Opening the Books with John Hart | Let People Prosper Ep. 147

​Are we really in control of our government—or is it hiding in plain sight?

In this eye-opening episode of the Let People Prosper Show, I interview John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, to expose the hidden costs of big government and the vital need for transparency in public spending. We explore how real-time data, civic engagement, and digital accountability are reshaping the conversation around fiscal responsibility before it’s too late. We cover everything from the infamous Bridge to Nowhere to Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative.

This conversation is for you if you care about liberty, limited government, and making every dollar count.

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(0:00) – Introduction to Transparency in Government
(4:51) – Why Open the Books was founded
(10:00) – Transparency as a constitutional principle
(14:49) – Bridge to Nowhere and wasteful spending
(20:04) – Storytelling as a tool for reform
(23:00) – Budgeting techniques and zero-based budgeting
(26:54) – Entitlement reform challenges
(28:49) – Elon Musk and DOGE's government potential
(30:52) – Real-time accountability and public trust
(35:58) – Growth, spending, and economic freedom