Jim Geraghty of National Review and Rich McFadden of Radio America react to the first night of CNN Democratic presidential debates. They discuss the moderate candidates challenging Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on the feasibility of their left-wing agendas. They lament the structure of presidential debates and the time constraints placed on candidates. And they respond to Marianne Williamson’s performance with her warnings of “dark psychic forces.”
Jim Geraghty of National Review and guest host Greg Knapp break down the next round of Democratic debates beginning tonight. They shake their heads at the FBI and other agencies being implicated in the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. And they discuss Beto O’Rourke’s mother publicly offering campaign advice for her son.
(Gregory Knapp is a Speaker, Coach, and Talk Show Host. You can learn more about him and get a free gift at gregorybknapp.com. His podcast, Find Your Purpose-Live Your Passion is available on Apple Podcasts/iTunes.)
Listen to “Biden’s Age-Old Dilemma, Rahm Sounds 2020 Alarm, Schiff’s Mueller Madness” on Spreaker.
Jim Geraghty of National Review and guest host Gregory Knapp discuss growing concerns in the Democratic Party over Joe Biden’s age with the second round of debates incoming. They analyze Rahm Emanuel’s editorial piece warning Democratic presidential candidates to unite the party in the primary or risk losing the general election. And they share a laugh over Adam Schiff’s sudden criticism of Robert Mueller’s recent testimony lacking an adequate ‘narrative.’
Listen to “RBG Praises Trump Justices, Wall Street Loves 2020 Dems, POTUS Seal Snafu” on Spreaker.
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America discuss Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s surprising praise of conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. They debate the news of Wall Street donors backing Biden, Buttigieg, and Kamala in the Democratic primary. And they cover the growing controversy of the doctored presidential seal displayed behind President Trump at a recent event.
Listen to “Mueller Disappoints Democrats, Rossello Resigns, Kamala Fervor Fading” on Spreaker.
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America recap the Mueller hearings, including Democrat Hakeem Jeffries’ embarrassing exchange with the former special counsel. They react to the resignation of Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello. And they discuss Kamala Harris declining in the polls after her post-debate bounce last month.
Listen to “McCarthy Sizes Up Mueller Testimony” on Spreaker.
Former Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III offered his highly anticipated testimony on Wednesday, but the day turned out differently than Democrats or Republicans anticipated.
Democrats clearly tried to assert that Mueller would have indicted President Trump for obstruction of justice of Justice Department policy did not forbid the indictment of a sitting president. Republicans were determined to point out that the scope of the Mueller investigation was too narrow and ought to include an examination how how the surveillance of Trump campaign officials began in the first place.
What no one expected was the Mueller performance. The former FBI director appeared to lack a strong command of his investigation and even admitted he did not oversee it on a day-to-day basis. He often searched for answers in a manner that shocked analysts on both sides of the aisle.
But what is the impact of Mueller’s testimony? Did Democrats make the case that Trump only avoided prosecution because of a loophole? Did Republicans succeed in showing that a much broader investigation is warranted? Why is Mueller’s shaky performance a big deal? What is the next big step in this saga? And is either side worried about ongoing Russian efforts to meddle in elections?
We discuss all of these questions and more in our conversation with former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. McCarthy, now a contributing editor and columnist at National Review Online and a contributor for the Fox New Channel.
Listen to “RBG Rebukes Court Packing, Dems Scold Steyer, Missing Mueller’s Point” on Spreaker.
After sharing some initial thoughts on the Mueller hearings, Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud Ruth Bader Ginsburg for criticizing Democratic calls to pack the Supreme Court with more justices. They share a chuckle over the growing angst among Democrats over progressive donor Tom Steyer’s presidential bid. And they roll their eyes as hardly any members of Congress ignore the main point of the Mueller report – that Russia is intent on meddling with our elections.
Listen to “Boris Wins Big, Trump Taxes Divide Dems, Gabbard Slams Harris” on Spreaker.
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America serve up three more delicious martinis. First, they cautiously applaud the selection of Boris Johnson as the new British prime minister in hopes the UK can finally deal with Brexit in a good way and they eagerly await the Trump-Johnson press conferences. They also commend Democratic House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal for not bowing to the progressive whims to demand Trump’s New York state tax returns immediately. And they enjoy hearing 2020 hopeful and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard insist that Sen. Kamala Harris is not qualified to be Commander-in-Chief.
Listen to “New Budget Deal Means Even More Debt” on Spreaker.
Eager to avoid a debt ceiling showdown, the Treasury Department and congressional Democrats appear to be on the brink of a budget agreement that could saddle taxpayers with an additional $2 trillion in debt over the next decade.
According to reports, the agreement runs through July 31, 2021. It would effectively end all remaining elements of the 2011 Budget Control Act known as sequester, while adding $350 billion in new spending in exchange for about $75 billion in offsets.
If that seems lopsided in favor of more spending, that’s because it is. But National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp says it’s even worse than it looks.
“The things is there are ripple effects past two years. If you do a decade-long total, you’re talking about something closer to $2 trillion of additional spending permitted by this deal,” said Sepp.
Sepp also points out that a lot of new spending never goes away.
“Many of the spending increases called for will be baked into future budgets going down the line even if they try to re-establish the debt ceiling a couple of years from now. So this is a real problem for taxpayers and, unfortunately, it represents the final retreat from the Budget Control Act of 2011, which established that sequester process,” said Sepp.
National Taxpayers Union research shows the sequester process saved the average American household roughly $7,400 by 2017. Sepp says removing those restraints is nothing more than a massive tax hike on future generations and the future is coming sooner than wee realize.
“Deficit spending is really just tax increases on a future type of taxpayer: unborn taxpayers, or young taxpayers, even taxpayers who are currently filing their taxes down the line would face higher taxes to service all of these debts,” said Sepp.
Listen to the full podcast to hear Sepp respond to suggestions that sequestration cuts were “mindless and irresponsible.” He also explains why spending “offsets” are often a mirage, why the Trump administration isn’t demanding more fiscal restraint, and why so few people seem to care about the mounting debt.
Listen to “Crooked Comey? Reality Bites Bernie, Wendy Davis Returns” on Spreaker.
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America discuss reports that the Justice Department’s Inspector General plans to allege former FBI Director James Comey lied to Trump about the Russia investigation and even spied on him. They also relish Bernie Sanders acknowledging reality as he bumps up staffers’ hourly pay by cutting back on their hours. And they debate Wendy Davis’ electoral prospects in Texas as she launches a run for Congress.