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.