The Wolf-Krugman Exchange: Trump’s ‘vibecession’ | FT Podcasts

Posted on by Lone Candle

Tariffs degrade long run efficiency, but uncertainty caused by Trump’s erratic use of tariffs has a greater negative effect on the economy in the short term.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPXbtFx8v4

The Failure of Russian Capitalism With Bill Browder

Posted on by Lone Candle

Russia’s privatization after the Cold War, failed partially because the Russian government was too weak. It could not enforce property rights and the rule of law. Instead, the government was corrupted by the oligarchs. When Putin took over, he exchanged many oligarchs for one–himself.

When the U.S. tries to deregulate for potentially good reasons, and avoids taxes, we need to be careful that we are not setting up our own oligarchs who avoid helpful taxes and regulations at the expense of the people.

https://www.capitalisnt.com/episodes/the-failure-of-russian-capitalism-with-bill-browder

Russia Does NOT Want You to Know the Truth About Their Nukes

Posted on by Lone Candle

Putin doesn’t want to use nuclear weapons. If he did, he risks the destruction of his country. Putin, like the Soviet Union in history, uses nuclear weapons as bluster to threaten countries whose leaders and people believe the likelihood of Russia using nukes is higher than it is. Trump is scared. He’s happy to use or threaten military force against countries without nukes, but Russia invades its neighbor in a war of conquest while committing many atrocities, and Trump is obsessed with peace, even, at times, weakening support to Ukraine to appease Putin. Letting Russia gain things with nuclear threats increases the incentive for other countries to get nukes, and one of those countries may be more willing to actually use them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUspOj8Ee0