Words & Numbers
Words & Numbers
Free the People
Words & Numbers is one of the highest-rated economics podcasts in the world. Each episode, Antony Davies and James R. Harrigan dig into economics, political science, and current events to explain what’s actually happening and why it matters.
Episode 513: The Real Independence Day
Was July 4, 1776 the actual day of our independence from Great Britain as most Americans believe? While James is indisposed, historian Rob McDonald joins me to discuss the actual facts of America’s founding.
Jul 2
51 min
Episode 512: What Do You Meme?
Memes are apparently unavoidable, and most of them suck. Here we talk about some of the suckiest ones.00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer00:51 Japan’s Food Tax and Why Groceries Shouldn’t Be Taxed02:38 State Sales Taxes on Food Across America05:04 Flat Taxes, Tax Complexity, and Scotland’s Simplicity06:18 Remembering Historian Gordon Wood07:37 AI Corporations and the Future of Legal Personhood13:30 Foolishness of the Week: Trump’s Repeated Iran Peace Claims18:08 Responding to Socialist Memes19:04 Does Capitalism Create Billionaires Instead of Healthcare?22:11 Obamacare, Health Insurance, and Government Bureaucracy25:24 Why Misleading Memes Spread So Easily29:12 Is Poverty a Product of Capitalism?34:08 Elon Musk, Billionaires, and Wealth Creation42:20 Infinite Growth, Capitalism, and the Laws of Thermodynamics45:55 Why Political Memes Make Public Discourse Worse48:13 Patreon Updates and Closing Thoughts
Jun 25
51 min
Episode 511: Happy Juneteenth! | Guest: Tom Krannawitter
You should absolutely care about Juneteenth. Tom Krannawitter joins us to talk about why.00:00 Introduction and Overview00:20 Two Dan Sullivans Running in Alaska02:57 Lawyers Using AI in Federal Court04:10 Foolishness of the Week: Switzerland’s Population Cap10:12 Fear of Declining Living Standards12:03 Juneteenth with Thomas Krannawitter13:13 The Origins of Juneteenth16:03 Why the 13th Amendment Completed the American Founding18:59 Juneteenth and the Fourth of July24:21 America’s Anti-Slavery Principles30:17 Jefferson, Slavery, and the Declaration of Independence32:46 The Truth Behind the Three-Fifths Compromise37:05 Jefferson’s Personal Contradictions43:36 Why America’s Founders Saw Slavery as Wrong48:01 Why Juneteenth Should Unite Americans52:04 Aristotle, Freedom, and Forgiveness55:41 Black Wall Street and the Promise of Liberty59:20 Jefferson’s Grave and the American Story01:01:54 Lincoln, Equality, and Richard M. Johnson01:07:15 Why Juneteenth Matters Today01:08:18 Waypoints Teaching and Closing Remarks
Jun 18
1 hr 9 min
Episode 510: Artificial Sanders Socialism
Ant and James change things up a bit this week by talking about a great idea from Bernie Sanders. Most of that is true. Ant and James do, in fact, talk about an idea Bernie Sanders has.00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer01:19 IRS Tax Forms, Privacy, and Dual Citizenship05:29 Public Opinion Polls and Political Popularity09:17 Foolishness of the Week: Jill Biden and Joe Biden’s Debate Performance15:02 Virginia’s New Electric Vehicle Tax18:49 Trump, AI Regulation, and Government Oversight20:53 Bernie Sanders Wants Public Ownership of AI Companies23:44 Who Should Benefit from AI Wealth?26:01 Why Government Ownership Would Hurt Innovation29:44 Would AI Companies Leave the United States?31:28 Is Bernie Serious or Just Campaigning?33:15 Closing Thoughts
Jun 11
34 min
Episode 509: The Girlfriend Experience
Why look for a girlfriend when you can just build one yourself?00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer00:38 China Influence Operations and Free Speech05:07 Pope Leo’s Slavery Apology12:53 Kash Patel Website Hacked by Malware15:44 The Growing Trend of AI Girlfriends20:15 Why Young Men Trust AI Companions24:19 Is AI Becoming Sentient?29:06 The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence33:04 AI Romance and Falling Birth Rates39:40 Will AI Replace Human Jobs?45:51 Closing Thoughts-Get the book by Ant & James: Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!⁠⁠http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com⁠Antony Davies on X⁠⁠https://x.com/antonydavies⁠James R. Harrigan on X⁠⁠https://x.com/JamesRHarrigan
Jun 4
46 min
Episode 508: Insider Everything
Should insider trading be allowed? It seems like a straightforward question, so how did we end up also talking about sports betting and Polymarket?-Get the book by Ant & James: Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!⁠http://www.cooperationandcoercion.comAntony Davies on X⁠https://x.com/antonydaviesJames R. Harrigan on X⁠https://x.com/JamesRHarrigan
May 28
49 min
Episode 507: Free These People
The inimitable Matt Kibbe, of Kibbe on Liberty joins us to spill the beans. Which beans? You’ll have to listen or watch to find out. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:24 Brazil’s Failing Medical Education System 04:59 Older Americans Turn to Marijuana Instead of Doctors 07:11 Kari Lake, Ambassadorships, and Political Loyalty 11:16 Trump, Obama, Third Terms, and Autocracy 14:40 Introduction: Matt Kibbe Joins the Show 16:24 Building Free the People and Communicating Liberty Through Storytelling 19:50 Why Stories Matter More Than Numbers in Economics 24:49 Libertarian Messaging and Reaching New Generations 28:04 Why Heroes Are Hard to Find 31:30 Trump, Influence, and Decentralized Cultural Power 33:54 Jordan Peterson, Responsibility, and Optimism 37:26 Fear, Freedom, and the Appeal of Certainty 42:12 Libertarianism, Progress, and Political Tribalism 45:12 Announcement: Words & Numbers Partners with Free the People 49:50 Growing Audiences, Social Media, and the Future of the Show 51:32 Closing Remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 20
55 min
Episode 506: Where Have All The Men Gone?
What the hell is wrong with young men, and is there anything we can do to help? Max Borders joins us to diagnose the problem and offer a possible solution. Disclaimer: Max and James are starting a new project together. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:24 The 25th Amendment and Presidential Incapacity 04:05 Biden, Kamala Harris, and Political Responsibility 06:25 Gerald Ford, Nixon, and Presidential Stability 08:36 Gas Prices and the Federal Gas Tax Debate 11:56 Age Verification Laws and VPN Workarounds 15:52 Introduction to Max Borders and the Crisis Facing Young Men 19:06 Toxic Masculinity, Smartphones, and the Rise of the Manosphere 21:55 Role Models, Mentorship, and the Loss of Masculine Guidance 27:42 Feminization, Ambition, and the Balance Between Masculine and Feminine Virtues 33:08 Young Men, Dating Culture, and Social Withdrawal 38:49 Dating Apps, Workplaces, and the Decline of Real-World Relationships 42:53 Young Men Falling Behind in Education and Life 48:25 Parenting, Discipline, Trauma Culture, and Resilience 59:08 The Manosphere, Positive Masculinity, and the Chrysalis Project Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 13
1 hr 12 min
Episode 505: Owning the (Post) Libs
How did all the Post-Liberals get on the Goulash Train? And what are Post-Liberals? And what is (or more to the point, was) the Goulash Train? With guest Phil Magness. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:44 Fast-Track Degrees and Credential Culture 03:53 Online Learning and Gaming the System 05:11 AI, Universities, and Lecture Ownership 08:04 AI Replacing Professors and Higher Ed Decline 09:55 The Collapse of Higher Education 11:29 Credentials vs Real Education 12:54 Guest Introduction: Phil Magness 13:56 Viktor Orbán and Hungary’s Political Shift 16:11 Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine Context 17:44 Orbán’s Election Loss and Fallout 19:29 Why Hungary Matters to the U.S. 20:45 Post-Liberalism Explained 27:36 Carl Schmitt and Authoritarian Theory 31:21 Hungary as a Model for Post-Liberalism 36:11 State Power, Economics, and Policy Failures 41:37 U.S. Connections and the “Goulash Train” 46:27 Post-Liberalism as a Fringe Movement 49:20 Liberalism vs Post-Liberal Ideology 51:38 Historical Parallels and Authoritarian Models 54:53 U.S. Political Implications and Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 6
59 min
Episode 504: Privileges & Immunities
Privileges and/or Immunities, Necessary and/or Proper, and Cruel and/or Unusual, with guest Clark Neily. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:37 Congress Approval Ratings Hit 10% 02:08 King Charles on Checks and Balances 03:17 Is Congress Failing Its Constitutional Role? 04:19 Jimmy Kimmel Controversy and Media Fallout 06:05 Foolishness of the Week: Trump Passport Idea 08:13 Clark Neily Joins the Show 09:28 Comey Indictment and “8647” Controversy 12:11 Legal Interpretation and Prosecutorial Overreach 16:03 Is There a Growing Skepticism of Qualified Immunity? 17:58 What Qualified Immunity Actually Means 19:57 Absolute Immunity for Prosecutors Explained 23:44 Supreme Court Trends and Recent Rulings 24:19 Birthright Citizenship Debate 30:06 Constitutional Interpretation and “Cruel and Unusual” 34:07 Incorporation Doctrine and the 14th Amendment 40:28 Slaughterhouse Cases and Missed Legal Turning Point 45:35 Why Courts Resist Expanding Individual Rights 48:56 Supreme Court Power and Constitutional Limits Debate 50:59 Commerce Clause Expansion and Federal Overreach 57:51 Closing Discussion and Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 29
58 min
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