Hacks On Tap New Year's Special: On with Kara Swisher
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Dec 30, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Beth Macy, an award-winning investigative reporter and congressional candidate, teams up with Jacob Silverman, an investigative journalist exploring tech and corruption. They delve into the surprising overlap between Silicon Valley elites and rural MAGA voters. Topics include the media's influence, personal strategies for bridging political divides, and the corrosive effects of propaganda. Macy also shares her motivations for running for Congress, emphasizing grassroots connection and health care issues. Can these voices reshape the narrative?
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Local News Collapse Drives Polarization
- Rural communities chiefly get national news from Facebook, Newsmax, and Fox because local news has disappeared.
- That media vacuum fuels national political polarization and family rifts, Beth Macy observed.
Flattened Media Spaces Unite Extremes
- Tech billionaires and rural right-wing users now operate in the same media ecosystems, flattening influence boundaries.
- That convergence amplifies misinformation and legitimizes fringe voices, Jacob Silverman said.
Reconnect Through Shared Nonpolitical Rituals
- Beth Macy rebuilt rapport with her brother by avoiding politics and reviving shared activities like fishing.
- Small personal rituals led him to reconnect and attend family events again.