Show 14-44 Summary: It’s the final sprint to the finish line. And the Friday before the election Kamalanomics got some pretty bad news: only 12,000 (not a typo) jobs created in October. And another 112,000 jobs were erased from September and August because they never existed outside of their original headlines that screamed how great the jobs were. This week, we talk with chief economist and executive VP of American Legislative Exchange Council about Trump vs Kamala economic policies. Who has the better economic record, the better administration policy to grow the3 economy, and what their future economies will look like. Kamala is floating some spooky ideas on taxes, spending and debt. And we talk about Trump’s policies that has the Big Spender spooked and why. Get out there and vote like your future and America’s future depends on it. It does.
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The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.
Original Air Dates: November 2nd & 3rd, 2024 | Guest: Jonathan Williams
This Week – Truth about Trump vs Kamala Economic Policies
October Surprise? ~The October jobs numbers just came out this morning at a paltry 12,000 new jobs. That’s not a typo. There isn’t a zero missing. Even more bad economic news: they erased another 112,000 jobs from the two previous months, September and August. Jobs that never existed outside the leftstream media propaganda headlines.
Just 12,000 new jobs for all of America (and we’d be negative if not for 40,000 government jobs). It’s a devastatingly low number for the Biden/Harris administration and after Kamala said there’s nothing she’d change regarding Biden’s policies.
Oh. And the GDP came in low. A sluggish 2.8%. Lower than the usual 3.0%.
This week, we welcome back Jonathan Williams, the chief economist and executive vice president of the American Legislative Exchange Council, to compare and contrast the Trump economy vs the Kamala economy. What were their records. What did they do right. And how will they differ if elected?
Kamala is floating some spooky ideas about taxes, spending, and debt. And Trump is floating some ideas that is spooking the big-government big-spenders. Listen and find out.
Personally? The difference really comes down to this: Trump wants to grow the economy. Kamala wants to grow government. It really is that simple.
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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Jonathan’s organization is ALEC – the American Legislative Exchange Council. Find out more at ALEC.org.
Encourage your representatives to join ALEC! There are state and city memberships. Help elected officials understand economic problems and the real solutions available to get out of them! Send them this link: https://alec.org/membership/.
And you too can join as a private-sector member!
You can follow Jonathan on Twitter at @TaxEconomist.
Head to Rich States, Poor States to see how your state is doing. And for a taste of what Kamalanomics and Walzonomics would be like, check out how badly Minnesota is doing under governor Tim Walz. (Hint: worse than Oregon!)
Check out Trump’s platform, “Agenda 47.” A 20-point plan, much of which focuses on the economy.
Mike Johnson discusses plan to get rid of Obamacare. (Via X, Oct 31 2024)
Show 13-44 Summary: People have been chasing the elusive dream of hydrogen as a fuel source for decades and decades. Billions have been poured into it before now. But there’s no such thing as a bad idea as long as the government is willing to pour even more billions into it. But now it’s even worse as they chase “green hydrogen.” Tune in to hear why hydrogen isn’t viable as a mass production “fuel,” how it isn’t even a fuel, and even far more expensive than it already is if we try to make it the way the Greenies want. And remember how CO2 is the enemy? Yeah not so much, apparently.
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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: November 4th & 5th, 2023 | Guest: Frank Lasee
This Week – Why Green Hydrogen Doesn’t Make Sense
Hydrogen has been the elusive clean energy society has been chasing for decades. Well before G.W. Bush threw nearly $2 billion at (which went nowhere), scientists were trying to use hydrogen back into FDR’s days and even before then. (The Hindenburg largely derailed the whole idea.) But if clean hydrogen was a pipe dream, green hydrogen is a fanciful nightmare. Especially if you don’t care about things like economics or common sense.
The Hindenburg derailed hydrogen. Rightly so.
In a nutshell, green hydrogen costs 5–6 times more than current methods and does not return as much energy as it costs to produce.
But why let a few dozen billions of narrow-minded taxpayer dollars stand in your way of your grand vision? Especially when states like Oregon and Washington just got handed a billion dollars each of free taxpayer dollars to create hydrogen hubs.
But First: A Big Win!
Thanks to public outcry, which CFACT helped mobilize, Orsted has cancelled its two planned offshore wind farms in New Jersey waters. The Danish company our American taxpayer dollars was funding, pulled the plug. Despite a $100 million penalty for failing to complete delivery. And wrote off a $4 billion loss. Amazing how these “green energy” schemes cannot work without massive government subsidies.
Public outcry works. Don’t be silent. And let’s do that here in Oregon. See Show 13-42 for more information.
Green Hydrogen Defined
We welcome first-time guest, Frank Lasee, a former Wisconsin state senator, president of Truth in Energy and Climate, and a senior policy advisor to CFACT. As you might be able to tell from the name of his organization, there’s not a lot of truth out there in either climate or energy. And nowhere is that more true than green hydrogen.
First off, hydrogen is itself not really a fuel. It’s more akin to a battery because while it has energy, it first has to be created. It would be a bit like creating oil out of various elements first before drilling for it.
What is green hydrogen? The label “green hydrogen” is all about how the hydrogen is made. There are several ways to make hydrogen. One is a simple electrolysis method, applying a current to water that splits the molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Your high school science teacher might have demonstrated this. Another is gasification that extracts hydrogen (and other elements) from natural gas with high-temperature steam.
Green hydrogen is extracted from whatever source but must use “renewable” energy to do so. The most common being pushed right now is to use solar and wind as the energy source.
How Green Hydrogen is Made
Except there’s a major problem with “green” wind and solar. They do not produce energy 70% of the time. Barely any wind. No wind. Not enough sun. Darkness. But to make clean, green hydrogen at scale takes enormous amounts of electricity. And water. Lots of water.
To make one kilogram of hydrogen (which has roughly the same potential energy as a gallon of gas), you need 13 kg of water to split. The water is heated to 2,000 degrees. That’s a lot of electricity. And then after it’s split, it has to be superchilled to near absolute zero so it can be pressurized and stored. And that takes another 40 kg of water to cool it.
So for every 1 kg of hydrogen produced, it takes 53 kg of water — and a massive amount of electricity.
What happens if the wind’s not blowing? Or it’s night time? You don’t have to be a paid TV scientist to realize this is not a process you can start and stop because of the unreliability of your “green” power sources. Gosh. You’ll have to supplement all intermittent green energy with coal. Or have massive batteries.
The Green Hydrogen Dilemma
One notion to get past the unreliability of so-called green energy and its unreliability is to tap into hydroelectric dams. Which the Pacific Northwest has plenty of. Except for the last decade, the environmentalists have been busily trying to yank them all out. To “save the salmon.”
Now what? Save the salmon or have green hydrogen?
In fact, the hypnotic allure of billions free taxpayer dollars has put a halt on at least one lawsuit to force the government to pull out dams on the Snake River.
Whoops.
But it’s not just the dams. You’ve got California, which on Thursday emptied 7 billion gallons (7,559,743,200 gallons to be precise) of fresh water from its reservoirs into the ocean. Why? To adjust the salinity levels in a delta to “save the fish.” The Delta Smelt. Of which a grand total of zero Delta Smelt have been seen in annual Fall Surveys since 2017.
Well there goes 142,636,664 gallons of hydrogen they could have made.
Fish or dams for hydrogen? What to do, what to do…
Green Energy: It’s All About Money
Tune in to hear how “green energy” is not green. And it’s not really about energy. What it’s really all about is the money.
And it’s not about “Climate Change” either. Why? Because while we’ve been shrieked at about CO2 emissions for two decades, it turns out they will not only sacrifice fish to get those billions. They’re also willing to emit more CO2 to get those billions.
Just like wearing the inappropriate “green” label for green hydrogen, to get the label “clean hydrogen” all you have to do is not emit more than 2 kg of carbon dioxide per hydrogen produced.
Read it for yourself: The National Clean Hydrogen Standard is 2 kg CO2e/kg H2. That’s 2x the amount of CO2 for every one Hydrogen (H2). See page 75 of the H2IQ Presentation from the U.S. Dept of Energy.
Yes. You can emit twice the CO2 you get of hydrogen. So much for CO2 as the enemy.
Don’t miss the show. That’s just one of much of the green hydrogen nonsense.
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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Articles/Info Mentioned During the Show
Frank Lasee’s website is TruthinClimateandEnergy.com. Be sure to check out this website for great articles and information.
Major wind energy developer scraps two big offshore projects (NBC News, Nov 1, 2023)
The move by Orsted, a Danish company, adds fresh uncertainty to an industry supporters see as a way to help end the burning of planet-warming fossil fuels.
Read it for yourself! Page 75 of the H2IQ Presentation (Dec 2021) from the U.S. Department of Energy states “clean hydrogen” allows for twice the amount of CO2 emissions as the hydrogen produced.
Great example of replacing a gasoline car with a solar cars. Now you’re paying for 3 cars to get the same reliability you had in one.
Hydrogen – Will this Green dream prove an expensive nightmare? – (CFACT, Oct 26, 2023)
Hydrogen embrittles nearly every metal it comes in contact with.
Needs 13x more water than hydrogen made, 40x to cool it
The hydrogen lobby duped Congress into $9.5 billion for hydrogen hubs and $100s of billions more for subsidies to make it. These hydrogen jobs will last only as long as the subsidies do.
“The fact that the world is desperately short of lithium and cobalt for electric vehicle batteries, at the scale they want to force, is dawning on them”
“Wind and solar produce little or no energy 70% of the time.”
Frank Lasee: Joe Biden’s Hydrogen Slush Fund Means More Dollars Wasted On The Green Energy Boondoggle (ShoreNews Network, Feb 26, 2023)
Show 13-29 Summary: This week, we’re looking into Bidenomics and what’s happening in the wider economy, what’s supposedly real (allegedly booming) and what’s real (it’s not booming). We also take a look at the hand-in-glove relationship between Big Government and Big Business — as they partner to make each other stronger, bigger, and more powerful. Meanwhile, there’s small businesses and the taxpayer but government’s relationship with them is more hand-in-pocket. And, as one might expect, Oregon dropped two spots in the latest Rich States/Poor States ranking of state economies. We discuss why.
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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: July 22nd & 23rd, 2023 | Guest: Jonathan Williams
This Week – Bidenomics Killing Capitalism
It’s no secret that socialists hate real capitalism and the free market system because it means government is not in control. People are. And it makes the little guy wealthy and independent of government. And that’s the mortal enemy of socialism.
Enter Bidenomics. Which is the perfect (for socialism) answer to capitalism. Bidenomics marries Big Government with Big Business providing the socialist kill shot for capitalism.
Under Bidenomics, Big Business flourishes. Why? Because Big Government squeezes out Big Business’s competitors by using regulations to choke smaller companies’ profits while Big Business plays by different rules. In a regulation-heavy market, guess who wins? The ones who can afford the most lawyers and lobbyists.
Take a listen to this brief video mentioned during the show to see how Bidenism is causing a lurch toward monopolies in the banking sector. To squeeze out their smaller competitors. (The original tweet is from Dr. Peter St. Onge.)
Jonathan Williams of ALEC
We talk Bidenomics with Jonathan Williams, the Executive Vice President of Policy and Chief Economist for ALEC — the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC is the nation’s leading economic policy think tank, working directly with state legislators to pass free-market solutions to Big Government’s constant overreach.
Jonathan discusses what’s really happening with Bidenomics. No surprise, the Biden admin is on full spin mode trying to make people disbelieve the evidence of their own eyes. Inflation, high prices that keep getting higher, and more. But we’re told but the Bidenomics priesthood this is all a good thing.
And we talk about the corruption happening now in Washington, D.C., which Jonathan likes to call, the Land of Make Believe. Did anyone ever expect to see this much corruption and no one do anything about it? Not even pretend to be interested?
And what about that lurch away from capitalism to monopolism — where Big Government works hand-in-glove with Big Business to kill off their competitors.
Finally, we talk about ALEC’s latest Rich States, Poor States edition, which came out in April 2023. Oregon dropped a couple of spots. Which probably surprises no one who lives in Oregon. But find out why.
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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info
Visit Jonathan Williams’ terrific organization, American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC. And urge your state representatives and senators to get become part of ALEC.
Disney CEO Bob Iger in ‘damage control’ mode over possible sale of ABC, ESPN (NY Post, July 19, 2023)
Millions of U.S. Jobs Are at Risk From Climate Policy: Joe Trotter in Delaware Valley Journal – American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC, June 22, 2023)
Kotek doles out 22% raises, $1500 inflation bonus (Oregon Catalyst, July 19, 2023)*The end result is the latest agreement for these Oregon government employees which includes a 6 point 5 percent raise this December and another 6 point 5 percent raise in 13 months. Other employees will be getting between 13 and 22 percent raises. It also includes a one-time $15 hundred dollar bonus to handle inflation.
Not Mentioned but Related
Field Office, Defaults on $73.8 Million Loan (Willamette Week, July 17, 2023)*Field Office, a 2 hundred 90 thousand-square-foot office complex near the Willamette River, have defaulted on their $74 million dollar loan. It’s due to being unable to find enough tenants.
Oregon Doctors seek to form a union (Oregon Catalyst, July 17, 2023)*Doctors seek unions due to being pressured and negatively impacted as they’re forced to accept more patients. More and more doctors are being forced into consolidation and away from smaller, family care environments. Along with more rules and legal requirements. A result from heavy handed taxes, fees, red tape, and legal impositions imposed by governments.As Oregon hospitals lost nearly half billion dollars in just a half year.
Lebanon considers asking voters for new tax (Democrat Herald, July 17, 2023)*Lebanon elected officials are considering raising taxes to avoid depleting the city’s general fund by 2024 and operate at a deficit by 2026. The city was up against a $1 point 2 million dollar shortfall when its fiscal year started this July.
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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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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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.
“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)
Show Summary: A radical shift is underway as democrats shove America away from reality-based economics towards an economy where normal monetary policy is abandoned, taxes are imposed on the “undesirables”, and public monies are used to reward themselves and their allies. Think it’s not possible? It’s already underway. Find out what’s coming.
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Mondays
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Original Air Dates: Apr 10th & 11th, 2021 | Carl Wilson & Jonathan Williams
This Week: When we were kids it was exciting to be handed a quarter thinking about how and where to spend it. And we learned that a quarter was wonderful, but a dollar was even better. Except maybe those lessons of having and handling money are being lost in the age of debit cards, or electronic purchases. Because the tangible feel of money and its worth is somehow getting lost. A coin or a dollar in the hand reminds a child of its temporary nature, and once spent it’s gone—versus money “out there” in the cloud somewhere, where there’s always more of it.
Basic economics are under attack.
Non-Reality-Based Economics
As politicians supposedly grapple with debt, it is somehow made mystical in the world of zeros and ones with digital accounts. Not surprising when computer modeling and predictions take over reality. But is there a point of reckoning that will be no longer be possible to bury or ignore? Basic economic principles would say yes.
This week, we work to uncover those economic principles that so many Left-leaning politicians wish us not to examine. (Especially in an AOC world where if the computer doesn’t say it, then it’s not so.) It is becoming painfully obvious that those in charge of America’s economics, and raising and spending the public’s money have no grounding in basic economics or business.
Central Assessment
We start off with Carl Wilson, former Oregon state representative, and owner of KAJO, out of Grants Pass, that airs I Spy. We discuss the new threat to local radio stations as Oregon decided to shift them into a new taxing scheme called “central assessment.”
To date, Oregon is the only state imposing this new taxing methodology on local radio stations. Instead of local counties determining their taxes, now a state central system will determine what their assessed value is. This potentially opens the door to a punitive system that large communications operations might be able to absorb, while hurting the mom’s and pop’s segments. Something far left democrats seem to do all too often while making policy decisions.
And don’t miss who is getting special carve-outs. Is this a backdoor way to collapse conservatives’ dominance in talk radio?
Economics 101? Or No Room for Reality?
Then we talk to Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist for American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. He brings us up to date on the spending that Biden’s administration is zeroed in on. We discuss what is happening with the dollar and a possible move by China to do more harm to America’s economy.
We’re only a few months into the Biden administration. But there is already a worrisome economic forecast on the horizon possibly coming our way in the next few years. We are spending trillions upon trillions, with more than $6 trillion planned just in the first 4 months. Which doesn’t even cover the “normal” government spending of $4.5 trillion per year.
Where is this coming from?
It can only come from wishful, magic money. Where it never has to be paid back.
Economics + Monetary Policy = Coming Crash?
In economics, just like in life, you ignore reality at your peril. See the links section below for some concerning videos that are warning about a potential and massive crash. Which, they claim, is all but certain. One of the most concerning is from Harry Dent. Harry Dent warns that globally, financial assets (stocks, bonds, etc.) are massively over-valued: $520 trillion which is 6.2 times global GDP of ~84 trillion. He says it normally is only about 2 times.
With so many warnings from well-respected economists and analyses, maybe it’s time to protect yourself.
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Links & Info
Carl Wilson (Segments 1–3)
Basic definition of central assessment: “The state assesses the property value of a business, rather than a local county assessing the value. The difference is the central assessment uses the company’s entire, statewide worth (even if they’re not a statewide company), including all property, equipment, brand value, and more. Even equipment decades old is lumped in—at original retail costs—rather than its current depreciated value.
Central assessment: A great writeup from Eric J. Kodesch: Oregon Supreme Court Finalizes DOR’s Complete Victory in Central Assessment Dispute (Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, Volume 29, Number 3, June 2019)
This is the kicker: “the Oregon Supreme Court agreed with the Department’s position that property is new property if it is “newly added to an account on the assessment rolls.” In other words, in addition to property purchased or constructed by the taxpayer, new property includes the decision by the Department to centrally assess property.
Further, the new property consisted of all of the property moved to the new account, and not just the property not previously subject to tax, such as the intangible property.”
In other words, its new if we say it’s new
This is rather alarming. It’s taxable if the govt decides it’s taxable and no pesky law designed to protect from the government can protect you
Oregon Supreme Court Provides Definition of “Data Transmission Services” for Central Assessment Purposes (Stoel Rives, LLP, Oct 2, 2014)
“As in most states, “central assessment” (or “state assessment”) generally means that the value of taxable property is determined “centrally” by the state’s Department of Revenue rather than by the local county assessor.
In Oregon, however, a major additional consequence of central assessment is that intangible property of a centrally assessed business is subject to tax, while the intangible property of a locally assessed business is not.
Furthermore, central assessment is based on the value of the taxable “unit” of property, as allocated and apportioned to Oregon taxing jurisdictions by formula. For these reasons, central assessment can, at least in theory, use the entire worldwide brand value of a business, including goodwill, as its starting point, as well as all of its real and tangible personal property.”
The bill to exempt radio stations from this onerous tax scheme is HB2331
Worrisome: Harry Dent: Stock Market 40% Crash in April, Nothing Can Save You (YouTube, Feb 8, 2021). “A 40% correction is coming for the stock market, this according to Harry Dent, New York Times best-selling author of Zero Hour. ‘The Fed is losing absolute control’.”
About that “hot” housing market. It may no be what it appears… Krystal Ball: The Next Housing CRISIS Is Here And The Villains Are Exactly Who You’d Expect (The Hill, Apr 6, 2021)
Peter Schiff: People Don’t Know What’s Coming (Mar 27th, 2021)
Peter Schiff: Fed is trapped. It will either Bankrupt the Government or the American People (Link)
Show Summary: Oregon Democrats aren’t exactly shy about overspending taxpayer dollars. Indeed, they seem quite proud of the devastating 29% tax increase they are in the middle of passing in 2019. So why do they want to take away voters’ ability to fight back?
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This Week: There are taxes and then there are extinction-level taxes. Because Oregon Democrats seems to be lurching down the path of destruction — unless they can be pulled back from the brink.
Oregon Democrats: You have too much of your money
The Far-Left Oregon Democrats seems to revel in their super-majority ability to create taxes on a whim. With no chance from the Republicans to be able to stop them. Worse, they seem to take great joy in thumbing their noses at the everyday Oregonians by mislabeling taxes and working hard to take away Oregonians’ ability to stand up in protest.
There is a lot under discussion this week on I Spy Radio. While we know it’s Memorial Day, this is exactly why all those sacrifices were made. So we can fight the battle on the Home Front.
Oregon Democrats: New and Artful Taxes
Democrats are finding new and creative ways to layer taxes on top of other taxes—all while saying but this is just a little percentage and won’t add up to much. Except, when you add all the layers together they add up to a lot.
For example, take the “tiny” .57% tax the Democrat supermajority just passed—the Corporate Activities Tax (more accurately, the Gross Sales Tax). However, this tiny unnoticeable tax (HB3427) will raise $2 billion in new taxes. Most importantly, this bill taxes the gross sales, not net profits. (Yes, this is a sales tax.) In other words, if your low-margin business spends $95 to make a product and you sell it for $100, you will be taxed on the full $100, not your $5 in profit.
Most importantly, that “tiny tax” is on top of any other taxes you’re already paying?
Remember: this gross receipts tax / shadow sales tax is a repeat of a ballot initiative Oregon voters rejected just two years ago. Pesky voters! You don’t get to decide. Oregon Democrats know better.
A Whopping 29% Increase in Taxes
But that’s just the beginning. In addition to the Gross Receipts Tax, here are a few of the tax hikes the Far-Left are supporting and are likely to pass:
Family Leave $1.5 billion
Carbon Tax $1.1 billion (at a minimum!)
Employee Assessment Tax $500 million
Medicaid Tax $335 million
Small Business Tax $130 million
Kicker Cut $108 million
All told, that is $5.673 billion in new taxes. Counted against the General Fund, that is a tax increase of almost 29%. Twenty-nine percent.
What’s even a more difficult to stomach is not a moment’s pause to even consider cutting spending. When is enough, enough?
Oregon Democrats Want to Silence Ballot Initiatives
It’s time for action. We talk with Jeff Kropf, former Oregon legislator and current head of Oregon Capital Watch Foundation (OCWF.org.) about these staggering new taxes and a potential challenge to the Gross Receipts Tax.
Again. Because Oregon voters defeated this same tax just two years ago. But we can’t stop fighting. If we do, and if the Democrats in Salem get their way, this may truly be the last chance we have.
Tune in this week to hear what’s coming and what to do about it.
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
Jeff’s group is Oregon Capitol Watch Foundation, which can be found at ocwf.org.
No word as of our show airing on the ballot initiative. If you want to be involved or to get updates, you can email Jeff at jkropf@wvi.com
While you’re at it, join our email list to be alerted to upcoming shows and more. Never miss an I Spy Radio Show!
As Critics of the New Corporate Tax Increase Ponder Referring It to Voters, Democrats Seek to Hinder Signature Gathering (Willamette Week, May 20, 2019)
Additional Links & Info
Read the text of HB3427 of HB 3427, Oregon’s Shadow Sales Tax, aka “Corporate Activity Tax,” “Gross Receipts Tax,” “Student Success Fund.”
Show Summary: Oregon Democrats appear to have taken the position that no matter how much or how little you make, it really all belongs to the state. A look at the taxes they have in store for 2019.
I Spy Radio Show broadcast areas, as of Nov 2018. Click for full-size map.
Five Different Times, on Six Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!
Oregon Democrats appear to think that if you earn money, it’s really not your money. It belongs to the state. You can tell because Oregon Democrats—who have super-majorities in Oregon’s house and senate plus the governorship—have billions in new taxes they want to unleash. Billions to extract from the 3.3 million Oregonians.
The Short List of Oregon Democrats New Taxes
Doubling the gas tax. Tripling taxes on beer and cigarettes. Fees (i.e. taxes) on restaurants. Vending machines. First in the nation carbon tax — plus a California-style cap-and-trade. (Hello $5 per gallon gasoline.) Fees (taxes) on bed and breakfasts. Spa visits. Fees (taxes) on tourism. Fees on small business. Middle business. Big business. Mining permit fee increases. Fees on timber lands. Fees on public utilities. Fees on home heating oil. Fees on
And if that isn’t enough, Oregon Democrats even want to remove property tax exemptions for non-profits and churches.
Yes, even God doesn’t pay enough in taxes.
At this rate, pretty soon, the State and Oregon Democrats will want to tax money you didn’t earn.
Oregon Democrats 2019 Tax Plans
We talk this week to Jonathan Williams, the Vice President for the Center for State Fiscal Reform at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC.org) to get some insight into what all these taxes the Oregon Democrats have planned will do to the state’s economy.
Some of what we talk about includes Oregon’s cap-and-trade scheme, the fees, and the endless taxes.
Don’t worry. There’s hope. But you’ll have to listen.
Getting around pesky Supreme Court rulings: Democrat introduces bill to use taxpayer money to fund unions directly. Press Release from Freedom Foundation
California Lurches For A Carbon Tax After Consecutive Greenhouse Gas Auction Failures (Forbes, Mar 2, 2017)
“Like BC’s, the carbon tax examined for Oregon would be (largely) revenue neutral: one scenario applied 70% of the tax revenues to cut corporate taxes, 20% to cut personal income taxes, and 10% to reinvest in industrial energy efficiency programs. The other scenario apportioned 50% of the revenues to cut corporate taxes, 25% to cut personal income taxes, and 25% for industrial and residential energy efficiency and transportation infrastructure.”
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.
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.
This is Macron’s France right now
The centre of #Paris is full not of Christmas shoppers but an uprising against Government & EU policieshttps://t.co/N7DFjhK6Vj
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.”
Keep carbon taxes in the ground: ‘Permanently bury these job-killing proposals, after pounding wooden stakes through their hearts’ (CFact, Sept 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”
The One Simple Question Republicans Need to Ask about Tax Reform
Show Summary: This week’s show is all about tax reform. Yeah, we know. You think that’s boring. But the fight over tax reform is really about the fight for the soul of America. We talk with Jonathan Williams of ALEC to get to the truth a dose of reality about the good, bad, and ugly about the Republican tax reform plan. And it really comes down to one simple question we all should ask.
To download the show, right-click the mic, and then “Save Link As…” or use the handy player below
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Air Dates: Nov. 11 & 12, 2017 | Jonathan Williams
As Trump supporters we’ve been anticipating the swamp will try anything to stop President Trump’s attempts to reform Washington and drain the swamp. And what we’ve witnessed are spineless Republicans who, instead of charging up the hill behind President Trump they are cowering in the trenches or worse, working to undermine his plans.
It’s a simple question: do you want to create wealth for people or for government? But what we’re seeing right now are Republicans who are tentative about creating a simple and straightforward — and bold! — tax reform system that would grow wealth for people. Could it be because they are more attached to their power and are afraid to shrink government?
Tax reform analogy
Spelled out perfectly by Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee, using reporters & beer
Agricultural, commercial, churches, wineries … Need a steel building? Visit Landmark Pacific
So, as we sit with our toes tapping we at I Spy decided to take a look at what the House has proposed in the way of tax reform. We talk about it all: the good and the bad and maybe some ugly, so you, the citizen, can decide on the plan’s merits. And now that the Senate’s version has been released, you’ll know what to look for in their plan. Because in the back of your mind, you should always be asking, “Whose side are they on? The taxpayer or the government—and their own career in Congress?”
Don’t miss the show! You’ll get more in-depth analysis in one hour than most shows will give you in three..
Show Summary: In the era of corrupt media, do real issues matter any more? Or actions for that matter. All you need is what someone says rather than actual actions. Or things like economic and tax plans. Want proof? Quick! When was the last time you heard someone in the mainstream media actually mention Hillary’s tax plan?
To download the show, right-click the mic, then “Save Link As…” or use the handy player below
We thought so. Join us this week for our continuing series of shows as we examine Hillary’s actions as we compare Hillary’s tax and economic plans to Trump’s. And the huge ticking time bomb of states’ unfunded liabilities.
Original Air Dates: Oct 15 & 16, 2016 | Jonathan Williams
You would think that if Obamacare is such a great program, the economy should be humming along—no tinkering needed. But just like Obamacare was going to make health care more affordable (who’s got the swamp land for sale on this one?) Wikileaks has exposed Hillary’s beliefs that by expanding programs like Food Stamps it will help “fix the economy” because it will give families more money to spend. Yes, she actually said this—to a bunch of bankers behind closed doors. Hillary’s tax plan and economic plan reveals an overwhelming foundational philosophy to tax, tax, tax. If Obamacare is an example of an economic policy and expansion of government programs that has increased taxation (as the Supreme Court termed it), Hillary’s economic policies will be even bigger and more expensive.
If you think your health care is already getting to be extremely expensive, just wait until you open your tax bill a year after Hillary is in office. And you won’t even escape it by dying because she wants to slap a 65% death (penalty) tax, which will destroy family-owned businesses and farms.
But you may not have heard about any of this—the Wikileaks or dire consequences of Hillary’s tax plans. In fact, Fox News reported that on Thursday evening news coverage for ABC, CBS, and NBC , 8 minutes per station was spent on Trump scandals with only 20 seconds spent on covering WikiLeaks (with one station not carrying it all), a scandal which has an actual document trail; tens of thousands of documents. They’re not reporting the truth; they are reporting their agenda.
Mainstream media hammers away at Trump’s accusers, but largely ignores Clinton revelations coming from recent WikiLeaks releases pic.twitter.com/cT88908z7Q
This week we turn away from the scandals and focus on policy—actions over words. I Spy will talk with Jonathan Williams from ALEC who has just completed a report on the unfunded pension liabilities faced by every state. We discuss the ticking time bomb, especially in Oregon, over the massive pay back states have with no money to pay it back. Consider this: in just two years the total amount of states unfunded liabilities has grown more than 900 Billion Dollars. Almost a trillion dollars on top of what was owed in just two short years. And then consider what the MSM’s focus has been on, Trump’s alleged scandals.
This week, we compare Hillary’s and Trump’s tax and economic plans and even how their plans can impact the looming pile of debt at the state levels. Be sure to tune in to hear some solutions and find out how one candidate’s plan just may give us a chance to dig our way out of this monstrous hole.
Then we talk to 
