Tag: economics

The Democrats’ War on Economics: Tax Explosions and Spending Sprees

The Democrats’ War on Economics: Tax Explosions and Spending Sprees

Show Summary: A radical shift is underway as democrats shove America away from reality-based economics towards an economy where normal monetary policy is abandoned, taxes are imposed on the “undesirables”, and public monies are used to reward themselves and their allies. Think it’s not possible? It’s already underway. Find out what’s coming.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Mondays
After the show airs on our network of radio stations, you can listen to our podcast either here on our site or your favorite podcast platform. We are now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and more. See the full podcast list.

Original Air Dates: Apr 10th & 11th, 2021 | Carl Wilson & Jonathan Williams

This Week: When we were kids it was exciting to be handed a quarter thinking about how and where to spend it. And we learned that a quarter was wonderful, but a dollar was even better. Except maybe those lessons of having and handling money are being lost in the age of debit cards, or electronic purchases.  Because the tangible feel of money and its worth is somehow getting lost. A coin or a dollar in the hand reminds a child of its temporary nature, and once spent it’s gone—versus money “out there” in the cloud somewhere, where there’s always more of it.

Basic economics are under attack.

Non-Reality-Based Economics

As politicians supposedly grapple with debt, it is somehow made mystical in the world of zeros and ones with digital accounts. Not surprising when computer modeling and predictions take over reality. But is there a point of reckoning that will be no longer be possible to bury or ignore?  Basic economic principles would say yes.

This week, we work to uncover those economic principles that so many Left-leaning politicians wish us not to examine.  (Especially in an AOC world where if the computer doesn’t say it, then it’s not so.) It is becoming painfully obvious that those in charge of America’s economics, and raising and spending the public’s money have no grounding in basic economics or business.

Central Assessment

We start off with Carl Wilson, former Oregon state representative, and owner of KAJO, out of Grants Pass, that airs I Spy.  We discuss the new threat to local radio stations as Oregon decided to shift them into a new taxing scheme called “central assessment.”

To date, Oregon is the only state imposing this new taxing methodology on local radio stations. Instead of local counties determining their taxes, now a state central system will determine what their assessed value is.  This potentially opens the door to a punitive system that large communications operations might be able to absorb, while hurting the mom’s and pop’s segments.  Something far left democrats seem to do all too often while making policy decisions.

And don’t miss who is getting special carve-outs. Is this a backdoor way to collapse conservatives’ dominance in talk radio?

Economics 101? Or No Room for Reality?

economics doesn't matter any more. Everything is infrastructureThen we talk to Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist for American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.  He brings us up to date on the spending that Biden’s administration is zeroed in on.  We discuss what is happening with the dollar and a possible move by China to do more harm to America’s economy.

We’re only a few months into the Biden administration. But there is already a worrisome economic forecast on the horizon possibly coming our way in the next few years. We are spending trillions upon trillions, with more than $6 trillion planned just in the first 4 months. Which doesn’t even cover the “normal” government spending of $4.5 trillion per year.

Where is this coming from?

It can only come from wishful, magic money. Where it never has to be paid back.

Economics + Monetary Policy = Coming Crash?

In economics, just like in life, you ignore reality at your peril. See the links section below for some concerning videos that are warning about a potential and massive crash. Which, they claim, is all but certain. One of the most concerning is from Harry Dent. Harry Dent warns that globally, financial assets (stocks, bonds, etc.) are massively over-valued: $520 trillion which is 6.2 times global GDP of ~84 trillion. He says it normally is only about 2 times.

With so many warnings from well-respected economists and analyses, maybe it’s time to protect yourself.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Links & Info

Carl Wilson (Segments 1–3)

  • Basic definition of central assessment: “The state assesses the property value of a business, rather than a local county assessing the value. The difference is the central assessment uses the company’s entire, statewide worth (even if they’re not a statewide company), including all property, equipment, brand value, and more. Even equipment decades old is lumped in—at original retail costs—rather than its current depreciated value.
  • Central assessment: A great writeup from Eric J. Kodesch: Oregon Supreme Court Finalizes DOR’s Complete Victory in Central Assessment Dispute (Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, Volume 29, Number 3, June 2019)
    • This is the kicker: “the Oregon Supreme Court agreed with the Department’s position that property is new property if it is “newly added to an account on the assessment rolls.” In other words, in addition to property purchased or constructed by the taxpayer, new property includes the decision by the Department to centrally assess property.
    • Further, the new property consisted of all of the property moved to the new account, and not just the property not previously subject to tax, such as the intangible property.”
      • In other words, its new if we say it’s new
    • This is rather alarming. It’s taxable if the govt decides it’s taxable and no pesky law designed to protect from the government can protect you
  • Oregon Supreme Court Provides Definition of “Data Transmission Services” for Central Assessment Purposes (Stoel Rives, LLP, Oct 2, 2014)
    • “As in most states, central assessment” (or “state assessment”) generally means that the value of taxable property is determined “centrally” by the state’s Department of Revenue rather than by the local county assessor.
    • In Oregon, however, a major additional consequence of central assessment is that intangible property of a centrally assessed business is subject to tax, while the intangible property of a locally assessed business is not.
    • Furthermore, central assessment is based on the value of the taxable “unit” of property, as allocated and apportioned to Oregon taxing jurisdictions by formula. For these reasons, central assessment can, at least in theory, use the entire worldwide brand value of a business, including goodwill, as its starting point, as well as all of its real and tangible personal property.”

The bill to exempt radio stations from this onerous tax scheme is HB2331

Jonathan Williams (Segments 4–6)

Additional Economics and Financial Links

  • Worrisome: Harry Dent: Stock Market 40% Crash in April, Nothing Can Save You (YouTube, Feb 8, 2021). “A 40% correction is coming for the stock market, this according to Harry Dent, New York Times best-selling author of Zero Hour. ‘The Fed is losing absolute control’.”
  • Monetary Policy in Action — Prices of Everything Is Going UP – Value of Everything Is Going DOWN (Peter Schiff on Tucker Carlson, Apr 5, 2021)
  • Retail Apocalypse: $100 Billion In Losses Trigger New Wave Of Bankruptcies & Mass Store Closures (Epic Economist, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • About that “hot” housing market. It may no be what it appears… Krystal Ball: The Next Housing CRISIS Is Here And The Villains Are Exactly Who You’d Expect (The Hill, Apr 6, 2021)
  • Peter Schiff: People Don’t Know What’s Coming (Mar 27th, 2021)
  • Peter Schiff: Fed is trapped. It will either Bankrupt the Government or the American People (Link)
  • Luxury Stores Default ($200M in Rent) Along Manhattan’s 5th Ave (John Williams, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • Foreclosures BANNED until 2022?! (John Williams, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • Bank Meltdown Is Here! Commercial & Household Debt Lead To Worst Bank Apocalypse In All U.S. History (Epic Economist, Apr 2, 2021)
Facing a Biden World | Vaccines, HCQ, and Economics out the Window

Facing a Biden World | Vaccines, HCQ, and Economics out the Window

Show Summary: What do you really know about the vaccines? Did you know mRNA vaccines, which trick your cells into replicating covid-19 proteins, have never been tried in humans before? Are we all just human guinea pigs now? New revelations on HCQ, including its secret usage. And what impact with the Biden virus have when it’s fully unleashed on the economy? Taxes, job-killing executive orders, and impacts on states.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | [KLBM Live stream not available this weekend]
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | [KBKR Live stream not available this weekend]
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Mondays
After the show airs on our network of radio stations, you can listen to our podcast either here on our site or your favorite podcast platform. We are now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and more. See the full podcast list.

Original Air Dates: Jan. 27 & 28, 2021 | Chuck Wiese & Jonathan Williams

This Week: With a President Biden in office for a little over a week, the Executive Orders have been signed in record amounts for any president. But Biden has a problem. There are many who are not only in disagreement with his new EO’s, but are willing to take him to court over them.

So this week we take a look at what Biden is doing to not unify America. Especially now that Americans have tasted the sweet fruits of a robust economy, energy independence, and peace agreements keeping us out of wars under a Trump presidency.

Biden’s desire to change us back to an Obama economy with critical restrictions on mining, fossil fuel production—effectively deciding who and which industries will be allowed to profit and who won’t—and his shut down orders may not go well for him as many rise up in opposition.

Medical Ethics: New Technology Vaccines & “Gain of Function” Research

To find out the specifics, first up we talk with a scientist, Chuck Wiese, to examine what is going on with covid and its vaccines. Concerns over the side effects, the experimental nature of them, and the safety of these vaccines is on the rise and we talk about the data that has exposed some deeply, big potential problems. We also talk about the ethics of using human guinea pigs to try out a first-of-its-kind vaccine technology, and the ethically troubling “gain of function” research that has led to creating diseases like covid-19, and China’s role on its release.

And don’t miss the stunning revelation of what was happening behind the scenes in the medical community with HCQ — hydroxychloroquine. Here’s an unsurprising hint: they were lying to you.

GameStop — Dawning of a New Economic Reality?

Then we bring on Jonathan Williams, of ALEC, who is watching the normal rules of economics seemingly disappear overnight. We look back at the last time Jonathan was on, one year ago, when President Trump had just introduced his budget, which wanted to cut spending and move toward a balanced budget by 2035. It would do it by forcing government to live within its means. Which would mean the Left could no longer siphon off money from taxpayers and give billions to their allies.

Don’t miss our review of the Green Funding Cycle!

Is that why the Left went all out to attack President Trump through every means possible? People do crazy things for just one million dollars. What would they be willing to do for trillions of dollars?

We talk about the crazy revolt happening now in the stock market as Reddit users go after the hedge funds, costing them $39 billion by one estimate. But is what we’re seeing with GameStop shares really such a good idea?

Executive Orders and the Biden Virus in the Economy

the unraveling of Trump’s economy through Biden’s attempts to stop oil in its tracks and bring back alternatives that put American on a bad path, weakening America while effectively giving countries like China a leg up. Why would anyone want to weaken America’s energy independence?

Be sure to visit ALEC’s terrific ranking of the states’ competitiveness and economic outlook site: www.RichStatesPoorStates.org. How is your state doing?

Biden seems to be stuck in an old script that now even his normal supporters such as unions are fighting mad at him for destroying good jobs on the Keystone Pipeline. People got used to good jobs and a good economy under Pres. Trump. Will they put up with this?

All is not well for a Biden world. Listen to find out why.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. The player should be right at the top of the page. See the full list of podcast options.

Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Chuck Wiese

  • 55 People Have Died in US After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccines (Epoch Times, Jan 17, 2021)
    • Reporting system is passive, meaning reports aren’t automatically added; “reports on VAERS represent ‘only a small fraction of actual adverse events,’ the site states” makes one wonder how many have not yet been filed
    • Laughable: “Health officials on the VAERS website caution that a report to the system doesn’t prove a vaccine caused the adverse event…” This from the same govt that counted anyone who died with a sniffle as having died from covid-19
    • CDC said on Jan 6 that “severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines were happening at a rate of 11.1 per million vaccinations, compared to the rate of 1.3 per 1 million flu shots” TEN times the rate for flu shots. But that can’t be correct. 11.1 per million, with 10.5 million getting the vax = 116 severe reactions total. There have been way more than that – including 55 that died. Almost half that 116 figure.
    • “Norway changed its COVID-19 vaccination guide to direct officials not to give “very frail” people one of the vaccines, citing 13 deaths among people who were vaccinated.”
  • Israeli behind ‘game-changing’ Covid nasal spray says it’s 99.9% effective (Jewish News / Times of Israel, Jan 13, 2021)
  • Medical Doctor: Bacterial Pneumonias Rising From Mask Wearing (Principia Scientific, Jan 25, 2021)

The mRNA Vaccines

  • DNA vs. RNA – 5 Key Differences and Comparison (Technology Networks, Dec 18, 2020)
    • DNA is the blueprint for the organism; RNA is is the builder, the contractor that tells parts of the cell what to do and when to do it
    • “Messenger RNA (mRNA) copies portions of genetic code, a process called transcription, and transports these copies to ribosomes, which are the cellular factories that facilitate the production of proteins from this code.”
  • mRNA Vaccines vs. Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine (Darkhorse Podcast Clips, Jan 9, 2021)
    • mRNA vaccines untested in humans, tested for only ~9 mos

Gain of Function Research

Gain-of-Function Research: Ethical Analysis (Scientific Engineering Ethics, Aug 8, 2016). Read online or download PDF of the paper.

Jonathan Williams

  • Why Joe Biden Can Stop Worrying and Start Spending Like Crazy (New Republic, Dec 1, 2020)
  • Joe Biden Signs 17 Executive Orders and Directives (Before its news, Jan 20, 2021)
  • Davos ‘Great Reset’ conference opened by China’s Xi (WND, Jan 25, 2021)
  • New Research Debunks Claim That a $15 Minimum Wage Would Not Reduce Employment (Foundation for Economic Education, Jan 25, 2021)
  • Western Energy Alliance challenges Biden order pausing new oil, gas leasing on public land (America’s Voice, Jan 27, 2021)
  • Kerry’s ‘better choices’ comment on climate job losses opens door for GOP to pounce (Just the News, Jan 26, 2021)
  • Biden Vows to Cancel Oil and Gas Leases, but ‘Not Going to Ban Fracking’ (The Daily Signal, Jan 27, 2021)
    • According to Biden’s statement: “The executive order also directs the secretary of interior to stop issuing new oil and gas leases on public lands and in offshore waters wherever possible,” Biden said, adding: “Let me be clear, and I know this always comes up, we are not going to ban fracking. We’ll protect jobs and grow jobs.”

GameStop Shares

  • Explanation of GameStop (NBC News, Jan 2021)
    • “But the bigger and longer-lasting impact may be on how the market itself operates. Never before has a group of amateur investors taken on a hedge fund like this and won. The battle over GameStop has taken on something of a David vs. Goliath feel, with some people outside of finance painting it as a reckoning for parts of Wall Street.”
  • I’m Sorry, What Is Going on With GameStop and AMC? (Vulture, Jan 27, 2021)
    • A hedge fund bet GameStop would drop, internet users bought up shares to make it rise, which meant the short seller hedge funds lost billions. $23 billion by one estimate.

Related Links

  • Impact of Biden’s tax plan on Real Estate: What we know (Elliott Davis, Dec 3, 2020) [A good explanation and overview of Joe Biden’s tax plans. Take a read to see why we call Joe’s economics, the “Biden Virus”]
  • California surprise re-open! …leaving Oregon in last two lockdown states (Oregon Catalyst, Jan 26, 2021)
  • Monopolies and competition: “EU president: ‘Unbridled power held’ by Big Tech CEOs must be ‘reined in’” (WND, Jan 21, 2021)
  • Wild Wednesday: Market Gets Slammed Amid Vaccine Worries, Cautious Fed (Ameritrade, Jan 26, 2021)

 

Corona Virus Lockdown: Good Friday, Good Questions, Bad Models

Corona Virus Lockdown: Good Friday, Good Questions, Bad Models

Show Summary: Oregon doubles down on its Corona virus lockdown. Based on bad models. How long will churches and businesses put up with it? Plus questions from listeners.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: April 11th & 12th, 2020 | Dr. Bud Pierce & Pastor Jeff Poush

This Week: Oregon’s Corona virus lockdown continues, in spite of models that have proven consistently to be consistently wrong. Which leaves us to wonder, why is the corona virus lockdown still in place?

One of the questions that has truly troubled us at I Spy is, if we’ve spent billions on healthcare in Oregon and 100s of billions nationally, where did all that money go? Especially in light of how unprepared medical providers were for a crisis.

Does anyone remember when Governor Kitzhaber ran on the fact that “we must be prepared” — and then tossed Oregon’s healthcare system on its ear in in his grand “health care transformation”? But from all reports coming out of Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and media services, prepared has turned into an oxymoron.

Corona Virus Lockdown: Questions for Bud Pierce

In our Part Two interview with Dr. Bud Pierce, an oncologist and hematologist specialist, we take on the numbers. Numbers that are being put out by Oregon’s own OHA, along with those from the federal governments, that depend on models so very reminiscent of climate change models. Overblown and/or unreliable but designed to evoke responses from the public.

You might be interested in: Check out last week’s show with Bud Pierce & Scott McEwen: Corona Virus Numbers Overreaction? Plus: Intelligence Failure in China?

Are Corona Virus “Deaths” Reliable?

One question we have is about the deaths. Deaths that, according to CDC guidelines, are being attributed to COVID-19 even without tests to verify they did, in fact, have the virus.

Theoretically, according to the guidelines, if you committed suicide, and might have had COVID-19, then Corona virus could be listed on the death certificate as the cause of death. Thus adding to the total of Coronavirus deaths. Is this just a little odd? We talk to Dr. Pierce what protocols are in place for how corona virus deaths are counted along with other troubling methods being used. And do we do this for other diseases?

Listener Questions

We also wanted to have him back on to ask a question we’d wanted to ask him last week: What will we do next year when virus and flu season starts up again? Plus. We ask him questions from listeners who wrote in this week, wanting to know such things as the reliability of the numbers being used? Can the virus be transferred to pets? Has the curve flattened here in Oregon? And does he ever see a time when we go back to handshakes and hugs?

Corona Virus Lockdown’s Impact on Churches

Which leads us into the second half of our show, and the impact of Gov. Kate’s decision on large groups — especially churches.

With it being Easter weekend we brought in Pastor Jeff Poush of Salem First Baptist. During the pandemic when so much of our focus is on our physical health and the health of on our economy, what can people do for their spiritual health? We ask Pastor Poush the efforts his church is undertaking to support the spiritual health of their members during a time of physical separation and social distancing.

What If the Corona Virus Lockdown Continues?

We also discuss how the pandemic and ban on large groups has affected his church. And what if this continues? Are there concerns for churches regarding First Amendment rights? And how not gathering as a congregation may impact future events for churches? And, with it being Easter weekend, we find out some of the inspirational and exciting things Pastor Poush and his colleagues’ have planned for Easter morning service.

Don’t miss this informative and uplifting show. For Easter, it’s a time of renewal — and perhaps that’s the message to take to heart.

Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—the podcast version will be right here after the show airs.

Links Mentioned

  • Check out Salem First Baptist’s website to learn more about their Easter plans
  • Tracking site suggests White House model is overestimating (Just the News, Apr 5, 2020)
  • NY Marks 75% Drop in Hospitalizations (Breitbart, Apr 6, 2020)
  • CDC Director: “Corona Virus Death Toll will be ‘much, much, much lower’ than projected” (Breitbart, Apr 7, 2020)
    • They basically admit the models were used to scare people into compliance – “Q: Are throwing those kind of numbers out actually helpful because what they do is scare the hell out of everyone to social distance? Is that the purpose? A: I think part of the importance of getting the American public’s attention that these models did, we really need the American public to be fully engaged now with great rigor and vigilance on the social distancing. [They] assume[d] only about 50 percent of the American public would pay attention to the recommendations. In fact, what we’re seeing is a large majority of the American public are taking the social distancing recommendations to heart”
  • Covid Tracking Website DELETES Information on Hospitalizations, ICU Patients After TGP Reports Numbers Fall Well Below Model Predictions (Gateway  Pundit, Apr 7, 2020)
  • [Video] Dem Lawmaker Who Credited Trump For Saving Her Life Says She Had to Beg For Hydroxychloroquine After Michigan Gov Barred the Drug (Gateway Pundit, Apr 7, 2020)
  • Innovation! “Military 3D-printing face shields, reusable N95 masks to address hospital shortages” (ABC News, Apr 7, 2020)
  • Father of Obamacare Zeke Emanuel: US Must Maintain Lockdown for 18 Months — No Concerts, Sporting Events, Church or Dinner at a Restaurant (via Gateway Pundit, Apr 7, 2020)
Oregon’s Economic Outlook: Math meets Imaginary

Oregon’s Economic Outlook: Math meets Imaginary

Download the podcast of this week's I Spy Radio Show
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Show Summary: Do you have an unlimited amount of money? Or time?  If not, then welcome to the world of economics—where math meets reality. Or, if you’re you’re talking about Oregon Democrats in charge of Oregon’s economic outlook, where math meets imaginary.

Original Air Dates: June 8 & 9, 2019 | Guest(s): Jonathan Williams

When it comes to economic outlook, there’s no better organization to turn to than ALEC — American Legislative Exchange Council, the nation’s premiere economic forecaster for the 50 states. And when it comes to Oregon’s economic outlook, they know what can make Oregon successful.

If only Oregon Democrats did.

Oregon’s Economic Outlook

Governor Kate Brown and Oregon's Economy: where math meets imaginary
Those two kids in the front look like they’re running the numbers on how much all this is gonna cost their generation…

We’ve said often that Oregon is the Petri dish for all things Left, except the Petri dish is no longer needed to prove what works or doesn’t work in economics.  States across the U.S. are demonstrating how increased taxes are not the way to economic recovery.  And even though the proof is in the pudding our Democrat legislators refuse to take heed.

Now ranked a very dismal 44th in ALEC’s survey of economic outlook among the states, Oregon may soon find their economic coffers emptying as businesses leave to move to much more friendly taxed states.  It’s already happening. Stimson Lumber announced this last week that they were packing up, closing their operations in Forest Grove, and heading out of state.

Oddly, with all its spending, Oregon may soon be one of the biggest cheerleaders of the Trump economy. Because what do you think will happen if suddenly the economy retreats when Oregon just decided to raise billions in new taxes?

Jonathan Williams from ALEC

To bring clarity to the problems of high taxed states we bring on Jonathan Williams, co-author of Rich States Poor States to give us the good and bad news of how states are dealing with Trump’s booming economy.  He discusses Oregon’s problems and why it was ranked so low—and that was before the new multi-billion-dollar business tax was passed.

We also get to look at what states like Idaho, Texas, Tennessee and others are doing not only enjoying Trump’s tax cuts but jumping on and cutting their own state taxes that highly benefits their citizens. (Like and support your people? What a concept!)

Listen to find out how Oregon is starting down the path of socialism by the D’s desire for centralized planning.  Hear what one Democrat Senator had to say while standing on the senate floor about businesses that could no longer afford to stay in Oregon. And listen to hear how Democrats are using the tax codes to only allow the “right” kind of business to operate in Oregon. Is this a new trend in national politics?

If nothing else, Oregon Democrats are proving the importance of borders. If the D’s get too destructive you can vote with your feet.

Podcast Version

Never Miss an I Spy Radio Show!

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.

Five different times, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Links Mentioned

When it comes to Leftist Policies, Science and Reality don’t Matter

When it comes to Leftist Policies, Science and Reality don’t Matter

Show Summary: Oregon is the Petri Dish of Leftist policies. Find out how and why that when it comes to economics and environment, leftist policies leave reality behind.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Apr 27 & 28, 2019 | Ethan Blevins

This Week: It’s spring with farmers preparing fields, rains soaking our rich soils, and forests turning green.  Our skies are clear from heavy smoke and the air is fresh.  But August is coming when things are far more dry, brown, and dusty.

Oregon’s Forests: A Victim of Leftist Policies

Leftist policies - A product of the socialist brain of a liberalBelieve it or not, August in Oregon used to be free of major forest fires for decades but why isn’t it now?  Why have massive fires become a way of life for the summer landscape in Oregon, California, and the rest of the West?

We’ll talk about this with Dr. Bob Zybach, someone who studied Oregon’s history of forest fires for his dissertation and is an avid proponent for bringing back practical and realistic forest management policies to Oregon. A state that should be leading the way on setting proper forest management polices. Except we’re too concerned that environmentalists will froth at the mouth over policies that actually acknowledge mankind is part of the environment. But we digress.

Dr. Zybach is also a frequent guest on I Spy Radio. Dr. Bob is back on to take us through what should be happening with our forests during spring time as summer is fast approaching. We know that farmers and ranchers are busy during this time of year preparing for the growing season, so should foresters.

Are We Preparing Scientists or Activists?

We hear so much about preparing today’s youth for the challenges of tomorrow. So what exactly is the curriculum currently being taught in today’s forestry classes? And how well prepared are young foresters when they graduate?

Don’t miss the updates on the Elliott State Forest that is supposed to be making the state millions. Yes. The Elliott State Forest is supposed to generate money. Not cost money. Can it?  Yes.  Is it?  You’ll hear about that and what the future may bring for this vital state resource and how it could pave the way for other states. If they just listen.

Pacific Legal: Fighting Leftist Policies

But first up: Ethan Blevins. Mr. Blevins is an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. This is a group that we’ve been following for a long time. No, we’re not stalkers. But this our first time to have them on I Spy Radio.  Pacific Legal Foundation has been growing leaps and bounds and are now all across America, working to hold the government accountable. Just our kind of group.

Oregon’s New Rent Control: Ignoring Science AND Economics

Mr. Blevins litigates cases involving the First Amendment, property rights, school choice, and the separation of powers.  So we talk to him about the new rent control Oregon’s legislature just passed and why its policies will end up raising costs of living—the exact opposite of what they propose to do.

Why? Because the policy completely ignores one of the most basic elements of economics. Not one of those fancy a computer models that predict global cooling—wait, no, warming, er, no, change!—but from long-tested and proven economic science.  But what do we know?

And don’t miss our conversation with Mr. Blevin about Oregon’s supermajority and the potential abuse of powers that come with it. Yes, the Democrats have a 3/5ths supermajority in the House and Senate and yes they hold the governorship. But there’s still hope. And from a surprising source. And it’s why Republicans can’t and shouldn’t give up.

Podcast Version

Links & Further Info

Ethan Blevins (Segments 1–3)

  • Unelected bureaucrats must follow the law, too (Pacific Legal Foundation, Dec 19, 2018)
  • Supreme Court vacates 9th Circuit ruling against EPA victim, Joe Robertson (Free Range Report, April 23, 2019) This is a Pacific Legal Foundation case
  • The Hill: Environmental regulations have become impossible to follow (The Hill, March 18, 2019) found on PLF’s newsroom webpage
  • Ethan Blevins article: Beware the false promise of rent control (Fox News, March 30, 2019)
  • OVERVIEW: How Rent Control Works in New York City (via Oh My Apartment)
    • “People in New York City who have the advantage of renting a rent stabilized apartment, have a very hard time parting with them. Monthly rent under $2000 in New York City is very, very cheap – even for a studio or small one bedroom.” = lack of mobility; prevents people from moving to a better job or moving closer to their current job, thereby increasing commuting distance, time, and expense.
  • Some basic history of Rent Control (via Wikipedia): “In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Emergency Price Control Act into law. The goal of the act was to prevent inflation in the booming, fully employed wartime economy by setting price controls nationwide. ”
    • (Don’t forget: long-time listeners of I Spy Radio know that this is about the time the IRS screwed up the health care system forever. Due to World War II and wage controls in effect, the IRS decided to allow employers to offer health care as a means around wage restriction policies in order to entice workers.

Bob Zybach (Segments 4–6)

Oregon Democrats: It’s Not Your Money

Oregon Democrats: It’s Not Your Money

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Show Summary: Oregon Democrats appear to have taken the position that no matter how much or how little you make, it really all belongs to the state. A look at the taxes they have in store for 2019.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, on Six Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Jan. 19 & 20, 2019 | Jonathan Williams

Oregon Democrats appear to think that if you earn money, it’s really not your money. It belongs to the state. You can tell because Oregon Democrats—who have super-majorities in Oregon’s house and senate plus the governorship—have billions in new taxes they want to unleash. Billions to extract from the 3.3 million Oregonians.

The Short List of Oregon Democrats New Taxes

Doubling the gas tax. Tripling taxes on beer and cigarettes. Fees (i.e. taxes) on restaurants. Vending machines. First in the nation carbon tax — plus a California-style cap-and-trade. (Hello $5 per gallon gasoline.) Fees (taxes) on bed and breakfasts. Spa visits. Fees (taxes) on tourism. Fees on small business. Middle business. Big business. Mining permit fee increases. Fees on timber lands. Fees on public utilities. Fees on home heating oil. Fees on

And if that isn’t enough, Oregon Democrats even want to remove property tax exemptions for non-profits and churches.

Yes, even God doesn’t pay enough in taxes.

At this rate, pretty soon, the State and Oregon Democrats will want to tax money you didn’t earn.

Oregon Democrats 2019 Tax Plans

We talk this week to Jonathan Williams, the Vice President for the Center for State Fiscal Reform at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC.org) to get some insight into what all these taxes the Oregon Democrats have planned will do to the state’s economy.

Some of what we talk about includes Oregon’s cap-and-trade scheme, the fees, and the endless taxes.

Don’t worry. There’s hope. But you’ll have to listen.

Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—the podcast version will be right here after the show airs.

Links Mentioned

Stock Market Roller Coaster: Covert Financial Warfare?

Stock Market Roller Coaster: Covert Financial Warfare?

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Show Summary: The wild stock market ride continues. Is The Fed playing politics? Or is this covert financial warfare happening all over again? Plus new A.I. innovations may make things worse with the rise of 5G. Is Terminator Day coming? Plus, the war for the technology the future will be built on.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, Six Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Jan. 12 & 13, 2019 | Kevin Freeman

This Week: If there’s one thing in life that’s consistent, it’s that government is consistently wrong.

In the late 1700s, you had Thomas Malthus predicting overpopulation, which would exceed the means of agricultural production and lead to starvation. They were wrong. Because Malthus—a preacher and mathematician and not a farmer—didn’t take into account advances in farming technology. Or advances in science and improved understanding of plant biology. And yet Malthus’s opinion has dominated Western government thinking for two centuries.

And yet the Left wholeheartedly believes it. The Left believes in depopulation, and to solve it some 6 billion humans just need to go away.

And there’s the Industrial Revolution. Once again, government “experts” believed people were going to be put out of work as machines did what people used to do. More people went to work than ever before. And at higher wages than ever before. Which meant they had more money to spend, which meant more businesses could open. And on and on and on.

These are just two examples of why government is so often wrong about so many things. It’s why they’re slow to react to advances in technology because—like Malthus who was no farmer—government bureaucrats are making decisions and recommendations about things they don’t fully understand. It’s why the market, which makes millions of buying and selling decisions every day is more efficient than any government bureaucrat could ever be.

This is precisely why socialism always fails. Markets are always better than bureaucrats.

Government and the Market

But that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be some sort of control. Because a market running amok can cause damage within any market, there are potentially some bad actors who will, can, and do exploit things to their own advantage.

But what about The Fed? They’ve been raising interest rates since Trump got elected. Is this politics? Are they trying to sabotage Trump? You’ll have to tune in to hear what’s really going on.

Artificial Intelligence: New Tool in Covert Financial Warfare?

Take, for example, a relatively new phenomenon, computerized, algorithm-controlled stock trades. Basically, computer programs that watch the market to buy or sell based on a set of criteria. But here’s the thing. They can make millions of trades in seconds, before you can even refresh the Dow Jones web page.

And they don’t care whether the market goes up or down. Because if their predictive program guesses correctly, they can make money whether the market goes up or down.

Think George Soros—who made billions by betting against the Bank of England and that the British Pound would go down. Now think George Soros with a super computer. See the potential problem?

While these “trader bots” have a lot of potential, they also represent the potential for tremendous problems. And the potential for problems are only going to get worse due to the rise of new technologies that will make things even faster and more connected than ever before.

5G Dangers? Not Quite what you think…

The potential for good or ill includes 5G technology that will have your head spinning. Your cell phone used to have 3G technology, which essentially used to have dialup speeds. But then they went to 4G, which meant your cell phone could handle video downloads. 5G? It’s 100 times faster than 4G.

And it will be everywhere. Toasters connected to cell phones? Yes. It’s being called the Internet of Things.

China’s War for 5G

So why is China so interested in this new technology? Why are they pushing to dominate the world with their version of 5G? And what dan

Because who controls that new technology will control the new future that is coming. And right now there is a war between China and the U.S. for the future.

Tune in to hear the dangers, and potential, for what is happening in the market and where this is headed.

Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—the podcast version will be right here after the show airs.

Links Mentioned

Kevin’s website is www.EconomicWarRoom.com

Economic War Room, now airs on BlazeTV. To learn more about the Economic War Room Show, visit www.EconomicWarRoom.com. You can get a FREE one-month trial and $20 off an annual subscription now through year end. Go to the website for more details.

Will The Federal Reserve Provide Us With The Next Abuse Of Power Scandal? (Forbes, Jul 19, 2013)

Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2017 (govtrack, 2017)

Financial Warfare and the Float of China’s Yuan. Weaponization of the Forex Market (Global Research, Nov 1, 2018)

Stock market 2018: Expect Dow volatility as trade war, Trump talk spark fear (USA, April 8, 2018)

  • Links go here

Related Links

  • Related links go here
We Warned You this was Coming

We Warned You this was Coming

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Show Summary: We warned you Oregon was going to try to pass a carbon tax. Find out why this is a horrible idea.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, Six Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Dec. 1 & 2, 2018 | Dr. Tim Ball

This Week:  Like you, we always find it interesting when a politician waits until after winning their election to roll out their plans if they get elected.  Such as their budget plans. Well, we warned you this was coming.

I Spy was concerned that if Knute won the governor’s seat, he wanted a carbon tax—and likely would get one. Why? Because Republicans in the legislature would feel obligated to pass it.  And we also knew that even though Kate Brown hadn’t let voters see her big plans to “save” Oregon from financial disaster, we warned you that if Kate won, we’d see a carbon tax, as well as a cap & trade scheme from her too.  She didn’t disappoint.

Stay with us. There is some good news in all this. But first the bad news.

Kate Brown’s Carbon Tax

With the election over, Kate Brown can finally be honest about how much she wants to spend. And about her plans for a carbon tax.

And, sure enough, just this week, The Oregonian ran an article about Kate’s sweeping budget proposal that names all kinds of new spending—about a 10% increase in state spending that will have to be raised through new taxes.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on global warming and science and carbon tax
If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believes in Global Warming, it must be true. Just like unicorns.

The shortlist of Oregon’s new spending: $2.2 billion increases for schools, a $375 million PERS bailout for schools, climate change, $50 million on homeless, and oh yes, a special fund to fight President Trump in court. She’ll have to find new creative ways to squeeze even more out of Oregon taxpayers and businesses.

That $2.2 billion doesn’t include other taxes already going up. Remember that Highway Tax Oregon passed in 2017? It’s set to double in 2019. A whopping $434 million. All told, it’s over $3 billion in new taxes. Oh, and that sales tax on healthcare plans that “wasn’t” a sales tax? That’s going up too.

And all that spending doesn’t even include dollar figures for the carbon tax she wants.

The Good News on Oregon’s Carbon Tax Plans

While the rest of the country has the enjoyment of less tax and less government in their lives, Oregon’s Kate Brown plans to heap more taxes and more government on Oregonians.  Has she mentioned any cuts?  No.

So what’s the good news in all of this? It’s all in the D’s lap.  They not only own it but will reap the consequences.  Blue states have been turned red for a lot less. Even deep green Washington rejected a carbon tax.

And that’s the other good news about the prospects of Oregon’s carbon tax. She’s likely not going to pull Republicans over to support a carbon tax. So all it will take is one or two Democrats who think a carbon tax (on top of everything else) is a step too far.

That’s why this week’s show is about giving you the information to help defeat a potential carbon tax.

To get a better handle on what a carbon tax is, how it works, and the propaganda to support it, we call in our climatologist expert, Dr. Tim Ball.

Do you find value in what we’re doing? Consider a gift to help keep us on the air. [wpedon id=”2365″ align=”center”]

Carbon Tax: What the Rest of the World Thinks

Living in Canada, Dr. Tim Ball has witnessed how Canada’s leadership is attempting the same thing—only not everybody is on board. Yes, that’s right. Even Canada is rejecting carbon taxes. Several provinces, including Canada’s most populous, Ontario, are rejecting Trudeau’s carbon tax.

How bad is it? The previous Ontario government was kicked out of office, and by huge margins, when the opponent ran on a promise of getting out of the carbon tax scheme.

Are you listening Oregon Democrats?

And look what happened last week in Paris.  There were literal riots in the street when people found out just how much gasoline taxes were skyrocketing thanks to Macron’s carbon tax. Somehow, you didn’t see reports of police using tear gas on their own citizens who were protesting Macron’s carbon tax. CNN must have been too busy reporting on tear gas being used on our border against invading illegal immigrants carrying flags from other countries.

It’s safe to say that worldwide, support for carbon tax is slipping.

A Carbon Tax Revolt in Oregon?

Could this happen in Oregon? Could we see the voters finally grasp what the Democrats’ plans are? And actually start to fight back? And, dare we hope, rise up against those Democrats force them back away from the brink—when the rest of the nation, and the world, are finally seeing the light.

Find out what you need to know on this week’s I Spy Radio. And then get your phones warmed up as the new legislative sessions starts this winter.

Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—the podcast version will be right here after the show airs.

Links Mentioned

  • It’s coming: Oregon Governor wants a carbon tax. And cap and trade. “Kate Brown pitches $23.6 billion budget plan” (The Oregonian, Nov. 29, 2018)
  • Carbon tax definition (via Investopedia): “A carbon dioxide tax is paid by businesses and industries that produce carbon dioxide through their operations. The tax is designed to reduce the output of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, a colorless and odorless incombustible gas, into the atmosphere. The tax is imposed with the goal of environmental protection.”
  • Carbon taxes for dummies: ‘A carbon tax makes all of us pay’(The Province, Sept. 26, 2018)
  • Another simplified explanation of carbon tax (via Howstuffworks.com)
  • A carbon tax could be a time bomb for the left (Washington Post, Aug 3, 2018)
  • Keep carbon taxes in the ground: ‘Permanently bury these job-killing proposals, after pounding wooden stakes through their hearts’ (CFact, Sept 16, 2018)
  • Paris protest: ‘People are in the red. They can’t afford to eat’(The Guardian, Nov 24, 2018)
  • Don’t Tell Anyone, But We Just Had Two Years Of Record-Breaking Global Cooling (Investors Business Daily, May 16, 2018)
  • Climate Alarmists Suffer Huge Blow On Carbon Tax In Deep Blue Washington State (Climate Depot, Nov 8, 2018)
  • Scientists rip new federal climate report as ‘tripe’ – ’embarrassing’ – ‘systematically flawed’ – Key claim based on study funded by Steyer & Bloomberg (Climate Depot, Nov. 2018)
    • Pretty much all you need to know. “The claim of economic damage from climate change is based on a 15 degree F temp increase that is double the “most extreme value reported elsewhere in the report.” The “sole editor” of this claim in the report was an alumni of the Center for American Progress, which is also funded by Tom Styer”
  • Press Release: Heartland Institute Experts React to Latest Alarmist Government Climate Report (Heartland.org, Nov. 24, 2018)
  • Buck Sexton: “More convinced than ever that it is impossible to get progressives to stop freaking out about climate change- No matter what happens, no matter what evidence is presented- it would just be too psychologically painful for them to accept having been so duped for so long” (Buck Sexton on Twitter, Nov 26, 2018)
  • Paris burns as France faces protests over Carbon Tax on fuel (“French Police fire tear gas at fuel price protesters” Reuters, 24 Nov., 2018)
  • CA Gov. Brown blames climate ‘deniers’ for worsening wildfires – Scientific evidence refutes him: ‘Less fire today than centuries ago’ – Wildfires are NOT due to ‘climate change’(Climate Depot, Nov. 12, 2018)
  • Washington voters overwhelmingly reject proposed carbon tax (“Climate Change Alarmists Suffer Huge Blow In Deep Blue Washington State” Investors Business Daily, Nov 7, 2018)
  • Cal Thomas: “‘A Political Report Masquerading as Science’: The Truth About the New Climate Report” (Daily Signal, Nov. 29, 2018)
  • Coming up in a future show, we’ll be talking about cap and trade schemes defined. Here’s a brief definition of cap and trade, otherwise known as “carbon trading”
Leadership and Prosperity | Plus Oregon’s War on Business

Leadership and Prosperity | Plus Oregon’s War on Business

Show Summary: Oregon’s Democrat Governor Kate Brown is unleashing hell on small businesses. Find out what small businesses are up against and how candidate Greg Wooldridge says he’ll stop it. Plus: can it be? How one of those “it will start a trade war with China” tariffs  actually paid off big for Oregon and Oregon workers. If they can survive Kate Brown.

Download the podcast of this week's I Spy Radio Show
To download the show, right-click the mic, and then “Save Link As…” or use our handy player

Never miss a show! All stations stream live!
11:00AM Saturday: KBKR (Baker City) | KLBM (La Grande) | Live Feed
8:00AM Sunday: KWVR (Enterprise) | KWVR’s Tune In Live Feed
7:00PM Sunday: KAJO (Grants Pass) | KAJO’s Live Feed

Original Air Dates: Apr. 28 & 29, 2018 | Capt. Greg Wooldridge & Jeff Ferry

This Week:  It’s politics and trade deals—and how good leadership can lead to good deals and prosperity.

Pundits on the Left and Right spewed economic doom and disaster after Trump announced tariffs on China.  Once again, Trump proves the critics wrong as China largely gave in and there was no trade war. But there’s more to the story than just tariffs.

In fact, the tariffs are the least scary aspect of trade with China.

Candidate Greg Wooldridge for Oregon Governor

Greg Wooldridge, Republican candidate for Oregon Governor
Greg Wooldridge, Republican candidate for Oregon Governor

Before we get to those scarier aspects of the trade war, there’s a war being waged in Oregon. Against Oregon businesses and especially small business owners.

We start our show with Captain Greg Wooldridge, a Republican running for Oregon governor. We ask him many of the same questions we asked last week of his primary opponent, businessman Sam Carpenter.  Our goal is to bring you as much information about these two conservatives that we possibly can so that when you fill out your ballot you feel confident of your decision about whom you think can win in November.

We talk with Greg about Oregon’s economics thanks to the Democrats:

  • Kate Brown’s decision to punish small businesses in Oregon by eliminating the Trump tax break (kept by all the other states);
  • The possible Internet Sales Tax that was just heard before the Supreme Court (and how Oregon’s Democrat Attorney General quietly signed the Amicus Brief in favor of it), which will force businesses in Oregon, which has no sales tax, to collect sales taxes — for other states
  • And the suicide-vest of State funding, PERS — which all of us are about to spend a lot more on just to bail out years of Democrat overspending on it

And it’s Governor Kate Brown who’s led us to this financial cliff.

Mentioned on the show: See Knute Buehler’s flyer sent not to Republicans but to Independents

Tariffs are the Least Scary Part of a China Trade War

As the saying goes, love him or hate him, President Trump is delivering.  And it has to drive his detractors crazy to see him succeed time and again. And it’s both sides of the aisle.

When Trump proposed huge tariffs on China, many on the Right screamed foul. Tariffs are always bad, or so goes the meme. Except the supposed trade war that was supposedly about to be unleashed… never happened. In fact, it’s about to benefit a company right here in Oregon. All thanks to one of those evil, “trade-war” tariffs.

How One of those “Trade War” Tariffs is a Win for Oregon

Recently, a solar company in California — which had been making panels in Asia and which was adamantly against Trump’s tariffs — suddenly realized the tariffs meant it was cheaper to make them in the good ol’ U.S.A. They just announced the purchase of a solar manufacturing company right here in Hillsboro, Oregon.

So, yes elections matter.  Whether you personally love him or hate any politician, you need to determine your vote on what you think they’ll deliver for the state or country.

Podcast Version

Links & More Info

Greg Wooldridge (Segments 1–3)

Knute Buehler Independent Party flyer
Knute Buehler flyer sent to members of the Independent Party. Why not Republicans.

More info on Greg Wooldridge for Governor:

Greg Wooldridge’s campaign website: WooldridgeforOregon.com
Greg’s Facebook page.
Follow Greg Wooldridge on Twitter: @greg_wooldridge.

Knute Buehler’s flyer sent to members of the Independent Party. “Compassionate, pro-choice, pro-marriage equality medical doctor.” Why not send this to Republicans?

Jeff Ferry Segments (4–6)

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What’s Missing in Oregon? Good Leaders and Good Leadership

What’s Missing in Oregon? Good Leaders and Good Leadership

Show Summary: Good leaders don’t lead people off cliffs. As we learned last week, Oregon’s current leaders are leading Oregon off a financial cliff. And small businesses are about to get crushed. This week, we talk about good leadership: Trump’s successes and a Republican candidate for Oregon governor who hopes to make Oregon great again.

Download the podcast of this week's I Spy Radio Show
To download the show, right-click the mic, and then “Save Link As…” or use our handy player below

Never miss a show! All stations stream live!
11:00AM Saturday: KBKR (Baker City) | KLBM (La Grande) | Live Feed
8:00AM Sunday: KWVR (Enterprise) | KWVR’s Tune In Live Feed
7:00PM Sunday: KAJO (Grants Pass) | KAJO’s Live Feed

Original Air Dates: April 21 & 22, 2018 | Sam Carpenter & Ron Kessler

I Spy Radio Welcomes Wallowa County!

Before we get to this week’s show, a special shout-out to listeners in Wallowa County! We’re pleased to now be airing on KWVR in Enterprise OR, our newest addition to the I Spy Radio network.  We’ll be airing on KWVR from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Sundays.

For those of you who aren’t in Wallowa County, but who listen to our show via the internet, note that KWVR streams live, which gives you another option of when to listen.

This Week:  we will be following up on last week’s conversation about Oregon’s economic woes with Jonathan Williams of ALEC. Our conversation with Jonathan was a real eye opener on how Oregon’s current leadership is about to punish small businesses. We move from last week’s diagnostics to some actual remedies this week with guest, business owner and consultant, Sam Carpenter.

Sam Carpenter for Oregon's governor
I Spy Radio interviews Sam Carpenter who is running for Oregon’s governor

Sam is one of the Republican candidates for Oregon governor. A successful businessman himself, he is also a consultant and turnaround specialist. He has helped over 200 companies find their own path to prosperity.  Sam is hired to identify the problems and then design the way for the company to correct them and get back to prosperity.  And that’s just what he wants to do for Oregon—fix the economic problems.

And with Kate Brown’s “leadership,” we have a ton of problems.

Oregon governor Kate Brown and the Salem Democrats made Oregon a sanctuary state. Have you signed the petition yet? Your signature can help get it on the ballot so voters can decide. Head to StopOregonSanctuaries.org. Just print, sign, mail. Do it today!

Oregon Democrat’s Punish Small Business Tax becomes law

We talk to Sam about three major problems that he would face from Day One of taking the reins in Oregon and start to immediately change our direction.  Sam talks to us about what we’ve termed The Punish Small Business Tax (SB 1528) that Kate already signed into law and how devastating it will be for small business.

And we talk about PERS. Especially the lack of good information to even know how much in debt we truly are, with some saying $25 billion, others say $50 billion, and still other reliable estimates that put it up to $100 and even as high as $200 billion.  Who’s right?

Crush Small Businesses Part II: The Internet Sales Tax

We also talk with Sam about the little known Internet Sales Tax that the Supreme Court heard this week. Governor Kate Brown’s Attorney General signed an Amicus Brief in support of yet another punishing blow to Oregon’s small businesses.  If it stands, it will mean that business owners in Oregon, which has no sales tax of its own (yet), will be forced to collect tax for over 12,000 taxing jurisdictions—in other states.

Why exactly did Oregon’s Attorney General sign onto this idea…?

Ron Kessler on the Trump White House

The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the Game by Ron KesslerNext, we turn to NY Times bestselling author, Ronald Kessler, with his new book The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the GameRon has authored over 20 books investigating life in Washington D. C., from Presidents to the CIA and the FBI  Ron has also been a friend of President Trump for years and gives us insights into the personality, mindset, and life of our President.  Including the surprising role of Melania.

Tune in to hear how Trump looks at people, and how he determines whom to hire and why.  We also talk to him about the FBI and the Deep State, Jeff Sessions’ and Rod Rosenstein’s job security, and how President Trump finds the energy to keep fighting the good fight.

Podcast Version

Links & Additional Information

Sam Carpenter (Segments 1–3)

Ron Kessler (Segments 4–6)