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Authored by Wendy Barnes via RealClearPolitics,

As candidates spend the coming months telling voters how they would transform American health care, they should not overlook reforms that could make care more accessible and affordable without requiring complex new government programs.

Millions of Americans are already trying to make their health care dollars go further. They compare prices, explore alternatives to insurance, and choose lower-cost ways to obtain prescriptions and routine care. Yet federal policies often penalize them for doing exactly what policymakers say they want consumers to do: shop carefully and choose the best value option.

A practical health care affordability agenda should begin with a simple principle: When Americans use their own money to pay for legitimate health care, government rules should help that money go further.

Policymakers can put that principle into practice in two ways.

First, consumers should receive credit for the money they actually spend on prescriptions.

Consider a consumer whose insurance requires an $80 out-of-pocket payment for a prescription. That same drug may be available for $30 through a cash-pay option. Choosing the $30 price should be an easy decision.

But under many health plans, that spending may not count toward the consumer's deductible or annual out-of-pocket maximum because the prescription was purchased outside of traditional insurance. The consumer saves $50 at the pharmacy counter but forfeits credit for the $30 spent.

That is not how a system designed to encourage cost-conscious choices should work.

The Every Dollar Counts Act, introduced this year by Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D., offers a straightforward solution that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle should support. It would require out-of-pocket spending on covered prescription drugs to count toward a consumer's deductible and out-of-pocket maximum regardless of where the medication is purchased.

Americans should not have to choose between finding the lowest available price and receiving the full value of their insurance. If enacted, this legislation would help remove that tradeoff.

Second, Congress should modernize flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) to reflect how people receive health care today. These accounts allow consumers to use pre-tax dollars for qualified medical expenses, but health care delivery is evolving more quickly than the rules governing which expenses qualify.

Consumers increasingly use low-cost memberships that provide access to discounted prescriptions, virtual visits, or other health care services. In many cases, a consumer can use FSA or HSA funds for the prescription or appointment itself, but not for the membership that unlocks the lower price.

Congress has already begun to recognize that health care memberships can be legitimate medical expenses. As of this year, certain direct primary care memberships can be paid tax-free from an HSA under a change implemented through IRS guidance. But that change is narrowly limited, leaving out broader memberships that may combine prescription savings, virtual care, and other services.

Lawmakers should extend the same principle to other health care memberships and to HSAs and FSAs. Clear eligibility standards and reasonable monthly limits could prevent abuse while allowing consumers to use their own health care dollars for services specifically designed to reduce the cost of care.

Neither of these proposals would replace insurance or require Washington to construct a new health care system. They would simply update existing policies to reflect how Americans already seek and pay for care.

Candidates will continue debating ambitious plans throughout the election season. But affordability is also shaped by technical rules with very real consequences: whether a consumer's spending counts, whether personal health care funds can be used, and whether someone can confidently choose a lower price.

Washington should give people credit for making responsible health care decisions. When Americans find a legitimate way to pay less for the care they need, public policy should reward that choice.

This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.

Wendy Barnes is president and CEO of GoodRx, the leading platform for prescription access and affordability.

AI-powered geospatial data platform xMap's data scientist, Dana Harrison, asked in a LinkedIn post: "Can Mobility Data Spot Commodity Supply Risk Before the Market Does?"

Harrison used location data from points of interest and human mobility data to focus on what she says are "changes in human movement" over recent months along Pakistan's Chagai copper-gold corridor, home to Saindak and the massive Reko Diq development, which is located near the Iranian border.

Harrison continued:

On this episode of The Reckless Rabithole, I noodled around with xMap mobility data along Pakistan's Chagai copper-gold corridor, home to Saindak and the massive Reko Diq development.

During a period of growing security and logistics disruptions, mobility in Nushki and Dalbandin began to diverge materially from comparable locations elsewhere in Balochistan, with both ending July roughly 20 index points below the regional benchmark.

Not suggesting mobility caused or predicted the disruption. But it raises a question I find much more interesting:

Could changes in human movement provide an early signal of operational stress around critical-mineral supply chains?

The data does not directly track copper shipments and/or mine production. It merely shows overall human movement is declining, and sharp declines may suggest road restrictions, security operations, reduced commercial activity, telecommunications outages, or population displacement along the N-40 Highway, the main artery connecting Quetta with Nushki, Dalbandin, Saindak, and Pakistan's border with Iran.

For context, the Chagai copper-gold corridor lies largely along the N-40 Highway near both Iran and Afghanistan and contains two strategically important mining assets:

Given President Trump's "ECONOMIC D-DAY" statement against Iran earlier this week, in which he warned that any country working with Iran would suffer "severe economic consequences," it remains an open-ended question why mobility is declining in Pakistan's critical-mineral corridor (near Iran). However, this type of data may hint at potential future supply disruptions emerging from the region.

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Aug. 21 said the Trump administration can proceed with construction of a new White House ballroom.

Roberts, in a brief order, paused the preliminary injunction that had been entered by a U.S. district judge and upheld by a federal appeals court.

The lower court order “is hereby stayed pending further order of The Chief Justice or of the Court,” Roberts said, granting an appeal from the Trump administration.

Construction of the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom began in 2025. Its cost has been pegged at $400 million, with financing coming from private donors.

Judge Richard Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in March entered the preliminary injunction against construction of the ballroom.

Leon said that there are no laws that give the president the authority to build the ballroom and that construction must stop until Congress authorized the ballroom’s completion, even if private funds are being used for the work. Leon later clarified that the block was for above-ground construction.

A panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of ?Columbia Circuit in April temporarily halted Leon’s injunction as it considered the case.

A majority of the panel on Aug. 7 reinstated the injunction. The majority said that “whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help” and that Congress had not ceded “unfettered authority” to the president to dramatically alter the White House.

That prompted the government’s appeal to the Supreme Court.

U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the emergency application to the court that a quick decision was imperative because the injunction would halt work that was “vitally required by national security.”

Officials have also said that a completed ballroom would host crucial diplomatic functions and that construction delays give foreign countries more time to gather intelligence on the White House complex.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed the case, told Roberts that a removal of the injunction would cause irreparable harm because the ballroom will be substantially finished soon absent an injunction, and be virtually impossible to deconstruct once completed, citing administration statements.

“The injuries to the National Trust, its members, and the public from the unauthorized construction of the ballroom—catalogued by Petitioners’ own Environmental Assessment and already found to be irreparable by the lower courts—will in all likelihood become irreversible,” it said in a filing.

Retail flows across Asia remained heavily concentrated in newly listed, high-beta names, most notably Chinese robotics maker Unitree following its blockbuster Shanghai debut. The retail craze surrounding physical AI merely shows Beijing's accelerating push to dominate the humanoid market.

To close out the week, we pivot across the Pacific for a peek inside the US humanoid-robotics supply chain, where Tesla's Fremont buildout provides a timely indicator of how quickly physical AI is advancing.

Rajat Gupta, a JPMorgan analyst who covers Tesla, recently toured Tesla's Fremont factory and reported to clients this week that the facility, once the birthplace of the company's electric vehicles, is now pivoting toward producing robotaxis and humanoid robots.

Gupta and his colleagues toured the roughly 5-million-square-foot facility and found that the discontinued Model S and Model X production lines are being replaced by manufacturing equipment for Tesla's Optimus humanoid.

"On Optimus, production lines are being installed at Fremont (the area was tarped off at the time of our visit), and TSLA remains largely on schedule for the targeted four-month transition following the end of S/X production in May, with initial humanoid deployments in 2H26 expected to focus on Optimus Academy for training and data collection, followed by internal factory use and external sales as early as 2H27," the analyst said.

He said that Optimus robots are not currently working inside the Fremont plant. Initial deployments in the second half of 2026 will instead take place at the "Optimus Academy," where the robots will collect real-world training data before being deployed in factories.

"Overall, we came away from the factory tour with greater conviction in the robotaxi fleet ramp through late 2026 and early 2027, as well as an Optimus SoP that remains largely aligned with previously communicated timelines, both of which are central to the long-term thesis, while near-term commentary on demand drivers and FSD uptake remains constructive," the analyst said.

Here are Gupta's top takeaways from walking the Fremont factory floor:

Facility details. TSLA's Fremont facility serves as the company's primary test bed for innovation, supporting the launch of both new vehicles and humanoids across its expansive roughly 5-million-square-foot footprint. The plant manufactures premium Model Y variants and performance and premium Model 3 variants, while the recently decommissioned S/X lines, retired in early May, are being replaced by Optimus production lines. The factory showcases the breadth of TSLA's automation capabilities, featuring numerous custom-built robots and proprietary software designed to enhance manufacturing speed and precision. Production continues under several modernized tents, originally erected during the Model 3 "production hell" days, which remain integral to the facility's operations. During our visit, we observed gigapress machines, stamping operations and general assembly lines and participated in FSD demonstrations involving the Model Y L variant and the Cybertruck.

Giga casting and stamping. TSLA's innovative giga-casting process, first introduced with the Model Y, consolidates 70 underbody components that would otherwise require welding, significantly streamlining production. This approach reduces the number of robots needed on the welding line. The Model Y utilizes roughly 300 robots, compared with approximately 1,000 for the Model 3. TSLA also attributes this advancement to its materials-science expertise, including the development of a custom aluminum alloy, a capability enhanced through its collaboration with SpaceX. For stamping, TSLA employs Schuler presses with six progressive, interchangeable dies. TSLA stamps roughly 10 visible vehicle components in-house, while hundreds of remaining stamped parts are sourced from suppliers.

Unboxed manufacturing. TSLA emphasized that Cybercab production leverages an unboxed manufacturing process in which large subassemblies are built independently and in parallel, then joined together during the final stage. This approach allows open access from all angles, enabling simultaneous installation and streamlining the overall assembly process.

FSD demos. We participated in FSD demonstrations involving the Model Y L and Cybertruck, with the team walking us through the various modes, ranging from Sloth to Mad Max. The vehicles demonstrated notable driving accuracy, including navigating through a construction zone without manual intervention. The Autopark function worked seamlessly as well.

The Cybercab ramp-up is closely tied to the FSD v15 rollout. Management expressed optimism about the trajectory and pace of the Cybercab production ramp, highlighting that technology validation and production through unboxed manufacturing are advancing in parallel. The fleet deployment timeline will be largely dictated by the upcoming FSD v15 launch later this year. TSLA indicated that it is intentionally holding back on adding Model Y units to the robotaxi fleet, reflecting confidence in its ability to scale the Cybercab fleet in the near term. TSLA views FSD v15 as a step change in performance, comparable to the leap from v13 to v14, which produced a significant increase in parameter count, a larger context window and a roughly 20% reduction in latency. The v15 upgrade encompasses seven core technologies, approximately 40% of which are currently being tested in the robotaxi fleet, where initial feedback has been encouraging. TSLA continues to focus on minimizing regression in core driving functions as it introduces new capabilities, and FSD v15 is viewed as the primary gateway to scaling unsupervised FSD. While the current AI/HW4 stack can run v15 and support unsupervised FSD, TSLA's AI4.5 compute system is designed to accommodate rising compute and memory demands as robotaxi models scale and context windows expand. The system offers roughly 10% more FLOPS and twice the memory.

Robotaxi unit economics remain compelling with the Model 3 and Model Y, although Cybercab is designed to broaden the TAM beyond traditional ridesharing. TSLA highlighted that current robotaxi economics are attractive, with the Model Y and Model 3 carrying total ownership costs of roughly $0.60 to $0.70 per mile at average personal-vehicle utilization rates. Those costs fall to approximately $0.50 to $0.60 per mile at utilization rates four to five times higher, as is typical for robotaxis. That remains well below the roughly $2.50 to $3 per mile charged by incumbent rideshare operators. However, TSLA's vision for robotaxis extends beyond the traditional rideshare segment, which represents only a low-single-digit percentage of the overall mobility market, and calls for a purpose-built robotaxi platform capable of driving total ownership costs down to approximately $0.30 per mile. Management also reiterated that Cybercab is only the initial form factor, with additional vehicle types expected to follow as the platform evolves, citing the Robovan demonstration from the October 10 event as an example.

Optimus is on track for SoP in the coming months, with commercial sales expected as early as 2H27. While we did not have the opportunity to view the Optimus production lines currently being installed following the S/X decommissioning, TSLA indicated that it remains largely on schedule with its roughly four-month transition target after S/X production ended in May 2026. No Optimus robots have been deployed at the Fremont factory yet, although management highlighted that stamping and body-in-white operations are likely to benefit most in the near term, given the repetitive and hazardous nature of those tasks. In contrast, the general assembly line still requires human dexterity and is expected to be a longer-dated application for humanoids. The initial rollout plan calls for Optimus robots to be deployed at the Optimus Academy in 2H26, where the humanoids will learn by interacting with real-world environments, accelerating TSLA's data-collection flywheel. Following this phase, humanoids will be deployed internally at TSLA factories for further data collection and to minimize third-party data complexities, with commercial sales to external customers anticipated as early as 2H27. TSLA is aligning humanoid data collection with its FSD methodology and is committed to retaining data ownership internally, rather than relying on third-party datasets, to preserve its long-term differentiation. Separately, TSLA noted that compute capacity increased roughly twofold year over year in 1H26. The finalization of the design, although aesthetics remain a work in progress, represents a key milestone for Optimus and signals the company's commitment to scaling volumes over the longer term. TSLA is targeting roughly 1 million units at Fremont, with a longer-term goal of approximately 10 million units at Giga Texas. The Gen 3 unveiling will be timed closer to SoP to protect the company's competitive advantage, while the scope of Gen 4, including its capabilities, cost and scalability, will be informed by Gen 3's field experience.

The demand rebound is attributed to FSD and model-lineup refreshes. Excluding any potential uplift in EV demand from higher gasoline prices tied to the Middle East conflict, which management teams at publicly traded franchised dealers indicated has not materially affected BEV demand, TSLA attributes the recent acceleration in unit volumes to progress on FSD and a refreshed model lineup. Second-quarter 2026 unit sales increased 25% year over year and 34% sequentially, marking the largest quarter-over-quarter increase since 2019. The introduction of new base variants, alongside the Model Y L and updated performance models, has broadened TSLA's offering, enabling the company to address a wider range of use cases and price points. TSLA has made FSD the centerpiece of its product portfolio, leveraging improved functionality to generate additional customer interest. Management noted a growing trend of customers visiting showrooms specifically to learn about FSD. This sales momentum is also evident internationally, with markets such as Australia and South Korea, as well as early results from Europe, showing a step change in demand following the FSD rollout.

Europe FSD approval update. TSLA is pursuing a dual-track strategy for FSD approval in Europe, engaging directly with the EU, where the approval timeline has been repeatedly delayed and is now expected in October, while simultaneously working with individual countries such as the Netherlands, whose regulatory frameworks can be adopted by other EU member states. Early driving data from Europe show promising safety metrics, including roughly five times fewer collisions across approximately 65 million kilometers of FSD driving, which management believes is gradually increasing regulatory momentum. Once approved, activation in European markets is expected to occur relatively quickly, measured in weeks rather than months or quarters.

FSD pricing remains iterative over the near to medium term, although it represents a significant long-term opportunity. TSLA explained that the transition from upfront FSD purchases to a subscription-only model is designed to maintain flexibility and capture the increasing value of continued improvements in functionality. In the near term, management is prioritizing vehicle activations and FSD usage, especially because roughly 50% of TSLA owners historically have not tried FSD and a substantial cohort of customers who previously accessed older versions have not activated new subscriptions. TSLA continues to see strong customer retention once drivers experience the technology, supporting its one-month free trial for all new customers and the decision to maintain pricing at approximately $99 per month.

Automotive gross margins. TSLA noted that it has made targeted pricing adjustments to certain Model Y variants and a broader group of Model 3 variants globally to offset commodity-cost headwinds. Changes to interest-rate subsidies should also alleviate some pressure on gross margins. Management noted that first- and second-quarter 2026 gross margins were modestly affected by the shift toward subscription-based FSD monetization, as upfront FSD purchases ended in the US and Canada in February 2026 and will be phased out elsewhere by August 2026. The ramp-up of cathode and anode production, which began in January 2026, is expected to contribute gradually to cost-of-goods-sold efficiencies. It typically takes 18 months for a plant to reach an appropriate level of scale and utilization, although the magnitude of the savings may be difficult to isolate given several other moving parts. More broadly, TSLA emphasized that its operating philosophy remains focused on expanding the top line and leveraging significant production capacity, with a target of up to 3 million units compared with JPMorgan's estimate of approximately 1.8 million deliveries in 2026.

Tesla's humanoid pivot is not an immediate commercial story, but it could become one in the second half of 2027 as series production scales and external sales begin. The emerging robotics race between the West and China is increasingly centered on Tesla and Unitree, with both companies preparing to ramp factory output and commercial deliveries over the next year.

Tesla shares still locked in a bear market.  

The West does, however, have a supply-chain problem. China controls significant portions of the supply chains for components required to manufacture humanoids, including rare-earth materials, permanent magnets, actuators, electric motors and optics. Tesla may lead the Western commercialization effort, but without secure domestic or allied sources for these critical components, the US risks building its humanoid-robotics industry on a supply chain that Beijing can restrict, as currently seen across critical materials ranging from tungsten to germanium (read the report here).

Professional subscribers can read more about humanoids and delivery dates here at our new Marketdesk.ai portal. 

We have extensively profiled how communism is on the rise in America and how the Democratic Party has served as its primary vehicle into mainstream electoral politics. The Marxists in the Democratic Socialists of America have a platform that, in the long run, has very little to do with affordability but everything to do with what some of their leaders have described, in their own words, as "destroying the nation from within."

DSA members are hell-bent on breaking down capitalism and the current form of the United States as we know it. One of their tactics is to ignite a Marxist class war, or class struggle, which is a conflict between economic classes over wealth, political power and control of production.

The idea that DSA is seeking to start a Marxist class war is not based on speculation but is, yet again, part of the plan to destroy capitalism, according to DSA National Political Committee member Cliff Connolly.

Connolly has not been shy about what DSA has planned in its effort to defeat capitalism. In a recent video interview shared by X user Canary Mission, he said: "The class war is a guerrilla war. This strategy is not focused on winning individual battles, but using them to advance our position slowly and surely until our enemy is bled dry."

“The class war is a guerrilla war. This strategy is not focused on winning individual battles, but using them to advance our position slowly and surely until our enemy is bled dry.”

-Cliff Connolly
DSA National Political Committee member

This is how a member of the DSA’s… pic.twitter.com/ZrswBuEfGm

— Canary Mission (@canarymission) August 20, 2026

To better understand DSA, we recently published a five-tiered "rainbow cake" mapping out the modern left, which places the organization on the far left, within the reformist-socialist cohort.

Meanwhile, the unofficial spokesman for DSA, Hasan Piker, has called on his followers to "kill capitalist"...

Hasan Piker calls on his followers to kill capitalists:

“Yeah kill them! KiII those motherfuckers and murder those motherfuckers in the streets. Let the streets soak in their fucking red capitalist blood, dude.”

Democrats are campaigning with him. pic.twitter.com/YiZxGgRkgc

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) April 9, 2026

Piker has stated, "We want more immigrants to come into your countries and then they're gonna f**k your sisters and then your daughters. We're here to destroy the White Race, Bitch."

Hasan Piker says he wants to FLOOD illegals into the United States so they can "f*ck your sisters and daughters" to "destroy the white race"

I am demanding the Democratic Party voice PUBLICLY that they denounce Hasan Piker's comments.

If they don't, let this post be proof…

— Jack (@jackunheard) August 7, 2026

Piker is a special breed of Marxist who is part of what the White House calls the "Red-Green Alliance."

Piker: "Overall, my favorite flag is Hezbollah."

Hasan Piker, sitting at a table with an LGBTQ+ flag, says: “Overall, my favorite flag is Hezbollah.”

He’s actively campaigning with Democrat senate and gubernatorial candidates. pic.twitter.com/9QrtKqMKnl

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) August 4, 2026

Recently, DSA Co-Chair Megan Romer confirmed her party's radical agenda:

• Abolishing the Senate, presidency, and Supreme Court
• Abolishing ICE, borders and prisons
• Defunding the Pentagon
• Mass amnesty for illegals

DSA Co-Chair Megan Romer confirms their platform includes:

- Abolishing the Senate, presidency, & Supreme Court
- Abolishing ICE, borders, & prisons
- Defunding the Pentagon
- Mass amnesty for illegals pic.twitter.com/rPQiT9HCXN

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 26, 2026

This is all related: 

• "Americans Deserve To Know": State Dept. Report Details Cuban Espionage, Subversion, And Role In Rise Of Far Left

It's coming ...

DSA chapter plans ‘Riots and Uprisings’ reading club to study ‘how people struggled’ https://t.co/GZSEHsLDFj

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 19, 2026

As we explained last week, citing Andy Laperriere, Piper Sandler's head of US policy research in Washington, younger Americans have no lived memory of Soviet breadlines or the refugee waves produced by failed communist states. That gap has made it easier to repackage far-left ideology without confronting its record.

Such as:

• "Let's Downsize": Antifa Uses Instagram To Put 'Luigi-Style' Hit On Flock Camera CEO

A major counterpoint is now unfolding across South America, where voters in several countries are rejecting socialist and far-left governments following years of inflation, economic stagnation and violent crime. Migration is driven by multiple factors, but the exodus from Venezuela and other countries demonstrates how economic collapse under socialist rule has forced millions to seek stability in the US. That is the lived memory missing from the American debate, and it deserves far greater attention (read here). 

With 74 days remaining until the midterm elections and average retail ground-beef prices hovering near $7 per pound, President Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday morning that his administration will temporarily waive certain tariffs on ground-beef imports. The move follows our Monday report highlighting signs that consumers are balking at record beef prices, with demand destruction beginning to surface against a backdrop of household stress, including Walmart sales that missed estimates and dismal July retail-sales data.

"Today, I concluded a deal to substantially lower the price of ground beef for working American families. As everyone knows, under President Biden, beef prices soared at their fastest rate and the American beef herd fell to its smallest size in modern history," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump continued, "As we work to rebuild this herd and help our ranchers, for the next 90 days, the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of product for ground beef to be imported with no out-of-quota tariff."

He concluded, "We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices. This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again."

The temporary import waiver appears intended to address affordability concerns in supermarket aisles ahead of the midterm elections.

Because the relief is temporary, the longer-term supply backdrop remains challenging. Bank of America analysts recently cited Oklahoma State University agricultural economist Derrell Peel, who warned that the US cattle cycle is unlikely to improve anytime soon and that beef prices are poised to remain elevated through at least next year.

Data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that the national average price of ground beef in supermarkets is hovering just below $7 per pound, a record high, as a prolonged cattle shortage shows no signs of abating anytime soon.

New data from Chicago-based market research company Circana, first published by Bloomberg on Monday, show that beef sales volumes declined .3% during the 13 weeks through mid-July. Volumes had risen about 5% during the same period in each of the previous two years. The decline is notable because it occurred during the peak grilling season around Memorial Day and July Fourth. Translation: demand destruction.

Read:

• When Will The Cattle Cycle Turn? BofA Has Answers For Beef Lovers

With the cattle cycle likely to take several years to rebound properly, we recently outlined the one overlooked protein that is far cheaper than beef (read here).