Tag: taxes

Gavin Newsom approves slavery reparations agency

Gavin Newsom on Friday approved a new state agency to administer restitution for descendants of slaves — a victory for Black lawmakers and advocates despite stopping short of providing cash reparations.

The Democratic governor signed the legislation, SB 518, five years after forming a task force in the wake of George Floyd’s murder to study the legacy of slavery in California and how the state could implement reparations policies — and more than two years after the panel released its extensive recommendations.

Newsom mentioned the bill during a conversation about racism on the podcast “Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay.”

“I signed a bill two days ago with the Black Caucus as it relates to creating a new office to address these systemic issues,” he said during an episode released Friday morning.

Pushing reparations proposals across the finish line has proved challenging — especially as the post-pandemic political climate shifted rightward and the state confronted multibillion-dollar budget deficits. Newsom himself threw cold water on the notion of writing checks to descendants of slaves when he said in 2023, “Dealing with the legacy of slavery is about much more than cash payments.”

Last year, late amendments sought by Newsom, combined with caucus in-fighting, sank the effort to stand up a new reparations agency. The governor later vetoed a bill that would have provided redress for victims of racially-motivated eminent domain, noting the state lacked an agency to administer the program.

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War Secretary Pete Hegseth Vows to Investigate Biden-Era Pentagon Funding for Gruesome Animal Testing Using Aborted Fetal Tissue

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that the Department of War (DOW) will investigate multimillion-dollar grants funded under the Biden administration for horrifying experiments involving the implantation of aborted human fetal tissue into lab animals.

This probe follows a bombshell investigation by the White Coat Waste Project (WCW), shared exclusively with investigative journalist Laura Loomer, which exposed ongoing taxpayer-funded atrocities.

The WCW report, released earlier this week, details how the Pentagon has been pouring millions of dollars into these “Frankenstein-style” experiments, with some grants set to remain active until at least August 2026 unless immediate action is taken.

These practices involve implanting various body parts from aborted human fetuses, such as scalps, fingers, skin, organs, bone marrow, thymus, liver, and intestines, into mice, rats, and even monkeys. The investigation highlights the ethical nightmare of using aborted fetal tissue in animal testing, funded by American taxpayers without their knowledge or consent.

One particularly disturbing example uncovered by WCW involves the creation of “BLT mice,” where researchers implant bone marrow, thymus, and liver from aborted human fetuses into rodents to study human immune responses. In another grotesque procedure, human fetal intestines were grafted directly onto the intestines of live mice. Perhaps the most harrowing detail comes from experiments at the University of Texas, where fingers from 18-week-old aborted fetuses were implanted onto the backs of 5-day-old mice. After four weeks, these implanted fingers were deliberately fractured and left untreated on the animals for an additional two weeks, all in the name of “scientific research.”

The institutions implicated in these Biden-era grants include prestigious universities such as the University of Texas, Wistar Institute, University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), Rutgers University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Wind, Solar Projects Can Stick Taxpayers With The Tab Coming And Going

When it comes to our energy future, it is often true that what many on the left consider an enlightened long-term view is in fact short-sightedness that fails to reflect the full consequences of their actions.  

Such is the case with the liberal media’s fawning over the Republican governor of Wyoming for his embrace of “alternatives,” including a glowing profile last year on CBS’ “60 Minutes” for his advocacy for wind turbines. “Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon pursues green, carbon-negative agenda in one of the nation’s reddest states,” trumpeted the online version of the piece. 

Many Wyoming residents are not on board, including from his own party. The state GOP passed a “no confidence” vote on Gordon in 2023 after his climate-related remarks at Harvard University. And a New York Times story (written in 2021, updated in 2023) on Wyoming’s energy landscape noted that many residents have frequent complaints about turbines taking over hunting land, lights polluting the night sky and energy transmitted out of state. The controversy has dragged on into 2025.  

For Gordon and others, “Wyoming is very windy” seems to be the simplified justification for erecting unsightly wind turbines across the landscape. But what makes a Republican official’s championing of wind or solar concerning is not so much his belief in the (dubious) effectiveness of the energy source as appearing to brush aside the actual cost to taxpayers.  

How many wind and solar farms have sprung up across the U.S.? Estimates show nearly 1,400 utility-scale wind farms and more than 6,700 solar farms. Those farms consist of more than 70,000 individual wind turbines and more than 200 million solar panels, (according to AI calculations based on available information on estimated capacity data and individual panel wattages).  

It’s important to understand the vast array of individual wind and solar components because someday, starting in the not-too-distant future, they will individually wear out. What happens then? 

According to government estimates, many turbines are already nearing end-life status, meaning they will either need “repowered” or decommissioned. “The time to disassemble, demolish, and remove wind turbine components and wind energy project-related infrastructure and conduct restoration activities can be 6–24 months, depending on the size of the turbines and the number of turbines involved in the project,” according to government guidelines.  

For solar installations, the issue is even more pressing. “By 2030, the United States will need to manage around one million tons of solar panel waste,” according to a recycling industry estimate. “This number is expected to grow to 10 million tons by 2050, making the U.S. the second-largest producer of solar panel waste globally. Currently, only about 10% of decommissioned panels are properly recycled, despite containing valuable materials like silver, silicon, and aluminum.” 

Proponents of “alternatives” insist that the costs for decommissioning wind and solar installations are typically assumed by companies through agreements negotiated at the time of construction. That’s small comfort considering that more than 100 solar companies have gone bankrupt in recent years, including residential, community solar projects and utility-scale installations. The year 2024 “saw an uptick in bankruptcy filings in each of these three sub-categories,” according to one industry tracker. 

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Gavin Newsom Handed $53 Million in State Contracts to His Biggest Donors

California has become a case study in how political connections translate directly into profit. 

For Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wealthiest supporters, campaign contributions appear to double as investments—ones that yield lucrative state contracts, taxpayer-funded benefits, and prestigious appointments.

Since Newsom entered office in 2019, records show that California has steered more than $53 million in state contracts to companies owned or managed by his top donors. 

These contracts have covered everything from wildfire prevention and emergency response to public health services. 

The overlap between political contributions and state spending highlights an entrenched culture where those with financial ties to the governor reap disproportionate rewards.

Donors have also secured massive tax breaks and credits. 

California’s climate initiatives, energy projects, and green subsidy programs have disproportionately benefited firms connected to Newsom’s political backers. 

These arrangements not only raise ethical questions but also distort the competitive landscape, favoring politically connected companies over those competing on merit.

The pattern extends beyond financial contracts. 

Newsom’s allies have gained placement in elite academic circles, including appointments to university boards and advisory positions. 

Such appointments provide not only prestige but also influence over education policy and access to state resources. 

For major donors, the returns extend far beyond dollars and cents—they reach into the very institutions that shape California’s future.

The controversy has grown more prominent as Newsom positions himself on the national stage. 

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President Trump Announces Major Deal with Drugmaker AstraZeneca, Including $50 BILLION Investment

President Trump on Friday announced another deal with UK-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to lower drug costs for Americans on Medicaid. 

The drug manufacturer will now sell prescription drugs to patients at Most Favored Nations prices through TrumpRx.gov.

This comes after the President struck a deal with Pfizer to also provide Americans with heavily discounted prescription drugs at most-favored-nation prices.

Trump made the announcement on AstraZeneca in the Oval Office on Friday, where he touted his efforts to lower drug costs during his first term and announced Most Favored Nations pricing from “the largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in the United Kingdom.”

“I had it going very well in my first term, but we were interrupted by rigged elections, so I was unable to carry it forward,” the President noted.

Trump also highlighted AstraZeneca’s plans to build a new plant in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they broke ground on Thursday, investing $50 billion in U.S. manufactuting, he said. “It’s going to have 3,600 jobs just to begin with, and that’s going to be a fantastic plant,” Trump said.

Trump delivered remarks on the new deal and AstraZeneca’s manufacturing plans in America for nearly seven minutes before taking questions from the press. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, CMS Administrator, Mehmet Oz, FDA commissioner Marty McCary, and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin joined the President and delivered remarks.

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National Trust Puts Vegan Tampons in Men’s Toilets

The National Trust is under fire for putting vegan tampons in men’s lavatories, dispensing them from a large box fixed to the wall near the urinals with the message: “Got a period situation going on? We got you.” The Telegraph has more.

The charity is providing the sanitary products in men’s toilets at Sizergh Castle, near Lake Windermere in the Lake District.

A large box fixed to the wall offers free tampons near the urinals, emblazoned with the wording: “Got a period situation going on? We got you”. Nearby is a disposal bin featuring a male icon.

One 79 year-old visitor to the stately home said he was “confused” to find the menstruation paraphernalia.

He said: “Entering the male-only designated toilet, I was confused. Pads and tampons were provided, plus a male disposal bin. There was a female-only toilet nearby, and both male and female facilities [were] clearly marked with a male figure and a female figure… not unisex facilities.

“As a man, I appreciate the prostate bins in the men’s toilet and pads for men, but having gone and used the urinal, I then turned around and I was facing a green bin saying something like: ‘Are you having period problems?’

“And I went outside and put my head outside the door. I wanted to check if I had used the wrong toilet. I was confused and it led to a great deal of discussion with my wife and friends as to why tampons and pads were put into the gents. I think it needs explaining as to what this policy means.”

The tampon box is provided by Dame, which specialises in sustainable period products and claims that nothing used in the making of its products is animal-derived.

The National Trust announced a partnership with the company in September, saying at the time it would allow the trust “to deliver period dignity sensitively, sustainably and with a distinct aesthetic in keeping with our unique spaces”.

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California’s Fast Food Minimum Wage Hike Cost the State 18,000 Jobs. That Shouldn’t Surprise Anyone.

In 2023, California passed a law requiring a $20 per hour minimum wage for all fast-food restaurants with more than 60 locations nationwide. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom portrayed the union-supported law as pro-worker, saying it moved the state “one step closer to fairer wages.”

Other California politicians supporting the law claimed it would provide a path to economic security for lower-income workers, enabling them to more assuredly put food on the table.

“Sacrifice, dedication, and the power of a government who serves its people is what got us to this moment,” said then-Assemblymember Chris Holden (D–Pasadena).

But the carve-out for smaller chains was an implicit acknowledgment that the law would come with costs—costs that smaller businesses with slimmer margins presumably could not afford. New research suggests that the mandate has also resulted in fewer jobs for struggling entry-level workers.

The law went into effect in April 2024 and increased the hourly pay of an estimated half a million workers across the state. But without the law in place, thousands more workers would likely have been employed.

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Report: Illegal Immigrants Collected $7 BILLION in Medicaid Payments

Washington is once again at a standstill, but this shutdown is not about budget math or routine partisan squabbles.

At its core, the fight centers on one question that should be obvious: Should Medicaid, a safety-net program designed for low-income Americans, be stretched to cover illegal immigrants? 

Democrats have answered yes, Republicans no—and the standoff has left taxpayers caught in the middle.

The fight began with the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year. One of its most important provisions closed a Medicaid loophole that allowed states to pass the cost of illegal immigrant health care onto federal taxpayers. 

That reform required states to fund those services themselves instead of exporting the bill nationwide. 

Democrats are now demanding that this provision be undone, and their refusal to compromise has kept the shutdown going.

California illustrates how large the abuse has become. 

In 2023, the state set aside $3.9 billion in Medicaid funds for medical services for illegal immigrants. 

Because the federal government typically reimburses around 70% of Medicaid spending, taxpayers across the country ended up footing most of that bill. 

To squeeze even more money from Washington, California raised provider taxes on hospitals and nursing homes, then cycled the revenue back through inflated Medicaid payments. 

On paper, the state appeared to spend billions more. In reality, it was a budgetary trick designed to capture federal dollars and shift costs to the rest of the country.

New York followed the same playbook, allocating $2.4 billion in 2024 to extend full Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants under 65. 

Illinois expanded coverage to noncitizens over 42. 

The strategy is consistent: inflate Medicaid spending, collect federal reimbursements, and redirect money to people who are not legally eligible. 

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New Complaint Calls for Investigation Into Southern Poverty Law Center’s Tax Exempt Status

Calls to investigate the tax-exempt status of the far-left extremists at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) are increasing with a new complaint filed with federal authorities. The complaint calls for a full review of the organization’s status as a “charitable” organization.  The charitable designation offers significant tax benefits to the organization.

The Federalist reports that the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) submitted a complaint to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Acting Commissioner Scott Bessent, requesting a full review in light of the SPLC’s “hyper-partisan political activity.”

CASA Director James Fitzpatrick told The Federalist, “American taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize an organization that engages in daily attacks on Republicans, compares those who hold mainstream conservative beliefs to the KKK, and who consistently labels conservatives as engaging in ‘hate’ without any reference to any other political parties or ideologies.”

“We believe the American people are entitled to a full investigation into this urgent matter.”

Per The Federalist:

Addressed to Treasury Secretary and Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent, the legal complaint obtained by The Federalist requests that the federal agency launch an investigation into the SPLC over “several serious concerns about [its] compliance with federal law regarding tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) including but not limited to it no longer fulfilling a charitable purpose and its partisan political activity.”

As described by the nonprofit watchdog InfluenceWatch, the SPLC is a “controversial left-of-center advocacy group that claims to be a watchdog of extremist groups.” The organization “has been criticized for its financial practices and for characterizing non-violent conventional conservative organizations as equivalent to violent extremists.”

As further noted by Fitzpatrick in CASA’s complaint to the IRS, the SPLC “liken[s] normal, mainstream, conservative beliefs, to that of the KKK” and labels “political candidates and government officials, only Republicans, on their hate lists or hate watch articles.” The leftist group notably characterized Turning Point USA — the organization founded by the recently assassinated Charlie Kirk — as a “hard right” group that embraces “white nationalist” conspiracies.

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Fitzpatrick went on to note that the SPLC’s status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt “charitable” organization allows it to “raise money or financing while avoiding state and federal income taxes, unemployment taxes, and in some cases property or other state taxes.” This also means that donors’ financial contributions to the group can be tax deductible.

A few months before Charlie Kirk’s political assassination, SPLC’s “Year in Hate and Extremism” report, named Turning Point USA (TPUSA) a “hate group.”

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LA to Vegas high speed train now predicted to cost $21 BILLION, as critics warn final sum will be far higher

The price tag for the much-anticipated high-speed train between Southern California and Las Vegas has soared to $21.5 billion with warnings the number could keep rising. 

The 218-mile railway will take passengers from Las Vegas to Southern California in just two hours, with a Metrolink connecting them to Los Angeles Union Station.

At speeds of up to 200 mph, Brightline West hopes that its project will promote a ‘car-free, care-free lifestyle’.

Earlier this year, Brightline West reported that the railway’s construction would cost $16 billion, double the initially projection. 

But rising costs due to labor shortages, material cost inflation, and competition from other infrastructure projects has driven the cost up even further, according to Desert Sun. 

To make up for the difference, the company has requested a $6 billion federal loan through the US Department of Transportation.

The company issued $2.5 billion in private activity bonds in February, which requires it to secure the necessary loan by November. 

But if they can’t secure it, they may end up paying even more and be forced to repay investors early. 

Initially, the railway was supposed to open in 2027, in time for the Summer Olympics in LA the following year, but the date has been pushed back to 2029. 

Brightline West ceremonially broke ground on the project in April 2024 and preliminary construction has begun. 

The all-electric trains will be built along the Interstate 15 median with new stations in Apple Valley and Hesperia.

The final stop in Rancho Cucamonga, California will connect passengers to LA on a pre-existing Metro line. 

Brightline West claims taking the high-speed rail will be two times faster than the driving time which can take up to five hours. 

They also boast that they will create more than 10,000 job during construction and 800 permanent operations and maintenance jobs.

It’s also environmentally friendly and is projected to save 325,000 metric tons of CO2 each year.

According to their website: ‘Brightline is the only private provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity passenger rail service in America.’

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