This Week with Dr. T, with special guest, Spencer Morrison

Every week on This Week with Dr. T, I bring forward voices that challenge the narratives we’ve all been spoon-fed. This week, I had the privilege of interviewing Spencer Morrison — a Canadian lawyer, writer, and professor who refuses to accept economic orthodoxy at face value.

Spencer isn’t just a sharp legal mind; he’s also a historian, philosopher, and former editor-in-chief of the National Economics Editorial. He looks at economics the way I look at medicine: don’t just treat the symptoms, find the root of the disease.

And in his view, the “disease” of our economic system is decades of blind faith in “free trade.”

Why Spencer Wrote “Common Sense” Economics

Spencer draws inspiration from Thomas Paine, whose pamphlet Common Sense sparked the American Revolution. Paine was a truth-teller, not a crowd-pleaser. Ironically, when he died, only six people came to his funeral — a sobering reminder of how societies often discard the very voices that fight hardest for their freedom.

Spencer’s book, in his words, is “common sense for economics.” It lays out:

America’s economic problems
How those problems were created
How tariffs and strong trade policy could fix them

He argues that we’ve been lied to about free trade. Instead of raising all boats, it has sunk industries, hollowed out communities, and replaced real work with dependency.

The Problem with “Free” Trade

We’ve been told for decades that free trade means prosperity. Politicians promised cheaper goods and global harmony. Instead, we got shuttered factories, broken families, fentanyl pouring across borders, and small towns left behind.

Spencer explained that Canada and America are already in the midst of a tariff war — one that isn’t going away. And while mainstream economists panic at the idea of tariffs, Spencer makes the case that tariffs aren’t the problem. They’re a tool — one our Founding Fathers used to build this nation’s wealth.

He reminded me: to solve any crisis, you must first admit what caused it. And the cause wasn’t “too many tariffs.” It was too much “free trade.”

The Reality Check: Jobs, Work, and Truth

One of the most eye-opening parts of our conversation was Spencer’s take on unemployment. He says the realunemployment rate is closer to 10%, not the rosy numbers reported by the media.

And yet everywhere you look, small businesses hang “HELP WANTED” signs. Nurses, tradesmen, entry-level jobs — positions are open, but people aren’t showing up.

I shared my own frustration: I’ve interviewed more than 20 nurses to find one who truly wanted to work. Jobs are there, but a generation trained to expect shortcuts and handouts has replaced the ethic of hard, honest labor.

Spencer’s conclusion? The system was designed this way. When global trade policies gut local economies, dependency replaces dignity.

Why Tariffs Matter

Most people think tariffs are about punishing other countries. Spencer flips that narrative. He argues tariffs protect national industries, preserve sovereignty, and ensure that America — and Canada — don’t sell their futures for the illusion of “cheap imports.”

He doesn’t claim tariffs are a silver bullet. But without them, we’re playing a game rigged against us. And the proof is all around: rising debt, stagnant wages, and a shrinking middle class.

Anger as a Sign of Hope

Spencer said something that stuck with me: “As long as we have anger, we have hope.”

Anger means people haven’t given up. They see the betrayal. They know something is wrong. And that frustration, if channeled correctly, can spark reform.

It reminded me of the medical freedom fight. When parents get angry after a vaccine injury, when patients demand accountability after a drug harms them — that anger fuels change. Economic reform isn’t so different.

Why This Conversation Matters

This interview wasn’t just about numbers, graphs, or GDP. It was about freedom, sovereignty, and reclaiming common sense.

Spencer Morrison is doing for economics what I try to do for medicine: tearing down the false idols of “consensus,” exposing the corruption, and reminding people that truth doesn’t change just because politicians or experts say it does.

If free trade was the miracle we were promised, we wouldn’t be drowning in debt, watching industries vanish, and raising a generation without purpose.

Spencer’s book — and his defense of tariffs — isn’t about nostalgia for the past. It’s about survival for the future.

Final Thoughts

Economics can seem abstract, but this conversation cut to the bone. Trade isn’t just numbers on a balance sheet; it’s jobs, families, towns, and futures.

And just like in health, the solutions aren’t found in more “free” pills or more “free” trade. The solutions are in taking responsibility, reclaiming sovereignty, and restoring systems that honor human dignity.

I encourage you to listen to my full interview with Spencer Morrison on This Week with Dr. T. His voice is one of clarity, courage, and yes — common sense.