Episode 1 – Air Date 1/18/2014

Episode Key Talking Points :
Robert Gates
US Economy – Today on GPD
Negotiations with Iran – Neuroscience
France BS
Fareed’s Take:
Fareed’s view on Obama’s address on privacy/NSA
Believes in most of what he has outlined expect for the surveillance of foreign leaders being ratcheted down.
Robert Gates:
Discussion about Memoire. “I wanted to make paralysis in White House real to the public”.
Fareed most struck by the fact that Robert Gates agreed with most if not all of Obama’s decisions.
Gates discusses being against going into Syria, citing having to learn from Afghanistan and Iraq (Things in his opinion we have not done).
Gates believes that Iran will become nuclear state if we engage.
What in The World Segment: 2013 saw Japans population drop as the largest natural decline in history.
2060 Japan projects population will have fallen by 1/3rd.
Individual incomes are actually RISING in Japan.
Health care costs only 8% of GDP, half of US.
However, Fareed argues that not having a young population hurts innovation, tax revenues, etc…
US GDP Discussion:
A proxy for just output as defined by things we produce.
Doesn’t look at the quality of our lives. What do we want out of an economy and how do we measure that?
If the number doesn’t work just invent a new one.
Robert Kennedy Limitations of GDP speech.
Why do Iranians act the way they do- Neuroscience discussion:
There is a lot of good data between nations, when the other side makes a concession you assume the other side was forced into it.
Man dumped a large pile of steaming manure outside government in france.
US dropped out of top 10 most economically free countries.

Episode 2 – Air Date 1/26/2014

Episode Key Talking Points :
From Switzerland – economic meeting
Talk with Iranian president for talks moving forward. What will they do if Israel bombed them?
Japan prime minister, turning around economy, Japanese dolphin hunts.
Egypt prime minister, Egyptian revolution has it gone badly array.
Fareed’s Take:
Inequality concerns. Worlds 85 richest people own as much as the poorest 3.5 billion but together.
The 6 heirs to Walmart have a net worth bigger than the lower 50 million Americans.
3 factors, rise of super rich, rise of poor people, stagnation of middle class.
If we can help the poor move up it matters less to me about super rich moving up even faster.
Middle class stagnation, you don’t need many people.
Apple today employs only 50K Americans while compared to GM employing 600K in its hayday.
Frankly there just aren’t a lot jobs for the Western world…no new ideas on that issue.
Iranian president review with Fareed:
West rolled back sanctions on Monday due to them being in line with nuclear regulations.
Obama has 50/50 odds on completing Iranian agreement – Iran will not accept not being able to enrich uranium.
Iranian people very sensitive to nuclear technology. Will not compromise on destroying centrifuges.
Iranian people do not have trust in American policies, that trust needs to be built. At face value the US Congress has a long way to go before they understand Iranian people.
Terrorism has created a huge problem in Syria, biggest terrorist cells in world are in Syria.
First we need to push the terrorist cells out before we deal with president Asad.
“Death to America” means the meddling of US in Iran, Sanctions, etc…
Israel would note attack Iran, they know our capabilities.
What in the World Segment:
Gave space to Bill Gates annual letter.
“Foreign Aid is a Big Myth”. Since 2000 – 440 million children have been immunized. 2.5 billion children from polio since 2007. 350K to just 400 cases in 2013.
These people now work, earn a living and help their countries rely less. Japan, Brazil, Peru don’t need the aid anymore.
US spends less than $30/American on aid. $5000 per saved child lives through immunizations, health aid alone.
Japan prime minster