David Boaz Part of the Politics series on Libertarianism Schools of thought Agorism Anarcho-capitalism Geolibertarianism Left-libertarianism Minarchism Neolibertarianism Paleolibertarianism Origins Individualist anarchism Austrian School Chicago School Classical liberalism Ideas Civil liberties Free markets Laissez-faire Liberty Individualism Non-aggression Private property Self-ownership Free trade Key issues History Parties Economic views Views of rights Theories of law Politics Portal ·   v · d · e   David Boaz is the executive vice president of the influential libertarian U.S think tank the Cato Institute . He has played a key role in the development of the Cato Institute and the libertarian movement . He is the author of Libertarianism : A Primer , published in 1997 by the Free Press and described by the Los Angeles Times as `` a well-researched manifesto of libertarian ideas , `` the editor of The Libertarian Reader , and co-editor of the Cato Handbook for Congress ( 2003 ) and the Cato Handbook on Policy ( 2005 ) . He frequently discusses such topics as education choice , the growth of government , the ownership society , his support of drug legalization , and the rise of libertarianism on national television and radio shows . Boaz 's March 1988 New York Times article on the futility of the drug war generated much debate over the decriminalization of drugs . His articles have also published in the Wall Street Journal , Washington Post , Los Angeles Times , National Review , and Slate . He also has appeared on ABC 's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher , CNN 's Crossfire , NPR 's Talk of the Nation and All Things Considered , Fox News Channel , BBC , Voice of America , Radio Free Europe , and other media . Boaz , a graduate of Vanderbilt University , is the former editor of New Guard magazine and was executive director of the Council for a Competitive Economy prior to joining Cato in 1981 . Books Market Liberalism : A Paradigm for the 21st Century , Editor with Edward H. Crane , 1993 . Libertarianism : A Primer , Free Press 1997 . The Libertarian Reader , Editor , Free Press 1997 . External links Biography of David Boaz , Cato Institute . David Boaz interview by Brian Lamb at C-SPAN Booknotes . David Boaz discusses the ownership society on NPR 's All Things Considered with Robert Siegel . Categories : People related to the Cato Institute | Libertarians | Living people 