Tag: American Legislative Exchange Council

14-06 Why Bidenomics is Bidumbnomics | Mainstream Media is Lying

14-06 Why Bidenomics is Bidumbnomics | Mainstream Media is Lying

Show 14-06 Summary: This week, it’s all about cutting through the mainstream media propaganda about the economy. Especially the lies about Bidenomics. Because it’s more Bidumbnomics than anything. Bidumbnomics is a good way to kill the economy, interfere with markets, and promote products and ideas that don’t work and cost more. Bidumbnomics are dumb economics policies that require dumb people in the media to not ask questions and keep people misinformed about how bad things really are. Like not questioning the miracle January 2024 jobs report. Or looking at the failure of 100s of billions wasted on “green energy.” (It’s not green.) Plus, Oregon is not immune. Oregon democrats also love Bidumbnomics. Spend more. Tax more. Ignore reality. Like Oregon democrats’ plan to raise statewide property taxes and do away with the current caps on property tax increases.

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Original Air Dates: February 10th & 11th, 2024 | Guest: Jonathan Williams

This Week – Bidenomics is Bidumbnomics

All you need for dumb economics policies like Bidumbnomics to be perceived as “working” is to have a willing media to spread government propaganda. And the media needs to be dumb enough about economics to not ask any questions about what they’re told. And certainly not do any kind of even simple analysis.

That way, the media keeps people uninformed. Because if people really knew how bad things were, they would be demanding answers. And politicians never want that. They want compliant sheep people who stay out of the way. Miserable peasants.

Dumb economic policies like Bidumbnomics depends on people staying quiet. But EU farmers won by speaking up.
Public outcry works! (click image for full-size)

Why? Because when people do know what their politicians are actually doing, and the actual outcomes of their schemes, people tend to revolt. And, yes, public outcry really does work.

Take a look at the win in the EU when farmers had had enough. The public joined them. And now the EU gave in to their demands.

Farmers win! “Why Europe’s green plan balked on farming

Bidenomics is Bidumbnomics Examples

Look no further than the boondoggle of Biden’s dream of a wind farm in every pot. Bidumbnomics sank several 10s of billions of your money into expensive wind farms. Especially very expensive offshore wind farms. But these expensive Bidumbnomics boondoggles have done so poorly, despite all that free cash from U.S. taxpayers, that multiple wind farm companies have cancelled contracts. And they were willing to do so because the economics of it was so poor that unless they get free cash it was a better deal to cancel the deal.

Think of that. Companies willing to take a loss of 100s of millions rather than go through with it and lose even more. And in the case of one company, they took a 4 billion loss.

Now that is Bidumbnomicsat work. Waste companies’ money, waste taxpayer money, and all for products that are less effective and more expensive to ratepayers.

Wow.

An Actual Economist Breaks Examines Bidumbnomics

We welcome back Jonathan Williams, the executive vice president of ALEC — the American Legislative Exchange Council. Jonathan is also their chief economist. And we walk through the truth about that blockbuster January jobs report. It turns out, it is more fantasy than fantastic. See this great analysis from ZeroHedge: “Inside The Most Ridiculous Jobs Report In Recent History“.) And we all know this fantasy will be corrected downward in a month or two after they got their useful idiots in the media to repeat their headline to the point where most people will think Bidenomics is working.

But to be fair, not all economic news in the mainstream media is propaganda to prop up Bidumbnomics. Sometimes, it’s more of a confession. Like Jerome Powell appearing on 60 Minutes. Who told America that we just can’t spending like we are.

But other times, it is definitely propaganda. We take a look at the slumping EV (electric vehicle) sales. After spending, yet again, 100s of billions of taxpayer dollars on the EV boondoggle, including mandating sales quotas, Bidumbnomics strikes again. EVs sales are way down.

Don’t miss the terrific article mentioned during the show about the impact of government interference in a normal market. “The West’s Humiliating Electric Car Climbdown has Begun

And even in Oregon, they are nowhere near their lofty goals of 250,000 EVs by 2025.

Oregon Democrats Embrace Bidumbnomics

Speaking of Oregon, the democrat governor and democrat-controlled house and senate want their own version of dumb economics. Like ignoring people’s economic reality to impose their ideology. And mainly, that’s more spending of taxpayer dollars to reward the political allies. There is never enough money to spend all they want on everything they want.

The answer? Raise taxes. And not just a little. They want $3 billion in more taxes. And, as if they haven’t driven enough people away, they want to eliminate and caps on statewide property taxes.

The only reason why even more Oregonians haven’t driven away is their EV must have run out of charge. Maybe that’s why Oregon wants to mandate even more of them.

But wait, it gets worse. Not only do Oregon elected democrats want to spend more, Tobias Read, the democrat in charge of Oregon’s Treasury wants Oregon’s PERS to make less money. By forcing Oregon’s investment into “Net Zero.” Uh, Toby, in case you missed it due to Bidumbnomics government propaganda media, but Net Zero funds are losing money by the day. Intelligent investors are getting out of Net Zero funds, not in. Perhaps Oregon’s PERS being in the hole by a mere $28 billion just isn’t enough?

Tune in to get the info you need. to be better informed on economics and real economic policies. So when your legislator wants to go full Bidumbnomics, you have the info you need to convince them otherwise.

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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.
  • Farmers win! “Why Europe’s green plan balked on farming” (Semafor, via Yahoo News, Feb 7, 2024)
  • Inside The Most Ridiculous Jobs Report In Recent History (ZeroHedge, Feb 03, 2024)
    • All job gains in the past year have been part-time workers (+870,000). Full time have decreased by 97,000
    • Native vs Foreign-Born workers . All job creation in the past 4 years has been for foreigners. Zero job creation for native since 2018
  • The West’s humiliating electric car climbdown has begun” (The Telegraph, via Yahoo News, Feb 2, 2024)
  • Bidumbnomics in Oregon: “PGE and why the EV revolution is stalling” (Oregon Catalyst, Feb 4, 2024)
    • “In 2019, Senate Bill 1044 set a target of 250,000 registered Zero Emission Vehicles on Oregon roads by 2025. … [But] the number of Oregon-registered zero emission vehicles on Oregon roads as of September 2023 (with less than a year and a half to go) was just 70,000. … The likelihood that this number will grow to 250,000 over the next 12 months is nil.”
  • Plan to make Oregon retirement fund carbon neutral relies on industry, Wall Street doing the same (OPB, Feb 7, 2024)
  • HJR 201 is a Statewide Property Tax (Taxpayer Assoc, Feb 5, 2024)
  • “1,287 testify against Statewide Property Tax (HJR 201)” (Taxpayer Association of Oregon, February 14, 2024).

For further reading on Bidumbnomics

 

13-09 Insane Government Spending – 2023 Essential Policy Solutions

13-09 Insane Government Spending – 2023 Essential Policy Solutions

Show 13-09 Summary: This week, it’s all about insanity. Meaning, our governments’ insane spending that shows no signs of letting up. And that there’s just always more money on the national credit card. So when the inmates are running the asylum, what can we do about government spending? We talk with Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC has just released its 2023 Essential Policy Solutions, which should be required reading for every legislator out there. Listen in for policies, economic and otherwise, that make sense in an insane world.

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Original Air Dates: March 4th & 5th, 2023 | Guest: Jonathan Williams

This Week – Government Spending. It’s Insane.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (or ALEC), is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. If you don’t know, they work with state legislatures — the 50 test tubes of democracy — to pass legislation that upholds principles of limited government, free markets and federalism You don’t last 50 years if you’re not having successes. And ALEC has had tremendous success stories. Including encouraging states to lower taxes. Even adopting a flat tax.

Don’t miss it! Be sure to RSVP for The Capital City Republican Women’s Luncheon, March 9th, 2023, starting at 11:30am (Mark will start his presentation at noon). To RSVP, send an email to CCRWSalem@Reagan.com. Lunch is $14. Coffee is $2. No cost to just come listen. Location will be sent to you after you RSVP.

This week, we talk with Jonathan Williams, ALEC’s Executive VP of Policy and their chief economist, about the insane government spending. After blowing through $1.9 trillion in the “American Rescue Plan” and another $2 trillion with Build Back Better, and still trillions more — in just 2 years — we’re facing a looming showdown over the federal debt ceiling. Addicted to government spending, Biden and the democrats don’t want any spending cuts. Of course not.

Maybe it’s because they just spent $360 billion on “global warming” and climate change in the most recent $1 trillion “inflation reduction act.” None of that money is going to conservatives or conservative organizations. So of course the democrats don’t want any cuts to government spending. That would be cutting off cash to their political cronies.

Government Spending: 2023 Essential Policy Solutions

Fortunately, to tackle this insane government spending ALEC has just released its 2023 Essential Policy Solutions. This essential guide is definitely essential for every state legislator.

Get your free copy! Download the PDF version of the 2023 Essential Policy Solutions. And then email it to all your legislators!

Jonathan Williams walks us through some of the more exciting solutions. Not just for government spending but also price transparency for hospitals and health care but also some model legislation for school choice.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Essential Policy Solutions for 2023 – (American Legislative Exchange Council, March, 2023). Free PDF! Download it and email it to your legislators!
  • RSVP for The Capital City Republican Women’s Luncheon, March 9th, 2023, starting at 11:30am (Mark will start his presentation at noon). To RSVP, send an email to CCRWSalem@Reagan.com. Lunch is $14. Coffee is $2. No cost to just come listen. Location will be sent to you after you RSVP.
  • US stocks enter ‘death zone’  (Daily Mail, Feb 2023)
    • Morgan Stanley issues dire warning to investors who ‘followed prices to dizzying heights’ amid fears S&P 500 could plummet 26% within months.
  • American Rescue Plan (Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Package (Investopedia, updated Sept 21, 2022)

Additional Related Research, Not Specifically Mentioned

12-50 The Big Spend – Economics Don’t Matter in the Biden Economy

12-50 The Big Spend – Economics Don’t Matter in the Biden Economy

Show Summary: This week, with Christmas and all the spending in the air, we thought we’d take one last look at the economy for the year. And the Biden economy looks like Christmas in another way: It’s the government playing Santa with your money. Or, as we like to call it, the Big Spend. We look at the Biden admin’s missteps on the economy. How bad are they? And will things get better before they get worse? And how soon is worse? Are there any positives out there and how much staying power do they have? Plus, a big focus on the massive debt, which is coming due for another massive expansion. But, it turns out, we’re in a lot more debt than advertised…

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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: December 10th & 11th, 2022 | Guest: Jonathan Williams

This Week – The Biden Economy

We get criticized for being critical of the Biden administration’s economic policies. Well, we’re not the only ones. Major financial institutions are projecting a huge downturn next year. And not just here but all across the world—in part because things look so bad here.

This week, we welcome back Jonathan Williams to discuss the Biden economy. We review the missteps by the administration, which, unfortunately, started on day one. And haven’t been corrected yet. Like their attack on the energy industry and especially oil. In fact, they’ve done everything they can to try to avoid taking responsibility. How? By running to Saudi Arabia and even Venezuela. Anything to avoid re-opening and encouraging energy and oil production right here in America.

And why is it that in the Biden economy, we keep rewarding America’s enemies?

Check out Oregon’s Debt Clock (brought to you by the National Debt Clock). Did you know (as of this writing, Dec 10, 2022) that Oregon has $48.463 billion dollars of debt?

ALEC and ACCE

The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, works with state legislators and policy makers in the 50 test tubes of democracy. ALEC focuses on sound fiscal and economic policies to improve state revenues and the states’ economic performance and outlook.

But there is also ALEC for the local level: the American City County Exchange or ACCE (pronounced “Ace”). It’s not just state legislators who deal with budgets and fiscal policies. Counties and cities do too. And county commissioners, mayors and city councilors are all pressured by left-leaning organizations (well-funded ones, we might add) to spend, spend, spend. Especially, as it happens, on far-left ideologies and allies. Help your local officials fight back. Encourage them to join ACCE to get access to policies and more to make the right decisions.

In the Biden economy? They’re going to need all the help they can get.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Jonathan Williams is the Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy at the American Legislative Exchange Council. Find out more by heading to ALEC.org.
    • Be sure to check out some of Jonathan’s articles, below
    • On Twitter? You can follow Jonathan @TaxEconomist
  • Check out ALEC’s Model Policies. These policies are designed to push back against woke Leftism, which are more about politics than economics. Two we especially like:
  • Encourage your local officials to join the American City County Exchange — ALEC for the local level!
  • “Colorado Offers Gold Standard for Fiscal Restraint: ALEC in National Review” (National Review, Nov 3, 2022)
    • TABOR [Taxpayer Bill of Rights] represents a fiscal-policy achievement Coloradans should be proud of and defend.
  • Jonathan Article #2 – The States Move Forward with the Flat Tax (National Review, July 22, 2022)
    • The flat-tax revolution will continue to gather speed as more states begin to realize the competitive benefits earned by a simpler and fairer tax code.
    • The prudent policy choice for states is to enhance competitiveness, then examine spending priorities and create policies to prepare for the proverbial rainy days, rather than relying on the federal government to save the day during revenue shortfalls.
  • Jonathan on American Radio Journal (Dec 3, 2022)
    • Congress is looking at another debt-ceiling bailout; this after a 2.5 trillion increase just a year ago
  • Oregon’s Debt Clock – $48.5 billion ($11K per person; Debt to GDP ratio is 17.6%

Mentioned During the Show

Additional Research & Related to the Biden Economy

 

12-40 It’s Stupid Politicians | When Economics Meets Politics

12-40 It’s Stupid Politicians | When Economics Meets Politics

Show Summary: It’s the intersection of economics and politics this week. And what happens when economics meets politics…? Pretty much the same thing when you give a loaded gun to a toddle and tie yourself to a chair. Jonathan Williams from the American Legislative Exchange Council discusses what is so wrong with this economy. (It’s the politicians.) And don’t miss Joe Rae Perkins who is trying to get one of those stupid politicians out.

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Original Air Dates: October 1st & 2nd, 2022 | Guests: Jonathan Williams & Jo Rae Perkins 

This Week – When Economics meets Politics

Imagine people who have no understanding of economics (stupid politicians) making decisions about the economy based on the advice of their donors, bureaucrats with agendas, and paid lobbyists.

It’s like being tied to a chair, watching a toddler play with a loaded pistol.

This week, we welcome back Jonathan Williams, who is the Executive Vice President of Policy and Chief Economist at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Jonathan has a terrific article on the Daily Caller (), in which he neatly walks through what’s wrong with the economy right now and then provides some easy solutions. If only the current White House resident would listen. To someone other than his donors, bureaucrats with agendas, and paid lobbyists.

Go read Jonathan’s terrific article on The Daily Caller

Special bonus. Long-time I Spy Radio listeners may remember our previous shows about “market transformation.” In essence, “market transformation is a shortcut around a market. “Market transformation” allows favored, politically aligned companies to receive grants and other funding to bypass normal market barriers to entry, such as start-up costs and marketing. This is what we are seeing right now with our economy. You can see it especially with green energy. It’s not green and it’s barely energy. But it does make democrats and their political allies and ideology a lot of money.

Vote Out the Stupid

When economics meets politics, there’s just one solution. Vote the stupid out.

Because the problem with the intersection of economics and politics is that it puts the stupid people in charge. Stupid people, like Ron Wyden. Who has been in Washington DC since the 1990s. Ron is so stupid, he has an ad running right now that says no government should have control over a woman’s body. Really Ron? What about the vaccine mandates you were pushing  just months ago.

He also has an ad complaining about forest fires. Thanks for noticing, Ron, now that it’s election time. But it’s been your policies that causes them to burn. Do nothing. Blame Global Warming when all that dry kindling catches fire. Demand taxpayer dollars for Global Warming and green energy. (There’s that market transformation.) Still to nothing. Rinse and repeat.

Send some money Jo Rae’s way at perkins.vote. She needs help getting her ads on radio and TV. $50 would buy an ad play on many radio stations; in some markets as many as five airings

Jo Rae is up against the money that pours into democrat politicians who promise to do those market transformations. And those donors are terrified they will lose their golden goose if Ron goes the way of the dodo.

Let’s make stupid extinct.

Bonus: if elected, Jo Rae promises not to vote for Mitch McConnell.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

 

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

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

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?

Show Summary: Economics is always a strange business. But like so much else of American life, the Left is corrupting the economy and using it for their own means. Especially by involving the government. And now, with the Ukraine situation, we’re seeing private businesses waging a private war against Russia — when we’re not even at war with them. Combined with what happened in Canada, is this a foreshadowing of what will happen to our economic freedoms and liberties?

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

Original Air Dates: March 5th & 6th, 2022 | Guest: Jonathan Williams

This Week

To quote Bill Clinton, “it’s all about the economy, stupid.”

We take a look at the state of the union speech, the competency of those in charge and their agendas, the economy, and also the economic policies that politicians can win on this year. Even here in Oregon. Plus, with the war in Ukraine, we’re seeing an entire new kind of warfare being waged. Economic warfare on a scale we haven’t seen in ages and in ways we’ve never seen. Private companies waging a private war against a country we’re not actually at war with. Combined with what we saw in Canada, what does this mean for our economic freedoms and liberties?

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.

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

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

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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Original Air Dates: May 15 & 16, 2021 | Jonathan Williams

This Week: Economics isn’t always exciting — unless things are blowing up. Or it’s a horse race.

We welcome back Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy of the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC has just released their 2021 Rich States, Poor States guide for 2021, an annual guide to the 50 states’ economic outlook. Talk about good, bad, and ugly. Look no further than how the states are competing with one another.

The Overall U.S. Economy & Economics

Before we narrow down to the states, we first look at the overall economy. This is a bit of a continuation of the last time Jonathan was on, when we talked about the democrats’ shift to what we call “non-reality economics.” The democrats’ plans are an explosion of taxes and spending sprees (what did we just say about exploding economics…?).

That discussion, was about the radical shift we’re seeing the democrats trying desperately to push on the U.S. Which, sadly, takes a hard left turn away from what has made America successful. It’s a fantasy land where debt has no meaning, money is infinite, and all we need to do is print money and borrow until every there’s a unicorn in every garage and a leprechaun in every pot.

But the problem democrats always run into is simple one. Reality. And there’s proof, thanks to the 50 test tubes of democracy that make up America.

Good Economies: How NOT to do it

Sometimes, to know what to do, it helps to know what not to do. And look no further than New York State, which had the worst response to covid and lost a congressional seat due to people fleeing the Empire State. And now new York will punish the people and businesses that for some reason haven’t left. Yet.

We talk with Jonathan about his terrific article in the National Review, “The Fallout from ‘Progressive’ Budgets in New York.” There has been a massive shift in who pays for things. Now, instead of New York being in debt to cover its debt, everyone else gets to go in debt to cover New York’s debts.

And that’s the direction we as a nation are headed. Where there is a fundamental shift in who pays for things: everyone is paying for everyone else. That’s socialism. Marxist ideology pushed onto America.

Socialism only survives as long as it is able to feed off the success of capitalism
– Mark Anderson

Rich States, Poor States

Why and how economies and economic policies work is sometimes beyond people’s wheelhouse. But everyone understands competition, right? Who’s best. Who’s worst. And who’s on the way up and who’s on the way down.

Oregon's economic performance 2009 - 2019. Courtesy of Rich States, Poor States
Courtesy Rich States, Poor States, 2021 Edition. (Click image for full size.)

That’s where Rich States, Poor States comes in. (You can download your own copy right here.) RSPS is a look back at the states’ economic performances over the last 10 years—of available data. This year, its’ a look at 2009–2019.

The backward-looking economic performance ranking examines how well states did. Oregon, from 2009–2019, really didn’t do too bad. This ranking looks at three variables: a state’s gross domestic product, their absolute domestic migration, and non-farm payroll.

Take a look at Oregon’s charts. And look at how well they’re correlated. As the state did better and better, culminating in 2015, people moved in (especially in 2016). Payrolls went up. And then, as Oregon’s GDP declined, there went the people. And payrolls dropped.

See? Economics isn’t too hard.

Oregon’s Economic Outlook

When it comes to Oregon’s economic outlook ranking, every year we’re like “please don’t embarrass us, please don’t embarrass us…” And then there we are. Near the bottom. Again. But it’s even worse this year.

You’ll have to tune in to hear just how bad. (Or, you could cheat and go right to Rich States Poor States to find out.) But here’s a hint. We beat even our idiot neighbor to the south in some categories. In fact, in the worst possible category. And we’re worse than New York State in some categories. You know, the one state we just mentioned. How not to run an economy.

Although at least the beat us to the bottom for the worst outlook. Hey. You gotta look for the positive right?

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

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

Links Mentioned

Did You Know…?

  • The Fed has been pumping (printing) money into the economy. But something new happened in 2020. Now, they are buying corporate bonds. This is a direct investment into select corporations. Here’s a hint. It’s not mom-and-pop shops. It’s gigantic companies that don’t need the money, but the Fed is rewarding them anyway.
  • The Fed says it is going to start buying individual corporate bonds (CNBC, June 15, 2020)
  • The Fed begins purchases of up to $250 billion in individual corporate bonds (Markets Insider, June 15, 2020)
  • Why the Fed’s new index approach to buying U.S. corporate debt ‘changes everything’ (MarketWatch, June 18, 2020)
  • Fed Makes Initial Purchases in Its First Corporate Debt Buying Program (New York Times, May 12, 2020)
  • Is the Federal Reserve Printing Money? (The Balance, May 11, 2021)
  • Why is the Fed buying up mortgages? At $40 billion per month. Is this why the housing market keeps exploding? “Understanding the Federal Reserve Balance Sheet” (Investopedia, Mar 19, 2021)

Related Links

  • The Fed Should Get Out of the Mortgage Market: Even central bankers are starting to wonder why they’re adding $40 billion of housing debt every month. (Bloomberg Opinion, May 11, 2021)
    • “Why exactly is the Fed still increasing its holdings of mortgage-backed securities by $40 billion a month when Chair Jerome Powell himself has said that “the housing sector has more than fully recovered from the downturn”?* “The Fed has gobbled up almost $2 trillion of MBS since March 2020, which is more than its total aggregate purchases in any of its previous quantitative easing episodes.”
    • At an average home mortgage price of $250,000, the fed backs the mortgage on some 8 million homes. Yikes!
  • In 2010, The Fed answers FAQs on Mortgage Backed Securities
  • What Is An Agency MBS And How Does The Federal Reserve’s Purchase Of MBS Affect Mortgage Rates? (Quicken Loans, Feb 19, 2021)
    • “A mortgage-backed security (MBS) is a pool of home loans, often packaged by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, sold on the open bond market to investors. The investors who buy the securities then receive the payback on a monthly basis when homeowners make their principal and interest payments.”
  • Difference Between Agency and Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities (The Balance, Jul 15  2020) – “Agency” simply means an dept of the federal govt, or MBS that become backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
The Democrats’ War on Economics: Tax Explosions and Spending Sprees

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

Show Summary: A radical shift is underway as democrats shove America away from reality-based economics towards an economy where normal monetary policy is abandoned, taxes are imposed on the “undesirables”, and public monies are used to reward themselves and their allies. Think it’s not possible? It’s already underway. Find out what’s coming.

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

Five Different Times, on Seven Different Stations. Listen anywhere! All stations stream live!

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

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

Mondays
After the show airs on our network of radio stations, you can listen to our podcast either here on our site or your favorite podcast platform. We are now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and more. See the full podcast list.

Original Air Dates: Apr 10th & 11th, 2021 | Carl Wilson & Jonathan Williams

This Week: When we were kids it was exciting to be handed a quarter thinking about how and where to spend it. And we learned that a quarter was wonderful, but a dollar was even better. Except maybe those lessons of having and handling money are being lost in the age of debit cards, or electronic purchases.  Because the tangible feel of money and its worth is somehow getting lost. A coin or a dollar in the hand reminds a child of its temporary nature, and once spent it’s gone—versus money “out there” in the cloud somewhere, where there’s always more of it.

Basic economics are under attack.

Non-Reality-Based Economics

As politicians supposedly grapple with debt, it is somehow made mystical in the world of zeros and ones with digital accounts. Not surprising when computer modeling and predictions take over reality. But is there a point of reckoning that will be no longer be possible to bury or ignore?  Basic economic principles would say yes.

This week, we work to uncover those economic principles that so many Left-leaning politicians wish us not to examine.  (Especially in an AOC world where if the computer doesn’t say it, then it’s not so.) It is becoming painfully obvious that those in charge of America’s economics, and raising and spending the public’s money have no grounding in basic economics or business.

Central Assessment

We start off with Carl Wilson, former Oregon state representative, and owner of KAJO, out of Grants Pass, that airs I Spy.  We discuss the new threat to local radio stations as Oregon decided to shift them into a new taxing scheme called “central assessment.”

To date, Oregon is the only state imposing this new taxing methodology on local radio stations. Instead of local counties determining their taxes, now a state central system will determine what their assessed value is.  This potentially opens the door to a punitive system that large communications operations might be able to absorb, while hurting the mom’s and pop’s segments.  Something far left democrats seem to do all too often while making policy decisions.

And don’t miss who is getting special carve-outs. Is this a backdoor way to collapse conservatives’ dominance in talk radio?

Economics 101? Or No Room for Reality?

economics doesn't matter any more. Everything is infrastructureThen we talk to Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist for American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.  He brings us up to date on the spending that Biden’s administration is zeroed in on.  We discuss what is happening with the dollar and a possible move by China to do more harm to America’s economy.

We’re only a few months into the Biden administration. But there is already a worrisome economic forecast on the horizon possibly coming our way in the next few years. We are spending trillions upon trillions, with more than $6 trillion planned just in the first 4 months. Which doesn’t even cover the “normal” government spending of $4.5 trillion per year.

Where is this coming from?

It can only come from wishful, magic money. Where it never has to be paid back.

Economics + Monetary Policy = Coming Crash?

In economics, just like in life, you ignore reality at your peril. See the links section below for some concerning videos that are warning about a potential and massive crash. Which, they claim, is all but certain. One of the most concerning is from Harry Dent. Harry Dent warns that globally, financial assets (stocks, bonds, etc.) are massively over-valued: $520 trillion which is 6.2 times global GDP of ~84 trillion. He says it normally is only about 2 times.

With so many warnings from well-respected economists and analyses, maybe it’s time to protect yourself.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

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

Links & Info

Carl Wilson (Segments 1–3)

  • Basic definition of central assessment: “The state assesses the property value of a business, rather than a local county assessing the value. The difference is the central assessment uses the company’s entire, statewide worth (even if they’re not a statewide company), including all property, equipment, brand value, and more. Even equipment decades old is lumped in—at original retail costs—rather than its current depreciated value.
  • Central assessment: A great writeup from Eric J. Kodesch: Oregon Supreme Court Finalizes DOR’s Complete Victory in Central Assessment Dispute (Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, Volume 29, Number 3, June 2019)
    • This is the kicker: “the Oregon Supreme Court agreed with the Department’s position that property is new property if it is “newly added to an account on the assessment rolls.” In other words, in addition to property purchased or constructed by the taxpayer, new property includes the decision by the Department to centrally assess property.
    • Further, the new property consisted of all of the property moved to the new account, and not just the property not previously subject to tax, such as the intangible property.”
      • In other words, its new if we say it’s new
    • This is rather alarming. It’s taxable if the govt decides it’s taxable and no pesky law designed to protect from the government can protect you
  • Oregon Supreme Court Provides Definition of “Data Transmission Services” for Central Assessment Purposes (Stoel Rives, LLP, Oct 2, 2014)
    • “As in most states, central assessment” (or “state assessment”) generally means that the value of taxable property is determined “centrally” by the state’s Department of Revenue rather than by the local county assessor.
    • In Oregon, however, a major additional consequence of central assessment is that intangible property of a centrally assessed business is subject to tax, while the intangible property of a locally assessed business is not.
    • Furthermore, central assessment is based on the value of the taxable “unit” of property, as allocated and apportioned to Oregon taxing jurisdictions by formula. For these reasons, central assessment can, at least in theory, use the entire worldwide brand value of a business, including goodwill, as its starting point, as well as all of its real and tangible personal property.”

The bill to exempt radio stations from this onerous tax scheme is HB2331

Jonathan Williams (Segments 4–6)

Additional Economics and Financial Links

  • Worrisome: Harry Dent: Stock Market 40% Crash in April, Nothing Can Save You (YouTube, Feb 8, 2021). “A 40% correction is coming for the stock market, this according to Harry Dent, New York Times best-selling author of Zero Hour. ‘The Fed is losing absolute control’.”
  • Monetary Policy in Action — Prices of Everything Is Going UP – Value of Everything Is Going DOWN (Peter Schiff on Tucker Carlson, Apr 5, 2021)
  • Retail Apocalypse: $100 Billion In Losses Trigger New Wave Of Bankruptcies & Mass Store Closures (Epic Economist, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • About that “hot” housing market. It may no be what it appears… Krystal Ball: The Next Housing CRISIS Is Here And The Villains Are Exactly Who You’d Expect (The Hill, Apr 6, 2021)
  • Peter Schiff: People Don’t Know What’s Coming (Mar 27th, 2021)
  • Peter Schiff: Fed is trapped. It will either Bankrupt the Government or the American People (Link)
  • Luxury Stores Default ($200M in Rent) Along Manhattan’s 5th Ave (John Williams, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • Foreclosures BANNED until 2022?! (John Williams, YouTube, Apr 7, 2021)
  • Bank Meltdown Is Here! Commercial & Household Debt Lead To Worst Bank Apocalypse In All U.S. History (Epic Economist, Apr 2, 2021)
Corona Virus Bailout Rescue Plan | Will We Avoid Economic Disaster?

Corona Virus Bailout Rescue Plan | Will We Avoid Economic Disaster?

Show Summary: Congress passed its Corona Virus bailout rescue bill. Will it be enough to avoid economic disaster? What’s next for all those states (like Oregon) that decided to shut down all those businesses? Plus, a little left wing myth busting.

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: March 28 & 29, 2020 | Jonathan Williams

This Week: It’s dicey in the US, no two ways to about it. And it’s hard to know what or whom to trust. Like recent reports came to light that the small group scientists behind the much-vaunted study—that the White House and governments all around the world relied on to make drastic, economy-altering decisions that they did—may have drastically overstated the numbers.

Corona Virus Numbers: Were they Way off?

British scientist Neil Ferguson, using a computer model, had predicted 2.2 million Americans and more than half a million Brits would be killed. Now he and his team are backtracking on their modeling numbers.

During testimony to the U.K’s parliament, he now predicts U.K. deaths from the disease will not exceed 20,000, and could be much lower. That means, their initial estimates were 25 times higher than they should have been.

This comes as Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, reportedly said the administration was particularly focused on his report.  The doctor now has walked back those predictions and clearly stated that the actual numbers of those infected by the virus do not match the computer models (because they’re much lower).

Corona Virus Bailout Passes

The economic and public health policies we’re seeing enacted now have been based recommendations from advisers who used those overstated numbers, which has shut the American economy down.

Did Donald Trump just use the Corona Virus Bailout to gain control of The Fed…? Check this out from Yahoo News

As the stocks tanked, Trump has pushed back with a stimulus package to get cash into the hands of American workers who have been laid off. Or have lost their jobs.  Small businesses will have loans and grants available to keep them afloat as Trump pushes to get new policies in place for Americans to go back to work.

Corona Virus Bailout: Did they Get it (Mostly) Right?

But will the Corona virus bailout bill work? To get Americans – and America – back to work?

We welcome back Chief Economist for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Jonathan Williams, to analyze what’s been happening, and what’s likely to happen.

Read Jonathan’s Op-Ed in The Hill that he mentioned on the show – “A Free-Market Approach to Reviving the Economy Amid COVID-19 Distress

Jonathan—who, like ALEC, believes in smaller government and fewer regulations—walks us through the details and impacts of this massive aid package. You’ll come away with a broader understanding of what’s happening, why smaller government consistently works, and, we hope, we’ll soothe some nerves and calm some fear.  We discuss what the package will be doing, what it could do, and also some problems still on the horizon, especially for states that may have hastily sold their economic souls based on bad numbers.

Another very full show—including some myth busting of Leftist anti-business policies that you won’t want to miss.

Check it Out! President Trump Posts Inspiring Corona Virus Video: “Hope”

Podcast Version

Links Mentioned

  • Jonathan Williams’ organization is the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC. Their website is alec.org and Jonathan Williams’ websites:  www.alec.org &  www.RichStatesPoorStates.org
  • Creative Policy Ideas to Address COVID-19 (via ALEC)
  • Definition of a recession (via Investopedia)
  • Remember when: “Oregon lawmakers weigh odds of a recession, as reserves grow” (Oregonian, Jan 2019)
  • More on the “wisdom of the crowd” – Lorenz, J., Rauhut, H., Schweitzer, F., & Helbing, D. (2011). How social influence can undermine the wisdom of crowd effect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(22), 9020–9025.
  • The Scientist Whose Doomsday Pandemic Model Predicted Armageddon Just Walked Back The Apocalyptic Predictions (The Federalist, Mar. 26, 2020)
  • Not mentioned but here’s a breakdown of the spending bill: “Here’s a breakdown of the $2T coronavirus bailout” (NY Post, March 27, 2020)

Related Links

Disinformation in Action: Recognize it, Fight it

Disinformation in Action: Recognize it, Fight it

Show Summary: Part II of our Disinformation mini-series. Recognizing disinformation, and how disinformation is used to push policies, not just attack people

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: Oct. 12 & 13, 2019 | Ron Rychlak & Jonathan Williams

This week: We continue our discussion with Ron Rychlak, co-author of Disinformation. We’ll talk with him about one of the greatest tools to defeat a disinformation campaign: recognizing it. As we said last week, plots hatched in darkness die in sunlight.

Disinformation in Action

We’ll start by discussing the current disinformation campaign: the latest attack on Donald Trump to ‘re-frame” him as a traitor to his country rather than what he is, a patriot fighting the corruption that runs so deep in our own government.

But people who are about to be exposed are going to fight back. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing now. But the question is, who is running this?

Be sure to tune in to hear the telltale signs of a disinformation campaign as we’re seeing right now. And don’t miss our discussion with Ron about fighting back against disinformation.

You’ll come away with some tools of your own to recognize it. And in the case of disinformation, knowledge truly is power.

Disinformation by Ron Rychlak book coverBe sure to check out Ron’s terrific book. It is truly an eye-opener about what is happening today as this Soviet-era propaganda tool is still being used today — right here in America

After we speak with Ron, we switch gears a bit to discuss how disinformation isn’t just about attacking and re-framing political or other high-profile targets. It can also be used to push policy.

Applied Disinformation

When it comes to policy, there’s probably no greater example of applied disinformation than Climate Change. Why? Because it’s based on falsehood that’s not easily disproved. But wait, there’s more.

We talk with Jonathan Williams, the chief economist at ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. First, we start with some typical disinformation when it comes to economics. For example, economic policies that sound like they should be true but aren’t. Like “if we raise taxes, the state will get more money.”

Global Warming: the Biggest Disinformation Campaign of All Time

Climate Change, formerly “global warming,” formerly “global cooling,” is a prime example of a hoax masquerading, through the tools of disinformation, as a legitimate science. With the tools from our first guest, you’ll recognize how and why it’s all a giant disinformation campaign.

But you’ll also hear how this disinformation becomes the basis of damaging economic policy. Like California not touching the forests (that are now burning) and pushing through “green energy” instead of common-sense energy programs. And you’ll hear how it violates common economic principles via government control.

Government control is only a good thing when it’s about controlling government.

Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—the podcast version will be right here after the show airs.

Links Mentioned

  • Ron’s book, Disinformation can be found on our store page or just head straight to Amazon.
  • The American Legislative Exchange Council is one of the best organizations out there for sound economic policies. Their website can be found at ALEC.org
  • Jonathan Williams is the co-author of the annual report, Rich States, Poor States. How is your state doing?

Related Links