Podcast 286

Speaker Boehner. US Speaker of The House Boehner has survived a challenge from so called ‘insurgent conservatives’ to replace him. According to some reports this was the strongest effort to replace a sitting speaker since the 1860’s. As many as 24 Republican members voted against the Speaker. ‘Insurgents’ are unhappy with the Speaker because they do not feel he fights for principles. Freedom Works had urged its followers to write, call and email their Congressmen to vote against Boehner. Once again so called Conservative Insurgents across the country are learning an important lesson about politics. That would be money talks, you know what walks. Whatever you want to call them; Tea Party, Liberty, Insurgent … until this group commands a political machine that actually holds real political power, these kinds of demonstrations (or stunts as some call them) will continue to be just that. When you have the power, you win the vote. Nice try though. There is a lot of snark on this story, which ignores the fact that the insurgent movement — people who actually think our legislators should govern from principle rather than expedience — is growing in strength, contrary to reports of its demise. Meanwhile, what is the agenda for so called ‘moderate’ Republicans in Congress? Make changes on the margins? ‘Restore’ faith in the IRS? Vote tax breaks to teenagers? Really? There are rumors the Keystone Pipeline will come up for a vote soon. As usual all the ‘journalism’ concentrates on the GOP majority in the Senate as being ‘filibuster proof’. This isn’t the question. The question is whether the House and Senate can muster the two-thirds majority needed to override an almost certain Presidential Veto, unless moderates cram all sorts of goodies into the bill. If you want to use email, your phone or write a letter to someone in the government, you might try send a letter to the FCC to demand it does NOT reclassify the Internet as a Utility. The last thing the world needs is regulation and taxation on the Internet. How expensive will Obama Care be in 2015? Aside from some who are now earning more than they did when they qualified for ACA subsidies in 2014, having to pay those subsidies back (yes, it’s true), copays and insurance fees are increasing so much and so quickly the Harvard Professors who supported and demanded the ACA pass, are now protesting those same copay and insurance increases! For Thee, not me, these perfumed princes and princesses are saying. That’s why we trust their positions on other political issues so much. Meanwhile, as the US makes nice with Communists in Cuba, they’re cracking down on dissidents sending thousands to jail. Same thing is happening in China and North Korea. One thing about Maoists, they don’t like dissent. And what happens when a Chicagoan rides his bike to the Police Station to report a theft? Sponsored by Baklund R & D

Podcast 104

An update of current news stories from Bob Davis. A single trading exchange for BitCoin fails, and the media says this is the collapse of the popular peer-to-peer transaction media. More on the FCC’s attempt to send the Gestapo into America’s Newsrooms. Are people ignoring the government these days? Piers Morgan is gone and trolls want to take the credit, but maybe his ratings just sucked? Alec Baldwin swears off public life and shockingly complains about liberals he always supported, after he is booted from MSNBC (which also has ratings that suck). Plus why Minneapolis and Saint Paul people are tougher than Detroiters who complain about temperatures in the twenties. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.

Podcast 102

I meant to post this Podcast in the early morning hours of 2/21/14, but a snowstorm knocked out the Internet! Back up and running and posting later on this day. In the midst of the storm, the big stories of the week and a look ahead. While Jack Frost ‘eats the profits’ of America’s corporations (nonsense, of course, economic data is still weak and they keep trying to find explanations for it, which get more and more absurd as time goes on), the FCC wants to put ‘researchers’ in newsrooms, there are some bright spots including getting ahead on Fusion Reaction, a ‘conservative’ new mayor in San Diego, California , the UAW loses a big one in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and a few thoughts on my favorite new show; House of Cards. Sponsored by The Good Feet Store.