Firewall with Bradley Tusk I Want to Give Up All the Time
Feb 10, 2026
A wide-ranging conversation about why business leaders failed to build political power in New York and what a stronger civic machine might have changed. A deep look at persistence, arguing that struggle fuels long-term meaning rather than fleeting happiness. A debate over homeless encampment policy and legal limits of forced shelter. Ends with a crafted political ad and thoughts on philanthropy’s short attention span.
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Facade Over Political Muscle
- The New York City Partnership failed by avoiding hard political engagement and sticking to safe, procedural activities.
- Bradley contends powerful CEOs tolerated the façade but did not build the political operation the city needed.
Persist, Recalibrate, Repeat
- Keep iterating after failure: recalibrate, try new tactics, and persist until something works.
- Start with a plan, accept repeated failure, and keep going because it's ultimately best for personal fulfillment.
Mobile Voting: A Years-Long Fight
- Bradley Tusk describes founding the Mobile Voting Project and facing nonstop attacks from cybersecurity critics and special interests.
- He spent five years and $10 million building secure phone voting trials and still faced relentless opposition.
