Alone in the Insane Asylum

Jacob Shapiro reconnects with Chase Taylor (of Pinecone Macro) for a wide-ranging conversation on U.S. competitiveness. The two dig into why electricity costs, labor shortages, and weak industrial policy matter far more than endless chatter about tariffs or rate cuts. They trade scenarios on how soaring power demand, grid fragility, and demographic decline could shape America’s future against China. Along the way, they touch on robots, nearshoring to Mexico, farm policy, and why simple, obvious analysis is often the most powerful -- Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (00:43) - Contrarian Views on US Macroeconomics (02:51) - Competitiveness and Power Prices (08:10) - Energy Policy and Grid Reliability (18:31) - Labor Market and Automation Challenges (22:31) - Global Competitiveness and Future Outlook (35:45) - Global Capital Flows and Economic Risks (38:05) - The Role of Stable Coins and Agriculture Insights (38:54) - Challenges and Opportunities in Agriculture (43:50) - Bitcoin and Digital Assets Discussion (51:19) - Investment Strategies and Market Outlook (56:23) - Policy Impacts and Future Concerns -- Referenced in the Show: https://www.pineconemacro.com/ -- Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416 Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe -- The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com -- Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world. --