During the meeting led by Kerry Lutz, Ed Sidell provided an analysis of the current economic landscape, highlighting the disparity between strong GDP figures and negative public sentiment driven by inflation from government spending, which has reached $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024. Concerns were raised about the national debt potentially reaching $36 trillion by election day, alongside a discussion of Trump's proposal to eliminate federal income tax, which Sidell deemed feasible if accompanied by a VAT, and the potential benefits of reducing the business tax from 21% to 15% to stimulate growth. The conversation also touched on market trends in anticipation of the upcoming election, with indications that the market may be pricing in a Trump victory, and concerns about inflation's impact on bond yields. Additionally, Lutz presented a theory regarding the influence of intelligence agencies on major media outlets, suggesting that the Washington Post and New York Times serve as conduits for the CIA and DOJ/FBI, respectively, and referenced historical connections to these agencies. Find Ed here: egsifinancial.com) Find Kerry here: FSN) and here: inflation.cafe)