Why Cities Let Addicts Live On the Streets, with journalist Michael Powell

Meghan's guest this week is journalist Michael Powell, a staff writer at The Atlantic and longtime former New York Times reporter whom she has admired for years for his willingness to report on thorny, third-rail cultural topics. She talked with him about his recent reporting on chronic street homelessness, drug addiction, and the real-world consequences of progressive governance. Specifically, they discussed how the "harm reduction" model plays out in cities like Burlington and Seattle, and why mainstream media newsrooms have become so hesitant to cover complex cultural realities. This conversation covers: The Reality of "Harm Reduction": How an approach born during the AIDS crisis expanded into policies that enable public fentanyl use while leaving working-class neighborhoods to deal with the fallout. Navigating the "Third Rail" Beat: What Michael learned covering sensitive cultural flashpoints—from campus racial controversies to gender sports eligibility—at The New York Times. Ideology vs. Lived Experience: The disconnect between well-meaning policy rhetoric and the daily struggles of local residents, parents, and small business owners. The Culture of Modern Newsrooms: Why institutional conformity, luxury beliefs, and fear of social media backlash stifle honest journalism—and why independent inquiry matters. Read Michael Powell's writing for The Atlantic: 👉 https://www.theatlantic.com/author/powell-michael 🎙️ About Our Guest Michael Powell is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Prior to joining The Atlantic in 2023, he spent sixteen years at The New York Times, serving as a national reporter, metro columnist, sports columnist, and coverer of cultural "third rail" issues. Before his career in journalism, he worked as a cab driver, doorman, and tenant organizer, and previously reported for The Washington Post, The Bergen Record, and The Burlington Free Press. 🏡 Housekeeping & Links Michael Powell's writing for The Atlantic: 👉 https://www.theatlantic.com/author/powell-michael Join The Club: Become a paid subscriber to The Unspeakeasy on Substack to unlock monthly hangouts for Founding Members. 👉 https://www.theunspeakablepodcast.com Unspeakeasy Retreats: Off-the-record, curated conversations in beautiful settings. Registration for this fall's Small Gathering for Big Ideas in New York's Hudson Valley is now open. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/573a9vnu Meghan's Writing Workshops: Featuring a coed summer Zoom course and a 3-night women's writing retreat in upstate NY this fall. Is one right for you? 👉 https://www.theunspeakablepodcast The Audiobook: Meghan's most recent book, The Catastrophe Hour, is out now. It's narrated by Meghan herself, in case you still haven't heard enough of her voice. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/ystzc5yz