The Biggest Tax of All: How Inflation Quietly Steals Your Money Every Day

 Chris Markowski discusses the importance of understanding financial truths, the risks associated with online trading platforms, and the flaws in conventional financial wisdom. He emphasizes the need for effective risk management and the dangers of leveraging investments. Markowski also warns about the prevalence of zombie companies and the importance of investing in great businesses for long-term success. The conversation highlights the significance of adapting to market dynamics and preparing for unexpected shocks in the financial landscape.

Chris Markowski discusses the pressing issues of inflation and its hidden impact on taxpayers, emphasizing the need for individuals to adapt their financial strategies to combat rising costs. He highlights the growing retirement crisis, urging listeners to rethink traditional retirement planning and to prioritize saving and investing wisely. The conversation also covers essential investing principles, including the importance of patience and the dangers of emotional decision-making in financial markets.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Every year, the media rolls out its “hot stocks” lists—and every year, they’re wrong. Yet the same voices come back with new predictions, new hype, and the same goal: separating you from your money. Before you buy into 2026’s latest stock picks, try a simple exercise—go back and see how last year’s predictions actually performed.This episode takes aim at the casino-style investing culture pushed by discount brokers like Robinhood, where trading is gamified, dopamine is engineered, and high-frequency traders profit while individual investors lose. Flashy platforms, Formula One metaphors, and nonstop alerts aren’t about helping you build wealth—they’re about getting you to trade more.Real wealth isn’t built on shortcuts, hot tips, or hype. It’s built with discipline, time, effort, and a solid financial foundation. Ignore that truth, and Wall Street is more than happy to take advantage of you.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featuredForget income tax, payroll tax, or property tax—the biggest tax Americans pay isn’t listed on any return. It’s inflation. Silent, hidden, and relentless, inflation erodes your purchasing power year after year while politicians celebrate more spending and more debt.In this episode, Chris breaks down why a dollar saved 30 years ago is worth barely half today, how constant borrowing and money printing quietly confiscates your wealth, and why the claim that “the deficit is down” means nothing when the national debt keeps exploding.This is why cash loses value, prices double over time, and why sitting still financially is a guaranteed losing strategy. Inflation isn’t an accident—it’s a stealth tax that most people never see coming. Understanding it is the first step to protecting yourself from it.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  CBS News’ decision to pull a planned 60 Minutes segment on an El Salvador prison housing Venezuelan migrants sparked instant outrage, speculation, and political spin from every direction. Some inside CBS called it censorship. Management said it was an editorial call. The truth is, right now, nobody outside the room actually knows.Instead of facts, the media and online commentary rushed to fill the void with certainty—proof once again that rage bait and tribal narratives matter more than restraint or honesty. In this episode, Chris makes a simple but unpopular case: it’s okay to say “I don’t know.”From journalism to investing to everyday life, pretending to have answers you don’t have is how people get misled. Real intelligence isn’t loud certainty—it’s knowing your limits, doing the work, and letting the facts come in before drawing conclusions.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Wall Street is running the same con—just with new packaging. As private equity investors demand their money back, fund managers are taking once-illiquid investments public, only to watch them crater far below their so-called “net asset value.” From BlueRock to FS Specialty Lending, the numbers don’t lie—investors were sold fantasy valuations to keep the music playing.At the same time, the SEC is quietly dismantling the few guardrails meant to protect everyday investors, scrapping the Global Research Analyst Settlement and reopening the door for analysts and investment bankers to collude like it’s the dot-com bubble all over again. Former regulators now admit what many warned about years ago: Wall Street research was never about truth—it was marketing.This is a hard warning to individual investors: don’t be the greater fool in a rigged game of musical chairs. Do your homework, question valuations, and remember—on Wall Street, you’re not the client, you’re the product.

 Chris Markowski, the Watchdog on Wall Street, discusses various pressing issues affecting the financial landscape and society at large. He critiques the influence of big banks and Wall Street, examines the failures of the war on poverty in Appalachia, and addresses the challenges of immigration and assimilation. Markowski also delves into military preparedness in the face of global conflicts, the complexities surrounding gender identity and mental health, and economic insights regarding China and marijuana regulation. The conversation emphasizes the need for critical thinking and proactive solutions to these multifaceted problems.

 Chris Markowski discusses the harsh realities of the financial world, the political landscape, and the societal norms that shape our understanding of economic issues. He emphasizes the need for honesty in political discourse, critiques the current administration's handling of economic policies, and explores the implications of government involvement in healthcare and business regulations. Markowski calls for a return to fundamental principles of financial freedom and accountability, urging listeners to recognize the importance of personal responsibility in navigating the complexities of the economy.

Chris Markowski discusses the current financial landscape, analyzing President Trump's recent speech and the promises made regarding economic recovery and inflation. He emphasizes the importance of accountability in leadership, fiscal responsibility, and the realities of wealth accumulation. The conversation also touches on the dangers of modern trading platforms and the need for sound financial advice.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  Is the White House a personal canvas—or the people’s house? In this episode, Chris raises pointed questions about President Trump’s newly unveiled “Wall of Fame,” complete with bronze plaques and biting inscriptions aimed at past presidents. From the absence of President Biden’s portrait to the sharply worded commentary beneath it, the display blurs the line between historical record and political trolling. What’s the purpose of memorializing predecessors this way, and is it appropriate for a sitting president to remake a shared national space to settle scores? Even some allies are scratching their heads. This is less about partisan outrage and more about judgment, decorum, and what kind of legacy this kind of spectacle is meant to leave behind.