J.D. Vance Surrenders to the Politics of Hate
"I think our people hate the right people," the Senate candidate said last week. He's in infamous company.
Liberalism
Is There a Future for Fusionism?
In the years since the Cold War, conservatives have lost sight of the relationship between liberty and personal responsibility.
How Frederick Douglass Destroyed John C. Calhoun With the Power of John Locke
Armed with the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the far-reaching guarantees of liberty and equality that they contained, Douglass took the fight directly to the slaveholders.
Trump Urges Floridians To Vote by Mail While Suing Over Remote Voting in Nevada
Plus: Tuesday primary results, TikTok may move to London, polls show growing distrust in media, and more...
The Law Protects Religious Liberty Far More than Many People Think
Conservative legal commentator and experienced religious liberties litigator David French explains why.
Glenn Loury: 'We're Being Swept Along by Hysteria' About Racism in America
The Brown University economist and outspoken critic of Black Lives Matter discusses George Floyd, social progress, and the state of political discourse.
Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal on Left-Wing Cancel Culture
The heterodox hosts of the popular Blocked and Reported podcast talk about surviving internet outrage, the roots of speech repression, and the power of direct financial support from fans.
New York Times Journalists Scared To Have an Op-Ed Page
Elite media institutions are noisily abandoning liberalism.
David French: 'I Think the Protection of Liberty Is a Common Good'
The Dispatch senior editor on the value of liberalism and the problems with the new nationalist right
Against the New Nationalism
Individual autonomy is not the cause of our problems and state autonomy is not the solution
Progress on Exclusionary Zoning, Regression on Rent Control
Many jurisdictions are alleviating housing shortgages by cutting back on zoning. Unfortunately, there is also a trend towards expanding rent control, which is likely to have the opposite effect.
Authoritarianism Is Winning on Every Front in India
Instead of its economy becoming more liberal, its polity is growing more illiberal.
Billy Bragg Wants Three-Dimensional Freedom. But Can We Afford That?
In his new manifesto The Three Dimensions of Freedom, the veteran punk rocker calls out libertarians for focusing solely on economic freedom. Is his case worth buying?
More on Liberals and Federalism
In this follow-up to my Washington Post article on the same subject, I consider whether current liberal support for federalism is purely opportunistic, and whether the political left is inherently pro-centralization.
My New Washington Post Op Ed on How Federalism Became Great Again on the Left
In recent years, many liberals have come to develop a new appreciation for constitutional limits on federal power. Whether the trend continues remains to be seen.
National Review's David French Is a Conservative, Evangelical Christian Who Is Getting Worried About Theocracy. So Should You.
Why libertarians should care about the illiberal Right as much as the illiberal Left.
Liberalism at All-Time High in 68-Year Survey of American Mood
Plus: Workplace fatalities down in places with medical marijuana, bad news booze bans at strip clubs, pushback to panic about Big Tech, and more...
Will Twitter Derangement Syndrome Kill the Democrats in 2020?: Reason Roundup
Plus: a radical remembering of the suburbs; support for sex-work decrim in NY; Bret Easton Ellis on Mueller and media
The Right's Identity Politics Is More Dangerous Than the Left's
A renewed commitment to pluralism is its only cure.
The Only Remarkable Thing About Beto O'Rourke Is How Much the Media Love Him
No, Beto O'Rourke isn't "shaking up" the Senate race in Texas.
Does Trump Mean the End of the End of History?
A review of Francis Fukuyama's book on the threat of identity politics of the right and left to Western liberalism
The Tribe of Liberty
National Review's Jonah Goldberg wonders how to save civilization in his new book, Suicide of the West.
Indian Prime Minister Flexes His Authoritarian Muscle
He is cooking up a red scare to justify a crackdown on human rights activists
Gorsuch's Record Was More 'Liberal' Than Kennedy's This Term
Of course, Gorsuch had his share of clashes with the liberal bloc too.
The Democracy Theorist in the Age of Trump
Saving liberal democracy one platitude at a time
Twitter 'Shadow Bans' Affect Some Conservative Leaders but Not Their Liberal Counterparts
Devin Nunes gets the Richard Spencer treatment.
Slavery Did Not Make America Rich
Ingenuity, not capital accumulation or exploitation, made cotton a little king.
Hey, Progressives and Conservatives: You're Stuck With Each Other
So long as anything resembling legitimate elections continue to be held, no political coalition will gain a permanent lock on the future.
Libertarian History/Philosophy
Is Jonah Goldberg Turning Into a Libertarian? It Sure Sounds Like It.
The Suicide of the West author explains his anti-Trumpism, evolution on culture-war issues, and growing attraction to libertarianism.
Conservative Actor James Woods Says 'Liberal' Agent Dropped Him on Fourth of July
Woods' agent reportedly told him he was "feeling patriotic" on Independence Day.
Before Drug Prohibition, There Was the War on Calico
In 18th century France, wearing the wrong fabric could get you in big trouble.
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.
Clinton: I Won the Places 'Moving Forwards,' Trump Won the Places 'Looking Backwards'
In the battle of smug liberals vs. conservative trolls, the former Democratic nominee makes a strong showing.
The Death of Liberalism and the Life of Johnny Cash: Sirius XM Radio
Listen to Matt Welch interview authors on everything from Pittsburgh's Black renaissance to the worldwide hostility toward George Soros
Feel Good Remedies Like Gun Control Won't Stop Mass Shootings
America needs a completely different approach based on building multiple defense lines.
The Murder of an Indian Journalist, a Hero, My Friend
The slaying of Gauri Lankesh, an implacable foe of Hindu fanaticism, shows how much trouble India's liberal democracy is in.
Libertarian History/Philosophy
Libertarianism Isn't a 'Gateway Drug' to the Alt-Right
Those who migrate from libertarianism to the alt-right have rejected the essence of the freedom movement and its philosophy.
Why Does the Left Keep Losing Its Fight Against Global Warming?
All its solutions suffer from the collective action problem
The Price of Press Bias
When the press tilts in favor of higher taxes and more regulation, democracy is indeed distorted.
Drupal Developer Larry Garfield Ostracized Over Involvement in Sci-Fi Based Kink Community
The scandal has exposed odd taboos in the liberal-leaning Drupal community and how hypocritical their talk of tolerance can be.
Donald Trump, Neocon: Bombing People In Order to Save Them [Reason Podcast]
Thaddeus Russell, Katherine Mangu-Ward, & Nick Gillespie talk Syria, Wilsonian foreign policy, and whether PBS Kids makes good soldiers.
Trump Is a Green Light for Illiberal Rulers Like India's Modi
The loss of liberalism in America will be costly for persecuted minorities elsewhere.
How Trump Is Emboldening a Reign of Anti-Muslim Terror in India
America is losing its soft power to spread liberal values
