Myths That Built Trickle-Down Economics: Regulations Kill Growth (with Robert Reich)

Myths That Built Trickle-Down Economics: Regulations Kill Growth (with Robert Reich)

From Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer by Civic Ventures

June 23, 2026 · 39 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the myth that regulation kills economic growth, featuring insights from former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

This week, we’re kicking off our archive miniseries, Myths That Built Trickle-Down Economics, with one of the most persistent myths in American politics: that regulation kills growth. Corporate lobbyists and trickle-down evangelists have spent decades branding any rule that limits big business as a “job killer.” But what if good regulation isn’t the enemy of prosperity, but one of the things that makes prosperity possible? Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich joined Nick and Paul back in 2019 to explain why we should stop calling these rules “regulations” and start calling them what they really are: protections. Because the economy always has rules. The real question is who they’re written to protect. This episode originally aired on February 5, 2019. Robert Reich is the former U.S. Secretary of Labor, co-founder of Inequality Media, and author of Saving Capitalism. Social Media: @rbreich.bsky.social @RBReich @rbreich @rbreich Further reading: Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Facebook: Pitchfork Economics Podcast Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics TikTok…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Hanauer

Guest: Robert Reich

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Inequality Media

Books & works: Saving Capitalism

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