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Fresh Air

How the government wastes our time

August 31, 2026·46m

Atlantic journalist Annie Lowrey explores the administrative burdens people face applying for government benefits like unemployment and food assistance. It's not just about wasted time: "When the government treats us like this, we don't trust it," she says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her book, The Time Tax: How the Government Wastes Our Time—and How to Fix It. Ken Tucker reviews a new album by the trio The Womack Sisters, nieces of R&B great Bobby Womack.