The Reason Roundtable

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman and Katherine Mangu-Ward host not one but two special guests! Reason's own Liz Wolfe and the one and only Kennedy. Buckle up and enjoy as they cover new reporting that lends legitimacy to the lab leak theory of COVID-19's origins, the candidacy of RFK Jr., and the Wagner Group's recent revolt in Russia. Huzzah!

2:20 - New reporting supplies legitimacy to lab leak theory of COVID-19's origins

19:59 - The candidacy of RFK Jr.

45:04 - Weekly Listener Question

48:13 - Wagner Group's armed revolt in Russia

57:09 - This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"COVID-19's 'Patients Zero' May Have Been Wuhan Lab Scientists, Report Finds" by Robby Soave

"Lab Leak Theory: 1, Misinformation Cops: 0" by Robby Soave

"The Very Strange New Respect for Authoritarian Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr." by Matt Welch

"Joe Biden More Vulnerable in 2024 Primary Than Donald Trump Ever Was in 2020" by Matt Welch

"Do Conservatives Actually Like RFK Jr., or Do They Just Think He'll Hurt Biden?" Joe Lancaster

"Taxing the Rich Will Have No Meaningful Effect on Our Sky-High National Debt" by Veronique De Rugy

"Anticlimactic End to Wagner Group's Armed Rebellion in Russia" by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Audio production by Ian Keyser

Assistant production by Hunt Beaty

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post A Special (Mostly) Kennedy Episode appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and special guest Eric Boehm consider the persistent inflation problem alongside government spending and the effect of indicting former President Donald Trump on the GOP election race.

0:33: Persistent inflation and perpetual spending

30:39: Trump's indictment and its effect on the GOP race

40:12: Weekly Listener Question

43:56: Joe Biden and the war on ticket "junk fees"

46:17: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Trump's New York Indictment Was Just the Beginning of His Legal Woes," by Eric Boehm

"Inflation Ticks Higher in April as Rents Keep Rising," by Eric Boehm

"The Debt Ceiling Deal Does Not Go Nearly Far Enough," by Veronique de Rugy

"Amid Inflation Relief, Rental Prices Continue Soaring," by Eric Boehm

"Should Trump Go to Prison?" by Zach Weissmueller and Nick Gillespie

"What 'Freedom' Means to Ron DeSantis," by Eric Boehm

"Ticketmaster's Taylor Swift Glitch Doesn't Require a Congressional Hearing," by Liz Wolfe

"The Flash Makes the Case Against the Multiverse," by Peter Suderman

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

• It's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else needs from you and never take a moment to think about what you need from yourself. But when we spend all of our time giving, it can leave us feeling stretched thin and burned out. Therapy can give you the tools to find more balance in your life, so you can keep supporting others, without leaving yourself behind. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Find more balance, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/roundtable today to get 10 percent off your first month.
• The Reason Speakeasy. The Reason Speakeasy is a monthly, unscripted conversation in New York City with outspoken defenders of free thinking and heterodoxy. It doubles as a live taping of The Reason Interview podcast and always provides a great evening of camaraderie and conversation about cutting-edge topics and ideas. On June 26, Nick Gillespie talks with Tara Isabella Burton, author of the phenomenal new book Self-Made: Creating Our Identities From Da Vinci to the Kardashians. As in her previous Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World, Burton zeroes in on the amazing freedom we have to define our reality and all the complications, problems, and possibilities that come along with such freedom. They'll talk about her findings in Self-Made, whether Kim or Kris is the ultimate Kardashian, the insights she picked up while getting a Ph.D. in theology from Oxford, and how traditional and modern cultures mix uneasily. Tickets are $10 and include beer, wine, soda, food, and plenty of time to talk about politics, culture, and ideas in one of the coolest settings in midtown Manhattan. For details, go here.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post The Fed Won't Save Us From the Inflation Iceberg appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman break down the latest indictment of former President Donald Trump associated with the collection of classified documents in his Mar-a-Lago home.

0:21: Donald Trump indicted again

31:59: Weekly Listener Question

40:57: Senseless constitutional amendments

49:18: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Trump's Own Attorney General Says Indictment Is 'Very, Very Damning,'" by Robby Soave

"Donald Trump Indicted on More Than 30 Charges in Classified Documents Case," C.J. Ciaramella

"Trump Indicted, Faces Federal Criminal Charges Under Espionage Act," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Trump's New York Indictment Was Just the Beginning of His Legal Woes," by Eric Boehm

"Trump's Impeachment Trial Will Only Make Us Hate Washington Even More," by Nick Gillespie

"Let Us Now Thank Donald Trump for Revealing Brutal Truths About How Power and Privilege Operate," by Nick Gillespie

"All This Impeachment Talk Is Pure Trump Derangement Syndrome," by Nick Gillespie

"FBI Director Recommends Against Prosecuting Hillary Clinton Over Email Actions," by Nick Gillespie

"Trump Reportedly Viewed a Supposedly Declassified Document As a Secret He Was Not Allowed To Share," by Jacob Sullum

"Donald Trump's Handling of Classified Material Looks Worse Than Hillary Clinton's," by Jacob Sullum

"Trump's Lawyers Say It's Not Clear Whether 'Purported' Classified Documents at Mar-a-Lago 'Remain Classified,'" by Jacob Sullum

"Gavin Newsom Wants To 'Permanently Enshrine' Gun Control in the U.S. Constitution," by Jacob Sullum

"Hillary Clinton's Use of a Private Email Server Perfectly Explains Why People Don't Trust Her," by Peter Suderman

"Hillary Clinton Keeps Making Untrue Claims About Her Use of a Private Email Server," by Peter Suderman

"What Critics of the FBI's Clinton Investigation Get Right," by Jacob Sullum

"Clinton Lies About Lying About Her Lies," by Jacob Sullum

"Yet Another Shady, Hypocritical Document Hoarder," by Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, Peter Suderman, and Matt Welch

"How a college term paper led to a constitutional amendment," by Scott Bomboy at the National Constitution Center

"The Public Has a Right To See the Nashville Shooter's Writings," by J.D. Tuccille

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

• It's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else needs from you, and never take a moment to think about what you need from yourself. But when we spend all of our time giving, it can leave us feeling stretched thin and burned out. Therapy can give you the tools to find more balance in your life—so you can keep supporting others, without leaving yourself behind. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. Designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Find more balance, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/roundtable today to get 10 percent off your first month.
• The Reason Speakeasy. The Reason Speakeasy is a monthly, unscripted conversation in New York City with outspoken defenders of free thinking and heterodoxy. It doubles as a live taping of The Reason Interview podcast and always provides a great evening of camaraderie and conversation about cutting-edge topics and ideas. On June 26, Nick Gillespie talks with Tara Isabella Burton, author of the phenomenal new book Self-Made: Creating Our Identities From Da Vinci to the Kardashians. As in her previous Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World, Burton zeroes in on the amazing freedom we have to define our reality and all the complications, problems, and possibilities that come along with such freedom. They'll talk about her findings in Self-Made, whether Kim or Kris is the ultimate Kardashian, the insights she picked up while getting a Ph.D. in theology from Oxford, and how traditional and modern cultures mix uneasily. Tickets are $10 and include beer, wine, soda, food, and plenty of time to talk about politics, culture, and ideas in one of the coolest settings in midtown Manhattan. For details, go here.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post Did Trump Break a Law That Shouldn't Exist? appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman attempt to disentangle the various roiling debates over sexuality, identity, and the state amid this year's Pride month celebrations.

0:25: Pride wars

31:10: Weekly Listener Question

43:15: California Assembly votes to pass Journalism Preservation Act

48:44: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Trump-Appointed Judge Rules Tennessee's Anti-Drag Law Unconstitutional," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Uganda's New Anti-Gay Law Could Undermine AIDS Prevention," by William Rampe

"What Do Gadsden Flags and Pride Flags Have in Common?" by Scott Shackford

"Florida Bans Most Public School Instruction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity," by Scott Shackford

"Tennessee's Anti-Drag Bill Is a Gaudy Public Performance," by Scott Shackford

"Gavin Newsom represents the worst kind of elites," says Nick Gillespie

"Is California Over?" by Nick Gillespie and Regan Taylor

"Babylon Bee Won't Back Down Over Trans Joke Twitter Ban," by Nick Gillespie

"Abigail Shrier: Trans Activists, Cancel Culture, and the Future of Free Expression," by Nick Gillespie

"Science Denialism on the Left: Sex, Gender, and Trans Identity," by Nick Gillespie

"Is Target Stock Going 'in Toilet' Due to Conservative Boycott Over Bathroom Policy?" by Nick Gillespie

"Bruce Jenner's Impossibly Great American Dream," by Nick Gillespie

"From Donald To Deirdre," by Deirdre McCloskey

"The Rise and Fall of the Spokestroll," by Abe Greenwald

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Does Cinematic Diversity Right," by Peter Suderman

"Cult Country," by Jesse Walker

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

• It's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else needs from you and never take a moment to think about what you need from yourself. But when we spend all of our time giving, it can leave us feeling stretched thin and burned out. Therapy can give you the tools to find more balance in your life—so you can keep supporting others, without leaving yourself behind. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. Designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Find more balance, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/roundtable today to get 10 percent off your first month.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post Should Libertarians Be Noncombatants in the Pride Wars? appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman untangle the holiday weekend debt-ceiling deal between President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R–Calif.) and consider the recent sentencing of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

0:36: President Biden and Speaker McCarthy announce debt-ceiling deal

17:32: Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes sentenced to 18 years in prison.

29:24: Weekly Listener Question

42:36: Ron DeSantis officially announces his run for the White House

47:40: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Debt Ceiling Deal Curtails GOP-Backed Budget Cuts, Spending Caps," by Eric Boehm

"Debt Ceiling Bill 'Locks in the Inflated Spending Levels of Recent Years,'" by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"3 Reasons Why The Debt-Ceiling Debate is Full of Malarkey," by Nick Gillespie and Meredith Bragg

"Why We Need Less Debt, and Fast!" by Nick Gillespie and Mark McDaniel

"What We Talk About When We Talk About the Debt Ceiling: Nothing Much, Sadly," by Nick Gillespie

"Stewart Rhodes Gets 18 Years After the DOJ Reiterates a Conspiracy Claim That Jurors Rejected," by Jacob Sullum

"Punishing Rioters Is Wise. Bogus 'Seditious Conspiracy' Charges Are Not." by J.D. Tuccille

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

"Can Governments Increase Birthrates? Should They?" by Nick Gillespie

"My Parents Were 'Somebody Else's Babies'—And Model Americans," by Nick Gillespie

Let It Breed by Nick Gillespie

"The Real Class Warfare Is Baby Boomers vs. Younger Americans," by Nick Gillespie

"DeSantis Announces Too-Online Campaign in Most Online Way Imaginable," by Eric Boehm

"Succession Is a Darkly Comic Warning About the Transfer of Generational Power," by Peter Suderman

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

• Andrew Heaton is one of the funny people in Reason TV videos, like "Star Trek: The Libertarian Edition" or "Star Wars Libertarian Special." So it won't surprise you to discover he hosts a science fiction podcast: Alienating the Audience. Alienating the Audience does deep dives into science fiction, like Robert Heinlein's free love libertarianism, the economics of Dune, Kurt Vonnegut and the warfare state, and how Star Wars: Andor loves public choice theory. Guests on the show have included Peter Boghossian on what first contact with aliens would be like, Jonathan Last from The Bulwark defending the Empire in Star Wars, Tim Sandefur of Goldwater Institute on Star Trek's Cold War hot takes, and even Katherine Mangu-Ward has joined to discuss the work of Dan Simmons. If you don't like science fiction, do not listen to Alienating the Audience, as there's an excellent chance your virginity will grow back. But if you DO like science fiction, and with a dollop of politics and economics, served fresh by a mid-level comedian, then check out Alienating the Audience wherever you get your podcasts.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post Banging Our Heads on the Debt Ceiling appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman wrestle with newfangled viewpoints and contradictions within National Conservatism and its core disagreements with libertarianism. Also, the editors assess a fresh batch of Republican presidential hopefuls.

0:23: Libertarians vs. the New Right

28:00: Appraising a fresh group of Republican presidential hopefuls

43:53: Weekly Listener Question

53:46: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Conservatives Pushing 'Common Good Capitalism' Sound a Lot Like Progressives," by Veronique de Rugy

"The Post-Liberal Authoritarians Want You To Forget That Private Companies Have Rights," by Stephanie Slade

"Ron DeSantis Confirms (Again) That His Attack on Disney Was Political Retribution," by Eric Boehm

"Pot Legalization Is a 'Big Mistake' Only If You Ignore the Value of Freedom and the Injustice of Prohibition," by Jacob Sullum

"No, Vivek Ramaswamy, 'Political Expression' Shouldn't Be a 'Civil Right'," by Stephanie Slade

"Elizabeth Nolan Brown and Scott Winship: Governments Can't Increase Birthrates. They Shouldn't Even Try." by Nick Gillespie

"What a New Report Gets Wrong About Economic Inequality," by Scott Winship

"3 Myths about American Decline," by Nick Gillespie and Noor Greene

The male labor force participation rate has declined from 87 Percent to 68 Percent, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve.

"'Now Is Better,' Says Legendary Designer Stefan Sagmeister," by Nick Gillespie

"All Culture, All the Time," by Nick Gillespie

"Good Riddance To Chris Christie," by Christian Britschgi

"Why Pols from New Jersey Aren't Born To Run," by Nick Gillespie

"Fast X Is a Loud, Obnoxious, Campy Bore," by Peter Suderman

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

• Getting to know yourself can be a lifelong process, especially because we're always growing and changing. Therapy is all about deepening your self-awareness and understanding. Because sometimes we don't know what we want or why we react the way we do until we talk through things. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. Designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Discover your potential with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/roundtable today to get 10 percent off your first month.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post Do the Natcons Get Anything Right? appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman delve into U.S. immigration policy, prompted by the recent lifting of Title 42, a dreadful COVID-era hangover that restricted the ability of migrants to seek asylum.

1:51: Title 42 migrant expulsions finally come to an end.

23:50: The Congressional Budget Office's budget outlook projects a federal budget deficit of $1.5 trillion in 2023 alone.

35:05: Weekly Listener Question

45:53: Donald Trump's CNN town hall appearance

49:04: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Is Biden Replacing Bad Border Policy With Worse Border Policy?" by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Biden Keeps Another Trump Border Policy in Place," by Fiona Harrigan

"The End of Title 42 Expulsions of Migrants—and What Comes Next," by Ilya Somin

"US Regains Pre-Trump, Pre-Pandemic Immigration Levels," by Ilya Somin

"Biden's New Trump-Lite Asylum Policy Proposal," by Ilya Somin

"A Historic Refugee Crisis Miscast As a Border Emergency," by Stuart Anderson

"Biden's Immigration Plan Lays Out a Tougher Border, New Legal Pathway for Some Migrants," by Fiona Harrigan

"How Immigrants Make America Great Again (and Again and Again)," by Nick Gillespie

"How Mass Immigration Stopped American Socialism," by Alex Nowrasteh and Benjamin Powell

"The GOP's Suicide Pact on Immigration," by Nick Gillespie

"The Debt Ceiling Fight Is a Reminder of America's Dire Fiscal Future," by Veronique de Rugy

"Biden Falsely Bragged About Lowering the Budget Deficit. Now, It Is Predictably Rising Again." by Eric Boehm

"The House GOP Debt Ceiling Plan Would Restore Spending Caps. Good." by Eric Boehm

"Vivek Ramaswamy Is Wrong About the National Debt," by Nick Gillespie

"Nobel Prize–Winning Economist: Democrats Are Committed 'To Spending Other People's Money,'" by Nick Gillespie

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

"CNN Gave Trump a Megaphone, and He Used It Exactly As You'd Expect," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsors:

• Left-wing megadonors are shoveling money into pet projects that don't reflect American values. What's more, lawmakers continue to push bloated, big-government policies—like so-called student loan cancellation—and other programs that will inevitably raise prices and fail to reach the people they are meant to help. All isn't lost, though. You can help turn the tide with a charitable giving account at DonorsTrust. DonorsTrust is a refuge from the storm of harmful, progressive philanthropy and big-government wheeling and dealing that's hurting our institutions and, more importantly, our loved ones. So, take cover and let my friends at DonorsTrust help you maximize your giving while minimizing your tax liability. Whether it's defending speech, empowering entrepreneurs to offer educational alternatives, or fighting green-energy extremists that want to consolidate power and raise prices on individuals and families, DonorsTrust is the charitable giving account provider for you. Visit www.donorstrust.org/reason to learn more about how DonorsTrust can minimize your tax liability and maximize your giving.
• Andrew Heaton is one of the funny people in Reason TV videos, like "Star Trek: The Libertarian Edition" or "Star Wars Libertarian Special." So it won't surprise you to discover he hosts a science fiction podcast: Alienating the Audience. Alienating the Audience does deep dives into science fiction, like Robert Heinlein's free love libertarianism, the economics of Dune, Kurt Vonnegut and the warfare state, and how Star Wars: Andor loves public choice theory. Guests on the show have included Peter Boghossian on what first contact with aliens would be like, Jonathan Last from The Bulwark defending the Empire in Star Wars, Tim Sandefur of Goldwater Institute on Star Trek's Cold War hot takes, and even Katherine Mangu-Ward has joined to discuss the work of Dan Simmons. If you don't like science fiction, do not listen to Alienating the Audience, as there's an excellent chance your virginity will grow back. But if you DO like science fiction, and with a dollop of politics and economics, served fresh by a mid-level comedian, then check out Alienating the Audience wherever you get your podcasts.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post There Is No Party of Immigration in American Politics appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman take a deep dive into the ongoing controversies around the Supreme Court justices as well as Rochelle Walensky's tenure at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

0:31: Ongoing SCOTUS controversies

24:10: Rochelle Walensky stepping down as head of the CDC

41:43: Weekly Listener Question

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Is Clarence Thomas Ethically Challenged?" by Matt Welch, Liz Wolfe, Peter Suderman, and Nick Gillespie

Supreme Court approval rating hits historic low, according to a Gallup poll.

"Randy Barnett: Abortion, Guns, and the Future of the Supreme Court," by Nick Gillespie

"Justice Thomas Long Ago Explained His Perspective On Disclosure Laws," by Josh Blackman

"Another Judicial Ethics Story About Justice Thomas Falls Apart," by Josh Blackman

"Law firm head brought Gorsuch-owned property," by Heidi Przybyla

All In with Chris Hayes on Twitter

"Rochelle Walensky Leaves a CDC That's Far More Powerful Than When She Entered It," by Robby Soave

"WHO Declares Global COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Over," by Ronald Bailey

"Don't Be Fooled by Randi Weingarten's Rehabilitation Tour," Liz Wolfe

"Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Refuses To Acknowledge the Government's Misrepresentation of Mask Research," by Jacob Sullum

"CDC's New 'Reopening' Guidance Will Keep Schools Closed in the Fall," by Matt Welch

"Democrats attack conservative Supreme Court justices but have long ignored liberal justices' ethical issues," by Joe Schoffstall

"Emails Show CDC Policed COVID Speech on Facebook," by Robby Soave, Nick Gillespie, and Zach Weissmueller

"The FDA and CDC's Coronavirus Response Is a 'Failure of Historic Proportions,'" by Nick Gillespie

"The CDC Made America's Pandemic Worse," by Peter Suderman

"COVID-19 Exposed the Truth About the CDC," by Justin Monticello

"A quarter of Americans distrust CDC recommendations," by Alexander Tin

"Garden Gnome Politics," by Greg Beato

"HOAs Are Popular Where Prejudice Is Strong and Government Is Weak," by David Montgomery

"Sandy Springs, Georgia: The City that Outsourced Everything," by Paul Feine and Alex Manning

"'Startup Cities,' Honduras, and Experiments in Freedom. Professor Tom W. Bell Talks With Reason," by Zach Weissmueller

"Meet Newton Howard, the Brain Scientist Who Put Giant Transformers in Front of His D.C. Home," by Noor Greene

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's Sponsors:

• Getting to know yourself can be a lifelong process, especially because we're always growing and changing. Therapy is all about deepening your self-awareness and understanding. Because sometimes we don't know what we want or why we react the way we do until we talk through things. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. Designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Discover your potential with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/roundtable today to get 10 percent off your first month.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post Delegitimizing the Supreme Court appeared first on Reason.com.

Last week, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman touched the stage at New York City's eminent Comedy Cellar to record an episode of The Reason Roundtable in front of a live audience. Topics ranged from marijuana aromas to terrible 2024 presidential candidates, and included some geographical sparring over contrasting libertarian lifestyle choices. It's a lively NYC vs. D.C. cage match!

02:45—A profusion of high-profile firings on cable news

07:20—NYC smells like weed (finally!)

20:50—Why THIS presidential candidate would be terrible

36:20—NYC vs. D.C.

51:14—New York–centric cultural recommendations

56:40—Audience Q&A

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Why Is Tucker Carlson Leaving Fox News?" by Robby Soave

"Tucker Carlson is More a Symptom of Our Problems than a Cause," by Ilya Somin

"New York City Should Have Always Smelled Like Pot," by Liz Wolfe

"Bill Bratton: Fighting Crime Without Shredding Civil Liberties," by Nick Gillespie & Zach Weissmueller

"What 'Freedom' Means to Ron DeSantis," by Eric Boehm

"The Very Strange New Respect for Authoritarian Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," by Matt Welch

"Nikki Haley Is Running for President," by Scott Shackford

"During Surprise Trip to Kyiv, Biden Promises Endless Support for Ukraine War," by Christian Britschgi

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty; video edit by Adam Czarnecki.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post A Bonus Reason Roundtable. Live From New York City! appeared first on Reason.com.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman puzzle over President Joe Biden's announcement that he's seeking reelection in 2024 and plod through the Republican-controlled House's recently passed debt ceiling plan.

1:46: President Joe Biden announces he's running again.

23:47: House Republicans pass a debt ceiling plan. Now what?

36:38: Weekly Listener Question

46:40: Revisionist history with Randi Weingarten

50:49: This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"President Joe Biden Announces He Is Running for Reelection," by Joe Lancaster

"The Very Strange New Respect for Authoritarian Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," by Matt Welch

"Choose Between a Douche and a Turd…or Die (Special Get Out the Vote Edition)," by Nick Gillespie

"Biden Has Added 220 Million Hours of Regulatory Paperwork Since His Inauguration," by Mike Riggs

"Kamala Harris Is a Flop," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"What We Talk About When We Talk About the Debt Ceiling," by Nick Gillespie

"3 Reasons Why the Debt-Ceiling Debate is Full of Malarkey," by Nick Gillespie and Meredith Bragg

"The Cult of the Presidency," by Gene Healy

"Don't Believe the Media Fearmongering About Spending Cuts," by Veronique de Rugy

"The House GOP Debt Ceiling Plan Would Restore Spending Caps. Good." by Eric Boehm

"Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, and the Deeply Unserious Debate Over the Debt Ceiling," by Eric Boehm

"Randi Weingarten's Hilariously Awful Media Rehabilitation Tour," by Matt Welch

Reason's 1976 review of Bugsy Malone, by Charles Barr

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsors:

• A famous mustache. Saturday Night Live sketches. A college professor who's a Doja Cat fan. What do these three things have in common? They're all part of the wild world of Jeopardy! The brand new podcast, This Is Jeopardy! The Story of America's Favorite Quiz Show, peels back the curtain on the legacy of the show and takes you behind the scenes of the game that's kept us guessing, laughing, and cheering for more than 60 years. Each week celebrates some favorite moments from Jeopardy!'s history. It includes stories from contestants, staffers, and fans—from early days with Art Fleming, to the rise of Alex Trebek, to Ken Jennings' historic run, and many more! Hosted by Buzzy Cohen, find and listen to episodes now wherever you get your podcasts.
• Andrew Heaton is one of the funny people in Reason TV videos, like "Star Trek: The Libertarian Edition" or "Star Wars Libertarian Special." So it won't surprise you to discover he hosts a science fiction podcast: Alienating the Audience. Alienating the Audience does deep dives into science fiction, like Robert Heinlein's free love libertarianism, the economics of Dune, Kurt Vonnegut and the warfare state, and how Star Wars: Andor loves public choice theory. Guests on the show have included Peter Boghossian on what first contact with aliens would be like, Jonathan Last from The Bulwark defending the Empire in Star Wars, Tim Sandefur of Goldwater Institute on Star Trek's Cold War hot takes, and even Katherine Mangu-Ward has joined to discuss the work of Dan Simmons. If you don't like science fiction, do not listen to Alienating the Audience, as there's an excellent chance your virginity will grow back. But if you DO like science fiction, and with a dollop of politics and economics, served fresh by a mid-level comedian, then check out Alienating the Audience wherever you get your podcasts.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

The post Joe Biden Wants 4 More Years 'To Finish the Job.' What Job? appeared first on Reason.com.