On Wealth and Progress

Todd
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Balanced commentary on economics, politics and current events for a better future

  1. Minneapolis: Trump’s Viet Nam moment in the never ending struggle against socialism

    4D AGO

    Minneapolis: Trump’s Viet Nam moment in the never ending struggle against socialism

    In this episode, we examine the killing of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis and the political firestorm that followed. After a tragic series of confrontations involving immigration enforcement, early public statements from senior officials clashed with emerging video evidence, fueling protests, unrest, and calls for escalation. As pressure mounted from hardliners on both sides, the situation threatened to spiral into a national crisis. Rather than doubling down, President Trump chose to de-escalate. After speaking with Minnesota’s governor and Minneapolis’s mayor, he sent in Tom Homan, a veteran law-enforcement leader, to take control of operations, reduce tensions, and shift ICE toward a more measured approach. In a pivotal press conference, Homan acknowledged mistakes, defended lawful enforcement, supported peaceful protest, and laid out a strategy focused on public safety and cooperation with local leaders. This episode places the Minneapolis crisis in historical context, drawing a sharp comparison to President Lyndon Johnson’s escalation in Vietnam and the political collapse that followed. It also revisits the broader immigration debate, the role of sanctuary cities, and the long-term consequences of federal border policy decisions. At its core, this is a discussion about leadership under pressure, the danger of rushed narratives, and the difference between escalation and restraint when a nation is already divided. If you found this episode valuable, please share it with someone else. 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    13 min
  2. Apocalypse NOT: Trump Storms Davos, Steals Greenland and renames Nobel The Trump Peace Prize

    JAN 27

    Apocalypse NOT: Trump Storms Davos, Steals Greenland and renames Nobel The Trump Peace Prize

    In this episode, we break down the past week of global chaos through the lens of Apocalypse Now and ask a hard question: Was Trump really about to drag the world into World War III… or was this another case of media panic missing the point? From Davos to Greenland, NATO to Venezuela, headlines screamed collapse, betrayal, and disaster. World leaders braced for the worst. Commentators warned the sky was falling. And yet, just days later, the story quietly flipped. So what actually happened? We walk through the headlines, the threats, the sudden reversals, and the deeper strategy behind Trump’s foreign policy style — a style that feels chaotic, loud, and reckless to critics, but strangely effective when you zoom out. This episode challenges three big assumptions: Whether Europe is truly a capable partner or simply dependent. Whether Trump’s pressure helps rivals like Russia and China — or boxes them in. Whether these “apocalyptic” moments are real dangers, or just another sequel in a long-running media franchise. We also look at why Greenland matters, why NATO keeps wobbling, and why urgency  not comfort may be the real point of Trump’s approach. Love him or hate him, this is not random behavior. It’s a pattern. And once you see it, the headlines look very different. If you’re tired of surface-level outrage and want a grounded look at what’s really going on beneath the noise, this episode is for you. If you found this helpful, please share it with one other person. 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    10 min

  3. JAN 22

    Minneapolis

    Just over a week ago, a young woman lost her life in Minneapolis. In this episode, we take a sober, fact-based look at the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good and the events that followed. Renee was a mother of three, a poet, a guitar hobbyist, and a person described by family and friends as kind, gentle, and loving. She had no criminal record and no history of conflict with law enforcement. We also examine the life and career of Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer involved in the incident. Ross has nearly twenty-five years of public service, including military service in Iraq, work with U.S. Border Patrol, and years with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. There are no public records of misconduct, investigations, or criminal activity in his history. From there, the conversation widens. We explore the larger context surrounding this case, including: The Minnesota fraud scandal involving billions in alleged waste, fraud, and abuseThe federal response known as Operation Metro SurgeClaims and counterclaims from state officials, federal prosecutors, and national mediaICE arrest quotas, enforcement pressure, and how rhetoric shapes public perceptionWhy rushing to judgment damages trust on both sidesThis episode does not argue for blind loyalty or blind outrage. It argues for something harder and more important: fair process, restraint, and truth. Both the victim’s family and the officer involved deserve a full, unbiased investigation. And the public deserves leadership that lowers the temperature instead of inflaming it. If you’re looking for a balanced analysis of the Minneapolis shooting, ICE enforcement, political rhetoric, and the real-world cost of misinformation, this episode is for you. 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    15 min
  4. Two Socialists in New York and Trump in Venezuela

    JAN 13

    Two Socialists in New York and Trump in Venezuela

    In this episode, we break down the real-world cost of democratic socialism and why history keeps repeating itself. The episode opens with New York’s new mayor openly embracing socialist policy, attacking landlords while ignoring the damage caused by rent control and rising costs. From there, we zoom out to show where this same thinking has already led before. Using Venezuela as a case study, this episode traces the path from Hugo Chavez’s promises of a “humane” socialism to Nicolas Maduro’s rule, economic collapse, mass migration, drug trafficking, and the loss of basic freedoms. We explain the socialist doom loop — where bad policy creates failure, the failure is blamed on capitalism, and even worse policy follows. We also examine Trump’s capture of Maduro, what it signals about U.S. strategy in Latin America, and why rebuilding failed states requires more than good intentions or empty slogans. This episode challenges both the political left and right, exposing why spreading democracy is harder than it looks and why cutting off corrupt funding comes first. If you want a clear, honest look at socialism, Venezuela, New York politics, Trump’s foreign policy, and the real cost of collectivism, this episode connects the dots without spin or excuses. 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    14 min
  5. Happy Holidays!

    12/31/2025

    Happy Holidays!

    In this holiday episode, Todd shares a short reflection on gratitude, progress, and perspective as we close out the year. It’s easy to focus on what still feels hard, the challenges ahead, the work left to do, the mountains still left to climb. But this episode is a reminder to pause and remember how far we’ve already come, and how many times we’ve faced difficulty and made it through. As we turn another corner and move toward a new year, this message centers on thankfulness, direction, and steady hope remembering our past, staying grounded in the present, and trusting that our best days are still ahead. We’ll be back in two weeks to begin the new year. Until then, thank you for listening, supporting the show, and taking the time to reflect. Happy holidays to you and yours. Todd December 28, 2025 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    2 min
  6. Finally, political consensus: Everyone Hates The National Security Strategy!

    12/23/2025

    Finally, political consensus: Everyone Hates The National Security Strategy!

    In this episode, we break down why both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal hate Trump’s new National Security Strategy and why that rare bipartisan outrage may be missing the bigger picture. During one of the most divided political moments in modern history, liberals and conservatives agree on one thing: they think the United States is abandoning its role as global police, weakening NATO, and going soft on Russia and China. But are those claims actually backed by data — or by outdated assumptions about the world? Using history, economics, and strategic reasoning, this episode challenges the Euro-centric mindset that has shaped U.S. foreign policy for over a century. We explore America’s long financial and military commitment to Europe, why that relationship has become dangerously one-sided, and why continuing to act as Europe’s first responder no longer makes sense. We also examine how America’s own circumstances have changed — from low debt and rapid growth in the 1990s to today’s high deficits, stagnant economy, and limited global flexibility — and why any serious national security strategy must account for those realities. This episode dives deep into the changing world order, including the global shift in economic power away from Europe and toward Asia, the real state of Russia’s military and economy, and why China now represents the primary long-term existential threat to U.S. interests. Finally, we analyze what the new strategy actually says about China, Taiwan, global trade routes, and balance of power — and why claims of isolationism fall apart when you look at America’s recent actions on the world stage. If you’re interested in geopolitics, U.S. foreign policy, national security strategy, China–U.S. relations, NATO, or how data should matter more than headlines, this episode is for you. If you found this episode useful, share it with at least one other person. 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    12 min
  7. The Political Tealeaves: Growth, Affordability, and Immigration

    12/16/2025

    The Political Tealeaves: Growth, Affordability, and Immigration

    In this episode, we break down what recent off-year elections are really telling us about America’s political mood as Trump 2.0 closes out its first year. From New York to Miami, new Democratic wins raise one key question: have the political winds shifted, and if so, why? We look past cable news noise and polling failures and focus on the only thing that truly matters, real election results. Then we dig into the three issues driving voters right now: The Economy Why GDP growth isn’t enough, why jobs still matter most, and how tariffs, taxes, deregulation, and China policy fit into the long-term growth picture. Affordability How Federal Reserve policy and Biden-era deficits created today’s price problem, why inflation still feels painful even when it “slows,” and why cheap money is not the solution. Immigration What closing the border fixed, what it didn’t, and why a tough-but-measured approach to deportations may be both better policy and better politics. This episode connects history, economics, and politics to explain what voters are feeling right now—and what the administration must do next if it wants to rebuild trust, restore upward mobility, and steady the ship. If you care about the economy, inflation, immigration, tariffs, or the future of American growth, this episode gives you the bigger picture most commentary misses. If you found this episode useful, share it with one other person.

    14 min
  8. College, Cappuccino & Education

    12/09/2025

    College, Cappuccino & Education

    In this episode, Todd Sheets breaks down the truth behind America’s college crisis, the rising cost of higher education, and why the old promise of a “million-dollar degree” no longer matches reality.  We revisit major policy moments from Hillary Clinton’s 2008 and 2016 campaigns to the cultural narratives that shaped an entire generation—and look at how soaring tuition, weak incentives, and empty guarantees created the debt burden millions face today. Todd also shares an eye-opening story from The John Fredericks Morning Show about a young man whose work ethic and pride reveal what real education looks like. It ends with a short original verse, I Saw a Man, written the same morning over a warm cappuccino. In this episode: • Why college no longer guarantees higher earnings • How the cost of education outpaced its value • The mindset shift that traps students in debt • What politicians got wrong about the college wage premium • Why free college doesn’t solve the real problem • A powerful story about work ethic, gratitude, and dignity • A new poem written for this episode If you’re interested in: college debt • higher education policy • American exceptionalism • the student loan crisis • economic mobility • political history • personal responsibility • cultural trends • inspiring real-life stories …this episode will challenge the way you think. If the message resonates, please share this episode with someone who would benefit from it. 🔗 Learn more at https://toddsheetswriter.com Subscribe to Todd's Substack: https://substack.com/@toddsheets   📖 Get the book 2008: What Really Happened: https://www.amazon.com/2008-Really-Happened-Todd-Sheets/dp/1641773936  🎧 Podcast: Search “Todd Sheets – On Wealth and Progress” on your favorite platform  👉 Subscribe for more deep dives on history, economy, geopolitics, and American resilience.

    10 min
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About

Balanced commentary on economics, politics and current events for a better future

Information

  • Creator
    Todd
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 On Wealth and Progress
  • Show Website
    On Wealth and Progress