Just days into 2021, and the number of really bad, anti‐liberty policy and legislative proposals are multiplying like mold spores. To that end, I would direct you to the request by the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) create a “No Ride” list for passenger rail akin to … Continue reading Transit Unions to DHS: Give America A “No Ride” List
Category: Liberty
Inaugural addresses have historically been used by incoming or returning Presidents to outline the broad principles by which they intend to govern. With the exception of the federal budget and taxes, the limited reach of early U.S. federal governments meant that, up until the progressive era of the late 19th century, these speeches contained little mention … Continue reading Libertarian Economics in Inaugural Addresses
In accordance with longstanding custom, Joe Biden’s first act upon being sworn in as the 46th US President will be to deliver an Inaugural Address. It will likely be longer than the shortest one (George Washington’s 135-word speech in 1793) but mercifully shorter than the longest one (William Henry Harrison’s two-hour, 8,450-word sleeper in 1841). … Continue reading Calvin Coolidge’s Inaugural Address Warned of the Dangers of ‘Legalized Larceny’
Last week, an angry mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. They believed that the November presidential election had been “stolen” from their leader and were attempting to block Congress’s certification of the results. It was a violent event that left five people dead, including one police officer. In the wake of this incident, … Continue reading Why Adding Accused Capitol Rioters to the ‘No-Fly’ List Threatens Civil Liberties
In Washington, the sequence leading to bad legislative and policy outcomes in the wake of a crisis is a familiar one. Phase 1 is The Event. Almost 20 years ago, it was the 9/11 attacks, which gave us, among other things, in Phase 2—The Overreaction—the abominable and ineffectual PATRIOT Act and eventually the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) and it’s now‐infamous “No … Continue reading Capitol Hill Insurrection Fallout: More Bad “No Fly” List Proposals
In 2020, many of us have become accustomed to terms and concepts we never thought we’d be discussing: “social distancing,” mask requirements, and Zoom parties all come to mind. We can add Section 230 to that list, an obscure provision of the Communications and Decency Act (1996) that was previously unknown to most. Section 230 … Continue reading What Is Section 230 and Why Do Trump and His Allies Want to Repeal It?
Elon Musk dropped an economic truth bomb on Joe Rogan’s podcast a couple of months ago. “If you don’t make stuff, there’s no stuff.” Obvious? You’d think so. But, as Musk pointed out, our economic policies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have ignored that simple truth. The prevailing assumption is that the government can press “pause” … Continue reading Elon Musk’s Economic Truth Bomb to Joe Rogan
Section 230 shields an ecosystem. Rather than protecting particular platforms or offering separate rules for different sorts of services, it protects all internet intermediaries equally, regardless of their size, purpose, or policies. Under this uniform, predicable arrangement, specific platforms may set their own rules, choosing to cater to mass audiences or niche subcultures and governing … Continue reading Section 230 and the Whole Internet
During a press conference Thursday, Gov. Ralph Northam, D-Va., took it upon himself to tell the faithful not only how they should worship, but also shamed them for wanting to worship with fellow believers. “The holidays are typically times of joy and community. We gather together, we celebrate our faith, and we celebrate with family,” Northam said during … Continue reading Gov. Northam, It’s Not Up to You to Tell People of Faith How They Can Worship
Facebook is under assault again, this time for real. The Federal Trade Commission and 46 states have filed an antitrust case to make the company divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp and submit to restrictions on its future acquisitions and deals. How many times have I seen this story play out as West Coast tech companies find themselves … Continue reading The Feds Come for Facebook
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