Libertarian Reporting for 2026-05-15
Today’s news coverage from libertarian media sources.
New Attacks in Hormuz
Plus: a different type of pizzagate, Kevin Warsh as the new Jerome Powell, and more...
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Are Democrats Now the Party of Free Markets? Don't Bet on It.
Even the abundance wing of the left wants "a much stronger government," in movement champion Ezra Klein's words.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Transgender Subpoena Leads To Transdistrict Struggle
A District Court in Rhode Island attempts to quash a subpoena issued by a District Court in Texas.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
How Much Deference Does SCOTUS Owe to Congress?
Should it take more than a 5–4 vote for the Supreme Court to strike down a federal law?
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Land, Law, and Constitutional Overreach
Historians regularly assail “law office history.” But they can be guilty of writing "history department jurisprudence."
Law & Liberty
May 14, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Defending Taiwan
Deterring China is about more than chip manufacturing and foreign democracy.
Law & Liberty
May 14, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Pete Hegseth Can't Explain Why America Needs a $1.5 Trillion Military Budget
Sen. Mark Kelly says it "feels like that number was just kind of pulled out of thin air."
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Probing the illusion of Chinese strength
Sasha Gong writes for American Greatness about President Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with China’s Xi Jinping. As Donald Trump prepares for another high-stakes meeting with Xi Jinping, conventional...
John Locke Foundation
May 14, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Analyzing Louisiana v. Callais: Another Step Toward One Nation, Under God
A congressional map that stretched 200 miles across Louisiana to artificially pack black voters into a single district was called compliance with civil rights law. Then the Supreme Court called it unc...
Learn Liberty
May 14, 2026 - learnliberty.org
Trump Visits Beijing In a World Washington No Longer Controls
When President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing yesterday for his summit with Xi Jinping, much of the American foreign policy establishment framed the meeting through the familiar lens of “great power ...
The Libertarian Institute
May 14, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Urging Congress to reject funding for White House ballroom
Editors at National Review Online critique the president’s plan for funding his proposed White House ballroom. The plan by President Trump to add a ballroom to the White House never should have been m...
John Locke Foundation
May 14, 2026 - johnlocke.org
When Businesspeople Run Government, the Government Doesn't Become a Business
Central planning from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump, and others reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes private markets work.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Some Links
TweetThe Cato Institute’s Colin Grabow reports that “waiver data reveal how the Jones Act blocks American trade.” Three slices: Since the Trump administration waived the Jones Act on March 17 for ener...
Cafe Hayek
May 14, 2026 - cafehayek.com
Cops Get Qualified Immunity After Michigan Man Spends 13 Hours in Vomit and Dies in Jail
A court granted qualified immunity to all 11 deputies accused of violating John Griswold’s 14th Amendment rights.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
The Kyle Anzalone Show with Nick Cleveland-Stout Exposes Israel’s MASSIVE Campaign to Influence American Christians & Lawmakers
Your phone buzzing with political ads the moment you step into a church parking lot sounds like satire, but the documents and contracts point to something very real. We sit down with Nick Cleveland-St...
The Libertarian Institute
May 14, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
The Hollow Ring of “Hollowed Out”
TweetHere’s a letter to the Financial Times. Editor: Daire MacFadden parrots what is perhaps the single-most repeated line in today’s discussions of international trade and U.S. trade deficits: “persi...
Cafe Hayek
May 14, 2026 - cafehayek.com
The Antipreemption Court
Another decision where the conservatives line up against federal preemption.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Tennessee Democrats Kicked Off Committees After Disruptive Protests
After a protest over congressional redistricting in Nashville spiraled out of control, the Republican speaker of Tennessee’s House of Representatives removed Democratic lawmakers from all standing com...
Main Feed
May 14, 2026 - libertynation.com
How the Bank Holding Company Act helped shape modern banking consolidation
Back in the 1950s, Congress feared a future in which a small number of powerful banking organizations would dominate the financial sector. Policymakers worried that control over credit would determine...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 14, 2026 - cei.org
Free the Economy podcast: Pension politics with Jarrett Skorup
In this week’s episode we cover more legal headaches for the Trump tariffs, keeping kids safe in an AI world, and California’s latest government boondoggle. Our guest this week is Jarrett Skorup, vice...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 14, 2026 - cei.org
British election results should alarm Americans
John Daniel Davidson writes for the Federalist about the lesson Americans should learn from Great Britain’s latest elections. Last week in Britain the ruling Labour Party suffered historic losses in l...
John Locke Foundation
May 14, 2026 - johnlocke.org
NYT columnist slammed for scurrilous anti-Israel claims
Adam Kredo writes for the Washington Free Beacon about the latest case of journalistic malfeasance from one of the worst characters in the legacy media. Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times‘s famously...
John Locke Foundation
May 14, 2026 - johnlocke.org
North Dakota Court Refuses to Recognize Foreign Islamic Divorce
From a decision last year in Ali v. Osman, from Judge Stephanie Hayden (N.D. Cass County Dist. Ct.); I just… The post North Dakota Court Refuses to Recognize Foreign Islamic Divorce appeared first on ...
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Large Libel Models Strike Again? Google AI Allegedly Hallucinates Sex Crime Allegations Against Utah Man
From a Complaint in Murray v. Alphabet, Inc., just removed yesterday to federal court, one of the sets of screenshots… The post Large Libel Models Strike Again? Google AI Allegedly Hallucinates Sex Cr...
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Brickbat: Slow Down
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Zachary Krug, an officer with the Temple Terrace Police Department, on charges of vehicular homicide… The post Brickbat: Slow Down appeared first on Reason.com.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
AOC doesn’t believe billionaires should exist
Noah Rothman of National Review Online tackles one of the latest silly pronouncements from one of the most misguided and counterproductive members of Congress. New York’s AOC continues to demonstrate ...
John Locke Foundation
May 14, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Ep. 2760 Darryl Cooper on the Degeneracy in American Cities, and Spencer Pratt-Style Bluntness
Republicans have played nice for decades: nobody mentions the human feces, the drug addicts everywhere, the destruction of the quality of life at the hands of left-wing crazies. It’s all measured… Rea...
Tom Woods
May 14, 2026 - tomwoods.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 14, 1973
5/14/1973: Frontiero v. Richardson decided. The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 14, 1973 appeared first on Reason.com.
Reason.com
May 14, 2026 - reason.com
Iran War Rekindling the Inflation Flame – Liberty Road
The second major inflation report of the war in Iran is showing signs of concern.
Main Feed
May 14, 2026 - libertynation.com
The Job Market Has Only Gotten Worse Since Trump's "Liberation Day"
In the year since Donald Trump's "liberation day" in April 2024 fewer Americans are now working, and inflation-adjusted hourly earnings are still below where they were in 2021.
Mises Institute
May 14, 2026 - mises.org
The Command Economy in Green Clothing: Britain’s Contracts for Difference and Their Nazi Predecessors
In pursuing the so-called green economy, Great Britain’s Labour Government must resort to socialist planning and totalitarian propaganda.
Mises Institute
May 14, 2026 - mises.org
Feds move to seize private property to build border wall
The U.S. government has invoked eminent domain to seize 14.2 acres of Mount Cristo Rey, a sacred site topped by a 29-foot statue of Jesus.
Mises Institute
May 14, 2026 - mises.org
Iceland’s Superb Private Retirement System
Over the years, I’ve written about the successful private retirement systems in jurisdictions such as Australia, Chile, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Israel, and Swe...
International Liberty
May 14, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
John Fetterman: 'I'm a Very Pro-Capitalist Democrat'
Sen. John Fetterman discusses the state of the Democratic Party, immigration, foreign policy, and the dangers of political extremism.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
A Circuit Split Gives SCOTUS an Opportunity To Overturn a Federal Law That Makes Home Distilling a Felony
The 6th Circuit upheld that 158-year-old law, while the 5th Circuit concluded it could not be justified as a revenue measure.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Father of Fertility
Plus: A new kind of seasteading, examining genocide claims, and more...
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
The Trump Administration Is a Powerful but Unreliable Ally of Second Amendment Advocates
Even as the Justice Department files lawsuits aimed at vindicating gun rights, it undermines them in other cases.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Congress Ramps Up Its Crusade Against Chinese Cars Ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting
Chinese cars are cheap and widely popular, but Americans can't buy them.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Whistleblower Tells Congress the CIA Illegally Spied on White House Officials Investigating COVID Origins
CIA officer James Erdman told the Senate's Homeland Security Committee that his employer suppressed its own assessments that COVID likely came from a lab.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
U.K. Elections Show Populist Uprising Is Far From Over
Polling shows angry voters are prepared to reject the establishment in elections to come.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
A federal gas tax holiday won’t do much to ease the pain at the pump
The best policy ideas for making gasoline more affordable – faster permitting for domestic drilling and pipeline construction alongside fewer regulations targeting refineries or dictating gasoline for...
Blog Posts Archive - Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 13, 2026 - cei.org
ALG Applauds Senate Confirmation Of Kevin Warsh To Federal Reserve Chair
May 13, 2026, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement applauding the U.S. Senate’s vote to confirm Kevin Warsh as the next F...
Americans for Limited Government
May 13, 2026 - getliberty.org
Documenting Spanberger’s ‘faceplant’
Editors at the Washington Free Beacon deliver a harsh assessment of Virginia’s new governor. Has there ever been a more overhyped politician than Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger? Flash back a few...
John Locke Foundation
May 13, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Mamdani 'Balanced' New York City's Budget—With a Bailout From Albany
The mayor eliminated a $12 billion deficit with an infusion of cash from the state government, as well as by putting off some of today's obligations for tomorrow.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Why I'm Cheering for This New Anti-Porn, Anti-LGBT, Christian Phone Network
Free market solutions for the win!
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Hanson identifies ‘four horsemen’ of today’s antisemitism
Victor Davis Hanson writes for American Greatness about key factors contributing to antisemitism today. Few predicted that blaming Israel and the Jews who support it would flare up in the early 21st c...
John Locke Foundation
May 13, 2026 - johnlocke.org
America’s New Debt Milestone
America's debt has surpassed 100% of GDP and the cracks are already showing.
Law & Liberty
May 13, 2026 - lawliberty.org
Absurd Cost Overruns Are a Bipartisan Problem
Regarding the pervasive problem of cost overruns (defined as government programs and projects that wind up costing far more than initial estimates), I’ve always appreciated this image sent by a reader...
International Liberty
May 13, 2026 - danieljmitchell.wordpress.com
Virginia lawmakers trying to defy state’s top court on gerrymandering
Brittany Bernstein writes for National Review Online about Virginia Democrats escalating their gerrymandering campaign. Democrats on Monday filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in an ef...
John Locke Foundation
May 13, 2026 - johnlocke.org
Omnipotent government
I wrote this last week for The Critic... Not since the early 1980s has the government had such a stranglehold over economic life in Britain. It is well known that taxes are at a record high and that...
Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
May 13, 2026 - velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com
Grading the Trump Administration on Gun Rights | Guest: Dudley Brown | Ep 385
Matt Kibbe sits down with Dudley Brown, president of the National Association for Gun Rights, to see what Trump is doing for American gun owners. The post Grading the Trump Administration on Gun Right...
Free the People
May 13, 2026 - freethepeople.org
Foreign Policy Payback: Russia Backs Iran Against United States
Washington and Moscow both enthusiastically celebrated the victory of the Allied “Grand Alliance” over the fascist powers at the end of World War II. Since then, however, the two capitals have typical...
The Libertarian Institute
May 13, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Rep. Salazar: Cubans Are Waiting for Trump to Give the Order to Rise Up
Republican Representative María Elvira Salazar said that the Cuban people are waiting for the order from President Donald Trump to overthrow the government in Havana. “Republicans know you are the on...
The Libertarian Institute
May 13, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
The State Sterilised My Generation—Don’t Let America Follow Our Footsteps
The state has essentially inverted the social contract. The post The State Sterilised My Generation—Don’t Let America Follow Our Footsteps appeared first on Free the People.
Free the People
May 13, 2026 - freethepeople.org
The Zero-Sum Myth Driving Anti-Capitalism Politics
Yes, capitalism can cause some problems. It's also the only thing that works.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
The Harlan Institute Championship Round At The National Archives
High school students presented arguments about whether to declare independence in the presence of the Declaration of Independence.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
This Isn’t Rebellion. It’s Survival.
“Unconditional submission” or “resistance by force.” Thomas Jefferson, John Dickinson, and the Second Continental Congress said those were their two terrible options less than 3 months after the battl...
Tenth Amendment Center
May 13, 2026 - blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com
What If We Had the Freedom to Organize Ourselves
What if people cooperate better than we’ve been told? History and modern life offer surprising evidence that free people can organize themselves.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 13, 2026 - theadvocates.org
Starting Statement with "LOL" Doesn't Keep The Assertion in It From Being Potentially Libelous
From yesterday's decision by Judge Dana Sabraw (S.D. Cal.) in Button v. Lopresti: The Court accepts the Amended Complaint's allegations… The post Starting Statement with "LOL" Doesn't Keep The Asserti...
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Hantavirus Fear Comes to the Remotest Islands in the World
Tristan da Cunha and Pitcairn Island are nearly impossible to get to. Somehow, hantavirus-exposed travelers ended up on both.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Today in Supreme Court History: May 13, 1912
5/13/1912: Seventeenth Amendment is approved by the House of Representatives. The Senate approved it the prior month. The Seventeenth Amendment… The post Today in Supreme Court History: May 13, 1912 a...
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Brickbat: Red Meat Issues
Amsterdam has banned advertisements for both meat and fossil fuels as part of its plan to fight climate change. Since May… The post Brickbat: Red Meat Issues appeared first on Reason.com.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Report: Saudi Arabia Bombed Iranian-Linked Militias in Iraq
Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes against Shiite militias with ties to Iran. According to Reuters, the Saudi attacks on Kataib Hezbollah occurred around April 7. Kuwait also launched rockets at Shiit...
The Libertarian Institute
May 13, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Stop Preaching and Just Tell the Story!
Audiences can tell the difference between storytelling and propaganda. The entertainment that lasts offers insight, not ideological lectures.
The Advocates for Self-Government
May 13, 2026 - theadvocates.org
The Decline and Fall of Human Agency
As AI reshapes the world, it may feel less and less "empowering."
Law & Liberty
May 13, 2026 - lawliberty.org
A New Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Protect Free-Range Parenting and Redefine Neglect
Lawmakers cite examples of parents who were investigated for letting their kids play outside and walk to the store, among other ordinary childhood activities.
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
Injunction Against Referring to Ex-Wife and Children in Online Media Violates First Amendment
An excerpt from a long Washington Court of Appeals decision approved yesterday for publication, Asbach v. Couto (Judge Bradley Maxa,… The post Injunction Against Referring to Ex-Wife and Children in O...
Reason.com
May 13, 2026 - reason.com
John Mearsheimer asks: Is Trump Following in LBJ’s Footsteps?
Reprinted from John’s Substack: On 12 May 2026, I was on “Judging Freedom” talking with the Judge about the growing realization in the American body politic that not only is the Iran war lost, but th...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 13, 2026 - antiwar.com
Who’s Your Daddy Now? Failing War Empowering Euros To Break With Trump
Nearly a year ago, NATO Chief Mark Rutte of the Netherlands was excoriated for calling Donald Trump “daddy” in reference to the American president’s “tough talk” on Europe, whether it be on member sta...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 13, 2026 - antiwar.com
Ron Paul asks Is Tucker Carlson A ‘Domestic Terrorist’?
On today’s Ron Paul Liberty Report: White House counterterrorism advisor Sebastian Gorka has opened the door to consider conservative voices like Tucker Carlson “domestic terrorists.” How? By claiming...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 13, 2026 - antiwar.com
Robert Pape: ‘Iran and the Escalation Trap: Avoiding a Future of Forever Wars in the Middle East’
Professor Robert Pape teaches at the University of Chicago and study how force is used to achieve political objectives, how escalation unfolds, and how strategies of restraint can succeed or fail in i...
Antiwar.com Blog
May 13, 2026 - antiwar.com
Almost All of Iran’s Missile Positions Near the Strait of Hormuz Are Still Available
The US Intelligence community estimates that Iran maintains nearly all its missiles used to control the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump has claimed that the Iranian military is nearly defeate...
The Libertarian Institute
May 13, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
Russia: Some Work Has Been Done on Deal to End Ukraine War
The Kremlin said some progress has been made toward ending the war in Ukraine and that Russia would welcome President Donald Trump’s assistance in mediating talks. During Russia’s Victory Day celebra...
The Libertarian Institute
May 13, 2026 - libertarianinstitute.org
The Perfect Storm for ADHD Overdiagnosis
Screen time gets the blame, but the increase in diagnoses comes more from subjective criteria interacting with financial incentives.
Cato Recent Op-eds
May 13, 2026 - cato.org
Reason Receives 17 Nominations for Southern California Journalism Awards
Nominees include stories on America's gerontocracy, the war on chocolate, how Texas beat California on housing, and more.
Reason.com
May 12, 2026 - reason.com
Marty Makary's Irrational Resistance to Flavored Nicotine Vapes Drove His FDA Resignation
On the subject of tobacco harm reduction, the former commissioner let his emotions override his avowed commitment to following the science.
Reason.com
May 12, 2026 - reason.com
San Francisco's Outdoor Smoking Ban Won't Improve Public Health, but It Will Hurt the City's Bars and Taverns
Bar owners warn that the proposed smoking ban could force closures, threaten jobs, and damage San Francisco’s nightlife.
Reason.com
May 12, 2026 - reason.com
Patients Have a Right To Try. Why Can't They Use It?
Terminally ill patients were promised access to experimental treatments, but the "right to try" exists mostly on paper.
Reason.com
May 12, 2026 - reason.com
John Mearsheimer on Iran and Trump’s Trip to China
Reprinted from John’s Substack: On 8 May 2026, I was on Rachel Blevins’ popular podcast talking about President Trump’s never-ending troubles in Iran and why they are going to hinder him in his upcom...