Category: Economics

Trump's Promises - Fighting Illegal Immigration and Fighting For Fair Trade Deals
Trump’s Promises | Trade and Immigration

Trump’s Promises | Trade and Immigration

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Show Summary: Trump’s promises on trade and immigration reform were central to his campaign—and to his victory. Will he fulfill those promises?

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Air Dates: March 4 & 5, 2017 | William Gheen & Tom Stumo

There were two hot-button issues that were central promises Trump made during his campaign: fixing illegal immigration and getting us out of bad trade deals. We’ve seen the swamp’s alligators already fight back against Trump’s executive order on illegal immigrants, just imagine what will happen once he starts taking actions to renegotiate on trillion-dollar trade deals—which incorporate immigration policies.

We know what bad trade deals look like: the TPP. The Trans Pacific Partnership would have, among other things, done away with American sovereignty. It would have made our laws subject to a foreign court. But what would good trade deals look like?

Trump’s Promises

Infographic Trump's promises - immigration and tradeWe talk with Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) to understand what effective trade policies look like — and how our politicians have sabotaged U.S. interests, whether wittingly or unwittingly. CPA is a coalition of agriculture, manufacturing and organized labor associations, companies and individuals. CPA’s mission is to develop policies to balance U.S. trade, maintain U.S. sovereignty, and develop an effective national production and economic strategy.

But first we talk with William Gheen of ALIPAC about another of Trump’s promises: fighting for legal immigration. We found out how President Trump is doing on fulfilling his promises and what people ought to be doing to make sure he does.

President Trump, in his speech to Congress, mentioned a “merit-based immigration system,” similar to what Canada uses. Is this something the U.S. should use? Tune in to hear the merits of the merit based system and how this could be a step in the right direction to radically transform our current system, which rewards family ties over real contributions to society.

Links Mentioned

William Gheen (Segments 1–3)

Michael Stumo (Segments 4–6)

Trump-vs-globalism-a-businessman-taTrump vs globalism - a businessman takes chargekes-control
Trump vs Globalism

Trump vs Globalism

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Show Summary: It’s Trump vs Globalism. While we’ve had successful businessmen as presidents before, we’ve never had such a successful entrepreneur before.  And not just an entrepreneur but a builder. And sometimes when you build, you need to tear some things down. Like that whole New Order. Last week, Trump fired the first shot at the heart of Globalism: open borders. Listen this week to hear how and why a businessman’s approach is so different from the typical Washington mindset and how that approach will make for a successful transformation of America away from the Globalists who would rule Her.

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Air Dates: Feb. 5th & 6th, 2017 | Guests Carl Higbie & Jonathan Williams

This week it’s Trump vs Globalism. Globalism is about subverting America to the larger international order. It’s about the “global community” taking priority over—and largely deciding—America’s interests.

We see this “globalist” mindset especially in the environmental movement, where people who don’t even live in an area take it upon themselves to make environmental decisions for those who do live there. No logging. No mining. No ranching. No water.

Trump vs Globalism

Fortunately, the globalist candidate—Hillary Clinton—lost. And also fortunately Donald Trump understands exactly who the real enemies are: those who put the rest of the world ahead of America. President Trump brings an entrepreneur’s mindset to put plans to action to make America great again. A businessman’s mindset of demanding actions over plans, even if those actions aren’t perfect.

If there is one organization that has to be heaving a huge sigh of relief over the election, it has to be the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC has been promoting conservative, free-market, pro-business policies for decades. And now, finally, we have a businessman in office who truly gets it.

We talk with Jonathan Williams, the Vice President of the Center for State Fiscal Reform at ALEC about the changes Trump is already making. We especially focus on President Trump’s so-called “Muslim Ban”which put a 90-day moratorium on immigrants and travelers from seven countries where there is a high amount of radical Islam. We also look at how a businessman’s decision making is so vastly different from that of a career politician — to say nothing of a community organizer.

And then we talk with Carl Higbie, a former SEAL, author, and Fox News and CNN contributor about the “Muslim Ban” and Trump’s first military action—the attack in Yemen that killed 14 militants and, regretfully, a Navy SEAL. Here too, don’t miss how a businessman’s attitude and winning mindset will lead to incredibly different outcomes in the Middle East.

Watch Carl destroy a former Michigan governor as she tries to claim non-Americans not even in America are protected by the Constitution.

Links Mentioned

 

It all comes down to this. Will America choose Obamacare slavery? Or freedom of replace and repeal?
The Final Countdown – Obamacare Slavery vs Freedom

The Final Countdown – Obamacare Slavery vs Freedom

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Show Summary: This is it. The final countdown. And if there’s one issue that sums up this entire race for the presidency, if there’s one issue that truly defines the difference between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump it is Obamacare. It is a choice between Obamacare slavery or the freedom of repeal and replace. Tune in to find out why Obamacare is not—and never has been—just about health care.

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Air Dates: Nov 5 & 6, 2016 | Lisa Lettenmaier

It all comes down to this. Will America choose Obamacare slavery? Or freedom through repeal and replace?

Single-payer, universal health care.  It’s been Hillary’s dream for decades and now she is on the verge of fulfilling her dream to make America slaves again. Because Obamacare is not just about health insurance. That’s just how you pay for health care. The reality of Obamacare is how it gives the government permission to control nearly every aspect of your life. Because when you give the government control over your health, it’s an open door.

This belief of total government control stands in stark contrast to Trump’s wish of repealing and replacing. It’s about freedom vs. Hillary’s all-intrusive “health care.”

Obamacare Slavery

Exactly how would that affect us?  We talk with Lisa Lettenmaier, who clues us in how Oregonians are already feeling the intrusion of big government. For those who are in CCOs (Coordinated Care Organizations) here in Oregon, in-home inspections are occurring where medical staff go to the home to make suggestions on “lifestyle changes.”

This is the crux of what we’re facing: what happens if there is a single payer system combined with an all-too-powerful government? It is the proverbial “slippery slope.” In just a few years, we could literally be opening the door to government intrusions as voluntary assessments become mandatory. And government bureaucrats will be making decisions for you. Think about that. What if they determine you’re mentally unfit because you’re an “intolerant Christian” and find guns in your home?  What if they determine you shouldn’t be parenting because of your faith’s “biases”?  If the expansion of government is bad now what can happen if Obamacare becomes a single payer system under a Hillary presidency?

Our guest, Lisa Lettenmaier, truly opens the door to expose what is going on in the health care world, and gives us insights into why insurance costs are escalating and what we can be looking at if Obamacare expands even further.  So many promises of savings and better care have never materialized. This week we take a look at Obamacare and, in the last of our series of shows to compare Hillary and Trump, we compare their two very different health care plans.

If you or someone you know is still on the fence, this week’s show will push them over. Don’t miss it!

Donald Trump’s Gettysburg Address

Be sure to watch Donald Trump’s “Gettysburg Address” — his contract with America, where he outlines his first 100 days in office.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJniAA4m7Bo[/embedyt]

The Candidate’s “Closer” Ads

Compare Trump’s closer ad “Argument for America” to Hillary’s closer, “Roar“. What do you think? Which is better? And why? Let us know what you think in the comments, below.

Links Mentioned

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Trump vs Hillary on economics and tax plans
Do Issues Matter Anymore? Trump v Hillary on the Economy

Do Issues Matter Anymore? Trump v Hillary on the Economy

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Show Summary: In the era of corrupt media, do real issues matter any more? Or actions for that matter. All you need is what someone says rather than actual actions. Or things like economic and tax plans. Want proof? Quick! When was the last time you heard someone in the mainstream media actually mention Hillary’s tax plan?

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We thought so. Join us this week for our continuing series of shows as we examine Hillary’s actions as we compare Hillary’s tax and economic plans to Trump’s. And the huge ticking time bomb of states’ unfunded liabilities.

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Original Air Dates: Oct 15 & 16, 2016 | Jonathan Williams

You would think that if Obamacare is such a great program, the economy should be humming along—no tinkering needed.  But just like Obamacare was going to make health care more affordable (who’s got the swamp land for sale on this one?) Wikileaks has exposed Hillary’s beliefs that by expanding programs like Food Stamps it will help “fix the economy” because it will give families more money to spend. Yes, she actually said this—to a bunch of bankers behind closed doors. Hillary’s tax plan and economic plan reveals an overwhelming foundational philosophy to tax, tax, tax. If Obamacare is an example of an economic policy and expansion of government programs that has increased taxation (as the Supreme Court termed it), Hillary’s economic policies will be even bigger and more expensive.

If you think your health care is already getting to be extremely expensive, just wait until you open your tax bill a year after Hillary is in office. And you won’t even escape it by dying because she wants to slap a 65% death (penalty) tax, which will destroy family-owned businesses and farms.

But you may not have heard about any of this—the Wikileaks or dire consequences of Hillary’s tax plans. In fact, Fox News reported that on Thursday evening news coverage for ABC, CBS, and NBC , 8 minutes per station was spent on Trump scandals with only 20 seconds spent on covering WikiLeaks (with one station not carrying it all), a scandal which has an actual document trail; tens of thousands of documents.  They’re not reporting the truth; they are reporting their agenda.

This week we turn away from the scandals and focus on policy—actions over words.   I Spy will talk with Jonathan Williams from ALEC who has just completed a report on the unfunded pension liabilities faced by every state.  We discuss the ticking time bomb, especially in Oregon, over the massive pay back states have with no money to pay it back. Consider this: in just two years the total amount of states unfunded liabilities has grown more than 900 Billion Dollars.  Almost a trillion dollars on top of what was owed in just two short years. And then consider what the MSM’s focus has been on, Trump’s alleged scandals.

This week, we compare Hillary’s and Trump’s tax and economic plans and even how their plans can impact the looming pile of debt at the state levels.  Be sure to tune in to hear some solutions and find out how one candidate’s plan just may give us a chance to dig our way out of this monstrous hole.

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Brace yourself for the train wreck in Oregon thanks to Democrat policies. Plus, taxpayer dollars funneled through Obamacare into billion dollar "nonprofits"
Thanks Democrats! Oregon’s Train Wreck

Thanks Democrats! Oregon’s Train Wreck

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Show Summary: After a decade of one-party rule (just like China!), Oregon is headed for a financial train wreck. From the disastrous Obamacare-Kitzcare deal to insurance companies fleeing the state to state agencies on a spending spree  to counties going bankrupt. And despite this, one particular segment of health care has billions in profits—at taxpayer expense.

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Air Dates: April 30 & May 1, 2016 | Lisa Lettenmaier & Scott Jorgensen

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Oregon is in a world of hurt thanks to Democrat policies. Brace yourself for the coming train wreck.

We start off by talking with Lisa Lettenmaier of Health Source NW. Lisa is our “in house” expert on the insurance industry and the broader aspects of health care. She has been following the disastrous (for consumers) roll-out of Obamacare and its ugly stepchild, Oregon’s Health Care Transformation.

Tune in to hear her shine the light on Oregon’s insurance industry and why customers can expect to see huge rate increases in the next year.  There are some parts of the healthcare industry that are benefiting from Obamacare but it’s not the insurers as they face steeper and steeper declines in revenues.  Oregon has lost two more insurers in Oregon and another one on a national level.  Listen as we unpack the reasons they are leaving the state and what’s happening behind the scenes.

Oregon and Its Free-Spending Ways

Scott Jorgensen, the chief of staff for State Senator Whitsett, then joins us to share insights into the consequences of government attempting to push policies that force expensive programs (think Medicaid without federal funding).

The Oregon Democrat Leadership’s answer is to continue to raise taxes to pay for the spending spree.  Ask most Oregon voters and they’ll tell you that by our own state constitution we’re supposed to have a balanced budget; which, to many, means we don’t spend more than we take in. Well, not under Democrat leadership. It’s “balanced” because we borrow huge amounts to make it balanced.

Tune in to hear how much every man, woman, and child—all 4 million of us—are on the hook for under this new model of funding Oregon’s government.  And guess what? It’s only going to go up. Did you know we borrow money against Oregon Lottery Revenue? Talk about a gamble!

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This Week on I Spy Radio - The Trans Pacific Partnership is a horrible deal. Which presidential candidates are secretly for it.
Why Trans Pacific Partnership is a Bad Deal for America

Why Trans Pacific Partnership is a Bad Deal for America

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Show Summary: The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal is Obama’s final nail in America’s coffin. If you thought Obamacare and the Iran Deal were bad, you haven’t seen anything yet. In an explosive interview, we dive into why it’s bad and why our Congressmen vote for such atrocities. And not just why but who is supporting this? Plus, could one of the presidential candidates, who publicly says he’s against it, might actually be for it?

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Air Dates: Apr. 16 & 17, 2016 | Crista Huff (former Morgan Stanley VP

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One of the questions we consistently try to answer here on the I Spy Radio Show, is why. Why does a government agency do this or why does a politician do that? But uncovering “why” requires digging deeper into motivations and a lot times those motivations are hidden away, lurking in the shadows where you don’t know what happened behind closed doors or what’s been promised.

On this week’s show, we’re talking about the monstrosity better known as the TPP – the Trans Pacific Partnership. This is Obama’s magnum opus for weakening America. And it must be stopped. The TPP is a major trade deal involving 12 Pacific Rim nations, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Vietnam and others. China is not a signer, yet, because after the agreement is signed China can come in later through a back door.  Why, do you ask? Oh, you’ll find out why.

Trans Pacific Partnership = Anti-American

It’s amazing that anyone who calls themselves an American is backing this agreement. Foremost it represents a stunning loss of U.S. sovereignty.  But beyond that, common economic sense says this will harm the US economy–especially given that even its own supporters say it will result in only a 0.13% increase in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product by 2025. (See links, below, for citation.)

But even that less -than-rosy projection is based on the assumption of the U.S. being at full-employment. (How’s that worked out the last seven years?) So why take a huge gamble and throw our economy into upheaval for not even 1/50th of a percent increase per year over nine years?

It boggles the mind why would anyone in the U.S. support this. And not just why, but who is supporting this? Tune in to learn the answers, including whether one of the presidential candidates might be misrepresenting their position on the Trans Pacific Partnership. And find out why, if this goes through, it really could be the end of America as we know.

Links Mentioned During Show

  • Crista Huff’s terrific website, Good Fellow, LLC. Be sure to check out her fantastic TPP blog page, frequently updated with the latest info
  • Check out Crista on Kerry Lutz’s Financial Survival blogtalk podcast
  • If you want to stop the TPP, CALL the Capitol Switchboard! (202) 224-3121. Ask to be transferred to your Congressman’s office and tell them you want them to vote no on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal; do the same for both of your senators.
  • The Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee is Rep. Kevin Brady (TX).
  • Article via Drudge: New Balance publicly calls the TTP a bad deal (Apr 13, 2016)
  • Robert Zoellick and The Trilateral Commission and Robert (via FreedomWorks’ SourceWatch)

Related Links

We’re impressed with a number of articles from Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). Here are a few of them:

 

Economic warfare and financial terrorism. Is the 2008 financial collapse about to repeat itself?
Economic Warfare and Financial Terrorism – How the 2008 financial meltdown could happen in 2016

Economic Warfare and Financial Terrorism – How the 2008 financial meltdown could happen in 2016

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Air Dates: February 13 & 14, 2016 | Kevin Freeman

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On the morning of Sept 11, 2008, John McCain and Sarah Palin were leading Obama and Biden in the polls by quite a bit. But by the end of the day, it saw the largest spike in short-selling in market history, ushering in the financial meltdown of 2008. Was it just some rogue day-traders? Or, as McCain thought at the time, was it an outright attack on our markets, perhaps by Russia and China? The end result was that not only did it set back the American financial markets, cause trillions of dollars of paper value to disappear in a matter of days, plunge thousands of Americans home-owners into bankruptcy, and hamstring our economy—it dramatically affected our 2008 presidential election.

What’s especially concerning is how similar the economic conditions of 2008 are to now—in 2016. Is history about to repeat itself? Have any of the vulnerabilities that ushered Obama into office been fixed?

Economic Warfare and Financial Terrorism

Over the last two weeks, there have been some very troubling headlines, including one that has nearly escaped notice: the sale of the Chicago Stock Exchange to a Chinese-owned company. But this week on Drudge and other sources, there have been headline after headline of trouble in the stock markets — not just here in the U.S. but all across Europe. US and EU stock markets are off to their worst starts since the 1930s. Is history going to repeat itself? And can capitalism survive? Could all of this be a coordinated attack? And why?

Join us this week for a fascinating story of another type of warfare between modern governments: economic warfare and financial terrorism. Get a look at the weapons used and techniques used to deploy them.

On this week’s show, you’ll learn:

  • Was there an attack in 2008 on the U.S. stock markets?
  • What’s been done to prevent another one?
  • Why did the Chinese buy the Chicago exchange — and does it create any vulnerabilities?
  • The latest economic tool is “negative interest rates,” what impact can and will this have on the markets?
  • Are the same conditions from 2008 collapse happening now in 2016?
  • What about all those foreign donations to Hillary Clinton?

Links Mentioned

Related Links

  • Be sure to check out our previous shows with Kevin Freeman on the archives page

 

socialism defined - this week on I Spy Radio
Socialism Defined

Socialism Defined

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Air Dates: February 6 & 7, 2015 | Dr. Richard Rahn (CATO Institute)
Where, when, & how to listen

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Here we are, not even three decades from the end of the Cold War, and America has an avowed socialist running for office. And not just any office — the highest office in the land.

Great. America’s socialized education system has officially failed.

But what is socialism? Discerning and intelligent voters realize socialism is bad, but what is it and why is socialism so bad? Not just that, but why is socialism especially bad for America? Why does socialism fail every time it has been tried? And if socialism always fails every time without fail, why do the so-called “smart people in the room” (the socialist elites) keep trying to push America into socialism?

Join us this week to find out what socialism is, its history and origins, why it fails, and why —yes, Virginia—it will fail again.

Socialism Defined

Socialism defined - Churchill said, "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"In his fantastic article, “Socialism means Coercion” Dr. Richard Rahn of the CATO Institute defines socialism this way: “Socialism is a system in which the government owns or controls the means of production, and allocates resources and rewards.”

But it’s more than that. It is a system rooted in envy and jealousy; it is only adopted as a political system when ignorance reins supreme. It depends on the stupidity of the masses who would trade their freedom for slavery to the state.  It depends on the ignorance of voters to pass a system that, they believe, will only take from others. Socialism is the policy of envy.

Bernie Sanders Socialism - kids don't let anyone tell you economics is complicated. It is not. Economics can be summed up in just three simple words - free, free, freeJoin host Mark Anderson, as he walks you through socialism defined. You’ll learn:

  • What socialism means
  • Its origins as a response to America’s highly successful experiment with representational republicanism and as a response to the vast wealth created by the Industrial Revolution
  • Its origins in anti-Christianity philosophy and German pagan romanticism
  • Why capitalism and the free market system are so vastly superior to socialism
  • Are there differences between socialism, communism, and fascism

And then stick around for the last half of the show with Dr. Richard Rahn of the CATO institute as the two of them expand on socialism’s massive historical failure

Links Mentioned

The following articles helped form much of the discussion for this week’s show:

Related Links

The EPA colluding with environmentalists and tribes
EPA Colluding with Environmentalists and Tribes

EPA Colluding with Environmentalists and Tribes

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Air Dates: Oct 24 & 25, 2015 | Lawrence Kogan & Tom Collier (CEO of Pebble Partnership)

The EPA long ago lost its watchdog status and has turned rabid environmentalist. Now, clear evidence of the EPA colluding with environmentalists and tribes is beginning to emerge—ironically, in what the EPA had hoped to turn into one of its trophy cases: the Pebble Mine.

Show 5-43 will air the weekend of Oct 24th & 25th. Join us as we expose collusion between the EPA and “environmental” organizations, the tribes, and other players.

What’s important to understand in this fight against a government agency run-amok, is that they violated the rule of law and a basic tenet of American freedoms: due process. The EPA, by applying an obscure rule that it had never used before in its four-decades’ old existence and by trying to circumvent the permit process, it was denying Pebble Partnership its due process. Just as though it had arrested someone in suspected of a crime and put them in jail without any Miranda rights, no legal counsel, and so on.

Links Mentioned

  • Lawrence Kogan’s firm: the Kogan Law Group – tons of great info and articles on the assault by the Enviro-Left on our free market system
  • Tom Collier’s group – the Pebble Partnership.

 

 

This Week on I Spy Radio - Public Lands Transfer to States can mean jobs—real jobs
Devolution – Public Lands Transfer to States

Devolution – Public Lands Transfer to States

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Air Dates: September 12 & 13, 2015 | Jonathan Williams & Karla Jones

Devolution is defined as “the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or regional administration.” When it comes to the transfer of public lands here in the U.S., this means the federal government giving control of federally held public lands to the states in which those lands reside. Why is this important? Jobs.

With more than 98 million Americans continuing to be out of the workforce, the jobs resulting from a public lands transfer to states means more than ever that the federal government honor their promise to relinquish control of the public lands held in trust. At one time, Illinois and Missouri both had more than 50% of their land controlled by the federal government when they entered statehood. Now, the federal government holds only 1% and 4%, respectively. So why do they maintain control of so much public lands states west of the Rockies—on average, more than 50% of these states? Why should Illinois get to have 99% of their land and Oregon gets less than 47% of its land?

94 million Americans out of work - the U.S. economy as of September 2015 has clearly fallen off a cliff. Time for a public lands transfer to states.
US Economy off a cliff. Time for a public lands transfer to states.

We’ve talked in the past with Ken Ivory and it’s seemed a little theoretical at times: what would it be like if the states got their lands back? Now we some direct evidence of what it would look like from our neighbor to the north: Canada.

We’ll start by talking with Jonathan Williams of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) about the continuing record numbers of Americans not working and the state policies that consistently work to put people to work; policies that ALEC advocates. We’ll then talk about a federal policy that needs to happen: a public lands transfer to states. Karla Jones, also with ALEC, walks us through the process. We’ll examine the roadblocks and hurdles to making this happen, astonishing examples of federal mismanagement to private land management, and then look at how this has unfolded in Canada.

Sorry, environmentalists; it wasn’t the end of the world.

Links Mentioned

  • If you’re not visiting American Legislative Exchange Council on a regular basis, you’re missing out on a huge amount of incredible information — policies that your state ought to be implementing if they want to be successful. Don’t you want your state to be successful? Of course you do! Then visit alec.org.
  • Read ALEC’s State Lands report, which we discuss with Karla Jones. (You can download a copy for easier reading; see the Download PDF link on the right-side of the page.)
  • Heritage Foundation article, “1,000 people per day: Why Red States are Getting Richer and Blue States Poorer“