Topic: Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Free Markets, Policy

Smash the COVID Orthodoxy

– July 4, 2020

“In a time of industrial levels of draconian lockdown measures, of fear-mongering and politicization, a failure to speak out against the orthodoxy will only lead to more pain and suffering. Perhaps the status quo is the best way forward, but we will never know unless we have more voices in the conversation. When this is all over, history will remember those who were brave enough to speak out, insightful enough to weigh all the options, wise enough to consider the future, and most importantly those who stood for principle.” ~ Ethan Yang

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Policy

Rand Paul Is Right About Experts

– July 3, 2020

“An expert is very well-positioned to say “if you do these things, then you can expect the following effects with the following probabilities.” Only in the most extraordinary of circumstances—and even then, I’m still extremely skeptical—should they presume to tell others exactly which choices they should make.” ~ Art Carden

Authoritarianism, Classical Liberalism, Crisis, Policy

Independence Day in the Midst of Dictatorship

– July 2, 2020

“The Great Pandemic Follies of 2020 have been based on the illusion that government could make life risk-free. But the advocates of shutdowns, lockdowns, and endless prohibitions ignore the risk of dictatorship. That was what our forefathers fought against.” ~ James Bovard

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Policy

Why Election Markets are Betting Against Trump

– July 1, 2020

“Trump’s persona – and even his own base’s perception of him – has changed in this pandemic. He was once the man who would liberate the country from the establishment. He then became the chief executive ruling mostly through executive edict, and hence participated in and now celebrates the lockdowns that shattered people’s lives.” ~ Jeffrey A. Tucker

Authoritarianism, Books, Free Markets

D.C.’S Iron Curtain of Secrecy Endangers the Economy and Everything Else

– June 18, 2020

“COVID bailouts will likely remain secret until long after major economic damage is done. Attorney General Ramsey Clark warned in 1967, “Nothing so diminishes democracy as secrecy.” ” ~ James Bovard

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Economic Education

Pandemic Policy in One Page

– May 29, 2020

“All the sound reasons why central planning does not and cannot work in the case of the general economy apply equally in this case, along with a few other reasons which are specific to epidemics.” ~ David Hart

Authoritarianism, Crisis

Coronavirus and the Two Americas

– May 27, 2020

“Coronavirus has exposed the fault line between those who are subsidized by government and those who pay for government. The people who live off the government, either directly or indirectly, have relatively comfortable lives – all financed by the people who deal with much greater levels of hardship and uncertainty.” ~ Dan Mitchell

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Economic Trends

Freedom Requires Resisting Coronavirus Pessimism

– May 27, 2020

“If there is a chance to not only pull society away from the social and economic abyss towards which it is moving, but return it to a path more in the direction of personal liberty, economic freedom, and equal individual rights under partial rule of law and constitutionally limited government, it requires resisting the pessimism that all is lost and irreversible, and having the courage and willingness to try to restore the free society.” ~ Richard Ebeling

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Property Rights, Regulation

Safety is Found in Principles, Not Lies

– May 22, 2020

“Safety lies in the strength of our belief in strict limits on government power, the rule of law, and stable property rights. Honor these principles and safety will emerge from the actions of a free people, not the edicts of authoritarians.” ~ Barry Brownstein

Art and Culture, Authoritarianism

Masked Lockdowns are UnAmerican

– May 19, 2020

Americans don’t quarantine out of fear of viruses, nor do these rugged individualists uniformly don masks to protect themselves. Instead, Americans are the solution to whatever the problem is; always too busy and productive to be held back by shelter-in-place orders and fears of N-95 shortages.

Authoritarianism, Government

Why Didn’t the Constitution Stop This?

– April 30, 2020

Once a federal court (especially SCOTUS, from which there is no appeal) declares a law unconstitutional, as SCOTUS has often done to state laws throughout US history, the political dynamic changes dramatically. States must comply or face that other side of federalism.

Authoritarianism, Economic Trends

The Strangest Thing about the Debate

– February 26, 2020

The trouble with the 7 people on the stage last night is that they have little or no regard for our personal plans. It’s their plans for us that matter. Our lives are mere abstractions to them.