Thursday, August 6, 2026

August, 2026, Part 2, Political Class insanity: California Still Cannot Build Anything On Time and On budget, A Missouri Prosecutor's Horrible Ethics, The Democrats Get Scammed and More

 We have spent a lot of our recent posts about which state or city will go bankrupt first and the massive fraud that has been going on relative to government programs. But that does not mean that the political class has been up to its traditional incompetence, insanity,  and screw ups. So, let’s catch up with  the shenanigans that continue to plague the country:


1)Almost always, government programs fall short of their promised objectives  while at the same time overrunning their original cost estimate. The current best example of this failure trait is the ridiculously mismanaged high speed train line in California.  Billions and  billions of dollars over budget, years late, and no sign in sight if this disaster will ever become reality despite the billions of dollars already spent and  mismanaged.


But California government bureaucrats and politicians  have not  just failed  on the  high speed rail line effort:


  • A highway on-ramp in California has been shut down for the construction  of a wildlife  bridge over Northbound Highway 101.

  • Unfortunately for commuters and other users of the on-ramp, the ramp will be off limits for yet another two months while the project that was originally supposed to cost $93 million now could cost as much as  $114 million,  about a  23% overrun.

  • The bridge  was supposed to have  been completed over a year ago.

  • The original  promise was a $93 million price tag and the bridge to be completed by 2025.

  • The bridge was originally supposed to be  funded by voluntary donations but over  time the state taxpayer construction share has grown larger and larger.


Obviously, a wildlife bridge is not as big a failure as the California high speed rail line.  But it's a symptom of the American  political class: they never get anything finished on schedule and on budget, always wasting taxpayer wealth  in the  process.


2)The following story is a first but it is  typical of a  low life politician's integrity and class:


  • Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic Party’s candidate for the  U.S.Senate  from Michigan.

  • It appeared that a Detroit, Michigan pastor was  one of his biggest supporters, using  his radio audience and social media accounts to support and campaign for El-Sayed.

  • So far, so good, the  pastor has his right to support any politician  he wants.

  • But things get shady when it turns out that El-Sayed’s  campaign had contributed $75,000  to the pastor’s  nonprofit organization.

  • The non-profit was associated with the pastor’s home address.

  • The campaign  had  made 10 different payments to the nonprofit for "political consulting” according  to campaign  records.

  • The  pastor supported the candidate  at least three times  via social  media and the radio comments.


Again, the pastor obviously has the right  to support any politician  he wants. But the  appearance of conflict of interest, to the tune of $75,000, is  just another disgusting action by a member of the political class, secretly buying support rather than earning the voters’ confidence and vote.


3)It is not just politicians that have major integrity and honesty problems:


  • A Missouri prosecutor was  recently removed from an important  government office for what has been  politely been called a "pattern  of misconduct.”

  • Ray County  prosecutor, Camille Johnston, was suspended for violating ethical rules, failing to disclose  conflicts of interest and placing personal  relationships ahead  of  her job’s ethics and responsibilities.

  • According to  Attorney General  Catherine Hanaway: “When an elected official treats public office like their personal playground, betraying the public trust, ignoring obligations, and putting self-interest first, removal isn’t a suggestion, it’s a necessity. Johnston’s record reflects a sustained pattern of misconduct and willful neglect that has undermined the integrity of the prosecutor’s office and poses a serious threat to public safety. In Missouri, public office is public trust, not a personal entitlement, and no one is above accountability.”

  • One  of those ethics violations is that  Johnston was involved in a romantic relationship with a defense attorney who  represented  alleged criminals prosecuted by Johnston’s office, an obvious conflict  of interest that compromised criminal cases.

  • She allegedly had another romantic relationship with  an illegal immigrant who was a person  of interest in a sexual  assault investigation.

  • She knew he was in the country illegally but never disqualified herself from matters involving his immigration status and  potential criminal acts.

  • When the illegal immigrant fled  Missouri,  Johnson went out of state to  be  with and vacation with him.


Not sure we  have ever discussed such  a  rampant  and obvious  conflict of interest behavior  of a government employee.  How could she not know that what she was doing  was unethical, possibly illegal and certainly creepy? Disgusting behavior  of someone who was  supposed to be an enforcer of the  law.


4)Hundreds of  times we have discussed how politicians  waste  taxpayer wealth  through  incompetence  and stupidity. So it brings a smile to one’s face when they waste their own  money:


  • The Democratic National Committee allegedly lost almost $29,000 when a scammer  impersonated the Committee chairman , Ken Martin.

  • Back in February 2025 a scammer  sent a bogus message to a staffer, claiming to be Martin, which requested $29,000 to be transferred  to the  scammer.

  • The staffer assumed it was a legitimate request and sent  the money.

  • The  Committee  was able to claw  back  $7,000 but the remaining  money was  not  recovered.  

  • The staffer, by the way, is now an  ex-employee.


An  old Seinfeld episode has the famous quote: “And you want  to be my latex  salesman.” When the Democratic National Committee cannot protect its own  money from a very elementary scam, it makes you wonder if you would even want them being your latex salesman, never  mind overseeing the efficient and  effective use of your tax dollars.


That will  do  it  for today’s political class insanity: Democrats cannot even protect their own money, a  Missouri prosecutor has  no integrity  or common sense, a Michigan politician bribes a pastor for  support, and California still cannot build anything on time and on  budget.


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Vote Now!!!! Go to to the following link and vote  on which state  or city government you think  will go bankrupt first:


https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592458935721


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If you agree that we need to deseat every member of Congress for their lack of success and accomplishment, then please consider going to the following petition link to help the cause:


https://www.change.org/p/deseat-congress-reset-freedom



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Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:


Wednesday, August 5, 2026

The Race To Bankruptcy Court: A Local View Of Why Seattle Is A Strong Contender To Win The Race

Let’s take a brief break from our run of posts regarding the massive corruption and fraud in government programs along with our political class insanity thread and return to one of the hottest topics we have been covering over the past few years, coverage that has intensified recently: which major city or state government will get to bankruptcy court first?

Our primary cities in the race to bankruptcy include New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and newcomer, Seattle. The state governments that we think are soon heading into bankruptcy include New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California with Washington state a newcomer to the race.

The reason for returning to this topic in the midst of our corruption series is because there have been some significant developments in the race to bankruptcy court. However, before reviewing the latest news and seeing which state or city is making the best progress towards government bankruptcy, let’s review how these cities and states got themselves into this financial death spiral position to begin with:

  • A government entity keeps expanding its budget, eventually putting pressure on the tax revenue stream it receives. 
  • At some point, rather than cut government spending or make its programs more efficient financially, the politicians in charge raise taxes to meet the ever growing government expenditures.
  • The raising of taxes causes some residents and businesses to leave the city or state for less tax burdensome areas, reducing the tax base and reducing the revenue stream.
  • Rather than cut expenses and become more efficient to match the reduced tax revenue stream, politicians in the above cities or states raise the tax burden even more.
  • This causes more residents and businesses to flee the city or state, further reducing the tax base and tax revenue stream.
  • At some point politicians panic and raise taxes more and start cutting vital government services (e.g. police, fire, education) in order to try and balance government spending against the shrinking tax base and revenue stream.
  • The reduction in quality of government services in particular and quality of life in general drives more residents and businesses out of the area.
  • Eventually, the expenses, costs and financial liabilities outstrip the reduced tax stream and bankruptcy occurs.
Okay that’s the process. Rather than do a general review of the  different  states and  cities entering or already in  their financial death  spiral as we usually do, today we will  do something a little different.

We have permission  from the Future 42 folks to copy and republish a recent piece they did regarding the troubles going on in Seattle.  As readers of  this blog know, Seattle was not in our original list of cities likely to go bankrupt pretty soon.  However,  long term trends and the mistakes being  made by the current  mayor, Katie Wilson,  have  propelled Seattle into the middle of the bankruptcy race.

Since the Future 42 folks are local to the Seattle area, they have a much  better picture and vibe on what the troubles are in the  city and  thus, our request to publish their views here. The article we are republishing here can be accessed directly at their website at the following link:

https://future42.org/is-mayor-wilson-actually-capable-of-leading-seattle/

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Is Mayor Wilson actually capable of leading Seattle?'
A Future 42 Special Article

The long-beloved Bite of Seattle festival beneath the Space Needle became the scene of a deadly shootout Sunday evening, leaving three people dead and four others wounded, including a 2-year-old boy.

Seattle police believe multiple people exchanged gunfire outside the Seattle Center Armory during the event. A 15-year-old was quickly taken into custody, but investigators continued searching for another person believed to have opened fire before fleeing the scene.

At a moment like that, Seattle residents needed clear and immediate information.

They needed to know what happened. They needed to know whether another shooter was loose. They needed to know what city officials were doing to protect the public and how witnesses could help police find the person responsible.

Instead, they waited nearly five hours for a public briefing.

As Change Washington detailed earlier this week, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson initially released a statement claiming that two people were in custody. She updated it without an announcement, after media had already begun disseminating the inaccurate information.

When city leaders finally appeared before reporters around 11 p.m., Seattle Police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis confirmed that only one suspected shooter had been detained and another person had fled the scene.

For nearly five hours, families who had scattered from Seattle Center did not know that someone believed to have opened fire in the middle of a crowded public gathering had escaped.

That delay also cost investigators critical time. Witnesses had fled in every direction. Many had recorded videos, seen the shooters or observed what happened immediately before the gunfire began. Yet the public request for information did not come until hours later, when memories were fading, and potential witnesses had already returned home.

Police regularly provide preliminary briefings during major emergencies for exactly this reason. Officials do not need every detail before telling the public what is known, what remains unknown and how people can help.

Seattle’s leaders chose not to do that.

The initial explanation was that officials were waiting for “dignitaries” to arrive before beginning the press conference. But newly released records obtained by The Center Square appear to undermine that excuse.

According to The Center Square, text messages between Wilson and Gov. Bob Ferguson show the governor was nearby but was not told to come to the Seattle Center until after 10 p.m. Ferguson’s office also stated that the governor did not ask Wilson to postpone the briefing. Crucially, the phone records were NOT released. It’s imperative to know what other conversations may or may not have occurred between leaders that weren’t in writing. Citizens should demand full transparency from the “dignitaries” who upheld getting crucial information out.

Wilson has denied delaying the press conference to accommodate political officials. Yet a Seattle Police Department source told FOX 13 that police leadership was prepared to brief the public hours earlier and was asked by the mayor’s office to wait.

Someone made the decision to keep police from speaking.

Katie Wilson is the mayor. Responsibility ultimately rests with her.

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has now been fired, according to multiple reports. Barnes was attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives in Dallas when the shooting occurred and had faced mounting questions about how frequently he traveled outside Seattle while his family reportedly continued to live in Chicago. He then abruptly canceled a scheduled Wednesday interview about his travel and the department’s response.

Wilson was right to hold Barnes accountable. But firing the police chief does not absolve the mayor or explain why Seattle residents were kept in the dark for nearly five hours.

Law-enforcement leaders who were in Seattle were reportedly prepared to brief the public much earlier in the evening. They were not allowed to do so. Barnes may bear responsibility for being absent during a deadly crisis, but he was not the person who reportedly prevented the officers on the scene from communicating with the public.

That decision leads directly back to the mayor’s office.

Wilson cannot fire her police chief and expect Seattle residents to conclude that the city’s leadership failure has been resolved. Barnes was responsible for the police department, but Katie Wilson is responsible for the city government—including the people who reportedly instructed police to remain silent while a suspected shooter was still at large.

Most importantly, can residents of Seattle have faith in Mayor Wilson to choose a reliable, competent, and focused successor (preferably one who will reside in the city full time)?

Before becoming mayor, Katie Wilson had never run anything remotely comparable to the City of Seattle.

Her primary management experience was leading the Transit Riders Union, a small but politically effective advocacy organization with approximately $198,000 in annual revenue and only a handful of employees. She had never held public office, managed a government department, overseen a major institution or been responsible for emergency operations.

Seattle voters elevated her directly from community organizing to responsibility for a city government with approximately $8.9 billion in annual appropriations and thousands of employees.

Running an advocacy campaign is not the same as running a city.

Advocates pressure other people to make decisions. Mayors must make those decisions themselves. They must manage professional staff, coordinate departments, balance competing priorities and provide command during emergencies.

The warning signs appeared almost immediately:

* Her first major drug-policy action created immediate controversy.
* Her State of the City revealed an administration still developing basic plans.
* She acknowledged the homelessness strategy was failing but continued much of it.
* She avoided questions at the rollout of her own signature policy.
* She offered no convincing police-staffing or crime-reduction agenda.
* She sought to expand tiny-house villages without resolving serious questions about conditions inside them.
* She cleaned up encampments in tourist areas ahead of the World Cup while allowing residents in other neighborhoods to continue living with the same disorder.

Any one of these failures might be dismissed as the mistake of a new administration.

Taken together, they reveal something much more serious.

Katie Wilson entered office without the executive experience necessary to manage a city facing severe public-safety, homelessness, addiction and financial challenges. Since taking office, she has shown little evidence that she is growing into the responsibility.

The handling of the Bite of Seattle tragedy suggests things are getting worse when they desperately need to get better.

Three people were killed in one of Seattle’s most prominent public spaces. Another suspected shooter escaped. Police were reportedly prepared to speak, yet the public briefing was delayed for hours. The mayor’s office issued incorrect information, offered shifting explanations and failed to quickly enlist the public’s help.

This was not a disagreement over ideology. It was a fundamental failure of executive leadership during an emergency.

Wilson asked Seattle residents to judge her administration “first and foremost” on homelessness and public safety.

They should take her at her word.

On homelessness, Wilson has acknowledged failure without demonstrating a meaningful change in direction. On public safety, she has failed to present a convincing strategy and then presided over a communications breakdown that withheld critical information while a suspected shooter remained at large.

Her lack of judgment and command is more than merely embarrassing. It is putting the safety of Seattle residents and anyone visiting the city at risk.

The question is not whether Katie Wilson needs more time to grow into the job. Seattle cannot serve as an internship for an unprepared mayor.

Wilson has demonstrated that she lacks the experience, preparation and decision-making ability the office requires. The deadly confusion after the Bite of Seattle shooting should be the final warning.

Seattle needs a mayor who is ready to lead now, not one who is still learning how.

Maybe it’s time for Seattle to say, “like…bye” to Katie Wilson as Mayor.

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For a city in financially bad shape, having almost a half a billion  dollars budget shortfall in the next three years,  and being led by a woman  who has no substantial  administrative, executive or political  smarts and experience  as outlined by Future 42, with businesses and residents fleeing the city and taking their tax dollars with them,  Seattle is  now firmly in place to be the next American  city to win the race  to bankruptcy  court.

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If you agree that we need to deseat every member of Congress for their lack of success and accomplishment, then please consider going to the following petition link to help the cause:


https://www.change.org/p/deseat-congress-reset-freedom



**********************


Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at: