The Capitol Forum Podcast
The Capitol Forum
Exploring Solutions to Monopoly ProblemsFollowing forty years of laissez-faire antitrust enforcement and industry consolidation, the White House is considering a fundamental rethink of how to interpret, enforce, and rewrite antitrust law, and many questions remain unanswered for the antitrust community. On the heels of federal and state litigation against Google and Facebook, is Amazon next? Will the new administration put big agriculture, big banks, and big pharma in its crosshairs? Will the courts stop antitrust enforcers in their tracks? Will the Biden administration get cold feet?The Capitol Forum Podcast provides in-depth discussions with antitrust experts about the answers to these questions and about proposed solutions to the biggest monopoly problems of our time. Backed by the investigative resources and intellectual rigor of The Capitol Forum, Executive Editor and host Teddy Downey examines the effects of the current concentrations of market power across a vast array of industry verticals as he and his guests analyze the potential responses from the federal government. Offering thoughtful conversations with analysts and decision makers, The Capitol Forum Podcast provides everyone from C-Suite executives to policymakers, and all those in-between, strategic antitrust insights at the intersection of law, policy, and markets.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 5, 2025 • 54min
Steris/Synergy a Decade Out: A Retrospective Assessment
In this episode, Capitol Forum’s Nate Soderstrom sits down with Jeremy Sanford, partner at Econic Partners and former FTC economist, to discuss his new paper on the 2015 Steris/Synergy merger—a key potential competition case that was litigated but allowed to proceed.Jeremy walks through:Why the FTC brought the case-The court’s reasoning in denying the injunction-What we’ve learned from 10 years of post-merger evidence-How this case fits into broader merger enforcement and guideline updates📺 Subscribe for more analysis from The Capitol Forum
Jul 31, 2025 • 1h 8min
Trump’s Trade Letters and the August 1st Deadline
In this wide-ranging conversation, Capitol Forum Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Beth Baltzan — former Counselor to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai — and Capitol Forum Trade Correspondent Neil Tracey to unpack the latest wave of Trump tariff threats.We cover:Why Trump is targeting an unusual mix of countriesHow rare earths give China lasting leverageWhether USMCA will actually be exemptedThe growing influence of Big Tech on trade policySection 301 vs. Section 232: What tools Trump is using — and whyHow global trust in the U.S. rule of law is erodingWhat’s missing from a purely tariff-based industrial strategyWhy the global trading order may never be the same
Jul 29, 2025 • 1h 2min
Patenting and Pricing Eliquis, Ozempic, and Other Medicare-Targeted Drugs
Teddy Downey, Executive Editor of The Capitol Forum, sits down with Tahir Amin, co-founder of I-MAK, to discuss the pharmaceutical industry’s misuse of the U.S. patent system—and what it costs American patients and taxpayers.They dive into I-MAK’s new report, Overpatented, Overpriced, and explore:How drugs like Eliquis and Ozempic are protected by dozens to hundreds of patentsThe role of patent term extensions, follow-on patents, and settlement deals in delaying generic competitionHow companies like Novo Nordisk and BMS generate tens of billions in additional revenue through strategic patentingWhy the Hatch-Waxman Act and USPTO are failing to protect patients and the public interest Full report: https://www.i-mak.org/overpatented/
Jul 23, 2025 • 50min
Proposed Breakups of Live Nation/Ticketmaster with Tommy Dorfman
What happens when one company dominates every aspect of an industry—from venues and ticketing to artist access and local politics? In this in-depth interview, The Capitol Forum’s Teddy Downey speaks with Tommy Dorfman, former promoter and now CEO of Juice Entertainment, about his extraordinary 15-year legal battle against Live Nation and Ticketmaster.Dorfman alleges that Live Nation used anti-competitive tactics—backed by its control of Ticketmaster—to force him out of the industry, block access to artists, and coerce state-run venues. His claims include:Closed-door threats and pressure to enter a forced partnershipA nationwide pattern of leveraging rebates to inflate ticket pricesControl over municipal venues, artist touring, and even event securityAs the U.S. Department of Justice pursues its own case against Live Nation, Dorfman makes a broader argument: that monopolistic control in the live events industry suppresses competition, stifles independent promoters, and ultimately harms artists and consumers alike.A story of market power, legal resilience, and the changing economics of live music.
Jul 21, 2025 • 59min
Google’s Role in Digital Advertising with Ari Paparo
Ari Paparo, a digital advertising veteran and CEO of Markitecture Media, dives deep into Google's ad tech dominance and the resulting challenges. He discusses why publishers have lost control and critiques the DOJ's approach to Google's antitrust issues. Ari shares insights on the tangled history of the ad market, the real reasons behind Google's fierce resistance, and potential reforms that could lead to a more open digital advertising landscape. His insider perspective sheds light on the industry's future, including the growing importance of privacy-preserving technologies.
Jun 27, 2025 • 1h 5min
Promoting AI Innovation Through Competition
Jun 20, 2025 • 1h 2min
Who’s Really Shaping RFK Jr.’s Health Agenda? Inside the Maha Influencers
In this Capitol Forum podcast, Executive Editor Teddy Downey is joined by Jeremy Furchtgott and Riley Kruse of Baron Public Affairs to unpack the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement shaping RFK Jr.’s vision for Health and Human Services. Drawing from their rigorous influencer analytics and new report, they explore:The shift from academic experts to social media influencers like Tucker Carlson and Russell BrandCompeting schools of thought inside Maha: Big Pharma vs. Big FoodHow elite vs. populist divides shape policy prioritiesThe strange alliance between conservative “crunchy cons,” libertarians, and techno-optimistsWhat Maha says about vaccines, SNAP food policy, pharma ad bans, and the future of public health🔗 Don’t miss this deep dive into the information ecosystem redefining conservative health policy, learn more here: https://thecapitolforum.com/resources/analyzing-maha-influencers-shaping-rfk-jr-s-hhs-agenda/
Jun 13, 2025 • 1h 2min
Textiles, Trade & National Security: A Conversation with Parkdale Mills COO Davis Warlick
Jun 11, 2025 • 1h 4min
What Abundance Gets Wrong
Is "Abundance" the answer to our housing, energy, and pharma crises—or just neoliberalism in a new outfit?In this in-depth conversation, Capital Forum’s Teddy Downey sits down with Sandeep Vaheesan of the Open Markets Institute to dissect "Abundance", the much-hyped book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Sandeep—legal director, historian, and author of Democracy and Power—offers a sweeping critique of the book’s policy proposals and ideological foundations.We talk about:📉 Why zoning reform won’t solve the housing crisis⚡ The overlooked history of public investment in energy💊 What Abundance misses about Big Pharma and price manipulation💥 How the book rebrands 1990s-era neoliberalism for 2025
May 23, 2025 • 58min
The Hidden Monopoly: How Healthcare Platforms Threaten Competition
Jonathan Kanter (former DOJ Antitrust) and Martin Gaynor (Carnegie Mellon Professor and former FTC official) join The Capitol Forum to discuss their groundbreaking paper, The Rise of Healthcare Platforms. They explain how companies like UnitedHealth have evolved into sprawling conglomerates—combining insurer, provider, pharmacy, and PBM functions—and why this consolidation threatens both market competition and patient care.
