Why Populist Policies Are Crushing Capitalism W/ Dr. Norbert Michel | LPP Show Ep. 153

​Is capitalism really crushing the middle class—or are bad policies and worse narratives to blame?

In this episode of the Let People Prosper Show, I’m joined by Dr. Norbert Michel, vice president and director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Fiscal Alternatives. We dig into his new book, Crushing Capitalism: How Populist Policies Are Threatening The American Dream.

Norbert pulls back the curtain on the false story of a stagnating middle class, exposes the economic harms of tariffs and industrial policy, and makes the principled case for decentralization and free-market capitalism. This is a must-listen if you’re tired of political narratives distorting economic reality—and want honest solutions that let people prosper.

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(0:00)  – Introduction to Norbert Michel and His Work
(11:56) – Debunking the Stagnating Middle Class Narrative
(15:00) – Political Narratives and Economic Policies
(17:59) – The American Dream and Its Challenges
(21:01) – The Impact of Tariffs and Subsidies
(26:55) – Government Failures and Economic Policies
(29:51) – Concluding Thoughts on Industrial Policies