Froma Harrop Says That Debt Driven By Inflation Could Sink the National Economy: Yah Think?

For years, Froma Harrop has been a reliable spear carrier for the progressive Democrats, so when she speaks on a national policy issue, you can assume she is speaking for the Democratic establishment. Thus, it is noteworthy that her recent op ed essay sounded the alarm over rising consumer debt.

People are buying groceries and consumer goods under "Buy Now, Pay Later" programs that allow them to pay off their purchases in four monthly payments. Why don't these folks just charge their purchases on their credit cards? Harrop asked. Probably because their credit cards are maxed out.

Harrop also observed that car loan delinquencies are up, which is especially worrisome because the last thing people want to lose is their cars. 

And a high percentage of student borrowers are behind on their student loans. Harrop noted that 25 percent of the federal government's $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio is in danger of default, and 31 percent of student borrowers are delinquent on their monthly payments by 90 days or more. 

Harrop didn't mention the residential housing market, but there's also trouble in that segment of the economy. Everyone rejoiced when mortgage rates sank below 3 percent, but now they hover around 7 percent. 

In Florida, the bellweather state for residential housing, sales have slowed, and in some Florida markets, sellers have been forced to cut their prices to attract buyers. This trend is showing up in other states.

The federal debt is rising too- currently at $36 trillion, with interest payments absorbing more and more of the federal budget. Like the weather, Congress talks endlessly about the national debt, but lawmakers are not doing much about it.

Harrop believes the Trump administration is only making the nation's debt problem worse, and she may be right. Trump has been filibustering the Federal Reserve, hoping to bully Jerome Powell into lowering interest rates, which might only fuel more inflation.

Harrop's essay surely parrots the Democratic establishment's views, but what did the Democrats say about debt when Joe Biden was in office? Did they complain about all the military equipment the Army abandoned in Afghanistan--equipment that had to be replaced at great expense when the U.S. helped the Ukrainians fight the Russians? Did the Dems express concern about the federally funded NGOs that were transporting illegal immigrants into the United States and then putting them up in expensive hotels? Did Democratic congresspeople make any effort to reduce the cost of federal Medicaid programs, which now insure one-fifth of the American population?

The answer to all these questions is no. Now that the Democrats are out of power, they're complaining about inflation,  consumer borrowing, and the astronomical national debt--problems they are cheerfully blaming on President Trump.

Anti-ICE Protesters Arrested on an Ohio River Bridge: Don't Try That in a Small Town

Well, try that in a small town

See how far you make it down the road

Around here, we take care of our own

You cross that line, it won't take long

For you to find out, I recommend you don't

Try that in a small town.

"Don't Try That in a Small Town"

Performed by Jason Aldean

Protesters gathered on the Roebling Bridge a few days ago to protest the detention of a former hospital chaplain by ICE agents. The bridge spans the Ohio River and is a vital link between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky.

Some protesters stayed on the pedestrian path, and some obstructed traffic in the roadway. Police officers from Covington, Kentucky, arrived to deal with the disruption, and fifteen people were arrested.

Video of the event shows a Covington police officer hitting a protester repeatedly, and that officer was placed on administrative leave. A woman was also thrown down and restrained.

Police officers who use excessive force when making arrests should be disciplined. On the other hand, we can't excuse people who resist arrest or assault the police. 

From the video I viewed, I can't determine who was in the wrong during the scuffle on the Roebling Bridge. It may be months before the incident is sorted out.

This, however, I do know. Anti-ICE protesters have repeatedly vandalized property, set fires, and assaulted police officers in West Coast cities and have largely gone unpunished.

Folks in Flyover Country aren't as tolerant of disruptive protests as those on the Coasts. So, if you have a hankering to throw rocks at police, loot buildings, or set cars on fire, you should express yourself in Los Angeles or Seattle, where the Covington, Kentucky police have no jurisdiction.

Don't try that in a small town.

Don't Worry About Zohran Mamdani: How Bad Can He Be?

 Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary, and New Yorkers to the right of Joseph Stalin are in a panic. 

Mamadani promised to raise taxes on "whiter neighborhoods" like the one he lives in, but he assures us that he's not a racist.

He alarmed NYC's Jewish voters with his call for globalizing the intifada, but he's backed away from that phrase and denies being antisemitic. 

I don't think things will change much in the Big Apple if Zohran becomes mayor. He can't be any worse than other blue city mayors: Karen Bass of Los Angeles, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and Latoya Cantrell, whom New Orleanians lovingly refer to as Latoilet.

New York was already in the trash can before my dear old Mamdani showed up, and an outflow from the city was well underway. Sean Hannity recently urged New Yorkers to move to Florida, where the weather is better, taxes are lower, and crime rates are less alarming. But New Yorkers have been fleeing south for decades.

In my view, the number one reason to take the last stage out of New York is not taxes or weather. Rather, people should scram from NYC to escape a corrupt justice system--a system that is willing to prosecute people who pose a threat to the leftist Democratic machine. Just ask Donald Trump or Eric Adams.

Someone who runs afoul of Letitia James or Alvin Bragg could wind up being criminally prosecuted and could even do jail time. Even if a person defeats a politically motivated criminal case, that person could be driven into bankruptcy by the attorney fees. 

Even little people are at risk of being prosecuted unjustly. Daniel Perry was charged with criminal homicide after he defended fellow passengers from a mentally deranged man who had been threatening subway riders for years.

I suffered a stroke two years ago and need to walk with a cane, which signals to the world that I'm vulnerable. What if someone attempted to shove me onto the tracks at a New York subway station and I  injured my assailant by hitting him in the nuts with my CVS cane? I'd probably be more likely to be prosecuted for assault than the guy who tried to kill me.

Little people have been evacuating NYC for years for all the obvious reasons. Now, wealthy people- people with the resources to live comfortably and safely in our nation's largest metropolis--are getting out too. High taxes and onerous regulations are part of the motivation. Still, a corrupt and politically driven criminal justice system is undoubtedly a significant reason for businesses and rich people to pull up stakes.

It's only a matter of time before the New York Stock Exchange moves to Dallas and the Rockettes move to Chattanooga.

I'd walk a million miles for one of his smiles--Mamdani!

Was "Professor" Jonathan Anthony Caravello kidnapped at an anti-ICE Protest in Camarillo, California?

According to the California Faculty Association, Jonathan Anthony Caravelllo, "a respected educator" at  California State University Channel Islands, was "abducted" or "kidnapped" by federal authorities earlier this month at an anti-ICE protest in Camarillo, California. Caravello's employer, CSU Channel Islands, confirmed that "Professor" Camarillo had been arrested and that it was the university's "understanding" that  he had been "peacefully participating in a protest—an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans."

The university's reference to Caravello as a "professor" implies that he's a scholar pursuing an academic career as a tenured or tenure-track academic. However, contrary to the CSU Channel Islands news release, Caravello is listed in the University  Faculty Directory as a Lecturer, not a Professor.

Of course, it doesn't make any difference in terms of his arrest whether Caravello is correctly described as a professor or a lecturer. Nevertheless, CSU Channel Islands apparently misrepresented Caravello's status, and the California Faculty Association incorrectly claimed that he had been "abducted" or kidnapped." Bill Essayli, the federal District Attorney in charge of the case, said Caravello was arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at federal agents, which is a serious offense.

Caravello denies the charges and may be innocent. One observer said that Caravello had merely been attempting to dislodge a tear gas canister from under the wheelchair of a lawful protester. 

Anti-ICE protesters can reasonably argue that law-abiding and hard-working immigrants who are illegally in this country should be given legal status and not deported. But no one has the right to throw tear gas canisters at federal agents. And no one should say that a man who was arrested for allegedly assaulting federal officers has been kidnapped.

Violence against law enforcement officers is on the rise. People have been throwing rocks and heavy objects at ICE agents and the police. It's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. 

And when that happens, someone is going to go to prison for a long time, where people aren't living their best lives and prison guards don't know a preferred pronoun from a billy club. On the plus side, federal prisoners can probably get a deferment on their student loan payments while they're in stir.

Many Americans have strong feelings about the Trump administration's aggressive deportation policy, which is a legitimate topic of debate. But we all have a responsibility to debate this issue rationally and to discourage violence.

Bankruptcy Relief for Overburdened Student-Loan Debtors: The Democrats Could Be Heroes

The Democrats are in a funk. Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris handily last November despite being outspent 2 to 1. Then Trump affirmed all his cabinet nominations, even RFK Jr., which was a miracle. And finally, the President got the Big, Beautiful Bill through Congress by his arbitrary deadline--July 4th.

Democrats have responded to their reversal of fortune by returning to their three standard tactics: First, they've filed hundreds of lawsuits against the Trump administration before friendly judges. Second, some elected Democratic politicians have contrived to get restrained or arrested for impeding Trump's deportation actions--great photo ops! 

 Finally, several Democratic politicians have unleashed a torrent of profanity. In fact, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett's status as the queen of gutter language is being challenged by several of her colleagues.

None of these tactics has increased the standing of the Democratic Party with American voters. Why not do something constructive?

I propose that Democrats engage with Republicans in a bipartisan effort to give bankruptcy relief to overburdened student-loan debtors. Our elected politicians need to acknowledge that the federal student loan program is an epic disaster that can't be fixed by income-based repayment plans or economic hardship deferrals. 

Distressed student borrowers need to be able to discharge their loans in bankruptcy like any other consumer debt. Currently, they are barred from relief by the "undue hardship" language in the Bankruptcy Code.

Not right away, of course. No one should obtain a lucrative undergraduate or professional degree and file for bankruptcy the next day.

No, every student-loan debtor should strive to pay off their college loans within ten years. Borrowers who are insolvent at the end of that period should be able to shed their debt in a federal bankruptcy court. And the same relief should be available to parents who took out Parent PLUS loans.

In other words, no more economic hardship deferments or income-based repayment plans. Instead, all student borrowers will be expected to pay off their college debt by the end of a decade. Those who fail to do so can walk over to the bankruptcy court and get relief.

Why hasn't Congress enacted this simple reform to the Bankruptcy Code? The explanation is simple.

Our elected politicians see the higher education industry as their most important constituency--not the millions of college students forced to take out burdensome loans to pay their outrageous tuition bills.

The colleges are okay with the status quo. They get juiced with federal student loan money year after year, regardless of whether their graduates can pay off the debt. 

If beaten-down student borrowers had access to the bankruptcy courts, millions would file for relief. Then, Americans would see just how much a college education is overpriced and how worthless those cheesy liberal arts and humanities degrees really are.

And, if the Democrats took the lead in getting bankruptcy relief for college borrowers, they would be heroes, instead of a bunch of bums, which is how they're perceived now.

Why Do Progressives Reject an Orderly Immigration Policy? LA Mayor Karen Bass Explains

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, with disarming candor, explained why California is fighting the Trump administration's efforts to deport illegal immigrants. If ICE removes undocumented workers, Bass revealed to journalist Katie Couric, Californians will lose their nannies, housekeepers, grocery store stockers, and hospitality workers.

Exactly. California progressives oppose an orderly immigration process because they enjoy cheap workers to clean their houses, pick up their kids after school, and mow their lawns. California businesses like having cheap construction workers, dishwashers, and grocery store stocking clerks.

Bass is correct when she says that most illegal immigrants perform vital services in the American economy. Nevertheless, all these people could be in the United States lawfully if we had an orderly process for granting work visas.

And if the U.S.had an efficient immigration system in place, we could admit hard-working people while excluding violent criminals, drug dealers, and child traffickers. Does anyone have a problem with that?

Apparently, some people do. Last month, rioters in Los Angeles forced California police officers to shelter under an overpass to protect themselves from rocks being thrown down on them--projectiles that would probably have killed them if they'd hit their mark. Earlier this month, ten people were charged with attempted murder after a police officer at an ICE facility was wounded by a bullet. Also, this month, a gunman opened fire at a Border Patrol post in McAllen, Texas, and was shot dead.

Anti-ICE violence is out of control, especially in blue state cities. President Trump recently called out the National Guard to protect federal officers and buildings in Los Angeles, which outraged progressive Democrats. 

If this violence is not brought under control soon, we will see more federal troops in American cities. Perhaps that's what progressive Democrats want--chaos, military intervention, and more chaos. 

California police huddle under a Los Angeles overpass

 

Who Are the Knuckleheads Charged in the Alvaredo ICE Attack?

Eleven young people were arrested in connection with a July 4th attack at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvaredo, Texas. A twelfth person, Benjamin Hanil Song, is charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at ICE officers. Mr. Song is still at large.

The Alvaredo assault was a terrorist attack. The arrested suspects were dressed in black, military-style clothing and equipped with radios and body armor. Multiple gunshots were fired, and one police officer was wounded in the neck. If convicted on federal charges, all the defendants will serve long prison sentences.

What were these knuckleheads thinking? According to news reports, the group shot off fireworks to lure ICE agents into the open, and one or more of the suspects shot at the officers. Some of the assailants are said to have vandalized government vehicles and spray-painted anti-ICE epithets on them.

This doesn't make sense to me. If their purpose was to murder federal agents, why did this ragtag gang waste time by spray-painting cars?  

I found myself wondering whether all twelve suspects were on the same page. Did they all really plan to murder federal agents, or were some of them intent solely on vandalism?

I would like to know more about these individuals. How were these sad sacks radicalized? Did they attend college? If so, where? 

How have these young people supported themselves over the years? Did they have jobs?

Who procured the body armor, firearms, and radios for this project? Who paid for all this stuff?

If my ruminations suggest that I feel sorry for these clowns, it is because I do. If these miscreants did what they are charged with doing, then, like Charlie Manson's followers, they've thrown their lives away. 

Someone apparently talked these nitwits into embarking on a fool's errand. I hope the people who egged these alleged amateur terrorists on and bankrolled the Alvaredo escapade are found out and go to prison for a very long time.

In the meantime, we should remember that the allegations against the Alvarado 12 are just that--allegations. As more facts are revealed, we might conclude that none of the eleven people under arrest are guilty of attempted murder. Indeed, I hope that proves to be the case.