Neon Liberalism Beyond Abundance?
Nov 22, 2025
Becky Chao, Director of Policy and Research at the Economic Security Project, dives into the affordability crisis plaguing America. She discusses broken markets and incomes as key drivers of economic insecurity. Becky reflects on decades of policy failures and how gatekeeping and corporate consolidation have raised costs. The conversation explores the need for a balance between increasing supply and protecting tenants, as well as the impact of AI and hidden fees on consumer prices. With a focus on nuanced solutions, Becky advocates for combined reforms to address complex affordability issues.
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Affordability Is A Dual Problem
- The U.S. is in an affordability crisis driven by both broken markets and broken incomes.
- Fixing only one side will not restore broad economic security for households.
Rural Hospitals As Cost Example
- Becky describes rural hospitals forced to stay staffed 24/7 despite low patient volumes, raising operating costs.
- She uses this to illustrate how fragmented markets add to unaffordability in rural areas.
How Markets Become Gatekeepers
- Broken markets include corporate gatekeepers, weak governance, and fragmented rural markets that raise costs.
- These market failures increase prices even when production could meet demand.
