Cost of America

Economic and political analysis, backed by data.
Inflation • Energy • Markets • Housing • Government

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The U.S. is moving to effectively shut down Iran’s airlines worldwide.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that starting Sept. 23, airports, fuel suppliers and ticketing companies servicing Iranian carriers could face secondary sanctions and lose access to the U.S. dollar system.

Iran’s aviation sector is now facing near-total international isolation.

[BRICS News @BRICSinfo]

JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇮🇷 US says all Iranian airlines will be "shut down" starting Wednesday by restricting its access to fuel.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The U.S. is moving to effectively shut down Iran’s airlines worldwide.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that starting Sept. 23, airports, fuel suppliers and ticketing companies servicing Iranian carriers could face secondary sanctions and lose access to the U.S. dollar system.

Iran’s aviation sector is now facing near-total international isolation.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

@FearedBuck Welp. Rip to his asshole.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Stocks ripped higher today.

The Nasdaq jumped 2.3% to a record, the S&P 500 gained 1.5%, and the Dow rose 0.7%.

What fueled the rally?

• AI/chip stocks surged
• Oil fell 3.4% to ~$100
• 10-year Treasury yield fell below 5%
• Hopes for U.S.-China and Middle East diplomacy improved sentiment

Markets got relief on both inflation and growth fears. (https://t.co/BuZPmIkx59)

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Trump just gave remarks at the White House — and the public could barely hear him.

With the TV press pool no longer providing its normal audio feed, Trump’s remarks were drowned out by background noise on the White House’s official feed.

This is what happens when the press pool disappears.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Major TV networks are now refusing to provide pooled camera coverage of President Trump after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from covering the White House.

ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and CNN are declining to provide replacement coverage.

Trump’s upcoming UN appearance will reportedly have no TV pool camera.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

@jakepaul Great response to the hate, NGL.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Trump is blaming the Russia-Ukraine war for America’s record diesel prices.

He says Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are removing diesel from the global market.

U.S. diesel just hit a record $6.51/gallon.

But the market is being squeezed from multiple directions, including disruptions in the Middle East and Russia’s refining system.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The federal government is estimated to lose $233–$521 billion every year to fraud, according to the Government Accountability Office.

That works out to roughly $640 million–$1.43 billion every day.

And that’s only the federal government — not state or local fraud.

How much could be saved with better fraud prevention and enforcement?

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The federal government is estimated to lose $233–$521 billion every year to fraud, according to the Government Accountability Office.

That works out to roughly $640 million–$1.43 billion every day.

And that’s only the federal government — not state or local fraud.

How much could be saved with better fraud prevention and enforcement?

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

@WSJ There hundreds, maybe thousands, of fraud rings of almost every nationality stealing money from US taxpayers

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

@NiohBerg @grok what do u think this is?

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The U.S. just crossed a major debt milestone.

Debt held by the public reached 100.2% of GDP — the first time above 100% since 1946.

$31.27 trillion in public debt vs. $31.22 trillion in annual economic output.

And the CBO projects the ratio will reach 120% by 2036 if current law remains unchanged.

The last time America crossed this threshold, it was emerging from World War II.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The U.S. just crossed a major debt milestone.

Debt held by the public reached 100.2% of GDP — the first time above 100% since 1946.

$31.27 trillion in public debt vs. $31.22 trillion in annual economic output.

And the CBO projects the ratio will reach 120% by 2036 if current law remains unchanged.

The last time America crossed this threshold, it was emerging from World War II.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Jake and Logan Paul were at the Pentagon this week while the U.S. is actively engaged in a war.

The Pentagon says they toured the building, visited the 9/11 memorial, met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and spoke to service members.

The Pentagon has not explained the specific purpose of the visit.

That’s certainly an unusual Pentagon guest list.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Jake and Logan Paul were at the Pentagon this week while the U.S. is actively engaged in a war.

The Pentagon says they toured the building, visited the 9/11 memorial, met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and spoke to service members.

The Pentagon has not explained the specific purpose of the visit.

That’s certainly an unusual Pentagon guest list.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

U.S. diesel just hit a record $6.51/gallon.

That’s up roughly 30¢ in just one week and nearly 76% from a year ago.

Diesel powers trucking, agriculture, construction and heating.

When diesel jumps this fast, the cost doesn’t stop at the pump — it works its way through the entire supply chain.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Breaking: An ICE officer shot and wounded a man in North Austin near Anderson Lane and Research Boulevard.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

More details are expected as the investigation develops.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

The Trump administration is preparing to impose sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

Reports say the measures could prohibit most transactions with the ICC after a 6–7 month grace period.

The U.S. has already sanctioned the ICC’s president and a senior prosecutor.

This would mark a major escalation in Washington’s campaign against the court.

[BRICS News @BRICSinfo]

JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇮🇱 US prepares to sanction the International Criminal Court following previously issued arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu.

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

@DeptofWar @jakepaul @LoganPaul We are at war, and we have YouTubers at the pentagon?

[Cost of America @CostOfAmerica]

Coffee bean prices are falling — but don’t expect your coffee bill to fall at the same rate.

Bean prices can drop quickly. Retail prices move much slower because of contracts, inventory, roasting, packaging and other costs.

That means the first beneficiary of falling bean costs may be coffee companies’ margins — not consumers.

Historically, a 10% change in coffee commodity prices translated into roughly a 3% change in retail prices over the long run.