The "What's Going On?" Podcast
Think casual, relatable discussions like you'd overhear in a barbershop. Conversations and commentaries from the common-person perspective, a mix of diverse topics and perspectives. The conversations will seamlessly pivot between politics, music, sports, and pop culture. Our goal is to be inclusive and inviting, a broad appeal, non-pundit vibe, and memorable.
The "What's Going On?" Podcast
It's the Economy Stupid - Part 1
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Economic Impact of Inflation and Tariffs: What's Going On?
In this episode of the What's Going On Podcast, the hosts discuss the state of the economy, focusing on the effects of inflation and tariffs on the prices of everyday goods. They reflect on the phrase 'It's the economy, stupid' from Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign and its relevance today. The conversation dives into personal experiences with rising grocery prices and the broader implications for the average household. The hosts critique the current administration's handling of tariffs and discuss potential political strategies for the upcoming elections. They also touch on the concept of a 50-year mortgage, fast food economics, and introduce the term 'K economy' for future exploration. Join the conversation and stay informed about the economic issues impacting your life.
This week's conversation centers around the current state of the economy inflation and the impact of tariffs on the price of goods. The fellows talk about the historical phrase, it's the economy stupid. From Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign and how it remains relevant today, they share personal anecdotes about rising grocery prices, particularly noting a significant increase in costs since 2021.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530What's going on, Keith?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Hey, TC. What's going on, man? How you doing?
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Doing good. Doing good. What's going on, Mike?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Hey, Tom Corley. Hey, Keith Pickens.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Hey,
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530doing?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530great, Mike. Great.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Good good to hear. Well, we talked about a lot of things off in our group chat, but I want to focus on. The economy. I think that's going to be maybe a part one, part two, possibly even a part three. Do you guys remember the phrase, it's the economy stupid.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530100%.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530James Carville used it in, 1992. Bill Clinton's, campaign.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I still love Carville.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Yeah. Even though he look as old as, I don't know what,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530He keeps it real though. Hat,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530He de he definitely got some southern charming, was he from Louisiana or something like that?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I'm not sure. But he does have that southern charm. You're right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530that's true.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Let me just read this real quote just here. Moody's Analytics found a typical US household is spending$208 more per month now that it was in September of 2004 to buy the same goods and services because prices as snowballed. And when we measure against early 2021 prices, families must spend$1043 more per month to buy the same stuff.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Say that.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Woo.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Say that again. How much?
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.$1043 more per month to buy the same stuff. This was, the increase since 2021. That's crazy. I had no idea it took that much of a hit.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Not surprised, but yeah.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530But the overall thing from the elections was they pretty much were saying it's the economy. They're household. Generally that's how I vote with how it affects my household, I don't know. Mike, what do you say?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Well, I was watching not 60 minutes, but channel CBS. What is that? Face the nation.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Oh yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530And the, I believe it was the Secretary of the Treasury,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, he's on there often. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530And goes they asked about the effect of tariffs, on, the prices of everyday goods In America. He said, the effects of tariffs is between two-tenths and five tenths. But when we measure it the prices are actually down. Now notice he didn't, he just said two tenths and five tenths, two tenths, and five tenths of what?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Of what?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Of nothing. That means 20 to 50%. Tenths is 20%.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530All day.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Five tenths is 50%, but it sure sounds like a little, a lot lower hit when he says two tenths and five tenths, doesn't
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530So tariffs have had a huge effect On the price of goods for the everyday family, and contrary to what just happened today where, the. Fascist in chief says that he's gonna lower the tariffs on coffee and tropical fruits like bananas and something else. I can't remember the third one, you already raised the price. You're not a hero for lowering the price back to where it was before you raised it, Gonna lower it all the way back, you know that's not gonna do it.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530No.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530No. Tom, your question again. Because I just went off on a tangent there. I know I did barbershop talk, barber shop talk,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530That's right.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530I thought, man.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530I stayed within the subject though. I
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530the subject
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Well, no, I was just looking out for what your thoughts were on those increases.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530That's my thoughts.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530played a huge role. And then of
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Inflation.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Inflation. Right.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Greed. People say, oh, well this one went up. I can raise mine
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530But bananas have never really been that expensive.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530no I'm just, I'm not,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530That's relatively speaking time. If you buy bananas like I do, and depending on whether or not it was on sale, which typically a sale is just a phrase to get you to take a second look and to buy. If you go to the store where I shop, it was 25 cents, 30 cents, and the last time I went in there was 55 cents. Four pound,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Right, right.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I'm speaking per pound. So in the scheme of things it's not. But to Mike's point, the way the tariffs have made an impact. And when you look at two tenths and five tenths, and we know those are fractions. But we also know how to, convert those over into to reality 20%, 50%. And so when you look at those small things, that's where it start. It's kind of funny because I make, we talked about this for a brief moment last week. I make sweet potato pies every Thanksgiving. And I make, started off me just making'em for, home. And, then my sons wanted them and all the kids wanted them, and then my sister wanted one, and then a couple friends wanted one. And Mike saying he wants one. Any, anything? My point is this. So every year sweet potatoes are like, sweet potatoes around Thanksgiving or like anywhere from 39 cents to. Let's say 39 cents to 40 cents a pound, right? But anytime thereafter it goes, it escalates, it goes back up to like about 99 cents a pound. right now they're on quote unquote sale for 99 cents a pound, but the actual listed price is a dollar and 29 cents a pound. so my point in saying that is this year, I'm already anticipating when I go in there, the low end could likely be 60 cents, which will mean that I'm paying, 20 cents more, what percentage is that? About 33% increase. So those small things, you start to notice. And then I have to buy the sugar mike and the, Everything else that goes with it. But that's just on, that's on a small scale. Me coming out of the supermarket, the grocery store, and that's where people feel it most particularly people who don't have means per se. And so when you look at it, if you are, if you're the shopper for your household, you recognize immediately that, when you go in, where before you, you may have spent. and got a basket or nearly a full basket, and now you might have, eight or nine items you're What happened? You know what I'm saying? So the proof is in the pudding. So there is that issue of inflation, like you guys mentioned. Uh, there's also the issue of the terrorists having a real impact. And I saw, the fascism chief today, for a moment, and he was espousing that the prices are down. I don't know what alternate reality he lives in.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Right, exactly.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530people with the thought that the, and he didn't know anything about prices. He doesn't have to buy anything. But he continues to feed us with that whole notion that he's made a, an impact in any, pain that we're feeling is from the prior administration. And so it is the economy. But none of us are stupid because we have to come out of our pocket with cash or a card or some such sort of means to, to pay for these items, whether it be food or clothes or what have you. And the hit that we're taking is real. It's not imagined. And I do shop and I'm not, both Tiff and I, but I do shop and so I do recognize that the price of everything, is going up and has gone up. More, more recently, and it's, it is escalating. It's going up at a higher rate. And to your point, Mike, he does want to decrease some of the tariffs, that's him acknowledging that tariff is really attacks on us. He'll never say it, but the fact that he's back in off is an indicator that he knows that the American people are feeling the pinch. And now he wants to do something to get back in our good graces per se, by saying I'm gonna lower him.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530He is also, he's also throwing out our$2,000 rebate from tariffs, you do the math, it doesn't work.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah, it doesn't work. And
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530No.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530that he's really gonna do that. And even if he does
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530how about a$10,000 rebate, dude?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530try 10,000 if you wanna buy votes, because that's what you're doing. If you gonna buy votes, you better come out at least$10,000 a
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I don't wanna go off course, but he's doing this whole slight of hand thing because contained in the bill that they signed was an opportunity for not only him, but uh senators and politicians to, to sue the Department of Justice for having been investigated in the prior administration to the tunes, to the tune of millions of dollars. He himself is trying to get.$230 million. When you talk about$2,000, that's a penance. I mean, that's chump change, right? Even$10,000 for that matter. Because what we're paying out, in terms of, our tax dollars to them, s in comparison, what they're offering is, so it's all slight of hand. He's always trying to, play tricks on us. And so you gotta pay attention.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, for sure. Again, talking about the math, what about Keith? What do you say about this crazy notion of a 50 year mortgage?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530It is a crazy notion because if you really want to become a homeowner and they say the average. Age of somebody purchasing a home. Now it's about 40 years old.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, that's what's out there.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530in a home with a 50 year mortgage, the reality is nine times outta 10 not being morbid. But you're never going to own that home. Uh, or your elec, your equity, in the home will be so low that it almost be meaningless because you're going to pay. interest, and I can't speak the specific number, but my guess is that interest payment is gonna almost rival, the amount that you pay for the home. And so to have a 50 year mortgage, unless you finagle it in a way that you get in just for the, savings of$200 or whatever they suggest it might be. And then, have a, hopefully a low interest rate. And if you can escalate the payments as long as there's no penalty attached to it.'cause some, institutions might attach a penalty, then maybe you can make it make sense. But that on, on, on the back end, you're still gonna have to come up with a lot of money to make that dream a reality. But again, there's always a possibility. I heard somebody say on the newscast that when they introduced the 30th year mortgage, that eyebrows raised. And as far as I'm concerned, 10, 15 year mortgages, if you can do that is a good way to go. But then, you can build up the equity, you can get in, you can get out. But a 50 year mortgage time. I'm like Mike
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530uh, uh.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530To me, I'm old school. To me, that's crazy. It might be an entryway for some people to get into the mortgage, but it's all about supply. And the men, I also heard it said that. Even if they're able to pull that off, now you're creating a demand where there's no supply. we all know in Economics 1 0 1, everything is predicated on supply and demand.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530got more buyers than sellers, then now you're bidding. So
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530price again, is going up on those homes that you're trying to purchase. And so I, I don't see that as a solution personally, but that's just me.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530It's not, you don't hear anything about the CEOs or banks having that conversation.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530They're
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530That's just a, yeah, that's just the administration.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530If it happens. But I seriously doubt
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530that's gonna happen. That's just some, a smoke screen.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530If comes about, hopefully people are savvy enough to, one, avoid it, two, jump in and pay it off early And not let all the interests,
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530come at'em.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530I don't see anybody, even like you said, even going for that.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Uhuh, as an entry point
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530a Possibly. But you are gonna refinance that down to a 30 or a 20
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530There you go.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530as soon as you
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530As soon as
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Right,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yep.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Literally as soon as you Don't wanna keep a 50 year
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530No.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Uh,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530And it's 200 and I forgot what price point they established to save 200 a month. But at the end of the day, is that really, is that even really an enticement?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530no.$200 a month? No. If$200 a month is the difference between you getting a mortgage and not getting a mortgage, then no. The mortgage is not for you.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Can you really afford it anyway?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530You
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530right. If it's$200, Nope. Uhuh.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Less than 10 bucks a day.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, a concert ticket. No. Uhuh,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right, right.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Well, speaking of, speaking of inflation and the cost of things. Yeah, that's crazy. The concert ticket cost that much.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530It is. It Is.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530That's ridiculous.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530That's why I don't go to too many concert.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, I, yeah, I'm very selective on mine.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530very selective, very, if I'm gonna spend that kinda money, Be somebody that, you know, this is probably the last time I'm gonna see them Good.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530is gonna be the last time I'm gonna see them,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Went to a concert. There was a collective of, artists gospel artists, legends per se. It was close to$200. We were pretty much down in front, like we were in row B, right behind the, uh, the what do you call that? Not the
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Orchestra.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530it? Orchestra. Thanks Tom.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530pit.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Right behind the orchestra, pit and roll beat. So we had great seats and it was a great show. Uh, and TIFF and I hadn't really been out, for the last and a half or so. And so I thought, you know what? We both enjoyed gospel. It was a good value. But gone are the days when you can get, season tickets at the Aretha. And see, nine, 10 shows and spend$200 those seats, which those Wednesday seats, which were the special price, day, even those seats are not nearly as cheap as they used to be. So Inflation is hitting
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530everywhere.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530about in episodes past about a strategy for the, Democrats. Do you think, again, going back to 1992 for, bill Clinton, do you think that's gonna be the way in? Is it. Talk about how the Republicans are not lowering your cost of living.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I think so. They're saying that Trump won predicated on the economy and his promises that he would bring prices down, day one
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530And all the other promises that he made and. what I've heard time and time again is that because he made so many pledges towards, decrease in prices that people were, they were happy to vote for him and they didn't believe that the Democrats could do the same. But I think when they look now at what's going on with the tariffs and the increased prices, I think that people are gonna have second thoughts. Where there might be MAGA loyalists. Uh, voting Republican, regardless, there are a lot of independents and moderates who, because of, the economy decided to go right, but a lot of those people might come back to the center or even venture left, and vote for, Democrats. And so I think there is an opportunity here for Democrats if they continue to show where, he hasn't lived up to his promises.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530I personally think he, I don't know that the Dems they're right now. Let me come back Right now with what's happened today with this Epstein situation. That, that would be Dems best bet in the getting back into power?
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530If the.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Well, no, not necessarily Tom. Now I'm going with the Epstein thing, but on the economy situation, yes, you're correct Tom. They have to really show that he has not delivered
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530on his promises Help the economy. They have to really show that the tariffs raised every, raised our The prices of the producers, 20 to 50%. You can't like, like you were saying, Tom, it, when it, when you talking about the pocketbook, it's real.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530right,
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530So no matter what he says, oh, prices are down. No, they're not. If they were down, I'd have my pockets would be fatter. So they're not
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530they're not down on anything. So for him to, like you said, try and say, well, I've lowered prices. No, you haven't lowered anything. To, up to not the MAGA loyalist. But everyone else, and not
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yep.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530democrats, everybody else
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530to look at their pocketbook if they're spending, what was it you said time?$200 a month more,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah,$208 per month.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530And
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530last year. Over the, yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Right. Right. If you are$208 a month less, financially stable, you know, the math. Do the math,
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530It's gonna get worse as we continue to out all the MI migrant workers, which we so desperately need to keep these prices Without them, gotta pay a whole lot more money to get those that produce to you More money. I think I sent you something Tom what was it? Four peppers with$10.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530My, my buddy. Went to high school with Ed. he said, make this make sense. And he was right there in the grocery store. Four peppers,$9, nine, 9 cents. He was scratching his head. He was looking, he is like, make, he is on that Facebook live. He This make sense. Four peppers,$2 and 50 cents per pepper.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530That's crazy.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Wow. That is unreal. Make it make sense.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Okay, so we talked about the fact that the possibility of the Democrats taking charge of trying to take charge of the economy as their strategy. But what's their, what is the possibility of their solution? How do they turn the ship, as we say in the Navy?
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Interesting question.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530You can't turn a, you can't, you, you can't,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530tc.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530You can't flick a switch and get the economy to go backwards. You can't get prices of gas to go down without, drilling. You can't change the price of eggs. You can't change the price of utilities. I don't know what they could do, but I just don't see what they could do in a year's time to make that much of a difference in order to win, 2026.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Well,
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530don't think they can do it in one year. No.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I don't
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530but you gotta have a solution. We can't keep voting for these people and they don't have solutions.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530sometimes it's the lesser of two evils time.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. That's always the case, though. That's always the case.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530for years. And
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530that they saw in New York and in New Jersey. And then where was that? New York, New Jersey, and what was the other governor? The
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530of elections, uh, that they came up with some very specific plans, or plans that at least people could kinda see as realities. And to your point, if when you campaign, if you campaign on specifics, and you have true intent because there's no magic, pill or no magic potion or any button you can push, that's just gonna make everything right. at least sell people solutions that are realistic. And unfortunately, in the case of, the fascist in chief he made blatant promises, you know, like, uh, prices going down, the day after he gets in office or stopping a war. When he got, things that were just preposterous on his face, but they fell for, and he's done just the opposite, make America great again. America has not been his priority all.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530I heard a phrase, make America affordable again.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530that there you go Whole
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I'm saying.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530if they can come up with some, potential solutions, because like I said, people have been, presidents have been trying to fix, and work the economy, for years, right? And, there, there's nothing perfect about what we experienced in the past, but this escalation of prices via terrorists, is preposterous. And so if nothing else. If they can restabilize and get us back to where we were, that's a win. Saying that. And once prices go up, I'd be damned if they just magically come down. Once they
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530hard to come down. And you just have to have some talking points that'll, uh, that people will be able to understand that people will be able to embrace. And I think that they can. If nothing else, use his own words against him. And unfortunately, that's not a solution. But it certainly bodes well for anybody who's, trying to come up with a, an alternative to, to, the fascist in chief. Because right now I think a lot of people would like to have an alternative. And because he's he's lied and he continues to lie. And today, today he said the prices are going down.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Going into the uh,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530to be true?
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah, going into the election, 44% of Americans said the cost of living is their top issue, not democracy, not the border, not even crime. Affordability do dominates everything,
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Well, maybe you know you were saying, what could the Democrats do? And you said, make America affordable again. that's ma that's gonna be that's gonna be the rallying cry,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530No,
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530ma, make America affordable again.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yep.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530But he came out, this was last week. And he said the price of Italian pasta was too low. They're underpricing under underpricing their product, which is just how could you, wow. Anyway, he said he wanted them to raise the price of the pasta. Or he's gonna tariff it at 92% starting January I'm like, you have gotta be kidding me. So how is. To, to what you guys were saying, how is a country to raise the price of their product, how is that helping America?
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530It doesn't.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530is that helping our pockets To make
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530it doesn't, yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530somebody? It's underpriced.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. It is a restaurant on. a restaurant owner in, New York, who said specifically that he gets all of his pasta, from Italy and because of the quality of it, he's an, he's actually an Italian guy and he does big business. And he said, if that does happen, that two things are possibly going to occur. One, he's going to have to increase his price points, which is going to, in effect, or reduce his business. Or he is gonna have to go outta business. And he's been in business in New York a long time. and so the fact that again, he has his own alternate reality and he will just say things, he'll just make things up and then he'll impose a tariff without any regards for how it's impacting Americans. And people are continually telling him, constantly telling him terrorists are a form of tax he doesn't want to acknowledge that. And that's gonna be its downfall. I think. I could be wrong, but I think it's gonna be its downfall.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530There, there's something else that came out. What's today? Today is Monday. So this came out last week, Of last week. The McDonald's is bringing back their value meals and I think Wendy's or burger King is doing some promotion too. Whatever it is they're saying it's not working. They're saying that even with this lower pricing, people still aren't going there because. They don't have the money.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530I went up here to the corner right up here at 12 and Orchard to that Arby's, and I'm going up there. I said, this looks kind of strange, I'm trying to there's construction there
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530hm.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530the traffic pattern has changed a little bit. So I'm trying to get over to, turn up in there and finally I make it in there and I'm looking, I'm going, oh my gosh, it's closed. The
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Clo
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530down.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530as out of visitors.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530As in out of business. And it
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Wow.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530of business, I don't think.'cause every time I've ever went there, every time I drive by there, you always see a line, people there. I think it was they couldn't keep consistent help at
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Probably. Probably.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Owner of that franchise probably owns other, franchises. So he had to make a decision on what he's gonna close What's gonna try to keep open, most profitable for him? And while that one probably was making money, might not have been the most profitable,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Where another one that another two or three that they own are more profitable and they could use the help. That's what you have to do. But for a McDonald's value meal be priced out of people's reach. The average person's reached. Now they're saying that even with that lower pricing, they weren't an increase in business that's telling you what's happening in the
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530The other thing though, with the chain restaurants like McDonald's and
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Wendy's you're not really getting the value.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Not. You're not.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530You're not getting the value.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530you're
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Marsha and I were looking at not looking, we actually were talking about it the other day because we were talking about a Chinese run and now we can eat, both eat off of a$12 Chinese meal, whereas McDonald's, uh, uh, what do you call'em, these
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Extra value
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530extra value meal things, it's$10 and you don't, you can't, two people can't eat off of it.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530You can certainly go into a restaurant and sit down. And have a much nicer, fresher meal
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530the same price point as you can get a meal at McDonald's The fast food restaurants.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530White Castle, you can go in there and get a 25 cent burger. I'm dating myself, but that same burger is probably$2 now.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. Don't know
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530Castle is today. You're
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530yeah. Yeah. I mean it's just fast and the whole. Uh, uh, marketing point about fast food is, and it's part of their fault. It's not only their price, it's the quality, and that's kinda getting off subject, but if you wanna a ridiculous price, then your, the quality of your food should
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530match right.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530It should match, and so we, before you're getting fast food, you're paying a little less for it. And so if it's not, what you would get at a sit down restaurant, then you're like, okay this is good for my money. now you can't even say it's good for my money because, I could go to, like I say, uh, uh, Applebee's or something and get a burger for, and a burger, a meal deal for the same price that I can at a McDonald's
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530All right.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530some guy who, retired and just getting out the house, slapping burgers and or some kid that's getting his first job. And yeah it's not really a value to your point in time.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, there's a commercial out there now that, uh, these kids are like, at practice for some kind of sport event, Coach brings a burger and he's trying to cut it up. Then a commercial goes to a pizza for the same value. So it's the same cost for the pizza, it's the same cost for the burger,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah, I
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530You get more value outta that pizza.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Right.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530price of beef is so high, Right? Even a fast food burger is ridiculously
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yep.
mike-miller_1_11-17-2025_180530now.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Yep. That's another one. Beef is another one that has gone up substantially.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah. You guys heard of the, k Economy.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530I heard that expression for the first time today. I couldn't break it down for you, but
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Yeah,
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530for the first time today.
thomas-corley_1_11-17-2025_180530Can talk about the K economy, in part two.
keith_1_11-17-2025_180530Okay. And that's interesting, Tom, because that, when I heard it this morning, it was pertinent to and what their price point is and how now they're at the top of the K economy. And so on that note, delve into it a little bit more and see exactly, what they mean by K economy.'cause at this point I don't really know.
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