Wed Blogcast: Iran protests; Jared's taxes and fees; Taylor Moore

The most important videos you will see today. Please watch and share and marvel. (I cannot vouch for the 2nd one being real in the sense of from Iran recently but I suspect it is.)

Brief primer on the issues: Iran unrest: Women burn headscarves at anti-hijab protests - BBC News

Solid analysis here: The Six Things You Need to Know About the Hijab Protests in Iran - The Bulwark

See more videos below

Just One Thing (in America)

Yes, it's all politics all the time but for the first time I think that Gov DeSantis might have crossed a line with his transportation of Venezuelan illegal aliens (or asylum seekers) from Texas to Martha's Vineyard. He's a very big target and those going after him might simply not have ammo big enough but I suspect he went a little past a grey area. I'm not surprised there's already a lawsuit against him, which I think is roughly equal parts politics and looking for a payday and for some additional immigration benefits.

That said, I think there is NOT a reasonable case to be made that the migrants suffered an injury. Being told you are entitled to something you're not entitled to and then learning you were misled, if that's what happened, is not something a reasonable court would consider a real injury. And if they agreed to go to Massachusetts and then were sent to a different part of Massachusetts before being moved along to some other part is also arguably not a real injury. That said, if you get an activist judge who doesn't like DeSantis or what he and Gov Abbott of Texas are doing or just doesn't like Republicans, the case could get at least initial traction. I suspect that this case will not get to the Supreme Court and that if it does, the plaintiffs will lose (and DeSantis will prevail.)

Where I think DeSantis might have risk is in the fact that he moved the migrants between two destinations that did not include Florida as the origin or destination (although apparently the plane refueled in Florida, which might have been done to try to deal with the legal technicalities of a governor's authority, which clearly doesn't extend to actions in a different state.)

I kinda like the "stunt" of shipping illegals to "sanctuary cities" and leftist enclaves who cheer loudly for an open border. But these governors, especially DeSantis because of possible presidential ambitions, have to know they have huge targets on their backs and they should make sure to color within the lines.

Migrants Sue Ron DeSantis for 'Fraudulent' Martha's Vineyard Move (businessinsider.com)

Today's Guests

Ben Murrey is the director of the Independence Institute's Fiscal Policy Center. Ben argues, in a new report (linked below) that there has been a massive increase in special interest tax benefits promulgated under the Polis administration. You may remember that while campaigning for governor in 2018, he promised to reduce special interest tax benefits. The report shows that he greatly increased them during his first term. All these tax benefits also reduced our TABOR refunds. We'll discuss

http://i2i.org

Report: Polis 'failed' to deliver campaign promise to reduce 'special interest' tax benefits | Governor | coloradopolitics.com

Tax Expenditure Modifications, 2019-2022: Governor Polis's Record on Special Interest Tax Benefits - Independence Institute (i2i.org)

Also, the Independence Institute is the force behind the income tax rate reduction on Colorado's November ballot:

Colorado Proposition 121, State Income Tax Rate Reduction Initiative (2022) - Ballotpedia

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Yasamin Rezai got her undergraduate degree at the University of Tehran. Now she's a PhD candidate at the University of Miami. She has friends and family in Iran and due to the risk to Iranians (in Iran) who talk to western media, I decided to stop trying to get a guest who was in Iran and instead to talk with someone here who has friends and family in Iran, and who grew up there, to help us understand the incredible situation.

http://yasaminrezai.com

Iran protests: Women burn headscarves in anti-hijab protests - BBC News

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Taylor Moore is a former CIA operations officer who is out with his second thriller novel, "Firestorm." (His first novel, "Down Range", is one of the best first-book-by-an-author thrillers I've ever read.)

Taylor Moore - Author (taylormoorebooks.com)

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0063066556/

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Other Stuff

Huge federal fraud indictment against a non-profit and a bunch of (Somali, I believe) restaurants near Minneapolis. Total of 47 defendants including CEO of a non-profit and multiple restaurant owners accused of stealing $250 million during COVID. Essentially, the gov't relaxed participation standards for a nutrition program during COVID and these people created a bunch of fake food-related businesses and claimed to serve millions of meals to children. The woman running the non-profit which coordinated the event is accused of fraud as well as of taking bribes from the restaurant/food-service owners. Of course, since it's 2022 and the perpetrators appear to almost all be black folks from Africa, the white female non-profit CEO claims that the investigation was just racism.

U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against 47 Defendants in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme | OPA | Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office charges 47 in "largest pandemic fraud in the United States" (cbsnews.com)

As you can see in the video below (if it works properly) one of the defendant companies was apparently serving meals. I'm guessing they served hundreds, maybe even low-thousands, but according to the indictment, "Over the course of the fraud scheme, the defendants claimed to have served millions of meals. Based on their fraudulent claims, the defendants received more than $25 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, which they misappropriated for their own personal benefit, including expenditures such as vehicles, real estate, and travel."

I feel sorta bad for other Somali restaurant owners around Minneapolis who may suffer when the public avoids eating at any such restaurant due to being unsure which actually committed fraud.

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Jobs Americans won't do: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/09/20/american-post-pandemic-labor-shortage-explained

And working-age men aren't working: https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-830f6b3a-70a2-47b8-aea4-136df6f7c99a.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

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Vladimir Putin institutes "partial mobilization" (read "a draft") to support his failing war in Ukraine: Putin orders partial mobilization of Russian military for Ukraine war (nbcnews.com)

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Gas prices tick up for first time in 100 days: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/business/gas-prices-decline-streak.html

BUT...if you look at these two charts you'll see that from the top in June, retail (at the pump) gas prices have fallen a LOT less than futures prices have. One wonders where that approximately 50 cents per gallon is going.

US Retail Gas Price (ycharts.com)

RBOB Gasoline Price: Latest Futures Prices, Charts & Market News | Nasdaq

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When evil meets gullible: Navy sailors swindled out of thousands of dollars in Tinder scam (taskandpurpose.com)

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Today's Videos

First, the video from the online hacker collective Anonymous regarding their operation against Iran. It's on Twitter under #opiran

Then, various reports on the protests in Iran...really the main story we should be talking about today.


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