Show 15-36 Summary: We look at Oregon’s elections and the dirty tricks Oregon democrats play to keep things dirty. We talk with Dr. Douglas Frank, a Nobel Prize nominee scientist, who has analyzed Oregon’s voter rolls. It’s not just a matter of cleaning them up. It’s what they are doing when you’re not looking. Except it’s also a matter of what they do even when they know you’re looking.
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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.
Air Dates: September 6th & 7th, 2025 | Guest: Dr. Douglas Frank
This Week – Oregon’s Dirty Election Tricks
Just when you think we’re making headway on cleaning up Oregon’s voting rolls to get to a clean(er) election, you find out the Democrats controlling Oregon’s elections are pulling more dirty tricks than you realized.
This is the kind of things democrats can do when they get so much money for their ideological “non profits” — thanks to the taxpayers. Think about it. How much could you do to rig elections if you were “given” even just 1 billion dollars? Just imagine all the schemers you could hire. And invest it to keep it all going by living off the interest you earned. A never ending scheme machine.
Want to keep up with Oregon election integrity efforts? Follow the Clackamas County Election Integrity team on X @ClackamasCo_EI
Steps to Expose Fraud in Your Elections
We welcome Dr. Frank to talk about what he discovered Oregon is doing with its voter rolls to keep them dirty. While Judicial Watch is trying to make Oregon clean its voter rolls, the well-funded democrat schemers have already figured a way to get around clean voter rolls. Which is why Dr. Frank is in Oregon to help grassroots groups expose fraud in their elections.
The good news is, Judicial Watch won their hearing to get standing. Now the hard work begins. The first step in that direction is knowing where to look. And that’s where Dr. Frank comes in. Tune in to hear how what he discovered will give JW what they need to expose the fraud as they work to untangle the mess Oregon engineered.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Lane County Clerk Dena Dawson will be Oregon’s next elections director (OPB, Dec 23, 2024)
moved here from Colorado, another suspicious elections state
Dawson will take over for current Elections Director Molly Woon, a former deputy director for the Democratic Party of Oregon who did not have direct experience in elections administration prior to being tapped by Fagan in early 2023.
Dr. Frank will be giving a presentation on Biblical Citizenship, September 11th, 2025, in Benton County. See this link for more information.
Want to keep up with Oregon election integrity efforts? Follow the Clackamas County Election Integrity team on X @ClackamasCo_EI
15-34 Showdown: HB2025 Special Session, ODOT Tax Increase
Show 15-34 Summary: Oregon Democrats are at it again. This week, it’s about prepping for the big special session coming up Friday, August 29th, to stop the Democrats from trying to ram through a massive tax increase disguised as ODOT funding in HB 2025. But is the ODOT tax increase really necessary? We talk with representative Alek Skarlatos about what’s happening and things he has seen as a freshman representative. Including some mismanagement at ODOT he personally knows about.
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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.
Air Dates: August 23 & 24, 2025 | Guest: Alek Skarlatos
This Week – ODOT Tax Increase Special Session
Okay. Let’s start off with the most important thing about this week’s show: take action. Don’t be silent.
Massive Oregon Tax Increase: ODOT Will Penalize Everyone
Some taxes you can avoid. Like sales taxes (and, yes, Oregon has sales taxes, just not on everything). But the ODOT tax increase will impact everyone. If you buy anything, it arrives on a truck. And often, it involves multiple trucks. At each stage, each of those trucks will be paying more. So you will be paying more. If you go to the store in a car, you get personally hit.
And it’s unnecessary. Oregon Republicans came up with a plan to make sure ODOT was fully funded — without raising taxes. Just force ODOT to prioritize its current spending. And stop ODOT”s wasteful spending.
Shouldn’t all wasteful spending in government come to a screeching halt?
ODOT Mismanagement
We welcome back Alek Skarlatos, a freshman representative from Oregon’s HD-4 in Oregon’s southwest. Alek is seeing the session through fresh eyes and it’s not always pretty. We talk about the upcoming special session. And we talk about reforming ODOT. There’s no question it wastes money. And there is even evidence of fraud. (See “fraud” in the show notes below.)
But perhaps the answer to Oregon’s Department of Transportation isn’t in Oregon. It’s across the ocean.
The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Don’t be silent. And don’t wait! Get your comments in before Friday’s special session!
Not sure who your legislators are? We’ve got you covered: use this map (search by address is in the top left).
It wouldn’t hurt to let squishy Republican representatives Cyrus Javadi and Kevin Mannix know you want them to vote no. Let the democrats get the blame.
As of our interview with Alek Thursday afternoon, the latest version of HB 2025 hadn’t even been released yet. But it is now. Read the latest draft of HB2025 (PDF).
Looks like fraud: ODOT retroactively changes bids to hide its overspending. “Unaccountable: ODOT covers up cost overruns” (City Observatory, May 22, 2025)
“ODOT also has a practice of “re-baselining” a project—retroactively altering the initial cost estimate to conceal cost increases. …ODOT permits itself to change the baseline construction budget—”re-baselining”— after a project has started construction. This practice allows ODOT staff to retroactively change the base budget for the project, allowing it to claim that the cost of the project hasn’t increased, and hiding cost overruns.”
How is that even legal? If a private business cooked their books like that, it’s hard to imagine how everyone involved not ending up in jail. Pretty sure an accountant would lose their license if they changed budgets after the fact to hide overruns.
Audits reveal ODOT projects from 2017 funding package are over budget and behind schedule (OPB, Feb 20, 2025)
Kotek’s hissy fit: ODOT layoffs announced: Potholes fixes, fire prevention, plowing, camp cleanups take a hit July 7, 2025 (Central Oregon Daily News, July 7, 2025)
ODOT doesn’t have an extra billion dollars after all, which may result in shelved projects (KGW, March 5, 2025)
15-33 Election Integrity Win in Oregon | Next Steps and New Schemes
Show 15-13 Summary: After years and multiple lawsuits, in a surprising turn the fight for election integrity in Oregon finally gets a win. We talk next steps and why it matters with Eric Lee, senior attorney for Judicial Watch’s election integrity team, about the key next step: discovery. What will they look for? And Chuck Wiese on what good elections can mean for Oregon — and what is Oregon already scheming up to get around good election results?.
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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.
Air Dates: August 16 & 17, 2025 | Guests: Eric Lee & Chuck Wiese
This Week – Election Integrity Win — in Oregon?!
there have been multiple lawsuits to bring back some election integrity in Oregon. But, for some reason, rather than welcoming scrutiny, Oregon has fought every lawsuit and effort. “You can’t look” is not a way to build trust. But common sense Oregonians finally got a win.
We welcome back Eric Lee, the senior attorney for Judicial Watch’s Election Integrity Team, to discuss their big win in federal court to get standing, which means the case can now proceed against Oregon to force them to clean up their voter rolls. Oregon’s vo9ter rolls are the dirtiest in the nation. And they are so proud of it, they are willing to go to court to not clean them up.
But Judicial Watch just got standing for the Constitution Party in their lawsuit to force Oregon to clean up those dirty voter rolls. That means the lawsuit can proceed. We talk the next steps and a big one: discovery. What will JW be looking to discover and what can they look for?
Good Elections Matter
We see it on a national level. Good elections, where fraud is prevented, tend to have good results. And Trump is having great results. So we also talk with Chuck Wiese, an I Spy Radio Show fan-favorite, to share his experiences.
Chuck is best known as a meteorologist and fearsome global-warming debunker. But he has also become a political activist in an effort to save his beloved state. Chuck has been involved in multiple election integrity lawsuits but all of which have been rejected for lack of “standing.”
But now that Judicial Watch has standing, what will that mean? The good election results in 2024 where fraud was prevented, are having huge impacts on the Climate Change scam. Which means Democrats are losing money by the 10s and 100s of billions.
Democrat Governor Kotek refuses to give up racist DEI hiring policies (not even to fix roads), transgender, and a host of other woke ideologies. As a result, Oregon stands to lose $15 billion in federal funding.
Chuck talks about what are Oregon Democrats already scheming up to get around good elections.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
“This EO is a powerful start at ensuring American elections are free and fair. As pointed out previously, the EO mandates that the elections systems throughout the country used in US Elections must be in compliance with EAC Version 2.0 guidelines by September 21, 2025”
Christian Group Demands Investigation, Alleges WOKE Energy Corp Funneled $3 BILLION to Radical ‘Diversity’ Projects Instead of Fixing Power Grid (Gateway Pundit, August 9, 2025)
Show 15-31 Summary: We are on a bit of a summer break but with all the breaking news on Russia collusion hoax declassification, we are smashing together two shows from 2020. But you’d swear they were interviews from just days ago. June 2020 the Rod Rosenstein Congressional hearings, when he played Sergeant Shultz (“I know nothink!”) and October 2020 when America got the absolute proof that Russia collusion was truly a hoax. Except the lamestream media ignored it so most people—still!—don’t know anything about it.
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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.
Re-Air Dates: August 2nd & 3rd, 2025 | Guests: John Solomon & Kimberley Hermann
This Week – Russia Collusion Hoax Smashup
We are on a bit of a summer break but with all the breaking news on Russia collusion hoax declassification, we are smashing together two shows from 2020. But you’d swear they were interviews from just days ago. June 2020 the Rod Rosenstein Congressional hearings, when he played Sergeant Shultz (“I know nothink!”) and October 2020 when America got the absolute proof that Russia collusion was truly a hoax. Except the lamestream media ignored it so most people—still!—don’t know anything about it.
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.
15-30 Russia Collusion Hoax Declassification Reality Check | What Now?
Show 15-30 Summary: Finally, the real truth comes out about the Russia Collusion Hoax. Newly declassified documents from Director of Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, confirm what we have been saying. The evidence finally and truly reveals Obama’s deep involvement in the Russia hoax. But what do the documents actually say? Did he actually direct it? Or just some minions under him? We ask Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project, about things to get a reality check. And what now? The word treason is being thrown around. What would it take to get there? And if not treason, what can Obama and his co-conspirators be charged with? Or will democrats once again attack democracy and get away with it?
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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: July 26th & 27th, 2025 | Guest: Mike Howell
This Week – Russia Collusion Hoax Exposed
The Russia collusion hoax evidence was declassified. On one level, it’s not new news. We knew the Obama administration, working with the Hillary Clinton campaign, created and entirely false disinformation campaign to smear candidate Donald Trump with “Russia collusion” to steal the 2016 presidential election.That’s been known since Congressman Devin Nunes went to the White House with the evidence he had seen.And that broke the scandal wide open.
Rather than “Russia collusion” it was quite the opposite. At a White House meeting in July 2016, CIA chief, John Brennan shared what the CIA had learned from Russian sources. Hillary Clinton, in an attempt to distract from her email scandal, planned to smear Trump with “Russia collusion.” Obama, Biden, Susan Rice, and the heads of the intelligence committees leaped into action to give credibility to the smear. Despite knowing that it was a political smear and a lie, James Comey launched the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation into Trump three days after that meeting. And the Russia collusion hoax was born.
If you heard our previous shows on disinformation you know this is how disinformation works. There must be a a grain of truth — meaning a grounding in reality. By opening the investigation. Obama, Comey, and their minions in the intelligence community gave that grain of truth to Hillary’s smear. Without which it never would have worked. Think about it. Who in their right mind would trust anything Hillary had to say.
But an FBI investigation into Trump-Russia collusion? And judges issuing FISA warrants? And multiple intelligence agencies all working hard to stop the Russians from interfering in our elections? Suddenly, the dynamics change. Maybe Hillary is on to something. Maybe she’s telling the truth. And maybe she’s a hero, trying to save democracy.All that rather than what it really was. A complete lie. And an attack on democratic elections. Led by democrats.
But what does the declassification and release of all this evidence for conspiracy mean in reality? What now? Trump and Gabbard are both throwing around the word “treason.” Does this rise to treason? If so, what then? If not, what does this conspiracy rise to?
Tune in to find out!
Oversight Project – Russia Hoax Reality Check
We talk with Mike Howell, the president of the Oversight Project. Check out the great work they do to expose corruption at www.itsyourgov.org.
What do the declassified emails and documents actually say? (You can read them yourself; see the links in the show notes section, below.) There is talk of treason.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Mike Howell is the president of the Oversight Project. They were the ones who exposed Biden’s autopen scandal, a phone associated with Butler shooter tracking to a building with an FBI office, and more. Check out Oversight’s other great investigations at ItsYourGov.org
THIS: We have been saying this for years. John Brennan’s hand written notes revealed everything you need to know about the Russia collusion hoax. It was a lie. And everything that followed from that WH Meeting was a lie.
“For months preceding the 2016 election, the Intelligence Community shared a consensus view: Russia lacked the intent and capability to hack U.S. elections. But weeks after President Trump’s historic 2016 victory defeating Hillary Clinton, everything changed.
Read the declassified info and reports:
Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, declassified Evidence from 2016 Russia collusion hoax showing Obama’s direct involvement: DNI, July 18 2025 (PDF)
Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, declassified House Intelligence Report: DNI, July 22, 2025 (PDF)
Timeline of the Russia Hoax based on newly declassified evidence from DNI Tulsi Gabbard: DNI, July 18, 2025 (PDF)
Read Hans von Spakovsky’s article mentioned during the show: Could Obama Be Prosecuted Over the Russian Hoax? A Look at the Law (The Daily Signal, July 23, 2025)
Show 15-29 Summary: Judicial Watch sued Oregon to clean up its voter rolls, which JW called “the dirtiest in the nation.” Oregonians are not surprised by this. Oregon didn’t deny its rolls are dirty. But Oregon claimed JW and its clients had no standing and asked a judge to toss the lawsuit. That hearing was a month ago, June 18th. But the question is, why wouldn’t Oregon want to clean up its voter rolls? It’s the law for one. And voter fraud and election fraud have been proven. Those can only happens with dirty voter rolls. We get an update from Judicial Watch on the status of their case.
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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.
Air Dates: July 19th & 29th, 2025 | Guest: Eric Lee
This Week – Oregon’s Dirty Voter Rolls Lawsuit
Oregon has the dirtiest voter rolls in America. We’ve said before that Oregon pioneered 100% vote by mail; it should surprise no one if Oregon also pioneered (perfected) election fraud. Did they? It’s up to Oregon to prove otherwise. And resisting efforts to prove trustworthiness does the opposite. If you want people to trust election outcomes, then prove it by taking steps that would inspire trust. Not undermine it. Like taking people to court who simply ask you to follow the law and remove people from voter rolls who don’t belong there.
As it is, Oregon has created the appearance that the democrat-run elections division wants dirty voter rolls. Clearly, they don’t want to clean them up. Why?
But aside from undermining trust in Oregon’s election, Oregon’s actions have done genuine harm. Which is why the plaintiffs in Judicial Watch’s lawsuit deserve standing.
Judicial Watch Lawsuit
The hearing in federal court was held on June 18th in Eugene. The judge said he should have a ruling in a couple weeks. As of this writing, it’s been over a month.
When we scheduled to have Eric Lee, a senior attorney on Judicial Watch’s Election Integrity team, we assumed there would be a ruling by now. So instead we discuss broader legal issues to give you a better understanding of the legal issues around this case and how they are handled. Like, what can or can’t an attorney publicly discuss while the case is being decided? Are judges influenced by public opinion?
Why it matters: Voter fraud and attempts to steal elections do happen. In Michigan, more than 164,000 fraudulent votes in the 2024 election were caught in time and prevented from being counted. Those fraudulent ballots were more than twice Trump’s 2024 margin of victory in Michigan, which was only 80,103. See Michigan voter fraud link in show notes section, below.
Voter Rolls Hearing
We also talk about the hearing itself. Host Mark Anderson attended the hearing in person (you can read Mark’s take on the hearing on this Facebook post — give him a like and a follow while you’re there!) as did about 30 other patriots.
The entire essence of the hearing is whether or not the plaintiffs have standing to move forward. So we also talk with Eric about that whole “standing” issue. We hear it so often but what is it — and why is it? We also talk about what the state thought was its big bombshell — and what The Oregonian got wrong in its writeup of the hearing.
Tune in to hear why this case should be given standing for at least the Independent Party and move forward. What happens if there’s a nay? And what happens if there’s a yea? We talk about that last one. It moves on to discovery. But what will Judicial Watch be looking for?
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Voter fraud is real. Election fraud is real. Michigan voter fraud uncovered: “RNC Stops Thousands Of Duplicate Ballots From Being Counted In Swing State” (Trending Politics, Oct 30, 2024)
Attorney Matthew DePerno discovered that a single voter I.D. was connected to 29 ballots cast across the state. “After reviewing the Qualified Voter File (QVF) of votes actually cast as of Oct 29, 2024, the database identifies 114,545 Michigan voters who have cast 279,113 ballots from multiple addresses across the state,” DePerno wrote in an X post. “This results in 164,568 excess ballots as of 10/29/2024,”
Trump’s 2024 margin of victory in Michigan was only 80,10.
On October 23rd, Judicial Watch filed suit in federal court against Oregon’s dirty voter rolls
Read host Mark Anderson’s take on the June 18 Judicial Watch hearing, including what the state (and perhaps the judge) thought was its big bombshell: Mark Anderson, Facebook, June 18, 2025
Read The Oregonian‘s take on the Judicial Watch hearing: “Oregon voter roll lawsuit faces uphill battle in federal court, judge says” (OregonLive, June 18, 2025)
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Oregon Elections Case Concerning States’ Obligations Under the National Voter Registration Act (DOJ, June 6, 2025)
Show 15-28 Summary: Not to sound too much like Nancy Pelosi but now that the One Big Beautiful Bill passed, we know what’s in it. It was making a lot of people lose their minds perhaps because they didn’t understand the bill and what could or could not be in it. It’s clear they didn’t read it and listened to the wrong analysts. Which is why it will make people like Elon Musk and his very public temper tantrum look very foolish.
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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.
Air Dates: July 12th & 13th, 2025 | Guest: Jonathan Williams
This Week – The Big Beautiful Bill Passed — Now What?
Nancy Pelosi famously said about Obamacare that “We have to pass it to find out what’s in it.” And now that we have the final version of the Big Beautiful Bill, we do know what’s in it.
But leading up to its final passage, it made a lot of people lose their minds. Legislators should know better but a lot of grassroots did not understand what a reconciliation bill was and how limited they are — just to budget items that affect federal spending or revenue. Which is why it could never be “the one bill” to accomplish everything America First that everyone wanted. So why didn’t the people who ought to have known better say that? Rather than try to sabotage it?
Perhaps they had their own agenda. And, as typical, they wanted something other than what they were saying.
Elon Musk — The Spoiled Kid in the Grocery Store
click for full size
By definition, a reconciliation is limited. Not only in terms of what can or can’t be in it but also what budgetary items it can cut. It doesn’t take much to understand that. So someone as smart as Elon had to know that. Which implies then that he wanted something else. And his public shrieking tantrum was calculated. He had to know they couldn’t make the massive cuts he said he wanted. So it’s clear he either didn’t read the bill or listened to the wrong analysts. Or made the calculated move to get attention, blame people, and offer the solution. A third party with the goal to selectively to pick off vulnerable Republicans to be the key swing votes in Congress.
But Elon Musk’s temper tantrum gambit will look pretty foolish when the Big Beautiful Bill succeeds. He’ll not only look like the spoiler but what he is. Spoiled.
How do we know? Hint: everyone was predicting the end of the economic world after Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. Now they’re admitting they were wrong.
The Big Beautiful Bill Reality
Now that the bill was passed and signed, the fury has died down—mostly—we welcome back Jonathan Williams, the president and chief economist at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to get some truth and reality about what was in it. No. It wasn’t perfect. Yes we would have liked more spending cuts.
But while the shrieking and tantruming was happening the detractors missed a key part of the bill. It codified 28 of Trump’s exectutive orders. They’re no longer executive orders, easily undone by the next president with a pen. Now they are law. And, even better, for those demanding more cuts, once the bill was passed and signed, President Trump used his executive power to rescind (cut) spending on key points. Like stopping the green energy credits and Global Warming spending.
But. And here’s the biggest and most overlooked aspect of the Big Beautiful Bill. It doesn’t end here. It’s the beginning.
Did you feel the political ground under you shift? Because unlike so many other big gigantic bills, this was about cutting spending, cutting taxes, and cutting the size and scope of government. And some actual entitlement reforms. When is the last time that happened? Maybe in the 1990s with Newt Gingrich?
And this isn’t some deep red state doing it. This is Washington DC. And it’s just the beginning. There are already plans in the works for two more bills like it to make further cuts and to push more of the America First agenda.
And that’s why, with the Trump Train rolling, people like Elon Musk standing on the platform shrieking about what is not on the train will look pretty foolish as the train pulls away without them.
Rich States, Poor States. Poor Oregon.
We also talk with Jonathan about Oregon’s latest ranking in the 18th edition of Rich States, Poor States. Jonathan is one of its co-authors. For anyone who lives in Oregon, it will come as no surprise that we dropped one point from last year.
But Oregon made some recent economic bungles that have come to light? How bad would it have been for Oregon’s ranking if these had come to light before the latest edition had been released?
Related: Show 15-23 with Jennifer Hamaker – Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan’s planned devastation to Oregon’s economy — conveniently phased in after the 2026 election Show 15-25 with Ed Diehl Oregon’s HB2025, the ODOT tax bill, which would have been the biggest tax increase in Oregon’s history
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Jonathan is the president and chief economist organization at 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/.
See the list: Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill codifies 28 executive orders and actions
Steve Moore: Trump just scored the biggest conservative victory in three decades (Fox News, July 10, 2025)
“What isn’t well known is that this new law doesn’t just change tax policy. It includes dozens of other long-sought policy goals – what I call ‘hidden gems’.”
Conservatives say Trump won their megabill votes by promising crackdown on renewable energy credits (Politico, July 3, 2025)
“Hard-line House conservatives said President Donald Trump assured them his administration would take action to constrict wind or solar projects that qualify for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits — a pledge that ultimately persuaded them to back the party’s megabill.” → A promise kept with Trump’s rescission package.
Johnson says megabill will be ‘jet fuel’ for economy; teases 2 future bills within next year (Fox News, July 6, 2025)
Johnson said the BBB is just the first step in a three-tier strategy. Johnson expects a second reconciliation bill by fall and a third by spring before the end of the current Congress. “You’ll see more of us advancing these common-sense principles to deliver that American First agenda”
Trump says U.S. struck trade deal with Vietnam that imposes 20% tariff on its imports (CNBC, July 2, 2025)
U.S. Supreme Court Greenlights Trump’s Federal Government Purge (GWP, July 8, 2025)
In an 8 to 1 ruling the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Clinton-appointed judge’s ruling that temporarily stopped Trump to do mass layoffs. Now his administration can immediately move forward
Sorry Democrats. The BBB Does NOT End Social Security
Within Intel’s manufacturing division, known as Intel Foundry, the company plans to eliminate up to 20 percent of technician, engineer, and researcher positions in its Oregon facilities.
Show 15-23 Summary: The Democrats’ latest scheme to steal money from Oregonians to solve imaginary problems will kill businesses and jobs. It’s like watching democrats unplug Oregon’s life support. But why are three Republicans helping to push through a carbon cap and trade scheme? It will, allegedly (maybe), replace the governor’s existing climate protection program currently being phased in. Tune in to hear how and why this will chase even more businesses from Oregon and definitely prevent new ones from moving in.
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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.
Air Dates: June 7th & 8th, 2025 | Guest: Jennifer Hamaker
This Week – Democrats Assisting Oregon’s Suicide — With Republican Help?
The Democrats are raising taxes on practically everything. And they are especially hitting hard its businesses and the factors that generate income and economic activity. In other words, they are harming what would normally help a business grow. And let businesses hire new employees. They are demanding businesses and Oregonians pay more when the State refuses to cut back any spending. While that’s no surprise, it is a surprise that three Republicans have decided to help.
It’s like elected democrats are Dr. Kevorkian. And republicans are his aides. Because what they are hatching will kill Oregon businesses.
Get involved! Don’t be silent! It’s easier than ever to let your voice be heard on bad legislation. Head to this page on Oregon Live for contact info for your legislators. Includes a search function if you’re not 100% sure.
Here’s info for the three republicans mentioned supporting carbon cap and trade: Senator Bruce Starr and representatives Kevin Mannix and Jeff Helfrich.
Why the Democrats’ Plan will Kill Businesses
WATCH: The Ivanpah solar plant was a massive $2.2 billion green energy boondoggle. But wait, it gets worse.
In our last show, we interviewed Jonathan Williams, the president and chief economist of the American Legislative Exchange Council. We talked about the coming economic boom for America, thanks to trillion dollar deals Trump brought back from the Middle East. Which could generate up to $10 trillion in economic activity. America is being reshaped into a manufacturing-based economy.
But Oregon is likely to see none of that.
In fact, a recent business survey showed one quarter of Oregon’s business had been approached by other states to relocate. And of those two-thirds said they had already relocated or were expanding their presence outside of Oregon.
But when new businesses are created from those trillions, how many will think of Oregon? Few. If any. Why? Because Oregon is increasing fees and taxes and adding punitive regulations. Not just on businesses but on the potential employees of those new businesses. Worse, Oregon democrats want to punish you if you use (in their mind) the wrong kind of energy.
How many businesses don’t use energy? How many farms don’t use fuels for their equipment? Or how many trucks make deliveries without using fuel?
Move to Oregon where you’ll get punished? Or build in another state where they will welcome you with open arms?
Poison Pills: Carbon Cap and Trade vs. Climate Protection Plan
The democrats’ poison has already been administered. Now it’s just a matter of how quickly the patient will die.
We welcome back Jennifer Hamaker, the president of Oregon Natural; Resource Industries, or ONRI, Because it’s not just the democrats. It’s republicans who are helping to unleash this on Oregonians.
In 2019, Oregon made national news when republican senators walked out the capitol to deny quorum. And refused to come back until the democrats’ carbon tax bill was taken off the table. They had to go across state lines because democrat governor, Kate Brown, threatened to send the state troopers after them to arrest them and drag them back to the capitol.
But they held out. And time ran out. So instead, in 2020, Kate unleashed the Climate Protection Program, the same plan but through an executive order. But Oregon’s appeals court threw it out in 2023. Not to be told no when it comes to punishing people and businesses into submission, Oregon’s DEQ relaunched the same plan with a few changes in 2024. We’re in the “gentle phase” of three phases.
The next phase kicks in. And it’s punitive. But not until 2028. Conveniently after the 2026 election. How bad? The fees to use natural gas will be more than the gas itself. And how bad will that be? According to Jen, if you pay $100 a month for your gas bill, it will skyrocket to $300 per month. Just from the fees. For using the “wrong” fuel for energy. You can imagine what they’ll do to gasoline and diesel.
Stupid Republicans Assisting Assisted Suicide
Tune in to hear why Senator Bruce Starr and representatives Kevin Mannix and Jeff Helfrich are considering helping the democrats pass the slightly less poisonous of the two poison pills. Where the Climate Protection Plan will kill businesses quickly, Republicans are willing to swallow the less poisonous (for now) pill of the carbon cap and trade.
It’s a trap.
Don’t take either pill. Oregonians need to feel the full weight of democrat oppression. Let the democrats take the blame. And Republicans should spend the next year talking about what’s coming in 2028. Unless Oregon finally votes for Republicans.
Don’t miss this show. Because if think paying democrats to pretend to solve imaginary problems is bad enough, you haven’t heard where the money will go.
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
Jennifer’s organization is Oregon Natural Resource Industries. Their website is ONRI.us
Don’t be silent! Let the three republicans (and your own legislators!) know what you think about the Climate Protection Plan and the carbon cap and trade legislation. Here’s info for the three republicans mentioned: Senator Bruce Starr and representatives Kevin Mannix and Jeff Helfrich.
Fury as Republicans go ‘nuclear’ in fight over California car emissions (Guardian,. May 22, 2025)
“Senate votes to reverse EPA waiver and prevent state setting own rules”*Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets and updates its own federal standards for all states on smog and emissions from cars and trucks … But for decades, California has been granted the ability to make those rules even stricter”
Senate nullifies California’s electric vehicle mandate, using fast-track authority to bypass filibuster (CNN, May 22, 2025)
“Republicans were livid when at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term, the Environmental Protection Agency greenlit California’s plan to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, shifting the state towards electric vehicles.”
Show 15-21 Summary: Trump knows what he’s doing long-term with America’s economy and has a strategy to get there. The Big Beautiful Bill is one step toward it. He has other strategies outside of Congress. We discuss the “BBB” and the bigger picture of how Trump is reshaping the whole of America’s economy. Moody’s downgrade, the not-serious-enough spending cuts, and whether DOGE’s work has all been for nothing. We’ll help fill in the gaps of what you’re not hearing in the left-stream media — and help you better understand what you’re hearing in more reliable media. Like, why did so many on the right completely miss what Trump was doing with tariffs? Plus some truly worrisome responses to a recent survey of Oregon’s businesses. Hint: everything Oregon’s Democrats are doing will make it worse.
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.
Air Dates: May 24th & 25th, 2025 | Guest: Jonathan Williams
This Week – Bigger than the Big Beautiful Bill
What’s bigger than the Big Beautiful Bill? Fixing America’s economy itself.
But there are a lot of hurdles to get there. Not least of which is dealing with Republicans in the House and Senate. Not to mention Democrats (and a few Republicans) who would and will do anything to sabotage Trump’s attempts to fix America’s problems.
At the top of the list is America’s massive spending problem. Both parties got us here. And Moody’s recently downgraded America’s credit rating because of the exploding debt. In 2019, In 2019 we spent $4.5 trillion—the last year we had some fiscal common sense. That blew up in 2020 with covid. By 2024 that exploded even more to $6.9 trillion. An increase of over 50%. In just five years. Worse, we borrowed $2 trillion to spend that $6.9 trillion.
Right now, we borrow every dollar that we use to pay just the interest on our $36.8 trillion national debt. Interest payments alone eat up 20% of all federal income and by 2030 that will rise to 30% of all revenue. Thirty percent. Right off the top of our income. Just to pay interest.
Washington, DC? We have a problem.
And you’re not serious about fixing it.
Fixing the Bigger Problem
While it is true that the Big Beautiful Bill does not go nearly far enough to cut (slash) spending, it is just one step of many to get us to the Big Win. We’re getting there.
We have to remember that this will take time. There are no magic silver bullets. Four years of Biden left the US economy on the brink until Trump was elected, and his approach is backing us away from the economic cliff we were about to go over.
I mean, can you imagine if Kamala and the Democrats would be doing to us right now?
We’ll fill in the gaps of what you’re not hearing in the left-stream media and help you better understand what you’re probably hearing in more reliable media. Trump knows what he’s doing long-term with America’s economy and has a strategy to get there. The BBB is one step toward Trump reshaping the whole of America’s economy.
We welcome back Jonathan Williams, the president and chief economist of the American Legislative Exchange Council. We discuss Moody’s downgrade, the not-serious-enough spending cuts, and whether DOGE’s work has all been for nothing. We’ll fill in the gaps of what you’re not hearing in the left-stream media — and help you better understand what you’re hearing in more reliable media. Like, why did so many on the right completely miss what Trump was doing with tariffs?
And we can’t have Jonathan on without at least one segment about Oregon. The business image Oregon is projecting to the nation is not good. Plus, you’ll hear some truly worrisome responses to a recent survey of Oregon’s businesses. Hint: everything Oregon’s Democrats are doing will make it worse. Far worse with Far Left policies.
Democrats never learn. Perhaps that’s why Oregon ranks so low in education outcomes.
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
Note: Articles/videos/sites/etc. specifically mentioned during the show are marked with a red flag ????
???? Jonathan’s organization is the American Legislative Exchange Council, Visit them at ALEC.org. He is also the co-author of ALEC’s , Rich States, Poor States, an annual report on the 50 states’ economic competitiveness and outlook.
???? A great website to find the brutal truth on our nation’s spending, yearly deficit, and total debt is: USA Debt. Look, if you dare.
Our Ballooning Debt and Moody’s Downgrade of America’s Credit Rating
???? Moody’s downgrades United States credit rating, citing growth in government debt (CNBC, May 17, 2025).See paragraph 9. Yikes!
???? Watch this: 4 stunning (and painful) charts from Dave Brat. Interest on the U.S. national debt is now 20% of total federal revenue and rising. We borrow every dollar just to pay interest. (Citizen Free Press, May 17, 2025)
Explaining the national debt and deficit: “What is the national debt?” (Fiscal Data, No Date)
House Republican plan would force states to pay for a portion of SNAP (Capital Chronicle, May 13, 2025) *This will hit Oregon and California hard.* Entitlement Reform: The first rule of entitlement reform is not mention entitlement reform
California’s Medicaid shell game steals from U.S. taxpayers and spends proceeds on illegal aliens. Laundering $4 billion/year for free healthcare for Illegals. (Citizen Free Press, May 18, 2025)
CA cuts non-citizen aid, while Oregon boosts it (Taxpayer Assoc., May 14, 2025) * Hmm. What will happen if one state stops aid to non-citizens while the next-door neighbor state begins to roll out more aid?
Show 15-20 Summary: This week we’re talking about activist judges, nationwide injunctions, and what could be done. Plus, a look at what is happening here in Oregon in the legislature. The woke is winning which means Oregon will lose billions. Making Oregon’s business environment toxic will repel any chance of landing some of the trillions Trump is bringing back into the U.S. But hating Trump and going woke are the hill the Democrats will die on.
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.
Air Dates: May 17th & 18th, 2025 | Guests: Hans von Spakovsky & Dennis Linthicum
This Week – Injunctions on Trial. Oregon’s Self-Inflicted Wounds
We welcome back Hans von Spakovsky, the manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative and a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, to discuss judicial tyranny. Judges who are in clear violation of the Constitution by intruding into Executive Branch authority.
Fact: The only court established by the Constitution is the Supreme Court
There is no constitutional authority for district courts to reach outside their district. And yet they have been allowed to do so. Presidents do not have to obey these courts, so why have they? The Supreme Court on Thursday heard oral arguments on a case that could impact lower courts (there are 93 federal district courts) and a radical judge’s ability to issue a national injunction. This is a pivotal moment in U.S. history and whether unelected jurists have the power to anoint themselves as supreme leaders.
Then we welcome back former Senator Dennis Linthicum. He lost his seat when Republican senators walked out to deny quorum to stop the horrendous HB2002. The child mutilation bill. Now he’s swapped roles with his wife, who won his seat, and he’s her legislative aide. Does that new role give him new perspectives?
Oregon has a poisonous business environment thanks to taxes, fees, regulations, and other businesses fleeing the state. And this showed up in Oregon’s May revenue report. Democrats control everything at the state level—governor, super majorities in house and senate, all the state-level elected positions, and all the judges. But democrats are blaming Republicans. Really? And now democrats are raising taxes on everything.
Trump just brought back up to $10 trillions in new deals from his Middle East tour. With Oregon’s hatred of Trump and its own businesses, what’s the likelihood of any of those new trade dollars coming to Oregon. Tune in to hear Dennis’s surprising answer.
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
Audits find big accounting errors. $1.8 billion of auditing errors in fiscal year 2024 for the State of Oregon (“Keeping Oregon Accountable,” May 2025) and another $1.9 billion in errors at ODOT.
State of Oregon employee reveals all state employees had to go through MANDATORY training on how to avoid cooperating with the Donald Trump administration (Wall Street Apes, via X, May 15, 2025)
