Stephen Dubner

I am, of course, kidding when I say that America should be run by Trader Joe's. But am I? That's next time. Until then, take care of yourself. And if you can, someone else too. Freakonomics Radio is produced by Stitcher and Renbud Radio. You can find our entire archive on any podcast app. Also at Freakonomics.com, where we publish transcripts and show notes.

This episode was produced by Tao Jacobs. The Freakonomics Radio Network staff includes Alina Kullman, Augusta Chapman, Dalvin Abouaji, Eleanor Osborne, Ellen Frankman, Elsa Hernandez, Gabriel Roth, Greg Rippin, Jasmine Klinger, Jeremy Johnston, John Schnarz, Morgan Levy, Neil Carruth, Sarah Lilly, and Zach Lipinski. Our theme song is Mr. Fortune by the Hitchhikers. Our composer is Luis Guerra.

This episode was produced by Tao Jacobs. The Freakonomics Radio Network staff includes Alina Kullman, Augusta Chapman, Dalvin Abouaji, Eleanor Osborne, Ellen Frankman, Elsa Hernandez, Gabriel Roth, Greg Rippin, Jasmine Klinger, Jeremy Johnston, John Schnarz, Morgan Levy, Neil Carruth, Sarah Lilly, and Zach Lipinski. Our theme song is Mr. Fortune by the Hitchhikers. Our composer is Luis Guerra.

This episode was produced by Tao Jacobs. The Freakonomics Radio Network staff includes Alina Kullman, Augusta Chapman, Dalvin Abouaji, Eleanor Osborne, Ellen Frankman, Elsa Hernandez, Gabriel Roth, Greg Rippin, Jasmine Klinger, Jeremy Johnston, John Schnarz, Morgan Levy, Neil Carruth, Sarah Lilly, and Zach Lipinski. Our theme song is Mr. Fortune by the Hitchhikers. Our composer is Luis Guerra.

As always, thank you for listening. I think our listeners are going to love this conversation, and I really appreciate it.

As always, thank you for listening. I think our listeners are going to love this conversation, and I really appreciate it.

As always, thank you for listening. I think our listeners are going to love this conversation, and I really appreciate it.

Lina Khan was just 32 years old when Joe Biden appointed her to lead the Federal Trade Commission in 2021. She became the youngest FTC chair in history, and this agency goes back to 1914. Khan was also considered one of the most progressive chairs in FTC history.

Lina Khan was just 32 years old when Joe Biden appointed her to lead the Federal Trade Commission in 2021. She became the youngest FTC chair in history, and this agency goes back to 1914. Khan was also considered one of the most progressive chairs in FTC history.

Lina Khan was just 32 years old when Joe Biden appointed her to lead the Federal Trade Commission in 2021. She became the youngest FTC chair in history, and this agency goes back to 1914. Khan was also considered one of the most progressive chairs in FTC history.

While she was still in law school, Kahn published a journal article called Amazon's Antitrust Paradox, which went on to become famous and which painted a picture of capitalism gone wild, where too many firms have become too big and too powerful, posing a threat not just to consumers and employees, but to the economy itself and maybe even to democracy.

While she was still in law school, Kahn published a journal article called Amazon's Antitrust Paradox, which went on to become famous and which painted a picture of capitalism gone wild, where too many firms have become too big and too powerful, posing a threat not just to consumers and employees, but to the economy itself and maybe even to democracy.

While she was still in law school, Kahn published a journal article called Amazon's Antitrust Paradox, which went on to become famous and which painted a picture of capitalism gone wild, where too many firms have become too big and too powerful, posing a threat not just to consumers and employees, but to the economy itself and maybe even to democracy.

One of the signature achievements of her FTC term done in collaboration with the Department of Justice was an updated set of the government's merger guidelines. This is a 50 page blueprint for pushing back against over consolidation, for limiting both horizontal and vertical acquisitions, and for making the economy more resilient by reducing corporate power.

One of the signature achievements of her FTC term done in collaboration with the Department of Justice was an updated set of the government's merger guidelines. This is a 50 page blueprint for pushing back against over consolidation, for limiting both horizontal and vertical acquisitions, and for making the economy more resilient by reducing corporate power.

One of the signature achievements of her FTC term done in collaboration with the Department of Justice was an updated set of the government's merger guidelines. This is a 50 page blueprint for pushing back against over consolidation, for limiting both horizontal and vertical acquisitions, and for making the economy more resilient by reducing corporate power.

These are ideas we have dug into repeatedly on Freakonomics Radio. We have done episodes about consolidation in the eyeglass industry, in the pet care and dialysis industries. We made an episode called Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy?, Now, with Donald Trump back in the White House, Lena Kahn is, of course, gone, replaced by a Republican chair, Andrew Ferguson.

These are ideas we have dug into repeatedly on Freakonomics Radio. We have done episodes about consolidation in the eyeglass industry, in the pet care and dialysis industries. We made an episode called Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy?, Now, with Donald Trump back in the White House, Lena Kahn is, of course, gone, replaced by a Republican chair, Andrew Ferguson.

These are ideas we have dug into repeatedly on Freakonomics Radio. We have done episodes about consolidation in the eyeglass industry, in the pet care and dialysis industries. We made an episode called Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy?, Now, with Donald Trump back in the White House, Lena Kahn is, of course, gone, replaced by a Republican chair, Andrew Ferguson.

And the Trump administration has been moving quickly to undo or wipe out any number of Biden administration policies. But not those merger guidelines. They are being retained and embraced by the Trump administration. Here's how one former Biden administration official put it to me. It's like being in your house when a tornado comes and wipes out everybody's house except for yours.