Unintended Consequences

Oct 14 2024 7 ep. 61 mins 20

Unintended Consequences Podcast artwork

Unintended Consequences is the quarterly podcast of Regulation magazine, featuring hosts Peter Van Doren and Paul Matzko. It explores how government interventions can have surprising, and often negative, consequences.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copy RSS

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

A Politics of Nostalgia: Economic Policy Under Biden and Trump

Oct 14 2024 57 mins

There is substantial overlap between the Biden and Trump administrations on economic policy. Both presidents have favored protectionist industrial policy and higher import tariffs. Yet these policies would not only fail to return America to the economy of the early 20th century; they would harm most ordinary American workers and consumers in the attempt. In this episode, Peter and

Regulatory Expectations Get a Reality Check: Boeing, Chevron, and Antitrust

Aug 12 2024 61 mins

Theory is elegant, but even the most well-designed and well-intentioned theory of regulation may not survive the acid test of reality. First, Paul and Peter discuss the dilemma faced by federal regulators trying to address Boeing’s safety record and the risk that (in)action might push more passengers to drive instead. Then Peter offers a counterintuitive take on the Supreme Court

Should You Have the Right To Repair Your John Deere Tractor?

Apr 15 2024 63 mins

It’s tractor week at Unintended Consequences with special guest Ike Brannon, who is a Senior Fellow at the Jack Kemp Foundation, about the right to repair movement and the struggle of farmers over whether John Deere can restrict their right to tinker with their own tractors. But first, Peter and Paul talk about government restrictions on manufactured homes as well as efforts by s

Starter Homes, Electric Vehicles, and Poverty

Feb 14 2024 66 mins

Incentives matter, but they don’t care about your intentions. In this episode Paul and Peter start by talking with special guest and Truist Distinguished Professor of Economics at Winston-Salem State University Craig Richardson. He discusses how the federal government tried to prevent greedy banks from taking advantage of homebuyers but just ended up making it harder for first-ti

Whiskey, Electricity, and Antitrust

Oct 10 2023 65 mins

Peter and Paul discuss three topics – adulterated whiskey, Texan electricity, and Brandeisian antitrust – with one core theme: government action under political pressure is a poor substitute for market discipline. With special guests Macy Scheck and Daniel Smith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enforcing Smart Water Management Policies and Encouraging Bureaucratic Neutrality is Harder Than You Might Imagine

Jul 24 2023 63 mins

Is there an “optimal hypocrisy” when it comes to enforcing laws and regulations? That’s the central theme in this episode of Unintended Consequences, which covers both water policy and the neutrality of government economists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Railroad Profiteering and Mortgage Forbearance

Apr 19 2023 51 mins

In this episode of the Unintended Consequences podcast, we start by investigating whether railroads are making excessive profits by cutting back labor expenses. That’s the subject of Peter’s new paper, which is particularly timely given the reaction to the train derailment in eastern Ohio. Then, Mark Calabria joins to discuss his cover article about his time as the head of the