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The Conservative Descent into Moral Bankruptcy

by Jacob G. Hornberger October 1, 2001

Nineteen ninety and 1991 were critical years for conservatives, years that accelerated their decades-long descent into moral bankruptcy. The Berlin Wall came down in 1990, signaling the end of the Soviet Empire. The Persian Gulf War ended in 1991. It is impossible to overstate the radical nature of the philosophy ... [click for more]

When the Going Gets Tough

by Jacob G. Hornberger September 28, 2001

During a crisis such as this, it is easy for the advocate of liberty to become discouraged, especially given the willingness of so many people, including those in the conservative and libertarian movements, to surrender their liberty to the hands of their own government in the hope that their government will ... [click for more]

Mistaken about Motives

by Sheldon Richman September 23, 2001

It does no honor to the thousands of innocent victims of the September 11 terrorism attacks to fool ourselves about the motives behind that mass murder and destruction. The Bush administration says incessantly that the terrorism was an attack on civilization: freedom, prosperity, self-government. Government officials, pundits, and cartoonists insist that the terrorists’ intent is ... [click for more]

The Case for an America First Foreign Policy

by Ralph Raico September 15, 2001

(Excerpted from The Failure of America’s Foreign Wars, published by The Future of Freedom Foundation in 1996) For most of our history, America First was the foreign policy of the United States. The record is laid out by the great historian Charles A. Beard in A Foreign Policy for America, published in 1940. In our dealings overseas, we ... [click for more]

A Time for Calm Reflection and Adherence to Law

by Jacob G. Hornberger September 15, 2001

The Founders of our nation understood two principles: first, that the greatest threat to the freedom and well-being of the citizenry lies not with some foreign enemy but rather with one’s own government, and, second, that this threat is greatest during times of crisis. That is why our ancestors refused to institute a government of ... [click for more]

Is This the Wrong Time to Question Foreign Policy?

by Jacob G. Hornberger September 1, 2001

Although it is considered by many to be beyond the pale of proper discourse to discuss whether U.S. foreign policy may have contributed to the current crisis, the American people ignore this possibility at their peril. After all, if U.S. foreign policy is giving rise to terrorism against the American ... [click for more]

Introduction to The Failure of America’s Foreign Wars

by Richard M. Ebeling September 1, 2001

(Excerpted from The Failure of America’s Foreign Wars, published by The Future of Freedom Foundation in 1996) America, too, had its global calling, according to the social engineers. America should not merely be a “beacon of freedom” that would be, through its allegiance to its traditional principles of individual liberty and a free, self-governing society, ... [click for more]

More Mideast Bills

by Sheldon Richman July 1, 2000

Surveying the history of England in The Rights of Man , Thomas Paine noted that "a bystander, not blinded by prejudice nor warped by interest, would declare that taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes." The United States government has followed faithfully in England's footsteps. But ... [click for more]

Terrorism … or War?

by Jacob G. Hornberger June 1, 2000

As U.S. government officials never tire of telling us, we live in a dangerous world. Terrorism especially is an ever-constant threat, even on American soil. But is it possible that the U.S. government itself is responsible in large part for making the world unsafe for the American people? The Washington Post recently reported that during the past three ... [click for more]

Terrorism, War, and Crises

by Jacob G. Hornberger February 1, 2000

The American people survived the threat of terrorist attacks during the millennial celebrations. But fear was definitely in the air. Seattle canceled its celebration after a man was arrested at the Canadian border with bomb-making materials. New York City sealed its manhole covers in Times Square and flooded the streets with cops. Throughout December, the television talk shows featured ... [click for more]

Breeding Terrorism

by Sheldon Richman December 15, 1999

If 2000 comes in with a terrorist's bang, the blame must be squarely placed at the feet of our foreign-policy makers. Of course, the perpetrator is directly responsible for the deaths and injuries of innocent civilians, but that doesn't alter the fact that the foreign-policy establishment, from President Clinton on down, are accessories. They ... [click for more]

U.S. Acts of Terrorism

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 1, 1999

"The U.S. government is warning American citizens to beware of "terrorist" attacks all over the world, including the U.S. Our government has attacked and bombed people in Iraq, Serbia, Panama, Haiti, Somalia, and many others. Today, we have embargoes against Cuba and Iraq, which are creating misery and death for innocent ... [click for more]