Monday Open Thread
What's on your mind?
Politics
Wait, Democrats Now Say They Love Freedom?
Plus: Does the government own too much land in Utah? And the latest response to Friends star Matthew Perry’s drug overdose death.
Donald Trump Promising a Position to RFK Jr. Isn't Illegal
Criminalizing such promises would violate the First Amendment
Kamala Harris' Plan To Hike Corporate Income Taxes Would Fall on All Americans
As with Trump and his tariffs, Harris appears unwilling to acknowledge the obvious consequences of hiking taxes on businesses.
'María Knew She Was Being Targeted': The Arrest of a Venezuelan Activist Exposes Maduro's Brutal Crackdown
María Oropeza's arrest during a livestream highlights the dangers faced by opposition leaders in Venezuela and the regime's relentless efforts to silence dissent.
J.D. Vance's Revisionist History
Plus: Brat summer revisited, Telegram CEO arrested, and more...
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Agree On One Thing: Judges Should Have Courage
Both of the leading presidential candidates understand what makes a successful Supreme Court pick.
Restricting Freedom of Movement Is a Favorite Tool for Repressive Regimes
Needing permission to travel hands a dangerous tool to authoritarians.
At Rally, RFK Jr. Says He'll Stop Forever Wars, Seed Oils From Trump's Cabinet
Kennedy said that Trump would be the superior candidate on his three major, "existential" issues of "free speech, the war in Ukraine, and the war on our children."
Criminal Justice Reform Took a Back Seat at the 2024 DNC
The official Democratic Party platform no longer endorses abolishing the death penalty, decriminalizing marijuana, or repealing mandatory minimums.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Nonaggressive dogs, tactical vests, and the entire internet.
RFK Jr. Spread Some Libertarian Ideas, Then Sold Out to Trump
The independent candidate deserves credit for promoting some liberty-friendly causes.
Ford Wants To Build Hybrids Instead of All-Electric Cars. The EPA Hates That.
The automaker is choosing to prioritize hybrids, which are more popular and provide a better option for many motorists. But the EPA only foresees a minor role for hybrids.
North Carolina Threatened To Prosecute Her for Taking a 'Ballot Selfie.' Now, She's Suing.
Susan Hogarth posted a photo of her primary ballot. In North Carolina, that's against the law.
Israelis and Palestinians Found Common Ground at the DNC. Is That Enough?
Both Israeli hostage families and Palestinian Americans want the war to end with a prisoner exchange. But that isn’t moving Democratic policy.
Thank God It's Over
Plus: Harris/Walz camo hats are not for rednecks, mobility vs. density, and more...
Manufacturing Joy at the DNC
This is what 'democracy' looks like. Unfortunately.
Democrats Are Talking About 'Freedom' Because Voters Really Like Freedom
And probably because Republicans have foolishly abandoned it as a unifying theme.
Jane Coaston: What Is 'Freedom' to Democrats?
The New York Times contributor discusses the Democratic National Convention and the rhetoric of "freedom" on Just Asking Questions.
Presidents Don't Create Jobs, No Matter What Bill Clinton Said
Dynamic economies operate independently of the political party of whoever was elected most recently.
Party of COVID-19 Authoritarianism Improbably Rebrands as 'Party of Freedom'
Democrats campaigning both on their pandemic record and minding your own damn business: Pick one.
Trump and Harris' Economic Plans Are Depressingly Similar
Both campaigns represent variations on a theme of big, fiscally irresponsible, hyper-interventionist government.
Kamala Harris' Affordability Agenda Is a Good Idea Backed by Terrible Policies
Americans need a politician dedicated to unwinding decades of government interventions that have driven up the cost of middle-class living.
The Dumb and Dumber of Kamala's 'Greedflation' Narrative
The American economy is robustly competitive. The federal government could just mess it up.
Democrats Aren't the Freedom Party
Plus: RFK Jr.'s exit, anti-Israel protesters at the DNC, and more...
Mission to Israel Part IX: The Nova Music Festival
Imagine if 400 people were killed in cold blood at Burning Man.
Who Is the Real Kamala Harris? A Big Government Liberal.
Harris has flip-flopped on many issues, but she's been consistent on her desire to spend more of your money.
An Overorchestrated Rebellion: Dispatch From the DNC
An anticlimactic protest in Chicago reveals a tired approach to modern activism.
How Does the Democratic Party Actually Feel About Billionaires?
Sen. Bernie Sanders calls them "oligarchs," while Gov. J.B. Pritzker gets cheers when touting his own billionaire status.
Neither Harris Nor Her Party Perceives Any Constitutional Constraints on Gun Control
The 2024 Democratic platform devotes five paragraphs to firearm restrictions but does not even allude to the Second Amendment.
America Is Ready To Party
Which is not the same as party politics at all.
Economic Liberty Now Has No Place In Either Party
The rise of neopopulism means those who prioritize free markets have no political home.
Anna Gát: Building an Intellectual Platform for the Politically Homeless
The founder of Interintellect, which hosts public and members-only salons online and offline, advocates for a truly free and self-moderating market of ideas in the age of political polarization.
Nobody Cared About Bernie's Speech
Plus: Obama endorses building more housing, why CEOs are paid so much, and more...
Mission to Israel Part VIII: The Nir Oz Kibbutz
Hostages from this kibbutz were held only a few kilometers away.
Kamala Harris' 'Price Gouging' Ban: A New Idea That Has Failed for Thousands of Years
A half-baked idea that is just as dubious as Donald Trump's tariffs.
Trump's New, More Sophisticated Take on Crime Still Does Not Show 'Homicides Are Skyrocketing'
Although his campaign rejects the FBI's numbers as "garbage," they are broadly consistent with evidence from other sources.
The Democratic Party Platform Still Won't Commit to Legalizing Marijuana
Democrats' official 2024 platform praises President Joe Biden's marijuana pardons but fails to call for decriminalization.
