Toys, Tariffs, and Trade Wars

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason reporter Christian Britschgi to discuss President Donald Trump's proposal for a 100 percent tariff on foreign-made films and his broader attacks on cheap consumer goods, arguing that it represents a bipartisan slide into anti-consumer, anti-capitalist populism. They also criticize the federal government's creeping surveillance and bureaucratic overreach, especially when it comes to Real ID and public broadcasting.

0:00—Introduction

1:46—Trump's attack on families and foreign films

7:20—Why cheap consumer goods are great

12:05—Political movements won't solve spiritual yearning

16:28—How do tariffs affect local zoning?

18:35—Trump's new proposed budget

22:15—Why we need to cut the Department of Homeland Security budget

28:25—Listener question: Are we finally defunding NPR and PBS?

37:28—Every American citizen now needs a Real I.D.

51:07—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Suspected Terrorist," by Brian Doherty

"Trump's War on Foreign Films," by Liz Wolfe

"5 Times the Trump Team Told Americans To Accept Being Poorer," by Eric Boehm

"When Tariff Shortages Arrive, Here's What Might Be Missing," by Eric Boehm

"Trump Admits Tariffs Could Create Shortages, Hike Prices," by Eric Boehm

"Tariffs Won't Fix What's Ailing American Men in the Work Force," by Veronique de Rugy

"You Will Work in the Factory and You Will Like It," by Liz Wolfe

"Trump's Budget Calls for $17 Billion Cut to NIH, Citing Lax Oversight of Gain-of-Function Research in Wuhan," by Christian Britschgi

"Trump Says His Budget Proposal Will End the 'Green New Scam,'" by Jeff Luse

"Can the President Refuse To Spend Money Authorized by Congress?" by Peter Suderman

"Trump Tries To Defund NPR and PBS by Executive Order," by Jesse Walker

"Is REAL ID Actually Happening?" by Emma Camp

"Same energy: Trump on dolls, Sanders on deodorants. Horseshoe theory in action. What a difference a decade makes," by Nick Gillespie

"Take the Public Out of Public Broadcasting," by Nick Gillespie

"How 'Disinformation' Became Public Enemy No. 1," by Zach Weissmueller and Nick Gillespie

"What we are facing in America is not a pandemic, or economic malaise, or resurgence of inequality, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, or lack of options, food, shelter, you name it. What we are facing is a crisis of meaning," by Nick Gillespie

"Brick. Cool lighting. But it's all about the mannequin. Need background story. 8/10 @ nickgillespie," by RoomRater

"Bernie Sanders: Don't Need 23 Choices of Deodorant, 18 Choices of Sneakers When Kids Are Going Hungry," by Ed Krayewski

Upcoming Reason events:

Reason Speakeasy: Robert Rosenkranz on The Stoic Capitalist, May 6, 2025

The Soho Forum Debate: Dave Smith vs. Alex Nowrasteh on Immigration, May 21, 2025

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• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

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