The Reason Roundtable

This week, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller to discuss why public schools have lost 1.4 million students since the pandemic even as their budgets have grown. They examine the rise of school choice, microschools, and other alternatives to traditional public education. They discuss why families are increasingly opting out and whether declining enrollment will finally force public schools to rethink how they operate.

The panel then discusses Vice President J.D. Vance's proposal to make federal childcare subsidies available to married couples with a stay-at-home parent. They also reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and the ways the government's response permanently changed American life, from the formation of the Transportation Security Administration to warrantless surveillance and the growth of the national security state. Finally, a listener asks whether recent food safety scares can be blamed on cuts to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and how markets could keep food safe with a much smaller regulatory role.

0:00—School choice is winning.

25:12—Federal subsidies for stay-at-home parents

39:15—Listener question on the FDA and food safety

46:59—What has changed most since 9/11?

57:20—Weekly cultural recommendations

The Reason Roundtable's 10th Anniversary—Live in NYC! October 7

"We Have Already Passed Peak Public School," by Matt Welch

"American Public Schools Lost 1.4 Million Students Since COVID. Their Budgets Grew by 34% Anyway," by Tosin Akintola

"The Rise of Florida's 'Microschools,'" by Zach Weissmueller

"Why I Left California for Florida," by Zach Weissmueller

"Does School Choice Help Students Learn? All Signs Point To Yes," by Nick Gillespie

"The Decade of Decline in Seattle Public Schools," by Sandeep Kaushik

"Trump Officials Draft Plan to Pay At-Home Parents, Using Funds for Working Ones," by Coral Davenport

"Storks Don't Take Orders From the State," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Make America Fertile Again: The Strange Bedfellows of the New Baby Boom Agenda," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"J.D. Vance and the Politics of Victimhood," by Stephanie Slade

"Study: Even Well-Intentioned Regulators Do More Harm Than Good," by J.D. Tuccille

The post Why Public Schools Lost 1.4 Million Students appeared first on Reason Magazine.

On this special edition of The Reason Roundtable, Senior Editor Robby Soave is joined by Associate Editor Liz Wolfe, reporter Reem Ibrahim, and Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller to discuss President Donald Trump's latest threat to use the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) against Meet the Press host Kristen Welker. They debate Trump's willingness to use government power against speech he dislikes, whether the FCC has become obsolete in the age of digital media, and what the president's attacks on the press say about the Republican Party's commitment to free speech.

The panel also discusses Trump's escalating war with Iran, Meta's $17 billion settlement over alleged harms to children and whether parents or the government should be responsible for limiting kids' social media use, and the deportation of Milo Yiannopoulos amid his feud with Laura Loomer.

0:00—Trump wants the FCC to punish Welker

13:58—U.S. and Iran trade strikes in the Strait of Hormuz

23:56—Meta settles lawsuit for $17 billion

45:15—Yiannopoulos gets deported

52:08—Weekly cultural recommendations

The Reason Roundtable's 10th Anniversary—Live in NYC! October 7

"Trump Declared NBC's Kristen Welker Will Be 'Reported To the FCC For Rebuke or Punishment'," by Liz Wolfe

"A Liberal Think Tank and an Air Force Major Are Trump's Latest Targets for Speech Policing," by Joe Lancaster

"What Craigslist and Backpage Can Tell Us About the Meta Settlement," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Haidt's Moment," by Liz Wolfe

"9/11 Turbocharged America's Worst Foreign Policy Impulses—but Didn't Change Its Direction," by Emma Ashford

"Milo Yiannopoulos Wanted Millions Deported. He Didn't Mean Himself," by Billy Binion

The post Trump Wants the FCC To Punish His Enemies appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by Reason Senior Editor Robby Soave to discuss the national debt hitting $40 trillion and whether decades of fiscal irresponsibility are finally beginning to have consequences. They examine how the debt doubled in less than a decade, why federal spending continues to outpace revenue, and whether turmoil in the bond market could force politicians to take deficits seriously. They also consider why both parties abandoned the fiscal restraint that helped produce balanced budgets in the 1990s and what it would take to reverse course.

The editors also discuss President Donald Trump's escalating trade war with Canada and his administration's refusal to return tariff revenue collected illegally, the growing bipartisan backlash against AI data centers, and whether economic growth can realistically help America escape its debt problem. They examine the government's case against Meta and the latest effort to blame social media for harms to children, then turn to calls for restrictions on journalists following the death of Cambridge professor Jason Arday. Finally, a listener asks whether AI could shrink the federal workforce and dramatically reduce the cost of government.

0:00—National debt hits $40 trillion

15:26—Canadian trade war intensifies

26:37—Backlash to data centers

41:52—Listener question on AI and the federal workforce

53:27—Jason Arday and speech regulations

1:03:08—Weekly cultural recommendations

The Reason Roundtable's 10th Anniversary—Live in NYC! October 7

"$40 Trillion and Parents' Night Out," by Liz Wolfe

"Why We Need To Shrink the National Debt, and Fast!" by Nick Gillespie

Nick Gillespie on X: "For those of us concerned about national debt, here is federal spending and revenue expressed as pct. of GDP and per capita in 2017 dollars. We are spending too much, not taxing too little."

"How many civilian jobs are in the US federal government?" by USA Facts

"Trump Imposes Harmful and Illegal Section 338 Tariffs Against Many Canadian Imports," by Ilya Somin

"Bad Reasons and Worse Reasons to Hate Data Centers," by Robby Soave

"Data Centers Are Doing Your Dirty Work for You," by Christian Britschgi

"Sen. Ed Markey doesn't know what AI he is using," by Taylor Lorenz

"Censors Seize on Jason Arday's Death as Excuse To Demand More Censorship," by Reem Ibrahim

"Tony Is an Anthony Bourdain Origin Story," by Peter Suderman

"Travel Shows Were Boring as Fuck. Then Came Anthony Bourdain," by Todd Krainin

The post How Did America Get $40 Trillion in Debt? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman,  Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by reporter Reem Ibrahim to discuss whether America can afford Medicare for All and the broader Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) agenda. They examine the enormous cost of expanding government-run health care, why taxing billionaires wouldn't come close to covering the bill, and what the experiences of the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and other countries reveal about the tradeoffs of universal health care. They also consider whether either major political party is prepared to confront America's growing deficits and looming fiscal crisis.

The editors then turn to the DSA's growing influence within the Democratic Party and the pushback from Democrats wary of socialism. They discuss President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce America's military presence abroad, including his decision to pull back from exercises with South Korea, and whether his approach represents a genuine foreign policy retrenchment or simply more erratic decision making. The panel also makes the case for giving children more independence and questions laws that punish parents for letting their kids play outside unsupervised. Finally, a listener asks when, during each panelist's lifetime, the government has been most effective and worked best for the American people.

0:00—Medicare for All and American health care

19:12—The DSA's influence in the Democratic Party

28:58—Trump cancels joint military exercises in South Korea

36:21—Listener question on government effectiveness

46:34—The case for free-range parenting

54:39—Weekly cultural recommendations

The Reason Roundtable's 10th Anniversary—Live in NYC! October 7

"The DSA's Agenda Could Cost More Than $200 Trillion—and You'll Be Picking Up the Tab," by Reem Ibrahim

"Socialists Claim Public Libraries Are Examples of Their Policies. Don't Believe Them," by J.D. Tuccille

"Hong's Swan Song," by Liz Wolfe

"It Can Happen Here," by Arnold Kling, David R. Henderson, and Maurice McTigue

"Trump's Assault on Judicial Review Undermines a Crucial Safeguard Against Tyranny," by Jacob Sullum

"The War on Free-Range Kids Makes The New York Times," by Lenore Skenazy

"In Widow's Bay, the Real Monster Is Utilitarianism," by Christian Britschgi

The post Who Pays for Medicare for All? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's admission that "Woke 1 was crazy" and whether the Democratic Socialists of America's (DSA) new focus on affordability represents a genuine break from the politics of 2020. They debate whether progressives have actually moved on from the excesses of the pandemic era, whether the DSA's economic agenda is any more workable, and why affordability has become such a potent message on the left.

The editors also examine how the cost of living is driving infighting on the right, from the online battle over $20 burritos to the larger splits over tariffs, immigration, and the Iran war. They discuss President Donald Trump's latest attempt to end birthright citizenship and what the Jason Arday plagiarism scandal at Cambridge University says about academia's lingering ideological problems. Finally, a listener asks whether enormous CEO pay packages and widespread layoffs undermine the case for capitalism.

0:00—Ocasio-Cortez says "Woke 1 was crazy"

15:19—Conservatives debate the cost of burritos

28:49—Trump's birthright citizenship order

33:12—Listener question on capitalism

46:08—Arday scandal and resignation

55:54—Weekly cultural recommendations

Nick Gillespie discusses THC, INC., on Tuesday, August 11, in New York City. Tickets are free but must be reserved.

"The Socialist Surge Revives Failed and Hateful Ideas," by J.D. Tuccille

"The 'Affordability' Agenda That Taxes Your Dinner," by C. Jarrett Dieterle

"Can You Imagine a Future Where Adults Don't Believe in Socialism?" by Steven Greenhut

"Socialist Moment," by Peter Suderman

"Abdul El-Sayed Says He's Not a Socialist. His Policy Agenda Says Otherwise," by Robby Soave

"Socialists Are Trying To Take Hold of the Democratic Party—and They're Winning," by Zach Weissmueller

"The GOP Is Warning About Socialism While Quietly Embracing It," by Veronique de Rugy

"Francesca Hong's Hateful Holidays, Burrito Prices, and Woke 1.0," by Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi

"A Burrito Costs How Much?" by Eric Boehm

"A Viral Tweet Set Off a Discourse on $20 Burritos. Here's the Truth About Inflation," by Reem Ibrahim

"Trump's New Birthright Citizenship Executive Orders Are Mostly Theater," by Billy Binion

"Trump Issues Another Unconstitutional Executive Order Targeting Birthright Citizenship," by Ilya Somin

"The Trump Administration Promises the 'Largest Denaturalization Effort Ever,'" by Billy Binion

"Rethinking the Social Responsibility of Business," by Milton Friedman, John Mackey, and T.J. Rodgers

"Milton Friedman Accused of Making Corporations Greedy," by Brian Doherty

"Phil Magness: Holding Leftists and Libertarians Accountable," by Nick Gillespie

"The 1619 Project Unrepentantly Pushes Junk History," by Phillip W. Magness

"What The New York Times' 1619 Project Gets Wrong About Capitalism: Phillip Magness," by Nick Gillespie

"One Night Only Is a Rare Rom-Com About Regulation," by Peter Suderman

The post Are Socialists Actually Leaving Wokeness Behind? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch are joined by Associate Editor Liz Wolfe to discuss whether democratic socialism is gaining ground beyond the coasts and what the rise of candidates like Francesca Hong and Abdul El-Sayed means for the future of the Democratic Party.

Next, the editors discuss President Donald Trump's decision to restart talks with Iran and the continuing political fallout from the conflict. They then debate the proposed Warner Bros.-Paramount merger and whether the government should intervene to block it. Finally, the panel revisits the COVID-19 response in the wake of Anthony Fauci's appearance before Congress and asks what lessons, if any, America has learned from the pandemic.

0:00—Democratic socialism goes national

26:57—Trump restarts talks with Iran

34:28—Listener question on Warner Bros.-Paramount merger

53:07—Fauci's appearance before Congress

1:04:39—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Friends Like These," by Liz Wolfe

"Study Says Foxconn Deal Cost Wisconsin $20 Billion in Lost Economic Growth," by Veronique de Rugy

"Trump Backs Down From Yet Another Empty Threat to Iran," by Matthew Petti

"12 States Sue, Call Paramount–Warner Bros. Merger an Antitrust Violation," by Joe Lancaster

"Paramount's Acquisition of Warner Bros. Wouldn't Be the End of Hollywood or Press Freedom," by Jack Nicastro

"Mergers and Disquisitions," by Nick Gillespie

"Don't Sweat Comcast/NBC, Either," by Matt Welch

"The 2024 Campaign Was an Embarrassment for Elite Media," by Matt Welch

"Reasons not to sweat AOL-Time Warner--and other megadeals," by Nick Gillespie

"Another Merger That Didn't Require Antitrust: Time Warner to Ditch Time," by Matt Welch

"What Anthony Fauci's Defenders (and Critics) Get Wrong," by Robby Soave

"Anthony Fauci Refuses to Answer Rand Paul's Questions After Diary Disclosures Go Viral," by Robby Soave and Amber Duke

"At Senate Hearing, Fauci Takes the Fifth To Avoid Accounting for Inconsistent Statements About a Lab Leak," by Christian Britschgi

"What Anthony Fauci's Diary Reveals About COVID," by Robby Soave

"We Will Regret Not Taking the Economic Effects of Mass Quarantine More Seriously," by Nick Gillespie

"In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a Web Slinging Superhero Grows Up," by Peter Suderman

The post Is Democratic Socialism Going National? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss whether the Democratic Socialists of America's (DSA) growing influence reflects a serious governing vision or a political movement driven more by symbolism than workable policy. They discuss the DSA's platform, the future of Medicare for All, and what the rise of democratic socialism could mean for the Democratic Party ahead of the midterms.

They also examine President Donald Trump's decision to hit pause on military action against Iran, discuss former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan's return to politics, and make the case for deregulating peptides. Finally, they answer a listener question about what The Odyssey says about liberalism.

0:00—Do Democrats have a socialism problem?

12:53—The DSA's policy agenda

25:31—Trump pauses Iran strikes

32:10—Listener question on The Odyssey

43:56—Deregulating peptides

50:22—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Zohran Mamdani Tells Jon Stewart Socialism Is Just Having a Library," by Robby Soave

"For Thousands of New York City Apartment Buildings, the Math Doesn't Math," by Christian Britschgi

"The DSA, MAGA, and the New Policy Nihilism," by Peter Suderman

"Nobody Likes Red Tape, Not Even Mamdani," by Meagan O'Rourke

"Mamdani's Zombie Apartment Nightmare," by Christian Britschgi

"Waltz: Interceptor Shortage Is Biden's Fault, Fake News, and Illegal To Discuss," by Matthew Petti

"Pentagon Death Numbers," by Liz Wolfe

"Trump Can't Just Pretend Iran War Casualties Don't Count," Joe Lancaster

"Trump's Newest Tariffs Are Likely Illegal Too," by Eric Boehm

"Tariff Man," by Peter Suderman

"Disillusioned Revolutionaries: Many Founders Died in Despair About the American Experiment," by Matt Welch

"The Energy Department Admits the OMB Canceled Grants 'Solely' To Punish Trump's Political Opponents," by Jacob Sullum

The post The Democrats Have a Socialism Problem appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss the escalating war with Iran and whether President Donald Trump has any way to bring the conflict under control. The panel examines the deaths of American service members, rising gas prices, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and the lack of a clear objective for a war that has continued despite repeated attempts at ceasefires.

Next, the editors discuss Trump's new tariffs on Brazil and the increasingly incoherent use of trade policy to pursue unrelated political goals. They then examine Trump's primetime address on election security and whether his efforts to change election rules ahead of the midterms should be taken seriously. The panel also considers the growing popularity of democratic socialism, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political appeal, and why voters who support free markets may still embrace socialist politicians. Finally, a listener asks whether fears about artificial intelligence amount to a moral panic.

0:00—Iran war intensifies

12:53—Brazil tariffs and trade war escalation

27:56—Trump's primetime address

38:34—Listener question on AI moral panic

47:44—Mamdani's rising popularity

55:08—Weekly cultural recommendations

"The Iran War Is Back, Sort Of," by Matthew Petti

"As U.S. Starts 'New' Iran War, Lawmakers Want Answers About Deadly Elementary School Strike," by Meagan O'Rourke

"Meet the New War," by Liz Wolfe

"America Has a Huge Trade Surplus With Brazil. Trump Just Put 25% Tariffs on Brazilian Goods Anyway," by Eric Boehm

"Trump's Attacks on Free Trade Have Actually Made It More Popular With Voters," by John Mueller

"The Most Corrupt Presidency in American History, by the Numbers," by Matt Welch

"Election Vulnerability," by Liz Wolfe

"Trump Threatens To Revoke ABC and NBC Licenses for Not Broadcasting His Election Speech," by Joe Lancaster

"Election interference by foreigners: An assessment," by John Mueller

"AI Is the Democratic Party's Next Villain," by Eugene Volokh

"Labor Unions Hate Robots—and It's Stopping Democrats From Delivering on Affordability," by Peter Suderman

"The Age of Stupid—and Self-Serving—AI Regulation Is Here!" by Nick Gillespie

"Is AI Really Taking All the Jobs? Anthropic Co-Founder Jack Clark Reveals the Data," by Nick Gillespie

"Working Class Hero," by Liz Wolfe

"The 'Free Market' is More Popular than 'Capitalism,'" by Ilya Somin

The post Is the War in Iran Spiraling Out of Control? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.) and his political legacy as one of Washington's most persistent advocates for an interventionist foreign policy. The panel examines Graham's evolution from John McCain ally and Trump critic to one of the president's most loyal supporters, his role in pushing Trump toward a more hawkish foreign policy, and what his career reveals about the transformation of the Republican Party.

Next, the editors check in on Trump's escalating war with Iran and debate whether there is any plausible case that the conflict has left the United States better off. They also discuss the bipartisan housing bill passed by Congress, whether its permitting and regulatory reforms could meaningfully reduce housing costs, and Trump's refusal to sign it. The panel then examines the collapse of Graham Platner's Senate campaign and what it reveals about Democratic candidate recruitment and populist politics. Finally, a listener asks whether the SAVE America Act's voting requirements could inadvertently produce a more informed electorate and create the conditions for a libertarian moment.

0:00—Lindsey Graham's legacy

10:13—New military strikes on Iran

22:55—21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

30:45—Listener question on the SAVE America Act

39:47—Graham Platner ends Senate campaign

50:24—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Last of the Neocon 'Three Amigos': Lindsey Graham Dies Unexpectedly," by Matthew Petti

"Sen. Mitch McConnell's Hospitalization Proves Again That Gerontocracy Sucks," by Ronald Bailey

"'Scrap It and Start All Over': Ex-Bush and Obama Officials Say the War on Terror's Powers Have Gone Too Far," by Billy Binion

"Lindsey Graham Is Outraged About Federal Surveillance Powers That Lindsey Graham Helped Create and Expand," by Eric Boehm

"Crisis Phase," by Liz Wolfe

"The Sindex: Gas Prices Rose 29% in 2 Months After Trump Went to War With Iran," by Jason Russell

"Can the U.S. Defend Itself if Sequestration Cuts Really Happen?"  by Nick Gillespie

"Will Sequestration Cause the Sky to Fall (Defense Edition)? Not even close," by Nick Gillespie

"Housing Villains," by Christian Britschgi

"New Privately-Owned Housing Units Started: Total Units," St. Louis Federal Reserve

"The Noncitizen Voting Myth," by Fiona Harrigan

"A Trump-Appointed Judge Quashes a Subpoena Aimed at Validating the President's Stolen-Election Fantasy," by Jacob Sullum

"Has the GOP Lost Its Mind Over Donald Trump and Election Fraud?" by Nick Gillespie

"Graham Platner Dropped Out, but His Shadow Lingers Over Democrats and U.S. Politics," by J.D. Tuccille

"Good Riddance to Graham Platner," by Robby Soave

"Democrats' Maine Problem," by Liz Wolfe

The post Did Lindsey Graham Push Trump Toward War? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman,  Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by reporter Reem Ibrahim to discuss America's declining sense of patriotism and whether it's possible to distrust the government while still loving the country. The panel examines why fewer Americans say they are proud to be American, the growing skepticism toward capitalism, and whether there are still reasons for optimism about America's future.

Next, the editors discuss why World Cup tourists are embracing the United States, from air conditioning to everyday convenience, and what the tournament says about America's global image. They then examine the Supreme Court's latest gun rights rulings and what they mean for the future of the Second Amendment. The panel also compares America's response to extreme summer heat with Europe's resistance to air conditioning. Finally, a listener asks about "stolen land," private property, and the libertarian perspective on historical injustice.

0:00—Patriotism is on the decline

11:31—World Cup visitors embrace America

28:17—SCOTUS ruling on gun rights

34:46—Listener question on "stolen land"

47:07—Europe's resistance to air conditioning

1:00:11—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Why Are Americans Less Patriotic Than Ever?" by Nick Gillespie

"After 250 Years, Are America's Best Days Still Ahead?" by Steven Greenhut

"On America's 250th Birthday, Celebrate Liberty," by J.D. Tuccille

"Americans Will Never Shut Up or Do As We're Told," by Matt Welch

"The World Cup Experience Lives Up to the Hype," by Jason Russell

"How the US Has—Mostly—Avoided the Dark Side of the World Cup," by Ilya Somin

"Balogun's World Cup Red Card Is Suspended—Justly," by Paul Cassell

"Second Amendment Roundup: Cert Granted on Semiautomatic Rifle Bans," by Stephen Halbrook

"Europe May Never Be Cool, but It Can Be Air Conditioned," by J.D. Tuccille

"Zohran Mamdani Goes Full Commie on Air Conditioning," by Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi

The post Can You Hate the Government and Still Love America? appeared first on Reason Magazine.