The Debt Dialogues

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I debate Butler University professor of philosophy Harry van der Linden on the morality of the welfare state.

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I interview ARI distinguished fellow Peter Schwartz on the morality of altruism. Topics include the meaning of altruism, common misunderstandings about altruism, and how altruism leads people to support the welfare state.  

In this episode the Debt Dialogues, I talked to National Center for Policy Analysis president John C. Goodman about Medicare. Topics include the origins of Medicare, its costs, and proposed reforms.  

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk to Ayn Rand Institute executive director Yaron Brook about the moral alternative to the welfare state: laissez-faire capitalism. Topics include how the welfare state harms recipients, why capitalism leads to prosperity and human flourishing, and Ayn Rand's unique contribution to capitalist thought.

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with philosopher Harry Binswanger about inequality, the motive behind egalitarianism, and why opponents of the welfare state should reject the idea of “equality of opportunity.”  

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with Cato Senior Fellow Daniel J. Mitchell about how the welfare state undermines prosperity and economic growth.  

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk to Hope about her experiences as a single mother on welfare, why she left the welfare rolls, and the benefits of self-reliance.

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I discuss the history of America before and after the welfare state. Special thanks to my friend Adam Edmonsond for guest hosting.

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk to my colleague Onkar Ghate about the morality of the welfare state. Onkar is a senior fellow and chief content officer at the Ayn Rand Institute.  

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with John Cochrane, the AQR Capital Management Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, about how government intervention harms the health care industry and about how a free market would liberate it.  

In this episode of the Debt Dialogues, I talk with Charles Blahous, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and a public trustee for Social Security and Medicare, about the Social Security program — and how it will affect young Americans in the years ahead.  

When it comes to the welfare state, the most expensive programs are not those that redistribute wealth from the rich and middle class to the poor, but those that redistribute wealth from working Americans to the elderly. The average college graduate, for instance, starts out making about $45,000 — and has to hand over almost $7,000 a year to fund Social Security and Medicare Part A. That's more than enough to make the monthly payments on a new car.   But that's nothing compared to what's on the horizon. As old-age benefits increase, and as the Baby Boomers retire, the cost of old-age benefits will skyrocket — and with it, the government's debt. It's going to be a disaster for our country unless we do something to stop it.   In this new weekly podcast series, “The Debt Dialogues,” I'm going to be talking to a diverse range of guests about the welfare state crisis and what to do about it.   My first guest is Laurence J. Kotlikoff, a Boston University economist who specializes in generational economics. In this podcast, we discuss the welfare state crisis, its magnitude, and possible solutions.