Sunday July 13th

Let’s start with the obvious: Does anyone actually believe there isn’t an Epstein list?

This week’s “accidental transparency” moment comes courtesy of Trump’s own administration, where a civil war just broke out. Kash Patel and Deputy Dan Bongino are reportedly ready to walk after a furious blow-up with Pam Bondi over the sealed Epstein files. America: where the FBI can find Grandma’s memes from 2009 but somehow loses track of the world’s most high-profile blackmail ring. Face meet palm.

Meanwhile, in news we didn’t have on our 2025 bingo card: John Fetterman just got a shoutout from President Trump after calling ICE agents “heroes.” Yes, that John Fetterman. Guess the hoodie finally came with a spine.

Speaking of vindication, The New York Times quietly admitted that Trump was right (again)—this time about migrant gangs taking over Colorado apartment buildings. Remember when that was a “conspiracy theory”? Yeah. So does Trump. And so do voters.

On the weird science front, Joe Rogan is back in the news, floating claims that Lyme disease was actually a man-made bio-weapon leaked from a secret tick lab near Connecticut. Somewhere, Fauci’s probably Googling how to gaslight a tick.

And out in California, Gavin Newsom—still auditioning for his inevitable CNN gig—compared ICE raids on illegal cannabis farms to “children losing their mothers.” Because nothing says compassion like shielding black market drug farms from law enforcement. Stay golden, Gavin.

In Washington, Trump’s mass layoff hammer dropped hard on the State Department, axing 1,300 Deep State staffers. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of expired diplomatic immunity being shredded.

Also fun: 911 went down in Pennsylvania, leaving thousands with no emergency services. But hey, at least drag brunches and DEI workshops have been fully funded over the past 4 years.

On a positive note (yes, really), North Carolina was just ranked the #1 state for business investment in 2025. Followed closely by Texas and Florida. Shocked? Didn’t think so. Meanwhile, California and New York limped in at 22nd and 23rd, respectively—just ahead of “abandoned parking lot.”

And finally, in the most polite game of chicken ever, the Director of a federal agency quietly floated the idea that Fed Chair Jerome Powell might actually resign soon. Powell insists he’s staying. Which means someone’s lying—or warming up a golden parachute behind closed doors.

I know Trump says we should stop talking about this—and sure, we will… eventually. But let’s call it what it is: one of the biggest screwups we’ve seen from his own administration.

So we’re asking the only people who still have common sense left: you.

Remember when a six-figure income meant you “made it”? According to a new study, that’s now the bare minimum just to scrape by with a “minimal quality of life” in America. Yep, if you’ve got a family of four, you’ll need to haul in over $150K just to afford the basics—food, housing, healthcare, and the occasional Netflix binge. The kicker? More than half of U.S. households don’t even hit that mark. So much for the land of opportunity—unless the opportunity is maxing out another credit card.

Looks like putting America First is actually... working. New Labor Department data shows over 2 million jobs added for American-born workers since Trump’s second term began—while employment for foreign-born workers has dropped by more than 543,000. That’s right: fewer illegal hires, more U.S. citizens clocking in. It's a direct result of Trump’s immigration crackdown—and a brutal reminder that secure borders and a sane hiring policy actually do protect the middle class. Turns out, when you stop outsourcing and start enforcing, Americans win. Shocking, we know.

Turns out, flipping burgers might just flip your entire career. With a worker shortage sizzling across America, fast-casual chains are dishing out six-figure salaries, real benefits, and promotion pipelines that would make most college grads weep into their student loan statements. CEOs like Brandon Coleman (Cotton Patch Cafe) are pushing the idea that you can go from drive-thru to corner office—no Ivy League tuition required. In a world where politicians can’t balance a budget, at least the guy making your chicken sandwich might end up running the company.

Our Honest Thoughts:

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It’s official—the One Big Beautiful Bill just made tax season a little less painful for the middle class and a whole lot messier for the bureaucrats. Trump’s signature tax-and-spending package locks in the lower tax brackets from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, sparing millions from a stealth tax hike that was set to hit next year. Plus, it boosts the standard deduction (which 90% of Americans already use), meaning more money stays in your pocket… unless you’re a D.C. lobbyist. Sure, it adds $4 trillion to the debt—but when has that ever stopped Washington from partying with your paycheck?

In deep-blue Seattle, one brave homeowner is proving that free speech still matters—even if it comes with bullet holes. After her house was shot up (yes, literally) for the second time in two years over her pro-Trump displays, the woman isn’t backing down. Instead of taking the signs down, she’s putting security cameras up. Because when the left says “tolerance,” they apparently mean “agree with us or we shoot.” In true American fashion, she’s standing her ground—armed with stickers, signs, and spine.

According to Trump’s Department of Energy, America might want to stock up on candles—and maybe a generator or two. A new report warns that thanks to retiring power plants and delays in bringing new ones online (while AI data centers suck up megawatts like TikTok eats attention spans), the U.S. could face 800+ hours of blackouts a year by 2030. That’s over a month without power. But don’t worry—at least your electric car will look great parked dead in the driveway.

Amazon stretched Prime Day into a four-day fire sale thinking broke Americans would go on a digital shopping spree. Instead? Crickets. Sales plunged 41% compared to last year’s first-day numbers as recession-weary families clutched their wallets tighter than Bezos clutches his space boots. Even with extended hours and deep discounts, inflation won this round—and Andy Jassy learned the hard way that slashing prices doesn’t work when no one’s got cash to burn.

In a rare move that sounds like common sense (so naturally, we’re shocked), the FHFA just announced that rent payments can now help Americans qualify for a mortgage. That’s right—after years of bleeding cash into someone else’s equity, renters might actually get credit for paying on time. The change could be a game-changer for folks with thin credit files—aka the people who’ve been priced out of the American Dream while funding it for their landlords. Next up? Fannie and Freddie accepting crypto. Yes, seriously.

Raise a glass, America—Missouri just made beer more American (and more affordable). Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the American Beer Act, slashing taxes on U.S.-made brews and giving a cold one to Big Government while giving a warm hug to farmers, manufacturers, and red-state job creators. Signed at the iconic Anheuser-Busch HQ in St. Louis (don’t worry, no Bud Light speeches), the bill is a frothy win for the working class and a model for how America First policies can support local industry—and taste damn good doing it.

In a win for corporate fine print and a loss for literally everyone else, a federal court just killed the FTC’s click-to-cancel rule. That means companies can keep charging your card while hiding the “cancel” button like it’s a CIA file. The blocked rule would’ve made it just as easy to end a subscription as it was to start one—and required businesses to actually tell youwhen that “free trial” turns into a monthly wallet-drain. But thanks to the court, it’s back to hunting through settings, email chains, and emotional breakdowns just to unsubscribe from dog food you accidentally ordered in 2022.

In a plot twist no one saw coming (especially the ACLU), the IRS just gave churches the green light to talk politics without losing their tax-exempt status. Yep, thanks to a surprising court filing—where the IRS basically agreed with the people suing them—pastors can now fire up Sunday sermons with a side of “Vote for Bob.” Turns out, internal political discussions in churches don’t break the Johnson Amendment after all. Translation: the separation of church and state might still exist, but your Sunday bulletin just got a little more... electoral.

If you’ve been watching the headlines and wondering why everyone suddenly thinks internet money is going to replace the U.S. dollar—you’re not alone.

We get it. You’ve worked hard, saved responsibly, remember when a dollar actually meant something, and now some guy in a hoodie is telling you Bitcoin is the future of freedom.

Let’s unpack this—with a little less hype and a lot more common sense.

Look past the jargon, and the core idea behind crypto is actually very American:
No government meddling. No bank middlemen. Total financial control in your own hands.

That means:

You can send money anytime, anywhere—no waiting 3 business days for your bank to approve it.

You can store your money in digital assets like Bitcoin, which some call “digital gold” because it’s limited in supply and immune to inflation—unlike the dollars Washington keeps printing like confetti.

And most importantly, you’re not tied to the rules, freezes, fees, and snooping that come with traditional finance.

In countries where governments have collapsed or inflation has gone off the rails (think Venezuela, Argentina), crypto has literally helped families survive. That’s no small thing.

Now for the bad news: There’s a whole lot of junk out there.

Crypto is unregulated, and that means scams are everywhere.

You’ve probably heard about FTX—once the golden child of crypto, now a multi-billion-dollar pile of lawsuits and lies.

Celebrities promote coins they don’t understand, and regular folks are left holding the bag when the whole thing crashes.

And even when it’s not a scam, crypto is volatile. The value can swing 30% in a day. That’s not investing. That’s rollercoaster gambling—and it’s not for the faint of heart or the retirement-bound.

Add to that the looming threat of government regulation, tax confusion, and the push for a federal digital dollar (a.k.a. government-controlled “surveillance money”)… and yeah, you should be cautious.

Here’s our opinion:
Crypto isn’t a scam. But it isn’t a miracle, either.

It’s a disruptive new financial system that’s still in its wild west phase. And like every gold rush, there will be winners, losers, and a whole lot of chaos in between.

But we’re calling it now: crypto is the future.
Not because tech bros say so, but because trust in traditional finance is broken.
People are tired of Wall Street bailouts, Washington overspending, and inflation that eats your savings while the government shrugs.

Crypto offers an escape hatch. Not a perfect one—but a real one.

So don’t bet the farm. Don’t fall for get-rich-quick nonsense.
But don’t ignore it, either. Because whether you like it or not, this train is leaving the station.

And it might just be carrying the next generation of financial freedom.

Stay skeptical. Stay informed. And above all—stay in control.