Back in 2000, I took an upper level Economics course from Mississippi State University and was required to read a book from a black economist named Thomas Sowell. I went into the assignment thinking, “Well here I am, being forced to read some liberal ranting about how terrible the Reagan tax cuts were and how we need to always elect liberals.” Well, I was completely wrong about both the author and his economic positions. From that, point on I became a fan of Dr. Thomas Sowell and have four of his books on economics. I also read his nationally published column every chance I get. I am extremely appreciative of the professor that required the reading and through his efforts have a much better grasp on economics in the United States.

Today the nation is rapidly approaching a presidential election that has divided the country into two opposing camps. Each side thinks their side is correct and many of these supporters parrot what the media hacks tells them. Now a middle age white male like me can say anything about Senator John McCain and no one would care. The Republican’s understand that I have the right to say what I wish. So I’ll just say this about him, he isn’t my choice for President and never was. My chosen candidate was Congressman Ron Paul, who I believe is the right man for the job. Now I hope the Democratic readers of this post will give an equal forum to say what I like. I don’t want Senator Obama either and view him as the worse of two bad choices. I will mostly refer to Dr. Sowell as his column of June 5, 2008 as it says it better than I ever could why we need to investigate both choices before voting. Some of you probably never heard of Dr. Thomas Sowell, so I think a little about him is in order.

Dr. Thomas Sowell was born June 30, 1930 in North Carolina. He moved to Harlem, New York City at a very young age with his mother and siblings. His father died before he was born. At age 17, he dropped out of high school because of financial difficulties and eventually joined the Marine Corp. He became a combat photographer and served in that capacity through the Korean War. After he left the Marines, he took and received a GED and enrolled at Howard University where he received high enough grades to receive a scholarship to Harvard. He finished Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude in 1958. He then enters Columbia and completes a Masters of Arts in Economics under Nobel-Prize winning economist George Stigler in 1959. When Dr. Stigler moved to the University of Chicago in the mid sixties, Sowell entered the Doctorial program and completed a PhD degree in Economics in 1968. He held the positions of Economist for the Department of Labor and AT&T, an Instructor of Economics for Douglass College, Rutgers University, and a Lecturer at Howard University. After he received his doctorate, he was an Associate Professor at Cornell, Brandeis University, and UCLA. Dr. Sowell then began a series of positions with The Urban Institute, Center for Advanced Study, and the Hoover Institution while also holding Professorships at Amherst College and UCLA. Along the way he has written 11 books on economics, four of which I have in my personal library. These consist of “Ethnic America, 1981, Basic Books”, “Race and Culture: A World View, 1994, Basic Books”, “Migration and Cultures, 1996, Basic Books”, and “Conquest and Cultures, 1998, Basic Books.” All are high on my list of great books on Economics and I would highly recommend any of them to anyone interested in the subject.

Dr. Sowell looks at all aspects of American culture in his thesis on economics in United States. These include such topics as race, location of habitation, location within the country, and immigration of our country by foreign nationals. Some call him a conservative, a Republican and by his fellow blacks a lot worse name. In fact, Dr. Sowell is a lot more than any one stereotype. He looks at events and people scientifically and how it will affect the overall economy. Emotion has little to do with how economics is affected, nor how this nation will respond to a real threat. Dr Sowell looks at both candidates and gives an honest evaluation of them both. I will post links to three of his June 2008 columns and hope all will take the time to read them. He spares nothing in regards to either candidate.

In his June 5, 2008 column, I quote from two paragraphs. “Not since 1972 have we been presented with two such painfully inadequate candidates. When Election Day came that year, I could not bring myself to vote for either George McGovern or Richard Nixon. I stayed home.

This year, none of us has that luxury. While all sorts of gushing is going on in the media, and posturing is going on in politics, the biggest national sponsor of terrorism in the world— Iran— is moving step by step toward building a nuclear bomb.“

So please look at the thoughts of a fantastic Economist and true American. I doubt if it’ll change your mind about who you will eventually vote for, but it might make you ask some questions.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell060308.php3
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell060508.php3
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell061108.php3