All-In E68: Trudeau invokes emergency powers, Bitcoin vs. government, Tiger Global's new strategy and more

Episode 68 • 2/19/2022

Justin Trudeau invoked emergency powers to freeze bank accounts linked to trucker protests in Canada, including 34 crypto wallets
The hosts strongly criticized this as an overreach, noting these powers had only been used three times before in Canadian history (WWI, WWII, and FLQ crisis)
Sacks argued this was financial deplatforming taken to an extreme level, targeting anyone who donated as little as $25
Chamath highlighted that Trudeau never attempted negotiation and instead immediately demonized the protesters
The group discussed how this could accelerate interest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as a way to avoid government financial control

Three SF school board members were recalled with 72-79% of votes
The board was criticized for focusing on renaming schools and eliminating merit-based admissions while schools remained closed
The Asian American community was particularly galvanized by changes to Lowell High School's merit-based system
Discussion of how this signals broader pushback against extreme progressive policies
The group debated whether tech industry leaders should get more involved in local politics

Tiger Global announced shift from late-stage to early-stage startup investments
The hosts debated the merits of passive vs hands-on VC investing approaches
Discussion of how fund sizes impact VC behavior - larger funds tend to be more passive
Debate about the value of board seats and governance for early-stage companies

Discussion of new HIV treatment using stem cells from donors with natural immunity
Friedberg explained the scientific details of how the treatment works
The group reflected on how HIV/AIDS shaped their generation's views on public health
Brief debate about Fauci's early handling of the AIDS crisis

The episode ended with a brief section on David Sacks' Twitter dispute with Paul Graham regarding COVID mask policies at the Super Bowl.