Free The Economy

Our guest this week is Richard Lorenc, formerly of the Foundation for Economic Education and Iron Light and now President & CEO of Lexandria, a digital education company focused on reigniting the American Spirit in the hearts of young people. We talk about the 250th anniversary of American independence, capitalism vs. socialism, the politics of Generation Z, and what comes next in the world of...

This week we cover terrible advice on poverty from the United Nations, reforming the way we regulate banks, and possible new policy directions at the Federal Reserve. Our guest this week is John Berlau, Director of Finance Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and author of George Washington: Entrepreneur: How Our Founding Father’s Private Business Pursuits Changed America and the World ....

This week we cover reforming the SEC’s stock trading database, banning AI exports, a climate lawsuit from Boulder, Colorado, and the latest episode of the American Institute for Economic Research’s The Economist Next Door podcast. Our guest this week is Peggy Little, Senior Litigation Counsel at the New Civil Liberties Alliance. We talk about how the Securities and Exchange Commission has been gag...

This week we cover U.S. companies getting hammered by tariffs, jobs that are surprisingly not getting replaced by AI, and some good news for people whose assets have been seized by the police. Our guest this week is Stephen Davies, historian and author of the new book The Great Realignment: Why the New Right is Here to Stay . In that book, Stephen synthesizes decades of research to explain a funda...

This week we cover America’s low-income churn, reforms to civil asset forfeiture, changes to vehicle emissions testing, a shout out to the new podcast Everyday Abundance . Our guest this week is Jared Walczak, Senior Fellow at the Tax Foundation and president of Walczak Policy Consulting. We’ll talk about the current vogue for raising taxes on millionaires and billionaires (and what to do when the...

This week we cover promising new classroom technology, increasing productivity (and avoiding layoffs) with AI, and the repeal of the SEC’s climate disclosure rule. Our guest this week is Thomas Savidge, research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. We’ll talk about state budgets, pensions, government employees, unions, and the possibility of a federal bailout. Keep up with new e...

This week we cover bank privacy, SNAP benefits, a new study on tariffs, and a great new podcast about ideas and innovation. Our guest this week is Kent Lassman, president and CEO of the Competitive Enterprise Institute. We’ll talk about what it takes to run a Washington, DC nonprofit and do aggressive policy advocacy in 2026. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy...

This week we cover higher inflation numbers, a strike on the Long Island Railroad, and new disability tech from Meta. Our guest this week is Parker Thayer, investigative researcher at the Capital Research Center. We’ll talk about the Medicaid billing fraud that has been uncovered across the country, and in particular the on-the-ground investigation in Columbus, Ohio that Parker took on with Luke R...

This week we cover more legal headaches for the Trump tariffs, keeping kids safe in an AI world, and California’s latest government boondoggle. Our guest this week is Jarrett Skorup, vice president for marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. We talk about his latest study, “Unions and ESG: From Worker Representation to Shareholder Activism.”  Kee...

This week we cover how to make the moral case for capitalism, affordable housing via regulatory reform, and tracking the economic resilience of all 50 states. Our guest this week is David Ditch, a Senior Analyst in Fiscal Policy at the Economic Policy Innovation Center. We talk about David’s recent study, “Highway Robbery: How Wasteful Diversions from the Highway Fund Pave the Road for Tax Hikes.”...

This week we cover childcare in the 50 states, employers and health coverage, the new Institute for Consumer Financial Choice at George Mason University, and rising costs for climate policy in New York. Our guest this week is Derek Freifels, CEO of Prospr Aligned. We’ll talk about federalism, taxes, regulation, and Derek’s recent article for National Review , “Why Corporate America Is Coming Home...

This week we cover the dwindling number of U.S. public companies, a pro-consumer merger in California, and how to end the housing affordability crisis. Our guest this week is Todd Myers, Vice President for Research at the Washington Policy Center. We’ll talk about what Earth Day and environmentalism mean for Americans in the 21st century. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @fr...

This week we cover AI development in China, how large investors recycle homes, and the need for reform of the Clean Air Act. Our guest this week is Josh Bandoch, Head of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute and author of the new book How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion . We talk about putting other people first, understanding that values come before logic, cult...

This week we cover economic growth in China, the political legacy of Viktor Orban in Hungary, and the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. Our guest this week is Travis Fisher, director of energy and environmental policy studies at the Cato Institute and previously our guest for Episode 49. We’ll talk about energy policy in a world of abundance, new demand from AI da...

This week we cover deficit spending, the burdens of Total Boomer Luxury Communism, and how to renounce the villainization of business. Our guest this week is Jessica Melugin, director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Technology & Innovation. We’ll talk about social media platforms, keeping kids safe online, why we shouldn’t be following Europe’s example, and how to protect...

This week we cover income inequality, myths about homelessness, First Amendment protections for AI, and reforming unfunded mandates. Our guest this week is Gale Pooley of the Discovery Institute. We’ll talk about the death of Paul Ehrlich, the lives of Julian Simon and Norman Borlaug, the politics of population, and the ideas of growth, prosperity, innovation, and optimism. Keep up with new episod...

This week we cover housing affordability, train safety, Paul Ehrlich (1932-2026), and Brian Doherty (1968-2026). Our guest this week is Richard Stern, Vice President of the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise at Advancing American Freedom. We’ll talk about tariffs, the federal budget, tax policy, the national debt, and the North Star values that should guide economic policy. Keep up with new ep...

This week we cover the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations , fighting fraud in broadband deployment, and cutting red tape to boost housing affordability. Our guest this week is James Copland, senior fellow and director of legal policy at the Manhattan Institute. We talk about stock, bonds, cryptocurrency, the SEC, the CFTC, and the future of financial regulation in the U.S. Keep up...

This week we cover housing abundance, capitalism’s approval rating, audits of state finances, and the consumer nostalgia of Stranger Things . Our guest this week is Douglas Carswell of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. We talk about literacy, school choice, workforce development, taxes, and how the people of Mississippi are creating a new generation of prosperity for themselves and their n...

This week we cover the Supreme Court’s recent decision on tariff powers, myths of the Great Recession, and fiduciary duty for asset managers in Oklahoma. Our guest this week is Spence Purnell of the R Street Institute. We talk about Big Tech companies, European regulators, compliance costs, and the First Amendment. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by follow...

This week we cover the sneaky federal cause of high housing prices, record outflows from ESG investment funds, and why YouTube and Instagram shouldn’t be legally liable for the emotional problems of anxious teenagers. Our guest this week is Alex Durante of the Tax Foundation. We talk about the impact of Trump tariff policy on revenues, economic growth, and jobs. Free the Economy is hosted by Richa...

This week we talk about Consumer-Regulated Electricity, the amazing falling U.S. poverty rate, and how smart TVs are keeping us all connected. Our guest this week is Kevin Kosar, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. We’ll talk about the toxic Congress, the secret Congress, and how the legislative branch can reform itself (with our help). Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morriso...

This week we talk about satellite shot clocks at the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Reserve nominee Kevin Warsh’s digital-dollar beliefs, the burden of aluminum tariffs, and empowering state attorneys general to sue over credit card fees. Our guest this week is Justin Callais, chief economist of the Archbridge Institute. We’ll talk about education, entrepreneurship, taxes, federalism,...

This week we talk about the last 50 years of regulatory reform, a new study on climate adaptation, and reforms to Kentucky’s property tax system. Our guest this week is Brian Albrecht, chief economist of the International Center for Law and Economics. We talk about economic growth, happiness, statistics, and the meaning of gross domestic product, or GDP. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morri...

This week we talk about making a living in podcasting, confronting our mounting national debt, and assessing President Trump’s new healthcare plan. Our guest this week is Grant Dever of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, also known as FREOPP. We’ll talk about energy, abundance, permitting, affordability, and the SPEED Act. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with...