

Free The Economy
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Free The Economy is a weekly podcast hosted by Richard Morrison of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, examining the intersection of news, policy, and economics featuring guests that include writers, policymakers, explorers, contrarians, and free thinkers of all kinds.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 17, 2025 • 59min
Corporate Responsibility and Taxpayer Protections with John Mozena
This week we cover Trump tariffs, Obama’s endorsement of housing abundance, and why the green energy industry needs more market discipline. Our interview this week is with John Mozena, president of the Center for Economic Accountability. We’ll talk about the new study by John and our host Richard Morrison, titled “Corporate Social Irresponsibility: After ESG, activist investors should side with taxpayers.” We’ll cover subsidies, tax abatements, cronyism, the Ferguson Riots, Amazon HQ2, and the path forward for responsible business practice. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

Jul 10, 2025 • 1h 6min
AI Frontiers with Corbin Barthold
This week’s episode features Corbin Barthold, Internet Policy Counsel at TechFreedom and host of the Tech Policy Podcast. This is a special dual episode of both shows, featuring a conversation about the frontiers of the artificial intelligence revolution. We’ll talk about LLMs, doomers, deepfakes, epistemic bubbles, and how to make art in the 21st century.Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

Jul 3, 2025 • 43min
Alcohol Labels and Warnings with David Clement
This week we cover housing abundance in California, the meaning of a market economy, union privileges for government workers, and the decline in heart attack deaths. Our interview this week is with David Clement, North American Affairs Manager for the Consumer Choice Center. We’ll talk about alcohol, cancer, public health, safety warnings, and risk fatigue.Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

Jun 26, 2025 • 60min
Shareholders vs. Stakeholders with Jerry Bowyer
This week we cover the failure of postal banking, Trump (again) pausing the TikTok ban, and the political crack-up between unions and the Democratic party. Our interview this week is with Jerry Bowyer, CEO of Bowyer Research and host of the Meeting Minds podcast. We talk about ESG investing, fiduciary duty, Blackrock, Bud Light, and the difference between shareholders and stakeholders. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

Jun 19, 2025 • 38min
The Reagan Legacy in the 21st Century with Dan Rothschild
This week we cover FreedomFest 2025, the FDA’s block on effective sunblock, good news about critical minerals, and Walmart’s expanding drone fleet. Our interview this week is with Dan Rothschild, director of the Center for Civics, Education, and Opportunity at the Ronald Reagan Institute. We’ll talk about political leadership, U.S. history, taxes, Social Security, and the future of American prosperity. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

Jun 12, 2025 • 42min
Drug Costs and Benefits with Sally Pipes
This week we cover reforms to the Endangered Species Act, attacks on U.S. tech firms, nuclear power innovation, and an exciting new book on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. Our interview this week is with Sally Pipes, President and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute. We’ll talk about healthcare, pharmaceutical drugs, price controls, and the expensive work of research and development.Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

Jun 5, 2025 • 47min
Tariffs and Corruption with Justin Callais
This week we cover donor privacy, the DOGE legacy, and the impact of import taxes on the auto industry. Our interview this week is with Justin Callais, chief economist at the Archbridge Institute. We’ll talk about tariffs, exemptions, cronyism, inefficiencies, and regulatory capture. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

May 29, 2025 • 40min
Protecting Consumer Credit with Caroline Melear
This week we cover new research on trade and tariffs, how to understand market forces, and good news for coral reefs. Our interview this week is with Caroline Melear, Resident Fellow in Finance at the R Street Institute. We’ll talk about consumer finance, interest rates, the Credit Card Competition Act, and why interest rates are just regular prices. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

May 22, 2025 • 42min
Next Steps for Nuclear with Deric Tilson
This week we cover Jamie Dimon on tariff jitters, the Tax Foundation on the One Big Beautiful Bill, Jesse Walker on Biden cheapfake accusations, and Devin Watkins on dishwasher freedom. Our interview this week is with Deric Tilson, senior nuclear energy analyst at The Breakthrough Institute. We’ll talk about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, small modular reactors, the Inflation Reduction Act, and how to tell when an infant industry is all grown up. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

May 15, 2025 • 41min
Reforming Medicaid with Brian Blase
This week we cover farm tariffs, the decline in green investing, and the effort to stop state governments from regulating AI. Our interview this week is with Brian Blase, President of Paragon Health Institute. We’ll talk about healthcare, poverty, federalism, and the future of Medicaid. Free the Economy is hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with new episodes by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.