Words & Numbers

Many proposed solutions to society’s problems produce unintended consequences. Some laws passed in good faith, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, have adverse effects on the very people they intend to help. How many laws like this are there? What do people do about them? How do businesses deal with such laws? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they dive into the unforeseeable resul...

If you haven’t seen either of the previous Democratic primary debates, here’s a summary: Twenty candidates debate free health care and slavery reparations, among other things. Instead of talking about eliminating the federal debt, the candidates talk about adding to it. Additionally, the top candidates don’t get to debate the issues fully. All this raises a few questions: Who’s in charge of choosi...

Which historical figures do you respect? Which economic concepts should be taught to children? How do you trust statistics? James Harrigan and Antony Davies take questions from the crowd on topics ranging from incentives to trade-offs to research data to US treasury bills and more in this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreo...

When it comes to wildlife conservation and other environmental concerns, the ideas of free markets and private property are frequently laughed off as silly by the planet’s most strident defenders. However, the incentives—the motivations to behave in a certain way—that come along with private property are strong. After all, we never worry about cows going extinct. But can these insights on property...

For many children, compulsory education and authority figures tend to inadvertently turn off their sense of curiosity and wonder about the world. Additionally, assigned districts can limit school choice for many parents and mandatory curricula can put unnecessary stress on educators. Are there solutions to these problems within the current framework? Is there any evidence to support changing the w...

As we reach pivotal milestones, such as the legal driving age, we’re met with serious questions: Who decided I’m not old enough to vote? Why can I drive but not enter a bar? When do I have to buy health insurance? Am I ready for all this? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they weigh the pros and cons of transitioning from a minor to an adult live from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texa...

Citizens United, a conservative non-profit corporation, was once caught in the crosshairs of campaign finance law. The company violated the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act by broadcasting a political film within 30 days of a primary election. The Supreme Court split 5-4 on the issue. Did the court side with the free speech of a corporation? What happens when there are two different visions of the F...

As people like, share, and upload on social media platforms, data is generated by users and gathered by tech companies. It’s a bit unclear, however, how companies handle user data. Is selling or storing user data a problem? Does the Fourth Amendment protect internet privacy? Should the government get involved? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies—live from the University of Arizona!—as they discu...

When it comes to the final frontier, we must inevitably outline the government’s role in interplanetary colonization. Perhaps during the next century, there will be deliberation between cosmic pioneers, space entrepreneurs, and elected officials. Who owns the resources on asteroids and other celestial bodies? What might a galactic congress look like? And what’s maritime law got to do with it? Join...

This week’s guest, Robert McDonald, author of Confounding Father talks about the quintessential American philosopher: Thomas Jefferson. During the birth of America, innumerable obstacles stood in its way. What followed was the triumph of the first Americans, from a revolutionary war to purchasing Louisiana and everything in between. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan for a cheerful, optimistic...

There appears to be a large problem in America with outcome-based thinking, particularly with regards to hot-button political issues. We skip straight to the ending we want and argue for it until we’re blue in the face, and everyone who doesn’t want the same must be evil, stupid, or both. But what if we started the conversation in a different place? What if we started it at the principles that lea...

The word “equality” is a tricky one. It means different things to different people in different contexts. Do we mean “income equality”? “Wealth equality”? “Equality before the law”? And how does that sync up with “fairness”? Why are so many fine with professional athletes and movie stars making hundreds of millions of dollars but not CEOs? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they delve into t...

As the saying goes, if you want less of something, tax it. Recently, a House bill was proposed that would raise the taxable income cap for Social Security to about $400,000. Although there seem to be many reasons to cheer, would this create unintended consequences? What could be done instead? Is privatization the way to go? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies this week as they suggest an elegant...

If life is an inalienable right, does that take the death penalty off the table? Is there really a need for social safety nets? Taxation, the Articles of Confederation, the Postal Service, and more come together this week as James Harrigan and Antony Davies explore their ambivalence (it doesn’t mean what you might think it does) on many controversial topics on this week’s episode of Words & Nu...

Only twice has the U.S. House of Representatives impeached a president, and never has the Senate voted to remove an impeached president from office. People tend to think of impeachment as a judicial tool that should be used rarely and only when a president has broken the law in some egregious way. But impeachment was designed as part of the checks-and-balances. It is a political tool. On this week...

If the federal government disappeared, would there still be a United States? Does every country fall on a spectrum between two extremes, capitalism and communism? Are there any good reasons to restrict voting rights? This week, James Harrigan and Antony Davies answer questions about the subjective theory of value, debts to society, guns vs. butter, and plenty more in this week’s jam-packed episode...

Americans, as individuals, carry a lot of debt. But don’t panic! Not all debt is created equal, and not all debt is necessarily a bad thing. Some debt—like mortgages, vehicles, even some college degrees—can be good debt. There are also bad kinds of debt, too. But the thing about individual debt is that it’s the individual's responsibility and really only the business of the borrower and the lender...

Lately, headlines seem to focus on big companies that pay no corporate taxes. However, most of those big companies are still paying payroll taxes. So, have these big companies actually paid their fair share? Americans have their own tax burdens as well. How do we measure a fair tax for all incomes? How do people define what “fair” means? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they cover progress...

There’s no such thing as a free lunch or, in this case, a free college education, despite the promises of certain presidential candidates. The federal government already guarantees student loans. But what would happen if we just forgave all that student debt? What would it take, politically speaking, and what would it cost? And what’s the value of a college education these days, anyway? Join Anton...

Many college students seem baffled or even outraged by opinions that differ from their own. We hear phrases like safe spaces, trigger warnings, and virtue signaling. What’s going on? Has the same psychology that caused religious persecutions returned? Has it infected the majority of students and faculty across the country, or just a vocal few? Guest Donald Boudreaux joins hosts James Harrigan and...

Getting paid for your blood—do you have any concerns? Many people are opposed to donors receiving compensation for ethical reasons. Should people only donate blood for altruistic reasons? Should we worry about exploitation? How much of America’s total exports are blood products? Join Antony Davies, James Harrigan, and their guest Peter Jaworski, co-author of the book Markets Without Limits , as th...

Wage gap myths, middle class success, and hate crime statistics are examined this week in order to dispel the calls for a new social contract. In a society where the majority makes the rules, how do minorities prosper? Is it because of a social contract, is it the result of people being rational, or is it just people being nice to each other? Listen to the conclusion of this two-part special as Ja...

Have you ever signed a contract without reading the terms and conditions? According to Elizabeth Warren, part of the “social contract” is to pay your fair share. But wait, what is the “social contract” that politicians and talking heads keep bringing up? Is it the consent of the governed? Is it written down? Did anyone actually agree to it? Enjoy the first part of a two-part special as Antony Davi...

  538 Electors. 270 votes. Winner-takes-all! Well, at least for now. Colorado recently became the twelfth state to join an effort to award the presidency to the candidate who wins the most individual votes. But should the popular vote replace the Electoral College? Originally intended as a safeguard for the separation of powers, has this election method failed Americans? Population vs. Geography....

The dominating online presence of Facebook, Google, and Amazon has often been called monopolistic. Government-enforced monopolies, such as Western Union and Ma Bell, have fallen before, but is Big Tech anything like those old companies? Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has even started a petition calling for the breakup of big tech companies, which may include Apple among others. How would...