Category: Global Warming

14-43 It’s the Economy, Stupid | Stupid Energy Policies

14-43 It’s the Economy, Stupid | Stupid Energy Policies

Show 14-43 Summary: There are stupid energy policies and then there are Kamala-level stupid energy policies. And they start with a wrong understanding of how the economy works. Not everyone invests in the stock market, not everyone runs a business. But everyone needs energy. Not just energy for your home or where you work but getting there and back. And practically everything bought or sold arrives on a truck. This week, we look at stupid energy policies. If you think things are bad and expensive now, a Kamala win would make things more expensive. And stupider.

I Spy Radio Coverage Map as of April 2024
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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: October 26, 2024 | Guest: Frank Lasee

This Week – Stupid Energy Policies

The election finish line is within sight and this week we are looking at the economy, which is the top issue for most voters. In particular, we look at one major aspect of the economy: energy. We zero in on what the Biden/Kamala administration has done to energy prices to make things so much more expensive, which of course impacts everything that people buy and not just their utility bills. Mandates, regulations, and ideology is behind it all. They

They are the kind of stupid energy policies you would expect from someone in charge who does not understand the economy. And certainly has never owned a business.

We welcome back Frank Lasee, a senior policy advisor for CFACT and the president of Truth in Energy and Climate, to talk about the stupid energy policies of the Biden-Harris administration.

Accuse the other side of that which you are guilty: modern day Democrats are Hitler. Or at least want policies just like his. Read “Hitler’s Views on Private Property and Nationalization” from the Mises Institute. You’d swear it was from a recent democrat rally.

The Energy Policies that Hurt You and the Economy

It’s simple. When energy costs more, everything costs more. When energy costs less, prices go down. Unless energy goes down, prices won’t. And the Biden-Harris administration declared war on energy. What direction will prices go?

And did you know that you’re paying for green energy — even when you’re not buying green energy? It’s not just your taxes.

Here’s one example. You might know about carbon credits (a tax on energy). But did you know there are regulation credits? Car companies that can’t sell electric vehicles have to buy these regulation credits from EV companies—and then to absorb that loss, the car companies add the cost of that regulation credit to the cost of the gas-powered cars. So even if you’re not buying an EV, you’re still paying for an EV.

That’s just one stupid energy policy.

But here’s the thing. All the “green energy” mandates, the zero-emissions, the carbon credits, the EVs, and on and on? it will have little to no change on emissions. And they know that. Think about it. Why would you force people to spend money on more expensive energy when they could be spend that money on other things that they need or want? Especially if it’s not going to make any bit of difference.

If it won’t make any difference, the only logical reason is if your side of the aisle is getting an awful lot of money. It’s about money. Forcing you to pay more, so their side of the political aisle makes more.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

California’s Stupid Energy Policies

  • Newsom’s New Bill to ‘Hold Big Oil Accountable’ – will Fine Local Refineries Up to $1 Million PER DAY, Cause Gas Prices to Spike – Refineries Announce They Are Leaving CA (Gateway Pundit, Oct 21, 2024)*“Price spikes have cost Californians billions of dollars over the years, and we’re not waiting around for the industry to do the right thing,” Newsom said.*The measure will force local refineries to stockpile fuel and if they don’t follow the new regulations they can be fined up to $1 million PER DAY.*The heavy fines will inevitably be passed down to the consumer and cause gas prices to spike.
  • Commiefornia: “For some time, many of us have been ridiculed for suggesting that @GavinNewsom wants to own all California gas refineries. But now we’re seeing it.” Dr. Houman David Hemmati (via X, Sept 26, 2024)
  • California Energy Commission floats the idea of taking over oil refineries. Just like Venezuela. See table 19, Overview of State-Owned Refineries: “The State of California would purchase and own refineries in the State to manage the supply and price of gasoline.” (Emphasis mine.)
  • How will the state manage the slow death of California’s gasoline industry? (Los Angeles Times, September 26th, 2024)

Green Energy Dying?

  • Harris Shifts Her EV Mandates Into Reverse—Until After the Election (The Daily Signal, October 23, 2024)
    • “The push to electrify trucking is even more unhinged. Electric trucks are very expensive to buy and have terrible payload capacity and range.”
    • “Almost everything anyone buys gets shipped on a truck at some point, and the shipping industry will have no choice but to pass these enormous costs downstream.”
    • “Electric vehicle mandates will lead ‘to little to no change’ in greenhouse-gas emissions.”
  • Amazon plans to power Eastern Oregon data centers with nuclear reactors (OPB, Oct 23, 2024)
  • Offshore wind looked like a sure thing for Oregon — until it wasn’t. What went wrong? (OPB, Oct 23, 2024)

Related/Additional

The Irrationality of Western Energy Policies (Watts Up with That, October 21, 2024)

Dumb & Dumber: Germany Wins Prize For World’s Most Idiotic Energy Policy (Stop These Things, Feb 20, 2022)

Biden’s Energy Policy – Dumb and Dangerous (AMAC, July 25, 2023)

 

 

14-41 Competent or Stupid? | What’s at Stake in the 2024 Election

14-41 Competent or Stupid? | What’s at Stake in the 2024 Election

Show 14-41 Summary: What’s at stake in the 2024 election is not just who’s running for president. The whole of government is at stake. This week we continue to look at why elections matter, reminding you that you are giving someone else legal control over you, your business, your church, and so many other facets of your life. Do you want competent people? Or stupid people who will waste your money? We look at the incompetence of Multnomah’s lawsuit against the weather. We also look at some down ballot issues, including Oregon’s Measure 117 to force ranked choice voting on Oregon. if that wins, it would take the democracy right out of democracy. Get out and vote. And stop stupid people from doing stupid things.

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Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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: October 12, 2024 | Guests: Chuck Wiese and Ed Diehl

This Week – Competence at Stake in the 2024 Election

We continue to look at why elections matter, reminding you that you are giving someone else legal control over you, your business, your church, and so many other facets of your life. Do you want competent people? Or stupid people who will waste your money? In the 2024 election, make it your goal to stop stupid people from doing stupid things.

We look at the incompetence (stupidity) of Multnomah’s lawsuit against the weather. The lawsuit is a waste of government money (your money), time, and resources. Worse — even if they win, it will cost you even more money.

We talk with meteorologist and fearsome global warming debunker, Chuck Wiese about Multnomah’s lawsuit against “fossil fuel”companies, blaming them for “heat dome” deaths during a hot summer. But no, sorry global warmers, it was not the hottest ever.

Stupid Government does Stupid Stuff

But first up, we talk with Chuck about the back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, that hit the Southeast. Is that unusual? And how did Chuck correctly predict that Milton would weaken from a category 5 and hit landfall at only a category 3, and further weaken to a category 1 when it made it to the Atlantic?

Then we talk about Multnomah County suing the sky. Or the weather. Or who they think causes the weather. According to KOIN, Multnomah is seeking $50 million in damages, $1.5 billion in “future damages” and another $50 billion for an “abatement fund.” In other words, a slush fund to hand out to far-left groups.

Here’s how stupid that is. There are 364,000 households in Multnomah County. If the “evil fossil fuel companies” lose and allot that $51.55 billion loss to Multnomah households (because why should they punish Polk or Marion or any other county for this nuisance lawsuit?) over 20 years, that’s $7,081 per household added to their fuel and utility costs. Per year. You can thank Multnomah County for that self-inflicted stupidity.

But it’s not just the cost of things. Stupid people in Multnomah government are attacking people’s rights. They are also suing Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine which isn’t even in Multnomah County. Why? For spreading “misinformation” about global warming. Yes. There’s your stupid people in government suing people for free speech.

Did government forget it’s supposed to defend free speech?

Yes. Because they’re stupid. In the 2024 election, stop stupid people from doing stupid things.

Yes, Oregon, Democracy is What’s at Stake in the 2024 Election

We also look at some down ballot issues, including Oregon’s Measure 117 to force ranked choice voting on Oregon. if that wins, it would take the democracy right out of democracy.We welcome back Representative Ed Diehl (OR-HD17) back to the show to talk about an actual threat to democracy, Oregon’s ballot measure 117. (Sorry, democrats. Trump is not a threat to democracy. If Trump wins, that is democracy.) The measure would change our current voting system to ranked choice voting.

If ballot measure 117 were to pass, it change how we vote for every candidate from U.S. president down to local races. With one exception. Referred to the voters by Oregon’s far-left democrats in the legislature, Measure 117 curiously would not change how legislators are elected.

Ed Diehl walks us through how Measure 117 and ranked choice voting would take the democracy right out of democracy by opening voting itself to strategic manipulation. Apparently, the far left isn’t happy enough with voter fraud and election fraud, they have to game the system for voting fraud.

For a great explanation, see this ranked choice article on Ed Diehl’s website. And for further reading see the links in the show notes, below.

And we talk about the latest on the motor voter scandal. Gosh. They found another 300 illegally registered illegal immigrants. After we just talked about that last week with Dennis Linthicum, who is running for Secretary of State. Do we really have any real idea of just how many fraudulent voters have been registered — through motor voter and Obamacare signups?

Get out and vote. Stop stupid people from doing stupid things.

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

Mentioned in the opener, Frederic Bastiat’s The Candlestick Makers’ Petition.

Chuck Wiese, Segments 1–3

  • Multnomah County goes after big oil for heat dome deaths, files lawsuit (KOIN6, June 22, 2023)
  • Multnomah County alleges NW Natural is behind ‘substantial portion’ of Oregon pollution (KOIN6, Oct 9, 2024)
  • Hurricane Milton Leaves at Least 10 Dead, Millions Without Power in Florida, (Epoch Times, October 9th, 2024)
    • Exactly as Chuck predicted: “Hurricane Milton made landfall at Siesta Key, Florida as a Category 3 storm, but weakened more than expected after it touched down. Ninety minutes after landfall, it had slowed to Category 2, and crossed into the Atlantic as a Category 1 on Thursday morning.”

Ed Diehl, Segments 4–6

  • For more information about Ed Diehl, see his website, EdDiehl.com.
  • THIS → Everything You Need To Know About Ranked-Choice Voting And Its Glaring Problems (The Federalist, October 1, 2024)
  • Ranked-Choice Voting Is Not the Solution (Democracy Journal, Nov 3, 2016)
  • The flaw in ranked-choice voting: rewarding extremists (The Hill, October 10, 2022)
  • FYI, Oregon’s Measure 117 ranked choice voting create Instant Runoff Voting system. In this method, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority (50% + 1), the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their ballots are redistributed to the next-ranked candidate.*There are dozens of ranked choice voting methods.*Fun (okay, worrisome) fact: according to the Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem, every voting method with at least 3 alternative candidates can be strategically manipulated. Why would you open the door to voting manipulate unless you plan to manipulate the vote?
  • Judicial Watch Warns Oregon Over Lawsuit (Judicial Watch, July 25, 2024)*According to Judicial Watch’s initial investigations, eight of Oregon counties have more voter registrations than citizens of voting age
  • Secretary of State’s office announces deactivation of 1,259 voter registrations (KEZI, Sept 23, 2024)
  • Oregon voter registration error was detected six weeks before top elections officials were told (OPB, Sept 27, 2024)

 

 

14-34 Oregon’s New Redistribution Scheme: The Climate Protection Plan

14-34 Oregon’s New Redistribution Scheme: The Climate Protection Plan

Show 14-34 Summary: Oregon’s latest wealth redistribution scheme, Governor Kotek’s Climate Protection Plan, is a plan to solve to solve nothing. It is a carbon cap and trade scheme forcing to pretend to cut carbon dioxide emissions. It will have no impact on climate. Zero. None. But it will cost Oregonians millions more every year. In higher food prices. Higher utility bills. And any goods that are shipped and delivered will also cost more. It’s also a plan that Oregonians have directly and indirectly rejected three times before. So why are they doing it?

Be sure to scroll down to the show notes section for the links to submit your comments and tell them no.

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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: August 24th & 25th, 2024 | Guest: Chuck Wiese

This Week – Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan

This week’s show is a big one — discussing Oregon’s latest scheme to redistribute wealth: the Climate Protection Plan.

The CPP will force a carbon cap and trade program on Oregon’s businesses, which will impact many things you buy and need. Apparently, Governor Kotek and the democrats think that you’re STILL not paying enough on food and utilities, let alone all the other aspects of your life that will be impacted.

This Climate Protection Plan is a scheme that Oregonians rejected directly by turning down a ballot initiative. They rejected it indirectly through their legislature, which wouldn’t pass the bill. And a third time after Governor Brown’s executive order establishing it was tossed by Oregon’s Court of Appeal. Why? Because in her authoritarian zeal to force her belief system on Oregonians, they failed to meet public meeting laws. In fact, the court said the governor and DEQ didn’t appear to even try to meet the public meeting laws.

But the nation’s worst governor, Tina Kotek, (she came in 50th out of 50 in a recent survey) is trying to resurrect it. The DEQ is taking public comment on it right now. And you need to weigh in.

Take action! Head to the Climate Protection Plan page at the DEQ, then scroll down to the public involvement section. If you already know you’re a “no” then submit your comments on Oregon’s CPP by emailing Nicole Singh: cpp.2024@deq.oregon.gov

We interview meteorologist Chuck Wiese to discuss how this CPP will cost Oregonians millions — to solve a non-existent problem.

Climate Protection Plan: the Pretend Solution to an Imaginary Problem

Bad data leads to bad information. Bad information leads to bad decisions. And that’s the foundation of Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan. Chuck Wiese walks us through why the climate change (aka “global warming”) scaremongering is simply wrong.

The whole foundation of Climate Change is that CO2 is warming the Earth and that mankind’s carbon dioxide contribution is causing the warming. Except it’s a wrong idea based on bad information that is based on bad data. And now Oregon’s politicians are forcing a solution to a non-existent problem.

The non-existent problem is that Oregon’ puny CO2 emissions, even if entirely eliminated, is so small (we’re talking hundredths of a percent) that it would make no difference. At all. Especially since China is busily increasing its emissions more than Oregon could possibly cut.

Their solution? A carbon cap and trade scheme. It’s a scam. See the show notes section for lots of information on carbon credits and cap and trade schemes and how they do nothing to fix the “problem” of carbon emissions. As one article says, “Ultimately, carbon credits incentivize the buying and selling of carbon credits, rather than reducing the amount of pollution companies produce. Shell is a classic example of this; the company now has a very lucrative business line of creating and selling carbon credits.”

Yes. It’s all about money. Bilking industries out millions of dollars and redistributing it. Especially to far left environmental “non profits.”

Carbon Dioxide as the Fake Enemy

It’s simple. If Democrats and environmentalists and the far left we’re truly serious about carbon and carbon dioxide they would do a far, far better job of force management. Trees need and suck in carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Instead, the Democrats and environmentalists and the far left refuse to do proper forest management. They refuse to cut timber. and what happened? Millions of acres have burned putting all that carbon and CO2 back into the atmosphere not to mention all that soot and particles that they claim to worry about.

Tina Kotek’s Department of Forestry literally just took some 57% of Oregon’s forests offline because of their Habitat Conservation Plan. They are not at all serious about carbon dioxide. So don’t listen to them when they lie to you and claim that they care about carbon dioxide.

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

Take action! Head to the Climate Protection Plan page at the DEQ, then scroll down to the public involvement section. If you already know you’re a “no” then submit your comments on Oregon’s CPP by emailing Nicole Singh: cpp.2024@deq.oregon.gov.

Oregon State has valid reasons for opposing Elliott forest carbon-crediting scheme (Oregon Capital Chronicle, Aug 20, 2024)

Actually, it’s the DEQ misleading people: “Oregon DEQ says NW Natural is misleading people on state climate program” (OregonLive, Aug 20, 2022)

Learn about carbon credits and cap and trade schemes

  • Great video—good info and simple to understand: Carbon credits are a complete scam (Auto Expert John Cadogan, YouTube Channel, Jan 9, 2024)
  • Exposing the Carbon Credit and Offset SCAM (Belinda Carr, Apr 20, 2022)
  • Carbon Credits Are the Biggest Scam Since Indulgences—How You Can Avoid Being Fleeced (The Burning Platform, June 11, 2024)
  • The Carbon Credit Scam: Financial Cost, Virtue Signaling, Little or No Environmental Benefit (Gateway Pundit, May 24, 2024)
  • Carbon credit scam exposed: carbon markets fail as CO₂ declines (CFACT, Apr 02, 2020)
    • “…the existence of these markets sets up a perverse incentive. To the average climate campaigner, the goal of such a “market” is to eventually bring CO₂ emissions to as close to zero as possible. But for those companies making big bucks off of carbon credits, when the so-called “pollution” falls, so do their profits. They don’t plan on giving that cash flow up any time soon.”
  • Boondoggle: Carbon capture projects are worse than a public nuisance (CFACT, June 8, 2024)
    • This HAS to be one of the dumbest ideas ever: “…a giant carbon sequestration project on and underneath federal land [in Montana’s Snowy River region]. It would be supported by a vast “carbon capture” network consisting of tens and thousands of miles of new pipelines and dozens of remote storage sites.
    • Carbon offsets are an artificial commodity – completely unrelated to the climate or any other tangible asset. They are an open invitation to fraud because it is impossible to say what effect buying or selling them will have on the climate.
  • World’s largest seller of carbon credits EXPOSED as scam operation (Natural News, March 29, 2023)
  • Unveiling the Potential Scam and Fraud of Carbon Credit Schemes (Irfan Nasrullah via Medium, Sept 27, 2023)
  • Even Greenpeace agrees that carbon credits are a scam, calling them “greenwashing” and “window dressing.
    • “Carbon offsetting is truly a scammer’s dream scheme.” And that’s from Greenpeace, true climate change believers
14-31 Enviro Mental | If Only Sustainable Unicorns Really Did Exist

14-31 Enviro Mental | If Only Sustainable Unicorns Really Did Exist

Show 14-31 Summary: No, it’s not the hottest ever. But if you believe in global warming, we might have some sustainable unicorns to sell you. This week we have some common sense answers for the enviro mentally impaired.  One is to learn to not buy the snake oil they’re selling you. Another is to learn they are jimmying the temperature data. We talk about the Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned its previous Chevron deference opinion. And we discuss some common sense, environmental model legislation that even the far left might have a hard time saying no to.

I Spy Radio Coverage Map as of April 2024
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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: August 3, 2024 | Guests: Chuck Wiese & Craig Rucker

This Week – Common Sense Answers for the Enviro Mentally Impaired

Summer isn’t even over and already we’re hearing it’s the “hottest ever.” Could it be because temperature sensors are miscalibrated? Badly so? We talk with meteorologist Chuck Wiese about what he’s uncovered in just the Portland and Salem (Oregon) areas. And it’s not just a little miscalibration. It’s off by a lot.

Chuck is not only a trained scientist but has become a political activist, especially around election integrity. So we just have to ask him about Judicial Watch serving the state of Oregon with a “pre-suit” notice and their intent to sue. Unless Oregon follows the law and cleans up its voter rolls.

  • 19 Oregon counties reported zero voters removed from their rolls from Nov 2020 – Nov 2022
  • 10 Oregon counties reported only a handful of removals
  • That’s 29 out of 36 counties out of compliance

Then we pick up our discussion again with Craig Rucker, the co-founder and president of CFACT. Last time, we barely scratched the surface about the importance and downstream effects of the Supreme Court’s overturn of the Chevron Deference (aka “Chevron Doctrine”).

Oregon’s former governor used state agencies to shove through her “Climate Protection Plan” which would cost Oregonians billions and do nothing for the environment. It was thrown out by Oregon’s courts. But now the state agency is at it again. Could the death of the Chevron deference come into play here?

Plus, we talk about some environmental model legislation that they teamed up with ALEC (that’s long-time I Spy Radio guest, Jonathan Williams’ group, the American Legislative Exchange Council). It is so common sense that even the far left might have a hard time saying no to.

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

  • China records hottest month in recent history (Reuters, July 31, 2024)
    • Okay, now look past the headline: 73.706° in 2017 vs 73.778° in 2024. That’s a difference of 0.072 — seven one-hundredths of a degree. OMG! We need to spend a trillion dollars. Right now!
  • Judicial Watch Warns Oregon to Clean Voter Registration Lists or Face Federal Lawsuit (Judicial Watch, July 25, 2024)
  • Craig Rucker’s organization is the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow or CFACT. Find out more about the terrific work they do, get access to their articles and research and so much more at their website, CFACT.org
  • US Offshore Wind Farm Shut Down After Turbine Debris Fouls Beaches (Reuters, July 17, 2024)
  • A Supreme Court victory over bureaucratic overreach (CFACT, July 1, 2024)
  • Court deals body blow to unchecked bureaucratic power (CFACT, July 11, 2024)
  • CFACT model legislation sails through ALEC, now heads to states (CFACT, July 31, 2024)
  • Big Government’s Abuse of Power Gave SCOTUS No Choice But to Overturn Chevron (Townhall, June 28, 2024)
  • Oregon’s CPP (Climate Protection Scam. I mean Plan): Oregon Court of Appeals finds state carbon reduction rules invalid (OPB, Dec 20, 2023)

Related but Not Mentioned

  • Supreme Court to decide whether climate studies will be required for Infrastructure projects (CFACT, July 5, 2024)
  • With Chevron Overturned, Congress May Have to Adapt (Epoch Times, July, 17, 2024)
  • Alaska Natives file lawsuit challenging federal overreach in wake of SCOTUS ‘Chevron’ ruling (Just the News, July 10, 2024)
  • Supreme Court to decide whether climate studies will be required for Infrastructure projects (CFACT, July 5, 2024)
  • Federal judge blocks Biden’s ban on new U.S. LNG export terminals (CFACT, July 19. 2024)
  • Supreme Court expands time frame to sue federal agencies (SCOTUS Blog, July 2, 2024)
    • The Supreme Court ruled that a North Dakota truck stop can bring a challenge to a regulation issued 13 years ago by the Federal Reserve Board
    • Statute of Limitations? Barrett wrote, “Congress could have used language to make clear that the statute of limitations begins to run when the regulation is issued or the agency action takes place, but it did not.”
14-12 Conservatives on Offense | The Right Things for the Right Reasons

14-12 Conservatives on Offense | The Right Things for the Right Reasons

Show 14-12 Summary: Conservatives on offense means conservatives doing the right thing and for the right reasons. First up, we talk with Scott Shepard of the Free Enterprise Project about Apple’s viewpoint discrimination (meaning conservatives) and FEP’s shareholder proposal to expose the issue. Remember Apple’s Big Brother ad? Turns out they’ve become Big Brother—even their own “reeducation camps.” Then it’s Craig Rucker Executive Director of CFACT and their lawsuit to save whales from the Biden administration. Conservatives suing to save whales? While the Far left is willing to let them die on the altar of green energy? Who had that on their bingo card? Two conservative groups going on offense.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of June 2021
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, six different times, 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 out network of stations.

Original Air Dates: March 23, 2024 | Guests: Scott Shepard & Craig Rucker

This Week – Conservatives on Offense

We love it when conservatives stop sitting there and taking whatever the Left throws at them. When conservatives go on offense, it brings others to the cause. Especially when they are doing the right things for the right reasons.

First, we talk to Scott Shepard from the Free Enterprise Project. Their mission is to push back on woke corporate America. They learned that Apple does not protect its workers against viewpoint discrimination. In fact, they found out that Apple actively discriminates against workers who don’t share Apple’s woke worldview. And it gets worse. Tune in to hear what happens  once Apple finds out workers don’t share their woke vision.

So last month, the Free Enterprise Project filed a shareholder resolution to expose the issue. And you can guess how Apple’s board reacted. but he fight’s not over yet.

If you own shares, you can vote on shareholder resolutions. Put Big Tech and other woke companies on notice. Get the Proxy Navigator app from the Free Enterprise Project, America’s leading organization to fight the woke disease infecting corporate America. Join other conservatives on offense. Learn more at ProxyNavigator.com.

Kill the Whales

Who would ever have imagined a time when conservatives fighting to save endangered whales because “environmentalists” are willing to sacrifice them on the altar of green energy? Well, when sacrificing a few hundred whales means your ideological side could get tens of billions of taxpayer dollars perhaps it’s not a surprise.

But wait, aren’t conservatives and capitalists supposed to be the greedy ones? Conservatives on offense to save whales. We love it. And they’re doing it for the right reasons. Not like the greedy environmentalists willing to sacrifice whales to get billions of taxpayer dollars. There’s the real greed.

Craig Rucker, executive director of Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) joins us to discuss their lawsuit against the Biden administration. CFACT had some great winds against offshore wind farms in 2023. They successfully derailed offshore wind farms in New York and New Jersey. And they’re fighting to stop the planned wind farm off of Virginia Beach. Right in the middle of whale migration paths.

Tune in to hear how the Biden administration is ignoring laws in their agenda to push wind farms. And they’re happy to sacrifice endangered whales to push billions of taxpayers into the Far Left’s pockets.

And that even has grassroots environmental groups scratching their heads. What happened to the Left’s rallying cry, “Save the whales!”?

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.

Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Scott Shepard’s Segments 1–3
Conservatives on offense against woke corporate America

  • Press Release: Apple Refuses to Protect Employees from Viewpoint Discrimination (Free Enterprise Project, Feb 29, 2024)
  • Check out the horrid scores of woke companies on the Viewpoint Diversity Index.
    • “Each company’s score indicates their level of respect for free speech and religious freedom based on policies, practices, and other relevant criteria.”
  • Find out more about the Free Enterprise Project and the great work they do. Sign up for their newsletter to stay informed on woke corporate America.
  • Get Free Enterprise Project’s Proxy Navigator at proxynavigator.com available at the Apple store, Google Play, or as a web app.
    • “Proxy Navigator offers voting recommendations from the Free Enterprise Project (FEP) for each company that FEP covers in a living and breathing app that will receive regular updates as information evolves. A terrific new tool to remind users of what shareholder votes are coming up and to put our latest recommendations right in front of them, exactly when they need them.
    • “But that’s not all! Proxy Navigator will also offer many features to give it year-round value to investors and market followers, including a stock ticker and news aggregator to make Proxy Navigator a one-stop app for tracking investments.”
  • Washington State Supreme Court: Passing bar no longer required to be a lawyer (Just the News, Mar 21, 2024)

Craig Rucker’s Segments 4–6
Conservatives on offense to save endangered whales

  • Coalition sues to block Virginia offshore wind project to protect the Right Whale (CFACT. org, March 18, 2024)
    • “The lawsuit … claims the agencies illegally approved Dominion Energy’s offshore wind project by ignoring glaring and obvious procedural errors that subjects the endangered North Atlantic right whale to further grave harm.”
    • The Heartland Institute and National Legal and Policy Center are co-plaintiffs in the lawsuit
  • The Reuters smear: “Right-wing groups sue US over offshore wind impact on whales” (Reuters, March 18, 2024)
  • Did you miss Craig’s last appearance on I Spy Radio, discussing their wins against the Far Left? Head to Show 14-01.

Additional Info

  • From Capitalism To Corporatism (Zero Hedge, Mar 20, 2024)
  • The 1792 Exchange (1792exchange.com)
    • “1792 Exchange is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization whose mission is to develop policy and resources to protect and equip non-profits, small businesses and philanthropy from “woke” corporations, to educate Congress and stakeholder organizations about the dangers of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, and to help steer public companies in the United States back to neutral on ideological issues so they can best serve their shareholders and customers with excellence and integrity.”
  • Europe Swings Right: Socialists face setbacks across the globe, and Joe Biden could be next. (American Mind, March 12, 2024)
  • How the Left Was Left: Old-time liberals would not recognize the doctrine that speaks in their name (American Mind, March 19, 2024)
14-04 The Plain Truth in Green Energy: All Things Green Go Red

14-04 The Plain Truth in Green Energy: All Things Green Go Red

Show 14-04 Summary: Frank Lasee, the president of Truth in Energy and Climate rejoins us to dig a little deeper into hydrogen (and, in particular, so-called “green hydrogen.” EVs are failing in the marketplace and their sales are tanking. We talk about the truth in green energy — that it wouldn’t exist without massive government bailouts, subsidies, and free cash. And we talk about the rise of the hydrogen-based economy. Get ready for it. Maybe because the public has started to catch on to the green funding scam.

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The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, six different times, 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 out network of stations.

Original Air Dates: January 27thg & 28th, 2024 | Guest: Frank Lasee

This Week – Truth in Green Energy

We welcome back Frank Lasee—a former Wisconsin state senator, senior policy analyst, and president of Truth in Energy and Climate—to talk about the truth in green energy. And, like so much about “green” it’s all red at its heart. As Frank calls it, it’s “soft socialism.” It would not exist in the marketplace without huge amounts of free taxpayer cash.

Remember how Leftists shrieked about bailouts for the “too big to fail” banks? Funny how they’re completely silent now about bailouts and subsidies for everything “green,” isn’t it. Probably because the Left gets massive amount of funding for its political allies. At the taxpayers’ expense.

Our guest’s website is TruthInEnergyAndClimate.com. Great articles and information. And sign up for their newsletter!

This week, it’s all about truth in green energy. Or rather the lack of it. With other green renewable sources on the decline (especially wind), the newest fad in “green” energy is hydrogen.By the way. Green renewable energy is not green. And it’s not renewable. For every one ton of rare earth mined and refined, 2,000 tons of toxic waste is generated. And much of it radioactive waste. And it’s not renewable either. Unless you’re referring to ongoing taxpayer subsidies to keep them going.

Hydrogen. The New Green Energy Fad?

There have been some new breakthroughs, allegedly, in hydrogen. In particular, with using hydrogen as an energy storage medium. Just how real are these breakthroughs? And are they the bridge to a hydrogen-based economy?

Wait, what happened to the EVs? Weren’t they going to save us? Well, it turns out that EVs are quickly losing any momentum and their sales here and in even in green-mania Europe, sales of EVs are tanking. Perhaps it’s because as more people bought them, they realized how inconvenient they are. Or maybe it was the cold snap these last two weeks. Where thousands of EVs had to be towed. Not because they slid off icy roads or crashed. They simply ran out of charge. Or maybe it was because their owners couldn’t run the heater for fear it would drain the battery and they wouldn’t make it home.

Be aware. Hydrogen may be the next green energy scam. Tune in and you’ll hear just how out of touch the Biden administration is. And environmentalists with their convoluted, damn the taxpayers, means to go green on hydrogen.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Articles/Info Mentioned During the Show

  • Frank Lasee’s website is TruthInEnergyAndClimate.com. Be sure to check out this website for great articles and information.
  • Government “accounting” vs GAAP. Article:”Modified Accrual Accounting: Definition and How It Works” (via Investopedia.com, June 4, 2023)
    • Public companies cannot use this accounting method for financial statements, but it is widely accepted for use by government agencies.
    • Public companies cannot use modified accrual accounting because it does not comply with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
  • New Discovery Overcomes Major Hurdle in Hydrogen Energy Economy (Oil Price, Jan 6, 2024)
    • “The new material, a lanthanum hydride compound modified with strontium and oxygen, allows high-rate conduction of hydride ions at room temperature.”
    • Whoops. Then along came winter → “Not quite noted above is that today’s designs need an above freezing environment. All the time, not just when running. For much of the time and much of the world that is killer. Moreover a freeze would destroy a fuel cell, thus even a rare freeze zone would entail considerable risk. The team hasn’t said anything specific yet. But this is promising.”
  • Hydrogen near tipping point to accelerate decarbonization (Techxplore, Nov 15, 2023)
    • THIS → “The U.S. Department of Energy also articulated the prominent Hydrogen Shot initiative in 2021. According to this initiative, the cost of producing clean hydrogen is to come down to $1.0/kg by the year 2030.” But does that $1/kg include the billions of dollars in subsidies to get there? What’s the real cost?
  • How About A Pilot Project To Demonstrate The Feasibility Of Fully Wind/Solar/Battery Electricity Generation? (Truth in Energy and Climate, Jan 25, 2022)

Info about Hydrogen and “Green Hydrogen”

Oregon’s Green Hydrogen Scheme

  • Pacific NW wins $1 billion from feds for ‘Clean Hydrogen Hub.’ Now what? (News from the States, Oct 13, 2023).
    • The hydrogen lobby duped Congress into $9.5 billion for hydrogen hubs and $100s of billions more for subsidies to make it. These hydrogen jobs will last only as long as the subsidies do.
  • Court case on fate of Snake River dams, imperiled salmon postponed (Oregon Capital Chronicle, Oct 31, 2023)
  • Officials tell public newly approved Northwest hydrogen hub will produce jobs, economic benefits (Oregon Capital Chronicle, Oct 31, 2023)
  • Frank Lasse article: “The Expensive Impossibility of Green Hydrogen From Part-Time Wind and Solar” (Truth in Energy & Climate, October 25, 2023)
  • “The fact that the world is desperately short of lithium and cobalt for electric vehicle batteries, at the scale they want to force, is dawning on them”
  • “Wind and solar produce little or no energy 70% of the time.”
    Frank Lasee: Joe Biden’s Hydrogen Slush Fund Means More Dollars Wasted On The Green Energy Boondoggle (ShoreNews Network, Feb 26, 2023)

EVs and the EV Market

14-02 Winter Potpourri | Hot Topics of the Week, Election Integrity News and More

14-02 Winter Potpourri | Hot Topics of the Week, Election Integrity News and More

Show 14-02 Summary: You probably missed the big election integrity news this last week. But that could be a little understandable because there was a lot of news this week. If the weather predictions hold true for some of our listening areas, it is definitely a good weekend to stay inside and listen to I Spy Radio. And as it happens, we have a former weatherman on this week. Fan favorite and regular guest, Chuck Wiese, joins us to talk through a huge news week — and one that was filled with stories in which he has expertise as a scientist, commercial airline pilot, and election integrity activist. We talk weather prediction, global warming, election fraud, airplane doors, and other hot topics from this and last week’s news.

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Original Air Dates: January 13th & 14th, 2024 | Guest: Chuck Wiese

This Week – Stories You Might Not have Heard

We welcome back fan favorite and regular gust, Chuck Wiese, to talk about some of the major news stories these last two weeks. And they all just happen line up well with Chuck’s expertise and experience. Chuck Wiese is an academically trained scientist with a degree in meteorology. (Which he obtained before the universities went woke and through science out in exchange for activism and big propaganda grants.) He spent years in the news business as a TV weatherman for a major Portland network before becoming a commercial airline pilot. After retiring from those, he has become a political activist — as we all should be —focusing especially on election integrity. And boy was there some election integrity news this week.

Have you signed up yet for our weekly show promo email? Get a Friday notice about the upcoming show. Send an email to info@ispyradio.com and ask to be added to our list!

Tune in to hear a wide-ranging interview covering why weather predictions, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, are so difficult to be accurate more than 48 hours out. We talk developments in election integrity, including the Georgia prosecutor Fanni Willis going after President Trump only to expose herself as being corrupt. She paid over $650,000 to her boyfriend who has never been a prosecutor. And was dumb enough to charge his visits to the Biden White House to her office leaving a paper trail of corruption.

Election Integrity News – Did You Miss It?

Speaking of Fanni Willis, there was election integrity news you almost certainly missed. Especially if your main news source is the mainstream news. Trump released a devastating report: “Summary of Election Fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election in the Swing States.” (If you have not seen this, see the Links section below to download a copy.)

The true “big lie” from 2020 is from the media: there was no evidence of election interference or corruption. That’s the lie. The “big truth” is that there is massive amounts of election fraud. And we talk through just one county in one state: Fulton County, Georgia.

Now you know why Fanni Willis is desperate to attack Trump. Marxism/Leftism 101: accuse the other side of that which you yourself are guilty.

Dumb Things Dumb People Do

The push for green energy (it’s not green) is on a downward spiral. And if you’re in an area this weekend getting hit by all that cold and ice, you’re glad your only power is NOT solar or wind. But beyond the push for green energy (it’s not green), EVs have suddenly taken a dive. All across the U.S. and even in the green-energy-crazy (it’s not green) United Kingdom EVs are suddenly unpopular. Why?

And did you see the dumbest dumb thing thew globalists and global warmers have come up with now? Listen in and don’t miss it.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Never miss a show! We send out a weekly “show promo” email letting you know what we have coming up. To be added to the list, just send a link to info@ispyradio.com and let us know you’d like to be added to our list. We never share your email address and you can decide to be removed at any time. Or added back.

Things We Did Discuss On Air

You Might Also Like…

We ran out of time before getting to some other topics we know Chuck is passionate about. Like Ivermectin for one. And that little miracle drug just keeps giving and giving. No wonder Fauci and Big Pharma tried to ban it.

Ivermectin

  • 6 Secrets of Ivermectin: The Medication That Keeps on Giving (Vigilant News Network, November 22, 2023). Some highlights:
    • It inhibits flu and RSV viral replication
    • Ivermectin reduces inflammation throughout the body
    • Improves the gastrointestinal microbiome by boosting levels of the probiotic Bifidobacterium
    • May help with athletic and sports performance by boosting cellular energy output in the heart
    • And here’s the big one: Ivermectin has profound anti-cancer properties
  • Ivermectin is (or was originally) and an anti-parasitic drug. This class of drug seems to have strong anti-cancer effects as well. Check this out: “The Overlooked Miracle Drug for Cancer? Why Big Pharma Fears Fenbendazole” (Vigilant News Network, Nov 7, 2023)

Oregon and Economics

 

 

 

14-01 The Two Major Fights in 2024 | Encouraging Victories from 2023

14-01 The Two Major Fights in 2024 | Encouraging Victories from 2023

Show 14-01 Summary: The 2023 wins and future battles. There will be two major fights in the year ahead. The first will be the battle over the First Amendment — especially free speech. Twenty-three states have created censorship and monitoring programs to keep the truth hidden from the public in favor of their propaganda. The second major fight will be the battle to convince people to get engaged and to not stay silent. Why? Because 2023 saw a bunch of huge wins. Even here in Oregon! When people spoke up, they won. That’s what we need more of in the year ahead.

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Original Air Dates: January 6th & 7th, 2024 | Guest: Craig Rucker

This Week – 2023 Wins and Future Battles

There will be two major fights in the year ahead. The first and biggest will be the battle over the First Amendment — especially free speech. In 2020, we saw the Deep State censor vital information from voters — like the Hunter Biden laptop story and the Biden corruption scandals. And the covid origin story and viable covid treatments of Ivermectin and HCQ. And injuries and death from the not safe, not effective vaccines. All that to seize control.

As of this writing, 23 states have joined the Biden administration to seize control of free speech, claiming they are fighting “disinformation.” All 23 of them just happen to be democrat-led states. Hint to tyrants: that’s not the government’s job. The government’s job is to defend free speech. Not attack it. The second major fight will be the battle to get people engaged. Is America worth saving? Is the America we’ve become worth defeating—to go back to the America we loved and was worth fighting for? The battle ahead will be to convince people to get engaged and to not stay silent. Why? Because 2023 was the year of wins. We saw what happened when people spoke up. They won. That’s what we need more of in the year ahead.

Winning 2023

Our guest this week is Craig Rucker, the president and co-founder of CFACT (the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow). We discuss with him the wins CFACT had in 2023 and the wins we had here in Oregon. And we look ahead to what needs to happen to get even more wins in 2024.

You’ll also hear about some surprising wins that weren’t planned and came a bit out of the blue — against “green” energy.

What You’ll Learn this Week

  • The huge victories CFACT had in 2023
  • The wins we had in Oregon. Including a huge win that you probably haven’t heard about: the dismantling of the Governor’s carbon scheme
  • Why the victories happened
  • Keys to getting more wins in 2024
  • The annual Global Warming confab, COP 28, and the reality check the host country gave to the Green Energy Cult and its attempt to get rid of oil. Get this: the COP28 president declared, “there is ‘no science’ behind the demand to phase-out of fossil fuels.” What?
  • And of course, lots more.

We had some wins too on I Spy Radio! We broke into some rankings that were unexpected — unexpected because we haven’t been doing any self-marketing. We were ranked 18th on FeedSpot’s 30 best Conservative Talks Shows, and 36th on PlayerFM’s Best Conservative Radio Talk Show Podcasts for 2023. Wow! And they chose us out of 1,000s of shows.

Whoops! Just checked that FeedSpot and now we’re up to 16th. Thank you listeners!

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.

Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

CFACT and COP 28

  • If CFACT is not already on your reading list, they should be. Bookmark CFACT.org.
  • Check out CFACT’s incredible coverage of COP 28 . Here are just a few:
    • Real America News — Stella Escobedo with Craig Rucker: Analysis Of The COP28 Climate Summit (Real America News, Dec 18th, 2023)
      • COP 28 was “a smorgasbord of far Left groups and people who are in the renewable energy industry who have a vested financial interest. Also people with an ideological interest in advancing the climate agenda.”
    • Craig Rucker on One America News: COP28 Countries Vote On Climate Disaster Fund (OAN, Nov 30, 2023)
      • Craig: it’s reparations in its own way – the West is causing “Climate Change.”
    • Was COP 28 climate imperialism’s last gasp? (CFACT, Dec 29th, 2023)
      • “African diplomats said at COP 28 that ‘the idea of a fossil-fuel phaseout [is] unworkable.’”*the real story of COP 28 – that, for perhaps the first time in 28 tries, the clash between Western ideologues “who are exhausted with the modern world” and developing nations “who want in on the modern world” was out in the open for the world to see.
    • PODCAST: New House resolution would nullify UN COP 28 meat plan (CFACT, Dec 18th, 2023)
    • COP 28: UN climate conference ends with more of the same tired ‘goals’ (Craig Rucker, CFACT, Dec 18th, 2023)
  • Cop28 president says there is ‘no science’ behind demands for phase-out of fossil fuels (The Guardian, Dec 3, 2023)*“Exclusive: UAE’s Sultan Al Jaber says phase-out of coal, oil and gas would take world ‘back into caves’”
  • Yet another win for CFACT: Another offshore wind project is canceled (Just the News, Jan 3, 2024)
  • Listen to Craig’s previous appearance on I Spy Radio for more wins they had, Show 13-42 Winds of War: Billions from Offshore Wind Farms – and Fighting Back.

Oregon Wins

 

13-49 Common Sense Prevails | Elliott State Research Forest Plan Gets Sidelined

13-49 Common Sense Prevails | Elliott State Research Forest Plan Gets Sidelined

Show 13-49 Summary: Could this be a win for Oregon? And common sense? It sure looks like one. Out of the blue, the Elliott State Research Forest plan, which would remove most of Oregon’s largest state forest from production to “study” it — suddenly, Oregon State University pulled out. To use the Left’s favorite catchphrase, it just wasn’t sustainable. Thanks also goes to the tribal nations who thought the plan was not only a financial mess but an environmental mess too. But was there more afoot here than meets the eye? Was it all a scheme to put something else in place? We talk the history of the Elliott State Forest, the evolution of research plan, and how government created the problem it could then fix. If only we spent billions on it.

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Original Air Dates: December 9, 2023 | Guests: Dr. Bob Zybach and Jen Hamaker

This Week – Elliott State Research Forest Plan Sidelined

After years of planning (scheming) and millions of dollars spent on the deal to decommission Oregon’s largest state forest. out of the blue, Oregon State University president, Jayathi Murthy, backed out. That took real courage. As I Spy Radio has been saying all along, this was never going to make financial sense. Nor environmental sense for the endangered species the environmentalists claimed they wanted to help.

What happened?

We talk with long-time guest and I Spy Radio‘s “in house” forestry and timber expert, Dr. Bob Zybach about why this forest deal was a boondoggle from the start. And with Jen Hamaker, president of ONRI, whose organization helped drive public outcry against Oregon’s statewide Habitat Conservation Plan. And how that outcry helped lead OSU’s president to make the right decision.

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Environmentalists

As of this writing, this looks like a win for Oregon. And common sense.

Remember, Oregon, by law, is supposed to be making money for the Common School Fund from its forests. But Far Left environmentalists have seized control in Oregon and are working to do anything but harvest timber. Which means they really don’t understand the environment at all. Just ask the tribal nations.

Who did, in fact, tell the environmentalists exactly that. The Elliott State Research Forest would not work. Not financially. And not be sustainable environmentally either. It would, in fact, create a worse habitat for the species they claimed they wanted to protect.

their plans would ruin the which would remove most of the state forest from production to “study” it — suddenly, Oregon State University pulled out. If it can’t be resurrected by December 31, 2023, the deal will sunset. Thankfully, OSU staff saw the impractical and nonviable finances and withdrew. Thanks in large part, too, to the tribal nations who thought the plan was not only a financial mess but an environmental mess too. One that ignored common sense and basic understanding of forestry. (Keep in mind, this was a management scheme cooked up by so-called “environmentalists.”) But was there more afoot here than meets the eye? Was it all a scheme to put something else in place? We talk the history of the Elliott State Forest, the evolution of research plan, and how government created the problem it could then fix. If only we spent billions on it.

What You’ll Learn on Today’s Show

  • How the Elliott State Forest was sabotaged by the government, creating a problem that needed to be solved
  • Why public outcry against the Elliott State Research Forest played a huge role in OSU backing out as the research partner
  • How Oregon is stealing from its own children. Millions spent on the plan when the Elliott State Forest should have been generating millions of dollars, every year, for the Common School Fund

Be sure to scroll down to the Links & Info section to see the flurry of letters back and forth about the end of the Elliott deal, Dr. Bob’s “boondoggle” article, and more.

  • Why the tribes said this wouldn’t work
  • The secretive, closed-door meetings to push the plan
  • Was there something else behind this scheme to take the Elliott Forest offline?
  • Who would profit from a “side plan” to sell carbon credits

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Related Information

  • Read the alternative proposal to the Elliott State Research Forest: The Giesy Plan.
  • Cop28 president says there is ‘no science’ behind demands for phase-out of fossil fuels (The Guardian, Dec 3, 2023)*“Exclusive: UAE’s Sultan Al Jaber says phase-out of coal, oil and

    gas would take world ‘back into caves’”

13-46 Economy or Environment, Bad Government is a Whale of a Mess

13-46 Economy or Environment, Bad Government is a Whale of a Mess

Show 13-46 Summary: A blast from Oregon’s past, the national debt continues to blow up, and story from right here in Oregon about how bureaucrats are throwing themselves on the grenade of success. Plus, environmentalists have traded saving whales to killing them – as long as they get their billions of dollars. And those offshore windmills may not be as green as they’re made out to be.

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Original Air Dates: November 18th & 19th, 2023 | Guests: Jonathan Williams & Terry Johnson

This Week – Economics and Wind Farms

We start off this week’s show with a look back to Oregon’s “Exploding Whale” story. It’s as good a metaphor as anything for the state we find ourselves in. As in the general state of affairs but, yes, state of Oregon too.

Why? Because the exploding whale is a great example of bad ideas by government officials that make a bad situation even worse. And, yet still worse, government officials with those bad ideas don’t get fired. They get promoted up the ladder.

Where in reality does this make sense?

Bidenomics

We welcome back a good friend of I Spy, ALEC’s chief economist Jonathan Williams. With the US House once again passing a continuing resolution or “CR” to keep the government open, we see our national debt soar. Jonathan discusses the deficit and debt and why there’s a lot of hope of finally getting our government’s spending addiction under control with the new House Speaker, Mike Johnson, who is a former member of ALEC from when he served in the Louisiana House. There is also the matter of Moody’s downgrading the U.S. credit rating with our treasury sales taking a big hit. And a story from right here in Oregon of government throwing itself in the way of prosperity.

Because in Lane County, a factory originally built for $1.6 billion by Hynix, a chip maker, has been sitting idle for 15 years. Now, Stratacache wants to open it to make micro-LED screens (the kind you see as menu boards in fast-food restaurants) and will hire 100s of employees. They were even given a $19 million from the State of Oregon to get going. But Lane County is blocking them. Because they are demanding $2 million property taxes.

Can you believe this? (Well, it’s Oregon, so yes. Yes we can.) Three hundred workers at an average of $40,000 each is $12 million dollars of taxable income. Every year. But that bureaucratic whale-exploding mindset has taken over and they’d rather blow up the deal. Sacrifice $12 million to get $2 million. That’s government.

Hint: empty buildings produce nothing.

CFACT: Save the Whales

Who had “conservative organizations sue the government to protect endangered whales” on their 2023 bingo card? Anyone?

Decades ago, environmentalists — the real ones, not today’s latte crop — fought to save the whales. They would risk their lives to put their boats and rafts between whales and the harpoons of whaling vessels.

But that was then. Now there is 100s of billions of free taxpayer cash to be had. What’s a few endangered whale deaths when you can be given billions. If you support the green agenda. And offshore windmills that aren’t green.

What’s that you say? Windmills not green?

We talk with Collister Terry Johnson, a senior policy advisor about their fight to stop offshore wind farms. CFACT sent the government a 60-day notice of intent to sue. This is a legal requirement, giving the federal government time to correct a mistake or rule violation. In this case, violating the endangered species act by plopping all these wind farms off shore. Right in the middle of whale migration areas. Including the Right Whale, which is highly endangered with only about 350 of them left.

If the government fails to take action within the 60-day window, CFACT and The Heartland Institute, will sue. And this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications. Not just stop the Virginia offshore wind, which it’s aimed at. But even shut down existing wind farms.

These wind farms that only exist because of billions of those taxpayer dollars. But, it turns out, a new study has been released that shows that these offshore wind farms may not be “carbon neutral” after all. In fact, they may be putting more CO2 into the air than they help prevent.

Whoops. There goes the whole point of their existence in the green energy sphere.

We only learned about the study the morning of our interview. But you can bet we’ll dig into it in a future show. You can read it here: How Offshore Wind Drives Up Global Carbon Emissions.

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Jonathan Williams’ Segments (1–3)

  • Jonathan’s organization is ALEC – the American Legislative Exchange Council. Find out more at ALEC.org.
    • Encourage your representatives to join ALEC! There are state and city memberships. Help elected officials understand economic problems and the real solutions available to get out of them! Send them this link: https://alec.org/membership/. And you too can join as a private-sector member!
  • Romney and Manchin Call for Commission to Stabilize US Debt (Yahoo News, Nov 9, 2023)
    • How very brave of two people who are leaving the senate.
  • Oregon income inequality grew again in 2021 (KLCC, Nov 13, 2023)
  • Salem payroll tax failing by large margin (Statesman Journal, Nov 7, 2023)
    • A citizen’s group forced Salem’s proposed tax on the ballot.  When people can actually vote on the outrageous they vote it down.
  • Oregon awarded millions to reopen a Eugene tech factory; a property tax fight could stand in the way (OregonLive, Nov 5, 2023)

Terry Johnson Segments (4–6)

  • CFACT issues “intent to sue” over offshore wind, releases new study (CFACT, Nov 14, 2023)
  • THE STUDY:
  • Collister (Terry) Johnson on “Joe Thomas in the Morning” shreds Dominion’s wind project (CFACT, Oct 12, 2022)
  • Repeal the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Latest  News: Release Of Second Video and Calling For Investigation (Repeal the Virginia Clean Economy Act, No Date)
  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Demonic’ off-shore wind farms are blamed for New Jersey whale deaths: Former SNL star reveals ‘green energy companies’ are sending ultra-loud blasts into water every 10 seconds that make mammals think predators are chasing them (UK Daily Mail, Nov 15, 2023)
  • Oregon tribes push back on offshore wind (Bend Bulletin, November 11, 2023)

Moody’s Downgrade of US Credit

  • Uh oh. Moody’s turns negative on US credit rating, draws Washington ire (Reuters, Nov 10, 2023)
  • Moody’s downgrades US debt rating outlook to negative (The Economic Times, Nov 11, 2023)*“Due to interest rate hikes by the US central bank to curb inflation, the cost of debt for the United States has ballooned, with Washington paying $162 billion more for interest in the last fiscal year compared to 2022.”

Worst Bond Market: Fewer Buyers Willing to Buy US Debt

  • 2022 was the worst-ever year for U.S. bonds. How to position your portfolio for 2023 (CNBC, Jan 7, 2023)
  • 2022: “The Worst Bond Market Ever: By history’s standards, stocks have not performed too badly, but bonds certainly have.” (Morningstar, Nov 21, 2022)
  • Government Bubble Burst: Treasury bond investors have been taking a historic beating. (Wall Street Journal, Oct 18, 2023)
    • “Although most of our national debt was issued when interest rates were low, that debt is quickly rolling over into a high-rate debt environment, and further borrowing continues. Without corrective action, interest costs could total more than $13 trillion over the next decade and $1.9 trillion per year by 2033.”
  • The collapse in Treasury bonds now ranks among the worst market crashes in history (Markets Insider, Oct 5, 2023)
    • Since March 2020, Treasury bonds with maturities of 10 years or more have plummeted 46%,  while the 30-year bond had plunged 53%.
  • Dreadful Treasury Auctions May Continue As Buyers Evaporate (Seeking Alpha, Nov 10, 2023)
    • “The 30-year Treasury auction on Nov. 9 was horrific. It saw one of the widest high-yield to median yield spreads since 1990 as the indirect acceptance rate plunged.”
  • The $24 Trillion Problem Haunting Wall Street (NY Intelligencer, Oct 18, 2023)
    • “When Wall Street sizes up the world’s risks, one way traders make their bets on the future is through the market in U.S. Treasuries.”
  • Demand for 30-Year Treasuries Proves Weak, Sending Yields Surging (Wall Street Journal, Nov 9, 2023)
    • “Primary dealers, big banks who are obligated to finance whatever portion of a Treasury auction isn’t purchased by other investors, bought nearly a quarter of the issuance. [That’s] more than double their average in recent 30-year auctions.”