Sandeep Vaheesan, legal director at the Open Markets Institute, and Brian Callaci, chief economist, dive into the housing crisis gripping the U.S. They argue that profit-driven markets fail to ensure affordable housing, especially for low-income individuals. Exploring the need for stronger antitrust enforcement and rent controls, they reveal how algorithms worsen rental prices. Their conversation emphasizes the necessity of governmental intervention and presents the idea of a public housing option as a key solution for creating stability and equity in housing.

Guest Gregg Colburn, an associate professor of real estate at the University of Washington, dives into the complex causes of homelessness. He debunks the myth that homelessness stems from addiction or mental health issues, emphasizing that skyrocketing housing costs are the real culprit. Colburn advocates for a comprehensive approach to tackle this crisis, highlighting the need for affordable housing and rental assistance. He argues for substantial investments in housing as essential infrastructure, presenting a data-driven strategy to address America’s homelessness issue.

In a fascinating discussion, Rachel Cohen, a policy correspondent for Vox Media, sheds light on innovative approaches to social housing in America. She highlights a successful public housing initiative in Montgomery County, Maryland, showcasing how it can rival private options without the typical stigma. The conversation dives into the benefits of mixed-income housing and the financial advantages of publicly owned housing as a sustainable solution to the housing crisis, ensuring affordability for low- and middle-income earners.

Faiz Shakir, Executive Director of A More Perfect Union and former campaign manager for Bernie Sanders, joins the discussion on corporate greed in the oil industry. He reveals a shocking oil price-fixing conspiracy between U.S. companies and OPEC that has cost American families up to $1,000 annually. Shakir emphasizes the need for stronger regulatory oversight and enforces harsher penalties against market manipulation. The conversation sheds light on fair competition and the critical importance of legal compliance in safeguarding consumer rights.

Natalie Foster, President and co-founder of the Economic Security Project and author of "The Guarantee," advocates for a guaranteed economic floor for all Americans. She discusses how ensuring essentials like healthcare and housing can boost the economy. Topics include the widening wealth gap, the role of care work, and innovative ideas like baby bonds. Foster also highlights the effects of COVID-19 on economic policy, arguing that universal income may be key to a fairer, more stable society.

Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org, dives into the crucial relationship between voting rights and economic prosperity. She highlights how restrictive policies harm marginalized communities and undermines democracy. Hailey shares tools to enhance voter access, particularly focusing on youth participation trends. The conversation also emphasizes the power of businesses in promoting voting rights. With democracy feeling fragile, she discusses the importance of grassroots movements and the active role every citizen plays in safeguarding our electoral processes.

As Election Day nears, a critical discussion unfolds about the alarming impacts of Project 2025 and the House Republican agenda. Key proposals threaten essential government programs, emphasizing tax cuts for the wealthy while punishing low and middle-income families. The conversation highlights the dangers of systemic inequities and the need for federal investment in marginalized communities. Additionally, the benefits of social programs like Head Start and the child tax credit are explored as vital for economic stability, challenging the push towards austerity.

Since Daron Acemoglu just won the 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences alongside MIT Sloan professor Simon Johnson and University of Chicago professor James Robinson, we’re revisiting  this powerful episode featuring Acemoglu’s insights from 2023. In his groundbreaking book Power and Progress, Acemoglu exposes how the elite have weaponized technology to tighten their grip on wealth and influence, and explains how we can ensure that technological progress works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.This episode originally aired on August 22, 2023.Daron Acemoglu is the Institute Professor of Economics at MIT, the university’s highest faculty honor, and a 2024 Nobel laureate. For the last twenty-five years, he has been researching the historical origins of prosperity, poverty, and the effects of new technologies on economic growth, employment, and inequality. He is an author (with James Robinson) of The Narrow Corridor and the New York Times bestseller Why Nations Fail.Twitter: @NarrowCorridorFurther reading: Trio of professors win Nobel economics prize for work on post-colonial wealthDemocracy is in a ‘tough stretch.’ New Nobel winners explain how to strengthen itPower and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and ProsperityThe Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of LibertyWebsite: http://pitchforkeconomics.comTwitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicactionInstagram: @pitchforkeconomicsThreads: pitchforkeconomicsYouTube: @pitchforkeconomicsSubstack: The Pitch

Private equity is looting America by exploiting vulnerable companies and extracting profits at the expense of workers, communities, and the broader economy. They've been buying up companies in every industry in the U.S. Economy and stripping them for parts. These massive firms have vast holdings across critical industries essential to the health and well-being of everyday people. Some recent examples include private equity's role in education, utilities, housing, and even in the healthcare sector, which led to the closure of hospitals and nursing homes, endangering public health. We thought it would be a good time to revisit this episode from 2023 with Brendan Ballou, a federal prosecutor and the author of Plunder: Private Equity’s Plan to Pillage America. In this episode, he explains how we can stop private equity’s plan to pillage America.This episode originally aired on July 25, 2023.Brendan Ballou is a federal prosecutor and served as Special Counsel for Private Equity in the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. Previously, he worked in private practice, and before that, in the National Security Division of the Justice Department, where he advised the White House on counterterrorism and other policies.Twitter: @brendanballouFurther reading: Plunder: Private Equity’s Plan to Pillage AmericaThe Guardian - Slash and burn: is private equity out of control?Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.comTwitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicactionInstagram: @pitchforkeconomicsThreads: pitchforkeconomicsYouTube: @pitchforkeconomicsSubstack: The Pitch

This week, Nick and Goldy are joined by Fordham Law professor Zephyr Teachout, who explains the urgent need for federal action on corporate price-gouging. Professor Teachout identifies misconceptions about price controls and highlights the failure of mainstream economists to recognize that price-gouging is a common practice, especially in light of skyrocketing corporate profit margins during the pandemic. Their conversation also unpacks the need for stronger antitrust enforcement, decreased market concentration, and more regulations aimed at protecting consumers in times of crisis.Zephyr Teachout is a Professor of Law at Fordham Law School, where she focuses on the intersection of corporate and political power. She is also the author of multiple books, including Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United and Break 'Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big Money.Twitter: @ZephyrTeachoutFurther reading: The Atlantic - Sometimes You Just Have to Ignore the EconomistsMore Perfect Union - Why Are Diaper Prices Up 184 Percent? Two Corporations are Preying on ParentsThe New Republic - A Very Good Sign: Kamala Harris Is Going Right at Corporate GreedFind out if your state has a price gouging law here: NCSL Price Gouging State StatutesBooks By Professor Teachout: Break 'Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big MoneyCorruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens UnitedWebsite: http://pitchforkeconomics.comTwitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicactionInstagram: @pitchforkeconomicsThreads: pitchforkeconomicsYouTube: @pitchforkeconomicsSubstack: The Pitch