Ezra Klein

Mentioned 7 times across 2 podcasts this week

This Week's Pulse

Ezra Klein moderated a California gubernatorial forum on May 8, bringing together top Democratic Party candidates to address the state's housing crisis. Reflecting on the event, Klein noted on The Ezra Klein Show that the discussion was meant to clarify how leaders of the nation's largest state intend to confront housing costs, saying, "seeing and hearing how they're thinking about actually trying to solve it is really, really instructive for where our politics might be going."

Outside of the political arena, Klein has shifted his focus toward the intersection of emotional health and philosophical inquiry. In a recent episode, he explored the physical nature of psychological stress, stating, "discomfort, uncertainty, insecurity, they are very-It took time to see this, but they are very physical. They are a contraction in the solar plexus."

Yet, Klein remains skeptical of how mindfulness can occasionally serve as a crutch rather than a tool for growth. He cautioned listeners against using meditation to bypass difficult personal realities, remarking, "there is something about the dropping of storylines that can become... or at least I fear it can become also a way to accept situations that shouldn't be accepted."

Where it's discussed

I Have Some Questions for the Democrats Who Want to Run California

The Ezra Klein Show

Ezra Kleinneutralfrom “California Gubernatorial Housing Forum

Moderator of the gubernatorial forum.

On Friday, I moderated a forum with the top five Democratic candidates for governor in California, we invited the Republicans too, but they didn't show up, on housing costs and housing affordability and what can actually be done about it. I think if you're in

Ezra Kleinneutralfrom “Housing Policy and Rent Control in California

Moderates the discussion and questions the candidates on rent control and the Tenant Protection Act.

Uh, the Tenant Protection Act is going to expire during the next governor's term. That law caps annual rent increases to 5% plus inflation. Some tenants have seen their rents jump by nearly 10% per year, all in. Uh, a recent bill to cap rent at 5% a year faile

Ezra Kleinneutralfrom “Housing Policy and Tax Reform in California

Interviews Matt Mahan and Antonio Villaraigosa regarding housing policy and Proposition 13.

But, but there's still a number of big, of big projects that have not been able to go forward because the economics aren't working for you.

Ezra Kleinneutralfrom “Housing Policy and Development in California

Questions the feasibility of Steyer's funding proposals and asks Porter about her stance on master-planned communities.

Uh, twenty-two billion dollars is also higher than most estimates of how much money that would bring in. So if you put this Prop 13 reform or the closing of what you call the Trump tax loophole on the ballot, and you support it, and as often happens with well-

This Is Why I Find Pema Chödrön So Essential

The Ezra Klein Show

Ezra Kleinneutralfrom “Befriending Discomfort and Emotional Abiding

The host discussing his personal struggle with physical manifestations of discomfort and his evolving relationship with emotional regulation.

... but for me, discomfort, uncertainty, insecurity, they are very-It took time to see this, but they are very physical. They are a contraction in the solar plexus.

Ezra Kleinneutralfrom “Balancing Emotional Abiding with Taking Action

Questions the potential for mindfulness practices to be used as a way to avoid taking responsibility for necessary life changes.

And yet your, your therapist would say, "Well, maybe the story here is important. Maybe, you know, this person is not treating you well. Maybe you're allowing it because you don't love yourself enough. Maybe you..." This is not-- I'm, I'm not giving an example

Pema Chödrönneutralfrom “Cultivating Presence and Nowness

Reflects on his personal struggle with discomfort and his efforts to practice mindfulness.

You know, I think a, a really good way to go about this is, uh, think like, "Okay, where do I wanna be in one year time? How about five years?" You know? Like, "Do I wanna be stuck in exactly the same way, you know, o-on this day, twenty twenty-seven? [chuckle