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.
75episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
You Can’t Hide from the Data: Bad Policy Has Costs | TWE Ep. 156
Mar 2300:19:34Tap to summarizeThe numbers are in—and the economy is flashing warning signs.A weakening labor market, rising healthcare costs, slowing growth, and increasing uncertainty are not isolated issues. They are the predictable consequences of policy decisions shaping today’s economy.In this episode of This Week’s Economy, we break down what’s really happening across jobs, Medicare, regulation, trade, and taxes—and why it all points to the same underlying problem.If policymakers don’t change course, the costs will continue to rise.🎧 Listen now for a clear, data-driven perspective on where the economy is headed. Get show notes at vanceginn.com.
Transcribe →
The Affordability Challenge with Michael Strain | LPP Ep. 190
Mar 1900:43:41Tap to summarizeAffordability is the defining economic issue for millions of Americans.In this episode, I talk with Michael R. Strain, Ph.D., of the American Enterprise Institute about inflation, tariffs, and why rising costs—not wages—are the real challenge facing families today.We explore what the data say, where policymakers are getting it wrong, and what a pro-growth path forward could look like.🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more conversations that help you think clearly about policy and prosperity. Get show notes and more at vanceginn.com.
Transcribe →
Why Capitalism is Still the Greatest Moral Engine for Human Progress | TWE 155
Mar 1600:15:41Tap to summarizeFree-market capitalism remains the best system ever discovered for human flourishing. Yet political support for it is wavering — and that should alarm anyone who cares about prosperity and freedom.A recent Gallup poll on Americans’ views of capitalism and socialism found that just 54% of Americans now view capitalism favorably — the lowest level Gallup has ever recorded.The partisan breakdown is striking:Republicans remain strongly pro-capitalist, though support has softened.Independents now only narrowly favor capitalism.Among Democrats, fewer than half view capitalism positively, while nearly two-thirds view socialism favorably.The data reveal a hard truth: those of us who defend free-market capitalism are unlikely to persuade most Democrats anytime soon. Many Democrats appreciate the outcomes of capitalism — jobs, innovation, rising living standards — yet reject the label itself, often associating it with inequality, corporate favoritism, or cronyism.That means the task before us is bigger than winning a policy argument. It’s about reclaiming the moral case for capitalism.In today’s episode of This Week’s Economy, I lay out that moral case, explore why criticisms of capitalism are gaining traction, and discuss how we can renew support for the system that has lifted more people out of poverty than any other in history. Tune in to the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify, and visit my website for more information about Ginn Economic Consulting and show notes.
Transcribe →
Why Tariffs Persist Despite Evidence with Dr. David Hebert | Let People Prosper Ep. 189
Mar 1200:43:59Tap to summarizeIf tariffs truly created prosperity, countries that raise the most trade barriers would be the richest in the world. They aren’t. Yet protectionism keeps returning to Washington politics like a bad sequel nobody asked for. Why? The answer often has less to do with economics and more to do with political incentives.In Episode 189 of the Let People Prosper Show, I interviewed Dr. David Hebert, Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research and Associate Director of the Entangled Political Economy Research Network, to unpack how political incentives shape economic outcomes.We discuss tariffs, immigration, manufacturing myths, and why criticism and debate are essential for a healthy democracy. If you want to understand why bad economic ideas survive even when evidence is clear, this conversation is for you.🎧 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 and get show notes at vanceginn.com or vanceginn.substack.com.
Transcribe →
Washington Blames Wrong People for Affordability Crisis | This Week's Economy Ep. 154
Mar 900:18:08Tap to summarizeWhat’s on Americans’ minds? The latest primary election results offered a window into what voters are thinking about. In my home state of Texas, voters sent a clear signal by backing efforts to eliminate property taxes through spending reductions.Across the country, Americans are asking for the same things: lower taxes, a more affordable future, and a strong economy that creates opportunities. But too often, policymakers try to tax their way out of spending problems or regulate innovation — choices that threaten the very prosperity people are asking for.That’s why in This Week’s Economy, I’m breaking down how these issues are playing out in policy debates. From tariffs and taxes to government spending and regulation, these decisions directly shape whether American families can afford the future they’re working toward — and policymakers can’t afford to ignore them.Let’s dive in! Catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify, and visit vanceginn.com for more info about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting and newsletter with show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
Transcribe →
Maine at an Economic Crossroads with State Rep. Laurel Libby | Let People Prosper Ep. 188
Mar 500:33:53Tap to summarizeWhen a state’s budget grows 65% in seven years while families feel poorer, something isn’t adding up. That’s the story unfolding in Maine politics right now. Government spending has surged, taxes remain high, and yet affordability continues to erode. In Episode 188 of the Let People Prosper Show, we dig into what’s happening—and what could change.I recently spoke with Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby, a small-business owner, mother of five, and one of the most outspoken reform voices in Augusta. She didn’t enter politics for prestige. She stepped in because she saw Maine drifting away from transparency, fiscal responsibility, and accountability.If you care about government spending, education, healthcare, taxation, and economic growth, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.🎧 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 and get show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
Transcribe →
How Antitrust Policy Shapes Our Technology | This Week's Economy Ep. 153
Mar 200:16:24Tap to summarizeThe U.S. is a global leader in technology and innovation. That didn’t happen by chance. It happened because our economic institutions have historically emphasized decentralized decision-making, strong property rights, capital formation, and competition on the merits.In recent years, antitrust enforcement has drifted away from economics and toward structural and precautionary theories that treat scale, integration, and market success as presumptive harms. Some of this shift mirrors Europe’s regulatory approach, and troublingly, the impulse to move in this direction is becoming bipartisan. The danger is that we abandon evidence-based competition policy, raise error costs, chill investment, and weaken long-run growth—at the very moment American firms are competing most intensely with China.In This Week’s Economy, I explain how we got here, what’s at stake for America’s leading tech firms, and what policymakers should do to ensure we defend competition without undermining the innovation that keeps America ahead. Subscribe today! Check out my latest report at Ginn Economic Consulting, co-published with NetChoice, on choosing Innovation over Interference at vanceginn.com.
Transcribe →
Just Facts with Jim Agresti | Let People Prosper Ep. 187
Feb 2600:42:06Tap to summarizeWhat happens when public policy is built on narratives instead of numbers? We get bloated budgets, broken housing markets, and education systems that spend more but deliver less. In a world flooded with information, the real scarcity is truth. This episode features guest Jim Agresti, founder and president of Just Facts, to discuss public policy, misinformation, data analysis, housing affordability, AI’s impact on research, education spending, and why transparency matters more than ever. If you care about economic policy grounded in evidence instead of emotion, this episode is for you.🎧 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.
Transcribe →
Why Affordability Is the Defining Issue of 2026 | This Week's Economy Ep. 152
Feb 2300:14:49Tap to summarizeAffordability may be the defining word of 2026. After years of elevated inflation, a housing affordability crisis, and signs of softness in the labor market, many Americans are feeling squeezed—and looking for answers. You can expect this issue to loom large at the polls in November. That’s why state and federal lawmakers should confront one of the central drivers of this “unaffordable” economy: fiscal irresponsibility. Persistent overspending helps fuel inflation and adds uncertainty that holds back growth. It’s time to get serious about sustainable budgeting and pro-growth policies that expand opportunity—so Americans can find well-paid jobs, secure affordable housing, and afford daily life again.In today’s This Week’s Economy, I take an honest look at the latest economic data—even where it challenges media narratives. We’ll also examine the risks of a rising push for social media bans and why energy abundance is essential to powering our technological future.Let’s dive in! Catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify, and visit my website for more information about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting.
Transcribe →
The Different Languages of Politics with Dr. Arnold Kling | Let People Prosper Ep. 186
Feb 1900:41:08Tap to summarizeIf politics feels angrier, dumber, and more tribal than ever, you’re not imagining it. Smart people are talking past each other. Good intentions collide. Every issue becomes a moral emergency. And somehow, even ideas that once united people—like trade, cooperation, and innovation—now trigger outrage.This episode gets to the why.My guest is Arnold Kling—one of the most original thinkers on how economics and politics actually work in the real world. Arnold doesn’t just analyze policy outcomes; he explains why we struggle to communicate, why persuasion fails, and why cooperation breaks down even when everyone claims to want prosperity.He’s the author of The Three Languages of Politics and Specialization and Trade, two books that help explain why debates feel impossible—and why decentralized cooperation still beats control every time.This conversation ranges from political psychology to trade, from tribalism to AI, and from economic ignorance to real reasons for optimism. If you want to understand why our politics feels broken—and how prosperity still emerges despite it—this one’s for you.
Transcribe →