Policy-ish Talk

While there has been progress to close the digital divide, it is clear that more needs to be done. To address this, some members of Congress and the current administration are advocating for building “future proof” broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas so that we reach 100 percent high-speed broadband coverage, which could suggest widespread fiber deployment.

In this episode, I sit down with Doug Brake, Director of Broadband and Spectrum Policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, to discuss what the push for this specific technology means for the average consumer and how the unserved and underserved communities would be affected.

Rising drug prices continue to be a top concern for Americans. In response, members of Congress are floating multiple recycled ideas that revolve around price controls. In this episode, Dr. Robert Popovian, the Founder of the strategic consulting firm Conquest Advisors, Senior Health Policy Fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute, and previously the Vice President of U.S. Government Relations at Pfizer, discusses whether price controls make sense or not and alternative policy options for a better path forward.

The role of local government-owned and operated broadband networks in the United States has been the subject of considerable debate for a while now. More recently, the Biden administration has unveiled “The American Jobs Plan,” which proposes $100 billion in spending on broadband to reach 100 percent coverage. The plan, among other things, “prioritizes support for broadband networks owned, operated by, or affiliated with local governments.” Is this a good idea? And what does it mean for the taxpayers?

Sarah Oh, Senior Fellow at the Technology Policy Institute, talks about the empirical evidence behind municipal broadband and shares her perspectives on these important questions.

The desire of both conservatives and liberals to use antitrust to resolve a slew of political issues with big tech displays a profound misunderstanding of what antitrust regulation is, its role in protecting consumer welfare, and guaranteeing a competitive market. This episode explores these issues with Joshua Wright, law professor at George Mason University, executive director of the Global Antitrust Institute, and former FTC Commissioner. He also recently co-authored, along with Jan Rybnicek, the National Affairs article, “A Time for Choosing: The Conservative Case Against Weaponizing Antitrust.”

What is the PRO Act? How would it affect independent workers? What are the alternative policies and social safety nets that would make sense and benefit the growing independent workforce?

On this episode, Liya Palagashvili, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Kris to share her perspective on these important questions.

The Consumer Welfare Standard (CWS) has been the bedrock of U.S. antitrust law for the past several decades. Today, there seems to be a bipartisan consensus that Washington should act to rein in big tech’s perceived power. In supporting antitrust actions against big tech, policymakers on both the left and right are trying to delegitimize and even do away with the CWS.

What role does the CWS play in antitrust and why has it recently come under attack? And what impact would changing it have on everyday consumers?

Jennifer Huddleston, the Director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum, sits down with Kris Pusok to discuss these important questions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the majority of companies to completely readjust to stay in business. For the sharing economy companies, in particular, the pandemic has highlighted that the gig economy has become an integral and necessary part of the American workforce. Yet, several regulatory and legislative initiatives expose the long-term viability of this working arrangement and the benefits it provides.

In this episode, Arun Sundararajan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at New York University’s Stern School of Business, shares his perspectives on the current legislative and regulatory climate surrounding the gig economy.