Smart Talk #28
The “SAVE Act” is now before Congress hopefully awaiting passage. It would mandate that anyone wishing to vote in a U.S. federal election MUST provide proof of U.S. citizenship in order to vote. Democrats claim this legislation is unnecessary since “federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.” And that’s just dandy if you believe that the “honor system” works 100% of the time to keep noncitizens from federal voting. Dream on. Beyond “Cross my heart and hope to defy (not die), as a noncitizen, I promise not to vote.” The only thing stopping illegal federal voting would be the requirement of proof of U.S. citizenship in order to do so.
There are now believed to be about 30-million noncitizens within our country, to include in excess of an estimated 12-million illegal migrants who have come across America’s porous border(s) since Mr. Biden’s election in 2020. The urge for those post-2020 election illegals to vote, and vote Democrat, of course, is huge since it is the Democrats who have handed the illegals all manner of free stuff, and the illegals would undoubtedly like for that to continue indefinitely.
Thus, it becomes imperative for Congress to put their big boy pants on and pass the SAVE Act to help ensure that only legitimate U.S. citizens are voting for President and Congress on November 5th. There is simply way too much at stake for the future of our nation to rely on the “honor system” among those who have already demonstrated that, by entering America illegally, their honor would certainly be in some question.
Now, a smart move by the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) Board of Trustees, by a unanimous vote last month, to cut its existing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and instead, redirect those funds toward expanding the University’s campus police! How refreshing to bulk up their police numbers and capabilities at a time when the need is clear, for both campus security and student safety.
The DEI craze swept many campuses, corporations, and organizations during the upheaval in our nation about four years ago. Its popularity has waned, in some cases vaporized, over the last few months. It has proven to be expensive, by the expansion of DEI employee departments, along with not always producing the most desirable results, and proving to be unpopular with many or most employees, along with being considered to be both onerous and often producing under-qualified or bad-fit employees. For the good of our nation, It is hoped that this growing DEI divestiture movement continues.
We’re told, by those elites infinitely smarter than we, that we must undergo a national (world?) transition from fossil fuels (bad) to “green” energy sources (good), in order to save the nation (planet?). We’ve been hearing that governmental mandate for months now. So, how’s the transition going? It appears not so well. Last year, here in America, at least, “natural gas-fired electricity generation increased 9.5-times as much as wind and solar combined.” Said the article’s author: “The U.S. is rich enough to waste absurd amounts of money on pitifully inadequate wind and solar developments. Less developed countries can’t afford to be that stupid.”
Most recently, Mr. Biden has continued his personal crusade, via edict, to directly curtail the use, and the mining, of coal. While that might mystically reduce fossil fuel’s supposed negative impact on “climate change” here (unproven), not so for some of the major national players in the remaining world. For instance, and no surprise, “China and India are producing 8-times more electricity from coal than the United States, and they are building more coal-driven capacity.” And, reportedly, China is producing more electricity from coal than the rest of the nations on earth combined!
And so then why the continuing popularity of fossil fuels vs. “green” energy? Because “fossil fuels are vastly better: they’re cheaper, more reliable, and far more energy-intensive.” The only true and reliable “green” fuel source available at present, along with waterpower from dams, is nuclear, but those power plant reactors, although reliable, seem to take a long period of time to build and, as such, are very expensive. May we continue to look past the unproven fantasy claims of man-made negative impact on so-called “climate change,” and continue our sensible, legitimate dependence as a nation on oil, natural gas, and coal for our reliable and cost-efficient electricity sources, likely for generations yet to come.
South Carolina has become the 25th state in the nation to ban transgender surgery for children. The legislation “prohibits health care professionals from performing trans-related sterilization and mutilation surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers, and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under the age of 18.” Congratulations to the legislature and the governor of South Carolina for this smart move to further protect their children and youth.
There is now an increase in high school graduates selecting trade schools and trade careers, rather than college, for their continuing education. Due to more recent unrest on campuses, but primarily due to the high cost of four-year college degrees, enrollment in vocational schools (certifications and/or two-year degrees), at far more affordable expense, has increased “16% since 2018.” The 2022-23 academic year “saw continued growth in first-time certificate earners in mechanical or repairs, production and construction trades.” It’s predicted that this trend will continue “because trade schools aren’t just for a traditional plumber or electrician anymore. It’s also about technology.” And it’s becoming the schooling of choice for those students who wish to go forward working for themselves, starting small businesses, and eventually creating jobs for other people, as well. A smart decision for students who, for a variety of reasons (most often, cost) desire a trades career and a faster certified entry into such. Long past time that these excellent local vocational/technical colleges are finally being recognized as a viable alternative to the traditional higher education choice.
A young man in Pennsylvania, Raja “RJ” Krishnaswamy, has accomplished what few other students are able to do. He recently earned a master’s degree in computer science from Pittsburgh University at just 17 years of age! That’s at least five years earlier than most average students could do, assuming they could even pull off undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science to begin with. Homeschooled, his proud parents indicated that he began to “excel” in his coursework beginning in kindergarten. To make academic matters worse, er, that is better, “RJ” “began singing the alphabet when he was just eight months old”! Today, following in his father’s footsteps, he wants to become a software programmer, his dad’s chosen profession. Likely before that happens, as you might expect, “RJ” has applied to Pittsburg University for acceptance into its doctoral program! Pretty darn sure he’ll be admitted! Our congratulations to “RJ” whose intelligence and hard work have enabled him to accelerate his academic achievements and goals. That is certainly one very impressive young man, just as his eventual career will most certainly be.
And speaking of smart, back in March of this year, the State of Alabama passed the necessary legislation to officially ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the state’s public schools, universities, and state agencies. The Act also “requires higher education institutions to designate bathroom use based on ‘biological sex.’
After passage of this key legislation, Alabama Republican Governor Kay Ivey said: “My administration has and will continue to value Alabama’s rich diversity, however, I refuse to allow a few bad actors on college campuses – or whatever else for that matter – to go under the acronym of DEI, using taxpayer funds to push their liberal political movement counter to what the majority of Alabamians believe.” Another move in the right direction to keep ultra-liberal DEI requirements from unnecessarily politically smothering American institutions.
(Fact Sources: The importance of passing the SAVE Act via thefederalist.com, Mike Lee, 5-13-24; UNC Chapel Hill swaps DEI programs for increased campus police funding via dailycaller.com, Julianna Frieman, 5-13-24; No energy “transition” is best for America via powerlineblog.com, John Hinderaker, 5-7-24; South Carolina prohibits transgender surgery, etc. via breitbart.com, Alana Mastrangelo, 5-3-24; Technical colleges becoming the smart training alternative via foxbusiness.com, Agustin Hays, 4-28-24; 17-year-old young man excels academically via dailymail.com, Emma Saletta, 4-29-24; Alabama bans DEI across schools and state agencies via dailymail.com, Associated Press, 3-20-24.)