All the president’s money men: the Trumponomics team
Jan 3, 2025
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Simon Rabinovich offers insights on the dynamics within Trump’s 2024 economic team, highlighting the collaboration and competition among varying factions. Rachel Dobbs reveals alarming trends in tourism emissions, emphasizing the urgent need for regulatory policies. Anne Rowe delves into Saturn's disappearing rings, presenting a blend of science and mythology that reflects on time and aging. Each segment presents a unique lens on pressing economic and environmental issues, making for a thought-provoking discussion.
Donald Trump's economic team comprises diverse factions, which may either foster consolidated policy-making or ignite internal disputes over economic strategies.
Tourism's rising contribution to global carbon emissions underscores the urgent need for effective regulatory measures to encourage sustainable travel practices.
Deep dives
The Importance of Site Selection for U.S. Businesses
Choosing the right location is key for businesses aiming to expand their operations in the United States. States with educated workforces, robust infrastructure, and favorable corporate tax rates are prime targets, and North Carolina emerges as a standout option due to its strategic advantages. Additionally, North Carolina offers shovel-ready sites equipped with the necessary resources and support for companies, making it an attractive choice for potential investors. This focus on site selection highlights the critical early steps in successful business expansion and the role of state resources in facilitating such growth.
The Economic Teams Surrounding Trump
Donald Trump's 2024 campaign has seen the emergence of a diverse team of economic advisors organized into three main groups: conservative mainstreamers, America Firsters, and tech tycoons. The conservative mainstreamers hold influential positions, aiming to temper Trump's more extreme economic policies, with significant figures like Scott Besant and Howard Lutnick expected to steer the economic agenda. Conversely, the America Firsters advocate for protectionist policies and are likely to push for aggressive immigration and trade measures, with influential members like Stephen Miller and Jameson Greer at the forefront. This mixture of perspectives raises questions about whether the synergy of these groups will lead to coherent policies or create internal conflicts as they navigate complex issues.
The Environmental Impact of Global Tourism
Recent studies indicate that tourism significantly contributes to global carbon emissions, with numbers showing a steady increase over the years, culminating in almost 9% of the world's total emissions by 2019. Despite attempts to implement sustainable practices within the tourism industry, growth in demand continues to outpace efforts to mitigate environmental impact, particularly in aviation, which has resisted regulation due to lobbying. Furthermore, the emissions generated from holiday activities extend beyond travel, encompassing shopping and dining experiences that are hard for governments to track and regulate. To address this issue, there is a pressing need for government policies to accurately measure tourism-related emissions and consider strategies to regulate tourist numbers and promote greener travel alternatives.
There are three types of economics-minded people in Donald Trump’s incoming administration. We ask whether they are likely to collaborate or to compete. Tourism clearly adds to emissions, but new numbers show just how fast that fraction is rising (9:58). And the next in our The World Ahead series reveals a familiar planetary phenomenon that will disappear in 2025 (17:07).