Were the midterm elections of repudiation of Trump, a mixed bag, or even an endorsement of Trump? What can we expect over the next two years, and what are the Democrats likely to do in 2020? Dan McCarthy, editor-at-large of The American Conservative and current editor of Modern… Read More
Archives for November 2018
Ep. 1279 The John Birch Society: A Conversation With Its President Emeritus
John F. (“Jack”) McManus, longtime president of the John Birch Society, joins me to discuss the Society’s founding and history, its controversial positions, its clashes with William F. Buckley and official conservatism, and its present activities. Book Discussed The John Birch Society: Its History Recounted… Read More
Ep. 1278 Woods’s Greatest Hits
In today’s episode I review some of the golden nuggets from the previous 600 or so episodes. Fascinating people and ideas you may have missed — and even if you didn’t miss them, it couldn’t hurt to hear about them again. Sponsor Harry’s razors, the… Read More
Ep. 1277 Private Law and Defense Are No Problem, or The Shortcomings of Public Goods Theory
Neoclassical economics insists that a separate class of goods, called “public goods,” cannot, because of their peculiar characteristics, be efficiently provided by the market and must instead be financed and produced by the state. The Austrian School rejects this line of argument. Today Jakub Wisniewski,… Read More
BONUS Ep. 1276 Patrick Henry Descendant Starts Selling at Age 8, Works Online for 19 Years
Paul Counts has been an entrepreneur since he began selling pencils at age 8. He’s been making his living online for 19 years. He knows both the tech side and the marketing side inside and out — a rare combination. (I’ve purchased a lot of… Read More
Ep. 1275 Myths and Truths of U.S. Monetary History: Plus, Funny Footage from the Contra Cruise
In this episode I delve into some myths and truths of U.S. monetary history, from the colonial period through the creation of the Federal Reserve. The second part is a treat: some audio footage, recorded on the Contra Cruise, of Bob, Tatiania Moroz, and I… Read More
Ep. 1274 Major Discovery: Previously Lost Works by Lysander Spooner
Lysander Spooner, the great 19th-century individualist anarchist, evidently wrote on banking and currency competition, but those works had been lost until now. Phil Magness, through some clever detective work, tracked them down and they’re now available, published via the American Institute for Economic Research ! (They also shed light on… Read More
Ep. 1273 Birthright Citizenship: What the Constitution and Common Sense Say
Donald Trump has indicated his desire to overturn the practice of birthright citizenship, a position Ron Paul and Rand Paul alike have long held. Opponents claim the Fourteenth Amendment requires birthright citizenship. Does it? Articles Mentioned “ The Question of Birthright Citizenship ,” by Peter H. Schuck and Rogers M. Smith… Read More