The Democrats’ New Rhetoric of Freedom

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When Biden dropped out of the presidential race and Harris took over, we witnessed not just a change in candidate, but a change in rhetoric. Harris’s campaign began talking in the language of “freedom” and “liberty.” Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, contrasted himself with the meddlesome social conservatism of JD Vance by saying he was for “minding your own business.”

For those of us who have long championed a politics of radical liberty, this was met by both enthusiasm and suspicion. Enthusiasm, because it’s good for the country to have a major party talking in those terms, especially as the GOP has abandoned anything like a commitment to political and social liberty. Suspicion because, despite all there talk, there are plenty of ways Harris and Walz want the government to get in the way of minding your own business.

To talk about this shift, and the opportunities it might offer to better make the case for radical liberalism, I'm joined by ⁠Joshua Eakle⁠, co-founder and president of ⁠Project Liberal⁠.

Produced by Landry Ayres. Podcast art by Sergio R. M. Duarte. Music by Kevin MacLeod.