Liberal Fodder and Job Hugging

Liberal Fodder? Really?

The Trump administration is discontinuing the USDA’s Household Food Security Report, citing “redundancy” and “political bias.” In a statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) called the Household Food Security Report “redundant, costly, and politicized” and said it does “nothing more than fear monger.” They added that “for 30 years, this study failed to present anything more than subjective, liberal fodder.”

And therein is the problem. “Liberal fodder?” If you accept statements at face value and fail to use critical thinking, you would believe that. In the last 30 years of presidency, 16 years there has been a Republican in office, so slightly more than half, and yet it’s “liberal fodder?” It’s the USDA! That’s political? Of course not, yet, people argue that everything is being politicized! It is! Now ask yourself, by what political party?

Feeding the needy should be about humanity, not politics, but then again, this administration has failed to show humanity. Look no further than the ICE raids.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 3 million may lose access to these services, so guess what, this isn’t good on a national, state, or local level, and its effects will be felt in the short and long term, including financially!

The Student Loan Debt Crisis Continues!

Meanwhile, student loan stress is mounting. Nearly 6 million borrowers are over 90 days delinquent, risking default and guaranteeing to destroy their credit! Good luck getting a car loan, mortgage, or credit card when your credit report reads that you have defaulted on tens of thousands of dollars on student loan debt! I’ve always argued the snowball effect and how everything is tied together. Here’s an example.

I’ll choose my hometown as an example, but it applies to just about every situation. You got a new job in downtown Miami, which is expensive to live in, but you can walk to work or take a quick Uber ride, and you have the income to pay for your new apartment.  There’s so much to see and do in downtown. Walk to endless pubs, restaurants, etc… But your crappy credit score prevents you from getting a downtown apartment.

Depending on how hard your credit score has been hit, now you move into the suburbs, and your commute is one hour plus. Maybe your credit score even requires you to move to an area that isn’t as safe.

The cause of all this is that interest has resumed on SAVE plan loans, and confusion around due dates is compounding the issue. Some student loan borrowers have seen the debt double with MOHELA taking over, which is like dropping an atomic bomb on your credit score.

Want a Job Hug?

Are you a job hugger? No, I’m not talking about hugging another employee at work. That would be inappropriate. I’m referring to hugging your job. The new trend of workers staying put, not out of loyalty or because their boss rocks, but out of fear.

In a volatile labor market, starting with AI and tariffs keeping businesses on hold, employees are choosing security over ambition. They’re shelving career moves, delaying salary negotiations, and tolerating burnout just to avoid becoming expendable. Hey, don’t look further than my own household! Now is not the time to relocate cross-country. No wonder the younger generation is becoming known as the toolbelt generation.

Interest Rate Cuts Aren’t a Victory Lap

My mom, God bless her soul, was the queen of one-liners in my opinion. One that always comes to mind (in Spanish) is that she would say that “my head isn’t just to hold my hair.” Every time I see people cheering on social media that the economy is doing great because the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates .25%, I think of my mom’s saying.

A .25% drop in interest rates might sound like relief, but it’s not a signal of economic strength; it’s a symptom. You know how during flu season, you get that first cough or sneeze and start popping vitamin C? This is the same thing.

The Fed is trying to prevent the economy from sneezing and spreading the cold. Rate cuts usually mean the economy is slowing down, people aren’t spending as much, or there’s trouble with borrowing and debt. Grocery prices are skyrocketing because of multiple factors, and so are utility bills.

• Impact of the Big Beautiful Bill on Electricity Costs

So when the Fed eases rates, it’s a way to stimulate the economy. Consider it a shot of vitamin B12 or an espresso to get you through the second half of the day. Just because you got through the day, that doesn’t mean you weren’t tired and had a great night of sleep.

So while markets may cheer the move, the deeper story is one of caution, not confidence. Real strength shows up in wage growth, productivity, and investment, not in dropping the interest rates 25% and certainly not with tariffs.

If it did, here’s one simple question: if the economy is doing as great as the Trump administration wants us to believe, then why was there so much pressure on Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to lower interest rates? Remember, your head isn’t just to hold your hair.

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