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?
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 21 min
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. Just Asking Questions is published by the Reason Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) research and educational organization based in Los Angeles.
Episodes
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.
Jun 25, 2025•43 min
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.
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 13 min
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.
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 8 min
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.
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 37 min
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.
May 29, 2025•1 hr 9 min
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.
May 22, 2025•1 hr 6 min
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.
May 15, 2025•1 hr 17 min
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.
May 09, 2025•1 hr 28 min
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.
May 01, 2025•1 hr 4 min
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.
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 29 min
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.
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Derek Thompson: Democrats Must Change
The Atlantic's Derek Thompson urges Democrats to embrace more libertarian, pro-growth policies in his new book.
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 7 min
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.
Apr 09, 2025•23 min
Batya Ungar-Sargon: The Case for MAGA Leftism
The author and columnist joins the show to discuss immigration, deportations, and being a "MAGA leftist."
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Phil Magness: The Problem With Trumponomics
Economic historian Phil Magness on the real history of tariffs and why Trump is so wrong about them.
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 9 min
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.
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 19 min
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.
Mar 14, 2025•47 min
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.
Mar 13, 2025•1 hr 33 min
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.
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 31 min
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.
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 22 min
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.
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 17 min
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.
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 23 min
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.
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr 10 min
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.
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 19 min
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.
Jan 22, 2025•20 min
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.
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 23 min
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.
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Tyler Cowen: Why Do We Refuse To Learn From History?
Economist Tyler Cowen on historical lessons, populism today, and the philosophical debates within libertarianism.
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Isabelle Boemeke: Time for the Nuclear Option?
Isodope founder Isabelle Boemeke discusses the ongoing potential renaissance of nuclear energy.
Jan 04, 2025•1 hr 12 min
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