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5 episodes with Rebecca Burns
6 episodes with Rebecca Burns
2 episodes with Rebecca Burns
2 episodes with Rebecca Burns
The women's Super Smash top three have been sorted following a wash-out in the final regular-season match, with Wellington hosting the Northern Brave to determine who faces Otago in the final. The final men's match has also been abandoned, ensuring the status quo at the top of the table. The Canterbury Kings will snare third place on run-rate, thereby clashing with the Northern Brave men to earn the right to play the Central Stags in the decider. Wellington Blaze opening batter Rebecca Burns joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview their elimination final. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! She speaks with Matt McManus, political science lecturer at the University of Michigan, to discuss his recent book The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism. Then, she speaks with investigative reporter and journalist Rebecca Burns to discuss her recent piece in In These Times entitled "Inside the Right's War on the Homeless." First, Emma runs through updates on Harris' rollout of her economic plan, the US economy, drug pricing, the VP Debate, RFK's grift-switching, polling, Ukraine's counter-offensive, Columbia University, and Hurricane Ernesto's devastation of Puerto Rico, also diving into JD Vance's continued struggle to do this thing called “campaigning.” Matt McManus then joins, diving right into this attempt to reconcile the systems of liberalism and socialism, first stepping back to unpack some of the less valuable elements of the liberal tradition, largely stemming from emphasis on possessive individualism and “natural” aristocracy, concepts incompatible with the socialist values of equality and solidarity, and working through more progressive conceptions of liberalism, like those of Wollstonecraft, Payne, and Rawls that evangelized concepts of moral equality among humans and saw economic inequality as a fundamental issue, inspiring some of the most important and influential revolutions in history, and challenging the ideas of meritocracy and aristocracy. After an expansive conversation on the compatibility and value of this strain of liberalism with socialist systems and values, McManus wraps up the interview by walking Emma through how a “liberal socialism” would work in the context of the US Constitution, and how it compares to other brands of left politics. Rebecca Burns then looks to Austin as she explores the genesis of the ongoing right-wing war on the houseless as a Trump and Tech-backed legislative backlash to the liberal enclave's attempt to decriminalize homelessness amid a major affordability crisis. Burns next tackles the role of the Cicero Institute, headed by Joe Lonsdale, and Greg Abbott's administration in Texas in pushing a complete turnaround on the city (and state), resulting in the passage of myriad template bills that criminalized encampments, legalized violence against unhoused folks, and completely crippled the services and communities that keep the most marginalized in society afloat, templates that would go on to take root across the US, with major impact even in blue states like California. After expanding on the recent Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the constitutionality of criminalizing the homeless without first providing a remedy, Burns wraps up with an assessment of the futile cruelty of police crackdowns on the homeless. Check out Matt's book here: https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234? 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That's https://EarthBreeze.com/majority to cut out single-use plastic in your laundry room and claim forty percent off your subscription. Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BradKAlsop Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder - https://majorityreportradio.com/
Discussing topics such as career paths, editorial content, current trends and challenges, Amanda Heckert shares her perspective with Angela along with the value of creating a physical experience with a magazine. Listen to learn about the transformation of Garden & Gun Magazine, highlighting the best of the modern South through content, events and retail.Follow Amanda's life and work here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandabheckert/ Garden & Gun: https://gardenandgun.com/author/amanda-heckert/ Indianapolis Monthly: https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/ Atlanta Magazine: https://www.atlantamagazine.com/ Working Man's Tavern: https://workingmans-friend.weeblyte.com/#google_vignetteUniversity of South Carolina: https://sc.edu/ Newcomer: http://www.newcomeratlanta.com/ Keith Phillips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-phillips-61796a1 Emmis Publications: https://www.emmis.com/ Tony Rehagen: https://tonyrehagen.com/ Rebecca Burns: http://rebecca-burns.com/ Pat Conroy: https://gardenandgun.com/issues/spring-2007/ Distilled: https://gardenandgun.com/distilled/ Retail Field Shop: https://ggfieldshop.com/?utm_source=gardenandgun.com&utm_medium=topnav&utm_campaign=hp Books: https://gardenandgun.com/articles/books-editors-garden-gun/ Society: https://gardenandgun.com/ggsociety/ Garden & Gun Club restaurant: https://gardenandgunclub.com/at-the-battery-atlanta/ The Battery: https://www.batteryatl.com/ Stitzel-Weller Distillery: https://www.stitzelwellerdistillery.com/ The Whole Hog podcast: https://gardenandgun.com/collection/whole-hog-podcast/ The Wild South podcast: https://gardenandgun.com/gg-playbook-wild-south-podcast/ G&G Reads Book Club: https://gardenandgun.com/extras/book-club/ Francis Mayes: https://francesmayesbooks.com/ Made in the South Awards: https://gardenandgun.com/feature/meet-the-winners-of-the-2023-made-in-the-south-awards/ Southern Women: https://ggfieldshop.com/products/southern-women-by-garden-gun Thank you for listening! Please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to the Media in Minutes podcast here or anywhere you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/media-in-minutes/id1555710662
Rivka and Frank are joined by journalist Rebecca Burns for a conversation about Robert Zemeckis' 1988 masterpiece Who Framed Roger Rabbit. They talk about how the film draws inspiration from Los Angeles' history, like “The Great Red Car Conspiracy” and the Chavez Ravine. They also discuss how the film's “Toons” serve as a stand-in for LA's marginalized communities, the incredible technical achievements of the film, the tension between Disney and Warner Bros, and how Bob Hoskins is a sexy little hairy meatball. Against the Wind (The American Prospect, 2024) For next week's movie, we'll be watching the 1986 movie musical classic Little Shop of Horrors.
It's Hump Day! Sam and Emma speak with Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate, to discuss the recent developments at the Supreme Court after new oral argument were read earlier this week. Then, they speak with Rebecca Burns, author and journalist based in Georgia, to discuss her recent piece in The American Prospect entitled "Against The Wind." First, they run through updates on yesterday's primaries, Trump's strong polling out of Georgia and North Carolina, Blinken's most recent visit to the Middle East, Biden's Israel policy, Congress' budget, housing, and crime, before diving deep into Jared Kushner's recent comments on the “valuable” “waterfront property” of Gaza that he recommends Israel capitalize on. Mark Joseph Stern then joins, diving right into the recent insane judicial debacle that has been the handling of Texas' SB-4 – essentially declaring full control over immigration services – by the notoriously right-wing Fifth Circuit and the Supreme Court of the US, walking through the Fifth Circuit's administrative stay on the decision in an attempt to prohibit SCOTUS from overturning it, and SCOTUS' eventual decision to legally uphold the lower courts' stay while also denouncing the further use of it, resulting in the Fifth Circuit reversing itself, with no real culmination to the issue. Next, they look at Murthy v. Missouri, an attempt by Missouri's and Louisiana's Attorneys General to abuse Missouri's single-judge division by submitting a suit with major federal implications on the Government's ability to converse with social media companies, before wrapping up with SCOTUS' blanket disapproval of the case, and what it will mean for the future of single judge divisions. Rebecca Burns then walks Sam and Emma through the emergence of the anti-wind movement as a product of the climate-denial movement's shift towards tactics of delay, successfully capitalizing on misinformation and the NIMBY movement to mobilize even progressive communities against wind-based renewable energy projects. Wrapping up, Burns parses through the evolution of this movement, coming to fruition in opposition to Biden's climate agenda, the major misinformation that it has capitalized on, and how it has successfully worked to delay his major policy victories. And in the Fun Half: Sam and Emma walk through the major results from yesterday's elections, including the Florida Democratic Party losing multiple mayorships in Democratic strongholds and the setup for Ohio's senate race, before parsing through GOP candidate Bernardo Moreno's recent statements dancing around his anti-reproductive rights platform, and what could be in store for the Senate if the GOP wins a majority in November. Donald Trump's major financial penalties cause right-wing nutsos to panic, Lynn from California dives into the story of Nex Benedict and the state of trans wellbeing in the US, Randy from Virginia grapples with alienation and electoral politics, and Kowalski from Nebraska gives updates on agriculture and more. They also parse through the insane story of a GOP state senator's sexual harassment on the floor of Nebraska's unicameral legislature, plus, your calls and IMs! Check out Mark's work here: https://slate.com/author/mark-joseph-stern Check out Rebecca's piece here: https://prospect.org/environment/2024-03-12-against-the-wind-renewable-revolution/ Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com: https://fans.fm/majority/join Check out Seder's Seeds here!: https://www.sedersseeds.com/ ; use coupon code Majority and get 15% off; ALSO, if you have pictures of your Seder's Seeds, send them here!: hello@sedersseeds.com Check out, and share friend of the show Janek Ambros's new documentary for The Nation, "Ukrainians in Exile" here!: https://twitter.com/thenation/status/1760681194382119399?s=20 Check out this GoFundMe in support of Mohammad Aldaghma's niece in Gaza, who has Down Syndrome: http://tinyurl.com/7zb4hujt Check out the "Repair Gaza" campaign courtesy of the Glia Project here: https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/rebuild_gaza_help_repair_and_rebuild_the_lives_and_work_of_our_glia_team#!/ Get emails on the IRS pilot program for tax filing here!: https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/subscriber/new Check out StrikeAid here!; https://strikeaid.com/ Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: http://majority.fm/app Check out today's sponsors: Factor: Head to https://factormeals.com/majority50 and use code majority50 to get 50% off. That's code majority50 at https://factormeals.com/majority50 to get 50% off! Henson Shaving: It's time to say no to subscriptions and yes to a razor that'll last you a lifetime. Visit https://hensonshaving.com/MAJORITY to pick the razor for you and use code MAJORITY and you'll get two years' worth of blades free with your razor–just make sure to add them to your cart. Sunset Lake CBD: Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BradKAlsop Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder - https://majorityreportradio.com/
Rebecca Burns, journalist at the investigative news outlet The Lever, discusses her reporting on extensive lobbying efforts to hold up legislation which would require companies to disclose all of their greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent report, she details how the same lobbyists who seek to derail progressive climate legislation in California are also getting paid by counties and cities along the California coast to deal with the impact of coastal erosion and fires.
In this episode, I speak with The Lever's Rebecca Burns about the explosive Norfolk Southern train derailment that produced a toxic mushroom cloud over East Palestine, Ohio. We talk through the events that unfolded on February 3rd when train cars carrying over a million pounds of hazardous chemicals went off the tracks, explaining how this nightmare was a product of corporate greed. Rebecca outlines the regulatory failures that led to this disaster. We discuss the role that the chemical and rail lobbies have played in creating the unsafe conditions for this catastrophic derailment. Rather than investing in maintenance, their workforce, or upgrades to Civil War-era breaking systems, railroad companies like Norfolk Southern have been sinking their growing profits into executive pay and stock buybacks.The 7 largest freight railroad companies in the US (including Norfolk Southern) spent $191 billion on stock buybacks and shareholder dividends from 2011-2021. At the very same time, these companies were firing workers like crazy, slashing their workforces by 30%. In so many ways, this preventable corporate disaster was directly connected to the labor movement and the crushing of the rail worker strike by the Biden administration. While these workers had been asking for paid time off, the railroad industry has refused to offer reasonable schedules, forcing workers to abide by their draconian model of “precision scheduled railroading.”We also discuss the human side of this corporate catastrophe, including the health impacts on the people of East Palestine and the noble efforts of locals like the folks at River Valley Organizing to stand up for the wellbeing of those in the affected area. The Lever Cocktail 45 ml Gin15 ml Suze bitter aperitif 15 ml honey 22 ml lemon juice 30 ml turmeric tea blend Brew turmeric tea using 2 tea bags to make a strong brew. Let tea cool and then add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with cubed ice and garnish with a lemon slice and a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper.RESOURCES:The Lever levernews.comRebecca Burns in The Lever & on Twitter“Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment”River Valley Organizing (also on Twitter & IG)Railroad Workers United (Twitter & IG)Support the showCocktails & Capitalism is an anticapitalist labor of love, but we could use your help to make this project sustainable. If you can support our work with even a dollar a month, that would really help us continue to strengthen the class consciousness of folks suffering under capitalism around the globe. https://www.patreon.com/cocktailsandcapitalism
On this week's episode of Lever Time Premium: Producer Frank sits down with journalists Julia Rock, Rebecca Burns, and Matthew Cunningham-Cook for an in-depth conversation about The Lever's groundbreaking reporting on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The group explores how an environmental disaster like this can occur, including examining the influence of the railroad and chemical lobbies, as well as detailing the regulatory capture of three separate presidential administrations. The group also details how The Lever's reporting gained national coverage, triggered a public pressure campaign, and helped lead to a response from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (1:50).If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.If you'd like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjarA rough transcript of this episode is available here.
0:08 — Rebecca Burns is a reporter for the Lever, writing about derailment safety in Ohio. 0:20 — Greg Karras is an independent consultant, former senior scientist at Communities for a Better Environment, where he co-authored a report on the risk of running oil trains through the Bay Area. 0:33 — Wendy DeSouza, adjunct professor of Iranian studies at UC Davis' Middle East South Asia program. Also the author of Unveiling Men: Modern Masculinities in Twentieth-Century Iran. 0:43 — Leo Esclamado, is the Co-Director of Organizing and Program Development for My Eden Voice, a community organization working in unincorporated Alameda County communities. Ethan Silverstein is a staff attorney at Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE). *Benyamin Ghafari, mentioned in this episode is a queer non-binary protestor, who has been arrested and whose whereabouts are unknown. The correct pronouns for Benyamin are they/them. The post East Palestine derailment chemical safety; Plus, Islamic Republic frees wave of political prisoners; Also,tenant protections for unincorporated areas of Alameda County appeared first on KPFA.
Today on the show we've brought on Rebecca Burns, co-author of the recent piece in The Lever, Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment. On February 3rd, 150-car train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The train was carrying several cars of vinyl chloride, an extremely hazardous and toxic chemical used in plastics manufacturing. The derailment triggered a gigantic fireball, which, if you've seen pictures of it, looks like a giant, billowing mushroom cloud, which sent a plume of black smoke miles and miles across multiple counties. After the initial explosion the town was evacuated, but residents have since been allowed to return. However, the situation is far from resolved. The extent of impacts on people living in the area, as well as on the local ecology, are difficult to imagine — and this story is not getting the attention that it deserves. Norfolk Southern, the company responsible for the disaster, has been on the cutting edge of lobbying for industry deregulation, killing federal safety rules and slashing its workforce to dangerous levels. Incidentally, the company has also been seeing record profits. In this Disaster Dispatch episode of The Response, journalist Rebecca Burns will explain what's going on in East Palestine, Ohio, what the technical and political causes of this disaster are, and how disasters like this are just part of a broader ecosystem of industry deregulation and corporate cost-cutting which could serve as a death sentence for the rest of us. Episode credits: Host, producer, and editor: Robert Raymond Presenter and executive producer: Tom Llewellyn Theme Music: “Meet you on the other side” by Cultivate Beats Make sure to follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org or wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The Response is a podcast series from Shareable.net.
This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever's original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock and Rebecca Burns who detail their new story published by The Lever:“Before this weekend's fiery Norfolk Southern train derailment prompted emergency evacuations in Ohio, the company helped kill a federal safety rule aimed at upgrading the rail industry's Civil War-era braking systems, according to documents reviewed by The Lever.Though the company's 150-car train in Ohio reportedly burst into 100-foot flames upon derailing — and was transporting materials that triggered a fireball when they were released and incinerated — it was not being regulated as a “high-hazard flammable train,” federal officials told The Lever.”To read the full story, click here.If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter.
Public health and healthcare play different, but complementary, roles in ensuring the health and wellness of their communities and patients. This relationship was both tested and highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic unlike ever before. So, how do rural hospitals work with their local public health agencies to support their overall health and wellbeing of the people they serve? On today's episode, hosts JJ and Rachel talk with Rebecca Burns, Health Officer for the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency (BHSJ) in Michigan about the relationship between public health and healthcare. Follow Rural Health Rising on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ruralhealthpod/ https://twitter.com/hillsdaleCEOJJ/ https://twitter.com/ruralhealthrach/ Follow BHSJ on social media and online! https://www.facebook.com/bhsjcha https://www.instagram.com/bhsj_healthagency https://www.bhsj.org/ Follow Hillsdale Hospital on social media! https://www.facebook.com/hillsdalehospital/ https://www.twitter.com/hillsdalehosp/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hillsdale-community-health-center/ https://www.instagram.com/hillsdalehospital/ Audio Engineering & Original Music by Kenji Ulmer https://www.kenjiulmer.com/
This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever's original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Rebecca Burns who details their new story published by The Lever:Amid a financial crime spree and spate of corporate convictions, federal regulators recently floated a proposed fix: strengthening an existing rule designed to bar criminal banks from managing — and profiting off — trillions of dollars of retirement funds.To read the full story, click here.If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter.
This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever's original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Rebecca Burns who details her new story published by The Lever:BlackRock, the world's largest investment company, has become a top target of the right's crusade against so-called “woke capitalism” because of its rhetoric around climate change and sustainable investing. But when it comes to climate action, the giant asset manager isn't presently all that far apart from its GOP detractors. Both BlackRock and congressional Republicans are fighting — albeit through different strategies — to defang a forthcoming regulation that would force companies to disclose their carbon emissions and the risks that climate change pose to their business models.To read the full story, click here.If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter.
On this week's episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever's reporters Julia Rock and Rebecca Burns to discuss recent news, including a climate protest that made international headlines for dousing a Van Gogh painting in tomato soup (4:38), and a sketchy financial bait-and-switch by Microchip giant Intel (9:00). Julia and Rebecca also break down their massive stories on Republican Senate candidate Ted Budd, who during his terms as a Congressman has helped his donors bypass predatory lending laws, and helped facilitate the merger of two giant banks, all while collecting mountains of cash from the financial industry (12:56). Then, David sits down with Melissa Jacoby, one of the foremost experts on bankruptcy law, for a deep dive on how corporations abuse the bankruptcy system to shield themselves from liability, while real people are afforded none of the same protections (27:41).If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.If you'd like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjarA rough transcript of this episode is available here.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 12, 2022 is: rabble • RAB-ul • noun Rabble is used to refer to a large group of loud people who could become violent (that is, a mob), or, usually in the phrase the rabble, to refer to the great mass of regular people as contrasted with the elite. In the latter use, the word is typically applied in a humorous or exaggerated way to suggest the attitudes of the powerful and wealthy. // An angry rabble rushed the stage when the band cut their performance short. // The magazine's apparent aim is to induce envy with peeks into the beautiful homes of celebrities who live far away from the rabble. See the entry > Examples: “In March 2020, a rabble of angry homeowners attended a court hearing in DeKalb County, Georgia...” — Rebecca Burns, The New Republic, 23 June 2021 Did you know? Rabble today is perhaps most familiar in the term rabble-rouser (that's someone who stirs up the masses), but that 19th century coinage was built on a Middle English foundation: for hundreds of years, rabble has referred to various hard-to-manage groups, be they packs of animals or angry mobs. (The word's source, Middle English rabel, means “pack of animals.”) In modern use, rabbles are mostly human. Often the word is a synonym of mob, referring as that word does to a disorderly and potentially violent sort of crowd, but it's also used sardonically, especially in the phrase “the rabble,” to refer to regular folks—that is, the coarse commoners looked down upon by the elite.
Kris Dewey and Rebecca Burns from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency gave us some tips to deal with the Excessive Heat Warning that's been issued for the area. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Progressives hold the line, forcing Nancy Pelosi to postpone a vote on the $1 trillion Kyrsten Sinima promoted the “bi-partisan” (aka the fossil fuel) infrastructure bill. Meanwhile, Joe Manchin says he won't support a reconciliation bill larger than $1.5 trillion - $2 trillion less than the compromise package and $4.5trillion less than the original package. Some West Virginia kayactivists paddle up to Joe Manchin's yacht, ask him better questions than most of the beltway media, and get more from him that any cable news show. Writing in his newsletter The Daily Poster, David Sirota reported Thursday that: Joe Manchin backed a huge bank bailout for Wall Street execs almost 13 years ago to the day. That's just rich as he deridedan "entitlement mentality" as a reason to kill the reconciliation bill that would help millions of people struggling to survive. The Wall St execs then bankrolled him. Greta Thunberg chastises world leaders about their climate change “blah, blah, blah,” over the past several decades; she calls for immediate, decisive action. FEMA is removing subsidies for flood insurance as claims are expected to rise significantly due to the effects of climate change. Insurance premiums are expected to rise 18% per year for at least the next 20 years, particularly in areas already prone to flood. Twenty-three species have been removed from the endangered species list. But this is not good news. They are being removed because they have been declared extinct. In the 50 years since the passages of the Endangered Species Act. Until Wednesday's announcement, only 11 species have been removed from the list - until today, that is. Are you ready for some serious snail mail? “Beginning Friday, the U.S. Postal Service will start to "implement new service standards" for first class mail and periodicals — slowing its target delivery time by about 30%,” USPS spokesperson Kim Frum told NPR. Back in the day there were the “sewer socialists;” today, “sidewalk socialists” are making the theoretical question about what it would mean to govern as a socialist into a very practical one. Rebecca Burns of In These Times has a great article on the victories of India Walton in the Buffalo Democratic Mayoral primary and over 60 DSA-backed candidates who have been elected to local office from Denver to Chicago to Knoxville, TN. Supreme Court Justice and all-around horrible human being, Brett Kavanaugh, tests positive for COVID-19 just a few days before the new term begins. Before you have to google it, yes, he's been vaccinated. Just didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. Pennsylvania House Republicans shoot down their own school voucher bill. They were planning on giving vouchers to parents of students who didn't want to wear masks and let them go to school districts or private schools that do not have masking requirements. House Republicans advanced their voter suppression agenda once again. They voted House Bill 1800 out of committee and a series of constitutional amendments that would politicize the Secretary of State's office, mandate voter ID, establish election audits and more. About 3,000 people showed up in Harrisburg for a maskless, superspreader Pro-Life rally. Sean didn't want to get close to that thing even with his zoom lens. Tomorrow, Women's Marches are happening around the country tomorrow including right here in the Commonwealth. Rallies will take place in Harrisburg @ 11 am. You can look for a rally times and locations near you by going to https://map.womensmarch.com/. Cyril Mychalejko - Central York High School students light a path for student uprisings in Bucks County and across the Commonwealth. Happy Birthday to NASA. Yes, on this day in 1958 the legendary space agency was born! On Oct. 1, 1958, NASA was born! The FAA is investigating Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin about safety measures after an explosive letter published by a group of 21 employees blue the whistle on the company's move to cut safety corners, pressuring employees to works long hours, in a rush to try and gain government contracts and compete with SpaceX. The letter also alleges that there is a toxic working environment at the company, especially for women.
This week, we had an interesting discussion on the morning show with Rebecca & Burns about whether or not God puts that special person in our lives or as many call it: a soulmate. This conversation all stemmed from an excerpt of a book we read from pastor, author, and scholar Tim Keller who makes the claim that we don't ever marry the right person. The book is called The Meaning Of Marriage by Tim & his wife Kathy.
Rebecca Carrell from Mornings with Rebecca & Burns joins Lauree and Doug to let you know what you can expect at this year's Heart Strong Faith Women's Bible Conference!
As we thankfully end 2020, the new year ahead still warrants some massive challenges ahead. But in keeping with tradition, Rebecca & Burns wanted to share the words that are on their hearts for the upcoming 2021 year.
As we thankfully end 2020, the new year ahead still warrants some massive challenges ahead. But in keeping with tradition, Rebecca & Burns wanted to share the words that are on their hearts for the upcoming 2021 year.
If you didn't hear the great news on Mornings with Rebecca & Burns, our own Jay Allen is attending Dallas Theological Seminary in the Spring of 2021! He will be pursuing a Master of Arts in Apologetics & Evangelism where he will learn to defend and proclaim the Christian faith as well as come alongside those struggling with intellectual doubts from a posture of kindness and character. We're so excited for him (Of course, Rebecca is the most excited) as we watch God pour into him as he furthers his education. We wish him the best and of course, we can't wait to hear what he is learning as he shares on the Morning Show with Rebecca & Burns!
Extra, Extra, Read All About it, Fruitloops news has some updates for you, And we're gonna shout it! Weekes, Princess. (04/06/20). “Karen” Is Not a Slur, Just in Case There Was Any Confusion. The Mary Sue. Retrieved 04/12/20 from https://www.themarysue.com/karen-is-not-a-slur-comma-karen/ If you are having difficulty paying bills: 211 Serviceshttp://211.org/services/covid19 United Way 1-866-211-9966https://www.unitedway.org/find-your-united-way Area Agency on Aging helpline for seniors 1-800-677-1116https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/About/Aging_Network/AAA.aspxAlso https://aarpcommunityconnections.org/ For musicians and creatives a link for financial resources to help during the pandemic. https://www.billboard.com/amp/articles/business/9337908/coronavirus-resource-guide-music-professionals-helpSchmich, May. (03/12/20). 10 tips for staying sane during the COVID-19 crisis. The Chicago Tribune.https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/mary-schmich/ct-met-schmich-covid19-crisis-20200312-335c5bkivjdu7ofw5jg46hyd4u-story.html Mornings with Rebecca & Burns. (04/04/20) A Public Service Announcement For Parents During This Time. Retrieved 04/08/2020 from https://www.kcbi.org/a-public-service-announcement-for-parents-during-this-time/What’s making us happy John Karszinski’s Some Good Newshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOe_y6KKvS3PdIfb9q9pGugCommunityhttps://www.amazon.com/Community-Season-1/dp/B002N7CTKM Interrogationhttps://www.cbs.com/shows/interrogation/ The Good Fighthttps://www.cbs.com/shows/the-good-fight/ Music "Abyss" by Alasen: ●https://soundcloud.com/alasen●https://twitter.com/icemantrap ●https://instagram.com/icemanbass/●https://soundcloud.com/therealfrozenguy●Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License"Hasta La Vista" by Causmic https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCptYdIghPgmOl8opbjZrcuALicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License "Switchin Lanes" by Yung Kartz https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Yung_KartzLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Connect with us on: Twitter @FruitLoopsPod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fruitloopspod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Fruitloopspod and https://www.facebook.com/groups/fruitloopspod
With the fear and panic surrounding COVID-19 continuing to rise as case numbers continue to increase, it's important for us as Christians to be a beacon of light and hope as the whole world endures this together. Dr. Robert Jeffress, Pastor of First Baptist Dallas, joined Rebecca & Burns to share some encouragement for us as we face these very uncertain times.
We were so glad to have Pastor Robert Morris from Gateway Church on the Morning Show with Rebecca & Burns as he shared about his latest book, "Take the Day Off: Receiving God's Gift of Rest". We also loved hearing an update on Gateway Church's amazing prison ministry as we've partnered with them in providing Bibles to inmates all over the state of Texas.
Aged care workers are empathic by nature. ACH wanted to provide their workers with an even deeper insight into customer needs through simulating the lived experience of an older person. Wearing suits designed by Sydney University, participants carry out daily activities that allow them to experience a range of conditions including vision impairment, hearing loss, a hunched posture, reduced tactile sense and shortened gait. Empathy suits are a tool that helps their workforce build empathy, challenge stereotypes, respect uniqueness and individual identity, raise awareness of potential limitations in the environment and communicate effectively with customers. Hosts: Karen Moloney & Michelle Ockers Producer: Amanda Ashby Guest: Rebecca Burns Resources: ACH website - https://achgroup.org.au/ Empathy experience photos http://bit.ly/2D06SY7 Empathy suits trial a success http://bit.ly/34702Mv Empathy suits introduced to simulate elderly challenges https://ab.co/2KFuo0Z Empathy suit give aged care workers insight into challenges older patients face http://bit.ly/2OyfXwv Empathy is the skill of the future https://adobe.ly/2qmvyrj Aged Care Royal Commission http://bit.ly/37l2wsy More Episodes & Info: More episodes: https://learninguncut.libsyn.com About the Learning Uncut podcast: https://bit.ly/2HarIDD
The Federal Reserve system: Most Americans know it's important but most Americans don't know exactly what it is. In this episode, discover the controversial and disturbing history of the Federal Reserve and learn how it has allowed bankers and politicians to create money out of nothing, taking value out of your bank accounts for over 100 years. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD191: The Democracies of Elliott Abrams CD174: The Bank Lobbyist Act CD167: Combatting Russia (NDAA 2018) CD102: The World Trade Organization CD Team Members Only (Patreon): Inside CSPAN Books The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin September 2010 Fed Up: An Insider's Take on Why the Federal Reserve is Bad for America Booth by Danielle DiMartino February 2017 Collusion: How Central Bankers Rigged the World by Nomi Prins 2018 Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud by David Dayen May 2016 Articles/Documents Article: The Fed May Have Just Extended The Bull Market by Nancy Tengler, USA Today, September 19, 2019. Article: The Fed Is Trapped in the Twilight Zone by Mark Gongloff, Bloomberg Opinion, September 19, 2019. Article: Fed Cuts Interest Rates To Prop Up The slowing Economy by Scott Horsley, NPR, September 18, 2019. Article: Powell Stresses Solid U.S. Outlook After Fed Cuts Rates Again by By Craig Torres and Rich Miller, Bloomberg, September 18, 2019. Article: Fed’s First-in-a-Decade Intervention Will Be Repeated Wednesday by Liz McCormick and Alex Harris, Bloomberg, September 17, 2019. Article: 5 facts about the national debt by Drew Disilver, Pew Reserach Center, July 24, 2019. Article: Does Trump Have the Legal Authority to Demote the Federal Reserve Chairman? by Charlie Savage, The Washington Post, June 20, 2019. Article: Taxing Empty Apartments Could Ease the Housing Crisis by Adele Peters, Fast Company, February 12, 2019. Article: Elizabeth Warren Was Right, New Law is Already Making Banks Bigger The Intercept, by David Dayen, February 8, 2019. Article: Oakland's vacant-property tax takes effect, sparking hope - and alarm by Kathleen Pender, San Francisco Chronicle, January 26, 2019. Article: Steve Mnuchin Is a Dunce by Rebecca Burns and David Dayen, The Intercept, January 1, 2019. Article: Does Trump get one thing right about the Fed? by Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, November 29, 2018. Info booklet: I Bet You Thought By David H. Friedman, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, December 27, 2018 Press Release: Federal Reserve Board invites public comment on framework that would more closely match regulations for large banking organizations with their risk profiles, Board of Governors at the Federal Reserve Board, October 31, 2018. Article: Vacancy: America's Other Housing Crisis by Richard Florida, CityLab, July 27, 2018. Article: The Richest 10% of Americans Now Own 84% of All Stocks by Rob Wile, CNN Money, December 19, 2017. Article: Who Is Jerome Powell: Trump’s Pick for Fed Chairman by Binyamin Appelbaum and Kevin Granville, New York Times, Nov. 2, 2017. Article: Donald Trump Expected to Pick Shadow Banker for Key Position at the Fed by David Dayen, The Intercept, April 19, 2017. Article: The End Is in Sight for the U.S. Foreclosure Crisis by William R. Emmons, St. Louis Federal Reserve, December 2, 2016 Article: Food Price Inflation Since 1913 by Tim McMahon, InflationData.com, March 21, 2013. Article: Hedge Funds Draw Concerns, Reuters and Bloomberg News, July 26, 2006. Article: Banker Joins Dillon, Read, New York Times, February 17, 1995. Article: With NAFTA, US Finally Creates a New World Order by Henry Kissinger, Los Angeles Times, July 18, 1993. Article: The Owens Bill as a Measure of Inflation, New York Times, December 13, 1913 Article: Putting Government Into the Banking Business, New York Times, June 17, 1913 Resources Congressional Budget Office: Taxes Council on Foriegn Relations: Membership Council on Foreign Relations: Membership roster Council on Foreign Relations: Corporate Membership Council on Foreign Relations: Corporate Membership informational brochure Federal Reserve: Monetary Policy Federal Reserve Board of Governors: Board Members Federal Reserve FAQ: Is it legal for a business in the United States to refuse cash as a form of payment? Federal Reserve History: The Meeting at Jekyll Island Federal Reserve History: Monetary Control Act of 1980 Investopedia: Monetary Control Act of 1980 Treasury Direct: Historical Debt Outstanding - Annual 1900 - 1949 Treasury Direct: Historical Debt Outstanding - Annual 2000 - 2018 Treasury Direct: Interest Expense on the Debt Outstanding U.S. Global Investors: The Many Uses of Gold Sound Clip Sources Press Conference aired on CNBC: Powell on Trump: ‘The law is clear that I have a four-year term, and I fully intend to serve it’ June 19, 2019 Reporter: Clarify what you would do if the president tweets or calls you to say he would like to demote you as fed chair? Jerome Powell: I think the law is clear that I have a four year term and I I fully intend to serve it. Tweet: Kyle Dunnigan, #LeavingNevreland March 6, 2019 Fox News Interview with President Donald Trump October 16, 2019 President Donald Trump: Give me zero interest rates right now and you take a look at our numbers. It'd be the greatest economy in the history of the world. Nobody would be able to compete with it. President Donald Trump: And I fully get the whole thing, the Federal Reserve, I get it as well as any president who's ever been here. I get it really well. Joe Biden Speaks that Council on Foreign Relations January 23, 2018 Joe Biden: I’ll give you one concrete example. I was—not I, it just happened to be that was the assignment I got. I got all the good ones. And so I got Ukraine. And I remember going over, convincing our team and our leaders, convincing them that we should be providing for loan guarantees. And I went over, I guess, the 12th, 13th time to Kiev. I was supposed to announce that there was another billion-dollar loan guarantee. And I had gotten a commitment from Poroshenko and from Yatsenyuk that they would take action against the state prosecutor, and they didn’t. So they said they were walking out to a press conference. I said, nah, I’m not going to—or, we’re not going to give you the billion dollars. They said, you have no authority. You’re not the president. The president said—I said, call him. (Laughter.) I said, I’m telling you, you’re not getting the billion dollars. I said, you’re not getting the billion. I’m going to be leaving here in, I think it was about six hours. I looked at them and said: I’m leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money. Well, son of a bitch. (Laughter) He got fired. And they put in place someone who was solid at the time. Hillary Clinton Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations November 2015 Watch on C-SPAN Hillary Clinton: So we need to move simultaneously toward a political solution to the civil war that paves the way for a new government with new leadership and to encourage more Syrians to take on ISIS as well. To support them, we should immediately deploy the Special Operations Force President Obama has already authorized, and be prepared to deploy more, as more Syrians get into the fight. We should retool and ramp up our efforts to support and equip viable Syrian opposition units. Our increased support should go hand in hand with increased support from our Arab and European partners, including Special Forces who can contribute to the fight on the ground. We should also work with the coalition and the neighbors to impose no-fly zones that will stop Assad from slaughtering civilians and the opposition from the air. Opposition Forces on the ground, with material support from the coalition, could then help create safe areas for them from the country instead of fleeing toward Europe. Ron Paul speech at the Campaign for Liberty: End the Fed September 18, 2009 Ron Paul: But, there's a moral argument, against the, the Federal Reserve because, we're giving power to a few individuals to create money out of thin air and have, have legal tender laws that says, you must use the paper money. You can't use gold as the constitution tells you you should, but you must use, paper money. And then that gives the central bank the Authority to counterfeit money, and always for good reasons, of course, to maintain a stable economy. Ron Paul: The mandate and the Federal Reserve Act for the Federal Reserve was to maintain the value of the dollar and to have full employment, and maintaining the value of the dollar means stable prices. Well, they fail. They flown, they get an AF. They're destroying the value of the dollar. And we have perpetual increases in cost of living and they say, oh no, it's not all bad inflation. We're only destroying the money at 2% per year. But it's a lot worse than that. But 2% it's evil too. You know, under sun money, your value of your money goes up, costs go down, cost of living goes down and you get more. And that's how we become more prosperous. But they have totally failed in maintaining the value of the dollar, giving us stable prices. Nobody wants to talk about the inflation in Eh, in a medical care. Yes, pricing. People are unhappy because they can't afford it or they can't afford it because their dollar doesn't buy as much. You say, oh no, we don't have inflation. The government says the CPIS only going up 1% - 2%. But the cost of medicine goes up much more rampantly. But, when you create new money, the cost goes up differently for different areas. If everybody's wages went up at the same rate as the money supply would go up, and everybody's cost would go up the same, it would be irrelevant. But it doesn't work that way. Your wages and your income never keep up and certain prices go up faster than others. Some people suffer more than people who get to use the money. First benefit. The people who get the money, use the money last, the average person in the middle class, they use the money and they get stuck. If you're in retirement, you might suffer more than others. But you know, they come up with these figures and they say, oh, prices went up 2% last month. But if you exclude for food and energy, they only went up a half a percent. So it wasn't so bad. But for some people, food and energy crisis go up and it means a whole lot. Ron Paul: And there was a time, you know, the Federal Reserve was required to have gold behind the expansion of money. So they were restrained and as bad as they were in inviting problems, they still had some restraint up until 1971. But even though the Federal Reserve Act gave the power to the Fed to buy corporate debt, they really never did that until just recently. It used to be gold and silver that they used as reserve. And then after 1971, they just used treasury bills, which was bad, but still there was some restraint on that, that depended on the amount of debt that we had. But of course, that gave license to the congress to run up unlimited amount of debt. But today what backs our dollar is derivatives. All the worthless access, the toxic access assets that we were required to buy are now held by the Fed. And we don't know exactly how much and what they have bought. And that, of course, is why we're arguing for the case of auditing the Fed. Ron Paul: The other associations that I talk about in the book are the associations with the Federal Reserve Board chairman. I've had a few of those. And a matter of fact, just for a month or so, when I first went into Congress, Berns was still the chairman. I didn't really get to know him and it was such a short period and he was in poor health. But the one that I got to know the best in our years was Paul Volcker. And, I gave him a little bit of a plus as far as the various members, various chairman that I've met because, he seemed to be more willing to discuss things on a one to one basis. Actually there was one time when we were working on the monetary control act in the early 1980s, which gave a lot more power, regulatory powers, to the Federal Reserve and to monetize debt. And I was arguing one case in the committee, that it was a dangerous thing because the Federal Reserve was given too much power to inflate endlessly and didn't have to have any reserves whatsoever and could take interest rates down to zero or whatever. And, he was disagreeing with me and he says, look, what I'd like you to do is come over and have breakfast with me. And, that wouldn't happen with Bernanke or Greenspan. They didn't do that. So I did. I went over to the Federal Reserve and we had the discussion. He tried to, you know, convince me differently, but I felt like I won the argument with them because as I was leaving, he says, yes, you may be right about this, but he himself, that I may be right on the interpretation of the legislation, but he himself would not inflate. He wants this so that he has the power to restrain monetary authorities rather than to expand monetary powers. But it turns out that yes, I said, you might not want to use these powers to rapidly expand the money supply, but someday somebody else might want to do it. And of course, I make the comment, I think that some day is right here when you see what Bernanke did, you know, within a few months, doubling the monetary base. So, his authority was getting granted back at that time. Ron Paul: He wants to know what a sound currency would look like. I think you could probably go to the period of time in the 19th century when they had sound money and gold coins circulated and certificates should circulate and could circulate. It's the trust factor that would have to be there and you could still have electronic money and whatever. People could measure the value of the currency by something that should always be convertible. You should have a gold coin standard, and that is that you don't have to carry the coins around, but if the government is guaranteeing - which they are supposed to be doing - guaranteeing that any certificate would be convertible into coin, and that's better than a --- standard, that means that if you have $5,000 and you're getting worried about the government, you get to vote against the government saying, look, I want my gold coins in my pocket. And then they then would have to give you the gold coins. Ron Paul: It's a sinister tax is what it really is. Governments: There's enough of a coalition together that wants to see government grow. Whether it's for the welfare reasons here at home, or if it's for the ideas of promoting our goodness around the world. It has nothing to do with protecting oil or anything else, but we need a military presence around the world. But if you had honest money and governments couldn't counterfeit, these ideas would still float around, but they would be forced to pay for it immediately. If we could ever get this whole notion that you shouldn't even allow the government to borrow, and they would have to tax us directly and say, look, if you want to do A, B, and C, we're going to take money from you and we're going to pay for it. This would slow things up. But there's a convenience for those who want big government to have the tax be an inflation tax. That is to vote for all the welfare programs. Vote for all the warfare programs. Don't be a responsible for this, morally responsible or economically responsible. Just pass the programs. And if you find your coalitions, you get reelected. And this is work to, you know, running as Santa Claus is a lot better than running against Santa Claus. And that's been done for many, many years. But that's coming to an end. That's why there's a difference right now because this system is in the process of failing. Hearing: The Federal Budget and the Economy March 3, 2009 Senate Budget Committee Witness Ben Bernanke - Chairman of the Federal Reserve 58:00 Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): I wrote you a letter and I said, hey, who'd you lend the money to? What were the terms of those loans? How can my constituents in Vermont get some of that money? Who makes the decisions? Do you guys sit around in a room? Do you make it? Are there conflicts of interest? So my question to you is, will you tell the American people to whom you lent $2.2 trillion of their dollars? Will you tell us who got that money and what the terms are of those agreements? Ben Bernanke: We explain each of our programs. In terms of the terms, we explained the terms exactly. We explained what the collateral requirements are. We explained… Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): To whom did you explain that? Ben Bernanke: It's on our website. Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): Yeah. Okay. Ben Bernanke: So all that information is available in our commercial paper... Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): And who got the money? Ben Bernanke: Hundreds and hundreds of banks. Any bank or that has access to the U.S. Federal Reserve's discount... Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): Can you tell us who they are? Ben Bernanke: No, because the reason that is counterproductive and will destroy the value of the program is that banks will not come to the… Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): Isn't that too bad? Ben Bernanke: Sorry. Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT): In other words, isn't that too bad? They took the money, but they don't want to be public about the fact that they received it. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations ______________________________________________________ Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)
How did a Wall Street executive and “foreclosure king” like Steve Mnuchin become the Treasury Secretary for a populist like Donald Trump, and what is he doing to the country now that he’s there? David Dayen and Rebecca Burns tackle those questions in their book Fat Cat: The Steve Mnuchin Story(Strong Arm Press, 2018). They trace Mnuchin not-so-humble origins and his recurring presence in companies impacted by the 2008 market crash, which prompted Sen. Elizabeth Warren to call him “the Forrest Gump of the financial crisis.” They argue that as Treasury Secretary, he has pursued policies that betray Trump’s claim to the populist mantle, rolling back bank regulations and performing lax enforcement. And they criticize the tax reform bill that Mnuchin championed, asserting that it helped the wealthy at the expense of the middle-class. Bill Scher is a Contributing Editor for POLITICO Magazine. He has provided political commentary on CNN, NPR and MSNBC. He has been published in The New York Times, The New Republic, and The New York Daily News among other publications. He is author of Wait! Don’t Move to Canada, published by Rodale in 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How did a Wall Street executive and “foreclosure king” like Steve Mnuchin become the Treasury Secretary for a populist like Donald Trump, and what is he doing to the country now that he’s there? David Dayen and Rebecca Burns tackle those questions in their book Fat Cat: The Steve Mnuchin Story(Strong Arm Press, 2018). They trace Mnuchin not-so-humble origins and his recurring presence in companies impacted by the 2008 market crash, which prompted Sen. Elizabeth Warren to call him “the Forrest Gump of the financial crisis.” They argue that as Treasury Secretary, he has pursued policies that betray Trump’s claim to the populist mantle, rolling back bank regulations and performing lax enforcement. And they criticize the tax reform bill that Mnuchin championed, asserting that it helped the wealthy at the expense of the middle-class. Bill Scher is a Contributing Editor for POLITICO Magazine. He has provided political commentary on CNN, NPR and MSNBC. He has been published in The New York Times, The New Republic, and The New York Daily News among other publications. He is author of Wait! Don’t Move to Canada, published by Rodale in 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How did a Wall Street executive and “foreclosure king” like Steve Mnuchin become the Treasury Secretary for a populist like Donald Trump, and what is he doing to the country now that he’s there? David Dayen and Rebecca Burns tackle those questions in their book Fat Cat: The Steve Mnuchin Story(Strong Arm Press, 2018). They trace Mnuchin not-so-humble origins and his recurring presence in companies impacted by the 2008 market crash, which prompted Sen. Elizabeth Warren to call him “the Forrest Gump of the financial crisis.” They argue that as Treasury Secretary, he has pursued policies that betray Trump’s claim to the populist mantle, rolling back bank regulations and performing lax enforcement. And they criticize the tax reform bill that Mnuchin championed, asserting that it helped the wealthy at the expense of the middle-class. Bill Scher is a Contributing Editor for POLITICO Magazine. He has provided political commentary on CNN, NPR and MSNBC. He has been published in The New York Times, The New Republic, and The New York Daily News among other publications. He is author of Wait! Don’t Move to Canada, published by Rodale in 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How did a Wall Street executive and “foreclosure king” like Steve Mnuchin become the Treasury Secretary for a populist like Donald Trump, and what is he doing to the country now that he’s there? David Dayen and Rebecca Burns tackle those questions in their book Fat Cat: The Steve Mnuchin Story(Strong Arm Press, 2018). They trace Mnuchin not-so-humble origins and his recurring presence in companies impacted by the 2008 market crash, which prompted Sen. Elizabeth Warren to call him “the Forrest Gump of the financial crisis.” They argue that as Treasury Secretary, he has pursued policies that betray Trump’s claim to the populist mantle, rolling back bank regulations and performing lax enforcement. And they criticize the tax reform bill that Mnuchin championed, asserting that it helped the wealthy at the expense of the middle-class. Bill Scher is a Contributing Editor for POLITICO Magazine. He has provided political commentary on CNN, NPR and MSNBC. He has been published in The New York Times, The New Republic, and The New York Daily News among other publications. He is author of Wait! Don’t Move to Canada, published by Rodale in 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Current Affairs panel unpacks the accusation of liberal bias, asks whether landlords are necessary, and shares their favorite lost historical hero. The Panel: Brianna Rennix, senior editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Further reading on institutional bias: Pete wrote an article on "working the ref" at Harvard Law; Paul Krugman and Todd Gitlin wrote similar articles. Pacific Standard has a piece on racial bias in the news and The Washington Post has a study of news audiences by ideology. And, of course, the grandfather of "the news is biased" takes is Noam Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent. Further reading on landlords: The original Sean Hannity story can be read about in The Guardian and The Los Angeles Times. Jacobin has two useful pieces: "The Permanent Crisis of Housing" and "Evict the Landlords." Rebecca Burns wrote a major piece on Wall Street landlords earlier this year. Further reading on alternatives to landlord domination: Here are three big solutions: (1) Alexis Zanghi on rent control; (2) Jake Blumgart and Michelle Chen on community land trusts; (3) Jeff Spross on affordable housing; and (4) Ryan Cooper and Peter Gowan on social housing. Further reading on our historical heroes: The Smithsonian has a great essay on the "Quaker Comet" Benjamin Lay. Here's the wikipedia on Manuela Sáenz. Here's an essay on the civic lessons we can gain from AA. Here's Benjamin Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson. And here is the wikipedia page for Vanessa's friend, Lilly Jacobson. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org
Rebecca Burns, former editor-in-chief of Atlanta Magazine, joins the guys to talk about tomorrow's special election in Georgia's 6th District and the front-runner, Democrat Jon Ossoff. Dr. Bruce Bechtol talks with Michael and Rick about Vice President Pence's visit to South Korea and how Trump's North Korea policy has differed from his predecessors.
What is Puerto Rico? Many Americans - if not most - are unaware that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States. In this episode, learn the history of our scandalous treatment of the US citizens living in Puerto Rico and explore how Puerto Rico’s past foreshadowed the United States' present… and possibly our future. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD128: Crisis in Puerto Rico Additional Reading Book: War Against All Puerto Ricans by Nelson A. Denis, March 2016. Article: Puerto Rico Warning Congress Its Health Crisis Will Impact U.S. States by Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, March 22, 2017. Document: Testimony of Jose B. Carrion III, Chairman, Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, March 22, 2017. Article: Why the GOP's proposals to cap Medicaid funding won't work by Ana Mulero, Healthcare Dive, March 21, 2017. Article: Fed Raises Interest Rates for Third Time Since Financial Crisis by Binyamin Appelbaum, The New York Times, March 15, 2017. Letter: Fiscal Plan Certification, Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, March 13, 2017. Press Release: Jenniffer Gonzalez Calls for Fiscal Oversight Board Action to Prevent Medicaid Crisis by Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, March 13, 2017. Article: Tensions heighten following control board rejection of fiscal plan by Luis J. Valentin, Caribbean Business, March 9, 2017. Article: A bad deal for Puerto Rico, Globe control board opinion, The Boston Globe, March 5, 2017. Article: Quest for statehood: Puerto Rico's new referendum aims to repair economic disaster by Danica Coto, Salon, February 3, 2017. Letter: Letter to Governor Rossello Nevares, Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, January 18, 2017. Article: Puerto Rico's New Governor Takes Over as Debt Crisis Reaches Climax by Tatiana Darie, Bloomberg, January 3, 2017. Article: Puerto Rico Control Board Names Carrion Chair Amid Protests by Katherine Greifeld, Bloomberg, September 30, 2016. Article: Puerto Rico's Invisible Health Crisis by Valeria Pelet, The Atlantic, September 3, 2016. Op-Ed: Understanding Puerto Rico's Healthcare Collapse by Johnny Rullan, Morning Consult, June 20, 2016. Article: Puerto Rico not sovereign, Supreme Court says by Richard Wolf, USA Today, June 9, 2016. Article: US supreme court says Puerto Rico must abide by federal double jeopardy rule by Alan Yuhas, The Guardian, June 9, 2016. Op-Ed: No More Colonialism Disguised as Financial Assistance: The US Must Relinquish Puerto Rico by Nelson A. Denis, Truthout, May 19, 2016. Article: Sea Turtles Delay Debt-Ridden Puerto Rico's Gas-Switching Plan by Jonathan Crawford, Bloomberg, March 23, 2016. Article: There's a big sale on Puerto Rican homes by Heather Long, CNN Money, February 21, 2016. Article: The US shipping industry is putting a multimillion dollar squeeze on Puerto Rico by Rory Carroll, Business Insider, July 9, 2015. Article: Harvard's billionaire benefactor also a GOP sugar daddy by Vanessa Rodriguez, OpenSecrets.org, June 4, 2015. Interview: How the United States Economically and Politically Strangled Puerto Rico by Mark Karlin, Truthout, May 24, 2015. Article: Why Have So Many People Never Heard Of The MOVE Bombing? by Gene Demby, NPR, May 18, 2015. Article: Puerto Rico Expands Tax Haven Deal For Americans To Its Own Emigrants by Janet Novack, Forbes, January 27, 2015. Article: Citizenship Renunciation Fee Hiked 422%, And You Can't Come Back by Robert W. wood, Forbes, January 13, 2015. Article: Puerto Rican Population Declines on Island, Grows on U.S. Mainland by D'Vera Cohn, Eileen Pattien and Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew Research Center, August 11, 2014. Article: Puerto Rico woos rich with hefty tax breaks by Sital S. Patel and Ben Eisen, Market Watch, April 22, 2014. Article: Bankers Crashed the Economy - Now They Want to Be Your Landlord by Rebecca Burns, Michael Donley, and Carmilla Manzanet, Moyers & Company, April 2, 2014. Article: 'Backdoor bailout' boosts Puerto Rico's revenues, Bond News, Reuters, February 10, 2014. Article: Economy and Crime Spur New Puerto Rican Exodus by Lizette Alvarez, The New York Times, February 8, 2014. Article: Everything You Need to Know About the Territories of the United States, Everything Everywhere, June 27, 2013. Document: Puerto Rico's Political Status and the 2012 Plebiscite: Background and Key Questions by R. Sam Garrett, Congressional Research Service, June 25, 2013. GAO Report: Economic Impact of Jones Act on Puerto Rico's Economy by Jeffry Valentin-Mari, Ph.D. and Jose I. Alameda-Lozada, Ph.D. April 26, 2012. Article: Massive Puerto Rico pipeline triggers debate by Danica Coto, The San Diego Union-Tribune, May 14, 2011. Article: Island residents sue U.S., saying military made them sick by Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein, CNN, February 1, 2010. Article: At Riggs Bank, A Tangled Path Led to Scandal by Timothy L. O'Brien, The New York Times, July 19, 2004. Case Study: Money Laundering and Foreign Corruption: Enforcement and Effectiveness of the Patriot Act by the Minority Staff of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, United States Senate, July 15, 2004. Article: MIT to Pay Victims $1.85 Million in Fernald Radiation Settlement by Zareena Hussain, The Tech, January 7, 1998. Article: Police Drop Bomb on Radicals' Home in Philadelphia by William K. Stevens, The New York Times, May 14, 1985. References U.S. Energy Information Administration Puerto Rico Territory Energy Profile Puerto Rico Territory Profile and Energy Estimates Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector Video: 1985 Philadelphia MOVE bombing This Day in History: March 2, 1917: Puerto Ricans become U.S. citizens, are recruited for war effort FBI Files Pedro Albizu Campos - includes letter about his radiation torture Pedro Albizu Campos - full files Luis Munoz-Marin 1986 Congressional Report: US Army & US Atomic Energy Commission radiation experiments on US citizen prisoners 1995 Dept of Energy Report: Human Radiation Experiments OpenSecrets Excelerate Energy: Profile for 2016 Election Cycle Crowley Maritime Excelerate Energy Company website Lobbying Report American Maritime Partnership Company website Lobbying Report Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico Control Board Website Control Board Document List Website: Puerto Rico Tax Incentives Law 20: Export Services Act Law 22: Individual Investors Act Department of Economic Development & Commerce: Act 73: Economic Incentives for the Development of Puerto Rico 26 US Code 936: Puerto Rico and possession tax credit IRS: Expatriation Tax Forbes Company Profiles Johnson & Johnson Pfizer GlaxoSmithKline Travelponce.com: Ponce Massacre Museum Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Oversight Hearing on The Status of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) Restructuring Support Agreement, Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs, March 22, 2017. Witnesses Panel I The Honorable Ricardo Rossello, Governor of Puerto Rico Mr. Gerardo Portela-Franco, Executive Director - Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority Panel 2 Mr. Jose B. Carrion III, Chairman - Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico Mr. Luis Benitez Hernandez, Chairman - PREPA Governing Board Mr. Stephen Spencer, Managing Director - Houlihan Lokey Mr. Adam Bergonzi, Managing Director & Chief Risk Officer - National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation Mr. Rob Bryngelson, President & CEO - Excelerate Energy Ms. Ana J. Matosantos, Member of Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico Interview: Interview with Luis M. Balzac, March 7, 2017. Luis: Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, contrary to common opinion, we do pay some federal taxes. What we don’t pay is federal income tax. Jen: Okay. Luis: So we don’t pay federal income tax. However, Puerto Ricans pay Medicare at the same rate that you pay in San Francisco/California. Jen: Do Puerto Ricans get the same benefits that I get in San Francisco? Luis: No, we do not get the same benefits that you get in San Francisco. Jen: Oh. Luis: So, for example, there are states like California, New York, and other states that I believe get about an 83 percent federal subsidy for Medicare expenses. There are other states—and I realize I’m being recorded, but don’t quote me on it. This you can check, also, very easily— Jen: Sure. Luis: Other states—I think it’s Tennessee— Jen: And you don’t have to give me exact numbers. Just go ahead and, like, big picture, tell me the situation. Luis: Got it. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Even better. So, there are states like California and New York that get about 80-some percent of reimbursement on their major expenses from the federal government. There are other states that get less. I think Tennessee gets less; I think Tennessee gets, like, 50-some percent. Puerto Rico, I think it gets about 23 percent. Jen: Oh, god. Luis: It’s important to understand that, where does the other—if we use 23 percent as an example for Medicare—where does the other 77 percent come from? State funding. Jen: Okay. Luis: So, please understand that if you move to Puerto Rico as a U.S. citizen, and you, for any reason, need Medicare, and you go to the hospital, those hospitals that you go to have to comply with MCS, which is part of HHS—Health and Human Services. And you have to comply with all the regulations and requirements of a hospital to be reimbursed and enjoy federal dollars. However, that institution/Puerto Rico is only getting cents on the dollar compared to other states, but someone needs to make up for that short fall. Jen: Yeah. Luis: The state does. Jen: Well— Luis: That lack of equality translates to Puerto Rico’s budget. Luis: I’m a proud American, and I will defend our country wherever I go. Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: But I’m also a realist. I cannot expect Congress to give the people in Puerto Rico a fair share of the pie when we don’t have a delegation sitting at the table when the pie is divided. Luis: When I ran the office of the governor of Puerto Rico in New York, and we were lobbying to be included into the Affordable Care Act, my biggest argument, when I met with members of the Senate or the House, in states that had a large Puerto Rican population—Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, by way of example—my point to these members of Congress was, I need your help; I need you to be a voice to Puerto Rico to be included in the Affordable Care Act. And the staff would be like, are you kidding me, Luis? That is none of our business. And I will be like, well, let me—give me an opportunity to maybe convince you that it is your business. The problem is— Jen: Yeah, because you’ll pay for them when they come here. Luis: —you will pay for it. And by the way, we don’t even have a way to qualify because guess what, a lot of them are coming in, getting services, and going back to Puerto Rico once they’re done. Some are staying— Jen: Yeah, that's what I would do. Luis: Some are staying, but others are just coming here, and you have no way of qualifying and quantifying it because they’re United States citizens. You can’t stop it. Jen: Yeah— Luis: And how could you blame them? How could you blame them if Puerto Rico does not have the facilities to treat a cancer or SSI or any other initiative and my mother is risking her life? I’m going to take her to Orlando— Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: —without a doubt. Jen: Yeah. Luis: I will say that Puerto Rico, even though we have all the issues that you and I have been talking about, we are still part of the United States, and it’s somewhat similar to the changes that we see here, stateside, in the contiguous 48 states, where I would say that from coast to coast, from Florida to California, I think the middle class in the United States has been shrinking. Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: Likewise in Puerto Rico. Jen: Okay. Luis: But I would say that it is more like the United States, and we are not like Latin America and other third-world jurisdictions. We have a decent-size middle class because we don’t have the IRS because we are not paying federal income tax. There is in Puerto Rico a large underground economy where people work on the side, get paid in cash, and don’t report their earnings to the—there's no IRS—or to the local version of the IRS which is the Treasury Department. So, what you have in Puerto Rico is that you see somewhat of a thriving economy. So those people that are in commercial real estate and they’re doing business with big national chains like Macy’s and JCPenney and all that stuff, you will see in Puerto Rico sales records being broken and people spending a lot of money in the island. So, it’s not like the Dominican Republic. Even people in the projects that are subsidized by state and federal dollars, you can see that they have a/c in the walls, the projects are made out of cement, and you will be able to see all that when you go there in person. So, when you drive around Puerto Rico, all over the island, it is nothing like the Dominican Republic. We are way better, and— Jen: Well, I’ve never been there, either, so a comparison doesn’t really… Luis: Yeah. We are way better—and I realize that I’m about to contradict myself, okay?—we are way better, and it is thanks to the United States. So even though inequality has got all these problems and it’s affected the debt and all that stuff and we are looking now at serious issues, Puerto Rico is still better than—I will never move to Cuba because I think Cuba is better than Puerto Rico, so I get it— Puerto Rico is United States, and we’re doing better than most. Jen: So that brings me to the control board, because now we have Puerto Ricans saying on paper, no doubt, we want to become a state, and yet Congress just did this thing where your government, your state government, or closest thing—what do you call it? Territorial government? Luis: Yeah. Jen: Is that the proper phrase? Luis: Territory. Jen: Okay. Luis: Yeah. Jen: So your territorial government was, basically just taken over by this weird board that has some dictatorial powers. Is there any one in Puerto Rico that’s happy about this? Is there something I’m not seeing? Luis: Yeah. Okay, so, I’m going to compare that. First of all, let’s be fair, and we’re not the first jurisdiction that, let’s say, enjoys the benefit of a control board, because D.C., New York City, have both had it in different jurisdiction relationships, but they did, and it helped. Okay? Jen: O-kay. Luis: The difference between New York City is the following: you have a city that imposed a board by the state. So people in the city of New York, even though they had a control board years back, they had a control board what was decided by politicians who they elected. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Okay? Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: So, that makes it—but it’s still the same in that you have a higher jurisdiction imposing a control board for fiscal reasons over a lower jurisdiction. Correct? Jen: Yes. Luis: And then you have D.C. They also had a control board, and the list goes on and use the federal government, if I’m not mistaken. So there you have a jurisdiction of a federal imposing in D.C., which is not independent. Now, let me tell you where emotions can go a little crazy here. And remember I’m a stakeholder; I’m pro American. Jen: Yeah. Luis: However, we did not invite the United States of America, back a hundred-and-some years ago; we were invaded. Jen: Yeah. Luis: So, we are invaded, we are treated unequally, that inequality causes financial chaos. We are told by the Supreme Court that our constitution is not really a constitution—you should research that; that was recent—an opinion by the Supreme Court. So, really, our constitution, that we thought we had a constitution, is not worth anything on paper because Congress has complete control of that jurisdiction. Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: So, what we have is, back to your question about a board, is a federal government imposing a board on people who did not vote for those that imposed that board. Jen: Yeah. And I know that in Congress Puerto Rico has a representative at the time that this was created—I think it was Pedro Pierluisi—but he didn’t have a vote, so— Luis: No. Jen: And even on the board, the governor gets to sit at the table, but the governor of Puerto Rico doesn’t get a vote of the board. Luis: No. And there’s a slight correction to what you said about Pierluisi in your podcast: the resident commissioner does have a vote in Congress—not on committees, on subcommittees. Okay? Jen: Okay, so he has a vote on a subcommittee but not— Luis: No. Jen: —in the committee or the main House. Luis: Correct. Now, are you ready for the kicker? Jen: Yes. Luis: If the vote on a subcommittee comes to a point where the resident commissioner becomes the deciding vote, it doesn’t go. You’ve got to vote again. Jen: No! Luis: Yeah. Jen: So, that’s— Luis: Can I give you an— Jen: —kind of not really having a vote. I mean— Luis: No. Jen: —he does— Luis: No, I know. Luis: Let’s talk for a second about the pharmaceutical industry, okay? Jen: Yeah, because— Luis: Not to be confused— Jen: —just so that I’m on the same page as you, you worked for Pfizer for a while, too, right? Luis: I directed governor affairs for Pfizer, and that included jurisdictions of New York City and Puerto Rico. Jen: Okay— Luis: And San Francisco. Jen: —and when did you do that? Luis: I did that in 20—I took a year off of the government and I went to Pfizer, did not like it, then went back to Puerto Rico government. So that was 2011. Jen: So was that before the Clinton administration took away the tax credits or after? Luis: Oh, no, after. Oh, yes. Jen: Okay, okay. Luis: 2011, before I became a deputy secretary of the United States. Jen: Okay, got you. Luis: Okay. Jen: So this is after all the tax benefits were gone, and was Pfizer still—when did the pharmaceutical industry, like, leave Puerto Rico? When did they leave? Luis: No way. Why are you saying that? Jen: Because that's what I read. Luis: That's wrong. Jen: Is that not what happened? Luis: No! That’s wrong. I’m about to clarify that. Jen: Okay. Luis: All right. So, if you look at the pharmaceutical industry, if you search, let’s say, BIO, I believe BIO is still the pharmaceutical, big pharma association, the industry association, trade association, okay? If you look at that, you will see that in Puerto Rico BIO had a membership of a huge number of pharmaceuticals. And then you may look at BIO now, and the Puerto Rico chapter, which has another name, has way less pharmaceuticals. So the normal person that doesn’t understand how things work will say, well, everyone left. Well, let’s slow down and look at what are the names that are missing. Well, some of those names don’t exist anymore because the industry has completely merged and consolidated their resources. By way of example, I will tell you that in Puerto Rico alone, Pfizer bought Wyeth. Jen: Pfizer what? Luis: Pfizer bought Wyeth. Jen: Oh, okay. So, okay. Luis: Okay? Jen: Gotcha. So Pfizer got bigger by eating a smaller company. Luis: Correct. And there’s nothing wrong with that. So what happened was that I believe at that time when that happened, Pfizer had three operations in Puerto Rico, Wyeth had three operations in Puerto Rico, okay? So now when they merge, they have six plants in Puerto Rico. So what do they do? They are able to— economies of scale and to do streamline, and they are able to close two and stay with four. And now Wyeth is not in Puerto Rico— Jen: But the effect— Luis: —and people think Wyeth— Jen: Is the effect of that, of the people of Puerto Rico, that the people that worked in those two plants are now out of a job? Luis: But it has nothing to do with 936. Jen: Remind me. I did that episode, like, eight months ago. 936 was the tax credits disappearing? Was that…? Luis: That’s exactly—they disappeared with a coin toss, you said. Jen: Okay, okay. Thank you. Luis: So, so, that consolidation, that example that I’m sharing with you, I believe all happened after 936 stopped, but the reason why Pfizer and Wyeth consolidated was for reasons that had nothing to do with 936. Jen: Yeah. Luis: It had a lot to do with being more productive and being able to share assembly lines and being able to share resources and the same CEO and all that stuff. And so, to the untrained eye, to the Puerto Rican, what they think or see is, oh, Wyeth left. No, they didn’t leave; it was absorbed by a larger pharmaceutical. Jen: So, is the pharmaceutical industry still a major employer in Puerto Rico? Luis: Yes, it is. And I will tell something else: Pfizer and many pharmaceuticals, for many years, are enjoying tax benefits on—there’s something called CFC—controlled foreign corporations—and they are able to enjoy benefits that are comparable to 936. It’s just a different name; a different loophole, you want to call it—I don’t want to call it a loophole—it’s a different tax advantage. Luis: Remember, the pharmaceutical industry, way back when—and we’re talking about right after Puerto Rico changed from an agricultural economy to a manufacturing economy, okay? Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: I really need you to follow me on this. Puerto Rico used to be sugarcane industry. Jen: Yeah. Luis: And we changed. Take my great uncle. He was the governor of Puerto Rico for the other party, the commonwealth party, and him and Governor Luis Munoz Marin came up with this tax incentive with the federal government and 936 were invented, and Puerto Rico changed—completely—and became a manufacturing economy. Jen: Okay. Luis: No more sugar cane; now we’re manufacturing. And when that happened, pharma came to Puerto Rico. What we have to remember is manufacturing industry also included, probably, the largest textile industry. Textile was huge in Puerto Rico. Now— Jen: Is it still there? Luis: No! Why—now, you’re smart. Why do you think textile is gone in Puerto Rico? Where is textile nowadays? Jen: Probably China, India. Luis: Yes, yes! So, in this case, it left to other jurisdictions for minimum wage and for a bunch of other reasons. 936? Yes! It was not great when it left, but the industry changed. Textile goes wherever you have the cheapest labor. And Puerto Rico— Jen: So— Luis: —cannot compete with India, China, Dominican Republic, where people get paid a dollar an hour. Forget it. You can’t compete with that. Jen: And it sounds like the same problem we’re having in California, in Texas, and Massachusetts, and everywhere. Luis: Yeah, yes. Jen: What would you like to see happen on the island? What do you think could help? Luis: Becoming a state. Jen: So that's the goal. Luis: Yes, without a shadow of a doubt, because if we become a state, we are able now to have the congressional mitigation to help us, and we’re able to fight for equal funding so that the state does not need to subsidize such huge percentages. And now we have an equal playing field. Now if I get in debt— Jen: Okay. Luis: Now if I get in debt, go ahead and criticize me all you want. Jen: Well, then you have bankruptcy protection if you go into debt. Luis: Also. Luis: So, you understand the reason why people are going to Puerto Rico is because of Law 20 and 22, right? Jen: Um, I don't know. No. Luis: So, I’m going to share with you the Law 20 and Law 22. Both laws were passed by Governor Luis Fortuno, which is a governor that I worked for. Jen: Okay. Luis: And those two laws were used, pushed, and promoted big time by the previous governor, Alejandro Garcia Padilla. You can do a quick Google, and you will see how most people went nuts over those two laws, and those two laws is the sole reason why people in stateside, mainland U.S., are fleeing to Puerto Rico to enjoy those tax benefits. Jen: Well, what are those benefits? Luis: I'm going to tell you. Jen: Okay. Luis: So, first, you have Law 20. Law 20 is better known as Export Services law, meaning you and I can open a corporation in Puerto Rico that exports services outside of Puerto Rico. Services, not manufacturing. So you and I can open a consulting firm that consults on any issue, and if our clients are not in Puerto Rico, if our clients are in Europe or New York or California, when that company in Puerto Rico bills those accounts, that corporation will only pay local four percent tax and no sales tax. Wow! Jen: Okay. That's crazy. Luis: Okay? So that means that you and I can have an existing company and have a law firm in New York, and you and I are the partners, and we’ll make—and let’s say that half of our clients are not in Puerto Rico, so why don’t we just open an office in Puerto Rico and do all the billing out of Puerto Rico and serve those clients from Puerto Rico—by the way, you and I can hire attorneys in Puerto Rico that are bilingual; graduated from Harvard, Yale, all those popular universities; pay even a fraction of what you and I would pay a lawyer in New York, and we bill them to the clients that are outside Puerto Rico, and we only pay four percent tax. That’s Law 20. It’s beautiful. Jen: Wow. Okay. Luis: All right. So, now, Law 20 was supplemented, complemented, by Law 22. Law 22 is called the Investor Act. So, now, you and I are the partners of that law firm, and we’ve moved operations and the corporation is only paying four percent tax, local tax, okay? Jen: Okay. Luis: Got it. You and I have not lived in Puerto Rico for the last 15 years. Jen: Okay. Luis: So we, you and I, have our attorneys will review Law 20, and what Law 20 says is you and I can move to Puerto Rico personally, and when we’re in Puerto Rico, our Puerto Rico-sourced income will be tax free. Jen: So the income—so, it’s the Investment Act. So are you talking about, like— Luis: Yes. Jen: —instead of paying capital gains tax, they pay nothing. Luis: Nothing. Now, it needs to be Puerto Rico-sourced income. That means that if you and I own Apple shares, or Microsoft, and we move to Puerto Rico, that’s passive income. We’ll pay taxes because that income is generated outside of Puerto Rico. Jen: Okay. Luis: But if you and I go to Puerto Rico like Paltry and Paulson moved to Puerto Rico, and we invest in property, and we invest in the business of Puerto Rico, that Puerto Rico-sourced income will be tax free. Jen: Federally or are there any state taxes? Luis: Both. Jen: Wow. So the state— Luis: I don’t have the law— Jen: —doesn’t even get anything from that. Luis: Well, yeah, they do because think about all the jobs. You know it’s crazy how much money is generated by having those people in Puerto Rico. Of course it generates— Jen: Yeah. I guess that makes sense. Luis: It’s called economic development. Yes, it generates—I have a lot of people that have new accounts with those individuals all the way from real estate, legal fees, engineering. They’re all millions and millions and millions of dollars that were not moving around the economy until they moved there. Jen: And so, are these two laws something that you personally support? Are they a good idea? Luis: I think it’s a good idea. We somehow need to generate some federal activity. Jen: We do, but at the same time, your government is broke. So isn’t raising revenues, isn’t that a solution? Luis: Well, no. Well, you know what? It’s a little contradicting, so when I say I endorse it, but I just told you a little while ago that I want to be a state. And if I was a state, that would probably not be possible. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Those two laws would not be possible if we’re a state, but guess what—we’re not a state. Jen: Yeah. Luis: And what the heck are we supposed to do? Jen: Yeah. I guess that’s true. You’ve got to play the hand you’re dealt. Okay. Luis: I would rather not have those two laws and be a state. Jen: Okay. That's fair. Luis: Education. I think that your podcast touched on education about 100 schools being closed. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Yeah, but how many people have moved to Orlando? We do not have— Jen: So there's not as many kids? Luis: No! No! Now, I’m going to defend, I’m going to defend this. With me, you may go crazy because I jump from side to side, so for one, one part of me says— Jen: I do that, too. I totally get it. Luis: One part of me says, the student body—I think the island student population went down from half a million to 400,000 students. That’s 25 percent. Jen: Okay. Luis: Okay. That means that I should be able to cut 25 percent of schools and 25 percent of my budget. Right? Well, let’s look at the other side. You and I, again, are married, right? Jen: Uh-huh. Luis: And you and I have a boat, and we have two kids, and the schools that we have our kids are three blocks away. Beautiful. Well, you and I bought a house because it was right next to the school. So now they’re going to close that school, and the next school is five miles away. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Are you and I pissed? Jen: Of course. Luis: I don’t give a crap that there’s less students. I’m going to picket, and I’m going to make a lot of noise, and I’m going to make it impossible for the government to close that school, which is what happens. You know what? Somebody else should sacrifice, not my wife and I. We have it good. I like to be able to walk three blocks and grab my children by the hand, have a beautiful conversation with them while we eat cookies, and we go to the school right next door. Well, guess what? The population is so much smaller now that somehow we cannot justify having the same number of schools open. I believe that happened in Chicago under new jurisdictions. We have to adjust. So guess who needs to deliver those bad news? The fiscal control board, because you cannot possibly justify having all those schools open. So who’s going to be the bad guy? Thank God there’s a fiscal control board, because if you leave, you allow the local elected official to make those decisions, it would be political suicide. And that transfers to any state. Ask any governor to close down 25 percent of schools, and they’re going to lose the election. Jen: Well, I mean, I think that’s just a part of the job. The problem— Luis: I know! Jen: —that I’m seeing as— Luis: No, but wait a second the problem is that the governor can’t do it because when you commit political suicide, and you need to support the legislature to do that, the elected officials in the legislative body would be the first ones that won’t back you up. They’ll say, you crazy? I’m not going to back you up; I want to get elected next time. That’s a huge problem. He says, I can’t do it without you. People are like let’s not do it; let’s let the other guy do it. And he’s like, no, we don’t have enough money. The students are leaving Orlando and New York. They moved away. We don’t need so many schools; we need to close. And the senators will be like, I’m not going to pass that law; are you kidding me? We’re all going to be out of a job. Jen: Well, I mean, and that’s the thing, like, maybe you’re not supposed to serve forever. Like, I just feel like those tough decisions are a part of a job of being elected, and one of my concerns of this control board is that those families, they can’t petition to this board. There is no voice for the Puerto Ricans where the governor doesn’t have a vote. I guess I’d feel more comfortable with it if I thought that those families could petition to their governor, and it would be one vote at the table that would have those political calculations in mind. But with these seven people that were selected by Congress, I mean, is there any concern that they’re going to prioritize the bankers over the Puerto Rican people? Luis: I think a lot of people are concerned about that. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations
Rebecca Burns, publisher of The Red & Black student newspaper at the University of Georgia, discusses why independent student journalism matters and gives advice on what aspiring media leaders should focus on in order to have successful careers.
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