Tevi Troy, best-selling presidential historian and a former senior government official, joins DC EKG

Joe and Eric continue their discussion with Tyler Goodspeed and explore disruptions that come from inflation. Tyler reveals that the best indicator of how the economy is doing in high and medium inflation environments is the consumer, better than government economists and academics. Tyler explains how the US dollar is the world's reserve currency and is not under threat by China, or any other entity at this time. But he does say that he could see other central banks diversifying into more than US Treasuries.

In the next part of this conversation Joe and Eric probe Tyler for his thoughts on current economic challenges. Specifically, the show looks at how to unwind the regulatory hurdles put in place by the current administration. Tyler also explores the problems with the workforce participation rate and whether extending federal supplemental unemployment benefits kept people out of the workforce. Additionally, we explore how inflation caused declines in real wages and impacts on the US consumer.

Tyler Goodspeed is the guest for the next three episodes with Joe and Eric. Tyler served on the Council of Economic Advisors and is currently at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He recently spent time in the UK advising Liz Truss, the shortest serving Prime Minister in U.K. history. Tyler then shared an insider perspective on why her policy rollouts did not go as well as they could have, and the experiences he had in Great Britain with the think tank culture of London.

This episode covers how the Congress can investigate the FTX scandal, the need to learn what happened with the botched and tragic pullout from Afghanistan, and how to begin the examination of the government’s actions regarding Covid-19. The best ways to conduct an examination of public health mistakes of the last few years include examination of free speech suppression; the conduct of large bureaucracies; the lockdown of schools, and inappropriate influence by outside groups. Mark’s experience and advice on proper oversight is a must see.

This episode explores the enormous historical figure that is Justice Clarence Thomas. Insights on his story are detailed in a discussion about the book Mark co-wrote/edited, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words, which discusses Justice Thomas’s early life surviving the deepest of challenges of poverty. We also explored Justice Thomas’s experience being taught by Irish nuns and the profound and systemic racism he experienced growing up in the deep south.

Over the next three episodes Joe and Eric speak with Mark Paoletta, a distinguished attorney in Washington, a former oversight lawyer on Capitol Hill, and the editor/author of the book Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in his Own Words. This episode explores how the new Republican House majority should conduct oversight. The discussion centered on Mark’s experience investigating the malfeasance at Enron, WorldCom, and Global Crossing, as well as his thoughts on how Congress can inform the public and itself about fraud and abuse in the private sector and within the executive branch. This interview was recorded in early November 2022 just after the new majority was declared in the House of Representatives.

In part three of this discussion with Charley Hooper, FDA expert and former NASA official, they examine the legacy of FDA’s its “white hat” reputation and how it’s not as deserved as it once was. In addition, they discuss the chilling effect new legislation will have on new cancer treatments, as well as the punitive effect this will have on generic drugs, patients in need of drugs for rare disorders, and testing already approved drugs to combat other diseases.

Joe and Eric continue their discussion with Charley. The conversation explores how drugmakers approach the market and fund new research. They highlight the explicit ways the IRA will undermine the delicate development process for life prolonging and life saving drugs. *This episode aired October 2022*

Joe and Eric speak with Charley Hooper, author of the book Should the FDA Reject Itself?  Part one of their discussion explores the likely impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and its drug pricing provisions, which include: overall drug production, the total impact on inflation, as well as the irony of prices actually going up as a result. *Episode aired Oct 26, 2022*