Let People Prosper

Episode 85 is with Dr. Adam Michel, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute. Today, we discuss: 1) Problems with OECD and global taxes; 2) Tax cliff coming in 2025 from many expiring TCJA provisions; and 3) Why a fiscal crisis without major spending reforms, how taxes influence human behavior, the truth about The Laffer Curve, and much more. Please share this on social media, and provide a rating and review. Thanks! Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

In today’s This Week’s Economy episode 49, I provide a trigger warning about my 10 unpopular views, housing deregulation, property taxes, Gen-Zers moving to Texas, and much more. Please like this podcast, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Episode 84 is with Dr. Sven Larson, author and economics writer for The European Conservative. Today, we discuss: 1) Larson's experience growing up in Sweden during its economic collapse and Sweden's example of how big government can destroy the economy; 2) How America's welfare system is beginning to mimic Europe's; and 3) How increased taxes and increased spending decrease GDP growth and opportunities for young workers. Please share this on social media and provide a rating and review. Thanks! Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Thank you for listening to the 48th episode of "This Week's Economy." Today, I cover the following and more in 10 minutes: 1) National: - CPI inflation hotter than expected + "shrinkflation" results from failed DC policies. - Rules over discretion provide the best path forward to get our fiscal and economic houses in order, as I noted in my recent commentary at AIER-DC is broke: what does Hayek tell us about how to correct it? - Health care costs are driving burdens on federal and household budgets. What can be done about them? - Taxpayer funding of Ukraine, Israel, and other foreign affairs seems to be increasing again even as audits of the funds and extra funds aren’t available. 2) States: - Texas politics are heating up as there is infighting between Republicans. When will they get their act together and return to leading by example and principles of free-market capitalism? - Texas is the state export leader for the 21st year in a row with 23% of the nation’s exports from a state with 10% of US GDP, but there's still room to improve. 3) My Media Hits & Other: - I will be in Las Vegas next week to speak at a conference by Health Care Administrators Association about the rising burden of health care. - I’ll also be speaking at an upcoming health care conference by Global Health where I’ll interview Dr. Deane Waldman about the pros and cons of price transparency in health care. - See this week’s LPP episode with Dr. Michael Strain on the national debt crisis, Trumpism, and why the American dream isn’t dead. -Don’t miss the upcoming LPP episode with Dr. Sven Larson on how Europe compares with the U.S., and what should be done to avoid the malaise in Europe here. Please share this on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Episode 83 is with Dr. Michael Strain, director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. Today, we discuss: 1) Why the American Dream is NOT dead, and much economic pessimism is overblown; 2) The problem with populism and its origins on both sides of the aisle; and 3) Reasons for optimism on wages, GDP, and much more. Please share this on social media and provide a rating and review. Thanks! Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Thank you for listening to the 47th episode of "This Week's Economy." Today, I cover the following and more in 10 minutes: 1) National: - The federal fiscal trajectory is unsustainable and must be corrected before more crises happen, as the trust funds for Social Security and Medicare are expected to run dry over the next decade - U.S. household debt rose by $212 billion in Q4 2023 to a new record of $15.7 trillion - Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently noted on 60 Minutes that no target federal funds rate cuts until at least May 2024, and Congress must get control of deficit spending - What’s really going on at the border? I wonder if it has anything to do with Trump’s trade war and lockdowns, as apprehensions started increasing in 2020 before Biden took office 2) States: -Texas approved a new constitutional amendment that provides $10 billion for low-interest loans to companies building thermal energy plants, increasing corporate welfare in Texas -Americans for Tax Reform has updated the Sustainable Budget Project website, showing how states can improve budgets and providing economic and fiscal comparisons -The Kansas Policy Institute released the third iteration of the Responsible Kansas Budget, revealing ample opportunity for Kansas to limit government spending and reduce tax rates. 3) My Media Hits & Other: - I had a blast at the Brickell Unconference in Miami with many freedom fighters known as Freedom Conservatives - Check out this week’s LPP episode with Dr. Bryan Caplan on the myth of the rational voter, the case against education, open borders, and more -Don’t miss this upcoming LPP episode on Monday with Dr. Michael Strain on the national debt crisis, Trumpism, and why the American dream isn’t dead Please like this video, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Episode 82 is with Dr. Bryan Caplan, professor of economics at George Mason University and New York Times bestselling author. Today, we discuss: 1) The myth of the rational voter and how politics has become a religion, 2) Why the U.S. is heading toward fiscal crisis because neither party will restrain spending; and 3) Why we need to spend less on education, the pros and cons of school choice, selfish reasons to have more kids, and open borders. Please share this on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Thank you for listening to the 46th episode of "This Week's Economy." Today, I cover the following in less than 12 minutes: 1) National: - Average weekly earnings adjusted for CPI or PCE declined in 2022 and 2023 during the Biden administration - In an X poll, 85% of voters wanted to cut government spending, 10% said to cut taxes, 3% said to raise taxes, and 2% said to raise spending - Is Oren Cass right to criticize "market fundamentalism”? 2) States: - New research by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility shows how the Legislature’s property tax relief last session was the second largest in state history despite what some have been claiming - My research on the Responsible Louisiana Budget provides a roadmap to fiscal sustainability in Louisiana. This is needed because employment has declined for 7 straight months, and people keep leaving the state - My commentary at Complete Colorado calls on Governor Polis to do as he’s promised and reduce tax expenditures so there is more opportunity to cut income taxes, which should include less spending 3) My Media Hits & Other: - I was quoted in Forbes discussing how Texas could have universal ESAs and save at least $13 billion per year, but too many want to grow the budget - I was recently accepted to be a 2024 Club for Growth Foundation Fellow -Don't miss last week's LPP episode with Dr. Bruce Caldwell on Friedrich Hayek, including his upbringing, economics, and much more - Set your alarms for Monday's LPP episode on Monday with Dr. Bryan Caplan on open borders, reasons to have more kids, an end to education, and more Please like this video, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Episode 81 is with Dr. Bruce Caldwell, research professor of economics at Duke University and author and editor of numerous books, including Hayek: A Life, 1899-1950. Today, we discuss: 1) Friedrich Hayek’s early life, views, and economic influences; 2) The significance of some of Hayek’s iconic contributions to economics, such as the knowledge problem, spontaneous order, and free trade; and 3) What advice would Hayek have for our current economy, and would he be a conservative today? Please like this video, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Thank you for listening to the 45th episode of "This Week's Economy." Today, I cover: 1) National: DeSantis drops out of the race, and New Hampshire primary results put Trump and Haley fairly close, so what happens next? Real GDP for Q4 2023 was up 3.3%, but the contribution of costly, unproductive government spending makes the real private GDP rate lower. The stock market has been better under Trump than Biden through three years of their terms, but Trump can’t necessarily take the credit. Will he try?  Grocery prices have moderated but have still outpaced earnings since 2019; what does it mean to you? Why the tax code shouldn’t serve as social engineering, but why does Congress try? 2) States: National School Choice Week highlights which states need to provide universal education freedom. Is your state next?  My new paper with Sal Nuzzo of the James Madison Institute notes how Florida can reduce its sales tax burden, but will they do it?   State-level jobs report reveals that job growth is slow across most states, but Texas leads in job creation. How does your state do? 3) My Media Hits & Other: My recent commentary reveals what’s really going on in the labor market. My latest bonus LPP episode with Brad Swail of Texas Talks shares my thoughts on the economy, Texas, property taxes, immigration, and more. Last week’s LPP episode with ⁠Matt Mitchell⁠ reveals how Estonia is freer than the U.S.  Set your alarms for Monday so you don’t miss my upcoming episode with Dr. Bruce Caldwell on Friedrich Hayek and much more. Please like this video, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).