Month: September 2026

GOP PROSPECTS OF RETAINING CONTROL OF CONGRESS SLIPPING AWAY

As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplemented by my personal opinion where indicated.

With little more than five weeks until Election Day according to various polls GOP prospects for retaining control of Congress appear bleak. As I have described in various recent blogs, incredibly, despite the fact that the Dems are running a conglomeration of far-left, neo-communist candidates who should have little appeal to mainstream voters, current polling indicates that they are tied or ahead in most of the key congressional races. How can this be? Glad you asked. Below please find my analysis of the reasons as well as my suggestions for turning the tide.

  1. According to multiple recent polls President Trump’s job approval has declined to record lows, between 35-39%. This is significant, because in the last ten years his popularity has provided a considerable boost to GOP candidates. Almost every candidate that he has endorsed has gone on to win the GOP primary and then the election.
  2. This decline has even been evident among his base. According to a recent poll conducted by the Marquette Law School his approval rating among “very conservative voters” declined from 84% in July to 76% in September. In addition, a recent poll in North Carolina exhibited signs of disaffection between some Republicans and President Trump as some races in which the GOP once had comfortable leads have become competitive or toss-ups.
  3. Putting aside the inane Trump haters the primary reasons are the economy and the Iran War. Only approximately 30% of the public approves of his handling of the economy, whereas approximately 63% have opined that his policies have made it worse. For example, they complain that the tariffis, the rate of inflation and the cost of food, energy, and other necessities are too high.
  4. This result is understandable since consumers are exposed to these items every day.
  5. On the other hand, in my view the criticism of his prosecution of the Iran War is unfounded, simplistic and short-sighted. Yes, it has dragged on longer than many of us had thought/hoped; yes, the end is not in sight; and yes it is the main reason for the high price of oil, which has impacted the entire US economy. However, let’s not forget that the main reason for the war was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The evidence was overwhelming that it was very close to achieving that, perhaps only weeks away. Iran’s own peace negotiators even admitted it, bragged about it. I and many others maintain that a nuclear-capable Iran would have been disastrous for the safety and security of not just the ME but the entire world, because its crazy leaders would have no hesitation to use it. We destroyed most of their nuclear stockpile and buried the rest under so many tons of debris that cannot be excavated. In my view that accomplishment “trumps” any and all of the negatives. Unfortunately for Trump unlike the oil prices, that success is intangible. One cannnot see it, touch it, or feel it. Thus, it has begun to fade from the public’s memory. It will not help the GOP in this election, but future historians will undoubtedly recognize it as an existential triumph for world peace and security.
  6. As I have reported in recent blogs voters are either unaware of the DSA candidates’ extreme principle policies, beliefs and past statements or are choosing to ignore them. The more extreme candidates like El-Sayed, James Talarico and Sherrod Brown, among others, have repeatedly expressed their antisemitism, anti-Israel opinions, and anti-Americanism, although in order to win a general election recently they have been moderating their tone. Don’t be fooled. Use your common sense. Their lifelong attitudes and prejudices did not really just change abruptly. You can be sure that if they were to gain control they would quickly revert back to their true selves. They will seek to shred the Constitution (e.g. eliminate the presidency, the Senate, the Supreme Court, ICE and the Pentagon, reopen out borders, pass universal cradle-to-grave healthcare for all, and release all prisoners, among others) and remake the country as a communist state. I am not making this up. They have posted these intentions repeatedly (although they may have deleted or altered most of them by now).

Ironically, recently there has been some positive news with respect to the economy. Unfortunately, these positive developments will likely not manifest themselves until 2027 or 2028. As frequently happens the next administration will probably get the credit even though the seeds for recovery have been sown by the previous one. For example:

  1. Illegal border crossings, which were rampant under the previous administration, have shrunken dramatically. The Department of Homeland Security has reported 16 consecutive months of zero releases (“catch and release”) of individuals that had crossed illegally, been detained, and subsequently deported through September 2026. As I have discussed in previous blogs this has had and will continue to have significant and far-reaching positive impact on the US, politically, economically, and socially.
  2. According to the Council on Criminal Justice and the FBI violent crimes in major U.S. cities, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, are all at or near alltime lows..They declined by approximately 10% during the first half of 2026, the latest figures available. This is not a “one-year wonder.” It represents a continuation of the trend in recent years..
  3. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the average life expectancy at birth in the United States is 79, 81.4 for females aad 76.5 for males. These are all record highs.
  4. The economy is growing. The Atlanta Fed has forecast 5% growth for the current quarter. Unfortunately for the Repubs the actual numbers will not be released until after the election.
  5. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate for August 2026 was holding steady at 4.1%. At the peak of the pandemic it was 8.1%.
  6. According to the Consumer Price Index, which monitors changes in the cost of everyday items such as groceries, shelter, clothing, health care and transportation, the rate of inflation over the past year was 2.7%. This rate is not bad by historical standards, and it is line with the Fed’s target rate. Nevertheless, the public’s perception is that it onerous, and in this case perception has become reality. The public is blaming President Trump, which is unfair. Let’s not forget the spendthrift policies of the previous administtration, which pandered to voters and ignited inflation. In my experience inflation, once ignited takes years to bring under control.
  7. The financial markets are booming. As I write this, the Dow is at 51,683; the S&P 500 is at 7,651; and the Nasdaq Composite is at 21,523. Some 44% of US households, or 58 million persons, own at least one IRA. Some own 401k and/or 403b accounts as well. Remember, the financial markets are leading indicators, which augurs well for the future. Persons in all socio-economic categories, not just the wealthy, own these accounts. They are all sharing in this newfound wealth, which is being generated by President Trump’s record-breaking tax cuts and other elements of his economic plan. Furthermore, leading financier, Jamie Dimond, is forecasting a small business boom, a manufacturing boom, and an employment boom. So, I understand the frustration of consumers with prices, but criticisms of Trump’s handling of the economy are superficial, shortsided, unfair, and just plain wrong.
  8. Speaking of inflation the Dems have been advocating a new “Green New Deal.” As usual, it sounds teriffic, money, money money for everyone but it will not work. Moreover, be advised that recent studies estimate the cost to be $212 trillion over the next ten years. That’s trillion with a “T,” and that’s probably understated. Quite simply, if enacted the GND would bankrupt the country. There would be no way to pay for it without printing excessive amounts of money, as if the current deficit is not high enough.

CONCLUSION

In order to turn the tide Repubs need to step up voters’ cognizance of the foregoing. At least, make sure they are aware of what they are voting for. They should focus on outlets where the Dem and independent voters get their news, such as streaming services, Tik Tok, and the like.

Early voting and mail-in voting have already commenced in some states. Many observers expect it to be substantial and perhaps decisive. Historically, Dems have been more prone to vote early than Repubs. This has often put Repubs in “catch-up” mode on ED. Not good. Repubs need to improve their oranization and match the Dems’ early voting totals. On ED they need to be organized and get their supporters to the polls. As always, voter turnout will be crucial.

Repubs, take heed. In the immortal words of the late Yogi Berra, “it gets late early.”

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MID-TERM ELECTIONS TILTING BLUE

As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplented by my personal opinion where indicated.

In a previous blog I explained why, in my opinion, this mid-term election was the most critical one in my lifetine, if not ever. The Repubs are clinging onto very slim majorities in both the House and the Senate, and cannot afford to lose any ground. If they do, (1) President Trump’s program will be thwarted; (2) a contentious Congress will be unable to agree on any meaningful legialation; (3) the public will once again be subjected to endless, meaningless and wasteful negotiations; (4) President Trump will likely be impeached again; and (5) the neo-communists will have established a toehold in the federal government.

In my opinion, based on President Trump’s many accomplishments and the fact that the Dem Party has moved far to the left with many of the candidates even embracing communist policies and beliefs the Repubs should be cleaningup. However, the Repubs have some problems, which are hurting them and may prove to be fatal.

  1. President Trump’s popularity appears to be waning. Various current polls place his national job approval rating at a paltry 35% to 38%. Moreover, his approval among registered Republicans has declined to about 78%, which is the lowest in his second term. His personal popularity or lack thereof, has always had a strong influence on the down-ballot races.
  2. President Trump has accomplished a great deal so far, perhaps as much as any previous president. Limitations of time and space preclude me from listing them all here. But, a few of the more significant ones would include (1) extending the “Trump Tax Cuts,” (2) depriving Iran of a nuclear weapon, and (3) securing the border to prevent illegal immigration and reduce the inflow of deadly drugs.
  3. Unfortunately for him most of the voting public is not focusing on those accomplishments at the current time. As always, they are most concerned about the economy, inflation and the cost of basic items such as food, gas, healthcare and rent/mortgage payments. That is where the Repubs are being hurt. Inflation has proven to be most stubborn. The latest rate is 3.4%, which prompted the Fed to raise interest rates for the first time in three years. This will affect consumers negatively in many basic areas such as mortgage rates, credit card debt and car loans. The price of a barrel of oil is over $100. The price of gas at the pump has risen to over $4.00 in many areas. The public is reminded of this every day. This is what it is focusing on.
  4. In the long run depriving Iran of a nuclear weapon will likely become recognized as President Trump’s greatest achievement. Unfortunately, at the moment that is an intangible benefit. It will not help the Repubs in this election. Many people are actually growing tired of the war. As I said, their attention has shifted elsewhere. Iran’s “rope a dope” strategy is beginning to work.
  5. Same with the tax cuts. They will spur the economy, but not until 2027 or 2028, again too late to help with this election.

Conclusion

We still have nearly six weeks to go before the election, but with the advent of early voting it is getting late. As usual, Americans seem to be overly concerned with short-term issues while ignoring the long term. Consequently, we appear to be on the cusp of electing a plethora of neo-communists to the Congress as well as various state and local offices. As I have said in previous blogs these far-left loons/communists hate America. They want to tear it down and remake the country into a communist state. Check out their past comments and postings. They are disguising their true beliefs in order to get elected. For example, suddenly El-Sayed is attempting to distance himself from notorious Jew and Israel hater Hasan Piker. Then, they will revert to their true beliefs.

The Dems have yet to offer any meaningful solutions to the issues they have been ranting about. All they have offered is hatred for President Trump. Evidentally, voters have forgotten how much worse the situation was under Biden.

Turnout will be the key to winning. Repubs must organize and get out the vote!

I hope I’m wrong, but future historians may very well view 2026 as the beginning of the end of America as we have known it.

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REPUB MIDTERM ELECTIONS CONVENTION

As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplemented by my personal opinion where indicated.

In my view, it is an absolutely brilliant strategy. Of course, I am referring to the GOP’s decision to assemble for a midterm elections convention. The focus will be on the various races in which the Repubs are behind or in a toss-up. It is the first of its kind, and I predict it will become a staple prospectively.

Most of the credit for this idea goes to President Trump, who is the driving force behind anything Repub. What is the objective? Quite simply, the Repubs and Dems are embroiled in a battle for the sole of America. The Repubs want to continue the 250-year direction of the country, whereas the Dems want to fundamentally change it, that is, tear it all down and rebuild it as a far left communist state. More on this below.

In these midterms the Repubs are not only going against the Dems, they are also fighting history. As we all know, typically the party in power almost always loses congressional seats in the midterm elections. Since 1934 the party holding the presidency has lost seats in one or both of the chambers of Congress in every midterm election except for 2002. Some of the losses were small; some were substantial. The reasons varied from election to election, but the central fact is that they lost seats.

Currently, the Repubs have very thin majorities in both chambers – 53-47 in the Senate and 218-214 in the House. To secure a majority, the Dems need to gain a net of just four seats in the Senate and three in the House in November’s elections. Given the highly contentious political landscape they cannot afford to lose control of even one of them, much less both. If they do, President Trump would instantly become a “lame duck,” his programs would likely be thwarted, nothing of consequence would get accomplished, and we could once again be subjected to endless and pointless investigations and another impeachment. That would be bad, but even worse the neo-communist radicals would have attained a toehold in the federal government.

Most of the 22 seats the GOP is defending are in states that President Trump won by comfortable margins in 2024. But, the unpopular war with Iran, the price of oil and gas, inflation, and persistent other affordability issues have helped render several Republican-held seats increasingly competitive. 

These are the 12 key Senate races to watch:

  1. Maine- Susan Collins (R) vs Troy Jackson (D). The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as a toss-up.
  2. Michigan – Abdul El-Sayed (D) vs. Mike Rogers (R) – The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as a toss-up.
  3. Ohio – Jon Husted (R) vs. Sherrod Brown (D) – The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as a toss-up.
  4. Dan Sullivan (R) vs. Mary Peltola (D) and others – Another candidate with same name as Repub Dan Sullivan has entered the race, which has confused matters. The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as a toss-up.
  5. Texas: Ken Paxton (R) vs. James Talarico (D) – The Cook Political Report and University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as a toss-up.
  6. Iowa: Josh Turek (D) vs. Ashley Hinson (R) – The Cook Political Report rates this race as a toss-up, while the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics ranks it as leaning Republican.
  7. Georgia – Jon Ossoff (D) vs. Mike Collins (R) – The Cook Political Report rates the race as leaning Democrat, while the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rates the race as likely Democrat.
  8. New Hampshire: Chris Pappas (D) vs. John Sununu (R) – The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as leaning Democrat.
  9. North Carolina: Michael Whatley (R) vs. Roy Cooper (D) -The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as leaning Democrat.
  10. Minnesota: Peggy Flanagan (D) vs. Michele Tafoya (R) -The Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as likely Democrat.
  11. Kansas: Roger Marshall (R) vs. Adam Hamilton (D) -The Cook Political Report and University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as likely Republican.
  12. Nebraska: Pete Ricketts (R) vs. Dan Osborn (I) – The Cook Political Report and University of Virginia’s Center for Politics rate this race as likely Republican.
  13. That amounts to five toss-ups, three leaning Repub and four leaning Dem. Polling for the House races was not available. I know it’s early, and two months is a lifetime in politics, but to quote the late Yogi Berra: “It gets late early.” In my view, Repubs have good reason to be concerned.

These DSA/neo-communists are not “liberals,” nor are they “progressives” as they would have voters believe. Those labels are way too tame. Some of them are far left “socialists,” but many others are dyed-in-the-wool “communists.” They are not looking to negotiate with those who advocate different political views. They are not interested in compromise. They are not even looking to replicate the socialist systems of, for example, Sweden and Denmark. That would be bad enough but they want more. They have already taken control of the Dem Party since the Dem leaders, Schumer and Jeffries, as well as the moderate Dems have been afraid to challenge them. Their ultimate goal is to seize power and control over every facet of Americans’ lives. They want to control food distribution, child-rearing, medical care and wealth distribution, among others. They will confiscate private citizens’ wealth and property, like one’s home and car, and redistribute it to those deemed “needy.” This will not occur right away. It will happen so gradually you will not even notice until it is too late.

Look at the history of Soviet Russia. At the time of the Russian Revolution there were only about 24,000 Bolsheviks in Russia out of a total population of roughly 18 million, but they were aggressive, vicious and well-organized. We all know what happened.

If you think it can’t happen here, think again. Just a few years ago would you have thought that NYC with the largest Jewish population of any city in the world outside of Israel woud elect an antisemitic, anti-Israel, communist mayor? Could you have envisioned dozens of neo-communists running for office and/or being elected? I think not, but here we are.

They hate America and the American way of life. They want to tear it all down and rebuild it in the manner of Soviet Russia, Communist China and Cuba. Some of their more outlandish goals are to abolish the office of the President, the Senate, the electoral college, the Pentagon, and ICE, open the borders to one and all who want to emigrate, curtail the powers of the Supreme Court and the police, release all prisoners, allow boys and men to compete against girls and women in sports, and much much more. They hate Jews and Israel. They want to cease granting any foreign aid to Israel, which is our most reliable ally in the critical and unstable ME.

It appears that not all the DSA candidates are hardcore extreme radicals. They may not all espouse all of the most inane elements of the DSA’s platform, but I maintain that all of them, by going along with and not condemning nor even challenging the more radical wing are tarred with the same brush.

CONCLUSION:

Regardless of the aforementioned history that the Party with the president in office gets “smoked” in midterm elections, based on the issues there is no way these elections should be this close. It defies all logic. The Dem s’ primary issue is their blind hatred of President Trump. They criticize, but they do not offer any sensible, viable alternatives. For instance, they continually criticize his prosecution of the Iran War ignoring the fact that the overriding issue to deprive Iran of nuclear weapons has been achieved. In my view, that was a life and death issue. If Iran were to possess a nuclear weapon it would very likely use it, and even if it didn’t we would all have to live under the threat that it could do so at any time.

The Dems are attempting to “put Trump on the ballot” figuratively. Enough already! Personal opinions of him are not as important as his policies and accomplishments, which I have detailed in previous blogs. Current polls have disclosed that Trump’s approval ratings are low, but this is not a popularity contest. It is fair to dislike him on a personal level, but one cannot reasonably criticize his policies. Although he is not literally on the ballot, in my opinion his policies are. He deserves another two years to continue them.

By their own words and written statements the Dems are on the wrong side of a myriad of 80-20 issues. The only sensible explanation for all the close races is that the voting public is unaware of how radical they really are. Furthermore, in order to win their elections they are beginning to portray themselves as more moderate than they really are. They are “walking back” previous statements and deleting or modifying previously-posted comments. This gaslighting has worked in prior elections. Don’t let them get away with it now. Their true beliefs are on the record. Spread the word.

I will stipulate that the mainstream media has aided and abetted the Dems in disguising their true beliefs, but it is also true that the Repubs have done a poor job in exposing them. Now, post-Labor Day, the electorate will commence to focus on the elections. Now is the time for the Repubs to swing into action.

This election is the most critical one in my lifetime, maybe ever. Repubs need to wake up and focus. They need to disseminate the Dems’ true policies to the voting public and ask them if they are in favor of these outlandish, radical positions or not. Like I said, if voters were cognizant of the true facts these elections would not be close.

Moreover, they need to get out the vote. Turnout is usually a major factor in elections. Typically, in off-year elections the turnout rate is only about 40% compared to about 60% in presidential elections. That will not be acceptable. The Dems are well-organized, well-funded, determined and laser-focused. The Repubs must match that intensity or else we will all be headed to disaster.

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9/11 PLUS 25

As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplemented by my personal opinion, where indicated.

Wow! Has it really been 25 years? As they say, time flies. Those of us who experienced that horrific day will never forget it. We will always remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news. It was shocking to learn that a group of terrrorists had managed to hijack four commercial airplanes, fly two of them into the World Trade Center and another one into the Pentagon. A fourth hijacked plane that was headed for Washington, DC crashed when the passengers rebelled and attacked the hijackers.

The WTC was one of the symbols of America and was assumed to be impregnable. And yet, both towers were destroyed and collapsed. The Pentagon, a symbol of our military might, was damaged but not totally destroyed.

Many have compared the foregoing event to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I get it. Both attacks were shocking and heinous. Both resulted in thousands of Americans dead, maimed and wounded. However, in my opinion 9/11 was worse, because the victims were not armed forces personnel, but innocent civilians who were going about their daily routine – work, school, whatever. Moreover, it all unfolded on tv right before our very eyes. I was one of thousands who were actually there. I experienced some of it live and then on tv over and over again like the replay of a sporting event I have to tell you; once was more than enough. Like many other people I lost friends. So sad and unnecessary.

I will never forget the sight of office workers who, trapped by fire and facing certain death, actually jumped from the towers, in some cases actually holding hands, choosing one horrible method of death rather than a worse one. Then, we all witnessed the horror of watching on tv as both towers collapsed and hundreds of bystanders on the streets were forced to run for their lives.

For purposes of this blog I will presume that you are all well-versed in the details of the events of that day and ensuing days, and in the interest of time and space I see no point in my regurgitating it all now . Over the years there have been a plethora of books, movies, and tv shows describing all of that in great detail. Instead I would like to focus this blog on this year’s events of remembrance and, in particular, the controversy surrounding Comrade Zoh’s intention to participate in them.

As most of you are aware Zoh, by his own words and deeds, has made it clear he is no friend of America and the American way of life. In my view, he actually hates America and wants to tear it all down. He and his cohorts have espoused the view that America “instigated” the attacks by their policies and actions and “deserved” it.

Consequently, Zoh has no right to participate in the 9/11 remembrance agenda at all. Nevertheless, he has stated he will do so. It’s obvious that he has a political agenda for doing so. It would be a clear insult to the memory of those who perished, and it has created a firestorm of protests. Nobody wants him there, not the former federal, state and local officials who dealt with the aftermath, not their current counterparts (excluding Zoh’s likeminded supporters), not the first responders and other heroes who saved lives and helped clean up in the aftermath, not the survivors who lived through it, and certainly not the families of those who perished.

Below please find a sampling of some of their reactions:

  1. They are cognizant that Zoh has associated himself with and received the support, advice, and political donations from other extremists, such as Hasan Piker, who have condemned America and blame it for provoking the attacks by its support of Israel and other “objectionable” actions (in their view).
  2. Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was lauded for his leadership through the aftermath, opined that Zoh is worse than bin Laden and the actual terrorists because they were upfront regarding their hatred of America, whereas he tries to hide it. I agree.
  3. Over 100,000 of the victims’ families have signed or indicated support for a petition objecting to Zoh’s participation.
  4. Former NYS Governor George Pataki noted that “anyone who has refused to reject the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ … should not [be allowed to participate in the ceremonies].”
  5. Some of the objections of the victims survivors focused not only on his anti-American policies, but also whom he has hired and associated with, such as Ramzi Kassem, who was the attorney for an al Qaeda terrorist.

In the aftermath, many Americans were shocked, angry and searching for answers as to how this could happen. Over 2,700 innocent persons perished that day, and many more were physically wounded and mentally and emotionally traumatized. Health officials predicted that in the ensuing years many more than that would die from post-911 health problems. Indeed, some health issues, such as cancers and pulmonary-related symptoms would not appear for many years. At the present time, according to federal records nearly 9,770 additional persons have died in the intervening years. Unfortunately, there will be more.

On the other hand, the people were infused with as strong a sense of patriotism as I have ever experienced. They rallied behind their political leaders such as President George W. Bush, Governor George Pataki and especially Mayor Rudy Giulani. Giuliani became known as “America’s Mayor.” One day, I was eating in a restaurant in NYC when he walked in to dine. He recived a rousing standing ovation from everyone. That’s how popular he was.

In a rare burst of bypartisanship we created the Department of Homeland Security to unite all the various federal law enforcement agencies under one umbrella and passed the Patriot Act. We hunted down and killed bin Laden on May 11, 2011.

Alas, that patriotic fervor has not lasted. It began to dissipate under Presidents Obama and Biden. On their watch millions of unvetted illegal aliens were allowed to enter. We don’t know who they are, where they are, how many there are, or their intent. In any event their presence renders us vulnerable to additional terrorist attacks prospectively.

CONCLUSION

Currently, we are being plagued by a far worse enemy, a multitude of far left/neo-communist politicians who hate America and the American way of life. Their intent is to tear it all down and remake it in their own style. This was considered to be unthinkable as recently as a few years ago. In my view this is potentially more damaging than all the terrorist attacks combined, yet much of the electorate remains unaware and unengaged. How ironic it would be for the most powerful nation in the world to be brought down not by another country but by the enemy within.

In the immediate aftermath we pledged to “never forget,” yet there are indications that that is what is occurring. Only two states, Arizona and Florida require a school curriculum that teaches 9/11 in public schools. In addition, according a study published by a group of college proefessors of ME Studies 2/3 of their students are unaware of who attacked us on 9/11 and why. Furthermore, woke educators have introduced a curriculum that omits and distorts facts. Sadly, we are raising an entire generation of people unaware of the real story of 9/11.

Zoh is toxic; and his opinions, policies and deeds are toxic. He has no right to be a participant. He doesn’t care about the victims and their families. He is just trying to score political points. He is a phony and a charleton.

He should STAY AWAY.

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EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE DOESN’T LIE

As always, the contents of this blog are a compendium of multipal media reports supplemented by my personal opinion where indicated.

There’s nothing as reliable as empirical evidence. One can debate, forecast and hypothesize endlessly regarding an issue or the effectiveness of a policy, but observing it in action always tells the tale. And so it is with respect to comrade Zoh’s outlandish campaign promises, for example, his attitude towards Israel and the Jews,and his goal to redistribute wealth, which is a classic principle of communism. Below please find a sample:

1. Buses “fast and free”  –  has not been implemented. Cost to date, in excess of $1billion.

2. Boasted he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu if and when he came to NYC. He has characterized him as a war criminal. He has accused him of starving children, bombing hospitals, and various other human rights violations. Yet, he has ignored Hamas’ horrific attack of Israel on 10/7 and numerous other heinous crimes. (Later, he admitted that he doesn’t have the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu.) Either he had been playing to his anti-Israel, antisemitic base for votes, he was ignorant of the law regarding visiting diplomats or a combination of the two. You decide. In any event, the result was to foment a climate of hate towards Israel and Jews. He continually condones verbal abuse and physical crimes against Jews, which, as I have blogged recently, have increased sharply in NYC (as well as all over the world). For example, he urged people to ”take to the streets streets” to protest Netanyahu’s visit.  What did he think would happen?

3. Raise money to fund his lavish programs by raising taxes on corporations and imposing a 2% surcharge on personal income taxes of “affluent” NYC residents. Predictably, this has driven corporations (and their taxpaying employees) and the wealthy to flee NYC for business and tax “fiendlier” locales such as Florida and Texas. Incidentally, there is no definition of “affluent.” Many people who don’t consider themselves to be affluent might be suprised to find out that they fit into that category. To date, Governor Hochul has blocked these policies, however, after the midterms I believe she will “reassess” her position.

4 He has advocated opening five city-owned grocery stores, which he says will provide cheaper prices. This is classic Marxism. If true, small neighborhood grocery stores will not be able to compete and will be driven out of business. Comrade Zoh knows this, but he doesn’t seem to care. Five have been promised; as yet, none has been built, although locations of two have been disclosed. The first one is not projected to open until 2027. I don’t believe that is a realistic date, and neither should you. The estimated cost of the five stores is $70 million. In my view the opening will be delayed for years, if it ever happens, and the cost will be substantially higher. Moreover, these stores will not be full service. They will not offer meat nor hot food, and not all products will be discounted. There is much we don’t know about their proposed operation. Remember, the devil is always in the details, but we know from experience in Russia, Cuba and other communist counties that the concept does not work.

5. Free universal child care for children as young as six weeks old. As I write this, the administration has commenced a four-year rollout for two year-olds and older. No one knows what the cost will be and how it will be funded, although we can all guess.

6. Replace the role of the NYPD on 911 calls. Not implemented yet (thankfully). Does anyone really believe this would work?

7. Freeze rents. Landlords have sued. This policy needs further study. I believe that there would be various negative unintended consequences if this policy were to be inacted

CONCLUSION

In previous blogs I have described the DSA’s neo-communist policies. Perhaps, not all of the candidates espouse all of them, but they are tied to them nonetheless. Also, they all have made it very clear that the central themes that unite them all are anti-Israel, antisemitism and hatred of all things Trump. And yet, they haven’t proposed any viable, realistic, beneficial alternatives.

In addition, by his words and deeds it is apparent that Comrade Zoh has declared war on individual wealth.  As I described above, his policies demonstrate his intent on punishing the wealthy for their success by redistributing it. The irony is that his family has considerable wealth, and he grew up in privilege. That is classic communist doctrine. Redistribute the wealth of others but not mine.

In summary, what has Comrade Zoh accomplished in his eight months in office? In my view, not much. Certainly nothing that would benefit the city. I would venture to say that some of those who voted for him are disillusioned and would like a redo. Sorry, you voted for him, and you’re stuck with him for the next three plus years.

Mazel Tov!

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DSA ELECTION GASLIGHTING

As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplemented by my personal opinion where indicated.

I have published multiple blogs describing the Dem’s pre-election gaslighting. Some of you may recall the essence of it, but I suspect an equal number of you will not. In any event, I am repeating it because it is a critical topic in what I believe is the most crucial and transformative election in my lifetime to date.

It happens every election cycle like clockwork. It is one of the few things upon which we can rely along with death, taxes and the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. Of course, I am referring to DSA pre-election gaslighting. I know all politicians shade the truth, exaggerate and obfuscate to a degree. Otherwise, they wouldn’t get elected. However, what the far left Dems have habitually done and will continue to do is far more extreme than that. They do it every election cycle, and aided and abetted by a compliant mainstream media and an apathetic voting public, it is often successful. So prepare yourself to be bombarded with an array of “I was misquoted;” “those comments were taken out of context,” “what I really meant was….,” and my favorite, “my position on that has evolved.” In my view the classic case of gaslighting in recent years was perpetrated by Abigail Spanberger, the current governor of Virginia. She ran as a moderate, but soon after taking office this past January she commenced to govern as a radical lefty. She isn’t the only one either, just the one that sticks in my mind.

In the past year the neo-communists on the radical left have become emboldened. Many of them are no longer reticent about their intentions. They have come right out and told us. For example, in his 2025 mayorial campaign Zohran Mamdani freely touted his radical policies, many of which could have been written by Karl Marx, as well as his strong anti-Israel/antisemitic opinions. Despite that and despite the fact that NYC has a Jewish population of some 960,000, which comprises about 12% of the city’s population, inexplicably, he won handily.

As the radicals in the DEM party have become more aggressive, at the same time the moderates have become more reticent. I believe as do many other observers that they are afraid of being primaried. They don’t realize that regardless of how far “left” they go it will never be enough for these radicals. They will be primaried anyway. This situation reminds me of an analogy. A man is confronted by a wild lion that he is afraid will eat him. So, he keeps feeding the lion to delay it from happening. Unfortunately, eventually he will run out of meat, and the lion will eat him anyway.

Schumer and Jeffries have been claiming that the Dem Party has a “big tent,” and the radicals are welcome to share it. That sharing will never last. History tells us that appeasement never works. An aggressor will continue to take, take, and take some more until he confronted and thwarted. Either they are incredibly naive and dumb, or they think we are. As I wrote in my blog “The Camel’s Nose” eventually the radicals will take over.

In case you have forgotten or only watch CNN and MSNBC below please find some of the radicals’ inane agenda items. I have included them in previous blogs, but perhaps a refresher is needed. I’m not making them up. They have been published, and they are available to anyone who wants to bother to research them.

  1. Abolish the Senate and the office of the President.
  2. Expand the membership of the Supreme Court and reduce its powers.
  3. Abolish the electoral college.
  4. Open our borders to any and all who want to emigrate.
  5. Release all prisoners.
  6. Abolish ICE.
  7. Universal cradle to grave medical insurance administered by the federal government.
  8. Government takeover of the education system.
  9. Government takeover of all private property.
  10. Terminate foreign aid to Israel.
  11. Tax the rich and even the not so rich.
  12. Redisbute wealth from the “haves” to the “have nots.”

The DSA and the media are not publicizing these because 90% of the voters would be appalled and would not approve of most of them. They are perpetuating a massive deception along the lines of the “Trojan Horse.” To me, any and all DSA candidates are married to these policies whether they have espoused them or not. Many of them are unworkable, illegal and/or would bankrupt the country, but they don’t care.

Currently, two of the most prominant races involve Abdul El-Sayed and James Talerico, who are running for US Senate in MI and TX, respectively. As I write this a survey by The Hill shows El-Sayed with a slight lead over his Repub opponent Mike Rogers, and a survey of likely voters in TX has disclosed that Talerico is in a dead heat with his Repub opponent. In light of the foregoing DSA platform these results defy all logic. I can only attribute it to gaslighting the voters.

Both men have said things in the past that they now want to walk back. When they said them they were unknown and few people paid them any attention. Now, that they are running for high office people are scrutinizing them, and a substantial majority would disagree. Since the comments are on tape they can’t deny them they now claim they have “reassessed” their opinions. In reality they really believed those positions and still do. They don’t regret saying what they said. They just regret they were uncovered.

El-Sayed’s well-publicized close relationship with Hasan Piker, a rabid antisemite political commentator, is a good example of the foregoing. Heretofore, even the hint of such a relationship would have damaged his campaign beyond repair. Lately he has been trying to distance himself from Piker, but Piker, himself has been confirming and reconfirming their relationship. I don’t see how he can do it, but on the other hand the voters don’t seem to care. In fact, many of them probably view it as a plus.

In addition to the above radical agenda items I wonder how many voters in MI, where the economy is heavily dependent upon automobiles with internal combustion engines, are cognizant of the fact that El-Sayed (1) has repeatedly stated his preference for electric vehicles over gas, (2) has said that if one wants to achieve the “American Dream” move to Canada, and (3) has advocated banning fireworks on the 4th of July. These comments are a matter of record, and now that he realizes they are unpopular he is attempting to “walk them back.” Of course, the compliant media has not pressed him as to what led him to change his opinion, but it’s obvious to me and many others. Similarly, James Talerico has been trying to “walk back” past comments such as “capitalism is oppressive,” “there are six genders,” and his preference for vegan food over beef.

Conclusion

As always, the Dems will be running on negativism and hate, hate for Trump, hate for Israel, hate for Jews, and hate for America and the American way of life. They will denote the rate of inflation, in particular, the rising costs of food, oil, and healthcare. Historically, cost of living has been the most important issue for voters, so unless things change in the next two months this will be damaging to the Repubs.

They will question President Trump’s prosecution of the war against Iran ignoring the fact that its purpose was to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear capability, which has been achieved. They will accuse Israel of genocide in the ME ignoring the human rights violations of the Islamic terrorists in the region. All the while they will not be able to offer any viable solutions. They don’t really want to solve any of these problems; they just crave power, and once they achieve it, they will not relinquish it.

Unfortunately, the issues regarding the economy are painful and tangible. People experience them every day. On the other hand, depriving Iran of a nuclear weapon is intangible. It’s not something people can see, feel, touch or experience, although I would argue that it holds more significance. In addition, Trump’s actions to bring down the price of oil, which will jumpstart the economy, will not be felt until after the election.

Even though President Trump is not on the ballot personally his policies are. If the Dems gain control of even one house of Congress his entire program will cease. Once again, we will be subjected to endless investigations and another impeachment. Nothing will get accomplished for the remainder of the second term.

Finally, as I have written in previous blogs, in my opinion this election will be the most critical one in my lifetime. It is about much more than the usual issues. It is about America itself. Do we want to retain our way of life that has stood for 250 years, namely capitalism, free enterprise, individualism and a free society under the protection of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, or do we want to tear it all down and slide into the abyss of communism. Make no mistake. That is the goal of the radical DSA neo-communists. Change would be gradual and largely unnoticeable to most people, but make no mistake, once we enter onto that slippery slope there will be no turning back.

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LABOR DAY

As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplemented by my personal opinion where indicated.

On September 7 we will celebrate Labor Day (“LD”).  As we all know, the holiday has traditionally been celebrated on the first Monday of September.  It is a federal holiday to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the US economy. It is celebrated in various forms and at various dates in approximately 80 countries.

To most Americans LD merely symbolizes the unofficial end of summer and the impending beginning of the school year.  They enjoy the three-day weekend off from work.  They spend the day with family and/or friends. They enjoy picnics, parades, vacations, shopping, baseball games and other sports activities, and barbecues. They lament, but grudgingly accept, holiday traffic and long lines at airports.

According to multiple sources more people will be flying this year than in prior years. The TSA expects up to 17.5 million travelers nationwide over the Labor Day 2026 holiday travel period. More bad news, airfare is up 23% compared to last year. Saavy air travelers know that there are certain conditions they can control. For example, flying on the “right” day is the number one factor in controlling prices and crowds. Also, one can find bargains by flying economy, and/or by choosing a flight with stops. Moreover, it might pay to rent a car in lieu of flying. Those rates are down about 9% compared to last year.

AAA advises that the worst days to travel on the roads will be the Thursday and Friday before the weekend particularly in the afternoons and evenings as holiday travelers conjoin with commuters. For returning travelers Monday is expected to be the worst travel day. To avoid the heaviest traffic, drive before the afternoon rush on Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday or Sunday. Astute travelers know to hit the roads either early in the morning or in the evening to mitigate problems. Use your GPS to mitigate or avoid unforeseen problems. As always, adverse weather and/or accidents could easily cause further complications, disruptions, and delays.

This year, the cost of domestic air travel will be up some 20%; domestic hotel prices will be 9% higher; and the price of gas at the pump is expected to remain high. In fact, this year could be the first time in history that gas averages over $4 on Labor Day.

Midst all this gloom and doom there is some good news. Major retailers will be running end-of-summer and holiday weekend sales on products such as appliances, technical equipment, clothing, and outdoor gear.

What is the meaning and purpose of LD?  Why do we celebrate it?  How did it come about?  Good questions.  Read on for the answers.

As I said above, the purpose of LD is to celebrate the accomplishments of the American Labor movement.  Whatever one’s political views and affiliations, I think it is important and appropriate to understand Labor’s contributions to the growth and development of the US.  For one thing, cheap labor was an integral component of the Industrial Revolution.  When all was said and done, someone had to build all the roads, railroads, and cars, and operate all the factories and steel mills.  In addition, the labor activism of the late 1800s and early 1900s was largely responsible for the relatively high wages and extensive benefits that are enjoyed by today’s US labor force (compared to that of other countries).

It should be noted that union membership has been declining sharply and steadily.  For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics union membership peaked percentage-wise in 1954 when approximately one-third of the nonagricultural workforce belonged to a labor union. By contrast in 2026 the rate is around 10%. Moreover, the flood of illegal immigrants in recent years has served to depress wages of both union and non-union workers.

The history of LD began in the 1870s in Canada.  Labor Unions were illegal in Canada at the time, and 26 members of the Toronto Typographical Union had been imprisoned for striking for a nine-hour work day.  That action led to demonstrations and rallies and the raising of the profile of labor unrest in both Canada and the US.  Two of the most outspoken leaders were Peter McGuire, founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and an official of the American Federation of Labor, and Matthew Maguire, Secretary of the Central Labor Union in NY.

Historical accounts differ, but one or both of these men are credited with being the first to propose a holiday to celebrate labor.  In any event, the CLU planned and organized the first LD celebration in NYC on September 5, 1885.  Approximately, 20,000 workers and their families participated.  The concept spread.  In 1887 Oregon became the first state to sanction the holiday.

The Pullman Labor Strike in 1893 provided the final impetus for a national labor holiday.  The Pullman Company had been founded and was run by George Pullman.  Pullman, IL, where the company operated, was a classic company town.  All the workers lived there and paid rent to the company, which was automatically deducted from their paychecks.  Workers’ housing was segregated according to their jobs; everyone shopped at the Company Store.

Many viewed such an arrangement as a form of slavery, because workers were, in actuality, trapped due to their omnipresent debt to the Company. (Think of the song “Sixteen Tons.”)  In 1893 the country was in the midst of a recession.  The company laid off hundreds of workers and reduced the wages of many others.  Of course, living expenses remained constant.  These actions led to a strike.  President Cleveland declared the strike to be illegal and “broke” it with Federal troops.  Some striking workers were killed in the ensuing violence.

This incensed many Americans, and 1894 was an election year.  So, Congress expeditiously passed a bill establishing LD as a national holiday, and the President promptly signed it into law.  This entire process took only six days, so you can imagine the extent of the public outcry.  Incidentally, this action failed to save President Cleveland’s political career; he was defeated anyway.

Eventually, the government settled on the first Monday in September as the official date.  Many countries celebrate it on May 1 in conjunction with International Workers’ Day, but the Federal government did not want the association with that date for obvious reasons.

One of the supreme ironies of LD is that because it is such a big shopping day, many workers, especially retailers, are required to work.  LD is considered to be one of the biggest retail sales days of the year.  Some people use the day as a benchmark to change over their summer clothes to fall clothes.  Fashion-minded people claim it the latest day when one should wear white clothes (although “winter white,” whatever that is, is still permissible.)

Like other holidays, LD should be a time for all of us to come together and reflect on what makes America, despite its flaws, the greatest country in the world.  Disaffected residents as well as some people in other countries may like to criticize us for our real and perceived flaws, yet foreigners still want to come here, in some cases, desperately.  In essence, many of them are “voting with their feet.”

Despite what you may see on tv or read in newspapers or on social media, most Americans are decent, hard-working, caring persons.  Whenever disaster or tragedy strikes we unite to help those in distress.  Many have donated their time and/or money without being asked and without expecting any payback or even recognition.  If you doubt me, just look at the outpouring of kindness and empathy shown by “average” Americans toward the victims of the catastrophic events in recent years, such as superstorm Sandy, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and mass shootings. Those people, not the destructive thugs and professional agitators one sees on the tv news destroying property, attacking the police, and beating up those with whom they disagree, are the “real” Americans.  It is the proverbial “silver lining” in a very dark cloud.

CONCLUSION

Why does the summer season appear to be so short? Every year it seems like summer has just begun and here comes LD, which signals the end of the season. I believe it is because in our minds, we transfer the approximately three post-Labor Day weeks of the season to Autumn, because the weather gets cooler, summer rentals terminate, and schools reopen.

I hope you all enjoy your LD holiday however you choose to spend it.  Feel free to tell me how you celebrated it.

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