Libertarian Reporting for 2026-05-07
Today’s news coverage from libertarian media sources.
Surveillance Tools Intended for Border Control Are Being Used Against Americans
U.S. citizens are being monitored and punished with technology meant to battle illegal immigration.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Republicans Want To Borrow Every Single Dollar of the $72 Billion Bill To Fund ICE and Trump's Ballroom
The party of fiscal responsibility strikes again.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Damned if You Do
Plus: Ella Emhoff's SSRIs, measuring childhood independence, the hantavirus cruise ship, and more...
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Trump’s Self-Serving Narrative Crashes Against the Reality of War
Editor’s Note: This article was originally delivered as a speech at the West Suburban Peace Coalition Educational Forum on May 4, 2026. Within a few days at the end of March, Ukraine’s President Volod...
The Libertarian Institute
May 6, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Some Links
TweetGMU Econ alum Julia Cartwright, writing in the Washington Post, explains that Spirit Airlines’s rise and fall is an example of the healthy process of market experimentation and creative destructi...
Cafe Hayek
May 6, 2026 - cafehayek.com
From Toleration to Religious Liberty
John Adams’s evolution from mere toleration of Roman Catholicism to open support for religious liberty personifies a revolution in the American mind.
Law & Liberty
May 6, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Trump's Responses to Kimmel and Comey Highlight His Contempt for Freedom of Speech
The president is not shy about using government power to punish people for saying things that offend him.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Restricting Speech By Purportedly Protecting Children
Around the world, governments are censoring speech with the stated goal of shielding youth from online harms.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
The War on Data Centers Is Here—and It Doesn't Add Up
So far, electricity prices haven't risen. If and when they do, the solution is more power generation.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Louisiana Says Men Are Spiking Women's Drinks With Abortion Pills. There's Scant Evidence of That.
Mail-order mifepristone is how countless women bypass abortion bans. That could soon change if Louisiana gets its way before the Supreme Court.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Trump makes unconvincing case that Iran war is ‘terminated’
Jeffrey Blehar of National Review Online assesses the president’s latest questionable claim. Heads up folks, did you know that the Iran war is apparently over? Yes, on May 1 Trump sent a letter to Con...
John Locke Foundation
May 6, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Obama claims Trump has spoiled his marital bliss
Victoria Churchill writes for the Daily Mail about former President Barack Obama’s latest complaint. Barack Obama has offered a rare and candid glimpse into his marriage – and it turns out Donald Trum...
John Locke Foundation
May 6, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Alito counters colleague’s unhinged dissent
Shawn Fleetwood of the Federalist highlights US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s response to a colleague’s misguided writing. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court opinions are often poorl...
John Locke Foundation
May 6, 2026 - johnlocke.org
A smoother path through security: Improving the TSA short of privatization
With Congress finally passing a Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill last week, the immediate crisis that left airport security strained is behind us. However, this recent episode was a...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 6, 2026 - cei.org
How a Scientific Cartel Protects Fraudsters and Rakes in Billions of Taxpayer Dollars
Corrupt scientists rarely face accountability. The real victims are everyone else.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Trump's Bluff to Iran Didn't Work
After trying to open the Strait of Hormuz by force, the U.S. is ready to accept an Iranian proposal it had rejected.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
The Costly Impact of French Statism
France is not a socialist country, at least based on the technical definition. Business largely are not owned and run by the government. Prices generally are determined by competition rather than by b...
International Liberty
May 6, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
The Spirit of the Declaration, Part 2
[This post is excerpted from the new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America (Avid Reader Press/Simon… The post The Spirit of the Declaration, Part 2 appeared first o...
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Another Louisiana SCOTUS Ruling and an Unrestrained Dissent
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry promptly suspended congressional elections there, pending the creation of new districts.
Main Feed
May 6, 2026 - libertynation.com
This Isn’t Anti-American. It’s a Right and a Duty.
“Alter or abolish” Despite those words in the Declaration of Independence, the establishment today would have you believe that any effort to resist their power is “anti-American.” But they have it bac...
Tenth Amendment Center
May 6, 2026 - blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com
Philadelphia museum focuses on America’s faults as 250th anniversary approaches
Ira Stoll writes for the Washington Free Beacon about one museum’s questionable approach to the nation’s 250th anniversary. The Philadelphia Museum of Art—in the city where the Declaration of Independ...
John Locke Foundation
May 6, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Fetterman could be moderating force, not a Republican
Charles Cooke of National Review Online responds to one misguided political narrative in Washington. There’s a lot of buzz today about John Fetterman becoming a Republican. It is not going to happen. ...
John Locke Foundation
May 6, 2026 - johnlocke.org
No One Can Define 'Ultra-Processed Food.' Why Is RFK Jr. Trying To Regulate It?
How to raise food prices without giving consumers any useful information
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Content Moderation and the First Amendment
Back in 2013 I argued that under the Supreme Court's jurisprudence algorithmic editing is speech for First Amendment purposes, and… The post Content Moderation and the First Amendment appeared first o...
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Brickbat: Yes Bruh, No Bruh
Tracey Matthews, a teacher at Wonder Junior High School in West Memphis, Arkansas, was charged with aggravated assault after he… The post Brickbat: Yes Bruh, No Bruh appeared first on Reason.com.
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Second Amendment Roundup: How a Fake Citation Misled Courts to Uphold "Sensitive Place" Gun Bans
The Second Circuit’s Misunderstanding of Founding-Era Law on Going Armed
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 6, 1776
5/6/1776: Virginia Declaration of Rights by George Mason is published. Thomas Jefferson relied on this document when drafting the Declaration… The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 6, 1776 appe...
Reason.com
May 6, 2026 - reason.com
California Town Fights State-Imposed Sanctuary for Illegal Aliens
California may be about to discover the possibilities that arise when a weary citizenry finally has had enough.
Main Feed
May 6, 2026 - libertynation.com
Rubio on the Rise
It is no secret that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been a central figure in shaping and executing Trump's "maximum pressure" campaigns and military
Main Feed
May 6, 2026 - libertynation.com
The Justice Department Indicts the Ministry of Love
The recent DOJ indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center might be controversial, but what is not controversial is that the SPLC engaged in conduct that was more reminiscent of the Ministry of Love...
Mises Institute
May 6, 2026 - mises.org
Raising Taxes on the Wealthy Sounds Simple—Until They Leave
States like California are learning this in real time, as high-income earners relocate in response to rising tax pressure and growing fiscal uncertainty.
Mises Institute
May 6, 2026 - mises.org
Bright Horizons for AI
The AI you have today is the worst you'll ever use.
Law & Liberty
May 6, 2026 - lawliberty.org
WWTPD: What Would Thomas Paine Do?
It’s the question that author Johnny Teague attempts to answer in his latest book, Thomas Paine Returns with Common Sense. The post WWTPD: What Would Thomas Paine Do? appeared first on Free the People...
Free the People
May 6, 2026 - freethepeople.org
Why the Courts Will 86 the Flagrantly Unconstitutional Charges Against James Comey
The case defies more than half a century of rulings on the “true threat” exception to the First Amendment.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Can We Ever Trust the Government To Be Honest About War?
Trump joins a long line of presidents unwilling to be transparent about the causes and goals of their adventurism abroad.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
How the Slaveholding Founders Really Felt About Slavery
Angst, guilt, and more self-awareness than you might expect
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
How the Slaveholding Founders Really Felt About Slavery
Angst, guilt, and more self-awareness than you might expect.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 5, 2026 - cato.org
What To Do About Saudi Arabia's Sports Takeover? Nothing, Apparently.
Plus: The NFL has no easy response to the Dianna Russini–Mike Vrabel affair, and how ketamine may have helped the Sixers upset the Celtics
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
The Lies People Tell
Carson Holloway joins the Law & Liberty Podcast to talk about his latest book, libel law, and the New York Times v. Sullivan case.
Law & Liberty
May 5, 2026 - lawliberty.org
The People vs. CEQA
An initiative that would streamline California's development-killing environmental review law appears to be headed to the ballot.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Congress Gave Away Its Authority To Declare War and Enabled Trump's Iran War
Congress hasn't voted to declare war since 1942, yet the legislative branch constantly refuses to rein in presidents.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
The Truce That Wasn't
Plus: Homeschooling discourse, AI regulation, Christian cell network blocking porn, and more...
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Gramm and Boudreaux: “‘Liberation Day,’ One Year Later”
TweetNow that 30 days have passed since the Wall Street Journal published Phil Gramm’s and my piece assessing the first year of Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs punitive taxes on Americans’ purchases ...
Cafe Hayek
May 5, 2026 - cafehayek.com
The KBJ Delay in Callais
Who is at fault for the rush to judgment in Louisiana?
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Elite Panic and the Push to Regulate "Misinformation"
European leaders' warnings of a democratic apocalypse failed to materialize in 2024.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Gorsuch Says SCOTUS Is Doing 'Pretty Darn Well' in Handling the 'Hardest Cases'
The justice defends the Supreme Court as a model of respectful and principled adjudication.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Let judicial candidates speak
State Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry, Wilkes) is challenging Justice Anita Earls for her seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Although the race will not determine control of the court (Republicans h...
John Locke Foundation
May 5, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Can a Revolution Be Lawful?
To be legitimate, revolutions must be something more than the overthrow of a regime—they must be the restoration of moral order.
Law & Liberty
May 5, 2026 - lawliberty.org
The Partisan Asymmetry In Callais
Justice Jackson never countenances that her decision to "run out the clock" might be partisan.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
America Needs an Edifice Complex Prevention Act
Public service, especially the presidency, shouldn’t be an exercise in self-glorification.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 5, 2026 - cato.org
Affordable manufactured housing versus unaffordable climate regulations
The Biden administration had a field day piling on one costly climate-related regulation after another, not knowing – or caring – that affordability would emerge as a much more pressing concern for Am...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 5, 2026 - cei.org
Obama objects to SCOTUS shutting down Democrats’ power grabs
Tyler O’Neil writes for the Daily Signal about a former president’s response to the US Supreme Court’s recent redistricting ruling. Barack Obama is a real piece of work. Seriously, he has no shame. On...
John Locke Foundation
May 5, 2026 - johnlocke.org
US Intel Assessment of Iran’s Nuclear Program Unchanged Since Midnight Hammer
The US intelligence community assesses that Iran’s nuclear program remains largely unchanged since the US attacked and damaged several facilities last year. Three sources familiar with the estimate t...
The Libertarian Institute
May 5, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
The Kyle Anzalone Show with Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski : Iran: The Next Forever War?
“The one institution that should win the Nobel Peace Prize every single year is the United States military.” We start there, because that claim tells you a lot about how Washington sells war and how q...
The Libertarian Institute
May 5, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Deregulation by the numbers: One-third into 2026 — a rulebook rewrite?
At the close of the first third of the year, a spring 2026 Unified Agenda formally outlining agency priorities has yet to appear. In fact, the most recent edition remains spring 2025 — released with a...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 5, 2026 - cei.org
Touting a new book about Alito’s SCOTUS role
Ilya Shapiro writes for the Washington Free Beacon about a new biography of US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Mollie Hemingway has written the rare Supreme Court book that’s both useful and enjoy...
John Locke Foundation
May 5, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Scary lesson from recent SPLC indictment
Nicholas Giordano writes for the Federalist about a story behind the headline of a recent federal indictment. The real Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) scandal isn’t just the indictment. The deeper ...
John Locke Foundation
May 5, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Federalist Society: When Should We Recognize Something as a Property Right?
Related: IP is Not “Not Property” It is impossible to own ideas Another way to explain the problem with IP: Resources v. Knowledge; Ownership v. Possession Libertarian and Lockean Creationism: Creatio...
C4SIF.org
May 5, 2026 - c4sif.org
The Spirit of the Declaration, Part 1
[This post is excerpted from the new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America (Avid Reader Press/Simon… The post The Spirit of the Declaration, Part 1 appeared first o...
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
It’s Time for the US to Acknowledge Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal
Some members of Congress are finally calling attention to Israel’s illegal nuclear weapons program: A group of House Democrats is urging the Trump administration to publicly acknowledge Israel’s undec...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 5, 2026 - antiwar.com
Shame on You, Good Riddance, or Please Come Back
I applaud when people migrate to escape punitive taxes. I like when they move from high-tax states to low-tax states, and I like when they move from high-tax nations to low-tax nations. This tax compe...
International Liberty
May 5, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
NAACP Seek To Recall Callais Judgment So It Can Seek Reconsideration
The time to make this request was when the Plaintiffs moved to issue the judgment forthwith.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 5, 1992
5/5/1992: The 27th Amendment is ratified. It was initially proposed in 1789. No law, varying the compensation for the services… The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 5, 1992 appeared first on R...
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
The Happy Capitalism of Richard Scarry's Busytown
Welcome to the pro-market world of children's book author and illustrator Richard Scarry.
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Ron Paul: Hegseth Claims We’re in a Different War With Iran
On today’s Ron Paul Liberty Report: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a press conference today in which he rolled out the new White House line that Operation Project Freedom is separate from Epic Fu...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 5, 2026 - antiwar.com
4/30/26 Daniel Davis on What’s Been Happening in Ukraine
Download Audio. Scott brings Daniel Davis back on the show. As the world’s been focused on what’s happening between the US and Iran, important developments have taken place in Russia’s war with Ukrain...
The Libertarian Institute
May 5, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Letter to the Editor: Centralized Federal Gatekeeping Isn’t the Only Way to Ensure Safety
FDA oversight may prevent some harms, but it also prevents access.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 5, 2026 - cato.org
Elizabeth Warren Wrongly Implies Jeff Bezos Isn't Paying Enough Taxes
The rich pay more than their "fair share."
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
Vanderbilt Student's Lawsuit Over Suspension for Alleged False Accusations Can Go Forward
From a long opinion today by Judge Waverly Crenshaw (M.D. Tenn.) in Poe v. Lowe: Poe, a male Vanderbilt student,… The post Vanderbilt Student's Lawsuit Over Suspension for Alleged False Accusations Ca...
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
The Kyle Anzalone Show with Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski : Iran: The Next Forever War?
“The one institution that should win the Nobel Peace Prize every single year is the United States military.” We start there, because that claim tells you a lot about how Washington sells war and how q...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 5, 2026 - antiwar.com
Pentagon: Iranian Attacks on UAE, Ships Below Threshold for US to Resume Strikes Against Iran
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Craine said that Iranian attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf and energy infrastructure in the UAE did not amount to significant violations of the ...
The Libertarian Institute
May 5, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Beef prices are near record levels
Trump's war and easy-money policies have pushed up beef prices to near record levels. So, naturally, the DOJ is trying to blame "antitrust violations."
Mises Institute
May 5, 2026 - mises.org
Before the Kentucky Derby: North Carolina’s Colonial Horse Racing Roots
I can’t watch the Kentucky Derby without thinking of North Carolina’s heritage of horse racing, particularly in the region around the colonial town of Halifax. The staff at the Halifax Historic Site t...
John Locke Foundation
May 5, 2026 - johnlocke.org
The U.S. Is Still a Manufacturing Powerhouse
TweetHere’s a letter to Fortune. (I thank my friend Ross Kaminsky for sharing this Fortune article with me.) Editor: Interviewed by Sasha Rogelberg, Eswar Prasad says many sensible things about Americ...
Cafe Hayek
May 5, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Why Do Big City Democrats Keep Electing Socialists?
Plus: Trump announces “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz, King Charles visits the U.S., and a listener asks why voters keep rewarding bad politicians.
Reason.com
May 4, 2026 - reason.com
Is Anyone Home Anymore?
Endless scrolling is replacing real connection. A growing analog revival shows people choosing presence, conversation, and self-governance over screens.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 4, 2026 - theadvocates.org
Continued Western Support for Ukraine Is Dependent on Ending the War Against Iran
European officials warned that the pipeline of weapons flowing to Ukraine could halt if the US breaks the ceasefire with Iran. A European diplomat speaking with Foreign Policy about the transfer of m...
The Libertarian Institute
May 4, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Mightier Than Kings
Merchants humbled a king. A stateless island kept the peace. History shows order can emerge without centralized power or force.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 4, 2026 - theadvocates.org
Mamdani Slapped in the Face with Reality
A confident narrative meets hard reality. When the facts don’t cooperate, watch how the argument shifts—and what that reveals.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 4, 2026 - theadvocates.org
California Says It Detected a Disease-Carrying Bug. So it Destroyed 32,000 Trees, 5 Miles Away.
How heavy-handed state regulations led to one farmer suing the state for $3 million in damages
Reason.com
May 4, 2026 - reason.com
Israel Prepares to Return to War as Trump Attempts to Break Iran’s Hold on Strait of Hormuz
Israeli leaders are watching events in the Strait of Hormuz closely and preparing to strike Iran. Israel has been pushing for the US to abandon the diplomatic process and greenlight renewed attacks on...
The Libertarian Institute
May 4, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Iran Claims to Fire Warning Shots at US Warship Near Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian military reported firing missiles and drones at a US warship near the Strait of Hormuz as a warning for the vessel to turn back. “Immediately after they switched their radars back on they...
The Libertarian Institute
May 4, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
The Most Dangerous “Weapon” We Face
Ignoring the limits of the Constitution because you don’t like the results you’ll get? George Washington called that a WEAPON to destroy freedom. The post The Most Dangerous “Weapon” We Face appeared ...