Inez Stepman: How Socialism Seduced New Yorkers
How did Zohran Mamdani’s rise happen, and what does it tell us about the future of the Democratic Party?
Podcast: Just Asking Questions
Interrogating current events, challenging assumptions, uncovering facts, and exposing realities that the government and the media would rather not talk about. Reason's Just Asking Questions is a weekly show for honesty and open inquiry. We're skeptics of unexamined power. We don't want to be told what to think. But we do want to know which questions to start asking. Hosted by Liz Wolfe and Zach Weissmueller. Produced by John Osterhoudt.
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Ro Khanna: Congress Must Take Back Its War Powers
Rep. Ro Khanna (D–Calif.) discusses the War Powers Resolution he co-sponsored with Rep. Thomas Massie (R–Ky.), the Israel-Iran conflict, and why the antiestablishment left and right must work together.
Paul Pillar: America Should Not Fight Israel's War
A veteran CIA analyst says Israel's attack on Iran was unjustified and that America should not support its war on the latest Just Asking Questions episode.
Laura Powell: Who's Most To Blame for the Latest L.A. Riots?
Attorney Laura Powell of Californians for Good Governance joins the show to discuss the civil unrest in Los Angeles following federal immigration raids.
Debating the Science and Ethics of IVF: Emma Waters vs. Ruxandra Teslo
A genomics PhD and conservative bioethicist debate the ethics of in vitro fertilization and discuss recent scientific advancements in reproductive medicine.
David Stockman: Trump Is a 'Faker' on the Debt
Reagan's budget chief warns that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could balloon the national debt to $60 trillion, risking a catastrophic bond market crisis.
Gary Winslett: The American Dream Has Migrated South
Middlebury professor Gary Winslett argues the South—not China—poached the Rust Belt’s manufacturing base by out-competing it on policy.
Noah Smith: I Owe Libertarians an Apology
The econ blogger explains why libertarians might have been (kind of) right all along—and why our ideas are more necessary than he thought in the age of Trump.
Do These Libertarians Regret Voting for Donald Trump?
Three libertarians—Dave Smith, J.D. Tuccille, and Liz Wolfe—revisit their reluctant votes for Trump, weighing the promises, chaos, and consequences of his second term so far.
Ross Douthat: Why Digital Life Threatens Freedom and Family
The New York Times columnist warns that digital life may be eroding the cultural foundations needed to sustain meaning, family, and community.
Glenn Greenwald: Americans' Liberties Are in Danger
The journalist joins the show to discuss due process, immigration enforcement, and the growing tensions between the courts and the executive branch.
Michael Beckley: China Is Dangerously Weak
The Danger Zone co-author joins the show to discuss China's peaking power, and why that actually makes them more dangerous.
Derek Thompson: Democrats Must Change
The Atlantic's Derek Thompson urges Democrats to embrace more libertarian, pro-growth policies in his new book.
Rand Paul: Why I Oppose Trump's Tariffs
The Kentucky senator joins Just Asking Questions to explain why he's fighting against the president's unilateral tariffs.
Batya Ungar-Sargon: The Case for MAGA Leftism
The author and columnist joins the show to discuss immigration, deportations, and being a "MAGA leftist."
Phil Magness: The Problem With Trumponomics
Economic historian Phil Magness on the real history of tariffs and why Trump is so wrong about them.
Kelsey Piper: A Reasonable Approach to AI
Vox's Kelsey Piper joins the show to discuss the drastic differences between the Biden and Trump administrations on AI—and what it all means for the future of humanity.
Just Answering Questions: Live Q&A
Reply to this post with questions for Reason's Zach Weissmueller and Liz Wolfe, who will address listener comments.
Tom Woods: The COVID Lessons We Can't Forget
The historian and podcaster joins us on the five-year anniversary of the COVID-19 emergency to relive all the pandemic policy failures.
James Pogue: What Ukraine Reveals About MAGA
Vanity Fair's James Pogue dives into the dissident right, his personal experiences with MAGA, and how Ukraine policy is unfolding.
Matt Taibbi: The Collapse of the Censorship Regime
The award-winning journalist discusses the collapse of a post–World War II consensus, online speech police, and the legacy media on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
Randy Barnett: How Legal Is Trump's Agenda?
Georgetown constitutional law professor Randy Barnett discusses the legality of DOGE, Trump's executive orders, and birthright citizenship.
Aaron Sibarium: Is DEI Over?
The Washington Free Beacon's Aaron Sibarium discusses the various slashes the Trump administration has made to DEI projects and USAID.
John Cochrane: How Will DOGE 'Disrupt' the Government?
Stanford economist John Cochrane discusses DOGE, tariffs, and what it will take to prevent a debt crisis.
Julia Gelatt: What Happens if Trump 'Seals the Border'?
Demographer Julia Gelatt of the Migration Policy Institute joins Just Asking Questions to discuss the likely effects of the president's executive orders on immigration.
Angela McArdle: What Role Did the Libertarian Party Play in Freeing Ross Ulbricht?
The Libertarian Party national chair talks about the role the party played in securing a presidential pardon for Ulbricht on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
Mike Pesca: How Will Trump 2.0 Transform America?
Mike Pesca reacts to Trump's inauguration and slate of executive orders on the latest Just Asking Questions.
Meghan Daum: After the Fires, What's Left of L.A.?
Author and podcaster Meghan Daum lost her home in one of the wildfires affecting the Greater L.A. area. She joins the show to discuss what the city is like right now, and how it got this way.
Tyler Cowen: Why Do We Refuse To Learn From History?
Economist Tyler Cowen on historical lessons, populism today, and the philosophical debates within libertarianism.
Isabelle Boemeke: Time for the Nuclear Option?
Isodope founder Isabelle Boemeke discusses the ongoing potential renaissance of nuclear energy.
Byrne Hobart: What happened to progress?
Finance and tech writer Byrne Hobart discusses how bubbles are a good thing, overcoming stagnation, and the religiosity of space exploration.
Guillaume Verdon: Should We Have a 'Second Amendment for AI'?
Based Beff Jezos, co-founder of Extropic, discusses AI safety, decentralization, and going analog.
Brianna Wu and TafTaj: How Have Trans Issues Scrambled Our Politics?
Brianna Wu and TafTaj discuss the role of transgender issues in the 2024 election, "centrist" trans politics, and their own personal stories.
Nic Carter: Did Bitcoin Win the Election?
Crypto podcaster, writer, and infrastructure investor Nic Carter discusses the role digital assets played in Trump's election, the persecution of Polymarket, and the "enormous spiritual chasm between the right and the left."
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Vinay Prasad: What Does RFK Jr. Get Right and Wrong?
YouTuber Dr. Vinay Prasad joins Just Asking Questions Live on Tuesday November 26 at 1 p.m. EST.
Yuval Levin: What is Trump's "Mandate"?
A.E.I.'s Yuval Levin discusses Trump's mandate (or lack thereof), building coalitions, and how the classic divide between Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine remains relevant.
Lee Fang: Will Democrats Ever Recover From 2024?
Independent journalist Lee Fang discusses why the Democrats lost so badly and whether or not the party has the ability to course correct anytime soon.
Introducing the Just Asking Questions YouTube Channel
Join Zach Weissmueller and Liz Wolfe every Thursday as they uncover facts and expose realities that the government and the media would rather not talk about.
Patrick Ruffini: Why Did Trump Win?
Author and GOP strategist Patrick Ruffini discusses Trump's re-election and the ways in which the party is changing.
Dave Smith, David Stockman, and Jacob Grier: Who Is The Lesser Evil?
Dave Smith is for Trump. Jacob Grier is for Harris. David Stockman says we're screwed either way.
Thierry Malleret: Is the Great Reset Underway?
Great Reset co-author Thierry Malleret discusses stakeholder capitalism, libertarianism, and his new book satirizing the World Economic Forum on Just Asking Questions.
Brian Trascher: Has FEMA failed North Carolina?
The Vice President of the United Cajun Navy, Brian Trascher, discusses effective disaster response and the problems with FEMA.
Michael Brendan Dougherty: How Will Immigrants Reshape America?
National Review's Michael Brendan Dougherty discusses the differences between conservatives and libertarians on the issue of immigration.
Ford Fischer: What's the Untold Story Behind 'Stop the Steal'?
Documentarian Ford Fischer discusses his experience covering the "Stop the Steal" movement, January 6, and what it all means for the future of journalism and democracy.
Richard Staropoli: What's Wrong With the Secret Service?
An ex-Secret Service agent explains what he thinks left Donald Trump vulnerable to two close-call assassination attempts within two months.
Erika Sanzi: What Are Schools Really Teaching?
Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education, Erika Sanzi, discusses woke indoctrination in education.
Glenn Greenwald: Why Did Brazil Ban X?
Glenn Greenwald discusses Brazil's ban of X, the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, and the global crackdown on speech on Just Asking Questions.
Bob Murphy: How Bad Is the National Debt?
Economist Bob Murphy explains the technical details of government debt and why Modern Monetary Theory is so dangerously wrong.
