VOTE Speakers Bureau
Voices On The Economy (VOTE) is an innovative program that teaches people to understand economic issues from three perspectives—conservative, radical, and liberal. We do not advocate for any one perspective, but rather help people from all walks of life to be open-minded to rival points of view. We believe we will only be able to spark new solutions to our urgent economic problems by building a culture of respectful listening, passionate advocacy, and intelligent debate.
Schedule a free in-person or Zoom presentation for your organization.
No economics background required!
Each presentation includes a brief introduction to the VOTE Program.
Presentations are offered on the 12 VOTE issues, an overview of the VOTE Program, and the big picture of economic thought (a foundation of the VOTE Program).
The length of presentations is tailored to fit your needs.
There is no speaker fee.
To schedule a presentation contact info@voicesontheeconomy.org
We offer presentations on the following issues:
VOTE Overview
Voices On The Economy (VOTE): An Overview
An Innovative Approach to Sparking New Solutions to Our Urgent Problems
Voices On The Economy (VOTE) is an award-winning economics program that teaches participants how to look at economic problems from three opposing points of view: conservative (free-market), radical (democratic socialism), and liberal (fair-market). While the vast majority of economics programs only teach one perspective, the VOTE Program is premised on the idea that we won’t find the best solutions to our urgent economic problems by shutting out or shouting down the ideas offered by our ideological opponents. To spark new solutions to our urgent economic problems, we need to build a culture of respectful listening, passionate advocacy, and intelligent debate. VOTE doesn’t advocate for any one perspective. We give participants what they need to make up their own minds by presenting each point of view in a balanced and completely unbiased way. In this interactive VOTE workshop, we introduce our methodology and provide the opportunity to experience the power of this pluralistic approach to economics.
The Great Economic Thinkers
The Big Picture of Economic Thought
How the Ideas of Smith, Marx, and Keynes Echo in Today’s Debates
When we argue about how to solve the climate crisis, or what to do about the housing crisis, or whether the government should have a role in stabilizing the economy, the voices of the great economic thinkers of the past echo in today’s debates. Conservatives promote the free-market capitalist ideas of Adam Smith; radicals agree with Karl Marx’s rejection of capitalism (and then they embrace democratic socialism); and liberals advocate for John Maynard Keynes’s idea of the helping hand of government in capitalism. In this interactive VOTE workshop, we explore the contributions of the three most influential economic thinkers from the past. Learn about their fundamental disagreement. (Spoiler alert: it’s the role of government.)
Agriculture
“First, We Eat! (Then We Do Everything Else.)”
Three Approaches to a Secure Food System
Food is a basic human need, but most of us don’t grow wheat or raise cows. We rely on farmers to supply us with bread, eggs, milk, and everything else in our refrigerators. Unfortunately, no farmer can control the weather or reliably predict the many events that can threaten crops and cause a bad harvest. Conservatives, liberals, and radicals all agree that instability in farming threatens our food security, and they share the goal of having a secure food system. But they completely disagree about what should be done to achieve that goal. Discover how each perspective proposes to address this urgent economic problem. (Spoiler alert: it’s private crop insurance, more expansive subsidies for farmers, and food security councils.) In this interactive VOTE Workshop on Agriculture, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Product Safety
“Is My Toothpaste Killing Me?”
Three Ways to Address the Potential Harm from Products
Everyone agrees that products can cause harm. No one wants to lie awake at night worrying about their products. We want to rest assured that our toaster won’t spontaneously burst into flames and our car brakes won’t suddenly fail and our favorite sweetener won’t cause cancer. Liberals, radicals, and conservatives all agree that when it comes to our products, we should have the protection that people want. But they strongly disagree about to how to achieve that goal. (Spoiler alert: it’s stronger consumer protection agencies, product safety councils, and informed consumer demand.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Product Safety, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Livelihood
“Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees!”
Three Rival Perspectives on Livelihood
If you’re worried about paying the bills, you’re in good company. A report from the Federal Reserve found that 40 percent of Americans couldn’t cover a $400 emergency expense. Too many of us are one missed paycheck, car accident, or medical diagnosis away from financial ruin. Millions of Americans already struggle with poverty, and even those with good-paying jobs wake up every day hoping they won’t lose their livelihoods and face financial ruin. Radicals, conservatives, and liberals all agree that poverty, causes suffering and deprivation. They all want an end to poverty, but they completely disagree on which policies will eradicate it. (Spoiler alert: worker-owned business incubators, free-market wages, and a stronger minimum wage.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Livelihood, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Housing
“There’s No Place Like Home.”
Three Opposing Solutions to the Housing Crisis
The housing crisis is overwhelming cities across the US. When people can’t find affordable places to rent, they live out of their cars, in tents, in public parks, and on the streets. We all need a place to go to shelter us from storms, extreme temperatures, wild animals, and other threats to our continued existence. We need a place to make food, sleep, bathe, rest, raise children, and close the door on the rest of the world to enjoy a measure of privacy. Conservatives, radicals, and liberals all agree that unaffordable housing leads to homelessness. They share the same goal of creating affordable housing for all. But they hotly disagree about how to do it. (Spoiler alert: free-market rent signals, resident-owned cooperatives, and stronger rent control laws.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Housing, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Income Distribution
“Fair or Unfair?”
Three Perspectives on Who Gets What
We all have mixed feelings about other people’s paychecks. As the saying goes, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” How money is distributed within society leads to questions about what is fair and what is unfair. Liberals, conservatives, and radicals agree that income inequality can cause social conflict. They share the same goal of income that rewards contributions fairly. But they fiercely disagree about what “fair” means and how to achieve it. (Spoiler alert: stronger progressive taxes, flat consumption taxes, and a universal basic income and maximum wage caps.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Income Distribution, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
The Environment
“There Are Billions of Planets, But Only One Earth.”
Three Perspectives on Ensuring a Livable Planet.
The survival of every living being on Earth depends on a sustainable environment, but local pollution and global climate change threaten ecosystems around the world. Radicals, liberals, and conservatives are in full agreement that polluted air, water, and land can be dangerous, and they all share the same goal of ensuring that we have breathable air, drinkable water, and habitable land. But their ideas for how to achieve those outcomes are worlds apart. (Spoiler alert: the Green New Deal, stronger command and control regulation with supplemental carbon pricing, and expanded private property rights plus revenue-neutral carbon taxes and free-market cap and trade.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on the Environment, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Health Care
"Gesundheit!"
Three Remedies to Cure Our Ailing Health-Care System
Worried about surprise medical bills, expensive health insurance premiums, and overpriced medications? You're not alone. Conservatives, liberals, and radicals all agree that lack of access to high-quality health care is an urgent economic problem. They share the same goal of health and well-being for all. So why is our health-care system so badly broken? In this presentation, learn about the different ways conservatives, liberals, and radicals diagnose the problem and propose to cure it. (Spoiler alert: private health insurance, a more robust combination of private and government health-care programs, and universal health care coverage.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Health Care, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Market Power
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
Three Ways to Solve the Problem of Market Power Abuse
The struggle for market share is nothing new. Since ancient times, people around the world have looked for ways to lure customers away from their competitors. But liberals, radicals, and conservatives all agree that large firms can abuse their market power, and when that happens it can affect your wallet and the availability of the products you want and need. It could also impact your future quality of life if firms aren’t able to bring innovative products to market. In this presentation, learn about the different ideas liberals, radicals, and conservatives propose to ensure that firms make the best products at reasonable prices so that we can all thrive. (Spoiler alert: stronger antitrust legislation, prosocial competition laws, and expanded competition.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Market Power, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Retirement Security
“Live for Today, Plan for Tomorrow”
Three Perspectives on How to Ensure Financial Security for Elders
If you’re lucky, you’ll live long enough to become a senior citizen. But once you’re no longer working, how will you be able to pay your bills and afford your life? We all want to sleep well at night knowing we will have what we need when we reach our golden years. Radicals, conservatives, and liberals all recognize that seniors are economically vulnerable, and they all share the same goal of ensuring care and peace of mind for the elderly. But they have dramatically different ideas for how to make that a reality. (Spoiler alert: universal basic pensions, total privatization of retirement accounts, and reformed Social Security with supplemental private retirement accounts.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Retirement Security, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
The Federal Budget
“Budgeting for a Bright Future”
Three Different Ways to Fund the Federal Government
Are you worried about the alarming size of the national debt or dreading another government shutdown? The Federal Budget is one of the most contentious economic issues because everyone has opinions about how our tax dollars should and shouldn’t be used and what our economic priorities should be. Conservatives, radicals, and liberals all agree that irresponsible budgeting and money management are problems. They share the same goal of financial freedom to invest in our future. But they passionately disagree on how to make it happen. (Spoiler alert: annual balanced budgets and a constrained money supply, integrated balanced budgets and public banking in democratic socialism, and adaptable balanced budgets and a flexible money supply.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on the Federal Budget, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
International Trade
“It’s a Big Deal!”
Three Rival Perspectives on International Trade
It’s a safe bet to say that foreign-made products are part of your daily life. Maybe the bus you took this morning was made in Germany, the vegetables in your salad were imported from Mexico and Chile, and your jacket was made in China from cotton grown in Pakistan. We all rely heavily on imports for our quality of life, and many of our nation’s jobs depend on exports to other countries. Liberals, conservatives, and radicals all agree that society loses out when trade relationships break down. They share the same goal of having a higher standard of living through international trade. But they completely disagree on how to ensure that outcome. (Spoiler alert: Stronger trade protections, free trade, and fair trade in democratic socialism.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on International Trade, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Economic Stability
“Stop This Rollercoaster!”
Three Perspectives on Getting a Shaky Economy Back on Track
When times are good, there are enough jobs, you can pay your bills, and you can get a loan to buy a house, expand your business, and plan for the future. But when the unexpected happens and the economy is thrown off course, we have inflation and unemployment. How can we make the ups and downs of the economy less severe? How can we quickly recover and get back on track? Radicals, liberals, and conservatives agree that inflation and unemployment undermine the well-being of society. They each believe we can bring back stable prices and full employment, but they vehemently disagree about how to do it. (Spoiler alert: ripple-out economics, bubble-up economics, and trickle-down economics.) In this interactive VOTE workshop on Economic Stability, hear the arguments so you can understand the different perspectives and then decide what you think is our best pathway forward.
Past Presentations
American Economics Association Annual Meeting (ASSA)
International Confederation of Associations for Pluralism in Economics (ICAPE)
Financial Literacy & Economic Education Conference (CEE)
Econ Expo, Thomas R. Brown Foundation
Delaware Economics Education Master’s Program
Foundation for Nonprofit Leaders Academy
The St. Louis Federal Reserve Professor’s Conference
The AEA Conference on Teaching and Research in Economic Education (CTREE)
Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, Flynn Foundation
Arizona Council on Economic Education
Economics Teaching Conference
AEA Commission on Economic Education
Tucson Regional Educational Collaborative (TREC)
Pluralism in Economics
Global Youth Leader Symposium
Higher Education Presentations: Texas Christian University, Penn State University, City University London, University of Richmond, University of Utah, University of Arizona, Pima Community College
K-12 School District Presentations: Peoria Unified School District, Tucson Unified School District, Vail School District, Sahuarita School District, Catalina Foothills School District, Sonoran Science Academy School District