Like 70% of Americans, we are horrified at the prospect of another four years of Bidenomics. Even though Biden is probably the worst candidate for the Democrats other than Kamala Harris, it would be dangerous to the security of the country to have an enfeebled president should he win. The WSJ’s Gerald Baker put it very well yesterday: “Four more years feels like a prison sentence.”
We thought that now would be a good time to review the state of the race based on the latest betting markets.
Democrats and Republicans are nearly tied in the general election, with Democrats pulling slightly ahead in recent days:
There is almost no difference based on who the Democratic nominee is for the general, but on the Republican side gamblers think Trump -- at 44% to win the general if nominated -- would be weaker than all alternatives. The non-Trump candidates are in a range from 56 to 62%. But gamblers also think Trump is a prohibitive favorite to be the nominee.
These are the overall all percentage chances to win as of today from ElectionBettingOdds.com:
2) Today “Mediocrity” in Our Schools Would Be a Vast Improvement
Jeanne Allen, a school choice warrior, reminds us that this week marks the 40th anniversary of the famous national education commission assessment of the state of American public education. The report entitled “A Nation at Risk” could not have been more unambiguous and dire in its blaring siren warning to the nation.
It warned of a “rising tide of mediocrity” in the nation’s public education system and then spelled out the danger to the country if schools continued to non-perform. It’s conclusion could not have been more crystal clear:
“If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war."
None of our politicians listened or acted.
Here we are 40 years later and every national assessment shows school performance is SO much worse. Over that time, per pupil spending has roughly doubled adjusted for inflation. Some of the worst performing districts - Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, etc. - are now spending more than $30,000 per child.
The left’s pathetic solution is more money for the teachers unions. They also think that climate change is a greater threat to the nation than another generation that can’t read or do elementary math.
3) This Kennedy Could Shake Things Up
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced he will run in the presidential primary against Biden.
We certainly don’t agree with most of RFK’s priorities and some of his views are eccentric. But Kennedy is speaking many truths about COVID lockdowns, noting that all of the pandemic protocols prior to Covid, including those of the WHO and CDC, recommended against mass lockdowns.
Kennedy correctly says that “the health issues are almost dwarfed by the economic cataclysm that befell our country... The International Monetary Fund and Harvard study by Larry Summers found that the cost of the lockdown to the United States was $16 trillion—$16 trillion for nothing!”
Kennedy also emphasizes the importance of civil liberties, honest government and freedom of speech. Remember when most Democrats believed in these principles?
“The government/media strategy of censoring dissonant voices is not only antithetical to our most fundamental values, it is counterproductive in that it fuels the flames of polarization, alienation, and anger,” Kennedy said. He pledged to “focus on the values we share instead of the issues that divide us.”
We hope he shares the debate stage with Biden.
4) A Very Early Look at THE Political Map in 2030
The stampede of people moving out of Blue States may slow before the end of the decade, but if it continues apace, this is what the shift in congressional seats in the 2030 Census would look like. Democrats could lose another 10 to 12 seats to red states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee.
5) Biden Green Energy Giveaways Will Cost Twice as Much as Expected
Last year's "Inflation Acceleration Act's" alleged deficit reduction has already completely disappeared, according to the official CBO score of the Republican debt ceiling bill. It would repeal the green energy giveaways -- supersized subsidies for solar, wind, hydrogen, electric vehicles, etc. -- from last year's bill.
The cost of those giveaways has jumped from $271 billion to $570 billion, or about 110%. Oops.
Former Ways and Means economist Don Schneider notes in a recent Tweet: "IRA, as scored by CBO would reduce 10-year deficit by $58 billion or $238 billion including enforcement revenues. With new score, it would've *increased the deficit* by $139 billion, or reduce deficit by $41bn when including tax enforcement."
We wonder if the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget will stop touting their fake deficit reduction victory?
