Objectivist Round Up

This week's Round Up is hosted by One Reality.

The Truth About Cars and Trucks

Holman Jenkins spells out America's actual auto policy in the WSJ.

Abortion and slavery

Ari Armstrong writes about the prospects of religious-right candidates in Colorado following Marilyn Musgrave to defeat.

He also examines the misrepresentation of a statement by Dawn Johnsen, former NARAL counsel and nominee for the head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, who once wrote that forcing a woman to bear a child was "disturbingly suggestive of involuntary servitude". Opponents of abortion, including Musgrave, have implied that Johnsen's statement means she believes that all pregnancy - whether chosen or forced - is equivalent to slavery.

Forcing a woman to bear a child she does not want is more than merely suggestive of slavery.

Slavery is obviously not a word that applies to a woman who freely chooses to carry a child, give birth to it and raise it because that is what she genuinely desires.

Thug Rule in Washington

Rituparna Basu blogs at The Undercurrent on Ken Lewis' testimony about Bank of America.

Of Conservatism, Ayn Rand and Tea Parties

In his latest post at Rule of Reason, Ed Cline contrasts conservatives' reactions to the publication of Atlas Shrugged 50 years ago with criticism by today's conservative idealogues of the Tea Parties.

Cline quotes William R. Hawkins:

"More precise thought needs to be given to what the protests are about if effective reform is to result. The cry cannot simply be to oppose ‘government’ per se. In a major financial crisis like the current one, when comparisons to the Great Depression are not unwarranted, it is the responsibility of the Federal authorities to take action to stabilize the economy and lay the groundwork for recover."

This reminds me of the rhetoric used by many members of Congress - including some from Oklahoma - to explain their support for the bailout.

Cline reminds us that Ayn Rand was "neither an anarchist nor a libertarian".

Free Speech, the Supreme Court and the FCC

The WSJ, in its report on the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the FCC's authority to punish broadcasters over expletives, quotes Justice Antonin Scalia as writing, in the majority's decision,

"There are some propositions for which scant empirical evidence can be marshaled, and the harmful effect of broadcast profanity on children is one of them," . . .

Surely this is empirical evidence that Scalia is a base hypocrite for claiming to be a strict consitutionalist. For surely a strict constitutionalist would strike down the very existence of the FCC as a gross violation of the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech rather than making some lame ruling about protecting the ears of the nation's children.

Here's Don Watkins' blog post on this at Voices for Reason.

And thanks to bigpuzy for this tweet:

Dear SCOTUS: your ruling today is a "fleeting expletive." The mere existence of the FCC violates the 1st Amendment.

Health on the fast track

Paul Hsieh of Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine has the details about Obama's plan to ramrod his health-care legislation through Congress.

Now is the time for Americans to contact their Democratic Senators and Representatives and tell them to vote NO on Obama's health-care plan.

Inhofe objects to judge following constitution

According to a blog post by Bruce Prescott, former president of the Oklahoma Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Senator Jim Inhofe has threatened to filibuster Obama judicial nominee David Hamilton.

Why? According to Prescott:

Inhofe objects to a ruling by Hamilton that required the Indiana State legislature to abide by the disestablishment clause of the First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion . . ."

Prescott cites a post on a blog called Overruled, which says that Inhofe announced his intentions on the Senate floor on April 20th.

Apparently, Inhofe is upset with Hamilton

because of his 2005 decision as a Federal district court judge presiding over the case Hinrichs v. Bosmah, in which he enjoined the Speaker of Indiana’s House of Representatives from permitting “sectarian” prayers to be offered as part of that body’s official proceedings

So, if I have this straight, Inhofe is offended because Hamilton actually upheld the letter of the Constitution. But isn't following the Constitution to the letter what people like Inhofe supposedly want?

Must-see TV

The Ayn Rand Center's Yaron Brook is now a regular on Pajamas TV and will be appearing at least every Friday to discuss current events with host Allen Barton and Terry Jones, associate editor of Investors Business Daily.

In the latest edition of PJTV's Economy and Financial Review, the topic is "Obama's First 100 Days": the staggering growth in government power is examined and possibilities for the next 100 days of the Obama administration are considered.

You might not want to watch this one too late at night. The picture that emerges is not a pretty one - and the indications that Obama may be setting his sights on the health care industry and environmentalism - in the form of carbon trading - are frightening when one considers the possibility of the government extending its power over what could amount to twenty percent - one-fifth - of the country's economy.

The situation is made worse because there is no effective opposition from Republicans on these issues. As Brook points out, the Republicans concede the basic premises of the Democrats on health care and the environment and publicly espouse the same goals in slightly diluted form.

And THAT is the real danger.

Tea Party radio

Oklahoma City Tea Party organizer Alan Webb will be hosting his own radio show LIVE at 5:30PM Oklahoma time today.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/okcteaparty

He even has a call-in number!

646-200-4951