Are we heading into a recession? Did we ever really come out of the last one? Do market fundamentals matter anymore? How did Democrats miss so badly on the economy, leading to the re-election of Donald Trump? Is capitalism collapsing? It’s difficult to get a proper read of the U.S. economy. It’s a giant, complex juggernaut that both relies on global markets and holds them all together. There is no unifying economic or political theory to provide clarity as the biggest economy in world history continues to navigate uncharted territory. Let’s talk about it.

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:34

The Stock Market Is Not the Economy: 00:02:25

The U.S. Economy is the Global Economy: 00:04:24

Market Based Economies are Cyclical: 00:05:25

The Rate of Change in the Labor Market is Faster Today: 00:07:52

Inequality is a Condition of Capitalism: 00:11:26

Sentiment is Just as Powerful as Any Data Point: 00:13:32

The Single Biggest Economic Force is Greed: 00:14:02

Cycle Trends: 00:18:40

Enter Trump: 00:31:54

Post Show Musings: 00:36:47

Outro: 00:42:31

Resources

St. Louis Fed: Labor Force Participation Rate

St. Louis Fed: Labor Force Participation Rate - 25-54 Yrs.

Investopedia: Average Retirement Savings by Age: How Do You Compare?

Trading Economics: United States ISM Manufacturing PMI 

Federal Reserve Bank Of New York: Household Debt and Credit Report

Education Data: Student Loan Debt Statistics [2024]: Average + Total Debt 

Guru Focus: S&P 500 PE Ratio Charts, Data 

Oil Price: OPEC+ May Be Facing Long-Term Production Cuts 

Center for American Progress: Project 2025’s Tax Plan Would Raise Taxes on the Middle Class and Cut Taxes for the Wealthy

Book Love

John Kenneth Galbraith: The Affluent Society

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Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

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