Impact of Taxing the Wealthy

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GdoTUr8EPvw

Can You Be a Bible-Believing Christian and a Socialist? (Dan McClellan and Dan Beecher; Data Over Dogma podcast on YouTube)

Pastor Mark Driscoll says you can't be a Bible-believing Christian and a socialist, and that "thou shalt not steal" settles the question.

This week, we take that argument apart: what the Ten Commandments actually presuppose, what the eighth-century prophets had to say about creditors and land consolidation, and why the economics of the New Testament look nothing like Driscoll's. Ancient Israel and Judah weren't running a capitalist economy or a socialist one, but the text has a great deal to say about who gets protected and who gets ground down.

Chapters:

0:00 Welcome and Twisted Scripture
0:48 Who Is Mark Driscoll?
1:46 The Claim: No Christian Socialists
2:52 Does Ownership Prove Capitalism?
3:31 What Socialism Actually Means
5:16 Fire Departments and Safety Nets
5:55 Ancient Economies, Modern Categories
6:53 The Generational Wealth Argument
9:28 Sell What You Own
10:07 Prophets Against Predatory Lending
11:44 Writing From Outside of Power
13:10 The Ten Commandments Problem
15:04 The Eighth Century Debt Crisis
17:23 Jubilee, Gleanings, and Deuteronomy
19:25 "Taxation Is Theft"
20:50 Acts 4 and 5: Communalism
21:31 Individual Charity vs Government
24:00 Render Unto Caesar
25:30 Why Churches Aren't Enough
27:31 Wealth for Everybody
28:11 Wrap-Up

Interview: 

https://youtu.be/sOaVL_iPWDo?si=vlBVPuS_9gvXs_VD

DC's Hottest Club (Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill; Unjustified podcast)

Todd Blanche’s confirmation vote is in trouble as two republican senators hold out over the anti-weaponization slush fund and Trump tax immunity.

Jim Comey files motions to dismiss the seashells case for vindictive and selective prosecution.

Todd Blanche turns over a small batch of unredacted Epstein files to Judge Emmet Sullivan for in camera review pursuant to a lawsuit filed by independent journalist Katie Phang.

Lawyers for Davey Hearn, the defendant in Jeanine Pirro’s reflecting pool case, are accusing the Justice Department of improper grand jury conduct.

Plus listener questions.
Interview: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dcs-hottest-club/id1317481380?i=1000779514966

 

Harass, Coerce, and Retaliate (Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill; Unjustified podcast)

A federal judge throws out Justice Department subpoenas of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey calling them “blatantly unlawful.”

The full DC Circuit Court of Appeals panel will hear arguments over Judge Boasberg’s contempt inquiry into CECOT deportations.

Former IRS officials call for a Miami judge to scrutinize Trump's “breathtakingly improper” immunity from tax audits as part of the Justice Department’s anti-weaponization slush fund settlement.

The Director of National Intelligence commissioned two reports on voting machine accuracy that show no votes were flipped in 2020 but the White House is blocking their release.

Plus listener questions.
Interview: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harass-coerce-and-retaliate/id1317481380?i=1000774553058

Newsom vows 100 percent tax on DOJ ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ payouts - POLITICO

Newsom’s pledge mirrors legislation unveiled earlier this week in New York by Democrat Alex Bores, a state assemblymember and House candidate, that would assess a 100 percent tax against payouts from the fund. Trump announced the fund last week as part of his $10 billion settlement with the DOJ in his lawsuit against the IRS, and Democratic efforts to undercut any payouts are picking up across the country...

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/27/newsom-vows-100-percent-tax-on-doj-anti-weaponization-fund-payouts-00939587

Weekly Roundup: Reparations for Traitors and the Slush Fund Presidency (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)

• A massive DOJ–IRS settlement that includes a $1.8 billion "slush fund" ostensibly for victims of government "weaponization." The hosts trace how this fund is likely to benefit January 6 participants and allies, connecting it to the long-running "Big Lie" and what Brad calls real-time myth-making. 
• How narratives about January 6 have shifted from condemnation to celebration—and what it means when those narratives are backed by real money and political power. 
• The broader ecosystem of Trumpism: primary victories that show Trump still holds sway, the endorsement of scandal-plagued figures like Ken Paxton, and the ongoing fusion of political loyalty with religious justification. 
• A sharp critique of billionaire logic, as Jeff Bezos defends his tax record and "value to civilization," prompting a deeper discussion about inequality, power, and what counts as public good. 
• A few reasons for hope, pointing to court losses for the DOJ and small but meaningful acts of accountability—reminders that resistance, however incremental, is still possible.

Interview: 

https://www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/weekly-roundup-reparations-for-traitors-and-the-slush-fund-presidency?hsLang=en

Weekly Roundup: Pete Hegseth's Military Vision, Violent Prayer & GOP Tax Dogma (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)

Brad Onishi and Dan Miller unpack a series of troubling developments surrounding Pete Hegseth's vision for the military chaplaincy, where chaplains may soon wear only religious insignia instead of rank and operate within a drastically reduced set of approved faith codes. 

The hosts explore how Hegseth's language—framing the role as a mission to "preach the truth," "shepherd the flock," and fulfill a "sacred calling"—signals a distinctly Christian nationalist framing of military service, reinforced by his claim that the armed forces have been "infected by political correctness and secular humanism." They place this in historical context, noting how Japanese American Buddhist soldiers in World War II were denied adequate chaplain support despite serving in one of the most decorated units in U.S. history. 

The conversation also touches on reporting about Hegseth's crusader imagery, including tattoos and a Bible stamped with "Deus Vult" and the Jerusalem Cross, raising deeper concerns about the ideological direction of military leadership. 

The episode then shifts to a controversial Pentagon prayer calling for "overwhelming violence" and the damnation of "wicked souls," which the hosts connect to a broader pattern of rhetoric that glorifies brutality and frames military action in theological terms. From there, Brad and Dan examine the near-religious devotion to tax cuts within the GOP, highlighting reporting that red states are facing massive budget shortfalls as a result of Trump-backed policies—yet lawmakers continue to support them as a matter of ideological commitment rather than evidence. They close by discussing Trump's absence from CPAC, the unease among attendees regarding Iran, and the irony of Trump mailing in his ballot despite his long-standing opposition to mail-in voting, underscoring what they describe as a deeply transactional and contradictory approach to politics.

Interview: 

https://www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/weekly-roundup-pete-hegseths-military-vision-violent-prayer-gop-tax-dogma?hsLang=en

Fossil fuel firms may have to pay for climate damage under proposed UN tax

If it can be made to work, the treaty could be a big step forward in making fossil fuel producers pay for the damage they cause, and in ensuring the richest contribute. Inequality rates have soared in recent years, with the wealthiest 0.001% of the population – roughly 56,000 people – holding three times more wealth than the poorer 50%, and the disparity is growing...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/01/fossil-fuel-firms-may-have-to-pay-for-climate-damage-under-proposed-un-tax

 

Shutdown risk: Congress faces funding deadline soon

Buckle up! A perfect storm is approaching Washington. All the ingredients are there to bring about a government shutdown at midnight on Sept. 30…

https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/5474303-congress-faces-funding-deadline/

The argument's over: Americans pay for tariffs

Even companies that once promised to hold the line on those costs, like Walmart, now say they have no choice but to pass them along. 

Inflation may be benign for now, but experts are increasingly convinced that higher prices are only a matter of time…

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/19/trump-tariffs-who-pays

 

Alabama Wants to Punish Schools That Don’t Pray (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #571)

— Alabama schools could lose funding if they don’t mandate daily Christian prayers. (0:22)

— Oklahoma lawmaker: I don’t want “pink-haired” atheists teaching the Bible in schools. (11:56)

— Oklahoma lawmakers shoot down slew of Christian Nationalist bills. (21:48)

— Tim Barton: We “arrest students that break the Ten Commandments,” so we should put the list up in schools. (42:15)

— Australia will keep screwing up the religion question in its 2026 Census. (49:15)

— Survey finds low levels of “Religious Nationalism” in America. Why doesn’t it feel that way? (1:07:35)
Interview: 

https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2025/02/20/alabama-wants-to-punish-schools-that-dont-pray/

 

ROTH Conversion - Trusts - Crypto update (Phil Ferguson Show podcast)

• Should you get a trust. I go over some of the benefits of setting up a trust. 
• ROTH conversion. 
• Discussion on the tax implications of converting IRA money into a ROTH IRA. 
• Update on my opinion of Crypto currencies. 
• news on upcoming conventions Travel plans more detail on how a convenience store makes money for EV drivers.

Interview:

https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-6vj7i-2386766b

In a Rambling Speech, Trump Offers Gripes and Yet Another Tax Cut - The New York Times

Even before this latest proposal, aimed at promoting car sales, an analysis found that the former president's economic agenda could add $15 trillion to the nation's debt over a decade...

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/10/us/politics/trump-detroit-car-loans-deductible.html

How Billionaires Created a Culture War to Sell School Vouchers w/ Josh Cowen (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)

In this episode, Brad Onishi interviews Dr. Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, on the controversial issue of school vouchers in the US. 

They discuss the historical context of the voucher movement, tracing it back to economist Milton Friedman and its intersection with the Brown v. Board decision. The dialogue highlights the ideological motivations behind vouchers, linking them to conservative Christian nationalism and libertarian views on government regulation. 

Dr. Cowen offers a critical analysis of recent voucher programs in Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Washington, D.C., presenting evidence of their negative effects on academic outcomes. The conversation also delves into the cultural and political forces driving the voucher agenda, especially during the Trump administration, emphasizing the shift from evidence-based arguments to ideological ones.

Interview: 

https://www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/how-billionaires-created-a-culture-war-to-sell-school-vouchers-w-josh-cowen/

Harry Litman on the Trump Trial (Al Franken podcast)

Former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman joins to discuss the Trump hush money trial. Both sides have rested. Harry has been in the courtroom watching the trial. With closing arguments coming next week, we break down what has transpired and all the possible outcomes Trump could expect as his verdict looms.

Harry has been covering the trial for the Los Angeles Times. Read his reporting here.
Interview: 

https://www.alfranken.com/listen/harry-litman-on-the-trump-trial

Democrats tout new ways to tax the wealth of the super-rich - The Washington Post

Earlier this month, President Biden unveiled a budget plan that proposes to raise more than $4.5 trillion in new taxes over the next decade, largely by targeting corporations. While repeating his pledge that families making less than $400,000 a year should not pay more tax, he revived and expanded upon an idea that Democrats have been kicking around for more than a decade: a minimum tax on the ultrawealthy…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/27/biden-tax-billionaires-assets/

Chemical industry throws temper tantrum over ‘polluter pays’ tax to cover cleanup of its toxic sites

"It's high time the culprits, not the public, foot the bill for mopping up the toxic waste plaguing countless communities across the country that pose substantial threats to human health and the environment," said Cook...

https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/chemical-industry-throws-temper-tantrum-over-polluter-pays-tax-to-cover-cleanup-of-its-toxic-sites

David Fahrenthold on The Trump Organization’s Long History of Corruption (Al Franken podcast)

The New York Times Reporter Puts the Current Trial Into Perspective.

Interview: 

https://www.alfranken.com/listen/david-fahrenthold-on-the-trump-organizations-long-history-of-corruption

How the ultrawealthy devise ways to not pay their share of taxes (Dave Davies; Fresh Air podcast)

Journalist Jesse Eisinger says a trove of IRS data acquired by ProPublica shows that many of America's billionaires avoid paying any taxes — sometimes by claiming big deductions from posh hobbies.

Interview: 

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/25/1119412217/how-the-ultrawealthy-devise-ways-to-not-pay-their-share-of-taxes

Billionaires Income Tax: What's in the Senate Democratic plan : NPR

"Giant corporations have been exploiting tax loopholes for too long," Warren said. "It's about time they pay their fair share to help run this country, just like everyone else."

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049505682/senate-democrats-unveil-a-plan-for-a-new-tax-on-billionaires