The Good Fight Oren Cass on the Case for Tariffs
23 snips
Feb 8, 2025 
Oren Cass, the founder of American Compass and author of "The Once and Future Worker," discusses pivotal economic challenges facing the U.S. He delves into the decline of manufacturing and the coherence of Trump’s tariffs as a strategic response. Cass explores how traditional economic policies have overlooked the working class and debates whether Republicans or Democrats truly represent their interests. He emphasizes the need for a robust industrial economy, linking it to national security and sustainable job growth.
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Market Fundamentalism
- The Republican party's economic stance has shifted from a broader view to market fundamentalism.
- This fundamentalism overemphasizes consumer welfare and market efficiency.
GDP per Capita Flawed
- GDP per capita is a flawed measure, overlooking the stagnation of lower and middle-income households.
- Focusing solely on material improvements ignores social dysfunction, like the opioid epidemic.
Opioid Epidemic vs. Russia
- The opioid epidemic's impact on the US death rate mirrors Russia's alcohol crisis in the 1990s.
- This highlights the social dysfunction tied to economic hardship, despite material gains.
