Reasonably Optimistic

How America keeps reinventing itself

How can the U.S. lead in rebuilding industrial capacity? Christian Keil believes the answer lies with American dynamism. He is a partner at a16z, who sees technology as a key to our future. Even through uncertain times and sharp competition from China. He joins host Megan McArdle to discuss his experience — from innovating satellite technology during his time at Astranis to now investing in companies through venture capital. He also gives more detail on his recently published the report "More Perfect," which explores how technology has shaped and will reshape America.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

What comes next in Iran

On Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel initiated strikes on Iran. What comes next? Host Megan McArdle sits down with Washington Post Columnist David Ignatius to discuss Iran's response, whether the U.S. can sustain a prolonged conflict, what the war signals to adversaries like China and the economic risks of a closed Strait of Hormuz.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

AI is coming. Is there enough power to run it?

We hear a lot about what artificial intelligence can do. We hear a lot less about what it takes to run it. The explosion of AI depends on massive data centers — and massive amounts of energy. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) joins host Megan McArdle to discuss how his views on AI have evolved, and to explore how his state — and the nation — can meet the energy and infrastructure demands of the AI boom.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Forget the best president. Who was the most underrated?

This week, we celebrated Presidents Day, which makes it a fitting time to recognize one of America’s most underrated presidents. Herbert Hoover presided over the onset of the Great Depression and is widely viewed as the inferior predecessor to Franklin D. Roosevelt. But, as host Megan McArdle explains, that judgment is unfair to Hoover. It also reflects a larger problem: the assumption that a president can singlehandedly fix or wreck the economy.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Dating is a market. Here's how to hack it.

Want to win the dating game? Turns out business school has the playbook. Host Megan McArdle breaks down romance through Econ 101: addressable market, signaling, specialty products and sunk costs.Whether you’re single, swiping or settled down, this episode will reshape how you think about love and commitment. Because in relationships, the fundamentals still matter — and sometimes it pays to think like a market participant.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.