The Relief Valve: How to Move America Forward

The good news: I haven't died. The bad news: the podcast is going into a yearlong coma. The okay news: I'm starting a new podcast in the near future. Listen to learn more!

In today's episode, we wrap up our discussion of the threatened rail strike in the United States. How did Congress and the Biden Administration respond, and why? Then we look at how the Relief Valve could have been used to avert this crisis in a more favorable way for the rail workers. Sources: https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-congress-government-and-politics-055609b54cfd5d21de0f42fccddff22b https://newrepublic.com/post/169262/musk-suspends-kanye-west-twitter-again-this-time-nazi https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-reaches-deal-vote-avert-rail-strike-rcna59600 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h490 https://news.yahoo.com/house-votes-impose-union-contract-182135676.html https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h491 https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/12/12/chamber-of-commerce-brags-about-blocking-sick-days-for-railroad-workers/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Labor_Act#Constitutionality

In today's episode I discuss the (potentially cancelled) rail strike. Who were the workers that threatened to strike, and why were they doing so? What did the contract Congress forced on them grant, and what did it leave out? Sources: https://www.aar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AAR-Rail-Shutdown-Report-September-2022.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/30/us-rail-strike-congress-house-senate-union-sick-leave https://www.statista.com/statistics/553288/ridership-north-america-amtrak/ https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/09/two-largest-freight-rail-unions-still-holding-out/ https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/01/rail-unions-warn-of-election-consequences-with-labor-deal-in-senate-.html

In today's episode I discuss my recent trip to New Zealand and the realizations about the Relief Valve that accompanied it. Spoiler alert: we have work to do.

In today's episode, I first look at the injunction placed against Biden's student debt cancellation by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Why was it put in place? Will it stand up to Supreme Court Scrutiny? Then I turn my attention to the greater problem of student loan debt in our country, and how we can reform our bankruptcy code to ensure that future students take on less debt in the future; an economic reform in keeping with the tenets of the Relief Valve. Sources: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/student-debt-relief-legal-limbo-advocates-urge-people/story?id=92015239 https://thehill.com/homenews/3702337-political-legal-battle-heats-up-over-student-loan-forgiveness/ https://www.consumerfinancemonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2022/10/8th-Circuit-injunction-order.pdf https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/state-attorneys-general-sue-to-halt-9547242/ https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/ARAG/2022/09/29/file_attachments/2283559/09.29.22%20Complaint%20-%20Neb.%20v.%20Biden%20Student%20Loan.pdf https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/busting-myths-about-bankruptcy-and-private-student-loans/#:~:text=For%20too%20long%2C%20a%20myth,to%20federal%20student%20loan%20borrowers. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/safeborrowing/student/bankruptcy/ https://www.law.com/2022/05/10/private-student-loan-debt-and-the-exception-to-discharge-as-viewed-through-the-eyes-of-the-circuit-courts/?slreturn=20220926183034 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/11/523#a https://www.insider.com/cost-of-college-countries-around-the-world-2018-6#united-states-8202-28

In today's episode I take advantage of my media platform to brag about how great the Texas Longhorns are, all while pretending to still talk about politics. Sooners beware.

In today's episode, I discuss the legality and viability of President Biden's $10,000 student loan debt cancellation. Does this move constitute strong economic reform under the Relief Valve? Listen to find out!

In today's episode, we take a deep look into the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the Forward Party and their platform. Is this a legitimate third party that can break-up our American political duopoly? Or are they doomed to simply play the part of spoiler to the Democrats? Sources: https://www.forwardparty.com/merger_splash?splash=1 Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy, by Andrew Yang My new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYIhM8VLEBPGlzbbkExJh8g

In today's episode I discuss President Biden's 9/1/22 speech and why it represents everything wrong with modern American political discourse.

In today's episode, we discuss the "how" of implementing Congressional term limits; namely, through constitutional amendments. But how can we amend the Constitution to restrict the terms of Congress-members when those same members would never agree to give up power willingly? By calling an Article V Convention of States (or, State Convention), where states send their own delegates to create and vote on amendments to the Constitution without the input of Congress. What such a convention would look like and how it could be pulled off are all discussed. Sources: U.S. Constitution - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript 19 states have already moved for a convention - https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article264230316.html Path to Reform - https://www.pathtoreform.org Federalist Paper discussing state conventions - https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed85.asp Article V Primer - https://www.pathtoreform.org/_files/ugd/1b6581_fbe7302e28274309b0ff249e49dbeb03.pdf Current amendment creation process - https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution State trifecta map - https://ballotpedia.org/Gubernatorial_and_legislative_party_control_of_state_government

In today's episode, I build on the discussion we had last episode concerning housing reform, and talk about President Biden's proposed student loan cancellation policy. Sources for today's episode: National security concerns when foreign entities buy US real estate - https://floridapolitics.com/archives/541688-ashley-moody-urges-restrictions-on-chinese-property-buys-in-florida/ https://thenationaldesk.com/news/fact-check-team/how-foreign-investments-are-impacting-the-us-rising-cost-of-housing-in-north-america-national-security-concerns-arise-as-china-buys-up-us-farmland-investors-chinese-espionage-justin-trudeau-prevent-foreign-investors-from-pushing-out-local-buyers Green Card holder international travel policies - https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/travel-outside-the-us-as-a-permanent-resident Oklahoma Constitution (Art. XXII) - https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2019-12/AllOKConstitutionArticles.pdf Tulsa Law Review article - https://digitalcommons.law.utulsa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1570&context=tlr Student loan cancellation - https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3612324-white-house-to-announce-10k-student-loan-cancellation-payment-pause-extension-wednesday/

In today's episode we begin to tackle the last prong of the Relief Valve: economic reform. Specifically, we look at housing reform, and how barring foreign investment in domestic residential real estate may reduce economic pressures that lead to heightened political tensions.

In today's episode, I look at the what, why, and how of third party politics in the United States. Specifically, why the introduction of a third party into our two party system could reduce political pressures, and how a third party can be successful in the polarizing times in which we find ourselves.

In today's episode I discuss the second prong of the Relief Valve: shifting citizens' attention away from national politics and turning it to their local and state governments.

The first prong of the Relief Valve is Congressional reform. In this episode I dive in and discuss the reforms I believe would best work to alleviate partisan tensions in the United States.

Our nation is suffering from crippling partisanship. This tension has resulted in a dysfunctional government, economy, and society. To save it, we need to create a relief valve to let off the excess steam so Americans and their elected officials can get back to the work of making our country work.