E57: Trump/Biden, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, and US/China

This week Noah Smith joins Dan Romero and Erik Torenberg to discuss the overuse of the term “fascism,” what has led to the capabilities of China and the U.S., and much more. Moment of Zen is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. This episode is a collaboration with one of Turpentine's biggest shows, Econ 102. Check out Econ 102: https://www.podpage.com/econ102/ _ Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast of founders and investors (including Dan) sharing their requests for startups they want to exist in the world, and also their stories of navigating the idea maze in different sectors so founders don’t have to reinvent the wheel anymore. The first episode is out now - we over better dating apps, references as a service, and WeWork for productivity Watch and Subscribe on Substack: https://requestforstartups.substack.com/p/receipt-based-dating-reference-checks Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/request-for-startups-with-erik-torenberg/id1728659822 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/739L1LR32QI2XyoZlRh5nv – SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | MASTERCLASS BEEHIIV Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzen NETSUITE: http://netsuite.com/zen NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen and download your own customized KPI checklist. MASTERCLASS: https://masterclass.com/zen get two memberships for the price of 1 Learn from the best to become your best. Learn how to negotiate a raise with Chris Voss or manage your relationships with Esther Perel. Boost your confidence and find practical takeaways you can apply to your life and at work. If you own a business or are a team leader, use MasterClass to empower and create future-ready employees and leaders. Moment of Zen listeners will get two memberships for the price of one at https://masterclass.com/zen – Sign up for our newsletter to receive the full shownotes: https://momentofzen.substack.com/ –   X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @noahpinion (Noah) @dwr (Dan) @moz_podcast (Moment of Zen) @TurpentineMedia @Econ102_Podcast (Econ 102) – TIMESTAMPS (00:00) The word 'Fascist' (08:40) Economic transformation in China (13:04) SPONSOR: SHOPIFY (16:10) Impacts of Trump's policies (19:07) The renegotiation of NAFTA (23:51) United States' withdrawal from the Middle East (27:22) SPONSORS: NETSUITE & MASTERCLASS (30:05) Asia & US foreign policy (41:46) The importance of focusing on Asia (48:20) U.S. production during World War II (50:14) China's production capabilities (58:57) US military budget and production (59:56) Industrial production in World War II (01:14:48) Political unity and continuity in foreign policy