Businesses need democracy to thrive, argues Daniella Ballou-Aares, founder of the business coalition Leadership Now. They should step up to defend it.

Host: Anne Kim, Washington Monthly

Guest: Daniella Ballou-Aares, CEO and founder, Leadership Now

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Daniella Ballou-Aares and the topic of democracy and business

01:47 The macro context that led to the founding of Leadership Now

04:03 The argument for business influence in preserving democracy

06:03 Why American businesses are involved in politics but not enough in democracy

08:00 The relationship between business and government: balance and risks

09:52 Historical examples of business influence in regimes and transitions

12:07 The importance of a broad, non-crony approach to business influence

14:09 The impact of January 6th and the importance of election integrity

17:01 Business community responses to threats against democracy

19:58 The importance of bipartisan and diverse business engagement

22:58 The economic and societal reasons for defending democracy

25:57 The risks and opportunities of political alignment for businesses

28:04 How collective action can promote democratic resilience

30:00 How to get involved with Leadership Now Project

The Internal Revenue Service may never be the government’s most popular agency, but it could have been the most efficient. 

In 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which invested $80 billion to fix the Internal Revenue Service. In 2024, the agency rolled out features like Direct File, a new free filing service for taxpayers. But Elon Musk's DOGE had other plans, including mass firings and data sharing agreements with ICE. The result is new risks for taxpayers.

Host: Anne Kim, Washington Monthly

Guest: Danny Werfel, former IRS Commissioner

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Danny Werfel and IRS challenges

01:01 The importance of the IRS and public perception

02:04 The referee analogy and public trust

02:57 Modernization goals and digital interactions

05:30 Impact of current administration on the IRS

06:29 Performance before and after the Inflation Reduction Act

07:55 Reversal of modernization efforts in 2025

09:22 Lack of a clear modernization plan from the IRS

11:20 Recent IRS performance and taxpayer frustrations

12:21 Consequences of underfunding and staffing issues

16:39 The size and capacity of the IRS compared internationally

20:43 Doge's mistakes in IRS reform

23:05 Spending, capacity, and efficiency in government

27:08 Risks of rapid reform and the reflecting pool analogy

37:34 The concept and benefits of direct file

40:57 Challenges and opportunities in free file solutions

44:19 The future of IRS reform and innovation

The ultra-right-wing Heritage Foundation blames "feminism" for falling fertility rates. Not surprisingly, its "solutions" are hostile to women.Host: Anne Kim, Washington MonthlyGuest: Varina Winder, Co-founder, Arch CollaborativeChapters00:00 Introduction to the Pronatalist Agenda02:57 The Heritage Foundation's Influence and Report05:50 Crisis Framing: Fertility Rates and Social Welfare08:46 Feminism and Its Role in the Fertility Debate11:55 Policy Solutions and Their Implications15:03 Critique of Heritage's Understanding of Family Needs17:56 Cultural Shifts and Women's Autonomy20:56 Advocacy and Action Steps for Women

Much like the economy at large, the system favors big players over independent creators.

Online sensations like Mr. Beast—the YouTuber with nearly 500 million subscribers—have spurred countless imitators with dreams of online fame.

Yet a vanishing few reach the stratospheric heights of Mr. Beast, who reportedly earns $700 million a year. Accordingto a 2025 survey by NeoReach, 70 percent of creators report earning less than $49,000 a year, and more than half earn less than $15,000 annually. (YouTube, meanwhile, reported $60 billion in revenues in 2025.)

As veteran podcaster Matt Robison argues, media has become a “superstar economy” where a small number of players dominatethe market. Their incumbency is secured by platforms like YouTube and Substack, which have every incentive to promote their superstars as a way to compete against each other. Algorithms that favor popularity make things worse forsmaller creators trying to break in. The result is that no one who isn’t already big can make it big because the big guys are insulated from competition.

Host: Anne Kim, Washington Monthly

Guest: Matt Robison, author of the Substack, “Worth Knowing,” and the host of the podcast, “Beyond Politics.”

For several decades now, girls have been outperforming boysacademically. 

They earn higher grades, are less likely to drop out, and are significantly more likely to attend college. Women now earn themajority of professional degrees, according to the Hechinger Report, including 60 percent of master’s and doctorates. 

More male teachers can help close gender gaps inachievement, argues Curtis Valentine, president of the newly launched Male Educator Network, an initiative of the American Institute for Boys and Men.

Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington Monthly

Guest: Curtis Valentine, president of the Male Educator Network and Policy Institute

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Male Educator Network

02:38 Curtis Valentine’s Teaching Journey

05:30 Impact of Male Educators on Students

08:52 Gender Disparity in Education

11:27 Challenges in Attracting Men to Teaching

14:47 Policy Recommendations for Increasing Male Educators

17:40 Addressing the Prestige of Teaching

20:29 Cultural Perceptions of Masculinity and Teaching

23:34 Conclusion and Call to Action

Billionaires are the apex predators of the modern economy. They tear up governments, buy politicians, and wreck the planet with carbon-spewing yachts. They control the news and what’s in our feeds. They spend $55 million on lavish weddings while the rest of us struggle to buy groceries and gas.That's why entrepreneur Nick Hanauer and Professor Eric Beinhocker argue for a new economic paradigm they call "market humanism." It's not the end of capitalism, nor the end of markets. Instead, what Hanauer and Beinhocker would like to see is the better organization of markets so they produce the outcomes that benefit humanity (i.e., not the production of more billionaires).In this episode, Hanauer and Beinhocker discuss their new treatise, "Markets Built for Humans," and their critique of the current neoliberal paradigm. Host: Anne Kim, Washington MonthlyGuests: Nick Hanauer and Eric Beinhocker

Risky financial maneuvers and mountains of debt mean the AI economy is in trouble, says Vanderbilt's Asad Ramzanali. America needs to get ready. Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington MonthlyGuest: Asad Ramzanali, Director of AI and Technology Policy, Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator, Vanderbilt University

President Donald Trump recently unveiled his “Great Healthcare Plan,” vowing to bring down soaring premiums and “fix” the Affordable Care Act.

But Trump’s single-page plan is likely to fall far short of his promises, says Edwin Park, a research professor at Georgetown University and a former health policy advisor to the National Economic Council under President Joe Biden.

Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington Monthly

Guest: Edwin Park, Georgetown University

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Trump's Health Care Plan

02:23 Analyzing Drug Pricing Proposals

05:20 Cash Payments vs. Insurance Premiums

10:24 Transparency and Cost Sharing in Health Care

15:34 Republican Proposals and Medicaid Cuts

18:48 Bipartisan Efforts and Future Priorities

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So-called “Constitution-First” Republicans are uncomfortable with Trump’s abuses of power. They could be the key to a pro-democracy coalition that cuts across party and ideology.

President Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican party hasseemed absolute.

But his consistent disregard for constitutional and societalnorms might be leading to genuine fissures within the GOP.

A new report by the nonprofit Public Agenda and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, based on focus groups and surveys involving more than 4,500 Americans, identifiesan emerging three-part typology within the Republican party:

·      “Trump First” Republicans who are the core of the MAGA base;

·      “Party First” Republicans, whose partisan loyalties outweigh their personal devotion to Trump; and

·     “Constitution First” Republicans, conservativeswho are increasingly uncomfortable with Trump’s behavior in office.

These Constitution First Republicans—who make up 34 percent of the party—have the potential to be an effective counterweight to extremism within their party.

Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington Monthly

Guests: Andrew Seligsohn, President, Public Agenda; Sarah Bryner, Director, Public Agenda

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Research and Its Purpose

02:55 Understanding the GOP Typology

06:39 Contrasting Republican Groups: Trump-First vs. Constitution-First

10:26 Media Consumption and Its Impact on Political Views

14:16 Engagement Strategies for a Healthy Democracy

19:44 Hope for American Democracy: Insights from the Research

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In 2003, New Orleans public schools were among the worst in the country.Seventy percent of eighth-graders were not proficient in math, 74 percent weren’t proficient in English, and the graduation rate was barely over 50 percent. Moreover, the district was as corrupt as it was incompetent. FBI investigations led to the indictment of two dozen school officials; nearly $70 million in federal funding was missing. New Orleans schools have since achieved a remarkable transformation. In 2023, the high school graduation rate was 79 percent, and 65 percent enrolled in college—nearly double what it was in 2004 and higher than the state average.This success, one expert argues, was powered by the city’s commitment to charter schools. In a new documentary, Turnaround, which premiered at the New Orleans Film Festival last fall, author David Osborne chronicles the rise of New Orleans public schools through its use of charters and argues for the expansion of this model. Osborne is the author of six books, including the 1992 bestseller, Reinventing Government. Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington MonthlyGuest: David Osborne, Director, TurnaroundChapters00:00 Introduction to the Documentary and Its Purpose03:18 The State of New Orleans Public Schools Before the Turnaround05:40 The Role of Charter Schools in Education Reform10:18 Leslie Jacobs: A Key Figure in the Reform Movement17:10 Success Stories from Charter Operators21:40 Criticism and Challenges Facing Charter Schools25:42 Differentiating Vouchers from Charter Schools32:33 The Future of Public Education and Charter SchoolsRead the Washington Monthly:www.washingtonmonthly.comSubscribe to the Washington Monthly's PolicyFix playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonp7h9esu5j_rTTHx-0Vv_T_AyQqoRaO&si=AANgMFJ6G2_cOUM4