Leading 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) proposes an "annual wealth tax on the tippy-top 0.1%." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D–N.Y.) maintains that "a system that allows billionaires to coexist with poverty is immoral." Billionaire Starbucks magnate Howard Schultz declares that he's "seriously considering running for president" as an independent. President and purported billionaire Donald Trump announces the end of the partial federal government shutdown. In the wake of widespread media layoffs, journalists fantasize about "benevolent billionaire backers not fixated on maximum growth." And one such billionaire, Jeff Bezos, saves The Expanse from cancellation.

What do these seemingly disparate stories have in common? BILLIONAIRES, THAT'S WHAT. And also, theyall get discussed on this week's Editors' Roundtable edition of the Reason Podcast, starring Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, Peter Suderman, and me. The conversation also covers U.S. policy toward turbulent Venezuela, the hero's journey of Rep. Walter Jones (R–S.C.), and a certain generational culture-chasm between the podcast's participants.

Subscribe, rate, and review our podcast at iTunes. Listen at SoundCloud below:

Audio production by Ian Keyser.

'The 3rd' by Anitek is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Relevant links from the show:

"Trump Announces Deal to End Government Shutdown," by Joe Setyon

"The Government Will Always Be Shut Down," by Matt Welch

"If You Still Think the Shutdown Proves Government Is Important, You're Seeing What You Want to See," by J.D. Tuccille

"Air Safety Is Important. We Shouldn't Let Politics Put It at Risk," by Robert W. Poole, Jr.

"Venezuelan Crisis Boils Over as Opposition Leader Declares Himself President," by Eric Boehm

"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Calls Climate Change 'Our World War II,'" by Nick Gillespie

"Rep. Walter Jones, Who Supported and Then Denounced Iraq War, Is Dying," by Nick Gillespie

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