It would require leaders from both parties to speak the truth about the issue, but they refuse to. Much easier to just stoke anger and grievance about culture-war stuff.
>>What makes you think leaders from either party know the truth about this issue?
Because they have direct access to the CBO, and some of the most respected economic think tanks in the world. It's no secret how screwed our country is.
>>Not following; I haven't the first clue what culture wars have to do with the debt.
Today's political office holders, at least at the federal level, don't stay in office by keeping their heads low and producing legislative results. They stay in office by going on cable-news and rhetorically playing up to people's cultural fears and grievances, most of which have no legislative solution.
1. You might be happy to know I do not watch Netflix.
2. Your introductions of speakers are always thought out & useful.
3. Your head nodding interviewing style, without interruptions are terrific.
4. Inserting your thoughts only at natural breaks is a great technique, bravo!
5. I question the speaker Brian Riedl's automatic notion that Tariffs = Inflation. Most tariffs never even get exercised, the conditions usually get negotiated away. And the tariffs $ help fund government spending. Tariffs funded US government spending until WWI.
6. Good info: 1) Ukraine $58B/year, less than 1% of spending. A rounding error to US spending. 2) Getting old US munitions out, buying new munitions that are American made is good. 3) supporting Ukraine has saved tons of US/NATO spending across much of Eastern Europe, if Russia pulled off their 3 week plan. Agreed tying Putin down in a stalemate and ruining the Russian military readiness through attrition, without any American deaths is a very good thing.
You ought to take him up on his offer and also have a knowledgeable, nonpolitician skeptic on to have a civil, give-and-take discussion as to whether his measures, if implemented, will work (numbers crunching, unwanted side-effects, etc.) and whether there is a less burdensome alternative. Your ripples may not have much of a reach, but it would be enlightening.
Thank you John and Brian for thr honest report. If you can get half the proposals in this report accomplished, we stand a chance. Otherwise it's Hooverville for us all!
Wrt the national debt, there is one question I would have asked Mr Riedl before all others - how can we get enough voters to care?
It would require leaders from both parties to speak the truth about the issue, but they refuse to. Much easier to just stoke anger and grievance about culture-war stuff.
// It would require leaders from both parties to speak the truth about the issue
What makes you think leaders from either party know the truth about this issue? Economic literacy is not exactly in high supply there.
// Much easier to just stoke anger and grievance about culture-war stuff.
Not following; I haven't the first clue what culture wars have to do with the debt.
>>What makes you think leaders from either party know the truth about this issue?
Because they have direct access to the CBO, and some of the most respected economic think tanks in the world. It's no secret how screwed our country is.
>>Not following; I haven't the first clue what culture wars have to do with the debt.
Today's political office holders, at least at the federal level, don't stay in office by keeping their heads low and producing legislative results. They stay in office by going on cable-news and rhetorically playing up to people's cultural fears and grievances, most of which have no legislative solution.
1. You might be happy to know I do not watch Netflix.
2. Your introductions of speakers are always thought out & useful.
3. Your head nodding interviewing style, without interruptions are terrific.
4. Inserting your thoughts only at natural breaks is a great technique, bravo!
5. I question the speaker Brian Riedl's automatic notion that Tariffs = Inflation. Most tariffs never even get exercised, the conditions usually get negotiated away. And the tariffs $ help fund government spending. Tariffs funded US government spending until WWI.
6. Good info: 1) Ukraine $58B/year, less than 1% of spending. A rounding error to US spending. 2) Getting old US munitions out, buying new munitions that are American made is good. 3) supporting Ukraine has saved tons of US/NATO spending across much of Eastern Europe, if Russia pulled off their 3 week plan. Agreed tying Putin down in a stalemate and ruining the Russian military readiness through attrition, without any American deaths is a very good thing.
Great interview, thank you! BR
Bob Ricketts Aliso Viejo CA
I wish you would have asked him to outline his 40-point plan or at least to provide us with a link.
Here you go: https://thedispatch.com/article/how-to-truly-fix-the-federal-debt/
It's a good starting point for rigorous discussion. Maybe you should to get the guy back on to discuss it.
If implemented, the plan might cause Bill O'Reilly to move to Ireland as he's been threatening. :)
He said he'd be happy to come back on any time.
You ought to take him up on his offer and also have a knowledgeable, nonpolitician skeptic on to have a civil, give-and-take discussion as to whether his measures, if implemented, will work (numbers crunching, unwanted side-effects, etc.) and whether there is a less burdensome alternative. Your ripples may not have much of a reach, but it would be enlightening.
FANTASTIC! I want to rage Brian Riedl's 40 pt purposal to reduce the Natl Debt!
Here you go: https://thedispatch.com/article/how-to-truly-fix-the-federal-debt/
Thank you John and Brian for thr honest report. If you can get half the proposals in this report accomplished, we stand a chance. Otherwise it's Hooverville for us all!