Podcast 432 – Jason Lewis Interview Pt 2

Jason Lewis Interview Pt 2. A continuation of Podcast 431, live from Mobile Podcast Command in Lakeville, Minnesota, joined by Minnesota State Senator Dave Thompson, who represents the Lakeville area. Lewis, a candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd District talks about the issues and policy. Podcast 432 kicks off by continuing the discussion about a recent interview by the Bob Davis Podcasts with former 6th District Congressman Michele Bachmann. Bachmann’s views on foreign policy and those of the establishment republican membership , are at odds with Lewis’. Lewis does not support intervention by the United States in Syria and Iraq at this time. What is the republican foreign policy is these days anyway. What should it be? This leads us to touch on defense spending and the budget, as well as the value versus expense of defense programs like the Abrams Tank and the F-35. From our vantage point in current time it looks like the next Speaker of The House of Representatives will be Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. What are the views of Jason Lewis on Ryan as speaker? If Ryan becomes speaker chances are his plan to reform Medicare and Social Security – a plan supported by republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush – which calls for vouchers and raising the retirement age, will be on the table in the next congress. What is the Jason Lewis position on this issue? One of the major issues in the next congress, if Republicans maintain a majority in both houses and win the presidency, will be the repeal of Obama Care, or the ACA. Problem is, repealing it means we’re right back where we started, and health care ‘reform’ again becomes an issue. How does this get done? Finally, running for Congress is expensive Are voters in Minnesota’s 2nd District, and the rest of the country, ready for change? Sponsored by X Government Trucks. 

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Podcast 218

It’s complicated. Why are ‘simple’ solutions advocated for complicated problems, and what happens when those ‘simple’ solutions don’t work? With airstrikes beginning against ISIS, apparently many in the US expect ISIS to be ‘destroyed’. Really? Fact is, things are hardly as simple as the commentariat would have us believe. Every crisis contains layers of political, diplomatic, military, corporate, social and other special interests that have to be considered. Then there is the corporate and independent media, and social media. ‘On The Ground’, inside any breaking story, are other, similar layers to be considered by policy makers. Demanding the simple solution plays well on the shout-fests that pass for ‘news’ these days, but seldom play in the real world; One of the reasons we are underwhelmed when things go wrong. People seem to think there was a time when things were easily resolved. Was there? The American Civil War? Prohibition? World War II? The Cold War? When was it ever easy or simple? We’re still getting used to the new complexities of a multi polar – chaotic – world, made more confusing by many new technical innovations with increasingly positive and negative effects. While there are simple solutions to problems every now and then, one has to understand the details to sell those ‘simple’ solutions and selling it can be complicated. History always seems easier when it is written than when it actually plays out. Today, people demand solutions, but they don’t want to know the details. Is this a willful ignorance? A willful refusal to participate or learn? Is it ‘the media’s fault’? Or, is it our fault? Either we pitch in and become informed, or we accept what our elected leaders do. We expect flawless performance from our technology and our leaders and are shocked when it fails. We might be living through a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change our government to be more responsive to individuals, but we’re not going to do it through ignorance and apathy. Sponsored by Autonomous Cad. 

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Podcast 202

The Islamic State. What to do about it? Is it an existential threat to the United States? Is it the role of the US Government to avenge the horrible death of US Journalist James Foley? The bottom line? Emotional reactions to lurid coverage of a murder does not a foreign policy make. If you want to influence International Relations as practiced by the Executive and Legislative branches of the US Government, you also have to understand the disciplines behind the policy. The State Department, Pentagon, White House, Congress, the Clandestine Services and Non State Actors all speak a language different from ‘civilians’ being manipulated by the media. Where DOES foreign policy come from? What are the disciplines and philosophy behind the concepts driving executive, intelligence, military and legislative positions and, more importantly, actions. How will the death of James Foley be handled. Will airstrikes alone eliminate the ISIS threat? What about intervening in Syria? Is it The President’s fault? Which president? Media coverage of this story is terrible. Viewers and listeners aren’t getting any background in foreign policy development, and we’re hearing the same tired arguments from deliberations over the Iraq war in 2002 and 2003 all over again. Here’s some background and some facts about the situation. Sponsored by Autonomouscad.com.

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