November 21, 2025 • 12 mins
LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i
WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:
https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured
With Americans reporting deep financial strain and polls showing both parties underwater, the political establishment is in panic mode. Chris dives into the numbers, the economic reality behind them, and the media’s desperate attempt to spin it. But the biggest twist? A major Democrat sounding like a 1980s conservative—arguing for opportunity, responsibility, and middle-class renewal. A wild moment in politics that says everything about 2025.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i
WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:
https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured
With Americans reporting deep financial strain and polls showing both parties underwater, the political establishment is in panic mode. Chris dives into the numbers, the economic reality behind them, and the media’s desperate attempt to spin it. But the biggest twist? A major Democrat sounding like a 1980s conservative—arguing for opportunity, responsibility, and middle-class renewal. A wild moment in politics that says everything about 2025.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Watchdog on Wall Street podcast explaining the news coming
out of the complex worlds of finance, economics, and politics
and the impact it we'll have on everyday Americans. Author,
investment banker, consumer advocate, analyst, and trader Chris Markowski.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Bad polls, and a Democrat that sounds like Reagan. Yeah,
I hear. The President is none too happy with Fox
News right now with some of these polls that they
are putting out. One here, in regards to the administration's
economic policies, have you personally been helped or hurt by
(00:40):
the economic policies of the Trump Biden administration or have
they not made much of a difference either way? Trump
right now fifteen percent helped, forty six percent, hurt thirty
nine percent, no difference. Biden last year helped seventeen percent
(01:02):
higher than Trump, hurt forty seven percent, no difference thirty
five percent. Even some other polls as well. Personal financial
situation now good forty percent, not good, poor sixty percent.
(01:25):
All of these numbers we'll pull after poll after pulling again.
You watch the the the children on Fox and Friends
in the morning, bending over backwards. It's like they're playing twister,
like they're playing twister on air. Oh well, you know why.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I don't think we've given him enough time.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I don't really think it's fair that people are answering
the polls that way. Come on, man, seriously. Anyway, anyway,
this was interesting, Okay, Americans showing consensus and it's huh,
you know, how basically like wages between people, showing consensus
(02:05):
on many democracy related matters. Again, Americans are evenly split
on the pace of cultural change, basically responsibility for meeting
basic needs evenly. You know, it's interesting you take a
look at some of these polls and how like many
(02:26):
people think on many issues. Okay, we all know, okay,
right now, it's tough. Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
You know.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
This was in the Wall Street Journal today. This is
something I've been talking about for some time. America's middle
class is weary. After nearly five years of high prices.
Many middle class earners thought life would be affordable more
affordable by now. Costs for goods and services are twenty
five percent above where they were in twenty twenty, even
though the inflation rate is below it's recent twenty twenty
(02:56):
two high essentials coffee, beef, car repairs are up quite
a bit again, it's part of my uh Markowski Investments
Bare Necessities inflation index. Again, people saying life felt more
doable a year and a half ago, And that's what
(03:17):
people are saying. Middle Class is defined as a household
income between it's pretty broad, between sixty six thousand and
two hundred thousand, depending on where you live in the country.
Two hundred thousand dollars in New York City. You're most
certainly barely anybody you're it's it's it's middle class. You're you're, you're,
(03:41):
you're grind in there again. Uh like, wow, well Trump
just got it. Listen, Okay, should have been focused like
this like a laser beam when he came in and
without a doubt. I'm sorry, Okay, the tear rus have hurt,
they haven't helped. A democrat wrote an op it was interesting. Samely,
(04:09):
this democrat wrote an op ed today, Ram Emmanuel he
was Obama's chief of staff for period of time at
mayor of Chicago as well for a period of time.
That sounded Reagan ass and is coming from a again
power player Democrat. Again, I don't know if this would
(04:31):
fly with the Democratic Party at this point in time.
Column is a Democrats challenge for the twenty twenty eight election.
It isn't enough to get away from wokeness. My party
needs an economic agenda rooted in American vowel ues. Donald
Trump has been the main character of American politics since
he strode down that golden escalator in twenty fifteen. He
(04:53):
reshaped the GOP in his own image and compelled Democrats
to define themselves in opposition. Now, in the wake of
this month's sweeping Democratic victories, mister Trump remains a clear
and present danger, but his centrality has begun to fade.
The controversial deal to end the shutdown has prompted short
term scrutiny of democratic priorities. By the end of the
Trump era is opening up a rare window for both
(05:18):
parties to redefine themselves. Now, with the likes of Marjorie
Taylor Green and Center Ted Cruz separating themselves from the
White House on issues from censorship and Jeffrey Empstein to healthcare,
the GEOP needs to figure out whether it is for
free trade or tariffs, for fiscal discipline or blowing out
the deficit, for gutting social security or leaving alone for
(05:40):
containing Vladimir Putin, or collaborating with him. Put this aside,
Democrats face a different challenge that is similarly consequential. Much
as we all celebrated our victories, the recent election results
were more a repudiation of Trump's GOP than an affirmation
of the Democrats' agenda. Everyone from Governor's elect Mickey Cheryl
(06:04):
and Abigail Spenberger to Mayor elect Zornmondanmi wisely chose to
focus on the rising cost of living. More important, they
sidestepped the identity based grievances that dominated the party's messaging
and exposed Democrats to GOP attacks for being too woke.
(06:25):
Even mister Mamdani, who once vowed to defund the police,
promise to keep the ranks of the New York City
Police Department at least even and agreed to keep Commissioner
Jessica Tish. Moving forward, Democrats have to do more than
simply muzzle their unsuccessful messages. They need to craft a
narrative and agenda that reflects America's middle class economic values.
(06:51):
We need to be more about opportunities and responsibilities holy crap,
and less about rights and guarantees. This is a Democrat
in twenty twenty five and yeah, I agree with this.
The American dream, the expectation that each generation should do
(07:13):
better than the last, should become our north star. Beyond
focusing on economic rather than social issues, we need to
unveil a new moral compact. It should be simple. If
you work hard, play by the rules, and no right
from wrong, you earn a shot at climbing the economic ladder.
Not a guarantee, but an opportunity. For Generation Z, this
(07:38):
would be novel. This is a politics based on values,
but it's different from the morality democrats have preached in
recent years. It isn't about identity, grievance, or victimhood. It
doesn't see the world as a battle between oppressors and
the oppressed. It says that the government's proper role is
(07:59):
to clear a path so those who put in the
elbow grease can earn success. The chance to score shouldn't
be reversed for those born on third base, as the
rules dictate today. Those who pull themselves up by the
bootstrap should be able to attain a life materially more
comfortable than their parents. I you know, Rama Manuel's starting
(08:20):
to sound like me on my show Here again. I'm
kind of thrown back by this for a little bit.
This would mark a dramatic departure from the reality that
has emerged in the first quarter of the twenty first century.
The Harris campaigns decision to make protecting our Democracy at
central message communicated the Democrats weren't really focused on anything,
and certainly not the challenge is faced in attaining the
(08:43):
American dream. Republicans present squabbling over whether to be open
to an online provocateur who believes Hitler is cool reveals
where the GOP's real priorities lie. Yeah, like him, Hey,
and whatever it may be. Fwent is going to be
a problem. It is what it is. Again, I'm a
free speech guy, but it's not going to resonate well.
(09:06):
All of which is to say that Democrats face a
unique opportunity to renew their brand. People today believe that
the system is rigged because it is. The system is
too geared toward preserving wealth for those who already have
it to the detriment of creating wealth for those who don't. Again,
I say the same thing, talk about and yeah, the
(09:30):
government does this. Watchdog and Wall Street acts of evil,
big business, politicians, media, they help each other. We watch
it in real time regulatory capture regulations written protecting busy
businesses hurting small businesses. He's not wrong on this. The
last two administrations both aspire to restore dynamics to bygoing
(09:52):
eras to make America great again and to build back better.
Now that the post Trump era is insight, Democrats need
to turn the page and quickly. The two thousand and
eight campaign will be the first election in decades. It's
about the future. Most younger voters have no real conception
of an error when working in middle class families could
presume hard work would lead to better material circumstances. Not
(10:13):
everyone will agree that establishing this new moral compact should
be our party's loadstone. That's okay. We should welcome a raucous,
open primary to thrash out who we are and what
and who we're going to fight for. Let's rumble. Debate
can't come soon enough. As America wakes up to the
geopolitical threat posed by China, we don't have a person
(10:34):
or a community to spare. We can't be complacent when
nearly half of our high school seniors have below basic
math skills and reading scores across the board ten points
lower than they were thirty years ago. Holy crap, got
he's sounding more like me or in towns across America
(10:55):
feel as though they're living in what others consider flyover country.
China's too dynamic for this not to be a whole
of country effort. Everyone should feel he has skin in
the game, and all citizens should feel they have contribute
to the nation's renewal. Democrats focused on the future in
a new era of vast uncertainty, need to establish themselves
as the party better prepared to invest and build so
(11:18):
America can compete and win again. It does Reagans, things
are Clintons things, and here it's gonna fly with the
aos and the Crocketts of the world. No, no, that's
(11:40):
that's not their brand. Interesting editorial by Ram and Manuel.
So fortunate we live in a point in time where
seemingly the extremists ideas are are are basically manning the
helm right now. And uh, because of that, this is
(12:05):
you know, this is what we get. Watchdog on Wallstreet
dot Com
The Watchdog on Wall Street podcast explaining the news coming
out of the complex worlds of finance, economics, and politics
and the impact it we'll have on everyday Americans. Author,
investment banker, consumer advocate, analyst, and trader Chris Markowski.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Bad polls, and a Democrat that sounds like Reagan. Yeah,
I hear. The President is none too happy with Fox
News right now with some of these polls that they
are putting out. One here, in regards to the administration's
economic policies, have you personally been helped or hurt by
(00:40):
the economic policies of the Trump Biden administration or have
they not made much of a difference either way? Trump
right now fifteen percent helped, forty six percent, hurt thirty
nine percent, no difference. Biden last year helped seventeen percent
(01:02):
higher than Trump, hurt forty seven percent, no difference thirty
five percent. Even some other polls as well. Personal financial
situation now good forty percent, not good, poor sixty percent.
(01:25):
All of these numbers we'll pull after poll after pulling again.
You watch the the the children on Fox and Friends
in the morning, bending over backwards. It's like they're playing twister,
like they're playing twister on air. Oh well, you know why.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I don't think we've given him enough time.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I don't really think it's fair that people are answering
the polls that way. Come on, man, seriously. Anyway, anyway,
this was interesting, Okay, Americans showing consensus and it's huh,
you know, how basically like wages between people, showing consensus
(02:05):
on many democracy related matters. Again, Americans are evenly split
on the pace of cultural change, basically responsibility for meeting
basic needs evenly. You know, it's interesting you take a
look at some of these polls and how like many
(02:26):
people think on many issues. Okay, we all know, okay,
right now, it's tough. Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
You know.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
This was in the Wall Street Journal today. This is
something I've been talking about for some time. America's middle
class is weary. After nearly five years of high prices.
Many middle class earners thought life would be affordable more
affordable by now. Costs for goods and services are twenty
five percent above where they were in twenty twenty, even
though the inflation rate is below it's recent twenty twenty
(02:56):
two high essentials coffee, beef, car repairs are up quite
a bit again, it's part of my uh Markowski Investments
Bare Necessities inflation index. Again, people saying life felt more
doable a year and a half ago, And that's what
(03:17):
people are saying. Middle Class is defined as a household
income between it's pretty broad, between sixty six thousand and
two hundred thousand, depending on where you live in the country.
Two hundred thousand dollars in New York City. You're most
certainly barely anybody you're it's it's it's middle class. You're you're, you're,
(03:41):
you're grind in there again. Uh like, wow, well Trump
just got it. Listen, Okay, should have been focused like
this like a laser beam when he came in and
without a doubt. I'm sorry, Okay, the tear rus have hurt,
they haven't helped. A democrat wrote an op it was interesting. Samely,
(04:09):
this democrat wrote an op ed today, Ram Emmanuel he
was Obama's chief of staff for period of time at
mayor of Chicago as well for a period of time.
That sounded Reagan ass and is coming from a again
power player Democrat. Again, I don't know if this would
(04:31):
fly with the Democratic Party at this point in time.
Column is a Democrats challenge for the twenty twenty eight election.
It isn't enough to get away from wokeness. My party
needs an economic agenda rooted in American vowel ues. Donald
Trump has been the main character of American politics since
he strode down that golden escalator in twenty fifteen. He
(04:53):
reshaped the GOP in his own image and compelled Democrats
to define themselves in opposition. Now, in the wake of
this month's sweeping Democratic victories, mister Trump remains a clear
and present danger, but his centrality has begun to fade.
The controversial deal to end the shutdown has prompted short
term scrutiny of democratic priorities. By the end of the
Trump era is opening up a rare window for both
(05:18):
parties to redefine themselves. Now, with the likes of Marjorie
Taylor Green and Center Ted Cruz separating themselves from the
White House on issues from censorship and Jeffrey Empstein to healthcare,
the GEOP needs to figure out whether it is for
free trade or tariffs, for fiscal discipline or blowing out
the deficit, for gutting social security or leaving alone for
(05:40):
containing Vladimir Putin, or collaborating with him. Put this aside,
Democrats face a different challenge that is similarly consequential. Much
as we all celebrated our victories, the recent election results
were more a repudiation of Trump's GOP than an affirmation
of the Democrats' agenda. Everyone from Governor's elect Mickey Cheryl
(06:04):
and Abigail Spenberger to Mayor elect Zornmondanmi wisely chose to
focus on the rising cost of living. More important, they
sidestepped the identity based grievances that dominated the party's messaging
and exposed Democrats to GOP attacks for being too woke.
(06:25):
Even mister Mamdani, who once vowed to defund the police,
promise to keep the ranks of the New York City
Police Department at least even and agreed to keep Commissioner
Jessica Tish. Moving forward, Democrats have to do more than
simply muzzle their unsuccessful messages. They need to craft a
narrative and agenda that reflects America's middle class economic values.
(06:51):
We need to be more about opportunities and responsibilities holy crap,
and less about rights and guarantees. This is a Democrat
in twenty twenty five and yeah, I agree with this.
The American dream, the expectation that each generation should do
(07:13):
better than the last, should become our north star. Beyond
focusing on economic rather than social issues, we need to
unveil a new moral compact. It should be simple. If
you work hard, play by the rules, and no right
from wrong, you earn a shot at climbing the economic ladder.
Not a guarantee, but an opportunity. For Generation Z, this
(07:38):
would be novel. This is a politics based on values,
but it's different from the morality democrats have preached in
recent years. It isn't about identity, grievance, or victimhood. It
doesn't see the world as a battle between oppressors and
the oppressed. It says that the government's proper role is
(07:59):
to clear a path so those who put in the
elbow grease can earn success. The chance to score shouldn't
be reversed for those born on third base, as the
rules dictate today. Those who pull themselves up by the
bootstrap should be able to attain a life materially more
comfortable than their parents. I you know, Rama Manuel's starting
(08:20):
to sound like me on my show Here again. I'm
kind of thrown back by this for a little bit.
This would mark a dramatic departure from the reality that
has emerged in the first quarter of the twenty first century.
The Harris campaigns decision to make protecting our Democracy at
central message communicated the Democrats weren't really focused on anything,
and certainly not the challenge is faced in attaining the
(08:43):
American dream. Republicans present squabbling over whether to be open
to an online provocateur who believes Hitler is cool reveals
where the GOP's real priorities lie. Yeah, like him, Hey,
and whatever it may be. Fwent is going to be
a problem. It is what it is. Again, I'm a
free speech guy, but it's not going to resonate well.
(09:06):
All of which is to say that Democrats face a
unique opportunity to renew their brand. People today believe that
the system is rigged because it is. The system is
too geared toward preserving wealth for those who already have
it to the detriment of creating wealth for those who don't. Again,
I say the same thing, talk about and yeah, the
(09:30):
government does this. Watchdog and Wall Street acts of evil,
big business, politicians, media, they help each other. We watch
it in real time regulatory capture regulations written protecting busy
businesses hurting small businesses. He's not wrong on this. The
last two administrations both aspire to restore dynamics to bygoing
(09:52):
eras to make America great again and to build back better.
Now that the post Trump era is insight, Democrats need
to turn the page and quickly. The two thousand and
eight campaign will be the first election in decades. It's
about the future. Most younger voters have no real conception
of an error when working in middle class families could
presume hard work would lead to better material circumstances. Not
(10:13):
everyone will agree that establishing this new moral compact should
be our party's loadstone. That's okay. We should welcome a raucous,
open primary to thrash out who we are and what
and who we're going to fight for. Let's rumble. Debate
can't come soon enough. As America wakes up to the
geopolitical threat posed by China, we don't have a person
(10:34):
or a community to spare. We can't be complacent when
nearly half of our high school seniors have below basic
math skills and reading scores across the board ten points
lower than they were thirty years ago. Holy crap, got
he's sounding more like me or in towns across America
(10:55):
feel as though they're living in what others consider flyover country.
China's too dynamic for this not to be a whole
of country effort. Everyone should feel he has skin in
the game, and all citizens should feel they have contribute
to the nation's renewal. Democrats focused on the future in
a new era of vast uncertainty, need to establish themselves
as the party better prepared to invest and build so
(11:18):
America can compete and win again. It does Reagans, things
are Clintons things, and here it's gonna fly with the
aos and the Crocketts of the world. No, no, that's
(11:40):
that's not their brand. Interesting editorial by Ram and Manuel.
So fortunate we live in a point in time where
seemingly the extremists ideas are are are basically manning the
helm right now. And uh, because of that, this is
(12:05):
you know, this is what we get. Watchdog on Wallstreet
dot Com
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