Heartland Daily Podcast

Michelle Stirling of Canada's Friends of Science explains that a decade’s worth of international efforts to end the use of fossil fuels has borne fruit through ESG mandates and similar policies. Crony capitalists reap the benefits while the modern electric grid perishes. Neither laws nor money can change physics, meaning if we want to improve the lot of the world’s poor and maintain our own standards of living in the West, we must continue to use fossil fuels for the foreseeable future. Political efforts to limit fossil fuel use does great harm but doesn’t change the reality of the incomparable benefits delivered by coal, natural gas, and oil.

Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Peter Richardson to discuss his new book, “Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road To Gonzo.” They discuss how Thompson’s literary formation occurred in San Francisco in the mid- ‘60’s, how his celebrity has obscured his literary achievements, and why Richardson believes Thompson was one of the most important American voices in the second half of the Twentieth Century. Get the book here:  https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520304925/savage-journey Show Notes: Alta: Sophia Stewart – “The Weird Turn Pro” https://www.altaonline.com/books/nonfiction/a38804340/peter-richard-savage-journey-book-review/ Houston Press: Tom Richards – “Plenty of Fear, Plenty of Loathing in New Hunter S. Thompson Biography” https://www.houstonpress.com/arts/new-bio-analyzes-the-legend-of-hunter-s-thompson-12789622 Literary Hub: Peter Richardson – “On the Legacy of Hunter S. Thompson and Gonzo Journalism” https://lithub.com/on-the-legacy-of-hunter-s-thompson-and-gonzo-journalism/?fbclid=IwAR2R_VdzBb47DKBmXSXfkX_oXqRpKzgSr0jyxct1WMaMvlY-algv-Feb-AA Los Angeles Review of Books: Peter Richardson – “Strange Rumblings: The Prickly but Productive Friendship Between Hunter Thompson and Oscar Acosta” https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/strange-rumblings-the-prickly-but-productive-friendship-between-hunter-thompson-and-oscar-acosta/ The Nation: Peter Richardson – “5 Lessons From Hunter S. Thompson” https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/hunter-thompson-rolling-stone/ The New Republic: Peter Richardson – “Hunter S. Thompson and the Four Secrets to Gonzo Journalism’s Success” https://newrepublic.com/article/165172/hunter-s-thompson-gonzo-journalisms-four-secrets Times Literary Supplement: Matt Sturrock – “Not-so-micro-aggressions” https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/savage-journey-hunter-s-thompson-peter-richardson-book-review-matt-sturrock/ Wall Street Journal: Benjamin Shull – “‘Savage Journey’ Review: Hunter S. Thompson’s Wild Ride” https://www.wsj.com/articles/savage-journey-book-review-hunter-s-thompson-biography-wild-ride-hells-angels-fear-loathing-11646321130 Washington Independent Review of Books: Daniel de Visé – “Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road to Gonzo” https://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/index.php/bookreview/savage-journey-hunter-s-thompson-and-the-weird-road-to-gonzo Washington Post Magazine: Jason Vest – “The gonzo journalist who forever changed political campaign coverage” https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/05/10/hunter-thompson-campaign-coverage/

The Heartland Institute’s H. Sterling Burnett, Anthony Watts, and Linnea Lueken preview a key decision due from the U.S. Supreme Court titled West Virginia vs. EPA. The roundtable also covers a troublesome rule change on the definition of “habitat” under the Endangered Species Act and asks why the Navy is engaging in “climate war games.”

The Heartland Institute's Donald Kendal, Jim Lakely, and Chris Talgo present episode 351 of the In The Tank Podcast. On this episode, the ITT crew talks about the current adminstration’s plan to destroy the reliable energy sector of this country. Also, they talk about the contradictions in everything Biden is doing as well as the likelihood that the Democratic establishment is gearing up to jettison Biden at the next opportunity. They talk about this and more in episode 351 of the In The Tank Podcast.   OPENING CHIT CHAT – DEMS CUTTING BIDEN LOOSE? 538 – Biden Approval Rating https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/ CNN - Ocasio-Cortez won't commit to backing Biden in 2024: 'We'll cross that bridge when we get to it' https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/12/politics/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-biden-reelection-2024-cnntv/index.html The Hill - Biden can’t escape questions on his age https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3532095-biden-can%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bt-escape-questions-on-his-age/   THE PLANNED DESTRUCTION OF RELIABLE ENERGY Climate Champions - ‘Race to Zero’ campaign updates criteria to raise the bar on net zero delivery https://climatechampions.unfccc.int/criteria-consultation-3-0/ UN – Race to Zero Campaign https://unfccc.int/climate-action/race-to-zero-campaign   BIDEN SUSPENDS FEDERAL GAS TAX CNN - Biden will call for 3-month suspension of gas tax, though officials acknowledge it 'alone won't fix the problem' https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/22/politics/gas-tax-suspension-biden/index.html Illinois Policy Institute - The Illinois Fuel & Retail Association has agreed to post signage notifying drivers of the delayed gas tax hike, and an explanation of why gas in Illinois is so expensive. https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-gas-station-owners-fight-pritzker-mandate-with-gas-tax-signs/#:~:text=Pritzker's%20gasoline%20tax%20hikes,be%20two%20hikes%20in%202023. Tax Foundation - How High are Gas Taxes in Your State? https://taxfoundation.org/state-gas-tax-rates-2021/ [Please subscribe to the Heartland Daily Podcast for free on iTunes at this link.]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved emergency use authorization of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 shots for infants and toddlers six months and older. Should parents get them for their young children? The shots have been in use among the general population for 1.5 years. There have been 60,442 adverse events related to the shots on the FDA’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. More, millions of people have gotten the shots and COVID is still with us. Jane Orient, M.D. is the executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.  She minces no words, calling the trial used to support approval “a disgrace.” Dr. Orient points out the lack of effort to measure not just efficacy, but safety, in giving the shots to an age group with zero to no risk of dying from COVID-19.  Jane Orient, M.D. covers a range of questions about the infant and toddler COVID-19 shot approval.  Details of the clinical trial include the fact that 67 percent of participants dropped out. What prompted this interest in wanting to provide these shots to young children and why did the trial reverse this trend in parents? Orient and host AnneMarie Schieber also go over the history of other childhood vaccines. How long did it take to get those approved and how do those diseases compare to COVID? Why are parents so fearful of COVID-1919 infecting their children even though many have been exposed to it, show antibodies and had few to no symptoms? Orient believes the COVID shots will like be part of the panel of recommended shots for children, perhaps mandated for entry to school, yet there has been no effort to examine whether the shots will cause heart damage, already demonstrated in some trials.

Since President Joe Biden took office, gasoline prices have more than doubled, general energy prices are up more than 32 percent, and American's are spending hundreds of dollars more than usual each month on food and fuel. Rising costs are a direct result of the Biden administration's collusion with woke corporate leaders to impose restrictive climate policies. And unfortunately, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. President Biden and the Democrats seem intent on doubling down rather than reversing their climate policies. The plan of blaming oil companies for the high prices is falling on deaf ears. Biden’s policies proposed to punish oil companies for making a profit will lead to increased costs and reduced supply.

In a recent article, a physician used the terms “assigned male at birth (AMAB)” and “assigned female at birth (AFAB)” instead of male and female. The article was published by The Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Marilyn Singleton, a board-certified anesthesiologist in California and former president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, discusses why use of such language in health care should set off alarm bells. AFAB, AMAB, and other terms such as “pregnant persons” are increasingly being used by health care institutions, experts, and writers to show deference to woke ideology. Dr. Singleton also weighs in on the announcement this week that Dr. Anthony Fauci has tested positive for COVID, an ironic development for someone who was the leading champion of vaccines, masks, and other restrictions. Topics of discussion: - How widely used are the terms AMAB and AFAB? - How have physicians have responded to this new terminology? - What about the use of “pregnant persons” in some bills in California?  Do they believe someday men could be altered to give birth? - It is easy to joke about woke language, but could patients be at risk? - What did Supreme Court Justice Kentanji Jackson mean at her confirmation hearing when she said that she couldn’t describe what a woman was because she was not a biologist? - Will there be any turning back if woke terminology is used more in articles? How about legislative bills? Is the intent to change the public’s thinking? Dr. Marilyn Singleton’s website: https://marilynsingletonmdjd.com

The Heartland Institute's Donald Kendal, and Linnea Lueken are joined by Isaac Orr from the Center of the American Experiment and Jason Hayes from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy for episode 350 of the In The Tank Podcast. On this episode, the ITT crew talks about all the excuses that are being spun to shield the Biden Administration and his energy policies from the rising prices for gas and energy. The ITT crew sets out to separate the facts from the fiction.   OPENING CHIT CHAT WSJ - Climate-Change Censorship: Phase Two https://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-censorship-phase-two-gina-mccarthy-social-media-biden-white-house-11655156191?st=0inyrmh1n3e5bb2&reflink=desktopwebshare_twitter   GAS PRICE RISE NARRATIVE Fox Business - Record high gas prices: West Virginia, Montana, Colorado see biggest weekly jumps https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/record-high-gas-prices-west-virginia-montana-colorado-see-biggest-weekly-jumps Washington Post - Fossil fuel leasing program undercuts Biden's climate goals, report says https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/15/fossil-fuel-leasing-program-undercuts-biden-climate-goals-report-says/ AP News - Biden tells oil refiners: Produce more gas, fewer profits https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-f73c882b0664a5d5dd62635a9a65364c ExxonMobil – Response to Biden https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/News/Newsroom/News-releases/2022/0615_ExxonMobil-statement-regarding-President-Biden-Letter-to-Oil-Industry IER - Another U.S. Refinery Slated to Close https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/gas-and-oil/another-u-s-refinery-slated-to-close/   ENERGY SHORTAGES WSJ - Why Electricity Blackouts Are Coming to Michigan https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-electricity-blackouts-are-coming-to-michigan-nuclear-power-plant-green-energy-renewable-climate-11653685521?mod=article_inline Washington Post – A summer of blackouts https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/06/02/blackout-states-summer-heat/ WSJ - ‘That Could Never Happen in America,’ I Once Thought https://www.wsj.com/articles/blackout-rolling-electricity-power-venezuela-america-11654185555  Reuters - U.S. Midwest may have summer power shortages for years https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-midwest-may-have-summer-power-shortages-years-2022-06-10/#:~:text=On%20Friday%2C%20MISO%20released%20a,responses%20over%20the%20next%20year.&text=One%20gigawatt%20can%20power%20about,on%20a%20hot%20summer%20day [Please subscribe to the Heartland Daily Podcast for free on iTunes at this link.]

H. Sterling Burnett joined the Tony Katz show to discuss how Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) bragged about driving her expensive electric vehicle across the country. Meanwhile, liberal policies from her party are bankrupting regular Americans. Burnett and Katz also discuss a new Reuters’ article about how Midwesterners will deal with rolling blackouts this summer. It’s as if we’re moving backwards in terms of energy policy.

Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Father Robert Sirico, co-founder of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, to discuss his new book, The Economics of the Parables. They discuss the enduring financial truths of the parables, whether Jesus intended the parables to have an economic message, and why they prefer the King James Version even though they’re both Catholic. Get the book here: https://www.regnery.com/9781684512423/the-economics-of-the-parables/ Show Notes: Acton Line (AUDIO): “The Economics of the Parables” https://www.acton.org/audio/economics-parables  Law & Liberty: Clara Piano – “Economics as an Antidote to Envy” https://lawliberty.org/book-review/economics-as-an-antidote-to-envy/

Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Nathan Lewis of the Discovery Institute to discuss his new book with Steve Forbes and Elizabeth Ames, Inflation: What It Is, Why It's Bad, and How to Fix It. They discuss how we’ve gotten into the inflationary predicament we’re in, what remedies are available to decrease inflation, and why we should ignore calls to pursue heedless money-printing economic policies like Modern Monetary Theory. Get the book here: https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/inflation/ Show Notes: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research: How to Fix Inflation (VIDEO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJuItmnRr14 National Review: George Leef – “The Book to Read If You Want to Understand Inflation” https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-book-to-read-if-you-want-to-understand-inflation/ The Spectator (U.S.): Steve Forbes, Nathan Lewis, & Elizabeth Ames – “The moral cost of inflation” https://spectatorworld.com/topic/the-moral-cost-of-inflation/

The Heartland Institute's Donald Kendal, Jim Lakely, and Chris Talgo present episode 349 of the In The Tank Podcast. On this episode, the ITT crew talks about the upcoming January 6 hearings, the general state of the economy, and the Biden Administration’s doubling down on renewable energy. We talk about all this and more on episode 349 of the In the Tank Podcast.   AWAITING A FINANCIAL HURRICANE? POTUS TWEET – “America has achieved the most robust recovery in modern history” https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1533811782367727616 White House - Remarks by President Biden on the May Jobs Report https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/06/03/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-may-jobs-report-2/ CNBC - Jamie Dimon says ‘brace yourself’ for an economic hurricane caused by the Fed and Ukraine war https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/01/jamie-dimon-says-brace-yourself-for-an-economic-hurricane-caused-by-the-fed-and-ukraine-war.html Fortune - Former U.S. Treasury head Larry Summers says a recession is ‘the most likely thing’ https://fortune.com/2022/04/14/larry-summers-recession-likely-interest-rates-unemployment/ Yahoo - Tesla: Musk’s Economy Warning Demands Attention, Says Morgan Stanley https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-musk-economy-warning-demands-221538694.html Markets Insider – (Counterpoint: JPMorgan's chief economist says there's no reason to be worried about a US recession, with the private sector in 'remarkable' shape https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/us-recession-no-reason-worry-jpmorgan-economist-consumer-corporate-spending-2022-6 NPR - Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says she was wrong about the risks of inflation https://www.npr.org/2022/06/01/1102364460/yellen-inflation (video) Janet Yellen ignores question about inflation and government spending https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzH2CpumOHE   DOUBLING DOWN ON UNRELIABLE ENERGY Barron’s - Yellen Says New Biden Investments Can Counter Inflation https://www.barrons.com/news/yellen-says-new-biden-investments-can-counter-inflation-01654618508?tesla=y USA Today - Biden is using the Defense Production Act to make more solar panels, other clean-energy technology https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/06/biden-defense-production-act-solar-panels/7532045001/ [Please subscribe to the Heartland Daily Podcast for free on iTunes at this link.]

John Kerry observed how many people willingly gave up their freedoms to combat COVID-19. Now, he wants to proclaim climate change an imminent crisis to impose similar harsh restrictions on people’s lives. Politicians' lies during COVID are becoming accepted fact, and that extends to climate change. Polls show Americans reject Biden's energy policies. John Kerry may want to act like a climate Czar, but neither he, Biden, nor the U.N. are. Gregory Wrightstone, executive director of the CO2 Coalition, explains that John Kerry said the quiet part out loud when he called on the world's economic and political elites as the World Economic Forum to treat climate change the same as they did the COVID pandemic. Kerry and other climate alarmists want to lock the world down in order to fight climate change. The policies they are calling for won't give them control over the climate but will grant control over people’s lives. That’s the true objective.

Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Bruce Gilley, professor of political science at Portland State University and member of the board of the National Association of Scholars, to discuss his new book, The Last Imperialist: Sir Alan Burns' Epic Defense of the British Empire. They discuss Burns’ important role at the United Nations, his many appointments in different British colonies, his views on the benefits of British imperialism, and Gilley’s view that decolonization was incredibly mismanaged and executed far too hastily. Get the book here:  https://www.regnery.com/9781684512171/the-last-imperialist/ Show Notes: The Caravan Notebook: Bruce Gilley – “The Case for Colonialism in the Middle East” https://www.hoover.org/sites/default/files/research/docs/gilley_webreadypdf.pdf Claremont Review of Books: Helen Andrews – “Rule, Britannia!” https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/rule-britannia/ The New Criterion: Barnaby Crowcroft – “Good faith impugned” https://newcriterion.com/issues/2022/4/good-faith-impugned Third World Quarterly: Bruce Gilley – “The Case for Colonialism” https://www.nas.org/academic-questions/31/2/the_case_for_colonialism/pdf Wall Street Journal: Bruce Gilley – “The Cancel Mob Comes Back for More” https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-cancel-mob-comes-back-for-more-11602091733

Hugh McTavish, gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota of the Independence Alliance Party, is an outspoken critic of COVID-19 lockdown measures. These lockdowns prompted him to make a bid to be Minnesota’s next governor, unseating Gov. Tim Walz (D). McTavish, a Ph.D. immunologist, biochemist, patent attorney, entrepreneur, and author, is proposing an innovative “jury democracy” system. Before McTavish signs any important or controversial bill into law, he will submit it to a statistically significant citizen jury of at least 500 people. “If the jury approves the bill, I will sign it into law; if it rejects the bill, I will veto it. Effectively, I will not be governor—WE ALL WILL BE! I will give the power to you!” McTavish’s inspiration to empower regular Americans comes from Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln said that government should be “of the people, by the people, for the people.” McTavish discusses how “jury democracy” would work and how it could produce better policy outcomes. Juries would be selected in a similar fashion to juries in a court case. He envisions every registered voter would have a chance to weigh in on bills every four years. McTavish considers himself an out of the box thinker, in line with Jesse Ventura, Minnesota’s governor from 1999 – 2003. Both men are part of the Independence Alliance Party. Incumbent Governor Tim Walz is seeking reelection on the Democrat ticket. There are also a number of candidates seeking the Republican nomination. McTavish has written several books. His latest, “Covid Lockdown Insanity” was published in June 2021 and makes the case from a scientific point of view why the lockdowns are failures in trying to stop a virus like COVID-19.