When the president does it, that means it is not illegal.

When the president does it, that means it is not illegal.

"What freedom does a starving man have?" The answer is that starvation is a tragic human condition- perhaps more tragic read more

"What freedom does a starving man have?" The answer is that starvation is a tragic human condition- perhaps more tragic than loss of freedom. That does not prevent these from being two different things.

If we truly cared about our children and future generations, instead of demagoging about them, we'd worry more about saving read more

If we truly cared about our children and future generations, instead of demagoging about them, we'd worry more about saving liberty than saving Social Security.

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright read more

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.

The conception that government should be guided by majority opinion makes sense only if that opinion is independent of government. read more

The conception that government should be guided by majority opinion makes sense only if that opinion is independent of government. The ideal of democracy rests on the belief that the view which will direct government emerges from an independent and spontaneous process. It requires, therefore, the existence of a large sphere independent of majority control in which the opinions of the individuals are formed.

Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage.

Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage.

Power always has to be kept in check; power exercised in secret, especially under the cloak of national security, is read more

Power always has to be kept in check; power exercised in secret, especially under the cloak of national security, is doubly dangerous.

I personally call the type of government which can be removed without violence 'democracy,' and the other, 'tyranny.'.

I personally call the type of government which can be removed without violence 'democracy,' and the other, 'tyranny.'.

Both free speech rights and property rights belong legally to individuals, but their real function is social, to benefit vast read more

Both free speech rights and property rights belong legally to individuals, but their real function is social, to benefit vast numbers of people who do not themselves exercise these rights.