Tag: politics

THE DEMISE OF WESTERN EUROPE

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

What has happened to the once solid, stable, pro-Western and powerful Western European countries? In this blog I will be focusing on England and France, but much of what follows could also pertain to the other countries in the region. Incidentally, what is generally referred to as Western Europe includes Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. I’m not just focusing on the current rioting and lawlessness plaguing these countries. That is most disturbing, but in my opinion the seeds for this violence were sown decades ago. It’s just now reaching critical mass, and I fear for the future of those countries and their law-abiding citizens.

We’ve all seen the grotesque news footage. Widespread and violent anti-government riots have erupted across France. The devastation has been massive, and it is not over yet. The spark was protests over the high cost of living, inflation, fuel prices, and underfunded public services and education. Much of the French media has characterized the rioting as “mostly peaceful,” but that is not the impression I have gotten from the news footage. Some of you may recall the similarly inaccurate reporting of the riots in the US a few years ago. I still remember the image of a CNN reporter claiming they were peaceful protests while in the background one could see buildings burning.

As I write this it is estimated that as many as 800,000 rioters have been involved in excess of 100 separate riots. According to authorities nearly 2,500 have been arrested, some 1,000 police officers have been injured, and about 3,000 businesses, shops and historic buildings have been looted, vandalized, or destroyed. During the riots police fired tear gas into crowds and fought running battles with black-clad, hooded rioters. CNN has characterized this as “the worst rioting in years.”

Initially, there were mild protests over education and cost of living issues. The objective was to force the government to enact policies to reduce the cost of living and higher education, increase teachers’ compensation and protect pensions against reductions due to budget reductions. These are reasonable concerns to negotiate peacefully. However, as often happens, the protests quickly metastisized into a tidal wave of deadly, country-wide violence, including looting, destroying property, and burning businesses and buildings, that could expand into other countries. Some examples included (1) a mob standing by and laughing at a fireman engulfed in flames, (2) no one coming to the aid of a teacher engulfed in flames as her school burns behind her, and (3) a goon with a flamethrower attacking a woman. These are not “protests.” They are scenes one would expect to see on the set of a dystopian movie, not on the streets of Paris.

Some agitators found it necessary to exacerbate the violence even further by egging the mob on to do further damage. The media has characterized the level of violence and destruction as “the worst seen in years,” and it has “shaken the nation and prompted forceful condemnations from leaders and the public alike.” As in the US, anyone who accurately ascribed the violence to immigrants from third world countries or Muslims was instantly branded as a racist.

According to CNN at the suggestion of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu some areas of certain cities have imposed “partial curfews” to protect people, property and businesses. Also, some cities, notably Marseille have banned all gatherings and demonstrations from midday until 8 p.m. local time. Others, such as Nice, have imposed curfews for minors. So far, major tourist attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are remaining open and operating normally. The NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints scheduled for October 25 at the Stade de France, is still on but with enhanced security.

A national election is scheduled in six months, and the finger-pointing has already begun. The government is being accused of having failed to adequately anticipate the scale of the conditions that gave rise to the riots, and various politicians are blaming those from other parties..

European governments have begun to respond to the threat of radical Islam across the continent. For example, an overwhelming majority of the members of The European Parliament, which is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union, passed a resolution that condemned the Muslim Brotherhood and its role in the riots. Several left-leaning members voted against it. The press release stated, in part, that “Islamist entryism targets democratic institutions, the rule of law, equality between women and men and fundamental freedoms.” That said, the release is probably mostly symbolic anyway.

In response, ENAR, a pan-European anti-racism network issued its own statement, which “condemn[ed] in the strongest possible terms the “racist and Islamophobic” resolution “on the need for an EU strategy to counter Islamist entryism and the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood network” proposed by the European People’s Party (EPP) and passed by the European Parliament. Blah, blah, blah. Nothing meaningful will be accomplished.

In my view, this has been a long time coming. The reckoning has just now arrived. The seeds for it were sown decades ago. After World War II, European nations invited foreign workers to emigrate to help rebuild their economies. According to the Brookings Institution these “temporary” worker programs eventually led to permanence. Many of the descendants of those workers are among the unassilimated and disaffected.

Then, the EU inacted an open border policy. The major effect was that millions of personsfrom third-world countries poured in. Once in, they were able to emigrate to any other country within the EU. Many of them emigrated from impoverished, war-torn or autocratically-governed countries and were merely seeking a better life. Others emigrated to European countries due to past colonial connections, such as South Asians moving to the United Kingdom or North Africans moving to France. Most of these people have assimilated peacefully. Others, were radicals and did not. Many, if not most, of these persons were Muslims who had no interest in assimilating and becoming productive members of society. They are prone to use violence to get what they want. We have seen this in various other European countries as well as in the US.

As I said, England has been having its own problems with radical Muslims. Politicians are unable to cope. Where are the strong, decisive prime ministers like Margaret Thatcher when we neeed them? The “Muslim problem” in England centers on a dual crisis of rising Islamist extremism and entryism alongside a historic surge in Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate crime, and societal polarization. According to the Economist, MI5 reported that roughly 75% of its counter-terrorism workload involves Islamists.

CONCLUSION

At the risk of being branded a racist, I must tell it like it is. The current situation in Europe is a direct result of years, if not decades, of (1) lax immigration policies, (2) immigrants, chiefly Muslims, who refuse to assimilate, (3) leaders who are loath to deal with the issues for fear of being branded as racists, and (4) government policies that provide excessive public assistance to those who decline to contribute to society.

A country can possibly survive with a somewhat permissive immigration policy OR overly generous public assistance policies, BUT NOT BOTH. Excessive government assistance programs sound good. Everyone likes “free stuff,” even thiugh we know they’re not really free. Someone, has to pay for it, somewhere, somehow, and to quote the late Margaret Thatcher “eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

The above-described situation should serve as a warning for the US. The current events in Europe are providing incontrovertible empirical evidence that we should heed. As I have denoted in previous blogs the Biden years of open borders and excessive spending had a devastating effect on the US politically, economically, socially and culturally that will linger indefinitely. President Trump’s policies have mitigated those to an extent. Unfortunately, future administrations may be tempted to return to the Biden-style policies. My advice is DON’T.

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GOVERNOR HOCHUL AND A HAM SANDWICH

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

Dem Governor Kathy Hochul has been leading Repub Bruce Blakeman in the election polls all year, at times by a comfortable margin. However, two recent polls have disclosed that the spread has narrowed to the point that Blakemen has a realistic chance of an upset. The latest Marist poll reported that Hochul has an eleven point lead, and the latest Pollfinity poll reported that she has a mere three point lead. In addition, most news outlets and commentators have opined that Blakeman “won” their recent debate decisively. More on that later.

Hochul’s ascendancy to governor was based on a fortuitous set of circumstances that bore little relationship to her record as a politician. In 2014 NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo was seeking a running mate to “balance” the ticket. Hochul seemed to be the best choice. She was a former Congresswoman from a conservative-leaning district and had been an Erie County Clerk. He had run poorly in that area in 2010, and he was not as popular among women. The expectation was that she would appeal to centrist, conservative, and rural voters upstate where Cuomo was weak. She provided both geographic and gender balance, and she was also a moderate. Furthermore, Hochul was the party’s sole female statewide candidate that year. Thus, Hochul was plucked from obscurity into the bigtime.

More good fortune: In August 2012 Cuomo became embroiled in a sexual harasssment scandal. He was forced to resign and Hochul became the first female NYS governor without possessing the requisite experience and qualifications. In that type of situation some people are able to grow into the job and be succcessful, whereas others are not. You can decide into which category Hochul belongs.

In 2022 she was elected to a full term. Soon after, her handpicked lieutenant governor, former state Senator Brian Benjamin, was indicted on corruption charges and was forced to resign. Hochul was widely criticized because she had been cognizant of Benjamin’s legal problems, but she picked him regardless.

Hochul’s tenure as governor has been marred by a plethora of issues, controversies and bad decisions, for example;

  1. She has become known for “flip-flops.” She is not a person of strong convictions. She has changed her positions on topics such as Manhattan congestion pricing, tax policies and immigration, to name a few. Regarding congestion pricing, prior to the 2024 elections she delayed its implementation. Then, afterwards her opinion “evolved,” and she promulgated it. It has been very unpopular especially among the working class and small business owners. In addition, it does not appear to have relieved Manhattan’s congestion problem in the least.
  2. Prior to her selection as Lt. Governor she was a hardliner on immigration, particularly with respect to illegals obtaining drivers’ licenses. For instance, she opposed a state proposal to grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, even threatening to have them arrested if they applied at her offices. Then, in 2018, while serving as Lieutenant Governor, she reversed her stance, supporting the initiative to meet the labor demands of upstate farmers. As governor she has turned NY into a sanctuary state. Critics from both the progressive left and conservative right have opined that her policy trajectory on immigration has been unpredictable, with opponents like Bruce Blakeman and Representative Mike Lawler denoting she has shifted positions depending on which political faction she needs to appease at the time. In my view, this flip-flopping is typical of many of her policies. She may characterize this trait as “evolving,” but I view it as gaslighting.
  3. For years she was known as a moderate Dem, which was one of the main reasons Cuomo picked her as a running mate in the first place. Since Comrade Zoh was elected mayor of NYC, however, rather than restraining his wild policies she has entered into a mutually-beneficial political alliance with him. For example, she provided him with billions of dollars in state aid to help New York City close its considerable budget gap; and they joined forces on expanding free child care initiatives across the city by committing substantial state funding to the program.
  4. Mamdani has endorsed Hochul’s re-election bid, and Hochul relies on him and his progressive, youthful base for support. As the expression goes, “politics makes strange bedfellows.”
  5. Hochul has become toxic. A recent poll released by Sienna University/Times Union and NBC, among others, reported that 60% of respondents had an unfavorable view of her. Furthermore, according to the NY Post at least two Dems running for Congress have disavowed that they support her. In an open forum Cait Conley, Dem candidate in the Hudson Valley’s 17th Congressional District, actually agreed with her Repub opponent, Mike Lawler, that Hochul was responsible for NYS’s toxic business climate, including the “highest taxes in the nation,” congestion pricing and excessive red tape, concluding “Hochul has to go.” During a radio station interview North Country Dem nominee Blake Gendbien, who has been closely tied to Hochul, tried to downplay their mutual support by repeatedly dodging the host’s inquiries.
  6. The governor is supposed to control, or at least influence, the mayor. After all, the governor has the power of the purse. Hochul’s and Zoh’s relationship appears to be at least an equal partnership with Zoh actually dominating at times. Hochul’s motivation is clear. She wants the far left’s support in the current election. Who knows what promises she has made to those lunatics to be promulgated after the election.
  7. Historically, Hochul was against raising taxes. Yet recently she advocated assessing a tax on secondary homes in New York City. She wanted to implement an annual surcharge on non-primary NYC residences that are worth $5 million and higher, with the proceeds going toward paying down Mamdani’s $5.4 billion city budget gap. The Supreme Court struck this down on technicalities, but it could easily be resurrected, again after the election of course.
  8. The foregoing are problematic, but they pale before the next one. It’s no secret that NYS is in deep trouble financially. Years of Dem control, which has resulted in excessive spending, high taxes, waste and corruption have led businesses and people with the wherewithall to flee the state and resettle in states with lower taxes, a lower cost of living and a friendlier attitude towards business to do so. The obvious results have been a decline in the tax base and employment opportunities. In this day and age many businesses and individuals can easily operate remotely, and many of them have taken advantage of that. According to multiple media reports some 5,000 businesses have left NY in the last few years, and thousands more have scaled back their operations in the state. Moreover, in 2024 the state had a net decline of nearly 14,000 taxpayers, a disproportunate share of which were high income and wealthy taxpayers. This led to a classic Hochul flip-flop. Initially, in pushing her “tax the rich” program she basically told businesses and rich persons that if they don’t like it they should leave. As noted above many have. Later, recognizing the shrinking tax base she tried to lure them back. Said one commentator, “after taxing the hell out of us and even telling us to leave, Kathy Hochul is now begging people to return.” In short, I maintain that, as governor, one of Hochul’s primary responsibilites is to make NY more attractive to taxpayers, and she has failed miserably at that.

A few days ago Hochul and her Repub opponent, Bruce Blakeman met in their only scheduled debate. Most observers opined that Blakeman “won” decisively. The topics on which he “scored” were (1) the high price of energy, which, due to taxes embedded in the price, are 70% higher than the national average, (2) NYS’s sanctuary state practices, which severely compromise the safety and security of everyone, and (3) her close relationship with Comrade Zoh, an admitted anti-semite. Hochul’s weak rebuttal was to blame President Trump for everything. Voters have been hearing that from Dems for ten years, and they’re tired of it.

“Winning” the debate is fine, but historically, with few exceptions (Kennedy vs Nixon in 1960 and Trump vs Biden in 2024 being the most famous ones) the debate results have not been reflected in the polls. In this case, we will have to wait and see.

CONCLUSION

In my opinion, Hochul’s slim, shakey lead in the polls is an indictment of her poor record as governor as described above. The race should not be nearly this close. NYS is a deep blue state in which the Dem candidate virtually always wins a statewide election, often by a comfortable margin. Dem registered voters outnumber Repubs by more than 2:1 (48% vs 23%). NYS has not elected a Repub governor since George Pataki who served from 1995-2006. It should be noted that since then NY has become even more radically “blue.”

This situation reminds me of a famous expression that a District Attorney requesting a Grand Jury to issue an indictment against a person accused of a crime is almost always successful to the point that it’s been said that the DA could even get the GJ to issue an indictment against a “ham sandwich.” In my opinion, in NYS a majority of people would automatically vote for any Dem candidate regardless of his or her qualifications and experience, even the proverbial “ham sandwich.” (Some of you may recall that in a recent election cycle the voters in deep blue Alleghany County, PA actually elected a dead person to Congress.)


In this analogy, any candidate nominated by the Dems, regardless of his or her experience and qualifications, should defeat the Repub opponent. In this case Hochul represents the “ham sandwich.”


















































































































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KAT AND ZOH

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

I know Kat and Zoh sounds like a vaudeville act. Unfortunately, their alliance is not a comedy act. It is deadly serious, and I believe it could have dire consequences for NYS and NYC, particularly if Kat wins re-election in November. As governor, Kat’s most critical task is to halt the exodus of businesses and wealthy individuals. She has failed miserably at that. In fact, her policies have escalated those trends. And yet, she is still leading in the polls and will likely be re-elected. Go figure.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have forged a symbiotic political alliance. In essence, Zoh needs Kat’s support to fund his ambitious, excessively-expensive neo-communist program including, among others, tax increases, free bus rides, and universal childcare. On the other hand, Kat needs Zoh’s support with the far left in order to win re-election.

Relationship examples:

  1. Zoh has pledged to actively campaign and “stump” for Kat in the 2026 gubernatorial election. According to a recent Siena Poll, 50% of likely voters believe his endorsement will improve Kat’s chances of being re-elected. I would agree.
  2. Whatever happened to Zoh’s campaign promises? The homeless crisis has exacerbated. I haven’t heard anything recently about the much-balley-hooed government-run grocery stores. What is the status of the free bus rides? His program to tax the second homes of the wealthy was mismanaged and then shot down by the SC. Crime has been increasing. The quality of life in NYC has been deteriorating. I can’t think of one positive accomplishment. If you are cognizant of one please let me know. In my opinion, Zoh has gaslighted those who voted for him. I wonder how many of them would like a mulligan.
  3. Kat has provided approximately $8 billion to help close NYC’s huge budget deficit. How is the state going to pay for that largesse? One guess. City Comptroller Mark Levine and fiscal watchdogs have warned that the balanced FY 2027 budget plan relies heavily on one-time fixes, and they estimated deficits ranging from $7.1 billion to $8.8 billion for FY 2028 and subsequent years. In addition, they denoted that certain recurring costs for housing vouchers, public assistance, and municipal overtime, among others, remain underbudgeted in future projections. In reading this I am reminded of George Bush’s characterization of Ronald Reagan’s economics program as “voodoo economics.”
  4. Kat has moved far to the left to placate Zoh and his supporters. In my view she has morphed into a far left tax and spend advocate. An analysis promulgated by the City Journal disclosed that with respect to her last five budgets spending jumped some 40%.
  5. I predict that regardless of her pledge not to raise NYS taxes, if she wins re-election she will do so, and not just on the wealthy. It wouldn’t be her first flip-flop. Some of you may recall she flip-flopped on the Congestion Pricing issue after the 2022 election.
  6. Kat has changed her stance on Israel, Netanyahu, and Jews to curry favor with Zoh, who has made his extreme, unrelenting hatred of Israel, Netanyahu and Jews very clear. She is now more of a hardliner. For example, she recently attacked Netanyahu calling him a “liar.”
  7. Kat has embraced many elements of the excessively-expensive New Green New Deal that is being espoused by Zoh and his far left cohorts and which act to raise consumers’ energy prices. These include oppposing energy extraction and transportation and blocking the construction of pipelines.

CONCLUSION

The pre-election news is not good for the GOP. Most polls still show the Dems leading in most of the battleground states and even making inroads in traditionally “red” states.

Despite all the good Trump has accomplished in his second term, the voters are focusing on the current state of the economy and the Iran War. Although Trump has reduced the rate of inflation from that of the previous administration and the economic forecast for 2027 is very positive, he has gotten no credit for that. Unfortunately voters are only concerned with the present. With respect to the war they are not giving him sufficient credit for ending Iran’s nuclear threat. They’re more focused on the length of the war and the resultant energy price increases.

Unless the Repubs step up their game and soon there is a strong chance that the Dems will capture both houses of Congress. I outlined the disastrous ramifications of that in a previous blog.

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A REFERENDUM ON THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

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

Okay. You hate President Donald Trump. I get it. He can be overbearing, brash, abrupt, embarrasing, and offensive on a personal level. However, we should not be assessing him as a friend; we’re not going out on a date together; we’re not seeking a personal relationship in any way, shape or form. What we want, or should want, is a strong leader who is respected (or feared) by all other nations, friends and enemies alike, who is not afraid to do what he believes is right even though it may not be popular, and who puts the interests of America and Americans first. That, my friends, is Donald Trump. You don’t have to agree with everything he does or says. I’ll bet there’s never been a politician with whom you agree 100%. Just recognize and respect his accomplishments. As I have delineated in previous blogs, they have been numerous.

Heretofore, the Dems have been very successful in putting him on the ballot, figuratively, but that is all misdirection, a ruse, a distraction. They want voters to focus on Trump, not their extreme, outlandish, inane, antisemitic, far left, communist policies. They know that if voters were aware, few of them would support their candidates. More on that below.

Various polls have reported Trump’s approval rating to be in the 30s. These historically low ratings are threatening to drag down Repub candidates in the midterm elections, as many voters are blaming him, unfairly, for a myriad of problems, principally high prices, inflation and the Iran War. The Dems are hoping that by focusing on his unpopularity voters will forget that they, themselves, laid the groundwork for these problems. Additionally, they have not offered any viable solutions, because they have none.

I would like to denote that Trump is not on the ballot in 2026, and he will never be on the ballot again. So, all you Trump-haters need to reassess your focus. Rid yourselves of your TDS. A vote for the Dems and against the Repubs will not hurt him on a personal level. He will be disappointed at the result, but he will merely complete the remaining 2 1/2 years of his second term and leave office to do whatever with the rest of his life. Meanwhile, a vote for the radical, far left, neo-communists who are running for office under the guise of the Dem Party will likely render severe damage to you and to all of America currently and prospectively.

Why? How? Read on for the answers.

  1. In case you haven’t noticed or have been getting your news from CNN, MSNBC, the NYT, WAPO, Tik Tok or various fringe podcasters, the radical left has taken control of the Dem Party. The Dem Party we all grew up with is gone. Schumer and Jeffries are leaders in name only. The real leaders, those who are speaking for the Party, those who are driving policy, are Bernie Sanders, AOC, Zohran Mamdani, and various and sundry of their cohorts. The moderate Dems have gone silent. They have refrained from standing up out of fear while the radicals have taken center stage. They don’t realize that that will not save them. Eventually, they too will be attacked.
  2. The “big tent” is a fallacy, a ruse. There is no “big tent.” The “camel” has taken over the entire “tent,” and the formerly moderate Dems, that is, those who remain, are out in the cold.
  3. The Dems have been accusing Trump of being Hitler, a Nazi. Ironically, it is many of them who are exhibiting elements of fascism as well as communism. Read your history. In my view, the parallels to Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia are obvious.
  4. Let’s analyze the Dems’ chief complaints which, other then hating Trump, are with respect to the Iran War and the economy.
  5. Regardless of what some pundits have said and written the war was an absolute necessity. No question! We had to take whatever action was necessary to prevent a nuclear-capable Iran. Trump had the gumption to do what no other president did or would have done. Like I said, he does what’s right, not what’s popular. Anyone who says otherwise is either brain-dead, partisan, or just plain ignorant. You may object to it now, but I predict future historians will applaud it. The evidence was incontrovertible that Iran was only weeks away from attaining nuclear capability. Even the Iranian negotiators admitted it openly. Once it had done so, does anyone think the crazy mullahs who control the country wouldn’t use it? Not just Israel, not just the ME, the entire world, including the US, would be living under the figurative “Sword of Damocles.” I maintain that depriving Iran of nuclear capabilty “trumps” any concerns regarding Trump’s conduct of the war.
  6. With respect to the economy yes, there are issues. Yes, many people are struggling with the high cost of food, fuel, shelter, and other necessities. Yes, we get a “gut punch” every time we gas up the car, buy food, or pay the rent or mortgage. However, it is misguided to place the entire blame on President Trump. We need some perspective. The rate of inflation for the 12-month period ending in August 2026 was 3.4%. For comparison, in 2021 Trump handed Biden an economy with an inflation rate of 1.2%. The Biden Administration’s spendthrift policies caused it to increase to 4/7% in 2021, 8/0% in 2022, and 4.1% in 2023. So, despite the disruptions in the oil supply chain caused by the Iran War, inflation is trending in the right direction. The Fed’s recent rate increase will likely moderate it further. As we learned in the 1970s inflation, once unleashed, is stubborn. It can take years to tamp it down. You oldies should remember; you youngsters should “look it up.” So, I ask you which Party has demonstrated a better ability to control inflation? Whom do you trust to accomplish it? Historically, the answer is the Repubs, hands down.
  7. Moreover, in my last blog I delineated the various signs that the economy is turning and will boom in 2027 and 2028. This is classic economics 101, and it can be tied directly to Trump’s various economic policies, notably last year’s huge tax cut.
  8. The far left radical DSA/communists have managed to obscure their true policies. Their platform includes some very scary and preposterous policies and opinions, such as eliminating the presidency, the Senate, the electoral college, ICE, the DHS and the Pentagon, sharply curtaining the power of the SC, opening the borders again to any and all immigrants, emtying the prisons, and providing universal healthcare cradle to grave to everyone, including illegal immigrants. Not only are these policies unrealistic, they will never work, and some of them are unconstitutional and illegal. Furthermore, they hate Jews and Israel and espouse terminating all aid to Israel, our only reliable ally in the volatile and strategically crucial ME. Basically, they want to shred the Constituion and remake America as a communist state. The DSA candidates for office are denying this, but in running under the DSA ticket they are expressing their tacit support for them. If you doubt me, research their prior quotes and postings.

CONCLUSION

This has been a very perplexing election cycle. As I have blogged before despite the foregoing, the radical, neo-communist candidates are leading or tied in most Congressional races. At the moment it appears likely that they will gain control of one or both of the Houses of Congress. If you had told me this one year ago I would have told you that you were out of your mind, but here we are.

I urge voters not to be gaslighted. In this election cycle you will not just be voting for a person; you will not just be voting for a political party. You will be voting for a way of life for you and future generations. Are you in favor of freedom of choice or government controls? Are you in favor of capitalism or communism? Do you want the government to control every aspect of your life such as your income and wealth, type of job, medical care, food distribution, and your children’s schooling, or do you want to retain control over the lives of you and your family? Do you want to retain the presidency, the Senate and the electoral college or not? Do you want to retain viable borders or open borders? Do you want to incarcerate criminals or let them roam free? These are some of the choices you will have to make on ED. Make the wise choices.

A vote for the Repubs will mean a continuation of the American way of life – capitalism, free enterprise and freedom of choice – that has stood for 250 years. We are not a perfect country, but we are the best. Why else are millions desperate to emigrate by any means, and few elect to leave? A vote for the radicals will be a vote to rip all that up and eventually remake America into a communist state.

As I said in the beginning, Trump is not on the ballot in 2026, but America and the American way of life are. It’s all up to you, the voter. Remember you get the governmnent you deserve.

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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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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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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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ABDUL EL-SAYED

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

Who is Abdul El-Sayed, and why should all those who believe in and want to preserve America and the American way of life that has flourished for some 250 years be concerned about him? Read on for the answers.

Until a few months ago few people had heard of El-Sayed. Now, we all know who he is. Abdul El-Sayed is the far left Dem candidate for US Senate for the State of Michigan. Last week he won the Dem primary over US Representative Haley Stevens by the very narrow margin of 48.5% to 47.5%, a mere 15,000 votes. Senator Bernie Sanders, a leader of the progressive movement who was an early supporter of El-Sayed’s candidacy, characterized it as “the most extraordinary victory that I can think of in modern American politics.” Senator Chris Van Hollen, another progressive leader who endorsed El-Sayed, said the victory “should be a wake-up call to the Washington Democratic establishment.” For once I agree with Van Hollen.

Sanders’ hyperbole aside, the political ramifications of El-Sayed’s victory should not be ignored or minimized. He is a prime example of the alarming shift to the left in the Dem Party. These far lefties hate America and the American way of life. They want to tear it down and reconstitute it as a communist state in the model of Soviet Russia, Communist China, Venezuela and Cuba. They are ignorant of or choose to ignore the historical fact that communism has failed wherever it has been tried.

Like many of his ilk El-Sayed has never held elected office and has very limited, if any, experience in or knowledge of finance, business, economics and history. In his last election in 2018 he lost Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary to Governor Gretchen Whitmer by more than 20 percentage points. This time, espousing an unabashedly far left platform, he won despite being outspent by a huge margin and the fact that his opponent had the support of Chuck Schumer, outgoing Senator Gary Peters, and host of other establishment Dems.

In the intervening seven years El-Sayed had wisely remained in the public eye biding his time waiting for the right situation. For instance, he started a podcast, wrote a book and became a regular presence on YouTube and television. He steadily developed a political base. His opportunity came when Senator Peters declined to seek re-election.

In April 2025 he launched his campaign with a tiny staff. In his victory speech he reminisced how it all began. “I remember talking to a room of five people,” he said. “It was an opportunity for us to share an honest conversation about pain and about purpose. And I’ve been able to have 500 more of those discussions over the past 15 months.”

El-Sayed ran a classic grass roots campaign. He visited some 110 cities and hosted more than 500 events. According to his campaign his volunteer network eventually grew to 12,000 people. Julie Brink, a 29-year-old volunteer from the Detroit area, said the campaign still felt like an “underdog” when she joined in February. From there, she said, it was “gaining momentum really consistently.” El-Sayed embraced his underdog status declaring “what we’re doing is building a movement of the many against the money.”

El-Sayed never let up. He sprinted to the finish line. For example, on Election Day he held several interviews with content creators at Detroit’s Eastern Market and traditional news organizations, such as The Associated Press and MS NOW. Following his upset victory the campaign that had once struggled to fill small rooms packed Detroit’s Majestic Theatre for a huge election night party.

So, I repeat my earlier question. Who is El-Sayed? Now, we are cognizant of his background and work experience, which incidentally does NOT qualify him to be a US Senator, but what are his politics? Read on for the shocking and disquieting answer.

Below please find some of his policies. These extreme positions are typical of those espoused by El-Sayed and other neo-communists of the DSA. The differences between these and traditional American values are not the kind that could be resolved by debate between reasonable persons. They are inane, unworkable, and demonstrate a lack of common sense and historical context. They would destroy America as we know it. Regardless of whether or not he has actually advocated all of them; as a DSA candidate for the US Senate he is tied to them and should be compelled to defend them as well as other similar comments.

  1. Medicare for all.
  2. Open borders
  3. Abolish the Senate
  4. Abolish the office of the President.
  5. Abolish the electoral college.
  6. Abolish ICE.
  7. Favor electric vehicles over gas vehicles. (This would be a particularly “hard sell” in Michigan, which is dominated by the automobile industry.)
  8. His comments regarding the ME are particularly disturbing and not just to Jews. For example (1) He has questioned whether Israel has an “inherent right” to receive American taxpayer money. (2) He has advocated ending military aid to Israel which he characterizes as supporting “genocide and apartheid.” (3) He has been a strong critic of pro-Israel lobbying groups like AIPAC. (4) He has openly labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal. These comments are not only highly antisemitic, but also exhibit a lack of awareness that Israel has been America’s only consistent and reliable ally in the volatile and strategically critical ME. The two countries have developed a symbiotic relationship, which is critical to the national security of both countries.

CONCLUSION

The foreboding significance of El-Sayed’s victory should not be underestimated or ignored. Heretofore the establishment politicos had crowed that the far left agenda would only be successful in certain deep blue locales such as NYC. Now, for the first time the far lefties have proven they could win a primary election in a crucial swing state. Even more alarming is a newly released poll, which was commissioned by pollsters Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research, that disclosed that El-Sayed is leading Rogers among likely voters 48%-47%.

Winning a Dem primary in which fewer than half of registered voters bother to participate, is one thing. Winning the election against a Repub opponent supported by moderate to conservative Repub voters is a whole other task. El-Sayed’s qualifications (or lack thereof), policies and prior statements will be heavily scrutinized by the Rogers campaign as well as by objective members of the media and discerning voters. Like most other radical candidates with a narrow base of support El-Sayed will likely attempt to “moderate” certain prior actions and comments to convince mainstream voters he is not as extreme as he really is. He will claim he has “evolved,” was “misquoted” or his comments were “taken out of context.” The “spin doctors” will be working overtime.

Will this strategy succeed? Who knows? Unfortunately, sometimes it has in prior elections, because typically, many voters are lazy, misinformed, stay home, or vote for a certain political party out of habit.

At least there are indications that the Repubs are viewing El-Sayed as a legitimate threat and are taking this election seriously. For instance, the Senate Republican campaign committee has already allocated some $45 million in advertising to support Rogers with more to come. Also, AIPAC, which has already spent more money on Michigan’s primary than on any other contest, has indicated it would continue its financial support.

In my opinion this election will be among the most important in my lifetime. Either the neo-communists will win and demonstrate their program has mainstream support or they will lose and be relegated to a fringe extremist group. My urgent message to Michiganders is VOTE, VOTE, VOTE/

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