Podcast 415

Republican Nightmare. With the suspension of Governor Scott Walker’s Presidential campaign comes an opportunity to critique Republican politics, specifically the leadership and Republican rank and file. Aside from the snark, the media has reported that the Wisconsin Governor lamented the absence of ‘Reagan Style Optimism’ in Republican politics so far in the 2016 cycle. Thing is, Republicans themselves aren’t optimistic. In fact Republicans these days are so pessimistic one wonders if they would recognize Ronald Reagan if he were resurrected, or even vote for him. It sure seems like most Republicans think the President is a secret muslim, hell bent on destroying the country, that China took all our jobs, that Jesus is coming back (as soon as the election is over) and all sorts of other rather negative ideas, even if you think they’re true. Can the Republicans win a national election with this kind of negative view of the present situation and the future? Can you win a national election with no real economic plan, save for tax cuts, no foreign policy plan, no real domestic plan and nothing but a list of debatable complaints? The solution appears to be Donald Trump, a reality TV star with a penchant for one liners, and the absence of something called ‘a plan’. As Trump’s popularity increases, preference for the so called Republican Brand decreases. And yet, because of GOP rule changes in 2012, if Donald Trump can translate poll numbers into wins in five states, he may have enough delegates to win the Republican nomination. Who will stop him? Jeb Bush? Chris Christie? Rand Paul? Mike Huckabee? Marco Rubio? Ted Cruz? Lindsay Graham? Which of these candidates can win five states? Or, even one? Scott Walker is suggesting the party unite around someone, anyone other than Trump. Who’s fault IS Trump anyway? Have the moderates — interested only in holding onto their power — screwed the pooch? The moderates are the ones who wanted the debates, and they’re responsible for the monolithically stupid rule changes in 2012, and the rules that allowed the debates to be stacked toward candidates who did well in hack polls. Because of this, you might be saying hello to Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump in the future. This is why 2016 may turn out to be a terrible sequel of 2008, and 2012 for the GOP. We are getting close to Halloween, after all. Sponsored by Autonomous Cad, and Pride of Homes. 

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Podcast 406

Full Moon Podcast. Here we are, another full moon in one month. Live from the front yard, well after midnight, with wires and lights strung outside the Mobile Podcast Command Unit. Every now and then I have to do these ‘consolidation’ podcasts. I ‘consolidate’ some of the points made in earlier podcasts. It still feels like ‘back to school’, hard to get back into the news after a news cleanse, especially when there are so many weird and horrifying things happening, and when the political battleground seems so silly. But, there it is. As we head into the first weekend of the Minnesota State Fair, and the month ahead in September, there’s a lot going on. First of all there are two eclipses in September, and one of them is the scary ‘Blood Moon’, which the evangelists have been warning about. Is it something you should be worried about? Some of us still feel like ‘something’ is about to happen that will spin things around in another direction. In this podcast more thoughts about how to recognize what it might be. Then again, nothing may happen and then we’ll be stuck with the political situation that seems manipulated — like one of Donald Trump’s TV Shows — with people running who are either retreads, plumb crazy, or boring as hell. I’m not sure which is better, but right now I am betting on the crazies. As I have been talking about this, people have corresponded that they feel the same way, and it’s weird. I invite people to send me emails or message me, or comment through the Bob Davis Podcasts regarding why you might feel that there’s ‘something’ out there that might be a pretty big event. You don’t have to detail what you think it is so much as I would love to hear why you feel the way you do. Is it intuition? Or are there some solid reasons for what your ‘gut’ may be telling you. Meanwhile there is the state fair, and these perfect final days of summer. (Editor’s Note: Hurricane Season has started, but at the time of this writing there’s not much going on. However, if a big enough storm blows up, I may make a quick run south, but I have to be back for AgoraFest, on September 25th or so. Stay tuned for some great podcasts from a great Minnesota get together.) Sponsored by Baklund Research and Development. 

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