Epstein Files Dilemma: Transparency Versus Privacy

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Books

• "The Penny" by Katie Weaver - This New York Times Magazine feature from last year urged the discontinuation of the penny, noting its inefficiency and the ability of the Treasury Secretary to stop its production.

Articles & Papers

• Op-ed on Price Controls (The New York Times) by Bharat Ramamurti and Neil Mahoney - Argues for targeted, temporary price controls paired with long-term supply-increasing measures to address affordability concerns, despite economists generally opposing them.
• Article on Penny Discontinuation (The Atlantic) by Katie Weaver - A follow-up piece discussing the Trump administration's decision to stop making pennies, and highlighting the lack of guidance for businesses on rounding and what to do with existing pennies.

People Mentioned

• Thomas Massie (Representative) - Sponsored a bill in the House of Representatives to require the release of the Epstein files.
• Mike Johnson (Speaker of the House) - Expressed concerns about the Epstein files bill, suggesting it needed amendments to impose more restrictions on what could be released.
• Larry Summers (Economic Official) - Mentioned in the context of email exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein that became public, leading to pressure for him to step back from public life.
• Elizabeth Warren (Senator) - Commented on the Larry Summers/Epstein revelations, saying Harvard should cut ties with Summers.
• Bharat Ramamurti (Former top economic official in the Biden White House) - Co-authored a New York Times op-ed arguing for price controls.
• Neil Mahoney (Economist from Stanford) - Co-authored a New York Times op-ed arguing for price controls.
• Andrew Cuomo (Former Governor of New York) - Signed legislation removing the sunset clause from New York's rent control law in 2019.
• Nithya Raman (Los Angeles City Council Member) - Described as "very good on zoning" in Los Angeles despite being a socialist.
• Mikey Cherrill (Candidate for Governor of New Jersey) - Promised to freeze electric bills, which is discussed in the context of price controls.
• Kathy Hochul (Governor of New York) - Approved a new natural gas pipeline to Long Island, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to energy policy.
• Gray Davis (Former Governor of California) - His tenure is referenced in the context of the California energy crisis and blackouts that resulted from a lack of price signals.
• Richard Nixon (Former US President) - His administration's implementation of price controls in the 1970s is cited as an example of their negative consequences.
• Katie Weaver - Author of the New York Times Magazine piece on the penny and a follow-up in The Atlantic.
• Janet Yellen (Secretary of the Treasury) - Mentioned in Katie Weaver's article for her discretion in minting coins.
• Abraham Lincoln - His image on the penny was a symbolic reason for some politicians to resist its discontinuation.
• Roya Fox (Influencer) - An American expat in France who creates videos highlighting the trade-offs of living in France, including lower salaries.

Organizations & Institutions

• Washington Post - Megan McArdle is a columnist for this publication.
• House of Representatives - Discussed in relation to the effort to force a vote on the release of the Epstein files.
• Department of Justice (DOJ) - Mentioned as having reviewed the Epstein files.
• Harvard University - Mentioned in connection with Larry Summers.
• London School of Economics - Mentioned as where a woman Larry Summers was pursuing worked.
• NPR Marist Poll - Cited for a statistic showing public support for releasing the Epstein files.
• Libs of TikTok - An account on Twitter (now X) mentioned as an example of "cancel culture" tactics.
• Gannon Center - An organization mentioned for an estimate regarding the cost of scaffolding regulations in New York.
• Bureau of Prisons - Discussed in the context of Jeffrey Epstein's death and its alleged incompetence.
• Carrefour - A French supermarket chain, mentioned to illustrate the existence of suburban developments in Europe similar to those in America.

Websites & Online Resources

• centralairpodcast.com - The website for the podcast, where listeners can sign up for updates, become subscribers, and support the show.
• TikTok - The platform where the "American dream is to leave" trend is observed.
• Google Street View - Suggested as a tool to explore the appearance of random places in France.
• BeReal - A social media app mentioned as a French advancement in the social media space.
• Coinstar machine - A machine that converts loose change into gift cards or cash, mentioned in the context of dealing with pennies.

Other Resources

• The West Wing (episode) - Referenced for its depiction of the political challenges of getting rid of the penny, specifically the "big block of cheese day" and the Illinois politician's sentimentality.