Voice Without a Veto: How to Bring Progress Back with Marc Dunkelman

Why can’t America build anymore? Housing, transmission lines, and even EV chargers cannot be built without getting stuck in endless reviews and lawsuits? Marc J. Dunkelman author of "Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—and How to Bring It Back", joins Policy Punchline to trace the arc from New Deal “builders” to today’s overlapping veto points.

We dig into NIMBY politics, environmental review, Loper Bright, agency power, and the paradox where progressive rules now stall progressive goals.

This interview, conducted by Princeton students Maddie Feldman '27 and Eli Padoan '28, is part of the Policy Punchline podcast series. Supported by Princeton's Julius Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy and Finance, the series aims to foster dialogue on critical public policy and finance issues, connecting listeners with leading experts from around the world.

Join us for this insightful conversation as Maddie and Eli ask Dunkelman what it takes—politically, legally, culturally—to get America building again.

Marc Dunkelman