Exclusive Web-Only Preview of John Stossel's "The Rise of The Libertarians" with Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie!

Tomorrow's weekly episode of John Stossel's eponymous Fox Business show is all about "The Rise of the Libertarians."

Matt Welch and I appear on the program to discuss the themes we outlined in our book The Declaration of Independents and to talk about all the recent developments that argue for what we've called "the Libertarian Moment" and even "the Libertarian Era."

Other guests include Penn Jillette, members of Students for Liberty, and former Rep. Ron Paul. Follow the show on Twitter at the hashtag #TheRise.

Stossel airs on Thursday at 9pm ET. Go here for more information on the show.

Click above to watch a web-only exclusive preview of the episode, in which Matt and I discuss whether a libertarian world would be like Somalia, why libertarians are constantly forced to answer such questions, and more.

Stossel's syndicated column appears every Wednesday at Reason.com. Read the latest here and check out his archive here.

Comments

[Hugh Akston]

Hopefully the Rise of the Libertarians will be every bit as gripping and awesome as Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, GI Joe: Rise of Cobra, Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Rise of the Guardians, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 300: Rise of an Empire, the Dark Knight Rises, Van Wilder 2: the Rise of Taj, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, and Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon.

[Brett L]

I mean, the Dark Knight Rises wasn't terrible...

[Episiarch]

Oh please. After what he did with The Dark Knight, Rises was an unfocused, terrible mess. Bane was fucking unintelligible, for Christ's sake. He built up so much potential with the first two movies (Batman Begins wasn't great, but it got the ball rolling), and then...huh? That's how you finish it?

[Fist of Etiquette]

It was filmed at Heinz Field so that makes it awesome like everything filmed at Heinz Field. If you couldn't follow the plot just admit it.

[Hugh Akston]

Epi I hate to break it to you, but Batman Begins was way better than The Dark Knight.

[Episiarch]

So Hugh, I take it you like gladiator movies, then? Ever been in a Turkish prison? Ever seen NutraSweet naked?

[SugarFree]

My balls glitter in direct sunlight.

[Episiarch]

Yeah, I know. Don't remind me. I have regretted that week in Bangkok for years.

[SugarFree]

If one night will make a hard man humble, imagine what a whole week did to Epi.

[jesse.in.mb]

Ah good, SugarFree. You're here!

I have something for you and I won't be around for PM Links

Video

[SugarFree]

No money shot? What a rip-off.

The dolphin O-face was awesome, though.

[jesse.in.mb]

That dolphin looked a gleeful as I imagine a dolphin can look.

[Hugh Akston]

So that's the delphinic version of American Pie?

[SugarFree]

Monkey goes to town on himself, flicks semen at cameraman.

[SugarFree]

So that's the delphinic version of American Pie?

Is a reef the underwater equivalent of a levee?

[Jesus H. Christ]

One again, I click on the link and I instantly regret it. Why do I click on any of the links in this deviant populated hellhole?

[SugarFree]

The power of yourself compels you, JC.

[Jesus H. Christ]

That comment was for Jesse's link. I know enough not to follow any SF links down the rabbit hole.

[jesse.in.mb]

Be fair now: it's impossible not to be happy for that dolphin who is so clearly having a good time, and the link was specifically dedicated to SF. It's not like I didn't warn you.

[waffles]

How would you know? I doubt you've ever been in direct sunlight.

[Cytotoxic]

Huh. After you expressed positive feelings wrt STiD I thought you had good tase Hugh. I was wrong.

T3 was good by the way.

[Hugh Akston]

I didn't say TDK was bad, I just think Batman Begins was better.

[Cytotoxic]

AND YOU WERE WRONG

[KDN]

Rises would have been fine as a fourth movie. There was clearly a second Joker movie waiting to be made, but Ledger had to go and off himself before it could happen. Instead, we get Nolan hand waiving away eight years and jumping to the conclusion before setting it up.

[anon]

It sure as fuck wasn't good.

[Brett L]

Oh, wait. I thought that was the 2nd movie. My bad. Yeah, the 3rd one was an unholy mess.

[Anonymous Coward]

Rise and Rise
again and again
like the Phoenix
from the Ashes
until the Lambs
become Lions and
The Rule of Darkness
is no more.

-Maitreya

[Mongo]

Dr. Phibes Rises Again.

[Tim]

"The Rise of the Libertarians"
"Rise of the Dark Libertarians"
"Libertarians into Darkness"
"The Dark Libertarian Rises"
"Libertarians: The Dark World Rises"

[Almanian!]

The Cult have a song called "Rise". So I guess they must be libertarian.

Good to know.

[Brandybuck]

SOMALIAZ!!!

[np]

It's like Wendell Holme's Jr fire-in-a-crowded-theater meme. Mention libertarianism and proggies will all scream Somalia.

[SteveC]

That happened to me at a party recently--I thought it was so cliche as to already be a joke. I mean, really, if you were to remove the government, would 21st-century OECD citizens start behaving like Somalis? We're pretty domesticated, not likely to go Mad Max feral even in the worst of circumstances.

But let's be honest--we libertarians are guilty of the same exaggerations and cherry-picking. Somalia is not the only example of anarchy, and the USSR and Nazi Germany were not the only examples of government.

[Brett L]

These guys should write a book...

[Restoras]

Book? That is soooo 15th Century.

[Pro Libertate]

Mr. Smallgov Risin', Mr. Smallgov Risin'
Mr. Smallgov Risin', Mr. Smallgov Risin'
Got to keep on risin'
Mr. Smallgov Risin', Mr. Smallgov Risin'
Smallgov Risin', gotta Smallgov Risin'
Mr. Smallgov Risin', gotta keep on risin'
Risin', risin'
Gone risin', risin'
I'm gone risin', risin'
I gotta risin', risin'
Well, risin', risin'
I gotta, wooo, yeah, risin'
Whoa, oh yeah

[sarcasmic]

The Exits have to be one of the most overrated bands ever.

[Pro Libertate]

Perhaps, but I do like some of their songs.

[anon]

I find their signs quite helpful sometimes.

[Francisco d Anconia]

First of all, it's the Entrances. Second of all, you would be incorrect.

[Pro Libertate]

I thought the name came from Huxley's The Whores of Perception?

[Voros McCracken]

Easily the best thing Jimmy Fallon has ever done.

[sarcasmic]

Infinitely more profound than anything by Morrison.

[Episiarch]

I think The Doors may be one of the worst bands of all time, on par with The Eagles.

[sarcasmic]

The Eagles were good. After they broke up and did solo projects that is.

[SugarFree]

I thought "Take The Money And Run" was a pretty good song.

[Pro Libertate]

Hey, no need to go all Godwin.

[Francisco d Anconia]

The Stones and Pink Floyd were the worst bands of all time (at least the most overrated).

[Cytotoxic]

implying the stones are overreated

You have failed music forever.

[Episiarch]

At this point, I'm so sick of Jurassic Rock (TM) that I don't even want to hear Zeppelin any more. And if I hear Foghat one more time I'm going to snap and take out NutraSweet's entire library.

[Pro Libertate]

Jesus, you just put "Slow Ride" in my head.

I don't agree with this sentiment, though I say that with some reservations, because there's old shit I'm sick of, too.

[sarcasmic]

I lost interest in Pink Floyd when I quit doing drugs, but I think I'll always like the Stones.

[Restoras]

Gimme Shelter is a great tune. That's it though.

I still listen to a lot of Zeppelin but less of II and IV, more of I, III, and PG.

I hadn't listened to Foghat since the 7th grade until I downloaded Live...and then I remembered why.

[Pro Libertate]

What? Are you mad? Especially about the Stones. Ye gods.

[Francisco d Anconia]

I lived a Lie all through high school. I said I liked them to avoid ridicule.

PF had 1, I repeat, 1 good song...Another Brick in the Wall.

The Stones...can't think of a song I actually liked.

[Restoras]

I think we should have a thread and a drinking game to go along with this seminal event.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Seminal? TIWTANFL

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Rise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5WkZ_M1PPQ

[Hyperion]

that argue for what we've called "the Libertarian Moment" and even "the Libertarian Era."

I really had been hoping that the Libertarian era, when it arrived, would have Libertarian political candidates getting more than 1% of the vote, less than 50 million people on food stamps, and less than 50% of the population being completely retarded politically and economically.

That, or us having formed our own country made up of a collection of seceded states of the former USSA, preferably all in a warmer clime zone.

I suppose I might yet get the latter if I live long enough.

[sarcasmic]

I suppose I might yet get the latter if I live long enough.

It's pretty much been established that membership in the Union is non-negotiable.

[Hyperion]

Yeah, the Soviets established that same rule.

[sarcasmic]

I don't recall the Soviets fighting a war over it.

[Drake]

Double check with the Poles and Chechens.

[Hyperion]

They were all warred out by the time the wall fell down. Same as the great USSA will be before we even get ours half way up.

[Cytotoxic]

It's never been tried in a legit manner before.

[mr simple]

I think the libertarian moment comes about when things are at their nadir, but I guess that depends on how you define libertarian moment.

[np]

Yeah I don't think we'll ever vote our way to Libertopia. Shoot our way to libertopia? Maybe.

As far as seceding, well, that involves shooting too, particularly if it means exercising control over your property in the same geographical area.

preferably all in a warmer clime zone.
They're all taken, unless you want to create an artificial tropical island. So Antartica seems to be the only viable choice on Earth. It's that or Luna in the short term.

I like the concept of Seasteading and Charter cities, but they are still too vulnerable

[Jordan]

Private islands, yo.

[np]

Nice. However seems like they're all still part of some country.

[Hyperion]

I meant in the warmer seceded states, you know, the south.

[Cytotoxic]

ZEDE! It`s slowly happening!

[The Heresiarch]

15 countries seceded from the USSR peacefully. Countries break apart all the time. Why couldn't it happen peacefully here?

[Restoras]

I think it could. But, countries that break apart seem to break apart more along ethnic/cultural lines than they do ideological ones, right?

So how would it shake out here? It seems like it would be more of a rural/urban split? It would certainly be interesting since both types typically resent each other. Not too mention that the rural types are more likely to be well armed, though poorer, while the urban types will be richer but completely useless otherwise.

In the end I think the Rurals would defeat the Urbans, since they could cut off food and water to the Urbans. It wouldn't necessarily effect the rich Urbans but the poor Urbans would turn on them.

[Tonio]

Sarvis got 6.6% of the vote in the election for Governor of Virginia. Not too slouchy.

This may not be a libertarian moment, but it appears that libertarianism is building momentum.

[Hyperion]

Yeah, but he wasn't a real libertarian.

[Tonio]

The perfect is ever the enemy of the good, Hyper.

[BakedPenguin]

Well, there are also Paul, Massie and Amash. They may not be totally pure, but I'd vote for them.

[Cytotoxic]

Don't forget the ZEDE in Honduras. That's a serious project that is slowly but surely moving forward. The only threat to it is the wife of Honduras's would be dictator but she is falling back in the polls. I'm sure the military and the establishment will make sure the presidential election produces the correct result, and that's all we need.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Have I mentioned I like Stossel?

[Hyperion]

It's the stash, isn't it?

[Francisco d Anconia]

And the hair.

[Jordan]

Under the affordable Stossel Act, you can keep him.

[Hugh Akston]

Uh well, actually he isn't compliant with the standards set by ObamaPundit, but through the exchanges you can sign up for Thomas Friedman, who has basically the same mustache but consistently calls for a brutalist megastate. So you lose your original pundit, but get something even better instead!

[Hyperion]

Thomas Friedman, who has basically the same mustache

Neither one of them has anything on the new dictator presidente de Venezueala. That dude got Saddam Hussein level stash.

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