Volv Concierge #47

Hey, everyone

Priyanka here. A lot happened this week: the stock market crashed, then bounced back. Lies sparked the worst violence the UK has seen in a decade, while student protesters overthrew the government in Bangladesh (the footage coming out is giving strong French Revolution vibes). In the US, Kamala Harris finally revealed her VP pick—here's the real reason she picked Gov. Tim Walz.

This week has been very news-heavy, so here are some interesting articles you may have missed.

📈 Let’s take a look:

1. Welcome to the future: AI is paying humans to work for it

2. Who took the cocaine out of Coca-Cola?

3. Berkshire holds more Treasury bills than the Federal Reserve

4. Dolce & Gabbana has launched a perfume for your dog

5. The future of junk food is... healthy food

Trump v. Harris: Where do they stand on abortion?

Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, several states have effectively banned abortion, others have rendered reproductive healthcare practically unavailable by criminalizing the provision in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, sometimes with no exceptions for rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk. Democrats are making abortion a central focus to create a wider coalition of support, Trump’s position on the issue has fluctuated a lot.

I.  Trump – a timeline of what he has already done 

1999: Trump declared he was “very pro-choice” and “hates the concept of abortion”

2015: Trump’s views shifted after he was attacked by potential GOP rivals over his views. He attributed the change to a child born to friends who considered abortion.

2016:

• Suggested “punishment” for women who have abortions. After backlash, he clarified that doctors/persons aiding the procedure would be the ones held legally responsible.

• Promised to appoint Supreme Court justices with a “conservative bent” to overturn Roe v. Wade.

2017: Blocked US funding for organizations providing abortion services and supported legislation to ban abortion after 20 weeks (it did not pass the Senate).

2020: Claimed to be the strongest defender of unborn children and became the first sitting president to attend the ‘March for Life’ protest, an annual anti-abortion ally.

2022: Celebrated Roe v. Wade’s reversal, calling it a “WIN for LIFE.”

2023: Blamed Republican midterm losses on poorly handled abortion issues, criticized evangelical leaders for not supporting his third White House bid, and opposed federal legislation for strict abortion bans.

2024: Trump suggested states determine abortion laws, supported exceptions for rape, incest, and the mother’s health but did not propose federal protections. He rejected a national abortion ban promise he made in 2016. The RNC’s new policy platform mirrors Trump’s stance, focusing on state-level decisions.

The Republican National Committee's new policy platform, Project 2025, aligns with Trump's stance, omitting the goal for a national ban for the first time in 40 years but maintaining that the Constitution grants rights to fetuses. Trump's previous policies reduced access to birth control for low-income individuals by excluding Planned Parenthood from federal programs, a trend expected to persist in a potential second term.

II. Trump 2.0 — what he plans to do next

• Comstock Act Revival: Plans to use the Comstock Act of 1873 to effectively ban abortion nationwide.

• Medication Abortion: Intends to revoke FDA approval for mifepristone, hindering access to abortion medication and miscarriage care.

• Birth Control: Could target insurance coverage for contraception and affect access to birth control.

• Privacy and Travel: May implement regulations disclosing private health information and restricting out-of-state travel for abortions.

• Federal Funding: Plans to deprive abortion providers of federal funds affecting other healthcare services.

Kamala Harris on abortion

Kamala Harris has consistently advocated for abortion access, contrasting sharply with Trump. 

As Senator, she co-sponsored legislation to ban state restrictions on abortion and opposed a 20-week abortion ban supported by President Trump. 

As a 2020 presidential candidate, she proposed federal pre-clearance for new abortion laws in states with a history of restricting abortion rights.

As Vice-President, 

• Harris has been a vocal advocate for abortion rights, more so than President Biden, who has shown personal discomfort with the topic. 

• The Biden administration has supported abortion access through various measures, including emergency abortions in banned states and allowing abortion pills without in-person visits. 

• Harris made history as the 1st VP to visit a Planned Parenthood clinic and continues to back national abortion rights legislation, especially after Roe v. Wade's reversal.

For her current 2024 presidential campaign.

• Harris supports legislation to restore national abortion rights akin to the pre-2022 Roe v. Wade framework, which protected abortion until around 22 weeks of pregnancy. Her advocacy intensified after post-Roe v. Wade was overturned. 

• Trump criticized her as "radical," alleging she supports late-term abortions, which her campaign denies. Reproductive freedom remains a key issue in her agenda, mobilizing voters since Roe's reversal.

📌 Tips from building Volv this week

• Great resource for outreach from a founder-friend (thanks Jelena) a one time fee to scrape unlimited emails that you can use for sales or marketing or both. 

• We made a terrible mistake by not proactively looking for advisors and mentors early on in our journey. And I can say that now because I understand what a difference it has made for us! Shoutout to Jon Basset who has been a tremendous support. Advisors will help you avoid pitfalls, keep your vision clear, and also help expand your network. In the last 2 weeks itself, we have met incredible executives who can help bring our vision to fruition. So if you don’t have advisors/ mentors, make it your priority.

✨ Vibes of the week

Vintage style covers of today’s hits that I’m loving right now — Very on brand with Volv. 

A newsletter that I find particularly insightful about finance/markets.

Book I’m reading: Mysterious yet rooted in science.

And for the ladies, a clothing brand I’m loving right now. 

Btw, none of these are sponsored. Just sharing what I like.

If you do however, want get in front of a niche audience of thousands of high-performing individuals Aka C-suite execs, founders, engineers, etc., who use Volv instead of social media, get in touch! You can sponsor ads on the app or this newsletter  :)

We would love to hear from you! Drop your feedback here.

This newsletter was edited by Ishita Sen.