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InFi Episode #87
Oren Cass Challenges Free Traders on American Manufacturing
Oren Cass is one of the leading right-of-center scholars challenging free trade orthodoxy, specifically as it relates to US manufacturing. Bob asks clarifies questions to tease out Oren's views under various hypothetical scenarios.
May 09, 2025
InFi Episode #86
Could the Trump Administration Revalue the Treasury's Gold?
Murphy analyzes a popular video describing proposals to use the Treasury's gold stock to boost the government's finances.
May 02, 2025
InFi Episode #85
Ricardo's Assumptions Don't Hold, But Trade Still Makes US Richer
Sophisticated critics of free trade argue that David Ricardo's demonstration of "comparative advantage" had valid assumptions in the early 1800s, but those no longer hold in our age of labor and capital mobility. Murphy demonstrates that this critique doesn't hold up; the US still benefits from specialization and trade.
April 25, 2025
InFi Episode #84
Abe Lincoln and John Carney Are Wrong About Tariffs
Murphy samples from two recent debates on Trump's tariffs to explain why the protectionists are wrong in their view of international trade. Specifically, Murpy rebuts claims made by Abraham Lincoln (quoted by Spencer Morrison in a recent ZeroHedge debate) and Breitbart's John Carney (in a recent debate on the Tom Woods Show).
April 18, 2025
InFi Episode #83
Everybody's Wrong About Trump's Tariffs
Murphy first dissects the dubious constitutional and economic justifications for Trump's new tariff regime. Then he explains why the US decision to leave the gold standard has more to do with trade deficits than foreign barriers. Finally, he critiques the "Triffin paradox" defense of US trade deficits.
April 11, 2025
InFi Episode #82
Economic Problems Made in the USA: Analyzing Lighthizer Trade Talk With Tucker
Bob dissects a recent appearance of former Trump trade representative Robert Lighthizer on the Tucker Carlson show. While agreeing with the description of US economic problems, Bob disagrees with Lighthizer's blame on foreign governments, but instead says the problem is Made in the USA.
April 04, 2025
InFi Episode #81
Did the Department of Education Boost American Test Scores?
In light of President Trump's recent Executive Order abolishing (though it has no teeth) the Department of Education, Bob presents statistics for 3 separate federal initiatives—namely the Clean Air Act/EPA, the so-called War on Poverty, and the Department of Education—to show that they should not be given credit for improving US life in their respective areas.
March 28, 2025
InFi Episode #80
Did Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Try to Hire Hit Men?
Having just been interviewed for a documentary on the topic, Bob gives some of the details on the trial of Ross Ulbricht. Even if one endorses the Drug War, there were many absurdities in Ulbricht's trial that helps to justify President Trump's decision to pardon him as one of his first acts in office.
March 21, 2025
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The Hypocrisy of the Woke Elite
Gene Callahan joins Bob to discuss his review of Musa al-Gharbi's new book, "We Have Never Been Woke". Following Gharbi, Gene argues that the people in Ameri...
Debunking Destiny's Debating
Bob goes through a recent conversation between "Destiny" and Tom Wheelwright on tax policy, in order to debunk the view (among Destiny's fans) that the streamer is a...