Society and the State

Anyone who has found himself or herself prepared for an unexpected situation knows how comforting it is to realize that you have the ability handle unforeseen challenges that arise. Sometimes, however, the desire to become self-reliant can morph into the caricature of “the prepper” with an almost pathological focus on what can go wrong. Where is the golden mean of being prepared but not over-prepared? For that matter, what exactly are we preparing for?. Links mentioned: The 10 Daily Habits...

For every person who is making sound investments that will bring them future happiness and security, not very many are neglecting their most important asset of all—themselves! Connor has the opportunity to pick the brain of Paradigm Life CEO Pat Donohoe on the importance of investing in yourself. No matter what your plans are for the future, this kind of self improvement can pay off richly on many different levels. Links mentioned: Paradigm Life The Kolbe A™ Index Heads I Win, Tails You Lose...

Everyone encounters things they find disagreeable, from time to time. But is there a point where each of us must draw a figurative line in the sand rather than simply go along to get along? It’s a decision that will come to each of us, at some point. This is when most of us learn whether or not we’d be willing to suffer for our principles. In this episode, we discuss how to best decide what’s worth taking a stand for and how to do so effectively. Links mentioned: Airports and the TSA are...

What kind of reaction does the term “dark money” elicit when you first hear it? If it’s a mixture of fear and suspicion, you may be playing right into the hands of the political operatives who coined the phrase. Zac Morgan from the Institute for Free Speech joins Connor to discuss how campaign donations have never been more public and the chances of the Koch brothers or George Soros taking over the world may have been exaggerated. Links mentioned: Institute for Free Speech

If there is such a thing as a civic religion, then voting might well be considered its high sacrament. We’ve all heard people say, “If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain.” But what should we make of those who say, “Not voting means you’ve consented to the status quo”? With another highly polarizing election cycle dead ahead, now is a good time to sort out what our vote represents and how consent plays into the way we choose to vote—or not vote. Links mentioned: Lessons from a...

Given recent events in the Persian Gulf, it’s not hard to imagine that the United State government is on a collision course with the Iranian government. Who is pushing the hardest for military action? Is a war between the U.S. and Iran a near certainty? Author and correspondent Gareth Porter joins us to help sort the fact from fiction and to explain the possible reasons that we are being steered toward more military action in the Middle East. Links mentioned: No War With Iran, for Now – but...

Everyone loves the idea of getting something for free. This is something politicians regularly use to their advantage as they try to leverage votes by promising their constituents free stuff. One of the more popular promises of late is the prospect of a free college education for everyone. What should we think of free college and is there really such a thing as free higher education? Links mentioned: Society & the State Episode 2: Isaac Morehouse on Circumventing College via Praxis

It seems like there’s no shortage of scientific studies to justify or debunk nearly anything you can think of. For some issues, it’s the perfect appeal to authority. After all, who would dare argue against science? Tim Errington from the Center for Open Science joins us to discuss where some scientists go astray and how we can best keep fact and fiction separate within the realm of science. Links mentioned: We Tried to Publish a Replication of a Science Paper in Science. The Journal Refused....

For some time now, a great many career-seekers have been following the same predictable script of going to college, getting a degree and then finding someone to hire them. What if there was another way to begin a productive and fulfilling career without having to take on backbreaking amounts of student loan debt? Connor shares insight into the book “Skip College – Launch your career without debt, distractions or a degree” which he recently edited. Learn what some of the the most innovative...

As Independence Day approaches, most everyone looks forward to the celebrations, the parades, the fireworks and time off work. Are we forgetting what it is that we’re actually celebrating each year? Professor Kevin Gutzman joins us to talk about the courageous act of treason that set America on a path to independence and set in motion the most remarkable experiment in freedom in human history. Links mentioned: Myths of the 4th of July by Kevin Gutzman Kevin Gutzman’s website

What’s the difference between a law enforcer and a peace officer? It’s a distinction that more of us should understand. One of the best illustrations of this difference can be seen in the recent actions of a Minnesota officer who was sent to an elderly woman’s home on a welfare check. Officer Matt Siltala found the woman’s yard was in violation of local code and was faced with a choice of whether to deal with the issue as a law and code enforcer or as a peace officer. We discuss his...

If you’re not familiar with the 2005 Kelo case dealing with eminent domain, this is a conversation you need to hear. Dana Berliner of the Institute for Justice joins us to discuss what has happened to the property owner and the property itself in the 14 years since the decision. It’s not particularly good news, especially if you’re a believer in private property rights and limited government. There’s a lesson to be learned here. Links mentioned: Tracking Eminent Domain Reform Legislation...

One of the biggest dilemmas faced by people of faith is when the line between their moral principles and their political beliefs begins to blur. This is particularly true when it comes to what political authorities refer to as “matters of national security.” Whether it’s going to war against another country or maintaining control over the borders of your own country, it’s hard to see others as children of God while simultaneously viewing them as an active threat. Links mentioned: An...

With so many laws on the books, there are virtually unlimited ways that a person can become a criminal. This puts an enormous strain on our legal and judicial system. Utah County Attorney David Leavitt joins us to discuss a groundbreaking approach that he is trying that seeks to handle problems in ways other than simply prosecuting people. Learn what he hopes to accomplish and how it could cut down on the the unnecessary criminalization that bogs down our justice system. Links mentioned:...

What’s the best way to fight racism or sexism? Depending upon who you ask, the answer may be with even more racism or sexism. This can take fairly innocuous forms such as focusing exclusively on the rights of women or minorities rather than the rights of all. Is there a better way? Can we right authentic wrongs without giving in to the temptation to create a new double standard? Links mentioned: What Exactly Is Racism? by Lew Rockwell More Government, Less Manners by Paul Rosenberg

Taxes are a part of life but just how big a part of our lives is a question that is constantly being asked. When governmental entities need revenue, taxing the citizenry is often the preferred way to get that money. But should services be taxed in the same manner as other items on which we pay sales taxes? Connor gets some great insights from Jared Walczak from the Tax Foundation on how sales taxes have evolved over the years. Links mentioned: Sales Tax Base Broadening: Right-Sizing a State...

Each of us has opportunities to wield our influence wherever we happen to be. Wielding that influence wisely can be harder than it sounds. Do we win others to our side with persuasion or do we use a more brute force approach? In this episode, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach when it comes to winning supporters. Links mentioned: Persuasion vs. Coercion: Taking a Real Stand by Connor Boyack Fighting Evil Is a Failed Strategy by Paul Rosenberg

Unless we personally know someone who has been incarcerated, chances are that we know very little about the prison system. It’s a part of life that takes place out of sight and out of mind for many us and we seem to prefer it that way. Libertas policy analyst Molly Davis joins Connor to discuss their takeaways from a recent tour they did at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, Utah. Links mentioned: Prison Rape is the Criminal Justice Issue No One is Talking About by Brad...

Few things feed the power the state more than when we invite it to become the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong. This is particularly true regarding the topic of abortion where the moral question at the root of the dialogue is getting lost in the struggle to impose solutions on others. Is using the force of law to establish our position the best solution? Could more innocent lives be saved without appealing to the state? Links mentioned: Society and the State Episode 130: Joe Baker on An...

Medical procedures often produce certain ethical concerns and the occasional dilemma. One of those is when pelvic examinations are conducted on unconscious women. The physical risks may be secondary to the emotional damage that can result when a woman realizes that her reproductive organs have been examined while she was under anesthesia for another procedure. Connor visits with Robin Fretwell Wilson from the University of Illinois College of Law about recent legislative efforts to protect...