Real Dissent: A Libertarian Sets Fire to the Index Card of Allowable Opinion

Nothing makes traditional left and right kiss and make up faster than when they're faced with an articulate libertarian. Avert your eyes from this dangerous extremist, citizen! Government is composed of wise public servants who innocently pursue the common good!

In Real Dissent, Tom Woods demolishes some of the toughest critics of libertarianism in his trademark way. In doing so he strays beyond what he calls the index card of allowable opinion, the narrow range within which the media and political classes permit debate to take place in America.

Should 40% or 35% of our income be taxed? That's the kind of debate the New York Times prefers. Should our income be taxed at all? Now that's out of bounds, citizen!

In foreign policy, Americans are permitted to choose between bombing a despised country or starving its people to death. You favor peace? Why, you must be an "extremist"!

On the Federal Reserve, the debate is over which policy the Fed should pursue. But what if the Fed is itself the problem? No answer, because the question isn't raised.

Real Dissent is organized into ten parts:

• Part I: War and Propaganda
• Part II: Capitalism and Anti-Capitalism
• Part III: Libertarianism Attacked, and My Replies
• Part IV: Ron Paul and Forbidden Truths
• Part V: End the Fed
• Part VI: History and Liberty
• Part VII: When Libertarians Go Wrong [on people who don't quite get their own philosophy]
• Part VIII: Books You May Have Missed
• Part IX: Talking Liberty: Selected Tom Woods Show Interviews
• Part X: Back to Basics
• Afterword: How I Evaded the Gatekeepers of Approved Opinion

The index card of allowable opinion forces Americans into narrow and pointless debates, and closes off discussion of plausible and humane alternatives. For the sake of American liberty, it's time we set that thing on fire.

This audioboo...