Tag: economics

It’s the Economy, Stupid – But What Kind of Economy?

It’s the Economy, Stupid – But What Kind of Economy?

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

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?

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

The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, six different times, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on out network of stations.

Original Air Dates: March 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?

READ: Jonathan’s terrific article about Utah and why they’ve stayed #1 in ALEC’s Rich States, Poor States for 14 years in a row. What are they doing that other states should be doing. And what could go wrong to knock Utah off its perch?
Get this article to your favorite candidate!

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.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

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.

From "It's the Economy, Stupid" to Make the Economy Stupid: Democrats' Plan to "transform" America's Economy
Democrats’ Plan to Remake the Economy | Supply Chain Problems

Democrats’ Plan to Remake the Economy | Supply Chain Problems

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

Show Summary: No ghosts but lots of gremlins as democrats try to sabotage the future of America’s economy. It’s no secret the democrats want to transform America’s economy into a socialist one. And their multi-trillion dollar spending bills will do it. So what’s really in the bill? If you think the problems with our supply chain are bad now, wait until the government runs it.

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

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: October 30th & 31st, 2021 | Guests: Jonathan Williams & Jana Jarvis

This week: No ghosts but plenty of gremlins and goblins as our own government is looking to sabotage the future of America’s economy. To “transform it”, which is never a good thing. A look at what’s really in the bill — and a look at what it going on with our supply chain.

It’s the Economy Stupid?

Remember when Bill Clinton said that? Except from the democrats, now it’s let’s make the economy stupid. Then again, remember when Bill Clinton used to be seen as “liberal”? Now, he’s downright conservative in comparison.

Imagine AOC in charge of the economy.

And remember Obamacare, and the democrats “deeming it passed”? Yeah. You can look for that kind of trickery to get the multi-trillion-dollar bill through not to transform America’s health care but her economy. How’s that health care “transformation” gone for you? Health care cheaper for you? Or for America?

No. Of course not. But by the federal government seizing control of health care, democrats have been able to use it as a weapon. It’s what we warned you about: environmental policies is how they control business. Health care is how they control people.

Jonathan Williams of ALEC on the Economy

Jonathan Williams is the executive vice president of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC.org), which advises state legislature on how to improve their economies.

We talk about what’s really in the bill. AOC’s 1.5 million “climate corps” troops marshaling businesses down the new green path. A massive overturn of the economy that will weaken, not strengthen it. 87,000 new IRS agents unleashed to snoop through and spy on Americans. (Remember how Obama used the IRS to target his political enemies? Yeah. Now multiply that by 86,0000.

And perhaps worst of all, Janet Yellen’s hair-brained scheme to tax non-existent wealth. She wants to tax “unrealized capital gains.” In other words, tax money that hasn’t been made yet. That’s desperate.

And how long before they do away with “just taxing billionaires” and move on to “all those middle-class people are sitting on unrealized gains in the property values.

Problems in the Supply Chain

In case you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of areas of the country experiencing empty store shelves. How is it that just two years ago, when we had a much better economy under President Trump but we had no supply chain problems like we’re experiencing now? Could it be by design? This article from ZeroHedge alleges it may be. (And it sounds like it to us, too.)

Not to mention that Pete Buttigieg is out there sounding like he’s willing to let supply chain problems continue in an attempt to extort Congressional Republicans and reluctant democrats into voting for the massive spending bills.  (See links below.)

So, what is going on with our supply chain? And, the big question: do we need to be worried?

To get to the bottom of that, we talk with Jana Jarvis, president of OTA, Oregon Trucking Associations (ORtrucking.com). She walks us through the problems at the port, what led to them, and some concerns for the near future.

It doesn’t help that there was already a shortage of truckers before the forced pandemic. Now, the Biden administration is targeting truckers and blue collar workers with forced vaccine mandates. The ATA warns that if Resident Biden continues along this path, the industry may lose up to 37% of its truckers.

Imagine for a moment if all the truckers walked off the job in areas where there are mandates. Imagine the impact of that. I mean, talk about a people’s revolution. Just park the trucks and say no more until you get rid of these mandates. ALL of them.

Is it time for a drive out? A national walk out by truckers? If any industry could force that kind of change, it’s the truckers.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Links & Further Info

  • Podcast: A Price Too High? The $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Bill (ALEC podcast #100, Sept 28, 2021)
  • $3.5 Trillion Is a Phony Number: Budget tricks disguise the true cost of Biden’s vast entitlement plans (Wall Stree Journal, Sept 23, 2021)
  • What’s in the Democratic Tax Proposal? :Corporate tax rate would rise to 26.5% from 21%; capital-gains taxes would also go up (WSJ, Sept 13, 2021)
  • What Is Unrealized Gain or Loss and Is It Taxed? (Yahoo Finance, April 2, 2021)
  • Biden Expresses Support for Annual Tax on Billionaires’ Unrealized Gains (Wall Street Journal, Sept 24, 2021)
  • AOC, Democrats want to create ‘Civilian Corps’ to battle climate change (NY Post, May 5, 2021)
  • AOC: $10B Taxpayer-Funded Climate Change Corps Would Create 1.5M Jobs (Brietbart, May 7, 2021)
    • Really, AOC? Try to use math. That’s only $6,666 per “job.” What are they going to do, just send stimulus checks to democrats?
    • The real costs: 1.5 million activists × $40,000 per year (avg) = $60 billion. Every year. “Free” jobs for democrats. Who do you think they’ll donate to? Or campaign for? And that doesn’t even include healthcare or a lifetime of taxpayer funded pensions.

Supply Chain

  • ‘Containergeddon’ drives sugar, rice shippers back to bulk vessels (Alberta Farmer Express, Oct 22, 2021)
  • Martin Armstrong: Are The US Supply Chain Disruptions Deliberate? (ZeroHedge, Oct 24, 2021)
    • “The reality is the only way we’re going to get to a place where we work through this transition is if everyone in America and everyone around the world gets vaccinated,” [Deputy Treasury Secretary] Adeyemo admitted in an interview with ABC News.
    • THIS: Transportation Secretary Pete stated, “…The overall ‘Build Back Better’ vision is designed to reduce inflationary pressures. So if you care about inflation, you ought to care about not just the supply chain issues… but also the provisions in ‘Build Back Better’ like paid family leave, … making it easier to afford childcare, [or] community college, that are going to give us a stronger labor force and help us deal with that major constraint on economic growth.”*Sounds a lot like Blackmail to me.
  • Ports of LA, Long Beach to Fine Firms Over Container Backlog (Newsmax, Oct 25, 2021)*“In an effort to ease congestion at the nation’s busiest port complex, officials said Monday that they will start fining shipping companies whose cargo containers linger for too long at marine terminals.”
  • Horrifying: California In-N-Out Shut Down Permanently for Refusing to Check Customers’ Vaccination Status (Epoch Times, Oct 27, 2021)
  • ATA Warns Vaccine Mandate Could Worsen Supply Chain Troubles (Transport Topics News, Oct 21, 2021)
  • Consumers’ Research: BlackRock and the Chinese Communist Party (Disclose TV, Oct 27, 2021)
  • How the Infrastructure and Reconciliation Bills Affects YOU (Stop Being Sold YT Channel, Oct 13, 2021)

 

economics. it's all theory until it implodes. rich states, poor states, and their economic outlook. Plus Oregon
Economics: Rich States, Poor States — Guess Where Oregon is

Economics: Rich States, Poor States — Guess Where Oregon is

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO 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: May 15 & 16, 2021 | Jonathan Williams

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.

Oregon's economic performance 2009 - 2019. Courtesy of Rich States, Poor States
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

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Links Mentioned

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)
  • The Fed begins purchases of up to $250 billion in individual corporate bonds (Markets Insider, June 15, 2020)
  • Why the Fed’s new index approach to buying U.S. corporate debt ‘changes everything’ (MarketWatch, June 18, 2020)
  • Fed Makes Initial Purchases in Its First Corporate Debt Buying Program (New York Times, May 12, 2020)
  • Is the Federal Reserve Printing Money? (The Balance, May 11, 2021)
  • 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!
  • In 2010, The Fed answers FAQs on Mortgage Backed Securities
  • 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 shift to non-reality-based economics
The Democrats’ War on Economics: Tax Explosions and Spending Sprees

The Democrats’ War on Economics: Tax Explosions and Spending Sprees

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO 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: 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?

economics doesn't matter any more. Everything is infrastructureThen 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

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

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

Jonathan Williams (Segments 4–6)

Additional Economics and Financial Links

  • 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’.”
  • Monetary Policy in Action — Prices of Everything Is Going UP – Value of Everything Is Going DOWN (Peter Schiff on Tucker Carlson, Apr 5, 2021)
  • Retail Apocalypse: $100 Billion In Losses Trigger New Wave Of Bankruptcies & Mass Store Closures (Epic Economist, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • 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)
  • Luxury Stores Default ($200M in Rent) Along Manhattan’s 5th Ave (John Williams, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • Foreclosures BANNED until 2022?! (John Williams, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • Bank Meltdown Is Here! Commercial & Household Debt Lead To Worst Bank Apocalypse In All U.S. History (Epic Economist, Apr 2, 2021)
Medical ethics, mRNA vaccines, new HCQ revelation, and Joe Biden virus in the economy
Facing a Biden World | Vaccines, HCQ, and Economics out the Window

Facing a Biden World | Vaccines, HCQ, and Economics out the Window

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO 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.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. The player should be right at the top of the page. See the full list of podcast options.

Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Chuck Wiese

  • 55 People Have Died in US After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccines (Epoch Times, Jan 17, 2021)
    • 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.”
  • Israeli behind ‘game-changing’ Covid nasal spray says it’s 99.9% effective (Jewish News / Times of Israel, Jan 13, 2021)
  • Medical Doctor: Bacterial Pneumonias Rising From Mask Wearing (Principia Scientific, Jan 25, 2021)

The mRNA Vaccines

  • DNA vs. RNA – 5 Key Differences and Comparison (Technology Networks, Dec 18, 2020)
    • 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.”
  • mRNA Vaccines vs. Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine (Darkhorse Podcast Clips, Jan 9, 2021)
    • mRNA vaccines untested in humans, tested for only ~9 mos

Gain of Function Research

Gain-of-Function Research: Ethical Analysis (Scientific Engineering Ethics, Aug 8, 2016). Read online or download PDF of the paper.

Jonathan Williams

  • Why Joe Biden Can Stop Worrying and Start Spending Like Crazy (New Republic, Dec 1, 2020)
  • Joe Biden Signs 17 Executive Orders and Directives (Before its news, Jan 20, 2021)
  • Davos ‘Great Reset’ conference opened by China’s Xi (WND, Jan 25, 2021)
  • New Research Debunks Claim That a $15 Minimum Wage Would Not Reduce Employment (Foundation for Economic Education, Jan 25, 2021)
  • Western Energy Alliance challenges Biden order pausing new oil, gas leasing on public land (America’s Voice, Jan 27, 2021)
  • Kerry’s ‘better choices’ comment on climate job losses opens door for GOP to pounce (Just the News, Jan 26, 2021)
  • Biden Vows to Cancel Oil and Gas Leases, but ‘Not Going to Ban Fracking’ (The Daily Signal, Jan 27, 2021)
    • 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.”

GameStop Shares

  • Explanation of GameStop (NBC News, Jan 2021)
    • “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.”
  • I’m Sorry, What Is Going on With GameStop and AMC? (Vulture, Jan 27, 2021)
    • 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”]
  • California surprise re-open! …leaving Oregon in last two lockdown states (Oregon Catalyst, Jan 26, 2021)
  • Monopolies and competition: “EU president: ‘Unbridled power held’ by Big Tech CEOs must be ‘reined in’” (WND, Jan 21, 2021)
  • Wild Wednesday: Market Gets Slammed Amid Vaccine Worries, Cautious Fed (Ameritrade, Jan 26, 2021)

 
Corona Virus Lockdown: Good Friday, Good Questions, Bad Models

Corona Virus Lockdown: Good Friday, Good Questions, Bad Models

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

Show Summary: Oregon doubles down on its Corona virus lockdown. Based on bad models. How long will churches and businesses put up with it? Plus questions from listeners.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
Current I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size map.

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) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: April 11th & 12th, 2020 | Dr. Bud Pierce & Pastor Jeff Poush

This Week: Oregon’s Corona virus lockdown continues, in spite of models that have proven consistently to be consistently wrong. Which leaves us to wonder, why is the corona virus lockdown still in place?

One of the questions that has truly troubled us at I Spy is, if we’ve spent billions on healthcare in Oregon and 100s of billions nationally, where did all that money go? Especially in light of how unprepared medical providers were for a crisis.

Does anyone remember when Governor Kitzhaber ran on the fact that “we must be prepared” — and then tossed Oregon’s healthcare system on its ear in in his grand “health care transformation”? But from all reports coming out of Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and media services, prepared has turned into an oxymoron.

Corona Virus Lockdown: Questions for Bud Pierce

In our Part Two interview with Dr. Bud Pierce, an oncologist and hematologist specialist, we take on the numbers. Numbers that are being put out by Oregon’s own OHA, along with those from the federal governments, that depend on models so very reminiscent of climate change models. Overblown and/or unreliable but designed to evoke responses from the public.

You might be interested in: Check out last week’s show with Bud Pierce & Scott McEwen: Corona Virus Numbers Overreaction? Plus: Intelligence Failure in China?

Are Corona Virus “Deaths” Reliable?

One question we have is about the deaths. Deaths that, according to CDC guidelines, are being attributed to COVID-19 even without tests to verify they did, in fact, have the virus.

Theoretically, according to the guidelines, if you committed suicide, and might have had COVID-19, then Corona virus could be listed on the death certificate as the cause of death. Thus adding to the total of Coronavirus deaths. Is this just a little odd? We talk to Dr. Pierce what protocols are in place for how corona virus deaths are counted along with other troubling methods being used. And do we do this for other diseases?

Listener Questions

We also wanted to have him back on to ask a question we’d wanted to ask him last week: What will we do next year when virus and flu season starts up again? Plus. We ask him questions from listeners who wrote in this week, wanting to know such things as the reliability of the numbers being used? Can the virus be transferred to pets? Has the curve flattened here in Oregon? And does he ever see a time when we go back to handshakes and hugs?

Corona Virus Lockdown’s Impact on Churches

Which leads us into the second half of our show, and the impact of Gov. Kate’s decision on large groups — especially churches.

With it being Easter weekend we brought in Pastor Jeff Poush of Salem First Baptist. During the pandemic when so much of our focus is on our physical health and the health of on our economy, what can people do for their spiritual health? We ask Pastor Poush the efforts his church is undertaking to support the spiritual health of their members during a time of physical separation and social distancing.

What If the Corona Virus Lockdown Continues?

We also discuss how the pandemic and ban on large groups has affected his church. And what if this continues? Are there concerns for churches regarding First Amendment rights? And how not gathering as a congregation may impact future events for churches? And, with it being Easter weekend, we find out some of the inspirational and exciting things Pastor Poush and his colleagues’ have planned for Easter morning service.

Don’t miss this informative and uplifting show. For Easter, it’s a time of renewal — and perhaps that’s the message to take to heart.

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

  • Check out Salem First Baptist’s website to learn more about their Easter plans
  • Tracking site suggests White House model is overestimating (Just the News, Apr 5, 2020)
  • NY Marks 75% Drop in Hospitalizations (Breitbart, Apr 6, 2020)
  • CDC Director: “Corona Virus Death Toll will be ‘much, much, much lower’ than projected” (Breitbart, Apr 7, 2020)
    • They basically admit the models were used to scare people into compliance – “Q: Are throwing those kind of numbers out actually helpful because what they do is scare the hell out of everyone to social distance? Is that the purpose? A: I think part of the importance of getting the American public’s attention that these models did, we really need the American public to be fully engaged now with great rigor and vigilance on the social distancing. [They] assume[d] only about 50 percent of the American public would pay attention to the recommendations. In fact, what we’re seeing is a large majority of the American public are taking the social distancing recommendations to heart”
  • Covid Tracking Website DELETES Information on Hospitalizations, ICU Patients After TGP Reports Numbers Fall Well Below Model Predictions (Gateway  Pundit, Apr 7, 2020)
  • [Video] Dem Lawmaker Who Credited Trump For Saving Her Life Says She Had to Beg For Hydroxychloroquine After Michigan Gov Barred the Drug (Gateway Pundit, Apr 7, 2020)
  • Innovation! “Military 3D-printing face shields, reusable N95 masks to address hospital shortages” (ABC News, Apr 7, 2020)
  • Father of Obamacare Zeke Emanuel: US Must Maintain Lockdown for 18 Months — No Concerts, Sporting Events, Church or Dinner at a Restaurant (via Gateway Pundit, Apr 7, 2020)
Governor Kate Brown and Oregon's Economy: where math meets imaginary
Oregon’s Economic Outlook: Math meets Imaginary

Oregon’s Economic Outlook: Math meets Imaginary

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

Download the podcast of this week's I Spy Radio Show
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

Governor Kate Brown and Oregon's Economy: where math meets imaginary
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

Never Miss an I Spy Radio Show!

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
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!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Links Mentioned

Leftist policies - burning down society since before 1917
When it comes to Leftist Policies, Science and Reality don’t Matter

When it comes to Leftist Policies, Science and Reality don’t Matter

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

Show Summary: Oregon is the Petri Dish of Leftist policies. Find out how and why that when it comes to economics and environment, leftist policies leave reality behind.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
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!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Apr 27 & 28, 2019 | Ethan Blevins

This Week: It’s spring with farmers preparing fields, rains soaking our rich soils, and forests turning green.  Our skies are clear from heavy smoke and the air is fresh.  But August is coming when things are far more dry, brown, and dusty.

Oregon’s Forests: A Victim of Leftist Policies

Leftist policies - A product of the socialist brain of a liberalBelieve it or not, August in Oregon used to be free of major forest fires for decades but why isn’t it now?  Why have massive fires become a way of life for the summer landscape in Oregon, California, and the rest of the West?

We’ll talk about this with Dr. Bob Zybach, someone who studied Oregon’s history of forest fires for his dissertation and is an avid proponent for bringing back practical and realistic forest management policies to Oregon. A state that should be leading the way on setting proper forest management polices. Except we’re too concerned that environmentalists will froth at the mouth over policies that actually acknowledge mankind is part of the environment. But we digress.

Dr. Zybach is also a frequent guest on I Spy Radio. Dr. Bob is back on to take us through what should be happening with our forests during spring time as summer is fast approaching. We know that farmers and ranchers are busy during this time of year preparing for the growing season, so should foresters.

Are We Preparing Scientists or Activists?

We hear so much about preparing today’s youth for the challenges of tomorrow. So what exactly is the curriculum currently being taught in today’s forestry classes? And how well prepared are young foresters when they graduate?

Don’t miss the updates on the Elliott State Forest that is supposed to be making the state millions. Yes. The Elliott State Forest is supposed to generate money. Not cost money. Can it?  Yes.  Is it?  You’ll hear about that and what the future may bring for this vital state resource and how it could pave the way for other states. If they just listen.

Pacific Legal: Fighting Leftist Policies

But first up: Ethan Blevins. Mr. Blevins is an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. This is a group that we’ve been following for a long time. No, we’re not stalkers. But this our first time to have them on I Spy Radio.  Pacific Legal Foundation has been growing leaps and bounds and are now all across America, working to hold the government accountable. Just our kind of group.

Oregon’s New Rent Control: Ignoring Science AND Economics

Mr. Blevins litigates cases involving the First Amendment, property rights, school choice, and the separation of powers.  So we talk to him about the new rent control Oregon’s legislature just passed and why its policies will end up raising costs of living—the exact opposite of what they propose to do.

Why? Because the policy completely ignores one of the most basic elements of economics. Not one of those fancy a computer models that predict global cooling—wait, no, warming, er, no, change!—but from long-tested and proven economic science.  But what do we know?

And don’t miss our conversation with Mr. Blevin about Oregon’s supermajority and the potential abuse of powers that come with it. Yes, the Democrats have a 3/5ths supermajority in the House and Senate and yes they hold the governorship. But there’s still hope. And from a surprising source. And it’s why Republicans can’t and shouldn’t give up.

Podcast Version

Links & Further Info

Ethan Blevins (Segments 1–3)

  • Unelected bureaucrats must follow the law, too (Pacific Legal Foundation, Dec 19, 2018)
  • Supreme Court vacates 9th Circuit ruling against EPA victim, Joe Robertson (Free Range Report, April 23, 2019) This is a Pacific Legal Foundation case
  • The Hill: Environmental regulations have become impossible to follow (The Hill, March 18, 2019) found on PLF’s newsroom webpage
  • Ethan Blevins article: Beware the false promise of rent control (Fox News, March 30, 2019)
  • OVERVIEW: How Rent Control Works in New York City (via Oh My Apartment)
    • “People in New York City who have the advantage of renting a rent stabilized apartment, have a very hard time parting with them. Monthly rent under $2000 in New York City is very, very cheap – even for a studio or small one bedroom.” = lack of mobility; prevents people from moving to a better job or moving closer to their current job, thereby increasing commuting distance, time, and expense.
  • Some basic history of Rent Control (via Wikipedia): “In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Emergency Price Control Act into law. The goal of the act was to prevent inflation in the booming, fully employed wartime economy by setting price controls nationwide. ”
    • (Don’t forget: long-time listeners of I Spy Radio know that this is about the time the IRS screwed up the health care system forever. Due to World War II and wage controls in effect, the IRS decided to allow employers to offer health care as a means around wage restriction policies in order to entice workers.

Bob Zybach (Segments 4–6)

Oregon Democrats want your money
Oregon Democrats: It’s Not Your Money

Oregon Democrats: It’s Not Your Money

By | | Comments 0 Comment
PlayPlay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
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!

Saturdays
10a – 11a: KFIR 720AM (entire Willamette Valley) | Direct Link to KFIR Live Stream
11a – noon: KLBM 1450AM (Union County) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM or 99.7FM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Jan. 19 & 20, 2019 | Jonathan Williams

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.

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

Covert financial warfare. Is the wild stock market more than meets the eye?
Stock Market Roller Coaster: Covert Financial Warfare?

Stock Market Roller Coaster: Covert Financial Warfare?

By | | Comments 0 Comment
PlayPlay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS | More

Show Summary: The wild stock market ride continues. Is The Fed playing politics? Or is this covert financial warfare happening all over again? Plus new A.I. innovations may make things worse with the rise of 5G. Is Terminator Day coming? Plus, the war for the technology the future will be built on.

Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of November, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.

Five Different Times, Six 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) | Direct Link to KLBM Live Stream
11a – noon: KBKR 1490AM (Baker County) | Direct Link to SuperTalk Live Stream
7p – 8p: KWRO 630AM (Oregon Coast & Southeastern Oregon) | Direct Link to KWRO Live Stream

Sundays
8a – 9a: KWVR 1340AM (Wallowa County) | Direct Link: KWVR Live Stream
7p – 8p: KAJO 1270AM (Grants Pass/Medford) | Direct Link: KAJO Live Stream

Air Dates: Jan. 12 & 13, 2019 | Kevin Freeman

This Week: If there’s one thing in life that’s consistent, it’s that government is consistently wrong.

In the late 1700s, you had Thomas Malthus predicting overpopulation, which would exceed the means of agricultural production and lead to starvation. They were wrong. Because Malthus—a preacher and mathematician and not a farmer—didn’t take into account advances in farming technology. Or advances in science and improved understanding of plant biology. And yet Malthus’s opinion has dominated Western government thinking for two centuries.

And yet the Left wholeheartedly believes it. The Left believes in depopulation, and to solve it some 6 billion humans just need to go away.

And there’s the Industrial Revolution. Once again, government “experts” believed people were going to be put out of work as machines did what people used to do. More people went to work than ever before. And at higher wages than ever before. Which meant they had more money to spend, which meant more businesses could open. And on and on and on.

These are just two examples of why government is so often wrong about so many things. It’s why they’re slow to react to advances in technology because—like Malthus who was no farmer—government bureaucrats are making decisions and recommendations about things they don’t fully understand. It’s why the market, which makes millions of buying and selling decisions every day is more efficient than any government bureaucrat could ever be.

This is precisely why socialism always fails. Markets are always better than bureaucrats.

Government and the Market

But that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be some sort of control. Because a market running amok can cause damage within any market, there are potentially some bad actors who will, can, and do exploit things to their own advantage.

But what about The Fed? They’ve been raising interest rates since Trump got elected. Is this politics? Are they trying to sabotage Trump? You’ll have to tune in to hear what’s really going on.

Artificial Intelligence: New Tool in Covert Financial Warfare?

Take, for example, a relatively new phenomenon, computerized, algorithm-controlled stock trades. Basically, computer programs that watch the market to buy or sell based on a set of criteria. But here’s the thing. They can make millions of trades in seconds, before you can even refresh the Dow Jones web page.

And they don’t care whether the market goes up or down. Because if their predictive program guesses correctly, they can make money whether the market goes up or down.

Think George Soros—who made billions by betting against the Bank of England and that the British Pound would go down. Now think George Soros with a super computer. See the potential problem?

While these “trader bots” have a lot of potential, they also represent the potential for tremendous problems. And the potential for problems are only going to get worse due to the rise of new technologies that will make things even faster and more connected than ever before.

5G Dangers? Not Quite what you think…

The potential for good or ill includes 5G technology that will have your head spinning. Your cell phone used to have 3G technology, which essentially used to have dialup speeds. But then they went to 4G, which meant your cell phone could handle video downloads. 5G? It’s 100 times faster than 4G.

And it will be everywhere. Toasters connected to cell phones? Yes. It’s being called the Internet of Things.

China’s War for 5G

So why is China so interested in this new technology? Why are they pushing to dominate the world with their version of 5G? And what dan

Because who controls that new technology will control the new future that is coming. And right now there is a war between China and the U.S. for the future.

Tune in to hear the dangers, and potential, for what is happening in the market and where this is headed.

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

Kevin’s website is www.EconomicWarRoom.com

Economic War Room, now airs on BlazeTV. To learn more about the Economic War Room Show, visit www.EconomicWarRoom.com. You can get a FREE one-month trial and $20 off an annual subscription now through year end. Go to the website for more details.

Will The Federal Reserve Provide Us With The Next Abuse Of Power Scandal? (Forbes, Jul 19, 2013)

Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2017 (govtrack, 2017)

Financial Warfare and the Float of China’s Yuan. Weaponization of the Forex Market (Global Research, Nov 1, 2018)

Stock market 2018: Expect Dow volatility as trade war, Trump talk spark fear (USA, April 8, 2018)

  • Links go here

Related Links

  • Related links go here