Organized Money

The recent egg shortages and avian flu outbreaks aren't just hurting our pocketbooks, they reveal how the consolidation of American agriculture has created dangerous vulnerabilities in our food system. David and Matt dive deep into the precarious state of American farming with Jeff Bender, a North Carolina farmer with 40 years of experience. Bender explains how farming has transformed from the diverse "Old MacDonald" model of small family farms to a rigid, industrial system dominated by monocultures and massive operations, where a single disease outbreak could devastate entire sectors of food production. 

When Congress moved to force TikTok's sale from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, it sparked a complex battle over national security, free speech, and the future of tech regulation. Matt and David bring together unlikely allies Zephyr Teachout, a progressive law professor, and Joel Thayer, a conservative tech policy expert, who co-authored a Supreme Court brief supporting the law. They reveal how TikTok's case could reshape how we regulate Big Tech, exploring thorny questions about algorithmic control, foreign ownership of communications infrastructure, and whether Americans should trust Silicon Valley any more than Beijing. The episode offers a surprisingly hopeful take on a watershed moment in the ongoing struggle to govern digital platforms, suggesting that meaningful tech regulation might finally be possible – if we're willing to try.

Donald Trump is president, but just before he took office, the heads of the agencies that did most of the governing in the Biden era got to work. The Federal Trade Commission, the antitrust division of the Justice Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau got to work, finalizing a flurry of new rules, lawsuits, enforcement actions, and challenges to the most powerful companies in the country. These were actions that these agencies worked on for years, that they put through just under the wire. It really paints a picture of what we've lost—and what we can have again, throughout the executive branch, if people just decide to govern. On this episode, Matt and Dave do a lightning round of actions from these three agencies in the past three weeks, and explain both why we'll miss this work in the future, and why some of it may just endure."Most Americans know their food passes through many hands before reaching their plates, but few realize just how concentrated that chain of production has become. In this final episode of the season, antitrust lawyer Basel Musharbash reveals how roughly three dozen corporations have come to dominate nearly every aspect of America's food system, from farm to table.Read the FTC report mentioned in the episode here: www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/ftc-accomplishments-june-2021-january-2025.pdf

Basel Musharbash, an antitrust and trade regulation lawyer, discusses the alarming concentration of power in America's food industry. He reveals how just three dozen corporations control nearly all aspects of food production, shaping prices and market dynamics. Musharbash looks at historical turning points, from the New Deal reforms to recent deregulation, which exacerbated challenges for farmers. He also critiques the monopolistic practices in the seed and egg markets, highlighting their detrimental effects on both producers and consumers.

Rohit Chopra, head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and advocate against antitrust practices, dives into the financial industry's darkest corners. He reveals his battle against 'junk fees' that burden consumers, showcasing efforts to promote transparency. Chopra discusses the critical issue of debanking and its impact on consumer rights, along with his initiatives aimed at tackling the student debt crisis. With a keen focus on empowering consumers, he sheds light on the urgent need for equitable financial practices in today's evolving landscape.

The Great American Drug Shortage isn't an accident - it's by design. In this eye-opening episode, we expose how three powerful drug distributors seized control of 90% of America's pharmaceutical supply chain, creating an artificial crisis that puts profits over patients.Behind the scenes, shadowy middlemen have turned the generic drug market into a losing game for manufacturers, leading to dangerous shortages of life-saving medications. Rather than delivering on free market promises of innovation and competition, this system produces something far more sinister: price-gouging, monopoly control, and manufactured scarcity.Our guide through this pharmaceutical maze is Tim Ward, president and chief legal officer of Hercules, an independent pharmaceutical wholesaler fighting to survive against industry giants. Ward offers an insider's view of how a handful of corporations gained the power to determine which medications Americans can—and can't—access.

Rep. Chris Deluzio (D) defied Pennsylvania's red wave, outperforming Kamala Harris in working-class areas outside of Pittsburgh to secure re-election. He joins David and Matt to talk about what the Democratic party can learn from his victory. Deluzio says Democratic candidates in tough races won by focusing on pocketbook issues and standing up to powerful forces harming their constituents. Deluzio says you need a clear vision and bold messaging: "Not every issue has a win-win solution. Sometimes there’s a bad guy, and you’ve got to be willing to fight them."

Americans lose over $150 billion annually to state lotteries, casinos, and online gambling—that’s $300,000 every minute. How did gambling become so entrenched in American life? And how are FanDuel and DraftKings driving this crisis?In this episode, we’re joined by Les Bernal, National Director of Stop Predatory Gambling, and Dr. Kavita Fisher, a psychiatrist whose life was deeply affected by online gambling addiction. Together, they uncover how corporate giants and state governments profit at the expense of millions, fueling addiction and financial ruin.Check out the Al Jazeera documentary " The Big Gamble": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ9qp9UftEE.            And the New York Times investigation into online sports betting: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/podcasts/the-daily/sports-betting-lobbying-laws-states.html

When Laura Modi launched Bobby in 2020, it was the first infant formula company to enter the U.S. market in over six years. At the time, the U.S. baby formula industry was dominated by two major players (Abbott and Reckitt) they controlled 80% of the market. Two years later, that monopoly would lead to a crisis when Abbott Labs shut down its main production facilities because of contamination. Modi explains the significant barriers to entry in the industry, and how the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program's state-by-state exclusive contracts with formula manufacturers have historically reinforced market concentration.

In the battleground state of Arizona, voters are telling campaigns that they want more antitrust! Earlier this year, state Attorney General Kris Mayes sued a bunch of corporate landlords and a software company called RealPage for illegally raising rents in Phoenix and Tucson using an algorithm, hiking the cost of renting by as much as 20%. Her lawsuit went viral. And now, voters are telling campaign staff at the doors that they love what Mayes did and want more of it. Rent, antitrust, corporate power, and elections, all in one episode.