How should we think about people who make billions of dollars managing the capital of others? Does a hedge fund manager like Bill Ackman add any value to society? Why would someone worth $50-100 million hate someone worth $9 billion? This week’s Capital Record doesn’t have time to get into dog-whistle antisemitism, but it does have time to get into class envy, the embarrassing error of believing capital allocation is a valueless exercise, and the merit of achievement embodied by someone like Bill Ackman.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been criticized for not doing enough to rein in deficits. It has been praised for extending tax cuts. And it is underrated for some of the pro-growth business measures the bill includes intended to promote supply-side business incentives. But what about the “promises kept:” In the new tax bill -- the “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime wages” -- are these pro-growth? What about the deduction for interest expense on auto loans? Or the special bonus standard deduction for senior citizens? David does a refresher in today’s podcast on the principles of the supply side tax movement that have been front and center for almost 50 years. Tax cuts that incentivize production and tax cuts that appeal to a very specific voting block are rarely the same thing!

Show Notes:
A Referee’s Take on the One, Big, Beautiful Bill

The Biden administration spent $42 billion of taxpayer funds to bring broadband access to rural America, and people are shocked, shocked, that nothing has been done. As people on both sides of the aisle scream for government to “do more,” perhaps there is a lesson in this failure to create connectivity, and perhaps that lesson ought to be that incentives and knowledge matter.

Show notes:
https://x.com/geiger_capital/status/1905591976876990670?s=61
https://www.ntia.gov/45-year-anniversary