Republican Dark Future-Raising The Stakes-Bob Davis Podcast 780

The political blame game has only just begun for republicans. What’s wrong and what is the future for the GOP. We’ll talk about it in Republican Dark Future-Raising The Stakes-Bob Davis Podcast 780.

A Dark Future For So Called Conservatives

Most noteworthy, and not surprisingly talking heads who predicted the GOP would hold the house (they were wrong) are now telling anyone who will listen how to fix the failed republican effort. The real truth is the republican party has a dark future.

A Deal With The Devil

What happened? Let’s be honest. Republican Moderates made a deal with a reality TV host and real estate developer. He would be the standard bearer and they would run things. Turned out neither was very good at either.

Reality Show Government

With only two major legislative accomplishments to its credit, the Trump administration has become a reality show played out on Twitter and Cable news.

All Things Republican Trumpism Is Not

Meanwhile the president ‘fixes’ everything and ‘drains the swamp’ with executive orders, which of course can be reversed. Free trade? Not this president.

Supply Side Economics? Nope. Cutting spending? Not gonna happen. Repealing the Affordable Care Act? You can forget about that. Now, growing concerns about a possible recession and corporate debt, actually all kinds of debt, even though the president says the economy is “Booming”.

A Republican Is Burying Us In Deficits?

Demand we “Build A Wall” and refuse to pay for it? Deploy United States Troops within the borders of the USA? Adding Trillions to the budget deficit? Yep. Failing to solve immigration, education and health care issues? Sure. Dear readers and listeners! Is this really what a conservative republican president is supposed to do? I’ll ask the question in Republican Dark Future-Raising The Stakes-Bob Davis Podcast 780.

Campaigning On Thin Air

In conclusion, republicans in 2018 had to defend this president or get out. In the end those that stayed to face the music had to campaign on slogans and defending Trumpism because there weren’t many accomplishments and even less money. Meanwhile well funded democrats sold a plan and got the vote out. I guess something beats nothing.

But Hey, It’s Not Hillary

It’s hard to hear but republicans are another side of the same political coin. Collectivist policies and the expansion of government and executive power to the extent that it may already be democratic socialism seems to be the result no matter which party is in control.

In the end, Republicans are just as responsible for it as democrats.

But. At least it’s not Hillary, right?

Sponsored by Reliafund Payment Processors, Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Johantgen Jewelers of Crystal

Republican Dark Future-Raising The Stakes-Bob Davis Podcast 780

 

 

Minnesota 2nd District Congressman Jason Lewis-Podcast 647

Minnesota 2nd District Congressman Jason Lewis joins Bob Davis during the Pan-O-Prog (Panorama Of Progress) parade in Lakeville Minnesota.

High Stakes

Coming back from the recess, republican majorities in the House and Senate have a lot on their plate. Stakes are high. The Senate has to take up the question of ObamaCare. The House prepares to move onto Tax Reform and a big bombshell when it comes to the budget. For the first time in a long time the house will tackle so called mandatory spending.

No Town Hall Meetings So Far

There’s pressure on Freshman Congressman Lewis because he’s been meeting with constituents and detectors one on one rather than hold so called Town Hall meetings. Lewis addresses this criticism during Minnesota 2nd District Congressman Jason Lewis-Podcast 647. Still, Lewis points to legislative progress in key areas of this podcast and says he still supports the president’s agenda, with qualifications.

Not A Debate

Subscribers sometimes wonder why I do not debate sitting legislators and executives when I interview them. Every now and then our conversations get heated, but I don’t feel it is the role of the podcaster or interviewer to ‘debate’. We ask the questions, you draw your own conclusions.

Fasten Your Seat Belts For This Parade

Minnesota 2nd District Congressman Jason Lewis-Podcast 647 is a slice of life, interviewing the congressman on a gorgeous summer evening in Mobile Podcast Command as we roll through the parade. We talk about his concerns and challenges as a first term congressman. Two talk radio guys can cover a lot of ground, so fasten your seat belts for this parade.

Devil’s In The Details

New Congressmen are inundated with detail when it comes to legislation pending, and bills they’ve voted on. Especially interesting and relevant to me is the higher level of detail in Congressman Lewis’ answers versus Jason Lewis the candidate.

2018 Depends On This Congress Acting

One point the congressman makes is very important. He feels strongly for republicans, of which he is one, that this congress has to act. Lewis is looking to actions candidates in the 2018 cycle can point to as essential to a successful ‘re-elect’. We’ll see. Thanks again to the congressman and the people of Lakeville, Minnesota

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing of Saint Paul and X Government Cars

Minnesota 2nd District Congressman Jason Lewis-Podcast 647

 

Podcast 591-Midnight Winter Walk Talk

Time’s Prisoners

Could leaders be Time’s Prisoners? This week Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. Partisan congressmen and entertainment figures on the left are taking the extreme step of boycotting the peaceful transfer of power. Partisans on the right believe the New York Businessman will right all wrongs and solve all problems. Are we Prisoners of Time? Both sides might take a lesson from the administration of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Johnson is certainly one of the best of the pure politicians to occupy the White House. Serving as a Congressman and then Senator from Texas, Johnson rose to Senate Majority Leader, Vice President and the presidency after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Johnson won the 1964 presidential election by one of the largest popular vote margins in history. Johnson’s administration overcame democrat opposition and managed enough republican votes in congress to pass the The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Johnson’s signature legislation creating ‘The Great Society‘ programs have been a centerpiece of the Democrat ideal that government can help ease the afflictions of the poor and downtrodden.

From that high political perch in 1965 Johnson backed into the war Vietnam and scuttled his presidency. Johnson will be forever remembered as the president who escalated the Vietnam War, rather than the president who did a great deal to ease the afflictions of the poor and downtrodden. It’s important to remember that many of the most experienced and smartest people in Washington backed Johnson’s war initiatives. It was Congress that gave the Texan full authority to do as he wanted in Vietnam after the Gulf on Tonkin incident.

In Podcast 591-Midnight Winter Walk Talk-Time’s Prisoners, I wonder how much the time we live in determines how much a government can do. This is a cautionary question for the vehement supporters of Donald Trump and his vocal detractors. Are the leaders we elect, their lieutenants and advisors prisoners of the time they live in? We can’t know the future and therefore may not be prepared to right all wrongs or avoid fatal mistakes.

We make decisions in everyday life based on the best information available and the best advice. Should I buy the chicken or the steak on sale at the grocery store? Should I buy a car now or later. Should I take that job and move to another city? It is the same with complex decisions and matters of state. State decisions have more weight but in the end, are often made the same way. People do the best with what they have and what they know at the time.

Two movies on HBO NOW depict the Johnson Administration. ‘All The Way‘ features Bryan Cranston as LBJ and depicts his struggle to pass the Civil Rights Act. The other is John Frankenheimer’s ‘Path To War‘ which depicts the Johnson Administration’s decisions to escalate the war in Vietnam ultimately foundering Johnson’s presidency.

Now, these films reflect and bias and perspective. It may not have been the intent of the film makers to show a president’s power is tentative, dependent on the best advice he can get, and his own experience. The presidency is a political office. I think congresses and presidential administrations are prisoners of their time. The decisions they make and the reaction to them are as much determined by the time we live in, and the experience it has given us, as any other factor. Call it fate. Call it blindness. Either way this is a sobering concept if you believe the new president is the second coming, but a comforting thought if you think he is the devil incarnate.

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