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FIRST ISSUE
The Federal Government Government DollarDollar: Where It Comes From The Where It From Personal Income Taxes 32% Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment and Other Retirement Taxes 24%
Borrowing to Cover Deficit 30%
Climate Change vs. TechnoUtopia Given all of the great feats of human ingenuity over the past few centuries, it is tempting to believe that we ultimately will solve the problem of climate change with some yet-tobe developed technological breakthrough. But such thinking carries serious risks. BOSTON – Humanity has never faced a collective challenge as daunting as climate change. Net global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions must be reduced to near-zero within the next three decades to give us even a fighting chance of keeping the temperatures within 2° Celsius of pre-industrial levels. The further we exceed that threshold, the more likely we are to run into truly catastrophic scenarios. With the United States back in the Paris climate agreement, this is the time for the world to reengage with these epochal challenges. Bill Gates’s highly respected voice is thus a welcome addition to these efforts. In his new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, Gates argues that we need more experimentation with new ideas and technological innovations if we are to find a solution. But his push for solar geoengineering is a step in the wrong direction, because it may undermine the incentives that are needed to meet the challenge of climate change. The idea behind solar geoengineering is simple: If we cannot limit the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere,
perhaps we can block the sunlight that generates heat, for example by creating a reflective cover. Volcanic eruptions do this naturally. Following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, large amounts of sulfuric acid and dust settled into the stratosphere, temporarily reducing the amount of sunlight that the Earth received. Over the next three years, temperatures dropped by about 0.5°C globally, and by 0.6°C in the northern hemisphere. Many brilliant minds are now at work on solar geoengineering projects. Scientists in Harvard University’s Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment, for example, have proposed using calcium carbonate dust rather than toxic sulfate aerosols, but the overall idea is the same, and Gates himself has backed many of these technological efforts. What could go wrong? For starters, the risks associated with solar geoengineering are as profound as the potential benefits. In addition to creating climatic instability, the Pinatubo eruption also appears to have accelerated the destruction of the ozone layer. To have a meaningful effect on climate change, we would have to replicate that eruption’s effect on a much larger scale, inviting even greater climatic variability, including sharp temperature reductions in some parts of the world. Because these effects would not be distributed evenly across countries and regions, we would also have to worry about increased geopolitical instability. If a proposal has large potential benefits but also massive potential costs, the sensible thing to do is to conduct small-scale experiments into its viability – which is precisely what some Gates-backed ventures are now doing. The problem is that small-scale experiments will not necessarily reveal the true costs, given the complexity of climate dynamics at the global level. Creating a blanket of sun-blocking cloud dust might produce one effect at a small scale, and a completely different one at a larger scale. Moreover, even if pursued with the best intentions, geoengineering has a dark side. The more we believe in its effectiveness, the more we will reject
▶ SEE CLIMATE, PAGE 14
Excise, Customs, Estate, Gift, and Miscellaneous Taxes 7%
The One Percent: Off With Their Heads! S
ocialists promote policies that they claim will lead to greater income equality. They often declare that the rich don’t pay their “fair share” of taxes and must pay more so that the proceeds can be redistributed to boost the incomes of the poor. The problem is that the fair share that the rich must pay never seems to be enough. Higher and higher taxes on the rich result in fewer and fewer of them requiring more taxes on everyone else. In the US today, progressive politicians claim that the “One Percent” of taxpayers are compensated too much and don’t pay their fair share of taxes. It’s hard to deny that a few CEOs, especially the ones heading up technology and financial companies, get paid too much relative to the pay of their workers. Many professional athletes and Hollywood celebrities earn even more than top-paid CEOs. So the progressives could be right, but let’s see what the latest available data through 2018 show: (1) Number of tax returns. The total number of all the tycoons on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley, in Hollywood, and on the playing fields—including everyone with adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeding $500,000 a year—was 1.65 million taxpayers in 2018, exactly 1.1% of the 153.8 million taxpayers who filed individual income tax returns that year, according to the latest available data from the Internal Revenue Servi-
Corporate Income Taxes 7%
ce (IRS). Adjusted gross income is income from all sources before subtracting deductions and exemptions. By the way, the number of returns showing AGI of $500,000 and over has more than doubled since 2009. The rich have been getting richer, and there are more of them. What you won’t hear from progressives is that the same can be said for all the other income groups other than taxpayers earnings less than $50,000, clearly showing that there are fewer low-income tax filers! Their headcount has dropped 6.1 million since they peaked at a record 95.0 million during 2011. Since 2009, the number of returns filed by taxpayers with AGI of $50,000-$100,000 rose 5.0 million, $100,000-$200,000 rose 7.6 million, and $200,000-$500,000 rose 3.7 million. (2) Adjusted gross income. During 2018, AGI in the US totaled $11.6 trillion. The AGI of the One Percent was $2.5 trillion during 2018, accounting for 21.7% of the total, up from 13.9% during 2009 and exceeding the previous high of 21.7% during 2007 (Fig. 8 and Fig. 9). Over that same period, the share of taxpayers reporting less than $100,000 in AGI fell from 50.7% to 36.6% of total AGI. That’s outrageous: The One Percent earned over 20% of all national AGI during 2018! Off with their heads! Not so fast, Robespierre. (3) Taxes. Collectively, during 2018, the One Percent paid $639 billion in income taxes, or 25.3% of their AGI (Fig. 10 and Fig. 11). That amount represented a record 41.5% of the $1.54 trillion in federal income taxes paid by all taxpayers (Fig. 12). That’s up from 29.8% in 2009. Meanwhile, the rest of us working stiffs, the “Ninety-Nine Percent,” picked up only 58.5% of the total tax bill during 2018. What should be the fair share for the One Percent? Instead of about 40% of the federal government’s tax revenue, should they be kicking in 50%? Why not 75%? They would be less rich, but everyone else would be richer—un-
▶ SEE 1 PERCENT, PAGE 10
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“I am here to say: Hell, no, you’re not.” From the moment we arrived in Congress this January, the Left has been trying to take away members’ constitutional rights. And if Democrats are doing this in Congress, just imagine what they want to do to everyday people. Then again, we don’t need to imagine. House Democrats have just passed still more failed gun control legislation to restrict our Second Amendment rights and trample on the Constitution. By mandating universal background checks, the so-called “Bipartisan Background Checks Act” would effectively create a national firearm registry, allowing the government to target gun owners. This bill, if it becomes law, would criminalize common exchanges of firearms. As passed, it would strip away the rights of millions of people while doing nothing at all to reduce gun violence. Almost 70% of prisoners who used a gun to commit crimes acquired ...
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A common joke in the American
gun community goes something like this: Q: Why do you carry a gun? A: Because carrying a cop is too heavy. This humorous quip should not detract from the fact that many individuals in the United States (including me) own and carry a firearm for purely pragmatic reasons. The simplest case for the right to keep and bear arms can be summarized in one sentence: You are ultimately responsible for your own safety and security. Understanding Gun Rights This sobering pill can be difficult for many people to swallow but that’s reality. Evil exists in this world. Under the right circumstances, people can and will do unspeakable things to each other as any student of history or psychology will know. Those fortunate to live in gated communities and can afford armed security are often oblivious that most other people do not enjoy the same luxuries.
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Many violent crimes take place and are over in a matter of seconds (and stopped in seconds that prevent the worst). As another popular saying goes, “When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.” In the United States, depending where you live, police response time ranges from nine minutes to over an hour. Right now, one in five New York police officers are currently out sick due to COVID-19. Police in multiple states have announced they will no longer respond to theft, burglary, and breakins. Given the current climate, it’s not unreasonable to assume police will take much longer to arrive, if they do at all, should someone dial 911. Furthermore, Americans need to understand there is no legal obligation for the police to protect you, which is affirmed by the Supreme Court and multiple lower courts. (See Castle Rock v. Gonzales, Warren v. District of Columbia, and Lozito v. New York City). Should the police fail to arrive or protect you when needed, you can’t even sue for neglect. Thus, given the legal and logistical realities, taking the initiative to protect yourself should be as sensible as any other proactive measure such as having a fire extinguisher in the home or jumper cables ready in the back of the car. Should disaster stri-
ke, preparedness will make all the difference in the world. Protecting your one and only life deserves no less preparation and investment, especially in our increasingly complex and uncertain world. Chaos Can, and Will, Strike Americans are fortunate to live in a country with mostly stable institutions. But there are vivid examples when segments of society break down, many in not-too-distant memory. In widespread civil disturbances such as the 1992 LA riots or the aftermaths of Hurricane Katrina, Florence, and Harvey, the authorities were overwhelmed and unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the chaos to prey on others. Going by sheer numbers, almost all of us will encounter at least one black swan in our lifetime. The current COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath are already the most trying times on the lives and livelihoods of Americans since the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the financial crisis of 2008-2009. Should an even deadlier natural or man-made catastrophe take place, if the authorities haven’t been incapacitated, displaced, or destroyed completely, whatever personnel and resources are left will be prioritized to protect high-ranking government
officials, their inner-circle, and critical government facilities and infrastructure. The economist Thomas Sowell reminds us, “The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it.” Security also happens to be a scarce resource. There’s simply not enough boots on the ground that can guarantee all 300 million Americans will be protected at all times from all threats. In every emergency, tough decisions will have to be made. From what we know about past and present “continuity of government” plans, ruling elites will be evacuated to a secure bunker in some undisclosed location while John Q. Public will be left to fend for himself. Legal and Ethical Foundations Every American schoolchild is taught that everyone is equal before the law. Given this fundamental axiom, it’s not unfair to demand that the average American citizen have access to the same means of security and protection that government officials—who are our servants, not overlords—insist on having for themselves (while using taxpayer money). Under the American political system, the right of self-defense
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Why Gun Rights Are Essential In a World of Uncertainty and Scarcity
cannot be limited to only a privileged few. No one, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can deny fundamental rights to others. The right to life is closely intertwined with the right of self-preservation. John Locke, a major influence on the philosophical foundations of the US Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, described the right of self-preservation as a “fundamental law of nature” in his Second Treatise of Civil Government: The state of war is a state of enmity and destruction: and therefore declaring by word or action, not a passionate and hasty, but a sedate settled design upon another man’s life, puts him in a state of war with him against whom he has declared such an intention, and so has exposed his life to the other’s power to be taken away by him, or any one that joins with him in his defence, and espouses his quarrel; it being reasonable and just, I should have a right to destroy that which threatens me with destruction: for, by the fundamental law of nature, man being to be preserved as much as possible, when all cannot be pre-
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served, the safety of the innocent is to be preferred: and one may destroy a man who makes war upon him, or has discovered an enmity to his being, for the same reason that he may kill a wolf or a lion; because such men are not under the ties of the common-law of reason, have no other rule, but that of force and violence, and so may be treated as beasts of prey, those dangerous and noxious creatures, that will be sure to destroy him whenever he falls into their power. The political philosophy of John Locke and other Enlightenment thinkers contributed a unique element to American political theory: Fundamental rights do not come from the government. Human beings possess them already simply by virtue of being free and that includes a pre-existing, natural right of self-defense and self-preservation. As the Declaration of Independence memorably emphasizes, these natural rights are “unalienable” which means they cannot be taken or given away. They are permanent and apply in all times and all places to all human beings, with or without the Second Amendment or any other statutory pronouncement. “Self-evident truths” and similar conclusions are found in other schools of thought. The ethical intuitionist philosopher Michael Huemer also highlights an interlocking relationship between the right of self-defense and the right to own a gun: It is possible for a right to be both fundamental and derivative. Derivative rights are usually related to fundamental rights as means to the protec-
tion or enforcement of the latter, though this need not be the only way in which a right may be derivative. I claim that the right to own a gun is both fundamental and derivative; however, it is in its derivative aspect—as derived from the right of self-defense—that it is most important. Even without the existence of absolute rights (which Huemer declines to acknowledge for guns or any other right), he nevertheless persuasively argues: There is a strong prima facie right to own a gun. Prohibiting private gun ownership constitutes both a major interference in gun owners’ plans for their own lives as well as a significant violation of their right of self-defense. Using a memorable thought experiment, Huemer shows how gun control laws that prevent a person from accessing or exercising the means of self-defense is akin to a criminal accomplice who holds a victim down while the actual murderer carries out the foul deed. By preventing the victim from escaping or exercising his right to self-defense, the accomplice’s action is still “if not equivalent to murder, something close to murder in degree of wrongness, even though he neither kills nor injures the victim.” In a follow-up thought experiment, Huemer adds: ...except that the victim has a gun by the bed, which he would, if able, use to defend himself from the killer. As the killer enters the bedroom, the victim reaches for the gun. The accomplice grabs the gun and runs away, with the result that the killer then stabs his victim to death. Most reasonable individuals will intuitively recognize what the accomplice did was morally wrong. In both scenarios, the accomplice’s actions purposely prevented the victim from defending himself. If gun control laws have the same effect, it logically follows that they are “about equally serious as a violation of the right of self-defense.” Other Forms of Self-Defense Fortunately for Americans, most of us
still have access to a wide range of choices when it comes to self-defense. While it is understandable to be reluctant to pick up a gun, it is worth mentioning alternatives such as martial arts, tasers, and pepper spray are often severely limited by range, efficiency, or effectiveness. Even if she is proficient in martial arts (which requires years of training), a 5-foot, 100-pound woman will be overwhelmed if she faces multiple attackers who weigh twice as much. On the other hand, she can ably defend herself with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, which is a popular weapon for many Americans, including women, because of its light weight, low recoil, accuracy, reliability, ergonomics, and ease of customization to fit any shooter regardless of size and stature. Compared to other options, firearms are the most practical and effective way for the average American to secure his or her life, liberty, and property. As I emphasized in a previous essay: From the colonists winning independence from Great Britain to African-Americans vindicating their civil rights, the role of the gun is inseparable from American identity. The gun is the ultimate multipurpose tool that empowers its user with the means to put food on the table, as well as preserve one’s life, whether against common street criminals or government tyranny. In these uncertain times, both the pragmatic and philosophical case for gun rights are as strong as ever. Many Americans, especially minorities, have realized the need for self-protection in times of social upheaval and breakdown. It is unfortunate that it took a tragedy as extreme as the COVID-19 pandemic to remind people that we should never take peace, prosperity, and
▶ SEE ESSENTIAL, PAGE 14
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The Colorado Election Establishment Cabal Ever since HAVA injected billions into American elections,
things have never been the same. Overnight our elections turned into a multi-billion dollar industry. Elections went from an essential civic event to a money-making opportunity in a high-stakes industry of wealth, power, and influence on a global scale. The backbone of the election business is technology. Hardware, software, and services are now required to run elections. All this infrastructure needs to be purchased, serviced, and maintained. A small sample includes: voting machines, computers, databases, and third party apps. This equipment requires specialists to ensure both the equipment and the election process runs, creating an entire service industry around elections made up of: IT specialists, lawyers, lobbyists, vendors, and cyber security experts to name a few.
This merger of big business and elections creates a serious conflict. On one hand, the public has the justified expectation that our elected and non elected public servants who run elections first and foremost act in the public interest. They are hired and trusted to work for the public. On the other hand, people who work in the private sector are assumed to be working as individuals prioritizing their own interests. Where things get sticky is when public servants enter the private sector, a good example are lobbyists. They wield a tremendous amount of power by knowing the often complicated government systems, key influencers, decision-makers and other insider information. When things get really questionable is when people jump back and forth from public to private sector jobs. In fact, nothing raises the ire of the American people more than politicians, public servants, or bureaucrats working for themselves over the public interest while they’re expected to put the public interests first. The lack of transparency naturally raises questions about conflict of interest, dirty backroom deals, quid pro quo agreements, and worse. This ethical issue is endemic in our government, spanning from the top all the way down to the local level. The result is the creation of “The Establishment”. A network of people, often strange bedfellows, actively working in their own interest while either holding governmental positions; cleverly leveraging their past roles in the private sector, or vice versa. The Establishment is non-partisan. Dems, Repubs and everyone in between is represented in the Establishment Elite made up of people working against the American public. The Establishment is motivated to maintain the status-quo at all costs. Why? The reasons vary. Job security, influence, power, personal financial interests, reputations and credibility are at stake which links directly to earning potential. It all boils down to personal interests trumping the public good. Nowhere has The Establishment exposed itself more in Colorado than in the realm of elections. The 2020 election surfaced a number of key Establishment players working against Colorado voters. This bi-partisan group actively defends the Colorado election system claiming it’s “The Gold Standard.” Key figures include: Rep. Ken Buck (R), Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D), former Jeffco County Clerk Pam Anderson (R? D? Mercenary?), former Secretaries of State Scott Gessler (R), Wayne Williams (R), and former Arapahoe County Clerk Matt Crane (R). This intertwined cabal is not limi-
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ted to these people. The Election Establishment Elites have a lot to lose if Colorado finds malfeasance in the 2020 race. Groups around the state are still investigating election issues. They’re fighting against roadblocks especially around access to public information in pursuit of truth. Their goal is to restore trust in our election system. While all this is happening, within the Election Cabal they use strong words, claiming to fight for election integrity. However, when they’re faced with taking action, it’s pure theater. For The Establishment to preserve itself, it requires cooperation. It’s about networks, connections, and having the right person or people in the right place at the right time. People that know who to influence, how; and what actions need to be taken in order to drive desired outcomes. It’s not as if there is a puppet master with a grand plan calling the shots. It’s organic. All it takes an unspoken goal of preservation carried out by like-minded individuals. To explain what is going on in Colorado elections is like untangling a knotted ball of thread. It takes pulling on loose ends to work through the task. There’s no spoiler alert needed – once the ball of thread is unwound, it reveals a strongly connected web.
Thread One: Heart of the Web
Colorado has finally received national attention for election irregularities in November. The Gateway Pundit (TGP) produced a report outlining the improbable numbers behind the 2020 Colorado election results. In a strange twist, former County Clerk and Recorder (CC&R), Matt Crane sent private emails to people in Colorado refuting the report, rather than publicly arguing his point with TGP. What’s striking in the second article is Crane’s vigorous denial of election fraud in Colorado. TGP then published a third article which exposes
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a bombshell about Crane and his wife. Did TGP uncover Crane’s motivation for trying to protect the status quo? It turns out Crane’s wife worked at Sequoia Voting Systems which was acquired by Dominion Voting for over 17 years. The entire time his wife, Lisa Flannagan-Crane worked at a for-profit electronic voting company, Matt Crane was working in influential election roles, bouncing between the public and private sector. While the two careers overlapped, Crane’s work included influencing, recommending, and distributing voting systems; shaping voter legislation, budgeting, designing and implementing voter registration, overseeing vendor contracts, and installing operating systems, the list goes on. Because Flannagan-Crane had worked for Sequoia / Dominion for so long, it begs the question: does she have equity in the company? At the very least, Crane has a serious conflict of interest problem. Crane’s experience reveals his influence and involvement in Colorado reaches from the highest levels of government including the Governor’s office, several Secretaries of State, and Senior Election officials all the way down to the local leThis report is courtesy of First Realty Homestead USA Inc. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright (C) 2020 vel. His reach also spans across the state involving key election decision-makers including every The spot was vacated by Former JeCounty Clerk and Recorder in Colorado. Over the fferson County Clerk and Recorder Pam course of years, Crane has developed a network Anderson. In a wild coincidence, she is of the who’s who in Elections Inc. friendly with the Cranes. Is the Crane / AnCrane’s network doesn’t stop in government. derson connection the reason Matt was He also works in the private sector with conappointed to the coveted CCCA Executive sulting gigs and new election tech endeavors. First Realty Homestead USA Inc. Director role? Like Crane, Anderson’s exIn fact, Crane was listed as a board member of perience in Colorado’s elections is extensiVoatz, a mobile voting tech company. It should ve in both the public and private This report is courtesy of First Realty Homestead USA Inc. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright (C) 2020 sector. In be noted, Voatz has been roundly criticized for addition to being a CC&R, she’s a self-emlack of security, technical issues, and having maployed election consultant, on the board jor “holes.” Election experts representing both of private election organizations; one with parties across the U.S. are speaking out about deep ties to 2020 election officials in swing how mobile voting is a, “horrifically bad idea” and states where election integrity court cases must be stopped. Crane’s board position raises are still in progress. Simultaneously, she’s obvious questions: is it a paid position? Has he the Director of the Center for Technology received any equity in the company? Why is an and Civic Life (CTCL). election expert involved in a company that deveThe CTCL is a private, non-profit run by lops technology so detrimental to the voting puObama’s former campaign manager, Dablic’s interests? As of the writing of this article, vid Plouffe. Funding comes from Mark Crane’s profile has been removed from the Voatz Zuckerberg, his wife Pricilla Chan, and George Soros. The CTCL gained national website. We reached out to Voatz for comment on the change in status, they attention when Phil Klein of the Amistad Project launched a multi million dollar have not responded. lawsuit on behalf of several states against According to his Linkedin profile, Crane is pursuing his independent election ▶ SEE CABAL, PAGE 14 consulting work. What’s not listed on his Linkedin is his newly appointed, paid the CTCL for illegally injecting somewhe role as the Executive Director of the Colorado County Clerk’s Association. The private organization’s members are 64 County Clerk and Recorders in Colorado. BEST DEALS FOR EVERYONE CC&Rs are very powerful with many responsibilities including: running elections, counting the votes, and making purchasing decisions for election equipment, supplies, services etc. In fact the CCCAs mission statement mentions “the use of technology and appropriate legislation.” So, let’s get this straight. We have a well-connected Colorado election expert – on the board of a mobile voting ®
...it’s clear the Election Establishment is a bi-partisan cabal. Former and current Colorado Secretaries of State Gessler, Williams, and Griswold are in lockstep defending both Colorado elections, each coming out strong in support of election technology. ...politicians who pit government against the people.
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Thread Two: Twisted Fate
company – working as an election consultant – while being paid to head an organization made up of every county-level equipment decision-maker in the state. This is more than a case of bad optics. The Colorado County Clerk’s Association is an interesting organization from a power standpoint. Running the CCCA offers a host of opportunities and “flexibilities” to influence elections that government officials don’t have. It begs the question, who had the role prior to Crane and why did they leave the position?
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HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA) “The Help America Vote Act of 2002, or HAVA, is a United States federal law which passed in the House 357-48 and 92-2 in the Senate and was signed into law by President Bush on October 29, 2002. The bill was drafted (at least in part) in reaction to the controversy surrounding the 2000 U.S. presidential election, when almost two million ballots were disqualified because they registered multiple votes or none when run through vote-counting machines. THE GOALS OF HAVA ARE: replace punchcard and lever-based voting systems; create the Election Assistance Commission to assist in the administration of federal elections; and establish minimum election administration standards.”
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INNOVATION:
CITY OF THE
FUTURE?
1 2 3 4 5 6
LIVABILITY
• Urban design will reimagine and revitalize the future of urban living. • Communities will be built around people, not cars, creating a people-friendly, human-scale urban environment for all to enjoy. • Walkability is in the DNA of NEOM’s communities, providing everyday conveniences to all residents. • Communities empowered by AI will learn and predict ways to make life easier to save time for residents and businesses. • Nature integrated into the heart of the communities, enhancing livability and well-being. • Communities with distinct personalities created and inspired by the residents and the nature of the businesses within them. • THE LINE is supported by agricultural areas, supporting locally grown and sustainable food production.
MOBILITY
• People are no longer captives of the car. Roads and streets are replaced by piazzas and walkable boulevards filled with parks and green spaces. • It will be an easy five-minute walk to automated mass transit or autonomous vehicles. • High-speed transportation will connect THE LINE, end-to-end, making travel simple and stress-free.
CLEAN ENERGY
• All energy in NEOM will be 100% renewable – from solar, wind and hydrogen-based power generation – ensuring clean and pollution-free urban environments. • With utilities integrated into the infrastructure spine, THE LINE allows for the development of an environmentally friendly transmission and distribution system • Clean energy also lets production and manufacturing back into the community in a zero-emission, carbon-positive ecosystem.
COGNITIVE COMMUNITIES
• Cognitive communities are predictive. They are linked by an intelligent connected system where 90% of data gathered is used and analyzed; and with low latency connectivity, there is no digital divide. • Urban development will be taken to a new level with AI-empowered communities – they will learn and develop continuously, offering residents and businesses ever-improving services. • AI is woven into the entire fabric of THE LINE, providing seamless integration into every aspect of personal and commercial life.
ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
• 95% of NEOM’s land will be conserved to enhance livability for residents and environmental protection. • Natural open spaces surround THE LINE, restoring humanity’s relationship with nature. • Each community will be self-sufficient; powered exclusively by renewable energy, eliminating emissions and reducing NEOM’s carbon footprint.
Prince Moh med bin Sa announces LINE at NEO A revolution in urban living Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Company Board of Directors, commonly known as MBS, announced THE LINE, a revolution in urban living at NEOM, and a blueprint for how people and planet can co-exist in harmony. THE LINE, a 170km belt of hyper-connected future communities, without cars and roads and built around nature, is a direct response to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today such as legacy infrastructure, pollution, traffic, and human congestion. A cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030 and an economic engine for the Kingdom, it will drive diversification and aims to contribute 380,000 jobs of the future and SAR180 billion (USD48 bn) to domestic GDP by 2030. MBS said: “Throughout history, cities were built to protect their citizens. After the Industrial Revolution, cities prioritized machines, cars and factories over people. In cities that are viewed as the world’s most advanced, people spend years of their lives commuting. By 2050, commute durations will double. By 2050, one billion people will have to relocate due to rising CO2 emissions and sea levels. 90% of people breathe polluted air. Why should we sacrifice nature for the sake of development? Why should seven million people die every
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hamalman s THE OM
year because of pollution? Why should we lose one million people every year due to traffic accidents? And why should we accept wasting years of our lives commuting?” “Therefore, we need to transform the concept of a conventional city into that of a futuristic one,” His Royal Highness added. “Today, as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of NEOM, I present to you THE LINE. A city of a million residents with a length of 170 km that preserves 95% of nature within NEOM, with zero cars, zero streets and zero carbon emissions.” THE LINE is the first time in 150 years that a major urban development has been designed around people, not roads. Walkability will define life on THE LINE – all essential daily services, such as schools, medical clinics, leisure facilities, as well as green spaces, will be within a five-minute walk. Ultra-high-speed transit and autonomous mobility solutions will make travel easier and give residents the
opportunity to reclaim time to spend on health and wellbeing. It is expected no journey will be longer than 20 minutes. THE LINE’s communities will be cognitive, powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), continuously learning predictive ways to make life easier, creating time for both residents and businesses. An estimated 90% of available data will be harnessed to enhance infrastructure capabilities far beyond the 1% typically utilized in existing smart cities. Redefining sustainability, THE LINE will comprise carbon-positive urban developments powered by 100% clean energy, providing pollution-free, healthier and more sustainable environments for residents. Mixeduse communities will be built around nature, instead of over it. NEOM’s sectors of the future, headed by global industry leaders, are already addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. They are pioneering a new marketplace for breakthrough innovations and creating opportunities to attract talent, investors and part-
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ners to become part of its business ecosystem. Construction of THE LINE will commence in Q1 of 2021. THE LINE is one of the most complex and challenging infrastructure projects in the world and forms part of extensive development work already underway at NEOM.
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NEOM is part of the world-class, diversified portfolio of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world.
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TREASURY BONDS NO LONGER “REAL” INCOME INVESTMENT Y
es, that’s a bold and even nonsensical statement to some but hear me out. You might be entertained. THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT TREASURY BONDS Besides having a new respect for gold I also have a new respect for Treasuries. They’re one of the rare assets that actually move in the opposite direction of the stock market during volatility. So if the market tanks T-Bonds usually go up. They have a negative correlation to stocks so this is expected during the rough rides. In the Great Recession they went up in value as much as 38 percent! Even gold doesn’t usually do that good in down markets. It might hold it’s value, have a little return, or even drop with stocks. T-bonds as a safe haven? Check! T-Bonds can also go up in value as well as paying out income. TREASURIES LOSING MUCH OF THEIR LONG-TERM INCOME? This point is where I really see these risk-free bonds failing the investor. I pulled up research from NASDAQ.com that covers over nine decades of returns for T-Bills (government obligations of one year or less in maturity). We had low decades in the past but then rates went back to a more-normal position. For example, from 1965 to the end of the 1970s T-Bill total returns were around four to six percent. Pretty normal. Then we had the crazy 1980s with very high interest and returns then back to normal with around five percent returns. Now here comes the new normal, in my opinion. For twenty years, and counting, we have had below-average T-Bill returns. Throughout long periods bond income is going to account for most of bond returns, unlike stocks, which we’re hoping gain in value rather than pay big income. So these low returns are emblematic of low yields. That’s a problem for investors wanting income. How low are these yields? According to Morningstar.com, the iShares 1-3Yr Treasury ETF (symbol: SHY) is paying an SEC yield of minus 0.01 percent. Yes, they have a negative yield. The last twelve months it paid a total of 0.94 percent in income, though. Also, this fund invests in bonds with longer maturities so a fund that strictly uses one-year, or less, maturities would probably be paying out even less. Hmm. WHY WOULD WE EVER RAISE INTEREST RATES? At least raise them meaningfully or for long? We, as a country, have the largest generation ever just starting to retire, adding to the biggest obligations in global financial history. That’s the Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid obligation. That’s okay, of course, we’re all owed this but the reality is it’s a financial doozy: in the tens of trillions for these guarantees. Some estimates are as high as a $50-70 trillion price tag. So we the people, via the government, sell some more bonds to cover the bill. This adds to the $27 trillion national debt we already have, according to VisualCapitalist.com. What are we paying in interest for just the current debt? We have $27 trillion at, let’s ballpark it, two percent interest. That’s a bit over half a trillion a year for our interest payments. For the current debt only. Now add in fifty more trillion at the same interest. We’re now paying $1.54 trillion a year to keep our well-deserved promises…. So would the Fed/government/We The People really raise rates to the more-normal five percent? If we did that for the total bill we’d be paying $3.85 trillion. Every year. In interest. Do you see where I’m going with this? The fox is in the hen house. The fox is us. We’re going to pay ½ trillion dollars not almost four trillion yearly, especially if we’re setting the interest rates. I’m looking at short-term T-Bills, rather than higher-paying long-term bonds, and using overly simplified math to both paint the broad picture and to make a dramatic point. The income component of U.S Treasuries has changed.
Questions about
BUY TREASURIES FOR OTHER REASONS Don’t buy Treasuries for the yield. Do buy them for safety/diversification and potential performance. Also, this low-interest environment might indeed be a new normal. So CD investors and savers may need to open up their portfolios a bit by adding different bond types. Due to what looks like perennial low rates, I’ve changed my mind on another investment: Tax-free bonds, also known as municipals or munis. Please email or call to get my free muni report and learn more.
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Ronald S. Phillips is a Pueblo native and an independent financial advisor. Order a free copy of his book Investing To Win by leaving a message at (719) 220-3005. Visit RetireIQ.com or email RonPhillipsAdvisor@gmail.com
Medicare Plans?? L
et me show you how you could benefit from the Medicare-related plans out there.
John B. Reed III
Independent licensed and certified broker
719-225-8313
Serving Southern Colorado and New Mexico
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website: ColoradoDems.org
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Sat Jun 19, 2021 All day Juneteenth Sat Jun 19, 2021 Calendar: info@coloradodems.org 10am - 11:30am LGBTQIA+ Equality & Gender Equity Colorado Conversations Town Hall Where: https://www.mobilize.us/coloradodems/event/386145/ Sun Jun 20, 2021 All day Pride Parade Sun Jun 20, 2021 Calendar: info@coloradodems.org Tue Jun 22, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Calendar: info@coloradodems.org Sat Jun 26, 2021 All day Policy Tour 4 Sat Jun 26, 2021 Calendar: info@coloradodems.org Tue Jun 29, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Calendar: info@coloradodems.org Fri Jul 2, 2021 All day July 4th weekend Fri Jul 2, 2021 - Sun Jul 4, 2021 6pm - 7:30pm Colorado Ag & Feeding our Families - Colorado Conversations Town Hall Where: https://www.mobilize.us/coloradodems/event/386146/ Tue Jul 6, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Wed Jul 7, 2021 2pm - 3pm Ranked Choice Voting Policy Committee Where: ONLINE only Sat Jul 10, 2021 All day Policy Tour 5 Tue Jul 13, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Sat Jul 17, 2021 10am - 11:30am
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Parenting in the Era of COVID - Colorado Conversations Town Hall Where: https://www.mobilize.us/coloradodems/ event/386147/
Tue Jul 20, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in info@coloradodems.org Sat Jul 24, 2021 All day Policy Tour 6 Tue Jul 27, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Tue Aug 3, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Thu Aug 5, 2021 6pm - 7:30pm Fixing our Education System - Colorado Conversations Town Hall Where: https://www.mobilize. us/coloradodems/event/386148/ Sat Aug 7, 2021 All day Policy Tour 7 2pm - 3pm Ranked Choice Voting Policy Committee Where: ONLINE only Tue Aug 10, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Tue Aug 17, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in
Sat Aug 21, 2021 All day Policy Tour 8 10am - 11:30am Our Water & Environment - Colorado Conversations Town Hall Where: https://www.mobilize.us/coloradodems/event/386150/ Tue Aug 24, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Tue Aug 31, 2021 12pm - 12:30pm PCP Check-in Thu Sep 2, 2021 6pm - 7:30pm Frontline Heroes/Sheroes - Colorado Conversations Town Hall Where: https://www.mobilize.us/coloradodems/event/386151/
Contact Us!
Address: 789 Sherman Street, Suite 110 Denver, CO 80203 Phone Number: 303-623-4762 Email: info@coloradodems.org
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AMERICA’S IMMIGRATION SOLUTION
◀ FROM 1 PERCENT PAGE 1 less paying more in taxes caused the One Percent to work less hard or leave the country, sapping their incentive to keep creating new businesses, jobs, and wealth here in America. (4) Taxing math. To repeat, during 2018 the One Percent reported $2.5 trillion in AGI, which accounted for 21.7% of total AGI. They paid $639 billion in income taxes, which was 25.3% of their AGI but accounted for 41.5% of total income taxes paid to the IRS. I’m sure there are plenty of progressives who believe that the One Percent should pay at least 50% of their AGI in income taxes. That would have amounted to an extra $600 billion in their tax bill for a total of $1.25 trillion in 2018. Total tax revenues would have been $2.1 trillion, with the One Percent’s fairer share of that at 60%. There would have been plenty more tax revenues for the government to spend and redistribute. So let’s tax the rich much more! But if their fair share is raised again and again by the progressives, what will we do when the rich are all gone?
vidual income tax receipts during 2018 compared to 2017, i.e., before and after tax reform. The law retained the old structure of seven individual income tax brackets, but in most cases, it lowered the rates. The top rate fell from 39.6% to 37.0%, while the 33% bracket dropped to 32%, the 28% bracket to 24%, the 25% bracket to 22%, and the 15% bracket to 12%. The lowest bracket remained at 10%, and the 35% bracket was also unchanged. The number of tax returns increased 0.6% from 152.9 million to 153.8 million, while AGI rose 5.7% to $11.64 trillion. Total individual income taxes paid fell 4.3% to $1.54 trillion as the average tax rate fell from 14.6% during 2017 to 13.2% during 2018, which was the lowest since 13.1% during 2012. The IRS data show the following declines in the average tax rates (based on AGI) for the following income groups: $0-$50,000 (down 0.1ppt from 0.7% to 0.6%) $50,000-$100,000 (down 1.4ppt from 8.9% to 7.5%)
$100,000-$200,000 (down 1.5ppt from (5) Trumped. By the way, we can slice 12.6% to 11.1%) and dice the IRS data to see how President Trump’s tax reform affected indi- $200,000-$500,000 (down 2.6ppt from 19.2% to 16.6%)
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$500,000 and over (down 1.4ppt from 26.7% to 25.3%)
(6) Three cheers for the Five Percent! These numbers suggest that the biggest winners were in the $200,000$500,000 AGI group, accounting for 4.5% of all tax returns in 2018. They aren’t in the One Percent. They are in the “Five Percent,” the upper middle class with many of them owning their own businesses, which tend to employ lots of people. Arguably, their tax break provided them with more cash to expand their businesses, which certainly explains why the labor market was so strong in 2018 and 2019. The Biden administration has pledged that the tax increases it intends to enact will only hit taxpayers earning more than $400,000 per year. The problem is that lots of these people tend to have their own businesses. The latest data available show there were just under 32 million pass-through businesses in 2013, almost 20 times the number of C corporations. There are surely many more such proprietorships today. An increase in their tax bills reduces the cash that they have to invest in growing their businesses. One way or another, a tax increase on them will hurt the wages and employment opportunities of lots of people earning much less than $400,000. Tax increases on the rich inevitably trickle down to the rest of us. But at least there will surely be more income equality.
Dr. Ed Yardeni is the President of Yardeni Research, Inc., a provider of global investment strategies and asset-allocation analyses and recommendations. He previously served as Chief Investment Strategist of Oak Associates, Prudential Equity Group, and Deutsche Bank’s US equities division in New York City. Visit Yardeni.com for complete book list, Yardeni Research, and videos of Dr. Yardeni on CNBC, Bloomberg, Wealth Track, and others.
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What’s the answer to declining births, labor shortages, and spending shortfalls? Immigration. Just
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ask Germany. T
he immigrants and asylum seekers at America’s borders are not a crisis. They are a solution. The real crisis the United States faces is demographic. According to the latest census, population growth is slowing. The birth rate has declined 19 percent since peaking in 2007.
Nat Post News.com As a result, crucial industries are desperately short of workers. The agriculture sector is perennially short of pickers and processors. Hospitals are looking at a deficit of over a million nurses by 2022. The manufacturing sector currently has half a million openings and a projected shortfall of over 2 million workers by 2030. Because more retirees are withdrawing their benefits and fewer younger workers are paying into the system, Social Security will be in peril by 2035. With Americans producing fewer children, there’s really only one solution to the country’s demographic crisis: more immigrants. They can take the unfilled jobs, pay into Social Security, and continue to make the United States prosperous. Not convinced this can work? Take a look at Germany. Compared to the United States, Germany faces an even more serious demographic crisis, with an even lower fertility rate. In 2003, the country began to shrink. It has faced labor shortages and a pension crisis. In 2015-2016, German Chancellor
The real crisis the United States faces is demographic. According to the latest census, population growth is slowing. The birth rate has declined 19 percent since peaking in 2007.
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Angela Merkel welcomed over a million refugees into the country. Although many Germans rallied in support of the newcomers, plenty of their compatriots were skeptical. The naysayers didn’t think the Syrians, Libyans, and others would fit into German society. They predicted massive social disruption. Fortunately, immigrants have been a boon to Germany. Half of those refugees who arrived five years ago now have jobs or paid training. Although hardly any spoke German when they arrived, almost half now have good or very good German skills. And despite fears that the influx would make Germans anti-immigration, more than half of the country has contributed to the integration efforts. The anti-immigrant party, Alternative fur Deutschland, has seen its support drop considerably. And the German economy remains the envy of Europe. Immigrants are an obvious solution to our pressing demographic problem. Unfortunately, immigration is a powerful political wedge issue in the United States. Donald Trump won votes by promising to build a wall along the southern border, shut down travel from Muslim countries, and make it nearly impossible for refugees and asylum-seekers to find haven here. Because of Trump’s success in turning his extreme positions into federal policy, immigration largely disappeared as an electoral issue in 2020. But with the Democrats back in the White House and in control of Congress, immigration will likely become again a major campaign issue in the midterm elections. The economy is on an upswing, the pandemic is waning, and the Biden administration has been
competent and relatively scandal-free. Desperate to stoke fears and win votes, the Republicans will inevitably characterize the people seeking asylum at the border as the president’s “biggest failure.” The Biden administration has reversed some of Trump’s migration and refugee policies. The ban on people traveling from majority Muslim countries has been lifted. Family separations are now giving way to family reunifications. After some hesitations, the ceiling on refugees has been raised. In this way, the new administration is addressing America’s demographic crisis. The policies of the last administration were not only immoral and often illegal, but also self-defeating. A more welcoming policy toward immigrants and refugees is in the best interest of the country, whether from the point of view of the labor force, the sustainability of the social welfare system, or the livelihoods of the newcomers. Just ask Germany.
John Feffer directs the Foreign Policy In Focus project at the Institute for Policy Studies. This op-ed was adapted from FPIF.org and distributed by OtherWords.org
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COLORADO
REPUBLICANS CALENDAR OF EVENTS TUE JUN 15, 2021 7am - 8:30am Jefferson: High Country Republican Club Meeting Where: The Fire Pit, 30790 Stagecoach Boulevard #101, Evergreen, CO 80439 12pm - 1pm Durango: Southwest Republican Women Luncheon Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Durango, 501 Camino Del Rio, Durango, CO 81301, USA 5:30pm - 8:30pm Larimer County Republican Women Where: C.B. & Potts at Collindale 1441 E. Horsetooth Rd Fort Collins, CO 6pm - 7pm Weld Exec Committee Meeting 6:30pm - 8:30pm Denver: Log Cabin Republicans (Statewide) Where: Pints Pub (near the corner of 13th and Bannock) -- red phone boothoutside. 6:30pm - 8:30pm Log Cabin Republicans Business Meeting Where: 221 W 13th Ave, Denver, CO 80204 7pm - 9pm Jefferson: Mountain Republican Women’s Club
Where: Foothills Golf Turnpike (Hwy 36) Course Clubhouse, 3901 S Carr St., Lakewood, CO 7pm - 9pm Ranchland Republican 80235 Women (Elbert County) Where: Pines and Plains Library, Eliza11:30am - 12:30pm Pue- beth, CO blo: Steel City Republican Women TUE JUN 22, 2021 Where: Country Buffet 6pm - 8:30pm Arapahoe: SEAR Southeast Aurora Republican Forum 6pm - 8pm Denver: Republican Liber- Where: Heritage Eagle Bend Cluty Caucus bhouse 23155 East Heritage Parkway Where: Chopper’s Sports Grill 80 S Aurora, CO, Madison St, Denver, CO 80209, United 80016 States 6:30pm - 7:30pm Fremont County 6:30pm - 8pm Douglas County Young GOP Meeting Republicans Social Where: 603 Main Street, Canon City Where: Fox & Hound, 9239 Park Meadows Dr, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA WED JUN 23, 2021 11:30am - 1pm Lincoln Club 6:30pm - 7:30pm Jefferson: North Jeffco Tea Party 12pm - 1:30pm Larimer County RepuWhere: blican Club Brunswick Zone Wheat Ridge, 9751 Where: The Moot House, 2626 South West 49th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80525 80033, United States THU JUN 24, 2021 7pm - 8:30pm Boulder County ExecuFRI JUN 18, 2021 tive Committee Meeting 11:30am - 1pm Denver: Colorado Republican Busi- FRI JUN 25, 2021 ness Coalition Monthly 7am - 8:30am Douglas: Republicans of Meeting Highlands Ranch Where: Brooklyn’s Restaurant Where: Salsa Bravo - 52 W Springer Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 11:30am - 1pm Mesa County GOP | Monthly Luncheon SAT JUN 26, 2021 Where: 9am - 10am Arapahoe: Aurora RepuDoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Grand blican Forum Junction, 743 Horizon Dr, Grand Where: Aurora Association of RealJunction, CO 81506, USA
12pm - 1pm Montrose Republican Candidate Events, Club Events, Party Women’s Club Events Where: Montrose Recreation District AquaWED JUN 16, 2021 tic Center, 25 Colorado Avenue, 12pm - 1pm Archuleta County Central Montrose, CO 81401, Committee Meeting United States Where: La Taqueria San Juans, 135 Country SAT JUN 19, 2021 Center Dr., Pagosa Springs (in the 9am - 10:30am Adams County ReCity Market publican Women/Trumpeteers complex) Where: Crossroads Church 104th and Huron Northglenn 6pm - 8pm Larimer County Young Republicans MON JUN 21, 2021 Where: The Bar, 1228 Elizabeth Street, 7am - 9am Jefferson Republican Unit D1, Fort Collins, CO Men’s Club Where: Davie’s Chuck Wagon Diner 7:30pm - 9pm Denver: Jewish Repu- 10151 W 26th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO blicans (Statewide) 80215 Where: East Side Kosher Deli, 499 S. Elm St., Denver, CO 7am - 8:30am Larimer County Republican Breakfast Club THU JUN 17, 2021 Where: Johnson’s Corner, Sou7am - 8am South Jefferson Country theast Frontage Road, I-25 Exit 254 Republicans
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12:30pm - 2:30pm Broomfield Republican Women Where: The Omni Interlocken Resort, located just off the Boulder
website: ColoGOP.org
Contact Us!
Address: Colorado Republican Party 5950 S. Willow Drive, Suite 210 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Phone Number: 303.758.3333 Email: info@cologop.org tors Building 14201 E. Evans Drive Aurora, Colorado 80012 9am - 10am Aurora Republican Forum (ARF) Calendar: Party Events Created by: intern@cologop.org 10am - 12pm Denver: Liberty Toastmasters Where: Independence Institute 727 E 16th Ave, Denver, CO 80203-2048 MON JUN 28, 2021 7am - 9am Jefferson Republican Men’s Club Where: Davie’s Chuck Wagon Diner 10151 W 26th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80215
▶ SEE CALENDAR, PAGE 15
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FEDERAL LEGISLATORS: REPRESENTATIVES (7):
SENATORS (2):
FIRST DISTRICT:
SENIOR SENATOR:
Diana DeGette Democrat Since Jan 7, 1997
Michael Bennet Democrat Since Jan 22, 2009 Next Election in 2022
2ND DISTRICT: Joe Neguse Democrat Since Jan 3, 2019
JUNIOR SENATOR: John Hickenlooper Democrat Since Jan 3, 2021 Next Election in 2026
3RD DISTRICT: Lauren Boebert Republican Since Jan 3, 2021
4TH DISTRICT:
7TH DISTRICT:
Ken Buck Republican Since Jan 6, 2015
Ed Perlmutter Democrat Since Jan 4, 2007
5TH DISTRICT:
All representatives serve until the end of the current Congress on January 3, 2023.
Doug Lamborn Republican Since Jan 4, 2007
Red box symbolizes the Republican Party
6TH DISTRICT: Jason Crow Democrat Since Jan 3, 2019
Blue box symbolizes the Democratic Party
COLORADO
GOVERNMENT hot sheet The Colorado General Assembly The Colorado General Assembly consists of 100 members - 35 Senators and 65 Representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, while Representatives serve two-year terms. All members are limited to serving for eight consecutive years in their chamber - four terms for Representatives and two terms for Senators. As of the 2010 census, State Senators serve an average of 143,691 residents and State Representatives serve an average of 77,372 residents. The President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Majority and Minority Leaders of each chamber serve as the primary leadership for the legislature. These six members are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the House and Senate as well as serving as the oversight authority for the legislative service agencies. Each house elects additional leadership positions as well.
Senate Executive Leadership
The Executive Leadership of the Senate includes the Senate President, Majority Leroy M. Garcia, Jr. Leader, and Minority Leader. They are also ex officio members of the Executive CAPITOL PHONE: Committee of the Legislative Council along with the Executive Leadership of the 303-866-4878 House of Representatives. The President is elected by a majority vote of the Senate, while the Majority Leader and Minority Leader are chosen by their respec- President of tive caucuses. the Senate
COLORADO SPRINGS GOVERNMENT:
Stephen Fenberg Senate District 18 CAPITOL PHONE: 303-866-4878
Majority Leader John Suthers was re-elected to a second term as mayor by an overwhelming majority in April of 2019. The 41st mayor of Colorado Springs.
Colo. Springs Mayor John Suthers
>>>>> See Where You Are On The Map and Find Your U.S. Representative >>>>> Senators
Each state in the United States elects two senators, regardless of the state’s population. Senators serve six-year terms with staggered elections. Americans in the United States’s six territories do not have senators.
Representatives
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. Representatives are also called congressmen/congresswomen. Americans in the United States’s six territories are represented in the House of Representatives by an additional six non-voting delegates. All of the representatives from the top of this page serve until the end of the current Congress on Jan 3, 2023.
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Chris Holbert Senate District 30 CAPITOL PHONE: 303-866-4881
Minority Leader
COS Current Council Members
District 1: Dave Donelson (elected in 2021) District 2: Randy Helms (elected in 2021) District 3: Richard Skorman, President Pro-tem (re-elected 2021) District 4: Yolanda Avila (re-elected 2021) District 5: Nancy Henjum (elected in 2021) District 6: Mike O’Malley (elected 2021) At-large: Bill Murray (re-elected in 2019) At-large: Tom Strand, President (re-elected in 2019) At-large: Wayne Williams (elected in 2019)
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◀ FROM ESSENTIAL PAGE 3 freedom for granted. But millions have now taken the first steps to defend themselves and their loved ones. They should know they are in good company. From what I’ve witnessed firsthand and experienced to date, the American gun community is strongly supportive and always welcoming towards first-time gun owners and anyone remotely curious about firearms regardless of their background. (See our plethora of welcome and orientation videos for newcomers brought in by the recent gun-buying surge). Our country’s gun culture and people’s civic virtue reinforce each other. In the spirit of Tocqueville, civil society has stepped up in the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrated exemplary acts of charity. It’s only natural that the gun community is also actively participating by sharing knowledge with their fellow Americans and ensuring new gun owners are comfortably onboarded. I am confident these new gun owners will learn how to handle their weapons responsibly, discover the joys of shooting, and become future staunch defenders of the Second Amendment (and hopefully the rest of the Bill of Rights as well). Our past is full of inspiring examples of Americans emerging stronger and freer after overcoming crises that tear the fabric of society and test our ideals. In these “times that try men’s souls,” let us not forget the precious legacy bequeathed to us. to remind people that we should never take peace, prosperity, and freedom for granted. But millions have now taken the first steps to defend themselves and their loved ones. They should know they are in good company. From what I’ve witnessed firsthand and experienced to date, the American gun community is strongly supportive and always welcoming towards first-time gun owners and anyone remotely curious about firearms regardless of their background. (See our plethora of welcome and orientation videos for newcomers brought in by the recent gun-buying surge). Our country’s gun culture and people’s civic virtue reinforce each other. In the spirit of Tocqueville, civil society has stepped up in the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrated exemplary acts of charity. It’s only natural that the gun community is also actively participating by sharing knowledge with their fellow Americans and ensuring new gun owners are comfortably onboarded. I am confident these new gun owners will learn how to handle their weapons responsibly, discover the joys of shooting, and become future staunch defenders of the Second Amendment (and hopefully the rest of the Bill of Rights as well). Our past is full of inspiring examples of Americans emerging stronger and freer after overcoming crises that tear the fabric of society and test our ideals. In these “times that try men’s souls,” let us not forget the precious legacy bequeathed to us.
◀ FROM CABAL PAGE 5
Thread Two: Twisted Fate (con’t). re between $350-$400 million dollars of private funds into public elections. Pam Anderson is named in the lawsuit. While Anderson was at both the CTCL and heading up the CCCA, at least four Colorado counties were granted the same dirty Zuck bucks outlined in the mega-suit. While Anderson was out playing ball with the election big boys, she didn’t forget her roots and role within the Colorado Election Establishment. In December 2020, Anderson testified in front of the Colorado Legislative Audit Committee as Secretary of State, Jenna Griswold’s expert witness; and assumed proxy given Griswold didn’t bother to show for the hearing. Predictably, Anderson fiercely defended Colorado’s election process and her benefactor, Jena Griswold, repeating the trope, “Colorado is the Gold Standard for Elections”. Anderson has the same vested interest as everyone mentioned above to keep selling Colorado’s Elections as top-shelf. If Colorado’s reputation is sullied, Anderson’s professional opportunities and earning power take a serious hit. It seems as if Anderson is aware of the moral hazard around her conflict of interest. Her Linkedin page is almost completely scrubbed.
Thread Three: Tight Knots
The December 2020 hearing exposed more players in Colorado’s Election Establishment Cabal. Former Secretaries of State Gessler and Williams both testified. Both doubted Dominion machines could be a source of election fraud. On one hand, they may truly believe that. On the other hand, there is an alternative view. In 2012, then Secretary of State Gessler started evaluating electronic voting machines to be used in Colorado elections. During Gessler’s evaluation process, Crane was the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder and Lisa Flannagan-Crane was employed at Dominion. It’s hard to believe that Gessler didn’t know of Crane’s conflict of interest given their friendship is common knowledge. Before Gessler left office, he approved only two vendors and systems for use in Colorado – Dominion and Clear Ballot. Curious given Gessler’s take on electronic voting systems and the electronic voting industry in general. In a recent interview, Gessler claimed all electronic voting machines, and the industry in general is flawed. This raises the question, why would he approve the two vendors and their systems? Gessler’s evaluation work and his “achievement” of creating the Universal Voting Standards – an election bureaucrat’s dream if they’re aiming to centralize election power. Gessler’s work was handed off to Wayne Williams, the next Secretary of State. In 2015 Williams mandated that all Colorado Counties use Dominion, even though it was a more expensive option than Clear Ballot. Two Colorado counties successfully sued Williams to avoid the mandate. The story of Dominion in Colorado’s elections doesn’t end with Williams. Griswold also believes in Dominion. Interestingly, before the results of the November election, current Secretary of State Jena Griswold quietly tried to delete the 2015 Dominion RFP from the official SoS website. What was she trying to hide? Was it her connection to Dominion reps named in the RFP including Lisa Flannagan-Crane, or Eric Coomer who has a troubling public record including ties to Antifa? At this point, it’s clear the Election Establishment is a bi-partisan cabal. Former and current Colorado Secretaries of State Gessler, Williams, and Griswold are in lock-step defending both Colorado elections, each coming out strong in support of election technology. Add these senior election officials to the network of self-interested politicians who pit government against the people.
Thread Four: Looping Back The next major election was private and is took place at the end of March. The Colorado GOP is deciding their new Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. Ken Buck, the current GOP Chair is responsible for overseeing this contest. In a call this past week, all voting members of the GOP discussed the upcoming elections. There were major concerns...
>>>> continued at the
HollyAtAltitude.com site >>>>
or
>>>> continued at the
NatPostNews.com site >>>>
HollyAtAltitude is a de-platforAaron Tao is an entrepreneur and young med freelance journalist, entrepreprofessional working in Austin, TX. neur, 2020 Election Judge and poFollow him at twitter.com/aarontao2 litical junkie. Sign up, donate, and contact her at HollyAtAltitude.com
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◀ FROM CLIMATE PAGE 1 tried-and-tested solutions such as a carbon tax and investments in renewable energy. This is what economists call “moral hazard”: Once economic actors understand that they will not bear the costs of reckless behavior, reckless behavior becomes more likely. In the context of fighting climate change, once governments know that there is a way to keep polluting without making the hard choices needed to avoid a disaster, they will refrain from making those choices. Carbon taxes will be kicked down the road indefinitely, support for green research will be curtailed, and consumers will have little incentive to reduce their own carbon footprints. This moral hazard is not just a theoretical curiosity. For example, Gates himself suggests that even if a carbon tax could be introduced in the US, solar and wind energy will not be a sufficient solution. But such thinking could be a fatal mistake. It is easy to imagine how attractive this skepticism will sound to politicians who don’t want to pursue policies that will disrupt communities still relying on coal production. But we should not discount the tremendous improvements in solar and wind’s cost-effectiveness. And we must not ignore how much progress could be made by combining these energy sources with advances in storage technologies.
“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.”
JFK
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◀ FROM CALENDAR PAGE 12
6pm - 7pm Clear Creek County GOP Almont, CO 81210 Meeting Where: 1630 Miner St, Idaho Springs, MON JUL 5, 2021 7am - 8:30am Larimer County Repu- CO 80452, USA 7am - 9am Jefferson Reblican Breakfast Club publican Men’s Club Where: Johnson’s Corner, Southeast FRI JUL 2, 2021 Where: Davie’s Chuck Frontage Road, I-25 Exit 254 7am - 8am Douglas: Parker Breakfast Wagon Diner 10151 W Club 26th Ave, Wheat Ridge, 6pm - 8:30pm Southeast Aurora Re- Where: Rory’s Diner, 11020 S Pikes CO 80215 publican Forum (SEAR) Peak Dr #150, Parker, CO 80138, USA 7am - 8:30am Larimer 6:30pm - 8pm W.I.N.Talks 8am - 9:30am Denver GOP First Friday County Republican Where: Boulder County Republicans Breakfast Breakfast Club office, 619 Ken Pratt Blvd Where: Pete’s Greek Town Cafe, 2910 Where: Johnson’s CorEast Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80206 ner, Southeast Frontage THU JUL 1, 2021 Sat Jul 3, 2021 Road, I-25 Exit 254 7am - 8am Jefferson: South JeffCo Republican Breakfast Club 8:30am - 10:30am Gunnison GOP 5:30pm - 7pm Summit Where: Foothills Golf Course Clubhou- meeting County GOP Central se, 3901 S Carr St., Lakewood, CO 80235 Where: Almont Resort, Gunnison Committee Meeting 5:30pm - 9pm Adams: Reagan Club of County, CO, United States 10209 Hwy Where: Hobby Room, Colorado monthly meeting 135, Where: Amazing Grace Community >>>> continued at the Church 541 E 99th Pl, Thornton, CO >>>> continued at the NatPostNews.com 80229 ColoGOP.org
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Page 16
> > NAT POST NEWS > > First Issue2021
FREE BOOK: “INVESTING TO WIN”
Closely Held Secrets & Strategies From an Industry Insider From the first chapter:
There is more information on accumulating wealth available today than at any other time in history. Again, the US Census sheds some light on wealth accumulation. They found out that the top twenty percent of income earners and the top 5% of wealth gatherers have many habits in common: • • • •
42.6% own stocks and mutual funds 17.5% own their own business or professional practice 48.3% invest into an IRA 90.2% have cash in the bank
Those are very simple things that almost any of us can do. It does not take much effort to open an IRA account with investment funds or stocks in it. It is easy to deposit money in a bank savings account or CD. Most of us can easily think of and start even a part-time business. All it takes is to do it now. We just need to start with some simple steps and definite plans.
(book excerpts) Could the Earnings Yield Be the Best Single Measure of Stock Value? I think it definitely could be! I consider it to be the true measure of how you, as a stockholder, are actually benefiting from the company you invested in. You may not actually receive all of the net earnings in cash, but the company can buy back shares with net income, pay you cash dividends, AND/OR reinvest into the growing enterprise. But, first of all, what is an “earnings yield”? It is the opposite of the P/E ratio. It is essentially the E/P ratio. You divide a companies’ total earnings by the total market price of the stock. For example, if the company you are looking at has annual earnings of $20 million and a market value of $200 million, then the earnings yield would be .10 (expressed as a percentage that would be 10%). So for every dollar you are investing into the company, it is earning for you ten cents, or ten percent of a dollar. If a wonderful and popular company that everyone adored was making $1 billion dollars every year in net income that looks very good. But if that same business was valued on the stock market for $100 billion would
the earnings yield be to low? The earnings yield would be a paltry one percent! So for every dollar YOU INVEST INTO THAT STOCK the company is actually only producing one penny in net income for you, the shareholder and part-owner.
The 3-Step, No-Brainer Mutual Fund Strategy This is a tactic that is very simple and can be used as a stand-alone approach. It is very simple and easy to manage. If this is your only investment it can pay off handsomely for you if allowed to work as described. STEP ONE: Invest in a Balanced Mutual Fund or Asset Allocation Fund STEP TWO: Dollar-Cost Average into the Fund & Invest More as it Drops in Value As you learned earlier, you will accumulate more shares or less-expensive shares with the DCA strategy as the price of the shares move in value. And when the price drops significantly, as in a “bear” market, you add EVEN MORE than the usual amount. By doing that, you are making market volatility work for you.
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What is GARP Stock Investing? GARP is an acronym for Growth At a Reasonable Price. As you can guess this approach simply combines both growth and value investing. With this method, you are looking at growth companies selling in the market at value prices. A very famous and successful GARP investor was Peter Lynch, for example.
Why fifteen years? According to Morningstar Direct, from the years 1926-2014, you would have had a 99.8% chance of profit if you had invested in stocks and held for fifteen or more years. Yes, you read that correctly; you would have been virtually ASSURED a positive return.
What Is The Difference Between a Global and an International Mutual Fund? This is an important question. I talk to people a lot that think the two are the same. And by the name they do sound just alike. But there is a big difference, especially when you are trying to properly diversify your assets. In a nutshell, when you see the name global in the mutual fund name or description, those funds will invest in international AND American (domestic) stocks. The international funds should have NO domestic shares. So you might think The Global ABC Fund is investing all of your money out of the country. But they could have fifty percent of the assets in large-capitalization
TESTIMONIALS FOR RON’S PUEBLO COMMUNITY
US companies. So are you really as diversified as you thought by looking at the name? On the flip side, if you invested in The International ABC Fund, then 100% of your money should be in foreign shares. Then you can rest assured that you have fully diversified OUTSIDE of the US. Then you can also invest other moneys into domestic funds or shares.
STEP THREE: Invest for Fifteen or More Years
COLLEGE & OTHER INVESTING CLASSES:
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“Very informative about mutual funds and bonds. The interaction of the
group was very skillfully managed as all the many, many questions were anMyrna S., Retired swered in a very tactful and professional manner.” Pueblo, CO
“Thanks for all the great information. I have wanted to learn about stocks for a long time, so when I saw your class we decided to give it a try. It looks like there is much more to learn, but you provided a lot of great resources. Thanks again!”
What Is a REIT? A REIT is a real estate investment trust. It is a company that buys, manages and sometimes sells individual pieces of real estate. Usually, they are buying the properties, holding for possible appreciation and collecting a cash flow from the underlying real estate. By law...
Ron Phillips
* Licensed Financial Advisor * Author of Investing To Win * Author of Armchair Investment Reader * Newspaper columnist * Teacher of dozens of courses to 100s of students * Advised 100s of clients * Manages millions of $$ in client assets * Advising Clients since 2000, including The Lost Decade
participating in TD Ameritrade Institutional (stock symbol: AMTD)
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Yes! I want insider investment knowledge. I want to: * learn the power of dollar-cost averaging!
* finally understand ALL the fees & charges of mutual funds, brokers, and advisors! * create my own personalized asset management plan with perhaps the simplest, 5-question process!
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