War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832

War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832

Presidential Election Ahead…Cue The War Drums

War and rumors of war. This time between the United States and Iran. These days you don’t know what’s real. We’ll talk about it in War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832.

The Devil’s In The Details

In addition I’ll provide details and perspective you don’t get from breathless cable news channels, talk radio and advocate commentators. Once a crisis develops advocacy media will try to convince viewers for or against.

Complicated Issues

Iran is a much more complicated issue.

First of all, at issue is the so called JCPOA. The Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action.

The JCPOA was signed by all five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Iran during the Obama administration.

Moreover in exchange for Iranians giving up weapons grade uranium some US and European sanctions dating back forty years were temporarily waived.

The Worst Deal Ever…Might Have Been Working

In 2016 republican presidential candidate Donald Trump campaigned on getting rid of the JCPOA calling it ‘the worst deal I’ve ever seen’. In contrast some  sources say Iran was actually abiding by that agreement. By the way, the deal Trump signed with North Korea recently pledging to de-nuclearize the Korean Peninsula was in fact a communique like the JCPOA, with fewer conditions.

Trump Imposes Sanctions

No matter. President Trump has taken the US out of the deal and imposed sanctions last year. Just recently the US has reimposed sanctions on Iran’s oil exports as well as copper, aluminum and steel most recently. The economic effects have not been good for Iran.

Iran Uses Proxies To Retaliate and Threatens To Start Enriching Uranium

Reportedly Iran has retaliated using Houthi rebels in Saudi Arabia to attack oil pipelines and shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Trump Sends The USS Abraham Lincoln

Trump ordered a US carrier battle group into the gulf. The Saudis want Iran ‘defanged‘ and have called for ‘surgical’ US Airstrikes.

24 Hour Cable News Channels and Talk Radio Love War

Here come endless loops of jets leaving carrier decks. Pundits talking over shock and awe. Headlines across the bottom of screens showing US troops in Iraq.

Deja Vu All Over Again

Finally we have been through all this before. It did not end well. In fact it has not ended. The Iranians are not paragons of virtue but they are no Iraq or Afghanistan either.

In conclusion we ought to think about that before we’re snookered into another war.

(Editor’s Note: I refer to PPP when giving Iran’s per capita income at about 22,000 a year. In US Dollars it’s probably about 8,000 a year. In addition I gave Iran’s oil export total as 1.2 barrels a year. Even more it is roughly 1.2 million barrels a day.)

Sponsored by Whitetail Builders of Andover Minnesota and Reliafund Payment Processors

War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832

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Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707

Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707

The economy is booming. Everything is getting better. Talk to a Trump supporter these days and that’s what you’ll hear. We’ll discuss it in Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707.

The Economy Is Booming

A few weeks ago the Atlanta Federal Reserve, known for its bullish predictions, announced first quarter 2018 economic growth might be as high as 5.4 percent. It sure seemed to make sense, to hear main street tell it. Wall Street seemed to agree. In Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707.

Wait! What? But You Said The Economy Was Booming!

This week the same Atlanta Fed announced a revision of its earlier prediction, suggesting economic growth for the United States might only be 1.3 percent. Less than the 2+ percent growth in the fourth quarter of last year, which was hardly booming.

We Have To Make Stuff, right?

We’ve been hearing it for awhile. America doesn’t make stuff anymore. Trump’s gonna fix it. Trade protection for the struggling manufacturers. Help for the broad shoulders of America’s industrial past. Trump’s gonna show ’em all. Find out if this is true in Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707.

Where Is The Greatest Generation When You Need Them Say The Baby Boomers

Whether it’s your local Tea Party guy or President Clinton’s former labor Secretary Robert Reich, the chant is the same. We don’t make stuff anymore. Sudden authorities on the subject of character point to World War II heroes and 1930’s social welfare warriors as paragons of virtue. The past sure seems sweet to the baby boomers these days.

Suddenly the 1950’s are back.

Forget Big Oil and Banking Go After The Tech Guys

Especially relevant are the Steel and Oil barons. They used to be the villains. Now it’s the tech guys. Republicans used to be against regulation right? Suddenly the republicans and democrats want to regulate social media and search engine tycoons, because ‘something’s got to be done’. Listen to Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707.

Smells Like Reagan But…

Administration officials talk trade protection and a weak dollar. So called conservatives add trillions of dollars in debt to pay for tax cuts. There’s talk about increasing taxes on gas and diesel and spending hundreds of billions more on building bridges and roads. There’s talk of US involvement in war in Syria and on the Korean peninsula. These are republicans?

Does that sound like the Reagan Revolution to you?

Everywhere an unseen revolution in technology is eroding and wiping away institutions, including government. The right and the left have lost their way. Big change is upon us. We’re going to have to figure out what comes next because our leaders never will

Are we?

In conclusion we can’t go back to the 1950‘s. However, we can’t seem to move forward. What’s our role in creating the future. What are the most important values in a world where human beings may live hundreds of years longer, robots will farm and manufacture, money will be on your hand held device, cars and trucks will drive themselves, drones will deliver and your robot girlfriend may be a lot smarter than you!

Sponsored by Reliafund

Unbounded Optimism-Exuberance-Technology Revolution-Age Of Trump-Podcast 707

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Podcast 503

Slipping Into Summer. Hard to believe, after a long upper midwestern winter, that we are Slipping Into Summer. As the Memorial Day Weekend approaches, some thoughts about the origins of ‘Decoration Day’, Arlington National Cemetery, the Civil War, and our modern day commemoration of those who have given their lives in service to the United States. This is not a national holiday of celebration. It might be suggested it is in fact supposed to be a sober, if not somber day to reflect on the sacrifice of those who did not return home. Some people confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. If you’re on the radio, or in public media that is a mistake you will make once. On Veterans Day we honor all those who have served. On Memorial Day we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. With all that, it is still the beginning of summer — even though summer doesn’t start until June 21st — and for kids still in school it means a week or so of school left, depending on how many snow days may have accrued during the brutal winter. It brings back memories for this podcaster. Memories of summers that stretched out like a sea of opportunity and ended all too quickly on Labor Day. In the Upper Midwest, this time is ‘GO’ time, especially for kids, because our summers are so short and sweet. The end of May can be cold, rainy and unfriendly and quite uncomfortable if you are opening the lake cabin and putting in the dock. The end of May can also be warm, sunny and friendly, and Memorial Day kicks it off with its ad hoc parades, and BBQ’s … the first three day weekend of the summer. So people might be forgiven for not remembering some of us will be privately thinking about those they lost, who will not be able to enjoy the great spring weather, the parades and BBQ’s. Here’s to them. Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul. (Editor’s Note: In describing the mast of the USS Minneapolis, which is at Lake Calhoun, I confused the Cruiser, USS Minneapolis with two US Navy Submarines currently in service. The USS Minnesota is a Virginia Class Submarine, and the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is a Los Angeles Class submarine.)

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