This week, we dive deep into the dangerous world of false economies - policies that appear to save money but actually cost us more in the long run.

If you’re wondering what I mean, think of every Republican savings program.

From healthcare cuts that increase emergency room visits to bond auctions that signal America's declining credibility, we explore how short-sighted thinking creates long-term disasters.

Yes, I know, it has been 6 days since we recorded this, and the world has devolved into violence in LA, attacks on Iran, and yes, I too am tempted to climb into a hole and hide.

Or at least move to Canada.

On to the podcast:

We start with some opening chaos:

* Biden clone robot conspiracy theories (because apparently dying and being replaced by a malfunctioning debate robot that can’t debate well makes perfect sense, but what about Alex Trebek?)

* Trump vs. Musk feud reaches kindergarten levels with AI videos and tears

* House representatives gleefully claim that they aren’t doing their jobs.

Then out some warning signs

* Treasury Bond Auction Disaster: The May 21st "tepid" auction, where investors showed up under duress to what should have been the hottest ticket in finance

* Joni Ernst Channels Marie Antoinette: "We're all gonna die sometime" becomes the new "let them eat cake" as Iowa Senator tells constituents to get jobs, take vitamins, and pray instead of expecting healthcare

And then we move into Jeff Explains Some Stuff -

This is where we dig into False Economies and why thinking you're saving money when you're actually creating bigger problems down the road:

* Healthcare: Cutting Medicaid forces people to emergency rooms, costing exponentially more than preventive care

* Bond Markets: Making America look incompetent raises borrowing costs for everyone

* Tariffs: Small businesses crushed while big corporations pass costs to consumers

* School Vouchers: Destroying public education while making private schools more expensive for families

The Cruelty Factor: These aren't just bad policies - they're designed for cruelty. There's no economic or financial benefit to these cuts, just pure cruelty under a paper-thin veneer of fiscal responsibility.

Good News Corner:

(Look we’re trying here)

* Carol from Missouri was released from detention (though questions remain about why her Trump-supporting town got special treatment)

* Kansas City bartender's kindness saves a life, inspiring others to share their stories

* Australian boy meets his English bone marrow donor 10 years after life-saving transplant

* Medical advances continue thanks to research investments (when we don't cut them)

Bottom Line: False economies are really about control and cruelty. When you hear "we need to cut costs," ask yourself: Are we actually saving money, or just shifting costs to those who can least afford them? Real economics isn't about punishment - it's about creating systems that work for everyone.

Next Week: Information as a means of control - how information systems have evolved and where they might be heading. (Spoiler: it's pretty terrifying)

Timestamps:

* 0:00 Introduction and Biden robot theories

* 4:00 Trump-Musk kindergarten feud

* 10:00 Treasury bond auction warning signs

* 14:00 Joni Ernst's Marie Antoinette moment

* 20:00 Jeff Explains: False Economies

* 36:00 Good news stories

* 43:00 Next week preview

This week felt like an inflection point in American politics, with significant changes happening across multiple fronts. From Musk's departure to court rulings pushing back against overreach, we explore the shifting dynamics of power and policy.

Headlines This Week:

* Musk exits government after 130 days (Jeff predicted 6 weeks, Joe predicted 200+ days)

* Senate blocks the "Bamboozle Bill" over concerns about cutting Medicaid and renewable energy funding

* International Trade Court unanimously rules against Trump's emergency tariff powers

* Head of ICE "retires" amid pressure over deportation quotas

* The rise of "Taco Trades" - please stop talking about this.

Key Topics Discussed:

The Musk Factor: Why his departure signals a broader pattern of Trump backing down when faced with real resistance, and how the Wisconsin loss may have been the final straw.

Taco Trades Explained: The taco mockery might lead to a worldwide meltdown. Go buy carnitas instead.

Scientific Brain Drain: America's historic advantage in attracting global talent is evaporating as we turn away international students and defund research. Countries like Australia and Canada are aggressively recruiting the scientists we're rejecting.

Jeff Explains Some Stuff - Supply and Demand: Trump says we need more plumbers. Do we? Or is this goign to lead to a Soviet style meltdown. Here’s why and how to know.

Good News Corner:

• Unanimous court rulings showing institutions still function

• A Staten Island deli owner rewarding kids for good grades

• A cabin owner who leaves doors unlocked for lost hikers

• Carol in Missouri - a Trump-supporting town rallying behind their beloved immigrant waitress

Bottom Line: Real human connections trump political rhetoric. When people know immigrants personally, they see past the fear-mongering to recognize the economic and cultural contributions that have always made America strong.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Welcome and week overview

• 1:00 Musk's departure from government

• 4:00 Senate blocks the Bamboozle Bill

• 6:00 International Trade Court ruling

• 11:00 ICE quotas and enforcement challenges

• 17:00 Taco trades and the origin of tacos

• 23:00 US losing scientific preeminence

• 30:00 Jeff Explains: Supply and Demand

• 40:00 Good news stories

• 47:00 Wrap-up

Join us as we navigate the chaos with facts, hope, and the occasional taco recipe.

Join us in pondering the fluidity of opinions on little things like why the same terrible people who donate to a Clinton foundation have undue influence, while it’s okay for Trump to take 8x that amount. Is it better that politicians receive payments directly rather than to their campaign funds?

One thing is clear: understanding the rules you work by is optional these days, at least if you follow the president’s model. Apparently, his favorite phrase these days is “I don’t know,” which feels about right and is probably a safer bet than going out on a limb and getting the definition of concepts like Habeas Corpus exactly wrong.

So maybe the solution is to avoid educating people. That way, they won’t know how to spell, and when you rip them off with a watch that misspells your name, you won’t actually have to exchange it.

We venture into education, scientific research, the value of spending billions to map genomes, and ask the most critical question of the time:

What the f&*k?

Join us.

0:00 Welcome

00:43 What Trump really thinks about Qatar

03:01 Political Donations and Corruption

10:32 The watch with presidential integrity

13:18 Hey, have you bought your ICE uniform yet?

23:01 Hassan Piker's heinous crime

26:10 Political manipulation and economic policies

27:40 Why the debt is reverse taxation

33:56 Think Critically? That’s for suckers.

37:22 Why education sucks

39:57 Religion doesn’t

46:47 And the truth about scientific research.

51:21 An Arabic caution

53:28 Strategies to combat cult-like thinking

Hey there,

Incentives are a powerful force. That’s why we spend so much time trapped in the prisoner’s dilemma and make terrible decisions for ourselves and society as a whole.

The solution in crime? A Mob Boss.

It turns out that the same may be true in politics.

The Mob Boss Solution

What's the solution to this dilemma?

Organized crime figured this out long ago. The mob boss creates an external threat that overrides the individual incentives to defect:

"The mob boss comes in and says, 'Hey, I'll tell you what, if you talk, I'm gonna kill you. It doesn't matter what the police say, you're just gonna be dead.' So you're just gonna have to keep your mouth shut."

This powerful external force creates a new equilibrium in which silence becomes the only viable option. The threat completely reshapes the incentives.

Common Enemies in American History

This concept extends far beyond crime syndicates and into national politics and unity. Looking at American history from the late 1930s through the 1990s reveals how common enemies served as unifying forces:

World War II Era: The Nazis and Imperial Japan became America's common enemies. This external threat "really unified Americans and created an overwhelming incentive to work together for the national good." The results were remarkable: unprecedented industrial output, escape from the Great Depression, scientific advancement, and ultimately, victory.

Cold War Period: After WWII, the Soviet Union became the new common enemy, again forcing cooperation among Americans. This unity led to the National Defense Act, DARPA (which created the internet), the interstate highway system, major technology investments, and the moon landing.

Like the mob boss in the prisoner's dilemma, these common enemies pushed Americans into a "constructive space" by fundamentally changing the calculation: "Hey, if you go destructive, the Russians are going to win. And that's much worse."

The Power of External Threats

If you are stuck in a Political Prioner’s dilemma, the most effective way to overcome divisive incentives is through a common threat. Without a common threat, we turn on each other.

The other party becomes the threat.

How do we get around this?

We either need a different enemy.

Or we have to change the system.

Get the whole episode here:

https://mastersofinfluence.substack.com/p/when-strategies-collide-game-theorys?r=17a1p

Hello Friends,

Democrats attack each other while the rest of us stand back and look at our political systems and wonder how the hell we got here and how we can break out of it.

I do anyway, and if you read past this sentence, I imagine you do too..

This is certainly a good news/bad news sort of situation, since the reason why is pretty clear. John Nash figured it out in a bar in the 1940's. Instead of buying drinks for women he wanted to meet he developed a theory about non-cooperative games.

He explains why we make decisions that are not in our best interest and why our political system keeps us trapped there.

The bad news is that this will not get sorted out by 2028.

Of course, things would be easier if the Democrats didn't attack themselves.

You've got to love it when leaders of the Democratic party start calling themselves weak and woke.

Maybe they got a copy of the Republican talking points, thought they were pretty good, and "went with it?"

The Democrats continue to chase Republicans off a right-wing cliff and wonder why people aren't excited about their opposition.

Though there are some rays of hope…

And then there's the economy.

Who doesn't love a good economic chart?

As exciting as most economic reports are, the first quarter was more exciting than most.

The headline read "a contracting economy."

But when you dive into the bar chart, you can see the influence of the new administration. It's pretty remarkable, actually, that in the first quarter they're able to have such an impact.

Normally, having such an impact takes much longer. You'd think the regime would be touting its amazing success, but instead, it blames Biden.

That's one thing they are consistent about: it's Biden's fault.

Game Theory Applied: Political Narratives and Third Parties

But the real story here is Game Theory and the Nash Equilibrium.

With all this silliness and political parties becoming increasingly detached from reality, wouldn't it be great to have some options?

Well, that's not going to happen. And this is the part that Nash explained in the bar.

We're trapped in a Prisoner's Dilemma without a Mob Boss.

Nash's analysis shows how, without a common enemy, third parties will exist theoretically but never practically, while our current parties are driven to increasing levels of disconnect and negativity.

It's not the economy, it's the system. (I really want to put "stupid" in there as a reference to "it's the economy, stupid," but can't figure out where it goes. So consider this a choose-your-own-adventure: how would you make the connection?)

US politics is like drinking sundowners on Safari in Africa while watching a pride of lions come over the ridge.

I hope you have good shoes.

Conclusion: Toward a New System

So, are we at the mercy of external enemies or systemic failures? Could a common enemy unite us in constructive dialogue, or might it require a gentle nudge from us, the voters?

It isn't all bad news. There are changes we can make. In the next episode, we will explore potential pathways to diversify the political voices on the debate stage and break the system. Until then, we invite your thoughts on how Nash's insights might shift our understanding of political power dynamics.

Stay curious and engaged, and please tell us how you see the strategy unfolding in today's world. We might just include your perspective as we continue to unravel the complexity of influence.

Yours powerfully,

Jeff and Joe

In this thought-provoking episode, hosts Jeff and Joe continue their exploration of Robert Greene's "48 Laws of Power," focusing on two critical laws of adaptability and survival:

Law 36: Disdain Things You Cannot Have

The hosts examine how showing contempt for what you can't obtain can become a powerful strategic move

Historical example of Pancho Villa: How American pursuit elevated his folk hero status

Modern political applications: Canada's strategic response to U.S. trade threats

King Henry VIII creating the Church of England as the ultimate power move

Warning: Overusing disdain becomes ineffective when it's your only strategy

Law 38: Think As You Like, But Behave Like Others

The delicate balance between maintaining independent thought while strategically conforming

Historical example of Tommaso Campanella: How a prisoner chained to a dungeon wall wrote his way to freedom by appearing to embrace church doctrine

Application to modern political communication: Finding points of connection before attempting to persuade

Viktor Frankl's crucial lesson from concentration camps: They could control his actions but not his thoughts

The ethical dilemma: When does strategic conformity become complicity?

Key Takeaways:

Strategic power moves require thoughtful application rather than reactionary habits

Finding common ground can be more effective than constant opposition

In polarized times, these strategies become especially relevant but easily misused

Looking for opportunities to "flip the script" while playing the long game

Episode Description

In this episode of Masters of Influence, we sit down with Jane Elliott, the pioneering educator behind the famous "blue eyes, brown eyes" exercise that has been challenging prejudice since 1968. At 91 years old, Elliott shares her unfiltered perspective on education, power dynamics, and the current political landscape in America. Drawing from her nearly century-long life experience, Elliott offers both stark warnings and hopeful solutions for a nation at a crossroads.Note that the audio was a challenge with this one... I did the best with what we had...

Episode Highlights

Jane Elliott's groundbreaking work in prejudice reduction that began the day after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968

How prejudice functions as both a natural cognitive process and a dangerous tool for manipulation and control

The role of money and business interests in education and political power

Why Elliott believes today's educational system is merely "schooling" rather than truly educating children

Her passionate call for reorganizing our priorities as a nation and reclaiming power at the local level

Elliott's reflections on historical parallels between current events and the rise of authoritarian regimes she witnessed in her youth

The importance of reading physical books rather than digital texts for deep learning

Her powerful advocacy for organizing at the grassroots level as the path to meaningful change

Jane's four rules for effective listening that transformed her classroom teaching

Key Quotes

"Pre-judging is actually a fundamental function of being alive. There's too much information in the world, and our brains have to find ways to simplify and group things."

"As long as you have a group of people that you can hold down because of your self-imposed ignorance, that's how long you'll hold them down because you don't realize that it's holding you down as well."

"Words are the most powerful weapon devised by humankind. We use them to destroy people on a daily basis."

"The upper crust is a bunch of crumbs held together by a lot of dough."

"Organize. Don't just empathize, organize."

"You have to remember this: one person can make a difference."

About Jane Elliott

Jane Elliott is an educator, anti-racism activist, and creator of the famous "blue eyes, brown eyes" exercise. Born in 1933, she began her groundbreaking work on prejudice in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., dividing her third-grade classroom by eye color to give students a profound firsthand experience of discrimination. Her exercise has since been adapted for adults and used worldwide, and her work has been featured on Oprah and in numerous documentaries.