Welcome back to Market Mondays! In this clip, our hosts Rashad Bilal, Ian Dunlap, and Troy Millings dive deep into a critical topic—America's ongoing war on drugs, with a focus on the rising fentanyl crisis and its international implications.

*Segment Overview:*

*The Ineffectiveness of the War on Drugs*

Rashad Bilal kicks off the conversation by addressing why the war on drugs has never worked and highlights America's insatiable appetite for drugs. He draws comparisons between the drug problem in the U.S. and countries with strong moral standards like Japan and Singapore, arguing that America's normalized drug culture fuels its own crisis.

*The China Connection*

As the discussion unfolds, Troy and Ian point out a significant factor exacerbating the problem: the role of China. Fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, is being manufactured in China and smuggled through Mexico. Ian goes one step further to connect the dots between fentanyl, COVID-19, and potential economic warfare.

*China's Strategic Moves*

Troy and Ian elaborate on China's strategic investments in critical infrastructures like the Port of Manzanillo, potentially enabling the smuggling of fentanyl into the U.S. Rashad mentions the tariffs imposed on China as part of an attempt to curb this flow, but remains skeptical about its effectiveness.

*Societal and Political Insight*

The discussion isn't just about drugs and economics. Rashad provides a nuanced take on the fundamental differences in societal constructs between America and China, emphasizing China's self-sufficiency and unified national spirit. Conversely, America faces internal degradation, with its social fabric damaged by an overreliance on external sources for technology and goods.

*Social Media and National Security*

Our hosts discuss the role of social media apps like TikTok, contrasting its influence on American society with the restrictions placed on such apps in China. Ian and Rashad argue that the Chinese version of TikTok serves an entirely different purpose, possibly contributing to the "dumbing down" of American society to erode its competitive edge.

*Accountability and Political Landscape*

Finally, the hosts tackle the political accountability for America’s current state, pointing fingers at politicians from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s who may have sold the country short. This segment wraps up with a reflection on how deeply the U.S. has been infiltrated economically and socially, urging viewers to stay informed and accountable.

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*Hashtags:*

#MarketMondays #DrugCrisis #Fentanyl #ChinaConnection #SocietalStandards #PoliticalAccountability #USChinaRelations #EconomicWarfare #SocialMedia #NationalSecurity

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