Posting assignment #4 (due Sunday 2/20, 11:59 P.M.): B(log)A(ction)R(role)P(lay)ing!

YOUR CHARACTER CARDS

If your name begins with A(hmed) through K(arrie), you will be writing this post -- and comment -- as Ayn Rand.  (And naturally, you will comment on the work of Herr Hayek.)

If your name begins with K(ate (x2)) through T(am), you will be writing this post -- and comment -- as Friedrich August (von) Hayek.  (And naturally, you will comment on the work of Ms. Rand.)

Take your roles seriously.  Do not break them, or offer meta-commentary on what you yourself actually believe.  Think about the content of what Rand and Hayek say -- their positions, arguments, and evidence -- and the form in which they say it -- their tone, style, and voice.  Imitate them as closely as you can.  Quote from them whenever you can do so in a relevant way, folded into your larger argument (and give page citations please).  Points will be awarded for both form and content.  Critical, self-aware humor is also always a plus.

YOUR CHALLENGE

Mr. Hayek, Ms. Rand, welcome to 2011.  Thank you for allowing me to raise you from the dead.  You see, we need your help.  More importantly, capitalism needs your help.

As you can see from a quick look at the news, and at Lindsey and Sophie's protocols, the issues you were fighting over in 1957 and 1944 (respectively) have not gone away.  On the contrary, they still dominate the political and economic struggles of the United States.  Wisconsin is being rocked -- and its public schools closed -- by protests over Governor Walker's plan to end union rights for public-sector employees.  Minnesota's state legislature is prepared to cut major government health-care, education, and other services to balance the state budget without raising taxes.  The federal government may be headed for a complete shutdown.

We need your help...before it's too late!  Please, for the love of capitalism,

(1) choose one pressing economic problem facing America today -- anything linked above (for what it's worth, my mind is on Wisconsin...and my body may go there later today), or anything in Sophie or Lindsey's protocols, and

(2) do some basic research on it, to find out what's going on -- you should know that a brilliant new thing called the "Internet" has been invented (by a politician you wouldn't much like), and it will help you find lots of sources, from lots of perspectives.

Then, finally,

(3) write a post, in which you use your unique perspective on economics and history to describe the issue, explain what's going on and why, and tell us what we should do to fix the problem. 

Then you can go back to being peacefully deceased.  Promise.  Kthxbye.