“Adherence to men is often disloyalty to
principles.”
– John Taylor of Caroline
Virginia's ONLY syndicated political talk radio show!
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Freedom & Prosperity Radio is an informative, controversial, and humorous talk radio show focused on state and national politics from a Virginia perspective. We talk about the political maneuvering, the pork, and the behind-the-scenes happenings in government. We also present positive, free market solutions for issues that are important to you -- solutions for better schools, better roads, lower taxes, and smaller government.
This page contains audio archives of the show, which broadcasts on select radio stations in Virginia every weekend.
Freedom & Prosperity Radio is presented by Virginia's most successful advocate for small government, free markets, and free people, Tertium Quids, and is hosted by Joe Thomas.
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Radio station list
Click on the station logo to go to the station's Web site
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CITY |
STATION |
TIME/DAY |
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|---|---|---|---|
Blacksburg & the New River Valley |
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7:30 - 8:00am Saturdays and 8:00 - 8:30am Sundays
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Charlottesville |
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7:00 - 8:00pm Saturdays (Full 1-hour show) |
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Harrisonburg |
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1:00-2:00pm Sundays
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| Martinsville |  1450 AM |
12:00 - 1:00pm Sundays |
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| Lynchburg |  |
7:00 am - 8:00 am Sundays | |
| Washington, DC |  |
8:00-9:00am Saturdays and 12:00-1:00pm Sundays |
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Roanoke and Salem |
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11:00 am - 12:00 noon Saturdays
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Waynesboro, Staunton, and Lexington |
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1:00-2:00pm Sundays (Full 1-hour show!) |
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Chesapeake, Portsmouth, VA Beach, Norfolk |
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8:00-9:00am Sundays (Full Hour Show) |
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Williamsburg |
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Saturday 7:00-8:00am (Full Hour Show)
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Richmond |
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Saturday 8:00-9:00am (Full Hour Show) |
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Show archives - Listen now!
May 30th
Full Show
February 19th
January 29th
January 22nd
January 15th
January 8th, 2011
Deecember 17th
December 11th
December 4th
November 27th
November 20th, 2010
November 13th, 2010
Who were the real winners and losers in last Tuesday’s elections? Does the Republicans’ success mean that job-killing legislation like Cap and Trade is finally gone for good?
Date: November 6th, 2010
John Taylor, President of Tertium Quids, and Norman Leahy, VP of Public Relations at Teritum Quids, provide a complete recap of Tuesday’s elections from a freedom & prosperity perspective while laying out the real winners and losers. Hint: They’re not all Democrats.
Chris Horner, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, tells Scott Lee that Rick Boucher lost in the 9th District precisely because of his support for bad bills like Cap and Trade. Horner also explains the real motivation behind job-killing environmental policies and the perfect storm that killed the carbon tax.
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Which Virginia races are the tightest and most closely watched? Are any surprises coming? What are the Democrats expecting? Are the three constitutional ballot questions good or bad for the Commonwealth?
Date: October 30rd, 2010
Bob Holsworth, founder of VirginiaTomorrow.com, offers his non-partisan political analysis of the upcoming election with a laser focus on the races in Virginia. Are there any surprises looming?
Paul Goldman, former Democratic Party of Virginia Chairman and former aide to Gov. Doug Wilder, tells Scott Lee that he wishes the elections would never come! He explains what has gone wrong for Democrats and what he thinks will happen on November 2nd.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, explains the three constitutional ballot questions that voters must decide on Tuesday. Although they all sound reasonable, there are some important factors to consider before voting “yes”!
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Could a politician actually surprise you by doing the right thing? The latest update from the 5th District from someone who is living it! A typical reaction from elimination of the state income tax.
Date: October 23rd , 2010
Wendell Cox, principal and sole owner of Wendell Cox Consultancy/Demographia, based in the St. Louis and a Virginia Institute Board of Scholars, discuss Governor Christie discuss to stop building the tunnel to NY due to cost and risk to NJ budget.
Joe Thomas, radio talk show host and program director at WCHV in Charlottesville, discusses what “ground zero” looks like in the 5th District race between Hurt and Periello.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee that Hurt and Periello are both against free trade. He describes the typical knee-jerk liberal reaction to killing the state income tax from a columnist in the Virginia Pilot and explains that the ABC plan by Governor McDonnell may be dead!
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Coverage of the Tea Party Convention in Richmond, VA on October 9th
Date: October 16th, 2010
Lindsey Burke, policy analyst, researches and writes on federal and state education issues as a policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation.
Lou Dobbs, an American radio host, former television host, and author. He anchored CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight until November 2009 when he announced on the air that he would leave the cable network.
Congressman Steve King (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, from Iowa’s 5th Congressional District.
Phillip Van Cleave, President of Virginia Citizens Defense League.
Delegate Ben Cline, represents the 24th Legislative District in the Virginia House of Delegates, which includes the cities of Lexington and Buena Vista and portions of Amherst, Augusta, and Rockbridge Counties
Virginia State Senator Mark Obenshain, 26th District and Republican Whip, serves on four committees: Courts of Justice, Local Government, Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, and Privileges and Elections
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Former Congressman Virgil Goode from the 5th District
Virginia State Senator Walter Stosch represents the 12th District near Richmond.
Delegate Jimmy Massie, representing the 72nd District.
Delegate Bob Marshall, Republican 13th District.
Corey Stewart, Chairman Prince William Board of County Supervisors
Chris Horner, a senior fellow on energy and the environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
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Is free trade hurting or helping America? Is the Governor “hiding” even more budget cuts that could total a billion? Could redistricting come BEFORE the census report?
Date: October 9th, 2010
Donald J. Boudreaux, professor of economics at George Mason University, lays out the facts that pertain to free trade. Despite the WSJ poll showing that support for free trade is fading, it is the right way to grow our economy. Free trade is good for customers and for working Americans!
Erick Erickson, editor of Redstate.com and author of Red State Uprising: How to Take Back America, shares Scott’s concerns that the Republicans haven’t spent enough time in the wilderness to govern “conservatively.” He explains the difference between the “Contract with America” and the new GOP “Pledge to America.” He explains that the GOP may not need to win the Senate to make real changes, they just need to gain a few more Jim DeMints.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee, once again, about changes inside the ABC privatization plan. And there could be some redistricting conflicts that involve the census report unfairly benefiting incumbents. Rumors abound about a little envelope on the Governor’s desk full of a billion dollars in extra spending cuts!
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Could Virginia pass a resolution calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution? What is Chris Horner’s “Horner Corner?” Is Gov. McDonnell’s ABC privatization plan changing? Will Virginia institute another holiday?
Date: October 2nd, 2010
Randy Barnett, law professor at Georgetown University Law Center and author of “Restoring the Lost Constitution: The Presumption of Liberty”, explains the details behind the proposed “Repeal Amendment” available under Article 5. Is it likely? Why do we need it? Will Virginia be the first to start freedom rolling, again?
Chris Horner, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, has a chat in the corner, now called the “Horner Corner.” Horner says that silly environmental policies continue to harm Virginia and America!
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee that the ABC privatization plan is changing, perhaps for the better. Norman also explains a new “tax holiday” coming to Virginia and why it’s bad policy.
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Recorded Live from Liberty Fest in Richmond, VA_________________________
Discussions on property rights, Agenda 21, lessons from Cuba, founding principles, the role of government, lust for power, social justice, the influence of the Tea Party, the 10th Amendment and Congress’ enumerated powers, and the Republican Party today.
Date: September 25th, 2010
Jacob Hornberger is the founder and president of the Future of Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit libertarian educational foundation based in Fairfax, Virginia.
Tom DeWeese is the founder of the American Policy Center and publisher of The DeWeese Report.
Daniel McCarthy is associate editor of The American Conservative and former internet communications coordinator for Ron Paul 2008.
John Taylor is the founder and president of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy and Tertium Quids.
Norman Leahy is vice president for public affairs at Tertium Quids.
Josh Eboch, vice president for government affairs at Tertium Quids, discusses how social networking and online activism are crucial to building a grassroots movement and the success of events like Liberty Fest.
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Will T. Boone Pickens’ presence at Governor McDonnell’s upcoming Energy Conference undermine its objectives? Is VDOT hiding a big nasty skeleton in the closet? Will George Allen and Bob Marshall be competing for Jim Webb’s Senate seat in 2012? What are polls and bright minds predicting for the November elections?
Date: September 18th, 2010
Chris Horner, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, shares Scott Lee’s outrage over the recent closing of a light bulb factory in Winchester, VA. And it turns out that the judge in the UVA/Cuccinelli/climategate case has a past that could come back to haunt him. Horner explains why T. Boone Pickens is like Enron, and why allowing him to speak at Governor McDonnell’s energy summit was a very questionable decision.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, explains the announcement by a VDOT official that very big news about the department may be coming, and could make national headlines! Rumors abound that George Allen and Bob Marshall may be planning a run at the same US Senate seat as 2012 approaches.
Dr. Bob Holsworth, President of Virginia Tomorrow, offers in-depth analysis regarding the elections in Virginia as only Bob can! Even with the national consensus of an impending Republican tsunami, predicting winners and losers is never easy
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What does global warming alarmism have to do with job security at a light bulb factory in Winchester, Virginia? How did Michael Mann’s discredited “hockey stick” graph become the standard on which public policy is based? Is the ABC debate putting too much emphasis on costs and not enough on privatization and the core functions of government? Is the Democratic National Committee running away from Tom Perriello?
Date: September 11th, 2010
Ross McKitrick, a Canadian economist specializing in environmental economics and policy analysis, and professor of economics at the University of Guelph, tells us why Michael Mann’s “hockey stick” chart is pure fallacy. He explains how Mann’s flawed model became the final word on global warming. Unfortunately, due to the gullibility of Congress, which relied on those inaccurate predictions to shape policy, a Winchester, VA incandescent light bulb factory is closing this month, leaving more Virginians out of work. Dr. McKitrick asks when the “adults” will enter this debate.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, gives Scott Lee the dirt on Governor McDonnell’s ABC plan, which includes selling a large percentage of the licenses. Yet the problem is legislators who refuse to support any plan that might result in less money for them to dole out. Norm and Scott discuss their mistake of arguing over revenues instead of pursuing sound economic policy. And it looks the DNC is planning to leave Tom Perriello to fend for himself, while Larry Sabato is already picking November’s winners and losers.
Jamie Radtke, President of Richmond Tea Party, gives us an update on next weekend’s Liberty Fest and the Tea Party Patriot Convention in October.
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What will be the impact of the recent judgment against Attorney General Cuccinelli in the UVA climategate suit? Could Virginia actually thrive without state income taxes? Are Virginia taxpayers now sponsoring auto racing and subsidizing Microsoft in Southwest Virginia?
Date: September 4, 2010
Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia’s Attorney General, describes the details of the recent ruling against his attempt to investigate former professor Michael Mann’s involvement in taxpayer fraud at the University of Virginia. He also clarifies that a raft of recent controversial legal opinions are just part of his job, and talks about whether he could be the new leader of the Republican Party in Virginia.
Peter Ferrara, of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, discusses his recent study on the Tax Payer Bill of Rights: Phasing out the state income tax. It is a sound plan to slow spending and eliminate the personal, corporate, and capital gains income taxes in Virginia completely over four years. Contrary to popular misconception, Ferrara’s plan would cut no state services, would actually balance the budget, and would create an economic boom in Virginia similar to those seen in the nine other states that have already eliminated these harmful taxes.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs with Tertium Quids, tells host Scott Lee why the new jobs brought to Southwest Virginia by Microsoft were due to a large capital investment….by you, the taxpayers. And even worse, Virginia residents are now paying for Martinsville Speedway. Norman also updates the audience on the ABC privatization debate.
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Are we experiencing a double dip recession? How did the Obama administration double education spending without a vote in Congress? Are national standards in education a good idea? Is Glenn Nye running away from the Democrat party? Does the United Nations have the authority to audit America’s human rights record?
Date: August 28, 2010
Brian Riedl, budget analyst for the Heritage Foundation, says we may be duplicating Japan’s “lost decade” that included no less than eight stimulus spending bills. A double dip recession may be imminent due to ongoing uncertainty in the economy. He explains that President Obama is fully committed to Keynesian economics and could even double down on this failed ideology.
Lindsey Burke, policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, explains how the Obama administration has doubled education spending without a single vote in Congress. She details the problems created when federal education standards make schools accountable to the government, rather than to parents. Even worse, the national standards are lower than those already in place in Virginia!
Scott Lee wonders if Glenn Nye is running FROM the Democrat Party, while at the same time asking Senator Warner to campaign for him. Meanwhile Scott Rigell has signed the Tea Party pledge. In the Fifth District, Tom Periello is attacking Robert Hurt for raising taxes in the General Assembly, all the while ignoring his own record of tax and spend votes in Washington. And President Obama is now, for the first time in history, allowing the United Nations Human Rights Council to audit America and recommend new rules and laws.
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Did you know that Senator Mark Obenshain introduced bill to privatize Virginia’s ABC stores…two years ago? What, if any, connection is there between FreedomWorks and the tea party movement? Should Governor McDonnell take more money from the reckless, bankrupt spenders in Congress? How is Senator Jim Webb driving up the cost of your airline tickets?
Date: August 21, 2010
State Senator Mark Obenshain introduced a bill two years ago to privatize the ABC stores. Obviously, he was unsuccessful. Sen. Obenshain explains the legislative hurdles Gov. McDonnell faces in his own attempt to achieve the same goal and the advantages of privatization.
Matt Kibbe, President of FreedomWorks, discusses the new book Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto, which he co-wrote with former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Kibbe explains the relationship between FreedomWorks and the tea party movement. He also tells listeners about the Contract from America, and how can it help to guide the gloriously leaderless tea party.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee that Gov. Bob McDonnell might want to refuse the money from Washington’s latest bailout bill because of its negative impact on Virginia’s fake budget surplus. Also, it turns out that Sen. Jim Webb’s plan to make airline tickets more transparent will increase costs!
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Could entitlements for the Baby Boomer generation, combined with massive federal debt, lead to a “Boomergeddon?” Is America in the midst of an economic crisis or an ethics crisis? Does VDOT abuse its power of eminent domain? (Is the Pope Catholic?) Can the American Conservative Party offer a real alternative to America’s failing two-party duopoly?
Date: August 14, 2010
Jim Bacon, author of Boomergeddon, suggests that the end, economically speaking, could in fact be near. The combination of Baby Boomers retiring from the productive economy coupled with massive spending will bring America’s economy down. But is there any hope?
David Brat, professor of economics and director of the BB&T ethics program at Randolph-Macon College, suggests that we may have a bigger problem than just federal spending. Brat makes the case that politicians of noble character and ethics (if any exist) are needed to run our system of government, which, as John Adams once said “is inadequate for any other!”
Charles Lollar, an attorney with the firm Waldo & Lyle, explains the details of a Richmond property owner’s battle with VDOT. Essentially, the noble bureaucrats at Virginia’s Department of Transportation wasted more than $100,000 of taxpayer money in an attempt to confiscate one piece of private property!
Butch Porter, Chairman of the American Conservative Party, tells Scott Lee that the ACP is in fact a viable alternative to the current two party system. Butch explains the ideals of his party and the process by which its members can end the Republican/Democrat duopoly, despite Scott Lee’s persistent questions.
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What are some myths about the effectiveness of government interventions in the economy during the Great Depression? Does Virginia need an immigration law similar to the one recently passed in Arizona? What is the Virginia Tea Party Convention? Is the federal stimulus money creating jobs or destroying them?
Date: August 7, 2010
Larry Reed, President of Foundation for Economic Education, discusses his recent article Great Myths of the Great Depression, and the fact that too few Americans have learned from history. As a result, the business cartels of Roosevelt’s day have now metastasized into a full-fledged corporatist system under Presidents Bush and Obama.
Delegate Bob Marshall discusses the difference between the Arizona illegal immigration law and current Virginia law. He expounds on problems with illegal immigration that directly impact Virginians, including a drunk driver who recently struck and killed a nun, and terrorists from the Middle East that enter America through Mexico. He also explains that while ObamaCare was just rejected overwhelmingly by voters in Missouri, Virginia was actually the first to nullify the unconstitutional mandate.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs for Tertium Quids, tells host Scott Lee that the federal stimulus may in fact be destroying jobs, not creating them! And Judge Henry Hudson’s ruling allowing Attorney General Cuccinelli’s suit against ObamaCare to go forward comes under criticism. Governor McDonnell’s economic development ideas are both good and bad.
Jamie Radtke, President of the Richmond Tea Party, discusses the first attempt in Virginia to bring all Tea Party/Patriot Groups together at one huge convention! Guest list will include several big name speakers such as Lou Dobbs, Dick Morris and John Fund!
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Does President Obama plan to continue the decades-long trend of ignoring the Constitution in order to increase the power of the presidency? Can the states simply “Nullify” federal laws they deem unconstitutional? Should the 17th Amendment be repealed?
Date: August 1, 2010
Doc Thompson, host of The Doc Thompson Show on 1140 WRVA in Richmond and frequent guest host on The Glenn Beck Program, fills in for Scott Lee.
Ken Blackwell, author of The Blueprint: Obama’s plan to subvert the Constitution and build an imperial Presidency, explains that the Constitution stands in the way of President Obama’s massive plan for “fundamental change.” Although the Constitution hasn’t stopped any modern president or Congress from usurping the liberty of the people, the struggle continues between those who love liberty and those who long to impose their statist beliefs on society.
Tom Woods, author of Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century, explains how we can use the “Virginia Doctrine” to fight an overreaching federal government. As Thomas Jefferson famously explained in 1798, the states are individual parties to a compact known as the Constitution, and, as such, may choose not to recognize any law they believe violates its terms. It’s called nullification, and it has been used throughout history to fight unconstitutional laws from the Fugitive Slave Act to Real ID. Woods also discusses how the 17th Amendment undermines state sovereignty and why he thinks it should be repealed.
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What is the condition of the global economy today? What would a return to prosperity look like? Is Mark Warner trying to fix Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Do polls show Tom Perriello Hurt-ing in the 5th District?
Date: July 24, 2010
Richard Rahn, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and Chairman for the Institute of Global Economic Growth, explains that debt is exploding throughout the world, a situation that will require (or cause) major changes. According to Richard, the world is in really bad shape, and he compares this to other times in history.
Stephen Moore from the Wall Street Journal discusses the path to prosperity as laid out in his new book “Return to Prosperity.” As fans of this program know, government spending doesn’t create jobs; it only digs us deeper into debt. Moore explains what really creates jobs, and how to expand meaningful economic growth.
Norman Leahy, VP for Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee that SurveyUSA shows Tom Perriello could lose big to Sen. Robert Hurt in the 5th District. And Mark Warner, instrumental patron of the recent financial “reform” bill, missed the entire reason why reform is needed: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and their hundreds of billions in taxpayer liabilities! Norm also explains three ways in which the state government could sell off Virginia’s ABC stores.
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Does the recent 5-4 Supreme Court decision overturning the Chicago handgun law reflect Americans’ values and a clear understanding of the Constitution? What does Greenpeace want from Attorney General Cuccinelli? Where is Virginia’s supposed budget surplus going?
Date: July 17, 2010
Nelson Lund, Patrick Henry Professor of Constitutional Law and the Second Amendment at George Mason and member of the Virginia Institute’s Board of Scholars, explains why the latest Supreme Court gun decision should have been 9-0. He explains why states do not have the right to ignore the Second Amendment in light of the 14th Amendment. Nelson discusses the legal grounds on which the Court’s four most liberal justices dissented in the case.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, talks to Scott Lee about what Greenpeace wants from Ken Cuccinelli. And apparently, the VA budget surplus (which does not actually exist) is going many places, but not to the taxpayers, while the Virginia Retirement System remains a huge unfunded liability. Norm explains an interesting twist on some new jobs in Altavista, VA.
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Is high speed rail a good idea for the Commonwealth, or is it just another slow train to nowhere at a high cost? Are the proposed tolls on I-95 a good idea?.
Date: July 10, 2010
Doc Thompson, host of The Doc Thompson Show on 1140 WRVA in Richmond and frequent guest host on The Glenn Beck program, fills in for Scott Lee.
Wendell Cox, Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and member of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy Board of Scholars, explains the misconceptions that often surround high speed rail projects. Cox exposes their high cost and explains how some politicians (even supposed fiscal conservatives) go out of their way to subsidize these enormous government boondoggles!
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Doc Thompson rants about the I-95 toll proposed by Governor McDonnell and details some of the changes already taking place as a result of the recently passed ObamaCare legislation.
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Should the state government be in the business of operating liquor stores? Is Loudon County infringing on private property rights through the “Chesapeake Bay Act?” The 5th District congressional race is getting very interesting.
Date: July 3, 2010
Donald J. Boudreaux, senior fellow at the Virginia Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics at George Mason University, explains why the state of Virginia should get out of the alcohol business and allow the state’s liquor stores to be run by private individuals. He dismisses a common claim that state-run liquor stores are somehow in the interest of public safety.
Donny Ferguson, National Director of Media and Public relations for Western Tradition Partnership, tells of a plan by Loudon County’s Board of Supervisors to raise taxes, increase regulation, and deny property rights. In order to accomplish this trifecta of statism, the county is using the Chesapeake Bay Act in ways that were never intended.
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Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs for Tertium Quids, tells host Scott Lee about the “discharge petition” in the House of Representatives to appeal ObamaCare. Norm also discusses the rampant political posturing in the 5th District, which currently includes such well-known Virginia pols as George Allen and Vance Wilkins.
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Are “economic incentives” just code words for more government tinkering or a smart growth strategy? Can an Independent running on principle move the voters in VA-02 beyond partisanship? Is Russia now a model for economic liberty? And just where did Lt. Governor Bill Bolling get $800,000 for a wind energy project at James Madison University?
Date: June 26, 2010
Scott Hodge from the Tax Foundation tells us that so-called economic incentives are just tinkering around the edges and are not spurring real growth. The truth is that the cost of using tax dollars to pick winners and losers, which inevitably leads to market distortions, can never really compare to the power of low taxes in a free market.
Ken Golden, running as an independent in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, explains why neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party represents his beliefs. He also explains why he changed his mind on offshore drilling, and why he refuses to sign a pledge not to raise taxes.
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Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs for Tertium Quids, reveals that Russia, formerly infamous for its collectivism, has eliminated its capital gains tax and become a model for economic growth! Meanwhile, it turns out that a recent JMU windfall of $800,000 to study alternative energy came from federal stimulus money. Finally, Gerry Connelly manages to keep a straight face while claiming that moderates are “flocking” to his campaign.
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What will Virginia’s education system look like after four years with Education Secretary Gerard Robinson at the helm? Are tax credits the best way to expand freedom in education? What about a new film tax credit? Is it a step toward sustainable economic growth, or just a political gimmick that gives government another way to pick winners and losers?
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Date: June 19, 2010
Gerard Robinson, Virginia’s Secretary of Education, explains why he is different than past education secretaries. He discusses the three education bills that passed the General Assembly in 2010.
Adam Schaeffer, of Cato’s Center for Education Freedom, tells us what freedom in education actually looks like. A hint: It’s not Virginia’s public school system. Schaeffer explains why tax credits are a better solution than Charter schools.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs for Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee that Virginia expanded its film tax credit by $2 million. Meanwhile, Japan has decided to cut its corporate tax rate in a counterintuitive move to (you guessed it) raise revenue. Somebody call the Governor! More good news: Virginia seems to be taking lessons in budget accounting from the federal government.
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Is Fairfax’s new monorail tax constitutional? Congressman Randy Forbes is trying to limit spending, and Virginia plans to open offices in Taiwan and India.
Date: June 12, 2010
Joe Henchman from the Tax Foundation tells us that the new Fairfax County monorail tax violates the Virginia Constitution. All taxes imposed must be applied to all residents equally and the monorail tax does not meet that standard.
Congressman Randy Forbes explains a proposed constitutional amendment to limit government spending. He has also co-sponsored the Economic Freedom Bill to repeal TARP and the stimulus bill.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, gives a recap of the Republican primaries, talks about the D-Day memorial that honors Joseph Stalin, and reveals that Virginia has now opened offices overseas in India and Taiwan.
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What impact will the Tea Party have in the Republican primaries, specifically in the 2nd District? What new guns laws came out of this year's General Assembly and when do they take affect? What are the perks of being a college President and what is James Cameron planning to do in the Gulf of Mexico?
Date: June 5, 2010
Robert Dean, President of the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance, tells us
what primary impact to expect from the Tea Parties in the 2nd District.
Ben Loyola seems to be the consensus Tea Party pick and Robert exposes the
background of Scott Rigell.
Philip Van Cleave, President of the Virginia Citizens Defense League,
explains the latest gun laws and when they take effect. For once, the new
laws are an expansion of freedom, which allow the citizens of Virginia to
be safer.
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, talks with Scott Lee
about inviting guests to the program that disagree with him. Norm also
explains the perks of being a college President and explains what it takes
to become one!
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Why did President Obama stop referring to Spain as a role model for his so-called "green economy?" Could it be the fact that Spain's heavily subsidized green jobs sector is a disastrous boondoggle? What drove Delegate Morgan Griffith to enter the congressional race in Virginia's 9th District, and what is his governing philosophy? Why is the federal government using our precious tax dollars to print up a pretty new flyer proclaiming the supposed solvency of the Medicaid program?
Date: May 29, 2010
Chris Horner, Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, explains why President Obama is no longer touting Spain's "green economy." In fact, Spain has admitted that the promise of green jobs as sold to Obama is nothing short of a disaster. But don't expect actual results or economic reality to quiet calls for a similar system here.
Delegate Morgan Griffith is challenging Rep. Rick Boucher in Virginia's 9th District. Griffith explains his overall governing philosophy to Scott Lee, and tells the audience why he wants to serve in Congress. The only question is: Can he survive the F&P Radio speed round?
Norman Leahy, VP for Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, tells Scott Lee that the latest federal stimulus bill is a huge push to make the U.S. more like France, and is chock full of some of the most outrageous pork spending we have ever seen! Also, the federal government is using taxpayer money to convince Medicaid recipients their benefits are secure, even while its own accounting shows something completely different.
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How will Greece's financial troubles impact the rest of Europe? Is the recent promise of cash from the International Monetary Fund a permanent solution, or simply a way to buy more time for the politicians? If Obamacare isn't repealed, can its harmful provisions be mitigated in some other way? Did anything useful come from Governor McDonnell's Business Appreciation meeting? Who are the 800 Scientists publicly condemning Attorney General Cuccinelli for trying to protect Virginia taxpayers from fraud?
Date: May 22, 2010
Eamonn Butler, the Director and co-founder of Britain's leading free-market policy think tank, the Adam Smith Institute, explains the impact of Greek debt woes on the rest of Europe.
Alex Cortes, Chairman of Restore the Dream Foundation and founder of Defundit.org, explains his latest effort to build a movement to defund Obamacare. Have any members of Virginia's congressional delegation signed on?
Norman Leahy, VP of Public Affairs at Tertium Quids, tells host Scott Lee that McDonnell's business appreciation breakfast handed out more than just free food. And it turns out those 800 concerned scientists so upset with Ken Cuccinelli are really only concerned about one thing: silencing global warming sceptics!
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Patrick Michaels talks about rampant hypocrisy at the University of Virginia in regard to the faculty's selective outrage over a request by Virginia's new Attorney General for former professor, Michael Mann's email records. Does Governor McDonnell's recent Executive Order #10 expand free markets, or does it expand so-called "smart growth" and "sustainable" living development policies that really just allow government bureaucrats to pick more winners and losers? Has the GOP in Maine been taken over by the Tea Party? Is Gov. McDonnell's "Commission on Government Reform" going to provide real reform?
Date: May 15, 2010
Patrick Michaels, former UVA professor and state climatologist, explains the real story behind a recent subpoena for emails related to controversial and discredited research by Michael Mann.
Ron Utt of the Heritage Foundation and Jerry Taylor of the Cato Institute explain the details of Governor McDonnell's Housing Policy in Executive Order #10. It reads like a plan written by Van Jones for centrally-planned green lifestyles. Or is it just fluff designed to convince independents that McDonnell can play both sides of the ball?
Norm Leahy and Scott Lee discuss the new GOP platform in Maine. Shockingly, it seems the state's Republican Party might actually be listening to the people's demands for limited government and more freedom. Has the GOP in Virginia gotten that message yet?
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A recent survey found that American students entering top universities have a better understanding of civics when they arrive than when they graduate. What does this say about the direction of our country and its future? The Attorney General of Virginia says that he is protecting taxpayer dollars by demanding records and emails from the University of Virginia regarding controversial climate change research. What is the status of the state's lawsuit against ObamaCare? Can a tax increase be "pro-growth?" Some in Congress, including Republicans, want to impose a VAT on all imports!
Date: May 8, 2010
Richard Brake from Intercollegiate Studies Institute explains the results of a recent civics exam. It turns out that some major universities have very poor results when it comes to educating students on our founding principles, and on teaching simple civic responsibility.
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli suggests that his civil investigative demand for emails and materials regarding global warming research from UVA is about protecting taxpayers from fraud. He explains that there are plenty of reasons to believe that Micheal Mann's infamous "hockey stick" chart is questionable.
.Norm Leahy from Tertium Quids tells host Scott Lee that Virginia's health care lawsuit is on a fast track through the federal court system. He also explains how ObamaCare includes a tax penalty for getting married! According to Norm, some people in government actually think there is such a thing as pro-growth tax hikes, while others think we should add a VAT to all U.S. imports.
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How can the latest 1,000 page financial reform bill do anything to stop future meltdowns or bail outs? Who is the real villian in the current crisis: Wall Street or government? Why do tuition rates at our state's public universities continue to climb? What can be done to stop the cost increases? Does anyone in Virginia's congressional delegation really plan to attempt a repeal of Obamacare? Is it good business to bribe companies with taxpayer dollars to move to Virgnia?
Date: May 1, 2010
Top economist Stephen Moore from the Wall Street Journal tells us why the latest massive, overly-complex "reform" bill will do nothing to stop future problems in the financial sector, but could actually succeed in making them worse! He explains why Americans should fear government regulation, not free markets.
Neal McCluskey, Associate Director of Cato's Center for Educational Freedom, explains why college tuition rates continue to climb to record levels, and will continue to do so as long as the government remains involved.
Norm Leahy, VP for Public Relations at Tertium Quids, tells host Scott Lee that talk of repealing Obamacare might be just that--talk! Norm also provides an inside look at the strange deals made by Virginia politicians to entice companies to relocate here.
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The new 2010 Pig Book summary is out, and includes a massive amount of government waste, with over 9,000 unnecessary projects!
What is "pork" spending, and where did Virginia rank on the that list? Only one Virginia politician offered no earmarks, can you guess who?
Date: April 24th, 2010
Filling in for Scott Lee is Doc Thompson, host of The Doc Thompson Show on 1140 WRVA, and frequent guest host for Glenn Beck.
Erica Gordon from Citizens Against Government Waste explains the details behind the 2010 Pig Book. She provides information on the leading "pork" spenders in Virginia, and exposes some of those projects.
Doc Thompson exposes the threat that the Value Added Tax (VAT) poses to our economy and freedom.
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What will it take to restore the vision of our founders, and will anyone in the General Assembly rise to the challenge?
Is another "Cash for Clunkers" debacle on the horizon, and what can Colorado Springs teach us about how to deal with cuts in government programs?
Date: April 17, 2010
Dan Mitchell, from the Cato Institute, explains the current status of our economy, and the real impact of a Value Added Tax. If the VAT ever becomes a reality, it truly would change the face of our country.
Pat McSweeney, constitutional lawyer and president of Restore the Founders' Vision, explains what it would take to restore the vision of our founders, and who in the Virginia General Assembly best represents those principles today. He also gives a quick report on the most recently elected Republican governors, and how they compare.
Norm Leahy, VP of Public Affairs for Tertium Quids, updates us on the new "Cash for Clunkers" program in the appliance industry. Norm also explains why the Virginia Pilot is calling for tax increases during a recession, and how Colorado Springs, CO has dealt successfully with substantial spending cuts.
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Is Obama's nuclear program a good START or a "start" of an arms race? There is a movement to turn April 15th into a holiday to celebrate! The EPA has unregulated and unaccountable power... and it won't help the environment. What does the opposite of the Tea Party movement look like?
Date: April 10, 2010
Mackenzie Eaglen, the Heritage Foundation's Research Fellow for National Security Studies, says that Obama's new START program will start an arms race.
Norm Leahy, VP of Public Relations with Tertium Quids, and Scott Lee discuss the new video campaign, Thank Taxes, attempt to be grateful for paying taxes.
Ben Lieberman, a specialist in energy and environmental issues, is a Senior Policy Analyst at The Heritage Foundation, tells us that the EPA is a danger to freedom, but can not be trusted to protect the environment.
Scott Lee exposes the radical side of other marches on Washington, DC.
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Is there really any hope that we can overturn Obamacare by litigation? What are the chances and how quickly will we know? Some say that liberals don't think straight. Is there a cure? Are the Tea Parties part of the solution or part of the problem? What is the source of our rights?
Date: April 3, 2010
Charles Cooper, chairman of Cooper & Kirk, a DC law firm that represents states before the U.S. Supreme Court, tells us the chances that the states could prevail in a health care lawsuit.
Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of The Liberal Mind, helps Scott Lee understand the liberal mind from a psychological standpoint
Jamie Radtke, chairman of the Richmond Tea Party, responds to the claims the tea parties are causing problems.
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What does the passing of health care in Washington mean for the Democrats and Republicans? Will there be a political fallout? How will the new health care law impact Virginians and is it the final death knell for federalism? And one county in Virginia is feared by sex offenders!
Date: March 27, 2010
Dr. Robert Denton, chair of the department of Communication at Virginia Tech, discusses the fallout that could come from the passing of health care reform.
John Taylor and Norman Leahy from Tertium Quids explains what impact health care reform will have on Virginians, and does it really mean the principle of federalism is dead?
Louisa County is not the place for sex offenders...and they know it! The recent conviction is the longest in Virginia history. Commonwealth Attorney Tom Garrett gives us the details.
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What did we get out of the last General Assembly session? Was freedom expanded or restricted? The budget was cut, but some say the new fees may be unconstitutional.
Date: March 20, 2010
John Taylor and Norm Leahy from Tertium Quids supply us with a complete recap of the General Assembly session: budget, fees, property rights, and guns!
Delegate Bob Marshall explains the impact HB 10 (Health Care Freedom Act) will have on Virginia and how new fees were never voted on by the House, which could result in them being unconstitutional.
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What can a Member of the European Parliament tell us about nationalized health care? Ken Cuccinelli says Virginia law trumps public college and university diktats. Are charter schools the real answer to school choice?
Date: March 13, 2010
Daniel Hannan, a Member of European Parliament, tells us to beware of Obamacare. He gives examples from his own country and discusses the reasons why Americans shouldn't go down this path.
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says the law is his main concern in regards to public college and university anti-discrimination policies, and that his decision to remind administrators on college campuses that it is the legislature that sets these policies, not them, is consistent with former AG's.
Gov. McDonnell's push for charter school changes has passed. Adam Schaeffer, of Cato's Center for Educational Freedom, gives us the pros and the cons.
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A Congressman proposes a bill to tie Congressional pay to government spending. The Virginia Senate kills a property rights bill and creates a new "death star" subcommittee for gun legislation.
Date: March 6, 2010
Congressman Randy Forbes (4th District) gives an update on health care reform, proposes that TARP monies be used to lower the national debt, wants to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security, and advises that we tie congressional pay to government spending.
Norm Leahy discusses the Edd Jennings property rights case in Norfolk and why the General Assembly has no interest in protecting those rights!
Philip Van Cleave says the NEW Senate Subcommittee is a "death star" for all gun bills and is actually against the Senate rules!
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The bailouts continue? The media is lobbying for tax dollars to prop up their failing businesses. And, good news, there is a lobbyist for you, the taxpayer, in Richmond!
Date: February 27, 2010
Dan Gainor and Mark Tapscott tell us why the media is screaming for bailouts and why this represents an enormous risk to a free press.
Norm Leahy updates us on the General Assembly.
In an impassioned speech on the floor of the House, Delegate Kirk Cox proclaims the need for you, the taxpayer, to have a lobbyist!
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The political game in Virginia: Dems siding with Republicans against Obama? Republicans voting for a "pro-choice" license plate? The Gov “keeping” his no-tax pledge by only raising fees?
Date: February 21, 2010
What is making some Democrat state Senators side with Republicans and vote on measures that would gut national health care reform and loosen gun laws in Virginia?
Why did the Republicans vote for a "pro-choice" license plate?
Why did a bill which would require voters to show identification at the polls get shot down?
How will Governor McDonnell try to balance the budget without tax increases? Will fees do it? Is passing fee increases just a slick way of getting around the pledge that he wouldn't raise taxes?
Dr. Bob Denton, political analyst and the author 21 books on political communication and campaigning, gives us his analysis. Dr. Denton is also the chairman of the Virginia Tech department of communication.
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More 2nd Amendment rights restored in Virginia?
Plus, a bill that could allow Virginia to tax “anything”
Date: February 14, 2010
Could Virginia’s General Assembly significantly restore our Second Amendment freedoms and our right to self-protection, even when Democrats control the Virginia Senate? Well, several Democrats sided with Republicans to pass gun legislation that in previous years had been blocked by the Senate. They also joined forces to defeat the closing of the so-called “gun show loophole.” Why? Is Virginia all of a sudden turning Wild West on us?
Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, joins us to discuss the outlook for the Second Amendment in the General Assembly.
Plus, we’ll talk with our man in Richmond about a poorly written bill that could allow the state government to tax “anything,” another job-killing tax the politicians refuse to get rid of, and the story of a local government that wants to create a harassment law for citizens who request “too much” information from their government!
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Date: February 7, 2010
A bill to stop the federal government’s health insurance mandate on Virginia citizens? One to rescue poor kids from failing public schools? Another to re-open Virginia’s rest stops at a much cheaper cost than before? A bill to cut taxes?
The co-chairmen of the Virginia Conservative Caucus of the Virginia General Assembly, Sen. Mark Obenshain and Del. Ben Cline, join us to review some of the bills they have before the General Assembly to reduce government, reduce taxes, reduce regulations, and increase freedom.
In our second segment, John Taylor, the president of Tertium Quids – Virginia’s largest and most successful small government advocate – discusses even more bills to let the free market free in Virginia!
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Date: January 31, 2010
Contrary to popular belief, eliminating the corporate income tax in Virginia would not make corporations “greedier” and “destroy” the middle class. The real truth is that cutting taxes on corporations could bring more and higher paying jobs to Virginia, and increase the wealth of the average citizen tremendously. Our guest tells us how. He also tells us how the current “conservative” proposals for “targeted tax credits” for certain favored industries doesn’t work and is anti-free market.
Peter Ferrara is the director of entitlement and budget policy at the Institute for Policy Innovation. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan and as associate deputy attorney general under the first President Bush.
Plus: Tertium Quids’ government affairs VP updates us on how our small government bills are faring in the Virginia General Assembly.
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Date: January 24, 2010
The Virginia General Assembly is picking a fight with the federal government over whether or not federal health care “reform” legislation can legally require citizens to purchase health insurance to guarantee “universal coverage.”
Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall started a revolution in Virginia when he introduced House Bill 10 to the General Assembly earlier this month – a bill that would protect Virginians from having to submit to mandatory health insurance coverage. HB 10 basically states that Virginians have a right to buy – or not buy – health insurance from any private or public insurer that they please, regardless of whatever health care legislation passes Congress.
Many scholars and even members of Congress are questioning the constitutionality of a health insurance requirement, which, if passed and then not followed by the citizenry, would result in fines or jail time. Never before in our history has the federal government forced citizens to purchase a product just by virtue of being citizens.
Delegate Marshall joins us to give details about the bill and tell us its chances of passing in Virginia.
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Why aren’t the politicians paying attention to Climategate?
And is the Virginia economy-destroying cap and trade bill
still being considered by Congress?
Date: January 17, 2010
At the global warming world conference in Copenhagen last month, how did world leaders react to the recent discovery that scientists have been faking the global warming data for years? Did that change their thinking on “climate change”? Did anyone there step back and say, “Now wait a minute. We have to stop this nonsense. All the research we’ve been relying on to say global warming was real was actually a bunch of lies”?
Myron Ebell, the man Greenpeace featured in its “Field Guide to Climate Criminals” and whom members of the British House of Commons even tried to censure, was on the scene in Copenhagen and tells us about the world leaders’ reactions to the revelation that global warming is a hoax. Myron is the director of energy and global warming policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and chairman of the Cooler Heads Coalition. We also talk about the economy-destroying green legislation called cap and trade – is it still alive in Congress? And how did Virginia’s politicians have a hand in pushing it along?
Also, our blogger Norm Leahy talks about why Virginia Republican Congressman Eric Cantor doesn’t want to repeal Obamacare if it passes.
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Even if the public option goes away, health care “reform”
is still a huge threat to freedom
PLUS: Tea Partiers confront Sen. Jim Webb’s staff
on health care reform
Date: January 10, 2010
With all the new information about the federal health care bill coming out daily, and it coming down to the wire for passage, we wanted to get an update from an expert on the status of the legislation and exactly what we are in for when and if it passes. And although the public option won’t pass both houses, the bill still poses a huge threat to the American people.
Michael Tanner is a senior fellow with the Cato Institute, a free market libertarian think tank in Washington, DC. He heads Cato’s research on health care reform and is the author of several books, including Healthy Competition: What's Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It.
We also have audio clips from a recent health care protest of about 200 Roanoke Tea Partiers outside Sen. Jim Webb’s office in Roanoke. Roanoke Tea Party president Chip Tarbutton joins us to introduce the clips and discusses some of the audacious things you will hear on them.
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Date: January 3, 2010
2009 started with a big victory for small government advocates with the passage of a law to put the state's detailed budget online for all citizens to scrutinize. That transparency would be sorely needed, as the state experienced budget shortfalls several times during the year due to overly rosy revenue projections during a recession, as well as soaring government spending during the last decade-plus.
The Republicans took all three statewide offices in November and gained six seats in the House of Delegates. Can we look forward to shrinking government in 2010 because of it, or will moderation and concession to those who want to grow government prove to be the norm?
Plus, we discuss a SIMPLE way to bridge the state's $1 billion budget shortfall, shrink future budgets, improve the educational system, and expand personal freedom -- ALL at the same time. Yes, we DO have the answer!
John Taylor, president of Tertium Quids, and Norm Leahy, Tertium Quids' VP and prolific blogger, join us to give us their unique "insider's view" of 2009's big stories in Virginia politics.
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So what if global warming has been proven to be a hoax? We’re getting a new avalanche of taxes and regulations to fight it anyway
Date: December 20, 2009
Why are world governments and the media – including our own – ignoring the “Climate-gate” scandal? Why are they continuing to insist that global warming is an impending catastrophe, when it has been shown that climatologists were making up the data? Why are you still being lied to by your politicians?
And what happens now that the EPA has gone around Congress and declared that it can control carbon dioxide as a pollutant? Will this mean the end of long family car trips, backyard barbeques and bonfires, …or even breathing? It will certainly mean energy costs will skyrocket by thousands of dollars a year for average citizens. It will also mean that millions of people will lose their jobs as manufacturers go out of business because they can no longer emit dangerous CO2 gas (also known as tree and plant food) into the air.
Chris Horner, an expert in environmental policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and counsel for the Cooler Heads Coalition, joins us to discuss all this and more. He is also the author of two best-selling books on global warming policy: Red Hot Lies: How Global Warming Alarmists Use Threats, Fraud and Deception to Keep You Misinformed (written before Climate-gate) and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism.
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The City of Roanoke is still confiscating
citizens’ property for developers,
despite the law forbidding it
Date: December 13, 2009
Just a few weeks ago, a judge ruled that the City of Roanoke and its redevelopment and housing authority could take the property of a very viable local business and turn it over to another private business, simply to create more tax revenue and the potential for more jobs. The judge did this – and the city took the property – despite a law passed in 2007 forbidding this very type of confiscation.
In another twist, the recipient of the land, Carilion Health System, now says it doesn’t even want the property, and claims it never did! If that’s true, why did Carilion wait until AFTER the court case – after all of the heartache and the hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses to the property owners and the taxpayers – to tell everyone this? E-mails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act between Carilion execs and the city show that the health care giant has actually wanted the land for the last 10 years. Is it simply lying now to save face?
We interview Jay Burkholder, the owner of the property in Roanoke that houses a successful flooring business. We also talk with one of his attorneys, Josh Baker with Waldo & Lyle in Norfolk. The law firm specializes in eminent domain cases and is the only one in Virginia dedicated to representing only property owners.
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Date: December 6, 2009
Could we effectively stop the takeover of health care by the federal government – at least for Virginians? Could we prevent the mandate that Virginians be forced to buy government-approved health coverage?
Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall is introducing the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act in the General Assembly in January, which would guarantee that every Virginian has a right to (as well as a right not to) purchase health insurance and medical services from whatever provider she chooses. The bill would also guarantee that Virginians would not be subject to federal fines if they chose to not to follow the requirement to buy government-approved health coverage.
Currently, 21 states are proposing similar legislation. The Tenth Amendment in the Bill of Rights gives states the right (and duty) to oppose the federal government when it overreaches its power and steps outside the very limited bounds of the Constitution. The takeover of health care is the biggest overreach in American history.
Donna Holt, president of the Virginia Campaign for Liberty and head of the Virginia 10th Amendment Revolution, joins us to discuss this legislation. We also discuss the proposed legislation to prevent federal gun laws from being imposed on Virginians who own Virginia-made guns and ammunition that stay within our borders.
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Climate-gate: The global warming hoax.
We talk to a climatologist in the middle
of this worldwide news story
Date: November 29, 2009
E-mails which seem to indicate that scientists around the world are conspiring to make global warming seem worse than it is were recently leaked from one of the world’s leading climate research centers in London.
We interview a world-renowned climatologist and vocal critic of the hysteria surrounding global warming who is criticized in these e-mails and is considered an adversary by the researchers who wrote them. One scientist even e-mailed that he wanted to beat our guest up because he was causing problems by questioning the global warming data.
Dr. Pat Michaels is the former state climatologist for Virginia and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. He is also the author of several books about global warming, including his most recent, Climate of Extremes: Global Warming Science They Don’t Want You to Know. Dr. Michaels walks us through the damaging evidence he saw in these e-mails of attempts to paint global warming as the doomsday scenario it never was.
Plus: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Why we have the Second Amendment:
It’s not about “duck hunting.”
-------
Plus: 2A gets another U.S. Supreme Court hearing
--will “shall not be infringed” apply to state laws, as well?
Date: November 22, 2009
The Founding Fathers gave us the Second Amendment to guard against tyranny from our own government and to preserve our liberty. Does it still have meaning today? What current threats does our right to bear arms face from the Obama administration and Congress?
We talk with Dr. Stephen Halbrook, an attorney who regularly argues for our Second Amendment rights before the U.S. Supreme Court and numerous federal and state courts. He is also the author of several books on the subject; his latest is The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms.
Dr. Halbrook also discusses some big cases pending in the courts which may further weaken or solidify the Second Amendment. By this June, the Supreme Court will rule if the Second Amendment also applies to the states. That could dramatically affect 40,000 state and local laws on the books regulating guns and ammunition.
Also: An interview with one of the candidates who wants to challenge Democrat Congressman Tom Perriello in the fall, Laurence Verga. Perriello replaced Virgil Goode in the U.S. House and has since voted for the stimulus bill, cap and trade, and the socialization of American health care.
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No more ice cream, burgers, or rock climbing:
Could a government-run health care system
prohibit "risky" foods and activities?
Date: November 15, 2009
What if at age 55 you were told by the federal government that you were prohibited from playing racquetball or riding a bike? What if you were told at any age that you weren’t allowed to rock climb, eat ice cream or candy bars, or eat foods with lots of fat, such as your occasional burger and fries? The reason for the restriction: Those activities and foods are deemed too unhealthy for you, and you might become sick or injured, creating a costly burden for the nation’s socialized health care system and therefore, your fellow taxpayers.
Sound farfetched? Not really, according to health care expert Michael Cannon from the Cato Institute in Washington, who is also co-author of Healthy Competition: What's Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It.
Michael joins us to look at the health care “reform” bill that just passed the U.S. House. Does it contain all the nasty stuff that so many protested against this past summer? Could a government-run health care system eventually prohibit certain foods and everyday activities that politicians and bureaucrats deem "too risky"? Or would it just tax them out of use?
Also: Our blogger Norm Leahy joins us to talk about the groups pressuring newly-elected governor Bob McDonnell to break his “read my lips” statement on no new taxes – just two weeks after election day.
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After the Republican sweep in the Virginia elections,
can we now expect a return to smaller state government?
Date: November 8, 2009
This week, the experts in small government at Tertium Quids talk about the election results in Virginia and what we can expect with Republicans at the helm in the three top positions of governor, lt. governor, and attorney general. We discuss what went on behind the scenes before election day, as well as some of the noteworthy election outcomes (we lost a RINO Senator, even though no Senate seats were up for election). We also look at how governor-elect Bob McDonnell can single-handedly return the Virginia Senate back to Republican hands over the next couple of months, giving Republicans control of both houses of the General Assembly.
In addition, the Republicans in the House of Delegates widened their majority by at least six new seats. Will that mean an even more conservative House, devoted to cutting taxes and shrinking the size of government, or will it mean just more "go-along to get-along" politicians? We will find out with a full half hour with John Taylor, president of Tertium Quids -- Virginia's largest grassroots advocacy organization for limited government -- and our TQ blogger, Norm Leahy.
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A political guru’s in-depth look at Virginia’s gubernatorial campaign – the strategies, the numbers, and the issues
Date: November 1, 2009
Can Creigh Deeds become governor of Virginia when he is this far behind Bob McDonnell in the polls? He does have a chance if those who voted for President Obama show up on election day. (That’s a pretty big “if.”) Why are Deeds’ attacks not working? How is McDonnell able to run so successfully as a moderate in some parts of the state and as a conservative in others?
This week, we take an in-depth look at Virginia’s gubernatorial campaign – the strategies, the numbers, and the issues – with political analyst Dr. Bob Denton.
Denton was one of the moderators of the final debate between Deeds and McDonnell. He is a political guru, the author of numerous books on political communications and campaigning, and chairman of the department of communication at Virginia Tech.
In addition, our blogger Norm Leahy talks about two familiar, ethically-challenged state Senators who seem to be encountering ethical problems once again – and at the taxpayers’ expense.
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Using the 10th Amendment to stop the overreaching federal government, ending unnecessary regulations,
and defending constitutional rights in Virginia
– an interview with AG candidate Ken Cuccinelli
Date: October 25, 2009
This week, we talk with the man the Washington Post calls “to the right of right” (it’s not meant as a compliment), Virginia’s attorney general candidate, Ken Cuccinelli.
Cuccinelli sets the record straight about many of the issues his opponent, Steve Shannon, has thrown out during the race.
We ask how he plans to change the face of Virginia government if he wins on November 3rd: Ending unnecessary regulations; defending the Virginia and U.S. constitutions; and using the 10th Amendment to attempt to stop federal government mandates that will destroy Virginia’s right to work law, force cap and trade, and push other unconstitutional schemes.
Additionally, we have audio where, after nearly a year of campaigning for the job, Shannon is unable to tell a debate audience the responsibilities and divisions of the AG’s office.
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Getting the economy moving again in Virginia, getting rid of waste in state government, and increasing classroom funding
without increasing taxes
– an interview with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
Date: October 18, 2009
Virginia’s lieutenant governor, Bill Bolling, tells us how he plans to get the economy moving again in Virginia by getting the government to allow offshore drilling for oil, offering tax credits for job creation, and cutting taxes on businesses.
He also plans to increase funding for public school classrooms by shifting hundreds of millions of dollars from school administration to the classroom.
Bolling is quick to note that raising taxes to fund new initiatives would only harm the economy and kill jobs, so funding will come from cutting other wasteful and unnecessary parts of state government. We actually get some details as to where he wants to cut.
Also, we listen to audio of gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds as he contradicts himself several times in the same interview about whether or not he will raise taxes (in the end, he says he ____).
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Date: October 11, 2009
This week, we look at Virginia’s transportation problems and the solutions offered up by the two gubernatorial candidates. Will the solutions either candidate is proposing help? How much will they cost taxpayers?
Dr. Ron Utt, a senior research fellow with The Heritage Foundation and an adjunct scholar with the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, will dissect both plans. He is a nationally renowned expert on transportation issues.
Additionally, Dr. Utt will expose President Obama’s “livability” program. The program intends to substantially alter the way we live and travel by “coercing” (the Obama administration’s term, not ours) us out of our cars and single family homes into public transportation and urban high rises.
After spending billions buying car companies and putting people in new cars with Cash for Clunkers, why would the government turn right around and implement policies to get people to stop driving?
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Date: October 4, 2009
When the American people look to the president to solve all our social and fiscal problems, should we be surprised that the presidency has grown powerful enough to threaten American liberty? The power of the office has grown exponentially over the last several decades, to the point where neither Congress nor the Supreme Court is exercising its power to check and balance the executive branch of government. Presidents – both Democrat and Republican – are allowed to exercise more and more unconstitutional powers over the economy, private companies, and the private lives of the American people.
The problem cannot be solved simply by bringing a new administration to power, because conservatives and liberals both want a powerful president – just on their own, very different terms.
Gene Healy is a vice president at the Cato Institute and author of The Cult of the Presidency: America's Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power. The book examines how Americans have expanded presidential power by expecting government solutions for every national problem, and calls for the president’s role to return to its properly defined constitutional limits.
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Virginia’s transportation problems, part 2:
Why building light rail won’t help – it’s just more pollution
and congestion for more taxpayer dollars
Date: September 27, 2009
This week, we continue discussing one of the biggest issues in Virginia’s November elections – the state’s transportation and congestion problems. Light rail within Virginia cities and high speed rail between cities has been a dream of many and has been talked about for years. Even some conservatives are behind this expensive idea.
The research of one of the foremost experts in the country shows that rail is hugely expensive to taxpayers, never pays for itself, pollutes more than people driving cars, and does little – if anything – to stop congestion.
Randal O'Toole is the author of The Best-Laid Plans: How Government Planning Harms Your Quality of Life, Your Pocketbook, and Your Future. He is an economist and senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC. His research of urban growth and transportation issues has influenced decisions in cities all across the country.
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Virginia’s transportation problems, part 1:
Why harmful “Smart Growth” policies
will only create more congestion
Date: September 20, 2009
This week, we talk about one of the biggest issues in Virginia’s November elections – the state’s transportation and congestion problems. “Smart growth” is a series of policy pushes by the state and local government planners to get people to move into more dense housing – apartments and condos – and move away from single family homes and suburban living. Even many conservatives are behind this big government, central planning idea. Why?
They say it is a way to relieve congestion and get people using public transportation, but the research of one of the foremost experts in the country shows that it creates more congestion, higher home prices, and is an assault on personal freedom.
Randal O'Toole is the author of The Best-Laid Plans: How Government Planning Harms Your Quality of Life, Your Pocketbook, and Your Future. He is an economist and senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC. His research of urban growth and transportation issues has influenced decisions in cities all across the country.
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Date: September 13, 2009
The Virginia Institute for Public Policy (our nonpartisan sister organization) recently released a study that concluded that the cost of funding health care reform based on President Obama’s priorities would average $4,176 for every man, woman, and child in Virginia over the next 10 years. Virginia would also see reduced economic growth by 4.5 percent.
Our guest, Donna Arduin, coauthor of the study and a partner with Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics, explained that the plan pending in Congress would increase costs, further escalate medical-price inflation, and still leave 30 million Americans uninsured – the exact opposite of what we are being told by the President. Medical costs would increase because patients would be further separated from the true costs of their health care and would be less driven to be efficient in their spending. She said this separation is actually the reason health care costs are skyrocketing today.
John Taylor, president of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, also joins us to point out the alternative reform solutions the study offers that are more patient-centered and free-market oriented.
See a four-page summary of the report here.
See the full report here.
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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The problems of big government today began
immediately after the American Revolution.
There’s a lesson here we must learn.
Date: September 6, 2009
How did big government start in America, when we had sacrificed everything to fight a nearly unwinnable war and devised a constitution precisely to free ourselves from big, overreaching government? Believe it or not, the foundation for big government started immediately after the American Revolution, and it has pervaded America ever since.
The ideas and policies of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, the United States’ first secretary of the treasury and someone often revered in history books, have led to the major problems we have today: Out-of-control government spending, huge government debt, bailouts to our largest banks to keep them afloat, and government ownership of our major car companies and financial institutions. And, it was all intentional!
Why was it intentional? How did we let this happen? How did these ideas lead to today's problems? The truth is told by Dr. Thomas DiLorenzo, author of Hamilton's Curse: How Jefferson's Arch Enemy Betrayed the American Revolution -- and What It Means for Americans Today.
Dr. DiLorenzo is an economic historian, a professor of economics at Loyola University, and a senior faculty member of the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He also holds a Ph.D. in economics from our very own Virginia Tech, and is a former economics professor at George Mason University.
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Date: August 30, 2009
This week, we discuss the current status of the cap and trade legislation in Congress and its potential effects on America and the Virginia economy. In this second part, we focus on the jobs we will lose as industries such as coal mining and heavy manufacturing are put out of business or move overseas, and how prices on virtually everything we buy – from appliances to food to cars to homes – will increase dramatically as energy prices skyrocket to pay for this global warming scheme.
We will talk about Spain, the world leader in “green jobs” that President Obama says we should emulate, which loses about 2.5 private sector jobs for every green job the government creates. Congress and the president will radically alter our entire economy, give the government even more power over us and our wallets, and dramatically lower our standard of living – all based on this global warming junk science (if you don’t believe it is junk science, go back and listen to Part 1).
Dr. Robert Murphy, an economist with the Institute for Energy Research, joins us to talk about global warming and cap and trade. He is author of the book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism. He is also a member of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy’s board of scholars (VIPP is Tertium Quids’ and Freedom & Prosperity Radio’s sister organization, and is Virginia’s premier small government, free market think tank).
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Date: August 23, 2009
While many of us have forgotten about the cap and trade bill in Congress since we started debating health care reform, Congress has not forgotten about this big revenue generator for the federal government. This week, we discuss the current status of the legislation and its potential effects on America and the Virginia economy. In this first part, we focus on the fact that man-made global warming has never been scientifically proven and is simply a theory based on very flawed and controversial computer models. Additionally, the earth has actually been cooling for the past 10 years – exactly the opposite of what the models had predicted. Yet we will radically alter our economy, destroy whole industries, and raise taxes on the average American household by $3000-$4500 a year, based on this junk science.
Dr. Robert Murphy, an economist with the Institute for Energy Research, joins us to talk about global warming and cap and trade. He is author of the book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism. He is also a member of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy’s board of scholars (VIPP is Tertium Quids’ and Freedom & Prosperity Radio’s sister organization, and is Virginia’s premier small government, free market think tank).
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
Next week, Part 2: What will happen to Virginia’s economy, and is there any way the state can get an exemption from cap and trade’s onerous regulations?
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Who is lying about health care reform? We reveal the truth about “death panels,” taxpayer-subsidized abortions, the push for government-controlled insurance, and more.
Date: August 16, 2009
In the health care reform debate, liberals and democrats are accusing the opponents of “reform” of spreading lies about it in order to kill it. We review some of those accusations and reveal the truth to see who is really lying.
Will the health care reform plan “require Americans to subsidize abortions with their tax dollars”?
Will the plan set limits similar to the socialized system in Britain, where people are allowed to die if their treatment would cost more than a certain dollar amount?
Will reform really mean savings for families and businesses?
Will reform force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors?
We will get to the truth about these issues and more with Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Alexandria-based Galen Institute, a research organization devoted exclusively to health policy and improving health care through a free market approach.
Also: Our Tertium Quids blogger, Norm Leahy, brings us the latest news in Virginia politics.
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Date: August 9, 2009
During the August Congressional recess, as Virginians talk to their members of Congress about health care “reform,” we want to bring you the intellectual ammunition with which to educate your Congressmen, friends, and neighbors. We talk to experts in Canada and the U.K. about what reform will look like when imposed on America, because parts of that reform draw from both of these socialized systems.
Brett Skinner is the director of bio-pharma and health policy with the Fraser Institute in Canada. The stories of waiting lists for even the most basic of treatments, the illegality of private health insurance, the illegality of paying cash for health services, and the fact that there are still uninsured people in the “universal” Canadian system are all true.
John Blundell is an economist and the director general of the Institute of Economic Affairs in London. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Institute of Humane Studies at George Mason University here in Virginia. He was a resident of Virginia and California for 12 years before returning to the U.K. in 1993, so he has experienced both health care systems.
John and Brett talk about how much of U.S. health care “reform” looks like their home countries’ government-run systems, giving us a glimpse into our possible future, and warning us not to go down this path.
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Date: August 2, 2009
The Virginia General Assembly passed a law in the late 1990s requiring that certain public records be posted online, even those containing your Social Security number, date of birth, signature, or other sensitive information. Yes, in the age where identity theft is rampant and destroying credit records and lives, a majority of our electeds decided to make it much easier for your identity to be stolen.
In protest, private citizen-activist Betty "B.J." Ostergren decided to post legislators’ Social Security numbers and other information on her Web site, TheVirginiaWatchdog.com.
In 2008, the General Assembly passed a law to muzzle her by making it illegal for her to disseminate this information on the Internet, even though the government disseminates it on its own Web sites. Huh?? In June, she won her First Amendment case against the state, and the muzzle is back off.
Why aren’t our legislators interested in fixing this problem? Why is the Virginia Attorney General’s office seeking an appeal to go after B.J. again for putting this information on her Web site?
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Date: July 26, 2009
Michael Tanner, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, joins us to talk about the three big lies Obama and the Democrats are using to sell nationalized health care to the American people.
The health care bill is more than 1000 pages, and we know that not one member of Congress has read the entire thing, and neither has President Obama. Yet Obama is very insistent on getting the bill passed before Congress goes on its August recess. For a law that will fundamentally change our lives and economy, why is it being rushed through before America has a chance to study it?
Cato is a premier free market libertarian think tank in Washington, DC, and Michael heads Cato’s research on health care reform, social welfare policy, and Social Security. He is also the author of several books, including Leviathan on the Right, Healthy Competition: What's Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It, and The Poverty of Welfare.
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Date: July 19, 2009
Criminal defendants are having their cases dismissed in Virginia due to a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling which said that crime lab reports cannot be introduced as evidence in a trial unless the analysts who wrote them appear in court to testify about their results. With only about 150 analysts in Virginia, and more than 60,000 crime lab tests done each year, the new requirement would overwhelm backlogged crime labs, with the result of some defendants going free in Virginia because analysts could not be present in many cases.
State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli joins us to discuss his call for an immediate one-day special session of the General Assembly to amend Virginia’s law to comply with the ruling, yet prevent potentially guilty defendants from going free. While prosecutors across the state call the situation dire, why does Gov. Kaine think that there is no need for a special session, and that this can wait until the regular legislative session in January? Politics perhaps? Cuccinelli is, after all, the Republican candidate for state attorney general.
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Date: July 12, 2009
Professor Regina Herzlinger talks with us about why consumer-driven health care (and a mostly free-market approach) is the only way to reform health care in America. She gives the example of the Swiss model, which ensures coverage for all while keeping costs significantly lower than those in America. We discuss what market-driven, consumer-driven health care would look like, what went wrong with “Romney Care” in Massachusetts, and why the current proposals in Congress will only make health care worse for Americans.
Professor Regina Herzlinger is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Medical Progress and a chaired professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School, is one of the nation’s most respected health care analysts, and is widely recognized for her innovative research in health care. She is the author of the best-selling book, Who Killed Health Care: America’s $2 Trillion Problem – and the Consumer Driven Cure.
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How often do Virginia’s Congressmen vote in favor of taxpayers?
Even the “conservatives” need to improve their scores
Date: July 5, 2009
During the July 4 weekend, as we remember our declaration of independence from Great Britain and “No taxation without representation,” we take a look at what taxation WITH representation is like. Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, talks with us about NTU’s annual Congressional ratings, which score members of Congress on how often they vote in favor of the taxpayer. These votes include those that increase or decrease taxes, spending, and excessive regulations on individuals and businesses. The highest scoring Congressman in Virginia’s delegation scores a 73%, which is a low C. The worst gets a 3%.
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Date: June 28, 2009
At the urging of President Obama, the U.S. House of Representatives (including five of Virginia’s 11 Congressmen) recently passed one of the biggest scams on the American people under the guise of “protecting the earth” from “global warming.” On this week’s show, we speak with Chris Horner, a national expert in environmental policy who lives right here in Virginia. Chris exposes the facts – that the bill will do nothing to affect global warming or cooling (the sun does that), and that its sole purpose is to raise money for more government programs by putting a massive tax on companies’ use of energy products. The tax will be passed on to every American consumer in the form of higher prices, with conservative estimates running in the $3100 - $4600 range per year for the average American household. To escape the tax, many manufacturers will move jobs overseas.
Chris also tells us about his visit with Virginia’s Congressman Rick Boucher, a huge proponent of cap and trade, with a group of European politicians who have already implemented the policy and who urged him not to pursue this scam – that it does nothing for “global warming” and it destroys economies. Despite the warnings, Boucher wouldn't listen to the facts.
(Virginia's five House members who voted for cap and trade are Rick Boucher (D), Gerry Connolly (D), Jim Moran (D), Tom Perriello (D), and Bobby Scott (D).)
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The Value-Added Tax: a new national sales tax. Why are we looking to adopt what is destroying European economies?
Date: June 21, 2009
This week, we discuss the Value-Added Tax, a huge, new, confiscatory national sales tax being promoted by President Obama. Dr. J.D. Foster of the Heritage Foundation and former associate director for economic policy at the White House's Office of Management and Budget joins us to talk about how this proposed national sales tax is not the Fair Tax and wouldn’t replace other taxes, but would be an additional tax on the American people. He tells us how the VAT could do irreparable damage to the American economy if it passes…. So much for Obama’s promise not to increase taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year – this sinister high-rate tax would hit everyone.
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Expert analysis of Virginia’s gubernatorial race /
Why is “card check” so bad for Virginia's workers?
Date: June 14, 2009
Our first guest, Dr. Robert Denton, professor of political communication at Virginia Tech and veteran political analyst, talks about Virginia’s gubernatorial race. What issues should the candidates be addressing? Has Virginia turned Democrat for good? Is Republican Bob McDonnell's strategy of moving to the middle going to work?
We are then joined by Greg Mourad, director of federal legislation for the National Right to Work Committee. We talk about the problem with "card check," a bill in Washington which would take away workers' rights to vote in secret on whether or not to unionize a workplace. Card check would inevitably lead to intimidation of workers to "vote the right way" in favor of unions. Rank and file workers are against the idea, but union bosses and the union-owned Democrats in Washington are pushing hard for its passage.
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How the tax code disincentivizes virtue and incentivizes vice,
and screws up the natural order of things
Date: June 7, 2009
Author of Slaying Leviathan: The Moral Case for Tax Reform (coming out at the end of June 2009) Leslie Carbone joins us to discuss how the government disincentivizes virtue and incentivizes vice by using taxation to shift money from the makers to the takers. People’s economic decisions don’t have the natural consequences that they should. What that means is that those who practice virtue – such as hard work, patience, and carefulness -- are not often rewarded with the prosperity they should be; and those who practice vices – sloth, impatience, and recklessness -- are often protected from the bad consequences of those poor choices by government.
When the government disrupts the natural order by overturning these natural consequences, it becomes a contributor to the very social breakdown it thought it was trying to solve.
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Date: May 31, 2009
Nationally-known conservative voice Richard Viguerie, chairman of conservativeHQ.com, the pioneer of campaign direct mail, and the author of the book Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause, joins us to discuss the new Virginia Republican ticket for governor, lt. governor, and attorney general. He tells us the issues they should be talking about to win elections. Viguerie believes Republicans can stay true to small government principles while communicating a message that appeals to a majority of Virginians.
We also talk with the chairman of the Libertarian Party of Virginia, Jeff Bowles, about the increased calls for Republicans to appeal to Libertarian voters by becoming better advocates for smaller government and more individual freedom.
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Date: May 24, 2009
The Media Research Center in Alexandria works every day to expose bias in the media. Dan Gainor, vice president of the MRC, joins us to discuss MRC’s recently released report, “Cheerleaders for the Revolution: Network Coverage of Barack Obama’s First 100 Days.” Analysts looked at all 982 broadcast evening news stories from ABC, CBS, and NBC about the Obama administration’s first 100 days and showed that what was supposed to be reporting of just the facts was instead liberal advocacy journalism.
For example, the networks spent days decrying AIG’s $165 million bonuses, but hardly mentioned the $210 million in bonuses handed out by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – the bailed-out mortgage giants with strong Democratic ties. ABC and NBC completely ignored the Fannie and Freddie bonuses, while the CBS Evening News gave it 27 seconds.
Also, more on Virginia's coming budget shortfall!
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Gov. Kaine’s rosy budget projections = another budget shortfall;
WSJ’s John Fund on Acorn’s Democrat voter registration fraud
Date: May 17, 2009
Virginia Sen. Mark Obenshain joins us to talk about a coming budget shortfall likely beginning July 1 and the need to cut spending, not raise taxes. Obenshain warned back in February that the Governor’s lofty tax revenue projections for the state were pure fantasy, and that using them to avoid cutting the budget in February just means we will have to cut even more in the coming fiscal year.
Also, the Wall Street Journal’s John Fund reports on the nationwide voter fraud cases against the community organizing group Acorn, as a result of its “get out the vote” efforts for Democrats. He says Congress has canceled hearings into the continual problems with Acorn and that the White House is now recruiting the group to help with the Census!
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Date: May 10, 2009
The nation has doubled spending on public education during the last 40 years, yet standardized test scores remain the same: mediocre. Yes, that dollar amount has been adjusted for inflation, so on top of increasing expenditures to keep up with inflation, we have doubled our spending – while the number of public school students has increased only 10 to 20 percent.
What has doubled along with the money? The number of school administrators, not teachers. Even the best public schools are working at hugely inefficient levels, with the cost of educating a public school student in Virginia at $15,000 - $27,000 and up per year, depending on the locality. That’s many times more expensive than most private schools.
We talk about the Nation’s Report Card and solutions with Dr. Adam Schaeffer, a senior fellow with the Education Reform Initiative at the Virginia Institute for Public Policy and a policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom.
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Nationalized health insurance is on the way;
so are longer waiting lines, rationing, and even denial of care
Date: May 3, 2009
This week, we talk about a near inevitable Obama administration “fix” for health care coverage for all Americans. What will start out as a nationalized health insurance plan running alongside commercial insurance plans will eventually lead to commercial plans going out of business, doctors and hospitals closing their doors as insurance reimbursements decline, and rationing of health care based on age, health, and other factors.
You may hate your current health insurance provider, but you will like government insurance even less; especially when politicians and bureaucrats will decide what diseases and treatments are covered based on voting patterns of the populace.
Dr. Devon Herrick, senior fellow and health care economist with the National Center for Policy Analysis, joins us to explain how it will all happen. He is a preeminent expert on 21st century medicine, including the evolution of Internet-based medicine, consumer-driven health care, and changes in the global health market.
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Date: April 26, 2009
Former 2008 Republican presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul joins us to talk about the Federal Reserve Bank. The Fed can and does print money at will with nothing to back it. It can also arbitrarily determine interest rates, which effects the interest rates you pay for car loans, home mortgages, business loans, and credit cards; as well as how much you earn on your investments. This powerful central planner of the American economy has caused bubbles and depressions throughout history (including our latest economic crisis), yet its financial books are CLOSED to the American people and even to members of Congress. Congressman Paul is pushing legislation to audit the Fed, a first step in reining in its unchecked power.
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Date: April 19, 2009
Dr. Thomas Woods, historian and author of the New York Times bestseller Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse, joins us to discuss what really caused the current economic crisis. Most politicians and the media worldwide have convinced the people that the free market was the cause of the economic meltdown. Of course, it wasn’t. It was government policies like the Community Redevelopment Act, and government-created entities like Fannie Mae, as well as the Federal Reserve, which allows bureaucrats and politicians to manipulate the value of the money we use.
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Date: April 12, 2009
Scott Hodge of the nonpartisan Tax Foundation joins us to talk facts about taxes as we approach April 15. Two that might surprise most people: Half of Americans pay nearly no taxes (and they VOTE!), and Virginia’s tax burden is one of the worst in the country – ranking us right up there with New York, New Jersey, California, and “Taxachussetts.” Also on the show: organizers from Tax Day Tea Party protests in Richmond, Roanoke, and Charlottesville worry about taxes going up even more and tell us plans for their events; and more about those hundreds of thousands of dollars in VDOT bonuses while the state is running budget deficits.
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Governor signs bill to put Virginia’s budget online
Date: April 5, 2009
How will putting Virginia’s budget online save the taxpayers money and potentially rein in runaway spending? State Senator Ken Cuccinelli joins us to talk about his and Tertium Quids' efforts to get his bill for state budget transparency signed into law. Why were the politicians opposed to this last year, yet the bill passed both houses unanimously this year? Also: Tax Day tea parties being shut down in Virginia by local governments, Congress giving its own employees millions in bonuses after threatening to take away bank execs' bonuses, VDOT handing out bonuses after cutting 1000 employees and during the fiscal crisis, and more!
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why look to New Deal 2.0 for America’s salvation today?
Date: March 29, 2009
This week, we talk to the author of New Deal or Raw Deal?: How FDR’s Economic Legacy Has Damaged America. Today, our leaders in Washington are following the same failed path of New Deal big government in an attempt to turn our faltering economy around. Economic historian Dr. Burt Folsom uses historical and economic facts to challenge the conventional wisdom that President Franklin Roosevelt saved the country and brought us out of the Great Depression with his New Deal policies.
FDR’s policies expanded government’s reach into nearly every aspect of the economy and created new agencies to handle everything from wage and price controls to making government jobs for the unemployed to instituting the welfare state we still know today. According to Dr. Folsom, these policies not only did not work, but actually PROLONGED and DEEPENED the Great Depression. They also created a legacy of economic problems that we still are dealing with in 2009.
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can save Virginia's budget as well as its failing public schools
Date: March 15, 2009
Dr. Adam Schaeffer, a senior fellow with the Education Reform Initiative at the Virginia Institute for Public Policy and a policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom, is a national expert on school choice. He talks with us about how letting parents keep their tax dollars so they can pay for tuition to the private (or public) schools of their choice can improve education for all students, even those who remain the public school system. School choice can save billions, and those savings can go toward improving schools, teacher pay increases, new roads and other state priorities, or they can go back to the taxpayers as tax cuts. With a win-win-win scenario for kids, teachers, and taxpayers, who could be against this?
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the smoking ban, and drilling for oil off Virginia's coast
Date: March 8, 2009
Lt. Governor Bill Bolling joins us to discuss the just-ended General Assembly session. What important new laws were passed? How far does the smoking ban go, and why did Republicans vote for it? Did taxes go up? What about the budget - did government spending increase while the citizens had to tighten their belts? And what is the state doing with the billions in stimulus from the feds?
Mr. Bolling also discusses his request to the Federal government to allow oil and natural gas exploration off Virginia's coast.
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Date: March 1, 2009
Leading up to election day last November - and immediately following - numerous news reports abounded about people stocking up on guns and ammunition as they feared bans might be imminent with Democrat control of Congress and the White House. Are people's fears justified? What is the future of gun ownership in an Obama presidency?
Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, joins us and tells us that outright gun bans do not need to be passed by Congress. He says there are already plenty of laws on the books that can be more strictly interpreted by the Administration to effectively nullify your right to bear arms.
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Date: February 22, 2009
The Wall Street Journal's senior economics writer and editorial board member, Stephen Moore, joins us to discuss what is inside the $800 billion Obama "stimulus" package and whether it will help or harm our troubled economy. Moore answers how long he thinks it will take for the economy to recover and whether this is the end of capitalism and the free market. He is also author of the book, "The End of Prosperity." Is this really it?
(This is an updated version of the podcast which includes the results of how Tertium Quids’ legislative agenda fared in the 2009 Virginia General Assembly session. The agenda included four items: putting the state’s budget online, putting property rights in the Virginia Constitution, putting expiration dates on all new taxes and fees, and locking up the Transportation Trust Fund from being raided to pay for non-transportation projects. Recorded March 18.)
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Date: February 15, 2009
Conservative legislators Senator Ken Cuccinelli and Delegate Ben Cline talk about some of the good and bad laws the Virginia General Assembly is passing in 2009. Also: Commentary on the proposed smoking ban, the leader of the Senate says property rights don't belong in the Virginia constitution, and more.
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Tertium Quids
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