Daily Articles

Free-Market Liberalism vs. Corrupted “Capitalism” and La-La Land Socialism

by Richard M. Ebeling September 1, 2019

One of the issues that confronts the friends of freedom is how best to make the case for liberty as a political idea and ideal and as a policy proposal.  A central element in that is making sure that we know what it is that we are advocating and why, and what it is that we oppose and why. ...

Insane and Ill-Advised: Trump’s Future War with Iran, Part 2

by Danny Sjursen September 1, 2019

Part 1 | Part 2 Iran is an enigma to most American policymakers. Iranian foreign and defense policies, according to Kenneth Katzman, are “products of overlapping, and sometimes contradictory, motivations.” The key question is whether Iran is an expansionist, theocratic, Shia-chauvinist state, or a rational, defensive bulwark with only limited regional aspirations. While it is a bit of both, ...

The American Gulag

by John W. Whitehead August 29, 2019

“The exile of prisoners to a distant place, where they can ‘pay their debt to society,’ make themselves useful, and not contaminate others with their ideas or their criminal acts, is a practice as old as civilization itself. The rulers of ancient Rome and Greece sent their dissidents off to distant colonies. Socrates chose death ...

The U.S. Revives the Personal State

by Richard M. Ebeling August 28, 2019

It was French king Louis XIV (1638-1715) who famously declared, “L'etat c'est moi” (“I am the state”), indicating his insistence that he possessed absolute power over his subjects and everything else within the reaches of his domain. This week, it was clearer than usual that this is an attitude apparently shared by Donald Trump, president of the United States. America ...

Minimum Wage Nonsense

by Christine Smith August 26, 2019

Once again, the call for raising the federal minimum wage is in the news, with most Democratic Party candidates for president endorsing its doubling from $7.25 to $15/hour. Some candidates have suggested it be increased even more, depending on the region of the country. Of course, this is because of great compassion and empathy for the American worker. Right? After ...

American Apocalypse

by John W. Whitehead August 23, 2019

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out ... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” — H. L. Mencken The U.S. government is working hard to destabilize the nation. No, this is not ...

Radio Hypocrisy

by Laurence M. Vance August 21, 2019

During the Cold War, Radio Free Europe (RFE) broadcast news, information, and U.S. government propaganda to Soviet satellite countries and Radio Liberty (RL) did the same to the Soviet Union. But although the Cold War has been over for 30 years, RFE/RL is still operating. According to the RFE/RL website, RFE/RL journalists report the news in 22 ...

George S. Schuyler, Anti-Racist Champion of Liberty

by Richard M. Ebeling August 20, 2019

One of the most difficult subjects to discuss in America today is race. It is the proverbial “third rail,” which, if talked about outside of the politically correct corridor of “identity politics,” is almost instant death. If you are “white,” anything you say not consistent with the paradigm of identity politics is condemned as explicit or hidden racist attitudes, beliefs, ...

Who Inflicts the Most Gun Violence in America?

by John W. Whitehead August 15, 2019

“It is often the case that police shootings, incidents where law enforcement officers pull the trigger on civilians, are left out of the conversation on gun violence. But a police officer shooting a civilian counts as gun violence. Every time an officer uses a gun against an innocent or an unarmed person contributes to the ...

How Much Damage Will Come from this Trade War?

by Richard M. Ebeling August 14, 2019

First, the good news: the U.S. and world economies have not imploded, so far, as fallout from the rising trade tensions between the Trump administration and Xi Jinping’s government in China. Now, the bad news: there is no certainty that this will not play itself out as a serious and damaging trade war between the two countries that might ...

Indoor Vaping, Like Smoking, Now Up In Smoke

by Christine Smith August 12, 2019

Colorado, as with many other states and various municipalities nationwide, has added more regulation to prohibit vaping. This one is an update (signed by the governor May 29, 2019) to amend the Clean Indoor Air Act we've had here since 2006. The Colorado ban now makes vaping illegal in all places smoking is currently banned, essentially most indoor work or ...

Milton Friedman: The Forgotten History of the Godfather of Conservative Libertarianism

by Brian Miller August 9, 2019

“I would like to say to Milton and Anna : Regarding the Great Depression. You’re right, we did it. We’re very sorry. But thanks to you, we won’t do it again.” Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, acknowledging the central bank’s role in causing the Great Depression