Henry Olsen has an essay in the Washington Post about Tyler Cowen and the place of libertarian thought on the right.

Minor point: Olsen writes: “The holiday season marks the time in the Northern Hemisphere when the sun is farthest from the Earth and daylight is at a premium.” The earth is in fact farthest from the sun typically in midsummer; like much of what’s published in the nation’s op-ed pages, the question is one of angle.


Major point: Olsen writes: “[T]he underlying metaphysical assumption — government always bad, private action always good — pervades the thinking of most libertarians and libertarian-influenced people.” This is not true.

I would challenge Olsen to name one person — never mind most libertarians — who believes that government is always bad and private action always good. This is nonsense. It is a falsehood, and it is a disservice to the cause of useful and illuminating discourse.