The Local Fix: Reclaiming Community Power from Washington

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  A spirited argument that America didn’t lose its way because we built social safety nets — we lost it when we outsourced compassion and problem-solving to Washington. This commentary makes the case for returning social programs and support systems to states, towns, churches, and communities who actually know the people they serve. Instead of funneling tax dollars through layers of distant bureaucracy, the vision here is a return to a true republic: strong local institutions, neighbors helping neighbors, and a government that empowers communities instead of overshadowing them. A call to remember that real strength — and real care — starts close to home.

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  A blunt look at America's habit of framing every major issue as a “war”—from poverty to drugs to terror—and how that mindset has shaped policy, media narratives, and presidential power since 9/11. This commentary questions the decades-long War on Drugs, argues that U.S. actions against drug traffickers often miss the real sources of lethal substances like fentanyl, and highlights concerns about unchecked executive authority under post-9/11 war powers. With a mix of frustration, realism, and constitutional purism, it calls for consistency, transparency, and a return to proper rule-of-law processes in tackling drug cartels and national threats.

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   In this episode:The explosion of food stamp spending — doubled since 2019 — and how we got here.Why turning food stamps into credit cards erased accountability and turned welfare into entitlement.The dirty secret: Republicans won’t fix SNAP because they’re collecting checks from Walmart, Target, and Coca-Cola.A fiery reminder: “Human beings aren’t rescue pets. Real compassion is helping people get off the dole, not stay on it.”A must-listen on the politics, profit, and perverse incentives keeping America hooked on handouts

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  In this episode:What the Fed actually controls (and what it doesn’t) — and why mortgage and credit card rates aren’t really up to Powell.The truth about the Fed’s “dual mandate” lie and why today’s leaders lack the courage of Paul Volcker.A wave of corporate layoffs and tariffs biting small businesses—what the media won’t tell you.Why cutting rates now means one thing: your dollar keeps losing power.Cash is trash. The Fed doesn’t care about sound money anymore — and it shows.

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  Sen. Josh Hawley says “no American should go to bed hungry.” Sounds noble—but it’s more of the same broken thinking that got us here. In this episode:Why 42 million Americans on food stamps is the real national disgraceThe truth about what’s actually bought with EBT cards (hint: it’s soda)How welfare dependency keeps voters hooked on government handoutsWhy politicians on both sides use “compassion” to buy votesA simple reform: if you live off taxpayer aid, you shouldn’t control the nation’s purseHawley’s heart might be in the right place—but his policy feeds the problem, not the people.

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  Amazon just announced one of its biggest layoffs in years—and AI is partly to blame. In this episode:Why 14,000 corporate jobs vanished (and it’s not just AI)How “creative destruction” drives progress—and always hasWhat Obama got wrong about ATMs and automationWhy DEI and HR roles are first on the chopping blockThe one rule for job security in the AI era: make yourself indispensableTech doesn’t end jobs—it transforms them. The question is, are you adapting fast enough?

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  A top salesman at Stifel Financial racked up 34 complaints and millions in fraud claims—and somehow stayed in business. In this episode:How a single broker’s “structured notes” scam cost clients millionsWhy Wall Street firms protect rainmakers instead of investorsThe dirty truth about how big brokerages treat fraud as a “cost of doing business”What constant job-hopping between Lehman, Citi, Morgan Stanley, and Stifel really meansHow to actually find an advisor who puts your interests firstWall Street keeps rewarding the crooks who bring in cash. Don’t be their next victim.

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  They get banned, exposed, and “permanently barred”—but they always come back. Wall Street’s financial slashers never stay dead. In this episode:How banned brokers reappear selling annuities under weak state oversightThe shocking stats: 90% of expelled advisors still licensed to sell insuranceWhy FINRA and the SEC almost never stop a scam before it happensWhat Bernie Madoff’s rise and protection really revealed about Wall StreetHow to spot the financial predators who just won’t dieThey can’t be killed by regulators—only by informed investors. Here’s how to keep your money safe from Wall Street’s monsters.

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  In this episode:Trump claims a new “deal with China” — but Chris breaks down why no deal actually existsThe Supreme Court showdown over Trump’s tariff powers and how his Canada tantrum just made things worseWhy Reagan was right about tariffs — and how Trump’s rewriting history isn’t helpingPlus: the truth about China’s struggling economy, deflation, and why trade with allies (not enemies) is the real solutionThere’s no art in this deal — just noise, nerves, and another tariff tantrum.

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 reports that 43 million Americans—one in eight—are now on food stamps, sparking outrage and disbelief over the nation’s growing dependence on government aid. With fears of SNAP benefit cuts and even theft threats circulating online, critics say the U.S. has created a culture of entitlement and dependency that mirrors addiction. As states like Virginia declare emergencies over delayed benefits, calls for deep welfare reform grow louder, questioning how America reached this point—and what it will take to reverse it.