El Podcast

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 government inefficiency, Hodge helped design the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and has testified before Congress over 30 times. He has spent decades studying how to make government leaner, more accountable, and less expensive.📚 Topics Covered:What the proposed “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) would actually doWhether it's realistic to cut $2 trillion from the federal budgetWhy it's so hard to shrink government despite obvious wasteExamples of outdated agencies and programs that should be eliminatedThe influence of entrenched nonprofits and the “NGO-industrial complex”Why Social Security and Medicare are growing faster than the economyHow student loans fuel the college affordability crisisThe hidden size of government—federal contractors, state agencies, and off-the-books spendingWhy optics, messaging, and marketing matter when reforming governmentThe risks of “bulldozer” reform versus strategic dismantlingLessons from past efforts (Reagan, Clinton, Nixon) to downsize governmentWhy true reform needs to start with taxpayers understanding the cost of government 📺Watch the full episode on YouTube:📺➡️https://youtu.be/3mHo5-eL4iU 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

22 Nov 20241h 21min

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 the National Association of Real Estate Editors since 2019.Topics Covered:Real estate commission lawsuit and rule changesPost-hurricane housing dynamics in Asheville and FloridaFEMA floodplain regulations and rebuild requirementsAirbnb and short-term rental restrictionsMortgage rate trends and Fed policyCommercial real estate and the future of office spacePopulation aging, Baby Boomer housing decisions, and long-term U.S. housing supply outlook📺Watch the full episode on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/SraqX4tbqtE 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

17 Nov 202448min

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. Henriques – Award-winning investigative journalist, former New York Times financial reporter, and bestselling author of The Wizard of Lies (on Bernie Madoff) and Taming the Street (2023), which explores how FDR’s New Deal brought accountability to U.S. financial markets.Topics Covered:Parallels between crypto and pre-SEC Wall StreetThe 1920s income inequality and consumer debt buildupFDR’s creation of the SEC, FDIC, Glass-Steagall, and Public Utility Holding Company ActJoseph P. Kennedy as the first SEC chairDangers of deregulation and recent Supreme Court decisionsRole of misinformation in modern electionsBernie Madoff’s fraud compared to crypto platformsCentralization of finance and decline of local journalismAI, autocracy, and the future of democratic governance 📺Watch the full episode on YouTube:➡️https://youtu.be/FEba679WyDc 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

14 Nov 20241h 31min

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 damage and the legal gray zonesWhy most people are underinsured and how to fix itThe role of mortgage lenders and force-placed insuranceRecovery timelines and psychological toll of losing a homeMarket speculation after disasters (e.g. Lahaina, Asheville)Government programs, last-resort insurance, and FEMA’s roleEquity concerns for low-income and generational homeownersPolicy reform challenges and why there's no quick fixPractical tips for homeowners to get better coverage Watch the full episode on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/W2vwJ2dpHIU 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

8 Nov 20241h

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 for his coverage of Muhammad Ali.Brody Mullins – Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter, formerly of The Wall Street Journal, author of The Wolves of K Street, uncovering lobbying and political influence.Dr. Catherine Pakaluk – Economist and social philosopher at The Catholic University of America, author of Hannah’s Children, exploring family, fertility, and social change.📖 Topics Covered:The books that changed their lives—and why they matter.Forgotten classics, formative childhood reads, and literary role models.Writing craft and storytelling insights from journalism and academia.The evolving power of billionaires and corporations in U.S. politics.The crisis of attention and the role of books in the age of screens.Encouragement for young readers and the enduring value of fiction. 📺Watch the full episode on YouTube📺➡️https://youtu.be/VmnQJpb2YS8 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

3 Nov 20241h 5min

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 family, faith, and fertility.Topics Covered: The motivation behind Hannah’s Children and the “5% Club” of high-fertility womenWhat these women believe about children, purpose, and blessingsWhy pro-natal policies (like cash incentives) largely failEconomic consequences of a shrinking population and workforceHow children build resilience, empathy, and social skills through siblingsThe problem of overparenting and emotional fragility in small familiesReligious communities as key to sustaining fertilityPersonal reflections on parenting, sacrifice, and long-term meaningThe U.S. fiscal future: Social Security, taxes, and investor outlookUpcoming project: interviews with high-fertility fathers 📺Watch the full episode on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/kVCWvNbLDAw 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

26 Okt 20241h 4min

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 laundering: placement, layering, and integrationPablo Escobar and the evolution of laundering from cash to cryptoNorth Korea’s $2B cybercrime spree and the Axie Infinity hackThe rise of mixers like Tornado Cash and debates over financial privacyOrigins of the dark web (Tor) and Bitcoin’s cryptographic rootsTax havens, shell companies, and the offshore economyThe global scale of illicit finance and why money laundering enables everyday crime 📺Watch the full episode on YouTube➡️ https://youtu.be/j9jmkSlRRPM 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

19 Okt 202433min

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, political history, and cultural memory.Topics Covered:Communist nostalgia and post-1989 transitionsEconomic shocks, privatization, and hyperinflation in Eastern EuropeSurveillance tactics in Cold War-era regimes vs. modern digital surveillanceDecline of legacy media and rise of decentralized informationFertility decline, rural depopulation, and mass emigrationEU integration, expansion fatigue, and national resistanceRegional identity: Western vs. Eastern vs. Central EuropeTravel and expat life in underrated Eastern European countries like Albania and RomaniaCultural memory, censorship, and historical erasure (e.g. Tiananmen Square)Living standards and quality of life comparisons between the U.S. and Europe 📺Watch the full episode on YouTube:➡️ https://youtu.be/vqcK8hsvCzI 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

12 Okt 20241h 1min