When does liberty become license? At what point does the free exercise of my rights trample on yours? What is the real meaning of terms like private property, civil society, the commons?
Phil Russo, a libertarian-leaning, self-described "Goldwater Republican," was one of the earliest supporters of the tea party. But now, in an op-ed pu...
Why is David Stockman driving everyone crazy? The shoot-the-messenger frenzy that has greeted Sunday's New York Times op-ed by Ronald Reagan's former budget director leaves one searching for the message that has so unhinged his critics.
NEW YORK -- Go West, young Rand. A new study released Thursday by a libertarian think tank ranks New York as the least free state, and the Dakotas, wh...
It was government sodomy laws that made our existence a crime. Some of us wanted to limit government -- horrors! -- by repealing those laws.
The libertarian premise that without government intervention everyone would be free to do what they want is simply a myth for marginalized communities. True equality for the LGBT community will require government enforcement and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial ban on large, sugary drinks was slated to go into effect today. The regulations were intended to help curb runaway obesity rates. This is based on sound psychological science.
Beyond the censorship and ostracism politicians will create, libertarian journalists need to remember the one factor that is equally important to evading political regulations: winning public opinion.
Paul Ryan's no libertarian, for sure. But by emphasizing fiscal, rather than social issues, he may unite tea partiers, appeal to libertarians and win general election voters concerned about the economy.
Libertarians are skeptics. But outlandish conspiracy theories dilute the concrete information we already understand about legislative policies. So why cloud logic with conspiracy?
One view of the election season is as a contest between liberty and freedom, between a republic and a democracy, and between the nations of a Northern alliance and the Dixie bloc that predates the Constitution.
My argument that liberals should bargain with corporations and not outright fight them is not terribly populist. I wasn't expecting conservatives to use my piece as an opportunity to claim the populist mantle for themselves.
The single biggest thing we can do to restore the strength of American manufacturing is cut the trade deficit. And yes, we can restore American manufacturing.
I see enough of myself in libertarians to recognize that they do not deserve to be marginalized. Though they are certainly quirky, any group with this many original ideas should be listened to, not scorned.
The images of college students thronging to Ron Paul campaign events inspire a nostalgic twinge in me. Once I upon a time, I, too, needed nothing more in life than to be left free to achieve. I was a Libertarian, at least until graduation.
Of course, there are Latino libertarians out there. But in general, talking Hispanics into espousing the Ron Paul agenda is only slightly easier than getting the pope to show up at the Stonewall Inn for a drink.
The propensity for settlement and stewardship is at the heart of conservative philosophy and ought to be at the heart of conservative politics too.
Last year, Bachmann mentioned that one of her favorite economists is Ludwig von Mises. Her endorsement of Romney, though, has Mises turning in his grave. Romney's political views represent everything the Austrian economist despised.
When widespread concern about energy waste caused states to start passing light bulb efficiency standards, the manufacturers sought a uniform national standard and got it.
Ron Paul and Gary Johnson should run together for the Libertarian Party nominations for president and vice president, respectively. That wouldn't guarantee their selection. However, Paul-Johnson would be the strongest ticket the LP could offer. It would be the best alternative available to the Republicrats.
There are certain aspects of America that I find enormously attractive -- the openness and friendliness of the people, their generosity and the lack of a stifling European-style class system. However, there is a side to America that I find extremely unsettling -- the relentless fixation on money.
[The following is a slightly satirical yet deadly serious prediction of what I assume will come of the future sex industry, based on Frédéric Bastia...
There is no liberty without order, no liberty when economic policies aren't rational, no liberty when citizens are not treated equally, no liberty when the planet has been polluted. That's a truth Republicans used to acknowledge.
In hindsight, I view my indoctrination with the libertarians with amused gratitude. I see that it spoke to both dark secrets I harbored and to the more evident materialism I practiced as a bored suburban teenager. Here was a worldview that said it was OK to seek riches and to love other men.
The most likely outcome of a Koch takeover is that Cato would be eviscerated, the brand would be destroyed and the Kochs would take over an empty shell -- in short, the outcome would be a catastrophe, and even the winners would gain nothing.
