It’s Been a Historically Important Week for the Country – Top 3 Takeaways, August 22nd, 2025

Takeaway #1: There’s a bigger political picture

This week has been a fascinating week politically in many ways that don’t specifically have to do with President Trump but are in many ways a result of his movement. There are three dynamics that have been reported and tie together to paint a congruent picture of just how significant the political shift in this country has been and also what it’s continuing to be. Those three stories are these. 1) My voter registration stories reflecting the continued off election year shift in Florida resulting in historic Republican advantages across the state, while also demonstrating that Palm Beach County is in play to potentially flip to a GOP voter majority by next year’s midterm election cycle. 2) The New York Times analysis of the voter registration trend taking place nationally as was reflected in their story “The Democratic Party Faces a Registration Crisis”. That story doesn’t bury the lead it begins this way: The Democratic Party is hemorrhaging voters long before they even go to the polls. Of the 30 states that track voter registration by political party, Democrats lost ground to Republicans in every single one between the 2020 and 2024 elections — and often by a lot. That four-year swing toward the Republicans adds up to 4.5 million voters, a deep political hole that could take years for Democrats to climb out from. The stampede away from the Democratic Party is occurring in battleground states, the bluest states and the reddest states, too, according to a new analysis of voter registration data by The New York Times. That story goes on to say that between the 2020 Presidential election and last year’s presidential election Democrats lost a net 2.1 million registered voters, among the 30 states with partisan registration, while Republicans gained a net 2.4 million registered voters, and that since 2018 there’s been a 17-point swing nationally toward Republicans in registered voters. What’s more (and just as important)? While the NYT analysis doesn’t detail this – the trend has continued this year. It’s not just Florida. That matters because for one hugely significant reason that transcends what might happen in next year’s midterm elections. Joe Biden was such a failed president that in a vacuum it’s understandable to have seen Democrat defections and GOP gains prior to last year’s presidential election. But that we’re continuing to see the trend in Florida and clear across the country during this off-election year, during the first seven months of Trump’s second presidency, when he’s moved his agenda through at a historic pace...

Takeaway #2: Speaks to something much bigger than a failed Democrat president. What we’re witnessing play out is a historical turning point. As I mentioned during my first show this year on January 2nd, and had been talking about since I first identified the potential for it in October of 2021 – generational political change is here. This was what I said that day: A second coming of the Reagan revolution has quietly been playing out in Florida due to DeSantis’ Reagan-like leadership as governor. The opportunity exists to do the same nationally as well with young voters across the country who are the most displeased with President Biden of any demographic group. Yes, some of the youngest voters are unhappy with Biden because he’s not “leftist” enough for them, however Florida’s example suggests there are far more of them that are simply looking for good leadership that leads to better results for them. That’s where generational opportunity exists and perhaps has never been greater in modern political history. I’m increasingly optimistic that a Floridian will not only be the Republican nominee for president, but that a Floridian will have the opportunity to “Make America Florida”, starting in January of 2025. That’s exactly what’s happened. And the early stages of the generational political change I’ve been talking about for nearly four years is here. 3)

Takeaway #3: The corporate scene.

This week the Target CEO who led the company into going woke, announced he was stepping down, not by choice, because Target never recovered from going woke. This week Marcus Lemonis, the CEO of Camping World and Executive Chairman of Overstock.com and now Bed, Bath and Beyond (and also of the TV Show The Profit) issued this statement about doing business in California: We will not open or operate retail stores in California. This decision isn’t about politics — it’s about reality. California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses in America. It’s a system that makes it harder to employ people, harder to keep doors open, and harder to deliver value to customers. The result? Higher taxes, higher fees, higher wages that many businesses simply cannot sustain, and endless regulations that strangle growth. We’re taking a stand because it’s time for common sense. Businesses deserve the chance to succeed. Employees deserve jobs that last. And customers deserve fair prices. California’s system delivers the opposite. That’s taking a stand. As a self-made immigrant and one of the most influential corporate leaders in the world, and not one who has ever been known to get involved in politics that marks a turning point. And the third corporate leader making news this week... None other than Elon Musk. The news involving Musk this week was something I predicted immediately after the fallout with President Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk wasn’t moving forward with attempting to create a third party, and though Musk threw shade at the Journal by saying that anything they report shouldn’t be considered true – he didn’t deny it. Later in the week Newsweek was reporting that it appears Musk is preparing to back JD Vance in 2028. Not long ago I said it was 50-50 that one-day Musk would break the “Trump was Right About Everything” hat out again. If not that one, perhaps one that says JD Vance. All of these undercurrents occurring this week make it a rather remarkable one indeed.

Armstrong & Getty