The Bob Zadek Show

Of all the areas where liberties are under assault, college campuses may be the battleground with the highest stakes. This show has covered the rise of restrictive campus speech codes, which have a "chilling effect" on free thought and expression. But at the same time, resistance is growing. Students everywhere are looking for alternative outlets to the classroom, where they can voice opinions that might otherwise be silenced or punished. Student groups, comprising like-minded liberty-lovers, may be the last, best hope to keep the flame of freedom alive. Casey Given is Director of Communications for Students for Liberty, a growing network of liberty-oriented college clubs. Casey joins Bob from Washington DC to explain how SFL is empowering students to push back against their professors' not-so-hidden political agendas, and to becoming a force capable of challenging the status quo in years to come. Bob and Casey will also discuss the ever-important question of why we must defend our liberties, in spite of the relatively low short-term reward of such sacrifices.

LINKS & NOTES

Students for Liberty website

Greg Lukianoff on the Bob Zadek Show, talking about restrictive speech codes

International Students For Liberty Conference | February 26-28, 2016

Of all the areas where liberties are under assault, college campuses may be the battleground with the highest stakes. This show has covered the rise of restrictive campus speech codes, which have a "chilling effect" on free thought and expression. But at the same time, resistance is growing. Students everywhere are looking for alternative outlets to the classroom, where they can voice opinions that might otherwise be silenced or punished. Student groups, comprising like-minded liberty-lovers, may be the last, best hope to keep the flame of freedom alive. Casey Given is Director of Communications for Students for Liberty, a growing network of liberty-oriented college clubs. Casey joins Bob from Washington DC to explain how SFL is empowering students to push back against their professors' not-so-hidden political agendas, and to becoming a force capable of challenging the status quo in years to come. Bob and Casey will also discuss the ever-important question of why we must defend our liberties, in spite of the relatively low short-term reward of such sacrifices.

LINKS & NOTES

Students for Liberty website

Greg Lukianoff on the Bob Zadek Show, talking about restrictive speech codes

International Students For Liberty Conference | February 26-28, 2016

As the U.S. tires of military involvement in countries like Iraq and Syria, the vacuum of power left in our wake has created new opportunities for extreme groups like the Islamic State to seize local control. Some libertarians argue on principle that complete exit is the only solution, since prior mistakes by Western powers seem implicated in the current mess. But even if we leave, ISIS may not be content to leave the rest of the world alone. Islamic State radicals are strengthening existing strongholds in the Middle East, while expanding into North Africa and planning new ways to ignite conflict across the globe – a precursor to their stated goal of a world-wide Caliphate. To understand where the real threats lie, and the appropriate response by a weary Western world, Bob is joined by Anthony Alfidi, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, and Founder and CEO of Alfidi Capital. Alfidi served in Iraq, where he observed the preconditions to the current situation unfolding firsthand. Based on his experience and research, he believes the media is not accurately portraying the threat posed by ISIS. Regardless of your stance on U.S. foreign policy, you won't want to miss this rare opportunity to hear the perspective of a military officer, rather than the usual talking heads.

LINKS

Institute for Understanding War

Third Eye OSINT - Anthony's Finance Blog

As the U.S. tires of military involvement in countries like Iraq and Syria, the vacuum of power left in our wake has created new opportunities for extreme groups like the Islamic State to seize local control. Some libertarians argue on principle that complete exit is the only solution, since prior mistakes by Western powers seem implicated in the current mess. But even if we leave, ISIS may not be content to leave the rest of the world alone. Islamic State radicals are strengthening existing strongholds in the Middle East, while expanding into North Africa and planning new ways to ignite conflict across the globe – a precursor to their stated goal of a world-wide Caliphate. To understand where the real threats lie, and the appropriate response by a weary Western world, Bob is joined by Anthony Alfidi, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, and Founder and CEO of Alfidi Capital. Alfidi served in Iraq, where he observed the preconditions to the current situation unfolding firsthand. Based on his experience and research, he believes the media is not accurately portraying the threat posed by ISIS. Regardless of your stance on U.S. foreign policy, you won't want to miss this rare opportunity to hear the perspective of a military officer, rather than the usual talking heads.

LINKS

Institute for Understanding War

Third Eye OSINT - Anthony's Finance Blog

Libertarians don’t quite seem cut out for politics. A Republican or Democrat has occupied the White House since 1852, and the two party system shows no signs of weakening in 2016 or beyond. This election cycle, however, there is a Republican candidate with liberal social leanings, apart from his conservative views on taxes and regulation. In other words, Rand Paul is a libertarian. Robin Koerner thinks Paul will get more votes if he opts for a different label: Blue Republican. Koerner, a Cambridge polymath and UK native, made his name as an observer of American politics (he lives in the US and is becoming an American citizen), but then found a calling in rebranding the GOP with certain humane values more often expressed by the left. Koerner advocates simplifying the Republican platform to a few issues: restoring civil liberties, ending foreign wars, and slashing corporate welfare. He and Bob discuss the Blue Republican platform, and Koerner’s new project *Ready for Rand,* a PAC dedicated to winning converts to the cause of liberty, rather than arguments about libertarian principles.

LINKS

Blue Republican Radio with Robin Koerner

WatchingAmerica.com

Ready For Rand

BlueRepublican.org

Libertarians don’t quite seem cut out for politics. A Republican or Democrat has occupied the White House since 1852, and the two party system shows no signs of weakening in 2016 or beyond. This election cycle, however, there is a Republican candidate with liberal social leanings, apart from his conservative views on taxes and regulation. In other words, Rand Paul is a libertarian. Robin Koerner thinks Paul will get more votes if he opts for a different label: Blue Republican. Koerner, a Cambridge polymath and UK native, made his name as an observer of American politics (he lives in the US and is becoming an American citizen), but then found a calling in rebranding the GOP with certain humane values more often expressed by the left. Koerner advocates simplifying the Republican platform to a few issues: restoring civil liberties, ending foreign wars, and slashing corporate welfare. He and Bob discuss the Blue Republican platform, and Koerner’s new project *Ready for Rand,* a PAC dedicated to winning converts to the cause of liberty, rather than arguments about libertarian principles.

LINKS

Blue Republican Radio with Robin Koerner

WatchingAmerica.com

Ready For Rand

BlueRepublican.org

Reading recent headlines, one might start to think the world is unraveling at its seams. But dig beneath the surface of attention-grabbing press, and a different picture emerges. Consider a few surprising truths the media rarely reports: The cancer "epidemic" only appears as such because of longer lifespans. As countries get wealthier, they are able to afford a cleaner environment. GMOs have saved billions of lives. All three of these facts run counter to the doomsday narratives, so loved by sensationalist media and environmental-activists-in-scientists'-clothing alike. Award-winning Reason science correspondent Ronald Bailey has made it his mission to look honestly at the ecological impact of civilization, and correct the dire predictions of environmentalists which consistently fail to materialize. Bailey joined Bob for the full hour to discuss his new book, "The End of Doom: Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first Century." 

The End of Doom: Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first Century [Amazon]

Reading recent headlines, one might start to think the world is unraveling at its seams. But dig beneath the surface of attention-grabbing press, and a different picture emerges. Consider a few surprising truths the media rarely reports: The cancer "epidemic" only appears as such because of longer lifespans. As countries get wealthier, they are able to afford a cleaner environment. GMOs have saved billions of lives. All three of these facts run counter to the doomsday narratives, so loved by sensationalist media and environmental-activists-in-scientists'-clothing alike. Award-winning Reason science correspondent Ronald Bailey has made it his mission to look honestly at the ecological impact of civilization, and correct the dire predictions of environmentalists which consistently fail to materialize. Bailey joined Bob for the full hour to discuss his new book, "The End of Doom: Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first Century." 

The End of Doom: Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first Century [Amazon]

Two weeks ago, Bob welcomed Czech native Vit Jedlicka to the show, to discuss his nascent new country of Liberland, located in the no-man's-land between Serbia and Croatia. While Vit is busy recruiting a global legion of volunteers and ambassadors for his new country effort, a related movement is picking up steam right here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Seasteading Institute, founded in 2008 in Silicon Valley, is a nonprofit organization leading the push to populate the high seas with hundreds, or even thousands, of brand-new “startup” societies. Each “seastead” would compete for citizens like businesses compete for customers. This would force innovation, since people could “vote with their boats,” i.e., move to another seastead, if the government failed to provide services or began taxing too much. Joe Quirk is The Seasteading Institute’s Communications Director, an acclaimed author of both fiction and nonfiction, and the world’s most prolific “seavangelist.” He joins Bob live in the studio to explain why we need seasteading to reinvigorate the frontier and jumpstart both technological and political progress. Quirk’s words have inspired audiences worldwide to the cause of seasteading – and not just libertarians. His eight great moral imperatives video series made the case for a “Blue Revolution” in sustainable seafood production, under the stewardship of more efficient, innovative governance. It’s a message that should appeal to people across the political spectrum. Listen with a friend and find out you share more common ground – in the ocean – than you thought.