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How is she voting?

Taylor Swift broke her political silence and endorsed someone for the US Senate. Could this backfire on the candidate? Does she know he would have supported Kavanaugh for Supreme Court? Do you care?

The world passed a tipping point recently. No, not on climate change. I’m talking about the percentage of the world population that is middle class or better off. This is good news courtesy of…well, can you guess which economic system?

Mentioned links:

SHAKE IT OFF: Taylor Swift Gets Political — But Endorses Democrat Who SUPPORTED Kavanaugh

A global tipping point: Half the world is now middle class or wealthier

Bono: “Capitalism takes more people out of poverty than aid”

Nearly half of Democrats, a quarter of Republican millennials identify as socialists

Brett Kavanaugh makes Supreme Court history. Then CNN political analyst accuses him of ‘pandering.’

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Reconsider this, Martin Shkreli

In a “Reconsider This” segment, I give you an update on the case of Martin Shkreli, the guy who bought the rights to Daraprim and then jacked up the price. What’s happened to him lately?

And Vic from Memphis calls the voicemail feedback hotline! In response to my despondency over the thought that ObamaCare is forever, he tries to life my spirits. Let’s see how well he does, or even if my spirits can be lifted.

Mentioned links:

Martin Shkreli sentenced to 7 years in prison

Martin Shkreli Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Fraud

Episode 123: A Win For the Free Market, and a (Sort Of) Win For Religious Freedom

The GOP Tax Bill Repeals Obamacare’s Individual Mandate. Here’s What That Means for You

House GOP bill repeals ObamaCare taxes — with one exception

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The economics of FirstNet

While I highlight your feedback to me on this show, this time I’m highlighting my feedback to another podcast.

This is my feedback to an episode of Congressional Dish, hosted by Jennifer Briney. Jennifer does the work of finding out what bills are going through Congress and brings you the “in a nutshell” versions of them to you, so you can find out what they’re doing for you, or to you. Her recent episode was about a project called FirstNet, a program designed to create a new nationwide wireless network just for first responders, so they aren’t blocked during emergencies because of everyone using their phones to find out if loved ones are OK.

This project was started in the wake of 9/11, and may come to fruition soon. She was glad to hear this was happening, but was concerned over the corruption that was part of the beginning of this process, and that the for-profit corporation AT&T was getting the contract, because, as she put it, AT&T puts profit first, and customers (in this case first responders) down on the list.

This is my response, mostly to the economic aspects of her concern, and how the free market has not been allowed to work properly, and the result is that we’re in monopolistic mess. I greatly encourage you to listen to her episode for the context of this feedback, and subscribe to her podcast.

(Jennifer never guarantees that she’ll use feedback that she gets in her show, and this bit of audio is 7 minutes 38 seconds, quite an imposition to her and her audience. So if she doesn’t use it, I’d absolutely understand.

Also, below is an extended transcript, more than what I said in my audio feedback. I got on a roll and couldn’t stop writing. I pared it back for the audio feedback, but this is everything I wanted to say.)

Mentioned links:

Congressional Dish, episode 155: FirstNet Empowers AT&T

Why Can’t The Market for Medical Care Work Like Cosmetic Surgery?

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Drivers for the car-for-hire service Uber may not be so happy with the company. But the good news is that the free market, unencumbered by most government regulation, gives them both job mobility and income mobility. Why would some people want to stifle this?

Religious liberty is being eroded in this country, and if that goes, how much of the rest of the Bill of Rights is really secure? Talk show host Erick Erickson makes the case in his new book, “You Will Be Made to Care”. If you pre-order before February 22nd, you will get access to many other books, as well as interviews with people on the topic of religious freedom. This time, I except an interview of Christian author and apologist Ravi Zacharias. Bill Blankshaen asks Ravi about a rather large contradiction in how the Left deals with sexual orientation and gender. Are you born this way, or not?

Mentioned links:

Book website for “You Will Be Made to Care”

Uber drivers say that driving for Uber kind of sucks

Why taxi medallions cost $1 million

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Enjoy it

How do we cut the price of a pill from $13.50 to $1? By letting a corporation raise the price to $750 and letting the free market work its magic.

There was a recent win for religious freedom, but it seems to depend on what religion you are. But a win is a win, and hopefully others can point to it as a precedent.

Mentioned links:

Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Who Jacked Up Price of Drug by 5,000 Percent Gets Lesson in Free-Market Capitalism

Muslim Truck Drivers Who Refused To Haul Alcohol Awarded $240,000 In Religious Discrimination Suit

Obama admin helps Muslims win big religious liberty lawsuit; why not Christian bakers?

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Dealing with the fallout, Dan Price

I came across an article that described one man’s transition to pro-choice, and I have to say, it’s persuasive. Let’s take a listen to his reasons, and see if you are convinced.

(And then let’s all exhale. You’ll understand when you listen to the episode.)

Dan Price of Gravity Payments set a minimum wage of $70K/year and dropped his pay to that level. He was hailed as a hero 4 months ago, before any fallout from the change had even occurred. Well, some things have fallen out, so let’s revisit Dan and see how his decision has played out.

Mentioned links:

10 reasons why I’ve decided to become pro-choice.

3 Week Mark: Nets Spend 92 Minutes on Cecil the Lion; 20 Minutes on Abortion Videos

A Company Copes With Backlash Against the Raise That Roared

Why A $70,000 Minimum Salary Isn’t Enough For Gravity Payments

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Dan Price of Gravity Payments

CEO Dan Price of Gravity Payments decided to raise the wages of all his employees to a minimum of $70,000, while reducing his almost-$1 million salary down to that same $70,000. The Left love it, the Right hated it. But we don’t know how it will turn out, so it’s too early to celebrate. And if this little microcosm of what some have called “socialism” fails, will we even know? It’s being done in an economy of capitalism all around it, which could mask any problems.

Mr. Price said, “As much as I’m a capitalist, there is nothing in the market that is making me do it.” But let’s take a look at his motivations and his actions, and it doesn’t sound like he understands the meaning of the terms “capitalism” or “market”. Which is not good news for people, like his employees, who are depending on his economic decisions.

Mentioned links:

Seattle boss raises entire company’s minimum wage to $70,000

$70,000 promise brings flood of new clients and job applicants

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Who really killed the traditional bulb, and why?

The traditional, incandescent light bulb is going extinct this year. Environmentalists touted the fact that even the light bulb industry wanted to get rid of them. Yeah, well of course they did. Listen in to find out how this further cemented their hold on the market, using the environmentalists as useful idiots, and the government as their tool.

It has been said that voter ID laws are a solution looking for a problem, that voter fraud is so rare that it’s not worth the effort. Well, the Bureau of Investigations in New York City would take issue with that. They found fraud to be simple (with a 97% success rate) and undetectable. I detail how they did it, and how the government’s Board of Elections sprang into action to stop this. (OK, just kidding about that last part.)

Mentioned links:

Industry, not environmentalists, killed traditional light bulbs

Voter fraud: We’ve got proof it’s easy

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Today, Detroit. Tomorrow, New York?

I’m back from vacation, and it’s time to get back into conservative commentary, all in 10 minutes or less.

Bill de Blasio was recently elected as the mayor of New York City. De Blasio is a liberal Democrat, as opposed to the liberal Republican Michael Bloomberg, who just left the post. He promises to bring liberal policies to New York. Well, more liberal than Bloomberg, I guess. But is this a good idea for the city? The NY Times thinks so. Detroit, however, might not.

And speaking of Detroit, is it fair to blame Democrats for the downfall of that formerly fair city? I mean, 50 years is hardly enough time for government policy to affect the economy, right?

What poverty program did the most good, dropping the rate 80% in less that 40 years? And why haven’t you heard about this success story?

Mentioned links:

De Blasio Draws All Liberal Eyes to New York City

The greatest achievement in human history, and you never hear about it

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A very high-profile supporter of foreign aid to Africa has had his mind turned around upon learning what capitalism has done for the continent. Aid is a stop-gap measure, not a cure. See if you can figure out who it is before I spill the beans.

The anti-war movement has had its resolve tested by being given virtually identical scenarios about war-making; one with a Republican President and one with a Democrat. The outcry should be the same, if the stance they take is on principle rather than on politics. Listen in to see how they measure up.

Mentioned links:

“Capitalism takes more people out of poverty than aid”

George N. N. Ayittey

“Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future”

Syria: Dozens protest outside White House

Where have all the flowers gone

Bozell Column: The Vanishing Anti-War Left

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