Volts

Could we use Trump's tricks to make good green policy?

August 28, 2026·1h 8m
Episode Description from the Publisher

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribeEven as he has torn down climate policy, Donald Trump has normalized the use of more powerful & aggressive tools of economic statecraft, like equity stakes in private companies, new federal authorities, and sovereign wealth funds. The Roosevelt Institute recently issued a collection of 17 essays exploring how a future administration could use the tools Trump has assembled for decarbonization. I talk with Todd Tucker, editor of and contributor to the volume, about these new industrial planning tools.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction02:32 – Did Biden's green policy prove durable?09:39 – The Defense Production Act and the Sable pipeline14:59 – Whether to leave the DPA on the table15:35 – Executive orders and the durability problem19:01 – Whether the Supreme Court treats Democrats differently22:03 – Executive power and a disempowered Congress25:05 – Senate malapportionment and filibuster reform29:43 – Court reform and the major questions doctrine34:13 – Manufacturing vs. deployment42:52 – Permitting, abundance, and theory of power49:20 – Public ownership and the U.S. Steel golden share55:22 – What state capitalism could look like for green ends59:56 – Shelley Welton on utilities as planning tools1:02:42 – Speed vs. deliberation before 2029

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