Big thanks to Rachel Watson-Kennerly for having me on her new Just Add Liberty podcast. We had fun smacking politicians and talking about journalism. I enjoyed the chance to kick hell out of Washington ways and the lame “Go Team Go!” standard for Washington writing. (My comments on writers refers specifically to Washington writers.) “After […]
Tag Archives | liberty
Will Democracy’s Myths Doom Liberty?
Mises Institute, October 23, 2020 Will Democracy’s Myths Doom Liberty? by James Bovard The Supreme Court declared in 1943, “There is no mysticism in the American concept of the State or of the nature or origin of its authority.” In reality, the cardinal doctrines of contemporary democracy are layer upon layer of mystical claptrap. The […]
MP3 Speech at Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Conference
On Saturday, I gave a talk at the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party state convention. There were so many great folks there and it was a pleasure to speak to a savvy, friendly audience. Richard Schwarz did a pitch-perfect introduction that set the tone for the talk. It’s hard not to like a guy who is always […]
The “Officer Friendly” Police Fantasy
The “Officer Friendly” Police Fantasy by James Bovard Police in Tempe, Arizona, announced plans in July for a “positive ticketing” campaign to pull over drivers who had violated no traffic laws. A Phoenix TV station reported that the police would give the people they targeted free soft-drink coupons for Circle K as a reward for […]
Democracy – More Than Two Wolves and a Sheep Voting for Dinner Around the World
One sentence from Lost Rights: The Destruction of American Liberty (St. Martin’s Press, 1994) received far more mileage than I expected. “Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner” has been translated into 48 languages, quoted by the Hong Kong Chief Justice, and set the […]
Lost Rights 25th Anniversary
This is the 25th anniversary of the publication of Lost Rights: The Destruction of American Liberty, which St. Martin’s Press described as a “bestseller” for at least a decade after its release. Thanks to everyone who bought the book and double-thanks to everyone who whooped it up. I especially want to thank folks who wrote […]
Trump’s Biggest BS? No “Government Coercion” in America
Mises Institute, February 7, 2019 Trump’s Absurd Claim that Americans Are Free from Government Coercion by James Bovard In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Trump received rapturous applause from Republicans for his declaration: “America was founded on liberty and independence — not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, […]