Last night we watched the Braves game while occasionally watching snippets of the debate. They still don’t follow the rules, lol, or answer the given questions the majority of the time. I did think that Tim Scott got good coaching in speaking faster from the part I saw.
True, Janice. If he is not careful, he will speak as fast as a Northerner soon. 😉
I watched the debate. They need to get together and consider the best for the country. I have to say the Governor of ND did impress me. I know very little about him. I would like more actual substance. I suppose, like legislation, this weeding out process is just not pretty.
I liked what he said, too, K. With my background of having a degree in business, I tend to like the ones geared to that mindset unless they are too young and brash as Ramswamy (?) appears to be at times. He seems like such a hatchet man type. But a hatchet in a swamp would not be so bad!
The Republican state treasurer is acting governor until mid-day Thursday. Is Hobbs gone because the Senate won’t confirm her agency director nominees?”
“On Wednesday night, Arizona Republican Treasurer Kimberly Yee announced she would be acting governor from the evening until mid-day Thursday:
While I am pleased to step in this role, I will refrain from naming directors to the 13 agencies that currently have vacancies and will not call the Arizona Legislature into session to confirm them. That being said, I do hope when the Governor returns to Arizona, she will promptly name qualified directors to these important state agencies and remve the legal uncertainty that exists for all of the regulatory actions taken by the agencies. I expect to see a swift resolution to this matter, so we can get back to getting the work done for Arizona taxpayers. The people of Arizona deserve leaders who follow the rule of law.”
I have been notified that I will be serving as Acting Governor beginning later this evening until mid-morning tomorrow. Read my full statement below. pic.twitter.com/sSuiSCebk4
“The House Ways and Means Committee released more emails and documents showing more possible connections between President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
The committee published over 700 pages.
“These documents show a clearer connection between Joe Biden, his public office, and Hunter Biden’s global influence peddling scheme that resulted in over $20 million in payments to the Biden family,” stated Chairman Jason Smith. “In addition to then Vice-President Joe Biden attending lunches and speaking on the phone with his son’s business associates, the details released today paint a fuller picture of how Joe Biden’s vice-presidential office was instrumental to the Biden family’s business schemes.””
—
“Documents: DOJ Protecting Joe Biden, More Possible Connections to Hunter Biden’s Business Dealings
Did CNN really have an email about the IRS investigating Hunter Biden for two years?
Posted by Mary Chastain Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 01:00pm 4 Comments
Share This StoryFacebookTwitterTelegramGabMeWeRedditEmail
The House Ways and Means Committee released more emails and documents showing more possible connections between President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
The committee published over 700 pages.
“These documents show a clearer connection between Joe Biden, his public office, and Hunter Biden’s global influence peddling scheme that resulted in over $20 million in payments to the Biden family,” stated Chairman Jason Smith. “In addition to then Vice-President Joe Biden attending lunches and speaking on the phone with his son’s business associates, the details released today paint a fuller picture of how Joe Biden’s vice-presidential office was instrumental to the Biden family’s business schemes.”
—
“Smith continued: “The evidence shows a pattern of Hunter Biden creating for-profit entities to shield at least $20 million from foreign sources from taxes and hide the trail of payments that led to members of the Biden family. The growing body of evidence further calls into question the Justice Department’s attempted sweetheart plea deal for Hunter Biden, and the reasons for appointing the architect of that plea deal as the special counsel for Hunter Biden’s case, in light of officials’ efforts to protect President Biden and his son. This evidence makes clear Hunter Biden’s business was selling the Biden ‘brand’ and that access to the White House was his family’s most valuable asset – despite official claims otherwise.”
Looky here. We have the Department of Justice trying to protect then-presidential candidate Joe Biden:”
Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf told the federal agents to keep “Political Figure 1” out of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) probe.
Yeah, Political Figure 1 is Joe Biden.
Wolf is part of the office responsible for investigating Hunter’s tax and gun charges. She also faced allegations of obstructing the FBI’s investigations into possible ties between Biden and Hunter’s business partners.
IRS agents accused Wolf of interfering with Hunter’s tax probe investigation.”
“The second Republican debate, like the first, took place in a parallel political universe in which Donald Trump was an obscure figure of no serious importance.
The candidates who showed up at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, engaged in a largely vapid exchange of canned lines and talking points, repeatedly attempting to create “moments” that didn’t quite land.
Nikki Haley showed some spirit in picking fights with her rivals, I guess. Ron DeSantis tried to seem above it all. Doug Burgum attempted to get someone to notice him, the “governor of an energy state.” No one had all that much to say about Trump.
It is difficult for me to imagine how this debate will make any impact on the race. The central characteristic of the contest is still that Trump has a massive lead. A debate with extremely limited discussion of Trump was a useless waste of time.
In a way, everyone onstage was a loser for failing to shake up that underlying dynamic. In a way, everyone watching was a loser for having spent those two hours and gotten so little out of it. But some particularly earned that loser status.
Loser: Vivek Ramaswamy”
—
“Loser: The moderators”
—
“Loser: Fox News”
—
“Winner: You know who
This was another debate where the guy leading by 40 points was not onstage and took only the slightest of blows from those who were onstage. (Sorry, Chris Christie, calling him “Donald Duck” is cheesy and ineffective.) It was also another debate where there was no clear winner — no breakout star who could be elevated to Trump’s main challenger.
There was a time, earlier this year, when the polling between Trump and DeSantis wasn’t totally lopsided, and it seemed at least possible that Trump’s lead could be dislodged. That time has passed. And any campaign event that fails to shake up that status quo is effectively one that aids Trump’s path to the nomination.”
—-
Time to rally behind the clear nominee, right loyalty pledgers?
“WINNERS
Former President Trump
Trump without a doubt felt like the biggest winner Wednesday night.
He wasn’t on stage and instead appeared at an event in Michigan that signaled he’s already moving his focus to a November 2024 general election against Biden.
In national and state polls, Trump is far ahead of his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
He leads DeSantis by 42 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average nationally and by 33 points in Iowa. In New Hampshire, Trump holds a 31-point lead over Haley in the polling average.
On Wednesday, none of the seven people on stage truly stood out. The night was filled with moments where it was difficult to hear what any of the candidates were saying given all of the cross-talk.
Much of it also felt like an echo of the first debate.”
—
“Nikki Haley
Haley, Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, emerged as the biggest winner who was actually on the debate stage on Wednesday night.
As with the first debate in Milwaukee, the former South Carolina governor sought to present herself as the adult in the room — albeit one who wouldn’t back down from a fight.
Haley generated one of the most talked-about moments in Wisconsin when she got into a heated back-and-forth with Vivek Ramaswamy. That animosity carried over into the Simi Valley event, with Haley producing another memorable exchange when she bluntly told the biotech entrepreneur, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.” ”
—-
Aj here,
If Trump said that it would be endless pearl clutching and swooning about meanness and tone. But she’ll get a pass from NTers.
—-
LOSERS
Vivek Ramaswamy
While Ramaswamy had a strong first debate performance last month, the tech entrepreneur-turned-politician struggled to handle the attacks his opponents threw at him Wednesday evening.
Many of the candidates came ready to put Ramaswamy on defense, particularly over his past business ties to China. Scott kicked off the debate by saying Ramaswamy was “just in business with the Chinese Communist Party,” while former Vice President Mike Pence said he was glad Ramaswamy pulled out of a business deal with China in 2018.
However, one of the most striking attacks against Ramaswamy came from Haley over his decision to join the social media platform TikTok. Haley responded to Ramaswamy’s explanation for joining the platform by quipping, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.”
The China-related attacks could stand to make him more vulnerable ‘due to the issue’s salience with Republican primary voters.
Mike Pence
Like Ramaswamy, Pence had a good night at the first debate. However, Pence appeared to lose his footing on Wednesday’s debate stage. At one point during the forum, Pence was asked whether ObamaCare was here to stay, and he instead called for passing a federal law expediting the death penalty.
The response prompted moderator Dana Perino to reiterate her original question.
“I appreciate that, so does that mean ObamaCare is here to stay?” Perino asked.
The former vice president also found himself in an awkward spot when he attempted to build on an attack Christie made against first lady Jill Biden.
Christie had swiped at the first lady, saying the president was sleeping with a member of the teacher’s unions. Pence attempted to take the line one step further, quipping, “My wife isn’t a member of the teachers union, but I’ve got to admit I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years.”
Doug Burgum
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was in desperate need of a knockout performance on Wednesday, and while the governor tried to steal the spotlight throughout the debate, he was unable to land a punch.”
“This is another one of those guilty pleasure stories I so enjoy. Another fable from the annals of Leftist impulses going – not horribly, but so inconveniently – wrong that’s it’s a multi-purpose parable. A real life story with a moral, a lesson to be learned if one wishes to do so, and it’s pretty damn amusing in the most satisfying fashion for those of us who delight in that sort of comeuppance.
That would be me.
It starts with the American Green dream, where both an entrepreneurial vision and a place of incredible natural beauty in the American West meet.
Jackson, Wyoming.”
It’s been decades since I’ve been to Grand Teton National Park and wandered around Jackson Hole. Seems it’s changed quite a bit, and gotten very cosmopolitan – especially for what used to be kind of a hard place to get to. Nowadays, the ski crowd has Grand Teton Village so packed, skiers and workers have to be bused in for lack of parking, and the roads are gridlocked at the best of times.
Add weather conditions to the transportation challenges and the fact is things can get difficult quickly.
Getting to Teton Village by bus last year wasn’t easy. Employees were late to work and getting home. Skiers felt the anxiety of missed time on the slopes.
Bruce Abel, director of Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit, is the first to admit that.
“Our reliability was below our desires last year,” he said. “Many missed trips and poor on-time performance.”
…A new Town of Jackson compensation package means higher wages and better benefits. Staffing levels are ahead of where they were last year, thanks to recruitment that started earlier and focused on areas like Alaska, where buses are the go-to for tourists.
START received 11 brand-new buses this year, which Abel said has already decreased stress levels for staff and increased predictability for riders.
…Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the Teton Village Association have also offered help with housing, which Abel said was humbling.
“They had every right to be extremely upset with us last winter,” Abel said.
Parking at one of the country’s most popular ski destinations and biggest mountains has been intentionally limited by government for decades.
In 1998, Teton County approved the Teton Village Resort Master Plan, which reduced the capacity for skiers and hotel rooms while allowing the businesses to grow.
…Parking passes are in short supply and expensive. This year the price of the passes rose 10% or 25%, depending on the product. An unrestricted pass costs $2,105.”
—
“Here’s where the entrepreneurs come in.
Obviously, Jackson has significant traffic issues on their hands that either hadn’t been addressed, or just waved at. They definitely needed more buses and, being uber liberal, uber wealthy,, plus smack in the middle of a place that gets an average of 428″ of snow each year, with average Dec-Jan daytime highs and lows of 28° / 7°, they went ELECTRIC. The buses came from a company named Proterra.
Because, of course.
Teton County and the town of Jackson had set its sights on a low-emission transit system for the county.
The Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit (START) system, a joint operation between Jackson and Teton County, bought eight electric buses to complement its fleet of 31.
There’s only one problem with the eight buses. Well, wait. Actually a couple of problems.
The first is that none of them are functional at the moment, and, when they were working, they didn’t work very well.
…But none of the electric buses are running, and so the town’s transit system is relying on its diesel fleet.
…When the START electric buses did run, they also suffered from degradation of performance during the winter months, something that plagues electric vehicles of all types.
Abel said that during the summer months, the buses would go all day without needing a charge. When the temperatures dropped, the batteries would lose considerable range. Not only does it not provide as much power, the bus has to be heated, which places further demands on the battery.
So, the electric buses had to return to the depot at midday to recharge. They were replaced by another electric bus, when one was available, or the diesel-powered buses.
“So, there is a difference in performance between cold weather and warm weather,” Abel said.
Well, knock me over with a feather. You need heat in the frigid winter. Probably defrosters, too, or is that just my innate cynicism?
No worries, though – saving the planet! And POTATUS loved him some Proterra.
…Proterra might have seemed like a solid company when the buses were ordered. It enjoyed financial support from federal taxpayers, as well as praise from President Joe Biden.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided more than $5.5 billion for low- and no-emission buses, each costing around $1 million each.
In 2021 Biden participated in a virtual tour of the company.
“The fact is, you’re making me look good,” the president said.
Lookin’ good, Big Guy.
The other, potentially more serious problem for the transit system and it’s broken buses?
Proterra, the electric bus manufacturer and darling of the Biden administration, declared bankruptcy last month. Parts are going to be a problem.
Oops.”
—-
Waste millions of taxpayer dollars, go belly up. Lather, rinse, repeat.
“The City of Brotherly Love faced a second consecutive night of widespread looting, with footage showing hooded women grabbing supplies from a beauty store and the glass windows of a liquor store shattered after the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board closed all of its locations in Philadelphia.
Store security footage obtained by CBS News showed a group of women busting through the glass front door of Nat’s Beauty Supply in Mayfair early Thursday.
They could be seen indiscriminately pulling hair extensions and wigs off the shelves of the store, which owner Claudia Silmeas opened just six months ago.
“It’s just me doing everything,” she told CBS 3. “I don’t know what to think, I don’t know who to call. Everything is missing.”
Other footage posted online by Fox 29’s Steve Keeley captured Fine Wine & Good Spirits on Adams Avenue blasted apart after a group of organized thieves targeted the store.”
It showed the windows smashed, with glass scattered across the parking lot.
Inside, the shelves were emptied and boxes and broken bottles lined the floor.
The thieves also made off with a safe and a lottery machine from the state-run chain store, according to the Daily Mail.”
—–
Note you need to rely on foreign media to tell you this, as our own has their heads too far up Dem butts to see it and report it.
Remember kids, there’s no evidence of Biden’s corruption….
BREAKING – President Joe Biden's brother, James Biden, told FBI agents that Hunter Biden and the Biden family attempted to help a Chinese energy company purchase U.S. energy assets while believing the Chinese company's chairman was directly tied to Chinese President Xi Jinping.… pic.twitter.com/WOSVnMKrr1
I was reliably informed by @SpeakerPelosi and @SenSchumer that occupying legislators' offices and preventing them from conducting official business is an insurrection and that no one is above the law.
Wandering Views 
Last night we watched the Braves game while occasionally watching snippets of the debate. They still don’t follow the rules, lol, or answer the given questions the majority of the time. I did think that Tim Scott got good coaching in speaking faster from the part I saw.
LikeLike
True, Janice. If he is not careful, he will speak as fast as a Northerner soon. 😉
I watched the debate. They need to get together and consider the best for the country. I have to say the Governor of ND did impress me. I know very little about him. I would like more actual substance. I suppose, like legislation, this weeding out process is just not pretty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I liked what he said, too, K. With my background of having a degree in business, I tend to like the ones geared to that mindset unless they are too young and brash as Ramswamy (?) appears to be at times. He seems like such a hatchet man type. But a hatchet in a swamp would not be so bad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Where’s Katie?
“Where is Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs?
The Republican state treasurer is acting governor until mid-day Thursday. Is Hobbs gone because the Senate won’t confirm her agency director nominees?”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2023/09/where-is-arizona-democratic-gov-katie-hobbs/
“On Wednesday night, Arizona Republican Treasurer Kimberly Yee announced she would be acting governor from the evening until mid-day Thursday:
While I am pleased to step in this role, I will refrain from naming directors to the 13 agencies that currently have vacancies and will not call the Arizona Legislature into session to confirm them. That being said, I do hope when the Governor returns to Arizona, she will promptly name qualified directors to these important state agencies and remve the legal uncertainty that exists for all of the regulatory actions taken by the agencies. I expect to see a swift resolution to this matter, so we can get back to getting the work done for Arizona taxpayers. The people of Arizona deserve leaders who follow the rule of law.”
“What is going on?!
First off, Yee being put in charge means Hobbs and others are out of the state because Yee is third in line to the governorship.”
LikeLike
The real Aj
“Documents: DOJ Protecting Joe Biden, More Possible Connections to Hunter Biden’s Business Dealings”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2023/09/documents-doj-protecting-joe-biden-more-possible-connections-to-hunter-bidens-business-dealings/
“The House Ways and Means Committee released more emails and documents showing more possible connections between President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
The committee published over 700 pages.
“These documents show a clearer connection between Joe Biden, his public office, and Hunter Biden’s global influence peddling scheme that resulted in over $20 million in payments to the Biden family,” stated Chairman Jason Smith. “In addition to then Vice-President Joe Biden attending lunches and speaking on the phone with his son’s business associates, the details released today paint a fuller picture of how Joe Biden’s vice-presidential office was instrumental to the Biden family’s business schemes.””
—
“Documents: DOJ Protecting Joe Biden, More Possible Connections to Hunter Biden’s Business Dealings
Did CNN really have an email about the IRS investigating Hunter Biden for two years?
Posted by Mary Chastain Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 01:00pm 4 Comments
Share This StoryFacebookTwitterTelegramGabMeWeRedditEmail
The House Ways and Means Committee released more emails and documents showing more possible connections between President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
The committee published over 700 pages.
“These documents show a clearer connection between Joe Biden, his public office, and Hunter Biden’s global influence peddling scheme that resulted in over $20 million in payments to the Biden family,” stated Chairman Jason Smith. “In addition to then Vice-President Joe Biden attending lunches and speaking on the phone with his son’s business associates, the details released today paint a fuller picture of how Joe Biden’s vice-presidential office was instrumental to the Biden family’s business schemes.”
—
“Smith continued: “The evidence shows a pattern of Hunter Biden creating for-profit entities to shield at least $20 million from foreign sources from taxes and hide the trail of payments that led to members of the Biden family. The growing body of evidence further calls into question the Justice Department’s attempted sweetheart plea deal for Hunter Biden, and the reasons for appointing the architect of that plea deal as the special counsel for Hunter Biden’s case, in light of officials’ efforts to protect President Biden and his son. This evidence makes clear Hunter Biden’s business was selling the Biden ‘brand’ and that access to the White House was his family’s most valuable asset – despite official claims otherwise.”
Looky here. We have the Department of Justice trying to protect then-presidential candidate Joe Biden:”
Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf told the federal agents to keep “Political Figure 1” out of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) probe.
Yeah, Political Figure 1 is Joe Biden.
Wolf is part of the office responsible for investigating Hunter’s tax and gun charges. She also faced allegations of obstructing the FBI’s investigations into possible ties between Biden and Hunter’s business partners.
IRS agents accused Wolf of interfering with Hunter’s tax probe investigation.”
LikeLike
The real Aj
It must kill them to admit this. 🙂
“1 winner and 3 losers from Fox’s dud of a second GOP debate”
https://www.vox.com/2024-elections/2023/9/27/23893654/republican-debate-second-winners-losers-vivek-ramaswamy-fox-news
“The second Republican debate, like the first, took place in a parallel political universe in which Donald Trump was an obscure figure of no serious importance.
The candidates who showed up at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, engaged in a largely vapid exchange of canned lines and talking points, repeatedly attempting to create “moments” that didn’t quite land.
Nikki Haley showed some spirit in picking fights with her rivals, I guess. Ron DeSantis tried to seem above it all. Doug Burgum attempted to get someone to notice him, the “governor of an energy state.” No one had all that much to say about Trump.
It is difficult for me to imagine how this debate will make any impact on the race. The central characteristic of the contest is still that Trump has a massive lead. A debate with extremely limited discussion of Trump was a useless waste of time.
In a way, everyone onstage was a loser for failing to shake up that underlying dynamic. In a way, everyone watching was a loser for having spent those two hours and gotten so little out of it. But some particularly earned that loser status.
Loser: Vivek Ramaswamy”
—
“Loser: The moderators”
—
“Loser: Fox News”
—
“Winner: You know who
This was another debate where the guy leading by 40 points was not onstage and took only the slightest of blows from those who were onstage. (Sorry, Chris Christie, calling him “Donald Duck” is cheesy and ineffective.) It was also another debate where there was no clear winner — no breakout star who could be elevated to Trump’s main challenger.
There was a time, earlier this year, when the polling between Trump and DeSantis wasn’t totally lopsided, and it seemed at least possible that Trump’s lead could be dislodged. That time has passed. And any campaign event that fails to shake up that status quo is effectively one that aids Trump’s path to the nomination.”
—-
Time to rally behind the clear nominee, right loyalty pledgers?
LikeLike
The real Aj
The Hill clearly agrees.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4227316-winners-and-losers-of-the-second-gop-presidential-debate/
“WINNERS
Former President Trump
Trump without a doubt felt like the biggest winner Wednesday night.
He wasn’t on stage and instead appeared at an event in Michigan that signaled he’s already moving his focus to a November 2024 general election against Biden.
In national and state polls, Trump is far ahead of his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
He leads DeSantis by 42 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average nationally and by 33 points in Iowa. In New Hampshire, Trump holds a 31-point lead over Haley in the polling average.
On Wednesday, none of the seven people on stage truly stood out. The night was filled with moments where it was difficult to hear what any of the candidates were saying given all of the cross-talk.
Much of it also felt like an echo of the first debate.”
—
“Nikki Haley
Haley, Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, emerged as the biggest winner who was actually on the debate stage on Wednesday night.
As with the first debate in Milwaukee, the former South Carolina governor sought to present herself as the adult in the room — albeit one who wouldn’t back down from a fight.
Haley generated one of the most talked-about moments in Wisconsin when she got into a heated back-and-forth with Vivek Ramaswamy. That animosity carried over into the Simi Valley event, with Haley producing another memorable exchange when she bluntly told the biotech entrepreneur, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.” ”
—-
Aj here,
If Trump said that it would be endless pearl clutching and swooning about meanness and tone. But she’ll get a pass from NTers.
—-
LOSERS
Vivek Ramaswamy
While Ramaswamy had a strong first debate performance last month, the tech entrepreneur-turned-politician struggled to handle the attacks his opponents threw at him Wednesday evening.
Many of the candidates came ready to put Ramaswamy on defense, particularly over his past business ties to China. Scott kicked off the debate by saying Ramaswamy was “just in business with the Chinese Communist Party,” while former Vice President Mike Pence said he was glad Ramaswamy pulled out of a business deal with China in 2018.
However, one of the most striking attacks against Ramaswamy came from Haley over his decision to join the social media platform TikTok. Haley responded to Ramaswamy’s explanation for joining the platform by quipping, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.”
The China-related attacks could stand to make him more vulnerable ‘due to the issue’s salience with Republican primary voters.
Mike Pence
Like Ramaswamy, Pence had a good night at the first debate. However, Pence appeared to lose his footing on Wednesday’s debate stage. At one point during the forum, Pence was asked whether ObamaCare was here to stay, and he instead called for passing a federal law expediting the death penalty.
The response prompted moderator Dana Perino to reiterate her original question.
“I appreciate that, so does that mean ObamaCare is here to stay?” Perino asked.
The former vice president also found himself in an awkward spot when he attempted to build on an attack Christie made against first lady Jill Biden.
Christie had swiped at the first lady, saying the president was sleeping with a member of the teacher’s unions. Pence attempted to take the line one step further, quipping, “My wife isn’t a member of the teachers union, but I’ve got to admit I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years.”
Doug Burgum
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was in desperate need of a knockout performance on Wednesday, and while the governor tried to steal the spotlight throughout the debate, he was unable to land a punch.”
LikeLike
The real Aj
Solyndra 2.0
“Electric bus company that made POTATUS “look good” goes…well…BUSt”
https://hotair.com/tree-hugging-sister/2023/09/28/electric-bus-company-that-made-potatus-look-good-goes-well-bust-n580859
“This is another one of those guilty pleasure stories I so enjoy. Another fable from the annals of Leftist impulses going – not horribly, but so inconveniently – wrong that’s it’s a multi-purpose parable. A real life story with a moral, a lesson to be learned if one wishes to do so, and it’s pretty damn amusing in the most satisfying fashion for those of us who delight in that sort of comeuppance.
That would be me.
It starts with the American Green dream, where both an entrepreneurial vision and a place of incredible natural beauty in the American West meet.
Jackson, Wyoming.”
It’s been decades since I’ve been to Grand Teton National Park and wandered around Jackson Hole. Seems it’s changed quite a bit, and gotten very cosmopolitan – especially for what used to be kind of a hard place to get to. Nowadays, the ski crowd has Grand Teton Village so packed, skiers and workers have to be bused in for lack of parking, and the roads are gridlocked at the best of times.
Add weather conditions to the transportation challenges and the fact is things can get difficult quickly.
Getting to Teton Village by bus last year wasn’t easy. Employees were late to work and getting home. Skiers felt the anxiety of missed time on the slopes.
Bruce Abel, director of Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit, is the first to admit that.
“Our reliability was below our desires last year,” he said. “Many missed trips and poor on-time performance.”
…A new Town of Jackson compensation package means higher wages and better benefits. Staffing levels are ahead of where they were last year, thanks to recruitment that started earlier and focused on areas like Alaska, where buses are the go-to for tourists.
START received 11 brand-new buses this year, which Abel said has already decreased stress levels for staff and increased predictability for riders.
…Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the Teton Village Association have also offered help with housing, which Abel said was humbling.
“They had every right to be extremely upset with us last winter,” Abel said.
Parking at one of the country’s most popular ski destinations and biggest mountains has been intentionally limited by government for decades.
In 1998, Teton County approved the Teton Village Resort Master Plan, which reduced the capacity for skiers and hotel rooms while allowing the businesses to grow.
…Parking passes are in short supply and expensive. This year the price of the passes rose 10% or 25%, depending on the product. An unrestricted pass costs $2,105.”
—
“Here’s where the entrepreneurs come in.
Obviously, Jackson has significant traffic issues on their hands that either hadn’t been addressed, or just waved at. They definitely needed more buses and, being uber liberal, uber wealthy,, plus smack in the middle of a place that gets an average of 428″ of snow each year, with average Dec-Jan daytime highs and lows of 28° / 7°, they went ELECTRIC. The buses came from a company named Proterra.
Because, of course.
Teton County and the town of Jackson had set its sights on a low-emission transit system for the county.
The Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit (START) system, a joint operation between Jackson and Teton County, bought eight electric buses to complement its fleet of 31.
There’s only one problem with the eight buses. Well, wait. Actually a couple of problems.
The first is that none of them are functional at the moment, and, when they were working, they didn’t work very well.
…But none of the electric buses are running, and so the town’s transit system is relying on its diesel fleet.
…When the START electric buses did run, they also suffered from degradation of performance during the winter months, something that plagues electric vehicles of all types.
Abel said that during the summer months, the buses would go all day without needing a charge. When the temperatures dropped, the batteries would lose considerable range. Not only does it not provide as much power, the bus has to be heated, which places further demands on the battery.
So, the electric buses had to return to the depot at midday to recharge. They were replaced by another electric bus, when one was available, or the diesel-powered buses.
“So, there is a difference in performance between cold weather and warm weather,” Abel said.
Well, knock me over with a feather. You need heat in the frigid winter. Probably defrosters, too, or is that just my innate cynicism?
No worries, though – saving the planet! And POTATUS loved him some Proterra.
…Proterra might have seemed like a solid company when the buses were ordered. It enjoyed financial support from federal taxpayers, as well as praise from President Joe Biden.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided more than $5.5 billion for low- and no-emission buses, each costing around $1 million each.
In 2021 Biden participated in a virtual tour of the company.
“The fact is, you’re making me look good,” the president said.
Lookin’ good, Big Guy.
The other, potentially more serious problem for the transit system and it’s broken buses?
Proterra, the electric bus manufacturer and darling of the Biden administration, declared bankruptcy last month. Parts are going to be a problem.
Oops.”
—-
Waste millions of taxpayer dollars, go belly up. Lather, rinse, repeat.
LikeLike
The real Aj
Do your job media, for a change.
LikeLike
The real Aj
Why does no one want to visit Philly they ask…..
Two words. Democrat ruled.
“Philadelphia rocked by second night of widespread looting as startling videos show aftermath”
https://nypost.com/2023/09/28/philadelphia-faces-second-night-of-widespread-looting/
“The City of Brotherly Love faced a second consecutive night of widespread looting, with footage showing hooded women grabbing supplies from a beauty store and the glass windows of a liquor store shattered after the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board closed all of its locations in Philadelphia.
Store security footage obtained by CBS News showed a group of women busting through the glass front door of Nat’s Beauty Supply in Mayfair early Thursday.
They could be seen indiscriminately pulling hair extensions and wigs off the shelves of the store, which owner Claudia Silmeas opened just six months ago.
“It’s just me doing everything,” she told CBS 3. “I don’t know what to think, I don’t know who to call. Everything is missing.”
Other footage posted online by Fox 29’s Steve Keeley captured Fine Wine & Good Spirits on Adams Avenue blasted apart after a group of organized thieves targeted the store.”
It showed the windows smashed, with glass scattered across the parking lot.
Inside, the shelves were emptied and boxes and broken bottles lined the floor.
The thieves also made off with a safe and a lottery machine from the state-run chain store, according to the Daily Mail.”
—–
Note you need to rely on foreign media to tell you this, as our own has their heads too far up Dem butts to see it and report it.
LikeLike
The real Aj
Remember kids, there’s no evidence of Biden’s corruption….
LikeLike
Looks insurrectiony…..
LikeLike
The real Aj
No evidence, huh?
Always bring receipts….
LikeLike