Economist, Policy Analyst, Research Associate Professor @SMUCoxBridwell
Dallas, TX
Joined June 2014
- Tweets1.3K
- Following567
- Followers655
- Likes222
Dean Stansel retweeted
Economic freedom attracts movers. But do they bring bad institutions with them and undo what drew them in? According to @MegTuszynski, no. Immigrants don’t erode the institutions of their new homes, and they bring big benefits with few drawbacks.
efexplained.substack.com/p/c…
Dean Stansel retweeted
Is U.S. economic freedom declining?
Bridwell Institute's Robert Lawson and Matt Mitchell of the Fraser Institute examine new estimates pointing to increased government intervention, weaker property rights, and higher tariffs.
shorelinemedia.net/ludington…
Dean Stansel retweeted
We know economic freedom is associated with more wealth, but what about health? On some margins, it's complicated. On other margins, it's unambiguously beneficial.
Read more from @MegTuszynski here: efexplained.substack.com/p/f…
Dean Stansel retweeted
In her latest Substack post, @MegTuszynski explores how economic freedom fosters entrepreneurship—and why broad-based economic freedom may be more effective than targeted incentives. Featuring her hometown of Paris, IL as an illustration.
Read more here:
efexplained.substack.com/p/c…
Dean Stansel retweeted
We’ve never been richer, and we’re told we’ve never been lonelier. Critics on both the left and right blame markets. According to @MegTuszynski's latest Substack post, freer economies seem to have less loneliness, not more.
Read more here:
efexplained.substack.com/p/t…
Dean Stansel retweeted
Should politicians have to reach a broader consensus to raise our taxes?
Our @deanstansel & John Hendrickson (Iowans for Tax Relief @ITRwatchdog) discuss how supermajority requirements for tax increases can help restrain the growth of government.
thecentersquare.com/opinion/…
Dean Stansel retweeted
Economic freedom and tolerance might not seem like natural bedfellows, but in today's Substack post @MegTuszynski explores the ways in which economically free societies are also more tolerant on a variety of different margins.
Read more here
efexplained.substack.com/p/c…
Dean Stansel retweeted
1/ I am on the #EconJobMarket! A (brief) 🧵on my research covering housing, state and local government performance, and regulation.
Who wins with up-zoning? @phoxie58 shows how deregulation for ADUs capitalizes into land values, benefitting home owners and increasing property tax collections, even with low take-up. Check out his JMP, publications, and working papers at: philiphoxie.com/
#EconJobMarket
Dean Stansel retweeted
Markets vs. the environment? No!
@MegTuszynski argues today that economic freedom is associated with a variety of environmental benefits. It's not a tradeoff. It's a win-win situation.
efexplained.substack.com/p/m…
Dean Stansel retweeted
In 4 out of 5 economic freedom areas, the Nordic countries score highly. So why do people keep calling them socialist?
Meg Tuszynski's newest Substack post explains this puzzle.
efexplained.substack.com/p/s…
Thanks to Keli'i Akina @grassroothawaii for having me on his show!
The Bridwell Institute’s @DeanStansel appeared on the Talk Story with Keli'i Akina show on ThinkTech Hawaii to discuss what #economicfreedom means and why it matters to #Hawaii. Hawaii ranked 48th on the latest Economic Freedom of North America report.
youtube.com/watch?v=KZJNG7xP…
Dean Stansel retweeted
Poverty ≠ Inequality
Last week: economic freedom helps the poorest. This week: does it widen the gap between rich and poor?
The honest answer is messier than either side wants.
Read more from @MegTuszynski here: efexplained.substack.com/p/e…
Dean Stansel retweeted
Economic freedom doesn’t just raise average incomes—it benefits those at the bottom, too. @MegTuszynski surveys the lit on EF & poverty here:
efexplained.substack.com/p/w…
Dean Stansel retweeted
Does economic freedom just make us richer — or actually happier?
Two decades of research says freer places (countries, states, even metro areas) tend to be happier places. But the story has 3 caveats worth knowing.
efexplained.substack.com/p/f…
Dean Stansel retweeted
New research finds higher minimum wages are associated with fewer entry-level employment opportunities and higher economic freedom is associated with more such opportunities.
qjae.mises.org/article/16352…
Dean Stansel retweeted
The Lone Star State is a success because all sorts of people are moving there for a shot at the American dream.
buff.ly/3WnAlvJ
Dean Stansel retweeted
It would be nice to have a major political party interested in safeguarding liberty and limiting government intrusion on our lives, or at least one that recognizes regulating college sports is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind as the proper role of government when they wrote the Constitution.
buff.ly/PQDUGhl
Dean Stansel retweeted
Economic growth shapes whether people build their lives in a state or leave for greener pastures.
@MegTuszynski 's new post: what the research says about economic freedom & growth across the US states.
efexplained.substack.com/p/f…
Thanks to @roncorning and @bekah_morr for including my comments.
Our Research Associate Professor, @DeanStansel, appeared on North Texas Now on KERA Radio (the local NPR affiliate) this morning to discuss yesterday’s Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Audio of the full interview is available at the link below. keranews.org/news/2026-09-17…