Will a Shutdown Finally Shrink Government?

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss whether the impending government shutdown will actually rein in the federal bureaucracy. They consider whether there is anything to gain from a shutdown, how past shutdowns have played out, and whether the risk of growing executive power outweighs the risk of uncontrolled spending.

They also examine the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey and whether it’s about retribution or substance, President Donald Trump’s deployment of federal troops to Portland, and New York Mayor Eric Adams’ decision to exit the mayoral race. A listener question prompts a conversation about cyclical theories of history and whether frameworks like The Fourth Turning help explain our current moment or merely provide the illusion of clarity.

0:00—Shutdown showdown and shrinking the government

9:24—Russell Vought and the growth of executive power

25:34—James Comey faces an indictment

31:38—Eric Adams drops out of NYC mayoral race

40:42—Listener question on cyclical frameworks in history

48:06—Trump sends federal police to Portland

56:30—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

“Government Set To Shut Down Tomorrow,” by Liz Wolfe

“The American New Right Looks Like the European Old Right,” by Jack Nicastro and Phillip W. Magness

“How GOP Fiscal Sanity Died, in 7 Easy Steps,” by Matt Welch

“Shutdown Highlights Basic Fact: Most of Government is ‘Non-Essential’,” by Nick Gillespie

“The Libertarian Case for Postmodernism,” by Nick Gillespie

“In Trump’s Tussle With James Comey, You Should Hope Everybody Loses,” by J.D. Tuccille

“Trump’s Public Comments Could Further Complicate the Shaky Case Against James Comey,” by Jacob Sullum

“Kash Patel Tellingly Ties James Comey’s Indictment to the Legally Unrelated ‘Russiagate Hoax,’” by Jacob Sullum

“The Deep-State Liars of the #Resistance,” by Matt Welch

“What Does It Mean for Trump To Designate Antifa a ‘Terrorist Organization’?” by Matthew Petti

“The Tom Cotton Do-Over,” by Matt Welch

“The Dream of the ’90s Died in Portland,” by Nancy Rommelmann

“Assata Shakur Stood With the Oppressors,” by Billy Binion

r/NYC on Reddit: “Eric Adams wore this custom made robe to a Rosh Hashanah service in Brooklyn yesterday.”

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• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

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Source: https://reason.com/podcast/2025/09/29/will-a-shutdown-finally-shrink-government/