PG107: North Korean Missile Test, American First Meets the G20, Modern Day Presidential, and Illinois Budget

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This week the show kicks off with Mike and Trey talking about the July 4th North Korean Missile Test. The launch is important because it marks the first intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launched by North Korea and Kim Jung Un. Both Mike and Trey agree there are no great options, but that the options that do exist should rule military intervention off the table.

Next Mike and Trey examine the recently concluded G20 summit. The two major points of interest are Trump’s meeting with Putin and the response to the U.S. exiting the Paris agreement. Mike and Trey also briefly look at Trump’s proposal to create an “impenetrable Cyber Security unit” with Russia.

After that, the Guys move on to the CNN / Trump feud. Both Trey and Mike agree that the item is mainly non-news, but that it represents a larger shift in political communication. The real story is the change to the news media and to the way politicians disseminate information. In short, Trump might be right that Tweeting is the “modern day presidential” thing to do, even if the Guys worry about the longer term effects.

Finally the Guys examine the Illinois budget. The budget, which just passed after two years, brought a bit of disagreement between Mike and Trey. Mike arguing that states have a moral obligation to the poor and Trey arguing that lower taxes must be coupled with lower spending across the board.

What Trey’s Reading:
This week Trey is suggesting you play a video game (yes, he means it): Life is Strange. (Note: the game is playable on all major formats and computer).

What Mike’s Reading:
Avik Roy and Ezra Klein debate the Senate GOP’s health bill. The Ezra Klein Show.

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3 thoughts on “PG107: North Korean Missile Test, American First Meets the G20, Modern Day Presidential, and Illinois Budget”

  1. I listened to your podcast yesterday while driving and was apoplectic. I live in Florida and the “surplus” comes off the back of its residents and having an awful Governor (who I never voted for – twice!). He did NOT expand Medicare when Obamacare came out – I had to buy it directly from the exchange. Unemployment compensation is like $275 a week – and rent is $1300 a month. The homeless don’t die here because it’s warm all year ‘round. PLEASE don’t use Florida as a “good example” of state budgeting. Thank you!

    1. Hi Judy – thanks for commenting. As an Ohio resident I don’t know much of anything about Florida’s budget, but I’ll be sure to pass your comment along to Trey, who’s in a far better position to respond. – Mike

    2. Judy, I too am a Floridan and I also, ironically, did not vote for Rick Scott. It is true we did not expand Medicare in Florida. Unemployment benefits are an interaction of Federal taxes and state management, so that is not entirely within the jurisdiction of a state to set. Neither, for that matter, is rent. Supply and demand drive rent prices. In Florida we have far more renters today and far less supply due to the housing crises, which rocked Florida particularly hard. The state is still rebalancing from that. However, you cannot lay the blame for all at the feet of the Florida legislature. My point on the show was that we are able to manage the funds we have without instituting additional taxes. The legislature cannot directly (or even easily indirectly) change what the price of rent is (which varies based on what part of Florida you are in, here in the Daytona area rent hovers in the $800-900). So even if we instituted a bevy of new taxes that would not effect what anyone in the state are paying for rent, etc. In short, I respectfully disagree that there is a connection between state increasing spending and being able to fix the major issues you note (obviously, we could have expanded Medicare, but that could have been done without changing the basic tax structure).

      On budgeting issues, therefore, I am going to say we do a good job here in Florida. Now, does that mean I like all of the policies we have? No. Our attempt to make colleges and universities competitive through performance funding, for example, is a failure. We also have issues when it comes to the way we do property taxes. I could go on with my issues, but I won’t be boring! Hope that clears up my position! Hope you keep listening and feel free to write back! – Trey

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