Washington
Left-wing Washington Post slams Harris’ price-gouging crackdown plan: ‘Squandered the moment’
Even the Washington Post isn’t buying Vice President Kamala Harris’ plan to slap socialist price controls on groceries.
The longtime, left-leaning broadsheet — owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos — published a scathing editorial ripping the Democratic presidential nominee for claiming price gouging is causing inflation and, rather than offer a legit plan to fix it, offering only “populist gimmicks.”
With food prices surging more than 20% nationwide during the Biden-Harris administration, Harris, during a North Carolina rally earlier Friday, unveiled economic policies she’d enact during her first 100 days as president that include enforcing government price controls on groceries.
Instead of “level[ing] with voters” and saying “inflation spiked in 2021 mainly because the pandemic snarled supply chains, and that the Federal Reserve’s policies, which the Biden-Harris administration supported, are working to slow it,” the veep “opted for a less forthright route: Blaming big business,” the newspaper wrote.
Bezos, a supporter for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, purchased the newspaper in 2013, but he began taking a more active role in its operations in the past year.
The billionaire’s powerhouse portfolio — which includes e-commerce king Amazon and the Whole Food Market chain — would likely be impacted by Harris’ Commie-friendly policy ideas like having the Federal Trade Commission enforce a federal ban on price gouging that includes dishing out hefty penalties to companies that set exorbitantly high prices.
“Ms. Harris says she’ll target companies that make ‘excessive’ profits, whatever that means,” the editorial board barked.
However, it slammed her idea to dole out $25,000 to help first-time homeowners with their down payments, saying it “risks putting upward pressure on prices.”
“Thankfully, this gambit by Ms. Harris has been met with almost instant skepticism, with many critics citing President Richard M. Nixon’s failed price controls from the 1970s. Whether the Harris proposal wins over voters remains to be seen, but if sound economic analysis still matters, it won’t.”
The editorial board had a warmer opinion of Harris’ housing plan, saying it is “built on a slightly firmer foundation” and called her tax incentives “clever.”
“Such a measure might make sense if Ms. Harris paid for it by eliminating other demand-side housing subsidies, such as the mortgage interest deduction, a roughly $30 billion annual drain on federal revenue that benefits many wealthy Americans — but she does not,” the newspaper wrote.
It also said Harris’ “firmest ground” was her proposal to increase the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $3,600, among other tax breaks.
The Harris campaign did not immediately return messages.
Washington
San Antonio at Washington, Final Score: Spurs complete season sweep of Wizards, 124-113
Facing the worst team in the league for the 2nd time in 3 games, the San Antonio Spurs came into this one looking for their 10th road win this year and their first 6 game winstreak since March of 2019. A sluggish start to the game saw them trailing after the 1st quarter, but an 18-4 run to start the 2nd put the game firmly in San Antonio’s hand, eventually outscoring Washington 43-21 in the period and securing a 20 point lead going into halftime. Washington was able to hang around all throughout the 3rd quarter though and even managed to cut the deficit to single digits a few times in the 4th, but solid defense and a dominant performance from Luke Kornet throughout the period saved the day for San Antonio. Seven players finished in double figures, while three also had double-doubles in the win. Washington meanwhile had five players finish in double figures, led by Bub Carrington’s 21 points.
The Spurs (21-7) are back in action Tuesday night in San Antonio at 7:30 CT for the first of two rematches this week with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Washington
Storm debris cleanup in Lake Washington to last weeks amid flood aftermath
SEATTLE — The recent floods in Western Washington have left a trail of destruction, with swollen rivers depositing debris into Lake Washington, and over the weekend, the Mercer Island Police Department’s Marine Patrol Unit actively engaged in storm clean-up efforts, focusing on removing trees and logs that pose navigation hazards.
SEE ALSO | Atmospheric river impact: why landslide risks linger long after the rain stops
The operation is expected to continue for several weeks as river levels gradually recede, city officials said.
Three atmospheric rivers slammed the region in the span of a week, leading to widespread flooding and damage to the state’s infrastructure.
Boaters on Lake Washington are urged to exercise extreme caution due to the hundreds of trees and logs floating in the water, the city of Mercer Island announced.
The Mercer Island police marine patrol is prioritizing the removal of free-floating debris that presents the greatest public risk, the department said Friday.
RELATED | King County identifies specific ‘levees of concern’ from floodwaters
Once these hazards are addressed, efforts will shift to clearing hazardous logs along public shorelines.
Residents and boaters who encounter free-floating logs or trees are encouraged to report them by calling the non-emergency line at 425-577-5656 or leaving a message at 206-275-7909.
Access to the Mercer Island Boat Launch may be restricted as Public Works staff process and chip the recovered debris.
For logs accumulated against private docks or shorelines, residents are advised to contact private towing or landscaping services, as city resources are currently focused on ensuring public navigation safety, the city said.
Washington
Bucks park goes beyond ‘Washington crossing’ to showcase Revolutionary history
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Thousands of people will gather in Bucks County next week to watch a reenactment of an event that shaped the course of United States’ history exactly 249 years ago.
Interpreters will bring to life the scene on Christmas Day 1776, when Gen. George Washington led some 2,400 troops through the icy waters of the Delaware River to reach New Jersey and fight back the British and Hessian soldiers in the Battle of Trenton.
For 73 years, Washington Crossing Historic Park has played host to the reenactment. Every December it transforms the commemoration of national history into a source of local pride and community, said Jennifer Martin, executive director of Friends of Washington Crossing Park.
“I’ve spent so many Christmases with our community talking about the years of tradition that they have rooted within the park, people that have come here as children, people that are now bringing their children or grandchildren,” said Martin, who has worked with the organization for 12 years. “I think there’s just something so special about the idea that, on Christmas Day — which is, of course, such an important and significant day … individuals are not only making that time for their family, but they’re coming together as a community to create new memories together.”
As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches next year, the historic site is preparing a wide range of special events and programming, Martin said.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, thinking about our nation’s founding,” she said. “We’re really focusing on opportunities to welcome our community in a way that really connects them to the history.”
From April through December, living history presentations at the site will play a key part in bringing the events of the revolution to life for local, national and international visitors, Martin said.
The free programs include reenactors from On the Army’s Strength, a civilian-based group that highlights the role of the women who followed the Continental Army and contributed a range of domestic labor tasks, from doing laundry and cooking to mending uniforms and clothes.
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