"Does the administration care that much? I'm not sure." Shutdown enters second week as talks stall

Government Intervention & Market Distortion - The Trump administration's 10% stake investment in Trilogy Metals, a small Canadian mining company, led to its stock soaring almost 3000% [1][2][3] - This investment, and similar actions, are seen as warping free markets and distorting the allocation of capital, creating winners and losers selected by the government [8][9][10] - The administration's trade policies, particularly tariffs, are viewed by some as a tax on capital, negatively impacting businesses and consumers, especially those with lower incomes [12][14][15][16] Economic Policy & Republican Ideals - The administration's actions are considered inconsistent with traditional Republican economic principles of limited government intervention [6][7][11] - There is a debate on whether the administration's policies are genuinely aimed at free markets or at controlling them [31] Government Shutdown & Political Strategy - The government shutdown is in its second week, affecting federal workers and potentially impacting essential services like the IRS and air traffic control [22][23][26][27][28] - There are differing views on whether the Republicans or Democrats are "winning" the shutdown narrative, with each side accusing the other of using it for political gain [29][30][31][32][33] AI Boom & Regulation - The AI boom is a significant driver of investment in the economy, largely independent of the president's policies [20][21] - The administration's stance of limited regulation in the AI space is seen as an incentive for companies to invest heavily in the sector [22]