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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Podcast 193

Robin Williams dead at 63. Updates on all the major stories for the week ahead. IBM has developed a ‘supercomputer on a chip’ that will be able to function like a human brain. As developments like this continue, what will the future look like for when we work, how we work, how we get paid, and how we consume. How’s your economy doing? Only 48 percent of Americans could lay their hands on four hundred dollars in cash, for an emergency! A third simply could not get ‘that much’. Meanwhile, investigations into waste, fraud and corruption in the US Federal Government are being thwarted, and an award winning ‘tele-work’ program at the US Patent office is rife with fraud; People who work for you — sorry…the ‘Government’ — working far fewer hours than they’re reporting and getting paid for. Wonder where the money is going? The big story; The airstrikes against the Islamic State heavy weapons engaging Iraqi Kurdistan. How are partisan political forces in the US reacting to the strikes, as Iraq begins to descend into chaos. What’s the takeaway? What politician is filling the void? Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Hillary Rodham Clinton, the clearest voice in Foreign Policy this week. The coldest summer since 2004 may turn into a hot September. Remember Radio Shack? It may be a thing of the past (even though some people think it already is … of course it has ‘radio’ in its name) by Christmas. Finally, a comedian, a genius and a great dramatic actor, Robin Williams was found dead in his house Monday morning. A big loss. Sponsored by X Government Cars.

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Podcast 175

The News Cycle is boring me. A listener asks, I am tired of being pushed around and I want to run for office. What do I do? So called conservatives are long on outrage but short on basic political skills. How does one run for office? Forget the 2014 cycle, since the filing process, delegate process, conventions and soon the primary will be over. The candidates have been selected and they’re out campaigning. But, how DOES one run for office. I say you have to learn politics from the ground up, FIRST. That means volunteering to drop lit, door knock, work in your local political party office, become a leader by actually doing something for someone else once in awhile. Plus some short updates on the week’s top stories, and of course, the impending doom of the ‘polar vortex’, which will be cooling the upper midwest this week. All while we walk down the rail road tracks on a beautiful summer evening, as the sun sets. Lawn mowers, softball, the dog park, throwing rocks at big metal rails, and those incessant footfalls! Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul. 

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