Ben McKenzie and Sarah Matthews: We Are Drowning in Scam Artists

In this episode of The Bulwark Podcast, hosts Tim Miller and Charissa engage in a sharp, urgent critique of the current political and economic landscape, focusing on the dangers of unchecked power and systemic fraud. Sarah Matthews, former White House Deputy Press Secretary under Trump and now a prominent critic, reflects on her decision to leave the Trump orbit, expressing both personal satisfaction and deep concern about the administration’s reckless foreign policy—particularly its escalating tensions with Iran and the absurdity of Trump’s claims about controlling the Strait of Hormuz. She condemns the administration’s erosion of press freedom, exemplified by the FBI investigating reporters critical of Trump’s allies, and mocks the hypocrisy of celebrating the First Amendment while undermining it. Ben McKenzie, actor and author of 'Easy Money,' delivers a damning exposé of the cryptocurrency industry, arguing that it is not a revolutionary financial tool but a vast, unregulated ecosystem of scams, crime, and corruption. Drawing from his documentary 'Everyone is Lying to You for Money,' McKenzie reveals how crypto’s so-called 'decentralization' is a myth, its technology is inefficient, and its real-world impact is dominated by money laundering, fraud, and criminal enterprises. He highlights how Trump has weaponized crypto for personal enrichment, creating a $4 billion empire through his own branded coins, while regulators are gutted and the industry remains unaccountable. The episode culminates in a call for urgent reform: regulating speculative cryptos as securities, investigating stablecoins as counterfeit currency, and creating a public digital dollar to reclaim monetary sovereignty from private, predatory corporations.