This Monday, Reason Roundtable, Katherine ManguWardIt is back Matt Welch, Peter SudermanPlease see the following: Nick Gillespie. Each of the editors describes a tax they’d like to see repealed. The editors also explain Elon Musk’s attempted purchase of Twitter.
1:52 – Taxes that are worth repealing
17:43: Some commonly held beliefs about taxation should be discredited
25:30: Elon Musk continues to try and buy Twitter
41:52: Weekly Listener Questions: Mickey Mouse will soon be in the public domain if Congress doesn’t act to amend the copyright laws (as they have done in the past to avoid the same situation). Joe Lancaster wrote a very interesting piece about this subject. ReasonIt is absurd that Disney would deny or allow such an extension just because of the ideology it promotes. Surprisingly, it was presented to me as a clear libertarian position that should allow the copyright to expire. It seems to me that putting Mickey Mouse—a piece of intellectual property actively being used by its creator to generate further original work—into the public domain would contrast with the typical libertarian support of strong property rights. What is intellectual property different than physical property? Would it not likely lower net creativity if others creators made more money simply by copying Mickey rather than making their own characters? What does the panel think about copyright laws? Suderman is adamant that other studios will be allowed to produce cheap Marvel-based filler films in the future. Is it necessary to create a new kind of intellectual property protection when corporations can continue to thrive for many decades? Let me know your opinions. If I have money in 75 years, copies can be sold.
51:36: Media tips for this week
Here are this week’s top links
“Tax Day is Here” because government bungling won’t pay for itselfJ.D. Tucille
American will spend 6.5 billion hours on income taxes this yearEric Boehm
“Gatekeepers Are Very Afraid That Elon Musk Will Remove the Gates From Tweet”Matt Welch
Twitter’s “Musk Bid for Twitter” highlights the dangers of being a social media ownerBy Joseph Menn and Cat Zakrzewski.
“Elon Musk Shows How Much He Does Not Understand About Content Moderation”Mike Masnick
Copyrights and Patents to be abolished A Soho Forum Debate”Gene Epstein
Copyright is too muchZach Weissmueller
Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Make sure you include your social media username and your correct pronunciation.
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Ian Keyser, audio production
Hunt Beaty, assistant producer
Music: “Angeline,” by Steve and the Brothers