Category: Economics

How Oregon will Crush Small Business Thanks to Governor Kate Brown

How Oregon will Crush Small Business Thanks to Governor Kate Brown

Show Summary: Tune in to hear how small business is about to be crushed in Oregon. If you are running for office you need to listen to this show. If you plan to vote for someone running for office you need to listen to this show. If you own a small business or work for one, you really need to listen to this show. You need to know the storm that’s about to be unleashed on small business, thanks to Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown.

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Original Air Dates: April 14 & 15, 2018 | Guest: Jonathan Williams of ALEC

Some states are scrambling for money as big debts are coming due. And Oregon is leading the way—just not in finding the right answers that would promote economic health.

Instead, Democrat Governor Kate Brown seems to be almost working overtime to crush our state’s innovative spirit. So she’s not only killing our ability to not only pay our bills but taking an axe to what could be (with better management) a positive economic environment for small businesses. Or even attract them from other states.

But not in Oregon. Instead, there is a real storm coming for small businesses here in Oregon.

Crushing Small Business. Oregon Style

One of the things you’ll hear in the show this week is how Oregon is targeting small business by divorcing them from the Trump tax break. But then there’s a coming sales tax.

Yes. A sales tax in Oregon.

This is the internet sales tax that is being heard next week in front of the Supreme Court. Oregon small businesses would be forced to collect taxes for states like New York and Washington that have their own sales tax.

Regulations and taxes crush small businesses. Oregon is the example of what NOT to do.But unbeknownst to many, Oregon’s own State Attorney General has signed onto an Amicus Brief to allow a national sales tax on internet purchases.  This will be crushing to Oregon’s small businesses with the increased costs of processing this sales tax. For other states.

It’s the foot in the door to finally create the sales tax Oregon’s Democrats and Big Government Republicans have been longing for.

[wpedon id=”2365″ align=”center”]

See below for an excerpt from the brief that includes not only more taxes but more prying into your personal lives. Have our elected leaders gone insane? Has no one heard of cutting spending?

Oregon Democrats hate cutting spending almost as much as they hate cutting trees.

Show Flow

We start by discussing Congress’s Omnibus bill, which sets the stage for the rest of the discussion.

Then we move to the Left’s “boogeyman”: Kansas and their ill-advised massive tax cut and spending increase. Why? Because the Left uses Kansas to try to scare other states away from cutting taxes. We debunk the myth because what happened in Kansas can help other states learn what not to do (hint, hint Oregon!).

Next, we talk about what Oregon is doing to crush small business, including taking away tax cuts. It’s a punishment that falls on small businesses and only small businesses. Then, it’s the internet sales tax and the grand daddy of spending boondoggles, PERS.

But there is good news (just not in Oregon). Don’t miss what nearby state to watch as the primary example of how smart policies really can create economic health.

Oregon’s Attorney General Rosenblum’s Amicus Brief

“Their [businesses] advanced online platforms boast impressive technology that enables them to not only comply (easily) with State [tax] collection laws, but also capture extensive data about their customers. According to one commentator, an online retailer can effortlessly track demographic information that includes “‘your age, whether you are married and have kids, which part of town you live in, how long it takes you to drive to the store, your estimated salary, whether you’ve moved recently, what credit cards you carry in your wallet and what Websites you visit … data about your ethnicity, job history, the magazines you read, if you’ve ever declared bankruptcy or got divorced, the year you bought (or lost) your house, where you went to college, what kinds of topics you talk about online, whether you prefer certain brands of coffee, paper towels, cereal or applesauce, your political leanings, reading habits, charitable giving and the number of cars you own.’”

The full Amicus brief can be read here (PDF)

Podcast Version

Links and Related Information

Oregon Governor Kate Brown to Crush Small Business

PERS

  • Editorial: Lawmakers can’t duck Oregon’s PERS burden (The Bulletin, Mar 17, 2018)
  • Huge Bill Is Coming Due For Oregon’s Past Pension System Mistakes (OPB, Feb 2, 2018)
  • Once again, Oregon makes national news. Except, as usual, it’s not for good reasons: “A $76,000 Monthly Pension: Why States and Cities Are Short on Cash” (New York Times, April 14, 2018)
  • PERS task force suggests ways to pay down system’s debt (OSBA, November 1, 2017)
  • PERS: Panel delivers ideas to cut pension deficit by $5 billion (Oregon Live, November 1, 2017)
    • “The panel’s mandate was to leave no stone unturned. But the governor, who is up for reelection in 2018, specifically directed members not to consider changes to pension benefits. Any such changes would be deeply unpopular with public employee unions, who typically back Democrats. Brown also said upfront that she wasn’t interested in selling state parks or forests, which would have proven deeply unpopular with environmental and conservation groups.”
  • If you thought what you read before was bad, read this: Time Bomb: PERS (via Senate Republicans, 2017)

Kansas: the Left’s Anti-Tax-cut Boogeyman

  • VIDEO: Jonathan on a panel at Heritage Foundation, discussing Kansas as the example Leftists point to about tax cuts hurting the government. “What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan: The Undoing of a Good Idea” (Heritage Foundation, Apr 10, 2018) The three key takeaways: don’t cut taxes and increase spending; have a plan to balance the budget, and have the right systems in place.

Here’s some Leftist spin on what happened in Kansas

The Coming Storm for Small Businesses: the Internet Sales Tax

  • Video – Online Sales Tax: Crushing Small Business (ALEC, March 2018)
  • See how the Internet sales tax (and taxes in general) pushes businesses out of state: Internet Sales Tax Hurts Businesses and the States that Pass Them (ALEC, Jan 2014)

 

 

 

Did Spooks Spook the Market? Economic Warfare and Market Sabotage

Did Spooks Spook the Market? Economic Warfare and Market Sabotage

Show Summary: After months of steady gains, the markets took a dive last week. Something about it all didn’t seem quite right. Right in the middle of the FBI memos exposing the Deep State? How convenient. Pundits blamed “robo-traders” and “market corrections.” But was it all just normal market volatility? Or could it have been manipulated? And if so, by whom? Because here’s the thing: economic warfare and market sabotage has happened before.

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Air Dates: Feb. 17 & 18, 2018 | Kevin Freeman

This Week: Just imagine if you had the ability to create panic in the stock market like a precision bomb. You could make a lot of money when the sheep begin to stampede. Last week we had a bumpy ride with the Dow Jones and other markets showing incredible volatility and the timing of it was rather suspicious.

Think about it.  President Trump’s approval numbers start to climb.  Trump’s new fed chair was officially appointed.  CNN points to the stock downcast and that it was all Trump’s fault as they ducked out of Trump’s speech. And, of course, it sure took a lot of heat off the highly revealing Democrat-Russian collusion memos.

Was it just normal market volatility?  Or could it have been manipulation? And, if so, by whom? Yes. Because here’s the thing: economic warfare, market manipulation, and even market sabotage have all happened before.

Economic Warfare and Market Sabotage

Remember 2008?  It was proven that Russia had manipulated the big sell off on the stock market at that time—which actually had to be forcibly shut down by the government to stop a collapse. The panic that ensued. Then Presidential candidate, John McCain rushing back to Washington.

Long-time listeners of I Spy know that, yes, there was indeed manipulation in our markets in 2008—by Russia. (It might very well have been brought down if the Chinese hadn’t backed out at the last moments.) This was outright economic warfare. And it helped to usher in Obama’s presidency, who just happened to seem rather calm about the whole thing.  So was last week’s market volatility was normal or staged?

To figure this out we bring in Kevin Freeman, a world renowned expert on economic warfare and author of, Secret Weapon: How Economic Terrorism brought down the US Stock Market.  You’ll hear just how open these systems are to manipulation.  We also discuss automatic trading algorithms, “robo-brokers,” that go in and buy and sell when triggers and market conditions are met.  And if those are at work behind the scenes, how easily can those be manipulated to cause crashes?

Let’s not forget: George Soros has made an awful lot of money—not when the market goes up, but when it goes down. You don’t think he’d be happy to unleash a little economic warfare and financial terrorism?

Don’t miss our conversation on the dangers, the signs of war, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family’s financial health.

Podcast Version

Links Mentioned

Additional Links

  • Exclusive: Leftist Google Employees Conspire To Undermine Breitbart’s Ad Revenue (Breitbart, Feb 13, 2018)
  • WIRED: ‘Inside The Two Years that Shook Facebook – and the World’ (Breitbart, Feb 13, 2018)
  • Consumer prices jump much more than forecast, sparking inflation fears (CNBC, Feb 14, 2018)
  • Dems vie to win back blue-collar voters in pivotal Pa. race (The Hill, Feb. 14, 2018)
  • Ivanka Trump touts business tax cuts in political hotspot (Yahoo News, Feb. 14, 2018)
  • Adam Schiff Confirms Democratic Memo Contains ‘Sources and Methods’ (Daily Caller, Feb. 14, 2018)
  • Definition of short selling via Investopedia – “Short selling is the sale of a security that is not owned by the seller or that the seller has borrowed. Short selling is motivated by the belief that a security’s price will decline, enabling it to be bought back at a lower price to make a profit.”
  • Apple Responds to Hack Threats, Says There Were No iCloud or Apple ID Breaches (Macrumors, March 22, 2017)
  • Inside One of the World’s Most Secretive iPhone Factories (Bloomberg, Apr 24, 2016)
  • China is using its students and professors at US colleges to SPY on America, FBI Director warns, as it bids to become the world’s dominant superpower (Daily Mail, Feb 14, 2018)

 

Surprise! When Government Makes Sense

Surprise! When Government Makes Sense

Show Summary: North Dakota is a state that understands people need natural resources. They went through a lot of growing pains with the fracking boom. Just imagine: a state that actually has a budget surplus. Hear how they are are using their success to plan for the future—and some surprising developments in working with some environmental groups that may provide a blueprint for Oregon. Also, Trump is making deals on DACA and the border. What do people on the border, who see the negative impacts of illegal immigration think about the deals?

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Air Dates: Feb. 3 & 4, 2018 | Vicky Steiner & Jeff Schwilke

A State that Actually USES its Natural Resources?

About five years ago I Spy jealously watched states whose government was working for the people — especially considering the mess Oregon was in: implementing Obamacare, the CCO’s, PERS, and other devastating public costs, while ignoring an obvious source of revenue. Timber.  So, we wanted to see what other states were doing to succeed, and how they were keeping their state in the black.

We were fortunate to have our research come upon Vicky Steiner, who was at that time working in the oil industry, as North Dakota was experiencing a real economic boom.  Vicky told us about the fast-paced growth spurt they were experiencing and what the state’s leadership was doing to improve their state’s future by providing important infrastructure and designing a savings plan that tucked away millions in the state coffers should there be a downturn.

Now, five years later, we have Vicky Steiner back to update us on where they are as a state and how using their natural resources has paid off.  Due to their careful planning, North Dakota has weathered the downturn when the oil prices dropped and production slowed.  Under President Trump and the U.S. actually exporting oil, along with prices rising, Vicky discusses how they are now expanding their oil fields but have become so much more efficient in their production because they invested in new and better technologies.

Meanwhile, Oregon’s Congressional representatives are asking Ryan Zinke not to allow drilling off of Oregon’s coast.

Sigh.

A Surprise for Everyone

Not only did they use their success to develop better, more efficient production techniques, they also built partnerships with responsible environmental groups who helped to ensure oil production was friendly to their treasured land.  Something that Oregon’s vast forest, that burn or rot because they are not managed and logged, could benefit from its own legislative leadership.

Could what they have learned be a roadmap for Oregon to begin using their own natural resources?

Illegal Immigration

Two brand new illegals
Two brand new illegals. Notice how clean and well-dressed these Hondurans are. All ready for their new (illegal) lives in America

Then we go south to San Diego and welcome border security activist and retired Master Sergeant, Jeff Schwilk.  Jeff has strong and great insights into what is currently occurring on the border.  He describes his experiences of what happens in communities near a border that brings illegal immigrants into their communities — and into their local voting booths.

Jeff discusses what he’s recently seen and some of the gaps on the border wall/fence during his tour with a border security team. Jeff tells us his thoughts on President Trump’s recent position on DACA and explains what he feels needs to happen to get to a workable final deal as he offers his ideas and what his anti-amnesty colleagues are pushing for.  These are important insights from people who live smack in the middle of the immigration issues that you won’t want to miss.

Jeff’s Email on Illegal Immigrants as Invaders


Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2018 2:32 PM
To: Jeff Schwilk
Subject: Illegal alien DACA Punks DEMAND full Amnesty for ALL Illegal Aliens, not just Dreamers

Illegal immigrant invaders
From Jeff’s email — to us, these are clearly illegal immigrant invaders

They don’t want DACA, they don’t want a “deal”, they want our country!  They are demanding that we leave our borders wide open for all their relatives to sneak in.  (see attached recent photo and new email from them below).  They have now taken over the entire Democrat party who is terrified to stand up to them.  Now they have their sights set on weak-kneed and open border Republicans, of which there are far too many, through their increasing demands and hostile actions.

They meet the very definition of foreign terrorists or insurgents on our soil.  The enemy within.  The Reconquista is real and these foreign aliens can taste it, not just in California where they have have nearly taken over state and many local governments, but now they want the whole U.S. for their “raza” and revenge against America.

No DACA, no Dream Act, no amnesty.  Enforce our Laws and Secure our Homeland first!


What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Let us know by commenting below.

Tweet of the Week

This has to be the tweet of the week on illegal immigration/DACA…

Podcast Version

Links

  • Vicky’s article: Davis Refinery would mean jobs, prosperity for southwest ND (Inforum, Jan. 15, 2018)
  • Jeff Schwilke’s website, sdsb.weebly.com. To sign up for his newsletter, send him an email, jeffschwilk@cox.net
  • The Goodlatt bill is HR4760

North Dakota, Oil, Economics, Environmentalists (Segments 1–3)

Immigration, DACA, and Border (Segments 4–6)

Can Oregon be Made Great Again

Can Oregon be Made Great Again

Show Summary: This week we continue our discussion on natural resources. Last week, the Pebble Mine in Alaska is poised to begin harvesting half a trillion dollars. What’s Oregon doing with their natural resources? We talk with Dr. Bob Zybach to find out what Oregon is doing wrong and what we should be doing. We also talk with Sam Carpenter who is running for governor as the Republican. He has some unique ideas on how to fix Oregon. Could Oregon turn red?

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Original Air Dates: Month 20 & 21, 2018 | Dr. Bob Zybach & Sam Carpenter

Why is it when we discuss natural resources it seems as if immediately those resources are always aligned with environmental issues?  Why is it they are never considered resources and their impact on income and expenses instead?  Especially when we are discussing rural communities who are nearing bankruptcy. A family turns to their bank accounts (their resource) as they determine budgets.  Shouldn’t a state such as Oregon who has natural resources in their land “bank” be doing the same?

For instance, the wild fires that burned over a million acres of resources this past summer cost Oregon taxpayers a lot of money. That burn cost Oregonians a minimum of half a billion dollars.  Money that Oregon’s depleted bank resources doesn’t have.  And what’s the answer that Kate Brown, Oregon’s governor, has come up with?  Sell off a state forest that if managed is capable of supplying $400 million for Oregon’s schools. And not only does she want to sell it off, but she wants to sell it off at a quarter of its value.  A very bad deal.

Oregon’s Natural Resources: Money does Grow on Trees

Oregon is a land rich with natural resources just waiting to be harvested
Oregon is a land rich with natural resources just waiting to be harvested

Our first guest, Dr. Bob Zybach, focuse s on why harvesting and managing our forests and natural resources would not only save Oregon tax payers money, it would make them a small fortune. And if managed well would turn around an economic disaster in rural communities. Who wants to inhale smoked-filled skies or watch wildlife habitat be destroyed?  No one.  It’s a no-brainer to get behind and support people who are willing to step up and offer solutions. Dr. Zybach offers his well-researched, practical experiences he’s had as a hands-on forester to stop this nonsense of fires in Oregon.

Don’t miss the shocking “workaround” that Governor Kate came up with to get around pesky state laws. Not only will we not make money on the Elliott Forest, we’re spending our future.

Can Oregon be Made Great Again?

We then turn to Republican gubernatorial candidate, Sam Carpenter, who has very intriguing ideas on how to get Oregon into a positive win/win scenario on these needless fires and to get Oregon into overall financial health.  A 30-year, highly experienced businessman specializing in fixing businesses in trouble, Mr. Carpenter brings a wide compliment of innovative ideas into the mix.  Having been a forester himself, he pinpoints the problems Oregonians want solved regarding forests and forest management.

Using his professional experience as a successful CEO he discusses not only his thoughts on forest management but how he’d tap into the advisors he’s already working with to find the best solutions to stop the needless waste.  A man who’s lived in rural areas all of his life, he understands the value of bringing their rural areas up to standards with living wages the way it used to be in Oregon.

And don’t miss his notions on how to win in Oregon.  Hint: It’s not about “reaching across the aisle” by giving up your principles, which is what so many Republicans think they need to do to attract Democrat votes.

Can Oregon can be made great again? Don’t miss a show that will give you a lot of hope!

 

Advertise with Us!

Do you have a great business? Want your business to grow? We can help! Become a sponsor of the I Spy Radio show and we’ll get your business on the air all across Oregon. We have some special deals for new advertisers – but you have to call us directly. Drop us an email at sales@ispyradio.com or 503-465-iSpy (4779).

Podcast Version

Links Mentioned

  • Advertising with I Spy Radio – 2018 is off to a great start with a real opportunity for businesses to expand and grow. Will your business be one of them? You’ve got to advertise Thanks to the Trump tax cut, even here in Oregon people will have more money to spend.. But they can’t buy from you if they don’t know you’re out there. We can get you on the air on our network of stations all across Oregon. We have some special deals for new advertisers – but you have to call us directly. Drop us an email at sales@ispyradio.com or 503-465-iSpy (4779).
  • Save 25% on your tickets for the Mike Huckabee event, Speak Life 18! Use ispyradio as the discount code when ordering from oregonlifeunited.org’speaklife
  • Sam Carpenter’s website: MakeOregonGreatAgain.com and his Facebook page is Sam Carpenter for Oregon

Related Links

Pebble Mine — Winning against Environmentalists

Pebble Mine — Winning against Environmentalists

Show Summary: The Trump administration is winning against extreme environmentalists. Tune in to hear some exciting news about the Pebble Mine project in Alaska, its tremendous wealth just waiting to be taken, and how the rabid environmentalists are the past,  not the future. Also, we talk with Jeff Jimerson of Oregon Life United about their plans to turn the tide for pro-life in Oregon in 2018.

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Original Air Dates: Jan. 13 & 14, 2018 | Jeff Jimerson & Mike Heatwole

Welcome to another edition and another year of I Spy Radio — helping you to get a little more intelligence on big govt. If this is your first time joining us, a special welcome to you as we kick off a new year. We hope you’ll join us every week as we give you more intelligence in one hour than most shows do in three.

This week

The first part of a two-part series focused on natural resources. And there is some good news on that front—for once.

Speak Life 2018

But before we get to the natural resources portion, our first guest is Jeff Jimerson, founder of Oregon Life United and lead petitioner to stop taxpayer funded abortions in Oregon.  To help get the word out on this signature initiative, his organization is bringing Mike Huckabee to Oregon, January 21st and 22nd.

We talk to Jeff about whether it’s true or not that Oregon has no pro-life laws to protect the unborn. No parental notification, no limits?  And then don’t miss the information on Gov. Huckabee’s visit to Oregon at their Speak Life 2018 event—and that’s not all.  This group has some exciting plans coming up, so we’ll be having Jeff back on to give updates as plans come to fruition.

Progressive politicians are wrong if they think free abortions for all is a winning strategy. Especially for today’s youth. Polls show an overwhelming majority of today’s youth are pro-life. Why? Because they’re the sonogram generation. They grew up at a time mom came home from the doctor with sonogram pictures and say, “See? This is your baby brother or this is your baby sister. Here’s the head… Here’s her arm…” They know that’s a baby in there, not some “blob of tissue.”

Pebble Mine

Then we switch hats to focus on natural resources something environmentalists have fought against for years.  But what these extremists don’t understand is that being an environmentalist doesn’t mean we can’t touch natural resources, it’s more about how you treat the lands and the people when you do harvest resources.

The Pebble Mine. Just waiting for permit approvalWe head back to Bristol Bay, Alaska, to talk about one of the most richest mineral deposits in the world: the Pebble Mine project.  A mine that has been put on hold for years as the Obama administration refused to even allow the permitting process to begin.

Long-time listeners of I Spy will remember that Pebble Partnership was forced to sue the EPA to give them same rights as any other mining company and discovered that the EPA had been conspiring with environmental groups to stop the Pebble Mine from ever submitting a permit application.

Now with the Trump administration in place the EPA has allowed the permitting process to begin, a process that will take years to finalize.  And with a growing economy, America will need the gold, copper, and other minerals of Pebble Mine to build computers, cell phones, and other essentials that we use daily in our lives.

Winning against Environmentalists

But it’s more than just Pebble Mine. Tune in to hear how after years of shutting down and, dare we say, terrorizing industry, the extreme environmentalists are on the defensive.  It’s about time. Don’t miss to hear how the extremists are “old school” and their fear-mongering is out of touch with modern-day approaches to natural resources.

And don’t miss next week’s show as we continue our focus on natural resources: Could there be some hope for Oregon?

Speak Life! 2018

We’re pleased to announce that Oregon Life United is bringing out Mike Huckabee on January 21st and 22nd to help with the signature gathering effort. He’ll be speaking at Portland, Salem, and Medford.  To get the details go to https://www.oregonlifeunited.org/speaklife/ and order your $20 tickets online.  Look for the discount code button and type in ISpyRadio (all one word) to get $5 off per ticket. That’s 25% off!

Podcast Version

Speak Life and Oregon Life United Links

  • More information and to order tickets for Mike Huckabee and Speak Life! 2018 can be found at Oregon Life United
    • Don’t forget to use the discount code ispyradio and save $5 per ticket!
  • An unintentionally pro-life article from The Huffington Post: “Are You a Miracle? On the Probability of Your Being Born” (Aug 16, 2011).
  • Breitbart News – “Study: India Performs 15.6 Million Abortions per Year” (Dec 30, 2017): “A new study finds that about 15.6 million abortions were performed in India in 2015”
  • The new pro-life generation High-school students are organizing and engaging in the fight for life, despite sharp opposition from some administrators and peers (Jan. 2018)
    • “Despite the hostility, Curran and other members of Students for Life Dripping Springs continue to gather once a month in the school cafeteria to hand out flyers describing scientific facts about unborn babies. The students are part of the latest front lines of the pro-life battle: Winning the hearts and minds of the next generation means finding even younger activists.”

Pebble Mine Segment Links

  • More information about the Pebble Mine can be found at pebblepartnership.com
  • Breaking the backs of the Enviro movement (something we’ll see more of under the Trump administration): “Exxon Prepares To Sue California Cities, Says They Contradict Themselves On Climate Change” (Jan. 8, 2018)
    • Cities in CA at sea-level on the one hand claim in their lawsuits against Exxon a high risk of flooding due to Climate Change, in some cases, a 99% chance of flooding due to sea levels rising. But now Exxon is suing them, saying that if that’s true then those cities defrauded investors who bought bonds those cities issued, which somehow failed to mention flooding risks.
  • Trump moves to give local communities more control over public lands near those communities — opening it up to mining, mineral exploration, farming, etc. (need link)
  • (Gov) Walker doubles down on opposing Pebble Mine (Alaska’s Energy Desk, Oct 8, 2017)
  • Trump’s EPA Is On Course To Retire Half Its Staff (Daily Caller, Jan 9, 2018)
  • The EPA’s Waters of the United States Rule pits the EPA against farmers, miners, and other industry (Politico, May 27, 2015)
  • With new life under Trump administration, fresh Pebble Mine details released (Alaska’s Energy Desk, Jan 5, 2018)
  • Pebble Partnership EPA Application (Application Dec 22, 2017)
  • First glance at Pebble’s new plans (KDLG Bristol Bay Public Radio, Oct 5,2017)
  • Pebble names First Quantum Minerals as new partner (KDLG, Dec 18, 2017)
  • The Senate tax bill would allow oil drilling in Alaskan wildlife refuge (CNN Money, Dec 4, 2017)
  • Developing Alaska’s wildlife refuge is a win-win-win (WA Post, Nov 30, 2017)
The Second Scenario

The Second Scenario

Show Summary: There was collusion in our election—but it wasn’t Trump, it wasn’t just Russia and it wasn’t just 2016. Tune in to hear the evidence of who was doing the conspiring and why.

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Original Air Dates: Dec. 2 & 3, 2017 | Kevin Freeman

This Week: When have you last heard a progressive say “I want America to win”?  And if they say it what have they described that America would look like?  Well, this week we’re looking into that description, what it was, when it was used, and who used it.  Interestingly, the Carnegie Foundation wrote a report that gave us three scenarios of how we could measure the US’s relationship with China: China winning, America winning, or a draw. And even though it was written in 2013, long before President Trump announced his candidacy, the scenarios unintentionally summarized what the United States would look like under a President Trump versus what President Obama was doing.

Actual Collusion

Don’t miss this fascinating, free-ranging discussion with guest, Kevin Freeman, one of the world’s leading authority on cyber security. We head into directions the main stream media does not want to —and refuses to—report on. We start on trade, mix in technology, and uncover deliberate sabotage.

Here’s a hint: it’s not just Russia. And it’s home-grown.

We break down how certain relationships, such as with Russia, were allowed that corrupted our election and why it was important to Russia to sabotage the election. No, not the 2016 election. The 2008 election. Tune in to find out who else was involved. And the collusion goes back even further than 2008, right back to the 1980s.

The Democrats' Russian collusion delusion. The Democrats' Russian collusion delusion. It's all an illusion.
The Democrat collusion delusion. It’s all an illusion.

It’s not just interfering in our elections but tampering with our financial markets. Listen in to hear how, intentionally or not, President Obama weakened the US by turning his back on financial markets—and turned a blind eye to actual interference. Don’t miss the evidence after evidence of the sabotaging of America—from within. And a lot of people lined their pockets as they corrupted their country and sold their souls to other countries.

Buckle up and hold tight.  This is a show you don’t want to miss.

Exciting News!

Right now, volunteers in Oregon are working overtime to try and stop the taxpayer funding of this ugly new abortion law. As Students for Life head home on Christmas break, they’ll be bringing petitions with them to gather signatures to help stop the funding. Also, we’re pleased to announce that StoptheFunding.org is bringing out Mike Huckabee in late January (20th and 21st) to help with the signature gathering effort. So far, we can confirm he’ll be speaking in Portland, Salem, and Medford. Stay tuned for more details on locations and times!

Head here for the news so far and how to get updates 

Podcast Version

Links Mentioned

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The One Simple Question Republicans Need to Ask about Tax Reform

The One Simple Question Republicans Need to Ask about Tax Reform

Show Summary: This week’s show is all about tax reform. Yeah, we know. You think that’s boring. But the fight over tax reform is really about the fight for the soul of America. We talk with Jonathan Williams of ALEC to get to the truth a dose of reality about the good, bad, and ugly about the Republican tax reform plan. And it really comes down to one simple question we all should ask.



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Air Dates: Nov. 11 & 12, 2017 | Jonathan Williams

As Trump supporters we’ve been anticipating the swamp will try anything to stop President Trump’s attempts to reform Washington and drain the swamp.  And what we’ve witnessed are spineless Republicans who, instead of charging up the hill behind President Trump they are cowering in the trenches or worse, working to undermine his plans.

It’s a simple question: do you want to create wealth for people or for government? But what we’re seeing right now are Republicans who are tentative about creating a simple and straightforward — and bold! — tax reform system that would grow wealth for people. Could it be because they are more attached to their power and are afraid to shrink government?

Tax reform analogy

Spelled out perfectly by Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee, using reporters & beer

pre-engineered steel building Landmark Pacific for wineries, agricultural, business, churches, and more
Agricultural, commercial, churches, wineries … Need a steel building? Visit Landmark Pacific

So, as we sit with our toes tapping we at I Spy decided to take a look at what the House has proposed in the way of tax reform.  We talk about it all: the good and the bad and maybe some ugly, so you, the citizen, can decide on the plan’s merits.  And now that the Senate’s version has been released, you’ll know what to look for in their plan. Because in the back of your mind, you should always be asking, “Whose side are they on? The taxpayer or the government—and their own career in Congress?”

Don’t miss the show! You’ll get more in-depth analysis in one hour than most shows will give you in three..

Podcast Version

Links Mentioned

Related Links

  • Interesting history on the initial income tax and the debates of them (Tax History Project, 2013)
  • Gov. Brown’s education ‘vision’ blurred by contradictions: Editorial Agenda 2017 (OregonLive.com, Oct. 21, 2017) Puts Oregon’s PERS unfunded liability at $25 billion
Oregon’s Gurgling Drain | Never Ending Spending

Oregon’s Gurgling Drain | Never Ending Spending

Show Summary: If you haven’t been paying attention, the Democrats are running amok with your money. Find out their plans and how—and why—Oregon is sinking to the bottom in state competitiveness. Perhaps it has to do with their never ending spending spree? Actually, it’s a bit more than that.

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

All Stations Stream Live!
7:00AM Saturday: KUIK (Portland)
11:00AM Saturday: KBKR (Baker City) | KLBM (La Grande)
7:00PM Sunday: KAJO (Grants Pass)

Air Dates: May 20 & 21, 2017 | Rep. Knute Beuhler & Jonathan Williams

This week we’re looking at the never-ending spending spree of the Oregon legislature.   We’re already facing a $1.8 billion hole and, naturally, that pushes the D’s to try and find new and inventive ways to tax Oregonians.  Like letting the camel get its nose in the tent, they are trying to find new ways to push a sales tax while calling it something else.

If you haven’t been paying attention, you’ll be shocked to hear what the Democrats are doing and looking to spend — despite being in the hole already. Do Oregon legislators think they have a bottomless checkbook?

Democrats Obama and spending
Years of democrats and their spending spree have doubled our national debt

That’s the question we discuss with our guests.  First up is Rep. Knute Buehler, Bend, OR, a fiscal conservative who has problems with the spending that he has seen at the legislature.  Right now, Oregon has enough Republicans on board to stop the Democrats from passing a spending bill but it’s tight with only a one vote margin of error.  Listen to find out what we can expect on taxes and debt coming out of this legislative cycle.

Then we talk with Jonathan Williams of ALEC to find out what states are fiscally under control and maybe even growing their economy compared to those who are doing it wrong.  There are some surprises, except for Oregon, which has slipped in the rankings once again.  Tune in to find out why and what we could do to right the ship.To use this, copy all, use “add new” button at the top, paste. Be sure to set tags & categories. And to reset “this week” in the menu to this post

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Red Lines are for Losers: Developing an International Strategy

Red Lines are for Losers: Developing an International Strategy

Show 7-16 Summary: Strategy is always complicated but it gets even more so on an international stage. Tune in to hear the challenges facing the U.S. on multiple fronts as we look at international strategy through two distinct but intertwined lenses: economic and military. You’ll come away with new respect for the complexity of international strategy in an ever-changing world as President Trump rolls out his strategy that favors action. And why there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Click the mic to download the show! (Shows are available by Mondays at noon)
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Air Dates: Month 22 & 23, 2017 | Crista Huff & Carl Higbie

I Spy Radio is going international this week. Well, actually, we’re always international thanks to all of our stations’ live streaming, but imagine a giant jigsaw puzzle and you finally figure out where your piece fits. So far, the jigsaw has seemed just a jumbled mass of confusion but then you put your piece in place and suddenly the puzzle starts to make sense. That’s because your piece changed the landscape and became part of the big picture.

Strategy and its moving parts
Strategy is complex. Try moving just one part.

But then, all of the pieces around your piece change shape and form and the picture changes yet again.

And that is essentially what’s going on with the US’s international strategy where you have Trump making strong decisions in Syria and also now in N. Korea — fitting in his piece of the puzzle. His actions, as just a part of the overall strategy, start to change the big picture even with the world’s complications.  Because we’re not only dealing with other cultures and nation states but then there’s also the confluence of US law. And their laws. And on and on.

On this week’s show we have two guests who will focus on two different aspects of international strategies. One is Carl Higbie, a military expert and former Navy Seal, and you’ve undoubtedly heard him on Fox News.  And we also have Crista Huff (@CristaHuff) who is a chief stock analyst for Cabot Wealth (cabotwealth.com).  Both of these individuals look at the world in terms of our international policies from two very different lenses. One through economics and one through military and yet the two lenses are very intertwined.

Obama's red line strategyTake Syria. A prime example of complex situations centered around military action but a war that started not only over political but over economic reasons: an oil and gas pipeline. Add to the mix Russia whose economy depends on attempting to dominate oil in Europe.  Now top that off with our own changes in the US moving from a leader, Obama, who had a non-action policy to Trump as a leader who is engaged by taking action and making changes.

Listen to hear how even though we’re throwing the net pretty wide this week you’ll gain an understanding and appreciation of just how complex so many of these issues are especially when you’re dealing with two very different dictators.

Links Mentioned

Crista Huff (Segment 1 –3)

We didn’t get a chance to talk to Crista Huff about China’s currency manipulation but here are some articles about it if you’d like to learn more. and note the changing strategy in relation to shifts on the ground.

Carl Higbie’s (Segments 4–6)

Can Trump Make Even the EPA Great Again?

Can Trump Make Even the EPA Great Again?

Show Summary: The Left has painted themselves blue with wode and are howling to Mother Earth to stop Trump from fixing the EPA. Find out why.

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Air Dates: March 11 & 12, 2017 | Myron Ebell & Dr. Tim Ball

About all you need to know about how terrified the Left is over what Donald Trump is going to do to the EPA can be summed up with the title of a recent article from The Hill: “Trump takes Hatchet to the EPA.”

Why the Left is so panicky is easy to explain: Trump threatens their money machine.

Stopping the EPA as the Left’s Slush Fund

News “broke” last week about the secret slush fund the Department of Justice had set up to fund Far Left, social justice groups like Black Lives Matter, La Raza, and others. We say “news ‘broke’ last week” because long-time listeners of I Spy know all about these kinds of slush funds—set up first under Bill Clinton and used extensively under Obama. (In case you don’t know about them, we discuss them with Myron Ebell.)

Can Trump Make the EPA Great Again?Many people have heard of sue and settle but it’s more than that. There is a whole host of funding mechanism where Progressives bleed off billions of dollars (yes, billions) from a bloated federal budget and give it to Far Left organizations. The EPA has been a major funding source for all things Far-Left (anti-industry) environmental, which will use these funds to elect Far Left politicians—who will then keep the tax-dollar spigot flowing.

But it’s not just money.

Stopping the EPA’s Job-Killing Regulations

We’ve said it before on I Spy: the difference between free-market health care and government-run health care is that in a free-market system, you’re a customer. But in government-run, socialized health care (i.e., Obamacare), you’re a liability.

In other words, you cost the govt money.

And because you cost the government money, they had a fiduciary duty — even the right — to tell you how to live your life. It’s why big-government politicians like Michael Bloomberg felt he had the right to tell people what size sodas they could have. It sounded trivial and micromanaging but overweight people cost the government more, because they’re typically less healthy and therefore more expensive. So in their minds it was their duty to force people to drink less sugary drinks. And they’re right. Because voters gave them that right when a duly-elected Democrat Congress passed Obamacare.

And here’s the rub: Healthcare is the Left’s means to control people. The Environment is how they control business and industry.

This Week’s Show: Dismantling the EPA

Tune in this week to I Spy Radio to hear Myron Ebell, the Director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and the chair of the Cooler Heads Coalition, a coalition of over two dozen non-profit groups in this country and abroad that question global warming alarmism and oppose energy rationing policies.

We’ll talk with Myron about the massive changes coming at the EPA, budgetary cuts, what they mean to Leftist funding, and the incredible turnaround for CEI—compared to where they last year.

Nearly a year ago, Myron’s organization, CEI, was being sued by a group of attorneys general—under the direction of the Obama administration.  CEI, along with Exxon-Mobil and other companies and non-profits, was being sued because they didn’t believe in the religion of Global Warming. This was a direct assault on free speech, and the Obama administration went so far as to use RICO laws, normally reserved for racketeering and the mafia.

Think of that. The Obama administration tried to use the power of the federal government to silence free speech.

We also talk with Dr. Tim Ball to get his thoughts on the Left’s funding streams, regulatory changes and their impact on industry and market forces, and the media as they attempt to derail President Trump’s “assault” on the EPA.

Speaking of, don’t miss why the media has always been a supporter of the powerful, going back all the way to the time of King George.

Links Mentioned