Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
    • Reason TV
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • Just Asking Questions
    • Free Media
    • The Reason Interview
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Print Subscription
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Donald Trump

Peter Thiel Speaking at RNC in Cleveland Is Interesting and Weird. And Really Good.

There should have been about a dozen of him here if the GOP was serious about becoming a future-oriented party.

Nick Gillespie | 7.21.2016 9:33 PM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google
Media Contact & Reprint Requests
Wikimedia

So right now as I type the controversial tech billionaire Peter Thiel is killing it at the Cleveland RNC with a speech talking about the need for government to do less but do it better, getting rid of culture-war skirmishes, and building a culture that looks forward to the future. He also attacked American foreign policy, especially "stupid wars" in the Middle East.

It was a good speech, especially because he said he was proud to be gay, American, and from Cleveland. Without a doubt, there is a huge disconnect between much of Trump's actual words and positions and Thiel's vision. But it was great to hear what the PayPal co-founder, early investor in Facebook and Lyft, and other aspects of the most-interesting part of the U.S. economy.

If the GOP was serious about changing its slow march to irrelevance, there should have been 10 Thiels to every Joe Arpaio, rather than the other way around.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Peter Thiel, Radical Libertarian Futurist, Thinks Donald Trump Can Rebuild America

Nick Gillespie is an editor at large at Reason and host of The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie.

Donald TrumpRepublican Convention 2016
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Show Comments (53)

Latest

Mamdani's Socialist Mayorship Will Make New York a Worse Place To Live and Do Business

Nick Gillespie | 11.1.2025 6:00 AM

James Comey Says His Grudge-Driven Prosecution Is Unconstitutional Retaliation for His Criticism of Trump

Jacob Sullum | 10.31.2025 6:00 PM

They Face $1 Million in Fines—for Someone Else's Code Violations

Billy Binion | 10.31.2025 5:31 PM

iRobot Faces Bankruptcy After Elizabeth Warren Helped Kill $1.65 Billion Amazon Merger

Joe Lancaster | 10.31.2025 3:35 PM

How Opioid Settlement Money Turned Into a $600K Party Fund

Mariana Trujillo and Layal Bou Harfouch | 10.31.2025 1:46 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS Add Reason to Google

© 2025 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300