Shifting Sands: U.S. Government and Industrial Policy

In a highly unusual move, the Trump Administration announced the government will take a 10 percent equity stake in computer chipmaker Intel. The new arrangement makes the U.S. government the largest shareholder in Intel, a relationship many economists, policy experts and elected officials say is problematic, unnecessary and signals an overreach of presidential power. Earlier in August, fellow chipmakers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices agreed to pay the United States 15 percent of their revenue from selling chips in China. We talk about what those deals mean, the administration’s strategy and why experts say this is a step toward fascism.

Guests:

Louise Matsakis, senior business editor, WIRED

Tad DeHaven, policy analyst for federal and state economic and fiscal policy issues, Cato Institute - a think tank

Nils Gilman, chief operating officer, executive vice president of programs and deputy editor of Noema Magazine, Berggruen Institute - a think tank

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices