{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Paul Truesdell Podcast","title":"Trumpets Blowing - Look Who's Going","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2773,"description":"Episode 488Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, and welcome to the Paul Truesdell Podcast. It is Friday, September 26, 2025, and this is episode 488. Let’s begin with a simple request. Go get yourself a cup of coffee. Put your shoes on, lace them up, maybe get your golf cart ready. Even better, put in a pair of headsets or AirPods, step outside, and go for a walk. Do a little listening, do a little thinking, and do a little walking. Clear your head, move your body, and give your heart a bit of exercise. It is a trifecta that sets you up for sharper thinking and better conversations.What we are about to cover is not background noise; it is the kind of thing that benefits from being digested while your body is in motion. So, treat this as a walk-and-think session. Listen closely, let the ideas bounce around while you take in the fresh air, and by the time you are back home, you will have more perspective than when you left.Now, I will warn you. I am going to be sarcastic, because sarcasm often cuts through the fog. I am going to connect dots that at first might seem unrelated, and then I am going to explain why I do what I do here on the Paul Truesdell Podcast. The theme is always the same: governments — federal, state, county, and municipal. They are massive. They are powerful. And most of the time, people are not paying close enough attention to what they do with our money.So today, let’s take a closer look at the beast in the room that nobody really wants to talk about. Let’s get started.First or Phase OneWhen people ask me, “what percentage of the economy is the federal government,” I have to smile. Because it is one of those questions nobody asks until they realize Washington is not just the referee—it is one of the biggest players on the field.There are two ways to measure this beast.First, federal spending as a share of GDP. That is just a fancy way of saying, “how much of the entire U.S. economy is the government spending every single year.”...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/115-XsjkdwCpJ99xv-8oZ76t6jr8ScWEC5MYSKzL0ig/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS82MTUx/OWRiNTc0NTk0Y2Nk/M2VjYTliMGVhN2Zm/YTZkZi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}