May 12, 2026 • 24 mins
(May 12, 2026)
Lots of ‘pie in the sky’ promises by governor wannabes with no way to pay for them. President Trump wants to pause the federal gas tax. 1 in 4 Americans think the White House correspondent’s dinner shooting was staged. Another sales tax hike? Costs a factor in Los Angeles in healthcare measure.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to Bill Handle on demand from KFI AM
six forty see bill Handle.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It is a top goal Tuesday, May twelfth.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Some of the big stories we're looking at, well, inflation
at three point eight percent annualized, and so that is
not good news at all.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Four prices going up.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
And the President is on his way to Beijing today
summit with Chinese leader Xi Jianping. And I think the
President is well. I think he is not holding the
cards here. I think you're going to see an uneven
meeting between the two. Okay, Now, one of the things
(00:45):
I said prior to the break is we're in the
middle of a gubernatorial race and it's wide open, wide open.
We don't even know if a Democrat is going to
be on the ballot because, as I've talked about before,
our system in California passed by the Democrats saying the
top two candidates who get the vote go on to
(01:06):
the general and could be Republicans because there are so
many Democrats splitting up the vote and only two Republicans.
So here is what's going on with particularly Democrats. They
promised the moon. The problem is, how do you pay for.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
All of costs? Very costly.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Sacramento's current programs, well, no one can come up in
that answer. Newsome and the legislature have dug into the
state into really deep financial holes and severe deficits spending
and why because they've never met an entitlement program they
didn't like.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
We as.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
The electorate, we vote more taxes over and over again.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And so how do we get around this.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, programs have to be cut, taxes have to increase,
the government legitimately legitimately has to be more cost effective
and efficient.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
All three of them almost impossible. And so look what
we have.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Excessive borrowing, program delays, no outright eliminations. Every time we
have a bill of this passes, or tax that's passed
that sunsets, they're supposed to sunset, it doesn't. It absolutely doesn't.
I remember there was a tax for education the teachers,
(02:37):
and it was supposed to sunset, and it didn't, and
of course we voted for it, not the sunset, and
the teachers union said you got to pass it because
not one penny more of your taxes are going to
be spent, not a penny more.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, the point is they were.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
The extra taxes were put in, and we're supposed to end,
and of course they didn't. The non Parson Legislative analyst
estimated that the d deficits are going to run from
twenty to thirty five billion dollars and the financial commitment
commitments are not sustainable, and mopping up the red ink
(03:15):
is going to be very, very difficult and one of
the big issues. And this is something that none of
the candidates are even talking about or figuring out how
to pay.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
One of them is single payer.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
No one wants to say national medical plans single payer,
and this is just the state of California. And single
payer takes away private insurance. It takes away for the
most part, co pays and the state becomes the insurer.
Oh my god, how horrible is that. Now, keep in
mind this is going to cost money. It's horrible. We
(03:53):
have the best, the best medical care in the world. Okay,
I'd like to talk to the those people who don't
have insurance and can't afford it and can't afford going
to the doctor. I would like you to email me
and tell me how we have the best medical care
in the world where you can't afford to go to
(04:13):
the doctor, and when you do, you have to literally
go bankrupt. Why is every country in the in the
industrial world, in the industrialized world able to pull it
off with single payer and we can't. Oh, because it's socialist,
(04:33):
it's because it makes no sense. It's because we can't
afford to do this, Okay, And so where's the money
coming from?
Speaker 2 (04:42):
In general?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Well, right now, the revenues are pretty good because the
stock market and income is pretty high in the state.
And since the state receives the vast majority of its
revenue on income tax, and when the economy goes south,
even a little bit in come tax drops.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
What do you have.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Well, you have all those programs that have been passed,
all of those programs that must be paid for, and
all of those new programs that.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
No one can afford, certainly the state. I mean, this
is absolutely crazy. Where's that stat that I was looking at?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
And that's since twenty nineteen under Newsome, the state general
fund spending has gone up by one hundred billion dollars
to two hundred and forty eight billion. In the latest budget,
it's gone up thirty percent. It's unsustainable and there's no answer.
(05:43):
And you can't be elected if you say we have
to cut not in this state, we have to cut
we have to raise taxes. Well, that's a tough one
because we happen to like taxes for some reason. In
the state, every Democrat is a Democrat elected legislature. There's
a super majority, so the people who vote and our
(06:03):
legislature and the governor just loves taxes. And we, of course,
by far the highest tax in the United States, our state.
And so you're going to hear I'm going to do this.
I'm going to do that. I'm going to make our
state a cheaper place to live in. I'm going to
do more for the people of California with less money.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I'm going to get rid of fraud and waste.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
And then you ask, how is it going any of
it going to be paid for? And anybody says, we're
cutting programs, we're getting rid of the social programs. You
don't get elected saying that you don't and now we're
back to free pizza. That's what I'm going to give
(06:52):
you and elect me.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Now.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
One of the things to deal with the cost of
gas line because as you know, well big secret, right,
the cost of gas has exploded. What the President wants
to do is pause the federal gas tax he's proposed that,
and the federal gas tack is even so he said
it's a small amount of.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Money, it's not.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I mean, if he passes this, if he pauses a
federal gas tack, it's eighteen cents a gallon. That's not
a small amount. And now it requires congressional approval. And
it's the latest in a string of interventions to address
the fallout from the war. I mean, across the board,
(07:37):
the war is going on. We're in month number two. Remember,
are supposed to disappear two to four months, two to
four weeks.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
It was going to be over, although it was over day.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
One, and the various enrichment facilities in Iran were decimated,
and then they're not decimated. And so who the hell knows?
Straight of horror moves has been closed. But we control
the straight of horn moves. I mean, it goes on
or nod. So that's all just babel. What is not
babel is the possibility of pausing the federal gas tax.
(08:12):
You know, when the last time the gas tax was
was paused nineteen thirty four. There's been a lot of tax,
a lot of talk about the pausing of the tax,
but it hasn't happened, and of course February eighth, when
the war started, energy prices have spiked like craziest and
(08:35):
and they're keep on going up too.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
I mean, the longer the.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Strait of Hormoz remains closed, the more gasoline is going
to cost, because the more oil is going to cost.
Because as we all know by now, twenty percent of
the world's oil production goes through the state of Horace
the Strait of Hormoz, and now it's basically zero. And
then there are the peace talks in the United States
(09:03):
proposed what I thought were not unreasonable demands from Iran,
not crazy at all.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Well, they've come back with crazy.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
It's and I think the President legitimately told him to
go pound sand and he said that this cease fire
is on life support, and he's right on that one.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
He is right.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
I mean, it's I think at this point Iran, even
though it's being said by our government that Iran is
on the brink of collapse, that their entire ability to
attack American forces as well as neighboring countries is basically
over well in reality, and remember, we wiped out their navy,
(09:53):
true wiped out their ability to launch drones not true.
Wiped out their ability to launch missiles.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Not true. They don't have the ability to last much longer.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Maybe true, But keep in mind that is a regime
that can stomp on its own people. And if enough
people go out, if anybody goes out and protests, they
get shot and they get killed, that'll stop.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
The protest pretty quickly. And state taxes vary.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
The national average is thirty two cents gasoline, thirty four
cents on diesel. But oh, here is a shocker, which
is the highest state tax that exists. Well, I want
I'll have you guests on that one. So, by the way,
in nineteen thirty four, Congress cut half a cent off
(10:44):
the gas tax when prohibition ended. Now, the money from
the tax the tax goes into the Highway Trust Fund
PACE for road public transportation improvements. A five month suspension
reduces revenue by seventeen billion dollars, is about thirty five
billion dollars a year, which is not a whole lot
of money relative to the budget of the United States,
(11:06):
But since the money is dedicated to the highways, building
and repairing highways, the cutting of those funds creates a
huge hole in that budget. Now, interestingly, enough, it creates
a hole where all of a sudden, the government can't
(11:28):
pay to repair the holes.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Huh. See how that works? See how I put that together?
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Okay, and now you have some even Republicans are saying,
maybe we have to do this, and most Republicans, most
people have been dead set against it.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
So we'll see what happens. But here's the bottom line.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Let's say Congress approves and we're going to go ahead
and cut the gas tax.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Do we pay less?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Well, here's the problem. The taxes collected at the terminal
or refinery.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Not at the pump.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
So maybe, and it's probable that we're not going to
see the money going back into our pockets because even
gas stations right now are losing their shirts.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Now.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
I travel, as you know, my disposable income, I spend
it on traveling. I don't buy clothes. I do the
at Costco. I shop at Costco and Ralphs, And you know,
I just don't spend a lot of money very much
anyplace else other than I travel.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
I love to travel.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
So when I go across to Europe and Asia, mainly Europe,
there are three things that Europeans and the rest of
the world look at the United States with you know
some not only trepidation, but sort of what are you
guys doing. One is gun control. They don't understand the
(12:58):
Second Amendment because no one has a Second Amendment the
way we do around the world. Number Two, they don't
understand our health plan. They don't get it as to
why we don't have a national health plan. They don't
understand our conspiracy theories. That we are absolutely massively involved
(13:21):
in conspiracy theories, which are getting bigger and bigger.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Now.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
It used to be only the crazy people had conspiracy
conspiracy theories. Yeah, I've often said that the only way
you can get true conspiracy theories were people standing on
the street corner with bullhorns. Well, it turns out that
a whole lot of Americans believe in conspiracy theories. So
(13:46):
there was a survey that was just taken by NewsGuard.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
It was released yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
It's a company that rates the reliability of online news outlets.
And therein is the answer as to why we we
are now so involved and so dedicated to the proposition
that all conspiracy theories are legit. Twenty four percent of
(14:13):
Americans believed that the shooting at the correspondencetituter was staged,
and the shooting, the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the
previous two were staged. Now that is interesting stuff to me.
That really does it's I'm not one that believes it
(14:36):
was staged, because I think that's considra conspiracy theory. Okay,
real quickly, Amy staged yes or no? Okay, and yes
or no?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yes sir?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Okay, of course it is cono yes or no, no, no,
neil stage yes or no no, okay, and yes or no.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I wasn't there, okay, Oh great, Yeah, you weren't there
at the moon landing either, okay. And a lot of
people think that was stage.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
That was real? Yeah, oh really okay, you think that
was real? Complicate.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It's so much more complicated to stage or do a
conspiracy than people think.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, let's say the moon landing.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Okay, how many people when they say there's a conspiracy
theory and the moon landing was actually filmed at a
on a sound stage in Culver City, Yeah right, nobody
has leaked any information other than the conspiracy theories saying, yep,
you know.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
How many people there about it? As high as I
think twelve percent at one point, depending on the survey,
nine to eleven conspiracy. Oh yeah, job was something like
twenty to thirty percent of America.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
And now here is what the White House is saying,
and legitimately, so they're saying. For those who argue that
somehow this was staged by the White House or Republicans,
I mean, it is completely crazy. Spokesman Dan Davis Ingle
told The Washington Post. The White House has rejected the
(16:18):
conspiracy theorists. Anyone who thinks President Trump stage his own
assassination attempts is a complete moron.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
I one believe.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
That that you who are conspiracy theorists are complete morons.
I'll tell you right now. But the problem is it's
not just a small number of people.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
It's one in four.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Republicans thinking it was not staged, by a huge margin
over Democrats who think it was stage. Naturally, there's the politics,
but you know it's you know, the earth is flat. Okay,
maybe that one's crazy moonshot, yeah things, that was stage
area fifty one.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah it was staged.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Well, actually it was because Area fifty one, in terms
of aliens doesn't exist. But so many Americans believe that
and this is all back we go. It's all about
the internet because crazy people did not have access to
other crazy people. There are plenty of crazy people out there,
(17:27):
but they couldn't talk to each other.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
A crazy person in a slightly different category though, because
this is not just you know, people living in a
hut somewhere in the forest believing this. I think this
is more the distrust of this administration.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I think it's a distrust of in jail, not just
just administration general.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
And I agree that comes from a different place than
somebody whittling, would you know, thinking do.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
You agree with you or nine to eleven?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Yeah, all kinds of issues that you can't trust doctors anymore.
You can't trust uh, you can't trust politicians.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Every single politician is corrupt and is there for the money.
And I've often said, you know how difficult it is
for a politician to accept bribes.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
They get caught anyway. All right. For those of you
that you think she's a more on.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Oh yeah, she's a complete complete conspiracy and.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
I'll tell her she's a moron. And by the way,
it's not blanket all over everything. I don't distrust everything.
It's this administration it's proven.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
They've proven that they are that they set up assassination attempts,
not that they're liars. They set up attached assassination attempts. Well,
I am, I agree they are lying, But what do
they lie about? You know?
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I mean there are limits to lie to be the
next segment. No, okay, no, I mean we'll do it.
But I have no problem. There's no problem. I do.
I think they are liars. I have no problem with
them lying. That's the administration doesn't trust. It doesn't It
doesn't lie about everything. It doesn't lie about everything.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Conspiracies are quite complicated. And the it really that the
fact that people think that there are conspiracies don't understand
how complicated it would be to put all.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Right, we're running late, opinions, we're running late. Well, I
don't appreciate it nice, we're running late. Okay, Another sales
tax hike, yes, are we going to vote it? In
La County? Voters are going to decide do we want
a temporary huh? It's always that temporary is always a joke.
Half sent sales tax to shore up our public health
(19:56):
care system, and the supporters says, the only thing that's
going to say system from being devastated by federal funding cuts.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Now, when you look at.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
The taxes that have increased, these programs are for the
most part legitimate. There is you know, healthcare, there's no
issue transportation. I mean, all of them are good ideas.
The problem is how many can you have. It's tax
upon tax. It's only a quarter of a percent of
a cent. Oh, it's only one percent, it's three quarters
(20:26):
of one percent. Well, we're now at nine point seventy
five percent in La County with cities. Adding on top
of that, there are so many cities charging ten percent
or more in California. We have just never met a
tax we don't like half cent more in twenty sixteen
(20:47):
for buses, trains, and pothole filling. Twenty twenty four homeless services,
that was half a cent, and it keeps on going
and going and going. Well, June second, with the primary,
we're going to do some voting. Now when I say,
is this a legitimate half cent, well, yeah, it's for healthcare.
(21:10):
And the county is going to lose more than two
billion dollars over the next three years from the Feds.
And so where's the money come from. It's you can
cut other programs with the state will never do. And
so here's a tax of a half a point and
should last only five years, but believe me, it'll be extended.
(21:32):
The last time voter said no to a sales tax
hike was twenty twelve, and that's the measures. Transportation measure
fell just short with sixty six point one percent. It
needed sixty six point seven percent. It didn't quite reach
which it needed to pass. That's how close it was.
(21:55):
And so polling right now looks at it's not going
to happen. And as much as I believe in we
have to do something about healthcare, half a cent is
not going to help. So half a cent will be
what La County will then be ten point two five
and with cities it's in some cities it'll be what
(22:18):
ten point five percent, ten point seventy five percent?
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
And is this going to vote? Is it going to pass? Well,
there's really no opposition to it. And you've got various groups,
medical groups who certainly are in favor, the unions are
in favor, the s the s U I e uh
in favor. I don't know where to go with this,
(22:45):
I really don't. I mean, we're taxing ourselves into oblivion.
And it's here little bits and pieces. Is death by
a thousand cuts? And there's where is the point? Where
does it end?
Speaker 2 (22:59):
You know?
Speaker 3 (22:59):
One of my favorite quotes is when it was one
of a politician's I think it could have been Elizabeth
Warren was asked, is there a where is the line
of income tax? You know? Where do you stop it?
(23:20):
You know, at what point is it unsustainable? When she said,
I don't know. I'll tell you when I see it. Okay,
well a lot of people have seen it right now.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
You know what's interesting, Bill is people ask me one
of the things about churches, like how to pick a church,
and I said, one of the things the church should
do is at least once a year open their books
to the parishioners so that people can see how the
money is used and where it goes. How come we
don't have something some law some point, because it's not
(23:55):
so much about how much money we're paying. It's about
the lack of results. If I've got horrible sidewalks and
potholes and a crappy school system and all this, and
we keep dumping money into it, no one's accountable.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
It's about distribution of also politicians. It's easy for politicians
to say yes, yes, yes, I'm going to help you out.
Kick the can down the road is something easy? Okay,
we're done with this, guys. A lot we can do
on that, which we'll probably pick up over the next
week two weeks coming up. Rich the mureaw our tech guy.
We'll be right back with tech Tuesday. KFI Am sixty.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You've been listening to the Bill Handle Show.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Catch my show Monday through Friday, six am to nine am,
and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.
You're listening to Bill Handle on demand from KFI AM
six forty see bill Handle.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It is a top goal Tuesday, May twelfth.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Some of the big stories we're looking at, well, inflation
at three point eight percent annualized, and so that is
not good news at all.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Four prices going up.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
And the President is on his way to Beijing today
summit with Chinese leader Xi Jianping. And I think the
President is well. I think he is not holding the
cards here. I think you're going to see an uneven
meeting between the two. Okay, Now, one of the things
(00:45):
I said prior to the break is we're in the
middle of a gubernatorial race and it's wide open, wide open.
We don't even know if a Democrat is going to
be on the ballot because, as I've talked about before,
our system in California passed by the Democrats saying the
top two candidates who get the vote go on to
(01:06):
the general and could be Republicans because there are so
many Democrats splitting up the vote and only two Republicans.
So here is what's going on with particularly Democrats. They
promised the moon. The problem is, how do you pay for.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
All of costs? Very costly.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Sacramento's current programs, well, no one can come up in
that answer. Newsome and the legislature have dug into the
state into really deep financial holes and severe deficits spending
and why because they've never met an entitlement program they
didn't like.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
We as.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
The electorate, we vote more taxes over and over again.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And so how do we get around this.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, programs have to be cut, taxes have to increase,
the government legitimately legitimately has to be more cost effective
and efficient.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
All three of them almost impossible. And so look what
we have.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Excessive borrowing, program delays, no outright eliminations. Every time we
have a bill of this passes, or tax that's passed
that sunsets, they're supposed to sunset, it doesn't. It absolutely doesn't.
I remember there was a tax for education the teachers,
(02:37):
and it was supposed to sunset, and it didn't, and
of course we voted for it, not the sunset, and
the teachers union said you got to pass it because
not one penny more of your taxes are going to
be spent, not a penny more.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, the point is they were.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
The extra taxes were put in, and we're supposed to end,
and of course they didn't. The non Parson Legislative analyst
estimated that the d deficits are going to run from
twenty to thirty five billion dollars and the financial commitment
commitments are not sustainable, and mopping up the red ink
(03:15):
is going to be very, very difficult and one of
the big issues. And this is something that none of
the candidates are even talking about or figuring out how
to pay.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
One of them is single payer.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
No one wants to say national medical plans single payer,
and this is just the state of California. And single
payer takes away private insurance. It takes away for the
most part, co pays and the state becomes the insurer.
Oh my god, how horrible is that. Now, keep in
mind this is going to cost money. It's horrible. We
(03:53):
have the best, the best medical care in the world. Okay,
I'd like to talk to the those people who don't
have insurance and can't afford it and can't afford going
to the doctor. I would like you to email me
and tell me how we have the best medical care
in the world where you can't afford to go to
(04:13):
the doctor, and when you do, you have to literally
go bankrupt. Why is every country in the in the
industrial world, in the industrialized world able to pull it
off with single payer and we can't. Oh, because it's socialist,
(04:33):
it's because it makes no sense. It's because we can't
afford to do this, Okay, And so where's the money
coming from?
Speaker 2 (04:42):
In general?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Well, right now, the revenues are pretty good because the
stock market and income is pretty high in the state.
And since the state receives the vast majority of its
revenue on income tax, and when the economy goes south,
even a little bit in come tax drops.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
What do you have.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Well, you have all those programs that have been passed,
all of those programs that must be paid for, and
all of those new programs that.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
No one can afford, certainly the state. I mean, this
is absolutely crazy. Where's that stat that I was looking at?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
And that's since twenty nineteen under Newsome, the state general
fund spending has gone up by one hundred billion dollars
to two hundred and forty eight billion. In the latest budget,
it's gone up thirty percent. It's unsustainable and there's no answer.
(05:43):
And you can't be elected if you say we have
to cut not in this state, we have to cut
we have to raise taxes. Well, that's a tough one
because we happen to like taxes for some reason. In
the state, every Democrat is a Democrat elected legislature. There's
a super majority, so the people who vote and our
(06:03):
legislature and the governor just loves taxes. And we, of course,
by far the highest tax in the United States, our state.
And so you're going to hear I'm going to do this.
I'm going to do that. I'm going to make our
state a cheaper place to live in. I'm going to
do more for the people of California with less money.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I'm going to get rid of fraud and waste.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
And then you ask, how is it going any of
it going to be paid for? And anybody says, we're
cutting programs, we're getting rid of the social programs. You
don't get elected saying that you don't and now we're
back to free pizza. That's what I'm going to give
(06:52):
you and elect me.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Now.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
One of the things to deal with the cost of
gas line because as you know, well big secret, right,
the cost of gas has exploded. What the President wants
to do is pause the federal gas tax he's proposed that,
and the federal gas tack is even so he said
it's a small amount of.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Money, it's not.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I mean, if he passes this, if he pauses a
federal gas tack, it's eighteen cents a gallon. That's not
a small amount. And now it requires congressional approval. And
it's the latest in a string of interventions to address
the fallout from the war. I mean, across the board,
(07:37):
the war is going on. We're in month number two. Remember,
are supposed to disappear two to four months, two to
four weeks.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
It was going to be over, although it was over day.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
One, and the various enrichment facilities in Iran were decimated,
and then they're not decimated. And so who the hell knows?
Straight of horror moves has been closed. But we control
the straight of horn moves. I mean, it goes on
or nod. So that's all just babel. What is not
babel is the possibility of pausing the federal gas tax.
(08:12):
You know, when the last time the gas tax was
was paused nineteen thirty four. There's been a lot of tax,
a lot of talk about the pausing of the tax,
but it hasn't happened, and of course February eighth, when
the war started, energy prices have spiked like craziest and
(08:35):
and they're keep on going up too.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
I mean, the longer the.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Strait of Hormoz remains closed, the more gasoline is going
to cost, because the more oil is going to cost.
Because as we all know by now, twenty percent of
the world's oil production goes through the state of Horace
the Strait of Hormoz, and now it's basically zero. And
then there are the peace talks in the United States
(09:03):
proposed what I thought were not unreasonable demands from Iran,
not crazy at all.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Well, they've come back with crazy.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
It's and I think the President legitimately told him to
go pound sand and he said that this cease fire
is on life support, and he's right on that one.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
He is right.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
I mean, it's I think at this point Iran, even
though it's being said by our government that Iran is
on the brink of collapse, that their entire ability to
attack American forces as well as neighboring countries is basically
over well in reality, and remember, we wiped out their navy,
(09:53):
true wiped out their ability to launch drones not true.
Wiped out their ability to launch missiles.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Not true. They don't have the ability to last much longer.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Maybe true, But keep in mind that is a regime
that can stomp on its own people. And if enough
people go out, if anybody goes out and protests, they
get shot and they get killed, that'll stop.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
The protest pretty quickly. And state taxes vary.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
The national average is thirty two cents gasoline, thirty four
cents on diesel. But oh, here is a shocker, which
is the highest state tax that exists. Well, I want
I'll have you guests on that one. So, by the way,
in nineteen thirty four, Congress cut half a cent off
(10:44):
the gas tax when prohibition ended. Now, the money from
the tax the tax goes into the Highway Trust Fund
PACE for road public transportation improvements. A five month suspension
reduces revenue by seventeen billion dollars, is about thirty five
billion dollars a year, which is not a whole lot
of money relative to the budget of the United States,
(11:06):
But since the money is dedicated to the highways, building
and repairing highways, the cutting of those funds creates a
huge hole in that budget. Now, interestingly, enough, it creates
a hole where all of a sudden, the government can't
(11:28):
pay to repair the holes.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Huh. See how that works? See how I put that together?
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Okay, and now you have some even Republicans are saying,
maybe we have to do this, and most Republicans, most
people have been dead set against it.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
So we'll see what happens. But here's the bottom line.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Let's say Congress approves and we're going to go ahead
and cut the gas tax.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Do we pay less?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Well, here's the problem. The taxes collected at the terminal
or refinery.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Not at the pump.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
So maybe, and it's probable that we're not going to
see the money going back into our pockets because even
gas stations right now are losing their shirts.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Now.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
I travel, as you know, my disposable income, I spend
it on traveling. I don't buy clothes. I do the
at Costco. I shop at Costco and Ralphs, And you know,
I just don't spend a lot of money very much
anyplace else other than I travel.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
I love to travel.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
So when I go across to Europe and Asia, mainly Europe,
there are three things that Europeans and the rest of
the world look at the United States with you know
some not only trepidation, but sort of what are you
guys doing. One is gun control. They don't understand the
(12:58):
Second Amendment because no one has a Second Amendment the
way we do around the world. Number Two, they don't
understand our health plan. They don't get it as to
why we don't have a national health plan. They don't
understand our conspiracy theories. That we are absolutely massively involved
(13:21):
in conspiracy theories, which are getting bigger and bigger.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Now.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
It used to be only the crazy people had conspiracy
conspiracy theories. Yeah, I've often said that the only way
you can get true conspiracy theories were people standing on
the street corner with bullhorns. Well, it turns out that
a whole lot of Americans believe in conspiracy theories. So
(13:46):
there was a survey that was just taken by NewsGuard.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
It was released yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
It's a company that rates the reliability of online news outlets.
And therein is the answer as to why we we
are now so involved and so dedicated to the proposition
that all conspiracy theories are legit. Twenty four percent of
(14:13):
Americans believed that the shooting at the correspondencetituter was staged,
and the shooting, the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the
previous two were staged. Now that is interesting stuff to me.
That really does it's I'm not one that believes it
(14:36):
was staged, because I think that's considra conspiracy theory. Okay,
real quickly, Amy staged yes or no? Okay, and yes
or no?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yes sir?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Okay, of course it is cono yes or no, no, no,
neil stage yes or no no, okay, and yes or no.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I wasn't there, okay, Oh great, Yeah, you weren't there
at the moon landing either, okay. And a lot of
people think that was stage.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
That was real? Yeah, oh really okay, you think that
was real? Complicate.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It's so much more complicated to stage or do a
conspiracy than people think.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, let's say the moon landing.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Okay, how many people when they say there's a conspiracy
theory and the moon landing was actually filmed at a
on a sound stage in Culver City, Yeah right, nobody
has leaked any information other than the conspiracy theories saying, yep,
you know.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
How many people there about it? As high as I
think twelve percent at one point, depending on the survey,
nine to eleven conspiracy. Oh yeah, job was something like
twenty to thirty percent of America.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
And now here is what the White House is saying,
and legitimately, so they're saying. For those who argue that
somehow this was staged by the White House or Republicans,
I mean, it is completely crazy. Spokesman Dan Davis Ingle
told The Washington Post. The White House has rejected the
(16:18):
conspiracy theorists. Anyone who thinks President Trump stage his own
assassination attempts is a complete moron.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
I one believe.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
That that you who are conspiracy theorists are complete morons.
I'll tell you right now. But the problem is it's
not just a small number of people.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
It's one in four.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Republicans thinking it was not staged, by a huge margin
over Democrats who think it was stage. Naturally, there's the politics,
but you know it's you know, the earth is flat. Okay,
maybe that one's crazy moonshot, yeah things, that was stage
area fifty one.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah it was staged.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Well, actually it was because Area fifty one, in terms
of aliens doesn't exist. But so many Americans believe that
and this is all back we go. It's all about
the internet because crazy people did not have access to
other crazy people. There are plenty of crazy people out there,
(17:27):
but they couldn't talk to each other.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
A crazy person in a slightly different category though, because
this is not just you know, people living in a
hut somewhere in the forest believing this. I think this
is more the distrust of this administration.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I think it's a distrust of in jail, not just
just administration general.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
And I agree that comes from a different place than
somebody whittling, would you know, thinking do.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
You agree with you or nine to eleven?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Yeah, all kinds of issues that you can't trust doctors anymore.
You can't trust uh, you can't trust politicians.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Every single politician is corrupt and is there for the money.
And I've often said, you know how difficult it is
for a politician to accept bribes.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
They get caught anyway. All right. For those of you
that you think she's a more on.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Oh yeah, she's a complete complete conspiracy and.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
I'll tell her she's a moron. And by the way,
it's not blanket all over everything. I don't distrust everything.
It's this administration it's proven.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
They've proven that they are that they set up assassination attempts,
not that they're liars. They set up attached assassination attempts. Well,
I am, I agree they are lying, But what do
they lie about? You know?
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I mean there are limits to lie to be the
next segment. No, okay, no, I mean we'll do it.
But I have no problem. There's no problem. I do.
I think they are liars. I have no problem with
them lying. That's the administration doesn't trust. It doesn't It
doesn't lie about everything. It doesn't lie about everything.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Conspiracies are quite complicated. And the it really that the
fact that people think that there are conspiracies don't understand
how complicated it would be to put all.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Right, we're running late, opinions, we're running late. Well, I
don't appreciate it nice, we're running late. Okay, Another sales
tax hike, yes, are we going to vote it? In
La County? Voters are going to decide do we want
a temporary huh? It's always that temporary is always a joke.
Half sent sales tax to shore up our public health
(19:56):
care system, and the supporters says, the only thing that's
going to say system from being devastated by federal funding cuts.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Now, when you look at.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
The taxes that have increased, these programs are for the
most part legitimate. There is you know, healthcare, there's no
issue transportation. I mean, all of them are good ideas.
The problem is how many can you have. It's tax
upon tax. It's only a quarter of a percent of
a cent. Oh, it's only one percent, it's three quarters
(20:26):
of one percent. Well, we're now at nine point seventy
five percent in La County with cities. Adding on top
of that, there are so many cities charging ten percent
or more in California. We have just never met a
tax we don't like half cent more in twenty sixteen
(20:47):
for buses, trains, and pothole filling. Twenty twenty four homeless services,
that was half a cent, and it keeps on going
and going and going. Well, June second, with the primary,
we're going to do some voting. Now when I say,
is this a legitimate half cent, well, yeah, it's for healthcare.
(21:10):
And the county is going to lose more than two
billion dollars over the next three years from the Feds.
And so where's the money come from. It's you can
cut other programs with the state will never do. And
so here's a tax of a half a point and
should last only five years, but believe me, it'll be extended.
(21:32):
The last time voter said no to a sales tax
hike was twenty twelve, and that's the measures. Transportation measure
fell just short with sixty six point one percent. It
needed sixty six point seven percent. It didn't quite reach
which it needed to pass. That's how close it was.
(21:55):
And so polling right now looks at it's not going
to happen. And as much as I believe in we
have to do something about healthcare, half a cent is
not going to help. So half a cent will be
what La County will then be ten point two five
and with cities it's in some cities it'll be what
(22:18):
ten point five percent, ten point seventy five percent?
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
And is this going to vote? Is it going to pass? Well,
there's really no opposition to it. And you've got various groups,
medical groups who certainly are in favor, the unions are
in favor, the s the s U I e uh
in favor. I don't know where to go with this,
(22:45):
I really don't. I mean, we're taxing ourselves into oblivion.
And it's here little bits and pieces. Is death by
a thousand cuts? And there's where is the point? Where
does it end?
Speaker 2 (22:59):
You know?
Speaker 3 (22:59):
One of my favorite quotes is when it was one
of a politician's I think it could have been Elizabeth
Warren was asked, is there a where is the line
of income tax? You know? Where do you stop it?
(23:20):
You know, at what point is it unsustainable? When she said,
I don't know. I'll tell you when I see it. Okay,
well a lot of people have seen it right now.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
You know what's interesting, Bill is people ask me one
of the things about churches, like how to pick a church,
and I said, one of the things the church should
do is at least once a year open their books
to the parishioners so that people can see how the
money is used and where it goes. How come we
don't have something some law some point, because it's not
(23:55):
so much about how much money we're paying. It's about
the lack of results. If I've got horrible sidewalks and
potholes and a crappy school system and all this, and
we keep dumping money into it, no one's accountable.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
It's about distribution of also politicians. It's easy for politicians
to say yes, yes, yes, I'm going to help you out.
Kick the can down the road is something easy? Okay,
we're done with this, guys. A lot we can do
on that, which we'll probably pick up over the next
week two weeks coming up. Rich the mureaw our tech guy.
We'll be right back with tech Tuesday. KFI Am sixty.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You've been listening to the Bill Handle Show.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Catch my show Monday through Friday, six am to nine am,
and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.
The Bill Handel Show News
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