Words & Numbers

This week, James and Antony take a brief departure from talking about the growing national debt, and our absurd tax system to discuss the numerous ways in which more economic and personal freedom has made people wealthier, more equal, and better off all over the world. We're actually living in pretty amazing times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Antony and James are equal-opportunity offenders, discussing the way power not only changes hands from one party to another, but support for political ideas flips back and forth as well. Neither the right nor the left is immune to this kind of hypocrisy. Editor's note:  According to James, "All the other political philosophers will point at me and laugh, but I said Paine when I meant Madison." This heinous error is about 5 minutes in, and we apologize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honor of Tax Day, Antony Davies & James R. Harrigan talk about the absurdity of the US tax code. If your tax situation is more complicated or more uncomfortable than you like dealing with, you can pay another human being to do your taxes so you don’t have to. There are dependents, mortgages, deductions from energy-efficient household additions, charity, student loan interest ... even with a Ph.D. in economics, it’s hard to understand! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Antony and James break down Bill Gates' recent suggestion that companies that use robots instead of human workers should pay employment taxes in order to fund new welfare programs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, James & Antony experiment with a slightly longer format, and get into the issue of government funding for the arts.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Antony & James take on the idea of "victimless crimes" and discuss the odd and growing trend of governments regulating some private activities such as pornography, while others like smoking marijuana are increasingly allowed. People imposing their values on others seems to boil down to an inability to appreciate that others have different preferences, but it all results in Americans losing freedom and instead becoming a nation of pets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, James & Antony discuss the case of Connecticut's budget shortfall. The state hopes to solve their financial problems by raiding the retirement accounts of previous Connecticut government employees who have moved out of the state, and take 30% of those savings. This plan would hurt retirees, break promises, and trap many people in the state based on a policy that may be illegal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, in honor of International Women's Day, Antony & James discuss the strong correlation between economic freedom and gender equality found across the world. They argue that if you want to see a world of increasing equality and opportunity for women, you also want to free the economy from central planning and control.      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode, Antony & James talk about alternative facts and how false, partisan data skews important discussions about public policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Antony Davies, Professor of Economics of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and Dr. James R. Harrigan, Senior Research Fellow at Strata, in Logan, Utah discuss the way the Congressional Budget Office works, and outline its history of failure at accurately forecasting increases in the national debt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices