Podcast 483

Political Depression. To close out March, 2016 after a quick review of this week’s headlines, one can only conclude we’re in a Political Depression. It’s depressing to read about and depressing to talk about. Yet, there are compelling developments to talk about. On the heels of the Marco Rubio announcement that he will not release ‘his’ delegates to the RNC on the first ballot, and a letter from a North Dakota Republican National Convention Official which states that the delegates are not bound, even on the first ballot, the time has come once again to remind listeners and voters you have not been caucusing and voting for presidential candidates for 2016. The people who will choose the 2016 nominee are the delegates to the national convention, chosen by congressional district. So, in Minnesota if you left the caucus after casting your straw poll votes, and did not get a chance to go to the BPOU convention, and then onto the congressional district convention where you might have been chosen as a delegate to the RNC, you were wasting your time. In fact, people voting in the primary elections on both sides of the political spectrum appear to have been wasting their time, since both party ‘establishment’ structures have taken pains to point out the delegates choose the candidates, and the party bosses have that well in hand. Are we going to be saying hello to a Bush running against a Clinton, or a retreat of 2012 for the RNC, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan? The next waypoint in this process will be when we get to the end of the primary and caucus process which ends sometime around June. If Ted Cruz or Donald Trump do not get the required number of 1237 delegates – enough to win a vote on the first ballot – the convention will be thrown into chaos. What does the Republican Party stand for? Once the general election gets underway, its going to become quite clear how much damage this cycle’s primary season has done to the republican party. What about the future? What do republicans stand for? Are they free trade or protectionist? Big government or limited government? Driven by religion, or open minded? Will republicans give up and just allow party officials to dictate to them who to vote for, or will they finally start working on on building a real grassroots political movement? Time will tell. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul, X Government Cars and Pride of Homes Real Estate.

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Podcast 462

Ted Cruz Wins Iowa. The first votes in the nation for the 2016 election cycle are finally in. With election results muddled, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are within two votes of each other. On the Republican side Texas Senator Ted Cruz has won the Iowa Precinct Caucuses, beating the pollster and pundit favorite Donald Trump. The Bob Davis Podcasts spent the last two days of furious retail campaigning with two completely different politicians. For HP CEO Carly Fiorina held a breakfast town hall meeting at a diner in Waukee, Iowa, on Sunday January 31st, and this podcast takes you inside that event. On Monday, the Bob Davis Podcasts spent the day with the Ted Cruz campaign at the last stop for Cruz in his 99 county tour of Iowa. Cruz capped off his campaign on a sunny, warm day in Jefferson, Iowa and we take you inside that event as well. Cruz’ victory suggests there is hope yet for grassroots politics in the United States. If true, it backs up what some of the guests on these podcasts have said about the value of the Iowa Caucuses. On the other hand, Ted Cruz is one of the most disciplined candidates out there, even refusing to talk to the media or answer any questions about the now infamous ‘shaming mailer’ all the pundits thought would surely mean a Cruz loss in Iowa. Surprise! It may have worked! Ted Cruz Wins Iowa. Something of a surprise, but not to his supporters. As we post this podcast Mobile Podcast Command is bugging out, and headed for Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina and finally North Carolina, where politicians, pollsters, pundits, and some of their caravan of followers are headed for the next primary. On the other hand, there’s only one Iowa. Bonus round! Actor Richard Dreyfuss makes a cameo appearance in this podcast. Thanks Mr. Dreyfuss! Sponsored by Hydrus, Pride of Homes and Luke Team Real Estate,

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Podcast 433

Voting Surprises. Elections held on November 3rd, 2015 show the potential for voters to surprise and even shock media, pundits and commentators. Is a Tea-Party Republican victory in the Kentucky Governor’s race a harbinger of surprises to come once people start actually voting in the primaries and caucuses starting February 1st, 2016? Voters in Ohio rejected legalizing Marijuana, Democrats in Virginia lost their bid to gain control of the State Senate, and LGBT rights legislation failed in Houston, Texas. Is this a conservative voting trend? The next actual election is November 21st in Louisiana, where polls say a Democrat is favored to win the bid to replace Republican Governor Bobby Jindal. Is the chattering class underestimating the possibility that conservative voters could show up in large numbers, shifting the country to the right. Same question applies to the grip of establishment republicans on power in the GOP. It is dangerous to believe polls, especially this early in the process. When it comes to real political science, the proof is in the pudding. If there is a trend of angry voters on the right turning out, the punditry is going to be caught flat footed, but the establishment republicans will be shocked. One gets the impression, reporters and commentators covering these elections hear so many stump speeches and have so much red meat thrown at them they get jaded when it comes to the degree of frustration of ordinary voters. The turmoil on the right is a storm brewed up by svengali strategists at the RNC who expected to crown Jeb Bush the nominee. Now Trump, Carson and Cruz threaten the whole house of cards, demanding their own rules for debates or upsetting the carefully constructed plan. Outliers Trump and Sanders on the left are shaking up the status quo and challenging the idea that suzerains in Washington get to decide who the nominee will be on either side. In the real news, things don’t seem to be going so well and the commentariat continues to write tripe. The GDP only ‘grew’ 1.5 percent, but don’t worry growth is expected when consumers, ‘spending the savings from lower gas prices like a tax cut’ finally kicks in. A new study done by Democrat Operatives that says Mergers and Acquisitions are causing ‘inequality’. Is this true? Meanwhile Congressional Republicans lift the debt ceiling and federal spending jumped by 338 billion dollars. Maybe they should be talking about cutting spending rather than cutting taxes? Sponsored by Pride of Homes and Luke Team Real Estate and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.

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