137. Clown Continent

What on earth is going on in Europe and how did things get so bad? In this seminar, we discuss the double calamity of skyrocketing energy costs and plummeting pensions and currencies. While high time preference fiat media obsesses over the latest scapegoats, we look into the long-term drivers of these two problems: Decades of green hysteria leading to dismantling of reliable power sources & underinvestment in reliable power generation. And decades of Keynesian dogma convincing the people whose pensions are being destroyed their government can pay for everything at no cost. Does the UK really need to spend 10% of its GDP on public healthcare? What exactly is it about medical care that makes it have to be so expensive and always getting more expensive? Could it be the endless government financing?  How bad would truly private healthcare be really?ResourcesMichael Shellenberger on German Nuclear Power PlantsMichael Shellenberger on German gas productionAlex Epstein on Europe's Energy SuicideSurgery Center of OklahomaSurgery Center of Oklahoma's Keith Smith discusses his business model on EconTalkKeith Smith's blogSaifedean’s first book, The Bitcoin Standard.Saifedean’s second book, The Fiat Standard.You can take part in podcast seminars, access Saifedean’s courses – including his ongoing course ECO22: The Fiat Standard – and read chapters of his forthcoming book, Principles of Economics, by becoming a Saifedean.com member. Find out more here.