Foot Voting and the Future of Liberty
My book chapter on this subject from the "Cambridge Handbook of Classical Liberal Thought" is now available on SSRN.
Democracy
Jeff Flake: America 'By No Means Immune' to Authoritarianism
"The road to democracy is not irreversible-not in Moscow, not in America, not anywhere."
Should We Let Children Vote? The Troubling Implications of Standard Reasons for Rejecting a Flawed Idea
Few will agree with Cambridge political scientist David Runciman's proposal to lower the voting age to 6. But standard reasons for rejecting the idea raise serious questions about many adult voters, too.
Political Ignorance and George H.W. Bush's Defeat in the 1992 Election
Bush lost because voters punished him for the recession of the early 1990s - an event he did not cause. This is just one example of a broader phenomenon of voters rewarding and punishing politicians for things they do not control.
Why a New Brexit Referendum Would Not be a "Betrayal" of Democracy [updated with response to Ryan Bourne]
If referenda are a legitimate mechanism for making political decisions, then it is also legitimate for them to be overruled by new referenda. Those who live by the referendum sword risk dying by it.
Libertarian Critiques of Democracy Can't be Refuted by Showing that it's Better than Dictatorship
Democracy is clearly superior to despotism. But libertarians are still right to worry about voter ignorance and advocate tighter constraints on government power.
Texas State Rep Wins Uncontested Election From His Jail Cell
Barring an early release, Rep. Ron Reynolds will miss the entire 2019 legislative session.
Political Ignorance and the Midterm Elections
It is not yet clear who will win. But widespread political ignorance already ensures many of us will be losers.
No, We're Not on the Brink of Civil War. But the Reasons Why We're Not Are Far From Entirely Reassuring.
Contrary to the fears of some pundits, the U.S. is not on the brink of civil war. But the explanation for that is far from entirely reassuring.
Google and Privatized Authoritarianism
The tech giant appears willing to do almost anything to win access to the vast Chinese market.
Jeffrey Rosen on "Madison's Nightmare"
Legal scholar and National Constitution Center President Jeffrey Rosen explains how many of the Constitution's safeguards against "mob rule" have frayed. His description of the problem is compelling, though he is less strong on possible solutions.
Ben Sasse Explains Why the Politicization of the Supreme Court Is a Dangerous Thing
"Government is about power. Government is not just another word for things we do together," said Sasse.
Democracy Is Not the Central Value of the Constitution
Efforts on both right and left to make the democracy-promotion the key focus of constitutional law should be rejected.
The Democracy Theorist in the Age of Trump
Saving liberal democracy one platitude at a time
Fight the Populist Right, the Progressive Left, and the Governments They Control
Democrats and Republicans reject individualism and free speech and both have become dangerous to our liberty.
Can We Help Save Democracy by Requiring Voters to Pass a Test of Political Knowledge?
Economist Dambisa Moyo is right to worry about the dangers of political ignorance. But her proposed solution for the problem falls short.
My New Article on "Foot Voting, Decentralization, and Development"
This forthcoming article discusses how we can massively expand economic opportunity by making it easier for people to "vote with their feet," both domestically and through international migration.
Why We Shouldn't Give Special Credence to the Political Views of Young People and Victims
Recent events such as the student walkout to promote gun control raise the issue of how much credibility we should give to the political views of the young, and victims of crime. At least as a general rule, there is no reason to give those views any special credence.
'Democracy Vouchers' Help Incumbents, Establishment Candidates Coast to Victory
Seattle's vouchers, passed to give outsiders a leg up, instead act as campaign welfare for well-established candidates.
Catalonians Declare Independence, But Can They Hold It?
Rights are theoretical unless you can defend them.
Cyrus Vance Is a Product of Dangerous One-Party Rule
When elected officials regularly run unopposed, there's no democratic accountability.
Seattle's Democracy Voucher Program Sees Its First Fraud Investigation
The alleged fraud highlights the ways in which the controversial program has failed to help outsider candidates.
Seattle's 'Democracy Vouchers' Serve as Campaign Welfare for Well-Established Candidates
A program intended to empower voters has instead funneled public money to most organized and funded campaigns.
The Price of Press Bias
When the press tilts in favor of higher taxes and more regulation, democracy is indeed distorted.
Breaking Up California an Idea That Won't Go Away, For Good Reason
Californians would be better equipped to govern themselves fairly.
How Important Are Nonviolent Protests and Media Criticism in Preserving Democracy? Depends Which Party You Belong to!
Striking findings from Pew Research
Report Downgrades Quality of American Democracy, But Trump's Election Is Just a Symptom
Populism is a result of government's separation from its citizens over decades.
How Much Better Off Is the World Since You Were Born?
Go find out at "Your Life In Numbers" over at the Human Progress program at the Cato Institute
Against Democracy and Elitism
The people's best political framework is neither democracy nor epistocracy but original liberalism, or what we today call libertarianism.
Dumb Voters Needn't Mean a People Unable to Run Their Own Lives
A reminder from libertarian philosopher Jason Brennan, author of Against Democracy
Cops Can Stop Harassing People, if Voters and Politicians Stop Pushing Laws That Make Them
The power's with the people.
Cuba's Literacy Rate, Life Expectancy Nothing to Lionize
Dictatorships may value literacy as much as democracies, but they value life a lot less.
China Points to Donald Trump as an Example of Democracy
But he'd be a better fit for an autocracy
Donald Trump's Rise Shows That Immigrants Are Not the Big Threat to Limited Government
If Hispanic immigrants had backed a strongman, conservatives would have declared them a threat to freedom.
Political Freedom On the Rise Around the World Despite Naysayers
The next U.S. president doesn't need to try to set the world right.
Friday A/V Club: Fascism vs. Socialism vs. Communism vs. Democracy
Lawrence Dennis, Norman Thomas, A.J. Muste, and Raymond Moley debate the ideal social system.
The Case For Back-Room Deals, Party Hacks & Unlimited Money in Politics
Jonathan Rauch's Political Realism argues that libertarians should embrace "transactional politics" if they want big changes.
No, 'the System' Is Not Broken
Not getting what you want from the government isn't a sign of failure.
Donald Trump? WTF? Democracy Can Be Rough.
Libertarians have long warned that democracy might not be all it's cracked up to be.
America: At Least We're More Free Than Estonia!
United States ranks 20th in the Cato Institute's new freedom index.
Longtime Philly Rep. Chaka Fattah Indicted for Public Corruption
Fattah and others allegedly connected to five different corruption schemes.
On Anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre, Hong Kong's Occupy Protesters Fight Their Own Fight
The Umbrella Movement is focused on its own struggle, not mainland China's.
I Voted for Milton Street for Philadelphia Mayor Today
Philly Democrats essentially voting for the next mayor today
