I see that the PDN has begun featuring a columnist from the Mercatus Center of George Mason University, Veronique de Rugy.
I know you want to give both political sides a forum, but allowing these folks into your paper disturbs me.
It’s an insidious group.
The Mercatus Center at George Mason is the hub of the Economic Freedom movement in the country, funded by the Koch brothers.
Its goals are to do away with economic regulations and government efforts to solve social and environmental problems, versus their sole solution – the free market — while at the same time lowering taxes on the wealthy.
They are anti-union, anti-Obamacare, anti-pension and they favor for-profit schools and prisons.
Their overall goal is to ensure that the rich are able to keep and grow their wealth and to exert control of national decision-making.
Like states-rights advocates from the dark ages of this country, they favor government at that level, where it’s easier to manipulate to meet their goals, like limiting who gets to vote.
They work hard at educating legislators and judges in their view of political economy and are having success at this time.
The Supreme Court leans their way now.
State legislatures led by Republicans have their playbook.
Yes, “Look to ‘that which is not seen’” but do that to what Ms. de Rugy writes and see if what I say is not true.
Mike Beers
Port Townsend
EDITOR’S NOTE: Veronique de Rugy was published in the PDN as a substitute columnist while regular columnist Mona Charen was on vacation.