As someone who lives in Upstate New York, I have been especially interested in Governor Cuomo’s response to the health crisis affecting our state. During the beginning of the pandemic, I found the governor’s press conferences sober and responsible. My appreciation didn’t rise to the level of adulation, but it did represent a break from…
The coronavirus has taken the lives of more than 154,000 people. This is profoundly sad and sobering. I sometimes feel we lose sight of this tragedy in the midst of the debate over “reopening” the country. But I also know governments’ response to the crisis has life and death implications. And we need to be…
The governing class’s response to coronavirus is well-intentioned, but they are failing to account for the harm done—both immediate and potential—by shutting down aspects of American society. I appreciate the pressure public officials are under during this crisis. However, I fear we are moving too far in the direction of central planning to carry out…
COVID-19 has temporarily changed many aspects of our lives, sparking a firestorm of criticism about the best way to deal with the current crisis. While there are plenty of claims and decisions to debate, I’m especially interested in those involving matters of faith. I’ll address four that I’ve come across over the last several days….
People on the left, right and center are constantly criticizing Donald Trump for his juvenile comments and behavior—and rightly so. The president’s inclination toward hurling insults at others is malicious and needlessly divisive. Underlying the criticisms of the president’s words is an important principle that should be widely shared: treat everyone with dignity. The political…
Senator Bernie Sanders is inching closer to securing the Democratic nomination for president, which seemed implausible only five months ago. Still, he has met or exceeded expectations in the first three nominating contests and continues to poll well in South Carolina and key Super Tuesday states. Given his rise to frontrunner status, now is a…
In a recent article for National Review, Oren Cass introduced readers to a new organization dedicated to helping conservatives “recover” from “market fundamentalism.” This new venture is a solution in search of a problem. A commitment to bigger government is the prevailing orthodoxy in the halls of Congress and the premiere D.C. think tanks offer,…
Libertarians are inclined to make the following argument in defense of liberty: “I don’t care what you do as long as your decisions don’t violate my rights.” Although crude in description, this philosophy is second to none as it relates to state action. It respects the right of each person to live their life as…
A major theme running throughout the Democratic Party’s presidential primary is the problem of income inequality. The argument is an appeal to fairness—a value most Americans share. It’s also a distraction from a more insidious inequality: the power the state has over the rest of us. Power inequality is a bigger threat to an egalitarian…
Abortion is arguably the most controversial and divisive issue today. It involves disagreements on personal topics like bodily rights and the value of human life, which can set the stage for emotionally-charged debates. Libertarians find themselves on both sides of the issue, though nearly six in ten could be best described as pro-choice. The Libertarian…