Ten years ago I read about a county in Virginia that would celebrate, officially, a “Milton Friedman Day” every July 31 to honor the man and the economic freedom he championed. I’d never heard of Loudoun County at the time, and that was my introduction. Friedman had recently died, and I thought to myself, damn, I wish I’d thought of that.

Fast-forward to 2016. I’ve lived in Loudoun County for five years, and in that time I’ve heard absolutely nothing of “Milton Friedman Day,” and the original sponsor of that bill, a member of the county’s Board of Supervisors, has since been booted from office.

More embarrassing is the fact that Friedman’s economic principles (social principles as well), go over ’round these parts about as well as Hustler magazine at church. I’ve never met a group of more pro-government, pro-regulation, borderline communists as my friends and neighbors. I realized that within about 10 minutes of moving here, and in November of 2012 I was completely unsurprised when a certain Mr. Romney lost Loudoun County, a bellwether for his statewide and national loss.

Technically I believe this Sunday is still “Milton Friedman Day” in Loudoun County. I may be the only one celebrating it, but as the man himself once wrote: the believer in freedom has never counted noses.