economy
World’s Greatest Shakedown: California Reparations
The very notion of reparations is a ludicrous attempt to re-direct and correct every part of history
California, the go-to state for many in the 20th century is now the must leave state in the 21st century, replete with crumbling cities, high crime, over-taxation, brownouts, stifling regulations, and a pending shakedown for the ages.
In 2020, a nine-member reparations taskforce was established by Governor Gavin Newsom. Since then, heated debates on reparations for black Californians have transpired. Initially the taskforce suggested $220,000 per person. Then, they decided that $350,000 was more appropriate.
Five days ago, the taskforce recommended $1.2 million per person. Days later, activists demanded $200 million for every African-American, the current value of 40 acres and mule! Never mind that since 1860, few U.S. families have ever amassed and maintained such sums.
The Granddaddy of Racial Shakedowns
Based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates, 2.3 million people identify solely as African American or black, not the 1.8 million that everyone seems to be quoting. If each of 2.3 million people receives $1.2 million, the California reparation bill would equal $2,760,000,000,000 ($2.76 trillion). The state’s entire annual budget is merely $320 billion. So the ‘reparations debt’ would be nearly nine times the annual budget.
If California could somehow could raise an additional $1,000,000 an hour, 24 hours a day, non-stop, it only would take 315 years to reach $2.76 trillion. At $200 million per black person, if the state could somehow raise $10,000,000 per hour, 24 hours a day, non-stop, it would take more than 5,000 years to pay for the ‘reparations debt.’
Even at the lower figure, of $1.2 million per person, count on a mass migration to California. And it would be game on for every race faker in existence. Oh, and does it matter that since 1965, the Federal Government has spent more than $21 trillion on programs for affirmative action and equal opportunity?
Why fret about such trivial monetary details?
Slavery, No; Discrimination, Yes
Beyond the insane sums, other insolvable issues linger: California was not a slave state. Okay, maybe former slaves moved there.
During the time of slavery, free blacks in the U.S. owned black slaves. So… now what? Document that your ancestors were slaves, owned by white people, to cash in? If they were owned by black people, however, you receive nothing?
Regarding discrimination, it is undeniable. Darker-skinned and yellow-skinned citizens who have emigrated within the last generation do well, however, according to the American Community Survey, part of the U.S. Census Bureau. How is reparation accounting affected as Pakistani, Indian, Malaysian, Sri Lankan, and Filipino Americans residing in California and all over the country have higher median family income than whites? Are whites being discriminated against?
Counting Everyone?
Other groups besides blacks faced, and face, discrimination in major ways. The Chinese, in San Francisco and statewide, suffered decades of discrimination, as did Mexicans, Latin Americans, and American Indians. In some respects, such discrimination continues. People with disabilities and woman faced, and face, discrimination.
For generations women were discriminated against, certainly in terms of businesses they may have operated or tried to launch, in property rights, and even in family rights.
As to the question “Who is black” should California resort to the racist doctrine about “one single drop of blood?” Thus, if you have any black ancestors, you’re considered black? Or, do you have to pass a contemporary standard? It’s a conundrum that can’t be solved.
Boiled down, a wokester’s favorite target remains: white males. Apparently white males never endured hardship and caused everyone else to suffer. These males, however, have had historically higher suicide rates than women, shorter lifespans, higher incarceration rates, and a greater incidence of mental illness.
Okay, Settle It
The notion of reparations, beyond being the all-time shakedown, that makes BLM look like amateurs, is a ludicrous attempt to redirect and correct every part of history, apparently a key Leftist agenda item. It cannot be done: Tall people have higher lifetime earnings than short people. Active people fare better than inactive people. Educated people, obviously, have the odds stacked in their favor, and so forth.
Do you want to emulate Kurt Vonnegut’s plot in his short story Harrison Bergeron? In it, equality reigns supreme: No one is permitted to be stronger, better looking, or smarter than anybody else. If you’re strong, you must proceed in life with one hand literally tied behind your back. If you’re attractive, you need to wear a mask, and so on.
Here’s a thought that I once felt I’d never have: If there were some fair and effective way to distribute a reasonable, affordable sum to verifiably black people, whose descendants have long been discriminated against, okay. Put this grievance to bed for all time.
Recipients can invest the money, pay for their children’s education, or do whatever they want with it. Once the money is dispensed, no more talk about reparations.
Ever.
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Business
Top Motivational Speaker Predicts Hard Times in 2024
Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame Member Sees Tough Times Ahead
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One of the top 50 speakers in the world and Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame Member, Chris Widener, tells us why he thinks 2024 is going to be a very hard year for Americans. Watch the short video below and let us know what you think in the comments!
The pressure is building on President Joe Biden. He has rightly taken a stand in support of Israel in defending their country and doing what they can to eliminate Hamas from Gaza. Yes, he is straddling the fence a bit, calling on Israel to do whatever it can to limit innocent civilian casualties. But he has positioned our military resources to back up his support for Israel and protection for our forces in the Middle East.
President Biden has warned nations not to open a second front against Israel. He was adamant, “Don’t, don’t, don’t!” To this point, his words may have resulted in restraint, but forces from Lebanon have initiated some missile attack, and our bases in Iraq and Syria have put our own soldiers in harm’s way.
Recent polls indicate that up to 82% of Americans support Israel after seeing the gruesome images of those savaged from the Hamas attacks on October 6th. But those polls are sure to come down as more demonstrations support “Palestinian freedom” and Israel’s ground invasion results in reported civilian casualties.
Already, Iran and NATO ally Turkey have expressed a willingness to consider joining the fight against Israel if the war on Palestine continues. Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has threatened the United States while speaking at the United Nations. “I say frankly to the American statesmen who are now managing the genocide in Palestine. I warn, if the genocide in Gaza continues, they will not be spared from this fire.” Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan, an Islamist, spoke at a massive pro-Palestinian rally calling Hamas “freedom fighters” and calling Israel an “occupier.”
To appease their own citizens, many Middle Eastern countries, who have demonized Israel for decades, will need to criticize Israel and show some visible support for the Palestinian cause. Hamas knows that and, using innocent civilians as shields, will give them all the images they need of lost civilian lives to stir even more demonstrations and attacks on US embassies in the area.
Visions of a World War III with nuclear implications are being fueled in the media. Jews are coming under attack around the world in ways not seen since World War II. Stores and synagogues are being vandalized here in America. With growing demonstrations with Israel, will Biden’s support for Israel hold steady?
Because of past decisions Biden has made, the price for his support of Israel will only grow. Having curtailed our own oil drilling and processing and used much of our petroleum reserves to help bring down the cost of gas in America, we must import oil to help meet domestic needs.
In response to the war on Hamas, there will be pressure to cut off Middle Eastern oil to America. The immediate result of such a cutoff would be further increases in the cost of fuel for Americans. That would fuel more inflation and an even bigger economic disaster for America’s middle class. With up to seventy percent of Americans already living paycheck to paycheck, higher fuel costs will just make things worse. Salaries are not keeping up with the ever-growing cost of living for fuel and food. Workers are striking for higher wages, which will only create more inflation.
Middle Eastern oil embargos would seriously impact our economy. If you are old enough, you remember the long lines at gas stations in the 80’s. Fifty years after the 1973 Arab oil embargo crippled the American economy, an expanded war in the Middle East has the potential of again disrupting global oil supplies. In response to the conflict, oil prices are already approaching 90 dollars per barrel.
Yes, Trump has proved that we have the oil to maintain energy independence. Oil drilling and production could be reopened. We have the oil to meet our needs, but it would take time for production to meet our demand.
An expanded war in the Middle East could certainly impact more than our economy and the cost of living. President Biden’s open border policy has resulted in any number of terrorists crossing our border and moving freely throughout the United States. With our border resources stretched, far too many have entered our country without proper vetting or controls.
It didn’t take many motivated terrorists to attack the US on 9/11. If terrorists are unleashed on multiple American cities, the cost could be enormous. If so, there will be only one person to blame—President Joe Biden. In an attempt to bring in hordes of appreciative future voters and cheap labor for big business, the Democrats have opened America to any number of devastating terrorist attacks.
May President Biden prove your doubters wrong. Close the border now! Stop normalizing relations with Iran. Freeze the 6 billion dollars being held in Qatar for Iran’s “humanitarian use.” Reinstitute sanctions until Iran stops support for Hamas and Hezbollah and affirms the right of Israel to exist.
Finally, continue to have Israel’s back. If their enemies open other fronts and attack our soldiers in the area, use our forces offshore to neutralize those foolish enough to attack our allies and our forces. Such a strong stand will cost you with the extreme left in your own party but stay the course. The world needs a strong America, and it’s your job to prove that continues to be true.
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