May 12, 2025

What Did We Learn From DOGE?

1 hour 1 minute

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch critique the apparent wind down of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, highlighting its lack of transparency and failure to achieve meaningful spending cuts. They also analyze the GOP's new tax plan, which contradicts promises of fiscal responsibility by significantly increasing the deficit. Finally, the hosts defend classical liberalism against critics like C. Bradley Thompson, arguing that libertarians do fight cultural and policy battles—just not by wielding state power.

0:00—Introduction

2:11—Musk exits DOGE

11:47—Why we need to start paying for government spending

14:57—Extending President Donald Trump's tax cuts

19:08—Is classical liberalism losing?

35:09—Listener question: What domestic policy changes would entice manufacturing to come back to the U.S.?

43:22—Is Trump getting a free plane from Qatar?

46:13—Prescription drug price controls

49:47—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Elon Musk Discovers That Serious Spending Cuts Are 'Really Difficult,'" by Jacob Sullum

"DOGE Has Been a Smashing Success," by Christian Britschgi

"Raising the SALT Cap Is a Gift to High-Tax States," by Jared Dillian

"Trump's New Budget Is Another Blueprint for Big Spending," by Veronique de Rugy

"Trump Wants To Increase Military Spending by $113 Billion," by Jack Nicastro

"The New Right Isn't So New," by Stephanie Slade

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

"Idiot Wind," by David Weigel

"The Idiocracy Candidate," by Matt Welch

"The Mind of Mike Judge," by Jesse Walker

"Is America Entering Her Kakistocracy Era?" by Steven Greenhut

Upcoming Reason events:

Rise Above: Nick Gillespie and Scott Barry Kaufman in Conversation, May 19

Reason Speakeasy: Susannah Cahalan on The Acid Queen, June 3

Reason Versus debate: Jacob Sullum and Billy Binion vs. Charles Fain Lehman and Rafael Mangual, June 24

Today's sponsors:

Join the 2025 Great Connections Seminar in Chicago, July 26–Aug 2. Designed for students 16–24, this week-long experience builds the core skills of entrepreneurship: critical thinking, persuasive communication, and intellectual independence. This year's theme, "Reason and Free Will," explores great minds like Aristotle, Ayn Rand, and Jefferson—not through lectures, but in dynamic, small-group discussions that train students to lead and innovate. Outside the classroom, they'll tour Chicago's museums, try improv, and connect with ambitious peers. In a world of AI and automation, original thinking is your competitive edge. Tuition is just $800, including room and board. Scholarships available. Apply today at www.reliancecollege.org/reason

Therapy can feel like a big investment, but the state of your mind is just as important as your physical health. Let's talk numbers. Traditional in-person therapy can cost anywhere from $100 to $250 per session, which adds up fast, but with BetterHelp online therapy, you can save, on average, up to 50% per session. With BetterHelp, you pay a flat fee for weekly sessions, saving you big on cost and time. Therapy should feel accessible, not like a luxury. With online therapy, you get quality care at a price that makes sense and can help you with anything from anxiety to everyday stress. Your mental health is worth it—and now, it's within reach. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. It's convenient, too. You can join a session with the click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life. Plus, switch therapists at any time. Your well-being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com/roundtable today to get 10% off your first month.