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The Libertarian

The Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin 22 Episodes Oct 8, 2026

The Libertarian features Richard Epstein offering his unique perspective on national developments in public policy and the law. It is a podcast produced by the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.

Episodes

Diesel Shock: The High Cost of Energy Isolation Oct 8, 2026 1067 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 farmer

Trump’s $5,000 Promise and the Limits of Presidential Power Oct 3, 2026 1200 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 amend

Can Trump Still Win the War With Iran? Aug 24, 2026 1227 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.

Will a Mega-Merger Save or Destroy Hollywood? Aug 20, 2026 1298 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 th

Zeus's Law: What The Odyssey Gets Right—and Wrong Aug 10, 2026 1262 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.

Richard Epstein Fixes Soccer Jul 21, 2026 2063 Can the world's most popular sport be improved? Richard Epstein thinks so, and argues that soccer's rules are overdue for reform. From red cards and penalty kicks to VAR, substitutions, stoppage time, and overtime, Epstein applies the principles of law, economics, and institutional design to the beautiful game. The result is a lively conversation about whether smarter rules could make soccer faire

Roundup at The Supreme Court Jun 29, 2026 1337 Charles C. W. Cooke and Richard Epstein break down the Supreme Court’s Roundup v. Monsanto decision, arguing that the case was widely miscast as a simple fight between big business and cancer victims. Epstein explains why the real issue was federal preemption under FIFRA, the limits of state-law warning-label lawsuits, and the danger of letting juries override regulatory judgments on complex scien

Elon Musk, Inequality, and the Politics of Envy Jun 22, 2026 1654 Richard Epstein takes on the growing obsession with billionaires, wealth taxes, and economic “justice,” arguing that making the rich poorer will not make the poor richer. Using Elon Musk’s hypothetical trillionaire status as a jumping-off point, Epstein explains why great fortunes are usually tied up in productive enterprises, not bank vaults, and why efforts to confiscate or redistribute them oft

Trump’s Iran Gamble Is Backfiring Jun 2, 2026 1328 This week, Richard Epstein weighs in on war, deterrence, and the limits of modern military strategy. Drawing lessons from World War II, Vietnam, Gaza, and the current conflict with Iran, Epstein argues that wars are either fought to win or not fought at all. He contends that America’s fear of escalation, reliance on limited objectives, and preference for negotiated settlements have produced strate

When Trump Sued Himself: The $1.776 billion Slush Fund May 29, 2026 1735 Richard Epstein analyzes the Trump administration’s controversial $1.776 billion settlement fund, arguing that it represents a profound breach of constitutional norms, public trust, and basic principles of good government. From standing doctrine and congressional power to taxation, impeachment, and the limits of executive authority, Epstein explains why he believes the scheme is legally dubious, p

A Turning Point For Section 2: SCOTUS Reins in the Voting Rights Act Apr 29, 2026 1338 Charles C. W. Cooke and Richard Epstein break down the Supreme Court’s latest Voting Rights Act decision, examining how the ruling in Louisiana v. Callais narrows the use of race in redistricting and marks a turning point in election law. Epstein argues that the Court has finally begun to rein in what he sees as decades of overreach, tracing the evolution of voting rights jurisprudence from the Ci

The Half-War Apr 11, 2026 1240 Richard Epstein examines the unfolding U.S. confrontation with Iran through both a strategic and constitutional lens, arguing that President Trump’s approach reflects a deeper tension between military necessity and political constraint. Epstein contends that limited or “half-war” measures—such as reliance on air power or pursuit of partial ceasefires—invite instability, while effective strategy de

The Slippery Slope of Social Media Liability Mar 27, 2026 1392 A Los Angeles jury has handed down a verdict stating that Meta and Google are held liable for a young woman’s psychological harm allegedly linked to social media use—along with a $6 million damages award. But what legal theory could possibly justify it? Richard Epstein dissects the case, from the limits of Section 230 to the growing push to impose liability on platforms for user behavior. Epstein

Tax the Rich . . . Until They Leave: Mamdani and Rent Control Mar 21, 2026 1637 Richard Epstein takes aim at NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s push for rent control and higher inheritance taxes, arguing that both policies punish landlords, shrink housing supply, and ultimately drive wealth—and people—out of the state. From empty apartments and collapsing incentives to interstate tax competition and capital flight, Epstein lays out a stark warning: policies that sound compassionate i

Iran, Regime Change, and the War Powers Act Mar 4, 2026 1591 Richard Epstein defends the U.S. strike on Iran as a necessary act of preemptive self-defense, arguing that waiting for an “imminent” attack would have been reckless in the face of a hostile regime pursuing nuclear capability. He also dives into the War Powers Act, executive authority, regime change, and what “victory” would actually mean—while weighing the risks of escalation against the dangers

Equal Time in an Unequal Media Environment Feb 19, 2026 1501 Richard Epstein unpacks what the equal time rule actually is, where it came from, and why it still applies to broadcast television decades after the demise of the Fairness Doctrine. He also explores the original justification for FCC regulation based on spectrum scarcity, the uneasy relationship between free speech and campaign finance law, and whether the logic behind these rules makes any sense

Can Social Media Platforms Be Held Liable for User Speech? Jan 31, 2026 1488 Can social media companies be held legally responsible for the harms caused by their users? Richard Epstein examines the surge of lawsuits targeting social media platforms, particularly claims tied to speech, adolescent harm, and platform design. Epstein explains why traditional tort law places responsibility on the individual wrongdoer rather than intermediaries, how Section 230 is meant to shiel

Trump Flirts with Price Controls Jan 15, 2026 1369 President Trump’s recent embrace of economic proposals run sharply against free-market orthodoxy, exploring three headline-grabbing ideas: capping credit-card interest rates, banning institutional investors from buying single-family homes, and restricting dividends and stock buybacks by defense contractors. Why is a Republican president is advancing policies more commonly associated with progressi

Who Decides When America Goes to War? Dec 19, 2025 1629 Who actually decides when the United States goes to war—Congress or the president? Richard Epstein traces the Constitution’s original division of war powers from 1789 to the present and explain how practice, politics, and modern warfare have steadily shifted authority toward the presidency. Along the way, they explore declarations of war that never happen, authorizations that never expire, emergen

Can the President Fire Anyone? SCOTUS Hears Arguments in Trump v. Slaughter Dec 10, 2025 2075 Richard Epstein does a deep into the Supreme Court’s latest showdown: Trump v. Slaughter, a case that could redefine presidential removal power and the future of independent agencies like the FTC. Epstein walks through the constitutional history — from the Founding to Humphrey’s Executor to modern administrative courts — and explains how the Court’s interpretation of Article II has evolved, splint

Trump’s War on Narco Boats Dec 3, 2025 1393 Richard Epstein examines the constitutional, statutory, and international-law implications of the Trump administration’s recent strikes on vessels in the Caribbean alleged to be transporting “narco-terrorists.” Epstein outlines the traditional separation of war powers, emphasizing the limits on unilateral executive action and the enduring constraints imposed by international norms governing the us

Is Gerrymandering Unconstitutional? Nov 24, 2025 1207 Gerrymandering is back in the headlines — and this time, the political map wars in Texas and California are colliding with the courts, the Constitution, and the future of American democracy. Richard Epstein explains the history of gerrymandering, how modern technology turbocharges it, and why recent Supreme Court rulings have made the problem even harder to fix. From Texas judges tossing out new m

Can the President Declare a Trade ‘Emergency’? On the Supreme Court’s Tariff Case Oct 31, 2025 1662 Richard Epstein delves into one of the most consequential Constitutional questions of our time: can the president unilaterally impose tariffs under emergency powers? With the Supreme Court set to review Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPA) to levy trade barriers, Epstein explains what the Constitution actually says about tariffs, how far Congress can delegat

The End of Hamas? Richard Epstein on Israel’s Path Forward Oct 15, 2025 1467 Richard Epstein discusses Donald Trump’s surprise ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Richard argues it’s not peace but a pause—born of Israel’s decisive military campaign and Hamas’s collapse. He explains how Netanyahu, Trump, and shifting Middle East alliances created a fragile new order, and why Gaza’s future now depends on demilitarization, reconstruction, and realism.

Trump v. Kimmel Sep 25, 2025 1392 Richard Epstein dives into the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel, the FCC, and free speech. Using the recent dust-up as a starting point, Epstein traces the history of the Federal Communications Commission from its origins in the 1930s through landmark cases like Red Lion. He explains how government licensing of the broadcast spectrum opened the door to censorship, distortion, and inefficiency—

Posse Comitatus: Trump, Troops, and the Limits of Presidential Power Sep 3, 2025 1583 Richard Epstein analyzes Justice Breyer’s ruling on Trump’s use of federal troops in Los Angeles. They explore the Posse Comitatus Act, the limits of presidential emergency powers, and why the courts often avoid tough factual questions—raising big issues about federal vs. state authority and executive overreach.

Surf's Up: Roman Law and Beach Houses Aug 21, 2025 1567 Richard Epstein explains why policy around laws governing coastal property rights and construction is grounded in ancient Roman natural law. In addition, he argues for coordinated, state-facilitated seawalls that preserve views and access and, where necessary, for using condemnation (and compensation) rather than forbidding owners to protect already-developed properties under a sweeping public-tru

Israel vs. New York Times Aug 7, 2025 1976 On episode 3, Charles C. W. Cooke asks Richard Epstein about Israel's potential defamation suit against the New York Times. Can a country sue a newspaper? Where would such a case be heard? Does it matter that Israel is a "public figure"? Could "actual malice" be proved? Would the New York Times want to settle? Does its non-retraction update help, or worsen, its position?

Trump and Executive Power Jul 24, 2025 1876 On episode two of the new The Libertarian podcast, Richard Epstein talks to Charles C. W. Cooke about executive power. What does the Constitution say about it? How has it evolved? What space is there for executive discretion? Can the president fire everyone in his branch for whatever reason? Has Congress abdicated its responsibility?

Immigration Jul 17, 2025 1387 The libertarian is back. On this first episode of the new series, Richard Epstein talks to host Charles C. W. Cooke about immigration. What powers was the federal government given over this area? What—and why—did those powers change? Can the states fill any gaps? What due process are immigrants entitled to?

The Libertarian

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