

Let People Prosper
Vance Ginn, Ph.D.
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, being president of Ginn Economic Consulting, and contributing to more than 15 think tanks while formerly teaching economics in academia and serving 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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 8, 2024 • 11min
The Truth about Super Tuesday and Biden’s SOTU
In today’s This Week’s Economy episode 51, I discuss the latest hot topics on Super Tuesday, Biden’s SOTU, universal school choice, 10 lessons in economics, and much more!
Please like this episode, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review.
See show notes for this episode on Substack and subscribe to receive it in your inbox: www.vanceginn.substack.com
Visit my website for economic insights: www.vanceginn.com

Mar 4, 2024 • 43min
Junk Fees: What Are They Good For?
Today, I am joined by the Center for Freedom and Prosperity’s President Dr. Dan Mitchell. Join us as we discuss the hype about junk fees, the excessive spending crisis, and much more.
Please like this video, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review.
Subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack - www.vanceginn.substack.com
Visit my website for economic insights - www.vanceginn.com

Mar 1, 2024 • 10min
Supreme Court Hears Free Speech “Big Tech” Cases
In today’s This Week’s Economy episode 50, I discuss the latest hot topics on Big Tech, fiscal commission, sustainable budgets, Texas spending, school choice, and much more in 10 minutes!
Please like this podcast, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review.
Subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack - www.vanceginn.substack.com
Visit my website for economic insights - www.vanceginn.com

Feb 26, 2024 • 31min
Busting Tax MYTHS
Episode 85 is with Dr. Adam Michel, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute.
Today, we discuss:
1) Problems with OECD and global taxes;
2) Tax cliff coming in 2025 from many expiring TCJA provisions; and
3) Why a fiscal crisis without major spending reforms, how taxes influence human behavior, the truth about The Laffer Curve, and much more.
Please share this on social media, and provide a rating and review. Thanks!
Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Feb 23, 2024 • 8min
Ten Reasons Why Free-Market Capitalism Triggers People
In today’s This Week’s Economy episode 49, I provide a trigger warning about my 10 unpopular views, housing deregulation, property taxes, Gen-Zers moving to Texas, and much more.
Please like this podcast, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Feb 19, 2024 • 32min
What Can America Learn From Sweden About Big Government & Industrial Policy?
Episode 84 is with Dr. Sven Larson, author and economics writer for The European Conservative.
Today, we discuss:
1) Larson's experience growing up in Sweden during its economic collapse and Sweden's example of how big government can destroy the economy;
2) How America's welfare system is beginning to mimic Europe's; and
3) How increased taxes and increased spending decrease GDP growth and opportunities for young workers.
Please share this on social media and provide a rating and review. Thanks!
Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Feb 16, 2024 • 10min
The TRUTH Revealed about Unaffordable Health Care and Costly Shrinkflation
Thank you for listening to the 48th episode of "This Week's Economy." Today, I cover the following and more in 10 minutes:
1) National:
- CPI inflation hotter than expected + "shrinkflation" results from failed DC policies.
- Rules over discretion provide the best path forward to get our fiscal and economic houses in order, as I noted in my recent commentary at AIER-DC is broke: what does Hayek tell us about how to correct it?
- Health care costs are driving burdens on federal and household budgets. What can be done about them?
- Taxpayer funding of Ukraine, Israel, and other foreign affairs seems to be increasing again even as audits of the funds and extra funds aren’t available.
2) States:
- Texas politics are heating up as there is infighting between Republicans. When will they get their act together and return to leading by example and principles of free-market capitalism?
- Texas is the state export leader for the 21st year in a row with 23% of the nation’s exports from a state with 10% of US GDP, but there's still room to improve.
3) My Media Hits & Other:
- I will be in Las Vegas next week to speak at a conference by Health Care Administrators Association about the rising burden of health care.
- I’ll also be speaking at an upcoming health care conference by Global Health where I’ll interview Dr. Deane Waldman about the pros and cons of price transparency in health care.
- See this week’s LPP episode with Dr. Michael Strain on the national debt crisis, Trumpism, and why the American dream isn’t dead.
-Don’t miss the upcoming LPP episode with Dr. Sven Larson on how Europe compares with the U.S., and what should be done to avoid the malaise in Europe here.
Please share this on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Feb 12, 2024 • 27min
Populism, Inequality, & American Dream: Biggest Issues Facing the Nation?
Episode 83 is with Dr. Michael Strain, director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute.
Today, we discuss:
1) Why the American Dream is NOT dead, and much economic pessimism is overblown;
2) The problem with populism and its origins on both sides of the aisle; and
3) Reasons for optimism on wages, GDP, and much more.
Please share this on social media and provide a rating and review. Thanks!
Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

Feb 9, 2024 • 10min
So Long, Social Security! CBO’s New Projections Show Dire Situation
Thank you for listening to the 47th episode of "This Week's Economy."
Today, I cover the following and more in 10 minutes:
1) National:
- The federal fiscal trajectory is unsustainable and must be corrected before more crises happen, as the trust funds for Social Security and Medicare are expected to run dry over the next decade
- U.S. household debt rose by $212 billion in Q4 2023 to a new record of $15.7 trillion
- Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently noted on 60 Minutes that no target federal funds rate cuts until at least May 2024, and Congress must get control of deficit spending
- What’s really going on at the border? I wonder if it has anything to do with Trump’s trade war and lockdowns, as apprehensions started increasing in 2020 before Biden took office
2) States:
-Texas approved a new constitutional amendment that provides $10 billion for low-interest loans to companies building thermal energy plants, increasing corporate welfare in Texas
-Americans for Tax Reform has updated the Sustainable Budget Project website, showing how states can improve budgets and providing economic and fiscal comparisons
-The Kansas Policy Institute released the third iteration of the Responsible Kansas Budget, revealing ample opportunity for Kansas to limit government spending and reduce tax rates.
3) My Media Hits & Other:
- I had a blast at the Brickell Unconference in Miami with many freedom fighters known as Freedom Conservatives
- Check out this week’s LPP episode with Dr. Bryan Caplan on the myth of the rational voter, the case against education, open borders, and more
-Don’t miss this upcoming LPP episode on Monday with Dr. Michael Strain on the national debt crisis, Trumpism, and why the American dream isn’t dead
Please like this video, subscribe to the channel, share it on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).

5 snips
Feb 5, 2024 • 42min
Are Republicans and Democrats Causing America’s Fiscal Crisis? Will the 2024 Election Help?
Episode 82 is with Dr. Bryan Caplan, professor of economics at George Mason University and New York Times bestselling author.
Today, we discuss:
1) The myth of the rational voter and how politics has become a religion,
2) Why the U.S. is heading toward fiscal crisis because neither party will restrain spending; and
3) Why we need to spend less on education, the pros and cons of school choice, selfish reasons to have more kids, and open borders.
Please share this on social media, and provide a rating and review.
Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com).


