The California representative has some ideas for how to broaden the appeal of progressive policy.
by David Dayen, The American Prospect
In 2017, Rep. Ro Khanna entered Congress, and in his first year began speaking out about a price-gouging defense contractor named TransDigm that ultimately returned $16 million in overcharges to the Pentagon. A War Powers resolution he introduced in his first year to end U.S.-backed involvement in the war in Yemen eventually passed the House—the first War Powers Act vote to pass a chamber of Congress in U.S. history. A bill he sponsored in the House called the Endless Frontier Act was modified to become the CHIPS and Science Act, which invests in semiconductor manufacturing and basic research, and passed the House this year.
For a backbench Democrat, Khanna has had an outsize impact, whether in the minority or the majority. And he’s been at the forefront of not only the policies of the Progressive Caucus, but areas of bipartisan cooperation on national security and industrial policy. Khanna has been unique in going into red areas to talk about his goals for broadly shared prosperity, which to him is rooted in bringing back industrial jobs onshore and investing in America.

At a coffee shop near the Capitol earlier this month, Khanna and I talked about his economic agenda, the role of public investment, his recent public opposition to internet censorship, the Progressive Caucus’s role in the next Congress, antitrust, crypto, and more. An edited transcript follows.
Recent Posts
The Corporate War On Free Speech, A Zero Hour Conversation With Jeff Cohen
October 8, 2025
Take Action Now Jeff Cohen discusses the way right-wing moguls from Larry Ellison to Mark Zuckerberg are reshaping both traditional and social media,…
Are You Being Lied To? Is Portland “War-Ravaged”?
October 8, 2025
Take Action Now At one point, Trump himself questioned what was going on, asking, “Am I watching things on television that are different from what’s…
Wake Up, America: Democracy Is Disappearing Before Our Eyes
October 7, 2025
Take Action Now America’s democracy is under threat from a velvet-glove authoritarianism. Citizens must act now—beyond the ballot box—to defend…
Palestine Solidarity Protests Continue To Grow Across Europe
October 7, 2025
Take Action Now Record crowds again filled streets across Europe, demanding an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and freedom for the Global Sumud…