America’s Downward Spiral – A Revealing Snapshot

George Rebane

Date Everything - Rebane Doctrine

In this election year which promises to be a political milestone (watershed?) two significant neo-Marxist messages from Democratic politicians blanketed the country yesterday.  Presidential candidate and VP Kamala Harris told the nation that her economic program (here) going forward would be based on government price controls in order to control inflation.  And Rep Ro Khanna (D-CA17) wrote an excellent article (here) in the 17aug24 WSJ contrasting his and VP candidate Sen JD Vance’s (R-OH) views on industrial policy.  Both progressive politicians cannot see America’s private sector making the country’s economy work without massive participation by the federal government that involves more regulatory controls, more directed subsidies, higher taxes on industry and ‘the rich’, and a heavily unionized workforce blessed with ‘living wages’ and price controls.

Rep Khanna’s piece is well written and very convincing to an audience mired in ignorance about economics, finance, human behavior, and the history of socialist governance here and abroad.  Unfortunately about two out of three Americans are so burdened as they attempt to make sense of the current daily tsunami of political punditry.  Khanna’s essay is both effective and impactive through the way he erroneously characterizes conservative thought, policies, and its ideological tenets.  He constructs excellent strawmen (i.e. lies) which are then readily demolished by his adroit wordsmithing.

One of the prime fallacies both Harris and Khanna promulgate is that government price controls actually work in managing a national economy to the benefit of its citizens.  Each presents that as an axiomatic notion of truth requiring no evidence to support it.  Central to their message to the benighted is that fixing prices does not affect supply and stifle economic growth.  The common thread from both politicians is that the Democrats have been and are the competent stewards of our economy who build factories and make jobs for main street.

No one of the Left understands any of the basic science of how nature manages complexity.  Their ideas about how complex economies work is based on a small trove of simplistic slogans and shibboleths that are demonstrably wrong.  And principles like ‘you cannot control what you cannot measure’ is also beyond their ken.  They still have no idea how primitive are our methods of collecting relevant, accurate, and timely economic data, and then using it to fashion information that would come close to supporting correct policy decisions made by a cohort of centrally controlling technicians.

As a coda to the above riff, I want to remind present day readers, most not all that interested in the view from my perch, that a prime motivation of this blog is to insert a collection of my observations into the great archive in the cloud – ‘the internet is forever’ – which may someday be dredged up by future data archeologists studying the mentality of the citizenry that allowed their great nation at its apex to go to hell in a handcart.

Comments

[Paul Emery]

More evidence of Global warming:

https://yubanet.com/enviro/andean-glaciers-have-retreated-to-lowest-levels-in-11700-years-news-study-finds/

by Boston College August 5, 2024

Andean glaciers have retreated to lowest levels in 11,700 years, news study finds
No longer covered in ice, Andean rocks signal the world’s glaciers are melting faster than predicted

“We have pretty strong evidence that these glaciers are smaller now than they have been any time in the past 11,000 years,” said Shakun, a paleoclimatologist and co-author of the report. “Given that modern glacier retreat is mostly due to rising temperatures – as opposed to less snowfall, or changes in cloud cover – our findings suggest the tropics have already warmed outside their Holocene range and into the Anthropocene.”

In other words, the glaciers may no longer be classified as being of the Holocene interglacial period, a significant epoch that saw the birth of civilization, where the flow of water and sea level dictated where towns and cities formed, and where agricultural and commercial activity emerged. Instead, they may be best classified by an epoch that may be well on its way to spelling their end: the Anthropocene.

The findings signal more of the world’s glaciers are likely retreating far faster than predicted, possibly decades ahead of a grim climatological schedule.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg7546

[fish]

Posted by: Weasel Emery | 18 August 2024 at 06:23 PM

HeY KidZ.....toPIc Not WOrKINg Out FoR U?

SouNDz LIkE It'Z tIMe foR a paTentED WeAsEl suBJecT PivoT!

....cue Yakkety Sax....!

[Gregory]

... and Punch... what was the cause of the warm spell 11,000 years ago?

[Paul Emery]

Did you bother to follow my link Gregory?

[Gregory]

What do you think, Punch?

[scenes]

"Did you bother to follow my link Gregory?"

Posting 'what this guy sez' is no way to live life, psul.

In any case, when you start using a bicycle exclusively or buy a Tesla to stop your extreme greenhouse gas consumption, post up a picture. I'm sure everyone would be fascinated with your public-spirited activities.

I'm afraid that Grateful Dead cover bands ain't gonna save the world.
--------------
GeorgeR: "which may someday be dredged up by future data archeologists "

Don't worry, the Chinese guys going through the wreckage won't blame you.

We all leave our notes in bottles, but I value mine at the price everyone pays for them, just a drop of water in an endless sea.

In any case, I'm afraid that hell in a hand basket was always baked into the cake, to mix metaphors. Feature creep of bureaucracy is a thing and large organizations are always used as a tool by it's management for self-aggrandizement. The Soviet Union was a pure play in status seeking and dachas in resort areas, but no one took the lesson. Eventually the currency fails, bureaucracies rot and tear apart, the center cannot hold.

It's all good.
-----------
Worrying about Republicans vs. Democrats is all well and good, but I don't expect much change soon. Insane teachers will still sexualize children in public schools. Men will wear dresses. The 3rd world wants to come eat the Little Red Hen's bread. Police will ignore public nuisances but criminalize social media posts. Money will be stolen from plumbing contractors and handed out to forgive useless college degrees and well-connected non-profits. Pride Town will put up ever more political banners. The ratio of producers to consumers will grow ever worse. Local people protesting Middle East problems will keep on keepin' on.

This is all at the retail level and the only answer seems to be to keep your head down. Protect your assets and protect your ass.

[Eulogized Hillbilly]

Downward spiral Case No. 857-4321

DeSantis Chinese Exclusion Act

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ron-desantis-backed-law-barring-190040291.html?

[Gregory]

Citizens of Communist China, Hillbilly.

[Scott O]

Gregory - Amusing to see the Hillbilly expose his stupidity. You could be a white person with blonde hair born in Sweden but also be a "Chinese national".
This isn't about race or where you were born. But the Dems need anything to fire up their base to avoid having to deal with reality.

[Scott O]

Here's another nail ready to pound into our nation's coffin:

"Host Kayna Whitworth asked, “I do want to ask you about what Vice President Harris said yesterday. She was asked how she would pay for her quite ambitious economic plan that was unveiled on Friday, and she said return on investment is how she would plan to pay for that. Can you elaborate for us on what that means?”

Murphy responded, “Yeah, when you put money in the pockets of very poor families, that money goes right back into the economy. That money creates jobs. And so, making investments in the middle of the country, in some of the families that are struggling the most can end up growing the overall size of the economy. I’m sure, when she presents this plan to Congress, when she wins, she’s going to have more details around it."

In the first place - we don't have any money - we're broke. It's all borrowed and has to be paid back with interest.
Giving money to poor families makes them increasingly dependent, not self reliant. The money you give them is spent on junk food, drugs and cheap crap from China. It "creates" almost no new jobs other than burger flippers and Amazon warehouse sorters.
But they'll vote Dem - and that's the main thing.
As far as the exact plan being kept secret until after the election...
P.T. Barnum wasn't wrong.

[Don Bessee]

Could not even give an answer at a staged event, i love they had to do multiple takes at the gas station daritos bag buy! LOL -

Pittsburgh diners fume over ‘staged’ Harris campaign stop as popular restaurant cleared: ‘Mind-boggling’
Harris was also ripped for stopping for a snack at Sheetz, a convenience store the administration is currently suing

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pittsburgh-diners-fume-after-restaurant-cleared-staged-harris-campaign-stop-mindboggling

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kamala-harris-avoids-answering-how-she-will-pay-for-economic-policies/ar-AA1p1h44?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=e3ff82d2745b419097416f505a4a9768&ei=68

;-)

[Scott O]

"The Harris campaign said any additional costs above the 2025 Biden-Harris budget would be offset by increased taxes on corporations and high earners."

And the corps will pass along the increased taxes to the public or just leave.
The "high earners" will find more creative ways to dodge it or just decamp to tax havens.

And our nation will end up with way less money in private circulation to fund new businesses or help existing businesses expand.

The fed govt is sucking up all the money and the Dems want to supercharge it. Should work a treat.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kamala-harris-avoids-answering-how-she-will-pay-for-economic-policies/ar-AA1p1h44?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=e3ff82d2745b419097416f505a4a9768&ei=68

[Paul Emery]

Scott writes

"The fed govt is sucking up all the money and the Dems want to supercharge it."

The Dems have a way to go to surpass Trumps nearly 8 trillion in 4 years and Trump wants to return to see if he can do better. "

[Scott O]

"The Dems have a way to go to surpass Trumps nearly 8 trillion"

They've already blown past it, dude.
And...
During the "best economy ever"

[Scott O]

"The U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days"

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/01/the-us-national-debt-is-rising-by-1-trillion-about-every-100-days.html

[fish]

Why the Democrat Party thrives.....

She has a special affection for Tonka, a 32-year-old chimp retired from a career in Hollywood, where he appeared in George of the Jungle, Babe: Pig in the City, and Buddy. She adds: “Tonka and I just found each other. It was meant to be. It was just natural and Tonka loved me as much as I love Tonka. It’s like your love for God.”

Haddix’s biological son confirms that he has become used to playing second fiddle to Tonka in his mother’s affections. Sitting on a upturned bucket with an air of resignation, he says on camera: “I’ve never seen her that passionate about anything in my life, ever, and that includes her own son.”

Goode reflects: “It’s complex. She possibly loves a chimpanzee more than her own children. It’s obsessive. It’s real: she absolutely loves this chimpanzee. But there’s probably also some – and I’m not a trained in this area – mental health issues that reside in a number of these women. Why they need so desperately to have that relationship versus a normal, loving relationship that we typically have.”

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/aug/20/hbo-chimp-crazy-documentary

[fish]

Again....his only real crime....not being a democrat!

Santos pleads guilty to charges of money laundering, identity theft and fraud...

FACES 6-8 YEARS...

If he is.....this all goes away and he is a cherished and protected member of congress for as long as he obeys.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/rcna129255

[Scott O]

"Fed Confronts Up to a Million US Jobs Vanishing in Revision"

Ah, yes - another month, another "revision".
Another 4 years of this "best economy ever" and we'll be into a depression.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/fed-confronts-up-to-a-million-us-jobs-vanishing-in-revision/ar-AA1p6yZu

[Scott O]

Downward spiral? Oh, heck no!

"A national "Stand Tall for Small" initiative would breathe new life and energy into small-town America not only by supporting their small businesses but also by cleaning their rivers, renovating their theaters, and rebuilding their downtowns replete with parks, outdoor amphitheaters, breweries, wineries, art, and music."

By gosh, that'll do it! Soon as we get those movie houses, bars and fancy-pants gin mills up and running everyone in small town will fire up their BMWs and cruise on down for 24/7 fun!
I'll betcha Trump could never have thought this one up! It won't cost anything because it will all be an investment!

Our country is doomed.
https://www.newsweek.com/kamala-harriss-prosecutor-populism-will-save-americas-forgotten-working-class-opinion-1941833

[Don Bessee]

Should have done the interviews hyena-

CNN’s Jennings: Dems Have Controlled White House for 12 of the Last 16 Years — Somehow It’s Still All Trump’s Fault

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2024/08/20/cnns-jennings-dems-have-controlled-white-house-for-12-of-the-last-16-years-somehow-its-still-all-trumps-fault/

;-)

[Don Bessee]

Thats going to leave a mark -

Leftist Speaker: Trump May Win the White House Because Kamala and Joe Sold Out the Working Class

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/20/leftist-speaker-trump-may-win-the-white-house-because-kamala-and-joe-sold-out-the-working-class/

;-)

[scenes]

"Trump supporters “can’t think, can’t read very well.”"

- President Potato at the DNC

Well, there you have it. I've always wondered why 'progressives' seem so very very well-read.

[scenes]

this is from 'stillgray' (Ian Cheong) on X.

"You won’t make it out alive if you go to jail for posting a mean tweet in the UK. The legacy media wants you to know this the next time you decide to slam the British government’s mass immigration policies.

“Someone who told me, who knows about these things, said ‘Far Right’ prisoners can expect a very ‘cold’ reception in jail.”"

...which got me to thinking about lawfare and political prisoners generally.

The Soviets had a model where the camps were basically run by the criminal gangs, political prisoners were considered the lowest of the low, brutalized more by the system, worked to death.

I wonder if that's simply baked into the cake of repressive left-wing regimes. You sweep up the political enemies and then allow the dregs of the earth to physically punish them in whatever way they find entertaining.

There's probably a book in there somewhere, need to look into leftist Latin America or Red China. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jan 6th folks have had a bit of that treatment. Just another day in Blue Mob America I guess.

[scenes]

Behold Sneha Nair: Special Assistant, National Nuclear Security Administration

https://www.energy.gov/person/sneha-nair

https://thebulletin.org/2023/06/queering-nuclear-weapons-how-lgbtq-inclusion-strengthens-security-and-reshapes-disarmament/

"During this Pride Month, we would like Bulletin readers to understand that the visible representation and meaningful participation of queer people matters for nuclear policy outcomes."

Sorry, I'm going to have to vote for mentally-ill people shouldn't make nuclear policy.

[Paul Emery]

Somehow according to the Trumpsters on this blog it's always the Dems fault that the economy always crashes when the Repubs are in the White House. Check out
1932,2008,2020

[Scott O]

Paul:
"Somehow according to the Trumpsters on this blog..."

Name them and give examples...

There are laws and fiscal policies that are good for the economy and those that degrade our economy.
Both parties have done both, but the Dems are far and away the worst offenders. The Dems in the 30s set this country up with SS and again in the 60s with Medicare. These programs are now ruining our nation with debt.
It looks like the Dems are set for firing off even more ruinous taxation schemes.
Compare Dem run states and cities against R run ones.
It's clear the Dems are poor managers of our public funds.
There are plenty of big spending, big govt Republicans but I notice they are usually part of the anti-Trump crowd.

[Paul Emery]

Scott

Would you care to compare the economy that Bush inherited from Clinton with the one Obama inherited from Bush? Are you saying that Bush was not at all responsible for the collapse? Also compare the economy that Trump inherited from Obama with the one he left Biden. The Repubs controlled most of the Legislature during that four years so why the collapse? Also look at the mess Hoover left Roosevelt. Was that the fault of the Dems?

Seems like the economy always collapses only when the Repubs run the show.

[Scott O]

Paul - you made a statement in your 12:38 that was false. I challenged you to provide proof and you didn't even try.
You are a buffoon. A waste of time.

[Paul Emery]

Scott

I gave you "proof" with the precise dates that I included. Once again here are the dates: 1932 2008,2020

These are the dates the Dems inherited the economy after Republican Presidential and Legislative control. I don't need to present details about the grim nature of the economy on those dates, if you don't know that you are indeed ignorant. What "proof" do you need?

[Paul Emery]

By the way Scott, what option for health care,if any, would you recommend rather than Medicare?

[fish]

Posted by: Weasel Emery | 21 August 2024 at 03:22 PM

As a finally out of the closet progressive democrat why don't you just be smug about it vote for "Heels Up" and stop crapping up the comment threads....

What on earth did you and George talk about during these "lunches" you spoke of?

[Paul Emery]

So fish me disagreeing with your opinion means I'm "crapping up" the comment threads. Sorry for you that you can't handle a reasonable discussion on the issues George brings up on his blog. You are the one who doesn't belong here. No wonder you won't use your real name.

[fish]

Posted by: Weasel Emery | 21 August 2024 at 03:51 PM

You repeat the same nonsense constantly, can't remember a thing and hey....what's up with not reading those links you constantly whine for?

You are the proverbial "Chicken playing Checkers" walking in circles and crapping all over the board!

....and hey....thanks in advance for agreeing with me!

[Scott O]

Paul 3:22 - Dates aren't names. You lied again, Paul.

You're just a waste of time.

[Paul Emery]

Dates are facts Scott. Sorry you don't understand that.

Here's a question Scott. What option for health care,if any, would you recommend rather than Medicare?

[Scott O]

Hilarious!
"Dates are facts Scott. Sorry you don't understand that."
No, Paul - dates are just dates.
I asked you for names and examples.
We already know you can't provide them so please dispense with the weasel act.

[Paul Emery]

Names and examples for what Scott? I was talking about the fact that the three greatest economic downturns were during Republican administrations and the Democrats inherited the situations. They were in 1932 2008 and 2020. What more do you need to know? Somehow you refuse to accept that historic reality. What"names" are necessary to look at these historical events? Do you want to know the names of the Republican Presidents that passed on the situation to the Democratic Presidents? I can do that but it should not be necessary. Here they are. Hoover passed on the depression to Roosevelt in 1932, Bush left the economy in a total collapse to Obama in 2908 as did Trump to Biden in 2020.

There you go. What more do you need?

[Don Bessee]

Harris's team cooked the books and got caught -

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-job-market-gets-biggest-markdown-since-2009-with-818k-fewer-jobs-than-previously-reported/ar-AA1pc3OE?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=f9e7a68b021647f89adde2608a6a225c&ei=24

;-)

[Gregory]

Roosevelt made the great depression longer and deeper, doing the crap that Harris/Walz want to do.

[Paul Emery]

But you admit Gregory that he inherited the depression from Hoover

[Gregory]

FDR inherited a garden variety recession that he made worse. Lots worse.

[Paul Emery]

So Gregory are you are saying that 1932 was a recession not a depression?

[Gregory]

It wasn’t a depression caused by Hoover. Sorry, Punch.

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

I'm getting kinda bored giving you guys history lessions.

It's generally accepted fact that the recession became a depression in 1929, right at the beginning of Republican Hoovers Presidency (1929-1933).

This is from Britannica but can be verified by many sources

" Great Depression, worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world, sparking fundamental changes in economic institutions, macroeconomic policy, and economic theory. Although it originated in the United States, the Great Depression caused drastic declines in output, severe unemployment, and acute deflation in almost every country of the world. Its social and cultural effects were no less staggering, especially in the United States, where the Great Depression represented the harshest adversity faced by Americans since the Civil War."

https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Depression

[Gregory]

And what did Hoover do wrong?

You have the same script running in '32, '08 and '20: Gop screwups with Dems to the rescue armed with other peoples' money.

That's not reality.

[Paul Emery]

You're right Gregory. it took the Dems to pull us out of the mess the Repubs left in all three situations. Not a pretty picture but true.

For example what economy would be better to inherit for a new President, the one Clinton left for Bush or the one Bush left for Obama. Also which would be bette economy Obama left for Trump or the one Trump left for Biden?

[Gregory]

"Not a pretty picture but true"

Not true. Partisan bullshite.

[Paul Emery]

sp

Also which would be better, the economy Obama left for Trump or the one Trump left for Biden?

[Scott O]

Paul:

"Names and examples for what Scott?"

So - you really are in senility, Paul. You can't even track a post from one hour to the next.

Or else it's brain damage - TDS will do that.

[Gregory]

Punch. For you: https://www.freetochoosenetwork.org/programs/free_to_choose/index_80.php?id=anatomy_of_crisis

Take the hour and watch it.

[Scott O]

Gregory - My mother's father was the manager of the Fist Bank Of La Puente. It was a small bank in a small rural town east of LA. He couldn't get money to loan to the merchants who needed annual loans to buy merchandise for Christmas and the next year's sales. He couldn't get money to loan to the farmers for their for their spring plantings. I had heard about this for years and that vid was the first corroboration of what he complained about. That area of CA was not in depression and had nothing but successful farm crops being sent out all over the country. Their depression in that area was caused largely by the bank being starved of funds.
He keeps mentioning "bungling" but I think there was something more malicious at the heart of it. Remember that even then, there were people that knew that a crisis was a golden opportunity to be taken advantage of. I think they simply had no idea how bad a disaster it turned out to be.
Roosevelt's own man testified in congress that the govt's socialistic efforts to bring the country out of depression had failed. Well - by then - DUH!
https://fee.org/articles/fdrs-folly-how-roosevelt-and-his-new-deal-prolonged-the-great-depression/
A world war and the destruction of every single one of our economic competitors was the only thing that brought us into the booming 50s and 60s. And we wasted almost all of that financial boom.

[scenes]

If you can use GDP per capita in real terms (for psul, that means Gross Domestic Product per Person that has been corrected for inflation), it appears that the President doesn't appear to matter too much. There's the occasional recession and COVID. A quick look tells me that the COVID dip looks the same for the US as it does for any other country, including places like Sweden that did basically nothing about it.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/A939RX0Q048SBEA

Paul, your thinking on economics could fit into a hat, and it's obvious that your hat size is really really small.

I have to admit that any handwaving about economics appears to be misguided and non-predictive. It looks to be social commentary wrapped up in a cloud of mathematics envy. Old men sputtering from their BarcaLoungers is the least of it.

---

I'll say that I'm uncomfortable with the idea of 'GDP' when it seems obvious on the ground how much less useful work is being done. My own sense is that somehow quality and efficiency of production has to somehow outstrip an ever-increasing group of people who do useless things, or none at all. Maybe it's just curmudgeonly thinking that you can't maintain a country based on HR cat ladies, gubmint paper-pushers, grifter non-profits, DEI consultants, and internet marketing 'experts' in coffee shops. E. Musk showed the way at Twitter in terms of just how many people actually do the work.

I saw a nice turn of phrase on X yesterday, referring to the split between the 'working' class and the 'laptop' class. Naturally, if nearly all of the laptop class disappeared, it would be like the Douglas Adams spaceship full of hairdressers and telephone sanitisers.

[scenes]

"We must defeat the Blue Team in order to Rescue the Republic and save the West. All of us. Together. "

- Bret Weinstein on X

Given that that dude is about as liberal as you can get, there you have it.

There really is a sort of existential threat from the Democrats this time around, I never thought I'd see it.

[scenes]

hah. That's an interesting graphic.

"Nerfing of the gun emoji matches rise of the woke mind virus, as a core tenet is equating fake harm with real harm"

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1826014723940429871

[scenes]

A quick share from X...

"Why do I feel, as I watch the DNC, that I am watching a hall full of automatons or ghosts? What is it giving me chills, as I listen to Pres Clinton? Why do these people in the audience look so weighed down?" - Dr Naomi Wolf on X

"It’s the absence of Good. Child-sacrifice is their sacrament. Theirs is the spirit of godlessness, rage and idolatry. Murder, violence and death follow them. They are slaves of their perverse passions, and addictions. Their faces, bodies, dress, express it all." - 'Prodigiosen' responds

[scenes]

one last one. From The Hill:

"Donald Trump Jr., former President Trump’s son, told conservative radio host Glenn Beck that he’s in favor of having independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. take a position in a new Trump administration so he can take a government agency and “blow it up.”

“I loved the idea, love the idea of giving him some sort of role in some sort of major three-letter entity or whatever it may be and let him blow it up,” Trump said Wednesday on “The Glenn Beck Program.”

“I think that’s what we need. And so, I think that kind of unity, even where there may be certain disagreements on certain things, I think he could be a really great asset for that.”"

Trolling level, 1 Million. Cool. I endorse this concept.

I would strongly suggest that RFK Jr. stay out of any convertibles.

[Gregory]

Scotto 1045p

La Puente is familiar territory... adjacent to my original stomping grounds. Monterey Park, Montebello, East Covina.

Interesting story of your maternal grandpa. Can't wait to see what cockamamie story Punch responds with.

[Scott O]

"“I loved the idea, love the idea of giving him some sort of role in some sort of major three-letter entity or whatever it may be and let him blow it up,”"

OMG - first Trump promises a 'bloodbath' and now they want to blow up buildings!

[Scott O]

Gregory - I had an aunt and uncle who lived from 1960 til recently in Alhambra south of the freeway so people always assumed they were in Monterey Park. I have cousins and relatives all over the southland.

[Gregory]

My dad grew up in a house on the south side of the 10. I lived there for a time myself.

Ramona Road?

[Gregory]

...and it was indeed an Alhambra address. Monterey Park was a short block away, Hellman Ave.

[scenes]

Michelle 'Big Mike' Obama: '"MICHELLE OBAMA: “We don’t cheat others to get ahead. We don’t get to change the rules so we always win'

Jill Stein responding: "Stop the gaslighting. Right now @TheDemocrats are trying to sue us off multiple state ballots, hiring spies and infiltrators to sabotage us, and even withholding public funds we qualified for months ago. Democrats ABSOLUTELY cheat and change the rules to maintain their grip on power." "

Nicole Shanahan (RFK Jr. VP pick):

"Trump has had 6 court battles to fight during this election, while we have 9 and counting across the country. By bringing these suits against political opponents, the Democrats bankrupt the underpinnings of democracy. What the Democrats consider common course to win elections is the kind of "normalcy" that leads to famine, sickness, and civil war. The country is ready for an administration that represents unity."

psul: ORANGEMAN BAD! HIM BIG EVIL MAN!

[Scott O]

They were in that small pocket west of Atlantic.
Get off the 10 at Atlantic, go west on Hellman, then So. on Electric to Pedley then So. on Carwile.
Atlantic down to Garvey was the dividing line.
Everyone in the neighborhood had a long driveway because they didn't allow any overnight street parking.

[scenes]

Seen on X: "Officer Harris' nomination is nothing more than The View trying to become president."

[Gregory]

"Good morning General Harris"

[Gregory]

Punchy 745p

"I'm getting kinda bored giving you guys history lessions."

I'm getting bored getting your underinformed lectures. Did you watch the hour of Uncle Milty give an authoritative account of the Depression? That was from 1980; I read the book when it came out the same year but had read him in college 8 years earlier.

Shove your "history lessons" back where they belong.

[scenes]

From the Green Party:

"The unDemocratic Party has filed a lawsuit this afternoon with the Wisconsin Supreme Court in their continuing quest to remove DrJillStein from the ballot on what we believe is a frivolous technicality.
We are working with the Stein campaign to resolve this.
Let it be known that the Wisconsin Green Party will not standby and allow the Democrats to take away the rights of the people of Wisconsin to vote their conscience. "

Figures, although I'm not sure what the difference is between the Green Party and the 'Green Libertarian' fictional party. Need a little help here.

[Scott O]

Downward spiral? California "ledes" the way!

"Lawmaker defends Google deal to fund California newsrooms, as labor criticism grows"

Tucked into the article we find that the money isn't all coming from Google.

"Of the $180 million, $110 million will come from Google and its tech partners, and $70 million will come from the state, Wicks said."

Oh - so reporters will know a good part of their pay will be coming from the state govt (Democrats).
That will certainly cause them to start being completely neutral in their reporting of politics.

And you have to love the anger of the unions over the "small" amount that Google will pay.
Those morons better wise up that if Google has to pay even more, they just might start their own news service run it with a couple of college interns and Google's AI.

[scenes]

"The NeverTrump neocons said they were overjoyed with Kamala's foreign policy pronouncements, explaining that her views are perfectly aligned with the long-standing GOP establishment/neocon view of foreign policy and the decades-old bipartisan war consensus.

And they are right."

- Glenn Greenwald on X

[The Estonian Fox]

Unless Mr. Trump can make cogent arguments (hopefully someone on his staff can use a dictionary for the meaning) and avoid personal attacks, he's not going to get the votes he needs.

Every time he opens his mouth, nothing of substance exits it. JD Vance better help out a lot.

[scenes]

" he's not going to get the votes he needs."

With the full force of the bureaucracy, media, and with a street army at their call, I don't think it would matter if Trump became a silver-tongued angel and sprouted stigmata. Don't mistake the current situation as providing a genuine alternative to The Machine.

In a way, it all smells like the UK to me. Western Civilization doesn't appreciate what it's up against and is always two steps behind the opposition in terms of both timing and the amount of effort and force applied. The Ghosts of the Founding Fathers are laughing at our lack of principles.

It's all good. Nothing lasts forever, and we're due for an interregnum once the insane people crash and burn. Hopefully it doesn't last more than a hundred or so years.

[fish]

Okay...Germany's downward spiral but still relevant....

At least 3 people have been stabbed to death and several people are receiving CPR after a mass stabbing attack at a “diversity festival” in Solingen, Germany 🇩🇪

@BILD

reports that eyewitnesses saw “an Arab-looking man” stabbing people

Clearly those three stab victims belong in a British prison for harboring anti-immigrant sentiments!

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1827103449185427521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1827103449185427521%7Ctwgr%5E35d2aba1d91cbf29b29f8dba14e86d69a6e0c911%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Finstapundit.com%2F668640%2F

[Scott O]

fish 3:35 - I remember a joke from Dick Gregory's "From The Back Of The Bus":

cop - "why do you colored people do so much cutting (stabbings)?

Gregory - "'cause you won't sell us no damn guns".

[Scott O]

Oh, the UK and the Swedes want to get in on the downward spiral:

"The rape rate in England and Wales is more than twice that in the United States"
"The rate of increase is staggering, too. Reported rapes are up 63% in just five years."
But we're not supposed to notice the perps' skin colour. That would be racist.

"Sweden's gun crime death rate is now the highest in the European Union. About 62,000 people are linked to criminal networks in the country, police say."
"Increasingly, young gang members are turning to explosives to complement their arsenal: hand grenades from the Balkans, often given as a freebie with the purchase of an assault rifle; dynamite stolen from construction sites, or homemade bombs."
You'd think Sweden would pass some laws to stop this.
It didn't use to be like this in Sweden - I wonder what happened?

[scenes]

"“When I take office, I will ask for the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan disaster. I want them on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day.”"

- D. Trump

Now that's something I'm 100% for, although they'd better up his security.

[scenes]

I see that Pavel Durov, the guy behind Telegraph, got arrested in France.

The war against privacy continues. His interview with Tucker C. is worth a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ut6RouSs0w

On a related note:

"General Motors Caught Red-Handed: Texas Sues for Billions Over Decade-Long Data Theft"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seyvYETWf34

The Universal Surveillance State keeps on keepin' on.

[Scott O]

I ask again - when do I get free stuff from the feds by breaking fed law?

"Democratic politicians nationwide are trying to put many illegal migrants into apartments and homes that would otherwise go to young Americans.

“When undocumented individuals are excluded from such [house-buying] programs, they miss out on a crucial method of securing financial security and personal stability for themselves and their families,” according to the sponsor, Rep. Joaquin Arambula, a Democrat with a large and poor Latino constituency in Fresno Valley."

So they "exclude" illegals. Next you'll tell me they also exclude the folks in prison. And what about the folks that want to come to the US but haven't made it yet?
It just isn't fair!
It's obvious that if we paid for free health care for the folks in Mexico, they wouldn't have to break the law to come here and get it. And hundreds of other countries.
In case you thought Harris was nuts to give away 25K for downs:
UNREAL. @HaciendaCDC
is using taxpayer funds to give $30,000 grants to illegals to buy homes in Oregon.

American citizens aren't even allowed to apply.

Well - of course legal citizens can't even apply.
That's the point!
https://dnyuz.com/2024/08/24/democrats-push-cheap-housing-for-illegal-migrants/

[Don Bessee]

You go girl! -

Former President Trump's debate prep is going "great," former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard told Fox News on Friday.

"He knows the issues. He is very honed in on her [Kamala Harris'] record in reminding voters… ‘what have you done for the last three and a half years?' You can paint this rosy picture about what you're going to do, but we're paying attention to what you've already done and how her policies have destroyed our economy, made us less safe, both here at home and abroad

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/tulsi-gabbard-gives-trumps-debate-151223140.html

;-)

[Don Bessee]

Unity in GA -

Kemp says DNC is ‘sugar high,’ voices full-throated support of Trump

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/kemp-says-dnc-sugar-high-044044471.html

;-)

[Scott O]

Henry is spinning in his grave:

"Ford Loses $132,000 on Each EV Produced..."

Why don't they just give them away without a warranty - they'd probably lose less money per unit.
Ah, but they make it back with the Ford finance plan!

or -

Abe: "Oy Vey, how can you stay in business losing $132K on each unit?"

Shlomo: "We make it up in volume!"

Badda-bump!

Audience: "laughter'.

https://mishtalk.com/economics/ford-loses-132000-on-each-ev-produced-good-news-ev-sales-down-20-percent/