Podcast 362

No Growth Economy. New numbers say the US Economy grew by only .2 percent. Yet still, the Federal Reserve says the economy should grow now in the second quarter. Never mind all the ‘experts’ predicted 2015 would be a ‘blow out’ year, and that they have been revising their predictions down all through the quarter, they were still way above what the numbers actually show. Excuses? They have a few. The weather. The work slow down at the Port in Los Angeles. The weather. The strong dollar. Did I mention the dollar? The US has now had quarter after quarter of slow, no, or only anemic growth, and yet the Obama administration and its apologists, and the bone headed financial media call it a ‘boom’. Meanwhile small and medium sized businesses all over the country know it for what it is. A no growth economy. Why do business writers believe things will change if the policies don’t change? Does the consumer really account for 70 percent of the economy? What if we’re using the wrong tools to stimulate the wrong things? What’s that old saw about the definition of insanity? Banks aren’t lending because they can make more money borrowing at the discount window, reinvesting in the stock markets. Companies aren’t investing because they’re buying back their own stocks. The US corporate tax rate is the highest in the world (by far), and the tax code is so complex it costs us dearly in productivity lost (while we comply with the tax code) and literally billions of dollars spent complying with its byzantine rules. Regulations of all kinds make it almost impossible for small and medium sized businesses to grow. What are the policy ideas we need to hear from candidates (which we’re not hearing) to fix the economy. It’s not about inequality. It’s not about ‘reformicon’ tax policies (which are actually democrat tax policies warmed over), or making the government work more efficiently. In this podcast, some ideas you may agree or disagree with, but it will definitely start you thinking. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating and X Government Cars. 

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Podcast 337

Global Warming & The Left. In the midst of a solar storm, just ahead of a full solar eclipse and the Spring Equinox, a lot is going on in the heavens and here on Earth. As Europe braces for power outages due to the solar eclipse, suddenly Global Warming returns as the left tries to make it a cornerstone issue for the 2016 narrative. Will it succeed? As two traders are making headlines with a research piece that uses the Global Warming’s own data to devastate their position that ‘warming’ poses an existential threat to the world, a new movie conflates people who favor capitalism and free markets with ‘dangerous climate change deniers’. Former Vice President Al Gore demands that ‘deniers’ be ‘punished’ and a US Congressman demands the financial records of a scientist who has the temerity to disagree with the climate change bolsheviks. Really? Now Free Market advocates — capitalists — are to be persecuted? What is an actual ‘existential threat’? Might it be suggested that an existential threat to America is anyone, or anything that wants to do away with free markets and capitalism? Major environmental groups gathered last year in Venezuela (that wellspring of freedom), said ‘the structural causes of climate change are linked to the current capitalist hegemonic system.’ But, if anything science isn’t settled. For decades we have been hearing first freezing, and then warming end-of-the-world scenarios that have spurred some great movies (Mad Max) and some not so great movies (Water World). Peak Oil, Peak Food, over population, Peak Water, massive poverty, famine and world wide collapse. Oh, and the one about Manhattan being underwater by the 2000’s, that didn’t turn out so well either. In 2016 the left will try to pull together Climate Change, Inequality, Minimum Wage Fairness and Justice and use populist tactics to drive home a powerful theme; Only they can help us from imminent collapse and destruction. You take these ideas on faith, because there’s no proof of the problems, or proposed solutions. The existential threat facing the United States is the political left in this country no longer believes in science, the rule of law, or basic economics, if it ever did. What it believes in, is using science, law and economics as a means to an end. Because it is a social movement, based on subjective ideas, dissent will not be tolerated. In the next few decades we will create one of two worlds. A world where an individual can harness their creativity to create growth for everyone, or a world where our creative impulse is shackled and eventually destroyed. What is the purpose of the US Constitution and government if it is not to protect our rights. This is the one thing we have to get right. What happens when politicians actually have the fight? Ask two winners; Scott Walker and Benjamin Netanyahu. Sponsored by Baklund R&D. 

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Podcast 320

The Islamic State Threat. What should the United States do about the Islamic State? As attacks, beheadings and burnings become more extreme, the west’s response seems muddled. The public discussion of the issue is emotional and often devoid of facts, lately centering on whether the Islamic State is payback for the Crusades. Last summer President Obama initiated airstrikes on the Islamic State; a group he had referred to as the ‘JV Team’ of terrorists, a remark which will go down as one of the greater mistakes of his administration. Later he called for airstrikes, promising ‘no boots on the ground’, now he is asking Congress for a new force authorization which may or may not give Obama – or the next president – authority to send troops into the region to fight the Islamic State. As the group expands into Libya, Yemen and threatens Europe, it’s time for ordinary Americans to start thinking about what the country’s response should be. Yes, this will be an election issue in 2016 because the threat will get worse before it gets better. Has anyone told you how the Islamic State differs from Al Qaeda? What are the theological underpinnings of the group and how does its theology appeal to Sunni Tribes in the region? Is this a religious conflict, or tribal? What is Iran’s role in the fight? These aren’t questions for foreign policy experts, but for ordinary Americans who are going to be voting for presidential candidates, as the 2016 race begins in less than one year. Do you know what you need to know? Or, are you ok with going into another conflict, where service men and women are going to die, without asking the important questions; Why? What are the stakes? What is the foreign policy of the United States. What should it be? How do we conduct ourselves in the world? What interests are we willing to use deadly force to protect? How might we have caused this conflict. How do we avoid this happening in the future? What have we learned as a people about these kinds of struggles, since the US first invaded Iraq in 2003. Has our Afghanistan experience taught us anything? You can listen to people scream and yell at each other on cable TV news and talk radio, or we can get down to business and discuss as many parameters of the issue as possible (Editor’s Note: Or at least the parameters I have been able to research so far). The Islamic State is a gathering storm. The current state of affairs in the Middle East is becoming a dangerous threat to the region and Europe directly, maybe the United States directly. The old World War 2 and Cold War foreign policy paradigms won’t work. Those who are ignorant of at least the broad contours of the situation are more easily manipulated in the political process. Take some time and get a little more balanced view of the situation. Sponsored by Depot Star. 

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