By ,
Published August 07, 2017
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.
NEW LOOK AT POTENTIAL IMPACT OF LEAKS ON NATIONAL SECURITY, ECONOMY
John Layfield: First and foremost, whoever is leaking confidential information of the United States of America is a traitor. Not in the same vein necessarily as a Rosenberg or Benedict Arnold, but they are a traitor to our country. They are also, second, undermining the president's ability to get things done.
Hadley Heath Manning: I think the leaks put Trump's pro-growth agenda at risk. Especially the ones that pertain to conversations with international leaders which could also be a security issue, which is a different issue. When it comes to the domestic economic agenda that President Trump promised he would get done- health reform, tax reform- those things will be critical to putting Americans back to work.
Gary B. Smith: The sensitive data is an issue and if there is anything embarrassing that comes out, if there is anything illegal that Trump did, if there is anything that goes counter to the platform he ran on, that is going to be damaging. But, to Hadley's point, I think she had it.
Jehmu Greene: The entire situation is a hot mess. The president of the U.S. should be able to have confidential conversations. This is drastically undermining his ability in the White House and the White House's ability to conduct foreign policy. There is a third aspect to this also; it is showing world leaders and business leaders that the Presidents isn't as smart and strategic as he tries to make himself out to be.
Jonas Max Ferris: If you are basing your policies on clamping down on leaking then you need that to happen in order to get anything done. I have some bad news for you because there is a roaring bull market in leaks and it's been growing for years now. That is why Obama went after more people for leaking than any other president before him.
SENATORS LEAVE FOR AUGUST RECESS EARLY DESPITE MAJOR TO-DO LIST
Gary B. Smith: I doubt this would work for the private sector. I work for a company that made me go home and change from my blue shirt back into a white shirt so I don't think saying “you know what boss I'm going to take a couple weeks off, I'll be back,” would have worked. I would've been out within five minutes. This is the problem with Congress.
Jonas Max Ferris: I don't think there is a long enough recess for these guys that they are going to get through healthcare or tax reform, I just don't think it's possible. That said, if you want to solve the problem, then they need to vote on a pay raise with less vacation. That's the new job.
Hadley Heath Manning: This certainly wouldn't fly in the private sector where there is deadlines and it's not just a to-do list, the quality of your work matters a lot in the private sector as well and my fear is that members of Congress are looking at their to-do list as just something to check off.
Jehmu Greene: Senators actually do work when they go back to their districts. They meet with their constituents, and you know what, it's a good thing for them to get out of DC and the swamp, and to actually hear from their constituents. I think the problem is going to be that they are going to go home and be running and hiding from their constituents.
John Layfield: I could not disagree more with Jehmu. I think they would have to improve to be awful. I think you need to repeal and replace the entire Congress. I looked up the worst Congresses in history and they say it was the 31st Congress or the 5th Congress with John Adams. These guys absolutely blew it away.
FCC PROPOSES $82M FINE AGAINST ROBOCALLER
Jonas Max Ferris: I get mad at the government because it is absurd with the amount of agencies that we have that they can't find out who is benefitting from this and throw them in prison. This is absurd that this has gone on this long.
John Layfield: I don't understand the difference between this and bulk emails. I don't know why they don't go after emails, they have an unsubscribe button on that, and they should have a do not call when you answer it and they can't call you back. I'm not sure why they went after this technology, it doesn't make sense to me.
Gary B. Smith: Well the reason is because these robocallers switch their numbers so you block one and they come up with another number. I'm not opposed to the government cracking down on the illegal ones, and the legal ones, I could care less.
Hadley Heath Manning: I agree with Gary B. The government has a role prosecuting illegal activity but the private sector is coming up with solutions for this too. There are dozens of apps that you can get for your smartphone to help you screen your calls.
Jehmu Greene: Put these robocallers in prison! I can't get to my mom sometimes if I'm calling from a number she doesn't recognize because she just won't answer her phone. So amen, $80 million dollars, put them in prison, stop the calls.
PREDICTIONS:
Gary B. Smith: (AAPL) grows 30% on 1 year
John Layfield: (F) gains 20% in 1 year
Jonas Max Ferris: (UBSI) rallies 15% in 1 year
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/how-leaks-impact-national-security-and-the-economy