In this episode of Now I Get It, I break down the real story behind tariffs—who actually pays them, how they affect the prices you see on store shelves, and why politicians might not be telling the full truth. Using real-world examples from manufacturing and retail, I explain the flow of goods and costs from producer to consumer, revealing why a 130% tariff isn’t just a number—it’s a seismic shift in how global trade plays out.

We also dive into the often-ignored parts of international trade: services and investment. While the media obsesses over the trade deficit in goods, I highlight why things like streaming movies, financial services, and foreign investments are critical components of our economy—and why excluding them from trade calculations paints a misleading picture. If you’ve ever wondered how tariffs impact more than just imported goods, this one’s for you.

In this episode, you will learn:

• (00:30) – Why the person writing the tariff check isn’t the one truly paying for it
• (02:00) – How elasticity of demand determines who absorbs the cost of import duties
• (03:20) – How a 50¢ product ends up costing $3—and what tariffs do to that chain
• (05:00) – Why a 130% tariff on Chinese goods can’t possibly be paid by Chinese manufacturers
• (06:45) – What the trade deficit leaves out—and why services and investments matter more than you think

Let’s connect!

linktr.ee/drprandy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Now I Get It, I explore what I call a "war on reality"—a conflict playing out across education, economics, and politics. Using a personal family story, I trace the long-reaching impact of the GI Bill on class structure and opportunity in America. From there, we dive into comparative advantage, the dangers of global trade dependency, and how geopolitical hotspots like Taiwan reveal hidden risks in our modern economy.

But this isn't just about history or theory. I connect the dots between economic inequality, natural selection, and the rise of right-wing authoritarianism. You’ll hear how growing class divides and misunderstood trade-offs are fueling a backlash against knowledge, freedom, and innovation—and why it’s critical for today’s knowledge workers to care deeply about protecting social cohesion if they want to preserve liberty.

In this episode, you will learn:

• (01:10) – How two brothers’ different experiences with the GI Bill illustrate the fracturing of the American middle class
• (03:45) – What “comparative advantage” really means—and how it can help or hurt global stability
• (05:50) – Why Taiwan’s chip dominance is a flashpoint in global power struggles
• (08:00) – How trade and tech-fueled inequality affects natural and sexual selection in society
• (09:30) – The political realignment of America’s working class—and the Democratic Party’s shifting identity
• (11:00) – Why rising inequality breeds authoritarianism, and how it threatens the very freedoms knowledge workers rely on

Let’s connect!

linktr.ee/drprandy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Now I Get It, Dr. Andy unpacks the often misunderstood world of tariffs—what they are, how they function, and why they matter far beyond simple price tags. He shares a real-world story about selling bomber jackets for dogs to explain how tariffs work at the ground level and discusses who ultimately bears the cost: the importer, the customer, or even the manufacturer. Through the lens of elasticity and economic incidence, Dr. Andy offers clear insights into how small changes ripple through global supply chains and everyday wallets.

But the conversation doesn’t stop there. Dr. Andy broadens the perspective, tackling the complexities of international trade, investment, and the balance of payments. He highlights the critical importance of services, intellectual property, and foreign investment in sustaining economic health—areas often overlooked in public debates about tariffs. If you want a deeper understanding of how money really moves between nations (and what gets conveniently left out of the discussion), this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

In this episode, you will learn:

• (00:50) – What tariffs really are and how they work as import taxes
• (02:20) – Why the person who writes the check isn’t always the one paying the tariff
• (04:00) – How elasticity determines who ultimately bears the cost
• (06:30) – The bigger picture of trade: goods, services, and investments
• (08:40) – Why understanding the full balance of payments is crucial for honest economic discussions

Let’s connect!

linktr.ee/drprandy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.