Dr Arthur Laffer & David Quan 权丁文 | Presidential Medal of Freedom, Laffer Curve (Smithsonian), TIME 'Century's Greatest Minds', UK 'Prosperity Through Growth' (5 PMs Interviewed), 85YO Father of 6, Live Global Q&A | Coffee's on Me, Podcast Community

Dr. Arthur Laffer: "In over half a century advising presidents and prime ministers, and as an Economics professor, I've loved 'badass' youths - the few who actually do their homework, have personal curiosity about our broader world, and aren't afraid to push back constructively to problem-solve. From meeting David Quan 权丁文 at the Oxford Union to our special engagement for his Podcast Coffee's on Me - with students around the world joining live - I felt reinvigorated on why I still love engaging with young people even at age 85. David's founding ideals of giving, learning, and sharing mirror my own, and the global community he's built proves the point: get the incentives right, and people flourish! Over 3 hours, David asked well-researched questions, got me rocking, and I'd gladly return for more elaborate debates!"

Thank you to Laffer Associates - Jillian Rooney and Belinda Dwyer - for their coordination, and to the Oxford Union for hosting Dr. Laffer's address where we first connected!

Full video interview with Dr Arthur Laffer available on: www.CoffeesOnMeDavidQuan.com! 

Join the 'Coffee's on Me, David Quan 权丁文' Podcast Community - 1 Gift in Newsletter, 10+ socials, 100+ interviews, 20,000+ contributors - for more opportunities 💙

Dr. Arthur Laffer is one of the most influential economists of the past half-century. Known for the "Laffer Curve" - a concept he famously sketched on a napkin in 1974 that now resides in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History - his ideas have shaped economic thinking and policy on both sides of the Atlantic.

At 85, Dr. Laffer remains intellectually vital. His career spans:

• Founder & Chairman, Laffer Associates (economic research and consulting)
• Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient (2019) - the highest US civilian honor
• TIME Magazine "One of the Century's Greatest Minds" (1999)
• First Chief Economist, Office of Management and Budget (Nixon administration, under George Shultz)
• Economic Policy Advisory Board, President Reagan (1981-1989)
• Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
• Former Professor: University of Chicago (tenured at 28), USC, Pepperdine University
• Author: Prosperity Through Growth (2025), Taxes Have Consequences (2022), and the annual Rich States, Poor States
• Education: BA Economics (Yale), MBA & PhD Economics (Stanford)
• Father of 6, grandfather of 14, great-grandfather of 4

His latest book, Prosperity Through Growth: Boosting Living Standards in the Age of Autocracy and AI (October 2025), draws on interviews with five former British Prime Ministers and nine former Chancellors to address the UK's economic future - warning that without policy changes, Britain may slide from 30th to 48th in global GDP per capita by 2050.

Whether you agree or disagree with his ideas, Dr. Laffer's influence on global economic thinking is undeniable. This 3+ hour conversation explores his Ohio childhood, Yale and Stanford years, the famous napkin moment, his advisory roles across administrations, his views on incentives and prosperity, the UK economy, AI's impact on economics, and his reflections on legacy - with a live global audience joining for Q&A!

WHY? COFFEE'S ON ME, DAVID QUAN 权丁文

TL;DR: To process my emotions after a grueling campaign for President of The Cambridge Union, I reflected upon the influences of my late Grandfather and wrote him a letter: www.coffeesonmedavidquan.com. Drawing inspiration from him, I hope to learn more from others through genuine discussions – giving listeners heartfelt conversations filled with authentic insights, and giving guests l