Top 12 Predictions For 2022

Annual predictions are not for the easily offended. Skeptics scoff. Political partisans pooh-pooh.  The Intelligentsia sniff:  prognosis is a job for pros, not mortals. Few critics dare to tiptoe on the forecast limb.  Such is the weighty yoke shouldered by those who peer into the future and divine destiny.

For those interested in your prognosticator's accuracy, look under the archive tab on the far right side of the current blog and click on 2021. Scroll to the bottom and you will find last year's Top 12 Predictions. An unbiased reckoning (mine) will find that at least nine forecasts were (mostly) correct. 

Compare your columnist's record to stock market forecasters whose estimates are always rosy and wrong half the time.  Or to economists who regularly err but leave wiggle room, just in case their conjecture veers off course.  Or political pollsters and pundits whose dismal record speaks for itself.

What about the politicians and  health officials who boldly predicted Americans could resume their normal lives in 2021?  How did that work out?  And don't get me started on meteorologists.  Most weather forecasters cannot accurately predict the weather beyond the next 30 minutes.     

Fact is foreseeing the future is an imprecise science that requires a heaping spoonful of luck and a pinch of skill.  That explains why prognosticators often issue updates throughout the year, praying no one will remember their original premonition.  Your fearless seer gets one shot.  And this is it.   

Here are the Top 12 Predictions for next year.  

1.  A red wave swamps Democrats in the mid-terms as the GOP picks up 69 seats in the House and two in the Senate, earning majorities in both halls of Congress.  After the thunderous defeat, Democrats convince President Biden to announce he will not run for president in 2024.

2.  Inflation worsens in the first quarter because price increases have been baked into the costs of goods due to rising producer expenses.  Wages continue to tick up, but inflation hits 7.9% in the first quarter, wiping out real gains in income. Inflation vaults to the top issue in the mid-terms. 

3.  Because it waited too long to taper purchases of Treasury notes and hike interest rates, the Fed finds itself in an election year pickle.  It raises interest rates twice but the Fed stalls the planned third increase as spikes in mortgage rates and credit card interest curtail consumer spending. 

4.  A 22% increase in stock markets since the end of last year has inflated prices for many equities, especially SPAC's which come under fierce scrutiny from the SEC after values plummet.  Markets are roiled by elevated volatility, but equities rise a combined 13% in the three leading indices.

5.  Blockchain, a decentralized database to generate and store records, expands beyond crypto currency applications as the technology is adopted for solutions in the energy, health care and banking industries.  The open and secure system attracts record business investment.

6.   The Gross Domestic Product, a measurement of economic health, continues to skid downward, ending the year with an annualized growth of 2.9%.  First quarter figures signal sustained economic expansion, however, growth stalls as lockdowns cripple business recovery.  

7. Real estate prices keep surging next year, escalating by 14% nationwide, a drop from the scorching hike of 19.5% in 2021. Prices is some cities jump even higher, but uncertainty in the mortgage market triggers a construction slowdown in many locations as inventory grows.

8.  Omicron, the variant that provoked a nationwide panic, begins to fizzle at the end of the first quarter with few fatalities despite skyrocketing cases.  The variant proves to be a blessing, conferring natural immunity on millions as the pandemic morphs into an endemic by yearend.

9. Amidst the boom in electric vehicles, China increases its monopoly--now 85%-- of rare earth elements, including many critical in the manufacturing of batteries: lithium, copper and cobalt. China embarks on a buying spree, snapping up mines in Africa, South America and Afghanistan. 

10.  The hybrid work from home (WFH) model gains little traction as more workers prefer to live in locations far from big city offices. With labor shortages in technology and digital industries, firms scrap the hybrid and offer WFH as a benefit to fill critical job vacancies.   

11. Intensifying cyber attacks on energy, medical institutions and governments by state actors  under the control of Russia and China cause so much chaos that one Western government brands the intrusions as acts of war, raising the stakes in the cyber security battle.

12. TikTok, the Chines- owned video app, comes under increasing Congressional criticism as investigations expose its algorithms flood minors with videos about sex, drugs and eating disorders. Despite the disclosures, the administration rejects calls to ban the app.

Let the second-guessing begin.  Bring in on.  However, the last word belongs to those whose vision withstands the test of 12 months.  Print and save this column.  Then compare these predictions of those of the pros at the end of 2022.  The outcome may surprise you or humble your columnist.

Whatever happens, be assured another set of predictions will be issued at the end of 2022.  Your blogger has learned the secret of other prognosticators: if you make enough forecasts you are bound to hit a few. 

Santa Wakes Up To A Woke Winter

North Pole (AP)--2021 was a repeat of the previous year in this sleepy city of 2,022 residents. Reindeer noses were cloaked in masks.  Elves remained six feet apart.  Santa Claus submitted to daily COVID tests. The new normal, however, was shaken when a traveling caravan of 12 Californians arrived.

Overnight, this tiny hamlet became infected with a disease far worse than the virus: Wokeness.  The Californians, mostly San Francisco residents fleeing their city, launched a campaign to force the North Pole to address rampant, systemic racism.  Their first salvo was to challenge the Whiteness of the city.

"There is white everywhere you look," snickered the caravan's greasy-haired, self-appointed leader Galvanized Newman. "There's white snow on the streets and on the roofs and even Santa's beard is white. This reeks of White Supremacy.  We are not going to stand for this."

Santa Claus, taken aback by the charges, struck a conciliatory chord. "Fine, we'll import smog from Los Angeles, which will turn the snow black," he said in exasperation.  But that didn't satisfy the restless newcomers.  They demanded the song "White Christmas" be banned.  

"But I like Bing Crosby," Mrs. Claus moaned.  This just inflamed passions of the dissidents.  All 12 Golden Staters marched into town and ripped down the statute of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of the village.  "It was St. Nick, who enslaved elves and brought disease from Greece," Newman huffed.

After this incident, events spiraled out of control.  Newman, bent on importing San Francisco-style Wokeness, ran for Mayor and won the election by allowing reindeer to submit mail-in ballots.   Newman's opponent, an elf named Ronald Trumpet,  accused the Californian of stealing the election.

In his first official act, Newman finagled the two person council to vote to require Critical Face Theory training for all North Pole residents, reindeer included.  Under CFT doctrine, no citizen could look another in the face thus preventing facial bias.  A baffled Santa and Mrs. Claus boycotted the session. 

The offended twelve,  dubbed the California Clucks Clan (CCC) by locals, marched to the Claus' one-bedroom home and spray-painted a slogan on the white clapboard house: "There is nothing jolly about a White Supremacist."  Santa rang the police only to find out the council had defunded the department.

Santa beseeched the CCC to hold a meeting so he could address their grievances.  Two days later, all 2,022 residents, elves and reindeer huddled in the city hall.  After Newman ranted about Santa's rural ignorance, the rotund man rose unsteadily, having packed on 20 pounds during the pandemic.

"Every Christmas," he began in a raspy voice, "I bring gifts to children of every race.  I let every kid sit on my lap at the mall, even the smelly ones.  I take photos with all children, including those with missing teeth. We do good around the world and carry on the Christmas tradition here."

When the flabby man slumped in his chair, the crowd erupted in cheers.  Newman was not impressed.  "Yes, yes," he nodded. "You bring gifts to children, regardless of race.  But we are talking about equity. The children of color deserve more gifts than the others for past white patriarchy."

Several locals fished their iPhones out of their pockets and googled "patriarchy."  Newman shook his fist at the the residents and lobbed another verbal grenade.  "You people are backward, science deniers, bible toting, gun-loving idiots. And those are your--insert air quotes-- 'good' qualities."   

A near riot ignited as angry locals shouted down Newman, who showed his vaccination passport to stop the onrushing residents.  The mayor thought about summoning police, but then remembered he had furloughed the lone law officer.  Mrs. Claus, the town peacemaker, stood and shushed the crowd.  

"Please," she said, motioning the locals to return to their chairs.  "We will make all the changes you have demanded.  We just want to live in harmony. " A murmur arose from the residents.  Undeterred, Mrs. Claus continued, "Let's give this a try. What could go wrong?"

Santa's head snapped back, but he knew better than to challenge his spouse.  For a few days, peace reigned as fresh, white snow coated the village.  Work resumed in Santa's workshop.  The reindeer began playing their usual games, like Texas Hold em.  The quiet was shattered a day later by Newman.

The mayor urged that Rudolph's name be changed to X-dolph. "Reindeer by nature are binary, neither male or female. Rudolph should be able to decide its gender."  The red light on Rudolph's nose flickered furiously.  Santa intervened, petting his sleigh leader on the rump, to calm, he, she, it.

While Santa stroked Rudolph...er X-dolph...Dancer and Prancer sidled up to him.  Both pawed the ground with their hooves, writing a message in the snow. Santa read and was startled.  "We should be treated differently," the duo had written. "We are LGBTQ and appeal for support for our rights."

Santa's patience hung by a thread.  He trudged through the snow. leaving Newman knee deep in reindeer dung.  Opening the door to his cottage, he found Mrs. Claus snuggled in a blanket by a roaring fireplace. He plopped down in his lounge chair next to her and the two talked into the wee hours.

The next day dawned sunny, a rare ray of hope in the long gray North Pole winter.  Santa ambled to the toy workshop and then visited the reindeer in the free range area.  When he departed, elves and reindeer tromped in his footsteps as Santa resolutely waddled to city hall, where an anxious crowd awaited.

Santa shuffled toward the microphone at the front of the drafty hall, as reindeer jostled for the best seats at the front.  The Twelve stood at the back, arms folded, scowls on their faces.  A hush fell over the assembly.  Santa cleared his throat and spread his flabby arms.

"Mr. Claus and I have withstood bitter winters, ungrateful kids, pushy parents and Christmas nights that seemed to never end.  But it was worth it to see the smiles on the faces of the children.  But now, we have come to a major decision." Santa paused, "We're moving our operation to Florida."

An audible gasp arose from the locals.  "We don't want to become San Francisco, " Santa explained.  "Mrs. Claus has already picked out a nice condo in Naples.  The elves will be able to see the sun almost every day.  The reindeer won't have to wear masks.  And there is no tax on white beards."

The crowd sat stunned as they absorbed the news.  Then one-by-one the locals stood and clapped and squealed with joy.  The elves danced a jig.  The reindeer nuzzled one another.  No one minded trading the North Pole's frigid winters for balmy Florida.

Santa loaded up his sleigh, hitched up the reindeer team, and waved to the knot of excited North Pole residents.  "Merry Christmas," he whooped as his belly shook like a bowl of Jello.  "And I'll see you in Florida."

President Biden's Failed Attempts To Tame COVID

Omicron.  No one can pronounce the word correctly, but it has an ominous ring. Even President Biden stumbled over the pronunciation. The name conjures a villain in a Marvel graphic novel. Turns out Omicron is the 15th letter in the Greek alphabet and the label for the newest COVID variant.     

When the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the moniker for the Coronavirus variant, the American media incited an epidemic of news hysteria. Their scaremongering reporting included the fact the variant first appeared on the Dark Continent of Africa.  That had to be a grim sign for the world.

President Biden immediately shut down air travel between the U.S. and South Africa and other countries in the region, triggering a pandemic of fear.  Dr. Anthony Fauci supported the decision, saying it was "better to be safe than sorry."  CNN, MSNBC and network news dolts stirred a caldron of anxiety.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres was not amused. He described the widespread travel bans on southern African countries as "unacceptable," and likened the restrictions to Apartheid. Remember when President Trump was labeled a xenophobic for his China travel ban?  

Question: Does the African travel ban make President Biden a racist?  

The administration that charms the elitist media by bragging it follows science, apparently did not bother to call the medical experts in South Africa.  The South African Medical Research Council had data that showed Omicron may be less severe than the earlier COVID strains, including Delta.

In fact,  Dr. Angelique Coetzee, a practicing physician and head of the South African Medical Research Council, reported most patients displayed mild symptoms and did not require hospital care. Researchers found even hospitalized patients did not require oxygen and had no respiratory symptoms.

The latest WHO weekly update reported zero deaths worldwide from individuals who tested positive for Omicron.  The CDC reported 43 cases in the U.S. as of December 11. Nearly 80% of those infected with Omicron were fully vaccinated, and one-third had received a booster short, according to the CDC.

Despite the science, President Biden seized the news about Omicron to impose new testing rules for international travelers, extend the transportation mask mandate and announce his administration will launch hundreds of vaccination clinics and distribute millions of free home tests. 

The frenzied, hair trigger response reflects Mr. Biden's realization that Americans believe he has failed to deliver on promises to tame COVID. He has awoken to the reality that his political fortunes and those of his fellow Democrats are tied to the administration's disastrous results on stemming the virus.

During the 2020 election, candidate Biden wailed that 225,000 deaths under President Trump made him unfit to lead the nation. Under Biden, there have been 406,000 deaths to date, far eclipsing the toll of 386,000 in 2020. As a result, there is no normal.  Just more of the same, tired solutions.

The administration's default strategy with each new variant is to use the one-size fits all approach to strangle the spread of the virus. Vaccination mandates.  Mask requirements.  More tests.  Shame the unvaccinated. None of it has worked based on the data.  Cases are rising. Deaths are continuing.   

Moreover, courts have dealt a body blow to Biden's onerous vaccination mandates. The administration's ill advised, constitutional overreach has been rebuked by five federal courts, leaving the centerpiece of his vaccine plan in tatters. He has succeeded only in further politicizing the virus.

Meanwhile, the administration has quietly reversed itself by allowing federal employees who were not vaccinated by the November 22 deadline to continue on the job.  This occurred at the same time Mr. Biden was punishing private employees with his mandate.  What science was he following?  

On September 1, days before Mr. Biden issued his stringent mandates, 52.6% of Americans were fully vaccinated. As of December 10, the number had climbed to 60.4%.  The administration takes credit for the rise, but Kaiser Family Foundation reports the momentum had already shifted months earlier.

Real world experiences apparently do not count as "science" in guiding Mr. Biden's vaccination obsession. France has one of the highest immunization rates in Europe: 76.8% of the population are fully vaccinated. Yet the virus cases are rising, prompting officials to enforce strict restrictions.

Does the virus only end when 100% of the population is vaccinated? Or do vaccinations and boosters lose potency faster than expected? Following the Biden doctrine to its illogical conclusion, no one is safe as long as one person remains unvaccinated.  This is not common sense, much less science.

Scapegoating the unvaccinated is a favorite weapon of Dr. Fauci and his ideological disciples.  But scientific data offers a more nuanced picture.  The Virginia Department of Health released figures on the rate of viral infections from January 17 through December 4 of this year.

According to state data, which is more reliable than CDC numbers, here are the rates of infection per 100,000 Virginians: Vaccinated: 1,212; Partially Vaccinated 2,336; and Unvaccinated 5,228.  There is no disputing the unvaccinated are more likely to contract the virus. The data proves it. 

But remember the figures include the early part of this year when few were vaccinated. Viewed another way, the unvaccinated are 2.2 times more likely than the vaccinated and partially vaccinated to be infected, which is lower than previous reports when vaccination rates were below 30%.    

After almost two years of pandemic histrionics, Americans are weary of masking, insolation, and restrictions on travel. Normalcy appears to be a a faint glow in a galaxy far, far away. To make matters worse, the federal government and its agencies have not been transparent. 

One example: More than 30 American academics, professors and scientists requested data about the information submitted to the FDA by Pfizer for further study. The agency's response was appalling. The FDA  asked a federal judge to wait until the year 2076 to release Pfizer's vaccine data.

This is the scientific research the FDA relied upon to license the drug firm's vaccine. Why is the FDA so hesitant?  Is the administration's shielding Pfizer from liability?  Americans deserve an answer now, especially in light of Dr. Fauci's statements about the need for more Big Pharma booster shots.  

Perhaps, the answer lies in a massive study conducted in Israel late this year. The findings concluded that immunity against the potent Delta variant waned in all vaccinated  groups only a few months after receipt of the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Was the FDA forewarned?  We may never know.  

Another example is the refusal of most in the scientific community to recognize the immunity conferred upon people who recovered from confirmed cases of COVID.  Once the vaccine mandate was in place, the science was rejected because of worries if word seeped out, people might not get vaccinated.  

There have been three studies that show patients with confirmed cases of COVID develop natural immunities to the virus more powerful than the vaccinated. Research at Rockefeller University discovered recovered patients developed increasing antibodies for up to one year.

This finding matters because many of the unvaccinated, including police and medical workers, who had recovered from COVID, requested to be exempted from Biden's oppressive mandate.  They were turned down.  What science was relied upon in making this decision?  That is a rhetorical question. 

Even more concerning, the administration keeps repeating its same plan to stop COVID, hoping for a different outcome.  In the face of the spread of Omicron, the health experts on Team Biden are working with Big Pharma to produce yet another booster vaccine, this one targeting the new variant.

Israel, the global leader in COVID research and study, is taking a different approach. The Israel Institute for Biological Research is shepherding the development of a new vaccine based on a platform used by Merck & Co. for its Ebola vaccine, which has proven both safe and effective.

What's different about this vaccine is that it binds to the exact cell in the lung that is targeted by the virus.  Lab tests show the vaccine antibodies retain their potency against four of the most serious variants, including Delta.  More testing is needed, but at least the Israelis are searching for new solutions.

Don't expect creative ideas from the Biden Administration. Business lockdowns, school closures, more boosters, masking and unconstitutional mandates are in favor because the administration and its allies in Democrat states crave the authoritarian power a health crisis offers. 

In the latest pronouncement from his perch on high, Dr. Fauci rhapsodized on the subject of Christmas gatherings.  The doctor lectured that it is perfectly fine to gather indoors with vaccinated relatives.  But be forewarned that any unvaccinated guests, including children, pose a health risk.

This is Orwellian.  A government scientist is pontificating on the appropriate guest list for Christmas?  Freedom to associate with family is in danger as long as Dr. Fauci and Biden are in charge. Be honest. Did you ever think the government would weigh in on your Christmas gathering?

More Americans are growing disgruntled by the day with Biden's approach.  Polls find Bidens's approval rating for handling the virus has plunged 20 points since his inauguration.  Americans want normal. The administration appears to prefer prolonging the agony to extend its authority.  

President Biden should admit failure and reboot his COVID strategy. New variants are on the way.  Team Biden needs a dose of reality, based on years of science which reveals some viruses never completely disappear.  Once Mr. Biden accepts that, perhaps common sense solutions might prevail.    

Hunter's Deals Complicate Relations With China

A New York Times explosive report detailing Hunter Biden's dealings with Chinese partners may eventually prove the undoing of Biden's presidency.  The newspaper's findings are just the latest in a string of lucrative deals the president's son engineered by piggy-backing on his influential father. 

The bombshell details in the Times represent a shocking about-face for the newspaper, which has swaddled the president in fawning coverage since his election. The Times, which dug into every aspect of Mr. Trump's debunked connections with Russia, had shown no interest in Hunter's ties with China.

Does the Times story signal a seismic shift in the media scrutiny of Mr. Biden? 

The answer is a resounding No!  CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and other mainstream parasites ignored the Times reporting. There is nothing to see here, their newsrooms concluded.  Imagine if Donald Trump Jr. had struck a deal with the Russians.  Would the media wink and look the other way?  

In its account, the Times describes how the president's son was a founding board member of a firm that facilitated a Chinese company's purchase of an American company's cobalt mine, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  It is one of the richest cobalt mines in the world.

In the deal, China Molybdenum (CM) purchased the mine for $2.65 billion in 2016 from Phoenix-based Freeport-McMoRan Inc. A Shanghai firm, Bohai Harvest (BHR) Equity Investment Management Company, sold its minority stake to CM for $1.14 billion.  Hunter Biden served on the BHR board.

A lawyer for Hunter initially claimed he "no longer holds any interest" in Communist-backed BHR.  However, Chinese business records show Hunter held a 10% stake in the Chinese private equity firm BHR through his company, Skaneateles LLC.

Skaneateles, registered in Washington D.C., was hatched on July 18, 2008.  Hunter Biden is listed as the sole executive officer, according to OpenCorporate, a public data source.  The limited liability corporation was dissolved on September 2, 2021, a couple months before the Times story broke.  

For the benefit of Democrats, who believe every negative story about Mr. Biden is part of some vast right wing conspiracy, here are the key paragraphs lifted directly from the the liberal Times report:

"The three Americans, all of whom served on the board, controlled 30 percent of BHR, a private equity firm registered in Shanghai that makes investments and then flips them for profit.  The rest of the company is owned or controlled by Chinese investors that include the Bank of China, according to records filed with Chinese regulators." 

"But BHR's role in the Chinese mine purchase was not a major focus (during the 2020 election.) It has taken on new relevance because the Biden Administration warned this year that China might use its growing dominance of cobalt to disrupt America's retooling of its auto industry to make electric vehicles. The metal is among key ingredients in electric car batteries."

The deal potentially could compromise the president's dealings with China.  There is no doubt Hunter Biden benefited financially from his cozy relationship with the Chinese, including the 100% Communist controlled Bank of China.  The only remaining question is: How much did President Biden know?

The president's apologist, Jen Psaki, defended Mr. Biden by repeating the clumsy excuse that her boss knows nothing about his son's foreign business dealings.  Only the most naive Democrat partisan would believe such tripe.  Psaki's claim is fiction, not factual.   

There have been numerous media reports about Hunter's overseas deals in the last five years and a Senate Committee probe.  Does no one in the administration, including Psaki, inform the president of these developments?  Or is the president clueless? Come on, man.

In 2015, then Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Chuck Grassley called for scrutiny of Hunter's joint venture with the same Chinese investment entity (BHR) after a transaction to purchase an American automotive technology company with potential military applications.

The deal breezed through U.S. approvals, prompting Sen. Grassley to inquire whether the Obama-Biden administration intervened in the process. China's government Aviation Industry Corporation teamed with BHR to buy Henniges Automotive, a producer of high-tech, anti-vibration components for cars.

The $600 million acquisition gave the Chinese aviation firm a 51% stake in the business and direct control of the anti-vibration technology.  In 2007, this same Chinese government aviation company was reportedly involved in stealing sensitive data about the new U.S. Strike Fighter program. 

Despite the conflicts, Hunter and BHR passed muster with the Obama administration's Committee on Foreign Investment.  But wait there's more.  Secretary of State John Kerry's department signed off, too. Well, look at this.  Kerry's stepson was a partner with Hunter in BHR investment at the time.  

Hunter has shamelessly exploited his father's role to enrich himself. But of course, then Vice President Biden claimed in 2015 he had no idea his son was involved with the Chinese Communist government. Yeah, that's right.  Believe it. See there is no conflict of interest here. What influence peddling?

In 2013, Hunter accompanied his father aboard Air Force Two to Beijing. The Vice President was on official government business. Hunter hopped a ride on the U.S, government plane with his daughter. Official government records document the trip. 

Ten days after he left, China issued Hunter a license to do business in the Communist country. Within three weeks, Hunter's firm inked a private equity deal with the Communist Chinese controlled Bank of China.  That was the birth of BHR, an investment vehicle orchestrated by the Chinese.

NBC News reported the following about the junket: "Throughout the weeklong trip, Hunter Biden seemed to duck in and out, sometimes joining his father at events and red-carpet ceremonies, and at other times, following his own itinerary, presumably with his daughter Finnegan."

Communists view investments as a way to gain influence, particularly when a key participant is the son of the U.S. Vice President.  Did Mr. Biden have no idea about the appearance of impropriety of such a deal?  He ushered Hunter into the waiting arms of China under the imprimatur of the U.S. government.

Apparently it never dawned on Mr. Biden, if you believe his version of the events. Americans are supposed to dumb enough to believe Hunter just rode along on Air Force Two on some sight seeing junket to Shanghai and somehow stumbled into a sweetheart investment deal. How lucky is Hunter?

An investigation, overseen by GOP Senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley, produced an exhaustive  report illuminating the potential conflicts of interest arising from Hunter Biden's deals, including those with Chinese firms.  The report, issued September 23, 2020, spurred little media interest.

The report is a joint effort between the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Finance.  The report, available online, contains dates, financial details and Chinese firms linked to deals with Hunter.   

The report's staff uses Secret Service records to document that Hunter Biden scheduled at least six trips to China.  Hunter received Secret Service protection in January 2009 after Joe Biden's election as Vice President. On these trips, he became involved in a series of deals with Chinese partners.

One such lucrative arrangement was with Chinese firm CEFC Infrastructure Investment, a foreign  limited liability company registered in New York.  The firm is a subsidiary of CEFC China Energy Corporation, which received funding from the state-owned China Development Bank.

Ye Jianming, who runs the investment arm, joined with Hunter in what turned out to be a financial bonanza for the president's son and other members of the Biden family.   CEFC Infrastructure Investment formed another limited liability company, Hudson West III, the report revealed.

Hudson then collateralized a $99,000 line of credit with Cathay Bank. Hunter, the president's brother James, and his wife Sara, were authorized users of credit cards associated with the  account. The trio ran up credit card debts of $101,291.46 on airline tickets, hotels, restaurants and purchases at Apple Stores.  

During 2018, the report cites evidence that Hunter Biden's law firm, Owasco, moved large sums of money to relatives. Between August 14, 2017 and August 3, 2018, Owasco sent 20 wires totaling $1,398,999 to the Lion Hall Group, a consulting firm that lists James and his wife Sara as partners.

In addition, Hudson West II  paid $4,790,375.25 in consulting fees to Hunter's law firm, Owasco, in a single year. Records turned over to the Senate committee indicate Hunter was compensated for market research on a natural gas project, that was later scrapped.  

Former President Trump was tortured by the media for three years about his collusion with Russia. Evidence from indictments by special prosecutor John Durham point to a fake dossier, manufactured by Russians, financed by Hillary Clinton and promoted by a corrupt FBI.   

(Democrats are screaming: "Yeah, but Mr. Biden didn't start an insurrection," as if this justifies behavior that has the appearance of a quid-pro-quid deal for his son who hobnobbed with Chinese government officials while he was in Shanghai with his father.)

What if the real collusion is between Hunter Biden and China?  Have his profitable deals influenced President Biden in his dealings with the Communists on issues such as climate change, the Coronavirus origin or China's threats to Taiwan?  The Chinese only dole out millions expecting something in return.

The Democrat controlled House and Senate will never snoop into Biden family deals. Washington's interest level may escalate if Republicans reclaim the House in the mid-terms.  Since Democrats appear infatuated with impeachments, they may regret their obsession if the next one claims one of their own.  

The Veterinary Doctor Who Saved American Lives

A medical pioneer, whose career began in animal health, is the mystery man behind the accelerated development of the first life-saving Covid vaccine approved last November. His company, the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, has churned out 2.5 billion dosages for distribution to 116 nations. 

Dr. Albert Bourla, the drug firm's chairman and chief executive officer, steered the company in the development of a ground-breaking vaccine using mRNA technology. He green-lighted $2 billion in research and development for the technology.  His decision was a gigantic risk for his company. 

Although mRNA technology had been studied for decades, many in the scientific community considered it a tricky challenge to use it for a COVID vaccine. Scientists hoped an mRNA vaccine could be engineered to teach our cells to make a protein that triggers an immune response to COVID.  

Dr. Bourla made the decision to collaborate with BioNTech, a German firm with experience in the field of immunology and a leader in the development of therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.  The partnership marshaled the resources and scientists of two firms to tackle the vaccine conundrum.  

Development of the vaccine turned out to be a supply chain nightmare.  The 280 different materials or components in the vaccine were sourced by suppliers in 19 countries.  Adding to the challenge, many of the countries were locked down, including the U.S. It was a daunting obstacle to overcome. 

Additionally, Pfizer had to create a manufacturing process from scratch.  An army of scientists, engineers and manufacturing workers developed an efficient manufacturing machine for the vaccine. The first dosages were shipped on December 15, less than nine months after the project was launched.

The vaccine development was hailed as a stunning scientific achievement, reducing the timeframe from years to months.  For Dr. Bourla, it was the capstone of a more than 25-year career at Pfizer that began in 1993 when he was hired as the firm's technical director in the Animal Health Division in Greece.

Dr. Bourla holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and a PHD in the Biotechnology Reproduction from the Veterinary School of Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece.  An unlikely degree path for someone who would occupy the CEO office at the one of the world largest pharmaceutical companies.

What makes his life story fascinating is that he was born in the Ancient Greek city of Salonica, where his mother and father were among the few Jews to survive Nazi Germany's brutal occupation. Of the more than 50,000 Jews living in Salonica before World War II, about 2,000 survived the death camps.

Bourla's father, uncle and two brothers eluded the initial Nazi roundup for Jews in the Greek city, escaping to Athens on fake ID's supplied by leaders in the Greek Orthodox Church. His mother dodged death under miraculous circumstances.  

She was facing execution by Nazi soldiers in Salonica. She was lined up against a brick wall facing a machine gun just feet away.  Seconds before the firing began, two Nazi soldiers arrived in the nick of time with an order for her release. They whisked her away to safety.

According to Dr. Bourla, his mother's freedom was purchased by a bribe paid by her wealthy Christian brother-in-law to Salonica's top Nazi SS officer. Her father and three of his brothers found each other after the war had ended in the old city.  

Dr. Bourla's says his parents' account of their gruesome memories of Nazi occupation motivated him to lead a positive life, despite his family's past, cocooned in the darkness of Germany's horrific occupation of his homeland.

The irony of Pfizer's decision to ally with a Germany company to create a vaccine that saved countless lives is not lost on Dr. Bourla. He credits his parents with engraining a spirit of forgiveness and thankfulness in their children. 

"They never spoke to me about revenge," Dr. Bourla recalls. "They never told us that you should hate those that did that to us.  The way their stories always ended was a celebration of life. 'We were almost dead and now we are alive.  Life is wonderful.'"

These lessons are worth celebrating on this Thanksgiving and throughout our lives. 

Infrastructure Bill: Don't Fall For The Media Hype

President Biden and his media chorus are singing the praises of the Infrastructure Bill, calling it a "monumental step forward for the nation."  Although publicly flogged as a massive investment in roads and bridges, the $1.2 trillion package designates 9.1% of the funding to surface infrastructure projects.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi's cheoragodhy for the bill in the House floundered over months of often bitter Democrat in-fighting until a gaggle of Republicans pirouetted and joined deadlocked Democrats, who were unable to muster enough support from their splintered party to waltz to final approval.   

Thirteen of 214 House Republicans gave the legislation a thumbs up. In the Senate, 19 GOP members, including leader Mitch McConnell, raised their hands in support of the massive spending bill, while 31 colleagues demurred.  GOP renegades will be rewarded with pet projects for their states.  

The 2,702 page bill, weighing a hefty 28 pounds of paper, parcels out $110 billion for roads and bridges.  But don't be fooled.  Included in those billions of dollars are millions in funds for transportation research at universities and construction of highways in Puerto Rico. 

For perspective, Texas spent $15.3 billion in 2020 on just highways.  In the next 20 years, the state's Department of Transportation estimates it will require another $239.2 billion to keep up with growth and development. That $110 billion, divided among 50 states, is political window dressing.    

That $1.2 trillion number also is misleading.  Even Democrats concede the bill contains about $550 billion in new spending.  The remainder, nearly $700 billion, funds  existing infrastructure laws that are bundled into the legislation, such as reauthorization of the Highway and Mass Transit bill.

Here is a summary of new spending, focusing on the big ticket items:

• $66 billion for railroads.  The spending covers upgrades and maintenances of the Amtrak passenger rail system and funds for freight rail safety.  However, there is no money for high-speed rail.
• $65 billion for the power grid. The legislation provides for updating power lines and cables as well as money for cyber security to prevent hacking of the grid.  Clean energy funding is also included in the bill.
• $65 billion for broadband. The bill funds expansion of broadband service in rural areas and low-income communities.  About $14 billion would provide subsidies to low-income households to cover the cost of internet service.
• $55 billion for water projects. A large chunk of the funding, $15 billion, will be used for lead pipe replacement.  Native American tribal communities will get billions to provide clean drinking water in their communities.  
• $47 billion for climate change and cyber security. Included in this spending is money to address flooding, wild fires, coastal erosion, droughts and other extreme weather events.
• $39 billion for public transit. The bill allocates money to provide for upgrades to public transit systems nationwide.  In addition, there are funds to help make public transit more accessible for seniors and disabled Americans.
• $25 billion for airports.  The funding for air traffic control towers and systems is just $5 billion, far short of what experts estimate is required to update critical facilities.  The remainder of the funds are for upgrades and expansion to airports.
• $21 billion for the environment. These funds are designated to clean up superfund and so-called brownfield sites, abandoned mines and old oil and gas wells.
• $17 billion for ports. At a time when the administration is grappling with the supply chain disruption at U.S. ports, the funding is a drop in the bucket.  About one-half of the funds would be sent to the Army Corps of Engineers for port infrastructure.  Additional monies would go to the Coast Guard, ferry terminals and the reduction of truck emissions at ports.
• $7.6 billion for electric vehicle charging stations and $7.5 billion for electric school buses. Those charging stations will mostly benefit upper income earners who can afford pricey electric cars. The school bus project targets bus fleet replacement in low-income, rural and tribal communities.

Buried in Section 13002 is a proposal for a pilot initiative for a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.The stated purpose is to test the feasibility of monitoring how much each car travels, a harbinger of Democrats plan to levy a tax on every mile a person drives.  That should worry Americans. 

While Democrats are taking victory laps, the funding doesn't address America's pressing problems: the rising cost of gasoline at the pump; spiraling food prices; chaos at the southern border; and empty shelves at virtually every store that sells groceries, home goods, electronics, clothes and more.

Wall Street may be popping champagne corks, but average Americans on Main Street are wondering how this helps their economic situation, when inflationary prices are eroding the purchasing power of every dollar.  Democrats claim this spending will actually reduce inflation. Insert laughter here.

Despite the bill's tepid public reception, Democrats are agog.  The Department of Transportation and other agencies will be responsible for divvying up a chunk of the billions assigned to the bill's priorities. Of course, this is by design so the administration can base spending decisions on politics.  

With Democrats controlling all the levers of government, the Blue States will be rewarded along with the districts of party members who are facing reelection in next year's mid-terms.  That 's just the way Washington works, regardless of the party in power. Incomprehensibly, voters don't seem to care.   

On the heels of infrastructure, Congress is wrangling over the Build Back Better Act, which contemplates almost $2 trillion in spending. The legislation has allegedly been pared from the $3.5 trillion price tag announced earlier.  A trillion here. A trillion later.  Soon it becomes real money.

While the Build Back Better Act lurches toward approval, the administration's runaway spending continues. Millions of dollars in more stimulus checks will be dispatched this month.  Eligible families will be sent checks of $300 for every child under six and up to $250 for each kid aged six-to-17.  

This gusher of spending worries few Americans because too many believe the government has an inexhaustible supply of money. Just tax those 614 American billionaires and we can relax comfortably waiting for our next government check. No one seemingly worries about deficits or the national debt.  

At some point the government will run out of people to tax to fund this excess.  It will be a rude awakening for a nation addicted to checks from their government's printing presses.  Unless spending is reigned in, an inflationary shock wave will rattle the country, hurting the most vulnerable Americans.          

Veteran's Day: America's Forgotten War Heroes

Charles Hagemeister was drafted in the Army in 1966 while on break from the University of Nebraska.  Like many college-aged students during the Vietnam War era, he figured it was inevitable his number would be called. While a few students fled to Canada, the Nebraska native didn't dodge his duty.  

After training as a medic, Specialist Fourth Class Hagemeister was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam's Dinh province. On the night of March 20,1967, his platoon came under heavy fire from an enemy armed with rifles, machine guns and mortars. Americans were hemmed in on three sides.

During the ferocious firefight, Hagemeister raced through a hailstorm of bullets to rescue two seriously wounded comrades.  As the battle raged, the 21-year old crawled forward to render aid to his platoon leader and several other wounded soldiers, ignoring the constant enemy barrage.  

At one point, Hagemeister seized a rifle from a fallen soldier and shot and killed a sniper and three enemy soldiers attempting to encircle his position. Not done, he took out an enemy machine gun before securing help from a nearby platoon to evacuate the wounded on the battlefield. 

For his "heroics and selfless actions at the risk of his life," the Army awarded the Nebraskan the Medal of Honor.  Hagemeister was one of scores of soldiers cited for bravery during the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1964 to 1973.  But few Americans know their names or have heard of their heroism. 

Regrettably, America treated its Vietnam War veterans with contempt.  By the time many returned home from the jungles in Southeast Asia, Americans were war weary.  The conflict had become a political flashpoint with many focusing on war atrocities rather than on those who served with distinction.

An anti-war movement, birthed on college campuses, whipped up antipathy for those who wore the American uniform during the conflict.  Service members were labeled murderers and baby killers. Waves of demonstrations attracted crowds of up to 100,000 as the protests rippled across America.  

Returning Vietnam veterans were greeted with scorn. Instead of parades and civic celebrations, they were spat upon, jeered and confronted with derogatory signs.  One returning Vietnam veteran, 21-year-old Steven A. Wowwk, will long remember his reception when he landed on American soil.

Strapped to a gunnery, the wounded Army infantryman peered out the window of his hospital-bound convoy, to see a raucous crowd.  "I remember feeling like, what could I do to acknowledge them and I just gave the peace signal."  In return, the angry knot of protestors raised their middle fingers in salute.

Much of the acrimony was fed by the media, which splashed gory photos on the front pages of newspapers and beamed gruesome television images of body bags, Napalmed villages and crying children. This was a far cry from the news coverage of World War II, which glorified American troops.   

That wasn't the only ignominy.  Returning servicemen were treated shabbily by the Veterans Administration.  Many never received treatment for the post traumatic syndrome suffered in the grisly war.  The VA's institutional indifference was felt by many returning vets.  

Christian Appy, a professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, authored three books on the Vietnam War. After talking to scores of returning American soldiers and researching their level of medical care and support, he concluded:

"The society really was ill-prepared to give these guys what they deserved.  They were not necessarily looking for a parade, but they were certainly looking for basic human support and help in readjusting to civilian life after this really brutal war."

Vietnam was the first major war abroad in American history that ended in retreat instead of victory. The 3.4 million soldiers, sailors, pilots and Marines who served paid a physical and mental price for the bungled decisions by politicians and generals.  These heroes deserved better for their sacrifices.

A total of 40,934 were killed in action.  The in-theater war deaths and missing-in-action amounted to 58,220.  A total of 153,303 wounded service members survived, many thanks to courageous medics like Charles Hagemeister and battlefield doctors. A total of 5,299 died of their wounds.

On Veterans Day, Americans attention is often fixated on World War II because it remains our military's finest hour.  America defeated the axis of Germany, Italy and Japan.  According to the latest count, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there are about 389,000 WWII vets living today.

By contrast, there are about 610,000 surviving veterans who served on the battlefields of Vietnam. It is time for the United States to repay these veterans for their honorable service.  The Vietnam Memorial, built in 1982 in Washington, D.C., was a long overdue recognition for those who served in the war.

However, the United States needs to do more to make reparations for the contemptible treatment endured by those who battled in an unwinnable war. The president and Congress should declare next year's Veterans Day a special tribute to Vietnam War vets and their families.  

Charles Hagemeister unfortunately won't be around to experience his nation's gratitude.  He died In May at the age of 74.  But for the other veterans, there is still time for a nation to honor those who fought in one of the bloodiest wars in the country's history.  

China Dupes U.S. Over Pollution Pledges

Even as the ink dried on the Paris climate accord in 2015, the world's biggest polluter was plotting to ramp up construction of hundreds of new coal-fired plants to meet the swelling energy demand of its 1.44 billion people. Despite its climate pledges to slice emissions, China's pollution has worsened.

Only six years ago, China joined 195 other countries, including the United Sates, in signing a binding treaty to tackle the issue of climate change.  Under the agreement, each country pledged to significantly reduce harmful emissions.  Naive American politicians trusted the Communists' promises.    

Little has changed since that Paris agreement in 2015.  China 's coal burning plants continue to belch carbon dioxide, thus retaining the title of world's largest emitter. The regime is responsible for 30% of all global emissions, according to ClimateTrade.  China releases twice as much CO-2 as the U.S.

President Biden has an opportunity to confront China on its lack of progress at the upcoming Conference of the Parties--nations which ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994.  Expect China to make empty commitments it has no intention of fulfilling.

The Washington Post, virtually a publicity arm of the Democrat Party, ran a story ahead of the Glasgow, Scotland, confab, tempering expectations.  With China's President Xi Jinping absent, the Post conjectures there will be no substantial guarantees from China on a plan to reduce emissions.  

For once, the newspaper'a assumption is correct.  China always acts in its self interests. To suggest the Communists will do an about face because of a ballyhooed conference, is incredulous.  If President Biden takes a victory lap after the meeting, he has been duped by China just like previous leaders.

Judge China on its actions not its rhetoric.  The independent research firm Rhodium Group released an analysis documenting that China's emissions have more than tripled over the past three decades. China's global emissions reached 52 giga tons of CO-2 in 2019, an 11.4% increase over the last ten years.

Yale Environment 360 analyzed China's climate ambitions and wrote that "air pollution returned in Beijing with a vengeance, hitting the highest levels this year since January 2019." Steel, cement and heavy manufacturing plants, running on coal power, boosted emissions by 4% by mid-2020. 

In 2019, 58% of China's electricity was generated by coal, according to Yale's study.  By comparison, the United States produces 23% of its electricity from coal.  Last year alone, China built 184 coal-fired plants which will release more carbon dioxide gasses.  

The San Francisco-based think tank Global Monitor and the independent Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimated China commissioned more than three times as much new coal power capacity as all the other countries in the world combined, despite repeated assertions to cut emissions. 

America has dramatically reduced its dependence on coal by shuttering 392 coal burning facilities since 2002, a decrease of  38%. The country now operates 241 coal-fired plants and more are being off-lined nearly every year. Meanwhile, America creates 20% of its electricity from renewables.

China defenders--and there are many in Congress--point to the Communist Party's mandate that 40% of the vehicles sold in China must be electric by 2030.  However, few economists believe the goal can be achieved.  Still China apologists offer this mandate as proof the country is serious about climate change.

China's foremost champions are large U.S. corporations, including many with production, assembly or manufacturing facilitates operating in the Communist regime.  The list includes firms such as Apple, Tesla, Boeing, Caterpillar, General Motors, Ford and Honeywell.  

Scores of other firms, such as Nike, Starbucks, McDonald's and Pepsi, depend on the lucrative market for corporate revenue and profit growth. Wynn Resorts' revenues from casinos in Macau alone account for 75.2% of its income. China represents the most lucrative market for U.S. companies.

The reality is these firms cannot afford to offend China by demanding climate accountability.

The silence of American businesses is nothing short of hypocritical considering many of these same corporations are zealots for the progressive New Green Deal initiative in their own country. These corporate behemoths prefer to lecture Americans about saving the planet.  Chinese, not so much.

In fact, these firms are guilty of fueling demand for more energy output in China by investing in the expansion of their operations in the Communist nation. Every new retail store, manufacturing or assembly plant, taxes China's already strained national grid, hiking incentives for more coal power.

Given American businesses' dependence on China for growth and profits, does any reader believe Mr. Biden will hold China's feet to the fire over it climate promises?  Never happen. The U.N. goal of reaching "net zero" greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is constructed on quicksand commitments.  

That's why this latest climate summit will be a carbon copy of those held over the last two decades.  Much fanfare, little results. Expect Mr. Biden to double down on reigning in U.S. emissions.  But global CO-2 emissions will continue to spiral because China has no intention of honoring its pledges.    

Mr. Biden: Vaccine Mandates Will Not Stop Virus

During the COVID-19 scourge last year, the nation's leaders cheered first responders, nurses, doctors and healthcare workers.  Politicians saluted their courage for risking exposure to the deadly virus to treat the infected. Some died after tending patients. A grateful country celebrated them as heroes.

Today vaccine mandates, dictated by the Biden Administration, are turning these heroes into villains. Many city mayors are vilifying firemen, police, emergency responders and healthcare workers who refuse to be vaccinated.  Hundreds are resigning and scores are being fired for refusing to get the jab.

In most cases, cities deny religious and medical exemptions. The intent is clear: Capitulate to the vaccine mandate or leave your job. This authoritarian approach is being justified because of the continuing Coronavirus toll.  Regardless, America has turned its back on those who saved lives.

Mr. Biden also wheedled the Defense Department to mandate vaccinations for military service members, effecting 1.5 million troops. Four senators introduced a bill prohibiting the military from dishonorably discharging troops who refuse the shot. The president says he "strongly opposes" the bill.

Dwight Stirling, CEO of the Center for Law and Military Policy, says service members' refusal to take the shot will likely result in "adverse administrative action" that may include a written reprimand, a derogatory performance review, demotion or in extreme cases, an involuntary discharge.

Since COVID began, 52 service members have died of the virus. In the two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 6,817 military troops were killed. More than 52,000 were wounded. Wars are more dangerous to military members' health than the virus.  No more wars would save more lives than a vaccine shot.  

The president's expansive mandate includes all business employers with more than 100 workers, who are required to be vaccinated or test weekly for the virus.  At a time when firms are having trouble hiring workers, this will exacerbate the problem. There are currently 10.5 million job openings. 

Airlines, an industry hit hard by job vacancies, are facing a December 8 deadline for workers to be vaccinated.  Unions have balked and protests by Southwest Airlines employees signal trouble ahead. Airlines are struggling to maintain schedules with reduced crews. They can't afford employee losses.   

This president, whose poll numbers on handling the virus are underwater, is no doubt concerned about reversing what has been an alarming rise in deaths this year after he promised to tame the pandemic and return to normalcy.

Since January 1, there have been 353,000 Coronavirus deaths, eclipsing the total fatalities during 2020 when 352,000 Americans died.  Unlike today, last year Americans had no access to vaccines until December 11. This month COVID deaths surged past 700,000, another grim milestone.

A study released last month by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tracked more than 600,000 Coronavirus cases in 13 states from April through July, and concluded the unvaccinated are 11 times more likely to die from the virus if they are infected then those who received the vaccine.  

Those numbers underscore the need for vaccinations. Selling the message of protecting your health should be straight forward. Americans want to be educated and armed with information so they can make their own health decisions.  The majority of informed Americans  are opting to take the jab.

After many communication missteps by the administration, Mr. Biden in frustration decided to coerce Americans into getting vaccinated. This is a reversal from his stance on December 4, when the president-elect said Americans would not be forced to take the vaccine. Another broken Biden promise.   

As a result of Mr. Biden's plan of vaccination intimidation,  your personal health is now the government's prerogative.  You do not have a choice.  If you want to keep your livelihood, you must surrender your freedom to make your health decisions.

Will it work?  There are reports more Americans lining up to get the shot. The CDC estimates an average of 785,133 vaccine doses are being dispensed every day.  But at what cost to freedom?  And is the Unity President further dividing America into two camps: the vaccinated and unvaccinated?         

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the administration's resident COVID sage, recently told National Public Radio (NPR) that researchers "have estimated that around 70% to 85% of the country needs to be immune to the Coronavirus for COVID-19 to stop spreading through communities and peter out."

Latest figures from the CDC show 57.7% of Americans have been fully vaccinated, meaning they have received two doses of the vaccine.  By any measure, the progress toward Dr. Fauci's goal of vaccinating 70% to 85% of the population is proceeding at a snail's pace.

Months from now it will be revealing to learn if the Biden dictate significantly moved the needle on vaccinations. Even if it works, the president's actions will be studied by politicians invested in government control.  Meanwhile, there are privacy and religious freedoms that have been trampled.

New lawsuits are sprouting against the mandate, although none have prevailed so far.  In the latest, 24 plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the government, asking a temporary restraining order.  The lawsuit claims religious and medical exemptions have been ignored.  

Many medical elitists who lobby for the mandate believe some Americans are just too dumb to decide for themselves to get the vaccine. Some Americans have to be forced against their will for the good of the country.  But that logic is a slippery slope that may lead to loss of personal health decisions.  

For those who agree with the mandate, consider this: Cancer and heart disease are the leading causes of deaths in the U.S., killing 1.289 million last year, far more than COVID.  The cost of hospitalization and treatment burden hospitals, run up billions of dollars in bills and create untold human suffering.    

Under the Biden health doctrine, a future president in consultation with health experts may decide the way to save lives is through elimination of health risks, such as obesity and smoking, major contributing factors in cancer and heart disease. 

An executive order would follow mandating businesses and municipal, federal and state agencies, test workers for obesity and smoking. Unless those employees lose weight and quit smoking, they would be removed from their jobs. The medical community would be first to jump on board.  

Don't shake your head and guffaw that it could never happen.  Many made the same assumption about a vaccine mandate for Americans. Did anyone really believe the U.S. government could force people to give up their jobs for failure to comply with a vaccination requirement?    

The Singapore experience with Coronavirus serves as a cautionary tale for the administration pursuing an autocratic strategy to arrest COVID. 

When the Singapore government rolled out its vaccines, it undertook an extensive propaganda campaign, targeting the most vulnerable in the population.  It worked. About 84% of Singapore's population of 5.6 million have been vaccinated.  The virus should be over, right? Wrong.

The number of new cases recently reached 3,900 this month, one of the worst daily totals since the start of the pandemic in the island-state.  Currently, infections are running an average of 3,217 a day. Daily deaths have also spiked, reports the Singapore government. There is a lesson for America. 

The goal of zero cases and zero deaths is unachievable.  The virus will continue to mutate. Mandates will not change that. Vaccines work but until a population achieves immunity the virus will linger.  No government can protect every citizen from a virus.  If it could, influenza would be no threat today. 

Americans' healthcare decisions are not the providence of government.  As abortion proponents remind: Our bodies, our choice. The vaccine mandate is the first step toward total government control of our health.  That is a freedom no American should be forced to forfeit.    

America's Looming Economic Disaster

When the September jobs report was a cataclysmic clunker, President Biden rolled out his teleprompter to read a prepared statement reassuring Americans the fragile economy is making headway.  "Jobs are up, wages up, unemployment down--that's progress," the nation's chief executive boasted.

While the economy has improved since the pandemic throttled growth, the distance from the current situation to the robust expansion of 2019 is a far, far galaxy away.  Any growth would beat 2020 when the economy contracted 3.5%, the largest decline in 74 years.  

Mr. Biden is right.  America is better off today than March of last year. However, before he took office, the economy had righted itself with 4.1% growth in the final quarter.  A steady recovery was underway, as American businesses were allowed to reopen. That rebound has continued at rocky pace.

Mr. Biden's view of the economy from the Oval Office is out of step with main street America.   Consumer confidence, a key predictor of spending, has plunged more than 19 points since its peak in June, according to the Conference Board.  Consumers are clearly not feeling Biden's optimism.  

Nagging supply chain bottlenecks, spiking inflation and millions of unfilled jobs are dragging down American businesses and hurting consumers.  Dismissing these as temporary is betting against trends that began in the first quarter of this year and have worsened.

Many U.S. businesses, both large and small, rely on parts, including microchips, as well as assembly for cars, appliances, cell phones and computers (to name a few) from overseas suppliers.  Foreign factories ship these items by planes, container ships and trucks to ports and warehouses in this country.

During the pandemic, major disruptions occurred in the supply chain as overseas factories and manufacturing plants for goods, such as clothing, textiles and furniture were shuttered.  Reopening these firms has been slower than expected while demand has skyrocketed.  

This imbalance between demand and supply is creating scarcity and driven up prices. Costs for these goods are passed on to consumers, which fuels inflation.  This supply chain turmoil is aggravated by the lack of workers in the U.S. to unload ships, stock warehouses and transport goods.

The September report highlighted this dilemma. Despite the president's upbeat economic assessment,  the economic added 194,000 jobs, 306,000 below expectations. American companies cannot find workers to fill these openings.  This labor shortage is strangling businesses' efforts to meet demand.     

At the end of June, job openings in America leaped to 10.1 million, the highest level ever recorded, according to the Department of Labor.  Job placement firm Indeed estimates there are now 10.5 million job openings, an indication scare labor is becoming a fixture of the U.S. economy.  

The mainstream media downplays the shortage as one that impacts only low-paying jobs in leisure, hospitality and restaurants exclusively.  This is untrue.  There are 1.6 million unfilled jobs in those industries, but there are also 1.5 million in the critical healthcare and social assistance segments. 

Every business has been hamstrung in hiring people, despite generous wage increases to lure workers.  Businesses in retail, wholesale trade, education, trucking and the information industry cannot find employees to fill their jobs. The trucking industry needs 68,000 drivers to fill jobs.   

Many out-of-work people have been receiving stimulus checks as well as extra federal and state unemployment benefits.  Some states are ending their programs, but continuing federal government benefits incentivize workers to remain on the sidelines, particularly impacting small firms.

A second issue is the vaccine mandate imposed by private and government entities, leading to firings and resignations. The mandate is exacerbating the critical job situation. A December 8 deadline looms for many businesses, including airlines. Already thousands of workers have been fired or resigned.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Labor do not track the number of jobs lost due to the vaccine mandate for political reasons.  However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows 10.3 million people left their jobs in September, a distressing signal for businesses.

Mr. Biden pointed out the labor shortage is boosting wages for workers.  However, wage growth in lagging behind increases in prices. Over the last 12 months, the  Consumer Price Index (CPI) has ballooned 5.4% while Americans' wages rose 4.6%.  The CPI does not include food and fuel. 

Food prices hit their highest level in a decade in September as prices surged 32.8% in the 12 months through September, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.  An increase of this level has not been seen since 2011.  

The Labor Department's August inflation report, the latest one available, showed prices for meat, poultry, fish and eggs climbed 8% over last year, but that is a jump of 15.7% since August, 2019.  Beef prices have leaped 12.2% over the past  year and bacon soared 17%.  

Food is not a discretionary expenditure for consumers.  While Washington may view this as just a temporary blip, Americans are feeling the pain right now.  A rosy view of the future will not solve today's crisis, which is hardest on low-income households.

Consumers are also feeling the pinch at the gas pump. In 2019, the average price of regular gasoline was $2.25 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.  In some states, prices were below $2.  The average price today is $3.28 and rising.  A year ago the price was $2.18.

For perspective, the cost of filling a 15-gallon tank has spiked from $33.75 in 2019 to $49.29 today.  In a month, the average driver is paying nearly $200 for gasoline.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates energy prices have soared 24.8% over the past 12 months, while gasoline jumped 42.1%.  

Crude prices are fueling the increase in the price at the pump. Prices for a barrel of crude oil passed $80 at the end of September.  Bank of America predicted a cold winter could push the price of crude to more than $100 a barrel, the highest level since 2014. 

Unfortunately, energy prices may deliver another gut-punch this winter.  Natural gas used to heat millions of American homes is ratcheting up to new highs.  Natural gas prices have risen 47% just since the beginning of August.  Demand at home and globally is outstripping supply.  

Much of America's economic pain is self-inflicted.  Continuing stimulus payments, increased unemployment benefits and child care government checks have made work look less attractive by comparison.  The government has played a large role in the labor shortage.

Fuel costs are a direct result of the administration's pledge to eliminate fossil fuel.  The government cancelled a major oil pipeline, halted drilling on government lands and all but ended fracking.  The result is less investment in domestic oil exploration and drilling and more dependence on foreign oil.

Food prices too are effected by hikes in gasoline, diesel and jet fuel which are used in the transportation of  produce and other grocery items to stores across the U.S.  Farmers are also paying more for fuel. All those costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.  

Politicians and markets are adopting a cheerful view that things will gradually return to normal as supply and demand are perfectly aligned. Early predictions were that would happen before the end of the year.  Now economists and even the administration are forecasting early next year.

Meanwhile, American consumers don't have the luxury of waiting until 2022.  They are suffering under an inflationary bomb that is destroying their purchasing power. Runaway inflation will shove the economy over the cliff, crushing growth. Ignoring the evidence is a recipe for economic disaster.  

Education Wars: Parents Versus School Boards

Heated debates over curriculum between concerned parents and local school boards are fueling a thunderclap of upheaval across the nation. School board members and education leaders, who for decades pleaded for more parental involvement, are now trying to muzzle parents.

Loudoun County, Virginia, currently is the epicenter of opposition to the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), a doctrine that blames America's systemic racism for oppression based on the color of a person's skin. Adherents believe every institution in the nation is infected with endemic racism.

When raucous crowds began showing up at Loudoun school board meetings, they were stonewalled by pompous school board members who had grown accustomed to dictating decisions without interference. The nerve of parents to insist they be informed about what their children are being taught.

Media fact-checkers, such as USA Today, are providing air cover by insisting Critical Race Theory is not being taught in most schools.  By the media's definition, CRT is a legal framework for examining laws in our society.  Schools do not have courses on Critical Race Theory, they contend.

This is a charade because the schools are teaching that racism and white supremacy exist in America, while castigating white privilege. These are the same tenants that underpin Critical Race Theory. Calling it a different name is just a ruse by educators to avoid accountability for indoctrination. 

Furthermore, the National Education Association (NEA) has endorsed the teaching of Critical Race Theory to K-12 students.  The lobby explicitly used the term Critical Race Theory.  Teachers unions have stopped short of support for CRT, but they are defending teachers who embrace the doctrine.   

Critical Race Theory isn't the only concern of furious parents.    

Last week Loudoun parents and residents rallied outside the school board headquarters to signal their outrage at a policy allowing transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity and requiring teachers to refer to students by their preferred pronouns.

The crowd was addressed by a former elementary school physical education teacher who was suspended by the Loudoun school system for speaking out against the policy when it was originally proposed. The Virginia Supreme Court sided with a judge who ordered the teacher be reinstated.  

Parents are fed up with being ignored by school boards. They feel empowered to confront the powerful. Their anger bubbles over at school board meetings.  Most have been loud but peaceful. There have been a handful of over-publicized incidents of rowdy behavior, resulting in police intervention. 

The media creates the image of out-of-control parents by highlighting a single video of police wrestling a belligerent parent to the ground. Network broadcasts run old clips of parents standing and shouting at school boards to be heard.  Apparently, raising your voice is a criminal offense in America.  

The parental uprising in Loudoun turned political when candidates in Virginia's gubernatorial race waded into the issue.  Former Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe ignited a firestorm for his remarks during a debate with his Republican opponent. Here are McAuliffe's comments:

"I'm not going to let parents come into schools and actually take books out and make their own decision," he said. "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach."  His opponent Glenn Youngkin retorted, "I believe parents should be in charge of their kids' education."

Now the National School Boards Association (NSBA) has joined the brewing squabble.  On September 29, the NSBA sent a letter to President Biden calling for "immediate assistance" to protect our students and school board members who were susceptible to acts of violence" and "intimidation."  

In its letter, the school board group cited "angry mobs" of parents protesting local board actions, including the wearing of masks and other COVID restrictions.  The NSBA characterized the ongoing protests as "domestic terrorism." Last summer's riots were peaceful protests, right?

Yet in the very same letter the NSBA piously claims it is open to discussion.  "Local school board members want to hear from their communities on important issues and that must be at the forefront of good school board governance and promotion of free speech," the letter says.

This statement smells like a cow patty.  If school boards embraced parental input, there would be open and honest discussions of curriculum before implementation.  Teachers unions and local boards want to operate as walled fiefdoms without scrutiny from parents. Free speech is verboten.  

Biden's Department of Justice bowed to the pressure of the NSBA, directing Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate "threats of violence" at school meetings.  This heavy handed approach contradicts Mr. Biden's campaign commitment to keep the DOJ out of politics.

What's appalling is the DOJ refused to deal with the domestic violence in the summer of 2020 when mobs torched police buildings, looted stores and battled with police.  Mr. Biden, who supported the protests, apparently believes parents are the real criminals, not those who brazenly break the law.  

Will the DOJ investigate charges of educators blacklisting parents and bullying students whose parents oppose the curriculum?  Of course, not.  Teachers unions will block such a probe.  In  today's America, disobedience to autocratic doctrine will be punished. Freedom to disagree is an outdated notion.        

While Loudoun is the focus of today's headlines, school boards from Michigan to Kentucky to New Hampshire and New York are feeling the political heat from parents.  Children's education curriculum is a boiling issue that likely will spill over into the mid-term elections.

In Gallup's latest poll on education, 54% of Americans are either somewhat or completely dissatisfied with the education their kids are receiving.  Polling has shown growing levels of dissatisfaction over the past two years.  Tin-eared politicians avoid addressing this issue at their own peril. 

Every American parent should have a voice in their children's education. Parental involvement should be welcomed as a healthy sign of democratic participation in their children's education.  For too long, educators and boards have not been held accountable and thus resent any inference.

This is wrong.  un-American.  It is a sign educators and boards view themselves as banana republic dictators above reproach by those who pay their salaries and finance their schools. Sicking the FBI on parents is a deliberate tactic to bully them into remain silence.

When legitimate dissent is outlawed, it resembles one of the main features of a Marxist regime.  No speech is tolerated unless it adheres to the ideological doctrine of the ruling government.  Any opposition is met with police force.  That is where America is headed.        

Due To Pandemic: Flying Unfriendly Skies

The media's excessive coverage of unruly passenger incidents is designed to create a narrative of raving unmasked passengers attacking crews.  Passengers, most likely Trump supporters the media hints, refuse to obey mask instructions.   The reporting paints a picture of embattled airline crews under siege.

The news coverage exaggerates the situation, ignoring pesky facts that get in the way of media indoctrination. 

As of September 28, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports year-to-date there have been 4,498 of what they term as "unruly passenger" incidents.  Of those, 3,274 have involved mask-related violations, about 72% of the total.  The incidents are the highest since tracking began in 1995.

Taken at face value, the statistics are alarming.  There have been reports of passengers duct taped to airline seats; crew members being assaulted; and, brawls between airline customers.  Rampant rage in the sky, the headlines scream. As always, the media never adds any perspective.

Most folks will be surprised to learn the incidents represent .0109% of the 41 million flights recorded since January 1.  That means there are 10 episodes per 100,000 flights.  For perspective, there are 906 passenger complaints per 100,000 flights.   

Even one ugly encounter is one too many.  However, there is no epidemic of cabin chaos. The media coverage focuses on the mask incidents to support continuing government mandates, while casting the few violators as a majority of passengers.  However, there are reasons passengers might feel agitated.  

A new Department of Transportation (DOT) report on July performance metrics released September 24 sheds light on airline customers' frustration.  The latest figures reveal a host of airline snafus that understandably stoke passenger angst.  Here is a summary of the DOT report for July:

• Flight cancellations increased 11%, the highest in months.
• On time arrival rates fell to 73.4%, compared to 90.5% for the same month last year.
• Tarmac delays of more than three hours were 39 times the rate in 2020.
• The mishandled baggage rate of 5.9 per 1,000 check bags rose from 3.24 last year.
• Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters was 1.42%, compared to 1.17% in 2020.
• Bumping or over sales on airlines eclipsed the 2020 rate.
• Complaints about treatment of disabled passengers were nearly three times those in 2020.
• Customer complaints to DOT about airline service and crews soared 21%.    

Even those numbers fall short of describing the deteriorating situation. Southwest Airlines delayed 1,300 flights and cancelled 500 in a single afternoon after a data system outage. Another Southwest outage delayed 1,415 flights in less than 12 hours. Some passengers were forced to sleep in airports.

United Airlines was hit with the largest fine in airline history last month, $1.9 million. The DOT cited United for allowing tarmac delays exceeding three hours on 20 domestic flights and five international flights, impacting 3,218 passengers.  Think those customers were in a foul mood?

The record fine and statistics confirm: Airline travel today is a lousy experience.  Delays and cancellations fuel passenger anger. Cabin crews, forced by airlines to police the mask mandate, are surly and overbearing.  This creates a toxic atmosphere of crabby crews and discontented customers.

Part of the issue is that major airlines furloughed thousands of employees "due to the pandemic" last year.  When vaccines made travel safer, Americans began flying again in large numbers.  The airlines are having trouble filling jobs, especially in customer reservations and for cabin attendants. 

The nation's largest carrier American Airlines furloughed more than 31,000 employees during the pandemic.  Many of those jobs remain unfilled. Overall, the number of full-time employees are down 63% since March of last year, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Airlines have fewer employees during a resurgence of air travel. During July, the number of flights operated by airlines skyrocketed 65% compared to the same period a year ago.  The result is increasing numbers of flight attendants and crews are working more overtime to keep up with demand. 

The confluence of overworked crews, declining airline performance and dissatisfied customers generates the perfect storm.  Airlines management deserves a large share of the blame for the flying experience.  The default airline position is to blame the pandemic for their mismanagement.

The airlines' decision to turn flight attendants into mask police was poorly thought out.  It is a prescription for tensions between attendants and the passengers they are supposed to serve.  Air marshals or airline security personnel should be the ones to enforce the mask mandates.

Since January, your writer has traveled on a dozen flights, enduring cancellations, tarmac delays, and numerous flight delays.  Most airline agents, crew members and reservation personnel that I have encountered have been discourteous and testy.  They view customers as irritants.

In the latest incident, after spending seven hours in airports and on an airplane, the final leg of my journey the passengers were greeted by this announcement from the captain: "Because of the long day experienced by the cabin crew, there will be no service on this flight."

What about the passengers who have endured hours waiting on the flight that was twice delayed?  It had been a long day for us too.  But in this era "due to the pandemic" is viewed as a legitimate excuse for poor customer service. That is little comfort for paying customers who expect more.   

And while we are on this subject, the annoying, repeated reminder by the crew about FAA regulations on masks creates animosity.  When passengers exit the airplane, the first voice the hear is some pretentious mayor demanding everyone mask up.  Over and over again. This is Orwellian. 

Elites argue the Great Unwashed will ignore the law and lower their mask if not regularly prompted. The overwhelming majority abide by the instructions.   On my flights, I have observed a handful of passengers, dipping their masks below their chins.  Most were 18-30 years old.

On occasion elderly passengers, obviously experiencing breathing issues, lower their masks to gulp air. These Americans are not used to continuously wearing a mask for 5 hours or more. Masking on airlines may make some feel safer, but passengers are shoehorned into the cabin, with no social distancing.

This is not an anti-mask rant.  Those are first-hand observations. 

Instead of ending on a sour note, I'd like to single out a strapping Southwest Airline captain who stepped into the cabin after boarding was complete and grabbed the microphone.  His message, as I best recall, can be summarized thusly:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard.  I have flown Navy fighter planes and landed them on a carrier in a heaving sea at night during my military career.  You can feel assured I will get your safely to your destination.  Our country sometimes feels divided, but all of us today are going to be kind, courteous and respectful to each other. Together we are going to have a great flight."

The cabin erupted in applause. Airlines need more captains and crews who rally passenger morale  in difficult times.  Haranguing customers does not engender cooperation or promote tranquility. Being on time and not cancelling flights makes for happy customers. 

Memo to Airlines: Make air travel fun again.    

Democrats' Plan to Steamroll $3.5 Trillion Budget

The largest budget in U.S. history, $3.5 trillion for fiscal year 2022, is hurtling toward approval in Congress after Democrats paved the way for a negotiated process that assures its passage.  Specific details are scant at this juncture, a tactic to keep the legislation under wraps until both chambers vote.

Minutes before 4 a.m. on August 11, the Senate approved a blueprint of the $3.5 trillion budget in a 50-49 vote along party lines.  Seventeen days later the House passed an identical budget resolution by a 220-212 margin with the support of only Democrats. The broad outlines will be fleshed out in joint committees.  

To iron out detail, the Senate and House are using a process known as reconciliation, which makes it easier to pass legislation in the Senate.  Employing this legislative tool avoids the need for 60 votes in the Senate.  The spending and tax bill will require a simple majority in the upper chamber.

This fast-track procedure prevents Republicans from using a filibuster, which would require a 60-vote majority to end debate and force a vote.  With a virtual deadlock in the Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the deciding vote, ensuring passage.  Republicans also have used reconciliation.

Pundits speculate the bill's passage hinges on the competing interests of House Democrat progressives and a handful of moderates.  But Speaker Nancy Pelosi rules her troops with an iron fist and few will defy her once the legislation reaches a floor vote. Ignore the media noise about party disunity. 

Likewise in the Senate, Joe Manchin of West Virginia rails against the price tag, threatening to vote against the mega-spending measure.  However, we have seen this grandstanding bluster before.  In the end, Democrat Senate leader Chuck Schumer will corral Manchin to drag the bill across the finish line.

This is a fait accompli no matter what you hear from the media and talking heads. The only issue left to decide is how to divvy up trillions of dollars amongst a plethora of programs.

Here are the skeletal contours of key Senate and House approved budget resolutions:

• $726 billion to include universal Pre-K for 3-and-4-year olds; child care for working families; tuition free community college; racial equity health investments; and funds for Community Health Centers and other educational investments.
• $37 billion for electrifying the federal vehicle fleet, including post office vehicles; border management investments; and, improving the government's cybersecurity infrastructure.
• $107 billion for lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants; investments in effective border measures; and, community violence intervention initiatives.
• $135 billion on rural cop-op clean energy; agricultural climate research; funding for a Civilian Climate Corps; child nutrition; and, forestry programs to help reduce carbon emissions and prevent wildfires.
• $332 billion for improving housing affordability by providing down payment assistance, rental assistance and other home ownership initiatives; and, funding for zoning, land use and transit improvements to create healthy and sustainable housing.
• $198 billion for clean electricity payment program; consumer rebates to weatherize and electrify their homes; climate research; financing for domestic manufacturing of clean energy; and, auto supply chain technologies.
• $67 billion for a Clean Energy Technology Accelerator that would fund low-income solar and other climate-friendly technologies; environmental investments in clean water affordability and access, healthy ports and climate equity; and, investments in clean energy vehicles. 
• Among the proposals not listed in these categories are expansion of the Affordable Care Act and an increase in Medicare benefits to include dental and vision coverage. 

For the record, this is only a representative list of some of the major spending programs.  Smaller funding initiatives have been excluded. Language used to describe the spending was taken directly from the Democratic Senators memorandum on the FY2022 Budget Resolution Agreement Framework.  

Dollar signs are garnering the headlines, however, the spending will strengthen the government's role in education, healthcare, energy and the environment.  The federal government will control large swaths of the American economy, while permanently establishing new, expensive entitlements   

On the heels of this spending package, Democrats are teeing up a vote on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that will attract some GOP votes. The 2,702-page bill will pass with a few tweaks to accommodate projects in key Democratic House and Senate districts to bolster their reelection chances.  

The infrastructure package includes $110 billion for roads and bridges; $66 billion for railroads with upgrades to passenger rail systems; $65 billion for clean energy additions to the power grid; $65 billion for broadband expansion in rural and low-income areas; and, $55 billion for water infrastructure.

For the sake of brevity, this description highlights the major spending programs.  There are at least a dozen other mandates for cybersecurity, the environment, electric vehicles, school buses, safety, water ports, airports, and upgrades to public transit systems nationwide.

If you are following this spending trail with a calculator in hand, the cost for the combination of infrastructure and budget proposals amounts to about $5 trillion.  This bloated package will create yawning deficits and impose an estimated $1.35 trillion in tax increases to fund the spending spree.

Likely taxes will be hiked for households with $400,000 income and up; corporate taxes will increase; fossil fuel tax preferences will be erased; clean energy taxes will increase; and, other taxes will be added.  Dwindling numbers of Americans (39%) who pay federal income taxes will fund this excess.

Even Republicans agree there are needed projects in the spending proposals.  Not every expenditure should be viewed as unnecessary.  But each should be justified on its own merits with a cost-benefit analysis.  The process does not accommodate this approach. Instead it promotes wasteful spending.

Under the Democrats' self-imposed deadline, the gargantuan bill will be rushed to a vote without the opportunity for reps and senators to read the blizzard of pages containing line item expenditures.  Paraphrasing Speaker Pelosi's past words: "to find out what's in the bill, we have to pass it first."  

Reconciliation, although within Senate and House rules, allows a handful of committees to write the final bill's language with minimal input from non-committee members.  The procedure progresses behind closed doors, concealing the final draft until hours before a dash to a vote. It is a broken process. 

However, neither Republicans nor Democrats will abandon or revise the procedure because they view the benefits as political leverage for the party in power. 

Americans need to weigh in--pro or con--with their House representatives and Senators if they want their voices heard on these bills.  The cynics will do nothing because they believe their opinions matter not one wit. However, now's not the time to squat on the sidelines. The future of the country is a stake.

Chaos Reigns In Biden Administration

Skidding approval ratings are the least of President Biden's worries. Candidate Biden's pledge to quash the pandemic, the cornerstone of his presidential campaign, remains unfulfilled.  Crises at the southern border and the turbulent withdrawal from Afghanistan also have rocked his presidency.

Quinnipiac University's poll conducted last week revealed Mr. Biden's approval rating sank to 42%, a steep decline since January when he stood in the mid 50's.  Only two national leaders have experienced lower approval ratings at this point in their presidency: Donald Trump (37%) and Gerald Ford (37%). 

Peering beneath the numbers reveals Mr. Biden's approval rating among independents has slipped 14 points.  Shockingly, his standing with Democrats has dipped eight points.  Among all those surveyed, 60% disapprove of the way the president handled the Afghanistan exodus. 

Since the Afghanistan debacle, the president has become noticeably irritable and testy.  Reporters questions  about the chaotic departure are met with stony silence or deflected with lectures claiming no one could have foreseen the consequences of withdrawal.  Both tactics are eroding public confidence. 

Despite Mr. Biden's promise to leave no American behind, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken admitted in testimony before a Senate committee there were "roughly" 100 Americans stranded in Afghanistan. The secretary acknowledged charter flights from Afghanistan are being blocked by the Taliban.

To make matters worse, the president's performance at the somber transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware earned the scorn of grieving families.  Video captured Mr. Biden checking his watch after caskets were removed from the military plane.

USA Today fact checkers confirm Associated Press photos show Mr. Biden looking at his watch at least three times.  The only fact in dispute is the lack of video evidence the president checked his watch as each flag-draped casket passed.  Grieving families witnessed 13 watch checks, according to news reports.

The Washington Post reported the father of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmidt had a tense encounter with the president.  To the father's chagrin, Mr. Biden spoke more about his son Beau, who died of brain cancer, than about the sacrifice of the father's son.  Beau served in Afghanistan and returned home safely.  

Cheyenne McCollum, the sister of  Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, reported a similar experience with Mr. Biden.  "I was able to stand about 15 seconds of his fake, scripted apology, and I had to walk away," Cheyenne bristled.   

This was not the compassionate Biden the media painted during the election. 

Immediately after the tragic loss of lives, his speech to the nation lacked emotion and empathy.  His hasty exit from the podium after the remarks was callous for such a grave occasion.  This is a tone deaf president whose behavior belies the fawning media's portrayal of the man.

To pivot from the Afghan disaster, the president refocused media attention to his administration's efforts to halt the spread of COVID amid soaring cases and spiraling hospitalizations. To date, the president's record is spotty at best.  That is not an opinion.  The data tells the story.

The day President Biden was sworn into office the number of COVID cases stood at 152,379. The new president deemed that level unacceptable. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported last week the 7-day moving average of daily cases increased 7% to 142,072, a less than 3% decline in eight months.

The president was gifted with the advantage of readily available weapons to tamp down the virus. There are three vaccines widely available that have been distributed nationwide.  Despite pleas from health organizations and federal officials, only 53.9% of Americans are fully vaccinated as of September 11.

Administration officials trumpet the fact that 76.5% of Americans have received at least one vaccine dose. What is left unsaid: CDC data also shows that at least 15 million people due for the second dose have elected not to return for the jab.  Only fully vaccinated are adequately protected. 

President Biden decided to address the unvaccinated issue last week. Instead of a national appeal for unity, he used the occasion to scold the unvaccinated.  Most Americans agree everyone needs to be vaccinated. His message was punitive not motivational.   

This is divisive, pitting the vaccinated versus the unvaccinated.  No wonder a recent poll found a majority of Americans (54%) think the country is less united. Shaming the unvaccinated is the least productive strategy to convince these Americans to sign up for the shot. 

Noticeably, the president failed to mention CDC data indicating African-Americans and Hispanics are less likely than their white counterparts to have received a vaccine, leaving them at greater risk.

CDC posted these figures on September 14: 16.6% of Hispanics have been fully vaccinated; 9.9% of African-Americans have received two vaccine doses.  Why didn't the president make a direct appeal to those Americans?  This is his constituency. Was Mr. Biden afraid of offending his base?  

The president also mandated businesses require employees to be vaccinated. He called on the Department of Labor to enforce his edict, which included small businesses with as few as 100 employees. Already, there is pushback from small businesses and police and fire unions.  Legal challenges are expected. 

For a president determined to arrest the virus, his open border policy is a contradiction of his goal to staunch  the virus. Pew Research Center reports encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border have soared to a 21-year high.  In July, 199,777 illegal immigrants were admitted into the United States.

At this moment, thousands of Haitian immigrants are camped near the border at Del Rio, Texas, hoping to cross into the U.S. As the the humanitarian crisis worsened, buses arrived to transfer Haitians to San Antonio. The administration  authorized deportation flights to Port-au-Prince airport in Haiti.

Texas Rep. August Pfluger, who was briefed by Border Patrol agents in Del Rio, was informed there were 14,878 migrants camped under the international bridge at Del Rio as of Saturday.  Pfluger said: "Speaking to Border Patrol agents, the worst is yet to come...they're worried about coordination with Mexico."

Independent sources estimate about one million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since January. NBC reported more than 18% of illegal immigrant families and 20% of unaccompanied minors test positive for COVID after leaving Border Patrol custody.

NBC's source was a briefing document prepared for President Biden. The president is aware of the dire situation.   

What science is the president following by allowing unvaccinated illegal immigrants to cross into the U.S.?  Americans returning from overseas flights are tested for the COVID virus before they return to this country. Americans have to show proof of vaccination for cruises, Broadway shows. etc.

This is the height of hypocrisy to have a different standard for non-citizens.  

Let's stop at this point.  Democrats' blood pressure is off the charts reading a negative article about their president.  He is NOT Trump they will point out. There is less drama today. There are no offensive tweets. There are no riots near the Capitol.  Few Democrats can defend Biden without referring to Trump.

Mr. Biden should be judged on his actions in the Afghanistan fiasco, his failure to stem the rising Delta variant tide and the ongoing crisis at the border, where unvaccinated illegal immigrants are ushered into our country.  He owns the catastrophic ramifications and the chaos it has created. 

Presidents who blame previous administrations, Republican or Democrat, are attempting to avoid accountability to find solutions to fix problems, including those they inherited. The buck stops with the president as Mr. Biden has reminded.  Every president should govern with that principle in mind.