Echoes of Tomorrow: Discussing the Future of IVF, Political Shifts, and Homeownership

Hello Fam,

This episode offers a wide-ranging discussion starting with intriguing trivia such as the radioactive nature of bananas and the wind turbine-bird mortality rates. It transitions into a critical examination of recent developments in Alabama's  IVF law due to Alabama's controversial Supreme Court ruling. Furthermore, Nikki Haley's 2024 election campaign and its fallout post-Super Tuesday is analyzed in detail, highlighting her strategic positions and the potential future political landscape. The latter part delves into the housing crisis faced by millennials, exacerbated by inflated mortgage rates, high down payment requirements, and a general affordability crisis. The episode provides insights from various individuals grappling with these issues, alongside suggestions for potential homebuyers amidst the current economic environment.

0:00 Echoes of Tomorrow: Discussing the Future of IVF, Political Shifts, and Homeownership
01:19 Tonight's Topics 
02:19 Alabama V. IVF
19:30 Nikki Hailey
36:57 Young People Giving Up On Home Buying

To all my Melanated People (Black & Brown), it's never a sign of weakness to ask for help when you really need it. Life is not cupcakes and rainbows—struggles are what make us stronger!

Transcript

Stephan Garrison: 0:00

Ominous instrumental music Because you guys loved my random facts in the last episode we're going to do. Two more random facts. First one. Did you know that wind turbines kill between 10,000 and a hundred thousand birds? Each year in the UK. Interesting enough painting one of the blades black. Can reduce, bird's death by 70%. And. For all those people who love eating bananas. Guess what. Bananas. Radioactive. Let me, let me explain a little more. Bananas are radioactive due to being rich and potassium. Every banana is actually slightly radio active things to containing the national natural. Isotope potassium 40. Interesting enough, your body contains around. 16 mag of potassium 40, meaning that you're around 280 times more radioactive. And the banana are ready. Your excess potassium 40 you gain from a banana is peep. Keep it out. Within a few hours. So as promised. Tonight because it's night right now in Arizona. We're going to talk about two. Topics in a sentence or two stories, I would say. One of them, we're going to talk about the IVF law that Alabama passed. About a week ago. And then we're going to talk about Nikki Haley's campaign and then, because I've been gone for so long, it wouldn't be the last conversation without talking about something that's affecting a lot of us, especially us millennials. Some of us older in our thirties. About wanting to buy a house. You know, we're all trying to live that American dream of have a house, have a white picket fence, have a dog. I have a wife or husband or whatever. And some kids all, to be honest, the American dream is not really the American dream anymore. Right now. It's called the struggle bus. We're gonna talk about all three of those. And just a few minutes right here on the last conversation, don't go anywhere. So if you've been living under a rock for a while, You wouldn't may not have heard of Alabama passing a new law on IVF treatments for all of those who do not know what an IVF treatment is. It's a. Introverted way for parents to, for moms become pregnant. Sometimes parents. It's hard to get pregnant. The natural way, right? And so IVF is another way of doing that pregnancy because they take the. I would say they take the fluids essentially. And they take them out over the body so that sperm, the mom's egg, and they do it inside of a lag a lab instead to kind of make the process a little bit easier. Cause sometimes dad could have little swimmers, right? Sometimes mom's eggs may not be working. I don't know. There is millions of reasons why people do IVF. Surrogacy is another reason why people do IVF. But strictly in this story, Alabama is now restricting it because. The fear. Is that if they restrict IVF and that means parents literally do not have a choice in how they become parents. Right. So let's go into this story about it. So you understand. Why IVF is so important, especially for those who have troubles of getting pregnant. And this affects all races. It's not just a white thing. It's, you know, blacks. Asians. Every demographic. Most people will have trouble with. Fertilization the normal way. And you know how that is. If you went to health class and IVF is another alternative, which usually gives parents a lot more hope. Anyway, so let's keep going. So providers in Alabama are resuming some in vitro fertilization, sir services this past Thursday, the day after the state's represented Republican governor signed a bill into law aimed at protecting. IVF patients and providers. From the legal liability imposed on them by the Supreme court's ruling. The new law does not address the issue of parenthood at the heart of the last months on president ruling, which prompts some providers to halt some IVF services and experts say it's going to take more work to fully protect fertility services in that state. The Alabama Supreme court ruled last month that frozen embryos are human beings. And those who destroy them can be held liable for wrongful depths. Three of the state's limited pool of IVF providers immediately pause services. Sending some families out of the state to access treatment and prompting a widespread and urgent demand for law makers to provide a fix. Again, that is frozen embryos are human beings. And those who destroy them. It would be held that would be held liable for wrongful death. there could be reasons why they destroy frozen eggs. The person could have passed away and now they don't need them. The new law, which pass in the majority of the Republican Alabama house and Senate late Wednesday before governor Kay Ivey signed into law aims to provide civil and criminal immunity for providers and patients for the. For the destruction or damage to embryos. The legislation will apply. I'm Rachel out. Actively. Under the new law manufacturers of goods use to facilitate the in virtual process process. Or transport or stored MBO embryos also are provided with criminal. Immunity. Which two of the three providers who halted IVF services are resuming those treatments. The third. The clinic at the center of the state Supreme court case told CNN that the new law fall short of providing legal protections. It needs to resume care. Gabby price who uprooted her life and career in order to afford IVF told CNN on Thursday. She was relieved, the new law passed, but called the law a band-aid. She goes on to say, I do feel like there's a lot that needs to be addressed still. And I think a lot of the other people. Feel that way as well. But with IVF being such a time sensitive procedure, there are so many families that can't wait. Price said. We had to get something in place for those families that could not wait. Still. The D the law does not nullify the Supreme court's analysis that say the law ought. To treat embryos like people. Catherine could show. A assistant professor at Northwestern university school of law told CNN on Tuesday. Experts have expressed concern that while the Republican. Law protects providers from liability. When it comes to the destruction of embryos. It could also Insulate them from standard medical malpractice claims. The Alabama house democratic caucus said the new law is short-sighted and does not adequately address the many legal questions of embryotic personhood. Nor the seriousness of consequences of the unprecedented. And dangerous Alabama Supreme court ruling. It's a lot to digest there. Let me finish. Simply put this law is not a solution. It statement reads. It serves only to avoid a reckoning at the cost. Of the extending and complications of Alabama Supreme court ruling state, Senator Larry suit's a Republican and loan lawmaker who voted against the measure in the state. Senate criticized the language of the bill arguing. It is not an IVF protection bill isn't IVF provider and supplier protection bill that is limiting the ability of mothers that are involved in an IVF to have. Recourse. Essentially it's. The Supreme court saying that they're still human beings, right? So this protects. B. Facilities that do that because as I said, Sometimes you just can't hold on to them. Right. These, even though they're frozen, they still have I don't want to use the word, but it's like an expiration date. Right. They can only be frozen for so long. And like I said, there's other situations, maybe the person dies. Maybe they don't want them anymore, you know, and they don't want their ag going somewhere else. So, this is kind of like a protection, but if the Supreme court keeps going the way they're going, they're going to say, well, these are human beings. Essentially embryos are human beings. And you can't destroy them under any law and it would be criminal. So this is kind of like a, as I said, it's a band-aid. But we'll see where this goes, because this could also be chopped up all the way to the Supreme court. Now we have another, almost Roy V. Wade situation on our hands. So carrying on. Us Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who proposed the national IVF protection bill. That was a block blast suite was also critical of the new law. She goes on to say I'm disappointed. The Republican state legislation, legislators in Alabama refused to work in a bipartisan way to pass a real solution to this Republican created crisis that makes it clear. An embryo is not a human being. Duck Porto, CNN, and a statement on Thursday. Alabama state rep Terry Collins and Senator Tim Melson. Republicans who introduce the state law have noted that it was intended to provide immediate relief for families. We've lost access to Ivy services. While officials consider more permanent solutions. They go on to say that this address. The immediate problem. And that is what I am trying to do today. We need to have a longer decision or discussion. Yes, we do. Colin said last week. They go on to say, well, Mel Melson said, this is a temporary fix. This gets the ladies now, currently in the situation that are in limbo, back to the clinic. I believe similarly, the knowledge that the new law was a quick fix after the ruling. After the court ruling and notice there are, there's still more work to come for. IVF protections. She goes on to say that I am please assign this important short-term measure into law. So that couples in Alabama hoping and praying to be parents can grow their family through IVF. IVF is a complex issue. No doubt. And I anticipate there will be more work to come, but right now I am confident that this law. We'll provide the reinsurances to our IVF clinics need and we'll leave them to ensure services immediately. Going on IVF patients express cautious, really. Price site. It concerns that the broad immunity meant to protect providers. My ability could leave patients without regulations need to keep them safe from possible medical malpractice. It goes on to say that it does not make, it does make it a little nervous. And it does make me wonder if it's going to be harder for those fighting. For there. Regulations to get to them. Elizabeth Goldman felt like she's been living in limbo as her IVF treatments were halted. The uterus transplant. Trent's plant recipient. Who sold her home move to Birmingham to start a family said she was thankful to lawmakers for coming together quickly and helping clinics reopen. She goes on to say that this has been extremely stressful and scary. These two and a half weeks waiting in limbo while my IVF clinic was shut down. Whole mental CNN saying that she watched every step of the laws passing and now feels hopeful. Her journey can continue after the clinics reopen. Gabriel invested more than$20,000 into an IVF treatment in Alabama before her clinic halted IVF services and Sheena, her husband had to leave the state to continue treatment. She said the news of the new law left her and her husband in tears. Although it doesn't take away from all the hurt and craziness, we felt, it feels like we are finally seeing change and we feel supported. I feel immense relief and hope. I, I I've never been in that type of situation. But I feel for them, you know, to be. For a service like IVF to be the target or on the chopping block for another Republican state to take access away. Or mitigate it some other way is. Is it's heartbreaking, you know, we. We see some of these laws and we're like, oh, well, they don't concern us. But then when they truly do start to concern us, that's when we're starting to pay more attention. Right. Abortion, no one really paid attention to it. You know about 10 years ago, but then since it became on the chopping block and the Supreme court cut it down and returned it to the states. You know, it's, it's more passion, right? It's more, Hey, this is a right. This is, excuse me. This is a constitutional right. But now states. Or just painting it. So. IVF. I said it's. They move from one thing to another. And IVF is on the chopping block. I wouldn't say it's on a chopping block. But I would definitely say that we should watch. Watch and see what they do. One of the clinics that halted IVF treatment after the state's court decision, Alabama fertility in Birmingham plan to resume services. This past Thursday. The clinic canceled at least 35 frozen embryo transfers in which a fertilized egg is implanted into a uterus in less than two weeks after pausing treatment. The practice already. As an embryo transfer slate for Thursday afternoon, according to their doctor. The doctor says we cannot wait to celebrate with our patients. Honestly, we can't wait to do the first embryo transfer. We can't wait to see the first positive pregnancy test. It holds even more meaning than it did before. McQueen joined families and other IVF associates at the Alabama state house last week to call for immediate registration. Distortion, I should say of services as lawmakers inside, rush to push through a law that will protect them. We appreciate the efforts from the lawmakers to push through a bill that meets the needs of all stakeholders involved in IVF treatments in Alabama. We are grateful that we have heard that they have heard our voices and we are proud of our patients who have barely shared their stories and are so impressed with the with the. Advocacy effort on behalf of infertility. Patients. The state's largest health care system. University of Alabama at Birmingham also announced they would restart IVF services. That were paused after the state Supreme court. UAB appreciates the Alabama legislature and governor Ivey. We're swiftly passing and signing a law that provides some protections. And will therefore allow UBA to restart its in retrial. Fertilization treatment also known as IVF. Said Dr. Warner ha. Chair of the UAB department of all the other stuff. While UAB is moving to probably. Resume IVF treatments. We will continue to assess the developments. And advocates for protections for IVF patients. And our providers. They go on to say that we, as we understand the language of the proposed law, As it stands, we are not reopening. Hold on. Sorry. Total different people. The defendants of the state Supreme court, the center for reproductive medicine at mobile and formerly will not be yet resuming IVF services. According to a statement that they sent, as we understand the language of the proposed law, as it stands, we are not reopening. Our IVF facility until we have legal clarification's on the extent of immunity provided by the new law Alabama's law. At this time, we believe the law falls short of addressing the fertilization eggs currently stored across the state and leaves challenges for physicians and fertility clinics, trying to help preserve. Or help deserving families have children. On their own. The American society of reproductive medicine released a statement last week. Warning that without law to address the issue of whether a fertilize a is a legally considered a person IVF. Providers are still vulnerable. We believe these bills will not provide the assurances Alabama's fertility. Physicians need to be confident. If they can continue to provide the best standard of care to their patients without putting themselves their colleagues and our patients at legal risk. Welcome to IVF. And these are some of the states that have introduced. I'm going to read it here. It says Bill's attempting to establish the same legal protections for fertilized egg. As a born person, also known as a fetal personhood bills. Have been introduced in 15 states or states already have. Fetal personhood laws on the books. Arizona law is temporary blocked by a federal judge. Arizona is on there. Utah has introduced a bill. Colorado has introduced a bill. Kansas has introduced a bill. Oklahoma has introduced a bill. Alabama already has a personhood law. Georgia already has a person hood law. Florida has an introduced bill. South Carolina has introduced bill north New York has introduced bill Illinois also has an introduced bill as well. So. I want you to share your comments or share your thoughts in the comments, whether I post this. On YouTube or Instagram or take talk and let me know. Do you believe here's a question, do you believe. That a fertilized egg as a born person. Answer that, do you think so? Fertilize egg. You know, sperm a fertilize now it's frozen or whatever. Do you think that that's a person. We'll be right back. Don't go anywhere because we're going to talk about. Nikki. Hailey. As much as you want to say about Nikki Haley, I have to say that she put up. A really good campaign. I mean, she brought in people. From both spectrums, Democrat, Republican, independent undecided. She did her thing I have to say. And I, I, I I've said this before that if she actually won the Republican nominee, It would have been kind of hard to vote between herding buy-in because. I don't know it was. She ran a campaign. That was. Good. Okay. It was, it was a very good. Came Kim mob. Let's start this over. She ran a very good campaign. And I believe that. Once Joe Biden and Trump. Hash out. There their vote again. Once their four years, whoever wins. You know, once their four years is up. I definitely think that she's going to come back as a Republican candidate. And she actually might. She might actually win. But a lot of people were like, well, when is she going to drop out? And she dropped out after super Tuesday, which. It was very evident that she was not going to win the delicate she needed to become the Republican nominee. So let's go and see that story. Since the night of the New Hampshire primary, Nikki Haley has faced one consistent question. When would she drop out? It came from GLP leaders who called on her to suspended her campaign as former president Donald Trump. Wrapped up and more wins and from political observers who assumed that she would rather leave the race and face a potential embarrassing the feet in her home state of South Carolina. But for weeks, Haley made clear publicly and privately that the make or break point of her campaign would come on super Tuesday when GOP primary voters are more than a dozen states, including delegate, which California and Texas. Weigh in. When they did the answer was very clear. I mean, I watched super Tuesday at the hotel. I was staying at. And it was, it was sad. It was literally like he was sweeping the floor with her. I will say that she did win Washington and she won Vermont. But Texas, she needed the, when Texas Steven become like a challenge. California, she needed, like, there was some vital stays that she needed to win in order to even stay as like a. As a competitor, but she didn't now Texas. Oh, from California, all of her, like it was just sweeping. Trump won nearly every contest that night. Except for Vermont. Or Nikki Haley prevailed. They go on to save it. I said, I wanted the Americans to have their voices heard. Haley said hours later, as she suspended hurricane pane, Wednesday morning, I have done that. I have no recurrence. As I've said, Nikki Haley gave those people who wanted a voice, a voice. I don't know how she did it, but. It was like, Especially for those who didn't want to see another matchup between Biden Trump, right. And she just, she was given the answers that people want. It, it was more of like, she was that. She was that bipartisan president, which I feel that we. Desperately need. At this point, we need a bipartisan present that sees the wrongs in both parties, not just, oh, well, Democrats are global, blah, blah, blah. Oh, well, Republican there, blah, blah, blah. We need someone who's going to be like, they're all their fault. This is why we have the issue that we have. And as president, I would do X, Y, and Z. Right? Nikki Haley was that candidate, right? The sand has wasn't because he was like, well, Democrats did this through to this or to that. Tim Scott. Was like Democrats did this and did that Nikki Haley for me, in my personal opinion, I felt like she was the only person who was in the middle. Who's like, this is what we did under Trump. This is what we did under Biden is how I'm going to correct. This is how I'm going to fix it. So I liked that about her. It goes on to say that Haley has been the first of Trump's challengers to launch her campaign and became the last suspended. Nearly 13 months of campaigning had to come to an end with Haley becoming the first woman to win a GOP primary contest. But also with Trump still. Saline toward his third straight presidential nomination in a row. For now Haley faces a new question. Will she endorse Trump on Wednesday? She did not. Instead of calling on former presence to practice the politics. Of addition and earn the volt. Of those who did not back him, her goal is to open up a conversation about issues within the Republican party and push the party toward unity. One thing that. A lot of people had spectated was that she was going to drop out and that she was willing to endorse drunk because I don't, I don't know if I've said this in previous episodes, but before they were on the debate, they had to sign a pledge. That pledge said, if you. What did that pledge say? It said that you would support the Republican nominee. That was the only way that you could get your foot on, that you get your foot onto the bait stage. In her speech that she gave. She said, yeah, I did it at time to. Get on the stage, right? Who wouldn't. You know, if you want to get on the stage and, you know, Debate. You're going to say whatever you have to say. And I totally agree. Say whatever the hell you have to say. And then when everyone else dropped out and she was on her own. You can change your entire mind. The baits are over trumping on a debate. You, he didn't come to any of the other debates. And I don't think that she's wanting to endorse Trump. I think. I think that she's going to stay where she is. And I think that she will, she might low for him. Privately, but I don't think she's just going to come out and be like, yeah, I'm going to endorse Trump now, Tim Scott, that little. I got words. Ah, he's been kissing Trump's feed and licking them ever since he suspended his campaign. But that's a whole different story. Anyways. I don't think that she's going to endorse him. I think she might. The privately forum, but endorsing. She said that he's going to have to earn. That's not going to happen by November. So. Anyways, going back, it says her goal is to open up a conversation yet we. You write that? In the days leading up to her decision. Suspend her bid her campaign received a significant amount of feedback. On the subject of endorsing Trump or not. Sources, tote, CNN. People who are close with Hailey have difficult, have different opinions. Some believe that it would be good for her to bat Trump because she would be viewed as a team player. Others oppose her endorsing him because that would give Haley the freedom to be critical of Trump and build her own movement. One of those voices told CNN that they believe that Hailey's remarks on Wednesday were too forgiving of Trump, particularly when she expressed her. Hope that Trump will be successful in earning the vote of her supporters. The two separate camps. Have shared those opinions with Haley and hurricane pain in recent days and weeks sources said. Haley herself has recently said that she is not focused on endorsing anyone because she is focused on winning herself. She has also pointed to her support, which reached 30 to 40% and a handful of states as a sign of Trump's weakness. According to a scene in exit polls and New Hampshire, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina. And California only 19% of Haley supporters said they would be satisfied. With Trump as a nominee, 75% 79 said they would be dissatisfied. In my personal opinion as a political science. Measure. I'm kidding. I don't think she should endorse them. I think that she is. Collect that this is her time to build her base and to build those supporters because those supporters could be like, well, then you did all this for nothing. If you're just going to endorse him. So that means all the things that you said about how many, you're just going to go with it. Right. So I believe that she should go ahead and not endorse him, build up her own base. Because he had posted on his true social day. He didn't want any of the Nikki Haley supporters and Biden was like, well, I'll take them. Boom. There you go. But. She's going to be back, but I definitely think that she should build up her own. Campaign build up her own platform. As when Trump's gone. There'll be her return. Hopefully. Anyways, moving on. So Kimberly Rice, a former New Hampshire representative who served as a co-chair for Haley's campaign. Any granite state said that She was one of Haley's voters. She referred to the former presence statement that Haley's donors would be barred. Permanently. From the magazine world, a move. She said she and others took seriously and personally. It's one thing to attack. Fellow candidates, especially on policy issues. She said, But when you go as far. For the juggler and go on personal issues, then you attack the supporters like that. I don't think you have to swallow a little humble pie and try to work on bringing them back in. Some top officials on Haley's campaign told major donors in recent weeks, that super Tuesday would dictate whether or not Haley stayed in the race. According to two sources. They made a persuasive case in these private conversations saying that the race. Bruce super Tuesday would give Haley's team more data about the GLP elaborate and sources said Haley's team wanted the data before making the call to suspend hurricane pain. Instead of pulling a plug only after a few states had voted. The benchmark for success was 40% of the vote. Building on a, her previous performance in the early states, Haley ultimate hit that target. And just two of the states that voted on Tuesday, Utah and Vermont, as a result, most donors are not surprised. My Haley's decision to drop out on Wednesday particular because they didn't expect the outcome. In the two super Tuesday states to be better than Haley previously performed. Someone went on to say that she made the right decision and she ran a good race. One of the donors said it was an impressive and smart approach to challenging Trump. Haley herself engaged in outreach to some top donors very late Tuesday night. Members of Haley team also reached out to top donors to say that she was dropping out. It's too early to tell where the donors will go from here. As Haley rose in the polls last fall, she gained the backing of several wealthy donors, eager to boost a promising alternative to Trump. That support was born. A both benefit. And burden as her Republican opponent, including governor Ron DeSantis has argued that she was beholding to her donors, Haley countered. Arrivals were jealous. They weren't getting that support. Americans for. Prosperity. The political network associated with bill and air Charles, who. Cough. Endorse Haley last November eight at her until the day after South Carolina on the groups that it would stop spending money on her. Haley is not just going to go away. She's still going to be there. In the weeds between January 23rd, New Hampshire primary and February 24th, South Carolina. When questions rose about how long her campaign would last. Haley began investing time and money in super Tuesday states to help quarrel the rumors she might drop out. I'm not going anywhere. Haley told supporters and the vent on in California, early in February, I'm willing to take the bruises. I'm willing to do the fight and go. Through the pain, all I'm asking. Is that you stand there with me? Haley held more than a dozen events in super Tuesday, including Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia overalls Hailey's net worth spent about 82 million on ads. With about 17.9 million coming from her campaign, 64.4 million. From the S F a fun, the lead super pat supporting her bid in addition. Americans for prosperity action. Huth aligned. superPAC back in Hailey spent about 8 million on ads supporting her. Am I. I'm sorry that that was probably that's a lot of money to be spent. 18 like. Wow. Like, I mean, if I ever ran for president, like dude, like that is 64, 60 4 million. 82 million and add 17.9 million coming from a hurricane pain. Running for president is not cheap. Probably the legislature is probably the same amount of money. I'll look it up. But that spending shifted in her final weeks of the res Haley did not make new investments in television advertisements. A decision that was far from unanimous among some of our top supporters and donors who believe that she could have made a stronger run against Trump. And suburbian areas in North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and beyond. It's unclear how much money Haley will close her candidate C with, but the candidate. Who has remained reminded supporters at virtually every campaign to stop that she is an accountant by trade. Was intentionally focused on not going into debt and spending more than her chances warranted as an advisor said, She can also reserve any of her finances for future political endeavors. Should she have a future in the Trump controlled Republican party? Haley won't just go away. Cannon Dawson a long time, Haley, ally, and former chair of the South Carolina Republican party. This is not the last you've seen of Nikki Haley. He said. She will know who her friends are and I promise. Remember. Who was against her efforts. In this endeavor. Wow. Let's let's give, let's give Hailey. Around of applause. She did. She did her best. I definitely think of. She spent all that money on advertisements that she should have definitely been spending more. Before to super Tuesday, even on super Tuesday, like before people were even hitting the polls. Hey, before you go, go ahead and look at this ad for Nikki Haley. Like. I said, I think that she ran an amazing campaign. I think that she pulled in people from the left people from the right people from the middle because she had that type of campaign. She understood that both parties were at fault of how the country is currently. And that she was truly given people a voice. I think if Trump wasn't involved, I'd definitely think that she would've probably did a lot better, but because Trump and his. Cult people are so heavily on him being present. And again, they just overtook the stage. And even if. You know, Trump loses this presidential. He's still going to have significant hold. Over the Republican party, which is going to make it even extremely hard for any other person to really take that stage away from them, because essentially they want to look to him and be like, Hey. You know, is this guy, should we endorse him? No. And there we go. Every Republican candidate has to pretty much. Beg or bow down to Trump. If they're going to take on that political party. Or for they're going to take on the Republican party to become a Republican president, because you're going to need his endorsement, especially now that he installed his daughter-in-law. Until the RNC, which pretty much gives out all the money for Republican parties or candidates, I should say. So they're going to have to bow down to him. And be like, oh yes, Trump. I love your policy. I love you, blah, blah, blah. In order to get anywhere near being present. A Republican present a United States. So. It's going to be rough now, all the other little smaller elections life for governor. Congressman letters, local state and Senate. You don't really need his blessing or anything like that. Maybe acknowledge him if you're a Republican. But if you are trying to run for like the big leagues. Yeah, you're definitely going to have to bow down to him. So we're gonna take a quick break and I'm going to bring the last story. I want to talk to you about the struggle bus of. The housing. And about how millennials. Not really looking forward to buying the houses right now. We're just trying to survive all that coming up. Next. As much as we young people. Want to buy a house? We can't. Because we're broke. And we're struggling. Honestly, it's, you're living paycheck to paycheck. And you're trying to just. Survive. Sorry about that. My computer decided to train die. Anyways. So we're just trying to survive like the housing market just isn't good. So CNN posted a article. I'm going to try and go through it. They really quickly cause we are at. Eight minutes. And I know these are, you know, Episode. Oh, anyways. Americans are living through the toughest housing market in a generation. And for some young people, the American dream of owning a home is slipping away. Mortgage rates surge in recent years, hitting the highest levels and more than two decades last ball. While rates have come down significantly since then. Home prices remain painfully elevated, and a limited inventory of housing is still failing to keep up with demands. Such conditions mean that housing has become woefully on affordable. Falling mortgage rates in recent weeks have helped. But home prices could remain sticky. According to economics. It's still a. Quality time to be hunting for a home. It's even worse for young. buyers who need to save up a down payment and build up their credit score while during a time. When baby boomers are refusing to part with their homes. The situation isn't a whole lot better for winters. With the rent barely coming down from Wexford, highs and have tenants in the market. Same. They can't even afford their payments. The uneasiness over Milton's affordability crisis is captured. Clearly in surveys and polls. Data that outlines the sentiment specifically among young people is limited. CNN spoke with some young Americans about their thoughts on the current state of the us housing market and their plans for the future. Surviving is priority, not saving a down payment or even having kids. Brandy grant 35 lives in San Francisco bay area. California and a wonder what. One of the most expensive housing markets in the country, despite a difficult upbringing. She pushed herself to graduate from college with a bachelor's degree and is now making 76,000 a year as a senior consultant for an academic publishing company. But she says she is barely making ends meet. After paying her bills each month, including the$500.$500 to chip away at more than$90,000 in student debt grant says she doesn't even have enough to save for down the positive. Excuse me. She goes on to say I'm real, real tight. She said having kids will never be on the table. I haven't even put a cent in my retirement fund. So there is just zero hope for me ever to own a home. The minimum down deposit required to purchase a home. Depends on various factors, such as the type of mortgage being taken out. The prospective home buyers credit score and the properties asking price. The conventional wisdom is that hopeful buyers could save to put about 20% down before shopping. Before shopping around, but doing this is a pipe dream for those who can't even save to begin with, I can't even save barely$200 a paycheck, and you want me to put 20. 21% down on our house. I, I, and this is a side note. I just recently got a car because, you know, moving from one state to the other, I didn't want to have to do all that traveling. But I had to put a significant amount of money down for a car. Like. You know, right now it's standard to put down on a car is like 2,500. That's not easy to just come up with. Or to look at your bank account and be like, oh yeah, I got money. And then growing up, I gotta put that 2,500 down on the car. It's not. Easy, and it just makes struggling a lot harder. So. Yeah. But the typical down payment for a first time home buyer is usually much less 6% last year. Jordan too. The national association of realtors. A government back. Federal housing administration loan required a down payment as little as 3.5%, even saving up that much. It can be daunting. It's taken nine years per typical home buyer to save up. The median down payment on a home with a median value of the United States. According. The Zillows data. Building a down payment. As has been difficult for Ross Bowden. 8 26 year old case manager living in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife. That's mostly due to a combination of how expensive his rent is and they're costly medical bills. Which eat up a significant portion of the couples monthly budget. Their current financial situations mean having kids anytime soon is out of the question. I generally haven't even been able to save money over the past year. Burden said, I don't think that buying a house super realistic for me, even in the next couple of years. So I'm not really thinking about that right now. And if me and my wife were to have children. We would definitely want to be financially comfortable. Or capable of doing so. So I also don't see in that even realistic. Because children are expensive and it's, it's almost like you're choosing children or house children or a house. Cause. You're not going to be able to afford both. I mean, children itself with. Cribs, Pampers doctors, all this other crap that you have to do, especially if you're working now, you know, you have to change your work schedule. You have to take them to daycare or getting a nanny or a family. And now. You might be working less than what you usually are and then it still doesn't stop your daily bills. Being an adult is not easy. You have a couple options staying with your parents or leaving the country. For some living with parents is the best option. And that certainly seems to be the case nowadays. With housing affordability out. Of reach for many young people. More than half of us adults between 18 and 24 live with their parents in 2023. That's been the reality for Cory grips. Who's 24 who lives with his parents home in Portland, Oregon. He graduated with a master's degree in history last year from Minnesota state university, but said he hadn't. He hasn't had any luck finding a job aside from not having the financial stability of full-time employment just yet. You say he doesn't find it possible to own a home someday, unless he finds a partner first. Having two incomes Sten. Does a lot for you. And I can't imagine owning a home until I've partnered with somebody. Griffin says the housing market is not a single person. Market. What typically happens when a regional housing market becomes too unaffordable? Is that people without the means, simply meet elsewhere, cheaper. Such as the suburbs and our way, for example, a less common option is moving to a completely different country. Shoreham. 37 is a naturalized us citizen. We came to the country from Mexico as a child back in the 1980s, he currently works at a hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The most expensive market in the state, living in a rental, single family home with his sister and her three daughters, I should say. Aguilar has said that he doesn't think only in a home in Santa Fe is a reality in the next 10 years, but that moving. To Meridian, Mexico, sometime in 2025 to start a laundromat business with his partner who is currently working in Colorado, probably be a much better bank. Washers and dryers are not that expensive in Mexico. And we already looked at the price has started a laundromat. Which would be about$10,000. Aguilar said I can take that money to open a business over there. Over here. That's not even, that's not even enough for a down payment on house. Hi, mortgage rates are a big reason why some feels so dismayed with America's housing market, but there's been some good news lately. The federal reserve has signaled that it would soon. Interest rates now. That decade high inflation has you. Eased off. Such a move will be average 30 year fixed mortgage rates though. Economists said that they doubt rates will fall below 6% this year. homeowners have told us repeatedly. As of late bat high mortgage rates of the top reason why it's both a bad time to buy and sell a home. And so a more positive mortgage rate, outlook, more incentivized. Some to list their homes for sale. Helping increase the supply of existing homes in a new year. Still affordability takes into account mortgage rates, family income, single family homes, which remains investing pain point. The 2023 median home sale price was about 389,000.$800. According to NRA. That's up about 1% from. 2022. Lower mortgage rates would improve affordability, but better zoning laws could also have a more durable impact. The sustainability solution to make it easier to build houses. That way we can actually start heading to the right direction with affordability and have. To be sustainable. And not just a short-term interest rate phenomenon. While feathers tips for young time. For first-time home buyers is keep saving this year. For when housing conditions. They really do improve in 2025. Invest more money into an index fund since the stock market is currently going strong. URIs be realistic about the neighborhoods you should live in and consider other more affordable housing options, such a condo or a townhouse. They also say that newly constructed homes may be a viable option for first-time buyers. Because some home. By home builders. Proposing new incentives toward closing costs, such as a two in one buydown, which is a type of financing that offers interest rates. For the first two years before it rises to regular permanent rates. She also said that those deals are becoming more common in cities that have ramped up residential construction in recent years, such as Minnesota. Minneapolis. Sorry. Houston Dallas, Austin, Texas, Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Young first time home buyers usually don't know. About that, because there isn't one place where you can go and see all the incentives. So approaching the builders directly to make a deal. Is it good? Option. I can tell you Arizona. People are coming out here. There's so much desert. So like, There's so many places to live. The further you get away from the city of Phoenix, the cheaper it becomes. I know I have some family that are. In light. Kapha Dona. They're like literally there in the middle of nowhere, but you have an amazing mountain view. I even think flagged Flagstaff is another city that I've been through all my God. It's gorgeous. I bet the housing is. Cheaper cause you're, you're literally like two hours away from civilization. They they've built their own town. They have a Walmart and whatever like that. But like from the main city, like Phoenix it's about a two hour drive. So I think the further you get away from cities. The cheaper housing could be. I said, Arizona's a desert. That was a really good place. It's felt. But as I said in the article, it's just building the houses like. There was not a lot of houses that are built. Which is why the housing prices are so extreme, but if we had a lot more houses, You know, I think we could make a pretty good impact. But we are probably at like 50 minutes now of this podcast. So I just want to. Tell you all. thank you so much for listening to the show. I hope. Now that I'm back into the glue of doing these shows. I can keep up to date. On the events that are going on, whether it's presidential, whether it's just another topic that we kind of need to talk more about. I really don't know when that. Oh, who cares? You'll be right here listening to the show. Guess what guys. We're almost to 250 listens. On this podcast. So just start sharing it with your friends, family, everyone. 250. It may not seem like a lot. But it's a milestone and I will, when we hit it, I'll have a cupcake for an episode. Until then. Thank you for coming to the show. Be kind, be safe. He's smart. Do something different? Enjoy, enjoy your mental health. That's that's. Before we leave, let's talk about mental health. Enjoy your mental health do not let these jobs dictate how you will spend your mental health. Okay. Because some of these jobs. And I'm not going to name them. But some of them are really daunting on your mental health. So you take a day off two or three, if you can financially afford it. And do you do something you love to do? Whether that's staying home, playing video games, whether that's you. Being your own boss and doing Lyft on the side. Let me tell you. Don't let anyone overstress you this year and don't let these jobs overstress you because in theory, there's so many other jobs. I'm not saying quit your job. But you have to understand you need a work life balance. And if you don't have that, you're going to start seeing. Ah, man, I'm working my ass off and I'm not getting anything in return. So take care of your mental health.