Karl Hess: Presidential Speechwriter Turned Homesteader

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Karl Hess, presidential speechwriter turned homesteader.
Karl Hess, presidential speechwriter turned homesteader.
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Karl Hess and his wife Therese on their homestead.
Karl Hess and his wife Therese on their homestead.

The Plowboy Interview spotlights Karl Hess, Presidential speechwriter turned homesteader, who doesn’t pay taxes and barters for what he needs.

Karl Hess: Presidential Speechwriter Turned Homesteader

It was so easy back then — during the 1950’s and early 60’s — to be a Right Thinking Citizen of the United States. Easy because we all knew who wore the White Hats (yeaaa!) and who wore the Black Ones (boooo!).

“Capitalism” — which we naively defined as equal parts free enterprise, democracy, and the Winning of the West — was Good. “Communism” — which was anything associated with Russia or Red China — was Bad.

And “they” wanted to get “us”. And, despite the fact that God was on our side, they’d do it too if we didn’t somehow “keep ahead” : (The day-and-night fear of Right Thinking Americans throughout the 50’s and early 60’s was that the United States would fall behind in some nebulous, unspecified contest and quickly suffer a very concrete — though undefined — fate: “The communists will just come in here and take over.”)

  • Published on Jan 1, 1976
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