January 2, 2026 • 39 mins
Seg 1 – The Pillars of Trump’s Economic Agenda
Seg 2 – Can the Political Center hold?
Seg 3 – The Political Pipeline
Seg 4 – The Midterm Strategies for 2026
Seg 2 – Can the Political Center hold?
Seg 3 – The Political Pipeline
Seg 4 – The Midterm Strategies for 2026
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The views and opinions expressed on the following program are
those of the host and guests and do not necessarily
represent those of any organization, including one generation away. No,
that's it was free freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Of enterprise, and freedom is special and read.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
This is Liberty Nation with Markangeldes, a production of Libertynation
dot com, going after what the politicians really mean and
making it all clear for your freedom and your liberty.
Liberty Nation with Markangeledes.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Happy New Year and welcome back to Liberty Nation radio
head Coast to Coast on the Radio America Network. I'm
your host, Mark Angelides. On today's special edition, we are
looking forwards into twenty twenty six. What is on the
literisative agenda, what's going to happen with the midterms, and
a whole lot more. Please remember libertin Nation radiosponsforlibty Nation
dot com, where you can access podcast breaking news analysis
and range of biting and balance shows to what your
(00:55):
apetypes freedom and your fondance of the Great American Constitution.
And Happy new Year to you from Liberty Nation radio
head Coast to Coast on the Radio America Network. I'm
your host, Mark Angelide's and we're joined for this new
year's edition by a Liberty Nation economics editor, mister Andrew Moran.
Happy new Year to you, Andrew, Happy new year. You
sound happy. You sound like you've just landed in twenty
(01:19):
twenty one. That's the level of enthusiasm he's got. And
inflation is not happening. Inflation is happening, but it's mild.
Inflation's here and it's huge, but inflation's great. That's the
kind of twenty twenty one attitude. But here we are,
We're in twenty twenty six, and it's a whole new world.
It's a whole new year. So Andrew, I want to
(01:40):
talk about what is going to happen and what might
happen through twenty twenty six, and specifically, I think the
first part to talk about for what is going to
happen would be there are new taxation systems in place,
and so there'll be a lower tax per on the
(02:00):
American people. Is this the big thing to look forward
to in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Oh? Absolutely, I mean it's across the board, low middle
and high income household they're getting, you know, tax cuts,
and that's and that's in addition to let's say that
the no tax on on, no tax on tips, and
all the other you know, tax elimination of taxes or
tax credits or tax benefits like the Trump tax accounts.
Those are those are definitely positive. So you should start
(02:25):
seeing higher real inflation, justin wage growth throughout twenty twenty six.
That is, if the US economy stays intact and there
aren't any you know, consequences from the twenty twenty five
trade agenda.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Okay, so we've got the tax things to look forward to.
There's also let's do let's do a positive and a negative,
positive and negative and get through these ones.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Sure.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
On the negative side, there's a there's a whole heap
of American debt that needs to be refinanced, right and
currently with the interest rates in the court, you know,
the FOMC meeting is coming up not too long away,
so there might be a cut there. But there's a
(03:09):
there's a lot of debt that needs to be dealt with, right.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, So just on the FED part, if you look
at the futures market, investors are not expecting a raycut
until at least April. At least the April meeting and
the FED forecast only one raycut in twenty twenty six.
Now when it comes to the day of yes, about
eight trillion dollars worth of debt will need to be
refinanced at higher interest rates, which meaning that the US
(03:32):
federal interest payments will be firmly above one trillion dollars
again heading throughout the fiscal year twenty twenty six and
heading into fiscally or twenty twenty seven. And of course
national debt. I mean, that's gonna be throw nine trillion
soon and then you know it took Look at this way,
it took the United States two hundred years to accumulate
its first trillion dollars. Now the federal government is a
(03:53):
cumulating and trillion dollars every couple of months, every three months. Maybe,
so these higher debt payments are just gonna keep going
up up.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
They should follow the I think it was Gratcho marks
and suggesting to make a nickel worth eight cents and
then a family could essentially live off that same nickel
for the rest of their lifetime. Yes, so that's one up,
one down. What else isn't isn't up for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Well, if you're a GDP bro. You know, Bro, we
need more GDP bro, the GDP.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Bro GDP per capita Bro, rather than a GDP in general.
But sorry, if I may interrupt, Andrew, there's a there's
a great story about this that I think our listeners
will appreciate. So two economists are walking through the woods
and they see a pile of bear feces and one
(04:47):
economist says to the other, I'll give you one hundred
dollars to eat that, And so the one of the
other commanies he eats the bear feces and gets one
hundred dollars. And then they're walking along a bit further
and then they see another part of barpoo and the
economists who ate the first lot said well, I'll give
you one hundred dollars to eat that, and said okay,
(05:08):
and so he takes one hundred dollars. And then they're
there and they're talking to each other and one says
to the others is what have we really achieved? You know,
we've not made any extra you know, we're not made
the one hundred dollars each, and we're both eaten bairpoo.
And the other economist turns around and said well, actually
that's not true. We made two hundred dollars extra for
the GDP.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
I do too frequent X. I also patronize X platform.
That's all. But that is a great point. I years
ago Walter Block made that exact same case. He's been
on the swampad Onomics TV. I've interviewed him at least
No No twice any Limination dot com and he's made
that case too. That yes, great GDP. But you know
if you build a massive ship and that's going to
(05:49):
add to GDP, but will it lead to long term
value of No one is using that ship, So GPS hundred.
But the thing is that everyone relies on GDP. Market's
run by GDP. If the GP comes at a four percent,
Wasano apoplectic and cheer that be happy about it. But
so that's why you have to follow GDP. I'm not
a GDP person either, but people love GDP. But that said,
(06:11):
all the forecasts were revised up for the GDP. The
Federal Reserve that that was a big thing at the
December meeting because the Summer of Economic Projections revised its
GP forecast for twenty twenty six from one point nine
percent in September to two point three percent for the
whole year, So that was quite a big revision. Private
sector forecast. They also say one big thing that's going
(06:32):
to happen for the GDP boost is the one big beautiful,
one big beautiful bill or OBBB.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
That's why I'm saying that.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
But all the GP forecasts they're expected to be up.
And you know, two twenty five five was a good
example of the volatility and GDP based on policy because
in the first quarter you had that contraction which is
driven by that record high imports, but then the collapse
of imports led to you know, three three point eight
percent increase in GDP in the second quarter. Third quarter
is also a big fourth quarters was okay. So yeah, GDP,
(07:02):
that's gonna be quite increasing in twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Six, okay. And so moving from a positive GDP, what's
our next big loser coming down the pipeline for twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Well, I hate to say it though, but I don't know.
I'm so concerned about the hell Ai bubble thing. I mean,
compared to during the dot com bubble, people did not
talk about bubbles at all. People ever thought that pets
dot com would be or etoys dot Com would be
the next big thing. So know we talked about but
now today everyone every single day are saying AI bubble,
AI bubble. It makes you think, well, maybe there isn't
(07:35):
so much a bubble because all these companies they have
who are investing in AI have strong ballad sheets and
they're using their cash stockpile to invest in AI. But
there's just something about it. I mean, this is a
huge bull market. It's it's an ultra bold market. At
the same time, it feels so fragile. It feels if
something is going to break any moment because of AI.
(07:56):
Because it's very circular too. I mean, it's not a
wide spread adoptee. Look at some of the numbers. Small
businesses aren't using AI. Very large corporation right now, the
average individual. Will the average individual want to pay for
Gemini or Grock. Will they be willing to pay as
much money as they needed to justify the trillions of
dollars in investments. Yeah, I think that's a negative just
(08:17):
to monitor. Maybe it may not happen, but it's still good.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I think the average consumer is not really the market
right it's developing technologies that can be created along with
the AI built into them, with I guess options for
upgrading not only the base operating systems that would incorporate AI,
but also they'd be almost like a von Newman machine
(08:45):
as it were recreating itself again and again. But yeah,
I don't think that they're looking for any of their
market their market share through the consumer market, at least
not directly, because people have AI in their I don't know,
they have AI and their fridges on their light switches
on their TVs. And you know, I spend I spend
(09:08):
at least twenty minutes a day trying to remove all
the AI things that get put on my computer without
my knowing about it. And it's it's a chore, I
tell you, it's a chore. But consumers, I don't think
they're the primary market. They're not going to be paying
for the AI except for the cost of the goods
that incorporate AI go in. But of course, as we know,
(09:30):
the more that something is done, the cheaper it comes down,
right that the prices come down on that. So what's
the biggest thing that you personally are looking forward to
in twenty twenty six Andrew around, Well.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I'm gonna say I'm going to have to say inflation
because if inflation does keep falling, let's say, let's say
it goes to two point one percent, because Joe Powell
he said that's going to peak in the first quarter.
So if it goes let's say two percent, and aggreg
inflation is not impacted by tariffs, that I guess you
have to say, Well, the whole economic data and research
(10:00):
and calm tearing tariffs may be wrong after all, because
you know, tariffs are supposed to be you know, they're
supposed to push prices up. But if they're causing the
act opts to where inflation is moderating at two percent,
then you could say, okay, weld one, so tariffs maybe
a one time price increase on the on the aggregate level,
or and two that tariffs are not as persistently inflation
(10:21):
as the economists had argued for so many decades.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
That is something to look forward to. Aw Moran, Happy
New Year too, Thanks for being here.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Thank you for.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Your freedom and your liberty. Liberty Nation with Mark Edge.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Ladies, welcome back to Limutination Radio or remain your host.
Mark Andjdi's we continue our conversations with liberty Nations Enterprise reporter,
mister Joe Schaeffer, Happy new year to you, Joe.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Happy new here.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
So Joe, obviously this time of view, we'd like to
talk about things that are going forward, you know, what
will be the dominating topics of the era. Had the
twenty twenty six year head So Joe, I guess the
question is, in twenty twenty six, can the center hold?
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:17):
I think that is really my number one frame of mind.
It's been for several years, but it is really starting
to unravel on its people. And like you were talking
about how Europe can be kind of like a harbinger
for things that happened in America. So you look at
what NATO director Mark Rutter recently said. You know, Mark
Rutter is the embodiment of the European establishment to European
(11:40):
human scabage. He is like the Emmanuel Macrone of the Netherlands.
He was established in that government for years, eventually lost
his power, immediately got his reward for services to the
establishment with his NATO post. And look what he said
the other day. Must be ready for another war on
(12:03):
the level that our parents and grandparents fall, meaning.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
World War What the slaughter houses of world.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
War One and World War two. That is what these
people will do to distract themselves from their vast unpopularity.
It's in poll after poll. I've written about it numerous times.
Every with every passing year, the establishment gets more unpopular.
They continue to clean the power in all these nations
in Western Europe. And it's also it's so interesting can
(12:31):
they keep doing it in America? And it's not just
politicians in America. The entire what I call the entire
credentialed class in America is losing influence. It's not by
the year, it's not by the it's by the day.
With every passing day, they're losing more influence academia, healthcare, science, entertainment, whatever.
(12:54):
These people who once had so much sway the American
people just don't believe them. They've lost so much credibility
with the American people. How do they get it back?
They're double downing to me, They're they're doubling down on
their arrogance and on their you know, their idea of
you need to listen to us, don't think for yourself.
(13:15):
We're the ones. And then they're not offering the American
people anything except for needs your really reflexive criticism of
Donald Trump, which does nothing to to boost their cause whatsoever.
So what do they have to offer people that will
get them back a measure of the respect they have?
And to me, the most dominant theme of this year
(13:37):
is well, what are they going to come up with,
because as far as I can see, they don't have
anything to offer the people that that's going to get
their totally lost respect back in any way.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, so Ronald Reagan said, status quo is Latin further
mess we're in. I've always enjoyed that one from him.
But you're right about the unpopularity of these what they
call themselves the centrists, the centrist leaders, when really they're
very much left of center, if not far left in
(14:08):
some cases, and especially across Europe. I follow European politics
quite quite a lot, and you have, for example, we
have discussed this in last week's show. Briefly, you have
the Reform Party led by Niger FRAG, which is very
much a conservative populist party. It's currently polling now. The
(14:30):
election is not until twenty twenty nine at the latest,
twenty twenty nine, but they're currently polling. If you add
the Labor Party and the Tory Party together, which are
the equivalent of the Democrats and the Republicans respectively. If
you add their polling together, they just equal Reforms current polling,
(14:51):
and that's the same for more than a hundred that
the last one hundred polls have been exactly the same.
And also by membership, Reform is now the largest political
party by membership in the United Kingdom. Then you cross
the mere thirty miles to France from the UK and
you have Immanuel Macron is so desperately unpopular and of
(15:13):
course he's term limited now for the presidency, but he's
lost I believe he's lost five prime ministers in the
last twelve months because he can't keep a government together.
And what we have coming in next year, I guess,
or the year after the next year, is Jordan Bardello
(15:35):
now appears to be the front runner. Who is Marine
le Penz Protege, who people might remember, who fought against
Macron twice in the election, but that is very much
a candidate on the right who favors mass deportations of
illegal aliens in the country, and so they look set
(15:58):
to win in France. And then you go to Germany,
where you've got the AfD and the establishment there is
doing every they can to crush the rise of the
alternative for Deustchland. You know, it's constant media slurs, it's arrest,
it's trying to bar them from actually legally holding office
or removing them from positions in their work because they
(16:22):
are members of a political party, which is by popularity
it might well be the most popular party in the country.
But what you say, what I hear you're saying here
is that they're so unpopular they need to do something
to regain some kind of respect. And I fear that
(16:42):
what that will be is not in the best interest
of the people, but more in the best interest of
what can we do to make the people say, we
need the stability back. We need that stability that you've
promised that you represent, and that means leaning into whatever
(17:02):
catastrophes having to take place, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
That's an important point. It's a very important point because
they have nothing positive to offer. The only thing they
can offer is negativity, you know, you know, like, hey,
it's the World War.
Speaker 5 (17:16):
Three with Russia. We got to do it.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
We're going to draft you. Because they have no positive
agenda for the people, They have no reason for the
people to support them. So it's going to be like
this is this is an existential crisis. We're all going
to die if you don't care. And that was a
quote by Macro and I wrote an article about that.
I believed in twenty twenty four. Support me or there
will be civil war, you know. And you can only
(17:38):
get away with this for so long. You know, eventually
it's going to reach a tipping point. And this is
to me, is how do they do it in America?
How do they prevent real change, real choice? You talk
about in Jeremy. They just ban you, They label you
far red extremists, and you're not allowed to run any election.
How do they limit the options of America? It's the
(17:59):
primary process. It doesn't exist in most of these elections.
The incumbents. The advantage for incumbents is so overwhelming here.
And even if an incumbent retires, the party you know,
the or the incumbents you know offices, it's so powerful.
It's really not about the politician, it's about the office itself.
They hand picked a selector. The primary is usually a joke,
(18:23):
and you get another establishment candidate with an R or
a D. Even in their name, they use the primary
process of whatever. So if you want real change in
America to kind of change they want in Europe in
Europe is really buckling down on if you want that
change in America, to get involved in the primary parts,
even if you're a Democratic republic, challenge these incumbents.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Challenge these establishing people in the.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
Primary once once they're nominated, it's too late.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Doshaefer's wish for twenty twenty six. Thanks for being here, Jay,
Thank you. You know that's what was free. Freedom of speech,
freedom of religion, freedom.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Of enterplase and freedom is special in red.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
This is Liberty Nation with Markangeldes, a production of Libertynation
dot com, going after what the politicians really mean and
making it all clear for your freedom and your liberty.
Liberty Nation with Markangeledes, and you're back.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
On Liberty Nation Radio head Coast Coast on the Radio
America Network. I remain your host, Mark Anthethides, and we're
joined today by Liberty Nations senior political analyst and longtime
host of this here radio show, mister Tim Done. Happy
new Year to you, Tim.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Happy new year, Mark.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I hope all went well. Much Champagne was drunk drunk drunken?
Uh you two? Well, I state you on the champagne
to be what I did?
Speaker 5 (19:48):
Mark? Was I drank responsibly? Yeah, that's it. Responsive.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
There you go responsively response or responsively.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
So that's why you know, that's what all about liquor manufacturers.
They tell you that the wonders of their alcoholic beverage,
and then they say drink responsibly. That's what they really
mean is drink, drink early and off.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Like voting right in certain states in Chicago early. Yes,
it's twenty twenty six, and I guess the most appropriate
topic of conversation for us today would be what are
we looking to in the coming year? What do we
expect to happen legislatively? What do we expect to happen
(20:35):
judicially and culturally? I guess it is an important one
as well. Of course economically one of the big things
you're looking out for in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
Most people would agree, and I'm one of those people
that the economy is going to change a lot.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Oh yeah, the One Big being Bill Act in it
takes effect.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Because all the provisions of that one Big Beautiful Bill
Act will take effect this year. And that's where you're
going to see the impact of it, and you're also
going to see the impact of tariffs for better or worse.
That of course, was a major feature of the first
year of Trump's second administration, and now it's going to
(21:22):
play out in real time. The sort of shock and
awe of the new tariff regime is passed and now
changing these tariffs up and down to accommodate of various
changes in the market. I think it's clear that the
midterms are going to hinge on the economy. Of course,
(21:45):
the Republicans go into it at a built in historical
disadvantage since they control the trifecta, the White House and
both Houses of Congress. They're now going to be held
responsible for ever everything that happens, both good and bad,
as they.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Should beat tim as they should. You can't you can't
spend for you know, they can't spend four years reigning
against Joe Biden blaming him for everything, and then ten.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
Well, I think that this isn't our fault. That statute
of limitations is up. I think on blaming Biden because
Trump said I will fix the Biden economy, and of
course he made grand promises like he does with everything.
But the problem is when you make that kind of
(22:33):
grand promise, you have to live up to it, you know.
He says we're in the best economy ever, which is
what he said in his first term, but he's going
to have to go out and prove it. Nobody is
going to be looking back at Joe Biden when they
pull the levers later this year leading up to the
(22:54):
November mid terms. So the economy is a real X factor,
the big X factor in all of this. Legislatively, I
don't see much of anything, if only because Trump got
it almost everything, basically that he won it. Yeah, in
the twenty twenty five one big Beautiful Bill, although.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
If I could interrupt, there is there is rumor that
a bigger, more beautiful bill of some discribity. I doubt
that's going to be the title of it is in
the works as well.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
But I call it now the the really big beautiful
or the enormous beautiful bill. They have to find another adjective, yeah, Oh, superlatives.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I think they've got to go for the superlatives now
rather than just the adjectives. Yes, so there doesn't seem
to be too much. I think you're right, there doesn't
seem to be too much left legislatively, that is, on
the Trump agenda. That doesn't mean there's not an agenda
within Congress that they you know, certain bills that they
want to get through that Trump support or not. But yeah,
(24:03):
I think you're right here. What happened was that he
put everything into the first one big beautiful bill because
he had the push power to get it done then,
which he may not have right now because there's a
lot of optimism when he came in. Of course, his
approval ratings are I think he's about nine nine points underwater.
(24:24):
As the last checking, Please audience, do go and check
out limty nations Public Square poll tracker. It's fantastic interactive
polling device. It's polling machine, I like to call it,
and it's got all the latest and it's so easy
to use and switch between the different things on the
issues and everything. Sorry quick plug for limty Nations Public
(24:44):
Square there. But yeah, but what I think he's done is,
as you point out again, all of these things that
they were designed in twenty twenty five, They were designed
to come in in twenty twenty six. They were designed
to create the headline numbers of twenty twenty six, probably
around summertime, just when you know the primaries are decided.
(25:09):
Most primaries have decided, sorry for twenty twenty six, and
you know that will give the successful primary candidates in
the GOP something to campaign on. And of course Donald
Trump is already he's already campaigning, but he's campaigning like
he's running for president again at this time. It's john
(25:30):
his economy.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
Yes, he's he is going to devote he said his sister.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
He's doing it already the end of last year. We
saw in Pensaaslania, New Jersey, all over the place.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Yes, I think the danger is that he does the
same thing that Joe Biden did, which is to say, hey,
the economy may not it seems so good, but it's
much better than you think. And he started with that
(26:08):
in late twenty twenty five and he said the affordability
crisis is a hoax. Now what he meant was that
the Democrats answer to it is a hoax because they
have no answer in his view, but it comes off
as sort of short shrifting the economic pain that people
(26:29):
do feel. So he's going to show some results. I mean,
there's no question they're not going to take it at
face value that things will get better in the third
or fourth year of the administration. But I think there's
something else that has the potential to really influence the
upcoming year, and that is July fourth, twenty twenty six,
(26:53):
America two fifty, as we celebrated on libertynation dot com.
That will be a season, not just today, but I
take a season of celebration and a recalibrating of just
what a great nation the United States is, and of
course Trump will be at the center of that. Trump
(27:15):
will be highly visible. He will be a force for
traditional patriotism. And let's see how the Democrats weigh in
on the importance of the two hundred and fiftieth birthday
of the United States. I would also say that the
thief of World Cup taking place in the United States
(27:39):
cannot be understated in terms of its importance. And Trump
will be very visible at many venues for the World
Cup as well. So it's a very exciting cultural year
coming up. And I don't think people are going to
vote for a Republican because Donald Trump showed up up
(28:01):
on July fourth and said patriotic things. But I think
it puts people in a different frame of mind. It
certainly did. In the bicentennial in nineteen seventy six, people
were you know, it was a major thing. It dictated
a lot of the cultural, shall we say, events of
(28:24):
that year, and I expect the same thing is going
to happen here in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yeah. When there's a period of optimism within a country,
that usually benefits the sitting party in powers, especially when
they've got the trifector, because it's that thing is if
you've got all the leaves of government, if you've got
the trifector, everything's your fault, right, And if people are
happen to be optimistic and happy because there's this period
(28:52):
of celebration, and then the Republicans say, well, you know
everything's good now, right, you feel good? Well, we've got
control of all the lea was a power. Why would
you hand that over? You're feeling good right now? Why
not stick with it? No matter how disingenuous that might be,
they will. I think it's a probably optimism brush.
Speaker 5 (29:10):
The problem that Trump has had all along is the
same one in Parakopama had it, which is that when
he's not on the ballot, his party doesn't do so well. Now,
of course, they did in twenty twenty four and in
twenty sixteen when Trump was on the ballot. In twenty
(29:31):
twenty five was a blood path, although a limited one
because there are only really three major contests and then
a bunch of local races around the country, most of
which were The outcomes were favorable to the Democrats in
one way or another in terms of the movement of
(29:51):
the electorate. But with Trump not on the ballot, I
think we're going to realize that Trump is Trump. He's
not a Republican so much as he's Trump. He's his
own brand, and his popularity has not accrued to Republicans
(30:14):
rid large. We'll see if that changes. The advantage that
the Republicans has have is that the Democrats are still
in a state of disarray. They're still dominated by the
far left. There are forces trying to moderate it, but
it may just be that because they're not Republicans, and
(30:37):
because midterm elections are grievance elections where the people that
are angry show up a lot more than the people
that aren't. I still think it's going to be a
pretty steep hill for Republican Republicans to climb to maintain control,
especially of the House.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
We're going to We're actually going to talk about the
about the elections, the midterms, the House and the Senate
in our next segment. So audience, don't go anywhere, be
right back.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
For your freedom and your liberty, Liberty Nation with Mark
Edge of Ladies.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
And your back on Libtination Radio remain Mark An Leaders
and Tim Donner remains Tim Donner and we are continuing
our conversation on what to look towards in twenty twenty
six and specifically we just got started talking in the
last segment, Tim about the midterm elections and how we
think they'll go. And you mentioned that you see and
it's I mean, it's not just you that sees it.
(31:37):
They are. In fact, midterms are grievance elections. So what
kind of I mean, what kind of turnout do you expect?
What kind of overall arching feeding do you get about
the November midterms this year?
Speaker 5 (31:52):
A lot of careers have been ruined with bad predictions, sir.
But unless you unless you're creme of that guy stood
up on our creamer. We had to get him in there.
They see nbcee tout. I would be surprised if the
turnout for midterm elections was unusually high, right, because yes,
(32:15):
you have Democrats who will be angry at Trump just
because they're Democrats, and because he's Trump, no matter what
he does. As I've said before, he could walk on
water and the headline would be Trump can't swim. So
there are some things that Trump just can't it just
(32:36):
can't control. But I think what will hold down turnout
is the fact that the Democrats themselves are at a
low ebb in terms of their public approval. They're down
lower than they have been in about thirty years, certainly
at the lowest approval level of the entire twenty first century,
(32:58):
and they show no signs of cohesion. They show those
signs of a leader emerging who can consolidate the progressive
and quote moderate wings of the Democratic Party, which is
more like like traditional liberal and aggress it. And so
(33:18):
they're still in a state of disarray. So yes, they
are not Republicans, which will accrue to the benefit of
Democrats to to you know, to some degree. But it's
not like the Democrats themselves have offered an appealing alternative
to the American people. So I tink turnout I wouldn't
(33:41):
expect it to set any kind of records.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
I'm wondering about this. You talk about the Democratic Party
currently being leaderless essentially, and I wonder if there's there's
something about that that they are clear they're clearly people
who want to lead the Democratic Party going into twenty
twenty eight. Their problem is that if they get in now,
(34:08):
then if they become the figurehead, the leader of the part,
the de facto leader of the party, then all that
happens between now and twenty twenty eight will fall on
their shoulders and weaken them as it comes to a
presidential election, because they'll be taking the brunch of everything.
So if they raise their if they raise their head
(34:29):
above the parapet early, it's likely to get knocked off
by some flying trebischet, especially when we consider the approval
rating of the Democrats that you just mentioned. I'm not
entirely sure it's hit bottom yet. You know, it is
absolutely the lowest it's been in this century. But it
(34:50):
could go lower, right, especially if some of Donald Trump's
economic policies come to fruition in the way that he
expects them to.
Speaker 5 (35:00):
Well, I'll tell you this much. We just did a story.
Graham Noble wrote it on Liberty nation dot com. Actually not,
it was late last year which she talked about Kamala
Harris as sending out all the signals that she's going
to run again. Well, I can tell you this, if
(35:20):
she raises her head above water level, that's not going
to do anything to help Democrats. In fact, it seems
preposterous to me that she would believe she could actually
become president after the years that she spent in Washington
and failure of her campaign, which she can blame on
(35:43):
Joe Biden. She can't blame it on she only had
one hundred and seven days to campaign, though you and
I are among those who believe if she had twice
as much time as she would have, word lost it
more decisively than she did. But the point is a
party that's out of power, a party that has lost
(36:03):
the trifecta, by definition, is leaderless. So this happened to
the Republicans, particularly in two thousand and nine, in twenty
thirteen in the aftermath of the two Obama of victories.
But in twenty twenty, Trump eventually re emerged as the
(36:24):
putative leader of the party as they headed for twenty
twenty four. For the Democrats, who is it Nancy Pelosi
has gone Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, has proven
to be frankly not ready for.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
I would like to point out that, and I always
like to do this for mister Jeffries represents to Jeffries
is he has lost more votes for Speaker of the
House than any person in history. And I think that's
a record that's going to follow him around. Sorry, please
carry it on. I would like to bow that.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
So, so then you know, with Pelosi, gun and Jefferys
Inept and Chuck Schumer as unpopular as he's.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Ever been and fighting for his life, and.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
There is no Yes, there is no leadership there. And
so who emerges? I mean, is a Gavin Newsom? Is
it Kamala Harris? Is it a JB.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Pritzker.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
They're going to start sending out signals, these potential candidates
about their intentions, although undoubtedly they won't announce until after
the midterms. Will probably be sitting here in one year
mark in twenty twenty seven at the turn of the
year and speculating about who's going to get in the
(37:45):
race and wine. But you know, the Democrats, all they
can offer now is not being Trump and not being
Republicans because they're agenda and orientation are both extremely unpopular.
They have yet to pivot from the disastrous results of
(38:09):
the twenty twenty four election.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, and I think, as history tells us, though, that
not being the party in power is probably the best
advantage you can get when it comes to winning a
midterm right. It's the in built advantage Tim, generally speaking, Yes, Yeah,
although there are I believe there are two or three exceptions,
(38:32):
but the two or three out of one hundred and
nineteen congresses. Tim final question, just a one word to
it answer. Have you made any New Year's resolutions? And
are you going to stick to them?
Speaker 5 (38:44):
I have resolved to come up with the new year's resolution.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
It's TBD mark to be the be decided to I had.
Speaker 5 (38:53):
I have resolved to make a resolution, and that's unlike
a politician.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
It does, it does, Tim Donner twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Well, wait a minute. You don't get out of this
without telling us your new Year's resolution or resolutions.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Might don't let you hear it, but my new year's
resolution is to be a better family man than I
was last year, and I intend to stick to it.
Tim Donna thanks ever so much for being here.
Speaker 5 (39:24):
Thank you Marek, Happy New Year.
Speaker 2 (39:26):
And that's all we have time from this special New
Year's edition of Liutination radio Head Coast Coast and Radio
America Network. I'd like to thank our guests Andrew Moran,
Joe Schaeffer and Tim Donner for being here, and of
course thank you the listeners who take the time to
tune in each and every week. We do appreciate you.
Please remember Libutination does not endorse campaigns, candidates, all legislation
and this presentation is no endorsement
The views and opinions expressed on the following program are
those of the host and guests and do not necessarily
represent those of any organization, including one generation away. No,
that's it was free freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Of enterprise, and freedom is special and read.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
This is Liberty Nation with Markangeldes, a production of Libertynation
dot com, going after what the politicians really mean and
making it all clear for your freedom and your liberty.
Liberty Nation with Markangeledes.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Happy New Year and welcome back to Liberty Nation radio
head Coast to Coast on the Radio America Network. I'm
your host, Mark Angelides. On today's special edition, we are
looking forwards into twenty twenty six. What is on the
literisative agenda, what's going to happen with the midterms, and
a whole lot more. Please remember libertin Nation radiosponsforlibty Nation
dot com, where you can access podcast breaking news analysis
and range of biting and balance shows to what your
(00:55):
apetypes freedom and your fondance of the Great American Constitution.
And Happy new Year to you from Liberty Nation radio
head Coast to Coast on the Radio America Network. I'm
your host, Mark Angelide's and we're joined for this new
year's edition by a Liberty Nation economics editor, mister Andrew Moran.
Happy new Year to you, Andrew, Happy new year. You
sound happy. You sound like you've just landed in twenty
(01:19):
twenty one. That's the level of enthusiasm he's got. And
inflation is not happening. Inflation is happening, but it's mild.
Inflation's here and it's huge, but inflation's great. That's the
kind of twenty twenty one attitude. But here we are,
We're in twenty twenty six, and it's a whole new world.
It's a whole new year. So Andrew, I want to
(01:40):
talk about what is going to happen and what might
happen through twenty twenty six, and specifically, I think the
first part to talk about for what is going to
happen would be there are new taxation systems in place,
and so there'll be a lower tax per on the
(02:00):
American people. Is this the big thing to look forward
to in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Oh? Absolutely, I mean it's across the board, low middle
and high income household they're getting, you know, tax cuts,
and that's and that's in addition to let's say that
the no tax on on, no tax on tips, and
all the other you know, tax elimination of taxes or
tax credits or tax benefits like the Trump tax accounts.
Those are those are definitely positive. So you should start
(02:25):
seeing higher real inflation, justin wage growth throughout twenty twenty six.
That is, if the US economy stays intact and there
aren't any you know, consequences from the twenty twenty five
trade agenda.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Okay, so we've got the tax things to look forward to.
There's also let's do let's do a positive and a negative,
positive and negative and get through these ones.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Sure.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
On the negative side, there's a there's a whole heap
of American debt that needs to be refinanced, right and
currently with the interest rates in the court, you know,
the FOMC meeting is coming up not too long away,
so there might be a cut there. But there's a
(03:09):
there's a lot of debt that needs to be dealt with, right.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, So just on the FED part, if you look
at the futures market, investors are not expecting a raycut
until at least April. At least the April meeting and
the FED forecast only one raycut in twenty twenty six.
Now when it comes to the day of yes, about
eight trillion dollars worth of debt will need to be
refinanced at higher interest rates, which meaning that the US
(03:32):
federal interest payments will be firmly above one trillion dollars
again heading throughout the fiscal year twenty twenty six and
heading into fiscally or twenty twenty seven. And of course
national debt. I mean, that's gonna be throw nine trillion
soon and then you know it took Look at this way,
it took the United States two hundred years to accumulate
its first trillion dollars. Now the federal government is a
(03:53):
cumulating and trillion dollars every couple of months, every three months. Maybe,
so these higher debt payments are just gonna keep going
up up.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
They should follow the I think it was Gratcho marks
and suggesting to make a nickel worth eight cents and
then a family could essentially live off that same nickel
for the rest of their lifetime. Yes, so that's one up,
one down. What else isn't isn't up for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Well, if you're a GDP bro. You know, Bro, we
need more GDP bro, the GDP.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Bro GDP per capita Bro, rather than a GDP in general.
But sorry, if I may interrupt, Andrew, there's a there's
a great story about this that I think our listeners
will appreciate. So two economists are walking through the woods
and they see a pile of bear feces and one
(04:47):
economist says to the other, I'll give you one hundred
dollars to eat that, And so the one of the
other commanies he eats the bear feces and gets one
hundred dollars. And then they're walking along a bit further
and then they see another part of barpoo and the
economists who ate the first lot said well, I'll give
you one hundred dollars to eat that, and said okay,
(05:08):
and so he takes one hundred dollars. And then they're
there and they're talking to each other and one says
to the others is what have we really achieved? You know,
we've not made any extra you know, we're not made
the one hundred dollars each, and we're both eaten bairpoo.
And the other economist turns around and said well, actually
that's not true. We made two hundred dollars extra for
the GDP.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
I do too frequent X. I also patronize X platform.
That's all. But that is a great point. I years
ago Walter Block made that exact same case. He's been
on the swampad Onomics TV. I've interviewed him at least
No No twice any Limination dot com and he's made
that case too. That yes, great GDP. But you know
if you build a massive ship and that's going to
(05:49):
add to GDP, but will it lead to long term
value of No one is using that ship, So GPS hundred.
But the thing is that everyone relies on GDP. Market's
run by GDP. If the GP comes at a four percent,
Wasano apoplectic and cheer that be happy about it. But
so that's why you have to follow GDP. I'm not
a GDP person either, but people love GDP. But that said,
(06:11):
all the forecasts were revised up for the GDP. The
Federal Reserve that that was a big thing at the
December meeting because the Summer of Economic Projections revised its
GP forecast for twenty twenty six from one point nine
percent in September to two point three percent for the
whole year, So that was quite a big revision. Private
sector forecast. They also say one big thing that's going
(06:32):
to happen for the GDP boost is the one big beautiful,
one big beautiful bill or OBBB.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
That's why I'm saying that.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
But all the GP forecasts they're expected to be up.
And you know, two twenty five five was a good
example of the volatility and GDP based on policy because
in the first quarter you had that contraction which is
driven by that record high imports, but then the collapse
of imports led to you know, three three point eight
percent increase in GDP in the second quarter. Third quarter
is also a big fourth quarters was okay. So yeah, GDP,
(07:02):
that's gonna be quite increasing in twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Six, okay. And so moving from a positive GDP, what's
our next big loser coming down the pipeline for twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Well, I hate to say it though, but I don't know.
I'm so concerned about the hell Ai bubble thing. I mean,
compared to during the dot com bubble, people did not
talk about bubbles at all. People ever thought that pets
dot com would be or etoys dot Com would be
the next big thing. So know we talked about but
now today everyone every single day are saying AI bubble,
AI bubble. It makes you think, well, maybe there isn't
(07:35):
so much a bubble because all these companies they have
who are investing in AI have strong ballad sheets and
they're using their cash stockpile to invest in AI. But
there's just something about it. I mean, this is a
huge bull market. It's it's an ultra bold market. At
the same time, it feels so fragile. It feels if
something is going to break any moment because of AI.
(07:56):
Because it's very circular too. I mean, it's not a
wide spread adoptee. Look at some of the numbers. Small
businesses aren't using AI. Very large corporation right now, the
average individual. Will the average individual want to pay for
Gemini or Grock. Will they be willing to pay as
much money as they needed to justify the trillions of
dollars in investments. Yeah, I think that's a negative just
(08:17):
to monitor. Maybe it may not happen, but it's still good.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I think the average consumer is not really the market
right it's developing technologies that can be created along with
the AI built into them, with I guess options for
upgrading not only the base operating systems that would incorporate AI,
but also they'd be almost like a von Newman machine
(08:45):
as it were recreating itself again and again. But yeah,
I don't think that they're looking for any of their
market their market share through the consumer market, at least
not directly, because people have AI in their I don't know,
they have AI and their fridges on their light switches
on their TVs. And you know, I spend I spend
(09:08):
at least twenty minutes a day trying to remove all
the AI things that get put on my computer without
my knowing about it. And it's it's a chore, I
tell you, it's a chore. But consumers, I don't think
they're the primary market. They're not going to be paying
for the AI except for the cost of the goods
that incorporate AI go in. But of course, as we know,
(09:30):
the more that something is done, the cheaper it comes down,
right that the prices come down on that. So what's
the biggest thing that you personally are looking forward to
in twenty twenty six Andrew around, Well.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I'm gonna say I'm going to have to say inflation
because if inflation does keep falling, let's say, let's say
it goes to two point one percent, because Joe Powell
he said that's going to peak in the first quarter.
So if it goes let's say two percent, and aggreg
inflation is not impacted by tariffs, that I guess you
have to say, Well, the whole economic data and research
(10:00):
and calm tearing tariffs may be wrong after all, because
you know, tariffs are supposed to be you know, they're
supposed to push prices up. But if they're causing the
act opts to where inflation is moderating at two percent,
then you could say, okay, weld one, so tariffs maybe
a one time price increase on the on the aggregate level,
or and two that tariffs are not as persistently inflation
(10:21):
as the economists had argued for so many decades.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
That is something to look forward to. Aw Moran, Happy
New Year too, Thanks for being here.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Thank you for.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Your freedom and your liberty. Liberty Nation with Mark Edge.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Ladies, welcome back to Limutination Radio or remain your host.
Mark Andjdi's we continue our conversations with liberty Nations Enterprise reporter,
mister Joe Schaeffer, Happy new year to you, Joe.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Happy new here.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
So Joe, obviously this time of view, we'd like to
talk about things that are going forward, you know, what
will be the dominating topics of the era. Had the
twenty twenty six year head So Joe, I guess the
question is, in twenty twenty six, can the center hold?
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:17):
I think that is really my number one frame of mind.
It's been for several years, but it is really starting
to unravel on its people. And like you were talking
about how Europe can be kind of like a harbinger
for things that happened in America. So you look at
what NATO director Mark Rutter recently said. You know, Mark
Rutter is the embodiment of the European establishment to European
(11:40):
human scabage. He is like the Emmanuel Macrone of the Netherlands.
He was established in that government for years, eventually lost
his power, immediately got his reward for services to the
establishment with his NATO post. And look what he said
the other day. Must be ready for another war on
(12:03):
the level that our parents and grandparents fall, meaning.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
World War What the slaughter houses of world.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
War One and World War two. That is what these
people will do to distract themselves from their vast unpopularity.
It's in poll after poll. I've written about it numerous times.
Every with every passing year, the establishment gets more unpopular.
They continue to clean the power in all these nations
in Western Europe. And it's also it's so interesting can
(12:31):
they keep doing it in America? And it's not just
politicians in America. The entire what I call the entire
credentialed class in America is losing influence. It's not by
the year, it's not by the it's by the day.
With every passing day, they're losing more influence academia, healthcare, science, entertainment, whatever.
(12:54):
These people who once had so much sway the American
people just don't believe them. They've lost so much credibility
with the American people. How do they get it back?
They're double downing to me, They're they're doubling down on
their arrogance and on their you know, their idea of
you need to listen to us, don't think for yourself.
(13:15):
We're the ones. And then they're not offering the American
people anything except for needs your really reflexive criticism of
Donald Trump, which does nothing to to boost their cause whatsoever.
So what do they have to offer people that will
get them back a measure of the respect they have?
And to me, the most dominant theme of this year
(13:37):
is well, what are they going to come up with,
because as far as I can see, they don't have
anything to offer the people that that's going to get
their totally lost respect back in any way.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, so Ronald Reagan said, status quo is Latin further
mess we're in. I've always enjoyed that one from him.
But you're right about the unpopularity of these what they
call themselves the centrists, the centrist leaders, when really they're
very much left of center, if not far left in
(14:08):
some cases, and especially across Europe. I follow European politics
quite quite a lot, and you have, for example, we
have discussed this in last week's show. Briefly, you have
the Reform Party led by Niger FRAG, which is very
much a conservative populist party. It's currently polling now. The
(14:30):
election is not until twenty twenty nine at the latest,
twenty twenty nine, but they're currently polling. If you add
the Labor Party and the Tory Party together, which are
the equivalent of the Democrats and the Republicans respectively. If
you add their polling together, they just equal Reforms current polling,
(14:51):
and that's the same for more than a hundred that
the last one hundred polls have been exactly the same.
And also by membership, Reform is now the largest political
party by membership in the United Kingdom. Then you cross
the mere thirty miles to France from the UK and
you have Immanuel Macron is so desperately unpopular and of
(15:13):
course he's term limited now for the presidency, but he's
lost I believe he's lost five prime ministers in the
last twelve months because he can't keep a government together.
And what we have coming in next year, I guess,
or the year after the next year, is Jordan Bardello
(15:35):
now appears to be the front runner. Who is Marine
le Penz Protege, who people might remember, who fought against
Macron twice in the election, but that is very much
a candidate on the right who favors mass deportations of
illegal aliens in the country, and so they look set
(15:58):
to win in France. And then you go to Germany,
where you've got the AfD and the establishment there is
doing every they can to crush the rise of the
alternative for Deustchland. You know, it's constant media slurs, it's arrest,
it's trying to bar them from actually legally holding office
or removing them from positions in their work because they
(16:22):
are members of a political party, which is by popularity
it might well be the most popular party in the country.
But what you say, what I hear you're saying here
is that they're so unpopular they need to do something
to regain some kind of respect. And I fear that
(16:42):
what that will be is not in the best interest
of the people, but more in the best interest of
what can we do to make the people say, we
need the stability back. We need that stability that you've
promised that you represent, and that means leaning into whatever
(17:02):
catastrophes having to take place, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
That's an important point. It's a very important point because
they have nothing positive to offer. The only thing they
can offer is negativity, you know, you know, like, hey,
it's the World War.
Speaker 5 (17:16):
Three with Russia. We got to do it.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
We're going to draft you. Because they have no positive
agenda for the people, They have no reason for the
people to support them. So it's going to be like
this is this is an existential crisis. We're all going
to die if you don't care. And that was a
quote by Macro and I wrote an article about that.
I believed in twenty twenty four. Support me or there
will be civil war, you know. And you can only
(17:38):
get away with this for so long. You know, eventually
it's going to reach a tipping point. And this is
to me, is how do they do it in America?
How do they prevent real change, real choice? You talk
about in Jeremy. They just ban you, They label you
far red extremists, and you're not allowed to run any election.
How do they limit the options of America? It's the
(17:59):
primary process. It doesn't exist in most of these elections.
The incumbents. The advantage for incumbents is so overwhelming here.
And even if an incumbent retires, the party you know,
the or the incumbents you know offices, it's so powerful.
It's really not about the politician, it's about the office itself.
They hand picked a selector. The primary is usually a joke,
(18:23):
and you get another establishment candidate with an R or
a D. Even in their name, they use the primary
process of whatever. So if you want real change in
America to kind of change they want in Europe in
Europe is really buckling down on if you want that
change in America, to get involved in the primary parts,
even if you're a Democratic republic, challenge these incumbents.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Challenge these establishing people in the.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
Primary once once they're nominated, it's too late.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Doshaefer's wish for twenty twenty six. Thanks for being here, Jay,
Thank you. You know that's what was free. Freedom of speech,
freedom of religion, freedom.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Of enterplase and freedom is special in red.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
This is Liberty Nation with Markangeldes, a production of Libertynation
dot com, going after what the politicians really mean and
making it all clear for your freedom and your liberty.
Liberty Nation with Markangeledes, and you're back.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
On Liberty Nation Radio head Coast Coast on the Radio
America Network. I remain your host, Mark Anthethides, and we're
joined today by Liberty Nations senior political analyst and longtime
host of this here radio show, mister Tim Done. Happy
new Year to you, Tim.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Happy new year, Mark.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I hope all went well. Much Champagne was drunk drunk drunken?
Uh you two? Well, I state you on the champagne
to be what I did?
Speaker 5 (19:48):
Mark? Was I drank responsibly? Yeah, that's it. Responsive.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
There you go responsively response or responsively.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
So that's why you know, that's what all about liquor manufacturers.
They tell you that the wonders of their alcoholic beverage,
and then they say drink responsibly. That's what they really
mean is drink, drink early and off.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Like voting right in certain states in Chicago early. Yes,
it's twenty twenty six, and I guess the most appropriate
topic of conversation for us today would be what are
we looking to in the coming year? What do we
expect to happen legislatively? What do we expect to happen
(20:35):
judicially and culturally? I guess it is an important one
as well. Of course economically one of the big things
you're looking out for in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
Most people would agree, and I'm one of those people
that the economy is going to change a lot.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Oh yeah, the One Big being Bill Act in it
takes effect.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Because all the provisions of that one Big Beautiful Bill
Act will take effect this year. And that's where you're
going to see the impact of it, and you're also
going to see the impact of tariffs for better or worse.
That of course, was a major feature of the first
year of Trump's second administration, and now it's going to
(21:22):
play out in real time. The sort of shock and
awe of the new tariff regime is passed and now
changing these tariffs up and down to accommodate of various
changes in the market. I think it's clear that the
midterms are going to hinge on the economy. Of course,
(21:45):
the Republicans go into it at a built in historical
disadvantage since they control the trifecta, the White House and
both Houses of Congress. They're now going to be held
responsible for ever everything that happens, both good and bad,
as they.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Should beat tim as they should. You can't you can't
spend for you know, they can't spend four years reigning
against Joe Biden blaming him for everything, and then ten.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
Well, I think that this isn't our fault. That statute
of limitations is up. I think on blaming Biden because
Trump said I will fix the Biden economy, and of
course he made grand promises like he does with everything.
But the problem is when you make that kind of
(22:33):
grand promise, you have to live up to it, you know.
He says we're in the best economy ever, which is
what he said in his first term, but he's going
to have to go out and prove it. Nobody is
going to be looking back at Joe Biden when they
pull the levers later this year leading up to the
(22:54):
November mid terms. So the economy is a real X factor,
the big X factor in all of this. Legislatively, I
don't see much of anything, if only because Trump got
it almost everything, basically that he won it. Yeah, in
the twenty twenty five one big Beautiful Bill, although.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
If I could interrupt, there is there is rumor that
a bigger, more beautiful bill of some discribity. I doubt
that's going to be the title of it is in
the works as well.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
But I call it now the the really big beautiful
or the enormous beautiful bill. They have to find another adjective, yeah, Oh, superlatives.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I think they've got to go for the superlatives now
rather than just the adjectives. Yes, so there doesn't seem
to be too much. I think you're right, there doesn't
seem to be too much left legislatively, that is, on
the Trump agenda. That doesn't mean there's not an agenda
within Congress that they you know, certain bills that they
want to get through that Trump support or not. But yeah,
(24:03):
I think you're right here. What happened was that he
put everything into the first one big beautiful bill because
he had the push power to get it done then,
which he may not have right now because there's a
lot of optimism when he came in. Of course, his
approval ratings are I think he's about nine nine points underwater.
(24:24):
As the last checking, Please audience, do go and check
out limty nations Public Square poll tracker. It's fantastic interactive
polling device. It's polling machine, I like to call it,
and it's got all the latest and it's so easy
to use and switch between the different things on the
issues and everything. Sorry quick plug for limty Nations Public
(24:44):
Square there. But yeah, but what I think he's done is,
as you point out again, all of these things that
they were designed in twenty twenty five, They were designed
to come in in twenty twenty six. They were designed
to create the headline numbers of twenty twenty six, probably
around summertime, just when you know the primaries are decided.
(25:09):
Most primaries have decided, sorry for twenty twenty six, and
you know that will give the successful primary candidates in
the GOP something to campaign on. And of course Donald
Trump is already he's already campaigning, but he's campaigning like
he's running for president again at this time. It's john
(25:30):
his economy.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
Yes, he's he is going to devote he said his sister.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
He's doing it already the end of last year. We
saw in Pensaaslania, New Jersey, all over the place.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Yes, I think the danger is that he does the
same thing that Joe Biden did, which is to say, hey,
the economy may not it seems so good, but it's
much better than you think. And he started with that
(26:08):
in late twenty twenty five and he said the affordability
crisis is a hoax. Now what he meant was that
the Democrats answer to it is a hoax because they
have no answer in his view, but it comes off
as sort of short shrifting the economic pain that people
(26:29):
do feel. So he's going to show some results. I mean,
there's no question they're not going to take it at
face value that things will get better in the third
or fourth year of the administration. But I think there's
something else that has the potential to really influence the
upcoming year, and that is July fourth, twenty twenty six,
(26:53):
America two fifty, as we celebrated on libertynation dot com.
That will be a season, not just today, but I
take a season of celebration and a recalibrating of just
what a great nation the United States is, and of
course Trump will be at the center of that. Trump
(27:15):
will be highly visible. He will be a force for
traditional patriotism. And let's see how the Democrats weigh in
on the importance of the two hundred and fiftieth birthday
of the United States. I would also say that the
thief of World Cup taking place in the United States
(27:39):
cannot be understated in terms of its importance. And Trump
will be very visible at many venues for the World
Cup as well. So it's a very exciting cultural year
coming up. And I don't think people are going to
vote for a Republican because Donald Trump showed up up
(28:01):
on July fourth and said patriotic things. But I think
it puts people in a different frame of mind. It
certainly did. In the bicentennial in nineteen seventy six, people
were you know, it was a major thing. It dictated
a lot of the cultural, shall we say, events of
(28:24):
that year, and I expect the same thing is going
to happen here in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yeah. When there's a period of optimism within a country,
that usually benefits the sitting party in powers, especially when
they've got the trifector, because it's that thing is if
you've got all the leaves of government, if you've got
the trifector, everything's your fault, right, And if people are
happen to be optimistic and happy because there's this period
(28:52):
of celebration, and then the Republicans say, well, you know
everything's good now, right, you feel good? Well, we've got
control of all the lea was a power. Why would
you hand that over? You're feeling good right now? Why
not stick with it? No matter how disingenuous that might be,
they will. I think it's a probably optimism brush.
Speaker 5 (29:10):
The problem that Trump has had all along is the
same one in Parakopama had it, which is that when
he's not on the ballot, his party doesn't do so well. Now,
of course, they did in twenty twenty four and in
twenty sixteen when Trump was on the ballot. In twenty
(29:31):
twenty five was a blood path, although a limited one
because there are only really three major contests and then
a bunch of local races around the country, most of
which were The outcomes were favorable to the Democrats in
one way or another in terms of the movement of
(29:51):
the electorate. But with Trump not on the ballot, I
think we're going to realize that Trump is Trump. He's
not a Republican so much as he's Trump. He's his
own brand, and his popularity has not accrued to Republicans
(30:14):
rid large. We'll see if that changes. The advantage that
the Republicans has have is that the Democrats are still
in a state of disarray. They're still dominated by the
far left. There are forces trying to moderate it, but
it may just be that because they're not Republicans, and
(30:37):
because midterm elections are grievance elections where the people that
are angry show up a lot more than the people
that aren't. I still think it's going to be a
pretty steep hill for Republican Republicans to climb to maintain control,
especially of the House.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
We're going to We're actually going to talk about the
about the elections, the midterms, the House and the Senate
in our next segment. So audience, don't go anywhere, be
right back.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
For your freedom and your liberty, Liberty Nation with Mark
Edge of Ladies.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
And your back on Libtination Radio remain Mark An Leaders
and Tim Donner remains Tim Donner and we are continuing
our conversation on what to look towards in twenty twenty
six and specifically we just got started talking in the
last segment, Tim about the midterm elections and how we
think they'll go. And you mentioned that you see and
it's I mean, it's not just you that sees it.
(31:37):
They are. In fact, midterms are grievance elections. So what
kind of I mean, what kind of turnout do you expect?
What kind of overall arching feeding do you get about
the November midterms this year?
Speaker 5 (31:52):
A lot of careers have been ruined with bad predictions, sir.
But unless you unless you're creme of that guy stood
up on our creamer. We had to get him in there.
They see nbcee tout. I would be surprised if the
turnout for midterm elections was unusually high, right, because yes,
(32:15):
you have Democrats who will be angry at Trump just
because they're Democrats, and because he's Trump, no matter what
he does. As I've said before, he could walk on
water and the headline would be Trump can't swim. So
there are some things that Trump just can't it just
(32:36):
can't control. But I think what will hold down turnout
is the fact that the Democrats themselves are at a
low ebb in terms of their public approval. They're down
lower than they have been in about thirty years, certainly
at the lowest approval level of the entire twenty first century,
(32:58):
and they show no signs of cohesion. They show those
signs of a leader emerging who can consolidate the progressive
and quote moderate wings of the Democratic Party, which is
more like like traditional liberal and aggress it. And so
(33:18):
they're still in a state of disarray. So yes, they
are not Republicans, which will accrue to the benefit of
Democrats to to you know, to some degree. But it's
not like the Democrats themselves have offered an appealing alternative
to the American people. So I tink turnout I wouldn't
(33:41):
expect it to set any kind of records.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
I'm wondering about this. You talk about the Democratic Party
currently being leaderless essentially, and I wonder if there's there's
something about that that they are clear they're clearly people
who want to lead the Democratic Party going into twenty
twenty eight. Their problem is that if they get in now,
(34:08):
then if they become the figurehead, the leader of the part,
the de facto leader of the party, then all that
happens between now and twenty twenty eight will fall on
their shoulders and weaken them as it comes to a
presidential election, because they'll be taking the brunch of everything.
So if they raise their if they raise their head
(34:29):
above the parapet early, it's likely to get knocked off
by some flying trebischet, especially when we consider the approval
rating of the Democrats that you just mentioned. I'm not
entirely sure it's hit bottom yet. You know, it is
absolutely the lowest it's been in this century. But it
(34:50):
could go lower, right, especially if some of Donald Trump's
economic policies come to fruition in the way that he
expects them to.
Speaker 5 (35:00):
Well, I'll tell you this much. We just did a story.
Graham Noble wrote it on Liberty nation dot com. Actually not,
it was late last year which she talked about Kamala
Harris as sending out all the signals that she's going
to run again. Well, I can tell you this, if
(35:20):
she raises her head above water level, that's not going
to do anything to help Democrats. In fact, it seems
preposterous to me that she would believe she could actually
become president after the years that she spent in Washington
and failure of her campaign, which she can blame on
(35:43):
Joe Biden. She can't blame it on she only had
one hundred and seven days to campaign, though you and
I are among those who believe if she had twice
as much time as she would have, word lost it
more decisively than she did. But the point is a
party that's out of power, a party that has lost
(36:03):
the trifecta, by definition, is leaderless. So this happened to
the Republicans, particularly in two thousand and nine, in twenty
thirteen in the aftermath of the two Obama of victories.
But in twenty twenty, Trump eventually re emerged as the
(36:24):
putative leader of the party as they headed for twenty
twenty four. For the Democrats, who is it Nancy Pelosi
has gone Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, has proven
to be frankly not ready for.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
I would like to point out that, and I always
like to do this for mister Jeffries represents to Jeffries
is he has lost more votes for Speaker of the
House than any person in history. And I think that's
a record that's going to follow him around. Sorry, please
carry it on. I would like to bow that.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
So, so then you know, with Pelosi, gun and Jefferys
Inept and Chuck Schumer as unpopular as he's.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Ever been and fighting for his life, and.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
There is no Yes, there is no leadership there. And
so who emerges? I mean, is a Gavin Newsom? Is
it Kamala Harris? Is it a JB.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Pritzker.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
They're going to start sending out signals, these potential candidates
about their intentions, although undoubtedly they won't announce until after
the midterms. Will probably be sitting here in one year
mark in twenty twenty seven at the turn of the
year and speculating about who's going to get in the
(37:45):
race and wine. But you know, the Democrats, all they
can offer now is not being Trump and not being
Republicans because they're agenda and orientation are both extremely unpopular.
They have yet to pivot from the disastrous results of
(38:09):
the twenty twenty four election.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, and I think, as history tells us, though, that
not being the party in power is probably the best
advantage you can get when it comes to winning a
midterm right. It's the in built advantage Tim, generally speaking, Yes, Yeah,
although there are I believe there are two or three exceptions,
(38:32):
but the two or three out of one hundred and
nineteen congresses. Tim final question, just a one word to
it answer. Have you made any New Year's resolutions? And
are you going to stick to them?
Speaker 5 (38:44):
I have resolved to come up with the new year's resolution.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
It's TBD mark to be the be decided to I had.
Speaker 5 (38:53):
I have resolved to make a resolution, and that's unlike
a politician.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
It does, it does, Tim Donner twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Well, wait a minute. You don't get out of this
without telling us your new Year's resolution or resolutions.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Might don't let you hear it, but my new year's
resolution is to be a better family man than I
was last year, and I intend to stick to it.
Tim Donna thanks ever so much for being here.
Speaker 5 (39:24):
Thank you Marek, Happy New Year.
Speaker 2 (39:26):
And that's all we have time from this special New
Year's edition of Liutination radio Head Coast Coast and Radio
America Network. I'd like to thank our guests Andrew Moran,
Joe Schaeffer and Tim Donner for being here, and of
course thank you the listeners who take the time to
tune in each and every week. We do appreciate you.
Please remember Libutination does not endorse campaigns, candidates, all legislation
and this presentation is no endorsement
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.