FIREWALL with Bradley Tusk
Episode: "Not a Bad 100 Days, But ..."
Date: April 14, 2026

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging discussion, host Bradley Tusk and producer/friend Hugo Lindgren unpack recent developments in personal health, New York City politics and policy, urban economics, NBA dynamics, and contemporary culture. Bradley candidly shares his experience with Marijuana Anonymous, evaluates the current New York City mayor’s first 100 days in office, advocates for local control of NYC transit, and debates the city’s economic competitiveness. Other topics include ideas to fix “tanking” in the NBA, the intersection of celebrity and tragedy in pop culture, and the ever-contentious state of U.S. politics. The conversation is vibrant, introspective, and occasionally irreverent, providing policy insight, personal reflection, and a sampling of hot takes.

Detailed Breakdown & Key Discussions

1. Personal Update & Marijuana Anonymous (03:59–12:28)

Key Points

• Bradley revisits his struggles with marijuana, linking back to a previous episode on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for OCD relief.
• He describes openly his relapse with weed after a breakup, noting its prevalence and ease of access post-legalization.
• Explains the importance of de-stigmatizing both therapy and addiction, using his platform to highlight resources like Marijuana Anonymous (MA).
• Details his experiences with MA Zoom meetings—supportive, diverse, globally accessible, and mostly anonymous.
• Notes that moderation with marijuana, unlike with alcohol, isn’t viable for him (“I’m not capable of doing this in moderation and I don’t want to be controlled by anything.” – Bradley, 08:09).

Notable Quotes

• “If you are lucky enough to be a public figure with a platform like I am, you have some obligation to...help destigmatize it a little bit.” – Bradley (04:40)
• “Stopping is never a problem for me. Staying stopped is a problem for me.” – Bradley (08:09)
• “It is a great community. It’s an incredible resource. Like I said, it’s free.” – Bradley (09:32)

Timestamps

• [03:59] Introduction to the topic & TMS reference
• [06:55] Bradley’s relapse and struggle with weed post-legalization
• [08:09] The concept of "stay stopped" and MA meetings
• [09:44] Description of the MA community experience

2. NYC Mayor’s First 100 Days: Party, Policies, and Critique (12:28–17:59)

Key Points

• Discussion kicks off around the new mayor’s 100-day “accomplishments” party—Bradley wasn’t invited.
• Bradley supports the transparency of marking 100 days, referencing his own past accountability initiatives.
• Positive assessment: Mayor has focused on daily operations, operational appointments regarded as strong.
• Criticisms: Mishandling of homelessness (resulting in 19 deaths during severe cold), and a “total mess” with the city budget.
• Predicts budget gaps will be papered over with refinancing and gimmicks, but warns of consequences longer term.
• Discusses the political calculus of tax increases and why Governor Hochul is unlikely to support major new taxes to bail out City Hall.

Notable Quotes

• “If you’re going to put yourself out there like this, then you have to try to show what you’ve done...to be totally transparent and accountable.” – Bradley (13:13)
• “I don’t think it’s been that bad. I think that he has focused a lot on operations and that is truly what I believe the job of the mayor is.” – Bradley (13:32)
• “Spending money in and of itself is the accomplishment...it's not. It’s how you do it.” – Bradley (14:12)

Timestamps

• [12:31] NYC’s 100-day party and early mayoral moves
• [13:13] The value of public accountability and operational focus
• [14:21] Criticisms: Homeless encampments, budget failures

3. Should New York City Control Its Own Subways and Buses? (17:59–24:23)

Key Points

• Bradley renews his call for NYC to assume control of its subways and buses, citing the success of mayoral control in public schools as precedent.
• Outlines obstacles: state politics, entrenched interests, complex finances, and the MTA’s legacy debt.
• Sees local management as key to accountability and efficient operations.
• Skeptical that current mayor will advance idea soon, but urges leadership for big, transformative policies.

Notable Quotes

• “It is crazy that...the city run[s] on our subways and buses...and yet it is run by the MTA, which is a mainly state run entity...totally unaccountable to the mayor, totally unaccountable to the people of New York City.” – Bradley (19:10)
• “Sometimes really big ideas take a while.” – Bradley (18:25)
• “If you want to make buses free, then clearly you believe that you, as mayor, should have the ability to dictate what the subways and buses do and how they operate.” – Bradley (21:48)

Timestamps

• [17:59] “NYC should run subways and buses” – rationale
• [18:18–20:37] Historical context and precedent
• [22:30] The bureaucratic and financial obstacles

4. NYC’s Economic Growth, Housing, and Tech Sector Risks (24:23–35:15)

Key Points

• Examines a report ranking NYC’s metro growth at a modest 3.3% (17th nationally), lagging far behind Houston.
• Attributes Houston’s success to its free-market zoning and lower taxes; contrasts with New York’s high taxes, restrictive housing, and cost of living.
• Explains how local progressivism sometimes undermines affordability (e.g., union mandates, blocking construction technology, over-empowering NIMBY groups).
• Ties NYC’s fortunes to its ability to attract ambitious talent and support the tech sector—notes a lack of awareness by city and state leaders.
• Warns that raising income taxes could accelerate the exodus of high earners and businesses, further weakening the city’s finances and competitiveness.

Notable Quotes

• “Houston...was always sort of made fun of...But you know, [they] do not have an affordable housing crisis. Houston do, you know, not have nearly as much of a homelessness problem.” – Bradley (25:23)
• “You could argue that those two things [high taxation, high regulation] are a chokehold on making New York City a better, safer, more affordable place.” – Bradley (27:25)
• “1% of the population pays 50% of the taxes in New York City. And that 1% is the 1% that is the easiest to leave.” – Bradley (34:39)

Timestamps

• [24:23] NYC’s relative growth rate vs. peers
• [25:08–26:31] Houston’s market approach and affordability
• [27:25] NYC’s housing restrictions and regulation critique
• [29:59] NYC’s unique “competitive advantage”—ambition and talent
• [34:39] NYC’s tax base fragility

5. NBA “Tanking” & Fixes for Uncompetitive Teams (37:24–45:25)

Key Points

• Discussion on the increasing prevalence and consequences of NBA teams “tanking,” i.e., deliberately losing to secure better draft picks (nine teams implicated this season).
• Critiques philosophical rationalizations of tanking and uses Philadelphia’s failed “Process” as a cautionary tale.
• Explains why draft picks are an inexact science and why tanking is ultimately bad for fans and the league.
• Bradley floats solutions: possible relegation system like European soccer, or forcing teams to discount tickets and concessions once they declare they’re not competing.
• Concerns over NBA expansion diluting talent and product quality.

Notable Quotes

• “You can't have a scenario where, in order to theoretically make a team potentially better in the future...the only logical thing to do is to tank.” – Bradley (39:56)
• “They are ruining the league...You shouldn't be expanding the product when you can't even field the competitive product among the 30 teams that you have.” – Bradley (42:18)

Timestamps

• [37:24] NBA tanking: the scope of the issue
• [39:56] Why tanking is a problem for fans/league
• [41:02] Proposed solutions: penalty rebates, relegation
• [42:18] NBA expansion critique

6. US Politics, Trump, and the Fragility of Consensus (45:45–51:08)

Key Points

• Quick analysis of Trump-endorsed candidate’s landslide loss in Hungary: “Trump believes that everyone loves him...and the Hungarian people told Trump to go fuck himself.” – Bradley (45:56)
• Worries about the sustainability of the U.S. political system’s current zero-sum logic, lack of collective good, and rising political violence.
• Argues for scalable solutions like mobile voting to empower the political center, not the extremes.

Notable Quotes

• “The challenge is, you have about a third of this country that fundamentally supports and agrees with Trump...when Trump is gone, can we function and coexist together?” – Bradley (47:54)
• “It would seem a shame to me to take the greatest experiment and the greatest country in the history of the world and throw it away...because we couldn’t figure out how to take the consensus of most people and put that ahead of the needs of people at the extremes.” – Bradley (50:35)

Timestamps

• [45:45] Hungary election, U.S. political extremes
• [47:54] “Can we function and coexist together?”
• [50:35] On the possible dissolution of the U.S. if centrism fails

7. Pop Culture and the Value Proposition of Theater (51:08–55:38)

Key Points

• Hugo relates a strange moment at the “Dog Day Afternoon” theater show—selling tote bags with “Attica, Attica, Attica,” a reference to a deadly prison riot.
• Bradley reflects on how pop culture and celebrity can sanitize and commercialize real tragedy.
• Discussed his discomfort with live theater’s value proposition vs. movies or streaming—citing high prices, discomfort, and an awkwardness not present in film.

Notable Quotes

• “When you say Attica, Attica, Attica, it's a phrase from a Hollywood movie uttered by Al Pacino...time plus tragedy equals comedy.” – Bradley (52:18)
• “I just think the value proposition of theater is pretty shitty because it is exceptionally expensive...Times Square, which is a miserable experience." – Bradley (53:31)

Timestamps

• [51:08] Strange pop culture merch: “Attica, Attica, Attica” tote bags
• [53:31] Theater’s cost/comfort vs. movies/TV

8. Quick Recommendations (55:38–End)

• Bradley recommends Netflix’s “Big Mistakes,” a dark comedy about siblings caught up with the mob, written by Dan Levy ("Schitt’s Creek").
  • “It is really funny. I really like dark comedy in general.” – Bradley (55:38)
• Eight episodes, ~25 min each—binge-worthy.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• “Stopping is never a problem for me. Staying stopped is a problem for me.” (08:09)
• “You can't have a scenario where...the only logical thing to do is to tank.” (39:56)
• “Attica, Attica, Attica... time plus tragedy equals comedy.” (52:18)
• “It is exceptionally expensive. You have to go to Times Square, which is a miserable experience.” (53:31)

Useful Timestamps for Key Segments

• Marijuana Anonymous & Addiction: 03:59–12:28
• NYC Mayor’s 100 Days: 12:31–17:59
• City Control of Transit: 17:59–24:23
• NYC Economic Competitiveness: 24:23–35:15
• NBA Tanking: 37:24–45:25
• U.S. Politics & Trump: 45:45–51:08
• Culture & Theater Value: 51:08–55:38
• Recommendations: 55:38–end

Closing Thoughts

The episode features a blend of personal confession, political critique, policy advocacy, and cultural commentary, all in Bradley’s candid, engaging style. Whether sharing resources for addiction, pushing for big civic ideas, or poking holes in sports and theater, Bradley invites listeners to question assumptions, consider new perspectives, and—above all—engage critically with the world around them.