Bernie Sanders Runs Out of Billionaires - WSJ Opinion

If Mr. Sanders were to confiscate every asset of every American billionaire— Jeff Bezos’s rockets; Elon Musk’s bitcoin; Larry Ellison’s boats; Oprah Winfrey’s houses; Ted Turner’s ranches; Jay-Z’s car collection; even the starched shirt off the back of poor Larry Fink, who tied for last place on the Forbes list, at $1 billion—it still wouldn’t cover the cost of Democrats’ next two legislative plans.

Emphasis added.

Bernie’s shtick is always “us versus them.” The reality is that there aren’t enough of “them,” which is why the tax man will be coming back sooner rather than later for the rest of “us.”

Last U.S. Troops Leave Afghanistan After Nearly 20 Years - WSJ

Despite assurances to the contrary by Mr. Biden and other top administration officials, Americans and Afghan allies were left behind, though the State Department couldn’t provide precise figures.

St. Joseph trophy for recognizing good work at school.

Krispy Kreme Focuses on Reducing Debt, Delivering Fresher Doughnuts - WSJ

Before those acquisitions, the Krispy Kreme doughnuts sold at grocery and convenience stores were often between four and seven days old

And boy did it show! They were shiny and gross.

🍩

You Are Living in the Golden Age of Stupidity - WSJ Opinion

The slow-motion zombies’ assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6 was a fittingly stupid finale to the Trump years, which offered dueling stupidities: Buy one, get one free. The political parties became locked in a four-year drama of hysteria and mutually demeaning abuse. Every buffoonery of the president and his people was answered by an idiocy from the other side, which in its own style was just as sinister and just as clownish. Cable news provided the Greek chorus. American government and politics became cartoons. The Democrats, all unknowing, played Wile E. Coyote to Mr. Trump’s Road Runner. Twice, the Democrats’ Acme Impeachment Committee rigged up the big bomb (heh heh), lit the fuse and held its ears. Both times, the Road Runner sped away. Beep beep!

A perfect encapsulation.

Good on the President and his senior leaders for making the trip to Dover to recieve home the remains of the troops we lost last week.

May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.

🇺🇸

North Korea Appears to Have Restarted Yongbyon Nuclear Reactor - WSJ

“This report underscores the urgent need for dialogue and diplomacy so we can achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” the official said.

30 years of dialogue and diplomacy landed us here. Let’s try something new.

Op-Ed: I Have To Write This Quickly As The Taliban Is Breaking Into My Building But Biden Is Doing A Great Job - The Babylon Bee

Now, it might be hard to see the larger picture over the shouting and gunfire just below me, but this operation has gone about as well as it possibly could have. And what has gone wrong, such as the Taliban now entering my floor, just emphasizes why we needed to leave.

Biden: ‘We Are Not Negotiating With Terrorists, We’re Just Giving The Taliban Whatever They Ask For’ - The Babylon Bee

The Taliban guy - who by the way, was a lot friendlier than some of you so-called journalists - asked if we could leave on August 31st because that’s his birthday. His birthday, ok?

I’m glad it’s not just for me, but UPS Ground’s new strategy of letting a box sit at the destination facility for an entire day (3 if it arrives on a Friday morning) before delivery is way not cool.

📦

White House More Than Doubles Its Inflation Forecast in New Update - WSJ

The Office of Management and Budget said it expects consumer prices will rise 4.8% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, up sharply from the 2% rise that the Biden administration forecast in May.

Merry Christmas, y’all!

Funny definition of “transitory,” tho.

Officials also dialed back their projections for budget deficits this year, projecting an annual shortfall of $3.1 trillion, down from $3.7 trillion forecast in May, as strong economic growth this year bolstered federal revenues.

Way to go! It’s hard to run an entire country on a measly $3.6T of revenue. We only overspent our income by 86%.

It’s kind of like when you only make $65,000, but to run your household you have to spend $120,900 a year.

Adulting, ya know?

Texas House Passes Voting Bill - WSJ

The bill limits early voting hours to between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

VOTER SUPPRESSION!!!!!!!

Hat tip to the product team at Coke for their improvements to the taste of Coke Zero!

🥤

Business Groups Withdraw Suit Challenging Health-Price Transparency Rule - WSJ

“I asked the Chamber, why would a self-funded employer not want transparency in healthcare pricing?” she said.

Because local competitors will simply raise their prices to match the highest prices in their market. What incentive do they have to offer a discount?

It’s the same effect that tariffs drive. Domestic manufacturers raise their prices to just below the new foreign producer cost.

U.S. Household Income Jumped in July as Spending Slowed - WSJ

The checks could boost Americans’ spirits at a time when consumer sentiment surveys show concerns have risen about the Delta variant, Mr. Brusuelas said, and as inflation rises.

Totally misses the point. Inflation is rising because of the stimulus checks. Too much money chasing too few products.

Notice to Developers: You Could Be Entitled to Between a $250 and $30,000 Payment From Apple - MacRumors

As part of the settlement, some U.S. developers would be entitled to receive a payment from Apple, so long as they meet certain requirements.

Wow! I’ve never seen a class action settlement that so heavily favors the class members. Normally the lawyers get all of the benefit.

Essentially, Apple is retroactively reducing commissions from 30% to 15% for those who made less than $10,000. Slightly less advantageous for folks over that mark.

The New Employer Benefit: Matching Emergency Savings - WSJ

Recently, Ms. Dillon amassed enough in her emergency account to purchase a computer.

Not an emergency.

Americans At Mercy Of Taliban Just Glad We Don’t Have A President Who Posts Mean Tweets Anymore - The Babylon Bee

“I’m just glad we have a real leader in the White House now, who doesn’t say mean things on Twitter,” said one man sheltering in a house in hopes that the Taliban doesn’t murder him.

Biden Says U.S. Will Respond to Kabul Attacks; ‘We Will Hunt You Down’ - WSJ

The White House has been frustrated by criticism of the withdrawal and has been emphasizing the scope of the airlift mission in Kabul.

The problem is that the Administration put itself into the position where all of this was necessary.

If a baseball team is losing 0-10 going into the 9th Inning, it’s no great cause for celebration that they score 11 runs in the inning and win. They had to do it, there was no other choice.

The Kabul Airport Massacre - WSJ Opinion

Mr. Biden is telling Americans that Afghanistan won’t again become a terror haven, but it already is.

Unnatural pauses, rambling, looks of confusion, and rhetorical meandering.

The physical embodiment of this entire disaster.

This was not the speech for the moment.

Amortization tables are fun to play with.

Kabul Airport Explosions Kill Four U.S. Troops, at Least 13 Afghans - WSJ

Thursday’s bombings were the first major security incidents since the Taliban took power in Kabul and began dismantling the blast barriers and other security installations that had been erected to thwart insurgent attacks during the two decades of American military presence.

It’s been 10 days since the Taliban took Kabul.

In a tweet condemning Thursday’s attacks, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid pointed out that they “took place in an area where U.S. forces are responsible for security.”

These are the first in-country combat deaths since February 2020.