The Debt Dialogues

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In this weekly podcast series, Don Watkins, fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute, talks to a diverse range of guests about the welfare state crisis and what to do about it.

Don Watkins


    • Oct 20, 2015 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 37m AVG DURATION
    • 53 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Debt Dialogues

    Episode 53: Jared Meyer on Uber

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2015 34:05


    In this episode, I interview Manhattan Institute fellow Jared Meyer on the ride-sharing company Uber.

    Episode 52: Margaret Malewski on Value Creation

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2015 29:26


    In this episode, I interview Margaret Malewski, the executive director of STRIVE Clubs, a nationwide student organization inspired by Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism.

    Episode 51: Don Watkins on Challenging the Inequality Alarmists

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2015 46:13


    In this episode, my colleague Amanda Maxham sits in as guest host, as we discuss my recent article, co-authored with Yaron Brook, “Turning the Tables on the Inequality Alarmists.”

    Episode 50: Yaron Brook on Finance (Part 3)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2015 25:43


    In this episode, the third of a three-part interview, I talk to ARI's executive director Yaron Brook about the financial industry — one of the chief targets of the attacks on economic inequality.

    Episode 49: Yaron Brook on Finance (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2015 34:57


    In this episode, the second of a three-part interview, I talk to ARI's executive director Yaron Brook about the financial industry — one of the chief targets of the attacks on economic inequality.

    Episode 48: Yaron Brook on Finance (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2015 23:10


    In this episode, the first of a three-part interview, I talk to ARI's executive director Yaron Brook about the financial industry — one of the chief targets of the attacks on economic inequality.

    Episode 47: R.J. Renza, Jr. on Social Security

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2015 36:36


    I interview R.J. Renza Jr., author of How Are You Not Angry Yet? How Social Security is Destroying the Futures, Finances and Hopes of Generations X, Y and Z and How We Can Put an End To It, on the vital need to end Social Security.

    Episode 46: Lawrence W. Reed on Myths of Progressivism

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2015 32:07


    In this episode, I interview Lawrence W. Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education, on his new book Excuse Me, Professor: Challenging the Myths of Progressivism.

    Episode 45: Walter Williams on Race and Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2015 26:45


    In this episode, I interview Walter Williams, George Mason University economist and nationally syndicated columnist, on his new book American Contempt for Liberty.

    Episode 44: Peter Schwartz on Paternalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2015 32:43


    In this episode, I interview ARI distinguished fellow Peter Schwartz on paternalism, altruism, and the welfare state.

    Episode 43: Peter Ferrara on Entitlement Reform

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2015 32:51


    In this episode, I interview Peter Ferrara, senior fellow for entitlement and budget policy at The Heartland Institute, on how to address the entitlement crisis.

    Episode 42: John Tamny on Inequality and CEO Pay

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2015 33:19


    In this episode, I interview John Tamny, editor of RealClearMarkets, on his new book Popular Economics: What the Rolling Stones, Downton Abbey, and LeBron James Can Teach You About Economics.

    Episode 41: Jared Meyer on Washington's War on the Young

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2015 45:19


    In this episode, I interview Jared Meyer, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and co-author of Dishinhereted: How Washington Is Betraying America's Young on how the regulatory-welfare state is harming younger Americans.

    Episode 40: William Voegeli on “Liberal Compassion”

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2015 43:54


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I interview Claremont Review of Books senior editor William Voegeli on his recent book The Pity Party: A Mean-Spirited Diatribe Against Liberal Compassion.

    Episode 39: Steven Horwitz on Inequality, Mobility and Being Poor in America

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2015 35:39


    In this episode, I interview Steven Horwitz, Charles A. Dana Professor of Economics and department chair at St. Lawrence University, on his new paper “Inequality, Mobility, and Being Poor in America.”

    Episode 38: Phillip Magness on Thomas Piketty's Empirical Claims

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2015 30:59


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I interview Phillip Magness, a policy historian and Academic Program Director at the Institute for Humane Studies, on the empirical problems with Thomas Piketty's book on inequality, Capital.

    Episode 37: Daniel Mitchell on the OECD Inequality Study

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2015 21:53


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I interview Cato senior fellow Daniel J. Mitchell on the OECD's study claiming that inequality harms economic growth, and that redistributive policies to fight inequality don't.

    Episode 36: Diana Furchtgott-Roth on the Fast Food Protests

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2014 31:23


    In this episode, I interview Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, on the demands by fast food workers for a $15 an hour minimum wage.

    Episode 35: Steve Simpson on Inequality, Democracy, and Money in Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2014 38:37


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Steve Simpson, director of legal studies at the Ayn Rand Institute, on inequality, democracy

    Episode 34: Stephen Moore on Taxes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2014 29:38


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Stephen Moore, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, on taxes.

    Episode 33: Scott Winship on Inequality and Economic Growth

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2014 34:52


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Scott Winship, Manhattan Institute scholar, on inequality and economic growth.

    Episode 32: John Cochrane on Inequality

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2014 27:31


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview John Cochrane on the campaign to limit economic inequality.

    Episode 31: Don Watkins on the Debt Draft

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2014 82:44


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, you'll hear my recent talk “End the Debt Draft: How the Welfare State Is Exploiting Millennials.”

    Episode 30: Phil Birnbaum on Making Sense of Inequality Statistics

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2014 34:17


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In past interviews, we have talked to experts on the research concerning inequality. In this episode, I interview statist

    Episode 29: Max Borders on Entrepreneurship and Inequality

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2014 46:58


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Max Borders, editor of The Freeman and author of Superwealth, on entrepreneurship and inequa

    Episode 28: Romina Boccia on Social Security and the Millennial Generation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2014 39:17


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Romina Boccia, the Grover M. Hermann Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, on Social Security.

    Episode 27: Gregory Salmieri on Justice

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2014 58:49


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Dr. Gregory Salmieri, professor of philosophy, on the subject of justice.

    Episode 26: George Will on Progressivism

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2014 26:01


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist George Will on American Progressivism.

    Episode 25: Onkar Ghate on Individual Rights

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2014 43:37


    In this episode, I interview ARI senior fellow and chief content officer Onkar Ghate on how the concept of individual rights can and should guide our thinking about political issues, including the welfare state.

    Episode 24: Jagadeesh Gokhale on America's Debt Disaster

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2014 35:59


    The Debt Dialogues is a weekly podcast that aims to educate young people about the welfare state and how it will affect their future. In this episode, I interview Cato senior fellow Jagadeesh Gokhale on America's entitlement-fueled debt problem.

    Episode 23: Scott Winship on Inequality, Mobility, and the American Dream

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2014 35:45


    In this episode, I interview Manhattan Institute fellow Scott Winship on economic inequality, mobility, and the American Dream.

    Episode 22: Amity Shlaes on the Great Depression

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2014 31:15


    In this episode, I interview Amity Shlaes, author of The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression, about the cause of the Depression and how it made possible the creation of the American welfare state.

    Episode 21: Lee Ohanian On The State Of The Economy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2014 39:36


    In this episode, I interview Lee Ohanian, Professor of Economics at UCLA, on the state of the economy.

    Episode 20: Sylvester Schieber On America's So-Called Retirement Crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2014 31:22


    In this episode, I interview Sylvester Schieber.

    Episode 19: Tara Smith on Happiness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2014 37:49


    In this episode, I interview Tara Smith, a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas, and author of Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist.

    Episode 18: Yaron Brook On Inequality

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2014 47:16


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I interview Ayn Rand Institute president Yaron Brook on Thomas Piketty and the debate over inequality.

    Episode 17: Don Watkins on "Generational Theft"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2014 30:28


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I contrast my own approach to the welfare state crisis with those who label it “generational theft,” and discuss why no one — not even the elderly — benefit from the welfare state.

    Episode 16 - Charles Murray on Self-Reliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2014 37:40


    Episode 16 - Charles Murray on Self-Reliance

    Episode 15 - Matt Kibbe on Political Change

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2014 29:10


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I interview FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe about how the welfare state is drafting young Americans into debt, and how they can effectively fight against it.

    Episode 14: Michael Cannon on Obamacare

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2014 37:06


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I interview the Cato Institute's director of health policy studies, Michael Cannon, on Obamacare and its effects on young Americans.

    Episode 13: William Voegeli on the Welfare State

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2014 47:18


    In this episode of The Debt Dialogues, I interview Claremont Review of Books senior editor William Voegeli on the question: “Why do people support the welfare state?”

    Episode 12: Debate - Don Watkins vs. Harry van der Linden on the Welfare State

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2014 86:00


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I debate Butler University professor of philosophy Harry van der Linden on the morality of the welfare state.

    Episode 11: Peter Schwartz on Altruism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2014 48:51


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I interview ARI distinguished fellow Peter Schwartz on the morality of altruism. Topics include the meaning of altruism, common misunderstandings about altruism, and how altruism leads people to support the welfare s

    Episode 10: John C. Goodman On Medicare

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2014 24:20


    In this episode the Debt Dialogues, I talked to National Center for Policy Analysis president John C. Goodman about Medicare. Topics include the origins of Medicare, its costs, and proposed reforms.

    Episode 9: Yaron Brook on Capitalism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2014 39:40


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk to Ayn Rand Institute executive director Yaron Brook about the moral alternative to the welfare state: laissez-faire capitalism.

    Episode 8: Harry Binswanger on Inequality

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2014 39:53


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with philosopher Harry Binswanger about inequality, the motive behind egalitarianism, and why opponents of the welfare state should reject the idea of “equality of opportunity.”

    Episode 7: Daniel Mitchell on the Welfare State vs. Prosperity

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2014 32:12


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with Cato Senior Fellow Daniel J. Mitchell about how the welfare state undermines prosperity and economic growth.

    Episode 6: Hope on her Life on and off Welfare

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2014 45:41


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk to Hope about her experiences as a single mother on welfare, why she left the welfare rolls, and the benefits of self-reliance.

    Episode 5: Don Watkins on the History of the Welfare State

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2014 48:18


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I discuss the history of America before and after the welfare state. Special thanks to my friend Adam Edmonsond for guest hosting.

    Episode 4: Onkar Ghate on the Morality of the Welfare State

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2014 38:41


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk to my colleague Onkar Ghate about the morality of the welfare state. Onkar is a senior fellow and chief content officer at the Ayn Rand Institute.

    Episode 3: John Cochrane on Health Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2014 36:41


    In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with John Cochrane, the AQR Capital Management Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business about how government intervention harms the health care industry.

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