-
Archives
- January 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
-
Meta
Category Archives: Libertarianism
Medicare is Evil
Maybe that’s overstating things a bit, but probably not by much. My parents experienced a similar cascade of events when my grandmother was injured in December of ’06, and died several weeks later. Even before then, her treatment was one … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, Keith's Page, Libertarianism
Tagged gerontologists, market solutions, medical care, medicare
Leave a comment
Market failure
From Peter Gordon: This morning’s WSJ op-ed (“Gas Taxes Are High Enough”) by Mary E. Peters, Secretary of Transportation, suggests that this appointment belongs on the plus side of the ledger. She is the highest-ranking federal transportation official to openly … Continue reading
A Strange Maps Addiction
It is a very beneficial habit. Steve Newton has really gotten the bug, and has a startling one showing the difference between North and South Korea. Looking at it reminded me of one I posted about a long time ago. … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism, regulation
Tagged air traffic, Hayek, Maps, North Korea, Russell Roberts, South Korea, spontaneous order
1 Comment
Labour regulations in China and India: Economic Freedom in Relief
This is a stunning statistic: …the annual expansion in China’s trade has been larger than India’s total annual trade during last several years. Tyler Cowen hones in on this point, amongst a bounty of good points: The most important factor … Continue reading
Bloomberg Busted
From the “Holier Than Thou” department comes this interesting photo taken by Larry Fink for Wired Magazine. (link to larger photo) What’s that he’s reaching for with his right hand? Why, it’s a Cheez-ItTM! After gaining national media attention for … Continue reading
The Constant Viewer has resurfaced
One of my favorite bloggers has resurfaced, and I am hurt, hurt, hurt that D. A. Ridgely didn’t let his fans (okay, me) know to where he had disappeared. He is now blogging at Positive Liberty, and the blogosphere has … Continue reading
Private Infrastructure
Over at the Wall Street Journal’s Wealth Report, Robert Frank notes: Government outlays on physical infrastructure have declined to 2.7 percent of the gross domestic product, he says, from 3.6 percent in the 1960s. Philanthropic giving, in contrast, has jumped … Continue reading
Milton Friedman vs. Naomi Klein
Happy New Year! To start off the year right, let’s have a look at a mock-up of a debate between Naomi Klein, reporter-activist extraordinaire, and Milton Friedman, king of economic liberty (via Instapundit). This video was put together by Devil’s … Continue reading
Libertarian Timeline
As told by Mother Jones … so yeah, it’s a little, umm, “slanted.” My favorite distortion: 1977: The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, is founded in San Francisco with funding from oil baron Charles G. Koch. The name comes … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, Philosophy
1 Comment
Bad Santa
Thaddeus Tremayne sees potential legal troubles for St. Nick in the UK: A frosty reception awaits Santa Claus in Britain this year. It seems that the much-loved benefactor of children everywhere is, in fact, suspected of being guilty of a … Continue reading
Posted in Foreign affairs, Humor, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, regulation
Leave a comment
Media Arrogance On Display
In case you haven’t already seen it, go ahead and read this journalism professor’s condescending look at blogging. Prepare to wretch. Supporters of “citizen journalism” argue it provides independent, accurate, reliable information that the traditional media don’t provide. While it … Continue reading
Posted in Libertarianism, Media, MichaelW's Page
Leave a comment
“I don’t like other people telling me what to do.”
Amen. One of the reasons I abhor communitarianism (and tend to see my political philosophy as the opposite of that) is because it vests communitarian thinkers with the self appointed power to tell me (and others) what to do. Provided, … Continue reading
Happy Repeal Day!
For information on Repeal Day you can visit www.repealday.org: The turn of the twentieth century was a dark time in America. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which had been promoting Prohibition for many years, believed alcohol was the cause of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Society
2 Comments
Separating Powers
Doug Mataconis notes this little bit from President Bush’s recent speech to the Federalist Society: When the Founders drafted the Constitution, they had a clear understanding of tyranny. They also had a clear idea about how to prevent it from … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
2 Comments
More Greenwaldean Nonsense
It’s almost too easy. McQ ably tackles Greenwald’s attempt to play dumb as to how Judge Mukasey could be confirmed by the Senate without having to face a Democratic filibuster. Every time Congressional Democrats failed this year to stop the … Continue reading
Milton Friedman: Capitalist Hero
Brian Doherty discussing one of his “Radicals for Capitalism,” Milton Friedman, on Reason TV.
Posted in Economics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
1 Comment
The Sharks Circle
Considering that I voted for Ron Paul for President in 1988, I obviously have less of a problem with him than many, though his foreign policy beliefs are beyond naive. Still, I think this bit from his profile in Time … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
1 Comment
The Ultimate Resource Returns
Starting this Friday, November 2nd, Free to Choose Media is continuing the work of its inspiration, Milton Friedman, of bringing the benefits of freedom to the people of this world, including its most remote corners. A new documentary, “The Ultimate … Continue reading
Milton Friedman and Phil Donahue
From the Liberty Papers: [youtube RWsx1X8PV_A&eurl=http://www.thelibertypapers.org/]
Posted in Economics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism, Media
Leave a comment
The Subtle Oil Shock
It hasn’t been all that shocking. Why not? Greg Mankiw supplies a few possibilities. My favorites? Well let us start here: In contrast to much rhetoric to the contrary, capitalism is the most powerful weapon to achieve energy efficiency we … Continue reading
Time to praise something admirable in politics and media
It is not often that we hear people willing to face the wrongheaded aspects of a view they hold. Jack Shafer is no friend of Rupert Murdoch, but it is refreshing to hear him take apart some of the main … Continue reading
Posted in Lance's Page, Libertarianism, Media, regulation
Leave a comment
Dale Franks and the YAF
Some things really tend to leave me with my mouth refusing to shut in astonishment. Now read this: The Little Green Footballs blog decided to condemn MSU-YAF for hosting Nick Griffin. In case you do not read Little Green Footballs, … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Lance's Page, Libertarianism, Race, Society
3 Comments
Libertarians Rising?
That voters are increasingly dissatisfied with the two major political parties is undeniable. but does that necessarily translate into more support for libertarians? Michael Kinsley thinks it does: Many people feel that neither party offers a coherent set of principles … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, Society
5 Comments
Speaking of Common Sense
While over at Megan’s I noticed a discussion she has about Bjorn Lomborg and her main criticism of him. That is that he doesn’t give enough weight to low probability, but catastrophic events. That is in fact a weakness (and … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, Environment, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
13 Comments
A FISA Gedankenexperiment
Wulf at Atlas Blogged proposes a thought experiment regarding the FISA warrantless surveillance program that has been the subject of much civil libertarian hand-wringing: Suppose the CIA wants to eavesdrop on Vladimir Putin. They don’t need a warrant. They just … Continue reading
Enough Already
A couple of days ago I linked to McQ and Mark Steyn on the state of knowledge about the “poor family” whose child was used by Senate Democrats in their push to expand the SCHIP program. Here is why: The … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Health Care, Lance's Page, Libertarianism, Media, regulation
Leave a comment
Libertarian Foreign Policy
Michael Young asks some interesting questions… http://www.reason.com/news/show/120598.html Why is it that libertarians, for whom the benchmark of political, economic and social behavior is the individual, and American libertarians in particular, find so little to say about the defense of the … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Keith's Page, Libertarianism
1 Comment
Trying to find common cause on the size of the state
One of Matthew Yglesias’ salient virtues as a man of the left is that he is economically literate. I realize that his audience on the left would be much smaller if he spent more time on things like this, but … Continue reading
Living History
Does the blogosphere make history more relevant? Is it possible that Santayana’s famous admonishment is made less likely by bloggers routinely wielding history as a foil to those arguments favoring actions proven desultory in the past? And that’s not to … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, History, Investing, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page
1 Comment
Katrina’s Wake – A Tale of Two Cities
Two years after the devastation of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still rebuilding and the politicization of the storm is still raging (emphasis added): (CNSNews.com) – In the two years since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on … Continue reading
Just how close to economic fascism did we come?
We may have been closer than we think in 1935, though Nate Oman believes the threat would have receded in the light of political reality. Whatever the case, the discussion of the case of Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism
1 Comment
The Philosophy of Liberty
Thanks to Tom Palmer: [youtube 8z1buym2xUM] He also recommends this on Communist Monopoly: [youtube yfIpnd7wN8o]
Posted in Lance's Page, Libertarianism
Leave a comment
Lessons From Delaware
It’s been said before, and I’ll reiterate it now, that if you want to reduce the amount of influence that money and special interests have over the federal government, then you need to reduce the amount of power that Washington … Continue reading
The New FISA Law
I am not qualified to judge this post on its merits, so I would appreciate some comments on XRLQ’s exegesis.
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism
7 Comments
How High to set the Bar
Instapundit today revisits a theme I have touched on a few times over the last year. I have maintained a pretty standard reply to claims about the awfulness of this administration. When I hear about how incompetent, dangerous, uninterested in … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Notes on the war
Leave a comment
Markets are not perfectly efficient! Oh My!
Alex Tabarrok briefly and effectively describes the problem with assertions that market theory itself shows that interventionism is warranted. This is furthering the discussion about Dani Rodrik’s argument about first best vs. second best economists (which does not mean one … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
Leave a comment
Asking The Wrong Question
“Is government the answer?” That’s probably not a question unfamiliar to most readers of ASHC, and it’s not the “wrong question” referred to in the title. In fact, I routinely present my arguments with that question as the implied premise. … Continue reading
The Chronicles of Spitzer
I’ve opined before about how NY Governor Elliot Spitzer is a perfect example of a modern day tyrant, judging solely by the intimidation tactics he used as Attorney General (quoting Prof. Bainbridge):
Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page
Leave a comment
News Brief, Everything Is Everything Edition
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer. Defense A look at the operations in Baquba, with entire blocks of booby-trapped houses wired to explode for the troops. These kinds of delays are just what happen in warfare. But it speaks to how the … Continue reading
Political Ping-Pong
As yet another sign of the coming Apocalypse, politicians and political hacks are now channeling their energy (albeit a very small amount of it) into creating video games about politics. Have a look at this article detailing two of the … Continue reading
Economics geeks and our obsession with Keynes
I have a problem with Keynes, mostly because his theories have been used to propose policies I don’t like, not exactly the best reason to have an issue with a great thinker. Given that, he is essential study for investors, … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
Leave a comment
Our Emperors Have No Clothes, Sometimes Thankfully
This lovely angel is Tania Derveaux, the NEE party candidate for the Belgian Senate. Nee is the Belgian equivalent of “None of the Above.” Tania has a problem with the dishonest and unrealistic promises most politicians make while running for … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Foreign affairs, Humor, Libertarianism, Media, Uncategorized
10 Comments
The “Fairness Doctrine” looms: Updated with a statement from Senator McConnell
From the Prowler: According to two members of the House Democrat Caucus, Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer have informed them that they will “aggressively pursue” reinstatement of the so-called Fairness Doctrine over the next six months. In January, Democrat … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism, Media
4 Comments
The UN is worse than useless, but it isn’t alone
I want to highlight an item from Joshua’s News Brief on Thursday: What’s even funnier than nostalgic Russians rampaging one of their former colonies for daring to be decolonized? The UN General Assembly electing Zimbabwe to head the agency on … Continue reading
A Tribute to Communism
Hat tip Club for Growth via The Liberty Papers: [youtube iyUu-8nbd58 nolink]
Posted in History, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
1 Comment
The real problem with “Special Interests” is that they really are not all the special
Bryan Caplan makes an argument which in addition to his explicit points, also goes to part of my rationale for opposing most campaign finance reforms and many other “good government” initiatives. They don’t attack the real problem. The Hat tip … Continue reading
Not Yours to Give
From Congressman John Campbell’s blog: Over the weekend, a local building on Capitol Hill, known as “Eastern Market,” burned down. The place is well known by locals in D.C. and is often frequented by members of Congress — many … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
4 Comments
Ted Kennedy’s Latest attack on Free Speech
There is a lot of wailing in certain circles about threats to free speech from the Bush Administration, when what they really mean is they don’t like people telling them what they say is “unpatriotic” or some other pejorative. That … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism
14 Comments
The Return of “Fairness” to the Media
Often I am told how certain people value tolerance. The most irritating are a certain species of left/liberal/progressive. If it doesn’t apply to you, please don’t be offended. This species claims it is tolerant based on certain beliefs they have. … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Media
1 Comment
More on the Demint reforms and the battle against pork and corruption-New Video Intro
[youtube _HELsEliwFo nolink] Heh, I like it. Caught with lobbyists at a Who concert. “Won’t Get Fooled Again” indeed. Here is a good summary of the holdup on reforming the appropriations process. Key points: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wanted … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism
Leave a comment