Senior Managing Editor of The Freeport Society
Hello, Fellow Navigator.
Well, well. It looks like we might actually have a competitive presidential race. Most polls are within the margin of error, and the betting markets are putting roughly even money on Harris and Trump.
It’s officially no longer a race between tortoise and hare. You can now feel the energy exuding from Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and most of the Democratic party.
It’s almost as if they actually want to win.
We’ve spilt plenty of ink already comparing the policies of Trump and Harris. Let’s now take a look at their respective running mates.
The Democratic ticket has managed to select a running mate who couldn’t be more different than JD Vance.
Economically, Walz is different from what we’ve seen in the White House. He doesn’t own a single stock, or even a house. When he was elected as Minnesota’s governor in 2019, he sold his Mankato home and moved into the governor’s mansion.
But if we want to see Walz’s economic views in action and get a preview of his potential impact as Vice President, we ought to look at his track record in his state.
The governor’s economic policies have been a mixed bag of progressive initiatives and pragmatic compromises. His One Minnesota Budget aimed to bridge the urban-rural divide, investing in broadband infrastructure, agriculture, workforce training, and clean energy jobs.
Relatively, Walz has been a vocal advocate for clean energy. In 2023, he signed a bill establishing a carbon-free electricity standard in Minnesota, shooting for 100% clean energy by 2040. Ambitious, the stance understandably ruffled some feathers in the state’s mining and agriculture sectors.
On taxes, Walz has walked a tightrope. While cutting back and offering relief to middle-class families, he hiked taxes on the wealthy and corporations.
So, there’s a good chance this reshuffling of the tax burden will be another round of economic hot potato.
We know how this will play out: Corporations slapped with higher taxes will respond with cutting jobs, freezing wages, raising prices… or simply moving elsewhere.
It’s safe to say Walz has good intentions; his progressive ideals are tempered by Midwestern practicality. But for every economic loophole plugged, another one opens.
With a Harris-Walz administration, we can expect a whole lot of movement with the potential of the same folks – that’s you and me – feeling the squeeze.
There will be some differences in taxes and regulation depending on whether Trump or Harris wins in November. But in substance, basically, not much is going to change. This Age of Chaos will continue to rage. All we can do is shield ourselves from this uncertain economic rollercoaster, and construct a diverse, resilient investment portfolio. Which is exactly what The Freeport Investor is focused on doing… click here to join us.
In the meantime, it’s time we take a look at what we persevered through in this financial wreck of a week at The Freeport Navigator…
The Day After: What to Expect After Today’s Market Panic
Last Friday’s market rout continued to have painful effects this past Monday. As we wait for things to cool down, it’s worth evaluating what’s certain: uncertainty – especially relating to the election. As margins are becoming slimmer between Trump and Harris, Charles weighs out possible outcomes. Continue reading here.
The Freeport Action Plan for Market Volatility
A volatility burst like this most recent one is rarely “one and done.” In an Age of Chaos, it’s important to be prepared as often as possible. Luckily, Charles has put together a Freeport Action Plan to ease investors’ concerns. Click here to learn more.
[Video Edition] The Japan Carry-Trade Catastrophe Has Only Started
In Friday’s special video edition of The Freeport Navigator, Charles and Michael Gayed discuss how we got to last week’s market debacle, upsetting unemployment numbers, and more! Watch the update here.
Looking Ahead
It feels that every day life resembles science fiction…
Remember the 2002 movie Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise?
In that dystopian future world, the police had the ability to detect “pre-crimes” and arrest would-be criminals before they broke the law. The powers that be could even predict crimes before they happened.
That’s not fantasy anymore.
Argentina recently announced plans to use AI and “machine-learning algorithms to analyze historical crime data to predict future crimes”
That sounds like an awfully convenient way to get political enemies off the street, doesn’t it?
We’ll see what comes of it. But count this as another example of the awesome – and terrifying – power of AI.
In far less terrifying news, Taco Bell has become the latest fast food joint to use AI to reduce the need for human labor. The chain plans to roll out AI-enabled drive through windows in hundreds of locations by the end of the year.
Think about the benefits…
Apart from hiring fewer workers to man the window, an AI chat bot could hypothetically take orders in any language.
We’re still in the early innings of what promises to be one of the most chaotic periods in the history of civilization. And that’s fine. We’re ready for it!
As we make it out from the recent market rout, paired with recession whispers, it looks like the fog is clearing up – revealing a more navigable landscape.
Next week, we’ll get a crucial update on July’s consumer price index (CPI). While this will offer fresh insights into inflation, it will also, by extension, give us more answers to those recession rumors.
To life, liberty, and the pursuit of wealth,