Let People Prosper

By Vance Ginn, Ph.D.News News Commentary

Let People Prosper episodes

November 05 How Capitalism Saved Us from the Grim Old Days with Chelsea Follett| LPP 223
Were the good old days actually better—or are we forgetting what life was like?
In episode 223 of the Let People Prosper Show, economist Vance Ginn welcomes Chelsea Follett, a Cato Institute research fellow working with HumanProgress.org and author of The Grim Old Days.
They examine preindustrial living conditions, child survival, industrialization, economic freedom, and how openness and innovation improve everyday life. The conversation also considers AI’s potential to extend that progress.
The message is hopeful: understanding the past can help us preserve the freedom to build a better future.
Follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who enjoys history and economics.
Full episode show notes + newsletter subscription:
https://vanceginn.substack.com/p/ab1570b1-694a-4085-aa2f-04327891d338
Chelsea’s book:
https://www.cato.org/books/grim-old-days
Research and policy guides:
https://vanceginn.com
42 min
November 02 Are PBMs Really the Problem with American Healthcare? | TWE 188
Will cracking down on healthcare middlemen make your prescriptions more affordable?
In This Week’s Economy 188, economist Vance Ginn examines pharmacy benefit managers, the services they perform, and the incentives shaping America’s healthcare system.
The episode asks what happens to drug-price negotiations and benefit administration when policymakers restrict intermediaries, why a reform that helps one business may still raise costs for patients, and how competition and greater patient control could improve the system.
PBMs deserve scrutiny. Every proposed replacement does, too.
Before another mandate, ask: Who benefits? Who pays? Who gets to choose?
Follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone navigating healthcare costs.
Full episode show notes + newsletter subscription:
https://vanceginn.substack.com/p/b088f5ee-12b3-41c3-b728-39a49f510819
Research and policy guides:
https://vanceginn.com
10 min
October 29 Why Is It So Expensive to Buy and Sell a Home? with Jack Ryan | LPP 222
Buying or selling a home can cost thousands before the moving truck arrives. What would greater competition mean for families?
In episode 222 of the Let People Prosper Show, economist Vance Ginn welcomes Jack Ryan, former Goldman Sachs partner, REX co-founder, and co-author of Bringing Adam Smith into the American Home with John Tamny.
We explore brokerage commissions, Jack’s experience challenging the traditional model, transparent pricing, housing affordability, and the potential for technology to reduce transaction costs. We also consider how moving costs affect opportunity and why homeownership should be a choice.
Jack presents his criticisms of industry practices; REX did not prevail on its antitrust claims against Zillow and NAR.
Follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share this conversation with someone considering a move.
Show notes and newsletter subscription:
https://vanceginn.substack.com/p/654eefd1-8e28-4cd3-9728-834cabe3f584
Research and policy guides:
https://vanceginn.com
God bless you, and let people prosper!
39 min
October 26 Voters Are Demanding a More Affordable Future | TWE 187
Why fiscal restraint, free markets, and innovation matter for America’s prosperity.

Grocery bills, property taxes, and shrinking purchasing power are putting pressure on families. Policymakers keep promising relief—but are their proposals addressing the underlying costs?

In episode 187 of This Week’s Economy, I explain how inflation, government ownership in private businesses, property taxes, Texas employment trends, and artificial intelligence connect to affordability.

The path forward requires fiscal restraint, sound money, stronger property rights, competition, and room to innovate.

Follow the podcast, share this episode, and subscribe to Let People Prosper for practical economic analysis.

Full show notes:
https://vanceginn.substack.com/p/d5903c04-5a3f-4c6b-9dee-7a4276a74788

More research and policy guides:
https://vanceginn.com
11 min
October 22 Can America Regulate Its Way to Tech Leadership? with Patrick Hedger| LPP 221
AI, data centers, online safety, and the freedom to build a more prosperous future.
Patrick Hedger, director of policy at NetChoice, joins the Let People Prosper Show to examine whether government responses to new technology are helping Americans—or making innovation more difficult and expensive.
We discuss electricity prices and data centers, the difference between business size and consumer harm, conflicting AI regulations, and how to protect children without sacrificing privacy and parental authority.
Patrick also explains how growing up in a small-business household shaped his commitment to free enterprise.
For policymakers and everyone concerned about affordability and opportunity, the central question is practical: How do we address real harms while preserving the freedom to experiment, compete, and build?
Read the full show notes and subsribe to my newsletter here:
https://vanceginn.substack.com
Patrick’s work:
https://netchoice.org/team/patrick-hedger/
More research and commentary from my work at Ginn Economic Consulting:
https://vanceginn.com
Follow the show and share this conversation.
Let people prosper!
35 min
October 19 How Candidates Should Address America’s Affordability Crisis | This Week's Economy Ep. 186
A real affordability agenda starts by addressing why things cost so much.
Families are trying to afford a home, pay medical bills, and keep the lights on. They deserve more than another campaign promise that the government will pick up part of the tab.
In episode 186 of This Week’s Economy, I explain how policymakers can address the underlying costs of housing, health care, and energy—and why subsidies, tariffs, and production restrictions can work against the relief candidates promise.
The test is simple: Does a proposal make it easier to produce and compete, or does it shift costs while leaving the underlying problem in place?
Listen for practical reforms that expand supply, empower patients, encourage energy investment, and give people more freedom to prosper.
Subscribe to the Let People Prosper newsletter:
https://vanceginn.substack.com
More research, commentary, and episodes:
https://vanceginn.com
Follow the show and share this episode with someone who wants better answers on affordability.
Let people prosper!
12 min
October 15 Why Is Socialism Winning Young Americans? with John Tillman| LPP 220
Why is socialism gaining appeal while free enterprise has produced extraordinary prosperity?
John Tillman, author of The Political Vise and founder of Hall of Giants, joins me to discuss why socialist ideas can be so compelling, where free-market advocates have fallen short, and why defending capitalism requires more than statistics.
We explore political power, victimhood, entrepreneurship, identity, storytelling, and how to make a more human case for economic freedom.
Get show notes and more at vanceginn.substack.com.
45 min
October 12 What Happens When Government Takes the Wheel? | TWE 185
Should politicians decide which American businesses succeed?
From Washington's ownership stake in Intel to tariffs, industrial subsidies, and proposed restrictions on diesel exports, the government is taking a larger role in directing economic decisions.
In This Week's Economy #185, economist Dr. Vance Ginn explains why these policies can raise costs, distort competition, and put taxpayers at risk. He explores the lessons of spontaneous order, the hidden costs of government intervention, and why markets work better when entrepreneurs and consumers make economic decisions.
The central question: Does America need more government direction or more economic freedom?
Explore Ginn Economic Consulting at https://vanceginn.com and subscribe to the Let People Prosper newsletter at https://vanceginn.substack.com.
11 min
October 08 Affording the American Dream with Akash Chougule| LPP 219
Why has the American Dream become so expensive?
Akash Chougule, President of FREOPP, joins me to discuss Affording the American Dream and what it will take to expand opportunity and upward mobility.
We explore housing, healthcare, energy, child care, federal debt, and a central question: Should government help people pay higher prices, or remove the barriers making things expensive in the first place?
The conversation is ultimately about creating the conditions for people to build better lives through greater supply, competition, innovation, choice, and economic freedom.
Learn more at VanceGinn.com and get show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
48 min
October 05 Government Controls or Market Solutions? | TWE 184
From inflation and immigration to prescription drugs, diesel, and data centers, policymakers are reaching for new ways to control economic outcomes.
In TWE 184, I ask a more fundamental question: What caused the problem in the first place? We examine federal deficits, H-1B visas, Texas data centers, drug pricing, and energy through the common lens of scarcity, incentives, supply, and competition.
The lesson: good intentions don't guarantee good economic outcomes. Lasting prosperity comes from addressing causes and allowing people to produce, compete, innovate, and solve problems.

Get show notes at vanceginn.substack.com.
13 min

About Let People Prosper

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What works best to let people prosper? Join leading free-market economist Vance Ginn, Ph.D., as he works to understand this question through weekly interviews with interesting people on Tuesdays and…