He came in with a bang but is going out with a whimper. After his 24/7 role on Trump’s election stage and his high-profile rampage through the federal government, billionaire Elon Musk says he’s scaling back his work for the administration and ramping down his political spending. With his image tarnished and businesses facing turbulence, is Musk down for the count — or planning his return as America’s most infamous oligarch?Today on Lever Time, David Sirota talks to Michael Scherer, a reporter for The Atlantic who has the inside scoop on what happened to Musk and what kinds of ticking time bombs he and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency may have left inside the federal government.
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PREVIEW: What's Behind the Tax Revolt with Chris Hayes
As part of the Tax Revolt series, Arjun Singh appeared on the podcast "Why is this Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast" to breakdown the latest developments of Trump's tax cut, which recently passed the House. This is a preview of the discussion, for the rest of this conversation, download Why Is This Happening wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube at msnbc.com/withpod.
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Tax Revolt: The Pledgemaster
One of the most powerful Republicans in the country has been called a teddy bear. Grover Norquist, the head of the activist group Americans for Tax Reform, certainly doesn’t come across as an anarcho-capitalist power player. Recently, Norquist has waged a vendetta against “traitors” in the White House — staffers who are reportedly considering raising taxes on the rich, which may include Vice President J.D. Vance, and the architect of Trump’s first presidential campaign, Steve Bannon.On the finale of “Tax Revolt,” senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with Norquist to understand: Is the antitax movement’s grip on the Republican party as strong as ever?Want more? Become a paid subscriber to get ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, like an exclusive interview we conducted with the godfather of trickle-down economics. By doing so, you’ll be supporting independent journalism: levernews.com/subscribe
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Tax Revolt: Voodoo Economics
Former President George H.W. Bush once thought supply-side economics was so ludicrous he deemed it “voodoo economics.” But that was before Ronald Reagan transformed the Republican Party into a trickle-down, tax-cutting cult. To follow in Reagan’s footsteps, Bush promised conservatives that he would never raise taxes — but then did something nobody expected. That decision would seal his fate, with the anti-tax movement making sure no Republican ever dared cross them again — and that included Bush’s son.This is Part 3 of Tax Revolt, a new miniseries from Lever Time revealing how free-market radicals hijacked American politics and set the stage for Elon Musk, DOGE, and Donald Trump’s presidency.Want more? Become a paid subscriber to get ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, like an exclusive interview we conducted with the godfather of trickle-down economics. By doing so, you’ll be supporting independent journalism: levernews.com/subscribe
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Tax Revolt: Supply Side Santa Claus
How a small group of economists shaped Reagan’s tax policy and the future of the Republican party. This is Part 2 of Tax Revolt, a new miniseries from Lever Time revealing how free-market radicals hijacked American politics and set the stage for Elon Musk, DOGE, and Donald Trump’s presidency.Want more? Become a paid subscriber to get ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, like an exclusive interview we conducted with the godfather of trickle-down economics. By doing so, you’ll be supporting independent journalism: levernews.com/subscribe
From LeverNews.com — Lever Time is the flagship podcast from the investigative news outlet The Lever. Hosted by award-winning journalist, Oscar-nominated writer, and Bernie Sanders' 2020 speechwriter David Sirota, Lever Time features exclusive reporting from The Lever’s newsroom, high-profile guest interviews, and expert analysis from the sharpest minds in media and politics.