The Reason Roundtable

Blundering Into Escalation in Ukraine?

Plus: A listener asks if it’s possible for bureaucracy ever to be good.

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In this week's Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie question the $40 billion aid package to Ukraine and describe the impact of rising interest rates on public policy.

1:10: The aid package to Ukraine.

22:25: Weekly Listener Question: I work as a rural mail carrier for USPS. I am confronted on a daily basis with stupidity and bureaucracy. My question is, How do you fight bureaucracy, not only from the Post Office but government in general? Is bureaucracy ever good? Is it always harmful?

35:10: Continued uncertainty around inflation and interest rates.

44:28: Media recommendations for the week.

This week's links: 

"What's Next for Russia's War in Ukraine?" by J.D. Tuccille

"Everyone Agrees Government Is a Hot Mess. So Why Does It Keep Getting Bigger Anyway?" by Nick Gillespie

"Why Low Interest Rates Are Bad News for Public Pension Plans," by Alix Ollivier

"Iraq and the Marshall Plan," by Tyler Cowen

"Race and Gender Checks Coming to a Boardroom Near You," by Matt Welch

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

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