he was examined by a team of twelve specialists who conclud­ Clinton appointments, from Donna 5halala to Laura D'Andrea ed he suffered from a cardiomyopathy, a potentially lethal Tyson. But Clinton himself is basically a centrist, and so is his condition in which damage to an area of heart tissue can cause administration. The Left has had a few bones thrown its way, the heart to beat irregularly. Not only was Lewis' life in dan­ but the general course of the nation is no more leftist now ger, but if the diagnosis was true, his career was over - a than it was conservative under the regency of George Bush. traumatic development for an athlete of his caliber. No, it is that awful monster, the totalitarian middle, a.k.a. the So Lewis wanted a second (or in this case, a thirteenth) "vital center," that steers our nation now, just as it has for opinion, and consulted Dr Gilbert Mudge, a cardiologist at decades. Brigham and Women's Hospital. Mudge decided that the Consider the uneasy case for Clinton as leftist. First off, opinions of the doctors who had examined Lewis before were there's his statist economics: tax, spend, and regulate. That's unfounded and that what Lewis suffered from was a neuro­ unpleasant, but is it "leftist"? Not unless you want to argue cardiogenic syncope, a' nerve disorder treatable with medica­ the RepUblicans' economics is leftist, too. The programs tion. Lewis would be able to continue his career and try to Clinton is pushing - national service, "managed competi­ forget the whole episode. It surely did not upset Celtic man­ tion," industrial policy - could as easily have come from the agement, an organization that seemed to be reeling ever since Nixon or Bush administrations (and, in more moderate forms, they did). Meanwhile, Clinton's version of welfare reform sounds more right-wing than left; not surprisingly, it also shows little prospect for actually shrinking the . In this age of the big-government conservative, it is useless to describe just anyone out to wrap the economy in red tape as a leftwinger. Then there's his alleged . He's pro-choice, for whatever that's worth - actually, it's one of the most mainstream opinions he has. And he's supposed to be gung­ ho for gay rights, though I see little real evidence for this. Mter all, he's waffled like crazy on the gays-in-the-military is­ sue, and refused to appear at the gay and lesbian march on Washington. (He said he had a prior engagement to speak to the American Newspaper Association in Boston, but The New Republic reports that that convention was originally scheduled ..-~---to begin the day after the march - until Clinton "forced the newspapermen to accommodate his enigmatic schedule.") Modern editions ofclassic works for today's readers. NEW LmERlY, EQUALIlY, FRATERNIlY By James Fitzjames Stephen Edited by Stuart D. Warner Stephen's book still retains its power to challenge, and irritate, liberal and conservative alike, and it remains an indispensable textfor anyone seriously concerned about the extent to which the law shoula attempt to enforce morality. -Stefan Collinl, Cambridge University This classic, incisive work of political philosophy will be ofinterest to any thinking personwho IS concerned about the limits and role ofgovernment, law, and morality in an ordered and free soclety. 268 + xxix pages. Foreword, editor's note, selected bibli­ ography, prefaces, comparative table of subjects, index. lfardcover $25.00 0-86597-110-2 Paperback $ 7.50 0-86597-111-0

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Basically, Clinton's social-liberal image is partly a remem­ Roosevelt, who had every American convinced that the Jap brance of his draft-dodging, pot-smoking past and partly a re­ next door was ready to steal their garbage for rojo. So let's flection of his fascination with left-liberal Hollywood movers count our blessings. Sometimes, Clintonian incompetence is a and shakers. Which raises the question: Are Dana boon for liberty. -JW Rohrabacher and Frank Sinatra now social liberals? If you want a firmer grip on Clinton's politics, take a look The well-tempered libertarian - Liber­ at his treatment of the National Endowment for Democracy, tarians tend to exhibit an intellectual elitism that can only al­ that federally-subsidized fund for the international propaga­ ienate potential support. Consider three examples: tion of neoconservative dogma. Even as fellow Democrats in 1. Years ago, Nathaniel Branden appeared on a daytime the House of Representatives tried to defund the dinosaur, talk show hosted by John Davidson. As the applause died Clinton requested a 60 percent increase in NED funding. This down, one could distinctly hear Davidson ask Branden if he is not the behavior of an out-of-the-mainstream leftist. This is could call him "Nat." No, replied Branden in sharp rebuke and the behavior of a man firmly in the political center - Le., with a sour look. Once bitten, Davidson - who obViously had firmly in the Beltway. If he's not popular with the bulk of the only glanced at the book Branden had written - innocently American people - and he isn't - that just shows how far commented, "I understand you're into biorhythms." from America's center the political center has moved. Not left­ (Davidson had obviously confused Branden's biocentric psy­ wards. Not rightwards. Just away. -JW chology with the pop-scientism of biorhythms - well, nobody ever claimed John Davidson was an intellectual.) "You've total­ How to win enemies and influence the ly misinterpreted what I said," Branden shot back with his best people - Mohammed Farah Aidid, the Somali "war­ imitation of Randian outrage, embarrassing his host. Needless lord" being pursued by U.N. forces, is a minor thug, unimpor­ to say, "Nat" was never invited back. tant in the greater scheme of things. He is not personally 2. More recently, Charles Murray, well-known author of responsible for the awful conditions in Somalia, and his cap­ Losing Ground, imitated Branden's style. On This Week with ture will not solve the systemic problems that created the David Brinkley, Murray used the "people like you" generaliza­ Somali disaster. The attention he's getting from American and tion to not-so-subtly accuse Brinkley of supporting welfare­ U.N. media spokespeople is far out of proportion to his signif­ statism. Brinkley was noticeably miffed at Murray's presump­ icance. He's being systematically demonized, as William tion that he knew what Brinkley thought. Unless some apology Burroughs would say; attacking Aidid is an easy substitute is made, we won't be seeing Murray again on that show, for understanding and combatting foreign aid, "structural either. readjustment policies," and Third World statism. 3. In his article "Confessions of an Intractable Individualist" Alas, the scapegoating process isn't going very well. I (Liberty, July 1988), Jerome Tuccille relates his experiences on don't know why, but Democrats. aren't as good as the campaign trail and his alienation from libertarianism and Republicans at turning minor Third World thugs into avatars Libertarian Party politics. He writes: "I had very little desire to of Satan. Muammar el-Qaddafy was a flaky, effeminate mad­ push through shopping mall crowds on Saturday afternoons, man responsible for all the terrorism in the world; Saddam smiling and shaking hands and otherwise being agreeable to Hussein was worse than Hitler; Farah Aidid is ... just a thug. people suffering from advanced stages of brain rot." (Oh, He hasn't made any passes at Western journalists, or sent any dear.) Then, Tuccille berates Senator Jacob Javits for his ability hit squads after Clinton, or even gassed his own people. He to, as he adroitly puts it, "oil ... his way among the throngs has no known links to the KGB, the Medellin Drug Cartel, or with a plastic smile on his lips, shaking one hand after another, Carlos the International Terrorist. He hasn't shot at the Pope, dispensing an inanity here and and another one there," etc., put on rouge, or bought expensive designer eyeglasses. This is etc. the man we've sent thousands of soldiers overseas to nab? These examples suggest a question: have old-fashioned No, let's face it: when it comes to stirring up jingoistic hate manners disappeared from the libertarian movement? Is being and focusing it on one unlucky scumball, Clinton's a bust. nice to people some terrible sin that we are somehow above? This is Republican territory. The last Democratic president to This type of self-sabotage is difficult to explain in people of pull off a good demonization job was Franklin Delano obvious ability. Intelligent people simply do not go around in­ sulting their hosts - and what is so wrong about "chatting up" voters? To denigrate social niceties is a fine way of cutting one's throat, but it does little to promote liberty. Libertarians could learn a lesson from G.K. Chesterton. I in­ voke Chesterton's name here because he was universally liked - even by devout socialists like Wells and Shaw, who thought his ideas neanderthal. Chesterton's description of Basil Grant in The Club ofQueer Trades is almost a self-portrait: "He listened ... with the genuine simplicity and respect which he never failed to exhibit in dealing with any human being." This epi­ taph would apply to very few libertarians. Unlike Chesterton, libertarians do not seem genUinely interested in the common man. This arrogance is self-defeating. "'How damn many pennies a day?U Can the arrogant, anti-social streak in so many libertarians 12 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 ever be eradicated? I don't know, but perhaps if men like as the world turns a little closer to the ideal of freedom, which Chesteron are widely emulated, the libertarian movement will both Miseses struggled to proclaim. - TWV become a place where charm is again seen as a virtue, and suc­ cess a possibility. -Guest reflection by Dan Riga , 1894-1993 - At 98, Henry Hazlitt was prepared for death; when it finally came after Margit von Mises, 1890-1993 - When many years of suffering and lingering in a nursing home, it arrived at the American shore, phenomenol­ was all the sweeter. It came as a friend, and Henry was pre­ ogist Alfred Schiitz was at the pier to greet him. We honor pared to receive it. Schiitz for this. And we honor those who sponsored Mises at Henry Hazlitt was unique in his dedication to the cause of New York University when he could find no academic position freedom and to the dissemination of this cause with in the American academy - despite having made brilliant con­ his powerful pen. His whole life was devoted to this effort. As tributions in many areas ofeconomics, including monetary the­ a young reporter with , as literary editor ory, the business cycle, the theory of central planning, and the of The Sun and The Nation, as editor of The American Mercury, as methodology of the social sciences. It is much easier now than a columnist for Newsweek, as editor-in-chief of, then faithful it was then, 50 years ago, to do good work ineconomics and so­ contributor to, , he always demonstrated the best cial theory, and to advocate a free society and the institutions of ineconomic knowledge and journalistic professionalism. capitalism. We owe not only Mises but his supporters some­ Throughout the years Henry Hazlitt never failed to find el­ thing for this change. But we should not forget the woman who oquent words and lucid composition to dwell upon economic arrived with the eminent Austrian on these shores, who stood subjects. He, more than any other American writer, wrote as beside him in his early years of exile away from Vienna and the common people speak, but thought as wise men do. through all his years in America, and who survived him by 20 Proper writing, to Mr Hazlitt, was but a different name for lu­ years. cid conversation. His guide was truth, which made him write Margit von Mises died on June 23, 1993, after living nearly powerfully, naturally, and convincingly. He wrote until he 103 years. She had a full life: actress, friend, and conversation­ was four-score-and-ten because he liked to write and liked alist. Loyal to her husband and his work, and a person of great himself better when he did. charm - as attested by her friends and as revealed in her me­ Henry Hazlitt will be remembered as the great teacher of moir My Years with Ludwig von Mises - she was evidence that the present generation of economic writers. When they face virtue is its own reward, or (to be more precise, as we should the burning issues of our time they will do well remembering be when dealing with economists), at the very least, that virtue the great Hazlitt lessons in Economics in One Lesson, The provides for much reward. Those who knew her will miss her, Foundations ofMorality, The Conquest ofPoverty, his fifteen oth­ and the rest of us simply note her passing, and remember how er books, and thousands of essays and articles. Although he important to us her life, and the life of her husband, became. has left this stage of life, his writings will point the way for And hope that some measure of that importance will remain, generations to come. -Hans F. Sennholz

The fugitive - I hear on the news that the U.S. occupi­ Church.") What issues were relevant when the world's most ers of Somalia are still troubled by Mohammed Farah Aidid, prominent religious leader visited a country wracked by crime whom the news readers formulaicly describe as a "fugitive and moral crises? Abortion, homosexuality, married priests, warlord." I don't know much about Aidid, but I suppose this women priests, and, lest we forget, pedophiliac priests. NPR's characterization is accurate: Aidid refuses to surrender to au­ coverage began with the Pope's stop in Mexico City. A long thorities, which makes him a "fugitive," and he does apparent­ feature story included opinions presented as fact - "Pope ly head a military force, which makes him a "warlord." Even John Paul IT is an authoritarian"; snide comments ­ so, the use of such emotionally-eharged words is a bit "President Salinas didn't show up for the Pope's remarks here, worrisome. and observers wondered why the Pope didn't mention the George Washington headed an insurgent military force Church's long mistreatment of the Indians"; and soft inter­ during the American Revolution, and he refused to surrender views with "longtime Catholic activists who dissent from the to British authorities. Was he a "fugitive warlord"? -RWB Church's teachings on basic theological issues." (Like libertari­ Pope's on the ropes - The way the news media­ ans who believe in national health insurance, tax increases, especially the taxpayer-funded media - treated the U.S. visit and drug prohibition?) My local government radio station's of Pope John Paul II left even me feeling a bit sympathetic for coverage concluded with an hour-long talk show on the prob­ the old boy and his church. For one thing, the media demon­ lem of - you guessed it - pedophiliac priests. One might as strated just what the Pope says about them: they were ob­ well tune in to Geraldo, who at least doesn't demand my tax sessed with sex. (Newsweek's cover line: "Sex and the dollars for his public-interest programming. Liberty 13 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Another popular theme was that the Pope's opposition to worry," I told her. "They didn't.") This is a brand new, very birth control is responsible for overpopulation in the world, expensive special-effects technology; it took a director with even for the murders of eight street children in Rio de Janeiro the cash and clout of Stephen Spielberg to put it to use. And in July. Writers such as Georgie Anne Geyer and Judy Mann that, ultimately, is why I am glad this pile of dung was accepted the overpopulation canard at face value, then blamed made. it on the Church. Jurassic Park proved that studios can get a return on an in­ Now far be it for this Protestant-turned-nonbeliever to de­ vestment in these new techniques. Thanks to Spielberg, genu­ fend the world's leading mystic. But I think the Pope's address inely creative but less powerful directors are freer to put the about the "culture of life" versus the "culture of death" might tech to work in their pictures. And, slowly but surely, the have warranted more than a disparaging soundbite from technology will filter down to those wild visionaries who Catholics for a Free Choice. And when Catholic schools don't work in Hollywood at all. achieve twice the success of the public schools at half the cost, One day, Jurassic Park will be thought of the way D.W. it might be worth examining the values taught in Catholic Griffith's racist epic Birth ofa Nation is now. Film classes will schools - not just the sexual ones, but the full panoply of mo­ be forced to watch it, and critics and historians will go on ral values. (E.J. Dionne's column in , about its importance in motion picture history. Most audienc­ which did just that, was a welcome exception to the general es will be put to sleep, though, because the oh-so-radical in­ level of coverage.) Maybe on the Pope's next visit, after the novations that spellbind today's viewers will become part of five-part series on priestly celibacy. -DB the general vocabulary of cinema, leaving nothing to pay attention to but the implausible story and the godawful mu- The crappy filmmaker as hero - The big sic. -JVV summer movie hit was Stephen Spielberg'sJurassic Park, and it was awful. Its plot, in case you've been living under a beached In the freak range - Conservative magazines whale, involves scientists cloning long-extinct dinosaurs with have not given up their obsession with homosexuality, but the intention of putting them in an amusement park; every­ they've added a new twist - earnest attempts to offer a seri­ thing, of course, goes out of control. The message, I take it, is ous justification for their hostility. That's progress, I think, this: if you're going to bring back long-dead· beasts for com­ even if their attempts don't hold up very well on examina­ mercial exploitation, it's better to use computer Wizardry and tion. At least they're trying to be both civil and intelligent. put them in a movie than to use biotech and put them in a All, that is, except for good old Joe Sobran, last seen speaking theme park. at the 1991 Libertarian Party convention, whose review of the It's hard to pick out the worst thing about this picture - is April gay rights march in Crisis referred to the marchers as it the gooey sentimentality that Spielberg confuses with a "perverts, dykes, and fairies ... lisping, shrieking ... both sexes intent on proving their manhood ... almost in the freak sense of wonder? The asinine "explanation" of chaos theory? range, down there with incest, pedophilia, sheep-loving." The constant denigration of science? The gaping holes in the Sobran may not be a libertarian on policy issues, but story? Sitting in the theater, question after insistent question quite he's mean-spirited enough to qualify for " leolibertarian" ran through my mind: How is tlult limping boy outrunning a di­ pa status. -DB nosaur we've been told is faster than a cheetah? and Why, with those infrared night-vision glasses just sitting there, are they draw­ Tree-sucker - On September 8, Al Gore took his pub­ ing attention to themselves with bright flashlights? and If they lic relations campaign for "reinventing government" to New brought back the dinosaurs by cloning preserved dinosaur blood, York City, where he appeared on the David Letterman show. how did they bring back all ofthose prehistoric PLANTS? It was an historic event. For the first time in the ten-year his­ There were some more general questions, too, like Haven't tory of the program, Letterman sucked up to a guest. I heard this soundtrack in an elevator somewhere? And, of course, I suppose this shows that anyone - evenan individual as Why am I sitting through this crap? set against brown-nosing as David Letterman - can succumb Well, at least I can answer the last one. I was sitting to the trappings of power. When the New York City cops halt­ through the ed all traffic for miles around and Secret Service goons i::::...-.l movie so I searched the entire audience so El Segundo could safely go out EJ could watch in public, Letterman was instantly transformed into Arsenio the nifty com­ Hall. puter generat­ Gore told a few witless jokes, which is not to say that he ed dinosaurs. didn't say anything funny. Consider the following inter­ So was every­ change with his host: one else. As Letterman: How much did the study [about reducing waste my friends and in government] cost? ,;; I left the thea- Gore: Nothing. One of the things that was different about it C. ter, one com­ is we did it completely with federal employees. mented, "They I have examined a videotape of this exchange a half dozen shouldn't have times, and I can assure you that Gore's answer had not a trace bothered to of sarcasm. This was not a joke. Apparently, Gore is convinced hire any ac­ that using federal employees to do a job costs nothing at all. ''What do you do on your day off Does he believe federal employees do not get paid? Or does he is too my business!" tors." ("Don't continued on page 46 14 Liberty Diagnosis

The Real Health Care Crisis by R. W. Bradford

The Clinton administration has grandiose programs; conservative ostriches have effusive criticism; neither has a clue to what's wrong with American medicine.

I just got back from my dentist's, where I had my regular check-up. Five x-rays, a cleaning by a dental hygienist, and a brief examination set me back $117. A year ago, this same procedure cost me $97. Five years ago itcost less than $60. It's a good thing I didn't have to have anything done to my teeth. Being healthy is expensive enough. have responded to President Clinton's Judge Lambeth had ordered it to hold My experience typifies that of all call for "health care reform." public meetings, people were going to figure out who was on it anyway, so Americans. Medical costs are rising Taking the Task Force to Task rapidly, much more rapidly than they might as well come clean. President Clinton has responded to other prices. For the last decade, na­ It turns out that the task force has by appointing a health re­ tional health care expenditures have 511 members, of whom 412 are fu11­ form task force of volunteer experts to risen at more than twice the rate of in­ time employees of the federal govern­ flation. Medical care has risen from study the situation. To protect it from ment. Another 82 are part-time federal 9.4% of GNP in 1980 to over 12.8% of undue influence from those with a fi­ government employees. This leaves 17 GNP today. In my home state of nancial interest in medical care (Le., who are not federal bureaucrats. Of Washington, spending on medical health care professionals), he kept the these 17, nine are employees of the care rose 1530/0 over the course of the membership of the task force secret National Governors' Association, six '80s. Total national health expendi­ and instructed it to meet in private. are consultants for the Department of tures have increased from $27.1 billion Unhappily for the president, Health and Human Services, one is a in 1960, to $250.1 billion in 1980, to Federal Judge Royce Lambeth on county commissioner, and one is affili­ $666.2 billion in 1990. All facets of March 10 ruled that it was illegal for ated with the Harvard Community health care are seeing costs rise faster 'the task force to meet in total secrecy Health Association. than the general inflation rate - hos­ so long as the president's wife headed It seems a safe bet that a task force pital care, physician services, dental it without pay. Presidential spin doc­ consisting of government employees services, home health care, drug pric­ tor George Stephanopoulos immedi­ will conclude that medical care ought es, the whole array. The average cost ately went on television and explained to be controlled even more tightly by of medical coverage has also risen, es­ with a straight face that the court's de­ government than it is today. pecially in the last few years: from cision was a "victory" for the adminis­ All this is surrounded·by a mas­ $1,645 per person in 1984 to $3,968 in tration because it did not disband the sive campaign, com­ 1992. task force altogether. plete with television commercials The trend is plain to see. If the Eventually, someone leaked a list adVising us that the solution is "man­ price of medical services continues to of the members to the press and to aged care." Pontificating professors rise at this rate, Americans will be Congress. On March 28, it apparently have explained why we need more bankrupted or have to forego needed occurred to the president (or his wife, government control. The first lady care. This is why so many Americans who runs the task force) that since created a media event by bringing the Liberty 15 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

family of an infant poisoned by the E. figure how much this might cost them. will buy this bare-faced lie. But if histo­ coli bacterium to Washington to testify Now that the bill is coming due, ry is any indicator, the willingness of about the importance of a government Clinton is happy to oblige them by al... the American people to believe their takeover of the health care industry ­ lowing them to dodge their contractual government can give them benefits at although the child is recovering and his liabilities. no cost whatsoever has never been in medical bills are being paid by those There have been a few rough spots short supply. responsible for his accidental, poison... in the road to socialized medicine. ing.... For a while, the campaign for a Every once in a while, Ms Rodham The Ugly Truth "solution" seemed to infect virtually Clinton paused in her public listing of So far, Clinton and his expert com­ every newscast and public affairs new benefits and attacks on red tape to mission have dodged the nastiest ques­ program. mention the matter of paying for the tion that perplexes every system of During the eight months of its exis... program. At first, she said health care socialized medicine: triage administra­ tence, Ms Rodham Clinton's health care reform could be accomplished by man... tion - i.e., the government deciding task force has progressed from extend... datory private insurance for all but the which people's medical problems ing the private"'government partner... unemployed, for whom government ought not be treated at all. would pick up the tab. This wasn't terri... Unless an infinite amount of re­ bly popular -people began to suspect sources is allocated to health care, that they,would have to pay for their someone has to decide which medical In America today, people own insurance, which already costs too problems will be treated. In a free mar.. want the absolute best health much. So the task force suggested fi ... ket, those allocations are made on the nancing it like Social Security. But this basis of willingness and ability to pay. care and could not care less meant lower take-home pay for every­ This means that some very serious about the cost, since in most one. So the task force floated the idea of medical problems of poor people will cases it is paid for by someone, anew broad-based tax, the value added not be treated, and that some rather tax., But, taxes, seem high enough to fanciful problems of the wealthy will. else. Not surprisingly, .,costs most .people 'already, and the VAT To many, this is simply unjust. Why are bound to rise sharply. would fall hardest on the poor. So should a poor man die because he can­ RodhamClinton proposed a "progres­ not afford an appendectomy, while a sive" tax, requiring people with high in- rich woman can have extract of sheep , comes to pay far more than those with embryo injected into her blood on the ship that has resulted in ever... lQwer'incomesfor identical health care. theory that it will make her younger? increasing medical costs to" advocating Even thi~ ',' fail~d to gain, much support Those who find this situation unsat­ a system that amounts' to 'socialized from a 'public worried .about higher isfactory seldom talk about the altema- medicine in all but name. taxes. The president's theory (andthe theo... The problem the task force faces is ry of his expert task force) is that medi;. 'simple and ·fundamental. Americans cal care ought to be controlled by a .have a system of extensive and won­ Clinton is happy to oblige government bureaucracy, so that it can derful"benefits and"services, delivered big businesses by allowing be run with the same efficiency,produc... to themw'ith little hassle or worry. But them to dodge their contractual tivity, and innovationas the postoffice, theyd() not want to pay for it, though the. public schools,,the military/ancl the they don't mind someone else paying. liabilities. drivers' license bureau. On the' surface, ., The ' problem is that the benefits you'd think Americans,wo·uld'be,reluc... Rodhatl\ 'Clinton promises are expen­ tant to tum their medical care over to sive~ They cannotbe paid for simply by tive, perhaps because it isn't much more these people. But you'd be .wrong~ raising '.the taxes '()n the wealthy or pleasant. If decisions about how money Enough are, sufficientlyworriedabout some other small minority. is to be spent for health care are not to the spiraling cost of medical, .c~re to The country seems divided between be made by individuals themselves, grasp at anysolution, even onethatputs those· who cannot 'afford to pay .for thenwho is to make the decision? their health inthe hands ofbureaucrats. their medical care and those who don't One possible answer is that the indi­ Virtually every incarnation of the want to pay for. their medical care. The vidual can purchase insurance. In ex­ Clinton plan calls for eliminatiori of all only .genuine consensus: someone else change for a fee, the insurance employer"'provided health .insurance should pay. agrees to provide such medi­ plans. This means that many workers Every time the president's wife or cal care as an individual needs. The will get worse medical coverage 'at a one of her staff floats the notion of a care the insurance company will pro­ higher cost to themselves, but,it was a . new tax, support for the whole pro­ vide (or pay for) is determined by what small price to pay to gain the support gram recedes. In August, the task force the insurance buyer contracts for. If one of big businesses that had in the past finally· came up with a new approach: buys insurance that covers dental care, agreed to pick up the cost of medical simply tell the American public that the the insurer pays one's dental bills; if care for their employees and their em.. system won't require anyone to pay for one has not contracted for dental care, ployees' families, without stopping to it. It's too soon to see whether people then he is responsible for paying for it 16 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

himself. So ultimately, voluntary insu­ tory insurance, cartelized buying are "saving more lives, extending lon­ rance does not change the method of al­ groups, more regulation - these can gevity, and, yes, substantially cutting location: whether it is a poor person only intensify the health crisis. health care costs." buying insurance against appendicitis Lambro, like Barnes, misses the or a wealthy person buying insurance Conservative Ostriches point. For one thing, it is doubtful that to pay for rejuvenation injections makes Conservatives, meanwhile, have new technology is reducing health care no matter. They get what they pay for. busied themselves arguing that there costs; often, new technologies are more The only alternative to allocating isn't any problem at all. expensive, as well as more effective, medical care by means of the ability and Consider Fred Barnes' essay, "What than those they replace. But even to the willingness of the individual to pay for Health-Care Crisis?," in the May 1993 dubious extent that technological ad­ it is allocation by a third party. That American Spectator. Barnes makes valid vances cut costs, their effect is limited. third party - whether an individual or points: he points out that the uninsured A television costs more than a radio ­ a committee - must decide whether to do receive medical treatment, that but is cheaperfor what it provides. pay for a medical procedure. many statistics that are supposed to in­ Right-wingers like Barnes and Ultimately, that third party will have dict American health care in fact reflect Lambro are actually making it easier the power of life or death over the other social problems, and that social­ for those who would nationalize health individual. ized medicine would create more prob­ care. Barnes may think he is refuting This has been the experience of vir­ lems than it would solve. American the Clinton health plan, and Lambro tually every country that has adopted medicine is not in trouble, he tells us, may intend to stop price controls, but government-allocated medical care. because the American health-care sys­ neither is Willing to tackle the question: This triage is sometimes obscured. In tem is better than that of any other na­ Why are prices rising so fast and so inexor­ Britain, for example, individuals who tion in the world. ably? By ignoring this problem and pre­ are wealthy enough can purchase medi­ He may be right; he's marshalled tending that our system is market­ cal care that the National Health Service some impressive statistics. But the fact driven, they have bought into the refuses to pay for. Canada denies the thatJapan, Germany, Canada, et al. have premises of the status quo - and, wealthy this same privilege - it is worse problems than we do hardly indi­ hence, of its left-liberal critics. against the law to contract with a physi­ cates that our system is working fine. Any solution is going to have to cian to prOVide medical care not provid­ The only problem Barnes concedes is come from outside the borders of the ed by its national health insurance "the lack of proper primarycare for sev­ debate that have been established by program. But this is softened by the eral million Americans." Nowhere does conservatives, left-liberals, and vested proximity of the United States, where he address the issues of rising costs or interests. It requires an examination of private health care is Widely available. government intervention. Everything the cause of the medical care crisis, and Triage isn't the only unpleasant as­ else is just swell. Why should we worry exploration of how we got into the pect of government medical care. As about rising costs, when costs are rising mess we're in. with any socialized industry, bureau­ evenfaster elsewhere? cratization, inflexibility, and inefficien­ Other conservatives offer even Out of the Crisis cy will inevitably characterize medical weaker arguments. Take Donald The crisis in medical care is a mat­ care taken over by the government. Lambro, who spent his syndicated col­ ter of very basic economics. Normally, Ofcourse, Clinton and his experts do umn of April 5 denouncing medical people's demand for goods and servic­ not mention any of this. Instead they price controls and praising the "ex­ es is elastic and limited. When the price focus on a single point: the present sys­ traordinary advances" in "new surgical of a good goes up, people buy less of it. tem is so expensive that some people procedures and miraculous drugs" that I love hamburgers. At current restau- might not be able to afford the rant prices of $2 to $6, I average care that they need or want. a couple of burgers each week. They promise a new system that· But if the price rose to $20, I will provide what people want would eat fewer, and if it went at low cost, orat no cost at all. to $100, I would eliminate them The fact that the system they from my diet entirely. My de­ propose will control costs only mand for burgers is price­ by triage, while adding new sensitive, "elastic." costs in the forms of further in­ In America today, demand efficiency, inflexibility, and bu­ for health care is both inelastic reaucratization, is obscured by and virtually unlimited. That is the promise of great benefits at to say, people want the absolute no cost. best health care and could not Itis plain that the solution to care less about the cost, since in the medical care crisis will not II , most cases it is paid for by gov- come from the Rodham Clinton - IF"tJl/Ly LAfl6ftt!\ WE'Jf1ile ,rsr-,,\()'('~£ -ernment or employer. When de- task force. More government (t~ mand for any economic good is spending, higher taxes, manda- {~7 ~elastic and unlimited, the Liberty 17 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

price must shoot upward. Government guarantees of payment businesses that provide jobs but no Suppose for a moment that every for certain heroic medical procedures health insurance - are increasingly one of us could have all the hambur­ have further accelerated the rising cost being priced out of the market. gers we·wanted, made from the finest of medical care. At present, for exam­ These people are the worst victims ingredients, prepared by the best­ ple, certain medical procedures are rou­ of the present system. To keep its costs trained chefs, and that all these burgers tinely performed to extend the life of an from skyrocketing totally out of con­ were paid for by someone else. What elderly patient by only a few months at trol, the government has mandated would happen to the price of burgers? a cost to taxpayers of hundreds of thou­ spending limits on certain procedures Would the price of burgers fall, be­ sands of dollars. If government did not - limits that are often below costs. cause people wanted more of them? If a guarantee these payments, the inci­ Large employer-provided insurance burger cost you nothing, would you go dence of these heroic procedures would also often negotiates maximum pay­ to a cut-rate restaurant? Would you be far less frequent. Most families ments for services, though usually at a seek burgers made from cheap would simply not be able to afford level than can cover costs. This leaves ingredients? them, and many of those who could only one group of people to pay for the Would the costs of the burger indus­ would decide against doing so. If brief­ physician's or hospital's losses on try fall? Would it become more effi- ly extending the life of an elderly par­ and patients ­ ent means selling one's home and those without insurance. denying one's children an education, In sum, the current medical care most Americans would reluctantly de­ system, supported by the broad popu­ cide not to do so. Such heroic proce­ lar notion that medical care is a univer­ The president's theory is dures would be performed mostly on sal right and shaped by the politics of that medical care ought to be the very wealthy or on people who various special interests, is not capable controlled by a government bu­ have chosen to forego the purchase of of containing costs. The proposed solu­ other goods for the security of insu­ tion offered by the Clintons would reaucracy, so that it can be run rance that covers heroic medical only make matters worse, while con­ with the same efficiency, pro­ treatment. servatives are busy denying that there ductivity, and innovation as This is at least slightly offensive to is any problem to begin with. In a pri­ most people's egalitarian impulses. But vate conversation with a fairly promi­ the post office, the public who is to say that this method of ration­ nent conservative, I challenged his schools, the military, and the ing heroic medical care is better than claim that there was no problem, and drivers' license bureau. outlawing heroic procedures altogeth­ suggested that a solution could come er, the method typically used where only when Americans accept the fact medical care is socialized? that medical care is an economic good The root of the problem is that most not unlike other economic goods and cient? Or would costs rise as more and Americans believe that all of us have a not a universal right. He agreed, but more research went into making better right to the best medical care, no matter defended the conservative pose on the burgers, as finer and finer cuts of beef what the cost. Implicitly or explicitly, grounds that it is more able to slow the were ground into burger patties? almost all Americans are reluctant to advance of socialized medicine. This Now suppose that burger chefs deny a person medical care - leave a stuck me as odd; why should handing were allowed to restrict the number of person to suffer or die - because he the high ground to the left impede the people allowed to enter the burger pro­ cannot afford to pay a physician or a left's campaign? Why should we mis­ fession. What would happen to the sala­ hospital for their services. represent a situation and withhold our ries demanded by burger chefs? What best information and understanding? effect would this have on the price of The Root of the Problem More fundamentally, is our goal to burgers? So long as Americans have a broad slow the move toward socialized medi­ This is precisely what has happened consensus in favor of guaranteeing cine, or to reverse the direction of pub­ with medical care. Most Americans are every American unlimited health care lic policy? What tactic is more likely to entitled, by virtue of medical insurance regardless of cost, the price of health is affect the direction of policy? prOVided by their employer or by wel­ going to continue to rise sharply. Solving the health care crisis is sim­ fare payments provided by their gov­ Health care is excellent for those who ple. But it will not be easy. Americans ernment, to whatever medical care they can afford it - for the rich, for employ­ must come to understand that medical want or need, no matter what the ex­ ees of firms that provide extensive care oughtto be subject to the same con­ pense. The cost of medical care has sky­ health care benefits, and for the elderly, siderations as any other economic rocketed in the same way the cost of poor, and government-employed good. Medical care is often as vital as burgers would skyrocket if we were all whose medical expenses are paid from food - but no more vital. The argu­ allowed whatever burgers we want Uncle Sam's infinitely deep pockets. ments for socializing medicine are pre­ without the obligation of paying for These groups comprise about 750/0 of all cisely the same as those for socializing them. Add to this the effects of medical Americans. The remainder - mostly food, clothing, or shelter, and they have licensing, with its consequent carteliza­ the self-employed, people between the same disastrous consequences for tion, and ever-higher costs are assured. jobs, and those who work for smaller continued on page 27 18 Liberty Brief Justice Forfeited, Justice Reclaimed by Stefan B. Herpel

The government can seize your property even if you haven't committed a crime. Is the Supreme Court coming to the rescue?

On June 28, 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision that may fi­ nally end more than 20 years of judicial acquiescence to property seizures made under the so­ called "civil forfeiture" provisions of state and federal drug laws. Those provisions authorize the government to confiscate any property that has been used, or even intended to be used, to fa- ll cilitate a drug offense. Property may found to be lIuninvolved in and lIuna­ ment, Austin's body shop was the site also be confiscated if it represents the ware ofll the illegal use of the boat. for arranging and consummating a proceeds, cash or otherwise, of a drug sale of two grams of cocaine to a po­ violation. The Austin Case lice officer. A subsequent search of the Forfeiture is the modem counter­ In Austin v United States, the high business and Austin's mobile home part to the old medieval law of IIdeod­ court unanimously held that civil for­ uncovered what the Supreme Court ands." Under this rule, when an feitures (or, as they are sometimes described as IIsmall amounts of mari­ inanimate object caused the death of a called, in rem forfeitures) are subject to juana and cocaine, a .22 caliber rev­ person, it was forfeited to the king as a the constitutional protection against olver, drug paraphernalia, and ap­ deodand, to be used for the good of the assessment of "excessive finesll proximately $4,700 in cash.1I The gov­ the dead man's soul. The rule was contained in the eighth amendment to ernment claimed that both the body based on the legal fiction that property the Constitution. The Austin decision, shop and the mobile home were for­ itself can be guilty of wrongdoing; the together with new efforts at legislative feitable because of their connection guilt or innocence of the owner had lit­ reform (see sidebar), may well stimu­ with illegal drug activities. tle or no relevance to the forfeiture of late a major change in the way forfei­ Austin challenged the constitution­ property as deodand. Consistent with tures are conducted. ality of the forfeiture under the eighth their origins, modem forfeiture laws. In contrast to many forfeiture cases, amendment, on the grounds that the do not require proof of criminal acts Austin involved an individual who value of the property seized was by the owner of the confiscated prop­ ll had indeed been charged and convict­ II erty. In many, perhaps most c~ses, grossly disproportionate to any criminal charges are never even ed of a drug crime - in this instance, drugs found on the property or to any brought against the owner. selling two ounces of cocaine to an un­ illegal activity that had occurred there. In addition, the government may dercover officer. The individual, The eighth amendment to the seize your property .in response to Richard Austin, pleaded guilty to one Constitution provides that "excessive someone else's misuse (or intended count of possessing cocaine with intent bail shall not be required, nor exces­ misuse) of it. In the landmark Pearson to distribute, and was sentenced to sive fines imposed, nor cruel and un­ case of 1974, the Pearson Yacht seven years in prison by a state court usual punishments inflicted." Both the Leasing company had a $20,000 yacht in South Dakota. Shortly after the trial court and the Court of Appeals seized when the people to whom the criminal charges were brought in the for the Eighth Circuit found this con­ boat had been leased were discovered state court, federal authorities institut­ stitutional protection to be inapplica­ to have brought a small amount of ed a separate civil forfeiture proceed­ ble to civil forfeitures. The Court of marijuana on board. The forfeiture ing to strip Austin of his home and Appeals noted in passing that, in car­ was upheld even though Pearson was business. According to the govern- rying out this forfeiture, "the govem- Liberty 19 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

ment was exacting too high a penalty in decisions. Austin's case was simply re­ is innocent of any criminal acts, and at relation to the offense committed." But turned to the Court of Appeals, so that worst can only be said to be guilty of the appellate court felt constrained by court could determine excessiveness. something akin to negligence. H the the Supreme Court's 1974 Pearson deci­ Since the Court of Appeals has already owner did not take "all steps reason­ sion to hold that the eighth amendment opined that the forfeiture was exces­ ably necessary" to prevent the misuse did not apply to civil forfeitures. sive, it seems almost a foregone conclu­ of his or her property by another, the In an opinion written by Justice sion it will find that the seizure of property can be taken. To make mat­ Blackmun and joined by four others, Austin's home and business violated ters worse, in a forfeiture proceeding the Supreme Court reversed the Court the eighth amendment. the owner has the burden of proving of Appeals, and held that the eighth himself innocent, a reversal of the amendment does apply to forfeitures What is "Reasonably usual Constitutional protection. arising under the drug laws. ijustices Necessary"? Failure to do what is "reasonably Scalia and Kennedy filed separate con­ Whether Austin actually helps other necessary" to prevent misuse of one's curring opinions, with Chief Justice owners challenge unjust property con­ property can be easily stretched to Rehnquist and Justice Thomas joining fiscations depends in part on if the cover just about anyone whose proper­ the latter concurrence.) The Court did lower courts, and ultimately the ty is used illegally by somebody else. not, however, determine whether the Supreme Court, develop a meaningful In United States v One Mercedes Benz 380 forfeiture of Austin's property was so standard for determining what is un­ SEL, for example, a business executive, excessive as to be unconstitutional. Nor constitutionally excessive. A strict stan­ Staton, transferred from New York did it enumerate what factors should dard is necessary because of how little City to Los Angeles and left his be considered in determining exces­ evidence is now necessary to justify sei­ Mercedes automobile in the care of an­ siveness, preferring instead to allow zures of homes, cars, businesses, and other person, Brewington. BreWington those criteria to evolve in lower court the like. In many forfeitures, the owner loaned the car to someone else, who in Congressional relief?

Besides the changes in civil forfei­ would be required to prove by clear practice of deeming an owner to have tures that may flow from the Austin and conVincing evidence that an un­ consented to the illegal use of his or decision, Congress is finally showing lawful act occurred and that the prop­ her property by somebody else if the some interest in reform of federal for­ erty has a sufficient relationship to the owner simply failed to take reasonable feiture laws. Henry Hyde (R-lll.) intro­ unlawful act. The "clear and convinc­ measures to prevent its misuse. duced legislation in June that, while ing" standard of proof is easier to meet Other reforms in the Hyde bill in­ relatively modest, represents a decided than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" clude: providing for the appointment improvement over current law. standard that applies in criminal cases, of counsel for indigents in forfeiture Under the present system, an but more difficult than the "preponder­ cases; expanding the period of time owner bears the burden of proving his ance of the evidence" standard that within which an owner may challenge or her property should not be forfeited usually applies in civil cases. a forfeiture; allOWing individuals to because of its relationship to an under­ Hyde's bill would not restore the sue the government for property dam­ lying crime. While "probable cause" traditional presumption of innocence age caused in the handling or storage technically requires more that a mere in all cases, however. It would only do of confiscated property, and making it suspicion, in practice it often amounts so when the owner of the forfeited easier for property to be returned to an to nothing more than that. Once prob­ property is the same person who alleg­ owner pending final disposition of a able cause is shown, the owner has the edly used that property to facilitate a forfeiture case. burden of proving by a preponderance drug violation, or obtained it from an Other, more far-reaching reform ef­ of the evidence that he or she is an "in­ illegal drug transaction. The current forts may also be afoot. John Conyers nocent owner," as the concept is de­ system is retained when the owner is (D-Mich.) will reportedly soon intro­ fined in the statute, or that the being penalized for the acts of another. duce a bill that would essentially abol­ property is not forfeitable because it is The bill would clarify the innocent­ ish "civil" forfeiture and make all not connected to a drug offense. owner defense by prOViding unequivi­ forfeiture proceedings "criminal" in Shifting the burden of proof in this cally that an owner can establish his or form. Forfeiture of a person's property way is, of course, antithetical to the her innocence by proving either lack of would only occur if that person has time-honored prinCiple that a person is knowledge or lack of consent to the un­ been convicted of a crime; also, the presumed innocent until proven guilty. derlying illegal use of the property. types and amounts of property that Hyde's bill would place the burden of (Some courts have interpreted the stat­ may be forfeited would be severely proof on the government in forfeiture ute to require individuals to prove limited. Whether Congress is ready for proceedings - at least regarding some both.) Unfortunately, Congressman such serious reform remains to be issues. SpeCifically, the government Hyde's bill would continue the judicial seen. - Stefan B. Rerpel 20 Liberty "Dear Michael, ''Your Persuasion Tapes Saved My Marriage...

"We've been married almost 6 years. "...Michael, your Persuasion Tapes "He started laughing. We talked. 1. THEY DON'T BELIEVE YOU. My husbandis a memberofthe LP. He earned me $12,000. I was 1 of 4 can­ Then we started making progress... You're telling· them the opposite of subscribes to all the libertarian didatesfor a promotioninmycompany. "Michael, your persuasion tech­ everything they heard in school, magazines and journals. He reads 10 I was the least qualified. I don't so­ niques are powerful. I regularly use church, on TV and from their family or 12 books every month. cialize with the boss. Nobody figured I them with clients, colleagues, friends and friends. "He talks to everyone about politics had a real chance. and family. Your methods have im­ 2. THEY DON'T TRUST YOU. andeconomics, buthe stopped talking "When I went in for the interview, I proved all my relationships." 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One Even ifthey believe and trust and like Nothing worked. 'Communication is very important to afternoon,Ilistenedto yourEssence of you, why should they sacrifice family "I was ready to give up. One night, this job and so is poise under fire: Political Persuasion tapes again. time, work time and leisure time for while he was at a libertarian meeting, Congratulations, you've got the pro­ (I bought them a year ago.) the libertarian cause'? I saw your Essence of Political Per­ motion'.' Your Essence ofPolitical Per­ "I starting using the Rapport build~ suasion Tapes on top ofhis book shelf. suasion Tapes earned me a $12,000 a ing steps, the Onus of Criterion and The Essence ofPolitical Persuasion "Maybe I could persuade him to talk year promotion in 35 minutes." Political Cross-Dressing duringevery breaksthrough these barriers for you. to me.. .1 listened to side 1 ofthe first R.S., Los Angeles, CA interview. In2 weeks, Igot4joboffers. Quickly. Easily. Enjoyably. tape. Your recipes for quickly creating I'm noW baekat work. Michael,- ten rapport made sense to me. So didyour "My letters-to-the-editor used to libettarians that your Persuasion 822 people have bought my Essence keys to powerful communication... make people angry. Since I started tapes aren'tjust for politics...theygot of Political Persuasion Audio Tape "When my husband got home, I told using your Political Persuasion meajob." Program. Only 5 asked for refunds. himI hadlistenedtoside 1ofyourfirst methods, people started sending in B.N., Orange County, CA (Which were promptly given.) You tape and asked him to practice your letters agreeing with me." know how picky libertarians can be. rapport recipes with me. We practiced T.L., Toronto, CANADA "I'm a 74 year old retiree. leall into We talk back to the TV News. for about 30minutes. 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Send me The Essence OfPolitical Persuasion late this year." ing the book. Audio Tape Program (3 tapes) -- and the free bonus tape--an added $10.00 Name withheld by request "Well, he read the book and asked value--Emerling's The Missing Factor In The Libertarian Equation: Self­ for more. I gave him a Laissez Faire Responsibility. (Foreign Orders add $4.00 for additional Postage.) "I'm a Christian Libertarian. While Books catalog(heboughtseveralbooks t/Also send me The Late, Great Libertarian Macho Flash (Classic Reprint) I've always felt uncomfortable dis­ over the phone while I was there) and cussing my Christian beliefs with lib­ a CATO catalog. ertarians, I've felt even more uncom­ "My professor is on his way to be­ fortable discussing my libertarian coming a libertarian. 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I embraced his L ~ " God Bless you, Michael." position. I added to it, accelerated it B.L., New York, New York and re-directed it. Paid AdverriseffU"nr Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

tum used it to facilitate a drug pur­ feared terrible reprisals from her vio­ apply in criminal cases. chase. Although Staton established that lent husband. The trial court's findings The federal courts have ruled, for he was innocent of any involvement in more than substantiated the legitimacy example, that the "beyond a reasonable the underlying crime, the forfeiture of that fear. The court discovered that, doubt" standard of proof requirement, was upheld because he had not done short!y after her marriage to Mr Ellis, the prohibition against ex post facto all "that he reasonably could to avoid Mrs Ellis learned that he had beaten his laws, and the double jeopardy clause having his property put to an unlawful previous wife to death. Mr Ellis had do not apply to civil forfeitures. That use." According to the court, Staton also threatened to have Mrs Ellis "done means the government can place the should have garaged the car, and if that away with" if she ever left him, drank burden of proof on the owner to prove as much as half a case of beer a day, his or her innocence, can confiscate and owned several guns, including a property under laws not existing at the semi-automatic rifle. time of the acts giving rise to the forfei­ Forfeiture is the modern Although the trial court denied the ture, and can commence a civil forfei­ government's forfeiture claim, the ture proceeding even after the owner counterpart to the old medieval Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals re­ has been acquitted in a criminal trial law of "deodands." Under this versed, and held that Mrs Ellis' home for the same conduct. rule, when an inanimate object and sixty acres of land were forfeitable. The rationale for declining to apply In an astounding opinion, the appellate these and other constitutional safe­ caused the death ofa person, it court concluded that, because there guards has almost always been that for­ was forfeited to the king to be was no evidence that Mr Ellis ever feiture is "civil" and "remedial," rather used for the good of the dead threatened "immediate retaliation" if than "criminal" and "punitive." But the "Mrs Ellis went to the authorities, she Supreme Court in Austin held that the man's soul. had "ample opportunity" to do that or status of forfeiture as "civil" or "crimi­ to flee the property. For that reason, the nal" is irrelevant to the constitutional court said, she "cannot escape the con­ issue and that forfeiture is indeed sequences (in this case, forfeiture) for "punishment" to the owner of the con­ was not feasible, should have given fiscated property. Such conclusions written instructions to Brewington pro­ her consent to his illegal acts." may seem unremarkable, but these hibiting others from using it. Another forfeiture scenario that is In another case, a yacht brokerage fraught with potential for injustice in­ firm, Vene Investments, sold a 58-foot volves the receipt of tainted property or yacht to an individual named Rod­ money by gift or purchase. If the recipi­ In many cases criminal char­ riguez, who furnished a $50,000 cash ent knew or "should have known" that deposit toward the purchase. While the property was previously used for ges are never even brought Rodriguez had possesion of the boat to or obtained from illegal drug activity, against the owner of forfeited conduct a "sea trial," he was arrested it may be forfeitable. Attorneys receiv­ property. and the vessel was seized. The yacht ing payment for legal services are was held to be forfeitable, not because it among those who have had property was carrying drugs, but merely because forfeited on this basis. That the government has sought there was evidence that Rodriguez had common-sense propositions have until intended to use it to transport illegal forfeitures against individuals who are now been rejected by the lower courts. drugs. The court rejected Vene's "inno­ innocent of any criminal wrongdoing is The Supreme Court's position in cent owner" defense because the com­ not terribly surprising: forfeiture af­ Austin was especially significant in this pany's president had failed to make fords a relatively easy way for federal, regard because the Court concluded "those inquiries necessary to insure ... state, and local law enforcement agen­ that drug forfeiture laws are solely pu­ that Rodriguez' intentions were legiti­ cies to raise revenue. Last year alone, nitive, and serve no remedial purposes mate prior to allowing Rodriguez to $531 million in forfeited cash and prop­ whatsoever. The Court acknowledged take possession of the vessel." erty was deposited by federal authori­ that seizure of contraband itself could In some cases, preventing misuse of ties in the Justice Department Assets be characterized as "remedial" because one's property has been interpreted to Forfeiture Fund. Much of that was re­ it would remove a dangerous itemfrom require what one skeptical federal turned to state and local authorities society. But it rejected the government's judge has called "heroic personal risks who assisted in forfeiture proceedings. claim that seizure of a home or business in the war on drugs." A federal case in­ could also be remedial in this sense. volving an Alabama woman who lost What Austin Does The Court also rejected the govem­ her home to forfeiture as a result of her Austin has potentially larger impli­ ment's argument that drug law husband's illegal marijuana-growing cations for the manner in which forfei­ forfeitures are remedial because they activities illustrates this starkly. The tures are conducted. Until the decision compensate the government for government argued that the woman, in Austin, courts for the last 20 years expenditures on law enforcement and Mrs Ellis, should have reported her have, almost without exception, re­ other problems said to be caused by the husband to the authorities. Mrs Ellis fused to extend to forfeiture cases the illegal drug trade (urban blight, drug various constitutional protections that said she had not done so because she continued on page 46 22 Liberty Old-Growth Government by Randal O'Toole

Only Bill Clinton could come up with a plan that kills the logging industry andthe spotted owls. It also costs a fortune.

President Bill Clinton's northwest forest plan is about as bad as it can be without actually detonating nuclear devices. The president seems to believe that old stand-by that if you make everyone mad, you must be doing something right. So his plan puts thousands of people out of work, shuts down many sawmills, and still leaves a significant chance that the spotted owl and many other species single job - it just means that the timber if they promise not to export will go extinct. mills that will survive will be those the logs. The federal government will The plan's centerpiece provides with political pull rather than those provide more subsidies to timber pro­ token benefits to the timber industry able to process the wood most effi­ grams on Indian reservations. But by allowing salvage logging in old­ ciently. It will also cost taxpayers plen­ these actions will have little effect on growth reserves, despite most ecolo­ ty, since limited competition will timber prices. gists' recommendations against such shrink the bid prices for timber. The good news is that wood prices logging. This logging does little to Clinton's experts estimate that the aren't likely to get any higher because mitigate old-growth protection's im­ old-growth reserves will cost 6,000 di­ most of the effects of reduced timber pact on the northwest timber indus­ rect jobs, and he proposes to spend sales have already been felt by the try, but greatly increases the risk that $1.2 billion to mitigate those losses. market. Northwest loggers will be al­ more species will be listed as threat­ That's $200,000 per job - but most of lowed to cut more timber than they've ened or endangered. Perhaps this is the money will be spent by federal, been cutting in the past few years. Of what Clinton means by a "balanced state, and local bureaucracies before course, Clinton first has to convince approach." the workers see any benefits. No won­ Judge Dwyer to lift the legal injunc­ But the real story is that the plan der the state governors support the tions on timber sales, and his staff is proposes to spend billions of dollars plan. busy twisting the arms of environ­ on programs whose benefits are negli- . The president also promises to sub­ mental groups to get them to agree to gible, proving once again that what ject the northwest to another round of this. the president really believes in is forest planning. The last round cost How did the president come up pork. In most cases, the proposals over a billion dollars and failed to re­ with such a stinker? First he spent a amount to robbing Peter to pay Paul. solve a single issue. This one will be day talking with a handful of careful­ For example, a proposal to create sec­ more expensive still because the agen­ ly selected representatives of special ondary wood-manufacturing jobs, if cies will rely on high-tech computer interest groups. Then he locked up a enacted, will put people in other databases that draw pretty maps. The few hundred agency bureaucrats in a parts of the country out of work as maps will be completely wrong, be­ room and told them to write a plan. their factories close to move to the cause no one will actually bother to No one should be surprised that the northwest. collect any data from the forest. prime beneficiaries are not the saw­ Clinton would also limit the sale The plan includes some rhetoric mills or the environmentalists but the of timber from some forests to mills about increasing timber supplies. bureaucrats who wrote it. that will process the wood in speci­ Private landowners with spotted owls For example, most of the writers fied communities. This won't save a may be allowed to cut a little more were scientists. So of course their plan Liberty 23 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

calls for dedicating tens of millions of without actually saving either the en­ could provide seed money for such dollars to new research. It even sets vironment or the industries. Just hope "conservation easements." aside over two million acres of forest no one asks where the money is com­ In short, take forest issues out of land for"ecological experimentation." ingfrom. the political arena and into the market­ When all the costs of planning and Instead of porking out, Clinton place, where they can be resolved lost timber receipts are added to .the could have used the forest conference without polarization. Clinton missed $1.2 billion "jobs" package, the plan as an opportunity for "reinventing will cost taxpayers "only" about $3 to government" along the lines of the $4 billion over the next five years. The book of that name. Like most public land controversies, the old-growth We should take forest issues issue is rooted in the fact that the out of the political arena and Forest Service and related agencies are The forest - plan's real top-heavy bureaucracies that reward into the marketplace, where winners are neither environ­ managers with bigger budgets when they can be resolved without they lose money. polarization. mentalists nor loggers but The solution is to change the sys­ bureaucrats and pork-eaters. tem of rewards that managers face. This means, first, removing the incen­ tive to lose money by funding manag­ this possibility when he relied on the ers out of their net income, not out of agencies themselves, which would nat­ really bad news is that the president tax dollars. Second, promoting true urally resist any proposal to shrink considers this process a model for solv­ multiple-use management by allowing their budgets, to write his plan for ing all environmental problems. agencies to charge fair market value him. The forest plan's real winners are This means that governors of states for all resources, including recreation. neither environmentalists nor loggers whose industries are threatened by en­ Third, allowing groups who object to but bureaucrats and pork-eaters. The vironmental lawsuits can look forward timber sales to bid on such sales and, real losers are not spotted owls or con­ to Clinton dropping a few billion dol­ if they win, not cut them down. sumers but the taxpayers who will lars on them to "solve" the problem Wilderness and certain other user fees have to pay for it all. (J

(ttekt j~J

Checkoslovakia chose Liberty and

threw off the yoke of state communism I without shedding a drop of blood. This, of course, has become known as the "Velvet Revolution." America's Velvet Revolution is long overdue. Let's face it: this nation is in such a quagmire that the only way out is a major structural change in the mode of government. The career politicians and their special interest cronies always get in the way of progress. To the thinking person it should be clear by now that the institution of organized politics is obsolete - it just does not work. Eric Szuter's The Return of Common Sense shows the way out, blazes a trail towards a new, golden age and points the way to the cosmos. If you care about the ideals of Liberty and shaping the future of this wonderful land, you must act NOW: Order Toll-Free: 1-800-654-1993 The Return of Common Sense - $19.95 plus shipping & handling Sociophysics Institute © 1992, hardback, 155 pages. White Liberals Can Jump by William P. Moulton

The persecution and assassination of Dale Lick, as performed by the inmates at the asylum of East Lansing under the direction of the Thought Police.

There is nothing in the public record to indicate whether Dale Lick, former presi­ dent of the University of Maine, has ever seen the movie White Men Can't Jump, but he is al­ most certainly the only person ever to forfeit a major-university presidency because he believes that black men can. Mr Lick's ultimate journey into the strange byways of political correct­ mosphere in which the search was might be involved. Specifically, ac­ ness had its quiet genesis in August of proceeding. A rough word count cording to a brief report at the time in 1992 when Michigan State University shows that pre-controversy coverage the Portland Press Herald (the agency President John DiBaggio resigned to in Michigan's metropolitan dailies de­ and motive of the research into this accept a similar position at Tufts voted about 5% of total space to aca­ rather obscure source has nowhere University. With the huge institution demic qualifications in the traditional been revealed), he cited an unspeci­ under the temporary stewardship of sense. Post-controversy, that figure fied study that, he said, indicated that an interim president, its ruling Board was, as the physicists say, vanishingly structural and physiological charac­ of Trustees began accepting and small. teristics of blacks give them a slight screening applicants under a cumber­ By mid-July of this year, there predisposition toward success in cer­ some and long-criticized process in seemed to be a clear favorite. No can­ tain narrowly defined skills that can which some hearings are closed, some didate had aroused great excitement, be of use in athletics. The key phrases are public, and all are lengthy. but Dale Lick, an MSU graduate and in his recorded response were, According to most sources, a total of peripatetic collegiate administrator "They've actually done research on an 171 contenders were given some (Florida State, Florida A&M, average black athlete versus an aver­ amount of serious consideration. As University of Maine, others) had ap­ age white athlete. A black athlete can months went by, the field was nar­ parently given the least offense. actually outjump a white athlete on rowed to 130, then to IIa few dozen" On July 20, just as the process the average. ... The same is true of and, after eleven months, to three fi­ seemed to be easing toward a David football. The muscle structure of the nalists. (liThe Lord grindeth slow but Souter-like, easy-but-unenthusiastic black athlete typically is more suited the Board grindeth slower," in the confirmation of Mr Lick ("MSU Will for certain positions.... Now, this words of one campus wag.) Get Its Lick In" was a typical cutesy­ isn't me talking, this is what the re­ Early on, the selection process be­ pie headline), the influential Detroit search shows, that is what the re­ came immersed in an uncharted sea Free Press dropped a PC bomb. It was search shows, that there are several of political correctness and interest­ revealed that in 1989, in response to a sports where black athletes are natu­ group pressures. Two headlines in Maine student's question regarding rally better." area newspapers, "Diversity Quest­ numerically divergent black participa­ Although at the time President ions Dominate at MSU" and "MSU tion in various sports, lick had an- . Lick's only cited source was "they," Search Committee Can Only Guess at swered that, among other factors, the he has since stated that he had in Rules," indicate the pedagogical at- muscular structure of black males mind a report by a physical education Liberty 25 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

dean at Georgia Southern University, "It's a black thing; we won't get ing the controversy. "I understand like which in tum was supposedly derived involved"? I have never understood before the tre­ from an Indiana University study of un­ As it was, the politics of synthetic mendous sensitivity in that area. I grew certain date (and which was not pro­ outrage was mobilized with alacrity. tremendously because of this. I was duced by any of the involved parties The press report on the 1989 Maine inci­ sensitized in ways I had never realized during the controversy). dent appeared on a Tuesday. By noon before." The answer itself was down­ Once Lick's earlier statement was on Wednesday, George Rowan, presi­ played. "I've never claimed that the re­ made public, logic, as well as the pre­ dent of the Black Faculty and search was true or false." Affidavits sumed desire of the Board to ascertain Administrators Association, told the from black colleagues from earlier days press he was "dumbfounded" upon were presented, attesting to Lick's sen­ hearing of Lick's remarks, and that col­ sitivity. There was a bit of low-key beg­ leagues whom he had consulted "ex­ ging: The MSU presidency would be It is almost inconceivable press[ed] everything from outrage to "the job of a lifetime." that anyone of intellectual pro­ disgust." By mid-afternoon, Trustee Every strategy failed. On Saturday, Dorothy Gonzales publicly opined that with the press reporting that only one bity could regard Mr Lick's Lick should withdraw his candidacy. of the trustees was still inclined to vote vague, tentative citation of a Shortly afterword, as the sun settled in for his selection, Lick withdrew his can­ study which alleged black the western skies over the picturesque didacy and quietly left town, intent on environs of East Lansing, MSU resuming his academic career in superiority in some fields and Associate Dean Joe Darden let it be Florida. The Board, reverting to its inferiority in none as actually known that the four-year-old answer usual pattern of leisurely muddle, indicating an animus towards would make the candidate "unaccepta­ voted to re-open the field to new candi­ ble" to the university's minority stu­ dates. Within days after Lick's depar­ blacks. dents and faculty. After that, the ture, the selection procedure was once floodgates broke. By Thursday, a new more lumbering forward with no quick 'statement of opposition from a faculty end in sight. his actual beliefs, would seem to have member or a student organization was Editorial commentary on this suggested a few appropriate questions, surfacing almost hourly. strange affair was curiously muted and such as: Does the "research" to which Dale Lick had a golden opportunity off-target. The consensus was that more Lick briefly alluded consist of an aca­ to stand tall for intellectual integrity by intense scrutiny of the backgrounds of demically rigorous study or is it, as saying, in effect, "Chill out. Get real. candidates would spare future embar- now seems more likely, merelyanecdo­ I'm not a racist. t know it and you tal? Does this evidence, whatever its know it. Are there any real issues con­ precise nature, support the conclusions cerning which you wish to question that Lick drew from it? Does he now, in me?" But alas, as an archetypal white The possession of merely 1993, still place credence in it? Are liberal accused of racial insensitivity, he there any studies in the scientific litera­ simply wimped out. Over three days of generalized and potential ture that tend to either bolster or weak­ questioning regarding his Maine state­ power can be rather unsatis- en his belief? Most to the point, has ments, he progressively (pun intended) factory, especially when one is public discourse sunk to a level where groveled. Beginning with the boiler­ any discussion of racial characteristics plate excuses that his answer of 1989 young. There is little glory in is verboten? had been taken out of context and mis­ saying, "We represent X thou­ In fact, these questions scarcely interpreted, he then recounted at length sand students and, incidental­ emerged at all, at least not Vigorously his standard-issue left-liberal record on enough to find their way into the racial issues at earlier college posts. To ly, all you people are doing a media. The issues that did dominate little avail. At the end of Day One of the fine job." discussion and media coverage during grilling, a spokesman for campus the next few days, in roughly descend­ blacks stated, "we do not believe that ing order of intensity, were: Would this he understands. the gravity of our con­ "gaffe" generate enough politicized cerns." On Day Two he switched to a rassment. Considerable blame was di­ rage to force Lick immediately out of more apologetic mode: "I apologize to rected towards a private Chicago firm the running, or would he struggle on, you if my comments caused you any which had been hired to check on the despite the heavy onus of racial heresy? embarrassment." Further, "It's been a past records and accomplishments of Would the dozen-plus campus black hurtful situation for a lot of people and those under consideration, and whose groups present a united front against has been interpreted as showing insen­ researchers apparently were unaware the wounded candidate, or would some sitivity." No go. After Day Two even that ideological no-nos were to be fer­ be willing to give him the benefit of the the Coalition of Hispanic Students reted out with as much zeal as marital doubt? Would other minority organiza­ jumped on the anti-Lick bandwagon. scandals or criminal transgressions. tions join in opposition in a spirit of sol­ Day Three saw total moral collapse. Few commentators were willing to go idarity, or would their consensus be Lick maintained he had "grown" dur- on record as believing that remarks of -...... 26 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 the kind attributed to Lick should tative conclusions in the field tend to some fields and inferiority in none as disqualify a person from an academic become lost in a miasma of qualifiers. actually indicating an animus towards position. Fewer still seemed willing to Economic, social, and geographical fac­ blacks, especially in view of his other­ defend any opposing viewpoint. All tors are almost certain!y far more im­ wise squeaky-clean liberal reputation. agreed, correctly, that Lick had done portant in athletic motivation and For another, there was no competing nothing contemptible, either in Maine success than are relatively trivial body black candidate; racial solidarity was in 1989 or before the MSU Trustees in differences. (For example, basketball not an issue. Well, then, what was? 1993. At worst, he had been thrust into and football can be practiced in small Reading the bombastic press releases an arena which had suddenly turned empty lots or alleys, baseball less easily of some of the interest groups that hostile, had handled himself as best he so, hockey and golf virtually not at all.) brought down Lick, one is left with a could, and his efforts had been The second issue, which is the iden­ strong suggestion of a mindset which inadequate. tification of the nexus of power rela­ says, in essence, What's the use ofhaving Dale Lick's career as a wandering tionships at work at Michigan State a (black/hispanic/women's) student union college administrator will no doubt University during recent months, is ifwe can't do this sort of thing? After all, survive. It is the atmosphere of civil­ perhaps less yielding of a definitive an­ the possession of merely generalized ized discourse at a great university swer. Superficially, this was simply and potential power can be rather un­ which has been battered. There are two one more triumph of political correct­ satisfactory, especially when one is real issues involved here. The first, ness. However, there is evidence of an young. There is little glory in saying, concerning the substantive matter of even more unpleasant dynamic at "We represent X thousand students racial athletic prowess, is a legitimate, work, one in which the exercise of and, incidentally, all you people are though very minor, subcategory of an­ power is an end in itself. For one thing, doing a fine job." thropological science. There is no pro­ in contrast to the salient facts in some All in all, a typical PC result: racial fessional consensus on the matter, other well-publicized outbreaks of PC, tensions have been inflamed, the Board partly because, like intelligence meas­ it is almost inconceivable that anyone of Trustees has been made to look ri­ urement, it is a certifiably "sensitive" of intellectual probity could regard Mr diculous, and, as we go to press, the issue that many scholars would rather Lick's vague, tentative citation of a largest university in Michigan is still not tackle, and partly because even ten- study which alleged black superiority in without a president. 0

Bradford, liThe Real Health Care Crisis," continuedfrom page 18 human welfare. We must understand for the world's four billion poor. and willingness to pay, costs skyrocket­ that sometimes, some people will not ed, threatening to bankrupt the nation. be able to afford medical care that they liVing without Miracles The outlook in the United States is need. We must understand that buying Until recently, the cost of providing not good. If the conservatives have their better medical care means buying less medical care to the indigent has been way, prices will continue to spiral out of of some other goods - less travel, or low enough that it seemed plausible to control. If the left-liberals have their less entertainment, or less extravagant pay the bill from voluntary charity or way, the country will be saddled with a food or housing. Medical care must be­ from relatively modest increases in Soviet-style system, in which medical come like any other commodity, subject taxes. In the early years of this century, care will be rationed by bureaucrats and to the same individual evaluations, the medicine consisted mostly of sending committees, in which costs will rise same forces of supply and demand, if lovable 01' Doc Spencer over into the while quality deteriorates. the good is to be made efficiently available. poor section of town to dispense a few A sensible system - one in which The root of the myth that medical pills. But as medical science pro­ costs are controlled by market forces care ought to be fundamentally differ­ gressed, medical technology grew more and progress is financed by consumer ent from other economic goods and effective, more complicated, and more demand - can be purchased only at that all people ought to be given what­ expensive. the cost of the realization that miracles ever care they need lies in the humani­ But the notion of a universal right to are not within the power of govern­ tarian impulse that every human being medical care was saved by the institu­ ment, that the laws of economics apply ought to get medical care, whether he tionalization of charity. When govern­ to all consumer goods, even medical can afford it or not. This natural im­ ment and large employers took over care, and that unlimited medical care pulse has never been consistently ap­ responsibility for paying for medical cannot ever be the birthright of all plied by those who advocate it. While it care, the feedback provided by consu­ Americans. is plausible to prOVide medical care to mer demand was no longer looped Whether Americans will be willing the indigent of one's community, or back to allocate assets and control to pay that price remains to be seen. perhaps even to all the indigent in the costs. The myth of a right to universal My own guess is that they will prefer entire country, it is manifest that nei­ medical care was given new life, but the Rodham Clinton nostrum, and not ther the American taxpayer nor all the with medical care providers no longer face reality until they have paid bittedy taxpayers in the world can foot the bill constrained by the consumers' ability for their evasion. 0 Liberty 27

Some time ago, the Pilkington Glass Company, one of the most respected and long-enduring enterprises in England-and indeed, the world-designed a city on the sea. Their suggested location was the stormy North Sea.

We at the Atlantis Project have researched and refined this concept and have contacted that have actually built floating hotels, barracks, oil platforms, and other structures. The results show that a sea city is feasible, and, because no land costs are involved, can provide first class condominiums and other housing for substantially lower prices than many of our cities.

Our city will have all the amenities, including small parks, theaters, schools, shopping facilities, sports facilities, and ports for STOl aircraft, helicopters, and ships. Using this technology, we can break the chains that bind us to land, as well as the chains that bind us to a system of government that has become irreversibly entangled in bureaucracy, corruption, and the free lunch philosophy.

Forget the old-fashioned idea of leasing land from another country­ we will create our own land in a commercially viable area with good climate outside the hurricane belt. In our new country, OCEANIA, we can practice genuine free enterprise, enjoying true freedom in the tradition envisioned by Von Mises, Hayek, and Rand.

Here is a picture of the Pilkington Glass Company concept. To learn how you can live in OCEANIA, the country that has been talked about in newspapers, magazines and radio shows around the world, contact:

The Atlantis Project, Dept. L 4132 S. Rainbow Blvd. #388 Las Vegas, NV 891 03 Phone: (702) 897-8320 Email: [email protected] 1943 TIll' \Vlltl'I" ... lll'lf )'l'lll" The Significance of Isabel Paterson by Stephen Cox

At mid-centuryI in the depths of nationalism and , three works heralded an individualist revival. published The Discovery of Freedom, Ayn Rand published The Fountainhead, and Isabel Paterson published the profoundest of the lot: The God ofthe Machine.

If you had visited the west side of Manhattan in the early 1930s and stood on a street corner at dusk on a weekday evening, you might have seen a slender, nearsighted, middle-aged woman, carrying a bag loaded with heavy objects and walking resolutely in the direction of the Hudson River. Turning her back on the new Empire State Building, she would follow 34th Street through the five novels, and she would publish news and comment - and whatever neighborhood known as Hell's three more. She wrote them slowly, else she wanted to put in. But she al­ Kitchen, a region of speakeasies, facto­ careful about the _choice of every ways regarded her employment at the ries, railroad yards, and slaughter­ word. But these days, in the hours be­ Herald Tribune as a result of 1/chance," houses. Crossing 10th Avenue, she fore dawn, her mind turned increas­ a chance that might at any time yield would see the great river, crowded ingly to issues other than plot, to other chances.2 with piers, just two blocks away. A character, and imagery. Isabel cluster of brick apartment houses, old, Paterson was a worried woman. The Last of the Individualists? tall, and narrow, stood at the avenue She was not worried primarily What worried her was America. corner. At the fourth door on the left about herself. She had lost money in She was worried that her adopted side of 34th Street, the little woman the Great Depression, and there was country (she had become an would stop and enter. After a few always the possibility that even a per­ American citizen in 1928) was losing minutes, lights would appear in the son who was regarded as probably its grip on fundamental principles, fifth-story windows. Later you would having 1/more to say than any other and she wondered if she was the only hear, drifting down toward the street, critic in New York today as to which person who still adhered to the noise of a typewriter. At dawn it books shall be popUlar" would be out the classical American faith in poli­ would still be heard, surviving all the of a paying job.1 But she was used to tics and economics - believing in other sounds of that unruly that kind of threat. She had grown up the Rights of Man, personal liberty neighborhood. in poverty in the Canadian West. She and . We are aware The woman, as any writer-about­ had received about two years of for­ that all those desirable things are town could tell you, was Isabel mal education. She had married at the badly damaged at present; well, they Paterson, literary columnist and re­ age of 24, but she and her husband didn't exist at all until they were created and fought for, and they can viewer for the Herald Tribune, going had soon parted. She had worked as a 3 home from her office on 41st Street waitress, stenographer, bookkeeper, be restored ifpeople want them. near 7th Avenue, carrying a few new editorial writer, and drama critic. In 1932, reporting on an argument books that especially interested her. Since 1924, when she was 38 years old, with fellow literary critic Edmund What she would be doing at 3 a.m., she had been working for the Herald Wilson, Paterson announced who she however, would be trying to make Tribune, helping to put out the paper's was and challenged her readers to de­ some progress on one of her own nationally circulated Books section and cide who they were: books. By 1931, she had published writing her weekly column of literary It is an interesting suggestion, that 30 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

we are, as Mr Wilson informed us, the 1993 annual $918. last surviving person to believe in ')() Ycors of Il1dl7,ldllol,SIIl That happened in the 195Os, long those quaint old notions on which the after most people, even conservatives, republic was founded. But is it truert thought that "human rights" cannot be had accepted Social Security as a basic Week after week, Paterson devoted separated from "property rights," and institution of America. Paterson was her column in the Herald Tribune to that a government that abridges rights never one to give up on a basic princi­ warning her fellow citizens to save in its pursuit of economic goals will de­ ple, even if her refusal to give up con­ themselves from the temptations of the stroy not only rights but also the stituted only a seemingly useless new America, the collectivized state. H economy. personal protest. America has ever seen a self-educated, She resisted attempts to use politics But Paterson had established her self-made intellectual, Isabel Paterson to solve economic problems. "Govern­ significance as an individualist thinker was it; and she felt nothing but con­ ment and business can be entwined," and writer long before her act of prin­ tempt for intellectual fashions that de­ she remarked, "only in the same way cipled self-denial in the matter of rived the dignity of individuals from as Laocoon and the python, or which­ Social Security. Unlike many other their participation in one or another ever breed of snake it was. It doesn't people who positioned themselves on kind of group. She preached self­ do either of them any good."6 She the Right side of the aisle in the responsibility and absolute personal hated the attempts of big-businessmen American republic of letters, Paterson rights. She advocated the "republican­ did not discover her principles simply libertarian principles" of a government by reaction to a disappointment with designed for one purpose, the protec­ particular deeds of the Roosevelt ad­ tion of those rights. Week after week, Paterson ministration. She hadn't liked what This country started on sound work­ warned her fellow citizens to went on under preceding administra­ ing principles. The main idea was that save themselves from the temp­ tions, either. First there was the World the Federal government was to be po­ War, she said, and the "uplifters" litical, not economic. It was to protect tations ofthe new America, the immediately wished conscription on human rights from the pressure of collectivized state. us. Then the demand for a ''business group interests and interferences, not administration" was heard; and look to legislate people into either piety or at the darned thing now. After hav­ prosperity or private morality.s ing boasted how well they could run Paterson's writings of the early and financiers to run the country in the country, the bankers and busi­ 1930s show that she had arrived at the their way. She hated the attempts of ness men are asking the government positions that are hallmarks of the indi­ socialists to run it in theirs. to rescue them from what they did to vidualist movement as we know it She rejected the commonly accept­ it. ... And the moral legislators sewed us up in a sack with prohibi­ today. She had arrived, that is to say, ed view of history that equates laissez­ at the attitudes that today define classi­ tion. After which the technicians got faire capitalism with brutal exploitation us - the Great Engineers.7 cal liberals, libertarians, and limited­ of the poor. She believed that schemes government, pro-capitalist conserva­ to promote the general welfare by col­ But when the started in tives. She developed the types of argu­ lectivizing the economy would actual­ 1933, Paterson found new reasons for ments for that are ly promote only the welfare of an elite her beliefs, and new ways to apply popular today - the moral argument, group, a "governing class" intent on them. Her columns of the 1930s and the inherent rights argument, the argu­ monopolizing power. 1940s are a running commentary on ment from American history, the argu­ She opposed conscription, regimen­ America's political problems. As a ment about the limits of human tation, and any kind of moral crusade journalist considering developments knowledge, the various arguments that -like World War I- might lead week by week, Paterson necessarily about social and economic utility -. the United States to intervene in the af­ devoted much of her attention to is­ and she demonstrated that those argu­ fairs of other countries, for any pur­ sues of temporary concern. But with ments could work together, in roughly pose but self-defense. remarkable frequency, her comments the ways in which they work in the in­ She opposed government manipu­ on those issues provide analysis that is dividualist discourse of today. In addi­ lation of the currency. She opposed of permanent interest and importance. tion, Paterson practiced, perhaps more censorship, prohibition, and any simi­ She spent a good deal of effort, for effectively than anyone else, the style lar government action in the moral example, on the question of whether that has become characteristic of the in­ sphere. When Social Security came Hugo Black, who had once been a dividualist movement. along, she opposed it; and when she member of the Ku Klux Klan, should But I am getting ahead of my story. became eligible to receive the benefits have been nominated by Roosevelt as Before proceeding to Paterson's style, that she had been taxed to provide, she a justice of the Supreme Court. Her an­ let's look at Paterson's ideas. refused on principle to accept them, swer was No!, in thunder. But the Paterson thought that respect for even though the amount of her sup­ nomination was not as important to individual rights was necessary to ma­ posed benefits was used to reduce her her as the larger questions it raised ­ terial as well as spiritual progress. She pension from an annual $1980 to an questions about the individual's moral Liberty 31 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

responsibility for actions taken in 1943 were worth. It's no good, she insists, to "mere" conformity to current or local Tlie ~Vl1tel'~lied Yel1l' think only in general terms about the political attitudes, and questions about exploitation of nature; at some point, the tendency of the progressive "intel­ normally unanalyzed assumptions you ought to consider exactly what is ligentsia," as she called it, to expend its often seem to have been written for being exploited, and what is being cleverness in excusing the moral de­ today's newspapers, not for those of 60 done with it, and what would happen fects of politically useful persons and years ago. if this weren't done. Don't think just causes.8 An instance is her treatment of the about "nature"; think about trees and Excuses for the Black nomination natural resources question. Paterson houses - starting with the comfortable were a comparatively minor indication passionately loved nature. When she house you live in and the trees that of the tendency. A major indication ap­ finally put together enough money to were used to build it. You can't have peared in contemporary apologies for build a house in the country, she spent the trees and the house at the same every minute that she could with na­ time. Is it simply wasteful to prefer the ture. Thinking of spring coming to the latter to the former? countryside, she would ask, "Can such Paterson returned to the issue of re­ Paterson observed that one things be, and why doesn't everybody sources when she encountered a novel reason why a planned and con­ drop everything and watch it?"l1 She that optimistically predicted a "new urged the study of ecology. But she re­ world order" in which there would be trolled u new world order" fused to view nature in isolation from "world-wide social planning, con­ could not succeed is that it human values or to regret the exploita­ trolled standards of living with ceilings and floors to prevent exploitation," would destroy the U diversity of tion of nature that is necessary for to human progress. and "a per capita distribution" of re­ nations" that allows people This kind of regret was so common, sources. She didn't need Iate­ gain information through even in Paterson's time, that when an twentieth-century economic theory to U comparison. " advance notice of Marquis Childs' 1942 tell her what had gone wrong with book This Is Your War alluded to the such plausible ideals. She knew that in subject, it "touche[d) on a point of thinking about economic problems one chronic exasperation" with her. The must consider the whole range of Soviet communism. Paterson, who had notice brought her to acute exaspera­ human choices (including choices of never entertained any doubts about the tion by calling the book "a reminder of values) and the availability of the infor- effects of fascism, entertained none our pampered, wasteful past." She re­ about the effects of communism, ei­ sponded with a brisk reminder of ther. She remorselessly pulled apart something else: the intelligentsia's arguments for a sys­ Americans have been the most pro­ Paterson remorselessly pull­ tem that could only result - had re­ ductive people on earth, by virtue of ed apart the intelligentsia's sulted since Lenin's time, as she knew invention and industry in a free econ­ - in poverty and extermination. Her omy. Naturally they have used wood, arguments for a system that target was the barely concealed elitism coal, oil, metals and the like. They could only result had of the intellectual friends of humanity: have grown crops and eaten them. resulted since Lenin's time, as The catch in benevolence is that it Why not? Would there be any merit does require a victim to practice in letting the trees die, fall and rot as she knew - in poverty and upon, and furthermore, someone has they had been doing throughout the extermination. to pay for it - but seldom the philan­ ages, or leaving the ore in the ground, thropist ifhe can dodge the check.9 or the land unused? ... The trees the pioneers cut down would have been Very few late-twentieth-century in- dead of old age before now. More are tellectuals retain much sympathy for growing, and can grow. With those mation that can be used to make them. Bolshevism, but the full exposure of used, Americans built houses, and for She observed that one reason why a the communist myth did not result in a the first time in the world's history planned and controlled "new world universal reduction of intellectuals' they made comfortable houses.... order" could not succeed is that it Willingness to swallow glib notions of Americans were not pampered; they would destroy the "diversity of na­ what is right for other people. Paterson worked. They were not wasteful; they tions" that allows people to gain infor­ was interested not only in slogan­ made something. 12 mation through "comparison." swallowing acts of sympathy for the The ill-fated reminder of "waste" She noticed something else that Soviet experiment but also in intellec­ was important to Paterson because it continues to elude most people who tual acceptance of milder, more plausi­ allowed her to make her position clear worry publicly about public policy. ble, and therefore more tenacious on certain general issues. But she made She noticed the fact that even such cliches. ("Mostly what ails the alleged sure to keep a strong grip on the partic­ basic and apparently "given" things as intellectuals," she said, "is that they ulars; she made sure, in fact, to natural resources respond to the avail­ aren't."lO) Her analyses of common, squeeze the particulars for all they ability of information, which can ex- 32 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

pand or contract in response to human 1993 did not invite her audience to overhear enterprise. Resources do not exist as re­ f)(J Ycars o{ /l1di1 1 1dlla/isl1l the private jokes of a select circle. Her sources until someone knows they manner was that of a person speaking exist and knows what to do with them: obscure and intermixed instincts and frankly to other persons, seeing the Note how the whole field of human convictions that only an intellectual comedy or the tragedy that others intelligence is presumed to be closed point of view can apprehend them, could see as easily if they allowed once and for ever by "per capita dis­ and only an artist ... can make us feel themselves to think as frankly. tribution of the world's resources," a that they do affect us intimately and Paterson knew and loved the colloqui­ immediately, as individuals.1s phrase which is pure nonsense unless al American language; its wealth was applied science is arrested at a given This is the task to which Paterson always immediately available to her, point - for nobody actually knows dedicated herself. as a political writer, along with the wealth of more formal what the "world's resources" are in a task for which one might think she languages; and she moved effortlessly advance. What were "the world's re­ was sadly overqualified. She was a sources" three hundred years ago? person of extraordinarily wide read­ five hundred years ago? a thousand ing, with a strong and serious interest years ago? Did they include deep oil In history and philosophy. She had the wells, gasoline, electricity, plastics? The full exposure of the Certainly not. The world's resources "intellectual point of view." She also consist of human intelligence applied had the artist's love for highly cultivat­ communist myth did not re­ to raw materials, but nobody can ed literary accomplishment, for the lit­ sult in a universal reduction of know beforehand how or where or to erary skill that can explore and intellectuals' willingness to what such application can be made.13 communicate the complexities of the Paterson was an individualist who human condition. But highly cultivat­ swallow glib notions ofwhat is respected the complexities of social ed artists and intellectuals are fre­ right for other people. process. Like succeeding classical­ quently unable to reach a popular liberal thinkers, she. refused to regard audience. The writing that Paterson society as the predetermined result of herself enjoyed was often quite differ­ political or "material" forces. She un­ ent from anything that a popular audi­ from one language to another. Her derstood that neither dialectical mate­ ence instinctively understands. She standard was conciseness and clarity. ·rialism nor a board of sOCial planners· liked a good deal of popular literature; She wasted nothing on mere adorn­ can decide the shape of an economy or but she also liked The Tale of Genji, the ment. Aphorism and image, story and a society, because the knowledge with novels of Virginia Woolf, and the me­ dialogue were all useful in their turn, which economies and societies operate moirs of French aristocrats. In her own so long as they helped her to get direct­ is constantly being created in unpre­ novels, she prided herself on subtlety, ly to her point. dictable ways. Attempts to control this delicate nuance, and precise observa­ One can see Paterson at her most process will be intellectually incompe­ tion of psychological intricacies. None direct in a column of 1934 in which she tent and socially disastrous. of this would be helpful to Paterson opposes the idea that the state should This is one of the major reasons the political writer, unless she could take responsibility for the people's wel­ why Paterson endorses a politics that translate her intellectual "apprehen­ fare. She questions the· common as­ is virtually an anti-politics, a politics sions" into words directly accessible to sumption that state officials have more designed to protect a freely developirig the readership of amass-circulation resources, including intellectual re­ society from what Madison .pictures­ paper. sources, than the people at large, and quely called "improper or wicked.' But that is what Paterson did. She can therefore prOVide better solutions projects."14 Civilization is the ever­ developed the skill - which was real­ to their problems. She may be making changing product of countless interac­ ly, as she indicated, the skill of an "art­ a simple point; but if it is really so sim­ tions among individuals, each with ist," not just a publicist - to make her ple, why do people so often fail to con­ individual goals and values; it is too in­ audience feel that the great political de­ sider it? Paterson's purpose is to make tricate and delicate to be subjected to bate on which she had entered, a de­ sure that they don't fail this time, and state-sponsored experiments. bate that was much more about also to speculate about why they usual­ principles than about dollars and cents ly do fail. They fail because they are A Question of Style or votes or unemployment figures, "optimists" - and Paterson was impressed by the dif­ nevertheless affected all people those optimists who hope to have ficulty of experimenting on civilization "intimately and immediately, as everything happily taken care of by in even a literary way - the difficulty individuals." somebody would do well to look around and consider whether they of forming and communicating a vi­ Paterson was a strong personality, know anyone who is capable of a wit, and a master of the aphorism sion of a stupendously complicated doing the job. They always pin their world: and epigram. She was not a wit as faith on some total stranger who There is an organic structure of civili­ some other people of her time were makes large promises. It sounds swell zation, there are vast movements and wits; she was not arch, she was not over the radio. But the only kind of conflicts of peoples, animated by such glamorous, she was not cynical; she people there are are the ones you see Liberty 33 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

every day. Go on, be a sport, pick one 1943 skill at doing a job, and a willingness you've known all your life to tell you TIII' \Vatl'r~/Il'd rl'ar to take chances and accept the what to do. Have confidence - why consequences. not? Oh, you know too much about ward the,villain. After having pur­ In thinking about the achievement that bird, do you? We thought so.16 sued her through four acts with of the Wright brothers, for instance, Paterson's ability to make political threats of a fate worse than death, she said that she particularly liked the ideas accessible to every person in her which he emphasized by shooting at episode of Huffman's field: audience results in large part from her her, setting fire to her home, and tying her to the railroad track just be­ The Wrights asked the owner if they skill at dramatizing herself as a person­ fore the down express was expected, could rent it. Mr Huffman said they ality. One of her favorite roles (and it is he inquired reproachfully, "Nellie, could use it free; he only requested something much more than a role) is why do you shrink from me?"18 them incidentally to "drive his cows that of the warrior for liberty, Willing to a safe place and not run over and able to step into any argument and Paterson's Vigorously popular, gen- them!" We shall never know whether eral-American style is a journalistic de­ give any opponent an ideological Mr Huffman thought anything would vice, but not just a device. She enjoys thrashing. In a representative column come of the Wrights' experiments; but it; it is right for her; and it is closely as­ from 1942, she mentions two letters that was the American way, too -let sociated with her choice of ideology. them use the field, they wouldn't do that her friend Bennett Cerf recently Paterson deeply respected the contri­ any harm. Oh, no, no charge. It was butions that individual genius has private property, so there was no red made to science, art, and (much less tape. At about the same time another frequently) politics. But her individual­ man, the head of an endowed institu­ Paterson questioned the tion, with $50,000 of government ism was not grounded in an elitist wor­ common assumption that state funds and $20,000 as a special gift, ship of abilities that only a few people was trying to invent a flying machine; officials have more resources, in­ possess; it was grounded in respect for and he got nowhere with it. But the cluding intellectual resources, the contributions that everyone can two who needed nothing whatever-­ make under conditions of freedom. except their own brains, their own than the people at large, and One of the things that irritated her earnings and their own leisure time at can therefore provide better most about collectivism was its fake their own disposal, performed the solutions to their problems. and real elitism. feat. Collectivist systems, in her view, can That is what we are now urged to be be operated only by small governing ashamed of, to ignore, to repudiate and deny and destroy. That is the classes; naturally, _they are invented sent to her, defending a pro-Soviet United States; that is the capitalist and advocated by psychological and system.20 book about which she had made a sar­ social elitists - by inheritors of for­ castic remark. The letters, of course, tunes, holders of government jobs, ben­ Paterson saw herself as a writer, merely provide her with an excuse to eficiaries of endowments and not as a politician. She spurned invita- ridicule the book again, this time at subsidies. H a Nietzschean individual­ length. The effect of this essay (and ism held no attraction for Paterson, many of her other essays, too) is cap­ neither did capitalism with its top hat tured by the three little illustrations on, and its hand out to Congress. One of the things that that the Herald Tribune artists provided She also thought there was some­ irritated Paterson most about for it. In the first illustration, Paterson thing inadequate about conventional stands lecturing the unfortunate Cerf; notions of "left" and "right": "the ~ft collectivism was its fake egali­ in the second, he has fallen to his Wing and the extreme Right have tarianism and real elitism. knees, and she is grimly choking him; marched around in circles until now in the third, he is lying on the floor they are inextricably intertwined, com­ with her foot on his stomach, and she bining the worst features of both."19 is still telling him exactly what she Neither party could leave private peo­ tions to become involved in political 17 thinks. ple alone with their private property, movements and called people who did At other times, Paterson casts her­ and Paterson regarded capitalism as so "signers and j'iners." It is impossible self as an individualist visitor to a col­ what happens when you do leave peo­ to predict what her reaction would be lectivist world, a visitor who ple alone. She regarded America as the to the political of our constantly finds reasons for astonish­ place where that sometimes happens, own time. Her ideas, as we will see, in­ ment at the strange behavior of the na­ and where it ought to happen more fluenced leaders of many groups that tives. She is frequently surprised by often. She associated great achieve­ have embraced individualist positions; the curious expectation that victims of ments not with the ambitions of those but my guess is that she would find will welcome still she called "Great Men," who can never reasons to quarrel with every such more extensive planning in the future: leave other people alone and are al­ group Gust as every such group finds We feel toward Planners as the hero­ ways insisting on "saving" them, but reasons to quarrel with all the others). ine of the old-time melodrama felt to- with tolerance, unpretentious intellect, Paterson was good at quarreling, and 34 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

she neglected few opportunities to do 1993 native theory of history and social what she was good at. But she made an ')() )'('11,. ... of IlldIl 1 Idllt1li ... 1II institutions. early and unerring identification of the The God ofthe Machine is focused on kind of individualism that would od to realize the complex emotions the nature and historical evolution of emerge in virtually all the separate and with which middle age reflects on "the long circuit of energy," the means distinguishable individualisms. She youth and attempts to determine the by which people exchange the prod­ identified an individualism that is pro­ significance of individual experience. ucts of their energy across great dis­ capitalist, anti-elitist, and thoroughly A similar assessment of experience tances of time and space. The long and self-consciously American. takes place, but on a larger scale, in circuit is the fundamental mechanism The Golden Vanity (1934). Here of industry and trade, the means by Works of Fiction Paterson creates a group of women which every kind of work can find its Political issues were far from characters who are related to one an­ reward - if not in this place, then in Paterson's sole concern, even in her other but who differ in attitude and so­ writing. She remained a novelist as cial standing. She uses them to analyze well as a journalist, and her novels are the various ways in which the not primarily about politics. This is Depression affected people's views of If a Nietzschean individual­ perhaps what one would expect, con­ themselves and their social worlds. In sidering the nature of her political phi­ IfIt Prove Fair Weather (1940), Paterson ism held no attraction for losophy, which resists the imposition experiments with a rigorous narrow­ Paterson, neither did capital­ of political solutions on individual and ing of focus. The novel is a minute ex­ ism with its top hat on, and its social problems. Paterson thought that amination of the emotional life of a the purpose of the novel was, in Joseph man and a woman who are negotiat­ hand out to Congress. Conrad's words, "to make you see, to ing their passage through a doomed make you feel."21 She wanted her nov­ romance. els to communicate an intense impres­ Several of Paterson's novels sold another; if not immediately, then in the sion of life, which she imagined might very well. More important, several of future. Without the "long circuit," the consist of something more than them are of distinguished literary qual­ modern industrial world - a world of politics. ity. Of particular literary interest are far-sighted investment and unthinka­ From her enormous reading in his­ The Road of the Gods, Never Ask the End, bly intricate processes of production tory and her variety of personal experi­ and The Golden Vanity, which for its in­ and distribution - simply could not ence she derived a keen appreciation sight into character and society chal­ exist. for life's richness and diversity. Her lenges comparison with the best But the circuit is hard to establish broad interests led her to write several American novels of the Depression pe­ and hard to maintain. It can survive different kinds of novels. Her first two riod. Although politics is not only in certain institutional frame­ - The Shadow Riders (1916) and The Paterson's major concern as a novelist, works, and those frameworks can exist Magpie's Nest (1917) - are attempts "to her political ideas do appear, in subor­ only if certain intellectual principles make you see, to make you feel" the dination to other themes, in a number are respected. experience of young women growing of her novels. The Golden Vanity analyz­ analyzes the circuit and the institutions up as she did in the transitional phase es the meanings of the Depression, The and ideas that have been developed to of the Canadian West, when modern Shadow Riders presents a detailed ac­ sustain it during the last 2500 years. civilization had just established itself count of political life in a Canadian The basic image of the circuit is on the prairies and mountains. Her city, and The Singing Season dramatizes easy to understand. I use my energy to next three novels attempt to recreate conflicts between the commercial and create a product that I can exchange for the look and feel of societies remote the authoritarian mentality. something else created by energy. The from living memory and, in at least. exchange forms a social and economic one case, remote from almost any trace The· God ofthe Machine circuit. I write an article and send it to of modern sympathy. Paterson's 5ub­ Paterson's greatest accomplish­ a publisher who wants it; he recipro­ ject in The Fourth Queen (1926) is ment, however, is the book whose fifti­ cates by sending me something that I Elizabethan England; in The Singing eth anniversary is celebrated this year: want -- money, or in the case of the SeJlSon (1924) it is fourteenth-century The God of the Machine (1943), the sys­ editors of this journal, hearty thanks Spain; in The Road of the Gods (1930) it tematic statement of her political phi­ and well-intended criticism. A circuit is barbarian Europe in the first century losophy, and one of the fundamental is established, nevertheless. B.C. The last and most difficult of these books of the modern individualist Longer circuits are more complicat­ novels is perhaps Paterson's best work movement. Throughout the 1930s, ed. Suppose I invent something. To put of historical fiction. Paterson had been presenting her phi­ my invention into production, I need In her other three published novels, losophy in comments and essays in the investment capital, which can be sup­ Paterson returns to the world of her Herald Tribune. The God of the Machine plied by an interested party in, say, own time. Never Ask the End (1933) draws her ideas together and New York. She sends me money, uses a stream-of-consciousness meth- organizes them around a boldly imagi- which I use to build a factory and hire Liberty 35 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

workers here in San Diego. I advertise 1943 to the empire. Paterson makes sense of my product, and soon hundreds of The ~Vlltcr~hcd YCllr this curious institution by saying that stores are ordering it, allover the coun­ the emperor try. I send them products, they send not legally protected, she would have was something like a crude fuse plug, me money; I keep some of the money no money to lend me, or she would which may blow out; but it should be and use the rest to repay my investor, find it too risky to convey. She would borne in mind that the blowing-out of with interest. She is so pleased by this have no desire to convey it to anyone if a fuse plug is a measure of safety in result that she sends me more money, she could not retain the profit from her certain contingencies. Practically any which I use to expand my factory and investments as her private property. H man ... would do; and if one failed; make more money for her in future. the various people who cooperate in another must be thrown into the gap by the turn of events. He was the em­ Seen as a whole, the process of in­ the process were not free to exchange peror, as long as he lasted.23 vention, investment, production, distri­ their time, skill, or capital for commod­ bution, payment, repayment, and ities that they regard as still more valu­ To think of a Roman emperor as a able, none of them would have any "fuse" is something that no one but incentive to do anything. As Paterson Isabel Paterson would do. Yet the idea says, works. In discussing the strange history of Although politics is not These are not sentimental considera­ people's attempts to maintain, control, Paterson's major concern as a tions; they constitute the mechanism of production and therefore of power. or divert energy, Paterson emphasizes novelist, her political ideas do Personal liberty is the pre-condition of how easily a short circuit can happen. appear, in subordination to the release of energy. Private property Energy circuits are interrupted when is the inductor which initiates the commerce is restricted by onerous other themes. flow. Real money is the transmission moral assumptions, customs, laws, line; and the payment of debts com­ plans, regulations, and taxes; when in­ prises haH the circuit.22 vestors are prevented from receiving a The idea of the long circuit and its profitable return on their investments; reinvestment is an enormous circuit in when workers are asked to exchange which ideas are exchanged for an in­ supporting technology gives Paterson a way of understanding the institution­ their time and skill for worthless vestor's money, the investor's money money; when inventive are for the materials and labor that make al arrangements of past and present societies. Beginning with the asked to work with no chance of an ad­ products, products for customers' equate reward. Where there is no pros- money, customers' money for ideas Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, she and investments, and so on, through defines the distinctive characteristics of more cycles of production and ex­ each society's attempt to engineer the change. The results are beneficial for circuit, and her theory often allows her everyone who chooses to take part in to do so in a fresh, provocative way. To think ofa Roman emper­ the process: the inventor turns his She describes the Roman Empire, or as a 1/crude fuse plug" is ideas into realities, the investor increas­ for example, as a mechanism powered something that no one but es her capital, workers find profitable by "the great stream of commerce" ­ employment, and customers who want a current protected or "insulated" by Isabel Paterson would do. Yet products get them. In the process, a laws and guarded by officials whose the idea works. certain amount of each participant's duty was to keep the lines up and the energy is expended, but increasing channel open. These officials diverted quantities of energy are made available enough of the flow (in the form of for everyone's use. taxes) to maintain the system. pect of a return of energy, no prospect Paterson may seem to be writing Eventually the diversion became so of profit, the current ceases to flow. strictly about economics, narrowly de­ large that practically nothing moved Of course, private individuals can fined. She is not. Her argument is that through the circuit. But before that and do make mistakes in their routing the long circuit cannot be understood happened, the current flowing be­ of energy; they can and do make in­ apart from the social, legal, and politi­ tween Rome and the outlying parts of vestments that return no profit. The cal technology that allows a sequence the empire was strong enough to de­ bad decisions of private individuals of exchanges to take place. H a trust­ mand a special device "to take the in­ are unfortunate; they may be extreme­ worthy currency did not exist, my in­ coming current and re-distribute it ly painful and destructive; but they vestor would not be able to transfer outward." Rome stumbled on the pe­ are, in Paterson's phrase, "self­ capital to me over large distances of culiar device of an emperor, a man liquidating." A private individual who space. If enforceable contracts did not who did not need to have any specially persists in making bad investments exist, she could not have confidence valuable social function (Paterson was will not persist for long. The greatest that my debt to her would be repaid obviously right about that) except his cause of short circuiting is govem­ over large distances of time. H accumu­ ability to re-distribute the current and ment, which forces everyone to pay lation and deployment of capital were to be replaced without grave damage and keep right on paying for its mis- 36 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

takes and those of any businesses it 1993 long circuit to achieve a spectacular de­ subsidizes or controls: S (J Yc t1 r ~ 0 f /11 d,. 7'" d 11 11/" ~ III velopment in America. American his­ The possibility of a short circuit, ensu­ tory demonstrates that material ing leakage and breakdown or explo­ the worst things a grasping govern­ progress does have something to do sion, occurs in the hook-up of political ment can do is to get the power of edu­ with political ideas, in ways that fash­ organization to the productive cation into its hands. Once it has done ionable modern ideologists have not processes.24 that, it can try to obliterate the long cir­ sufficiently considered. America is Government, Paterson believes, has cuit's intellectual basis, which consists, therefore of special importance to the legitimate function of protecting in large part, of principled opposition Paterson - but she gives detailed at­ the circuit of production and exchange to government power. The irony is that tention to America's failures to respect by guarding the personal liberty of state-run education tries to fit students its own intellectual technology. everyone on the circuit and providing for modern life by denying them the America's great achievement of consti­ for the enforcement of their contracts. ability to understand the ideas that tutional engineering has been jeopard­ But governments have seldom stopped make modern life possible, teaching ized by slavery, by militarism, by at the limits of their legitimate func­ them under compulsion to become tions. The governing classes have lived "social-minded." by redirecting energy from profit­ This is disastrous, because the dy­ making enterprises to their own activi­ namo of any social mechanism is the Government, Paterson be­ ties - projects from which no ade­ individual mind. Divinely endowed lieves, has the legitimate func­ quate return of energy is to be with a creative capacity, the individual expected, projects so lacking in value mind converts the "eternally self­ tion of protecting the circuit of to the public that coercion is necessary renewing" energy of the God of the production and exchange by to support them. Machine into energy usable in the "so­ guarding the personal liberty Among these projects are wars, bu­ cial organization." The mind must be reaucracies, public works that are not left free to operate, and its freedom of everyone on the circuit and needed and therefore do not attract in­ can be secured only if vital intellectual providing for the enforcement vestment, and social "welfare" pro­ principles are known and honored ­ oftheir contracts. grams that permanently isolate their principles such as those of individual reputed beneficiaries from the lifegiv­ rights and "minimum government." 27 ing circuit of productive activities. Not Paterson conceives of liberty as "a content with redirecting energy, gov­ truly natural condition.... [T]he ration­ nearly every kind of "progressive" ex­ ernments contrive to shut it off. They al and natural terms of human associa­ periment in statism. Such failures are punish profit or outlaw private proper­ tion are those of voluntary agreement, almost sufficient reason for despair, ty, thus eliminating "the inductor" of not command.,,28 She emphasizes the but at the conclusion of The God of the energy; they render money worthless; fact, however, that human rights and Machine, Paterson reflects that princi­ and when all else fails, they simply ex­ the appropriate means of protecting ples once discovered will never be terminate "the most productive mem­ them took humanity a long time to dis­ wholly lost. H modern Americans be­ bers of the population," as the cover. Her review of history shows that tray their principles, the ideas by Bolsheviks did.25 crucial ideas about a truly human "so­ which they once lived (which are "uni­ The communists proceeded in this cial organization" were identified in a versals") can later be taken up and way because their materialist philoso­ gradual process of intellectual evolu­ used to restore liberty's long circuit.29 phy led them to view society as an in­ tion. Out ofthe process came manyfalse As in her earlier writings, so in The dustrial mechanism that can function ideas - not all of which, by any means, God ofthe Machine: Paterson made con­ without respecting individual rights or have been discarded by the modern nections of ideas that have come to de­ the individual's spontaneous creative world - together with a few useful fine political individualism in the late powers. Even the leaders of modern ones. The ancient Greeks discovered sci­ twentieth century, connections be­ democratic countries often behave as if entific reasoning, which encouraged re­ tween intellectual and material society were a product of "material" spect for individual freedom of inquiry. progress, personal freedom and eco­ forces that are fully susceptible of plan­ The Roman Empire developed a tradi­ nomic freedom, universal principles ning and regulation. Paterson, howev­ tion of impartial law. Christianity and the American tradition. er, believes that "a machine economy taught reverence for the individual and Tradition, however, is not necessar­ cannot run on a mechanistic philoso­ immortal soul. The greatintellectuals of ily honored in its own country, espe­ phy."26 She believes that intellectual, eighteenth-century .America invented cially when its implications are not material, factors will determine the structures of government that could developed in a radical and uncompro­ success or failure of humanity's at­ limit the operations of government it­ mising way. The God ofthe Machine was tempts to use the long circuit of energy self; they used constitutional law to re­ probably too long, too learned, and too on which modern industrial society serve a vast protected area for the concerned with theory to reach a mass depends. exercise ofindividual rights. audience - and for once Paterson may That is why she believes that one of This feat of engineering allowed the not have been intent on reaching such Liberty 37 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

an audience. She indicated that she 1943 Notes wanted the book to make sense to the Tltl' ~Votl',..... lll'd YI'O" 1. Irene and Allen Cleaton, Books and people who were actually trying to run Battles: American Literature: 1920-1930 the country's production system.30 But experience. Among them were people (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1937), 130. by 1943, Paterson's general intellectual who would be influential in the major 2. Isabel Paterson, typescript notes in the position was undoubtedly less interest­ branches of American anti­ Paterson papers. I wish to thank Muriel ing to those people than it was to aver­ collectivism, such people as Buckley Welles Hall, executrix of the Paterson age men and women. Her version of and Russell Kirk, future intellectual estate, for access to the Paterson papers, from which much of the biographical "classical Americanism"31 launched it­ leaders of American ; information inthis essay is derived, and self directly against the elite's massive­ John Chamberlain and Leonard E. for kind assistance throughout the ly solidifying ideology of massive Read, leading advocates of a broad­ course of my research. Biographical government involvement in economic, based, culturally conservative libertari­ documentation and additional bio­ social, and individual life. The God of anism; and Ayn Rand, founder of the graphical information are provided in the Machine sharply questioned every­ Objectivist movement and an impor­ my introduction to the jubilee edition of thing from antitrust legislation to gov­ tant influence on libertarianism as it Paterson's The God ofthe Machine (New ernment schools; in the midst of World developed in the 1960s and 1970s.32 The Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 1993). War TI, it challenged conscription and God of the Machine has been repub­ 3. Isabel Paterson, "Turns With a Book­ government mobilization of the econo­ lished several times, and it has never my, representing them as counterpro­ worm," New York Herald Tribune lacked an audience. "Books," March 5, 1933. Subsequent ref­ ductive and invidious to freedom. At this distance in time, the nature erences to Paterson's weekly column These were not messages that the na­ of Paterson's achievement is beginning will cite it as "Turns," followed by date. tion was prepared to hear. to come into focus. She was one of the 4. "Turns," March 13, 1932. Paterson hung on at the Herald few intellectuals of her era who made 5. "Turns," June 12, 1932. Tribune for almost six more years. an original contribution to individual­ 6. "Turns," February 12, 1933. Then, in early 1949, a management that ist thought. She identified the 7. "Turns," June 12, 1932. felt little sympathy for her ideas "re­ principles and even the style of the 8. Paterson's views on the Hugo Black af­ tired" (Le., fired) her. Rejecting Social individualism that would become a fair can be found in"Turns," October Security, Paterson intended to demon­ major political and cultural force in 24, 1937; November 14, 1937; March 20, strate that a prudent person could pro­ 1938; February 5, 1939; March 12, 1939; our own time, and she embodied in vide for herself, even in a world in December 24, 1939; and February 18, her life the independence and self­ which her options were limited by 1940. responsibility to whjch individualism taxes, inflation, and forced contribu­ 9. "Turns," June 15, 1941. pays respect. tions to "security" schemes. She had in­ 10. "Turns," September 22,1935. Beneath the varying opinions, the vested, in a small way, in real estate, 11. "Turns," March 1, 1936. speculations, the feuds, the momentari­ and by living carefully she was able to 12. "Turns," February 15, 1942. ly popular slogans and temporarily in­ support herself in moderate comfort. 13. "Turns," October 11, 1942. As early as teresting ideas that play upon the She spent most of her retirement in a her column of April 3, 1932, Paterson surface of intellectual history, a basic farm house she purchased near had presented such ideas about resourc­ and compelling question always es. In that column, she traces an expan­ Princeton, New Jersey. sion of usable resources to an She continued to read widely and presents itself: When all is said and done, what is our life, and how shall "expansion of released [human] ener­ deeply, and she followed political gy," thus foreshadowing the theory of we live it? Paterson never stopped at­ events with interest. She contributed energy-in-history that she would elabo­ occasionally to William F. Buckley's tending to that question. She never rate a decade later in The God ofthe new journal, , until ceased to maintain that we live by Machine. Buckley wanted to edit an article that ideas and that we ought to live freely. 14. , The Federalist, No. 10. she refused to have edited. In 1959, she At a grim moment in history, she 15. Isabel Paterson, review of Glenway sold her land in New Jersey and was spoke with grim determination about Wescott, Fear and Trembling, New York temporarily "between houses." She ac­ the dignity of the intellect: Herald Tribune IlBooks," May 8, 1932. cepted the invitation of two younger If the truth doesn't survive, neither 16. IITurns," September 2, 1934. friends, Ted and Muriel Welles Hall, to will its opponents. People really do 17. "Turns," August 2, 1942. move to their home in Montclair, New live by principles and facts, and can­ 18. "Turns," January 28, 1934. Jersey. She delighted the Halls with her not continue to exist on any other 19. "Turns," March 5, 1933. Compare 33 , who in 1944 dedicated learning and her brilliant conversation, terms. The Road to Serfdom to "The Socialists of and she helped to educate their chil­ The fact that a certain conception of All Parties." truth survived that dark time owes a dren. In 1961, she died, practically un­ 20. "Tums," May 23, 1943. noticed by an intellectual world that great deal to a little woman who 21. Isabel Paterson, review of Morley was busying itself about other things. walked through Hell's Kitchen with a Callaghan, Such Is My Beloved, New But those who had read Paterson bag full of books and an absolute com- York Herald Tribune "Books," February with attention had profited from the mitment to the power of ideas. 0 notes continued on page 41 38 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 1993 'j(} Year ... of l11dl()idtfall~1I1 A Paterson Collection

Isabel Paterson was a memorable writer of aphorisms, epigrams, maxims, and other annotations on life. The best of Paterson's writing in this manner would fill a book. Here is a small sample. -Stephen Cox

Next time anyone says, "There ought to be a law," you The power to do things for people is also the power to know the answer - "There is." do things to people - and you can guess for yourself which is likely to be done. What this country needs is a lot less of all sorts of things. The enemy of every honest man is the politician seeking power. We have been asked, by reformers: Don't you want the law enforced? We can only reply: We're not so darned The encroachment of government is always marked by sure, and neither would you be if you knew what the law increasing silence. is. The power of the state is always in inverse ratio to the There is practically nothing you can't be put in jail for power of the nation. now. H you go back 150 years you are a ; but if A lot of American principle is contained in the two you go back 1,000 years, you are in the foremost ranks of words: "Just don't." Much of the rest is encompassed by progress. the suggestion of minding one's own business. The whole No majority can absolve the individual. is summed up in the word "liberty." It is always possible to stick to your principles, if you When we say free speech, we mean free speech, even if have any. you don't know what we mean. The first qualification for a writer on any subject is to be Freedom is dangerous. Possibly crawling on all fours able to write. might be safer than standing upright. But we like the view better up there. The possession of a carload of bricks doesn't make a mason. A government official is a man who would cheat even at solitaire. The desire to be a writer is usually fatal to accom­ plishment. Anyone who has been continuously wrong for twelve years is just wasting his time outside our national capital. Literature is not to be expected every minute. Even a wheelbarrow can be wrecked: What young writers want most is Encouragement. (A thing we find it difficult to supply.) Kingdoms are more likely to coUapse by a deficit than to perish by the sword. All that any society can give a writer is the . Of course it's pretty tough to be given full leave Destitution is easily distributed. It's the one thing to say what you please and then find either that you have political power can insure you. nothing to say or that you don't know how to say it. Equality among men is in fact the inevitable ideal of a We have known exactly two people who simply loved high civilization, since men of lofty minds and gentle writing, enjoyed it, wrote with fluency and without nature feel as much repugnance to possessing privilege for compulsion. They've been at it for twenty years and have themselves as they do to tyranny exercised upon not yet achieved publication. Their stuff is simply terrible. themselves. It is the inferior man who clutches at power. The events of a creative writer's life are imaginative, not The craving for power is in itself a sign of inferior material. Not uncommonly one hears some romantic young abilities and unfitness for responsibility. woman say: "Oh, I would give anything to be a writer." But Liberty 39 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

she would not; and "anything" is not 1943 We have never struck a child except in enough. One must give everything. T II (' lVt1 t (' r sli (' d Yl' Ill' self-defense. A writer should know absolutely A cat is always around if there is a everything in the most minute detail. chance of the spotlight. With too many historians, you'd think it was thirty It is sad to reflect that doubtless Cleopatra herself thousand abstractions fell at Gettysburg. would have liked to be the sort of person legend makes her. The mere fact that a book does not sell is not a H one could bring the moon down to earth it would no guarantee of literary quality. longer be the moon. The great problem of the writer is that if you do The best of us are liable to indulge in orgies whenever anything else you have no time to write and if you don't we get inside a five-and-ten-cent-store. you have nothing to write about. Letter writing is a frequent symptomof madness. Writing can be done only during the time when one This country could do with better looking men. And ought to be doing something else. more of them. It is necessary to bear in mind constantly that literature Personally we do not object to the rich, as long as they is not a Five-Year Plan. know their place. Segregated in Newport and other penal It is writing that lasts; the subject never yetmade a colonies, they do little or no harm. The trouble is they classic. Well, neither did a prize committee. couldn't stand it themselves.... A lot of them have decided to Help Others. And the results are just about what you'd There are recurrent periods when every other test is expect. applied to literature except that of literary value. The great danger of demanding to be understood is that We don't enjoy, for any length of time, a book in which finally the yearner gets his wish. And the next step is it is impossible to be sure what the author means. divorce. Words are the tools of the·thinker. H you saw a man There is a secular self-righteousness which borrows all chopping wood with a hoe and mowing with a shovel, the unbearable features of formalized piety with none of its would you hire him as a foreman? graces. Practically the whole art of writing consists in getting Some day a careful study may be made of the relation rid of superfluous words. between the reforming temperament and the inabilityof the Children of Light to manage their own affairs. Nothing is worth reporting if it doesn't cause the subject to deny and repudiate it Violently. All the virtues require some one else to practice them upon, which seems to us rather hard on the object. Writing a book is such a peculiarly unaccountable performance that the author, when required to look back Respectability is a strange thing; the one virtue for over his life, tries to think of something else he has done. which it has no use is the truth. It is perfectly impossible that any forecast should be All heads of great states are considered great writers correct. while they are in office. It goes with the job. And we mean it goes with the job. You can't tear anyone away from a good substantial temptation; we mean to say, even if they don't give in, they What almost everybody wants is to be at once famous stick around resisting it for years. and invisible. We can't have everything both ways, and not very All philosophies are merely graceful exits from the much one way. problems they profess to solve. People do not realize how important it is to have a good The thread upon which the humblest depends time until it is too late. spins out to the end of the earth. H. M. Parshley writes that he has read somewhere that The natural tendency of the human mind is to get rid of "there never was an Age of Reason; justa reasonable facts, and if obliged to retain a few, to mutilate them person now and then." Yes, but sometimes there were as beyond recognition. many as four or five at once; that is what was called the Age of Reason. People mostly do as they like, and that would be fine if they'd let other people do the same. Nothing ever works out but sometimes something else does. Life should consist in at least 50 per cent pure waste of time, and the rest in doing what you please. Sometimes there seems to be nothing to. do but take the leftovers and make a stew. Nothing is so vitalizing as a few robust prejudices, so long as one knows when to disregard them. Right now it isa terrible thing to be a rugged 40 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

individualist; but we don't know what else 1993 The volunteer fire department is to be except a feeble nonentity. ') () YL' 11 r s v f J 11 d ; (1; d II a I ; s 111 usually about as bad as the fire. The mental defects of other people, such All history is just three generations as Hitler's followers, do not constitute genius on the part of long. There is what happens in our time, which is real but the leader. Multiply one half-wit by eighteen hundred doesn't make sense; and what we hear our parents recall of million half-wits and still the result is not a genius, strange their time, which is very quaint and think how we have as it may seem. Take anything whatever in any magnitude progressed; and then what happened before them, which is you choose, and it will still be whatever it is and a lot more something in a book. of it, that's all. The moral consequence of doing whatever you do is The saddest spectacle imaginable to us is an anxious that you will be the sort of person who did that. youth endeavoring to like only what the current intellectual The fact that the majority of people, including you and mode approves. me, are none too bright seems to be the one overlooked There is that unfortunate aspect of being in the explanation. intellectual fashion at a given time; fashion changes. Nothing that well meaning people might do would What we really don't understand is why more people surprise us. are not interested in more things. A noble purpose is a very queer gUide to conduct. ... H Fame consists in being taken for some one else with a only there were no such thing as consequences. different name, which nobody can quite remember either. The biggest pestsare the people who use altruism as an Publicity is fairly easy to avoid. alibi. What they passionately wish is to make themselves important. Money is especially vulgar when in the possession of others. "Problems" become problems only when there is some chance of solVing them; until then they are accepted as As a child, we used to worry about a comet hitting the quite natural conditions. earth. Now we're afraid it won't. It's hard to live, because the details of liVing get in the The strongest emotional feelings usually have least to do way. with one's own affairs. There are trains every hour, all headed for oblivion. With all the books we've read on the delights of primitive existence, it just sounds worse and worse to us, "Did I ask to be born?" ... How do they know they book by book. My goodness, civilization is bad enough, didn't ask to be born? They asked for their dinner, anyhow, when we have any. the minute they were born, and got it. One genius is about all a house will hold. II you're going to be a dinosaur, be one; otherwise you're nothing but a lizard. Ask any ordinary citizen whether he'd rather have a house or an economist? And we're prepared to add, you We hardly know what the consequences would be if can't have both. . everybody suddenly realized how many things there are they don't have to do. Psychology: a science which tells you what Hthere were just one gift you could choose, but nothing psychologists are like. barred, what would it be? We wish you then your own People will believe almost anything that isn't so. wish; you name it. Ours is liberty, now and forever. Q

Notes to Cox, liThe Significance of Isabel Paterson," continued from page 38

18,1934. 28. GM,121. and Rand were close friends during the 22. Paterson, The God ofthe Machine, 62. 29. GM, 290-92. early 19405, buttheir friendship ended in a Subsequent references to this text will 30. Isabel Paterson to Robert Selph Henry, quarrel in 1948. The course of their relation­ cite it as GM, followed by page number. early April, 1943; Paterson papers. ship is a study in the complexities ofindi­ vidualists' interactions with other 23. GM, 35-40, 32. 31. "Turns," May 28, 1933. individualists. The relationship will be the 24. GM, 228, 62. 32. Paterson's influence on Rand was par­ subject of a future article in Liberty. ticularly strong. It probably accounts 25. GM,91. 33. "Turns," September 8, 1940. for many of the "classical American," 26. GM,l56. as opposed to "egoist," elements in 27. GM, 152, 82, 70. Rand's evolving philosophy. Paterson Liberty 41 Dispatch The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Anarchy in Salt Lake by Chester Alan Arthur

When Brigham Young said "This is the place," he probably didn't mean that this was the place for the Libertarian Party national convention.

Over Labor Day weekend, people came.to the Libertarian Party convention in Salt Lake City for a lot of reasons other than politics. The convention is very much a party. The Marriott Hotel in Salt Lake City was uncommonly well-constructed for revelry, with its suites located on its 15th floor, greatly expediting party- hopping. And the suites were especial­ ties! Let's clean this place up! I don't more private quarters, but I left early. ly spacious, and well-furnished for want to spend the night in jail!" The local brew, hampered by state reg­ barkeeping. But no matter how well "Why not?" came the retort. ulations, tasted like warm water. the suites were situated and designed, "You're spending it in ." The follOWing evening, candidates they could not overcome the fact that The party was enlivened by the en­ for party positions addressed the as­ they were in Salt Lake City. trance of several attractive young sembled multitudes in the always­ Posters advertising an Anarchist women from Springdale. They had Caucus "self-organizing meeting" ap­ joyous Texas LP hospitality suite. peared from day one, along with the come up for a pro-pot reggae concert Those Wishing to avoid politics and mysterious code"A4." This, I later dis­ earlier in the evening, where their pres­ continue conversation retreated to the covered, stood for "Anarchy - Agora ence had created a true rarity: a gen­ hallway, where a hotel employee in­ - Action - Alcohol." The last A was der-balancedlibertarian event. Not that structed them that they could not the anarchists' mistake: the Utah au­ many of them or their pot-smoking, speak above a whisper! thorities don't mind anarchy, but alco­ hackeysack-playing friends were neces­ Michael Zeising once summed up hol isstrictly verboten. Actually, it was sarily libertarians, but several male par­ his libertarian philosophy with the the noise that first got the caucus into tyarchs were pleased ,with the words "Smash the state and free beer trouble; after some neighbors com­ opportunity to convert them, or at least for all." The long-suffering people of plained about the alleged racket, the to try to get laid. As I passed one table, Utah just might sign on to a platform hotel rent-a-cops asked the party to I overheard one eagerly expounding in­ like that. move downstairs to the bar, which, dividualist philosophy: "No matter this being Utah, was closed despite the what, one thing libe~tarians are defi­ fact that it was midnight on Friday. nitely for, is we want to relegalize At "off year" Libertarian Party conven­ They complied, but, almost immediate­ drugs." This provoked many approving tions - those that do not nominate a ly after setting up the new bar, they noises, and one day may pay dividends presidential ticket - LP politicians al­ were informed that state law prohibit­ to the Libertarian Party - as soon as ways seem to manage to find a big ed serving alcohol so late, or some­ the ladies are old enough to vote. issue to stimulate attendance. In 1989, thing like that. Meanwhile, the bar was packing up it was a hotly-contested race for the "Let me have your attention! and people were drifting back to their position of National Chair. At this Please!" yelled one young anarchoid rooms. Eventually, a few of us formed year's LP convention, it was an at­ organizer. "Please give us your emp- an informal Beer Caucus and retired to tempt to eliminate the party's "loyalty 42 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

oath" and to replace its wide-ranging activism in the late 198Os; by 1989, he me at the time, "The clammers never platform with a shorter list of positions limited his involvement to helping di­ knew what hit them." ("Clammers" is a on a limited number of issues. rect the selection of the party's platform pejorative for reformers, who organized The reasons for these changes were committee and working on that com­ themselves as the Committee for a fairly simple. The oath, "I hereby certify mittee for retention of his "hard-core" Libertarian Majority, or CLM.) that I do not believe in or advocate the views. At the 1991 convention in At least one reformer realized how initiation of force as a means of achiev­ Chicago, where his wife, Mary Gingell, he had been out-politicked. Shortly after ing political or social goals," is a state­ was elected party chair, he was hardly the April meeting, Steve Givot analyzed ment of moral philosophy; a statement involved at all, and he remained only the NatCom voting patterns and figured of political belief would seem more ap­ marginally involved until the reform ef­ out what had happened. He published propriate as a membership requirement forts threatened Evers' beloved plat­ his analysis on Libemet, the computer for a political party. The oath currently form and oath. bulletin board for LP activists, where it restricts membership pretty much to By February, he was back playing drew scant attention. Even at the conclu­ followers of Ayn Rand and Murray his old role of strategist in internal LP sion of the convention many in CLM Rothbard, effectively eliminating those disputes, firmly in command of the were not aware of how Evers' tactic had whose libertarianism runs along the forces supporting both oath and plat­ lines of, say, Ludwig von Mises or form. At the National Committee meet­ Milton Friedman. Furthermore, explain­ ing in April, his hardball politics paid ing the oath to reporters is not a simple dividends. At issue was the composi­ The oath restricts member­ task. tion of two committees at the national ship pretty much to followers of The platform, whose 61 planks take convention in September. The Bylaws Ayn Rand and Murray Roth­ stands on most issues that arise in pub­ and Rules Committee would consider lic life and several that do not, was the the reforms to decide whether to report bard, effectively eliminating source of constant embarrassment to them to the floor of the convention. The those whose libertarianism runs many in the party, especially those who Platform Committee could propose to along the lines of, say, Ludwig had to deal with the news media or eliminate platform planks or even the who campaigned directly with voters. entire platform. von Mises or Milton Friedman. The children's rights plank asserts that Evers quietly put together a coali­ children "have all the rights of human tion of National Committee members beings," including "freedom to work as who opposed any change in the oath or defeated them. they choose" and the right to consume any radical change in the platform. All this was happening behind the "alcoholic beverages" and implies the Prior to the NatCom meeting, these scenes. In the public relations battle, the right to use drugs and to appear in por­ members agreed on a common slate for reformers tried to explain that they nographic movies. The notion that each committee at the convention. They sought to open the party to libertarians three-year-olds should have the right to did not want to give the impression that whose beliefs were not based on Ayn drink, drive, carry concealed weapons, they were trying to engineer exactly Rand's philosophy. They also asserted and appear in porno flicks is liable to al­ who would be elected to each commit­ that the party could do better if it chose ienate otherwise sympathetic reporters. tee, so they quietly agreed to slates con­ its issues more carefully, rather than And what is one to make of a plank call­ sisting of a substantial majority of each leading with its chin on issues like chil­ ing for "the complete separation of committee. dren's rights. Meanwhile, those oppos­ water and State" or its condemnation of Meanwhile, the reformers were far ing change worked strenuously to paint "international attempts to prevent or less organized.. At the April meeting, the reformers as "the sultans of sell­ limit Lagrange libration points"? they nominated individuals amenable out," willing and anxious to throw The LP National Committee adopt­ to reforms, while the Evers-led faction away libertarian principles in order to ed the reform agenda at its meeting in nominated its pre-selected. slates. The gain political success. Atlanta over December 12-13, 1992. But t"eformers cast most of their votes for it was doubtful from the start that the their own but also voted for some of the ~ advocates of these changes could sus­ conservatives. But the conservatives Needless to say, the conservatives pre­ tain their victory. As longtime LP­ had agreed in advance that they would vailed at the meetings of the watcher told me at the "bullet vote" - that is, each member of Constitution and By-Laws and Platform time, not one of the reformers had expe­ their group would vote only for mem­ Committees, thanks to their carefully­ rience managing floor fights at an LP bers of the pre-selected slate. engineered majorities. The CLM beat a convention. The conservatives, by con­ The result was that the reformers hasty retreat in the Bylaws Committee, trast, had long experience. only got votes from members of their where they were greatly outnumbered. One effect the reform had was the own faction, while the conservatives got Rather than make major confrontation re-entry of Williamson "Bill" Evers into votes from their own bullet-voters plus over the loyalty oath, the reformers pro­ LP politics. Evers was a major player a scattering of votes from the reformers. posed dropping membership in the within the party in the early and mid­ The conservatives thereby won lopsid­ national party altogether, thereby fol­ 1980s, closely associated with Murray ed majorities in both committees. As lOWing the practice of the Republicans Rothbard. But he had drifted out of the one member of the Evers faction told and Democrats. Liberty 43 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Virtually the only actions taken by used as an internal education docu­ enjoyed considerable support. In the the national LP are the nomination of a ment, while the public (and the- press) end, cognizant that she didn't have suf­ presidential ticket, writing a national would receive a "campaign platform." ficient time to devote to the position, platform, and the election of national This document would be proposed by she decided against a re-election bid. officers, all done at its national conven­ the presidential nominee and could be There was talk both before and at tion. Under the CLM proposal, conven­ amended by the convention as a whole. the convention that Sharon Ayres or tion delegates would be apportioned Presumably, it would be shorter than Karen Allard, both members of the con­ according to the number of individuals the party platform, with its issues more servative faction, might run for the po­ who contributed $25 or more to the na­ discreetJ-y chosen. It was a compromise sition. But Ayres begged off on the tional party. They would be selected by that worked: it allowed the conserva­ grounds that she did not have time for the affiliated state parties. tives to keep the detailed platform as a the job, and Allard decided to capture The conservatives saw a lot of prob­ confession of faith, while saving the the Vice Chairpersonship and bide her lems with this proposal. For one thing, real-world activists from the necessity time. Many of the conservatives re­ the major source of funding for the na­ of explaining and defending its more mained unhappy with Oasbach ("He's a tional party is membership dues, and fragrant passages. The convention wuss and a weenie," one told me, "and under such a proposal the revenues adopted it by a voice vote. a government employee and a union of­ that keep the national office going ficial!"). And other delegates, bored would surely fall. They also argued that ~ with the rather tedious floor action, people liked the feeling of belonging to The only other controversies at the con­ looked forward to a real race. the national party, and there was no vention arose in races for party offices. But few anticipated what sort of op­ real reason to abandon tradition. Some Coming into the convention, there were position to Dasbach would eventually of the attacks w~re just plain silly. My two announced candidates for chair: develop. On Thursday morning, Ohio's nominee for silliest was the theory that , a leader of the reform Natalie Lloyd, a 14-year-old, jumped with delegates allocated according to group, and Jeffery Shapiro, who an­ into the race. She was intelligent and ar­ the number of individuals contributing nounced his candidacy in a feisty letter ticulate and quickly picked up a fair $25 to the party, some wealthy person to Libertarian Party News, in which he at­ amount of support. At the caucuses the might decide to win the presidential tacked Dasbach as "notcharismatic" and night before the election, she responded nomination by hiring and funding tens . argued that "revolutions are not won by with flair to obnoxious questions (e.g., of thousands of individuals to make the "The national chair is expected to visit requisite donation, in order to bring a National Headquarters several times huge delegation of ringers to the and to attend NatCom meetings. This convention! By the time the convention costs a considerable amount of money. By the time the convention began, began, the reformers didn't Is your allowance high enough to cover the reformers didn't have a clue about these expenses1"). what was going on. Their floor workers have a clue as to what was By Sunday morning, many in the were confident that they had a clear gOIng on. party believed that the election of a 14­ majority, and believed that they prob­ yearoo()ld as National Chair was a real ably also had the 2/3 majority needed possibility, and some even figured it to amend the Bylaws. But Evers was in might be a good thing. As one long­ total control. During the debate, he organizers, but by leaders who have the time strategist put it, "On first blush, I wandered about the periphery of the strength to inspire others," concluding figured the election of a 14-year-old girl convention, occasionally explaining to by proclaiming, "For years, this move­ as National Chair would be a public re­ those nearby what was next in the sce­ ment has waited for a young strong lations disaster. On second thought, I nario he had worked out for the floor 'John Galt' to lead the people to victory. figured it might be a public relations debate, sometimes voting against his Well, here I am!" But in Salt Lake City, coup!" own faction just for the fun of it. The he wasn't, so Dasbachhad a clear field. As the votes were being counted convention followed the script, the There were rumors that the incum­ after the first ballot, Bill Evers and some floor action was dull, and the reformers bent chair, Mary Gingell, might run for other prominent LP leaders stood in the were trounced. The assembled dele­ re-election. She had been an effective back of the hall and pondered the out­ gates voted down a mostion to consider chair during the first part of her term in come. Gone was the cockiness of the the proposal to abolish membership, office, but her separation from her hus­ fight over party reform. In its place was 194 to 132. band and the need for her to take a full­ apprehension and even fear that The next item on the reformers' time job had left her with less time to Dasbach might finish third behind agenda was their proposal to do away devote to the position. Many held her Lloyd and perennial favorite "none-of­ with the party platform and replace it responsible for the difficulties that had the-above," which under party rules with a more concise program. The con­ resulted from National Secretary Joe would eliminate Dasbach from consid­ servative-eontrolled Bylaws Committee, Oehn's failure to perform the duties of eration and virtually assure the election of course, wanted no such change. A his position, even to prepare the min­ of the 14-yearoo()ld. compromise, first proposed via E-mail utes of meetings. But she had chaired But Dasbach was elected with 23 by Bruce Baechler of Texas, was agreed the convention with a level of compe­ votes to spare and a sigh of relief was to: the platform would be retained, but tence seldom seen in LP affairs, and still breathed. Dasbach's unexpectedly thin 44 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

majority and the worries of party ca­ charming" Givot by a 194-109 margin. was 23 to 12, but the local paperreported ciques notwithstanding, the party press And John Famularo of Pennsylvania thathewas "amongsoul mates," adding release sent to reporters three days later edged. out of Texas in a ominously that "the event gave a telling reported that Dasbach was"selected ... close but not very hotly contested race indication of the wide range of beliefs over token opposition." Lloyd began for Secretary. Hatch shares with one of America's writing an article about her campaign, most radical political parties." to be published in a national home­ ~ schooling newsletter. The homeschool As is traditional, while the LP was con­ movement will no doubt be pleased ducting its business affairs at the con­ Public talk about the convention was that one of their number was nearly vention, the sponsoring organization entirely upbeat, and surprisingly little elected chair of a national political was staging a wide variety of lectures was said about the biggest problem the party, while her public-schooled breth­ and panel discussions, mostly by prom­ party faces: finding and nominating a ren were preoccupied with elections to inent libertarians. As is traditional, the student council. expense of staging these events is a big A few minutes later, an unopposed share of the convention's budget, and as Karen Allard was elected Vice Chair by is also traditional, only a very small Posters advertising an acclamation. Then came the most hotly number of those at the convention, who Anarchist Caucus Nself­ contested race: the election for had paid for the right to attend, both­ organizing meeting" appeared Treasurer, which pitted Steve Givot ered to do so. Most of the lectures drew against Hugh Butler. On the surface, "crowds" of 20-30 attendees, and these from day one, along with the Givot looked like a much stronger can­ audiences often consisted substantially mysterious code NA4." This didate. He had played a prominent role of other speakers. I sat in on several of stood for NAnarchy - Agora in the 1992 presidential campaign, had these sessions and found the quality been a successful candidate (by generally quite good, but the only ses­ - Action - Alcohol. " Libertarian standards) for the U.S. sions I attended that drew more than 32 Senate in Illinois, and had long been people were the lectures by Thomas one of the party's movers and shakers. Szasz and Douglas Casey. At one lec­ But there were problems - most nota­ credible national ticket in 1996. Another ture, Liberty editors constituted over bly, his famous arrogance. Long-time campaign like 's 1992 ef­ 200/0 of the audience. activist DonErnsberger produced a bro­ fort, in which the national party had its chure arguing that Givot's personality Given the indifference of most in at­ worst showing ever, might bury the no­ is so abrasive that he ought not be elect­ tendance, you have to wonder why the tion that the LP may one day emerge ed. Meanwhile, Givot's erstwhile ally contractor who operates the conven­ from the netherworld of minor party Steve Dasbach, with whom he had man­ tions continues to stage such a show. politics onto the central political stage. I aged the Marrou campaign and worked Perhaps the reason is that the heavy questioned several party leaders about schedule provides a psychological justi­ this, and was offered a few suggestions, fication to delegates to pay convention all off the record. fees of hundreds of dollars, even if they Also strangely absent from discus­ Strangely absent from dis­ are not going to attend more than one sion was the Party's financial plight. or two sessions. Certainly there is no ex­ Even with the $28,000 raised at the ban­ cussion was the Party's finan­ pectation that people would particular­ quet, the party was left with a cash bal­ cial plight. Even with the ly want to hear the speakers: as many as ance of $180, according to a report to $28,000 raised at the banquet, four sessions were scheduled simulta­ the National Committee by National neously, often at the same time as the Director Stuart Reges. Membership is the party was left with a cash business sessions of the convention. slipping badly, currently about 10,200 level, off from 11,600 earlier this year. balance of$180. ~ The financial situation is not helped by For the first time ever, the LP was ad­ the fact that during a ten-week transi­ dressed by a nationally successful politi­ tion period, the party will be liable for on the battle to eliminate the loyalty cian. Senator Orrin Hatch spoke on a the $l,OCXJ weekly salaries of two execu­ oath and reform the platform, used the subject about which he and Libertarians tive directors. same words to endorse both Givot and have common ground: the move by the This year, the party cannot count on Butler. ("Givot/Butler would be an ex­ Food and Drug Administration to out­ the usual bulge of income from new cellent Treasurer," attributed to law the ingestion of vitamins and nutri­ memberships of C-SPAN viewers. C­ Dasbach and with the appropriate tional supplements in doses larger than SPAN has had live coverage of recent name filled in, appeared prominently FDA-determined "minimum daily re­ LP conventions, .stimulating about on each candidate's literature. Perhaps quirements." Hatch was not willing to 10,000 calls to LP headquarters, and this is the sort of thing that provoked go so far as Libertarians and call for the leading to about 1,000 new members the "wuss and weeny" characterization abolition of the FDA, and parried ques­ each time. But this year, C-SPAN limit­ quoted above.) tions from his audience with panache. ed its coverage to taping one panel dis­ Butler defeated the "differently The unofficial applause/boo ratio tally cussion, which drew 150 calls: Salt Lake Liberty 45 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

City was simply too far from C-SPAN's who were selling freshly baked choco­ funds to retire his 1992 campaign debt offices for the cable network to cover a late chip cookies for $1.00 each. After I (for his abortive attempt to capture the minor party convention in an off year. purchased one and began to eat it, they LP presidential nomination and his fifth­ disclosed that it had been made in part place finish in one of the California ~ from marijuana seeds ground in a blend­ Senate races) and for possible campaigns As always, the LP convention attracted er. It was a very good cookie, though I for city council and Congress. What dis­ its own share of eccentric individuals. didn't care much for its woody texture tinguished this letter was its postscript: My own favorite was Steve Riggins,.a and the tiny pieces of fiber that stuck be­ "For personal assistance to me, you cheerful man who passed out literature tween my teeth. One of the men helpful­ should make your check payable to ei­ explaining that he had started his own ly suggested that Liberty might want to ther 'Richard B.' or'Ann S. Boddie.'" post office because the U.S. Postal use paper made from hemp rather than Service insists on issuing stamps depict­ wood for future editions. ~ ing the U.S. flag complete with 50 stars, Perhaps the most interesting leaflet The convention closed down September despite the fact that Ohio, Arizona, and distributed at theconventionwas a fund­ 5. The headline on ABC World News never legally became states raising letter from perennial candidate Tonight that evening was, "Representa­ within the U.S. Dick Boddie. The body of the letter was tives of 120 religions met in Chicago to Also of interest were the young men pretty much standard fare, asking for determine a world ethic." 0

"Justice Forfeited" from page 22 ous doubt about the continuing Viability bling owners who are culpable only in ofthoses cases. that limited way to challenge the exces­ In its 1974 decision in Pearson, the siveness of a forfeiture, Austin may alle­ addiction, disease, etc.). According to Supreme Court stated that the govern­ viate some of the injustices of particular Justice Blackmun'sopinion, the "dramat­ ment may constitutionally seize proper­ forfeitures. And, perhaps even more im­ ic variations" in the value of property ty from an owner whose only fault was a portantly, it paves the way for a com­ that can be confiscated under the drug failure to do "all that reasonably could pletely "criminalized" forfeiture law, forfeiture laws undercut that contention. be expected to prevent the proscribed under which individuals will enjoy the By thoroughlyrejecting the rationale that use of his property." The Austin decision full panoply of constitutional safeguards has beenusedbylower courts inrefusing does not directly call into question this whenever federal, state, and local gov­ to extend other constitutional protec­ harsh rule, which has been invoked in ernment seeks to strip them of their tions to forfeitures, Austin has raised seri- countless forfeiture cases. But by ena- property. 0

Medianotes, continued from page 14 jump page: "It was at that earlier job with the Amsterdam News in the cynically figure that federal employees goof off all their '30s that Cooke forged the connection that would define much time anyway, so the cost ofdiverting them from other tasks of her life. She was on a picket line, naturally, in what was to prepare reports for him costs "nothing"? This is a man among the first strikes called by the fledgling Newspaper who wrote in Newsweek that natural gas is not a fossil fuel, Guild. Demonstrating along with her was a prominent black ac­ so the sophistication required of the second explanation tivist. 'He stopped on the picket line and said, "Why haven't would likelyeludehim. you ever joined the Communist Party?" And I very naively The stupidity of Gore's answer was not evident to the said, "Nobodyever asked me." So he asked me.' usually perspicacious Letterman, who carried on with his "More that one million Americans were Communists at one interview. Letterman's strange befuddlement from this point or another during the roughly 40 years before the revela­ brush with power lasted into the following day: on his tions about Stalinist horrors decimated the party's membership next show, so help me God, he referred to the moronic in 1956. To Cooke, the party seemed a natural extension of her heartbeat-away as "an intelligent man." -RWB family's leftist politics, a home for those committed to equality. Long after internal schisms and painful disillusionment had Old party hand - The Washington Post devot­ driven others away, she remained. 'I'm a little disturbed recent­ ed a long, glowing feature story on August 11 to Marvel ly, butI've never dropped my membership,' she says." Cooke, described as "a pioneering journalist and life-long "A little disturbed recently"?! The violence of the revolution political agitator." From the headline - "Marvel Cooke's didn't do it, the tyranny of Stalin didn't do it, the corruption of Tour of the Century: At 92, She's Had Her Pen on a Lot of the Brezhnev years didn't do it, the invasion of Afghanistan History" - to the roll call of politically correct stations of didn't do it, the testimony of Soviet Jews didn't do it - even the cross that she touched in her life - daughter of a the end of the Soviet Union has left this heroine of the Pullman porter, friend of novelist and the Washington Post only a "little disturbed" about Soviet-style poets of the Renaissance, summoned before the Communism. Army-McCarthy hearings, pioneer in the NAACP - we It's just history, right? She's an old lady - cut her some are carefully led to understand that this is a remarkable slack. Now imagine a glowing Post profile of a 92-year-old woman, deserving of our respect and admiration. But "journalist" who was also, by the way, a member of the Nazi what were her politics, anyway? Party and says she's "a little disturbed recently" about some of Well, let the Post tell us, finally, at the bottom of the the Nazis' doings. Hard to envision, isn't it? -DB 46 Liberty Explanation

How I Walked into the Michigan House by Greg Kaza

In 1992, a libertarian activist was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. Here's how.

On Nov. 3, 1992, I was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives as a Republican representing a suburban Detroit district - not as anestablishment Republican, but as a . Since taking office in January, I have opposed every tax shift or in­ they offer important lessons for advo­ Left of the 1960s, which popularized crease and proposed four amend­ cates of individual liberty, the greatest in its approach. ments and one resolution. Three of being confirmation of a political style I announced my candidacy only those amendments have been ap­ favored by both the Old Right and the after receiving financial commitments proved by a majority of House mem­ . sufficient to pay for an introductory bers; two successfully dealt with vital literature piece and 500 yard signs, the issues affecting personal liberty. One All Politics Is Local hallmarks of a serious grass-roots addressed a draconian "no-knock" When I announced for the campaign. Under Michigan law, all law that would have given govern­ Michigan House in April 1992, I was candidates for state office must regis­ ment agents the power to enter private opposed by the five-term Republican ter a campaign committee with the property unannounced. My amend­ incumbent, the GOP establishment, Secretary of State. Our first formal act ment specified that two judges, includ­ and a majority of community leaders was to register Friends of Greg Kaza ing at least one at the circuit level, and opinion molders. The incumbent must approve any no-knock warrant; in Lansing, the state capital. Then I later withdrew, endorsing one of my passage of this amendment on March began fundraising in earnest, relying opponents in the August Republican 4 stalled the bill in the House. Another on movement sources and personal amendment, co-sponsored with a primary; after I won that primary, he contacts I developed while vice­ Democratic colleague, effectively gut­ endorsed the Democrat in the president for policy research at a ted a mandatory seat-belt law. I also . November general election. Seven of Michigan think tank. The experts said sponsored a resolution that wo~ld eight newspaper endorsements went it would cost $50,000 to win the bind the House against a 50/0 legisla­ to opponents. Yet I received 51 percent Republican primary; our committee tive and judicial pay raise. This resolu­ of the vote in a four-way GOP pri­ spent only one-third that amount. tion received 66 votes, but it fell eight mary, and 65 percent against the The first literature published by a votes short of the two-thirds majority Democrat in November. political campaign is commonly called required. (I am now exploring the idea I won both races because of my the walking piece. It usually introduces of a free lottery to return my pay raise grass-roots strategy, relying on door-to the candidate to voters by describing to taxpayers when it takes effect in door campaigning and a platform sup­ affiliations and community involve­ January 1994.) ported by a majority of district resi­ ment, while avoiding issues. It is gen­ My election and subsequent activi­ dents. Our campaign borrowed from erally delivered to voters by ty show that it is possible to succeed in the Old Right of the late 1940s and volunteers, by poll workers on elec­ the political arena as a proponent of early 1950s, which emphasized local tion day, or by the candidate walking the free society. More importantly, control of government, and the New door-to-door. Many campaigns at the Liberty 47 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

local and state level never progress be­ ponents supported tax shifts or increas­ were overenthusiastic. yond the walking piece, due to lack of es and opposed term limits. At first 'my campaign was pretty funds or as part of a strategy that much ignored, but as it began to gather equates taking positions on issues with "Hello, My Name Is ..." steam I was attacked hard. One nega­ a loss of votes. My walking piece listed The Old Right and the New Left un­ tive flyer made 18 separate charges affiliations, but also emphasized two li­ derstood that local control and decen­ against me. Another stated, "GregKaza, bertarian themes that were our cam­ tralization cannot extend beyond the in a press interview (Rochester paign platform: tax relief and term individual. I was elected to the Eccentric, 4-20-92), styled himself 'a li­ limits. Michigan House of Representatives by bertarian.' The Libertarian Party's na­ Subsequent campaign literature ex­ literally walking in; between April and tional platform calls for, among other panded on those two basic themes. One November 1992 I personally contacted things, the dismantling of Social direct mail piece asked on the cover, 15,000 individuals through door-to­ Security and Medicare." It went on to "What Do GregKaza and a Majority of door campaigning. quote a spokesman for conservative Troy-Rochester Hills Republicans Have For nearly a year before the August Republican Gov. John Engler, attacking in Common?" Inside, the answer read, 1992 GOP primary, family members me as an "ideologue" who "has not "They Support Term Limits." The liter­ and volunteers assembled lists of regis­ even learned the most very basic les­ ature explained my support for term tered voters in the district. After an­ sons of American politics...." Another limits, which dates back several years, nouncing my candidacy, I began a negative flyer stated, "Greg Kaza ... routine of knocking on doors Mondays has advanced some extreme and pre­ through Saturdays, from noon to 9 p.m. posterous answers to the very complex Mornings were reserved to fundraising problems that face our area and state. I literally walked into the appointments, and Sundays were set Among these is education reform - in Michigan House of Represen­ aside for family. I was able to campaign a word: ." Engler's opposi­ full-time because I had budgeted tion and the negative flyers generated tatives: between April and enough personal wealth to pay the intense discussion among the political November 1992 I personally bills. molders. contacted 15,000 individuals Door-to-door campaigning is grass­ The consensus of the media pundits roots politics in action. Every candidate and savvy political operators is that through door-to-door cam­ has their own message; mine was, negative campaigning is very effective. paigning. "Hello, my name is Greg Kaza. I am The practical effect upon voters was here personally to seek your vote on negligible, as was confirmed on election election day." The overwhelming ma­ day. jority of people told me I was the first My election demonstrated that a ma­ while noting "more than 90 percent of candidate ever to knock on their door. jority of residents in a community are Michigan incumbents opposed term Some did not believe I was a candidate limits two years later." Another piece until I showed them my identification. read, "Lansing Froze Your Property Several invited me into their homes for Tax Assessments ... Greg Kaza Wants dinner. Only two expressed hostility; My election and subsequent To Go Further." The literature ex­ both told me that they were finished activity show that it is possible plained my support for a property tax with politics and politicians. to succeed in the political arena plan that "would cut assessments 30 Some individuals asked for litera­ percent over five years, relief worth ture on a specific issue. A few request­ as a proponent of the free hundreds of dollars annually to ed copies of a book that I co-authored society. while at the think tank. Many wanted Rochester Hills and Troy homeown­ yard signs to post outside their homes. ers." In both instances, we were careful I was always careful to return in person to localize the issue - all politics is with the materials, and leave a personal ready, and will support, a grass-roots local. note if the individual was not home. politics that respects them and takes Critics of libertarians frequently ac­ More than 100 volunteers eventual­ their concerns seriously, and that they cuse them of negativism for their oppo­ ly became involved in our effort. Many will support a free society. But they not sition to the state. The literature we took door-to-door campaigning one unreasonably want to be treated as indi­ published addressed this issue by step further by knocking on doors after viduals by those who seek to represent stressing positive themes, i.e., support I visited a precinct. Individuals re­ them. for tax relief and term limits. Our com­ ceived as many as five personal visits We did not fancy ourselves as savvy mittee published a dozen pieces; my fi­ from volunteers urging them to vote political operators from Lansing. We ancee, Cherie, personally carrier route­ for me in some precincts. One woman saw ourselves as concerned citizens out sorted nearly 40,000 pieces of campaign called to say that she would vote for to influence state govemment at the mail. Virtually every piece we pub­ me only if our volunteers would stop local level. Door-to-door campaigning lished mentioned support for tax relief knocking on her door! I apologized, ex­ prevailed against establishment opinion or term limits. By comparison, my op- plaining that some of our volunteers and establishment interests. a 48 Liberty Analysis

Reindustrialization Redux by Christopher Thomas Freeburn

There's one import that protectionists like ...

The 1992 presidential campaign resurrected "industrial policy" as a way to solve America's economic problems. But that phrase still has some unsavory "central planning" con­ notations, so the Clinton camp was apt to euphemize; "a partnership between govemment and business" became the campaign cliche. A mix of , regula­ tion, and government subsidies (now sustained by government money," challenge by setting new industry called "investments"), industrial poli­ writes New York Times reporter Roger standards and accelerating their prod­ cy is very popular within the Clinton Cohen. uct development. At the 1992 circle of economic advisors. It is mod­ Similarly, the European Community Comdex/Fall trade show in Novem­ eled loosely on the policies of Europe has insisted in forging ahead with its ber, American computers demonstrat­ and Japan. own analog system for high­ ed their lead in innovation with an However, the much-vaunted in­ definition television - a technology amazing array of new products, far dustrial policies of Europe and Japan that provides picture clarity similar outshining the Japanese manufactur­ are, in fact, costly bureaucracies with to that of film. Almost all industry ers' rather disappointing perform­ at best a mixed record. Attempting to analysts believe that the American ance. counter American and'Japanese domi­ digital system is superior and should Indeed, most Japanese computer nance, several European governments eventually be adopted worldwide. makers have seen a decline in their Here again, industrial policy looks have showered particular computer market share both in America and at suspiciously like protectionism. companies with money - only to home. Compaq and ffiM have recent­ watch losses mount. During the 198Os, Japanese compa­ ly made inroads into the Japanese do­ Most egregious is the sad spectacle nies gained enormous market share mestic market, challenging NEC of the Groupe Bull S.A., a computer and dominance of many key technolo­ , Japan's market leader. company into which the French gov­ gies necessary to the computer indus­ George Fisher, chairman of Motorola ernment pumped 1.3 billion francs in try. Alarmed by the Japanese advance, Inc, was quoted in the New York 1992 alone. Subsidies and numerous many American economists sounded Times as saying, "We have convinced restructurings have failed to make doomsday warnings, arguing that ourselves that we can compete with Bull profitable. In fact, in the last two American companies were fundamen­ the Japanese in cost, quality, size, and years, Bull has lost both market share tally disadvantaged. American busi­ low power consumption if we put our and $1.5 billion of the French taxpay­ ness, lacking government support and heads to it." er's money. protection, would soon be over­ This spirit is reflected by the expe­ The debacle of the "French policy whelmed by subsidized Japanese com­ rience of the Xerox Corporation. at Bull smacks of the approach that puter makers. Japan, they warned, In the 198Os, competition from has left Europe littered with perenni­ would control the PC industry. Japanese giants like Canon, Sharp, ally unprofitable industries in coal, But this did not happen. American and Toshiba severely eroded Xerox's steel, shipbuilding and other lines, all companies responded to the Japanese business, placing the company in fi- Liberty 49 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

nancial jeopardy. where it holds ninety percent of the Many American companies have Xerox responded with a crash high-speed copier market. A represen­ stopped complaining about Japanese course in quality and consumer rela­ tative of NEC, which purchased twen­ competition and started doing some­ tions, with products carefully tailored ty-two Xerox machines, told the New thing about it. In many cases this means to meet the needs of foreign custom­ York Times, "The machines are better taking the competition for market share ers. The result was a startling rebound. than anything we can get in Japan. We to Japan itself. Motorola, McDonald's, Xerox's new Model 5100 photocopier wanted the best and most efficient Eastman Kodak, and Applied Materials has become a major success in Japan, machines." Inc are just some of the many American challenging Japanese ri­ r------, vals on their home soil. Japanese industrial planning is the responsibility of the Japanese Ministry of and Industry, or Early Liberty MITI, a government agency which di­ rects and supports those industries that it deems important to economic expan­ Indulge your mind with the pleasure and stimulation of early Uberty. Or sion. MIT!'s results are not entirely the complete your collection of the most exciting libertarian magazine. The first awesome success story that is often issue is a reprint; all others are original printings. Enjoy!

August 1987, 4Bpp., $4.00 Medicine," by Sandy Shaw & Durk The much-vaunted indust­ • "The Films ofAyn Rand," by Stephen Pearson • "The Majority vs the Majoritarian: Cox • "Life or Death in Seattle," by Murray Robert Bork on Trial," by Sheldon rial policies of Europe and N. Rothbard • "The Mystery Man of the Richman • Plus reviews and articles by R.W. Japan are, in fact, costly Libertarian Movement," by Ben Best • Plus Bradford, William Cate, Stephen Cox and reviews and articles by Ross Overbeek, Butler others. bureaucracies with at best a Shaffer, Ida Walters and others. May 1988, 64pp., $4.00 mixed record of successes and October 1987, 4Bpp., $6.00 • "Ayn Rand: Still Controversial After All failures. • "The Sociology ofLibertarians," by J. C. These Years," by David Ramsay Steele & Green & J. L. Guth • "TheApostasy of David Brown • "The ACLU: Suspicious ," by Ethan O. Waters • Principles, Salutary Meets," by William P. "The Rise ofthe State," by Murray N. Moulton • "The Two Libertarianisms," by Ethan O. Waters • Plus revi'tws and articles portrayed by the American media ­ Rothbard • Plus reviews and articles by witness its attempt to get Japanese au­ Stephen Cox, William P. Moulton, Mike by Gary Alexander, Nathaniel Branden, Erika Holmes, Jonathan Saville and others. and Henry Mark Holzer, Jeffrey Rogers tomakers to build a "people's car" in Hummel, Sheldon Richman, Franklin Sanders the 195Os. Other projects (such as the December 1987, 56pp., $3.00 and others. much-heralded Fifth Ceneration Com­ • "Libenarians in a State-Run World," by puter) have been total flops. Murray N. Rothbard • "The Most July 1988, BOpp., $4.00 • "Confessions ofan Intractable Individualist," Furthermore, the current recession in Unforgettable Libenarian I Ever Knew," by by Jerome Tuccille • An interview with L. Neil Japan seems to have uncovered a Karl Hess • "Easy Living in the Bahamas," Smith· David Ramsay Steele on Robert by Mark Skousen • Plus writing by Walter' whole range of unsavory government­ Anton Wilson's critique ofNatural Rights Block, Erika Holzer, Stephen Cox and others. endorsed business practices. Gover­ • "Rand-Bashing: Enough is Enough," by Ross nment scandals, illicit stock-trading March 1988, 64pp., $4.00 Overbeek • Plus reviews and articles by conspiracies, the prevalence of orga­ Stephen Cox, , Bill Kelsey and • "Libenarians & Conservatives: Allies or nized crime, and a severe financial cri­ Enemies?" by John Dentinger & Murray others. Rothbard • "Free Speech and the Future of sis are leading many Japanese ·to For infOrmation on later back issu~s. su adv~r­ question their government's role in the tis~m~nton back cov~r. national economy. America's vast wealth was not Circle each issue you want, and add $1.00 shipping &: handling per order (foreign orders add SOt per issue). Fill in the appropriate information below. created by an army of government bu­ reaucrats directing the country's re­ o My check is enclosed sources. Rather, it has been the result Charge my: of dynamic individuals working, in­ venting, and cooperating within the o VISA 0 Mastercard Name free market for their own self­ Address advancement. Signature Our economic problems are the re­ City Account # sult of reckless government interfer­ State Zip ence, not a lack of direction from Expiration Phone # ------Washington. Cl L Send to: Liberty, Dept. B37, PO Box 1181, Port Townsend, WA 98368 ~ Sentence Completions

Putting Away Childish Things by Robert F. Tinney

It's time for the political spectrum to come of age.

Wouldn't it be great if there really were only two kinds of people in the world, like "Liberals" and "Conservatives," or "The Producers" and liThe Looters," or liThe Men of Mind" and "Whim-worshippers"? Political and social conflicts are so much more interesting and understandable if you can peg the combatants on a simple, one-dimensional linear spec­ evil in the world down to a root cause, - probably most - of the ideas they trum - they're either this way or that and (2) destroy the root. But Rand's at­ have promulgated in the twentieth way - rather than more complex two­ tempt to make the polarity a philosophi­ century have been hogwash, and that or even three-dimensional mappings. cal one (Le., ~1ith the "Morality of this hogwash flows from a single A tug-of-war is so much more ... vis­ Altruism" at one end and Rational source. And if I can demonstrate that ceral than a chess game. Self-Interest at the other) is, to me at much of the world's hogwash flows Unfortunately, categorizing all least, awkward and ultimately unsatis­ from a single source, then I've got line­ people on a linear scale is almost im­ factory. And what about her answer to ar polarity in my back pocket! possible if you want the scale to apply the troubling question of why the Below is a Sentence Completion to a broad range of issues. Oh, it's not Morality of Altruism should be so ap­ Chart that outlines my entry for the too difficult to establish a linear polari­ pealing to intellectuals? ty on specific issues, such as, "How do "Name-the-one-thing-that's-destroy­ "[T]he philosophy of Kant is a sys­ you rate on the issue of economic free­ ing-the-World" contest. I believe the dom versus economic control?" The tematic rationalization of every major major irrational movements of the problem is, in a tug-of-war like this psychological vice, " says Rand in her world, from time immemorial, are you might find yourself pulling shoul­ -1974 essay "Philosophical Detection." born not in vice, but in perversion: the der-to-shoulder with some pinh~ad But from what cloud do these 1/psycho­ perversion of the natural psychologi­ who wants to outlaw "unnatural" sex. logical vices" swoop down and settle cal and social development sequence And then what would you do with into the heads of the world's intellectu­ that transforms a human child into a your weekends? als? What virus has infected Kant and human adult. The result of this perver­ The trick is to find a polarity that is his spiritual descendants with symp­ sion is that the human beings so affect­ simple enough to be linear, and at the toms such as "hatred of reality," "ha­ ed never transfer the locus of moral same time elegant and subtle enough tred of the mind," or "hatred of the authority from their "powers above" to put everybody where they really good," thus causing them to secretly (i.e., their parents), to themselves (i.e., ought to be, relative to everybody else. rejoice as they watch their irrational their own minds). In other words, they I believe the power and popularity of philosophies destroy civilization? never graduate from the moral depen­ Ayn Rand's message can be attributed Actually, I don't believe the world's dency into which they are born, to the to her linear approach: (1) distill the intellectuals really want to destroy moral independence of adulthood. various manifestations of systematic anything. But I do believe that many The chart below resulted from the Liberty 51 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 most extensive psychological testing program ever conducted. (Suurrrre. Actually, I sat down at my word processor and knocked out the chart in about three and a half hours.) Subjects completed the sentences in the left column with whatever popped into their minds. They were then divided into four categories (as indicated) on the basis of their answers. The completions shown are a distil­ lation of the most common responses:

Children Children Children Adults ofGod of the State

"...Disobedience, "... Pride, i.e., "... Treason, i.e., "... unquestion­ i.e., separating separating myself separating myself ing obedience to The greatest sin myself from the from the will of from the will of someone else's would be ... wiUofmy my God." my Fatherland." will." parents."

"... administered "... administered "... administered "... policies of The highest vir­ from above: the from above: the from above: the behavior which tues are ... teachings ofmy laws ofGod." laws and customs I'm responsible parents." ofthe nation." for figuring out for mysel£"

When it comes right down to it, "... obey my par­ "... obeymy "... obey my gov· "... use my mind the most impor­ ents and be a part God and be a part ernment and be to care for myself tant thing in the ofmy family." ofthe Church an active part of and my loved world is for me family." the national ones." to ... family."

All the world real- "... family "... unity under "... family "... Reason." ly needs is .. . unity." God." unity."

Children Children Children Adults ofGod ofthe State

What really makes "... hatred be· "... hatred be- "... hatred be- "... a world me uneasy is ... tween my brothers tween my brothers tween my broth- where conformity and sisters." and sisters." ers and sisters." and 'love' are the highest vinues."

"... the powers "... the power "... the powers "... myself and I have Faith in . .. above: Mother above: God." above: our system my ability to and Father." ofGovernment." reason."

The powers above "... share with "... share with "... share with "... What pow­ make me feel my brothers and my brothers and my brothers and ers? What guilt?" guilty because I my sisters." my sisters." my sisters." don't want to ...

"... to protect Our nature as the equal freedom human beings "... from our par- "... from our "... from the ofall people to demands that ents to make sure God to make sure State to make sure decide for them­ we have we behave." we behave." we behave." selves how to government ... behave."

52 Liberty Dlustrationa byJohn Bergstrom Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Children Children Children Adults ofGod ofthe State

When authorities "... punishment "... punishment "... punishment thinkrm not (or maybe some (or maybe a re- (or maybe some "Tread on me at behaving right, forceful warnings) minder ofeternal forceful warnings) your own risk." sometimes I from my parents." torture) from from the Govern- need ... God." ment."

"... for my par- "... for the The worst thing "... for God to "... for me to I ents to abandon Government to that could happen abandon His help- abandon my self- their helpless abandon helpless would be ... less children." reliance." children." citizens."

"... willfulness; "... willfulness; "... willfulness; "... people who I must always I'm immature and I'm a sinner and I'm greedy and claim they know be on guard my parents know God knows what's Government what's best for against ... what's best for best for me." knows what's best me." me." for me."

"... Mother and "... an equal dis­ "... all ofGod's Father giving their tribution of Justice is ... children sharing "... receiving children every­ wealth to the equally in heav­ what you earn." thing they need, brotherhood of en's bliss." equally." Man."

Children Children Children Adults ofGod ofthe State

"... my little sis- "· .. some dirty, Sometimes I'd ter, who thinks "... some dirty greedy little busi- "... some little like to just slap she's so smart she little atheist who nessman who coward who re- the face of ... doesn't need to do thinks he's so thinks he can op- fuses to think or what Mommy smart he doesn't erate without be responsible for and Daddy tell need God." being regulated." his own actions." her."

"... when I re- "· .. when I re- I feel warm and "... when my member that God "... when I'm member the safe ... Father's holding has the whole controlling my Government's me in his arms." world in his own life." safety net." hands."

Sometimes I "... my dear get tears in my "... our dear "· .. our dear "... the fucking Mother and eyes when I Lord and Savior." Motherland." IRS." Father." think of...

Liberty 53 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

So you see, there are only two kinds of people in the world; the Children Children Children Adults ofGod ofthe State monumental struggles that have marked the history of humanity can bestbe understood as tug-of-wars be­ "... I need tween those who view the world It's quite obvious "... I need my "... 1 need God Government to "I stopped being through the eyes of children, and that I'm naturally parents to protect to protect me protect me from 'prone to evil' those who face the universe as re­ prone to evil me from my own from my own ig­ my own ignor­ when I grew up." sponsible adults. Today, the forces of because ... ignorance and norance and ance and childhood include check-writing fol­ mistakes." mistakes." mistakes." lowers of weeping, tumor-curing tel­ evangelists; 50-year-old yippie/ socialist college professors; and New « ••• let my fin­ Deal/New Frontier/Great Society At those times gers do the walk­ ". .. grit my teeth welfare-state policy experts. These when I really get "... run to ing through the and dig deeper are all people who wish, not to de­ "... take my bur­ in deep trouble, 1 Mother and Government into my personal stroy civilization, but rather to re­ dens to the Lord." can always ... Father." agency section of resources." design it according to their most the Yellow Pages. " deeply held belief about human be­ ings: in the final analysis, we're all just children. Furthermore, government­ controlled education virtually guar­ Boy, ifonly my "... more caring "... more caring "... more caring antees that the percentage of genuine brothers and sis- and mindful of "... more self­ and mindful of and mindful of adults in the population will decline reliant." ters were ... family God's will for all social with each succeeding generation. responsibilities." his children." responsibilities." Therefore, I hereby nominate an addition to the Freedom Philoso­ pher's Hall of Fame, to be placed "... repent ofmy "... repent ofmy "... repent ofmy "... avoid the right next to the display honoring human appetites, Prudence dictates childish shortcom- wicked appetites, age-old guiltl Rand, whose portrait stares penetrat­ or suffer global that 1 ... ings, or suffer pa- or suffer the fires repentance ingly at each passerby, as if asking, warming and rental anger." ofhell." syndrome." "Have you checked your premises destruction." today?" My nominee is none other than comedienne Joan Rivers, repre­ sented by a glitzy studio photo in her nightclub pose. Beneath the picture is The most pitiful "... a human "... a human "... a human "... a child with­ a talk button; when the button is creature on earth being without being without a being without pushed, the voice of Rivers herself out parents." is ... God." country." ideas." erupts from a speaker, delivering to the citizens of the world - Socialists, Hindus, Fascists, Christians, Muslims, and Welfare Statists alike - the advice for which she has be­ come famous: "Oh, grow up!" a NEXT £PISObE f:M~~ ~~E.s HIS '8\'~ES1""' 'R,sl( E~. HE WI\I~E:$ ~ Lf-(!E1\ 10 iii E' £)1101\- ANt> ~~=====~~~~~~~ SIGNS ~lS NAMr!

54 Liberty The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Fron­ People have used cyberspace. in tier, by Bruce Sterling. Bantam Books, 1992, 328 pps., $23.00. bothersome, fraudulent, and even crim­ inal ways for as long as it has existed. Before there were hackers there were "phone phreeks" - experts at using technological skullduggery to squeeze free service out of the phone company. No Place Like In their college days, before they start­ ed Apple Computer, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak sold devices ("blue box­ Cyberspace es") that replicated the 2600 hertz tone that accessed long distance lines. Telco officials had learned to live with the mischief of the old-fashioned Brian Doherty those defending a zone for the mind's phreeks, but as the telephone system free play (hackers, electronic-age busi­ bec~e computerized, techno-pirates nessmen, and civil libertarians). started to threaten more than just the Every new frontier opens up new Sterling is a leading writer of and profit margin. A smartass hacker kid possibilities for human freedom - and apologist for the brand of science fic- known as "Fry Guy" re-routed calls for new opportunities to bedevil, aggra­ , tion known as IIcyberpunk," the distin­ a probation officer in Delray Beach, vate, and harm one another as well. Ac­ guishing features of which, he tells us, Florida to a phone sex line in New cording to Hobbes, this is why. people are IIa compelling interest in informa­ agree to give up some of their free­ tion technology" and "Bohemian arti­ doms: it is the only way they know to ness ... an air of deliberate rebellion, hold human mischief in check. funny clothes and hair, odd politics" There are, of course, few physical (146). He tells his story as a novelist Cyberspace is the place frontiers left on Earth; governments would, draWing vivid portraits of the where a telephone call occurs: have left their mark and established major characters. Curiously, while Ster­ not just at your phone, or at their authority virtually everywhere. ling treats offbeat, drugged-up, Bruce Sterling's The Hacker Crackdown is freaked-out hackers sympathetically'in your conversant's phone, but the story of cyberspace - a new, non­ his fiction, The Hacker Crackdoum is rath­ somewhere in-between. People physical frontier so strange that every­ er contemptuous of their real-life coun­ have used cyberspace in both­ day problems there become threats to terparts - those mostly young, mostly cherished freedoms, even the First white, mostly male enthusiastic ama­ ersome, fraudulent and even Amendment. teur explorers of cyberspace - and criminal ways for as long as it Just what is cyberspace? The term is more intrigued by and impressed with has existed. lifted from science fiction; the thing it­ the cops and civil libertarians. Indeed, self can be thought of as the place he often portrays hackers as foolishly where a telephone call occurs - not begging for trouble by bragging, often just at your phone, not just at your con­ in phone calls to the authorities, of their York, then boasted to Telco security versant's, but somewhere in-between. illegal doings. He is also disturbed by that the entire phone system was at his That somewhere isn't physical; in some their lack of any sense of omerta after mercy. When AT&T's long-distance senses it isn't "real." But, as Sterling being caught for their crimes (Le., they switching system crashed on January points out, "things happen there that are shameless squealers), and is not im­ 15, 1990, fear. of the power of these have very genuine consequences" (xii). pressed with their addiction to airy, youthful, eccentric hierophants of cy­ Things like the collapse of telephonic revolutionary rhetoric - rhetoric that berspace grew, setting the stage for the communications, the free communica­ seems odd coming from people who hacker crackdown. Ironically, t~e crash tion (and theft) of services and informa­ generally are socially inept indoor hob­ had been the result of an in-house pro­ tion, and a state of war between forces byists tinkering with expensive equip­ gramming error, not any hacker seeking to impose order (law officers ment just for the thrill of chasing the mischief. and telephone company officials) and forbidden. Sterling takes pains to point out Liberty 55 Volume 7, Number 1 -" October 1993 that the ethics of the high-level hacker were and are more than just dens of in­ berspace and the possibilities for sub­ do not permit childish, criminal, and iquity. They are, in some sense, exam­ versive activity therein? At subsequent dangerous indulgences like crashing ples of free assembly and free speech. legal hearings, after the Secret Service systems . or credit card fraud, even Which leads to a fundamental question: explained that it had been seeking the though those are well within their abili­ is the mere discussion of information tech details of the 911 service, allegedly ties. What they want and love is infor­ that could possibly be used illegally an a highly confidential and valuable doc­ mation, and the thrill of knowing that excuse to confiscate the means of com­ ument, it was revealed that BellSouth it- their skill and ingenuity has gotten munication and shut down the forums them places and given them access to for discussion? The question has yet to knowledge not everyone else can have. be answered, because it's yet to be Their motivation is the feeling of mem­ argued directly in a court of law. The science fiction commu­ bership in an elite, not the will to be­ Sterling also tells stories of govern­ nity was galvanized. Was it come wealthy mega-criminals or high­ ment action against the hacker milieu now illegal even to write specu­ tech vandals. that are less prima facie defensible from But the very power they evince, and a law enforcement perspective, includ­ latively about the world of their foolish braggadocio - publishing ing the event which sparked The Hacker cyberspace and the possibilities all their secret info on computer bulle­ Crackdoum. for subversive activity therein? tin boards open to anyone, or maga­ On March 1, 1990, the Secret Service zines like 2600 and its electronic-only raided the home and office of an indi­ cousin, Phrack - attracted the attention vidual employed by Steve Jackson of the law, and led eventually to the Games, a publisher of science fiction heavyweight crackdown that became self offered the same information to the role-playing games. The Secret Service public for $13. had been on the trail of a stolen Bell­ Sterling delves into this strange eco­ South document relating to technical system, describing wary conferences details of bureaucratic administration Hackers consider the notion and confrontations between hackers of the 911 service, and had been led to a and lawmen attemping to figure out of "" bulletin board at Steve Jackson, where just what is happening in their shared laughable; "Information wants an employee had published the docu­ world. The author is no wild-eyed de­ to be free" is one oftheir rally­ ment. The Secret Service walked off fender of hackerdom; in fact, he expli­ with every computer, every disk drive, citly recommends that any youngster ing cries. and every floppy disk at Steve Jackson with a yen to play cyberspace cowboy Games.. Their haul included the com­ join the Secret Service, where better plete manuscript for a forthcoming equipment and more knowledge is book containing instructions for a new available than any lone hacker is liable known, in cutesy militaristic terminolo­ game called GURPS Cyberpunk. No one to have available. Sterling presents with gy, as Operation: Sundevil. at the company was arrested or charged intelligence and sympathy both the law Sundevil, which went into effect on with anything, yet little of the equip­ enforcement position and the stance of, May 8, 1990, was the work of the Secret ment, without which the business was for example, Mitch Kapor, founder of Service and the u.s. Attorney's office in effectively crippled, was ever returned. the civil libertarian Electronic Freedom Phoenix, Arizona. One hundred fifty And because the (un­ agents made 27 searches in twelve cit­ signed) warrant was ies, seizing about 42 computer systems sealed, the fact that and making four arrests. The operation they were looking for focused the attention of both the public .the stolen BellSouth and hackers. Computer crime was sud­ document was not re- t:::7 denly being taken very seriously by the vealed. Jackson was feds. told instead that his :J From a law enforcement perspec­ book, GURPS Cyber­ tive, the theory behind Sundevil punk, was "a manual seemed perfectly reasonable. The elec­ for computer crime" tronic bulletin boards seized during the and the reason for the raid were used for illicit purposes, raid. The science fic- spreading information and numbers tion community, in- that aided and abetted credit card theft cluding Sterling, was and telephone code abuse. But these galvanized. Was it gathering places for cyberspace enthu­ now illegal even to siasts to communicate about computers, write speculatively music, sex, gossip, and, yes, hacking, about the world of cy- "Hey. I want your money and you want your life and it's okay, man." 56 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Foundation. In fact, I find his respect Post-Liberalism: Studies In Political Thought, byJohn Gray. Rout­ for law enforcement personnel a trifle ledge, 1993, x+358pp., $45.00 he. overdone. Even as Sterling harps on every personal deficiency and indica­ tion of lack of integrity within the hack­ er community, he glosses over the unconstitutional horrors regularly com­ mitted by the cops. His gosh-wow glee After Liberalism. over their professionalism and eager­ • • ness to learn seems inappropriate to a class of people with no compunction against seizing valuable property with­ Liberalism out ever returning it or pressing any criminal charges against its legal owners. The Hacker Crackdown makes it very Gray tosses around terms like "ruins," clear that the legal situation in cyber­ Leland B. Yeager space remains unclear. The relation of "debacle," "disasters," "banal pieties," an electronic bulletin board to a physi­ "empty pieties," "illusions," "incohe­ In his book (Routledge cal meeting place or publication is not Liberalisms rencies and indeterminacies that are fa­ yet settled in the mind of the law. The 1989), John Gray found the grand liber­ tal," "demise," "dead," "death," and meaning of theft when the "stolen" ob­ al theories lying in "rubble." Liberal­ "epitaph." ject is still in the possession of its origi­ ism, he said, was incoherent in trying All this is hype. Far from foresaking nal owner is blurry. Indeed, the very "to adopt a universal standpoint ­ what classical liberalism presumably meaning of property itself in cyber­ whose content, however, turns out to be means to Liberty's readers, Gray devel­ space is slippery. Hackers consider the given by the local knowledge of Anglo­ ops solid arguments for it. What he notion of "intellectual property" laugh­ American political (or academic) cul­ does reject is sweeping claims about its able; "information wants to be free" is ture" (1989, p. 234). Gray's own project scope and self-sufficiency, along with one of their rallying cries. H one can of "defining liberalism and giving it a perverted applications and defective light a candle from an existing fire foundation" had "ended in failure.... arguments. without diminishing that flame, has the [N]o set of arguments is available Sometimes Gray narrows his target flame been"stolen"? H a document can which might ground liberalism and to "doctrinal," "foundationist," "funda­ be duplicated without taking it or the privilege liberal society over its rivals" mentalist," or "universalist" liberalism. use of it from its original owners, has (1989, vii). Without explicitly developing the harm been done? Introducing 's On point, Gray does say that all of today's As time goes on, more and more of Liberty and Other Essays (Oxford 1991), dominant liberalisms derive from Mil.. our property and privacy will reside in Gray again saw"a system of ruins." As Han classical liberalism. The author of a guide for legislation, Mill's principle or depend upon cyberspace. In one par­ On Liberty neglected cultural tradition of liberty was "a ruinous failure." ticularly· chilling segment, Sterling de­ as the matrix of human individuality. Gray's own revisionist defense of Mill scribes some street people he Obsessed with enmity to tradition and had also run aground. These results encountered in Phoenix and speculates convention, Mill displayed rationalist about the day when anyone who is not suggested "the likely (or inevitable) fail­ hubris, antinomian individualism, and ure of any similar exercise." Mill's pro­ at home in cyberspace will be as margi­ a sentimental religion of humanity. In­ ject, Gray said, required "aggregative nal and powerless as those homeless stead of any sort of pluralist society, judgments of utility"; yet the incom­ people are now. The world could end Millian liberalism envisages the rule of mensurability of values is "fatal to any up divided between information tech­ an elite of opinion-formers. It is a pro­ nicians who can manipulate symbols, utilitarian calculus." Liberal theory gram for cultural conformity (260) .... must now be seen "as an exploration of add value, and control the technical de­ As examples of his more recent tar­ the structure and postulates of a specif­ tails of production, and everyone else, gets, Gray mentions in passing such di­ ic historical achievement, a body of serfs useful for only small-value-added, verse thinkers as , F.A unpleasant physical exertion. practices which we receive as an histori­ That specter should be enough to cal inheritance. But then moral and po­ make one want to acclimate oneself to litical philosophy lose much of their • Long direct quotations wouldbe tedious. cyberspace. This book makes a good in­ prescriptive authority, and become es­ Besides, I feel a compelling urge to shorten troductory guide. It introduces the sentially elucidatory or explanatory" and rearrange Gray's prose. Except occa­ I (xxix). sionally for emphasis, avoid putting quota­ gang, explains the rules of the house­ tion marks around words and phrases lifted however confused - and attempts to Describing liberalism again in his verbatim.; the effect wouldbeintolerably inculcate a grudging respect for the newest collection of essays, Post­ choppy. Gray gets credit for any apt neighborhood flatfoot. Cl Liberalism: Studies in Political Thought, formulations. Liberty 57 October 1993 •••••••••••••••••••••• • • Hayek, Robert Nozick, Bruce Acker­ beliefs, and values (263-264,278). Gray • man, and . The liberal­ could presumably dissolve the appar­ Wantto • ism of Hayek and Milton Friedman and ent contradiction by arguing that great • free-market think tanks such as the In­ diversity in the specifics of traditions • stitute of Economic Affairs, although and lifestyles is compatible with agree­ seethe • strongly individualist, concerns itself ment on values of very general kinds, • very little with "the cultural or social ones consistent with a spirit of tolera­ eonquestof conditions of a stable restoration of tion and mutual accommodation. What market institutions" (275). is important is "the mutual recognition poverty? Gray rejects the modern liberal dog­ of civilized men and women" (271). For afree sample of ma that human nature is so much a fic­ is practically the same our 48-page monthly tion or chaos or so unknowable that as a framework of "social cooperation," each generation may reasonably start so called by LudWig von Mises and publication life afresh, trying every experiment in Henry Hazlitt (whom Gray neglects to Freedom Daily liVing again (21). Echoing Michael mention in this connection). Social write to: Oakeshott, he rejects the hubristic liber­ cooperation is the aggregate of institu­ al project of fixing the proper scope and tions, practices, and perhaps even atti­ Future of Freedom Foundation limits of the authority of government tudes that foster peace, security, P. O. Box 9752, Dept.M once and for all, as Locke, Kant, Mill, specialization, and the gains from trade Rawls, and Nozick supposedly tried to that so facilitate effective cooperation Denver, CO 80209 do. Reasoning from some first principle among people seeking to make good call (303) 777-3588. or doctrine will not work, be it specifi­ cation of natural rights or basic liber­ WE DON'T COMPROMISE! ties, or some conception of justice fleetingly held by the American aca­ The market is a device not demic nomenklatura. The proper tasks and limits of government can be estab­ for maximizing some imagi­ lished, provisionally, only by invoking nary aggregate welfare but for precedents, judgments, and practices facilitating voluntary coopera­ already present in political life. Philoso­ ••••••••••••••••••• phy must yield to practice (40-41). tion among individuals. Gray is tempted to label his own po­ ,.------.I The Sociology of sition "post-modern liberal conserva-· I tism" (271). He champions what he I the Ayn Rand Cult calls "civil society" and Oakeshott lives for themselves in their own di­ I by Murray N. Rothbard called IIcivil association": the domain of verse ways. The idea, though not the voluntary associations and market ex­ actual term, goes back to I Read the perceptive, provocative, changes through which individuals and even to Thomas Hobbes. These I notorious analysis ofthe Ayn Rand pursuing their own diverse purposes thinkers pioneered the utilitarian tradi­ I movement in its heyday! may live together in peace. Private tion. Mises emphatically labeled him­ I Send $4.00 to: property, the market, contractualliber­ self a utilitarian. This position does not liberty Publishing ty, and the count among its - despite Gray - require"aggregative LI PO Box 1181 .1 I Port Townsend, WA 93868 essential characteristics; without them, judgments of utility," whose possibility modern societies descend into poverty Mises explicitly denied. and barbarism. Although most of the Gray agrees with James Buchanan institutions of civil society are indepen­ in warning against seeing the market as The Liberty Poll dent of the state, they do require the a maximizer of collective or aggregate What Libertarians Think protection of law (246 and passim). Civ­ welfare. The idea of aggregate or collec­ The first detailed study of what li­ il association contrasts with govern­ tive well-being is a heuristic fiction at bertarians think about life, government, ment as an enterprise association, as an best. It reinforces the wrong concep­ God, sex, heroes ... and how they instrument for pursuing specific collec­ tion of economics as dealing with a col­ would deal with some serious moral tive goals (275). lective exercise in maximization (53­ problems. Now complete with data from In some passages Gray says that 55). the original poll to liberty subscribers persons not unified by any single. tradi­ On all this I agree wholeheartedly. and the poll of Libertarian Party members. tion can nevertheless form a civil socie­ The market is a device not for maximiz­ $4.00 each, ppd. ty (268). Other passages, however, ing some imaginary aggregate welfare $3.00 each for 5 or more copies. seem to say that civil society presup­ but for facilitating voluntary coopera­ Liberty poses a certain culture of individual­ tion among individuals. Social coopera­ POBox 1181 ism, a patrimony of common ideas, tion is a near-ultimate criterion of Port Townsend, WA 98368 Volume 7, Number 1 institutions, ethical precepts, and even post-Communist states should not fol­ character traits. (And what could the ul­ low Western models in allowing de­ timate criterion be if not happiness in mocracy unlimited competence. Some How to some broad sense of the term?) things (including monetary policy) Gray might perhaps not accept this should be removed from democratic utilitarian gloss on his position, but nei­ politics (213-214). Subscribe ther does he accept the shallow rhetoric Civil society may flourish under of a purely rights-based or justice-based many types of government, liberal de­ to conception of political morality. Rights mocracy being only one (159). Gray are never foundational; instead, they mentions the authoritarian political re- are "intermediaries between claims , gimes of South Korea, Taiwan, and Sin­ Liberty about human interests that are vital to gapore and even has some kind words well-being and claims about obligations for empires and monarchies in general; it is reasonable to impose upon others only the unlimited government of total­ Liberty takes individual in respect of these interests. Rights ... itarianism is incompatible with civil so­ freedom seriously ... and gain their content from the require­ ciety (159). "In all its varieties ... the status quo with more ments of human well-being...." These liberal political philosophy has failed than one grain of salt! requirements identify the bottom line in to establish its fundamental thesis: that political ethics (303). An overblown is the onIy form of Liberty tackles the tough problems. rhetoric of rights, as Gray implies, con­ government that can be sanctioned by Every issue of Liberty presents es­ sorts with an excessive legalism and reason and morality. It therefore fails says studying current trends in runs counter to a spirit of mutual to give rational support to the political political and social thought, discus­ accommodation. religion of the contemporary sions of the strategy and tactics of Besides agreeing with Oakeshott and intelligentsia" (246). social change, analyses of current Buchanan, Gray praises the agonistic or Gray seems to scorn theory in favor events, and challenges to popular stoic liberalism of Sir , who of empathy with the history and tradi­ beliefs. Liberty also offers lively recognized the fundamental incommen­ tions of successful civil societies. Yet book reviews, fiction, and humor. surability of values and the unavailabili­ what he offers is theory, political theo­ You won't want to miss a single ty of any single best solution to ry bolstered by a grasp of the funda­ issue! problems of man and society (67 and mentals of economics. To be sure, his Act Today! passim). Gray also concurs with the theory is unrigorous, as probably befits Liberty offers you the best in liber­ economists of the Scottish Enlighten­ its inquiry into what" makes for a good tarian thinking and writing. So ment, the French classical liberal school society. don't hesitate. You have nothing to of and Benjamin The author broaches many more lose, and the fruits of Liberty to Constant, and much in The Federalist Pa­ topics than I can survey here. He com­ gain! pers. This sound tradition sees govern­ ments on the socialist calculation de­ ment not as favoring any specific bate, on the collapse of socialism, and conception of progress, but instead "pro­ on delusions about perestroika and glas­ Use the coupon below or call: viding the framework within which dif­ nost. Any reader not already bored to ferent ways of life and styles of thought death by Marxism can find demolitions 1-206-385-5097 may compete in peaceful coexistence." of some contemporary Marxist writers. Contemporary thinkers like Hayek and Gray also offers brief but insightful re­ James Buchanan have also seen the ne­ marks on conditions and trends in the ,..------,,Please enter my subscription cessity of imposing limits on democracy United States, including affirmative ac­ Yes. to Liberty immediately! to preserve civil society and ensure lib­ tion, twisted feminism, multicultural­ o One Full Year (6 issues) $19.50 erty and prosperity (212-213). Thomas ism, paternalism, the jargon of 1/group o Two Full Years (12 issues) $35.00 Hobbes already had the correct concep­ rights," the erosion of contractualliber­ Add $5 per year for foreign subscriptions. tion of government - a limited one de­ ty, and the pervasive politicization of voted to securing the peace and leaVing life through legalism, litigation, and the name all or most other activities to private ini­ invention of constitutional rights. address tiative enjoying liberty of thought and Gray identifies a new Hobbesian di­ action. The good state is strong but lemma: to try to preserve their own as­ city, state, zip small (270). sets, citizens are constrained nowadays o I enclose my check (payable to Liberty) Charge my 0 VISA 0 Mastercard The conservative and classical liberal to organize to capture government o tradition has much to offer the citizens power. The state itself is becoming the of post-Communist countries. It gives chief weapon in a political war of all signature priority to personal and economic, not against all (211-212). Gray is presuma­ political, . Individual liberty and bly alluding to special-interest legisla­ account # expires democracy need not go together. The tion and regulation and the perversion Send to: Liberty, Dept. L37 L ~~:'1~1!0~~~=c:.~A!.83.:a... Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 of even the court system into an instru­ right; it is a particular method of choos­ their pages. Neither eclectic nor coterie, ment of redistribution. ing and influencing the political author­ such magazines would appropriately What I like best is Gray's·unsenti­ ities. It is time now to identify the sheer be classified as "butt-kissy." I can think mental understanding of democracy cant of reciting "free elections" as the of one in America whose name begins and alternative political regimes. I have solution to the problems of any unfor­ with a C, another with a P, a third with never supposed that submitting large tunate trouble spot (or, as in Haiti, re­ an S, a fourth with an A; and though parts of life to the majority vote of elec­ imposition of its "democratically their editors might publicly object to torates or legislatures is the essence of elected" president). Now that Gray has such characterizations, you know as classical liberalism or of the American made a start, perhaps even the legiti­ well as I that they would be personally dream. Democracy, as Joseph Schum­ mate role of monarchy in the modern pleased to know that their ultimate mo­ peter wrote, is not an ideal in its own world may be seriously discussed. Cl tives were not misunderstood. (The first time I put the previous sentence into print, someone responded with a A new sort of literary magazine has emerged, and we are not amused .•. completely different set of names from those I had in mind, indicating that the critical principle had broader applica­ bility.) To measure how unique such magazines are to literature, consider that no publication primarily about vis­ ual art can be characterized this way. Pucker or Perish Butt-kissing is a cynical strategy, to be sure, assuming that even "distin­ guished intellectuals" can be more im­ pressed with supplicants' flattery than their excellence or integrity. However, kind of literary magazine has emerged not unlike other cynical strategies, it Richard Kostelanetz that superficially appears to be a syn­ has distinct practical limitations, being thesis, publishing a limited group of first of all vulnerable to changes in Cyril Connolly long ago distin­ lesser-knowns along with celebrities, power. Butt-kissers frequently discover guished "coterie" literary magazines generally regardless of the quality of from "eclectic" ones. As he saw the dif­ the latter's work. Since the celebrities ference, the former were founded by a often come from different, if not con­ closely entwined group of people, exist­ trary, directions, while the lesser­ ing to publish their own work primari­ known writers strive for unexceptional My suspicion is that these ly, if not exclusively. Coterie magazines acceptability, such magazines forbid magazines are designed expli­ are designed to serve writers who, for themselves the kinds of literary influ­ citly to please dispensers of one reason or another, are reluctant to ence typical of great magazines in the submit their work to editor-strangers. past. They too discourage unsolicited favor. Neither eclectic nor They discouraged "unsolicited submis­ submissions, since the two circles of coterie, such magazines would sions," if not all the time, at least during possibly acceptable contributors are cir­ appropriately be classified as part of the year, for lack of any concern cumscribed in advance. #butt-kissy. " with what others might be writing. In What are they doing, you often our time L-A-N-G-U-A-G-E and the wonder? My suspicion is that they are mimeos associated with the St. Marks designed explicitly to please Very Im­ Poetry Project would be examples of co­ portant People, whether they be aca­ terie journals. Eclectic magazines pub­ demic administrators, officials at that the object of their attentions has lish work from a variety of sources, funding agencies, or other dispensers been replaced by someone else who, purportedly selecting the best from of favor. The editors of this third kind since ass-kissers instinctively treat what appears in their mailboxes, regard­ of magazine fear integrity and thus those above them differently from less of the reputation, nationality, or controversial contributions and contrib­ those below, was incidentally slighted professional affiliation with its authors. utors, especially from lesser-knowns, in the past. That accounts for why butt­ Poetry and Partisan Review would be ex­ for the simple reason that such moves, kissing can work only so long, as prac­ amples of successful eclectic journals. however acceptable they may be to titioners past the age of fifty-five, One charm of Connolly's distinction both eclectic and coterie magazines, roughly, inevitably discover that nearly was allowing to each side the possibili­ might offend the VIPs. Indeed, their ed­ all the recipients of their focus have ties of both editorial integrity, albeit of itors necessarily become solicitious of been replaced or retired. (Does anyone different kinds, and literary influence. the celebrities' opinions of the lesser­ still flatter John Leonard? Theodore In the age of grants and institutional knowns, for fear of losing not any of Solotaroff? Daryl Hine?) Disillusioned rewards, especially in America, a third the latter but one of the former from idealists can be bitter, to be sure, but 60 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 I T-SHIRTS - POCKET.~S - CAPS $13.95 $14.95~) $9.95 nothing can equal the anger and self­ spect his or her history or sympathize loathing of the disillusioned cynic. He or with his or her plight, while younger she can't "go public" with his story, be­ butt-kissers, you see, are already puck­ Smo!

Finally, a Breath ofFresh Air!

Politically 'INCORRECT' Attire Booknotes for your nexf City Council Meeting. Go Ahead, Exhale! Add $2 S&H for 1 item or $1 each for 2 or more items. To: The First Pundits - Thanks to Recruited from the foothills of the Him­ Smoker's Rights Dept. L Richard Cere and the Dalai Lama, most alayas in British India, these "pundits" 400 S. Beverly Suite 214 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 Americans have occasion to think about were trained extensively and given Tibet every now and then. Trespassers elaborate disguises, and entered Tibet on the Roof of the World a.p. Tarsher, with trade or religious caravans. They 1990, 272 pp., $10.95) by Peter Hopkirk, took with them a variety of instru­ Learn at Liberty is the story of the opening of Tibet to Eu­ ments, made their measurements, and ropeans during the 19th and early 20th recorded their data on paper secreted Liberty offers full-time internships centuries. More precisely, I suppose, one in their prayer wheels. Most remarka­ to students of all majors interested in ought to say the "re-opening"of Tibet, journalism, writing, political philoso­ bly, pundits were trained to walk with phy, or public policy. Positions are since prior to the 19th century what few precise and uniform steps, which they available at all times of the year. Europeans came Tibet's way were treat­ laboriously counted to measure dis­ For further information, write to: ed quite hospitably. tances. Often pundits were inside Tibet Liberty Europeans were interested in Tibet for a period of years, all the time main­ POBox 1181 Port Townsend, WA 98368 for two reasons: curiosity about a land taining detailed records of literally mil­ half the size of western Europe about lions of uniform paces they had taken. which Virtually nothing was known, and Thanks to the work of the pundits, a suspicion that Tibet had gold to trade the British had fairly accurate maps of 77zoving? and markets to open. In addition, Britain Tibet by the late 19th century. But de­ and Russia each feared that the other If SO, we understand that spite numerous attempts, no white per­ might gain influence in Tibet, thereby son managed to visit Lhasa, Tibet's things may be a bit topsy­ putting themselves at a disadvantage in capital and holy city, until 1904, when turvy right now, but it really is im­ their imperial competition. portant for you to send us your new address an armed British expedition battled its Although nominally a tributary state information. Ifyou don't, the Post Office is li­ way in from India. able to rip off the cover ofyour magazine, send of the Chinese Empire, Tibet was virtu­ us the correction, and charge us for the service. Hopkirk chronicles the stories of Ifyou wish to receive Liberty without in­ ally independent by the 18th century. It these attempts, and of other notable terruption, please notify us ofyour new ad­ closed itself off to Europeans on the the­ dress four weeks in advance, enclosing your current mailing label to expedite the process. ory that they would try to destroy its na­ visits to Tibet since. He concludes with tional religion, Lamaism, and with it, its a concise account of the conquest of Ti­ national culture and way of life. Tibet's bet by the Communist Chinese and the ~~~::~ t1l~, non-military defenses against outsiders genocide that followed. Port Townsend, WA 98368 • were formidable: the world's highest Of possible interest to libertarians is mountains to the south and west, a Hopkirk's brief discussion of The Long 15,OOO-foot-high plateau backed by high Walk by Slovomir Rawicz, a book re­ mountains to the north, and an area viewed in Liberty a few years ago and How To Answer Those populated by ruthless brigands to the subsequently promoted and distributed Tricky Questions east. But its military power was pathetic: by Laissez Faire Books. Rawicz tells a a few thousand soldiers armed with compelling story of his escape from a by Bill Tomlinson swords and lances and a few matchlock brutal Soviet forced labor camp in Sibe­ A practical, hands-on guide for Li­ guns. ria and his hike to freedom across Mon­ bertarian activists and candidates. 80 For more than 100 years, Tibet's nat­ golia, Sinkiang and Tibet. But is pages of invaluable advice and an.. ural defenses and its devout and loyal Rawicz's story true? Hopkins notes that swers. $8.00 including postage & population sufficed to keep it closed to some authorities believe the book to be packing. Europeans. Its defenses were first completely fraudulent and summarizes Cameo Press cracked in the mid-19th century, when their case and Rawicz's defense, leav­ Box 1131 .. 1124 Lonsdale Ave. Britain hired spies to traverse the coun­ ing readers to form their own conclu- North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 3}5 try and gather detailed geographic data. sions. -R.W. Bradford CANADA Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Consider the Source - Those the field is still untainted. Stiebing has more money than it took in, but by the who are interested in the ancient world done well in keeping with this tradi­ admission of one of its own organizers but are wary of the term "archaeology" tion, a point all lovers of liberty should was meant to help Democratic politi­ because they think of it as a boring, appreciate. cians, not poor people. monotonous science should take a look Though at times unavoidable, pro­ The last third of the book is con­ at William H. Stiebing's new book, Un­ fessional jargon is kept to a minimum, cerned with Funiciello's pet reform: re­ covering the Past (Prometheus Books, allowing for a wide readership. For placing the welfare state with a 1993, 315pp., $24.95). those who may be interested in the sub­ guaranteed national income, probably Although Uncovering The Past is a ject, Uncovering the Past won't disap­ best known in the form of Milton Fried­ history of archaeology, Stiebing does point. -Aaron T. Steelman man's . There is not delve endlessly into technical as­ both good and bad to be said for this pects of the science and the evolution of For Whose Welfare? - Left­ idea; I personally think it would be an its techniques. Instead, he quite effec­ wing critiques of the welfare state are improvement over the status quo, tively documents archaeological tech­ few and getting fewer, so it's a genuine though I'd prefer to see mutual aid niques in the context of digs where pleasure to take note of Tyranny of completely supplant the charity of the these techniques were pioneered. Kindness: Ending the Welfare State in state. The problem is, in order to set in­ Stiebing divides the book into two America (Atlantic Monthly Press, 1993, come supports at a reasonably comfort­ sections: archaeology of the "Heroic $23.(0) by Theresa Funiciello, a former able level, the NIT would cripple Age" and modern archaeology. Within welfare mother and longtime critic of businesses unable to pay competing these sections are chapters divided pri­ the charity complex. The first third of wages. Still, it's certainly better than the marily by topic: Egyptology, Aegean ar­ the book recounts Funiciello's own sto­ currently trendy "workfare" scheme, a chaeology, etc. ry as welfare client and then activist. half-baked plan Funiciello ably rips to One of the more interesting chapters Once we're drawn into the story of the shreds. concerns the remains of ancient Italy. dehumanizing and (often literally) bru­ The last section of the book also oc­ Stiebing documents the uncovering of tal "welfare" system, the author dons casionally degenerates into economic Veii and other Etruscan sites, as well as her journalist's hat and tells who really nonsense about automation, and at one two of the more important finds of the gets the lion's share of the money that's point finds some kind words for the So­ ancient world, Pompeii and Herculan­ supposed to go to the poor: a corrupt cial Security system, despite the fact eum, which were remarkably preserved network of top-heavy, contract­ that this program clearly redistributes under the ash of Vesuvius. Among the dependent "private" charities and gov­ wealth from the poor to the not-poor. ruins of Herculaneum was the first an­ ernment bureaucracies, both tied to the But the autobiographical material and cient library to be unearthed, which in­ fortunes of the Democratic Party ma­ muckraking journalism make the book cluded works of Epicurus and other chine. Here the reader will find the sto­ a worthy read. The modern welfare writers of the time, completely intact; ry of Second Harvest, the subsidy­ state is the old poorhouse writ large, a Pompeii included many of the more hungry distribution system more con­ corrupt system that treats poor people structurally impressive buildings in the cerned with dumping surplus food like children while doling out most of area. (and "non-food items" like microwave its goods to white, middle-class profes­ With the new emphasis on political­ spray) into food banks than with feed­ sionals and their political patrons. This ly correct non-science, archaeology re­ ing the "hungry"i of the New York City book tells how and why. That puts it in mains one of the few disciplines where housing bureaucracy, which builds a class almost alone. -Jesse Walker fact still reigns supreme. While there temporary shelters rather than cheaper have been attempts to manipulate the long-term housing, because that's what Drug Freedom for Me, But Not remains of archaeological finds to fit po­ will bring more profits to the local po­ for Thee - Terence McKenna has litical ideology, as has happened with litical insiders; of the Hands Across taken Timothy Leary's place in popular other things historical, for the large part America scam, which not onIy spent culture as Mr Irresponsible Advocate of Psychedelic Drugs, and he doesn't de­ serve it. Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge (Bantam Books, 1992, 311 pages, $13.85) is pop anthropology that purports to "...knowledge without wisdom has make the case that it was consumption of psilocybe cubensis ("magic mush­ brought us to the edge 0/ destruction and rooms") by coprophilic psychedelic may at any time push us over the brink." voyagers allover the world's temperate zones that was humanity's evolution­ c5'4W~e@ocUf' ary trigger, responsible for the tripling Please Contact: in human brain size and the develop­ ment of more sophisticated informa­ tion-processing and communications Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 capabilities that turned Homo habilis into He appears to believe in the literal reali­ Another surprisingly positive por­ modern man over the course of a mere ty of the "self-transforming machine trayal of businesspeople can be found three million years elves of hyperspace" that he thinks he in Venus Envy (Bantam, 1993, 355pp., The "proof" of this, like most ideas meets when taking dimethyltryptamine $21.95) by Rita Mae Brown, the coun­ about events occurring before recorded (DMT), his favorite psychedelic be­ try's best-known lesbian novelist. history, comes from that amazingly rich cause it is completely metabolized ("Next time anyone calls me a lesbian vein mined by thinkers the world over: within about 15 minutes and occurs writer, I'm going to knock their teeth Mere Speculation. Sure, McKenna ad­ naturally in the human neurometabo­ in. I'm a writer and I'm a woman and duces actual research (I) from a real sci­ lism. Psychedelic voyagers should be I'm from the South.") The plot is set in entist (I!) to prove that under certain more skeptical about the literal objec­ motion when Mary Frazier Armstrong, circumstances, psilocybin (the psychoac­ tive reality of their brain experiences 35, believing she is dying, sends letters tive ingredient of the mushroom) gives while on drugs, and authors writing al­ to all the important people in her life humans somewhat sharper visual acui­ legedly in defense of drug freedom telling them exactly what she thinks of ty, an obvious advantage for hunter­ should allow their fellows more leeway them and "also, by the way, I should gatherers. This is a slim reed indeed in making their own choices about have told you before, I'm gay." When upon which to place the weight of his what drugs they enjoy, regardless of she turns out not to be dying after all, thesis. historical pedigree or natural status. coming out becomes the least of her The book then goes on to engage in -Brian Doherty problems. Frazier's letters, with all gaseous speculations about the glorious, their unrequested advice, turn Char­ unified, goddess- and mushroom­ Literary Business - Positive por­ lottesville, Virginia on its head. Now a centered culture that existed amongst trayals of businesspeople are almost as lesbian art-gallery owner might be an the peoples of the Tassili-n-Ajjer, Natufi­ rare in modern literature as in Holly­ acceptable businessperson even in a an, and Catal Hayuk cultures, reaching wood. Perhaps businessmen need an Creative Writing class, but Frazier's fa­ its last stand in Minoan Crete before giv­ anti-defamation league to protect them ther - an entirely sympathetic charac­ ing way to the alcohol-, coffee-, and sug­ from the slings and arrows of novelists ter, an honest and hard-working man ar-loving "dominator culture" that has and screenwriters. So it was a pleasant stoically bearing the burden of a ma­ been ruining the Earth since. surprise to discover businessmen nipulative, social-climbing wife - is in By the time he gets his feet in the sol­ depicted as honest and productive - if paving, for Cod's sake. A less romantic id ground of recorded history, he gives not quite heroic - in not one but two business would be difficult to imagine. an interesting revisionist view of how novels I read on a recent European trip. Ultimately, I fear that both these the conquest of the New World was David Lodge's Nice Work (Viking, books fall short of the standards of driven by drug-addled Europeans' lust 1989, 277 pp., $18.95) gives us a femi­ modern literature: Not only is there the for coffee and sugar, and attaches "origi­ nist literary theorist sent to "shadow" a problem of the non-psychopathic busi­ nal sin" to these drugs, condemning factory manager in a British industrial nessmen, but they have characters and them as evil because, when they first hit city in order to bring business and the plots and are amusing to read. Europe, they inspired the slave trade university closer together. The shadow -David Boaz and the destruction of indigenous cul­ is given to reading Lacan and Derrida, tures in the New World. Be that as it writing about "signifiers," and telling Money Madness - As a college may, it should have no impact on one's her students that "industrial capitalism kid in the 196Os, I got interested in the decision to consume these products is phallocentric." When she begins her international monetary system, which now, when they are not reaching one's shadow tenure, she is palate through the labor of slaves. horrified by the factory But at its heart, McKenna's attitude and its manager, who toward drugs is the same as the prohibi­ emerges as a sensible tionists,: the drugs he likes (organic psy­ man trying to make a chedelics) should be praised; all others, profit in a competitive while legal, should be discouraged, world. She complains taxed, regulated, and suffer govern­ about oppression in the ment-sponsored propaganda discourag­ factory, and he replies, ing their use. (As Liberty contributing "We don't force people editor has pointed out, to work here, you calling this sort of propaganda "drug know." Eventually, af­ education" is like calling state­ ter a series of comic sponsored calls for intolerance of others' misadventures, the religions "religious education.") And businessman discovers even his understanding of the psyche­ Tennyson and the aca­ -----_ ~aIDD delic experience, which expertise is real­ demic recognizes the ly what he is selling in this book and in value of wealth "And how am I supposed to get a visible means of support his public appearances, seems suspect: creation. when you guys keep arresting me all the time1" Liberty 63 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

seemed pretty simple to me. The U.S. would inevitably lead to a crisis. handsomely. The world's monetary held a huge quantity of gold and agreed As I say, all this was apparent to a system has since grown far more com­ to redeem its currency in gold upon de­ lot of people, including me. It seemed plex, and opportunities to profit with mand from anyone who was not a U.S. like such simple economics at the time negligible risk no longer exist. It was citizen or resident. Other countries that I could hardly believe it wasn't un­ fun while it lasted. agreed to redeem their currency in dol­ derstood by everyone who ever It was out of nostalgia for these lars, thereby achieving a sort of second­ thought about it. Of course, I knew that days that I got a copy of Changing For­ hand convertibility to gold. the politicians who were busy printing tunes (Times Books, 1992, 372 pp, This system had been in place since up more paper dollars to finance their $25.00), a memoir written by Paul the end of World War TI, and had programs (and to insure their populari­ Volcker and Toyoo Cyohten. Begin­ worked pretty much as the gold stan­ ty and re-election) could not acknowl­ ning in 1962, Volcker had been an offi­ dard had worked a century earlier, edge the inevitable collapse of the cial in the Treasury Department. which is to say, it worked pretty well. dollar. They figured they could post­ Gyohten held a similar bureaucratic From the very beginning, the U.S. pone that day until far in the future, position in the Japanese treasury. I fig­ did not have enough gold to redeem all and they had an election coming up ured that since they were now retired the dollars that were outstanding. But soon. Maybe the crisis would occur af­ and reminiscing about what now the U.S. was confident that the day ter they had retired, or the other party seems like ancient history, these two would never come when all its currency had taken office. So the politicians con­ men might have something very inter­ would be presented for redemption, so tinued to inflate as if there were no to­ esting to say, at least to someone like why worry? morrow, all the while reassuring me for whom the collapse of the sys­ This made perfect sense when the foreign owners of dollars that they had tem was very important. system was established. But over time, nothing to worry about. The Chairman Changing Fortunes is a remarkable the United States did what of the House Banking Committee ex­ book, thanks to its informal approach everywhere are tempted to do: it in­ plained that if the U.S. didn't use gold and the candor of its authors. It is a se­ creased the supply of money to finance to back the dollar, the price of gold quence of short memoirs, alternately various government programs (which would collapse to $8.00 an ounce. The written by Volcker and Cyohten, each its voters liked) without having to raise Chairman of the Sys­ showing his own perspective on the taxes (which its voters always seemed to tem denounced gold as "a barbaric same developments. It is reasonably dislike). The U.S. could get away with relic." readable compared to other economic this because of the growing demand for But I knew the days of the system histories, though this is not saying dollars in other ·countries, where the were numbered, that the dollar would much. I suppose readers less interested dollar was used as a reserve currency come crashing down, and that the price than I in the subject might find it a because it was "good as gold." of gold (in terms of dollars) would rise trifle dull. By the early 196Os, many people saw sharply. I invested in this knowledge, It begins with Volcker's account of that this process could not continue in­ converting my life savings into pre­ how Bretton Woods worked. Volcker definitely - that sooner or later, for­ cious metals and starting a precious concludes his explanation with these eigners would notice that the supply of metals brokerage firm at a time when words: dollars had grown to a point where the that business was practically nonexis­ Only later did it come to be clearly rec­ U.S. had no hope of redeeming them, tent in this country. Buying gold was a ognized that the special role of the dol­ and no intention of stopping the print­ no-brainer: its downside risk was negli­ lar implied both privileges and burdens ing press. A day of reckoning was com­ gible, its upside potential substantial incompatible with the long-term opera­ ing; the continual inflation of the dollar and virtually certain. tion of the system as spelled out at Bret­ My puerile under­ ton Woods. Specifically, the use of the dollar as a reserve currency meant that standing of how the in­ the United. States, unlike other coun­ ternational monetary tries, could run a balance of payments system works turned out deficit without giving up its own re­ to be a nearly perfect serves of gold or without borrowing predictor of the events foreign currencies for as long as other countries were willing to add to the dol­ of the early 1970s. The lars they already held in their reserves. crisis did occur, the U.S. In effect, increased foreign dollar hold­ was forced to quit re­ ings financed the American deficits at deeming the dollar in relatively low U.S. interest rates ... All gold, the world's eco­ of that seemed reasonable so long as the dollar was considered not only just as nomic system was good as gold butbetter.... thrown into chaos, and Good God' Could I believe my the price of gold did sky­ eyes?!? Could a man as intelligent as ''Come quick, Honey - Larry Hagman just offered Brooke rocket. And my own in­ Paul Volcker be saying that, despite his Shields a cigarette!" vestments paid off academic training, despite his working 64 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 every day in the administration of the sating his own desire for neat-o freedom. If you dive, you thrive ­ Bretton Woods agreement, he didn't smashed-skull x-rays, and discovering and have much time left over to be the have a clue to its potential problems? hospital staff shenanigans. ("The prize writer, artist or musician you've al­ Could it be that I understood the system shot was a hand with an extended mid­ ways known exists within you. Re­ better than he? Me" a punk college kid dle finger, with no apparent bone member: Madonna. dived as a at a backwater college? injury.") struggling Michigan nonentity. So Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes. One important lesson - if you have children, because the dumpster is -R. W. Bradford don't want what you find, take it any­ the great mother provider. Have pets, way. Trash equals cash with the help of because the dumpster is like fishes and The Acquisitive Society - Re­ such outlets as scrap dealers, used loaves and can feed even a horse. Trav­ member what it was like to be a kid on book and record stores, rummage sales, el, because trash is the byproduct of the receiving end of some adult's closet and junk lovers of all stripes. Someone, the whole globe's activities. Live life; all cleaning? All those perfectly good bad­ somewhere, wants that rusty birdcage. you gotta do is dive, baby, dive. minton racquets and cigar boxes; all Above all, the dumpster means -Susan J. Rutter those hats, board games, books: what treasures! Couldn't the adult see the sheer usefulness of those things? Well, John Hoffman has put that feeling back where it belongs - into everyday life. That is, for those not too proud to peck Classified Advertisements around where the goodies are. For max­ imum profitability in this endeavor, Hoffman has written (and Ace Back­ Classified Advertising is available for 35ft per word, plus $1.00 per insertion. 100/0 discount words has illustrated) The Art and Sci­ for six or more insertions. Payment must accompany order. Please specify classification. ence of Dumpster Diving (Loompanics Unlimited, 1993, 152 pp., $12.95). This is way Drive, #22, Wheaton, MD 20906. 301/460­ the manual for anyone hoping to tap Business Opportunities 4141, Doris Gordon, National Coordinator. America's flow of waste. Secrets Revealed: Obtain ultimate privacy for Directory of Libertarian Periodicals, updat­ For every store in this great nation, yourself and your assets by becoming a multi­ ed latest edition, lists around 150 titles, with ad­ there's a place for its trash. Scavenger national with a legal second passport. Avoid tax­ dresses, other information. All believed to be es, wars, government regulations, currency con­ presently publishing. $3.00 postpaid, $4.00 over­ survivalists can specialize just like the trols and much more. Break away from the ever seas. Jim Stumm, Box 29-LB, Hiler Branch, Buffa­ capitalists themselves. The wealth trick­ imposing bureaucratic bondage now!! For m lo, NY 14223. les down in bountiful loads of moist and brochure: Scope, Box 3755, 62 Murray Road, Wa­ Must you pay income tax? It depends on pungent "waste"- yours for the having. terlooville, Hants, POB 9JL, UK. Or phone Fran­ which citizen you are. Call 1-800-350-8926 for The beauty in trash-fishing is this ­ cis on: +44 705 592255. Fax: +44 705 591975. more information. the dumpster is all things to all divers. Toll the Bell of Freedom! Have a message? Take it nationwide with unique business oppor­ Merchandise It's entertainment - what else do you tunity that really delivers. Earn income, full or call Polaroids of your neighbor's wife or Protect Your Liberty! with Non-Lethal Person­ part time. Call or write for FREE details. Apex al Protection Devices. Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) the passed-out couch sprawls of frat Video 1137 Erin, Suite 201, Kent, OH 44240. 216­ sprays approved by the FBI and used by over bunnies? It's basic survival: grocery pro­ 677-9005. 1300 law enforcement agencies (better than tear duce crates make the best firewood, and Collectibles gas or Mace). Effective against those unable to the food supply is delicious and never­ feel pain. Half-ounce OC spray $13. 90,000 volt Folk F1uteslPan Pipes, mathematically opti­ ending. It's superfluity, American style: StunGun $38. Both $48. Four-ounce Trigger-Top mized, no mOVing parts, over 300 varieties. Cat­ DC spray $23. 120,000 volt StunGun $53. Both florist dumpsters let you be the thought­ alog $3. Lew Price, Box 88(L), Garden Valley, $73. Free shipping. No PO Boxes. CA residents ful mate at the cheapest rate! CA95633. add 7.75%. Catalog $1. Soft Relations, Dept. LIB, Then there is residential diving, a Lenin's Leftovers: Soviet and Warsaw Pact Box 2190, Big Bear City, CA 92314-2190. whole new ballgame. The sordid lives of military collectibles. Also available, Eastern Eu­ Periodicals the middle classes await discovery ropean folk items. Send $1 for catalog, refunda­ through tossed diaries, letters, I.O.'s, ble with purchase. Ken's Collectibles, 9643 Living Free newsletter discusses practical meth­ Almond Drive'A, Live Oak, CA95953 ods for increasing personal freedom. Forum for and blank checks. (Mind you, checks freedom-seekers, libertarians, survivalists, anar­ will remain an unused resource.) Don't Freedom Technology chists, outlaws, since 1979. Lively, unique. $9.00 forget the reams of toiletries (tres expen­ Terra Libra! Freedom-boggling breakthrough! for 6 issues, sample $1.00. Box 29-LB, Hiler sive when actually store-bought) and Free and enrich yourselfwith Freedom Technol­ Branch, Buffalo, NY 14223. the fun pharmaceutical remedies so ogy. Personal Power beats bureaucrats. Free De­ New Magazine! "Liberatus," the unique new closely associated with our suburban tails. ZENOPress. Box 170-L, Sedalia, CO80135. freeman publication. Intellectual, straight­ forward, patriotic, libertarian. No . In­ sufferers: valium and cough syrup! Literature cludes historical/adventure section. Call 1-800­ Hoffman is hardcore. He even dives Abortion Choice: In Harmony or in tXmjlict 327-7143 for trial subscription. hospital dumpsters, disrupting do-good with the rest of the Libertarian Party platform? The Voluntaryist Sample copy for two first­ "clean needle" distributor's statistics, SASE, please: , 13424 Hatha- class stamps. Box 1275, Gramling, SC 29348. Liberty 65 Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993 Index to Volume Six

Chester Alan Arthur Rush to judgment mn 6:5,18 To Be Left to the Free Market ar 6:1,41 Odd man in rf 6:1,16 Mass Murder, American-Style ar 6:5,21 Robert Ethier Post-Perot politics rf 6:1,17 Who Started the Fires? sb 6:5,22 Gore vs Quayle vs the environment rf 6:2,15 Biting the hand rf 6:1,18 Some of My Best Friends David Friedman Will to frivolity rf 6:1,18 Are Extremists! rv 6:5,55 Paying for Crime ar 6:5,53 Clinton and the draft rf 6:2,10 Defending the undefendable rf 6:5,68 Welfare and immigration: Coming of age rf 6:2,16 Final thoughts rf 6:5,68 the other half ofthe argument rf 6:6,14 Predicting the unpredictible rf 6:2,16 Never having to say you're sorry rf 6:6,5 Scott Gardner Still Bushwacko rf 6:2,16 Justice not delayed rf 6:6,5 The Lost War of the Rents 6:4,29 Go for Perot rf 6:2,18 How to cut the deficit rf 6:6,6 ar The Blunder Thing ar 6:3,23 V. Orval Watts, RIP ob 6:6,16 Glenn Garvin Clinton, the President ar 6:3,27 Gergen and Shields mn 6:6,16 How Do I Loathe NPR? Behind the Electoral Disaster ar 6:3,31 There's No Kill Like Overkill ar 6:6,28 Let Me Count the Ways ar 6:6,39 A tale of two Texans rf 6:4,7 J. Orlin Grabbe Grasping Gore rf 6:4,8 Who Benefits from the Karma Accountant ar 6:6,52 Rethinking Clinton rf 6:4,11 Clinton Program? ar 6:5,24 Karl Hess Whose pig is gored rf 6:5,10 Douglas Casey An offer you can't refuse rf 6:1,7 VAT Out ofHell ar 6:5,31 Class Is in Session - Tried and true rf 6:1,8 Choosy voters choose rf 6:6,7 Will They Learn? ar 6:4,23 Welcome to the jungle rf 6:1,9 The progress ofdemocracy rf 6:6,7 Roy Childs (interviewed) It's hip to be fashionable rf 6:1,10 A cabinet that makes sense rf 6:6,12 Ignoramous sighting no. 7429 rf 6:1,10 Clinton's gain is journalism's gain mn 6:6,18 Ayn Rand, Objectivism, and all That in 6:4,31 Journalistic note rf 6:1,12 No end in sight mn 6:6, 18 Michael Christian All in the Family rf 6:1,13 John A. Baden Popular delusions and Who's on first? rf 6:1,14 Optimizing wolves rf 6:4,14 the madness of Americans rf 6:1,10 Extremism in defense of Eric Banfield S~henCox bureacracracy rf 6:1,15 Kicking the habit rf 6:4,13 at is a "libertarian"? rf 6:1,9 None dare call it egregious rf 6:1,16 Ben Best The Non-Politics of H. ar 6:1,31 Among the Thugs bn 6:1,52 A Journey to the East ar 6:2,50 "The Fountainhead" as Film ar 6:1,59 Who's on first? rf 6:2,12 Patrolling for bigger fish rf 6:2,9 Robert Higgs David Boaz The health hazards of Code aacks rf 6:5,7 What's so special about health care? rf 6:3,15 not going capitalist rf 6:2,12 The silly season rf 6:5,11 Moscow on the Potomac rf 6:5,12 Radio ga-ga mn 6:2,20 Think of it as symbolism in action The family leave-of-your-senses bill rf 6:5,8 rf 6:6,5 The hundred year diet rf 6:3,10 Lean back and enjoy it George Bush: RIP rf 6:5,16 rf 6:6,6 No tribute for "defense" rf 6:3,12 Kids held hostage rf 6:6,9 Gabriel Hocman Silver lining blues rf 6:3,14 Realigned powers rf 6:6,10 The Czechs Bounce Back ar 6:2,43 Prepackaging opinion rf 6:4,11 You Can Quote Me On This rv 6:6,61 The sublime and the su~beautiful rf 6:4,16 Kathleen Bradford Isn't Multiculturalism a Good 1lUng? rv 6:4,47 The First Time: I Run for President ar 6:2,27 Blueprint for Secession bn 6:1,53 In dubious battle rf 6:5,12 Just Deserts ar 6:3, SO De Jouvenal Perspective bn 6:3,75 Lillian Gish (1893-1993) ob 6:5,17 War With the Animal Kingdom rv 6:3,69 Fear and Loathing in Quebec' bn 6:4,67 Darkness at Noon ar 6:5,19 Ideas In Action bn 6:4,68 R.W. Bradford Kennedy Meets Hitler rv 6:6,63 Just Nonsense rv 6:5,61 Liege-islation rf 6:1,7 Criticism Unbound bn 6:6,68 Thriller bn 6:6,66 Litmus ofanother color rf 6:1,14 Brian Doherty George Jochnowitz rf 6:1,16 The GulfWar: Made in America, Marxism's Post-History in Contemporary China ar 6:2,47 How We Started "Liberty" ar 6:1,54 or a Cheap Foreign Knockoff? rf 6:1,7 No crazy here rf 6:2,9 Pop goes the commonwealth rf 6:1,7 Gregory R. Johnson Resisting the Bill of Rights rf 6:2,9 Long arm tactics rf 6:1,8 When Fuzziness Pays ar 6:2,62 Just say "no" to hurricane victims? rf 6:2,9 Pity the child, but not forever 6:1,13 New Liberalisms for Old rv 6:2,67 Aborted logic rf 6:2,15 rf The politics ofdespair rf 6:1,18 Hayek Unbound rv 6:3,65 Marrou for liberty rf 6:2,18 Murphy Brown, Ph.D. mn 6:2,22 Bill Kauffman Badmommie mn 6:2,20 Man with a plan rf 6:3,11 The winner and new champion rf 6:3,9 Whitewash rf 6:3,7 Getting Away with It bn 6:3, 73 Perot's 2OQ-Proof ar 6:3,29 The apostasy of Marge Schott rf 6:3,8 Envision world uniformity rf 6:4,9 The road to colonialism 6:3,12 Chicagoite Casuistry rf in the Funny Papers bn 6:3,76 Heretics All bn 6:4,66 Millions for liberty, but not Your mother wears combat boots rf 6:6,10 one damn cent for blather Revisionist revisionism rf 6:4,7 rf 6:3,13 David Kelly "All the lies fit to print" First Punk rf 6:4,7 rf 6:3,16 How Principles Wark ar 6:2,63 The New Civic Religion ar 6:3,19 The cost of quackery rf 6:4,10 New consumer trend rf 6:4,11 Live and let Di rf 6:4,10 Daniel Klein Practicing what they preach rf 6:4,12 The art ofself-hate rf 6:5,8 Tinkerers Be Damned? rv 6:2,65 The Geography ofTaxes ar 6:4,17 Calumny! mn 6:5,18 Bart Kosko Carts and horses rf 6:5,7 Lies, Damn Lies and AIDS Research rv 6:6,57 The FBI wants your codes rf 6:5,15 Out of the closet, endlessly rocking rf 6:6,6 Qualifiedjfcncxance rf 6:5,7 Ri(hard Kostelanetz Where is crace Mann Editors John Cage, Inventor ar 6:2,46 when we need him? rf 6:5,8 Who the Spenders Are ar 6:1,24 Get out the teen vote! rf 6:3,12 Is Nancy Reagan a lesbian? rf 6:5,9 Why Liberty? ar 6:1,58 ~Cht~hl rf 6:3,16 An old-fashioned girl rf 6:5,10 Dan Endsley p with ex, Down with Authority bn 6:3,74 New corruption for old rf 6:5,11 Nutrition IS Too Important A clean mind rf 6:5,13 66 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

The big scam rf 6:6,15 Crumbling down rf 6:6,5 Kicking the habit rf 6:3,9 Brian Krohnke Accounting for waste rf 6:6,5 Another war made in the USA rf 6:3,11 Rap on the head rf 6:4,7 Lani and Leoni rf 6:6,8 Roll over and vote rf 6:3,13 It's OK to Hate Everybody bn 6:4,68 James S. Robbins Gary Becker and the meaning oflife rf 6:3,18 R.K.Lamb William Morris Redux bn 6:1,5 Keep Your Laws Off My Body bn 6:3,73 The Half-Open Door ar 6:3,47 Profiles in perfidy rf 6:2,9 Anti-statist SF bn 6:4,68 Cry cult! rf 6:5,7 Ronald F. LiKP They've got your number rf 6:2,11 Revolution etrayed ar 6:3,38 We, the Climbing rf 6:2,14 On the bright side rf 6:5,8 Milking human kindness rf 6:3,7 Stirred not shaken rf '6:6,6 David A. Lips I believe in miracles rf 6:3,10 Hair today, gone tomorrow rf 6:6,7 Scattershot rv 6:5,64 Voting one's interest rf 6:3,14 Jeff Walker (interviewer) Loren E. Lomasky Credit where it is due rf 6:5,7 Ayn Rand, Objectivism and All That in 6:4,31 Quiz rf 6:2,9 The old bat rf 6:5,7 Smoke gets in your skies rf 6:2,11 Jesse Walker Something to shoot for rf 6:5,8 A real bummer of a campaign rf 6:1,16 Making democracy safe for America rf 6:2,17 Jobs for the boys rf 6:5,8 Drafting School Kids ar 6:2,25 How sex turns conservatives The new math rf 6:5,9 into flaming socialists rf 6:2,11 The agony of defeat rf 6:3,7 Robbing the cradle rf 6:5,9 The Cabinet that looks like catsup rf 6:5,7 Family values in action rf 6:2,12 Category errors rf 6:5,11 So much for the Great White Hope rf 6:2,12 Good day! mn 6:6,16 Who is not John Galt? rf 6:5,11 In "Defense" of Janet Reno ar 6:6,23 Caught in the Crossflfe mn 6:2,22 Neither rhyme nor reason rf 6:5,12 Election-Year Expose rv 6:2,64 John McCormack David goliath rf 6:6,5 Civil rights progress rf 6:3,7 Crisis! Crisis! Crisis! rv 6:3,61 Put him out of our misery rf 6:6,5 Shallow beauty rf 6:3,8 Big Animals, Big States, Big Mistake ar 6:6,47 Accounting for waste rf 6:6,5 Anarchy, anyone? rf 6:3,9 Wen~McElroy Akayevin'96 rf 6:6,7 Dump it at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. rf 6:3,11 The nholy Alliance ar 6:3,53 Jobs gridlock continues rf 6:6,8 Malcom X Reborn rv 6:3,71 William H. Mellor III With friends like these ... rf 6:6,9 Tweedle-dee-dum Properly Rights Before and Mer A modest proposal rf 6:6,10 & Tweedle-doo-doo rf 6:4,10 the "Lucas" Decision ar 6:1,19 Don't let Hillary find out rf 6:6,14 Royalty vs reality rf 6:4,16 William P. Moulton David Justin Ross Workers Take Control rv 6:4,53 Yugoslavia and Czecho-Slovakia, The Mystery of Spontaneous Life bn 6:4,66 RIP rf 6:1,7 the Missing Detectives rv 6:2,69 Definition by example rf 6:5,15 Hate crimes, thought crimes rf 6:1,8 Le Morte d'Alger rv 6:4,57 America Lost and Found rv 6:5,65 He's Said It Before and No Doubt Murray N. Rothbard Libertarians and feminists rf 6:5,68 Will Say It Again rv 6:1,49 Me and the Eiger ar 6:1,61 Tit for tat rf 6:6,5 Dh sensitivity, where is thy sting? rf 6:1,12 Susan J. Rutter Left and right: the prospects for High on Italy rf 6:4,7 No taxation with representation! rf 6:4,10 barbecue rf 6:6,5 Do as I legislate, not as I do rf 6:4,8 Gridlock: RIP rf 6:5,16 Harding vs Clinton rf 6:6,7 Rescuing the constitution rf 6:5,15 Jonathan Saville Tubes crossed mn 6:6,16 Jan Narveson Happy April 15th? ar 6:5,35 Calling Lord Randomfactor mn 6:6,18 Libertarianism, Christianity, J. Neil Schulman Operation No Hope ar 6:6,34 and Other Religions ar 6:2,59 IfExecution Is Just, What Is Justice? ar 6:1,43 Thomas D. Walls Robert H. Nelson Jane S. Shaw Raising Hell in Houston: Wilderness, Church, and State ar 6:1,34 Nonsense and Non-science:." Partying With the GOP and A Textbook Case rv 6:1,45 the"Buchanan Brigade" ar 6:2,39 Understanding the State ar 6:5,40 Happy trails rf 6:3,8 Clay Hunter Waters Randal O'Toole Lose one for the Gipper rf 6:3,14 Looking at fetuses rf 6:1,12 It's the Pork., Stupid ar 6:5,37 My scientists can beat up yours rf 6:3,16 Conservative Anti-Climactics bn 6:1,53 James Ostrowski Is Feminism Obsolete? rv 6:3,59 Ethan o. Waters War on Drugs, War on Progress ar 6:1,27 Progressive definition rf 6:4,7 The Two Libertarianism, In Freedom's Way ar 6:3,42 Chapter 11 rf 6:4,13 One Time More ar 6:1,62 Wet blankets 6:5,10 Ross Overbeek rf Martin Morse Wooster Just say "no" to the Libertarian Party rf 6:5,14 Meet Mr Molecule bn 6:3,73 Stupid About Schools rv 6:1,50 So how do you explain Phil Getting Technical bn 6:3,76 Leland B. Yeager Donahue? rf 6:6,12 Europe's Money Mess: Durk Pearson &c Sandy Shaw Big mother is watching 6:6,14 rf We've Heard It All Before ar 6:2,23 How you can profit from Clinton's The Ungreening of the Media ar 6:6,19 upcoming nervous breakdown rf 6:5,18 and Civility ar 6:3,45 Sandy Shaw Marc Ponomareff The illiberal consensus rf 6:5,14 Clinical note rf 6:5,15 Socialism: Dead or Alive? rv 6:5,59 Wednesday, January 27 p 6:6,22 Gang aft a-gley rf 6:6,12 Sandy Shaw &c Durk Pearson lbis time, do it despite fear How you can profit from Clinton's and loathing rf 6:2,17 upcoming nervous breakdown rf 6:5,18 Key Up your ante rf 6:3,8 Mark Skousen New Marxists for old rf 6:3,10 The Other Austrian ar 6:4,43 Head Stop rf 6:5,9 Code: Category: Fred L. Smith Where is Ayn Rand ar article now that we need her? rf 6:5,14 Virulent Green Growth ar 6:1,21 bn booknote The most hated crime ofall mn 6:5,18 Aaron Steelman ScottJ. Reid The wynunin vs the woman rf 6:6,8 f fiction The Lying Machine Are you listening, Madonna? rf 6:2,9 bn 6:6,65 in interview Will Canada Fall Apart Clark Stooksbury mn medianote Not Working bn 6:6,66 on October 26? ar 6:2,58 ob obituary James Taggart How to Secede in Politics rv 6:3,63 poem Canadians wise up, eh? rf 6:3,9 Rights wronged rf 6:1,14 P Sheldon Richman John Taylor rf reflection Odds off rf 6:2,17 Salt Air, Hot Air, and Sport! ar 6:6,55 rv review Like a conquering province rf 6:3,7 Paul Terhorst sb sidebar The bottom line rf 6:3,11 Why Argentina Stopped vn videonote Atlas Drugged rf 6:4,8 Crying for Evita ar 6:2,34 , 101 rf 6:4,16 Timothy Virkkala Following the category, location of cited The Mencken test rf 6:5,13 Don't rush to judgment rf 6:1,15 writing is given by volume number, issue The End ofWhat? ar 6:5,33 Gesundheit rf 6:3,7 number, and page number. Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Letters, continued from page 4 until finally it breaks loose and decimates the body's T-4 helper lymphocyte Index production. The statement is made, "HIV is rarely to Volume Six detectable in large quantities in the bodies of those allegedly dying of its effects." That of Books Reviewed (by book author) statement is blatantly untrue. The viremia level during the terminal stage of the dis­ ease is very high - which is why one infect­ Bennett, James T. (with Thomas J. DiLorenzo), Official Lies: How Washington Misleads Us 6:6,65 ed Belgian man was able to infect nine ofhis Bolling, Ruben, Tom the Dancing Bug 6:3,76 female cohorts. Buchanan, Allen, Secession: The Political Morality ofPolitical Divorce 6:3,63 The statement is made that the lack of Buford, Bill, Among the Thugs 6:1,52 massive heterosexual spread through prosti­ Comfort, Alex, The New Joy ofSex 6:3,74 Crews, Frederick, The Critics Bear It Away 6:6,68 tutes is crucial in showing that AIDS is not a Davidson, James Dale (with Lord William Rees-Moog), standard sexually transmitted disease. The The Great Reckoning 6:3,61 question is - how do we know that mv DiLorenzo, Thomas J (with James T. Bennett), disease is not spread through prostitutes? Official Lies: How Washington Misleads Us 6:6,65 Throughout Africa, the course of the disease Dixon, Franklin W., Hardy Boys mysteries 6:2,69 Feynman, Richard, The Character ofPhysical Law 6:3,76 follows the truck routes. In Bombay five Fiske, Edward (with Sally Reed and R. Craig Sautter), Smart Kids 6:1,50 years ago there were only a handful of peo­ Galbraith, John Kenneth, The Culture ofContentment 6:1,49 ple infected. Today, there are halfa million, Gallaway, Lowell E. (with Richard K. Vedder), Out ofWork 6:6,66 according to William Haseltine, Professor of Gates Jr., Henry L., Loose Canons: Notes on the Culture Wars 6:5,64 George, John (with Laird Wilcox), Medicine and Public Health at Harvard. Nazis, Communists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe 6:5,55 Why? Thirty thousand infected prostitutes Gonick, Larry, A Cartoon Guide to Genetics 6:3,73 have been left on the streets of Bolnbay. Grisham, John, A Time To Kill; The Pelican Brief; The Finn 6:6,66 Why is the epidemic exploding in Thailand? Harris, Robert, Fatherland 6:6,63 Because prostitutes have been allowed to Hogshire, Jim, Sell Yourself to Science 6:3,73 Holzer, Erika, Eye for an Eye 6:4,68 operate openly in Thailand for years. Jackley, John L., Hill Rat: Blowing the Lid OffCongress 6:2,64 How bad is the epidemic in America to­ Kaplan, Justin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, Sixteenth Edition 6:6,61 day? Since the gay and AIDS lobbies have Kauffman, Bill, Every Man a King 6:5,65 effectively blocked nationwide surveillance King, Aorence, With Charity Towards None: A Fond LookAt Misanthropy 6:4,68 seroprevalence studies, we have very few Krimerman, Len (with Frank Lindenfeld), studies to rely on. Presently we do have the When Workers Decide 6:4,53 Sentinel Hospital Studies published in The Lee, Spike, Malcom X (film) 6:3,71 New England Journal ofMedicine, August 13, Levy, Stephen, Artificial Life 6:4,66 1992, which showed that anonymous testing Lindenfield, Frank (with Len Krimerman), When Workers Decide 6:4,53 in 20 hospitals across America revealed that McBride, Joseph, Frank Capra: The Catastrophe ofSuccess 6:4,66 4.70/0 of those going into hospitals were in­ Merquior, J.G., Liberalism Old and New 6:2,67 fected - up from 2.30/0 in 1990. Further­ Miller, G. Tyler Jr., Environmental Science 6:1,45 more, a recent study presented at the Reed, Sally (with Edward Fiske and R. Craig Sautter), Smart Kids 6:1,50 Rees-Moog, Lord William (with James Dale Davidson), International Conference in Berlin from The GreatReckoning 6:3,61 Marie O'Brien of the University of Illinois in Reid, Scott, Canada Remapped 6:1,53 Chicago found that of heterosexuals tested, Richler, Mordeca, Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! 6:4,67 between 35 and 45 years of age, 5.50/0 were Rollyson, Carl, Nothing Ever Happens to the Brave 6:3,75 infected. All of them will slowly progress to Root-Bernstein, Robert, Rethinking AIDS: The Tragic Cost ofPremature Consensus . 6:6,57 death because we are not using those tech­ Sautter, R. Craig (with Edward Fiske and Sally Reed), Smart Kids 6:1,50 niques necessary to bring this epidemic un­ Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. der control. The Disuniting ofAmerica: Reflections on a Multicultural Society 6:4,47 Professor Haseltine has estimated that Schor, Julie, The Overworked American: by the tum of the century, there may be 100 The Unexpected Decline ofLeisure 6:1,52 Screaming Wolf, A Declaration ofWar 6:3,69 million people infected worldwide, and the Steele, David Ramsay, From Marx to Mises 6:5,59 Hudson Institute released a report in 1989 Sterba, James, How to Make People Just 6:5,61 stating that the worst-case scenario suggest­ Szasz, Thomas, Our Right to Drugs: The Case for a Free Market 6:2,65 ed that we could have 14.2 million Taylor, Joan Kennedy, Reclaiming the Mainstream: Rediscovered 6:3,59 Americans infected by the year 2002. We Tomlinson, Jim, Hayek and the Market 6:3,65 have delayed too long using standard public Tyrrell, R. Emmett, The Conservative Crack-Up 6:1,53 health techniques to bring this plague under Vedder, Richard K (with Lowell E. Gallaway), Out ofWork 6:6,66 control. Wilcox, Laird (with John George), Stanley K. Monteith, M.D. Nazis, Communists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe 6:5,55 Wilson, F. Paul, The LaNague Chronicles 6:4,68 President, HIV Watch Wilson, Robert Anton, Reality Is What You Can Get Away With 6:3,73 Santa Cruz, Calif. 68 Liberty Volume 7, Number 1 October 1993

Doherty replies: Monteith's lack of cita­ tions for his assertions makes rebuttal [::::::::::======M==o==te==~==o==n==G==o==n==t==rz==· =====~) frustrating, but I'll try. I stand by my b===u===to===r.==='S statement that no retrovirus has been Chester Alan Arthur is Liberty's political corre­ century. His latest is A Dictionary of the proven to cause a human disease. That spondent, and you're not. Avant-Garde. HTLV-1 causes leukemia is another "Baloo" is really Rex F. May, a cartoonist William P. Moulton writes from cosmopolitan Robert Gallo story, predating "IllV caus­ known and loved by readers of The Wall Traverse City, Michigan. es AIDS," and is by no means proven. Street Journal and other fine periodicals. &ndal O'Toole is a forest economist with The paper "Latent Viruses and Mutated John Bergstrom is a cartoonist liVing in Cascade Holistic Economic Consultants in Oncongenes" by Peter Duesberg and Hollywood. Portland, Oregon. Jody Schwartz in Vol. 43, 1992 of Progress David Boaz is executive vice preSident of the Isabel Paterson is author of The God ofthe Mnchine in Nucleic Acid Research and Molecular Cato Institute, and co-editor of Market and other works. Liberalism: A Paradigm for the 21st Century. Biology features a thorough debunking of Sheldon Richman is senior editor of the Cato Institute. the MTLV/Leukemia claims. Again, as R. W. Bradford is editor of Liberty. He is one of those unfortunate individuals who has no Dan Riga is a member of the Canadian with HIV, this theory is based on mere health insurance, in whose name the presi­ Libertarian Party. weak correlation; as the above paper dent is about to nationalize health care. James S. Robbins is a writer and foreign policy points out, HLTV-1 has not been known Stephen Cox is Professor of Literature at the analyst in Massachusetts. to cause leukemia through transfusion, University of California, San Diego and wrote the introduction for the new edition Susan J. Rutter is a graduate student at the "antiviral antibodies that completely neu­ of The God of the Machine. University of North Carolina. tralize HLTV-1 to virtually undetectable Brian Doherty plays punk wonk for a think Hans F. Sennholz is president of the Foundation levels do not protect against the leuke­ tank in Washington, D.C. for Economic Education. mia," and, again, many cases of the leu­ Christopher Thomas Freeburn is a business exec­ Sandy Shaw is co-author of Freedom ofInformed kemia exist with no HLTV-1 present. I utive inWestchester County, New York. Choice: The FDA vs Nutrient Supplements. am unfamiliar with his unsourced asser­ Stefan Herpel is a litigation attorney in Ann Aaron T. Steelman is a student at the University tion about HLTV-2 causing progressive Arbor, Michigan. His last article for Liberty, of Michigan and Liberty's outgoing editorial assistant. spinal degeneration, but Peter Duesberg "The Orwellian University" Ouly 1990), ap­ peared under the pseudonym Charles Thorne. Robert F. Tinney is a free-lance illustrator and tells me that this is again based on occa­ Bill Kauffman is the author of a novel, Every long-time semi-Randroid libertarian. sional correlation. Man a King. Timothy Virkkala is assistant publisher of Fauci's paper on in lymph nodes mv Greg Kaza is Michigan State Representative for Liberty. merely proves that the body's immune the 42nd District. Jesse Walker is assistant editor of Liberty. system is perfectly capable of taking care Richard Kostelanetz, unaffiliated in New York, Leland B. Yeager is LudWig von Mises of the supposedly deadly HIV. See Bryan has published books of poetry, fiction, criti­ Distinguished Professor of Economics at Ellison's "DoesHIVLurk in Your Lymph cism, and cultural history for over a quarter Auburn University. Nodes?" in the April 1993 Rethinking AIDS. He still reported virus-infected The alleged epidemic in Thailand is Actually, the mayor responsible for T-cells numbering only from 1/100 to a grand total of 123 confirmed AIDS cas­ bombing a city block was W. Wilson 1/10,000, and even these bits of virus es as of last year, though mv infection Goode, Philadelphia's first black mayor, were coated with antibodies. That's what rates are bandied about, through uncer­ who is a liberal Democrat. the lymph nodes are there for: to filter tain extrapolation, of up to 300,000. I Eugene Glenn Stackhouse out those viral invaders, which is why question the certainty of any specula­ Germantown, Penn. they can be found there in greater than tions, especially unsourced ones, about Walker replies: On the other hand, those normal concentrations. the number of prostitutes on the streets who defended the bombing were almost No one else, including Gallo, has of Bombay with IllV infections, and all conservative. made the assertion Monteith makes stand by the American Journal ofPublic about viremia levels during the terminal Health study cited in my article. Notice Well, Now That You Mention it, stage of the disease being very high; if Monteith doesn't attempt to debunk this Adults Are Hard to Get this were true, we wouldn't need to go to study; he merely throws around specu­ I was amazed by the term "under­ such tortuous methods as polymerase lations about why a nonexistent "explo­ paid wetbacks" (Reflections, August chain reaction analysis and antibody tests sion" is occuring in faraway Thailand. 1993) being used in your magazine. to detect the virus, and wouldn't need to And I'd be curious to know what sort of In the first place, they weren't artificially grow it in vitro to get the virus "public health techniques that could be underpaid. necessary to make tests. The line of T­ readily used to bring this epidemic un­ In the second and most important cells in which HIV for these tests is der control" Monteith advocates. place, "wetbacks" is a derogatory term grown, by the way, has been growing for Mexicans who come here trying to since 1984, belying IDY's alleged T-eell­ Walker Fiddles, MOVE Burns make a living. Will you be using "nig­ destroying qualities. Though Monteith Jesse Walker states that "conserva­ gers" for blacks next, or "kikes" for Jews, doesn't give a citation to help check his tives are those who believe the govern­ or "Polacks" for Polish nannies? veracity, Due~berg tells me the story of ment should immolate cults that Is it difficult to get adult writers? the Belgian man is from a 1988 paper in espouse vegetarianism, black separa­ I consider myself to be as bigoted as which it is not made clear if the ~lleged tism, and 'organic hygiene'" in his re­ anybody, but I expect better in my read­ nine infected females are actually dying flection about the MOVE debacle and ing matter. I won't renew, of course. or merely HIV-positive, or whether they the Waco atrocity (''Left and right: pros­ David Elliot fall into other risk groups. pects for barbecue" August 1993). Evanston, TIL Liberty 69 lncognitrm

Siloam Springs, Ark. Indiana Avant garde jurisprudence in Bill Clinton's home state, Culinary note from the Hoosier State, as reported in the reported in the Northern Express: Detroit Free Press: Upon recapture, escaped convict Ross Chadwell filed a lawsuit Brian Lyman, 20, has been arrested for biting the bark offtrees. against the county, charging that the sheriff "violated the plaintiff's civil rights by allowing him to es<;ape." Washington, D.C. Interesting observation from the Bureau of Alcohol, Phoenix Tobacco, and Firearms, reported in the Bloomington, Indiana A unique criminal rehabilitation program, described in the Herald- Times: New Times: "All therapeutic claims, regardless oftruthfulness, are inherent­ Arizona's attorney general, Grant Woods, posed for a photo with ly misleading and particularly deceptive." hot dog salesman Robert Carter. Carter is a wanted escapee from Woods' work-furlough program. Kenosha County, Minn. Creative hate crimes in the upper midwest, reported in the Milwaukee Milwaukee Journal: Mixing of metaphors and politics in America's Dairyland, Three blacks shot Hasidic Jews Robin Baronsky and Adalber as reported in the Milwaukee Journal: Menzera in the parkjng lot ofa Minnesota gas station. The shooters thought the Hasids looked like "members ofthe Ku Klux Klan." ''We sort of picked up this cross of property taxes for the last twelve years and we've had it on our shoulders," said Democratic Assembly Speaker Wally Kunicki. 'We've just now put this cross China on the ground and nailed ourselves to it. So we're going to have to ... Topographic note from the Celestial Kingdom, as reported pull the trigger. Maybe it will force us to put the gun to our head by the China News Service: and get offthe dime." "Seen from a certain angle at sunset, a mountain in China's Guangdong province looks like the late Mao Zedong." College Park, Maryland Dispatch from the war for , as reported in Illinois the Milwaukee Journal: Progressive safety legislation in the Land of Lincoln, Women taking a class in feminist art at the University of described in the State Journal-Register. Maryland selected all identifiably male names from a campus After , motorists will be required to have their phone book and posted them around campus on posters reading, headlights on whenever they use their windshield wipers. Violators "Notice: These Men Are Potential Rapists." Women involved in the will be fmed $75. project asked to remain anonymous. The Border Washington, D.C. Advance in intemationallaw, reported by the DetroitNews: The new math of the old politics, as demonstrated in the Senior American: The Clinton administration has promised Mexico that it will not Asked whether President Clinton's "stimulus" package would engage in cross-border kidnapping of Mexican citizens while an cost $15 billion or $30 billion, White House Press Secretary Dee agreement between the two countries banning the practice is being Dee Myers responded, "It's all in the same range." negotiated.

Milwaukee Australia Progress toward the paperless society, reported in the The advance of Art in the Antipodes, cited in the Detroit Milwaukee Journal: News: The Australia Council, a government body that funds the arts, The Milwaukee County Department of Human Resources gave every county employee a memo announcing examinations "for the has given $4,270 to the Workers in Sex Employment Collective to produce a script for a prostitution training video. positions listed below." But down below, all it said was, "No openings." Sacramento China The rigors of law enforcement in the Golden State, as reported in the San Jose Unintended consequences strike the Celestial Kingdom, Mercury News: described in the Northern Express: "Police lobbyists say it is too burdensome to convict someone ofa crime before taking their property." , When Chinese officials ordered that anyone dying after April 1 be cremated, at least 40 citizens killed themselves so that they (Readers are invited to forward newsclippings or other items for would die in time to be buried instead. publication in Terra Incognita.) 70 Liberty • "America's Bipartisan Apartheid," by Brian Doherty Plus writing by Leland Yeager, David Friedman, Henry B. Veatch, Jane -..J(°ttd! Shaw, Bill Kauffman, Karl Hess Jr. and others. (80 pages) Uf lV.J.t es March 1992 ate yo \SSU • "Albert Jay Nock: Prophet of Libertarianism?" by Stephen Cox i'tfl.Ul ,sy,ac\<. ()1tt back co'Oet' • "P.C. or B.S.?" by Meredith McGhan • IIAcid Rain and the Corrosion of Science," by Edward C. Krug st cotltiltued fr . :\.. Libert'Y • "Who Really Wrote Little House on the Prairie?" by William Holtz ~\.tl.~ Plus writing by Karl Hess, Jane Shaw, Lawrence White, Randal O'Toole Volume 4 and others; and an interview with Pat Buchanan. (72 pages) May 1992 September 1990 • "Clarence Thomas: Cruel and Unusual Justice?" by James Taggart • "Conversations with Ayn Rand (part 2)," byJohn Hospers • "Hong Kong: Where Everyone Has a Job," by Mark Tier • "Is Environmental Press Coverage Biased?" byJane S. Shaw • "Divorce, Czechoslovak Style," by Vojtech Cepl and Ron Lipp • "The Pro-Life Case for the Abortion Pill," by Dr Plus writing by Eric Banfield, Karl Hess, David Horowitz, Daniel Klein Plus articles and reviews by Michael Krauss, James Robbins, Richard and others; and fiction by J. arlin Grabbe. (72 pages) Kostelanetz and others; and ~ jicciOn by Harvey Segal. (72 pages) July 1992 November 1990 • "Christians and Libertarians in a Hostile World," by Doug Bandow • "Smokes, But No Peacepipe," by Scott Reid • "Returning America's Roads to the Market," by Terree Wasley • "Sex, Drugs, and the Goldberg Variations," by Richard Kostelanetz • "The 'Lock' on the Electoral College," by David Brin I• "Why is Anyone Virtuous?" by David Friedman Plus commentary on the L.A. Riots, and writings by David Kelley, Le­ Plus articles and reviews by Robert Higgs, Leslie Fleming, Alexander land Yeager, George H. Smith and others. (72 pages) Tabarrok, Sheldon Richman and others; and an interview with . (80 pages) Volume 6 January 1991 • "Meltdown: The End of the Soviet Empire," by David Boaz, James September 1992 Robbins, Ralph Raico and Jane S. Shaw • "War on Drugs, War on Progress," by James Ostrowski • "Gordon Gekko, Mike Milken, and Me," by Douglas Casey • "Wilderness, Church and State," by Robert H. Nelson Plus articles and reviews by Michael Christian, Ralph Raico, Loren Lo­ • "If Execution Is Just, What Is Justice?" by J. Neil Schulman masky and others; plus special election coverage. (SO pages) Plus writing by Martin Morse Wooster, Ethan O. Waters, Jane S. Shaw, March 1991 William Mellor III and others; and an index to back issues. (SO pages) • "The Myth of War Prosperity," by Robert Higgs November 1992 • "The Life ofRose Wilder Lane," by William Holtz • "The First Time: I Run for the Presidency," by John Hospers • "TheStrange Death of the McDLT," by R.W. Bradford • IIEurope's Money Mess: We've Heard ItAll Before," Leland Yeager Plus articles and reviews byJan Narveson, Jane Shaw, Richard Weaver, • "The Mystery of the Missing Detectives," by David Justin Ross Linda Locke, Krzysztof Ostaszewski and others. (72 pages) Plus articles and reviews by Gabriel Hocman, David Kelley, Daniel May 1991 Klein, Richard Kostelanetz, Loren Lomasky and others. (80 pages) • "Christiana: Something Anarchical in Denmark," by Ben Best February 1993 • "Journalists and the Drug War," by David Boaz • "A Feminist Defense of Pornography," by Wendy McElroy • "California's Man-Made Drought," by Richard Stroup • "In Freedom's Way," by James Ostrowski Plus writing by John Baden, Scott Reid, Leland Yeager and others; and • "Is Feminism Obsolete?" by Jane S. Shaw a short story by Lawrence Thompson. (72 pages) • "Eastern Dystopia, Western Myopia," by Ronald F. Lipp July 1991 Plus election coverage, and writings by RW. Bradford, Bill Kauffman, John Hospers, John McCormack and others. (80 pages) • "Say 'No' to Intolerance," by Milton Friedman • "1 Am a Casualty of the War on Drugs," by'Stuart Reges April 1993 Plus articles and reviews by David Friedman, Loren Lomasky, Sheldon • "Inside Clinton's Head," by Douglas Casey Richman, Karl Hess, Richard Kostelanetz and others; and Mark • "How To Cut Your Taxes by 75%," by R. W. Bradford Skousen's interview with Robert Heilbroner. (72 pages) • "Isn't Multiculturalism a Good Thing?" by Stephen Cox Plus writings by Mark Skousen, John Hospers, Bill Kauffman and oth­ VolumeS ers; and an interview with Roy Childs. (72 pages) June 1993 September 1991 • "Who Benefits from the Clinton Program?" by Harry Browne • "Stalking the Giant Testes of Ethiopia," by Robert Miller • "Holocaust, American-Style," by R W. Bradford • "GNP: A Bogus Notion," by R W. Bradford • "vAT Out of Hell," by Chester Alan Arthur by • "Persuasion versus Force," Mark Skousen • "Understanding the State," by Albert Jay Nock Plus articles and reviews by Bart Kosko, Frank Fox, John Hospers, Plus writing by Leland Yeager, Jonathan Saville, Randal O'Toole, Bart James Taggart, Karl Hess and others. (72 pages) Kosko and others; and other reviews and articles. (72 pages) November 1991 August 1993 • "The Road to Nowhere," by David Horowitz • "The Ungreening of the Media," by Jane S. Shaw • "Women v the Nation-State," by Carol Moore • "How Do I Hate NPR? Let Me Count the Ways," by Glenn Garvin • "Thelma and Louise: Feminist Heroes," by Miles Fowler • "Death and Bureaucracy in Waco, Texas," by Loren E Lomasky and Plus writing by Robert Higgs, Leland Yeager and others; and a short R.W. Bradford story by J. E. Goodman. (SO pages) • "Lies, Damn Lies, and AIDS Research," by Brian Doherty January 1992 Plus writing by David Boaz, John McCormack and others; other reviews • "The National Park Disgrace," by RW. Bradford and articles; and a short story by J. arlin Grabbe. (72 pages) • "Sex, Race, and the Single Gentleman," by Richard Kostelanetz Information concerning the fiISt volume (six issues) of Liberty can be found on page 50. Stimulate Your Mind! There is a world of good reading in Liberty! Whether you want to catch up on what you missed, provide intellectual relief to your friends (or enemies!), or complete your collection, now is a good time to buy. Enjoy! Volume 2 · "What if Everything We Know About Safety Is Wrong?" byJohn Sem- mens and Dianne Kresich September 1988 Plus articles and reviews by Stephen Cox, Jeffrey Friedman, David Ram­ • "Scrooge McDuck and His Creator," by Phil Salin say Steele, Sheldon Richman and others. (72 pages) • "Liberty and Ecology," by John Hospers • "The Ultimate Justification of the Private Property Ethic," by Hans­ May 1989 • "Man, Nature, and State: Free Market Slogans are Not Enough," by Hermann Hoppe Karl Hess, Jr Plus reviews and articles by Douglas Casey, , L. Neil Smith and others; and a short story by Erika Holzer. (80 pages) • "The End of the Secular Century," by Murray N. Rothbard Plus articles and reviews by Stephen Cox, David Gordon, Justin Raimon­ November 1988 do and others. (72 pages) • "Taking Over the Roads," byJohn Semmens July 1989 • "The Search for We The Living," by RW. Bradford • "Viking Iceland: Anarchy That Worked," by David Friedman Plus articles and reviews by , Stephen Cox, John Dentinger, • "The Myth of the Rights of Mental Patients," by Thomas S. Szasz James Robbins and others. (SO pages) • "Fetal Rights: The Implications," by TIbor Machan Plus articles and reviews by R.W. Bradford, John Hospers, Jane S. Shaw, Jeffrey Tucker, Leland Yeager and others. (80 pages) Volume 3 September 1989 • "Holocausts and the Historians," by Ralph Raico • liMy Expulsion from the Rand Cult," by Murray Rothbard • "Abortion Without Absurdity," by R W. Bradford Plus articles and reviews by David Friedman, Richard Kostelanetz, Loren ., Lomasky, , Jeffrey Tucker and others. (72 pages) November 1989 ·"The Lost War on Drugs," byJoseph Miranda • IILife With (and Without) Ayn Rand," by TIbor R. Machan I Plus articles and reviews by Loren Lomasky, Michael Christian, Richard Kostelanetz, J.R. Dunn, R.W. Bradford and others; and aninterview I with Russell Means. (72 pages) January 1990 ·"The Greenhouse Effect: Myth or Danger?" by Patrick J. Michaels I • "The Case for /' by Llewelyn Rockwell • "In Defense ofJim Baker and Zsa Zsa," by Ethan O. Waters ·"The Death ofSocialism: What It Means," by R.W. Bradford, Murray I Rothbard, Stephen Cox, and William P. Moulton Plus writing byAndrew Roller, David Gordon and others; and an inter­ I view with Barbara Branden. (80 pages) March 1990 ·"The Case Against /' by Stephen Cox • "H.L. Mencken: Anti-Semite?" by R.W. Bradford I • "Libertarian Intellectuals on Welfare," by George H. Smith Plus articles and reviews by Sheldon Richman, Richard Kostelanetz, John I Hospers, Loren Lomasky, Leland Yeager and others. (80 pages) May 1990 • "Conservativismin Its Latter Days," by William P. Moulton I • "A Population Crisis?" byJane S. Shaw Account # • "Killing as Therapy," by Thomas Szasz Signature Plus articles and reviews by Bill Kauffman, Richard Kostelanetz, Robert I Higgs, Bart Kosko, Loren Lomasky and others. (72 pages) Name July 1990 Address I • "Conversations with Ayn Rand (part 1)," by John Hospers • "ff You Believe in Dentistry, Why Should You Mind Having Your City Teeth Knocked Out?" by William P. Moulton I • "The Orwellian University," by Charles Thome State __Zip Phone _ • "Strange Subcultures of the Right," by John Baden Liberty, Dept. B37, PO Box 1181, Port Townsend, WA 98368 .- Plus articles and reviews by David Friedman, Bill Kauffman, James Rob­ L ------bins, Mark Skousen and others. (72 pages)