Gene Epstein, Author at Reason.com

Glenn Greenwald on the left, Anna Gorisch on the right, the words "Trump's Deportations: Constitutional?" in orange and white across the top of the image, and a photo of ICE in the background with the Reason Debates and Soho Forum logos in the bottom left corner | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

Immigration

Are Trump's Deportations Constitutional?

Glenn Greenwald debates Anna Gorisch on Trump's deportation policies.

Gene Epstein | 8.12.2025 6:00 PM

Pictures of Jacob Hacker and David Goldhill against a dark background with the words "healthcare debate" across the image and the Soho Forum and Reason debate logos | Graphic by Brett Raney

The Soho Forum Debates

Should the U.S. Have a Public Health Insurance Plan?

Yale’s Jacob Hacker and Sesame’s David Goldhill debate a government-run health insurance plan.

Gene Epstein | 7.18.2025 3:15 PM

Cold War

Was the Cold War a Deception?

The American Enterprise Institute's Hal Brands and investigative journalist Gareth Porter debate the necessity of the Cold War.

Gene Epstein | 6.19.2025 6:00 PM

Smith and Nowrasteh v1 | Photos by Brett Raney; Graphic by Adani Samat

The Soho Forum Debates

Dave Smith and Alex Nowrasteh Debate Immigration

Is it consistently libertarian to support government restrictions on immigration?

Gene Epstein | 5.21.2025 6:30 PM

Andrew Heaton and Eric Brakey | Photo by Brett Raney; Graphic by John Osterhoudt

Libertarianism

Should Libertarians Prioritize Their Own Communities?

Eric Brakey and Andrew Heaton debate whether libertarians should prioritize building local liberty-focused societies like the Free State Project or focus on reforming the federal government.

Gene Epstein | 5.2.2025 5:30 PM

Beinart_vs_Rubin_Thumbnail_v1 | Graphic by Brett Raney and John Osterhoudt

Israel

Are the Palestinians Systematically Oppressed?

City University of New York professor Peter Beinart and AEI's Michael Rubin debate Israel and Palestine.

Gene Epstein | 3.22.2025 11:00 AM

Scott Horton and Eli Lake | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

War

Did the U.S. Provoke Russia's Invasion of Ukraine?

Antiwar.com's Scott Horton and The Free Press's Eli Lake debate U.S. foreign policy and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Gene Epstein | 2.8.2025 4:00 PM

gietl v Avelar thumb v4 | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

El Salvador

El Salvador's Bukele: Authoritarian or Model President?

Frontier magazine's Peter Gietl and Salvadoran journalist Ricardo Avelar debate the merits of Nayib Bukele's criminal justice policies.

Gene Epstein | 1.27.2025 5:00 PM

Glenn Greenwald (left) debates Elizabeth Price Foley (right) | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

Supreme Court

Was the Supreme Court Wrong About Presidential Immunity?

Glenn Greenwald and Elizabeth Price Foley debate Trump v. United States and its implications for presidential powers.

Gene Epstein | 12.13.2024 3:20 PM

Santiago Forster and Agustín Dante Rombolá debating Javier Milei's performance | Graphic by Brett Raney and John Osterhoudt

The Soho Forum Debates

Is Javier Milei Actually Improving Argentina?

Two Argentine pundits debate the success of Javier Milei.

Gene Epstein | 11.22.2024 11:15 AM

Economy

Are American Living Standards In Decline?

David Leonhardt and John Early debate stagnation, inequality, and how people feel about the economy.

Gene Epstein | 10.25.2024 9:00 AM

David Stockman debating Stephen Moore on if the two political parties are actually different | Graphic by Brett Raney and John Osterhoudt

Election 2024

Are the Two Parties Any Different?

Two former Republican staffers, David Stockman and Stephen Moore, debate the state of the party.

Gene Epstein | 9.20.2024 9:45 AM

Arthur B. Laffer and Chase Oliver | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

Election 2024

Is Donald Trump the Best Choice?

Famed economist Arthur Laffer debates Libertarian Party presidential candidate Chase Oliver.

Gene Epstein | 8.16.2024 10:30 AM

The Soho Forum Debates

Did COVID Come From a Lab?

Author Matt Ridley debates virologist Stephen Goldstein on the origins of SARS-CoV-2.

Gene Epstein | 7.19.2024 9:00 AM

Pratt v Epstein thumb 3 | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

Non-Aggression Principle

What's the Best Argument for Libertarianism?

Dennis Pratt and Gene Epstein debate the efficacy of ethical and consequentialist arguments for libertarianism.

Gene Epstein | 7.7.2024 11:00 AM

8286923-thumb 1 | Photos: Brett Raney; Illustration: John Osterhoudt

Economics

Debate: Austrian vs. Chicago Economics

Economists Gene Epstein and David Friedman debate the merits of the Austrian and Chicago schools of economics.

Gene Epstein | 7.5.2024 12:00 PM

Alan Dershowitz and Glenn Greenwald face off in a debate on Iran | Photography and Illustration by Brett Raney

The Soho Forum Debates

Glenn Greenwald and Alan Dershowitz Debate Bombing Iran

The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Glenn Greenwald takes on famed lawyer and author Alan Dershowitz.

Gene Epstein | 5.24.2024 1:00 PM

Gene Epstein and Tom Woods | Illustration: Lex Villena

Coronavirus

A Soho Forum Discussion of COVID with Tom Woods

In lieu of the planned debate with Brent Orrell, Gene Epstein and Tom Woods discuss the prudence of COVID-related restrictions.

Gene Epstein | 4.26.2024 12:10 PM

Capitalism

Did Capitalism Fail During the Pandemic?

Columnist Joe Nocera debates Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein.

Gene Epstein | 4.5.2024 4:35 PM

Israel

What's the Root Cause of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?

Eli Lake of The Free Press debates author Jeremy Hammond at The Soho Forum.

Gene Epstein | 3.1.2024 3:30 PM

Tony Mills debates Terence Kealey | Illustration: Brett Raney

Government Spending

Must Government Fund Science?

AEI's Tony Mills and British biochemist Terence Kealey debate whether science needs government funding.

Gene Epstein | 2.2.2024 2:15 PM

Government Spending

Should Government Fund Science? A Soho Forum Debate

AEI's Tony Mills and British biochemist Terence Kealey debate whether science needs government funding.

Gene Epstein | 1.29.2024 5:00 PM

8259614-pod-thumbnail | Illustration: Lex Villena

Coronavirus

Social Media Censorship and The First Amendment

Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social media censorship.

Gene Epstein | 12.22.2023 12:10 PM

Coronavirus

Social Media Censorship: Jay Bhattacharya vs. Kate Klonick

Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social media censorship.

Gene Epstein | 12.17.2023 1:30 PM

A red tinted hand holding a melting symbol of earth against a red background with yellow checks | Illustration: Lex Villena

Artificial Intelligence

Will AI Destroy Humanity?

Susan Schneider and Jobst Landgrebe debate the dangers of AI.

Gene Epstein | 11.17.2023 5:15 PM

Artificial Intelligence

Will AI Destroy Humanity? A Soho Forum Debate

Susan Schneider and Jobst Landgrebe debate the dangers of AI.

Gene Epstein | 11.14.2023 5:00 PM

Electric Rivian truck being a potential disappointment | Illustration: Lex Villena

Electric cars

Will Electric Cars Disappoint Environmentalists?

Mark Mills and Rosario Fortugno debate the future of electric vehicles.

Gene Epstein | 10.20.2023 1:45 PM

Electric cars

Gas Cars vs. Electric Vehicles: A Soho Forum Debate

Will electric cars disappoint environmentalists? Mark Mills and Rosario Fortugno debate.

Gene Epstein | 10.18.2023 6:00 PM

Soho Forum image of Yaron Brook and Bryan Caplan | Brook photo by Gage Skidmore; Graphic by Lex Villena

Anarchism

Would Anarcho-Capitalism Be a Disaster?

Yaron Brook and Bryan Caplan debate the merits of anarcho-capitalism.

Gene Epstein | 9.22.2023 11:55 AM

Anarchism

Would Anarcho-Capitalism Be a Disaster? A Soho Forum Debate

Yaron Brook and Bryan Caplan debate the merits of anarcho-capitalism.

Gene Epstein | 9.18.2023 6:30 PM

Kids in classroom looking bored | Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

School Choice

Should Libertarians Support School Choice?

Corey DeAngelis of the American Federation for Children debates libertarian author Stephan Kinsella.

Gene Epstein | 8.25.2023 11:30 AM

School Choice

Should Libertarians Support School Choice? A Soho Forum Debate

Corey DeAngelis of the American Federation for Children debates libertarian author Stephan Kinsella.

Gene Epstein | 8.24.2023 7:15 PM

Immigration

Should the U.S. Have Free Immigration?

The Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh and attorney Francis Menton debate immigration policy.

Gene Epstein | 7.28.2023 9:00 AM

Open Borders

Should We Have Open Borders? A Soho Forum Debate

The Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh and attorney Francis Menton debate immigration policy.

Gene Epstein | 7.25.2023 6:30 PM

Libertarianism

Soho Forum Debate: Gene Epstein vs. David Friedman on the Nonaggression Principle

Economists Gene Epstein and David Friedman debated how best to persuade people to become libertarians at the Porcupine Freedom Festival.

Gene Epstein | 7.5.2023 11:00 AM

An atypical "Don't Tread on Me" flag waves in the wind. | Photo: harryalverson/Flickr/Creative Commons; edited by John Osterhoudt

Libertarianism

Is the Nonaggression Principle Incoherent?

Economists David Friedman and Gene Epstein debate how best to persuade people toward libertarianism.

Gene Epstein | 6.30.2023 5:00 PM

Libertarianism

Are Libertarians Greedy and Delusional?

Law professor Andrew Koppelman and Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein debate whether libertarianism has been corrupted.

Gene Epstein | 5.26.2023 11:45 AM

Libertarianism

Are Libertarians Greedy and Delusional? A Soho Forum Debate

Law professor Andrew Koppelman and Soho Forum director Gene Epstein debate whether libertarianism has been corrupted.

Gene Epstein | 5.22.2023 6:30 PM

1619 Project

Does The 1619 Project Have Anything To Teach Us?

Two historians go head-to-head on whether the controversial New York Times project has any value.

Gene Epstein | 4.21.2023 2:00 PM

1619 Project

Does the 1619 Project Have Anything To Teach Us? A Soho Forum Debate

Two historians go head-to-head on whether the controversial New York Times project has any value.

Gene Epstein | 4.20.2023 6:30 PM

8229401_pod-thumbnail | Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

Progressives

Black America and Progressivism: Jason L. Riley vs. Nikhil Pal Singh

The Manhattan Institute senior fellow and the NYU historian debate whether black Americans should move away from progressivism.

Gene Epstein | 3.31.2023 9:15 PM

Racism

Black Americans vs. Progressivism: Jason L. Riley Debates Nikhil Pal Singh at the Soho Forum

The Manhattan Institute senior fellow and the NYU historian debate whether black Americans should move away from progressivism.

Gene Epstein | 3.30.2023 6:30 PM

8224010-pod-thumbnail | Graphic by John Osterhoudt

Secession

National Divorce?

Is breaking up the U.S. a good idea? Law professor F.H. Buckley and Libertarian Party activist Jonathan Casey debate.

Gene Epstein | 2.24.2023 10:10 AM

Secession

National Divorce? A Soho Forum Debate

Is breaking up the U.S. a good idea? Law professor F.H. Buckley and Libertarian Party activist Jonathan Casey debate.

Gene Epstein | 2.21.2023 6:30 PM

end the fed 2-steve rhodes-flickr | Steve Rhodes/Flickr/Creative Commons

Federal Reserve

Should We Abolish the Federal Reserve?

Economists Lawrence H. White and Frederic Mishkin debate whether the Federal Reserve should be replaced with free market institutions.

Gene Epstein | 1.27.2023 3:20 PM

Federal Reserve

End the Fed? A Soho Forum Debate

Economists Lawrence H. White and Frederic Mishkin debate whether the Federal Reserve should be replaced with free market institutions.

Gene Epstein | 1.27.2023 12:40 PM

pexels-julen-garces-3907126 | Julen Garces/Pexels

Nationalism

Should Americans Value Nationalism?

National Review's Rich Lowry debates the Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh.

Gene Epstein | 12.16.2022 3:50 PM

Nationalism

American Nationalism: Rich Lowry vs. Alex Nowrasteh

Should Americans support nationalism? National Review's Rich Lowry debates the Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh.

Gene Epstein | 12.16.2022 11:45 AM

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