Political Economy with Jim Pethokoukis

Political Economy with Jim Pethokoukis


Latest Episodes

Karlyn Bowman: American Nostalgia
March 19, 2024

Generation after generation seem to pine for “the good old days,” an elusive time when many of us think morals, institutions, and the quality of life, in general, were higher. Americans are no exception to this rule, but there’s something unique about Ame

Joseph Antos: The State of Medicare
February 27, 2024

Medicare is a trillion-dollar federal health insurance program designed to meet the medical needs of senior citizens and Americans with disabilities. Yet, despite its staggering amount of funding, Medicare is far from a perfect system. Here on Political E

Jennifer Burns: Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative
December 12, 2023

Milton Friedman was one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, right alongside John Maynard Keynes. His work pushed economic thought toward free markets in the 1970s and 1980s. His passionate defense of capitalism and economic freedom had

Melissa Kearney: The Importance of the Two-Parent Home
November 02, 2023

Over the past 40 years, children born to parents without college degrees have become less and less likely to grow up with the advantages of a two-parent home. This trend is perpetuating inequality between college-educated and non-college-educated families

Chelsea Follett: Cities as Centers of Progress
September 21, 2023

From the dawn of agriculture in Jericho to the artistic achievements of the Italian Renaissance in Florence, what lessons can we learn from great cities throughout history? What factors give rise to periods of innovation and creativity? In this episode of

Timothy Muris: The 'Big Is Bad' Approach to Antitrust
August 15, 2023

In the early 20th century, the idea that "big is bad" drove a muscular federal antitrust policy that viewed large corporations with suspicion. Then, in the 1980s, the Federal Trade Commission began to incorporate the lessons of economics, considering the

Jeremy Horpedahl: Are American Families Thriving?
July 21, 2023

Does the typical American family today enjoy better living standards compared to 1985? We may have bigger TVs in our living rooms and smartphones in our pockets, but a recent report from Washington, DC, think tank the American Compass suggests the cost of

Rick Hess: Rethinking America's Schools
July 05, 2023

Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the nations report card, reveal the dire state of American education. The pandemic hit students hard, but it also presents educators and policymakers with an opportunity

Leah Boustan: Busting Immigration Myths
June 27, 2023

In this episode of Political Economy, I sit down with economist Leah Boustan to explore the truth behind the prevailing narratives that surround America's immigration policy debates. Are immigrants truly responsible for job loss among native-born American

Andrew Biggs: The Necessity and Political Challenges of Social Security Reform
June 15, 2023

Republicans in the House recently struck a deal with the Biden administration to raise the debt ceiling. But Washington debates over discretionary spending shouldn't overshadow the hard conversations we need to have about America's entitlement spendi