Can We Fix the Homeless/Mental Health Crisis? Yes
We, as a society, can all admit one thing, we have a massive growing crisis in homelessness, specifically folks with major mental health issues. When I reference mental health issues here, I’m not talking about the folks who begged a doctor to be put on a pill, I’m talking specifically about the ones you see in bigger cities. More specifically the ones on the streets with no family/friends/support system in place.
A couple disclaimers here for the brainwashed on both the left and right.
I think we can all agree that the sanitariums were filled with horror and abuse while still recognizing the need for proper mental healthcare. Closing these hospitals to send folks to the streets was not humane or compassionate. I will add Reagan was likely not at his best when it came to this, but after seeing the photos, I do not blame him for shutting them down. (See also O’Connor v. Donaldson 1975—Editor)
In addition, when I suggest bringing back these sanitariums, they are not for the child with autism, or the guy with a Trump bumper sticker. I’m talking about the person who is an obvious threat to themselves or others.
To understand this problem fully, you must grasp what actually causes it. Mental health and drug/alcohol addiction are two of the biggest causes, understandable they are not mutually exclusive. The next two are exiting both the foster care system and prisons. Again, those are not mutually exclusive.
The mental health part is some people need real help, and their parents/family are tired of trying. They turn 18 and leave the house. The person does not seek treatment or keep with treatment leading to life on the streets. Drugs and alcohol, specifically dependance on both, are another leading cause. There is a reason marijuana was called a gateway drug by law enforcement, it leads to cocaine, meth, or other harder drug use. How many times have you been witness to a homeless person coked out of their mind on hard drugs/booze stumbling back and forth between the sidewalk and oncoming traffic or “acting the fool” as the kids say? They vandalize, defecate, urinate, destroy, and take over public areas and become a nuisance. Sadly, none of the above are enforceable/jailable offenses because we have decriminalized so much in this country. Prison is not the answer anyway, treatment is, but in states like California, unless it’s ordered by a judge, you can simply sign yourself out and away you go. Exiting prison and the foster care system again likely leads someone to unsavory things such as drugs and alcohol abuse. At 18, you are no longer a foster kid, and the government money quits coming in. For the incarcerated, they likely do not have family that want them around so to the streets you go. In both cases finding a roof over your head or employment will be hard. Again, you take up unsavory things and get hooked. Alcohol and drugs make you dependent, you lose the ability to function without them, then you seek out higher doses or newer, stronger euphoria’s.
Do not get me wrong, city leadership is also a massive contributor to the mental health/homeless crisis. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento to name a few in California, have embraced these types and allowed them to destroy the once proud cities they were. Try going to Golden Gate Park or Civic Center in San Francisco, you will find the world’s largest open air drug market stuffed with addicts hunched over on the sidewalk. Try coming to Sacramento and walking down K or L Streets just beyond the new basketball arena, and several blocks from the State Capital. You are taking your life into your hands at all hours of the day or night. It’s scary and not safe. Last week I was there, a mentally ill homeless person had a switchblade in his hands, crisscrossing between traffic threatening folks. Yup.
So how do we fix this you ask?
I think every hospital should be required to have a mental health and wellness floor. The Methodist (Dignity Health) hospital in south Sacramento does. I understand fully this would be funded by taxpayer dollars, in no way do I want to see government grow in size but realize this is the private sector with a small bit of government oversight. The hospital already has people capable of caring for these folks and they want to see the treatment through then discharge the person AT THE APPROPRIETE TIME! Take two and call me in the morning, or we held you for the 48 hours needed to satisfy the judge, hasn’t worked and doesn’t work. Time to try something else. I understand some people likely will never walk out, that is not necessarily a bad thing.
No more Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in this issue. This is nothing more than a grift for the local elected, their families, or relatives. Setting up tiny home communities seems like a good idea, but it is only giving the crackheads more blow. Ditto for “needle exchanges” and the like. These people just profited on the backs of those in the most need.
Put aside your political, religious and pre-existing beliefs about this issue. Trust me republican readers, there are folks with these issues in rural areas, they just get swept up and sent to the bigger cities since they “have the infrastructure to help them.” Trust me democrats you know the big cities are buying Grey Hound bus tickets to “pass them along” to other cities as well. Both sides get over yourselves. One can also be a compassionate Christian/religious while also agreeing some people are far too gone to be allowed to live in civilized society. What did you do for your aging parents/grandparents? When they could not drive anymore you became their ride, when unable to take care of themselves, they transitioned from their home to a senior living system. It’s not cruel, it’s a matter of life. At some point someone else may need to carry the proverbial cross. Just because this didn’t work 50 years ago doesn’t mean it cannot work now. Let’s try something slightly different, rather than a sanitarium, make it a floor in an actual hospital! That means oversight from hospital administrators and actual doctors, not a medieval dungeon type of place in a secluded, blighted part of town. Let’s try something out… maybe my idea is not adequate but at least it’s a plan.
The status quo is failing, and getting worse, some areas are becoming flat out not visitable in this country.
The Chief
PS: One last time for the folks on the far left/right who possess an IQ slightly above room temperature, this does not apply to the homeless person living in their car, the family of 4 living in a tiny home, the person with autism, or the guy with a MAGA hat on. It’s for the folks way too far gone for conventional treatment.
Cancer Countdown: March to Oblivion
Halfway through April my wife’s health is continuing to decline. She is in pain much of the time. In addition, breathing is becoming more difficult. Morphine and oxygen are now regular parts of her care. She grows weaker by the day. Food consumption continues to decline. When you vomit part of whatever you eat, you decide to eat less just to avoid the futility of a meal. While she liked the promise of what the esophageal stint would do, the truth is it has had the opposite effect that was promised; namely, she is eating less than before. Meals are poached eggs, popsicles, oatmeal, and an occasional yogurt.
Cancer continues to spread. She is developing lumps of cancer just under her skin on her back and chest. One area that bothers her a lot is a lump of bone sticking out of her right side near where she had an incision to open her chest cavity and pull her stomach into her chest. This surgery was done 3 ½ years ago.
While she likes the relief that comes from taking a bath, her days of climbing the stairs to get to the tub are over. Last time she took a bath she had to rest multiple times to get up the stairs. She then had to rest before getting in the tub. The handrail that I installed is helpful but presupposes that a person has the strength to hold on while traversing the stairs.
Her dad is arriving in a few short days to help. Sadly, he knows how this will end but chooses to be here anyway. I’m glad he is coming.
I was hoping that she would make it until mid-June, our 22nd anniversary, but at this point I think it’s all over before then. I generally know her last wishes, but we have yet to work out the details of the memorial service that she wants in Elk Grove. We are doing three activities/services: Funeral in Bonners Ferry, Graveside service in Elk Grove, and a memorial service.
My parents are flabbergasted that my wife wants a proper Christian burial and then a memorial service. They think the body is trash to be burned and tossed away (or scattered). It’s just one of many disconnects that modern Christians believe even though the Bible teaches the opposite. My problem with them is that they don’t care what the Bible says on the issue and no amount of contrary evidence is allowed into their world. Oh, then they start hitting me with the cost angle. I’m like, so what. Even if nobody helps pay for this, I can use the insurance money to cover the expenses.
When the kids do make it here one last time, I hope she divides or distributes the bulk of her possessions. After things are settled, I would like to load the pickup and start delivering mom’s stuff to the kids. I don’t want to have all that stuff warehoused here until I too am planted in the grave. It’s not fair to put that on someone else later.
The truth is that much of what my wife has collected isn’t worth a plug nickel. For her everything is about sentimental value and nobody shares her sentiment. Today’s generation doesn’t care about real silverware, or fine China dish sets, or Depression era glassware, or mass marketed children’s books from the 1960’s. The Bible says that you should leave an inheritance to your children’s children but how can you when they aren’t getting married and making babies. The oldest is trying to check this box but the two boys are stuck in Andrew Isker’s Trashworld as happy as pigs in slop, just playing video games and passing the time away.
People keep trying to relate to me and say they are praying for me. I’m just the passenger on this trip through the valley of the shadow of death. The big blank for me is what happens after all the above is over? Frankly, I don’t need much help until that time at which I’ll be a lost puppy.
Minor update: given the trajectory of my wife’s condition, I think the end is much nearer than I had supposed, barring some intervention, I think she has days remaining and not weeks. I’m curious what my father-in-law will think once he gets to see the situation firsthand.
Why the Trump Tariffs will Backfire
You will have to put the Kool-Aid down for a few minutes for this blog. For the most part I agree with everything President Trump has done, foreign policy issues notwithstanding. While I agree tariffs are necessary to even the playing field globally, I think Trump is going about it wrong.
A little history here first. Every president has punted on the idea of tariffs on foreign nation’s goods except maybe Eisenhower, I as a student of history, think he was going to attempt to try it. Point being it’s a very hard thing to accomplish. Politically if it doesn’t work, you will be a one term President (no bother to Trump here) and your party will lose massive seats in the next election.
Here are the issues facing Trump in this uphill climb on tariffs.
His own party:
Let’s face it, the GOP is good at one thing, claiming a principled stance then reversing course a year later. Check out each government shutdown they created… what did they ever extract? Yeah, my point exactly. These coconuts are more concerned with getting re-elected, not the health of the nation. Their pocketbook, not yours is the goal here.,
NAFTA/CAFTA and other free trade agreements:
These agreements made it, so the manufacturing phase was sent outside the US solely to save money on cheap foreign labor. The premise here was to keep the input costs down and as a result the trinkets we love to buy are dirt-cheap. If labor costs rise in say China, close the factory and move to Bangladesh, Vietnam etc. etc. These trade agreements, unlike most legislative moves today, came through Congress so they likely will need to be reformed/circumvented/repealed.
Cheap foreign labor:
See above, but the point stands, the American worker will cost substantially more, then throw in mandatory benefits (these manufacturing centers will have far more than the minimum to avoid benefits/union forming) suddenly the foreign workers seem better. The cost of your favorite t-shirt to wear won’t be $20, trust me.
CEO/C-Suite/90-day calendar folks:
These folks do not care about the price of the goods you pay for, they could care less about your livelihood or employment status, they are bean counters. The reason the above 2 reasons exist is due to these people. They care only about earnings per share/costs and stock price. That’s all that matters. They get a bonus (except 90 day guys) due to performance. They moved the jobs out of the US to save labor/benefit costs, then they moved them again due to the ability to save $.01 a share. It’s the bottom-line only to these losers. Bringing the jobs back, or the effects of a tariff scare these folks. Again, a falling stock price leads to “how can we fix this?”
American Consumers:
Let’s face it, we love buying cheap crap. We do not care where it is made. Let’s again be honest here, we only care when we hear about product recalls and lead contamination etc. We love buying cheap stuff! It’s a hard sell to say you are going to pay more but it’s better in the long run. Older generations grew up with Blue Light Specials (RIP K-Mart), dollar stores, and everyday low prices. It’s a tough sell.
Foreign Customers:
They are a tough sell; it’s a foreign brand to them when we try to sell our products overseas. They know the names: GM, Ford, Kellogg’s etc. So, we try to buy foreign brands and hide the fact it’s an American company, but I digress. Most foreign countries are fiercely loyal to their domestic products, and they do not trust foreign ones. When people argue when they go to Japan its nothing but Toyota, or BMW/Volkswagen in Germany it’s a national pride thing as opposed to a cheapest price thing. They tariff us to not let us undercut them as well. Canada and parts of the European Union right now are labeling/removing American goods and putting “buy _______ support local” signs on their goods.
Product Quality:
As stated above we outsource everything to the point quality doesn’t matter. The Craftsman brand comes to mind, rather than stand for a quality product, its cheaply made crap that will break on you during the first job use. This is what happens when the idea that costs must always come down. Foreign and even domestic companies know our products are inferior to theirs.
Globalists:
These folks were the loudest during the Bush years, now they are changing their tune. The issue for people like me is that it’s hard to take someone like Rick Santelli of CNBC seriously when he is outright flip-flopping on this issue. Suddenly he cares about the Chinese/foreign cheap labor? Santelli and his ilk remind me of the older generation, they sent the jobs overseas and were thrilled with cheap costs but now want to do a re-mix because it’s cool. They saw the jobs leave and now are concerned about the future? Yeah, sure! It will be hard to sell this to the folks. Santelli’s final word in an article I read was “Americans will be fine with higher prices on goods” that’s a tough sell to folks when Trump said he would lower the cost of eggs.
Trump is going to have a very hard time closing this deal. While I am rooting for him, I think he went about it all wrong. I would have microtargeted a couple countries and gone from there, take a few victories, and move onward and upward. His problem is that he is going to try for the jugular. While a few countries have potentially given in, most are announcing reciprocal tariffs on our goods. In other parts of the world China is likely moving in, willing to dump their products and fill the consumption gap. This could cause a long-term headache, as we do not want China being a massive superpower.
Additionally, American’s do not have much resolve anything. Turn the clock back a couple generations and buy American was a thing. In the modern day, “Made in USA” means the stickers were put on it here, but not much production is done stateside. Production here is even more outsourced. Right now, during high inflation/low wage growth/raising prices times, American’s do not have the stomach for higher prices. At what point do we as a people say, “put it back to how it was!”
Lastly and my biggest point, when your 401k becomes a 104k in the span of about a week, you tend to not like the guy/party in the White House. It’s one thing to have high prices, it’s another to see your retirement account go away. Again, I hope this works. It’s nice to have a president who doesn’t do politically correct things, but this is going to be a tough sell. How long do we watch chaos unfold in the market before we cave?
Major credit to Trump for trying though!
The Chief
Editor’s Notes:
- It doesn’t help that the financial markets, run mostly buy Democrats, don’t understand what Trump is trying to do.
- In addition, none in the workforce are old enough to remember when tariffs were used to protect American jobs.
- NAFTA was the death null of domestic manufacturing and the triumph of globalism.
- Lastly, when you abort 1/3 of all children in your nation for over 50 years, outsourcing is your only viable option to maintain your lifestyle.
Mental Health Crisis Part 3
In this installment I will lay out a solution to our mental health crisis in the country. I again want to inform folks this part of my series is satirical in nature for one reason; none of these options are likely to ever become law. In addition, some will likely think I am being overly mean in my commentary. My point of this series is not to attack those with actual mental illness, it’s the cheating scum who doctor shop so they too can ride the crazy train.
No weapons allowed: This applies to the entire household. Junior gets a diagnosis, it doesn’t matter who owns the guns, they must be turned over to authorities. Any knife that isn’t a serrated blade as well. Too many crazies in the world right now. We have had enough shootings/killings. Can’t take any more chances. Nope you cannot keep it in a safe or at a relative’s house. If you’re on a pill or someone in your household is… it’s gone. This will be made easier when the Sith Lord gets his way and the government maintains a national database for firearm ownership.
Mandatory mental health checkups: once every other week, by a trained, licensed professional. Again, we cannot take chances here. We never know who the next person will be to open fire on a school/business/church etc.
TV viewing capped at one hour a day. Again, this is obvious. With the average person watching north of 8 hours a day, we cannot have you being brainwashed. There is reality, and fantasy land, TV is mostly fantasy land. The news makes people depressed and distressed. Depressed people are the ones who typically go on these rampages.
No more internet privacy: A copy of your browser history will be sent daily to your psychiatric caseworker for review. Anything flagged will have you remanded to the psycho ward. The dark web and other rabbit holes create a massive problem in this world. Remember, you are on a pill. You are not normal. Internet time is also capped at 1 hour daily. Again, like tv, too much brainwashing going on.
NO alcohol or drugs: legal or illegal. You will be wearing a monitor. You are on a pill. We need to ensure that nothing interferes with the chemical balance of the body’s systems which the pill is trying to maintain.
Mandatory driving tests twice a year: Behind the wheel. Unlike being innocent until proven guilty, here you need to prove you can drive safely twice a year. Heck, have you seen the size/speed of some of these cars lately? Yikes.
No voting: Again, if you are less of a citizen or crazy… no vote for you.
Mandatory inpatient care: Military style, one weekend a month, two weeks a year. You are under evaluation, not simply going to a doctor and trying to get out of it.
Obviously the above will never be allowed to happen. Truthfully, I do not even believe these would ever be voted in. The premise of this series is not to demean the folks who actually do have disabilities as they are actively seeking help. I am going after the losers in the game of life you see from time-to-time that use the mental health card as a sympathy card. My opinion is if you want the “benefits” of this condition, you must deal with the reality of our situation. In the last few mass shootings in the US, it’s been done by a person with mental illness. In many cases, the FBI has been “right on the tail” of the shooter to no avail. It was too late. We can no longer take a chance. This conservative has heard/seen enough of these. If you want to play the card, you must deal with the consequences. No more shootings.
If these were to pass, watch the number of people with “mental health issues” plummet quickly. The number of folks popping a “pill” will drop drastically. Again, be healthy, be well. Put the tv remote down, stop scanning the internet, none of the news is good. Touch some grass. No, not that kind! Go outside. Be barefoot. Enjoy the world that God made for us and quit being so self-focused and quit sheltering in place to avoid life.
The Chief
March Ends with Horrendous PET Scan
The best thing about March was a four-day visit by the stepdaughter and her husband. The next best thing was the baby show that was supposed to happen months ago. It was put on hold because the mom decided to have her baby a week before the shower. What nerve!
The rest of the cancer story for March was one of decline.
My wife is no longer cooking. The meal tasks have fallen on me. I’m getting really proficient doing poached eggs, but please don’t ask me to eat one. Yuck!
Bathing is another task which has become more complicated. My wife has been experiencing pain in her body; especially, her back. The best temporary relief she can get is from taking a bath. The tub is upstairs. For the last two weeks, she has had to climb up the stairs on her hands and knees. She claims that she is unsure of her balance going up the steps. Afterwards I must help her down the stairs.
She sleeps for much each day and her energy is very low.
Eating is from a limited menu. The last few days have been poached eggs for breakfast and dinner. Juice popsicles, cheese sticks, and yogurt are occasionally consumed as well. Contrary to what we hoped, the esophageal stint has not increased her menu options, only her ability to vomit has improved.
Last Friday, was the PET Scan that would show if her chemotherapy and immunotherapy was working. The results arrived yesterday. The results were even more dire than I could imagine.
Despite treatment, the cancer has spread significantly. My wife has cancer in her saliva glands, her neck, chest cavity, spine and lower back, and pelvic region. She also has cancer in both the left and right lobes of her liver. There are so many places with cancer that they are not listed by occurrence any longer.
I’m not a doctor, I just play one on this blog, but it seems that she has little time left. I think she has two to four months remaining.
Between the cancer and the starving game that she is enduring, it seems just a matter of time before something breaks. I’m trying to persevere and not dwell too much on what’s happening. I can mourn later or at least that is what I’m telling myself. How long until we have to rent a hospital bed and park that in the bedroom?
Update just prior to publishing: Physician’s Assistant says that the doctor told her that treatment is ineffective and is therefore ended. Chemotherapy was cancelled today and forevermore. Also, my wife’s white cell count was too low, and she couldn’t get treatment with that kind of result anyway. We are now on hospice. Clearly a new chapter in this cancer saga.
Also, I contacted the middle child and told him that it’s time for FMLA. He needs to make arrangements to see his mom towards the end of April or first of May.
Mental Health Blarney Part 2 (Older People)
One disturbing trend occurring lately is the number of older people getting diagnosed with mental health issues. I work with someone who squealed like a piglet to his urgent care… yes, urgent care doctor, and got put on a pill. At first, he couldn’t be prouder of himself. He got what he wanted… unfortunately for him, he has no idea that if you mention mental health issues to your doctor he/she/they (for you CA republicans out there) is required to put you on something. It’s a “cover your butt” for the physician in case you go postal. I found out later that he told the doctor he picked out the knife to kill himself with.
Welp, that’s one way to get on a pill. I think they should have held him for several days for a psych evaluation, but oh well. He then found out he had to see a psychiatrist a handful of times, and obviously this angered him as his healthcare plan didn’t fully cover this. My suspicions for this center around his likely sighting what he “saw on tv or read somewhere online” as his reasoning to be diagnosed. If it sounds fishy to you, it likely sounded fishy to his provider, thus he was going to pay for part of it. I overheard a couple phone calls regarding upcoming appointments and him trying to weasel his way out of them. Again, he probably read about it or saw it on a fictional tv show but hey, it worked so why not try it right?
Like anything else that generation has become famous for, they want their cake, want to eat it too, then when the bill comes, claim there wasn’t enough frosting, and they shouldn’t have to pay. It’s pathetic, but here we are.
I do not really get it. When I was young, you didn’t want to be labeled as being mentally unstable, but now it is like a badge of honor or some weird sympathy card. It’s the latter. They want to play that card when things do not go their way. It’s wild watching him play the card whenever there is trauma in his life, or he feels like avoiding something, but when things are well, he never mentions it. The number of people in general claiming to have mental health issues is staggering. As I mentioned in part 1, its literally the go to… like a get out of trouble-free card.
My favorite part in the saga was when he magically declared himself totally fine and healed and was going to go to this urgent care doctor and get off the pill. I keep labeling the doctor because, in my humble opinion, the urgent care doctor seems to be a “take this and call your primary care physician if this continues” doctor, not someone who should be prescribing things. Especially not prescribing/diagnosing mental health issues. So, I feel this whole thing was an act to begin with. He went there armed with plenty of internet articles and knowledge gained from various tv series episodes. His plan likely would have worked, except for the detail about how he had planned on killing himself. They don’t speak about this in fantasy TV land… no doctor will let you stop taking the pills when you admit that. Risk is too high in this litigious society we live in. Imagine the look on his face upon hearing that. I have a feeling he went doctor shopping after that looking for a yes, but unlike on the latest tv episode, he found no one willing to play ball.
In closing this part, I will say this, how the mighty have fallen! The same generation that called mine; crockpot kids, dumb, stupid, addicted to their phones, social media whores etc. is now going to be known for trying to get on mental health pills. It’s bad. I didn’t think they would go out like this but here we are. The generation that was all about self-individualism, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, make something out of nothing, is now trying to get free government pills. What the heck happened?
The Chief
You Don’t have Mental Health Issues Part 1/3
Disclaimer: This blog is targeting people who “doctor shop” to get diagnosed with a mental health issue, not the good people who actually have a mental health issue. If you have a real issue, I hope you are able to find affordable help or services for your condition. I wish only the best for you… to the folks who shopped around for a diagnosis, you are the worst type of people.
I remember as a child growing up, there would be maybe one student/child at school with a learning (mental health) disability. Again, one whole child at the entire school! I was always enrolled in private school, which tends to attract more special needs kids because class sizes are smaller, and they usually have a program specifically for them to tailor to their needs.
As I grew older (High School & College years), suddenly more and more students were taking a pill. It was typically Adderall which is prescribed to people who have a hard time focusing. While this could be true, I always thought it was tied to being declared a “mental health issue.” See, in High School and College, if you had any type of learning disability/mental health issue, you got added benefits other students didn’t enjoy. Typically, the rules didn’t apply to you anymore. If you were late for class, acted out, etc., you were excused because you were considered a special needs student. You also got unlimited time on tests/quizzes and got extended deadlines on reports. It birthed the idea of an IEP (individual learning plan) and lowered an already low bar for education even lower. Now having a special need is not seen as a liability, it’s seen as having benefits. The number of “special needs” kids at my high school went from a couple to classrooms full when it came to final exam time. At first, I thought it was just my generation trying to work the system… boy was I REALLY WRONG!
In my years since graduating, the special needs fraud has gotten far worse. If you are accused of a crime, it’s now a priority to be declared special needs. Not only does it guarantee leniency, but it also likely results in dropped or dismissed charges. If you want a medical marijuana card? Just go doctor shopping, hell my sister got a doctor 3 counties over to issue her a diagnosis for a medical marijuana prescription for her monthly visitor. NO one in this county or the surrounding ones would issue it, but head to Modesto, swipe your insurance information, and viola here you are. Smoke and toke like Cheech and Chong, you’re good to go.
Lastly, in the last 10 years, I have no idea what happened. The people old enough to be my parents started getting in on this. They see it as the new “race card” that needs to be played when they are cornered. Suddenly people in their 60s are claiming mental health or “brain fog.” They shop for a doctor and get put on a pill.
In the next installment I’ll speak about the older generation and “mental health.”
Part 1/ 3.
We’re Really Right About Gaza
As far back as November of 2023, we were saying that folks in Gaza had the choice to be bombed into extinction or moving to another country. The Israeli government has finally said that their goal is to depopulate the region and then develop it as an economic improvement zone.
The final stage of Israel’s war on Gaza is underway. While initially presented as a mission to recover hostages and dismantle Hamas, its underlying objective is now being openly stated: Depopulate Gaza and bring the territory under Israeli control.
After cutting off the supply of food, electricity, and humanitarian aid in early March, Israel now vows to intensify its campaign on an already devastated population. The message to Gaza’s survivors is unmistakable: leave or die.
Last Friday, [Israeli Defense Minister Israel] Katz issued an unequivocal statement. According to The Times of Israel:
In a statement, Katz says: “If the Hamas terror organization continues to refuse to release the hostages, I instructed the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] to capture additional areas, evacuate the population, and expand the security zone around Gaza for the protection of Israeli communities and IDF soldiers, through a permanent hold of the area by Israel.”
“As long as Hamas continues its refusal, it will lose more and more land that will be added to Israel,” Katz says.
Katz also invoked U.S. support for population removal, stating Israel would use “all military and civilian pressure, including evacuation of the Gaza population south and implementing US President Trump’s voluntary migration plan for Gaza residents.”
Trump’s Vision
Trump’s so-called “voluntary” migration plan referenced by Katz is neither voluntary nor humanitarian. Announced in early February, it envisions the permanent relocation of over 2 million Palestinian residents to neighboring countries, with the goal of transforming the territory into a “Riviera” “owned” by the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has endorsed the proposal, describing it as a “bold” and “fresh” strategy that could lead to the reconstruction of Gaza. Katz has instructed the IDF to prepare plans facilitating the departure of Gaza residents.
Israel no longer hides its intention to take full control of Gaza. A Sunday report from The Times of Israel confirmed that Israeli officials are now actively discussing a plan for full military occupation of the Gaza Strip with U.S. counterparts.
The office was planned in coordination with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Earlier this month, he said Israel could expel up to 5,000 Palestinians per day. As a result, Gaza could be “cleansed” within just a year.
The practical problem, for now, is where to send the refugees. According to multiple reports, Israel and the U.S. have approached Somalia, Somaliland, Sudan, and Syria to accept Gazans — so far, without success.
Still, the policy now has a home, a budget, and an office sign. The machinery of expulsion is no longer theoretical. It’s operational.
In the not-too-distant future look for ads reminding you to make plans to frolic like a Philistine on the beach in the land of Goliath. If Israel has its way, Gaza will become what Lebanon once was before the Muslims took over and ruined the place in the 1970’s.
Last thought:
Why is it that Evangelicals in America, by and large, support the Israeli government and the military incursion into Gaza. Most of the Christians in Israel live in Gaza and are dying at the hands of both Jews and Muslims. Sadly, they don’t care. Since their Dispensational/Premillennial theology teaches that 2/3 of the Jews will die anyway, I guess what’s a few thousand more Christian deaths if it ushers in the Return of Christ. What a horrible, evil, and defeatist theology dominates the minds of many American Christians.
Hair on Fire Conspiracy Theories Debunked
I have to give Trump a lot of credit, he somehow, someway, he brought all the conspiracy theorists on the right out of hiding. When you scream “fake news” “false” or “wrong” these are the people you tend to attract.
Full disclosure: I do agree with the theories he is putting out there; however, I do not feel they are at the level of fraud that his supporter’s project.
Social Security Fraud: Yes, I firmly believe it is occurring, but not the type that the conspiracy theorists think. If you think (like they do) a 350-year-old is drawing a check each month, you are crazy. That is easily caught, and BOTH parties will demand a full review from top to bottom. The fraud is also not being done in the 80–100-year-old group… again this is too obvious. To perpetuate large scale fraud, you need a large group spanning several ages. It cannot be too obvious, or you will get caught. Get caught and the operation will unravel quickly, the long arm of the IRS and DOJ would love the chance to catch you. Also, what is never discussed is someone (s) on the inside is/are very obviously involved as well, likely even a couple managers/supervisor types. Again, this type of large-scale fraud needs to be done with precision, making up/taking over the payments going to 100 something year olds is a good way to get caught. Oh, by the way, the government really doesn’t like it when you steal their money. Additionally, no judge or jury will like you stealing from someone’s dead relative. Use your brain, it might be there, but it is likely not happening at the levels you think it is.
Medicare Fraud: Musk and his crew should get carte blanche on this, there is a TON. As laid out earlier, between fraudulent billing schemes and LLC’s, PO Boxes, etc. there is plenty to be found here. I actually think this should be where they focus. Pam Bondi (a Troll favorite now btw) is likely all in to go after these characters as well. This could be a gold mine as the characters committing this fraud tend to be the real bad guys.
Voter Fraud: The biggest hair on fire conspiracy theory going right now is this. Had a gentlemen come into my work and claim “California voted for Trump. This person claimed that it was voter fraud that gave California to Harris.” Yes, read that sentence again. Yikes! Then a person who works here claimed “Gavin got recalled, but the voter fraud saved him.” These two are far too old to know better. They reside in the over 65 group, who in my opinion should be put out to pasture. I agree we have voter fraud here, but not millions, not even hundreds of thousands, it’s likely low 4 figures by my estimation. Think about it, in California we may be the largest state by population, but it is so concentrated. Sure, you could drop ballots in; Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, maybe San Francisco and Alameda, but outside of that where? Same thing in other states, it’s happening but again at what numbers? Not nearly what they think.
If you want to go after voter fraud, do not go state by state, it needs to be county by county. Example: if Sacramento County has 1.2 million people but has 1.5 million registered to vote, that is a problem. Then drill deeper, after you get access to voter rolls on a “view only” basis, look for an obvious anomaly. For example, an apartment with 8 registered voters with different last names all with high voter propensity… this would indicate a problem. Ditto with the house with the same issue. The key here is to find a crack in the fraud and use a pry bar to open the crack to expose the fraud. No judge will let you have carte blanche over the voter rolls, this is the only way to try to expose fraud unless we get a Secretary of State that cares about the issue. It’s been put to me in some counties nationwide there are more registered voters than actual people. Go to town here, there is your opening. Once you find a little, it will lead to more.
Most importantly, understand that screaming voter fraud will do nothing. Just look at what happened to Rudy Guiliani, John Eastman, and “The kraken.” They are done. National laughing stocks. You look foolish claiming CA is ground zero for fraud. The democrats always win big here. If you think Gavin won the recall due to fraud, there may be no hope for you. If you think a 340-year-old is getting a social security check and so are many others who are 140 years old or older, then you might want to check into a clinic. It’s happening, but declaring it’s happening on the levels you claim is silly and makes you look like a whacko.
The Chief
MSN Lies and Distortions About Social Security
I wish to take issue with some of the statements in an article on the Microsoft Network news site. As usual, their content is from other websites. Anyway, this article is by a person named Andrew Lisa.
First, here’s part of the article.
In 2024, before he was elected for a second term as president, Donald Trump declared on Truth Social, “SENIORS SHOULD NOT PAY TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY!”
That might sound like a blessing for retirees on fixed incomes — who happen to be one of the country’s biggest and most reliable voting blocs — but how much would seniors really benefit if Trump were to succeed in eliminating the tax on Social Security benefits?
It turns out that what appears to be a proposal to help the most vulnerable populations would actually benefit wealthy retirees the most — and the cost in lost revenue could threaten the program’s future and lead to reduced benefits for all.
Trump Wants To Eliminate Social Security Taxes: Here’s How Much the Average Retiree Would Save
The assertion that eliminating federal income tax on Social Security will bankrupt the system is nuts. Supposedly, the money paid out to Social Security recipients was withheld from their checks during their working years. If it accrued interest at market rates, it would be enough to last old folks for many years. The truth is that there is no segregated fund of money invested for Social Security. The claim that there is a coffee can buried on the White House grounds with an I.O.U. inside instead of money is basically true. Congress has been syphoning off the money for decades and spending it as it comes in. Taxing it is just a gimmick to gin-up class envy. Thanks Bill Clinton.
Let’s look further at the claim that wealthy retirees would benefit the most.
The article then claims that eliminating Social Security taxes will only benefit the rich making over $5,000,000 per year.
According to the Tax Policy Center, “The biggest winners would be those in the top 0.1% of income, who make nearly $5 million or more. They’d get an average tax cut of nearly $2,500 in 2025.”
However, elsewhere in the article it says,
“Right now, up to 85% of Social Security benefits can be subject to taxes, which feels like an extra burden when you’re already managing a fixed income,” she explained. “For instance, if you’re receiving $30,000 in Social Security benefits and are currently taxed on half of that at a 12% rate, you could potentially save $1,800 if these taxes are removed — a relief that could go a long way in your budget.”
So, in one spot this article says you need to make five million dollars to benefit $2,500 from this tax cut but two paragraphs prior it says someone making $30K could benefit $1,800.
Both statements can’t be true, but both are treated as equally valid and factual.
Folks, there is another issue related to retirement that this article doesn’t touch. My wife and I get a modest pension and last year I started on Social Security. We did our taxes last week for 2024. We walked out the door with the largest tax bill we have ever had in our lives and yes, last year we did have tax withholding equal to our tax bill for 2023.
Our tax bill breaks down into three buckets.
- State tax was five times higher than last year.
- Social security was taxed.
- Obamacare tax. Yep, did you know that if you’re on Obamacare that you get to pay healthcare premiums every month and then get an additional tax bill for April 15th?
Obamacare
We are too young to be on Medicare which by law you must be on at age 65—even Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are on it too!
Since we retired from work in California and live in another state, we can’t get health insurance directly from our old employers. Thus, we must buy our own policy. Since we are retired, the best deal we can get is being stuck with Obamacare. Obamacare requires that you estimate your income for the coming year, and they then use that estimate to calculate a monthly premium. Well, we guessed wrong, so we got hit with what amounts to an Obamacare penalty. In our case $4,500. The penalty is added onto your tax bill with the federal government. Failure to pay by April 15th gets you penalties and interest from the IRS.
Most of this tax mess is the result of taking some money out of my wife’s IRA. The effective tax rate of this withdrawal was about 35 percent including the money withheld by the fund manager.
So, with less than three weeks until the tax deadline, we are struggling to pay a five-digit tax bill on a fixed income. Meanwhile, my wife is dealing with stage 4 cancer and its related medical expenses. She is not getting any better. Talk about piling on.
Bottom line: eliminating the Social Security tax will benefit many people. Obamacare punishes those on fixed income that are honest about their circumstances.
Lastly, please note that this article on Social Security mentioned nothing about the people that benefit from the bill Biden signed in January which allows teachers, firefighters, and others to get more money from Social Security. Biden’s increasing the benefit to others seemingly has no consequences to the long-term health of the program but Trump cutting a tax is going to bankrupt the system. WTF?