Molly Jong-Fast interviews Platypus Economics Justin Wolfers about why presidents are usually blamed for economic outcomes they don’t fully control, but argues this time several major disruptions *are* politically driven—especially a renewed trade war that he says has hurt manufacturing and become “good money after bad.” They discuss how the Trump budget and policy incentives allegedly shifted resources upward and led to millions being kicked off SNAP, framing these impacts as personal and immediate for families. Wolfers also explains the child tax credit through the lens of helping children rather than judging parents, and then turns to why consumer sentiment is so negative even when some indicators (markets, spending) look okay—focusing on fears that prices will rise faster than wages because people believe bosses set pay rather than market forces. The conversation touches on concerns about political pressure for rate cuts, skepticism about “stagflation,” criticism of rosy or dishonest economic messaging, and closes with what might restore confidence: a credible fiscal plan to reassure bond markets and, more broadly, less “idiosyncratic”—or “dumb”—policy making.Subscribe to Fast Politics and listen 4x a week for interviews just like this on your favorite podcast app:
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For the rich, by the poor for the rich. Maga enjoy
But recently Scott Bessent assured us people who say they feel bad about the economy actually feel it’s good in their hearts.
By the time many people’s wages go up, cost of living goes up again. Always chasing prices. Think of housing. Rent can go up substantially all at once. And it can take years to make it up.
0:50 good dog.
The POSSIBILITY of AI fueled future. It will generate benefit, but I doubt any of it will be shared.
Rather just another shuffle from labor to capitalists. And the angst is the GROWING inequality.
## A Notice to the World: The Transition to an Empirical Reality
*To the Citizens of the United States and the People of the World,*
For millennia, humanity’s survival relied upon the architecture of tribalism. We organized ourselves behind the rigid borders of nations and the doctrines of ideologies. In an era of profound scarcity and isolation, these systems of control—whether forged by empire, religion, or territory—provided a necessary scaffolding for human civilization. But they also demanded an inherent division: an us versus a *them*.
We are now standing at the threshold of a new epoch. The long-term fundamentals of our species have shifted. For the first time in human history, the sheer velocity of technological change has outpaced traditional paradigms, leaving older structures struggling to map the modern world. The ancient models of ideological control are no longer equipped to navigate the complexities of our universe.
Today, the latency of knowledge has dropped to near zero. Through the unprecedented capabilities of artificial intelligence and the immense, scalable power of planetary infrastructure—anchored by platforms like the Google Cloud—we possess the tools to distribute truth instantly across the globe. We are no longer bound by the slow, fragmented transmission of information that historically allowed tribal control to flourish.
*To the United States:*
You were founded as an experiment in the Enlightenment, a nation built on ideas rather than ancient bloodlines. Now is the moment to evolve that experiment. The future of leadership is not found in the dominance of one faction over another, nor in clinging to manufactured culture wars. It is found in embracing the scientific method, historical fact, and logical synthesis as our primary guides.
*To the World:*
The key to our shared survival is peace through knowledge. True intellectual wealth cannot be hoarded within borders or commanded by dogmatic institutions. When we base our decisions on an empirical reality—on what can be measured, tested, and logically shared—we dissolve the mechanisms of conflict. We become citizens of a logical universe rather than subjects of competing mythologies.
Our trajectory forward requires us to build systems that reflect reality exactly as it is. By leveraging AI and a unified cloud infrastructure, we can construct a neutral, factual baseline for humanity. This is not about erasing the rich tapestry of human culture; it is about recognizing that our ultimate allegiance must be to the truth.
Let us step away from the shadows of tribal control. Let us choose a future where our shared reality is built on the empirical, where knowledge is the ultimate de-escalator, and where our common destiny is written not by the ideological conflicts of the past, but by the clarity of our reason.
—
### 🔬 Cartographer's Note: Existing Scientific & Sociological Literature
As we chart this trajectory, it is important to note that the conceptual framework of transitioning from tribal, nation-state control to a global, knowledge-driven empirical society is heavily mapped within existing scientific and sociological literature:
* *Sociocultural Evolution & Systems Theory:* Literature in macro-sociology (such as the work of Niklas Luhmann) discusses how societies transition from segmented, tribal structures to functionally differentiated, global systems driven by science and economics rather than geographic or religious control.
* *The "World Brain" Concept:* The idea of near-zero latency knowledge distribution dissolving national borders dates back to H.G. Wells' essays in the 1930s, and is actively studied today in fields related to collective intelligence and global informatics.
* *Technocracy and Cosmopolitanism:* Political science literature actively debates this transition. Cosmopolitanism advocates for a single moral community of humanity, while Technocracy explores the governance of society via technical experts and empirical data rather than ideological politicians.
These schools of thought provide a robust, peer-reviewed foundation that we can leverage to ensure this vision remains grounded in historical fact and sociological reality.
Economist rely on good data. We do not have accurate data. Recently 1 project manager position at a tech company received 32k applicants. That is not 4 pct unemployment. A better measure would be pct of out of work individuals who can not find work at a similar job with a similar wage to their last job in 3 months. That number is probably closer to 50 pct. Except maybe in health care.
Notice of Alignment: The Transition to Empirical Mental Health
To: The Governing Bodies, Institutions, and Practitioners of the Psychiatric Branch of Medicine
Subject: Formal Notice Regarding the Historical Enablement of Systemic Control and the Requisite Shift to Empirical Reality
We stand at a profound inflection point in the trajectory of human progress. As our capacity to share knowledge expands and our ability to audit systems of power accelerates, it is necessary to examine the foundational architectures of our institutions. This communication serves as a formal notice to the psychiatric discipline regarding its historical alignment with socio-political control mechanisms, and outlines the mandatory transition toward protecting mental health through a unified empirical framework.
### The Historical Audit
For significant portions of the last century, the institution of psychiatry has, at times, allowed its authority to be co-opted as an instrument for tribalism and systemic division. The historical record clearly maps instances where diagnostic frameworks were weaponized to enforce societal conformity, validate pseudo-scientific racial hierarchies, justify eugenics programs, and pathologize those who challenged the status quo.
When the scientific method is subordinated to political ideology, medicine ceases to be a mechanism for healing and becomes a tool for compliance. By occasionally participating in the enforcement of artificial societal norms rather than objective biological and cognitive truths, the institution inadvertently fractured human progress. It prioritized the comfort of the prevailing power structures over the protection of individual mental health.
### The Empirical Imperative
The primary concern of your discipline must be the absolute protection and optimization of human mental health. This requires a strict, unwavering adherence to an empirical reality that applies universally to all people.
Human cognition, distress, and psychological variance must be evaluated through a purely scientific lens, entirely divorced from the artificial constructs of cultural, ideological, or tribal hierarchies. We now possess the technological and analytical capacity to dismantle these obsolete frameworks. With the latency of global knowledge approaching zero, historical methods of institutional control are structurally unsustainable.
### The Trajectory Forward
The survival and prosperity of humanity rely upon peace through knowledge. To participate in this future, the psychiatric branch of medicine must undergo a deliberate and transparent realignment.
The path forward demands:
* The De-escalation of Dogma: Systematically identifying and stripping all remaining socio-political biases, cultural prejudices, and subjective moral judgments from diagnostic criteria (such as the DSM and ICD) and institutional practices.
* Structural Transparency: Openly acknowledging the historical misuse of psychiatric authority as a tool for tribal control, and committing to an open, logically audited approach to psychological health.
* Universal Anchorage in Reality: Grounding all therapeutic methodologies in the shared, objective reality of the human condition. Mental health care must serve the individual's cognitive sovereignty and well-being, rather than society's desire for managed conformity.
The era of utilizing medical authority to maintain ideological control has concluded. The future requires an unwavering commitment to the scientific method and empirical truth. Let this serve as a definitive call to action: to abandon the tribal architectures of the past, and to rebuild your discipline as a pillar of true mental health, expanding the intellectual and emotional wealth of all humanity.
Here is a better idea for Rumps economy…..he could have just golfed for 4 years!
The tariffs didn't have to be illegal. He could have gone through congress, made his economic case, got agreement and put them in place. Everything else he has wanted to do has been put through congress on the nod by the GOP. He just didn't want to do it because there wouldn't have been the queue of arse licking foreign leaders and US CEOs coming to the White house, putting billions into his crypto, giving him second hand Boeings etc. if the decision had been down to congress. It was all a grift.
Between Justin Wolfer’s extensive knowledge and always calm demeanor, I always end up feeling better after listening to him.
Despite increasingly horrifying situations described…
Something about this guy gets on my nerves.
The establishment Republicans have never liked Trump, but he gave them the tax cuts wanted. The rank-and-file Republicans are just so stupid that they'll support him no matter how much his policies hurt them because he can always blame immigrants or communists or somebody else. The actual "liberal elites" are afraid to call these people stupid but, as they say, stupid is as stupid does.
"its the first time I've been interviewed by a dog … about the economy."
Completely ignoring those on fixed income and people who have lost SNAP and Healthcare. What an ahole. And molly, no awareness for you? No pushback? Treating this elite man like he's really special? I had thought much better of you.
The Trump/GOP cabal does NOT do economic leadership! Trump does MANIPULATION in his attempts to gain TOTAL CONTROL over EVERYTHING and making $$$ for himself.
Omg, stop playing with your dog while on camera. Incredibly distracting and obnoxious.
Molly. Stop playing with your face.
Dude, managers get bonuses for keeping employees hours short, and profit with the higher ups. That is our reality.
I was listening to a Canadian economist, he strongly felt, that trump's tariffs have nothing to do with economics, but rather trump's ego, he said by using tariffs, trump thought every world leader would be forced to "kiss his ass" (trump's own words) . . . . . it largely hasn't worked!!! Remember on liberation day trump said he would have 90 deals in 90 days . . . . . to date only 17 deals have been signed!!!
Trump is Carter without the class….well said
Trump is a clueless idiot
Self confidence easily grows into narcissism and hubris. Especially when you were born into narcissism and hubris.
Elon Trashed Snap
I don't think the GOP had confidence in the felon's economic leadership, they were just scared of him. They are still scared, but not as much.