

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

Jun 7, 2024 • 1h 11min
Economic Facts and Vibes with Joey Politano
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.

May 30, 2024 • 44min
Capitalism and the Historians with Phil Magness
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.

May 23, 2024 • 49min
Giving for a Cause with Peter Lipsett
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.

May 16, 2024 • 52min
Liberty Movement Jobs with Claire Kittle Dixon
This week we cover the war on prices, the great un-wokening of corporate America, the attack on credit card points and miles, and why maternal health in the U.S. is doing just fine. Our interview this week is with Claire Kittle Dixon, executive director of the non-profit recruiting and staffing agency Talent Market. We’ll talk about finding the right job when you’re looking, choosing the right person when you’re hiring, making a career in the non-profit world, and leaving corporate America to follow your passion. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.

May 8, 2024 • 1h 16min
Technology and Politics with Corbin Barthold
This week we cover bringing your parents to a job interview, the case against a universal basic income, and why we shouldn’t use science fiction to regulate AI. Our interview this week is with Corbin Barthold, Internet Policy Counsel at TechFreedom and host of the Tech Policy Podcast. We talk about the history of podcasting, how consumer tech impacts political alliances, how people build virtual communities, and why the pessimists are usually wrong. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.

May 2, 2024 • 56min
Technology and Society with Will Rinehart
This week we cover nuclear radiation, luxury handbags, rent control, net neutrality, and malaria. Our interview this week is with Will Rinehart, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. We talk about nature vs. human creation, anxiety over social change, how the government is going to regulate AI, and the future of techno-optimism. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.

Apr 25, 2024 • 41min
Frontier Economics with Kendall Cotton
This week we cover the diamond jubilee of the Philadelphia Society, the cost of government regulation in the UK, the birth of the Abundance Institute, and the attempt to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s latest rule on credit card late fees. Our interview this week is with Kendall Cotton, president of the Frontier Institute. We talk about affordable housing, red versus blue in state politics, the glories of federalism, and how Montana can reclaim its crown as king of minerals and mining. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.

Apr 18, 2024 • 50min
Heroes of Progress with Alexander Hammond
This week we cover venture capitalists fighting red tape, challenges to electric vehicle adoption, Americans sleeping on the job, a possible vaccine for chlamydia, and political bias at National Public radio. Our interview this week is with Alexander Hammond, author of Heroes of Progress: 65 People Who Changed the World. We talk about the men and woman who improved life for millions of their fellow human beings, from Johannes Gutenberg and James Madison to Frederick Douglass and Norman Borlaug. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.

Apr 11, 2024 • 46min
Censorship By Proxy with Jenin Younes
This week we cover Gen Z job satisfaction, dumb biotech policy in the European Union, and figuring out how little the average American knows about taxes. Our interview this week is with Jenin Younes of the New Civil Liberties Alliance. We talk about social media, shadow banning, Covid-19, jawboning, and the limits of the First Amendment. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.

Apr 4, 2024 • 54min
Extremely Online with Brad Polumbo
This week we cover how honeybees came back from colony collapse disorder, why you shouldn’t believe the government’s nutrition advice, and surprising new research on corporate profits and diverse management teams. Our interview this week is with Brad Polumbo of Based Politics and the Damage Control podcast. We talk about the wild world of online politics, including trolls, polarization, disinformation, and whether Congress should ban TikTok. Free the Economy is produced and hosted by Richard Morrison and edited and co-produced by Ryan Kracinski.


