TruPolitics

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 23: The Debt Ceiling Battle

mattbenchener — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:02:25 +0000

The 23rd TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 23 covers the debt ceiling battle from many viewpoints, including how we got here, the merits of each plan being offered, and where to go next. To listen to the best version of the podcast, go to iTunes, search “TruPolitics,” and hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 23: The Debt Ceiling Battle

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 22: Debt Ceiling Debate; Liberal vs. Conservative Economic Thinking; and The Lesson of Greece

mattbenchener — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:01:59 +0000

The 22nd TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 22 covers the debt ceiling debate; liberal versus conservative economic thinking; and the lessons of Greece for the United States. To listen to the best version of the podcast, go to iTunes, search “TruPolitics,” and hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 22: Debt Ceiling Debate; Liberal vs. Conservative Economic Thinking; and The Lesson of Greece

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 21: New Economic Numbers; Slow Growth and Liberal Policy; and Texas as Proof of Conservative Success.

mattbenchener — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 01:45:09 +0000

The 21st TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 21 discusses the newly released economic numbers; slow growth and its relationship to liberal policy; and the success of Texas in creating jobs through conservative principles. Download the podcast directly through iTunes for the best sound quality. Search “TruPolitics” in iTunes and then hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 21: New Economic Numbers; Slow Growth and Liberal Policy; and Texas as Proof of Conservative Success

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 20: Osama bin Laden’s Death; 2012 GOP Candidates; and The Debt Ceiling

mattbenchener — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:03:06 +0000

The 20th TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 20 covers the death of Osama bin Laden and its implications for future policy; the 2012 Republican Presidential field; and the debt ceiling debate. Download the podcast directly through iTunes for the best sound quality. Search “TruPolitics” in iTunes and then hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 20: Osama bin Laden; 2012 GOP Field; Debt Ceiling

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 19: Pres. Obama’s Budget Plan; Inflation and Rising Gas Prices; Donald Trump

mattbenchener — Mon, 02 May 2011 02:06:06 +0000

The 19th TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 19 discusses new research on President Obama’s budget plan; inflation and rising gas and food prices; and Donald Trump’s early Presidential prospects. Download the podcast directly through iTunes for the best sound quality. Search “TruPolitics” in iTunes and then hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 19: Pres. Obama’s Budget Plan; Inflation and Rising Gas Prices; Donald Trump

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 18: The 2011 Budget Deal; Paul Ryan’s 2012 budget vs. Pres. Obama’s

mattbenchener — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:13:11 +0000

The 18th TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 18 discusses the 2011 budget deal and near government shutdown; and Paul Ryan’s 2012 Budget vs. President Obama’s vision for America laid out in his recent response speech. Download the podcast directly through iTunes for the best sound quality. Search “TruPolitics” in iTunes and then hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 18: 2011 Budget Deal; Paul Ryan vs. President Obama

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 17: The budget battle and gov. shutdown; Taxing the rich; and Pres. Obama’s Libya Speech

mattbenchener — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 01:01:11 +0000

The 17th TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 17 discusses the federal budget battle and a possible government shutdown; the volatility and injustice in taxing the “rich”; and President Obama’s speech on Libya. For the best sound quality, download the podcast directly through iTunes by searching “TruPolitics” and clicking “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 17: Federal budget battle and gov. shutdown; Issues with taxing the rich; Pres. Obama’s Libya Speech

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 16: Pres. Obama’s Int’l Policy and Libya; Federal Waste; NPR and PBS

mattbenchener — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:27:20 +0000

The 16th TruPolitics Podcast. Episode 16 covers the Obama Administration’s foreign policy and its response to Libya; Federal government waste revealed in the GAO study; Proposed high-speed rail system; and the funding of NPR and PBS. Subscribe through iTunes for the best sound quality–search “TruPolitics” in iTunes and hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 16: Pres. Obama’s Int’l Policy and Libya; Fed. Government Waste; NPR and PBS

Drill Here, Drill Now

mattbenchener — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:07:11 +0000

This post was written by Edward Mahee. Writing under a pen name, Mr. Mahee is a legal expert and political analyst.

The recent turmoil in the Middle East has given rise to all manner of speculation concerning the future of that region. With the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, as well as uprisings in Iran, Bahrain, Yemen and Jordan, and with rumblings in Saudi Arabia, the world watches with a mixture of awe, hope and apprehension. But nowhere is there more immediate concern than in Libya, where Moammar Gaddafi is facing the prospect of the end of his four-decade dictatorship.

While much of the impact of these uprisings in the Middle East remains unclear, one effect is already being felt: In the last ten days, the price of oil has risen from $87/barrel to over $100/barrel. With the price of crude oil likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future, higher gasoline, energy, and transportation prices are taking hold. As the economy continues to struggle, even the most modest increase in the price of energy can have a huge impact, and risks driving the economy back into recession.

Few people realize how dependent we are on oil and its distillates. Every person who drives to work, buys food at a super market, or ships anything, in one way or another pays for it through the price of oil. Without oil, much economic activity would grind to a halt.

It is therefore striking that Americans tolerate a system where so much of our livelihood is dependent on oil, when so much of that oil comes from places that are unfriendly to the United States and/or extremely unstable. While the majority of oil consumed by Americans comes from domestic sources, Canada, or Latin America, the interruption of the production of oil anywhere affects the price everywhere since oil is priced on commodity exchanges. It is basic supply and demand.

There are thus two ways to reduce oil’s price – increase supply or decrease demand. Since the 1970s, when President Carter’s advice to the American people was to wear sweaters in response to an oil crisis, we have been encouraged to reduce our demand for energy. Fine. But to keep the economy moving, we need to move things, and to move things we need oil. At some point, we can only reduce demand so much.

It’s time for the American people to seriously consider increasing the total supply of oil by easing restrictions on drilling, oil shale production and other methods of oil production and distillation. This will bring jobs, secure our energy supply, and bring the price of oil down over time. While some get upset over the prospect of increasing domestic oil production, we must face the facts: Short of a major technological breakthrough, American productivity will demand oil. Meaningfully curbing oil demand is difficult, if not impossible—we now must embrace the other side of the equation. As the debate is brought home to struggling Americans paying close to $4 per gallon and facing rising food prices, it is time we take a sober look at supply.

-Edward Mahee for TruPolitics.net

TruPolitics Podcast Episode 15: President Obama’s Budget; Wisconsin, Scott Walker, and Unions

mattbenchener — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:15:23 +0000

The 15th TruPolitics podcast. Episode 15 covers President Obama’s recently released budget; and Scott Walker’s showdown with public sector unions in Wisconsin. Download and subscribe directly through iTunes for the best sound quality. Search “TruPolitics” in iTunes and hit “Subscribe.”

TruPolitics Podcast 15: Pres. Obama’s Budget; Scott Walker, Wisconsin, and Unions