How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

How To Be Your Own Reporter

These days our minds are the new battleground. To fight back we have to be our own reporters. I’ll tell you how to do that in How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915.

Politicians Lie

It’s especially relevant to point out politicians and so called leaders lie. If it’s Monday, they lie. If their lips are moving they are lying.

Start With Skepticism

Any decent reporter starts with being skeptical when it comes to those who wield power. From there it’s all about checking details and establishing fact. Why? Because we live in a world where the information channels are filled with crap. Moreover, it’s on purpose.

Investigate Sources

In addition most so called ‘news sources’ these days are thin on resources. Newspapers have cut their newsroom staffs. Television networks don’t always fact check. More importantly cable news is all about personalities and arguments.

We All Have Blind Spots

Most noteworthy are the biases we all come to the table with. We all have blind spots when it comes to the ‘leaders’ we think are ‘doing a good job’. That’s how they use us.

What We Want To Hear

Even more most of us want to hear what we agree with. We want to feel secure in our beliefs and conclusions. Consequently we gravitate to the sources, stories and personalities we agree with.

Get Rid Of The Blind Spots

Above all if you really want to understand what’s going on you have to work on getting rid of the blind spots.

How I Lost My Blind Spots

Certainly I’ll tell you how I lost my blind spots in How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915.

Sources, Biases and Facts

Similarly I’ll give you some pointers on how to use your devices to run down sources, determine biases and establish facts.

I Do Not Advocate

Finally, it’s my policy and the policy of my podcasts not to advocate for or against issues. I don’t fight for politicians. I am not financed by political donors.

Conspiracy Theories, Horoscopes and Psychics

Furthermore the longer I do this the more I believe we have to work with the facts we know we can confirm. Conspiracy theories and opinions are fun. Horoscopes and psychics are for entertainment only, right?

Not Fighting To Convince You

In conclusion I’ve given up trying to convince listeners and subscribers. I don’t fight for or against a politician.

Some Stories And How To Do Your Homework

I’ll tell you some stories and help you become your own reporter in this extra extra podcast.

(Editor’s Note: I do this all the time, I talk about someone off the cuff, and get the name wrong. In this case I refer to a certain Doctor Redmond at the CDC. It’s Doctor Robert R. Redfield, recently in the news with the Coronavirus crsis response.)

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Reliafund Payment Processors

How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

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Dog-Fashion-Show-2-4-1-Bob Davis Podcast 906

Dog-Fashion-Show-2-4-1-Bob Davis Podcast 906

First of all I came back from the mega road trip for a friend’s event in Minneapolis. Second back in the studio and sharing some final thoughts about the road trip. Check it out in Dog-Fashion-Show-2-4-1-Bob Davis Podcast 906.

These days no one talks about these events where people from all walks of life have interests that bring them together. I talk a lot about events like that in my podcasts.

So it was most noteworthy to attend an event that helps animals in need. In fact it was a surprise to find out I was going to have to emcee the event!

Even more coming back for this event made me think of all the places and experiences I had on a road trip that turned out to be much longer than I thought it was going to be. Learn more in Dog-Fashion-Show-2-4-1-Bob Davis Podcast 906.

Especially relevant? Coming away from these road trips in awe of how big this country actually is. Moreover the contrast between the smallness of social media and how diverse we Americans actually are!

In the second half of this podcast some final thoughts about broken politics. Especially relevant? Russian Trolls ‘influencing’ the 2020 election. Again.

I have to point out the glaring difference between what we appear to be on social media and how we really are.

Finally my critics on one side of the political spectrum can’t seem to understand why I covered ‘the democrats’ in Iowa. Seems like no one can bear to listen to something they might disagree with!

I tell the story of getting kicked out of a Mike Pence event versus being welcomed with open arms by the supposedly ‘horrible’ democrats. I’ll also tell you why I am sitting this election and future elections out.

Sponsored by The Strategists at Virtus Law and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Dog-Fashion-Show-2-4-1-Bob Davis Podcast 906

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Chaos-Confusion-Shut Down-Merry Trumpmas-Bob Davis Podcast 788

Chaos-Confusion-Shut Down-Merry Trumpmas-Bob Davis Podcast 788

I love talking about current events. These days it gets harder and harder because of a volatile President Trump. Learn more in Chaos-Confusion-Shut Down-Merry Trumpmas-Bob Davis Podcast 788.

Genius Or Idiot

Moreover all this talk of political polarity isn’t republican or democrat. Either you think the president is a genius or an idiot. There’s no in between.

Especially relevant is the question of whether we are able to take a step back and look at recent key events with some perspective.

Economics and Diplomacy Nobody Wants To Discuss

Not too long ago I asked listeners and subscribers to think about what US economic and foreign policy should be. A presidential election and midterm election have taken place since then.

Suddenly foreign policy and economic policy are front and center. We’ll talk about it fireside in Chaos-Confusion-Shut Down-Merry Trumpmas-Bob Davis Podcast 788.

Syria and Turkey

First of all, the president made a snap decision to withdraw US Troops from Syria while on the phone with the Turkish president. In the aftermath the defense secretary resigned, as well as a senior diplomat managing the alliances to fight ISIS. Now the president is talking about withdraws from Afghanistan and Iraq. Is he right?

Combined with Trump’s executive order ban of Bump-Stocks the Syria Withdraw has usually fawning talk show hosts apoplectic.

Government Shutdown

In addition the ongoing struggle between the White House and Congress has resulted in a government ‘shutdown‘. What’s more the struggle appears to be between a Republican president and his Republican majority in the House and Senate.

Firing The Fed Head

On top off all this the president wants to fire the Federal Reserve Chairman. Concerns about economic performance are rising and finally financial analysts are writing about government spending accounting for most of the so called ‘boom’ in the US economy over the last two quarters. This is conservative republican economics?

End Of Conservative GOP

Finally there’s talk of a big split within the republican party. Moderate Republicans fighting Trumpers. Trump fighting with all of them to get a wall built along the US Mexican border. Through all of this there’s been no legislation on key matters like immigration even with republican control of the Legislative and Executive branches of the government. It sure seems like the lack of principles and republican populism is tearing the so called ‘conservative’ coalition apart.

Merry Trumpmas

In conclusion the question of whether people thought about policy during both elections is key. New ideas, and international structures are coming. If we the people don’t start thinking about what kind of country we want, and how will the next America function? Trumpmas will look like child’s play. All of this has me aching to hit the open road!

Sponsored by John D Scott Personal Injury Lawyer, Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul, and Reliafund Payment Processors

Chaos-Confusion-Shut Down-Merry Trumpmas-Bob Davis Podcast 788

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