The Soho Forum Debates

Dave Smith and Alex Nowrasteh debate the resolution, "Government restrictions on the immigration of peaceful and healthy people make sense from a libertarian standpoint, especially in present-day America." Comedian and host of the podcast, Part of the Problem, Dave Smith defends the resolution. Taking the negative is Alex Nowrasteh, the Vice President for Economic and Social Policy Studies at the Cato Institute. He's the coauthor (with Benjamin Powell) of Wretched Refuse? The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions. The debate is moderated by Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein.The post Dave Smith and Alex Nowrasteh Debate Immigration appeared first on Reason.com.

Eric Brakey and Andrew Heaton debate the resolution, "Libertarians should focus on building liberty-for-real societies like the Free State Project, rather than reforming an ever-expanding, uncontrollable federal government." Eric Brakey, executive director of the Free State Project and former Maine state senator, argued in favor of the resolution. Andrew Heaton, comedian, author, and host of The Political Orphanage podcast, argued against it. The debate was moderated by Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein. Because of major technical problems during the recording of this event, the audio quality is well below Reason's standards. Editor: John OsterhoudtThe post Should Libertarians Prioritize Their Own Communities? appeared first on Reason.com.

Jewish Currents' editor-at-large Peter Beinart and American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Michael Rubin debate the resolution, "The oppression of Palestinians in non-democratic Israel has been systematic and profound." Arguing for the affirmative is Beinart, a professor of journalism and political science at the Newmark School of Journalism at the City University of New York. He's a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, editor-at-large for Jewish Currents, and a political commentator for MSNBC. Beinart has authored several books, including Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, which was released in January of this year. Arguing for the negative is Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in the Middle East and Africa, and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum. He's the author of Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes. The debate was moderated by Soho Forum director Gene Epstein. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:15 The resolution reads… 00:55 Beinart's opening statement 11:36 Rubin's opening statement 28:08 Beinart's rebuttal 32:55 Rubin's rebuttal 39:45 Q&A 1:12:02 Beinart's closing statement 1:15:22 Rubin's closing statement 1:20:23 Announcements 1:25:07 Results Editor: John OsterhoudtThe post Are the Palestinians Systematically Oppressed? appeared first on Reason.com.

Scott Horton of The Libertarian Institute and Eli Lake of The Free Press debate the resolution, "The United States started the new Cold War with Russia and provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine." Taking the affirmative is Horton, the director of The Libertarian Institute and the editorial director of antiwar.com. He recently published a book on the debate subject called Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine. Arguing for the negative is Lake, a columnist for The Free Press and contributing editor for Commentary magazine, whose longtime beat has been foreign affairs and national security. The debate was hosted at Dartmouth College by the Dartmouth Political Union and moderated by Soho Forum director Gene Epstein. Post Production: John OsterhoudtThe post Did the U.S. Provoke Russia's Invasion of Ukraine? appeared first on Reason.com.

Peter Gietl of Blaze Media and Salvadoran journalist Ricardo Avelar debate the resolution, "President Nayib Bukele's crime-fighting policies in El Salvador provide a model for reducing violence in other Latin American countries." Arguing in favor is Gietl, the managing editor for Return and Frontier magazine for Blaze Media. In November of last year, Gietl published a lengthy photojournalistic essay chronicling his travels to El Salvador, titled "J'Adore El Salvador," which he concludes by asking: "Can we bottle [El Salvador's transformation] up and ship it back to America?" Taking the negative is Avelar, a senior journalist and presenter for the Central American news outlet Revista Factum. In 2021, he co-directed a docuseries called 9F: The Return of Rifles, which is about the "El Bukelazo" events of February 9, 2020. The debate is moderated by Soho Forum director Gene Epstein. Post Production: John OsterhoudtThe post El Salvador's Bukele: Authoritarian or Model President? appeared first on Reason.com.

Elizabeth Price Foley, a constitutional law professor known for her expertise in separation of powers, and Glenn Greenwald, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, engage in a lively debate over the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity. Foley defends the necessity of immunity for executive functions, while Greenwald argues it creates a dangerous precedent. They explore historical examples, the implications of unchecked power, and the balance between accountability and presidential authority, shedding light on a crucial aspect of U.S. governance.

Santiago Forster, a fellow at Fundación Rioplatense de Estudios and student, defends President Javier Milei’s economic reforms in Argentina. Agustín Dante Rombolá, founder of Kairos Global and a youth leader in the Unión Cívica Radical, critiques these policies, arguing they worsen poverty and inequality. They discuss Argentina's troubling economic history and the challenges of Milei's aggressive reforms, debating their effectiveness and long-term implications for everyday citizens. The dialogue showcases a clash of ideals around liberty and justice in the context of economic freedom.

David Leonhardt of The New York Times and John Early of the Cato Institute debate the resolution, "The stagnation of living standards and soaring economic inequality have become the defining economic trends of American life." For the affirmative is Leonhardt, a senior writer at The New York Times and the author of Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream, which The Atlantic, the Financial Times, and McKinsey & Co. named one of the best books of 2023. He writes The Morning, the Times's flagship newsletter. In 2012, he won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary. Early is taking the negative. He is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute and president of the consultancy Vital Few LLC. He is a former assistant commissioner at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and former legislative assistant to Sen. George McGovern (D–S.D.). His more than 80 publications include The Myth of American Inequality: How Government Biases Policy Debate. The debate is moderated by Soho Forum director Gene Epstein.The post Are American Living Standards In Decline? appeared first on Reason.com.

Former budget director under Ronald Reagan, David Stockman, and Stephen Moore, Donald Trump's former senior economic advisor, debate the resolution, "In the current presidential election, both Democrats and Republicans consist of a UniParty that will lead us to the bottom of the national 'policy dumpster.'" Arguing for the affirmative is David Stockman, former budget director under President Reagan. He is the author of six books, the most recent being his 2024 Trump's War on Capitalism. He blogs on his website Contra Corner. The resolution's mention of a "policy dumpster" comes from a three-part blog Stockman authored in August. Taking the negative is Stephen Moore, Trump's former senior economic advisor and the research director of President Reagan's Privatization Commission. He is now a Senior Visiting Fellow in Economics at The Heritage Foundation. He is also the co-founder of Unleash Prosperity, which aims to educate policy makers in supply-side economics. He's the author of the 2012 book Who's the Fairest of Them All?: The Truth about Opportunity, Taxes, and Wealth in America. The debate was moderated by Soho Forum director Gene Epstein.The post Are the Two Parties Any Different? appeared first on Reason.com.

Arthur B. Laffer, a key figure in supply-side economics and advisor to Ronald Reagan, defends Donald Trump's candidacy. He argues for Trump's economic policies, including tax cuts and deregulation, highlighting their potential benefits. Chase Oliver, the Libertarian presidential candidate, counters with concerns about government spending and the need for accountability. The debate covers trade, health care costs, and the importance of third-party candidates, all while tackling the complexities of modern political choices. Humor and insightful anecdotes add to the spirited discussion.