The Hale Report

Today’s guest is Arthur Laffer, one of the most influential economists in modern public policy.Dr. Laffer is of course best known for the Laffer Curve, the idea that tax rates can reach a point where they discourage work, investment, and entrepreneurship — ultimately reducing economic growth and government revenue.His work helped shape the tax reforms associated with President Ronald Reagan, and his ideas continue to influence debates about taxation and economic growth today. For his contributions he received the Presidential Medal of Honor.

On this episode of The Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale speaks with journalist and global policy convener Steve Clemons, a longtime observer of power, who has spent decades moving between Washington, journalism, and the world’s major geopolitical forums—from Tokyo and Brussels to Davos.

In this episode of The Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale speaks with Ruby Wang about China’s rapid transformation of its healthcare system - and why it matters far beyond medicine.Drawing on personal experience, economic analysis, and cultural insight, the conversation explores how healthcare has become central to China’s development model, its approach to aging and demographics, and its growing influence in biotech, digital health, and pharmaceutical supply chains.The discussion also confronts one of the most persistent barriers to understanding China: fundamentally different assumptions about privacy, data, and the relationship between the individual and the state.

Lyric Hughes Hale speaks with David Marsh, the founder of OMFIF about Europe’s fractured landscape: Germany’s struggles, Russia’s war, US- China rivalry, regulation, the euro—and what must change for the continent to endure.

Guest host Marsha Vande Berg speaks with Karthik Muralidharan, Tata Chancellor’s Professor of Economics at UC San Diego and founder of the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS). They discuss his acclaimed new book, Accelerating India’s Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance, exploring how better state capacity—not just more spending—can unlock India’s vast potential. A conversation about evidence-based reform, economic inclusion, and India’s evolving role on the world stage.

In Episode 73 of The Hale Report, Lord Adair Turner — economist, former head of the UK Financial Services Authority, and chair of the G30 Working Group on Carbon Pricing, discusses the group’s new report: Carbon Pricing and MarketsEnabling Efficient Emission Reductions

Today on The Hale Report, I’m joined by Joel Ross—investment banker, veteran dealmaker, and the unfiltered voice behind The Ross Rant. For decades, Joel has called out trends in finance, real estate, politics, and policy- long before they hit the headlines. From pioneering hotel securitizations on Wall Street to writing some of the most candid—and controversial—market commentary out there, Joel has never shied away from saying what others won’t.We’ll talk about the intersection of economics and politics, why markets can’t be separated from Washington, and what risks Joel sees just over the horizon. Be prepared for a conversation that’s equal parts markets, money, and straight talk.

Welcome to the 71st episode of the Hale Report. We are back after a short summer hiatus. My name is Lyric Hughes Hale, and I am Editor-in-Chief of econVue and your host today, Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Our topic: Money in Motion: Stablecoins, Payments, and the Global FinTech Race. Today I’m joined by Collin Canright — a pioneer in Chicago’s fintech community, a seasoned journalist, and founder of FinTech Rising. For more than three decades, Collin has been making complex technologies accessible for business and financial leaders, from the earliest days of electronic banking in the 1980s to today’s digital payments and fintech revolutions. He’s also the founder of the Chicago Payments Forum and a coach to emerging leaders in the industry. Through his writing, publishing, and community-building, Collin has become one of the most trusted voices on the future of money.

EconVue editor Lyric Hughes Hale is joined by George DiMartino, professor of International Economics at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. They discuss his most recent book, The Tragic Science: How economists cause harm and they aspire to do good. Economic research has life  or death policy consequences seen by economists as trade-offs—not right or wrong, in the moral sense. De Martino believes that economics is a profession in search of a standards. A surgeon can yield a scalpel, and either do harm or good. For that reason doctors are tested, licensed, and have to ascribe to a code of ethics. This is not true for economists. As he writes: “Economists wield extraordinary power—but unlike doctors or lawyers, they do so without a professional oath, license, or code of conduct. That must change.”— The Oxford Handbook of Professional Economic Ethics

Deborah Wince-Smith, President and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness, dives into the dynamic landscape of U.S. innovation and competitiveness. She discusses the importance of public-private partnerships in fostering technological advancements and emphasizes the urgent need for educational reform, particularly in Chicago. Wince-Smith calls for restored federal R&D funding to boost innovation and examines the historical influence of women in shaping societies. The conversation reflects on global competitiveness and essential strategies for maintaining U.S. leadership in technology.