A friend and fellow memo reader, unlike many liberal friends, likes America:
America’s shortcomings, while not at all insignificant, are far, far less than her enemies, with their vested interests, would falsely claim. America at its worst, is better than any other in the world. Disagree? Make your case! Progressicrats, snowflakes, Marxists, anarchists, and communists want to do redo America? Start on a smaller country to prove you can do it. Hell, you couldn’t even do six blocks in Seattle. Happy Independence Day. R--"
And:
Do you believe Joe Biden has dementia? Ask him.
And:
Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest could have massive political fallout - If she lives to tell.
Guess Where Ghislaine Maxwell Is Being Held
They cannot be serious.
A lot of my liberal friends and those who claim to be conservative, but don't think in a conservative manner, are going to vote for Biden because they do not like Trump's personalty.
I am gong to vote for Trump and not Biden because Biden has no personality.
Those who are voting for Biden have no positive reason to vote for Biden, have nothing positive to even say about Biden. They just Hate Trump so much and consider him so evil they cannot "abide" him.
Nothing Trump has done, is doing and/or could do is acceptable because they have become turned off by his narcissism etc. They have bought the NYT's and mass media's bad mouthing and they do not think he is dignified enough to be a president. Yet, they overlook and/or dismiss Democrat Mayors and Governors who have allowed anarchists to take over their cities and states, to run rampant in the street, destroy property of others and actually kill citizens. Meanwhile, they do not say anything. However, when it comes to Trump they can't stop telling you, ad nauseum, why they hate the man. Some even begin to foam at the mouth and burst blood vessels. Their eyes begin to pop from their sockets.
When it comes to Biden they overlook his corruption, his self-enrichment and his son's nefarious activities, his despicable chairing of the Senate Committee engaged in Justice Thomas' "lynching", his voting record which was virtually on the wrong side of most major issues and the list is endless of his incompetency and deception including his last episode when he colluded with Obama to have Gen. Flynn "lynched."
I listened to Trump's speech last night.. It was a good speech. He said what needed to be said for a president who wants to restore law and order and who, in a measured tone, will not permit radicals, anarchists to destroy this nation.
I have no doubt, his address will be picked apart by the Trump Haters. He is unable to heal a nation that is purposely divided and being torn apart by those who , as Trump said, want to eliminate our history, teach our children to hate their nation, alter our culture and are incapable of admitting we are the best hope the world has. To do so would fly in the face of their mission, ie. America's destruction Why? Because what we stand for, the language of our Constitution, our history threatens dictators, most particularly those who govern nations like China, Russia, Iran and Cuba.
As long as America remains free and people want to come here we remain a threat to the evil ambitions and dangerous goals of the despotic leaders of China, Cuba, Iran and Russia'.
Nothing Trump had to say will change the minds of Trump Haters because it was a speech written by others and they will never believe his talk reflects the person. I cannot wait to hear what Biden has to say because, politically, he has positioned himself to be a carping downer.
They even believe Trump, who went to Military School, as I did, likes the role of dictator, loves to surround himself with pomp and circumstance etc. I paraded every Sunday if it did not rain. I still get chills when the band strikes up Sousa,
I love a straight line, I believe patriotism is good. I believe saluting our flag is the right thing to do and though I never had to fight to defend my nation I did serve in two branches and when I was mustered out I went on with the rest of my life.
I do believe, Trump's announcement of long jail sentences, for those who destroy Federal property, will separate "opportunist/lark rioters" from the hardened anarchists and the authorization of arresting same will reinforce Trump's goal of restoring law and order. Furthermore, getting at the names of those who have been financing America's overthrow will also serve to cool the prospect of an increasingly hot summer of witnessing more inane destruction..
It is sad that we have a magnificent first lady, one of true beauty, style and grace and yet the haters cannot abide her because she is married to a "lout."
We are currently going through a period of national insanity which has been building for decades. Our nation has a proud history, a record of righting wrongs, of doing more for our citizens and those of the world than any other. Those who hate our nation and Trump have an agenda that I do not subscribe to nor am willing to stand idly by as they allow havoc to occur and ignore their own contribution,
If Trump continues on the path he began last night, and the stilled voices of the silent majority and deplorables begin to assert themselves, the Biden poll plurality will begin to melt. South Dakota could mark a turning point.
May God Bless America.
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All of a sudden everyone is exercised because there is a questionable claim Russia is paying the Taliban for killing American troops. The NYT's began by claiming Trump was told about this and did nothing. The NYT's has a history of printing whatever fits their political narrative.
Subsequently we learned there was an apparent dispute within our intelligence community about the facts and whether Trump should have been told etc..
Meanwhile, I never heard any criticism of America or the president when we were supplying the Afghans all type of equipment to kill Russians troops and pilots who invaded their country or missiles that shot down Russian planes.
Our goal was to kill as many Russian troops through Afghan defenders as possible. We apparently felt free to do this because Russia invaded Afghanistan and we basically oppose just about everything Russia does as they do us
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My next book to read is the one Gen. Robert Sterling wrote and which he discusses in this video interview: https://youtu.be/_-ZcsymQ2fQ
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At least we Americans strive to be more perfect. That is an unachievable goal and that is why anarchists wish to hold their enemies to that standard, as if they are perfect.
Independent Thought On Independence Day
With all of its flaws and opportunities for improvement, what is great about America is the ideal, enshrined in its founding documents, that all of its citizens are free to believe and practice as they choose.
There are those who believe at this moment that America's independence is not something to celebrate. They are highly attuned to the oppression that mars our history and the bias and inequity that continues to exist even now. They do not want to celebrate America until all of its citizens can do so with the same enthusiasm. Their concern for the disenfranchised is admirable, and they are certainly entitled to their decision not to celebrate.
There are others who recognize the imperfection of this country but who believe in the lofty principles on which it was founded, and they celebrate the haven of liberty and opportunity that America has provided to those fleeing oppression elsewhere. They want to express their gratitude for all that they have in spite of the reality that there is still, and will always be, work to be done.
While it is healthy for there to be dialogue and even debate between these diverging perspectives, what is not healthy is for either side to impose its beliefs and judgments on the other. "Here's how I see it" is very different from "here's how it is." Even worse is "if you don't see it my way, then you are either ignorant or morally perverse."
What is troubling at this moment is the bullying that characterizes so much of the public discourse. Those who wish to celebrate the 4th of July should not be shamed for doing so, and those who choose not to should be able to refrain without being decried as traitors or unpatriotic. The freedom to choose is what is best about this country. It must be accompanied by the willingness to respect those who choose differently.
As one of the hotly debated issues at this moment is the role and future of the police, we must be at least as critical of the "thought police" who are patrolling our opinions and limiting the freedom of our perspectives. The corrupt elements within the police forces around the country must be rooted out. But we also must not allow overly aggressive and biased ideology-cops to violate our basic rights to independent thought and belief. Violence and injustice against blacks and any disenfranchised member of our national community is an affront to our entire system. The intellectual violence of thought-control threatens the foundations of democracy and endangers the liberty that every one of us ultimately desires.
Regardless of one's customs, beliefs and celebratory observances (or lack thereof) this Independence Day, perhaps the best way to commemorate the founding of this country is to take some time to consider and internalize the profound virtues on which it was established. It will only be "a more perfect union" when we truly embrace diversity in unity, and when we respect our neighbors' right to think and be different from ourselves.
Some things worth reading:
10 things to know about West Bank annexation D-Day
NATIONAL AFFAIRS: Here are ten things to know about Israel's first major expansion of its sovereign borders in almost 40 years.
Israel is preparing to make the first major expansion of its sovereign borders in almost 40 years with its plan to annex portions of the West Bank now held under Israeli military and civilian rule. Here are 10 things to know about this unique event.1. How many times has Israel expanded its sovereign borders?Since Israel’s creation in 1948, it has changed its sovereign borders only four times, starting when its original border was set by the 1949 armistice agreement. In the aftermath of the 1967 Six Day War, Israel applied Israeli law to areas of Jerusalem it acquired from Jordan during that war, thereby greatly expanding the municipal boundaries of its capital city. This included Jerusalem’s Old City. That east Jerusalem annexation was formalized only in 1980 with a Knesset vote. The third change occurred just one year later, in 1981, when Israel applied sovereignty to the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria during that same Six Day War.
Last year and this year, Israel relinquished small tracts of its sovereign territory to neighboring Jordan, as dictated under the terms of its 1994 peace treaty with the Hashemite Kingdom. Israel in the past has also given up territory that it had under military rule. In 1982 it withdrew from the Sinai desert, captured from Egypt in 1967, as part of agreements under its 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. Israel also unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, which it captured from Egypt during the Six Day War.2. When will annexation take place?July 1 was the most talked about date. Global attention focused on that date after the coalition agreement between the Likud and Blue and White parties stated that this was the earliest moment by which annexation could be applied.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has never committed to an annexation date, short of vague promises about doing it soon.
No final annexation map has been presented. Without such a map, no final preparations can be completed. This includes security arrangements with regard to Israel’s new border. It also includes a multitude of bureaucratic and legal steps necessary with respect to the application of Israeli law to territory now held under Israeli military rule.
Any sovereignty declaration would need a government vote – and its execution would likely involve complementary Knesset legislation, none of which has been drafted.
The actual execution of annexation is extremely complex, involving multiple, system-wide governmental, security and Knesset conversations that have not yet even begun to take place. The July 1 date was more likely inserted into the coalition agreement with two issues in mind: the International Criminal Court and the US elections.
Israel’s best response to the ICC, should it issue a ruling stating that it has the jurisdiction to pursue Israelis for involvement in settlement activity, would be to announce annexation.
Separately, Israel is looking at a narrow window of opportunity offered to it by US President Donald Trump’s support for the matter. Annexation must therefore be executed prior to the US presidential election in November. The conventional wisdom is that it cannot be too close to the election, which puts the spotlight on this summer.3. What is the connection between annexation and the Trump peace plan?Netanyahu initially promised in September that he would apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and to the northern Dead Sea upon formation of a government. Then he extended that pledge to all West Bank settlements. He did so in response to pressure from right-wing politicians and the settlement movement without any connection to Trump’s peace plan, which had yet to be unveiled.
Once Trump unveiled his plan in January, Netanyahu said he would apply sovereignty based on the dictates of that plan, which allowed Israel to annex up to the 30% of the West Bank – where all the settlements are located. Trump’s plan included an initial map of that area, which amounts to 50% of Area C, which is under full Israeli civilian and military control.
Netanyahu also promised that annexation would occur only with approval from the United States, which asked that he delay any annexation effort until a joint Israeli-US mapping committee set the exact contours of the area to be annexed. That committee has yet to formally publish the results of its work or a new map.
Israel has yet to receive a green light from the US for annexation. Absent that approval, the only way Netanyahu could move forward on annexation at this point would be to do it outside the context of the Trump plan and without US consent.
Many right-wing politicians and prominent settler leaders are opposed to the Trump plan. They want Netanyahu to make good on his original promise to apply sovereignty to all of the Israeli settlements, absent any connection to Trump’s plan.4. How does all this connect to Palestinian statehood?The Trump peace plan links Israeli sovereignty over 30% of the West Bank with Palestinian statehood by insisting that any annexation measures must be done within a four-year process that would lead to a two-state resolution to the conflict. It offers the Palestinians a state on 70% of the West Bank. In exchange for US support for sovereignty, Israel must accept this premise. Israel is then allowed to execute annexation immediately, rather than wait for the end of the process.
The Palestinians and moderate Arab states have rejected the Trump plan and have held out for a two-state solution at the pre-1967 lines. They hold that Palestinian statehood is viable only with those borders. Palestinians contend that Israeli annexation measures, even those not done within the context of the Trump plan, would destroy any hope of Palestinian statehood.5. What is the West Bank?The West Bank is territory Israel seized from Jordan during the 1967 Six Day War, but never included within its sovereign borders. For the last 53 years, it has held that territory under Israeli military and civilian rule. During that time, it has allowed Israeli civilians to create extraterritorial communities there, known as settlements. There are currently some 130 settlements housing over 430,000 Israelis.
The 1993 and 1995 Oslo Accords divided that territory into Areas A, B and C. They placed Areas A and B, totaling 40% of the West Bank, under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority and left Area C under Israeli military and civilian rule. Some 2.2 million Palestinians live in Areas A and B, with some 300,000 Palestinians living in Area C.
Prior to World War I, the West Bank belonged to the Ottoman Empire. It was then controlled by Great Britain as part of an entity known as Mandatory Palestine. Great Britain relinquished control of that area in 1948, and Jordan annexed it in 1949, in the aftermath of the 1948 War of Independence. It ruled over it until the Six Day War, when it lost the territory to Israel. Jordan formally relinquished ties to the area in 1988.6. How much territory will Israel actually annex?No final decision has been made.
Concern has grown over the 30% annexation plan, favored by Netanyahu, which amounts to half of Area C. In an attempt to calm Arab reaction, alternate proposals have been put forward that have focused on the settlement blocs such as the Gush Etzion region and the settlement cities of Ma’aleh Adumim and Ariel.
It’s unlikely that the Palestinians or the Arab world would be assuaged by a settlement-bloc-only annexation plan.
Netanyahu doesn’t want to approve any plan that has been part of the mantra of the moderate Israeli Left, such as the blocs. If pushed to implement a modified plan, it’s presumed that he would prefer to see the Jordan Valley annexed for security reasons. After that, it’s expected he would want to annex the settlements of Shiloh and Beit El, which have biblical significance.
Channel 12 on Tuesday night reported that the US was pushing for a modified annexation plan, which retains the 30% option. In exchange, the 50% of Area C not annexed by Israel would be placed under the auspices of the PA. If put into place, the Palestinians would be given the 70% of the West Bank offered them under the Trump plan, but without any statehood recognition. Such a plan would also bring to an end Israeli military rule over Palestinian civilian affairs.7. Who is opposed to Israeli annexation?Almost everyone in the international community is opposed to annexation. This include the PA, Israel’s Arab neighbors and most of the other nations, as well as international entities such as the United Nations and the European Union.
The international community holds that Israel does not have the right to unilaterally change its sovereign borders. It believes that the Jewish state can only do so as part of a final status agreement toward a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In addition, the international community holds that the West Bank is territory designated to be part of a Palestinian state – and that Israel’s presence there, including its settlement activity, is illegal under international law and possibly constitutes a war crime.
Scores of UN resolutions uphold that viewpoint. The UN in particular holds that nations cannot acquire territory through conquest, even in a defensive war.
The Israeli Left, most notably the Joint List and Meretz, also holds this position. More centrist left-wing Israelis oppose the unilateral nature of annexation, but do not believe that all of the West Bank should be designated for a Palestinian state.8. Who supports Israeli annexation?The Israeli government and the Israeli Right, including the settlers, hold that Israel has historical rights to that area, which was once the heartland of biblical Israel. In addition, they hold that it has additional rights because it acquired the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria, in a defensive war in 1967.
Israel has contended that its hold on the West Bank cannot be considered an occupation, because the territory has not had a legally recognized status since it was governed by the British, who relinquished their ties to the territory prior to the creation of the State of Israel. It has argued that the UN’s designation of the West Bank for a future Palestinian state prior to the conclusion of a negotiated two-state solution ignores international agreements that existed prior to the UN’s formation.
At the UN Security Council earlier this month, Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon listed those documents, including the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1920 San Remo Conference. “In 1922, the League of Nations designated the land west of the Jordan River in its entirety to be the territory allotted to a Jewish homeland,” Danon said.
The United States is the only country to date to support an Israeli annexation or sovereignty plan. In November, it recognized that Israeli settlement activity was not inconsistent with international law.
Trump’s peace plan recognized Israel’s right to retain territory seized in a defensive war, such as the Six Day War, but will support a sovereignty initiative only if done within the context of that plan.9. What international reaction can Israel expect?The Palestinians will most likely use annexation to seek statehood recognition from European countries, which have previously believed that such recognition should be granted only upon completion of a peace process for a two-state solution.
They are also expected to pressure the UN Security Council to sanction Israel and/or grant the Palestinians membership status at the UN.
US support for Israeli annexation is critical here, because America is one of five permanent UNSC members that have veto power on any council resolution. This means it could block any UNSC sanctioning efforts against Israel and any attempts by Palestinians to gain UN membership.
European countries could also individually downgrade aspects of their ties with Israel and/ or look to boycott settlement products. At least seven European countries have warned Israel that a step such as unilateral annexation would harm their ties with the Jewish state. This includes the three most powerful countries: Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Lack of EU consensus on an annexation response would likely prevent a collective response. But the EU could look for existing measures within its arsenal, including a boycott of settlement products.
Israel’s future ability to sign on to new EU agreements or to extend existing ones could be hampered, since such a step would need EU consensus. Effectively, Israeli ties with the EU could be frozen where they are today. Countries that oppose annexation could stymie such agreements, in the same way that countries that support Israel would prevent any form of EU sanctions against it.10. What Palestinian and Arab world reaction can Israel expect? The PA has warned that it would dissolve itself, forcing Israel to once again take full civilian control of the West Bank, akin to its pre-Oslo status. But this is a move that seems very unlikely. The PA has also warned that it would halt all security cooperation with Israel. It has already scaled back its cooperation with Israel on civilian humanitarian matters, such as exit permits for Palestinian medical patients in Gaza.
Of more concern are warnings from Jordan that popular protests in the country, which has a high Palestinian population, could imperil the Hashemite Kingdom’s rule and thereby destabilize a key regional ally for Israel. Its location, bordering on Iraq, makes moderate rule there particularly critical.
To offset such a possibility, Jordan has embarked on a major campaign against Israeli annexation and the Trump plan. It has also warned that any annexation efforts could cause irreparable damage to its relations with Israel, including the possible annulment of the 1994 peace treaty. Israeli and Jordanian military cooperation and the ties between the two countries in general are integral to Israel’s security.
Moderate Arab nations that have quietly inched toward cooperation with Israel have also warned that annexation would put an end to such contacts. The United Arab Emirates has been particularly vocal on this score.
Israel’s cooperation with moderate Arab states, beyond Jordan and Egypt, with which it has peace treaties, is particularly critical now in light of the growing Iranian threat. Tensions with Iran are likely to increase this fall, when the UN-imposed arms embargo against the Islamic Republic may to be lifted.
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It seems the economy might be rejuvenating better than I and many others were expecting. The June jobs report was terrific at 4.8 million and especially since the temporary help jobs added were very good, suggesting companies are ramping up. With unemployment at 11.1%. April, May were revised up by 90,000. There was a big jump in construction jobs, lodging, plus manufacturing, and retail, all of which bodes well for renewed growth. Wages are up 5% over last year, and the slight decline this month is due to a lot of low end workers going back to work pulling down the average wage. Last month the press made a huge issue of black unemployment.
Reality is there was a big jump in black employment this month. Black teen unemployment is 10.9% lower now than in 2016 under Obama/Biden. Crickets from the press and Dems. It is hard to know how many are “employed” due to PPP and not really fully employed, and how many more would be back at work were it not for the stupid $600 excess unemployment. There are jobs now not being filled in many areas due to that $600, so in August you are very likely to see a big jump in employment and a big decline in unemployment- right before the election. Of closed businesses, 26% of gyms are gone, 53% of restaurants that closed, and 35% of retailers that closed are gone.
There may be another big subsidy payment coming in the fall unless Pelosi screws it up again, which she is likely to do. The ISM index rose to 52.6 which was much better than forecast and is now in growth mode. Despite the surge in cases, people are anxious to get back to work and life, even if wearing a mask. Cases are way up, but in many areas of the country there is nothing special happening. Even in TX there are areas where there is no spike. Depends on the city and county. It may be that the protests created a lot of cases, especially among young people. It may also be that young people are partying and going to bars and not wearing masks. How long can twenty five year olds go without sex.
Between May 4 when there had been 216,784 tests in TX with 1,0500 deaths. By July 1 there had been 2,175,000 tests-10x as many. However cases were up only 8.5x and deaths only 2.5x. So while TX has a big problem, a considerable number are from border crossers, and possibly testing has created discovery of cases that were always there, but undiscovered. The good news is the death rate is not really rising much, and there are now several therapies that seem to work. The docs have learned a lot on how to treat and prevent lot of deaths. A new study now reports that when hydroxy chlorine is given early, it materially reduces the death rate. Other research on the drug had it administered later in the infection period, and got worse results, which it is why this drug was thought to be of no help. Timing made all the difference. There are a variety of therapies that now save a lot of lives.
Thanks to the Fed acting boldly in March, investment grade bond issues hit a record in June of $840 billion, and junk issues rose to 180 billion. Given what is happening in the economy and unemployment, that is almost an oxymoron. Yields on investment grade debt went from 4.28% in March to around 2.75% now. However, what it tells us is investors are optimistic about recovery, and the Fed has done a spectacular job in saving the economy. Once the Fed announced its bond buying program and followed that with its intent to buy bond ETFs and then junk bonds, the issuance markets blew open.
Corporations have now been able to raise funds they otherwise never would have been able to borrow, and that has made a huge difference this time. It means there is a lot of liquidity on balance sheets, and while that will run out for some over the next few months, the bet is the economy will revive and provide the cash flow to fill the gaps. Issuance by weak companies shows how anxious investors are for yield. Boeing raised $22 billion, and others raised large amounts despite the weak economy. The risk is there is now too much debt on corporate balance sheets and, while it can be carried at these low rates, it has to be repaid at some point, and there is, therefore maturity risk.
But nobody seems to care at the moment. Yield is the issue driving a lot of this demand for lower grade bonds. Junk has recently been yielding around 6.5%, although this week it jumped up due to the rise in cases, and is expected to possibly rise to 9% over the next few months as there are more defaults. If the economy does rebound very well, then the defaults will be less and yields will rise less. Big unknown. The ability to make a big bond issuance is what saved companies like Ford from serious default. Over the next year there will be a large return of companies from China, especially if Congress passes a bill to subsidize the move, and that will add further growth to the economy.
What the crisis did do was wipe out several companies that should have been wiped out-JC Penny, Pier One and others that were poorly run or were just so far behind its competitors that there was no hope, or they were way over levered. There is nothing like a good recession to clean out the weaklings. It is unclear if Penny will survive or if Simon will buy them to retain an anchor. In my view not a smart deal for Simon. Penny is a loser in retail today. Nobody stepped up for Pier One. Hertz is still a question.
Those expecting a lot of great distressed deals will probably not see them. It is now becoming apparent that a lot of companies struggling to survive, got leeway from their banks, a bond issue, a PPP loan, and a very short duration recession. If the jobs reports of the last two months are the indicator, the recovery is on, and many of those businesses will survive. That means too much cash for distressed will chase too few deals.
A further indication of optimism in the bond markets is CLOs are back. These are bundles of weaker bonds and are risky, but demand has resumed, and that will likely relieve a lot of pressure on banks and insurance companies that hold billions in these securities. It was close, but we may have avoided a new financial crisis by having the CLO market revive and avoid potential problems at these financial institutions holding that type paper.
At the same time, as the Fed made its move in bonds, it issued dollar swap lines to 14 central banks to keep the currency markets working smoothly. This was as important as the bond buying as it kept world commerce functioning. The US dollar is the only real world currency right now, and its liquidity is critical. It rose in value during the worst in March, and is likely to retreat now by 5% or so as the world starts to recover.
CMBS is still locked down as to borrowers getting any real breaks. A lot of hotels were financed this way and so a lot of hotels are in really bad trouble. As we now know, occupancy is lower than reported by STR, so while there is recovery in some segments of the industry, that recovery is not back to break even cash flow after debt service and reserves in many cases. If it is, in some cases, it is not providing any excess cash flow to build reserves or to do any renovation in the next few years. For the large hotels it is unclear when they will ever make a justifiable return on investment. I continue to contend, unless you can buy hotels at a deep discount, and know how to really fix and operate, owning hotels is one of the least good investments when compared to a lot of alternatives for the same capital investment.
Muni bonds are beginning to default. That is likely to increase. They need to cut budgets where they have extensive payments for useless programs that supposedly attack poverty and whatever. Mostly they need to end pension for teachers and other government workers and install 401K programs, and eliminate the lifetime heal coverage. That is where the real deficit arises from. It is not the role of the rest of us taxpayers to bail out bad fiscal management of cities. If you own munis, better check their recent credit situation or you could lose a lot of money. There will be a huge battle in Congress shortly about bailing out these Dem cities and states that have no pension or budget discipline
The UK is still struggling, but Boris is taking actions to mitigate the problems. The EU remains a mess.
You may not have noticed that the House is passing one huge bill after the other now to make it appear they are trying to do a lot of good things for the economy, and then it is the Republican Senate that is stopping these things. Truth is, these bills are not real, and are filled with noxious items that Pelosi knows the Senate will not even consider. It is more stupid political games for the election and wasting valuable time.
Let’s get this right- crime is soaring in NYC, and other places. They tried no cops in CHOP in Seattle, and that did not work out so well after a few weeks. So the best way to stop spiraling crime and murder is to cut the police budget by $1 billion and stop new classes of recruits. Seattle said CHOP was a summer of love, then two black kids got murdered and three more shot. I thought black lives matter-unless they are shot by other blacks in CHOP or Chicago or NYC, then it is OK. No city official has ever contacted the family of one of the dead kids murdered in CHOP. Imagine never hearing from the cops or morgue if your kid got murdered. We all know DeBozzo has an IQ of 50, and so apparently does the city council, and the bartender from the Bronx, but you would think skyrocketing murders of young black men would suggest there is a problem, and it is not the cops.
The result in NYC is there is a mass exodus now of the taxpayers, and retail is disappearing. Tourists will stop coming due to rising crime, so room tax and sales tax will drop substantially. Condo sales are the worst on record now, so the flip tax will not happen. So the city and state budgets will crash even worse than they have already, and it is a then a death spiral. Most thinking people know that we were here under Dinkins, and it was only when Giuliani came in with tough anti-crime policies and more cops and no more Let ’m Loose Bruce judges, that it got saved, and became the best city in the world. It’s all about tough law enforcement, and taking guns off the street-( now prohibited), and locking up thugs you arrest (not allowed anymore in NYC) . And so the Dems in Congress pass a bill that would end any chance of recruiting cops. This is so stupid you could not make it up. What this proves is black lives only matter if a cop shoots them, even if justified. Otherwise we know this protest and rioting is really all about money and power for the leaders, and pandering like whimpering little ninnies by corporations and governments.
The WSJ now capitalizes the B in Black, but in the same sentence it does not capitalize white. It does also capitalize A in Asian. I guess we do not count anymore as an ethnic group. Companies like Netflix are supposedly giving $100 mill to support black whatever. I think at some point white lower class people are going to ask what about me.
My friend, the dean of an elite university, sent me an email calling all of you who voted for Trump—"Nobodies.” Kinda like deplorables. This is what you get for $70,000 tuition at an elite school.
Biden reminds me of one of those miniature railroad gate houses where the man pops out as the train goes by. Every once in a while he pops up in his basement to read off the teleprompter, then he goes back behind the closing door. It will be pathetic if Trump loses to a pop out figure who can only speak off a teleprompter like his boss.
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