Prof. Randy Barnett Reveals the TRUE Meaning of Justice

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 and political biases in academia and ends with lighthearted “Silly Questions.”

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