The Brownstone Show

Jeffrey Tucker sits down with Stephan Kinsella...libertarian attorney, author of the seminal 2001 essay “Against Intellectual Property”, and the massive treatise “Legal Foundations of a Free Society”...for a provocative discussion on why defamation (libel and slander) law should be rejected as just another form of intellectual property right. Kinsella argues that reputation is not ownable property. What others think of you cannot be controlled or turned into a legal entitlement. Defamation law, like patents, copyrights, and trademarks, rests on the flawed idea that the state should protect intangible “rights” through force. He explains how these laws create chilling effects, perverse incentives, and actually amplify the harm of false speech rather than reduce it. Topics covered include: * Why intellectual property (including trademarks and defamation) is incompatible with true property rights and free markets* The historical and common-law roots of defamation and how it morphed into reputation-as-property* How the existence of defamation lawsuits gives lies more credibility (”If it weren’t true, he would have sued”)* Free speech, threats, and the limits of state power* Private alternatives: reputation markets, certification agencies, dueling culture, caveat emptor for information, and why a truly free society would be more (not less) regulated by voluntary rules* Connections to patents destroying innovation (especially in pharma and software), NDAs, cancel culture, and the illusion of safety created by regulatory bodies like the FDA* Why “buyer beware” should apply to both products and information in a free society This is a challenging, nuanced conversation that questions deeply held assumptions about law, harm, honor, and reputation. Even if you initially disagree, Kinsella’s razor-sharp property-rights analysis will make you rethink how we handle speech, lies, and “harm” in the digital age. Guest: Stephan Kinsella Attorney, author of Against Intellectual Property (2001) and Legal Foundations of a Free Society (2023). Founder of the Center for the Study of Innovative Freedom (C4SIF). Links: Stephan Kinsella: https://stephankinsella.com Brownstone Institute: https://brownstone.orgIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe for more unfiltered discussions on liberty, law, technology, and the future of a free society. Drop your thoughts—do you think defamation should be treated as a property right, or is Kinsella right that it’s just another IP-style monopoly on ideas and opinions? Get full access to Brownstone Insights at substack.brownstone.org/subscribe

In this episode of The Brownstone Show, Jeffrey Tucker sits down with Dr. Aaron Kheriaty — psychiatrist, bioethicist, senior fellow at Brownstone Institute, and one of the most important dissident voices during the COVID era. Aaron Kheriaty was a lead plaintiff in the landmark Missouri v. Biden case (now settled), which exposed government-coordinated censorship on social media. He is also the author of The New Abnormal: The Rise of the Biosecurity State (2022) and the memoir Making the Cut. In this wide-ranging conversation, they discuss: • How COVID was never just about public health — it was a test run for a new system of surveillance, data extraction, and social control • The machinery of censorship that remains in place even after the “emergency” ended • Why AI represents the next evolution of control — and the profound ethical problems of holding algorithms accountable • Shadow banning, algorithmic manipulation, and the illusion of free speech on digital platforms • The Missouri v. Biden litigation, its settlement, and what it means for the future of the First Amendment • Section 230, common carriers, and how to restore genuine free speech online • The resurfacing of “climate lockdowns” and other forms of biosecurity-style control A deep, unflinching discussion about power, propaganda, technology, and resistance in the post-COVID world. Dr. Aaron Kheriaty’s book: The New Abnormal → https://www.amazon.com/New-Abnormal-Biomedical-Security-State/dp/B0B5M41RTW/Subscribe to Brownstone Institute for more uncensored conversations. Get full access to Brownstone Insights at substack.brownstone.org/subscribe

The Brownstone Show: When Judges Go Rogue New York attorney Bobbie Anne Flower Cox joins Jeffrey Tucker to break down two shocking federal court rulings that struck down key early achievements of RFK Jr. at HHS. In one case, a Massachusetts judge dismantled changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and rolled back reforms to the childhood vaccine schedule. In another, an Oregon judge blocked HHS efforts to stop federal funding for gender transition procedures on minors. Cox, famous for successfully challenging New York’s quarantine camp law, explains how these decisions represent serious judicial overreach, violations of separation of powers, and activist judging that ignores the executive branch’s authority and the will of voters. Topics covered:* Conflicted vaccine committees and the explosion of the childhood schedule* Procedural excuses used to override agency reforms* The fight over “gender-affirming care” for children* Nationwide injunctions and district judges acting like super-legislators* What this means for the Trump administration’s health agendaA must-watch discussion on the Constitution, checks and balances, and the battle to restore sound science and parental rights. Guest: Bobbie Anne Flower Cox, civil rights attorney & Brownstone Institute Fellow Host: Jeffrey Tucker, Brownstone Institute 🔗 Follow Bobbie Anne Cox: https://attorneycox.substack.com🔗 Brownstone Institute: https://brownstone.orgSubscribe for more uncensored conversations on freedom, law, public health, and the future of America. #RFKJr #HHS #VaccineSchedule #JudicialOverreach #SeparationOfPowers #BrownstoneInstitute #ChildTransitions Get full access to Brownstone Insights at substack.brownstone.org/subscribe

Jeffrey Tucker interviews Sonia Elijah on The Brownstone Show: 3/11 Viral Takeover! On the 6th anniversary of the WHO’s pandemic declaration, Jeffrey Tucker sits down with investigative journalist Sonia Elijah to discuss her powerful new book 3/11 Viral Takeover: On March 11, 2020, a Pandemic was Declared and Our World Changed Forever. Drawing on FOIA documents, leaked emails, timelines, and whistleblower accounts, Sonia delivers a forensic examination of the coordinated global response — from pandemic simulation exercises like Crimson Contagion and Event 201, to lockdowns, censorship via the Trusted News Initiative, conflicts of interest in SAGE and beyond, the rushed mRNA platform rollout, vaccine passports as a gateway to digital IDs, and the rise of digital authoritarianism. This is not just history — it’s a warning about what was tested on the world and what’s still unfolding. Key topics covered: * The real timeline leading to March 11, 2020* How fear and flawed models drove policy U-turns (Neil Ferguson’s Report 9)* The lab leak denial and its connection to lockdowns* PREP Act invocation, Operation Warp Speed, and known vaccine harms before EUA* Censorship of early treatments, natural immunity, and dissenting scientists* Hypocrisy of the elites and the compliance experiment* Vaccine passports → digital IDs and the push toward technocratic control Buy the book: → Paperback & Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/11-Viral-Takeo... Follow Sonia Elijah: Substack: Get full access to Brownstone Insights at substack.brownstone.org/subscribe

In this powerful edition of The Brownstone Show, Jeffrey A. Tucker sits down with Jan Jekielek, Senior Editor at The Epoch Times and host of the acclaimed American Thought Leaders series, to discuss Jan’s explosive new book Killed to Order: China’s Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America’s Biggest Adversary (released March 2026). What begins as an investigation into one of the most horrifying and under-reported crimes of our time—forced organ harvesting in China—quickly expands into a profound exploration of the battle between individual human dignity and utilitarian ideology (the “greatest good for the greatest number,” no matter the human cost). Jeffrey and Jan trace how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has industrialized organ procurement, often targeting prisoners of conscience (including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Christians, and others), creating a chilling “kill-to-order” system sustained by coercion, secrecy, and global complicity. They connect these atrocities to broader philosophical and historical patterns: from Stalin’s infamous “you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet” mindset, to the rise of utilitarian bioethics that treats human beings as collections of parts rather than bearers of inherent rights. Key topics covered include: * The erosion of Hippocratic medicine (”do no harm”) in favor of collectivist “greater good” rationales seen during COVID and beyond* How communist regimes consistently justify mass atrocities in the name of party supremacy or societal progress* Parallels between China’s system and dangerous trends in Western societies: instrumentalization of the human person, shifting definitions of death, and technocratic control impulses* The role of propaganda in sustaining myths about communism and masking its murderous core* A survivor’s testimony and whistleblower evidence that make denial increasingly difficult* Practical action steps: new bipartisan U.S. legislation (e.g., the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act reintroduced by Sen. Ted Cruz and others), grassroots efforts, and ending Western complicity through training programs, transplants, and silence This conversation is both a devastating exposé and a stirring defense of the foundational American idea that rights are endowed by the Creator—not granted (or revoked) by the state or the collective. Jeffrey and Jan reflect on the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary, the dangers of forgetting its principles, and why confronting this evil is essential to preserving freedom everywhere. If you’ve ever wondered why abstract debates about human dignity, utilitarianism, and totalitarianism matter today, this episode makes the stakes painfully clear. 📖 Get the book: Killed to Order → https://killedtoorder.com Watch the full episode now and share widely. #ForcedOrganHarvesting #China #CCP #HumanRights #Utilitarianism #Communism #Bioethics #Freedom #DignityOfThePerson #BrownstoneInstitute #AmericanThoughtLeaders #KilledToOrder Subscribe to The Brownstone Show for more unfiltered conversations on liberty, public health, philosophy, and resisting authoritarian drift. Follow Jeffrey Tucker → JeffreyTucker Follow Jan Jekielek → Jan Jekielek Brownstone Institute → https://brownstone.org Get full access to Brownstone Insights at substack.brownstone.org/subscribe

In this episode of The Brownstone Show, Jeffrey Tucker sits down with financial analyst and Brownstone Institute friend Ed Dowd to dissect the eerie parallels between the early days of the COVID-19 response in March 2020 and the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict in early 2026. Just as Trump pivoted from downplaying the virus (”it will pass”) to full-scale “eradication” mode—flattening the curve through sweeping federal power—this new war risks undermining the very economic gains Trump championed: low energy costs, affordability, and growth. Oil prices have surged dramatically (with Brent crude hovering around $100–$103 per barrel amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions and supply fears), gasoline is climbing nationwide, and markets are reeling from the shock. Dowd cuts through the noise: * The economy was already rolling over pre-conflict (revised Q4 GDP slashed to ~1.4–1.5%, AI/data center CapEx showing cracks due to power constraints and questionable ROI).* Private credit markets are cracking (JPMorgan marking down loans, retail investors fleeing illiquid assets).* Labor markets are weakening (broad job shedding across sectors in recent reports).* Housing is frozen (buyer strike, 30% overvaluation, massive gap between homes for sale vs. sold).* Global headwinds compound it all: China’s acute economic crisis (deflationary spiral, negative private investment growth, export dumping), demographics, and more. The discussion warns of demand destruction from high energy prices (deflationary in today’s context, unlike the 1970s), a potential AI/stock bubble burst, and the risks of prolonged conflict eroding Trump’s political capital ahead of midterms—echoing how COVID policies eroded trust and economic momentum. Tucker and Dowd emphasize skepticism toward “just trust the plan” narratives, highlighting how political overreach and miscalculations can cascade into profound economic pain. Whether you’re tracking markets, geopolitics, or lessons from recent history, this conversation offers sharp, data-driven insights into why this moment feels like déjà vu—and what it could mean for the U.S. and global economy. Watch now for unfiltered analysis you won’t hear in mainstream outlets. Subscribe to Brownstone Institute for more critical discussions on freedom, economics, and policy. Get full access to Brownstone Insights at substack.brownstone.org/subscribe