The Balancing Act Liar, liar — President Biden’s pants are on fire

We all have seen pictures of cognitively deficient President Joe Biden looking at aides as to where to go, tripping while walking or going up stairs, calling people and places by their wrong names and so much more.

This column isn’t about that. It’s about his lying in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion published June 8. The claim is that the author was Joe Biden, but I and most other readers would think it was written by aides or the puppeteers controlling this president. How ironic, Biden, the known plagiarist, continues his old ways claiming he wrote this WSJ opinion piece.

The title is “Never Bet Against the American Economy.” It was full of lies and half-truths and once you know of the lies, it discredits everything else it states. The first lie: “Real income for the bottom half of earners is up by 3.4% since I took office.” Actually, real income is down by almost a like amount, 2.3% for the bottom 25% of income earners and by 3.9% for the next lowest 25% of income earners. Overall, the real income decline for all income earners is 2.1%. It follows the leftist motto of “spreading the misery” and, by the numbers, the democratic leftists have done a bang-up job at that as real income has declined for 26 consecutive months, all during the time Biden has been president. When information comes in for the last few months it will continue to show an income decline. But there is more. Biden tries to paint a picture of prosperity by picking his starting and ending dates for the comparison. Kind of like global warming where the foremost and probably the most hated climatologist, Dr. Richard S. Lindzen, former chair of the MIT meteorology department, said to me, “Climate isn’t measured or declared changed in years or decades but at the minimum over hundreds, if not thousands, of years.” So when you hear it’s hotter than it was 20 years ago, it means absolutely nothing in terms of a climate trend. That’s

Biden’s regulatory agencies, however, haven’t slowed down with new energy restrictions being written every day. Energy is the life blood of any economy and without inexpensive oil, gas, coal and nuke, we will continue our decline … another column coming soon.

For instance, Biden “writes” gasoline prices are down $1.40 from their peak in June 2022. But they are still more than 50% higher from the price of gas when Biden took office. The national average price of gas was about $2.25 a gallon in December 2020 and today it is $3.58 a gallon. In California it is about $4.86 a gallon and at the local Costco/Sam’s Club it is $4.29 a gallon, just about a 100% increase in price.

Biden wrote the annual inflation rate has fallen for 10 straight months. Yes, it has gone from about 10% at its peak to a current average of about 5%. But when Biden took office the inflation rate was 1.5%, so the reality is the rate of inflation has gone up over 300%.

Just look at prices based from the date Biden took office. Energy is up more than 31%. Groceries are up almost 20% and the cost of money (interest rates) is up over 100% (mortgage rates have gone from about 2.875% to a current 6.62%).

Currently, inflation (overall prices) is up 15.6% overall since Biden took office.

When Biden took office the growth rate of the economy was running 6.5%. Now it has averaged an anemic 1% growth, with some quarters showing negative growth.

And then Biden gets to the joke of his editorial when he “writes” in the last paragraph, “Our work isn’t finished and we could see setbacks along the way.” Those setbacks should be considered real improvements over the data I have stated above. But the goal (work) of the Biden administration is to continue to further destroy America and you do that by destroying the greatest economy in history. Biden’s rolling over of America has at least slowed down with a divided Congress. Biden’s regulatory agencies, n See Weitzman page A5

Coupal Continued from A4 work,” this bond measure doesn’t comply.

Fourth, the fact that a substantial amount of the proceeds from the bond are intended to be used for programs rather than brick-and-mortar infrastructure violates the principle that the “single object or work” should have a useful life that extends beyond the term of the debt repayment. This climate bond is like a family taking out a 30-year mortgage to pay for groceries.

Fifth, California has a horrendous track record of not keeping its promises when it comes to bond measures. The clearest example is California’s high-speed rail project, viewed internationally as the biggest boondoggle on earth. Proposition 1A in 2008 promised Californians a super-fast train that would travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco in about two-and-a-half hours; the ticket price would be about $50; the total cost of the high-speed rail would be about $40 billion; and there would be significant private-sector support — money from investors — to build the project. After 15 years, HSR has yet to hit any of its benchmark promises.

Numerous other bond measures have failed to live up to the representations made to voters, including several water bond proposals that promised the construction of surface water storage projects.

New York Times Crossword

Even more troubling than the broken promises related to bond measures is the fact that California courts will do little to enforce those promises. This was starkly evident in several lawsuits over the high-speed rail project when the courts failed to intervene despite conclusive evidence that the terms of the ballot measure were being violated.

Sixth, general obligation bonds should only be placed on the ballot when the level of total debt is within prudent limits that will not a ect the state’s bond rating or solvency. If California experiences even a mild recession, that will increase the percentage of the general fund necessary to pay debt service. If the state’s “debt service ratio” exceeds levels palpable to Wall Street, that could increase the cost of borrowing on top of the already high interest rates.

Finally, general obligation bonds should never be approved in the absence of fiscal restraint in the budget process. Allowing politicians to spend virtually all new revenues and incur additional debt removes all pressure to adopt needed reforms and fiscal discipline.

And if there’s anything California needs right now it’s fiscal discipline.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

Letters Continued from A4

I have experienced the feeling of no longer being respected by the stronger sex. But I don’t take it lying down, so to speak.

I’ve been trying to get around to this point: the women who man the microphone to describe their own abortions seem to be playing into the hands of men who are making a career out of the topic. I hear no regret in the women’s calculation, only a cold righteousness.

ELIZABETH CAFFREY Placerville

Weitzman Continued from A4 however, haven’t slowed down with new energy restrictions being written every day. Energy is the life blood of any economy and without inexpensive oil, gas, coal and nuke, we will continue our decline and prices will not come down to January 2021 levels ever. It’s amazing Biden isn’t wearing skirts yet as all his pants must have burned up.

Larry Weitzman is a resident of Placerville.

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COMiCS n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly n TUNDRA by Chad

Carpenter

n RUBES by Leigh

Rubin

n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

Cleanup Continued from A1

“This morning one of Tahoe’s beaches looked like a landfill. Thanks to passionate volunteers and community partners, it started to look like Tahoe again after some hard work,” states CEO of the League to Save Lake Tahoe Dr. Darcie Goodman Collins in the news release. “To Keep Tahoe Blue everyone who enjoys this place must act more like our volunteers and partners by doing their part. It starts with leaving nothing behind and picking up any trash you come across. Unless each of us share in the responsibility for protecting this place, it could be ruined.”

At Zephyr Shoals 6,279 pounds of trash, 73% of the day’s totals, were collected. Zephyr Shoals is an unmanaged stretch of beach on Lake Tahoe’s east shore.

“It’s quite a hangover,” state cleanup organizers in a social media post that included images and videos of the site.

The remaining 2,280 pounds was disproportionately divided between the other five locations.

Relatively litter-free sites included Commons Beach in Tahoe City and Kings Beach State Recreation Area, which is attributed to the presence of trash receptacles, bathrooms and the work of management staff.

Volunteers at Kiva Beach and Lakeview Commons, two more of the holiday “hangover” cleanup locations, said the beauty of the beaches is taken for granted and the lands abused.

Dan Howard, a volunteer at the Tallac Shoreline, told the Tahoe Tribune he gets a sense of giving back and gives his time to clean bathrooms, remove trash and other landscaping duties.

“My No. 1 concern is make sure the trash is secure so the bears can’t get to it,” Howard said.

While there are trash receptacles, Howard added, it seems most people fail to lock the dumpster behind them or simply leave their trash behind for someone else to contend with.

On display at Lake View Commons was the contents from roughly six weeks of trash pick ups including smaller items collected by the BEBOT, a robot that combs the beaches. A 6-foot cube structure displayed the trash and the amount of time it would take for the items to break down.

“Basically (some of the items) would be here forever,” said Chris Joseph, communications director for The League to Save Lake Tahoe. “If you come across something, pick it up and pack out what you pack in.”

In addition to the beach-combing robot BEBOT, The League to Save Lake Tahoe has worked with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to introduce a trailer-mounted station: Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose, to be used to remove ecologically disastrous invasive species from kayaks or paddle boards before they hit the water.

The CD3 trailer includes a scrub brush, vacuum, tongs, air compressor and data collection equipment that will inform where more permanent stations would be best placed in the future.

The station will be deployed at several locations through the summer for a week each.

HOROSCOPE by Holiday Mathis

ARIES (March 21-April 19). The ups and downs of life are best shared. True friends connect in either stage. You know you’re around good, safe, empathetic people when you don’t feel you must pretend to be higher or lower than you really feel.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). When what you want to do and what you have to do are the same thing, success comes very quickly to you. Today brings such good fortune. Do the work, rinse, repeat and grow rich.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Who is really free? It’s not always obvious. The so-called powerful often feel more trapped in their roles than those without status. You’ll be aware of the restrictions limiting your options. Think of new ways to get around them.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re different in ways that will elevate the scene -- believe it. Get on your own side, be your own fan and don’t bother trying to fit in. All the problems are opportunities today.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There’s no time to waste envying those who have advantages. Status is not worth chasing. The only thing that matters is the integrity of the work at hand. Dedication and commitment fortify your character and take you all the way.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You weren’t looking for a prize, but you’ll get one anyway. In some manner, you have racked up enough points to claim a reward. A hobby, interest or relationship will pay off in unforeseen ways.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). If, as Shakespeare suggested, all the world is a stage, today you’ll be more stagehand than star. Setting the scene just right will bring you joy, inspiration and a profound sense of accomplishment. his recruitment process, going on to say it had been his dream school.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Don’t skip the formalities or cut corners with protocol or etiquette. There is no better way to convey respect than politeness, which is the glue holding together transactions, relationships and so much more.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your willingness to experiment is a gift. Some you take on even though you have little to no faith they will work. There’s joy and learning in taking the big swings. And when they do connect, life gets very exciting.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Certain social interactions are unavoidable. When you must interact with people you don’t prefer, involve others. Everyone will behave better in small groups today and will keep one another in check.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Friends know you as a certain person with a particular job, habits and lifestyle.

It might be difficult for them to see you as someone new, so do what it takes to keep yourself motivated and on track to your goal.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You are extremely important to your team and will love the power surge that comes from giving yourself over to the group to become a part of something much bigger than the sum of its parts.

As a freshman this past season Cormac was able to play in a number of games, splitting time between the first and second teams. He was also a member of the travel team for its playoff run and was on the bench for Berkeley’s loss in the national championship to Navy and fellow former Motherload player Ronin Kreiger.

Following his first year of college, Cormac was contacted by the head coaches of both the Canadian and U.S. U20s rugby squads who tried to recruit him to play in 2023. He was eligible to play for either due to his U.S. citizenship and a greatgrandfather who had Canadian citizenship. Just as easy as the decision to play for Berkeley was, so was making the decision to play for Team USA.

“I was over the moon,” he told the Mountain Democrat. “It’s the biggest thing I can play in for my age.”

Cormac joined with the other U20s at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, for a month of practices and bonding. Thirty-three players were invited to the camp with the understanding only 28 would make the final roster.

“I felt pretty confident going into it, but not settled,” Cormac said of his odds to make the roster.

Ultimately he made the cut and played in the qualifying matches for the Under 20s Trophy against

Canada. For the first time since 2016, the U.S. Under 20s beat their Canadian counterpart to punch their ticket to the 2023 Trophy in Kenya tournament.

Cormac won’t be the only Saint headed to Kenya. His parents will join him on the trip to spectate.

“It was either a bathroom remodel or to take a trip (to Kenya),” Tony said with a laugh. “We’re incredibly proud. His hard work has paid off.”

Making the tournament is not the end goal for the team. Cormac’s age group is eyed to compete when the Rugby World Cup comes to the U.S. in 2031, when those players will be reaching their primes of 26 and 27 years old.

“Our coach set the expectation that we want to win this championship,” Cormac said. “We wanna play the best rugby and the best teams, so when the World Cup does come we’re prepared for it and can get to a quarterfinal. (That’s) something the U.S. has never done.”

Winning the Trophy in Kenya means Cormac’s squad will be promoted from the Trophy tier of U20s rugby to the Championship tier. This would mean playing on the biggest stage against the best nations at the sport — England, Ireland, France, Wales, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, among others — to begin preparing for a 2031 World Cup run.

Cormac’s U20s squad will play its first game of pool play in Kenya against Uruguay Saturday, July 15.