Elon Musk, Who Promised To Be 'Maximally Transparent,' Makes DOGE's Numbers Even Harder To Check
The cost-cutting initiative's calculation of "estimated savings" is mostly mysterious, and the parts we know about are riddled with errors.
Latest
Trump's Threatened 200 Percent Tariffs on European Booze Are His Least Sensible Trade Move Yet
It would make American consumers poorer and hurt American businesses without any promise of benefits.
If You Want To Cut Government Spending, You Can't Ignore the Pentagon
Since Congress began requiring annual audits in 2018, the Department of Defense has never passed.
No Other Land Won an Oscar. Miami Beach's Mayor Is Trying To Evict a Movie Theater for Screening It
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner says "disseminating antisemitism" in a taxpayer-owned building is "unjust to the values of our city and residents and should not be tolerated."
Are Democrats Regretting Trying To Out-Hawk Trump?
Rep. Adam Smith (D–Wash.) thinks Democrats should return to their antiwar roots—and be open to negotiating with Russia.
Everything's Computer
Plus: "Is any criticism of the government a deportable offense?" and more...
Is This the Beginning of the End for the Department of Education?
The department laid off over 1,300 employees this week.
Biden Rushed Out Billions for Green Energy Projects Before Trump Took Office
The outgoing administration shoveled out loans for projects that private lenders wouldn't fund.
How Many Americans Have Died of COVID-19?
Adding up COVID-19's toll since Donald Trump declared a national emergency five years ago.
Justice Department Doubles Down Against Google
The government's demands would reduce competition and harm consumer welfare.
Mel Gibson Controversy Highlights a Bigger Scandal: Many Americans Lose Their Gun Rights for No Good Reason
Millions of people are barred from owning firearms even though they have no history of violence, and they have essentially no recourse under current law.
Trump Declares Tesla Vandals 'Domestic Terrorists'
It's far from the first case of terrorism inflation.
Congress Just Made It Harder for Congress To Block Trump's Tariffs
The cowardice of Congress will continue fueling the growth of executive power.
Climate Activists Are Passing Laws To Tax the Past
A New York law demands fossil fuel companies pay $75 billion for carbon emissions dating back to the year 2000. Other Democrat-controlled states plan to follow suit.
The House's Budget Bill Cuts Earmarks, but Spending Will Be Going Up Anyway
Every cut helps, but that's not where the money is.
Rand Paul: Businesses and Workers Think Tariffs Are a Bad Idea
"I really haven't had anybody come up to me and say, 'Please, please, put tariffs on me,'" says Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.).
Study: Age-Verification Laws Don't Work
At least not if the goal is keeping minors from viewing porn.
Government Goons Destroy Tree House
The owner of a beloved neighborhood structure spent years—and thousands of dollars—trying to comply with L.A. bureaucrats’ demands.
Rachel Barkow: Did Trump and Biden Turn Pardons Into a Corrupt Joke?
Presidential pardons have become a tool of favoritism and politics.
DOE Set To Die
Plus: How NYC botched weed legalization, tuberculosis programs paused, "everything's computer!" and more...
Congress and DOGE Can Find Spending Cuts at the Department of Defense
The U.S. can defend itself at a lot less expense.
Republicans May Regret Undermining Judicial Independence
Threats to impeach federal judges who rule against the government are a naked attack on their constitutionally crucial function.
The Best of Reason: Can Ultimate Frisbee Heal the Middle East?
The spread of Ultimate Frisbee testifies to a kind of Western soft power in the Middle East, one far friendlier than bombs or bullets.
A Nevada Math Professor Who Was Disciplined for Criticizing Curriculum Changes Will Get His Day in Court
The 9th Circuit revived a First Amendment lawsuit by Lars Jensen, who says his community college punished him for complaining about dumbed-down courses.
The Israel-Hamas Conflict Convinced College Adminstrators To Turn Away From Politics, New Report Shows
Just eight colleges had official neutrality policies before the attack. By the end of 2024, it was almost 150.
Do Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin Work?
Five years after Donald Trump declared a national COVID-19 emergency, here's what the research says.
J.D. Vance Blames Zoning, Immigrants for High Housing Costs
Plus: Texas and Minnesota consider an aggressive suite of housing supply bills, while San Diego tries to ratchet up regulations on ADUs.
New York's Weed Nightmare
How pot bureaucrats used legal weed to push their social justice agenda
DOGE Isn't Exempt From FOIA Requests, Judge Rules
The judge found that the agency's "unusual secrecy" and "substantial authority" make it subject to public record laws.
Why Some American Businesses Want More Tariffs
A quick lesson about concentrated benefits and diffused costs
Mahmoud Khalil, the Great Rorschach Test
Plus: Ukraine attacks Russia with drones, Newsom's revisionist history, and more...
Trump and California Are Set To Duke It Out Over Environmental Policy Again
During Trump's first term, California filed numerous lawsuits seeking to halt deregulation.
Why Do I Keep Finding Padlocked Playgrounds in New York City?
We're hemorrhaging our child population for a reason.
Preserve the Mercy of Pardon Power, Even If Presidents Misuse It
While overturning sentences through courts can take years, a grant of clemency is instantaneous.
It's Trump's Economy Now
Plus: A listener asks the editors to discuss the pros and cons of homeownership.
Is it Constitutional To Deport Immigrants for Political Speech?
President Donald Trump has begun kicking immigrant “Hamas sympathizers” out of the U.S.
Ecuador's Second Presidential Election of 2025
Incumbent Daniel Noboa and challenger Luisa González have different economic visions, but both support militaristic crime policies.
Do Face Masks Work?
Five years after Donald Trump declared a national COVID emergency, here's what the research says.
Who Is the Palestinian Columbia Student Detained For His Protest Activity?
Several months ago, Reason interviewed Mahmoud Khalil at a protest encampment. Now he’s sitting in ICE detention.
A Sex Worker Called 911 In Distress. Cops Came to Her Hotel Room and Shot Her.
Linda Becerra Moran died on February 27 after nearly three weeks on life support. On Sunday, the LAPD released video of her being shot.
The IRS Bleeds
Plus: Ceasefire talks, J.D. Vance as the future of the GOP, the government's war on treehouses, and more...
We're Overdue To End Daylight Saving Time
The government experiment in socially engineering the country into less energy use raised costs.
The FDA Says Water Can Be Labeled as 'Healthy'
Do Americans really need federal bureaucrats to tell us what's good for us?
What If Native American Tribes Had Gotten Their Own State?
Historian Donald L. Fixico explores a forgotten moment in Oklahoma history and its lessons about liberty.
