Libertarian Lessons From the Rittenhouse Trial

This Monday, your trustworthy libertarians Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Peter Suderman, and Nick Gillespie break down the significance of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, discuss the labor shortage, and divulge their personal standings on cryptocurrency. All this and more on today’s Reason Roundtable.

Discussed in the show:

1:52: What are the takeaways from the Rittenhouse trial?

21:33: What is going on with the labor shortage, and what does it mean looking forward?

32:55: Weekly Listener Question: Over the past few years, I’ve become more persuaded that bitcoin represents a major increase in the potential for human freedom by giving anyone with an internet connection access to sound money. My question is this: Why don’t you talk more about this? More often than not, when anyone on the podcast refers to a “libertarian moment,” it sounds like it’s with a “this ain’t never gonna happen” eye roll—but what if bitcoin is the libertarian moment? Are you wary of contributing to the hype? Is there anything analogous to bitcoin that in the past promised so much but failed to deliver? Do any of you own any cryptocurrencies?

48:41: Media recommendations for the week.

This week’s links:

• “Climate Controls,” by Gregory Benford
• “The Rittenhouse-Trial Judge Isn’t a Trumpist,” by Charles C.W. Cooke
• Bitcoin Is Protecting Human Rights Around the World (video)
• “Why the Prosecution of Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht is ‘The Most Important Trial in America,’” by Nick Gillespie
• Sen. Cynthia Lummis: Why I’m All In on Bitcoin (podcast)

Send your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today’s sponsors:

• 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.
• Imagine an app where you can get unlocked access to reliable news sites. An app that filters out fake news and clickbait but still shows you every story from multiple perspectives to counter bias. Where good news, as in positive stories, is highlighted—so you don’t become despondent. And where journalists dig through news from around the world to find stories you wouldn’t normally see. That’s what an innovative Australian startup called Inkl has come up with. The service unlocks more than $12,000 of premium news for $100 a year. If you go now to inkl.com/podcast, they’ll give you an additional 25 percent discount, so you can get a whole year’s worth of headache-free news for just $75.

Audio production by Ian Keyser
Assistant production by Regan Taylor
Music: “Angeline,” by The Brothers Steve