First of all, Happy Mother’s Day.
Written by John Stossel, reasonMay 8, 2024.
excerpt:
In 2020, then-President Trump said he was succeeding, saying, “We’re draining the swamp in Washington!”
But that’s not true.
“He created the government bigger” says economist Ed Stringham in my book. new video. “It’s going in the wrong direction. Every agency list I’ve seen had more employees after he took office than before.”
President Trump added about 2 million jobs to the federal workforce.
The most surprising number here is 2 million jobs. I haven’t checked the facts. really?
By John V. Walsh, antiwar.com, May 9, 2024.
excerpt:
On April 26, while in Beijing, at the end of his recent visit to China, Section 2 said:Secretary of State Anthony (sic) Blinken was extremely belligerent. statement To the press. Blinken’s words signaled a new phase in a narrative urging Americans and Europeans to prepare for further confrontation with China. As Caitlin Johnston reminded us, “Before they drop a bomb, they drop a story.” So what is the story that Blinken is dropping?
Blinken said in a statement that the United States has “grave concerns” about “components” of China that are “promoting” the war between Russia and Ukraine. He went on to say that China is “the largest supplier of dual-use goods that Russia uses to strengthen its industrial and defense industrial base…” It is widely accepted that the United States is losing the proxy war with Ukraine.Blinken is now telling us that the U.S.-installed regime in Ukraine is being defeated. Because China supports Russia. Blaming China is nothing new in Western parlance, but here it is being used anew as an excuse for yet another embarrassing defeat for the United States.
Blinken cited “machine tools, microelectronics, and nitrocellulose” as key components that China provides to Russia. However, “dual-use items” is an ill-defined and malleable category. Potentially any trade item could be included in this term. For example, if Russia imports Chinese machine tools to make cars, it can immediately claim that they are used to make tanks.Or if Russia imports nitrocellulose The chemicals could be accused of being used in gunpowder or explosives to make nail polish. So when the United States asks China to end its “indirect” support for Russia’s war effort, it is ultimately asking China to cut off all trade with Russia.
Blinken has provided no evidence that such “dual-use” items are a source of corruption by Ukrainian agencies. And China has no obligation to curtail trade with Russia. Like other truly sovereign nations that continue to trade with India and Russia, China is not bound by U.S. edicts.
Written by Colin Grabow, Kato at LibertyMay 7, 2024
Washington responded: Rebid the contract and change the law So Out-of-state shipyard There is a possibility of competing to build ships. But that means delay Capture process mounting Frustration Among ferry users, barb replacement About the new propulsion system.
But this debate misses the big picture. Washington’s main obstacle to cost-effectively acquiring new ferries is not rooted in technology, but in protectionism. Just look beyond Washington’s borders to see why.
Late 2019, just two months after Washington announced Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries plans to purchase new hybrid electric ferry ordered Four ships equipped with the same technology from European shipyards. all four It was delivered A ferry with about one-third the capacity of the vessel requested by WSF (1,500 passengers and 144 vehicles, compared to 450 passengers and crew and 47 vehicles) would cost approximately $38 million each— less than one-sixth of the estimated price of a new WSF ferry.
This week we don’t have the usual four highlights. I caught a bad cold on the way back from Dallas last Saturday, and I’ve been feeling sick and low energy most of this week. But I’m back!
