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IPI Policy Basics Podcast
by The Institute for Policy Innovation
An audio library of basic policy topics and concepts, for those who need to get up to speed on a particular policy topic, or those who want to learn how to think about policy from a free-market, limited government viewpoint. A project of the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI).
Episodes
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IPI Policy Basics: Barbara Kolm of the Hayek Institute on Hayek and his Contribution to Economic Thought (Audio: Podcast)
Barbara Kolm of the Hayek Institute in Vienna, Austria is our special guest as IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews interviews Barbara about Hayek and his important contributions to economic and individual liberty.
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IPI Policy Basics: The Costs of Protecting Teens Online (Audio: Podcast)
Taking advantage of IPI Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland's presence in-studio, we discuss the problems with the state and federal legislative attempts to "protect children online" through age verification and other schemes. Hint: The problems are overwhelming and underappreciated. With IPI...
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IPI Policy Basics: Exaggerating the Public Domain (Audio: Podcast)
There was a rash of stories in the early days of 2024 about how, finally, Mickey Mouse had entered the public domain, and that this was somehow a triumph for the general public. Sounds like time for an explainer about the public domain, and why, for the most part, consumers are better off when...
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IPI Policy Basics: What Are Tax Extenders and Why Do They Matter? (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains why every year the country is faces with the issues of tax extenders, why they are important but also why they are a symptom of a dysfunctional congressional process. With IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
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IPI Policy Basics: The Wealth Effect (Audio: Podcast)
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...
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IPI Policy Basics: A Look At the Gender Pay Gap (Audio: Podcast)
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...
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IPI Policy Basics: How Third-Party Candidates Affect Presidential Elections (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews takes us through the history of third-party presidential candidates in recent history, explaining that third party candidates never come close to winning but in some cases the third party candidate has arguable affected the outcome of the election. With…
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IPI Policy Basics: How Should We Think About Artificial Intelligence? (Audio: Podcast)
We welcome IPI Research Fellow Dr. Dan Garretson to help us with an explainer on artificial intelligence (AI): What it is, what it isn't, and how should we think about its impact on consumers, the economy, and the future? IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews demonstrates how "2001: A Space...
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IPI Policy Basics: In Politics, Compromise Is a Virtue, Not a Vice (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains at least part of the current dysfunction of Congress, and the dysfunction of the Republican Party, by explaining that while compromise may be a vice in religion, theology and ethics, compromise is the essence of democracy. Compromise is simply negotiation…
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IPI Policy Basics: What Is Intellectual Property, Why Is it Important, and Why Is it Controversial? (Audio: Podcast)
In recognition of World IP Day, the Institute for Policy Innovation, an accredited Non-Governmental Organization affiliated with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), discusses the importance of intellectual property protection. With IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland and...
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IPI Policy Basics: What Is Industrial Policy, and Why Shouldn't We Have One? (Audio: Podcast)
The recent Obama and Trump administrations have progressively moved in the direction of industrial policy, but the Biden administration has jumped in with both feet. Oddly, some conservatives are increasingly comfortable with the government using industrial policy to influence outcomes they…
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IPI Policy Basics: Modern Monetary Theory, R.I.P. (Audio: Podcast)
What is "Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)," and what is it in contrast with? IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews and IPI President Tom Giovanetti discuss the heterodox economic theory that promises government can print and spend as much money as it wants to with little or no downside, and asks...
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IPI Policy Basics: There's Nothing Wrong with Stock Buybacks (Audio: Podcast)
What are stock buybacks, and why have Democrats decided that stock buybacks should be discouraged/punished/banned? IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews explain what stock buybacks are and why Democrats have wrongly demonized them.
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IPI Policy Basics: Every Law Should Have an Expiration Date (Audio: Podcast)
In legislation, "sunset" means that a law or agency or regulation has a built-in date at which it disappears in a poof of common sense unless specifically reauthorized by the legislature. This is a good idea that would prevent the continual accumulation of archaic, redundant and overlapping...
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IPI Policy Basics: The Role of Layoffs in the Economy (Audio: Podcast)
No one wants to be involuntarily released from their employment, but in a growing economy, layoffs represent the redeployment of human capital from less-productive to more-productive uses. With this understanding, policymakers should make it as easy as possible for people to change jobs and forms...
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IPI Policy Basics: Should We Limit the Debt Limit? (Audio: Podcast)
What is the debt ceiling, and why do we have it? How often does the debt ceiling come up, and isn't it an anachronism, since Congress has already authorized that spending? Or is any leverage over spending worth preserving? IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews...
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IPI Policy Basics: Regular Order, How Congress Is Supposed to Work (Audio: Podcast)
What is "regular order" for Congress and why is that better governance than the annual drama and circus we see now every year with continuing resolutions and gigantic, must-pass omnibus spending bills? Was the old way better? Tom Giovanetti, Merrill Matthews.
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IPI Policy Basics: Who Are the Uninsured? (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews talks us through an analysis of the composition of the uninsured population in the United States. IPI President Tom Giovanetti reminds us of the problem of large numbers, and both conclude that the problem of the uninsured is exaggerated or at least...
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IPI Policy Basics: The Student Loan Problem--Causes and Solutions (Audio: Podcast)
On the occasion of the Biden administration announcing its $500 billion "forgiveness" of student loan debt, IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discuss the origin and causes of the student loan problem, whether it's as big of a problem as claimed, why...
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IPI Policy Basics: Why Fossil Fuels Became our Dominant Source of Energy (Audio: Podcast)
Fossil fuels are naturally energy dense, can be relatively easily transported, and can be stored indefinitely for future use. These three characteristics are why the world's economy migrated to fossil fuels as soon as they were discovered, and it's why any transition to renewable energy sources...
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IPI Policy Basics: What Is a Supply Chain? (Audio: Podcast)
Lots of chatter lately about supply chain problems, so the Institute for Policy Innovation is proud to host Research Fellow Prof. Daniel Ogden, (among other things) Adjunct Instructor of International Business at Baylor University, to explain the basics. In conversation with IPI President Tom...
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IPI Policy Basics: What Is a Recession and Why Does It Matter? (Audio: Podcast)
In this episode, IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discuss the various definitions of recession, what causes recessions, what's the harm of recession, and are there any possible silver linings to a recession? Are recessions always unintentional, or are they...
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IPI Policy Basics: Self-Government and the Superiority of the Legislative Branch (Audio: Podcast)
Solo this time, IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains that the very idea of self-government means rules agreed to through compromise and consensus-building, rather than being imposed on an unwilling people. If there is no consensus, there should be no rule. And because rules imposed by the…
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IPI Policy Basics: The Private Space Revolution (Audio: Podcast)
One thing the Obama administration got right was shifting NASA's space program toward reliance on private space launch providers, which has led to an environment of much more rapid innovation, lower costs to taxpayers, and the emergence of multiple competing providers. IPI President Tom…
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IPI Policy Basics: Permissionless Innovation vs. the Precautionary Principle (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland guides a discussion with IPI President Tom Giovanetti about the importance of permissionless innovation, and the problems with its opposite--the precautionary principle.
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IPI Policy Basics: The Impact of Inflation on Your Taxes (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews explain why inflation can result in taxes paid on false gains because capital gains tax rates and other taxes on assets are not indexed for inflation, and that income tax brackets in many states are also not indexed for...
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IPI Policy Basics: Tax Rates vs. Tax Revenues (Audio: Podcast)
When a politician talks about "cutting taxes," what does she mean? Usually, she means reducing marginal tax rates, but what are those? And what's the difference between marginal tax rates, effective tax rates, average tax rates, and tax revenue? Does raising marginal tax rates automatically raise...
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IPI Policy Basics: When the Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates (Audio: Podcast)
To what degree does the Federal Reserve control interest rates on home mortgages, credit cards and bank savings accounts? Why does the Federal Reserve raise or lower rates? And what rate does the Federal Reserve actually control? The basics of Federal Reserve action with IPI President Tom...
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IPI Policy Basics: The Perils and Pitfalls of Modelling (Audio: Podcast)
No, not fashion modelling or Instagram modelling, though we're sure there are perils and pitfalls there, too. This episode is about using mathematical models and computers to try to predict outcomes. Riffing off of IPI's experience and knowledge of economic modelling, IPI President Tom Giovanetti...
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IPI Policy Basics: When Congress Doesn't Act, Congress Still Has Acted (Audio: Podcast)
When you hear a president say "If Congress Won't Act, I will," red flags should go off in your head. That's because when Congress does not legislate, that is Congress CHOOSING to not legislate. Congress choosing to do nothing is just as important, if not more important, than Congress choosing to…
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IPI Policy Basics: The Three Types of Taxes (Audio: Podcast)
Beginning a series on basics of tax, IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains taxes on what we earn, taxes on what we buy, and taxes on what we own, with the able assistance of fellow taxpayer and IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
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IPI Policy Basics: The Debt Obligations of the Federal Government Are Much Bigger than You Think (Audio: Podcast)
Beyond the "national debt," which has skyrocketed in the past decade, the real total obligations of the federal government include the future obligations of Social Security, Medicare, federal employee pensions, military pensions and more. It's not a pretty picture. IPI President Tom Giovanetti…
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IPI Policy Basics: Is Antitrust the Right Solution to the Problem? (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland talks through the right way to think about antitrust policy. When is a company "too big?" Are there benefits to scale? What's the consumer welfare standard, and isn't any alternative to the consumer welfare standard just arbitrary? With IPI President…
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IPI Policy Basics: Social Media Regulation, Section 230, and the First Amendment (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland and IPI President Tom Giovanetti have an extensive conversation explaining the origins of Section 230, and the insurmountable First Amendment problems with states trying to compel social media platforms to host speech they don't want to host.
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IPI Policy Basics: Why Are Lower Taxes Better than Higher Taxes? (Audio: Podcast)
There are moral, economic, philosophical, and political reasons why lower taxes are better than higher taxes. It's not just about the greediness of taxpayers. IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Merrill Matthews discuss lower vs. higher taxes from the perspective of government, the...
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IPI Policy Basics: Supply Creates Its Own Demand (Audio: Podcast)
A fundamental issue in economics, a law described by French economist Jean-Baptiste Say in 1803 asserts that production is necessary before any consumption can take place; therefore, production comes first, and is more important. Production creates economic growth, and demand essentially takes…
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IPI Policy Basics: Not All Tax Cuts Are Created Equal (Audio: Podcast)
Tax cuts can have a strong impact on economic growth, or none at all--it depends on whether the tax cut encourages private sector investment. IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews and President Tom Giovanetti look back at the IPI archives to a 2001 study that ranked different types of tax…
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IPI Policy Basics: What's Wrong with Social Security, and How Do We Fix It? (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti describes Social Security's structural, demographic and financial problems, and explains that there are solutions and it's not rocket science, if only our elected officials would pay attention. We focus particularly on Personal Retirement Accounts. Resident Scholar…
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IPI Policy Basics: What Is Compelled Speech and Why Is It Important? (Audio: Podcast)
Most people understand that the First Amendment protects Americans from government censorship of their speech, but more poorly understood is that it also protects Americans from government compelled speech. Government cannot compel private actors to "support" speech they do not agree with, and…
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IPI Policy Basics: The Goal Should be Energy Abundance (Audio: Podcast)
There is no need for fossil fuel advocates to bash renewable energy, and vice versa. Instead, we should all be pursuing energy abundance as a strategy, and encouraging an "all of the above" approach. Innovation in energy should be favored by all, whether it's innovation in cleaner burning fossil...
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IPI Policy Basics: Where Do Our Rights Come From? (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains that our rights come neither from government, from the Bill of Rights, or from the Constitution, and thus are not limited to those enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Further, if your rights come from government or a document, government can take your rights…
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IPI Policy Basics: The Proper Use of Eminent Domain (Audio: Podcast)
Eminent domain, or the taking of property for a public use, is a perfectly constitutional, if sometimes controversial, function of government and government-approved private actors. So long as the constitutional requirements are met--that it be for a public use and the owner receive just...
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IPI Policy Basics: What Is Dynamic Scoring? (Audio: Podcast)
Trying to not get TOO deep into the weeds, IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews explain why treating the economy as dynamic rather than static, and treating consumers and businesses as rational rather than stupid, is the right way to try to estimate the results…
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IPI Policy Basics: What is a Price? (Audio: Podcast)
There's a lot more going on behind the price of a pint of strawberries than just an arbitrary number. Prices convey information--an enormous amount of information. And if we understand the importance of price in signaling, rationing, and incentivizing production, then it's obvious why government...
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IPI Policy Basics: Put Not Your Trust in Polling (Audio: Podcast)
In a recent polling industry autopsy of the 2020 election, pollsters themselves acknowledge that they don't know why their numbers were skewed by about 4% in favor of Joe Biden and Democrats. "It's time to stop paying attention to pollsters," says IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews. And…
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IPI Policy Basics: Why is Zero Sum Economic Thinking Wrong? (Audio: Podcast)
What is zero-sum thinking, and is it appropriate for economic policy? Is the pie static, or can we have more pie? And was Donald Trump the ultimate zero-sum politician? By IPI President Tom Giovanetti with Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
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IPI Policy Basics: Local Control Is NOT a Governing Principle (Audio: Podcast)
Long-awaited opportunity for IPI President Tom Giovanetti to talk about one of his favorite policy issues. Almost everyone, conservatives and liberals alike, thinks local control is a governing principle, and that state legislatures have no business intruding on local issues. But as Tom explains...
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IPI Policy Basics: The Failure of the Market Failure Excuse (Audio: Podcast)
What is "market failure?" Do markets fail, or is that just an excuse used by government bureaucrats to regulate industries, start antitrust investigations, and create new programs and entitlements? Are there ways to address gaps in markets without blowing the whole thing up? Resident Scholar Dr....
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IPI Policy Basics: Facts about the Presidential Election (Audio: Podcast)
With rumors swirling that some expect Donald Trump to be "reinstated" as president at some point, IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews and IPI President Tom Giovanetti discuss the facts about the presidential election and process, and attempt to provide some perspective going forward.
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IPI Policy Basics: The CIA's History, Mission and Challenges in a Changing World (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Resident Scholar Merrill Matthews talks with former longtime CIA official Kevin Hulbert who was involved in counterintelligence, counterterrorism, cybersecurity and covert actions. Their discussion centers on the founding, history, mission and current challenges facing America's premier spy…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
An audio library of basic policy topics and concepts, for those who need to get up to speed on a particular policy topic, or those who want to learn how to think about policy from a free-market, limited government viewpoint. A project of the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI).
HOSTED BY
The Institute for Policy Innovation
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How many episodes does IPI Policy Basics Podcast have?
IPI Policy Basics Podcast currently has 71 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is IPI Policy Basics Podcast about?
An audio library of basic policy topics and concepts, for those who need to get up to speed on a particular policy topic, or those who want to learn how to think about policy from a free-market, limited government viewpoint. A project of the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI).
How often does IPI Policy Basics Podcast release new episodes?
IPI Policy Basics Podcast has 71 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Who hosts IPI Policy Basics Podcast?
IPI Policy Basics Podcast is created and hosted by The Institute for Policy Innovation.
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