Bolstering the 4th Amendment and Strengthening Civil Liberties
The libertarian approach to crime is both simple and sensible. First, only activities that harm other people should be against the law. So get rid of laws against drugs, gambling, cash deposits, and...
View ArticleTrump, Sessions, and the Disgusting Thuggery of Asset Forfeiture
One of the unfortunate features of Washington is that people often wind up in places that bring out their worst behaviors. The classic example is Jack Kemp, who did great work as a member of Congress...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Trump Family Is Helping America by Marketing Economic Citizenship
Although I gave him a good grade for his first 100 days, it’s no secret that I’m not overly optimistic about the long-term policy implications of the Trump presidency. Simply stated, I fear he’ll wind...
View ArticleClik here to view.
More Examples of Terrorism Subsidized by Government Handouts
Whenever there’s a terrorist attack, I automatically feel a combination of anger, horror, and sadness. Like all normal people. But it’s then just a matter of time before I also begin to wonder whether...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Legislation on Money Laundering Doubles Down on Failure
Thanks to decades of experience and research, we now know several things about so-called anti-money laundering (AML) laws. They don’t reduce crime or discourage bad behavior. They require banks to spy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Jeff Sessions: Wildly Wrong on Civil Asset Forfeiture
Because America’s Founding Fathers properly wanted to protect citizens from government abuse, the Constitution has several provisions (presumption of innocence, ban on warrantless searches, right to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Some Uplifting News about Race in America
The racist march in Charlottesville, VA, was awful news. The vehicular murder of a woman by one of the racists is even worse news. The good news is that almost everyone in the nation is united in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Now There Are Four: Another Honest Liberal Debunks Gun Control
Over the years, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find intellectuals on the left who are willing to risk opprobrium from their ideological peers by acknowledging that gun control doesn’t make sense. In...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Prostitution Is Sad and Tragic…but Should Be Legal
While I focus on economic issues, particularly what’s happening with fiscal policy, I maintain my libertarian “cred” by periodically pointing out that victimless crimes should be legalized. Even if I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Law-Abiding Texans, Gun Ownership, and Saving Lives
It’s impossible to imagine the evil and/or the sickness that would lead a person to massacre strangers in a church. But it’s very easy to predict the political aftermath of such a tragedy. Folks on the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lessons from Portugal about Ending the Drug War
When I explain to people how the government’s War on Drugs violates the rights of people to do dumb things to their own bodies, they intellectually understand but they’re usually not convinced. When I...
View ArticleA Libertarian Quandary on Pot, Federalism, and the Rule of Law
Here are two statements that seem in conflict. I don’t like marijuana. I want marijuana legalized. But there’s actually no conflict because we can decide that some things are distasteful without...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Case for Jury Nullification, Part I
I haven’t written in any detail about “jury nullification” since late 2010 and it’s time to rectify that sin of omission. Nullification occurs when a jury votes not guilty because a law is either...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Case for Jury Nullification, Part II
I wrote two days ago about a jury correctly voting to acquit a Swiss banker who was being prosecuted (and persecuted) by the government. The jury presumably recognized that it’s not the responsibility...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ranking Nations for Economic and Personal Liberty
Last September, Economic Freedom of the World was released, which was sort of like Christmas for wonks who follow international economic policy. I eagerly combed through that report, which...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Case for Jury Nullification, Part III
In my first column on jury nullification, I applauded ordinary citizens for producing a not-guilty verdict when the federal government tried to impose bad U.S. tax law on a Swiss banker who lived in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Visceral Cheer for the Motorist Who Destroyed D.C.’s Speed-Trap Cameras
I periodically fret that individualism is dying in the United States and that Americans are morphing into handout-loving Europeans. Well, the spirit of 1776 is not completely dead. There are still some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What’s the Best Way to Reduce School Shootings, Armed Teachers or Gun Control?
It’s been several weeks since the awful tragedy in Parkland, FL, where 17 students were killed by an evil loser. Since I written several times about the utter impracticality of gun control, and since a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Confronted by Reality, a Leftist Changes His Mind on Gun Rights
I’ve periodically featured folks on the left who have rejected gun control. In 2012, Jeffrey Goldberg admitted gun ownership reduces crime. In 2013, Justin Cronin explained how he became a left-wing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gay Marriage, Wedding Cakes, and Freedom of Association
There’s a big controversy about whether business owners with traditional religious beliefs should be coerced by government into doing business with gay couples who want to get married. Back in 2015, I...
View Article