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Believe it or not, I have been named one of the "Top Hayekian Public Intellectuals in America" by Greg Ransom. This was for promoting the free-market economic ideas of Nobel Prize winner Friedrich Hayek, not Hollywood hottie Salma Hayek.Looking over Greg's list, there's no argument that Thomas Sowell deserves his No. 1 ranking. Ever since this blog started, Sowell's The Vision of the Anointed has been on the sidebar as the single best volume for those who want to understand modern liberalism. It's possible to view The Vision of the Anointed as an expansion on the theme developed by Hayek in The Mirage of Social Justice. What I've always admired about Sowell is the admirable clarity of his writing. He has an excellent knack for boiling things down to an understandable essence.
John Stossel at No. 2, George Mason University's Walter Williams at No. 3 -- both excellent choices. It is possible to argue that Williams's influence at GMU, where he teaches the school's Ph.D. candidates in economics, makes him the single most influential free-market educator in America. GMU is also home to the Mercatus Center, which helps nurture free-market ideas.
If I could quibble with Greg's list, I'd suggest he take another look and consider adding Michelle Malkin. Since 9/11, Michelle has been pigeonholed as a "neocon" hawk, but she has a strong free-market background -- she was a Brookes Fellow at CEI -- and has been perhaps the blogosphere's most prominent opponent of the Keynesian stimulus/bailout approach to the economic crisis.
How the hell did my reach around get buried down under a Lindsey Lohan spread -- fat chance the young buck conservatives are going to make it past the links to cheese cake ..
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Greg, you're linked in the bikini roundup, too. (Because that's how I roll.)
ReplyDeleteIt has either been 40 years since the "scholars" read *THE ROAD...* and they've forgot what it says; or they have not read Michelle Malkin. To not have her ahead of George Will shows a clear lack of understanding of either *THE ROAD* or her positions - which she has held for as long as I've followed her - 5 years.
ReplyDeleteGlenn should also be above Will, maybe even ahead of Michelle.
Rusty had some great videos - long! - on *THE ROAD* about a month or so ago. JAWA. (did you send me there? I do not remember. But I suggest them for viewing for any Rugged Individual.
Hayek, like Ayn Rand, saw first hand the destruction collectivism does. God forbid my grankids see with their eyes an America destroyed by collectivism!
Rod Stanton
Cerritos, Cal