Optimist Economy
Hosted by Optimist Economy
An economist and her former editor break down complex US economic issues and listener questions, seeking practical paths to a better economy.
This is a co-hosted conversational show where a credentialed economist and a veteran journalist demystify the US economy. Each week, they tackle a specific issue—from the cause of inflation to the precarity of freelance work—by dissecting policy debates and answering listener questions. Their approach is explicitly solution-oriented, aiming to find practical, data-driven paths to a more equitable economy rather than just describing the problems.
“The show's core strength is the host dynamic: a labor economist providing deep analysis and her former editor translating it for a general audience, challenging jargon and ensuring clarity. Unlike many economic news shows, their focus is explicitly optimistic and solution-oriented, grounded in the belief that better outcomes are possible.”
Who hosts this show
A weekly podcast featuring economist Kathryn Anne Edwards and her onetime editor Robin Rauzi. At Optimist Economy, they believe the U.S. economy can be better, and they talk about how to get there, one problem and solution at a time, often using listener questions as a starting point. The show, which debuted in March 2025, is produced by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and partners with PRX.
Credentials & credits
- Kathryn Anne Edwards: Ph.D. in Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Kathryn Anne Edwards: Labor Economist & Independent Policy Consultant.
- Kathryn Anne Edwards: Columnist for Bloomberg.
- Kathryn Anne Edwards: Formerly an economist at the RAND Corporation and professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School.
- Kathryn Anne Edwards: Testified multiple times before U.S. Congress, including the House Ways and Means Committee.
- Robin Rauzi: Freelance editor specializing in op-eds and nonfiction; formerly an editor at the Los Angeles Times for 13 years.
Other ventures
- Kathryn Anne Edwards: Runs an economic research business and creates educational content as @keds_economist.
- Robin Rauzi: Runs Get Rauzi Editorial Services.
- Robin Rauzi: Runs an online personal writing program called 40 Days + 40 Writes.
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Can’t We Just Set The Debt Ceiling To Something Permanent?Jun 27, 2026 · 3 min
- 02How Will The Average Worker Be Affected By The AI Bubble Bursting?Jun 25, 2026 · 3 min
- 03Can Mayor Mamdani’s Policies Work On The Federal Level?Jun 23, 2026 · 2 min
- 04Why Do AI Companies Want Less Work And More Babies?Jun 23, 2026 · 1 min
- 05Optimist Q&A: The AI Bubble, the Rapture, and Free Lunch | Optimist EconomyJun 23, 2026 · 52 min
- 06Inflation Risk is the Wrong Recession Lesson | Optimist EconomyJun 16, 2026 · 51 min
- 07Make the Economy Work for Freelancers, Too (#askingforafriend) | Optimist EconomyJun 10, 2026 · 48 min
- 08Should We Cherish the Ultra-Wealthy? (a.k.a. ‘The Cornfield’) | Optimist EconomyMay 26, 2026 · 43 min
Notable episodes
- 01Make the Economy Work for Freelancers, Too (#askingforafriend)
Highlights the show's blend of personal and political, featuring host Kathryn Edwards's story of testifying before Congress and being dismissed as 'not a real American'.
- 02Inflation Risk is the Wrong Recession Lesson
Showcases their analytical depth by tackling a major, controversial economic debate—the cause of post-COVID inflation—and challenging the dominant political narratives.
- 03Optimist Q&A: The AI Bubble, the Rapture, and Free Lunch
Demonstrates the popular listener Q&A format, where the hosts apply their economic framework to a wide range of current anxieties, from AI's impact to the stability of the dollar.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a co-hosted conversational show, not an interview format. Episodes often begin with recurring segments like 'Retcon' (Retroactive Continuity) and 'Terms and Conditions' before diving into a main topic or a Q&A based on listener submissions. The hosts, Kathryn and Robin, have a casual, humorous rapport, often making self-deprecating jokes about their 'money-losing' podcast while earnestly seeking solutions.
Signature segments
- · Retcon (Retroactive Continuity)
- · Terms and Conditions
- · Listener Q&A Mailbag Episodes
- · The Big Pilkrow
- · Calls for listener donations
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
This show is a co-hosted conversation and does not feature interviews with guests.
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by its listeners and donors. They actively solicit donations on-air and on their website, with creative tiers like 'Eternal Optimist' and 'Utility Maximizer'.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts?
- The podcast is co-hosted by labor economist Kathryn Anne Edwards, Ph.D., and her former editor, Robin Rauzi.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a conversational show, not an interview podcast. The two hosts discuss economic topics, often prompted by listener questions, to explore potential solutions.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, new episodes are released weekly on Tuesdays.
- How is the podcast funded?
- Optimist Economy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is supported by listener donations.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on its official website, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other major podcast platforms.
- Does Kathryn Edwards still work for the RAND Corporation?
- No. While she was previously an economist at RAND, she has since left to run her own independent research and consulting business.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Optimist Economy Official Websiteoptimisteconomy.com
- [02]Kathryn Anne Edwards | Economist (Official Site)kathryneconomist.com
- [03]Get Rauzi Editorial Services (Robin Rauzi's business)getrauzi.com
- [04]Kathryn Anne Edwards - Economic Speakers Bureaueconomicspeakers.com
- [05]Optimist Economy Partners with PRX - Mediummedium.com
- [06]Kathryn Anne Edwards | Economic Policy Instituteepi.org
- [07]Hearing on Expanding on the Success of the 2017 Tax Relief - Ways and Means Committeewaysandmeans.house.gov
- [08]Kathryn Anne Edwards | Capitacapita.org
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