Let People Prosper

It goes by many names: cronyism, corporatism, political favoritism, corporate welfare, and more. No matter what you call it, it’s the same idea — government picking winners and losers in our economy. Some companies get special treatment through subsidies, tax breaks, loopholes, government contracts, low-interest loans, or in-kind support.In short, whenever the government promises a company a shortcut or special favor, that’s corporate welfare in action. It undermines competition, punishes smaller competitors, and costs taxpayers. It happens at every governmental level — local, state, and federal — and it’s always the public who pays the price.In today’s episode of This Week’s Economy, we’ll unpack the real costs of corporate welfare — who truly benefits, and who gets left behind. You can catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify. Visit: VanceGinn.com. Subscribe: VanceGinn.Substack.com

In a time when personal discipline and fiscal restraint feel out of fashion, Robert Ordway reminds us that the path to prosperity—both individually and nationally—still runs through faith, family, and responsibility.This week on the Let People Prosper Show, I’m joined by Robert Ordway, a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and policy professional whose life story bridges small-town America and the halls of power in Washington. Robert currently serves as Senior Policy Advisor to Indiana Governor Mike Braun, supporting the Freedom & Opportunity Agenda. Previously, he worked in the U.S. Senate as Deputy Legislative Director and Senior Policy Advisor to then-Senator Braun, where he specialized in budget and tax issues, and with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) advancing pro-growth policy across the states.Robert’s upcoming memoir, Mill Rat: A Memoir from the Multiethnic Working Class, tells the remarkable story of growing up in Gary, Indiana, caring for his father during a five-year battle with ALS, and overcoming profound family adversity through faith and perseverance. It’s a moving portrait of working-class America—and a lesson in personal agency that applies as much to the federal budget as to everyday life. We discuss the parallels between personal health and national spending, why faith and family remain the bedrock of freedom, and how fiscal conservatism is not just a policy preference but a moral necessity.For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network. 

The federal government shutdown is still dragging on — now stretching into its second month — freezing key economic data and labor reports. This adds more uncertainty to already shaky markets, which are struggling under tariffs. Meanwhile, major developments are unfolding in the courts, from a pivotal Supreme Court case that could redefine presidential power over tariffs to an antitrust battle involving Pfizer and Novo Nordisk.At the state level, voters weighed in on key tax and spending measures that will shape local economies for years to come. A lot is happening across every level of government — and each of these stories ties back to one question: how do we keep America’s economy free, competitive, and growing? In This Week’s Economy, I explore this question in light of recent news. You can catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify.Visit: VanceGinn.comSubscribe: VanceGinn.Substack.com

In a world drowning in talk about government aid, redistribution, and populist “solutions,” it’s refreshing to hear from someone who has actually seen what works.This week on the Let People Prosper Show, I’m joined by Dr. Tom G. Palmer, one of the most respected and influential advocates for liberty around the globe. Tom serves as Executive Vice President for International Programs at Atlas Network, where he holds the George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty, and he’s a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute.He’s helped freedom movements in more than 100 countries—from Poland to Peru—and his work has shown time and again that free people, not foreign aid, drive prosperity. He’s the author of Realizing Freedom and the editor of The Morality of Capitalism and Why Liberty. His latest book, co-authored with Matt Warner, Development with Dignity: Self-Determination, Localization, and the End to Poverty, offers a roadmap for true, bottom-up progress.We talk about the moral foundations of capitalism, the failures of foreign aid, and how dignity and innovation—not dependency—lift people out of poverty. This conversation is a reminder that prosperity isn’t granted by governments—it’s earned by free individuals.For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network. 

Last week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point, marking the second of what some expect to be a series of rate reductions in the coming months.The move came after new data showed consumer inflation rose 3% over the past year—slightly less than expected but above the Fed’s 2% inflation target. Traders are already betting on more cuts ahead.But the real question isn’t whether lower rates will boost the economy in the short term. It’s whether the Fed has learned from its mistakes—or is setting us up for yet another boom-and-bust cycle.In this episode of This Week’s Economy, we’ll break down what the Fed’s decision means, why it matters, and what real reform should look like if we want lasting prosperity. You can catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify.Visit: VanceGinn.comSubscribe: VanceGinn.Substack.com

Artificial intelligence isn’t just transforming industries—it’s redefining freedom, opportunity, and the future of human work. This week on the Let People Prosper Show, I talk with Kevin Frazier, the inaugural AI Innovation and Law Fellow at the University of Texas School of Law, where he leads their groundbreaking new AI Innovation and Law Program.Kevin’s at the center of the national conversation on how to balance innovation with accountability—and how to make sure regulation doesn’t crush the technological progress that drives prosperity. With degrees from UC Berkeley Law, Harvard Kennedy School, and the University of Oregon, Kevin brings both a legal and policy lens to today’s most pressing questions about AI, federalism, and the economy. Before joining UT, he served as an Assistant Professor at St. Thomas University College of Law and conducted research for the Institute for Law and AI. His scholarship has appeared in the Tennessee Law Review, MIT Technology Review, and Lawfare. He also co-hosts the Scaling Laws Podcast, bridging the gap between innovation and regulation.This episode goes deep into how we can harness AI to promote human flourishing, not government dependency—how we can regulate based on reality, not fear—and how federalism can help America remain the global leader in technological innovation.For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network. 

We shouldn’t fear progress. It brings countless benefits. Just think about how much easier it is to make plans with a friend today than 30 years ago—you can send a quick text and meet up in minutes, instead of calling a landline and hoping they’re home to answer.Yet in the headlines, progress is often framed as a threat—from manufacturing jobs moving overseas to warnings that AI will cause mass layoffs. What’s often forgotten is that new industries rise to take their place. New jobs emerge. Entrepreneurs adapt and create.This continual cycle of innovation and renewal—what economist Joseph Schumpeter called creative destruction—was recently spotlighted by the Nobel Prize in Economics awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their work on sustained growth through innovation. For great analyses of the prize, check out Brian Albrecht’s commentary and Justin Callais’s deep dive. In today’s episode of This Week’s Economy, we’ll explore creative destruction, how governments often try to protect us from it, and why it’s best left to run its course. You can catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify.Visit: VanceGinn.comSubscribe: VanceGinn.Substack.com

Can a man find freedom inside a prison cell?Today’s guest did—and he’s using that hard-won wisdom to help others do the same.In this week’s Let People Prosper Show, I sit down with Michael Liebowitz, host of The Rational Egoist podcast, author, and prison reform advocate who spent 25 years behind bars before transforming his life through philosophy, reason, and purpose.Michael’s story isn’t just one of redemption—it’s a case study in what happens when a man discovers the moral and economic power of rational self-interest. Drawing from Ayn Rand’s Objectivism, he argues that true morality isn’t about self-sacrifice—it’s about living productively, rationally, and responsibly.We explore how his years in prison shaped his philosophy, why he believes America’s criminal justice system is broken, and how rational egoism directly connects to the free-market ideas that allow people to prosper.For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network. 

As of this recording, forecasts suggest this could become the longest federal government shutdown in modern American history. In Washington, tensions are high over mass layoffs and congressional gridlock.Yet across much of the country, it’s business as usual—aside from the twenty-two states sliding toward recession and revising revenue forecasts amid tariff-driven uncertainty. Add in speculation about the Federal Reserve’s next rate cut, and the picture becomes even more unsettled.In this episode of This Week’s Economy, I break down the latest developments—from the shutdown to potential interest rate cuts—and explore solutions rooted in sound, time-tested economic principles. You can catch the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify.Visit: VanceGinn.comSubscribe: VanceGinn.Substack.com

Is America’s debt crisis the biggest threat to prosperity—and can we fix it before it’s too late?In this week’s Let People Prosper Show, I sit down with Romina Boccia, one of the nation’s top fiscal minds and a fearless reformer when it comes to Washington’s runaway spending. Romina is the Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy at the Cato Institute, where she leads research on federal spending, debt, and entitlement reform. She’s also the principal author of Debt Dispatch—the number-one fiscal newsletter read by members of Congress—and author of the new book Reimagining Social Security: Global Lessons for Retirement Policy Changes.I first met Romina during my time at the White House Office of Management and Budget, and I’ve admired her work ever since. In this episode, we talk about her journey from Germany to D.C., how she became one of the fiercest advocates for limited government, and why entitlement reform isn’t just a numbers issue—it’s about moral responsibility to future generations.We unpack why the national debt—now over $37 trillion and rising by about $2 trillion a year—is a bipartisan failure decades in the making. Romina explains how unchecked spending, not too little revenue, is driving the crisis—and why sustainable reform to Social Security and Medicare is critical to preserving both freedom and prosperity.For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network.