The Economist Next Door

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.

The Economist Next Door is a news podcast hosted by Paul Mueller, with 71 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Paul Mueller hosts The Economist Next Door, a news show with 71 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #33

  America's Housing Crisis Is No Mystery

  Sep 15, 202650 minS1

  Why is housing so expensive in America? On this episode of The Economist Next Door , Paul Mueller sits down with AIER scholars Julia Cartwright and Jason Sorens to unravel the mystery behind America's housing crisis. They explore how supply and demand, zoning restrictions, building regulations, local "busybodies," and federal housing policies have combined to make housing increasingly expensive. They also examine whether gentrification is really the problem, why communities often resist new development, and how restrictions on housing construction can affect everyone from renters to homeowners. So where is the solution? Cartwright and Sorens explain why the most promising answers may not come from Washington, but from states and local communities willing to rethink how housing gets built.

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  The Economist Next Door

  Russell Kirk and the Birth of the Conservative Mind

  Sep 8, 202647 min

  Before 1953, almost nobody called themselves a "conservative." In this episode of The Economist Next Door, host Paul Mueller sits down with Jeff Nelson, director of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, at Kirk's historic home in Mecosta, Michigan. They explore how Russell Kirk's landmark book The Conservative Mind gave shape and name to a tradition that stretched back through the Founding, examine Kirk's friendships and sparring partners — from Hayek and Buckley to T.S. Eliot and Ray Bradbury — and dig into his views on free enterprise, tradition, and the "principle of variety." Along the way, they share personal stories about Kirk's eccentric life in Mecosta, his legendary hospitality, and why his ideas on civil society still matter for anyone thinking about economics, culture, and freedom today.

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  Episode #31

  How Conservatism Lost Its Way

  Sep 1, 202649 minS1

  What happens when a political movement abandons ideas for power? Stephanie Slade, senior editor at Reason and author of Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right , joins Paul Mueller to discuss the conservative philosophy that shaped the twentieth century—and why it is now under attack. They explore the Fusionist tradition, the relationship between liberty and virtue, the rise of Trumpism and the dissident right, the temptation of authoritarian politics, and the importance of the classical liberal institutions that limit power. They also discuss why young people are increasingly drawn to radical ideas and what defenders of liberty must do to win the battle of ideas.

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  Episode #30

  The Austrian Theory of Entrepreneurship: Schumpeter, Kirzner, and the Entrepreneurial Market

  Aug 25, 202648 minS1

  What makes an entrepreneur? Is it the ability to disrupt entire industries, as Joseph Schumpeter argued, or the alertness to spot opportunities others overlook, as Israel Kirzner emphasized? In this episode of The Economist Next Door , Paul Mueller, Pete Earle, and Jeff Degner explore the Austrian School's distinctive theory of entrepreneurship. They discuss creative destruction, entrepreneurial alertness, arbitrage, innovation, intellectual property, and the role of middlemen in coordinating markets. They also examine a controversial question: Do patents encourage innovation—or can they actually protect incumbents and slow the very process of competition they are supposed to promote? From Henry Ford and the automobile to artificial intelligence and today's technology giants, the conversation explores how entrepreneurs disrupt, adapt, discover, and create value in a constantly changing economy.

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  Episode #29

  The Economic and Moral Case Against UBI

  Aug 18, 202658 minS1

  Paul Mueller and David Kotter examine one of today's most debated policy proposals: Universal Basic Income (UBI). As advances in artificial intelligence reshape the economy, some argue that unprecedented productivity could make work optional. But what would that mean for the social safety net, individual responsibility, and human flourishing? Drawing from a classical liberal perspective, Paul and David explore the economic and philosophical arguments surrounding UBI, how it compares with alternatives such as a negative income tax, and what these policies could mean for incentives, innovation, economic growth, and opportunity.

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