What Do Libertarians Have To Gain From the Midterms?
Plus: what Democrats would do with control of Congress, the future of Trump's tariffs and the war in Iran, and the fight over gerrymandering
This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss what the midterm elections could mean for libertarians. They debate whether a Democratic victory might help curb President Donald Trump's executive power and why Republicans may struggle to learn from their mistakes.
The conversation then turns to races in Ohio, Alaska, and Michigan that reveal growing tensions within both parties. The editors then examine how much power Democrats would actually have if they retake Congress, particularly when it comes to Trump's tariffs and the war with Iran. They also weigh the value of congressional investigations against the risk of more political grandstanding. Finally, a listener's question about gerrymandering leads to a discussion of electoral reform and the possibility of expanding the House of Representatives.
0:00—What the midterms mean for libertarians
14:22—Races in Ohio, Alaska, Michigan, and California
27:19—What will Democrats do with power?
33:26—Listener question on gerrymandering
41:59—Will midterms be a referendum on Trump?
50:31—Weekly cultural recommendations
Upcoming Reason Events
Reason Versus—Authoritarianism Is a Right-Wing Problem, November 10
Mentioned in the Podcast:
"For Libertarians, Election Day Is the Cruelest Day of the Year," by Nick Gillespie
"What Will Democrats Do?" by Eric Boehm
"A Democratic Senate?" by Liz Wolfe
"The Midterms Offer a Choice Between Two Brands of Socialism," by J.D. Tuccille
"Dems in Disarray?" by Peter Suderman
"Haley Stevens Endorses Mike Rogers, Spurns Leftist Abdul El-Sayed," by Robby Soave
"Abdul El-Sayed Is a Socialist in All but Name," by Robby Soave
"Ramaswamy's Attack on Amy Acton Was Bad Enough. Trump and Vance Made It Worse," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
"Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Over Alaska Senate Race, Calling Proposed Remedy 'Infeasible,'" by Joe Lancaster
"Ranked Choice Voting Will Untangle Alaska's Dan Sullivan Controversy. It's Also on the Ballot Itself," by Eric Boehm
"Antics in Alaska," by Liz Wolfe
"To Confuse Voters, Mary Peltola's Campaign Recruited a Second Dan Sullivan," by Robby Soave
"Trump's Latest Attempt To Salvage the Midterms: Bribe and Extort the Voters," by Joe Lancaster