by Daniel Brouse April 5, 2025 The tariffs announced on what Trump dubbed “Liberation Day” featured a chart titled Tariffs Charged to the U.S.A., purporting to show the crushing rates foreign countries supposedly impose on American goods. But these numbers were completely fabricated — not grounded in trade data or economic principles. Instead, Trump’s team […]
Category Archives: liberty
Tariff Theater: Trump’s Economic War on the World — Including Penguins
Fighting a Mean Bear Market in a Trade War
by Daniel Brouse April 3, 2025 Today, one of the stock market indices officially entered into bear market territory. A bear market is typically defined as a decline of 20% or more from recent highs in a broad market index, such as the Russell 2,000 Small-cap stocks. This downturn signals a shift in investor sentiment, […]
Financial Ethics and Legal Controversies: Trump, Musk, and Conflicts of Interest
Financial Disclosure and Conflict of Interest Regulations for U.S. Presidents and Officials When a U.S. president takes office, they—as well as their cabinet members, high-ranking officials, and anyone with substantial influence in the administration—are generally required to disclose all financial activities. This process is designed to ensure transparency, prevent conflicts of interest, and uphold ethical […]
Trump’s Sector-Specific Tariffs
March 27, 2025 Since January 2025, the United States has implemented several sector-specific tariffs in an effort to protect domestic industries. These tariffs are in addition to any existing country-specific tariffs and represent a continuation of protectionist trade policies. However, historical data suggests that such high sector-specific tariffs often fail to achieve their intended goals. […]
Climate Change and Policy Shifts Threaten U.S. Housing Market Stability
by Daniel Brouse February 20, 2025 Projected Devaluation of U.S. Homes Due to Climate Change Recent analyses indicate that climate change poses a significant threat to the U.S. housing market. Over the next five years, it’s projected that at least 20% of U.S. homes will experience devaluation due to climate-related impacts. In certain vulnerable markets, […]
Mass Federal Layoffs Jeopardize Essential Services and National Security
The recent mass layoffs of tens of thousands of federal employees, including specialized personnel in critical sectors such as nuclear safety, are poised to have significant economic and security repercussions. Disruption of Essential Services The termination of specialized personnel can lead to interruptions in critical public services. For instance, the firing of 3,400 U.S. Forest […]
Federal Funding Cuts and the Emerging Republican Backlash
Federal Funding Cuts: Disproportionate Impacts on Red States and Emerging Republican Backlash Red states, which often receive more in federal funding than they contribute in taxes, are disproportionately impacted by federal fund reductions. This dependency means that cuts in federal funding can significantly affect their budgets and economies. Federal Funding Dependency in Red States: Higher […]
Real Estate in the Face of Economic and Environmental Challenges
Real Estate in the Face of Economic and Environmental Challenges: Inflation, Currency Devaluation, and Climate Change Impacts by Daniel Brouse February 16, 2025 Real estate has traditionally been viewed as a hedge against inflation and currency devaluation, often maintaining or increasing in value during such periods. However, the escalating impacts of climate change and shifting […]
Protectionism 101: Trump Economics
Most of Trump’s policies are based on common misconceptions and in fact contradict established economic principles. To begin with, the U.S. government often subsidizes companies to keep operations domestic. This can make our products more expensive and our businesses less efficient and competitive. A notable example is electric vehicles (EVs). The U.S. heavily subsidizes EVs, […]
Economic Update: The Path to Disaster
The Republican Party is driving the U.S. economy off a cliff, and the consequences are unfolding in real time. The good news? Trump’s team is imploding under the weight of its own reckless and poorly planned policies. The bad news? The so-called “Make America Great Again” agenda is achieving the exact opposite—weakening the country economically, […]