Month: August 2023

Inflation is down to less than 4%. Sounds pretty good, but because of severe inflation starting in January 2021, prices are still 15 to 20 percent higher. They are higher on food, gasoline, medicine, electricity, rent, mortgages, hotel rooms, car rental, and about everything else we depend on. Because of inflation, real wages are down about 3%.

President Biden finally acknowledged the “Inflation Reduction Act” was misnamed. You and I knew it even before it passed. It was mostly a “Green Energy” bill and it increased inflation, not reduced it.

Here’s what I wrote in Weekly Comments last year on July 31. “Only in Congress can a bill that will increase inflation be called the “Inflation Reduction Act.” Senate Leader Chuck Schumer has been hammering two fellow Democrats, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, for more than a year over their refusal to increase spending and raise taxes. Last week Manchin caved.”  (The vote was 50-50, with VP Harris breaking the tie.)

Sen. Manchin wasn’t the only Democrat tricked. If the bill had been honestly titled, a few others would have refused to support it. And guess what: without the Inflation Reduction Act, we would have had less inflation!

The President says inflation is going lower. But there’s a surge on the horizon. Have you seen the increases in pay being negotiated by labor unions? Immediate increases of 10% to 20% are common. Auto workers want a 40% increase. Raises for delivery truck drivers, warehouse workers and airline pilots guarantee higher prices. Now, we don’t blame the workers. Inflation is to blame for huge requests.

I may need to replace my Ford F-150 in 3 or 4 years so I better start saving. Ford is losing Billions on Electric Vehicles, even with all the subsidies from us taxpayers. Does that mean they have to raise the price on gas and diesel models to make up the difference?

Meanwhile, the largest U.S. electric-bus maker, Proterra, declared bankruptcy. The company failed despite personal enthusiastic promotion by President Biden and VP Kamala Harris.

With these problems emanating from DC, and details about the Biden bribes, is it any wonder the most popular song today is “Rich Men North of Richmond?”

(No Weekly Comments next week.)

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

(on U.S. Senators), “We pay for wisdom and we get wind.” DT #574, May 29, 1928

“Republicans said if the Democrats got in they would inflate money, and the Democrats swore they wouldn’t.” DT #2095, Apr. 21, 1933

Many college students spend their summers working as interns for businesses. That gives them “real world” experience they can’t get in the classroom. Many professors every few years spend a few months working for companies in their field so their teaching is up-to-date.

Now, suppose government employees had a similar opportunity. How might that change their views when they return to their government position?

Consider a few examples:

Environmental scientists in EPA work three months for an oil company, a highway construction contractor in West Virginia, or an Oklahoma cattle ranch.

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas and his top officials spend a month as Texas Rangers along the border with Mexico.

Energy Department leaders work as a sales person at a Ford or GM dealer in Montana or Iowa. How many EVs could they sell?

Food scientists in the FDA harvest vegetables in California and apples in Michigan.

Education Department Ph.D.’s spend nine months teaching math and science at high schools in Baltimore, Chicago, or Columbus. If they survive the year, their salaries on return to Washington will depend on the progress of their students.

Prosecutors supported by George Soros work a few weeks as a security guard or clerk in a local CVS or Nordstrom that gets looted every day or two.

California Legislators who voted to force pork producers in other states to change their “best practices” go to work on hog farms. Their job would be to make sure that each of 50 sows would not smother or otherwise harm any of her 10 to 12 new-born pigs.

Federal prosecutor and newly named Special Counsel David Weiss would switch to defense attorney …wait, he already did that with the Hunter Biden sweetheart deal.

I’m sure you can suggest other “switches” that might help our economy.

I was going to suggest that the 535 Democrats and Republicans in Congress switch parties for a couple of months. But they would get so discombobulated nothing would pass, and the federal debt would keep getting worse.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

      “There is nothing as stupid as an educated man if you get off the thing that he was educated in.” WA #445, July 5, 1931

Are we looking at a Jailhouse campaign in 2024? Donald Trump will be behind bars. Joe Biden will be visiting Hunter behind bars.  At least that’s the dream of the opposing sides.

President Biden is way behind on fundraising for the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign. Lounging on a Delaware beach instead of answering questions at frequent press conferences does not inspire many donors to add to their credit card debt. Especially for a president who would be 86 in 2028, or possibly replaced by V-P Kamala Harris.

With another indictment by Jack Smith, Special Counsel for the Department of Justice, Trump has to spend his campaign funds on defense lawyers.

Trump insists the 2020 election was stolen, not on election day, but in the months leading up to the election. Considering what we know now, candidate Joe Biden received millions of votes based on blatant lies: he never discussed business with Hunter; Hunter never took any money from China; Hunter’s laptop computer was a Russian conspiracy as verified by 50 top level Intelligence officials; and he never received any money from Hunter’s business dealings, not even 10 percent.

Devon Archer testified to Congress on Monday. He has been in business with Hunter Biden for about 10 years and recalled at least 20 phone conversations between Hunter and his dad while Joe was Vice-President. President Biden calls his grandchildren every day, so it’s logical he also called Hunter frequently.

I’m guessing one of those phone calls might have gone like this:

(V-P Biden calls Hunter): “Hello Hunter, how’s the rehab going today?”

Hunter: “Excellent, Dad. In fact, I’m sitting at a table with a couple of Chinese executives discussing a multi-million-dollar deal.”

V-P interrupts: “Whoa, Hunter, you know I can’t discuss business with you.”

Hunter: “I know. In case anyone is listening, we’re only interested in weather. My Chinese friends are wondering if I can perhaps influence the weather in Washington. They are willing to pay me $5,000,000 if they know the weather will be suitable for their business.”

V-P: “Ah, the weather! Yes, I can talk about weather. You can assure your friends that the weather is fine. And it appears to me that the weather here will continue to be fine for them.”

Hunter: “Thanks Dad. My friends are smiling and nodding in agreement. They are extremely pleased to hear about the long-term weather. (pause) Wow, they just handed me a check. (pause) And they are so happy with your weather report they are writing another check.”

V-P: “Hunter, congratulations on your recovery. I’m glad your friends expect to see sunny skies ahead. And Hunter, c’mon man, (whispering) be careful out there. Don’t do anything that might rain on my parade.”

We learned this week that China got military secrets from a Navy Seaman for $15,000. Do you wonder what China got for $10,000,000?

You may be wondering why I didn’t write anything harsh or funny about Donald Trump’s legal problems. Well, I decided not to risk it after reading his threat on Trump Social, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you.”

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

“Being great as President is not a matter of knowledge, or farsightedness; it’s just a question of the weather.” WA#196, Sept. 12, 1926