In this week’s The Reason Roundtable, Katherine Mangu-Ward returns alongside editors Peter Suderman, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch as they contemplate recent murmurs on the reinstatement of certain COVID-19 restrictions, as well as the general failures of the FDA.
1:25: Masks and COVID security theater
14:00: Abolish the FDA
28:00: Weekly Listener Question:
Bryan Caplan recently shared an old Salon article on Twitter, titled “Libertarians’ scary new star: Meet Bryan Caplan, the right’s next ‘great’ philosopher,” worrying that he was going to become too influential. Being a Salon piece, it was pretty awful, but one part in particular stuck out to me. “For most of its post-1945 history, libertarianism has lacked thinkers of its own, and its intellectual deficit frequently has been filled by government-hating businessmen with third-rate minds like Peter Thiel, the fatuous crackpot who founded PayPal, and the appallingly dumb Leonard Read.” As a libertarian who has done a fair amount of reading on the topics of liberty and capitalism, I was appalled at the ignorance, willful or not, of the writer, and it got me wondering: Who would the esteemed panel members cite as the most influential (or their favorite) post-war libertarian thinkers?
40:42: Lightning round highlights from this year’s FreedomFest in Las Vegas.
Mentioned in this podcast:
“Abolish the FDA,” by Katherine Mangu-Ward
“An Epidemic of Meddling,” by Jacob Sullum
“Rethinking the Social Responsibility of Business,” by Milton Friedman, John Mackey, and T.J. Rodgers
“Doctors Say Federal Bureaucracy Is Keeping Them From Adequately Treating Monkeypox,” by Scott Shackford
“Why Do So Few American Women Use IUDs?” by Liz Wolfe
Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.
Today’s sponsors:
- We have a health care problem in this country. The government is expanding its reach ultimately seeking Medicare for all. Many of you are on healthcare.gov plans, and if you are, ditch it and try something new. CrowdHealth. CrowdHealth is not insurance. It’s an alternative way to pay your health care bills. No surprise bills. No doctor networks. Health care can return to being between you and your doctor without government or health insurance interference. Check them out at joincrowdhealth.com and enter promo code “REASON” to get $99 a month for three months.
- Do you feel like you’re living in a media bubble? Like it’s harder than ever to find views that challenge your own? That’s where The Lost Debate steps in. It’s a podcast and YouTube show for political eclectics who crave exposure to a diversity of beliefs and perspectives. The Lost Debate covers the latest news, ideas, and trends without the bias and manipulation from the mainstream and alternative media. It’s hosted by Ravi Gupta —a former staffer for President Barack Obama and a school principal who fought Republicans at the ballot box and then fought alongside them for charter schools; Cory Bradford—a progressive political organizer turned TikTok star who used to host a Fox News radio show; and Rikki Schlott—a Gen Z New York Post columnist and libertarian fighting to protect free speech. They come from across the political aisle and from different generations but come together for debates that sound less like crossfire and more like discussions between real people. Join the conversation, check out The Lost Debate today! New episodes drop Tuesdays and Thursdays. Find The Lost Debate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows!
Audio production by Ian Keyser
Assistant production by Hunt Beaty
Music: “Angeline,” by The Brothers Steve
The post Return of Summer Security Theater? Also, Abolish the FDA. appeared first on Reason.com.
Founded in 1968, Reason is the magazine of free minds and free markets. We produce hard-hitting independent journalism on civil liberties, politics, technology, culture, policy, and commerce. Reason exists outside of the left/right echo chamber. Our goal is to deliver fresh, unbiased information and insights to our readers, viewers, and listeners every day. Visit https://reason.com