Podcast 6/26/2016: Brelf-Harm

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In this episode, Vinny and I discuss the British exit from the European Union and the DEA.

*NSFW

http://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-bh8ax-609cf9/download

Notes:

• Vinny mentioned the ability of the Scottish parliament to possible block exit from the EU. While it is true that an exit would require "consent" of the Scottish parliament, it's still unclear whether they would actually be able to block an exit.  I guess it if the Scottish parliament voted to block an exit it might provide a good excuse for English lawmakers to backtrack, but I don't know enough about British politics to make a judgment one way or the other. 
• We forgot to mention that a large part of Greece's financial crisis was exacerbated by Goldman Sachs aiding the concealment of debt from the rest of the EU.  Read a little about it here.
• The retirement age in Greece was 65 prior to austerity.  Not terribly different than other EU member states.
• The Greeks also work more hours than many other OECD states.  They work more hours per year than the Germans, the French, and the British.  The idea that Greece was in financial trouble because of an overly generous welfare state or lazy workers is mostly fiction.

*Music is brought to you by Bensound.com

De-fund the D.E.A.

Hey fiscal conservatives, are you looking for a government agency to de-fund?  Why don't you start with the Drug Enforcement Administration?  It seems like the DEA would fit the very definition of a useless government agency.  Even assuming we need law enforcement to enforce criminal drug laws (I'm not particularly convinced of this), why do we need a unique agency to investigate this particular brand of crime?  Isn't the FBI capable of investigating drug crimes?  They can't walk into any bar in America and find some coke?  If they can't, then they're too stupid to be cops in the first place.