Who is David Brat? Meet the Economics Professor Who Defeated Eric Cantor - Washington Wire - WSJ

Posted by LetsShrug 9 years, 11 months ago to Politics
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"His other published works include the titles “God and Advanced Mammon – Can Theological Types Handle Usury and Capitalism?” and “An Analysis of the Moral Foundations in Ayn Rand.”

(Yes, I stole this from Michael Brown's facebook post. Thanks Michael :)


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  • Posted by khalling 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes, that has become clear as the initial frenzy settled out. I have tried to locate the paper but without success.
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  • Posted by ewv 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The article was in National Review from January.

    Brat is not "affiliated" with ARI. If he happens to be a member by donating a small amount, anyone can do that, but there has been no statement that he does even that.

    He is getting money from the BB&T foundation for an educational program, not with an endorsement of his own views, which are primarily religious.

    The title of his article on Ayn Rand's moral foundations does not indicate whether he is for or against it, or even totally confused.

    Some leftist writers see the name BB&T and the title of his article and leap to the conclusion that he is a strong advocate of Ayn Rand, which sends them into a frenzy that dwarfs whatever concern with the religion they may have.
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  • Posted by ewv 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Ayn Rand's moral case for capitalism was based directly on her ethical philosophy, not a reductio ad absurdum tacitly assuming something else as the standard.

    Jesus did not formulate a politics at all. He was primarily preoccupied with other-worldliness, with a duty to help others on earth a distant second. Every ethics leads to a politics, and it didn't take much for the mysticism and duty to sacrifice to be adopted politically to enforce it.
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  • Posted by khalling 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    john,
    We could not get ahold of the paper either. from National Review online:
    "Brat’s background should make him especially appealing to conservative organizations. He chairs the department of economics and business at Randolph-Macon College and heads its BB&T Moral Foundations of Capitalism program. The funding for the program came from John Allison, the former CEO of BB&T (a financial-services company) who now heads the Cato Institute. The two share an affinity for Ayn Rand: Allison is a major supporter of the Ayn Rand Institute, and Brat co-authored a paper titled “An Analysis of the Moral Foundations in Ayn Rand.” Brat says that while he isn’t a Randian, he has been influenced by Atlas Shrugged and appreciates Rand’s case for human freedom and free markets."
    I can't find the original article I read that said that-but now I'm wondering-there was some inaccurate reporting that first night when he shows up on everyone's radar. Perhaps this association with Allison is what they are referring to.
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  • Posted by johnpe1 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    K, I wonder how you found out about this affiliation;
    I just looked, and found only that the BB&T bank
    CEO is affiliated, bringing $$ to Dr. Brat's college
    for education to include Rand, which Brat helped
    to prepare & present..... -- j

    p.s. I couldn't find the paper which Brat wrote.

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  • Posted by ShruginArgentina 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Why wouldn't a somewhat rational individual (even one who is also religious) ask if "she" was a typo before assuming anything, including a pious position?

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  • -1
    Posted by Hiraghm 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    "she"?

    "Everyone has the right to be a pain in the ass, Durfee... you abuse the privilege."

    - The Heist

    I'll tell you what I told myself when I was much younger and learning to cope with the world: God created the universe to His purpose, and runs it as He sees fit. I don't know why He didn't intervene in 2008 or 2012, but I'm guessing it's because that's the way He wanted history to run. Maybe He saved us from global thermonuclear war. Maybe He knows that there are no lessons learned so well as those learned through experience.
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  • Posted by starguy 9 years, 11 months ago
    But, but I was told that the Tea Party was dead.

    You mean the media lied to me? Again?
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  • Posted by ShruginArgentina 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Did someone say his victory was. "A miracle of God?'

    Yep. It was David Brat.

    If there is a God who intervenes in something like a Republican primary, where the "heck" was she in November of 2008 and 20012 when it really would have made a difference?

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  • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 11 months ago
    This Tea Party member and an ancient dino of forgotten American history hopes this is more than just a miracle about David Brat. What has been done to this once strong country requires even more miracles.
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  • Posted by bridgetlynn 9 years, 11 months ago
    Rand's brilliance was in establishing, via reducto ad absurdum, a moral case for capitalism. Many people of faith sign onto her beliefs because capitalism is the best way to alleviate poverty and encourage private charity, two of the big economic goals in the Judeo-Christian faith.

    As I keep saying, Jesus commanded *individuals* to help those in need (e.g. widows, orphans, cripples), not to force one's neighbour to help other people.
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  • Posted by Kath 9 years, 11 months ago
    A friendly Economics professor with a 23 year old campaign manager. He won't last long in the greedy, nasty politics industry. But, well done!
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  • Posted by $ Abaco 9 years, 11 months ago
    Wow.

    Wow....

    And, Christians can embrace Ayn Rand. FWIW...A is A....
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  • Posted by khalling 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    he is an affiliate of the Ayn Rand Institute, which is not an easy accomplishment. wonder how he snuck God in with him ;)
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  • Posted by Temlakos 9 years, 11 months ago
    David Brat won by going door-to-door when he couldn't afford to stand aloof as Eric Cantor did. I talked to two of my relatives who live in that district.
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Perhaps a clue? His current book project is titled “Ethics as Leading Economic Indicator? What went Wrong? Notes on the Judeo-Christian Tradition and Human Reason.”

    He's clearly religious (sorry, O's), but also seems to place morality as the same foundational need as many here would.
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  • Posted by SolitudeIsBliss 9 years, 11 months ago
    I'm sorry. Did someone say the Tea party was dead? Reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated !
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