Best Lawrence Lessig Podcasts (2025)

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The Case That Could Take Down Super PACs & Stop Dark Money ft. Lawrence Lessig | Shane Has Questions 45:57

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26d ago45:57

45:57

Harvard Law’s Lawrence Lessig, founder of Creative Commons and Equal Citizens, joins Shane for look at how money captured American politics and what it will take to break its grip. Lessig explains why the real super PAC problem wasn’t created by Citizens United but by a lower-court ruling, and why a new Maine initiative could become the test case t…

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Ideologies: Marxism 15:51

10h ago15:51

15:51

Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week they dive into Marxism. Topics covered include: Marxism’s underlying structure in Hegel’s writings Historical Determinism Democracy and Marxism Lenin’s “fix” to Marxism with imperialism Critiques of Marxism and Neo-Marxism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg…

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National Guard Members Killed, Hegseth's Narco Strikes, Alina Habba, Tennessee Special Election, Oklahoma University Student's Failing Grade 1:10:34

4d ago1:10:34

1:10:34

Trey and Justin start the show discussing last week’s tragic incident involving the National Guard in Washington DC. Here, both Trey and Justin agree on the terrible nature of the attack. Trey highlights the emotionally charged nature such an episode will have on immigration conversations. Specifically, Trey discusses how media frames impact policy…

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Is AI ruining music? | Dustin Ballard 13:08

6h ago13:08

13:08

What makes music “real” — is it the instruments, the voice, the creator’s intention or something else entirely? Dustin Ballard, the creative force behind the viral channel “There I Ruined It,” explores the weird, wonderful and sometimes unsettling ways AI is reshaping music. With fiddle solos and AI-powered mashups of your favorite songs, he invite…

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Balance and Check-Mate - Special Guest John Fabian Witt 1:36:31

7d ago1:36:31

1:36:31

Secretary of Defense Hegseth is making use of his sights. He is focusing at times on Senator Mark Kelly, seeking to wreak havoc upon him for his utterances which have angered Hegseth’s master. Meanwhile, purported drug smugglers have found Davy Jones’ locker at the order of Hegseth, it has been reported, including those left helpless after initial …

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Democrats’ Dilemma, Second Thoughts on Sports Betting 19:07

8d ago19:07

19:07

Mike, Tim, and Michael open with the “Deciding to Win” memo and the broader question of how Democrats can reconnect with working-class voters while staying true to core values. Mike argues that Democrats already face structural disadvantages and will lose even more elections if they treat politics as a mass pedagogy project instead of meeting voter…

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Allegation 2, continued 8:31

8d ago8:31

8:31

Clarifying one additional point about Allegation 2 in less than ten minutes.By Lawrence Lessig

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Ukraine Peace Deal, Comey Case Tossed, Military Orders 1:07:47

10d ago1:07:47

1:07:47

Mike, Tim, and Michael open with Trump’s 28-point Ukraine peace plan, built on Russian terms that demand territorial concessions, a NATO ban, limits on Ukraine’s army, and sweeping amnesty. Tim focuses on trading some Ukrainian territory for ironclad security guarantees, including foreign troops on the ground as real deterrence. Mike argues the U.S…

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Tech Solutions (#4): How organizations can grow in a post-aid world (with Jacqueline Novogratz) 29:16

12d ago29:16

29:16

When the Trump administration dismantled USAID, it was the beginning of a post-aid era, says philanthropist and social entrepreneur Jacqueline Novogratz. Aid may not be coming back but in its place Jacqueline hopes creative solutions will emerge to provide independence and dignity at the community level. Jacqueline is the CEO of Acumen and has help…

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The Only Only 1:00:50

13d ago1:00:50

1:00:50

Events in the news once again intersect with Professor Amar’s past work, as a little-known aspect of a clause in the Constitution has surprising relevance to the President’s fire-breathing response to a video from Senators and Representatives reminding our military and other officers of their lawful obligations. We trace other constitutionally news…

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Comey Indictment, ACA Subsidies, the MAGA Theory of Power 17:36

15d ago17:36

17:36

Mike and Joey open with the spiraling Comey prosecution, where a Trump-aligned U.S. attorney faces judicial scorn for alleged grand-jury missteps that could collapse the case. Mike argues the real play is intimidation and precedent-setting revenge politics rather than a credible legal charge. Joey counters that Comey was central to what he consider…

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Epstein Files, Trump MBS Meeting, California vs ICE 1:10:16

17d ago1:10:16

1:10:16

Mike and Joey open with the blowback to Joey’s claim that “the hubris of the left” is the biggest obstacle to national unity . Mike frames Trump’s behavior as the more obvious example of hubris, while Joey argues that Trump’s personality is massive but incidental and that the real divide is between people focused on ideas and people hung up on iden…

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Tech Solutions (#3): How one of China’s biggest tech companies is tackling carbon removal (with Xu Hao) 22:28

19d ago22:28

22:28

Tencent is one of China’s biggest tech companies, running the popular Chinese messaging app WeChat and the world’s largest video game vendor. Now, it’s also an up-and-coming force in the field of carbon removal. Xu Hao, the vice president of Sustainable Social Value at Tencent, oversees two of those initiatives: the Carbon Neutrality Lab and Carbon…

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Can AI Save America’s Broken Political System? ft. Andrew Yang | Shane Has Questions 1:25:22

19d ago1:25:22

1:25:22

Shane sits down with Andrew Yang, entrepreneur, Forward Party founder, and former presidential and mayoral candidate for a wide-open conversation about what happens to America when AI collides with a political system stuck in the 1800s. They start with why anyone even runs for office in the age of opposition-research-as-bloodsport, then rewind to Y…

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A.I. in Political Campaigns 50:57

21d ago50:57

50:57

Travis talks with Dr. Michael Cohen, author of Modern Political Campaigns, and Julie Sweet, author of the American Association of Political Consultants’ Deepfake Law Compliance Guide for Political Campaigns, about the role of artificial intelligence in political campaigns. Topics Travis, Julie, and Michael cover include: How campaigns are using AI …

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The Undigested Matzo Ball 1:10:40

21d ago1:10:40

1:10:40

We return to the tariff case and continue to hear from the justices and the advocates in their own voices from the oral argument. This time, a 20 year old argument from Vik Amar takes center stage with apparent approval from several key justices, and several of the Court’s female justices join forces to make life difficult for the Solicitor General…

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Federalist Paper No 1 32:23

21d ago32:23

32:23

Trey & Ken begin a new supporter's series on The Federalist Papers. This week's episode includes an overview of The Federalist Papers themselves and introduces Federalist Paper No. 1. Topics covered include: The history behind writing the original essays The attack on the Constitution by Anti-Federalists How Hamilton and Madison became the principa…

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Dismantling "Allegation 2" 59:02

22d ago59:02

59:02

So far, this podcast has considered the procedural flaws that marred the process that led to Francesca Gino's tenure being revoked. With this episode, we begin dismantling the substantive conclusions as they relate to the four alleged cases of fraud. We begin with "Allegation 2."By Lawrence Lessig

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Government Shutdown Ends, Epstein Documents Continue, Tucker Carlson and the Heritage Foundation 1:03:12

25d ago1:03:12

1:03:12

In this episode, Trey and Ken discuss the recent end of the US government shutdown, including the implications for both parties, with a focus on the ACA subsidies. Trey argues that he was ultimately correct, and the shutdown did not benefit Democrats nor lasted into December. While Ken concedes that the shutdown didn’t last as long as he anticipate…

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Tech Solutions (#2): How to balance the AI boom and environmental responsibility (with Juan M. Lavista Ferres) 18:55

26d ago18:55

18:55

The environmental impact of AI is a growing concern. In this episode, Sherrell sits down with Juan M. Lavista Ferres, the Chief Scientist and Lab Director of Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab, to discuss his work in using AI for conservation and sustainability. Whether it’s using AI to measure methane gas leaks or allowing AI to optimize healthc…

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Saving Ourselves From Big Car 51:41

28d ago51:41

51:41

Mike talks with David Obst, a former journalist, publisher, screenwriter, and film producer. He’s also the author of a new book on the automotive industry called Saving Ourselves from Big Car, which is the focus of their conversation. Topics Mike & David cover include: How “Big Car” became a self-perpetuating system The deadly legacy of leaded gaso…

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Incidental Trillions 1:10:56

28d ago1:10:56

1:10:56

The economy, trillions of dollars, and consequences unknown are on the line in the tarrifs case, Learning Resources v. Trump. We present the justices and the advocates in their own voices from the oral argument, and Akhil reacts in real time as he hears the clips for the first time. It’s a three hour argument, so this is the first of a two-parter. …

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Ideologies: Conservatism 13:06

28d ago13:06

13:06

Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week, they dive into conservatism. Topics covered include: The underlying principles of conservatism, including tradition and gradual change The relationship between tradition and conservatism The relationship between religion and conservatism The differences between the…

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Democrats Win, Government Shutdown, Senate Filibuster, Nancy Pelosi 1:02:22

1M ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Trey and Justin open the show by bypassing the shutdown, at least for a moment, and starting with the 2025 elections. Trey argues that the results are a victory for Democrats, but must be contextualized. His key point is that the economy is becoming an issue for Republicans. Both hosts outline what off-year elections such as this can and don’t mean…

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Tech Solutions (#1): The affordable tech that will revolutionize farming (with Samir Ibrahim and Josephine Waweru) 23:42

1M ago23:42

23:42

When entrepreneur Samir Ibrahim asked farmers in Kenya what problem they most needed solved, the answer was simple: reliable access to water to irrigate their farms year-round. Samir is the CEO of SunCulture, a company replacing diesel- and petrol-powered water pumps with more affordable solar-powered ones. He sits down with Sherrell Dorsey, host o…

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How Maverick Carter Rewrote the Rules of Sports Media ft Maverick Carter | Shane Smith Has Questions 1:35:39

1M ago1:35:39

1:35:39

Shane sits down with Maverick Carter, CEO of SpringHill Company, business partner to LeBron James, and one of the most influential figures in modern sports and entertainment, for an unfiltered, masterclass conversation about capitalism, culture, and coming up from nothing.Maverick opens up about his roots in Akron, Ohio, where his grandmother ran a…

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Election Correction - Special Guest Vikram D. Amar 1:17:58

1M ago1:17:58

1:17:58

California. Meanwhile, the tariff case is about to come before the Supreme Court for oral argument. So it’s timely indeed that Vik Amar joins us with expertise on both topics. In fact, Vik has submitted an amicus brief in the tariff case. The “brothers in law” take us deep into the gerrymandering world, the major questions doctrine, and we also pau…

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Nations Apart: Colin Woodard on the Regional Cultures That Divide Us 1:01:48

1M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

Mike talks with New York Times bestselling author, historian, and journalist Colin Woodard. His latest book is Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America, which they discuss on this episode. Topics Mike & Colin discuss include: America as a federation of rival regional cultures How early settlers shaped lasting political divide…

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AI Bubble, Trump’s Pardons, Biden’s Autopen 18:51

1M ago18:51

18:51

Mike, Michael, and Tim open with a discussion of the missing economic data and what that means for understanding the current economy. Tim explains that while unemployment remains low and markets are strong, uncertainty looms because key government reports haven’t been released. Mike argues that the apparent strength is concentrated almost entirely …

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Shutdown Showdown, Trump’s Asia Trip, the CFPB’s Slow Demise 1:08:32

1M ago1:08:32

1:08:32

Mike, Tim, and Michael open with the fifth week of the government shutdown, now poised to become the longest ever. Tim argues that while the disruption is real, the economic impact will be minor and short-lived, suggesting resolution will come after the elections. Michael delivers a fiery critique, calling the shutdown political theater that hurts …

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When AI Cannibalizes Its Data | NPR's Short Wave 14:12

1M ago14:12

14:12

Today, we’re featuring an episode from NPR’s science podcast Short Wave. In it, host Regina G. Barber talks to computer scientist Ilia Shumailov about maybe the buzziest topic around: AI. I’m sure you know AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT are trained on millions of examples of human-written text. Nowadays, a lot of content on the Internet is written…

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How Social Media Rewired Journalism ft. Aaron Parnas | Shane Smith Has Questions 58:01

1M ago58:01

58:01

Shane Smith sits down with Aaron Parnas, the 26-year-old lawyer, journalist, and viral political commentator who’s redefining how Americans get their news. Together, they unpack the collapse of public trust in mainstream media, the rise of social platforms as new journalism hubs, and how Gen Z’s relationship to truth and power differs from every ge…

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Deprogramming Democrats: Why Insider Lisa Ekman Left the Party 1:08:30

1M ago1:08:30

1:08:30

Mike talks with former Democratic activist Lisa Ekman, whose recently released book is titled Deprogramming Democrats & unEducating the Elites: How I Escaped the Progressive Cult. Topics Mike & Lisa discuss include: Ekman’s background in Democratic politics government and expert failure during COVID the tension between public health policy and libe…

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250 Episodes, 250 Years - and a surprise guest! 1:33:16

1M ago1:33:16

1:33:16

Our 250th episode has us looking back 250 years, and looking ahead to the next year of commemoration of those 250 year anniversaries. Sure enough, there is much gold to mine in those momentous events; much to inform us on matters of current import. We recall and examine a Declaration that is 250 years old - no, not that one. To top it off, we have …