Well, that was a night. Democrats took the House and the Senate on Tuesday, flipping seats in places that haven't gone blue in decades. Kansas just elected its first Democratic senator since 1932. Before the confetti was swept up, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee had a two-word message for Trump's orbit: "Lawyer up."

Spare a thought for Elon Musk, who spent at least $445 million backing Republicans this cycle, per AP. No single donor has ever spent more in one election cycle. It bought him a front-row seat to the loss. Maybe the next $445 million goes somewhere more useful.

Meanwhile, in American healthcare: a Virginia woman stung by a wasp was going into anaphylaxis and struggling to breathe when an urgent care told her the epinephrine shot would be $400, up front, per KFF Health News. "I thought I was going to die," she said. Total bill: $605. As long as the card doesn't decline, you're saved.

Grab your strong coffee. It's been a week.

THE SUNDAY SCORECARD

* Numbers not real time.

IN A HURRY?

01 · WASHINGTON

Call it what it was: a blue tsunami. Democrats will run both chambers in January, with at least 54 Senate seats per Reuters and 30-plus House pickups. Texas sent Democrat James Talarico to the Senate over Ken Paxton. The new majority's first-100-hours list, per NPR: restore the ACA subsidies, reverse the Medicaid cuts, take back power over tariffs and force votes on ending the Iran war. Congrats. Just please don't bring back "woke." People voted for cheaper groceries, not a new vocabulary list.

Then the week got dark. Tucker Carlson claimed Trump "may be within days" of a nuclear strike on Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, the underground site Washington suspects of hiding nuclear work, and warned it would make World War Three "inevitable." His source was one unnamed "informed observer," and no U.S. or Israeli official has confirmed any of it. Trump said last month he "wouldn't use nuclear." But after meeting his security team Thursday, he said a decision on new strikes is coming "soon." Mediators from Qatar are pitching a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz instead. Pick your headline.

There's at least one peace table on the calendar. Russia confirmed it will meet Ukraine and the U.S. in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11. And on Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump hosted Russian and Ukrainian officials at the White House, after brokering a six-day ceasefire that let nearly 800 people evacuate the occupied town of Oleshky. Credit where it's due.

02 · YOUR WALLET

Wall Street went for a ride. Stocks rallied the day after the election, then Thursday's AI sell-off was the worst day since April 2025. The Nasdaq dropped 5.5% into correction territory, the Dow fell more than 1,800 points, and about $2.3 trillion in market value vanished, per Yahoo Finance. The fear: a Democratic Congress slowing down data center construction.

Then Friday threw Wall Street a lifeline. The economy added 165,000 jobs in October, nearly triple the 59,000 economists expected, and unemployment ticked down to 4.1%. Stocks bounced. The fine print: the broader underemployment rate rose to 7.9%.

Your fuel bill caught a break, too. U.S. crude slipped below $95 a barrel on hopes of a diplomatic end to the Iran war, and AAA's gas average is down to $4.04. That's still the highest November on record. Mortgage rates eased for a third straight week to 7.18%, per Freddie Mac.

And gold has a new biggest fan: governments. Central banks bought 321 tons last quarter, per the World Gold Council, beating the 313 tons jewelry buyers took home. China added 63 tons as Beijing leans less on the dollar. State Street says that kind of demand could lift gold to $4,750-$5,500 an ounce by the end of March 2027, up from about $4,070 today. When the people who print the money keep buying gold, take notes.

03 · MAIN STREET

Read the label, then read the lawsuit. A new class action says Walmart's Great Value frozen shrimp comes up to 11% short once the ice glaze melts. In other words, shrimp prices for ice. Nothing's proven and Walmart hasn't admitted anything. Over at McDonald's, a federal judge ruled the McRib lawsuit can move forward. The claim: the patty is shaped like a rack of ribs but has no actual rib meat. McDonald's calls the suit meritless. The judge said nobody should have to do research before buying a $7 sandwich.

Corporate America is breaking itself up. CVS plans to split into two public companies by the first half of 2028, separating its roughly 9,000 drugstores from Aetna and Caremark, which unwinds its $78 billion Aetna deal from 2018. The stock fell more than 12%. Canva is restructuring 1,271 jobs, 22% of its staff, after growth slowed for the first time in a decade. Some will relocate or change roles. Some are out.

And Elon had a week. After Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile all reportedly told him no, Musk is looking for a back door into the $235 billion wireless market: talks to buy Boost Mobile or use its network, per the Washington Post. SpaceX already agreed last month to buy low-band spectrum from Grain Management, which Musk called "the last critical piece of the spectrum puzzle" for full phone coverage. Meanwhile, Tesla will wind down the recall-plagued Cybertruck by mid-2027 to make room for robotaxis. One door opens, a stainless steel one closes.

There's a flood of AI news right now, and most of it is written to scare you or hype something up. But what if there was a way to get the AI news without the spin?

That’s exactly what this free newsletter does. Every morning, they send you the AI news worth knowing and explain why it actually matters for your life and job. After one week of reading this, you'll know where AI really stands, where it's heading, and which headlines are actually worth paying attention to.

It’s called The Rundown, and over 2 million professionals from companies like Apple, Google, and NASA already read it daily.

Sign up for free

04 · RESULTS

Should You Have to Ask Before You Recline?

37% of you said No. I paid for the seat. I'm using the button. 35% said rip out the recline button, and 28% said a two-second "mind if I recline?" won't kill you. No majority. Sounds like coach.

Best Reader Comment:

“It is the airline’s fault that there is no recline space, and it is bad enough when a tall person sits behind you and you have their knees in your back... again, the airline’s fault, not the tall person. There just is no longer space for a reclining seat without inconveniencing the person behind. Airlines: we want our space back!!”

Blame the seat map, not the seatmate. Airlines, we'll take those inches back.

05 · WINNERS & LOSERS

Winners:

Job Seekers??? The government says employers added 165,000 jobs in October and unemployment fell to 4.1%. Challenger even says announced layoffs hit a three-year low for October. Funny, it doesn't feel that way, and the broader underemployment rate rose to 7.9%. Something doesn't add up.

Mike Norvell. Florida State fired its seventh-year head coach after a 3-5 start and still owes him about $48.6 million, per CBS Sports, one of the biggest buyouts in college football history. Lose your job, win the lottery.

Losers:

The GOP. Lost the House, lost the Senate, and lost Senate seats in Texas and Kansas along the way. Turning Point's "Red Wall" crumbled on night one. A proper beatdown, and MAGA is in a bit of a shambles.

Homeowners in Magnolia Cove, N.C. Their developer-run HOA is doubling dues to $2,500 a month on Jan. 1, per Realtor.com. That's $30,000 a year before the mortgage, property taxes or a single light bulb. Four years ago, dues were $158. The first proposal was $7,500 a month, so... progress?

06 · WORTH YOUR WATCH

Forget Elon's politics for three minutes. This creator makes the case for what Musk's companies are building: Neuralink helping people with paralysis run computers by thought, and Blindsight, which Musk says is "ready from an engineering standpoint" to let the blind see, pending regulators. It's a fan video, and he admits he's biased. Still, is Musk really the guy the left should be painting as the villain? Watch, then hit reply.

Join the Common Sense Club: $4/month or $36/year (3 months free). No ads, every Vault guide included, exclusive podcast episodes, the member community, and 15% off the ‘all new’ shop.

$4/mo or $36/yr

07 · WEEKLY COMMON SENSE

A Senator's Wife's Bookstore Pays $1.5M Over a COVID Loan

The Strand, New York's famous bookstore, will pay $1,482,560 to settle claims over a $932,350 second-round PPP loan it got in 2021, per Fox Business. The law barred businesses controlled by a member of Congress or their spouse, and the owner is Nancy Bass Wyden, wife of Sen. Ron Wyden. She calls it an unintentional mistake and says the money was returned. Fun timing: Wyden's one-word plan for the new majority on election night was "Subpoenas."

Translation: Everybody in Washington wants to fight fraud. Starting with the other guy's.

Ohio Overcharged Homeowners $28.5M. Refund? In Installments.

A clerical error let nine Cuyahoga County school districts collect about $28.5 million too much in property taxes, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer, with Parma alone taking $12.7 million extra. Instead of refund checks, the districts will lower their levy rates over two to three years. Sold your house last week? The new owner gets your refund.

Translation: Pay your taxes late and you owe interest. They overcharge you and you get a payment plan.

An HOA Paid the Roofer Before Asking the Owners

Owners at an Orlando townhome community were each hit with a $13,150 special assessment for a $2.1 million roof job. One owner says records show a $232,000 deposit went to the roofer 12 days before the meeting where residents were supposed to weigh in, per the Daily Mail. Owners have sued, and police confirm a separate criminal investigation. Nothing has been proven in court.

Translation: Ask for the records. Your HOA works for you, not the other way around.

Someone in New Jersey Just Won $847 Million

One ticket sold in New Jersey matched all six numbers Wednesday for an $847 million Powerball jackpot, the ninth-largest ever, per Fox Business. Take the cash and it's $363.1 million before taxes. New Jersey lets winners stay anonymous. The odds were 1 in 292.2 million, and the jackpot is back to $20 million.

Translation: $847 million on the billboard, $363 million in the bank, and less after the IRS. Still beats a 401(k) match.

Coinbase CEO: Quantum Is a Bigger Crypto Threat Than AI

Brian Armstrong told analysts on Coinbase's earnings call that he's "not too worried" about AI cracking Bitcoin's encryption, but quantum computing is "a matter of when, not if," per Benzinga. Coinbase is upgrading its custody systems for post-quantum security and wants blockchains to follow. In the same report, Coinbase's revenue missed forecasts.

Translation: Nobody's cracking your wallet next week. But the people holding the keys are already changing the locks.

08 · LATEST PODCAST

Episode 25 · 13 minutes

Kansas just elected its first Democratic senator since 1932, and Texas flipped despite Musk's millions. Cole and Savannah dig into why it happened, what actually changes for your taxes, gas, groceries, housing, stocks, gold and crypto, and what Democrats should do with two years of power versus what they'll probably do. Pairs nicely with the Rant below.

09 · TABLE WARS

Congress flipped, and Thanksgiving just got interesting. Table Wars puts your relative in a classic laser-backdrop portrait with the politician they can't stand: Trump, Vance, Patel, Biden, AOC or Mamdani. Thanksgiving is 18 days out. Wear it to dinner. Film the reaction.

10 · WHY SO SERIOUS?

Costco's Thanksgiving in a Box: $200, Ships Frozen

Costco is selling an online-only Thanksgiving bundle for $199.99, marked down from $269.99, that feeds eight: a 5-pound pre-brined turkey breast, sides, rolls and two desserts, about 30 pounds of food shipped frozen by FedEx. That's about $25 a head. Walmart's basket claims to feed 10 for $35. Preorders close Nov. 13.

Translation: Your aunt's green bean casserole has competition. And a tracking number.

Man Goes to Sell His House, Finds a $10 Deed He Never Signed

A Margate, Fla., man went to list the home he values at about $500,000 and found a quitclaim deed, recorded in 2024, listing $10 as the consideration. He told police he never signed it. His ex-wife was arrested Oct. 26 on a felony identity-fraud charge, per a police affidavit. The notary told detectives she couldn't remember whether he was there. The ex-wife is presumed innocent.

Translation: Divorce is expensive. On paper, apparently, a house is ten bucks. Sign up for your county's free deed alerts.

She Paid Her Neighbor's Electric Bill for 10 Years

A New York woman spent a decade skipping the AC and unplugging everything to shrink her Con Edison bill. Turns out her meter was wired to a different apartment. One month she was charged just under $180 when her real bill was $41. Con Ed refunded about $6,000, but only for six years, citing company policy.

Translation: Overpay for 10 years, get six back. Underpay for one month and see how that goes.

Carnival Is Putting "I Tipped" Stickers on Guest Cards

Cruisers who prepay gratuities are getting a "Crew Love: I pre-paid my gratuities" sticker on their ship card, plus a thank-you note. Carnival calls it "a little recognition for their generosity" and says it's a pilot. The internet called it tip-shaming. The recommended tip is $17 a day for a standard room.

Translation: Nothing says relaxing vacation like a scarlet letter for cheapskates.

A Harvard Square Pizzeria Charges $3 to Use the Bathroom

Source, in Cambridge, Mass., charges non-customers $3 for the restroom. The owner says it started two years ago, when teens lined up for all-ages shows across the street and a diner asked why she had to wait behind them. The money goes to a youth homeless shelter. The internet still lost its mind.

Translation: Pay-per-flush, for charity. Honestly better than "Customers Only."

11 · EVENTS TO KNOW ABOUT

October Inflation Report (CPI)

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 8:30 a.m. ET

Economists expect prices rose 0.3% in October, down from 0.6% in September. No year-over-year number this time: last fall's shutdown left a hole in the data.

Why you should care: Cooler prices help the case for lower mortgage rates. A hot number gives the two Fed officials who wanted a rate hike last month more ammo.

Veterans Day

Date: Wednesday, November 11

Federal holiday. Post offices, most banks and the bond market close. The stock market stays open.

Why you should care: No mail and no bank transfers that day, so pay bills early. And thank a veteran.

12 · THE RED STATE RANT

Wednesday morning, half the country woke up to confetti on the news. The other half woke up to a group chat full of "we're doomed." Same country. Same grocery bill.

Before anyone throws a parade, a quick memory check. In June 2022, with Democrats running the White House and both chambers, inflation hit 9.1%, the highest in 40 years, and gas topped $5 a gallon for the first time ever, per AAA. The three most expensive states to live in, per the MERIC cost-of-living index (Hawaii, Massachusetts and California), are all run by Democrats. They're not the saviors the campus crowd thinks they are. Neither was the last bunch. See Tuesday.

Democrats won because Republicans owned the gas prices, the grocery bills and a war voters didn't sign up for. That's not a mandate for everything. It's probation. So where does it go from here?

The worst case

Woke comes back. Cancel culture gets a sequel. Men in women's sports, open borders, a crackdown on crypto, every business owner and entrepreneur treated like a villain, and everything you enjoy declared bad for the planet again. Two years of impeachment hearings that go nowhere except cable news. Protests that turn into riots like the ones we just watched in Paris. Then 2028 runs the same revenge cycle, with the jerseys switched.

The best case

They act like normal people and read the room. End the war. Get mortgage rates down. Go after the companies ripping Americans off, from junk fees to shrinkflation to surprise bills, instead of blaming "the president" for every price tag. Bring back the art of the deal and some basic decency. Put America first. And skip the impeachment parade everyone knows dies in the Senate and only plays well on cable news. If there's real proof of real crimes, throw the book. Otherwise, fix what people actually care about.

The verdict

Divided government isn't the end of the world. Sometimes it's the only time Washington has to talk to itself. Democrats get two years, with a veto pen staring back at them. Spend it on affordability and they could win 2028 in a landslide. Spend it on revenge and we'll be back here in two years, same rant, different party.

Best case or worst case: which way do you think it goes? Hit reply. We read every one.

See you next Sunday.

The Red State Finance team