The Bob Davis Podcast

Podcast 154

Updating top stories for the week ahead. Former VA head Shinseki says he didn’t know about incompetence, corruption and coverups at the VA and so the President didn’t know either. Yet as many as 18 detailed reports have been placed on Shinseki’s desk – maybe the President’s too – since 2008. Was White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s resignation announced the same day as Shinseki’s to draw eyes and ears away from the ‘When and What did you know’ question? The White House announces it has negotiated the release of a US soldier held since 2009 by Taliban, but he is referred to as a ‘Prisoner of War’. Is he? Did the US pay too high a price for the release of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl? And what were the circumstances of his capture. Why was Secretary Hagel’s announcement of his release treated with stony silence by the troops in Afghanistan? This was political convention weekend in Rochester (republicans) and Duluth (democrats). While the democrats came out of their convention unified, the same might not be said of the Republicans. Looking ahead to primary season, one wonders what possesses the brains of  Republican insiders. El Nino, Oprah and George Clooney. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:30 — 33.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: RSS

Podcast 153

Weekend Update! Revised economic numbers for the 1st quarter do not look good at all. -1 percent economic growth as the US economy goes into contraction for the first time since 2011. Don’t worry though, it’s all because of the cold winter and the economy will bounce back in the 2nd quarter. Really? Or, is it possible the economic policies enacted by a democrat president and congress has led to low, slow, or no growth or even – gasp – recession. How could the smartest man in the world let that happen? The Star Tribune reports that the top democrats in the state are calling for VA Secretary Shinseki’s resignation. The paper waits until the last line to mention that the 2nd District’s Republican Congressman John Kline, and the 6th District’s Michele Bachmann ALSO have called for the secretary to resign. Obama is still ‘investigating’. Google will build its own driverless car, which has no steering wheel or brake. What is the difference between a June Bug and a Cicada? And finally, people who used to be starving are getting fat and the WHO thinks this is a bad thing, and there’s a run on egg whites. You won’t believe why. Sponsored by X Government Cars! 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:28 — 39.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe: RSS

Podcast 152

What about ‘The City’? Central planners  use tax dollars to finance light rail, street cars, bike trails, stadiums, apartment buildings and hotels. The goal? A serendipitous experience. Is this a pipe dream? Do people really want to pay 1500 dollars a month for a condo in ‘the city’, so they can have coffee with hipsters? Or do they want a yard, good schools and lower taxes? You might be surprised what some new studies are showing. Things like bike trails, and light rail, paid for with transportation tax dollars move ahead, while repairing roads and bridges languish. What if robotics, driverless cars and delivery trucks, smart phones,  automated offices and other technology obviate the need to be in a big central city? Will all this ‘investment’ recreating the city of 1900 America have been worth it? Sponsored by X Government Cars! 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:11 — 28.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: RSS