What authority should government have over our actions?

The ability to interact peacefully and voluntarily provides individuals a better quality of life.

  • In classical liberal philosophy, voluntary action says the scope of legitimate government authority is extremely narrow.
  • While not all classical liberals agree on immigration policy, the question remains: What right does a government have to stop someone from moving to another country should they so choose?
  • As an immigrant, himself, Georgetown University professor Peter Jaworski invites us to consider the freest countries in the world and examine the economic freedom and civil liberties their citizens enjoy.
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Why factory farms are a "perfect storm" for disease pandemics

We've known this virus was coming. We just didn't do anything about it.

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  • As far back as 2007, researchers warned about a novel coronavirus emerging from SARS.
  • Long before that, experts knew that factory farms create the conditions for pandemics.
  • Pandemics will be part of our lives as long as we continue our current methods of meat production.
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How various levels of social distancing can decrease the spread of COVID-19

Understanding the math behind social distancing.

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  • Proper social distancing includes staying 6ft (2m) away from other people, avoiding all non-essential gatherings or crowds, and working from home if possible.
  • During the COVID-19 incubation period of 5 days, each infected person can infect 2.5 more people.
  • Using this math, it's easy to determine how many people will go on to be infected after the initial person contracted COVID-19 using various levels of social distancing (0%, 50% and 75% examples are found in this article).
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5 lessons we can all learn from the coronavirus crisis

Sometimes the best way to make changes is when you're in the middle of a challenging time.

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  • While no one knows the future, implementing lifestyle changes now can prepare you for returning to a post-coronavirus society.
  • Boredom has long been a powerful catalyst for creativity and should not be viewed in the negative.
  • Spending more time in the kitchen, walking, and being more thoughtful online can be practiced right now.
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The tech shift: Push politicians for answers, and develop your digital literacy

Tech is rising and America's middle class is vanishing. Here's what to do.

  • The rise of new technologies is making the United States more economically unequal, says Professor Ramesh Srinivasan. Americans should be pushing the current presidential candidates hard for answers on how they will bring economic security and how they will ensure that technological transitions benefit all of us.
  • "We are at an inflection point when it comes to top-down control over very many different aspects of our lives through privatized corporate power over technology," says Srinivasan. Now is the time to debate solutions like basic income and worker-owned cooperatives.
  • Concurrently, individuals should develop digital literacy and get educated on the potential solutions. Srinivasan recommends taking free online and open courses from universities like Stanford and MIT, and reading books and quality journalism on these issues.
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