Neon Liberalism Beyond Abundance? (with Becky Chao)
Nov 22, 2025
Becky Chao, Director of Policy and Research at the Economic Security Project, dives into the affordability crisis plaguing America. She discusses broken markets and incomes as key drivers of economic insecurity. Becky reflects on decades of policy failures and how gatekeeping and corporate consolidation have raised costs. The conversation explores the need for a balance between increasing supply and protecting tenants, as well as the impact of AI and hidden fees on consumer prices. With a focus on nuanced solutions, Becky advocates for combined reforms to address complex affordability issues.
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Episode notes
Affordability Has Political Resonance
- Affordability resonated politically across party lines because voters want government to deliver tangible economic relief.
- Candidates who ran on affordability won in multiple states, showing broad appetite for change.
Pair Supply With Immediate Protections
- Pair long-term supply investments with near-term protections like rent control and tenant safeguards.
- Address immediate affordability while new housing supply comes online over years.
From Default No To Conditional Yes
- Democratic processes often default to 'no' because special interests weaponize public participation to create bottlenecks.
- Reforming rulemaking and reducing capture can move policy toward a 'yes if' default.
