Libertarian Reporting for 2026-05-02
Today’s news coverage from libertarian media sources.
DHS Funded
Plus: FISA reauthorization, driverless trucks in California, and an Epstein suicide note.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Zionists Are Gunning for Your Freedom of Speech
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the United States guarantees the right to free speech. This right has long differentiated the United States from other Western nations ...
The Libertarian Institute
May 1, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Victims of Communism Day - 2026
May Day should be a day to honor victims of an ideology that took tens of millions of lives. But we should also be open to alternative dates if they can attract broad enough support.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
War in Iran: Remembering The Lessons of Regime Change
Christians must be discerning when our leaders call for another war. Our last interventions in places like Iraq and Syria didn’t bring stability or liberation. They devastated ancient Christian commun...
Libertarian Christian Institute
May 1, 2026 - libertarianchristians.com
SCOTUS boosts good week for rule of law with redistricting ruling
M.D. Kittle writes for the Federalist about the significance of the US Supreme Court’s high-profile redistricting decision this week. It’s been a long week for the gerrymandering Democrats. … … [T]he...
John Locke Foundation
May 1, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Some Links
TweetThe Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal makes a strong case that “the tech investment boom helps to offset damage from tariffs.” Two slices: The progress of artificial intelligence has bee...
Cafe Hayek
May 1, 2026 - cafehayek.com
America’s Post-Deliberative Wars
The Iran War may be the first genuinely “post-deliberative” war in American history.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 1, 2026 - cato.org
Latest SCOTUS redistricting ruling described as ‘righteous blow’
Editors at National Review Online assess the US Supreme Court’s latest redistricting decision. The era of racial gerrymandering to segregate black voters in their own districts has been a long, ugly c...
John Locke Foundation
May 1, 2026 - johnlocke.org
AI in an Age of Humanity
The good and the bad news is, we're in charge.
Law & Liberty
May 1, 2026 - lawliberty.org
COVID Conniving Receives First Federal Indictment
David Morens, a former top advisor to COVID Czar Tony Fauci was indicted this week and “charged with conspiracy against the United States; destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in feder...
The Libertarian Institute
May 1, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Gov. Newsom's Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News Over "Gavin Lied About Trump's Call" Claim Can Go Forward
An excerpt from Delaware Superior Court Judge Sean Lugg's 42-page opinion yesterday in Newsom v. Fox News Network, LLC: In… The post Gov. Newsom's Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News Over "Gavin Lied ...
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
National Review wants to ’86’ Comey indictment
Editors at National Review Online pan the recent criminal indictment of a former FBI director. Seashells? Really? Embarrassingly, the Department of Justice indicted James Comey for a stupid social med...
John Locke Foundation
May 1, 2026 - johnlocke.org
The Federal Government Once Tried To Restrict Prediction Markets. Now It's Suing States To Save Them.
In a bid to “reaffirm its exclusive jurisdiction” over prediction markets such as Kalshi, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is suing six states for interfering in federally regulated financial ...
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
The Self-Driving Car Fight in Congress Isn't Really About Safety at All
Bootleggers, Baptists, and the fight over who gets to write America's self-driving car rules.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
California Lawmakers Are Ignoring History by Boosting Pension Benefits as the State's Economy Teeters
After California made this same mistake in 1999, it took 12 years to dig out of the hole. Taxpayers footed the bill.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
California Can't Define 'Hate Speech' But May Mandate Workplace Training Anyway
The term “hate speech” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s legally protected in the U.S.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Callais Right Away!
It makes no difference when the Court issues its judgment.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
The Last Rationalist
The young Jürgen Habermas believed in the triumph of Enlightenment liberalism. As he aged, the case got weaker.
Law & Liberty
May 1, 2026 - lawliberty.org
A State Suicide Pact, Part III
This series (click for Part I and Part II) examines the states that are on the wrong side of the major tax divergence that has taken place and is taking place. And “wrong side” is defined, unsurprisin...
International Liberty
May 1, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
Zimmerman on "The President and the Universities"
The first step in recovery is recognizing that you have a problem.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Mamdani unveils door-knocking campaign for rent freeze
Ira Stoll writes for the Washington Free Beacon about the New York City mayor’s latest bad idea. The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, who got elected in part by mobilizing a campaign army of volunte...
John Locke Foundation
May 1, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Workers Voted on Decertifying Unions 1,600 Times in the Past Decade. Teamsters Are the Most Common Target.
Unionization efforts at Starbucks and Amazon get front-page media coverage. But dozens of workplaces discard their unions every year, often with little fanfare.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
$800K Defamation Damages in "Israeli Spy" Allegations Against Consultant Involved in Examining Hunter Biden's Laptop
See Monday's jury verdict, which awards $75K in compensatory damages plus $125K in punitive damages for each of two statements,… The post $800K Defamation Damages in "Israeli Spy" Allegations Against ...
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Congress After Callais – How Many Seats Might the GOP Pick Up?
Congress could look very different after the midterms thanks to a Supreme Court ruling.
Main Feed
May 1, 2026 - libertynation.com
Quotation of the Day…
Tweet… is from page 447 of my old international-trade professor Fritz Machlup‘s 1964 collection, International Payments, Debts, and Gold: That is to say, we shall have to ask whether an autonomous cap...
Cafe Hayek
May 1, 2026 - cafehayek.com
A Journalism Tax Is a New Front in Australia's War on American Tech
A new bill would compel Meta, Google, and TikTok to pay for Australian journalism.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
United Arab Emirates Law and Maine Courts
An interesting illustration of how American courts handle (correctly, I think) foreign marriages.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Why Wealth Taxes Fail
Eat the rich…then what?
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Is The Devil Wears Prada 2 the Great Millennial Journalism Movie?
This 20-years-later sequel traces a generation's economic fortunes through the decline of magazine journalism.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 1, 1871
5/1/1871: Knox v. Lee decided. The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 1, 1871 appeared first on Reason.com.
Reason.com
May 1, 2026 - reason.com
Ron Paul on The Costs of Trump’s War: How Long Until They’re Unbearable?
On today’s Ron Paul Liberty Report: President Trump started a war that he was voted to avoid, and that the American people do not support. The quagmire drags on, and continues to impose tremendous cos...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 1, 2026 - antiwar.com
Trump Retirement Savings Program to Roll Out Next Year
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, April 30, aimed at expanding access to retirement savings accounts for Americans without employer-provided programs.
Main Feed
May 1, 2026 - libertynation.com
Jerome Powell Is Right – US Economy Is 'Quite Resilient'
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, at his final press conference as the central bank chief, declared that the US economy is “quite resilient.”
Main Feed
May 1, 2026 - libertynation.com
NCAE teacher rally points the finger in the wrong direction
The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), the largest professional teacher organization in the state, is hosting a rally today — May 1 — in Raleigh to urge lawmakers to choose “kids over cor...
John Locke Foundation
May 1, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Pondering when speech becomes dangerous
Ben Shapiro writes for PJMedia.com about the acceptable bounds of speech. Americans love arguing about free speech. We invoke the First Amendment as a kind of political force field: You can say whatev...
John Locke Foundation
May 1, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Throwing Gasoline to the Fire: Costa Rica’s War on Nicotine
If Costa Rica were to ban all oral nicotine products, it would be the first country in America to do so. The post Throwing Gasoline to the Fire: Costa Rica’s War on Nicotine appeared first on Free the...
Free the People
May 1, 2026 - freethepeople.org
How High
Plus: FISA reauthorization passes the House, a very capitalist museum, escalation in the redistricting wars, and more...
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Europe Has Too Few Workers and Too Many Retirees. Cutting Immigration Will Make the Math Worse.
Europe’s resistance to immigration is a path to budgetary disaster.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
SCOTUS Narrows the Reach of the Voting Rights Act
Plus: The Supreme Court says “demands for a charity’s private member or donor information” raises First Amendment problems.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
You (Probably) Won’t Get a Tariff Refund
The good, the bad, and the ugly of the refund process.
Cato Recent Op-eds
Apr 30, 2026 - cato.org
Canada's New 'Sovereign Wealth Fund' Is Actually a Debt-Fueled Spending Scheme
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is marketing his new Canada Strong Fund as a "sovereign wealth fund," but it is one of many ways the government can waste taxpayer money.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
No, Zelensky Is Not ‘the Leader of the Free World’
Just when sensible people might conclude that American or European members of Ukraine’s sycophantic fan club cannot become even more detached from reality, a prominent member of the club proves the op...
The Libertarian Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
China Blocks Tech Acquisitions To Weaken America. The U.S. Shouldn't Follow Suit.
China ordered Meta to roll back its acquisition of AI startup Manus on Monday.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Even Laws That Haven't Passed Can Have Unintended Consequences
Mere proposals can change the risk calculus for business and investors. Politicians, and the public, should be wary.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
NYC mayor busts city’s bank, seeks bailout
Ben Smith writes for RedState.com about the New York City mayor’s latest failure. New York City’s self-described democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has made history, just not the kind worth b...
John Locke Foundation
Apr 30, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Liberty in Hungary?
There is something intrinsically foolish about Americans hyperbolically praising either Hungarian democrats or Russian autocrats.
Law & Liberty
Apr 30, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Waylay Callais!
Some preliminary thoughts.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Free the Economy podcast: The business of Federalism with Derek Kreifels
In this week’s episode we cover childcare in the 50 states, how to fix rising healthcare costs, the new Institute for Consumer Financial Choice at George Mason University, and increasing burdens of cl...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - cei.org
Group targets bureaucratic bloat in red-state governments
Shawn Fleetwood writes for the Federalist about efforts to root out bureaucratic waste in governments run by conservative elected officials. The general political consensus is that, because a state is...
John Locke Foundation
Apr 30, 2026 - johnlocke.org
ImmigrationProf Blog Symposium on the Birthright Citizenship Oral Arguments
A compilation of posts by various legal scholars, including myself.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Justice John Marshall Harlan and Birth Tourism
Justice Harlan provides a middle ground for the Supreme Court on the question of birthright citizenship.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Trump Considers Pulling Troops Out of Germany as Punishment for Merz’s Remarks on Iran
President Donald Trump said that he was mulling a reduction of US troops in Germany following Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s saying Iran had humiliated the US. “The United States is studying and reviewi...
The Libertarian Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Abundance Liberalism’s Statist Heart
There are deep and intractable problems in abundanista-land.
Law & Liberty
Apr 30, 2026 - lawliberty.org
The Marriage Gap Is America's Most Overlooked Source of Inequality
Every dollar of well-intentioned government assistance comes with a behavioral price tag that we've largely refused to count.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
"[Anti-Harassment] Injunctions Are Not a Remedy for Interpersonal Conflict"
So reasons a Florida appellate court, though other courts in other states seem to take a different view.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Yes, Jason Momoa Is Actually Good Looking
Envy doesn’t just make people unhappy. It fuels crime, resentment, and even mass violence—and choosing something better starts with the individual.
The Advocates for Self-Government
Apr 30, 2026 - theadvocates.org
You Should Press the Red Button, Never the Blue Button
A MrBeast post is going viral on X, and the correct answer is obvious.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Iranian Supreme Leader: The Future of the Persian Gulf Will Be Without the US
In a rare statement, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said that the future of the Middle East will be “bright” without the US. “A new chapter for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Ho...
The Libertarian Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Trump’s US-Iran War Powers Deadline Looms
President Donald Trump’s war in Iran hits its 60th day on Friday, setting up a showdown with Congress over whether he can continue the conflict without lawmakers’ approval.
Main Feed
Apr 30, 2026 - libertynation.com
Candace Owens Sued for Defamation Over Claims of Conspiracy to Assassinate Charlie Kirk
Some excerpts from the long Complaint in Harpole v. Owens (M.D. Tenn.), just filed today (of course, recall that these… The post Candace Owens Sued for Defamation Over Claims of Conspiracy to Assassin...
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Polo Officials Ban Genetically Enhanced Ponies To Save 'the Magic of Breeding'
(Don't) hold your genetically enhanced horses.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
USAID Funded Aid Programs Abroad, But Mainly Was a Jobs Program for Progressives
The Trump administration’s downsizing USAID has brought the usual claims: that without US aid, millions of poor people around the world will die of starvation and disease. Not surprisingly, the claims...
Mises Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - mises.org
New DOJ report details how Biden's FBI targeted Christians
Biden's FBI "diligently attempted to use its enforcement authority against parents who defended their children’s safety at local school board meetings."
Mises Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - mises.org
Ep. 2756 Let’s Put Lindsey Graham in a Home
Businessman Mark Lynch on his campaign to unseat Lindsey Graham. Sponsors Whether you’re running a business, doing a side hustle, flipping real estate, or just sick of handing over half… Read More Th...
Tom Woods
Apr 30, 2026 - tomwoods.com
Against the Political Clerisy
Contributing Editor Luke Sheahan's keynote talk at Law & Liberty's recent event on conservatism and constitutionalism.
Law & Liberty
Apr 30, 2026 - lawliberty.org
The "stickiness" of betting shop customers
It was only six months ago that Carsten Jung from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) was telling the Treasury Select Committee not to listen to those silly gambling industry lobbyists who...
Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
Apr 30, 2026 - velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com
Court: No Rule That "a Transgender Parent Should Not Be Awarded Tiebreaking Authority over a Cisgender Parent on Matters of Gender Identity and Expression"
An excerpt from Turner v. Abelle-Kiser, decided Tuesday by the Maryland Appellate Court (Judge Douglas Nazarian, joined by Chief Judge… The post Court: No Rule That "a Transgender Parent Should Not Be...
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
CRISPR Genome Editing and the Future of Down Syndrome Treatment
The ethics of using safe gene therapies to improve the health and cognition of Down syndrome children and adults.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: April 30, 1789
4/30/1789: President Washington's inauguration. He would appoint eleven members to the Supreme Court: Chief Justices Jay, Rutledge, and Ellsworth, and… The post Today in Supreme Court History: April 3...
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Edited Version of Louisiana v. Callais
For the 2026 Barnett/Blackman supplement.
Reason.com
Apr 30, 2026 - reason.com
Ron Paul on Betrayal: House Votes for More Warrantless Spying on Americans
On today’s Ron Paul Liberty Report: After slipping some unrelated measures to sweeten the pot, House Republicans – joined by many Democrats – voted to extend Section 702 of FISA. That means the US gov...
Antiwar.com Blog
Apr 30, 2026 - antiwar.com
As Hegseth Touts Autonomous Warfare Command, Human Rights Expert Pushes Civilian Protections
As the US military accelerates its adoption of autonomous weapons systems amid a growing global artificial intelligence arms race, one expert told Common Dreams on Wednesday that “greater action needs...
Antiwar.com Blog
Apr 30, 2026 - antiwar.com
CENTCOM Requests Pentagon Send Hypersonic Missiles to the Middle East
US Central Command (CENTCOM) is requesting the Department of War deploy a hypersonic missile system to the Middle East. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that CENTCOM, the regional command responsible ...
The Libertarian Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Stuff that Fed Officials Say
Ryan McMaken, Jonathan Newman, and Joshua Mawhorter of the Mises Institute take a look at the politics of "fedspeak" and what officials at the Federal Reserve really mean when they say they're going t...
Mises Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - mises.org
The limits of balance sheet runoff at the Fed
At his confirmation hearing last week, Kevin Warsh called for a smaller Federal Reserve balance sheet. This statement revives debate over how the Fed should unwind its post-crisis footprint, and by ho...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
Apr 30, 2026 - cei.org
Homeless policy favors certain races, ‘sexual identities’
Aaron Sibarium of the Washington Free Beacon reports on the discrimination embedded in a dark blue county’s homeless policies. The homelessness crisis in Multnomah County, Oregon, is among the worst i...
John Locke Foundation
Apr 30, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Labeling Donald Trump indomitable
Rich Lowry of National Review takes stock of the president’s approach to his job. Trump isn’t a former general or wizened old Indian fighter like [Andrew] Jackson, but he partakes of the same spirit o...
John Locke Foundation
Apr 30, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Seven Vices Rotting Civilization from Within
When a culture stops resisting vice and starts rewarding it, decay sets in. Seven rising habits reveal how moral failure becomes institutionalized.
The Advocates for Self-Government
Apr 30, 2026 - theadvocates.org
The James Comey Indictment Looks Like Vindictive Prosecution
Such claims are hard for most defendants to prove. But most defendants haven't drawn the public ire of the president.
Reason.com
Apr 29, 2026 - reason.com
Have Trump's Tariffs Brought Manufacturing Jobs Back to America? New Study Says No.
However, the tariffs did shift supply chains away from China and towards other countries with low-cost manufacturing, like Vietnam, Malaysia, and India.
Reason.com
Apr 29, 2026 - reason.com
Free Speech Unmuted: "Defamacast" and More: How American Defamation Law Works
Jane and I lay out the structure of American defamation law, using the recent lawsuits brought by FBI Director Kash Patel as a launching point. Special bonus: Almost no discussion of New York Times v....
Reason.com
Apr 29, 2026 - reason.com
Lindsey Graham Wants You To Pay $400 Million for Trump's New Ballroom
The president had promised that private donations would cover the East Wing renovation.
Reason.com
Apr 29, 2026 - reason.com
The Kyle Anzalone Show [GUEST] AMB. Chas Freeman: Trump TACO’s Again—Ceasefire Extended, Huckabee Under Fire! – Worst AMB ever?
The Strait of Hormuz is the kind of choke point people talk about in theory, right up until it closes and the whole global economy starts to feel it. We’re joined by Ambassador Chas Freeman, a veteran...
The Libertarian Institute
Apr 29, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Supreme Court Strikes Down Racist Gerrymandering—The Constitution Is Clear
April 29, 2026, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement agreeing with the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais...
Americans for Limited Government
Apr 29, 2026 - getliberty.org
Is Reason's Video on Climate Change Alarmism a 'Masterclass in Manipulation'?
A response to the popular science communicator Hank Green
Reason.com
Apr 29, 2026 - reason.com
The Kyle Anzalone Show [GUEST] AMB. Chas Freeman: Trump TACO’s Again—Ceasefire Extended, Huckabee Under Fire! – Worst AMB ever?
The Strait of Hormuz is the kind of choke point people talk about in theory, right up until it closes and the whole global economy starts to feel it. We’re joined by Ambassador Chas Freeman, a veteran...
Antiwar.com Blog
Apr 29, 2026 - antiwar.com
One Aircraft Carrier Strike Group to Leave the Middle East
The USS Gerald R. Ford will return to the US after nearly a year at war. The Ford is one of three aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East. The Washington Post reported speaking with US offi...
The Libertarian Institute
Apr 29, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
HUD and CFPB help housing by restoring free speech
Thanks to the commendable actions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), April has been a red-letter month for free speech and be...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
Apr 29, 2026 - cei.org
The Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza – A Cry at Sea to the World’s Dormant Conscience
While the world’s attention has been hijacked by the new American, made-for-Israel war against Iran, a quieter act of resistance is gathering on the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. An act o...