The Libertarian Party's New Leader Has No Interest in Playing Kingmaker
"There's no deals that can be made for a cabinet position when you're sacrificing our set of principles in our platform," says Evan McMahon.
Republicans Shrug at Trump's Outrageous Corruption
Any self-styled advocate for limited government should be furious about Trump's $1.8 billion slush fund, but few Republicans are willing to denounce it.
Elon Did DOGE. Now, Mamdani Is Trying COGE.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s COGE sounds like DOGE, but New Yorkers should not expect the mayor to shrink the city’s bureaucracy.
Iran Is Turning America's Sanctions Playbook Against It
The U.S. Treasury is trying to fight the kind of trade embargo that it usually imposes on other countries.
Latest
Review: Racism, Immigration, and the American Dream in This Ragtime Revival
The musical contemplates the best way to achieve social change in the face of injustice.
Should You Be Allowed To Sell a Kidney? Economist Explains 'Repugnant Markets'
Alvin Roth, Nobel Memorial Prize–winning economist, wants us to think more about how controversial freedoms can become commonplace.
DHS Directs ICE To Crack Down on Allegedly Fraudulent Asylum Claims
It's President Donald Trump's latest attempt to restrict a form of humanitarian relief sought by millions.
Rejected Search Warrant Applications Raise Further Questions About the Federal Case Against Don Lemon
After a magistrate judge said a DHS investigator had failed to establish probable cause, the government decided it did not need the YouTube and iPhone records after all.
Podcast
James Talarico vs. Ken Paxton, the Pope on AI, and Caves
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss James Talarico changing his tune and how the Pope views artificial intelligence.
New York Legislators Seek Broader Anti-Shackling Protections Following Courtroom Birth in Brooklyn
New York lawmakers want to close loopholes in anti-shackling laws to protect incarcerated pregnant women.
Thomas and Alito Take a Regrettable Position in a Qualified Immunity Case
The two judicial conservatives continue to disappoint criminal justice reform advocates.
Leaked Plans Show School Buses Could Become Roaming Surveillance Vehicles
The documents reveal BusPatrol’s plan to equip tens of thousands of school buses with license plate readers and share the data with law enforcement.
A 'More Decisive' Response
Plus: when the city government starts covering Ozempic, Jill Biden's lies, and more...
Brickbats: June 2026
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world
How the Billionaire Tax Could Make California Poorer
One upcoming ballot measure would expand the state's taxing power. A lesser-known measure would limit it. Which will win?
The Other Vindictive Part of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Case
A judge last week threw out a criminal indictment against him on the grounds that it was tainted by vindictiveness. But that same spirit infects another part of his story that few people have discussed.
Does Reporting Bad News About the Iran War Make You a Foreign Agent?
The Trump administration invokes the notoriously vague FARA to threaten a critic.
Ken Paxton's Primary Victory Shows How Trump's Grudges Undermine His Party's Interests
The president's last-minute endorsement of Paxton was driven by his petty grievances against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, who was clearly the safer bet to retain the seat.
Trump's Trade War Caused a $15 Billion Decline in U.S. Farm Sales to China
Though some of their products may have been redirected elsewhere, American farmers are likely eating most of the losses.
James Talarico's Fake Olive Branch to Republicans
The Democratic candidate dresses up a negative, partisan appeal as genuine moderation.
5 Bills Signed by Wes Moore That Will Impact Housing and AI Development in Maryland
Couched with good intentions, new laws aimed at housing and artificial intelligence development will add more layers of red tape to Maryland’s growing bureaucracy.
A Flawed Minimum Wage Study Shows How Bad Stats Get Turned Into Policy Gospel
A 2024 paper claimed higher minimum wages don't kill jobs. It was statistically significant—and almost certainly misleading.
Anti-Tech Extremism Worries the Same Federal Government That's Been Fueling Anti-Tech Extremism
Plus: Plan B for STIs, justifying "deadly force" to protect fertilized eggs, and more.
How Moral Panic Creates Black Markets
Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin E. Roth discusses the moral limits of markets, how bans create black markets, and why harm reduction often works better than prohibition.
Illinois Plans Tax Break for Billionaires and the Chicago Bears. Everyone Else Could End Up Paying More.
A new Bears stadium and Gov. J.B. Pritzker himself stand to gain if the legislation passes.
July 2026
Magazine
The First Free Americans
Unlike in Europe, native rulers had little formal authority; they had to persuade others to follow their ideas.
