Fellow, @mercatus, studying populist authoritarianism. Founder and Editor, The UnPopulist. Reformist libertarian. Hate dogmas, esp my own.
May 1, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Oh, btw, the right's cancel culture problem is far worse than the left's as this shocking piece by @ThePlumLineGS's on DeSantis' Florida shows. Ironic that a "Moms for Liberty" activist is spearheading this book banning crusade.
A very good piece by @mattyglesias that closely parallels my own feelings about our current cancel culture discussion. Yes, cancel culture excesses are real. But the right's fear mongering about cancel culture is unreal. open.substack.com/pub/matthewygl…
The right needs cancel culture to keep itself in business. If instances of CC were to be cut in half, you'd never know it because there is an entire cottage industry on the right that depends on playing up the outrage. Every single episode is blown out of proportion.
Sep 21, 2022 • 19 tweets • 7 min read
Today, #TheUnPopulist turned one and this week my marriage turns 22! theunpopulist.substack.com/p/the-unpopuli…
It is fitting that I am celebrating both in Iceland which is home not only to the world’s most stunning scenery but also the longest running parliament.
Jul 21, 2022 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
That libertarians did not oppose an authoritarian wannabe like Trump whole hog is among the most bizarre political developments of last six years. There are 3 explanations: 1)The fusion w/ the right led to an obsessive preoccupation with the liberal enemy washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/…2) Suspicion of democracy because it does not offer the direct level of accountability like markets. 3) A Nietzschean contempt for institutions and rules that constraint the heroic individual.
May 4, 2022 • 12 tweets • 2 min read
1) In my view, there is no better example of conservatism’s profoundly deleterious effect on libertarian principles than #RoevWade. This ruling kicked off the culture wars. Because libertarians were fused with the right, they became witting or unwitting rightwing culture warriors
2) The 1980 Libertarian Platform unambiguously called for “the repeal of all laws restricting voluntary birth control or the right of the woman to make a personal moral choice regarding the termination of pregnancy.”
