“DOGE WILL GUT MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND SOCIAL SECURITY!” Really? Progressives have been shrieking about this for decades, yet the budgets for these programs keep increasing every year no matter which party is in control. In fact, Reagan increased taxes to fund Social Security. Then GWB radically expanded Medicare for prescription drugs. Then GWB tried to privatize a teeny, tiny slice of Social Security, but the GOP majority in Congress did not approve. I remain very skeptical. Let me know if any significant cuts actually occur in reality.
TRUMP TARIFFS VS BIDEN TARIFFS. Democrats strongly opposing Trump tariffs is music to my ears. But it’s weird to me that they didn’t say anything about Biden tariffs. Often they defend the tariffs when Democrats do it. The reality is that Biden continued and expanded many tariffs from Trump’s first term. Biden even doubled the Trump tariff on Chinese EV imports. Seems the two sides are far more similar than different. I say “Differences in degree, not in kind.”
TARIFFS ARE IDIOTIC. They are a penalty on American consumers. They damage the economy.. They leave people with less money to spend or invest in the economy. So large numbers of people have to suffer in order for small groups of people (including investors) are protected from competition. Then the whole while tariff proponents will boldly lie that the importing nation is paying the tariff. Seen on X: “Tariff proponents are the flat earthers of economics.”
“CANADA AND MEXICO ARE RIPPING US OFF!” “We have to subsidize Canada and Mexico billions of dollars!” Trump loves making a big deal about trade deficits. This is more propaganda, more fake news, more lies. Trade deficits are meaningless. When a person spends cash to buy a product from a Canadian or Mexican company, then who loses? Nobody does because trade is win-win. The buyer benefits and the seller benefits. They both reach mutual agreement and enjoy mutual benefit. There is no theft. It’s like saying that your grocery store is ripping you off because you have a trade deficit with it.
WHAT DO I THINK OF DOGE? Perhaps the summary statement is “the end does not justify the means.” There is no doubt that govt agencies need to be audited. There is no doubt that wasteful spending needs to be eliminated. Frankly, there are some serious questions that need to be asked in terms of what govt’s role should be. Do these agencies need to exist in the first place (i.e. USAID). What is the strategy of DOGE? It seems more about blowing the system up, then actually fixing things. Besides, even if DOGE was able to get done what they want to get done, and assuming it is enacted by Trump Executive Order, then the next POTUS can just recreate everything with EOs including using that power to create more agencies without congressional approval. It’s all a mess. But the hilarious angle to this story is that progressives are upset that “unelected bureaucrats are running amok” in the system. This is what we have been trying to say for decades! Meanwhile, it’s funny how many MAGAs are cheering on Elon Musk holding govt spending accountable with his DOGE program. But these same MAGAs didn’t care the last time Trump was POTUS. Trump went bananas spending COVID relief money, often without any accountability.
SPEAKING OF USAID… The media and govt bureaucrats are spinning these cuts to USAID sound like an attack on the poor and starving around the world. C’mon man… If people want to offer charity, then go ahead and offer charity. But don’t forcibly tax people so you can feel good giving taxpayer dollars to impoverished people around the world. Agencies like this use altruism as a tool to enrich special interests. If America wants to help people around the world, the best thing is to help promote capitalism. Over 1 Billion people have been lifted out of abject poverty in Asia in the last 30 years due to an expansion of free enterprise. We need to teach people to fish rather than handing them fish.
CHICANERY. I am a big fan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Love seeing clips of the show while scrolling through X. I stumbled across the BCS scene where Jimmy McGill has his brother Chuck on the witness stand in a hearing about Jimmy being disbarred. (It’s also the one where Chuck’s fear of electricity is exposed by a Jimmy trick.) During Chuck’s rant about the immoral character of his brother Jimmy, he uses the term ‘chicanery’. When I watch streaming shows I enjoy hitting the pause button when I hear a word that I want to research. Chicanery is not used very often and I need a refresh from the dictionary. Here’s the definition: the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose.” Wow. That word fits Jimmy. But it really fits the political climate we are seeing unfold every day on cable TV news. That’s a word I need to use more frequently. It fits.
WEST VILLAGE POWAY. I recently enjoyed watching a Rick McCandless video touring the new housing complex on Poway Road. Rick is a good friend, former neighbor across the street, and a great realtor in town. His video showcases these new, luxury apartments, the amenities in the facility, and with a good dash of self-deprecating humor. Good work Rick!
POWAY AND TONY BLAIN. The Poway City Council has just censored District 2 Councilman Tony Blain for his behavior involving threats to city officials, threats to fellow council members, quid-pro-quo vote swapping and bribery. Hilarious since this is a guy that campaigned against backroom deals and corruption. Blain was too cowardly to show up at the council meeting where he was censured. His empty seat speaking loudly for his lack of character and integrity. At first I liked Blain because he was originally pushing a term limits initiative. But his campaign for office got more and more whacky. During his campaign leading up to his election, he was going door-to-door in a different district pushing to recall sitting councilman Peter DeHoff. I was surprised that he won. Frankly, he was my third choice of the three in that race. I do see the appeal of a new councilperson bravely going to City Hall and fighting for their righteous agenda, even if it includes ruffling feathers along the way. But what Blain is doing is just stupid. We know that politicians make certain compromises behind closed doors to win votes (not to say I support that), but they are not so foolish to do it on city email which is public record. Blain has made threats to his own constituents who question him. He says he won’t talk to his constituents on social media or email, but will meet with them personally as long as there is no recording of the discussion. WTF? Now he is running for Mayor in 2026.
SPEAKING OF POWAY CITY COUNCIL… Now there is an effort to recall Peter DeHoff underway. DeHoff represents my District 3. Seems the complaints include his alignment with Vaus, his unwillingness to listen to voters who want an election to replace Brian Pepin, his support of development in Poway, and his condescending tone talking down to members of the public at council meetings. Wild. Seems like the people who successfully defeated Measure H (Life Time Fitness) are feeling emboldened and now are doubling down on their strategy to enact change in Poway. DeHoff is an interesting character. I’ve invited him on my podcast when he ran for office, but he declined. I sent a letter to all Poway city council members (including the Mayor) and received a response from everyone except DeHoff (who is my representative). Are his actions worthy of a recall? In my book, no. But if voters want a recall, then go for it. Recalls, and the threats of recall, are good things to keep standing politicians on their toes. There have been multiple recall threats of Mayor Vaus in the past few years, but none of them were able to get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. I strongly doubt that the organizers of a recall are going to get enough support to make it real.
HEALTHCARE A HUMAN RIGHT? Bernie Sanders was recently ranting about this topic, particularly in light of the spending cuts that DOGE is pushing. But is healthcare a human right? We all agree healthcare is important. But should it be a right? If healthcare is a right, then that means people can demand healthcare when they need it and other people are required to provide it. From a humanitarian perspective this sounds like “loving your neighbor”. But think it through. In order to make healthcare a right, you have to force other people to fund it or provide it. This, in turn, violates our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does invite the question of what rights really are. My understanding is that rights are a moral concept that gives an individual freedom of action in a social context. For example, one has the right to free speech or freedom of association. In these cases, rights do not place a duty on other people. Other people, particularly progressives, see rights as a guarantee of services that should be provided to a person. They see this guarantee as of higher value than the inalienable rights of individuals to provide the guarantee. This whole issue is a topic that many on the right and the left do not fully understand.
IMMIGRATION RALLY IN ESCONDIDO. Last weekend my wife and I were in Escondido and we drove past a huge rally for immigration at the intersection of Highway 78 and Broadway. It was a very positive vibe. People standing up for human rights. Regular people standing up for their friends and family. People fighting against the narrative that illegal aliens are criminals that must be deported. Loved seeing the energy. But I did see an overwhelming number of Mexican flags compared to American flags. I get that these supporters are waving the Mexican flag to support Mexican immigrants, but I think doing so is a flawed strategy. They should be waving the American flag. First of all, they are in America because they want to be in America. There is something about America that attracts them to be here. Secondly, the American flag is a symbol for our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness… which is aligned with their cause. Using the American flag for it’s proper symbolism would be a good troll on the MAGAs who use the American flag to violate American ideals. But more than anything, I would think these people want to be Americans. They want to be part of American society. That’s why they are here. I support their quest to celebrate immigrants and fight against these evil, immoral deportation orders. These people should not be made scapegoats. We should welcome them as Americans in our melting pot… and encourage them to assimilate into society embracing American values.