February 28, 2025 • 43 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
We're just trying to turn a neckel in do a dime.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to real honest talk about money, politics, news and
information you can actually use.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Buckle up and hold on tight.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
This is that's the bottom line.
Speaker 5 (00:30):
The best thing in life, upree. But you can give
them to the bath and be the.
Speaker 6 (00:51):
Good morning everybody. This is that's the bottom line. Your
weekly radio broadcast that tells it like it is on
news talk Radio A five sixty KLVII. We air at
six in the morning on Saturdays and Sunday mornings at eleven.
We also welcome those of you tuning in on the
iHeartRadio podcast or through our website at savemiretirement dot com.
(01:16):
You can call us toll free at eight six six
seven two eight thirty six ninety seven.
Speaker 7 (01:24):
My name is Jeff lewis.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
Once again filling in for Gene Valerani in case you
didn't tune in last week. I'm an investment advisor representative
at Asset Girth Associates. We have offices located in Dallas
and right here in Beaumont, Texas, where we offer investment,
pension and retirement planning services, as well as income tax
preparation for individuals, families, and businesses. We also assist people
(01:49):
with their medical insurance options as they transition onto medicare
as you might expect, we do it all at Asset
Asset Girth Associates. We have been servicing our clients in
tech in Louisiana for several decades now, and including representing
our clients who may be having difficulty with the IRS,
often being able to negotiate a tax settlement or occasionally
(02:09):
help people to even end up owning nothing at all,
giving you a financial fresh start in your relationship with
the federal government. We've got a jam pack show lined
up for you today. First, we'll go over some of
the headlines of the week. We've got a new budget
through the House, and now the spotlight shifts to the
Senate as the two chambers work on reconciliation. Two new
(02:29):
gubernatorial candidates announce in major red states.
Speaker 7 (02:32):
Vice President JD.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
Vance makes waves across the Atlantic, and possibly the most
important development of all, peace in the Ukraine.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Could it happen?
Speaker 6 (02:41):
We'll go into some deep background of where US interests
lie within Ukraine, plus look at where the situation on
the ground really stands at this point. The war in
the Ukraine is also the focus of our dirty little secret.
I'll reveal to you what yours truly thinks about what
needs to happen in order to end the fighting in
Eastern Europe, which terms would most likely be acceptable to
(03:02):
the United States and its allies. Also, in our solutions segment,
we'll review from last week how your personal risk tolerance
can impact your choice of investments and when a principal
protection plan might be right for you, including the tax
implications of those types of plans.
Speaker 7 (03:16):
But first to the news.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Rehouse Republicans passed the budget Tuesday nine, two seventeen to
two fifteen on a party line vote. One long Republican representative,
Thomas Massey if Kentucky, broke ranks and voted against the bill.
Highlighting the budget packaged the twenty seventeen tax cuts featured
the first Turk Trump term can be extended and along
with the new incentives and worth about four point five
(03:40):
trillion dollars, provided that Congress is able to cut two
trillion from the spending over the next decade, the federal
debt ceiling would in turn also be raised by four
trillion dollars. Border security will receive two hundred billion of
funding as the Trump administration doubles down on one of
its top campaign priorities. A lot of the spending cuts
(04:03):
depend on the work of Elon Musk and Doge, as
the Republican leadership has prioritized efficiency over the outright slashing
of programs. Critics of the administration claim that it's nearly
impossible to avoid cuts to entitlement programs such as particularly
Medicaid for Republicans to provide these incentives to the taxpayer. However,
(04:23):
Republican leadership maintains that they can avoid cuts to Medicare
and Medicaid by simply focusing on waste and abuse, a
prospect that looks more and more promising as more mismanagement
of federal dollars services daily.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
Two large Republican leaning.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
States now have high profile gubernatorial candidates centering to race
this week, Both Byron Dowlance of Florida and Vivia Grammaswami
of Ohio announced their candidacies in their respective states this week.
Viva Gramma Swami, who could be Ohio's first governor of
Indian descent, broke onto the national political scene when he
declared his intention to run for president back in February
(05:01):
of twenty twenty three on The Taker Carlton Show, which
used to be the flagship prime time show on the
Fox News Channel. His campaign caught a tailwind initially, but
enthusiasm leveled off due to a in part at least
to a perception of arrogance on his part. Ramswami finished
fourth into Iowa caucuses last year, then dropped out to
endorse Trump. He was clearly making a play to become
(05:23):
Trump's running mate, but Jadie Vance got the nod instead.
So can Rama saw me make the transition from the
outsider I'm not a politician role to more of a
statesman managerial pasana.
Speaker 7 (05:36):
Well, he's got a few things going for him.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Phoebick is extremely well spoken and has a high, lofty
rhetorical speaking style that is reminiscent of some of the
great political leaders of the twentieth century. He young and
energetic and will likely dominate the primary field. Along with
Trump's endorsement, He's got everything he needs to win the nomination,
and with Ohio's current political landscape.
Speaker 7 (05:58):
That's almost enough to sure a win.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
The problem Ramaswami faces is that although he's obviously brilliant,
his condescending mannerisms on the campaign trail can turn off
some voters. He seems intent on showing people how smart
he is, which is already apparent, and he could be
better served by showing just how relatable he could be.
It would be interesting to see what lessons Vivick has
(06:22):
learned from his presidential vid and if he can take
his game to the next level. He'll be in prime
positioned as a sitting governor of major state, from where
he could launch a second presidential bid in the future,
possibly in twenty thirty two or twenty thirty six. Byron Donald's,
a long time congressional ally in campaign surrogate of Donald Trump,
also received the president's endorsement for the top job in Tallahassee.
(06:46):
Donald's is a self described quote Trump supporting, gun owning,
liberty loving, pro life, politically incorrect black man, and is
wildly popular within the MAGA movement. However, it remains to
be seen how much com petition he could face in
next year's primary. Rumors circulate that Florda's first lady, Casey DeSantis,
(07:07):
may also be considering a bid for her husband's seat.
Ron DeSantis, who you will of course, Recall ran for
president last year and at one point was even a
near even money for being a favorite against Trump and
the primaries. The sitting governor is largely credited for the
massive ship right word in the Sunshine States politics, and
it's already considered one of the most effective governors in
(07:30):
recent history. Voters rewarded him with a twenty point win
in his reelection bid in twenty twenty two, even flipping
Miami Dade County to the Republican Party in what appears
to be a new realignment. Now, the buzz behind Casey
DeSantis is that she may be even more of a
political gift to talent than her husband Ron. She used
(07:50):
to be a local news anchor in Jacksonville, so she's
excellent on TV and very photogenic. She's also rumored to
have been heavily and involved in the implementation of a
lot of her husband's policies and strategy sessions. To this point,
Miss Desantas has denied any interest in running for office,
but one does suspect that she could be professing a
(08:11):
wee bit too much. A potential donalds versus Best Santus
primary for Forida governor could be end up being a
missy affair. Two high valor candidates in a slugfest may
well strengthen the party, or it could actually fracture the
dominant coalition.
Speaker 7 (08:28):
In Florida politics.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
More importantly, this race would be a proxy fight between
Trump and DeSantis and could even be a precursor to
twenty twenty eight should Governor Desantas challenged Vice President Vance
for the Republican presidential nomination, which would determine the direction
to Republican party heads in a post Trump era. So
(08:50):
coming up next, we'll talk about JD. Vance's trip to
Germany and his comments there and how they affected possibly
the German national elections. Plus, is Trump close to brokering
a deal to end the Russia Ukraine War? Or is
this too far gone? We'll be right back following these messages.
(09:10):
I'm Jeff Lewis, and you're listening to That's the bottom
Line on news talk radio AM five sixty KLVII and iHeartRadio.
You can reach our offices at eight six six seven
two eight thirty six ninety seven. Reach us if your
local to Beaumont at four zero nine eight four zero
(09:31):
sixty nine hundred.
Speaker 7 (09:32):
We'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
We're just trying to turn a nickel into a dime.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
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Speaker 7 (11:22):
But don't worry. We're here to help.
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Speaker 3 (12:05):
If you owe the i r S five thousand dollars
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Speaker 1 (12:35):
We're just trying to turn a nickel into a dime.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 7 (12:46):
We will move from them.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
We will.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
They can't even look a free bill.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
We're back with that's the bottom line. Here on news
talk radio AM five sixty KLVI and on iHeartRadio again,
I'm Jeff Lewis sitting in for Geen Valerani. Remember, if
you have any questions for us here at Asset Growth Associates,
you can call us toll free. At eight six six
seven to eight thirty six ninety seven were in Southeast
(13:34):
Texas at four oh nine eight for zero sixty nine hundred.
Speaker 7 (13:39):
Fallout from JD.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
Vance's exposure speech in Munich back on Valentine's Day continues
to dominate the European political landscape. During the address, Vice
President Vance castigated European nations for violating the basic democratic
principle of the freedom of speech. In the host nation
of Journey, for example, the alt right party Alternative for
(14:01):
Germany or AfD, has been repressed by the media because
of the party's platform, in particular to its stance on
the migrants. In Romania, an entire presidential election was nullified
over fears of Russian interference that amounted to quote a
few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising in Germany's national elections,
(14:21):
this week, AfD finished second behind the Conservative Christian Democratic
Union with twenty point eight percent of the vote, doubling
its share from the twenty one election. However, the AfD
currently remains cut out of any coalition government, as the
party is viewed as too radical by most other political
factions within the country. European leaders have accused the Vice
(14:42):
President of election interference, citing his speech as American attempts
to interfere in the German election. German sentiment towards America
in general has taken a slight turn for the worse
since the two governments have diverged someone in their views,
not in the least part in how best to handle
the Russian Ukraine War. Germany, who is the second largest
(15:02):
contributor to the Ukrainian war effort behind the United States,
has contrived the equivalent of five point five billion US
dollars and equipment alone. The Germans feel how they invested
in a lot into the defense of Ukraine and are
reticent to give up merry many concessions to the Russian government. Now,
opinion in the United States about the war is far
(15:23):
more mixed than in Western Europe. There's a lot of
public supporter for the Ukraine, but Americans in general have
a more realistic outlook on the outcome of the conflict
and are more interested in involving a ceasefire. The United
States has reportedly spend at least sixty billion on the
war effort, which is over ten times the amount the
Germans have, despite our economy only being six times larger
(15:46):
than the Germans. So that's one reason, among others, that
the United States believes that we should have a larger
role in the negotiating process than the Europeans. The Trump
administration views our contributions as more of a loan than
a gift, which is why the administration has been so
adamant in working out a rare Earth's minerals deal with
the Ukraine. The Ukraine is rich in many important critical
(16:10):
raw materials. For example, the Ukraine holds a third of
Euros lithium supply, which is used in batteries. There's an
abundant supply of titanium, which is essential for both industrial
and military use. Ukrainian also has large deposits of uranium,
a key component in nuclear reactors or in nuclear weapons.
(16:31):
Given that US to uranium is generally limited to Canada
and Australia the sources there. The element alone makes the
Ukraine a very interesting strategic partner, but the real attraction
for the US lies in the rare earth mental deposits
scattered throughout Ukraine. These minerals, which largely consist that the
lapanide series developments on the periodic table, are used in
(16:53):
numerous high end consumer, medical, industrial products, ranging from electronics
and hybrid vehicles to laser and magnets and alloys and
petroleum refinering. Advanced economies are requiring greater numbers of these materials,
and the Ukraine is sort of a one stop shop
for a lot of those. The concept here is simple.
(17:13):
Such a deal not only gives America a way to
recoup its losses, that makes Ukraine a strategic partner with
reason for the United States to be invested in the
Ukrainian interests.
Speaker 7 (17:22):
It gives the Ukraine protection.
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Against any future aggression by Russia, particularly if the political
concerns are also addressed. Politically, though things are messy, there's
a distinct divide between what the West wants to happen
versus what can happen given the situation on the ground.
Right now, here's where the war stands. The Russians initially
invaded the Ukraine on three fronts, north from Belarus along
(17:46):
the entire eastern border, including the distuted Dombas region, and
from the south, both amphibiously via the Black Sea and
from the Krmea, which was an nex ten twenty fourteen
by Russia after its invasion during the Obama administry. Interesting
how Russia times its worst coincide with democratic presidents, but
I digress. Today the Ukrainians have pushed back Russia completely
(18:10):
from the north, but Russia succeeded in holding their offenses
in the south up to the Deneper River and the
greater part of the southeastern Ukraine, which includes their stated
objective the Dombas region. There are three pockets of active combat,
many fronts, you could call it still going on to
this war. The majority of the fighting is centered northwest
(18:31):
of Dnetsk, the regional capital. Russian forces remain on the
offensive and have slowly gained ground, literally only twenty five
miles of the last year, and largerly through attrition. Reports
indicate that Ukrainian morale here is low and desertion is
becoming an additional threat beyond what the Russians pose there's
virtually zero chance that the Ukraine can reclaim this region
(18:54):
without external forces being contributed, which is a no go
for the Western world. The second pocket of fighting is
along the border north of Kharkiv, which is another stated objective,
but this front has been largely stalemated. The third front
is the Ukrainian counter offensive into Russia itself. Last August,
the Ukrainians surprised their attackers by launching an incursion to
(19:16):
the cursed region. While the city of Kirks is not
under any real threat, it's about sixty miles away from
the fighting. The Ukrainians have succeeded in taking the Russian
town Asuitza. Suitza is the exchange where all the natural
gas exported from Russia to the rest of Europe flows through.
So far, the Ukrainians have not been able to have
(19:39):
not cut off that flow of natural gas, but this
threat gives Ukrainians some real bargaining power at the table.
The problem is that Russia would consider that as a
major strategic cret which could escalate things further. Their original
objective was to possibly even surprise and take Moscow by
out maneuvering their army, but the advance was s thought
(20:00):
well short of the Kirks the capital of the city
of Kirks. So now the Russians have the Ukrainians cornered,
they're not really able to withdrawal and they can go
no further. So the question becomes where do they go
from here? Some people would call it stalemate, others might
(20:21):
call it checkmate. That's where the situation stands up right now.
I'm Jeff Lewis again. You can reach us to Asset
Growth Associates toll free at eight sixty six seven to
eight thirty six ninety seven or locally at four oh
nine eight four or zero sixty nine hundred. When we
come back, we'll go over to thirty Little Secret that'll
take in the Russia Ukraine War.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
We're just trying to turn ankel into a dime.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
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Dot com?
Speaker 1 (22:49):
We're just trying to turn a nechel into a dime.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
Welcome back to That's the bottom Line on news talk
radio A sixty kov I and on iHeartRadio, I'm Jeff
Lewis filling in for Jean Vellerani. In the last segment,
we spoke at length about the situation in the Ukraine.
The truth is, and as a point of fact that's
been steadily avoided in the mainstream media, is that the
(23:16):
Ukraine is losing this war, and that leads us into
this week's thirty little secret. It's going to take territorial
concessions on the part of Ukraine to bring this war
to an end. Honesty, I don't even see how that's
much of a secret. I mean, look at the map.
But we've been gaslight been gaslight by the political establishment,
by the media, and by the frankly by the military
(23:38):
industrial complex in our country that somehow there was another
alternative once this war started. Let me be clear, I
fully agree that the Russians are the aggressive party here
and don't deserve to be rewarded for starting a war.
That said, there's some real politic in play here and
it's not just as simple as being a war of aggression.
(23:58):
Now talks are in earnest this week about terms of
apostle ceasefire. All indications point to a deal between the
US and the Ukraine on the rare earth minerals being
close to done. Reportedly, President Putin is open to an agreement,
but territorial concessions will be inevitable. The question is was
acceptable to the West. The Ukraine will probably balk any
(24:21):
loss of territory regardless of the terms. But what can
they be convinced to accept to make the peace. It's
unclear what's really being discussed, So I'll submit a few
hypothetical terms. First, the Ukraine is going to have to
accept that they'll never be part of NATO. In my opinion,
this was a ridiculous thing to ever suggest, and the
(24:43):
fact that the Biden administration openly encouraged it was probably
the catalyst that provoked the Russian invasion in the first place.
By comparison, considered what the United States would do if
the Mexicans enter to a military alliance with China that
would start a global war before a pen ever hit
the paper. We all know it, So let's not pretend
that the Russians don't have a similar outlook in regards
(25:05):
to Ukraine. Moscow is literally a single tank hop three
hundred miles from the Ukrainian border. The truth is there's
other ways to bring Ukraine into the Western orbit besides
joining NATO, like through economic ties and rebuilding infrastructure. I'm
sure there's a lot of American companies right now just
drooling over the chance to rebuild Ukraine. Conflict of interest anyone,
(25:29):
for that matter. The Russians have pretty much done the
daub Forest when it comes to driving the Ukraine out
of Pudin sphere of influence. I mean, there's absolutely no
way the Ukraine, whatever the borders look like when this
is done, will ever consider Russia an ally again. That's
why Russian is going to consider it a core strategic
interest to get all the territory they can right now.
(25:49):
There will not be another chance. And that leads me
to my second point. The Ukraine is going to have
to relinkish control over the Dombas region. It might me
simple as allowing a new independent state to form. I
doubt this, but that would be a real feet of diplomacy. Realistically,
of course, such a state would probably be just a
(26:11):
puppet regime of Putin, but even so such a nation
could exist and thrive. It would already be mostly ethnic Russian,
which would assage Putin's sensibilities. Frankly, the treatment of ethnic
Russians was one of the root causes of the dispute
to begin with. Make no mistakes, Lensky's hands are not
innocent in all of this either. By agreeing to terms,
(26:33):
it might be possible for the Ukraine to hold on
to a decent portion of the eastern half of their nation.
That won't happen if the war continues on for a
couple more years. The Ukrainians will run out of men
and weapons.
Speaker 7 (26:44):
First. We all know this.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
The eastern part is already more pro Russian than the
western half, So ironically, by ceding a portion of the
nations to Lensky would actually secure the whip hand at
the electorate for a Western aligned government. Given that Russia
is a confirmed firm control of most territory east to the Kniper,
it also stands to reason that Sniper would become the
new border between Ukraine and Russia and would allow Russian
(27:10):
land access to its earlier conquest of the Crimea, which
was another one of Russia's strategic objects. However, by connecting
these regions it would require full Russian annexation of the
Dombas region, and I don't think realistically that Putin will
settle for anything less than that. The sad reality is
that there's very little we can do about the situation
(27:31):
on the ground unless we're willing to risk thermonuclear war,
which I am not. That means ultimately, the Ukraine is
going to have to come with terms with the loss
of a sizable portion of the eastern part of its country.
I know that's unpopular to say, but it's true. And
now I've yet to hear anyone explain to me that
some alternative other than the Ukraine can win. Well, no,
(27:54):
the Ukraine can't win. That's the whole problem that we
knew from the beginning. Funneling weapons through the Ukraine slowed
down the Russian advance, limited their gains, but in the
end it was just a matter of how much territory
the Russians would get, not a question of who would
actually win the war. It's not that the war isn't
worth fighting, it's just that the outcome was pretty much predetermined.
(28:14):
The final condition that the Western world needs to accept
is that the Ukrainian President Zelenski needs to resign and
call for new elections. This past week, President Trump took
a lot of heat for calling Zelensky a dictator. But
in case you're wondering the background for that, here's why.
Zelensky told the Vice President Vance and Secretary of State
(28:34):
Mark Rubio during negotiations that he agreed with the mineral
rights deal, the same deal that we just discussed earlier,
that we believe is now close to an agreement, and
also agreed with the premise that we need a vested
interest in his country which offers them more security. He
said he just had to run it by his legislature.
Zelensky then, without warning the US delegation first turned around
(28:57):
and blasted the deal in the media, saying basically, he
told us word to stick it. So either Zelensky was
lying to the American delegation in bad faith, or he
is the legislature of Ukraine, which prompted Trump to call him,
correctly in that case, a dictator. Now, no one argues
with the point that President Selensky has every right to
(29:18):
be concerned with his nation's territorial integrity. However, one of
the last stumbling blocks of the peace deal is a
Russian call for the Ukraine to hold elections. Selensky remains
in power only because the nation is under martial law.
His presidential term expired last year. Now step Bow went
back for a moment, and imagine the outcry with America
(29:41):
was in ward twenty twenty eight, let's pray we're not
and that to continue the war. President Trump then a
lead office until the year twenty thirty. Now I'll sit
back until the screens died out. Looking from the outside,
it seems to me up to this point Selensky has
been as much concerned preserving his own personal power as
(30:02):
he is in protecting his dying nation. Zelenski should do
the right thing and announce that he will relinquish the
presidency as part of a ceasefire agreement if that will
help restore his nation restored to peace and save more
lives of his countrymen and women. So what's the bottom line.
The world cannot risk this war escalating any further. Ukrainians
(30:25):
won't be taking Moscow Cutin, won't be removed from an
office in a coup, and the United States needs to
accept the limitations of its influence in Eastern Europe.
Speaker 7 (30:34):
So don't go away.
Speaker 6 (30:35):
Our solutions segments next I'm Jeff Lewis, and you're listening
to news talk radio on AM five sixty KLBI.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
We're just trying to turn a necke into a dive.
That's the bottom.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
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(31:57):
Your investment deserves a plan as you unique as your goals,
smart investments, smart tax strategies. This is Gene Valerati of
Asset Growth Associates. If you've been watching recent news, a
few banks have had a run where customers panic and
(32:17):
withdraw all their money at once, causing the banks to fail.
If that isn't worrying enough. On January first, twenty twenty three,
the Federal Reserve set a new low reserve crumpch for
net transaction accounts to six hundred and ninety one point
seven million dollars, meaning that banks with net transaction account
(32:40):
balances up to this amount are subject to a reserve
requirement ratio of zero percent. You heard me right, zero
reserve requirements Forget fractional reserve banking. How about zero reserve banking?
Why would the Federal Reserve create this environment of uncertainty?
(33:04):
If this is a concern to you, and it should be,
we can show you how to protect yourself and how
to locate and utilize financial institutions with very real reserves,
not zero reserves. Give us a call of Asset Growth
Associates one eight six six seven two eight three six
nine seven. That's eight six six seven two eight three
(33:28):
six ninety seven. You can also reach us locally in Beaumont,
Texas by dialing four oh nine eight four oh sixty
nine hundred.
Speaker 7 (33:37):
Give us a call.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
You'll be glad that you did We're just.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Trying to turn a nekel into a dime.
Speaker 7 (33:43):
That's the bottom line you're listening to.
Speaker 6 (33:46):
That's the bottom line. Here on AM five sixty kl
VII and on iHeartRadio once More, I'm Jeff Lewis pinchitting
for Geen Vallerini. You know, my mother always told me
growing up, anytime I grabbed about something to her, which
I'm sure happened very frequently, that I can either be
part of the problem or part of the solution. I
(34:08):
learned pretty quick that I get into a lot less
trouble by trying to be part of the solution. That's
what we aim to do on this week's solution segment.
So here at Asset Growth Associates, we have two main
divisions of our wealth management practice. We have the brokerage side,
which concentrates on the management of securities in your portfolio,
(34:29):
which is suitable for people who want to have a
stake in the market. We also have the principal protection side,
which is best for people who want the potential for
returns without the market risk. Different people have different levels
of risk tolerance. In other words, how much risk am
I willing to put up with in order to achieve
my financial goals. For some people, that's quite a lot.
(34:52):
You might be super aggressive, always willing to invest in
a brand new company with a good idea. For other people,
their risk tolerance is pretty low. They're more worried about
how much the market might lose rather than how much
it might make the problem is that ordinary people like
you and me, we don't always have a good feel
(35:12):
for how much risk we're comfortable with taking. There's no
good way to describe it as there. I mean, it's
a qualitative assessment anyway, not quantitative right, Or to put
it another way, I can only describe how much risk
I'm wild to take with words. There aren't really any
numbers to describe that.
Speaker 7 (35:32):
That's a problem.
Speaker 6 (35:33):
We have a solution for here at Asset Growth Associates.
If you're not sure how risk tolerant you are, you
should really check out this website. Go to what is
my Risk Number dot com or simply google that question
what is my risk number?
Speaker 7 (35:49):
It should take you to a.
Speaker 6 (35:50):
Page with the news top five sixty KLVII logo, and
there you can start a short questionnaire. The program is
called risk Alize, and they will ask you a series
of questions that will allow you to put a meaningful
number to your risk tolerance. It's based on a speed
limit analogy. And although in like the real world, there's
(36:10):
no cops on this road to pull you over, which
I wish was the case for me and I must
thank there's no right or wrong answer here. You could
be good cruising down the road at an easy thirty
five miles an hour, or you might prefer to be
hauling at an eighty five down the freeway like me
and I must think. The point is to find the
investment vehicle of your choice, one that travels out of
(36:32):
speed that you're comfortable with. Once you have this number,
call us. We'll be able to sit down with you
and go over what it means and help you discover
what investment vehicles you're comfortable driving in. Sometimes people are
surprised with what their answer is. Don't worry if the
result doesn't make sense to you, take it again or
(36:54):
better yet, we can help you take it the first
time if you call first. Remember the answer is never
right or is simply informative. For many people, there's more
than one investment people they want to drive. Sometimes I'd
rather be riding in my wife's onto CRV if we're
going on a road trip. For if I just want
the storage space for a trip to the grocery store.
(37:15):
Different cars are designed for different things. That's fine too.
In fact, that's generally the case, isn't it. A lot
of people, for example the side they want to have
some of their money and growth with a nest egg
set aside to be protected no matter what happens with
the economy.
Speaker 7 (37:31):
And that's definitely possible to do.
Speaker 6 (37:33):
There are financial plans out there that we provide Asset
Growth Associates that will ensure you never lose a dime
of what you contribute. They have what we call a
zero floor, meaning your rate of return can never be
less than zero. What's more, you can opt for a
guaranteed rate of return or instead base your return off
of the performance of a particular index like the S
(37:56):
and P five hundred. Not happy with what you picked
in one year, just getting to the next year. It
really is as simple as that. These plans also vary
in their duration. Some plans are as short as five years,
while others can be long at ten years. That part
is up to you as a rule of thumb. The
longer your plan is designed for the greater the guarantee,
(38:17):
and you will always have access to at least a
size per percentage of your money, or even all of
it if necessary. More good news, these plans can also
defer taxation of your money, and you can fund these
plans with a wide range of sources. If you work
at one of the refineries out here, for example, you
probably already have set up a four A one K.
(38:37):
You could decide to use part of that as your principle.
If so, the money will still grow tax free until
you take it as a distribution. Conversely, your source of
funds may be from an inheritance or possibly an insurance settlement.
If so, your principle won't ever be taxed, then the
insurance or the interest itself wouldn't it be taxed until
you take a distribution. If you're worried about what woud
(39:00):
happened to your money when you're gone, you can designate
any number of beneficiaries that you choose. What's more, your
account will avoid probate, which means while the rest of
your assets may be tied in court, you can rest
assured your loved ones will receive what they deserve quickly
and indisputably. If you're still not sure what plan is
right for you, that's why we're here to help. You
(39:21):
can make an appointment at our office, or if you
struggle getting out of the house, simple schedule a zoom
call with us. Either way, we're local people from right
here in the Golden Triangle. Myself Ahulam aur University graduate
that's lived in this area all forty four years in
my life. Jean Valerani, Well, I won't I won't tell
you how long he's lived here, but he's been helping
people grow and protect their money longer than any of us.
(39:43):
Point being here at Asset Growth Associates, you're going to
get sound financial advice from a person you can trust,
not because we say so, but because we'll earn it.
Just give us a call at four oh nine eight
four zero sixty nine hundred or toll free at eight
sixty six seven to eight thirty six ninety.
Speaker 7 (40:00):
You'll be glad that you did.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
Where's Josh trying to turn it Nellen? That's the bottom line.
Where's Josh trying to turn it Nellen?
Speaker 4 (40:12):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 6 (40:15):
People, Thank you for listening today to That's the bottom line.
On news Talk Radio Am five sixty kl v I
plus to those of you that tuned in via podcast,
(40:38):
through iHeartRadio or through our website at savemyretirement dot com. Again,
you can tune in next time at six am Saturdays
or at eleven am on Sundays. And of course you
can listen to all our previous podcasts anytime any day
on demand online.
Speaker 7 (40:57):
Again.
Speaker 6 (40:58):
If you decide to contact any of us here at
Asset Growth Associates, give us a call at locally at
four oh nine eight four zero sixty nine hundred or
toll free anywhere in the world eight six six seven
to eight thirty six ninety seven. Our physical address is
in Beaumont at thirteen ninety one Calder Avenue, a block
(41:18):
from the intersection of MLK and Calder.
Speaker 7 (41:21):
I hope you enjoyed this week's broadcast.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
We know your time is important, and that means given
you an informative and substance discussion on issues relevant to you,
whether it's current events or a national politics you can
count on. That's the bottom line, to deliver frank, straightforward
analysis of the stories that affect you.
Speaker 7 (41:39):
We get it. Retirement can be scary.
Speaker 6 (41:42):
You've worked hard to get where you are, and sometimes
it feels like we're just one life changing event away
from possibly losing it all. Maybe you're worried about what
would happen if, if, and when you and your loved
one get sick later in life. If your medicare agent
want to know what your medical insurance options look like,
there's no better place to turn then right here at
Asset Growth Associates. I promise you there is a light
(42:05):
at the end of this particular tunnel. If you have
a retirement account that's just been sitting around and you
don't know what to do with it, well, chances are
we do. This is what we do, and we do
it well. If you're wanting to be actively involved in
the market, particularly now that federal policies may actually begin
to favor economic growth, our advisement services can help design
(42:27):
a portfolio that suits your risk tolerance and return expectations.
If you're a little more tentative when it comes to
general investing, again, there's nothing to worry about.
Speaker 7 (42:38):
We have got your back.
Speaker 6 (42:40):
We can help you keep turning those nipples into dimes,
though probably not pennies anymore.
Speaker 7 (42:46):
Trump just killed all.
Speaker 6 (42:47):
Those At Asset Growth Associates we know how to make
to handle your money consistently, safely, and always with your
best interest in mind. Remember it's also income tax season,
so if you're over age fifty and want to take
advantage of our senior tax filing ninety nine bucks, you
(43:07):
definitely want to come see us for an appointment. I'm
Jeff Lewis and it was once again privileged to talk
to you today. Geen Valerania will be back soon and
he sends everyone his best from everyone here at Asset
Growth Associates. May the Lord bless you and keep you
until next week. That's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (43:24):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
You can reach Asset Growth Associates by calling one eight
six six seven to eight thirty six ninety seven are
by visiting savemyretirement dot com
We're just trying to turn a neckel in do a dime.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to real honest talk about money, politics, news and
information you can actually use.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Buckle up and hold on tight.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
This is that's the bottom line.
Speaker 5 (00:30):
The best thing in life, upree. But you can give
them to the bath and be the.
Speaker 6 (00:51):
Good morning everybody. This is that's the bottom line. Your
weekly radio broadcast that tells it like it is on
news talk Radio A five sixty KLVII. We air at
six in the morning on Saturdays and Sunday mornings at eleven.
We also welcome those of you tuning in on the
iHeartRadio podcast or through our website at savemiretirement dot com.
(01:16):
You can call us toll free at eight six six
seven two eight thirty six ninety seven.
Speaker 7 (01:24):
My name is Jeff lewis.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
Once again filling in for Gene Valerani in case you
didn't tune in last week. I'm an investment advisor representative
at Asset Girth Associates. We have offices located in Dallas
and right here in Beaumont, Texas, where we offer investment,
pension and retirement planning services, as well as income tax
preparation for individuals, families, and businesses. We also assist people
(01:49):
with their medical insurance options as they transition onto medicare
as you might expect, we do it all at Asset
Asset Girth Associates. We have been servicing our clients in
tech in Louisiana for several decades now, and including representing
our clients who may be having difficulty with the IRS,
often being able to negotiate a tax settlement or occasionally
(02:09):
help people to even end up owning nothing at all,
giving you a financial fresh start in your relationship with
the federal government. We've got a jam pack show lined
up for you today. First, we'll go over some of
the headlines of the week. We've got a new budget
through the House, and now the spotlight shifts to the
Senate as the two chambers work on reconciliation. Two new
(02:29):
gubernatorial candidates announce in major red states.
Speaker 7 (02:32):
Vice President JD.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
Vance makes waves across the Atlantic, and possibly the most
important development of all, peace in the Ukraine.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Could it happen?
Speaker 6 (02:41):
We'll go into some deep background of where US interests
lie within Ukraine, plus look at where the situation on
the ground really stands at this point. The war in
the Ukraine is also the focus of our dirty little secret.
I'll reveal to you what yours truly thinks about what
needs to happen in order to end the fighting in
Eastern Europe, which terms would most likely be acceptable to
(03:02):
the United States and its allies. Also, in our solutions segment,
we'll review from last week how your personal risk tolerance
can impact your choice of investments and when a principal
protection plan might be right for you, including the tax
implications of those types of plans.
Speaker 7 (03:16):
But first to the news.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Rehouse Republicans passed the budget Tuesday nine, two seventeen to
two fifteen on a party line vote. One long Republican representative,
Thomas Massey if Kentucky, broke ranks and voted against the bill.
Highlighting the budget packaged the twenty seventeen tax cuts featured
the first Turk Trump term can be extended and along
with the new incentives and worth about four point five
(03:40):
trillion dollars, provided that Congress is able to cut two
trillion from the spending over the next decade, the federal
debt ceiling would in turn also be raised by four
trillion dollars. Border security will receive two hundred billion of
funding as the Trump administration doubles down on one of
its top campaign priorities. A lot of the spending cuts
(04:03):
depend on the work of Elon Musk and Doge, as
the Republican leadership has prioritized efficiency over the outright slashing
of programs. Critics of the administration claim that it's nearly
impossible to avoid cuts to entitlement programs such as particularly
Medicaid for Republicans to provide these incentives to the taxpayer. However,
(04:23):
Republican leadership maintains that they can avoid cuts to Medicare
and Medicaid by simply focusing on waste and abuse, a
prospect that looks more and more promising as more mismanagement
of federal dollars services daily.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
Two large Republican leaning.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
States now have high profile gubernatorial candidates centering to race
this week, Both Byron Dowlance of Florida and Vivia Grammaswami
of Ohio announced their candidacies in their respective states this week.
Viva Gramma Swami, who could be Ohio's first governor of
Indian descent, broke onto the national political scene when he
declared his intention to run for president back in February
(05:01):
of twenty twenty three on The Taker Carlton Show, which
used to be the flagship prime time show on the
Fox News Channel. His campaign caught a tailwind initially, but
enthusiasm leveled off due to a in part at least
to a perception of arrogance on his part. Ramswami finished
fourth into Iowa caucuses last year, then dropped out to
endorse Trump. He was clearly making a play to become
(05:23):
Trump's running mate, but Jadie Vance got the nod instead.
So can Rama saw me make the transition from the
outsider I'm not a politician role to more of a
statesman managerial pasana.
Speaker 7 (05:36):
Well, he's got a few things going for him.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Phoebick is extremely well spoken and has a high, lofty
rhetorical speaking style that is reminiscent of some of the
great political leaders of the twentieth century. He young and
energetic and will likely dominate the primary field. Along with
Trump's endorsement, He's got everything he needs to win the nomination,
and with Ohio's current political landscape.
Speaker 7 (05:58):
That's almost enough to sure a win.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
The problem Ramaswami faces is that although he's obviously brilliant,
his condescending mannerisms on the campaign trail can turn off
some voters. He seems intent on showing people how smart
he is, which is already apparent, and he could be
better served by showing just how relatable he could be.
It would be interesting to see what lessons Vivick has
(06:22):
learned from his presidential vid and if he can take
his game to the next level. He'll be in prime
positioned as a sitting governor of major state, from where
he could launch a second presidential bid in the future,
possibly in twenty thirty two or twenty thirty six. Byron Donald's,
a long time congressional ally in campaign surrogate of Donald Trump,
also received the president's endorsement for the top job in Tallahassee.
(06:46):
Donald's is a self described quote Trump supporting, gun owning,
liberty loving, pro life, politically incorrect black man, and is
wildly popular within the MAGA movement. However, it remains to
be seen how much com petition he could face in
next year's primary. Rumors circulate that Florda's first lady, Casey DeSantis,
(07:07):
may also be considering a bid for her husband's seat.
Ron DeSantis, who you will of course, Recall ran for
president last year and at one point was even a
near even money for being a favorite against Trump and
the primaries. The sitting governor is largely credited for the
massive ship right word in the Sunshine States politics, and
it's already considered one of the most effective governors in
(07:30):
recent history. Voters rewarded him with a twenty point win
in his reelection bid in twenty twenty two, even flipping
Miami Dade County to the Republican Party in what appears
to be a new realignment. Now, the buzz behind Casey
DeSantis is that she may be even more of a
political gift to talent than her husband Ron. She used
(07:50):
to be a local news anchor in Jacksonville, so she's
excellent on TV and very photogenic. She's also rumored to
have been heavily and involved in the implementation of a
lot of her husband's policies and strategy sessions. To this point,
Miss Desantas has denied any interest in running for office,
but one does suspect that she could be professing a
(08:11):
wee bit too much. A potential donalds versus Best Santus
primary for Forida governor could be end up being a
missy affair. Two high valor candidates in a slugfest may
well strengthen the party, or it could actually fracture the
dominant coalition.
Speaker 7 (08:28):
In Florida politics.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
More importantly, this race would be a proxy fight between
Trump and DeSantis and could even be a precursor to
twenty twenty eight should Governor Desantas challenged Vice President Vance
for the Republican presidential nomination, which would determine the direction
to Republican party heads in a post Trump era. So
(08:50):
coming up next, we'll talk about JD. Vance's trip to
Germany and his comments there and how they affected possibly
the German national elections. Plus, is Trump close to brokering
a deal to end the Russia Ukraine War? Or is
this too far gone? We'll be right back following these messages.
(09:10):
I'm Jeff Lewis, and you're listening to That's the bottom
Line on news talk radio AM five sixty KLVII and iHeartRadio.
You can reach our offices at eight six six seven
two eight thirty six ninety seven. Reach us if your
local to Beaumont at four zero nine eight four zero
(09:31):
sixty nine hundred.
Speaker 7 (09:32):
We'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
We're just trying to turn a nickel into a dime.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
The power to tax is the power to despol it.
Taxes affect your paycheck, your plans, not even your peace
of mind. But this tax season leads the stress to us.
This is gene Vaalerania Asset Growth Associates. We make filing
in income tax returns simple, accurate, and stress free. If
(10:05):
you're fifty year older, you could qualify for a low
price of ninety nine dollars to file your return. So
when it comes to your taxes, every detail matters, every time.
Call us four O nine eighty four oh sixty nine
hundred er visit Savemretirement dot comm do it today. Taxes
(10:28):
are everything. Let's make them work for you. Are you
thinking about starting your Social Security benefits early? Before you decide,
let's talk about the big picture. Claiming benefits before your
full retirement age, whether it's sixty six, sixty seven, or
(10:49):
somewhere in between, can reduce your monthly income by up
to thirty percent. That could mean thousands of dollars less
every year, and once you start, there's no going back.
Here's the unintended consequence that smaller check could limit your
ability to enjoy retirement, cover healthcare costs, or leave a
(11:13):
legacy for you and your loved ones. And if you
live longer than you expect, those reduced benefits might not
be enough.
Speaker 7 (11:22):
But don't worry. We're here to help.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
At Asset Growth Associates, we specialize in creating smart strategies
for social security and retirement income. Will help you maximize
your benefits and secure your future. Call four oh nine
eight four oh sixty nine hundred today or visit savemretirement
(11:48):
dot com for your free social security analysis. Let's make
sure your retirement works for you, not against you. Plant
smart retire bet.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
If you owe the i r S five thousand dollars
or more, don't call an unknown eight hundred number. Instead
personally meet with us to review your IRS problem. And
if you want to pay the i r S nothing
or less than you owe, we can set up a
fresh start agreement with the i r S. We can
(12:27):
help you. Ladies and gentlemen can call us whole free
at one eight six six seven two eight three six
nine seven.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
We're just trying to turn a nickel into a dime.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 7 (12:46):
We will move from them.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
We will.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
They can't even look a free bill.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
We're back with that's the bottom line. Here on news
talk radio AM five sixty KLVI and on iHeartRadio again,
I'm Jeff Lewis sitting in for Geen Valerani. Remember, if
you have any questions for us here at Asset Growth Associates,
you can call us toll free. At eight six six
seven to eight thirty six ninety seven were in Southeast
(13:34):
Texas at four oh nine eight for zero sixty nine hundred.
Speaker 7 (13:39):
Fallout from JD.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
Vance's exposure speech in Munich back on Valentine's Day continues
to dominate the European political landscape. During the address, Vice
President Vance castigated European nations for violating the basic democratic
principle of the freedom of speech. In the host nation
of Journey, for example, the alt right party Alternative for
(14:01):
Germany or AfD, has been repressed by the media because
of the party's platform, in particular to its stance on
the migrants. In Romania, an entire presidential election was nullified
over fears of Russian interference that amounted to quote a
few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising in Germany's national elections,
(14:21):
this week, AfD finished second behind the Conservative Christian Democratic
Union with twenty point eight percent of the vote, doubling
its share from the twenty one election. However, the AfD
currently remains cut out of any coalition government, as the
party is viewed as too radical by most other political
factions within the country. European leaders have accused the Vice
(14:42):
President of election interference, citing his speech as American attempts
to interfere in the German election. German sentiment towards America
in general has taken a slight turn for the worse
since the two governments have diverged someone in their views,
not in the least part in how best to handle
the Russian Ukraine War. Germany, who is the second largest
(15:02):
contributor to the Ukrainian war effort behind the United States,
has contrived the equivalent of five point five billion US
dollars and equipment alone. The Germans feel how they invested
in a lot into the defense of Ukraine and are
reticent to give up merry many concessions to the Russian government. Now,
opinion in the United States about the war is far
(15:23):
more mixed than in Western Europe. There's a lot of
public supporter for the Ukraine, but Americans in general have
a more realistic outlook on the outcome of the conflict
and are more interested in involving a ceasefire. The United
States has reportedly spend at least sixty billion on the
war effort, which is over ten times the amount the
Germans have, despite our economy only being six times larger
(15:46):
than the Germans. So that's one reason, among others, that
the United States believes that we should have a larger
role in the negotiating process than the Europeans. The Trump
administration views our contributions as more of a loan than
a gift, which is why the administration has been so
adamant in working out a rare Earth's minerals deal with
the Ukraine. The Ukraine is rich in many important critical
(16:10):
raw materials. For example, the Ukraine holds a third of
Euros lithium supply, which is used in batteries. There's an
abundant supply of titanium, which is essential for both industrial
and military use. Ukrainian also has large deposits of uranium,
a key component in nuclear reactors or in nuclear weapons.
(16:31):
Given that US to uranium is generally limited to Canada
and Australia the sources there. The element alone makes the
Ukraine a very interesting strategic partner, but the real attraction
for the US lies in the rare earth mental deposits
scattered throughout Ukraine. These minerals, which largely consist that the
lapanide series developments on the periodic table, are used in
(16:53):
numerous high end consumer, medical, industrial products, ranging from electronics
and hybrid vehicles to laser and magnets and alloys and
petroleum refinering. Advanced economies are requiring greater numbers of these materials,
and the Ukraine is sort of a one stop shop
for a lot of those. The concept here is simple.
(17:13):
Such a deal not only gives America a way to
recoup its losses, that makes Ukraine a strategic partner with
reason for the United States to be invested in the
Ukrainian interests.
Speaker 7 (17:22):
It gives the Ukraine protection.
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Against any future aggression by Russia, particularly if the political
concerns are also addressed. Politically, though things are messy, there's
a distinct divide between what the West wants to happen
versus what can happen given the situation on the ground.
Right now, here's where the war stands. The Russians initially
invaded the Ukraine on three fronts, north from Belarus along
(17:46):
the entire eastern border, including the distuted Dombas region, and
from the south, both amphibiously via the Black Sea and
from the Krmea, which was an nex ten twenty fourteen
by Russia after its invasion during the Obama administry. Interesting
how Russia times its worst coincide with democratic presidents, but
I digress. Today the Ukrainians have pushed back Russia completely
(18:10):
from the north, but Russia succeeded in holding their offenses
in the south up to the Deneper River and the
greater part of the southeastern Ukraine, which includes their stated
objective the Dombas region. There are three pockets of active combat,
many fronts, you could call it still going on to
this war. The majority of the fighting is centered northwest
(18:31):
of Dnetsk, the regional capital. Russian forces remain on the
offensive and have slowly gained ground, literally only twenty five
miles of the last year, and largerly through attrition. Reports
indicate that Ukrainian morale here is low and desertion is
becoming an additional threat beyond what the Russians pose there's
virtually zero chance that the Ukraine can reclaim this region
(18:54):
without external forces being contributed, which is a no go
for the Western world. The second pocket of fighting is
along the border north of Kharkiv, which is another stated objective,
but this front has been largely stalemated. The third front
is the Ukrainian counter offensive into Russia itself. Last August,
the Ukrainians surprised their attackers by launching an incursion to
(19:16):
the cursed region. While the city of Kirks is not
under any real threat, it's about sixty miles away from
the fighting. The Ukrainians have succeeded in taking the Russian
town Asuitza. Suitza is the exchange where all the natural
gas exported from Russia to the rest of Europe flows through.
So far, the Ukrainians have not been able to have
(19:39):
not cut off that flow of natural gas, but this
threat gives Ukrainians some real bargaining power at the table.
The problem is that Russia would consider that as a
major strategic cret which could escalate things further. Their original
objective was to possibly even surprise and take Moscow by
out maneuvering their army, but the advance was s thought
(20:00):
well short of the Kirks the capital of the city
of Kirks. So now the Russians have the Ukrainians cornered,
they're not really able to withdrawal and they can go
no further. So the question becomes where do they go
from here? Some people would call it stalemate, others might
(20:21):
call it checkmate. That's where the situation stands up right now.
I'm Jeff Lewis again. You can reach us to Asset
Growth Associates toll free at eight sixty six seven to
eight thirty six ninety seven or locally at four oh
nine eight four or zero sixty nine hundred. When we
come back, we'll go over to thirty Little Secret that'll
take in the Russia Ukraine War.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
We're just trying to turn ankel into a dime.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
That's the bottom line.
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Dot com?
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And while you're there you will find more information and
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of certainty. That is what is my risk number? Dot Com?
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Again?
Speaker 2 (22:46):
What is my risk number?
Speaker 7 (22:48):
Dot com?
Speaker 1 (22:49):
We're just trying to turn a nechel into a dime.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
Welcome back to That's the bottom Line on news talk
radio A sixty kov I and on iHeartRadio, I'm Jeff
Lewis filling in for Jean Vellerani. In the last segment,
we spoke at length about the situation in the Ukraine.
The truth is, and as a point of fact that's
been steadily avoided in the mainstream media, is that the
(23:16):
Ukraine is losing this war, and that leads us into
this week's thirty little secret. It's going to take territorial
concessions on the part of Ukraine to bring this war
to an end. Honesty, I don't even see how that's
much of a secret. I mean, look at the map.
But we've been gaslight been gaslight by the political establishment,
by the media, and by the frankly by the military
(23:38):
industrial complex in our country that somehow there was another
alternative once this war started. Let me be clear, I
fully agree that the Russians are the aggressive party here
and don't deserve to be rewarded for starting a war.
That said, there's some real politic in play here and
it's not just as simple as being a war of aggression.
(23:58):
Now talks are in earnest this week about terms of
apostle ceasefire. All indications point to a deal between the
US and the Ukraine on the rare earth minerals being
close to done. Reportedly, President Putin is open to an agreement,
but territorial concessions will be inevitable. The question is was
acceptable to the West. The Ukraine will probably balk any
(24:21):
loss of territory regardless of the terms. But what can
they be convinced to accept to make the peace. It's
unclear what's really being discussed, So I'll submit a few
hypothetical terms. First, the Ukraine is going to have to
accept that they'll never be part of NATO. In my opinion,
this was a ridiculous thing to ever suggest, and the
(24:43):
fact that the Biden administration openly encouraged it was probably
the catalyst that provoked the Russian invasion in the first place.
By comparison, considered what the United States would do if
the Mexicans enter to a military alliance with China that
would start a global war before a pen ever hit
the paper. We all know it, So let's not pretend
that the Russians don't have a similar outlook in regards
(25:05):
to Ukraine. Moscow is literally a single tank hop three
hundred miles from the Ukrainian border. The truth is there's
other ways to bring Ukraine into the Western orbit besides
joining NATO, like through economic ties and rebuilding infrastructure. I'm
sure there's a lot of American companies right now just
drooling over the chance to rebuild Ukraine. Conflict of interest anyone,
(25:29):
for that matter. The Russians have pretty much done the
daub Forest when it comes to driving the Ukraine out
of Pudin sphere of influence. I mean, there's absolutely no
way the Ukraine, whatever the borders look like when this
is done, will ever consider Russia an ally again. That's
why Russian is going to consider it a core strategic
interest to get all the territory they can right now.
(25:49):
There will not be another chance. And that leads me
to my second point. The Ukraine is going to have
to relinkish control over the Dombas region. It might me
simple as allowing a new independent state to form. I
doubt this, but that would be a real feet of diplomacy. Realistically,
of course, such a state would probably be just a
(26:11):
puppet regime of Putin, but even so such a nation
could exist and thrive. It would already be mostly ethnic Russian,
which would assage Putin's sensibilities. Frankly, the treatment of ethnic
Russians was one of the root causes of the dispute
to begin with. Make no mistakes, Lensky's hands are not
innocent in all of this either. By agreeing to terms,
(26:33):
it might be possible for the Ukraine to hold on
to a decent portion of the eastern half of their nation.
That won't happen if the war continues on for a
couple more years. The Ukrainians will run out of men
and weapons.
Speaker 7 (26:44):
First. We all know this.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
The eastern part is already more pro Russian than the
western half, So ironically, by ceding a portion of the
nations to Lensky would actually secure the whip hand at
the electorate for a Western aligned government. Given that Russia
is a confirmed firm control of most territory east to the Kniper,
it also stands to reason that Sniper would become the
new border between Ukraine and Russia and would allow Russian
(27:10):
land access to its earlier conquest of the Crimea, which
was another one of Russia's strategic objects. However, by connecting
these regions it would require full Russian annexation of the
Dombas region, and I don't think realistically that Putin will
settle for anything less than that. The sad reality is
that there's very little we can do about the situation
(27:31):
on the ground unless we're willing to risk thermonuclear war,
which I am not. That means ultimately, the Ukraine is
going to have to come with terms with the loss
of a sizable portion of the eastern part of its country.
I know that's unpopular to say, but it's true. And
now I've yet to hear anyone explain to me that
some alternative other than the Ukraine can win. Well, no,
(27:54):
the Ukraine can't win. That's the whole problem that we
knew from the beginning. Funneling weapons through the Ukraine slowed
down the Russian advance, limited their gains, but in the
end it was just a matter of how much territory
the Russians would get, not a question of who would
actually win the war. It's not that the war isn't
worth fighting, it's just that the outcome was pretty much predetermined.
(28:14):
The final condition that the Western world needs to accept
is that the Ukrainian President Zelenski needs to resign and
call for new elections. This past week, President Trump took
a lot of heat for calling Zelensky a dictator. But
in case you're wondering the background for that, here's why.
Zelensky told the Vice President Vance and Secretary of State
(28:34):
Mark Rubio during negotiations that he agreed with the mineral
rights deal, the same deal that we just discussed earlier,
that we believe is now close to an agreement, and
also agreed with the premise that we need a vested
interest in his country which offers them more security. He
said he just had to run it by his legislature.
Zelensky then, without warning the US delegation first turned around
(28:57):
and blasted the deal in the media, saying basically, he
told us word to stick it. So either Zelensky was
lying to the American delegation in bad faith, or he
is the legislature of Ukraine, which prompted Trump to call him,
correctly in that case, a dictator. Now, no one argues
with the point that President Selensky has every right to
(29:18):
be concerned with his nation's territorial integrity. However, one of
the last stumbling blocks of the peace deal is a
Russian call for the Ukraine to hold elections. Selensky remains
in power only because the nation is under martial law.
His presidential term expired last year. Now step Bow went
back for a moment, and imagine the outcry with America
(29:41):
was in ward twenty twenty eight, let's pray we're not
and that to continue the war. President Trump then a
lead office until the year twenty thirty. Now I'll sit
back until the screens died out. Looking from the outside,
it seems to me up to this point Selensky has
been as much concerned preserving his own personal power as
(30:02):
he is in protecting his dying nation. Zelenski should do
the right thing and announce that he will relinquish the
presidency as part of a ceasefire agreement if that will
help restore his nation restored to peace and save more
lives of his countrymen and women. So what's the bottom line.
The world cannot risk this war escalating any further. Ukrainians
(30:25):
won't be taking Moscow Cutin, won't be removed from an
office in a coup, and the United States needs to
accept the limitations of its influence in Eastern Europe.
Speaker 7 (30:34):
So don't go away.
Speaker 6 (30:35):
Our solutions segments next I'm Jeff Lewis, and you're listening
to news talk radio on AM five sixty KLBI.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
We're just trying to turn a necke into a dive.
That's the bottom.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Line planning your financial future. Taxes can be one of
your biggest expenses in retirement, but they don't have to be.
With the tax efficient Distribution plan, you can keep more
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(31:10):
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and your income steady. Take control of your financial future.
Let's make your money last longer and work smarter for you.
Call four oh nine eight four h sixty nine hundred
today or visit savemretirement dot com to schedule your free consultation.
(31:57):
Your investment deserves a plan as you unique as your goals,
smart investments, smart tax strategies. This is Gene Valerati of
Asset Growth Associates. If you've been watching recent news, a
few banks have had a run where customers panic and
(32:17):
withdraw all their money at once, causing the banks to fail.
If that isn't worrying enough. On January first, twenty twenty three,
the Federal Reserve set a new low reserve crumpch for
net transaction accounts to six hundred and ninety one point
seven million dollars, meaning that banks with net transaction account
(32:40):
balances up to this amount are subject to a reserve
requirement ratio of zero percent. You heard me right, zero
reserve requirements Forget fractional reserve banking. How about zero reserve banking?
Why would the Federal Reserve create this environment of uncertainty?
(33:04):
If this is a concern to you, and it should be,
we can show you how to protect yourself and how
to locate and utilize financial institutions with very real reserves,
not zero reserves. Give us a call of Asset Growth
Associates one eight six six seven two eight three six
nine seven. That's eight six six seven two eight three
(33:28):
six ninety seven. You can also reach us locally in Beaumont,
Texas by dialing four oh nine eight four oh sixty
nine hundred.
Speaker 7 (33:37):
Give us a call.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
You'll be glad that you did We're just.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Trying to turn a nekel into a dime.
Speaker 7 (33:43):
That's the bottom line you're listening to.
Speaker 6 (33:46):
That's the bottom line. Here on AM five sixty kl
VII and on iHeartRadio once More, I'm Jeff Lewis pinchitting
for Geen Vallerini. You know, my mother always told me
growing up, anytime I grabbed about something to her, which
I'm sure happened very frequently, that I can either be
part of the problem or part of the solution. I
(34:08):
learned pretty quick that I get into a lot less
trouble by trying to be part of the solution. That's
what we aim to do on this week's solution segment.
So here at Asset Growth Associates, we have two main
divisions of our wealth management practice. We have the brokerage side,
which concentrates on the management of securities in your portfolio,
(34:29):
which is suitable for people who want to have a
stake in the market. We also have the principal protection side,
which is best for people who want the potential for
returns without the market risk. Different people have different levels
of risk tolerance. In other words, how much risk am
I willing to put up with in order to achieve
my financial goals. For some people, that's quite a lot.
(34:52):
You might be super aggressive, always willing to invest in
a brand new company with a good idea. For other people,
their risk tolerance is pretty low. They're more worried about
how much the market might lose rather than how much
it might make the problem is that ordinary people like
you and me, we don't always have a good feel
(35:12):
for how much risk we're comfortable with taking. There's no
good way to describe it as there. I mean, it's
a qualitative assessment anyway, not quantitative right, Or to put
it another way, I can only describe how much risk
I'm wild to take with words. There aren't really any
numbers to describe that.
Speaker 7 (35:32):
That's a problem.
Speaker 6 (35:33):
We have a solution for here at Asset Growth Associates.
If you're not sure how risk tolerant you are, you
should really check out this website. Go to what is
my Risk Number dot com or simply google that question
what is my risk number?
Speaker 7 (35:49):
It should take you to a.
Speaker 6 (35:50):
Page with the news top five sixty KLVII logo, and
there you can start a short questionnaire. The program is
called risk Alize, and they will ask you a series
of questions that will allow you to put a meaningful
number to your risk tolerance. It's based on a speed
limit analogy. And although in like the real world, there's
(36:10):
no cops on this road to pull you over, which
I wish was the case for me and I must
thank there's no right or wrong answer here. You could
be good cruising down the road at an easy thirty
five miles an hour, or you might prefer to be
hauling at an eighty five down the freeway like me
and I must think. The point is to find the
investment vehicle of your choice, one that travels out of
(36:32):
speed that you're comfortable with. Once you have this number,
call us. We'll be able to sit down with you
and go over what it means and help you discover
what investment vehicles you're comfortable driving in. Sometimes people are
surprised with what their answer is. Don't worry if the
result doesn't make sense to you, take it again or
(36:54):
better yet, we can help you take it the first
time if you call first. Remember the answer is never
right or is simply informative. For many people, there's more
than one investment people they want to drive. Sometimes I'd
rather be riding in my wife's onto CRV if we're
going on a road trip. For if I just want
the storage space for a trip to the grocery store.
(37:15):
Different cars are designed for different things. That's fine too.
In fact, that's generally the case, isn't it. A lot
of people, for example the side they want to have
some of their money and growth with a nest egg
set aside to be protected no matter what happens with
the economy.
Speaker 7 (37:31):
And that's definitely possible to do.
Speaker 6 (37:33):
There are financial plans out there that we provide Asset
Growth Associates that will ensure you never lose a dime
of what you contribute. They have what we call a
zero floor, meaning your rate of return can never be
less than zero. What's more, you can opt for a
guaranteed rate of return or instead base your return off
of the performance of a particular index like the S
(37:56):
and P five hundred. Not happy with what you picked
in one year, just getting to the next year. It
really is as simple as that. These plans also vary
in their duration. Some plans are as short as five years,
while others can be long at ten years. That part
is up to you as a rule of thumb. The
longer your plan is designed for the greater the guarantee,
(38:17):
and you will always have access to at least a
size per percentage of your money, or even all of
it if necessary. More good news, these plans can also
defer taxation of your money, and you can fund these
plans with a wide range of sources. If you work
at one of the refineries out here, for example, you
probably already have set up a four A one K.
(38:37):
You could decide to use part of that as your principle.
If so, the money will still grow tax free until
you take it as a distribution. Conversely, your source of
funds may be from an inheritance or possibly an insurance settlement.
If so, your principle won't ever be taxed, then the
insurance or the interest itself wouldn't it be taxed until
you take a distribution. If you're worried about what woud
(39:00):
happened to your money when you're gone, you can designate
any number of beneficiaries that you choose. What's more, your
account will avoid probate, which means while the rest of
your assets may be tied in court, you can rest
assured your loved ones will receive what they deserve quickly
and indisputably. If you're still not sure what plan is
right for you, that's why we're here to help. You
(39:21):
can make an appointment at our office, or if you
struggle getting out of the house, simple schedule a zoom
call with us. Either way, we're local people from right
here in the Golden Triangle. Myself Ahulam aur University graduate
that's lived in this area all forty four years in
my life. Jean Valerani, Well, I won't I won't tell
you how long he's lived here, but he's been helping
people grow and protect their money longer than any of us.
(39:43):
Point being here at Asset Growth Associates, you're going to
get sound financial advice from a person you can trust,
not because we say so, but because we'll earn it.
Just give us a call at four oh nine eight
four zero sixty nine hundred or toll free at eight
sixty six seven to eight thirty six ninety.
Speaker 7 (40:00):
You'll be glad that you did.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
Where's Josh trying to turn it Nellen? That's the bottom line.
Where's Josh trying to turn it Nellen?
Speaker 4 (40:12):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 6 (40:15):
People, Thank you for listening today to That's the bottom line.
On news Talk Radio Am five sixty kl v I
plus to those of you that tuned in via podcast,
(40:38):
through iHeartRadio or through our website at savemyretirement dot com. Again,
you can tune in next time at six am Saturdays
or at eleven am on Sundays. And of course you
can listen to all our previous podcasts anytime any day
on demand online.
Speaker 7 (40:57):
Again.
Speaker 6 (40:58):
If you decide to contact any of us here at
Asset Growth Associates, give us a call at locally at
four oh nine eight four zero sixty nine hundred or
toll free anywhere in the world eight six six seven
to eight thirty six ninety seven. Our physical address is
in Beaumont at thirteen ninety one Calder Avenue, a block
(41:18):
from the intersection of MLK and Calder.
Speaker 7 (41:21):
I hope you enjoyed this week's broadcast.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
We know your time is important, and that means given
you an informative and substance discussion on issues relevant to you,
whether it's current events or a national politics you can
count on. That's the bottom line, to deliver frank, straightforward
analysis of the stories that affect you.
Speaker 7 (41:39):
We get it. Retirement can be scary.
Speaker 6 (41:42):
You've worked hard to get where you are, and sometimes
it feels like we're just one life changing event away
from possibly losing it all. Maybe you're worried about what
would happen if, if, and when you and your loved
one get sick later in life. If your medicare agent
want to know what your medical insurance options look like,
there's no better place to turn then right here at
Asset Growth Associates. I promise you there is a light
(42:05):
at the end of this particular tunnel. If you have
a retirement account that's just been sitting around and you
don't know what to do with it, well, chances are
we do. This is what we do, and we do
it well. If you're wanting to be actively involved in
the market, particularly now that federal policies may actually begin
to favor economic growth, our advisement services can help design
(42:27):
a portfolio that suits your risk tolerance and return expectations.
If you're a little more tentative when it comes to
general investing, again, there's nothing to worry about.
Speaker 7 (42:38):
We have got your back.
Speaker 6 (42:40):
We can help you keep turning those nipples into dimes,
though probably not pennies anymore.
Speaker 7 (42:46):
Trump just killed all.
Speaker 6 (42:47):
Those At Asset Growth Associates we know how to make
to handle your money consistently, safely, and always with your
best interest in mind. Remember it's also income tax season,
so if you're over age fifty and want to take
advantage of our senior tax filing ninety nine bucks, you
(43:07):
definitely want to come see us for an appointment. I'm
Jeff Lewis and it was once again privileged to talk
to you today. Geen Valerania will be back soon and
he sends everyone his best from everyone here at Asset
Growth Associates. May the Lord bless you and keep you
until next week. That's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (43:24):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
You can reach Asset Growth Associates by calling one eight
six six seven to eight thirty six ninety seven are
by visiting savemyretirement dot com
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