In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman lament the latest dire forecast from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) last week forecasting a $2 trillion budget deficit in 2024.

02:31—$2 trillion federal budget deficit

21:17— Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump on immigration

37:02—Weekly Listener Question

46:23—Revisiting Anthony Fauci and COVID-19 origins

55:18—This week's cultural recommendations

Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

Students for Liberty
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Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

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The Reason Roundtable

Eating Doritos While Drowning in Debt

Whenever we talk about math, most people, including business owners, would rather talk just about anything else. But, understanding the financials in your business is key to your success. Capital Advisory Group has been helping Small Business owners grow and protect their businesses for nearly 50 years, recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and helping small business owners succeed without paying any more in taxes than legally obligated. Here on Keep What’s Yours, the radio/podcast for small business, your hosts Jeff Zufall, senior tax strategist at Capital Advisory Group Inc., and Josh Gilbert, KTRS radio talk:
•	The math matters… a lot
•	Why pay more in taxes than legally obligated
•	What the FED does next on interest rates
•	The Inflationary Impact
•	Private Equity and Hedge Funds

Request your free copy of Jeff’s #1 best-selling book, "Keep What's Yours," just visit CapitalAdvisoryGrp com now! 

The IRS reports that small businesses overpay their taxes every year. Stop overpaying - Call Capital Advisory Group at 636-394-5524 today!

2024-07-06 Keep What’s Yours

Today's guest is the Libertarian Party's candidate for president Chase Oliver, who wants to phase out Social Security and Medicare for younger Americans, create a 21st century version of Ellis Island, and get the government out of bedrooms and boardrooms. A longtime antiwar activist, he also wants to bring American troops home and slash the Pentagon's budget. Despite such ultralibertarian positions, a number of high-profile Libertarian Party figures and state parties have declined to endorse him because he is not part of the national party's Mises Caucus and he believes that the nonsurgical transitioning of minors should be decided by doctors, parents, and kids without the state intervening. Reason's Nick Gillespie talks with Oliver about misunderstandings surrounding his opposition to mask and vaccine mandates, how he first encountered the Libertarian Party at a gay pride event, and why he thinks millennials and Gen Z are particularly ready to listen to libertarian ideas after constantly being lied to by boomers like Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

0:00— Introduction

1:29— Economic policy & entitlement reform

11:45— Immigration reform

19:55— COVID-19 policy

22:21— A message to younger voters

24:20— The cases for and against Kamala Harris

28:21— How Libertarians can appeal to Millennials & Gen-Z

29:52— The case against Trump and Vance

32:07— Are Millennials cynically attached to institutions?

33:29— Libertarian Party conflicts

36:12— Ad: Students For Liberty

37:44— A libertarian view on trans issues

44:59— Being the first openly LGBTQ national candidate

46:55— LNC's unusual collaboration with RFK Jr.

51:05— Uptick in Gen-Z LGBTQ identification

53:32— Oliver's political evolution

56:53— Foreign policy: Ukraine, Israel, and China

1:04:40— Could Trump or Harris turn more libertarian?

Today's sponsor:

Students for Liberty (SFL). Are you a freedom-loving college student seeking a platform to amplify your voice? Then you need to check out Students for Liberty, a global hub for liberty-loving students like you. With members in over 100 countries, empower yourself and others to champion freedom. Visit StudentsForLiberty.org to discover how you can join their movement and contribute to building a freer future.

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The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie

Chase Oliver: Q&A With the Controversial Libertarian Party Candidate

Dennis Tubbergen hosts Kerry Lutz, founder of the Financial Survival Network, on RLA Radio this week. They discuss recent market volatility, Federal Reserve policies, and the potential impacts of political changes on the economy. Lutz predicts continued market volatility and emphasizes the need for innovative solutions to address the national debt and government spending. They also explore the potential for significant fiscal changes under the new administration, including the reassertion of impoundment authority and structural reforms. Lutz shares insights from his upcoming book on Martin Armstrong's economic predictions and historical perspectives. The conversation concludes with a discussion on real estate market trends, regulatory impacts, and the potential for economic recovery by the 2026 midterm elections.

Kerry Lutz has been a student of Austrian Economics since 1977. While attending Pace University, he stumbled upon an extensive cache of Austrian Economic Literature in a dark, musty, abandoned section of the school’s library. After graduating from The New York Law School, he became an attorney and lifelong serial entrepreneur. In 2010, Kerry gave up most of his other interests to pursue his desire of becoming a radio show host and founded the Financial Survival Network, whose mission is to help you prosper and thrive in the New Economy.

To learn more about Kerry Lutz and subscribe to his free newsletter, please visit http://kerrylutz.com.  To learn more about Retirement Lifestyle Advocates, please visit our website at www.RetirementLifestyleAdvocates.com. 


2024-12-22 Retirement Lifestyle Advocates Radio w/ Kerry Lutz

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Peter Suderman welcome special guest Tim Carney to the show. The panelists discuss Joe Biden's commutations of 37 out of 40 federal death row sentences, before unpacking the latest on the traditional end-of-year struggle in Congress to pass a spending deal.

00:39 - Joe Biden commutes federal death row sentences

06:41 - Congress scrambles to pass spending deal

29:32 - Weekly listener question

36:12 - Will Trump administration policies be more family friendly?

48:59 - This week's cultural recommendations

Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

ZBiotics. ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink is the world's first genetically engineered probiotic. It was invented by Ph.D. scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Make ZBiotics your first drink of the night, drink responsibly, and you'll feel your best tomorrow. Go to zbiotics.com/ROUNDTABLE to get 15 percent off your first order when you use ROUNDTABLE at checkout. ZBiotics is backed with a 100 percent money-back guarantee so if you're unsatisfied for any reason, they'll refund your money, no questions asked.

Audio production by Ian Keyser
Assistant production by Hunt Beaty
Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

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Was Biden Right to Take Prisoners Off Death Row?

Dennis Tubbergen hosts Lawrence Reed, chairman emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), on this week’s RLA Radio show. They discuss the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its potential impact on federal spending. Reed emphasizes the critical need to control federal spending, highlighting the $1.8 trillion deficit and the high interest on national debt. He suggests eliminating entire departments, like the Department of Education, to save costs. Reed also shares historical insights from his article on Joe Dodge, a banker who helped Germany and Japan recover post-WWII by cutting spending and controlling inflation. They draw parallels to modern challenges, such as Argentina's recent economic reforms under President Javier Milei. Reed stresses the importance of public support and congressional action for DOGE's success. The conversation underscores the urgency of addressing federal spending to avoid economic crisis.

Lawrence W. Reed is President Emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), Humphreys Family Senior Fellow, and Ron Manners Global Ambassador for Liberty, having served for nearly 11 years as FEE’s president (2008-2019). He is the author of the 2020 book, “Was Jesus a Socialist?”, as well as Real Heroes: Incredible True Stories of Courage, Character, and Conviction, and Excuse Me, Professor: Challenging the Myths of Progressivism.

For information about Mr. Larry Reed, please visit www.LawrenceWReed.com. For more information about Retirement Lifestyle Advocates, please visit www.RetirementLifestyleAdvocates.com.

2025-01-26 Retirement Lifestyle Advocates Radio w/ Lawrence Reed

Oh, Darlin there's a problem
Yeah, it's time that we sat down.
You took all of our money,
And spent it all over the town.

Well, ever since we married, 
You've been selling me your lies.
You stole most of my income,
And gave it straight to other guys.

Our love's as phony as U.S. AID.
I keep getting poorer, and you keep getting paid.
Give back my money, stop writing checks,
Your spending spree is getting exed.

You cleaned out my whole wallet 
To go and get some bread,
But now you're running psy-ops,
Trying to get inside my head.

I'm starting to suspect that
I've been played right for a fool,
Buying comic books for Pedro
And condoms for Abdul.

Our love's as phony as U.S. AID.
Oh, I keep getting poorer, and you keep getting paid.
Give back my money, no more paychecks,
Your spending spree is getting exed.

And while we're on the subject,
Sweetie, could you please explain,
Why you drained out all our savings,
To stage a coup inside Ukraine.

I cancelled all your payments,
Couldn't take it anymore.
So why is Maxine Waters
Trying to barricade our door?

Now our home's as empty as U.S. AID.
The Swamp's spending spree has been indefinitely delayed.
No biolabs, and no NGOs,
Those deep state operations are all permanently closed.

Our love's as phony as U.S. AID.
Yeah, I keep getting poorer, and you keep getting paid.
Give back my money, no more blank checks,
Your spending spree is getting exed.

Your Spending Spree is Exed

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie welcome special guest Justin Amash to weigh in on President Donald Trump vs. the rule of law, Congress' inability to budget, and Vice President J.D. Vance's big trip to Europe.

04:04 - Trump quotes Napoleon

19:36 - DOGE wants to cut, Congress still wants to spend big

29:05 - Defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

38:37 - Weekly listener question

47:21 - Vance goes to Europe

56:58 - This week's cultural recommendations

Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

Are you a student looking for a transformative opportunity that supports the foundations of a free society? Reliance College invites students aged 16 to 24 to the 2025 Great Connections Seminar in Chicago, from July 26 to August 2. This year's theme, "Reason and Free Will," dives into timeless ideas from writers such as Thomas Jefferson, Ayn Rand, and Aristotle. Students sharpen critical thinking in small, dynamic groups, developing the intellectual tools needed to thrive in a free society. Outside the classroom, they'll explore Chicago's vibrant culture—touring museums, trying improv comedy, and building lifelong connections. Parents, this program equips students to think, reason, and act independently. Go to reliancecollege.org/reason to learn more and apply. Early registration is just $400 before March 1, including room and board, with scholarships available. Don't miss out! Visit www.reliancecollege.org/reason to learn more and apply.

Audio production by Ian Keyser
Assistant production by Hunt Beaty
Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

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Justin Amash on Why the President Isn't Above the Law

Steve’s guest is noted economist L. Randall Wray, one of the early developers of modern money theory. As many times as this podcast has talked about MMT, it’s always topical. In fact, just last week, Elon Musk discovered 14 magic money computers in government agencies!

"So, Trump had to hire the richest man in the world who hired who knows how many hundreds of young tech kids to discover what we’ve been saying for 30 years, which is that Congress appropriates money, and then the computers keystroke it into people’s accounts.

There’s no mystery about this at all, but they think they’ve discovered not only something that people didn’t know, but something that’s, oh, it’s so scary. It’s nefarious that the government uses computers to increase the size of people’s accounts. Well, that’s spending. That’s the way it’s done."

Clearly, this is a good time to revisit the valuable insights of MMT and look at the implications for building a society that serves its people.

This episode dives deep into the fundamentals, debunking misconceptions about government spending, the role of taxes, and the myth that the US government can run out of money, like a household.

Randy and Steve talk about changes in the economy due to financialization, and the difference between budget constraints and inflation constraints. Randy explains why we need to look at the history of debt in order to understand money. He talks about banking, including transactions between the Federal Reserve and the Treasury.

The conversation breaks down complex concepts into relatable terms, sometimes with a touch of humor.

Illustrating the creation of currency, Randy describes an imaginary scenario in which the fictional characters Robinson Crusoe and Friday devise a currency to facilitate barter.

Randy: So, they come up with the idea of, ‘hey, we can use seashells as a medium of exchange.’ And this is where money came from. It was Robinson Crusoe and Friday. Okay, think about this a little bit. It’s pretty bizarre. We’ve got Crusoe and Friday marooned on a desert island. I can think of two much more likely scenarios. Okay, one, Crusoe came from Europe. What do Europeans do when they come across native people?

Steve: Kill them.

Anyone with an interest in how the economy truly operates will learn something from this episode.

L. Randall Wray is a Professor of Economics at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, and Emeritus Professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is one of the developers of Modern Money Theory and his newest book on the topic is Understanding Modern Money Theory: Money and Credit in Capitalist Economies (Elgar), forthcoming in spring 2025.

Recent books on MMT include Making Money Work for Us (Polity, November 2022), a companion illustrated guide, Money For Beginners (Polity, May 2023, with Levy Institute graduate Heske Van Doornen), and the third edition of Modern Money Theory: A Primer on Macroeconomics for Sovereign Monetary Systems (Springer, 2024). He is also the author of Why Minsky Matters (Princeton, 2015) as well as the author, co-author, and editor of many other books.

Find more of his work at levyinstitute.org

Modern Money with L. Randall Wray

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman, Nick Gillespie, Matt Welch, and special guest Mary Katharine Ham discuss President Donald Trump's trade war with China. They also talk about the taxes they hate the most—just in time to celebrate Tax Day.

4:30—Trump's trade war with China

15:36—How will Trump's tariffs affect the U.S. manufacturing industry?

23:06—Is the U.S. middle class hollowed out?

34:52—Tax Day is upon us, once again

43:31—Listener question about Thomas Jefferson's list of grievances

50:21—The Department of Government Efficiency's cost savings update

59:59—Cultural recommendations

Today's sponsors:

Join the 2025 Great Connections Seminar in Chicago, July 26–Aug 2.  Designed for students 16–24, this week-long experience builds the core skills of entrepreneurship: critical thinking, persuasive communication, and intellectual independence. This year's theme, "Reason and Free Will," explores great minds like Aristotle, Ayn Rand, and Jefferson—not through lectures, but in dynamic, small-group discussions that train students to lead and innovate. Outside the classroom, they'll tour Chicago's museums, try improv, and connect with ambitious peers. In a world of AI and automation, original thinking is your competitive edge. Tuition is just $800, including room and board.  Scholarships available. Apply today at www.reliancecollege.org/reason.

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Why Trump's China Tariffs Won't Work

Founded in 1968, Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Our podcast offerings include:

The Reason Roundtable
Every Monday, the libertarian editors of the magazine of “Free Minds and Free Markets”—Matt Welch, Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Peter Suderman—discuss and debate the week’s biggest stories and what fresh hell awaits us all.

The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie
Want to know what comes next in politics, culture, and libertarian ideas? Reason’s Nick Gillespie hosts relentlessly interesting interviews with the activists, artists, authors, entrepreneurs, newsmakers, and politicians who are defining the 21st century.

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Macroeconomics has never been so ... delish!  Macro and Cheese explores the progressive movement through the lens of Modern Monetary Theory, with hot and irreverent political takes, spotlights in activism, and the razor sharp musings of Real Progressives Founder and host Steve Grumbine.  The cheese will flow as experts come in for a full, four course deep dive into the hot queso. 

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New tracks tagged #Government Spending