DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING "Cost of Freedom Recap" CONTAINS STRONG OPINIONS WHICH ARE NOT A REFLECTION OF THE OPINIONS OF FOX NEWS AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS INVESTMENT ADVICE WHEN MAKING PERSONAL INVESTMENT DECISIONS. IT IS FOX NEWS' POLICY THAT CONTRIBUTORS DISCLOSE POSITIONS THEY HOLD IN STOCKS THEY DISCUSS, THOUGH POSITIONS MAY CHANGE. READERS OF "Cost of Freedom Recap" MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN INVESTMENT DECISIONS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN FLORIDA FOR A BIG RALLY SATURDAY, BUT BEFORE THAT HE STOPPED IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO TOUT NEW MANUFACTURING JOBS; THIS AS RETAIL SALES AND STOCKS ARE RISING
Jonas Max Ferris: All the other stuff that Trump is doing is definitely pro-business. That far exceeds the kind of showmanship that Trump has become known for. As far as the stock market, it is all about tax cuts and other pro-growth policies.
Gary B. Smith: This is a president who has tapped into what the majority of America wants. The vast majority of Americans do not read the Washington Post, the New York Times, nor do they tune into the Academy Awards. They’re working people trying to get by. They voted for someone who said he promised to get jobs and cut economic regulations. He has the Americans’ interest at heart. He wants America to be great. That’s why you see the markets are reacting the way they have been.
John Layfield: Perception is that you have a very business friendly administration in the White House and I believe that perception is reality. Look at what happened to the stock market between November 2014 - November 2016; it was essentially flat. The thing that is driving the stock market is Trump’s election.
Hadley Heath Manning: Expectations are that Republicans are going to pursue pro-growth economic reform. If you put those policies in place, you can expect the economy to grow including wage growth across the board and that is good for all American workers.
Chuck Rocha: When Barack Obama came into office, the stock market was around 8,000 and when he left, it was around 19,000 points and a lot of Republicans did not give him credit for that. But guess what? I will give Trump credit. It’s a business friendly environment.
SOME AMERICANS PROTESTING PRESIDENT TRUMP BY NOT PAYING THEIR FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
Jonas Max Ferris: If you don’t think you legally have to pay taxes, then you go to jail. If you don’t like the president, you should vote instead of protesting by not paying your taxes.
Gary B. Smith: It’s kind of ironic because the Left generally likes bigger government. If people do not pay taxes, then there is a small government.
John Layfield: These guys are idiots. They quote Henry David Thoreau as precedent. There’s also precedent for people that believe the moon is made out of cheese. You pay your taxes because it is part of the law.
Hadley Heath Manning: Not only is this illegal, it is really misguided. The ways that they are protesting are not going to be hurting Trump but instead people who rely on entitlement programs such as social security and Medicare.
Chuck Rocha: We should hold out government accountable. You should protest by showing up to vote at the state level or congressional level.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE IN MUNICH; THIS AS THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT IS RECONSIDERING THEIR REFUGEE PLAN. NEW REPORTS SAYING ANGELA MERKEL’S ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERING GIVING CASH TO MIGRANTS IF THEY RETURN HOME; THIS AS PRESIDENT TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO SIGN A NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER on EXTREME VETTING NEXT WEEK, AS HIS CURRENT ORDER IS TIED UP IN COURT
Jonas Max Ferris: There are solutions that are more cost-effective than by letting in a few into our country and there are more countries around the world where they can go to than many refugees were able to back during World War II.
Gary B. Smith: If we give the money to the refugees as they see fit in their own countries, it is a win-win for all sides in that we get goodwill and they get help in their own countries.
John Layfield: I like the idea of helping the refugees by paying them. We should help by spending it over in the Middle East. It is much more humanitarian than by bringing them over here.
Hadley Heath Manning: Admirable but it was too much, too fast for Germany and we really should keep our countries’ best interests at heart rather than the refugees’ interest.
Chuck Rocha: A huge part of the influx of refugees do not come from the Middle East but rather come from West Africa where genocide is occurring. The country needs to realize that there are more than just Syrian refugees and we should help them out as well.
STOCK PICKS
Gary B. Smith: AAPL up 30 percent this year.
John Layfield: VOD up 20 percent in 1 year.
Jonas Max Ferris: Telephonica up 20 percent in 1 year
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