Tues Blogcast: Oh, Canada; "Transformers" material; TANSTAAFL
April 29, 2025
The Canadian Election: Trump crushes conservatives
Canada’s conservative leader Pierre Poilievre loses his own seat in election collapse – POLITICO
Please read my detailed thoughts (and subscribe to my Substack) here:
Canada's lost opportunity
Has a foreign leader ever impacted a major election this much?
.
Just One Thing: TANSTAAFL
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
It's often attributed to Milton Friedman, but he didn't come up with the acronym...that's more fun to pronounce than you'd think at first: Who Said TANSTAAFL First? | Cato at Liberty Blog
Colorado voters who fell all too easily into the fiscal masochism offered to them on the 2022 ballot. Now (surprise, surprise) they've figured out that more people than they claimed to believe want the free lunch. So now they want to further limit the tax deductions of people who earn over $300,000 a year to fund free lunches for all public-school students, even the kids of upper-middle class and wealthy families. It's truly insane.
Colorado's healthy school meals program in jeopardy - Axios Denver
From 2022: Over 100 Colorado nonprofits back Prop FF for free school meals | Quick Hits | coloradopolitics.com
The Dems plan to ask voters to crush the "rich" for no good reason at all: Healthy School Meals for All Program | Colorado General Assembly
One More Thing: The First 100 Days
It’s been the famous "first 100 days" (that presidents since FDR have made a big thing) of Donald Trump’s second term in office.
What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you think of these 100 days?
One opinion: At 100 Days, Trump 2.0 Is in Trouble - WSJ
Trump’s 1st 100 days, by the numbers : NPR
A conservative perspective: Trump’s 100 Days of Revolution - by Matthew Continetti
The White House put out a press release this morning that I don't have a link for yet touting an increase in jobs. He goes to Michigan today for a rally where he'll remind the public of what he thinks are his accomplishments so far in his second term.
.
Today's Guest
Shixi Zang is a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton, part of a team that invented an incredible new material that might make you think of the movie Transformers.
.
Other Stuff
I think this infuriates most Americans and (sorta like men in women's sports) I'm shocked that there's anyone still advocating for these kinds of sanctuary policies: Exclusive | Illegal migrant accused in Kristi Noem’s purse snatching had NY arrest warrant out
.
I guess we're supposed to be glad to be served slightly lower doses of economic poison: Exclusive | Trump to Soften Blow of Automotive Tariffs - WSJ
.
Sorry, I'm just done doing that: Should you tip for fast food or takeout?
.
Seriously, NOBODY thought there would be this much predation? Colorado’s wolf reintroduction efforts face budget changes and growing scrutiny
.
This is why it's such a shame, such a failure, of Donald Trump and so many other Republicans not to be pushing to reform Social Security and Medicare. Perhaps it's as simple as knowing that American voters insist on taking other people's money...because they've been convinced that they're lifetime of contributing "entitles" them to it.
The US is a Ponzi scheme with a military. Social security, health insurance: how the government spends money
The Biggest Ponzi Scheme on Earth | Hoover Institution The Biggest Ponzi Scheme on Earth
Social Security unfunded liability now around $25 trillion, and that’s small compared to Medicare which is closer to $55 trillion.
.
My only quibble with this is that the report is mandated by Congress. I do NOT want a president to think he can make (or delete) law, and Trump is sure doing that a lot. That said, I think pretty much all this climate stuff is a giant grift and mostly serves as a way for left-wing non-profits to raise money by scaring the public and left-wing politicians to destroy our most reliable energy sources by scaring the public.
Trump dismisses scientists writing the National Climate Assessment - E&E News by POLITICO
National Climate Assessment Authors Are Dismissed by Trump Administration - The New York Times
.
This is a truly terrible story: Boy, 11, kills himself after teacher calls him 'stupid': suit
.
A handful of stories I didn't get to yesterday:
At the very least they should be paying for damage, right? The FBI mistakenly raided their Atlanta home. Now the Supreme Court will hear their lawsuit | AP News
and
As impossible as it sounds, maybe the legislature will pass one bill that isn't harmful this year: Tire Chain Traction Control Device Permit | Colorado General Assembly
.
A modest proposal from this writer. I don’t like any of it but Trump’s idea has proven ineffective in every country where it’s been tried. That said, I must admit that it’s probably a legit national interest to not get into a population doom loop like South Korea or Japan or China or even Russia (esp because of the war) seem to be in.
Trump's $5k bonus won't bring more babies — here's what will
.
This seems a little creepy. I mean, when they met, he was almost 70 and she was 20? Bill Belichick insiders call Jordon Hudson a 'runaway train'
.
And you thought the US justice system was slow…Kim Kardashian robbery suspects to appear in Paris court as trial begins | Kim Kardashian | The Guardian
.
This seems aimed at Colorado, among other parts of California: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens – The White House
And this is obviously just aimed at Colorado, and I support the move by the federal gov't: Trump administration terminates $32 million in grant funding for Denver's immigrant shelters | News | coloradopolitics.com
Well, $24 million anyway: Trump claws back $24 million in federal grants for Denver sheltering
Meanwhile, Denver politicians are taking a page from Mark Carney's playbook: make everything about Trump. (Unfortunately, it's very easy to do because Trump makes everything about Trump): Denver's defiance of Trump peaks at 100-day mark - Axios Denver
.
What kind of worm? Confrontation eases - US and Mexico sign two key agreements
.
Slightly funny story but a serious issue: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell's legal team accused of submitting inaccurate, AI-generated brief to Colorado court | FOX31
.
Worth your time: “We Can’t Hire a White Guy”—a Professor on Life at Princeton
.
.
Today's Videos
South Park knows
The robotics equivalent of the Bad Analogy Club
It's real brick
@firedits1 Neil CALLS OUT Joe’s Studio 😂
♬ Undercover - Parameter Studios