All posts by J.R. Hoeft

Ambassador Jim Gilmore has returned from his post in Vienna representing the United States to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. An organization forged from the tension of the Cold War, Gilmore comes on the show to describe his role at the organization, what it hopes to accomplish, the realities of our relationship with our allies and Russia during the Trump administration, and America’s position on the global stage, especially in light of the recent withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan.

Gilmore also has plenty to say about current domestic policy, including on issues such as the national debt, energy, and spending. He also has the pulse of Virginia’s political climate and offers some suggestions for a GOP-winning message.

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Learn more about:

• Ambassador Gilmore on Facebook and Twitter

Recent Gilmore Columns:

• Taxpayer relief: Time to reinstate the car tax cut (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• Critical U.S. Pipelines Remain Stopped, As Russian Pipelines Are Greenlighted (Real Clear Energy)
• Statement on the Deterioration of Relations Between China & The United States (Office of Jim Gilmore)

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Tim Phillips is the president of Americans for Prosperity, a grassroots organization that aspires to help Americans live the American Dream. Their goal is to give individual Americans the chance to have their voice heard by their elected officials – and they have done so for at least 3.5 million Americans and counting.

Tim talks about our national appetite for spending, including the recently passed infrastructure bill and mammoth $3.5T spending bill currently undergoing reconciliation. He also explains why the national debt is a very real problem, why fiscal policy matters, why partisanship shouldn’t matter when it comes to national and state spending, and what he’s learned about himself and America as he has traveled the country for nearly two decades. He also reveals which ice cream is truly the best and why!

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Learn more about:

• Tim Phillips (and follow him on Facebook)
• Americans for Prosperity
• H.R.3684 – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
• $3.5 Trillion Budget Framework (NPR)
• Democrats race to resolve House-Senate disputes on $3.5T megabill (Politico)

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Listening to a Podcast:

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Episode 89 of the podcast is with Michael Ginsberg, author of “Debt Bomb.”

Ginsberg, a Washington, DC-area attorney, writes his first novel, “A political thriller, tied in to real events, about an apocalyptic threat to America that is ticking remorselessly in the background while Americans continue their daily routines, oblivious to the danger.”

In this podcast, Ginsberg and I talk about the book, its characters, his motivation for writing, how he managed to write it with a busy career and family life, going about getting the book published, and more! We also go into the very all-too-real events going on today between China and the United States.

The book, released at the beginning of July, is drawing rave reviews from across the country and internationally.

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References:

• “Debt Bomb” by Michael Ginsberg
• “What Xi Jinping’s Major Speech Means For Taiwan” by David Sacks, Council on Foreign Relations blog
• “Why China Buys U.S. Debt With Treasury Bonds” by Shobhit Seth, Investopedia
• “The growing U.S. deficit raises questions about funding as China cuts U.S. debt holdings” by
  Weizhen Tan, CNBC

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Episode 88 of the podcast is a timely update from Nick McGee, a member of the public affairs team for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), brings us up to speed on the progress the biopharmaceutical industry is making towards treatments and a vaccine for COVID-19.

Norm Leahy, columnist with The Washington Post, and I discuss in “Shouting Along the James”, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’ impending announcement to run for governor and what this Independence Day means to us in the era of COVID-19.

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References:

• Video: Biopharmaceutical Innovation Fighting COVID-19
• PhRMA at Home: A collection of videos from sessions with experts from PhRMA commenting on various aspects of ongoing PhRMA member company efforts to support the detection, prevention and treatment of the coronavirus outbreak.
• Register for the Virtual Event Series: COVID-19 Bending the Curve Virtual hosted by McClatchy and presented by PhRMA
• Blog: New report shows nearly 260 vaccines in development, including dozens for COVID-19
• Coronavirus Landing Page with the latest updates and resources: https://phrma.org/coronavirus
• The Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT), a search engine developed by PhRMA to help patients, caregivers and health care providers learn more about the resources and assistance programs available through the various biopharmaceutical industry programs

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If you liked this podcast, please support it by subscribing either on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn,  Spotify or Stitcher– and please leave a review. It helps!

Listening to a Podcast:

1) Click the player and listen to it via your device
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Episode 87 of the podcast is jam-packed with a newsmaker interview with Daniel Gade, fresh off his nomination win; Norm Leahy, columnist with The Washington Post, and I discuss in “Shouting Along the James” the recent nomination contests from around the state; and Amber Northern of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute describes the correlation between where you live, your education, and income.

Also, Norm focuses his column this week on Terry McAuliffe’s now unlikely second term and Mark Herring’s regrets about not running for governor when he had the chance in 2017. State Sen. Jennifer McClellan and Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy may have spiked both their dreams. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax likely isn’t even a factor.

Read Norm’s Comlumn: Terry McAuliffe may not see a second term

Amber Northern gives a great interview detailing why incomes deviate based on education in Virginia. You need to check out their specific info on the commonwealth. There are differences between how NoVA, Richmond, and Hampton Roads relate to advanced education. Her interview begins at the 33:00 mark and lasts for the remainder of the podcast.

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References:

• What You Make Depends on Where You Live: College Earnings Across States and Metropolitan Areas
• VPAP: Live Election Results (US Senate and US House)
• Daniel Gade – U.S. Senate

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If you liked this podcast, please support it by subscribing either on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn,  Spotify or Stitcher– and please leave a review. It helps!

Listening to a Podcast:

1) Click the player and listen to it via your device
2) Go to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher – Subscribe to the podcast to automatically download new shows to your device when they are uploaded.
3) Added tip: Connect your device via Bluetooth, USB, or even 3.5mm to your car radio, select the aux or media input on your radio for your device, and press play on your device for the show either on the post or through Apple Podcast/Google Play/TuneIn/Stitcher.

Episode 86 of the podcast features a debate between two Republican candidates seeking the congressional nomination in VA-3.

Dr. George Yacus goes head-to-head with Mr. John Collick on a host of issues revolving around congress’ expressed powers as listed in the U.S. Constitition, Article 1.

Norm Leahy, columnist with The Washington Post, focuses his column this week on some historical tidbits you might not know about the Lee Statue in Richmond. Would you believe it was put up to attract a subdivision and home buyers?

Read Norm’s Comlumn: Mark Herring’s court brief reminds us of some useful history about Richmond’s Lee statue

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References:

• U.S. Debt Clock
• Geoge Yacus for Congress
• John Collick for Congress

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If you liked this podcast, please support it by subscribing either on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn,  Spotify or Stitcher– and please leave a review. It helps!

Listening to a Podcast:

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Episode 85 of the podcast welcomes John-Henry Doucette, publisher, Princess Anne Independent News. Norm Leahy discusses Doug Wilder’s plea for us to examine all history.

In an era where newspapers are closing, changing their print production model, and going more and more online, would you consider starting your own independent, community paper? Our guest this week has done just that. Doucette publishes the community newspaper of The Princess Anne Independent News, a paper that serves the people of southern Virginia Beach and Knotts Island, NC.

John walks us through why he began the paper, its purpose, and some of the challenges he’s faced. We also discuss some of the major events he has covered, such as the mass shooting last year at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center and how these events have affected his reporting.

“So, newspapers made a terrible business decision not to sell their content [online] and now people think news is something that magically appears out of the air.”

Norm Leahy, columnist with The Washington Post, focuses his column this week on the ongoing topic of conversation dominating Virginia’s news: statuary. His piece is a fascinating reflection on Virginia’s troubled, often white-washed, history.

Wilder said what’s needed most is “telling the damn truth in all our history about what has happened for the 400 years black people have been here!”

Read Norm’s Comlumn: Virginia’s Confederate statues betray the commonwealth’s claimed gentility

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References:

• The Princess Anne Independent News
• 2020 Virginia Beach Elections: Questions for candidates in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate (The Princess Anne Independent News)
• The elegy and the promise (The Princess Anne Independent News)
• Virginian-Pilot to move printing operations, cut 130 jobs (AP)

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This week’s guest is Rich Anderson. Anderson wants to be the next chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

On the show we talk about his background as an Air Force colonel, member of the House of Delegates, and being an advocate for Veterans and science and technology issues while in the House. But we also talk about how he feels the Republican Party of Virginia needs a refresh, and how he intends to be personally invested to get the job done. This interview was recorded last week.

Norm Leahy, columnist with The Washington Post, joins me to talk about the unrest currently in Virginia. He writes this week about the violence and challenges that lie ahead toward having a more peaceful union.

“An open ear is an open heart, and it shows the public that you can do more than just govern.”

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References:

• Rich Anderson for RPV Chairman
• Norfolk’s Confederate monument could be removed as soon as August (Virginian-Pilot)

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If you liked this podcast, please support it by subscribing either on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn,  Spotify or Stitcher– and
please leave a review. It helps!

Listening to a Podcast:

1) Click the player and listen to it via your device
2) Go to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher– Subscribe to the podcast to automatically download new shows to your device when they are uploaded.
3) Added tip: Connect your device via Bluetooth, USB, or even 3.5mm to your car radio, select the aux or media input on your radio for your device, and press play on your device for the show either on the post or through Apple
Podcast/Google Play/TuneIn/Stitcher.

This week’s guest is Ben Loyola. Loyola is seeking the Republican nomination in the 2nd Congressional District where he hopes to challenge the incumbent, Congresswoman Elaine Luria.

Loyola escaped from Cuba as a child, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, deployed with the USS John F. Kennedy during Libya’s “Line of Death” claims, and retired from the U.S. Naval Reserves as a captain. He also founded Loyola enterprises, a successful company offering the warfighter state-of-the-art Simulation, Cyber Security, Information Technology, and Knowledge Management for training, analysis, and operations.

On the show we talk about his amazing history, being a small business owner in today’s economy, lessons learned from his State Senate campaign in 2011 with then-State Sen. Ralph Northam, and how he is the best person to win the nomination and defeat Luria.

Norm Leahy, columnist with The Washington Post, shares with us the secondary effects of Gov. Northam’s new mandatory mask order.

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References:

• Ben Loyola – U.S. Congress
• Masks to be required inside public places starting Friday, Northam says (Virginian-Pilot)

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If you liked this podcast, please support it by subscribing either on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn,  Spotify or Stitcher – and please leave a review. It helps!

Listening to a Podcast:

1) Click the player and listen to it via your device
2) Go to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher.
– Subscribe to the podcast to automatically download new shows to your device when they are uploaded.
3) Added tip: Connect your device via Bluetooth, USB, or even 3.5mm to your car radio, select the aux or media input on your radio for your device, and press play on your device for the show either on the post or through Apple
Podcast/Google Play/TuneIn/Stitcher.

This week’s guest is Tina Ramirez, a candidate seeking the GOP nod in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District and hoping to defeat first-term Congresswoman, Abigail Spanberger.

Ramirez, whose work promotes religious freedom throughout the world, was born and raised in the 7th and worked in Washington for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and as a foreign policy advisor for various members of the U.S. Congress. She helped start and direct the bi-partisan Congressional International Religious Freedom Caucus.

On the show we talk about her passion for religious freedom, why she is running for Congress, and why she believes she the best person in a crowded GOP field to defeat the incumbent.

Norm Leahy and I talk about the scourge facing Virginia farmers – potato theft; the latest Roanoke College Institute for Policy and Opinion Research Poll that shows a dreary outlook for the GOP this fall, however, even Sen. Mark Warner’s numbers show some vulnerability; and former Democratic Party of Virginia chairman, Paul Goldman, throwing his hat in the ring for lieutenant governor in 2021.

Read Norm’s column this week, which also covers some of these topics.

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References:

• Tina Ramirez – U.S. Congress
• Roanoke College Poll: Opinions of Virginians on politics in May 2020
• ’Our potatoes are fine’: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam responds to President Trump’s criticism (WSLS 10-Roanoke)

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If you liked this podcast, please support it by subscribing either on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn,  Spotify or Stitcher – and please leave a review. It helps!

Listening to a Podcast:

1) Click the player and listen to it via your device
2) Go to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher.
– Subscribe to the podcast to automatically download new shows to your device when they are uploaded.
3) Added tip: Connect your device via Bluetooth, USB, or even 3.5mm to your car radio, select the aux or media input on your radio for your device, and press play on your device for the show either on the post or through Apple
Podcast/Google Play/TuneIn/Stitcher.