Donald Trump and his irrational and erratic economic policies did serious harm to the economy in his first term and are doing so again.

Trump tariffs and trade wars are destroying the US economy . . . again! - 090525

There are several factors that contribute to the record high cattle prices we're seeing right now, and cheap corn is one of those.

A court has ruled against President Trump's Liberation Day tariffs. 

US cotton crop ratings have dropped a bit over the past week, but it's still a good crop compared to the last couple of years. 




09/04/25  - Corn helps boost cattle prices; Tariff ruling; Cotton ratings

A brief look at financial markets with Bokor In the Morning brought to you by Steve Bokor at Ventum Financial Corp. a member of SIPC

Markets Mixed on Ugly Jobs data

Leslie is joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm, and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data.

On Friday morning, the BLS reported that nonfarm payroll employment rose by only 22,000 in August. Analysts had forecast that the economy would add 75,000 jobs during the month. According to the agency, gains made in health care were offset by losses in federal government employment, as well as mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction.

While July's figures were revised up to 79,000 from 73,000, June's numbers were revised down by 27,000, dropping from 14,000 to minus-13,000. That means this past June marked the first time the labor market shed jobs since late 2020. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate edged up to 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent in August.

Leslie and Dr. Shapiro also discuss his latest blog, "The Lies Behind Trump's D.C. Troop Sure."
(Link: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/18/the-lies-behind-trumps-d-c-troop-surge/)

In it, Dr. Shapiro breaks down how President Trump’s justification for deploying troops in Washington, D.C. on the basis of crime is false, as FBI data show crime rates in the capital have sharply declined and are lower than in many comparable U.S. cities. 
Instead, Dr. Shapiro details how Trump’s actions reflect a partisan strategy and authoritarian impulse to consolidate power and intimidate opposition, rather than any genuine concern for public safety.

Dr. Shapiro's website is Sonecon.com and his handle on X is @RobShapiro.

Trump Gets Abysmal Job Numbers in First Report After Firing BLS Chief

A brief look at financial markets with Bokor In The Morning brought to you by Steve Bokor at Ventum Financial Corp. a member of SIPC

AI Chip Stocks drive Markets higher

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by CNN Military Analyst Cedric Leighton.
Col. Leighton (USAF-Ret.) provides his expert analysis on Venezuela and the Trump administration's ill-considered attack on the purported drug boat and what that might mean for how the current regime uses our military.  The two also posit the political and diplomatic implications of Trump's “name change” from the Department of Defense to the Department of War. 
Col. Leighton also breaks down the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un joining Xi Jinping in a show of strength as China unveiled new weapons at a huge military parade.
Finally, the Colonel gives the latest updates on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
 
Then, Brad is joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA.
The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data. They also detail the specific damage the President's tariffs have done on the U.S. economy, as well as a new report from Goldman Sachs estimating that 86% of the tariff revenue collected so far has been paid by American businesses and consumers.
Additionally, the pair talks about the latest news surrounding the Epstein files.
Finally, they discuss the chilling implications as Trump continues working to turn the military into his own police force, which he seeks to unleash in predominantly Democratic-led American cities.

Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton. bsky.social. 

Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com.

Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.'
He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.  

Trump Using Military in New, Dangerous Ways While His Tariffs Weigh Down Consumers

A brief look at financial markets with Bokor In The Morning  brought to you by Steve Bokor at Ventum Financial Corp. a member of SIPC

Stocks Modestly Higher ahead of Inflation data on Wednesday

Jake Braund sees a still-changing market: as controversial tariffs raise costs and temper job growth, corporate profits, productivity, tech investment and rate cuts keep spurring economic momentum. He explains why this is a good time for investors to rebalance portfolios as money market yields fall and stock valuations sit near 20-year highs.

09/11/2025: Jake Braund - Navigating tariffs and high valuations

Rate cut bets send markets higher

A brief look at financial markets with Bokor in The Morning brought to you by Steve Bokor at Ventum Financial Corp. a member of SIPC

Stocks mixed to close the week

Daily review of global financial markets, brought to you by Steve Bokor at Ventum Financial, a member of the CIPF.

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“The Strident Conservative” is a two minute daily commentary focusing on the news and issues relevant to Conservatives and the Constitution. With a focus on holding our political and spiritual leaders accountable for the decline of American greatness, we are an equal-opportunity critic, holding members of every political stripe accountable.

New tracks tagged #Tariffs