Inflation is usually discussed as a policy problem, but families experience it as a daily burden that changes how they save, spend, plan, and build their lives. It shows up at the grocery store, in rent and mortgage payments, in childcare costs, in interest rates, and in the growing feeling that even when people work hard, they are still falling behind. But inflation does more than raise prices. It changes behavior.

That is why I enjoyed this conversation with Dr. Jeffrey L. Degner, Research Fellow in Economics and Economic Freedom at the American Institute for Economic Research. Jeff is the author of Inflation and the Family, which challenges the common view that inflation is just a macroeconomic variable. His work shows how inflation reshapes household decision-making, weakens institutions, shortens time horizons, and erodes the foundations families need to plan and thrive. Before joining AIER, Jeff spent years in education, from high school to higher education, and most recently served as Dean of the School of Business at Cornerstone University.

His research brings together economics, history, and moral philosophy to explain why sound money matters beyond markets. It matters for families.

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Why does everything still feel so expensive?

In this week's episode of This Week's Economy, I connect the dots between inflation, tariffs, housing, the Federal Reserve, and entrepreneurship to explain why affordability remains the defining economic issue facing American families.

The lesson is simple: affordability isn't created by government spending more. It's created by policies that expand production, encourage investment, and let people prosper.

Every regulation has a cost, even when it doesn't appear on a tax bill.

This week, I talk with Richard Morrison of the Competitive Enterprise Institute about why regulation shapes prices, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity. We discuss ESG, financial regulation, corporate governance, and why policymakers should focus on clear, predictable rules instead of using private markets to advance political goals.

Free enterprise depends on competition, accountability, and the rule of law—not politics disguised as markets.

Subscribe for more conversations on economics, policy, and freedom.

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