In this episode of Liberty + Leadership, Roger Ream sits down with Robert Whaples, professor of economics at Wake Forest University and longtime teacher with the Foundation for Teaching Economics, TFAS’s high school division. They explore what economic history can teach us about the way we live today, from the dramatic decline of the American workweek to rising productivity and improvements in living standards. Whaples explains why studying economic history remains essential, how economic growth has given people more leisure and opportunity, and why looking to the past can help us better understand the changes still to come.

The conversation also turns to artificial intelligence and technological change, public choice economics, falling fertility rates and Whaples’s approach to teaching economics as a practical way of understanding the world. He also reflects on his personal journey of faith and why he begins and ends each semester with a brief prayer for his students and the work they will undertake together.

Throughout the episode, Whaples makes the case for understanding economics in the context of history, emphasizing that even in an increasingly abundant world, scarcity, tradeoffs, incentives and human choice remain at the heart of economic life.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

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In this episode of Liberty + Leadership, Roger Ream sits down with Mary Anastasia O’Grady, opinion columnist at The Wall Street Journal and member of the Journal’s editorial board. Mary reflects on her nearly three decades covering Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, discussing why countries rich in natural resources and human capital have often struggled to sustain prosperity, the rule of law and constitutional government. She explains how populism, weak property rights, corruption and authoritarian movements have shaped the region’s political and economic development.

Roger and Mary also discuss recent developments across the Americas, including Argentina’s reform efforts, Chile’s constitutional debates, Peru’s security challenges, Colombia’s struggle with organized crime and the ongoing crises in Venezuela and Cuba. Throughout the conversation, Mary emphasizes the connection between political freedom, economic opportunity and the institutions necessary for people to build better lives.

The episode concludes with a reflection on the late Joseph Rago, the importance of mentoring young journalists and why Americans should pay closer attention to the politics, economics and security concerns of their own hemisphere.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

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In this episode of Liberty + Leadership, Roger Ream sits down with Dr. Ekaterina Brancato, a member of the TFAS faculty who teaches Economics for the Citizen in the D.C. Academic Internship Program.

Dr. Brancato reflects on growing up in the Soviet Union, coming to the United States through the Bill Bradley Future Leaders Exchange Program and later returning to the United States to study economics and business at Hillsdale College. She explains how her experience living under socialism shaped her understanding of freedom, responsibility, institutions and the rule of law.

Roger and Dr. Brancato discuss how she brings these lessons into the TFAS classroom, helping students understand that economics is not just a subject but a way of seeing the world. She shares how field trips, classic economic texts and personal stories help students connect abstract ideas to real life, from incentives and spontaneous order to preference falsification and the dangers of institutional collapse. The conversation also explores the promise of TFAS students and the importance of preparing young people to become thoughtful, courageous leaders to contribute to a free and flourishing society.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

Support the show