Looking at Reagan Through the Lens of Trump
Max Boot's biography of Ronald Reagan is deeply researched and informative, but it sometimes stumbles when it tries to use the past to make sense of the present.
Conservatism
J.D. Vance Is Wrong About Toasters—and Global Manufacturing
Trump's protectionist running mate comes out against “cheap, knockoff toasters” and common sense.
How Much Would an American-Made Toaster Actually Cost?
A lot more than Oren Cass and J.D. Vance want you to think, and Americans wouldn't like the tradeoffs necessary.
The Teamsters' Alliance With the 'New Right' Was Never Going To Work
Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo is at the center of a fight between labor unions and venture capital that's dividing the populist right.
Age Check Laws Are a 'Back Door' to Banning Porn, Project 2025 Architect Says in Hidden Camera Video
"We'd have a national ban on pornography if we could, right?"
The Republican Radical Who Helped Launch the Gay Rights Movement
Dorr Legg saw the government as homosexuals' enemy.
What Kamala Harris' Coronation Says About the Democratic Party
Plus: A listener asks the editors about Project 2025.
J.D. Vance, Taxing the Childless, and the Power of Framing
The controversy over Vance's advocacy of higher tax rates for childless adults illustrates the power of framing.
The 'Pro-Worker' GOP Is Anti-Worker
The New Right talks a big populist game, but their policies hurt the people they're supposed to help.
Biden's Out. Harris Is In. Everyone Else Is Screwed.
Plus: A listener asks the editors if employers should be held responsible for the speech and actions of employees outside of the workplace.
Republicans Don't Even Pretend To Want To Cut Government Anymore
This week left no doubt that the GOP's current leadership wants the government to do more, spend more, and meddle more.
Mary Katharine Ham: What's Trump's Agenda?
Fox News commentator Mary Katharine Ham discusses Trump's new policy agenda.
Why the New Republican Platform Is Moderate on Abortion
The party platform previously called for a constitutional amendment to protect unborn children. Now, it says abortion should be left to the states.
Labour Wins U.K. Elections as Conservatives Collapse and Third Parties Surge
Keir Starmer’s Labour secures a sweeping victory, taking the helm from Rishi Sunak.
Project 2025: The Heritage Foundation's Plan To Embrace Bigger Government During Trump's Second Term
The best way to promote liberty is by reducing the government power, not by harnessing it on behalf of supposedly conservative or populist nostrums.
Democrats' Political Views Are Shifting Faster Than Republicans'
A much more liberal left is facing off with a slightly more conservative right.
The 'Bombshell' Secret Alito Recording Was Not a Bombshell
The justice's benign comments set off a lengthy news cycle and have been treated as a scandal by some in the media. Why?
Trump's Proposed Tariffs Would Cost Families $1,700 Annually
"The scale of trade barriers proposed by candidate Trump is unprecedented."
Trump Promises To Give Police 'Immunity From Prosecution'
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
How California's Ban on Diesel Locomotives Could Have Major National Repercussions
No technology exists today to enable railroads to comply with the state's diktat, which villainizes a mode of transportation that is actually quite energy efficient.
This Elderly Man Was Arrested After Shooting a Burglar in Self-Defense—for Carrying the Gun Without a License
Vincent Yakaitis is unfortunately not the first such defendant. He will also not be the last.
Brussels Mayor Attempts To Shut Down National Conservatism Conference by Force
It's a good thing opponents of the move can appeal to the liberal values of free speech, free association, and equal treatment under law.
What Differentiates the Political Left and Right?
Matt Yglesias and Bryan Caplan offer contrasting theories. But neither fully works.
Cathy Young on Putin's American Fans
As she explains, admiration for Putin on the US right is rooted in a combination of illiberalism, nationalism, and cultural grievance.
Abortion Fallout
Plus: Illegal homes in California, Erdogan's party does poorly in local elections, and more...
The Political Right Has Luxury Beliefs, Too
Support for industrial policy and protectionism are supposed to help the working class. Instead, these ideas elevate the already privileged.
Study Finds Law Professor Contributions to Political Campaigns Skew Overwhelmingly Democratic
Notre Dame law Prof. Derek Muller so finds in a new analysis of law professor political donations between 2017 and 2023.
The Economy Is Doing Way Better Than Many Believe
Despite the popular narrative, Millennials have dramatically more wealth than Gen Xers had at the same age, and incomes continue to grow with each new generation.
Not All Policy Is Industrial Policy
Just say no to empowering government actors to put their thumbs on the scale on behalf of certain sectors.
Curt Mills: Should America Police the World?
Curt Mills, executive director of The American Conservative, talks U.S. foreign policy on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
Another Damn Impeachment
Plus: Suozzimentum, gun factories, body-count discourse, and more...
The Best of Reason: Can Free Markets Win Votes in the New GOP?
As the party grows more populist, ethnically diverse, and working class, will Republicans abandon their libertarian economic principles?
Can Free Markets Win Votes in the New GOP?
As the party grows more populist, ethnically diverse, and working class, will Republicans abandon their libertarian economic principles?
Republican Presidential Nomination
DeSantis Down and Out
Plus: Javier Milei’s powerful speech on economic prosperity in Davos
Ron DeSantis Could Have Run on a Message of Freedom
His political makeover into a Trumpy cultural warrior undermined what could have been a compelling campaign about the value of freedom.
Spanish Translation of "The Case Against Nationalism" Now Available
The Cato Institute has posted a Spanish-language version of the article I coauthored with Alex Nowrasteh.
Jennifer Burns on Milton Friedman's Legacy
Was Milton Friedman the most important libertarian of them all?
Cass Sunstein on Unifying Principles of Liberalism
The famed Harvard law professor tries to outline a set of principles liberals - broadly defined - can agree on. And it's a strong effort, even though I have a few caveats and reservations.
What American Conservatives Can Learn From Argentina's Javier Milei
Once you get past the aesthetics, the similarities between Milei and MAGA mostly vanish.
Ideas Have Consequences Turns 75
Richard M. Weaver seemed to question whether liberal order was compatible with human flourishing. By the end of his life, he saw individual liberty as more than incidental to the good society.
Are Right-Wingers More Prone to Believe Conspiracy Theories than Left-Wingers?
An extensive new study finds that the answer is "no." Belief in conspiracy theories is about equally common on different sides of the political spectrum.
Jim Jordan: The Perfect Speaker for a Policy-Free GOP
As long as the Republican Party is a policy-free zone, Jordan might as well be the guy in charge.
Denmark May Ban Burning the Quran
A cabinet minister who once defended the right to blaspheme now wants a crackdown.
Candidates Spar Over National Abortion Ban in First Republican Debate
Plus: Invade Mexico?!, "Trump added $8 trillion to our debt," and more...
Politicians Continue To Make a Mockery of 'Emergency Spending'
Legislators abuse the emergency label to push through spending that would otherwise violate budget constraints.
The Argentine Libertarian Dog-Friendly Darling?
Plus: Libertarian lessons in the wake of the Maui wildfires
Most Republican Voters Aren't Loyal Trumpists, Suggests Survey
Plus: Kansans fight over driver's license gender markers, chain restaurants bridge social divides, and more...
'Private Tyranny' Is Less Private Than You Think
Sohrab Ahmari inadvertently gives even more reasons to reduce the power of the state.
