It is commonly asserted that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and that 'there's no accounting for taste'. Views like this received their philosophical foundation from David Hume, who famously argued that it was impossible to validly derive an 'ought' claim from an 'is' claim. If Hume is right, then aesthetic and ethical judgments seem to be mere matters of taste, and disagreement beauty or morality means nothing more than "Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man."

Peter leads a discussion about the problems with the SALT federal income tax deduction, which he doesn’t like. Yes, you heard that right: Peter is going to make the case that the SALT deduction, which lowers some individuals’ federal tax burden, is immoral. Has Peter lost his mind? Is he in cahoots with the IRS?Tune in to find out!

Writing, as an activity, is an extremely productive human activity.  AI tools that enhance output, encourage effort, or eliminate the labor of the writing process are changing the educational landscape.  We should be clear about what we gain from writing before off-loading this activity to an external agency or tool.  So, what is writing all about, and why is developing the ability to write well such a core component of education?  Listen in to hear Russ, Peter and Justin discuss the perils and pitfalls of prose production.

Podcasts, as a medium, are relatively new but extremely popular. What accounts for their appearance and their popularity? Why doesn't Peter like them, and why does Justin think they're potentially dangerous? Along the way we'll discuss what podcasts we regularly listen to, and what we think makes a podcast compelling. Join the Gwartney Team for a podcast about podcasts. We're going meta... come along with us!

What’s in store for 2026?  Join the Gwartney Team to discuss their predictions for the coming year in culture, politics, and even sports.  Remember, the Gwartney Team has a predictive success rate of 100% going back 38 years, so you can put your full confidence in our prognostications.*  Join in to learn what’s happening… before it happens!*I have been informed that no, they don’t, and also no, you can’t.

The clash between federal immigration enforcement and progressive protesters has taken center stage of the national conversation following the death of Renee Good. What exactly is going on in Minnesota? How did we get here? Are there lessons to learn from this?

The podcast returns to the topic of Venezuela.  In early December we (boldly!) predicted regime change in Venezuela, and a month later Maduro is in U.S. custody.  An enormous amount of questions linger:  How did Venezuela wind up with a socialist strongman like Maduro?  Should the US remove global leaders who oppress their own citizens regardless of US interests?  Was it in the best interests of the US to remove Maduro?  Was unilateral, surgical extraction the best method of regime change?  And, very importantly:  What comes next?

The Trump Administration has implemented a plan to provide investment accounts to all US Citizens born between 2025 and 2028, pre-seeded with $1000, and whose funds cannot be withdrawn until the child turns 18. The goal of this plan is to set young adults on better financial footing while teaching lifelong financial responsibility. Will this succeed, or are we just giving future young adults a cash bonus they are almost sure to squander?

Peter leads a discussion going over an interesting nonfiction book by one of the podcast's favorite authors. The Abolition of Man argues against various forms of relativism and scientism, defending a version of natural law grounded in a moral realism that Lewis claims is the bedrock of all historically successful cultures. 

The discussion centered on Russ’s proposal for a private-sector response to government shutdowns affecting aviation, suggesting airlines create a fund to offer interest-free, short-term loans to cover workers’ paychecks, arguing that the estimated cost (e.g., $114 million for Delta) would be less than airlines’ shutdown-related losses and could save over $1 billion when traveler costs and non-monetary impacts are included. Justin questioned why such a solution had not already been adopted, pointing to information costs or vested interests, while he and Peter analyzed the economic, political, and legal implications of having airlines fund air traffic controllers during shutdowns. The group debated potential benefits and drawbacks, including reduced pressure on the executive branch that might make shutdowns more frequent, and considered whether private solutions could effectively fill gaps left by government absence. The conversation broadened to explore the case for privatizing air traffic control, examining historical reasons for government involvement versus modern technological capabilities, and concluded with plans to discuss additional topics, including a proposed financial initiative for children.