Deadline: White House “Warnings coming from inside the house”
Aug 11, 2025
Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics at the University of Michigan, discusses the unsettling impacts of export taxes and economic dissatisfaction in the U.S. Eddie Glaude, a Princeton professor, and David Firestone, a New York Times columnist, dive into Trump's attempt to rewrite American history and suppress cultural dissent. They highlight disturbing changes at institutions like the Smithsonian, posing critical questions about the intersection of politics, culture, and public sentiment, while revealing the long-term ramifications of these shifts.
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State Capitalism Is Taking Root
- The U.S. is shifting toward state capitalism where government guides private firms and may extract payments from foreign sales.
- Officials from both parties warn the arrangement resembles bribery and violates constitutional limits.
Tariffs Inflate Costs, Not Wages
- Tariffs raise consumer prices directly but do not increase employers' profits that would fund wage hikes.
- Workers face higher costs without commensurate pay, worsening living standards.
Cronyism Turns President Into Gatekeeper
- Crony capitalism centralizes economic power so firms must seek presidential favor rather than compete in markets.
- That dynamic distorts innovation and makes CEOs prioritize access over product quality.
