Perspectives - Economics and Politics

Sex and the City, Jimmy Carr, and Denis Leary

Jan 20, 2026

We are clearly in the throes of a debate on economic realities.

(Note - plural)

On one hand, Governor Spanberger won a historic landslide focusing on affordability from a pragmatic, centrist position..

President Trump, on the other hand, recently called affordability a “hoax.” He has since dropped that language.

I’ll take Billionaire Mulligans for $600, Alex…

Q - What is perspective?

Recently, I moderated a panel of Senator Kannan Srinivasan, former Del. David Ramadan, and Tracy Baynard of McGuirWoods Consulting. Hosted by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce at the gated Belmont Country Club. It was a lively (and hopefully entertaining) discussion. Shout out to Tony Howard CEO of that well run Chamber.

Toward the end, it was mentioned that the local economy had taken some hits lately.

Which is true.

The unexpected and highly disruptive federal jobs losses have hurt the economy of Northern Virginia but I offered:

On the way here, I drove past an indoor skydiving business. You’re doing okay.

Comedian Jimmy Carr (video below) has said rather poignantly:

Life has never been objectively better and subjectively worse…how happy are you? It’s your quality of life minus envy.

Another comedian Denis Leary famously hated on “Shiny happy people holding hands” in favor of the folks he represents:

Angry, gun toting, meat eating people

NO ONE wins campaigns on telling folks “you’re doing okay” especially when many are not doing okay.

It’s called a K-Shaped Economy.

A throw away laugh line at a gated country club chamber of commerce event will not land with folks riven by addictions, unemployment, crime, and wanton despair.

What’s a K-Shaped Economy?

A K-shaped economy (or K-shaped recovery) describes a situation where different segments of the economy perform very differently after a downturn or crisis—some recovering and thriving while others continue to decline or stagnate. The name comes from the visual pattern that resembles the letter "K."

Or more succinctly - Them’s that have, gets.

From Apollo Academy’s Torsten Slok:

K-Shaped Economy Also in the Inflation Data:

Data from the Fed shows that lower-income households are experiencing higher inflation because their consumer spending baskets place greater weight on categories like rent, electricity, food, transportation and other necessities whose prices have risen faster.