Ezra Klein on Supply-side Progressivism, Polarization, and What Silicon Valley Misses About Politics "Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

Ezra Klein, journalist, political analyst, and podcaster, sits with Erik Torenberg to go deeper into the intellectual movement of supply-side progressivism and what Silicon Valley misses about politics. This conversation was recorded in early February 2023, but is even more relevant today. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM
--

TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview of Ezra discussing Elon Musk
(02:16) Unpacking supply side liberalism and the abundance agenda
(07:55) Contrasting Ezra’s Buildism with Marc Andreessen and Tyler Cowen
(12:20) Why we can't build
(16:36) Sponsors: Secureframe | Mercury | MarketerHire
(18:47) Unions
(21:06) Ezra on what Silicon Valley misunderstands about politics
(24:15) Abundance agenda is bipartisan, but will polarize
(27:05) Ezra on immigration and free trade
(31:08) Reinterpreting Ezra’s book Why We’re Polarized in 2023
(34:30) Institutional distrust
(39:10) Davos elite v. Tech Elite v. Crypto Elite
(47:10) What makes Elon right wing?
(51:50) Chris Caldwell’s theory of polarization
(01:00:15) What the president can actually do
(01:07:00) Where he differs from Patrick Collison
(01:10:15) Equality of opportunity vs a sufficient floor
(01:16:55) Elon and the era of the trickster god
(01:20:30) Ezra’s book recommendation

Please support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe | Mercury
Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months

Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg for a $1/month trial period
Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all ecommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.
- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/
Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year.
- Mercury: https://mercury.com/
Now more than ever, startup founders need a safe place to put their cash. Mercury protects your money and also provides the streamlined user experience that great founders expect through partner banks and their sweep networks.Mercury offers up to $5 million in FDIC insurance, which is 20 times the per-bank limit. They also make it easy to invest any cash above the FDIC-insured amount in a money market fund, a hundred thousand startups trust Mercury with their finances. I've been a happy Mercury customer and have found their team incredibly helpful and responsive. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Choice Financial Group and involve bank and trust members FDIC.
--
This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.