Please text and tell us what you likeWe unpack the fight over Fed independence, the DOJ subpoena, and why politics is pushing into central banking while markets pretend not to care. Then we tie Venezuela, Greenland, and Iran risk back to rates, sectors, and the case for cash, gold, and selective equities.• DOJ subpoena and Powell’s rare response as signals of pressure on the Fed• Supreme Court decision on Cook’s tenure and implications for Board control• Markets’ mixed message: equities resilient, metals bid as risk hedge• Venezuela investment reality after expropriations and boardroom memory• Greenland and Iran talk as alliance and oil risk, not just headlines• AI leadership cooling, sector rotations, and bank sensitivity to rate policy• Portfolio stance: fewer assumed cuts, patience on duration, caution on REITs• Defensive sleeve in cash, gold, and returning to silver exposure• Equity selection via lower beta, low short interest, and sector-neutral tilt• Watchlist: tariff rulings, Cook decision, Powell’s tenure, and election calendarOur next podcast is gonna have Robert Powell. He runs a webpage called retirement.com. He works for Market Watch, and he's considered one of the experts in this field, interviewing some of the best and brightest around the concept of making your retirement great Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for NonePlease check out our other podcasts:https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.