The Morning Drip for July 8, 2026

The Morning Drip — Show Summary & Segment Notes

Broadcast Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Host: Grady D

Station / Platform: WRTO.fm (Radio Free Georgia) & MorningDrip.show

Segment 1: Severe Southern Scorcher & Health Advisories

Grady D opens the show by warning listeners across portions of Big Bend, Florida, and south-central and southwest Georgia about another day of dangerously high temperatures and thick humidity.

Heat Illness Warnings: Grady urges everyone to drink plenty of fluids, stay inside air conditioning when possible, stay out of direct sunlight, and routinely check up on relatives and neighbors.
Worker Advocacy: Repeating his advice from earlier in the week, he commands outdoor, factory, and warehouse workers to take frequent, adequate breaks. He adds with a laugh: "If your boss bitches about it, tell them Grady D said shut the hell up. Your health is more important than their bottom line."
Listener Contact Info: The phone and 24/7 text line is active at 229-520-5957, and emails can be sent to morningdrip@wrto.fm.

Segment 2: The Rising Cost of Mail & Car Market Madness

Grady dives into two distinct affordability issues squeezing everyday consumers: postage hikes and the brutal automotive market.

USPS Rate Hikes Effective July 12th: The U.S. Postal Service is raising rates across the board. Forever stamps are jumping from 78 cents to 82 cents (bumping a book of 20 from $15.60 to $16.40). Domestic postcards are increasing to 65 cents, metered first-class letters to 78 cents, and international items to $1.75.
The Post Office Financial Crisis: The hikes follow a massive $9.5 billion loss in 2025, driven by annual mail volumes plummeting from 213 billion pieces in 2006 to about 109 billion today. Grady points out that local changes—like a new Amazon distribution depot in Valdosta, Georgia, causing Amazon drivers to take over last-mile deliveries from the postal service—have likely cut into USPS revenues. Postal officials have warned Congress that future survival could eventually require 95-cent stamps and dropping Saturday delivery entirely. Grady admits he hasn't bought stamps in two years, noting 90% of his mail is auto-paid bills and junk.
Record Auto Loan Debt: Citing LendingTree and Experian data, Grady reveals that the average monthly payment for a new vehicle has broken a record at $770. Leases average $619, while used car payments are an astronomical $531 a month.
A Bleak Financial Milestone: Total outstanding U.S. auto loan debt has spiked over 57% in the past decade to a record $1.685 trillion, making it the second-largest category of consumer debt behind mortgages. Average new car loans are nearing $44,000. Grady notes a friend's diesel truck cost over $70,000—which is $20,000 more than the 2,000-square-foot double-wide mobile home Grady bought back in 1996. Even buyers with excellent credit scores over 800 are being forced into 6%–7% interest rates and standard 7-year (84-month) loans just to make payments manageable.

Segment 3: Walmart Price Cuts & The Corporate Tariff Payback

The host breaks down Walmart and Sam's Club's announcement of summer promotional price rollbacks on seasonal groceries.

The Discounts: Notable cuts include fresh corn dropping from 68 cents to 25 cents an ear, 73% lean ground beef falling from $6.74 to $5.94 a pound, fresh cherries being cut in half, and 24-packs of name-brand sodas dropping to $9.97. Sam's Club is similarly slashing prices on 250 barbecue staples.
Trump Takes Credit: Donald Trump posted on Truth Social claiming that Walmart enacted these cuts "at the request of his administration" to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, citing it as proof his policies lower costs.
The Real Story (The Supreme Court Slap): Grady pulls back the curtain, correcting the narrative. Walmart explicitly stated this is a company-led promotional event and never mentioned the White House. Validated reports show these price cuts are actually corporate reinvestments funded by a Supreme Court ruling that declared Trump's executive tariffs illegal. The government has been forced to return the penalized tariff money back to major retailers, and Walmart is passing a fraction of those returned funds down to consumers.
Grady's Grocery Budget & Turkey Hack: Grady laughs off Trump's claims, mocking him for recently calling the affordability crisis a "democratic hoax" and joking about how Trump doesn't even know the word "dumb" ends with a silent 'b'. Sharing his own strict $150/week budget for three people, Grady details how his family buys 32-pack pre-formed 73% lean patties (thawing four to break down into ground meat for helper meals) because it is cheaper. He also shares a money-saving tip: buying ground turkey for around $2.00 a pound and seasoning it heavily makes a great, significantly cheaper alternative to beef burgers.

Segment 4: Mid-Show Commercial Break

The show takes a brief break with its signature promo reminding listeners to "stop the snooze, start the brew" and tune in for unfiltered truth on Radio Free Georgia.

Segment 5: Sponsor Spotlight & The Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Delay

Grady returns to express gratitude to show sponsor Visible before diving into a final piece of historical and political news.

Visible Affiliate Promo: Grady highlights how his family slashed their monthly cell phone bill from over $400 down to just $25 per phone by switching to Visible. Because Visible is owned by Verizon and utilizes their nationwide 5G network, consumers get the exact same coverage for a fraction of the cost. Listeners can save an additional $20 on their first bill by going to morningdrip.show/visible.
Harriet Tubman Reversal: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the Trump administration has officially abandoned plans to redesign the $20 bill to feature abolitionist icon Harriet Tubman. Bessent stated they are "not at present moving forward" with replacing Andrew Jackson on the face of the bill.
The Historical Timeline: Originally proposed under the Obama administration to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 2020, the project was delayed during Trump's first term, revived under the Biden administration to reflect American diversity, and has now been shelfed indefinitely by the current executive branch.
Grady's Closing Thoughts: Grady slams the move as a blatant attempt to "whitewash" the darker chapters of American history. He notes that while he loves the country, ignoring historical realities like slavery in favor of pure "american exceptionalism" is a dangerous mistake. He points out the irony of the administration stalling Tubman while actively trying to put Trump's face on currency, despite a federal law explicitly banning any living president's likeness from appearing on U.S. legal tender.

Show Outro

Grady D signs off for the morning, reminding listeners that full episodes are archived at MorningDrip.show. The back catalog is free for seven days before requiring a $7/month premium subscription. The Morning Drip will return live tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM EST.