Podcasts about Middle class

Imagine a world where your investments work smarter, not harder. Keith reveals the truth about why real estate trumps stocks, and how the current economic landscape is creating a once-in-a-generation wealth opportunity. Discover: Why traditional investing wisdom is leaving younger generations behind Why owning assets is the ultimate key to breaking free from economic uncertainty From the dying middle class to the rise of strategic real estate investing, Keith exposes the game-changing insights that most investors never see. Inflation is reshaping the economic landscape - and you can either ride the wave or get swept away Generation Z faces unprecedented economic challenges  Want to learn more? Your financial transformation starts here. Resources: Text FAMILY to 66866 Call 844-877-0888 Visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/573 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GR, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, talking about real estate versus stocks, how housing has been in a recession that could now be thawing. Then why the war on the young and the vanishing middle class threatens to get even worse today on get rich Education.    Keith Weinhold  0:19   You It's crazy that most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money when they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation can eat six to 7% of your wealth. Every single year, I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments and their flagship program with fixed 10 to 12% returns that have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security. It's backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and healthcare. Ask about the freedom flagship program when you speak to a freedom coach there. And here's what's cool. That's just one part of FF eyes family of products. They include workshops and special webinars, educational seminars designed to educate before you invest start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. It's easy to get started. Just grab your phone and text family. 266866, text the word family. 266866, that's family. 266866,   Corey Coates  1:37   you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:47   Welcome to GRE from Rocky Mount North Carolina to Mount Shasta, California and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, and you are inside for another wealth building week of get rich education. A lot of people have been building wealth lately. Do you even understand all the markets that are either at or near all time highs, real estate, stocks, gold, all recently hit those levels, also nested home equity positions of American property owners are at all time highs. Silver is also near an all time high, and so are FICO credit scores. All this means that the haves are in really good shape, and the have nots aren't more on that later. Let's then you and I talk about real estate versus stocks. I've invested in both for decades, and it's not something that I do on the side. This is the core of what I do and talk about with you every week. And I've never felt more inclined toward investing in real estate ever the resilience of residential real estate, a major reason is that I've always found real estate investing easier to understand than the s and p5 100, and it comes down to the mechanics of each one in The stock market, a company can be well run, it can be profitable, and it can even be growing, yet its stock price might fall anyway. Why? Because expectations weren't met for a quarterly earnings report, or investor sentiment just happened to shift for a while, people just tended to focus on the bad stuff instead of the good stuff, even though it was always there, and that's why the stock price went down. So what makes a stock move more often than not, is kind of laughable. It isn't a word sentiment, emotions. It's how investors collectively feel about a stock and that can change on a dime. One quarter's earnings miss an interest rate hike, geopolitical news or even a single social media comment from a CEO that can move billions of dollars of market value in an instant real estate, on the other hand, that strips away a lot of that noise and that ability for other people's emotions to ruin the price of your apartment building that cannot happen at its core, the value of a property is tied to its income stream and the market that It sits in, that makes it far more direct and way more controllable. If I buy a property, I can see the levers in front of me and ask my property manager to push or pull them or even do it myself. For example, I just asked them to replace flooring in three of my apartment units. With pricier luxury vinyl plank rather than new carpet, and that's because I plan to hold that building for another five years or more. I'll attract a better quality tenant that can afford to pay me more rent. So I know that if I improve operations and increase occupancy, reduce expenses or reposition the asset down the road. I mean, that is directly going to increase net operating income, and that increase will directly affect my valuation. So there's a logic to this that's almost mechanical, and that is not to say that real estate is without nuance or risk. The risk lies in execution. You have to underwrite carefully. Is the location of your property sustainable long term? Are the demographics supportive of Lent growth? What capital improvements are truly lucrative to you and provide the tenants with value, and what kind of improvements are only cosmetic? So real estate isn't just tangible, it's also something that you can interact with. You can walk a property, you can even speak to tenants, study the neighborhood and know exactly what you're dealing with. It's not a ticker symbol reacting to opaque forces that you'll never see or control, and for me, that tactile nature creates clarity. When you buy the right property in the right market with the right strategy, then the path forward is not mysterious. It isn't whimsical, it's deliberate. Real Estate is easier to understand than the S p5, 100. And that also doesn't mean that real estate is simple, because there is that due diligence and strategy, but it's the cause and effect relationship between what you do and the outcome that you get that's far more direct with stocks. You can be completely right about the fundamentals. I mean, you can nail it. You can Bullseye that stock target, and after all that, yet still lose with real estate. If you execute well, the fundamentals eventually do show up in the returns and see because of that direct cause and effect relationship, you can improve yourself as a real estate investor faster than a stock investor can, and that's because you can learn about how your upgrade drove your properties, noi, that information, that feedback that you got, that's something that you can either replicate again or improve upon in your own investor career. So between real estate and stocks, execution is the real differentiator, and control is a key one as well. To me, that sweet spot is control that I have. But through a property manager that way, control doesn't mean that you're losing your quality of life, your standard of living. Now, some people, they do, have the right handyman skills to maintain the property and the right people skills to maintain the tenants. So self managing it can work for just a few people. I sure don't have the handyman skills myself. Sheesh, if I even try to hang a picture on a wall, there's a 50% chance that it's going to end in a drywall patch job. When you can see the cause and effect between your decisions and the property's performance, it creates that level of control that stocks and bonds just don't offer. And I'm also being somewhat kind to stocks by discussing a benchmark like the s, p5, 100, even harder to control and understand are the Wall Street derivatives and financial mutations that the people invested in them don't even understand. Unlike stocks, you own, the levers you own, the operations, the expenses and the occupancy, both have risks, but real estate's risks are more perceptible, more knowable. You won't have to cringe when a company's CEO posts a tweet that's either pro Israel or pro Gaza. Billions of market cap is wiped out, and your investment goes down 12% in one hour. This is why we talk about real estate on the show. There is less speculation and conjecture. It is concrete stuff, and that's all besides how real estate pays you five ways at the same time, as if that wasn't enough.    Keith Weinhold  9:38   Now, when we talk about real estate investing in this decade, do you realize that we have been in a housing recession for two years? A recession in real estate? I mean, it might not feel like it with those home prices at erstwhile mentioned all time highs. We don't need to have falling prices to have a recession. Investors are obviously. Making money in this housing recession. The recession I'm talking about is the slowdown in housing activity stemming from less affordability, lower sales volume and less available inventory. But we do now have signs that we are breaking out of these housing doldrums. As far as affordability, national home prices are staying firm. But what's helping there is that mortgage rates have fallen, and we've also had wages that are rising faster than rents and wages that are rising faster than mortgage payments. In fact, wages have been rising faster than both of those for most of the last year now, and that's sourced by Freddie Mac Federal Reserve stats and rental listings on Redfin. Yes, year over year, American wages are up 4.1% rents are up 2.6% and mortgage payments are basically unchanged over the past year, up just two tenths of 1% and of course, these facts, combined with lower mortgage rates, all supports more real estate price growth. Now to kick off the show, I mentioned how real estate stocks and gold all recently hit all time highs. Well, that's denominated in perpetually based dollars, of course. However, one thing that affects you that certainly has not reached all time highs is the level of available homes, the number of homes for sale, that inventory is up off the recent bottom in 2022 yet it is still below pre pandemic levels. We have had quite a recovery here. National active listings definitely on the rise. They are up 21% between today and this time last year. Well, that means that buyers have gained leverage, mostly across the south, where lots of new building has occurred, and some areas of the West as well. Yet today, we are still, overall here 11% below 2019 inventory level. So nationally, we're basically still 11% below pre pandemic housing inventory levels. And in the Midwest and Northeast, the cupboard looks even more bare than that, since new construction totally hasn't kept up there, we will see what happens. But with the recent drop in mortgage rates, buyers might take more of that available inventory off the shelf. But here's the twist that I've heard practically no one else talk about no media source, no one in conversation. Nobody. It is the paucity of available starter homes. It's the entry level home segment that has the great scarcity, and it's these low cost properties that are the ones that make the best rental properties. Their paucity is jaw dropping, as sourced by the Census Bureau and Freddie Mac starter home construction in the US. I mean, it is just fallen precipitously. Are you even aware of the trend? All right, defined as a home of 1400 square feet or less, all right, that's what we're calling a starter home. Their share of new construction that was 40% back in 1982 Yeah, 40% of new built homes were starter homes. Then by the year 2000 it fell to just a 14% share, and today, only 9% of new built homes are starter homes, fewer than one in 10, and yet, that's exactly what America needs more of. So although overall housing inventory is still low, it's that entry level segment that is really chronically underserved, and that won't change anytime soon, we remain mired in a starter home slump because builders find it more profitable to build higher end homes and luxury homes. Yet for anyone that owns this workforce rental property, which is the same thing we've been focused on doing here on this show, from day one, you are sitting in an asset class that's going to remain stubbornly in demand over the long term. And when it comes to starter homes, the ones Investors love most, they are more scarce than bipartisan agreement in Congress, really. That is the takeaway here.    Keith Weinhold  14:39   So last week, I had an interesting in person meet up at a coffee shop with a 19 year old college student because he's a real estate enthusiast, rapping Gen Z there. He's an athlete too, an 800 meter runner. Well, his dad read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and his dad has 60 rental properties. Where they're from in Wisconsin, and maybe you're wondering, oh, come on, what could I learn from this 19 year old? I don't think that way. Now, I told him about some foundational GRE principles like financially free, beats debt free and things like that. It was also insightful to get his take on how he sees the world, and for me to learn what his professors are teaching him about real estate investing in his classes, he talked about how his professors show them, for example, what affects apartment cap rates. Also about how, whenever they run the numbers on a property, it always works out better to get the debt, get that mortgage, and how that leverage increases total rates of return. I was really happy that he's learning that over there at the university, but I was really impressed how at age 19, he's responsible and understands so much about society, politics, investing, athletics and even diet. I mean, this guy is rare, talking about his preference for avoiding food cooked in seed oils and choosing beef tallow instead. He also lamented on how Generation Z is so screwed up, saying that no one reads, no one's having kids, no one can buy a home, no one's going to be able to buy a home, and that people his age are so used to looking at screens that they're anxious about in person interactions, even in person, food ordering from a waiter at a restaurant gives them anxiety. He and I are planning to go running together next week. We'll see how that goes. As a college 800 meter runner, he's going to have the speed advantage on me, but we're running up a steep, 40 minute long trail where I've got a shot at an endurance advantage. So it was rather interesting to get his take and see what college professors are teaching on real estate. I mean, this generation that's coming of age now, Gen Z is the worst generation since George Washington to have it worse off than their parents. I'm going to talk about that today, shortly. next week, on the show here, I plan to help you learn about what's going on with some real estate niches and what their future looks to be over the next 10 to 20 years, including mobile home park real estate and parking lot real estate, one of these asset classes I really don't like the future of That's all next week on the future of some certain real estate niches. Straight ahead today, I want to tell you about mortgage rates in a way that you've never thought about before and more about the war on the young and the vanishing middle class. I'm Keith Weinhold. There will only ever be one. Get rich education podcast episode 573, and you are listening to it.    Keith Weinhold  17:53   If you're scrolling for quality real estate and finance info today, yeah, it can be a mess. You hit paywalls, pop ups, push alerts, Cookie banners. It's like the internet is playing defense against you. Not so fun. That's why it matters to get clean, free content that actually adds no hype value to your life. This is the golden age of quality email newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor. It's direct, and it gets to the point, because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter takes less than three minutes to read, and it leaves you feeling sharp. And in the know about real estate investing, this is paradigm shifting material, and when you start the letter, you'll also get my one hour fast real estate video course, completely free as well. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be simpler to get visit gre letter.com while it's fresh in your head, take a moment to do it now at gre letter.com Visit gre letter.com    Keith Weinhold  19:06   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Chale Ridge personally. While it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com that's Ridge lendinggroup.com   Todd Drowlette  19:38   this is the star of the A E show the real estate commission, I'd roll that. Listen to get rich education with my friend Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 1  19:49   Welcome back to. Get Rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, as a reminder that show the real estate commission starring our friend Todd Drolet, who is a guest on the show here with us at the beginning of this month, it starts October 10, on A and E, that's that reality based commercial real estate show. Late last year, the Fed lowered interest rates, and they're doing the same thing again this year, when interest rates rise and fall, think of it like a wall that's being raised and lowered. Cutting rates is like lowering the height of a wall or a dam. That's because it allows for the free flow of capital. Savings rate accounts. Well, since they'll now pay at a lower rate with this rate cut, they're more likely to get shifted out and invested somewhere and flow into something else, driving up that other asset's value. Mortgages are more likely to originate because you pay less interest. Lowering rates lowers the impediment to the flow of money. It eases that flow. Oppositely, raising rates is like increasing the height of a wall or a dam, because if your savings account rate goes from 4% up to 5% oh well, you more likely to keep it parked there a higher wall or dam around your money, and raising rates makes your mortgage costs higher, so you're more likely to stay put and not move money around, constrained by the higher wall, that's how interest rates are like walls and lower walls also increase inflation, since they increase The flow of money, and hence the demand for goods and services. Well, then why did the Fed cut rates, lowering the wall opening the door for inflation this last time? Well, I think you know that was due to the evidence of a sputtering job market. You know that, if you follow this stuff, a slowing job market slows the flow of money, hence why they lowered the wall to increase the flow. Now this might translate to even lower mortgage rates. It does have that loose correlation anyway, and this should lift the housing market. But here's the real problem. Inflation is higher than the Fed wants already, and it's still rising, and they cut rates, making it more likely to rise further. This is like pouring gasoline on a campfire while yelling, don't worry. I got this sure the fire burns brighter, all right, but you might lose your eyebrows. The risk here is that these rate cuts will make inflation spike, since lower rates makes everyone less likely to save and more likely to borrow and spend, this pushes up prices even farther and faster, and this is the Fed's dangerous game. This is the crux about why the Fed is between a rock and a hard place. Ideally, the Fed only cuts of inflation is at or below their 2% target, but understand it hasn't even been there one time in nearly five years. Now, year over year, inflation was 2.7% last month and rose to 2.9% this month. The price of almost everything is up even faster than it usually goes up, beef, housing, haircuts, flamin hot, Cheetos, everything as we know this inflation that's now positioned to pick up again. However, for us, this is the long term engine that makes our real estate profitable. It makes it easier to raise rents, all while your principal and interest payment stays fixed. Inflation cannot touch that like a mosquito buzzing against a window, and let's be real, official inflation numbers are like Instagram filters. They are shaved down, touched up and airbrushed. The government massages them with tricks like hedonics, the wave of inflation that peaked at 9% in 2022 that has already widened the distance between the haves and the have nots, like the Grand Canyon, eviscerating so much of the middle class. And now the powers that be are setting up a scenario for another wave of elevated, long term inflation. This could get dire. Look like I was saying earlier the generation coming of age today is the first one since George Washington to have it worse off than their parents. Do You understand the profundity of this? They had the lowest home ownership rate, and they're the poorest, often leaving them directionless, anxious, depressed, drug addicted and even suicidal for. The first time in US history, Americans are on track to be poorer, sicker and lonelier than their parents. They will make even less than their parents did at the same age, and that's despite having a college degree. Inflation is a big reason for that, and that's what I help you solve here. I can't really help you with the depression stuff. That's not really my role with what I do here in the show. But inflation, in getting behind is one contributor to all these things. Understand, in 1989 those under age 40, they held 12% of household wealth. Today it's just 7% older Americans got rich, and they basically locked the gates behind them. Those over age 70 only held 19% of US wealth in 1989 now it's 30% Harvard's endowment has grown 500% since 1980 that's adjusting for inflation, but yet their class size hasn't grown. I mean, this is just more evidence that old money wins and young people are losing and cannot get ahead in 2019 the federal government spent eight times more per capita on seniors than they did kids. We all know that Gen Z is delaying marriage, home ownership and family formation in 1993 60% of 30 to 34 year olds had at least one child. Today, it's gone all the way down to 27% in about 30 years, that's fallen from 60% down to 27% this is not a resource problem. It's a values problem and an inflation problem, and also the tax code, values owning assets which older people have over labor, which younger people have. This is the crux of the war on the young and the war on those that don't own assets. You've got to wonder, is it even fixable? Some of it is, but no one really wants to fix inflation, and now they're lowering rates to open the door for even more of that widening that canyon, yes, the wave of inflation that started four to five years ago that broke down the middle class, and now it's set up to widen even more. I want to tell you what you can do about that shortly. But first, have you ever wondered, why do we even stratify upper, middle and lower class based on somebody's income? Why the income criterion, if you say that someone's upper class, everyone knows what that means. It means that you have a lot of wealth or income. But why is that the basis? Why do we classify it based on income? Well, it really started forming during the Industrial Revolution of the 1700s and 1800s that began in Great Britain. Before that, class distinctions were usually based on land ownership or nobility or occupation, for example, aristocrats versus peasants. But as industrial capitalism spread out of the UK, wages became the dominant way that people made a living. So tracking income, it sort of became this natural way to map out class. And then this notion spread in the 1800s and 1900s that was propelled through both economics and social science. You had thinkers like Karl Marx and Max Weber that were deeply concerned with class. Marx emphasized ownership of the means of production. You've probably heard that before, capitalists versus workers. But as societies modernized people in the world of both Economics and Psychology, they agreed that income was an easier dividing line than ownership alone. And then, starting last century, in the US, the 1900s income statistics, they became rather central in all of these policies that we make, like our tax system and poverty thresholds and qualifying for housing programs and even welfare benefits. See, they all rely on income bands. And over time, this normalized in our vernacular, these strata of upper middle and lower class sort of this income based shorthand that we use, throwing these terms around. So whether we like it or not, classes are based on your income level, and that's how it came into being. Well, with. A quick history lesson with the eroding of the middle class, with the war on the young. What can you actually do to make sure that you find yourself on the upper income side of it without falling to the lower side the lower class? Well, we know who the future financial losers are going to be. It is anyone not owning assets, and it's also savers clutching their dollars as those dollars quietly melt like ice cubes in July, right in their hand. Those are who the financial losers are going to be. Who are the winners going to be? It is asset owners riding the inflation wave, and the winners are also debtors who get to pay back tomorrow with cheaper dollars today, especially with that debt that you have outsourced to tenants. Here's the big takeaway, if you did not grab enough real assets during the last wave of inflation don't get left behind this time, because the longer you wait, the harder it is to jump aboard this moving train that keeps getting momentum and moving faster. The bottom line here is that at GRE we advocate for simply doing it all at once. Use debt to own real assets while inflation pushes up your rents. That's it, right. There it is. That's really the most concise way to orate the formula. Look in your mortgage loan documents. It does not say that you have to repay the mortgage loan in dollars or their equivalent. It only says you have to repay in dollars. That's your advantage. As dollars keep trending closer to worthless. To review what you've learned so far today, real estate is easier to understand and has more control than stocks. Housing has been in a recession, but there's more evidence that it is thawing, and a setup for more inflation has America poised to exacerbate the war on the young and widen the canyon between the haves and the have nots, and it threatens to get even wider as the middle class keeps vanishing and struggling.   Keith Weinhold  32:23   Now, if you like good free information, like with what I've been sharing with you today, and you find yourself doing a bit too much scrolling for quality written real estate and finance info. I mean, yeah, it can be a mess. It can be tough. If you want to get the good stuff, you hit paywalls and pop ups, and you get these push alerts and cookie banners. It's a little annoying. It's like the internet is playing defense against you. Not so fun, and that's why it matters to get good, clean, free content that actually adds no hype value to your life. This is the golden age of quality email newsletters. I've got one. I write every word of ours myself, and it's got a dash of humor, yet it's direct. And it gets to the point because, as I like to say, even the word abbreviation is too long. My letter takes less than three minutes to read, and it leaves you feeling sharp and in the know about real estate investing, this is the good stuff, the paradigm shifting material, the life changing material, you can get my letter free at gre letter.com Where else would you get the GRE letter? Greletter.com and along with the letter, you'll also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's completely free as well, and it's not to try to upsell you to some paid course, there is no paid course, there's just nothing for sale, no strings attached, free value. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be simpler to get as you know, I often like to part ways with something actionable for you, visit gre letter.com while it's fresh in your head, take a moment to do it now one last time it's gre letter.com until next week. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 2  34:24   nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  34:52   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building. Get richeducation.com

Richard Lipsky: Costly Electric Mandate Threatens the Middle Class in NYC (5 min) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preview: Julia Felix was a woman of property and an entrepreneur in 79 AD Pompeii, running a luxurious entertainment complex. This complex offered "bougie baths," gardens, and fine dining, allowing middle-class patrons to experience luxury. Archaeology reveals she owned property and ran businesses, defying traditional written accounts. She likely died in the Vesuvius eruption. VESUVIUS

On Göran Therborn's article, "Dreams and Nightmares of the World's Middle Classes". The penultimate episode of this block on the middle class, we discuss the differing fortunes and politics of the global North and South middle-classes – as well as ways they may be similar. Subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast Is the middle-class dream increasingly only a dream? Can the "ever-rising middle-class wave" in China and India sustain itself? Is being middle-class defined by one's consumption? By income? By something else? How have fears changed: from being politically "squeezed" between to proletariat and bourgeoisie, to being economically "squeezed" and fearing falling? What politics do the middle-classes generate? What kind of populism?

Objective Investing for The Middle Class – with Mark ShupeMark Shupe joins Michael Liebowitz on The Rational Egoist to discuss the principles of investing through the lens of Objectivism. Mark is an Objectivist, an author, and an investor who has developed a unique approach to wealth-building for everyday people. His work focuses on empowering the middle class to think rationally about money and investment strategies rather than chasing trends or relying on conventional “expert” wisdom.Mark is the author of The Moneyball Method: Investing for the Middle Class, which applies clear, objective principles to help investors make smarter decisions:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1696009111He also publishes The Moneyball Method on Substack, where he shares regular insights on investing, finance, and rational decision-making:https://moneyballmethod.substack.com/This episode explores how Objectivist principles—reason, self-interest, and long-range thinking—can be applied directly to the way we handle money, build wealth, and secure financial independence.About Michael Liebowitz – Host of The Rational EgoistMichael Liebowitz is the host of The Rational Egoist podcast, a philosopher, author, and political activist committed to the principles of reason, individualism, and rational self-interest. Deeply influenced by the philosophy of Ayn Rand, Michael uses his platform to challenge cultural dogma, expose moral contradictions, and defend the values that make human flourishing possible.His journey from a 25-year prison sentence to becoming a respected voice in the libertarian and Objectivist communities is a testament to the transformative power of philosophy. Today, Michael speaks, writes, and debates passionately in defence of individual rights and intellectual clarity.He is the co-author of two compelling books that examine the failures of the correctional system and the redemptive power of moral conviction:Down the Rabbit Hole: How the Culture of Corrections Encourages Crimehttps://www.amazon.com.au/Down-Rabbit-Hole-Corrections-Encourages/dp/197448064XView from a Cage: From Convict to Crusader for Libertyhttps://books2read.com/u/4jN6xjAbout Xenia Ioannou – Producer of The Rational EgoistXenia Ioannou is the producer of The Rational Egoist, overseeing the publishing and promotion of each episode to reflect a consistent standard of clarity, professionalism, and intellectual integrity.As a CEO, property manager, entrepreneur, and lifelong advocate for capitalism and individual rights, Xenia ensures the podcast stays true to its core values of reason, freedom, and personal responsibility.Xenia also leads Capitalism and Coffee – An Objectivist Meetup in Adelaide, where passionate thinkers gather to discuss Ayn Rand's ideas and their application to life, politics, and culture.Join us at: https://www.meetup.com/adelaide-ayn-rand-meetup/(Capitalism and Coffee – An Objectivist Meetup)Because freedom is worth thinking about—and talking about.Follow Life on Purpose – Xenia's thought-provoking essays at her Substack:https://substack.com/@xeniaioannou?utm_source=user-menuHashtags:#Investing #Objectivism #RationalEgoism #WealthBuilding #MiddleClass #MoneyballMethod #AynRand #FinancialIndependence

Mamello Matikinca-Ngwenya – Chief Economist, FNB SAfm Market Update - Podcasts and live stream

Ok—we are burning daylight—and we need to get rolling   Number One— Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late night time slot—but only partially—as about 70 affiliates including those in major markets refused to go along with it—at least for now—   Number Two— President Donald Trump—took to the podium at the United Nations to declare the UN basically useless in addressing the major problems of the world—and honestly—I agree with him completely and have for 50 years—I will tell you why— Number Three— The Democrat Party is in bad shape – it's floundering – in limbo between returning to common sense positions to appeal to moderates and the working people, the Middle Class… or going all in on the socialist fairy tale dreams of the radical left—where everything is free—

Moneytracker Don Grant joins us with some kind of harsh economic truths.

The Fed finally pulled the trigger on its first rate cut of the year, but before you pop champagne, let's ask the real question: who actually benefits? Wall Street's partying like it's 1999, the top 10% are still swiping cards like money grows on trees, and Jerome Powell is out here trying to convince everyone the house isn't on fire. Meanwhile, middle-class families are staring down credit card bills, mortgages, and a job market that feels more like musical chairs with fewer chairs every month.➡️ We're breaking down the “two-tier economy” McDonald's CEO warned about, why mortgage refis just spiked harder than a college frat party, and how side hustles have gone from optional to survival gear for millions of Americans. This isn't CNBC soundbites or sugar-coated headlines — it's The Higher Standard, where we strip the spin, call out the nonsense, and give you the real story behind the Fed's move.

Anthony and Raj discuss how difficult money has been to come by for the NBA's middle class and the fights that are taking place between team and player in those negotiations. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What really derails retirement dreams? Spoiler alert: it's not always the stock market or your 401(k). Sometimes it's sneaky habits—like leaning too hard on your house as a retirement plan or ignoring how long you might actually live—that quietly gnaw away at your financial future. In this episode, Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Neighbor Doug dig into the most common middle-class retirement killers and how you can sidestep them. But this isn't your average checklist of “don't do that.” The team dissects questionable advice floating around internet forums, debates stock splits and diversification, and even finds time to unravel why owning a cat might make you a magnet for gangster-level problems. Add in Doug's trivia about a famous singer's real name, and you've got an episode that's equal parts practical and delightfully unpredictable. Whether you're worried about stretching your retirement savings or just looking for sharper ways to think about financial advice, this episode offers both reassurance and reality checks. So grab your favorite mug (or maybe your cat), settle into your seat, and get ready to learn how to protect your retirement from the biggest threats—while laughing at the absurdity along the way. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The habits that quietly sabotage retirement plans (and what to do instead) Why your house may not be the slam-dunk retirement strategy you think it is The risks of living longer than you expect—and how to plan for it How to sniff out sketchy financial “tips” before they lead you astray The surprising traps behind stock splits, diversification myths, and overconfidence Why even well-meaning advice can backfire if you don't look at the big picture Questions to Ponder (or Debate in the Basement Facebook Group): Which retirement habit do you think trips people up the most—and why? If you had to choose, would you rather rely on your house equity or a diversified portfolio to fund retirement? What's the worst financial “tip” you've ever heard online (or maybe even followed)? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/habits-that-destroy-middle-class-retirement-dreams-1736 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most people were raised with middle-class thinking — believing money is scarce, bills come first, and opportunities are limited. That conditioning creates constant stress and keeps the panic cycle alive. Breaking the Money Panic: The Real Problem Isn't Money The truth is, money panic has nothing to do with the balance in your account. It's […] The post Breaking the Money Panic: How to Shut Down Middle-Class Thinking appeared first on The Successful Mind Podcast.

Welcome to another powerful episode of the Building Your Money Machine Show! Today, I'm bringing you a replay of a live session that hit so hard, it blew up my inbox with requests. So, you asked—I delivered. If you've ever felt like you're doing all the “right” things—holding down a good job, maybe even bought the house and putting money away—yet you still can't seem to get ahead, you're not alone. That's the middle class trap, and I'm tearing it apart in this episode.I'm diving into why the old play-it-safe model simply doesn't cut it in today's world, and I'll unpack the three critical shifts you need to make to break free. I'll also walk you through how to figure out your exact number for financial freedom (yep, I've got a free calculator—grab it at melabraham.com/number).I've been at this money game for three decades—seen the market highs, the lows, and even lost a third of everything I owned to a Ponzi scheme. I'm sharing what will keep you stuck forever and how to avoid it, totally unfiltered, with a side of sarcasm and a whole lot of heart.IN TODAY'S EPISODE, I DISCUSS:Why the “middle class trap” is more real than everHow the current system trains us to trade time for money, avoid risk, and trust institutions that no longer serve usThe three essential shifts if you want OUT of the trapThe truth about cash flow, value creation, and why it's never too late to make new choicesHow shifting your mindset moves you from consumer to investor, from earnings treadmill to freedomWhy you're only ever one decision—one small shift—away from momentum and a new financial trajectoryRECOMMENDED EPISODES FOR YOUIf you liked this episode, click here to enjoy these and more:https://melabraham.com/show/What Everyone Gets Wrong About FIREIf You Don't Understand Bonds, You Don't Understand Money7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Retired8 Signs You're NOT Ready For The Upcoming Recession40 Harsh Truths I Wish I Knew in My 40sRECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU If you liked this video, you'll love these ones:What Everyone Gets Wrong About FIRE: https://youtu.be/OyvPksxNMqoIf You Don't Understand Bonds, You Don't Understand Money: https://youtu.be/7d9Lz0D0uzA7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Retired: https://youtu.be/t5DL9bZYRiw8 Signs You're NOT Ready For The Upcoming Recession: https://youtu.be/Spnhr_Ecd0sORDER MY NEW USA TODAY BESTSELLING BOOK:Building Your Money Machine: How to Get Your Money to Work Harder For You Than You Did For It!The key to building the life you desire and deserve is to build your Money Machine—a powerful system designed to generate income that's no longer tied to your work or efforts. This step-by-step guide goes beyond the general idea of personal finance and wealth creation and reveals the holistic approach to transforming your relationship with money to allow you to enjoy financial freedom and peace of mind.Part money philosophy, part money mindset, part strategy, and part tactical action, these powerful frameworks will show you how to build your money machine.When you do you'll also get over $1100 in wealth resources & bonuses for FREE! TAKE THE FINANCIAL FREEDOM QUIZ:Take this free quiz to see where you are on the path to financial freedom and what your next steps are to move you to a new financial destiny at http://www.YourFinancialFreedomQuiz.com

Join me for the Money Secrets for Marriage summit Sept 25-26th and learn from 10 of the nation's experts in marriage and money management. Registration is FREE at freedommoneycoach.com/summitYour income is the first variable in your equation to achieving financial goals. Do you make enough and if not, how do you make more?But more income doesn't guarantee more financial success either. This week, Derrick Kinney joins the show to share how increasing your income AND your financial knowledge are vitally important to crafting the life you've always dreamed of.A 25-year veteran in the financial industry, Derrick has helped countless individuals craft customized financial plans that help them increase their income, build wealth and feel good about their money. What We'll Cover in this episode:•The "Millionaire Money Map" and how it helps you feel confident in your income earning ability•How to not let financial mistakes and bad experiences have a negative impact on your future•Why limiting beliefs are the number one killer in your pursuit of financial independence•Steps you can take to grow your income and increase your self worthFollow Derrick at derrickkinney.com and or download his free guide at gettheraiseyouwant.comYou can also find him on Instagram and LinkedInThe Heart of Money is produced by Freedom Financial Coaching, where we help couples overcome their fear and frustration of managing their money so they can take complete control of their finances.Ready to take the next step? ⁠⁠⁠1. Get Your Deep Dive Financial Audit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠2. Schedule a Free Discovery Call

Part 2 – Escaping the Inflation Trap: What's Next for America, Bitcoin, and Your Wealth In the dramatic second half of this essential conversation, Tom Bilyeu and Lyn Alden chart the turbulent path ahead for the U.S. economy, the fate of government entitlements, and the role of assets like Bitcoin and real estate as lifeboats in a sea of currency debasement. Lyn offers insider-level guidance on how investors and ordinary people can adapt, protect themselves, and even thrive as the current system buckles under its own weight. This part gets tactical: Lyn breaks down her investing playbook for a world ruled by persistent money-printing, explains why governments and corporations are wrestling with the Bitcoin question, and discusses why the “soft default” through inflation is already underway. Tom and Lyn tackle difficult truths about the future of Social Security, social unrest, and wealth redistribution—and where hope and opportunity still exist. If you want answers, strategy, and clarity on surviving the era of fiscal dominance, this episode is unmissable. SHOWNOTES33:15 – Policy-fueled asset bubbles and the hollowing of Main Street36:56 – Trump vs. Powell: Interest rates, housing, and the limits of central banking41:18 – The hard reality: Government spending, entitlements, and default scenarios46:19 – Why America can't “run the Volcker playbook” anymore49:06 – Will the U.S. eventually default—hard or soft? What happens to the middle class?51:31 – Can America escape this destiny without violent upheaval?54:49 – The entitlement time bomb: When will Social Security “break”?59:23 – Wealth inequality, pain, and predictions for the coming decade1:07:03 – Socialism vs. austerity—and why both parties are moving away from growth1:10:44 – Can AI and productivity growth save us? Or is it too late?1:14:10 – Lyn's investing approach: Three pillars for an inflation-dominated world1:19:33 – Is Bitcoin the answer? Risks, opportunities, and macro perspective on BTC1:25:31 – Stablecoins, altcoins, and public-company treasuries1:30:57 – Will Bitcoin's volatility fade—and what must happen for wider adoption?1:43:53 – Lyn's playbook for ordinary people: How to protect yourself and grow wealth1:46:06 – The future of the dollar and why global diffusion, not collapse, is likely1:49:32 – How to learn more from Lyn Alden FOLLOW LYN ALDEN:Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynAldenContactWebsite: https://www.lynalden.com What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER:  https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder?utm_campaign=Podcast%20Offer&utm_source=podca[%E2%80%A6]d%20end%20of%20show&utm_content=podcast%20ad%20end%20of%20show SCALING a business: see if you qualify here.:  https://tombilyeu.com/call Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here.: https://tombilyeu.com/ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover how the middle class trap works and the exact steps to break free into real wealth.Invest in yourself today: https://www.alux.app We put together a FREE Reading List of the 100 Books that helped us get rich: https://www.alux.com/100books

Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture and Kids & Family - Rogue Media Network

India's tax system is once again at a crossroads with GST 2.0. What began as the biggest reform in independent India was riddled with compromises, complexities, and billion-rupee disputes — but what do the new changes really mean for ordinary citizens? Tax lawyer and founder of Tax Compaas, Ajay Rotti, joins us to break it all down. In this insightful conversation, Ajay explains why GST was born more political than economic, how disputes over popcorn, KitKat, and cosmetic creams exposed deep flaws in the system, and why rate rationalisation today is less a revolution than a course correction. We also dive into what GST 2.0 means for the real middle class — from grocery bills and dairy products to insurance and savings — and why simpler compliance could finally give relief to businesses and MSMEs. Ajay sheds light on how tax tribunals might speed up litigation, why expanding the tax base is essential, and how trust, not just revenue, is the true foundation of a fair tax system. Finally, we turn to the larger picture: how taxation shapes India's growth story, the balance between states and the Centre, and why reforms must go beyond collections to building confidence in governance. Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – From Popcorn to Shampoo: Making GST Rates Simple 10:00 – Why GST Had So Many Slabs in the First Place 20:00 – Inside the GST Council: How India Decides Taxes 30:00 – One Nation, One Tax: Logistics & Compliance Gains 45:00 – Insurance, Housing & Middle Class Impact 55:00 – The Future of GST: Can We Get to One Simple Rate? ⸻

Follow us on X: @RepMaloyUtah @americasrt1776 @ileaderssummit @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk Join America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio co-hosts Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy with Congresswoman Celeste Maloy. Congresswoman Maloy joined Congress in 2023 and currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee. As a member of the committee, she is committed to passing a balanced federal budget. Representative Maloy also serves on the House Natural Resources Committee where she is a passionate defender of Utah's rights to use and access its rich natural resources and public lands. The conversation focuses on: Streamlining the federal permitting process - through Congresswoman Maloy's introduced the Full Responsibility and Expedited Enforcement Act (FREE Act). The impact of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act | No tax on tips, no tax on social security, and key benefits for the middle class and small business owners. Safeguarding Medicaid and Rural Health Transformation Program to assist rural hospitals Newly formed Build America Caucus: Mission to deliver on the American Dream — more homes, affordable energy, and less red-tape. Update from the DOGE Caucus | Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus. The Golden Age of American innovation. Securing America's borders - vital funding through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act | Keeping local communities safe. Congresswoman Maloy earned her degree in agriculture at the Southern Utah University and began her public service career as a soil conservationist for ten years before going on to earn her law degree from Brigham Young University and becoming a deputy Washington County attorney. She also served as a public lands attorney for the Utah Association of Counties and a staff attorney for the Washington County Water Conservancy District. Follow us on X: @RepMaloyUtah @americasrt1776 @ileaderssummit @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk America's Roundtable is co-hosted by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of International Leaders Summit and the Jerusalem Leaders Summit. America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio program focuses on America's economy, healthcare reform, rule of law, security and trade, and its strategic partnership with rule of law nations around the world. The radio program features high-ranking US administration officials, cabinet members, members of Congress, state government officials, distinguished diplomats, business and media leaders and influential thinkers from around the world. Tune into America's Roundtable Radio program from Washington, DC via live streaming on Saturday mornings via 68 radio stations at 7:30 A.M. (ET) on Lanser Broadcasting Corporation covering the Michigan and the Midwest market, and at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk Mississippi — SuperTalk.FM reaching listeners in every county within the State of Mississippi, and neighboring states in the South including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Tune into WTON in Central Virginia on Sunday mornings at 6:00 A.M. (ET). Listen to America's Roundtable on digital platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other key online platforms. Listen live, Saturdays at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk | https://www.supertalk.fm

Follow us on X: @derrickvanorden @americasrt1776 @ileaderssummit @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk Join America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio co-hosts Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy with Congressman Derrick Van Orden who proudly represents the people of Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022. He is the Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee. He also serves on the House Agriculture Committee and House Armed Services Committee. The conversation focuses on: * Congressman Van Orden's authored VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, which allows veterans who have fallen behind on their mortgages to receive federal assistance. * The impact of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act | No tax on tips, no tax on social security, and key benefits for the middle class and small business owners. * Congressman Van Orden's Bill to Restore Integrity in Agriculture Immigrant Workforce System, and preventing labor shortages. During his time in office, Derrick has focused on providing for farmers, veterans, and service members, and has been a staunch advocate for fiscal responsibility and accountability in Washington. Derrick's journey of public service started when he joined the Navy at the age of 18. He had the honor to serve our great nation for 26 years. He retired as a Navy SEAL Senior Chief with 5 combat deployments and several others to troubled areas in the world. His first combat deployment was to Bosnia Herzegovina immediately following the signing of the Dayton Accords. During this time, he came to understand how truly unique and wonderful America is, and why She is not only worth emulating but protecting. Derrick continued his service with multiple combat tours to Afghanistan and Iraq. Additionally, he served in the Horn of Africa, Asia, Europe, and South and Central America. During his tour in Europe in 2012, he was responsible for planning Special Operations contingency operations for the European Continent. Follow us on X: @derrickvanorden @americasrt1776 @ileaderssummit @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk America's Roundtable is co-hosted by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of International Leaders Summit and the Jerusalem Leaders Summit. America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio program focuses on America's economy, healthcare reform, rule of law, security and trade, and its strategic partnership with rule of law nations around the world. The radio program features high-ranking US administration officials, cabinet members, members of Congress, state government officials, distinguished diplomats, business and media leaders and influential thinkers from around the world. Tune into America's Roundtable Radio program from Washington, DC via live streaming on Saturday mornings via 68 radio stations at 7:30 A.M. (ET) on Lanser Broadcasting Corporation covering the Michigan and the Midwest market, and at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk Mississippi — SuperTalk.FM reaching listeners in every county within the State of Mississippi, and neighboring states in the South including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Tune into WTON in Central Virginia on Sunday mornings at 6:00 A.M. (ET). Listen to America's Roundtable on digital platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other key online platforms. Listen live, Saturdays at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk | https://www.supertalk.fm

Sept 6, 2025 - What it means to be middle class in Canada these days by VOCM

Dissect's Cole Cuchna talks to Jeremy Hecht (The Bigger Picture) and King Green (Rap Latte) about a wild slate of August albums releases: God Does Like Ugly - JID Star Line - Chance The Rapper Live Love Laugh - Earl Sweatshirt Lonely At The Top - Joey Bada$$ The trio give their initial impressions of each album and discuss the state of hip hop's maturing middle class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu! In today's special Q&A deep dive, Tom and co-host Drew respond directly to your hottest takes and burning questions inspired by their recent viral video, “The Things That Happened Right Before Collapse.” Together, they tackle wide-ranging topics—exploring America's mounting debt crisis, inflation, the struggle of average people to get ahead, and the growing wealth gap that's fueling frustration across the country. Tom delivers his famously unfiltered perspective on why the U.S. economy is in far deeper trouble than many people realize, challenging conventional wisdom about reserve currencies, military might, and the government's ability to ‘soft default' through inflation. He breaks down how these forces squeeze the middle class and details the predictable historical cycles—referencing everything from the fall of past empires to today's socioeconomic malaise. The conversation also dives into passionate debates from the comment section, from capitalism versus socialism to debt forgiveness, and practical advice for protecting yourself in uncertain times. Tom and Drew address critics head-on, unpack common misconceptions about asset ownership, and even discuss the emotional side of wealth and purpose. SHOWNOTES 00:00 Debt Growth and Wealth Disparity 08:45 "Discovering Inflation's True Origins" 14:45 "End of the American Dream" 20:18 Middle Class vs. Socialism Debate 34:38 Treaty of Versailles' Consequences 49:58 Lynn Alden's All-Weather Strategy 58:03 Quest University: Teaching Success Rules 01:00:51 "Leveraging Audience for Success" CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511. ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to ⁠⁠https://butcherbox.com/impact⁠⁠ to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box! Linkedin: Post your job free at ⁠⁠https://linkedin.com/impacttheory⁠⁠ Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠⁠https://shopify.com/impact⁠⁠ Hims: Start your free online visit today at ⁠⁠https://hims.com/IMPACT⁠⁠. SleepMe: Visit ⁠⁠https://sleep.me/impact⁠⁠ to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping. Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to ⁠⁠https://www.vitalproteins.com⁠⁠ and entering promo code IMPACT at check out What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business:⁠⁠ join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER⁠⁠:  ⁠⁠https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder?utm_campaign=Podcast%20Offer&utm_source=podca[%E2%80%A6]d%20end%20of%20show&utm_content=podcast%20ad%20end%20of%20show⁠⁠ SCALING a business:⁠⁠ see if you qualify here.⁠⁠:  ⁠⁠https://tombilyeu.com/call⁠⁠ Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox:⁠⁠ sign up here.⁠⁠: ⁠⁠https://tombilyeu.com/⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast,⁠⁠ Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook⁠⁠ —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/⁠⁠ Tik Tok:⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/tombilyeu⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation may have slowed but it is still too high and many Americans are struggling to make ends meet and much of it stems from the covid lockdowns. The opinion of the people is just that in places like Australia and the UK without guns. Cleaning out the government, 50,000 at a time. Follow The Jesse Kelly Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJesseKellyShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death of the middle class: What is it: Anyone who has had to work to pay for rent, bills, food, etc. How to reestablish it: Corporate regulation, People over profit, Wage theft prosecution (no more deferred accountability loopholes), etc. (the upcoming series will contain specific examples)What's killing it: A system that prioritizes profits over people means: Catering to the wealthy and eliminating services + experiences for the middle class.Eliminating the working class from every direction. Culture, economics, sustainability, livelihoods, nothing is safe. Wage theft is the largest form of theft even if you take all of the other forms of theft that exist, combined. So they're stealing our money, benefiting from corporate bailout loopholes that they lobbied for, which means their own workers are paying taxes into the system that robs them of their own profits, and THEN Pricing us out with an increase in taxes, wage theft, and manufactured inflation.They've privatized or are in the process of fully privatizing everything: Prisons, Healthcare, Vet care, Wellness, Dialysis, Education, Housing, Politics, and the land itself… literally everything that should be in the best interest of the public and the world at large has been bought and sold to the highest bidder. But it is not hopeless. What is manufactured can be restructured. We can fight back, if we're strategic and conscious of the ways in which they're attacking us. This is psychological warfare, only when we recognize this, can we begin to push back + defend ourselves against these attacks. Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT Julie (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In The New York Times article written by Daniel Currell, the author/consultant contents that Disney's tiered system is designed to target affluent guests, not middle class people. In this episode of the Experience Strategy Podcast, hosts Joe Pine, Dave Norton, and Aransas Savas discuss the article about Disney's transformation from an egalitarian experience to a tiered system. They explore the implications of this shift on the middle class, the increasing value placed on experiences, and the desire for connection among visitors. The conversation delves into the role of services, time value, and the exclusivity of certain experiences, ultimately addressing the future of Disney and its expansion opportunities. This episode is brought to you by The Cargo Agency and Feedback Now. Takeaways Disney has shifted from an egalitarian mindset to a tiered system. The value of experiences has increased significantly over the years. Wealth impacts the amount of time one can spend enjoying experiences. Visitors seek connective experiences with loved ones. Services play a crucial role in enhancing the overall experience. Having multiple channels is a key strategy for growth. Club 33 represents the only exclusive experience in the park. Time is a critical currency in the experience economy. Disney's pricing strategy reflects the value of experiences. The future of Disney may involve expansion and innovation.  Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Experience Economy 00:26 Disney's Shift from Egalitarianism 01:44 The Value of Experience and Pricing 05:21 The Impact of Wealth on Experience 06:47 The Desire for Connection in Experiences 09:54 The Role of Services in Enhancing Experiences 12:03 Gamification and the Disney Ecosystem 15:47 The Exclusivity of Club 33 18:03 Time as a Currency in Experiences 21:18 The Future of Disney and Expansion Ideas Read more https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/opinion/disney-world-economy-middle-class-rich.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iU8.Yl9x.HdJppkkpqYcr&smid=url-share Podcast Sponsors: Learn how to inspire advocacy https://www.thecargoagency.com Register for a free pilot program with Feedback Now https://marketing-info.feedbacknow.com/free-pilot Learn more about Stone Mantel https://www.stonemantel.co Sign up for the Experience Strategist Substack here: https://theexperiencestrategist.substack.com

Bruce and Gaydos explain why one major fast food restaurant is sounding the alarm on consumers and the economy.

Taylor Swift is getting married, and while most Americans are wondering about the dress she will wear or sharing felicitations... the far right is hoping that marriage will turn Taylor Swift into a barefoot and pregnant conservative trad wife. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(Friday 08/29/25)Newsom says he'll increase CHP presence in major cities; touts progress in crime. The boss has had it with all the office activists. Disney and the decline of America's middle class. 

In Episode 272 of The Cardone Zone, Grant Cardone sits down with UFC Champion Jorge Masvidal to talk about the power of perseverance, discipline, and mindset—and how the same principles that make a fighter successful in the octagon apply to business, money, and life. In the second half of the show, Grant shifts gears to expose the biggest money mistakes and scams people fall into—simply because they don't have the right information & to understand why the middle class itself has become a scam, Grant breaks down how to see through the traps designed to keep people stuck. Inside this episode you'll learn: How training and mindset apply to both fighting and financial success. The common money traps that destroy wealth-building potential. Why the middle-class system is rigged to keep you stagnant. Follow us on all social platforms @GrantCardone Visit 10XStudios.com for exclusive content, resources, and tools to grow your wealth and success.

Think tax planning is only for billionaires? Think again. In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, we break down why middle-income, dual-earner families often see the biggest savings — and how accountants can turn complexity into opportunity.You'll hear how a $150K household (one spouse W-2, one spouse 1099) can unlock $10K–$20K in annual savings through smart strategies like entity optimization, retirement planning, health benefits, and quarterly tax alignment. More importantly, we'll show you how to position tax concierge services that pay for themselves many times over.

Do you make a middle-class income ($70,000 or less) per year and want to invest in real estate? This is how you do it.  You don't need a six-figure salary to buy your first rental property and start building generational wealth and early retirement. Dave is a testament to this, buying his first rental with barely any money, zero experience, and working as a waiter. If you've got a stable salary and some savings, you're already leagues ahead of him. Today, we're showing you how to put that money to work. We used median income and savings data to create a complete middle-class investor plan to get you on the fastest (and safest) path to financial freedom. We'll walk through three investing strategies anyone in the middle class can use to buy their first rental, define how much money you'll need saved, what to do if you don't have enough in the bank, and how to repeat the system to finally retire early with real estate.  Stop waiting, start wealth-building. This is how to escape the “middle-class trap” and move up the rungs to financial freedom even if you're starting with a $70,000/year salary!  In This Episode We Cover: The three best real estate investments for a middle-class income earner The “middle-class trap” that most Americans are stuck in (how to escape) Pro tip: How to get more money for your first deal if you don't have enough How to retire in just a decade with rental property investing (even starting from scratch) The one high-profit, low-money-down, tax-free strategy Dave is using right now! And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1164 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Defines Upper Middle Class? Income, Net Worth, & How to Get There Faster! by Buck$ Outside The Box Podcast

This clip is a selection from "These 10 NBA Teams Should Be Sellers | 2026 NBA Season Preview," the previous episode uploaded to this channel. Kris Pursiainen, Zak Noble, and Albert Nguyen debate the extent to which the second apron and the new CBA have squeezed the NBA's middle class into being overhated or underpaid.

What does it take to be “middle class” in your state? From Mississippi's $49K to Maryland's $90K, the income range might surprise you. But here's the bigger truth: labels don't create wealth, behaviors do. We break down the data, reveal the three key ingredients to wealth building, walk through the Financial Order of Operations, and answer your biggest money questions on mortgages, car buying, and life insurance. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NordVPN.com/MONEYGUY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Grootes speaks to Kevin Lings, Chief Economist at Stanlib Asset Management and Jacolize Meiring, Senior Researcher & Head of the Personal Finance Research Division at The Bureau of Market Research about the severe strain on South Africa's middle class, citing signs such as shifting consumer behavior, rising debt levels, and stagnant income growth. In other interviews, Ayabonga Cawe, Itac chief commissioner, chats about the surge in caseload for South Africa's International Trade Administration Commission due to the US tariffs and global overcapacity issues, particularly in steel production, which could impact exporting companies and jobs. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa Follow us on social media 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalkCapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalkCapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop speaks with Michael Jagdeo, a headhunter and founder working with Exponent Labs and The Syndicate, about the cycles of money, power, and technology that shape our world. Their conversation touches on financial history through The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson and William Bagehot's The Money Market, the rise and fall of financial centers from London to New York and the new Texas Stock Exchange, the consolidation of industries and the theory of oligarchical collectivism, the role of AI as both tool and chaos agent, Bitcoin and “quantitative re-centralization,” the dynamics of exponential organizations, and the balance between collectivism and individualism. Jagdeo also shares recruiting philosophies rooted in stories like “stone soup,” frameworks like Yu-Kai Chou's Octalysis and the User Type Hexad, and book recommendations including Salim Ismail's Exponential Organizations and Arthur Koestler's The Act of Creation. Along the way they explore servant leadership, Price's Law, Linux and open source futures, religion as an operating system, and the cyclical nature of civilizations. You can learn more about Michael Jagdeo or reach out to him directly through Twitter or LinkedIn.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversationTimestamps00:05 Stewart Alsop introduces Michael Jagdeo, who shares his path from headhunting actuaries and IT talent into launching startups with Exponent Labs and The Syndicate.00:10 They connect recruiting to financial history, discussing actuaries, The Ascent of Money, and William Bagehot's The Money Market on the London money market and railways.00:15 The Rothschilds, institutional knowledge, and Corn Laws lead into questions about New York as a financial center and the quiet launch of the Texas Stock Exchange by Citadel and BlackRock.00:20 Capital power, George Soros vs. the Bank of England, chaos, paper clips, and Orwell's oligarchical collectivism frame industry consolidation, syndicates, and stone soup.00:25 They debate imperial conquest, bourgeoisie leisure, the decline of the middle class, AI as chaos agent, digital twins, Sarah Connor, Godzilla, and nuclear metaphors.00:30 Conversation turns to Bitcoin, “quantitative re-centralization,” Jack Bogle, index funds, Robinhood micro bailouts, and AI as both entropy and negative entropy.00:35 Jagdeo discusses Jim Keller, Tenstorrent, RISC-V, Nvidia CUDA, exponential organizations, Price's Law, bureaucracy, and servant leadership with the parable of stone soup.00:40 Recruiting as symbiosis, biophilia, trust, Judas, Wilhelm Reich, AI tools, Octalysis gamification, Jordan vs. triangle offense, and the role of laughter in persuasion emerge.00:45 They explore religion as operating systems, Greek gods, Comte's stages, Nietzsche, Jung, nostalgia, scientism, and Jordan Peterson's revival of tradition.00:50 The episode closes with Linux debates, Ubuntu, Framer laptops, PewDiePie, and Jagdeo's nod to Liminal Snake on epistemic centers and turning curses into blessings.Key InsightsOne of the central insights of the conversation is how financial history repeats through cycles of consolidation and power shifts. Michael Jagdeo draws on William Bagehot's The Money Market to explain how London became the hub of European finance, much like New York later did, and how the Texas Stock Exchange signals a possible southern resurgence of financial influence in America. The pattern of wealth moving with institutional shifts underscores how markets, capital, and politics remain intertwined.Jagdeo and Alsop emphasize that industries naturally oligarchize. Borrowing from Orwell's “oligarchical collectivism,” Jagdeo notes that whether in diamonds, food, or finance, consolidation emerges as economies of scale take over. This breeds syndicates and monopolies, often interpreted as conspiracies but really the predictable outcome of industrial maturation.Another powerful theme is the stone soup model of collaboration. Jagdeo applies this parable to recruiting, showing that no single individual can achieve large goals alone. By framing opportunities as shared ventures where each person adds their own ingredient, leaders can attract top talent while fostering genuine symbiosis.Technology, and particularly AI, is cast as both chaos agent and amplifier of human potential. The conversation likens AI to nuclear power—capable of great destruction or progress. From digital twins to Sarah Connor metaphors, they argue AI represents not just artificial intelligence but artificial knowledge and action, pushing humans to adapt quickly to its disruptive presence.The discussion of Bitcoin and digital currencies reframes decentralization as potentially another trap. Jagdeo provocatively calls Bitcoin “quantitative re-centralization,” suggesting that far from liberating individuals, digital currencies may accelerate neo-feudalism by creating new oligarchies and consolidating financial control in unexpected ways.Exponential organizations and the leverage of small teams emerge as another key point. Citing Price's Law, Jagdeo explains how fewer than a dozen highly capable individuals can now achieve billion-dollar valuations thanks to open source hardware, AI, and network effects. This trend redefines scale, making nimble collectives more powerful than bureaucratic giants.Finally, the episode highlights the cyclical nature of civilizations and belief systems. From Rome vs. Carthage to Greek gods shifting with societal needs, to Nietzsche's “God is dead” and Jung's view of recurring deaths of divinity, Jagdeo argues that religion, ideology, and operating systems reflect underlying incentives. Western nostalgia for past structures, whether political or religious, risks idolatry, while the real path forward may lie in new blends of individualism, collectivism, and adaptive tools like Linux and AI.

Welcome back to the show! In this episode, Steve discusses the six habits of the middle class that keep them "stuck" in the middle class. Your first reaction to this might be to become angry or even dismissive because there aren't habits that people participate in that keep them in the middle class...are there? Well, Steve has a list of habits that most people have already turned into core beliefs, and this list may shock your entire worldview. So even if you are dismissive or angry at the mere thought...tune in and give Steve a chance to show you what you need to hear. Please remember that Steve is always happy to talk to his listeners even if they disagree with him! Please send your questions, comments, and concerns over to AskSteve@TotalWealthAcademy.com today to start your conversation with Steve himself! 

Joshua Lisec is a Ghostwriter and author in his own right. In this calmvo we discuss his gradual political awakening into right-side politics, and why he departed from his progressive assumptions.https://x.com/JoshuaLisec https://lisecghostwriting.com Support this channel:https://www.paypal.me/benjaminboycehttps://cash.app/$benjaminaboycehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminaboyce

They say the economy is strong and inflation is under control — but your wallet says otherwise. Grocery bills have tripled, the stock market is on shaky ground, and Washington is still spinning the numbers. In this episode, we expose the “Dollar Ponzi” — a fragile system built on debt, bad data, and political lies — and why the middle class is in serious danger.To learn more about investing in gold & silver, visit http://goldwithseth.com, or call 626-654-1906Visit https://TNUSA.com/seth or call CALL 1-800-958-1000You're 30 seconds away from being debt free with PDS Debt. Get your free assessment and find the best option for you at https://PDSDebt.com/MIA.Kimchi One from Brightcore – Improve your health, improve your life.25% Off with code: MANINAMERICA at https://mybrightcore.com/maninamericaOr dial (888) 575-6488 for up to 50% OFF and Free Shipping – ONLY when you call!

What does it mean to have a Rich Brain? According to investor and entrepreneur Bronson Hill, it's not about being born wealthy—it's about thinking wealthy.In this conversation, we dive into why 86% of millionaires are self-made, how “wealth worthiness” can hold you back, and the surprising reason mindset matters more than money when it comes to long-term success.

Tax expert attorney Dan Pilla in studio. We continue to try and understand the dilemma of the middle class. Mayoral tirade on missing 12 year old, Victoria Jackson who was at a friends house next door. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show:Vance Boelter enters ‘not guilty' plea at Thursday hearingMary Moriarty not seeking reelection in 2026Putin says he hopes to meet with Trump as the White House presses for a Ukraine peace dealSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Episode 269 of The Cardone Zone, Grant Cardone delivers a raw  and unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to achieve true wealth —and the harsh truths most people aren't willing to face. We've been misled, misinformed, and indoctrinated to believe that working hard,  saving money, and playing it safe will lead to financial freedom.  But the reality? Those strategies were designed to keep you in the middle class,  not help you escape it. In this episode, Grant outlines the stepping stones to real wealth: Breaking free from cultural and financial misconceptions Understanding the difference between rich and truly wealthy Why income is just the start — not the goal This is not motivation — this is a wake-up call for anyone tired of playing  by rules that don't work. Dive deeper with Grant's latest book The Wealth Creation Formula Follow @GrantCardone on all social platforms Visit GrantCardone.com and stream 24/7 at 10XSTUDIOS.COM   for tools, strategies, and real talk that will set you on the path to lasting wealth.

A global warming news story from Dan Rather 43 years ago. We stumble onto the mystery of the disappearing middle class. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. HEARD ON THE SHOW:Ramsey County sheriff calls notifications after shootings of state lawmakers a ‘safety failure'Cyberattack hits North St. Paul, city council retains cybersecurity firmUS economy on ‘precipice of recession,' Moody's chief economist warnsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Tom and Producer Drew dive into the passionate—and sometimes heated—comments from their recent deep dive on taxes and economic inequality. Using your thought-provoking feedback as a springboard, Tom tackles the emotional debate around whether the rich are paying their fair share, why taxes hit the poor and middle class hardest, and what's really behind the growing economic divide. From the complexities of inflation, debt, and money printing to the provocative notion that “eating the rich” can backfire historically, this episode doesn't shy away from hard truths. Tom breaks down how government spending, loopholes, and the influence of lobbyists contribute to our economic woes—and why simply taxing the wealthy isn't the silver bullet many hope it might be. If you've ever wondered how economic policy truly impacts everyday lives, or what steps we could take to restore prosperity for the middle class, you won't want to miss this candid, sometimes contentious, and always insightful Q&A. Get ready to challenge your assumptions and gain a deeper understanding of the real issues driving our economic challenges. SHOWNOTES 00:00 Debt and Money Printing Debate 03:46 Flat Tax vs. High Brackets 06:55 Tax Fairness Debate: Wealthy Share 11:03 Revive Middle-Class Jobs with Manufacturing 13:03 Deregulation's Impact on Inequality 16:14 Economic Struggles: Debt & Inflation 19:32 "Eat the Rich: A Call to Action" 24:33 "Inflation as Theft" 28:05 "Wealth Imbalance and Market Collapse" 31:16 Wealth Redistribution and Economic Balance 34:24 Banking Inequality and Exploitation 36:08 "Learning, Investing, and Inflation Insights" 40:13 Risky Lending Encouraged by Bailouts 41:59 Debt and Money Printing Concerns CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511. SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping. ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box! Netsuite: Download the new e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at http://NetSuite.com/Theory What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER SCALING a business: see if you qualify here. Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here. ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO IMPACT THEORY AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS: apple.co/impacttheory ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of Tom Bilyeu's epic conversation with Kevin O'Leary, the discussion escalates from global power struggles to the very heart of America's economic future. As the superpowers of the US and China face off, Tom and Kevin analyze the survival of the American dream—are freedom and entrepreneurship enough to keep America competitive in an era of inequality, populism, and ballooning debt? This half of the episode pulls back the curtain on political self-correction in democracy, the risk of America's debt cycle approaching collapse, the search for genuine economic growth, and the radical innovation that could save the day. If you want razor-sharp commentary on AI, the stability of the US dollar, and whether America can avoid a fiscal disaster, don't miss this eye-opening dialogue. SHOWNOTES20:03 – Can Xi and Trump Find Resolution or Disaster?23:57 – The Thucydides Trap & America vs China Cold War25:28 – Why America Still Attracts Human Capital27:02 – Can Democracy Continue to Win?29:04 – Will American Youth Abandon Capitalism?31:01 – Political Populism and the Cycle of Self-Correction33:31 – What Turns Socialists into Capitalists34:16 – The Debt Cycle and the Danger of Collapse36:14 – The Dissolving Middle Class and Extreme Inequality40:28 – Can America Still Out-Innovate the World?43:20 – Unlocking Growth: Will the Bond Market Crack?45:30 – The Rise of Stablecoins and Dollar Dominance50:04 – Why the World Still Trusts the US Treasury51:46 – Kevin's Final Argument: Finance, Innovation, and America's Future FOLLOW KEVIN O'LEARYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinolearytv/Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinolearytvYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kevinolearytv SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to ⁠https://www.vitalproteins.com⁠ and entering promo code IMPACT at check out SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at ⁠https://www.skims.com/impact⁠ #skimspartner Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511. SleepMe: Visit ⁠https://sleep.me/impact⁠ to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping. Jerry: Stop needlessly overpaying for car insurance - download the Jerry app or head to ⁠https://jerry.ai/impact⁠ Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠https://shopify.com/impact⁠ CashApp: Download Cash App Today: ⁠https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/v6nymgjl⁠ #CashAppPod iRestore: For a limited time only, our listeners are getting a HUGE discount on the iRestore Elite when you use code IMPACT at ⁠https://irestore.com/impact⁠ What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business:⁠⁠⁠ join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER⁠⁠⁠ SCALING a business:⁠⁠⁠ see if you qualify here.⁠⁠⁠ Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox:⁠⁠⁠ sign up here.⁠⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast,⁠⁠⁠ Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook⁠⁠⁠ —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO IMPACT THEORY AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS:⁠⁠⁠ apple.co/impacttheory⁠⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en⁠⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/tombilyeu⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerhouse episode of Impact Theory, Tom Bilyeu sits down with the legendary investor and entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary, famously known as “Mr. Wonderful” from Shark Tank. With his trademark candor and economic insight, Kevin breaks down what's really happening with America's global negotiating power, the controversial tactics of Donald Trump, and how America's financial future hangs in the balance. Tom and Kevin take you behind the headlines to dissect America's true leverage in global trade, the economic chess match with China, and what investors should be watching for in the chaos of tariff wars and shifting alliances. This conversation is essential listening for anyone concerned about economic security, the future of US policy, and the policies shaping markets worldwide. Get ready for an unfiltered perspective on tariffs, taxation, and the fate of American innovation. SHOWNOTES00:00 – America's Precarious Position & Global Leverage01:05 – Are Tariffs Hurting or Helping? Trump's Negotiating Style03:00 – How Value Added Taxes Shape Trade Deals04:18 – Political Chaos vs Policy Outcomes06:53 – Investor Mindset in Uncertain Times08:35 – What Would Ring Kevin's Alarm Bells?11:01 – China: The Real Economic Battleground13:08 – How China Rose by Ignoring the Rules16:28 – TikTok, Nvidia, and the Next Phase of US–China Relations19:33 – America Gets “Screwed” One Innovation at a Time FOLLOW KEVIN O'LEARYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinolearytv/Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinolearytvYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kevinolearytv SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to ⁠https://www.vitalproteins.com⁠ and entering promo code IMPACT at check out SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at ⁠https://www.skims.com/impact⁠ #skimspartner Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511. SleepMe: Visit ⁠https://sleep.me/impact⁠ to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping. Jerry: Stop needlessly overpaying for car insurance - download the Jerry app or head to ⁠https://jerry.ai/impact⁠ Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠https://shopify.com/impact⁠ CashApp: Download Cash App Today: ⁠https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/v6nymgjl⁠ #CashAppPod iRestore: For a limited time only, our listeners are getting a HUGE discount on the iRestore Elite when you use code IMPACT at ⁠https://irestore.com/impact⁠ What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business:⁠⁠⁠ join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER⁠⁠⁠ SCALING a business:⁠⁠⁠ see if you qualify here.⁠⁠⁠ Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox:⁠⁠⁠ sign up here.⁠⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast,⁠⁠⁠ Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook⁠⁠⁠ —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO IMPACT THEORY AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS:⁠⁠⁠ apple.co/impacttheory⁠⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en⁠⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/tombilyeu⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, we're diving deep into one of the most controversial and complex issues of our time: wealth inequality and the fierce debate around taxing the rich. Hashtags like “EatTheRich” have taken over social media, and public figures are demanding that billionaires pay their “fair share.” But what do the numbers actually say—are the wealthy really freeloading, or are we missing the bigger picture? Tom unpacks the realities behind the statistics, breaking down who really funds the government, why taxing the rich might not be the solution people think it is, and the powerful psychological forces driving resentment and populism. Along the way, he traces the real culprits behind the shrinking middle class—from runaway inflation and globalization to misguided regulations. If you've ever wondered whether simply taxing billionaires could fix our economic system, or why history shows that punitive tax policies often backfire, this episode will leave you questioning common wisdom and craving real solutions. Get ready for a data-driven, myth-busting journey that reveals both the causes of inequality and what needs to happen for genuine progress. Let's jump in! SHOWNOTES 00:00 "Tax Burden Disparities in Income" 06:48 Revolutionary Violence and Its Consequences 09:15 Gini Coefficient: Measuring Inequality 11:00 Psychological Traps Worsen Wealth Gap 14:14 "Envy Drives Taxing the Rich" 19:52 Middle Class Squeeze by Globalization 22:52 Wealthy Flee UK: Tax Policy Shift 25:47 US Wealth Attraction and Tax Risks 30:31 "Globalization's Impact on Labor Wages" 34:13 "Reducing Regulations Boosts Economic Growth" 35:20 Economic Strategy for U.S. Competitiveness 39:20 "Solutions Over Scapegoats" SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at https://www.skims.com/impact #skimspartner Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511. SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping. Jerry: Stop needlessly overpaying for car insurance - download the Jerry app or head to https://jerry.ai/impact Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact CashApp: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/v6nymgjl #CashAppPod iRestore: For a limited time only, our listeners are getting a HUGE discount on the iRestore Elite when you use code IMPACT at https://irestore.com/impact What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business:⁠⁠ join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER⁠⁠ SCALING a business:⁠⁠ see if you qualify here.⁠⁠ Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox:⁠⁠ sign up here.⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast,⁠⁠ Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook⁠⁠ —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO IMPACT THEORY AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS:⁠⁠ apple.co/impacttheory⁠⁠ ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/⁠⁠ Tik Tok:⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/tombilyeu⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices