Tag: economy

15-02 MEGA MAGA | Make Economics Great Again

15-02 MEGA MAGA | Make Economics Great Again

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Show 15-02 Summary: You can’t Make America Great Again without MEGA. Make Economics Great Again. This week we take a look at how the new Trump administration can make the economy great again. We do that with Jonathan Williams, the president and chief economist for the American Legislative Exchange Council. We look first at how stupid environmental policies in California have led to the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires. And we look at Trump’s tax plans. Can he really replace income taxes with tariffs? And we look forward to a more efficient government that absolutely must cut spending if we are ever going to get rid of the deficit to start cutting into the debt.

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Air Dates: January 11th & 12th, 2025 | Guest: Jonathan Williams

This Week – MEGA: Make Economics Great Again

One of the best things Trump’s MAGA can do is MEGA. Make Economics Great Again.

We welcome back Jonathan Williams, who was recently promoted to president over at ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC is all about developing good, common sense, sound policy that they help states implement.

We start our discussion with these stupid environmental policies in California that have led to the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires. The incompetent people in charge are trying to blame climate change for their stupid policies. In part, they are correct. Their religious belief in climate change led them to the stupid policy of not doing forest management.

Let’s be clear: IF you truly believe in climate change, and that the world is getting hotter and drier as a result of global warming, then you should be doing more forest management than ever. And not what the environmental left has been doing, which is nothing.

But of course stupid policies are not limited to California. Many of those stupid environmental policies along with hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars spent on climate change, come from Washington DC.

Can Trump MEGA?

We talk with Jonathan Williams about what new policies are needed, and what old policies definitely need to go. How many of those environmental policies will be forced to go when the federal funding keeping them alive disappears? But what new, good policies are needed? And are there examples of good policies at the state level that ought to trickle up to the federal level?

And what about those taxes?

People forget that for most of America’s history, there was no income tax. And the federal government got most of its funding from tariffs. can trump really make that happen and replace the income tax with tariffs? Is that even feasible? well, it can’t happen unless there are some significant cuts to the budget, and we talk about that too.

Get informed about how MAGA can make MEGA really happen.

Well, lookee here:

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Related/Further Information

  • Oregon, blue states rule top inflation states (Oregon Catalyst, Jan 7, 2025)
    • “The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis ranks Oregon as the eighth most expensive U.S. state to live in.”
  • The Good, the Bad, and the Uncertainty of the Trump Economy (Project Syndicate, Dec 31, 2024)
  • Not good when D’s aren’t even investing in Oregon.: “Arizona wins third and final federal semiconductor research hub; Oregon’s hopes dashed” (OPB, Jan 6, 2025); “Arizona wins last of 3 planned federal chip research sites” (OregonLive, Jan 6, 2025)
  • State regulators approve more electricity rate hikes for Oregonians in 2025 (The World, Jan 7, 2025)
    • Shouldn’t the policy be to provide the most power for the lowest price? If individuals or individual businesses want to buy solar or wind, they can. But don’t punish the average person.
  • Lawmakers propose pause on rate hikes (Capital Chronicle, Jan 7, 2025)

 

14-43 It’s the Economy, Stupid | Stupid Energy Policies

14-43 It’s the Economy, Stupid | Stupid Energy Policies

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Show 14-43 Summary: There are stupid energy policies and then there are Kamala-level stupid energy policies. And they start with a wrong understanding of how the economy works. Not everyone invests in the stock market, not everyone runs a business. But everyone needs energy. Not just energy for your home or where you work but getting there and back. And practically everything bought or sold arrives on a truck. This week, we look at stupid energy policies. If you think things are bad and expensive now, a Kamala win would make things more expensive. And stupider.

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Original Air Dates: October 26, 2024 | Guest: Frank Lasee

This Week – Stupid Energy Policies

The election finish line is within sight and this week we are looking at the economy, which is the top issue for most voters. In particular, we look at one major aspect of the economy: energy. We zero in on what the Biden/Kamala administration has done to energy prices to make things so much more expensive, which of course impacts everything that people buy and not just their utility bills. Mandates, regulations, and ideology is behind it all. They

They are the kind of stupid energy policies you would expect from someone in charge who does not understand the economy. And certainly has never owned a business.

We welcome back Frank Lasee, a senior policy advisor for CFACT and the president of Truth in Energy and Climate, to talk about the stupid energy policies of the Biden-Harris administration.

Accuse the other side of that which you are guilty: modern day Democrats are Hitler. Or at least want policies just like his. Read “Hitler’s Views on Private Property and Nationalization” from the Mises Institute. You’d swear it was from a recent democrat rally.

The Energy Policies that Hurt You and the Economy

It’s simple. When energy costs more, everything costs more. When energy costs less, prices go down. Unless energy goes down, prices won’t. And the Biden-Harris administration declared war on energy. What direction will prices go?

And did you know that you’re paying for green energy — even when you’re not buying green energy? It’s not just your taxes.

Here’s one example. You might know about carbon credits (a tax on energy). But did you know there are regulation credits? Car companies that can’t sell electric vehicles have to buy these regulation credits from EV companies—and then to absorb that loss, the car companies add the cost of that regulation credit to the cost of the gas-powered cars. So even if you’re not buying an EV, you’re still paying for an EV.

That’s just one stupid energy policy.

But here’s the thing. All the “green energy” mandates, the zero-emissions, the carbon credits, the EVs, and on and on? it will have little to no change on emissions. And they know that. Think about it. Why would you force people to spend money on more expensive energy when they could be spend that money on other things that they need or want? Especially if it’s not going to make any bit of difference.

If it won’t make any difference, the only logical reason is if your side of the aisle is getting an awful lot of money. It’s about money. Forcing you to pay more, so their side of the political aisle makes more.

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

California’s Stupid Energy Policies

  • Newsom’s New Bill to ‘Hold Big Oil Accountable’ – will Fine Local Refineries Up to $1 Million PER DAY, Cause Gas Prices to Spike – Refineries Announce They Are Leaving CA (Gateway Pundit, Oct 21, 2024)*“Price spikes have cost Californians billions of dollars over the years, and we’re not waiting around for the industry to do the right thing,” Newsom said.*The measure will force local refineries to stockpile fuel and if they don’t follow the new regulations they can be fined up to $1 million PER DAY.*The heavy fines will inevitably be passed down to the consumer and cause gas prices to spike.
  • Commiefornia: “For some time, many of us have been ridiculed for suggesting that @GavinNewsom wants to own all California gas refineries. But now we’re seeing it.” Dr. Houman David Hemmati (via X, Sept 26, 2024)
  • California Energy Commission floats the idea of taking over oil refineries. Just like Venezuela. See table 19, Overview of State-Owned Refineries: “The State of California would purchase and own refineries in the State to manage the supply and price of gasoline.” (Emphasis mine.)
  • How will the state manage the slow death of California’s gasoline industry? (Los Angeles Times, September 26th, 2024)

Green Energy Dying?

  • Harris Shifts Her EV Mandates Into Reverse—Until After the Election (The Daily Signal, October 23, 2024)
    • “The push to electrify trucking is even more unhinged. Electric trucks are very expensive to buy and have terrible payload capacity and range.”
    • “Almost everything anyone buys gets shipped on a truck at some point, and the shipping industry will have no choice but to pass these enormous costs downstream.”
    • “Electric vehicle mandates will lead ‘to little to no change’ in greenhouse-gas emissions.”
  • Amazon plans to power Eastern Oregon data centers with nuclear reactors (OPB, Oct 23, 2024)
  • Offshore wind looked like a sure thing for Oregon — until it wasn’t. What went wrong? (OPB, Oct 23, 2024)

Related/Additional

The Irrationality of Western Energy Policies (Watts Up with That, October 21, 2024)

Dumb & Dumber: Germany Wins Prize For World’s Most Idiotic Energy Policy (Stop These Things, Feb 20, 2022)

Biden’s Energy Policy – Dumb and Dangerous (AMAC, July 25, 2023)

 

 

14-34 Oregon’s New Redistribution Scheme: The Climate Protection Plan

14-34 Oregon’s New Redistribution Scheme: The Climate Protection Plan

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Show 14-34 Summary: Oregon’s latest wealth redistribution scheme, Governor Kotek’s Climate Protection Plan, is a plan to solve to solve nothing. It is a carbon cap and trade scheme forcing to pretend to cut carbon dioxide emissions. It will have no impact on climate. Zero. None. But it will cost Oregonians millions more every year. In higher food prices. Higher utility bills. And any goods that are shipped and delivered will also cost more. It’s also a plan that Oregonians have directly and indirectly rejected three times before. So why are they doing it?

Be sure to scroll down to the show notes section for the links to submit your comments and tell them no.

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Original Air Dates: August 24th & 25th, 2024 | Guest: Chuck Wiese

This Week – Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan

This week’s show is a big one — discussing Oregon’s latest scheme to redistribute wealth: the Climate Protection Plan.

The CPP will force a carbon cap and trade program on Oregon’s businesses, which will impact many things you buy and need. Apparently, Governor Kotek and the democrats think that you’re STILL not paying enough on food and utilities, let alone all the other aspects of your life that will be impacted.

This Climate Protection Plan is a scheme that Oregonians rejected directly by turning down a ballot initiative. They rejected it indirectly through their legislature, which wouldn’t pass the bill. And a third time after Governor Brown’s executive order establishing it was tossed by Oregon’s Court of Appeal. Why? Because in her authoritarian zeal to force her belief system on Oregonians, they failed to meet public meeting laws. In fact, the court said the governor and DEQ didn’t appear to even try to meet the public meeting laws.

But the nation’s worst governor, Tina Kotek, (she came in 50th out of 50 in a recent survey) is trying to resurrect it. The DEQ is taking public comment on it right now. And you need to weigh in.

Take action! Head to the Climate Protection Plan page at the DEQ, then scroll down to the public involvement section. If you already know you’re a “no” then submit your comments on Oregon’s CPP by emailing Nicole Singh: cpp.2024@deq.oregon.gov

We interview meteorologist Chuck Wiese to discuss how this CPP will cost Oregonians millions — to solve a non-existent problem.

Climate Protection Plan: the Pretend Solution to an Imaginary Problem

Bad data leads to bad information. Bad information leads to bad decisions. And that’s the foundation of Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan. Chuck Wiese walks us through why the climate change (aka “global warming”) scaremongering is simply wrong.

The whole foundation of Climate Change is that CO2 is warming the Earth and that mankind’s carbon dioxide contribution is causing the warming. Except it’s a wrong idea based on bad information that is based on bad data. And now Oregon’s politicians are forcing a solution to a non-existent problem.

The non-existent problem is that Oregon’ puny CO2 emissions, even if entirely eliminated, is so small (we’re talking hundredths of a percent) that it would make no difference. At all. Especially since China is busily increasing its emissions more than Oregon could possibly cut.

Their solution? A carbon cap and trade scheme. It’s a scam. See the show notes section for lots of information on carbon credits and cap and trade schemes and how they do nothing to fix the “problem” of carbon emissions. As one article says, “Ultimately, carbon credits incentivize the buying and selling of carbon credits, rather than reducing the amount of pollution companies produce. Shell is a classic example of this; the company now has a very lucrative business line of creating and selling carbon credits.”

Yes. It’s all about money. Bilking industries out millions of dollars and redistributing it. Especially to far left environmental “non profits.”

Carbon Dioxide as the Fake Enemy

It’s simple. If Democrats and environmentalists and the far left we’re truly serious about carbon and carbon dioxide they would do a far, far better job of force management. Trees need and suck in carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Instead, the Democrats and environmentalists and the far left refuse to do proper forest management. They refuse to cut timber. and what happened? Millions of acres have burned putting all that carbon and CO2 back into the atmosphere not to mention all that soot and particles that they claim to worry about.

Tina Kotek’s Department of Forestry literally just took some 57% of Oregon’s forests offline because of their Habitat Conservation Plan. They are not at all serious about carbon dioxide. So don’t listen to them when they lie to you and claim that they care about carbon dioxide.

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Take action! Head to the Climate Protection Plan page at the DEQ, then scroll down to the public involvement section. If you already know you’re a “no” then submit your comments on Oregon’s CPP by emailing Nicole Singh: cpp.2024@deq.oregon.gov.

Oregon State has valid reasons for opposing Elliott forest carbon-crediting scheme (Oregon Capital Chronicle, Aug 20, 2024)

Actually, it’s the DEQ misleading people: “Oregon DEQ says NW Natural is misleading people on state climate program” (OregonLive, Aug 20, 2022)

Learn about carbon credits and cap and trade schemes

  • Great video—good info and simple to understand: Carbon credits are a complete scam (Auto Expert John Cadogan, YouTube Channel, Jan 9, 2024)
  • Exposing the Carbon Credit and Offset SCAM (Belinda Carr, Apr 20, 2022)
  • Carbon Credits Are the Biggest Scam Since Indulgences—How You Can Avoid Being Fleeced (The Burning Platform, June 11, 2024)
  • The Carbon Credit Scam: Financial Cost, Virtue Signaling, Little or No Environmental Benefit (Gateway Pundit, May 24, 2024)
  • Carbon credit scam exposed: carbon markets fail as CO₂ declines (CFACT, Apr 02, 2020)
    • “…the existence of these markets sets up a perverse incentive. To the average climate campaigner, the goal of such a “market” is to eventually bring CO₂ emissions to as close to zero as possible. But for those companies making big bucks off of carbon credits, when the so-called “pollution” falls, so do their profits. They don’t plan on giving that cash flow up any time soon.”
  • Boondoggle: Carbon capture projects are worse than a public nuisance (CFACT, June 8, 2024)
    • This HAS to be one of the dumbest ideas ever: “…a giant carbon sequestration project on and underneath federal land [in Montana’s Snowy River region]. It would be supported by a vast “carbon capture” network consisting of tens and thousands of miles of new pipelines and dozens of remote storage sites.
    • Carbon offsets are an artificial commodity – completely unrelated to the climate or any other tangible asset. They are an open invitation to fraud because it is impossible to say what effect buying or selling them will have on the climate.
  • World’s largest seller of carbon credits EXPOSED as scam operation (Natural News, March 29, 2023)
  • Unveiling the Potential Scam and Fraud of Carbon Credit Schemes (Irfan Nasrullah via Medium, Sept 27, 2023)
  • Even Greenpeace agrees that carbon credits are a scam, calling them “greenwashing” and “window dressing.
    • “Carbon offsetting is truly a scammer’s dream scheme.” And that’s from Greenpeace, true climate change believers
12-43 Those “Down Ballot Races” Made Easy — With Superior Candidates

12-43 Those “Down Ballot Races” Made Easy — With Superior Candidates

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Show Summary: ALL races matter. No, not those races. All political races matter. This week we talk about two of the “down ballot” races: the commissioner for BOLI (I know—what the heck is that, right?) and Oregon’s new 6th congressional district. The Bureau of Labor and Industries (that’s what BOLI is), oversees Oregon’s trade school, civil rights issues, and housing. Find out why both of these races have superior candidates. Hint: They’re not the democrats.

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Original Air Dates: October 22nd & 23rd, 2022 | Guests: Cheri Helt & Mike Erickson

This Week – Those Down Ballot Races

This year, you cannot vote just the top of the ticket — governor — and ignore all those down ballot races. They are every bit as important as the governor’s race. In part, because the Republican governor will need all the republicans she can get. 

But it’s more than just house and senate races. There are other “down ballot races” you need to pay attention to. And one of them is the BOLI commissioner. A little-known race that helps set the tone for the rest of the state’s business environment.

Sometimes, these races are hard to figure out. But this year, it’s especially easy: vote Republican. In every race. Down ballot or otherwise. And it’s made even more easy with clearly superior candidates in the two down-ballot races we’re talking about on this week’s show.

Cheri Helt for BOLI Commissioner

The Bureau of Labor and Industries has had a democrat stranglehold on it for decades. Perhaps that’s why we’re short tens of thousands of trade jobs in this state as Kitzhaber and Brown wanted to shove everyone into university and practically shamed kids if the even thought of a job in the skilled trades. 

You can find Cheri’s campaign website at www.CheriHelt.com

The Bureau of Labor and Industries (that’s what BOLI is), oversees Oregon’s trade schools (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.), civil rights issues, fair housing practices and more. Oregon has a huge housing shortage and a shortage of workers Democrats have been in charge of BOLI for decades. And with their college-first, trades-bad mindset, it’s no surprise.

Cheri’s opponent, Christina Stephenson, is a lawyer who wants yet more authority for BOLI. Hmm. Oregon’s BOLI famously sued Melissa’s Sweet Cakes because Melissa didn’t want to bake a cake for a gay couple. Is that what Christina has in mind for more authority? We just went through Covid with no end of “more authority.” Do we really want a progressive lawyer in there who’d love nothing more than to sue even more businesses out of business because they don’t fit her politics?

That’s not what Oregon needs. More politics pushed on businesses. Oh. And Christina wants more funding for BOLI. Probably because hiring more attorneys gets expensive.

No thanks. We’ll take Cheri.

Mike Erickson for Oregon’s CD6

This week we welcome back actual businessman, Mike Erickson. Who, unlike his opponent, knows what supply chains are and how disrupting them can and does impact the economy. Which is more than we can say for Biden or anyone in his administration. Which seems to only want to blame oil companies.

Learn more about Mike Erickson by visiting his campaign website, www.MikeEricksonforCongress.org

The latest? Blaming Biden’s exploding gas prices on oil companies’ profits. What? Do they not know what profits are? Or how not spending on oil exploration or purchasing federal oil leases (which they wouldn’t be allowed to use under Biden) or any the other normal business expenses will make profits go up?

It’s embarrassing to think, but third-graders running a lemonade stand have more practical knowledge of basic economics principles and more hands-on understanding of supply and demand than Joe Biden. Or anyone in his administration, apparently.

And did the democrats’ gerrymandering catch up with them as they spread Portland’s potential influence too thin into four congressional districts, not just the two Portland actually deserved? Now, with so much of Portland angry at democrat Ted Wheeler and an astounding 82% (82!!) wanting MORE police, not less, democrats may have spread Portland’s influence all right.

Just not in the direction they intended. 

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Our guests’ websites are www.CheriHelt.com and www.MikeEricksonforCongress.org

Cheri Helt Segments (1–3)

Mike Erickson Segments (4–6)

socialism - how it's marketed, how it is
12-42 Teeing up the Election: That Tick on America’s Back

12-42 Teeing up the Election: That Tick on America’s Back

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Show Summary: Socialism is a parasite that only survives because it lives off the blood of capitalism. It does not create wealth, it creates ruin. It has tried and failed. Oregon has been seeing its effects for decades. But this election, it could all change.

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Original Air Dates: October 15th & 16th, 2022 | Guest: Sen. Dennis Linthicum

This Week – Socialism: The Prosperity Parasite 

When you think about it, socialism is a parasite that only survives because it lives off the blood of capitalism. Socialism does not create wealth, it creates ruin. It has tried and failed in many countries, leaving destruction in its wake. But those pushing it here in America and especially in Oregon, are only able to promote it because those pushing it are funded by the profits (and taxes) generated from capitalism.

Oregon has been seeing socialism’s effects for decades. But this election, it could all change.

By the way. We used to call Oregon the Petri Dish of Leftist politics. Now it’s the Wuhan Lab of Leftist politics.

Senator Dennis Linthicum on Socialism in Oregon

We welcome back Senator, Dennis Linthicum (SD-28, Klamath Falls) to talk about socialism and its effects in Oregon. As a state senator in Oregon, he sees the policies pushed by the democrats, many of whom are socialists or wannabes. They just haven’t come out of the closet yet. But once Oregon is full socialist, they’ll drop the mask.

Be sure to get Dennis’s newsletter. It’s easy! Just send an email to dennis@electdennis.com to sign up

During the interview, we focus on four broad policy issues: society (education, crime, attacks on the family, etc.); economics (we’re living it under Biden); environment (spotted owl, the Klamath area has been under assault for decades, timber); and healthcare. On health care, Oregon just got a billion dollars to experiment with Medicaid, expanding it to virtually everything because, you guessed it, global warming.

And, Measure 111, is on the ballot this year. It would make universal health care permanent in Oregon by making it a constitutional right.

Remember. Environmental laws are how they control businesses. Healthcare is how they control people.

That’s how they seized such broad control during covid.

Don’t miss this in-depth examination of socialism and it’s impact on Oregon. We have this year to stop it. And, for once, things are looking good.

Be sure to check out the Featured Reading section in the links section for five great articles describing socialism.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Featured Reading: Socialism
History Lesson For Millennials: Here’s Why Socialism NEVER Works (The Federalist Papers, Feb 22, 2016)
Socialism Destroys Lives and Would Destroy America – It’s That Simple (The Western Journal, October 26, 2018)
Socialism’s Historical Destruction of the Environment (Case for Conservatism, October 10, 2022)
5 Ways Socialism Destroys Societies (Townhall, Feb 25, 2014)
Socialism: Destruction, starvation, tyranny, and death are cool again (BabalĂş Blog, September 19, 2018)
Socialism Will Always Destroy Democracy (The American Conservative, June 7, 2019)
Or watch: Klavan Explains Why Socialism Kills Countries (Daily Wire, July 24, 2018)

  • See the Cato Institute’s Report Card on America’s governors. Notice how the entire Left Coast gets an “F”: “Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors 2022” (Cato Institute, Oct 12, 2022)
  • [Canada’s healthcare hellscape is now offering assisted suicide to wounded veterans] Veterans Affairs says worker ‘inappropriately’ discussed medically assisted death with veteran (Global News Canada, August 17, 2022)
  • ‘Abandoning People’: Canada’s Broadening Assisted Suicide Law Dangerous for the Vulnerable, Critics Say (The Epoch Times, August 24, 2022)
  • NHS Waiting List Tops 7 Million for First Time Leaving 1 in 8 People in England Waiting for NHS Treatment (The Daily Skeptic, Oct 13, 2022)*Wait up to 8 hours for an ambulance
  • Canada is Euthanizing the Poor (via VK.com, Aug 16, 2022)
  • Euthanasia is Now a Leading Cause of Death in Canada, And Ethicists Are Freaking Out (Daily Caller, Aug 12, 2022)
    • “[Canada’s] broad eligibility has led to more than 10,000 Canadians being euthanized in the most recent year for which data is available, making it the sixth leading cause of death in the country, the AP reported.*Matthew Yglesias: “Canadian institutions seem to be using euthanasia legalization to avoid the expense of caring for the disabled.”
  • Disturbing: Experts troubled by Canada’ euthanasia laws (AP News, Aug 11, 2022)
  • Euthanasia in Belgium and the Netherlands: On a Slippery Slope? (Research Gate, JAMA Internal Medicine, Aug 2015)
  • Dr Pierre Kory on Disillusionment (drtrozzi.org, Oct 12, 2022)
    • “I did not understand we were striking at the very heart of the pharmaceutical industry”
  • How surrogacy is transforming medicine (UnHerd, Oct 6, 2022)
It's not just politicians. It's the issues on the ballot. Make the right choice.
12-41 It’s Not Just Politicians. It’s the Real Issues on the Ballot

12-41 It’s Not Just Politicians. It’s the Real Issues on the Ballot

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Show Summary: Elections. Although politicians might get all the attention, it’s never just politicians on the ballot. It’s the issues on the ballot. Sometimes, like Oregon, there are direct ballot initiatives (like Measure 114, what the NRA calls the most dangerous gun law in America). But it’s the issues beyond just that politician that are up for vote. The economy. Crime. Education. Our rights. It’s the direction those politicians want to take us.  That’s what you have to focus on. We’ve seen where Democrats want to go. This week’s show looks at what’s at stake.

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Original Air Dates: October 8th & 9th, 2022 | Guests: Marc Thielman & Alek Skarlatos

This Week – Issues on the Ballot

We welcome back Marc Thielman, former candidate for governor, who is doing it right. Too many politicians disappear when they don’t win. Instead, Marc has stepped up his game, focusing on the real issues on the ballot.

Because its the issues that matter. Not just the politicians. It’s what they will fight for. And what they will ignore.

We’ve seen the direction the democrats running for office want to take us. More taxes. More spending. More crime. Lower standards for education.

Join us as we talk about two key issues Marc is focused on. One is the real school choice initiative, an issue that will directly be on the 2024 ballot. This will give all parents a real choice in their child’s education. It won’t just be the rich that have a choice where to send their kids to get a good education. And Oregon’s public schools will either have to improve, or lose out.

Not surprising, democrats are not happy with the prospect your kids will get a quality education.

Marc is also focused on election integrity, restoring trust in our elections. His group is Battleground Oregon. Tune in to hear what they are finding and doing.

Other issues on the ballot, directly on the ballot in this case, is gun control. The NRA calls Ballot Initiative 114 “the most dangerous gun control bill in the nation.” Visit Stop114.com to find out more.

Alek Skarlartos – The Real Issues on the Ballot

We welcome back Alek Skarlatos who is running for CD4 in Oregon. If he wins, it will flip that seat from a Far Left democrat. His opponent is an even further Far Left democrat who hopes to take the seat even farther to the left.

Is that really what the voters of Oregon’s 4th Congressional District want? More taxes? More economic misery? We’ve seen where the democrats and Joe Biden want to take us. Off the rails. Don’t go with them.

Alek joins us to talk about what he’s hearing from his constituents around CD4. They’re concerned about the economy, first and foremost. And he talks about his opponent’s record. Which includes voting for tax increases on families making just $31,000 per year.

Note to Oregonians in the 4th: If you’re worried about the economy. Val Hoyle’s voting record should scare you to death.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Visit Battleground Oregon for information on election integrity efforts around Oregon and how you can be involved
  • Be sure to visit Stop 114 to help stop the Left’s latest effort to disarm the innocent. Remember. Criminals don’t obey gun laws. This will do nothing to prevent harm. Only innocent, law-abiding citizens will be harmed. Head to stop114.com to see how you can help defeat this horrible bill.
  • You can visit Alek’s campaign site at AlekforOregon.com
  • Good news for Oregon’s Real School Choice ballot initiative! “West Virginia Supreme Court strikes big win for school choice” (Washington Examiner, Oct 5th, 2022)
  • Education Secretary Miguel Cardona: Students Need Access to Abortion to Thrive in School and in Life (Gateway Pundit, Oct 4, 2022)
  • That NEA article: Teachers Leave National Education Association, Say Union Pushes Politics With Member Dues (Epoch Times, Oct 4, 2022)
  • School board members reported mom to employer, DOJ for criticizing COVID school closures (Just the News, Oct 4, 2022)
  • CEO arrested for storing data on servers in China (Post Millennial, Oct 4, 2022)
  • Election Software CEO Arrested Over Data Theft (Epoch Times, Oct 5, 2022)
  • FBI Conceals Chinese Infiltration of U.S. Election Software (Kanekoa, Sept 8, 2022)
  • Hysterical: Now that the CEO of Konnech was arrested (by California, no less) for exactly what True the Vote accused him of, read this gushing write up about Konnech’s lawsuit against True the Vote that was written before the arrest. You’ll LOL. “Lawsuit alleges True the Vote hacked data” (Texas Votebeat, Sept 14, 2022)
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It’s the Government, Stupid | Troubling Economic Indicators Right Now

It’s the Government, Stupid | Troubling Economic Indicators Right Now

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Show Summary: This week, it is all about the economy with Jonathan Williams from the American Legislative Exchange Council who is on to discuss some troubling economic indicators that the propaganda media won’t tell you about. Are we in the beginning stages of the transition to socialism…? Because this is what it would look like.

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Original Air Dates: June 11, 2022 | Guest: Jonathan Williams

This Week – It’s the Government, Stupid

“It’s the economy, stupid.” 

That was the sign Bill Clinton had in the Oval Office. It was a reminder that what really mattered to people was a strong, growing economy, With jobs and opportunities, lower prices and a chance to live the American dream.

Now, with Biden residing in the office, it’s more like “It’s the government stupid.” Because instead of focusing on growing the economy, it’s all about growing government. At all cost. 

But as with all government-run economies, we are quickly lurching toward a crash when the big government types will have a reckoning. Government-dominated economies never work.

You are living in the transition stages of a switch from capitalism to socialism. High food prices. High energy prices. Exploding inflation. High crime. And effort to remove guns from law-abiding citizens. This is what the entry to socialism looks like. And to see how it ends up, look at Venezuela.

Jonathan Williams: Troubling Economic Indicators

It’s always a pleasure to have our friend, Jonathan Williams, back on the show. Jonathan is  the Chief Economist and Executive Vice President for Policy at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

This week, we walk through the attempted coup of our economy, troubling economic indicators that warn of impending slowdown and potential stagflation. These aren’t some distant economic indicators. These are deeply worrying economic indicators here and now. Like in the housing market.

Be sure to check out the American Legislative Exchange Council and their yearly publication, Rich States, Poor States.

And we talk about some of ALEC’s other programs. Like their  Education Task Force. Which has helped other states enact school choice. Can Oregon get it on the ballot? And get a win? (We’ll have Marc Thielman on next week to discuss the latest ballot initiative for school choice.)

And we talk with him about Oregon’s Republican candidate for governor, Christine Drazan, and what she ought to be focusing on in her economic platform.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Biden Administration Expected to Reinstate Price Controls, Bringing Back 1970s Gas Lines, Experts Warn (Epoch Times June 6, 2022)
  • Germans warned of further food price hikes: Soaring energy costs threaten the survival of farmers, the industry says (RT, June 8, 2022)
  • JP Morgan CEO Says There’s a “Hurricane” Coming for U.S. Economy, “You Better Brace Yourself” (Bloomberg News, via We Love Trump, June 2, 2022)
  • The First ‘Global Inflationary Depression’ Is Very Possible (Seeking Alpha, Mar 5, 2021)
  • Inflation Is Just Getting Started. (Peter Schiff, via YT, June 9, 2022)
    • May CPI est 8.3%
    • Oil over 122 per barrel
    • Atlanta Fed’s GDP Q2 estimate is 0.9%
  • Welcome to communism where you arrest your political opponents: “FBI Raids Home Of Michigan GOP Gubernatorial Candidate And Whitmer Challenger, Takes Him Into Custody” (Daily Wire, June 9, 2022)
It’s the Economy, Stupid – But What Kind of Economy?

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

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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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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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!

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
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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?

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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.