The Tom Woods Show

During the critical year of 2007, between the end of the housing bubble and the onset of the financial crisis, major officials of the Federal Reserve made claims that appear to have been designed more to prop up confidence in a shaky system than to give real insight into what was actually happening. These people were supposed to be the country's experts on the topics involved, and they could not have been more consistently wrong. Why? Sponsor: Away Show notes for Ep. 1376

José Niño returns to discuss the most common myths of gun control. Before that, I spend some time talking about the fifth volume of Conceived in Liberty, which will be released sometime this year. It takes Murray Rothbard's history of the United States, which he never completed but which began with extensive coverage of the colonial period in the first four volumes, up through 1791. I share my impressions of the manuscript, and Rothbard's coverage of a historical episode that everyone else got wrong until 2002, but Rothbard had somehow figured out in the 1970s. Show notes for Ep. 1375

This episode reviews some of the key moments and claims from the Russiagate fiasco, to help clarify just what a damning indictment of the media it truly is. Show notes for Ep. 1374

Scott Horton, the great libertarian foreign policy expert, brings us up to date on the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen as well as the ongoing peace talks in Afghanistan. We touch a bit on Syria and on Russiagate as well. Any episode with Scott is indispensable, and this one is no exception. Show notes for Ep. 1373

By popular demand, Michael Malice and I discuss the political terms "left" and "right" -- are they meaningful? If so, what do they mean? Do libertarians belong somewhere on that continuum? Show notes for Ep. 1372

The year 2019 hasn't been a good one for the news media -- and now the Mueller report, which failed to find evidence of "collusion" between the Trump campaign and Russia, has just hit like a 10-megaton bomb. Mike Cernovich and I survey the wreckage. Show notes for Ep. 1371

The "social contract," which we are said to have consented to "implicitly," is the primary way we hear the state justified. Our opponents on social media seem to consider this a devastating reply, as if we've never heard it before. Taxation isn't theft because we've all agreed to it via the social contract, they say. Uh huh. Sure. This episode puts the social contract through the shredder. Show notes for Ep. 1370

Some of my favorite conversations on or off the air are with Catholic publisher Roger McCaffrey (who's the godfather to two of our daughters, incidentally). In addition to being very knowledgeable about a great many things, he is a man of impeccable judgment, such that whenever I need advice I nearly always contact Roger first. In this bonus episode he and I discuss the Francis papacy, the next conclave, the five living people who have most influenced me, and plenty more. It's such a fun discussion. Show notes for Ep. 1369

David Stockman, who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under Ronald Reagan, and who's been a great friend of the Tom Woods Show, returns to discuss his new book, Peak Trump: The Undrainable Swamp and the Fantasy of MAGA. We discuss John McCain (Stockman pulls no punches), the Fed, Trump's economics, Russiagate, and more. Show notes for Ep. 1368

Cambridge University has rescinded a fellowship offer extended to Jordan Peterson, probably the best-known and most followed academic in Canada's history. He hit back in his characteristic style. Show notes for Ep. 1367

On a previous episode I predicted that the Democrats would not let the transformation of the Supreme Court stand, and would instead try to revive the idea of packing the Court. I was right. In this episode I discuss the history behind the number of justices on the Court, the FDR Court-packing episode, and current proposals from Democratic officials. Sponsor: Skillshare Show notes for Ep. 1366

You'll never guess what your host did that outraged the delightful "left-libertarian" wing of our little movement this time, but it speaks volumes. I also discuss the ongoing Tulsi Gabbard situation. Show notes for Ep. 1365

Professor Alex Salter discusses his provocative article for The American Conservative: "Why True Conservatism Means Anarchy." Sponsor: Blinkist Show notes for Ep. 1364

This one just won't go away. Even people who should know better unthinkingly repeat this one. Here's what's wrong with this claim. Sponsor: Policy Genius Show notes for Ep. 1363

Frank Karsten returns to discuss myths of discrimination that virtually everyone believes, and which tend to empower the state. Show notes for Ep. 1362

Mike Cernovich has just released Hoaxed, a superb documentary about the media and how it distorts the news, influences public opinion, and demonizes dissidents. The result: a must-listen episode of the Tom Woods Show. Show notes for Ep. 1361

I discuss the difficulties and bad consequences of wealth redistribution, both within a country (welfare programs) and between countries (foreign aid). Show notes for Ep. 1360

Gene Epstein returns to discuss the economic side of the brand of nationalist conservatism that's been developing under Trump. Will it help the people it claims to be looking out for? Show notes for Ep. 1359 - https://tomwoods.com/1359

Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, joins me to discuss the poor record of post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy. How has the foreign policy elite managed to isolate itself from real-world consequences for these failures? How can we insert sensible ideas into a conversation that always takes for granted the necessary for intervention and hegemony? Show notes for Ep. 1358

People say libertarians aren't interested in good news, and that bad news sells. I'm not sure I buy that, or that that's a specifically libertarian trait. Regardless, I have good news today. Today's episode is a tribute to two partially unsung heroes of liberty. Official Libertarianism pretends they do not exist, which is further evidence of their goodness and importance. Sponsor: Skillshare Show notes for Ep. 1357