Are We Spending Ourselves Miserable in America?

Are Americans actually buying happiness, or slowly spending themselves miserable? In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we dive into new MarketWatch data showing most Americans don’t want to spend more, they want to save more, and that’s where their real sense of joy and security comes from.

Then we look at Malaysia’s plan to ban social media for kids under 16 and connect it to Jonathan Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation” and the growing evidence that smartphones are rewiring childhood and fueling a mental health crisis.

We also unpack the quiet collapse of Trump’s highly hyped Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, and how his “Big Beautiful Bill” is exploding the deficit while protecting Big Pharma.

Next, Senator Rand Paul warns that Trump’s Venezuela strikes and narco-terrorism designations could fracture the very movement that elected him, as the U.N. raises human-rights alarms and Congress is left in the dark.

And finally, we break down the scandal around F.B.I. Director Kash Patel, accused of turning elite SWAT teams and government jets into perks for his country-singer girlfriend and his own luxury travel, while backing cuts to the bureau’s budget.

In the grab bag, we look at how the Trump White House is happy to use A.P. photos but punishes A.P. reporters, echoing a long, ugly tradition where powerful men love flattering images and hate tough questions.

If you care about money, mental health, democracy, and what your government actually does with your tax dollars, this one’s for you.

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