It’s Christmas time. That means it’s time to tear down the institution. I’ll give you another example.

Israel scores another win against Iran.

And Ukraine strikes against Russia three days after Biden allows Ukraine to shoot missiles at them. Are we on the brink of World War III? Sweden and Finland think so. Let’s talk about it.

Here We Go

According to the New York Post:

When you choose to deck the halls says a lot about you, according to experts.

Christmas Day is more than a month away, but people, including celebrities, are already starting to get into the holiday spirit.

Decorating early is for a specific kind of person, whether you just reached for the tinsel and lights or put the full tree up.

Psychologist Carmen Harra told the Daily Mail that putting up your decorations early can reveal “concealed emotions and subconscious behavioral tendencies” — including narcissism.

“Narcissists derive a sense of high satisfaction from being the center of attention, from being praised and applauded,” Harra explained. “It makes sense, then, that these character traits can easily be fulfilled by turning one’s house into a winter wonderland for the entire neighborhood to admire.”

She said that on top of giving some a chance “to show off,” it also may give people the opportunity to portray a “picture-perfect family.”

“Fights and rifts are common in all clans, but some people feel the need to cover up the truth of what goes on inside their households with lights and tinsel in November,” Harra said.

She added that decorating early might be a mechanism for some people to “fill a void” to feel happiness when they otherwise wouldn’t.

Harra previously noted that those who hang decorations before November might have trouble “living in the moment” — but it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“If you’re one of the few people who has had their lights in place since October, then you like to be the first to do things,” Harra previously told the Daily Mail. “You enjoy planning and executing well ahead of schedule. You also correctly anticipate the holiday rush and wish to avoid it.”

Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist, shared with the outlet that decorating early can also stir up positive emotions, such as nostalgia, so sentimental people might like to decorate sooner rather than later.

“For many people, Christmas was a magical time during childhood that is filled with happy memories,” Morin said. “So it makes sense people often want to decorate early because the sooner they get out those decorations, the sooner they can experience a little bit of that magic again.”

She explained that people may feel that the earlier they decorate, the longer the season lasts, giving them more time to live in the happy memories and seek “a much-needed escape from the stress of day-to-day life.”

“We feel better when we anticipate something good and putting up decorations early can remind people that the holidays are coming up soon,” Morin said.

The “anticipation of joy” theory might also contribute to decorating early, Professor Erlanger A. Turner, clinical psychologist at Pepperdine University, said.

“By decorating early, people can prolong the sense of excitement and happiness associated with the holiday season,” he told the Daily Mail. “As people begin to mentally prepare for enjoyable experiences, such as Christmas decorations and celebrations, anticipation of joy helps to boost their mood and well-being.”

https://nypost.com/2024/11/18/lifestyle/cant-wait-to-put-up-your-christmas-tree-you-might-be-a-narcissist/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=social

Why Did It Take A Month?

According to the Daily Wire:

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly destroyed a top-secret nuclear weapons research facility late last month where Iran was actively conducting research for its illicit and undeclared nuclear weapons program.

Israel hit the facility in Parchin during retaliatory strikes against the Islamic regime after it launched more than 180 ballistic missiles into Israel early last month.

Multiple U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios that the strike against the facility “significantly damaged Iran’s effort over the past year to resume nuclear weapons research,” the report said.

The site where the nuclear weapons research was happening was the Taleghan 2 facility in the Parchin military complex, the report said.

The strike destroyed advanced equipment that is needed to design sophisticated explosive materials that are required to detonate a nuclear device.

Satellite imagery shows that the facility, which was a previously declared nuclear weapons facility decades ago, was completely destroyed in the strike.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-destroyed-top-secret-nuclear-weapons-research-facility-in-iran
https://www.axios.com/2024/11/15/iran-israel-destroyed-active-nuclear-weapons-research-facility

They Are Taking This Seriously

According to the New York Post:

Sweden and Finland have all begun warning their residents to prepare for the possibility of war as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine rages on.

Stockholm on Monday published its latest version of “In Case of Crisis or War,” a pamphlet instructing civilians on how to prepare for, and ride out, a national crisis that was last sent out in 2018.

The pamphlet, which has been issued five times since World War II, is now twice as long at 32 pages and focuses on war preparations as the Swedish government warns of the worsening situation in Ukraine.

“The security situation is serious and we all need to strengthen our resilience to face various crises and ultimately war,” said Mikael Frisell, director of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency.

An estimated 5.2 million copies of the pamphlet are set to be delivered to Swedish households in the next two weeks, with the text available in multiple languages online.

The text calls on citizens to be ready with a stockpile of food and emergency supplies, including baby food, medicine and hygiene products.

The Swedish campaign comes as neighboring Finland has also published its own online crisis prep brochure, detailing how the Finnish government would react in case of war.

Helsinki warned that as of the last government survey in September, only 58% of Finns have adequate emergency supplies at home to ride out a crisis.

The warnings come after Norway published its own physical pamphlets earlier this year on how to manage by themselves for a week in the event of a national crisis, including war.

https://nypost.com/2024/11/18/world-news/sweden-finland-warns-residents-to-be-ready-for-war/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nypost
https://nypost.com/2024/11/17/us-news/donald-trump-jr-claims-biden-administration-is-trying-to-start-world-war-3-ahead-of-trumps-presidency/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_source=twitter

A Good Start

According to the Post Millennial:

Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday to “restart communications.”

Here’s what they had to say during their show yesterday:

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

pic.twitter.com/yLoMnz8L0e

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) November 18, 2024

Democrats are shaming each other for interviewing Trump. Sunny Hostin is arguing journalists shouldn’t talk to the president – especially Morning Joe and Mika.

pic.twitter.com/o0KUTQtYv3

— @amuse (@amuse) November 18, 2024

https://thepostmillennial.com/morning-joe-hosts-meet-with-trump-at-mar-a-lago-claim-its-time-to-restart-communications-with-leader-they-compared-to-hitler
https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-reveals-what-was-discussed-in-meeting-with-scarborough-brzezinski?topStoryPosition=1

Taking Away the Fun

According to the New York Post:

Dance Dance … retribution?

The “NFL on CBS” X account edited out tight end Brock Bowers’ Trump-shuffle touchdown celebration Sunday, OutKick reports.

On the televised game broadcast, fans saw the score, then Bowers’ celebration, then Raiders owner Mark Davis rejoicing in his box. 

Bowers’ end zone moves were skipped over on NFL on CBS’s X post, though, with the video cutting directly from the touchdown to Davis in his suite at Hard Rock Stadium.

While it’s not clear if the editing choice was made deliberately or inadvertently, the decision is controversial in light of a snafu that occurred in the locker room following the game — a 34-19 loss to Miami that dropped the Raiders to 2-8.

When USA Today’s Safid Deen asked the 21-year-old about his dance moves, Bowers responded, “I’ve seen everyone do it … I watched the UFC fight last night and Jon Jones did it. I like watching UFC so I saw it, and thought it was cool.”

https://nypost.com/2024/11/18/sports/cbs-seemingly-removed-brock-bowers-donald-trump-dance-after-raiders-touchdown/?utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
https://thepostmillennial.com/trump-dance-takes-the-nfl-by-storm-as-players-celebrate-their-wins

Let’s talk about morality and where we should get it. This is important when it comes to evaluating Donald Trump’s candidates.

Democrats aren’t even trying to hide they are trying to steal elections.

And is Joe Biden trying to get the United States involved in a world war before he leaves office? Let’s talk about it.

They Don’t Even Hide It

According to Fox News:

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., took aim at Sen. Bob Casey over the Pennsylvania Democrat’s refusal to concede the election, arguing that the Senate could refuse to seat him if he continues to rely on “illegal votes.”

“If Bob Casey doesn’t concede, Pennsylvania keeps counting illegal votes, & Casey relies on those votes to claim victory, the Senate could refuse to seat him,” Lee said in a post on X Saturday while citing Article I, Sec. 5, Cl. 1, which states that each “House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members.”

The comment comes as Pennsylvania’s Senate race will be decided by a recount after Republican Sen.-elect Dave McCormick won the election by roughly 26,000 votes, or within the one percentage point margin that triggers an automatic recount under Pennsylvania law.

Casey has refused to concede the election despite the contest being called by multiple outlets, instead insisting that a winner be declared after all votes are counted.

But questions remain about the votes Casey is trying to count after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that ballots that lack required signatures and dates are not allowed to be included in official results, a ruling that is being ignored by Democratic officials in Philadelphia and surrounding Bucks and Montgomery counties.

“I think we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country,” Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, said last week. “People violate laws anytime they want. So, for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention. There’s nothing more important than counting votes.”

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley has condemned Democrats in Pennsylvania, accusing the party of attempting to “steal” the election from McCormick.

“Let’s be clear about what’s happening here: Democrats in Pennsylvania are brazenly trying to break the law by attempting to count illegal ballots. They are doing this because they want to steal a senate seat,” he said on X.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lee-threatens-not-seat-casey-senate-he-continues-refusal-concede

Trying to F- Up Everything Before He’s Done

According to CNN:

President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use powerful long-range American weapons inside Russia, according to two US officials familiar with the decision, as North Korean troops deploy in support of Moscow’s effort.

The decision comes as Moscow has deployed nearly 50,000 troops to Kursk, the southern Russian region where Kyiv launched its surprise counteroffensive in the summer, to prepare to take back territory.

The weapons are intended to be used primarily in Kursk for now, a US official said. With its huge troop amassment there, Russia is trying to take Kursk off the table as a potential bargaining chip for the Ukrainians in any future peace talks, something that the US does not want to see. The idea is to help Ukraine hold on to Kursk for as long as possible, the official said.

Thousands of North Korean troops have deployed to Kursk as part of Russia’s offensive, sparking concern from Biden and his advisers that their entry could lead to a dangerous new phase in the war.

The decision to allow the use of the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, inside Russia had been under consideration for months. American officials had been divided on the wisdom of allowing the new capability. Some had concerns about escalating the war, while others worried about dwindling stockpiles of the weapons.

The US refused to even provide ATACMS to Ukraine for the first two years of the war, in part because of readiness concerns as the powerful missiles require time and complex components to produce. But Biden secretly approved the transfer of the long-range ATACMS missiles in February for use inside Ukrainian territory, and the US delivered the missiles in April.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky had been pressing Washington to allow use of the weapons inside Russia, too, arguing he needed the capability to gain momentum in his war effort.

What a Shock

According to Fox News:

The Pentagon failed its seventh consecutive audit on Friday as the agency was unable to fully account for its massive $824 billion budget, though officials were confident the Department of Defense “has turned a corner” in understanding its budgetary challenges going forward.

The audits resulted in a disclaimer of opinion, which means auditors were provided with insufficient information to form an accurate opinion of the accounts.

Of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) 28 reporting entities that had standalone audits, 9 received an unmodified audit opinion, 1 received a qualified opinion, 15 received disclaimers, and 3 opinions remain pending, the Pentagon said.

But with the goal of achieving a clean audit by 2028, Michael McCord, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer, said the agency “has turned a corner in its understanding of the depth and breadth of its challenges.” 

“Momentum is on our side, and throughout the Department there is strong commitment—and belief in our ability—to achieve an unmodified audit opinion,” he said in a statement.

The objective of earning an unmodified audit opinion is mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act.

McCord told reporters at a briefing on Friday that he would not say that the agency “failed” as it had “about half clean opinions.”

“So if someone had a report card that is half good and half not good, I don’t know that you call the student or the report card a failure,” he said.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pentagon-fails-7th-audit-row-unable-fully-account-824b-budget

Here We Go Again

According to Politico:

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Defense secretary, paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit, according to Hegseth’s lawyer.

Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in 2017 after a speaking appearance at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, California, according to a statement released by the city. No charges were filed.

His lawyer, Tim Parlatore, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the sexual encounter was consensual and that the woman who made the accusation days later was the “aggressor.” That assertion has not been confirmed in the statement released by the city.

Parlatore said a payment was made to the woman as part of a confidential settlement a few years after the police investigation because Hegseth believed the filing of a threatened lawsuit could have gotten him fired from Fox News, where he was then a popular host. Parlatore would not reveal the amount of the payment.

“He was falsely accused and my position is that he was the victim of blackmail,” Parlatore said, calling it a case of “successful extortion.”

The Washington Post earlier reported details of the payment. The newspaper also reported it obtained a copy of a memo sent to Trump’s transition team this past week by a woman who said she is a friend of the accuser that details the sexual assault allegations.

Trump’s transition team had no immediate comment Sunday on the memo.

Later, the article explains:

At the time of the 2017 accusations, Hegseth, now 44, was going through a divorce with his second wife, with whom he has three children. She filed for divorce after he had a child with a Fox News producer who is now his wife, according to court records and social media posts by Hegseth. His first marriage ended in 2009, also after infidelity by Hegseth, according to court records.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/17/trump-pentagon-pick-sex-assault-allegation-00190046

Dumbass of the Day

Jen Psaki says Democrats must double down on pushing the transgender agenda on Americans, including allowing men to play against girls in sports

She says it's not an issue and that men playing against girls in sports presents "no threat to safety or fairness." pic.twitter.com/iIoujvv1Fm

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 18, 2024

The economy remains a mess. Well, Don’t expect the Biden/Harris administration to do anything about it.

Remember that port strike in October? Well, the election is over and they’ve decided to strike again. What should the Trump administration do?

And Donald Trump continues making good decisions.

Well, So Much for That

According to the AP:

Inflation in the United States ticked up in October, driven by costlier rents, used cars and air fares, a sign that price increases might be leveling off after having slowed in September to their lowest pace since 2021.

Consumer prices rose 2.6% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 2.4% in September. It was the first rise in annual inflation in seven months. From September to October, prices edged up 0.2%, the same as the previous month.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” prices rose 3.3% from a year earlier, just as in September. From September to October, core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month. Over the long run, core inflation at that pace would exceed the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-8ee9d1e7979319fe9ae121c7c8d6d68b

This May Not Fix Inflation

According to Fox Business:

The union representing dockworkers at East and Gulf Coast ports walked away from the negotiating table with port employers this week over concerns about automation as the two sides face a mid-January deadline to finalize a deal and prevent the resumption of a strike, FOX Business has learned.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents port employers, were on their second day of talks this week when the ILA union left negotiations, a source tells FOX Business.

The source said that the ILA union is refusing to agree to the addition of any new technology at East and Gulf Coast ports, even though USMX has said that no jobs would be eliminated as a result of automation. Port employers don’t expect the union to return to the negotiating table.

The ILA confirmed in a statement that it broke off negotiations with USMX and placed the blame on port employers for “pushing automation and semi-automation language in its Master Contract proposals that will eliminate ILA jobs.” It added that it “remains hopeful that USMX will alter its unwinnable strategy, and resume negotiations as soon as possible.”

Later in the article:

ILA dockworkers went on strike on Oct. 1 after negotiations between the two sides in September failed to reach an agreement following the expiration of the union’s six-year contract. After a three-day strike, the union and USMX reached a tentative agreement on wages and the ILA agreed to suspend its strike until Jan. 15 while they negotiate other outstanding issues, such as automation.

Under the tentative deal, the ILA’s 45,000 dockworkers would see a 62% pay raise over the life of the next six-year contract. The union and port employers will have to reach an agreement on port automation and other outstanding issues and ratify the tentative deal by Jan. 15 for it to take effect.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/dockworkers-union-walks-away-from-negotiations-east-gulf-coast-employers

New Trump Staff Members

Here are some more members of Donald Trump’s staff. This is amazing stuff.

• John Ratcliff will run the Central Intelligence Agency.
• Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk will head the new, civilian committee called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
• Pete Hegseth will head the Department of Defense.
  • He went to Yale and Princeton.
  • He served in the Army and National Guard for 20 years.
  • He retired as a major in the Army.
  • He served in Iraq and Afghanistan and received to Bronze Stars.

Pete Hegseth: Woke Generals must be fired

pic.twitter.com/daCtJlgZ1P

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) November 13, 2024

• Tulsi Gabbard – Director of National Intelligence.
• Mike Huckabee – Ambassador to Israel.
• Attorney General – Matt Gaetz.

Well, She IS Going to be Fired

Joy Reid is not handling the Trump 2024 Landslide well.

*Disclaimer*

Prolonged exposure to Joy Reid to the naked eye may cause headaches, suicidal thoughts, retinal damage, and occasional burning of the skin or face. pic.twitter.com/pfX4lo2qV2

— Shawn Farash (@Shawn_Farash) November 11, 2024

Still a Big World Out There

According to the Daily Wire:

The Houthi terrorist organization announced on Tuesday that it launched attacks against U.S. warships that were transiting the Bab el Mandeb strait.

Pentagon press secretary Air Force Major Gen Pat Ryder told reporters during a press conference that “the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, USS Stockdale and USS Spruance were attacked by at least eight one-way attack uncrewed Aerial systems, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles which were successfully engaged and defeated.”

There was no damage to the ships and no personnel were hurt, he said.

The attacks from the Houthis came after U.S. forces conducted several precision airstrikes against facilities used by the Iranian-backed terrorist group in Yemen over the weekend.

The Houthis claimed in a statement that they targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with cruise missiles and drones and claimed that the attack was successful, even though there was zero evidence supporting its claims.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/houthi-terrorists-launch-attacks-against-u-s-warships

Why Is This Not a Bigger Story?

According to People Magazine:

Dozens of monkeys are on the loose in South Carolina after escaping from a research facility.

On Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Yemassee Police Department confirmed in a Facebook post that as of 9:45 p.m. local time, 40 primates — who escaped from the Alpha Genesis facility located on Castle Hall Road — still hadn’t been found.

“Traps have been set up around the area, and the Yemassee Police Department is currently on-site utilizing thermal imaging cameras in an attempt to locate the animals,” police said.

“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes,” the post added.

Police urged anyone to contact 911 immediately if they see any of the animals, telling the public to “refrain from approaching” the primates.

“We appreciate your patience and cooperation, further updates will be released as they become available,” the post concluded.

Per the Alpha Genesis website, the primate research company “provides nonhuman primate products and bio-research services worldwide.” 

The site states the company “is dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of monkeys and all other living creatures” and “is one of the largest and most comprehensive nonhuman primate facilities, designed specifically for monkeys, in the United States.”

The police post didn’t provide details about what research the escaped animals were involved in at the facility or the breed of the primates that had gotten loose.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-than-40-monkeys-escape-from-bio-research-lab-in-south-carolina
https://people.com/police-hunting-monkeys-mass-escape-south-carolina-research-facility-8741307?taid=672cd8c643d94700012ede71&utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&utm_content=new&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com

https://www.dailywire.com/news/peanut-the-squirrel-marked-for-death-days-before-he-was-seized-in-raid

Is Sanity Making a Comeback?

Is sanity coming back:

• Breaking from the clean energy goals of Washington state’s Democratic leadership, residents in the Evergreen State have put their support behind natural gas, voting to block any bans on gas stoves.
• California rejects law that would have made forced labor in prisons illegal.
• California passes a law that would put people who steal under $950 in jail.

.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/state/3225599/californians-reject-outlaw-forced-labor-inmates/
.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-and-environment/3218663/washington-state-passes-measure-block-bans-natural-gas/

.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/3225421/50k-russian-north-korean-troops-kursk-region-coming-days/
.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign-policy/3225411/trump-putin-discuss-resolution-of-ukraine-war-report/

Donald Trump adds to his cabinet and we are beginning to see a pattern.

Democrats have a new excuse why Kamala lost.

And Kamala had $1 billion for her campaign. How did she end up $20 million in debt?

More Moves

Trump added more to his staff:

• South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
  • The department, which oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and FEMA.
• President-elect Donald Trump is expected to tap Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to be his Secretary of State when he takes office in January.
  • Rubio is widely known as a foreign policy hawk and is a solid pick for reestablishing American dominance on the global stage.
  • He is known for “taking hard lines on China and Iran.”
• President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) to be his national security adviser when he takes office in January.
  • He was a Colonel in the Army’s Green Beret.
  • He is a China and Iran hawk and believes in peace through strength.
• Lee Zeldin has been chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
  • He ran for governor of New York and lost to Kathy Hochul by only a few points.

Ladies, gents, they/thems, here is your new Secretary of State 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/8TUBIbzwTK

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) November 12, 2024

https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-kristi-noem-to-lead-department-of-homeland-security?topStoryPosition=1
https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-green-beret-veteran-as-national-security-adviser
https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-expected-to-tap-rubio-for-secretary-of-state
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/climate/trump-chooses-lee-zeldin-to-run-epa.html

Just Keep Winning

According to Fox News:

The Manhattan judge overseeing President-elect Donald Trump’s trial agreed to grant a stay on all deadlines associated with the felony conviction proceedings against Trump in the final months before he takes office, a closely-watched decision that allows Trump to avoid a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison.

The judge overseeing the case, Judge Juan Merchan, granted the request, which issues a stay on all deadlines, including the Nov. 26 sentencing date, to consider the effect of his election as president.

Trump’s team had also filed a motion to vacate the charges.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-new-york-convictions-ruling-issued

Dumbass of the Day

"OMG, I found the male Karen of the year!" 🤣👇 pic.twitter.com/oRuAzdwCRS

— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) November 11, 2024

The crying screeching libs are mad that we’re mocking them online.

You know what to do! pic.twitter.com/x6474MCvM6

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 12, 2024

Money Can’t Buy You Love

According to the Washington Examiner:

In October, weeks before the 2024 election, the word was out: Vice President Kamala Harris had fundraised north of $1 billion. The haul, the New York Times reported upon breaking the news, was historic because of the short period of time, just three months, that it flooded in.

It was ultimately no use. On Tuesday, Donald Trump made history and became only the second former president to win a nonconsecutive term. After surviving two assassination attempts on the campaign trail, Trump dominated Harris in battleground states to emerge as the president-elect. And he did so with far less cash.

The story of how Harris pocketed record sums while failing to gain support from voters will be studied by campaigns for decades to come. Democrats who successfully pressured octogenarian President Joe Biden to pass the torch to the former California senator are now conducting an internal autopsy of the 2024 race, in which Trump raised and spent hundreds of millions of dollars less than Harris.

“A billion dollars paled in comparison to the increased prices Americans were seeing across the country,” Tom Fitton, president of the conservative group Judicial Watch and a longtime Trump ally, told the Washington Examiner. “Voters weren’t fooled.”

The Harris campaign and its affiliated committees dropped more than $654 million on advertising from July 22 to Election Day, whereas Trump spent $378 million, or 57% less, in the same category, according to data from AdImpact.

Future Forward, the $500 million “ad-testing factory” and super PAC that supported Harris, was a reliable clearinghouse for checks from wealthy Democrats such as Reid Hoffman, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, and Dustin Moskovitz. And anonymous donations, or so-called “dark money,” also benefited Harris at a faster and more substantial clip than Trump thanks to lax federal laws that progressives often criticize but, nonetheless, exploited in 2024.

The Harris campaign declined to comment on its finances. A fuller portrait will be public after the election, as the Federal Election Commission mandates post-general election reports for candidates within 30 days.

In mid-October, the Harris campaign disclosed that it had spent over $880 million this election, almost $526 million greater than the roughly $354 million that the Trump campaign had disclosed spending, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of federal filings. Much of the Harris campaign’s spending was allocated for digital media advertising, polling, and travel from state to state, including to a private jet company called Advanced Aviation.

Payroll and the taxes that accompanied it accounted for $56.6 million of the Harris campaign’s spending. In comparison, the Trump campaign reported spending $9 million on payroll — employing hundreds fewer staff members.

There was also the army of political, digital, and media consultants who were paid over $12.8 million by the Harris campaign, filings show.

One vendor, Village Marketing Agency, received over $3.9 million and reportedly worked to recruit thousands of social media influencers to boost Harris online. Others that scored lucrative consulting gigs from the campaign included the likes of Precision Strategies, a Democratic-aligned marketing agency; Ethos Organizing, founded by former Ohio Democratic Party director Malik Hubbard; and the Biden-allied SKDK communications firm.

Harris’s payments to the consultant class will likely come under the microscope in the months ahead, as Democrats look to diagnose who is responsible for why the party lost this election so handily. Speaking on MSNBC after Harris’s Wednesday concession speech, former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said Harris “was listening too much to consultants,” which McCaskill argued detracted from her ability to “exude who she was” to voters.

“There was a segment of the electorate that was very consistently saying, ‘I’m not familiar with Kamala Harris,’ and, because of that, ‘I’m not comfortable enough to decide to vote for her,’ whereas Trump is incredibly well-defined,” said Jake Dilemani, a Democratic political strategist based in New York City. “It was easier for him to spend less and still win.”

“It’s the advantage of being such a well-defined person,” Dilemani told the Washington Examiner.

“Event production” was also a staple spending area of the Harris campaign, which notably hosted a star-studded lineup of musicians from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry for an election eve rally.

The campaign paid more than $15 million, according to federal filings, to companies for such services.

There was $1 million for Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions on Oct. 15 in West Hollywood, California.

Winfrey, a top Harris ally, appeared at a town hall with the vice president in September and was at her final rally in Philadelphia before Election Day.

Viva Creative, a marketing agency that has touted its work with Oprah, comedian Trevor Noah, the Washington Nationals baseball team, and American Express, scooped up $1.8 million from the Harris campaign for event production from September to October. A company called Production Management One in Maryland received $1.7 million, with large payments also going to Vox Productions, Temple University, Wizard Studios North, the Park Hyatt Chicago, and other entities for event production, filings show.

Then there was Majic Productions, a Wisconsin-based company, which has worked the NBA playoffs, the Super Bowl, and at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The Harris campaign paid that company $2.3 million.

A source familiar with the matter told the Washington Examiner that the Harris campaign spent six figures on building a set for Harris’s appearance on the popular Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper. The interview came out in October and was reportedly filmed in a hotel room in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Harris campaign on the podcast-related matter but did not hear back in time for publication.

“Money can’t buy you love or a good candidate,” one Trump campaign adviser said. To Republican political strategist Brad Todd, the story behind why Harris lost is not a lesson on money purportedly being irrelevant in elections.

Rather, in Todd’s telling, Harris’s message was off: She was unwilling to meet swing state voters where they were on issues such as immigration and the economy.

“Advertising is a pretty important source of information for swing voters,” Todd said. “It no doubt matters, but it’s not enough. It doesn’t matter if you have the wrong message and it’s not delivered in a compelling way. What her campaign was missing was any effort to break with the unpopular administration she has been a part of.”

.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/presidential/3222249/how-kamala-harris-plowed-through-1-billion/

She was Going to Run the Economy?

According to the New York Post:

Finger-pointing has erupted over the Kamala Harris campaign blowing up to $20 million on swing-state concerts Monday night, hours before the VP’s spectacular election loss to Donald Trump — prompting concern that staff and vendors won’t get paid amid reports the campaign is in debt by the same amount.

Members of the defeated Harris team tell The Post that the concerts had a ruinous effect on the Democratic campaign’s coffers and that the fact was no secret — with one planned performance by ’90s alt-rock goddess Alanis Morissette getting scrapped to save money.

The seven swing-state concerts on election eve featured performances by Jon Bon Jovi in Detroit, Christina Aguilera in Las Vegas, Katy Perry in Pittsburgh and Lady Gaga in Philadelphia — with 2 Chainz joining Harris on Nov. 2, three days before the election, for an eighth concert in Atlanta.

Two sources said that Obama campaign alum Stephanie Cutter pushed the concert concept as a way to woo lower-propensity voters to the polls.

https://nypost.com/2024/11/08/us-news/kamala-harris-campaigns-election-eve-concerts-said-to-cost-up-to-20m-as-rank-and-file-staff-vendors-fear-they-wont-be-paid

A huge scandal is is rocking one of our more important bureaucracies. It’s more proof we should be tearing down some of these bureaucracies.

Donald Trump is building a powerful cabinet and Trump’s influence is already having an effect on the world.

Trump Already Working

The incoming Trump administration is already taking big steps to fill his cabinet:

• Trump chooses Susie Wiles as Chief of Staff
  • She is the first female Chief of Staff.
  • She was Trump’s campaign co-chair.
  • She is 67 years old.
  • She worked on two Trump campaigns (both wins), Rick Scott’s campaign and Ron DeSantis’ campaign.
  • She also worked on Jack Kemp’s Senate bid in 1979 and on Ronald Reagan’s campaign.
  • She is suppose to be quiet, hard as nails and detailed.
  • Many who know her says she is a great choice.
• President-elect Donald Trump announced late on Sunday night that he was naming his former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be the new “border czar.”
  • He is on Fox News all the time and hates illegal immigration.
  • He has really pissed of the media.

Cecilia Vega asks: “Is there a way to carry out mass deportation without separating families?”

“Of course there is. Families can be deported together,” says Tom Homan, head of ICE during Trump’s family separation policy. https://t.co/If9G1sNEzj pic.twitter.com/TIWhi25Vdu

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 28, 2024

America,

Watch your new Border Czar, Tom Homan, absolutely destroy AOC with nothing but facts 🔥🔥🔥

We are in good hands. pic.twitter.com/2t7qggNCfq

— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) November 11, 2024

He’s perfect!

• President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly offered Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
  • Stefanik, who is the chair of the House Republican Conference, made noise earlier this year when her intense questioning during hearings on anti-Semitism on college campuses forced two Ivy League presidents to resign their posts.
  • She is a sitting Representative so that is going to throw the whole House of Representatives in turmoil. She is a Rep from New York and it will be months before the hold a special election.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-tom-homan-to-be-new-border-czar?topStoryPosition=3
https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-offers-elise-stefanik-u-n-ambassadorship
https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-susie-wiles-trumps-pick-for-chief-of-staff

Good Things are Happening!

Trump’s election landslide is already improving the United States and its standing in the world:

• Hamas has called for a cease fire.
  • This ain’t going to happen. Trump has talked to the Israeli Prime Minister three times and they are on the same page.
• Qatar, a country with sympathies for terrorist organizations, has kicked out Hamas and Hezbollah leadership.
  • They were housing these leaders since October 7th.
  • Don’t be shocked if they sign on the Abraham Accords next year along with Saudi Arabia.
• Steve Madden, the shoe and purse manufacturer is going to immediately move his business out of China and into the United States.
  • Currently, 70% of their product comes from China.
  • They want to lower that by 30% next year and lower it another 20% the year after.
• Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon and the Washington Post, called to congratulate President-elect Trump. Secretly he has to be excited though he didn’t openly support Trump. We are going to see a lot of that from CEOs after that landslide.
• The stock market has gone up 1500 point in the two days after the election.
• Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, has got to be thrilled that Trump won the election because of the illegal alien crisis. He is ending the debit card program for illegal aliens.
• The European Union is debating whether to import oil from the United States instead of Russia.
  • The United States extracts purer oil and costs a lot less.
  • The United States is not an aggressive country and this will punish Russia.

This guy got elected six days ago and look at all the changes!

https://www.dailywire.com/news/following-trump-victory-steve-madden-announces-radical-reduction-of-chinese-imports
https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-city-mayor-eric-adams-ends-debit-card-vouchers-for-illegal-aliens

Dumbass of the Day

A grown man telling another grown man how to speak. Normal people are tired of the policing of language. Call it as you see it and never apologize.

Have they learned nothing from the election?
pic.twitter.com/HL4qgIIyxh

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) November 9, 2024

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-panel-meltdown-over-trans-issue-shows-left-learned-no-lessons-from-2024-defeat

Being First is Important

THESE. PEOPLE. ARE. INSANE. Kamala Harris’s former communications director has suggested that Biden should step down within the next 30 days, allowing Harris to briefly assume the presidency as a symbolic gesture. pic.twitter.com/WSCBVi87x4

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 10, 2024

https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-former-kamala-aide-calls-for-biden-to-resign-so-she-can-be-president

They Want You to Die!

According to the Daily Wire:

A federal disaster relief official ordered workers to bypass the homes of Donald Trump’s supporters as they surveyed damage caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida, according to internal correspondence obtained by The Daily Wire and confirmed by multiple federal employees. 

A FEMA supervisor told workers in a message to “avoid homes advertising Trump” as they canvassed Lake Placid, Florida to identify residents who could qualify for federal aid, internal messages viewed by The Daily Wire reveal. The supervisor, Marn’i Washington, relayed this message both verbally and in a group chat used by the relief team, multiple government employees told The Daily Wire. 

The government employees told The Daily Wire that at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags were skipped from the end of October and into November due to the guidance, meaning they were not given the opportunity to qualify for FEMA assistance. Images shared with The Daily Wire show that houses were skipped over by the workers, who wrote in the government system messages such as: “Trump sign no entry per leadership.”

It is unclear whether the same guidance was issued elsewhere in the country. The employees were part of a Department of Homeland Security surge capacity force team, meaning they volunteered from other DHS agencies to help an understaffed FEMA as it dealt with a second major hurricane in a span of just a few weeks.

“I know they’re short-staffed, I thought we could go help and make a difference,” one of the employees said. “When we got there we were told to discriminate against people. It’s almost unbelievable to think that somebody in the federal government would think that’s okay.” 

The employee said it felt wrong to discriminate against Trump supporters when they were at their “most vulnerable.” 

“I volunteered to help disaster victims, not discriminate against them,” the employee said. “It didn’t matter if people were black, white, Hispanic, for Trump, for Harris. Everyone deserves the same amount of help.”

The guidance came as the Biden administration was criticized over its sluggish response to Hurricane Helene in rural areas across the country. In Roan Mountain, Tennessee, for example, locals told The Daily Wire it took nearly two weeks for FEMA to show up. The town is located in Carter County, which voted 81% for Trump on Tuesday. 

The FEMA agents ordered not to help houses with Trump signs were operating in Highlands County, a deep-red area located in south central Florida that backed Trump by 70% on Tuesday. It was hit with tornadoes, torrential wind and rain, and flooding when Milton hit in October. 

In the chat, Washington said that it would be “best practice” to “avoid homes advertising Trump,” according to photos of the messages viewed by The Daily Wire. No explanation was given for this guidance, which included other recommendations like telling the workers to “practice de-escalation and preventative measures,” and to “avoid high salt diets and coffee.”

Photos from the system used by federal relief workers to track what homes they visit showed that relief workers followed Washington’s guidance. Several addresses were marked “not able to access property” with listed explanations such as: “Trump sign no entry per leadership,” “Per leadership no stop Trump flag,” “Trump sign,” and “Trump sign, no contact per leadership.”

“If they had damage or lost power for over thirty-six hours, it was my duty to inform them of benefits to which they are entitled through FEMA,” one team member wrote in a complaint filed to DHS about the guidance. 

Washington is the Disaster Survivor Assistance crew leader for Highland County, a leadership chart reviewed by The Daily Wire shows. She did not respond to multiple phone calls or an email seeking comment on the guidance. 

Chad Hershey, Washington’s FEMA supervisor, told The Daily Wire that the agency is looking into the situation.

“We are aware of it and we are taking proper action in this situation currently,” Hershey said. 

Pressed to confirm the messages, Hershey said: “We are aware of it and we are taking action at this moment regarding the situation that you’re talking about.” 

Hershey added that FEMA would be providing a fuller statement though none was yet provided by press time. He said that officials in Washington, D.C., would be reaching out to The Daily Wire.

After publication of this story, a FEMA spokesperson told The Daily Wire it was “deeply disturbed” and “horrified” by the employee’s actions, and that it has “taken extreme actions to correct this situation.”

“While we believe this is an isolated incident, we have taken measures to remove the employee from their role and are investigating the matter to prevent this from happening ever again,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “The employee who issued this guidance had no authority and was given no direction to tell teams to avoid these homes and we are reaching out to the people who may have not been reached as a result of this incident.”

“This is a matter that we take extremely seriously and we are doing everything we can to make sure all survivors receive support from FEMA. To date, we have helped over 365,000 households impacted by both Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the state of Florida and have provided over $898 million in direct assistance to survivors.”

“We are horrified that this took place and therefore have taken extreme actions to correct this situation and have ensured that the matter was addressed at all levels. Helping people is what we do best and our workforce across the agency will continue to serve survivors for as long as it takes.”

In addition to the statement, a FEMA spokesman clarified that Washington is not actively working for the agency, pending an investigation.

The guidance was first issued by Washington verbally on October 22, and again in the group chat on October 27, according to one of the federal employees. The Trump-related instructions were deleted from the chat a few days later, photos of the chat reviewed by The Daily Wire show.

By October 30, Washington had started walking back the instructions about skipping Trump supporters’ homes, one of the federal employees told The Daily Wire. The relief workers said Washington denied that homes were being skipped after a meeting with other FEMA administrators. 

The employees say that Washington has not been punished for the guidance, but has been shifted to another county in Florida.

The whistleblower complaint says that the Trump guidance further undermines trust in FEMA and its response to the hurricanes. 

“This behavior raises significant concerns of discrimination against United States citizens because of their political views,” a copy of the complaint obtained by The Daily Wire said. “These actions not only undermine the integrity of our agency and create a hostile work environment for those who may hold differing political beliefs but they also threaten the very democracy of our country.” 

https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-house-gop-investigating-fema-after-official-told-relief-workers-to-ignore-trump-supporters
https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs

The Result

Here is what happened during the election:

• Donald Trump wins the election 295-226.
  • Trump will win Nevada and Arizona. That will make it 312-226.
• Donald Trump will win the popular vote by close to 5 million votes.
  • This is the first time a Republican won the electoral and popular vote since 2004 (George Bush).
• Donald Trump gained in every demographic.
  • Up 10 points with black people, especially men.
  • Hovering between 40-60% with Hispanics (especially in Texas and Arizona).
  • Won with ages 18-24. This is huge!
  • Did much better with white women.
  • Overperformed in blue states (New Jersey is being called a swing state).
  • Trump swept the blue wall (Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania).
• Republicans will take the Senate (52-48).
• Republicans will hold a slight edge in the House (220).

They Don’t Get It

Harris would’ve won “if we could regulate social media.”pic.twitter.com/Xfm9537W1F

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 6, 2024

Sunny Hostin from the view is having a meltdown. You daughter doesn't have any less rights today than she did yesterday. You are such a walking talking propagandist. There was no insurrection on J6.

America is tired of the democratic party. We literally elected this man to save… pic.twitter.com/1ZncKxGHOp

— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) November 6, 2024

This clip, in which Sunny Hostin blames “uneducated white women” for costing Harris a win, is just insulting.

A lot of Dems willfully refuse to accept that people are more complicated than their race & sex. It’s extremely entitled, and it makes us dumber. pic.twitter.com/qv1EW3p2tm

— Billy Binion (@billybinion) November 6, 2024

Joy Behar is having a really bad morning. 😢 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/97LOqcicft

— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) November 6, 2024

The Race Lady at MSNBC needs a wellness check:

“The second opportunity white women had” to save America and "change the way they interact with the patriarchy" but they “voted based on race rather than gender.” pic.twitter.com/PkltD3UokB

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 6, 2024

Claire McCaskill gets emotional following Kamala's concession speech: "I'm so proud of her." pic.twitter.com/uCEwtjGu4U

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) November 6, 2024

Van Jones is on the verge tears, says this is a nightmare for black women and illegals pic.twitter.com/PKfRNluZKO

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 6, 2024

Morning Joe is now calling Hispanic Voters racist

They’ve lost the plot

pic.twitter.com/xahcbu8Iao

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 6, 2024

Some Do

Lol! NBC just realized that Democrats not running an actual campaign and just making their entire platform “not Trump” is not a great campaign strategy pic.twitter.com/dARJaxKJ8P

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 6, 2024

NEW: Entire CNN panel sits in silence as Scott Jennings rips apart the Democrats and the media, says Donald Trump's win is the "revenge of the regular ole working class American."

🔥🔥

"This is a mandate to do what you said you were gonna do. Get the economy working again for… pic.twitter.com/K8UqayxoxO

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 6, 2024

Jimmy Kimmel is holding back actual tears lmaooo 🤣 pic.twitter.com/ZsVootqJbr

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 7, 2024

The Crazy

A short thread on people who may need wellness visits soon.

This woman is not having sex with men for four years because of Trump. pic.twitter.com/fml98LKOZf

— Dr. Jebra Faushay (@JebraFaushay) November 6, 2024

Woman says she needs medication to cope with Trump victory. pic.twitter.com/gEMBGeglE8

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 6, 2024

Now that’s what I call a meltdown

pic.twitter.com/uP0GwliU75

— Alex Rosen (@iFightForKids) November 6, 2024

Virginia Military Institute cadets find out that Trump won. The reaction:

pic.twitter.com/PHeWdOY810

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 7, 2024

What Happens Now

Here’s what we can expect to see in the next three months:

• The economy may slightly improve with the anticipation of a Trump presidency.
  • The stock market went up by about 1000 points on Wednesday.
  • Gas prices may go down due to anticipation of oil leases being renewed.
  • Food prices will stay the same, but wages and hiring will go up.
• There will be a push at the border. Be prepared for a flood of illegal crossings.
• Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah will demand for a cease fire.
• Russia will push to solidify their hold on Ukrainian territory in anticipation of a peace deal.
• I have no idea what China will do with Taiwan.
• Joe will pardon Hunter.

Michelle Obama hates the country again because we are all sexists and racists.

NBA coaches don’t quite understand what their jobs actually are.

And Trump goes on the Joe Rogan podcast and rocks it to the dismay of YouTube.

Dumbass of the Day

🚨Michele Obama suggests Americans who don’t vote to elect Kamala Harris are sexist and racist:

“I lay awake at night wondering what in the world is going on. The qustion for me isn't whether Kamala is ready for this moment…the real question is, as a country, are we ready for… pic.twitter.com/4Muun9vhZ2

— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) October 26, 2024

.@MichelleObama: I hope that you will forgive me if I'm a little angry that we are indifferent to Donald Trump’s erratic behavior. His obvious mental decline, his history as a convicted felon, a known slumlord, a predator found liable for sexual abuse. All of this while we pick… pic.twitter.com/a2RrXJbWN9

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 26, 2024

https://www.dailywire.com/news/america-is-always-disappointing-her-michelle-obama-trashed-for-racist-last-ditch-kamala-pitch

This Is Why They Are Failing

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich goes off about Donald Trump during a press conference:

"He's pathetic. He's small. He's a whiner… He's a damaged man."pic.twitter.com/P35arUNYDp

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 27, 2024

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/spurs-gregg-popovich-rails-against-trump-lengthy-rant-danger-follows-delusion

Who’d of Thunk It?

According to the New York Post:

California has seen job openings plunge 30% this year even as its unemployment rate has spiked — as businesses and residents alike fled the high taxes and soaring cost of living in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state.

The Democrat-run stronghold — where Newsom implemented a controversial $20 minimum wage hike for fast food workers in April — had 641,000 job openings in August, compared to 920,000 in August 2023, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.

Meanwhile, the year-over-year unemployment rate in September increased to 5.3% from 5% — more than a percentage point above the national rate of 4.1% and the second worst in the US, the data showed. Only Nevada had a higher jobless rate at 5.6%.

The state’s high taxes, along with rampant crime since the pandemic from progressive policies, has led to an exodus by several large companies to business-friendly havens. Elon Musk’s X and Tesla, as well as Oracle; Chevron, Kelly Moore Paints, and investment firm Charles Schwab, have relocated to Texas in the past few years.

“High taxes and high costs are woes to their economy,” Mahoney Asset Management CEO Ken Mahoney told The Post. “It is no surprise [why] people and businesses continue to flee the state.”

California was ranked as the top state for outmigration in 2024 — with an expected net loss of more than 10,000 residents, according to a report by Consumer Affairs based on a sample of more than 100,000 people with an interest in moving.

The median sale price for a single-family home in California surpassed $900,000 for the first time this year, according to the California Association of Realtors.

“In general, the extremely high cost of living in the state and unaffordable housing in major cities has resulted in many employers struggling to hire entry level jobs in retail, construction and home care despite minimum wage growth in fast food,” Ted Jenkin, co-founder and business consultant at oXYGen Financial, told The Post.

The state has also seen a massive decrease in private sector jobs, while government jobs have skyrocketed.

Since September 2022, California has lost a net 154,000 jobs in the private sector and gained 361,000 jobs in the public sector, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, California’s nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisor. 

“Our small-business-owning members have been telling us for many months that finding qualified employees has been a top problem for them, muscled out lately only by inflation,” National Federation of Independent Business California Director John Kabateck told conservative news outlet The Center Square.

“Some of the decline in job openings can be attributed to them just giving up.”

Added Jenkin: “Tech companies overhired post-pandemic as they ramped back up in 2020 and 2021 and are not experiencing the growth to maintain those hires.”

The $20 minimum wage law, signed last fall by Newsom, has been blamed for job cuts and store closures across the state as employers struggle to keep up with rising costs.

Between last fall and January, California fast-food restaurants slashed 9,500 jobs in anticipation of the new wage requirements, according to a report by the Hoover Institution in April, when the new law took effect.

Employers like Pizza Hut and Round Table Pizza began by firing more than 1,000 delivery drivers, while others like El Pollo Loco and Jack in the Box said they will ramp up the use of robotics to slim down their staff, according to the report.

The higher minimum wage – up from $16 an hour last year – has led to menu price increases and restaurant closures, including Shake Shack and taco chain Rubio’s Coastal Grill.

The federal jobs data does suggest that California is continuing to create new jobs in aggregate, even though the unemployment rate remains at 5.3%. 

“California’s economy — the 5th largest in the world — is accelerating, outpacing last year’s economic growth, and leading the nation in job growth for over 25 years,” a spokesperson for Newsom told The Post. “This summer, California created nearly one in five of the nation’s new jobs.”

California has seen an average growth of 16,500 jobs per month at an annual rate of 1.1%, above last year’s 0.9% pace of 12,900 jobs a month, according to Newsom’s office. 

In October, California gained thousands of new jobs for the 53rd month in a row, according to a press release from Newsom’s office.

“California’s growth is powered by its workers and innovators, the driving forces behind our consistent economic growth and expanding job market,” Newsom said in a statement.

https://nypost.com/2024/10/28/business/california-job-openings-fall-30-this-year-amid-minimum-wage-hikes/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_source=twitter