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The FreedomCast - Episode 37 - Engaging the Culture and Hey Girl It's Paul Ryan

05/21/2013

Today on the FreedomCast, writer and comedian Emily Zanotti joins me to discuss the importance of engaging the pop culture, why conservatives need to loosen up a bit and how she made economics sexy with "Hey Girl It's Paul Ryan."

Hey Girl It's Paul Ryan

Have a suggestion for an upcoming FreedomCast episode, or a comment? Send it to me on twitter @KristinaRibali.

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Follow today's guest @emzanotti on twitter.

Our podcast is fabulously produced by @BradWJackson.

Tags podcast, hey girl it's paul ryan, economics, culture, comedy

Robert Reich And The Backwards Liberal Thinking On Income And Opportunity

http://www.freedomworks.org/content/robert-reich-and-backwards-liberal-thinking-income-and-opportunity?social=facebook_share

Circling the wagons.

If you ever wonder what's fueling America's staggering inequality, ponder Facebook's acquisition of the mobile messaging company WhatsApp .

According to news reports today, Facebook has agreed to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion.

That's the highest price paid for a startup in history. It's $3 billion more than Facebook raised when it was first listed, and more than twice what Microsoft paid for Skype.

(To be precise, $12 billion of the $19 billion will be in the form of shares in Facebook, $4 billion will be in cash, and $3 billion in restricted stock to WhatsApp staff, which will vest in four years.)

Given that gargantuan amount, you might think WhatsApp is a big company. You'd be wrong. It has 55 employees, including its two young founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton.

The first sentence shows a stunning level of disconnect. This isn't surprising from Reich, of course. He was always one of the more ideologically rooted of the Clintonistas.

The story of WhatsApp and its sale to Facebook is yet another tale of the wondrous opportunities being provided for Americans in the Digital Age.

We don't even need to go in depth with the obvious example of Mark Zuckerberg becoming a billionaire before he was old enough to get a price break from a car rental company. Heck, we can even ignore the food stamps-to-riches story of one of WhatsApp's founders. The story of its employees is heartwarming enough. The ones who joined the company early are now set to earn $160 million.

So what does Robert Reich see when he surveys this story about a young American billionaire minting two new billionaires and 55 or so new millionaires from an American company in one day?

"...staggering inequality"

This is illustrative of the progressive view of almost anything having to do with money- they only see the result and are blind to the process(es) leading to it.

Which is why they are always trying to force their will upon results.

Reich spends time lamenting the landscape and new rules of "the emerging economy," but precious little thought is given to adaptation. None is given to the celebration of possibilities. Instead, it's all just one long set-up for the tired and predictable progressive solution to everything (emphasis mine):

Unless we figure out how to bring all of them back into line -- or spread the gains more widely

The world is changing at a dizzying pace now. The laughably misnamed liberals and progressives in this country are firmly entrenched in an early 20th Century view of industrial America when discussing economics and labor relations. It is such an antiquated look at things that one could almost say their thinking is black and white.

Which then leads to another disussion entirely...

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Robert Reich And The Backwards Liberal Thinking On Income And Opportunity

BY Stephen Kruiser

Circling the wagons.

02/21/2014

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FreedomCast - National School Choice Week 2014 with Andrew Campanella

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, Andrew Campanella joins me to discuss National School Choice Week, some of the myths and misgivings about school choice and why every conversation about education reform should begin in the living room or at the kitchen table.

12/19/2013

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FreedomCast - Millennials Abandoning Obama and Democrats Running for Reelection Abandoning ObamaCare

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, Jim Geraghty joins me to discuss the sudden abandonment of health care reform by Democrats running for reelection, security breaches and more delays for ObamaCare and why millennials are suddenly fleeing the president they helped elect twi

12/04/2013

Cherish Thanksgiving, Don't Cheapen It

http://www.freedomworks.org/content/cherish-thanksgiving-dont-cheapen-it?social=facebook_share

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

I've been asked if I will venture out today and visit the stores for the "amazing deals". While I love a good deal, and the chance for retailers to make a buck as much as any capitalist does, of course I won't be shopping today. Not today. I will do no such thing.

In fact, allow me to impart a bit of breaking news for those that already have a shopping plan devised: there's a sale every day of the year!
Yes. That's right. If you sign up for store emails you can buy stuff on sale at deeply reduced prices every day of the year. Perhaps you're detecting a bit of snarky annoyance emanating from these typed words. Do not deny your senses, it's there.
I do not like the idea of taking this very important holiday, (set aside to give thanks for what we have) and allowing it to become a shopping bacchanal focused on what we think we need.
THANKSGIVING, a day formerly deemed a universal holiday, (read day off from work) is a day to be with family, to make memories, to be grateful because we have so much. When did we allow it to become about getting more stuff? Young children used to spend the day helping out in the kitchen or playing with their cousins, not venturing out before the dishes are even washed to snag the best deal on an Xbox.
I beg of you to skip this cheapening of our cultural norms. If it's poorly attended, retailers will give up on it. Supply and demand. If you don't demand it, retailers simply won't open their doors until the day after. Will their sales suffer? No, and neither will their employees. There will be plenty of days between now and Christmas to work long hours. We've been reserving this day for families for over a hundred years and employees and retailers haven't suffered for the sacrifice.
I'll never give in to taking one of the few days a year that I have with my family and tossing it onto the altar of consumerism.
As far as the day after Thanksgiving goes, I have only attended the madness of Black Friday once. It wasn't awesome. But that's me. Go on ahead and enjoy Black Friday if that's your thing. I'm pleading for Turkey Day.
My wish for you today is that you prosper. Create memories that young and old amongst us will cherish. Permit family to take the highest priority. The leather riding boots and 55 inch flat panel can wait one more day... I promise.

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Cherish Thanksgiving, Don't Cheapen It

BY Stacy Washington

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

11/28/2013

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FreedomCast - The Filibuster: Over 200 Years of History Changed for Short Sighted Gain

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, Dean Clancy joins me to discuss the historical changes made in the filibuster rules of the Senate, how this may impact legislative fights going forward, and whether or not the Republicans can capitalize on the ObamaCare failures and the latest attempts by the Democrats to rig t

11/22/2013

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FreedomCast - Unintended Consequences of ObamaCare and the Liberal Elitism of Oprah

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, Deneen Borelli joins me to discuss the backlash against Oprah Winfrey’s recent racial comments, the DOJ and their case against the Louisiana voucher program and how ObamaCare is destroying health care options for some historically black universities.

11/21/2013

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FreedomCast - Deception in the Obama Administration and the Growing Libertarian Influence in the GOP

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, David Limbaugh joins me to discuss deception in the Obama Administration, the rise of the libertarian influence inside the Republican party, and he asks the question whether or not liberalism ever has to atone for its failures. Related Links:

11/19/2013

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EPA Official Posing as CIA Spy Costs Taxpayers Nearly $1 million

BY Brad Jackson

Today on the FreedomCast, reporter from the Washington Free Beacon, CJ Ciaramella is here. We'll talk about an EPA official who cost taxpayers nearly $1 pretending to be a CIA spy, the administration's continued efforts to stonewall Congress on the investigation into former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson and why Big Corn is pushing back against an investigation by the Associated Press. Related Links:

11/14/2013

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FreedomCast - US Senator Mike Lee and a New Conservative Reform Agenda

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, United States Senator Mike Lee joins me to talk about his new tax reform proposal, setting a positive agenda for the GOP, and the nation, and how by simplifying the laws it’s easier for you to hold law makers accountable. Related Links:

11/12/2013

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FreedomCast - Obama's Apology That Wasn't and the Medicaid Expansion Crisis Under ObamaCare

BY Kristina Ribali

On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, Avik Roy joins to discuss the sorry I’m not sorry apology from President Obama, how Medicaid expansion is becoming the story no one is talking about and why in order to beat the liberals, we must learn to plan ahead and match their “strategery.” Related Links:

11/11/2013