When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627

One issue above all others has been the driving force in Republican politics for the last seven years. Repeal ObamaCare. None of the candidates said anything about repeal and replace. When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627 takes a raw view of the latest health care fiasco of the US Congress.

Promise Broken Again

President Trump and Republicans call The American Health Care Act of 2017 a victory.  HR 1628 keeps much of ObamaCare intact. There are still two hurdles. The bill has to pass the senate. The president has to sign it into law. Call it what you will but it is not a repeal of the ACA. This is what republican voters wanted. In When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627.

Republican Entitlement

Many in politics and the media will argue what the American Health Care Act does and doesn’t do. One thing is for sure. If it passes the senate and is signed into law, the American Health Care Act anchors a new entitlement passed by congress in 2010 and makes republicans, not democrats responsible for it. In When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627.

Those Who Endorsed Republicans Own It

Pundits and personalities cry, “If this is what happens why vote republican?”. Rather than endorsing and supporting republicans perhaps these personalities and other politicians should have been asking this question. A question that should have been on the lips of every republican for several cycles.

An economic Question

Commitments to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Drug Benefits and now Health Insurance will eventually swamp the United States Budget. The government cannot grant its citizens anything. Whatever is ‘given’ must be paid for through taxation eventually. The biggest issue in governments whether they are local, state or federal is spending. Talk about it in When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627.

Debt

The United States Federal Debt is more than 100 percent of its yearly GDP. The republican congress just passed another trillion dollar budget. State, federal and local governments employ over fifty percent of us. Public institutions have become major stakeholders in every political decision made.

Why Don’t They Ever Fix Anything

When government is so involved our personal lives, it’s personal. Every decision is politicized. Frustration and anger are the order of the day. Politicians solve problems by creating problems. We have an archaic and sclerotic government bureaucracy. Because the republicans failed to keep their promise to repeal the health insurance entitlement, the ‘health care debate’ will rage for the foreseeable future. In When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627.

New Thinking

With government largesse comes oppression. Surveillance, policing and prisons. War. It’s time people consider a new political movement in this country to permanently remove the power of government over our lives.

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When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627

Ready For Another War in North Korea? Podcast 626

North Korea continues to test missiles and make threats. The United States sends ships and rattles the saber. Time to talk about North Korea and War on the Korean peninsula in Ready For Another War in North Korea? Podcast 626.

Korean History

Korea has a rich history. Japan ruled Korea from 1910 to the end of World War II. In 1945 Koreans hoped for self determination. Didn’t work out that way. Russia and China supported the North. The United States supported the South. The peninsula was divided at the 38th parallel.

Costs Of The Korean War

In June of 1950, supported by Soviet weapons, Kim Il Sung invaded South Korea. Three years of war cost the United States 33,000 military deaths. Estimates of civilian and military deaths in the North and South during the war, range between 1.2 million to 2.5 million.

North and South Are Still At War

July 1953. Panmunjom. A cease fire agreement ended the fighting but not the war. 25 million residents of Seoul, South Korea live today under the threat of mass artillery attack from the North.

The North Is A Nuclear Power

North Korea has had a nuclear research effort since 1956. Since the 1980’s efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons have included posturing, threats, aid, agreements, negotiation. All failed. North Korea today is a nuclear power. It is researching development of ballistic missiles. Currently they have only about a 1500 kilometer range.

Trump’s New Direction

President Trump has appears to have taken a more realist approach to foreign policy. What does this new direction mean for the US and the world? Will there be a positive effect to pushing the North Koreans beyond their resources? What are the scenarios for a potential regime change? Does the administration have a plan?

Americans In The Dark. Again

If the US becomes involved in a military conflict on the Korean peninsula what will the costs be? What happens if the current regime is removed? In the rush to report on ships and planes, military capabilities, and the latest back and forth, once again we’re not being given key information by the media. In Ready For Another War in North Korea? Podcast 626.

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Ready For Another War in North Korea? Podcast 626

 

Getting Your News Groove Back-Podcast 621

Social Media Rules

More of us get our news from social media these days. Problem is most of the ‘news’ on social media doesn’t adhere to standards. Might feel better informed, but it’s hard to tell the difference between writing to a standard and propaganda. In Getting Your News Groove Back-Podcast 621.

Internet Never Lies

People are in the habit of posting, sharing, liking and commenting on stories that support their point of view. People apparently believe anything published on the Internet that looks credible and comes from a site they visit often. We are floating on a sea of bad information.

Garbage In Garbage Out

News stories not written to standard assert things that turn out to be false. What’s worse, this kind of information poisons the discourse. Thoughts, insights and ideas based on bad information form into concrete assumptions and conclusions. Those conclusions drive people’s ideas about the world.

Propaganda and Manipulation

In Getting Your News Groove Back-Podcast 621 I’ll provide some examples of story-lines that have not been proven. Most of the time these stories reinforce the right versus left thinking that ruins friendships and family ties. It’s what makes social media so angry and vitriolic.

There are standards. When you know the standards you can determine whether a writer lives up to those standards. Without standards we’re susceptible to a steady stream of propaganda and manipulation. It’s up to us to learn the standards and choose what we post, share, like and comment on accordingly.

Context and Perspective

A steady diet of Social Media, 24 Hour Cable News and Talk Radio is like junk food for the mind. This ruins a person’s ability to discern whether assertions are true or just opinion. When all we do is read stuff online, watch You Tube videos and listen to cable news and talk radio we lose the context of major stories. We don’t get the details to be able to master the issues. Getting Your News Groove Back-Podcast 621  explains how to do that.

Getting Your News Groove Back-Podcast 621

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