What do you call a 21st century president who uses executive orders to work around a stalled Congress and wants to suspend payroll taxes in the face of an economic calamity? A 21st century president, that’s who. Like, all of them.

On today’s Reason Roundtable podcast, Nick Gillespie, Peter Suderman, Matt Welch, and a returning Katherine Mangu-Ward try to elevate policy over media gotchas, principle over opportunism, and plusses over minuses. But it’s hard, Manny, it’s real hard.

The gang talks about Joe Biden’s vice presidential shortlist, ponders just how much larger the coronavirus-related changes to life are than our ability to process them, and spends probably too much time talking about Gerald Ford and dystopian train movies.

Audio production by Ian Keyser and Regan Taylor.

Music: “Back and Forth” by Silent Partner.

Relevant links from the show:

“Trump’s Latest Executive Actions Are Likely Ineffective and Possibly Unconstitutional,” by Christian Britschgi

“Trump’s Naked Megalomania Continues a Bipartisan Trend,” by Jacob Sullum

“Obama’s Executive Order Tyranny,” by Andrew Napolitano

“Watergate Blowback,” by Matt Welch

“The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Crushing State Budgets. A Federal Bailout Is Still a Bad Idea,” by Eric Boehm

“Kamala Harris Is a Cop Who Wants To Be President,” by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

“Benghazi Hall of Shame,” by Matt Welch

“A Milestone for Women in Politics,” by Austin Bragg

“Joe Biden Is No Moderate,” by Peter Suderman

“Perry Mason Gets Its Mandatory Gritty Reboot,” by Glenn Garvin