What happens when politicians threaten to cut funding from accounting standard-setters unless they eliminate specific rules? Blake and David explore unprecedented political interference in FASB and PCAOB operations, plus the IRS facing a 23% budget cut despite Trump's push for more customer service staff. They unpack Sam Altman's warning about AI breaking voice authentication at major banks, why accounting degrees deliver 261% ROI (fourth-best among all majors), and how $28.7 billion in private equity money is reshaping CPA firms. Plus, the economic reality behind Stephen Colbert's show cancellation, Bitcoin's institutional takeover, and how tariff uncertainty is creating impossible planning conditions for businesses.

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• (00:41) - The Decline of Late Night TV

Show Notes

CBS is ending 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' next year | CNN Business
https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/17/media/cbs-cancels-stephen-colbert

Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' run will come to an end next year as CBS cancels franchise
https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/stephen-colbert-late-show-end-cbs-rcna219499

Inside CBS' 'agonizing decision' to cancel Colbert's top-rated late-night show | CNN Business https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/media/colbert-cbs-late-show-cancel-paramount-trump

SEC.gov | SEC Announces George Botic to Serve as Acting Chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-100-sec-announces-george-botic-serve-acting-chair-public-company-accounting-oversight-board

George Botic Takes Over as Acting Chief of the PCAOB - CPA Practice Advisor
https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/07/22/george-botic-takes-over-as-acting-chief-of-the-pcaob/165364/

SEC names George Botic as acting chair of PCAOB | Accounting Today
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/sec-names-george-botic-as-acting-chair-of-pcaob

House Republicans propose to withhold funds from FASB unless income tax reporting standard is withdrawn | Accounting Today
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/house-republicans-propose-to-withhold-funds-from-fasb

GOP Threatens Accounting Board Funding Over Tax Disclosure Rules
https://news.bloombergtax.com/financial-accounting/gop-threatens-accounting-board-funding-over-tax-disclosure-rules

Americans Want to Know Which Corporations Aren't Paying Taxes, but House Republicans Want to Keep this Information Secret
https://itep.org/corporate-tax-avoidance-house-republicans-spending-bill/

Trump wants to reverse the staffing cuts he's overseen for IRS customer service. House Republicans disagree. - Government Executive
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/07/trump-wants-reverse-staffing-cuts-hes-overseen-irs-customer-service-house-republicans-disagree/407002/

Trump slashes 25% of IRS workforce with buyouts, firings of nearly 26,000 agency staff https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jul/22/trump-slashed-25-irs-workforce/

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