Watchdog on Wall Street

Chris Markowski delves into the deceptive practices of Wall Street, particularly focusing on hedge funds and private equity firms. He highlights how hedge funds often report inflated returns by excluding failed funds from their calculations, likening it to a baseball player omitting their worst games to boost their batting average. Markowski also critiques the private equity model, which he argues exploits companies by loading them with debt and extracting value, often leading to their decline. He shares a poignant example of how private equity negatively impacted the once-popular Sprinkles Cupcake brand, illustrating the broader consequences of these financial practices on American businesses and consumers. Markowski further discusses the implications of recent mergers and acquisitions, using Saks Fifth Avenue's bankruptcy as a case study to demonstrate how Wall Street's financialization leads to disastrous outcomes for companies. He emphasizes the disconnect between Wall Street's profit motives and the realities faced by everyday investors, warning listeners about the potential pitfalls of trusting financial advisors who may prioritize their own interests over those of their clients. The episode serves as a wake-up call for listeners to be vigilant about the financial narratives pushed by major institutions and to seek transparency in their investments.

Chris Markowski delves into the critical distinction between financial preparation and financial planning. He emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the uncertainties of life rather than relying on rigid plans that may not hold up over time. Drawing on personal anecdotes and experiences, Markowski illustrates how mastering the fundamentals of investing can lead to success, regardless of market fluctuations. He also critiques the conventional wisdom propagated by financial institutions and the media, urging listeners to recognize the narratives that may hinder their financial freedom. Markowski further discusses the current economic landscape, highlighting the disconnect between reported economic growth and the realities faced by everyday Americans. He warns against complacency and encourages listeners to adopt a proactive approach to their finances, emphasizing the need for courage and patience in investing. The episode serves as a call to action for individuals to take control of their financial futures through informed decision-making and preparation, rather than blind adherence to outdated financial planning models.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Private equity's favorite trick is making a comeback: buy up local businesses, roll them together, slap on some AI, cut staff, raise prices, and call it “efficiency.” From HVAC and plumbing to legal and professional services, the result is often the same—more debt, worse service, and frustrated customers.In this segment, Chris breaks down why roll-up economics frequently destroys value instead of creating it, and why history shows real winners don't buy their way to innovation—they invent it. From Kodak killing the digital camera to Amazon and Tesla building instead of rolling up, the lesson is clear: sometimes the old ways really are best. And for entrepreneurs, the backlash against these hollowed-out businesses may be the biggest opportunity of all.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  The Senate narrowly killed a war powers resolution meant to limit presidential authority in Venezuela—after assurances from the administration that there are “no plans” for ground troops or military occupation. The vote came down to a 51–50 tie, broken by J.D. Vance, with key GOP senators switching sides based on written promises from the White House.But history—and a certain Tom Clancy plot—suggests how fragile those assurances can be. Add in Venezuelan oil revenues quietly parked in a Qatari bank “to avoid seizure,” and the whole arrangement raises serious red flags. This segment questions whether Congress just surrendered its leverage, and whether anyone should feel reassured by promises that come with built-in escape hatches.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Despite years of tariffs and predictions that China's export machine would slow, the opposite just happened. China posted a record trade surplus of $1.19 trillion, with exports up 5.5%. While shipments to the U.S. have dropped, Europe and the rest of the world are now absorbing the flood of Chinese goods. The strategy to force China into becoming a consumption-driven economy hasn't worked—and Beijing itself is struggling with the same goal amid deflation fears and a still-broken real estate market.Chris explains why tariffs failed to reshape China's economy, the difference between “good” and “bad” deflation, and why China is likely to keep doing what it does best: making—and exporting—a lot of stuff.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Watch what's happening right now—territory casually discussed, allies pressured, sovereignty treated like a bargaining chip. From Greenland to the Mediterranean, the message to smaller nations is loud and clear: power decides everything. If you're Poland, Greece, Italy, or Belgium, what's your takeaway? That goodwill and treaties will protect you forever? Or that deterrence is the only language that still works?This is the uncomfortable, controversial case for nuclear proliferation—and why leaders watching this unfold might conclude that nukes aren't reckless… They're rational.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Waste and immigration go hand in hand—and pretending otherwise is how we ended up here. This isn't about hating immigrants or cheering heavy-handed enforcement. In fact, Chris doesn't like the optics of masked ICE agents or the chaos we're seeing play out. There was a better way to handle this, long before it reached this point.The truth is simple: incentives matter. If you build a massive welfare state, hand out benefits, provide free healthcare, housing, and allow illegal work, people will come. That's not ideology—that's human nature. Eliminate the incentives, and illegal immigration collapses overnight.Billions of dollars in taxpayer money are flowing through refugee assistance, rental programs, NGOs, and government agencies—with officials admitting they don't even know where much of it's going. That's not compassion; that's waste, grift, and failure.You want to fix immigration? Start with this rule: if you come here illegally, you get nothing. No handouts. No benefits. No taxpayer-funded hotels. Enforce that, cut the waste, and the magnet disappears.We can't afford this system—and it's not working.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Most people are living in a financial illusion—and it's time to wake up. From grocery prices in Italy that are less than half of what Americans pay, to restaurant meals that would cost triple back home, the contrast is impossible to ignore. Yet we're told nonstop by economic “high priests” that everything is booming because GDP is up and stocks are at record highs.Who cares if GDP is 10% when people can't afford rent, homes, healthcare, or to start a family?Essential survival items—food, energy, housing, insurance—have inflated two to four times faster than official inflation numbers over the past five years. The metrics are lying, the models are broken, and too many people are ignoring what their own eyes and bank accounts are telling them.This is the financial matrix: an economy that looks great on paper while everyday life gets harder. At Markowski Investments, they don't deal in illusions—they deal in reality, the terrain as it actually exists, and prepare people to survive and thrive despite ruinous policy, fraud, and currency devaluation.Take the red pill. See the world as it is.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  It's fascinating—and disturbing. The same far-left groups that can mobilize in the blink of an eye, with signs printed and protests ready to roll, are nowhere to be found as reports emerge of mass killings in Iran. The industrial complex seems to have gone silent.We don't know the exact numbers. The Islamic regime itself claims around 2,000 dead—which should immediately tell you the real figure is likely far higher. Some estimates put it at 12,000… others 20,000. Regardless of the precise count, the scale of brutality is undeniable.So where are the protests? Where are the emergency rallies, the social media campaigns, the nonstop moral outrage? The silence is telling—and it raises serious questions about who gets defended, who gets ignored, and why.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Chris hates the phrase financial planning—and he's not alone. Plans assume you know what's coming. You don't. Life doesn't run on a terminal date, a questionnaire, or a neat retirement timeline. Opportunities and setbacks show up without warning, and the people who thrive aren't the ones with the prettiest plans—they're the ones who are prepared.At Markowski Investments, they focus on financial preparation: building strong habits, flexibility, and resilience so you're ready for whatever life throws at you—good or bad. Just like athletes who don't care who lines up across from them because they've done the work, proper preparation puts you in position to win no matter the circumstances.Do the right things. Practice good habits. Prepare properly—and you'll be fine.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  The headline numbers look great: unemployment down, GDP up, trade deficit shrinking. But once you dig past the surface, a very different story emerges. In this deep dive, Chris breaks down the latest labor, trade, and GDP data—and explains why the official narrative doesn't line up with economic reality.Job growth is weak and narrowly concentrated, hiring is sluggish, and layoffs are quietly spreading through small and mid-sized businesses. The “improving” trade deficit? Strip out massive gold shipments and it actually worsens. GDP growth? Inflated by savings drawdowns, falling imports, and gold exports—not rising incomes or real consumer strength.This is why we don't play the TV guessing-game with economic numbers anymore. You have to look inside the data, not just at the headlines. The real economy isn't what the wizards of smart want you to believe—and you're better off being your own economist.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Everyone wants lower mortgage rates—but strong-arming the Federal Reserve or squeezing banks isn't the answer. In this episode, Chris lays out practical, free-market solutions that could actually bring mortgage rates down without political pressure or economic distortions.Drawing on how commercial loans and bond markets really work, Chris explains why features like prepayment risk drive mortgage rates higher in the U.S. Unlike many business loans or callable bonds, American mortgages allow borrowers to prepay at any time—forcing lenders to charge more to compensate for that risk.So what's the fix? Options like non-prepayable mortgages with penalties, Fannie and Freddie offering alternative loan structures, and even portable or assumable mortgages that allow buyers to take over existing low-rate loans. These changes could shave meaningful basis points off rates while improving market efficiency.Instead of grandstanding and pressure campaigns, there are intelligent, market-based reforms sitting right in front of us. If policymakers are serious about affordability, this is where the conversation should start.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Are prosecutors really coming after the Federal Reserve Chair—or is this something else entirely? Reports that the Justice Department is investigating Jerome Powell over testimony related to the Fed's building renovation have ignited speculation, outrage, and a very real debate about central bank independence.In this episode, Chris breaks down what's actually happening, why grand jury subpoenas matter, and how this investigation fits into a broader campaign of political pressure on the Fed. With interest rates at the center of a heated midterm-year fight, Powell says the probe is a pretext designed to intimidate the central bank into lowering rates—despite inflation realities saying otherwise.Chris also unpacks the misconceptions about interest rates, why mortgage rates don't move the way people think they do, and why using the legal system as a political weapon sets a dangerous precedent. If this is about accountability, where are the prosecutions everyone was promised elsewhere? And if it's about pressure, what does that mean for the future of independent monetary policy?This isn't just about Jay Powell—it's about whether evidence-based policy survives political intimidation.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  At first glance, a 10% cap on credit card interest rates sounds like a win for consumers. Who wouldn't want relief from 20–30% APRs? But dig one layer deeper, and this proposal turns from populist applause line into an economic mess that would hurt the very people it claims to help.In this episode, Chris explains how the credit card industry actually works—who really charges interest, where swipe fees go, and why Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx aren't the villains they're made out to be. Spoiler: banks take the risk, banks charge the interest, and credit cards are largely unsecured, non-recourse loans.Cap rates at 10%, and banks won't suddenly become generous—they'll pull credit, cancel cards, jack up fees, or require cash collateral. Young workers, lower-credit borrowers, and anyone new to the system get squeezed out first. That's how credit rationing works, every time.Chris breaks down why this idea is straight out of the price-control playbook, why it's midterm political theater, and why it can't be enforced without blowing up access to credit across the country.Misusing credit cards is a real problem—but government-mandated rate caps won't fix it. They'll just make credit scarcer, more expensive in other ways, and far less accessible.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Picture it: Tommy Norris, the Clampetts, and J.R. Ewing all strolling into Washington as Big Oil's finest gather with the president to talk Venezuela. As entertaining as that image is, the reality was far less glamorous—and far more troubling.In this episode, Chris breaks down the tense, lukewarm reception oil executives gave the president's push to invest billions in Venezuelan oil. Promises of “security guarantees” raise a serious question: should U.S. taxpayers—and even U.S. troops—be on the hook to protect corporate oil investments in one of the most unstable countries on earth?With assets previously seized, billions written off, sanctions still looming, and the State Department warning Americans to get out of Venezuela immediately, Big Oil isn't buying the pitch. Exxon flatly called Venezuela “uninvestable,” and behind closed doors, executives were likely relieved when the White House walked that back.Chris also unpacks the contradictions, the fact-free tangents, and the dangerous idea that past losses should simply be forgotten in the hope of future profits—all while ignoring the real technical, legal, and geopolitical barriers to Venezuelan oil production.Let companies risk their own money if they want. But taxpayers and the military? Absolutely not.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Lobbyists have always shaped policy from the shadows—but today, a more deceptive force is at work: paid online influencers. Unlike traditional lobbyists, whose money trails can at least be tracked, political influencers are quietly paid to push ideologies, narratives, and agendas without disclosure.In this episode, Chris pulls back the curtain on how social media personalities have become unregulated mouthpieces for governments, corporations, and industries—often without audiences realizing they're being sold an opinion. From payola in radio to “paid advertisements” buried in fine print, this practice isn't new—but its scale and impact are far more dangerous now.Drawing from firsthand experience in finance, media, and political pressure campaigns, Chris explains why undisclosed influencer advocacy undermines critical thinking, distorts public debate, and does more societal harm than old-school lobbying ever did.Who's paying these voices? Why aren't they required to disclose it? And how can you protect yourself from manufactured consensus?As always: do your own homework—and demand transparency.

 Chris Markowski, the Watchdog on Wall Street, delves into various pressing financial topics, including the war on drugs, the economic situation in Venezuela, the challenges facing the oil industry, and the current state of the U.S. economy. He discusses the implications of rising bankruptcies, government fraud, and the realities of the real estate market, while emphasizing the importance of understanding economic indicators and the need for reform in agricultural practices. Markowski encourages listeners to seek financial freedom and be aware of the truths behind the financial narratives presented by the media and government.

Chris Markowski discusses various pressing issues in the financial and political landscape, including government intervention in the housing market, the implications of property taxes on ownership, the defense industry's challenges, and the recent government shutdowns affecting healthcare subsidies. He also delves into the controversial topic of Greenland and the potential use of military force, questioning the morality and practicality of such actions.

Chris Markowski discusses the harsh realities of the financial world, emphasizing the importance of building wealth and the dangers of identity politics. He explores how society's obsession with ideology can lead to self-destruction and the need for individuals to focus on building, creating, protecting, and teaching within their communities. The conversation also touches on the rise of individual traders, the pitfalls of financial discipline, and the pervasive scams that prey on people's greed and fear.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Minnesota feels like it's trapped in a cycle of manufactured anger—an “anger harvest” driven by instant reactions, political narratives, and a refusal to wait for the facts. In the aftermath of a tragic shooting that left a young mother dead and her children orphaned, the rush to judgment has been as disturbing as the event itself. Pundits, politicians, and activists on all sides felt compelled to speak immediately—often saying things that simply weren't true.This isn't leadership or compassion; it's recklessness. When officials and commentators push narratives before understanding what actually happened, they inflame tensions and make a bad situation worse. The honest answer—“I don't know yet”—has become unacceptable in a culture addicted to outrage and algorithms.What we're watching is deeper than one incident. Political beliefs have become personal identities, turning disagreement into a perceived personal attack. Facts, logic, humor, and humility get tossed aside in favor of defending the tribe at all costs. From the far left to the MAGA right, the result is the same: louder, angrier, and dumber discourse.Sometimes the most responsible thing to say is nothing at all—wait for the tape, wait for the facts, and stop feeding the rage machine before it tears us apart.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  December's ADP jobs report came in far weaker than expected, with just 41,000 jobs added—raising serious concerns about the true state of the U.S. labor market. Nearly all the growth came from services like education and healthcare, fueled largely by government spending, while manufacturing slipped further into negative territory. Small and mid-sized businesses showed only modest hiring, and large firms barely moved at all.As pundits cheer trade deficit headlines, this report suggests a more troubling reality: Americans may simply be spending less, and companies are signaling they're not planning to hire much in 2026. With inflation still sticky, jobs weakening, and even the Fed questioning the reliability of government data, markets are left stuck in a “good news is bad news” loop—desperate for rate cuts that may not come.The bottom line: the jobs picture in the U.S. is deteriorating, uncertainty is rising, and the risk of a recession is real. Markets will sort themselves out—but the country needs a stronger, more stable economic foundation, not daily chaos and misleading headlines.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  The political class is in full panic mode over the War Powers Act, with critics losing their minds that some Republican senators dared to side with Democrats to rein in presidential war-making authority. But why the outrage? Requiring Congress to vote before launching military action isn't radical—it's the Constitution.Despite fever dreams of regime change and boots on the ground in Venezuela, that's not what's happening. Trump knows a full-scale military occupation would be a political disaster. This is a transactional standoff, not a Jeffersonian democracy export mission. As Thomas Massie bluntly put it, concentrating war powers in one person dissolves liberty—and James Madison called congressional war authority the “crown jewel” for a reason.Add in years of shifting narratives about Maduro, selective truth-telling, and alarming statements about ignoring international law, and skepticism is more than justified. When leaders cry wolf often enough, trust evaporates. The real question isn't why Congress is asserting itself—it's why anyone is shocked that checks and balances still matter.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Just like a bad horror movie villain, Obamacare never dies. You think it's gone—then it pops right back up. After all the grandstanding, shutdown threats, and partisan theater, Republicans and Democrats are quietly coming together to restore expanded Obamacare subsidies… exactly as predicted.A bipartisan group of senators is finalizing a deal to extend enhanced ACA tax credits—welfare by another name—that now reach people making 700% of the poverty line: up to $109,000 for individuals and $225,000 for married couples. Meanwhile, the House has already passed it. So much for the shutdown drama.Instead of fixing the real problem—sky-high healthcare costs and a broken system—Washington does what it always does: throws cash at the issue. Insurance companies cheer, taxpayers get fleeced, and costs keep rising. Whether the checks go straight to insurers or get routed through individuals first, nothing changes.In this episode, Chris breaks down the latest Obamacare revival, the hypocrisy behind the spending bills, and why Washington's “tough talk” is nothing more than political cosplay. Same scam. Same outcome. Different press release.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  The Greenland hype has officially jumped the shark. From “we need it to stop a caliphate marching through Europe” to breathless claims about vast rare earth riches, the commentary has devolved into pure nonsense. No facts, no experts—just boogeymen and buzzwords.Here's the reality no one in the media seems willing to explain: Greenland's mineral deposits are largely low grade, and mining there is an economic nightmare. Permafrost, brutal cold, months of darkness, brittle metals, custom equipment, nonexistent infrastructure, tiny shipping windows, and astronomical logistics costs make Arctic mining a capital-expenditure black hole. If it were economically viable, it would already be happening.In this episode, Chris breaks down why “rare earths in Greenland” is a fantasy, why mining companies won't touch it without taxpayer guarantees, and how this logic mirrors the same moral hazard we've seen with oil, banks, and bailouts before. Free markets don't work by executive order or political hype—and taxpayers shouldn't be forced to backstop uneconomic boondoggles. Do your homework.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Trump is moving to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes—an issue I've been sounding the alarm on for years. Corporate buyers, especially in hot Sunbelt markets, swoop in with all-cash offers, buy entire neighborhoods at discounts, game the comps, and price real families out of the market. That part of the problem is very real.But here's the catch: this plan likely won't survive legal or congressional scrutiny—and even if it did, it ignores the hundreds of thousands of homes already owned by corporations. Meanwhile, Democrats are opposing Trump while pushing the same failed playbook: subsidies, giveaways, and policies that inflate demand without fixing supply—the same thinking that helped fuel the Great Recession.In this episode, Chris explains why banning corporate buyers by decree won't work, why “lower mortgage rates” won't fix affordability, and how property tax policy offers a clean, constitutional solution. Favor owner-occupied homes, make speculative ownership less attractive, and change the incentives instead of distorting the market. If we're serious about making housing affordable again, there's a smarter way to do it—and it benefits everyone.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Talk about whiplash. One minute, the Trump administration is torching defense contractors—threatening to cap executive pay, ban stock buybacks, and cancel contracts over delays and cost overruns. Raytheon and the rest of the defense sector sell off as investors brace for a crackdown. On the surface, it sounds great: finally someone is calling out $100,000 toilets, $50,000 wrenches, and a Pentagon that's never passed an audit.Then comes the reversal.Hours later, Trump floats a $1.5 trillion military budget, a 50% increase justified by tariff revenue and promises of “paying down the debt.” That's where reality hits a wall. Massive deficits, $38+ trillion in debt, outdated weapons systems, and an industry dominated by a handful of “too-big-to-fail” contractors—yet we're supposed to believe more spending fixes all of it?In this episode, Chris breaks down why executive orders won't fix defense waste, how consolidation killed competition, why Congress protects obsolete programs in their districts, and why throwing more money at a broken system only guarantees one thing: taxpayers pay the bill.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Dave Ramsey recently called sports betting apps “portals to hell,” and he's right.In this episode, we break down:• Why trading apps have turned investing into legalized gambling• How nonstop ads and zero-commission trades fuel reckless behavior• Why the Wall Street Journal is cheering retail trading without asking the hard question• What actually happened to everyday investors after the GameStop frenzy• Why firms like Citadel and trading platforms always win — no matter what• What decades of data show about frequent traders' real performanceAnd why discipline, time, and effort are the only paths to real wealth.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Welcome to another edition of Watchdog's Lessons in Real Estate, where location, policy, and incentives actually matter.In this episode, we break down:• Why luxury condos in Portland are being slashed by 50%• How one-bedroom Ritz units fell from $1.7M to $600K• Why the idea of a “national housing market” is pure nonsense• How government policy destroys real estate values city by city• Why rent control leads to slums, not affordability• How New York's 3% rent cap is bankrupting landlords• Why bankrupt owners don't fix buildings — they can't afford toAnd how eviction moratoriums permanently broke rental markets.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  The casual talk about using military force to “take” Greenland should stop everyone cold. Not because it's unrealistic — but because of what it says about who we're becoming.In this episode, we break down:• Why threatening military force over Greenland crosses a dangerous line• How national security is being used as a catch-all excuse for power grabs• Why wealth, power, and influence matter how they're acquired• The difference between good money and bad money — for people and nations• How easy money corrodes character, whether it's Congress, media, or business• Why America is drifting from “the good guys” to something far darkerAnd the uncomfortable question: are we becoming the ones who knock?

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Sprinkles — the original viral cupcake shop — is gone. Stores closed. Vending machines shut down. And no, this wasn't a “market failure.”In this episode, we break down:• How private equity hollowed out Sprinkles and walked away• Why leveraged buyouts destroy otherwise healthy businesses• How debt gets dumped onto companies until they collapse• Why doctors, HVAC firms, schools, and advisors hate life after PE buyouts• How absurd valuations only work if there's a bigger sucker later• Why this isn't capitalism — it's financial cannibalism• How private equity is reshaping wealth management (and not for the better)And why mom-and-pop businesses are the comeback story no one sees coming!

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  In this episode of Watchdog on Wall Street, we dig into the data behind the headlines and explain why headline GDP growth is masking a growing economic problem.We break down:• Why a 4%+ GDP print doesn't mean the economy is healthy• The ISM data showing only 11% of U.S. industries are expanding• Why manufacturing is already in recession territory• How this compares to Great Recession–era readings• What companies are actually blaming for the slowdown• Why tariffs are showing up repeatedly in corporate commentary• The surge in small business bankruptcies nobody wants to discuss• How wages are really performing after inflation (spoiler: under 1%)• Why confusing GDP with wages is either ignorance or deceptionWe also call out the dangerous nonsense being said on television — including claims made on Fox News that GDP growth somehow means every American got a raise.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  In this episode of Watchdog on Wall Street, we explain why Section 453 never should have been there in the first place — and why its removal is a rare, bipartisan win for public health.In this episode, we break down:• What Section 453 actually did — and why it was dangerous• How it would've given pesticide companies immunity from lawsuits• Why shielding 57,000+ chemicals linked to cancer, Parkinson's, infertility, and chronic disease is insane• How Big Ag and corporate subsidies distort food prices and quality• Why America's farming system benefits corporations, not consumers• How ethanol mandates turned farmland into a policy disaster• Why European food is cheaper, cleaner, and higher quality• The on-the-ground reality of food costs in Italy• Why Thomas Massie deserves credit for leading the chargeWe also talk about what this moment exposes — a food system that prioritizes lobbyists over health, and profits over people.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  File this under you can't handle the truth. Cable news keeps insisting Venezuela is a major source of fentanyl and meth killing Americans.Except… it's not. In this episode of Watchdog on Wall Street:• Why Venezuela is not a major drug producer• What “transit country” actually means (and where the cocaine really goes)• Why fentanyl trafficking is tied to Mexico and Asian precursor chemicals• How pundits repeat false claims without checking basic facts• The on-air moment Martha MacCallum got corrected in real time• Why being paid to mislead the public might be the real moral failureThe overdose crisis is real.The media narrative around it is not.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  In this episode of Watchdog on Wall Street, we break down why the Venezuelan oil hype collapses the moment you apply basic math, risk analysis, and real-world oil economics.In this episode, we break down:• Why most pundits understand oil markets less than a TV show like Landman• Why blocking China from Venezuelan oil doesn't actually block China from oil• The $100+ billion price tag to rebuild Venezuela's oil infrastructure• Why political risk makes Venezuela a nightmare investment• Why oil executives won't destroy profitable wells to chase fantasy barrels• How heavy Venezuelan crude changes extraction and refining economics• Why lower supply costs elsewhere (like Iran) matter far more• How supply, pricing, and break-even points actually work• Why “just drill it” is not a serious energy strategyWe also call out the talking heads pushing this nonsense — including voices like Glenn Beck — for selling geopolitical fairy tales instead of facts.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  In this episode of Watchdog on Wall Street, we step back from the daily outrage cycle and talk about something much bigger — how societies turn on themselves, why propaganda works, and how “the new normal” slowly becomes moral rot.We break down:• Why the media's real job is to provoke, not inform• What Megyn Kelly admitted about Fox News — and why it matters• How outrage media turns citizens into cheerleaders• The warning hidden in Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son• What Ben Hunt got right about societies consuming themselves• The chilling lesson of Rhinoceros — and why conformity is the real danger• Why fascism and collectivism always arrive dressed as “the new normal”• How political entrepreneurs profit from chaos on both sides• Why refusing to pick a team is now an act of resistanceAnd finally — the antidote.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Chris explains why the rise in mom-and-pop bankruptcies and local store closures should worry everyone—no matter how strong the stock market headlines look. While big corporations and AI-driven investments dominate GDP numbers, small businesses are being crushed by rising costs, regulations, tariffs, taxes, and energy prices they simply can't absorb.Drawing on what bankruptcy attorneys are seeing firsthand, Chris argues this is a classic recession signal that's being ignored by media cheerleaders and political spin. Small businesses have always been America's job engine, and when they start failing, the broader economy follows. No matter what politicians are celebrating—from foreign policy wins to market highs—voters will stay focused on the same thing they always do: the economy.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Chris lays out the uncomfortable truth about government waste and fraud in America: it's everywhere, and both parties are in on it. From welfare scandals in Minnesota and Mississippi to the explosion of “healthcare and social assistance” jobs, Chris explains how billions in taxpayer dollars disappear while Americans who actually need help are left behind.He calls out the political theater on cable news, the convenient distractions, and the false idea that only one side is corrupt. Whether it's welfare programs or defense contracts, the grift is the same—and Washington has no incentive to stop it. The message is simple: stop fighting each other, follow the money, and don't hold your breath waiting for accountability.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Chris reacts to the newly inaugurated mayor of New York and a speech that sounded more like a college activism seminar than a city leader's address. From pledging to replace “the frigidity of rugged individualism” with “the warmth of collectivism,” to appointing tenant advocates who label homeownership and private property as “white supremacy,” Chris warns this isn't just rhetoric—it's policy.As new complaint boards threaten property rights and government overreach accelerates, Chris questions how far New York is willing to go down a path that's already been tried—and failed—before. For homeowners, landlords, and anyone who believes in private property, this should be a wake-up call.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Chris cuts through the noise and walks listeners through what he calls the “Venezuelan news sewer.” From TV experts “pitching their book” to recycled talking points about drugs and fentanyl, Chris explains why much of the mainstream narrative simply doesn't add up.He breaks down why fentanyl isn't coming from Venezuela, why cocaine narratives are misleading, and why the real issue has always been oil—and the threat Venezuela poses to the petrodollar system. Drawing historical parallels from Gaddafi to Iraq, and touching on Machiavellian, transactional politics, Chris questions claims of “regime change,” warns about unintended consequences, and urges skepticism toward Washington's credibility.This is not about drugs. It's not about humanitarian outrage. It's about oil, power, and geopolitics—and Americans should be cautious about what comes next.

 Chris Markowski, the Watchdog on Wall Street, discusses the pervasive issues within the financial industry, including the lack of media coverage on Wall Street fraud, the influence of advertising on public perception, and the challenges faced by smaller firms in a landscape dominated by 'too big to fail' institutions. He emphasizes the importance of integrity in financial advising and the need for a shift towards genuine client care and wealth building.

Chris Markowski, known as the Watchdog on Wall Street, discusses the realities of the financial world, emphasizing the conflicts of interest inherent in publicly traded investment firms and the impact of private equity on financial advisory services. He critiques the regulatory environment and the evolution of corporate accountability, drawing parallels between historical corporate raiders and modern financial practices. Markowski advocates for consumer awareness and personal responsibility in investing, warning against the dangers of greed and the illusion of financial security.

Chris Markowski reflects on his extensive experience in the financial industry, sharing insights on investment fraud, the challenges of advising clients, and the ethical dilemmas faced on Wall Street. He draws parallels between his struggles and the myth of Sisyphus, emphasizing the importance of hard work and vigilance in the face of financial scams. Markowski also recounts his early predictions about the dot-com bubble and the Enron scandal, highlighting the need for investors to be cautious and informed.