Rational Nation USA

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny So, NPR, the paragon of fine journalistic reporting that it is recently aired a bit of info on Ayn Rand. As to be expected it is about as balanced as a lopsided watermelon, and as factual as calling Obama a Marxist. Driving home from work last night my thoughts were largely focused on the circus that American politics {and governance} has become. That and the fact politicians, lawmakers, bloggers, think tanks, and yes, what is considered the main stream media have lost sight of the need to present accurate data and unbiased reporting. Somehow this seems to have given way to the 30 second sound bite and two minute read. What has become a pet peeves of late is the political label game. The use of political labels has grown so commonplace they are rapidly becoming meaningless. Sure labels save time, but the downside is they quite often don't represent the truth. Especially when the label is attached to a person or a c...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Labels. A lot of people like political labels and being a part of one collective or another. Belonging to a group of like minded individuals does give a person a safe and comfortable feeling. It legitimatizes their beliefs and principles within a circle of like minded social beings. However, in choosing to become part of a collective a person often {unwittingly}places restrictions on their ability to think critically and "outside the box" of accepted "conventional" wisdom. In other words "group-think" takes over the process of thinking so that "thinking" becomes a automatic response based in part or solely on ideology. The different political parties are nothing more than collectives of people with differing political thought and ideologies with respect to government and its proper size and involvement in society. Whether you are a member of the democratic, republican, libert...

by Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Reflection combined with continued study is the attribute of an open mind. It often results in the affirmation of long held beliefs and values. Occasionally such introspection and study results in one rethinking, or reevaluating their position. This process when done honestly and without preconceived basis will result in growth and a greater understanding. It most certainly requires "thinking outside the box." I have been for the better part of thirty plus years a self avowed independent conservative. I don't rightly know if I can lay claim to the label, but if you believe Truth 101 I guess I did. My point is that I am truly an independent conservative. Perhaps I came up with the term because at my core I am a fervent admirer of the great minds that spawned the Enlightenment and the Age of Reason . Our Founding Fathers were the product of this Age of Enlightenment and Reason . I recently posted on the similarities of Class...