The Libertarian

Why are diesel prices soaring, and why doesn’t American energy independence shield consumers from global shocks? Richard Epstein discusses how war, restrictions on pipelines, and strained international relationships affect energy supplies. He also looks at the limits of energy self-sufficiency, the risks of disrupting global trade, and why expanding supply is essential to easing pressure on farmers, businesses, and households.

Richard Epstein examines Trump’s proposal to send Americans $5,000 checks, questioning who would pay, whether the giveaway makes economic sense, and what congressional approval it would require. He discusses the difference between political promises and bribery, the constitutional limits on presidential spending, and the electoral risks of sweeping cash giveaways and whether a constitutional amendment should impose an upper age limit on presidents.

Richard Epstein takes a look at Trump’s war with Iran and a strategy Epstein sees as dangerously muddled. From the Strait of Hormuz and soaring geopolitical stakes to Trump’s faith in dealmaking, Epstein argues that half-measures have turned a potentially decisive conflict into a grinding war of attrition—with consequences that could reshape America’s alliances and the global balance of power.

Richard Epstein unpacks the antitrust battle over the proposed Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery merger—and what it reveals about the changing economics of Hollywood. From AI and labor unrest to regulatory overreach and interstate competition, Epstein argues that the industry’s real threat isn’t consolidation but rapid technological and economic disruption, making the case that blocking the deal could do more harm than good.

Richard Epstein and Charles C. W. Cooke discuss Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey—its departures from Homer, its moral themes, and its spectacular scale. They also explore aesthetics, virtue, Greek and Roman law, and the relationship between ordinary moral intuition and formal legal reasoning.