Zephyr Teachout

That's a slowing down in that particular campaign. Those little veto points are happening in every congressional campaign, in every state house, and it's that kind of veto. So one of our problems on the left is we said, let's align with the big money, like the Reid Hoffmans, And then Reid Hoffman basically says, we can't have Lena Khan's dynamic use of government.

That's a slowing down in that particular campaign. Those little veto points are happening in every congressional campaign, in every state house, and it's that kind of veto. So one of our problems on the left is we said, let's align with the big money, like the Reid Hoffmans, And then Reid Hoffman basically says, we can't have Lena Khan's dynamic use of government.

You know, she's somebody you would love. She's willing to break eggs to get things done, to cut through the bureaucracy to actually achieve things. And you have Reid Hoffman and other big, wealthy tech billionaires saying, saying, we are a veto point because of big money. You can't talk about those dynamic things, you know, in the campaign. Maybe you should get rid of Lena Khan.

You know, she's somebody you would love. She's willing to break eggs to get things done, to cut through the bureaucracy to actually achieve things. And you have Reid Hoffman and other big, wealthy tech billionaires saying, saying, we are a veto point because of big money. You can't talk about those dynamic things, you know, in the campaign. Maybe you should get rid of Lena Khan.

So I think you're undervaluing what happens when you actually embrace big power for individual projects. They become significant veto power elsewhere.

So I think you're undervaluing what happens when you actually embrace big power for individual projects. They become significant veto power elsewhere.

I think it's huge. And I think the examples you use of like, we're just outsourcing this thinned state, this sort of thinned and enervated state is a very significant problem. And I just want to use some counter examples about a direction we can go, which may help you understand sort of why I think there's such possibility in the anti-monopoly movement.

I think it's huge. And I think the examples you use of like, we're just outsourcing this thinned state, this sort of thinned and enervated state is a very significant problem. And I just want to use some counter examples about a direction we can go, which may help you understand sort of why I think there's such possibility in the anti-monopoly movement.

Because a lot of what happened in the anti-monopoly movement is we started actually learning about How business actually works like, oh, we're learning how the John Deere actually limits repairs, you know, returning to the center of democratic politics, an understanding of like what happens with inhalers, what happens with fire trucks. What happens with the franchise system?

Because a lot of what happened in the anti-monopoly movement is we started actually learning about How business actually works like, oh, we're learning how the John Deere actually limits repairs, you know, returning to the center of democratic politics, an understanding of like what happens with inhalers, what happens with fire trucks. What happens with the franchise system?

Asking a set of questions that, frankly, we didn't ask for 30 years. Like, what is happening in the vast bulk of the American economy? What is life like for working people on a day-to-day level? What is life like for a farmer? Some of the areas where you saw the most active government in the Biden administration, and Biden administration was not coherent on this, right?

Asking a set of questions that, frankly, we didn't ask for 30 years. Like, what is happening in the vast bulk of the American economy? What is life like for working people on a day-to-day level? What is life like for a farmer? Some of the areas where you saw the most active government in the Biden administration, and Biden administration was not coherent on this, right?

Like, there's different departments. You saw Pete Buttigieg, who came in, was willing to, you know, break some eggs, get things done, stopped the first airline merger in 30 years, really got into the weeds of how transportation supply chains work. And we had the most successful air transit summer, you know, in years in 2024, like an effective dynamic.

Like, there's different departments. You saw Pete Buttigieg, who came in, was willing to, you know, break some eggs, get things done, stopped the first airline merger in 30 years, really got into the weeds of how transportation supply chains work. And we had the most successful air transit summer, you know, in years in 2024, like an effective dynamic.

I think he did a great job with the DOT. And so what I want to say is it's capacity, it's desire, it's drive. I think the drive comes from a vision that you are standing up for working people against the big airlines. Like that is actually a motivating drive and it's a politically motivating drive. But the kind of expertise we want matters. It's not just expertise generally.

I think he did a great job with the DOT. And so what I want to say is it's capacity, it's desire, it's drive. I think the drive comes from a vision that you are standing up for working people against the big airlines. Like that is actually a motivating drive and it's a politically motivating drive. But the kind of expertise we want matters. It's not just expertise generally.

I think where the Democratic Party really should go is understanding how did we allow the greatest geographic inequality in American history in the last 20 years? where places like Utica, New York are totally left behind. Like, that's weird and strange, and we should treat it like weird and strange.

I think where the Democratic Party really should go is understanding how did we allow the greatest geographic inequality in American history in the last 20 years? where places like Utica, New York are totally left behind. Like, that's weird and strange, and we should treat it like weird and strange.

How did we allow diapers to get so expensive when we should have, you know, like, real innovations in eco-diapers instead of just this kind of incredibly expensive... price gouging, frankly, during the pandemic, real expertise and expertise in the nature of business.

How did we allow diapers to get so expensive when we should have, you know, like, real innovations in eco-diapers instead of just this kind of incredibly expensive... price gouging, frankly, during the pandemic, real expertise and expertise in the nature of business.