Reason Podcast

"The intellectual backwardness of many of Trump's trade advisors contrasts dramatically with some of the very good advice he's gotten in terms of deregulation," says Roberto Salinas-León, president of the Mexico Business Forum and adjunct scholar at the CATO Institute. "Talking about your second most important trading partner in that [derogatory] vein—that's not the 'art of the deal.' That's just very bad business." Salinas-León, an expert on trade and monetary policy, says that if Trump ends the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), it would decimate jobs on both sides of the border. Reason's Nick Gillespie sat down with Salinas-León at Freedom Fest in Las Vegas to discuss NAFTA's economic impact, his heated confrontation with Trump at Freedom Fest 2015, and how the president's anti-Mexico rhetoric propelled leftist presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador ("a rabid, primitive, vitriolic, populist") to the top of the polls. Interview by Nick Gillespie. Edited by Alexis Garcia.

On today's podcast, Reason's Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Matt Welch, and Andrew Heaton discuss the trans military ban, Trump's management casualties, and free speech on Twitter. The president is making a lot of noise and staff shuffling, but not much legislative progress. Good news? Yes and no. "A big upside for [libertarians] is that Trump seems to be not very good at executing these [illiberal] maneuvers," says Mangu-Ward, citing the travel ban. But low trust in government "oddly doesn't seem to lead to calls for less government." They also discuss whether Twitter is the new battleground for free speech. And should we add Trump to Mount Rushmore or just blow it up?

On today's podcast, Reason's Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Matt Welch, and Andrew Heaton discuss the trans military ban, Trump's management casualties, and free speech on Twitter. The president is making a lot of noise and staff shuffling, but not much legislative progress. Good news? Yes and no. "A big upside for [libertarians] is that Trump seems to be not very good at executing these [illiberal] maneuvers," says Mangu-Ward, citing the travel ban. But low trust in government "oddly doesn't seem to lead to calls for less government." They also discuss whether Twitter is the new battleground for free speech. And should we add Trump to Mount Rushmore or just blow it up?

"Hopefully, over time, [the] two parties start to fall apart," says Rep. Justin Amash (R-Michigan) in an interview with Reason recorded last week at Freedom Fest in Las Vegas. "I can go straight to Twitter or Facebook or elsewhere and tell people exactly what I stand for." First elected in 2010, the libertarian congressman helped co-found the influential House Freedom Caucus, sponsored bills to cut spending and defang the National Security Agency, and took an active role in the successful effort to depose John Boehner as house majority leader. A critic of executive power and champion of constitutionalism, the Grand Rapids native is a thorn in the side of Donald Trump, serving as one of only two GOP co-sponsors of a bill calling for an independent, investigative commission into the president's Russia-related behavior. He frequently calls out the administration on social media, and is on the receiving end of a White House call to get primaried. This interview was recorded on July 21, 2017.

"Hopefully, over time, [the] two parties start to fall apart," says Rep. Justin Amash (R-Michigan) in an interview with Reason recorded last week at Freedom Fest in Las Vegas. "I can go straight to Twitter or Facebook or elsewhere and tell people exactly what I stand for." First elected in 2010, the libertarian congressman helped co-found the influential House Freedom Caucus, sponsored bills to cut spending and defang the National Security Agency, and took an active role in the successful effort to depose John Boehner as house majority leader. A critic of executive power and champion of constitutionalism, the Grand Rapids native is a thorn in the side of Donald Trump, serving as one of only two GOP co-sponsors of a bill calling for an independent, investigative commission into the president's Russia-related behavior. He frequently calls out the administration on social media, and is on the receiving end of a White House call to get primaried. This interview was recorded on July 21, 2017.

In today's podcast, Reason's Brian Doherty Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Andrew Heaton discuss how Duke historian Nancy MacLean fundamentally misunderstands her subject matter; this year's Freedom Fest (an annual convention for libertarians in Las Vegas that just wrapped up); conservative-leaning libertarians vs. left-leaning libertarians; the constitutional ramifications of Donald Trump potentially pardoning himself; and whether or not we're living in the panopticon.

In today's podcast, Reason's Brian Doherty Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Andrew Heaton discuss how Duke historian Nancy MacLean fundamentally misunderstands her subject matter; this year's Freedom Fest (an annual convention for libertarians in Las Vegas that just wrapped up); conservative-leaning libertarians vs. left-leaning libertarians; the constitutional ramifications of Donald Trump potentially pardoning himself; and whether or not we're living in the panopticon.

"Conservatives and libertarians were always portrayed as the shrill and unhappy guys, and the left and liberals were always the people who are having fun," says Greg Gutfeld, host of Fox News' The Greg Gutfeld Show, co-host of The Five, former host of Red Eye, bestselling author, and Reason magazine intern reject. "What you're seeing now is a lot more fun on the libertarian and right side than you've ever seen on the left." Gutfeld sat down with Reason's Nick Gillespie to discuss his "ugly libertarianism," Donald Trump's love of Red Eye, why he was excited about the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and why Trump's comments on the campaign trail were best understood in the context of a Comedy Central roast.

"Conservatives and libertarians were always portrayed as the shrill and unhappy guys, and the left and liberals were always the people who are having fun," says Greg Gutfeld, host of Fox News' The Greg Gutfeld Show, co-host of The Five, former host of Red Eye, bestselling author, and Reason magazine intern reject. "What you're seeing now is a lot more fun on the libertarian and right side than you've ever seen on the left." Gutfeld sat down with Reason's Nick Gillespie to discuss his "ugly libertarianism," Donald Trump's love of Red Eye, why he was excited about the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and why Trump's comments on the campaign trail were best understood in the context of a Comedy Central roast.

"The experiences I've had with psychedelic drugs, namely psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD, but particularly MDMA, have been personally transformative for me," says Mike Riggs, a reporter for Reason and the author of a blockbuster new story about how medical and psychiatric researchers are using psychedelics to help their patients. "Not frequent use, but kind of taking these drugs and then having really intense, in-depth, long conversations with intelligent people about how to get better, just how to get better as a person, as a human being, how to be a better neighbor, how to be a better friend." The tale Riggs tells isn't one of wanton hedonism or Dr. Strange-level trips. Rather, it's one in which doctors and patients are working together against the backdrop of a decades-long war on drugs to figure out new and effective ways to treat PTSD, depression, and other maladies with currently illegal substances. And more amazing, how Doblin and crew are on the verge of changing the way that the government regulates drugs.

"The experiences I've had with psychedelic drugs, namely psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD, but particularly MDMA, have been personally transformative for me," says Mike Riggs, a reporter for Reason and the author of a blockbuster new story about how medical and psychiatric researchers are using psychedelics to help their patients. "Not frequent use, but kind of taking these drugs and then having really intense, in-depth, long conversations with intelligent people about how to get better, just how to get better as a person, as a human being, how to be a better neighbor, how to be a better friend." The tale Riggs tells isn't one of wanton hedonism or Dr. Strange-level trips. Rather, it's one in which doctors and patients are working together against the backdrop of a decades-long war on drugs to figure out new and effective ways to treat PTSD, depression, and other maladies with currently illegal substances. And more amazing, how Doblin and crew are on the verge of changing the way that the government regulates drugs.

"Don't take the meeting, don't say I love it, and don't lie to people about it," says Reason's Matt Welch about revelations that Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian attorney during the 2016 election to obtain potentially incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. In today's podcast, Welch is joined by fellow editors Nick Gillespie and Katherine Mangu-Ward to discuss whether the president's son crossed the line—or maybe he's just the latest target of an on ongoing media smear campaign? And is Trump deligitimating American institutions? "America did a fucking great job of deligitimating its [own] institutions," says Gillespie. They also discuss sexual assault on campus, whether university administrators or the police are better equipped to investigate rape charges, the Senate Republicans' dreadful health care bill, and why Betsy Devos draws so much hate.

"Don't take the meeting, don't say I love it, and don't lie to people about it," says Reason's Matt Welch about revelations that Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian attorney during the 2016 election to obtain potentially incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. In today's podcast, Welch is joined by fellow editors Nick Gillespie and Katherine Mangu-Ward to discuss whether the president's son crossed the line—or maybe he's just the latest target of an on ongoing media smear campaign? And is Trump deligitimating American institutions? "America did a fucking great job of deligitimating its [own] institutions," says Gillespie. They also discuss sexual assault on campus, whether university administrators or the police are better equipped to investigate rape charges, the Senate Republicans' dreadful health care bill, and why Betsy Devos draws so much hate.

Bassem Youssef, known as the "Jon Stewart of Egypt," was the host of the most popular television show in the history of the Arab world. A heart surgeon by training, he was inspired by The Daily Show frontman to start a weekly YouTube show in 2011, just as the Egyptian revolution and Arab Spring were getting underway. He taped it from his laundry room. Called Al-Bernameg, which means "The Show," its audience grew to 30 million per episode. In a wide-ranging conversation, Youssef discusses the limits of satire, political correctness, comedy on college campuses, Trump, how political leaders use religion, and more. Produced by Justin Monticello. Music by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena and Pavel Malkov.

Bassem Youssef, known as the "Jon Stewart of Egypt," was the host of the most popular television show in the history of the Arab world. A heart surgeon by training, he was inspired by The Daily Show frontman to start a weekly YouTube show in 2011, just as the Egyptian revolution and Arab Spring were getting underway. He taped it from his laundry room. Called Al-Bernameg, which means "The Show," its audience grew to 30 million per episode. In a wide-ranging conversation, Youssef discusses the limits of satire, political correctness, comedy on college campuses, Trump, how political leaders use religion, and more. Produced by Justin Monticello. Music by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena and Pavel Malkov.