As the United States elections draw near, everyone is wondering who will take control of Washington next. In this week’s Capitalisn’t episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Brody Mullins reveals how the real winner will be neither Democrats nor Republicans. Rather, it will be the lobbyists.
Mullins is the co-author (along with his brother Luke, also an in ... Show More
Nov 20
Are Big Tech’s Regulators “Cowards”? ft. Tim Wu
<p>Did you know Amazon makes $37 billion <i>a year—</i>more than double the revenue of all the newspapers in the world combined—from its sponsored results alone? Yes, the same, spammy, sponsored results at the top of a search that bilk shoppers with fake or low-quality items and ... Show More
1h 2m
Nov 6
Why Economists Should Care About Inequality, with Branko Milanovic
<p>Recently, Bethany and Luigi joined economist and wealth inequality expert Branko Milanovic in front of a live audience at the Aspen Ideas Festival to explore how capitalism, democracy, and income inequality interact. Together, the three discussed the pervasiveness of income in ... Show More
46m 41s
Oct 30
Nobel Economist Reveals Why Economic Models Keep Failing Us, ft. Richard Thaler
<p>Standard economic theory informs how we think about business strategy and the economy and presumes that people are selfish, have well-defined preferences, and consistently make welfare-maximizing choices. In other words, we are rational. But what if that is not the case?</p><p ... Show More
45m 59s
Feb 2025
VULTURE CAPITALISM UNVEILED: Grace Blakeley on the Oligarchs' Grip on Our Economy
In this episode, Max and Nafkote interview Grace Blakeley, an economist and author, about the rise of oligarchy and the relationship between billionaires, corporations, and the state.Grace discusses the close relationship between the American political establishment and the billi ... Show More
24m 5s
Jul 2024
The Elites vs… the Elites?
Donald Trump’s anti-establishment message has galvanized tech leaders across the US, including in former Democratic Party stronghold, Silicon Valley.
In the second half of our election special, we’ll hear from This American Life’s Zoe Chace about what happened when Michigan Repub ... Show More
31m 16s
Dec 2024
Paul Pierson and Eric Schickler, "Partisan Nation: The Dangerous New Logic of American Politics in a Nationalized Era" (U Chicago Press, 2024)
American democracy is in trouble. At the heart of the contemporary crisis is a mismatch between America's Constitution and today's nationalized, partisan politics. Although American political institutions remain federated and fragmented, the ground beneath them has moved, with th ... Show More
32m 14s
Jun 2024
The Biggest Political Divide Is Not Left vs. Right
<p>The biggest divide in our politics isn’t between Democrats and Republicans, or even left and right. It’s between people who follow politics closely, and those who pay almost no attention to it. If you’re in the former camp — and if you’re reading this, you probably are — the l ... Show More
1h 10m
Oct 20
Jack Ciattarelli Confident He Can Win Big In ‘Blue’ New Jersey
With Election Day fast approaching, New Jersey voters are preparing to choose their next governor. Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, running for the third time in eight years, says momentum is on his side as polls tighten. He joins the Rundown to share his campaign message, th ... Show More
33m 5s