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In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman lament the latest dire forecast from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) last week forecasting a $2 trillion budget deficit in 2024.

02:31 —$2 trillion federal budget deficit

21:17 — Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump on immigration

37:02 —Weekly Listener Question

46:23 —Revisiting Anthony Fauci and COVID-19 origins

55:18 —This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Federal Budget Deficit Forecast Jumps $400 Billion, Fueled by Student Debt Forgiveness," by Emma Camp

"The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000," by John Stossel

"Why We Need To Shrink the National Debt, and Fast!" by Nick Gillespie and Mark McDaniel

"The Golden Age of Groupon Government," by Nick Gillespie

"Trump Suddenly Loves Immigration," by Liz Wolfe

"Protections for the Undocumented," by Liz Wolfe

"There Is No Party of Immigration in American Politics," by Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Peter Suderman, and Nick Gillespie

"Should the U.S. Shut Its Borders? A Free Press Debate," featuring Nick Gillespie

"The Five Best Arguments Against Immigration—and Why They're Wrong," by Nick Gillespie and Todd Krainin

"The End of Obesity?" by Ronald Bailey

"Whole Foods' John Mackey: We Must Change How We Think About Capitalism," by Nick Gillespie

"Government Subsidies Keep Your Food Boring," by C. Jarrett Dieterle

"Mandatory GMO Disclosure Doesn't Sway Shopping Habits (But Will Drive Up Costs)," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"The War on Fat," by Jacob Sullum

"American Slender," by Nick Gillespie

"Maybe Brian Williams Just Needs to Write a Book Denouncing the Drug War?" by Matt Welch

"Anthony Fauci's Inner Circle Initially Thought COVID Came From a Lab," by Rand Paul

"In Congress, Debate Rages About How To Prevent the Next Lab Leak," by Christian Britschgi

"COVID-19 Misinformation: Brought to You by the U.S. Government," by Robby Soave

"'Vast Majority' of Pandemic Employee Retention Credit Claims Are Likely Scams, Says IRS," by J.D. Tuccille

"Make the CDC an Infectious Disease Epidemic Fighter Again," by Ronald Bailey

"Presidential Screen Test," by Nick Gillespie

"Based on a True Story: Bill Clinton and the New Court Culture," by Nick Gillespie

"Is Rob Lowe a Libertarian?: 'I want the government out of almost everything,'" by Nick Gillespie

Upcoming Events:

• FreedomFest, July 10–13. Use REASON50 to get $50 off registration.
• Open To Debate: Presidential Debate Watch Party, featuring Nick Gillespie.

Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsor:

• Students for Liberty
• Lumen is the world's first handheld metabolic coach. It's a device that measures your metabolism through your breath. On the app, it lets you know if you're burning fat or carbs, and it gives you tailored guidance to improve your nutrition, workouts, sleep, and even stress management. All you have to do is breathe into your Lumen first thing in the morning, and you'll know what's going on with your metabolism, whether you're burning mostly fats or carbs. Then, Lumen gives you a personalized nutrition plan for that day based on your measurements. You can also breathe into it before and after workouts and meals, so you know exactly what's going on in your body in real time, and Lumen will give you tips to keep you on top of your health game. Your metabolism is your body's engine—it's how your body turns the food you eat into fuel that keeps you going. Because your metabolism is at the center of everything your body does, optimal metabolic health translates to a bunch of benefits, including easier weight management, improved energy levels, better fitness results, better sleep, etc. Lumen gives you recommendations to improve your metabolic health. It can also track your cycle as well as the onset of menopause, and adjust your recommendations to keep your metabolism healthy through hormonal shifts, so you can keep up your energy and stave off cravings. So, if you want to take the next step in improving your health, go to lumen.me and use ROUNDTABLE to get $100 off your Lumen.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

• Video Ed