Slate Money Digital Cash. IRL Wrenches.
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Aug 16, 2025 The podcast dives into the intriguing intersection of state capitalism and corporate America, examining Trump's influence on big businesses. It also uncovers the alarming rise of 'wrench attacks' targeting crypto investors, shedding light on the dangers of digital wealth. The hosts discuss an audacious bid by AI startup Perplexity to challenge Google’s dominance with its beloved Chrome browser. Plus, unexpected and costly adventures involving a girl and a bat add some wild humor to the mix.
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State Capitalism Through Executive Power
- The Trump administration is using executive power to extract value from private firms without Congress.
- This approach resembles state-capitalist tactics and could reshape US corporate-government relations.
Tribute Overlegislative Taxation
- Many of Trump's unilateral levies function as de facto taxes imposed without Congress.
- These measures are constitutionally dubious but effective because companies often acquiesce.
Personalized Power Over Policy
- Trump targets individual CEOs and companies rather than broad, corporation-agnostic incentives.
- That personalization of power creates a patronage dynamic corporations often prefer to litigation or resistance.