Tag: elections
Should libertarians vote?
November 5, 2024 | Post
One of the main divisions among libertarians surrounds democracy and voting. Here are some of the fundamental questions we must ask ourselves: Positive and negative freedom We’ll come back to those, but meanwhile, consider Isaiah Berlin, one of the most influential liberal thinkers of the 20th century. He delivered a lecture at the University of […]
Who’s Running for President in 2024?
April 26, 2024 | Post
Learn more about the lesser-known candidates running for president in 2024 and how pro-liberty folks might assess their positions.
Why Portugal’s Socialist Party looks poised for victory despite scandal
February 15, 2024 | Post
Portugal finds itself once more on the precipice of electoral intrigue as the nation gears up for legislative elections on March 10, 2024. The (second) resignation of Prime Minister António Costa amid a corruption scandal has thrown the country into political turmoil.
Despite the obvious setbacks, recent polls indicate that Costa’s Socialist Party (PS) remains poised for reelection. This raises intriguing questions about the electorate’s enduring support and sheds light on the nuances of Portugal’s political landscape.
What the world can learn from Argentina’s liberty movement
November 20, 2023 | Post
The liberty movement’s success in Argentina serves as an inspiration to similar movements worldwide. It showcases the power of grassroots organizing and the impact that passionate individuals can have when they come together around a common cause.
Javier Milei: a new era for Argentina?
October 17, 2023 | Post
On October 22, Argentina is poised to hold the first round of the 2023 Presidential Elections, determining the successor to the Peronist Alberto Fernandez. Following the primaries, Javier Milei, who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist, emerged as the frontrunner. Could Argentina be set to embark on a radical new journey?
Why democracy is good for liberty
September 15, 2022 | Post
There is a growing tendency among libertarians to attack the concept of democracy, and blame it for America’s problems. But this is reckless: we need to address the issues within our system and provide alternatives instead of burning the entire thing down.
Liz Cheney proves we can’t trust the right to support free speech
May 13, 2021 | Post
Liz Cheney maintaining her position with the GOP was contingent on an unspoken agreement that she’d stop publicly disagreeing with Donald Trump over the validity of the 2020 election. Cheney did not do this. Instead, in her defiance, she has highlighted exactly why those who love and seek to protect freedom of speech shouldn’t count on the GOP or the right to maintain it.
Will voters punish Republicans for not changing health care?
September 8, 2017 | Post
President Donald Trump claimed Senators who voted against Obamacare’s replacement, the AHCA, had “let down Americans.”
Highlights from our Reddit AMA with Professor Sarah Burns
May 19, 2017 | Post
Did you miss our recent Reddit AMA with Professor Sarah Burns of RIT’s political science department? You can find the whole conversation here, or check out some of the highlights below. Dr. Burns is a regular contributor to the Learn Liberty Blog, and starred in our series on America’s Founding. Adama82 Hi, thanks for […]
A paradox in the theory of democracy
February 9, 2017 | Post
It is not easy being a committed democrat when your side loses an election.
He’s not my president because none of them are.
February 6, 2017 | Post
The inauguration of President Trump was immediately followed by size comparisons.
Democracy goes to (electoral) college
December 21, 2016 | Post
It’s healthy for us to periodically revisit these discussions about the basic structure and principles of government. It’s probably less healthy, though, to tie one’s like or dislike of the electoral college to one’s preferred outcome in any particular race.
Partisan politics makes smart people stupid
November 8, 2016 | Post
Highly informed voters are also highly biased. That’s a serious problem for democracy, but also for any other system of political decision-making in big groups.
“If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain,” writes Facebook acquaintance with fundamental misunderstanding of political philosophy
November 4, 2016 | Post
At 6:58pm Eastern time last night, Facebook acquaintance and sophomore sociology major Sean Stevens reported that if you don’t vote in the upcoming presidential election then you have no right to complain about the trajectory of the nation. Stevens, who bravely displays the Human Rights Campaign logo as his profile picture, went on to provide […]
Apolitical reasons to hate politics
October 25, 2016 | Post
Politics isn’t just bad; It’s the worst. It brings out the literal worst in people.
To Vote or Not To Vote, That Is The Question
September 25, 2016 | Post
Why not vote? Some experts sound off.
How My Annual Halloween Parade Explains Donald Trump’s Success
May 26, 2016 | Post
Many public intellectuals and political pundits were surprised by Donald Trump’s ascendancy to the Republican nomination. In my opinion, this is because they succumbed to what has (unfairly) become known as the “Pauline Kael syndrome.” Pauline Kael is the New Yorker critic who was reputed to have remarked after the 1972 Presidential election that “Nixon […]
No, Your Friends are Probably Not Moving to Canada
May 26, 2016 | Post
Each presidential election year—perhaps this year more than most—we hear from friends, family, and celebrities the familiar refrain of, “If he/she wins, I’m moving to Canada!” Actress Lena Dunham is just the most recent example of this, claiming that if Republican Donald Trump is elected she “really will” move to Canada. The prevalence of this […]
Why Do All Politicians Sound The Same?
March 22, 2016 | Post
Ever wonder why presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump sound so similar despite being from different political parties? Both rail against free trade, the establishment, and harken back to a mythical time in the country when there was a chicken in every pot and an American manufacturing every product we use. In the video […]
Super Tuesday: 4 Traps American Voters Need to Avoid at All Costs
March 1, 2016 | Post
It’s election season and you’re ready to vote. You’ve carefully researched the candidates and their platforms, so you’re pretty certain your vote will be an informed one. But before you cast your vote at the polls, take some time to reflect on these four cognitive biases, or traps, and how they impact your voting decisions. […]
Why Do All Politicians Sound the Same?
February 23, 2016 | Post
As the election cycle starts to heat up you may begin to realize that most politicians sound the same, except for a few rhetorical differences. Why is that? Professor Diana Thomas investigates.
Featured On Demand Program of the Week: Citizens Divided
February 1, 2016 | Post
How much do you really know about the electoral process? In this program, we take a fresh look at elections and voting and address some of the common misconceptions. Did the Citizens United case really make corporations people? Should we ban money in politics? How can Super PACs and political ads improve democracy, while a […]
Will You Vote Well?
January 4, 2016 | Post
What should you read between now and Election Day? If you’re only going to read one political book, you should make it Jason Brennan’s The Ethics of Voting. If you’re going to read a second, I nominate Bryan Caplan’s The Myth of the Rational Voter. If you’re going to read a third, you should read […]
Vote or Die: 2015 Edition
November 4, 2015 | Post
Yesterday was Election Day and many exit polls reported historically low voter turnout. This follows a trend of low-voter turnout in recent elections. In 2014, for instance, voter turnout was the lowest since World War Two. In the video below, Georgetown economist Jason Brennan explores whether citizens should be forced to vote in order to […]