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.

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In this episode of Liberty + Leadership, Roger Ream sits down with Christopher Coyne, professor of economics at George Mason University and TFAS faculty member, to discuss his new book, “Austrian Economics: An Introduction”, co-authored with Abigail Hall.

Roger and Christopher explore the origins and enduring relevance of the Austrian School of economics, tracing its development from Carl Menger and Ludwig von Mises to F.A. Hayek and Israel Kirzner. Together, they discuss subjective value, economic calculation, entrepreneurship, spontaneous order and the role prices play in helping individuals coordinate activity in a complex and changing world.

The conversation also examines why central planning fails, whether artificial intelligence changes the calculation problem and how Austrian economics can help students understand contemporary debates over industrial policy, government intervention, economic development and human flourishing. These ideas remain essential for understanding markets, preserving individual freedom and preparing the next generation to think seriously about 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 Bradley Birzer, the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College and author of “The Declaration of Independence: A Radical Experiment in Liberty.”

Together, they explore the ideas and events that shaped the Declaration, the tension between conservatism and radicalism in the American founding and why the founders believed liberty required both enduring principles and courageous citizens. They discuss the intellectual and religious influences on the Declaration, the difficult legacy of slavery and how the promise that "all men are created equal" has shaped the American story for nearly 250 years.

The conversation also turns to civic education and the future of the American experiment. As the nation prepares to commemorate the Semiquincentennial, Birzer argues that the Declaration remains more than a historical document. It is a timeless statement of human equality and liberty that each generation must rediscover and make its own.

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 historian and author Michael Auslin to discuss his new book, “National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America.” As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Auslin explores the remarkable history of the Declaration of Independence, not only as the nation's founding document but also as a living symbol that has shaped American identity for nearly two and a half centuries.

Together, they discuss the Declaration's origins, its philosophical foundations in natural rights, natural law and the Anglo-American constitutional tradition, and the ways its meaning has evolved throughout American history. Auslin explains how figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. drew upon the Declaration's principles to advance their own visions of liberty and equality while arguing that the document's most enduring message is one of national unity.

The conversation also explores the upcoming America 250 celebration, the state of civic education in the United States and why a renewed understanding of the Declaration remains essential to preserving the American experiment in self-government.

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 Stock Executive Search CEO and TFAS alumnus Toby Stock to discuss leadership, civic culture and the habits that shape successful careers and institutions. Toby reflects on his work with prominent public intellectuals and organizations including the American Enterprise Institute, the National Constitution Center, Harvard Law School and The Dispatch, where he helped launch the media company alongside Jonah Goldberg and Steve Hayes.

Together, they discuss the qualities that define effective leaders, the difference between management and leadership, the importance of courage and integrity in public life and why developing sound judgment matters more than ever for young professionals. The conversation also explores America 250, the current state of civic education, Congress and institutional incentives and the opportunities and risks presented by artificial intelligence. Toby also shares practical advice for students and young professionals seeking careers in Washington and beyond.

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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This special episode of Liberty + Leadership features highlights from the 2026 TFAS Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., where students, scholars, alumni and national leaders gathered around this year’s theme: Developing Courageous Citizens.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, TFAS is placing renewed focus on civic education, the American founding and the responsibility each generation bears in preserving a free society. Across keynote remarks, panel discussions and alumni reflections, this episode explores the institutions, principles and habits of character that sustain self-government.

Featured speakers include Vice President Mike Pence, Daniel Hannan, Lord of Kingsclere and many others. Together, they discuss America’s founding principles, constitutional government, civic education, economic freedom, free speech and the enduring importance of preparing young people to lead with courage, conviction and integrity.

The episode also highlights the lasting impact of TFAS programs through personal stories of intellectual formation, public service and lives shaped by encounters with the ideas of liberty both in the United States and around the world.

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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