2PP070 – 3 May 2012

Posted on May 7, 2012 by admin

No Special Days today—Jason has a special rant instead. It’s not an altogether unusual experience. After that, we have an extensive and wide-ranging discussion of an article in the Washington Post called “Let’s just say it: The Republicans are the problem”. We spend quite a bit of the discussion talking about how this relates to the upcoming US elections for president and Congress. Arthur sees a threat to the American republic in the modern Republican Party. Jason thinks they’re not smart enough to succeed as Arthur thinks they could. We both think mainstream voters need to keep committed to the fightback.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
Verizon Wireless Can’t Seem to Hear Me – the blog post Jason mentioned
Let’s just say it: The Republicans are the problem. – The Washington Post article we talked about
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP070 – 3 May 2012 [ 1:07:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP069 – 15 March 2012

Posted on March 17, 2012 by admin

We begin with Arthur acknowledging the gap in podcast episodes is entirely his fault. With the heavy time commitments of his househunting, he just couldn’t find time to edit the episode we recorded a month ago.

After Special Days, we talk about cutting the Republican presidential nomination pie. We talk about Romney’s elitism and Santorum’s batshit craziness. But we also talk more generally about the sorry state of the Republican Party, and Arthur mentions research that demonstrates that while the Republicans have shifted to the right, Democrats have not, contrary to what the punditocracy claims. The Republican Party’s war on women also gets a mention.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
Pi Day
Naw-Rúz
Wurstfest – Herman, Missouri
Charts: GOP Shifts Right – the charts documenting the righward shift of the Republican Party, and relative stability of Democrats, that Arthur’s mentioned. This link is to The Maddow Blog (part of MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show), and that, in turn, links to the original sources.
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.


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2PP069 – 15 March 2012 [ 47:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP068 – 18 January 2012

Posted on January 26, 2012 by admin

This episode was recorded a week ago. It was delayed, then lightly edited, because Arthur is in the midst of a big home reorganisation and refurbishment project (he hopes he didn’t make any editing mistakes…). After Special Days, we talk about the Republican presidential nomination sweepstakes. We talk about Romney’s elitism, then about the general issue of income inequality. Thanks to some comments, we get to expand on these and other topics. The photo above is of Jason’s new cats.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
International Hot and Spicy Food Day
as well as more here, too.
Please explain – Arthur’s blog post about the child poverty documentary that he mentioned.
Romney’s delusion – Arthur’s blog post on income inequality
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP068 - 18 January 2012 [ 41:25 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP067 – 21 December 2011

Posted on December 23, 2011 by admin

After Special Days, we talk about Iowa and the Republican presidential nomination sweepstakes. It’s a wide-ranging discussion we have. We talk about Ron Paul, the end of the Iraq War, and so much more. We even get into a discussion of voting systems.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
All about Saint Thorlak
And about Junkanoo
PV has some merit – the blog post on PV aka “Instant Runoff Voting” that Arthur mentioned. It has explanatory videos.
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP067 - 21 December 2011 [ 52:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP066 – 29 November 2011

Posted on December 1, 2011 by admin

After Special Days, Jason talks about a movie he saw, which leads to brief talk about another movie, before we talk a bit about Thanksgiving.

After that, Arthur talks a bit about the recent New Zealand elections. That leads to a discussion of political public opinion polls. This morphs into a discussion of the Republican presidential campaign, so we use our brand-new 2Political Republican Frontrunner Prognosticator™ to work out who the current Republican frontrunner is. That, in turn, leads to a discussion of what’s wrong with the Republican Party. It’s a barbed wire salad of interlocking topics.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
The Hillary Moment – the latest delusional op ed piece from Caddell and Schoen
One and done – their delusion from exactly one year ago
Reminder: Try Not to Ride Metro on the Weekend – the blog post Jason mentioned
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP066 - 29 November 2011 [ 52:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP065 – 10 November 2011

Posted on November 14, 2011 by admin

After being delayed by construction work on Arthur’s house, we were finally able to record. Then problems with Arthur’s other podcast site and a family wedding kept him from being able to edit this episode. We always get there eventually.

After Special Days, we talk about the results of last week’s elections in the US. Arthur says the results were very good for Democrats and centre-left voters. The Republicans have demonstrated how disconnected from voters’ wishes they have become. Democrats and Republicans have totally different worldviews, so much so, that one side or the other has to be in control in order to advance their agenda. We round out today’s episode with a voicemail comment! No, really! That lets us comment some more.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
National Sandwich Day
And more about Sandwich Day
Pumpkin Chunkin’ Championships – Delaware
Birth of Bahá’u'lláh
More than 50 LGBT candidates win elections across America

This Week in Gay – the podcast Brother Cinaedus mentioned
Check out Brother Cinaedus’ Audioboos!

Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP065 - 10 November 2011 [ 54:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP064 – 20 October 2011

Posted on October 21, 2011 by admin


After special days, we talk about the “Occupy” protest movement, which has come to Auckland, too. Then we talk about Cain’s moronic plan to dramatically increase taxes for the poor and working people so the ultra rich can have tax cuts. Arthur says he can’t tell if Cain is stupid, wilful, a liar, etc. What’s up with him?

Next, look at the poor quality of Republican presidential candidates, and what a big problem Romney still has actually winning the nomination. We can’t remember a presidential campaign ever being this unfocused at this point in an election season. Arthur makes an impassioned argument that if people are unhappy with their party, they have a personal responsibility to change things.

The photo accompanying today’s shownotes is of the Devilsfood Cheescake Jason mentioned, and is from one of his blog posts about his recent trip to New York City.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
Persons Day – Canada
And more about Persons Day
Hogeye Festival – Elgin, Texas
Dissolution of the 49th Parliament – the NZ event Arthur mentioned
Tent and sympathy – Arthur’s blog post on the “Occupy” protest in Auckland
Protesters in McPherson Square – Jason’s blog post on DC protestors
Thoughts on the Republican Race – Jason’s blog post that Arthur mentioned
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP064 - 20 October 2011 [ 45:40 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP063 – 29 September 2011

Posted on October 1, 2011 by admin

Today, after special days, we talk about the Republican “straw poll” in Florida, which, despite newsmedia hype, was nothing but a fundraiser with no significance. But what’s the state of the Republican Klown Kar Kavalcade? Is Perry’s campaign doomed? Is Christie “The One” for Republicans?

Next, we move on to President Obama’s electoral problems. Does he face a double-standard, being held to a higher standard than Bill Clinton was? We say his approval ratings are not an indicator of his relative electoral strength because the approval ratings of Congress—and Congressional Republicans in particular—are far worse. Arthur says we need more honesty in the mainstream news media’s coverage of this election.

After some general election chat, we move on to comments. Finally, we chat a little about National Book Festival.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
A link to show what the Santorum “Google problem” is
The Tim Corrimal Show Episode 181 – The episode Arthur referred to
Black President, Double Standard: Why White Liberals Are Abandoning Obama by Melissa Harris-Perry at The Nation
A look at the controversy of the droppin’ of the letter G
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP063 - 29 September 2011 [ 42:03 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP062 – 14 September 2011

Posted on September 21, 2011 by admin

Arthur’s editing of this episode was delayed because of the annual Pride 48 podcasting extravaganza. He thinks, based on the evidence, that maybe he should teach Jason how to edit podcasts.

Today we mainly talk about the 9/11 anniversary, beginning with where we were. We move into more general thoughts about the attacks and its the legacy. Toward the end, we talk about the Republican “debate”.

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
Remembering that day – Arthur’s blog post on the 9/11 anniversary
9/11 — Ten Years On – Jason’s blog post on the 9/11 anniversary
Fifth blogoversary – Arthur’s post on 5 years of blogging
The Cult of Death – The Truthout article Arthur mentioned
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP062 - 14 September 2011 [ 48:08 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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2PP061 – 24 August 2011

Posted on August 31, 2011 by admin

Only delayed a week! We recorded this the day of the earthquake in Virginia. Then, shortly afterward, Arthur left on holiday but didn’t have the chance to edit or post this before he left. Turns out, he had to re-edit this once he got back.

To start out today, Jason talks about his experience of the earthquake. That leads us onto a discussion of that and of how our perception of the severity of these things varies from person to person. Arthur shares something he posted to Google+ (now included in a blog post) where he complains about snark of people toward thoseon the east coast.

Arthur suggests setting up your cellphone to be able to text to Twitter, Facebook or other social media in order to be able to let a lot of people know quickly—by text message—that you are OK or (in trouble). This is because text messages will usually go through when voice calls can’t connect. At the very end, we even talk about the Mayan calendar (double brain farts led to calling them Aztecs).

Please leave a comment (anyone’s welcome—agree or disagree!), or you can ring the 2Political Comment line on 206-350-3982.

Links for this episode:
Six months later – Arthur’s blog post on the Christchurch earthquake that Jason mentioned
Perspective relativity – Arthur’s blog post, which includes what he read on the podcast.
Snow in Wellington – The video Jason mentioned
Shake Rattle and Roll – Jason’s blog post on the earthquake, posted after we recorded
Jason’s Blog
Arthur’s blog, podcasts and videos can be accessed here.

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2PP061 - 24 August 2011 [ 29:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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