The Polemicus Society
I am not one of those who say that the advocates of protectionism are motivated by self-interest. Instead, I believe that the opposition to free trade rests upon errors, or, if you prefer, upon half-truths. The mistrust of free trade is quite sincere.
— Frédéric Bastiat
Are you:
A conservative who thinks that tax increases, sweeping industrial subsidies, more powerful unions, new regulations, and large tariffs are antithetical to your values?
Do you lament the emergence of a “New Right” that embraces those anti-market policies?
Do you believe that the New Right sincerely wants to save America, but is going about it all wrong? In other words, do you reject fatalism, and believe that arguments still matter?
Do you want to hone your ability to make effective pro-free market arguments to combat the economic “half-truths” of the New Right and the Big Government Left?
We’re focused on one thing: improving our members’ ability to engage in “free market polemics.”
In other words, we want to get better at using reason and persuasion to argue against government interventions in the economy. We’re not here to promote any particular flavor of conservatism or develop a new one. Our members won’t always agree on when to defend markets, but together they will learn how to do so effectively.
We stage debates, but not the kind meant for public entertainment. Instead, they are workshops for pro-free market conservatives to develop their arguments. Two members, chosen ahead of time to dig deep into the pro- and anti-market positions on an assigned topic, hold a mock debate, pausing for the group to weigh in whenever a free market rebuttal feels inadequate.
In public debates between opposing sides, the goal is to win, so each side is incentivized to steer the conversation away from its weakest points. We want to do the opposite and seek out objections that we’re least comfortable dealing with so that we can work through them together and be better prepared to go out and win these debates among conservatives and in the public arena.
Sign up to be invited to our next event on Capitol Hill:
Ideal participants will:
Largely agree with the free market worldview. This doesn’t mean being a “libertarian” in every controversial edge case (child tax credits, drug legalization, immigration), but it does mean having a bias toward liberty on economic questions.
Be involved in the DC policy process or be a student who plans to get involved soon.
Be eager to actively participate in the debates.