Organized Money is a podcast about how the business world really works, and how corporate consolidation and monopolies are dominating every sector of our econom...
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.Drawing from his recent report "Kings Over the Necessaries of Life," Musharbash traces this consolidation through pivotal moments in American history, from the sweeping reforms of the 1930s New Deal to the deregulation of the 1970s and 80s. He tells Matt and David how today's agricultural giants wield their market power to shape everything from seed prices to distribution networks, often at the expense of farmers and consumers alike.
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49:27
The most hated man on Wall Street; Rohit Chopra, head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Wall Street's biggest players have a nemesis: Rohit Chopra. As head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, he's the watchdog who coined the term "junk fees" and has saved Americans billions by cracking down on them. Over the past decade he has emerged as a leader in three critical areas: antitrust, finance, and student debt. But this aggressive oversight has powerful enemies. Tech billionaire Marc Andreessen claims Chopra is "terrorizing" banks and pushing them to cut off services to people based on politics. In this episode, Chopra sits down with Matt and David to set the record straight—and to explain how CFPB is actually fighting to make sure banks can't discriminate against anyone, while preventing powerful actors from rigging the financial system in their favor.
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45:32
The great American drug shortage isn't an accidient, its artificial
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.
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39:43
The Democratic Party and Corporate Power with Rep. Chris DeLuzio
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."
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42:28
FanDuel and DraftKings and the online betting duopoly
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
Organized Money is a podcast about how the business world really works, and how corporate consolidation and monopolies are dominating every sector of our economy. The series is hosted by writers and journalists Matt Stoller and David Dayen, both thought leaders in the antimonopoly movement. Organized Money is a fresh spin on business reporting, one that goes beyond supply and demand curves or odes to visionary entrepreneurs. Each week Matt and David break down the ways monopolies control everything from the food we eat, to the drugs we take, the way we communicate and even how we date. You’ll hear from workers, business leaders, antitrust lawyers, and policymakers who are on the front lines of the fight for open markets and fair competition.If you care about an economy that is free and open, one not controlled by a handful of corporations, Organized Money is for you. New episodes out every week until the end of the year. Organized Money is a Rock Creek Sound production, from executive producers Ari Saperstein and Ellen Weiss, and senior producer Benjamin Frisch.
USA