My Panel Talk at the Queens Village Republican Club

The Queens Village Republican Club, the country's oldest Republican club, invited me to participate in a three-professor panel about higher education reform.  The chair of the club, Phil Orenstein, is an old friend.  The meeting was on January 2, 2020.  There were about 100 members in the audience--an enthusiastic group of strong Trump supporters--an oasis in the authoritarian wasteland that was New York City. Phil told me that the club has about 200 dues-paying members. The talk went well, and I made many new friends.

Queens VIllage Republican Club Invites Me to Participate in Higher Ed Panel

The Queens Village Republican Club, the country's oldest Republican club, has asked me to participate in a panel on higher education at their monthly meeting on January 2. As well, I wrote an op-ed for their newsletter, The Queens Village Eagle.   They have about 200 dues-paying members.  The meeting will be at the Holliswood Jewish Center, 86-25 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Holliswood, NY 11427.

Win-Win Gains from a Libertarian Party Cross-Nomination of President Trump

 Dear Mr. President:

Have you thought of negotiating a cross-nomination deal with the Libertarian National Committee?

I am a lifelong supporter of Libertarian Party candidates.  I have since concluded that you can do more to further the cause of freedom than the LP can, so I will support and have been supporting you and the NRCC over the past couple of years.  Why not negotiate the LP's cross nomination of you in 2020?

The following chart shows that the LP won 2.2% to 4.15% in the six battleground states, more than enough to put you well over the top.

Battleground States/ LP Percentage

Florida                    /          2.20%
Wisconsin               /          3.60%
Pennsylvania         /         2.40%
Michigan               /          3.60%
New Hampshire    /         4.15%
Nevada                 /             3.30%

Although I have not been active in the LP since 1983, I can imagine at least two bargaining chips that can result in mutual gains for both parties: first, an agreement to abolish a set of government agencies and programs that you don't mind abolishing (they want to abolish everything) and, second, an offer of placing Libertarians in powerful agency posts in which they can gut government programs.  In exchange, they would throw you the percentages that secure a win.

For example, if you offer to abolish the Department of Education and a list of fluff that Rand Paul or Citizens Against Government Waste provides in exchange for LP support and/or offer them a dozen positions in areas like the NLRB, and EPA, they may be willing to make a deal. You would likely have an additional benefit by having people in positions of power who are hostile to the deep state and have little to lose in attacking it.

Sincerely,

Mitchell Langbert, Ph.D.

Students Thank Me for Exceptional Teaching

The college has a formal evaluation system, and there are teacher-rating systems available online.  Often, however, I receive thank-yous from students who have benefited from my courses.  I received one last fall from a student who had taken my class six years earlier, and several years ago I received one from someone who had taken a my course at NYU thirteen years earlier.  Some of the letters I've received in the past year follow:

Dear Professor,

Thank you so much for your time to correct my essay, I have learned from your comments and the class.
--Student LZ

Dear Professor Langbert,

I would like to express my gratitude for being one of your students. Thank you for allowing me to learn from my mistakes.
--Student BA

Dear Professor Langbert:

That was fast, amazing class, I learnt A lot

Dear Professor Langbert:

Thanks for your very informative lessons, you know so much amazing, enjoyed your class very much. 

Have a great winter break.

P.S. I showed my husband a nice video of one of your presentations, he enjoyed your opinions, proud you can stand up strong about your opinions, even if others disagree. You are so calm cool & collected & brilliant.

--Student RH

Dear Professor Langbert: 

Also, thank you for such an amazing semester. My major is Business Admin: Leadership and Human Resource Management with a minor in Business Law. I think after this class, I may want to practice Employment Law. 

You class really made me realize this is the field I want to be in. Have a great holiday! Hopefully we cross paths again soon! 

--Student AB

Dear Professor Langbert:

Thank you for a great semester,
--BD

Good evening professor,

Thank you for being my professor and I really enjoyed the lessons that you taught this semester. The book for this extra credit was very helpful for me since i am a finance major, and the basis of this book practically touches upon everything i have learned in my other classes. Happy holidays and have a wonderful year.

--Student JP

Hi Professor Langbert,

Thank you very much! It was a pleasure learning from the best of the best!  Hope you have a wonderful and safe holidays
--Student AA

Dear Professor:

I wish I had paid sturdy attention in your class in 2012. I finally got finished reading Ragged Dick and realize how much I see myself in this character. An immensely inspiring underdog story!

On this Thanksgiving I want to say thank you for planting the seed for my development.

I don't if you remember me. I am a former student. You might recall I cried in your class in 2012. The truth is, I was going through a lot(Manic Depression and all the Jazz), and in retrospect- Your class was the single most important moment in all of my years at college. 

I remember like it was yesterday. You, critiquing all my work. The red ink all over papers. Talks of socialism, freedom, individualism, and self-esteem. During that time I didn't understand it all. I was young, and very naïve. I couldn't even read at a 12th grade level, but I tried my best. You gave me a C+ in that class, and in retrospect that was the most important grade I have ever had. 

The thing is, I have over the course of my years been torn between Capitalism vs Socialism, Individuality vs Collectivism, and having Freewill vs being guided through Determinism. I read, read, and read. I read many books, watched many lectures, and had many debates. It wasn't until I realize during all this debating that all this exploring I was doing and mass confusion was merely making me more aware. Yes, I said it. It was increasing my understanding of the world. Of the polarity which is associated with everything. 

I can't say I agree with you on everything. But I do want to formally thank you for "putting the battery in my back" as is often said.You are an amazing teacher, and at one point my arch enemy. I hated how you made me dislike Obamanomics, and found vested interest in Billionaire tycoons like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel.

Thanks for your inspiration!

Your former student,

--Student HF

Thank you for a great, informational semester Professor. Happy Holidays!  

--Student BC

Thanks for great course and happy holidays. 

--Student NS