I was a big-government liberal. My consumer reporting found problems I thought only government could fix… But economists Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises made me question what I thought I knew about government policy. Mac McMaken of Mises Institute explains their ideas:

@ryanmcmaken @mises Thank you for making the episode. Most people cant comprehend basic economics. Only what best serves them from the trough of central plannin

@ryanmcmaken @mises The only thing you want your government for is safety and protecting American companies from unfair trades The states and private sectors should handle everything else

AI is the biggest opportunity in a generation to shrink government without cutting services. Most of the state is paperwork, compliance, and coordination—exactly what large language models and automation handle better and cheaper than humans. - Permit processing in days instead of months - Fraud detection that actually works - Benefits eligibility that doesn’t require 40-page forms - Procurement that doesn’t take years The result isn’t “no government.” It’s a smaller, faster, less error-prone one that costs less and does more of what people actually need. The bottleneck is political will, not the technology.

@ryanmcmaken @mises You’re not alone, John.

For government to thrive, they must create chaos and problems. IF they worked hard for solutions, the less government would be needed, especially the agencies (FBI, CIA, IRS, Federal Reserve) who are the sovereign now. Even George McGovern said "I also wish that during the years I was in public office, I had had this firsthand experience about the difficulties business people face every day. That knowledge would have made me a better U.S. senator and a more understanding presidential contender."

@ryanmcmaken @mises Should be a required watch prior to voting! Big government is not your friend!

@ryanmcmaken @mises I remember watching your 20/20 piece on taxes when I was a kid. I’ve NEVER forgotten how eye opening that was seeing how one’s income is taxed 4 or 5 times. You should do an updated version of that for the younger generation!

@ryanmcmaken @mises reading hayek in my mid 20s after years of assuming the state had all the answers really did flip a switch

Please direct me to your post that explains how bringing 20 million illegal immigrants into the country screwed up the supply and demand of the entire economy. All of our prices went up because demand increased and supply did not. Housing, healthcare, food, utilities. The supply and demand ratio was ruined ON PURPOSE BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

@ryanmcmaken @mises Learn Objectivism fully and fully uncorrupt yourself.

@ryanmcmaken @mises Excellent episode

@ryanmcmaken @mises Why were you? I was never a hard core conservative, but I never got pulled to the left. Why pulled you that way?

@ryanmcmaken @mises "I promise a Cadillac in every garage". "What's a Cadillac?"

@ryanmcmaken @mises God's Money requires faith in the creator. Fiat requires faith in man. Faith in man from 400 years ago, doesn't exist, which is why no fiat currency from that time has any tangible purchasing power today. God's Money remains, despite a hard read of Nietzsche.

I've found big govt serves as a salve upon the fear of 'no control'. In the absolute best of circumstances, good people and local leaders who do good things--see the 'bigger problem' but can't exert the control they believe is for the greater good. Our founders knew where best intentions end.

@ryanmcmaken @mises “Once you take away people’s ability to control their private property through government controlled systems, you end up having have economic collapse.”

@ryanmcmaken @mises Then you stopped and no longer have an audience… how bout dat

@ryanmcmaken @mises @CBSSunday and @bariweiss should have you on today because these folks are trying to brainwash us to say Milwaukee's socialism was so great. There was nothing from the other side. That sounds balanced to you?

@ryanmcmaken @mises If you have an explicitly rejected altruism, you were still a big government liberal.

@ryanmcmaken @mises Great compilation, as usual. The 'independent' Federal Reserve? Congress would need to pass a bill that amends or repeals parts of the Federal Reserve Act, Section 14 (Open Market Operations) to strip their purchasing power (authority to buy and sell obligations) - good luck.

@ryanmcmaken @mises just remember John when you call out socialism you also have to call it out socialism for the rich there's no question the big players are using the state to steal from people at the bottom that isnt capitalism

@ryanmcmaken @mises You have a YouTube link?

@ryanmcmaken @mises Great show with Dr. Savage.