Please Support the Next 40 Years of Reason!

As the former editor in chief of the print edition of reason and the current editor in chief of reason online and reason.tv, I'm asking you to support our efforts to champion "Free Minds and Free Markets."

We've come a long way since our first issue in 1968 and as we celebrate our 40th anniversary (and look forward to the next 40 years), we're conducting our first-ever webathon.

If you care about freedom, immigration, drug policy, free trade, free expression, and much, much more—and you see reason as your voice in national discussions of politics, culture, and ideas—please make a tax-deductible donation right now.

Go here for a list of giving levels and associated premiums.

And click below for a minute-long video about the two great truths reason taught me as a high-school student—and that are more relevant now than ever.

Comments

[Jonathan Hohensee]

I told you, NO! NEVER!

[Lefiti]

Apply for a government grant.

[Lefiti]

Actually, when you think about it, this is hilarious. You zealots for the free market can't successfully hawk your product on the market, so you're begging for handouts. Shouldn't you submit to market discipline and try selling something else?

[Episiarch]

Hey Lefiti, when I nailed your girlfriend, I didn't expect it to make you hate all libertarians.

[The Angry Optimist]

Lefiti = Worst. Poster. Ever.

I'd spend time trying to educate him about how libertarians believe in private charity for things that the market may not provide, but it'd just be a waste of breath.

Instead, I pledge a dollar for every time Lefiti makes a total non-sequitur.

[LarryA]

You zealots for the free market can't successfully hawk your product on the market, so you're begging for handouts.

Volunteerism and voluntary donations are part of the free market. Value given for value received. It's the coercion-by-government angle free marketers are against.

[hotsauce]

The stupid popup won't go away. I click "close" and another one appears. Awesome.

[Colgate]

I'd make a donation, if Reason was actually libertarian..

[own goaled]

If only I hadn't donated that $2300 to Ron Paul...

[Dagny T.]

I'd make a donation, if Reason was actually libertarian..

There is going to be a lot of drinking this week. Is this really a capital campaign for Big Alcohol?!?

[dbcooper]

Is Weigel going to perform prog songs for us? What about some Reason staffer stand-up? Perhaps if things get desperate someone will show their ...

[Lefiti]

So in a market economy, a magazine that above all else promotes the virtues of a market economy has to rely on charity to stay afloat. Amazing.

[Tulpa]

dbcooper, that goes into the careful-what-you-wish-for department. I'd rather not see Ron Bailey's stem cells, thank you.

[lunchstealer]

Freedom isn't free
Naw there's a hefty fuckin' fee
And if you don't throw in your buck 'o five
Who will?

[Lefiti]

"If a Martian were asked to pick the most efficient and humane economic systems on earth, it would certainly not choose the countries which rely most on markets. The United States is a stagnant economy in which real wages have been constant for more than a decade and the real income of the bottom 40 percent of the population declined. It is an inhumane society in which 11.5 percent of the population, some 32 million people, including 20 percent of all children, live in absolute poverty. It is the oldest democracy on earth but also one with the lowest voting rates among democracies and the highest per capita prison population in the world. The fastest developing countries in the world today are among those where the state pursues active industrial and trade policies; the few countries in the world in which almost no one is poor today are those in which the state has been engaged in massive social welfare and labor market policies." --Adam Przeworski

[The Angry Optimist]

Lefiti - keep going! That's two bucks to reason so far!

[Lefiti]

Angry Optimist,

I'm glad to foster your highly irrational behavior. Keep throwing your money at the cult, but don't drink the Kool-Aid.

[WLC]

Lefifi is still fuming over the events of 1989-1991; arguing with straw men is his way of dealing with it.

Much as I disagree with Joe's philosophy, at least he's got some fucking brains (and I wouldn't mind if he were my alderman despite my disagreement.... beats what I have now)

[Lefiti]

Hey, maybe reason could sell indulgneces!

Hail Market,
Full of grace,
Prosperity is with thee.
Blessed art thou among systems,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Capital.
Holy Market,
Mother of Goods,
pray for us consumers now,
and at the hour of our bankruptcy.
Amen.

[Lefiti]

Ante up, Angry.

[Lefiti]

Oh, WLC, you're so reasonable! You'd really vote for Joe? Gosh, I guess you head-up-your-ass fanatics aren't so bad after all.

[Episiarch]

There is going to be a lot of drinking this week

I would suggest doing a shot every time Lefiti makes an idiotic and bitter statement, but I don't want you to die from alcohol poisoning.

[The Angry Optimist]

Five bucks, Lefiti. you're doing great.

As a matter of fact, given that you're a blatant idiot troll, I'd pay reason twenty bucks to ban you permanently.

what say you, reason?

[Joe Strummer]

There are plenty of blogs that don't beg like this, and offer better content. Reason needs to trim its costs if it can't compete in this brave new world. Or sell its "bad assets" to Hank Paulson for a few tens of million.

[Lefiti]

Angry,

Ban me! What happened to free minds? You want to censor stuff you don't like, you simpering hypocrite!

[The Angry Optimist]

no you idiot. This is private property. reason has to no more let you post your drivel than I have to let you blather forth on my front lawn.

[Lefiti]

"Reason needs to trim its costs if it can't compete in this brave new world."

I second that. Market fucking discipline!

[WLC]

Nah--even droll has it's purpose.

[The Angry Optimist]

There are plenty of blogs that don't beg like this, and offer better content.

Like where?

[Lefiti]

If you want to keep things private, you fucking moron, don't post on the Internet.

[The Angry Optimist]

How substantive, Lefiti. How old are you, twelve?

This is private property. Stop being so goddamned rude.

[Ethan]

I can see why they cut this scene from "No Country for Old Men".

[Andrew]

Angry -- You're about to go broke faster than Keith Olbermann after his "$100 to charity every time Sarah Palin lies" pledge.

[Lefiti]

After the biggest nationalization since the Great Deprssion, free-market fundamentalist right-wing libertarians are understadably a little down. If I see one on the street, I will give him a buck just out of compassion. But if you can't sell your magazine, give it up.

[Lefiti]

Private fucking property! Pull down that Intenet shade. Idiot.

[Joe Strummer]

Would it be the worst thing in the world if Reason went under? No. It would give a few market-based folks an object lesson in Schumpeterian creative destruction. As far as Reason "making a difference for liberty", well I'm not convinced. It's hard to imagine how the world would be any different if Reason had not happened upon the scene in 1968.

So give your government subsidized (excuse me, "tax-deductible") contribution if you think Reason is a voice for whatever values you care about. As for me, I'll reading blogs that give me higher quality content, with out the nagging.

[Lefiti]

I'm with you, Joe.

[Joe Strummer]

Here's a thought gleaned from the last three weeks of Wall Street activity: maybe Cato can buy out Reason, then Heritage can buy them both out, then maybe when Heritage becomes "too highly leveraged" the government can declare it "too big to fail" and make Heritage a subsidiary of the White House's political operations department.

[The Angry Optimist]

As for me, I'll reading blogs that give me higher quality content, with out the nagging.

This will be the second time I ask you what blogs you're referencing.

[Lefiti]

As for me, I'll reading blogs that give me higher quality content, with out the nagging.

Yeah, but you can't beat reason for entertainment value. Libertarianism is a kind of Alice in Wonderland ideology that inspires the zealous devotion usually associated with religious cults. It's amazing.

[lunchstealer]

BTW - Do a google search for "Freedom Isn't Free buck oh five" and one of Cavanaugh's LAT posts is the second link.

[texas_libertarian]

Nick, you're the shit!

[Joe Strummer]

This will be the second time I ask you what blogs you're referencing.

You say that as if I owe you a response. I don't. And if you're unconvinced by my statement, that's ok with me. I gather you give to Reason. That's good. Keep giving.

[The Angry Optimist]

Strummer - you're claiming superior blogs exist, sans the requests for cash. If you don't want to back up your claim with evidence, fine by me. Just don't expect me to take you at your word.

I do find it funny, though, that you show up here to talk about how great everywhere else is, and then you sniff that you don't need to prove it.

[Joe Strummer]

The kind of 1-for-1 association of Reason with Freedom is fucking absurd. Reason isn't about freedom, or liberty, or whatever. It's about providing a service to donors who in exchange for a few dollars, get satisfaction of "Advancing Freedom (tm)" along with whatever other "premiums" Reason may actually give.

But let's not be confused about what any of these libertarian organizations do. They aren't working for your good, and they're not working for mine. They're working to keep donors satisfied (within particular constraints shaped by ideology) and that's about it.

The thing about freedom is that: it is actually FREE.

[Anonymous Wanker]

Lefiti, Joe: Go with God.

[lunchstealer]

Yeah, but you can't beat reason for entertainment value. Libertarianism is a kind of Alice in Wonderland ideology that inspires the zealous devotion usually associated with religious cults. It's amazing.

Yeah, it's like conservatism, new-deal liberalism, socialism, communism, and sensitive singer-songwriterism in that respect.

It also encourages retarded leftists to come in and make smug comments that completely fail to understand non-coercive economic arguments.

[Joe Strummer]

Strummer - you're claiming superior blogs exist, sans the requests for cash. If you don't want to back up your claim with evidence, fine by me. Just don't expect me to take you at your word.

I do find it funny, though, that you show up here to talk about how great everywhere else is, and then you sniff that you don't need to prove it.

Okey, dokey.

[Guy Montag]

Okay, I am sold. Will be subscribing as soon as my workstation is operational in The Orient.

Perhaps I can donate my USAR affiliation bonus too, if it ever arrives?

[Guy Montag]

sensitive singer-songwriterism

LOL! My new ism of the month!

[Lou Rockwelle]

There have been better business models for Libertarian magazines and newsletters in the past. Tell me Nick, have you guys ever thought of going "neoconfederate"?

[Joe Strummer]

It also encourages retarded leftists to come in and make smug comments that completely fail to understand non-coercive economic arguments.

Kind of captures my point. Reason is basically a place, like Little Green Footballs and Instapundit and Pajamas Media (hey, there's a possible buyer for Reason!) where people can inveigh against "leftists" etc. etc. while claiming that, hey, they're not conservative! they really like pot! Also, Sarah Palin is pretty cool, too. She likes guns!

A mature political ideology doesn't need this.

[The Angry Optimist]

would it be fair to say then, Strummer, that your position is entirely without merit, given that you cannot demonstrate that there exists a place that is "better"?

[Guy Montag]

Kind of captures my point. Reason is basically a place, like Little Green Footballs and Instapundit and Pajamas Media (hey, there's a possible buyer for Reason!) where people can inveigh against "leftists" etc. etc.

Instapundit started taking comments? When did that happen?

This austere field environment is really getting me out of touch with the realities of bloggerville.

[Citizen Nothing]

"A mature political ideology doesn't need this."

OK. All in favor of the destruction of all political ideologies with fanboi Web sites raise your right hands. (Or left hands, as the case may be.)

Hurrah! Only Citizen Nothingism remains! All must submit! Visit my Web site.

Oh. Wait...

[The Angry Optimist]

libertarianism is the most mature political ideology. Note that most of us have moved so far from the "culture wars" that is the playground of the right and the left.

we have our own versions, but the level of discourse on libertarian sites is leaps and bounds above any other ideologies' sites.

[Sam Grove]

Ironic to have visitors, speaking nothing of substance, commenting on lack of substance.

[Guy Montag]

Um, just in case the staff chimes in, how do I precancel a subscription?

[Citizen Nothing]

Really ironic to have visitors speaking of speaking of nothing of substance.

[R C Dean]

make Heritage a subsidiary of the White House's political operations department.

You mean, as opposed to the other way around?

[lunchstealer]

Joe S. - I was specifically responding to Lefiti, who sounds an AWFUL lot like JerseyMcJones and Dan T. His critique is characteristic of those of the modern left. Modern conservatives have different criticisms of libertarianism. Mostly they involve "you guys are just a bunch of bleeding heart liberals." I get called 'liberal' enough by conservatives that I don't have any problem calling myself not conservative.

[Danny]

Well, one accomplishment Reason has made is shining a light on an otherwise dark and uninhabited area in my mind. I've been raised to be catholic and to see conservatism as good and liberalism as bad. I never had any interest in politics because I couldn't identify with what I was supposed to know. Once I found Reason, I realized why I didn't care about politics previously. And once I learned about Ron Paul, I realized why I didn't care about presidential candidates before. Here I found people that I agree with, and a place to learn and argue. If nothing else, Reason has created a place to learn about small 'l' libertarianism and a place to test all things we've been told to not question.

[Mike]

Guy Montag - Not sure what you mean by precancel, but feel free to email me your question. Thanks.

[Lefiti]

Free minds and free markets aren't free, but peddling libertarian drivel to morons is close to a free lunch, espicially if you can talk the morons into sending you cash donations. Good luck

[jasa]

Seems like Lefiti doesn't approve of my subscription to Reason. Not very reasonable of him in my opinion.

Drink? 😉

[Lefiti]

jasa

It's fine to pay for the subscription, but send these fuckers a donation? I hope you're smarter than that. Wait, if you're paying for the subscription...