Podcast appearances and mentions of mike konczal

What does “abundance” actually mean—and who is it really for? In this episode, Goldy and Paul welcome back economic policy expert Mike Konczal to unpack the big new idea dominating political discourse: abundance. They dive into the buzz around Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's book “Abundance,” and Konczal's sharp critique of its deregulatory leanings, missed opportunities, and neoliberal undertones. From housing policy to green energy to the myth that deregulation alone can fix America's problems, this episode challenges the idea that more is always better, and asks what it would really take to build a future that's abundant for everyone—not just the rich. Mike Konczal is the Senior Director of Policy and Research at the Economic Security Project, where he oversees policy development, research, and strategic analysis to advance its ideas. Previously, he served as a Special Assistant to President Biden for Economic Policy and Chief Economist for the National Economic Council.  Social Media: @mtkonczal.bsky.social @mtkonczal Further reading:  Democracy Journal - The Abundance Doctrine Abundance By Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson  Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—and How to Bring It Back By Marc Dunkelman  NBER Working Paper - Supply constraints do not explain house price and quantity growth across U.S. cities Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicaction YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Substack: The Pitch

If you are frustrated with how expensive everything feels right now, you're not alone. Inflation has fallen from last year's high, but prices haven't. And while the rise in prices of goods has slowed, people are pretty unhappy with the economy right now. But a lot of experts are saying the economy is in a good spot right now. So why doesn't it feel that way? Weeds host Jonquilyn Hill discusses with Vox senior correspondent Emily Stewart and Mike Konczal of the Roosevelt Institute.  Read More: Inflation in the US isn't the issue. High prices are here to stay. - Vox  Sign up for The Big Squeeze newsletter - Vox  Submit your policy questions! We want to know what you're curious about. Credits: Jonquilyn Hill, host Sofi LaLonde, producer Cristian Ayala, engineer A.M. Hall, editorial director of talk podcasts Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There have been a lot of bad takes on inflation out there in the media, from wild speculation about its causes to absurd predictions about when and how the wave of price increases would finally come to an end. But now just about everyone agrees that after two years of rising prices, inflation has finally slowed down. And while there's still a long way to go, the situation is dramatically better now than it was even six months ago. Mike Konczal from the Roosevelt Institute recently did some research into the disinflation we've been seeing, and he returns to the show to tell us what's really bringing prices back down to earth. Mike Konczal is director of Macroeconomic Analysis at the Roosevelt Institute, where he focuses on full employment, inequality, and the role of public power in a democracy. Twitter: @mtkonczal Supply-Side Expansion Has Driven the Decline in Inflation https://rooseveltinstitute.org/publications/supply-side-expansion-has-driven-the-decline-in-inflation  How Goldilocks Came to the U.S. Economy https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/opinion/inflation-unemployment-phillips-recession.html  Pre-Order Nick's new book, Corporate Bullsh*t https://www.corporatebsbook.com Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Twitter: @PitchforkEcon Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Nick's twitter: @NickHanauer

On Monday, First Republic Bank folded before being sold by regulators to JPMorgan Chase. At the time, it was the 14th largest bank in the U.S. and it is the second-largest American bank by assets to ever collapse. The story of First Republic's fall is similar to that of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature before it – the value of the bank's assets began to plummet as the Fed raised interest rates to fight inflation, causing a crisis of confidence among investors and depositors. This is exactly the kind of situation that the economic historian Adam Tooze warned of when he came on the show in October of 2022. In that conversation, Tooze argued that the Fed's interest rate hikes were “shaking the entire system” – putting pressure on every level of the global financial system, from regional banks to countries that borrow on the U.S. dollar. It would only be a matter of time, he predicted, before things started breaking. Well, things are certainly breaking now, and it's very possible there's more to come. The Fed decided to raise interest rates once again on Wednesday, bringing them above 5 percent for the first time in more than 15 years. So it felt like the right time to revisit our conversation about the fragile, uncertain future of the global economy at this history-making moment and the Fed's role in it. We also discuss what the British financial market meltdown means for the rest of the world, how the interest rate hikes in rich countries export inflation to other countries, the looming possibility of a global recession, why Tooze believes the confluence of high inflation, rising interest rates and high levels of debt points to an economic “polycrisis” unlike any the world has seen, why countries in South Asia are experiencing a particularly severe form of polycrisis, how the Fed should weigh its mandate to bring down inflation against the global consequences of its actions, why he believes analogies to the American inflationary period of the 1970s are misguided and more.Editor's note: Due to a technical error, a previous version of this episode featured the wrong audio file. The episode is now updated with the correct audio.Mentioned:“Slouching Towards Utopia by J Bradford DeLong — fuelling America's global dream” by Adam ToozeBook recommendations:The Neapolitan Novels by Elena FerranteYouthquake by Edward PaiceSlouching Towards Utopia by J. Bradford DeLongThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” is produced by Annie Galvin, Jeff Geld and Rogé Karma. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, Rollin Hu, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Original music by Isaac Jones. Mixing by Jeff Geld. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Special thanks to Kristin Lin, Kristina Samulewski, Jason Furman, Mike Konczal and Maurice Obstfeld.

Silicon Valley Bank's recent failure marked the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history and the largest since the 2008 financial crisis. The run on the bank sent shockwaves through the financial world. Nearly 94% of its total deposits were uninsured, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data as of year-end 2022. The series of events leading to its demise have been described by some as the perfect storm. Was it the result of Trump-era rollbacks of Dodd-Frank regulations, increased rate hikes, insufficient risk management, or a combination of factors? Mike Konczal is director of macroeconomic analysis at the Roosevelt Institute, where he focuses on economics, inequality and the role of public power in a democracy. He's also the author of the book “Freedom from the Market” and a co-author, with Joseph Stiglitz, of “Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy.” He joins WITHpod to break down what happened to SVB, FDIC intervention, what made the financial institution so peculiar, what its failure says about the state of the economy and more.

First, a discussion of the state of the U-S economy with Mike Konczal, macroeconomic analysis director at the Roosevelt Institute. And Michael Strain, economic policy studies director at the American Enterprise Institute.   Then, Washington Post reporter Nick Miroff discusses “Cartel Rx” -- an investigation into the surging fentanyl epidemic and the failures by successive U.S. administrations to stop it.   Plus, CSIS's Africa Program Director Mvemba Phezo Dizolele discusses the U.S.-African leaders summit that took place in Washington earlier this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There are moments when history making creeps up on you,” writes the economic historian Adam Tooze. “This is one of those moments.”Countries across the world are raising interest rates at unprecedented speeds. That global monetary tightening is colliding with spiking food and energy prices, financial market instability, high levels of emerging market debt and economies still struggling to recover from the Covid pandemic. Alone, each of these factors would warrant concern; combined, they could be catastrophic.We're already beginning to see what happens as these dynamics intersect: Britain just experienced a bond market meltdown that threatened one of the most advanced financial systems in the world. Developing countries like Sri Lanka, Argentina and Pakistan are experiencing political and economic crises. The World Bank believes we could be headed for a severe global recession.Tooze is the director of the European Institute at Columbia University and the author of multiple histories of financial crises and near crises and of the excellent Chartbook newsletter. He believes this particular confluence of high inflation, rising interest rates and high levels of debt points to an economic “polycrisis” unlike any the world has seen. And he and others have argued that the U.S. Fed's decision to raise interest rates is a core driver of that crisis.So this is a conversation about the fragile, uncertain future of the global economy at this history-making moment and the Fed's role in it. We discuss what the British financial market meltdown means for the rest of the world, how the interest rate hikes in rich countries export inflation to other countries, the looming possibility of a global recession, why Tooze believes something could break in the global financial system, why countries in South Asia are experiencing a particularly severe form of “polycrisis,” how the Fed should weigh its mandate to bring down inflation against the global consequences of its actions, why he believes analogies to the American inflationary period of the 1970s are misguided and more.Mentioned:“Slouching Towards Utopia by J Bradford DeLong — fuelling America's global dream” by Adam ToozeBook recommendations:The Neapolitan Novels by Elena FerranteYouthquake by Edward PaiceSlouching Towards Utopia by J. Bradford DeLongThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.“The Ezra Klein Show” is produced by Annie Galvin, Jeff Geld and Rogé Karma. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, Rollin Hu, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Original music by Isaac Jones. Mixing by Jeff Geld. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Special thanks to Kristin Lin, Kristina Samulewski, Jason Furman, Mike Konczal and Maurice Obstfeld.

On Saturday, President Biden demanded on Twitter that Big Oil “bring down the price you are charging at the pump to reflect the cost you're paying for the product.” This prompted Amazon's Jeff Bezos, the second richest man in the world, to call Biden's statement either “straight ahead misdirection or a deep misunderstanding of basic market dynamics.”That's rich. Bezos of all people should know that a major reason prices are rising is hugely profitable corporations like his Amazon have been using inflation as cover to raise price even further. Last year, corporate profits overall reached a 70-year high. In the fourth quarter, Amazon's profit nearly doubled — and it announced it would raise the price of its popular Prime membership.Yes, corporations are facing rising costs for everything from materials to labor. But they're raising their prices even higher than those costs. In a new paper, researchers Mike Konczal and Niko Lusiani of the Roosevelt Institute find that markups — the difference between what corporations pay for labor and materials and the prices they charge their customers — have been rising dramatically. They find the same when they compare corporate costs with their sales. Corporations have been raising their prices because they have market power to do so (two-thirds of all American industries have become more concentrated over the last four decades). And their customers believe the price hikes are justified because the corporations have higher costs. Let's be clear. The corporate price hikes have come on top of a worldwide surge in pent-up demand following the worst of the pandemic, global shortages of goods and services seeking to meet that demand, China's lockdowns, and Putin's war in Ukraine (which has put upward pressure on energy and food prices). But the corporate price hikes often exceed these higher costs. As gas prices at the pump reach their highest point in 14 years, Big Oil is enjoying a gusher. In the first quarter of 2022, Chevron's profits more than quadrupled from the year before. ExxonMobil's profits more than doubled. In the past month alone, even though the price of crude oil has fallen approximately $15 a barrel, prices at gas pumps have barely dropped.Big corporations aren't pouring these windfall profits back into production. Instead, they've embarked on the largest program of stock buybacks in history. ExxonMobil alone plans to buy back $30 billion of stock this year (up from the $10 billion it announced earlier). If it hadn't been for the buybacks, the stock market would look even worse.The Fed's efforts to slow the economy will not remedy these causes of inflation. Hiking interest rates to reduce inflation is like trying to reduce someone's fever by putting them in a freezer — it doesn't deal with the cause and may be quite harmful. Rate hikes increase the costs of borrowing to individuals and consumers, which causes them to cut back on purchases of everything. This, in turn, causes the economy to slow — resulting in higher unemployment. How much higher? Lawrence Summers, Bill Clinton's Treasury Secretary, says containing inflation will require five years of 6 percent unemployment, or two years of unemployment at 7.5 percent or one year at 10 percent. The harm inflicted by this alleged cure would be worse than the disease. The first fired (and last hired back) are typically the lowest-skilled and lowest paid. Other than Fed rate hikes, four moves could help — and the Biden administration should embark on them immediately and loudly:1. Vigorous antitrust enforcement that reduces the pricing power of big corporations. (Even the threat of such enforcement will make them more reluctant to raise prices.)2. A windfall profits tax that takes away a portion of their recent profits and redistributes them to consumers (as the Conservative government in Britain is doing on Big Oil).3. A ban on stock buybacks. Before 1982, the Securities and Exchange Commission viewed buybacks as illegal stock manipulation, and didn't allow them. The SEC should return to its former position. 4. Publicity. The government should reveal the names of highly profitable corporations that are flagrantly raising prices (not just Big Oil, but a host of other companies ranging from Tyson Foods to Starbucks). This would have an immediate effect. Corporations pay fortunes to burnish their brands.Mr. President, don't just tweet that Big Oil should reduce its prices. Initiate an antitrust lawsuit against the major oil companies, threaten a windfall profits tax on them, get your SEC to ban stock buybacks, and name the names of big corporations that are unnecessarily raising prices — not just Exxon-Mobil and Chevron but also Tyson Foods, Starbucks, and Amazon. Thanks for subscribing. To sustain this effort, please consider a paid or gift subscription. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Niko Lusiani is the co-author of the Roosevelt Institute's recently published paper, “Prices, Profits, and Power: An Analysis of 2021 Firm-Level Markups.How to understand and respond to inflation has become one of the central debates of this economic recovery. In “Prices, Profits, and Power: An Analysis of 2021 Firm-Level Markups,” Roosevelt's Director of Macroeconomic Analysis, Mike Konczal, and Director of Corporate Power Niko Lusiani, conduct original research to show that we need an all-of-government administrative, regulatory, and legislative approach to tackling inflation that includes demand, supply, and market power interventions.

Sam hosts Mike Konczal, director of macroeconomic analysis at the Roosevelt Institute, to discuss his recent paper "Prices, Profits, and Power" that he co-authored with Niko Lusiani. Then, Sam is joined by Amane Badhasso, candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 4th District, to give an update from the campaign trail. First, Sam dives into the decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen which saw SCOTUS reject the constitutionality of limiting concealed carry permits to those with heightened need, looking at how this changes what the Second Amendment means, and the ahistorical perspective required to come to this decision. Next, he's joined by Mike Konczal who jumps right into defining inflation and situating the US economies capacity and supply coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, before he and Sam get into the material difference between demand-created inflation, and inflation caused by a lagging supply that has been crippled by a multi-year pandemic. Then, Konczal compares the state of US inflation with our peers in Europe, with our economy jumping out ahead of them towards the beginning of the pandemic as we had to fund the economic stabilizers they already had, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine shot the European economy right up to our level, and he and Sam look at the idea of wage-driven inflation (which is a dubious cause of our current moment), and assess the rampant corporate profits of the last two years and the price gauging and demand-based inflation that they are tied to. They wrap up the interview by diving into the paths the Fed is taking to combat inflation, with a focus on encouraging saving rather than spending, and Mike gives his own takes on what could help inflation without also hurting those already made most marginalized by inflation. Amane Badhasso then joins as she dives into her connection to Minnesota Congressional District 4 as a refugee finding a safe haven, and her desire to promote and expand a progressive and community-oriented platform, contrasting that with her opponent's deep ties to the Military-Industrial complex, before they conclude their discussion by touching on the relationship between US and Israel and what it means for her to take on mass human rights violations. And in the Fun Half: Sam is joined by Matt and Brandon as they dive into updates from the 1/6 hearing, as the Republicans, almost all of whom refused to serve on the committee, reject the lack of perspective as “cross-examination” in what is very much not a court case. Ted Cruz fears the Antifa riots that will break out after the Roe decision, and Veronica from Olympia dives deep into her personal experience with running as a Democrat in a state race that the left is very unlikely to win. They also walk through the biggest races in the upcoming midterms, admire Herschel Walker's initiative to grant statehood to DC and Puerto Rico, and dive into attacks against Lauren Boebert from the same conservative PAC that went after Madison Cawthorne. Brian from Flagstaff thinks the problem is that the Civil War never ended, plus, your calls and IMs!   Check out Mike's paper here: https://rooseveltinstitute.org/publications/prices-profits-and-power/   Check out Amane's campaign here: https://www.amaneforcongress.com/ Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here:  https://madmimi.com/signups/170390/join Join the Majority Report Discord! http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Check out today's sponsors: Check out JustCoffee and get 25% off with the code MR25! https://justcoffee.coop/ Support the St. Vincent Nurses today! https://action.massnurses.org/we-stand-with-st-vincents-nurses/ Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Subscribe to Matt's other show Literary Hangover on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/literaryhangover Check out The Nomiki Show on YouTube. https://www.patreon.com/thenomikishow Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out The Letterhack's upcoming Kickstarter project for his new graphic novel! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/milagrocomic/milagro-heroe-de-las-calles Subscribe to Discourse Blog, a newsletter and website for progressive essays and related fun partly run by AM Quickie writer Jack Crosbie. https://discourseblog.com/ Subscribe to AM Quickie writer Corey Pein's podcast News from Nowhere. https://www.patreon.com/newsfromnowhere  Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattBinder @MattLech @BF1nn @BradKAlsop Donate to Gregory for Oklahoma's Statehouse campaign here! https://gregoryforhd26.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder - https://majorityreportradio.com/

Study Shows Excess Corporate Profits in the US Have Become ‘Widespread': A new research paper finds that corporate price markups and profits jumped to their highest levels in seven decades last year. A new paper published Tuesday shows that U.S. corporate price markups and profits surged to their highest levels since the 1950s last year, bolstering arguments for an excess profits tax as a way to rein in sky-high inflation. Authored by Mike Konczal and Niko Lusiani of the Roosevelt Institute, the analysis finds that markups—the difference between the actual cost of a good or service and the selling price—”were both the highest level on record and the largest one-year increase” in 2021. Supreme Court Ruling Turns Separation of Church and State Into ‘Constitutional Violation,' Warns Sotomayor: “We are witnessing one of the most extreme Supreme Courts in modern history rewrite the most basic social commitments of our society,” said the head of one of the nation's largest teachers unions. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday warned that the court's right-wing majority had further eroded the nation's bedrock laws separating church and government when it ruled that Maine must include religious schools in a state-run tuition program. “Today, the court leads us to a place where separation of church and state becomes a constitutional violation,” wrote Sotomayor in the minority's dissent of the 6-3 decision. Asia is buying discounted Russian oil, making up for Europe's cutbacks.: A surge in demand from Asia for discounted Russian oil is making up for the sharply lower number of barrels being sold to Europe, dulling the effects of the West's efforts to punish Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and keeping revenue flowing to the Kremlin. Most of the additional oil has gone to two countries: China and India. China's imports of Russian oil rose 28 percent in May from the previous month, hitting a record high and helping Russia overtake Saudi Arabia as China's largest supplier. And most of the increase went to India, which has gone from taking in almost no Russian oil to bringing in more than 760,000 barrels a day, according to shipping data analyzed by Kpler, a market research firm. Expectations about prosecuting Trump may be shifting: Many Republicans and mainstream media commentators have intoned that the House Jan. 6 committee's hearings wouldn't draw ratings or change voters' minds. That was wrong. In fact, the evidence presented thus far has been far more impactful than the punditocracy predicted. The first hearing, shown in prime time, generated close to 20 million viewers. The next, during midmorning, attracted 11 million. But even that misses the true impact. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsdoneright/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/politicsdoneright/support

The Attack on the First Amendment From ALEC's Anti-boycott Laws | The U.S., China, India, Japan, South Korea and the U.K. Tap Into Their Strategic Petroleum Reserves | An Appraisal of President Biden's Speech Today on Inflation backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

​​Matt is joined by Mike Konczal, Director of Macroeconomic Analysis and Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute and author of Freedom From the Market. They explore Jerome Powell's tenure as Fed Chair, the relationship between interest rates and unemployment numbers, and ways to use monetary policy to create an equitable society. Resources: “Fed Up” by Matthew Yglesias (Democracy Journal; Spring 2011) “Disparities in Wealth by Race and Ethnicity in the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances” by Neil Bhutta et al. (The Federal Reserve; Sep 28, 2020 Guest: Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), Director, Roosevelt Institute Macroeconomic Analysis and Progressive Thought, Author, Freedom From the Market Host: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.com Credits: Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & Engineer Erikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk Podcasts As the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter. The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production. Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Follow Us: Vox.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Konczal is Director of Macroeconomic Analysis and Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute. His recent article “Completing the Revolution in Macroeconomic Policy,” is part of a three-part series from Roosevelt Institute staff that lay out their agendas for the next Federal Reserve term across three different issues: corporate power, climate change, and macroeconomics. In this episode, Mike discusses the radical approach the Fed has taken to monetary policy under Chair Powell, the success of the Fed's various pandemic related interventions, and Powell's approach to inflation and monetary tightening. While Mike doesn't explicitly endorse Powell for reappointment, his article and this interview make a strong case for Powell based upon his track record on full employment and a strong recovery.   Related Links: Completing the Revolution in Macroeconomic Policy by Mike Konczal https://rooseveltinstitute.org/2021/08/16/priorities-for-the-next-federal-reserve-chair-completing-the-revolution-in-macroeconomic-policy/ The Roosevelt Institute's Priorities for the Next Federal Reserve Chair by Suzanne Kahn https://rooseveltinstitute.org/2021/08/16/roosevelt-institutes-priorities-for-the-next-federal-reserve-chair/ The Fed's Municipal Lending Failed Black Public-Sector Workers by Max Moran https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/the-feds-municipal-lending-failed-black-public-sector-workers/ Monetary Policy in the Time of COVI by Jerome Powell https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20210827a.htm   Mike's Twitter: @rortybomb Mike's website: https://rooseveltinstitute.org/authors/mike-konczal/ Lee's Twitter: @leereiners GFMC Twitter: @DukeGFMC  

The relationship between time, work, and freedom has always been a battleground in the American economy. Could our devotion to free-market fundamentalism in fact be making Americans less free? Author Mike Konczal joins the show to talk about positive versus negative freedom and the policies that would make us more free, in a real sense.  Mike Konczal is the Director of Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute. His latest book is Freedom from the Market: America’s Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand. Twitter: @rortybomb Show us some love by leaving a rating or a review! RateThisPodcast.com/pitchforkeconomics  Freedom from the Market: https://bookshop.org/books/freedom-from-the-market-america-s-fight-to-liberate-itself-from-the-grip-of-the-invisible-hand/9781620975374  Time is the universal measure of freedom: http://bostonreview.net/class-inequality-law-justice/mike-konczal-time-universal-measure-freedom  Our episode with Elizabeth Anderson: https://pitchforkeconomics.com/episode/coercion-in-the-workplace-with-elizabeth-anderson/  Our episode with Anu Partanen and Trevor Corson: https://pitchforkeconomics.com/episode/re-imagining-capitalism-with-anu-partanen-and-trevor-corson/  Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com/ Twitter: @PitchforkEcon Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Nick’s twitter: @NickHanauer

Nearly everyone agrees that the American system is, in some sense, rigged. If it is, then how did it get that way. Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), Director of Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute, a left-leaning think tank, argues that America has come to rely too heavily on markets. In his new book, Freedom from the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand, Konczal pushes back against the idea that "neo-liberal" market dependency is natural, inevitable, or even especially American. Drawing on the history of American policy from the founding up to now, he argues that markets are inseparable from politics -- that they are, effectively, government programs. But markets don't necessarily give people what they need, can't provide essential goods to people who can't pay, and can leave us subject to domination from the economically powerful. In a wide-ranging conversation, we touch on the appeal and implications of the republican conception of freedom as non-domination, World War II-era government daycares, the function that Medicare played in desegregating hospitals, the nature of so-called neoliberalism, and a lot more. When Mike sent me his book, he included a note expressing his intention to turn me into a social democrat. I'm not sure that he succeeded, but one thing our chat made clear to me is that once you're willing to accept that markets are essentially political and that market structure is a policy choice, it’s possible to have a constructive conversation free of dogmatic ideological table-pounding.   ReadingsFreedom from the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand by Mike KonczalFrom Slavery to the Cooperative Commonwealth: Labor and Republican Liberty in the Nineteenth Century  by Alex GourevitchLand-grab universities by Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone, High Country NewsSocial Insurance: With Special Reference to American Conditions by I.M. Rubinow (1918)The Hollow Hope: Can Courts Bring About Social Change? by Gerald RosenbergKludgeocracy in America by Steven Teles, American Affairs“Neoliberalism” isn’t an empty epithet. It’s a real, powerful set of ideas by Mike Konczal, VoxThe Submerged State: How Invisible Policies Undermine American Democracy by Suzanne MettlerFamily Values: Between Neoliberalism and the New Social Conservatism by Melinda Cooper--© Model Citizen Media, LLC 2021 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit modelcitizen.substack.com

Nearly everyone agrees that the American system is, in some sense, rigged. If it is, then how did it get that way. Mike Konczal, Director of Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute, a left-leaning think tank, argues that America has come to rely too heavily on markets. In his new book, Freedom from the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand, Konczal pushes back against the idea that "neo-liberal" market dependency is natural, inevitable, or even especially American. Drawing on the history of American policy from the founding up to now, he argues that markets are inseparable from politics -- that they are, effectively, government programs. But markets don't necessarily give people what they need, can't provide essential goods to people who can't pay, and can leave us subject to domination from the economically powerful. In a wide-ranging conversation, we touch on the appeal and implications of the republican conception of freedom as non-domination, World War II-era government daycares, the function that Medicare played in desegregating hospitals, the nature of so-called neoliberalism, and a lot more. When Mike sent me his book, he included a note expressing his intention to turn me into a social democrat. I'm not sure that he succeeded, but one thing our chat made clear to me is that once you're willing to accept that markets are essentially political and that market structure is a policy choice, it's possible to have a constructive conversation free of dogmatic ideological table-pounding.  ReadingsFreedom from the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand by Mike KonczalFrom Slavery to the Cooperative Commonwealth: Labor and Republican Liberty in the Nineteenth Century  by Alex GourevitchLand-grab universities by Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone, High Country NewsSocial Insurance: With Special Reference to American Conditions by I.M. Rubinow (1918)The Hollow Hope: Can Courts Bring About Social Change? by Gerald RosenbergKludgeocracy in America by Steven Teles, American Affairs“Neoliberalism” isn’t an empty epithet. It’s a real, powerful set of ideas by Mike Konczal, VoxThe Submerged State: How Invisible Policies Undermine American Democracy by Suzanne MettlerFamily Values: Between Neoliberalism and the New Social Conservatism by Melinda Cooper--© Model Citizen Media, LLC 2021

This week on Rubicon, Brian Beutler talks to The Roosevelt Institute's Mike Konczal about President Biden's coming $3 trillion economic reform package, which would fund infrastructure, green jobs, child and elder care, and community college. They talk about the bill's chances of passing Congress, whether it warrants comparisons to FDR's New Deal, and whether and how it would cement Biden's legacy.For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/rubicon.

This week on Rubicon, Brian Beutler talks to The Roosevelt Institute’s Mike Konczal about President Biden’s coming $3 trillion economic reform package, which would fund infrastructure, green jobs, child and elder care, and community college. They talk about the bill’s chances of passing Congress, whether it warrants comparisons to FDR’s New Deal, and whether and how it would cement Biden’s legacy. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/rubicon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For decades, the dominant economic philosophy of the United States has been that fiscal policy should be relatively inert, and that the Fed should be the primary driver of macroeconomic stabilization. But that may be changing. As evidenced by the stimulus deal, the political willingness to use fiscal stimulus in a responsive way appears to be growing. Moreover, the importance and power of fiscal firepower has been accepted by a range of actors, from Senator Bernie Sanders to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. So are we at the start of a trend break in the neoliberal consensus (whatever that means)? We debated this question with Skanda Amarnath, the head of research at Employ America and Mike Konczal, Director at the Roosevelt Institute and the author of the new book "Freedom from the Market America’s Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand."

Mike Konczal: Freedom From the Market: America’s FIght to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand Konczal says that it is only today that “glib libertarians” purveying “fantasies” are trying to make us forget “that free programs and keeping things free from the market are as American as apple pie…” One of the best passages in the book is where he notes the connection between the Fight for $15 minimum wage campaign and human freedom: “Service sector workers demanding a $15 minimum wage and a union… have already won huge victories [with] ideas about how low-wage, precarious work is a form of unfreedom…. The Rev. William Barber noted that ‘it took 400 years from slavery to now to get from zero to $7.25 [an hour]. We can’t wait another 400 years’ to get to $15… Ultimately, if all you can say in response to the ills of society is “the market giveth,  the market taketh away, blessed be the name of the market…” you have very little to say indeed. Konczal quotes Oliver Wendell Holmes’s fear and alarm that his fellow justices on the Lochner Supreme Court were, in their “willingness to use a very specific understanding of economics to override law, writ[ing] a preferential understanding of economics into the constitution itself…” in a fundamentally illegitimate and societally-disruptive way. But a better maxim is: “The market was made for man, not man for the market”.Enthusiastically Reading: Mike Konczal: Freedom From the Market   DeLongTODAY 4182 words 35:11 2021-02-19 : Get full access to Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality at braddelong.substack.com/subscribe

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We've got Mike on to discuss Freedom from the Market, a great book that examines how the "free" market has in fact been a source of tyranny and oppression throughout American history, and how Americans have mobilized in many since-forgotten ways to expand their freedom by protecting themselves from the market. Enjoy!

Sam and Emma host Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), director at the Roosevelt Institute, to discuss his new book Freedom from the Market: America’s Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand on how to redefine our rights and freedoms beyond the control of the marketplace. On today's show: Rand Paul brings motion to require vote on whether or not February impeachment trial is constitutional, Rand Paul says Dems are not governing and ignoring their own rhetoric that inspires violence. Sam and Emma host Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), director at the Roosevelt Institute, to discuss his new book Freedom from the Market: America’s Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand on how to redefine our rights and freedoms beyond the control of the marketplace. Neoliberalism and capitalism defined. How markets are restricting people's freedom. How government spending can be leveraged to promote equality. On the fun half: Mike Lindell joins Tucker Carlson after Twitter removed MyPillow CEO's account, says he was hacked by Germans and Dominion. Mike Lindell continues on rant, Tucker Carlson thanks him for coming on, "Why's he been censored?" Tucker Carlson defends Qanon believers, "No government can tell you what to think." Tucker says there's no such thing as privilege, goes on remarkably racist rant on zero sum theory. Andrew Ross Sorkin explains Gamestop situation and hedgefund Melvin Capital's loss in pulling out of their short scheme. Billionaire tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya defends power of individual investors to compete with hedge funds. Plus, your calls and IMs! Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com Check out the Brand New Majority Report Merch Shop! https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ (Merch issues and concerns can be addressed here: majorityreportstore@mirrorimage.com) The AM Quickie is now on YouTube Subscribe to the AM Quickie at https://fans.fm/amquickie Make the AMQ part of your Alexa Flash Briefing too! You can now watch the livestream on Twitch Check out Joshua Kahn Russell's friend, activist and organizer Casey Harrell who is raising money to treat his ALS diagnosis. Check out today's sponsors: Brooklinen: Brooklinen has a variety of sheets, colors, patterns, and materials to fit your needs and tastes. Brooklinen has over 50,000 5-star reviews and counting - they are so confident you will love their products, they even offer a 365 day money back guarantee! Go to Brooklinen.com and use promo code MAJORITY to get $25 off when you spend $100 or more, plus free shipping. Ritual: Sugars, GMOs, synthetic fillers, artificial colorants, and animal byproducts are all ingredients you might find in a multivitamin. Not Ritual, though. Its clean, vegan-friendly formula is made with key nutrients in forms your body can actually use to fill the gaps in your diet – no shady extras.Your multivitamins are delivered to your door every month with free shipping. Go to ritual.com/majority to is receive 10% off during your first three months. Subscribe to Discourse Blog, a newsletter and website for progressive essays and related fun partly run by AM Quickie writer Jack Crosbie. https://discourseblog.com/ Subscribe to AM Quickie writer Corey Pein’s podcast News from Nowhere, at https://www.patreon.com/newsfromnowhere Check out The Nomiki Show live at 3 pm ET on YouTube at patreon.com/thenomikishow Check out Matt’s podcast, Literary Hangover, at Patreon.com/LiteraryHangover, or on iTunes. Check out Jamie’s podcast, The Antifada, at patreon.com/theantifada, on iTunes, or at twitch.tv/theantifada (streaming every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm ET!) Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @Jamie_Elizabeth @MattLech @BF1nn

Matt is joined by author Mike Konczal, Director of Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute, and author of the new book Freedom from the Market. They talk about the past, present, and future of public affordances in America, and discuss the shifts in political imagination that could inaugurate a new era of public programs in the earnest interest of benefitting Americans. Resources: Mike's new book, Freedom from the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand, on sale here. Read an excerpt: "When Medicare Helped Kill Jim Crow" by Mike Konczal, The Nation (Jan. 19, 2021). Guest: Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), Director, Progressive Thought, Roosevelt Institute Host: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.com Credits: Erikk Geannikis, Editor and Producer As the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter. The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production. Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Follow Us: Vox.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Mike Konczal (@rortybomb) returns with his new book, Freedom from the Market. We take a look at all the great things government used to (or could) do a pretty good job of providing for Americans but no longer does because we've turned them over to The Free Market, which isn't well-suited to provide them at all. It's a great blueprint for a better world, and we talk about where the political will to do it might come from. A full unedited version of my chat with Mike is available on Patreon, because capitalism. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@edburmila), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos.  Thanks: Mike Konczal, the bands that contribute music (Waxeater, IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, Question Cathy, and all Patreon supporters, subscribers, and listeners.

For my latest author podcast, I was very happy to talk to Mike Konczal, economist and frequent writer on economic justice issues, about his new book Freedom from the Market: America’s Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand, published just this week by The New Press. The book explores the history […]

Guest: Financial policy guru Mike Konczal (@rortybomb) explains what should be happening in response to the economic crisis, what is happening, and why those two are different. We cover unemployment, policy coming out of Congress, what decision-makers just aren't getting about this crisis, and how we both had childhood vacations in Florida that turned out to be nightmares. Question Cathy returns with the mailbag. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@edburmila), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos.  Thanks: Mike Konczal, all the bands that contribute music (Waxeater, IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, Question Cathy, and all Patreon supporters, subscribers, and listeners.

When revenues and expenses don’t add up in times of crisis, governments often turn to budget cuts and other austerity measures to balance their accounts. But economists widely agree that the most valuable lesson from the Great Recession is that austerity made the recession worse and slowed down recovery. Mike Konczal joins the show this week to explain why, in a recession, stimulus is particularly powerful and austerity is particularly harmful.  Mike Konczal is the Director of Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute, where he works on financial reform, unemployment, inequality, and a progressive vision of the economy. He is a columnist at Vox, a contributor to The Nation, and a contributing editor at Dissent.  Twitter: @rortybomb @rooseveltinst Further reading:  A forward-thinking policy response to the coronavirus recession: https://rooseveltinstitute.org/forward-thinking-policy-response-coronavirus-recession/ The stimulus plan that we need now: https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/coronavirus-stimulus/ With a uniquely fragile economy, stimulus is not enough: https://bostonreview.net/class-inequality-politics/mike-konczal-felicia-wong-uniquely-fragile-economy-stimulus-not-enough Portugal dared to cast aside austerity. It’s having a major revival: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/22/business/portugal-economy-austerity.html Worst recovery in postwar era largely explained by cuts in government spending: https://www.epi.org/blog/worst-recovery-in-post-war-era-largely-explained-by-cuts-in-government-spending/ What have we learned about austerity since the Great Recession? https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2014/05/30/90621/what-have-we-learned-about-austerity-since-the-great-recession/ The United States is not ready for a recession, but it can be: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2019/09/27/475075/united-states-not-ready-recession-can/ Austerity is hammering state economies: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2012/06/21/11672/austerity-is-hammering-state-economies/ Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com/ Twitter: @PitchforkEcon Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Nick’s twitter: @NickHanauer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on the economy. Mike Konczal of the Roosevelt Institute joins us to discuss the disappointing relief bill that was signed into law today. The post Belabored Podcast #194: The Coronavirus Bailout, with Mike Konczal appeared first on Dissent Magazine.

Today on the show Pam Vogel, from Media Matters, will join us to report on the manipulative ads Sinclair Broadcasting is forcing local anchors to read, now airing across the country. Trita Parsi will join us to discuss two major upcoming nuclear moves involving the Iran Deal and North Korea. Ari Berman, from Mother Jones, will explain why Donald Trump is planning to rig the census. Heather “Digby” Parton from Salon will be here to break down this week's biggest news stories And Mike Konczal will join us to talk about his piece where he asks the question, “Why Are There No Good Conservative Critiques of Trump's Unified Government?”

We will be back next week with an all new show, until then here is a great show from earlier this year. On today's show we'll explain why states that have right-to-carry gun laws, also have a higher rate of violent crime with The Nation's, Mike Konczal. Alice Speri, from The Intercept, will join us to discuss the rampant rate of sexual abuse among women held in immigration detention centers across the county. Eric Blanc, from Jacobin Magazine, will get us up to date on recent teacher strikes happening in red states, including Arizona. Heather “Digby” Parton from Salon will be here to break down this week's biggest news stories. And Evan Hughes will join us to discuss an incredible piece in the New York Times detailing a “kick-back” scheme involving millions of dollars between an opioid manufacturer and doctors.

On today's show we'll explain why states that have right-to-carry gun laws, also have a higher rate of violent crime with The Nation's, Mike Konczal. Heather “Digby” Parton from Salon will be here to break down this week's biggest news stories.

Mike Konczal is a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute where he works on financial reform, unemployment, inequality, and a progressive vision of the economy. He has also recently co-authored a paper with J.W. Mason titled, “A New Direction for the Federal Reserve: Expanding the Monetary Policy Toolkit.” Today, Mike joins the show to discuss the progress of financial regulation, the Federal Reserve’s performance over the past decade, and new tools the Fed could utilize to better stabilize the economy in the present and future. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Mike Konczal’s Twitter: @rortybomb Mike Konczal and J.W. Mason’s Paper: http://rooseveltinstitute.org/expanding-monetary-policy-toolkit/

Matt, Dara Lind, and Vox contributor Mike Konczal talk tax reform and Democrats' sexual harassment problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole speaks with the Roosevelt Institute's Mike Konczal about how activism is rebuilding the Democratic Party. Then Down With Tyranny and the Blue America PAC's Howie Klein joins in to talk about candidates who are veterans and progressive politics.

My guest is Mike Konczal. He is a Fellow with the Roosevelt Institute, where he works on financial reform, unemployment, inequality, and a progressive vision of the economy. He has recently written some pieces for Vox on Neo-Liberalism, which were the subject of our conversation. You can find Mike's pieces on Neo-Liberalism here: https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/7/18/15992226/neoliberalism-chait-austerity-democratic-party-sanders-clinton https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/7/7/15930996/stock-market-democrats-wilderness-strategy-economics You can find more of his writings here: https://rortybomb.wordpress.com/portfolio/ Special Guest: Mike Konczal.

This week on So That Happened: Zach Carter takes a break from book leave to return and host the show! He’s joined by ProPublica reporter Jesse Eisinger and Huffpost’s Alexander Kaufman to talk about why bankers never seem to go to jail. Then, Michelle Kuo stops by to talk about her book Reading With Patrick, a memoir about a teacher’s relationship with a gifted student who ends up jailed for murder. It's an exploration of race, class, justice, and coming of age in the South. Finally, Mike Konczal is back, this time to help Zach and Arthur celebrate the 7th birthday of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. Will there be cake? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Konczal, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and founder of the Rortybomb Blog, and Rafael Mangual, legal policy project manager at the Manhattan Institute, discuss new CFPB rules, which makes it easier for consumers to sue their banks. They speak with June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Mike Konczal, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and founder of the Rortybomb Blog, and Rafael Mangual, legal policy project manager at the Manhattan Institute, discuss new CFPB rules, which makes it easier for consumers to sue their banks. They speak with June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

(Bloomberg) -- Adam White, a fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Mike Konczal, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, discuss the fate of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is currently in the hands of a Washington appeals court. They speak with Greg Stohr on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

(Bloomberg) -- Adam White, a fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Mike Konczal, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, discuss the fate of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is currently in the hands of a Washington appeals court. They speak with Greg Stohr on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

The New Year is a time of reflection, a time for looking forwards and a time to take stock. So in this light this will be a special, somewhat off-piste episode with just me at the microphone. This episode has three parts: In Part 1 I talk about some of the behind the scenes stories that go into making the LFP and share some of my thoughts about the challenges of the creative journey – a journey which many fintechs will have been through and are going through. In Part 2 I discuss the five themes that I expect to see in UK Fintech in 2015.  These all go under the overarching banner of “2015 – The Year When Fintech Grows Up”. Less Spin A Shake-Out Fintech Maturing and Breaking-Up into Subsectors Group-Think in the Subsectors #NewFS Getting More Solid If Xmas is a time for traditional rituals like family, over-eating, and hitting Amazon Prime bigtime it’s also a time for thinking of those less fortunate than ourselves. If you work in Canary Wharf you will probably never see a homeless person there (I never have – are they kept out?). Meg Hillier the MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch points out that in Hackney a staggering 47% of children live in poverty :-O In Part 3 I discuss the wider societal impact of Fintech and its media narratives. Will Fintech, driven by the “billion dollar IPO narrative” end up being just another “get rich quick scheme” for a tiny few and become self-centred and greedy like the existing widely-disliked banking system? Is Fintech just about creating some new mega-corporates that will live in tall shiny buildings? Can Fintech be more than this?  Can it have a social conscience, can Fintech contribute to society and make the world a better place? Let me know what you think!  In my pre-Xmas mode of thinking of those less fortunate than ourselves I tweeted a few socially pertinent tweets under the hashtag #OccupyFintech.  For those of you interested in this topic please feel free to use and amplify.  You don’t even have to sleep outside in the cold in a tent In the next episode  I’ll be back on the centre of the piste and we have some great guests coming up for the coming year. May 2015 be a great one for you and yours and all of society In part 3 I quote quite a few articles and stats in “joining the dots”. Here are some of the key refs: Oxfam Chart in the Guardian (via @FintechHK): Henry Blodget in Business Insider “Amazing Charts Show How 90% Of The Country Has Gotten Shafted Over The Past 30 Years” Wikipedia Incarceration in the US Daniel Wessel (via Dan Pink) on twitter Racial Lifetime stats of chances of a MALE baby born in the US in 2001 going to prison (I inadvertently omitted the word male in the podcast in quoting these stats). See also the brilliant (4.6*/5 with 461 (!!) reviews on amazon.com) “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” Ralph Benko in Forbes “1.6 Billion Rounds Of Ammo For Homeland Security? It’s Time For A National Conversation” James de Angelo, World Bitcoin Network on YouTube “The Cardboard Box Reform – A Crucial Flaw in Democracy & A Five Dollar Solution “ Edward Luce in the FT “Too big to resist: Wall Street’s comeback” Kevin Maney in Newsweek “Tech Bubble? No it’s a startup wealth gap” Mike Konczal and Bryce Covert in The Nation Socialize Uber Leo Mirani in Quartz “The secret to the Uber economy is wealth inequality” UK MP Meg Hillier in Tech City News “Need a New Year’s resolution? Build a Bridge”

Ruy Teixeira on white working class voters … Mike Konczal on protecting the social safety net … and Bill Press interviews retiring Senator Tom Harkin, founder of 21st Century Democrats.    With just three months left before the midterm elections, the outlook for Democrats depends on how the white working class votes, says public opinion expert Ruy Teixeira. Economic analyst Mike Konczal says Democrats have to defend the social safety net because the evidence says voluntary help to the poor never works. And Bill Press interviews retiring Senator Tom Harkin, the founder of 21st Century Democrats.   Ruy Teixeira Noted Democratic political analyst Ruy Teixeira says Democrats have an uphill battle in the 2014 elections – and maybe in 2016 -- unless the white working class can be turned around.   http://americanprogress.org/about/staff/teixeira-ruy/bio/   Mike Konczal   Whenever Republicans have tried to replace the social safety net with private support, it has failed. Economic analyst Mike Konczal offers a history of how Republicans want only the people they like to get government benefits. http://rooseveltinstitute.org/people/fellows/mike-konczal   Tom Harkin Bill Press and his guest, retiring Senator Tom Harkin, the founder of 21st Century Democrats.   Jim Hightower Perry goes from callous to disgusting.

Sandra Hanson on the American Dream … Mike Konczal on the fallacy of voluntarism …and Bill Press with his guest, Congressman Mark Pocan.     How has the shrinking of the middle class changed the American Dream? Professor Sandra Hanson says the dream is now more spiritual than material. Economic analyst Mike Konczal points out that when conservatives say we should go back to before the New Deal when private sector charity took care of the poor … they are misinformed. It was never that way. And Bill Press talks about House Republicans and LGBT issues with Representative Mark Pocan.     Sandra Hanson Catholic University Professor Sandra Hanson has been looking into the American Dream, and as we approach the annual celebration of American independence, she says we need that dream even more when times are tough. http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/2112_reg.html Mike Konczal When Republicans talk about the good old days when voluntary organizations, like churches and charities, took care of the poor, they are fantasizing a society that never existed. Roosevelt Institute research fellow Mike Konczal explains the fallacy of voluntarism. http://rooseveltinstitute.org/people/fellows/mike-konczal   Mark Pocan Bill Press and his guest, Congressman Mark Pocan discuss House Republicans and LGBT issues.   Jim Hightower The militarization of "Officer Friendly".

Mike Konczal, a Fellow with the Roosevelt Institute, works on financial reform, structural unemployment, consumer access to financial services, and inequality. He blogs for New Deal 2.0 and the Rortybomb, and his work has appeared at The Atlantic Monthly's Business Channel, NPR's Planet Money, the Baseline Scenario, Huffington Post, and The Nation. He was formerly a financial engineer and mathematical analyst.