Podcast
Let People Prosper
Hosted by Vance Ginn, Ph.D. · EN
What works best to let people prosper? Join leading free-market economist Vance Ginn, Ph.D., as he works to understand this question through weekly interviews with interesting people on Tuesdays and weekly economic updates on Fridays. His insights build on past lessons, including his presidency of Ginn Economic Consulting and contributions to more than 15 think tanks, while he formerly taught economics in academia and served as chief economist of the White House's OMB. Dr. Ginn is a Christian, husband, father of three kids, classical liberal, and rock drummer who resides near Austin, Texas.
54episodes
Episodes
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Is the Texas Miracle a Myth with Jeramy Kitchen | LPP 200
4d ago00:47:10Tap to summarizeIs Texas still living up to its reputation as a model for freedom and prosperity?In Episode 200 of the Let People Prosper Show, Vance Ginn talks with Jeramy Kitchen, president of Texas Policy Research, about the growing gap between Texas’s conservative branding and the reality of rising government spending, high property taxes, corporate welfare, and expanding bureaucracy.They discuss:transparency in the Texas Legislature,spending growth and fiscal restraint,property tax reform,school choice,corporate subsidies,and what a truly pro-liberty Texas agenda should look like.This milestone 200th episode is also a reflection on the importance of accountability, citizen engagement, and the protection of the principles that helped Texas prosper.Subscribe today, and get show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
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How to Become an Empowered Patient | TWE 165
6d ago00:19:26Tap to summarizeAmerica spends more on healthcare than any country in the world, yet patients often feel powerless, overcharged, and disconnected from their care.In today's episode of This Week’s Economy, we discuss why the healthcare system is failing patients and how market-based reforms can improve affordability, transparency, and patient choice.Topics include healthcare costs, employer-sponsored insurance, regulatory BURRDEN, No-Limit Health Savings Accounts, and restoring the patient-doctor relationship.More at: https://vanceginn.com
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Hidden Regulatory Taxes with Dr. Patrick McLaughlin | LPP 199
2w ago00:49:43Tap to summarizeWhy are prices still so high across the economy?In this episode of the Let People Prosper Show, Vance Ginn talks with Patrick McLaughlin of the Hoover Institution about the hidden economic costs of regulation.They discuss how freight rules, transportation bottlenecks, and regulatory accumulation quietly increase prices, slow growth, and reduce competition. The conversation also explores the East Palestine rail derailment, why symbolic regulation often fails, and what smarter regulatory reform should look like.Topics include:Regulation as a hidden taxTransportation and economic growthFreight costs and inflationSmall business burdensInnovation and productivitySmarter regulatory reformSubscribe today. Learn more at vanceginn.com and get show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
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Who Really Holds Power in Capitalism? | TWE 164
2w ago00:12:56Tap to summarizeOne of the biggest myths about capitalism is that it concentrates power among elites. In reality, free-market capitalism decentralizes power by allowing millions of individuals to make decisions through voluntary exchange, entrepreneurship, investment, and competition.In this episode of This Week’s Economy, we explore why strong institutions matter, how economic freedom disperses power, and why centralized government control often weakens prosperity and opportunity.We also discuss:• Property rights and the rule of law• Federal Reserve distortions and overspending• Regulatory burdens and economic costs• Healthcare competition and certificate-of-need laws• School choice and decentralized education• Why spending restraint matters at every level of governmentThe closer decision-making stays to individuals, families, and communities, the stronger and more resilient society becomes.For show notes, more commentary, and resources:https://vanceginn.comhttps://vanceginn.substack.com
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Taxing Success Won’t Fix Broken Budgets with Jack Salmon | LPP 198
3w ago00:47:37Tap to summarizePoliticians often promise to tax “the rich” to fund bigger government. But what happens when high earners leave?In Episode 198 of the Let People Prosper Show, Jack Salmon of the Mercatus Center joins me to explain how taxes influence migration, investment, entrepreneurship, and state competitiveness.We discuss why high-income taxpayers are more mobile than politicians assume, why wealth taxes often underperform, and why states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee continue attracting people and capital while high-tax states struggle.The takeaway: sustainable prosperity comes from spending restraint, growth, and economic freedom—not punishing success.🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more conversations on policies that let people prosper. See show notes and more about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting at vanceginn.com.
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Today's Policies Driving the Affordability Crisis | TWE 163
3w ago00:21:03Tap to summarizeThe economy may be growing on paper—but millions of Americans still feel squeezed.In Episode 163 of This Week’s Economy, we break down the latest economic data and explain why inflation, debt, regulation, and bad incentives continue making life more expensive for families and businesses.We cover:• The rise of the “K-shaped economy”• Why gas prices keep climbing• How government overspending fuels inflation• Why Americans are moving toward lower-tax states• The future of the Federal Reserve• Why healthcare affordability requires more competition and patient controlThe conflict is simple:Washington keeps managing symptoms while ignoring root causes.The payoff:Policies focused on growth, energy abundance, spending restraint, and economic freedom can still turn things around.🎧 Listen now to Episode 163 of This Week’s Economy and subscribe for weekly economic analysis grounded in free-market principles.📖 Show notes at vanceginn.substack.com
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Energy Affordability is a Policy Choice with Lora Current | LPP 197
4w ago00:44:22Tap to summarizeElectricity bills are rising. Gas prices are volatile. And families across the country are feeling it. But here’s the uncomfortable truth policymakers don’t like to admit: High energy costs are not just the result of markets—they’re the result of policy choices.Too often, lawmakers pass rules that sound good politically but quietly drive up costs, reduce reliability, and limit economic opportunity. And when prices rise, they blame everything except the policies that caused it. That needs to change.In Episode 197 of the Let People Prosper Show, I interviewed Lora Current of the American Legislative Exchange Council to break down what’s really driving energy costs—and what states can do to fix it. If you care about affordability, economic growth, and getting policy right, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.Watch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify, visit my website at vanceginn.com for more information about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting, and see show notes on my newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com.
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How to Help More Americans Move from Welfare to Work | TWE 162
4w ago00:15:39Tap to summarizeAmerica’s welfare system is deeply fragmented, costly, and often counterproductive—making it harder, not easier, for people to move forward.I recently joined an online debate on welfare reform framed as a choice between stronger work requirements or structural changes like “One Door” to Work. But that’s the wrong question. The real question is this: how do we reduce dependency, waste fewer taxpayer dollars, and help more people move into work and self-sufficiency? Work requirements matter, but they are not enough on their own.In This Week’s Economy, I explain why real reform requires both: strengthening pro-work incentives and fixing the underlying system that delivers these programs. When policy aligns with how people respond to incentives, we can shift from managing dependency to helping people truly prosper.You can also get the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify, and find more information about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting.
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The Fiscal Time Bomb Washington Won’t Fix with Dr. Patrick Horan | LPP 196
Apr 3000:44:03Tap to summarizeWashington keeps spending like there’s no tomorrow. The problem is—there is. And the bill is coming due. Trillion-dollar deficits are now the norm. Interest costs are exploding. Politicians talk about “fiscal responsibility,” but the numbers tell a very different story. This isn’t a temporary problem. It’s structural.In Episode 196 of the Let People Prosper Show, I interviewed Dr. Patrick Horan of Fiscal Lab on Capitol Hill to break down what the data actually says about where we’re headed—and why it matters for growth, inflation, and long-term prosperity. If you want a clear, data-driven look at America’s fiscal trajectory, this is a conversation worth your time.🎧 Listen to the full episode of the Let People Prosper Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Find out more about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting here: vanceginn.com. Get show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
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Hidden Incentives Behind Today’s Policies | TWE 161
Apr 2700:15:34Tap to summarizeWhy does government policy so often focus on short-term fixes instead of long-term growth?In This Week’s Economy, we explore how political incentives shape economic policy—and why that leads to decisions that look good today but create bigger problems tomorrow.We break down:• Public choice economics and how politicians respond to incentives• Why short-term policies like redistribution and regulation dominate• How these choices distort markets and slow long-term growth• Real-world examples—from price controls to subsidies• What better, growth-focused policy should look likeThe conflict: short-term political wins vs. long-term prosperity.The takeaway: sustainable growth requires better rules—not just better intentions.📖 Show notes: https://vanceginn.substack.comFollow and share to stay informed on what’s really driving the economy.
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