Reasonably Optimistic

Latest Episodes:

What we saw on the ground in Ukraine Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

Post columnists David Ignatius and Jim Geraghty just returned from Ukraine. They detail the mood on the ground, how much U.S. aid actually matters and whether the war seems winnable. Plus, Ignatius talks about his meeting with President Zelensky.

Read David Ignatius’s interview with President Zelensky: Zelensky: ‘We are trying to find some way not to retreat’

Read Jim Geraghty’s latest columns from Kyiv:

Ukrainians have a message for Mike Johnson

How Russians are joining the fight against Putin

Biden is pushing EVs. Who actually wants them? Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

The Biden administration wants America to transition to electric cars. Last week, the EPA announced a rule requiring more than two-thirds of new vehicles be electric or plug-in hybrid by 2032. This comes on top of pouring federal money into tax credits and developing charging infrastructure. But there are still bumps on the road to an electric-vehicle America. Charles Lane, Catherine Rampell and Megan McArdle talk about how to navigate them.

Read Megan McArdle’s latest column on EVs: The best way to get everyone into electric cars? Hint: It's not a mandate.

Catherine Rampell wrote this month about everything packed into the Inflation Reduction Act, including EV tax credits: Biden should fight climate change, not trade wars

Read Charles Lane on the hard choices needed for an electric future: Electric vehicles won’t fix our carbon dilemma without some hard choices along the way