If you’re looking for a break from the belched platitudes and promises during this campaign season, check this out.  This is what most readers of this blog would like to hear from the candidates (assuming that if they said it, they meant it!).

Leonard Read and many of his writings ( “Anything That’s Peaceful,” for instance) were transforming for me.  His philosophy of liberty led him to believe that patent and copyright laws were an unjust use of state power, hence all of his writings are available online and free. 

Perhaps his most devastating piece on central “state” planning was “I, Pencil.”  The futility of “planning” the production of a mere pencil is demonstrated in contrast to its spontaneous appearance due to “uncoordinated” market forces.  How one could read this clever piece then subsequently claim government has anything but the most limited role is beyond me.  To rely on central state planners for the provision of something as complicated as health care after reading “I Pencil,” seems clearly more evil than stupid.  

I still remember the dismay I had reading Read’s works.  ”Why didn’t someone tell me about this guy when I was in school,”  was basically what I was thinking.  If you haven’t read this giant of liberty, you are in for a treat.  

G. Keith Smith, M.D.