Biden Presser, Paper Tiger

 I caught the end of Biden's press conference and was underwhelmed. He did not project strength or vitality and the press treated him like the doddering grandfather that he is. When he was asked about steps he would take on gun control, he responded that timing was everything and then rambled on about infrastructure. The press allowed him to verbally ramble without interrupting him. 

I fear for our country because our leader does not project strength or seriousness. Our friends, and enemies, know that Biden is a paper tiger. November Motel Papa!

GOM Lease Sale Cancelled

 There was supposed to be an oil and gas lease sale for the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow but Biden cancelled it. In a lease sale, a company pays for the right to explore a 3 mile by 3 mile block of ocean. If they don't find anything, they lose their money. If they find something, the government gets a royalty (percentage) of the oil and gas produced. It's a steady income stream to Uncle Sam.

Why should the average person care?

Well, the government gets a substantial portion of their budget from the offshore oil and gas industry. I don't know the current percentage, but it provides a few billion of income.

Why should you care?

The Biden administration is on a spending spree and that money has to come from somewhere. If they don't get income from offshore oil and gas, and the taxes paid by the people that the industry employs, they are going to come to you for that money. Stand by for more taxes.

What Did You Expect?

It seems that some politicians are not pleased with the police response to the demonstration in DC the other day. They believe that the police, in some cases, even aided the protesters by removing barricades. Well, what did you expect. Politicians from the left have denigrated police, defunded them and charged them as criminals for doing their duty. Did you really expect that after all that that they will form a line and protect the people that have been beating them for so long?

And I had a bit of cognitive dissonance as  I watched the news on the protests. What I was seeing did not jive with what I was hearing. I didn't see any fires or burning buildings, I didn't see and destruction of property except for a few broken windows, I didn't see any graffiti being sprayed on the capital building, but what I was hearing, even on Fox, would make you think that what was happening was as bad the British burning the capital in 1812. 

I'm afraid that this will not get better. Wait until the Dems try to make major changes to the Supreme Court and their other agenda items and you will see real protests.

What's Up, Doc?

There has been a lot of hot air recently about Jill Biden wanting to be called "doctor". Evidently she has a PhD in Education. It takes a fair amount of effort, dedication and intelligence to earn a PhD. Most people I know outside of academia use those initials after their name and don't want to be confused with a medical doctor. I have known lots of folks with doctorate degrees and most of them don't make a big deal about it. Those that do usually have an ego problem or a Napoleon Complex. So lets think about what she and Joe meant with this directive.

What they meant was that they are better than you and me - much better and we should only address them with awe and reverence using the proper title. This, to me, is typical of the Dems. They believe they are smarter than us, they know what we should do and we should follow their orders without question.

I cannot recall a First Lady with this kind of superiority issue. 

Tax Proposals Fail

 We had an election here last Saturday. Besides a DA runoff, we had 5 millage proposals on the ballot. They were for recreation, levees, medical center, mosquito control and senior services. None of them passed! Faced with future tolls from an unwanted bridge being built under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and a recent user fee for mosquito control, the people had had enough of a spendthrift parish council and rejected their taxes.

Across the river, tax proposals in New Orleans also failed. These were for renewals of millages that were due to expire but were re-packaged to cover different stuff. This is what the politicians call "no new taxes" but people aren't that stupid and understand that renewing an expiring tax is still "new". Also, there was a sales tax for the French Quarter that failed. There was controversy about how the money was to be spent. The residents wanted it to go to the police but the mayor wanted half of it to go to an unarmed force of  "quality of life" code enforcers. People rejected it by 67% ! 

Irony Check and Short Rant

The USMC recently ordered that no confederate flags were to be displayed on base. I know that the Marines can order the troops to do whatever they want, but does anyone else see the irony that the Marines who cannot exercise their First Amendment rights are the same people who have to protect your ability to exercise of those same rights?

In related irony, it has been confirmed in the courts that burning or desecrating an American flag is a First Amendment right. If that is true, isn't it also a First Amendment right to fly a Confederate Battle Flag? It may not be smart or politically correct, but isn't it still a right? Just axin'.

And while we are renaming stuff and tanking down monuments, why don't we start by renaming all the federal buildings, naval vessels, bridges, tunnels and other stuff who are named for the signers of the Southern Manifesto? That was a real racist document signed by actual racists.

Toll Revolt Update

I posted earlier about the people of Mobile, AL revolting against the proposed toll bridge over Mobile Bay. Pushback was so bad that the ALDOT removed the project from their Transportation  Improvement Plan for 2020 - 2023 which essentially kills the project. If it's not in the plan, they can't ask for federal dollars. The story is here.

More on Tolls

A commenter on my last post told about the State of Connecticut wanting to impose tolls on almost every road and bridge in order to generate revenue. Fuel tax revenue for state are in the decline. Louisiana went from a high of $762 million in 2006 to $589 million in 2014. The state tried to increase the gas tax by $0.16 last session taking the state from one of the lowest fuel taxes to one of the highest. It failed miserably.

There are a couple of reasons for this decrease. One is the federal governments regulation on automobile mileage. The CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) has been slowly adjusted resulting in people driving cars with higher gas mileage. The unintended consequence is that less gas purchased means less tax revenue. One of the reasons given for putting a toll on our bridge was the failure of the gas tax increase. All states are feeling this pinch and it will only get worse with electric automobiles and the Green New Deal.

Another thing that makes tolls so attractive is the technology. Gone are the days of manned booths and baskets that you toss your change into. It's done with electronic transponders and license plate readers. All they need to do is install a goal post over the highway and install some readers. There are private companies that offer to do this for free for a cut of the revenue.

And there has been talk about putting trackers on automobiles and taxing you by the miles you drive. This intrusion into your personal business should scare the crap out of you. But it is coming if the wrong people get into power.

Local Swamps Toll Revolt

While President Trump is promoting Public Private Partnerships as a way to fund infrastructure repair and replacement, the local populations are saying something different.

We have our own local issue with the plans for a new toll bridge but it seems that we are not alone. Over in Mobile there are plans for a new 6 lane toll bridge over Mobile Bay to relieve traffic jams through the existing tunnel and causeway. The toll is planned to be $6 each way. While this route is used by weekenders from Louisiana and Mississippi heading to the Flora-Bama beaches, it is also used by commuters to and from Mobile. Indeed, my grandson crossed the bay every day to go to college. The backlash is so fierce that the politicians have taken the project off of the state transportation plan which could effectively kill it.

When they were collecting public comments for our planned toll bridge, I called the toll a tax directed at the people of the parish. In their response, they corrected me that it was not a tax but a "user fee". Potato, Potaato. People are tired of the government taking money out of their pockets.

The Swamp - Local Edition

I live in a parish with a population of about 23,000. About 20% of that population lives below the poverty level. There is only one road in or out of the parish. The route in has a 2 lane tunnel under the Gulf Intercoastal Water Way. The way out has a 2 lane lift bridge. Somehow, the Louisiana Dept of Transportation and Development (DOTD) decided we needed a high rise bridge to eliminate traffic delays when marine traffic caused the bridge to lift and to eliminate maintenance costs on the leaky tunnel.

They went through an extensive process to evaluate options and gather public input. We were told that budgets were tight, therefore, the DOTD was going to offer this project as a Public Private Partnership (P3) and that the private entity would recover their investment by charging tolls to cross the new bridge. But don't worry, tolls will be as low as possible for the minimum amount of time.

They pre qualified 3 bidders and sent out the RFP. Then, 2 of the potential bidders declined to bid leaving them with only a single bidder. The DOTD has determined that this single bid is viable and will proceed with that consortium of contractors.

There was a public meeting this week to introduce the toll amounts. We were told that tolls for residents would be $0.45 each way and that tolls would remain in effect for 30 years. Tolls would be increased by $0.01 per year plus being adjusted by the CPI. When the politicos heard the resistance from the public, they countered with the veiled threat that if we didn't want the bridge, there were plenty of other places that could use the money.

P3 contracts have a mixed history of success. Many P3 deals cost the public more than repaying a bond. Several examples can be found with a quick Google search. This the first one that Louisiana has done so I don't have much optimism about its success. I have had 40 years as a project manager in the oil industry, If I went to my management with only a single bid and 2 bidders who declined, I would be told in no uncertain terms to do it over.

 Unfortunately, it's too late to stop this piece of crap. BOHICA.

NIMBY

President Trump is going to fly immigrants to other parts of the country to ease the overcrowding at the borders. And we have cries of anguish from the libs that they cannot handle the extra burden in their neighborhood. Liberals: Do as they say, not as they do.

Joe Biden Meets Saul Alinsky

One of Alinsky's Rules for Radicals is "Make them live up to their own rules". I think Creepy Joe is finding that he is now on the receiving end of this rule and some of it seems to be coming from the far left of his own party.

Yellow Vests - Week 4

The movement shows no signs of going away as violent clashes again hit Paris. But it's not just in Paris. Other cities also experienced protests. The movement is also gaining other groups and is morphing into a general protest against President Macon. Students are protesting Macon's school reforms which include a tuition increase, require choosing a specialization and mandatory 4 month military service. Videos of high school students on their knees with their hands tied have incensed the populace. And the trade unions are getting into the act as they protest for higher wages and pension increases.

But it's not just the rich politicians and designer stores who are feeling the protests. Many tourist sites were shut down on Saturday. Soccer games were cancelled. I personally know that the owners of one our favorite restaurants have shut down for the past 3 Saturdays as they could not get into the city. This is a family run restaurant operated by a husband and wife team and 3 employees. It is not an operation that can afford to lose 1/6 of their revenue.

President Macron has been missing most of the past week as protesters call for his resignation. He has gone from winning the election with 66 per cent of the vote to an approval rating of 18 per cent.

What happens in Europe can be a predecessor to events in the US. These protests are a direct result of progressive ideology. The average Frenchman is making a statement that their personal well being is more important than climate change.

F'n with Telephone Polls

I usually hang up on automated phone polls but I was in the mood to play with their minds so I responded that I was a black female with Hispanic roots making less than $50,000 that self identifies as a liberal but strongly supports conservative issues.

People like me are why you can't believe most polls.

My Supreme Prediction

It looks as if the vote to confirm Kavanaugh will be tomorrow. I have been disgusted with the antics exhibited by the Democratic Party, #metoo, and other progressive, left wing groups. Here is my prediction.

Should the Senate not confirm Kavanaugh I predict there will be a massive red wave by conservatives and that Democrats will lose several more seats in the Senate, probably losing control for the next 6 years. It may even be the beginning of another Trump victory. After January, the President will re-nominate Kavanaugh and he will be approved on a fast track.

If the Senate confirms Kavanaugh, there will be screaming from the left and Soros sponsored groups that will lead to another conservative red wave. But if the Democrats accept the results without complaint, they may have a small chance to recover some modicum of respect and a chance to lead as long as they get rid of Pelosi, Schumer, Feinstein, Warren et al and get some young moderates in leadership positions. Perhaps they can start with Keith Ellison who should also be a #metoo target but gets a pass somehow.

I think the left has done serious damage to themselves,especially women's groups. Every mother is now alert to the fact that their sons may be accused and found guilty of sexual assault without any evidence. I plan to post soon on my experience with women working in the male dominated oil industry back in the 70s and 80s. These women were true pioneers and I suspect they never envisioned that their efforts would result in the current crop of vagina hat wearing nasty women.

We Are Losing Our Constitution

The Democrats told you all you should need to know about their agenda when they told you that Kavanaugh  did not deserve any presumption of innocence because the Senate hearings were not a "court of law". This is not going to end well. And I suspect that the Democrats could find themselves hoisted on their own petard because I believe the average American can see through their rhetoric.

Trump and the Columbo Close

I bet most people missed it, but our President got the Kim Jung Un to agree to help find and return the remains of our Korean War dead. He did this by adding on the request as their meeting was breaking up and Kim agreed without thinking. This is a well known negotiating technique known as the Columbo Close. It was made famous in the TV show of the same name when Peter Falk would turn as he walked away and say, "Just one more thing..." which invariably caught the criminal by surprise. Trump used it to perfection to add on the return of our war dead. This is one reason why a businessman can out perform a politician.

News from Across the Pond

Watching BBC and Sky News at the apartment as I can't stomach CNN International and Fox News is a pay channel. The news today is that the UK has instituted a sugar tax to discourage drinking high fructose soft drinks.The nanny state is using regulation to fight obesity. In other news, there were six more stabbings today in London. There have now been more murders in London than in NYC. But at least they weren't shot.

Locally, we chatted with our driver on the ride in from CDG and the topic fell to the topic of immigration and taxes. our driver, who is self employed said he pays 67% in taxes and hates to see his money go towards supporting illegal immigrants. His father immigrated from Portugal but unlike the new generation, they have always worked hard and assimilated into France.

Tillerson Follow Up

It didn't take long. Anyone who has worked in the oil industry, and especially Exxon or Mobil, will not be surprised by the news in the link below. Rex has already started to reorganize his operation and you can tell from the tone of the article (from CBS) that the left is not happy. Do not listen to the warnings coming from the main stream media. They do not understand that it is no longer business as usual. If you read the post on Tillerson below you can see that he gave them fair warning of what he was going to do..

Read about it here.

Thoughts on Tillerson

You don't get to be CEO of a major oil company by being a shrinking violet. I had left the organization before Tillerson took over but I worked for a major oil company for 20 years and I can guess what may soon take place soon at the Department of State. Tillerson rose through an organization that routinely fired the bottom 10% of their staff based on their performance reviews and I expect Tillerson will bring this same results focused business approach to State.

Tillerson's focus as CEO of ExxonMobil was results, schedule and cost. I doubt that that will change. State employees should expect to held responsible for results and should have their resume ready if they do not achieve them. They can also expect to see some changes made. It won't be business as usual.

I point to the following excerpt from Tillerson's speech to State Department Employees with key statements highlighted for emphasis:

"As Secretary, I will deploy the talent and resources of the State Department in the most efficient ways possible. That may entail making some changes to how things are traditionally done in this department. Change for the sake of change can be counterproductive, and that will never be my approach.

But we cannot sustain ineffective traditions over optimal outcomes. I will gather information on what processes should be reformed, and do my part to make sure we are functioning in the most productive and efficient way possible.

Regardless of the circumstances shaping our country or our department, We must all remain focused on the mission at hand before us. I remind you that our undertakings are larger than ourselves or our personal careers."

It is quiet right now at State but I expect you should see sweeping changes soon.