The economy is not crashing. It is freezing. In this episode of The Higher Standard, Chris and Saied break down the Fed’s Beige Book, a bifurcated consumer, sticky inflation, margin-squeezed businesses, and a labor market that has become low-hire, low-fire. Then the conversation turns to the real insanity: Treasury buybacks, Bitcoin liquidations, Ethereum weakness, gold replacing U.S. Treasuries as the world’s top reserve asset, and SpaceX preparing for a historic IPO at a $1.77 trillion valuation. The question is simple: are we watching the next great technological leap forward, or the biggest liquidity-driven rug pull of all time?

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

The Beige Book: May 2026 (Federal Reserve)

FedWatch Tool (CME Group)

SpaceX targets $135 IPO price at valuation of $1.77 trillion (CNBC)

How SpaceX’s Dream of a Record Breaking IPO Stacks UP (Bloomberg)

Gold replaces US Treasuries as world’s top reserve asset, ECB says (Financial Times)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

In this episode of The Higher Standard, Chris and Saied dive headfirst into the wildest S-1 filing Wall Street may have ever seen: SpaceX, Starlink, XAI, Mars colonies, asteroid mining, lunar economies, data centers in space, and Elon Musk casually trying to justify a $28.5 trillion total addressable market like he’s ordering lunch. The guys break down whether this is a visionary master plan to make humanity multi-planetary or a beautifully packaged liquidity event with rockets, buzzwords, and enough “AI” mentions to make Nvidia blush. From the insane valuation math to the XAI gamble, the class structure, the retail investor risk, and the very real question of whether investors are buying a business or a sci-fi trilogy, this episode is classic THS: smart finance, sharp skepticism, and just enough chaos to make the moon feel underwritten.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Space Exploration Technologies - S-1 (SEC)

SpaceX IPO: Why the $2 Trillion Valuation Doesn't Add Up (Prof G Media)

Every is doing lazy SpaceX analysis (Atlas Berry via Instagram)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

AI is no longer just helping you write emails or clean up spreadsheets; it is watching, learning and preparing to do the job itself. In this episode, Chris and Saied break down Zuckerberg’s stunning explanation of employee-trained AI, the corporate obsession with cutting headcount in the name of “efficiency,” Elon Musk’s robot economy and the trillions in wages suddenly sitting in the crosshairs. Add a labor market nobody fully trusts and a bond market flashing warnings, and one question remains: when productivity explodes, who still gets a paycheck?

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Job creation topped muted expectations (CNBC Chart of the Day via Instagram)

Andrew Yang vs. Chris Hughes: Are AI Layoffs Real or a Myth? (@opentodebateorg via Instagram)

Meta Begins 8,000 Global Job Cuts in AI Efficiency Push (LA Times)

LEAKED AUDIO: Zuckerberg All-Hands April 30 — "You're Training the AI That Replaces You" (@perfectunion via Instagram)

Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow: "We Got Rid of Our HR Team. Those Problems Disappeared." (Fortune)

Elon Musk on the Next 5 years of AI and Robotics (Forbes via Instagram)

Jeff Bezos on Squawk Box: "The Bottom Half Should Pay Zero. I Think It Should Be Zero." (CNBC via Instagram)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

This week on The Higher Standard, we break down hotter inflation, Warsh’s awkward Fed handoff, housing cracks, rising delinquencies, and why “resilient economy” may be the new “transitory.” Then we get into the big one: AI may be destroying the moat that terminal valuations are built on. If innovation moves so fast that no company can confidently project cash flows five to ten years out, venture capital math starts looking less like investing and more like praying with a spreadsheet. Also, apologies in advance: we had to silence the Big Boi interview with Kid Cudi due to a copyright restriction, which is tragic because Big Boi talking Pokémon deserved its own emergency Fed meeting.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Awkward! Kevin Warsh May Hike Interest Rates as Fed Chair, Not Cut Them (247 WallSt)

Zillow now expects 309 of 894 U.S. metro housing markets to see price declines by 2027 (Chris Naghibi via X )

13.1% of credit card balances in the US are now 90+ days delinquent, the highest since 2011 (Charlie Bilello via X)

The Death of Terminal Value — AI Disruption Repricing Framework (Chamath Palihapitiya via X)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

This week on The Higher Standard, Rajeil was out, Slim was “furloughed,” and Chris and Saied accidentally stumbled into one of the biggest questions nobody in Washington wants to answer: what happens when the government is funded by workers, but the future is built to need fewer of them? Using Chamath’s Joe Rogan appearance as the spark, the guys break down why W-2 income gets treated like an ATM for the federal government while corporations, capital gains, lobbyists, and the ownership class keep playing by a very different rulebook. From AI replacing entry-level white-collar jobs to corporate profits hitting record levels, from broken trust in government spending to the disappearing middle class, this episode connects the dots between taxes, labor, capital, AI, and the uncomfortable reality that the “system” may not be broken at all — it may be working exactly as designed. As always, THS brings the data, the sarcasm, the side quests, and just enough moral outrage to make you want to start a business before your paycheck gets taxed into a hostage situation.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Chamath Palihapitiya (Joe Rogan Experience via Spotify)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

In Episode 334 of The Higher Standard, Chris and Saied give Jerome “Transitory” Powell the only farewell THS knows how: part tribute, part roast, part macro autopsy. From his final FOMC press conference and the fight over Fed independence to inflation, oil shocks, AI job losses, recession-level consumer pain, credit card delinquencies, and an overcooked stock market, this episode breaks down why the economy feels broken even while the suits keep calling it “resilient.” Powell may be leaving the mic, but the money printer’s legacy is still sitting on America’s balance sheet.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

FOMC Press Conference, April 29, 2026 (The Federal Reserve via YouTube)

Paul Tudor Jones says the US is more dependent on equity prices than ever… (Patrick OShaghnessy via X)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

Chris, Saied and Rajeil dive headfirst into the weirdest corner of the modern economy, where the next Fed chair sounds like a political hostage negotiation, AI is either the greatest productivity boom in history or the most expensive layoff machine ever built, private credit is quietly turning banks into shadow-bank Uber drivers, and crypto keeps pretending it’s financial freedom while throwing money at Washington. From Kevin Warsh and Fed independence to AI hype, corporate cost-cutting, Bitcoin mythology, Epstein-adjacent crypto lore, and the political machine behind digital assets, this episode asks the question nobody in power wants to answer: are we innovating our way into the future, or just putting better software on the same old greed machine?

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Kevin Warsh calls for 'regime change' at the Fed (Reuters Business via X)

AI has brought "the most disruptive" tech shift (Yahoo Finance via X)

Wells Fargo, Citi and Goldman lead in AI venture investment (American Banker)

The crypto industry already announced $200 million in spending on the 2026 midterms (Perfect Union via Instagram)

Everyone is Lying to You For Money (Bloomberg TV via Instagram)

How Epstein Secretly Propped Up Bitcoin (Perfect Union via Instagram)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

This week on The Higher Standard, Chris, Saied and Rajeel do what the internet refuses to do: have a real conversation without immediately joining a cult. From political tribalism and social media brain rot to stagflation, AI pivots and the absolute insanity of a dead shoe company becoming an “AI infrastructure” play, this episode is a masterclass in spotting the hustle before it spots you. Along the way, the guys unpack why everything feels fake, why people feel stuck, and why modern life somehow includes paying for attention, hype and digital nonsense dressed up as opportunity. Equal parts sharp, funny and slightly unhinged, this one has a little bit of everything.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Some shows just don't need links... right?

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

Episode 331 is classic The Higher Standard chaos with a purpose: Chris, Saied and Rajeil take a world that feels like it is being held together by ceasefire headlines, oil volatility and pure market delusion, then translate it into plain English for the people actually paying the price. They unpack the Fed getting boxed in by sticky inflation, war driven energy shocks and a market still partying like rate cuts are around the corner, while housing stays brutally unaffordable and AI quietly starts showing up in real job losses. It is equal parts macro reality check and group chat energy, with enough jokes, side quests and liquid natural gas immaturity to make the medicine go down easy.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

🔗 Resources:

Wall Street ends sharply higher on US-Iran ceasefire (Reuters)

Fed minutes show growing openness to rate hikes at March meeting (Reuters)

US mortgage rates edge down to 6.51%, MBA says (Reuters)

Gulf conflict has already laid a Fed trap (Reuters Breakingviews)

US banks could release $320 billion in capital with new draft rules (Reuters)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

Sheriff Chad Bianco pulled up and did not waste a second pretending California’s problems are mysterious. In this special edition of The Higher Standard, we get into crime, chaos, Sacramento dysfunction, runaway regulation, affordability getting absolutely body slammed, and why so many Californians feel like the state they loved is slipping through their fingers. Sheriff Bianco breaks down how public safety got kneecapped, why the cost of living feels like legalized assault, and what it actually takes to turn around a state that somehow has perfect weather and terrible management. It is part policy, part reality check, and part reminder that when government keeps spending like it found your Amex in the couch cushions, somebody eventually pays for it.

💥 Have you left your "honest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" review?

This episode is proudly brought to you by Fridays.

Because real wealth starts with your health. If you want to feel sharper, stronger, and more in control, visit joinfridays.com and use code HIGHER for an exclusive discount.

📩 NEWSLETTER: https://tr.ee/O6FWkv

👕 THS MERCH: http://www.thspod.com

📌 Follow Sheriff Bianco On:

YouTube

Instagram

Facebook

X

📌 Follow Chris On:

YouTube

Instagram

Facebook

X

TikTok

📌 Follow Farshad On:

E5QUIRE Law

Instagram

X

TikTok

🔗 Resources:

Sheriff Chad Bianco (Bianco for Governor)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.