We Picked The Wrong Roman Dictator

RealClearMarkets ^ | 02/13/2010 | Bill Flax

[billflax]

America has lost its way. My hometown was named for the Society of the Cincinnati. In ancient Rome, citizen-general Cincinnatus put down his plow to save his nation. When the battle was won, he declined a crown and returned to his farm. His self-restraint in the face of overwhelming temptation bequeathed to Rome several centuries of limited, republican government.

George Washington exhibited similar virtue after our independence. He too could have been king, but his self-denial enabled the rule of law to triumph over the rule of men. Our revolution was largely fought to settle the timeless question of whether government is answerable to the law protecting the rights of its constituents - or - are the people subject to government with a malleable Constitution bending to political pleasure.

America once enjoyed a constitutional republic where property rights were sacrosanct, contracts were conscientiously enforced and markets prevailed. Secure property rights channeled our energies into productive enterprise via the profit motive. An impartial application of the law encouraged market development which enhanced specialization and America's hallmark: an innovative spirit propelling higher living standards for all.

Freedom and prosperity are inexorably linked. Government constrained by law and limited by checks and balances, between both branches and levels of government, birthed an economic juggernaut. Yet, another Roman general has indirectly put a more pronounced stamp on our economy.

Fabius . . .

[billflax]

Somewhat dated, but still relevant.

[shibumi]

And still excerpting your own work, eh?

[Tainan]

Thanks for the posting. Good article.

(Oxford area native here...old enough to have many fond memories of Crosley Field)

[billflax]

Miami grad. Thanks for reading.

[CalvaryJohn]

Thanks, Bill. Cogent and relevant-much better than your average MSM opinion piece. I got all the good info on Keynes and Shaw without having to listen to Glenn Beck.

[Venturer]

Bamalamadingdong would have taken the crown.

Problem is we would have lost the war under his leadership, so it wouldn’t have been offered.

[YankeeReb]

I got all the good info on Keynes and Shaw without having to listen to Glenn Beck.

LOL. I love Beck but sometimes especially when he goes off on the religious stuff for too long I need to take a break from him.

[MikeSteelBe]

My favorite Mormon is taking a permanent vacation from Fox News and moving to Texas.

He should quote Davy Crockett for the last thing he says on his last show.

[tx_eggman]

And still excerpting your own work, eh?

Gotta bump that hit count

[Catsrus]

What was it Davy said? You can all go to he**, I’m going to Texas?

[humblegunner]

Thanks for reading.

I'd like to read it too.

How about posting the rest of it?

[Tainan]

Same here - BS in '74, MS in '87...Poly Sci...LOL

Boars Head and water tower days.

[RoadTest]

Ooh! Good one!

[billflax]

“I’d like to read it too.”

So read it. The means is at your disposal. Or don’t read it. Why do you suppose anyone else cares?

Fear not those of you who would begrudge an author being paid for his efforts – I profit nothing. I defend capitalism for free. Neither RealClearMarkets nor Forbes pays me per hit or via any other measure.

I write for the same reason I enlisted on my 18th birthday and left for boot-camp the weekend of HS graduation. Because freedom is worth defending and the message is worth spreading.

But watch out you vigilant profit preventers – another RCM article is posted today defending the free market. “There’s No Iniquity In Income Inequality.”

You’re free to click or not click. It is your choice. My only gain is the bemusement of watching some of your reactions.

And that profit has already been gained.

[humblegunner]

So read it.

So post it.

I defend capitalism for free.

Then why excerpt? Why not post the full content?

another RCM article is posted today defending the free market

Yes, I've seen it. It too is needlessly excerpted.

You are a common blogpimp.

[shibumi]

"Fear not those of you who would begrudge an author being paid for his efforts – I profit nothing."

If you have no incentive for profit, then why direct traffic away from this forum in the first place?

I'm all in favor of you making all you can off your work. I think it would be a great incentive for you to do much better work.

However, I question the wisdom (not to mention good taste) of pimping your work in a community of which you have been a member for less than two weeks. FReepers pay, through their donations, to keep this site free of ads, cookies, trackers and the journey through redirect hell.

While we champion Capitalism, we are first and foremost, a community of like-minded individuals who contribute both our money and our efforts to advance Constitutional Conservatism while keeping this site a island of safety in the danger and nuisance filled internet.

"You’re free to click or not click. It is your choice. My only gain is the bemusement of watching some of your reactions."

You think it's funny that we're protective of our forum and it's content? I think it's funny watching blogpimps get hoisted on their own petard.

Lest you meet the fate of so many others, here's a little guide to local customs.

Followed by a word from the guy who runs the joint.

[billflax]

O mercy - I entreat thee, not the petard.

Thanks for the advice on how “to do much better work.” I didn't know you'd even read it.

Please explain though how I'm “directing” traffic anywhere? All I've done is extend you an offer. A choice you and others can take or leave at your discretion.

As for local customs, before my first post, I visited this site many times for years. It's an excellent site. What you find is many threads contain an excerpt and link.

Then when you post a thread it very obviously welcomes excerpting and linking. Why do links back to Forbes or RealClearMarkets bother you so much?

For the first ten or so threads (sorry didn't count) when submitting it indicated that the thread was pending moderator approval. That the moderators posted every thread without issue is a pretty good indicator they are OK with my posts.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting things.

If a moderator tells me not to post or to do so in a different manner, I will gladly follow their instructions. Otherwise, given how well the editor of Forbes/RCM has treated me, I'm going to continue as I've been out of loyalty.

If you look at the featured op-eds on Friday, my resume is easily the least impressive. Yet they post me right next to the kind of economists that I referenced in my book. It's mind-boggling.

The least I can do is support their site. And since everything I've ever written defends the vision of the founders, i.e. Constitutional Conservatism as you stated, by expanding the options available I'm also supporting Free Republic.

For those interested, it's a win/win. For those such as yourself uninterested - you sure show a great deal of interest. God bless you and keep fighting the good fight.

[shibumi]

"As for local customs, before my first post, I visited this site many times for years. It's an excellent site. What you find is many threads contain an excerpt and link."

What you obviously missed is why those excerpts and links are there. The excerpt feature is there to permit the inclusion of articles from hostile sources, who have threatened FR with legal action if their full content was used.

"Then when you post a thread it very obviously welcomes excerpting and linking."

No, it does not. It provides the means and tolerates it out of necessity.

"Maybe I'm misinterpreting things. If a moderator tells me not to post or to do so in a different manner, I will gladly follow their instructions."

Did you read the posts I linked in #16?

[billflax]

I did read the links. Thank you for sending.

But, you act as if my intent some devious desire to wreck Free Republic. No, I post here because it’s a wonderful site. My aim is to spread a message amongst an audience that may enjoy it. To boost Free Republic to the little extent within my very finite capacities and to support my editor at Forbes.

Nor is Forbes some wordpress blog unworthy of Free Republic standards. It’s one of the most reputable names in the industry. Whether you think my work worthy of Forbes is irrelevant. I’d be the first to admit I’m more lucky than good. It’s surreal. But acting as if Forbes is some fly by night operation is absurd

That Forbes went to a blog format was a business decision made far above me. I’m not even paid. As a consumer, I’m sure they value your opinion. If you want to give them publishing advice, well, methinks Mr. Forbes knows more on that score than anyone here - me included.

God bless you!

Bill

[shibumi]

If you read the links, then you couldn't have missed this key line -

"I have no complaint if a good conservative blogger posts his own material to FR, not as an excerpt to drive hits and discussion back to his blog, but rather to impart useful information to OUR readers and to promote and join in on the discussion and conservative activism HERE on FR."

- Jim Robinson

I trust that's clear enough for you?