Gouged: The End of a Fair Price–and What That Means for Your Wallet
Lindsay Owens presents *Gouged: The End of a Fair Price—and What That Means for Your Wallet*, a look at how modern corporations use technology, data, and coordinated pricing strategies to increase what consumers pay. In conversation with NPR’s Greg Rosalsky, Owens examines practices including hidden ticketing fees, algorithmic rent increases, surge pricing, surveillance-based insurance premiums, and other forms of corporate profiteering that affect household budgets.
Drawing on investigative reporting, shareholder meeting transcripts, and economic analysis, Owens explores how companies in industries ranging from technology and airlines to health insurance use sophisticated tools to maximize profits. She offers guidance for recognizing and avoiding these tactics while making the case for stronger consumer protections and fairer prices.
When: October 23, 2026
Showtime: 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: Free admission, with first-come, first-served seating.
Venue: Politics and Prose at The Wharf, 610 Water St. SW, Washington, DC 20024.
Featured speaker: Lindsay Owens is president and CEO of the Groundwork Collaborative, an economic think tank and corporate watchdog. She is a public policy expert whose work covers corporate misconduct, financial markets, consumer protection, and affordability. She has advised government officials, candidates, and members of Congress, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, and has written for *The New York Times*, *The Washington Post*, and *Rolling Stone*. She also provides commentary to outlets including CNN, CNBC, CBS, Bloomberg, *The Wall Street Journal*, *Planet Money*, and *Marketplace*. Owens holds a sociology PhD from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Conversation partner: Greg Rosalsky has been a writer and reporter for NPR’s *Planet Money* since 2018. He previously spent more than five years at *Freakonomics Radio*, producing 60 episodes that were downloaded nearly 100 million times. His freelance work has appeared in *The Behavioral Scientist* and *Pacific Standard*, among other publications.
Accessibility: Accommodation or accessibility requests may be sent to events@politics-prose.com. The venue asks that requests be submitted ideally one week before the event, although it will try to accommodate requests made up to the event.
Related book: *Gouged: The End of a Fair Price—and What That Means for Your Wallet* is available in hardcover for $32.00. The book’s ISBN is 9798217058785, and its publication date is September 29, 2026.