Mises Media

Mises Institute President, Tom DiLorenzo, explains how bureaucracy became a self-feeding monster, rewarding failure, wasting resources, and building the Deep State through civil service "reform."

Recorded in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 26, 2025.

Special thanks to Dru Heaton, Jeff Leskovar, and Scott and Cathy Ullery for sponsoring this event.

Why do economists across the spectrum—even Paul Krugman and Karl Marx—support free trade? Mark Thornton explores this surprising consensus. Do tariffs force people to think more like economists, considering long-term ramifications taught by Bastiat and Hazlitt.

Is it a true understanding of the Austrian perspective, or just a fleeting moment of clarity? Mark suggests economists often compartmentalize principles, opening the door to conflicting ideologies.

Tune in to discover why free trade might be the one issue that forces economists to think straight, and what Austrians can learn from the mainstream.

"Why Smart People Are Rightly Confused About Tariffs" (Unanimity, Episode 4): http://mises.org/U4

“The Twin Deficits” (Minor Issues, Episode 115): https://mises.org/MI_115

"Free Trade in the Twenty-First Century” (Minor Issues, Episode 113): https://mises.org/MI_113

"Tariff Increases vs. Tax Cuts" (Minor Issues, Episode 107): https://mises.org/MI_107

Join us May 15-17, 2025, at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, for our Revisionist History of War Conference. This is our first history conference in almost thirty years. For more details and to register, visit https://Mises.org/rhw.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues

Trump has tried to claim that he favors "Main Street over Wall Street." Unfortunately, by pushing aggressive low-interest-rate monetary policy, Trump has put himself squarely in the camp of “Wall Street over Main Street.”

Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Dr. Joe Salerno joins Bob to review the recent tensions between Donald Trump and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. As Trump questions Powell’s leadership and Fed policy, they explore the deeper issues: Should central banks really be "independent"? Does the Fed’s shield from political oversight protect sound economics—or merely insulate elites from accountability? Murphy and Salerno tackle myths about interest rates, inflation, debt monetization, and the Fed’s true relationship with government spending.

• Trump's Truth Social Post on Inflation: Mises.org/HAP497a
• Can Trump Fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell?: Mises.org/HAP497b

The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Murray Rothbard’s, What Has Government Done to Our Money? Get your free copy at Mises.org/HAPodFree

James Bovard joins host Ryan McMaken to talk about how the White House went from targeting illegal aliens to seizing legal residents guilty of the "crime" of criticizing the government of the State of Israel. Do non-citizens have due-process rights? The Founding Fathers thought so.

Register for our Revisionist History of War Conference now at https://mises.org/rhw

Be sure to follow Radio Rothbard at https://Mises.org/RadioRothbard

Radio Rothbard mugs are available at the Mises Store. Get yours at https://Mises.org/RothMug PROMO CODE: RothPod for 20% off

President Trump‘s threat to withhold $9 billion from Harvard University is being framed in the legacy media and academia as a threat to Harvard‘s academic freedom. But there is a pertinent question no pundits are even asking: Why are taxpayers being forced to give Harvard $9 billion?

The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Murray Rothbard’s, What Has Government Done to Our Money? Get your free copy at https://mises.org/gabfreebook

Be sure to follow the Guns and Butter podcast at Mises.org/GB

In this episode, Mark Thornton explores the looming threat of hyperinflation in the US. With the national debt soaring past $33 trillion and future obligations exceeding $100 trillion, can America avoid a financial crisis where prices skyrocket out of control?

Mark examines historical hyperinflations in leading economies like France and Germany, and how excessive government spending and debt played a role. Drawing on the insights of Ludwig von Mises, Mark dissects the three phases of inflation and what happens when the public loses faith in holding money.

Is hyperinflation merely an accounting problem, or does it portend economic ruin and societal breakdown? Tune in to find out, and to explore the potential consequences for our future.

“Hyperinflation, Money Demand, and the Crack-Up Boom” by Thorsten Polleit: mises.org/MI_116_A

"Hyperinflation and the Destruction of Human Personality” by Joseph T. Salerno: mises.org/MI_116_B

Further Readings on Hyperinflation (Oxford University Mises Society): mises.org/MI_116_C

Economic Policy: Thoughts for Today and Tomorrow by Ludwig von Mises: mises.org/MI_116_D

The Theory of Money and Credit by Ludwig von Mises: mises.org/MI_116_E

Join us May 15-17, 2025, at the Mises Institute for our Revisionist History of War Conference. This is our first history conference in almost 30 years. For more details and to register, visit https://Mises.org/rhw.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues

The Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) crowd prides itself on fidelity to actual history. But Murphy shows how leading MMT guru Randall Wray completely distorts his discussion of two historical episodes in his college lecture.

• Wray, "Modern Money Theory for Beginners": Mises.org/HAP496a
• The NBER Paper on Colonial Virginia's Money Regime: Mises.org/HAP496b
• NPR Planet Money, "A Giant Stone Coin At The Bottom Of The Sea": Mises.org/HAP496c
• Milton Friedman, "The Island Of Stone Money": Mises.org/HAP496d
• Bob's Article, "MMT and Treasury Debt Payoff": Mises.org/HAP496e

The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Murray Rothbard’s, What Has Government Done to Our Money? Get your free copy at Mises.org/HAPodFree

Join the Mises Institute on April 26 in Phoenix, Arizona, as we expose the danger and waste of bureaucracy: Mises.org/Phoenix25

Donald Trump says he plans for a big 12% jump in military spending, he has threatened war with Iran, and has escalated the war with the Houthis. None of this has anything to do with defending the United States. 

Register for Our Enemy The Bureaucracy now at https://Mises.org/Phoenix25.

Register for our Revisionist History of War Conference now at https://mises.org/rhw

Be sure to follow Radio Rothbard at https://Mises.org/RadioRothbard

Radio Rothbard mugs are available at the Mises Store. Get yours at https://Mises.org/RothMug PROMO CODE: RothPod for 20% off

President Trump has threatened to use the armed forces to go after the drug cartels in Mexico. Escalating the disastrous War on Drugs by incorporating the failed strategies of the War on Terror is a terrible idea.

Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/bringing-war-terror-our-southern-border-can-only-end-disaster

The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Murray Rothbard’s, What Has Government Done to Our Money? Get your free copy at https://mises.org/gabfreebook

Be sure to follow the Guns and Butter podcast at Mises.org/GB