The Jason Stapleton Program

Yesterday I briefly mentioned the Trump Tariffs and the risk it might pose to our economy, but today I want to do a full deep dive and look at some historical evidence that suggests we may be looking at a very serious economic collapse if other nations respond in kind to the Trump tariffs.

But before that, I want to rehash something we discussed yesterday.

I think some of you may have misunderstood what I meant when I suggested a Gun Violence Restraining Order might be a good way to reduce gun violence.

It was suggested in the private facebook group that this might violate someone's due process so today I want to clarify, so there's no question.

Have a great weekend!

Jason

There are lots of overreactions and rash judgments made in the wake of a mass shooting like the one we saw in Florida earlier this month but is Dick's Sporting Goods decision to stop selling assault rifles one of them?

First, I know it's a tired argument be we first have to know what an "assault rifle" is. There's no clear definition. Is it a semi-automatic weapon? Does it need a pistol grip or rail system? Perhaps a bayonet lug?

Let me attempt to clarify. When most people talk about assault weapons, they're talking about the AR-15 rifle. That's the civilian version of the M16/M4 military rifle. The major difference between the two is one (the civilian model) is semi-auto, and the other will fire in either a 3 round burst or full auto.

There are other rifles that might meet the standard such as Mini-14's and similar models made by H&K or Sig but they all have the same basic "look" which is what most people are using to define an assault weapon.

So is Dick's taking a stand or is it a massive PR move? I don't know. They did this once before back in 2012 in the wake of Sandy Hook. This time they say it's a permanent ban. Ultimately I think sales will determine if they come back on the shelf or not.

Either way, a company should be allowed to choose what it puts up for sale and what it doesn't. That's the beauty of the free market.

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Lindsey Graham says "War is coming to Lebanon."

Yes, the man who never saw a war he didn't think needs fighting is now suggesting Isreal is preparing for an invasion of Lebanon to combat the manufacturing of guided rockets by Hezbollah.

I really can't understand why we don't stay out of these kinds of conflicts. It doesn't involve us. American liberty isn't being threatened, but there is always this overwhelming drive to pick a side. To DO something. It drives me crazy!!

Yesterday Lindsey made mention of the homeless problem we have here in LA. She's right. I love Venice. (a beach town suburb of LA) It's hippie vibe with mom and pop shops, and great restaurants are a throwback to old-school SOCAL, but it also has one of the worst homeless populations in the greater LA area.

And it's not just Venice. Los Angeles has a severe homelessness issue. It's estimated around 60k people are living in LA without a home.

Why is this? Yes, the cost of living is high, but the cost of living is high in a lot of places. And yes, we have a mental health and opioid epidemic in America today, but that exists in every major city in the U.S.

Today I want to talk about what I think are the two biggest contributing factors to the homeless epidemic in LA. Once you understand both you'll have a clearer picture of how to solve the problem, not just in Los Angeles but in any other major city in America.

Idaho is laying the groundwork to wrestle way the insurance market from the stranglehold Obamacare has had on it.

Thanks to Congress finally ending the individual mandate requiring you to purchase insurance, the Governor of Idaho was able to loosen restrictions on insurance companies allowing them to come up with more creative, low-cost ways to provide insurance.

What this means is more options with plans that offer fewer benefits but at a significantly reduced price.

Become a JSP Member: http://www.patreon.com/thejsp

EURIKA! There is actually a way to have a plan to fit any budget. Amazing how well a free market can address most any problem.

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In other news the President has announced he's running for reelection in 2020, going to far as to announce his campaign manager.

If you smell a massive marketing strategy here, you're right. The Republicans are in trouble this year, and I think the president is attempting to revive the fervor surrounding his campaign by announcing his intention to run early.

Despite how you or I might feel about the president he is still very well liked by the Republican base, and his popularity continues to grow. (he has nearly a 50% approval rating)

2018 is going to be an exciting election year. Some seats are going to change hands, and we may even see the Republicans lose the Senate.

Only time will tell.

Jason

This story got hot after my show was in the can on Friday, but I wanted to address it today. Having been in more than one life threating situation, I feel like I can offer a perspective you won't hear from the media.

Deputy Peterson released a statement through his attorney claiming he followed protocol and did what he was trained to do.

Listen in to find out how I feel about deputy Peterson's actions.

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The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeals request by the Trump administration after a lower federal court ordered the executive to continue taking DACA requests from more than 700k applicants.

This entire story gets my Irish up. Not only is the DACA order unconstitutional but the federal court has no more power to command the executive than the president does to control the court.

They are "Equal Branches of Government," and that means neither gets to tell the other what to do.

My thoughts on that in the back half of the show.

Jason

P.S. Join my membership program http://www.patreon.com/thejsp