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An update on illegal border crossings. In Donald Trump’s four years as president (Jan 17 to Dec 2020) there were an annual average of 494,802 illegal border crossings. In Biden’s three years as president (January 21 to Dec 2023) there have been anannual average of 2,641,415 illegal border crossings, more than five times as many, and more than six times as many under Obama/Biden.
Why? Biden did three things: paused deportations, suspended “remain in Mexico until your case comes up” policy and stopped border wall construction. And, of course…he’s a liberal pandering to progressives.
“No great nation can be in a position where they can’t control their borders. It matters how you control your borders. Not just for immigration, but it matters for drugs, terror and a whole range of things” Quote by Joe Biden
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I don’t think Trump will be determined ineligible…could happen, but I note that the media tends to engage in wishful thinking with respect to Trump.
Recent Quinnipiac poll indicates that Biden has a substantial lead over Trump (50-44), and that women support Biden (58-36), up from December when it was 53-41. In a five person hypothetical 2024 general election, the support was:
- Biden, 39%
- Trump, 37%
- RFK Jr. 14%
- Cornel West, 3%
- Jill Stein, 2% (my Mom and sister – Stanford PhD – always vote Green)
If it were Nikki Haley, the poll reverses the results, with Nikki having a 47% to 42% lead over Biden in a two-way match, but if there are five candidates, Biden has a 36-29 lead. Basically, Haley outperforms Trump because of independents, but third party candidates make her numbers slip.
https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3889
This is in spite of the fact that Biden has serious failures in immigration and the southern border crisis, no answer for Iranian aggression and comically higher prices in the USA — speaking of which, I don’t know about the rest of you, but the public inflation rates bear no resemblance to the skyrocketing prices I see for everything except fuel.
Biden is drowning in three disasters of his own making (msn.com)
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Apparently, at age 69, Judge Sotomayor is finding the workload overwhelming, and it’s super frustrating dealing with those nasty conservatives, according to her (presumably well-received) speech at the People’s Republic of Berkeley.
Perhaps you should retire, Sonia.
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Democratic lawmakers in Oregon on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has soured on the measure amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis.
The bill would:
- Recriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs as a low-level misdemeanor
- Enable police to confiscate them and crack down on their use on sidewalks and in parks.
- Make it easier to prosecute dealers
- Make it easier to access addiction treatment medication
- Make it easier to obtain and keep housing without facing discrimination for using that medication.
Oregon lawmakers backpedal on pioneering drug decriminalization law | AP News
Hopefully it’s the start of the road back for Oregon residents. Maybe SF could learn a bit here.
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$68 billion structural deficit. Unfunded retiree health insurance liabilities of $150 billion. Estimated pension deficit of $1 trillion+. State’s wealthiest residents fleeing. Proposed additional taxes on individuals with $1 billion and $50 million of net worth. Health care coverage for illegal immigrants including gender reassignment surgery. 302,000 illegal border crossings into the USA in December alone, 2.4 million in 2023.
Newsom says deficit will “only” be $38 billion, not $68 billion. I feel much better.
California’s insane spending means epic debt and maybe an unpleasant surprise for wealthy residents
At least fast food workers will be making $20/hour.
Why are fast food prices going up in California?
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spend billions of dollars to “stop” anything and you are bound to get more of it.
Couldn’t agree more. I’d suggest changing “Despite” to “Because of” in the title. I recall seeing one disappointed homeless/disabled person say during a television interview “I can’t believe they eliminated that program. I mean, that’s the reason I came to California.”
Well, no kidding. And that’s why we have so many homeless here. Soft touch government, soft touch populace, mild weather. Presto…if you’re unhoused, you’re welcome in California. Try not to kill any taxpayers while you’re here.
I’m not unsympathetic to someone who has fallen on hard times. But to quote a close family member who had formerly selected homelessness as a lifestyle choice “It’s attractive. No boss, you sleep out under the stars, and all you have to worry about is finding something to eat. And that’s not hard.” She is still attracted to the lifestyle in general, but she had a few close calls from unruly fellow homeless folks, so she now rents a condo. And as someone who’s seen one homeless man stab another, and who’s been threatened twice myself…I’d just as soon see homeless people someplace other than on our streets.
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Thanks to literally decades of civic mismanagement, Nordstrom finally closed their downton SF department store. Here’s a list of Union Square stores that have closed recently. All of these within a few blocks of Union Square. Sad.
Abercrombie & FitchAnthropologieArcteryxAT&TBanana RepublicBrooks BrothersCB2CinemarkCoco RepublicContainer StoreCrate & BarrelDisney StoreDSW/Designer SHoe WarehouseGapGoorin BrothersH&MHiltonHuntingtonLa CocinaMarmotNordstromNordstrom RackOld NavyOffice DepotOmegaParc55Ray BanSaks Off FifthUnigloYotelFive more stores have departed the San Francisco downtown mall or are about to depart, including Adidas, Aldo, J. Crew, Madewell, and Lucky Brand. The mall now sits 75% empty and has lost $1 billion in value. Bloomingdale’s has 312,000 square feet, and people think they’re likely to leave as well.Audaces fortuna iuvat
Correct. His donors are ex-Trump donors, comparatively few from Biden. Although…I wonder how many Dems and Independents will see “Kennedy” and pull the lever for him?
New donors and Republicans are powering RFK Jr.’s 2024 campaign – POLITICO
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Unlike 2016, the major media is refraining from giving Donald Trump time. They refused to show his Iowa victory speech.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-iowa-speech-cnn-msnbc-1861186
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow’s comment was particularly interesting: “At this point in the evening, the projected winner of the Iowa caucuses has just started giving his victory speech,” Maddow told viewers. “We will keep an eye on that as it happens. We will let you know if there is any news made in that speech—if there is anything noteworthy, something substantive and important.”
In other words, they will decide whether you’re allowed to hear his victory speech. Wow. Just…wow.
Fox carried most of the speech. NBC and CNN carried portions, but opted out of full live coverage. CNN covered it live for over 10 minutes, . MSNBC interrupted it 35 seconds into the speech. Trump insists that they should lose their licenses because of it…but cable networks are not regulated by the FCC.
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I just think they don’t know how to do math. Former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf is running for — get this — California State Treasurer. Because she did such a bang up job with Oakland’s finances.
Libby Schaaf, former Oakland mayor, announces 2026 run for California Treasurer
From August, 2023 “Unpacking Oakland’s $360 million shortfall.” Budget Deep Dive: Unpacking Oakland’s $360 Million Shortfall | KQED
From last week: “Is Oakland barreling toward another budget crisis?” Is Oakland barreling toward another budget crisis? (msn.com). The answer is yes, they spent more than they took in by $54 million, including 30.4% less from the Real Estate Transfer Tax, lowest since 2017/2018. They collected 15.8% less from the Transient Occupancy Tax, 83% less than license and permit fees. And the Oakland Police Department overspent by $32.32 million, largest by any department.
Oakland used federal and state pandemic funds to shore up revenue losses. Those won’t be available any more.
Oakland has been through the first quarter, ending 9/30/23. They project a revenue shortfall of $113 million…revenues of $773 million, and projected expenses of $903 million, resulting in a $129 million deficit more than twice this year’s deficit.
Under California state law, cities have to balance their budgets and can’t operate under a deficit. What will they do?
And the architect of all this wants to be our state Controller? The state with a structural $68 billion deficit? Makes my head hurt.
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Obama is questioning Biden’s re-election campaign structure and strategy.
They’re concerned that Trump will quickly wrap up the Republican nomination and go to work on Biden.
Incidentally, JP Morgan’s head came up with an annual “Top Ten Surprises in 2024” list. One of the “surprises” is that Biden pulls out of the campaign, citing ill health…
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The Atlantic has concluded that the Republican party has surrendered to Trump and no other Repub stands a chance.
The GOP Completes Its Surrender
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California’s population has shrunk by 1.4% since 2020 despite the nation’s overall population growing by 2%. Therefore, California will likely lose four of its 52 seats in the House of Representatives (we lost one after the 2020 census, first HoR loss ever).
Why the sun is setting on California, the (once) great golden West
California has lost more than 1 million residents since COVID. IRS data indicates the young and talented are moving to Florida and Texas.
Why? 13.3% punitive income tax, highest in the nation. IRS SALT deduction now limited to $10k. 8.84% corporate tax rate, average SALT rate of 8.82%, ranking California 48th best (or 3rd worst, after HI and MA) in tax profiles. Chevron is writing off $4 billion thanks to Governor Handsome’s idiotic policy. And in two years, the Guv has transformed a $98 billion surplus into a $68 billion structural deficit. Housing affordability crisis. 4 of the 10 most expensive metro areas in the U.S (SJ, LA, SF and OC). $100 billion bullet train fiasco. 700k illegal immigrants granted state-paid health care.
Why the sun is setting on California, the (once) great golden West | Washington Examiner
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As for elite education, I couldn’t agree more. In 2012, I did an executive Master’s in Marketing Management at the Kellogg School at Northwestern. In our last class, an instructor named Brian Uzzi said that whichever one of the top dozen or so universities figures out now to offer their classes online to a large scale audience would swamp the system and mark the beginning of the end of the American social experiment in post-high school socialized learning.
As for Democrats, I think Biden is stronger than the polls show, but almost any third party will weaken him dramatically. Trump’s a wild card. Not sure what the upcoming timely convictions will mean. I like Haley as well, by quite a margin over the other Republicans. My son likes Vivek.
As for Social Security. I’m eligible to have the lowest level in October, 2024 when I turn 62. My employers and I have paid in over $400k into Social Security and about $225k into Medicare. At $2,650 a month, I’d take out what I put in after about 13 years (with 0% return). I don’t think I’ll retire for another 8-10 years, so it’s unlikely that I’ll put in for Social Security until I max out at age 70. If the government offered to just return my contributions in exchange for opting out of the system, I’d still take it in a heartbeat.
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