Libertarians at sea

Listen to Dave’s Commentary: Libertarians at sea

Remember billionaire Peter Thiel? He founded PayPal and he’s a big believer in the entrepreneurial spirit. He’s also willing to put up some real money to prove his point.

Last May, he gave 20 genius high school students $100K each to start up companies rather than go to college.

And while he’s waiting to see how that experiment turns out, he’s also been supporting something called the Seasteading Institute.

The concept of sea steading is to homestead the sea by building cities on floating structures, like oil rigs, which would be beyond all national borders, and therefore, beyond the reach of any other country’s laws and taxes.

Floating libertarian city states. Places were Ron Paul could actually win a presidential election.

“The question of whether sea steading is desirable or possible, in my mind is not even relevant. It is absolutely necessary.”

Necessary Peter Thiel says because the world’s debts will never be paid unless we keep innovating faster and faster. But taxes and regulations he says are choking off that innovation. Only by setting up hundreds of independent countries, which will compete for settlers by offering fewer regulations and lower taxes, can you create the freedom we’ll need to survive.

“You know, the alternative is for all of us to sort of gently go into that good night, which I refuse to do.”

There are plans to launch the first floating libertarian business park off the coast of San Francisco next year. Like living on a cruise ship that never docks.