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Monday, July 31, 2023

California, New York Lose Most in Tax Revenue as Residents Flee for Conservative States

Daily Mail: California and New York have lost a combined $640m in tax revenue due to people moving out-of-state, as conservative Florida and Texas see boosts of $23 billion after an influx of movers. The two states currently top the table with the largest net negative tax income migration, with The Golden State taking the top spot. In total, California has seen $343 million leave the state, while New York is just under $300 million (Daily Mail). National Review: 319,000 Americans moved to the Sunshine State last year, for the largest in-migration of any state, per the National Association of Realtors. As such, the state has experienced a $12.4 billion increase in tax revenue — the largest income from in-migration (National Review).

Hunter Biden’s Laptop Filled with Business Contracts

New York Post: Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop is filled with contracts and agreements between him and foreign business partners that could shine new light on his business dealings, and potentially implicate his father. Hundreds of documents are littered among the tens of thousands of emails contained on the laptop — but the files were not downloaded onto the device, and investigators cannot open most of them. During his father’s vice presidency and after, Hunter Biden and his family made millions of dollars from foreign sources trading on the family name, according to whistleblowers and bank records unearthed by the House Oversight Committee. Through much of the wheeling and dealing — Hunter Biden was a crack addict and alcoholic (New York Post). Townhall: There’s also details about the Burisma business ties, as well as mention of Hunter’s former best friend, Devon Archer, who is to testify before the House Oversight Committee, and who is particularly of interest since he would have those files that investigators cannot retrieve (Townhall).

Oakland NAACP Chapter Calls for State of Emergency Due to Crime, Understaffed Police Departments

NBC: In response to growing crime concerns in the city of Oakland, the NAACP and religious leaders are calling on the city to issue a state of emergency. “We need to do something now to curtail, I think World War III happening in the city of Oakland,” said Bob Jackson, bishop at the Acts Full Gospel Church and part of the NAACP. As crime continues to cover Oakland, the NAACP and Jackson are calling for a state of emergency. Jackson believes the move is necessary to address violence he says is the worst he’s seen in 77 years in the city. In an open letter the group is asking for state, county and city resources to address an understaffed police department including help from other law enforcement to address crime they feel local leaders aren’t taking seriously enough (NBC).Reporter Dan Noyes: Oakland NAACP editorial today: “Failed leadership, including … our District Attorney’s unwillingness to charge and prosecute people who murder and commit life threatening serious crimes, and the proliferation of anti-police rhetoric have created a heyday for Oakland criminals” (Twitter).

New Michigan Hate Crime Legislation Charges Felonies, Fines of $10,000 for Misgendering People

Washington Examiner: Michigan’s Democratic-controlled legislature is advancing new hate crime legislation billed as needed protections for LGBT Michiganders, but opponents are warning the stiffer penalties could lock up citizens for using non-preferred pronouns. The Michigan House recently passed a package of bills seeking to amend the Great Lake State’s hate crime laws to include “gender identity or expression” and allows for prosecution of perceived “intimidation.” Many state House Republicans told the Washington Examiner the bill, if enacted, could see their constituents put in prison for “misgendering” a person who identifies as transgender. They railed against the legislation as an attempt by Democrats to “persecute their political opposition.” Under the legislation, the perception of hate can be enforceable “regardless of the existence of any other motivating factors” (Washington Examiner). Townhall: According to bill HB 4474, offenders are “guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than $10,000.” The bill states, “gender identity or expression” means having or being perceived as having a gender-related self-identity or expression whether or not associated with an individual’s assigned sex at birth (Townhall).

Biden Imposes Higher Fuel Economy Standards on Automakers

National Review: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed stricter fuel economy standards Friday to hasten the transition to electric vehicles. Automakers will be required to improve the average mileage of passenger cars sold between 2027 and 2032 by 2 percent, and the average mileage of light trucks by 4 percent. In order to achieve the average fuel economy of 58 miles per gallon by 2032, roughly two-thirds of the new cars automakers sell by 2032 would have to be electric (National Review). Associated Press: Currently the fleet of new vehicles must average 36.75 mpg by 2026 under corporate average fuel economy standards adopted by the administration of President Joe Biden, who reversed a rollback made by former President Donald Trump (Associated Press).

Overwhelming Majority of Americans Label the Economy as “Bad”

CBS: Never mind the macro stats for the U.S. economy — Americans are hot, and very much still bothered by high prices, with recent reports about GDP growth, stock gains and a strong labor market apparently providing cold comfort. At least so far. Instead, most describe the economy as “uncertain,” along with calling it bad, and “struggling” but not improved. Prices are the No. 1 reason people give when asked why they call the economy bad and the top reason given when they describe their personal financial situation as bad (CBS). RNC Research: CBS POLL: Two-thirds of Americans describe the economy as ‘bad,’ while 70% say their paychecks aren’t keeping up with rising prices (Twitter).

Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) Claims to Disavow Gender Surgery, Yet Vetoed a Bill Protecting Minors from the Surgery

Washington Examiner: Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) launched a counterattack against the Republican narrative that he is a backer of gender reassignment surgery for minors in a recent ad. “My position on this has always been clear,” Beshear said. “I have never supported gender reassignment surgery for minors, and they don’t happen in Kentucky.” Beshear cites his Christian faith and support for parental rights, a stance often rejected by his Democratic Party, to rebuke Republican criticisms backed by his opponent — Republican gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron (Washington Examiner). Daily Wire: Beshear, who is up for election in November, said that he does not support transgender surgeries for kids, but the Democrat has voiced support for other life-altering transgender procedures like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. In March, Beshear vetoed a bill that banned puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex change surgeries like performing double mastectomies on girls who say they are boys. The bill also allowed teachers to not be compelled to use students’ so-called preferred pronouns and prohibits the teaching of gender ideology at schools. The bill later became law after Republicans in the House voted 76-23 and 29-8 in the Senate to override the veto (Daily Wire).

Former ESPN Journalist Fired for Not Getting Vaccinated Testifies Before Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic

Outkick: Former ESPN reporter Allison Williams shared a powerful account of her former employer’s strict COVID vaccine restrictions that led to her losing her job. Williams nearly lost everything when the network decided to cut ties over her vaccine reluctance. On Thursday, Williams took another tall stance against ESPN after they silenced and fired her in 2021. The network was guilty of abusing its authority, Williams said before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Thursday, She shared her emotional account of ESPN’s overreach and blind allegiance to the COVID vaccine. ESPN demonized the unvaxxed, which included a pregnant Williams at the time of the mandates. Now working for Fox Sports, Williams continues to share the ridiculous circumstances that ESPN fabricated to ostracize her over her vaccine opinion. Allison noted that doctors’ helped her decide to forgo the vaccine; ESPN refused to accept the fact (Outkick). Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic: ESPN, Disney fired sports reporter Allison Williams for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine while undergoing fertility treatment. Today, she told us her heartbreaking story (Twitter).

Unlicensed Chinese Biolab Containing 20+ Infectious Diseases Found to Be Operating in California

NBC: Local and federal authorities spent months investigating a warehouse in Fresno County, California, that they suspect was home to an illegal, unlicensed laboratory full of lab mice, medical waste and hazardous materials. The Fresno County Public Health Department has been “evaluating and assessing the activities of an unlicensed laboratory” in Reedley, the health department’s assistant director, Joe Prado, said in a statement Thursday. All of the biological agents were destroyed by July 7 following a legal abatement process by the agency (NBC). Charlie Kirk: Nothing to see here… Just an illegal Chinese biolab hidden inside a nondescript warehouse in California. Authorities found: 20+ “infectious agents” including including coronavirus, HIV, hepatitis, and herpes. 1000s of vials of unlabeled fluids of suspected biological material 773 infected mice that were euthanized, another 175 were found already dead. How many more illegal biolabs are currently operating in the US from China and God knows where else? Why are these people allowed to get into the US in the first place (Twitter)?

10.

Italy Looks to Leave China’s “Belt and Road Initiative”

Reuters: Italy made an “improvised and atrocious” decision when it joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) four years ago as it did little to boost exports, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in an interview published on Sunday. Italy signed up to the BRI under a previous government, becoming the only major Western country to have taken such a step. Crosetto is part of an administration that is considering how to break free of the agreement. The BRI scheme envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with large infrastructure spending. Critics see it as a tool for China to spread its geopolitical and economic influence (Reuters). Telegraph: Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, says her government has until December to make the decision and that she will visit China soon, in what may prove to be a tense diplomatic encounter (Telegraph).