The American Wallet

The K-Shaped Economy

Minimum wages, tariff policy, tax policy over decades, and the resulting national debt contribute to the K-shaped economy that is worsening conditions for lower and middle class working Americans.   12/19/2025 4:00:00 PM                Ryan Knutson      Wall Street Journal podcast – “The Journal” It's Almost 2026. How’s the Economy? [https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/it-almost-2026-hows-the-economy/43A5C4E6-099A-40AE-B85B-6005DF69AEC3]   The Middle Class Is Buckling Under Almost Five Years of Persistent Inflation Workers growing tired of economy in which everything seems to get more expensive By Rachel Louise Ensign and Rachel Wolfe     Updated Nov. 21, 2025 https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/the-middle-class-is-buckling-under-almost-five-years-of-persistent-inflation-4d783aee?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1 [https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/the-middle-class-is-buckling-under-almost-five-years-of-persistent-inflation-4d783aee?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit petersmartin.substack.com [https://petersmartin.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

American Health Insurance Costs

This episode explores American health care insurance coverage and who benefits. The focus is on how the existing U.S. health care and health insurance establishment affects the American middle class. United Health Care is the largest: https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/ama-press-releases/ama-report-health-insurance-giants-tighten-grip-us-markets [https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/ama-press-releases/ama-report-health-insurance-giants-tighten-grip-us-markets] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-biggest-health-insurance-giants-in-america/ [https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-biggest-health-insurance-giants-in-america/] The stock ticker symbol for United Health Care is UNH.   UnitedHealth Group 2024 Profits Hit $14 Billion Despite Cyberattack, Rising Costs https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2025/01/16/unitedhealth-group-2024-profits-hit-14-billion-despite-cyberattack-rising-costs/ [https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2025/01/16/unitedhealth-group-2024-profits-hit-14-billion-despite-cyberattack-rising-costs/]   RomneyCare was mentioned in the context of health insurance approaches. https://obamacarefacts.com/romneycare-romneyhealthcare/ [https://obamacarefacts.com/romneycare-romneyhealthcare/]   COBRA, a way to continue employer health insurance coverage after leaving a job, stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.  It can last for up to 18 months after job loss. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_Omnibus_Budget_Reconciliation_Act_of_1985 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_Omnibus_Budget_Reconciliation_Act_of_1985]   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit petersmartin.substack.com [https://petersmartin.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Tariffs Equal Taxation without Representation

In this inaugural episode of The American Wallet, Gordon Blake and Peter S. Martin explore the relationship between recent tariffs, imposed on the United States in 2025, and taxation, starting with Tea Party. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit petersmartin.substack.com [https://petersmartin.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]