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.

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

When A Repeal Is Not A Repeal-Podcast 627

Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625

We hear a lot of words used to describe various political factions in the US. Most will say the US economic system is capitalist but is this just an illusion? Are we socialist? Have we been socialist for a long time? It seems to me, we have. In Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625.

Socialism Is Everywhere

Just because a country’s economic system is socialist, does not mean it’s a tyranny. Denmark and Canada aren’t dictatorships. Singapore is a Socialist Market Economy. Places where ‘the people’ own or control the means of production. Most socialist countries these days enjoy democratic political systems.

Government and Non Profits Dominate State Economies

Americans think of themselves as capitalists. The thing is, the top three employers in my state are public institutions. Americans depend on social security, medicare, or medicaid ‘entitlements’. Home buyers get tax subsidies. We enjoy many tax deferred investment options. Farmers get subsidies. Public workers get pensions. All kinds of grants for education exist. Then there are the business subsidies and government contracts. Some popular business personalities receive billions in subsidies from the government. We’ll talk about it in Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625.

Both Parties Support Socialism

Democrats complain about light rail projects running through their backyards, but support government programs because ‘It’s the right thing to do’. Republicans complain about big government unless it’s the military, support for their businesses, home mortgage tax credit, social security and 401K programs.

The Right Thing To Do

It’s true that many of these programs date back to the depression in the 1930’s. Also true that creation of these programs came with the best intentions. Whether we like it or not, government is deeply involved in our lives. Of course, what the government giveth, the government takeaway. We’ll talk about it in Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625.

Classic Liberalism Is Forgotten

Republicans and Democrats argue the same side of the coin. Both are collectivists. Neither adhere to Classic Liberalism, a philosophy of limited government with the sole purpose of securing a maximum amount of individual liberty, property rights and free markets. While no political scientist would argue the US is Socialist maybe we should consider the possibility we are and have been for some time.

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

Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625

 

 

 

 

 

 

Podcast 449

It’s Just The Presidency. Live from Minneapolis and Saint Paul International Airport, Lindberg Terminal, since this is where almost everyone will be at some point during the Holiday season. As family and friends get together for Christmas and The New Year’s, conversations about the Presidential Race and politics will inevitably come up. Some will be new discussions, others will be continuations of discussions began during Thanksgiving. As we walk and talk through the airport, we discuss the idea that there has been a predominant and early focus on the personalities for the presidential race, and with early primaries coming up starting February 1st, and running through next summer, that focus will only increase. With all this presidential coverage it seems like we have completely forgotten 435 house members will be chosen, a third of the US Senate and a host of local, state representatives will be elected, as well as governors in some states. How many of us will be talking about elections for congress, state houses, and governor’s this year, rather than the latest gaffe by some over-televised and exhausted candidate, somewhere in Iowa, or New Hampshire or South Carolina? We’re supposed to have a balanced government in the United States, with sovereignty resting with the people, but it seems more and more as though we rely on one person as the Imperial President to administer the largest and most expensive federal government in the world, with now huge responsibilities. What is the history of ‘mixed’ or ‘balanced’ government. How can a system of checks and balances work if all we talk about are the personalities running for just one part of our balanced government; the executive? What did the founders think of the presidency? Why are there a whole list of enumerated powers in the US Constitution for Congress, the states and a Bill of Rights for the people, and few for the President? What happened in our history to make our presidency so powerful, and is this a good thing? How do we undo it? This is the conversation and the question families and friends should be having this year, heading into 2016’s election. However, people just seem to want a personality to ‘fix’ things, they don’t want to be bothered with details. Maybe this is why the founders also checked the people with an electoral college and Senate appointed by state legislatures and governors. If we’re not going to do our duty as citizens, maybe we need to go back to the old ways. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and X Government Trucks. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from the Bob Davis Podcasts.