This episode features a talk by economist and social activist Gloria Alvarez. She speaks passionately about issues facing Latin America and why an expansion of freedom would help bring about much needed change.
Tag: change
Thought Experiments
The claim I heard from some economists was that you can’t have trade without inequality. While I believe inequality is inescapable, natural, not undesirable, and an inevitable outcome of freedom and prosperity, I don’t think it is logically necessary in order for mutually beneficial trade to occur.
Police Violence: “Reform” Is Not Enough
Every few years, some particular instance of a pervasive phenomenon — police violence in the form of unjustified or at least highly questionable killings — “goes viral” with the result that America’s cities explode in protest. Every time that happens, some American politicians complain about a non-existent “war on police,” while others promise “reforms” such as closer supervision (like the increase in body camera use following the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri), civilian review boards to investigate complaints, better training, and of course more money. After each round of “reforms,” the problem continues.
My Upcoming Debate with the Harvard Professor Who Wants a “Presumptive Ban” on Homeschooling
When I told my 13-year-old homeschooled daughter that I would be participating in an upcoming debate with the Harvard professor who recommends a “presumptive ban” on homeschooling, she asked incredulously, “Why would anyone want to prevent people from homeschooling?”
POTUS Thirteen Through Eighteen
With the exceptions of the monstrous pair, Lincoln and Grant, the other 4 are bound for the abyss of the forgotten. But, to me, there is no such thing as a great President. To have been a POTUS places a black mark on that career. Few (ie none) have risen above.
It’s Time to Change the Status Quo
This is a painful time for so many of us. There is anger, outrage, pain, fear, racism, injustice, sadness, exhaustion — and it’s not just a recent thing, it goes back generations, as far as our country has existed. It’s heartbreaking.
Bullshit if True
Sometimes a spade is a spade, and info about where it came from, who put it there, or the odds of it showing up again are intellectual exercises not necessary to form a judgement and do what needs to be done.
Time to Stop Messing Around and Strike at the Root of Police Violence
It’s tempting to believe that protest marches, violent confrontations, looting, burning, and riots can change police behavior, or perhaps that they COULD change that behavior if applied frequently and vigorously enough. That kind of widespread delusion is, as Thoreau put it, “a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root,” with predictable results.
Market Needs Freedom to Flourish
The world’s economy is being damaged by this pandemic, or, more accurately, it’s being damaged by government reactions to the pandemic. The damage is adding up; getting worse with time. The only questions are: How bad is the damage going to be? And how long will it take to recover? I don’t know the answers;…
Technocracy is Evil and Inhumane
Fuck the cold metallic gloved dead hand of human chess playing technocratic ghouls who want to squelch and contain and document and track and sterilize it to death.