Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Rose Friedman, R.I.P.

Rose Director Friedman passed away today in her home in Davis, California, of heart failure. While the exact date of her birth is uncertain, she is believed to have been 98 years old.

She will be remembered both as a talented economist and an influential advocate of freedom. Her economic work helped to discredit the idea of government management of the economy, rolling back policies that were hindering wealth creation and thus helping extend the blessings of prosperity to millions around the world. And as a standard-bearer for human liberty, she contributed to the galvanizing of public opinion – especially in the 1980s – against the growing encroachments of intrusive government. She will also be remembered as both the professional partner and beloved wife and friend of her late husband of 68 years, Milton Friedman.

Her most important contribution was the 1980 book Free to Choose, which she co-wrote with her husband, and the accompanying ten-part PBS series. Both were highly successful – the book topped the bestseller list for five weeks – and had a profound impact on the public understanding of freedom. At a time when the nation's confidence in its founding ideas was at an all-time low, Free to Choose played a decisive role in restoring America's faith in liberty.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers or gifts, contributions be made in her honor to the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice.

Originally posted at Carpe Diem.

4 Comments:

At 8/18/2009 4:23 PM, Blogger juandos said...

Bummer!

All the good and smart people are dying off...

 
At 8/18/2009 7:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is disgusting!

I have been reading the news all day long, and this is the first I've heard of this. None of the mainstream media outlets, including Fox News, has run this story even as a minor headline.

Robert Novak is getting earned press time, but the media is honoring one of their own. The Obama Joker artist made the news. Brett Favre is back.

Where the hell is America's sense of gratitude for one of the most important figures in economics in our lifetimes?

Free to Choose is a giant among books. The opening chapter is the most easily understood and eye-opening treatise on the free market. Every student in America should be required to read it and, more important, to understand it.

 
At 8/19/2009 4:17 AM, Blogger juandos said...

"Free to Choose is a giant among books. The opening chapter is the most easily understood and eye-opening treatise on the free market. Every student in America should be required to read it and, more important, to understand it"...

Amen!

Yet in the academic world we have this: Incoming Ithaca College Students To Discuss Barack Obama's Autobiography

Incoming students at Ithaca College will get together the day before the start of classes to discuss their summer reading assignment: Barack Obama’s “Dreams from My Father.” The 44th president’s autobiography was chosen as the 2009–10 First-Year Reading Initiative selection.

“President Obama’s ruthlessly honest self-examination on issues of race and identity gives us an opportunity to lead students through what could be the most important conversation they will have during their freshman year,” says Ithaca College President Tom Rochon.

Does anyone think this same college will offer what might be a factual debunking of part of that book?

From the UK Daily Mail dated Jan. of '07: A drunk and a bigot - what the US Presidental hopeful HASN'T said about his father...

(skip)

Yet an investigation by The Mail on Sunday has revealed that, for all Mr Obama's reputation for straight talking and the compelling narrative of his recollections, they are largely myth.

We have discovered that his father was not just a deeply flawed individual but an abusive bigamist and an egomaniac, whose life was ruined not by racism or corruption but his own weaknesses.

And, devastatingly, the testimony has come from Mr Obama's own relatives and family friends.

 
At 8/19/2009 11:12 AM, Blogger QT said...

Unfortunately, there are folks who are intent upon destroying the legacy of Milton Friedman. Some like Paul Kruman are a little more subtle.

 

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