Jobs in Massachusetts

For John, BLUF:  Here in Massahusetts our employment picture is a flat line, and could be worse under a President Trump reeconfigured economy.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Mass. job market is stalling even before MAGAnomics kicks in

Here is the sub-headline:

The stagnant job market underscores the state’s vulnerability as the White House seeks to cut health care and education spending

From The Boston Globe, by Columnist Larry Edelman, Updated 24 March 2025, 8:06 a.m..

Yes, this is three weeks late, but it is an issue that is still with us, and after the problems on Wall Street this week, should be of concern to us.

Here is the lede plus one:

Massachusetts' employment growth has been, to use a technical term, meh.

The latest:  Employment was flat over the 12 months through January, newly revised Labor Department data show. Construction and retail were down — not a surprise — but professional services and information also took a hit. Those are newer cracks in what’s supposed to be the state’s white-collar foundation. Hiring gains came mostly in health care and private education — our prized “eds and meds.” The leisure and hospitality sector, along with state and local government, also offset declines elsewhere.

The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2 percent from 3.7 percent a year earlier. The number of people collecting benefits was the highest since February 2023.

Why it matters:  Job losses across a swath of industries underscore the state’s vulnerability as President Trump’s second-term economic agenda shapes up to be a stress test we’re not ready for.

The scary part was "President Trump’s second-term economic agenda shapes up to be a stress test we’re not ready for."  In the author's words, we are an economy based on "eds and meds".  For us it is made worse by the DOGE effort trying to eliminate excessive overhead costs related to research funding.♠ 

The President wants to return jobs to middle Americans.  That would be jobs that were exported to cheaper production nations over the last few decades.  Nike Shoes would be a good example.  See this article from Think Spot, "Why Wall Street Was Bound To Hate Trump's Tariffs".

Trump wants to turbocharge manufacturing by expanding tariffs on imported goods, while slashing what his team calls “government and government-adjacent” spending — a catch-all that includes anything he hates.

We do have to reduce Fedeeral spending.  We can not sustain a Federal Government debt of $36.711 Trillion, and growing.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  The author also mentions the Trump Administration is yanking funding as part of "cracking down on antisemitism," like fighting antisemitism is a bad thing.

When Does the Economy Rebound

For John, BLUF:  Senator Warren is correct, the econoomy didn't recover on dayy one, but the steps are beingh taken to move it ahead.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/03/02/bessent-calls-out-media-for-hiding-economic-crisis-until-trump-took-office-n4937486

Bessent Calls Out Media for Hiding Economic Crisis Until Trump Took Office

From PJ Media, by Columnist Catherine Salgado, 2 March 2025, 1:45 PM.

Here is the lede plus two:

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent started off his CBS News interview Sunday by ripping leftist media — including CBS — for pretending Joe Biden’s horrible economy was great until he left office.

As We the People picked up extra jobs or lost jobs, as we struggled to pay bills and saw inflation eat up our savings, mainstream media swore we were fools who didn’t appreciate a booming economy. But as soon as Donald Trump took office and inherited Biden-Harris’s economic morass, the media began screeching hysterically about egg prices and insurance costs. As Bessent said, these stooges are total hypocrites.

Addressing the ever insidious “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan, who expressed concern about prices and economic backsliding, Bessent said, “You know, Margaret, what I find interesting is, for the past year and a half, and during the campaign, most of the media said, Oh, the economy is great. It's just a vibe session. Now that President Trump's in office, there's an economic problem. And I'll tell you what the problem was–”

Why, yes, it is Moderator Margaret Brennan, of CBS Face the Nation, one more time.  She comes across as an apologist for the AutoPen Administration.  In this case she is covering for that Administrations sad economic policies.

President Trump may have thought that he was going to turn the economy around on day one, just by his personality and promise to Make America Great Again.  It didn't happen.  The economic drag of the previous Administration has held us back.

But, I am optomistic that the economy is sound and with the efforts of the current Adminiistration to provide more energy and to reduce regulations thihngs will free up and the economy will forge ahead. Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Zero Emissions Trucks

For John, BLUF:  California to eliminate deisel trucks by 2036, as in have them no more.  I bet this screws up the ports of debarkation.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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California Approves Regulation to Phase Out Diesel Trucks by 2036

From The National Review, by Reporter Caroline Downey, 29 April 2023, 11:18 AM.

Here is the lede plus four:

California air regulators on Friday voted to ban diesel truck sales by 2036. The California Air Resources Board unanimously approved the measure called Advanced Clean Fleets, which would prohibit the sale of new diesel big rigs by 2036 and force trucks to produce zero-emissions by 2042. New commercial trucks, such as garbage trucks, delivery trucks and other medium and heavy-duty vehicles, would need to convert to electric under the rule, CNBC reported.

“The initial focus would be on high-priority fleets with vehicles that are suitable for early electrification, their subhaulers, and entities that hire them,” the website outlining the program states. “The goal of this effort is to accelerate the number of medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle purchases to achieve a full transition to zero-emission vehicles in California as soon as possible.”

Ending diesel truck sales in such a dramatic timeline is part of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to crackdown on pollution in the state. Critics claim the transition will be extremely costly and burdensome for the industry, which also does not yet have the infrastructure to support zero-emission trucks. Drayage trucks, which transport cargo to and from major ports, must become electric 2035, and their new sales must be zero-emissions as early as 2024.

The American Trucking Association slammed California’s adoption of the regulation, which now must be approved or rejected by the Environmental Protection Agency within the Biden administration. Given that the trucks are significantly more expensive and “charging and refueling infrastructure is nonexistent,” the cost will be passed down to the consumer, the organization argued.

Hat tip to Memeorandum.

Hat tip to Ann Althouse.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Little People Suffered

For John, BLUF:  The sanctimonious Enviromentalists and climate change advocaates claim the sky is falling, but they have no real plan for helping the vast majority of the People in this "crisis".  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Elitist environmentalists hate the working class

From The New York Post, by Law Professor Glenn H. Reynolds, 26 June 2022, 7:12 pm.

Here is the lede plus two:

As the United States faces skyrocketing oil, gas and electricity prices, the obvious solution is to drill for more oil and gas and build more generating plants.  Naturally, that’s off the table because the people who are being hurt most aren’t the ones who set the agenda.

High prices hurt everyone to a degree, but they’re hardest on the working classes.  Most Americans drive to work, and even in most places with mass transit there are far more jobs within a 30-minute drive than there are within a 30-minute bus or train ride.  Cars also make it easier to take kids to school, shop for groceries in a wider variety of places and stay in touch with family and friends.

With gas prices having more than doubled since January 2021, the cost of doing all these things has also more than doubled.  For a family that’s stretched tight already, twice as much money for gas means less money for other things, like food, clothing or education.  (And it doesn’t help that prices for those things are also skyrocketing.)

People who respond to complaints about the high price of gas at the pump by saying buy an Electric Vehicle are out of touch with the Average American, who can't afford an Electric Vehicle, if one were available.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Wrong Vision

For John, BLUF:  Scripture tells us thzat without a vision the People will perish.  This is a couple of weeks old, but it talks to the current situation, and lack of proper vision.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Why Team Biden might be purposefully grinding down the middle class

From The New York Post, by Professor Glenn H. Reynolds, 26 May 2022, 4:50pm.

Here is the lede plus three:

Vladimir Lenin supposedly once said, “The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.”

There’s some doubt as to whether this line is genuine; regardless, it seems like a pretty good description of what the Biden administration is doing to America’s middle class.

Inflation is running rampant. The Producer Price Index, the most useful measure of general inflation, is up a whopping 16.3% from April 2021, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That means that roughly $1 out of every $6 that people earn has been lost to inflation in a single year.  Or to put it another way, 80 minutes’ earnings out of every eight-hour day have been eaten up.

The author then goes on to analyze the current social and economic conditions.  For sure, it aooears the current administration did not do a strategic analysis of where the United States was and the ways it could evolve.  Rather, they put ideology ahead of planning.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

A Softening of the Economy?

For John, BLUF:  The view of one person on how the economic numbers don't aadd up to a continuing strong economy.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Sketchy Economic Data About to Surface, White House Proactively Seeds MSM Narrative

From The Conservative Tree House, by Sundance, 31 January 2022.

Here is the lede plus two:

For those who have been following closely, the economic data releases over the past several months have been almost impossible to reconcile from a Main Street perspective. Additionally, the scale of inflation is skewing everything that stems from dollar valuation.

CTH is certain the fourth quarter GDP statistic (+6.9%) is useless and was an outcome of several flawed metrics:  (1) the import data was misrepresented and not accurately deducted (supply chain issue); (2) the value of building inventories was over calculated as an outcome of inflation; and (3) the value of all economic activity was subsequently skewed because the economic outputs (goods and services) were recorded at higher prices.

It has been our estimation that Main Street economic activity was substantially less than the data discussed by financial pundits.

The article suggests thzt the White House knows that the economy is softening, and is trying to crezte an alternate story.

This is important, because a soft economy would not be helpful to Democrats going into the Fall Mid-term elections.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Squeezing the Border

For John, BLUF:  The COVID-19 Pandemic, like life itself, requires tradeoffs in which it is not all win-win.  Sometimes the Government Bureaucrats choose poorly.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Vaccine Mandate for Cross Border Trucking Now in Effect, Mandate for Domestic Trucking Begins in a Week, Prepare Your Affairs Accordingly

From The Conservative Three House, by Sundance, 16 January 2022.

Here is the lede plus three:

The cross border vaccine mandate for truckers in/out of Canada is now in effect.  The U.S. vaccine mandate takes effect on January 22nd.

It will take a few days to see the consequences, but there will be consequences.

Keep in mind, any impact is taking place in a supply chain system that is already tenuous and unstable at best.  A small disruption that may have been minimally significant against a fully operational supply chain, is more likely to be a much bigger disruption in a supply chain that is already under a severe amount of demand side stress.  Somewhere in the range of 16,000 to 38,000 daily loads are likely to be impacted.

When questioned about this, Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic Leblanc says the trucking industry “has had adequate time to prepare for this.”  Keep in mind, the mandate was announced 45 days ago (November 30th).  According to the Canadian government, changing the structural rules for all the logistics and commerce in cross border shipping, 45 days is enough notice.

Yes, plan for shortages.  I am not thinking the bureaucrats have thought this out long term.  Or maybe they didn't talk amongst themselves.

As for the Truckers, "Last Year's Heroes, This Year's Zeros."

The good news is that we have a capitalist system, which gives flexibility to the economy, allowing individual entreprauners to adjust here and there, keeping the economy going.^nbsp; At least let us hope so.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Variety of Choices

For John, BLUF:  This is about meeting the needs of the customers.  When customers don't have options, service can suffer.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Yesterday I went to Staples in mid-afternoon, to pick up printer paper and to retrive some green constructioin paper my wife had left at the Copy Center desk.  The construction paper was just as my wife had described it and the two Ladies at the Copy Center were most helpful and willing to help.

Up until checkout it waw a high quality experience.  I enjoy stationary stores and Staples, on a large scale, is a stationary stores. a very good stationary store.

However, there is a glitch at checkout.  As it was mid-afternoon, i was approaching a sugar low and wanted to small snack.  Unlike pre-COVID-19, the snack selection at checkout had been shrunk in size and all squeezed into the last rack in the checkout line.  And the selection left something to be desired.  There was only one kind of Hershy Bar, and that was the large size.  There are no odd ball's, such as a Clark Bar or a Fifth Avenue Bar.  Are those other nick-nacks on the racks such great sellers that anfternoon snack pickups are squeezed out?

And at the end of the checkout line, past all the cash registers.  After one has checked out.  It seems counter-intuitive.

I guess they are trying to drive customers to C-Stores.

Regards  —  Cliff

Reds Under the Bed

For John, BLUF:  We have had Communists in the Treasury Department since at least World War II, the Big One.  However, this seems a little blattant.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Treasury Department Nominee Says Biden Administration Purposefully Wants to Bankrupt Oil, Coal and Gas Companies

From The Conservative Tree House, by Sundance, 9 November 2021.

Here is the lede plus two:

Against catastrophic outcomes, we have been pointing out how the people within the Biden administration are not incompetent; they know exactly what they are doing, and they are destroying the U.S. economic system on purpose.  All of their economic damage is by design, it’s a feature – not a flaw.

An example today is so demonstrative of that point, it’s almost a parody.  Joe Biden’s nominee for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a branch of the Treasury Department that polices some 1,125 banks, is a communist ideologue named Saule Omarova.  She is directly from communist central casting and literally from Kazakhstan in the former Soviet Union.  Ms. Omarova graduated from Moscow State University in 1991, and Joe Biden nominated her for the OCC job in September.

Today, Ms. Omarova is caught on tape saying it is the intent of the Biden administration to use the treasury department to bankrupt oil, coal and natural gas companies.  This is what happens often with avowed ideologues; they are so focused on their mission to destroy the U.S., they often just say the stuff out loud

I would say Ms Omarova is problamtic as a high level Tresury official.  I was thinking that before this most recent revelation.  Before this she was talking about eliminating local banks.

What are they thinking?  Who are they paying off?  For sure, this kind of thinking is not good for our Capitalist system, for Citizenry across the fruited plain, or for the environment.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Work Force

For John, BLUF:  This is a study of not everybody, but of those in the prime working demographic.  People who should be out in the labor force.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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New Report Shows Growth of the Welfare State Has Fueled Long-Term Declines in the Labor Force

Here is the sub-headline:

Policies should incentivize employment; not discourage it.

From Foundation for Economic Eduction (FEE), by Journalist Brad Polumbo, 28 October 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

A massive labor shortage continues to grip the nation and hold back our economic recovery.  With countless pandemic and policy factors influencing the shortage, there’s a heated debate over what’s keeping so many workers out of the labor force.  But a new study confirms that the growth of the welfare state is playing a massive role—and that this trend began long before the pandemic.

Published by experts on the Republican side of the Senate Joint Economic Committee, the analysis reports, “the U.S. has witnessed an unprecedented rise in disconnected prime-age workers over time.”  As shown in the graph below, the men’s labor force participation rate has fallen from more than 97 percent in 1955 to 89 percent prior to the pandemic, while the women’s labor force participation rate has declined in recent decades as well.

This is not good news for the economy.  But, few are talking about it.  We need more people working, so that the Democrats in Washington, DC, can collect more taxes, to pay for their plans.  Or, we could remove disincentives in the work force and use the extra Federal taxes to pay down our towering Federal debt.

The alternative future is this:

We are better off with people working.  Work is a virtue, as Commentator Lawrence Kudlow tells us.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Bottle Neck at Terminal island

For John, BLUF:  Our economy is built upon the idea of just in time delivery.  It saves lots of money, but it depends upon things, and people, showing up on time.  Now it is breaking down.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Driving a hard bargain: Haulage firms offer $100,000 salaries and $15,000 bonuses to lure 80,000 truckers and ease supply crisis as empty shipping containers are dumped in streets because California port is full

Here is the sub-headline:

• Trucking companies are offering lucrative incentives to attract more Americans to the trucking industry, where 80,000 jobs need to be filled this year
• One company is offering a $15,000 signup bonus, while others promise six-figure salaries
• But near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, transportation execs say the problem isn't a lack of drivers - it's mass congestion caused by empty containers
• Steamships are refusing to take back empty containers, and charging trucking companies a per diem to store them
• That is driving some small businesses to close as the logistical situation at the ports worsens
• Head of the California Trucking Association has called for a state of emergency to be imposed
• It all ties into the supply chain chaos that's left cargo ships queueing for weeks to unload goods to trucking companies, which are unable to efficiently move them

From The Daily Mail, by Reporter Michelle Thompson, 21 October 2021, 12:28 EDT.

Here is the lede plus four:

Haulage companies are offering six-figure salaries and $15,000 sign-on bonuses while struggling to attract 80,000 new drivers who are needed to relieve the nation’s supply crisis.

But industry experts said more drivers won’t alleviate the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach backlog, where an empty shipping container fiasco is preventing trucks from moving product to consumers.

Facing an exodus of 600,000 retiring truckers by 2028, the transportation industry is desperate to recruit more people and estimates that 80,000 new hires are needed this year to offset attrition and clear a backed-up supply chain.

‘I can tell you that pretty much every single one of our members – no matter what part of the industry they’re in – is looking for drivers,’ Chris Shimoda, senior vice president of government affairs at the California Trucking Association, told DailyMail.com.

‘They are raising pay across the board, introducing things like signing and retention bonuses, trying to provide more local driving opportunities so that the drivers can be home with their families at night, but it's been a real struggle for several years.’

Some may think this is goinhg to just work itself out, over time.  However, how much time?  I think we can see the Christmas Season going down the tubes.

Maybe not, but the pain of it would be strong.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Specialization May Be Over

For John, BLUF:  Our economy works, and works well, normally, because the system apportions work to those with skills and a reasonable price.  We tend not to pay attention to race, creed or other factors.  However, that seems to be slipping out of favor.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Women and Trans collective disturbed to find 'cisgenger men' installing new radiators

JOHN SEXTON Oct 18, 2021 7:33 PM ET.

Here is the lede plus one:

Oberlin College is the pricey liberal arts school which lost a massive defamation lawsuit filed by Gibson’s Bakery back in 2019.  Oberlin has a fancy house called Baldwin Cottage which was built in 1886 and which is currently home to the Women and Trans Collective.  The school’s website describes the collective as “a close-knit community that provides women and transgendered persons with a safe space for discussion, communal living, and personal development.”  Basically it’s a special dorm that has living space for about 30 people.

The student paper, the Oberlin Review, reported last week that the school decided to upgrade the radiators in Baldwin Cottage but, to the dismay of some residents, they sent “cisgender men” to do the work.  [emphasis added]

Very nice looking house.  It reminds me of 9 West Butterworth Street, Wenonah, NJ, 08090.

Is this the beginning of some brave new world, where is is segregation now and forever?  Are the people assigned to Baldwin Cottage prepared to do it all themselves?  Plumbing, electoral, HVAC, painting, paving, food deliver?  This is definitely a step away from capitalism, which takes advantage of the division of labor.  Now the residents have to do it all themselves, or find tailored businesses, which hire only people of certain persuasions or orientations.

Should the State or Federal Governments sponsor programs to allow people of certain persuations or orientations to live in certain parts of a State, City or Town?  So they feel safe?  Is there some limit to this ever-expanding taxonomy of gender differences?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Presidential Polling Numbers Slipping

For John, BLUF:  The half-life of a memory in US politics is 90 days.  How long will the stink last?  It depends on Afghanistan.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Biden Polls Crater:  Most Want Him to Resign, Shocking Number Is on Impeachment

From Red State, by Reporter Nick Arama, 1 September 2021, 8:30 PM ET.

Here is the lede plus one:

Joe Biden’s ship has finally run aground on the polls.

They began to nosedive at the beginning of the Afghanistan debacle in the middle of last month.  For example, his polling average went under 50 by August 16.

But now, Biden’s numbers have absolutely cratered in all respects.

Both the Real Clear Politics average and the FiveThirtyEight average were underwater.

FiveThiryEight had 47.2 disapproving and 46.7 approving.

The problem isn't just the President.  The polling regarding the Vice President isn't good either:

Just 38% say Harris is qualified to assume the duties of being president.

I thing "run aground" may be an overstatement.  If Jahadi Terrorists hold off, if the Taliban plays nice with the West and holds off cracking down on women, the COVID-19 will soon push to the front and take center stage.  That gives the President another shot.

Or, an incoherent plan with regard to COVID-19, and the economy, could keep the numbers depressed.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Food-flation

For John, BLUF:  It seems inflation is threatening, but the Federal Government is not concerned.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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World’s Largest Food Company Will Raise Prices Amid Inflation

From The Daily Wire, by Reporter Ben Zeisloft, 30 July 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, announced it would hike prices in response to inflation.

As of June, inflation in the United States reached a year-over-year rate of 5.4%.  Businesses and consumers are therefore seeking to retain their margins in the face of the diminishing purchasing power offered by the dollar.

Inflation is coming, and not just in food and gasoline and Christmas toys.

I hope it won't turn into galloping inflation.  That would be bad for the Middle and Lower classes.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Boycotting a Threat to Unity

For John, BLUF:  Our unity should include the idea that it is the person with the best product who deserves our custom.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Hyatt Hotels fires back at Democrats demanding boycott of hotel chain for hosting CPAC

Here is the sub-headline:

'Looks like we must #boycottHYATT immediately for supporting Nazis!!'

From The Blaze, by Reporter Chris Enloe, 28 February 2021.

Here is the lede plus four:

Hyatt Hotels responded to critics on Friday who demanded a boycott of the hotel chain over its decision to host the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida.

What did the hotel say?

A spokesperson for Hyatt said Hyatt is committed to providing "a safe and inclusive environment" to "care for people so they can be their best."

The statement further added that Hyatt believes in diversity of thought, which made hosting CPAC a no-brainer.

We take pride in operating a highly inclusive environment and we believe that the facilitation of gatherings is a central element of what we do as a hospitality company.  We believe in the right of individuals and organizations to peacefully express their views, independent of the degree to which the perspectives of those hosting meetings and events at our hotels align with ours.  Our own values support a culture that is characterized by empathy, respect and diversity of opinions and backgrounds, and we strive to bring this to light through what we do and how we engage with those in our care.

I think we should be careful to not divide ourselvess into camps, camps that won't countenance going shopping in a store associated with "the other side."  That is not the way to grow the economy, and thus grow jobs.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Prices Going Up?

For John, BLUF:  We think our winter weather here in New England can be bad, but so can the odd spot of bad weather in Southern California.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Anchored Containerships Off Los Angeles/Long Beach Flee Winter Storm

From gCaptain, by Bloomberg's Brendan Murray, 26 January 2021.

Here is the lede plus two:

Cargo ships enduring one of the worst U.S. port bottlenecks in more than a decade faced down another obstacle as they waited to offload near Los Angeles: a lashing from Mother Nature.

Winds gusting to 55 knots (63 mph) and 17-foot (5.2-meter) waves forced 17 loaded container vessels to depart their anchorages for safety out at sea, the Marine Exchange of Southern California said in a note late Monday.  Another 14 carriers remained anchored outside the adjacent ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, it said.

The storm prevented “many” scheduled port movements, and marine officials indicated that the congestion doesn’t look likely to clear soon:  28 additional container lines are scheduled to arrive in the next three days — 11 more than the usual pre-Covid traffic.

Will this bottleneck at the port cause the cost of imported goods to go up, or is the cost of an idling ship not that high?

Regards  —  Cliff

Hurting The Poor

For John, BLUF:  Senator Rand Paul says a boost in the minimum will result in job losses.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Sen. Rand Paul says Biden's push for raising minimum wage shows he hates Black teenagers

From USA Today, by Louisville Courier Journal Reporter Emma Austin, 23 January 2021, 7:34 PM EST.

Here is the lede plus two:

Not for the first time this week, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul took his criticisms of newly inaugurated President Joe Biden to Fox News.

Speaking with conservative personality Sean Hannity Friday night, the Republican congressman repeated his claim that Biden's goal of increasing the national minimum wage to $15 would cause 4 million people to lose their jobs.

"And the people who lose their jobs first when you hike up the minimum wage are Black teenagers," Paul said.  "So, you know, 'why does Joe Biden hate Black teenagers' should be the question.  Why does Joe Biden want to destroy all these jobs?"

To be fair, the Reporter then goes on to challenge Senator Paul's assertions.

That said, if wages are going up, owners are asking if there are jobs to be eliminated, to keep prices from going up.  That extra pay has to come from somewhere.  There is profits, which has limits.  There is saving money on supplies like more buying from China.  The is staff elimination.  Then there are those with business plans who relook and say they can't turn a profit and don't start new businesses.

But, none of this impacts Middle Class college graduates of any race or ethnicity, except for thos teenagers looking for part times jobs.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

January is National Tea Month

For John, BLUF:  Who knew?  As for tea, for some of us it is the needed substitute for Coffee, and thank God for it.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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State of the U.S. Tea Industry:  Review of 2019 and Look Forward for 2020

From The Tea Association of the USA, by Mr Peter F. Goggi Tea, 21 May 2020.

Here is the lede plus three:

2019 was a year that started with such optimism converting quickly to dogged determination as a combination of events turned it into as challenging year as we’ve had in recent memories.

The imposition of tariffs on tea by the Trump Administration was not a welcome event. Despite testimony being given to the Federal Trade Representative in D.C., by myself and several other members of the trade, the tariffs were imposed. While the initial proposal was 25% on tea from China, this was eventually imposed at the 15% level. At the time of this writing, the tariffs on Chinese Tea have been reduced to 7 1⁄2%.

Our efforts to increase the number of tea tolerances continued in 2019 with an additional 7 new tolerances established by EPA. Our work in D.C. continued with the Tea Association speaking on behalf of the industry in the areas of Standards of Identity, definition of “Natural” and Dietary Guidelines.

Other topics in which we acted on behalf of the industry were: esophageal cancer; Heavy Metals (lead particularly); Country of Origin Labeling; HTIS classifications; Prop 65 and Nano-plastics. In fact, the Nano-plastic issue is still in play and we are working with the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada and the UK Tea & Infusions Association in this area.

Ah, the job of the Trade Association is never done.  It looks like the areas covered were quite broad.  I suspect a Trade Association is an important source of outreach to Congress and to reulatory agencies.

The good news is there is tea.  My wife is brewing my third cup of the day, even as I type.

Hat tip to the US Census Bureau.

Regards  —  Cliff

Providing Opportunities

For John, BLUF:  The thing that caught my eye is "California is driving on fumes—living off the residual investments and innovations of past generations."  While any of the 50 States could fall into that trap, I think it is especially true of California.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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To Continue Thriving, California Needs New Politicians

Here is the sub-headline:

California is driving on fumes and living off the residual investments and innovations of past generations.  Is it any wonder so many Californians are heading to Texas or Arizona?

From Reason, by Mr Steven Greenhut, 1 January 2021.

Here is the key paragraph:

California officials love to boast that the state is the world's fifth-largest economy—and point to Silicon Valley as evidence that we're still on the cutting edge of entrepreneurial activity.  But California is driving on fumes—living off the residual investments and innovations of past generations.  These lawmakers take credit for something they seem intent on destroying.

The idea of living off the past applies to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as to California.  I wonder about the impact of the major Pandemic Driven Economic Disruption of 2020.  How many businesses will move themselves out of state or encourage their workers to work from home, in out of state locations.  It would seem that if the work force is mostly working at home, they could be almost anywhere, although close enough to drop by the office once in a while.

The past Route 128 Miracle was a major boost to Massachusetts.  However, that was then (1980s) and this is now,  We need not just jobs, but we need a better housing situation, where people are not crowded into ethnic neighborhoods that results in the residents not being able to build their personal wealth. We need land where homes can be built and the residents of crowded neighborhoods can move.  That means we need to improve the transportation infrastructure, although, with telecommuting, perhaps not on a one-for-one basis.  To reduce the population density in Boston and its environs we need to change zoning laws and provide capital for developers.

Not everyone will wish to make the transition to the hinterlands.  For some it will be too foreign.  For others it will be a long wished for opportunity.  For both groups of Massachusetts residents it will mean an improvement in quality of life—a Win-Win.

The result will be changed demographics, but not necessarily by moving the values of Boston out to Middlesex, Worcester and Franklin Counties.  It might mean that certain political and social values in Boston will become denser, while other values will move and be more compatible with the areas to which they move.  In any event, a larger number of people should prosper.  That is to the benefit of us all.

Let us not be like California!

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Some Stimulus Coming

For John, BLUF:  It appears the Speaker of the House held off on extending relief benefits so as to not benefit President Trump, but is now willing to cut a short term deal, to look good.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Pelosi jousts with reporters over reversal on slimmed-down Covid relief package

Here is the sub-headline:

‘I don’t want Republicans to think it’s a dream come true,’ speaker said of a smaller coronavirus bill. ‘It’s not’

From The Independent (UK), by Bureau Chief John T. Bennett, 4 December 2020.

Here is the lede plus three:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended dropping her insistence on a $2trn coronavirus relief package, jousting with reporters about this week endorsing a bipartisan proposal that is half that size.

“Perhaps you missed what I said earlier:  Joe Biden pledged to crush the virus,” she snapped at a reporter, saying unlike Donald Trump, the president-elect wants to pass an even larger economic stimulus package after he takes office next month.

In her telling, embracing a $900m package introduced this week by a group of Democrats and Republicans is a reflection of new realities – and incoming Democratic chief executive and coming coronavirus vaccines.

“Don’t characterize what we did … as a mistake,” Ms Pelosi said of her months-long holding out for the kind of $2trn measure her chamber passed earlier this year but was blocked by the White House and Senate Republicans.  “It was a decision, and it’s taken us to a place we can do the right thing.  … I’m very proud of where we are.”

The Speaker of the House is a cynical politician.  In the mean time regular folks suffer.  Legislatures keep their jobs and income, but workers in many places lose their job to lockdons, with no aid coming to them.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff