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Episode 9 - Ben Franklin Bets on America

America’s wisest old man was writing his last will and testament. Benjamin Franklin had followed his own life advice and been frugal with his money, unlike some of the more debt-ridden big spenders of the Revolutionary generation like Thomas Jefferson, who asked the state of Virginia to let him conduct a lottery in order to pay off his $170,000 in debt, which would be about two million dollars today. And this in spite of his free labor force and a number of high-paying government jobs. He had plenty of people to leave his fortune to – his son William Franklin, former royal governor of New Jersey. His grandson, Temple Franklin, who had been Ben’s secretary during the negotiations with France that got the colonies some much-needed assistance with that whole “give the British a whuppin’” thing. Sally Bache, his daughter. Benjamin Bache, Sally’s son. Or even his sister Jane Franklin. Everyone in the family got a little something. William got debt-forgiveness for all the money he had borrow
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Episode 8 - The Jury Congress

I served on a jury once, and if that makes you doubt both the stability and effectiveness of the American justice system, well, just imagine how I felt when I got the summons. But I have to say the experience went pretty well, and justice (I think) was served by twelve random people and two alternates who definitely jumped in the jury pool with preconceived notions about the case. Justice was most definitely not served by Phil from the hardware store, but I’ll get to him soon enough. The relevant point for today’s episode is that the whole experience gave me a great idea for a way to change the way America chooses its representatives, crafts legislation, and makes laws. The dogs and I once again raise America’s proverbial hood and tinker with the metaphorical engine that is our governing document on this episode of I’m Not Allowed To Watch The News. Episode 8
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Episode 07 - The National Debt

In the early days of the American Republic, Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, argued that a certain amount of national debt was a good thing. There was no way a country that was four days old was going to be able to raise the tax revenue it needed to pay the president or build a navy or anything like that. So it had to borrow. Probably from the Dutch. During the American Revolution, the French sent ships, the Dutch sent money, and Belgium sat the whole thing out, too busy perfecting their chocolate recipe to help establish the world’s first republican-style democracy or support freedom from tyranny. Just you wait, Belgium. You’ll get what’s coming to you. America started borrowing money while the ink was still wet on the Declaration of Independence, but that was to serve the British Empire with its eviction notice from the colonies. Once the Constitution was ratified, we needed cash to fund laws like the one calling for lighthouses to be built along the coast, an
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Episode 06 - Now It's A Party

Do you ever think about why you vote for a particular political party? Maybe you’re a Democrat because you really love the way that James K. Polk got us Texas, California, and Oregon in the 1840’s, despite the objections of Abraham Lincoln. Maybe you’re a Republican because you think Abraham Lincoln was right to oppose the deal, even if it means we don’t get to keep Oregon. Sorry, Oregon. You might be a Republican because your great-grandpappy has been one since that time William Howard Taft got stuck in the White House bathtub in 1911. You might be a Democrat because your grandma swooned over that dreamy John F. Kennedy when he nearly ran for Vice President in 1956. Maybe you want to vote for a party that says they’ll do something about climate change, healthcare, student loan debt, and get you a discount on an electric car or solar panels. Maybe you want to vote for a party that says they’ll do something about abortion rates, tax rates, immigration, and get you a discount on your ann
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Episode 05 - If It's For Sale Let's Buy It

The dogs and I are starting a GoFundMe campaign to raise five billion dollars. We have a pretty big purchase in mind.   We’re going to buy the Congress of the United States.   Get your credit cards out and start making your legislative wish lists, as the dogs and I plan to purchase one of America’s three branches of government on this episode of I’m Not Allowed To Watch The News.
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Episode 04 - All Or Nothing

Our political leaders always give us choices when it comes to solving the nation's problems.  Two of them: All or nothing.  Mass shooting? What we need are more guns. Or none. Too many abortions? Ban them. Or put no restrictions on them. Cop killing? We need more police. Or less. Healthcare too expensive? The government should pay for all of it. Or none of it. Gas prices too high? Drill for oil everywhere. Or quit using fossil fuels.  When your only choices are all or nothing, there's a good chance you'll get nothing.  The dogs and I dig into why these are the only answers we're ever given, and why the solutions to America's problems are so diametrically opposed on this episode of I'm Not Allowed To Watch The News. 
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Episode 03 - Sick Of It

Is the American healthcare system scarier than Bigfoot? What is the cash price for an MRI? Healthcare is tremendously expensive, and America never has figured out a good way to pay for it so that every citizen has access to decent medical care.  The dogs (who are way more scared of Bigfoot) and I dig into the problem, and see if there's a cure on this episode of I'm Not Allowed To Watch The News.   
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