Loose, Vague, and Indeterminate George Mason Economics Society

Dr. Boettke finishes his conversation with us from last time.  We discuss the personal bonds between many GMU economics faculty.  We talk about Hayek and his influence on economists.  Are GMU economics professors ideologically biased?  Dr. Boettke gives his answer.  We also talk about college basketball.  More great conversation with Dr. Boettke -- we promise you'll learn something you didn't know before and laugh along the way.  Marcus Shera cohosts.

Dr. Peter Boettke joins the podcast to talk about the history of GMU economics. He discusses his days as an undergraduate student at Grove City College and as a graduate student here at GMU.  We learn who the major professors were back then and how the campus has grown to its present size.  We talk college basketball and the Nobel Prize.  We also learn who told Dr. Boettke to "wear a proper pair of trousers."  This episode is full of fun stories from Dr. Boettke's life in economics, and it's only Part 1.  Stay tuned for Part 2 next Friday.  Marcus Shera cohosts.

Dr. Bryan Cutsinger, who earned his PhD in economics in 2019 from GMU, joins the podcast.  He's a professor at Angelo State University in Texas, and also works with the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech.  We discuss monetary policy: what it is, how it works (and doesn't), and historical examples.  You wouldn't believe what Lyndon Johnson did to the Fed chairman when he was president.  We also discuss some of Dr. Cutsinger's past research on the gold standard and monetary policy in the Confederacy during the Civil War.  If you're interested in becoming a professor in economics, this podcast is also for you.  Dr. Cutsinger discusses his many, many applications and interviews and gives some advice on how to make the transition from student to teacher.

Our guest this week is Janelle Cammenga, a policy analyst with the Center on State Tax Policy at Tax Foundation.  We discuss some recent publications she has worked on and learn about different aspects of state tax policy.  We cover corporate income taxes, sales taxes, and sin taxes: how they work (or don't work).  We also discuss the best and worst states to research, and the way research is done at a policy organization.  Next, we learn about how Janelle got her job with a very unusual major/minor combination from college.  If you want some tips on fun stuff to do in D.C., she's got you covered there too.  This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in working in D.C.

Prof. Thomas Rustici joins the podcast for the first episode of second semester.  There's something for everyone in this episode with the hardest-working man in introductory economics.  We discuss the origin of some of his teaching phrases, like "stupid on stilts with flashing neon lights" and the famous "Rustici Rules."  You'll learn some things about Prof. Rustici that you didn't know before like his dream job when he was in high school and what kinds of music he loves, likes, and hates.  We also discuss the state of liberty and politics in America and hear about Prof. Rustici's experience as a presidential candidate adviser to Ben Carson.  Finally, we ponder some constitutional changes and public choice remedies for runaway government spending.  James Talocka cohosts.

Our guest is Molly Harnish, Econ Society webmaster emerita.  We discuss internships: what they are and how to get them.  We also discuss two research projects Molly is working on: one on private vs. public ownership in environmental economics and one on networks in Congress.  Listeners will learn lots of ways to get involved and make the most of their college careers -- and they will learn Molly's favorite and least favorite fonts.  James Talocka cohosts.  (This is the last episode of the semester; the first episode for second semester will come out on January 31.)