The Importance of Free Inquiry in Society

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

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• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

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