The Realignment 587 | Mike Konczal: What’s Actually Driving the Affordability Crisis + Announcing the Niskanen Summer Institute for Undergrads
Dec 19, 2025
Mike Konczal, a policy analyst with the Economic Security Project and co-author of 'The Affordability Framework,' dives into the roots of America's affordability crisis. He discusses how long-term trends and recent policy choices have shaped the current landscape. The conversation touches on tariffs as a tool, critiques of Trump's pricing strategy, and the need for comprehensive frameworks to address market failures and income inequality. Konczal also suggests practical solutions in healthcare and education that could boost affordability amid rising inequality.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Why Affordability Is Dominant Now
- Affordability rose to the top because long-term supply problems, pandemic-driven price shocks, and current policy choices converged.
- Those three forces together explain why affordability now dominates political debate.
Tariffs Need A Strategy And Accountability
- Tariffs work only with a clear industrial strategy; unfocused tariffs raise consumer prices and damage allies.
- If tariffs generate revenue, use proceeds for broad public goods or deficit reduction rather than high-end tax cuts.
Frame Affordability As Two Linked Problems
- Diagnose affordability as two problems: broken markets and broken incomes before proposing fixes.
- Combine market-targeted tools (antitrust, supply expansion) with income supports (guaranteed income, tax credits).