Tag: Kate Brown

What do Covid, Prisons, and the Elliott Forest have in common
What do Covid, Prisons, & the Elliott Forest have in Common?

What do Covid, Prisons, & the Elliott Forest have in Common?

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Show Summary: This week, it’s a roundup of some craziness around Oregon. The continuing boondoggle that is the Elliott Forest. Governor Kate Brown(shirt) seizing power by changing legislation. Using covid to releasing prisoners, closing prisons — and giving one of them to OSU. A prison that just happens to be right on the edge of the Elliott.

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Coverage Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of June 2021
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The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, six different times, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on out network of stations.

Original Air Dates: February 19th & 20th, 2022 | Guests: Dr. Bob Zybach & Chuck Wiese

This week, it’s a roundup of some craziness around Oregon. The continuing boondoggle that is the Elliott Forest as, once again, Oregon tries to divest itself of a billion-dollar asset that, by law, is supposed to generate income for the state school funds. But they’d rather stare at trees. (Literally!)

Be sure to listen to the bloviating answer to Bob Zybach’s question during OSU’s Q&A

And we talk with fan-favorite, Chuck Wiese, to give us his punditry about the emptying of prisons, one of which was given back to the federal government — but now Oregon wants to lease one of them (which just happens to be right on the edge of the Elliott) back from the feds and put those men-who-stare-at-trees in it. WHAT is going on.

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Links & Info

Specifically Mentioned During the Show

  • Visit Oregon Natural Resources Industries (ONRI) facebook page for more details about the Rally at the Capitol on Feb 24th, 2022
  • Talk about nonsense! Listen to the talking-point-yadda-yadda answer from some dope from OSU in response to Bob Zybach’s question.

Elliott Forest

  • Legislative session may finally yield a solution for Oregon’s Elliott State Forest (OPB, Feb 6, 2022)
  • Oregon’s Elliott State Forest into a vast, ‘living laboratory (OPB, Nov 20, 2020)

Covid & Prisoner Release

Emptying the Prisons, Close Them, Spend Money

Governor Kate Sued over Prisoner Release & Clemency Abuse

  • Gov. Kate unlawfully commuting prison sentences (KGW, Jan 21, 2022)
    • Brown announced she was using her clemency powers to let those inmates benefit from Oregon Senate Bill 1008, which passed in 2019 and reforms the juvenile justice system. AG Perlow said, the Governor’s priority is offenders of crimes, many of them violent, and ensuring they have a ‘meaningful opportunity to be released’ before they complete their duly secured criminal sentences,” she said in a statement about the legal petition. “Victims of crime, and all other Oregonians, deserve the enforcement of their rights. It is essential that all Oregonians, including public officials, adhere to the rule of law.
  • Oregon governor sued (WA Examiner, Jan 20, 2022)
    • If Gov. Kate Brown’s clemency powers remain unchallenged, it could mean the release of violent offenders, including a man who stabbed his grandmother to death, another who killed a woman with the mental capacity of a 12-year-old and then burned her body beneath a bridge, and a then-17-year-old who shot his older brother three times in the head.
  • Lane County DA among group suing Oregon governor (Yahoo News, Jan 19, 2022)

Still More Related Info

  • Forest Service allocating $262.7 million to Oregon for wildfire recovery efforts (KTVZ, Feb 9, 2022)
  • Oregon has a plan to avoid a repeat. (OPB, Sept 7, 2021)
  • Would more logging have averted Oregon’s catastrophic 2020 wildfires (OregonLive, Update, Feb 7, 2021)
  • Why Salem’s Mill Creek Correctional Facility will be shuttered by July (Salem Reporter, Jan 21, 2021)
  • Oregon State University receives $7.1 million for six more years of long-term forest research (OSU, Dec 14, 2020)
  • Legislature funds Oregon State statewide programs (OSU, June 28, 2021)
  • Background: Shutter Creek Correctional Institution (Templeton, Nov 25, 2021)
  • Court gives Gov. Brown date to respond (KDVR, Jan 31, 2022)*The firm has reached an agreement with the State that no additional felons will be released between Feb. 2nd, and March 2nd, by which point the court plans to rule on the matter.
Constitutional Crisis - Oregon Governor Kate Brown claims her authority exceeds the Constitution
It’s True: Oregon has a Dictator | Constitutional Crisis

It’s True: Oregon has a Dictator | Constitutional Crisis

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Show Summary: Is it time to storm the castle? You may want to after this. Governor Brown makes absurd claim her authority is higher than the Constitution. Unbelievable. Both a Constitutional scholar and the attorney for the plaintiffs in the church lawsuit v Oregon weighs in.

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: May 16 & 17, 2020 | Dr. Joyce Malcolm & Kevin Mannix

This Week: When we see a leader make a difficult decision to shut down an economy based upon the fear that millions might die, we, as fellow human beings, feel compassion and are willing to give those in charge the benefit of the doubt. In the face of a true, catastrophic emergency—like a tidal wave or earthquake—it’s reasonable to do so and most people want to do their part to pitch in and help.

But as the situation matures and it becomes clear that the actual outcomes are not as devastating as predicted, a responsible leader—looking out for the people—relaxes the emergency’s grip to ensure the peoples’ freedoms and liberties are restored as quickly as possible.  President Trump’s response has been nothing but looking out for the people, trying to protect them even though it sacrificed an amazing economy that had easily brought his 2nd term into his grasp.

The Constitution is at Stake

But not all leadership has the same philosophies or beliefs of restoring the people’s freedoms. In fact, some want to be overly “protective” (what some might call socialism) with the added emergency powers, and to put the people into a position where they are being treated as children, with no life choices because they, the leadership, know better. (What some might call fascism.)

What has been clearly demonstrated between the two choices is one understands the importance of liberty while taking precautions and acceptable risk; the other wants to safeguard their power while subjugating your freedoms. Your freedom is a direct threat to their power over you. These are the very struggles our Founding Fathers faced. And what about the rule of law to strike a balance between authority and liberty.

The Constitution vs States

With all the complexities of finding out how our Constitution interacts with states rights, the states’ Constitution, and statutes, we invite to I Spy a Constitutional scholar: Dr. Joyce Malcolm, a faculty member at Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, who’s an expert on the evolution of individual rights, especially during the American Colonial era. She has testified before Congress and has had her work cited in a Supreme Court decision.

We discuss with Dr. Malcolm the broader issues of the Constitution, and how its preeminence is being challenged in the wake of Emergency Declarations. Who really has the authority here? She describes historically if other situations have ever impacted the US in any way like Covid has, with rights stripped by stay-home and business shut down orders. Does our First Amendment rights supersede our governor’s power to take them away?

Governor Brown vs The Constitution

All that to set the stage for our second guest as we take a very deep dive into what states are facing with some governors’ overreach. A couple of weeks ago, we spoke with Oregon Senator, Dennis Linthicum. He told us the governor is getting around the Oregon Constitution by not relying on the Constitution. She is, instead, relying statutory power. But isn’t Oregon’s Constitution the supreme law of the land? And isn’t the U.S. Constitution even higher than that?

“The governor’s attorneys argue that the balance between the governor’s executive orders and the freedom to practice religion favors the governor.”

We speak with Kevin Mannix (of Common Sense for Oregon) who is one of the attorneys that represents churches and businesses suing Governor Kate Brown and her administration’s emergency orders to shut things down.

Incredibly, her attorneys have actually argued in their motion to dismiss, that her powers are greater than the Constitution. And that’s just the tip of what she’s said.

The Church Lawsuit in Oregon

Tune in to hear Kevin Mannix’s response and line of attack as he fights for church members to gather for worship as they please. Along with the fight for businesses who’ve been at the whim of the Governor, who deigned to allow some to remain open while closing others. Including churches.  Mr. Mannix talks about the lawsuit, it’s status, and what it means if their injunction is given the affirmative. Are there signs she is backing down?

Listen this weekend to get some very important answers.

Podcast Version

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Links Mentioned

Dr. Joyce Malcom  

  • Oregon Republican lawmaker requests special session to end governor’s coronavirus state of emergency (OregonLive, May 6, 2020)
  • Governor: Large Events Canceled Statewide Until Covid-19 Treatment or Cure is Found (Canby, May 7th, 2020)
  • AG Barr says ‘draconian’ coronavirus restrictions should be re-evaluated (NY Post, Apr 9, 2020)

Kevin Mannix

  • Oregon emergency order lawsuit raises thorny legal questions (Bend Bulletin, May 14, 2020)
  • Salem salon owner says she’s been fined, forced to close for defying state orders (KATU News, May 14, 2020)
  • Attorneys for Gov. Kate Brown say lawsuit filed in Baker County challenging executive orders is baseless, should be dismissed (Baker City Herald, May 13, 2020)
    • Attorneys from state Department of Justice say governor declared emergency under state statute, not constitution
    • THIS “The governor’s attorneys argue that the balance between the governor’s executive orders and the freedom to practice religion favors the governor.”
  • Salem church joins legal effort (Salem Reporter, May 7, 2020)

Related Links

  • All of Oregon opens, Including Portland (OregonLive, May 14, 2020)
  • Oregon Churches and Religious Leaders File Lawsuit (Willamette Week, May 7, 2020)
  • 10 Oregon churches sue governor (OregonLive, May 7, 2020)
  • Oregon churches sue Gov. Brown to reopen (Fox 12, May 7, 2020)
  • Oregon businesses sue Gov. Kate (Statesman Journal, May 15, 2020)
  • Yes, some Oregon retail stores can open (KGW, May 14, 2020)
    • “All Oregon stores can open to shoppers again Friday, as long as they aren’t in a mall”
    •  “The declaration gives the green light to furniture stores, jewelry stores, boutiques and art galleries, which were closed March 23 by Gov. Brown’s stay-home order. It also includes all other standalone shops, from toy stores to bookstores to secondhand stores. Those were never technically ordered to close, state officials clarified Wednesday.”
Corona Virus Numbers Driving “Feardemic”? Plus: Intelligence Failure in China?
Corona Virus Numbers Overreaction? Plus: Intelligence Failure in China?

Corona Virus Numbers Overreaction? Plus: Intelligence Failure in China?

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Show Summary: Societal, economic, and health care emergency policies appear to be mainly driven by a single model. Why are we ignoring other studies? Are policymakers overreacting to corona virus models? Why did Governor Kate Brown limit access to COVID19 drugs? Was China a massive intelligence failure? Was it on purpose?

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 4th & 5th, 2020 | Dr. Bud Pierce & Scott McEwen

This Week: Societal, economic, and health care emergency policies appear to be mainly driven by a single model. Why are we ignoring other studies? Has there been an overreaction? Why are we ignoring other studies? Like the one from Oxford that shows all this quarantining is disrupting the natural and normal process of developing “herd immunity.”

Overreaction to the Corona Virus Numbers: Feardemic?

We talk with Dr. Bud Pierce to get his take. As a doctor and the former Republican candidate for governor. What would have done? Has this been a massive overreaction?

And what’s up with Gov. Kate Brown limiting access to COVID19 drugs? She says she doesn’t want to have hospitals overrun — so why not allow people access to hydroxychloroquine to prevent them from needing hospitalization?

Why was Oregon so incredibly unprepared for an emergency?

Ask the Doctor

Dr. Bud Pierce will be on again next week. If you have a question you’d like to ask, just email them to mark@ispyradio.com or tweet them to @ispyradio.

And what about China?

Was China and the spread of the corona virus a massive intelligence failure? How did our intel community drop the ball so badly on this? Could it have been intentional?

Since you’re trapped inside anyway, be sure to check out Scott’s latest book: Trigger Mechanism. Great for young adults but adults will love it too

Before you shake your head, thinking that’s not possible, remember: in 2017, Democrats and the mainstream media were urging the intelligence community to not give President Trump accurate intelligence briefings and to withhold information. Still sound far-fetched?

We talk with best-selling author, Scott McEwen about it. Scott’s books are all about the military and intelligence, so no surprise he is talking to people in the military and intelligence communities.

And the big question: so what do we do next year? When there’s another virus or another strain of this one?

Podcast Version

Links Mentioned & Additional Info

We warned you about Oregon's carbon tax
We Warned You this was Coming

We Warned You this was Coming

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Show Summary: We warned you Oregon was going to try to pass a carbon tax. Find out why this is a horrible idea.

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: Dec. 1 & 2, 2018 | Dr. Tim Ball

This Week:  Like you, we always find it interesting when a politician waits until after winning their election to roll out their plans if they get elected.  Such as their budget plans. Well, we warned you this was coming.

I Spy was concerned that if Knute won the governor’s seat, he wanted a carbon tax—and likely would get one. Why? Because Republicans in the legislature would feel obligated to pass it.  And we also knew that even though Kate Brown hadn’t let voters see her big plans to “save” Oregon from financial disaster, we warned you that if Kate won, we’d see a carbon tax, as well as a cap & trade scheme from her too.  She didn’t disappoint.

Stay with us. There is some good news in all this. But first the bad news.

Kate Brown’s Carbon Tax

With the election over, Kate Brown can finally be honest about how much she wants to spend. And about her plans for a carbon tax.

And, sure enough, just this week, The Oregonian ran an article about Kate’s sweeping budget proposal that names all kinds of new spending—about a 10% increase in state spending that will have to be raised through new taxes.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on global warming and science and carbon tax
If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believes in Global Warming, it must be true. Just like unicorns.

The shortlist of Oregon’s new spending: $2.2 billion increases for schools, a $375 million PERS bailout for schools, climate change, $50 million on homeless, and oh yes, a special fund to fight President Trump in court. She’ll have to find new creative ways to squeeze even more out of Oregon taxpayers and businesses.

That $2.2 billion doesn’t include other taxes already going up. Remember that Highway Tax Oregon passed in 2017? It’s set to double in 2019. A whopping $434 million. All told, it’s over $3 billion in new taxes. Oh, and that sales tax on healthcare plans that “wasn’t” a sales tax? That’s going up too.

And all that spending doesn’t even include dollar figures for the carbon tax she wants.

The Good News on Oregon’s Carbon Tax Plans

While the rest of the country has the enjoyment of less tax and less government in their lives, Oregon’s Kate Brown plans to heap more taxes and more government on Oregonians.  Has she mentioned any cuts?  No.

So what’s the good news in all of this? It’s all in the D’s lap.  They not only own it but will reap the consequences.  Blue states have been turned red for a lot less. Even deep green Washington rejected a carbon tax.

And that’s the other good news about the prospects of Oregon’s carbon tax. She’s likely not going to pull Republicans over to support a carbon tax. So all it will take is one or two Democrats who think a carbon tax (on top of everything else) is a step too far.

That’s why this week’s show is about giving you the information to help defeat a potential carbon tax.

To get a better handle on what a carbon tax is, how it works, and the propaganda to support it, we call in our climatologist expert, Dr. Tim Ball.

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Carbon Tax: What the Rest of the World Thinks

Living in Canada, Dr. Tim Ball has witnessed how Canada’s leadership is attempting the same thing—only not everybody is on board. Yes, that’s right. Even Canada is rejecting carbon taxes. Several provinces, including Canada’s most populous, Ontario, are rejecting Trudeau’s carbon tax.

How bad is it? The previous Ontario government was kicked out of office, and by huge margins, when the opponent ran on a promise of getting out of the carbon tax scheme.

Are you listening Oregon Democrats?

And look what happened last week in Paris.  There were literal riots in the street when people found out just how much gasoline taxes were skyrocketing thanks to Macron’s carbon tax. Somehow, you didn’t see reports of police using tear gas on their own citizens who were protesting Macron’s carbon tax. CNN must have been too busy reporting on tear gas being used on our border against invading illegal immigrants carrying flags from other countries.

It’s safe to say that worldwide, support for carbon tax is slipping.

A Carbon Tax Revolt in Oregon?

Could this happen in Oregon? Could we see the voters finally grasp what the Democrats’ plans are? And actually start to fight back? And, dare we hope, rise up against those Democrats force them back away from the brink—when the rest of the nation, and the world, are finally seeing the light.

Find out what you need to know on this week’s I Spy Radio. And then get your phones warmed up as the new legislative sessions starts this winter.

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

  • It’s coming: Oregon Governor wants a carbon tax. And cap and trade. “Kate Brown pitches $23.6 billion budget plan” (The Oregonian, Nov. 29, 2018)
  • Carbon tax definition (via Investopedia): “A carbon dioxide tax is paid by businesses and industries that produce carbon dioxide through their operations. The tax is designed to reduce the output of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, a colorless and odorless incombustible gas, into the atmosphere. The tax is imposed with the goal of environmental protection.”
  • Carbon taxes for dummies: ‘A carbon tax makes all of us pay’(The Province, Sept. 26, 2018)
  • Another simplified explanation of carbon tax (via Howstuffworks.com)
  • A carbon tax could be a time bomb for the left (Washington Post, Aug 3, 2018)
  • Keep carbon taxes in the ground: ‘Permanently bury these job-killing proposals, after pounding wooden stakes through their hearts’ (CFact, Sept 16, 2018)
  • Paris protest: ‘People are in the red. They can’t afford to eat’(The Guardian, Nov 24, 2018)
  • Don’t Tell Anyone, But We Just Had Two Years Of Record-Breaking Global Cooling (Investors Business Daily, May 16, 2018)
  • Climate Alarmists Suffer Huge Blow On Carbon Tax In Deep Blue Washington State (Climate Depot, Nov 8, 2018)
  • Scientists rip new federal climate report as ‘tripe’ – ’embarrassing’ – ‘systematically flawed’ – Key claim based on study funded by Steyer & Bloomberg (Climate Depot, Nov. 2018)
    • Pretty much all you need to know. “The claim of economic damage from climate change is based on a 15 degree F temp increase that is double the “most extreme value reported elsewhere in the report.” The “sole editor” of this claim in the report was an alumni of the Center for American Progress, which is also funded by Tom Styer”
  • Press Release: Heartland Institute Experts React to Latest Alarmist Government Climate Report (Heartland.org, Nov. 24, 2018)
  • Buck Sexton: “More convinced than ever that it is impossible to get progressives to stop freaking out about climate change- No matter what happens, no matter what evidence is presented- it would just be too psychologically painful for them to accept having been so duped for so long” (Buck Sexton on Twitter, Nov 26, 2018)
  • Paris burns as France faces protests over Carbon Tax on fuel (“French Police fire tear gas at fuel price protesters” Reuters, 24 Nov., 2018)
  • CA Gov. Brown blames climate ‘deniers’ for worsening wildfires – Scientific evidence refutes him: ‘Less fire today than centuries ago’ – Wildfires are NOT due to ‘climate change’(Climate Depot, Nov. 12, 2018)
  • Washington voters overwhelmingly reject proposed carbon tax (“Climate Change Alarmists Suffer Huge Blow In Deep Blue Washington State” Investors Business Daily, Nov 7, 2018)
  • Cal Thomas: “‘A Political Report Masquerading as Science’: The Truth About the New Climate Report” (Daily Signal, Nov. 29, 2018)
  • Coming up in a future show, we’ll be talking about cap and trade schemes defined. Here’s a brief definition of cap and trade, otherwise known as “carbon trading”
Hope in Darkness. There was some hope in the 2018 midterm elections, with some overlooked victories. Even in deep blue Oregon.
Hope in Darkness – Hidden Election Victories and Veterans Day

Hope in Darkness – Hidden Election Victories and Veterans Day

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Show Summary: So Oregon’s Midterm Elections didn’t go the way we wanted but there were some overlooked victories that give some hope for the next one. Yes, even here in solid blue Oregon. Election wrap-up coverage plus some hope for recovering veterans on Veterans Day.

Map of I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, starting May 5, 2018
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of July 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: November 10 & 11, 2018 | Rob Taylor & Scott McEwen

Okay, so things didn’t go quite as well as we would have liked to see in Oregon politics. Knute, kept shooting himself in the foot as the Republican candidate, who seemed to not like Republicans. His opponent was not a well–liked Democrat candidate—and had Knute not attacked Republicans and their policies he may have a had a chance. But we’ll get into that next week. For this show we’re going to focus on the positive of what did happen Tuesday.

Hidden Victories in Oregon’s Midterm Elections

There was a little-discussed win in Oregon’s midterm elections, victories which happened in eight Oregon counties. Eight. Wins that were led by Rob Taylor, who saw eight counties pass ordinances to protect our 2nd Amendment rights as these counties voted to become “Gun Rights Sanctuary Counties.” Rob will explain how they used, of all things, the Constitution and the 10th Amendment. (What a novel idea.) Don’t miss out on hearing about some good news and where these activists will be going next to keep fighting for our 2nd Amendment rights.

Scott McEwen on the Midterms

Then we welcome back to our show Scott McEwen, who co-authored the huge hit, American Sniper. Of course, there’s never a show with Scott that we don’t talk about what’s going on in the world of politics. So naturally, we get his thoughts on the national midterms, Oregon’s midterm elections, and on the firing of Jeff Sessions.

Scott is also back to talk about his amazing new book City of Death: Humanitarian Warriors in the Battle of Mosul that he co-authored with Ephraim Mattos. Little has been discussed about the efforts our soldiers have made to fight back ISIS. Author and US Navy Seal, Ephraim Mattos not only fought against ISIS alongside his fellow soldiers, but after he left the SEALs he flew back to Iraq to join a small group of volunteer humanitarians known as the Free Burma Rangers. With Veterans Day upon us this is a great book to read that will give you a look inside the work of these humanitarians and the courage and sacrifice they’ve witnessed and endured.

Podcast Version

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How Oregon is about to crush small business. Democrat Governor Kate Brown targets small business
How Oregon will Crush Small Business Thanks to Governor Kate Brown

How Oregon will Crush Small Business Thanks to Governor Kate Brown

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Show Summary: Tune in to hear how small business is about to be crushed in Oregon. If you are running for office you need to listen to this show. If you plan to vote for someone running for office you need to listen to this show. If you own a small business or work for one, you really need to listen to this show. You need to know the storm that’s about to be unleashed on small business, thanks to Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown.

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Original Air Dates: April 14 & 15, 2018 | Guest: Jonathan Williams of ALEC

Some states are scrambling for money as big debts are coming due. And Oregon is leading the way—just not in finding the right answers that would promote economic health.

Instead, Democrat Governor Kate Brown seems to be almost working overtime to crush our state’s innovative spirit. So she’s not only killing our ability to not only pay our bills but taking an axe to what could be (with better management) a positive economic environment for small businesses. Or even attract them from other states.

But not in Oregon. Instead, there is a real storm coming for small businesses here in Oregon.

Crushing Small Business. Oregon Style

One of the things you’ll hear in the show this week is how Oregon is targeting small business by divorcing them from the Trump tax break. But then there’s a coming sales tax.

Yes. A sales tax in Oregon.

This is the internet sales tax that is being heard next week in front of the Supreme Court. Oregon small businesses would be forced to collect taxes for states like New York and Washington that have their own sales tax.

Regulations and taxes crush small businesses. Oregon is the example of what NOT to do.But unbeknownst to many, Oregon’s own State Attorney General has signed onto an Amicus Brief to allow a national sales tax on internet purchases.  This will be crushing to Oregon’s small businesses with the increased costs of processing this sales tax. For other states.

It’s the foot in the door to finally create the sales tax Oregon’s Democrats and Big Government Republicans have been longing for.

[wpedon id=”2365″ align=”center”]

See below for an excerpt from the brief that includes not only more taxes but more prying into your personal lives. Have our elected leaders gone insane? Has no one heard of cutting spending?

Oregon Democrats hate cutting spending almost as much as they hate cutting trees.

Show Flow

We start by discussing Congress’s Omnibus bill, which sets the stage for the rest of the discussion.

Then we move to the Left’s “boogeyman”: Kansas and their ill-advised massive tax cut and spending increase. Why? Because the Left uses Kansas to try to scare other states away from cutting taxes. We debunk the myth because what happened in Kansas can help other states learn what not to do (hint, hint Oregon!).

Next, we talk about what Oregon is doing to crush small business, including taking away tax cuts. It’s a punishment that falls on small businesses and only small businesses. Then, it’s the internet sales tax and the grand daddy of spending boondoggles, PERS.

But there is good news (just not in Oregon). Don’t miss what nearby state to watch as the primary example of how smart policies really can create economic health.

Oregon’s Attorney General Rosenblum’s Amicus Brief

“Their [businesses] advanced online platforms boast impressive technology that enables them to not only comply (easily) with State [tax] collection laws, but also capture extensive data about their customers. According to one commentator, an online retailer can effortlessly track demographic information that includes “‘your age, whether you are married and have kids, which part of town you live in, how long it takes you to drive to the store, your estimated salary, whether you’ve moved recently, what credit cards you carry in your wallet and what Websites you visit … data about your ethnicity, job history, the magazines you read, if you’ve ever declared bankruptcy or got divorced, the year you bought (or lost) your house, where you went to college, what kinds of topics you talk about online, whether you prefer certain brands of coffee, paper towels, cereal or applesauce, your political leanings, reading habits, charitable giving and the number of cars you own.’”

The full Amicus brief can be read here (PDF)

Podcast Version

Links and Related Information

Oregon Governor Kate Brown to Crush Small Business

PERS

  • Editorial: Lawmakers can’t duck Oregon’s PERS burden (The Bulletin, Mar 17, 2018)
  • Huge Bill Is Coming Due For Oregon’s Past Pension System Mistakes (OPB, Feb 2, 2018)
  • Once again, Oregon makes national news. Except, as usual, it’s not for good reasons: “A $76,000 Monthly Pension: Why States and Cities Are Short on Cash” (New York Times, April 14, 2018)
  • PERS task force suggests ways to pay down system’s debt (OSBA, November 1, 2017)
  • PERS: Panel delivers ideas to cut pension deficit by $5 billion (Oregon Live, November 1, 2017)
    • “The panel’s mandate was to leave no stone unturned. But the governor, who is up for reelection in 2018, specifically directed members not to consider changes to pension benefits. Any such changes would be deeply unpopular with public employee unions, who typically back Democrats. Brown also said upfront that she wasn’t interested in selling state parks or forests, which would have proven deeply unpopular with environmental and conservation groups.”
  • If you thought what you read before was bad, read this: Time Bomb: PERS (via Senate Republicans, 2017)

Kansas: the Left’s Anti-Tax-cut Boogeyman

  • VIDEO: Jonathan on a panel at Heritage Foundation, discussing Kansas as the example Leftists point to about tax cuts hurting the government. “What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan: The Undoing of a Good Idea” (Heritage Foundation, Apr 10, 2018) The three key takeaways: don’t cut taxes and increase spending; have a plan to balance the budget, and have the right systems in place.

Here’s some Leftist spin on what happened in Kansas

The Coming Storm for Small Businesses: the Internet Sales Tax

  • Video – Online Sales Tax: Crushing Small Business (ALEC, March 2018)
  • See how the Internet sales tax (and taxes in general) pushes businesses out of state: Internet Sales Tax Hurts Businesses and the States that Pass Them (ALEC, Jan 2014)