The Economist Next Door

Paul Mueller
  • 4.9 (75)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY

The Economist Next Door with host Paul Muller is AIER's newest podcast. It's a plain-spoken guide that makes complex ideas accessible to the "everyman" and "everywoman." No PhD required. In place of partisan spin, we're offering honest analysis and an optimistic spirit and translating academic concepts into clear conversations. Paul Mueller is a Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. He received his PhD in economics from George Mason University. Previously, Dr. Mueller taught at The King's College in New York City. He has published widely in both academic and popular publications.

  1. 5D AGO

    Economic Freedom vs. the Warmth of Collectivism

    In this episode of The Economist Next Door, host Paul Mueller is joined by AIER economists Dave Hebert and Julia Cartwright to introduce the Defending Freedom, Combating Collectivism team. They examine the rise of collectivism on both the right and left, how political incentives fuel cronyism and redistribution, and why politicians so often pick winners and losers at consumers' expense. What does this growing struggle mean for economic freedom, human flourishing, and the American future?

    43 min

  2. FEB 3

    Introducing 'The Economist Next Door'

    In the debut episode of The Economist Next Door, host Paul Mueller (Senior Research Fellow at AIER) sits down with Samuel Gregg, President of the American Institute for Economic Research, to peel back the layers of modern economic debate. Moving beyond the dry jargon of spreadsheets and data points, Mueller and Gregg explore why the battle for free markets has shifted from a technical argument to a deeply moral one. They discuss the rising tide of "collectivism" appearing on both ends of the political spectrum and why the "everyman" should care about the philosophical foundations of trade, sound money, and individual liberty.

    45 min

  3. 08/29/2025

    What is Wealth?

    What is wealth? Why shouldn't the government own stakes in corporations? And what are some non-market problems with tariffs? Richard Stern joins the show today to discuss. Richard Stern is Acting Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at The Heritage Foundation.

    1h 12m

  4. 08/21/2025

    The Federalization of State Budgets

    How much have state budgets been taken over by the federal government? Is anything wrong with the Bureau of Labor Statistics? And what's nationalist about trade surpluses? Tony Woodlief joins Econception to discuss. Tony Woodlief is State Policy Network's Senior Executive Vice President and Senior Fellow for SPN's Center for Practical Federalism.

    49 min

  5. 07/30/2025

    Economic Doomers: Are They Right?

    Are the economic doomers right? How does government policy influence which industries thrive in America? Can rich people who think their taxes are too low pay more to the government instead? Jeremy Horpedahl joins Econception to discuss these questions and more. Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl is the Director of ACRE and an associate professor of economics at the University of Central Arkansas.

    1h 9m

  6. 07/15/2025

    What is Good for Business? With David Bahnsen

    What's the purpose of business? What's the purpose of government? Has 20 years of higher education spending led to better student performance?  Dominic Pino is joined by David Bahnsen to explore these questions on the latest episode of Econception. David Bahnsen is the founder and managing partner of The Bahnsen Group, a national private wealth management firm managing over $4 billion in client assets. Prior to launching The Bahnsen Group, he spent eight years as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and six years as a Vice President at UBS. Bahnsen is also a contributor to several prominent outlets and a best-selling author.

    50 min

  7. 06/30/2025

    Argentina, Social Security, and FedEx

    What's going on with the market reforms in Argentina? What have other countries done to fix their social security programs? And how did FedEx change the world? Manhattan Institute Fellow Daniel DiMartino joins Econception to discuss.

    1h 5m

  8. 06/17/2025

    What's Happening With the Republican Tax Bill?

    What's going on with the Republican tax bill? How different can state budgets really be from one another? And how does Amtrak justify its barely used services? Adam Michel joins Econception 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.

    56 min
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4.9
out of 5
75 Ratings

About

The Economist Next Door with host Paul Muller is AIER's newest podcast. It's a plain-spoken guide that makes complex ideas accessible to the "everyman" and "everywoman." No PhD required. In place of partisan spin, we're offering honest analysis and an optimistic spirit and translating academic concepts into clear conversations. Paul Mueller is a Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. He received his PhD in economics from George Mason University. Previously, Dr. Mueller taught at The King's College in New York City. He has published widely in both academic and popular publications.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Mueller
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    The Economist Next Door

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