Episodes
-
Russ leads a discussion about Tarriffs: What they are, how they work, and why he doesn't like them. Along the way the team discusses the manner in which other state interventions in the market (such as regulations) generate the demand for tariffs, and what this all means going forward.
-
Exactly what kind of speech does the first amendment protect, and why? There is concerted pressure, both domestically and internationally, to expand the State's ability to regulate speech. Those advocating for these policies justify their proposals by citing the need to combat "hate" and "misinformation."
-
Episodes manquant?
-
A recent article makes the now familiar claim that AI will render most of the population unemployable. Rather than advocate for a universal basic income, the author argues that we should use the state to shape the labor market to guarantee employment. This is a 'jobs program', but for everyone! Is this really the least-bad option?
-
Peter leads the Gwartney team in fruitful discussion of the Psalms. A rich and rewarding book, The Psalms comprises songs and prayers and prayerful songs, without a single author or viewpoint. How then are we to interpret them?
-
Russ recently advised an Arizona municipality that was considering extending a 1-cent sales tax to fund transportation infrastructure such as road maintenance. Russ advised in favor of extending the tax for another 20 years. Peter and Justin aren't so sure. Who is right? Tune in for the sales pitch!
-
Tall Poppy Syndrome is the tendency for groups to punish members for their success, or even for aiming at very high achievement. Once made explicit, it's possible to find tall poppy syndrome all over. Where did it come from? Why does this tendency show up in some groups more than others? What are the effects--both positive and negative--of this tall poppy syndrome?
-
Russ details the trials and tribulations of trying to move his bitcoin off of Coinbase and take personal custody of his crypto. If that sentence didn't make sense to you, tune in as the Gwartney team explains what a hardware wallet is, why many bitcoin enthusiasts recommend keeping your crypto in 'cold storage' and the ways in which the crypto ecosystem has changed over the last decade as industry has anticipated and responded to regulation.
-
Kamala Harris has proposed taxing 'unrealized capital gains'. What does this even mean? How would such a tax restructure incentives and market forces? Is this a good idea, or something you should be worried about? Find out!
-
The Gwartney Team takes a break from serious political, philosophical, and economic issues to discuss their favorite movies and why they love them. Except, it turns out these choices reveal serious political, philosophical, and economic issues...
-
Continuing our discussion of one of the fathers of Existentialist philosophy, Justin walks us through one of Nietzsche's famous thought experiments. Nietzsche thought he had found a recipe for living in a way that affirms life. Did he?
-
Friedrich Nietzsche, a notorious 19th century philosopher and one of the fathers of the Existentialist movement, famously proclaimed that 'God is dead'. This claim delights atheists and dismays theists, but Justin argues that the claim is usually misinterpreted. What did Nietzsche mean, and why does it matter?
-
In this week's Faith & Economics podcast, the professors talk about the "Is/Ought" problem, a key issue in philosophy. They explain the difference between describing what is (facts) and what ought to be (morals). The discussion also covers how this difference affects our views on ethics, morality, and decision-making in public policy.
-
In this episode, our two economists address the problems with rent control. The Harris campaign announced that rent controls may be on the table for policy changes. Learn about the hidden costs and people who get hurt when rent controls are used. This one topic that economists almost universally dismiss as bad policy!
-
Not raising the federal minimum wage of $7.25 since 2009 has been one of the best things for the American labor market. Learn the reasons for this as the Gwartney Economists explain how unemployment rises when the minimum wage is above market wage. Individual states like Arizona, have minimum wage above the market and are proposing yet another increase this fall from $14.35 to $18. What predictions can be made on unemployment, labor benefits, labor conditions, small business, inflation and other things we care about?
-
The Gwartney team looks at recent political events (an assassination attempt, a party ticket switcheroo), and the conversation quickly turns to the vitriolic nature of our political discourse. What causes our political debates to be so heated? Are we headed for turmoil? How can we turn down the temperature?
-
Historian Niall Ferguson recently published an article about the place of the USA in the global order titled 'We're All Soviets Now'. What did he mean? Is he right? Listen to the Gwartney Team discuss Ferguson's intriguing claims, and let us know if you agree!
-
Most people use the terms 'uncertainty' and 'risk' interchangeably, but philosophers and economists both agree that these two terms denote very different situations. Even more importantly, mistaking one situation for the other can be extremely costly.If you're uncertain, know that it would be risky to skip this episode. Or it might be uncertain? I forget...
-
A 6-3 decision by the Supreme Court overruled Chevron. Pundits were rending their garments and gnashing their teeth, but what exactly was the Chevron Deference Doctrine? Why did it matter, and what role did Chevron Deference play in the operations of the Federal Bureaucracy? Is this good or bad news? Join the Gwartney Team for a discussion of Chevron, and of what might follow in the wake of Chevron's demise.
Timeline:
Definition // 1:30
A closer look at the branches of government // 5:00
Effects // 8:00
A brave new post Chevron world (or not)? // 16:30
-
Join the Gwartney Team to discuss the first Presidential debate. What was most surprising? What does the election look like going forward?
-
People disagree about whether particular acts are moral or immoral. But there is a deeper disagreement lurking, which is a disagreement about the fundamental nature of morality itself, and this is a disagreement that Justin claims is currently playing out in contemporary philosophy.
So, what is morality, and why should we care?
- Montre plus
