#154 Dr. Art Laffer: We Are In The Middle Of A Massive Redistribution Revolution And It's Destroying Growth

Dr. Art Laffer, one of the most influential economists of the past half-century, joins Julia La Roche for episode 154. Dr. Laffer is the founder and chairman of Laffer Associates, an economic research and consulting firm. Known as the "Father of Supply Economics," he is famous for developing the Laffer Curve, a representation of the relationship between tax rates and tax revenue that was foundational to supply-side economics. Dr. Laffer served as a member of President Reagan's Economic Policy Advisory Board for both of Reagan's terms. In our wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Laffer shares his insights on the current state of the U.S. and global economy, fiscal and monetary policy, and his outlook for the future. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Taxes-Have-Consequences-Income-History/dp/1637585640 Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Overview 01:08 The Five Pillars of Prosperity 11:13 Factors Leading to the Current Situation 26:08 Addressing Incentives in Politics 30:41 The Flawed Logic of Stimulus Spending 35:17 The Fallacy of Redistribution 37:38 The Impact of Tariffs and Trade Policies 38:04 The Lack of Economic Understanding Among Professional Economists 39:02 The Laffer Curve and Tax Rates 40:19 The Role of Private Money in the Economy 44:34 The Possibility of a Low, Broad-Based Flat Tax Rate 50:25 The Failure of Government-Controlled Money 54:30 Assessment of the Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy 57:23 The Importance of Economic Principles over Political Labels 01:01:50 Future Topics: Medical Transparency, Debt, Enterprise Zones, and Climate Change