Reno Hayek Symposium

Throughout our modern history America has led the world in commercially and specifically in defense and in medical technology, two very costly elements of our well being. American genius has driven each. American intellect, energy, life and limb have been expended on each.

Who are the beneficiaries? Certainly we Americans benefit both in the results and in the security and economic returns derived from the efforts. Also, other nations in the free world benefited. Europe has been rescued in two world wars and in the communist threat and its aftermath. Europe and the rest of the world has benefited from the dramatic pharmaceutical and medical technological improvements.

Who are the contributors?  Not the Europeans, Asians, Latin Americans, Africans. No the contributions come from the good old USA. The blood and the money have, in the main, come from these shores.

So with the strong and ultimately victorious superpower paying the way in blood and money, the European citizenry has had a very valuable fee ride. The free ride has enabled them to forego the cost of defense, forego expensive research and technological development, and still reap the benefits.

What have they done with this savings, this “found money?” They have created socialist welfare states: universal medical care, month long vacations, legally limited work hours, generous dole, etc. So with superpower protection and superpower innovation, Europe has been free to live the good life. These bon vivants criticize us for our nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic, for being the dummies that fail to appreciate the finer things in life.

I think they have a point. Why should we live in a country that pays 100% of the costs of these free world necessities, while others pay nothing?  Why not live in a country that enjoys the protection and innovation yet pays nothing? The Europeans and others have proven that there is a free lunch, which is living under the American umbrella.

In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged the producers become so tired of being exploited by the non-producers, that they leave and form their own community. Other countries are only too eager to provide the welcoming place for such communities.

As Margaret Thatcher reportedly said, “the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money to spend.” Rand’s novel illustrates as much. Obama has us on the path to socialism. He advocates the European system of socialized medicine. He apologizes for our past successful efforts in defending the free world. Beware of this creeping disease.

Tom Motherway, tom@renohayek.com