Ralph Nader Hour – December 14, 2025

Podcast: KPFK – Ralph Nader Hour
Host: Ralph Nader
Guests: Chuck Collins (Patriotic Millionaires, Author), Sarah Moskowitz (Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board of Illinois)

Overview

This episode of the Ralph Nader Hour explores the destructive impact of concentrated wealth and power—especially that of billionaires—on society, democracy, and the planet. It features a deep dive with Chuck Collins on his book, Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet, outlining the numerous ways billionaires have structured society to their benefit, and a robust set of reforms to counter their dominance. The episode also spotlights the battle over rising electric rates with Sarah Moskowitz of Illinois’ Citizens Utility Board (CUB), focusing on the disruptive role of data centers and how consumer advocates can fight back for fair rates and accountability.

Segment 1: How Billionaires Are Burning the Public

Guest: Chuck Collins
Timestamps: 03:10 – 25:18

Key Points

The True Cost of Billionaire Wealth

• Collins' main thesis: Billionaires did not build their fortunes alone; their wealth is directly extracted from public resources, worker productivity, and manipulated policy frameworks.
• “You have chapter after chapter on how billionaires burn—how the wealth of the few impoverishes the many.”—Ralph Nader [05:24]
• Billionaires are defined as the top 0.1%—those with extreme wealth concentrated via public infrastructure, tax breaks, and government-enabled opportunities.

Harmful Impacts of Extreme Wealth Concentration

• “Billions are trashing the planet… They’re part of the oil, gas, coal, nuclear industries.”—Nader [05:50]
• Billionaires pay less tax: Tax evasion and avoidance schemes shift the burden onto ordinary people, fueling deficits or cuts to public services.
• Housing crisis: Private equity and billionaire investors buy up residential properties, flipping them or extracting rents, worsening housing affordability.
  • Quote: “They're looking where can they squeeze people and workers a little bit harder.” —Chuck Collins [06:18]
• Racial and economic injustice: The effects land hardest on minorities, worsening divides.
• Poor public health: Billionaire-backed companies block universal healthcare and fight pollution controls.
• Democratic erosion: The enormous political donations and influence of billionaires undermine real democratic choice and participation.
• Other areas: “Four other ways billionaires are messing with your life”—from technology monopolies to workplace exploitation.

Chuck Collins' Reform Agenda

Collins’ core proposals for reining in billionaire influence:

1. Guaranteed Minimum Income and Universal Basic Income

   • “A universal basic income. It could be $10,000 a year would make a huge difference across the board…” —Collins [08:32]

2. Living Wage

   • “40 years of worker productivity gains were hoovered up to the investor class, the billionaire class.” —Collins [09:07]
   • Raise the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25/hr) to a living wage ($30/hr by 2030 as benchmarked by some advocates).

3. Universal Healthcare Access

   • Pointing to successful models abroad and the US’ failure to address basic health equity. [10:06]

4. Labor Rights and the Right to Organize

   • Modernize antiquated anti-worker laws (e.g., the Taft-Hartley Act) to restore union power and counterbalance corporate influence.
   • “Rules right now are so stacked against workers… the loss of labor organized percentage… is one of the huge reasons why we're in this extreme inequality moment.” —Collins [10:54]

5. Government as Employer of Last Resort

   • Implement public jobs programs, especially during recessions, as outlined in the 1946 Full Employment Act. [12:05]

6. Remove Corporate Money from Politics

   • Ban all corporate donations and political spending.
   • “Corporations should be prohibited from any participation in our democratic systems, including elections…” —Collins (quoted by Nader) [12:31]
   • “Corporations are not people. They shouldn't have the power…”—Collins [13:24]

7. Fair International Trade

   • Reverse “race to the bottom” trade deals; raise labor/environmental standards in global trade agreements.

8. Wealth and Progressive Taxation

   • Restore progressive income tax rates (90%+ for top earners as in the mid-20th century).
   • Robust inheritance/estate taxes and wealth taxes (“all three are necessary to slow and reverse these concentrations of wealth and power”). [15:09]
     • Example: Proposed 5% emergency wealth tax for billionaires in California.

9. Public Banking

   • Advocate for state-level public banks and a national infrastructure bank, modeled on North Dakota’s century-old, corruption-free bank.
   • “It's another reminder—this is the people's money…” —Collins [16:55]

10. Restructure Corporate Governance

    • Federal chartering of major corporations to increase transparency and accountability.
    • “Corporations are allowed to exist by we the people…” —Collins [19:24]
    • Full public disclosure of corporate tax returns, modeled on prior Wisconsin law.

11. Debt-Free Higher Education

    • Tax large inheritances to fund tuition-free college/job training contingent on public service. [21:00]

12. Pollution and Resource Taxes

    • “Let's tax what we burn before we tax what we earn.”—Collins, paraphrasing Canadian reformers. [21:43]
    • Higher fees on private jet fuel, luxury real estate, extractive pollution with funds reinvested in public goods.

Broader Movement-Building

• Nader and Collins agree: The progressive/justice movement needs strategic unity and a comprehensive action blueprint, similar to the right’s “Project 2025.”
• “Are we ready with a blueprint? Are we organized? I don't think we are. And I think your book is a big step forward…” —Nader [23:00s]

Memorable Quotes

• “They're like buying the Waffle House where the customers are chained to the booths.” —Chuck Collins, on investors viewing mobile home parks (06:18)
• “Corporations should be prohibited from any participation in our democratic systems, including elections… advertising, aimed at influencing the outcome of elections and legislation.” —Nader quoting Collins (12:31)
• “If we want to protect democracy against oligarchic power, we need to put a brake on it.” —Collins (15:09)

Segment 2: Fighting for Utility Consumers

Guest: Sarah Moskowitz, Citizens Utility Board of Illinois
Timestamps: 28:51 – 48:11

Key Points

Illinois CUB: A Model for Consumer Advocacy

• Origins and Structure

  • Founded as a response to utility mismanagement and regulatory capture.
  • Independent, non-partisan, non-profit entity funded by member donations—serves ratepayers regardless of membership.
  • Success story: Helped secure $1.3 billion in refunds for overcharged residential and small business customers by catching violations by Commonwealth Edison. [32:24]
  • Website: citizensutilityboard.org

• Methods & Tools

  • Litigation, lobbying, public education, complaint handling, and direct negotiation with utilities.
  • Outreach via hotline, events, media, and an accessible website.

The Data Center Dilemma and Electricity Rates

• Background on Data Centers

  • Data centers house banks of servers powering everything from streaming and email to AI and games—used by companies like Google, Meta, Amazon.
  • Recent exponential growth in data centers' electricity use is overwhelming transmission capacity, disrupting decades of flat load growth.
  • “One data center can use [as much] electricity as a city”—Moskowitz [35:40]
  • Cooling needs also create massive water use.

• Who Pays for the Boom?

  • Utilities and states currently lack mechanisms to ensure data centers, not everyday users, shoulder the appropriate share of the costs for grid expansion and upgrades.
    • “If we build all this generation and it’s for stuff that doesn't show up [actual demand], regular consumers like you and me are going to be left holding the bag.”—Moskowitz [36:50]
  • Data center operators “shop” for the best incentives, driving a “race to the bottom” among states. [37:25]
  • Moskowitz questions the necessity: Are data centers mostly supporting critical national security, or trivial, redundant or even invasive uses?
    • “Let’s not pretend like the Pentagon is using the same data servers as Candy Crush is, guys.” —Sarah Moskowitz [41:16]

• Environmental and Local Impacts

  • Community opposition is growing due to noise, water contamination, and climate impacts, especially in rapidly developing regions like Northern Virginia and Illinois.

Rate Spikes and Answering the Consumer

• Price shocks in Illinois, New Jersey, DC, and elsewhere: some utilities raising rates by 19–20% or more in a single year (much higher in extreme cases).
• Complexity and lack of transparency in utility pricing: Utilities may blame market auctions, regulatory changes, or weather, but rarely clarify for customers.
• CUB’s Role: Helping citizens navigate this maze, answer their questions, and push for clarity and fair treatment.
  • “It's really esoteric, it's really dense. A lot of our work at CUB is to just help people connect the dots behind the policies that are resulting in these really high bills.” —Moskowitz [45:25]
• The need for similar independent, member-funded watchdogs in every state.

Notable Quotes

• “You can join CUB for $10 if you want a year and we never turn anybody away… we'll help anybody.” —Sarah Moskowitz [32:00]
• “There is all this rush to invest and connect these guys [data centers]. But… is it really needed, and is it worth the cost?” —Sarah Moskowitz [43:00]

Memorable Moments and Quotes with Timestamps

• “They're like buying the Waffle House where the customers are chained to the booths.” —Chuck Collins [06:18]
• “A universal basic income… could be $10,000 a year would make a huge difference across the board…” —Chuck Collins [08:32]
• “Corporations should be prohibited from any participation in our democratic systems, including elections and bankrolling candidates…” —Nader quoting Collins [12:31]
• “If we want to protect democracy against oligarchic power, we need to put a brake on it.” —Chuck Collins [15:09]
• “Let’s not pretend like the Pentagon is using the same data servers as Candy Crush is, guys.” —Sarah Moskowitz [41:16]

Important Timestamps

• 03:10 – Nader introduces Collins and the thesis of Burned by Billionaires.
• 08:32 – Collins outlines universal basic income and living wage logic.
• 12:31 – Discussion on getting corporate money out of politics.
• 15:09 – Progressive and wealth tax details.
• 16:55 – The case for state public banking.
• 19:24 – Proposed federal charters for large corporations.
• 28:51 – Introduction of Sarah Moskowitz and CUB's mission.
• 34:50 – Moskowitz details the data center “boom” and impacts.
• 41:16 – Direct challenge to the necessity and transparency of data center growth.
• 45:25 – The struggle for clarity and accountability on spiking utility bills.

Summary Flow

The episode moves from systemic critique—diagnosing how the billionaire class undermines democracy, equity, and sustainability—to concrete strategies for reclaiming power: campaigns for fair wages, tax reform, public banking, and democratic corporate governance. The show’s second half grounds these issues with a practical case study: how utility customers are fending off powerful interests driving up their bills, highlighting the Citizens Utility Board as a model for state-level, people-powered advocacy.

Both segments stress the need for democratic organization, policy blueprints, and persistent public pressure to counter entrenched power—making the show an urgent call to arms for economic and civic justice.