Political Gabfest Civilizational Erasure
49 snips
Dec 11, 2025 
Tim Wu, a Columbia Law professor and author, dives deep into the ramifications of the Warner Bros. Discovery sale, arguing that an independent Warner Brothers is crucial for preserving cultural diversity. He highlights the antitrust risks posed by potential mergers with Netflix and Paramount, emphasizing how such consolidation harms competition. The discussion also explores historical protocols for merger reviews to shield them from political influence, and how reduced competition in the streaming market impacts creators and wages.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Independent Agencies Face Political Control
- The Supreme Court looks likely to let presidents fire heads of independent agencies for no cause, threatening agency insulation.
- Emily Bazelon warns this would politicize expert rulemaking and weaken regulatory power over corporations.
Power, Not Just Legal Theory, Drives Changes
- Expanding presidential control over agencies is also a strategic move to reduce regulatory power over corporations.
- John Dickerson and Emily Bazelon note this is as much about politics and power as about legal theory.
Restore Congressional Oversight
- Strengthen Congress' role to check executive overreach by restoring active legislative oversight.
- David Plotz argues an engaged, independent Congress would blunt extreme administrative swings.
