Thomas Sowell Weekend

Tired of discussions about a certain person in our health care bureaucracy? One person I encountered on social media who supports this individual also stated that Thomas Sowell "always lies".

The Hoover Institution has decided to concentrate on discussions of Thomas Sowell. Surprisingly, they started with his role as a historian rather than as an economist. Can you think of any individuals who could benefit from learning more history?

Why don't people read Thomas Sowell?

One of the guys participating in the Hoover Institution conversation is Coleman Hughes, who decided to read a book by Sowell because people seemed to find his name to be polarizing. That book transformed his thinking.

Thomas Sowell is known as an economist. But is he one of America's greatest historians?

Victor Davis Hanson (@VDHanson), Niall Ferguson (@NFergus), and Coleman Hughes (@Coldxman) explore Sowell's sweeping view of history, his enduring ideas, and why a new generation is… pic.twitter.com/y5CsZhpAkV
— Hoover Institution (@HooverInst) July 30, 2026

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Thomas Sowell: Polarizing?

sowell three questions to ask the left.jpg

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WEEKEND

Who do you think is more polarizing: Thomas Sowell or Anthony Fouci?

The Week in Pictures: Grouchy Fauci Edition

“Fauci” apparently means “jaws” or “throat” in Italian, though apparently it means “sickle” in the Sicilian dialect, and certainly Anthony Fauci behaved liked a hopped-up wiseguy capo of the Branch Covidian crime family back in 2020 and 2021, but today is reduced to chomping on his remaining dignity with his gums, his jaws having shattered on his monumental narcissism.

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Music

Via Don in Kansas:

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Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.

This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.

Serving your mid-day open thread needs

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Last week's thread, Is The Odyssey sustaining our attention?

Follow--up: Assigning Martha Nussbaum and Edward Said and then complaining that no one likes reading anymore has to be the joke of the century.

Comments are closed so you won't ban yourself by trying to comment on a week-old thread. But don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 11:06 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 I nooded.

Posted by: olddog in mo at August 01, 2026 11:10 AM (7IlZh)

2 Excellent post K.T. Thank you. Nobody can ever get enough Thomas Sowell

Posted by: 496 at August 01, 2026 11:11 AM (33y12)

3 Never have understood how anyone took Sean Hannity seriously.

Posted by: WinLinBSDAdmin at August 01, 2026 11:12 AM (tjJnW)

4 I would have put Obama in Jon Stewart's place because the perception is he sounds smart (people paying attention though knows he also sounds dumb)

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:16 AM (KC5Lt)

5 That meme up top is perfect. In many different ways.

Posted by: rhomboid at August 01, 2026 11:16 AM (U/Byj)

6 Thank you for new thread K.T.

I posted this on previous thread just as new thread posted apparently.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Greetings Everyone

I have a question - does anyone have any insight as to why the pied a terre tax in NYC falls so heavily on condos? It's 4% on condos worth over 1M$. That seems pretty heavy and far reaching. It's less that 1% on 1 - 3 family residences worth over 5 M but 4% on condos worth over 1M? That's $40,000!

Here in Calif many middle class and or elderly on fixed incomes live in properties that have appreciated past 1M$. They certainly aren't rich.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:18 AM (QGaXH)

7 God bless Thomas Sowell and Clarence Thomas. Two of our greatest thinkers.

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:19 AM (KC5Lt)

8 Never have understood how anyone took Sean Hannity seriously.

I read that he and Cornyn are forming the foundational chapter of Hamheads of America.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 01, 2026 11:19 AM (Riz8t)

9 Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:18 AM (QGaXH)

I answered you in prior thread but if you watch Million Dollar Listings NYC you would see the answer.

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:20 AM (KC5Lt)

10 " 3 Never have understood how anyone took Sean Hannity seriously.
Posted by: WinLinBSDAdmin"
*********
I do have a hard time watching or listening to Hannity today, but he had Obama pegged for the piece of crap he is almost a year before the Democrats nominated him in 2008.

Posted by: Cosda at August 01, 2026 11:20 AM (pZp2V)

11 I would have put Obama in Jon Stewart's place because the perception is he sounds smart (people paying attention though knows he also sounds dumb)

Fair. Stewart, after all, is a William and Mary grad. They're always brilliant.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 01, 2026 11:20 AM (Riz8t)

12 Wonder how Fauci's blood pressure is today.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 01, 2026 11:21 AM (2Cry5)

13 It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong -Thomas Sowell

Posted by: Pikov Andropov at August 01, 2026 11:22 AM (5l7hs)

14 It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong -Thomas Sowell

That fits Fauci to a tee. He was so wrong about AIDS and he was promoted anyway.

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:23 AM (KC5Lt)

15 The best thing Jon Stewart ever did was create The Audacity of Grope.

What's mind boggling is it went down the memory hole after Biden became the nominee for President. The Right didn't even use it.

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:26 AM (KC5Lt)

16 If you would like to hear some common sense for a change then you will like Thomas Sowell. I've listened to him for years. Good guy. And smart.

Posted by: Case at August 01, 2026 11:28 AM (bqIVz)

17 Fauci got to where he is in part by claiming his work (The Science) was so far above everyone's ability to comprehend that he basically skated on horseshit his entire career.

A lot of people do this... especially those in technology or medical sectors where only their peers would notice. And then, probably not say a word as they're doing the same thing.

Obviously not everyone in those sectors, but it's certainly not zero. I've worked with some.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 01, 2026 11:28 AM (2Cry5)

18 12 Wonder how Fauci's blood pressure is today.
Posted by: Martini Farmer

Or his ethics wife.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at August 01, 2026 11:28 AM (NnhvP)

19 I think some of the videos of young black men discovering Thomas Sowell are fascinating.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2026 11:29 AM (rdeQO)

20 “…the very commonness of common sense makes it unlikely to have any appeal to the anointed. How can they be wiser and nobler than everyone else while agreeing with everyone else?”—Thomas Sowell, The Vision of the Anointed

“…what ‘all the experts’ are most likely to agree on is the need for using expertise to deal with problems.”—Thomas Sowell, Intellectuals and Society

“To be relevant to our times, history must not be controlled by our times. Its integrity as a record of the past is what allows us to draw lessons from it.”—Thomas Sowell, Black Rednecks and White Liberals

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at August 01, 2026 11:30 AM (kYmoU)

21 Fun fact: Thomas Sowell was born in Gastonia, NC.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at August 01, 2026 11:30 AM (PiwSw)

22 9 Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:18 AM (QGaXH)

I answered you in prior thread but if you watch Million Dollar Listings NYC you would see the answer.
Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:20 AM (KC5Lt)

After I posted here I went back and saw your answer. So is the inference that since most properties are condos and coops presumably worth over 1M$, this is a back-door 'wealth tax' applicable to a much broader segment of the population that initially advertised.

Would that Mamdani the Commie and Hochul suffer the same ignominious end the formerly sainted Dr is facing.

I need to read more Dr. Sowell.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:30 AM (QGaXH)

23 I stumbled on a YouTube video from 1981. It was Meet The Press and Sowell was the guest. I guess once upon a time he was allowed on msm shows.

This was only a few months after Reagan took office and he was asked are the Reagan polices working? His answer was are you guys retarded it’s been a few months you can’t judge a program in such a short time. But he said it every nicely. lol.

Maybe that’s why he didn’t get invited back

Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 11:30 AM (qmPa0)

24 Who do you think is more polarizing: Thomas Sowell or Anthony Fouci?

Fauci isn't "polarizing." He's evil.

Posted by: GWB at August 01, 2026 11:31 AM (kU0PQ)

25 11 I would have put Obama in Jon Stewart's place because the perception is he sounds smart (people paying attention though knows he also sounds dumb)

Fair. Stewart, after all, is a William and Mary grad. They're always brilliant.
Posted by: Archimedes at August 01, 2026 11:20 AM (Riz8t)

*Taps pencil rapidly on desk. Smirks*

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at August 01, 2026 11:31 AM (PiwSw)

26 Never have understood how anyone took Sean Hannity seriously.
Posted by: WinLinBSDAdmin

Because he used to do that he-said-she-said program with Alan Colmes, which made him look good by comparison?

Posted by: mikeski at August 01, 2026 11:33 AM (VHUov)

27 How dare you insult a great American like Hannity in such a vile manner? For shame, sir. For shame.

Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 11:33 AM (qmPa0)

28 Sowell is a giant in a land of gnomes

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at August 01, 2026 11:33 AM (u/wrI)

29 I remember reading "Basic Economics".

I thought it was a much more accessible and readable version of "The Wealth of Nations" with bonus modern content.

I was very pleased with the investment in money and time spent on it.

Posted by: Sam at August 01, 2026 11:33 AM (7jMef)

30 Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:30 AM (QGaXH)

That seems to be the case. Those are also the most properties that are one of multiple residences for the owners.

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:35 AM (KC5Lt)

31 >>> 6
==
I have a question - does anyone have any insight as to why the pied a terre tax in NYC falls so heavily on condos? It's 4% on condos worth over 1M$. That seems pretty heavy and far reaching. It's less that 1% on 1 - 3 family residences worth over 5 M but 4% on condos worth over 1M? That's $40,000!

Here in Calif many middle class and or elderly on fixed incomes live in properties that have appreciated past 1M$. They certainly aren't rich.
Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:18 AM (QGaXH)

Long answer - the owners most certainly *are* rich according to the filth pushing this, and the asshoes also know most condo owners (or anyone with more than them) are boogie and white privileged, and they're getting their rocks off by making said owners / taxpayers / peons jump through hoops to prove something to bureaucrats who will probably ignore documentation whenever it suits them.

Short answer - commies gotta commie.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at August 01, 2026 11:35 AM (vDZgA)

32 I thought it was a much more accessible and readable version of "The Wealth of Nations" with bonus modern content.

I put this on the short shelf in my bathroom as a bathroom reader; most of the chapters are short and can be read in any order.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at August 01, 2026 11:35 AM (kYmoU)

33 My Egyptian cabdriver told me Tom Friedman would also have been an excellent choice for the bottom right picture.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at August 01, 2026 11:36 AM (PiwSw)

34 Sorry, my talking-head awareness is deficient. Who's the ones on the upper left and lower right?

When I have income again I need to buy whatever Sowell books I can find for a good price. Or put them on my Amazon Wishlist for Christmas presents.

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 01, 2026 11:36 AM (aJQbY)

35 It's August 1st. And that means pumpkin spice season is now underway!

Posted by: Curly Shuffle at August 01, 2026 11:37 AM (5yDGQ)

36 Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 01, 2026 11:36 AM (aJQbY)

I see you're not into celebrity comedians.

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:42 AM (KC5Lt)

37 The top pic is funny cuz it's true.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at August 01, 2026 11:43 AM (nESHF)

38 So true about all of the bad ideas having been tried before; as Ecclesiastes says, there is nothing new under the sun.

Good example - all of the “tax the rich!” schemes coming out are just thinly veiled rewrites of Huey Long’s “Share the Wealth!” plans of the early 30’s.

At least Huey justified it by saying it was needed to fight the depression; but even FDR said it was far too radical.

The left has not had a single new political idea in over 90 years now.

Posted by: Tom Servo at August 01, 2026 11:44 AM (7GO/2)

39 Today I am having an "own goal" breakfast.
It is onions, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes from my garden, with lamb kielbasa from a local grower, and eggs from my neice's hens.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 01, 2026 11:45 AM (rbvCR)

40 oops, sorry I misspelled that.

I should have written it "Ceuta"

Posted by: Kindltot at August 01, 2026 11:45 AM (rbvCR)

41 Ceuta to the Oldies

Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:47 AM (KC5Lt)

42 Never have understood how anyone took Sean Hannity seriously.
Posted by: WinLinBSDAdmin at August 01, 2026 11:12 AM (tjJnW)

Per Merv Griffin, people with large heads do well in TV. And Sean has a giant noggin there.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 01, 2026 11:48 AM (rbvCR)

43 Taxing property in and of itself is retarded. But doing it based on the value of a building on the property is doubly retarded.

Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 11:49 AM (qmPa0)

44 30 Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:30 AM (QGaXH)

That seems to be the case. Those are also the most properties that are one of multiple residences for the owners.
Posted by: polynikes at August 01, 2026 11:35 AM (KC5Lt)

'Bait and switch is no way to go through political life, son'

'Mayor' Dean Wormer....

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:50 AM (QGaXH)

45 polynikes, nope... they usually aren't funny.

(Never have been a big-time TV watcher)

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 01, 2026 11:50 AM (aJQbY)

46 "I have a question - does anyone have any insight as to why the pied a terre tax in NYC falls so heavily on condos?"

Because that's where the money is!

Posted by: Willie Sutton at August 01, 2026 11:51 AM (4RPgu)

47 Common sense would tell you throwing open the country borders is NOT a good idea. So what did the Democrats do?
And now we are paying for it. Murder, drug trafficking, and millions in fraud. Yes, the Democrats are stupid but they don't care.

Posted by: Case at August 01, 2026 11:52 AM (bqIVz)

48 Is that Elon in the upper left? Looks different.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at August 01, 2026 11:53 AM (Cqx++)

49 Blood, Cueta, and Tears.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at August 01, 2026 11:54 AM (nESHF)

50 I think Sean Hannity made a name for himself by getting conservatives on his evening newscast and not bitching at them like the MSM does.

At the time, over 20 years ago, it was refreshing.

He wasn't smart then. Just wasn't a yabbering leftist.

IMO his time has come and gone. YMMV

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 01, 2026 11:54 AM (2Cry5)

51 34 Sorry, my talking-head awareness is deficient. Who's the ones on the upper left and lower right?

When I have income again I need to buy whatever Sowell books I can find for a good price. Or put them on my Amazon Wishlist for Christmas presents.
Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 01, 2026 11:36 AM (aJQbY)

Random Dave

If you're still here, Ive been wanting to tell you hang in there and don't give up hope. My mid-career time in the wilderness led to a dream job that I never thought I could get. Things will work out.

Second, don't forget your local library for books you don't want to buy just yet.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's phone) at August 01, 2026 11:55 AM (QGaXH)

52 Is that Elon in the upper left? Looks different.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr.

Norm McDonald.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at August 01, 2026 11:56 AM (nESHF)

53 On one of our driving trips to see relatives, I read Sowell's Basic Economics. At our relative's house, I was telling my conservative sis-in-law how much I was learning and remarked that Sowell was considered a great intellectual. My leftist sis-in-law felt compelled to put in a plug for the intellectual prowess of ... Neil deGrass Tyson.

Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at August 01, 2026 11:57 AM (OlzlW)

54 On the pied-a-terre tax, forcing a lot of properties owned by elderly, cash-poor owners onto the market at once will drive down prices, temporarily, and move properties into hands of those favored by the government. Mamdani gets laudatory press for "controlling prices", and his acolytes get choice properties at lower-than-market prices. Win/win!

Having lived most of my life in Chicago, I found that the best rule for judging any action by any politician is to ask myself, "If I were a corrupt bastard, why would I do this?" The answer becomes clear, and is usually right.

Posted by: Nemo at August 01, 2026 11:58 AM (4RPgu)

55 Hannity grew up in a one bathroom house with four older sisters. Cut him some slack. He's suffered enough already.

Posted by: Behind The Green Door at August 01, 2026 11:59 AM (JM9I6)

56 Taxing property in and of itself is retarded. But doing it based on the value of a building on the property is doubly retarded.
Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 11:49 AM (qmPa0)

Compared to what?

Posted by: Kindltot at August 01, 2026 12:01 PM (rbvCR)

57 My leftist sis-in-law felt compelled to put in a plug for the intellectual prowess of ... Neil deGrass Tyson.

The only time I’ve seen Tyson was watching an archaeology special. Probably PBS given that it included Tyson as one of the random talking heads describing something completely out of their field. To be honest, I can’t blame Tyson for very obviously reading a teleprompter as if he had no idea why he was there. As I recall it wasn’t even archaeoastronomy. But he definitely looked like he belonged in the lower left square.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at August 01, 2026 12:02 PM (kYmoU)

58 Compared to what?
Posted by: Kindltot at August 01, 2026 12:01 PM (rbvCR

ISWYDT

Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at August 01, 2026 12:03 PM (OlzlW)

59 "Fauci" means "small dick" in and around Palermo, a city located in Sicily, where Fauci's family hails from.

Posted by: Stronzo at August 01, 2026 12:04 PM (ftsic)

60 While the pied a there tax is stupid let’s not go overboard here. This isn’t a situation of grandma bought her condo 30 years ago and now will be forced to sell it and will be homeless. A pied a terre is a secondary home. If you own a $1M+ property and it’s sitting empty you’re not a a pensioner barely getting by.

Again, I’m not endorsing this tax. Just saying it’s not going to affect the “common man”.

Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 12:09 PM (qmPa0)

61 But he definitely looked like he belonged in the lower left square.
Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at August 01, 2026 12:02 PM (kYmoU

NdGT is supposed to represent Science! on the left but he says things that indicate that he doesn't understand the foundational ideas of science. I recall him claiming that science was all about consensus and must be protected from contrary ideas.

Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at August 01, 2026 12:09 PM (OlzlW)

62 Tax the land not the building on the land. Compared to that.

Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 12:10 PM (qmPa0)

63 Again, I’m not endorsing this tax. Just saying it’s not going to affect the “common man”.
Posted by: Chaos at August 01, 2026 12:09 PM (qmPa0)

A bunch of "common men" are receiving letters demanding this extra tax and the website for disputing this is non-responsive.

Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at August 01, 2026 12:12 PM (OlzlW)

64 We need more Sowells. Unfortunately there will only ever be one of him, and an endless throng of Faucis and brain-dead lackeys.

Posted by: Vicious and stupid shall inherit the earth at August 01, 2026 12:17 PM (TbWk/)

65 Tyson is the Patron Saint of DEI in the sciences, he should never have risen higher than an entry level biology teacher at Booker T. High.

Posted by: Tom Servo at August 01, 2026 12:18 PM (7GO/2)

66 Compared to What?

https://tinyurl.com/2x2bzbct

Posted by: Eddie Harris at August 01, 2026 12:20 PM (XvL8K)

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