Time To Say Goodbye Corruption, Manufacturing, and the Future of the Country with Zephyr Teachout
4 snips
Apr 16, 2025 
Zephyr Teachout, a Fordham Law professor and columnist at The Nation, dives into pressing political topics. They discuss the struggle to reshape liberal economic messaging in relation to protectionism and manufacturing. Zephyr sheds light on the rising corruption in the White House and its impact on democracy. The conversation also touches on the disconnect between public opinion on manufacturing and the actual willingness to work in factories. It's a thought-provoking dialogue on the future of work and grassroots movements in America.
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Debate on Tariffs and Industrial Policy
- The left faces a divide between neoliberals opposing tariffs and others seeing tariffs as vital for industrial policy.
- The US lost tens of thousands of factories, showing a need to rethink and reinvest in domestic manufacturing.
Importance of Domestic Manufacturing
- A country with no manufacturing capacity is dangerously vulnerable, as COVID shortages showed.
- Making things domestically holds political and spiritual significance beyond efficiency.
Tariffs, National Security, and Dependency
- National security exceptions justify tariffs but dependency on foreign supplies creates fragility.
- Dependency on imports shapes economic and political power in subtle but dangerous ways.