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Podcast: When business should take a stand

Podcast: When business should take a stand

"There is one and only one social responsibility of business," Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman famously declared more than 50 years ago. It is “to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase profits so long as it.. engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.”

Times have certainly changed, especially in the past two decades. Today, corporate leaders and brands know that they can't always follow Friedman's advice, and are expected to step forward and contribute to solving crises facing society. But there are often hazards in doing so. Walt Disney, Delta Airlines, and Larry Fink, Chairman, and CEO of BlackRock, have all faced harsh criticism for their public stands.


On this episode of "How do we Fix it," hosts discuss the hazards and opportunities for corporations and their leadership with the author, researcher, and facilitator Elizabeth Doty, Director of the Erb Institute's Corporate Political Responsibility at the University of Michigan. She suggests constructive ways for businesses to play a key role in countering hyperpartisanship and other divisions in society.

When Business Should Take a Stand. Elizabeth Doty

When Business Should Take a Stand. Elizabeth Doty

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Just the Facts:  Has Trump Made Stock Market Volatility Great Again?

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Getty Images, manusapon kasosod

Just the Facts: Has Trump Made Stock Market Volatility Great Again?

Our ongoing series, “Just the Facts,” strives to approach news stories with both an open mind and skepticism, so we may present our readers with a broad spectrum of viewpoints through diligent research and critical thinking. As best we can, we look to remove personal bias from our reporting and seek a variety of perspectives in both our news gathering and selection of opinion pieces.

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Getty Images, Anna Moneymaker

Just the Facts: Elon Musk's Conflicts of Interest with DOGE

Our ongoing series, “Just the Facts,” strives to approach news stories with both an open mind and skepticism, so we may present our readers with a broad spectrum of viewpoints through diligent research and critical thinking. As best we can, we look to remove personal bias from our reporting and seek a variety of perspectives in both our news gathering and selection of opinion pieces.

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Getty Images, Andrew Harnik

Conflict of Interest Complaints Against Musk Grow

On Friday, March 14, 2025, The Fulcrum published a news report entitled, “Complaint Filed Against Elon Musk for Potentially Violating Laws to Benefit His Satellite Business,” in which we reported on a complaint filed by the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s acting Inspector General. The complaint asks them to investigate if Elon Musk unlawfully influenced government decision-making and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contracts involving his satellite business.

Two days after The Fulcrum report, Evan Feinman—the outgoing director of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program—publicly criticized the Trump administration for allegedly diverting funds from rural broadband projects to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet company. This criticism was expressed in an email to colleagues on March 16, 2025. Feinman described the diversion of funds as a betrayal to rural America, emphasizing the importance of providing reliable and affordable internet access to underserved areas.

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(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Trump’s tariff strategy hammers Wall Street

The chaos that gripped Wall Street on March 10, 2025, was no accident.

The plummeting stock market, the sharp decline in Bitcoin, and the spike in volatility all pointed to a single, undeniable factor: President Donald Trump’s economic policies, particularly his tariff-heavy approach, have unnerved investors and accelerated fears of an impending recession.

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