The Tom Woods Show

Kristian Niemietz joins me to discuss the persistent attraction of socialism despite its terrible track record, and the excuses and apologias its supporters offer in order to justify their ongoing faith. Sponsor: MVMT Show notes for Ep. 1404

Randall Holcombe of Florida State University joins me to discuss what he calls "political capitalism," whereby the private and public sectors collaborate for their mutual benefit, and against the public interest. Sometimes the process is open and obvious, but more often it is hidden and obscure. Show notes for Ep. 1403

Following up on a theme I raised with Professor Dan Moller in episode 1399 (if our ideas are so good, why aren't we more popular?), I want to address a related question, which has been thrown at us from time to time: if libertarianism is so great, why aren't there any pure libertarian countries? Sponsor: Policy Genius Show notes for Ep. 1402

Gene Epstein joins me to respond to Bhaskar Sunkara's new book The Socialist Manifesto. (Sunkara was invited to participate, but declined.) Show notes for Ep. 1401

Alex Merced, Libertarian Party vice chair, takes questions submitted by my private Supporting Listeners group, the Tom Woods Show Elite (https://www.supportinglisteners.com) on topics including the Johnson/Weld ticket, whether the LP should avoid presidential politics altogether, whether there's ever a case for not fielding an LP candidate in a particular election, and a lot more. Sponsor: Away Show notes for Ep. 1400

Dan Moller, a philosophy professor at the University of Maryland, has just produced an intriguing, and to my mind compelling, new kind of argument against the welfare state. He takes on this issue in particular because it is one of the positions libertarians hold for which they are most demonized. His argument compels us to consider the question of how much we may legitimately shift our own burdens onto others, particularly without their consent. Sponsor: Harry's Show notes for Ep. 1399

Big business has become a villain not just to the progressive left but also to the populist right and even to many libertarians, who think they see cronyism everywhere. Lost amid this climate of condemnation is a sober assessment of the true record of big business in improving our lives. Tyler Cowen gives us precisely that assessment: he is frank about the moral faults of big business, but he overwhelms us with arguments in its favor that most people have never heard. Result: an excellent book and episode. Sponsor: Skillshare Show notes for Ep. 1398

Eric Peters was recently punished by Google for some of the content on his website, which covers news from the world of cars through a libertarian lens. Wait until you hear what the offending material was. Plus, Eric takes a fascinating array of listener questions submitted by members of my Supporting Listeners group (https://www.supportinglisteners.com). Show notes for Ep. 1397

In this blast from the past from 2009, I'm interviewed by Alex Jones about central banking and the financial crisis. Show notes for Ep. 1396

I often repeat Jonathan Haidt's point that left-liberals understand their opponents far less well than their opponents understand them. The most recent uncomprehending critic I've seen says libertarians "believe every man is an island." This was too ridiculous not to smash. Enjoy. Show notes for Ep. 1395 - https://tomwoods.com/1395

Historians love to hate Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, the presidents during most of the 1920s. Historians also enjoy tut-tutting the U.S. for having been "isolationist" during the 1920s. This is all wrong, as usual, so in today's episode I set the record straight. Show notes for Ep. 1394

Scott Horton joins me to review the "obstruction" claims on the part of media outlets that in the wake of the Mueller report suddenly dropped the "collusion" talk of the past two years and shifted to "obstruction". Show notes for Ep. 1393

I take on more criticisms of libertarianism -- less common but still important, and very interesting: (1) don't we need government-created deposit insurance so people don't lose a fortune if their money is in a bank that fails? and (2) should "insider trading" be allowed? Sponsor: Blinkist Show notes for Ep. 1392

In this episode I hit "too big to fail," the military-industrial complex, state pensions, Obamacare, the Federal Reserve, and many more. This episode is drawn from one of my appearances on Financial Sense Newshour. Show notes for Ep. 1391

Madison and Jefferson biographer Kevin Gutzman joins me to discuss Jefferson's real record on slavery, the emphasis on slavery among the Western left (which leaves the impression among most students today that slavery was exclusive to the West, when in fact the West led the world in abolishing it), and whether the Framers would have supported the Green New Deal. Show notes for Ep. 1390

Isaac Morehouse says the people who got duped in the college admissions scandals weren't the schools that accepted unqualified students but the parents who paid the bribes to get their children in. He's right. Today we discuss the increasingly irrelevant preparation for the real world that the existing government/university complex gives Americans -- a preparation so poor that it's turning a frustrated generation toward socialism. What's a better strategy? Show notes for Ep. 1389

Jacob Hornberger of the Future of Freedom Foundation discusses CIA mischief at home and abroad, and why the national security state is a threat to American liberty. Show notes for Ep. 1388

Denis McNamara, author of How to Read Churches, joins me to discuss Notre Dame Cathedral and Church architecture in general, in the wake of the terrible fire just two days ago. Professor McNamara is academic director and associate professor at the Liturgical Institute at Mundelein Seminary, the seminary of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Sponsor: Skillshare Show notes for Ep. 1387

Patrick Moore, who spent nine years as president of Greenpeace Canada and another six as a director of Greenpeace International, joins me to critique the Green New Deal proposal. Show notes for Ep. 1386

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested at the Ecuadorian embassy in London last Thursday. The media and political sources who despise him are doing their best to make his activities sound nefarious and disreputable. But when Assange's activity is described correctly and precisely, it suddenly appears no different from what any journalist does, in terms of protecting his source's anonymity. Cassandra Fairbanks of The Gateway Pundit joins me for some background. Sponsor: MVMT Show notes for Ep. 1385