15-06 Paying for Institutionalized Incompetence – In More Ways than One
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Show 15-06 Summary: This week we look at institutionalized incompetence with two examples. One, is more than 16 years of incompetence at Oregon’s Employment Department, which has been bungling its unemployment system. And seems unable—or unwilling—to fix it. Why? Because we’ve learned to tolerate incompetence. And since no one is fired, nothing is done. Then we look at institutionalized incompetence on the federal level. DEI. Which not only infects the federal government but like a virus has infected state and local governments, schools, and private companies. But wait, it’s worse than you thought.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Air Dates: February 8th & 9th, 2025 | Guests: Lisa Lettenmaier and Donna Jackson
This Week – Institutionalized Incompetence
The hard fact is, when it comes to institutionalized incompetence, we’ve learned to tolerate it. We’ve become used to stupid. Conditioned to accept inadequate. And, worse, to accept corruption as “that’s just the way it is.” See the brewing USAID scandal. (Something we talked about way back in 2017).
But USAID is only the very tip of the iceberg. We are fraudulently spending billions, even trillions, on things like Climate Change. And “green” energy. The issue is not the spending. The issue is the institutionalized incompetence that authorized the spending in the first place. That is what needs to change. And, thankfully, President Trump is starting to do that.
We’ll come back around to the incompetence behind USAID when more is known about it. But here’s something to think about. The real incompetence here is the Republicans in Congress. USAID fraud and funding leftwing ideology and pet projects of politicians has been happening for decades. Did the Republicans not know about it? And why did they keep voting for it? Either way, that is sheer incompetence. Again. Thank God for President Trump.
Institutionalized Incompetence – Two Examples
First up, we talk with long-time guest, Lisa Lettenmaier. Usually, we talk with Lisa about some new stupidity in the health care system. (Now there’s a whole ‘nother stream of institutionalized incompetence.) But this week, we talk to her about her letter to Oregon’s Employment Department, the media, and state and federal legislators about the infuriating problems two of her friends experienced trying to get unemployment. Weeks of runaround, endless hours on hold, no answers, and no help.
Don’t forget, this is an insurance they paid into. That we all pay into. But when you need it most? And this is the “fixed’ system that took the people in charge of updating the computers and software. But it is still broken. As we said, society has become used to stupid.
But, the good news is, some institutionalized incompetence is being fixed. On his first day in office, as promised, President Trump signed executive orders ending DEI. That’s divRemove featured imageersity, equity, and inclusion. Or institutionalized racism. We talk with Donna Jackson about how incredibly important ending DEI is to the Black community. You know. One of the communities it is supposed to help. Tune in to hear how it not only is not helping, it is sabotaging the Black community and Black school children.
Gosh. It’s almost like democrats want a permanent minority underclass. Otherwise known as slaves. Democrats haven’t changed since they lost the Civil War.
Oh. And don’t miss Donna weigh in on the USAID scandal. You’ll love hearing what an accountant has to say about it.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Lisa Lettenmaier’s website is HealthSourceNW.com
- Oregon moves forward with long-awaited Employment Department software upgrade (`)
- Computer Upgrade Triggers Problems for Oregon Unemployment (Government Technology, March 14, 2024)
- Donna’s organization is CFACT.org
- Project 21 members on the end of DEI: Rolling Back DEI Rewards Black Americans Instead of Crippling Them (Project 21 Commentary, Jan 27, 2025)
- Donna Jackson: ”President Trump’s executive order ending federal DEI initiatives is the right move for Black America. … DEI programs were never designed to benefit black Americans. In fact, within the DEI industry, 76% of DEI professionals are white while less than 4% are black. Equity wasn’t even practiced within the DEI profession.”
- Heritage Foundation Experts Analyze Trump’s Executive Orders (The Daily Signal, January 22, 2025)
- Check out Donna’s recent article on Daily Caller – “Trump Cabinet Nominee Plans On Taking Sledgehammer To Homeownership Prices” (Daily Caller, Jan 26, 2025).
- Video on X: Prior to the 2024 election Donna Jackson discusses the straw that broke the camel’s back: illegal immigration (X.com, via Dustie Dahl, October 14, 2024)
- “Something has changed and I am receiving MORE phone calls from ‘Elite Black Liberals’ than I am from Conservatives. Illegal Immigrants are getting ahead of BOTH black & white Americans economically at the hands of the Democrat Party.”
- EYE ON THE TARGET: Major Corporation Turns on Woke and the LGBTQ Mafia (The Daily Signal, January 24, 2025)
- Thomas Sowell Warning about DEI (Thomas Sowell TV, Feb 3, 2025)
- Donald Trump’s ‘DEI Firestorm’ (Victor Davis Hanson, via Daily Signal YT Channel, Feb 5, 2025)
15-05 Have Faith: Biden IS being Erased
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Show 15-05 Summary: There is no doubt that Trump hit the White House running — on a mission of erasing Biden. In fact reporting on him has become a challenge just to keep up. He’s covering so much ground so fast that new news becomes old news almost in the same hour that he’s signing another new executive order. While Trump is undoing America’s decline under Biden as fast as he can, it will take a long time to unwind all of them. Because there were so many of them. We talk with Washington Times commentator and editor Cheryl Chumley about the first two whirlwind weeks. And we discuss her new book about God-given rights and restoring faith to prominence in America.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Air Dates: February 1st & 2nd, 2025 | Guest: Cheryl Chumley
This Week – Have Faith – The Good Guys Are Back in Charge
In just his first two weeks, President Trump is off to a fast start to undo the horrible last four years of America’s decline under Resident Joe Biden. And as fast as Trump is moving to erase Biden, for a lot of us, it’s not fast enough.
Did we see DEI at work with the helicopter-plane collision at Reagan Airport? We certainly know there is a shortage of FAA workers, including traffic control. But Biden prioritized not only skin color over competence, he filled thousands of DEI compliance jobs over FAA jobs.
Fortunately for America, Trump is already making changes to restore confidence and competence in America. Although America has been so burned over the last four years, with outright abuses of power, it will take a lot to restore trust in America’s government. But what about restoring America’s faith? In God?
Erasing Biden – Cheryl Chumley
Cheryl Chumley is a commentator, online opinion editor for The Washington Times, host of the “Bold and Blunt” podcast, and approaches the news from a Christian-conservative viewpoint. We talk about the blizzard of executive orders and some changes we are already seeing. Like illegal immigration and the border, with immediate actions being taken on this huge campaign promise. But what about those illegal-immigration co-conspirators? And those pardons?
Trump said on the campaign trail and in his inaugural address: he believes God saved him so he can save America. So far, the message has been clear. Don’t mess with a man on a mission from God. And that includes erasing the Biden error. But erasing Biden will take more than executive orders.
But we also talk about her new book, God-Given or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America with Biblical Truths. (Click here for its Amazon page.) Cna we ever Make America Great Again without returning to Biblical truths. And that our rights really do come from God?
We saw what happened during covid. We saw the government use its power to censor people and posts it didn’t like. Whether that was questions about coivd or questioning the results of the 2020 election. Think about that. The government has a sacred duty to defend our rights instead used the power of government to strip people of their constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Buckle up. Trump 2.0 is just getting started. And it’s going to be an incredible ride.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Some of her recent articles (scroll down) and podcasts Cheryl K. Chumley | Stories – Washington Times
- DEI finally frying in the fires of American Exceptionalism (Washington Times, January 23, 2025)
- Iran from Davos makes play as peace-lover to the world (Washington Times, January 22, 2025)
- Trump, with a pen and a phone, rights Biden-Obama wrongs (Washington Times, January 21, 2025)
- Biden’s unpardonable pardons (Washington Times, Jan 20, 2025)
- Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons. What are they? (The Hindu, Jan 20, 2025)
- Is a Preemptive Pardon Legal? Biden Considers Measure for White House Officials (Newswek, Dec 6, 2024)
- “If there was ever any doubt as to who bears responsibility for the COVID pandemic, Biden’s pardon of Fauci forever seals the deal,” said Sen. Rand Paul.
- Erasing Biden: GREAT executive order summary and analysis: “Heritage Foundation Experts Analyze Trump’s Executive Orders “(The Daily Signal, Jan 22, 2025)
- Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave (AP, Jan 22, 2025)
- DOJ threatens to prosecute local officials (OPB, Jan 22, 2025)
- “Federal employees are in a total meltdown that President Trump has ordered them to return to the office” (Charlie Kirk via X, Jan 23, 2025)
15-03 Who Fiddled While L.A. Burned? Plus: Secondary Ignition Sources in Los Angeles Fires?
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Show 15-03 Summary: This week we’re taking a look at the Los Angeles fires disaster.. And while the far-left Democrats’ environmental policies have gotten a lot of the focus, could there have been other mandates with the electric grid itself that could have amplified the problems? L.A.’s smart meters. Which have been known to cause fires. And even explode when exposed to water and fires. Smart meters were cited in the 2017 Northern California fires. And problems with them go back far earlier. But in the rush for green energy were bureaucrats too eager to look the other way?
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Air Dates: January 18th & 19th, 2025 | Guest: Dr. Bonner Cohen
Los Angeles Fires – What Happened and Why
It’s Climate Change. It’s Gavin Newsome. Or the Democrats. Or the Los Angeles mayor. It’s the fire hydrants. It’s the Santa Ana winds. Well, we definitely played a role. But wherever you look, there is plenty of blame to go around. And as we looked deeper into things, it turns out there could be yet another layer to the blame sandwich. Namely, smart meters. But we’ll come back around to that.
There has already been plenty of blame to go around. And well deserved. From Governor Gavin Newsom to the California far-left democrat supermajorities in the California legislatures to the Los Angeles mayor and water commissioners and fire chief. The list of who-should-be-blamed is lengthy. And that doesn’t even include arson or accidental fires.
And, no, Climate Change was not to blame. We’ve said it before: IF you truly believe that Global Warming is making the Earth hotter and drier, then you would do more forest management and not what the environmental left does. Which is almost nothing. And this is especially true in areas, like Los Angeles, which is an area known for its arid, dry conditions. The failure of the far left’s environmental policies — of get 100s of billions of Climate Change cash from the taxpayers and do nothing with it — was definitely front and center.
But was there yet another layer of Climate Change stupidity at fault? Los Angeles’s mandatory smart meters, as part of their green energy revolution.
Did Smart Meters Make Things Worse
This week we welcome back an internationally recognized expert on natural resources, energy, the environment, and property rights—Dr. Bonner Cohen. He is also a senior policy analyst at CFACT.
There are known problems with smart meters. Yes, they have caused fires. Tens of thousands of them across the country. Yes, they have design flaws. Yes, their lithium-ion batteries can get explosively hot — as much as 5,000°. Which is about 2,000 degrees hotter than the melting point of titanium.
Dr. Cohen knows all too well about the inherent fire dangers of lithium-ion batteries, having written an article just a year ago about their incredible fire hazards. Smart meters have lithium-ion batteries. If they catch fire, they can quickly accelerate to up to thousands of degrees and that heat can get into the homes. They have also been know to be susceptible to water and heat (like fires) and were believed to have played a role in the 2017 Northern California fires.
Smart meters are mandatory in Los Angeles. And they’re a part of the future of green energy—in part because they allow greater control over your usage of electricity. Why? Because they connect wirelessly with the utility company, and can be both adjusted. And switched off. Could they have played a role in the 2025 Los Angeles fires? We don’t know yet. For certain, it is a fact that smart meters have been involved in past fires. And we definitely know that no one will find anything if no one looks. And we know no one will look if no one asks questions.
There is so much to discuss and uncover about smart meters, that we will have to discuss them in more depth in a future show. Because we also know that if the Far Left democrats in California and Los Angeles get their way, the smart meters will be mandatory in the next Los Angeles.
Terrifying Possibilities for More Los Angeles Fires?
But perhaps the most troubling aspect of the so-called smart meters is that since they are remotely accessed, there’s a very real potential that they could be hacked. We already know the Chinese have hacked into U.S. systems and infrastructure. Imagine a scenario where hackers switch on and off smart meters until their lithium-ion batteries overheat and ignite. One house every other block and they could spread before fire crews could get them under control.
That’s potentially pretty terrifying.
Former CIA Director James Woolsey warned, “What they’re doing now, they’re constructing what they call a ‘Smart Grid.’ … [T[o make it easier for you and me to call our homes on our cell phone and turn down our air-conditioning on a hot afternoon if we’re not there. Great, but that may well mean that a hacker in Shanghai with his cell phone could do the same thing or worse. And a so-called “Smart Grid” that is as vulnerable as what we’ve got is not smart at all, it’s a really, really stupid grid.”
And as for those smart meters and their lithium-ion batteries that have been known to catch fire? After we spoke with Dr. Cohen, a massive fire broke out at the Moss Landing Power Plant, the world’s largest maker or lithium-ion batteries. The fire was so bad and there was so much toxic smoke that the area had to be evacuated.
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Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.
Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Be sure to visit CFACT.org. The Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow is a great organization with incredible experts on energy, the environment, and so much more. Like these articles about the Los Angeles fires:
- California government fighting incompetence, malfeasance (CFACT, Jan 16, 2025)
- Countering man-made climate change claims on wildfires (CFACT, Jan 14, 2025)
- Exploiting California’s tragic fires for climate propaganda is just wrong (CFACT, Jan 10, 2025)
- The Los Angeles fire debacle is the peak of the virtue signaling era (CFACT, Jan 11, 2025)
- The L.A. Wildfires Should Be a Wake-up Call (City Journal, Jan 10, 2025)
- “Decades of fire suppression policies have left forests dangerously dense and overgrown”
- Want to learn more about smart meters and their potential role in the Los Angeles Fires? We will have a dedicated page to these (there is a tremendous amount of pages we are still sorting through. But in the meantime, two good resources are:
- The Discovery and Science of Smart Meter Fires — 2021 presentation (via Smart Meter Harm, July 4, 2024). A presentation by a fire scientist, an engineer, and a fire forensic scientist. The direct link to the PDF of the presentation is at this link.
- Another study is “Overview: Fire and Electrical Hazards from ‘Smart’, Wireless, PLC, and Digital Utility Meters,” available as a PDF.
- California government report on SCE Smart Meter program: Rising costs eliminate consumer savings (Smart Meter Harm, 2014)
- Moss Landing Lithium-Ion Battery Plant Fire:
- Evacuation order lifted after fire breaks out (CNN, Jan 17, 2025)
- Burning Tesla’s add to toxic pollution (Financial Post, Jan 16, 2025)
California Fires, Environmentalism, and Green Energy Related Articles
- President Trump gets it on wind (CFACT, Jan 14, 2025),
- The Saturation effect questions the prevailing narrative on CO2 (CFACT, Jan X, 2025)
- GOP attacks on IRA can’t score a clean sweep in red states (CNBC, Jan 12, 2025); EV tax credit is ‘catastrophically stupid (CNBC, Dec 5, 2024)
- “Newly elected Bernie Moreno, is targeting getting rid of the EV tax credit, clarifying that the $75 hundred dollar incentive is catastrophically stupid.”
15-02 MEGA MAGA | Make Economics Great Again
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Show 15-02 Summary: You can’t Make America Great Again without MEGA. Make Economics Great Again. This week we take a look at how the new Trump administration can make the economy great again. We do that with Jonathan Williams, the president and chief economist for the American Legislative Exchange Council. We look first at how stupid environmental policies in California have led to the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires. And we look at Trump’s tax plans. Can he really replace income taxes with tariffs? And we look forward to a more efficient government that absolutely must cut spending if we are ever going to get rid of the deficit to start cutting into the debt.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Air Dates: January 11th & 12th, 2025 | Guest: Jonathan Williams
This Week – MEGA: Make Economics Great Again
One of the best things Trump’s MAGA can do is MEGA. Make Economics Great Again.
We welcome back Jonathan Williams, who was recently promoted to president over at ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC is all about developing good, common sense, sound policy that they help states implement.
We start our discussion with these stupid environmental policies in California that have led to the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires. The incompetent people in charge are trying to blame climate change for their stupid policies. In part, they are correct. Their religious belief in climate change led them to the stupid policy of not doing forest management.
Let’s be clear: IF you truly believe in climate change, and that the world is getting hotter and drier as a result of global warming, then you should be doing more forest management than ever. And not what the environmental left has been doing, which is nothing.
But of course stupid policies are not limited to California. Many of those stupid environmental policies along with hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars spent on climate change, come from Washington DC.
Can Trump MEGA?
We talk with Jonathan Williams about what new policies are needed, and what old policies definitely need to go. How many of those environmental policies will be forced to go when the federal funding keeping them alive disappears? But what new, good policies are needed? And are there examples of good policies at the state level that ought to trickle up to the federal level?
And what about those taxes?
People forget that for most of America’s history, there was no income tax. And the federal government got most of its funding from tariffs. can trump really make that happen and replace the income tax with tariffs? Is that even feasible? well, it can’t happen unless there are some significant cuts to the budget, and we talk about that too.
Get informed about how MAGA can make MEGA really happen.
Well, lookee here:
🚨 REPORT: Congressman Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) has filed the Fair Tax Act, repealing the national income tax, corporate tax, property tax, gift tax and payroll tax.
It also gets rid of the IRS.
In replacement, there is a flat, national “consumption tax” of 23%.
“Under today’s… pic.twitter.com/lGKdiV2uUx
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 10, 2025
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Jonathan Williams is the president and chief economist for the American Legislative Exchange Council. Find out more about the great work they do by heading to ALEC.org
- Here Are All The Ways DEI-Crazed Officials Made The LA Fire More Deadly (Federalist, Jan 9, 2024)
- California FAIR Plan insurance explained (via Bankrate, Oct 2024)
- “If a wildfire destroys a swath of homes on the FAIR Plan and there is not enough money in reserves to pay out those claims, the FAIR Plan would turn to the state’s private insurers to help with the cash call.”
- Corporate Bankruptcies Surge to 14-Year High (Epoch Times, Jan 7, 2025)
- Can Trump Stop the Climate Agenda’s March Through the Institutions? (RealClearEnergy, Jan 5, 2025)
- VIDEO: “If there’s one thing that our use of green energy guarantees, it’s that fossil fuel-burning, foreign adversaries will have an advantage over us.” via CO2 Coalition
- The problem lurking in the shadows: unfunded liabilities. “Underfunded Retirement Plans at the State Level: Nick Stark on Voice of Reason” (ALEC, Feb 21, 2024)
Related/Further Information
- Oregon, blue states rule top inflation states (Oregon Catalyst, Jan 7, 2025)
- “The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis ranks Oregon as the eighth most expensive U.S. state to live in.”
- The Good, the Bad, and the Uncertainty of the Trump Economy (Project Syndicate, Dec 31, 2024)
- Not good when D’s aren’t even investing in Oregon.: “Arizona wins third and final federal semiconductor research hub; Oregon’s hopes dashed” (OPB, Jan 6, 2025); “Arizona wins last of 3 planned federal chip research sites” (OregonLive, Jan 6, 2025)
- State regulators approve more electricity rate hikes for Oregonians in 2025 (The World, Jan 7, 2025)
- Shouldn’t the policy be to provide the most power for the lowest price? If individuals or individual businesses want to buy solar or wind, they can. But don’t punish the average person.
- Lawmakers propose pause on rate hikes (Capital Chronicle, Jan 7, 2025)
15-01 Throwing a Wrench in Oregon’s Schemes to Lurch Further Left
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Show 15-01 Summary: If Oregon’s newly elected attorney general’s scheme of a “Federal Oversight Cabinet”—stacked with the furthest of the Far-Left—is any indicator, then Oregon is in for a world of hurt. Even worse when you take into account the Democrats have supermajorities in Oregon’s house and senate, a far left Democrat in the governor’s office, and Oregon’s judicial system has had some 40 years of Democrat appointments. Can anything stop Oregon’s schemes to lurch left? There just may be a way to avoid this.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Air Dates: January 4th and 5th, 2025 | Guest: Chuck Wiese
This Week – Oregon’s Schemes
In a nutshell, Oregon’s schemes will be to lurch to the far left as fast as possible. And with the Democrat super majorities in Oregon’s house and senate, a far left Democrat in the governor’s office, and some 40 years of Democrat appointments to Oregon’s judicial system, there is precious little that can be done to stop them.
So what is on the Oregon Democrats’ agenda? Spending is at the top of the list. As is further indoctrination of kids. Which means far-left school administrators and teachers in failing public schools will need even more money. And with more spending will come more taxes. Will we see that longtime dream of Oregon democrats finally pass: a sales tax? Quite likely. But they’ll call it something else so the uninformed peasants don’t revolt. (You can see why indoctrination is more important than education in Oregon’s schools.)
But that’s hardly the end of Oregon’s schemes. Climate Change (meaning spending money on it — which means giving away taxpayer dollars to the Far Left) will be the highest priority. Because nothing saves the Earth like burning money. Which is why have fan-favorite, Chuck Wiese on, to debunk it.
The Wrench in Oregon’s Schemes
There are two wrenches in Oregon’s schemes. One is reality. Sadly, we can’t control when reality will rear its ugly head and bite Democrats in the ass. (See what we did there?) But the other is money. And this is where it will get interesting.
Here’s a fact: Oregon got nearly one-third of its most recent biennium budget from the federal government.
Oregon’s new attorney general has set up what he calls, “The Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet” and staffed it with executives from far-left organizations and unions. It’s to represent all Oregonians. So apparently, conservatives in Oregon don’t exist. Got it.
The main purpose of the Injustice League is defy federal law. And to help hide illegal immigrants from being deported. Because no one is above the law accept illegal immigrants and the government officials who help hide them. Not to mention, it’s defying democracy and the recent election. Which sounds pretty insurrection-y. (Hint to the “attorney” general: the Constitution gives the federal government oversight of states, not the other way around.)
So is this the wrench? Democrats’ defiance of federal law could mean Oregon’s schemes fall apart. Because so much of them depend on all that federal government money.
How Long Before Oregon Tires of Being the Stupid Kid?
We talk with Chuck Wiese about the Global Warming religion and how nothing Oregon wants to do (spend) will make any difference. Not to global temperatures. Not to CO2 levels. Which is not and does not drive Global Warming.
Oregon’s schemes depend on (indoctrinated) people being gullible enough to believe in Global Warming. It depends on federal dollars. If the dollars are cut off because they are defying federal law, where will Oregon democrats get the billions of dollars they need to push their far-left schemes?
But it’s more than just money. Without the federal government wasting 100s of billions of dollars on far-left environmentalism, “green” energy (it’s not green) may also collapse without all those subsidies, mandates, and taxpayer cash. Is this the year Global Warming starts to fall apart?
If what’s happening in Europe right now, the Global Warming movement may just collapse.
Save the Earth from people’s stupidity. And save a lot of money.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Will Oregon Get Banned From Federal Funds? Attorney General-elect Dan Rayfield establishes Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet (NW Observer, Dec 28, 2024)
- [Washington] State policy on trust lands strikes right balance (The Everett Herald, Dec 28, 2024)
- Meanwhile, Oregon’s Department of Forestry is so mismanaged, they just went insolvent by not harvesting trees. See Show 14-50 Bailout: Oregon Department of Forestry Chooses to Be Insolvent.
- This at a time when timber prices are about to go up? “Expect Price Hikes — USA to Ramp Up Duties on Canadian Lumber?” (Wood Central, Dec 29, 2024).
- We should be making more money than ever on our timber but we’re locking up our state forest lands to make less than ever.
- Why are we locking up our forests? Because of the misguided “Habitat Conservation Plan” to “protect” endangered species.
- Electric car sales are slowing in the US and Europe as both fans and skeptics share concerns (AP, Nov 28, 2024)
- Europe: The Fall of the Holy Renewable Empire (Gatestone Institute, December 27, 2024)
- “Dunkelflaute” [“Dunkel Flout-eh”} is the German word for Literally “flat, dark calm.” A weather situation characterized by a simultaneous lack of wind and sun in winter—when, it so happens, demand for electricity is at its highest.
- These episodes can last from a few days to several weeks
- On December 12 of this year, German electricity production from wind and solar power was 1/30th the demand for it.
- AI Data Centers Are Causing ‘Distortions’ in the Power Grid from Coast to Coast (Breitbart, Dec 31, 2024)
- Oregon Adopts Climate Protection Program Rules (Natural Resource Rep, Dec 1, 2024)
- Crescent Dunes: Biden DOJ Moved on Election Night to Cover Up Alleged Solar Energy Scandal that Cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions (Breitbart, Nov 25, 2024).
- Oregon awarded nearly $200M in federal funding to boost climate action programs (OPB, July 22, 2024)
- Divest Oregon’s Summary and Analysis of the Oregon Net Zero Plan (via Divestoregon.org)
14-50 Bailout: Oregon Department of Forestry Chooses to Be Insolvent
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Show 14-50 Summary: Too big to fail? Too green to fail? For an agency designed to fund itself and some 200 other public agencies and services, like rural schools, counties, roads, police, and fire, the new “thinking” at the Oregon Department of Forestry just ran out of sustainability. It is now insolvent. And required a special session of the legislature to bail them out because they couldn’t pay the bills they owed for firefighting. But it’s going to get worse with the environmentalists’ new scheme. We talk with Jennifer Hamaker of Oregon Natural Resources and State Rep. Ed Diehl, to find out what happened, why it happened, and how this is all going to get a lot worse.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Original Air Dates: December 14th & 15th, 2024 | Guest: Jen Hamaker & Ed Diehl
This Week – Oregon Department of Forestry Insolvent
The legislature held a special session this week to bailout a state agency. One that, since its inception, has been self funding. The Oregon Department of Forestry. Which this year could not pay its own bills for firefighting and had to be rescued by the taxpayer. While it’s not surprising a government agency spent too much and needed more money, this is way worse than the usual government failure.
The Oregon Department of Forestry was designed to fund itself. And not only that, it also funds some 200 other public entities and services. But not any more. Because now ODF has redesigned itself to fail. And to soak up taxpayer dollars. Instead of generating income for the state, it is now a liability. Leadership at Oregon Department of Forestry has determined it no longer wants to do its fundamental job. Which is to oversee—and make money from—the sale of timber on state lands.
But no more. By implementing a massive Habitat Conservation Plan (or HCP), the ODF has ensured its own perpetual bankruptcy. For the next 70 years.
Let’s recap. The Oregon Department of Forestry is supposed to harvest timber on state lands. It doesn’t want to do that. ODF is supposed to manage the forests. It doesn’t want to do that. Managing the forests means preventing fires. It doesn’t want to do that. ODF is supposed to ensure an ongoing, profitable, perpetual, and sustainable timber harvest for the future. It doesn’t want to do that.
What does it want to do? Apparently, sell carbon credits. But there is a real problem with that. (Aside from the fact it’s a massive scam.)
So Why is Oregon Department of Forestry Bankrupt?
We talk with Jen Hamaker, the president of ONRI (Oregon Natural Resource Industries) to find out the Oregon Department of Forestry got into this mess. It was a massive, self-inflicted wound. Like someone who gets injured and then gets surgery to stay disabled so they don’t have to work. Jen walks us through what the ODF was designed to do, what it is doing now, and why the need for a special session to bail them out. And if democrat lawmakers think this is going to get better, think again. This is now baked in. The Oregon Department of Forestry has changed from a billion dollar asset to a billion dollar liability.
Then we talk with State Representative, Ed Diehl (R-HD17), about what happened at the special session. Why did they call the meeting to session and then immediately go behind closed-door committee meetings? Were deals being cut? Rep. Diehl also confirms that ODF is now insolvent. Bankrupt.
ODF’s New Plan: Carbon Credits. Get Paid for Doing Nothing
And it’s only going to get worse. Why? Because the Oregon Department of Forestry wants to move away from forestry and into the carbon credit scheme.
A scheme based on false premises (CO2 is not the enemy, and it is not a pollutant). And a scheme that is likely to fall apart as all across the nation, states lose federal funding for their net zero initiatives.
And we ask, how would this be different if Republicans were in charge? Because this whole Oregon Department of Forestry fiasco is about to get a lot worse — a lot worse — with democrat super majorities in Oregon’s house and senate.
We can all agree ODF needed to pay the bills owed to firefighters. Some whom had to take out huge loans to make ends meet while waiting to be paid. But this bailout doesn’t fix the problem that ODF just created for itself. And its solution to lock up Oregon’s forest lands — let ’em burn! — Oregon Department of Forestry has just made things a lot worse.
The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version
Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.
Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Jen Hamaker’s organization is Oregon Natural Resource Industries. Visit them at ONRI.us
- Rep. Ed Diehl’s website is www.eddiehl.com
- Oregon isn’t paying its wildfire bills on time. Now legislators must act (OPB, December 11, 2024)
- Taxpayers “gave” billions to create interest-bearing endowments for Far-Left environmental groups that assault natural resources: “Environmental nonprofit fundraising draws criticism across political spectrum (Capital Press, Nov 14, 2024)
- An analysis showed “20 nonprofit environmental organizations active in the West … have total net assets of nearly $2 billion dollars”
- “a significant amount of the money is set aside as an endowment to generate income”
- This isn’t going to work. Oregon’s Department of Forestry’s plan to stop harvesting timber and start selling carbon credits will fail when the federal government stops cuts the trillions (yes, trillions) of dollars for “Climate Change.”
- Oregon’s carbon credits scheme to get to net zero, like all states, depends heavily on federal funding.
- How much federal funding for states’ net zero funding? About $40 billion. (via Perplexity, retrieved Dec 13, 2024).
- Do democrat state lawmakers honestly think the Trump will continue that scam? (If so, we have a unicorn to sell them.
- Sen. James Lankford Offers Sneak Peak Into How Exactly DOGE Will Clean Up Government Waste and Abuse (The Daily Signal, Dec 11, 2024)
14-49 The Climate Change Scam: Is this the Beginning of the End?
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Show 14-49 Summary: This week we talk to Craig Rucker about what we hope is the beginning of the end of the most extensive and expensive scam in American history — the Climate Change scam. (Or Global Warming scam if you’re old school.) With Trump’s election, there was weeping and gnashing at the annual UN confab for global warming, COP29, which Craig recently attended. We look at the impact the incoming administration will have on policies and personnel. And how changes at the top may filter down to Oregon. Including ruining one of its most recent environmental schemes, to make money from doing nothing.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Original Air Dates: December 7, 2024 | Guest: Craig Rucker
This Week – The End of the Climate Change Scam
This week we are talking with Craig Rucker about what we hope is the beginning of the end of the most extensive and expensive scam in American history — the Climate Change scam. (Or Global Warming scam if you’re old school.) Under Biden a minimum of $1.5 trillion was transferred from the US taxpayer to Far Left organizations and causes. We start with the weeping and gnashing at the annual UN confab for global warming, COP29, which Craig recently attended. Many at the conference had been literally banking on a Kamala win to continue the funding that’s been flowing their way. Where will their trillions come from now?
Then we take a look at the impact the incoming administration will have on policies and personnel. And how changes at the top may filter down to Oregon. Including ruining one of its most recent environmental schemes, to make money from doing nothing.
And with Trump’s win, we’re able to move away from theoretical, “If Trump wins, what can we expect?” discussions. Now we can talk about what will happen and what needs to happen. We find out more about those tapped for Secretary of Interior, Energy, and for the EPA and what those appointments will mean for downsizing their agencies. And what policies especially need to be stopped that could unravel the multi-trillion-dollar Climate Change scam.
Is this the beginning of the end of the Climate Change scam?
Let the deprogramming begin.
The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version
Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.
Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Craig is the president and co-founder of CFACT—the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow. Find out more about their terrific work at CFACT.org.
- Read it yourself: AOC’s “Delivering a Green New Deal: How the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act Bring the Green New Deal to Life” (PDF).
- “The IRA contains $369 billion in public spending for clean energy and climate justice, which is expected to unleash hundreds of billions more in private investments. As of April 2023, since the enactment of the IRA, clean energy companies have already announced projects representing $150 billion in investments, 18,000 new jobs, and $4.4 billion in customer savings.
- So we “invest” $369 billion and get less than half that back in company projects and a measly 4.4 billion in savings for customers? That’s some high-powered stupidity, AOC.
- Paxton files lawsuit alleging BlackRock colluded (Just the News, Nov 30, 2024)
- Texas’ Anti-ESG Legislation (Texas Public Policy Foundation, July 6, 2024)
- Pres. of Azerbaijan roasts the West for double standards as COP29 goes off the rails (Climate Depot Nov 16, 2024)
- Aliyev roasts the West for double standards as COP29 goes off the rails (BNE IntelliNews, Nov 15, 2024)
- President of Country Hosting UN Climate Summit Defends Fossil Fuels, Slams Media and Green ‘Hypocrisy’ (Daily Signal, Nov 13, 2024)
- A Look at Trump’s Cabinet Picks So Far (US News & World Report, Dec 2, 2024)
- Trump’s picks for key positions in his second administration (AP / Federal News Network, Dec 3, 2024)
- Oregon’s homegrown climate change scam: Oregon Adopts Climate Protection Program Rules (Natural Resource Rep, Dec 1, 2024).
Related Information on the Climate Change Scam
- Net Zero Land Area (Steve Goreham, YT Channel, May 29, 2022)
- The problem with Net Zero. A Princeton study found that to go from current 10% to 50% renewable by 2050, requires 228,000 square miles of land. That is more than Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Wisconsin — combined.
- PBS Climate Change scam propaganda programming. If you don’t believe their scam, something is wrong with your brain. “How your brain stops you from taking climate change seriously” (PBS, January 7, 2019)
- Exxon’s chief has a warning for Republicans (Politico, Nov 12, 2024)*The oil giant takes a stance before the Trump administration sets its sights on gutting Biden’s climate agenda.*warns republicans not to gut Biden’s climate agenda
- DOGE Co-Lead Vivek Ramaswamy at CNBC’s CFO Council Summit (CNBC, YT Channel, Dec 4, 2024)
- Crescent Dunes: Biden DOJ Moved on Election Night to Cover Up Alleged Solar Energy Scandal that Cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions (Breitbart, Nov 25, 2024).
- Environmental nonprofit fundraising draws criticism across political spectrum (Capital Press, Nov 14, 2024)
- IRS filings by 20 nonprofit environmental organizations in the West have total net assets of nearly $2 billion dollars. Often significant amounts are set aside as an endowment to generate additional income beyond donations.
- Nice. Taxpayers gave Far Left organizations seed money for perpetual income.
14-48 Encore Presentation of 12-48, the Mysterious Jewish Sect Behind the Dead Sea Scrolls
Show 14-48 Summary: This week is an encore presentation of show 12-48, “The Mysterious Jewish Sect Behind the Dead Sea Scrolls: The Essenes.” It’s a fascinating look at the scrolls found nearly 2,000 years after being left behind by a Messianic Jewish sect that had waited for centuries and accurately predicted when the Messiah would come. And, using their religious calendar, have predicted the end of days.
For links mentioned during the show, see the original show page, linked above.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Original Air Dates: November 26th & 27th, 2022 | Guest: Dr. Ken Johnson
Show 12-48 Summary: Those “400 years of silence” between the Old and New Testaments? It turns out they weren’t. The Essenes were driven from the priesthood by the Pharisees and Sadducees but kept the faith and kept prophesying. Incredibly accurately as it turns out. Maybe it’s because the Essenes correctly predicted the coming of the Messiah. To the year. A Jewish “Deep State”? Find out why they wanted to bury the Essenes, forget the Dead Sea Scrolls, and largely succeeded in driving them from history. Except even that ended up fulfilling prophecy.
14-47 Oregon’s Elections: A Deeper Shade of Blue. Is Oregon Hopeless and Helpless?
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Show 14-47 Summary: In 2024, Republicans won the White House, the House, and the Senate. Other states went red. And in county after county, Trump gained support. Even among practically every demographic group. But while so much of the rest of the country went red, Oregon’s elections went a deeper shade of blue—with super majorities now in the house and senate. Is Oregon destined to be California’s mini-me? Or can Republicans save Oregon from itself? And what is on the way for Oregon with democrats in charge of everything? Brace yourself.
The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Original Air Dates: November 23rd & 24th, 2024 | Guest: Rep. Ed Diehl
This Week – Oregon’s Elections. What Happened?
While Oregon wasn’t part of it, the rest of the nation voted for a better economy, smaller government, secure borders, free speech, protecting farms, schools that actually teach, and city streets free of crime. Already, Trump’s nominations are causing the Deep State to panic. But he seems committed to keep his promise to downsize and even eliminate agencies.
But not Oregon. For Republicans, Oregon took a disastrous turn as Democrats won all three statewide races (Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General). And they won a super majority in the state senate and nearly certainly will win a super majority in the house.
After Oregon’s Election, Is there Any Hope Left?
If you remember your Greek mythology, curious Pandora couldn’t resist opening the box and let out sickness, death, and other miseries. That feels like what Oregon just did to itself.
After Oregon’s elections, the prospects of a Democrat super majority in both the state house and senate is a grim reality. Every item on the Democrat wish list of miseries for the state is knocking on the box lid. Demanding to be let out. Taxes and more spending for sure, along with more environmental, “green” energy, and carbon scheme mandates to drive up costs on everything.
But they also have a problem. Biden’s federal cash flow spigot will soon be turned off. No more federal money rolling into Oregon’s coffers to hide the deficit budget problems like PERS’ huge debt that’s causing school districts and county agencies to feel that debt.
So what can Republicans do? Like the only thing left in Pandora’s box, Oregon has hope. That’s what we discuss with our guest, Representative Ed Diehl (HD-17). We take a hard look at Oregon’s election and what Oregonians will be facing. And we discuss the national elections, how other states made big changes, what went right in other states, and why didn’t it go right in Oregon.
See Ed Diehl’s website, EdDiehl.com for more about Ed and news and information. Follow Ed on X (formerly Twitter), @Real_EdDiehl
We also discuss the sole remaining (as of November 21) undecided house seat—Tracy Cramer’s in HD22—from Oregon’s elections. A race that will decide whether democrats get a super majority in Oregon’s house. Also, possible election fraud, and what about Oregon’s voter rolls? And what are we likely to see out of a democrat dual super majority.
And then in a future Part II, Ed will come back—likely after the holidays—to discuss changes and new directions to turn Oregon—yes, Oregon—red.
The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version
Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.
Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
- Listen to Mark’s April 2023 speech to the Capital City Republican Women, mentioned in the opener. Pretty much everything he said to needed to win Oregon in 2024, Republicans in other states did.
- Around the Halls: Scott Brown’s Special Election Victory and the Congressional Agenda (Brookings University, Jan 20, 2010)
- Ed Diehl’s website, EdDiehl.com for more about Ed and news and information. Follow Ed on X (formerly Twitter), @Real_EdDiehl
- Biden authorizes Ukraine to strike Russia with U.S.-supplied long-range missiles (NBC News, Nov 17, 2024)
- Shocking real reason Biden OK’d Ukraine use of U.S. longer-range missiles against Russia (World Net Daily, Nov 19, 2024)
- This [escalation] entirely has to do with trying to tie Trump’s hands to a war, dampening his ability to achieve the agenda that the American people want him to achieve.” According to Gaub, “This has been in the [Left’s] plan for quite a while, in anticipation of the landslide victory that occurred earlier this month.”
- SB870: Nation Popular Vote Interstate Compact – (Oregon Legislative Information Services, 2019), (Wikipedia, no date)
- If enough states had joined before 2024, all of Oregon’s electoral votes would have gone to Trump—thanks to the democrats.
- Attorney Matthew DePerno and the RNC Stop Thousands Of Duplicate Ballots From Being Counted (Trending Politics, October 30, 2024)
- Drazan selected as new House GOP leader (Oregon Catalyst, Nov 19, 2024)
- 9 races that could determine the balance of power in the Oregon Legislature (OPB Oct, 22, 2024)