Episode 466: Elephants and Christmas Trees

In this episode, we examine new polling on tax policy and the debate over taxing the rich, analyzing how effective tax rates and government spending affect deficit reduction. We discuss a breakthrough in medical innovation that has helped restore sight to patients with macular degeneration, and highlight the growing problem of political crassness in this week’s foolishness. We address a listener question on state pension reform and the inefficiencies of public bureaucracy, and explore how economic incentives influence behavior in areas such as conservation, resource management, and everyday decision-making.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:25 Taxing the Rich to Reduce Federal Debt

09:06 The Problem with Corporate Taxes

11:22 The Only Solution to the Spending Problem

12:33 A Cure for Blindness

15:25 Karoline Leavitt’s “Your Mom” Joke

18:03 Trump’s No Kings Protest AI Video

19:57 Municipal Workers Held Captive by State Pension Systems

23:16 Perverse Incentives Sustain Bureaucratic Systems

29:33 The Human Drive to Utilize vs. Cultivate Resources

35:38 The Consequences and Dangers of Internet Dependence

38:57 The Fragility of Internet Infrastructure

41:20 Conclusion

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