How do we organize against authoritarian rule and fascism in the US? Center for Political Education is hosting a multi-part series to sharpen our shared understanding of how social movements in the US...

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SACRAMENTO, CA—Promising his podcast listeners an engaging and enlightening conversation, California Gov. Gavin Newsom reportedly sat down Tuesday with a serial killer who targets the homeless populat...

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CPE is hosting a three-part series on tech capital and the administrative coup of the US government. Hostile Takeover: Tech Capital and the Coup of the US Government will feature a series of conversations among subject matter experts, strategists, and organizers trying to make sense of how and why the forces of capital—led by billionaire tech barons—are so determined to seize the administrative state and what its evisceration means for working-class communities in the near and long-term. In our first conversation in the series, Part 1: The Privatization of Government, we lay out the scope and nature of the crisis actively working its way through the federal system; how tech capital and private equity are bringing to bear their playbook for upheaval; and identify what tools exist within the grasp of political forces on the left to stop or stymie the Musk-led smash and grab operation. Speakers: Vasudha Desikan is a researcher studying the relationship between venture capital, crypto, and working communities in California. Prior to her work in this arena, she spent over a decade at SEIU, AFSCME and LIUNA fighting against corporate and financial exploitation of workers. She helped retail workers draft and introduce the first federal bill to rein in private equity firms. Chastity Murphy is a fellow and visiting scholar at the University of Manchester, researching technology’s impact on marginalized communities. Until very recently, she was working at the US Treasury, overseeing its work on AI, cryptocurrency, digital assets, consumer protections, and financial inclusion. She previously advised Representative Rashida Tlaib on e-cash, stablecoins, and financial reform and will provide us with unique insight into what’s happening within one of the key points of capture for this administrative coup: the Treasury and its payments system. Alyssa Giachino has worked on economic justice for around 20 years. She focuses on corporate accountability and sustainable investment practices, with particular emphasis on private equity. Like Vasudha, she spent many years in union work before her current research, including 15 years with SEIU, UNITE HERE and UAW, working to improve conditions for low-wage workers in sectors such as hospitality, building services and manufacturing. 1:46 speaker bios 3:33 Vasudha's profiles of the key players 7:49 what these tech capitalists want 10:36 their playbook 15:44 Chastity on the impact on federal workers 20:00 the danger of DOGE in the Treasury 24:55 former CFPB director's comments 26:15 what it means to lose the CFPB 30:11 Alyssa defines hostile takeovers 40:41 Musk's relevant track record 46:01 demographics, ideologies and politics of tech capital 50:06 tech capital money buying elections 56:55 why tech capital hates the New Deal 1:01:20 alternative visions to tech capital's vision 1:06:01 Musk's endgoals with DOGE 1:14:44 how to fight private equity takeover 1:20:30 resources for further study