About 0.5 percent of U.S. adults identify as transgender, according to a 2022 UCLA study. Among 13- to 17-year-olds, the figure has grown to about 1.4 percent. That uptick in the youth might help explain why trans issues are playing a growing role in American politics.  Registered voters told Gallup pollsters that transgender issues ranked among the least important political issues they considered when weighing their presidential vote—just below climate change.  Yet, the Trump campaign spent $65 million running ads in swing states attacking Vice President Kamala Harris' transgender policy stances in the final stretch of the campaign, according to The New York Times. The top Harris super PAC found that one such ad shifted voters who viewed it almost three points towards Trump, resonating particularly well with demographics that swung significantly in his favor.   In a relatively close election, is it possible that this actually was a deciding factor? And how should trans advocates and Democrats adjust their approach to this issue?  Joining us today to talk about it are Brianna Wu and TafTaj. They are two of the co-hosts of the new show Dollcast, a show about transgender issues and politics, aiming to correct what they see as the excesses or errors in both the trans and gender-critical movements. TafTaj is a streamer and commentator. Wu is a programmer, political activist, and commentator, best known for her involvement in Gamergate. She now runs the progressive Rebellion PAC. Sources to Reference: Williams Institute: How Many Adults and Youth Identify as Transgender in the United States? Economy Most Important Issue to 2024 Presidential Vote The New York Times: Trump and Republicans Bet Big on Anti-Trans Ads Across the Country The New York Times: How Trump Won, and How Harris Lost The Washington Post: GamerGaters Inundated Her With Death Threats. Now Some Are Apologizing — and She Forgives Them. Brianna Wu: I Fear That Progressivism Has Become the Very Thing We Fought Against Brianna Wu: X Post "from the center" The Cass Review Should kids medically transition? | Jesse Singal | Just Asking Questions, Episode 21 IFLScience: The Woman Who Gave Birth Despite Most Of Her Cells Having XY Chromosomes PubMed Central: Rare successful pregnancy in a patient with Swyer Syndrome Chapters: 00:00 Coming up… 00:29 Introduction 03:24 Brianna Wu's political evolution 06:03 "The progressive purity spiral" 07:25 Taf's political evolution 09:58 "The centrist case for trans rights" 15:42 The "President Trump is for you" ad 23:10 "Non-binary" identity and science 29:17 Wu and Taf's personal stories 40:53 Youth gender dysphoria science and the Cass Review 48:46 Should insurance companies not be involved? 54:26 A libertarian approach? 01:05:05 Technological changes 01:07:48 Questions more people should be asking The post Brianna Wu and TafTaj: How Have Trans Issues Scrambled Our Politics? appeared first on Reason.com.

Was bitcoin the winner of the 2024 election? Just asking questions.  Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to protect bitcoin and the entire crypto economy.  Major endorsements from the industry followed, including from the Winklevoss twins, who each made a $1 million bitcoin donation to a pro-Trump PAC. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong called Trump's win the "dawn of a new crypto era." Bitcoin has hit new all-time highs, since the election. Today's guest has been writing and speaking on these topics for a long time, and was also celebrating after the election, going so far as to call Trump's win a victory in a "spiritual war." Nic Carter is a writer and general partner at Castle Island Ventures, which invests in crypto-financial infrastructure. Let's start with crypto and bitcoin before we zoom all the way out to spiritual warfare. Nick begins by telling us why he's optimistic about Trump's second term in regard to making America a better place for people to buy, sell, and hold bitcoin and other crypto assets. This conversation was recorded on Nov. 20, 2024. Between now and then, some important and relevant news has come to light, especially regarding debanking. There is a new intro to this episode detailing why this matters. Sources referenced: From the new intro: Marc Andreeson on The Joe Rogan Experience Lee Fang: Debanking Realignment: CFPB to Protect Christian Free Speech Just Asking Questions with Lee Fang Nic Carter: Marc Andreessen is right about Debanking Winklevoss Twins Say They Each Gave $1 Million to Trump Presidential Campaign Why Coinbase CEO Sees Trump's Win as the 'Dawn of a New Crypto Era' Bitcoin price chart Nic Carter on X: The 2024 Election as a Spiritual War Why You Should (Still) Care About Silvergate Rep. French Hill (R–Ark.) Says He'd Investigate Operation Choke Point 2.0 as Financial Services Chair "Mr. Carter goes to Washington" How Stablecoins Are Extending the U.S. Dollar Dominance Annual Volume of Stablecoins vs. Other Financial Services Polymarket Founder Alleges Political Retribution Archive of Polymarket from November 5 Carter's "Wish List" for Trump's Second Term Chapters: 00:00:00 Coming up… 00:00:35 New context regarding Operation Chokepoint 2.0 00:06:10 Did bitcoin win the 2024 election? 00:08:07 Nic is optimistic about Trump 2.0 00:10:26 Why has the GOP embraced crypto? 00:14:19 OCP 2.0 and Silvergate 00:18:44 How do you make normal people care about this? 00:21:45 The role of the FDIC 00:23:36 What will Trump do about all of this? 00:28:10 Central bank digital currencies, and why they matter 00:30:15 What can Nic tell us about his trip to congress? 00:31:08 What are stablecoins and why are they important? 00:37:29 The persecution of Polymarket 00:44:32 The election and spiritual warfare 00:57:30 Nic's wish list for Trump 2.0 01:07:58 Nic's No. 1 question: Where did COVID come from? Producer: John OsterhoudtThe post Nic Carter: Did Bitcoin Win the Election? appeared first on Reason.com.

Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist and professor at UC San Francisco, delves into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial health proposals. They discuss the implications of Kennedy's ideas on public health, including fluoride, food additives, and vaccine skepticism. Prasad critically evaluates the balance between individual rights and corporate influence in health policies. The conversation also highlights systemic issues in American healthcare and the need for accountability and innovation within drug regulation.

Yuval Levin, the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, dives into the complexities of Trump's presidency and its implications for American governance. He discusses the notion of a Trump mandate and argues against the idea of a decisive victory, emphasizing negative polarization. The conversation also touches on the internal struggles of political parties, the legitimacy crisis in American elections, and historical ideological divides between figures like Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine.

Lee Fang, an independent journalist and political commentator known for his incisive Substack writings, dives deep into the aftermath of Donald Trump's decisive victory. He critiques the Democratic Party's disconnect from key voter demographics, particularly among working-class Asians and younger men. Fang highlights the alarming trend of Latino voters shifting towards Republicans and discusses the urgent need for authentic engagement with local communities. He also explores the challenges of finding a transformative leader to unite diverse constituents within the party.

Why did Donald Trump win? Trump is back. Back again. He's secured the Electoral College majority needed to become America's 47th president and looks on track for a popular vote majority—the first Republican to pull that off in more than 20 years.  A New York Times breakdown shows that across just about every type of county—urban, suburban, older population, younger, white, black, Latino—Trump improved his numbers.  Surprising to many was Trump's large improvement among Latinos of all kinds, despite—or maybe in some cases because of—his hardline immigration stances and insult comic Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" at his Madison Square Garden rally shortly before the election. Yet seven percent more Puerto Rican Americans appear to have voted for Trump this year than in 2020. One person who is less surprised than many is today's guest, Patrick Ruffini, who wrote a book predicting much of this called Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP. He's a Republican Party strategist, a pollster for Echelon Insights, and writes at The Intersection. Sources Referenced: 2024 Presidential General Election Results The New York Times: Early Results Show a Red Shift Across the U.S. The Wall Street Journal: How Different Groups Voted in the 2024 Election The married/unmarried gap Associated Press: How America voted in 2024 (demographic breakdowns) National Center for Education Statistics: College Enrollment Rates Florida election results 2024 vs. 2012 VoteCommon Kamala Harris Ad Producer: John OsterhoudtThe post Patrick Ruffini: Why Did Trump Win? appeared first on Reason.com.

Is this the most important election ever? And who should win? Just asking questions. Next week, America decides: elect the 78-year-old criminally indicted, twice-impeached ex-president who's pledged to impose a universal tariff of 20 percent and embark on the largest mass deportation in American history; or his opponent, the vice president, swapped in for a malfunctioning Joe Biden, whose first major policy proposal was to cap grocery store prices to fight inflation, and who has trouble explaining how she'd govern any differently than her increasingly unpopular predecessor. It's a close race. Independents, including libertarians, will likely decide it. So we've invited three of them on today with three different perspectives to explain their votes. The first is David Stockman. He's the former director of the Office of Budget Management under Ronald Reagan. He served as a U.S. representative, and he says whoever wins we're basically screwed because neither candidate is addressing the most important policy issues facing America today. Then we'll talk to Dave Smith, a repeat guest on the show, host of the popular Part of the Problem podcast. He says he's reluctantly and probably voting for Trump because of the threat that Kamala Harris—and the political machine that she represents—poses to liberty in America. And lastly, we'll talk with Jacob Grier, a writer and Reason contributor who says that from a libertarian and small government perspective, the choice is obvious. Donald Trump is an authoritarian threat and Kamala Harris is a far superior choice. Let's just ask each of them some questions. Sources Referenced: David Stockman at The Soho Forum: Are the Two Parties Any Different? Dave Smith: I'm Voting For Trump | Part Of The Problem Just Asking Questions with Ford Fischer: What's the Untold Story Behind 'Stop the Steal'? Just Asking Questions with Vivek Ramaswamy: Is There a Libertarian-Nationalist Alliance? Jacob Grier: To My Fellow Libertarians: It's Time to Embrace the Harris-Walz Ticket How Are Reason Staffers Voting in 2024? Chapters: 00:00 Coming up… 00:39 Introduction 02:50 David Stockman: Harris and Trump are both intolerable 35:15 Dave Smith: Voting against Harris 01:19:28 Jacob Grier: Voting against Trump Producer: John OsterhoudtThe post Dave Smith, David Stockman, and Jacob Grier: Who Is The Lesser Evil? appeared first on Reason.com.

Thierry Malleret, an economist and co-author of "The Great Reset," discusses the World Economic Forum's role and the implications of stakeholder capitalism. He critiques the declining influence of Western nations and the rise of nationalism, while exploring the complexities of Environmental, Social, and Governance standards. Malleret examines the relationship between governments and big tech amidst the pandemic, addresses conspiracy theories surrounding Davos, and highlights the challenges of global collaboration in tackling innovation and population concerns.

What should the federal government do in a disaster? Two major hurricanes made landfall within two weeks, devastating the southeast. Hurricane Helene has killed more than 200 people, and more than 90 are still missing in North Carolina, where overflowing rivers and tributaries flooded the western part of the state. More than 9,000 remain without power. Hurricane Milton grew to Category 5 status in the Gulf before hitting Florida's west coast just south of Tampa Bay as a Category 3. It caused at least 23 deaths, and both storms are likely to cause over $100 billion in economic damage. Today's guest is part of an organization that's been on the ground in both places helping with disaster relief. Brian Trascher is the vice president of the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer organization that started in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Trascher discusses the origins of the Cajun Navy after Hurricane Katrina, conditions on the ground in North Carolina and Florida, the federal government's response, growing distrust of FEMA, and how to better prepare for disaster. Sources Referenced: ABC News: Hurricane Helene updates Forbes: Nearly 100 Still Missing In North Carolina After Hurricane Helene North Carolina Power Outages Map Fox Weather: Florida's resilience tested as Milton death toll stands at 23 Accuweather: Hurricane Milton by the numbers FreeThink documentary about the United Cajun Navy Department of Homeland Security: FEMA's Inadequate Oversight Led to Delays in Closing Out Declared Disasters FEMA's September 2024 Disaster Relief Fund Report Stars and Stripes: "The National Guard's report of "armed militia" out "hunting FEMA" prompts the relocation of North Carolina hurricane recovery officials." United Cajun Navy's response to the article above. North Carolina National Guard helicopter video North Carolina National Guard's response to the helicopter video Photo of electric chainsaws provided by the government Text of the Stafford Act Chapters 00:00 Coming up… 00:10 Introduction 01:28 Documentary clip about the United Cajun Navy 02:25 What's the status of North Carolina? 05:29 United Cajun Navy's origin story 10:36 Comparing Hurricanes Helene and Milton 15:12 How are resources allocated properly? 18:25 When to evacuate and why some people don't 23:08 What's it like to deal with FEMA on the ground? 29:23 Did a national guard helicopter purposefully sabotage volunteer efforts? 38:23 Do government workers get defensive about volunteer help? 43:04 Why do people distrust FEMA? 57:38 FEMA's budgeting problems 1:02:42 The Stafford Act 1:08:26 How should people prepare for disaster? 1:10:24 What question should people be asking? Photo credit: Travis Long/TNS/Newscom Producer: John OsterhoudtThe post Brian Trascher: Has FEMA failed North Carolina? appeared first on Reason.com.

How do immigrants change American culture? Just asking questions. While the economy ranks as voters' top concern as of a Wednesday Gallup poll, immigration remains "extremely" or "very" important to 72 percent of registered U.S. voters. As with most issues, there's a large partisan divide, with 63 percent of Republicans responding that immigration is an "extremely" important election year issue, and only 23 percent of Democrats answering the same.  Gallup found this summer that more than 55 percent of Americans believed immigration should be decreased, a number higher than it's been for more than 20 years. Although there, too, there's a large partisan divide. In the long view, Gallup finds a fairly stable consensus that immigration is a good thing for the country today, with 68 percent of respondents answering as such in the summer of 2023. This is all in the context of Border Patrol reporting 2.7 million border encounters so far in fiscal year 2024. So what we see is a picture of an American electorate that likes immigration in theory but is increasingly concerned about it in practice. Today's guest predicted that immigration would become the "defining issue of the 21st century" in an article published in an August 2015 opinion piece for The Week, where he wrote that, "just as the building of trade routes and maintenance of empires defined the mercantile age, then the construction of a political economy (capitalist or socialist) became the major problem of the industrial age, the mass movement of people may be the defining issue of whatever we're calling the information age." Michael Brendan Dougherty is a senior writer for National Review, the William F. Buckley Senior Scholar at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and a critic of the kind of libertarian unfettered movement of peaceful people across borders that I favor. We begin by asking why the digital world has brought the issue of immigration to the fore. Sources referenced: GALLUP: Importance of Issues Among U.S. Registered Voters, Oct. 9, 2024 GALLUP: Americans Still Value Immigration, But Have Concerns Nationwide Encounters | U.S. Customs and Border Protection Michael Brendan Dougherty: Why Immigration May Be the Defining Issue of the 21st Century Michael Brendan Dougherty: The Know Nothings were right on mass immigration The Cultural Geography of The United States by Wilbur Zelinsky Zelinsky's Doctrine of First Effective Settlement Wretched Refuse? by Alex Nowrasteh and Benjamin Powell The Immigration Flowchart  State Dept: Immigrant Visas Issued Manhattan Institute: The Lifetime Fiscal Impact of Immigrants Chapters: 00:00 Coming up… 00:32 Introduction 03:06 How the information age makes immigration more a pressing issue 07:19 What's Dougherty's preferred system? 15:56 Immigration's effects on native political power 21:20 The history of American nativism is largely Anti-Catholic 31:59 The doctrine of first effective settlement 39:55 Assimilating into a toxic education environment 47:44 Debating "the new economic case against immigration" 56:31 A low-trust society? 59:31 Immigrants upward mobility 01:12:02 Does immigration create a caste system? 01:19:00 Zach's ideal system 01:27:18 What is a question more people should be asking? Photo credit: Qian Weizhong/VCG/Newscom Producer: John OsterhoudtThe post Michael Brendan Dougherty: How Will Immigrants Reshape America? appeared first on Reason.com.