Thurs Blogcast: Coin envy; Denver homeless policy; Carville breakdown

Just One Thing: Tariffs suck (the prosperity out of the country)

Earlier this week, President Biden announced tariffs on a bunch of imports from China. While most of them were not economically significant and rather a desperate pander for blue-collar votes, this still must be discussed, not least because, sadly, Donald Trump also supports tariffs. So let me make two things clear: China does pose a significant challenge in many dimensions and some degree of economic warfare between us and China is inevitable. But broadly speaking, tariffs on imports – and Trump seems to support increasing tariffs on ALL imports – may be the single worst economic policy position imaginable. Tariffs are essentially sales taxes paid BY AMERICANS on those imported items. They raise prices and reduce consumer choice. They make almost all of us worse off. And any politician who supports them is, economically speaking, an idiot.

Tariffs make us poorer -- the rest is semantic - Washington Times

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One More Thing: James Carville has a (foul-mouthed) breakdown about Trump

I have to say I do enjoy a nice glass of liberal tears from time to time

This was written for a different time and place (the USSR) but I find it applicable today
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Center — Solzhenitsyn Live Not by Lies

I know that my refusal to vote for Donald Trump (and, for people who don't know me, I would never consider for a moment voting for Joe Biden) frustrates some listeners. I don't want to engage in a long explanation here except to say that my view roughly matches the words of Solzhenitsyn, linked just above, written 50 years ago.

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Today's Guests

Paul Scudo is Executive Director of Step Denver (formerly Step 13). We'll talk about why Denver's policies to help the homeless are not working and are costing Denver taxpayers way way too much.

Denver homeless crisis worsens despite $274M investment; housing-first approach needed, critics say | Colorado Watch | denvergazette.com (archive.org)

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Former DA and current candidate for DA George Brauchler joins us to talk about the second plea deal in the horrendous case of the three young idiots who threw big rocks at moving cars and killed a 20-year-old woman.

Second defendant takes plea deal in rock-throwing death | News | denvergazette.com

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Other Stuff

I keep running out of time for this...gonna try hard to get it on the show today: 30 Useful Concepts (Spring 2024) - by Gurwinder - The Prism

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One of the most important political questions this year is whether people who support Nikki Haley (or are voting for her in recent primaries because she's their only non-Trump GOP choice) will "come home" in November and support Trump. Obviously the answer is: "some will, but will it be enough to beat Biden?" All else being equal, I suspect it will be, but much can change in the world in the next 5 months before people start voting. Haley draws support from Trump in Maryland, Nebraska, West Virginia primaries | The Hill

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Well, better than being on Peacock, I guess, as far as availability to the public: 2024 NFL schedule surprise: Netflix lands rights to NFL's two Christmas games as part of three-year deal - CBSSports.com

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If the COVID "lab leak" theory (of the origin of the virus) is not a "conspiracy theory" now, that means it wasn't originally either: Francis Collins Admits Covid Origins Not Settled | National Review

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I didn't get to this story yesterday and I just love it. If I were really really rich, I'd buy this: Coin collection of Danish butter magnate going on sale after being sealed for 100 years | World News | Sky News

The L. E. Bruun Collection (stacksbowers.com)

(the coins in the blogcast thumbnail picture today are not coins from this collection)

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Good news but why didn't it happen sooner...even under Trump? Joe Biden administration stops funding to U.S. firm that paid for Wuhan research - Washington Times

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I actually like the king's first official portrait even though it's "very very red" as many have noted

All Your Red-Hot King Charles Portrait Questions, Answered (msn.com)

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Top of the food chain: Mountain lion likely killed one of the 10 wolves released in Colorado (coloradosun.com)

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Credit card evolution. First, a press release from Visa. Second, a news story about it.

Visa Reinvents the Card, Unveils New Products for Digital Age (yahoo.com)

Visa changes mean Americans will carry fewer physical credit, debit cards in their wallets - Washington Times

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This is nonsense: Editorial: Vail cancels Lakota Danielle SeeWalker for Palestine speech (denverpost.com)

I don't mean that what Vail did is nonsense but rather than the Post's take on it is. I wrote a letter to the editor; we'll see if they print it.

In the meantime, another cancelation based on someone's view on the Israel/Hamas war, but this one is quite different as the people involved were to give a talk about biology that had nothing at all to do with the war: I’ve been deplatformed at the University of Amsterdam for having the wrong stance on the Palestine/Israel conflict – Why Evolution Is True

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I rarely pay attention to Hollywood news, much less Hollywood gossip, but in these days of various pendulums (pendula?) swinging back, such as against DEI and wokeness and "believe all women all the time no matter what" and "defund the police", I find this interesting: Allison Pearson: My tearful interview with Kevin Spacey proves he's MeToo's greatest casualty (telegraph.co.uk)

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Speaking of the pendulum swinging back: Two Virginia universities scrap DEI requirements after Youngkin audit (msn.com)

And speaking even more of it: The Retreat From ESG Proxy Voting - WSJ

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This is why you see so much attention on so few states when it comes to campaigning (although candidates will go to other states for fundraisers): From Axios: 1 big thing — Behind the Curtain: 6% of six states (will decide the presidency)

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AI really will change everything: 🎥 Axios interview: Jeffrey Katzenberg (about AI in the movie/TV industry)

I mean everything: Axios: How AI is disrupting parking

Yes, everything: Will AI replace doctors who read X-rays, or just make them better than ever? | AP News

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A bunch of DC and VA congresscritters voted against this to protect Dulles Airport from competition from Reagan, but they're claiming it's about safety. Five-year FAA bill clears U.S. House, boosting flights into Washington, D.C. (yahoo.com)

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Do they believe in anything at all? The moderate reinvention of Ruben Gallego, Senate hopeful in Arizona - The Washington Post

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Lina Khan is a blight. Thank goodness we have decent federal judges to stop her insanity: Another Lina Khan Theory Loses in Court - WSJ

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Today's Videos

As the guy who posted this noted, man I miss this dude.

Look, I'm not aiming to be partisan here, but this IS Joe Biden's fault