Robinson's Podcast

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/joinMichael Hudson is an economist, financial historian, and distinguished research professor of economics at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss how financialization has changed the American economy, why working for a living has become harder, and the growing power of billionaires. More particularly, they talk about Trump and political influence, oil wars involving Iran and Russia, their consequences for fuel and food prices, and Hudson’s argument that China is using the industrial model America abandoned. They also discuss private equity, public banking, de-dollarization, AI, ancient debt jubilees, and the difference between creating wealth and collecting economic rent. Michael’s most recent published book is Temples of Enterprise (2024).Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com/Temples of Enterprise: https://michael-hudson.com/2024/05/temples-of-enterprise/OUTLINE00:00 Highlights00:39 Inherited Wealth and Earning a Living07:03 Financialization, Bank Bailouts, and Private Equity13:05 Industrial Capitalism, Banking, and Colonial Debt25:39 Public Investment, Technology, and the Managerial Class33:18 Reagan, Thatcher, and Privatization46:35 Oil Wars, Fuel Shortages, and Food Prices54:06 Debt Jubilees and the Rise of Ancient Oligarchies1:00:42 Empire, Oil, and Economic Dependence1:06:24 De-Dollarization, BRICS, and Public Money1:13:08 Economic Rent, Value, and the Cost of Living1:27:51 Neoliberalism and the Rejection of Classical Economics1:39:19 Pension Funds and the Financialization of Retirement1:45:06 China’s Industrialization and Public Banking1:59:15 China’s Property Bubble and Evergrande2:11:16 Billionaires and Wealth Concentration2:15:22 Trump, Political Influence, and Regulatory Capture2:26:59 AI, Intellectual Property, and Social Costs2:30:58 Billionaires in China and Russia2:36:21 Gulf Monarchies, Oil Wealth, and the United States2:45:45 Democracy, Oligarchy, and US Foreign Policy2:55:41 Alternatives to the Rentier Economy3:01:16 Michael’s Outlook for the Next Few YearsRobinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/joinJessica Tarlov is a political strategist and co-host of The Five on Fox News and Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway. She holds a PhD in political science from the London School of Economics. In this episode, Jessica and Robinson discuss Trump’s political vulnerabilities, the Democrats’ prospects in the 2026 midterms, and how to argue across political divides. More particularly, they talk about immigration and ICE, healthcare costs, the debate over billionaire donors, and Jessica’s view that Trump’s corruption is catching up with him. They also discuss Democratic purity tests, criticism of Trump from the right, Jessica’s career on Fox News, and the cases for James Talarico, Abdul El-Sayed, Jon Ossoff, and Mary Peltola. Jessica’s latest book is I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends (Random House, 2026).Jessica on Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/person/t/jessica-tarlovRaging Moderates: https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/raging-moderatesI Disagree: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803493/i-disagree-by-jessica-tarlov/OUTLINE00:00 Is Immigration Trump’s Greatest Strength?03:34 Why Admitting You’re Wrong Makes You More Persuasive06:04 What Do Democrats Stand For?08:32 How to Disagree Without Losing Friends10:10 Healthcare, Billionaires, and the Democrats’ Dilemma12:25 Why Do Billionaires Back Democrats?17:39 How Jessica Tarlov Found Her Voice on Fox News26:19 Can Democrats Win Over Conservative Voters?27:21 Should Voting Be Mandatory?32:59 Why Talarico Wants to Turn Texas Purple34:47 How to Win Progressives Without Passing Every Purity Test39:02 Nick Fuentes, Trump’s Weakness, and the Limits of Debate42:01 Why Jon Ossoff Is a Democrat to Watch44:42 Why Jessica Tarlov Is Backing Mary Peltola47:16 Bobby Pulido, Cait Conley, and the Democrats to Watch54:42 The Case for El-Sayed and TalaricoRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/joinRichard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and co-founder of Democracy at Work. Cornel West holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. Norman Finkelstein is a political scientist and author who received his PhD in politics from Princeton University. In this episode, Richard, Cornel, Norman, and Robinson discuss the crisis of the American left and whether it can rebuild its political power. More particularly, they discuss Zohran Mamdani’s compromises, Cornel’s warning that he could become another Barack Obama, and their disagreements over working with Tucker Carlson. They also discuss Donald Trump and American decline, Bernie Sanders and class politics, Cornel’s break with Jill Stein and the Green Party, immigration, Gaza, and where to draw moral lines when building political coalitions. Their recent books include Richard’s Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024), Cornel’s Truth Matters, coauthored with Robert P. George (Post Hill Press, 2025), and Norman’s Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026).Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com/Understanding Capitalism: https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismCornel’s Website: https://www.cornelwest.com/Truth Matters: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Truth-Matters/Robert-P-George/9798888451700Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com/Gaza’s Gravediggers: https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/OUTLINE00:00 Introduction01:06 What Do Elections Actually Change?05:47 How Enthusiasm Turned Into Disappointment for Zohran Mamdani09:36 The Deep Denial in the United States14:11 Is Another New Deal Still Possible?17:27 The Repression of American Colonialism23:49 Is America’s Decline Irreversible?30:25 Cornel West on Bernie, Mamdani, and Colonialism42:12 America Fears Socialism—But for How Long?44:36 Neoliberalism Is a Curse on Socialism49:06 Jill Stein and Why Cornel West Left the Green Party52:15 Bernie Sanders and the Holocaust59:52 Is Tucker Carlson Dangerous for the Left?1:06:53 Can Immigration Be Fixed?1:11:04 How Capitalism Destroyed Itself in Germany1:15:21 Do Blacks Have Legitimate Complaints About Immigrants?1:19:23 International Relations1:21:04 Biden, Obama, and Red Lines1:25:09 What If Our Heroes Were Racist?1:27:27 Will the Rest of Us Ever Be Prosperous Again?1:42:29 Who Is Pumping Denial Down America’s Throat?1:48:55 John Stuart Mill on Truth1:50:34 Rick’s Biggest Mistake in Life1:57:00 Cornel’s Biggest Mistake in Life2:01:49 The Academy Caved to Biden, Trump, and IsraelRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/joinRobert Pape is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats. In this episode, Robert and Robinson discuss why the Iran war has become an escalation trap for Donald Trump, the United States, and Israel. More particularly, they talk about Pape’s argument that the war has strengthened Iran while weakening America’s regional position, Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, and how cheap drones and precision weapons are changing the balance of military power. They also discuss how the 2026 midterms could prolong escalation, the limits of predicting war, how AI could make political assassinations easier, and the risks of weapons operating without human oversight. Robert’s latest book is Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism (The New Press, 2026).Robert’s Substack (Prof Robert Pape): https://professorrobertpape.substack.com/Robert’s Substack (Escalation Trap): https://escalationtrap.substack.com/Robert’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfRobertPapeOur Own Worst Enemies: https://thenewpress.org/books/our-own-worst-enemies/OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:45 Why the Iran War Is Nowhere Near Over08:08 How Iran Can Defy a Superpower15:22 How Cheap Drones Changed the Balance of Power20:31 Is America Building Weapons for the Wrong War?29:00 Why War Experts Must Risk Being Wrong40:25 Has Pape Been Wrong About Iran?45:33 How Time Shifts the Balance of Power51:23 Why the 2026 Midterms May Prolong the Iran War55:16 How a Leader’s Health Can Change a War1:01:40 How Assassinations and Elections Can Upend the World1:05:28 Is AI Making Iran’s Attacks More Deadly?1:07:38 Could AI Make Assassinations Easier?1:13:36 Could Hezbollah Shut Down Israel’s Ports?1:18:25 When Weapons Act Without Human ControlRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Rick Wilson is a political strategist, author, and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. After decades working in Republican politics, he became a prominent conservative critic of Donald Trump. In this episode, Rick and Robinson discuss the Republican Party Rick believes Trump has destroyed, America’s changing position in the world, and the struggle to defeat Trumpism. More particularly, they talk about the GOP’s competing factions, Trump’s relationships with Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin, and American policy toward Iran and Venezuela. They also discuss divisions among Democrats, Bernie Sanders and the progressive left, Abdul El-Sayed and James Talarico, the influence of podcasts and social media, and the prospects for the 2026 and 2028 elections. Rick’s books include Running Against the Devil (Forum Books, 2020).Rick’s Website: https://www.therickwilson.com/Running Against the Devil: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623822/running-against-the-devil-by-rick-wilson/OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:47 The Best Reasons for Voting Trump02:16 The Republican Party Is Broken into Three Pieces09:16 Why Rick Left the Republican Party13:58 The United States' Fall from Grace24:27 How Netanyahu Plays Trump28:21 Deconstructing Trump's Takeover of Venezuela31:43 Why Democrats Can’t Get Their Act Together35:35 Why Progressives Struggle to Win the Presidency39:46 El-Sayed Has 'The Gift'42:40 Podcasts and Elections45:06 Nick Fuentes and the Groypers51:58 Will Trump Be President Forever?53:33 Talarico and the Republicans' Loss56:38 Why Trump Could Cost Republicans 2028Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.