The Jason Stapleton Program

....said Captain Obvious. Anyone who's tried to dissect the inner workings of an economy can tell you it's confusing. You can read Locke, Smith, Mises, Rothbard, Keynes and still come out just as confused as when you started. Even those who understand economic theory will admit there are many things we just don't understand. There are flaws with every economic argument. I believe this is largely due to the psychological and behavioral complexities associated with human decision. If economics is tricky the inner workings of the mind, the conscious and subconscious is even more complex. Today on the show I talk a little about economics, and the roll behavior plays. I also hand out a dose of reality when it comes to things like business cycle theory. Then it's on to a discussion about healthcare. Darren had an interesting discussion with his health insurance provider that he shares with everyone. My predictions about health insurance in America could not have been more correct. Finally, why is it progressives always seem to try and take the moral high ground when it comes to giving. For some reason, they think taking someone else's money and giving it to the poor is charitable. Well, another hypocritical progressive has been outed. This time, it's MSNBC's own Melissa Harris-Perry. It's a killer show today. Listen NOW!

Since its inception I've been talking on the show about the messaging problem, we have as libertarians. I "attack" what I call purists for they're constant and unrelenting divisive speech and uncompromising attitude toward their version of the truth. If we want to truly change the world we live it will take subtle changes and challenges to prevailing belief. It will require we paint a message of hope based on the most appealing aspects of libertarianism. Peace, Tolerance, Individual Liberty, Limited Government and Free Markets. This week Jeffery Tucker wrote a piece at FEE.org outlining the two baths of libertarian thought. The humanitarian and the brutalist. It was one of the best-written pieces I think he's ever written, and I spend some time early on in the show discussing his article and what we can learn from it. Then it's off for a discussion of democratic socialism using the recent insurance Co-op failures selling Obamacare-compliant plans. You can't make this stuff up. All that and more today. Don't miss a minute.

Yep, you read that right. Our benevolent benefactors, the grants of our rights and freedoms (read the sarcasm), those who claim to know how best we should be spending our money have spent a whopping 43 million dollars to build one gas station in Afghanistan. When you first read the article one's mind turns immediately to the government's typical ineptitude. But is there something more nefarious at work here? We'll talk about it today. And wouldn't you know it, I was right. Turns out those ice caps that have been melting on Antartica haven't been melting. Quite the contrary. They've been growing at a rate of 82 billion tons per year. Again, you read that right. Since 2001, the Antartic ice caps have gained nearly half a TRILLION TONS of ice. But the best part is what the lead author of the study, (a big time climate alarmist) said about his own report. It's a smashing show today. Listen NOW!

I preach a message of independence and self-reliance. One that says I should be responsible for my actions. That my success or failure in my life is largely, if not entirely due to my decisions. You see we are the result of our past decisions. Successful people and I don’t care whether you’re talking about financial success or relationship success; they understand that where they are now is a direct result of the decisions they have made. It is not the result of someone else’s decisions. People do make decisions that affect your life, but it is how you respond to those decisions that ultimately determine your future. Today I want to talk about the success (and failure) I've had in my own life and hopefully inspire you to do great things. Jason

I know many of you might think the idea of a cashless society would be great. No more dealing with dirty bills, no more risk of theft. It sounds like a pretty cool idea. Being a tech nerd myself the idea of a technology that would eliminate the need for physical currency has some appeal. But let me ask you a question. What if the government outlawed all physical currency? No more paper money, no more gold. All transactions had to be handled electronically. What if the government then decided it was going to charge you a penalty each month on every digital dollar you had in your bank account? Under normal circumstances, you would simply withdraw your money and stick it in a mattress or bury it in the backyard. But under this new system you'd be out of luck. The only thing you could do was spend your money or risk it being eaten away in bank charges. I have been warning you about this for nearly a year, and Sweden is now facing this very scenario. Today on the show we'll talk about the danger of a cashless society as well as some discussions about war and socialism. It's a nice mix of international news and why it should matter to you.

I was just commenting today on how said it is that most of the really good journalism I read on American culture and politics comes from the UK Daily Mail. Maybe it's the fact that they are relatively detached from the political influences that plague our U.S. media but it's a sad state of affairs when the Daily Mail is breaking stories on U.S. government and corporate corruption. It doesn't matter whether you're watching FOX News or MSNBC, the heavy bias of what today passes as journalism is mindboggling. There is no greater example of this than the most recent GOP debate hosted by CNBC. The shameful, onesided, distorted reality painted by the moderators at that debate is borderline journalistic malpractice. Even other media outlets have been forced to admit the debate was a sham. Today on the show I illustrate this with just a couple of short clips. Ted Cruz framed it best when he pointed out to the moderators just how bias their questions were. We then move on to education. Let me ask you a question. What would you do if you found a paper your son had written was graded by placing a large penis across the page? That's exactly what happened to an Al Paso child in...wait for it, a language arts class. With teachers like this it should come as no shock to you that 2/3 of all 8th-grade students today cannot meet the government's low standard for math and reading competence. Is it on purpose? I'm beginning to think so. It's a humdinger of a show today. Listen now!

In the private Facebook group (http://www.jasonstapleton.com/facebook) we have had several thought-provoking subjects one of which is intellectual property. There are very good arguments made for and against the idea of copywriting and patent protections. Not being an expert on this subject I decided to bring in Stephan Kinsella, a libertarian and intellectual property rights attorney. Get ready for a powerful and enlightening discussion on the IP debate. I think you're going to like it.

Time and time again our elected officials attempt to "fix" perceived deficiencies in the free market by making adjustments through government edict, regulation or legislation. Each time we see the negative effects of such action. On today's show, I illustrate recent issues in just two cases. First is Obamacare. I warned you about the necessity of rising premiums because most young people would simply opt to pay a penalty rather than buy insurance. I claimed this would cause all those well researched and prepared predictions about enrollment numbers to become worthless. Today, Investors Business Daily announced that premiums are going up, big time. Not only that but your deductibles are going up as well. As expected the $695 penalty is looking awfully attractive in the face of nearly $10,000 in out of pocket expenses for your aveage 30 year old. When will we learn. Then we move on the results of President Obama's recent decision to reduce the premiums paid for mortgage insurance on FHA loans. Again we find that, rather than reduce the cost of owning a home the decision has had the exact opposite effect. Government intervention is not the solution to the problem, it IS the problem.

We keep hearing about the "new" form of socialism called Democratic Socialism being touted by men like Bernie Sanders. Tens of thousands are flocking to rallies where they hear Bernie's cries for greater wealth equality and freebies for all. Bernie is quick to correct anyone who refers to him as a run of the mill socialist. He is a Democratic Socialist and don't you confuse the two. But what is the difference? What separates Bernies world view from that of your run of the mill socialist? Today on the show I dive into that discussion in detail uncovering the truth about what Democratic Socialism is, and what it means for your life. I also pose a simple question to you. If socialism doesn't protect the worker, who does? It's one thing to rip apart the failures and misconceptions about socialism; it's another thing entirely to present a compelling argument about how we do protect those who work in our factories and department stores. I think this is a discussion you're going to like. Listen NOW!

I'm feeling a little better today but my voice is still on the rocks, so I decided today I'd grab some questions from the private FB page and try to give you my insights on the issues you find most important. It's incredible how many great discussions we have in the private group. If you'd like to join you can do so by going to http://www.jasonstapleton.com/facebook and requesting to join. I don't know of a more active libertarian group on Facebook. I'm also going to rip apart a letter written and signed by more than 200 economics advocating for an increase in the minimum wage to $15/hr. Apparently this group of economists were asleep the day they taught economics in college. Great show today guys and thanks so much for your patience as I battle this funk I've got. God willing I'll see you guys tomorrow. Jason

No lack of content for this subject. First let me apologize for being absent yesterday. I was feeling a little sick on Sunday and by Monday this little cold had finally gotten the best of me and I had to take a day of rest. Luckily I'm feeling a lot better today so we can soldier on in our fight to ride the world of the economically and politically illiterate. Today I've picked several really good stories in the news that indicate a few things. 1. Those running the government are not the smartest or best equipped for the job.2. Progressivism is a plague on rational thought and good judgment3. Corruption in government is solved only through the reduction of the size and reach OF government. This an awesome show today. Listen now!

That's right. The DOJ has now partnered with the left wing extremist organization The Southern Poverty Law Center to create a new council to battle "domestic extremists". Who are these extremists you might ask? Well, anyone who disagrees with the standard progressive view of the way things should be. It includes groups that advocated for decency standards on television, groups like the Liberty Council that promote the fundamental principals of individual liberty and free markets, as well as anyone who supports Ron Paul. Today I'm going to speak in detail to expose just how corrupt our justice department has become and how they are now partnering with groups with a known bias against liberty loving Americans to intimidate and silence their opposition. We also talk about the mounting issues facing Germany as it opens its doors to an unlimited number of refugees. Apparently some refugees are now selling and renting women in their camps for as little as 10 euros a day. It's a story that should shock the senses, but, unfortunately, little shocks me about the Muslim culture anymore. All that on today's show. Listen now! Jason

As I started the show today, Obama stepped in front of the microphone to let Americans know he intends to delay the withdraw of thousands of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Why might you ask? That was my question. What exactly are we going to accomplish in the next 6-12 months that we did not accomplish in the last 13 years? What's the plan? What is the strategy for victory? Obama has no idea. In fact, it is the inconvenient fact that militants have retaken key provinces in Afghanistan that have lead to the holdover of troops. The reality is this; Obama does not want another failed State to implode on his watch. He's going to delay troop withdraw until he is out of office making it the next president's responsibility. Congratz Obama. All that and much more today on the show, listen now! Jason

I don't think it would come as a shock to anyone if I said I was not at all excited about the debate last night. I didn't know two of the candidates, and the other three are less than inspiring to say the least. But I was hoping I'd hear something other than what I expected. Again, I was disappointed. I thought I'd hear a bunch of candidates talking about how they're going to tax the rich and provide more freebies and that's exactly what I got. To top it off I also had the benefit of listening to each candidate try to "one up" the next as he or she explained how the other candidates ideas or plans don't go far enough to punish the rich or provide for someone else's lifestyle. It was truly heartbreaking to watch. Today I'm going to break down some of the most telling moments of the debate and discuss how you should address them in your conversations with your friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Jason

It would appear the conflict in Syria is quickly escalating into a proxy war. The U.S. is now funding armed militants to fight Assad and ISIS while Russia gives weapons and equipment to Assad to fight U.S. backed fighters as well as ISIS. It's a goat rope of epic proportions. But that hasn't stopped presidential hopeful Marco Rubio from advocating for greater U.S. involvement. But this time he went "full monty" on us. In an interview on CNBC, he suggested the U.S. institute a "no fly zone" or what he referred to as a "safe zone" that would be protected by U.S. airpower. When pressed on the risk that Russia would challenge the NFZ Rubio assured the host that Russia would not, but if they did..."We would have a problem". Do you think so Rubio? Do you? It's this kind of total ignorance and ineptitude our would-be leaders showcase on almost a daily basis that gives me pause. It's scary to think he might one day control the greatest Army on earth. Jason