Tag Archives | liberty

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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FDR’s Worst Perversion of Freedom

Mises Institute, January 17, 2019 FDR’s Worst Perversion of Freedom: The “Four Freedoms” Speech by James Bovard Franklin Roosevelt did more than any other modern president to corrupt Americans’ understanding of freedom. Last week was the 75th anniversary of his 1944 speech calling for a second Bill of Rights to guarantee economic freedom to Americans. […]

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The Folly of Fantasy-Based Political Philosophy

It’s a coin toss which is more damnably confounding – contemporary journalism or contemporary philosophy. Reminded of this conundrum by the latest New Yorker article whooping up Elizabeth Anderson, a University of Michigan philosophy professor, as the great hope for American equality. The 8000-word profile was an exercise in faith building which failed to sway […]

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