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

Republican Presidential Candidates Should Put Their Barrels Where Their Mouth is

Ted Cruz via abcnews.go.com

As some of you may have heard, there is a petition circulating to allow open carry of firearms at the Republican Convention.  With an expected crowd of 50,000 in what is looking like a contested convention; with white supremacists, religious zealots, Ted Cruz, and the rest of the freedom-loving critters that form the base of the Republican Party in attendance, the need to pack heat has never been greater.  I for one cannot think of a better place to allow the full exercise of the Second Amendment.

This is how we determine which candidates are true patriots.  The buzzkill brigade otherwise known as the Secret Service is just big government getting in the way of the aspirations of our citizenry, undermining their Second Amendment rights, and jeopardizing their safety.  The candidates must demonstrate both their faith in the Second Amendment and free market principles by refusing Secret Service protection.  With the remaining candidates' net worth ranging from $3.5 million to $4-8 billion, they should have no trouble hiring security and I'm sure there are a number of members of the Aryan Brotherhood that would gladly offer protection to Donald Trump.

Naysayers will contend that arming attendees fueled with drugs, alcohol, and a strong sense of victimhood; in the great American shithole known as Cleveland, with protestors sure to be in the streets, the National Guard and Ohio State Police under the command of John Kasich, the convention could end in a bloodbath.  That is a small price to pay for freedom.

Merica!