Joseph Solis-Mullen | The Libertarian Institute

Exposing Elite Cynicism With Satirical Truth

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | Jun 25, 2024 | Book Reviews, Featured Articles, Foreign Policy

Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall’s How to Run Wars: a Confidential Playbook for the National Security Elite is a sharp, sardonic critique of America's perpetual engagement in wars abroad and the erosion of civil liberties at home. The book, newly published by the Independent Institute, masquerades as a guide for the Washington elite, offering a satirical blueprint for maintaining endless conflict and suppressing domestic dissent. Through chapters such as "Control the Narrative," "Capture the Media," "Silence Dissent," "Ignore International Law," "Sacrifice Liberty in the Name of...

‘Savings Are Bad’ and Other Keynesian Errors

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | Jun 18, 2024 | Economics, Featured Articles

While it is difficult to choose among them, arguably the most pernicious part of John Maynard Keynes' legacy is his misunderstanding of what savings and interest rates are, and how they related to the rest of the economy. These mistakes were passed on to his followers and remain with us today—as anyone who has had the misfortune of reading a Paul Krugman column in The New York Times is well aware. Savings, we are told, hurt the economy because they depress spending, and as the economy is driven by spending, savings are anathema to a healthy economy. But is that the case? As any studied...

DOJ, Lay Off Live Nation!

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | Jun 11, 2024 | Economics, Featured Articles

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) finally came out with their long anticipated antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment. Alleging anti-competitive practices which “suffocates its competition,” everyone’s least favorite Attorney General (since the last one, and the one before that, and the one before that…) Merrick Garland, announced gleefully to cameras that it was “Time to break up Live Nation.” Yes, even though the allegedly offending entity of Live Nation’s business, Ticketmaster, has seen its market share decline since its acquisition by Live Nation...

Rescind Netanyahu’s Invitation!

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | Jun 4, 2024 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy, Politics

The recent decision by U.S. congressional leaders to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the Capitol has rightly sparked outrage and dismay among those who oppose Israel's genocidal actions in Gaza. Coming as it does in the wake of the International Criminal Court's charges against Netanyahu, this move, which aims to showcase solidarity with Israel, is deeply troubling on moral, political, and geostrategic grounds, highlighting the hypocrisy and, to put it mildly, moral ambiguity of U.S. foreign policy. The invitation to Netanyahu comes at a time when Israel's...

Walter Block Succumbs to the Fake China Threat

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | May 28, 2024 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy

There are those who will say that what follows is “piling on,” or “nitpicking,” or perhaps any number of other things. It is, however, at bottom a simple matter of defending a principle and of defending the truth. And while it gives me no pleasure to write the following, such circumstances as to be described (finally) compelled me to it. Libertarians across the internet have, of late, been treated to a veritable war of words between giants of the libertarian intellectual community. On one side, Walter Block, author of many worthy books and articles criticizing, especially, state policing of...

The Continuing Farce of the U.S. Tariff War

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | May 16, 2024 | Economics, Featured Articles, Foreign Policy

In recent years, American politics has been mired in a narrative of fear and suspicion surrounding China—a narrative perpetuated by successive administrations, defined by nothing so much as speculation and hysteria, and which has fueled the production of a plethora of counterproductive protectionist policies. The latest move by the Joe Biden administration to impose steep tariffs on Chinese imports, including electric vehicle (EV) batteries, computer chips, and medical products, is just another chapter in this saga. The damaging consequences of such policies touch not only tensions with...

Conflicts of Interest, Fearmongering, and Data Control Under the Guise of National Security

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | May 14, 2024 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy, Politics

In a recent article in The Washington Post, their spotlight falls on a group of tech billionaires, former government officials, and industry advisers who have orchestrated a campaign against TikTok, culminating in calls for its ban or forced sale. This concerted effort, under the guise of national security and American nationalism, raises serious concerns about conflicts of interest, fear-mongering tactics, and the true motivations behind their actions. First and foremost, the article sheds light on the alarming, if predictable, prevalence of conflicts of interest within this group. Led by...

We’ve Always Known Standing Armies Are a Threat to Liberty

by Joseph Solis-Mullen | May 2, 2024 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy

Thomas Gordon's A Discourse of Standing Armies; shewing the Folly, Uselessness, and Danger of Standing Armies in Great Britain, published in 1722, is a significant piece of literature in the canon of classical liberalism, critiquing the presence and role of standing armies in the governance of states. Gordon's discourse delves into the historical context of standing armies, drawing lessons from the English Civil War and the subsequent Glorious Revolution. Here, Gordon's chief points and argument are summarized, and the significance of his discourse in the context of the British and later...

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