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Join John OConnor for fearless conservative political commentary and investigative analysis on OConnors Right Stand. Each week, get unfiltered perspectives on current events, government accountability, and judicial failures that mainstream media wont cover. Hard-hitting episodes featuring in-depth political analysis, breaking news commentary, and the conservative viewpoints you need to hear.
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Good Tuesday morning, Patriots. Welcome back to O'Connor's Write Stand. I'm your host, John O'Connor, software programmer by day, concerto seeker by night. All right. I know I promised to talk less about me, but this is about us. Well, hopefully us. I'm giving you 12 months to plan, so no excuses. A few months back, I shared my walking journey, how those daily three mile walks transformed not just my health, but my mental clarity.
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anxiety and depression. Last October, I completed my first half marathon and I've been flooded with DMs asking for advice. I always say the same thing. I'm not a doctor, so consult yours, but I'm happy to share what's working for me and I detail out what I did. So here's the thing, and you are hearing this before anyone else. Not even my family knows yet. Well, maybe until now. And yeah.
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I could embarrass myself if I fail, but I'm doing it anyway. November 29th, 2026, the Space Coast Marathon in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Now, there are two options, the half marathon with a six hour 45 minute time limit. That's roughly 31 minutes per mile at worst. Or the full marathon with a seven hour max, which works out to about 16 minutes and one second per mile. I'm doing the full. I'll be walking most of it.
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And I am crossing that finish line at least one second before the seven hour mark. The race starts at 6 a.m. People start showing up around 4 a.m. If you want to pace with me, I'm all for it. Or do the half marathon, meet up the day before, cheer during the race, or maybe grab food afterwards. I'd love to spend some time with you. Seriously, DM me at O'Connor Podcasts on X if you're interested. Training for me started yesterday. One year from now, let's do this together.
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Now today, we need to talk about something the mainstream media is desperately trying to bury. We are less than one year into Trump's second term, and there is an economic shift happening that they don't want you to see. It's not just about inflation anymore. It's about wealth. It's about people. It's about an exodus that literally is reshaping America. Democrats want you focused on beef prices. They want you panicking about your grocery bill. But what they're not telling you
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There's a reason blue states are hemorrhaging and red states are booming. The right stand starts now.
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Let me paint you a picture of what's actually happening in the American economy right now. Because if you only watch CNN or read the New York Times, you'd think we're headed for another Great Depression. Here's the reality. As of September 2025, inflation stands at 3%. Now, before you say, John, that's still above the target, let me give you some context. At the peak of Biden's inflation crisis in June 2022,
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we hit 9.1%. That was a 40 year high. Grocery prices were skyrocketing. Gas was over $5 in most places. Families were choosing between filling up their tanks and feeding their kids. Fast forward to today, inflation is at 3%. Food inflation is at 3.1%. But here's where it gets interesting and where Democrats start squirming.
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Wages are growing at 4.2%. That means for the first time since February 2024, workers are actually getting ahead. There's real wage growth, meaning wages adjusted for inflation is running at about 1.5 to 2.5%. Let me translate that into dollars you can understand. The average American worker is making about $30 to $50 more per week
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in real purchasing power compared to a year ago. That's $1,500 to $2,600 more per year in actual buying power. Not fake money, not inflated dollars, real purchasing power. But Democrats don't want to talk about that. They want to talk about beef prices. So let's talk about beef. Yes, beef prices are up 14.7 % year over year. Democrats are screaming about it.
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It's all over their talking points. Trump's economy is failing. Look at the beef prices. But here's what they're not telling you. On November 20th, just 12 days ago, President Trump signed an executive order removing the 40 % tariff on Brazilian beef, coffee, and other agricultural products. The order was backdated to November 13th, meaning importers are getting refunds for duties they already paid. Why does this matter?
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Brazil isn't the world's largest beef exporter. Trump had imposed that 40 % tariff back in July as leverage in trade negotiations with Brazilian president. And guess what? It worked. We got progress in negotiations. Trump got what he needed. And now he's removing the tariff to bring beef prices down for American consumers. That's called leadership. That's called negotiating. Democrats complain. Trump solves.
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But you know what's even more revealing? The story Democrats have completely forgotten about. Eggs. Remember eggs, patriots? Remember when Democrats spent months screaming about egg prices? In March 2025, eggs hit a record high of $6.23 per dozen. The media ran stories every single day. Trump's economy is crushing families, working Americans can't afford eggs.
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Fast forward to today, egg prices in September were down 4.7 % month over month. They have been dropping for five consecutive months. Farm level egg prices dropped 22.8 % from July to August alone. And year over year, eggs in September were down 1.3 % compared to September 2024. What happened?
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Trump's USDA invested $1 billion in biosecurity measures to fight avian flu. The administration increased egg imports from South Korea, Turkey, Brazil, and other countries. Supply stabilized. Prices fell. Problem solved. And where are Democrats now? Silent. They've moved on to beef. Because the goal isn't to solve problems. It's to complain about whatever
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they can find. Now, let's talk about the economic indicator that really tells the story. Gasoline. I filled up my tank last week here in Tennessee. $2.26 per gallon. The state average is around $2.60 to $0.66. The national average just dropped below $3 for the first time since Trump returned to office. Let me repeat that. The national average for gasoline is at $3.
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In Tennessee, we're paying $2.60. In some parts of the state, it's as low as $2.22. Compare that to California, where they are still paying $4.59 per gallon, or Hawaii at $4.44, or Washington state at $4.18. You know what the difference is? Energy policy. Red states embrace American energy independence. Drill, baby, drill.
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Pipelines, domestic production. Blue states regulate, tax, and mandate themselves into energy poverty. And it's not just gas prices. Crude oil is trading at $59.44 per barrel. That's extremely low by recent standards. Why? Because Trump's energy policies are working. We are producing more. We are energy independent again.
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and American families are benefiting at the pump. But Democrats don't want to talk about that because it destroys their narrative. Now, here's where the economic avalanche gets really interesting because while Democrats are nitpicking beef prices, their states are literally hemorrhaging people and money. Let me give you the numbers from recent IRS and census data. Between 2020 and 2024, here's what happened.
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California lost 1,465,000 people. That's 1.5 million people who said, I'm done with this state. And it wasn't just people, it was wealth. California lost nearly $25 billion in adjusted gross income in a single year. New York lost 966,000 people and $20 billion in income.
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Illinois lost 418,000 people. New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Louisiana, Virginia, Connecticut all experience negative migration. The top 10 exodus states are almost entirely blue. Now, where did all those people and wealth go? Florida gained 872,000 people and $36 billion in income.
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Texas gained 747,000 people and $12 billion in income. North Carolina, Arizona, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Nevada, Washington, Idaho, all massive gains. Florida and Texas combined gained the population equivalent of West Virginia, just those two states. And here's what really tells the story. It's not just any people leaving blue states.
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It's the producers. Among people making over $200,000 per year, the migration to low-tax states is even more pronounced. The wealthiest, the most productive Americans are fleeing blue states in record numbers. California alone lost over 360,000 people to Texas and transferred nearly $21 billion in income between 2012 and 2022.
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New York lost over 380,000 people and $37 billion in income to Florida during the same 10-year period. This isn't a coincidence, patriots. This is Americans making a rational economic choice. They are fleeing high taxes, high costs, high crime, and failed policies. And they are choosing freedom, affordability, and opportunity. Let me break down the real cost difference.
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Say you make $60,000 a year. You get a 4 % raise. That's $2,400. In California, with a 9.3 % state income tax on that bracket, you lose $223 of that raise just to Sacramento. In Tennessee, where I live, zero state income tax. You keep every penny.
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But it gets worse for blue states. Housing costs are double in California compared to Tennessee. The median home price in California is over $700,000. In Tennessee, around $300,000. Same house, half the price. Now, let's add in gas. You're filling up at $49.59 in California versus $2.60 in Tennessee. That's almost $2 per gallon difference.
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Fill up a 15 gallon tank? That's $30 more every time you fill up in California. Groceries? Higher in blue states due to regulations and taxes. Utilities? A recent report found Americans now pay an average of $265 per month in utility costs, up 12 % since last year. But that's much higher in blue states with their green energy mandates and regulations. Add it all up.
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The same quality of life, same size house, same car, same food, same lifestyle, costs half as much in red states as it does in blue states. Sometimes less than half. And Americans are figuring this out. The nonprofit Unleash Prosperity created an interactive tool called VoteWithYourFeet.net that tracks this migration. Their economist Stephen Moore said it perfectly and I quote,
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This is the most significant economic and demographic trend happening in America today, and it's not slowing down. It's still accelerating. Now, here's why this matters beyond just economics. This exodus is reshaping the American political map in ways Democrats can't stop. States that gain population gain congressional seats and electoral votes. States that lose population lose political power.
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The 2030 census is going to be an earthquake for Democrats. According to political analysts, Democrats could lose as many as 10 House seats just from population shifts. California, New York, Illinois, all losing representation. Texas, Florida, North Carolina, all gaining seats. But here's what makes this even more devastating for Democrats. This shift doesn't just affect the House.
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It affects the electoral college. Every seat lost in blue states is one less electoral vote. Every seat gained in red states is one more electoral vote for Republicans. Democrats are staring down a structural disadvantage that will last decades. Because once people move, they don't move back. Once businesses relocate, they are gone. This isn't a temporary blip. This is a permanent realignment.
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But it's even worse for Democrats than just the raw numbers, because the people leaving blue states aren't random. They are the productive ones. According to an Institute for Family Studies report, blue states lost 213,000 families with children in 2021 and 2022 alone. California lost 92,000 families with kids. These are young families in their prime earning years.
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Future taxpayers, future workers, just gone. The exodus is most pronounced among high earners. People making over $200,000 per year are fleeing blue states at the highest rates. These are business owners, entrepreneurs, wealth creators, job creators, the people who pay the bulk of state taxes. And how are blue state democrats responding? By raising taxes even more to make up for their lost revenue.
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Maryland Governor Wes Moore is the perfect example. His Republican predecessor Larry Hogan cut taxes by $4.7 billion over eight years. Under Hogan, Maryland's economy moved from 49th in the nation to 6th. Business boomed, people moved in, revenue increased even with lower taxes. Democrats took over.
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Moore immediately signed a bill raising income taxes on residents making over $500,000. What do you think happened? Moore people left. Revenue projections missed and now Maryland is right back in the death spiral. It's happening in New York too, Illinois, New Jersey. The pattern is identical. High taxes drive people out. Lost revenue leads to budget shortfalls.
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Democrats raise taxes more. Even more people leave. The tax base shrinks further. Services deteriorate. Crime increases. Schools fail. And the cycle accelerates. Meanwhile, Republican governors understand the opposite approach works. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin explained it perfectly at the Unleashed Prosperity event. Those people are going to bring with them their income.
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and they are going to pay taxes and then we have a surplus and with that surplus we get to invest in education and law enforcement and behavioral health and we get to reduce taxes again. It's a virtuous cycle versus a vicious one. Red states cut taxes which attracts people and businesses which creates a larger tax base which generates more revenue even at lower rates which allows further tax cuts.
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Growth compounding on growth. Blue states raise taxes, which drives people and businesses away, which shrinks the tax base, which creates budget deficits, which leads to more tax increases. Decline compounding on decline. Let's go back to wages, because this is the stat that proves Trump's economy is working. From July 2024 to July 2025, nominal wages, the actual dollars you earn,
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grew 4.2%. Inflation during that same period was 2.7%. That means real wage growth was 1.5 percentage points higher than inflation. Let me say that again. So for every single month since 2024, wages have outpaced inflation. According to the conference board, employers are planning salary increases of 3.9 % on average for 2025.
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Some industries are even higher. Insurance, energy, agriculture, communications are all above 4%. Compare that to Biden's economy. In 2022, when inflation hit 9%, wage growth was around 5%. That means workers were losing ground every single month. Real purchasing power was being destroyed. Under Trump, workers are gaining ground.
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The average worker is making an extra $30 to $50 per week in real terms. That's real money in real pockets for real families. And this is happening while gas prices are falling, egg prices are falling, and Trump is negotiating to bring beef prices down. This is what a real economic recovery looks like. So let me connect all the dots here, Patriots, because this is the story Democrats are terrified you'll figure out.
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Biden left office with inflation at catastrophic levels, 9.1 % at its peak. Families crushed, savings wiped out, real wages collapsing. Trump takes office less than one year later. Inflation is down to 3%, still above target, but a massive improvement. Wages are growing at 4.2%, beating inflation by one and a half to two and a half points. Gas prices are at
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$3 nationally, $2.60 in red states like Tennessee. Egg prices have fallen for five straight months. Trump is actively negotiating to bring beef prices down with the Brazil tariff removal. American workers are gaining $30 to $50 per week in real purchasing power. Meanwhile, blue states are in freefall. California lost $25 billion in income. New York lost $20 billion. Families are fleeing.
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Businesses are relocating. The political map is shifting red. This is the economy avalanche, Patriots, and it's not just bearing Biden's legacy. It's bearing the entire blue state model of high taxes, high regulation and failed progressive policies. Democrats can scream about beef prices all they want. The American people are living the real story. Lower gas prices, falling egg.
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prices, rising wages, more opportunity in red states, freedom over failure. So let me recap. Inflation down to 3 % from Biden's 9.1. Wages growing at 4.2%, beating inflation for the first time in years. Gas at $3 nationally. Eggs falling for months straight. Trump's negotiating beef tariffs down. California is losing $25 billion. New York losing $20 billion.
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Florida gaining 36 billion, Texas gaining 12 billion, Americans voting with their feet. This is what winning looks like. This is what happens when you have a president who solves problems instead of complaining about them. Democrats want you focused on beef prices while ignoring that Trump is actively fixing them. They want you scared about inflation while wages are finally beating it. They want you to miss that their blue state utopias
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are collapsing while red states are booming. Not on our watch. Share this episode. Show your friends the real economic data. Don't let Democrats gaslight America about what's actually happening in this economy. The economy avalanche is here. It is burying blue states. It's lifting red states. And it's remaking the American political landscape for a generation. Find me at o'connor'srightstand.com.
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and follow me on X at O'Connor podcasts. Deep dives every Tuesday and Thursday. Quick strike podcasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Until Thursday, Patriots, stay strong, stay informed and stay unapologetically American. This is John O'Connor signing off.