The Reason Roundtable

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In this special episode of The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Robby Soave, and Peter Suderman respond to all of your burning questions. Nothing is off limits!

The post Ask Us Anything: Libertarians Answer Your Questions appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch dig into the disconnect between strong Black Friday spending and a public mood shaped by rising costs, economic anxiety, and slipping approval numbers for President Donald Trump. They explore why so many Americans feel poorer despite higher overall wealth, how regulation and subsidies have distorted key markets like housing and health care, and what to make of polling that shows young voters warming to democratic socialism.

The conversation then turns to the war crime allegations against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who allegedly gave the orders to "kill everybody" on Venezuelan boat strikes that resulted in the killing of survivors, and what limits actually exist on the use of military force. The editors also examine a new federal ban on hemp products and the damage it could inflict on a growing legal industry. A listener asks whether recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions signal a troubling erosion of constitutional protections, and the group takes time to reflect on the legacy of playwright Tom Stoppard and his long association with free speech and small government ideals.

Join us this Thursday, December 4, at 2:30 p.m. ET for a special live edition of The Reason Roundtable as part of our annual webathon. Send your questions for the Reason editors to [email protected] with "Webathon" in the subject line.

Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaOOdtJqzmY

0:00—Economic anxiety and standards of living

18:45—War crime allegations against Hegseth

32:09—Federal hemp ban threatens industry

37:35—Listener question on ICE constitutionality

46:45—The legacy of Tom Stoppard

56:31—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Toplines - Heartland Nov 2025 Democratic Socialism," by Rasmussen Reports

"New Low in U.S. 'Very Satisfied' With Personal Life," by Gallup

"'Kill Everybody,'" by Christian Britschgi

"Trump's Venezuela Escalation Could Destroy MAGA, Warns Rand Paul," by Jacob R. Swartz

"What Does Fentanyl Have to Do With Alleged Drug Boats 2,600 Miles Away? Absolutely Nothing," by Tosin Akintola

"Trump Allegedly Misidentified a Colombian Fisherman as a Venezuelan 'Narcoterrorist,'" by Jacob Sullum

"The Constitution Does Not Allow the President To Unilaterally Blow Suspected Drug Smugglers to Smithereens," by Rand Paul

"They Built a Hemp Business in Good Faith but Washington Is About To Crush It," by Brittany E. Hunter

"Trump vs. the Constitution," by Damon Root

"5% of People Detained By ICE Have Violent Convictions, 73% No Convictions," by David J. Bier

"Hot August Fright: The Month Republicans Lost Their Minds Over Immigration," by Matt Welch

"How Lou Reed Inspired Anti-Communist Revolutionaries and the Rest of Us," by Matt Welch

"Václav Havel's Funeral: Why Truth Needs Love," by Matt Welch

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

The post Is Economic Anxiety Driving People to Socialism? 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 President Donald Trump's unexpectedly warm White House meeting with New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and why he now describes the socialist's agenda as "practical." They examine what this moment suggests about Trump's shifting political instincts, how it fits with his recent comments on tariffs and the state of the economy, and what the disbanding of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) signals about his governing approach.

The group then looks at Trump's attempt to influence the pending Warner Bros. merger and the broader media landscape, including worries about misinformation and new reporting that major MAGA influencer accounts on X are operating from overseas. The panel also considers the implications of six Democrats telling service members they do not have to obey illegal orders and the ensuing backlash. A listener asks how to reconcile consumer benefits from intense market competition with the need to preserve incentives for long-term innovation and investment.

0:00—DOGE disbands

4:02—Trump meets Mamdani in the oval office

14:50—White House seeks influence over Warner Bros. merger

27:58—Red Scare, Oliva Nuzzi, and cancel culture

38:46—Listener question on preserving incentives in a market economy

51:29—Democrats encourage military not to follow illegal orders

57:49—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Republican Socialism," by Eric Boehm

"To the Socialists of All Parties," by Katherine Mangu-Ward

"A Dirge for DOGE," by Christian Britschgi

"How I Found Out: Part 1," by Ryan Lizza

"FDR's War Against the Press," by David T. Beito

"Mamdani Understands Something About Trump That European Leaders Don't," by Matthew Petti

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

The post Trump Embraces Mamdani Socialism as 'Practical' appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by Reason reporter Eric Boehm to unpack President Donald Trump's sudden shift on the Jeffrey Epstein files after trying to block the vote, the GOP pressure campaign behind it, and what the episode suggests about his grip on the party. They also examine Trump's mixed signals on tariffs, including his move to roll back duties he imposed in the first place, and whether this moment reinforces the basic economic arguments critics have made for years. The group also digs into whether Trump's proposed tariff dividend makes any economic sense.

The conversation then turns to rising tensions with Venezuela as unauthorized strikes continue and Trump signals interest in direct talks with Nicolás Maduro. A listener then asks what would need to change in order to push American health care away from government-run insurance and toward a system shaped by private plans.

0:00—The Epstein files fracture Trump's coalition

18:12—Tariff rollbacks and stimulus checks

36:17—Listener question on government healthcare

47:33—More unauthorized military strikes in Venezuela

56:54—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Trump's Epstein Reversal," by Liz Wolfe

"Jeffrey Epstein: Trump 'Spent Hours At My House' With Victim," by Matthew Petti

"State of U.S. Tariffs: October 30, 2025," by Yale Budget Lab

"Trump's Tariffs Are Likely To Make Toys More Expensive This Christmas Shopping Season," by Eric Boehm

"The Trump Administration Finally Admits That Tariffs Raise Prices," by Eric Boehm

"Tariff Stimulus Checks Are an Unserious Idea," by Eric Boehm

"Wanted: Honesty on Health Care," by Shikha Dalmia

"What Free Market Health Care Would Actually Look Like," by John Osterhoudt

"How Making GLP-1s Available Over the Counter Can Unlock Their Full Potential," by Jeffrey A. Singer

"Presidential Drift: Clinton's Haiti policy has no anchor," by Nick Gillespie

"Don't Send Cubans and Venezuelans Back To Suffer Under Communism," by Billy Binion

"Maduro and His Crony Made Millions While Venezuelan Children Starved," by César Báez

"Britain and Colombia Cut Off U.S. Intelligence Access Over Caribbean Boat Bombings," by Matthew Petti

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

The post How the Epstein Files Turned MAGA Against Trump appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, Reason editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by the editor in chief of The Argument, Jerusalem Demsas, to discuss the end of the government shutdown and what Democrats actually gained from it. They examine the renewed focus on Obamacare subsidies and how both parties are struggling to articulate a coherent health care vision that moves beyond stale talking points.

The group then turns to Zohran Mamdani's win in New York and what it reveals about the uneasy overlap between the abundance movement and the rising progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The panel digs into President Donald Trump's talk of $2,000 tariff "dividends," and whether it undermines his claim that affordability is "a con." They also examine the differences and similarities between modern-day liberals and libertarians. A listener then asks whether fixing America's broken health care system should start with reforming insurance or dramatically expanding the supply of doctors.

0:00—What did Democrats gain from the government shutdown?

19:34—Obamacare subsidies and healthcare in the spotlight

26:30—The abundance agenda vs. socialism

41:34—Tariff dividend checks and the affordability "con"

46:14—Listener question on health insurance

57:07—Difference between liberalism and libertarianism

1:13:11—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Reopening?" by Liz Wolfe

"America's Longest Government Shutdown Shows Why We Must Free Air Traffic Control from Politics," by Robert Poole

"Mamdani's Win Suggests a Socialist Future for Democrats and a Rocky One for American Politics," by J.D. Tuccille

"No Excuses for Zohran Mamdani and Radical Socialism," by Robby Soave

"Mamdani Teaming Up With Lina Khan Paints a Grim Picture of What's To Come," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"New York Voters Say Yes to Faster Housing Approvals," by Christian Britschgi

"Mamdani Claims 'Mandate' for Bigger Government: 'There Is No Problem Too Large for Government To Solve,'" by Joe Lancaster

"6 Zohran Mamdani Campaign Promises That New York City Can't Afford," by Jack Nicastro

"The People Who Wrecked N.Y. Schools Love Zohran Mamdani," by Matt Welch

"Trump Seems Very Confused About 'Affordability,'" by Eric Boehm

"Abundance Makes the Case for 'Supply-Side Progressivism,'" by Virginia Postrel

"The Death of Contrarianism," by Matt Welch

The post Did Democrats Blow It on the Government Shutdown? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss the upcoming New York City mayoral election and what a Zohran Mamdani victory could mean for both the city and national politics. They weigh the best-case/worst-case scenarios of a leftward turn in New York, asking whether Mamdani represents a lasting anti-AI socialist movement or simply the newest iteration of the Democratic big tent.

The editors then turn to the governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey, where Democratic wins would signal continued strength for the party's centrist wing. They examine a federal judge's order requiring the government to keep SNAP funded during the ongoing shutdown, and then analyze Trump's tariff case as it heads to the Supreme Court and what a ruling could mean for presidential trade powers. Finally, a listener asks whether libertarians who work in the defense industry are violating their principles or simply operating within the system as it exists.

0:00–The best-case scenario and worst-case scenario for a Mayor Mamdani

8:09–Gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia

20:04–SNAP benefits and shutdown politics

29:32–Does the GOP have an Obamacare alternative?

34:57–Listener question on ethical contradictions

44:37–Tariffs case reaches the Supreme Court

55:05–Weekly cultural recommendation

"The Democratic Thrill for Mamdani Is a Tell," by Matt Welch

The post Will a Mamdani Victory Push the Democrats Further Left? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch are joined by associate editor Liz Wolfe to discuss Argentine President Javier Milei's strong midterm showing and what it suggests about the durability of his libertarian reform agenda. They debate whether the results vindicate Trump's earlier currency-swap bailout, how Milei's spending-cut program is playing out, and what lessons his success may hold for other governments confronting inflation.

The editors then turn to Washington, where Trump's decision to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods followed an Ontario ad featuring Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. They also discuss the continued U.S. bombings in Venezuela, and the administration's alleged involvement in the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, along with the symbolism of replacing the East Wing with a ballroom. The panel considers the rise of socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York City and why his ascension could have national significance. Finally, a listener asks if protests like the recent "No Kings" rallies accomplish anything.

0:00–Milei's party wins landslide election in Argentina

16:08–Trump escalates trade war with Canada over advertisement

23:51–Are we headed into an unauthorized war with Venezuela?

34:40–The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger

39:47–Listener question on the power of protest

53:57–What does the rise of Zohran Mamdani mean for the country?

61:58–Weekly cultural recommendations

"Javier Milei Wins Argentina's Midterm Election, Gaining More Power To Push Reforms," by César Báez"

The Government Shutdown Isn't Stopping Trump From Amassing 'Emergency' Powers," by Katherine Mangu-Ward
"The Constitution Does Not Allow the President To Unilaterally Blow Suspected Drug Smugglers to Smithereens," by Rand Paul
"Trump Dares Congress To Take Its War Powers Seriously in Venezuela," by Matthew Petti
"Trump Allegedly Misidentified a Colombian Fisherman as a Venezuelan 'Narcoterrorist,'" by Jacob Sullum
"Trump Campaigned on Free Speech. That Isn't How He's Governed." By John Stossel
"Abolish the FCC," by Ilya Somin
"The FCC's Paramount/Skydance Decision Aims To Reshape Broadcast Journalism by Bureaucratic Fiat," by Jacob Sullum
"Zohran Mamdani's Socialist Housing Plan Could Crash New York's Rickety Rental Market," by Howard Husock
"Mamdani's Fare-Free Buses Wouldn't Be NYC's First Wasteful Public Transit Boondoggle," by Emma Camp
"The Socialist Transit Plan That Could Break NYC," by Kennedy and Natalie Dowzicky
"Brandon Johnson's Chicago Is a Preview of Zohran Mamdani's New York," by Christian Britschgi
"Is Everyone Who Opposes a New School Zoning Plan in Brooklyn Racist?" By Matt Welch

The post Javier Milei's Libertarian Policies Win Shock Election appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch examine Argentina's $20 billion bailout and what it means for President Javier Milei's promise of a libertarian turnaround. They debate whether foreign aid undermines his free market agenda and what the deal suggests about Washington's own commitment to fiscal restraint.

The editors also discuss this weekend's "No Kings" protests. They analyze Trump's growing use of executive authority during the ongoing government shutdown, including his decision to keep paying troop salaries amid federal layoffs. The panel then looks to Trump's continued bombing of the alleged drug boats off Venezuela's coast, and the decision to repatriate survivors. Finally, a listener asks what checks and balances could exist in a truly libertarian country to prevent the kind of centralization of power seen in the United States today.

0:00—The U.S. bailout of Javier Milei's Argentina

15:11—The "No Kings" protests and Trump's response

32:54—Growing executive power during the government shutdown

41:45—Listener question on checks and balances

48:56—Bombing of alleged Venezuelan drug boats

57:05—Weekly cultural recommendations

"Javier Milei's Libertarian Experiment is in Jeopardy. Argentina's Midterm Elections Will Determine Its Fate," by César Báez

"Vast Right-Wing Astroturf Conspiracy Revealed!" by Matt Welch

"Medical Mosh Pits," by Jesse Walker

"Forget Obama: Trump's Pen and Phone Are Bigger Even Than FDR's," by Matt Welch

"Did the U.S. Just Kill a Random Fisherman?" By Liz Wolfe

Mini Documentary Screening: The Socialist Housing Plan for New York, October 29

The post Does Argentina's Bailout Prove Libertarians Wrong? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch celebrate the release of over 2,000 hostages, political prisoners, and detainees, while considering whether President Donald Trump's Israel–Gaza deal represents a genuine step toward lasting peace in the Middle East. They discuss whether Trump's foreign policy approach is consistent, examining his recent strikes in Venezuela, and whether his record abroad compares favorably to his chaotic record at home.

The conversation then turns to Trump's new China tariffs, which rattled markets and underscored his erratic approach to trade policy, followed by yet another round of bailouts for struggling farmers. The editors also examine Congress' indifference amid another government shutdown and the growing sense that lawmakers have ceded their role entirely to the executive branch. They discuss a federal judge's weekend ruling that limits Trump's ability to deploy National Guard troops into U.S. cities, and what it signals about the courts' willingness to check his power. Finally, they assess the Democrats' persistent candidate-quality problem, from Virginia to California, and how it reveals a party struggling to find competent leadership. A listener asks whether a libertarian could offer a meaningful alternative in New York City's next mayoral race.

0:00—Trump brokers peace in the Middle East

13:32—Is Trump's foreign policy more successful than his domestic record?

18:03—Tariff threats escalate trade war with China

25:04—Government shutdown leads to federal layoffs

34:44—Is the judiciary the only check on Trump's authority?

43:02—Listener question on Libertarian Party in NYC

47:27—The Democratic Party's candidate-quality problems

55:36—Weekly cultural recommendations

"All 20 Surviving Hostages Freed," by Liz Wolfe

"What If the U.S. Cuts Off Aid to Israel?" By Matt Welch

"The U.S. Military Is Helping Arab Dictatorships Run Psyops," by Matthew Petti

"New York's Libertarian and Green Parties Petition Supreme Court Over New York's Restrictive Ballot Access Laws," by Brian Doherty

The post Trump's Art of the Deal for Peace in the Middle East appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Reason and the Cato Institute go head-to-head with our friends at the National Review and the Center for Immigration Studies in a thought-provoking debate on one of America's most divisive issues: immigration.

Resolution: Mass Immigration Is Good for America

Affirmative: Reason's Katherine Mangu-Ward and Cato's Alex Nowrasteh

Negative: National Review's Rich Lowry and Center for Immigration Studies' Steven Camarota

Moderator: Peter Suderman

Reason Versus is a debate series where Reason journalists and policy experts face off against pundits and strategists who challenge their ideas—no talking points, no shouting, just sharp arguments and real discussion.

The post Reason Versus National Review: Is Mass Immigration Good for America? appeared first on Reason Magazine.