In The Weed(s)

That’ll Cost You

Vacations? In this economy? Rising inflation, spikes in fuel prices, airline closures (RIP Spirit Airlines), and a whole host of other factors have people feeling the budget crunch as schools let out and summer looms. But we all need a break sometimes, so we just put the plane tickets—or admission fees or tanks of gas or nice lunches—on the credit card. Convenient, sure, but at what cost? Join comedian Lou Perez and economist Phil Magness as they chat about debt, summertime, and you on this week’s episode of Happy Hour Econ. Welcome to Happy Hour Econ from Free To Choose Network, where comedian Lou Perez and economist Phil Magness serve up weekly shots of economic reality with a chaser of sanity. No PowerPoints, no pretense—just two guys who've figured out that the best way to understand why everything costs more is to stop taking it so seriously. Pour yourself a drink, pull up a stool, and join Happy Hour Econ—because understanding the economy shouldn’t require a Ph.D. or a hangover.

Tax the Rich!

We already tax the rich. Like, a lot. The top 1% pays over 40% of their income in federal taxes while shouldering more than 80% of the federal government's revenue. So why does everyone keep yelling "tax the rich" and "pay your fair share" as though it's not already happening? Lou and Phil follow the money and the rhetoric to uncover who's really behind the push for wealth taxes, what they're actually after, and why the same policies that failed spectacularly in Europe are now being repackaged for American cities and states. Spoiler: billionaires have moving trucks, and they're not afraid to use them. Welcome to Happy Hour Econ from Free To Choose Network, where comedian Lou Perez and economist Phil Magness serve up weekly shots of economic reality with a chaser of sanity. No PowerPoints, no pretense—just two guys who've figured out that the best way to understand why everything costs more is to stop taking it so seriously. Pour yourself a drink, pull up a stool, and join Happy Hour Econ—because understanding the economy shouldn’t require a Ph.D. or a hangover.

California, You Used To Be Cool

Used to be, California was a land of freedom and opportunity. A place where you could go to escape the oppressive regulatory regimes of the East. Today, it’s a different story. “Petty” crimes get ignored while burdensome regulations are strictly enforced. The money from high taxes gets spent on projects that never materialize. Join Lou and Phil as they chat about the absolute state of California on this week’s episode of Happy Hour Econ. Welcome to Happy Hour Econ from Free To Choose Network, where comedian Lou Perez and economist Phil Magness serve up weekly shots of economic reality with a chaser of sanity. No PowerPoints, no pretense—just two guys who've figured out that the best way to understand why everything costs more is to stop taking it so seriously. Pour yourself a drink, pull up a stool, and join Happy Hour Econ—because understanding the economy shouldn’t require a Ph.D. or a hangover.

Housing Histrionics

“The rent is too darn high.” We hear a lot about a “housing affordability crisis” in the U.S. And to be fair, in some places around the country, particularly certain urban areas, the cost to rent or buy a place to live is very steep. But not everywhere. So what’s really going on here? Is it a supply-and-demand issue? Landlords and sellers just being greedy? NIMBYs run amok? Well, it’s complicated. But Lou and Phil are on the case. Welcome to Happy Hour Econ from Free To Choose Network, where comedian Lou Perez and economist Phil Magness serve up weekly shots of economic reality with a chaser of sanity. No PowerPoints, no pretense—just two guys who've figured out that the best way to understand why everything costs more is to stop taking it so seriously. Pour yourself a drink, pull up a stool, and join Happy Hour Econ—because understanding the economy shouldn’t require a Ph.D. or a hangover.

Food Desert Desertion?

Look, we all need to eat. Where there are people, there is a built-in demand for sustenance. Therefore, the existence of “food deserts” is obviously the result of late-stage capitalism deliberately keeping nutrition away from certain groups of people. Right? Well, no. In this week’s Happy Hour Econ, Lou and Phil are cooking up a spicy look at what’s behind how we feed ourselves. Welcome to Happy Hour Econ from Free To Choose Network, where comedian Lou Perez and economist Phil Magness serve up weekly shots of economic reality with a chaser of sanity. No PowerPoints, no pretense—just two guys who've figured out that the best way to understand why everything costs more is to stop taking it so seriously. Pour yourself a drink, pull up a stool, and join Happy Hour Econ—because understanding the economy shouldn’t require a Ph.D. or a hangover.