DOES CAPITALISM ALWAYS MEAN FREEDOM? We sort of take it for granted that capitalism and freedom go hand in hand. The reality is that autocratic capitalist societies are on the rise and making strong gains. What does this mean for free societies like ours? I've got a guest today who wrote a column that got me thinking so Frederick Kempe, President of the Atlantic Council is on at 2 to discuss it. Find the story that got me thinking here.
HAS TOURISM JUMPED THE SHARK? It has in some places where tourism has become a nuisance for formerly quaint and delightful cities. Gobs of tourists popping in for the perfect selfie while not putting any money into the communities has worn out their welcome in some famous destinations and they are beginning to fight back.
I'LL BE OVER HERE WAITING FOR MY APOLOGY From the Trump supporters who told me that he would take on the debt. In a bipartisan spending deal (isn't it amazing that everyone in DC hates everybody else unless they want to agree on busting the budget) has blown up the debt ceiling...again...and there is no sign of it slowing down. I was told REPEATEDLY during the campaign that Trump was going to be a deficit hawk, even though he never said ANYTHING of the sort during the campaign. Rumor has it that he is telling aides that he is going to ask for big spending decreases in his next term but I'll believe it when I see it. I will take your apologies between 1 and 4 on the radio.
NO, IT'S NOT OKAY TO SAY A MEMBER OF CONGRESS SHOULD BE SHOT, NO MATTER HOW WRONG YOU THINK SHE IS And now two Louisiana policeman have been canned for saying just that. Well one said that AOC should be shot on Facebook and another cop "like"d it and they both got fired very quickly for violating their departments social media policy. Idiots.
DANG IT, METH GATORS AREN'T REAL And I'm oddly disappointed now that I know the cops in Tennessee who told people not to flush their meth were just making it up. I do feel like there could be an epic horror movie made out of this concept though.
COLORADO LOVES HICK EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE DOES John Hickenlooper leads the fundraising for the state of Colorado with $1.5 million in donations in Colorado in the first two quarters of this year. Which is super sad when you consider that's almost HALF of his total fundraising donations in the same period. For a state that is supposedly solidly blue Trump did okay and picked up a cool $1.1 million in the same period. What's super interesting to me about this story from the Colorado Sun is this bit here:
At the moment, Colorado is mostly an ATM state, one valued for its money, as candidates focus on Iowa, New Hampshire and other early voting states. Vice President Mike Pence visited Colorado on Monday for multiple fundraisers to benefit Republican candidates.
Only five Democratic presidential candidates — not counting Hickenlooper and Bennet — have visited Colorado for announced events, most of them fundraisers. The state’s Democratic primary is scheduled for March 3. That’s Super Tuesday, when more than a dozen states will cast ballots. So far most of the party’s candidates are not organizing support in Colorado.
Got that? We don't have a primary early so we really don't matter and no one is coming here. Tell me what would happen during the General Election if we already promised to cast our Electoral College votes for the "winner" of the so-called "National Popular Vote"? Do you think we'd get ONE visit? Nope.
AND NOW SOME GEORGIAN FOLK DANCING TO MAKE YOU REALIZE HOW OUT OF SHAPE YOU ARE
HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 A HOUR And spoiler alert, it's not good news.
HOLD UP MARVEL, YOU'RE NOT THE HIGHEST GROSSING OF ALL TIME A big to-do was made of the new Marvel movie taking the top spot as highest grossest film of all time BUT HOLD THE PHONE that's not adjusted for inflation. Here is the list of the top REAL top ten.
IF HOT SAUCE MEANS DEMENTIA I'M DONE FOR And according this (obviously very flawed) study (because it tells me something I don't want to hear) a spicy diet has been linked to dementia.
SIR, THIS IS A SIGN YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO The best piece of advice I ever got was "when someone shows you who they are, pay attention". Someone needs to tell this dude that right away.
THAT ASPIRIN YOU TAKE EVERY DAY? YOU SHOULD PROBABLY STOP THAT. Check with your doctor first of course, but new data says the aspirin daily thing has now been found to be potentially HARMFUL for otherwise healthy people who don't have heart disease already.
THIS IS AS GOOD A THEORY AS ANY AS TO WHY IRAN IS ACTING UP I've asked the question multiple times now. What the actual h-e-double toothpicks is Iran trying to pull? This editorial from the National Review team is as good a theory as you'll find.
HAVE YOU MADE SOME MONEY IN YOUR LIFE? YOU DIDN'T EARN THAT. At least according to Rep. Rashida Talib who is spreading her hateful and divisive message at the NAACP in Detroit. I bet there were some wealthy black people there who were surprised to find out they didn't earn their wealth too.
WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE HOW CANDIDATES SQUANDER YOUR DONATIONS As candidates spend a ton of time asking people like you and me for money, you'd think they'd be SUPER careful about how they spend it, right? Not so much. Check out who spent over 12 grand on paella. That's a delicious rice dish from Spain, fyi.