It’s been a little over one year since Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States. While this administration has been a little boring from a political standpoint, we decided to take a look back and analyze the accomplishments – what we like and don’t like. Is there anything in the Trump presidency that libertarians can appreciate? We discuss.

Libertarianism for Normal People

The Trump Presidency After One Year: We Discuss

Freidman vs Rothbard - Which Is the Ultimate Libertarian Superhero?

When we’re bored, Pat and I talk about video games, the golden age of pro wrestling, and of course, the existence of a supernatural overlord that rules us all and if his edicts are compatible with libertarianism. But then, who doesn’t, right? If you’re looking for a little light listening, you’ll probably enjoy our latest discussion in which we settle the big questions of the universe once and for all!

Does Libertarianism Make Sense Without God?

As a Christian libertarian or conservative, how many times have you heard the argument, “Hey man! Jesus was a socialist! He said people should give their money to the poor! So if you follow the teachings of Jesus, you should be fine with universal health care, welfare, etc…. Man!”? Now, it’s certainly true that Jesus said people should help the poor, but does that mean he was advocating for socialism? We discuss.

Was Jesus a Socialist?

We recorded this episode a few days after the tragic Las Vegas mass shooting. Of course, while there are some who fruitlessly call for such an unfortunate incident not to be politicized, inevitably, both sides of the debate have to weigh in. It’s sad, but this is a pattern that repeats itself every time there’s a mass shooting… and it’s a legit point on the part of gun control advocates: We all express shock and remorse, talk a good game, and nothing gets done. But is that a bad thing? We discuss this tragedy and guns from a libertarian perspective and why it’s good that action is never taken by our betters in Washington to curtail gun violence.

Another Tragedy, Another Pointless Gun Control Debate (Episode 58)

Today, we offer a bonus episode! As you might or might not know (probably not), co-host Pat Flynn has his own podcast – The Pat Flynn Show… clever name, right? The podcast is about expert generalism, which means learning multiple skills that will help you become a more complete and valuable person to others who need the services you can offer. Pat’s had a variety of guests from different backgrounds who have achieved success not by specializing in one particular skill, but in many. A recent guest was one with which many libertarians should be familiar – Michael Malice, author of “Dear Reader: An Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il,” and ghostwriter for several celebrity books. Pat and Michael discussed a multitude of topics, including writing and of course, North Korea. We thought our Libertarianism For Normal People audience would get a kick out of Pat’s conversation with Michael, so please… enjoy!

Michael Malice on Writing, North Korea, and More

God bless the Facebook trolls who comment on our LFNP page. They give us so much fodder for episode content. One particular commenter made the mistake of putting forth cliché, weak arguments in response to a meme we posted. Does the term “muh roads!” ring any bells? This got us thinking… a lot of the arguments the Left makes often collapse on themselves when you take them to their logical conclusions. We talk about some examples in this episode.

Using the Left's Arguments Against Them

Libertarian nationalism… In a nutshell, it’s the idea that a libertarian society should be built with a nationalist focus. Seems contradictory with libertarian values, so we decided to discuss with Aaron Fountaine, who happens to be a high school friend of Pat and is a proponent of this idea. The discussion was originally meant to be a debate, but turned into more of a roundtable talk. Is libertarian nationalism a viable option for people of our way of thinking? Take a listen and decide for yourselves (we weren’t exactly convinced).

What Is Libertarian Nationalism? We Discuss with a Proponent.

When it comes to law enforcement, libertarians favor, for the most part, private solutions. We would rather have a market-based security agency than a monopolized police force populated by self-serving, unaccountable individuals who think they’re above the laws they are supposed to enforce. This philosophy has caused many libertarians to ‘act out’ against police officers. You’ve probably seen the videos of anti-statists giving cops a hard time during traffic stops or on the street. But is this a good approach? If you’re getting a speeding ticket, is it worth refusing to answer questions and voicing your objection to state-oriented law enforcement to an officer who might not have a political agenda and just feels that they’re doing his/her job? We discuss in today’s episode.

Is It Worth Being a Dick to Cops?

We recorded this shortly after the incident in Charlottesville. Given the reaction from the media, the left wing, and even conservative and libertarian leaders, it’s clear that there’s a hysteria in America that I haven’t seen in my entire life. A few hundred white nationalists, alt-righters, and a few Nazis and KKK members were present, but if you were to perceive nothing about this event other than the views of politicians and the mainstream media, you would swear that America is on the verge of being overrun by these ideologically twisted people. Now, America has its problems, but white supremacy ain’t one. Yes. I know. There are racists, Nazis, and Klansmen in the America. But they are so marginalized – they have no political power, no influence in the media or Hollywood, and no presence whatsoever in academia – that to consider them a true threat is treading in hysterical waters. If you actually think we’re another tiki-torch demonstration away from the Nazi flag being raised at the Capitol Building, grab the reins and listen to this episode.

You're Concerned About White Supremacy? Really?

One of our value-add episodes to help our listeners find greater success in your professional lives so you can move closer to greater independence. Today we talk about expert generalism. All our lives we’ve been told that the key to success is focusing on one skill and becoming as proficient as possible. But is that still true? In today’s diverse economy, specialization can actually be a detriment to your professional life. Most entrepreneurs, and even 9-to-5 employees are looking to advance themselves by acquiring a set of different skills to make themselves more valuable to employers and clients. It’s called expert generalism, and we explain what it is in today’s episode.

Want to Find Greater Success and Independence? Generalize, Don’t Specialize.

It seems to be a universal truth among libertarians that marijuana should be legal or at least decriminalized. It’s the one thing we all seem to agree upon. We’ve always contended that it should be legal because it’s immoral to throw someone in a cage for possessing, using, buying, or selling a plant. In addition, it’s an obscene waste of tax dollars and resources to enforce the laws prohibiting it. However, some libertarians try to push for legalization by promoting marijuana as a cure-all for anything that ails. While we’re not denying that pot does have its medicinal benefits, we take issue with touting it as a miracle substance. We discuss the issues with this approach.

Weed Should be Legal… Just Stop Saying it’s a Panacea

Two recent stories came out recently, neither of which we thought we could riff on for 30 minutes: Trump’s ban of transgender people in the military and the microchipping of employees by a Wisconsin company. So we combined the two topics in one episode. Enjoy!

Potpourri: Transgender Military Bans and Microchips

There’s a lot of buzz in the news these days about jobs being eliminated through automation: machinery, computers, artificial intelligence, etc. But why so much concern today? From the early days of humanity, advancements in technology has made humans more productive and wealthier, not the opposite. Sure, there are people who lose jobs when a new innovation makes an occupation obsolete. But the human resources no longer used in that occupation can be used elsewhere where they’re more needed. Are we worse off now that farm equipment has taken over those jobs that humans and animals used to do in the agricultural economy? It’s a silly fear, but one that perpetuates because of political reasons. We discuss.

Hate Economic Growth? Vote In Favor of Saving Jobs!

A few weeks ago, Sen. John McCain was diagnosed with a brain tumor. While I know libertarians have no love for McCain and his political legacy, I found it disturbing the joy that was taken when hearing the news of his disease. This is probably a personal thing for me, rather than an objective observation, but I’ve always felt that libertarians are more principled and morally superior to others who hold strong political beliefs. I still do, but this instance threw me for a loop. In the latest episode, we discuss why libertarians should think twice about openly celebrating the diagnosis of a horrible disease on anyone and the inherent danger of projecting that sentiment to others who already think we’re “heartless.”

Be Better Than Someone Who Celebrates John McCain's Cancer

Libertarianism for Normal People is about teaching everyday folk how to maximize the amount of personal freedom they have in their lives. From starting your own business to taking charge of your health, and even by just understanding the basic principles of Libertarianism, we are dedicated to helping you live a freer, happier, and more prosperous life.

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Libertarianism for Normal People

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