Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, Sean Bennett, for another appearance on the podcast to give us a thoughtful and sophisticated update on S.C. State Government, the process of governing the state, recent problems with political decorum, the makeup of his constituents, lack of experience in government, th…

For investors, the week ahead will be dominated by the Fed decisions. Possibly, some AI chatbot will spot the obvious grammatical error in that last sentence and change it from “the Fed decisions” to “the Fed’s decision”. However, there are really two decisions to consider: First, what will the Fed decide to do about interest rates and, second, wha…

Vincent and Joel sit down with the remarkable Governor Andy Beshear and hear about how he won a statewide gubernatorial election as a democrat in Kentucky, a state that voted for Donald Trump by huge margins. Get an in depth look at the Governor's political leanings, how he views the current political climate, his deep family roots, and so much mor…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, friend of the Senators, basketball player, and esteemed Representative Jermaine Johnson. Hear Rep. Johnson talk in depth about his life, his tumultuous childhood, how he stepped up and got chosen to run for politics, his tough first election, how elected office really works, the way he sees the future of this s…

As you make your way through Terminal 5 in Heathrow airport, there are plenty of opportunities to buy a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Keep Calm and Carry On”. The wearer of such a garment, upon their return to the United States, is presumably advertising the idea that a visit to the blessed plot has bestowed upon them the ability to weather all manne…

Despite very significant shifts in U.S. economic policy and major geopolitical events, investors can look back at the first half of 2025 with some satisfaction. Through July 3rd, the S&P500 provided a total return of 7.5% for the year, despite being on the brink of a bear market just three months ago. Fixed income has also done well, with 10-year T…

On Tuesday, we will release our third quarter 2025 Guide to the Markets. On Wednesday, we will host conference calls with financial professionals to discuss the outlook. It’s an outlook dominated by the impact of dramatic policy changes on a relatively slow-growing U.S. economy. The result, in the short run, may resemble a wave, as the economy cool…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative Gil Gatch, to discuss his life and politics in the low country, his background as a musician, pastor, lawyer, and politician, how the legislature really functions, and so much more! Hear the Senators break down current events in S.C., discuss the allegations and arrest of S.C. Freedom Caucus foun…

Investors this week will be focused on the implications of the U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. While this is clearly a very significant event from a geopolitical perspective, it may be less important for financial markets. The key issue is how Iran responds. One often-mentioned scenario is that they could try to close the Strait of Hormu…

When we bought our first home, the builder neglected to mention that it was built upon a river. Of course a river at the bottom of a garden is a charming sight. Something that seeps up through the cellar is less attractive, and so, in due course, the builder was called back to install a sump pump. Our young sons were fascinated by the hole in the b…

When I was growing up, school holidays weren’t packed with organized activities. Sometimes, to relieve the boredom of a rainy day, I would tackle a jigsaw – I remember one particularly challenging 1000-piece puzzle which, when completed, promised to reveal a charming picture of Dutch skaters on a frozen lake.…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, new Senator Overture Walker, to discuss his family roots in Sumter, his education at U.S.C., how he got his start in Politics, his goals for his tenure as a Senator, how it feels being in the super minority of Senate Democrats, Problems with the Insurance Industry, SCOUT MOTORS Plant, School Vouchers, and what …

This week, after a very busy few months, I am putting down my pen, picking up my metaphorical spade and bucket and taking some vacation time. 2025, so far, has been a challenging year for analysts and it is tempting, as I’m trying to clear my desk, to assert that not much has changed over the past few weeks and so I don’t need to update any analysi…

Sine Die and the end of session create a fervor of activity at the State's Capital! Vincent and Joel sit down and have a few drinks at Tin Roof across from the Capitol Building. As Senators and Representatives finish up session, they walk across the street, join in on the drinks, and answer some pressing questions for South Carolina's most informat…

Vincent and Joel sit down LIVE with SC Secretary of Commerce, Harry Lightsey III, before the Leadership Columbia class of 2025 in the Palmetto Club. Hear the famous segment "Bourbon Briefs" where the senators recap the most recent events in the Capitol, legislative pay raises, further gubernatorial controversy, and more! Then listen to the Senators…

There have only been two U.S. recessions since 2001 – the Great Financial Crisis and the Pandemic Recession. Both of these were huge – accounting for two of the only three times since the 1940s that the unemployment rate has vaulted to double digits. However, because the recessions of our recent memory have been so dramatic, investors may not appre…

A crowd is gathered around the sickbed of the economic expansion. Among the multitude are the workers, consumers and business people who would be most impacted by its demise. There are political partisans too, some fervently praying for recovery, others quietly hoping for the opposite. At the foot of the bed are fiscal and monetary doctors, the for…

Last weekend, I neglected to finish my Notes on the Week Ahead as I got caught up in watching the Masters. In truth, it was mostly a battle between Rory McIlroy’s emotions, which produced two double-bogeys in his final round, and his exceptional skill, which propelled his second playoff shot to within three feet of the hole. I was particularly happ…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative Nathan Ballentine, to talk about updates on the legislative session, his years of public service, how he got into politics, and his extraordinary flag football expertise. Hear what voters really care about, the divide between public service and voter interaction, higher education's budget, charte…

One clear advantage of getting older, (and I can attest to many of its disadvantages), is that you learn from experience. The financial market chaos, following the President’s tariff announcement, is different from previous market slumps. Every market selloff is. However, a common thread in all crises is that the best decisions begin with a structu…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative Justin Bamberg, from Bamberg County, to discuss representing a small county, Justin's background and family, his practice as an attorney, becoming a civil rights lawyer, the unfortunate shift to Washington style politics at the State House, his controversial take on the income tax, and so much mo…

I may have mentioned this before, but as a young lad, I had a very healthy appetite. Consequently, when deciding on a hobby, I prudently elected to go with “cooking”. My experiments included making fudge and my mother dutifully supplied me with sugar, vanilla and helpful advice. However, we possessed no candy thermometer and, as anyone in the fudge…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Shannon Erickson, chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee, and discuss education in SC, early childhood care, key issues in public safety, autism care, and so much more! Hear about SC’s proposed liability changes, the state budget, the battle between the senate finance and the Treasurers offi…

I was running along the roads of our neighborhood last weekend when I came upon a small herd of deer. I often see these beautiful but dopey creatures at dawn as they wander aimlessly in the middle of the road. When a car or truck bears down on them, they stop and stare. Perhaps they are pondering whether it would be more fun to hop into the woods t…

I was at a conference last week and a financial advisor asked me what I thought he should say when a client asked him what was so bad about tariffs. It’s a fair question. Many people who instinctively believe in free trade would still have a hard time in clearly explaining the trouble with tariffs. And since tariffs are likely to be a big issue thi…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Molly Fortune, to discuss celebrating SC's role in winning the revolutionary war! They then speak with Representative, Brandon Newton, to discuss raising teacher pay, serving on Ways and Means committee, tax reform, national political scene, Nancy Mace's new controversy, and so much more! Hear about the new "fr…

In December, the Census Bureau announced that the U.S. population had grown by nearly 1% in the year ended July 1st, 2024, marking the strongest annual gain since 2001[1]. Given this, it seems strange to be already talking about slowing population growth. However, the reality is that the gap between births and deaths is continuing to shrink, with a…

In the four weeks since he took office, the president has issued an extraordinary number of executive orders, while promising dramatic change across the full reach of the federal government. While these policy moves have broad political, geopolitical and social implications, for investors, the most important concern tariffs, immigration, the federa…

For the Third Year in a row Vincent and Joel host the podcast from the SC Realtor's Association Annual Conference with Guest, Speaker Pro Tempore Tommy Pope, and discuss what REALLY happened to the mysterious 1.8 billion, controversial funding issues for South Carolina's education system, school vouchers, updates on Nancy Mace's and Alan Wilson's G…

For investors, Europe seems like a train in a station, perpetually gathering steam and loading up for a long-delayed journey, but clearly advertising only a modest pace when it gets under way. Such has been the case for the European economy and, even more so, for European equities for many years. This has, of course, been deeply frustrating for tho…

Joel sits down with guest, Chuck Todd, to discuss all things political reporting. They talk about combatting the rise of antisemitism in the US, effective reporting, aftermath of meet the press, how Chuck got started in politics, the benefits and detriments of AI in reporting, Lee Bandy, how to repair local news and communities, tribalism’s negativ…

On Saturday, the White House announced the imposition of heavy tariffs on goods exported from Mexico, Canada and China and all three nations announced their intention to retaliate. These tariffs threaten to raise prices and slow economic activity across all four countries. While the end game of this trade war remains very uncertain, it has the pote…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative J. Todd Rutherford, to discuss Gambling in South Carolina, sports betting, funding state programs, dram shop liability, the fate of the missing 1.8 billion, and how the Freedom Caucus has changed the statehouse. They discuss whether we should get rid of all income taxes, Nancy Mace's ranting in c…

This Wednesday, at 2:00 PM, the Federal Reserve will release a statement on monetary policy. It will, as usual, be a brief and colorless document and will look paler still in comparison to the more than 60 executive orders, proclamations and memoranda that have emanated from the White House in the first week of the President’s new term. However, th…

“Unsustainable!” To quote Inigo Montoya: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means” For decades, journalists, economists, politicians, and central bankers have said that the U.S. federal debt is on an “unsustainable” path. However, it has stayed on that path, climbing from a very manageable $3.3 trillion, or 31.5% o…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Chairman Bruce Bannister, to discuss South Carolina's 40 Billion Dollar Budget, what South Carolina does with your tax dollars, how we became one of the most rapidly growing States, and so much more! Hear political insiders discuss how the State will fund school vouchers, what to look for this year in South Car…

In football, it’s always better, at the snap of the ball to disguise your intentions. Are you going to pass or run the ball? Is it a zone defense or man-to-man? In business or in military maneuvers the same rule applies – keep them guessing. However, in macro-economic management, it is better to make your plans clear. That way businesses can feel m…

Over the holiday season, we got to spend some time with our very charming granddaughter and, as a bonus, I am now fully re-acquainted with all the verses of “The Wheels on the Bus”. As we enter 2025, the American economy is rather like an old school bus – slow but steady, reliable and resilient. It generally moves forward. However, it is not invuln…

Vincent and Joel sit down with Will Folks and have an in-depth and substantive discussion about the tumultuous and turbulent year of 2024. They give a touching homage to Senator Kay Patterson and Congressman John Spratt, discuss the changes in the SC court system, controversies in the Freedom Caucus, what’s happened in South Carolina politics, and …

When testifying to the Senate Banking Committee back in 1987, the newly-appointed Fed Chairman, Alan Greenspan, provided some insight into his views on communication: “Since becoming a central banker”, he said, “I have learned to mumble with great incoherence. If I seem unduly clear to you, you must have misunderstood what I said.” His successors h…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Lieutenant Governor and State Senator, Andre Bauer. They discuss his substantial background in politics, how working hard in politics can pay off, what is required to succeed in Rural Politics, and so much more! Hear an insider scoop on Andre's federal appointment that has NEVER been reported and enjoy one of t…

Many years ago, I worked for the Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis at the State of Michigan and, from time to time, Saul Hymans and his colleagues from the University of Michigan would visit the state government in Lansing to discuss the latest output from their macro economic models of the U.S. and Michigan economies. As they started into their p…

This week will be full of market-moving economic data. We expect purchasing manager surveys and light-vehicle sales to indicate steady demand in November, as investors await Friday’s jobs report. Recent data on unemployment claims point to continued momentum and payroll growth should rebound from October’s meagre reading which was suppressed by bot…

Happy Thanksgiving! Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Senator Nikki Setzler to discuss how he became a 48-year veteran of the State Senate and the longest serving Senator in the Nation. They discuss South Carolina politics, policy, historical changes, and what's in store for the future. Hear about his family's famous local Lexington fast-food r…

I’ve been running my own econometric model of the U.S. economy for almost 30 years now. The basic structure is simple. You start by forecasting the components of demand, that is to say, consumption, investment, trade and government spending. This gives you an initial projection of real GDP growth. You then feed this into labor market equations, alo…

The most urgent task facing investors in the wake of the 2024 elections is figuring out how much of the Trump agenda, as broadly outlined on the campaign trail, will be put into effect. A full and literal implementation across taxes, trade and immigration could have unwelcome consequences for the economy in both the short and long run. A more parti…

Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, journalist extraordinaire, Maayan Schechter to discuss the landmark elections occurring at local, State, and national levels in the United States. Hear insider takes on the national elections, who won and lost in South Carolina, and what the near future is going to look like for you, the listener, based on the …

Vincent and Joel sit down with our guest, Professor Bobby Donaldson, director of USC’s Center for Civil Rights History, to take a deep dive into the impact of race, ethnicity, and history on today’s political scene. Learn about politics and race from the Civil War, Reconstruction, up to today. This episode is timely! Get your latest Statehouse upda…

The last few weeks have seen spectacular weather in New England, with warm temperatures and blue skies almost every day. By now, we would normally have stored the back-yard furniture inside to prevent it getting ruined over the winter. But instead, on weekend afternoons, Sari and I drowsily read our books in the sunshine with the still-loud chirpin…

Joel sits down with Mary Green, reporter for WIS, WCSC, WHNS, WMBF, WTOC, WRDW, and WBTV. Joel and Mary break down various upcoming State and National elections, including the hotly contested Bauer-Finlay and Ott-Guerry races. Then, Joel and Mary also discuss how the upcoming election results may impact the makeup of the General Assembly and the po…