I Debated Ro Khanna on Billionaires and Capitalism

Today's guest is Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a self-styled "progressive capitalist" who represents major Silicon Valley cities such as San Jose, Santa Clara, and Cupertino in Congress but who also supported independent Vermont socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders for president. He has shown an increasingly rare willingness to work across the aisle and cosponsored with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) a war powers resolution aimed at President Trump's bombing of Iran. He also joined forces with the libertarian-leaning Republican last fall to push disclosure of the Epstein files.

Nick Gillespie talks with the five-term congressman about the need for Congress to reassert its control over the initiation of military force, whether high taxes and regulations are responsible for California being one of just five states to lose population last year. A vocal critic of tech billionaires, Khanna and Gillespie argue the merits of California's proposed wealth tax that some say pushed Mark Zuckerberg, the founders of Google, Steven Spielberg, and other ultra-wealthy people to leave the Golden State for places like Texas and Florida.

They also discuss the role of government in spurring and regulating AI and other technologies, the deep meaning of the Epstein files, and whether the United States can redefine itself in a way that reduces polarization without reducing pluralism.

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Producer: Paul Alexander

Audio Mixer: Ian Keyser

Illustrations: Adani Samat