Trade

Crossing Our Modern Delaware

Why Securing the Strait of Hormuz Is the True Test of American Resolve Against Iran Today brings a striking convergence: Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery's New York Times piece and my own column here on jameskay.online arrive the same day, both insisting that Operation Epic Fury must press on to control the Strait of Hormuz. The timing feels providential, echoing 1776, when Thomas Paine's American Crisis No. 1 hit print on December 19, its rousing prose read to Washington's army just days later, steeling them for the daring Delaware crossing on December 25–26. "These are the times that try men's souls," Paine…

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The Spice Must Flow

Realpolitik in the Gulf: Why History Says Oil Prices Will Plunge After Epic Fury Folks, grab a cup of coffee and let me walk you through something that’s been playing out like a classic American story: one where Uncle Sam steps in, guns blazing, to keep the world’s lifeblood moving at honest market prices. I’m talking about oil, that black gold we all pretend not to think about until the pump price bites. And right now, in the middle of Operation Epic Fury, the global oil markets are giving us a masterclass in realpolitik: power protects supply, supply sets the price,…

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Monday Moments

Quick Takes: Monday Moments Healthcare Reforms Are A Vital Response to DOJ’s Historic Fraud Takedown The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) June 30, 2025, healthcare fraud takedown, charging 324 defendants for $14.6 billion in false claims, exposes the critical vulnerabilities threatening Medicare and Medicaid’s solvency. Described as the largest coordinated operation in DOJ history, it targeted schemes like “Operation Gold Rush,” which exploited 1 million stolen identities to bill $10.6 billion, and opioid trafficking involving 15 million prescription pills (Lyndhurst Daily Voice). With $2.9 billion in actual losses and $245 million in seized assets (Tampa FP), this bust underscores the rampant fraud…

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The Art of the Deal is Required Reading

Why Understanding Trump’s Tariff Policy Requires Reading The Art of the Deal To grasp the intricacies of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy in 2025, one must delve into The Art of the Deal, his 1987 book that outlines the principles driving his negotiation strategy. This book is not merely a memoir of real estate triumphs but a blueprint for his approach to high-stakes deal-making, emphasizing bold ambition, strategic leverage, and market awareness. These principles-thinking big, maximizing options, knowing your market, using leverage, being willing to walk away, getting the word out, fighting back, delivering results, and enjoying the process-are vividly reflected…

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Unexpectedly!

Analysis of April Inflation News Trump’s Tariff Strategy Vindicated Against Media and Expert Skepticism On Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April showed an annual inflation rate of 2.3%, down from 2.4% in March and below economists’ forecasts of 2.4%. This unexpected slowdown, the lowest since February 2021, follows a temporary U.S.-China trade deal signed on Monday, prompted by President Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods imposed on April 2, which slashed China’s exports to the U.S. by 21% in a single month. The deal reduces U.S. tariffs to 30% for 90…

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Monday Minutes

A Winning Weekend China Brought to Heel On Monday, the U.S. and China signed a temporary trade deal in Geneva, prompted by the 145% U.S. tariffs imposed on April 2 that slashed Chinese exports to the U.S. by 21% in a single month. China’s reliance on the U.S. consumer economy, which absorbed $427.2 billion of their exports in 2024, made this loss crippling, forcing them to the negotiating table. The deal lowers U.S. tariffs to 30% for 90 days, with a 10% baseline and 20% fentanyl-related duties, while China cuts its 125% retaliatory tariffs to 10% and lifts restrictions on rare…

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A Tuesday Tale

The Spice Must Flow A Tale of Trade and Tributes In the sun-seared vastness of Arrakis, where dunes whispered of destiny and dominion, the spice melange was the lifeblood of the cosmos, fueling starships and binding empires. From this crucible rose Baron Varnok of House Aurum, a lord with a fiery gaze and a will to reshape the galactic trade. "The spice must flow," he proclaimed from his radiant citadel of Solara, "but its wealth shall no longer drain our sands." Yet, lurking in the desert’s heart, a young Fremen prophet, Paul Muad’Dib, watched with eyes that saw beyond the present,…

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