{"id":334,"date":"2025-10-23T13:27:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T20:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.halatomat.com\/thisweek\/?p=334"},"modified":"2025-10-25T20:40:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T03:40:09","slug":"october-18-october-24-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.halatomat.com\/thisweek\/2025\/10\/23\/october-18-october-24-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"October 18\u2013October 24, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

THIS WEEK IN…<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

SOYBEANS AND COCKROACHES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite government claims that the economy is booming, experts caution that this image is dangerously misleading. While the stock market has hit record highs this year, Americans are battling food insecurity, rising health insurance premiums, and a growing inability to make ends meet. A record number of farmers face economic hardship, and bankruptcies are soaring. This disparity between a surging stock market fueled by an AI boom<\/a> and households burdened by mounting debt and increasingly unable to even pay back their car loans<\/a> may pose a threat not only to the U.S. but the world economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Americans deal with ever-increasing grocery prices caused by Trump\u2019s tariffs describes Shrai Popat<\/strong> in Empty shelves, higher prices\u2019: Americans tell of cost of Trump\u2019s tariffs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The administration\u2019s economic policies are particularly hurting farmers and ranchers, and Trump\u2019s trade war is making it worse<\/a> reports Scott Horsley<\/strong> from the Midwest.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Man
Brady Holst raises soybeans, corn and wheat near Augusta, Illinois. Despite a bumper crop this year, he and other farmers are losing money as a result of rising costs and falling crop prices.\n(c) Illinois Soybean Association\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s solution to counter high beef prices is to import more meat from Argentina. This proposal has alarmed major American agricultural organizations, which have been among Trump\u2019s strongest supporters. His plan has not only been met with fierce criticisms from ranchers<\/a> <\/strong>but also <\/strong>Republican senators<\/a>. <\/strong>Cattle producer associations call it \u2018A Betrayal of the American Rancher,\u2019<\/a> as MARIAH SQUIRE <\/strong>\u00a0and \u00a0NATALINA SENTS BAUSCH <\/strong>report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jill Lawrence <\/strong>takes a <\/strong>fascinating look at the harm Trump is doing from too wildly different angles. The Disney Heiress, the Soybean Farmer, and Trump\u2019s Dangerous Decisions<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bullish investors may see prolonged profitable times ahead, fueled by expectations of further Fed rate cuts and more disposable income from Republican tax cuts scheduled for 2026. Others, including some of America\u2019s top bankers and hedge fund managers, see warning signs with major implications for the United States and the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvard Economics Professor and former IMF chief economist Gina Gopinath <\/strong>looks at how dangerously dependent on American stocks the world has become: The crash that could torch $35trn of wealth<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ELISABETH BUCHWALD <\/strong>and MATT EGAN <\/strong>explain <\/strong>why [JPMorgan Chase CEO] Jamie Dimon is warning of \u2018cockroaches\u2019 in the US economy<\/a> <\/strong>after the bankruptcies of a subprime auto lender and dealer, and an auto-parts supplier. He cautions that trouble could be lurking again just like in 2008<\/a> and <\/strong>sounds warning on US stock market fail<\/a>, report Simon Jack <\/strong>and Michael Sheils McNamee<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bridgewater hedge fund manager Ray Dalio<\/strong> sees an even gloomier future. In an interview with Bloomberg, he warns of soaring debt and \u2018civil war\u2019 brewing in (the) US<\/a>. <\/strong>Speaking with ANNIKA INAMPUDI, <\/strong>the billionaire investor reiterated warnings that U.S. government debt is rising too quickly, fueling a climate \u201cthat\u2019s very much analogous” to the years before World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The razing of the White House\u2019s East Wing seems like a metaphor for the destructive forces shaping the current political climate of this country.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Aerial<\/a>
The entire White House East Wing has been demolished. (Twitter NewsWire_US)<\/em><\/div><\/div>
\"\"<\/a>
The National Trust for Historic Preservation warned that President Trump\u2019s planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom would \u201coverwhelm the White House itself,\u201d which spans just 55,000 square feet. \nWashington Post rendition of ballroom addition to The White House<\/em><\/div><\/div>
\"Demolition<\/a>
The Treasury Department is next door, overlooking the White House, giving employees a front row seat to Trump’s demolition of the East Wing. Twitter<\/em><\/div><\/div>
\"Demoltion<\/a>
Demoltion of the east wing of the White House. Twitter image.<\/em><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>