Ron Paul Liberty Report - Weekly Report: The Real Affordability Agenda
Aired: 2025-11-17
Duration: 05:23


=== Affordability Agenda Struggles (04:49) ===

[00:00:00]  Hello, everybody, and thank you for tuning in to the weekly report, the real affordability agenda.
[00:00:10]  Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election was due in large part to his promises to pursue an American-first foreign policy and rein in inflation.
[00:00:25]  One year later, prices remain high and President Trump is more focused on overseas meddling than on the American people.
[00:00:35]  This has helped enable Democrats to win governor races in Virginia and New Jersey and self-describe Democratic socialist Zohan Mamdaumi to win the New York City mayor's race by running on affordability.
[00:00:53]  Since the election, President Trump has made a number of proposals to ease the burden of high prices.
[00:01:01]  One of the president's proposals is changing federal housing regulations to encourage lenders to offer 50-year mortgages.
[00:01:12]  Though a 50-year mortgage in comparison to a 30-year mortgage could reduce monthly mortgage payments by over $100 for a median-priced home, it could also roughly double interest payments made over the life of the mortgage.
[00:01:32]  So while the longer mortgage may provide a short-term benefit, in the long run, it is a losing proposition for potential homeowners.
[00:01:44]  President Trump also proposed using the revenue from his tariffs to give most Americans at least $2,000.
[00:01:53]  This may provide some help for struggling Americans, but it does not compensate for the damage inflicted on the American economy by the tariffs.
[00:02:06]  President Trump has also announced plans to reduce tariffs on some countries in regard to coffee, bananas, and other agricultural products.
[00:02:17]  This reduction in the tariffs has come with an admission from the Trump administration that the high tariffs have led to increased prices and thus harmed Americans.
[00:02:31]  Hopefully, President Trump will provide more relief from his tariffs, including relief aimed at helping American manufacturers who rely on imports for raw materials and tools.
[00:02:46]  While Democrats talk about affordability, most are unwilling to support the free market policies that produce abundance and affordability.
[00:02:58]  Instead, they want more government intervention in the marketplace, even though history shows government interventions cause price increases and shortages.
[00:03:11]  For example, New York City Mayor-elect Mamdame thinks the way to address housing costs in New York City is through new price controls on rent.
[00:03:24]  He does not seem to understand that a reason housing costs are so high in New York City is because of the city's existing rent control law.
[00:03:37]  Another example is Congressional Democrats' solution to the large increases in Obamacare premiums, being to extend the 2021 temporary Obamacare subsidies enacted as part of COVID relief legislation.
[00:03:57]  Unfortunately, the Republican alternative appears to be to just send American money to use to pay medical costs.
[00:04:07]  Politicians with both parties ignore the real cause of price inflation, the Federal Reserve.
[00:04:14]  When the Federal Reserve increases the money supply, it reduces the dollar's value, thus increasing the average American's cost of living.
[00:04:24]  A major reason the Fed devalues the dollar is to monetize the ever-increasing federal debt by purchasing Treasury securities.
[00:04:34]  Therefore, an important action the President and Congress could take to make American affordable again would be to reduce federal spending and start paying down the over $38 trillion debt.

=== Congress Also Passes Legislation (00:33) ===

[00:04:50]  Congress should also pass legislation forbidding the Federal Reserve from purchasing federal debt.
[00:04:59]  Congress should also pass the Audit the Fed bill legislation exempting precious metals and cryptocurrencies from capital gains taxes and a repeal of any other laws that prevent Americans from using alternative currencies.
[00:05:17]  Auditing an end of the Federal Reserve is the true affordability agenda.