Join host Big John on The Big Questions with Big John as he interviews Professor Randy Barnett, a leading libertarian legal scholar and originalist. This episode explores Barnett’s journey from a Chicago prosecutor to a Georgetown University law professor, his views on justice, and his influential book, A Life for Liberty. Topics include his childhood in Calumet City, the evolution of his libertarian philosophy, his time as a prosecutor, and his transition to academia. Barnett also explains originalism—keeping the Constitution’s meaning fixed unless amended—and its real-world implications. The conversation covers immigration, political biases in academia, and ends with lighthearted “Silly Questions.”
The Big Questions with Big John is an interview show where our own preeminent libertarian Big John gets the opportunity to have conversations with interesting people from all walks of life.
Rumble and Mobile users: click here to view video
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to The Big Questions with Big John
00:01:17 Welcoming Professor Randy Barnett
00:02:00 Growing Up in Calumet City, Illinois
00:04:33 Facing Anti-Semitism as a Jewish Kid
00:06:33 Parallels with Big John’s Childhood
00:08:18 Reflecting on Anti-Semitism Experiences
00:11:41 The Formative Role of School Band
00:13:33 College Years and Discovering Philosophy
00:16:33 Embracing Libertarianism in College
00:19:21 Need for Libertarian Theory Updates
00:22:21 Transition to Prosecutor Career
00:26:12 Libertarianism and Law Enforcement
00:29:34 Moving from Prosecutor to Academia
00:33:30 Political Bias in Universities
00:36:18 Barnett’s Right-Leaning Libertarianism
00:41:01 Ideal vs. Real-World Libertarianism
00:46:48 Balancing Idealism and Practicality
00:49:30 What is Constitutional Originalism?
00:55:32 Linguistic Drift in the Constitution
00:58:37 Opposition to Originalism
00:59:08 Silly Questions Segment
 |  |  |  |
 | |  | |
