Trump-Republicans-Spending-Debt-Bob Davis Podcast 850

Another Trillion Dollars

This week the president’s budget deal adds a trillion dollars to the National Debt. These days it’s depressing when so called conservatives say, “Deficits Don’t Matter“. Learn more in Trump-Republicans-Spending-Debt-Bob Davis Podcast 850.

Trump Republicans Spending and More Debt

Above all, Trump’s spending is on pace with Obama first term red ink.

I’ll Pay Off The Deficit In Eight Years

Moreover campaigning in 2016, Trump said he’d pay off the deficit in just eight years. In those days the deficit was 20 trillion. It’s now almost 23 trillion.

Current Federal Debt Is Unsustainable? Bring It on!

As the president began his second year in office, the General Accounting Office released a report on the national debt. The current Federal Fiscal Situation is unsustainable, it said. More in Trump-Republicans-Spending-Debt-Bob Davis Podcast 850.

Republicans Addition To Debt Peaks In 2030

In fact, the GAO report showed US debt beginning to rise and peak in 2030, long after Trump has left the White House.

American Cities Are Broke Again

Over 70 US cities are in deep financial trouble. New York City is broke. Los Angeles isn’t far behind. Chicago is in a tailspin. I’ll explain it in Trump-Republicans-Spending-Debt-Bob Davis Podcast 850.

The Amount of Spending And Debt Is Shocking

When it comes to cities, counties and states investigators have to use forensic accounting to find out what’s going on. Even in small towns and counties across the country those investigations are uncovering a shocking amount of spending and debt.

Bonding On Bonding

Even more, states use bonding bills to get around balancing budgets. Therefore creating more debt through bonding.

Corporate Debt Binge

US corporations are on a debt binge too. Corporate debt is skyrocketing. It’s now 45 percent of our GDP. Much higher than during the 2008 crisis and dotcom bubble.

Americans Saved The Economy In The 2nd Quarter With More Debt

In addition Americans are more indebted than they were before 2008. US Household debt is 13.3 trillion in the second quarter. Much of it auto loans. Certainly Americans don’t save enough.

Conservatives Say Don’t Worry

Republicans say debt doesn’t matter and democrats have a new monetary theory. There’s nothing to worry about. Right? The US can “print” as much money as it needs as long as it prints US dollars.

Politicians Handing Out Goodies

Goodies like free college, single payer health, a green new deal, a higher minimum wage and guaranteed full employment are just around the corner. Just simply print money.

[Editor’s Note: In this podcast I used a quote from President Trump saying that he said, “No politician has ever been thrown out of office for not spending money. In fact he is reported to have told Senator McConnell, “No politician has ever lost his job for SPENDING money.”)

Forget Rome, England, Spain, Germany, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

Sponsored by Lacroix Law, Reliafund Payment Processors and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Trump-Republicans-Spending-Debt-Bob Davis Podcast 850

 

 

Suburban-Pledge-Fight-Goes-Viral-Bob Davis Podcast 846

Media Hurricane

These days you never know when you’re going to be in a media storm. That’s what happened when a suburban city council decided to stop saying the Pledge of Allegiance at some of their meetings. We’re going inside a meeting Saint Louis Park held to discuss the decision. Learn more in Suburban-Pledge-Fight-Goes-Viral-Bob Davis Podcast 846.

City Council Votes To Stop Saying Pledge At Some Meetings

Saint Louis Park is a first ring western suburb of Minneapolis. The City Council voted 5-0 on June 17th, 2019 to stop saying the pledge at some meetings. The city’s mayor wasn’t in attendance at the June 17th meeting.

Public Outcry

Even more, after news accounts of the ‘ban’ on the Pledge, the story went viral. Public outcry overwhelmed city staff and the council offices.

Study Group Meeting Disrupted

As a result Saint Louis Park held another meeting to discuss the vote. This was a ‘study group’ meeting. It’s most noteworthy that it wasn’t supposed to include public comments or conclude with a vote.

Many Non Residents

It’s especially relevant for Suburban-Pledge-Fight-Goes-Viral-Bob Davis Podcast 846 that mostly non residents showed up at the July 8th meeting to loudly express their dismay and anger.

Experience The Meeting

This podcast takes you through the meeting without very much comment from me.

Story Told By The People There

First of all I think the story is best told by the voices of the council and the people who were there.

You’re In The Seats In This Podcast

In addition if you wear headphones or turn it up you’ll be in the seats and you’ll hear the meeting as it went down. That includes hard to hear public officials and screaming protesters.

Shouting And Screaming

Finally I conclude the podcast with some historical facts and one short observation. In conclusion I wonder whether this protest flatters Tea Party and other ‘activists’ that showed up. You will hear them shout and scream, forcing council members to plead for a chance to finish statements often in support of restoring the pledge.

Pledge Written By Socialist and Anti Capitalist

Many of the protesters will celebrate President Trump’s vow to ‘restore the pledge in Saint Louis Park’. Emotional and understandable attachments to a pledge rewritten and made famous by an avowed socialist and anti capitalist notwithstanding, they may have done more damage to their movement in this suburb and in the fifth congressional district, than they know.

(Editor’s Note: It has been asserted that a requirement to say the pledge of allegiance is in the Saint Louis Park City Charter. Upon reading it I can find no such requirement. Click here and read for yourself. Maybe I missed it. In addition, it has been asserted again and again that naturalized citizens have to say the Pledge of Allegiance at their citizenship ceremony. On the contrary, they swear an oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution, and to disavow loyalty to any other sovereign. Read for yourself here. That is not the pledge of allegiance!)

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Suburban-Pledge-Fight-Goes-Viral-Bob Davis Podcast 846

 

 

 

 

 

Back-Road-Trip-Chattanooga-Bob Davis Podcast-841

These days if you want to find out what’s going on you have to hit the road. We’re in Tennessee for a few surprises. Learn more in Back-Road-Trip-Chattanooga-Bob Davis Podcast-841.

Southeastern Tennessee is as Republican as it gets in this country. Even more, a modern economic miracle has taken place in Chattanooga, where a public private partnership has transformed the city.

All the talk about what people in this country might do in the 2020 election is most noteworthy. A theme in these podcasts has been attacking the perception that people with an R in front of their name are actually conservative.

Certainly Chattanooga is a miracle. Back in the day it was an industrial powerhouse. Due to it’s role it was considered one of the dirtiest cities in North America. A public private partnership turned it around. Learn more here.

In addition, Tennessee as a whole is certainly booming these days. From Volkswagen in Chattanooga to the music business in Nashville and the federal government corporate entity known as The Tennessee Valley Authority, things are good here.

Especially relevant to me though is the right-wing orientation of the state as a whole, and yet, all these institutions which might be considered socialist, by any other name.

Finally, local expert John E. Holland joins the podcast to talk about politics in the region and Tennessee’s burgeoning development strategy today.

In conclusion people here consider themselves ‘conservative’ down to flying confederate flags and wide margins for President Trump in 2016. Meanwhile public/private partnerships and Federal corporate assets allocate tax dollars and investment and they love it.

To be sure Tennessee as a whole is truly wonderful. When it comes to principles, though, one wonders what ‘conservative’ means, after all.

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Back-Road-Trip-Chattanooga-Bob Davis Podcast-841