Podcast appearances and mentions of james harrigan

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with James Harrigan about popular culture as a source of social change and the many ways in which the export of American pop culture has shaped the world. References 1. “Brown v. Board of Education” by the National Archives Link: https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/brown-v-board-of-education  2. “Roe v. Wade” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade

It's the economy, stupid! Rising prices, stagnant wages, and poor job growth affect everyone, and everyone is quick to notice when the economy isn't performing well. But these are not insoluble problems, and in fact, economists have been shouting the solutions from the rooftops for decades, if only somebody would listen. Matt Kibbe is joined by James Harrigan and Antony Davies, hosts of the "Words and Numbers" podcast, to bemoan the fact that every new generation forgets the economic lessons of the past. Like Sisyphus doomed to roll a stone uphill forever, it is the curious task of economists to keep explaining that you can't bring about prosperity through high taxes, restricted trade, deficit spending, and endless money printing. It's not all bad news, however, as "Words and Numbers" will now be distributed by Free the People, giving more people the opportunity to separate economic sense from nonsense!

As libertarians, we all agree: taxation is theft. But in this episode,  Dr. James Harrigan joins Josh to wrestle with a question that hits close to home for many of us—what if some level of taxation is the "necessary evil" that prevents worse evils in society? They dive into what, if anything, is the legitimate role of government in a free society: What services, if any, do free people truly need from the state to protect private property, individual liberty, and the equal human value of every citizen? And what moral dilemmas arise when there's no government "stop-gap" at all. Does pure voluntarism leave the vulnerable exposed? What uncomfortable realities would we face in a purely voluntary system, and would we be okay with those realities?   Obviously, this isn't about defending the state—it's an honest, sometimes uncomfortable look at the internal conflicts we libertarians face when principle meets real-world messiness.    Follow James's on Facebook and on X:   https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dgtiyzhhx/?mibextid=wwXIfr   https://x.com/jamesrharrigan?s=21&t=S8JoQpY3m4n6bFrTo8tLrg   Check out James on the Words & Numbers podcast:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/words-numbers/id1237781005   https://open.spotify.com/show/5MUcXpKrH4QzFisyy8Ucll?si=owCMeXoQTKSFQjfKSXP0Lw   If you have questions, comments, hate mail, or just want to join in this conversation email me:   josh@goodmorningliberty.us

Dr. James Harrigan, co-host of the Words & Numbers podcast, joins Josh to discuss President Trump's first six months in office.  They also explore how the democratization of key processes in our political system is harming the republic and contributing to the political extremism we see today. Check out the Word & Numbers podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5MUcXpKrH4QzFisyy8Ucll?si=dSCT65UPQU-KrcvgKJTJAA Find more of James work at Polyhymnia, and CiVL: https://polyhymnia.org/ https://watch.civl.com/ Get your copy of Cooperation and Coercion:  https://www.amazon.com/Cooperation-Coercion-Busybodies-Busybullies-Economics/dp/161017156X Follow James on X: https://x.com/jamesrharrigan?s=21&t=S8JoQpY3m4n6bFrTo8tLrg

Alex Aragona speaks with James Harrigan about U.S.-Canada relations, with a focus on tariffs, trade policy, and economic misunderstandings that shape political discourse. James critiques the expansion of tariffs under Trump and challenges the idea that protectionism helps domestic industries. The conversation highlights the historical benefits of free trade, the consequences of government intervention in markets, and the flawed assumptions underlying modern trade restrictions. References James on X: https://x.com/jamesrharrigan  The Centre for American Culture and Ideas: https://thecaci.org/  James on AIER: https://aier.org/people/james-r-harrigan/  The Words And Numbers Podcast: https://wordsandnumbers.libsyn.com/  Centre for The Philosophy of Freedom at ASU: https://freedomcenter.arizona.edu/  "Fair Trade Encourages Free Trade" by James Harrigan and Antony Davies: https://archive.triblive.com/opinion/featured-commentary/antony-davies-james-r-harrigan-fair-trade-encourages-free-trade/  Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support the podcast, visit https://patreon.com/curioustask.

What's the harm in dreaming big? Significant, James Harrigan believes. Alex and James discuss the many ways in which Utopian theory has led to disaster in practice - From Plato to Lenin and into the present day.  Episode Notes: Keynes on Eugenics, Race, and Population Control https://mises.org/wire/keynes-eugenics-race-and-population-control  Phillip W. Magness, James R. Harrigan; John Maynard Keynes, H. G. Wells, and a Problematic Utopia. History of Political Economy 1 April 2020; 52 (2): 211–238. doi: https://doi.org/10.1215/00182702-8173298 Plato's Republic - Ethics and Politics https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics-politics/  Thomas Moore's Utopia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_(book)  “The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design” - F.A. Hayek

Read my book, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: On the Death and Rebirth of Comedy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637582455  On this episode of The Lou Perez Podcast I talk with James Harrigan. James is the Senior Editor at the American Institute for Economic Research, and the F.A. Hayek Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education. He is also co-host of the Words & Numbers podcast. He was formerly Managing Director of the Center for Philosophy of Freedom at the University of Arizona, Dean of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani, and Director of Academic Programs at the Institute for Humane Studies and Strata, where he was also Senior Research Fellow. He has written extensively for the popular press, with articles appearing everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to USA Today. He is also co-author of Cooperation & Coercion. His current work focuses on popular culture. Support me at thelouperez.locals.com   Join my newsletter www.TheLouPerez.com  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../the-lou-perez.../id1535032081  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KAtC7eFS3NHWMZp2UgMVU  Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-lou-perez-podcast  Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/.../2b7d4d.../the-lou-perez-podcast  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb5trMQQvT077-L1roE0iZyAgT4dD4EtJ   Who am I? Lou Perez, author of THAT JOKE ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE: ON THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF COMEDY.  I was the Head Writer and Producer of the Webby Award-winning comedy channel We the Internet TV. During my tenure at WTI, I made the kind of comedy that gets you put on lists and your words in the Wall Street Journal: “How I Became a ‘Far-Right Radical.” In addition to producing sketch comedy, stand-up, and opinion writing, I am on the advisory board of Heresy Press and host the live show The Wrong Take with Lou Perez andThe Lou Perez Podcast. How'd I start out? I began doing improv and sketch comedy while an undergrad at New York University, where I was part of the comedy group the Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz. For years, I performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (both in NYC and L.A.) in sketch shows with the Hammerkatz and my comedy duo, Greg and Lou. G&L are probably best known for our sketch "Wolverine's Claws Suck," which has over 20 million views across online platforms. I was a writer for Fox Sports' @TheBuzzer; produced The Attendants with the Above Average Network; produced pilots for FOX Digital and MSN Games; and was a comedy producer on TruTV's Impractical Jokers. I hosted the stand-up show Uncle Lou's Safe Place in Los Angeles, performed at the Big Pine Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and co-created the political comedy podcast Unsafe Space. I taught creative writing at the City College of New York, "writing the web series" for Writing Pad, and comedy writing workshops for the Moving Picture Institute.

James Harrigan is a guest host on the "The Cultured Mind" podcast this week talking to Joshua Nichols about his music and how he became a composer. James is co-host of the popular podcast "Words & Numbers" which can be found at wordsandnumbers.org. More of Joshua's music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLURdjiljIuudGIa3yE9vx3RjxMzdQxMJ The man, myth, the legend James Wiznerowicz: https://arts.vcu.edu/community/vcuarts-faculty-and-staff/directory/james-wiznerowicz/ The Center for American Culture and Ideas: https://thecaci.org/ Corrections: Michelangelo in fact didn't take decades to paint the chapel, only five, and was paid the equivalent of $78,000 in today's money.

Alex speaks with James Harrigan about popular culture as a source of social change and the many ways in which the export of American pop culture has shaped the world.

In the 41st episode, I chat with #Political Philosopher James R. Harrigan, the Senior Editor at the American Institute for Economic Research, and the F.A. Hayek Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Economic #Education. He is also the co-host of the Words & Numbers Podcast. He was formerly Managing Director of the Center for #Philosophy of Freedom at the University of Arizona, Dean of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani, and Director of Academic Programs at the Institute for Humane Studies and Strata, where he was also Senior Research Fellow. He has written extensively for the popular press, with articles appearing in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, U.S. News and World Report, and a host of other outlets. He is also co-author of Cooperation & Coercion. His current work focuses on popular culture.

BACK AGAIN! These two were spot on with their predictions and they gave us some more to look forward too! Enjoy the Listen and please don't forget to COMMENT and SHARE! Follow us! The Podcast - @EforExplicitPodcast Corey Packer - @cp_films JamesRHarrigan - @JamesRHarrigan Antony Davies - @antonydavies Their Podcast - https://apple.co/3i2MU1d

WE"RE BACK! In the 25th episode I sit with James Harrigan & Antony Davies! These two are one of a kind minds that gave me such a clear and educated insight on todays social, economic and political climate! Enjoy the Listen and please don't forget to COMMENT and SHARE! Follow us! The Podcast - @EforExplicitPodcast Corey Packer - @cp_films JamesRHarrigan - @JamesRHarrigan Antony Davies - @antonydavies Their Podcast - https://apple.co/3i2MU1d

Sometimes, the things we take for granted are the things we should be most thankful for. Football games on your television, climate control in your automobiles, and fully-stocked neighborhood grocery stores are among the many things we may not think about until they aren't there. What do the data indicate about our modern standard of living? Who is responsible for the advancements in medicine and technology that have improved so many lives? Which historical scourges are functionally nonexistent today? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan in giving thanks to the many improvements in life on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Government grocery store https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/11/22/baldwin-florida-food-desert-city-owned-grocery-store/ Conservatism stresses students https://www.thecollegefix.com/intellectual-conservatism-group-denied-may-cause-stress-to-the-student-body/ Foolishness of the week Abolish the electoral college https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/11/20/joe-kennedy-iii-wants-to-abolish-the-electoral-college/ Topic of the week: Thanksgiving A Series of Miracles https://www.faithandfreedom.com/a-series-of-miracles/ State Car Registration by Year https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/summary95/mv200.pdf Office of Highway Policy Information https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2015/mv1.cfm Household's Owners Equity  https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OEHRENWBSHNO Mortality in the US https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2016/1/25/mortality-in-the-united-states-past-present-and-future Mortality & Causes of Death https://www.ncdemography.org/2014/06/16/mortality-and-cause-of-death-1900-v-2010/ Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many attention-grabbing headlines talk about laws restricting speech. It seems some legislators don't know the constitutionality of these proposed laws. What are the ramifications of passing laws such as these? Are these laws justified under some legal doctrines? What's the rationale behind these propositions? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they dig into these proposed laws and more on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits California blackouts https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/23/pge-rebuked-over-imposing-blackouts-in-california-to-reduce-fire-risk.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/29/business/california-fire-insurance.html Portland is surprised that a retail tax causes retail prices to rise https://www.americanexperiment.org/2019/10/portland-voters-put-a-1-tax-on-large-retailers-complain-when-retailers-pass-it-on-to-them/ Foolishness of the week Woke math https://reason.com/2019/10/22/seattle-math-oppressive-cultural-woke/?fbclid=IwAR2ZEAmWBlm0KnxvWblTthoNsuPG39Qx-eNMp_dn1GdmdKztww_QZMB1YFU https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/socialstudies/pubdocs/Math%20SDS%20ES%20Framework.pdf Topic of the week: First Amendment https://www.americanexperiment.org/2019/10/portland-voters-put-a-1-tax-on-large-retailers-complain-when-retailers-pass-it-on-to-them/ https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-uconn-rally-racist-video-20191021-fmpaw34gzzcqtipztwv45tieca-story.html https://reason.com/2019/10/23/the-connecticut-hate-crimes-law-used-to-charge-two-idiot-college-students-would-ban-family-guy-too/ https://www.boston.com/news/policy/2019/10/22/proposed-massachusetts-law-would-ban-b-word Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the saying goes, nothing can be certain except death and taxes. Thousands of people die every year from a remarkably wide variety of causes. What are the top five causes of death in the US? Are you more likely to be killed by a knife than a gun? What do diet and exercise have to do with death? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they cover death by rare diseases, vaping, firearms and more in this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Speculators https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/upshot/Bernie-Sanders-housing-plan.html https://news.streetroots.org/2019/09/13/wall-street-speculators-and-loss-affordable-housing San Francisco library eliminates overdue fines https://www.kqed.org/arts/13866475/san-francisco-public-library-eliminates-overdue-fines Foolishness of the week Confessing one's climate sins https://pagesix.com/2019/09/22/radioheads-thom-yorke-admits-hes-a-climate-change-hypocrite/ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/specials/climate-confessions-share-solutions-climate-change-n1054791 Topic of the week: What will kill you https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/19/health/vaping-lung-injury-new-cases-530-bn/index.html https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eastern-equine-encephalitis-several-dead-from-rare-disease-spread-by-mosquitoes-2019-09-21/ https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congresswoman-mocked-for-saying-ar-15-is-as-heavy-as-10-moving-boxes-fires-50-caliber-bullets https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_09-508.pdf https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017/topic-pages/tables/table-20 Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you haven't seen either of the previous Democratic primary debates, here's a summary: Twenty candidates debate free health care and slavery reparations, among other things. Instead of talking about eliminating the federal debt, the candidates talk about adding to it. Additionally, the top candidates don't get to debate the issues fully. All this raises a few questions: Who's in charge of choosing the broadcast networks? The moderators? The questions asked? What effect do these choices have on the quality of the debates? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they discuss the primary debates and more in this special episode of Words & Numbers featuring bonus material. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Monopoly socialism https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/23/us/monopoly-socialism-board-game-trnd/index.html NASA plans mission to a gold asteroid https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1169605/Asteroid-news-NASA-scientists-16-psyche-asteroids-mining-gold-platinum  Foolishness of the week Minneapolis bans drive thrus https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/08/09/minneapolis-bans-new-drivethrus Topic of the week: Democratic debates Reporter bias ratings https://reporterbias.com/ DNC is a private corporation https://ivn.us/posts/50-ways-the-democratic-and-republican-parties-are-the-same Candidates https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/08/2020-candidates-president-guide/582598/ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/us/politics/2020-presidential-candidates.html Polling numbers https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/democratic_nomination_polls/ Ford-Carter debate https://youtu.be/BuaPct7gH1w?t=152 Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Aragona asks James Harrigan to explore his thoughts on whether or not we can have principled politicians that represent us.

Which historical figures do you respect? Which economic concepts should be taught to children? How do you trust statistics? James Harrigan and Antony Davies take questions from the crowd on topics ranging from incentives to trade-offs to research data to US treasury bills and more in this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Birth rates dropping https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7312075/Birth-rate-England-Wales-hits-80-YEAR-low.html Noam Chomsky https://truthout.org/articles/noam-chomsky-life-expectancy-in-the-us-is-declining-for-a-reason Foolishness of the week Robot racism https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/tech/robot-racism-scn-trnd/index.html Topic of the week: Listener questions Milton Friedman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EwaLys3Zak F.A. Hayek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnMd40dqBlQ FRED: Federal Reserve data https://fred.stlouisfed.org/ Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/ Pew Research https://www.pewresearch.org/ Gallup https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx United Nations Development Programme http://hdr.undp.org/en/data Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to wildlife conservation and other environmental concerns, the ideas of free markets and private property are frequently laughed off as silly by the planet's most strident defenders. However, the incentives—the motivations to behave in a certain way—that come along with private property are strong. After all, we never worry about cows going extinct. But can these insights on property and incentives be extended to other aspects of our lives and our world? Special guest Howard Baetjer, author of Free Our Markets: A Citizen's Guide to Essential Economics, joins Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they explore this and more on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Pickle ball https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019/07/26/pickleball-prison-cook-county  Air conditioned shirts https://www.winknews.com/2019/08/01/sony-to-sell-air-conditioner-shirts-to-keep-you-cool-as-soon-as-next-year/ Foolishness of the week  Rudeness in the grocery stores https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/os-ne-2nd-walmart-urinator-20190802-uogo4be7mbhivezdystbc2rnvm-story.html Topic of the week: Howard Baetjer and Economic Stories Howard Baetjer http://wp.towson.edu/baetjer/ Free Our Markets: A Citizen's Guide to Essential Economics https://www.amazon.com/Free-Our-Markets-Essential-Economics/dp/098442542X Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many children, compulsory education and authority figures tend to inadvertently turn off their sense of curiosity and wonder about the world. Additionally, assigned districts can limit school choice for many parents and mandatory curricula can put unnecessary stress on educators. Are there solutions to these problems within the current framework? Is there any evidence to support changing the way we approach schooling to benefit children, parents, and teachers? Where did all these mandates originate? Join Antony Davies, James Harrigan, and special guest Kerry McDonald, author of Unschooled, as they discuss the public school system and more on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits: Beach umbrellas https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/menendez-urges-aggressive-action-protect-beachgoers-dangers-flying-beach-umbrellas/ https://www.nsc.org/in-the-newsroom/nsc-statement-on-new-cdc-data-showing-a-rise-in-accidental-death Candidates reticent to mention Obama https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/democrats-want-have-it-both-ways-barack-obama/595270/ Foolishness of the week: Soy sauce https://www.9news.com.au/national/soy-sauce-could-be-banned-under-alcohol-sales-restrictions-in-the-northern-territory/71ef616f-778a-4c24-bf95-a63e2627b00f Topic of the week: Unschooling: Kerry McDonald https://fee.org/people/kerry-mcdonald/ Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1641600632/ Join the conversation: Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to the final frontier, we must inevitably outline the government's role in interplanetary colonization. Perhaps during the next century, there will be deliberation between cosmic pioneers, space entrepreneurs, and elected officials. Who owns the resources on asteroids and other celestial bodies? What might a galactic congress look like? And what's maritime law got to do with it? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they mine that asteroid and more on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Show Notes: $10 quintillion asteroid https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-headed-towards-giant-golden-asteroid-that-could-make-everyone-on-earth-a-billionaire Rep. Amash quits the Republican party https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rep-justin-amash-announces-quitting-republican-party-op/story https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/04/us/politics/justin-amash-trump.html Foolishness of the week Buttigieg calls for national service programs https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/03/us/politics/buttigieg-national-service.html How to pronounce Buttigieg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT36PvjxbRA Topic of the week: Who owns space? Heinlein: The Man Who Sold the Moon https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Sold-Moon/dp/0671578634 General Mining Act of 1872 https://legcounsel.house.gov/Comps/Act%20Of%20May%2010,%201872-(Mining%20Law%20Of%201872).pdf Law of the Sea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_sea Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's guest, Robert McDonald, author of Confounding Father talks about the quintessential American philosopher: Thomas Jefferson. During the birth of America, innumerable obstacles stood in its way. What followed was the triumph of the first Americans, from a revolutionary war to purchasing Louisiana and everything in between. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan for a cheerful, optimistic ode to the spirit of America on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Disney heir calls for wealth tax https://www.npr.org/2019/06/28/736993245/disney-heiress-calls-for-wealth-tax-we-have-to-draw-a-line San Francisco bans vaping https://fee.org/articles/san-francisco-becomes-first-us-city-to-ban-sale-of-e-cigarettes-a-healthier-alternative-to-smoking/ Foolishness of the week Democratic debates and yoga games https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/450540-marianne-williamson-sends-out-healthy-alternative-to-debate Topic of the week: Robert McDonald on Thomas Jefferson Confounding Father https://tinyurl.com/y39dpz5g Thomas Jefferson's Lives: Biographers and the Battle for History https://tinyurl.com/yxtgkhng Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There appears to be a large problem in America with outcome-based thinking, particularly with regards to hot-button political issues. We skip straight to the ending we want and argue for it until we're blue in the face, and everyone who doesn't want the same must be evil, stupid, or both. But what if we started the conversation in a different place? What if we started it at the principles that lead to the desired outcome? Would the conversation change? James Harrigan and Antony Davies dig into the subject during their second live recording from FEEcon 2019 on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers  Quick hits From janitor to Executive Vice-President https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/27/a-janitor-invented-flamin-hot-cheetos-and-became-a-pepsico-exec.html Lost wallets experiment https://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-people-are-honest-lost-wallets-experiment-20190620-story.html Foolishness of the week Manufacturing czar https://triblive.com/opinion/donald-boudreaux-save-us-from-a-manufacturing-czar/ Topic of the week: Principle and Outcome Federal receipts are 18% of GDP https://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/articles/2016-12-01/myths-and-facts-about-the-us-federal-debt Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The word “equality” is a tricky one. It means different things to different people in different contexts. Do we mean “income equality”? “Wealth equality”? “Equality before the law”? And how does that sync up with “fairness”? Why are so many fine with professional athletes and movie stars making hundreds of millions of dollars but not CEOs? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they delve into the subject live from FEEcon 2019 on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits: Tulsi Gabbard https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/congresswoman-used-toffee-to-unite-republicans-and-democrats/ People spending more on the Internet than at restaurants https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-15/americans-now-spend-more-at-internet-stores-than-restaurants Foolishness of the week: O.J. Simpson “has a little getting even to do” https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/06/oj-simpson-twitter-has-a-little-getting-even-to-do Topic of the week: Inequality: The problem of inequality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCjWG8RqH4w Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let us know what you think: mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter: https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If life is an inalienable right, does that take the death penalty off the table? Is there really a need for social safety nets? Taxation, the Articles of Confederation, the Postal Service, and more come together this week as James Harrigan and Antony Davies explore their ambivalence (it doesn't mean what you might think it does) on many controversial topics on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Come to FEEcon 2019! Show Notes: Arthur Laffer awarded Medal of Freedom The top half of income earners pay 97% of the federal taxes Spelling Bee winners Foolishness of the week UBI could solve childhood obesity Topic of the week: Ambivalence Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Only twice has the U.S. House of Representatives impeached a president, and never has the Senate voted to remove an impeached president from office. People tend to think of impeachment as a judicial tool that should be used rarely and only when a president has broken the law in some egregious way. But impeachment was designed as part of the checks-and-balances. It is a political tool. On this week's episode of Words & Numbers, join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they discuss what impeachment is and how the political process might work better if impeachment were used more often. Come to FEEcon 2019! Show Notes: Artificial intelligence learns to spot cancer Employment changes over the past century Sanders says that teacher salaries should start at $60,000 Foolishness of the week MSNBC asks political candidate how MSNBC can do better for him Topic of the week: Impeachment How does impeachment work? Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter  Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If the federal government disappeared, would there still be a United States? Does every country fall on a spectrum between two extremes, capitalism and communism? Are there any good reasons to restrict voting rights? This week, James Harrigan and Antony Davies answer questions about the subjective theory of value, debts to society, guns vs. butter, and plenty more in this week's jam-packed episode of Words & Numbers. Come to FEEcon 2019! Foolishness of the week Pennsylvania Mayors Pew Poll on Views About Gun Regulation Topic of the week: Listener questions Join the conversation: Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Americans, as individuals, carry a lot of debt. But don't panic! Not all debt is created equal, and not all debt is necessarily a bad thing. Some debt—like mortgages, vehicles, even some college degrees—can be good debt. There are also bad kinds of debt, too. But the thing about individual debt is that it's the individual's responsibility and really only the business of the borrower and the lender. Once the government gets involved, though, things can get messy. Just how messy and in what ways? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they sort through the bills in this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Come to FEEcon 2019! Show Notes: Amazon hiring robots $6 trillion war Foolishness of the week: Limiting credit card interest rates Topic of the week: Good debt and bad debt: Household debt Join the conversation: Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's no such thing as a free lunch or, in this case, a free college education, despite the promises of certain presidential candidates. The federal government already guarantees student loans. But what would happen if we just forgave all that student debt? What would it take, politically speaking, and what would it cost? And what's the value of a college education these days, anyway? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they tackle the topic on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Win tickets to FEEcon 2019! Quick hits Chalk on tires violates Fourth Amendment Phone surveillance Foolishness of the week Williams College is afraid of free speech Tuition at Williams College Tuition at University of Massachusetts Topic of the week: Free stuff is too good to be true Free college too good to be true Constitutional concerns about a wealth tax Wealth tax Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many college students seem baffled or even outraged by opinions that differ from their own. We hear phrases like safe spaces, trigger warnings, and virtue signaling. What's going on? Has the same psychology that caused religious persecutions returned? Has it infected the majority of students and faculty across the country, or just a vocal few? Guest Donald Boudreaux joins hosts James Harrigan and Antony Davies to sift through the loudest arguments coming from our nation's universities in this week's episode of Words & Numbers.  Win tickets to FEEcon 2019! Show Notes:  Nuclear fusion Artificial intelligence Cancer cure Longevity gene Cure for bubble boy disease Brian Lamb retiring Foolishness of the week: San Francisco: Poop in the streets Washington DC: Homelessness Seattle is dying Topic of the week: Silencing Dissent Donald Boudreaux Donald Boudreaux on Brett Kavanaugh and GMU Join the conversation: Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Let us know what you think  at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Getting paid for your blood—do you have any concerns? Many people are opposed to donors receiving compensation for ethical reasons. Should people only donate blood for altruistic reasons? Should we worry about exploitation? How much of America's total exports are blood products? Join Antony Davies, James Harrigan, and their guest Peter Jaworski, co-author of the book Markets Without Limits, as they discuss the morality underlying the supply and demand of blood plasma around the world. Win tickets to FEEcon 2019! Show Notes: Deficit up 15% in 2019 Deficit up 17% in 2018 Tourism and Chernobyl Foolishness of the week: Illinois to raise smoking age to 21 Florida town makes it illegal to grow vegetables State of Florida overrules Florida town Topic of the week: Blood plasma sales: Peter Jaworski Letter to Senate of Canada regarding the ban on blood plasma sales Canada needs blood plasma We should pay for blood plasma donations Bans on blood plasma sales 1 Bans on blood plasma sales 2 Don't end NAFTA, Canada needs your bodily fluids Join the conversation: Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Peter Jaworski on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wage gap myths, middle class success, and hate crime statistics are examined this week in order to dispel the calls for a new social contract. In a society where the majority makes the rules, how do minorities prosper? Is it because of a social contract, is it the result of people being rational, or is it just people being nice to each other? Listen to the conclusion of this two-part special as James Harrigan and Antony Davies use data to trace the prosperity of minority groups in America on this week's episode of Words & Numbers. Win tickets to FEEcon 2019! Show Notes: 13 year old buys his mother a car  Cancer vaccine Foolishness of the week Illinois to raise smoking age to 21 Florida town makes it illegal to grow vegetables State of Florida overrules Florida town Topic of the week: Social Contract Nonsense (Part 2) Households by race and income (1967-2017) Income by gender (1960-2017) Hate crime statistics Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Let us know what you think at wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever signed a contract without reading the terms and conditions? According to Elizabeth Warren, part of the “social contract” is to pay your fair share. But wait, what is the “social contract” that politicians and talking heads keep bringing up? Is it the consent of the governed? Is it written down? Did anyone actually agree to it? Enjoy the first part of a two-part special as Antony Davies and James Harrigan dig up the historical origins of the social contract. Quick hits Tversky & Kahneman, Rational Choice and the Framing of Decisions Robots in grocery stores FEEcon VIP Giveaway https://info.fee.org/wordsandnumbers Foolishness of the week Special Olympics 1 Special Olympics 2 Topic of the week: Social Contract Nonsense (Part 1) Locke's Social Contract Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Let us know what you think at wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The dominating online presence of Facebook, Google, and Amazon has often been called monopolistic. Government-enforced monopolies, such as Western Union and Ma Bell, have fallen before, but is Big Tech anything like those old companies? Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has even started a petition calling for the breakup of big tech companies, which may include Apple among others. How would the digital world look if she succeeds? Should politicians get to decide whether Facebook meets the same fate as MySpace or should the consumer? Join us this week as James Harrigan and Antony Davies thwart the misconceptions about monopolies and discuss the fates of tech products like Netscape and Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Show Notes: Buying your way into college New York City wants to ban “unfair” firings Foolishness of the week Missouri wants to require residents to own AR-15s Topic of the week Elizabeth Warren wants to break up Facebook Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  Live from Scottsdale, Arizona! James Harrigan and Antony Davies contend that the median income in the US puts Americans in the top 1 percent in the world. What does that mean? Only that these people can afford stuff that, roughly a century ago, had been considered luxuries: air conditioning, running hot and cold water, ovens, refrigerators, stainless steel, and even sweet potatoes. The standard of living for even minimum wage earners today has remarkably improved in spite of burdensome regulations, but can this trend continue? Join us this week as our hosts suss out the reasons for the improvements in worldwide wealth and search for the “Goldilocks Zone” of government intervention. Show Notes: Measles outbreak at Midway airport Gap, JC Penny, Foot Locker closures Montgomery Ward Foolishness of the week Sanders: Government can't go too far Topic of the week Where did Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez get her sweet potatoes? World median income Are you a 1-percenter? Donald Boudreaux on insider trading What would our GDP be if we had less unnecessary regulation? Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage Let us know what you think at wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JCRH Episode #358 - Antony Davies & James Harrigan From Words & Numbers by Joey Clark

Discrimination happens every single day. Every human, in some way, makes a judgment about other humans and uses that judgment to discriminate, whether that be who they date, who they do business with, and, yes, who they hire and fire. Most discrimination is fine—necessary, even. But sometimes it crosses a line. Where is that line? How does it affect people's careers? When is litigation the right option? Antony Davies and James Harrigan with special guest Vince White as they discuss this and more on Words & Numbers. Show Notes: Online dating is changing society Amazon paid no federal taxes Foolishness of the week Amazon took its ball and went home Topic of the week Federal employment discrimination laws Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage Let us know what you think at: wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  Fun fact: the profit margin for most businesses is about 8 percent. When you're talking about categories like restaurants and retail stores, that margin drops to around 2 percent. Yet, some people still seem to believe that all companies are perfectly capable of simply absorbing dramatic increases in their operating costs—namely, labor—with no changes in behavior by these companies. Artificially inflating labor costs, as in the form of minimum wage increases, will not lead to decreased hours, lay-offs, deferred hiring, decreases in benefits, or increased prices for consumers because… reasons. And if you voice disagreement with any of these beliefs, then you must just hate the poor or other ad hominem claims. But who really “hates” the poor based on actual policy outcomes, the #FightFor15 crowd or those who oppose minimum wage hikes? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they dig into this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Quick hits AOC ruffles feathers Lyft offers free rides to shelters Foolishness of the week Seeing racism where it's not Topic of the week: “You Just Hate the Poor!” and Other Minimum Wage Misunderstandings Analysis of Minimum Wage in Pennsylvania Census data on household incomes Bureau of Labor Statistics data on minimum wage workers A $15 minimum wage hurts workers Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage Let us know what you think at wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The word “diversity” has become a sticky one. In the last fifteen years, a genuine “diversity industry” has sprung up, particularly at colleges and universities in the United States. Higher education institutions across the country have entire departments with dozens of full-time, highly-paid staff members dedicated to the concept. But to what effect? And exactly what kinds of “diversity” are we talking about? Special guest (and regular FEE contributing author) Mark J. Perry joins Antony Davies and James Harrigan to drill down into this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Quick hits Oregon first state to require home visits of all families with newborns Oregon looks to impose statewide rent control Article II, Section 3 Nancy Pelosi Foolishness of the week Ginia Bellefante $33 minimum wage City Harvest self-sufficiency calculator Topic of the week: Diversity Officers and Administrative Bloat in Higher Education Mark Perry The impact of diversity officers on diversity University of Michigan spends $11 million on diversity Fraction of 18-24 year olds enrolled in college (by race and gender) Carpe Diem blog Mark Perry on Twitter Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People like to talk about the “good old days” where everything used to be so much better than it is today. Everybody feels nostalgic on occasion, and it's perfectly normal to misremember the past, but were the good old days really all that great? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they compare then and now on the 100th episode of Words and Numbers. Quick Hits:Cat parasiteElizabeth Warren Foolishness of the Week: NY Times crossword Topic of the week: Comparing Life Today to Life 100 Years Ago See the accompanying chart for data and data sources. Join the Conversation:Antony Davies on TwitterJames R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We hear a lot about jobs, these days. We have monthly government jobs reports. Our politicians talk about job creation. Some people fear others will “take our jobs!” But what is a job? Is it the prize of some sort of economic vending machine where you have a few inputs, press a few buttons, and out comes a shiny new job? Is it an empty space at a company that needs to be filled? Or is it something else altogether? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they talk about this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: Fed signals that interest rates won't rise much further North Carolina voter fraud Foolishness of the Week Oakland University Hockey pucks Michigan state gun law Topic of the Week: Jobs Employment statistics Join the Conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Antony Davies on Minds.com James R. Harrigan on Minds.com Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There was once a time when politicians were civil to each other. Neighbors and friends who disagreed politically remained neighborly and friendly to each other. Opponents were graceful in defeat and generous in victory. But somewhere along the line, we lost that. These days, it seems that all there is is vitriol and hate. That is what happens when an electorate focuses solely on the outcomes that they want instead of the principles they believe in. What are these principles and why do they matter? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they discuss this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: Eye drops to correct vision Foolishness of the Week Rejecting the measles vaccine Topic of the Week: Principles Why libertarians start at first principles The roots of political polarization Ford-Carter presidential debate Join the Conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the wake of the midterm elections, there's been a lot of talk about democracy and how it works. Many—largely on the left—are confused and angry because, despite garnering the higher number of votes, Democrats failed to take a majority of seats in the Senate. This demonstrates a basic misunderstanding about American government, the electoral process, and how they work. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they break it down for us on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: Pittsburgh shooting Smoking rate hits a low Foolishness of the Week: Man claims he is age-fluid Topic of the Week: Democracy: The View blames Senate win on gerrymandering The problem of factions Winning the popular vote but losing the election Democrats got more votes but Republicans won Arrow Impossibility Theorem Join the Conversation: Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Economists use the term “creative destruction” a fair amount, but what does it actually mean? It generally refers to a company going out of business, or sometimes whole sectors of the economy vanishing as disruptive technologies and strategies come into play. It is very easy to see the “destruction” part of creative destruction. We see the empty storefronts and people out of work because the businesses they worked for couldn't afford to pay them anymore. We point fingers and lament the loss of these former favorites. So where does the “creation” part of all this come in? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they take a close look at this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: Scientists develop a strain of saline-tolerant rice Discrimination at Harvard Foolishness of the Week New York socialist wonders why people are moving to Florida Topic of the Week: Creative destruction Good and Bad Destruction: Buggy Whips and Broken Windows Ten jobs that no longer exist Join the Conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage         Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Canada recently legalized the possession and use of marijuana and proposed legislation to pardon those previously convicted of such “crimes.” So, it's as good a time as any to take a look at how such things are handled in the United States. While, yes, in the majority of states, there is some provision for certain kinds of legal use of marijuana—including full legalization in a few—the fact remains that the plant itself remains completely illegal at the federal level. In aggregate, across the United States, the clearance rate—that is, of criminal cases being considered solved—for violent crimes is less than 50 percent and less than 20 percent for property crimes. In 2016, there were more arrests for marijuana possession across the country than for all violent crimes combined. And that's just one single aspect of the American criminal “justice” system. Clark Neily of the Cato Institute, a noted criminal justice scholar, joins James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they take an unvarnished look at the state of criminal justice in the United States on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: Gloves let users feel virtual objects Trump orders cabinet to cut spending 5% Foolishness of the Week  Nebraska's honesty in advertising Topic of the Week: Clark Neily on the imbalance of power in our judicial system Clark Neily Canada legalizes marijuana and moves to pardon possession Join the Conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine, if you will, that the United States federal government somehow received all of the money it normally would for the entire year on January 1st. The day it would have spent it all and started deficit spending (that is, spending money it simply doesn't have) could be dubbed “Deficit Day.” This year, 2018, that day falls on October 19th. From this day until the end of the year, the US Federal Government is spending money it doesn't have to the tune of about $11 billion per day. So what does that mean for the government? What does that mean for the people? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they dive into this and more on this week's episode of Words & Numbers Show Notes: Trump administration stifles free speech Foolishness of the Week Government regulating pizza toppings Topic of the Week: Deficit Day Congressional Budget Office projections Federal receipts and outlays over time Interest rate on the federal debt Student loan debt statistics Flemming v. Nestor (1960): You do not have an earned right to Social Security benefits Helvering v. Davis (1937): Social Security taxes are part of the general revenue Join the Conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we're answering listener questions. What's going on with this scary, dystopian Chinese social credit system? What government agency would you get rid of? What happens when religious leaders (allowed to freely exercise their faith as enshrined in the First Amendment) don't allow their followers the right of free speech (also enshrined in the First Amendment)? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they answer these listener questions and more on this week's second Listener Special episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: Foolishness of the Week Texas legislator wants to require political speech Pennsylvania legislator wants to ban political speech Topic of the week: Listener questions Modern monetary theory More on modern monetary theory Water rights Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Worries about mob rule have been around longer than our Constitution. Indeed, James Madison wrote about the problems of “factions” in what we've come to call the Federalist Papers. We like to think that our three branches of government with their checks and balances are impervious to the evils of faction. But today we may be living Madison's nightmare. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they discuss this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes Controlling aging Jeff Bezos donates $2 billion What it feels like to be Jeff Bezos Foolishness of the Week Outlawing sitting and lying down Topic of the Week: Political factions and mob rule Madison's warning about mob rule Federalist 10 Federal debt as a fraction of GDP (1790 to 2050) Join the conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The word “capitalism” has become incredibly loaded over the years. And since the term was actually popularized by Karl Marx to be the foil for his own ideology, that's fairly understandable. It brings to mind all of the very worst aspects embodied by the elite, greedy, rent-seeking Gordon Geckos of the world, hoarding their capital resources like dragons on a pile of gold and profiting from the hard work of laborers while doing nothing productive themselves. This characterization, while incredibly common, is simply incorrect. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they discuss the actual meaning of capitalism and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: MIT study of commute times Marchetti's constant Commute times in the 50 states California requires companies to place women on boards Foolishness of the Week: Laura Ingraham wants Facebook to be a public utility Topic of the Week: Capitalism: Capitalism Prices as signals Join the Conversation: Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everybody vaguely familiar with basic economic concepts knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch. It's a great phrase and speaks to the principles of both opportunity cost and scarcity. That said, a “free lunch” refers to more than your afternoon repast. Everything costs something. And if you end up paying zero dollars for it, that only means it was paid for by someone else. This holds true for college tuition. It may cost a student zero dollars, and that student will certainly benefit from not having to pay for higher education herself, but what's really been done is shifting the cost from the student—who is actually using the service—to the taxpayers—who certainly aren't. So while there's certainly a big problem with student debt in America, the solution isn't “free” tuition. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they get deep in the weeds about college tuition and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers. Show Notes: 11 year old hacker changes election results California law would prohibit restaurants from listing soft drinks on menus Foolishness of the Week Cops taser 87 year-old woman Topic of the Week: Public policy and financing higher education Tuition discounting Financing college through equity instead of debt Student loan data Join the Conversation Antony Davies on Twitter James R. Harrigan on Twitter Words & Numbers Backstage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices