Qualified Opinions

Qualified Opinions is an intellectual salon that illuminates the challenges facing free markets, liberalism, and the political climate of today. Join host Veronique de Rugy, a senior fellow at the Mercatus Center, and her guests for enlightening discourse. Qualified Opinions is a production of the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER).

Total Boomer Luxury Communism 12/23/2025

Total Boomer Luxury Communism This episode of Qualified Opinions features a provocative discussion with Russ Greene on the topic of "Total Boomer Luxury Communism." It's a system where wealth is systematically transferred from younger, less affluent generations to the most prosperous cohort in US history through entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Vera and Russ dive into the structural unfairness of age-based benefits, explaining how the pay-as-you-go system, coupled with misleading "property rights" language, burdens current workers with debt, inflation, and a compounding housing crisis—all to sustain benefits for seniors, regardless of their net worth. Discover the hidden mechanics behind this intergenerational transfer and why many Americans are shocked by the reality of these programs. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/39521885

What's So Great About Fed Independence? 12/08/2025

What's So Great About Fed Independence? Dive into a provocative discussion with host Veronique De Rugy, John Cochrane, author of The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level, and Tom Hoenig, a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Veronique and guests challenge the notion of Federal Reserve independence, arguing that independence is not an absolute virtue, but a limited grant tied to obeying strict rules—namely, sticking to inflation and employment. They explore the history of independence, arguing its true purpose is a pre-commitment against the temptation to print money to monetize government deficits. You'll hear why restoring the Fed's limited mandate may be more crucial than its independence alone. Hoenig and Cochrane provide a crucial historical perspective, detailing how the Fed has "failed in many ways and exceeded its authority." Hoenig argues the Fed violated its primary mandate by effectively monetizing massive government debt through quantitative easing and keeping interest rates at zero, enabling increased fiscal spending and resulting in widespread inflation (including asset inflation). The episode draws parallels to the 1951 Fed-Treasury Accord as a past example of reestablishing boundaries. Learn how the current refusal of the Fed leadership to address fiscal policy and the deficit echoes a dangerous pattern, and why the solution must come from Congress being crystal clear about the Fed's limited role. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/39338150

IEPA, Tariffs, and the Future of Executive Power with Donald J. Boudreaux & Scott Lincicome 11/14/2025

IEPA, Tariffs, and the Future of Executive Power with Donald J. Boudreaux & Scott Lincicome As the Supreme Court reviews one of the most consequential economic and constitutional cases in decades, questions loom over how the president can wield emergency powers to reshape trade policy. At the center of this debate is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPA) and its use by President Trump to impose tariffs. Today, Veronique sits down with Donald J. Boudreaux, Senior Fellow at the Mercatus Center and economics professor at George Mason University, and Scott Lincicome, Vice President of General Economics at the Cato Institute and adjunct professor at Duke Law School. Together, they explore what is truly at stake: not only the future of U.S. trade policy, but the balance of power between Congress and the executive branch. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/39036805

Supply and Demand Still Answers Many Policy Questions 09/26/2025

Supply and Demand Still Answers Many Policy Questions Today, Brian Albrecht joins Qualified Opinions to discuss his recent writings on tariffs, why economists find them uniquely frustrating, and how simple supply and demand principle still does a remarkable job at predicting the effects of policies. Brian Albrecht is the Chief Economist at the International Center for Law & Economics. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/38368260

The Fight Against Graduate Unions with Jon Hartley 09/04/2025

The Fight Against Graduate Unions with Jon Hartley Graduate student unions are on the rise, and they’re not like the workers' unions of the 1950s and 1960s—they are something all their own. At the heart of these unions sit many of the issues sending our universities into decay: social justice activism, radical politics, and woke culture. Jon Hartley joins to discuss the battle against these institutions. Jon Hartley is an economist specializing in finance, labor economics, and macroeconomics. He is currently a Policy Fellow at the , an economics PhD Candidate at , a Research Fellow at the , and an Affiliated Scholar at the . Jon is also the host of the , an official podcast of the /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/38088855

The Triumph of Economic Freedom 05/16/2025

The Triumph of Economic Freedom Free market ideas are waning on both sides of the aisle in modern American politics, but the justifications for this sit on shaky ground. In The Triumph of Economic Freedom, Donald Boudreaux and Phil Gramm debunk seven economic myths about American Capitalism. Donald Boudreaux joins the show today to discuss. Donald Boudreaux is a Senior Fellow at the Mercatus Center, Professor of Economics at George Mason University, and one of the most compelling public defenders of free market principles. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/36592830

The Federal Budget: More Than Just Dollars and Cents 05/02/2025

The Federal Budget: More Than Just Dollars and Cents How much do people understand about the budget? How about the tax system, or Social Security? With new budget proposals being unveiled and John Thune eager to get a budget passed before July 4th, Vero sits down with Danny Heil and Tom Church from the Hoover Institution to break through the noise about this complicated process. Danny Heil is a policy fellow at the Hoover Institution whose focus is on the federal budget, tax policy, and the federal antipoverty programs. Tom Church is a policy fellow at the Hoover Institution. He studies health care policy, entitlement reform, income inequality, poverty, and the federal budget. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/36410710

Getting Washington Out of Education 04/25/2025

Getting Washington Out of Education If you’ve ever wondered why the federal government is in the business of running your local school district from 3,000 miles away, you’re not alone. In fact, the idea that education policy should be dictated by Washington, DC, rather than parents, teachers, and communities was never a given in American life and most of our nation’s history. It wasn’t fully a reality until 1980, when the Department of Education was established. However, a new Trump administration proposal to eliminate the Department of Education could change this. Lindsey Burke joined the show to discuss the prospect of the federal government taking a backseat in American education and how they took the driver’s seat to begin with. As Director of the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, Dr. Lindsey Burke oversees Heritage’s research and policy on issues pertaining to preschool, K-12, and higher education reform. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/36300385

Busting the Myths Around Gig Workers 04/18/2025

Busting the Myths Around Gig Workers When we think of the gig economy, we think of its compartments. We might imagine an Uber driver shuttling people around town, or the DoorDash delivery person who brings us our Chinese food. But is it more complicated than this? Who are the people behind these careers? Are policymakers missing the mark when building legislation around independent workers? Liya Palagashvili joins Veronique to discuss. Liya Palagashvili is a senior research fellow and director of the Labor Policy Project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/36212830

The Other Side of DOGE 03/24/2025

The Other Side of DOGE From grant cutting to staff firing, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has made a lot of noise in recent weeks. But there is another side of DOGE, one committed to deregulation. Joining the podcast today to discuss is James Broughel. Dr. James Broughel is a Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Dr. Broughel is an accomplished economist whose expertise lies in regulatory institutions and the impact of regulations on economic growth. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/35841240

The Future of Free Markets in America 02/26/2025

The Future of Free Markets in America Across the political spectrum, free enterprise is under seige. From the left, we see calls for wealth redistribution, aggressive regulation, and ever-expanding entitlement programs. From the right, we are witnessing growing trade protectionism and government intervention in the economy. Today, we are diving into the most pressing economic issue of our time: the future of free markets in America. Joining Qualified Opinions today is Dr. Samuel Gregg and Richard Reinsch to discuss. Samuel Gregg is the Friedrich Hayek Chair in Economics and Economic History at the American Institute for Economic Research. He has a D.Phil. in moral philosophy and political economy from Oxford University, and an M.A. in political philosophy from the University of Melbourne. Richard M. Reinsch II is editor-in-chief of the Civitas Institute’s Civitas Outlook. He was the founding editor of the online magazine Law & Liberty. Before joining Civitas, he was the editor in chief and director of publications of the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). ‍ /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/35434565

The True Cost of Tariffs 02/19/2025

The True Cost of Tariffs Earlier this month, Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada, along with their retaliatory tariffs, were paused for one month after a deal was made. But with that month coming to an end soon, tariffs will be back on the table. Today, Veronique de Rugy sits down with Erica York to discuss the economics of these tariffs. Erica York is Vice President of Federal Tax Policy with Tax Foundation’s Center for Federal Tax Policy. She previously worked as an auditor at a large community bank in Kansas and interned at Tax Foundation’s Center for State Tax Policy. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/35350450

The Uncertain Future of the American Tax Code 02/05/2025

The Uncertain Future of the American Tax Code With some provisions of the 2017 tax cuts set to expire in 2025, legislators are scrambling to make sure their preferred cuts are getting an extension. Add to that Donald Trump’s demand for no taxes on tips and you are left with a very uncertain future for taxation policy. What should we expect? Adam Michel joins to discuss. Adam N. Michel is director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute, where he focuses on analyzing the economic and budgetary effects of taxation in the United States. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/35164185

Donald Trump’s Second Act: What to Expect 01/27/2025

Donald Trump’s Second Act: What to Expect For the first time since Grover Cleveland, Donald Trump has been sworn in for his second non-consecutive term—and in many ways, he is off to a much different start than his first administration. What do these initial days tell us about what to expect over the next four years? Joining the show today is Dominic Pino to discuss. Dominic is a Thomas J. Rhodes Journalism Fellow at the National Review Institute and host of AIER’s Econception podcast. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/34993970

Charting a New Path for Healthcare 01/15/2025

Charting a New Path for Healthcare Healthcare spending is the single largest item in the federal budget and the fastest-growing one, too. It is the main driver of our future debt. Reform isn't just necessary but urgent. Vero is joined today by two of the sharpest minds in healthcare policy to discuss solutions. Michael F. Cannon is the Cato Institute’s director of health policy studies. Washingtonian magazine named Cannon one of Washington, DC’s Most Influential People in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Cannon was previously a domestic policy analyst for the US Senate Republican Policy Committee, where he advised the Senate leadership on health, education, labor, welfare, and the Second Amendment. Brian Blase, Ph.D., is the President of Paragon Health Institute. Brian was Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy at the White House’s from 2017-2019, where he coordinated the development and execution of numerous health policies and advised the President, NEC director, and senior officials. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/34863390

Getting the Government Out of Healthcare 01/03/2025

Getting the Government Out of Healthcare It can be intimidating to wrap your head around the relationship between healthcare, government, and the economy. From finances to regulation, the web is complex and wide-spanning. Joining Qualified Opinions today to make better sense of this is Michael F. Cannon. Cannon is the Cato Institute’s director of health policy studies. Washingtonian magazine named Cannon one of Washington, DC’s Most Influential People in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/34711290

2025 Is the Year to Cut Spending 12/20/2024

2025 Is the Year to Cut Spending The Department of Government Efficiency is being tasked with reining in the frivolous government spending we have all grown to know as “the norm.” But where should those cuts be made? Alex Nowrasteh and Chris Edwards joined the show to discuss a new report from the Cato Institute that outlines where the waste is and how to cut it. Alex Nowrasteh is the vice president for economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute. Chris Edwards occupies the Kilts Family Chair in Fiscal Studies at the Cato Institute and is the editor of . /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/34551130

Facing the Realities of Our Financial Future 12/12/2024

Facing the Realities of Our Financial Future At the end of 2024, the United States’ national debt has ballooned to $36 trillion, and the budget deficit hovers over $2 trillion. With spending only having the prospect of going up, the U.S. financial situation to be even more dire in 10 years, likely climbing another $22 trillion. Is there any way out of this crisis? Economic economist Joshua Rauh and policy researcher Jack Salmon joined Vero today to discuss. Joshua Rauh is the Ormond Family Professor of Finance at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. He leads the Hoover Institution State and Local Government Initiative. Jack Salmon is the director of Policy Research at Philanthropy Roundtable. In Jack’s current role, he supports the Policy and Government Affairs team with research, commentary and analysis on issues facing the charitable sector and philanthropic freedom. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/34415515

Elon Musk’s Ambitious Plan to Cut $2 Trillion in Waste 11/22/2024

Elon Musk’s Ambitious Plan to Cut $2 Trillion in Waste Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are coming to Washington, DC, intending to cut $2 trillion in wasteful federal spending. Together, they will form the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. This ambitious project opens up many questions, and Tom Church and Danny Heil are joining Vero today to discuss. Tom Church is a policy fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he studies health care policy, entitlement reform, income inequality, poverty, and the federal budget. Daniel Heil is a policy fellow at the Hoover Institution whose focus is on the federal budget, tax policy, and federal antipoverty programs. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/34107451

The Evolving Landscape of Conservative Thought with Samuel Gregg 11/15/2024

The Evolving Landscape of Conservative Thought with Samuel Gregg AIER Director of Research Samuel Gregg joins Qualified Opinions to discuss the fracturing of the conservative and libertarian movements, where free markets and ordered liberty go from here, and his new book, The Next American Economy. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33942287

A New Trump Administration: What to Expect 11/08/2024

A New Trump Administration: What to Expect Donald Trump’s win marks the first time a Republican has won the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004. What does this decisive election mean? How closely related are the political and policy realities? What can we expect under a Trump administration, and will Democrats make significant shifts in their own policy initiatives? Join Veronique de Rugy, Dominic Pino, and Akash Chougule break down the election and what we can expect under the new Trump administration. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33849172

Economic Freedom as a Cornerstone to Liberty 10/28/2024

Economic Freedom as a Cornerstone to Liberty Of the cherished liberties of a free society, economic liberty holds a special place. Personal choice, voluntary exchange, and the protection of private property sustain our political and civil liberties. Matt Mitchell joins the show today to discuss economic freedom and a new index from the Fraser Institute that maps economic freedom around the world. Matthew D. Mitchell is a Senior Fellow in the Centre for Economic Freedom at the Fraser Institute. Prior to joining the Fraser Institute, Mitchell was a long-serving senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, where he remains an affiliated senior scholar. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33642402

Breaking Down Project 2025 with Stephanie Slade 10/18/2024

Breaking Down Project 2025 with Stephanie Slade Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely already heard of Project 2025—but what is actually in it, should you care about it, and how much of it would a potential Republican government actually be capable of executing? Stephanie Slade recently wrote an article for Reason breaking it down, and today, she joins Veronique to discuss it. Stephanie Slade is a senior editor at Reason, the magazine of "free minds and free markets," and a fellow in liberal studies at the Acton Institute. Her writing has appeared in America magazine, The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, the Online Library of Liberty, and elsewhere. She covers the intersection of religion and politics. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33513492

The State and Future of Labor Unions 10/10/2024

The State and Future of Labor Unions Though there have been several union wins in recent years, union membership is at historic lows. Where do unions fit in the future of America? Will they continue to decline, or will they see a comeback? How will automation play a role? Vinnie Vernuccio joins Qualified Opinions to discuss. Vincent Vernuccio, president and co-founder of the Institute for the American Worker, brings over 15 years of expertise in labor law and policy. Vernuccio holds advisory positions with several organizations, including senior fellow with the Mackinac Center. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33408272

Grover Cleveland’s Populist Classical Liberalism 10/02/2024

Grover Cleveland’s Populist Classical Liberalism Many Americans have forgotten about Grover Cleveland—but William Ruger believes Cleveland’s legacy of bridging the gap between populism and classical liberalism is increasingly relevant to today’s polarized political climate. William Ruger serves as the President of the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33298552

The Presidential Debate: Policy Takeaways 09/13/2024

The Presidential Debate: Policy Takeaways Donald Trump and Kamala Harris faced off this week in the second Presidential Debate—and it was as lively as you’d expect. But when we cut through the noise, what do we see in terms of policy and programs? What policy direction would each candidate take the country? National Review Institute fellow Dominic Pino and Americans for Prosperity Vice President Akash Chougule join Veronique to break it down on this special episode of Qualified Opinions. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/33040852

Economics and Spending, National and Local 09/05/2024

Economics and Spending, National and Local Joining the show today is Vance Ginn. Vance is the founder and president of Ginn Economic Consulting, where he leverages data-driven insights to shape economic policy discussions across the nation. Over the course of the show, Veronique and Vance discuss state and local government spending, federal spending, and the connection between the two. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/32910322

Women and the Economy 08/28/2024

Women and the Economy The right and the left seem to have a lot of opinions about women and fertility, most of them not super productive. What would be a productive way to approach these conversations? Veronique is joined by Clara Piano, Susannah Barnes, and Anna Claire Flowers to discuss. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/32774997

Rudderless Policy Direction of Harris Walz 08/23/2024

Rudderless Policy Direction of Harris Walz For all the buzz about the Harris Walz 2024 campaign, the policy substance of the campaign has been light to non-existent thus far. What would policy look like under a Kamala Harris presidential administration? In this special episode of Qualified Opinions, Veronique sits down with Dominic Pino and Akash Chougule to break down the potential policy direction of Harris and what we saw at the DNC this week. Dominic Pino is Thomas L. Rhodes Journalism Fellow at the National Review Institute and the host of AIER’s Econception Podcast. Akash is the Deputy Director of Policy at Americans for Prosperity. /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/32712047

Exploring the Crossroads of Politics and Business 08/21/2024

Exploring the Crossroads of Politics and Business As we navigate an era where corporate influence and political power are more intertwined, scrutinized, and tense than ever, Veronique de Rugy dives into the fascinating intersection of politics and business with her guest, Tevi Troy. Tevi Troy is a Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, and a best-selling author. See his latest book, released August 20th, /episode/index/show/611533c7-08d5-4e7c-a669-30e0cc786e18/id/32674072

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