Episodes

  • The People's Hour — Tuesday, June 30, 2026

    The People's Hour — Tuesday, June 30, 2026
    Jul 1 2026
    The episode examined the shifting burdens in the American workforce, focusing on gig workers' lack of benefits and protections, the rise of offshoring remote work to lower-wage countries, and the undervaluing of care economy professionals. It also addressed burnout among nurses and teachers, and efforts to roll back child labor laws, questioning who bears the cost when systemic support erodes.
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    51 mins
  • The People's Hour — Saturday, June 27, 2026

    The People's Hour — Saturday, June 27, 2026
    Jun 28 2026
    The episode focused on the growing practice of companies using data from wearable devices and health apps to create secret "health scores" that profile individuals' physical conditions and predict future health risks. These scores, often shared with or sold to insurers and employers without user awareness, are being used to influence insurance premiums, health plan costs, and potentially even job eligibility, raising significant privacy concerns and questions about data ownership and consent.
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    33 mins
  • The People's Hour — Monday, June 29, 2026

    The People's Hour — Monday, June 29, 2026
    Jun 30 2026
    The episode examined how various fees and financial structures disproportionately impact working-class Americans, detailing how overdraft charges function as high-interest loans targeting those least able to afford them, how credit card interest rates create cycles of debt, how extended warranties exploit consumer fears, how rising property taxes strain fixed incomes, and how the shift from pensions to self-directed retirement plans transfers risk onto individuals. The program emphasized actionable steps to avoid or reduce these costs, such as opting out of overdraft coverage, switching to credit unions, and setting up financial alerts.
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    53 mins
  • The People's Hour — Friday, June 26, 2026

    The People's Hour — Friday, June 26, 2026
    Jun 27 2026
    The episode centered on escalating US-Iran tensions following an American strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. Host Mark Ford emphasized the potential consequences for US security, gas prices, and military personnel, while urging listeners to scrutinize who profits from military actions and demand clear plans from elected officials. The program also featured live analysis of President Trump's anticipated address regarding the strike.
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    41 mins
  • The People's Hour — Thursday, June 25, 2026

    The People's Hour — Thursday, June 25, 2026
    Jun 26 2026
    The Mark Ford Show examined the privatization of essential services and assets, detailing how private equity firms and other financial entities are buying up hospitals, rental homes, veterinary clinics, and other critical infrastructure. The host cited studies showing increased patient deaths and infections at private equity-owned hospitals, rising rents and fees in corporate-owned housing, and escalating costs at chain-owned vet clinics. The episode also explored threats to the U.S. Postal Service's universal service mandate and discussed the broader implications of selling public goods to private interests.
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    51 mins
  • The People's Hour — Wednesday, June 24, 2026

    The People's Hour — Wednesday, June 24, 2026
    Jun 25 2026
    The Mark Ford Show focused on systemic failures in America's social safety net. First, the program examined recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that have removed millions of children and families from food assistance rolls. The segment critiqued the justification for these cuts, arguing that they primarily affect vulnerable populations rather than addressing genuine fraud.
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    52 mins
  • The People's Hour — Tuesday, June 23, 2026

    The People's Hour — Tuesday, June 23, 2026
    Jun 24 2026
    The program examined America's workforce challenges, critiquing the student debt crisis and advocating apprenticeships as a viable alternative to traditional college education. It scrutinized corporate narratives about a "skills gap," suggesting such claims often mask unwillingness to pay fair wages, and explored issues like degree inflation and fake job listings that hinder employment opportunities. The discussion also considered the feasibility of a four-day workweek as a future labor model.
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    45 mins
  • The People's Hour — Monday, June 22, 2026

    The People's Hour — Monday, June 22, 2026
    Jun 23 2026
    The episode focused on the "new normal of nickel-and-diming" eroding household budgets through small, recurring charges. Mark examined how subscription models, with their automatic renewals and cancellation hurdles, drain hundreds annually from average families who underestimate their spending. He also critiqued "tipping creep," where payment screens pressure customers to tip on mundane purchases, and highlighted how businesses offload labor costs onto consumers through these pervasive, incremental fees.
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    49 mins