Show Summary: Economics is always a strange business. But like so much else of American life, the Left is corrupting the economy and using it for their own means. Especially by involving the government. And now, with the Ukraine situation, we’re seeing private businesses waging a private war against Russia — when we’re not even at war with them. Combined with what happened in Canada, is this a foreshadowing of what will happen to our economic freedoms and liberties?
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The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, six different times, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on out network of stations.
Original Air Dates: March 5th & 6th, 2022 | Guest: Jonathan Williams
This Week
To quote Bill Clinton, “it’s all about the economy, stupid.”
We take a look at the state of the union speech, the competency of those in charge and their agendas, the economy, and also the economic policies that politicians can win on this year. Even here in Oregon. Plus, with the war in Ukraine, we’re seeing an entire new kind of warfare being waged. Economic warfare on a scale we haven’t seen in ages and in ways we’ve never seen. Private companies waging a private war against a country we’re not actually at war with. Combined with what we saw in Canada, what does this mean for our economic freedoms and liberties?
We talk with Chief Economist, Jonathan Williams, from ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) about what is going on. We talk about the SOTU speech, the competency of those in charge, and private companies blocking you when they don’t agree with your politics. And we’ll look at true economic policies to win on in 2022. Even right here in Oregon.
And don’t miss the discussion about what is happening, on economic terms, in the war between Russia and Ukraine. And what it means for our future economic liberties and freedom.
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Links Mentioned Research, & Additional Info
Jonathan Williams is the Chief Economist and Exec VP at American Legislative Exchange Council. Visit ALEC.org to find out more about what they do and how you can get their policies to your politicians.
Show Summary: It’s true economics isn’t the most exciting topic in the world — that is, until everything starts blowing up. Then you’ll wish you’d paid attention.
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Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
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This Week: Economics isn’t always exciting — unless things are blowing up. Or it’s a horse race.
We welcome back Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy of the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC has just released their 2021 Rich States, Poor States guide for 2021, an annual guide to the 50 states’ economic outlook. Talk about good, bad, and ugly. Look no further than how the states are competing with one another.
The Overall U.S. Economy & Economics
Before we narrow down to the states, we first look at the overall economy. This is a bit of a continuation of the last time Jonathan was on, when we talked about the democrats’ shift to what we call “non-reality economics.” The democrats’ plans are an explosion of taxes and spending sprees (what did we just say about exploding economics…?).
That discussion, was about the radical shift we’re seeing the democrats trying desperately to push on the U.S. Which, sadly, takes a hard left turn away from what has made America successful. It’s a fantasy land where debt has no meaning, money is infinite, and all we need to do is print money and borrow until every there’s a unicorn in every garage and a leprechaun in every pot.
But the problem democrats always run into is simple one. Reality. And there’s proof, thanks to the 50 test tubes of democracy that make up America.
Good Economies: How NOT to do it
Sometimes, to know what to do, it helps to know what not to do. And look no further than New York State, which had the worst response to covid and lost a congressional seat due to people fleeing the Empire State. And now new York will punish the people and businesses that for some reason haven’t left. Yet.
We talk with Jonathan about his terrific article in the National Review, “The Fallout from ‘Progressive’ Budgets in New York.” There has been a massive shift in who pays for things. Now, instead of New York being in debt to cover its debt, everyone else gets to go in debt to cover New York’s debts.
And that’s the direction we as a nation are headed. Where there is a fundamental shift in who pays for things: everyone is paying for everyone else. That’s socialism. Marxist ideology pushed onto America.
Socialism only survives as long as it is able to feed off the success of capitalism
– Mark Anderson
Rich States, Poor States
Why and how economies and economic policies work is sometimes beyond people’s wheelhouse. But everyone understands competition, right? Who’s best. Who’s worst. And who’s on the way up and who’s on the way down.
Courtesy Rich States, Poor States, 2021 Edition. (Click image for full size.)
That’s where Rich States, Poor States comes in. (You can download your own copy right here.) RSPS is a look back at the states’ economic performances over the last 10 years—of available data. This year, its’ a look at 2009–2019.
The backward-looking economic performance ranking examines how well states did. Oregon, from 2009–2019, really didn’t do too bad. This ranking looks at three variables: a state’s gross domestic product, their absolute domestic migration, and non-farm payroll.
Take a look at Oregon’s charts. And look at how well they’re correlated. As the state did better and better, culminating in 2015, people moved in (especially in 2016). Payrolls went up. And then, as Oregon’s GDP declined, there went the people. And payrolls dropped.
See? Economics isn’t too hard.
Oregon’s Economic Outlook
When it comes to Oregon’s economic outlook ranking, every year we’re like “please don’t embarrass us, please don’t embarrass us…” And then there we are. Near the bottom. Again. But it’s even worse this year.
You’ll have to tune in to hear just how bad. (Or, you could cheat and go right to Rich States Poor States to find out.) But here’s a hint. We beat even our idiot neighbor to the south in some categories. In fact, in the worst possible category. And we’re worse than New York State in some categories. You know, the one state we just mentioned. How not to run an economy.
Although at least the beat us to the bottom for the worst outlook. Hey. You gotta look for the positive right?
The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version
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Links Mentioned
Jonathan’s organization is American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. Be sure to check their new and improved website which now features terrific, insightful articles and videos: www.alec.org
Rich States Poor States. You can download the latest (2021) edition, or explore previous ones.
“New Census Report: Americans Continue to Vote with Their Feet in Favor of Economic Opportunity” (ALEC, Apr 26, 2021)
Inflation is happening, despite what lies the Biden administration is spewing. See the Consumer Price Index charts.
Did You Know…?
The Fed has been pumping (printing) money into the economy. But something new happened in 2020. Now, they are buying corporate bonds. This is a direct investment into select corporations. Here’s a hint. It’s not mom-and-pop shops. It’s gigantic companies that don’t need the money, but the Fed is rewarding them anyway.
The Fed says it is going to start buying individual corporate bonds (CNBC, June 15, 2020)
Why is the Fed buying up mortgages? At $40 billion per month. Is this why the housing market keeps exploding? “Understanding the Federal Reserve Balance Sheet” (Investopedia, Mar 19, 2021)
Related Links
The Fed Should Get Out of the Mortgage Market: Even central bankers are starting to wonder why they’re adding $40 billion of housing debt every month. (Bloomberg Opinion, May 11, 2021)
“Why exactly is the Fed still increasing its holdings of mortgage-backed securities by $40 billion a month when Chair Jerome Powell himself has said that “the housing sector has more than fully recovered from the downturn”?* “The Fed has gobbled up almost $2 trillion of MBS since March 2020, which is more than its total aggregate purchases in any of its previous quantitative easing episodes.”
At an average home mortgage price of $250,000, the fed backs the mortgage on some 8 million homes. Yikes!
What Is An Agency MBS And How Does The Federal Reserve’s Purchase Of MBS Affect Mortgage Rates? (Quicken Loans, Feb 19, 2021)
“A mortgage-backed security (MBS) is a pool of home loans, often packaged by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, sold on the open bond market to investors. The investors who buy the securities then receive the payback on a monthly basis when homeowners make their principal and interest payments.”
Difference Between Agency and Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities (The Balance, Jul 15 2020) – “Agency” simply means an dept of the federal govt, or MBS that become backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
The Democrats’ War on Economics: Tax Explosions and Spending Sprees
Show Summary: A radical shift is underway as democrats shove America away from reality-based economics towards an economy where normal monetary policy is abandoned, taxes are imposed on the “undesirables”, and public monies are used to reward themselves and their allies. Think it’s not possible? It’s already underway. Find out what’s coming.
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Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
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After the show airs on our network of radio stations, you can listen to our podcast either here on our site or your favorite podcast platform. We are now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and more. See the full podcast list.
Original Air Dates: Apr 10th & 11th, 2021 | Carl Wilson & Jonathan Williams
This Week: When we were kids it was exciting to be handed a quarter thinking about how and where to spend it. And we learned that a quarter was wonderful, but a dollar was even better. Except maybe those lessons of having and handling money are being lost in the age of debit cards, or electronic purchases. Because the tangible feel of money and its worth is somehow getting lost. A coin or a dollar in the hand reminds a child of its temporary nature, and once spent it’s gone—versus money “out there” in the cloud somewhere, where there’s always more of it.
Basic economics are under attack.
Non-Reality-Based Economics
As politicians supposedly grapple with debt, it is somehow made mystical in the world of zeros and ones with digital accounts. Not surprising when computer modeling and predictions take over reality. But is there a point of reckoning that will be no longer be possible to bury or ignore? Basic economic principles would say yes.
This week, we work to uncover those economic principles that so many Left-leaning politicians wish us not to examine. (Especially in an AOC world where if the computer doesn’t say it, then it’s not so.) It is becoming painfully obvious that those in charge of America’s economics, and raising and spending the public’s money have no grounding in basic economics or business.
Central Assessment
We start off with Carl Wilson, former Oregon state representative, and owner of KAJO, out of Grants Pass, that airs I Spy. We discuss the new threat to local radio stations as Oregon decided to shift them into a new taxing scheme called “central assessment.”
To date, Oregon is the only state imposing this new taxing methodology on local radio stations. Instead of local counties determining their taxes, now a state central system will determine what their assessed value is. This potentially opens the door to a punitive system that large communications operations might be able to absorb, while hurting the mom’s and pop’s segments. Something far left democrats seem to do all too often while making policy decisions.
And don’t miss who is getting special carve-outs. Is this a backdoor way to collapse conservatives’ dominance in talk radio?
Economics 101? Or No Room for Reality?
Then we talk to Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist for American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. He brings us up to date on the spending that Biden’s administration is zeroed in on. We discuss what is happening with the dollar and a possible move by China to do more harm to America’s economy.
We’re only a few months into the Biden administration. But there is already a worrisome economic forecast on the horizon possibly coming our way in the next few years. We are spending trillions upon trillions, with more than $6 trillion planned just in the first 4 months. Which doesn’t even cover the “normal” government spending of $4.5 trillion per year.
Where is this coming from?
It can only come from wishful, magic money. Where it never has to be paid back.
Economics + Monetary Policy = Coming Crash?
In economics, just like in life, you ignore reality at your peril. See the links section below for some concerning videos that are warning about a potential and massive crash. Which, they claim, is all but certain. One of the most concerning is from Harry Dent. Harry Dent warns that globally, financial assets (stocks, bonds, etc.) are massively over-valued: $520 trillion which is 6.2 times global GDP of ~84 trillion. He says it normally is only about 2 times.
With so many warnings from well-respected economists and analyses, maybe it’s time to protect yourself.
The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version
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Links & Info
Carl Wilson (Segments 1–3)
Basic definition of central assessment: “The state assesses the property value of a business, rather than a local county assessing the value. The difference is the central assessment uses the company’s entire, statewide worth (even if they’re not a statewide company), including all property, equipment, brand value, and more. Even equipment decades old is lumped in—at original retail costs—rather than its current depreciated value.
Central assessment: A great writeup from Eric J. Kodesch: Oregon Supreme Court Finalizes DOR’s Complete Victory in Central Assessment Dispute (Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, Volume 29, Number 3, June 2019)
This is the kicker: “the Oregon Supreme Court agreed with the Department’s position that property is new property if it is “newly added to an account on the assessment rolls.” In other words, in addition to property purchased or constructed by the taxpayer, new property includes the decision by the Department to centrally assess property.
Further, the new property consisted of all of the property moved to the new account, and not just the property not previously subject to tax, such as the intangible property.”
In other words, its new if we say it’s new
This is rather alarming. It’s taxable if the govt decides it’s taxable and no pesky law designed to protect from the government can protect you
Oregon Supreme Court Provides Definition of “Data Transmission Services” for Central Assessment Purposes (Stoel Rives, LLP, Oct 2, 2014)
“As in most states, “central assessment” (or “state assessment”) generally means that the value of taxable property is determined “centrally” by the state’s Department of Revenue rather than by the local county assessor.
In Oregon, however, a major additional consequence of central assessment is that intangible property of a centrally assessed business is subject to tax, while the intangible property of a locally assessed business is not.
Furthermore, central assessment is based on the value of the taxable “unit” of property, as allocated and apportioned to Oregon taxing jurisdictions by formula. For these reasons, central assessment can, at least in theory, use the entire worldwide brand value of a business, including goodwill, as its starting point, as well as all of its real and tangible personal property.”
The bill to exempt radio stations from this onerous tax scheme is HB2331
Worrisome: Harry Dent: Stock Market 40% Crash in April, Nothing Can Save You (YouTube, Feb 8, 2021). “A 40% correction is coming for the stock market, this according to Harry Dent, New York Times best-selling author of Zero Hour. ‘The Fed is losing absolute control’.”
About that “hot” housing market. It may no be what it appears… Krystal Ball: The Next Housing CRISIS Is Here And The Villains Are Exactly Who You’d Expect (The Hill, Apr 6, 2021)
Peter Schiff: People Don’t Know What’s Coming (Mar 27th, 2021)
Peter Schiff: Fed is trapped. It will either Bankrupt the Government or the American People (Link)
Show Summary: What do you really know about the vaccines? Did you know mRNA vaccines, which trick your cells into replicating covid-19 proteins, have never been tried in humans before? Are we all just human guinea pigs now? New revelations on HCQ, including its secret usage. And what impact with the Biden virus have when it’s fully unleashed on the economy? Taxes, job-killing executive orders, and impacts on states.
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Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
Saturdays 10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream 11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | [KLBM Live stream not available this weekend]
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | [KBKR Live stream not available this weekend] 7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream
Mondays
After the show airs on our network of radio stations, you can listen to our podcast either here on our site or your favorite podcast platform. We are now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and more. See the full podcast list.
Original Air Dates: Jan. 27 & 28, 2021 | Chuck Wiese & Jonathan Williams
This Week: With a President Biden in office for a little over a week, the Executive Orders have been signed in record amounts for any president. But Biden has a problem. There are many who are not only in disagreement with his new EO’s, but are willing to take him to court over them.
So this week we take a look at what Biden is doing to not unify America. Especially now that Americans have tasted the sweet fruits of a robust economy, energy independence, and peace agreements keeping us out of wars under a Trump presidency.
Biden’s desire to change us back to an Obama economy with critical restrictions on mining, fossil fuel production—effectively deciding who and which industries will be allowed to profit and who won’t—and his shut down orders may not go well for him as many rise up in opposition.
Medical Ethics: New Technology Vaccines & “Gain of Function” Research
To find out the specifics, first up we talk with a scientist, Chuck Wiese, to examine what is going on with covid and its vaccines. Concerns over the side effects, the experimental nature of them, and the safety of these vaccines is on the rise and we talk about the data that has exposed some deeply, big potential problems. We also talk about the ethics of using human guinea pigs to try out a first-of-its-kind vaccine technology, and the ethically troubling “gain of function” research that has led to creating diseases like covid-19, and China’s role on its release.
And don’t miss the stunning revelation of what was happening behind the scenes in the medical community with HCQ — hydroxychloroquine. Here’s an unsurprising hint: they were lying to you.
GameStop — Dawning of a New Economic Reality?
Then we bring on Jonathan Williams, of ALEC, who is watching the normal rules of economics seemingly disappear overnight. We look back at the last time Jonathan was on, one year ago, when President Trump had just introduced his budget, which wanted to cut spending and move toward a balanced budget by 2035. It would do it by forcing government to live within its means. Which would mean the Left could no longer siphon off money from taxpayers and give billions to their allies.
Don’t miss our review of the Green Funding Cycle!
Is that why the Left went all out to attack President Trump through every means possible? People do crazy things for just one million dollars. What would they be willing to do for trillions of dollars?
We talk about the crazy revolt happening now in the stock market as Reddit users go after the hedge funds, costing them $39 billion by one estimate. But is what we’re seeing with GameStop shares really such a good idea?
Executive Orders and the Biden Virus in the Economy
the unraveling of Trump’s economy through Biden’s attempts to stop oil in its tracks and bring back alternatives that put American on a bad path, weakening America while effectively giving countries like China a leg up. Why would anyone want to weaken America’s energy independence?
Be sure to visit ALEC’s terrific ranking of the states’ competitiveness and economic outlook site: www.RichStatesPoorStates.org. How is your state doing?
Biden seems to be stuck in an old script that now even his normal supporters such as unions are fighting mad at him for destroying good jobs on the Keystone Pipeline. People got used to good jobs and a good economy under Pres. Trump. Will they put up with this?
All is not well for a Biden world. Listen to find out why.
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Reporting system is passive, meaning reports aren’t automatically added; “reports on VAERS represent ‘only a small fraction of actual adverse events,’ the site states” makes one wonder how many have not yet been filed
Laughable: “Health officials on the VAERS website caution that a report to the system doesn’t prove a vaccine caused the adverse event…” This from the same govt that counted anyone who died with a sniffle as having died from covid-19
CDC said on Jan 6 that “severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines were happening at a rate of 11.1 per million vaccinations, compared to the rate of 1.3 per 1 million flu shots” TEN times the rate for flu shots. But that can’t be correct. 11.1 per million, with 10.5 million getting the vax = 116 severe reactions total. There have been way more than that – including 55 that died. Almost half that 116 figure.
“Norway changed its COVID-19 vaccination guide to direct officials not to give “very frail” people one of the vaccines, citing 13 deaths among people who were vaccinated.”
DNA is the blueprint for the organism; RNA is is the builder, the contractor that tells parts of the cell what to do and when to do it
“Messenger RNA (mRNA) copies portions of genetic code, a process called transcription, and transports these copies to ribosomes, which are the cellular factories that facilitate the production of proteins from this code.”
According to Biden’s statement: “The executive order also directs the secretary of interior to stop issuing new oil and gas leases on public lands and in offshore waters wherever possible,” Biden said, adding: “Let me be clear, and I know this always comes up, we are not going to ban fracking. We’ll protect jobs and grow jobs.”
“But the bigger and longer-lasting impact may be on how the market itself operates. Never before has a group of amateur investors taken on a hedge fund like this and won. The battle over GameStop has taken on something of a David vs. Goliath feel, with some people outside of finance painting it as a reckoning for parts of Wall Street.”
A hedge fund bet GameStop would drop, internet users bought up shares to make it rise, which meant the short seller hedge funds lost billions. $23 billion by one estimate.
Related Links
Impact of Biden’s tax plan on Real Estate: What we know (Elliott Davis, Dec 3, 2020) [A good explanation and overview of Joe Biden’s tax plans. Take a read to see why we call Joe’s economics, the “Biden Virus”]
Show Summary: Congress passed its Corona Virus bailout rescue bill. Will it be enough to avoid economic disaster? What’s next for all those states (like Oregon) that decided to shut down all those businesses? Plus, a little left wing myth busting.
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.
Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
This Week: It’s dicey in the US, no two ways to about it. And it’s hard to know what or whom to trust. Like recent reports came to light that the small group scientists behind the much-vaunted study—that the White House and governments all around the world relied on to make drastic, economy-altering decisions that they did—may have drastically overstated the numbers.
Corona Virus Numbers: Were they Way off?
British scientist Neil Ferguson, using a computer model, had predicted 2.2 million Americans and more than half a million Brits would be killed. Now he and his team are backtracking on their modeling numbers.
During testimony to the U.K’s parliament, he now predicts U.K. deaths from the disease will not exceed 20,000, and could be much lower. That means, their initial estimates were 25 times higher than they should have been.
This comes as Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, reportedly said the administration was particularly focused on his report. The doctor now has walked back those predictions and clearly stated that the actual numbers of those infected by the virus do not match the computer models (because they’re much lower).
Corona Virus Bailout Passes
The economic and public health policies we’re seeing enacted now have been based recommendations from advisers who used those overstated numbers, which has shut the American economy down.
Did Donald Trump just use the Corona Virus Bailout to gain control of The Fed…? Check this out from Yahoo News
As the stocks tanked, Trump has pushed back with a stimulus package to get cash into the hands of American workers who have been laid off. Or have lost their jobs. Small businesses will have loans and grants available to keep them afloat as Trump pushes to get new policies in place for Americans to go back to work.
Corona Virus Bailout: Did they Get it (Mostly) Right?
But will the Corona virus bailout bill work? To get Americans – and America – back to work?
We welcome back Chief Economist for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Jonathan Williams, to analyze what’s been happening, and what’s likely to happen.
Jonathan—who, like ALEC, believes in smaller government and fewer regulations—walks us through the details and impacts of this massive aid package. You’ll come away with a broader understanding of what’s happening, why smaller government consistently works, and, we hope, we’ll soothe some nerves and calm some fear. We discuss what the package will be doing, what it could do, and also some problems still on the horizon, especially for states that may have hastily sold their economic souls based on bad numbers.
Another very full show—including some myth busting of Leftist anti-business policies that you won’t want to miss.
Check it Out! President Trump Posts Inspiring Corona Virus Video: “Hope”
Podcast Version
Links Mentioned
Jonathan Williams’ organization is the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC. Their website is alec.org and Jonathan Williams’ websites: www.alec.org & www.RichStatesPoorStates.org
Creative Policy Ideas to Address COVID-19 (via ALEC)
Remember when: “Oregon lawmakers weigh odds of a recession, as reserves grow” (Oregonian, Jan 2019)
More on the “wisdom of the crowd” – Lorenz, J., Rauhut, H., Schweitzer, F., & Helbing, D. (2011). How social influence can undermine the wisdom of crowd effect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(22), 9020–9025.
The Scientist Whose Doomsday Pandemic Model Predicted Armageddon Just Walked Back The Apocalyptic Predictions (The Federalist, Mar. 26, 2020)
Not mentioned but here’s a breakdown of the spending bill: “Here’s a breakdown of the $2T coronavirus bailout” (NY Post, March 27, 2020)
Related Links
Strangely good news: “Coronavirus may have already infected half of UK, study says.” Why is this good news? It’s because of herd immunity. Take a look: NY Post, Mar. 24, 2020
Things that make you go hmmm… “Report: ‘With Cancellation of 21 Million Cellphones…Real Death Toll in China is A Mystery’” (Mar. 24, 2020, Jeffery Lord blog)
Inaccurate Virus Models Are Panicking Officials Into Ill-Advised Lockdowns: How a handful of Democratic activists created alarming, but bogus data sets to scare local and state officials into making rash, economy-killing mandates. (The Federalist, March 25, 2020)
Show Summary: Part II of our Disinformation mini-series. Recognizing disinformation, and how disinformation is used to push policies, not just attack people
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Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
This week: We continue our discussion with Ron Rychlak, co-author of Disinformation. We’ll talk with him about one of the greatest tools to defeat a disinformation campaign: recognizing it. As we said last week, plots hatched in darkness die in sunlight.
Disinformation in Action
We’ll start by discussing the current disinformation campaign: the latest attack on Donald Trump to ‘re-frame” him as a traitor to his country rather than what he is, a patriot fighting the corruption that runs so deep in our own government.
But people who are about to be exposed are going to fight back. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing now. But the question is, who is running this?
Be sure to tune in to hear the telltale signs of a disinformation campaign as we’re seeing right now. And don’t miss our discussion with Ron about fighting back against disinformation.
You’ll come away with some tools of your own to recognize it. And in the case of disinformation, knowledge truly is power.
Be sure to check out Ron’s terrific book. It is truly an eye-opener about what is happening today as this Soviet-era propaganda tool is still being used today — right here in America
After we speak with Ron, we switch gears a bit to discuss how disinformation isn’t just about attacking and re-framing political or other high-profile targets. It can also be used to push policy.
Applied Disinformation
When it comes to policy, there’s probably no greater example of applied disinformation than Climate Change. Why? Because it’s based on falsehood that’s not easily disproved. But wait, there’s more.
We talk with Jonathan Williams, the chief economist at ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. First, we start with some typical disinformation when it comes to economics. For example, economic policies that sound like they should be true but aren’t. Like “if we raise taxes, the state will get more money.”
Global Warming: the Biggest Disinformation Campaign of All Time
Climate Change, formerly “global warming,” formerly “global cooling,” is a prime example of a hoax masquerading, through the tools of disinformation, as a legitimate science. With the tools from our first guest, you’ll recognize how and why it’s all a giant disinformation campaign.
But you’ll also hear how this disinformation becomes the basis of damaging economic policy. Like California not touching the forests (that are now burning) and pushing through “green energy” instead of common-sense energy programs. And you’ll hear how it violates common economic principles via government control.
Government control is only a good thing when it’s about controlling government.
Podcast Version
Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—the podcast version will be right here after the show airs.
Links Mentioned
Ron’s book, Disinformation can be found on our store page or just head straight to Amazon.
The American Legislative Exchange Council is one of the best organizations out there for sound economic policies. Their website can be found at ALEC.org
Jonathan Williams is the co-author of the annual report, Rich States, Poor States. How is your state doing?
Related Links
The current disinformation attack on Trump
Clapper: Obama “made us do it” via Rush Limbaugh (why isn’t this getting more notice?)
The guys who actually did what they accuse Trump of doing: Understanding Joe Biden and the Burisma scandal, via Gateway Pundit
To download the show, right-click the mic, then “Save Link As…” or use our handy player below
Show Summary:Do you have an unlimited amount of money? Or time? If not, then welcome to the world of economics—where math meets reality. Or, if you’re you’re talking about Oregon Democrats in charge of Oregon’s economic outlook, where math meets imaginary.
Original Air Dates: June 8 & 9, 2019 | Guest(s): Jonathan Williams
When it comes to economic outlook, there’s no better organization to turn to than ALEC — American Legislative Exchange Council, the nation’s premiere economic forecaster for the 50 states. And when it comes to Oregon’s economic outlook, they know what can make Oregon successful.
If only Oregon Democrats did.
Oregon’s Economic Outlook
Those two kids in the front look like they’re running the numbers on how much all this is gonna cost their generation…
We’ve said often that Oregon is the Petri dish for all things Left, except the Petri dish is no longer needed to prove what works or doesn’t work in economics. States across the U.S. are demonstrating how increased taxes are not the way to economic recovery. And even though the proof is in the pudding our Democrat legislators refuse to take heed.
Now ranked a very dismal 44th in ALEC’s survey of economic outlook among the states, Oregon may soon find their economic coffers emptying as businesses leave to move to much more friendly taxed states. It’s already happening. Stimson Lumber announced this last week that they were packing up, closing their operations in Forest Grove, and heading out of state.
Oddly, with all its spending, Oregon may soon be one of the biggest cheerleaders of the Trump economy. Because what do you think will happen if suddenly the economy retreats when Oregon just decided to raise billions in new taxes?
Jonathan Williams from ALEC
To bring clarity to the problems of high taxed states we bring on Jonathan Williams, co-author of Rich States Poor States to give us the good and bad news of how states are dealing with Trump’s booming economy. He discusses Oregon’s problems and why it was ranked so low—and that was before the new multi-billion-dollar business tax was passed.
We also get to look at what states like Idaho, Texas, Tennessee and others are doing not only enjoying Trump’s tax cuts but jumping on and cutting their own state taxes that highly benefits their citizens. (Like and support your people? What a concept!)
Listen to find out how Oregon is starting down the path of socialism by the D’s desire for centralized planning. Hear what one Democrat Senator had to say while standing on the senate floor about businesses that could no longer afford to stay in Oregon. And listen to hear how Democrats are using the tax codes to only allow the “right” kind of business to operate in Oregon. Is this a new trend in national politics?
If nothing else, Oregon Democrats are proving the importance of borders. If the D’s get too destructive you can vote with your feet.
Podcast Version
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I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.
Five different times, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
Show Summary: Oregon Democrats appear to have taken the position that no matter how much or how little you make, it really all belongs to the state. A look at the taxes they have in store for 2019.
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.
Five Different Times, on Six Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
Oregon Democrats appear to think that if you earn money, it’s really not your money. It belongs to the state. You can tell because Oregon Democrats—who have super-majorities in Oregon’s house and senate plus the governorship—have billions in new taxes they want to unleash. Billions to extract from the 3.3 million Oregonians.
The Short List of Oregon Democrats New Taxes
Doubling the gas tax. Tripling taxes on beer and cigarettes. Fees (i.e. taxes) on restaurants. Vending machines. First in the nation carbon tax — plus a California-style cap-and-trade. (Hello $5 per gallon gasoline.) Fees (taxes) on bed and breakfasts. Spa visits. Fees (taxes) on tourism. Fees on small business. Middle business. Big business. Mining permit fee increases. Fees on timber lands. Fees on public utilities. Fees on home heating oil. Fees on
And if that isn’t enough, Oregon Democrats even want to remove property tax exemptions for non-profits and churches.
Yes, even God doesn’t pay enough in taxes.
At this rate, pretty soon, the State and Oregon Democrats will want to tax money you didn’t earn.
Oregon Democrats 2019 Tax Plans
We talk this week to Jonathan Williams, the Vice President for the Center for State Fiscal Reform at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC.org) to get some insight into what all these taxes the Oregon Democrats have planned will do to the state’s economy.
Some of what we talk about includes Oregon’s cap-and-trade scheme, the fees, and the endless taxes.
Don’t worry. There’s hope. But you’ll have to listen.
Getting around pesky Supreme Court rulings: Democrat introduces bill to use taxpayer money to fund unions directly. Press Release from Freedom Foundation
California Lurches For A Carbon Tax After Consecutive Greenhouse Gas Auction Failures (Forbes, Mar 2, 2017)
“Like BC’s, the carbon tax examined for Oregon would be (largely) revenue neutral: one scenario applied 70% of the tax revenues to cut corporate taxes, 20% to cut personal income taxes, and 10% to reinvest in industrial energy efficiency programs. The other scenario apportioned 50% of the revenues to cut corporate taxes, 25% to cut personal income taxes, and 25% for industrial and residential energy efficiency and transportation infrastructure.”
To download the show, right-click the mic, and then “Save Link As…” or use the handy player below
Air Dates: April 25 & 26, 2015
This week, it’s about economics. Yeah, yeah. Don’t groan. You need to know this stuff. Otherwise, you’ll be boondoggled into thinking raising taxes is good. Or that raising minimum wage doesn’t impact businesses. Or big government works. Or any number of progressive ideologies. Next thing you know, you’ll be believing global warming and then it’s all down hill from there.
With guests Jonathan Williams of American Legislative Exchange Council and Jan Meekcoms of National Federation of Independent Businesses.
ALEC – American Legislative Exchange Council. One of the good guys. You can tell, because the political Left hates them so much they think one of the Baldwin boys needs to rename himself.
NFIB-Oregon is holding its Day at the Capital on April 29. More info.
Both of these fine organizations offer memberships. Why not join them and add your voice to the chorus of conservative voices trying to safeguard your economic freedom?
Additional Links & Info
Talk to liberals? Not sure how to answer their unicorns-and-fairies myths about the minimum wage? Here’s a great Forbes article (by an NFIB economist no less) that debunks progressive myths.
Rally ‘Round the Flag Event
When: Saturday, June 20, 2015, 10am – 4pm Where: Fairgrounds, Cottage Grove, Oregon Cost: Free!
Here in Oregon, we have a strong heritage of using our natural resources wisely. But well-intended yet weak-minded “environmentalists” believe they are “protecting” the environment by not touching it–or allowing anyone else to harvest them. Worse, our lands are being controlled by people out east who’ve never set foot on them and have no idea about how to manage them; people who’ve been persuaded by the well-funded environmental lobby that we should never touch these lands.
Oregon Citizen’s Lobby invites you to join them for a fantastic day of speakers, networking, and fun! And a chance to learn more about the effort to transfer control of the federal lands to the people who know best how to manage them: Oregonians.
The event will feature prominent leaders in this effort, booths, networking opportunities, and a panel discussion to answer your questions.
Featured Guests:
Rep. Ken Ivory (UT) of the American Lands Council
Noah Wall, FreedomWorks Grassroots Director
Jeff Kropf, Oregon Capital Watch
Mark Anderson, host of I Spy Radio
David Hunnicutt, Oregonians in Action
Dennis Linthicum, former Klamath County Commissioner
Then we talk to 
