A few weeks ago YouTube suggested that I watch a 1988 episode of William F. Buckley’s PBS TV show, “Firing Line,” featuring Ron Paul, who at the time was the Libertarian Party candidate for president. I had to chuckle right at the top when Buckley introduced Rep. Paul by striking an ironic pose: while “libertarians specialize in non-organization…,” Buckley said, “to run for president of the United States, which Dr. Paul is doing on the Libertarian ticket, does require organization, to be sure uncoerced.” (Emphasis added.) Buckley flashed his trademark impish smile while his guest remained silent looking bemused.
Tag: class
I Won’t Accept a Vaccine Passport
I’ve said for a long time that libertarians may be headed for a fate of being second-class residents, as the tracking demands get more numerous and more rigid, to a point where more of us simply can’t comply. This is just another move in that direction. What are you going to do about it?
Robert Higgs: The State Is Too Dangerous to Tolerate (58m)
This episode features a lecture by economist and economic historian Robert Higgs from 2013. This is an intellectual tour de force from Higgs, where he demolishes many of the popular misconceptions about (and justifications for) the state.
Time to Get Government Off Our Lawns
Xeriscaping, ornamental and vegetable gardening, etc. are increasingly popular alternative approaches to yard use. But for those of us who really want to be done with lawns, an important first step is getting governments off of them.
Tom Woods: The Calamity of Anti-Capitalism (45m)
This episode features a lecture by historian and Austro-libertarian Tom Woods from 2008. He talks about anti-capitalist thought and the disasters that flow from it, from American history.
Exploited By a Day Laborer & Compounded Ignorance Leads to Hubris (17m) – Episode 464
Episode 464 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: an article he wrote in September 2011 titled, “That Time I was Exploited by a Day Laborer”; and an article he wrote in May 2018 titled, “Compounded Ignorance Leads to Hubris”.
Daniel Lapin: What is Morally Right About Economic Freedom (56m)
This episode features a talk by Rabbi Daniel Lapin from 2009. He explores the ethics of free markets and economic freedom.
How Three Women Sought to Sway Americans Away From Socialism
In 1943, as collectivist policies were ascendant, an extraordinary thing happened. Three women published three books that year that would jolt Americans from their socialist stupor and remind them of the fundamental American values of individual liberty, limited government, free-market capitalism, and entrepreneurship. This Women’s History Month is an ideal time to reflect on how Rose Wilder Lane, Isabel Paterson, and Ayn Rand helped to catalyze the 20th century libertarian movement.
What’s Wrong with the Welfare State
What is wrong with the welfare state? The two biggest flaws stem from its nature as a government institution.
Michele Boldrin: Against Intellectual Monopoly (1h19m)
This episode features an interview of research economist Michele Boldrin from 2009 by Russ Roberts, host of Econtalk. Boldrin argues that copyright and patent are used by the politically powerful to maintain monopoly profits. He argues that the incentive effects that have been used to justify copyright and patents are exaggerated–few examples from history suggest that the temporary and not-so-temporary monopoly power from copyright and patents were necessary to induce innovation. Boldrin reviews some of that evidence and talks about the nature of competition.