There Is No National Emergency on the Border, Mr. President

By Alex Nowrasteh 

President Trump has declared a national emergency on the border to construct some portion of his promised border fence.  “We’re talking about an invasion of our country with drugs, with human traffickers, with all types of criminals and gangs,” President Trump said during his remarks today. 

Charles Barkley's Advice on How to Create a Hoax Crime Without Getting Caught

Charles Barkley 

Former NBA great Charles Barkley had some serious fun at the expense of Jussie Smollett, who attempted to pull off a racial hoax crime in Chicago.

Smollett had reported to police he was attacked by two white men in the Streeterville section of Chicago and that they told him, "N...s don't belong in the neighbourhood," and that it was "MAGA country."

A Further Note on Libertarian Strategy

By Robert Wenzel

I continue to see in the comments here at Target Liberty and at EPJ, whenever I discuss a point of libertarian theory or free market economics or Austrian school economics, frustration along the lines of "Well, good luck with that point, the masses don't get it. All they want are their handouts."

Saturday's Showdown in Venezuela and Donald Trump

By Robert Wenzel

I recently pointed out in the EPJ Daily Alert what President Trump's global military strategy seems to be. Pull troops out of areas where there is little or no oil and threaten to send troops to countries where there is oil (See: Trump and his comments on Iran and Venezuela).

95-Year-Old Billionaire Charlie Munger Gives Advice to Socialists

Charlie Munger

Billionaire Charlie Munger (95), who is a long-time close partner of Warren Buffett (net worth $84.5 billion), also happens to be chairman of the Daily Journal Corp.

The company recently held its annual meeting in Los Angeles, where Munger held court. Many of the questions put to him, according to CNBC, were about the "secret" to his long and successful life.

Judge Slams Roger Stone With Full Gag Order Surrounding His Trial

Following an Instagram post by Roger Stone where he placed a picture of the judge in his trial, Judge Amy Berman Jackson, next to what appear to be crosshairs, Jackson ordered him back in court today.

How To Respond To Tucker Carlson's Call For a Federal Ban On Children Using Smartphones

Tucker Carlson

By Robert Wenzel

During a recent episode of his show, Tucker Carlson supported the idea that there should be a federal ban on children using smartphones.

He cited various conclusions from studies that showed that smartphone use was harmful to children. It could very well be that these studies are accurate. I have no idea.

But here is the thing.

What's Really Behind Trump's New Concern For Global Gay Rights

Are we setting up to go to war in support of global gay rights?

That indeed may be part of the cover story of the next big military action by the U.S. Empire.

Reaction to the Deirdre McCloskey Gender Transition Story

Deirdre Nansen McCloskey 

In response to, The Transition: When Donald McCloskey Became Deirdre McCloskey post, a well-known libertarian emails:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has More Interactions On Twitter Than Even Sports Center

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Only President Trump, Ariana Grande and Bleacher Report have more interactions on Twitter than the socialist congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to CrowdTangle.

Who Should Be Allowed to Vote

Should we really care who votes?

Target Liberty reader David K. emails:

Robert,

If you recall Robert A. Heinlein’s book, Starship Troopers discussed suffrage only being extended to military veterans, I think the starting point for who gets to vote is obvious: Transfer payments. If you receive any sort of transfer payment from government (Nat’l, state, local) you are ineligible to vote. Only true tax payers are allowed to vote. Granted, this can get very sticky about what constitutes a transfer payment, and I’m sure some marginal cases could present conundrums, however in broad terms:

The Real Plan of the Far Left-Wing of the Democratic Party is Much Worse Than Just Taxing the Rich

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

By Dom Armentano

If you think that the “tax the rich”rhetoric from the left-wing of the Democratic Party is primarily about economics you would be sadly mistaken.  After all, there isn’t enough tax revenue in the highest income bracket, even with a 90% marginal rate, to fund anyone’s pet social program for more than 48 hours. Do progressives know this? Of course they do.

Are Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez the Philosophical Descendants of Judas?

By Shane Kastler

If Judas Iscariot was walking the earth today, he would make an ideal presidential candidate for the Democrat party.  With the recent, hard left veer toward socialism, he would fit right in.  He was socialistic to the core.  He loved to spend other people's money.  He loved to criticize how THEY spent THEIR OWN money.  He loved to act like he cared for the poor, all while using it as a ruse to line his own pockets.  And scarily, he had the ability to influence others toward his way of thinking.

Why Jeff Bezos Ditched New York City

By Robert Wenzel

After an exhaustive search of the planet, Jeff Bezos lieutenants had determined the best places to relocate his internet company (err, put up two new "second headquarters") from the ever-intensifying socialist environment in Seattle was northern Virginia (in an area roughly only a 15 minute drive in light traffic to the CIA headquarters in Langley) and also one in Long Island City, a part of the outer New York City borough of Queens.

If You Aren't Scared of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Yet...

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez 

...watch the below video.

Yes, the socialist congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez does talk a lot of nonsense in the video which is a recording of her inaugural address in the Bronx, NY that she delivered on Saturday.

Don't Make Me Laugh: "Capitalism crushes socialism: Fox News Poll"

By Robert Wenzel

A commenter at the post, The Counter-Offensive That Needs to Be Launched Now Against Socialists and Other Lefties, links to a Fox News story with a headline that reports that "Capitalism crushes socialism."

Welcome to the world of lies, damn lies and polls.

This is what the story reports:

Let's Discuss The 'Freedom Visa Proposal'

Saturday Mail Bag

As a follow up to my post, Countering the Socialists: The Five Freedoms Proposal, John K., an immigration attorney and hardcore libertarian, emails:

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the recent proposals. It is an important discussion to have to create a proper agenda that can be easily expressed to the population.

I thought I would add some analysis of the "Freedom Visa" since it is my field. My personal view is that the Free movement of people should be made as easy as possible. But that comes without expectations from the host community. However current laws make this impossible as free Medical Care and Education for all are essentially constitutionally protected rights.

How to Support Target Liberty

Brian T. emails:

Do you have a patron account? I want to support your work. Maybe signing up to your newsletter is the best way to do that. I don’t invest much right now so it’d just be for the commentary which would be alright with me.

RW responds: 

The Transition: When Donald McCloskey Became Deirdre McCloskey

Deirdre Nansen McCloskey 

Deirdre McCloskey is the Distinguished Professor of Economics, History, English, and Communication at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

She is also adjunct professor of Philosophy and Classics there, and for five years was a visiting Professor of philosophy at Erasmus University, Rotterdam.

Since October 2007 she has received six honorary doctorates. In 2013, she received the Julian L. Simon Memorial Award from the Competitive Enterprise Institute for her work examining factors in history that led to advancement in human achievement and prosperity. Her main research interests include the origins of the modern world, the misuse of statistical significance in economics and other sciences, and the study of capitalism, among many others.

Forthcoming is a 20th anniversary edition of her book, now titled, "Crossing: A Transgender Memoir," with a new Afterword.

Target Liberty was provided a copy of the Afterword via a third party.

Here are some snippets: