Libertarian Reporting for 2026-05-08
Today’s news coverage from libertarian media sources.
11 Big SCOTUS Cases That Will Be Decided Soon
From immigration and guns to executive power, transgender athletes, and mail-in ballots, these are the Supreme Court cases to watch out for in May and June.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Some Links
TweetThe Wall Street Journal‘s Editorial Board warns of the economic damage to Americans that is the unavoidable consequence of the Trump administration’s insistence on expelling from America that mos...
Cafe Hayek
May 7, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Florida Wins the Curriculum Wars
Plus: French ship attacked, pro se on the rise, Mamdani's grocery store, and more...
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
DOJ Challenges Denver's 'Assault Weapon' Ban and Colorado's Magazine Limit
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon argues that both laws violate the Second Amendment by banning arms in common use for lawful purposes.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
America’s Worst Appeals Court
The Montana Supreme Court should serve as a cautionary tale about judicial oligarchy.
Law & Liberty
May 7, 2026 - lawliberty.org
A Symphony of Scandal
Honest politicians are all alike; every crook is crooked in his own fashion.
Law & Liberty
May 7, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Trump's Government-Funded Retirement Plan Misses the Point
The fiscal objection is serious. But the deeper problem is that the proposal misunderstands the saving behavior of the households it aims to help.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
The Kyle Anzalone Show with Dave Smith on the Midterm Elections and the Iran War
Trump’s second term was supposed to be the reset: less chaos, fewer neocons, and a renewed focus on problems at home. Instead, we’re watching an Iran conflict spiral while the administration sells the...
The Libertarian Institute
May 7, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Founding Felons: Jefferson Would Be on a Watch List Today
What we’re dealing with today is a government that wants to suppress dangerous words—words about its warring empire, words about its land grabs, words about its militarized police, words about its kil...
Tenth Amendment Center
May 7, 2026 - blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com
Defenders of the Jones Act Have Lost
For more than a century, the Jones Act has survived on purported economic and security grounds.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 7, 2026 - cato.org
Second Amendment Roundup: A Tale of Two Waiting Periods
The First and Tenth Circuits conflict on whether “cooling-off” periods violate the text of the Second Amendment.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Why Oil-Rich Alberta May Secede From Canada
Economic grievances and political alienation are fueling a separatist movement in the Canadian province just north of Montana.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
How the Declaration of Independence Captured American Hearts and Minds
[This post is excerpted from the new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America (Avid Reader Press/Simon… The post How the Declaration of Independence Captured American ...
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Trump Suspended ‘Project Freedom’ After Gulf Allies Pulled Support
President Donald Trump paused the operation to assist commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz just hours after it was announced because key Gulf allies withdrew their support. According to two ...
The Libertarian Institute
May 7, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
The Kyle Anzalone Show with Dave Smith on the Midterm Elections and the Iran War
Trump’s second term was supposed to be the reset: less chaos, fewer neocons, and a renewed focus on problems at home. Instead, we’re watching an Iran conflict spiral while the administration sells the...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 7, 2026 - antiwar.com
Europe’s War on Wealth
Given the relative economic weakness that plagues most European nations (documented here, here, here, here, and here), a top priority for policy makers should be to improve incentives for wealth creat...
International Liberty
May 7, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
South Sudan, A Case Study in State Failure
In 2011, the world welcomed its newest country. Fifteen years later, South Sudan is less a symbol of self-determination than a case study in state failure. Its politics remain dominated by factional s...
The Libertarian Institute
May 7, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Trump's Health Bureaucrats Are Undermining Confidence in Vaccines
From spiked CDC reports to blocked FDA studies, officials sidelined evidence showing vaccines are safe and effective.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
The Kyle Anzalone Show with Larry Johnson: Midterm, Markets, and Missiles
The scariest part of the U.S.-Iran standoff isn’t the loud headlines. It’s the quiet math of distance, missiles, and leverage at the Strait of Hormuz. We sit down with Larry Johnson to unpack Iran’s r...
The Libertarian Institute
May 7, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
MAGA: Alive, Well, And Making Hay
President Donald Trump remains a powerful force in Republican politics, carrying half a dozen candidates in Indiana and Ohio to victory in their respective primaries this week.
Main Feed
May 7, 2026 - libertynation.com
Allocating legal rights by race doesn’t work
Glenn Beaton assesses the US Supreme Court’s recent redistricting ruling. Imagine a system where arrests, convictions and sentencing for the crime of murder had to be in proportion to the racial compo...
John Locke Foundation
May 7, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Mamdani’s anti-Israel stance crops up again
Jon Levine writes for the Washington Free Beacon about another questionable action from New York City’s mayor. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has quietly pulled an official landin...
John Locke Foundation
May 7, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Mace exposes Capitol Hill’s sexual harassment settlements
Jim Geraghty of National Review Online highlights disturbing new information revealed about Capitol Hill. [Y]our tax dollars were used to pay settlements with the victims of sexual harassment, and the...
John Locke Foundation
May 7, 2026 - johnlocke.org
People Work and Sell In Order to Buy and Consume
TweetHere’s a note to a second cousin of mine. Prentiss: Suspicious of my and other economists’ support for free trade, you offered at my Facebook page the following comment: So we remove all our tari...
Cafe Hayek
May 7, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Putting Non-Americans First!
TweetHere’s a letter to a new correspondent. Mr. N__: Thanks for your email in which you write: “Foreigners making it harder for us to export to them hurt us, which is good reason for us making it har...
Cafe Hayek
May 7, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Free the Economy podcast: Highway robbery with David Ditch
In this week’s episode we cover how to make the moral case for capitalism, affordable housing via regulatory reform, and tracking economic resilience in all 50 states. Our guest this week is David Dit...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 7, 2026 - cei.org
Comey likely to be convicted … by history
Thomas Baker writes for the Federalist about the latest legal challenges for former FBI Director James Comey. Last week, the Department of Justice announced that former FBI director James B. Comey has...
John Locke Foundation
May 7, 2026 - johnlocke.org
National Review highlights good news on urban crime
Editors at National Review Online analyze new crime data from one major American city. On X, on Tuesday morning, FBI Director Kash Patel celebrated the City of Baltimore’s recording just four homicide...
John Locke Foundation
May 7, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Pastor Found Guilty of Violating U.K. Speech Laws for Preaching John 3:16 Sermon Near Hospital
Clive Johnston's conviction marks the first of its kind under buffer zone laws involving speech entirely unrelated to abortion.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 7, 1873
5/7/1873: Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase died. One month earlier, he dissented in the Slaughter-House Cases, and was the lone dissenter in Bradwell… The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 7, 1873...
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Brickbat: Tell Us Your Name
Greece plans to ban anonymity on social media, claiming it will reduce online toxicity, harassment, fake news, and hate speech. Digital… The post Brickbat: Tell Us Your Name appeared first on Reason.c...
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
John Mearsheimer on The Iranian Merry Go Round
Reprinted from John’s Substack: On 5 May 2026, I was on “Judging Freedom” talking with the Judge about the latest developments in the Iran war. We focused mainly on “Project Freedom,” President Trump’...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 7, 2026 - antiwar.com
Ron Paul on The Staggering Cost of the Iran War
On today’s Ron Paul Liberty Report: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that the Iran war has cost the US $25 billion is laughable. The actual cost according to a new study is at least three times ...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 7, 2026 - antiwar.com
The President Goes to War
Of course the president, like everyone, frequently protests his desire for peace. Everyone does this. And I think we may assume he is quite sincere about it.
Mises Institute
May 7, 2026 - mises.org
Ep. 2758 The Secret History of Gold
Gold is at the center of world history: in our myths and legends, in how we represent esteem and accomplishment, and even in our turns of phrase. Dominic Frisby discusses… Read More The post Ep. 2758 ...
Tom Woods
May 7, 2026 - tomwoods.com
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
Whatever Evidence the DOJ Has Against James Comey, It Cannot Transform '86 47' Into a Death Threat
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche implausibly claims prosecutors can prove Comey "knowingly and willfully" threatened to murder the president.
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
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
Regulators Broke the ‘Spirit’ of Competition — Passengers Paid the Price
Regulators aimed to protect competition but ended up weakening it—leaving fewer choices and higher costs for airline passengers.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 6, 2026 - theadvocates.org
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
Court Dismisses Matt Taibbi's Defamation Lawsuit Over "Owned: How Tech Billionaires Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left"
From Taibbi v. Higgins, decided yesterday by Judge George Daniels (S.D.N.Y.): This action centers around Owned: How Tech Billionaires Bought… The post Court Dismisses Matt Taibbi's Defamation Lawsuit ...
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
Ten Online Archetypes in Your Head
Your thoughts aren’t entirely your own. Competing online personas shape how you see the world—and learning to spot them is the first step to thinking clearly.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 6, 2026 - theadvocates.org
US Warplane Attacked Iranian Commercial Ship in Gulf of Oman
A US F-18 attacked and disabled an Iranian-flagged civilian ship in the Gulf of Oman. “US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces observed M/T Hasna as it transited international waters enroute to an Iranian...
The Libertarian Institute
May 6, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
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
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
Trump Threatens to Resume Bombing Iran If Tehran Declines Latest Offer
President Donald Trump said that if Iran declines his latest proposal to end the war, the US will break the ceasefire and restart the bombing. “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, w...
The Libertarian Institute
May 6, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
It’s Time to Give Privacy Rights an Update | Guest: Naomi Brockwell | Ep 384
As the U.S. Congress approves a short-term reauthorization of the FISA 702 surveillance program, it’s more important than ever that Americans have a way to safeguard their data from government spies. ...
Free the People
May 6, 2026 - freethepeople.org
A Dispatch From the AI Psychosis Summit
Digital artists, Claude devotees, and aspiring builders embraced AI obsession in NYC.
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
William Astore on The Iran Debacle
Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission. The worst of the Iran War may be over, according to this report from NBC News: Oil plunged and markets surged amid a report the U.S. and Iran...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 6, 2026 - antiwar.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
Vote Harder? Why Secession Is the Only Answer to the American Megastate
The populist “victory” of the Trump administration is perhaps the best evidence yet that a strategy of “vote harder” is simply not going to lead to any significant change in the power of the regime.
Mises Institute
May 6, 2026 - mises.org
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
The trouble with rational basis review, part two
Note: This is the second in a series of research briefs discussing rational basis review, a judicial doctrine that effectively shields most laws and regulations from constitutional challenge. How shou...
John Locke Foundation
May 6, 2026 - johnlocke.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
Book Review: The Idol of the Nation
Book Review: The Idol of the Nation: Christ, Community, and the Limits of the Modern State by Steve Cunningham, Sensus Fidelium Press, 2026 Steve Cunningham, founder of the popular traditional Catholi...
Libertarian Christian Institute
May 6, 2026 - libertarianchristians.com
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
The KBJ Delay in Callais
Who is at fault for the rush to judgment in Louisiana?
Reason.com
May 5, 2026 - reason.com
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
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
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
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 ...