Podcast 452

Jeb’s Baack! With less than a month to go before people actually start voting for candidates to lead their party’s presidential bids in 2016, get ready for the story lines to change. In this first of the year podcast, we get back on the political horse to both warn and speculate on the potential changes in media story lines, which have come to constitute ‘political’ coverage in our time. Our media may think of itself as an informal ‘fourth estate’; an additional fourth branch of government. Fortunately the founders vested sovereign power in the people as represented in three estates of our republic; The legislative, executive and judicial branches. Our media is more like The Borg, or a mob. A faceless, brainless maw that seizes on reactionary story lines, based only on the personality of various politicians, the things they say and outrage generated from it. These form story lines that run until they wear out, or some new outrage is manufactured, or some actual event called ‘news’ happens. The lack of actual journalism and reporting on issues is palpable. The dominant story line that started this political season was that flash in the pan known as Donald Trump. Now that Trump is the dominant candidate on the Republican side, a new story line is being manufactured that says, ‘Hang on, Jeb Bush is going to reemerge’. Given the power and money behind the Republican establishment, don’t be so quick to discount that one. When people start voting, look for candidates to get out. Those who stay in will reap the benefits. On the democrat side, the story line was Hillary Clinton was the inevitable candidate, then Bernie Sanders was going to upset the apple cart, now the story line is what kind of presidency Mrs Clinton will have. Fasten your seat belts; the one constant in politics is change. Sponsored by Pride of Homes and Luke Team Real Estate, and Hydrus Performance. 

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Podcast 393

Live From EAA. Road trip to Osh Kosh, for the Experimental Aircraft Association Air Show and Convention. Sunday night is set up night, providing an opportunity to review recent trips to Waukesha and Davenport to cover political events, and to talk a little about the difference between political events and shows like this one. Maybe it’s as simple as the differences between tribes; People who are in the political tribe after certain characteristics, and people in the aviation tribe have certain different characteristics. What started as an experimental and individual builder get together has turned into a technology, history, and aviation show with exhibitors big and small. In some ways it compares favorably to the big state fairs across the country this summer. Somehow talking about politics doesn’t feel as good as talking about planes, and technology, here in Eastern Wisconsin, at the peak of summer. Still, some points need to be made before we head off into the wild blue yonder. Again the point is made that television news in particular magnifies and amplifies events that used to be state by state almost private affairs; self selected delegates and caucus attendees ‘interviewing’ potential candidates, and figuring out who they might support when a state’s primary election or caucus is held. Now these affairs are conflated with news events on a national or international scale. Are they news? Is it news when Donald Trump says something silly in a meeting of a few hundred (at most), a third of which are national media? Is it news if Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley are forced off a stage somewhere at a meeting of rag tag leftists? Maybe its statewide news, maybe its political news, but ‘go-to-live-coverage’ and ‘breaking news’. Not yet. The ideas that will drive 2016’s presidential election are still forming, so commenting on them, trying to define them, is almost pointless when you can hear the corn growing if you stand real still in a field in Wisconsin, or Iowa. Whether or not any of the score of declared candidates can rise to the level of being able to connect with people who aren’t political groupies remains to be seen. Meanwhile, there is a B-52 and a Ford Trimotor warming up on the runway, and that seems more interesting. Sponsored by X Government Cars. 

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Podcast 364

Why Do I Do What I Do? A question from a drunk friend proves surprisingly difficult to answer. Why do I do podcasts? The pat answer isn’t good enough. Part of the reason is to prove podcasting is a viable medium for listeners and advertisers. In fact, far superior to radio in many ways. Another reason I podcast is because I do not want to contribute to the scream and outrage orgy that has become talk radio in this country, and what now passes for broadcast and cable ‘news’. Still, it’s a hard question to answer when there are so many ways to answer it. I am sure I’ll be talking about this in future podcasts. In fact, as I write this, and in retrospect I think I should have talked longer about this question, “Why do you do what you do?”. Have you ever thought about that? Why do you do what you do? Whatever it is. When you actually consider a question like that, its kind of a hard question to answer. Yes, there are updates for the beginning of the week (in podcast time). 3 more candidates will join the three hundred and fifty nine other people in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. GOP strategists claim all of these candidates show the Republicans have more diversity. On the other hand, if the Republicans have twenty candidates on stage in early debates, again, the chances the party is going to look ridiculous are good, or maybe it will make Jeb Bush look presidential. This week Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Doctor Ben Carson. Will it be a repeat of 2008 and 2012? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley may – may – throw his hat into the ring on the Democrat side, saying we haven’t had a plan for our cities since, uh Jimmy Carter. It was revealed this week the Clinton Global Initiative took money from the US Taxpayer, and other governments. Talk about crony capitalism! Finally, driverless car tech is here, and here ahead of the law (shock!), and all sorts of scientific news, reversing aging, editing DNA, Robots for small business and more. Happy Monday from the Deck, in the velvet full moon lit night. It’s officially Tiki Torch Weather. Sponsored by X Government Cars! 

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