Tues Blogcast: Federal spending is out of control; More climate alarmism

Just One Thing: They'll NEVER stop

The climate alarmists are at it again. The head of the UN is calling their new report a “survival guide for humanity.” What’s up with these people who think that, first, a slightly warming climate must be bad for humanity when it could actually be beneficial, second, that humans couldn’t adapt to almost anything that comes next, third, and that the massive cost of their so-called solutions is anywhere close to worth it? Look, I don’t know how much the planet will or won’t warm. I just know that the cult of alarmists is mostly made of people who literally make a living trying to scare us all into thinking humanity will go extinct if we don’t all stop driving cars and using gas stoves. It’s part cult and part grift, and it’s past time to start ignoring them.

By the way, I'm using this link from BBC specifically because they might be the world's single worst network when it comes to spreading climate paranoia: UN climate report: Scientists release 'survival guide' to avert climate disaster - BBC News

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Today's Guest

Chris Edwards is Director of Fiscal Studies at the Cato Institute. He's done some great work looking at Joe Biden's proposed budget and, more importantly, thinking about what our government must do to try to steer us out of the rapidly approaching fiscal ditch (or cliff, or whatever metaphor you prefer). In short, how to avoid bankrupting our children.

I note that today's American voters are depressingly unwilling to go along with modifications to Social Security and Medicare, even with modest changes that need not impact current beneficiaries or even people who will soon be beneficiaries but that are absolutely necessary to keep the US from turning into France or Greece. (See last link in this section for more on this aspect of the issue.)

Chris Edwards | Cato Institute

Downsizing the Federal Government (downsizinggovernment.org)

Chris Edwards (@CatoEdwards) / Twitter

Deficits Caused by Broad-Based Spending Increases | Cato at Liberty Blog

President Biden’s “Historic” 2024 Budget | Cato at Liberty Blog

A Century of Federal Spending, 1925-2025 | Cato at Liberty Blog

https://www.axios.com/2023/03/16/two-americas-index-social-security-medicare

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Other Stuff

If you really read between the lines of the Biden statement about his ridiculous veto, it basically says, "investors should pay attention to the risks that if a company doesn't do what we want when it comes to ESG, we (the government) will punish the company or make it difficult for them to operate, which poses a risk to investors.

Other thing worth noting is the aggressiveness of Joe Manchin's rhetoric given that he's up for election in 2024 and might face a very popular Republican...unless he becomes a Republican himself (which he's repeatedly said he'd never do.)

Manchin rips Biden administration's 'radical policy agenda' after 'absolutely infuriating' ESG veto (msn.com)

That said, this is an interesting formulation of the new rule, that it returns the use of ESG to choose investments to "neutral" after the Trump administration had said you can't use that filter at all: Biden’s first veto impacts your 401(k) and the U.S.’s climate-change fight (msn.com)

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Politico: Biden will release Covid-19 origin intelligence

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If/when Donald Trump is indicted for the ridiculous combination of charges related to his "hush money" payment to porn star Stormy Daniels (real name Stephanie Clifford), remember John Edwards: How John Edwards beat charges over 2008 payments to pregnant mistress as Trump faces indictment | Daily Mail Online

Trumped-Up Charges? - The Dispatch

Dems fear Trump arrest backfire (Axios): https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-37c01341-c641-4d27-9c0e-8045312c7595.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Do keep in mind that a trial would be in Manhattan, where the vast majority of residents are Trump-haters. Even though Bragg's case would be very weak, it's not impossible to imagine a conviction of Trump that would later be overturned on appeal.

As Andy McCarthy points out, Alvin Bragg is best known for not prosecting actual felonies: Here's more evidence Alvin Bragg's crusade against Donald Trump is political | Fox News

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Meanwhile, it's laugh-out-loud funny how many Trump supporters on Twitter are just scandalized that Ron DeSantis offered this gentle jab (even though they love it when Trump offers a torrent of insults at, well, anyone at all.) Gov. DeSantis breaks silence on former President Trump's hush money case (CBS News)

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Decades of silt and sludge threaten lower Colorado River dams and lakes as the river's flow dramatically diminishes: Dale Maharidge: The Colorado River is running dry, but nobody wants to talk about the mud (sltrib.com)

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Chinese "investors" edging in on Mexican cartels' turf when it comes to illegal cannabis trade in the US: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/21/illicit-cannabis-china-00086125

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More drama at Fox News: Fox producer says she was set up in Dominion case | The Seattle Times

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I missed this on Friday. It's a big deal. Question is whether he'll come around on Sweden too. I suspect he'll have no choice. Or he'll lose the election and the next person will support Sweden's entrance into NATO: Turkey to start ratifying Finland's NATO bid, Erdogan says (msn.com)

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French President Macron survives a no-confidence vote, which means the measure, that he side-stepped the legislature to pass, to raise the national retirement age to 64 from 62 now becomes the law of the land: Macron’s Government Hangs On to Power After No-Confidence Votes (NY Times)

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Small banks, big problems (in commercial real estate loans) (Axios.com):https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-markets-759daef6-4a1c-4b5d-a032-76179993f81b.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

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A swamp rat shows the ridiculousness of mindless government regulatory enforcement: The Epic Saga of Neuty the Nutria - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics

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True courage: The Last of the White Rose Conspirators Against Hitler Has Died - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics

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A suboptimal hot tub experience: Man in hot tub attacked by mountain lion (9News)

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Interesting nerdy stuff about batteries: The Problem With Your Dying AirPods and Other Bluetooth Earbuds (WSJ.com)

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Today's Videos

Holy c**p...this is unbelievable

Now, THAT is dedication. (Note: There is an "f-bomb" in this so potentially not good at work or in front of kids)


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