The Upcoming 2026 Elections - Partially

The Senate The Democrats may win big, slightly, or the Republicans retain the Senate That’s like a prediction by the Delphic Oracle The public is fed up; a pox on both parties, but someone has to win. El Sayed in Michigan and Talarico in Texas would lose in an ordinary year. They are young, telegenic, articulate, but too radical for the American people. El Sayednis anti-Semitic and a Islamicist who supports Sharia Law. Talarico until his recent political conversion favored reducing oil and gas, banning assault weapons, that here are six genders, or is it sexes, and waffled on trans men playing women’s sports. The question is if the Republican undertow is so great as to convert deep red states to blue. The opposite is possible; Richard Nixon believed in the silent majority. Netanyahu yesterday fell sort of a majority in the Israeli Parliament, but outperformed the polls and opposition parties. Talarico like most Democrats checks off the talking points from focus groups and then peddles snake oil. The saying from the Trojan Horse: “Beware of Greeks bringing gifts.” Be wary of Democrats who profess being moderates. They metamorphosis radical once elected. Do voters have such short memories to forget what the democrats did under President Biden? The New Democratic Party is even more radical. The question is what are the Democrats running on? Trump is evil ICE is bad Affordability Gas and diesel prices Housing Tariffs Inflation Billionaires Climate Change Corruption AI Data Centers Anti-Semitism – They can call it anti-Zionism or anti-Netanyahu, but it is anti-Semitism. Do the voters in solid blue states ever understand their sinking economies are not caused by President Trump, but decades of incompetent one-party rule? What positive programs are they advancing? Their positive goals are few; Medicare for all. They don’t want to say more taxes, except on billionaires, and more spending, but that’s their history How about California? Xavier Beccera will by the next governor. He reminds me of the classic line by the Who: “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” The Republican vote keeps shrinking in California as thousands, mostly conservative and middle class, flee the deepening blue state. If it looks bad on election night, then the ballot harvesting will come to his rescue. Xavier Beccera is a Democrat in an ever-increasing Blue State. He is Hispanic, which represents 41% of California’s population. The powerful public sector unions support him He is a typical, affable team player. He’s not bold; proposing new programs, much less bold proposals, is not his forte. He’s already promised to continue the fight against fossil fuels. He failed to see as Secretary of Health and Human Welfare the billions of dollars of fraud pouring out the programs he managed. Xavier Beccera is like Joe Biden, who was drafted by the party bosses as their last, best chance to defeat President Trump. Xavier Beccera was defeated in an earlier campaign for governor. He was polling was in the tank this time, but then the Democrats favored to win started dropping like flies. Xavier Beccera then became the anointed one. Xavier Beccera is smarter with degrees from Stanford and Harvard than Joe Biden and not senile like Joe Biden. Xavier Beccera is running a quiet, make no mistakes campaign because he knows his election is inevitable. Let’s look at one more California election for Secretary of Public Instruction. Sonya Shaw is running against Richard Barrera. Richard will win. He is the candidate of the teacher unions. The Los Angeles Mayor Election: Karen Bass v. Nithya Raman: A proven incompetent versus a radical Democratic- Socialist. Nithya has not been running a good campaign; she still makes the Money has been pouring into her campaign, mistakes of a relatively newcomer in politics. Karen Bass has run very effective, negative ads against Nithya Raman. The money has been pouring into Karen Bass’ campaign, presumably some on a Pay to Play If Nithya wins, then America’s two largest cities, Los Angeles and New York will be governed by anti-Semites. Mayor Karen Bass would normally be a shoo-in against the more radical Nithya. Karen Bass has the power of incumbency and successful fundraising. Her problem is that Karen Bass is proven incompetent. Karen Bass is an abysmal failure. She cannot run on a positive record of accomplishments; she has none. Four more years of Karen Bass is four more years of a broad smile while billions of dollars are wasted on consultants, planners, NGO’s and fraud. Prop 40 The SEIU got Prop 40 on the ballot. It will impose, retroactive to January 1, 2016, a 5% tax on the assets of billionaires. It’s advertised as a one-time tax, but no taxes in California are only one-time. They’re extended in future elections with lower thresholds. Maybe this time SEIU finally got too greedy and pushed too far.

Trapezing Through Airports

First comes the melee. The hordes arrive at the same time from Ubers, Lyfts, Cabs, Cars, shuttles and mass transit. Which terminal when more than one with the same airline? Which airline? Which counter? Plebian or elite? Baggage drop only? Confusion at airport checkin with line cutters Long lines with a customer just wanting to gab with the agent while the lines are growing. My bags don’t exceed the limits! Then comes the TSA funnel. Sorting process at TSA What was left behind? Sir, you cannot bring a knife on the plane. Will the person who left a bag behind at TSA please return? The long corridor. College students wearing their school colors. Does she really go to Yale? Strutting service dogs pulling their masters along for a ride Young adults with headphones while texting on a phone, oblivious to the world around them A mother with two young children charging through the masses – cannot miss that flight. Line cutters at the gate. Obnoxious The Ohio State University alums when the Buckeyes beat Michigan or win a title. Only more arrogant are the Michigan alums, of which I am one, when they beat TOSU or win a national title, football, basketball. Bars for the travelers who don’t want to eat on a dry throat, tacky gift shops selling overpriced trinkets and snacks, pretentious restaurants at Disneyland prices. Line cutters Screaming cell phone calls Toddlers and babies being very quiet – a pleasant surprise Men wearing hats to hide baldness The prima donna showing off her plastic surgery Tattoo collections An elevator with 14 wheelchairs lined up Very few businessmen in Brooks Brothers dark suits or businesswomen in Nordstrom grey suits. They must be on Southwest Lines trying to get into crowded airline lounges The Plane An oversized male attempting to jam an oversized bag into an undersized overhead compartment How can two passengers be assigned the same seat? All first class have checked in Long queues at gates with exotic destinations: Paris, London, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Delhi, Istanbul, Singapore. Who are these travelers?? Are they returning home, going on business, visiting family, just traveling, or perhaps connecting to a more exotic place, such as Zanzibar or Tashkent? Why am I just flying to Podunk?

Memo to Mayor Mamdani: Talk is Cheap; Free is Costly

Memo to Mamdani: Talk is Cheap; Free is Costly Mayor Mamdani ran on a deceptive, seductive platform of free; free busses, free daycare, cheap housing, and cheap groceries. Talk is cheap; promise whatever you want, as long as you don’t have to deliver. Appropriating other people’s money seems easy. Except when it’s not. Free? Someone has to pay the workers, unless you practice slavery, banned by the 13th Amendment. Free? Someone has to pay the utilities, insurance, maintenance, workers compensation, medical and pensions. Wealth individually may be assets, but collectively it’s the human capital - not the physical assets. Cubans permitted to leave Castro’s Cuba had to sign over their physical assets to the Cuban government The Castro regime was wealthier on paper, but poorer in fact. The real wealth was the human capital of the refugees. Free is expensive when those you look to for payment to subsidize free leave and take their physical assets with them. Did you know the Pilgrims tried collective farming; i.e. socialism, in Massachusetts, but it was an abject failure. Land was allocated to individuals and the harvest boomed the next year, leading to Thanksgiving. Those that pay little or no taxes are quite eager to impose and raise taxes on those that pay taxes. The United States has the right to travel. Have you noticed how middle class, rich, and business taxpayers have discovered the beauty of Florida, North Carolina, and Texas? Retirees, including politicians who believed in taxing the rich, used to be the ones moving to Florida. Free is costly to those who are taxed to pay “free,” but get little in return from the government. Mamdani wants a government grocery store in each of the five boroughs at a cost of $30 million. They would not have to pay rent, but still would have to "eat" shoplifting," or attrition as it is often labeled today. Ask CVS and Walgreens about attrition. Mayor Mandani, Do you know the old joke?: How do you make $10 million in Hollywood (or the airline industry)? Start with $100 million.

Memo to the Democratic Socialists of America on the 4th of July

Memo to the Democratic Socialists on the 4th of July Thank the founders of America, the founders you despise. They created the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and laws that allow you to pontificate. Learn the history of America – not the Howard Zinn’s A People’s History, a socialist fractured dogma of American history, as is The 1619 Project. Learn the history of America – not the woke, DEI history taught at the ”elite” universities you attended. Learn the history of the Pilgrims. They started with socialism, the collectivism of the land. The product of the land would be shared communally. It failed the first year. Too many freeloaders and two few producers willing to exert their labors for the benefit of freeloaders. The land was then allocated in parcels to the families. Prosperity and Thanksgiving followed. Socialism failed; capitalism won. The lesson is clear. Socialism deadens initiative. Ignorant of the American Revolution. The Revolution recognized government reponsding and answering to the people – not the crowned heads that ruled Europe, Asia and the colonies – a true revolution in the history of civilization. You hate capitalism? Surrender your IPhones, IMacs, IPads, Mac Books, Apple watches. They are the innovations of capitalism. You hate capitalism? Stop using the medications that save your lives. They are the research of capitalism. You hate capitalism? Give up the internet and social media. They are innovations of capitalism. You hate capitalism? Say goodbye to Google. Google is the creation of two Stanford graduate students. You hate capitalism? Junk your EVs and Hybrids. They’re the product of capitalistic corporations. Believe America is ripe with inequality? Socialism results the equality of poverty and misery, except for the top1-2% of rulers, who live in luxury. Socialism penalizes hard work and deadens opportunity. Want to see socialism in action? Go to Cuba and Venezuela, the dictatorships in the name of the people. Don’t go to Cuba and Venezuela. Walk the downtown streets of San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland. Think socialism is great. Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping converted China to an economy driven by capitalism. India initially adopted socialism upon independence. Socialism failed in both China and India. Capitalism has raised hundreds of millions of Indians out of socialist poverty. Think socialism works? Check the successful entrepreneurs currently fleeing California and Washington. It’s the Pilgrims four centuries later. Blame America on White Privilege? About 320 thousand Union Army and Navy soldiers and sailors died to free 4 million slaves. Blame America on White Privilege. White Privilege gave women the vote as well as all citizens, regardless of race, color, nationality, or sex. Oppose the founders because most were slaveholders. They created your rights and liberties. They knew slavery was bad, but the states could not be united as the United States without compromises: 1) the equality of two Senators for every state 2) The electoral college, giving small a large role in the election of the President 3) Preserving the Slave Trade for 20 years 4) The infamous 3/5 provision for slaves. The slave states, which otherwise did not recognize the rights of slaves, wanted them counted as one each for purposes of Congressional reapportionment. The Northern States objected. The result was 3/5 instead of 1/1. How do we know the drafters of the Constitution knew slavery was bad? Read the Constitution as adopted. Nowhere in the Constitution do you find the words “slave’’ ‘slavery” or “slave trade.” Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence included 169 words that blamed King George III for forcing slaves onto the American colonies. Those words were excised, presumably by Georgia and South Carolina. Hate capitalism? Most of you are young, filled with the idealism of youth, filled with a close mind, because you know and understand everything. You believe America is not the land of opportunity? Why do millions wish to come to America, even today? Why did your ancestors come to America? Yes, for themselves, but mostly to give their children an opportunity. They sacrificed for you. President Biden tried to buy your vote by forgiving student loans: Freeloading! Mayor Andrew Cuomo said “America was never that great.” America’s greatness is shown by you being here, however ungrateful you are. We all know one of the great phrases in the DREclaration of Indpendence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident." What about the last line: "We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."? What does that mean? It means the signers of the Declaration of Indpendence knew England would hang them and forfeit their properties if the Revolution were lost. Benjamin Franklin is reported to have said with the signing of the Declaration of Independence: "We must hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." What do the social democrats have to lose if they fail? Not your lives or property, but the legal power to seize the income and property of others.

Memo to Scott Pelley: All Employees are Expendable

Memo to Scott Pelley: All employees are expendable Memo to Scott Pelly: You are an employee Memo to Scott Pelley: You are not CBS; you are an employee Memo to Scott Pelley: You are an employee – not the boss Memo to Scott Pelley: Do not personally, publicly, verbally attack and humiliate your boss and employer in front of the staff Memo to Scott Pelley: Of you don’t like your boss or employer, you have two choices - Suck it up or quit Memo to Scott Pelley: A change in ownership means a change in the status quo Memo to Scott Pelley: The once fabled CBS News is plummeting Memo to Scott Pelley: Berri Weiss was brought in to turn CBS around Memo to Scott Pelley; CBS terminated its once great radio news program Memo to Scott Pelley: Get a good lawyer and try to get a buy out on your contract Memo to Scott Pelley: You are not Mike Wallace, Harry Reasoner, Morey Shafer, Andy Rooney, or Ed Bradley Memo to Scott Pelley: You were a correspondent – not a soldier Memo to Scott Pelley: All the accolades, awards you’re still an employee with an inflated ego of yourself Memo to Scott Pelley: The entertainment industry, including broadcasting is full or prima donnas. You’re still just an employee Memo to Scott Pelley: The entertainment industry, and business in general, have no loyalty, especially when the bottom line or personalities are involved Memo to Scott Pelley: Your success was based on your producers Memo to Scott Pelley: The bigger you are, the harder you fall Memo to Scott Pelley: Even if you get down on your feet profusely apologizing and seeking forgiveness, you cannot undo your words and actions Memo to Scott Pelley: You became a liability to CBS Memo to Scott Pelley: CBS can never trust you again Memo to Scott Pelley: What in Hell were you thinking?

Why Iran Can't Cave

Iran is currently willing to fight on, even though its leaders have been decapitated, the Navy sunk, planes grounded, and soldiers killed. The surviving leaders must be thinking: Am I next?” Yet reasons explain it’s apparently suicidal actions. 1) Allah. The Mullahs are true believers, religious zealots, who believe they are doing Allah’s work on earth. They’ll rather be bombed back to the stone age, as long as Allah will embrace them. Allah will see them through. 2) Iran is not a normal country which understands when it has been defeated. Iran believes it can outlast the United States. 3) Religion: Iran is Shia; the neighbor Mideast countries are Sunni. 4) Power. Power is an aphrodisiac. Those with power seek to keep it, if not gain more power. Power also brings wealth. 5) Face. Surrender remains losing face, not only globally, but with their persecuted people. They will have no longer even have an illusion of strength. 6) The idea of surrending to the "Great Satan," along with the daily "Death to America" chants form a pyscholoogical obstancle to rational thinkoing. 7) Economics. The Republican Guard is the economic entrepreneur in Iran. About half of the oil revenues go to the IRNG. They want to keep it. 8) Fear of Retribution. The remaining leaders and those responsible for the murders of their citizens know the fate that awaits them if they lose power. The survivors and families want revenge; we sometimes call it “justice.” 9) Corruption. Their system has a high degree of corruption.

Cesar Chavez Meet George Orwell

George Orwell in his classic 1984 writes about the state creating an unperson, also known as a non-person. The state removes all memory of the person as if the person never existed. Photos are edited, an easier task today with photoshop. Stalin created the process. Orwell named it. Cesar Chavez within 48 hours has become a nonperson, an example of today's cancel culture. He was a hero, inspiration, and symbol for the Hispanic community and Labor Movement. Americans marched with him in Delano. The UFW grape boycott was successful. The growers in 1975 reached an agreement with the farmworkers, after a ten year-struggle. The UFW fight for the farmworkers continues to this day. Huelga became a common word. Holidays, streets, schools were named for Cesar Chavez; monuments and murals created in his image. Lesson plans were teaching tools. Cesar Chavez Day suddenly on a bipartisan basis became Farm Workers Day. I don’t ever remember Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acting so decisively in one day, as she did in scrapping Cesar Chavez. The New York Times in two full pages laid out his sordid past. Delores Huerta, his co-partner in leading and building the united Farm Workers (UFW), accused him of sexually assaulting her 60 years ago, resulting in his being the father of two of her daughters. She kept it secret for an eternity. Cesar played the good cop with Delores the bad cop in negotiations. He was the public face; she made things happen. She is an incredibly strong woman, carrying the pain of Cesar within her for 60 years. Her public statement and denunciation of him removed any doubt in public minds about the veracity of the claims against Cesar Chavez. Other women came forward. Cesar Chavez was both a rapist and pedophile He survived the Me Too Movement even though rumors have floated that he could be a philanderer. Finally the truth emerged with clear evidence – not an unverified, unverifiable accusation against Justice Kavanaugh. Cesar Chavez had been too great an icon to be pillowed. Rumors had spread that he cheated on his wife. His authoritarianism was known. His sordid past though was covered. The media did not cover his personal life. Cancel culture would not destroy him. Admirers and supporters feel betrayed. Their Cesar Chavez has become a non-person. He was not a saint, but hos depravity was unimaginable. Delores Huerta can replace Cesar Chavez as the face of the United Farm Workers and Hispanics Rising. I have on my office wall a framed letter from Cesar Chavez thanking me for some work I did for the UFW in1990. It remains on the office wall because I am proud of what I did in 1990.