Words & Numbers

In this episode, we examine the growing disconnect between education theory and classroom reality, as academic research drifts toward identity themes while teachers confront daily behavioral and practical challenges. We discuss the BBC’s misleading edits of Trump’s January 6 remarks and what the scandal reveals about media trust, then turn to a “foolishness of the week” on claims about podcasting’s diversity problem. We analyze new polling that shows Trump losing ground with Republicans and independents, rising economic frustration, and how political pressure is driving shifts on tariffs, immigration, and labor policy. We also touch on the Epstein files debate and the constitutional limits on congressional speech, considering how these controversies reflect changing public opinion and the incentives that push policymakers back toward the center. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:34 Academia’s Incentive Problem 07:47 BBC Scandal and Leadership Failures 11:13 The “Podcast Diversity” Study 13:01 Social Media Algorithms and Reel Addiction 16:36 Trump’s Approval Slide and Voter Frustration 22:00 What Off-Year Elections Reveal 23:20 Inflation, Consumer Sentiment, and Economic Strain 25:29 Trump’s Tariffs and Mercantilist Policies 29:24 Immigration Shifts and Labor Shortages 35:09 Government Limits 37:50 Epstein Files and Foreign Influence Concerns 43:48 Shutdown Fallout and The Republican Midterm Strategy 49:49 Hope for the Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we take a close look at the growing complexity of legislation in the age of artificial intelligence and how longer, denser bills create new incentives for politicians to hide provisions that voters would never spot on their own. We also examine the Trump administration’s new visa rules, including the unexpected decision to classify obesity as grounds for denial, and what this says about public policy and shifting cultural norms. We analyze Trump’s proposal for $2,000 tariff-funded checks and the Supreme Court case that could unravel the entire tariff structure, followed by a deeper dive into the real economics of trade, revenue, and political incentives. We finish with a look at the housing market, the push for 50-year mortgages, and why extending loan terms does little to address the underlying supply constraints driving home prices and unaffordability. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:28 The Future of Legislation in the Age of AI 08:07 No Visas for Obese People 12:12 Foolishness of the Week: $2,000 Checks for All Americans 19:40 Trump’s Political Gambit 22:35 Budget Deficits and the Myth of Tariff Revenue 28:13 The Housing Affordability Crisis 31:16 Mortgage Rates, Down Payments, and Lending Standards 35:56 The 50-Year Mortgage Proposal and Its Real Costs 45:08 30-Year vs 50-Year Mortgage Interest Rates 51:51 Are Tiny Homes the Solution? 53:50 How Politicians Could Implement 50-Year Mortgages 56:17 The Role of Banks in the Lending Business 57:18 What Mortgages and Loans Allow 01:03:20 Predictions for 50-Year Mortgages 01:07:01 Is Inflation Falling? 01:09:19 Conclusions on Mortgages and Lending 01:13:06 James’s Personal Mortgage Story 01:15:41 The Problems with Higher Education and Student Loans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we discuss false scarcity and how fear drives bad economic decisions, comparing self-sufficiency with the global benefits of free trade and the trust that arises from voluntary exchange. We examine the economics of water management, from property rights and groundwater to desalination and market incentives for conservation. We also cover corruption in sports betting, political hypocrisy in market regulation, and the populist rise of figures like Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes. We explore the decline of moderation in American politics, the failures of the two-party system, and what genuine self-government could look like in a more responsible democracy. 00:00 Introduction and Listener Mail 02:56 The Illusion of Scarcity and Economic Fear 04:14 Self-Sufficiency vs. the Benefits of Global Trade 05:11 Trust, Trade, and Peace Between Nations 08:24 Water Rights and the Economics of Groundwater 10:18 Innovation, Desalination, and Market Incentives 13:17 Sports Betting, Corruption, and the UFC Scandal 16:50 The Economics of Insider Trading 19:26 Foolishness of the Week: YouTube TV and Disney 24:05 Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, and Political Extremes 28:21 The Rise of Populism and the Fall of Moderation 34:03 How Social Media Empowers Extremists 45:29 The Need for Statesmanship Over Leadership 51:51 Breaking the Two-Party Grip on Power 54:08 How to Restore Self-Government and Public Trust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we discuss vacuum espionage, election polling, voter bias, and the persistence of the “hidden Republican” phenomenon, before turning to the Foolishness of the Week on Barack Obama’s shifting racial politics. We then speak with historian David Beito, author of FDR: A New Political Life, about Franklin D. Roosevelt’s lasting impact on American governance. We examine how FDR reshaped the federal government through progressivism, centralized planning, and the expansion of executive power, connecting his presidency to modern debates over welfare, economic rights, and political authority. We also explore the contradictions of FDR’s leadership, his charisma and pragmatism alongside his willingness to suppress dissent, and how his policies continue to influence government and public trust today. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:53 The Smart Vacuum That Spied 04:25 Off-Year Elections in California and New York 06:55 Polling Bias and the Hidden Republican Vote 09:15 Foolishness of the Week: Barack Obama 10:21 Race, Identity, and Political Opportunism 15:36 Guest Introduction: Historian David Beito 16:58 Debunking the FDR Myth 18:20 FDR’s Progressive Ideology and Power Mindset 26:45 Central Planning and the New Deal 29:09 Comparing FDR to Modern Presidents 31:09 What If FDR Hadn’t Died in Office? 34:53 FDR’s Second Bill of Rights 40:18 Why the Great Depression Lasted Longer in America 43:24 FDR’s Legacy of Surveillance and Bureaucracy 48:10 Emergency Powers and Modern Parallels 52:26 Closing Reflections and Book Plug Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Words & Numbers Live is a members only series exclusive to CiVL.com in which Antony and James discuss politics, philosophy, and economics, and invite listeners for a live Q&A session. To participate, subscribe at CiVL.com, where you can see what lectures we have coming up, and access all of our Words & Numbers content. Unintended consequences arise when decision makers impose decisions on people and those people react in ways the decision makers didn’t anticipate. Unintended consequences can’t be fixed through better decision making because the problem doesn’t arise from the decision maker. They arise from the fact that people are being forced to behave in a way they’d rather not behave. We'll walk through myriad examples of well-intended laws and regulations that resulted in unintended consequences that either reversed or mitigated the policy makers’ intentions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we examine how Americans view government power and economic responsibility during another federal shutdown. We discuss growing distrust of federal authority, confusion over who holds real power, and how political brinkmanship creates real-world consequences such as missed paychecks, grounded flights, and suspended food aid. We cover the ethics of welfare and workfare, the balance between private charity and public assistance, and the economic effects of shutdowns, tariffs, and education spending. Together, these issues reveal how political dysfunction continues to weaken public trust and fiscal stability. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:30 The Myth of Hard Work and the American Dream 01:58 Capitalism vs. Socialism 03:41 Public Distrust in Federal Power 06:43 Trump’s Tariffs and the Economics of Uncertainty 09:56 Trump Derangement Syndrome 12:42 Do Billionaires Really Hoard Wealth? 19:18 Foolishness of the Week: Arizona’s $80 Million Stadium 22:58 Education Spending and Misplaced Government Priorities 25:20 The Real Cost of a Government Shutdown 29:13 Welfare Reform and the Ethics of Government Aid 32:40 Private Charity vs. Public Assistance 35:05 Flight Delays Due to Shutdown and Thanksgiving 39:17 Who Eats the Losses of a Shutdown? 45:31 Healthcare Costs, Subsidies, and Political Optics 49:09 How Shutdowns Expose Government Dysfunction 51:12 How Will the Shutdown End? 57:01 No Happy End in Sight 59:14 Dream Podcast Guests and Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we discuss Denmark’s proposal to grant citizens ownership of their face, voice, and likeness to combat AI deepfakes, and the ethical and legal implications of personal identity rights in the digital age. We highlight the “foolishness of the week” involving tariffs and political overreaction to a Canadian ad campaign, and explore the concept of sound money with guest Jp Cortez of the Sound Money Defense League. The conversation covers gold and silver as currency, the consequences of fiat money and inflation, and how monetary policy shapes economic freedom, government power, and personal responsibility. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:27 Denmark's Copyright Law 02:39 AI Deepfakes and Property Rights 05:10 Unintended Consequences of the Law 08:29 The Ethical Implications of AI Deepfakes 10:47 Foolishness of the Week: Reagan's AI Ad 12:16 Trump’s Reaction to the Reagan Ad 15:01 Introduction to Jp Cortez and Sound Money Defense League 15:25 Re-monetizing Gold and Silver 17:09 Sound Money Index Explained 19:04 Challenges with the US Dollar 21:28 Gold's Stability and Historical Context 26:34 The Role of States in Sound Money 30:25 Practical Implications of Sound Money 37:24 The Moral and Ethical Case for Sound Money 42:12 Congress’s Role in Taxation 46:28 Sound Money as a Safeguard Against Failed Government 48:05 Global Trends in Gold and Silver 51:05 The Meaning of the Price of Gold 53:39 The Impact of Monetary Policy on Poverty 55:49 Why Gold Has Stood the Test of Time 01:00:07 Conclusion and Call to Action Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Words & Numbers Live is a members only series exclusive to CiVL.com in which Antony and James discuss politics, philosophy, and economics, and invite listeners for a live Q&A session. To participate, subscribe at CiVL.com, where you can see what lectures we have coming up, and access all of our Words & Numbers content. We don’t “know” nearly as much as we think we do, and this causes all kinds of political problems. How do we come to know things, and what does that mean in terms of our goals and plans? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we examine new polling on tax policy and the debate over taxing the rich, analyzing how effective tax rates and government spending affect deficit reduction. We discuss a breakthrough in medical innovation that has helped restore sight to patients with macular degeneration, and highlight the growing problem of political crassness in this week’s foolishness. We address a listener question on state pension reform and the inefficiencies of public bureaucracy, and explore how economic incentives influence behavior in areas such as conservation, resource management, and everyday decision-making. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:25 Taxing the Rich to Reduce Federal Debt 09:06 The Problem with Corporate Taxes 11:22 The Only Solution to the Spending Problem 12:33 A Cure for Blindness 15:25 Karoline Leavitt’s “Your Mom” Joke 18:03 Trump’s No Kings Protest AI Video 19:57 Municipal Workers Held Captive by State Pension Systems 23:16 Perverse Incentives Sustain Bureaucratic Systems 29:33 The Human Drive to Utilize vs. Cultivate Resources 35:38 The Consequences and Dangers of Internet Dependence 38:57 The Fragility of Internet Infrastructure 41:20 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we examine the effectiveness of political protest in the wake of the No Kings demonstrations, new polling regarding Trump’s approval rating among different voting demographics, and the prospects of the president’s removal from office. We discuss a case under consideration by the Supreme Court regarding marijuana usage and gun ownership, and the implications that arise from infringement on liberties. We also dive into a case regarding a Karen who sued her neighbor over the smell of marijuana, and relate it to many other problems currently plaguing our society. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:29 The Effectiveness of Protests 05:54 The No Kings Protests 07:01 Removing Trump From Office 10:44 Trump’s Approval Rating Poll 14:35 Supreme Court Considering Case on Marijuana Use and Gun Ownership  17:12 Rights and Limits in The Constitution 20:58 The Potential Implications of a 2nd Amendment Ruling 23:23 Karen Sues Over Marijuana Smell 29:37 Masks and Other Petty Civil Disagreements 34:22 The Pronoun Debate 36:32 Making Demands of Our Neighbors 39:11 The Value of Community and the Necessity of Integration 40:39 The Benefits of Compromise 44:26 Human Respect and Conclusions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices