The Government Loves To Grab New Powers in the Name of Your Safety
From protests to the coronavirus, it thinks it can protect you from anything.
The original line-up of The Reason Roundtable is back! Matt Welch leads Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie through a discussion of shootings and police violence, coronavirus and security theater, and Joe Biden's immigration policies.
Discussed in the show:
01:43: Recent police shootings, gun violence, and the inevitable subsequent unfolding of protests, qualified immunity cases, and tighter regulations.
18:07: How the press covers protests and the coronavirus.
30:38: Biden's refugee cap is no different than Trump's, for now.
45:47: Weekly Listener Question: What should be my greater concern as a libertarian: denying would-be immigrants citizenship, or the ever-growing deficits from the welfare state?
49:37: Media recommendations for the week.
This week's links:
- "Biden Called Trump's Refugee Cap 'Cruel and Shortsighted.' He's Keeping It in Place—for Now," by Billy Binion
- "More Than A Dozen States Are Trying To Nullify Federal Gun Control," by John Osterhoudt (video)
- "Congress Is Closer Than Ever to Ending the Federal War on Weed," by C.J. Ciaramella
- "Police in Minnesota round up journalists covering protest, force them on the ground and take pictures of their faces," by Adrianna Rodriguez
- "Florida's 'Anti-Rioting' Bill Gives the Government New Powers That Have Nothing to Do With Riots," by Scott Shackford
Send your questions by email to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.
Today's sponsors:
- On October 2, 2018, respected Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. He was never seen alive again. From the Academy Award–winning director Bryan Fogel, The Dissident is now streaming on On Demand.
- If you feel something interfering with your happiness or holding you back from your goals, BetterHelp is an accessible and affordable source for professional counseling. BetterHelp assesses your needs and matches you with a licensed therapist you can start talking to in under 24 hours, all online.
Audio production by Ian Keyser.
Assistant production by Regan Taylor.
Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve.
