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Bully Pulpit

The term "bully pulpit" stems from President Theodore Roosevelt's reference to the White House as a "bully pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. Roosevelt often used the word "bully" as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful. The Bully Pulpit features news, reasoned discourse, opinion and some humor.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Intellectual Takeout

Click the link above. This is an interesting new site targeted at right-of-center college students.

On Environmentalism:

Environmental activists do not hold a monopoly on pro-environment positions. Environmental activists are against urban sprawl, yet it can be argued urban sprawl is actually better for the environment. Environmental activists are champions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), yet it can be argued the ESA promotes habitat destruction. Environmental activists believe global warming will beget apocalyptic destruction worldwide, yet it can be argued global warming will create a more comfortable and agriculturally productive environment. You may have never heard these arguments before, but you can discover these ideas and many others by clicking the links below.

On Economics:

Eighty, fifty, even thirty years ago, many considered socialism the superior system of economic coordination. They believed a central government could coordinate industry and the factors of production. Communism wasn’t per se evil, just poorly implemented. Today, socialism is largely discredited. Most understand it is impossible for central planners to acquire and process all of the information necessary to coordinate an entire economy. But that is not to say socialist ideals do not live on. The collectivist, utopian sentiments underlying socialism continue to influence economic policies in free market economies. Therefore, understanding socialism’s inherent defects and fractured logic continues to be important. Consider calls for universal health care. Some people think the government can run healthcare better than the private market, but the track record from countries with government-run healthcare is abysmal. It is no coincidence that nearly all medical innovations come out of America—the only industrialized country with a free market in healthcare.

On Education:

Vouchers! Utter the “V” word and many supporters of the public school system shudder in fear. But what is the truth about vouchers? Will they (as opponents believe) “destroy public education as we know it,” or will they (as supporters believe) bring much-needed competition into a monopolistic system?

Research indicates that vouchers have had a positive impact on student achievement as well as on the performance of public schools whose students are eligible for vouchers.

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