I agree with Gary, Tom, and Stephan.  There are some things that Lew has done with the Mises Institute that I think are important:

1. It’s the ideas, stupid.  Libertarianism is not about Lew Rockwell or even Ron Paul or Murray Rothbard or anyone else.  It is about the ideas behind liberty.

2. If you say something, say it boldly.  A reader of LRC or anyone familiar with the Mises Institute material knows that there is no holding back on making statements.

3. Surround yourself with good people.  It’s not just Jeff Tucker, who I think is an amazing guy.  No, it is the entire staff at the LVMI, and I have been able to get to know these people over the 14 years I have had association with the Institute, and they are just wonderful, and absolutely competent at what they do.  One reason I love to go to the Austrian Scholars Conference is to see my friends like Norma Willock and Pat Barnett and the others.

These are just a few points, but we have to remember one other thing, and that is that Lew and the LVMI have been a forum for many of us who did not have a forum on our own.  Where else could I have been able to write 60+ articles on the Duke Lacrosse Case, and don’t think for a second that Lew did not get lambasted by some people for letting me go after Mike Nifong and Duke the way that I did.  Lew provided not only the forum, but also the cover for me, and from what the families have told me, LRC made a real difference in this case because Nifong could not control the facts we were able to throw at him.

So, I agree wholeheartedly with you guys and will say also that the LVMI throws better parties than anything I have seen at Cato and Heritage!!