Economics Explored Gene Tunny

Consumers have noticed bags of chips, chocolates, and many other products have shrunk, but prices have not come down. This episode of Economics Explored features a detailed discussion on shrinkflation with Gene Tunny and Arturo Espinoza Bocangel. They analyze various examples of shrinkflation and its impact on the cost of living. The episode also considers the potential for regulatory and other measures to address this practice. For instance, a US Senator wants to outlaw shrinkflation, and a French supermarket chain puts a sticker on shelves identifying shrunken products. Gene and Arturo also consider the high degree of market concentration in the grocery sector and what the FTC in the US and the ACCC in Australia can do about it.

Stephen Brittain, co-founder of Insurtech Gateway, explains how insurance technology, ‘insurtech,’ provides solutions to real-world problems. From aiding farmers in India to deal with the ‘hot cow’ problem to rethinking commercial flood insurance in the US, startups incubated by Insurtech Gateway are crucial players in helping people and businesses better handle risks.

This episode delves into Adam Smith’s four maxims of taxation and examines their relevance in today's economic environment. Host Gene Tunny explores the balance between efficiency and equity, discussing historical perspectives and contemporary debates, such as the proposed billionaire tax.

This episode explores the profound influence of Reaganomics and its enduring legacy in American economic policy with tax expert and former US Treasury attorney Ed Oswald. He is the author of a new book, “From Ronald to Donald: How the Myth of Reagan Became the Cult of Trump”. Oswald discusses the transition from Reagan’s tax reforms to Trump's tax policies, highlighting the continuity in supply-side economics and its implications for fiscal policy and the national debt.

According to the Wall Street Journal, this episode’s guest, Andy Lee, is “The Tax Whiz With the Strangest Hustle on Wall Street”. He’s the founder and CIO of Parallaxes Capital, and he joins us to talk about tax receivable agreements (TRAs). Andy explained what TRAs are, how they come about for companies going public such as Shake Shack in 2015, and why he’s investing in them.

This episode of Economics Explored features a deep dive into the ongoing housing crisis in Australia with John August, a Pirate Party of Australia official and Sydney radio host. Gene and John discuss the significant influence of immigration rates and building restrictions on housing availability and prices. They also consider potential policy solutions to ensure more equitable housing access, including developing a charter city named Turing.