Andy Hirschfeld

With your Medicaid and SNAP money they stole to fund ICE.

US GDP grows, masking broader economic downturn Consumer spending ticked up slightly after a near halt, but private sector investments plunged in the second quarter.

At the same time, private sector investment in the United States fell by more than 15 percent.

Here's the story:

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

That's because of a bounce back in consumer spending because Trump keeps pushing back tariffs so consumers are spending before they go into place. That's savvy shoppers getting ahead of erratic behavior.

The White House keeps hiding under a nice headline but deeper numbers tell a different story. The GDP report out this morning showed an increase of 3% which is better than expected.

Texas Official Blames Forecasts for Delayed Floods Response Models predicted a few inches of rain instead of the torrential onslaught that devastated Central Texas earlier this month, he said.

A Texas emergency management official said forecasts didn’t reveal the magnitude of the coming floods that killed more 130 people.

Literally the tech industry is fine with this nutter as long as they get what they want.

However bad your day is, the clerk who drafted this opinion is having a worse day.

Normal day bsky.app/profile/knib...

Republicans Are Breaking With Trump Over Epstein Files, Polls Show

“perhaps the most intraparty discontent Mr. Trump has experienced as president” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/u...

Trump administration unveils wide ranging AI action plan The plan is said to put pressure on China and build new data centers in the US.

The White House has unveiled its AI action plan. Among them are challenges to free speech, plans to fast-track construction of AI data centers by weakening environmental safeguards. There are just a few of the 90 proposals included.

Full story for Al Jazeera:

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

Will Zohran Mamdani help or hurt New York’s economy? Free buses, rent freezes and city-run grocery stores won over Democratic voters as investor class pushes back.

I took a deep dive into Zohran Mamdani’s econ policies that are going to help or hurt NYC. The investor class was up in arms on his win and voiced concerns that his policies would hurt business. But our analysis shows that is nothing more than fearmongering.

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

Trump’s new Brazil tariffs could raise US beef prices Because of droughts and increasing costs, beef buyers have relied more heavily on imports this year.

The new looming tariffs on Brazil will increase the cost of beef if it takes effect.

Here's the story for Al Jazeera.

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

I am working on a story about rising prices in the auto industry because of the new tax legislation and tariffs. I am looking to speak to: experts in the auto industry, owners of car dealerships anywhere in the United States, and shoppers who are looking to or recently bought a car.

neat, so like what are you going to do about it?

Don’t rely on Medicaid? Tax bill will drive up costs to your healthcare too Changes to the Affordable Care Act Marketplace will result in premiums increasing by an avg of almost $1,300 annually.

On Friday, the President signed his new tax bill into law. Experts say it will have a detrimental effect on healthcare overall. Even if you don’t rely on Medicaid, your care could still be affected. Here’s the story:

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

US restaurant workers say ‘no tax on tips’ undermined by benefits cuts Restaurant workers point out that new work requirements don’t account for the unstable hours inherent in food service.

The looming tax legislation includes no tax on tips — a widely popular policy — but restaurant workers and their advocates see it as pandering, as the GOP seeks to cut Medicaid and SNAP benefits they disproportionately rely on. Here’s the story:

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

Google’s AI video tool amplifies fears of an increase in misinformation Experts say Veo 3 makes it very easy to make fake videos that can spread false news.

New @aljazeera.com investigation: Google’s Veo 3 can generate fake missile strikes, CNN reports, and protest footage in minutes despite claims it blocks "harmful results" Experts say it was rushed out despite known risks. Here's the story:

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

Fragile Iran-Israel ceasefire calms oil markets Oil prices tumbled more after Iran struck US military base in Qatar, a sign Strait of Hormuz would stay open for now.

Iran's strike on a US base in Qatar has quelled fears of an Econ retaliation, sending oil prices tumbling.

But with a very unstable ceasefire, that may not last. I broke down what could happen if Iran takes an econ route and what that would mean for consumers.

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

‘Save what we can’: Economic uncertainty, Trump rhetoric hits US travel US travel industry has been hit by domestic consumers cutting back and foreigners snubbing country over Trump rhetoric.

The US travel industry is grappling with a dual threat this summer and both tied to actions from the White House. International travelers concerned about Trump's immigration rhetoric and policies, domestically its economic concerns.

Here’s the story:

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

Looking for restaurant workers who want to share their thoughts on the tax bill which includes no tax on tips but also cuts to Medicaid, SNAP etc that would impact workers in the industry for a story. Please email me at andy@andyreports.com

US economy adds 139,000 jobs as growth slows The biggest gains were in healthcare, which added 62,000 jobs, while the economy lost 22,000 federal government jobs.

Trump's economic policies have driven down factory orders, housing starts and consumer confidence in recent months. Now the job market is starting to catch up. This week's jobs report, ADP and JOLTS show job growth is starting to stall.

Here's the latest

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

White House makes misleading claims about Democratic opposition to tax bill In a release, the White House said that Democrats opposed key measures party members actually championed.

I did a line-by-line breakdown of one recent release and fact-checked each of the claims made on the tax bill

Here’s the full explainer for Al Jazeera.

www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/...

Every day, the White House sends out press releases. While it's common for any administration to selectively highlight facts that support its narrative, this White House goes further—regularly including misleading information and, at times, outright lies.

What is the ‘revenge tax’ in the US tax bill? Provision allows US to impose additional taxes on entities from countries that it says impose unfair taxes on US firms.

Buried in the tax bill is a provision that has been dubbed the revenge tax. If passed, it would allow the United States to impose additional taxes on entities from countries that it says impose unfair taxes on US firms. 

Here's my explainer for Al Jazeera
www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025...

If you hold public office, your duty is to the country and to all constituents, not just the ones who support your party. If that basic expectation is too difficult to meet, then step aside. Public service is not a right; it's a responsibility. And if you’re not up to it, resign.

It’s a deliberate attempt to sow distrust and manipulate their base into believing that loyalty to Trump is the only metric that matters. That’s not patriotism. It’s a betrayal of the oath they took to uphold the Constitution.

Republicans are trying to weaponize words like "rogue" and "activist" to discredit any judge who doesn’t align with their political agenda.

Yet now, when rulings don’t go their way even when the legal basis is clear they label these judges as "rogue."

What these rulings actually show is that many judges are capable of independent thought and are not blindly loyal to one party.

During Trump’s first term, he openly bragged about appointing conservative judges. When President Biden enacted policies Republicans opposed, they didn't just challenge them, they deliberately funneled lawsuits to handpicked federal district judges.

Republicans have spent decades working to stack the judicial branch with ideologically aligned judges. These judges were carefully vetted, often through the Federalist Society.