Kansas City Playlist: Era Of American Debt Doesn't End Well

As always, we don't look to ascribe judgement but merely to document the world as we see it and share our perspective along with a few dumb jokes. 

Accordingly . . . Despite all of the posturing, politics and incessant distractions . . . We have a feeling that even the most avid news readers might have willfully overlooked the most important news of the week for every single American . . .  

"Out of the $39 trillion total national debt, debt held by the public hit $31.27 trillion on March 31, surpassing the $31.22 trillion in Gross Domestic Product over the past 12 months.

"The national debt has reached 100% of GDP – the highest in history except for the years immediately following World War II. "

Accordingly . . .

Locals don't need an advanced degree in macroeconomics to UNDERSTAND WHICH WAY WE'RE ALL HEADED despite partisan blame games, culture war scapegoating and cynical opportunists looking to scapegoat their enemies. 

But again . . . Spelling things out is for mediocre teachers and persistent liars, instead we'll share some more headlines for context and interpretation . . . 

K-shaped economy is real, per New York Fed research

New research confirms the K-shaped dynamics (with a catch).

AI spending is the only thing from keeping the US economy from falling off a cliff

The only thing keeping the US economy from falling off a cliff is AI spending.

The U.S. economy is booming - just not where 50 million Americans live | Fortune

Economic opportunity in America has become dangerously concentrated, with just over 100 counties accounting for half of all U.S. job growth.

Demand destruction: How the Iran war could rattle or break the US economy | CNN Business

The International Energy Agency warned this month that "demand destruction will spread as scarcity and higher prices persist." In the US, this has already started.

Accordingly, and with respect to all manner of otiose ideologies . . . 

So far any real solution seems elusive as worsening American economic hardship and underlying systemic weakness threatens to collapse an institutional framework of a magnitude greater than most workers can imagine. Instead, fantastical ideas seem to be taking hold along with demands for nearly complete political submission to some of the very same forces that facilitated this hot mess.

Sorry, but I don't think we can blame this all on the Mexicans. 

Moreover .  . . 

Trending economic disparity and worsening cultural divisions amongst Americans inform our Kansas City discourse inasmuch as resistance to stadium giveaways and so many mediocre political candidates are now rooted in resistance and skepticism from voters on BOTH sides of the aisle.  

Finally, we don't want late night readers to worry too much given that humanity started this money game by trading seashells and a return to those kind of fundamentals wouldn't really set us back so far.  

Accordingly . . . 

We share tonight's www.TonysKansasCity.com playlist on the topic of eras coming to an end . . .

Semisonic’s iconic hit "Closing Time" celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. The 1998 anthem ranks amongst the top 5 GenX songs and inspires us to share this local fun fact: Bar flies across the metro recognize the track that local DJs offered to patrons right before the lights came up and forced people out into the street for so many weekend nights until around the start of the COVID-era . . .

Listed as a testament to endurance . . . "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers (2012) is a breakout folk-rock hit born from heartbreak, displacement, and a desperate desire to get noticed. The track was also a MONSTER commercial success that not only powered so many misguided Midwestern weddings but also served to inspire a great deal of economic devastation by way of trendy hipster restaurants, coffee shops & bars. This might be the song that inspired the invention of avocado toast and all of the ensuing fallout.

"Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey was released in 2016 and so it now officially qualifies as nostalgia and is suitable for our Saturday night musings. A bit of history for a track that only 40-something hipsters think is current. . . The song was inspired by Blink-182’s 2004 hit "I Miss You" and was the first time Andrew Taggart provided lead vocals for the group.

For the bridge, one of our favorite lost tracks . . . Gladys Knight recorded her soulful, heartbroken lead vocal for this song in just one take. "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" (1973) was released as the contract for Gladys Knight & The Pips with Motown was ending, this song was considered a "kiss-off" single. The track became a Grammy-winning #1 hit and was the final smash release for the group while at Motown.

Finally, apropos for our consideration of the global economy and American harsh times . . . "Can't Buy Me Love" was recorded in just four takes within 45 minutes on January 29, 1964, at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, making it one of their fastest recordings.

As always, thanks for reading tonight and have a safe & fun Saturday night.