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Every once in a while there are just a bunch of things I want to share - that would be today. Right now… Six items of interest…
Equity grading in the San Francisco School District: Completely Stupid.
I wrote [ [link removed] ] about this program a few weeks ago, but if you really want to understand how outrageous it was, read this column [ [link removed] ] by my longtime friend Lance Izumi and scholar at the Pacific Research Institute, exposes the San Francisco school district’s disastrous equity grading scheme in this Fox News piece. As a conservative, I’m appalled by this secretive plan to inflate grades while undermining academic rigor. By devaluing homework, tests, and deadlines, the policy rewards minimal effort, leaving students unprepared for real-world challenges. Izumi rightly highlights the district’s sneaky attempt to bypass parents and the school board, burying the plan in obscure documents with zero transparency. This arrogant move erodes trust and democratic accountability. The backlash from parents, lawmakers, and even San Francisco’s Democratic mayor forced a pause, but the damage is clear: equity grading dumbs down education and betrays students. Izumi’s call for transparency and parental influence is spot-on—policymaking must prioritize accountability, not bureaucratic overreach. This is a wake-up call for schools nationwide.
USDOJ Weights In on Surf City Challenge to CA Sanctuary City Mandate
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a statement of interest [ [link removed] ] supporting Huntington Beach’s constitutional challenge to California’s sanctuary law. This federal backing represents a significant shift in the legal landscape surrounding state versus federal immigration enforcement authority.
The DOJ’s position centers on the argument that California’s law violates the Supremacy Clause by preventing local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Huntington Beach contends the state law hampers their ability to maintain public safety and fulfill law enforcement obligations. This case could establish important precedent regarding the extent to which states can limit local government cooperation with federal agencies.
The legal outcome will likely influence how other jurisdictions navigate the tension between state sanctuary policies and federal immigration enforcement priorities. Worth watching as this develops through the courts.
Bay Area Transit = Clusterfuckistan
Here’s a telling case study in government accountability: Bay Area transit systems are requesting billions more in taxpayer funding while their ridership has plummeted and payrolls have soared. BART, for example, saw ridership drop 57% between 2019 and 2024, yet increased staffing and boosted employee payments by 32% to an average of $171,000 per worker.
I have written on this here [ [link removed] ].
The numbers reveal a fundamental disconnect between performance and compensation in public transit. While private businesses faced layoffs and cost-cutting during the pandemic, these transit agencies expanded their workforce despite serving far fewer passengers. Now they’re asking voters to approve new sales taxes while demonstrating poor productivity metrics.
This highlights a broader issue with public sector accountability. Before taxpayers fund another bailout, these agencies should demonstrate they can operate efficiently and prioritize rider service over administrative bloat. Read more about this here [ [link removed] ].
Federal Entitlement Programs Going Bust Even Sooner - Does Anyone In Washington Care?
Iceberg, dead ahead! The latest Social Security and Medicare trustees report reveals both programs will exhaust their trust funds by 2033 [ [link removed] ] - three years sooner than previously projected for Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Fund. The trust fund for Social Security retirement is set to go bust in 2033, while Medicare will run short of funds to pay full benefits the same year.
This accelerated timeline exposes decades of political avoidance on entitlement reform. Social Security faces a shortfall of 3.82 percent of taxable payroll over 75 years, yet both parties continue kicking the can down the road. The mathematics are unforgiving - without structural changes, automatic benefit cuts will hit when the trust funds are depleted.
The warning signs have been visible for years, but like the Titanic’s crew, policymakers seem determined to maintain course and speed toward fiscal disaster.
Dems in disarray
Oh yes, the Democratic National Committee is on life support. Chris Cillizza lays it out in his entertaining style… If you want to read more about it, oh that’s available right here [ [link removed] ].
Wacky Left Wing Governance Shines Through In Study Showing SF and Oakland are Nationally Recognized - For Being Poorly Run
A new WalletHub study [ [link removed] ] confirms what many already suspected: San Francisco ranks dead last (#148) as America’s worst-run city, with Oakland trailing just behind at #146. What do these Bay Area disasters have in common? Decades of progressive governance that prioritizes ideology over results. San Francisco leads the nation in long-term debt per capita and has the worst high school graduation rate, while Oakland suffers the highest violent crime rate. Meanwhile, conservative-leaning Huntington Beach ranked #34 and topped the list for quality of city services. The pattern is clear: wacky left-wing policies produce predictably disastrous outcomes.
Yes, I prepared this update whilst on the NCL Cruise Ship Viva! We’re currently in port at Istanbul, Turkey. I have been putting trip updates on my Facebook page. Catch you later!
Jon
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