June 14, 2026 • 52 mins
Join us for expert discussions and analysis on today's news, politics, the economy and inflation, the latest on an ICE detention center in NJ, the current financial state of Social Security, facts about the economic value of immigrants, challenges of a music career and Biblical warnings about idolatry along with what the American Flag means.
(00:00) What recent words by Donald Trump will mean for the midterm elections are discussed.
(01:39) Gerson Gibbs, Senior Managing Partner with Belite Capital, gives his analysis of the May CPI number and what lies ahead for the U.S. economy.
(11:38) The latest regarding the proposed ICE detention center in northwest NJ is shared.
(13:28) Marc Goldwein, Senior Vice-President and Senior Policy Director with the Committee For A Responsible Federal Budget, tells what the latest report by the Social Security Administration reveals about the future of the program.
(24:38) How immigrants pay far more into benefit programs than they receive help from is explained.
(30:21) Singer and songwriter Karen Hardy talks about her career, what lead her to singing and writing music as well as what winning the recent Amplify Your Ambitions music competition will mean for her career. Check out Karen's music on Spotify and Apple Music
(42:09) Chris DeBello reveals how the Bible confirms that idolatry isn't part of respecting the American Flag along with what the American Flag represents as revealed by the Pledge Of Allegiance.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hello, welcome to Issues and Ideas.
I'm Chris Tabello.
SPEAKER_05 (00:08):
I love the numbers which are identified for the
Trevor Burrus.
You know what I really love?
SPEAKER_06 (00:12):
I love the inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (00:13):
That was Donald Trump in this past week in the
Oval Office reacting to the MayConsumer Price Index number, the
inflation rate, which came in atan annual rate of 4.2 percent.
How do we make sense of this?
Why would you, even by mistake,say, I love the inflation?
Listen again.
SPEAKER_05 (00:34):
What are you concerned, Mr.
President, about the latestinflation number which came out
this morning?
Could that be a no?
I love the numbers you're tryingto try and find.
SPEAKER_06 (00:42):
You know what I really love?
I love the inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (00:44):
Is he just simple-mindedly looking at the
numbers saying, oh, 4.2, that'salmost double what it was the
last time, higher number good?
There's no there's no rhyme orreason to saying something like
that.
I mean, how how out of touch doyou have to be, even if it was a
mistake to make a mistake likethat?
One more time.
SPEAKER_05 (01:04):
Are you concerned, Mr.
President, about the latestinflation number which came out
this morning?
Could that be a no I lovenumbers were trying to find the
question?
SPEAKER_06 (01:12):
You know what I really love?
I love the inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
I'm just helping the inevitable along here a bit
because every Republicancandidate is going to hear
Donald Trump speak thatsentence.
Every waking moment, everysleeping moment, as well as
every Democratic candidate'scommercial, is going to include
that line.
At least until Trump comes upwith something that surpasses
(01:36):
even that.
And don't worry, he will.
All right, let's take a moredetailed look now at the May
Consumer Price Index numbers,what they established, and how
they're impacting your life,certainly in more ways than
many, especially in the WhiteHouse, want to recognize.
To do that, we welcome thesenior managing partner with
Bellet Capital, Gursten Gibbs.
Thanks for being here today,Gerson.
SPEAKER_03 (01:57):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (01:58):
And to find out more about Bellet Capital, it's
Bella, B-E-L-I-T-E Capital.com.
And of course, we have that linkover at our homepage.
Just as a foundation, the CPIfor it's called All Urban
Consumers, CPI-U, jumped a 0.5%on a seasonally adjusted basis
in May.
That leads to an overallincrease of uh inflation rate to
(02:23):
4.2%.
Historically, yours, and that isthat's not a good number and not
place to be in in any point intime, but for an inflation rate
the highest we've seen in threeyears, that points out to just a
lot more than just energy pricesbeing a problem, doesn't it?
SPEAKER_03 (02:41):
Absolutely.
I think one of the biggerproblems is um these the what's
happening over at the strait andof her moves and how that's
impacting oil prices that whichhave a direct impact on energy
prices, which have a directimpact on inflation.
I think if that's removed fromthe picture, we we pretty much
(03:01):
have a steady inflation that'sactually been cooling off.
But because of those issues, Ithink that you know everybody
could understand, or that's whatthe current administration is
arguing, that um it's attributedto that and not actual
inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (03:17):
But the the energy has tentacles that reach in.
I mean, just for the easiest, Iguess, analogy would would be to
make if diesel fuel costs moreand diesel trucks transport
goods to stores or suppliers,whatever the case may be,
therefore costs are going to goup, therefore leading to the
(03:37):
higher inflation.
SPEAKER_03 (03:39):
Correct, correct.
You know, energy prices rose uhabout three point nine percent
in May.
And you know, they accounted formore than sixty percent of the
entire CPI increase.
You know, gasoline jumped sevenpercent in a single month, and
is and it's up over fortypercent year over year.
So of course we're gonna see adirect impact on inflation, but
(04:02):
as they mentioned, I thinkinflation has been holding
steady since about dec um 2025,late 2025.
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
And um I'm gonna I think I'm gonna I'm gonna put
the uh the report from the uhfrom the government up on our
downloads page because there's alot to go into and not enough
time to do it here.
But just if you look at theenergy index, that increased
23.5% for the 12 months endingMay as well.
And again, as I said with myanalogy, because of that, the
(04:31):
food index increased 3.1% overthe last year.
And I know that's a generalnumber, but because you can look
at specific things you buy andthe the further down you drill,
you will find greater increasesin that 3.1%.
But Gerson, it's also importantto note, too, that as the
(04:51):
inflation rate most recently nowis at 4.2%, wage growth, most
recent number for that, is only3.4%.
Doesn't sound like a bigdifference, but when you're when
you're scraping by and you getthat gap of inflation versus
what you got coming in, you gota problem as far as personal
finance is concerned.
SPEAKER_03 (05:12):
Absolutely.
I think that um this is whythey're trying to resolve the
issues surrounding um Iran andthe Strait of Hormuz, because
it's happening it's having adirect ripple effect on any on
everyone, and we don't have thenecessary um foundation just yet
to kind of withstand this for along amount of time.
(05:32):
So even when I was lookingtoday, there were conversations
and negotiations going on,although we've heard this for
many months, um, and thennothing's changed.
They there are negotiations, andI'm hoping that something can
happen because it's it'sbeginning to have a ripple
ripple effect, like youmentioned, the inflation um rate
versus the wages, umunemployment rates and all of
(05:54):
these things are just having atremendous impact.
Um right now I don't think theum economy can hold up like this
for too much longer.
SPEAKER_00 (06:02):
It certainly was with with necessities again
using the connection analogy.
If you are a renter and yourlandlord has to pay less to uh
pay more for for taxes, forheating, for general supplies to
keep the the building or thehouse intact, uh your your rate
your your rent's not going to godown.
It's it's odds are the nextpossible increase, no matter
(06:24):
what the state limitations are,your rent is more likely to go
up than down.
Again, as a result of what we'reseeing.
And also, Gerson, it's importantto recognize, too, we've seen
reports about uh the I I thinkwith Scott Besson, he was
boasting that well people arespending more.
Well, yeah, it sounds great foran economy, but when that
spending is credit card spendingat twenty-five percent interest
(06:48):
rates just for bare necessities,that's gonna have it.
There's gonna even when theinflation rate goes down,
there's a long painful hangoverlooming.
SPEAKER_03 (06:57):
Oh, one hundred percent, because spending is up,
but credit card usage is alsoup.
You know, and one of the one ofthe major things is that we we
want to see what this new Fedchair is gonna do, right?
And what is his approach versusthe former Fed chair.
So the there's a lot of thingsthat are stewing up and um could
possibly go in either direction.
(07:18):
But as I mentioned before, Idon't think it it could stay
this way too much longer.
SPEAKER_00 (07:23):
That's everything I mentioned too.
I hate to be the the grim reaperof finances here, but people are
at an increasing rate are ratingtheir 401ks and personal savings
not to reap the benefits oftheir long hard work of saving,
but to pay the rent, to buy thefood.
And again, great when inflationgoes back down, but that's not
going to replace what people arepulling out of their savings or
(07:46):
racking up in credit card debt.
SPEAKER_03 (07:49):
Yeah, 100%.
And um, you know, uh Americansare trying to find ways to cover
the gaps.
Again, this is a ripple effect.
We saw it last year with regardto tariffs, and tariffs had a
ripple effect.
Now it's a uh uh oil issue, andthat's having a ripple effect.
As I mentioned, I think that youknow, sometimes some things take
(08:10):
a little bit of time to evolveand and actually works in the
favor of the economy, but Idon't think that the just
general public and this thiseconomy can withstand much
longer with all of the changesin pricing and usage of money,
even taxes are having someimpact on people's pockets.
There's a lot of um changes withregard to that.
(08:32):
So I don't think that justaverage American will be able to
afford to live in America muchlonger if there's there's not
changes that are made.
SPEAKER_00 (08:41):
Well, Garrison Gibbs, who is senior managing
partner with Bailey Capital,Bailey Capital.com, their
website, and you're listening toissues and ideas.
If everything were to go asperfect as possible and some
resolution in the Middle Eastcould come about and the uh the
supply line would open, is thereanything out of history, out of
(09:02):
economic theory that would saythat inflation rates drop
quickly?
I mean, how how realisticallyare we can we expect inflation
to adjust to a better comfortpoint around the two percent
mark, which is uh a realisticgoal, I think, but how easy is
it to get it there?
SPEAKER_03 (09:21):
Well, it's not gonna be easy, just like negotiations
haven't been easy.
But I do believe if there is aperfect scenario and everything
did work itself out, it would itwould drop fairly quickly.
I think that this new Fed chairtakes a little bit of a hawkish
approach, and uh um he wouldbegin to reduce if he believes
(09:42):
that the economy is in the rightplace to do so, um, he would
begin to reduce fairly quickly.
I think the former Fed chair, hedid have reductions.
However, the reductions werevery small, incremental
reductions, took a moreconservative approach at
reducing um inflation rates.
Um but I think that this new Fedchair, he would take a different
(10:04):
approach.
So I assume if I were topredict, we should see those
numbers inching down into thethrees, into the twos by
sometime next year.
Um best case scenario.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
But then on the flip side, what what's the
consequence?
What's the risk if you cut ratestoo fast and too big?
SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
Um uh instability.
Right?
So I think that again I I seeinto the middle, into the late
of next year, I don't see ithappening extremely quickly.
Um, because again, that couldrattle the economy in just the
inverse effect.
Right?
So I believe that if it was tohappen in a perfect scenario, um
(10:43):
those rates you can see theminto the fourth quarter of next
year, possibly.
SPEAKER_00 (10:47):
Because we also have to take into account all the
aspects of the economy, whetherit's energy, food, housing.
Everyone has to feel comfortablethat the storm is over before
they start dropping what theycould drop as far as retail is
concerned.
And that only happens whenwholesale drops because prices
drop.
So it's uh, you know, I I knowthe phrase is, well, as soon as
(11:09):
the war is over, it's gonna droplike a rock.
Well, a nice, nice, nice bumpersticker.
But the reality of economicsdictates a a very different
reality.
Learn more about the services ofBellet Capital, where Gerson is
their senior managing partner atBellet Capital.com.
Gerson Gibbs, thanks so much forhelping us understand the
reality versus the pol thepolitics speak, I guess I'll
(11:32):
call it, of what the economy isall about.
Thanks for being here today.
SPEAKER_02 (11:36):
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (11:38):
I give you the layers regarding the planned ICE
detention center in Roxbury, NewJersey, Project Ninja, and New
Jersey Appleseed.
They've sent a letter to the DHSoffice of the Inspector General.
That's the advisory board thataudits the DHS purchases of
warehouses for use as detentionfacilities.
They outline uh a few legalviolations and irregularities in
(12:02):
the DHS purchase of thewarehouse in Roxbury.
Give you some of the info here.
DHS appears to have had no legalrepresentation.
Meaning here, DHS does notappear to have been represented
by any attorney in a transactionthat cost taxpayers$129.3
million dollars.
Individuals signed closingdocuments on DHS's behalf,
(12:25):
describing itself as its legalrepresentative, but doesn't have
a law degree.
DHS appears to have overpaidmore than$67 million in the
deal.
That enriched Goldman Sachs, whopaid$109.3 million for the
warehouse, that had an assessedvalue of$62.2 million.
DHS and Goldman Sachs appear tohave intentionally violated New
(12:48):
Jersey law.
Goldman Sachs is a seller, aidedby DHS as the buyer, appears to
have violated New Jersey law byfailing to provide the required
one-month notice to the NewJersey Department of
Environmental Protection at thepurchase of the warehouse.
That's in violation terms of aconservation easement.
And the DHS neglected to performan ignored findings from basic
(13:10):
due diligence revealing thefacility cannot be used as
intended.
Other than that, everything isjust fine.
We'll see what the response toall this is.
I'll keep you posted.
If you're listening to us viayour favorite podcast platform,
make sure you follow andsubscribe.
Past week the Social SecurityAdministration released their
(13:31):
annual report on the status ofthe much relied-on retirement
and disability program, and no,the news was not good as the
date of the fund and solvencymoved even more soon than it had
already been anticipated.
So, what's this mean for peoplereceiving Social Security
benefits?
Is there anything we've done toextend rather than shorten the
(13:52):
solvency of the program?
Hitter Explorer All This is theSenior Vice President and Senior
Policy Director with theCommittee for a Responsible
Federal Budget.
Mark Goldwarren, how are youtoday, Mark?
SPEAKER_02 (14:03):
Uh I'm good.
Thanks so much for having me on.
SPEAKER_00 (14:05):
Well, great to have you here to help people better
understand because they hear thehead or they see the headlines
and the fear strikes, so theymissed out on important details.
And to see the report on SocialSecurity by the Committee of For
a Responsible Federal Budget andanswers and solutions as well.
CRFB.org is their website.
SPEAKER_02 (14:30):
Um it's pretty bad.
Look, people should be a littlescared.
Here's what the report says.
Um Social Security is projectedto run out of its reserves in
six years in 2032, and thenMedicare is projected to run out
of its reserves six months laterin 2033.
Now that doesn't mean eitherprogram goes away.
(14:50):
But what the law says is thatwhen it has no reserves, that
the benefits get cut to matchthe revenue.
And for Social Security, that isa twenty-two percent benefit
cut, abrupt, immediate, andprobably across the board.
SPEAKER_00 (15:02):
Now what's uh as I said, the the insolvency date
continues to to get closer andcloser, uh as you said now down
to six years.
It had been longer, not too longago, ironically.
What's the what's been thedriving catalyst for this this
dark day getting closer?
SPEAKER_02 (15:22):
So the insolvency date moved up a bit.
They moved up two or threemonths because um there's less
revenue coming coming in fromtaxation to benefits from the
one big beautiful bill.
But the real reason that we'velost time is because we spent a
year ignoring this issue, right?
So last year we had seven yearsand then we waited a year.
So big surprise now we have sixyears.
(15:43):
Uh the problem is we've beendoing this since the eighties.
We've known this problem wascoming.
We've been talking about fixingit since the nineties, and yet
here we are in the year 2026,and we're no closer, and if
anything, further from fixing itthan we were back then.
SPEAKER_00 (15:58):
When the the whole the whole program was created by
initiatives from then PresidentFranklin Delano or Roosevelt,
didn't FDR even say that whatwe're doing is not a forever
situation at some point in thefuture.
New ideas and new and new pathshave to be taken, and it's just
been completely, totallyignored.
SPEAKER_02 (16:17):
Well, in fairness, I think that what he envisioned
was the program was going to getbigger, and that is exactly what
happened.
It expanded to includesurvivors' benefits and spousal
benefits and disabilitybenefits, and to be larger and
to be automatically indexed.
So we have, in fact, followedthrough on his vision to expand
the program.
The problem is we haven'tfollowed through on his vision
to file fully finance it.
FDR always believed SocialSecurity should be paid for
(16:40):
internally.
People should pay their own way.
And right now, the revenue isway short of the benefits.
And so either we need more taxescoming in, less benefits going
out, or some combination.
And frankly, it's hard for me tosee any solution other than some
combination.
SPEAKER_00 (16:56):
For you listening, Social Security currently
provides monthly benefits toaround seventy-one million
Americans, and that's forforty-three percent of seniors,
all or most of their personalincome.
So again, like uh like Morrissaid, there is a fear that's
growing as far as the as theinsolvency time gets closer and
(17:20):
closer.
In the past, has this happenedand how has it been been
addressed in the past to extendthe solvency?
SPEAKER_02 (17:27):
Yeah, so we've had two times in the past that we've
approached insolvency in 1977and 1983.
And both times in differentways, policymakers came together
um and they enacted a set offixes.
We raised the retirement age, weincreased the amount of income
subject to the cap, we changedthe payroll tax, we brought more
people onto the program, weadjusted the formula.
Like the solutions are outthere.
(17:48):
And and I do also want to pointout, you're right, there are so
many people that really rely onSocial Security, and a 22%
benefit cut would bedevastating.
It would cut benefits by$500 amonth, even in just today's
dollars.
But there's a whole other set ofpeople that are that don't even
really rely on their socialsecurity at all.
The Social Security benefits arenow$100,000 for the very richest
(18:10):
couples.
And so there's opportunities, Ithink, to slow the benefit
growth for seniors that havetens of millions of dollars in
assets in order to preserve itfor those that really are
relying on the program.
SPEAKER_00 (18:21):
And I mean it sounds like an obvious observation.
If someone is sitting on savingsor if life really worked out for
them and they have assets ofseven, eight, nine figures, why
do they need social security?
SPEAKER_02 (18:35):
Yeah, I mean I think that's a fair question.
Um now uh we've proposedsomething that doesn't actually
take away their social security.
All it says is your socialsecurity benefits can't go over
for a couple a hundred thousanddollars a year.
So even if you have tens ofmillions, we're still saying you
can collect a hundred thousand,just maybe not a hundred and ten
thousand.
I think it's a pretty modestproposal.
Um and it wouldn't fix socialsecurity on its own, but it
(18:57):
would help make some somesignificant leeway.
SPEAKER_00 (19:00):
And you mentioned too that the idea, the plan was
that you pay in and take outwhat you pay in like you would
with a bank account or achecking account, but just
because of the way the theprogram has grown and the
finances have all but all butcollapsed, that's that idea is
long past, and I don't thinkwe'd ever get back to that that
ratio, would we?
SPEAKER_02 (19:20):
Yeah, I mean the problem is people are actually
have been getting out more thanthey put in on average.
It was never supposed to be likea savings account that you get
what you put back in.
But there was this idea that youpaying in sort of bought you the
ticket to be able to getbenefits.
The problem is those benefitshave been larger than the
payments.
And um the sort of the scheme isfalling apart because there's
(19:42):
there's such a large gap.
And so either people are gonnahave to pay more, they're gonna
have to get less, or there's onescary option, which is the
federal government may say it'stoo hard to change social
security, we're just gonnaborrow.
We're just gonna borrow another$800 trillion over the next 75
years.
That would put the country intoa debt crisis.
SPEAKER_00 (20:01):
There there's various programs under the
umbrella of Social Security, butthey're separate funds.
Is there a way to, would it beprudent to combine the funds and
would that prolong the solvency?
SPEAKER_02 (20:15):
Right.
So the retirement fund runs outin 2032.
There's a separate disabilityfund.
That fund is healthy, and wecould take some money from the
disability fund, put it to theretirement fund, that would buy
us about a year and a half.
So that could get us to 2034.
Um that might make sense aswe're sort of buying time to
phase in changes, but it's not apermanent solution.
(20:36):
It's a kick the can thatliterally gets you, you know,
from one presidentialadministration to the next.
It doesn't get you much furtherthan that.
SPEAKER_00 (20:44):
When you say to raise taxes to create revenue
for the program, what kind oftax increase would would be all
part be talking about?
SPEAKER_02 (20:53):
So if we were to do this entirely from the payroll
tax rate, we'd ultimately haveto increase that rate by 50%.
So right now, this payroll taxrate for Social Security is
12.4%, you pay half, youremployer pays half.
We'd have to gradually increaseit to about 19%, 18 or 19%.
So this is a massive increase.
Now, we could do less of that ifwe solve some of the problem by
(21:16):
raising that cap, that$185,000cap on income subject to the
wage cap.
But that's not going to solvethe whole problem either.
That over the long run solvesmaybe a quarter of the problem.
And we could also look at thingslike subjecting some kinds of
fringe benefits to the tax.
So we don't have to do it allwith the rate increase, but to
solve this all on the tax side,over time, we're talking about a
(21:37):
very large tax increase.
SPEAKER_00 (21:40):
You you present, and again, over at your website, uh
CRFB.org, you present detailedpaths to repair what's already
broken.
Problem is, well, we have themidterms looming, and if the
party who is in charge remainsin charge, we see program cuts
as their idea.
(22:00):
As far as you know, what what'sleft to be cut other than then
again, money to thebeneficiaries.
SPEAKER_02 (22:09):
Well, look, uh social security benefits um not
only are large for those richbeneficiaries, but they actually
continue to grow pretty rapidlyover time.
Over the next seventy-fiveyears, the average real
benefits, meaning adjusted forinflation, are projected to
triple.
And so there is room to savemoney by just slowing the
growth.
But we have six years untilinsolvency and we're not gonna
(22:32):
make huge changes to currentbeneficiaries, which means there
really is no option other thanhaving tax revenue.
You can't save money from newbeneficiaries fast enough.
Um and frankly, I don't thinkyou can raise taxes high enough,
which is why I say we're gonnaneed some kind of combination of
more taxes and less benefits.
But it doesn't have to be lessbenefits than today.
It just has to be less benefitsthan projected in the future.
SPEAKER_00 (22:56):
I know this is outside your realm, but one of
the other contributing facts tothe solvency of Social Security
is the fact that undocumentedundocumented immigrants, they
can't at least legally receivebenefits from Social Security,
but when they're working on thebooks, they pay into Social
Security.
So theoretically, if as so manypeople want to do, you remove
(23:17):
that demographic from thecontributing population, that
would just magnify the problem.
SPEAKER_02 (23:23):
That that's right.
I mean, one of the funny things,maybe not funny, um, but there's
some people that think you canfix social security by cutting
fraud.
It turns out fraud of collectingbenefits is actually very low.
The biggest source of fraud inSocial Security is people that
are illegally paying into theprogram, right?
And so it's um illegal,undocumented, whatever you want
to call it.
Um immigrants that are actuallyhelping the program by paying in
(23:46):
and not getting benefits back.
And so the recent um r you know,strengthening of immigration
rules and administrationactually has worsened social
security's trust fund.
SPEAKER_00 (23:57):
Well, as I said, we have the midterm elections
coming up, and hopefully for youlistening, this will be a key
part of what you're asking andlistening from the candidates
when they start talking aboutthings that matter to you.
We have the Social Securityreport over at our downloads
page.
If you uh don't do it on a fullstomach, trust me, but check
that out because a lot of graphsand a lot of information.
(24:18):
And to find some path tosolutions, that's what the
Committee for ResponsibleFederal Budget is providing at
CRFB.org.
He is their senior vicepresident and senior policy
director.
Mark Goldwine, thanks so muchfor being here today and helping
us better understand the urgencyof finding a solution to a very
serious problem.
Thanks again.
SPEAKER_02 (24:37):
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (24:38):
Now I know what I said there toward the end of
that segment is going to makesome people's heads explode, so
let me back it up.
This is all from a variety ofsources, including Center for
Immigration Studies, NationalImmigration Forum, American
Immigration Council.
An estimated 61% of householdsheaded by undocumented
immigrants get at least one formof public benefit compared to
(25:00):
37% of households headed by aU.S.
born citizen.
However, only 20% ofundocumented individual heads of
household personally receivebenefits.
(25:33):
So deal with that.
Data from the Center forImmigration Studies and the
Survey of Income and ProgramParticipation, they bring to
light a major distinctionbetween personal use and
household use.
(25:56):
For households with children,that number goes up to 84.6
percent.
Now when it comes to individualuse, only one in five
undocumented household headspersonally receive benefits.
(26:16):
U.S.
born citizen children living inthese households.
Big question for many people iswhat benefits can undocumented
immigrants legally receive?
By federal law, this is underthe Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity ReconciliationAct, undocumented immigrants are
categorized as not qualifiedaliens or borrowed from standard
(26:38):
programs like SNAP, food stamps,regular Medicaid, temporary
assistance for needy families,supplemental security income,
but they can legally receivespecific emergency, state level
or child focus benefits.
For example, emergency Medicaidcovering life-threatening
medical events, childbirthexpenses.
(26:59):
While 39% of undocumentedhouseholds have a member on
Medicaid, only 1% ofundocumented household heads
personally use it.
And that's only for emergencies.
When it comes to the childnutrition programs, again,
undocumented children, pregnantpostpartum women, qualify
directly for the specialsupplemental nutrition program
(27:20):
for women, infants, andchildren, the work program, and
either free or reduced priceschool lunches.
The earned income tax credits,an estimated several million
undocumented immigrants holdtemporary work authorizations,
like DACA, temporary protectedstatus.
So that grants them a socialsecurity number to legally claim
(27:41):
the earned income tax credit ifthey pay income taxes.
When it comes to state fundedprograms, roughly 14 states use
their own local funds to providehealth care coverage to
undocumented children, and otherstates offer limited health care
to adults.
Now let's turn to the CatoInstitute, who did a huge
30-year study.
(28:03):
It's called Immigrants RecentEffects on Government Budgets
1994 to 2023.
And what it reveals is thatimmigrants generated a
cumulative net fiscal surplus of14.5 trillion dollars for the
U.S.
government budgets.
Let me try that.
Immigrants generated acumulative net fiscal surplus of
(28:27):
$14.5 trillion for U.S.
government budgets.
The analysis evaluated thingslike federal, state, local data,
and came to the conclusion thatimmigrants consistently paid
more in taxes than they consumedin benefits every single year
during that 30-year span,1994-2023.
(28:49):
Let's drill in a little deeperhere.
As far as deficit reduction,immigrants cut overall U.S.
budget deficits by roughly onethird between 1994 and 2023,
providing an independent fiscalsavings of$878 billion in 2023
alone.
Without the tax contributions ofimmigrants, total U.S.
(29:12):
public debt would have surpassed205% of gross domestic product,
which would be nearly double itsactual 2023 level.
Immigrants generated about 17percent more in taxes per
capita, roughly$100,000 more perperson than native-born
Americans over the 30-yeartimeframe.
(29:34):
In 2023 alone, immigrantscontributed$1.3 trillion in
total taxes while receiving,again through the means I talked
about earlier,$761 billion ingovernmental benefits.
And immigrants produced a$6.6trillion surplus at the state
(29:55):
and local levels because theystatistically consume less in
public education, governmentpensions, and policing compared
to U.S.
born citizens.
So when you hear someone statesomething that your knee-jerk
reaction compels you to pushback against, try informing
yourself just a little bit,because it might lead you to
(30:17):
something known as understandingthe truth.
(31:05):
Road just became a lot moreclear for her, thanks to her
winning the recent Amplify YourAmbitions music competition,
which I believe she is a greatliving example of the name of
that competition, originallyfrom East Brunswick, New Jersey.
She's gone from playing forchange in the New York City
subway to an online musicdownload career with the
downloads in the hundreds ofthousands, stall one for even
(31:26):
over a million.
What's next for her?
Well, let's find out by sayinghello to Karen Hardy.
How are you today, Karen?
SPEAKER_01 (31:33):
Hey, how are you?
That was such a good intro,thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (31:36):
Well, you got good stuff, and you can check out
Karen's music, Instagram,Spotify, Apple Music.
We've got links on our homepageas well, because you know, for
those individual pages, thelinks are obscenely long, so
trying to tell you them, it'sjust easier to show you where
they are.
Let's uh I mean we played alittle pie uh a piece of
something to lose, but talkabout your your music.
(31:59):
What what's your sound?
What are you going for?
SPEAKER_01 (32:04):
I would say my sound is like pop RB um or like pop
soul.
That's kind of always what I'vesaid.
It's definitely like I am a popgirl for sure.
But I like you said, I mean, youused the word soulful um like
when you were listening to mymusic.
So I definitely like soulful,some RB influence, a lot of like
(32:26):
throwback 90s influence.
Um yeah, that's so the shortanswer is like pop RB.
SPEAKER_00 (32:34):
I'm glad you say influence because so many times
I hear interviews or I seereviews, so you know, someone
says they sound like somebody.
You know, I'm I'm gonna go oldschool here, but and because
it's limiting, because ifsomeone said, Well, that person,
he sounds like Frank Sinatra,okay.
I'm gonna go download thisstuff, I'll go see him.
Oh yeah, sounds just likeSinatra.
(32:55):
But then they'll go back andlisten to Sinatra.
So trying to be presented assounding like someone, that's
that's just gonna limit yourlongevity.
And I was reading somebackground about you, as you
quickly learned, it's very toughto become to go from being one
of many to being one.
How do you think you've donethat?
SPEAKER_01 (33:14):
Yeah, I think you have to like find multiple
things that set you apart.
Um, and I mean it's kind of beena like uh the journey of my
music career, like figuring outwhat exactly it is that sets me
apart.
Um, and I think I'm leaning moreinto obviously like I do think
my voice is like that is Karen.
(33:36):
Um, but on top of that, like mystory is very unique.
Um and I'm like just starting tolean into that.
Also, like everyone everyone'spersonality is so unique, so I'm
trying less to be like what I'mexpected to be like and more
just like authentically myself.
(33:58):
So that's kind of my how I'mfiguring out exactly what sets
Karen Hardy apart.
But yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (34:06):
And and the way you do things too.
I mean, you're telling heartstories about from your life and
experience.
Have you ever do you ever hearback from people saying, I was
going to listen to to a songthat I thought was about you,
but oh my god, it's about me.
SPEAKER_01 (34:22):
Uh yeah, that's a good way of putting that.
Yeah, I get a lot of DMs.
I mean, I've talked a lot aboutlike depression online and
mental health and stuff likethat, and I get a lot of people
reaching out.
Um, even when I post about likeI have this one song about being
cheated on, and I got a lot ofgirls reaching out being like,
(34:44):
This is exactly what happened tome.
Yeah, those are the best, bestmessages to get.
SPEAKER_00 (34:51):
From Karen Hardy, who is stepping forward through
winning the Amplify YourAmbitions competition.
You can check out her greatmusic in well, pretty much every
place you should be checking outgreat music.
Spotify, Apple.
You can follow her on Instagram.
You're listening to issues andideas.
You mentioned about and Ireferenced it in the
(35:11):
introduction too, about you havea path, but then you always find
out there's going to be a lot ofchallenges along the way.
And you you had a couple ofrough spots there.
Why did you not give up?
What got you back on track?
SPEAKER_01 (35:26):
Um I just think it's like a moth to a flame.
I think a lot of musicians havethat feeling where it's like
they they just cannot stop.
But this is like for me, thishas been my dream literally
since I was like seven yearsold.
Like there was nothing else thatI ever wanted for my life.
I just wanted to be a singer.
(35:48):
And every time I would take astep back from music, I wouldn't
even take a big step back, butlike detach myself a little bit,
something would pull me back in.
And um I can say like now I'm ata very like I'm just at a great
spot with music where it's likeI really think that I'm doing it
(36:08):
fully for the love of music andnot I mean, of course I want to
have this like big career, butat the end of the day, like it's
it's my love of music that'sdriving me and and not really
for anything else.
So I yeah, I think it's justlike how much I love it.
SPEAKER_00 (36:25):
I wish I didn't sometimes, but But it's it's the
difference of doing art for theart before the benefits as
opposed to doing art for thebenefits first.
SPEAKER_01 (36:37):
Yeah.
I think we all get lostsomewhere along the way.
Like I think most musicians loveit when they're, you know, a
kid.
They really authentically loveit.
But then of course, like egostuff gets in the way.
But um, yeah, you just have tofigure out how to like push past
the ego and like get back to whyyou really started doing it in
(36:57):
the first place.
SPEAKER_00 (36:58):
You've been doing the the your music career for
quite some time before theAmplify Your Ambitions music
contest came along.
How much of what you learned onthe way to that point in your
life helped you succeed the wayyou did in the competition?
SPEAKER_01 (37:15):
I've been thinking about that a lot, actually,
because I don't think if I hadhad this opportunity like five,
ten years ago, I don't think Iwould have been able to show up
the way I did.
Like obviously I would have likeworked really hard to get it,
but I I think like I went intothe contest.
(37:35):
I really wanted it.
I really wanted to win the$200,000, obviously, that Sofi
was offering.
But it didn't feel like the endof the world if I didn't get it.
Like I was like, okay, I'm gonnastill be I'm still gonna pursue
music.
Like I'm still gonna find a wayto make this work.
(37:56):
This obviously would make thingsa lot easier and um a lot more
possible.
But I think, yeah, just likeknowing that it wasn't gonna be
the end of my career if I didn'tget it, that was a big part.
Then also just like myconfidence on stage and like
everything from that mysongwriting has gotten better to
my performing on stage to mysinging, like it's just yeah, it
(38:21):
all kind of lined up together.
SPEAKER_00 (38:22):
You know, it's like with self-publishing books,
doing your own thing for music,it it ain't cheap, as they say,
and um I have no doubt$200,000is going to move you forward
quite a few more squares fasterthan you were probably planning
on.
SPEAKER_01 (38:37):
Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, this is$200,000 is
life-changing.
Um yeah.
But I think you just have tolike tell yourself, like, okay,
I'm gonna figure out either way,but now it's like a huge, huge
weight off my shoulders, and ontop of that, it's just like I
can dream bigger now.
I can like see the full visionand actually make it happen.
SPEAKER_00 (39:01):
Do you plan on staying I guess your own your
own your own boss or are youlooking for uh to get signed?
What are you what are your plansas far as that's concerned?
SPEAKER_01 (39:12):
Um not looking to get signed yet, but I definitely
want people on my team.
So I think the next step is likefor sure management of some
sort.
Um, just someone to bounce ideasoff of and help me push it
forward.
I'm good at the music part, butlike the marketing stuff, that's
not my expertise.
So that's another thing.
Like this money is gonna allowme to like bring more people on
(39:34):
who are actually good at theirarea, you know?
SPEAKER_00 (39:37):
Well, you're you're definitely worthy of being found
by more people than you alreadyhave, which is a spectacular
number as a DIY project, I guesswe can call it.
And you know, certainly talkabout your family because you
have two older brothers with uhwith disabilities.
How much did that help in theway that your communication
(39:57):
skills came about for yourmusic?
SPEAKER_01 (40:02):
Yeah, I'm like obsessed with my family and
especially my brothers, likewe're all just really close.
Um, and we were growing up likein these environments, like our
our community was um kind oflike my brother's friends and
stuff like that.
And I I realized really quicklythat music was a universal
(40:26):
language, kind of like even forsomeone who maybe can't get
their words out as easily, it'slike a um just everyone
gravitates towards music andfinds some type of relief in it.
And then I realized that it justlike that um I I that I that
that just became something thatwas more and more aware, like I
(40:47):
became more and more aware of asI got older.
And so now I I work within theum like autism community with
adults that are super musicallyinclined, and it's just kind of
solidified, like this is musicis a language.
It it is fully it's like the onething that I think we all feel
(41:09):
comforted by, which I is justthis incredible thing.
So yeah, that's my long-windedanswer for that.
SPEAKER_00 (41:17):
And very, very telling answer too, and I think
very, very instructive foranyone for you listening.
If if you want great music,definitely listen to Karen's
stuff.
And again, we had the links forher music at Spotify and Apple
over at our homepage.
And find out more about herstory too, over at her Instagram
page, and if you just do aGoogle search at Karen Hardy,
because Karen's very open aboutwhat she did, the paths she
(41:39):
took, what she overcame, bothwith herself and her chosen
field, and I think you get somevery valuable lessons for
whatever it is that you have apassion for or you have a goal
for in your life as well.
Follow Karen over at Instagram,and again, check out her music
because it'll be a good thingthat you did, and you want to
share it as well.
Karen, pleasure meeting you,pleasure learning more about
(42:01):
your music and you, and thanksso much for being here today.
All the best.
SPEAKER_01 (42:06):
You too.
Thank you so much for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (42:09):
Today is Flag Day.
Flag Day commemorates theContinental Congress's official
adoption of the Stars andStripes as the American flag.
That was in 1777, before thefamiliar American flag design
came about.
Colonial troops fought under avariety of regional banners,
yellow gaston flag featuring theimage of a snake and the motto,
(42:29):
Don't Tread on me, that might bethe most familiar of them all.
As I said, Second ContinentalCongress passed the first flag
resolution on this day in 1777,which simply stated, resolved
that the flag of the thirteenUnited States be thirteen
stripes, alternate red andwhite, that the Union be
thirteen stars, white in theblue field, representing a new
(42:52):
constellation.
Yep.
That was it.
Now, while most credit BetsyRoss with sewing the very first
American flag, there is strongevidence it points to Francis
Hopkinson, who was a signer ofthe Declaration of Independence
as the actual designer of theStars and Stripes.
Over a century, the June 14thanniversary of the creation of
(43:13):
the American flag was basicallyreally not celebrated very much
at all.
Local celebrations did startduring the Civil War.
Around 1861, the momentumgenerated by schools, patriotic
organizations that eventuallypushed the holiday into federal
recognition.
President Wilson in 1916 issueda presidential proclamation that
(43:37):
officially established June 14thas flag day across the nation.
Then President Harry S.
Truman, 1949, signed an act ofCongress that permanently
codified June fourteenth asNational Flag Day and requested
that future presidents issue anannual proclamation for its
observance.
(44:00):
symbol which represents all thatis a part of the foundation of
America.
When we stand before with ourhand over our heart, we do it to
show respect for what theAmerican flag represents.
We're not looking at theAmerican flag as an idol,
because to do so would certainlyrun counter to everything that
the American flag stands for,which is established by, I
(44:20):
think, one of the most importantsections of the Declaration of
Independence.
(44:50):
We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are
created equal, that they areendowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights thatamong these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
God says much about idolatry andnone of his word encourages it.
God's direct and preciseinstructions come to us from
(45:10):
Exodus chapter twenty versesthree through five you shall
have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourselfa carved image any likeness of
anything that is in heavenabove, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the waterunder the earth, you shall not
bow down to them nor serve them.
(45:31):
Teaches us that idolatry doesnot bring us to any kind of
freedom that God offers to us.
It's a path really to the exactopposite but then indeed when
you did not know God you servethose which by nature are not
gods.
Idolatry does not bring us tohappiness either.
Here's what we read in Jonahchapter two verse eight those
(45:52):
who regard worthless idolsforsake their own mercy.
Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 10writes a great deal about
idolatry, one of his manyimportant points helps us
realize that while idolatryisn't illegal when it comes to
earthly law, it's not what webelieve it to be for us.
Reading here from verse 23 allthings are lawful for me, but
(46:15):
not all things are helpful.
All things are lawful for me,but not all things edify.
When you fully understand whatidolatry keeps company with that
truth I think will compel you toquickly turn away from it.
This lesson is found inColossians chapter three verse
five therefore put to death yourmembers which are on the earth
(46:38):
fornication, uncleanness,passion, evil desire, and
covetous which is idolatry nowthat doesn't make God's truth
crystal clear to you let me takeyou to Galatians chapter five
verses nineteen through twentyone now the works of the flesh
are evident, which are adultery,fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry, sorcery,hatred, contentions, jealousies,
(47:03):
outbursts of wrath, selfishambitions, dissensions,
heresies, envy, murders,drunkenness, revelries, and the
like of which I tell youbeforehand, just as I also told
you in time past, that those whopractice such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
All of what I've just placedbefore you is why we don't treat
(47:25):
the American flag with idolatry.
We treat it with respect andreverence.
We are not bowing before anidol.
We're pledging to do all that wecan to uphold and protect all
that the American flag standsfor.
So you'll better understand whatthose ideals are here's comedian
Red Skelton who on his TV showon January 14th, 1969, stood
(47:47):
before his audience and theAmerican people to share this.
SPEAKER_04 (47:52):
Well I remember a teacher that I had now I only I
went I went through the seventhgrade.
I went to the seventh grade andI left home when I was 10 years
old because I was hungry.
And I used to I work in thesummer and I go to school in the
winter.
But I had this one teacher whowas the principal of the
Harrison School in VincennesIndiana.
To me this was the greatestteacher a real sage of of my
(48:13):
time anyhow he had such wisdomand we were all reciting the
Pledge of Allegiance one day andhe walked over this little
teacher Mr.
Laswell was his name.
Mr.
Lasswell he says uh he says I'vebeen listening to you boys and
girls recite the Pledge ofAllegiance all semester and it
(48:36):
seems as though it's becomingmonotonous to you if I may I
recite it and try to explain toyou the meaning of each word I
mean an individual a committeeof one pledge dedicate all of my
(49:01):
worldly goods to give withoutself-pity allegiance my love and
my devotion to the flag ourstandard O glory a symbol of
freedom wherever she wavesthere's respect because your
(49:23):
loyalty has given her a dignitythat shouts freedom is
everybody's job united thatmeans that we have all come
together states individualcommunities that have united
into forty eight great statesforty eight individual
(49:44):
communities with pride anddignity and purpose all divided
with imaginary boundaries yetunited to a common purpose and
that's love for country and tothe republic republic a state in
which sovereign power isinvested in representative
(50:05):
chosen by the people to governand government is the people and
it's from the people to theleaders not from the leaders to
the people for which it standsone nation one nation meaning so
(50:25):
blessed by God indivisibleincapable of being divided with
liberty which is freedom theright of power to live one's own
life without threats fear orsome sort of retaliation and
(50:46):
justice the principle orqualities of dealing fairly with
others for all for all whichmeans boys and girls it's as
much your country as it is mine.
And now boys and girls let mehear you recite the Pledge of
(51:10):
Allegiance I pledge allegianceto the flag of the United States
of America and to the republicfor which it stands one nation
indivisible with liberty andjustice for all since I was a
small boy two states have beenadded to our country and two
(51:36):
words have been added to thePledge of Allegiance under God.
SPEAKER_00 (51:42):
Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a
prayer and that would beeliminated from schools too glad
to have you along for a littletravel into the truth.
(52:02):
Look forward to being with youright here this time next week
for our next edition of Issuesand ideas.
Hello, welcome to Issues and Ideas.
I'm Chris Tabello.
SPEAKER_05 (00:08):
I love the numbers which are identified for the
Trevor Burrus.
You know what I really love?
SPEAKER_06 (00:12):
I love the inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (00:13):
That was Donald Trump in this past week in the
Oval Office reacting to the MayConsumer Price Index number, the
inflation rate, which came in atan annual rate of 4.2 percent.
How do we make sense of this?
Why would you, even by mistake,say, I love the inflation?
Listen again.
SPEAKER_05 (00:34):
What are you concerned, Mr.
President, about the latestinflation number which came out
this morning?
Could that be a no?
I love the numbers you're tryingto try and find.
SPEAKER_06 (00:42):
You know what I really love?
I love the inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (00:44):
Is he just simple-mindedly looking at the
numbers saying, oh, 4.2, that'salmost double what it was the
last time, higher number good?
There's no there's no rhyme orreason to saying something like
that.
I mean, how how out of touch doyou have to be, even if it was a
mistake to make a mistake likethat?
One more time.
SPEAKER_05 (01:04):
Are you concerned, Mr.
President, about the latestinflation number which came out
this morning?
Could that be a no I lovenumbers were trying to find the
question?
SPEAKER_06 (01:12):
You know what I really love?
I love the inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
I'm just helping the inevitable along here a bit
because every Republicancandidate is going to hear
Donald Trump speak thatsentence.
Every waking moment, everysleeping moment, as well as
every Democratic candidate'scommercial, is going to include
that line.
At least until Trump comes upwith something that surpasses
(01:36):
even that.
And don't worry, he will.
All right, let's take a moredetailed look now at the May
Consumer Price Index numbers,what they established, and how
they're impacting your life,certainly in more ways than
many, especially in the WhiteHouse, want to recognize.
To do that, we welcome thesenior managing partner with
Bellet Capital, Gursten Gibbs.
Thanks for being here today,Gerson.
SPEAKER_03 (01:57):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (01:58):
And to find out more about Bellet Capital, it's
Bella, B-E-L-I-T-E Capital.com.
And of course, we have that linkover at our homepage.
Just as a foundation, the CPIfor it's called All Urban
Consumers, CPI-U, jumped a 0.5%on a seasonally adjusted basis
in May.
That leads to an overallincrease of uh inflation rate to
(02:23):
4.2%.
Historically, yours, and that isthat's not a good number and not
place to be in in any point intime, but for an inflation rate
the highest we've seen in threeyears, that points out to just a
lot more than just energy pricesbeing a problem, doesn't it?
SPEAKER_03 (02:41):
Absolutely.
I think one of the biggerproblems is um these the what's
happening over at the strait andof her moves and how that's
impacting oil prices that whichhave a direct impact on energy
prices, which have a directimpact on inflation.
I think if that's removed fromthe picture, we we pretty much
(03:01):
have a steady inflation that'sactually been cooling off.
But because of those issues, Ithink that you know everybody
could understand, or that's whatthe current administration is
arguing, that um it's attributedto that and not actual
inflation.
SPEAKER_00 (03:17):
But the the energy has tentacles that reach in.
I mean, just for the easiest, Iguess, analogy would would be to
make if diesel fuel costs moreand diesel trucks transport
goods to stores or suppliers,whatever the case may be,
therefore costs are going to goup, therefore leading to the
(03:37):
higher inflation.
SPEAKER_03 (03:39):
Correct, correct.
You know, energy prices rose uhabout three point nine percent
in May.
And you know, they accounted formore than sixty percent of the
entire CPI increase.
You know, gasoline jumped sevenpercent in a single month, and
is and it's up over fortypercent year over year.
So of course we're gonna see adirect impact on inflation, but
(04:02):
as they mentioned, I thinkinflation has been holding
steady since about dec um 2025,late 2025.
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
And um I'm gonna I think I'm gonna I'm gonna put
the uh the report from the uhfrom the government up on our
downloads page because there's alot to go into and not enough
time to do it here.
But just if you look at theenergy index, that increased
23.5% for the 12 months endingMay as well.
And again, as I said with myanalogy, because of that, the
(04:31):
food index increased 3.1% overthe last year.
And I know that's a generalnumber, but because you can look
at specific things you buy andthe the further down you drill,
you will find greater increasesin that 3.1%.
But Gerson, it's also importantto note, too, that as the
(04:51):
inflation rate most recently nowis at 4.2%, wage growth, most
recent number for that, is only3.4%.
Doesn't sound like a bigdifference, but when you're when
you're scraping by and you getthat gap of inflation versus
what you got coming in, you gota problem as far as personal
finance is concerned.
SPEAKER_03 (05:12):
Absolutely.
I think that um this is whythey're trying to resolve the
issues surrounding um Iran andthe Strait of Hormuz, because
it's happening it's having adirect ripple effect on any on
everyone, and we don't have thenecessary um foundation just yet
to kind of withstand this for along amount of time.
(05:32):
So even when I was lookingtoday, there were conversations
and negotiations going on,although we've heard this for
many months, um, and thennothing's changed.
They there are negotiations, andI'm hoping that something can
happen because it's it'sbeginning to have a ripple
ripple effect, like youmentioned, the inflation um rate
versus the wages, umunemployment rates and all of
(05:54):
these things are just having atremendous impact.
Um right now I don't think theum economy can hold up like this
for too much longer.
SPEAKER_00 (06:02):
It certainly was with with necessities again
using the connection analogy.
If you are a renter and yourlandlord has to pay less to uh
pay more for for taxes, forheating, for general supplies to
keep the the building or thehouse intact, uh your your rate
your your rent's not going to godown.
It's it's odds are the nextpossible increase, no matter
(06:24):
what the state limitations are,your rent is more likely to go
up than down.
Again, as a result of what we'reseeing.
And also, Gerson, it's importantto recognize, too, we've seen
reports about uh the I I thinkwith Scott Besson, he was
boasting that well people arespending more.
Well, yeah, it sounds great foran economy, but when that
spending is credit card spendingat twenty-five percent interest
(06:48):
rates just for bare necessities,that's gonna have it.
There's gonna even when theinflation rate goes down,
there's a long painful hangoverlooming.
SPEAKER_03 (06:57):
Oh, one hundred percent, because spending is up,
but credit card usage is alsoup.
You know, and one of the one ofthe major things is that we we
want to see what this new Fedchair is gonna do, right?
And what is his approach versusthe former Fed chair.
So the there's a lot of thingsthat are stewing up and um could
possibly go in either direction.
(07:18):
But as I mentioned before, Idon't think it it could stay
this way too much longer.
SPEAKER_00 (07:23):
That's everything I mentioned too.
I hate to be the the grim reaperof finances here, but people are
at an increasing rate are ratingtheir 401ks and personal savings
not to reap the benefits oftheir long hard work of saving,
but to pay the rent, to buy thefood.
And again, great when inflationgoes back down, but that's not
going to replace what people arepulling out of their savings or
(07:46):
racking up in credit card debt.
SPEAKER_03 (07:49):
Yeah, 100%.
And um, you know, uh Americansare trying to find ways to cover
the gaps.
Again, this is a ripple effect.
We saw it last year with regardto tariffs, and tariffs had a
ripple effect.
Now it's a uh uh oil issue, andthat's having a ripple effect.
As I mentioned, I think that youknow, sometimes some things take
(08:10):
a little bit of time to evolveand and actually works in the
favor of the economy, but Idon't think that the just
general public and this thiseconomy can withstand much
longer with all of the changesin pricing and usage of money,
even taxes are having someimpact on people's pockets.
There's a lot of um changes withregard to that.
(08:32):
So I don't think that justaverage American will be able to
afford to live in America muchlonger if there's there's not
changes that are made.
SPEAKER_00 (08:41):
Well, Garrison Gibbs, who is senior managing
partner with Bailey Capital,Bailey Capital.com, their
website, and you're listening toissues and ideas.
If everything were to go asperfect as possible and some
resolution in the Middle Eastcould come about and the uh the
supply line would open, is thereanything out of history, out of
(09:02):
economic theory that would saythat inflation rates drop
quickly?
I mean, how how realisticallyare we can we expect inflation
to adjust to a better comfortpoint around the two percent
mark, which is uh a realisticgoal, I think, but how easy is
it to get it there?
SPEAKER_03 (09:21):
Well, it's not gonna be easy, just like negotiations
haven't been easy.
But I do believe if there is aperfect scenario and everything
did work itself out, it would itwould drop fairly quickly.
I think that this new Fed chairtakes a little bit of a hawkish
approach, and uh um he wouldbegin to reduce if he believes
(09:42):
that the economy is in the rightplace to do so, um, he would
begin to reduce fairly quickly.
I think the former Fed chair, hedid have reductions.
However, the reductions werevery small, incremental
reductions, took a moreconservative approach at
reducing um inflation rates.
Um but I think that this new Fedchair, he would take a different
(10:04):
approach.
So I assume if I were topredict, we should see those
numbers inching down into thethrees, into the twos by
sometime next year.
Um best case scenario.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
But then on the flip side, what what's the
consequence?
What's the risk if you cut ratestoo fast and too big?
SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
Um uh instability.
Right?
So I think that again I I seeinto the middle, into the late
of next year, I don't see ithappening extremely quickly.
Um, because again, that couldrattle the economy in just the
inverse effect.
Right?
So I believe that if it was tohappen in a perfect scenario, um
(10:43):
those rates you can see theminto the fourth quarter of next
year, possibly.
SPEAKER_00 (10:47):
Because we also have to take into account all the
aspects of the economy, whetherit's energy, food, housing.
Everyone has to feel comfortablethat the storm is over before
they start dropping what theycould drop as far as retail is
concerned.
And that only happens whenwholesale drops because prices
drop.
So it's uh, you know, I I knowthe phrase is, well, as soon as
(11:09):
the war is over, it's gonna droplike a rock.
Well, a nice, nice, nice bumpersticker.
But the reality of economicsdictates a a very different
reality.
Learn more about the services ofBellet Capital, where Gerson is
their senior managing partner atBellet Capital.com.
Gerson Gibbs, thanks so much forhelping us understand the
reality versus the pol thepolitics speak, I guess I'll
(11:32):
call it, of what the economy isall about.
Thanks for being here today.
SPEAKER_02 (11:36):
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (11:38):
I give you the layers regarding the planned ICE
detention center in Roxbury, NewJersey, Project Ninja, and New
Jersey Appleseed.
They've sent a letter to the DHSoffice of the Inspector General.
That's the advisory board thataudits the DHS purchases of
warehouses for use as detentionfacilities.
They outline uh a few legalviolations and irregularities in
(12:02):
the DHS purchase of thewarehouse in Roxbury.
Give you some of the info here.
DHS appears to have had no legalrepresentation.
Meaning here, DHS does notappear to have been represented
by any attorney in a transactionthat cost taxpayers$129.3
million dollars.
Individuals signed closingdocuments on DHS's behalf,
(12:25):
describing itself as its legalrepresentative, but doesn't have
a law degree.
DHS appears to have overpaidmore than$67 million in the
deal.
That enriched Goldman Sachs, whopaid$109.3 million for the
warehouse, that had an assessedvalue of$62.2 million.
DHS and Goldman Sachs appear tohave intentionally violated New
(12:48):
Jersey law.
Goldman Sachs is a seller, aidedby DHS as the buyer, appears to
have violated New Jersey law byfailing to provide the required
one-month notice to the NewJersey Department of
Environmental Protection at thepurchase of the warehouse.
That's in violation terms of aconservation easement.
And the DHS neglected to performan ignored findings from basic
(13:10):
due diligence revealing thefacility cannot be used as
intended.
Other than that, everything isjust fine.
We'll see what the response toall this is.
I'll keep you posted.
If you're listening to us viayour favorite podcast platform,
make sure you follow andsubscribe.
Past week the Social SecurityAdministration released their
(13:31):
annual report on the status ofthe much relied-on retirement
and disability program, and no,the news was not good as the
date of the fund and solvencymoved even more soon than it had
already been anticipated.
So, what's this mean for peoplereceiving Social Security
benefits?
Is there anything we've done toextend rather than shorten the
(13:52):
solvency of the program?
Hitter Explorer All This is theSenior Vice President and Senior
Policy Director with theCommittee for a Responsible
Federal Budget.
Mark Goldwarren, how are youtoday, Mark?
SPEAKER_02 (14:03):
Uh I'm good.
Thanks so much for having me on.
SPEAKER_00 (14:05):
Well, great to have you here to help people better
understand because they hear thehead or they see the headlines
and the fear strikes, so theymissed out on important details.
And to see the report on SocialSecurity by the Committee of For
a Responsible Federal Budget andanswers and solutions as well.
CRFB.org is their website.
SPEAKER_02 (14:30):
Um it's pretty bad.
Look, people should be a littlescared.
Here's what the report says.
Um Social Security is projectedto run out of its reserves in
six years in 2032, and thenMedicare is projected to run out
of its reserves six months laterin 2033.
Now that doesn't mean eitherprogram goes away.
(14:50):
But what the law says is thatwhen it has no reserves, that
the benefits get cut to matchthe revenue.
And for Social Security, that isa twenty-two percent benefit
cut, abrupt, immediate, andprobably across the board.
SPEAKER_00 (15:02):
Now what's uh as I said, the the insolvency date
continues to to get closer andcloser, uh as you said now down
to six years.
It had been longer, not too longago, ironically.
What's the what's been thedriving catalyst for this this
dark day getting closer?
SPEAKER_02 (15:22):
So the insolvency date moved up a bit.
They moved up two or threemonths because um there's less
revenue coming coming in fromtaxation to benefits from the
one big beautiful bill.
But the real reason that we'velost time is because we spent a
year ignoring this issue, right?
So last year we had seven yearsand then we waited a year.
So big surprise now we have sixyears.
(15:43):
Uh the problem is we've beendoing this since the eighties.
We've known this problem wascoming.
We've been talking about fixingit since the nineties, and yet
here we are in the year 2026,and we're no closer, and if
anything, further from fixing itthan we were back then.
SPEAKER_00 (15:58):
When the the whole the whole program was created by
initiatives from then PresidentFranklin Delano or Roosevelt,
didn't FDR even say that whatwe're doing is not a forever
situation at some point in thefuture.
New ideas and new and new pathshave to be taken, and it's just
been completely, totallyignored.
SPEAKER_02 (16:17):
Well, in fairness, I think that what he envisioned
was the program was going to getbigger, and that is exactly what
happened.
It expanded to includesurvivors' benefits and spousal
benefits and disabilitybenefits, and to be larger and
to be automatically indexed.
So we have, in fact, followedthrough on his vision to expand
the program.
The problem is we haven'tfollowed through on his vision
to file fully finance it.
FDR always believed SocialSecurity should be paid for
(16:40):
internally.
People should pay their own way.
And right now, the revenue isway short of the benefits.
And so either we need more taxescoming in, less benefits going
out, or some combination.
And frankly, it's hard for me tosee any solution other than some
combination.
SPEAKER_00 (16:56):
For you listening, Social Security currently
provides monthly benefits toaround seventy-one million
Americans, and that's forforty-three percent of seniors,
all or most of their personalincome.
So again, like uh like Morrissaid, there is a fear that's
growing as far as the as theinsolvency time gets closer and
(17:20):
closer.
In the past, has this happenedand how has it been been
addressed in the past to extendthe solvency?
SPEAKER_02 (17:27):
Yeah, so we've had two times in the past that we've
approached insolvency in 1977and 1983.
And both times in differentways, policymakers came together
um and they enacted a set offixes.
We raised the retirement age, weincreased the amount of income
subject to the cap, we changedthe payroll tax, we brought more
people onto the program, weadjusted the formula.
Like the solutions are outthere.
(17:48):
And and I do also want to pointout, you're right, there are so
many people that really rely onSocial Security, and a 22%
benefit cut would bedevastating.
It would cut benefits by$500 amonth, even in just today's
dollars.
But there's a whole other set ofpeople that are that don't even
really rely on their socialsecurity at all.
The Social Security benefits arenow$100,000 for the very richest
(18:10):
couples.
And so there's opportunities, Ithink, to slow the benefit
growth for seniors that havetens of millions of dollars in
assets in order to preserve itfor those that really are
relying on the program.
SPEAKER_00 (18:21):
And I mean it sounds like an obvious observation.
If someone is sitting on savingsor if life really worked out for
them and they have assets ofseven, eight, nine figures, why
do they need social security?
SPEAKER_02 (18:35):
Yeah, I mean I think that's a fair question.
Um now uh we've proposedsomething that doesn't actually
take away their social security.
All it says is your socialsecurity benefits can't go over
for a couple a hundred thousanddollars a year.
So even if you have tens ofmillions, we're still saying you
can collect a hundred thousand,just maybe not a hundred and ten
thousand.
I think it's a pretty modestproposal.
Um and it wouldn't fix socialsecurity on its own, but it
(18:57):
would help make some somesignificant leeway.
SPEAKER_00 (19:00):
And you mentioned too that the idea, the plan was
that you pay in and take outwhat you pay in like you would
with a bank account or achecking account, but just
because of the way the theprogram has grown and the
finances have all but all butcollapsed, that's that idea is
long past, and I don't thinkwe'd ever get back to that that
ratio, would we?
SPEAKER_02 (19:20):
Yeah, I mean the problem is people are actually
have been getting out more thanthey put in on average.
It was never supposed to be likea savings account that you get
what you put back in.
But there was this idea that youpaying in sort of bought you the
ticket to be able to getbenefits.
The problem is those benefitshave been larger than the
payments.
And um the sort of the scheme isfalling apart because there's
(19:42):
there's such a large gap.
And so either people are gonnahave to pay more, they're gonna
have to get less, or there's onescary option, which is the
federal government may say it'stoo hard to change social
security, we're just gonnaborrow.
We're just gonna borrow another$800 trillion over the next 75
years.
That would put the country intoa debt crisis.
SPEAKER_00 (20:01):
There there's various programs under the
umbrella of Social Security, butthey're separate funds.
Is there a way to, would it beprudent to combine the funds and
would that prolong the solvency?
SPEAKER_02 (20:15):
Right.
So the retirement fund runs outin 2032.
There's a separate disabilityfund.
That fund is healthy, and wecould take some money from the
disability fund, put it to theretirement fund, that would buy
us about a year and a half.
So that could get us to 2034.
Um that might make sense aswe're sort of buying time to
phase in changes, but it's not apermanent solution.
(20:36):
It's a kick the can thatliterally gets you, you know,
from one presidentialadministration to the next.
It doesn't get you much furtherthan that.
SPEAKER_00 (20:44):
When you say to raise taxes to create revenue
for the program, what kind oftax increase would would be all
part be talking about?
SPEAKER_02 (20:53):
So if we were to do this entirely from the payroll
tax rate, we'd ultimately haveto increase that rate by 50%.
So right now, this payroll taxrate for Social Security is
12.4%, you pay half, youremployer pays half.
We'd have to gradually increaseit to about 19%, 18 or 19%.
So this is a massive increase.
Now, we could do less of that ifwe solve some of the problem by
(21:16):
raising that cap, that$185,000cap on income subject to the
wage cap.
But that's not going to solvethe whole problem either.
That over the long run solvesmaybe a quarter of the problem.
And we could also look at thingslike subjecting some kinds of
fringe benefits to the tax.
So we don't have to do it allwith the rate increase, but to
solve this all on the tax side,over time, we're talking about a
(21:37):
very large tax increase.
SPEAKER_00 (21:40):
You you present, and again, over at your website, uh
CRFB.org, you present detailedpaths to repair what's already
broken.
Problem is, well, we have themidterms looming, and if the
party who is in charge remainsin charge, we see program cuts
as their idea.
(22:00):
As far as you know, what what'sleft to be cut other than then
again, money to thebeneficiaries.
SPEAKER_02 (22:09):
Well, look, uh social security benefits um not
only are large for those richbeneficiaries, but they actually
continue to grow pretty rapidlyover time.
Over the next seventy-fiveyears, the average real
benefits, meaning adjusted forinflation, are projected to
triple.
And so there is room to savemoney by just slowing the
growth.
But we have six years untilinsolvency and we're not gonna
(22:32):
make huge changes to currentbeneficiaries, which means there
really is no option other thanhaving tax revenue.
You can't save money from newbeneficiaries fast enough.
Um and frankly, I don't thinkyou can raise taxes high enough,
which is why I say we're gonnaneed some kind of combination of
more taxes and less benefits.
But it doesn't have to be lessbenefits than today.
It just has to be less benefitsthan projected in the future.
SPEAKER_00 (22:56):
I know this is outside your realm, but one of
the other contributing facts tothe solvency of Social Security
is the fact that undocumentedundocumented immigrants, they
can't at least legally receivebenefits from Social Security,
but when they're working on thebooks, they pay into Social
Security.
So theoretically, if as so manypeople want to do, you remove
(23:17):
that demographic from thecontributing population, that
would just magnify the problem.
SPEAKER_02 (23:23):
That that's right.
I mean, one of the funny things,maybe not funny, um, but there's
some people that think you canfix social security by cutting
fraud.
It turns out fraud of collectingbenefits is actually very low.
The biggest source of fraud inSocial Security is people that
are illegally paying into theprogram, right?
And so it's um illegal,undocumented, whatever you want
to call it.
Um immigrants that are actuallyhelping the program by paying in
(23:46):
and not getting benefits back.
And so the recent um r you know,strengthening of immigration
rules and administrationactually has worsened social
security's trust fund.
SPEAKER_00 (23:57):
Well, as I said, we have the midterm elections
coming up, and hopefully for youlistening, this will be a key
part of what you're asking andlistening from the candidates
when they start talking aboutthings that matter to you.
We have the Social Securityreport over at our downloads
page.
If you uh don't do it on a fullstomach, trust me, but check
that out because a lot of graphsand a lot of information.
(24:18):
And to find some path tosolutions, that's what the
Committee for ResponsibleFederal Budget is providing at
CRFB.org.
He is their senior vicepresident and senior policy
director.
Mark Goldwine, thanks so muchfor being here today and helping
us better understand the urgencyof finding a solution to a very
serious problem.
Thanks again.
SPEAKER_02 (24:37):
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (24:38):
Now I know what I said there toward the end of
that segment is going to makesome people's heads explode, so
let me back it up.
This is all from a variety ofsources, including Center for
Immigration Studies, NationalImmigration Forum, American
Immigration Council.
An estimated 61% of householdsheaded by undocumented
immigrants get at least one formof public benefit compared to
(25:00):
37% of households headed by aU.S.
born citizen.
However, only 20% ofundocumented individual heads of
household personally receivebenefits.
(25:33):
So deal with that.
Data from the Center forImmigration Studies and the
Survey of Income and ProgramParticipation, they bring to
light a major distinctionbetween personal use and
household use.
(25:56):
For households with children,that number goes up to 84.6
percent.
Now when it comes to individualuse, only one in five
undocumented household headspersonally receive benefits.
(26:16):
U.S.
born citizen children living inthese households.
Big question for many people iswhat benefits can undocumented
immigrants legally receive?
By federal law, this is underthe Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity ReconciliationAct, undocumented immigrants are
categorized as not qualifiedaliens or borrowed from standard
(26:38):
programs like SNAP, food stamps,regular Medicaid, temporary
assistance for needy families,supplemental security income,
but they can legally receivespecific emergency, state level
or child focus benefits.
For example, emergency Medicaidcovering life-threatening
medical events, childbirthexpenses.
(26:59):
While 39% of undocumentedhouseholds have a member on
Medicaid, only 1% ofundocumented household heads
personally use it.
And that's only for emergencies.
When it comes to the childnutrition programs, again,
undocumented children, pregnantpostpartum women, qualify
directly for the specialsupplemental nutrition program
(27:20):
for women, infants, andchildren, the work program, and
either free or reduced priceschool lunches.
The earned income tax credits,an estimated several million
undocumented immigrants holdtemporary work authorizations,
like DACA, temporary protectedstatus.
So that grants them a socialsecurity number to legally claim
(27:41):
the earned income tax credit ifthey pay income taxes.
When it comes to state fundedprograms, roughly 14 states use
their own local funds to providehealth care coverage to
undocumented children, and otherstates offer limited health care
to adults.
Now let's turn to the CatoInstitute, who did a huge
30-year study.
(28:03):
It's called Immigrants RecentEffects on Government Budgets
1994 to 2023.
And what it reveals is thatimmigrants generated a
cumulative net fiscal surplus of14.5 trillion dollars for the
U.S.
government budgets.
Let me try that.
Immigrants generated acumulative net fiscal surplus of
(28:27):
$14.5 trillion for U.S.
government budgets.
The analysis evaluated thingslike federal, state, local data,
and came to the conclusion thatimmigrants consistently paid
more in taxes than they consumedin benefits every single year
during that 30-year span,1994-2023.
(28:49):
Let's drill in a little deeperhere.
As far as deficit reduction,immigrants cut overall U.S.
budget deficits by roughly onethird between 1994 and 2023,
providing an independent fiscalsavings of$878 billion in 2023
alone.
Without the tax contributions ofimmigrants, total U.S.
(29:12):
public debt would have surpassed205% of gross domestic product,
which would be nearly double itsactual 2023 level.
Immigrants generated about 17percent more in taxes per
capita, roughly$100,000 more perperson than native-born
Americans over the 30-yeartimeframe.
(29:34):
In 2023 alone, immigrantscontributed$1.3 trillion in
total taxes while receiving,again through the means I talked
about earlier,$761 billion ingovernmental benefits.
And immigrants produced a$6.6trillion surplus at the state
(29:55):
and local levels because theystatistically consume less in
public education, governmentpensions, and policing compared
to U.S.
born citizens.
So when you hear someone statesomething that your knee-jerk
reaction compels you to pushback against, try informing
yourself just a little bit,because it might lead you to
(30:17):
something known as understandingthe truth.
(31:05):
Road just became a lot moreclear for her, thanks to her
winning the recent Amplify YourAmbitions music competition,
which I believe she is a greatliving example of the name of
that competition, originallyfrom East Brunswick, New Jersey.
She's gone from playing forchange in the New York City
subway to an online musicdownload career with the
downloads in the hundreds ofthousands, stall one for even
(31:26):
over a million.
What's next for her?
Well, let's find out by sayinghello to Karen Hardy.
How are you today, Karen?
SPEAKER_01 (31:33):
Hey, how are you?
That was such a good intro,thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (31:36):
Well, you got good stuff, and you can check out
Karen's music, Instagram,Spotify, Apple Music.
We've got links on our homepageas well, because you know, for
those individual pages, thelinks are obscenely long, so
trying to tell you them, it'sjust easier to show you where
they are.
Let's uh I mean we played alittle pie uh a piece of
something to lose, but talkabout your your music.
(31:59):
What what's your sound?
What are you going for?
SPEAKER_01 (32:04):
I would say my sound is like pop RB um or like pop
soul.
That's kind of always what I'vesaid.
It's definitely like I am a popgirl for sure.
But I like you said, I mean, youused the word soulful um like
when you were listening to mymusic.
So I definitely like soulful,some RB influence, a lot of like
(32:26):
throwback 90s influence.
Um yeah, that's so the shortanswer is like pop RB.
SPEAKER_00 (32:34):
I'm glad you say influence because so many times
I hear interviews or I seereviews, so you know, someone
says they sound like somebody.
You know, I'm I'm gonna go oldschool here, but and because
it's limiting, because ifsomeone said, Well, that person,
he sounds like Frank Sinatra,okay.
I'm gonna go download thisstuff, I'll go see him.
Oh yeah, sounds just likeSinatra.
(32:55):
But then they'll go back andlisten to Sinatra.
So trying to be presented assounding like someone, that's
that's just gonna limit yourlongevity.
And I was reading somebackground about you, as you
quickly learned, it's very toughto become to go from being one
of many to being one.
How do you think you've donethat?
SPEAKER_01 (33:14):
Yeah, I think you have to like find multiple
things that set you apart.
Um, and I mean it's kind of beena like uh the journey of my
music career, like figuring outwhat exactly it is that sets me
apart.
Um, and I think I'm leaning moreinto obviously like I do think
my voice is like that is Karen.
(33:36):
Um, but on top of that, like mystory is very unique.
Um and I'm like just starting tolean into that.
Also, like everyone everyone'spersonality is so unique, so I'm
trying less to be like what I'mexpected to be like and more
just like authentically myself.
(33:58):
So that's kind of my how I'mfiguring out exactly what sets
Karen Hardy apart.
But yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (34:06):
And and the way you do things too.
I mean, you're telling heartstories about from your life and
experience.
Have you ever do you ever hearback from people saying, I was
going to listen to to a songthat I thought was about you,
but oh my god, it's about me.
SPEAKER_01 (34:22):
Uh yeah, that's a good way of putting that.
Yeah, I get a lot of DMs.
I mean, I've talked a lot aboutlike depression online and
mental health and stuff likethat, and I get a lot of people
reaching out.
Um, even when I post about likeI have this one song about being
cheated on, and I got a lot ofgirls reaching out being like,
(34:44):
This is exactly what happened tome.
Yeah, those are the best, bestmessages to get.
SPEAKER_00 (34:51):
From Karen Hardy, who is stepping forward through
winning the Amplify YourAmbitions competition.
You can check out her greatmusic in well, pretty much every
place you should be checking outgreat music.
Spotify, Apple.
You can follow her on Instagram.
You're listening to issues andideas.
You mentioned about and Ireferenced it in the
(35:11):
introduction too, about you havea path, but then you always find
out there's going to be a lot ofchallenges along the way.
And you you had a couple ofrough spots there.
Why did you not give up?
What got you back on track?
SPEAKER_01 (35:26):
Um I just think it's like a moth to a flame.
I think a lot of musicians havethat feeling where it's like
they they just cannot stop.
But this is like for me, thishas been my dream literally
since I was like seven yearsold.
Like there was nothing else thatI ever wanted for my life.
I just wanted to be a singer.
(35:48):
And every time I would take astep back from music, I wouldn't
even take a big step back, butlike detach myself a little bit,
something would pull me back in.
And um I can say like now I'm ata very like I'm just at a great
spot with music where it's likeI really think that I'm doing it
(36:08):
fully for the love of music andnot I mean, of course I want to
have this like big career, butat the end of the day, like it's
it's my love of music that'sdriving me and and not really
for anything else.
So I yeah, I think it's justlike how much I love it.
SPEAKER_00 (36:25):
I wish I didn't sometimes, but But it's it's the
difference of doing art for theart before the benefits as
opposed to doing art for thebenefits first.
SPEAKER_01 (36:37):
Yeah.
I think we all get lostsomewhere along the way.
Like I think most musicians loveit when they're, you know, a
kid.
They really authentically loveit.
But then of course, like egostuff gets in the way.
But um, yeah, you just have tofigure out how to like push past
the ego and like get back to whyyou really started doing it in
(36:57):
the first place.
SPEAKER_00 (36:58):
You've been doing the the your music career for
quite some time before theAmplify Your Ambitions music
contest came along.
How much of what you learned onthe way to that point in your
life helped you succeed the wayyou did in the competition?
SPEAKER_01 (37:15):
I've been thinking about that a lot, actually,
because I don't think if I hadhad this opportunity like five,
ten years ago, I don't think Iwould have been able to show up
the way I did.
Like obviously I would have likeworked really hard to get it,
but I I think like I went intothe contest.
(37:35):
I really wanted it.
I really wanted to win the$200,000, obviously, that Sofi
was offering.
But it didn't feel like the endof the world if I didn't get it.
Like I was like, okay, I'm gonnastill be I'm still gonna pursue
music.
Like I'm still gonna find a wayto make this work.
(37:56):
This obviously would make thingsa lot easier and um a lot more
possible.
But I think, yeah, just likeknowing that it wasn't gonna be
the end of my career if I didn'tget it, that was a big part.
Then also just like myconfidence on stage and like
everything from that mysongwriting has gotten better to
my performing on stage to mysinging, like it's just yeah, it
(38:21):
all kind of lined up together.
SPEAKER_00 (38:22):
You know, it's like with self-publishing books,
doing your own thing for music,it it ain't cheap, as they say,
and um I have no doubt$200,000is going to move you forward
quite a few more squares fasterthan you were probably planning
on.
SPEAKER_01 (38:37):
Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, this is$200,000 is
life-changing.
Um yeah.
But I think you just have tolike tell yourself, like, okay,
I'm gonna figure out either way,but now it's like a huge, huge
weight off my shoulders, and ontop of that, it's just like I
can dream bigger now.
I can like see the full visionand actually make it happen.
SPEAKER_00 (39:01):
Do you plan on staying I guess your own your
own your own boss or are youlooking for uh to get signed?
What are you what are your plansas far as that's concerned?
SPEAKER_01 (39:12):
Um not looking to get signed yet, but I definitely
want people on my team.
So I think the next step is likefor sure management of some
sort.
Um, just someone to bounce ideasoff of and help me push it
forward.
I'm good at the music part, butlike the marketing stuff, that's
not my expertise.
So that's another thing.
Like this money is gonna allowme to like bring more people on
(39:34):
who are actually good at theirarea, you know?
SPEAKER_00 (39:37):
Well, you're you're definitely worthy of being found
by more people than you alreadyhave, which is a spectacular
number as a DIY project, I guesswe can call it.
And you know, certainly talkabout your family because you
have two older brothers with uhwith disabilities.
How much did that help in theway that your communication
(39:57):
skills came about for yourmusic?
SPEAKER_01 (40:02):
Yeah, I'm like obsessed with my family and
especially my brothers, likewe're all just really close.
Um, and we were growing up likein these environments, like our
our community was um kind oflike my brother's friends and
stuff like that.
And I I realized really quicklythat music was a universal
(40:26):
language, kind of like even forsomeone who maybe can't get
their words out as easily, it'slike a um just everyone
gravitates towards music andfinds some type of relief in it.
And then I realized that it justlike that um I I that I that
that just became something thatwas more and more aware, like I
(40:47):
became more and more aware of asI got older.
And so now I I work within theum like autism community with
adults that are super musicallyinclined, and it's just kind of
solidified, like this is musicis a language.
It it is fully it's like the onething that I think we all feel
(41:09):
comforted by, which I is justthis incredible thing.
So yeah, that's my long-windedanswer for that.
SPEAKER_00 (41:17):
And very, very telling answer too, and I think
very, very instructive foranyone for you listening.
If if you want great music,definitely listen to Karen's
stuff.
And again, we had the links forher music at Spotify and Apple
over at our homepage.
And find out more about herstory too, over at her Instagram
page, and if you just do aGoogle search at Karen Hardy,
because Karen's very open aboutwhat she did, the paths she
(41:39):
took, what she overcame, bothwith herself and her chosen
field, and I think you get somevery valuable lessons for
whatever it is that you have apassion for or you have a goal
for in your life as well.
Follow Karen over at Instagram,and again, check out her music
because it'll be a good thingthat you did, and you want to
share it as well.
Karen, pleasure meeting you,pleasure learning more about
(42:01):
your music and you, and thanksso much for being here today.
All the best.
SPEAKER_01 (42:06):
You too.
Thank you so much for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (42:09):
Today is Flag Day.
Flag Day commemorates theContinental Congress's official
adoption of the Stars andStripes as the American flag.
That was in 1777, before thefamiliar American flag design
came about.
Colonial troops fought under avariety of regional banners,
yellow gaston flag featuring theimage of a snake and the motto,
(42:29):
Don't Tread on me, that might bethe most familiar of them all.
As I said, Second ContinentalCongress passed the first flag
resolution on this day in 1777,which simply stated, resolved
that the flag of the thirteenUnited States be thirteen
stripes, alternate red andwhite, that the Union be
thirteen stars, white in theblue field, representing a new
(42:52):
constellation.
Yep.
That was it.
Now, while most credit BetsyRoss with sewing the very first
American flag, there is strongevidence it points to Francis
Hopkinson, who was a signer ofthe Declaration of Independence
as the actual designer of theStars and Stripes.
Over a century, the June 14thanniversary of the creation of
(43:13):
the American flag was basicallyreally not celebrated very much
at all.
Local celebrations did startduring the Civil War.
Around 1861, the momentumgenerated by schools, patriotic
organizations that eventuallypushed the holiday into federal
recognition.
President Wilson in 1916 issueda presidential proclamation that
(43:37):
officially established June 14thas flag day across the nation.
Then President Harry S.
Truman, 1949, signed an act ofCongress that permanently
codified June fourteenth asNational Flag Day and requested
that future presidents issue anannual proclamation for its
observance.
(44:00):
symbol which represents all thatis a part of the foundation of
America.
When we stand before with ourhand over our heart, we do it to
show respect for what theAmerican flag represents.
We're not looking at theAmerican flag as an idol,
because to do so would certainlyrun counter to everything that
the American flag stands for,which is established by, I
(44:20):
think, one of the most importantsections of the Declaration of
Independence.
(44:50):
We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are
created equal, that they areendowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights thatamong these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
God says much about idolatry andnone of his word encourages it.
God's direct and preciseinstructions come to us from
(45:10):
Exodus chapter twenty versesthree through five you shall
have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourselfa carved image any likeness of
anything that is in heavenabove, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the waterunder the earth, you shall not
bow down to them nor serve them.
(45:31):
Teaches us that idolatry doesnot bring us to any kind of
freedom that God offers to us.
It's a path really to the exactopposite but then indeed when
you did not know God you servethose which by nature are not
gods.
Idolatry does not bring us tohappiness either.
Here's what we read in Jonahchapter two verse eight those
(45:52):
who regard worthless idolsforsake their own mercy.
Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 10writes a great deal about
idolatry, one of his manyimportant points helps us
realize that while idolatryisn't illegal when it comes to
earthly law, it's not what webelieve it to be for us.
Reading here from verse 23 allthings are lawful for me, but
(46:15):
not all things are helpful.
All things are lawful for me,but not all things edify.
When you fully understand whatidolatry keeps company with that
truth I think will compel you toquickly turn away from it.
This lesson is found inColossians chapter three verse
five therefore put to death yourmembers which are on the earth
(46:38):
fornication, uncleanness,passion, evil desire, and
covetous which is idolatry nowthat doesn't make God's truth
crystal clear to you let me takeyou to Galatians chapter five
verses nineteen through twentyone now the works of the flesh
are evident, which are adultery,fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry, sorcery,hatred, contentions, jealousies,
(47:03):
outbursts of wrath, selfishambitions, dissensions,
heresies, envy, murders,drunkenness, revelries, and the
like of which I tell youbeforehand, just as I also told
you in time past, that those whopractice such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
All of what I've just placedbefore you is why we don't treat
(47:25):
the American flag with idolatry.
We treat it with respect andreverence.
We are not bowing before anidol.
We're pledging to do all that wecan to uphold and protect all
that the American flag standsfor.
So you'll better understand whatthose ideals are here's comedian
Red Skelton who on his TV showon January 14th, 1969, stood
(47:47):
before his audience and theAmerican people to share this.
SPEAKER_04 (47:52):
Well I remember a teacher that I had now I only I
went I went through the seventhgrade.
I went to the seventh grade andI left home when I was 10 years
old because I was hungry.
And I used to I work in thesummer and I go to school in the
winter.
But I had this one teacher whowas the principal of the
Harrison School in VincennesIndiana.
To me this was the greatestteacher a real sage of of my
(48:13):
time anyhow he had such wisdomand we were all reciting the
Pledge of Allegiance one day andhe walked over this little
teacher Mr.
Laswell was his name.
Mr.
Lasswell he says uh he says I'vebeen listening to you boys and
girls recite the Pledge ofAllegiance all semester and it
(48:36):
seems as though it's becomingmonotonous to you if I may I
recite it and try to explain toyou the meaning of each word I
mean an individual a committeeof one pledge dedicate all of my
(49:01):
worldly goods to give withoutself-pity allegiance my love and
my devotion to the flag ourstandard O glory a symbol of
freedom wherever she wavesthere's respect because your
(49:23):
loyalty has given her a dignitythat shouts freedom is
everybody's job united thatmeans that we have all come
together states individualcommunities that have united
into forty eight great statesforty eight individual
(49:44):
communities with pride anddignity and purpose all divided
with imaginary boundaries yetunited to a common purpose and
that's love for country and tothe republic republic a state in
which sovereign power isinvested in representative
(50:05):
chosen by the people to governand government is the people and
it's from the people to theleaders not from the leaders to
the people for which it standsone nation one nation meaning so
(50:25):
blessed by God indivisibleincapable of being divided with
liberty which is freedom theright of power to live one's own
life without threats fear orsome sort of retaliation and
(50:46):
justice the principle orqualities of dealing fairly with
others for all for all whichmeans boys and girls it's as
much your country as it is mine.
And now boys and girls let mehear you recite the Pledge of
(51:10):
Allegiance I pledge allegianceto the flag of the United States
of America and to the republicfor which it stands one nation
indivisible with liberty andjustice for all since I was a
small boy two states have beenadded to our country and two
(51:36):
words have been added to thePledge of Allegiance under God.
SPEAKER_00 (51:42):
Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a
prayer and that would beeliminated from schools too glad
to have you along for a littletravel into the truth.
(52:02):
Look forward to being with youright here this time next week
for our next edition of Issuesand ideas.
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