Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: U.S. Economy

Buying American is about more than the price tag
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Buying American is about more than the price tag

By Karen Post | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice This year, our country turns 250. Anniversaries are not just markers of time — they are moments of reflection. What kind of America do we want to be for the next 250 years? My answer is simple: one that invests in its own prosperity. I am a 65-year-old serial entrepreneur who recently secured a license with America250 and Freedom250, to produce a line of American Prosperity Keepsakes. The prosperity pillow is our hero product. The concept of prosperity pillows isn’t new. They’ve existed in cultures for thousands of years, often tied to symbols of luck and fortune. My version is different — distinctly American.  This pillow is not about luck. It is about grit, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of the American D...
Trump Signs Executive Orders To Fast Track U.S. Energy Infrastructure
Approved, Just The News, National

Trump Signs Executive Orders To Fast Track U.S. Energy Infrastructure

By Kevin Killough | Just the News The five orders seek to address a number of bottlenecks and impediments to coal, natural gas and petroleum production, including financial support, infrastructure development, improved supply chains, and permit expediting. President Donald Trump has signed five executive orders that address critical segments of the nation’s energy infrastructure – a move made under the presidential determinations of the Defense Production Act that allows a U.S. president to mobilize industry for purposes of national security.  The two-term president has long pushed for energy development and the infrastructure to support it as a key aspect of national security. The orders, signed amid the U.S. war with Iran, seek to address issues with the aging...
America’s debt reality: Interest payments now eating 15.5% of federal revenue
ContraPloy, Approved, Commentary, National

America’s debt reality: Interest payments now eating 15.5% of federal revenue

By Jim Swift | Commentary, ContraPloy (Various & Sundry section) The federal debt is big. But how big is too big? At time of this writing, it’s $38 trillion and change. Is that too much? Who knows? The only practical way to understand it is to compare it with another number. A popular approach is to compare it with Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These days, the national debt is around 119% of GDP. That seems bad. Actually it’s worse, because it’s comparing the money the federal government borrowed with the goods and services everyone produces. If we compare the national debt to just the revenue the federal government collects, it’s more like 600%. But is it too much? Who knows? Another approach is to compare it with the population of the country, which is around 343 million sou...
Texas Democrat says President Trump’s State of the Union changed her vote
USA Today, Approved, Commentary, National

Texas Democrat says President Trump’s State of the Union changed her vote

By Joni Werner | Commentary, USA TODAY I believe Trump has only the best interests of the U.S. at the core of all his decisions. I do believe the changes he has made are working. Democrats should offer him more support. I watched President Donald Trump's entire 2026 State of the Union speech. And I loved it! Watching it made me more likely to vote in the midterm elections. This was the first time I wasn't bored and actually agreed with everything he had to say. I appreciate his businessman's approach to the economy and tariffs. I loved that he celebrated the people directly affected by his policy changes and celebrated the economy wins by putting America first. I am disappointed in all the elected leaders who refused to celebrate th...
Forecast Shows Home Prices Falling in Much of the South and West in 2026
CBS News, Approved, National

Forecast Shows Home Prices Falling in Much of the South and West in 2026

By Mary Cunningham | CBS News It's still a tough time to get a foothold in the housing market, with homes sitting near record values and mortgage rates parked well above 6%. But the tide could turn in 2026, with property prices forecast to dip in 22 of the largest 100 U.S. cities and mortgage rates expected to ease slightly, according to a new analysis from Realtor.com. The real estate market is expected to move in a more "buyer-friendly" direction next year, leading to the "most balanced housing market" since the pandemic, meaning that neither sellers nor buyers are likely to have the upper hand in negotiations, said Jake Krimmel, a senior economist at Realtor.com. Mortgage rates are expected to dip to an average of 6.3% next year, a slight drop from 2025's ...
Small Businesses Lead Surprise Drop in U.S. Private Payrolls
The Denver Gazette, Approved, National

Small Businesses Lead Surprise Drop in U.S. Private Payrolls

By Reuters | The Denver Gazette WASHINGTON – U.S. private payrolls unexpectedly declined in November as small businesses shed jobs, but the weakness is probably not a true reflection of the labor market’s health, with recent government data showing layoffs remaining at low levels late last month. Economists also cautioned against reading too much into the ADP employment report published on Wednesday, arguing its monthly estimate has historically diverged from the government’s private payrolls count produced by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. “It is too loosely correlated with the official data to be troubling,” said Samuel Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. “It would be unwise to lower forecasts for the official data, however, on...
Americans Defy Expectations as Online Holiday Spending Breaks Records
Washington Examiner, Approved, National

Americans Defy Expectations as Online Holiday Spending Breaks Records

By Washington Examiner Staff | Washington Examiner Black Friday is traditionally recognized as one of the busiest shopping days in the United States, regularly resulting in millions, if not billions, of dollars’ worth of consumer purchases. The tradition continued as Black Friday consumer spending online this year reached a record $11.8 billion.  The structure of that spending has changed in recent years as consumers have pivoted from brick-and-mortar stores and malls to online shopping. Amid economic uncertainty and affordability concerns, initial projections for consumer spending during the holiday season in the U.S. were projected to be more modest than in years past.  For example, Tom Arnold, a finance professor at the University of Richmond, projected spen...
It’s YOUR Money – Not The Government’s
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

It’s YOUR Money – Not The Government’s

By Russ Minary | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice "Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other." – Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan was a Democrat with conservative values, unlike many in his party. So he switched parties and became a Republican, serving two terms as California governor (1967–1975). He went on to national office, serving two terms as president (1981–1989). Reagan is often credited with our nation’s swing toward conservatism and is generally remembered favorably. He had a great sense of humor, which he used to move his agenda forward with Democrats, Republicans, and most Americans. During the Reagan administration, however, our national debt grew threefold—from $971 billion to $2.97 tril...
U.S. Energy Output Hits All-Time High, Defying Regulatory Pressures
Just The News, Approved, National

U.S. Energy Output Hits All-Time High, Defying Regulatory Pressures

By Alton Wright | Just the News The agency now projects U.S. crude oil production will average 13.5 million b/d in both 2025 and 2026. The United States produced a record-high 13.6 million barrels of crude oil per day in July, up from 13.5 million barrels per day (b/d) in June, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook. U.S. crude oil production in July was higher than previously estimated, prompting the agency to raise the starting point of its forecasts for the remainder of 2025 and 2026. The agency now projects U.S. crude oil production will average 13.5 million b/d in both 2025 and 2026. For the remainder of 2025, this represents a 100,000 b/d increase from the agency’s August forecast, while 2026 oil production was projected 200,...
Trump Team Backs Coal With $625M Plan to Secure Cheap Reliable Power
Fox Business, Approved, National

Trump Team Backs Coal With $625M Plan to Secure Cheap Reliable Power

By Stephen Sorace | Fox Business Programs aim to modernize plants, bring cheaper power to rural communities and extend coal plant lifespans. The Trump administration announced on Monday a $625 million investment to boost America’s coal industry, a plan that aims to keep coal plants open, lower energy costs and enable the U.S. to win the global race for dominance in artificial intelligence. U.S. Energy Secretary Christopher Wright made the announcement of expanded programs to help the coal industry on FOX Business’ "Mornings with Maria," saying that the U.S. has "awesome coal reserves" that can be put to productive use. "We’re going to export more of that coal, we’re going to use it for American industry, particularly as we reindustrialize, and it’s going to continue to provide ...

FD863768-0ACF-495E-9D21-2EF784DFFA6B[1]

Join us at RMV's Freedom Festival

Click Here for Tickets!

This will close in 0 seconds