Why I Sat Down for a Conversation with One of the Longest-Running Libertarian News Outlets In America
Watch some of our conversation.
We know what we are up against right now, which makes it more important than ever to think in terms of coalition. The stakes of the moment, and the nature of our nation’s problems, should compel us even more than usual to reach out to others - including those who might not agree with us - and find new forms of common ground. That urgent necessity is also a kind of opportunity.
For example, libertarians have often been at odds with Democrats, and are sometimes lazily lumped in with conservatives as if they were the same thing, when principled libertarians have a distinct set of views that sets them apart in important ways from both traditional left and right in this country. And right now, whatever disagreements we may have with libertarians in some policy realms, we can surely agree that abuses of power and unchecked federal overreach are unacceptable.
Given so much of what we’ve seen from this administration over the past year - from ICE killing US citizens in our very own streets to expanded tactics of surveillance, intimidation, and control - I wanted to engage directly with libertarians to talk about how and where we could unite.
That’s why I joined Reason, which is one of the longest-running libertarian news outlets in America, for an extended conversation about how we can find terms of coalition to push back on the Trump administration’s abuses. The point was not to minimize the differences that we might have - there are plenty, some of which emerged during the conversation - but to candidly and respectfully engage around the many areas where we can align at a time like this.
People and movements that don’t perfectly overlap can and must find common cause in defending our core American freedoms. And right now, if we’re serious about protecting the values we all hold dear, we need to build a broader alliance than any one party or side can do on its own.
Watch part of the conversation above, or catch the full discussion on YouTube.
I always appreciate your reaching out and your perspectives. Thank you.
Pete, I will always be grateful for the deep humanity you showed my family. Years ago in Portland, I was supposed to be at a house party with Bill Dickey to support you, but my son William was undergoing brain surgery instead. You took the time to record a video from that fundraiser speaking directly to my son Will in his hospital bed. That showed me exactly what Civic Grace looks like.
That moment also changed my life. It made me realize that politics isn't about national wars; it is fundamentally about public health, biological infrastructure, and protecting the next generation on our own local pavement.
I’ve had to step away from the national party system completely because the engine runs too hot, but I took the grace you showed my son and used it to help build a new local blueprint here in Oregon. We are focused purely on the science of community health (the Barker Theory) and local resilience.
Thank you for being one of the good ones in a very broken machine. I'll always respect the light you carry.