Libertarian Reporting for 2026-05-09
Today’s news coverage from libertarian media sources.
Some Links
TweetHere’s GMU Econ alum Caleb Petitt on yesterday’s U.S. Court of International Trade’s 2-1 ruling against Trump’s Section 122 tariffs punitive taxes on Americans’ purchases of imports: The U.S. Cou...
Cafe Hayek
May 8, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Let's Talk about Neal Katyal's TED Talk
He takes a shot at Michael McConnell as "that guy" and compares the Court's questions to Harvey AI.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
ATF Rule Changes Could Ease Restrictions for Gun Owners and Dealers
While not groundbreaking, the regulatory shifts offer some welcome relief.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
Kill the Kill Switch!
Back in November 2021, Congress quietly added a clause to the sprawling “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” that would make Orwell blush. Section 24220 authorizes the National Highway Traffic Saf...
The Libertarian Institute
May 8, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
D.C. Circuit Seems Disinclined To Let Pete Hegseth Punish a Senator for His Speech
The defense secretary argues that military retirees like Sen. Mark Kelly are not allowed to say things he unilaterally deems "prejudicial to good order and discipline."
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
“No Kings!” Boom the Boomers
The Boomer can go to his maker in peace, knowing that Donald Trump never got his diadem. The post “No Kings!” Boom the Boomers appeared first on Free the People.
Free the People
May 8, 2026 - freethepeople.org
Just Don't Call It a War
Plus: AOC says you can't earn a billion dollars, Mythos, hantavirus, and more...
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
What Can Be Done To Stop Campus Disruptions?
Judge Ho draws a direct line between Yale and UCLA.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
Is the California Coastal Commission Finally Losing Some of Its Regulatory Powers?
The commission has tormented property owners and localities ever since it was created in 1976. Finally, legislative and legal efforts are undoing some of its abuses.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
Virginia Supreme Court Voids Virginia Gerrymander
The extreme partisan gerrymander of Virginia's congressional districts will not go into effect after all.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
The Declaration and Civic Friendship
[This post is excerpted from the new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America (Avid Reader Press/Simon… The post The Declaration and Civic Friendship appeared first on...
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
How Mortal Kombat Went From National Panic to Nostalgic Camp
Even with copious gore, the new movie is too tame to be a controversy. There's a lesson in its trajectory.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
Biden DOJ was ‘in cahoots with’ SPLC, extremist groups
Brianna Lyman writes for the Federalist about an interesting admission from a former Obama administration official about the Biden Justice Department’s actions. The Biden administration’s Department o...
John Locke Foundation
May 8, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Quiet, children. The grown ups are talking.
Accelerationists believe that things have to get worse before they get better and that the faster things get worse, the sooner people will wake up and demand radical change.I've always been sceptical ...
Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
May 8, 2026 - velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com
Contra AOC, You Don't Have To Be a Billionaire To Be a Leech
There are makers and moochers on every rung of the income ladder.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
Gabbard launches investigation into misleading election security reports
John Solomon and Jerry Dunleavy write for JustTheNews.com about an interesting new investigation. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has spurred an investigation into evidence that spy ag...
John Locke Foundation
May 8, 2026 - johnlocke.org
A King and No Kings
President Donald Trump hosts King Charles III. The monarch addresses Congress, and takes shots at MAGA. And Democrats – the party of the ‘No Kings’ protests – rise to their feet for King Charles.
Main Feed
May 8, 2026 - libertynation.com
The Education of a Cook County Originalist
Randy Barnett’s memoir of his time as a prosecutor reveals something about the relationship between theory and practice—and gratitude and cynicism.
Law & Liberty
May 8, 2026 - lawliberty.org
ALG Praises Virginia Supreme Court For Striking Down Unconstitutional Redistricting
May 8, 2026, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement praising the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the redis...
Americans for Limited Government
May 8, 2026 - getliberty.org
California Spent $450 Million on a Failed 911 System. Now, the State Is Restarting the Project.
The state’s attempt to overhaul its antiquated 911 system resulted in delays and lost calls.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
The Mifepristone Briefs Are In, But One Dog Did Not (Yet) Bark
It appears the Supreme Court will decide the fate of telemedicine prescriptions for mifepristone without the benefit of an FDA filing.
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 8, 1884
5/8/1884: President Harry S. Truman's birthday. He would make four appointments to the Supreme Court: Chief Justice Vinson, and Justices… The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 8, 1884 appeared ...
Reason.com
May 8, 2026 - reason.com
New Progressive Rallying Cry: Just Steal It
Microlooting. Survival technique. Political protest. Over the years, we have learned that progressive dogma can justify any odious act by deluding the public that everyone they do not like is the wors...
Main Feed
May 8, 2026 - libertynation.com
Justice Department finds racial discrimination at UCLA med school
Aaron Sibarium writes for the Washington Free Beacon about the US Justice Department’s latest target. The Department of Justice said on Wednesday that an investigation into the University of Californi...
John Locke Foundation
May 8, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Rubio describes his hope for America
Michael Strain writes for National Review Online about the secretary of state’s latest remarks. Marco Rubio filled in yesterday as the temporary White House press secretary. He was asked by a reporter...
John Locke Foundation
May 8, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Stiglitz Gets History Wrong
TweetHere’s a letter to The Economist. Editor: Only by overlooking key historical facts is Joseph Stiglitz able to argue that “John Maynard Keynes saved capitalism from itself” (April 8). Perhaps the ...
Cafe Hayek
May 8, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Quotation of the Day…
Tweet… is from page 525 of F.A. Hayek’s brilliant Postscript – “Why I Am Not a Conservative” – to the Definitive Edition (Ronald Hamowy, ed., 2011) of Hayek’s 1960 volume, The Constitution of Liberty:...
Cafe Hayek
May 8, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Baseball’s Mystic Chords of Memory
Baseball is more than a sport—it ties together generations of Americans.
Law & Liberty
May 8, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Two Great Moments in Local Government
Almost 15 years ago, I shared a cartoon that was very amusing, but incomplete. Yes, it is bad to be on a cross-post below the president, below the two parties, and below state politicians. But what ab...
International Liberty
May 8, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
The Empire on My Desk: Microsoft, American Hegemony and the Problem of Digital Dependence
There are prejudices acquired in youth that melt away under the discipline of reading, and there are convictions that reading only hardens. My aversion to the American Empire belongs, I fear, to the l...
The Libertarian Alliance
May 8, 2026 - libertarianism.uk
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
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
Federal Court: Trump's Newest Tariffs Are Also Illegal
Trump's use of Section 122 ignored the plain language of the law and invoked a broad executive power where Congress clearly provided a narrow one.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
DHS Reportedly Weighs Closing Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' Over Mounting Costs
Sources say the immigration detention center costs more than $1 million a day to run.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.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
Trump’s Plan to Pull U.S. Troops from Europe Is Good for Everyone, and America Most of All
German and broader European security do not require American power theater.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 7, 2026 - cato.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.
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
US Court of International Trade Rules Against Trump's Section 122 Tariffs
The 2-1 decision concludes Trump's massive new tariffs are illegal because there is no "balance of payments deficit" of the kind needed to authorize them.
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
Expect the Data Center Backlash To Get Worse
Despite their limited negative externalities and extreme economic importance, people's hatred of data centers is only growing.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Important Takings Challenge to Los Angeles Historic Preservation Law "Monument" Designation
Historic preservation laws often violate constitutional property rights, and block construction of new housing.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
Did The New York Times Discriminate Against a White Male Employee?
Read the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit here.
Reason.com
May 7, 2026 - reason.com
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
The Great Gerrymander War
On this episode of Power & Market, Ryan, Tho, and Connor discuss the escalating battle over Congressional districts. As Republicans and Democrats engage in an arms race over gerrymandering, assist...
Mises Institute
May 7, 2026 - mises.org
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
CIA Assesses that Iran Can Withstand US Blockade for Months
The CIA provided an assessment to the White House that Iran would be able to hold out against the US blockade for months before suffering more severe economic hardships. President Donald Trump has cla...
The Libertarian Institute
May 7, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...