IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews points out that Biden's agenda to fundamentally change and direct the U.S. economy from the Executive Branch mirrors the mistakes of authoritarian governments like China's trying to run the economy through command and control. And the conversation inspires IPI President Tom Giovanetti to rant about the importance of separation of powers and staying in your lane.

We discuss Argentina, its tremendous natural resources and its history of terrible governance, in light of the recent election of self-proclaimed libertarian Javier Milei. IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews wish Milei the very best and praise the Argentine people for making the choice for change from Peronism.

When you elect a president, you don't just elect a single person--you elect a team of 3,000+ appointed bureaucrats and staffers. And Joe Biden's team is comprised of progressive left radicals like the Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Lina Kahn. In addition to going after companies like Google and Amazon, and in addition to opposing even her own staff in opposing mergers, Kahn is going after prescription drug company's patents. But the "patent thicket" argument is largely bogus....

By neglecting the border crisis, Joe Biden has created jobs--jobs with the cartels in Mexico and Central America. When there is a vacuum of law enforcement, criminal elements fill the void and find ways to profit. Cartels are now moving migrants as well as drugs across the border. With IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

Mathematical economist John Early joins IPI's Dr. Merrill Matthews to discuss President Biden's federal spending spree, his new spending proposals, and what, if anything, can be done to keep the country from falling off a fiscal cliff.

Technology expert Dr. Dan Garretson joins IPI's Dr. Merrill Matthews to discuss President Biden's new executive order seeking preemptive regulation of artificial intelligence and Vice President Kamala Harris's AI speeches in Great Britain.

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews shares data on how almost all U.S. states actually maintain rainy day funds, and also manage to balance their budgets and even run surpluses. So why can't Washington DC? With IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

IPI President Tom Giovanetti provides a backgrounder on the debate around the regulation of major internet platform companies, in anticipation of IPI's October 20th Distinguished Lecture Series luncheon. With IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.

Merrill Matthews joins Greg Truax OnThePoint radio show to discus his recent publications about the demise of the wealth effect and the consequences of our broken border.

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discusses why labor actions and strikes have returned. Hint: Inflation, technological change, and a pro-union administration. With IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

With the shocking news that the Biden administration has resumed building a border wall (!), IPI President Tom Giovanetti wonders if Democrats are finally getting mugged by the reality of the results of their policies. Tom talks about the border crisis, the crime spike, and persistent inflation with IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews explains the (mostly) psychological phenomenon of the Wealth Effect, which can accelerate either a good economy or a bad economy. And he uses "Bidenomics" as an illustration of an attempt to turn the reverse wealth effect into the wealth effect. With IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

IPI has been involved with the "net neutrality" debate from the very beginning almost two decades ago. And now with the Biden administration, it's back. But what IS net neutrality, and why would it be harmful to the internet and to the US economy? IPI President Tom Giovanetti pontificates and IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews patiently listens.

With a federal government shutdown looming, IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discusses his recent op/ed in The Hill reviewing the history of recent government shutdowns, and how the politics tends to play out. Hint: Republicans always get blamed. With IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

With both Hollywood writers and United Auto Workers engaging in labor strikes, IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discuss the declining power of labor unions, why unions strike during inflationary times, the Wage-Price Spiral, and the attitude conservatives should have toward labor unions.

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews leads a fascinating discussion about a recent analysis by Doug Sosnik of current and emerging trends among the American electorate. With IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

The latest effort to keep Donald Trump from running for president is to invoke Section 3 of the Constitution's 14th Amendment which prohibits certain individuals who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the government of the United States from holding high office. In this podcast, IPI's Addie Crimmins and Merrill Matthews discuss the historical roots of the 14th Amendment, the notion that it's provisions are "self-executing," and why this may be the worst idea yet for denying...

Suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial has drawn nationwide attention. In this podcast, Austin-based political analyst and Quorum Report editor Scott Braddock joins IPI's Addie Crimmins and Merrill Matthews to discuss ongoing developments in the Senate trial and how that may play out in the coming days.

Galen Institute President Grace-Marie Turner joins IPI's Merrill Matthews to discuss various conservative health care reform proposals that, if passed, would provide people with more insurance-coverage options and patients with more freedom to choose the care that's best for them.

The story of economist Art Laffer drawing what's come to be known as the Laffer Curve on a napkin in a Washington bar in 1974 has become legendary among free market advocates. In this podcast, Galen Institute President Grace-Marie Turner, who was one of three other people watching Laffer draw his graph, tells IPI's Merrill Matthews what happened--and why it's important.

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews, Director of Development & Events Addie Crimmins, and President Tom Giovanetti share our thoughts and reactions to the first Republican Presidential Debate of the 2024 cycle. We discuss overall impression, FoxNews' production, who helped themselves, who hurt themselves, and who surprised. And we wonder if our impressions reflect at all the impressions of today's Republican Party.

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews joins radio talk show host Bill Meyer (KMED) to run the numbers on the myth of the gender pay gap. When equalizing factors are added into the equation, the current gap reduces from the claimed 84 cents to a 1.5-cent pay gap. That's a positive economic sign, but it won't get much attention because some politicians need a big pay gap to demagogue.

Income inequality has become a progressive rallying cry, asserting that income inequality has exploded. Proponents claim government data show that the top 20% of workers earn 16.7 dollars for every dollar the bottom 20% earn. True? NO! A new book by former Senator Phil Gramm, Robert Ekelund and John Early explain that when all transfer payments to lower-income families are included, and when the taxes paid by higher-income families are excluded from income (because don't actually receive that...

What's the truth about the gender pay gap? Is it explained by misogyny and discrimination, or by the choices women make? Maybe a combination of the two? Is it getting better? And with women outnumbering men in colleges, universities, and graduate programs, is it about to disappear altogether? IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews shares some information from the book "The Myth of Inequality" on the gender pay gap with IPI President Tom Giovanetti.

Ronald Reagan put together an astonishing coalition that led to not only election and reelection, but also sweeping improvements to both America's domestic economy and international standing. What was it about Reagan that attracted such a winning and successful coalition, and do any of the current Republican presidential candidates resemble him in any way? A conversation between IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews and IPI President Tom Giovanetti.