There's news that Gavin Newsom -- facing recall -- and the state legislature are proposing to use some $7 billion of the $26 billion in federal stimulus cash it received under President Joe Biden to pay back rent owed by thousands of "low-income" California families. (I use quotes because you can earn almost $150,000 per year in San Francisco and still qualify.)
No doubt people are glad to have the relief -- and landlords will be glad to get the money -- but there are also many questions here.
One is about fairness. Theoretically, taxpayers in other states are subsidizing rent in California. Is that what Congress knew it would be doing when it passed the "COVID relief"?
Of course, the money is just being borrowed, or printed, so perhaps taxpayers elsewhere won't feel the pinch. And other states also have a surplus (because it turns out they didn't need "relief" as badly as Biden and the Democrats said they did.) But California itself has almost $400 billion in debt -- the highest of any state. Shouldn't there be some plan to use part of the money to pay that down?
There are also other questions. The state has crumbling infrastructure and a glaring homeless problem. Are these going to be addressed, too? Maybe there is so much cash that the state can spend whatever is needed on these other problems as well?
If money grows on trees, why didn't we try this before? What about inflation? Or incentives?
Gavin Newsom faces a recall, which explains some of the sudden generosity. Do we want to allow politicians to buy votes in this way? Maybe so, if it is for the public benefit?
All interesting questions, which are -- of course -- not really being asked. Curiously, San Diego reports that it has hundreds millions of dollars in unclaimed money that was supposed to help people with rent relief -- even before the new proposed spending.
Maybe people like doing things for themselves, if they can?
I should have noted in my message about the weekly Torah portion that this week is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. We are about to mourn -- but see through that pain to something better that lies beyond, on the other side.
Wishing you the best vision -- and an incredible reality to follow. It happens!
We begin the final speech of Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He relates the ups and downs of the years of wandering in the desert, before, finally, the people have the merit to enter the land itself.
This Sabbath always precedes Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both of the Holy Temples, and a catch-all for many calamities that befell the Jewish people.
A word on Tisha B'Av. This year I am leaving for an overseas trip during the afternoon of the holiday -- in the middle of a fast day. Not idea, but there was no other choice. But my flight is in the afternoon, which is significant.
We relax some of the harsh, mournful customs of the day in the afternoon. We start to pray normally; we sit on regular chairs; we start to have hope again in the redemption that will, one day, lead us all back from exile to our home.
I'll be taking a trip to a land where an important part of ...
President Trump is in Scotland, playing golf and making big trade deals -- a major deal with the EU, in fact. Meanwhile, there is a global outcry about humanitarian aid to Palestinians (not about the Israeli hostages, mind you).
On top of that, Democrats are at their lowest polling numbers ever -- so they are trying to win control of the House by redistricting in the middle of a 10-year Census cycle. Oh, economic optimism is up, so they have a tough road.
And Tulsi Gabbard's revelations about the Russia collusion investigation make it clear that Obama's lieutenants lied to Congress. How deeply was he himself involved? The media continue to ignore the evidence, but we certainly won't.
Special guests:
Nick Gilbertson - Breitbart News White House correspondent, on EU deal
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Trump abroad and Russia
John Spencer - urban warfare expert, on humanitarian aid and war in Gaza
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the ...
