Sohrab Ahmari

But they're using the methods of Andrew Jackson, of course, the co-founder of the Democratic Party, who believed in breaking things. He thought that the Second Bank of the United States was a vehicle for entrenched Northeastern elites, and in some ways it was. So Hulk smash. He broke it. But the results, it didn't redound to the benefit of those people.

But they're using the methods of Andrew Jackson, of course, the co-founder of the Democratic Party, who believed in breaking things. He thought that the Second Bank of the United States was a vehicle for entrenched Northeastern elites, and in some ways it was. So Hulk smash. He broke it. But the results, it didn't redound to the benefit of those people.

It actually, as Adam knows better than I do, that his war on the second bank immediately resulted in inflation and a depression as a result of like wildcat banking, lots of messy small banks, et cetera, et cetera. And the U.S. really didn't stabilize its financial system for nearly a century until the establishment of the Federal Reserve. So I see some of that

It actually, as Adam knows better than I do, that his war on the second bank immediately resulted in inflation and a depression as a result of like wildcat banking, lots of messy small banks, et cetera, et cetera. And the U.S. really didn't stabilize its financial system for nearly a century until the establishment of the Federal Reserve. So I see some of that

kind of contradiction in the Trumpians. I like some of their protectionist efforts and so on, but I find the, you know, frankly, the Elon Musk Doge stuff really disturbing and really contradictory to, you know, you need state capacity if they want to do stuff like that. You need workforce development. By the way, unions can be a part of workforce development. They're very good at it, as we know.

kind of contradiction in the Trumpians. I like some of their protectionist efforts and so on, but I find the, you know, frankly, the Elon Musk Doge stuff really disturbing and really contradictory to, you know, you need state capacity if they want to do stuff like that. You need workforce development. By the way, unions can be a part of workforce development. They're very good at it, as we know.

Unfortunately, what they've done is they've crippled the National Labor Relations Board, which I find very disturbing. Lots of regulators that do good things, like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, that would have regulated Elon's own ex if he wants to turn it into a payment app.

Unfortunately, what they've done is they've crippled the National Labor Relations Board, which I find very disturbing. Lots of regulators that do good things, like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, that would have regulated Elon's own ex if he wants to turn it into a payment app.

Gee, why would he have done that? In a completely self-interested way. So, I mean, that's the Jacksonian part. And the problem with the Jacksonians is... They harness populist anger with the economic order, but it redounds to the benefit of other elements of capital. And that's the problem with the Trumpians.

Gee, why would he have done that? In a completely self-interested way. So, I mean, that's the Jacksonian part. And the problem with the Jacksonians is... They harness populist anger with the economic order, but it redounds to the benefit of other elements of capital. And that's the problem with the Trumpians.

I mean, as with all these things, I think it's a mix and we... We should be careful about the Trumpians as a whole because there are very serious internal divisions between them. There is definitely the Lex Luthor-like kind of techno overlords. Who, by the way, all do have the Lex Luthor.

I mean, as with all these things, I think it's a mix and we... We should be careful about the Trumpians as a whole because there are very serious internal divisions between them. There is definitely the Lex Luthor-like kind of techno overlords. Who, by the way, all do have the Lex Luthor.

At least in some dimension, insofar as the that's called the tech right or the techno billionaires are asserting, you know, an ever greater role in the Trump administration. It's to the to the detriment of its populist elements, some of whom, You guys might disagree.

At least in some dimension, insofar as the that's called the tech right or the techno billionaires are asserting, you know, an ever greater role in the Trump administration. It's to the to the detriment of its populist elements, some of whom, You guys might disagree.

I think there are very sincere people into kind of what this called the new right, et cetera, who, who, who don't share that view and they don't want that.

I think there are very sincere people into kind of what this called the new right, et cetera, who, who, who don't share that view and they don't want that.

But I just want to address the PMC thing a little bit because I sort of have the same reading that the Jeff Bezos types of the world used anger at the PMCs because the PMC are people who manage working class people in a way. The working class people don't come into contact with Bezos.

But I just want to address the PMC thing a little bit because I sort of have the same reading that the Jeff Bezos types of the world used anger at the PMCs because the PMC are people who manage working class people in a way. The working class people don't come into contact with Bezos.

Right. And so, I mean, it's very telling that for about a decade, the way that the Bezos types of the world legitimated their power was through kind of woke language, DEI stuff. My favorite example, John, you probably know it, is there was this podcast called put out by REI, the outdoor sports chain, right?

Right. And so, I mean, it's very telling that for about a decade, the way that the Bezos types of the world legitimated their power was through kind of woke language, DEI stuff. My favorite example, John, you probably know it, is there was this podcast called put out by REI, the outdoor sports chain, right?