Inconvenient Questions and Politically Incorrect Answers

 

Jon Reisman

• What percentage of the $2-5 Trillion infrastructure bill(s) President Biden is selling (his Dad became a used car salesman after they left Scranton, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.) is actually about infrastructure? It depends on how much blarney you allow into the definition of “infrastructure”, but is you go with roads, bridges and airports and even add the ridiculous high-speed California railroad to Nowhere (Sacramento to Bakersfield), the answer is about 15% at best. The rest is for a bigger and permanent welfare state (with no work requirements or expectations), the green new deal on steroids, “anti-racist” discrimination policies and reparations and crony capitalist subsidies for Democratic donors (like the ½ billion Obama flushed away for Solyndra)

• What is the proper name for HR1, the “For the People Act”, which will undermine free speech and enable widespread electoral fraud? Senator Ted Cruz has suggested “The For the Corrupt Politicians Act”, which is accurate if repetitious. However, my personal favorite is the brilliant “Comprehensive Omnibus Voter Federal Electoral Fraud Enhancement Act”, or the Covfefe Happens Act. Who knew Donald Trump was so prescient?

• IF the federal CDC Director states that vaccinated individuals do not get sick and are not infectious, but the mainstream media do their best to not report and/or bury the story, did it really happen and does it matter as far as mask and lockdown policy? No.

• Who can lie about drug use on a federal firearms background check form and not be prosecuted? President Biden’s son Hunter. Regarding influence peddling and predatory sexual behavior, the apple did not fall far from the tree. However, like the fallen tree in the forest, if no one knows because the media, as the communications arm of the Democratic Party, suppresses the story, it never really happened.

• How do you know when Maine Democrats have overreached? When Pravda on the Penobscot, otherwise known as the Bangor Daily News, gently suggests that the majority budget shenanigans might not be the best optic the left could have created. Just wait to see how Janet and her peons spend the printing press Covid money on green dreams and racial “equity” hustles. 

• How much global warming will actually be averted by the moral preening, increases in energy costs and assorted reductions in economic and personal freedom championed by Gov. Mills, President Biden, the environmental left and assorted climate alarmists? The answer is none, or nothing we can actually measure. That is why we hear about tons of carbon pollution prevented and green jobs created, but never about how much of this supposedly apocalyptic threat is actually being averted.

• Did you know that that state and federal  public land acquisition policies have increased public ownership in Maine to about 15% of the State, with the three poorest Counties (Washington, Piscataquis and Somerset) leading the way at almost 30% of their land base “conserved”? Did you know that Gov. Mills Climate Council wants to double public ownership to 30% by 2030? If history and past practice is any guide, they will not be buying land in Southern Maine. We can expect the climate alarmists to direct their purchases to rural northern and eastern Maine. 2/3 of Washington County will be locked up if Gov. Mills gets her way, and our local land trusts will be doing everything they can to help. What economic system is it where the government owns or controls the land? It sure isn’t capitalism.

Jon Reisman is an associate professor of economics and public policy at the University of Maine at Machias. His views are his own. Mr. Reisman welcomes comments as letters to the editor here, or to him directly via email at [email protected].

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