Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721

Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721

President Trump decertified the JCPOA or ‘Iran Deal’ of 2015, on Friday May 11th. Trump has kicked off a firestorm of coverage which has not fully explained what’s going on. Again. Time to find out about the details of the Iran Deal in Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721.

Stormy Daniels Sells Newspapers

Moreover coverage of international relations doesn’t usually generate a lot of views, likes or shares. Hence one of the main reasons American media spends a lot of time on salacious stories.

Foreign Policy Isn’t A Campaign Slogan

Furthermore, voters don’t think about these things in election years. Slogans and shouted one liners on the campaign trail get lots of applause from true believers. Build The Wall. Tear Up The Iran Deal. Make America Great Again.

Politicians Make Big Mistakes

Truth is our leaders can make serious mistakes in this arena. Consequently missteps and screw ups can effect all of us for a very long time. Seems like presidents get a lot of support from congress and the people as they blunder about. Therefore, some background some of these mistakes in Time to find out about the details of the Iran Deal in Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721.

It’s Not A Treaty

The so called Iran Deal is not even an Executive Agreement, as has been reported. Most noteworthy it is within the president’s discretion to do anything he wants with this agreement. Did Trump ‘kill’ the deal? Is it a mistake? Was Iran violating the terms of the JCPOA?

Constitutional Authority

In addition was it constitutional for President Obama to enter into a political commitment? Did the House endorse elements of the deal? Did the Senate debate the agreement? Find out in Time to find out about the details of the Iran Deal in Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721.

Whatever Trump Does Is A Mistake, right?

In conclusion one of the problems with this president is the media’s habit of reacting to anything he does as a mistake. Without defending the president, maybe the specifics should be reported and judgments left to the American people.

Most of all, that’s what I do in this podcast. Find more podcasts on the Iran subject from the campaign trail in 2016, and through the years here.

Sponsored by Reliafund Payment Processors

Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:04 — 91.7MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644

Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644

You can already feel it. The long fourth of July weekend approaching. We’re starting to slow down. So, for the ride to the lake. During periods of rain. It’s fun to think about what might happen. In Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644.

Podcasts Have To Go Deeper

I podcast a lot about media’s role in our society. For a deeper look at angst listen to Podcast 643. We’re awash in media informing us of the latest developments. ‘Breaking News’ is the norm these days. Podcasters have to go deeper. We’ll do that in Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644.

The Next Black Swan Event Is…

Truth is, I do feel a growing sense that ‘something is going to happen’. A true ‘Black Swan’ event is something unpredictable. An event that changes the course of history. Black Swan events like the stock market crash of 1929 or the September 11th Terror Attacks were not predicted, although some might have had some forewarning. Some predicted the financial crisis of 2008, but on the whole, it was a surprise.

A Personal Story Of A Shocking and Unexpected Event

A recent example of an unpredictable event in my own life illustrates the kinds of changes we go through when things change, unexpectedly and unpredictably. Moreover in my experience a sense expectation can mean something good is about to happen too. Especially important and relevant is an expectation of a major event that changes history. This kind of expectation is a sense of foreboding.

Not The Latest Dispatch From Washington

In a broader sense our social angst is driven by constant coverage of breaking news and new opinions on every little thing that happens in a place called Washington DC. Playing the ‘Something Is Going To Happen’ game is not anticipating news out of Washington.

Making History

A true Black Swan event is something out of the so called left field. An event in the financial world. Something breaking loose from the sense of normalcy in the rest of the world. An unexpected and totally new development from the world of invention. An event that changes history.

We Don’t Change on A Dime…Or Do We?

We think of eras as decades. The 1950’s, the 1960’s, and so on. We think of changes taking place when governments transfer power. So, the Obama era gives way to the Trump era. Except that is not the way it works, Steve Jobs said what we think of as the 1960’s actually happened in the 1970’s. Events actually determine when we move from one era to the next.

To sum up, a new president took office in January. After a lot of chatter and fireworks, nothing substantial has really happened. The test of the new president hasn’t really emerged yet. Fertile ground for our imaginations to break free from the daily news feeds and imagine what could happen. Enjoy the July 4th holiday! (Editor’s Note: In This Podcast I refer to Nouriel Roubini as the person who coined the term ‘black swan’. It was in fact  Nassim Nicholas Taleb.)

Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:15 — 78.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

 

 

Podcast 611-Define Political Progress

Podcast 611-Define Political Progress

When it comes to politics these days noise is the norm. The latest outrage drowns out talk about political progress. Voters in 2016 made their choices for a reason. Not too early to ask whether the politicians are making progress toward addressing those reasons. We talk about it in Podcast 611-Define Political Progress.

ObamaCare Repeal

Number one issue on the campaign trail. Bogged down in congress already. Republicans wanted a full repeal of the ACA. New GOP plan isn’t a full repeal. President Trump has already endorsed it. What happened to promises of a full repeal?

Economy

Somewhere around 96 million people are out of the workforce. Need to create 375,000 new jobs a month for several months to get those people back in the work force. For years we were less than impressed with a quarter of a million jobs each month. Economic growth has been promised. In Podcast 611-Define Political Progress.

Cutting Federal Budget

Smaller government? Proposed budget cuts are accompanied with proposals to shift money to defense. Does this reduce the size of government? A hiring freeze can be considered progress. Corporate tax reductions can be progress. However making up corporate tax reductions with higher taxes somewhere else doesn’t cut the budget.

Foreign Policy and Military Spending

Resurgent Russia. Rising China. Political changes in Turkey. Expanding NATO. Cyber Threats. US troops in Iraq and Syria. ISIS. Terror. Climate Change. How will reducing foreign aid and increasing military spending address these concerns? What should the foreign policy of the US be? It’s all in Podcast 611-Define Political Progress.

Too Early?

First benchmark on progress made by a majority republican government in the United States. Did you vote for republicans? Are they doing what you wanted them to do?

Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing of Saint Paul.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:34 — 106.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS