El Podcast

In this episode, sociologist and Venezuela expert Dr. Timothy Gill joins us to unpack the controversy surrounding USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy, and America’s post–World War II global influence strategy. We explore the historical origins of U.S. foreign aid programs, their Cold War intentions, and how they've evolved into tools of soft power, cultural diplomacy—and sometimes, regime...

AEI’s Rick Hess joins Jesse for a wide-ranging conversation on the collapse of academic performance in American schools. They unpack why test scores haven’t recovered since the pandemic, the long-term impact of smartphones, and why nearly 1 in 4 students are now chronically absent. Hess also explains how schools are often structured more for the convenience of adults than the learning needs of chi...

In this episode, Jesse is joined by Dr. Dirk Mateer, award-winning educator and professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin. Together, they dive deep into the growing U.S. national debt, the rise of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and whether Elon Musk can really trim $2 trillion from the federal budget. Topics covered include: The real scale of government waste, fr...

Policy analyst Tad DeHaven (Cato Institute, former deputy budget director of Indiana) joins Jesse to break down why America’s spending problem runs much deeper than "waste, fraud, and abuse." They dig into the explosion of federal spending since 2015, why Social Security and Medicare are untouchable political landmines, and how the federal government undermines state-level accountability through b...

Why do Americans ask “What do you do?” before “Who are you?” In this episode, journalist and author Adam Chandler joins Jesse to explore America’s deep-rooted obsession with work — and how it compares to the rest of the world.  They discuss: Why work is so central to American identity Differences between U.S. work culture and places like France, Korea, Costa Rica, and Australia The impact of socia...

From prestige TV to background noise—what happened? In this episode, tech journalist Emily Forlini joins Jesse to break down her viral article on how Netflix is quietly telling writers to simplify scripts so distracted viewers can keep up—especially when watching on their phones. They discuss the rise of “casual viewing,” the economics behind streaming, the collapse of the Hollywood middle class,...

In this wide-ranging conversation, Jesse speaks with Dr. Kevin LaGrandeur, AI ethicist and former professor at NYIT, about the dangers of AI hype and the ethical dilemmas emerging from rapid technological development. They cover: The real risks of AI overreliance by consumers and businesses DeepSeek and the illusion of American AI dominance Why Elon Musk’s Neuralink may be more dangerous than help...

Computer Scientist, Erik J. Larson returns to discuss the global shakeup in AI sparked by DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 Max. We unpack how these models challenge Silicon Valley’s dominance, what makes them technically significant, and the broader implications for geopolitics, open-source innovation, and the future of AGI. Also discussed: NVIDIA’s record valuation drop, open-source trends, and wh...

Dr. Jon Keeley, senior scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey and professor at UCLA, joins us to break down the record-breaking 2025 California wildfires. He explains how drought, wind, power lines, and population growth created a perfect storm—and why prevention, not firefighting, may be our best defense. Topics Covered: Why the 2025 wildfires were so destructive Santa Ana winds and drought patt...

In this episode, environmental scientist Dr. Mark Schwartz joins us to unpack the devastating California wildfires, which have already destroyed over 12,000 structures and displaced more than 100,000 residents. Schwartz explains why these fires were predictable, how the state’s geography and housing patterns fuel the crisis, and why most proposed solutions—from controlled burns to home hardening—f...

Pedro Uria-Recio joins us to explore the transformative power of AI—its impact on jobs, education, geopolitics, and society at large. From job automation and universal basic income to AI’s role in medicine, war, religion, and entrepreneurship, this wide-ranging conversation tackles the hopes, fears, and opportunities of our AI-driven future. We also dive into quantum computing, the US-China AI riv...

Dustin Whitney joins us to explore the economic, social, and policy implications of population decline. We discuss aging societies, the myth of overpopulation, and what a shrinking GDP means for business, government, and everyday life. Guest Info: Dustin Whitney – Business executive, entrepreneur, and author of Demographic Deception: Exposing the Overpopulation Myth and Building a Resilient Future...

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Thomas Seyfried dismantles the genetic theory of cancer and reveals how targeting cancer’s metabolic roots—glucose and glutamine dependence—could revolutionize treatment and prevention. 🧠 Guest: Dr. Thomas Seyfried – Professor of Biology at Boston College, pioneering researcher in cancer metabolism, and author of Cancer as a Metabolic Disease . 📌 Topics Covered :...

In this episode, researcher Mads Larsen warns that modern societies may be on a path to self-eradication unless we find a way to reconcile female freedom with reproduction. Guest Info: Mads Larsen, researcher at the University of Oslo and author of Stories of Love: From Vikings to Tinder (open access) Topics Covered: Global population collapse and generational shrinkage Why South Korea’s fertility...

Professor Martin Grace explains how natural disasters, inflation, bad policy, and population shifts are breaking the U.S. homeowners insurance market — and what that means for your future coverage. 👤 Guest Bio: Dr. Martin F. Grace is a professor of risk management and insurance at the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. A nationally recognized expert on insurance regulation and...

Tax reform architect Scott Hodge breaks down the bold plan to cut trillions in federal spending, streamline bureaucracy, and tackle America’s unsustainable budget—one obsolete agency at a time. 👤 Guest Bio: Scott Hodge is President Emeritus and Senior Policy Advisor at the Tax Foundation, where he served as president for over 20 years. A national expert on tax policy, budget reform, and governmen...

Bankrate senior writer Jeff Ostrowski returns to discuss the evolving real estate commission rules, post-disaster housing markets, Airbnb regulations, mortgage rates, commercial real estate shifts, and the long-term impact of U.S. demographic aging on housing. Guest Info: Jeff Ostrowski – Senior Writer at Bankrate, award-winning journalist with over 20 years covering real estate; board member of t...

Veteran financial journalist and bestselling author Diana B. Henriques joins to discuss the historical parallels between the unregulated crypto markets of today and the chaotic Wall Street of the 1920s, drawing from her latest book Taming the Street , which chronicles FDR’s creation of the SEC, the FDIC, and other transformative reforms that reshaped American capitalism. Guest Info: Diana B. Henri...

Law professor Ken Klein explains why so many Americans are unprotected against natural disasters—and what happens when your home is gone and insurance falls short. Guest Bio: Ken Klein is a law professor at California Western School of Law specializing in disaster recovery, insurance law, and housing policy. Topics Covered: What standard homeowners insurance covers (and doesn’t) Flood vs. wind dam...

Four acclaimed authors join us to share the books that shaped their lives—and the stories they believe everyone should read. 📚 Guest Bios: Diana Henriques – Award-winning journalist and author of The Wizard of Lies and Taming the Street , expert on financial fraud and Wall Street history. Robert Lipsyte – Legendary sportswriter, author of The Contender , and former New York Times columnist known...

Dr. Catherine Pakaluk, economist and author of Hannah’s Children , discusses why some American women still choose large families, what it means for the future of society, and the deeper meaning of parenthood in an age of demographic decline. Guest Bio: Dr. Catherine Pakaluk is an economist and associate professor at The Catholic University of America with a PhD from Harvard, known for her work on...

Investigative journalist Geoff White explains how modern technology—from crypto to the dark web—has revolutionized money laundering for the world’s most dangerous criminals. Guest bio: Geoff White is an investigative journalist, author, and podcast creator with over 20 years of experience reporting on cybercrime, global fraud, and financial corruption. Covered topics: The three stages of money lau...

Historian and journalist Jacob Mikanowski explores the legacy of communism, post-Soviet transitions, surveillance states, and the uncertain future of Europe. Guest Bio: Jacob Mikanowski is a historian, cultural critic, and journalist. He is the author of Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land , which traces the complex past and present of the region through personal stories...

Investigative journalist Joseph Cox joins to discuss Dark Wire , his explosive new book revealing how the FBI secretly ran a global encrypted phone company to spy on the criminal underworld. Guest Bio: Joseph Cox is an award-winning investigative journalist and co-founder of 404 Media . He specializes in cybercrime, surveillance, and hacking, and is the author of Dark Wire: The Incredible True Sto...

Christine Rosen discusses her book The Extinction of Experience , warning against the societal costs of technological overreach, constant surveillance, and the erosion of human judgment and private life. Guest bio: Christine Rosen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a contributing editor at Commentary magazine, co-host of the Commentary podcast, and a fellow at the University...