Free The Economy

Sal Amadeo, a documentary filmmaker and YouTuber, dives into the world of shopping malls and retail nostalgia. He discusses the rise and fall of malls, revealing how their cultural significance has evolved over time. Amadeo shares insights on abandoned retail spaces and the communal sense of loss attached to them. He contrasts the social interactions of the past with today's digital third places. Tune in for a thoughtful examination of how nostalgia shapes our connection to retail, and what the future holds for these iconic structures.

This week we cover Capital One buying Discover, solutions for high housing prices, China’s soft-power investment strategy, and President Biden’s call for national rent control. Our interview this week is with Kurt Couchman, senior fellow at Americans for Prosperity. We’ll talk about shrinkflation, government spending, growing deficits, the cost-of-living crisis, and how inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon.Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog. 

This week we cover the end of Chevron deference at the Supreme Court, the economic impact of future Trump tariffs, the Federal Trade Commission’s effort to ban non-compete agreements, and evolving American attitudes toward the role and scope of government. Our interview this week is with Ronald Bailey, science correspondent for Reason Magazine. We’ll talk about innovation, growth, optimism, and the new progress movement. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at  @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we  cover, at cei.org/blog.

This week we cover how the SEC is going to spam investors with a deluge of low-quality disclosures, the Supreme Court’s decision on social media censorship in Murthy v. Missouri, and the massive scope of Covid-era tax fraud. Our interview this week is with Scott Hodge, president emeritus & senior policy advisor at the Tax Foundation and the author of the excellent new book Taxocracy: What You Don't Know About Taxes and How They Rule Your Daily Life. We talk about deductions, perverse incentives, reform options, and the reason 18th century British buildings had so few windows. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

This week we cover the SEC’s new climate rule, the recent Supreme Court decision on income taxes, and why the Social Security Administration has finally updated its jobs list from 1977. Our interview this week is with Timothy Sandefur of the Goldwater Institute. We talk about cronyism, economic development, protecting taxpayers, and amending state constitutions. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

This week we cover pork-barrel spending in Congress, reforming federal guidance documents, restaurants with minimum age requirements, and the most popular jobs for young workers. Our interview this week is with Josh Bandoch of the Illinois Policy Institute. We talk about poverty, opportunity, education, jobs, and empowerment. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Scooter Scheafer. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

This week we cover regulatory burdens on small businesses, common-sense solutions to poverty, a legal challenge to the TikTok ban, and American attitudes on the state of the middle class. Our interview this week is with Prof. Siri Terjesen of Florida Atlantic University. We talk about the history of capitalism, enlightened executives, family firms vs. public companies, and the importance of keeping your eye on the bottom line. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Scooter Scheafer. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

This week we cover advances in dentistry, the slow pace of EV charger deployment, a victory for free speech at the Supreme Court, and China’s disappearing Internet. Our interview this week is with Joey Politano, editor of Apricitas Economics. We talk about the vibecession, unemployment, economic growth, the abundance agenda, and the future of competition with China. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski. Keep up with the show by following us on Twitter at @freethe_economy and read our episode summaries, with links to the stories we cover, at cei.org/blog.

This week we cover the prospect of Inflation Reduction Act 2.0, rising consumer confidence, the perils of stress bragging, and a new collection of essays about legendary economist Adam Smith. Our interview this week is with Phil Magness, the David J. Theroux Chair in Political Economy at the Independent Institute. We talk about capitalism, slavery, classical liberalism, and keeping the historians honest. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski. 

This week we cover attitudes toward social media companies, the guerilla war over ESG investing, YIMBY housing reforms in Austin, and new research on high-skilled immigration. Our interview this week is with Peter Lipsett, vice president at DonorsTrust. We talk about charitable giving, tax deductions, donor privacy, and how to make the world a better place. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.