The Bob Davis Podcasts

Podcast 547-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-43

Podcast 547-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-43. Back after a Labor Day Week Hiatus with Podcast 547-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-43, which puts the election of 2016 in context. The party system in the United States has changed several times since the ratification of the US Constitution and the establishment of the Republic. From the first election in 1796 to today. Left and Right in this country have changed poles, and political parties have come and gone. From the Federalists and Anti Federalists, to the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, to the Democrats under Jackson and the Whigs, to the Republicans and Democrats parties, and the issues they advocate for have shifted. Are we undergoing another one of those seminal shifts in American Politics, or is the election of 2016 going to result in a presidency without much long term impact? Polling suggests Americans have strong negative feelings about both mainline party candidates. It’s a ‘hold your nose and vote’ election, where voters try to make a choice that is ‘least bad’ for them. Meanwhile local, statewide and congressional candidates are left to fend for themselves. Moreover the things both parties advocate don’t seem to make much sense in terms of addressing the salient issues on the minds of voters, as well as the challenges of the future. Technology, the developing countries of the world, immigration and the borders, the economy, the changing demographic picture of the country and more. From a population of about 3 million in 1800 to a population of over 320 million today, the country’s demographics, occupations and output have changed frequently. What do we need from government given new tools and ideas? Do we need a government? As the country changes quickly, politics in 2016 hasn’t kept up. Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.

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Podcast 517-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-32

Podcast 517-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-32. With huge reaction in the financial markets, the media and in political circles raging over the British vote to exit the EU this week, it seems as though 2016 just kicked off in earnest. In fact, for me this week flew by. One of the week’s features was the visit of my son. Andrew Davis joined me on a radio show I did last week for the Northern Alliance, and then we came back to the ‘broadcast bunker’ to have some steak, father and son time, and record a podcast. Honestly, I would probably not have talked that much about the potential for the Brits to leave the EU and the impact on foreign trade, the markets and politics. Andrew Davis is an International Relations guy, with some experience in government (working on Capitol Hill for a couple of years). Our conversations about trade and the potential for a British Exit turned out to be prescient, given the surprise of a close vote in Britain on the EU question. My problem with the whole issue isn’t the vote so much as the coverage of this story by the media, and the coverage of trade issues in the United States. While trade as a whole is a complex issue that can’t be explained away with a soundbite or snarky comment, it is also a core issue in the 2016 election cycle. It is amusing and instructive that during the run up to the vote in Britain, republican candidate for the nomination Donald Trump said, as a private citizen that he could understand why the British would want to leave the EU, while President Obama condescended to lecture British on why they should stay and Hillary Clinton supported Obama. For its part the media characterized, and demonized a no vote as ‘xenophobic’, ‘populist’ and ‘nationalist’. My question is, what if the people have no words anymore to describe the frustration of living under a regime of regulation, taxation, laws that nudge (governenment-ese for encourage) certain behaviors and get in our business in so many other irritating ways? We’ve lived under a construct that government is the solution for so many years we don’t even have the words to oppose it anymore, but we do still have a vote…for the time being. Sponsored by X Government Cars and Hydrus.

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