Topic: Chinese Steel

A listener compares the "United Socialist State of California" to the normalcy of Minnesota and Colorado, citing outrageous prices and suicidal Uber drivers. The discussion moves to trade, explaining that Trump's tariffs on Canadian steel were intended to stop China from using Canada as a "back door" to the U.S. market. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly folded on the issue by restricting Chinese steel imports.

The new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opens six years behind schedule and five times over its original budget, costing $6.4 billion. The hosts note that the bridge was constructed using Chinese steel, meaning much of the taxpayer funding went to China. They cite this as a primary example of California's fiscal mismanagement.

The hosts review the current price of Bitcoin, which has reached $94, and discuss the process of selling through BitPay. The conversation shifts to a hypothetical earthquake in California, specifically targeting the new Bay Bridge. Concerns are raised about the use of Chinese steel in the bridge's construction and the potential for a catastrophic failure.

The San Francisco Bay Bridge remains closed following structural issues, leading to criticism of Caltrans for poor management and infrastructure decisions. Concerns are raised regarding the quality of subpar steel imported from China for the new bridge span. The hosts discuss the high cost of the project compared to historical bridge construction in the area.