Call It Like I See It

Our current economic situation seems dire, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at what experts are saying is in store for our economy, including whether we are in position to have a quick recovery (01:42) or experience an extended depression (09:32) and if anything can be done to get things back on track more quickly (19:05). The guys also discuss a coal power plant’s plan billion dollar bet to stay viable by building the largest carbon capture facility ever (41:02).

No one man should have all that power, so James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and Carlton Washington take a look at the use of power and privilege to undermine the rule of law, particularly taking a look at the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and the failure to arrest the killers (01:54) and the armed protests of COVID lockdown and whether use of intimidation tactics are justified (21:05). The guys also discuss what Attorney General William Barr is attempting to do in trying to let off Michael Flynn after Flynn admitted to lying to federal agents and whether President Obama is correct that rule of law is at risk due to Barr’s conduct (37:28).

Continuing their look at Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how the described corporatocracy system and economic hit man activity undeniably did provide some benefits to Americans (02:22). The guys also consider whether a having corporatocracy with economic hit men is inconsistent with the foundational values of the America republic (11:16), whether economic imperialism is inevitable (23:32), and the extent to which our human nature makes varying economic systems ripe for exploitation and/or unworkable (37:28).

Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” told a story that involved some of the most monumental political and social events in the 20th century, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what stood out from a economic and a human standpoint in the movie (1:17), take a look at how certain aspects of how power is exercised is timeless and how others may have changed (18:00), and debate whether strong armed tactics are a necessary component of organized labor (42:52). The guys also consider the plausibility the explanations that are given in the movie for certain key events in the 20th century (51:41).

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is unquestionably an eye opening book, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what about the described corporatocracy system and economic hit man activity stood out to them (0:58) and how learning about the way things may go down behind the scenes can improve one’s understanding of what is going on around us navigating (17:11). The guys also take a look at how our insatiable need for oil drives much of what is described in the book and also led to some peculiar geopolitical arrangements (29:16).

As our society continues to try to weather the fallout from COVID-19, James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and Rob Richardson discuss the unprecedented nature of the ongoing job losses and what a recovery for working people would look like (2:02) and why the government stimulus did not seem to serve working people (18:45). The guys also point out that Americans, including the most staunch capitalist, often embrace socialist policies (30:57), how some are really good at taking advantage of this socialist streak (39:05), and how this kind of disconnect plays a role in working people being unable to effectively demand a fair shake in our economy (46:51).

There are many things about the human experience that the more we learn about, the less we understand, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how sleep is generally understood (1:29), how various factors can influence the ability to get good sleep (12:58), and the importance of sleep and how it plays a large role in the ability to function (18:02). The guys also take a look at how willpower works and is used, and how it is used and understood can influence how effective it can be used (29:11) and an interesting technique that people seem to use both consciously and unconsciously to improve willpower (44:51).

Having recently completed their forms from the U.S. 2020 Census, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the census and why participation is vital for having your interests addressed by our government (02:00). The guys also discuss how the handling of race in the 2020 Census illustrates that race as we know it is an artificial construct (10:49), speculate why the concept of race is used the way that it is (21:43), and consider whether race is used in the U.S. in an analogous way to the way tribe has been used in societies (44:47).

With the Democratic Party in its current form seeming so ineffective and unable to consistently fill its role in our two party system of governance, James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and Rob Richardson discuss whether the Democratic Party is wasting our time with such a defective approach to politics (02:32) and whether there is anything that the party as a whole really stands for other than good intentions (16:49). The guys also consider how the party of FDR and LBJ could become so ineffective (29:39) and whether the party could be replaced if it cannot pull itself back together (43:40).

Alexander Hamilton has a story we can all relate to, and James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and special guest Rick Ellsley take a look at the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, with music, lyrics, and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda, specifically getting into the things that stood out in Hamilton's story and the musical production (02:43) and whether the historical story was effectively told through musical form (12:07). The birth of extreme partisanship and the role partisanship and compromise played in early stages of our government (30:11), presentation of women's stories (46:11), and the A.Ham v. A.Burr debate (51:12) are all also discussed.