lewrockwell--2020-01-28--Why ‘One Man, One Vote’ Doesn’t Work

Why ‘One Man, One Vote’ Doesn’t Work

The US Senate is increasingly targeted by left-wing think tanks and legislators for the fact it is based on “ voter inequality.
” According to critics , the Senate ensures small states are “ overrepresented , ” and the body favors voters in smaller and more sparsely populated states .
In contrast , reformers hold up the concept of “ one man , one vote ” as an ideal and a solution .
“ One man , one vote ” is not a clearly defined concept , but it is often used to oppose legislative schemes used in federal political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Senate in which each state is given an equal vote so as to balance out the interests of small states against the interests of large states .
Large states , of course , dominate legislatures in population-based representation systems like that used in the US House of Representatives .
The US is not alone in using such measures .
The Australian Senate , for example , allots twelve members to each state .
The Senate of Canada is composed of appointed members who represent regions rather than individual provinces .
Regional representation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the House of Commons .
In the Swiss Council of States , each canton is represented by two members , regardless of size .
Non-population-based methods can be used in elections as well .
The American electoral college system is one example .
Another example is the Swiss method of “ double majority , ” in which some legislation requires approval by both the overall Swiss population ( using a “ one man , one vote ” principle ) and also by a majority vote in a majority of the cantons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 Naturally , systems like these give power to a relatively small number of voters from small cantons or states to exercise a veto in the election .
For example , if a double majority system were employed in US presidential elections , a president could win an overwhelming majority in the popular vote , but be defeated by a coalition of small-state voters who are able to deny the needed majorities from twenty-six of the fifty states .
Those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” oppose this sort of thing because they think straight-up majorities should have the final say in every legislative matter .
Why Big and Powerful States and Regions Must Be Restrained Switzerland , however , provides us insights into why simple majorities tend to be a problem .
The Swiss confederation is a makeshift conglomeration of regions and cities with varying interests depending on the linguistic , religious , and cultural preferences of the population in each area .
Some areas are Catholic and some are Protestant .
Some areas are French speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italian speaking .
These differences were even more significant in the past , so the confederation was designed with some anti-majoritarian measures to prevent any small number of highly populated regions from steamrolling over the rest of the country .
If , say , the German-speaking cantons became very populous , then a system based on rank majority vote would mean that the German-speakers could ram their preferences down the throats of everyone else .
The same might be said if one religious group gained a majority .
What the “ one man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us believe , however , is that there is no need to balance these interests .
In their view , if there are more pro-French voters in Switzerland , than so be it : everyone must now do what the French-speaking majority says .
Applied to the US , we see this frequently pushed by progressives : the federalist measures designed to provide additional voting power to smaller states are denounced as “ undemocratic ” and we ’ re told that if Californians and New Yorkers have an overwhelming number of votes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for everyone else .
The minority must do what the majority says , even if those people have very different interests from the majorities in New York or California .
The way the Left shunts this argument aside is by insisting that there aren ’ t any real differences between people in , say , South Dakota , and people in New Jersey .
If there are differences , it is because people are South Dakota are intellectual troglodytes and their opinions shouldn ’ t matter .
This problem is solved by forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on everyone so that South Dakotans ’ unacceptable political views are neutralized by far larger majorities in faraway cities .
Historically , such claims would have been regarded as ridiculous .
No one denied that there were significant cultural differences between the Pietists of New England and the Catholics and Lutherans of the Great Lakes region .
Even setting aside religious or ethnic differences , various regions of the nation had very different economic needs depending on what industries—agricultural , maritime , or manufacturing—were dominant in the region .
It was recognized that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer legislative resistance to new laws designed to favor manufacturers at the expense of farmers .
In case an accident of history occurred by which one group became more populous than the other , many thought it would be prudent to put safeguards in place to prevent one region from dominating the other .
Cultural differences , of course , have been historically undeniable in Switzerland .
Although there has been cultural convergence in recent decades , few would suggest that Italian-speaking Catholics in the south agree with northern German Protestants on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a healthy respect for self-determination and human rights suggests that local cultures ought not be subject to the will of a distant majority .
This fundamental principle can be more easily illustrated in a hypothetical confederation with China as a member .
Suppose that in twenty years , some groups of elites in eastern Asia suggest it would be a great idea to form a confederation of states from the region : the United States of East Asia ( USEA ) .
It would include China , South Korea , Japan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union could be put together to facilitate free trade , free migration , and to generally increase economic prosperity and peaceful multilateralism .
How should the governance of this organization be organized ?
Using a unicameral legislature predicated on “ one man , one vote ” presents an obvious problem : the Chinese would obviously out-vote all the other countries on a regular basis .
Even if South Korea , Indonesia , Vietnam , and Japan all voted together as a block , their relatively small population sizes could not possibly allow them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of Chinese voters .
Because of China ’ s size , any other members of the confederation would quickly realize that the USEA was really just a union dominated by China most of the time .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 On the other hand , a remedy could lie in creating requirements for double majorities or in assigning equal representation to all members in a senate .
This would moderate China ’ s power .
If these steps were taken , though , the “ one man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ object and insist that China ’ s dominance is perfectly fine because all the voters deserve equal representation and it would be “ unfair ” to give Japanese voters the same number of votes in the USEA senate as China .
Chinese voters would be disenfranchised !
Moreover , the “ one man , one vote ” advocates—were they to use the same arguments used in the US—would claim that if the people of Japan and Indonesia are unwilling to live by “ the will of the majority ” among “ all voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illustrates how backward and undemocratic those Japanese and Indonesians are .
“ Democracy , ” we ’ d be told , demands that every voter , whether Chinese , Japanese , or Vietnamese must count equally .
Clearly , such a situation would quickly lead to the dissolution of the USEA , whether peacefully or through violence .
Yes , it ’ s true that the cultural differences between people in New York and people in Utah are not as stark as the differences between the Chinese and the Japanese .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the USEA and in the USA are the same .
Into the mid-twentieth century , individual US states often employed non-population-based apportionment in their own senates .
In some cases , each county was represented by one or two senators , regardless of the county ’ s size .
Eventually in the federal courts , the “ one man , one vote ” principle was instrumental in ending this system .
These rulings essentially turned state senates into just smaller versions of each state ’ s house of representatives The Best of @ @

The US Senate is increasingly targeted by left-wing think tanks and legislators for the fact it is based on “voter inequality.” According to critics, the Senate ensures small states are “overrepresented,”and the body favors voters in smaller and more sparsely populated states. In contrast, reformers hold up the concept of “one man, one vote” as an ideal and a solution.
“One man, one vote” is not a clearly defined concept, but it is often used to oppose legislative schemes used in federal political systems. Among these schemes is the US Senate in which each state is given an equal vote so as to balance out the interests of small states against the interests of large states. Large states, of course, dominate legislatures in population-based representation systems like that used in the US House of Representatives.
The US is not alone in using such measures. The Australian Senate, for example, allots twelve members to each state. The Senate of Canada is composed of appointed members who represent regions rather than individual provinces. Regional representation is not based on population size as in the House of Commons. In the Swiss Council of States, each canton is represented by two members, regardless of size.
Non-population-based methods can be used in elections as well. The American electoral college system is one example. Another example is the Swiss method of “double majority,” in which some legislation requires approval by both the overall Swiss population (using a “one man, one vote” principle) and also by a majority vote in a majority of the cantons. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
Naturally, systems like these give power to a relatively small number of voters from small cantons or states to exercise a veto in the election. For example, if a double majority system were employed in US presidential elections, a president could win an overwhelming majority in the popular vote, but be defeated by a coalition of small-state voters who are able to deny the needed majorities from twenty-six of the fifty states.
Those who support “one man, one vote” oppose this sort of thing because they think straight-up majorities should have the final say in every legislative matter.
Why Big and Powerful States and Regions Must Be Restrained
Switzerland, however, provides us insights into why simple majorities tend to be a problem. The Swiss confederation is a makeshift conglomeration of regions and cities with varying interests depending on the linguistic, religious, and cultural preferences of the population in each area. Some areas are Catholic and some are Protestant. Some areas are French speaking, and other areas are German or Italian speaking.
These differences were even more significant in the past, so the confederation was designed with some anti-majoritarian measures to prevent any small number of highly populated regions from steamrolling over the rest of the country. If, say, the German-speaking cantons became very populous, then a system based on rank majority vote would mean that the German-speakers could ram their preferences down the throats of everyone else. The same might be said if one religious group gained a majority.
What the “one man, one vote” advocates would have us believe, however, is that there is no need to balance these interests. In their view, if there are more pro-French voters in Switzerland, than so be it: everyone must now do what the French-speaking majority says.
Applied to the US, we see this frequently pushed by progressives: the federalist measures designed to provide additional voting power to smaller states are denounced as “undemocratic” and we’re told that if Californians and New Yorkers have an overwhelming number of votes, then that’s just tough luck for everyone else. The minority must do what the majority says, even if those people have very different interests from the majorities in New York or California.
The way the Left shunts this argument aside is by insisting that there aren’t any real differences between people in, say, South Dakota, and people in New Jersey. If there are differences, it is because people are South Dakota are intellectual troglodytes and their opinions shouldn’t matter. This problem is solved by forcing “one man, one vote” on everyone so that South Dakotans’ unacceptable political views are neutralized by far larger majorities in faraway cities.
Historically, such claims would have been regarded as ridiculous. No one denied that there were significant cultural differences between the Pietists of New England and the Catholics and Lutherans of the Great Lakes region. Even setting aside religious or ethnic differences, various regions of the nation had very different economic needs depending on what industries—agricultural, maritime, or manufacturing—were dominant in the region. It was recognized that agricultural areas ought to be able to offer legislative resistance to new laws designed to favor manufacturers at the expense of farmers. In case an accident of history occurred by which one group became more populous than the other, many thought it would be prudent to put safeguards in place to prevent one region from dominating the other.
Cultural differences, of course, have been historically undeniable in Switzerland. Although there has been cultural convergence in recent decades, few would suggest that Italian-speaking Catholics in the south agree with northern German Protestants on all important matters. Differences are real, and a healthy respect for self-determination and human rights suggests that local cultures ought not be subject to the will of a distant majority.
Chinese Voters Would Out-Vote Everybody
This fundamental principle can be more easily illustrated in a hypothetical confederation with China as a member.
Suppose that in twenty years, some groups of elites in eastern Asia suggest it would be a great idea to form a confederation of states from the region: the United States of East Asia (USEA). It would include China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. This new union could be put together to facilitate free trade, free migration, and to generally increase economic prosperity and peaceful multilateralism.
How should the governance of this organization be organized?
Using a unicameral legislature predicated on “one man, one vote” presents an obvious problem: the Chinese would obviously out-vote all the other countries on a regular basis. Even if South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan all voted together as a block, their relatively small population sizes could not possibly allow them to veto pro-China measures pushed by a majority of Chinese voters. Because of China’s size, any other members of the confederation would quickly realize that the USEA was really just a union dominated by China most of the time. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
On the other hand, a remedy could lie in creating requirements for double majorities or in assigning equal representation to all members in a senate. This would moderate China’s power. If these steps were taken, though, the “one man, one vote party” advocates would object and insist that China’s dominance is perfectly fine because all the voters deserve equal representation and it would be “unfair” to give Japanese voters the same number of votes in the USEA senate as China. Chinese voters would be disenfranchised!
Moreover, the “one man, one vote” advocates—were they to use the same arguments used in the US—would claim that if the people of Japan and Indonesia are unwilling to live by “the will of the majority” among “all voters” in the USEA, it just illustrates how backward and undemocratic those Japanese and Indonesians are. “Democracy,” we’d be told, demands that every voter, whether Chinese, Japanese, or Vietnamese must count equally.
Clearly, such a situation would quickly lead to the dissolution of the USEA, whether peacefully or through violence.
Yes, it’s true that the cultural differences between people in New York and people in Utah are not as stark as the differences between the Chinese and the Japanese. But the fundamental principles behind the need for federalism in the USEA and in the USA are the same.
—
Into the mid-twentieth century, individual US states often employed non-population-based apportionment in their own senates. In some cases, each county was represented by one or two senators, regardless of the county’s size. Eventually in the federal courts, the “one man, one vote” principle was instrumental in ending this system. These rulings essentially turned state senates into just smaller versions of each state’s house of representatives
The Best of Ryan McMaken


lewrockwell--2020-01-28--Snakes In Suits: Are Psychopaths Running the World?

Often when we think of the word psychopath , we think of deranged serial killers that are hopefully locked up in prison for life .
While there are many psychopaths who kill for reasons that are unfathomable to most of us and who are indeed in prison , there is an even greater number roaming free in our society and often using their condition to their advantage in any way possible .
In fact , it is very likely that you know some–they might even be your colleagues .
Most of us do not know or work with any serial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are aware of .
So , what exactly is a psychopath and how can we define them ?
The dictionary definition is as follows : As you can probably tell , a lot more than just serial killers will fit into this broad definition .
In fact , according to Canadian psychologist Dr. Robert Hare , a world-renowned expert on psychopathy , an estimated 1 % of the Earth ’ s population is psychopathic and around 25 % of the population of male inmates at federal correctional facilities are psychopathic .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the popular image of the ‘ deranged psycho , ’ psychopaths tend to be very well composed , take good care of their appearance and are very charming ( think of Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho ) .
Because of this you may have a difficult time spotting them out , as they are masters of deception and are able to fake a lot of the qualities that define regular people .
Some other psychopathic traits , according to Hare ’ s Psychopathy Checklist , are as follows : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10.00 • Have a parasitic lifestyle , often latching onto and taking from others • Have a “ shallow affect ” ( psychopaths show a lack of emotion when an emotional reaction is appropriate . )
You can actually rate yourself to find out if you are psychopath .
On each criterion , the subject is ranked on a 3-point scale : ( 0 = item does not apply , 1 = item applies somewhat , 2 = item definitely applies ) .
The scores are summed to create a rank of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 and above is most likely a psychopath .
Hare has used this test and checklist to detect which inmates are psychopaths .
What many of us don ’ t realize is that psychopaths actually thrive in the corporate world .
Hare has actually co-authored a book with Dr. Paul Babiak on this topic entitled , Snakes In Suits : Understanding and Surviving the Psychopaths in Your Office .
Psychopaths manipulate others to accrue power , sometimes pitting them against each other in an attempt to divide and conquer .
They are often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very little structure or supervision .
They generally don ’ t work well in teams because they don ’ t like to share information or skills and it brings them joy to watch others fail .
They are addicted to power , status and money .
Sound familiar ?
Sadly , the corporate world is set up to favor psychopathic traits such as fearlessness , dominant behavior and immunity to stress .
Because of this , psychopaths often find themselves in these types of positions , and then have an easier time climbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great power .
This is where they can do real damage to society .
Not only as corporate heads do psychopaths find success in our modern-day society , but also within our governments and political system — often as front-line politicians .
This may come as a shock to you , but when you really look at some of the atrocities that are taking place on our planet , and if you ’ ve ever wondered how things that are so inhumane could actually be happening , well , therein lies your answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genocide , senseless murder of civilians , treatment of the indigenous cultures of the world , chemicals in our food , air and water supply , acts of “ terrorism ” , war crimes and so many other unjust and cruel actions which are often instigated by our political leaders , it becomes easy to see how psychopaths actually fit the requirements for these types of roles quite well .
As mentioned before they are masters of deception , pathological liars and often quite charming .
Many soldiers go to war and because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are fighting an enemy in the name of peace .
They do as they are told and commit these heinous acts against other human beings .
The reason why so many soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder is because it is not within human nature to murder other humans , and especially innocent civilians .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 50.00 We already know how many politicians are crooked , but perhaps its time to start looking at them with the psychopath checklist in mind so that we can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but our society from their malicious acts .
But Can ’ t We Help Them ?
It is natural for anyone who is an empath or those involved in spiritual work to have compassion for these individuals and feel compelled to help them overcome their psychopathic behavior .
However , most research has pointed towards the understanding that psychopaths are born , not made and therefore can not be cured .
This is one of the main differences that separates sociopaths from psychopaths .
Another is that sociopaths have a conscience , albeit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justify something they know to be wrong .
By contrast , psychopaths will believe that their actions are justified and feel no remorse for any harm done .
Sociopaths are made , and have a higher likelihood of overcoming their condition .
However , many of those with sociopathic behavior will find themselves in similar corporate positions .
Hare ’ s research discovered that by attempting to heal or help a psychopath , you might actually be strengthening their cunning abilities , as they will find a way to manipulate you into believing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their actions were wrong .
The best we can do is learn to recognize the traits of psychopaths and be sure to stay clear of their actions and behaviors to protect ourselves from the wake of their inevitable destruction .

Often when we think of the word psychopath, we think of deranged serial killers that are hopefully locked up in prison for life. While there are many psychopaths who kill for reasons that are unfathomable to most of us and who are indeed in prison, there is an even greater number roaming free in our society and often using their condition to their advantage in any way possible. In fact, it is very likely that you know some–they might even be your colleagues.
Most of us do not know or work with any serial killers, at least not that we are aware of. So, what exactly is a psychopath and how can we define them? The dictionary definition is as follows:
“A person suffering from a chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior.”
As you can probably tell, a lot more than just serial killers will fit into this broad definition. In fact, according to Canadian psychologist Dr. Robert Hare, a world-renowned expert on psychopathy, an estimated 1% of the Earth’s population is psychopathic and around 25% of the population of male inmates at federal correctional facilities are psychopathic.
Psychopathic Traits
It is important to note that, in contrast with the popular image of the ‘deranged psycho,’ psychopaths tend to be very well composed, take good care of their appearance and are very charming (think of Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho). Because of this you may have a difficult time spotting them out, as they are masters of deception and are able to fake a lot of the qualities that define regular people. Some other psychopathic traits, according to Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist, are as follows: Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
Glib and superficial charm
Grandiose estimation of self
Need for stimulation
Manipulative and cunning
Complete lack of remorse or guilt
Pathological lying
Have a parasitic lifestyle, often latching onto and taking from others
Have a history of early behavioral problems
Overly impulsive
Are very irresponsible
Unable to accept responsibility for actions
Unable to commit to long-term relationships
History of juvenile delinquency
Display criminal versatility
Experienced a “revocation of conditional release”
Lacks realistic long term goals
History of promiscuous sexual behavior
Have poor behavioral controls
Are callous and lack empathy
Have a “shallow affect” (psychopaths show a lack of emotion when an emotional reaction is appropriate.)
You can actually rate yourself to find out if you are psychopath. On each criterion, the subject is ranked on a 3-point scale: (0 = item does not apply, 1 = item applies somewhat, 2 = item definitely applies). The scores are summed to create a rank of zero to 40. Anyone who scores 30 and above is most likely a psychopath. Hare has used this test and checklist to detect which inmates are psychopaths.
Snakes In Suits
What many of us don’t realize is that psychopaths actually thrive in the corporate world. Hare has actually co-authored a book with Dr. Paul Babiak on this topic entitled, Snakes In Suits: Understanding and Surviving the Psychopaths in Your Office. Psychopaths manipulate others to accrue power, sometimes pitting them against each other in an attempt to divide and conquer. They are often attracted to bigger, dynamic corporations with very little structure or supervision. They generally don’t work well in teams because they don’t like to share information or skills and it brings them joy to watch others fail. They are addicted to power, status and money. Sound familiar?
Sadly, the corporate world is set up to favor psychopathic traits such as fearlessness, dominant behavior and immunity to stress. Because of this, psychopaths often find themselves in these types of positions, and then have an easier time climbing the corporate ladder and obtaining positions of great power. This is where they can do real damage to society.
Are Psychopaths Running The World?
Not only as corporate heads do psychopaths find success in our modern-day society, but also within our governments and political system — often as front-line politicians. This may come as a shock to you, but when you really look at some of the atrocities that are taking place on our planet, and if you’ve ever wondered how things that are so inhumane could actually be happening, well, therein lies your answer.
When you consider the war, genocide, senseless murder of civilians, treatment of the indigenous cultures of the world, chemicals in our food, air and water supply, acts of “terrorism”, war crimes and so many other unjust and cruel actions which are often instigated by our political leaders, it becomes easy to see how psychopaths actually fit the requirements for these types of roles quite well. As mentioned before they are masters of deception, pathological liars and often quite charming.
Many soldiers go to war and because they are conditioned to believe that they are fighting an enemy in the name of peace. They do as they are told and commit these heinous acts against other human beings. The reason why so many soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder is because it is not within human nature to murder other humans, and especially innocent civilians. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $50.00 (as of 09:20 UTC - Details)
We already know how many politicians are crooked, but perhaps its time to start looking at them with the psychopath checklist in mind so that we can be better equipped to protect not only ourselves but our society from their malicious acts.
But Can’t We Help Them?
It is natural for anyone who is an empath or those involved in spiritual work to have compassion for these individuals and feel compelled to help them overcome their psychopathic behavior. However, most research has pointed towards the understanding that psychopaths are born, not made and therefore cannot be cured. This is one of the main differences that separates sociopaths from psychopaths. Another is that sociopaths have a conscience, albeit a weak one, and will often justify something they know to be wrong. By contrast, psychopaths will believe that their actions are justified and feel no remorse for any harm done. Sociopaths are made, and have a higher likelihood of overcoming their condition. However, many of those with sociopathic behavior will find themselves in similar corporate positions.
Hare’s research discovered that by attempting to heal or help a psychopath, you might actually be strengthening their cunning abilities, as they will find a way to manipulate you into believing that they are remorseful and understand how their actions were wrong.
The best we can do is learn to recognize the traits of psychopaths and be sure to stay clear of their actions and behaviors to protect ourselves from the wake of their inevitable destruction.
Reprinted with permission from Collective Evolution.


lewrockwell--2020-01-28--On Anger and the Good Life: What We Can Learn From History’s Greatest Sages

If these times of ours , and our politics specifically , can be associated with any of the human emotions , anger would be as good a selection as any .
In fact , our politics undoubtedly encourages anger .
Politicians , as well as the movers and shakers in the media , have every interest invested in stoking the flames of anger .
The angrier people are , the better…for them .
Sages from cultures around the world and throughout time have a decidedly different view of anger .
Remarkably , despite all of their differences , the founders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their successors are of one mind with their counterparts from other places and epochs that one critical ingredient in a good life is a good temperament .
Yes , they ’ ve been insisting upon the need for “ anger-management ” long before we started calling it “ anger-management.
” Hinduism is probably the oldest of the world ’ s surviving wisdom traditions .
Its sacred scriptures tell us the following about anger : Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 “ From anger , complete delusion arises , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When memory is bewildered , intelligence is lost , and when intelligence is lost , one is ruined.
” “ Only fools praise anger , ” while “ the wise keep [ it ] at a distance.
” “ The man consumed by anger does not easily acquire generosity , dignity , courage , skill , or the other attributes possessed by men of character.
” Such proponents of Taoism as Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu don ’ t disagree .
The former remarked : “ Simplicity , patience , compassion .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in actions and thoughts , you return to the source of being .
Patient with both friends and enemies , you accord with the way things are .
Compassionate toward yourself , you reconcile all beings in the world.
” “ The best fighter is never angry.
” “ Kindness in words creates confidence .
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness .
Kindness in giving creates love.
” Chuang Tzu , an expositor of sorts of Lao Tzu , taught the following : “ If a man crosses a river and an empty boat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though he be a bad tempered man , he will not become very angry .
But if he sees a man in the boat , he will shout at him to steer clear .
If the shout is not heard , he will shout again , and yet again , and begin cursing .
And all because someone is in the boat .
Yet if the boat were empty , he would not be shouting , and not angry.
” “ If you can empty your own boat crossing the river of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no one will seek to harm you.
” His point is that conflict arises from ego , an inflated sense of self-importance .
Those who get over themselves , as it were , those who cultivate within themselves the virtue of humility , of self-surrender and acceptance of what ’ s what , will relieve themselves of both interpersonal and intrapersonal tensions .
Chuang Tzu also offered a more succinct way of making his point and that of the whole Taoist philosophy of which he and Lao Tzu are the most prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen , and let your mind be free : Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing .
This is the ultimate.
” Confucius is another Chinese sage who addressed the emotion of anger : “ If a man be under the influence of anger , his conduct will not be correct.
” “ To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
” “ When anger arises , think of the consequences.
” The Buddha too agrees that a bad temper promises to preclude human flourishing : “ To conquer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conquer thousands in battle.
” “ It is a man ’ s own mind , not his enemy or foe , which lures him to evil ways.
” “ You will not be punished for your anger ; you will be punished by your anger.
” “ Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else ; you are the one that gets burned.
” “ An outside enemy exists only if there is anger inside.
” “ Hatred does not cease by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is the eternal rule.
” “ Friendship is the only cure for hatred , the only guarantee of peace.
” From the Roman philosopher Seneca , a leading proponent of Stoicism : “ Mankind is born for mutual assistance , anger for mutual ruin.
” “ Some of the wisest of men have…called anger a short madness : for it is equally devoid of self-control , regardless of decorum , forgetful of kinship , obstinately engrossed in whatever it begins to do , deaf to reason and advice , excited by trifling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true and just , and very like a falling rock which breaks itself to pieces upon the very thing which it crushes.
” Some maintain that anger is a good thing because it enables men to engage in battle more effectively .
To this line Seneca has a reply ready at hand : “ No man becomes braver though anger , except one who without anger would not have been brave at all : anger does not therefore come to assist courage , but to take its place.
” “ Keep this thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rage coming on—it isn ’ t manly to be enraged .
Rather , gentleness and civility are more human , and therefore manlier .
A real man doesn ’ t give way to anger and discontent , and such a person has strength , courage , and endurance—unlike the angry and complaining .
The nearer a man comes to a calm mind , the closer he is to strength.
” “ There are two things that a person should never be angry at , what they can help , and what they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some thoughts himself on anger : “ Of ill-temper there are three kinds : irascibility , bitterness , sullenness .
It belongs to the ill-tempered man to be unable to bear either small slights or defeats but to be given to retaliation and revenge , and easily moved to anger by any chance deed or word .
Ill-temper is accompanied by excitability of character , instability , bitter speech , and liability to take offense at trifles and to feel these feelings quickly and on slight occasions.
” To be sure , Aristotle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thinker after him , thought that anger , as long as it is felt properly , is a virtue : “ To be angry is easy .
But to be angry with the right man at the right time and in the right manner , that is not easy.
” “ Those who are not angry at the things they should be angry at are thought to be fools , and so are those who are not angry in the right way , at the right time , or with the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Entitlement , when rage seems to be the dominant emotion expressed , this generation can do much worse than to consult the sages from around the world and throughout history .
The Best of Jack Kerwick

If these times of ours, and our politics specifically, can be associated with any of the human emotions, anger would be as good a selection as any.
In fact, our politics undoubtedly encourages anger. Politicians, as well as the movers and shakers in the media, have every interest invested in stoking the flames of anger. The angrier people are, the better…for them.
Sages from cultures around the world and throughout time have a decidedly different view of anger.
Remarkably, despite all of their differences, the founders of the world’s wisdom traditions and their successors are of one mind with their counterparts from other places and epochs that one critical ingredient in a good life is a good temperament.
Yes, they’ve been insisting upon the need for “anger-management” long before we started calling it “anger-management.”
Hinduism is probably the oldest of the world’s surviving wisdom traditions. Its sacred scriptures tell us the following about anger: Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
“From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion, bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one is ruined.”
“Only fools praise anger,” while “the wise keep [it] at a distance.”
“The man consumed by anger does not easily acquire generosity, dignity, courage, skill, or the other attributes possessed by men of character.”
Such proponents of Taoism as Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu don’t disagree. The former remarked:
“Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.”
“The best fighter is never angry.”
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
Chuang Tzu, an expositor of sorts of Lao Tzu, taught the following:
“If a man crosses a river and an empty boat collides with his own skiff, even though he be a bad tempered man, he will not become very angry. But if he sees a man in the boat, he will shout at him to steer clear. If the shout is not heard, he will shout again, and yet again, and begin cursing.
And all because someone is in the boat.
Yet if the boat were empty, he would not be shouting, and not angry.”
Chuang Tzu concluded:
“If you can empty your own boat crossing the river of the world, no one will oppose you, no one will seek to harm you.”
His point is that conflict arises from ego, an inflated sense of self-importance. Those who get over themselves, as it were, those who cultivate within themselves the virtue of humility, of self-surrender and acceptance of what’s what, will relieve themselves of both interpersonal and intrapersonal tensions.
Chuang Tzu also offered a more succinct way of making his point and that of the whole Taoist philosophy of which he and Lao Tzu are the most prominent representatives:
“Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.”
Confucius is another Chinese sage who addressed the emotion of anger:
“If a man be under the influence of anger, his conduct will not be correct.”
“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”
“When anger arises, think of the consequences.”
The Buddha too agrees that a bad temper promises to preclude human flourishing:
“To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in battle.”
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, which lures him to evil ways.”
“You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.”
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one that gets burned.”
“An outside enemy exists only if there is anger inside.”
“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.”
“Friendship is the only cure for hatred, the only guarantee of peace.”
From the Roman philosopher Seneca, a leading proponent of Stoicism:
“Mankind is born for mutual assistance, anger for mutual ruin.”
“Some of the wisest of men have…called anger a short madness: for it is equally devoid of self-control, regardless of decorum, forgetful of kinship, obstinately engrossed in whatever it begins to do, deaf to reason and advice, excited by trifling causes, awkward at perceiving what is true and just, and very like a falling rock which breaks itself to pieces upon the very thing which it crushes.”
Some maintain that anger is a good thing because it enables men to engage in battle more effectively. To this line Seneca has a reply ready at hand:
“No man becomes braver though anger, except one who without anger would not have been brave at all: anger does not therefore come to assist courage, but to take its place.”
His fellow Stoic, Marcus Aurelius, concurs:
“Keep this thought handy when you feel a fit of rage coming on—it isn’t manly to be enraged. Rather, gentleness and civility are more human, and therefore manlier. A real man doesn’t give way to anger and discontent, and such a person has strength, courage, and endurance—unlike the angry and complaining. The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength.”
Plato memorably remarked: Amazon.com $25 Gift Ca... Buy New $25.00 (as of 05:10 UTC - Details)
“There are two things that a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.”
His student Aristotle had some thoughts himself on anger:
“Of ill-temper there are three kinds: irascibility, bitterness, sullenness. It belongs to the ill-tempered man to be unable to bear either small slights or defeats but to be given to retaliation and revenge, and easily moved to anger by any chance deed or word. Ill-temper is accompanied by excitability of character, instability, bitter speech, and liability to take offense at trifles and to feel these feelings quickly and on slight occasions.”
To be sure, Aristotle, like Plato before him and many a thinker after him, thought that anger, as long as it is felt properly, is a virtue:
“To be angry is easy. But to be angry with the right man at the right time and in the right manner, that is not easy.”
“Those who are not angry at the things they should be angry at are thought to be fools, and so are those who are not angry in the right way, at the right time, or with the right persons.”
In this Age of Self-Expression and Entitlement, when rage seems to be the dominant emotion expressed, this generation can do much worse than to consult the sages from around the world and throughout history.
The Best of Jack Kerwick


lewrockwell--2020-01-28--Walker Percy’s Homage to Robert E. Lee

Walker Percy’s Homage to Robert E. Lee

The novelist Walker Percy was inescapably Southern by virtually any measure .
Born May 28 , 1916 in Birmingham , he lived briefly in Athens , Georgia following the death of this father , grew up in Greenville , Mississippi , and lived most of his adult life in Louisiana , in New Orleans and Covington .
Both the culture into which he was born , and the fatherly—as well as literary—influence of his older cousin William Alexander Percy , who raised him and his two brothers in Greenville following his mother ’ s death , helped to mold some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his life .
Will Percy , author of Lanterns on the Levee , was partly responsible , by both precept and example , for instilling the stoic philosophy and , relatedly , something of the southern chivalric code , neither of which Walker as an adult could ever disown .
[ 1 ] It should not be surprising , then , that he was throughout much his life an admirer of Robert E. Lee .
What is also clear when his various comments about Lee throughout his career are viewed as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a writer to give a full-throated affirmation , such as we find for instance in Donald Davidson ’ s “ Lee in the Mountains ” ( to which we will return in the conclusion ) .
His scattered remarks are often qualified by irony , wit , and a distancing of himself that stems in part from his being politically liberal and also from a well-developed ironical cast of mind .
Yet , as we will see , he could not escape the powerful hold that Lee has had over many a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over many decades now .
This , despite the shifting of attitudes and reevaluations by professional historians and even , perhaps , by ordinary folks .
[ 2 ] The South Was Right !
James Ronald Kennedy , ... Best Price : $ 21.38 Buy New $ 36.15 If Percy was generally a progressive socially and politically speaking , he was at the same time a theologically conservative Catholic as regards core beliefs and values .
It was primarily his faith that motivated his involvement in programs designed to aid the poor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late 1960 ’ s of such programs as Head Start and his work with Fr .
Twoomey at Loyola University in New Orleans to advance the civil rights agenda in his hometown of Covington is well documented by his main two biographers .
[ 3 ] Nevertheless , his admiration for Robert E. Lee , which began early in his life , remained with him throughout his life and career .
He could not escape an awareness , though , that Lee , the Confederacy , and the Confederate flag in particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a troublesome extent by the lower orders—racists , and rabble-rousers—intent on using them in support of segregation and white supremacy .
Even so , I contend , his life-long admiration of Lee remained with him to the end .
Following the trail of evidence in his writings shows just how strong this attraction to Lee was for Percy and how it made itself felt in his work .
Its presence isn ’ t dramatic , but it is unmistakable .
Key passages are found not only in his fiction but also in letters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote over a period of more than thirty years .
Percy ’ s interest in Lee apparently began in the 1930 ’ s as a college student at the University of North Carolina , where he read voraciously both fictional and historical works .
One of the latter was the four-volume biography of Lee by Douglas Southall Freeman ( published in 1934-35 ) , a Pulitzer-Prize winning study that probably more than any other of the period set the tone for Lee biography for decades to come , that is , until re-evaluators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B. Connelly , and Alan T. Nolan came along .
[ 4 ] Perhaps the earliest comment by Percy on Lee is found in a 1952 letter that Percy wrote to Caroline Gordon during the period just following his entry into the Catholic Church .
The main subject of the letter is St. Thomas More as “ the Road Back ” to the Church , but in a fascinating observation Percy notes that for Southerners , as well as some other Americans , “ More is the spiritual ancestor of Lee.
” [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what he is saying here would take us a bit far afield , but we may certainly assume that in Percy ’ s mind both men have an inherent magnetism that attracts kindred souls to a worthy cause .
Moreover , both men in time became honored and revered by many for their self-sacrificing stands against powerful forces and persons .
They were arguably both martyrs—the one red , the other white—for their respective causes , and if More eventually was canonized officially ( in 1935 ) , Lee achieved a sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the War on both sides of the Mason Dixon line—as we see in the work of both Connelly and Nolan and others .
As Connelly writes , “ He became a God figure for Virginians , a saint for the white Protestant South , and a hero for the nation ” ( Marble Man , 3 ) .
Similarly , Nolan notes that Lee ’ s stature grew in the decades following the War to an “ heroic , almost superhuman ” level approaching divinity ( Lee Reconsidered , 4-5 ) .
Percy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather more sober .
In an essay entitled “ The American War ” ( 1957 ) he focuses for the most part on what he calls “ the fight ” itself , rather than the politics of the Civil War , an emphasis reflecting the histories coming out during that period .
In line with that emphasis , he touches on the theme of alternating loss and ( current ) recovery of the past , the past of this War in particular and its key figures : Lincoln and Grant , McClellan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Regarding Lee and the nature of battle , Percy cites the General ’ s famous observation at the Battle of Fredericksburg : “ It is well that war is so terrible .
.
.
else we should grow too fond of it ” ( Signposts 73 ) .
It is not too far-fetched to suppose that Percy like Richard Weaver in an essay on Lee perceived in this saying an encapsulation of hard-won wisdom , although he does not elaborate here .
[ 7 ] He recalls , too , with apparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troop movement at Chancellorsville against Hooker ’ s vastly larger army when he sent Jackson to the left and almost destroyed Hooker ’ s force .

The novelist Walker Percy was inescapably Southern by virtually any measure. Born May 28, 1916 in Birmingham, he lived briefly in Athens, Georgia following the death of this father, grew up in Greenville, Mississippi, and lived most of his adult life in Louisiana, in New Orleans and Covington. Both the culture into which he was born, and the fatherly—as well as literary—influence of his older cousin William Alexander Percy, who raised him and his two brothers in Greenville following his mother’s death, helped to mold some of his fundamental views for the rest of his life. Will Percy, author of Lanterns on the Levee, was partly responsible, by both precept and example, for instilling the stoic philosophy and, relatedly, something of the southern chivalric code, neither of which Walker as an adult could ever disown.[1]
It should not be surprising, then, that he was throughout much his life an admirer of Robert E. Lee. What is also clear when his various comments about Lee throughout his career are viewed as a whole is that he was rarely able as a writer to give a full-throated affirmation, such as we find for instance in Donald Davidson’s “Lee in the Mountains” (to which we will return in the conclusion). His scattered remarks are often qualified by irony, wit, and a distancing of himself that stems in part from his being politically liberal and also from a well-developed ironical cast of mind. Yet, as we will see, he could not escape the powerful hold that Lee has had over many a Southerner, both male and female, over many decades now. This, despite the shifting of attitudes and reevaluations by professional historians and even, perhaps, by ordinary folks.[2]
The South Was Right! James Ronald Kennedy, ... Best Price: $21.38 Buy New $36.15 (as of 10:45 UTC - Details) If Percy was generally a progressive socially and politically speaking, he was at the same time a theologically conservative Catholic as regards core beliefs and values. It was primarily his faith that motivated his involvement in programs designed to aid the poor, especially blacks. His active support during the late 1960’s of such programs as Head Start and his work with Fr. Twoomey at Loyola University in New Orleans to advance the civil rights agenda in his hometown of Covington is well documented by his main two biographers.[3]
Nevertheless, his admiration for Robert E. Lee, which began early in his life, remained with him throughout his life and career. He could not escape an awareness, though, that Lee, the Confederacy, and the Confederate flag in particular as symbol had all been co-opted to a troublesome extent by the lower orders—racists, and rabble-rousers—intent on using them in support of segregation and white supremacy. Even so, I contend, his life-long admiration of Lee remained with him to the end.
Following the trail of evidence in his writings shows just how strong this attraction to Lee was for Percy and how it made itself felt in his work. Its presence isn’t dramatic, but it is unmistakable. Key passages are found not only in his fiction but also in letters, articles, and essays that he wrote over a period of more than thirty years.
Percy’s interest in Lee apparently began in the 1930’s as a college student at the University of North Carolina, where he read voraciously both fictional and historical works. One of the latter was the four-volume biography of Lee by Douglas Southall Freeman (published in 1934-35), a Pulitzer-Prize winning study that probably more than any other of the period set the tone for Lee biography for decades to come, that is, until re-evaluators and revisionists like Eric Foner, Richard B. Connelly, and Alan T. Nolan came along.[4]
Perhaps the earliest comment by Percy on Lee is found in a 1952 letter that Percy wrote to Caroline Gordon during the period just following his entry into the Catholic Church. The main subject of the letter is St. Thomas More as “the Road Back” to the Church, but in a fascinating observation Percy notes that for Southerners, as well as some other Americans, “More is the spiritual ancestor of Lee.”[5] To unbundle the full meaning of what he is saying here would take us a bit far afield, but we may certainly assume that in Percy’s mind both men have an inherent magnetism that attracts kindred souls to a worthy cause. Moreover, both men in time became honored and revered by many for their self-sacrificing stands against powerful forces and persons. They were arguably both martyrs—the one red, the other white—for their respective causes, and if More eventually was canonized officially (in 1935), Lee achieved a sort of unofficial sainthood in the decades following the War on both sides of the Mason Dixon line—as we see in the work of both Connelly and Nolan and others. As Connelly writes, “He became a God figure for Virginians, a saint for the white Protestant South, and a hero for the nation” (Marble Man, 3). Similarly, Nolan notes that Lee’s stature grew in the decades following the War to an “heroic, almost superhuman” level approaching divinity (Lee Reconsidered, 4-5).
Percy in his comments on Lee is predictably rather more sober. In an essay entitled “The American War” (1957) he focuses for the most part on what he calls “the fight” itself, rather than the politics of the Civil War, an emphasis reflecting the histories coming out during that period. In line with that emphasis, he touches on the theme of alternating loss and (current) recovery of the past, the past of this War in particular and its key figures: Lincoln and Grant, McClellan and “the legendary Lee.” [6] Regarding Lee and the nature of battle, Percy cites the General’s famous observation at the Battle of Fredericksburg: “It is well that war is so terrible . . . else we should grow too fond of it” (Signposts 73). It is not too far-fetched to suppose that Percy like Richard Weaver in an essay on Lee perceived in this saying an encapsulation of hard-won wisdom, although he does not elaborate here.[7]He recalls, too, with apparent admiration Lee’s risky but brilliant troop movement at Chancellorsville against Hooker’s vastly larger army when he sent Jackson to the left and almost destroyed Hooker’s force.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-01-28--The Grubby Corruption of Our Power Elite

In January 1956 , John F. Kennedy published Profiles in Courage , biographical encomia to eight U.S. senators , from John Quincy Adams to Robert Taft , whom Kennedy thought exhibited conspicuous courage in the discharge of their public duties .
I say Kennedy published Profiles in Courage .
But the book was written not by JFK but by the loyal Kennedy apparatchik and fixer Ted Sorensen .
Sorenson , like so many in the Kennedy circle , was a bit thuggish .
He was also an eloquent writer .
Remember this famous bit from Kennedy ’ s inaugural ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bear any burden , meet any hardship , support any friend , oppose any foe , in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
” Nicely put , and it was put by Sorensen , merely read by Kennedy .
Anyway , Profiles in Courage was an early installment in that long-running ( indeed , still-running ) effort to obscure the distasteful reality of JFK with a carefully cultivated image of an eager yet culturally sophisticated patriot ( see the index under “ Pablo Casals visits the White House ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in that vast mythopoeic enterprise the public knows as Camelot .
But a much more important book is Peter Schweizer ’ s Profiles in Corruption : Abuse of Power by America ’ s Progressive Elites .
Schweizer will be known to many readers of American Greatness .
He is unquestionably our most accomplished anatomist of “ using public power for personal gain .
.
.
.
cronyism , corruption , patronage , and intimidation.
” His string of bestsellers includes Clinton Cash : The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rich , Secret Empires : How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends , and Throw Them All Out : How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich Off Insider Stock Tips , Land Deals , and Cronyism That Would Send the Rest of Us to Prison .
Do not be misled by the name “ Clinton.
” Schweizer ’ s subject is not perfidy , corruption , and self-dealing by Democrats , but perfidy , corruption , and self-dealing by politicians regardless of party .
Republicans figure prominently in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure so heavily in others—exclusively in Profile in Corruption—it is because these days Democrats tend to be more accomplished at corruption , as they are at political hardball in general , than Republicans .
The name “ Clinton ” should remind us all of that , as it should remind students of early 19th-century English literary history of William Hazlitt ’ s astute observation that “ those who lack delicacy hold us in their power.
” Schweizer frankly acknowledges that many—well , some—politicians , on both sides of the aisle , are honest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ navigate the challenging world of politics with integrity , and for the good of the country.
” This is undoubtedly true—as is his observation that such straight shooters “ appear to be a dying group.
” In his new book , Schweizer considers a rather different cast of characters from those that Kennedy-Sorensen eulogized .
Instead of heroes like John Quincy Adams , Sam Houston , and Daniel Webster , Schweizer focuses his searchlight on nine figures who exemplify political corruption in the administrative state that is America today .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris , Joe Biden , Cory Booker , Elizabeth Warren , and Bernie Sanders .
The rest are prominent but somewhat lesser-known Democrats : Senator Sherrod Brown ( D-Ohio ) , Senator Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) , and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti .
Schweizer begins his book with a look back at Robert Penn Warren ’ s classic tale of political corruption , All the King ’ s Men .
By today ’ s standards , the bribery that was at the center of Judge Irwin ’ s corruption in Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its simplicity .
As Schweizer notes , “ While few today would follow the outdated pattern of 1930s bribery , current political figures often benefit from financial ties with special-interest parties that are hard to trace , obscured behind what seems like a rock wall .
.
.
.
Part of the challenge is first identifying the tie between political power and those with whom they leverage their position.
” The rhetorical power of Schweizer ’ s books stems from two things : first , meticulous research that provides the gem-like elements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an evenhanded , almost deadpan , narrative style in which facts are marshaled , set forth , and left to speak for themselves without undue editorializing .
Clinton Cash : The Unto ... Peter Schweizer Best Price : $ 3.85 Buy New $ 10.83 Secret Empires : How th ... Peter Schweizer Best Price : $ 5.99 Buy New $ 9.58 Throw Them All Out : Ho ... Peter Schweizer Best Price : $ 4.35 Buy New $ 29.99 All the Kingu2019s Men Robert Penn Warren Best Price : $ 3.02 Buy New @ @

In January 1956, John F. Kennedy published Profiles in Courage, biographical encomia to eight U.S. senators, from John Quincy Adams to Robert Taft, whom Kennedy thought exhibited conspicuous courage in the discharge of their public duties.
I say Kennedy published Profiles in Courage. But the book was written not by JFK but by the loyal Kennedy apparatchik and fixer Ted Sorensen. Sorenson, like so many in the Kennedy circle, was a bit thuggish. He was also an eloquent writer. Remember this famous bit from Kennedy’s inaugural? “We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Nicely put, and it was put by Sorensen, merely read by Kennedy.
Anyway, Profiles in Courage was an early installment in that long-running (indeed, still-running) effort to obscure the distasteful reality of JFK with a carefully cultivated image of an eager yet culturally sophisticated patriot (see the index under “Pablo Casals visits the White House”).
Profiles in Courage deserves its place in that vast mythopoeic enterprise the public knows as Camelot. But a much more important book is Peter Schweizer’s Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America’s Progressive Elites.
Schweizer will be known to many readers of American Greatness. He is unquestionably our most accomplished anatomist of “using public power for personal gain. . . . cronyism, corruption, patronage, and intimidation.” His string of bestsellers includes Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich, Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends, and Throw Them All Out: How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich Off Insider Stock Tips, Land Deals, and Cronyism That Would Send the Rest of Us to Prison.
Do not be misled by the name “Clinton.” Schweizer’s subject is not perfidy, corruption, and self-dealing by Democrats, but perfidy, corruption, and self-dealing by politicians regardless of party. Republicans figure prominently in several of his books. If Democrats figure so heavily in others—exclusively in Profile in Corruption—it is because these days Democrats tend to be more accomplished at corruption, as they are at political hardball in general, than Republicans. The name “Clinton” should remind us all of that, as it should remind students of early 19th-century English literary history of William Hazlitt’s astute observation that “those who lack delicacy hold us in their power.”
Schweizer frankly acknowledges that many—well, some—politicians, on both sides of the aisle, are honest public servants, men and women who “navigate the challenging world of politics with integrity, and for the good of the country.” This is undoubtedly true—as is his observation that such straight shooters “appear to be a dying group.” Profiles in Corruption... Schweizer, Peter Best Price: $17.98 Buy New $17.99 (as of 03:27 UTC - Details)
In his new book, Schweizer considers a rather different cast of characters from those that Kennedy-Sorensen eulogized. Instead of heroes like John Quincy Adams, Sam Houston, and Daniel Webster, Schweizer focuses his searchlight on nine figures who exemplify political corruption in the administrative state that is America today. More than half of the figures are household names—Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders. The rest are prominent but somewhat lesser-known Democrats: Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Schweizer begins his book with a look back at Robert Penn Warren’s classic tale of political corruption, All the King’s Men. By today’s standards, the bribery that was at the center of Judge Irwin’s corruption in Warren’s novel seems almost quaint in its simplicity. As Schweizer notes, “While few today would follow the outdated pattern of 1930s bribery, current political figures often benefit from financial ties with special-interest parties that are hard to trace, obscured behind what seems like a rock wall. . . . Part of the challenge is first identifying the tie between political power and those with whom they leverage their position.”
The rhetorical power of Schweizer’s books stems from two things: first, meticulous research that provides the gem-like elements of his political portraits, and second, an evenhanded, almost deadpan, narrative style in which facts are marshaled, set forth, and left to speak for themselves without undue editorializing.
Read the Whole Article
Clinton Cash: The Unto... Schweizer, Peter Best Price: $4.38 Buy New $10.56 (as of 01:15 UTC - Details) Secret Empires: How th... Schweizer, Peter Best Price: $5.99 Buy New $11.07 (as of 07:25 UTC - Details) Throw Them All Out: Ho... Peter Schweizer Best Price: $4.35 Buy New $29.99 (as of 05:35 UTC - Details) All the King’s Men Warren, Robert Penn Best Price: $3.53 Buy New $9.40 (as of 01:25 UTC - Details)


lewrockwell--2020-01-28--More Health Benefits of Quercetin Revealed

Quercetin1 is an antioxidant flavonol found naturally in foods such as apples , plums , red grapes , green tea , elder flower and onions , just to name a few.2 According to a 2019 Market Watch report,3 the quercetin market is growing rapidly as its health benefits are becoming more widely known .
Quercetin has been shown to combat inflammation and acts as a natural antihistamine .
In fact , its antiviral capacity appears to be the primary focus of many studies looking at quercetin ’ s benefits , and a number of studies have highlighted quercetin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common cold and influenza.4,5,6,7 But there are also other , less known benefits and uses for this supplement , including the prevention and/or treatment of:8 • Longevity , thanks to its senolytic benefits ( clearing out damaged and worn-out cells ) , Fat for Fuel : A Revolu ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price : $ 7.40 Buy New $ 11.89 Additionally , quercetin is also helpful for aluminum-induced neurodegenerative changes , such as those seen in Alzheimer ’ s , Parkinson ’ s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS ) .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most recent papers on this powerful antioxidant is a review20 published in the March 2019 issue of Phytotherapy Research , which looked at nine randomized controlled trials investigating quercetin ’ s effect on metabolic syndrome .
Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of conditions ( including high blood pressure , high blood sugar , high triglyceride levels and fat accumulation around the waist ) that raise your risk for Type 2 diabetes , heart disease and stroke .
While pooled findings found no effect on fasting plasma glucose , insulin resistance or hemoglobin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quercetin supplementation “ significantly reduced ” fasting plasma glucose in studies lasting at least eight weeks and in which dosages of at least 500 milligrams ( mg ) per day were used .
In studies that included people over the age of 45 , “ significant ” reductions in insulin were also found when using a dosage of 500 mg per day or more .
An earlier study,21 published in 2011 , looked at quercetin ’ s effects on certain traits of metabolic syndrome .
This study focused specifically atherosclerosis and inflammation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3/4 and 4/4 , and found quercetin significantly decreased waist circumference , postprandial systolic blood pressure , postprandial triacylglycerol , and increased HDL-cholesterol compared to placebo .
Here , participants were given 150 mg of quercetin per day for eight weeks .
Research22 on obese rats published in 2008 also found that quercetin supplementation at doses of 2 mg per kilo or 10 mg/kg of body weight for 10 weeks improved systolic blood pressure , triglyceride , total cholesterol and free fatty acid levels .
The 10 mg/kg dose also improved the animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the authors : One of the first studies23 to demonstrate quercetin ’ s beneficial effects on blood pressure was published in 2007 .
As reported by the authors : Similarly , a January 2020 systematic review24 of 17 studies concluded quercetin “ significantly decreased ” blood pressure in human subjects .
Those who took it for eight weeks or more also had “ significantly ” improved high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides .
Other recent research25 published in the August 2019 issue of Phytotherapy Research concluded quercetin has a beneficial impact on NAFLD “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lipid metabolism.
” Diabetes can play a role in NAFLD as well , showing just how influential insulin resistance is in the development of chronic diseases of all kinds .
As explained in the abstract : According to research26 published in 2016 , quercetin even has the ability to trigger tumor regression by interacting with your DNA and activating the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis ( the programmed cell death of damaged cells ) .
Quercetin was found to induce cytotoxicity in leukemic cells , and the effect was dose-dependent .
Limited cytotoxic effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Overall , quercetin increased the life span in cancer-ridden mice fivefold compared to untreated controls .
The authors attributed these effects to quercetin ’ s direct interaction with DNA and its activation of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis , and suggested quercetin ’ s potential use as a cancer therapy adjunct deserves further exploration .
More recent research27 in the journal Molecules also highlights quercetin ’ s epigenetic influence and ability to : MicroRNAs used to be considered “ junk ” DNA .
Far from being useless , research has now revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ microRNA and plays a crucial role in regulating genes that make the proteins that build your body .
The microRNA function as “ on/off ” switches for the genes .
Depending on the microRNA input , a single gene can code for any of more than 200 protein products .
Quercetin ’ s ability to module microRNA may also help explain its cytotoxic effects , and why it appears to improve cancer survival ( at least in mice ) .
As mentioned , one of the most well-studied attributes of quercetin is its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to three main mechanisms of action : For example , research28 funded by the U.S. Department of Defense , published in 2007 , found it lowers your risk of viral illness and boosts mental performance following extreme physical stress , which might otherwise undermine your immune function and render you more susceptible to infections .
EMF*D : 5G , Wi-Fi & Cel ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Buy New $ 22.49 Here , cyclists who received a daily dose of 1,000 mg of quercetin in combination with vitamin C ( which enhances plasma quercetin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absorption ) for five weeks were significantly less likely to contract a viral illness after bicycling three hours a day for three consecutive days , compared to untreated controls .
While 45 % of the placebo group got sick , only 5 % of the treatment group did .
In another study31 funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA ) , published in 2008 , animals treated with quercetin were challenged with a highly pathogenic H1N1 influenza virus .
Again , the treatment group had significantly lower morbidity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of other studies have also confirmed quercetin ’ s effectiveness against a variety of viruses , including the following : A 1985 study found quercetin inhibits infectivity and replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 , polio-virus type 1 , parainfluenza virus type 3 and respiratory syncytial virus.32 A 2010 animal study found that quercetin inhibits both influenza A and B viruses .
Two other important discoveries were made .
Firstly , the viruses were unable to develop resistance to quercetin , and secondly , when used concomitant with antiviral drugs ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was significantly amplified — and it prevented drug-resistance from developing.33 A 2004 animal study investigating quercetin ’ s effect on influenza used a strain of the H3N2 virus .
According to the authors:34 Another 2016 study found quercetin offered protection against influenza A virus H1N1 by modulating protein expression .
More specifically , the regulation of heat shock proteins , fibronectin 1 and prohibitin was instrumental in reducing viral replication.35 A third study published in 2016 found quercetin inhibited a wide spectrum of influenza strains , including H1N1 , H3N2 and H5N1 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ study indicates that quercetin showing inhibitory activity in the early stage of influenza infection provides a future therapeutic option to develop effective , safe and affordable natural products for the treatment and prophylaxis of [ influenza A viruses ] infections.
” 36 In 2014 , researchers noted that quercetin appears to be “ a promising treatment for the common cold , ” caused by the rhinovirus , adding that “ Quercetin has been shown to reduce viral internalization and replication in vitro , and viral load , lung inflammation and airways hyper-responsiveness in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it also lowers your risk of secondary bacterial infections , which is actually the primary cause of influenza-related deaths .
Importantly , quercetin increases mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle , which suggests part of its antiviral effects are due to enhanced mitochondrial antiviral signaling .
A 2016 animal study38 found quercetin inhibited mouse dengue virus and hepatitis virus .
Other studies have confirmed quercetin ’ s power to inhibit both hepatitis B39 and C40 infection .
Most recently , a March 2020 study41 in the Microbial Pathogenesis journal found quercetin “ provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” both in vitro and in vivo , primarily by neutralizing pneumolysin ( PLY ) ,42 one of the toxins released from pneumococci that encourages S. pneumoniae infection to blossom in the first place .
As reported by the authors in Microbial Pathogenesis : Aside from its antiviral activity , quercetin is also known for boosting immunity and combating inflammation .
As noted in a 2016 study43 in the journal Nutrients , mechanisms of action include ( but is not limited to ) the inhibition of:44 •Lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ) -induced tumor necrosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ macrophages .
TNF-α is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation , secreted by activated macrophages , a type of immune cell that digests foreign substances , microbes and other harmful or damaged components •LPS-induced mRNA levels of TNF-α and interleukin ( IL ) -1α in glial cells , which results in “ diminished apoptotic neuronal cell death ” KetoFast : Rejuvenate Y ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price : $ 7.13 Buy New $ 9.64 •Calcium influx into the cell , which in turn inhibits : According to this paper , quercetin also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the gastrointestinal tract , and “ a direct regulatory effect on basic functional properties of immune cells , ” which allows it to inhibit “ a huge panoply of molecular targets in the micromolar concentration range , either by down-regulating or suppressing many inflammatory pathways and functions.
” 46 Quercetin May Be a Useful Supplement for Many Considering its wide-ranging benefits , quercetin may be a useful supplement for many , either acutely or more long-term .
It ’ s one of the supplements I recommend keeping in your medicine chest for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ coming down ” with something , be it the common cold or influenza .
If you ’ re prone to colds and flu , you could consider taking it for a couple of months before cold and flu season hits to boost your immune system .
More long-term , it appears useful for those with metabolic syndrome , although it would be foolish to rely on any given supplement without also addressing more fundamental strategies such as diet and exercise .
As explained in my 2015 interview with Dr. Robert Lustig , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causative factor in insulin resistance , which is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome and a risk factor for virtually all chronic disease .
If you have one or more of the conditions that make up metabolic syndrome , you ’ d be wise to limit your total sugar consumption to 15 grams per day .
If you ’ re healthy , and want to stay that way , your daily sugar limit would be around 25 grams .
You can learn more about this and related treatment strategies in “ Vitamin D Can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Best of Joseph Mercola

Quercetin1 is an antioxidant flavonol found naturally in foods such as apples, plums, red grapes, green tea, elder flower and onions, just to name a few.2 According to a 2019 Market Watch report,3 the quercetin market is growing rapidly as its health benefits are becoming more widely known.
Quercetin has been shown to combat inflammation and acts as a natural antihistamine. In fact, its antiviral capacity appears to be the primary focus of many studies looking at quercetin’s benefits, and a number of studies have highlighted quercetin’s ability to prevent and treat both the common cold and influenza.4,5,6,7
But there are also other, less known benefits and uses for this supplement, including the prevention and/or treatment of:8
High blood pressure 9
Metabolic syndrome 11
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) 13
Arthritis 15
Longevity, thanks to its senolytic benefits (clearing out damaged and worn-out cells) 17 , 18
Cardiovascular disease 10
Certain kinds of cancer 12
Gout 14
Mood disorders 16
Fat for Fuel: A Revolu... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price: $7.40 Buy New $11.89 (as of 10:20 UTC - Details) Additionally, quercetin is also helpful for aluminum-induced neurodegenerative changes, such as those seen in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As noted in a 2016 study:19
“Administration of quercetin (10 mg/kg body wt/day) reduced aluminum (10 mg/kg body wt/day)-induced oxidative stress (decreased ROS production, increased mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity).
In addition, quercetin also prevents aluminum-induced translocation of cyt-c, and up-regulates Bcl-2, down-regulates Bax, p53, caspase-3 activation and reduces DNA fragmentation …
Further electron microscopic studies revealed that quercetin attenuates aluminum-induced mitochondrial swelling, loss of cristae and chromatin condensation. These results indicate that treatment with quercetin may represent a therapeutic strategy to attenuate the neuronal death against aluminum-induced neurodegeneration.”
Quercetin Improves Metabolic Syndrome Traits
Among the most recent papers on this powerful antioxidant is a review20 published in the March 2019 issue of Phytotherapy Research, which looked at nine randomized controlled trials investigating quercetin’s effect on metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of conditions (including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglyceride levels and fat accumulation around the waist) that raise your risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
While pooled findings found no effect on fasting plasma glucose, insulin resistance or hemoglobin A1c levels, further subgroup analyses revealed quercetin supplementation “significantly reduced” fasting plasma glucose in studies lasting at least eight weeks and in which dosages of at least 500 milligrams (mg) per day were used.
In studies that included people over the age of 45, “significant” reductions in insulin were also found when using a dosage of 500 mg per day or more. An earlier study,21 published in 2011, looked at quercetin’s effects on certain traits of metabolic syndrome.
This study focused specifically atherosclerosis and inflammation in men with the APOE genotype 3/3, 3/4 and 4/4, and found quercetin significantly decreased waist circumference, postprandial systolic blood pressure, postprandial triacylglycerol, and increased HDL-cholesterol compared to placebo. Here, participants were given 150 mg of quercetin per day for eight weeks.
Research22 on obese rats published in 2008 also found that quercetin supplementation at doses of 2 mg per kilo or 10 mg/kg of body weight for 10 weeks improved systolic blood pressure, triglyceride, total cholesterol and free fatty acid levels. The 10 mg/kg dose also improved the animals’ inflammation status. As noted by the authors:
“In conclusion, both doses of quercetin improved dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperinsulinemia in obese Zucker rats, but only the high dose produced antiinflammatory effects in VAT together with a reduction in body weight gain.”
One of the first studies23 to demonstrate quercetin’s beneficial effects on blood pressure was published in 2007. As reported by the authors:
“Epidemiological studies report that quercetin … is associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and stroke … Men and women with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to test the efficacy of 730 mg quercetin/d for 28 d[ays] vs. placebo.
Blood pressure at enrollment was … 148 +/- 2/96 +/- 1 in stage 1 hypertensive subjects … Reductions in systolic (-7 +/- 2 mm Hg), diastolic (-5 +/- 2 mm Hg), and mean arterial pressures (-5 +/- 2 mm Hg) were observed in stage 1 hypertensive patients after quercetin treatment … These data are the first to our knowledge to show that quercetin supplementation reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.”
Similarly, a January 2020 systematic review24 of 17 studies concluded quercetin “significantly decreased” blood pressure in human subjects. Those who took it for eight weeks or more also had “significantly” improved high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides.
Quercetin Improves Diabetes-Induced NAFLD
Other recent research25 published in the August 2019 issue of Phytotherapy Research concluded quercetin has a beneficial impact on NAFLD “by ameliorating inflammation, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism.”
Diabetes can play a role in NAFLD as well, showing just how influential insulin resistance is in the development of chronic diseases of all kinds. As explained in the abstract:
“Multiphase pathological processes involve in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM)‐induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the therapies are quite limited. In the present study, the hepatoprotective effects and underlying mechanisms of quercetin in T2DM‐induced NAFLD were investigated …
The results revealed that quercetin alleviated serum transaminase levels and markedly reduced T2DM‐induced histological alterations of livers. Additionally, quercetin restored superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione content in livers.
Not only that, quercetin markedly attenuated T2DM‐induced production of interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and TNF‐α. Accompanied by the restoration of the increased serum total bile acid and the decreased liver total bile acid, quercetin could reduce lipid accumulation in the liver … These findings suggested that quercetin might be a potentially effective drug for the treatment of T2DM‐induced NAFLD.”
Quercetin Helps Modulate Gene Expression
According to research26 published in 2016, quercetin even has the ability to trigger tumor regression by interacting with your DNA and activating the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis (the programmed cell death of damaged cells).
Quercetin was found to induce cytotoxicity in leukemic cells, and the effect was dose-dependent. Limited cytotoxic effects were also found in breast cancer cells. Overall, quercetin increased the life span in cancer-ridden mice fivefold compared to untreated controls.
The authors attributed these effects to quercetin’s direct interaction with DNA and its activation of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, and suggested quercetin’s potential use as a cancer therapy adjunct deserves further exploration.
More recent research27 in the journal Molecules also highlights quercetin’s epigenetic influence and ability to:
Interact with cell-signaling pathways
Modulate gene expression
Influence the activity of transcription factors
Modulate microRNAs
MicroRNAs used to be considered “junk” DNA. Far from being useless, research has now revealed that “junk” DNA is actually microRNA and plays a crucial role in regulating genes that make the proteins that build your body.
The microRNA function as “on/off” switches for the genes. Depending on the microRNA input, a single gene can code for any of more than 200 protein products. Quercetin’s ability to module microRNA may also help explain its cytotoxic effects, and why it appears to improve cancer survival (at least in mice).
Quercetin Is a Powerful Antiviral
As mentioned, one of the most well-studied attributes of quercetin is its antiviral capacity, which have been attributed to three main mechanisms of action:
Inhibiting the virus’ ability to infect cells Inhibiting replication of already infected cells Reducing infected cells’ resistance to treatment with antiviral medication
For example, research28 funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, published in 2007, found it lowers your risk of viral illness and boosts mental performance following extreme physical stress, which might otherwise undermine your immune function and render you more susceptible to infections. EMF*D: 5G, Wi-Fi & Cel... Dr. Joseph Mercola Buy New $22.49 (as of 09:53 UTC - Details)
Here, cyclists who received a daily dose of 1,000 mg of quercetin in combination with vitamin C (which enhances plasma quercetin levels29,30) and niacin (to improve absorption) for five weeks were significantly less likely to contract a viral illness after bicycling three hours a day for three consecutive days, compared to untreated controls. While 45% of the placebo group got sick, only 5% of the treatment group did.
In another study31 funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), published in 2008, animals treated with quercetin were challenged with a highly pathogenic H1N1 influenza virus. Again, the treatment group had significantly lower morbidity and mortality than the placebo group. A number of other studies have also confirmed quercetin’s effectiveness against a variety of viruses, including the following:
A 1985 study found quercetin inhibits infectivity and replication of herpes simplex virus type 1, polio-virus type 1, parainfluenza virus type 3 and respiratory syncytial virus.32
A 2010 animal study found that quercetin inhibits both influenza A and B viruses. Two other important discoveries were made. Firstly, the viruses were unable to develop resistance to quercetin, and secondly, when used concomitant with antiviral drugs (amantadine or oseltamivir), the effect was significantly amplified — and it prevented drug-resistance from developing.33
A 2004 animal study investigating quercetin’s effect on influenza used a strain of the H3N2 virus. According to the authors:34
“During influenza virus infection, there is ‘oxidative stress.’ Because quercetin restored the concentrations of many antioxidants, it is proposed that it may be useful as a drug in protecting the lung from the deleterious effects of oxygen derived free radicals released during influenza virus infection.”
Another 2016 study found quercetin offered protection against influenza A virus H1N1 by modulating protein expression. More specifically, the regulation of heat shock proteins, fibronectin 1 and prohibitin was instrumental in reducing viral replication.35
A third study published in 2016 found quercetin inhibited a wide spectrum of influenza strains, including H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1. According to the authors, “This study indicates that quercetin showing inhibitory activity in the early stage of influenza infection provides a future therapeutic option to develop effective, safe and affordable natural products for the treatment and prophylaxis of [influenza A viruses] infections.”36
In 2014, researchers noted that quercetin appears to be “a promising treatment for the common cold,” caused by the rhinovirus, adding that “Quercetin has been shown to reduce viral internalization and replication in vitro, and viral load, lung inflammation and airways hyper-responsiveness in vivo.”37
By attenuating oxidative damage, it also lowers your risk of secondary bacterial infections, which is actually the primary cause of influenza-related deaths. Importantly, quercetin increases mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle, which suggests part of its antiviral effects are due to enhanced mitochondrial antiviral signaling.
A 2016 animal study38 found quercetin inhibited mouse dengue virus and hepatitis virus. Other studies have confirmed quercetin’s power to inhibit both hepatitis B39 and C40 infection.
Most recently, a March 2020 study41 in the Microbial Pathogenesis journal found quercetin “provides comprehensive protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection,” both in vitro and in vivo, primarily by neutralizing pneumolysin (PLY),42 one of the toxins released from pneumococci that encourages S. pneumoniae infection to blossom in the first place. As reported by the authors in Microbial Pathogenesis:
“The results indicated that quercetin significantly reduced PLY-induced hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity via repressing the formation of oligomers.
In addition, treatment with quercetin can reduce PLY-mediated cell injury, improve the survival rate of mice infected with a lethal dose of S. pneumoniae, alleviate the pathological damage of lung tissue and inhibit the release of cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Considering the importance of these events in antimicrobial resistant S. pneumoniae pathogenesis, our results indicated that quercetin may be a novel potential drug candidate for the treatment of clinical pneumococcal infections.”
Quercetin Combats Inflammation and Boosts Immunity
Aside from its antiviral activity, quercetin is also known for boosting immunity and combating inflammation. As noted in a 2016 study43 in the journal Nutrients, mechanisms of action include (but is not limited to) the inhibition of:44
•Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production in macrophages. TNF-α is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation, secreted by activated macrophages, a type of immune cell that digests foreign substances, microbes and other harmful or damaged components
•LPS-induced mRNA levels of TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-1α in glial cells, which results in “diminished apoptotic neuronal cell death” KetoFast: Rejuvenate Y... Mercola, Dr. Joseph Check Amazon for Pricing.
•The production of inflammation-producing enzymes
•Calcium influx into the cell, which in turn inhibits:
◦Pro-inflammatory cytokine release
◦Histamine and serotonin release from intestinal mast cells release45
According to this paper, quercetin also stabilizes mast cells, has cytoprotective activity in the gastrointestinal tract, and “a direct regulatory effect on basic functional properties of immune cells,” which allows it to inhibit “a huge panoply of molecular targets in the micromolar concentration range, either by down-regulating or suppressing many inflammatory pathways and functions.”46
Quercetin May Be a Useful Supplement for Many
Considering its wide-ranging benefits, quercetin may be a useful supplement for many, either acutely or more long-term. It’s one of the supplements I recommend keeping in your medicine chest for times when you feel you’re “coming down” with something, be it the common cold or influenza.
If you’re prone to colds and flu, you could consider taking it for a couple of months before cold and flu season hits to boost your immune system. More long-term, it appears useful for those with metabolic syndrome, although it would be foolish to rely on any given supplement without also addressing more fundamental strategies such as diet and exercise.
As explained in my 2015 interview with Dr. Robert Lustig, sugar has been shown to be a causative factor in insulin resistance, which is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome and a risk factor for virtually all chronic disease.
If you have one or more of the conditions that make up metabolic syndrome, you’d be wise to limit your total sugar consumption to 15 grams per day. If you’re healthy, and want to stay that way, your daily sugar limit would be around 25 grams. You can learn more about this and related treatment strategies in “Vitamin D Can Significantly Lower Your Risk of Metabolic Syndrome.”
Sources and References
The Best of Dr. Joseph Mercola