And let's talk about that right now with NBC News national affairs analyst and partner and chief political columnist at Puck John Highland. Also the co-founder of the Lincoln Project, Rick Wilson. Um so um I I I'm I'm curious Rick as a former Republican and also as a former Republican also somebody who's like me is probably uh more conservative on crime than say we'll just say mom dami.Uh perhaps I think that's safe to say. uh more conservative on crime. I'm curious, how do you how do you uh hope Democrats ...

Production Innovation - The company is changing vehicle construction by building in three separate pieces and joining them at the end [1] - This new method allows workers to kit parts inside the vehicle, improving efficiency [1] - The new vehicle design incorporates radical simplification, reducing parts by 20-30% depending on the vehicle [2] - The company has been testing this approach for a couple of years in preparation for the next investment cycle [2] - The company innovated this new platform starting 3 years ago [3] Market & Affordability - Affordability is a major concern for customers in the automotive industry [2] - Normal car payments are approaching $7000-8000 per year ($700-800 per month) [2] - An increasing number of customers are opting for 84-month (7-year) financing [3] - The industry needs to innovate to reduce vehicle costs and maintain profitability [3] - Subsidizing car costs is too risky for workers, communities, and customers [3]

Healthcare Policy Debate - A GOP Representative's response to Medicare for All sparked debate [1] - The debate centers around the affordability of Medicare for All [1] Data & Numbers - The article analyzes the numbers related to the "We Can't Afford It" argument [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q2 2025 was a record-breaking quarter for Lyft, achieving all-time highs in gross bookings, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flows for the first time in company history [6] - The company repurchased $200 million worth of stock, marking the first reduction in share count in its history [6] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 26% year-over-year [22] - Free cash flow reached $993 million over a trailing twelve-month period [85] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Rides reached an all-time high of almost $235 million, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth [8] - Active riders increased by 10%, and ride frequency grew in the mid-single digits [21] - The driver cancellation rate improved significantly from about 15% to approximately 4.7% [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Lyft's marketplace is thriving, with over 1 million drivers spending record hours on the platform, averaging 40 more hours each compared to pre-COVID levels [7] - The company is expanding its total addressable market (TAM) and diversifying its offerings, including innovations like Lyft Silver for older Americans [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Lyft is focusing on operational excellence, innovation, and partnerships to drive growth and affordability [19][20] - The company is positioned to benefit from the addition of autonomous vehicles (AVs) to its platform, which is expected to be transformational [9] - Lyft aims to maintain competitive pricing while enhancing value for customers through partnerships and innovative offerings [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving long-term targets and anticipates accelerated growth in Q3 2025 [6][7] - The competitive landscape is evolving, with a focus on affordability becoming increasingly important across the industry [11][19] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining strong relationships with regulators, especially in Europe, to facilitate AV deployment [58] Other Important Information - Lyft's partnerships with companies like United Airlines and Chase are expected to drive significant growth and enhance customer value [30][32] - The acquisition of FreeNow is seen as a growth opportunity, with plans to leverage Lyft's technology to improve service and efficiency [75][76] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the scaling of your product offerings focused on affordability and the competitive landscape? - Management emphasized that growth is driven by operational excellence, innovation, and partnerships, with a focus on providing value beyond just pricing [12][19] Question: What is the expected contribution from FreeNow to the Q3 gross bookings guide? - Management noted that Q3 guidance includes two months of FreeNow activity, with expectations for continued strong rider and driver engagement [28] Question: Can you elaborate on the Baidu partnership and its economic model? - Management expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting Baidu's expertise in AV technology and Lyft's strong regulatory relationships in Europe [66][68] Question: How does Lyft plan to invest in Europe following the FreeNow acquisition? - Management indicated that the focus will be on leveraging FreeNow's existing strengths and improving efficiencies, with minimal additional investment required [104][106] Question: Is Lyft considering becoming part of larger subscription bundles? - Management acknowledged the potential for partnerships with larger subscription services, emphasizing the importance of mutual benefits for riders and drivers [110][118]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q2 2025 was a record-breaking quarter for Lyft, achieving all-time highs in gross bookings, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flows for the first time in company history [6][8] - The company repurchased $200 million worth of stock, marking the first reduction in share count in its history [6] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 26% year-over-year [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Rides reached an all-time high of almost $235 million, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth [8] - Active riders increased by 10%, and ride frequency grew in the mid-single digits [23] - The driver cancellation rate improved significantly from about 15% to approximately 4.7% [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Lyft's marketplace is thriving, with over 1 million drivers spending a record amount of hours on the platform, averaging 40 more hours each compared to pre-COVID levels [7] - The company is expanding its total addressable market (TAM) and diversifying its offerings, including innovations like Lyft Silver for older Americans [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Lyft is focusing on operational excellence, innovation, and partnerships to drive growth and affordability [14][18] - The company is positioned to benefit from the addition of autonomous vehicles (AVs) to its platform across North America and Europe, which is expected to be transformational [8][48] - Lyft aims to maintain competitive pricing while enhancing value for customers through partnerships and innovative offerings [20][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in continued strong growth, with expectations for Q3 gross bookings to increase by 13% to 17% [27] - The company highlighted the importance of partnerships in driving growth and expanding its market presence [32][34] - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by regulatory environments but emphasized strong relationships with regulators as a competitive advantage [60] Other Important Information - Lyft's partnership with Baidu for AV technology is expected to expand its market presence in Europe, with initial deployments planned [70][72] - The acquisition of FreeNow is anticipated to enhance Lyft's growth opportunities in the European market, leveraging existing customer bases and technology [78][80] Q&A Session Summary Question: Scaling affordability and rider growth - Management discussed the importance of operational excellence and innovation in driving rider growth and frequency, highlighting improvements in driver cancellation rates and the introduction of pricing strategies like Price Lock [14][20] Question: Contribution from FreeNow to Q3 guidance - Management clarified that Q3 guidance includes two months of FreeNow activity, noting that the taxi business typically experiences seasonal fluctuations [30] Question: Update on impactful partnership deals - Management provided insights into partnerships with United Airlines, Chase, and DoorDash, emphasizing their role in driving growth and enhancing customer value [34][38] Question: Building AV use case and regulatory processes - Management outlined the demand for AVs and the company's capabilities in fleet management and regulatory relationships, which are crucial for successful AV deployment [48][60] Question: Investment in Europe post-FreeNow acquisition - Management indicated that the FreeNow acquisition presents significant growth opportunities in Europe, with plans to leverage existing technology and partnerships [108][110] Question: Free cash flow breakdown - Management confirmed that the strong free cash flow number was not influenced by any unusual one-time items, attributing it to consistent business growth and effective cash management [88][89] Question: Differentiation in product development - Management reiterated the importance of continuous innovation and maintaining a competitive edge, noting that Lyft's market share is at its highest point in two and a half years [99][100]

In places like Dallas, Nashville and New Orleans, mortgage rates would need to fall by more than two percentage points in order to be affordable for the average homebuyer, a new Zillow study found. https://t.co/h754A5Mi8j ...

Discover where homes are most and least affordable in America’s biggest metros, with detailed breakdowns of mortgages, house prices, taxes, and insurance. https://t.co/puBjvWRhvM ...

Election Dynamics - The under 30 demographic showed tremendous voter turnout, energized by anti-Trump sentiment, socialism, income equality, and the situation in Gaza [1][7] - Assemblyman Mamdani's success in the primary was due to an aberration in turnout, specifically the under 30 voters connecting with him on social media [7][8] - The general election will involve a much larger and different universe of voters compared to the primary [9] - A key strategy involves the stronger candidate going one-on-one against Mamdani in September, with others deferring [6] - Mid-September is seen as a "drop dead date" for candidates to winnow down the field [22] Policy and Public Safety - Assemblyman Mamdani is viewed as a threat due to his anti-police stance, calls for defunding the police, and characterization of the police as wicked, corrupt, and racist [4][5] - Public safety is considered job one, and crime is up overall, making it a major concern [11][12] - There are historic issues with recruiting and retaining police officers, with attrition rates being very high [12][13] - Starting salaries for police officers are around $60,000, and there's a call for increasing salaries and offering retention bonuses [14] Economic Concerns - There is concern that electing a socialist who is anti-police will bankrupt New York City and drive businesses away [19][20] - The under 30's concerns extend beyond affordability to overall economic inequality and a desire for a socialist society [30]

is is that the Trump administration is making the same mistake that the Biden administration made which was to basically you know remember we had Biden is working well now we have the golden age of American prosperity's return and Americans are not feeling that better to say we're we're working hard to put America on the right road rather than declaring premature victory and I think that's a big mistake for the White House and is likely to come back and and bite him in the midterm election >> that's uh Repu ...

Many of the politicians complaining about how unaffordable it is in America don’t realize their policies contributed to the problem. ...