Rand Paul, Elon Musk, and several others, have recently called for an audit of the US government’s gold holdings. This has reminded many Americans that the US government owns a hoard of gold—of 261 million ounces—at Fort Knox and other places. On the other hand, the debate over the audit will be something new altogether for some who have never given much thought at all to the fact that the federal government owns approximately $750 billion in gold.

If you want medical care in a timely manner in Las Vegas, you must find a concierge doctor who is taking patients and pay $2000+ a year to be able to see the doctor and to be referred to specialists as needed.

Private schools have provided an escape hatch for parents fed up with poor quality government schooling. While the cost is considerable, parents make the sacrifice while still funding government schools with their tax dollars.

When considering the prospect of a minimal or even non-existent state, many are understandably concerned about how society would function. Doesn’t the government provide vital services “behind the scenes” that keep society running? Wouldn’t there be chaos and disorder without those services?

Over the weekend, President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk made quite a stir with just two words posted on his social media platform, X. Responding to a post that, “It’s time to leave NATO and the UN,” Musk replied, “I agree.” The comment immediately made the rounds on social media and also on mainstream and alternative media.

Joe Sobran was one of my greatest friends, and I often  thought about him over this past week, because February 23 was the anniversary of his death. He was a man of courage and of the utmost integrity. He began writing about politics for National Review, but he broke with the editor, CIA agent William F. Buckley, Jr., over his refusal to support Israel. Additionally, his own penetrating intellect had led him to find attractive the thought of Murray Rothbard, and this too Buckley could not abide, as he hated Rothbard, a hatred that even Rothbard’s death did not end.

Written in 1972, this was the first piece of Rand revisionism from the libertarian standpoint.

When Benjamin Franklin’s older brother, James, used his anti-establishment newspaper to criticize the Crown’s lax attitude towards pirating along the Atlantic coast, he was tossed in jail. Until his brother’s release, young Benjamin took control of the newspaper—an experience he certainly benefited from, professionally speaking, evidenced by his future industriousness. The incident no doubt left an indelible mark on him personally as well.

Following Donald Trump’s election victory, social media platforms were flooded with memes depicting the wailing and gnashing of teeth among Democrats bemoaning their loss. Some of these memes took a dig at the alleged historical predilection of Democrats for slavery.

[This article was originally published August 2007.]