>> WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

>> WALTER, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY.

>> YOU JUST ANNOUNCED A $3 BILLION GIFT TO CARNEGIE MELLON FOR ITS CAMPUS IN PITTSBURGH BUT ALSO TO BUILD A NEW CAMPUS IN MIAMI.

WHY DID YOU DO THAT NOW?

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF SUCH A GIFT?

>> WALTER, I RECENTLY MADE A $3 BILLION INVESTMENT IN CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY.

CMU IS ONE OF OUR NATION'S FINEST INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

THEY LEAD THE WORLD IN COMPUTER SCIENCE, IN A.I., IN ROBOTICS, IN FIELDS IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR COUNTRY FOR THE 21st CENTURY.

IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO SUPPORT THE INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP TEAM, FACULTY AND STUDENTS OF CMU.

>> YOU MOVED DOWN TO MIAMI TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, FOUR YEARS AGO FROM CHICAGO.

WHY DO YOU THINK MIAMI IS GOING TO BE THE NEW CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCE?

>> MIAMI IS A CITY THAT IS ENJOYING UNPARALLELED GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO LIVE IN A CITY WITH SO MUCH OPTIMISM, SO MUCH ENERGY.

THIS IS A CITY THAT'S DRAWING COMPANIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HERE.

PALANTIR MOVED HERE.

THE CITY HAS AN INCREDIBLE DRAW.

INCREDIBLE WORKFORCE.

CMU MIAMI WILL BE PART OF THAT STORY.

IT WILL ANCHOR HUNDREDS OF STARTUPS IN THE AREA ROBOTICES, SOFTWARE, A. I.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS FLORIDA IS BOOMING IS THAT IT HAS NO INCOME TAX.

IT CUTS TAXES.

OF COURSE, AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU SEE STATES EITHER COMPETING TO TRY TO DRAW BUSINESS LOWERING TAXES, BUT SOMETIMES THAT DETRACTS FROM THE ABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO GET THINGS DONE.

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT A COMPETITION AMONG STATES TO SEE WHO CAN BE THE LOWEST TAX STATE?

>> I THINK TAXES ARE VERY, VERY SMALL OF THE SUCCESS OF FLORIDA'S STORY.

I LIVED IN CHICAGO.

YOU DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE AT 9:00 AT NIGHT TO WALK DOWN THE STREET.

IT SIMPLY WAS UNSAFE.

FLORIDA IS A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ITS PEOPLE, FOCUSED ON GREAT SCHOOLS, GREAT UNIVERSITIES, SAFE STREETS.

DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY SERVICES TO ITS PEOPLE AT A VERY COST-EFFECTIVE PRICE POINT.

HERE IN MIAMI, WE HAVE A NEW DEMOCRATIC MAYOR.

I MET WITH HER A FEW WEEKS AGO.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHE'S MOST PROUD OF?

SHE'S CUTTING THE TIME FOR PERMITTING FROM 800 DAYS FOR MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING TO JUST OVER 100 DAYS.

SHE KNOWS THAT WILL DRIVE DOWN THE COST OF HOUSING.

SHE IS FOCUSED ON HOW DO I MAKE THE STATE MORE AFFORDABLE, HOW DO I MAKE THE EXPERIENCE FOR DEVELOPERS MORE SUCCESSFUL?

HOW DO I MAKE THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA BETTER OFF?

THAT ETHOS, THAT COMPETITION TO DELIVER SERVICES FOR OUR PEOPLE SHOULD BE THE MINDSET OF MAYORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> YOU GOT INTO SOMEWHAT OF A CONTENTION WITH MAYOR MOM DANI.

>> THIS TAX IS DESIGNED FOR THE RICHEST OF THE RICH.

>> LEAVING ASIDE HIM SINGLING YOU OUT, DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA OR A BAD IDEA TO HAVE THINGS LIKE A TAX ON PEOPLE WITH SECOND HOMES AS A WAY TO RAISE REVENUE?

>> LOOK, I THINK EVERY GOVERNOR AND EVERY MAYOR SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THE TAX POLICIES THAT RAISE REVENUES THEY NEED TO PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICES AND ENCOURAGE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.

THE MAYOR, IF HE DID A LITTLE BIT OF WORK, WOULD REALIZE I WAS ONE OF NEW YORK'S LARGEST TAXPAYERS.

WE HAVE 2,000 AND CHANGE EMPLOYEES IN NEW YORK.

UNDER HOW NEW YORK TAX LAWS WORK, I DO PAY TAXES IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND BASIC TAX POLICY OF THE STATE IN WHICH HE ACTS AS THE MAYOR OF THE LARGEST CITY.

I THINK ALL MAYORS, ALL GOVERNORS NEED TO TAKE A P BACK.

WHAT ARE THE MEANS TO RAISE REVENUES?

WHAT ARE THE RIGHT STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE JOB GROWTH?

HOW DO WE MAKE THE PIE BIGGER FOR ALL?

>> WHAT ARE THOSE METHODS FOR RAISING REVENUES THAT YOU THINK WOULD HELP GROW PROSPERITY AS WELL?

>> GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE UNITED STATES HAS A PROGRESSIVE TAX CODE.

IT'S A THOUGHTFUL TAX CODE.

IT'S A REALITY THAT IT MATCHES THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTRY FOR REVENUE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS NOT PLAY FAVORITES ACROSS INDUSTRIES, NOT PLAY FAVORITES ACROSS PARTS OF OUR POPULATION.

WE WANT TO HAVE A TAX CODE THAT PEOPLE VIEW AS TRANSPARENT, FAIR, EQUITABLE.

DOESN'T PLAY FAVORITES.

PEOPLE SAY, THE U. S. TAX SYSTEM IS EQUITABLE.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM OF A GROWING INEQUALITY OF WEALTH?

IF SO, HOW SHOULD THAT BE TACKLED?

>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE FORBES 400, WHAT'S REMARKABLE IS IT IS ALMOST ALL NEW WEALTH.

WEALTH CREATED IN THE LAST 20 OR 30 YEARS.

THE UNITED STATES ECONOMIC BOOM IS A STORY OF EACH GENERATION SURPASSING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PRIOR GENERATIONS.

THIS IS NOT A COUNTRY WITH AN ARISTOCRAT CLASS DEFINED BY INTER-GENERATIONAL WEALTH.

THIS IS MONEY CREATED BY BUSINESSES THAT CREATE THE SOLUTIONS AND PRODUCTS FOR THE PEOPLE OF TODAY.

I LOOK AT THE INCREDIBLE SUCCESS OF STEVE JOBS AND APPLE.

I DON'T BEGRUDGE STEVE JOBS SUCCESS WHEN I USE MY iPHONE EVERY DAY.

I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE ACCESS TO AN UNBELIEVABLE TOOL IN MY POCKET THAT GIVES ME ACCESS TO THE WEALTH OF HUMANITY AND THE ABILITY TO GET FROM POINT A TO B AS EFFICIENTLY AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

MOST OF THE AMERICAN SUCCESS STORIES INVOLVE COMPANIES AND LEADERS SOLVING PROBLEMS AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF AMERICAN CONSUMERS.

WHEN THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING SO, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUCCESS.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC MOBILITY BEING A PART OF AMERICA.

IF YOU WERE BORN IN THE '40s OR '50s, YOU HAD AN 80% CHANCE OF DOING BETTER THAN YOUR PARENTS.

NOW YOU HAVE LESS THAN 50% OF DOING BETTER.

DO YOU THINK THIS ABILITY TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN REDUCED IN THE UNITED STATES?

>> DO YOU REMEMBER THE NAMES OF YOUR TEACHERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

I BET YOU DO.

THEY CARED DEEPLY ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS.

EDUCATION WAS A PRIORITY FOR OUR COUNTRY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE G. I. BILL, FOR THOSE WHO SERVED OUR NATION IN WORLD WAR II, THEY CAME BACK TO OUR COUNTRY AND HAD ACCESS TO AN EXTRAORDINARY COLLEGE EDUCATION.

THEY THEY WENT ON TO BUILD OUR COUNTRY.

OUR FOCUS ON EDUCATION IS LOST.

IN ILLINOIS, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PRITZGER, 53 SCHOOLS HAD NOT ONE CHILD PERFORMING AT GRADE LEVEL.

NOT ONE CHILD AT GRADE LEVEL.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY WHEN YOU LEAVE COUNT LESS STUDENTS WITHOUT THE EDUCATION THAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED IN THE 21st CENTURY?

THAT'S THE ROOT PROBLEM WE NEED TO FIX.

WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.

IT'S PART OF THE REASON I'M A SUPPORTER OF SUCCESS ACADEMIES IN NEW YORK.

INNER CITY NEW YORK, THE CHILDREN GO ON TO OUR FINEST UNIVERSITIES RECEIVE A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION.

THEY WILL ENJOY ALL THE BENEFITS OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER.

THEY WILL GO ON TO HAVE GREAT LIVES, IMPACTFUL LIVES, MEANINGFUL LIVES AND LIVES WHERE THEY ENJOY EARNED SUCCESS.

>> DO YOU THINK K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION HAS A DISPARITY IF FUNDING?

PEOPLE WHO ARE WEALTHY GET TO CHOOSE WHY THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE STUCK IN BAD SCHOOLS?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ABOUT THAT?

>> THE GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO PUT IN PLACE LEGISLATION THAT GIVES PARENTS CHOICE.

CHOICE BETWEEN CHARTER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR KIDS HAVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO OPENING THE DOORS IN EDUCATION.

I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT FLORIDA, LOOK AT MISSISSIPPI, I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF STATES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT REALLY DO EXEMPLIFY A PASSIONATE FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A GREAT EDUCATION.

A GREAT EDUCATION, THAT'S THE ON RAMP TO THE AMERICAN DREAM.

>> THE BIG NEWS IN THIS PAST WEEK IN TERMS OF A. I. AND FINANCE IS ANTHROPIC GOING FOR ITS INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SPECIFICALLY ON ANTHROPIC AND IN GENERAL ABOUT A. I. WHETHER WE MAY BE ENTERING A BUBBLE AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME SHAKEOUT?

>> I THINK WE ARE AT A LOGICAL TRANSFORMATION.

A. I. IS WHAT THE RAILROADS WERE TO THE 1840s.

IT'S WHAT THE INTERNET WAS TO 25 YEARS AGO.

THIS IS A PROFOUND TRANSFORMATION OF OUR ECONOMY TAKING PLACE.

ANTHROPIC IS CLEARLY ON THE FRONTIER, LEADING EDGE OF THE TRANSFORMATION.

THEY ARE CONTINUING TO ENHANCE THEIR MODELS AND CAPABILITIES IN A WAY THAT EMPOWERS BOTH CORPORATE AMERICA AND ENTREPRENEURS TO FAR MORE RAPIDLY DEVELOP PRODUCTS, BRING THOSE PRODUCTS TO MARKET SUCCESSFULLY AND TO GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.

ANTHROPIC HAS A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE RAILWAYS AND OTHERS COMING ALONG 100, 150 YEARS AGO IN THE LAST GREAT TECHNOLOGICAL BOOM.

MORE THAN I -- I THINK MORE THAN 150 RAILWAYS END UP GOING BANKRUPT DURING THAT PERIOD.

ARE WE GOING TO SEE A SIMILAR SHAKEOUT HERE?

>> ANY TIME YOU HAVE A PROFOUND TRANSFORMATION OF OUR ECONOMY TAKING PLACE, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF STARTUPS THAT TRY TO SEIZE THE MOMENT AND BLOUNTMANY ARE GOING TO FAIL.

THE ONES THAT SUCCEED, THOSE BECOME THE COMPANIES THAT LEAD OUR NATION FOR DECADE OR SEINE --CENTURIES TO COME.

>> YOU VOTED FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT NOT WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE.

WHAT ARE YOUR QUALMS NOW ABOUT WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DOING?

HOW ARE YOU BEING INVOLVED IN POLITICS IN YOUR DONATIONS NOW?

>> SO I'M REALLY, REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE FACT THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SO FOCUSSED ON GROWING THE U. S. ECONOMY.

BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF HIS ECONOMIC POLICIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK OUR POSITION ON TARIFFS HAS BEEN VERY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN OUR STANDING IN THE WESTERN WORLD.

WE NEED TO LIFT ALL BOATS ACROSS THE WESTERN WORLD.

WE NEED EUROPE TO DO BETTER.

WE NEED CANADA TO BE MORE SUCCESS.

WE NEED JAPAN'S ECONOMY TO GROW.

WE NEED THE WESTERN WORLD'S ECONOMIES TO GROW TO LIFT ALL BOATS.

THE UNITED STATES WILL DO BETTER WHEN EUROPE DOES BETTER.

THE UNITED STATES WILL DO BETTER WHEN CANADA DOES BETTER.

WE WILL DO BETTER WHEN OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES SUCCEED.

AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND AMERICAN JOBS WILL PROSPER ON THE BACK OF THAT.

I THINK OUR TARIFF POLICY HAS BEEN ALTHOUGH WELL INTENDED, MISPLACED.

I GIVE THE PRESIDENT GREAT CREDIT FOR SHUTTING THE BORDER WITH MEXICO.

WE BOTH HEARD FOR YEARS, WE COULD NOT CLOSE OUR BORDER.

THEY CLOSED IT IN WEEKS.

CONVERSELY, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS IS STILL A COUNTRY WHERE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN THE WORLD FEEL WELCOME, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND WANT TO BE HERE.

OUR ABILITY TO BRING IN SO MANY TALENTED PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL TO THE SUCCESS OF AMERICAN BUSINESSES.

ROUGHLY HALF OF ALL THE SILICON VALLEY STARTUPS ARE RUN BY IMMIGRANTS OR FIRST GENERATION AMERICANS.

WE WANT THIS TO BE A COUNTRY WHERE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST CONTINUE TO COME HERE AND TO BUILD.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM HERE ON OUR LAND, PROUD CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR COUNTRY, THAN COMPETING AGAINST THEM ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE.

>> TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU THINK THAT MONEY, ESPECIALLY TREMELY WEALTHY PEOPLE, HAS DISTORTED AMERICAN POLITICS?

>> I THINK MONEY GIVES PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO SPREAD A MESSAGE.

BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY THE AMERICAN VOTERS ARE VERY GOOD AT DISCERNING WHAT MESSAGES MATTER TO THEM, WHICH MESSAGES MAKE SENSE.

AND THEY VOTE WITH THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY.

I THINK MONEY AND POWER IS MESSAGING.

TO BE CLEAR, TO WIN AN ELECTION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MESSAGE THAT RESONATES WITH WHERE THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE AMERICAN VOTERS ARE.

>> WHERE ARE YOU PUTTING YOUR MONEY NOW IN POLITICS AS WE LEAD INTO THE MIDTERMS?

>> LOOK, I'M VERY FOCUSED ON POLITICAL LEADERS WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM IN BOTH PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE ABILITY TO PURSUE ONE'S DREAMS AND AMBITIONS IN A FREE MARKET.

I DO WORRY ABOUT THE RISE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS.

THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ABANDON A FREE MARKET IS ONE STEP TOWARDS THEIR FUTURE WILLINGNESS TO ABANDON OUR PERSONAL RIGHTS.

OUR COUNTRY'S BEEN BUILT ON PERSONAL FREEDOM.

I'M VERY CUSED ON CANDIDATES WHO WILL PROTKT ECT OUR PERSONAL FREEDOMS.

>> DO YOU THINK THERE'S BEEN A CRONY CAPITALISM OR A TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE ECONOMY BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THAT GOES AGAINST SOME OF THE FREE MARKET PRINCIPLES YOU HAVE ESPOUSED?

>> I FIND ANY FORM OF CRONY CAPITALISM BY EITHER PARTY IS TO BE --SHOULD BE AVOIDED WITH GREAT CARE.

THAT GOES BACK TO ALL OF OUR SENSE OF WHAT IS FAIR.

WHEN BOTH PARTIES START TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS IN CORPORATE AMERICA, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED LOANS, THE SENSE OF INEQUITY AND THE SMELL OF CORRUPTION STARTS TO FILL THE ROOM.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR POLITICAL LEADERS ON BOTH SIDES, BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SHOULD BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AT ALL TIMES NOT TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS.

>> DO YOU FEEL SAME WAY ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INVESTMENTS AND TAKING OWNERSHIP STAKES IN CERTAIN CORPORATIONS?

>> THE PRESIDENT SHOULD AVOID OUR COUNTRY USING ITS RESOURCES TO INVEST IN COMPANIES UNLESS ISSUES OF NATIONAL SECURITY ARE AT PLAY.

AGAIN, WE SHOULDN'T BE IN THE BUSINESS OF PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS IN WASHINGTON.

>> KEN GRIFFIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

> >> FINALLY, FOUR CONTINENTS, 3 31,000 MILES, CARL BUSHBY IS BACK HOME.

HE RECEIVED A HERO'S WELCOME IN HIS HOMETOWN.

A HUGE HUG FROM HIS MOTHER FOLLOWING HIS EPIC JOURNEY ACROSS THE GLOBE ON FOOT.

THE FORMER PARATROOPER BEGAN IN CHILE IN 1998.

HAS FACED JUST ABOUT EVERY ELEMENT AND TERRAIN IMAGINABLE FROM ING BETWEEN COLUMBIA AND PANAMA, COMPLETING THIS MISSION IS NO SMALL FEAT.

WHAT MADE IT POSSIBLE, THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE HE MET ALONG THE WAY, HE SAYS.

>> WITH ARE E ARE A FANTASTIC SPECIES.

I MET 99.

9999% OF THE BEST OF HUMANITY.

> >> THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING UP EVERY NIGHT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT PBS.

COM/AMANPOUR.

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND GOOD-BYE FROM LONDON.