Author: Californiacontrarian

The concept of foreign aid is laudable in some situations, but is there is tipping point or a stopping point to “how much is too much?”
Tech tycoon Elon Musk’s plans for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) include taking a hard look at the assistance the United States provides to foreign countries.

From Epoch News:
On Dec. 6, former Rep. Ron Paul proposed an end to all foreign aid.
Paul accompanied his comments with a chart from Statista showing that the United States was by far the largest donor of humanitarian aid worldwide in 2023, shelling out nearly $9.5 billion to other countries. That’s more than four times the $2.1 billion donated by the second largest donor, the European Commission.
Sharing the former congressman’s post, Musk wrote that DOGE “will address this with full transparency for the American people.”
Ramaswamy also weighed in, saying that “Much of U.S. foreign aid isn’t even authorized by Congress.”

Granted that while I do not understand the ins-and-outs of foreign aid, I do have some pertinent questions.
First, are the specifics of our foreign aid reviewed every year? Is the foreign aid given to each country reviewed and voted upon annually? Or are different components of our foreign aid packages voted on in one comprehensive foreign aid bill? Or is foreign aid to some countries hidden in other spending bills, so as to go almost unnoticed? Who reviews and votes on the many foreign aid packages. Is Ramaswamy right when he says that, “Much of U.S. foreign aid isn’t even authorized by Congress.”
Can lame-duck Joe Biden just go to Angola and give away billions in foreign aid to that African nation … or does this largesse need to be voted on by Congress?

Sooo many questions. To me it seems reasonable to have Congress authorize every penny of foreign aid every year. Do some countries that are not so friendly to our policies get some? If so, why?
It also seems to me that our foreign aid should not be limitless. Common sense would dictate that some, if not most, of our foreign aid should be curtailed as long as our deficit remains more than a certain amount.
One of the tasks of DOGE is to review and cut back on certain things, and hopefully our foreign aid giveaways should be on the top of its list.
12/16/24

On Sundays I write about someone that we can all recognize because of something that did or are doing. Taylor Schenker is such an individual.
Most of us are aware of the devastation that Hurricane Helene recently caused in the western part of North Carolina. Taylor Schenker saw this first hand and reacted in a special way.
From Epoch Bright:
“Twenty-seven year old Taylor Schenker was relieved her home in Canton was spared. She soon realized, however, that not everyone was so fortunate. Now, she is dedicating herself to helping others reconnect with their cherished memories. In the days following the hurricane, Schenker noticed a handful of photographs scattered in the debris. It sparked an idea, and she decided to collect them. Then she started searching for more. Pretty soon, she was combing a riverbank in her quest.”

As we are all aware pictures are memories. Memories of individuals who may no longer be with us. Memories of places visited. Memories of what one’s family was like many years back in time. Memories of pets. Memories of what little Joey or little Sarah looked like when they were toddlers. Often it is only through pictures that these memories are brought back to the surface.
Shortly after starting to find many unidentified photos Taylor Schenker decided to try to turn the proverbial lemon into lemonade.
“She launched a social media account called ‘Photos From Helene,’ both on Instagram and Facebook, to connect people with their lost pictures. She documented the lost pictures and posted them online, hoping somebody will scroll through the albums and recognize their lost pictures.
‘[These photos] represent so many memories that people can’t get back,’ Schenker told The Epoch Times. ‘For people who have lost everything, to be able to have that little piece back, I think, is really meaningful.’”
Baby pictures. Wedding pictures. Pictures of now deceased grandparents. Christmas pictures and birthday pictures that captured happier times.
Schenker cleans every photo before posting it online. Some pictures have mud or dirt on them, which she wipes off. She uses her thumb or a soft paintbrush to remove the dirt without damaging the picture.
With over four hundred photos collected, and half of them cleaned and posted online, Schenker shows no signs of slowing down. So far, about 15 to 20 percent of the pictures have been reunited with their original owners.
“I’m going to keep continuing the project as long as we keep finding photos, and they will stay safely organized in my office as long as they need to be,” she said.
Schenker may not know the story behind each picture that comes into her hands, but she never forgets that someone else does. As North Carolina recovers from the devastation of Helene, she expects to see more photos reunited with their rightful owners, and to have the privilege of being that person who can hug them and say, “I’m so glad you survived this … I’m so glad that you are here.”
Taylor Schenker basically stumbled on something that is now bringing some measure of happiness to those who have basically lost everything. Kudos to her.
12/15/24

After January 6th 2021, I could not figure out why both Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic mayor of Washington D.C., Muriel Bowser, both refused additional protection for the Capitol. President Trump had offered to bring in the National Guard, but both Pelosi and Bowser said no, not necessary. For the last four years this has continues to bother me … unless! Could it be that bringing in the National Guard on 1/6/21 would have foiled a previously designed plan … perhaps a predetermined plot to entrap many Trump supporters? Draw them into the Capitol and then for the next four years, charge them with crimes, now felonies instead of misdemeanors, and imprison them!

From Fox News on 12/12/24:
JESSE WATTERS: The Justice Department just released the bombshell report that we’ve been waiting for. What actually happened on January 6th? The FBI had 26 confidential human sources there that day. 26 confidential human sources, a guy the FBI pays to spy for them. Of the 26 confidential human sources who were in DC on Jan. 6, four entered the Capitol during the riot.
An additional 13 entered the restricted area around the Capitol. So more than a dozen FBI spies participated in this so-called insurrection. A bunch of them broke into the Capitol. Their own inspector general says this is what happened. But that’s not what they told you when they testified under oath. 

Are these confidential human sources are under pressure to deliver? What does deliver mean? It means intelligence and big busts that get the FBI good headlines. According to the inspector general report, the spies were feeding the FBI Intel that said January 6th was going to get a little hairy.”

So … The FBI didn’t have undercover agents at January 6th. They had confidential human sources. So what’s the difference?
To me there is no difference!
Is it possible that Trump’s offer of the National Guard was refused because they could have disrupted a pre-formulated plan?
Hmmm!
12/14/24

The other day President Biden made history when he commuted the jail sentences of nearly 1,500 people and granted 49 pardons, marking the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
But why so many? There are number of conjectures out there, and hopefully I won’t miss any of the prevailing thoughts on the subject.
Some think that by doing these vast numbers on the same day, he was attempting to “hide” one or two in the vast numbers. For example, if he wanted pardon person A, what better way to hide the pardon of A in plain site, than to include 48 other pardons at the same time?
Perhaps by commuting the sentences of 1500 and pardoning an additional 49, President Biden thought that the general public would be distracted and forget about the pardoning of his son, Hunter Biden.
Then again could it be likely that Joe just signed something that somebody put in front of him? This implies that Joe had no real idea of what he was signing.
Out this vast number of commutations and pardons could it be that some money changed hands? But to whom was this money paid? Dare we call it a bribe?
Perchance could this be merely an additional way of J.B. getting even with his fellow Democrats for stabbing him in the . back and forcing him to withdraw from being the 2024 Democratic candidate. Wothout a doubt there are scores of people offended with each pardon and each commutation. Is it likely that Biden thinks that a fair number of these individuals will never vote for a Democrat again? … and thus “Revenge is sweet?”
Imaginably, someone convinced Biden that this would solidify his place in history. Of all the possible explanations, to me this is the least likely as Joe Biden has already solidified his place in history … as the worst President ever!

12/13/24

Prior to the other day I knew very little about unemployment insurance (UI) in California. It was basically something to help those individuals who had lost their jobs. How much was it and for how long? Not a clue. From where did this “insurance” money come? Again, not a clue.
Here is what I learned about unemployment insurance in California:
At present, payroll taxes are charged at 3.5 percent of an employee’s first $7,000 in wages. On average, employers contribute $5 billion to $6 billion annually to the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) fund. When an eligible person becomes jobless, the state pays 50 percent of his or her wages, up to $450 per week, for up to 26 weeks (for a potential total of $11,700).
But there is a big problem.
From The Epoch Times:
California’s unemployment insurance program is facing financial challenges, burdened by shortfalls and a multibillion-dollar federal loan, according to a recent report by the state Legislative Analyst’s Office.
“Both our office and the administration expect these annual shortfalls to continue for the foreseeable future. Under our projections, deficits would average around $2 billion per year for the next five years,” the report states.
“This outlook is unprecedented: although the state has, in the past, failed to build robust reserves during periods of economic growth, it has never before run persistent deficits during one of these periods. The state’s unemployment insurance financing system is broken.”
During the pandemic, California took a loan of roughly $20 billion from the federal government to pay for unemployment benefits. The state never paid back this amount.
The anticipated $2 billion per year shortfalls will add to the $20 billion outstanding loan and complicate the financial situation, the report noted. The interest on the loan is expected to total $1 billion annually.

On average, employers contribute $5 billion to $6 billion annually to the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) fund.

The report recommended raising the wage threshold to $46,800. (At the present 3.5% that amounts to an extra $1393 per employee that the employer must pay.) if a company employs 100 employees, that’s almost an extra $140,000 that must be paid to the state of California. How many more companies will be driven out of the state?
To make the situation even worse the state of California’s UI system was also plagued by fraudulent claims during the pandemic. Out of the several state agencies that received pandemic funds, California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) was granted the highest amount. (The EDD estimates that roughly $20 billion was siphoned off by international and domestic criminals via fraudulent unemployment claims filed under stolen identities.)
A key reason for such large-scale fraud was that the EDD failed to block addresses that were used to file numerous claims. In addition, a measure that prevented payments from going to people with unconfirmed identities was removed by the agency amid pressure to get the aid out quickly during the pandemic.

In addition, the dunderheads in Sacramento now want to give illegals the equivalent of unemployment insurance.
SB 227, titled “Unemployment: Excluded Workers Program,” requires the EDD to develop a plan to provide cash assistance to people who are “ineligible for unemployment insurance due to their immigration status.”

State Sen. Brian Jones, a San Diego Republican, warned against the measure in a September Instagram post.
“It’s insulting that California Democrats are even considering expanding unemployment benefits to illegal immigrants,” he wrote. “Under the Newsom administration, the unemployment insurance fund is already broke with a $20 billion deficit. We cannot afford to expand benefits to those here illegally.”

Well, here you have it … despite the fact that the unemployment insurance fund is $20 billion in arrears, the Dems in Sacramento want to give similar benefits to illegals! To call them “dunderheads,” is being polite.
12/12/24

Whenever I go to a sporting event, I like to sit as close to the action as possible. Starting after Trump’s inauguration, there is going to be a real contest in Illinois.
From The Epoch Times:
“President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for border czar, Tom Homan, said plans for a large-scale operation to deport illegal immigrants would begin in Chicago, warning local officials not to stand in the way.
“We’re going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois. If your Chicago mayor doesn’t want to help, he needs to step aside,” Homan told the crowd at a Dec. 9 event in Chicago co-organized by the Northwest Side GOP Club. “But if he impedes us—if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien—I will prosecute him.”
While the specifics of the operation remain unclear, Homan has said that the effort would prioritize the removal of criminals and gang members.
However, he has urged other illegal immigrants to self-deport, warning it’s just a matter of time before they’re caught and deported. He also has vowed to recommend that federal funds be blocked from cities that do not assist ICE agents in their efforts.
Among the critics is Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who in his first public remarks on the results of the presidential election said that city officials would continue to shield illegal immigrants from deportation and that he would not allow Chicago police officers to cooperate with ICE.”

Well it looks like it will be one helluva a battle and I am looking for Holman/Trump to be victorious over the blow-hard mayor of Chicago. Similarly in the braggart category the governor of Illinois is also bloviating.
Much like Chicago’s mayor, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has also vowed to oppose any efforts to deport illegal immigrants. Pritzker’s spokesman, Matt Hill, issued a statement to multiple media outlets in response to Homan’s remarks.
“It’s no secret that Illinois will face countless, baseless attacks over the next four years from the Trump administration,” he said in the statement.
“Rather than responding to every ridiculous boast from Trump lackeys, Gov. Pritzker is focused on what he was focused on during the first Trump term: leading our state with competence instead of chaos.”

Again, I’m betting on Homan/Trump competence as opposed to Pritzker’s chaos!
I can’t wait for the gloves to come off so that I can witness from my front row seat the actual war-of-words evolve into some real action.
12/11/24

I am in an especially good mood this morning probably because of all of the good things that have happened over the last few days. First off Donald Trump went right into lion’s den with his first national interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” No, I did not watch the entire Sunday interview, but one of Trump’s responses to a question said it all for me. When he was asked about his plan for retribution, he simply answered that his success would he his retribution. That, my friends, is the response of a true leader!
Then came the other two pieces of good news at about the same time on Monday. First, Daniel Penny was exonerated on all charges. If he would have been found guilty, say goodbye to any future Good Samaritan acts in the future. Hopefully, this case will be the nail in the coffin of Soros’ Manhattan D.A., Alvin Bragg.
Next the probable killer of the UnitedHealthcare CEO was arrested in a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. Hopefully the Soros-backed NYC D.A. will press charges.

All-in-all a good couple of days, and I hope they just keep coming,’ and my mood remains good. Only forty-one days until the official Trump inauguration.
12/10/24

Even before being inaugurated as the 47th President of the U.S., Donald Trump is already acting diplomatically.

From The Epoch Times:
On the evening of 12/7 met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris.
Macron was seen giving a thumbs-up as Trump and Zelenskyy flanked him for a photo opportunity at the presidential palace.
Macron had planned to meet with Zelenskyy, and the French president’s office said he proposed the three-way meeting shortly before Trump’s arrival. (Trump and Zelenskyy are among numerous world leaders gathering in Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, after it was severely damaged in a 2019 fire.)

“The world’s going a little crazy right now and we’ll be talking about that,” Trump said ahead of the meeting.
Trump has signaled he would prefer to quickly negotiate an end to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, but with questions remaining about how he would halt the fighting.
If anyone will be able to negotiate an end to the war, my money is on Trump!

From Daybreak Insider:
“Trump showcased his unorthodox approach to foreign relations, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties, asserting America’s interests, and laying the groundwork for his America First agenda. Trump and world leaders discussed various topics, including defense and global security. His blunt style indeed left an unmistakable impression on the worldwide stage.
While world leaders are waiting on him to arrive, President Trump is busy greeting U.S. marines stationed in France. World Leaders are lined up to meet President-elect Trump (X).
He is literally putting America First!
Again my money is on Trump!
12/9/24

I just read a story about the importance of family to some individuals, and thought that what Jordan Garner did was worth writing about.
As background, Jordan’s grandfather, Graham Gessey, passed away in 2023. He deeply loved his wife of 30 years, Rosalie Gessey, who served as his caregiver in his last years. Rosalie and Graham traditionally went out for “coffee dates,” and
since the next day was Graham’s birthday, Rosalie was in mourning. “I’m going to have coffee alone because there’s no ladies [here] that want to have a coffee with me,” she messaged him.
“I almost started crying when I saw that message,” Jordan said.
Since Rosalie had enjoyed near-daily coffee dates with Graham when he was alive, Jordan was determined to continue the tradition. Before long, he was in his car making the 12-hour drive from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland. “It was probably one of the toughest drives I’ve had to do in my life because it was raining; it was windy,” he said.
Rosalie, unaware that her grandson was coming to see her,
When he reached Queensland, he surprised some other relatives before making his way to a coffee shop he knew she planned to visit. Armed with flowers and a picture frame, Jordan waited, hiding around the corner. At just the right moment, he greeted his grandmother, who was shocked to see him.
“When she saw me, she instantly just started tearing up,” Jordan said, adding that he had to hold back his own tears as she gave him a hug. He described the look on his grandmother’s face as “priceless.”
“That was probably the happiest moment I’ve had this year, and it was awesome,” Jordan said. “It was honestly the most amazing, amazing day.”

How many would drive twelve hours to surprise their grandmother on a day of her mourning? My guess … “not many,” and for this reason Jordan Garner is a grandson that we can all hold in high esteem.

12/8/24

A Presidential election has just occurred and another will occur in four years. As some of us know the electoral college and the relative apportionment of Congressional seats is dependent on the census which is taken every ten years.
From Daybreak Insider:
“Oversight Committee Conducts Hearing Into Census Bureau for Refusing to Ask if Residents are U.S. Citizens”
Committee Chairman Rep James Comer opened the meeting by saying, “The Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey—which measures Census count accuracy—revealed significant errors in 14 states. These errors predominantly benefited Democratic-leaning states in the allocation of congressional seats and electoral college votes.
“In contrast to the 2020 census, no states were found to have had such errors in the 2010 census.”

For some inexplicable reason while the census asks a list of mundane questions, it does not ask whether or not individuals are US citizens.

From X:
Rep. Jim Jordan GOES OFF on the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau for not including a citizenship status question.

“Are you getting welfare?

“Do you work for the government?

“Do you have a mental illness?

“Are you deaf?

“Are you blind?

“What’s your race?

“What’s your sex?

“You can ask all those questions, but the one question that might, let’s just say might, have an impact on how we apportion congressional seats (Citizenship Status), we can’t ask that one.

“Oh, that seems stupid.”

Yes, it certainly is stupid, and should be changed. Hopefully a Republican congress will change this.

12/7/24