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Pod Bless America
Independent reporting and analysis on the decisions shaping America's future—from the White House to Wall Street to Silicon Valley. Hosted by Dr. Kala W. Hampton, Pod Best America cuts through noise and partisanship to cover the real shifts in policy, capital, and power, tracking how today's decisions will reshape the nation tomorrow. Serious, unsponsored, and unapologetically independent, each episode offers clear reporting and critical insights for all Americans.
Pod Bless America
The Great Capital Heist: How Big Banks Rigged the System in 2008
In 2008, the U.S. government handed out $700 billion in bailout money under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). But who really benefited? It wasn’t small businesses, entrepreneurs, or everyday Americans. It was the big banks—who turned government money into power, influence, and a near-permanent lock on capital access.
In this episode of The Kala Hampton Show, we’re diving deep into one of the biggest financial power plays in modern history.
Here’s what we’re unpacking:
- Where the bailout money actually went—and why small businesses were left out.
- How banks spent $114 million on lobbying and campaign contributions, securing a 258,000% return on investment.
- The long-term impact of TARP on wealth concentration and economic inequality.
- How today’s policies, including the new Sovereign Wealth Fund, are following the same patterns.
- What small businesses, startups, and underrepresented founders can do now to avoid getting locked out—again.
This isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a warning. Because the same forces that shaped 2008 are at play today. If you don’t understand the game, you can’t compete.
Tune in to learn how capital really moves, who’s making the rules, and what it takes to break through the barriers designed to keep power in the hands of the few.
Link to Policy Analysis: Strategic Policy Analysis: Navigating Federal Shifts in Capital Access, AI, and Global Economic Competition.
