Doomscroll News

Tag: policy

  • Information Blockade: A Flawed System, Tainted Actors, and the COVID-19 Response

    Information Blockade: A Flawed System, Tainted Actors, and the COVID-19 Response

    A defective system governing taxpayer-funded research, coupled with questionable corporate actors, hampered the nation’s ability to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. This information blockade had dire consequences, not only for public health but also for the very companies that were supposed to be at the forefront of innovation.

    The problem stems from a long-standing policy that has prioritized corporate profits over public access to critical information. In 2013, the Obama administration’s White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), then led by Director John P. Holdren, issued a memorandum entitled “Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research.” This memo established a 12-month embargo period, allowing publishers to lock away taxpayer-funded research for a full year.This delay, a significant impediment in a rapidly evolving public health crisis, was a compromise to appease the highly profitable academic publishing industry.

    This dysfunctional system created a breeding ground for opportunism and mismanagement.

    • Delayed Access, Stalled Innovation: The 12-month embargo meant that crucial data on clinical trials, epidemiological models, and virology was often obsolete by the time it became freely available. This left not only the American public in the dark, but also the very companies developing diagnostic tools. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process, which should have provided a swift path to public data, was also rendered ineffective, with requests for vital information stalled for years, well beyond the supposed two-week turnaround for a clear and present danger.
    • Corporate Casualties and Questionable Practices: The story of Lucira Health exemplifies the devastating consequences of this information bottleneck. The company, which developed a promising combined COVID-19 and flu test, was financed by Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Hercules Capital, securing a debt facility of up to $80 million. However, Lucira was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a slower-than-anticipated FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process for its new test created a fatal cash crunch. Pfizer then acquired the company’s assets for a mere $36.4 million. The collapse of SVB, which held deposits for numerous Chinese companies, has also raised concerns. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed that uninsured depositors in SVB, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, would be made whole by the American banking system. This has led to questions about potential conflicts of interest, especially given the belief that the COVID-19 virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, China.
    • A System Admitting Failure: In a tacit admission of the system’s shortcomings, the White House OSTP issued a new memo in August 2022, mandating that all taxpayer-funded research be made freely and immediately available by the end of 2025, effectively ending the 12-month embargo. While a welcome change, this comes as cold comfort for the companies and the public who were failed by a system that prioritized profits and secrecy over transparency and innovation during a critical time of need.

  • The Phoenix Blueprint: A Health Plan to Erase the National Debt

    The Phoenix Blueprint: A Health Plan to Erase the National Debt

    Our nation is on life support. A $37 trillion national debt is not a number; it is a mortal wound. At the heart of this fiscal cancer lies a bloated, failed healthcare system that acts as a conveyor belt to national bankruptcy. Tinkering is over.

    This is The Phoenix Mandate, a declaration of war on the debt that threatens to extinguish America. It is a national survival plan built on five pillars of strength, innovation, and absolute, non-negotiable accountability.

    Pillar 1: Forging the Resilient Citizen & The American Sovereignty Rider

    We will end the religion of constant, wasteful care by fostering a culture of health independence. A key part of this is embracing the Personal Health Revolution, led by devices like the Apple Watch, which put the power of a lab on your wrist.

    However, we recognize that the supply chain for these critical devices represents a dangerous vulnerability to our adversary, China. This is unacceptable.

    The American Sovereignty Rider: If any adversary threatens our access to the critical components for these devices, the President will immediately invoke the Defense Production Act. A national mandate will be issued to a new coalition of loyal American companies, led by the chip-making power of Intel and the advanced manufacturing of Corning. They will be directed to produce a “Sovereign Device”—a secure, American-made digital lifeline to guarantee every citizen access to essential health monitoring. We will not allow our national health to be held hostage.

    Pillar 2: Bringing Our Elders Home

    The modern nursing home is a moral and financial catastrophe. We will dismantle this cruel and inefficient model. The second pillar of the Phoenix Mandate is to empower our elders to age with dignity in their own homes through a technology-driven revolution in elder care, deploying telepresence robots, smart home safety nets, and an on-demand system of human care that provides better results at a fraction of the cost.

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  • My Vision for a Stronger America, Beyond the OBBB

    Prioritize the Need for a New American Fiscal Nationalism & Continue Building a Fortress America Economy: A 15% baseline tariff and sweeping deregulation are not just good ideas; they are necessary defensive measures. While they won’t single-handedly slay the $37T debt dragon, they are the foundational armor for a “Fortress America” economy.

    The $37 Trillion Elephant: Neither party has a plan to pay the debt.

    Investigate the China-California Connection: Deep-dive into how California’s state debt and business ties with Chinese entities create a national security vulnerability.

    Illinois & New York: Blue State Debt Bombs: Unfunded liabilities and corruption in states led by figures like @GovPritzker Gov. Pritzker are a key aspect of the national crisis.

    Saudi Vision 2030: The World’s Most Expensive PR Campaign: The Public Investment Fund’s acquisition of companies like Scopely isn’t about innovation; it’s about their deliberate pursuit of user data. This positions them to monitor our movements, creating a future where digital tracking could easily enable real-world stalking.

    Understand that Political Theater is the Real Insurrection: The political theater in D.C. is the primary cancer. It’s a managed spectacle that provides cover for the real, coordinated erosion of American sovereignty.

    The @SenFettermanPA (Sen. Fetterman) –@marklevinshow (Mark Levin) Doctrine: A pro-Israel, anti-Ayatollah stance is the only coherent foreign policy for national security.

    The @RepThomasMassie (Rep. Massie) –@Ilhan (Rep. Omar) Red Line: Bipartisan efforts to limit executive “war” powers… are a dangerous abdication of responsibility.

    Beyond Counterfeit Cryptocurrency & The Corrupt Old Guard: The post-2008 distrust in the established financial order is justified. But cryptocurrency is not the answer; it’s a digital counterfeit designed to profit from chaos. The real path forward is outside both of these failed systems: a return to productive, asset-backed economics.

    The Hypocrisy of “Stablecoins”: We need to debunk the myth of stability and expose their role in facilitating capital flight from America.

    Critique Cryptocurrency’s Role in the National Debt: Institutional adoption of BTC/ETH/etc. creates a shadow monetary system that undermines the dollar.

    Look Into the Mechanics of Sharia-Compliant Finance: Expose how deals with nations like Qatar and Saudi Arabia introduce legal and financial systems that are antithetical to U.S. economic principles.

    Take a Stand for Authentic Discourse: Public officials should actively curate their audience to prioritize verified, real individuals.

    Deconstruct “Sound Money”: Bitcoin isn’t the new gold, but the new Confederate Dollar.

    … AND A “DREAM ON” WISH LIST:

    Look Into the Qatar Gift Horse: Analyze the “gift” of an Air Force One jet as a symbol of foreign influence at the highest levels.

    Fire Engineers: A ruthless platform approach to platform integrity (purging bots) is more important than internal harmony at a tech company.

    Truth Social’s Bot Problem: Even “alternative” platforms are failing to provide authentic spaces for discourse.

  • MY UPDATED VIEWS ON “NO TAX ON OVERTIME” AND “NO TAX ON TIPS”

    A ‘no tax on overtime’ policy is a powerful and sensible tool for retaining a highly-skilled ‘varsity squad’ of experienced firefighters, for whom substantial overtime is a critical and routine part of providing for their families and ensuring public safety. However, this same policy is counterproductive and dangerous in lower-wage, hourly industries, like for a quality control inspector making $21 an hour, where it creates a perverse incentive to deliberately slow down work for a small bonus, undermining productivity. The immense benefit of properly compensating our most vital, high-stakes professionals like firefighters decisively outweighs the risk of this policy being exploited in sectors where it rewards inefficiency instead of essential skill.

    This same principle… that a policy must be targeted and not a broad, exploitable mandate… is why I am holding firm on my position regarding taxes on tips. While I fully support eliminating the tax burden on tips for service industry workers, a blanket, undefined exemption would be a mistake. It risks becoming a massive, backdoor handout to the cryptocurrency world, creating a tax-free loophole for digital transactions that have nothing to do with rewarding service. Therefore, any ‘no tax on tips’ policy must include a specific, carefully crafted exception for the traditional service and hospitality industry, ensuring the benefit goes to waitstaff, bartenders, delivery drivers, barbers, etc. not to anonymous crypto transfers.

  • Don’t Ground ‘Quiet Skies’: A Proposal for Smarter, Safer Aviation Security

    Don’t Ground ‘Quiet Skies’: A Proposal for Smarter, Safer Aviation Security

    The recent announcement that the TSA is ending its “Quiet Skies” program has been framed as a victory against wasteful spending and political misuse. While any program that costs taxpayers millions and is used to target political opponents deserves scrutiny, scrapping Quiet Skies entirely is a dangerously simplistic solution. I have a nuanced critique: the core concept of the program is not only sound but essential. The problem wasn’t the mission; it was the flawed execution and political weaponization. Instead of ending the program, we should be reforming it into a smarter, more effective tool that truly secures our nation.

    First, the idea of using dedicated analysts and undercover air marshals is a good one. However, their mission should be dovetailed with other tangible needs in our struggling aviation sector. Imagine if their observational data could be used for quality control or to assist our overburdened Air Traffic Control system. This would add immense value beyond pure counter-terrorism and justify the program’s existence on multiple fronts.

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  • Part III: Analyzing the “Big Beautiful Bill”: A Look at New Taxes, Fees, and Revenue Raisers

    The proposed “Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB) introduces a sweeping range of new taxes, fees, and revenue-generating measures that demand close scrutiny. This article examines key provisions, aligning with a vision that prioritizes American interests and fiscal responsibility.

    Measures to Potentially Bolster American Interests:

    Several proposed measures in the BBB could be seen as aligning with an “America First” approach:

    • Excise Tax on Remittance Transfers (Sec. 112104): This provision introduces a new tax on money sent abroad. Such a measure could be viewed as a way to retain capital within the country and generate revenue from outflows.
    • New Immigration-Related Fees (Title VII, Part 1): The bill imposes new fees for various immigration processes, including asylum applications, employment authorizations for certain non-citizens, and for sponsors of unaccompanied children who fail to meet court appearance requirements. These fees ensure that the immigration system is not an undue burden on the taxpayer and that those who use the system contribute to its costs.
    • Fee on Natural Gas Exports and Imports to Non-FTA Countries (Sec. 41002): This establishes a fee on natural gas trade with countries not part of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the U.S. This is a strategic move to favor trade with FTA partners and generate revenue from other international gas transactions.
    • Modification of Vessel Tonnage Duties (Sec. 100002): Changes to vessel tonnage duties (taxes on ships entering U.S. ports based on their cargo capacity) updates these fees to better reflect modern shipping practices and ensure fair contribution from international maritime commerce.
    • Termination or Restriction of Clean Energy Tax Credits (Title XI, Subtitle C, Part 1): The bill calls for ending or limiting various clean energy tax credits, such as those for electric vehicles, alternative fuel refueling property, and energy-efficient home improvements. This aligns with the perspective that such credits may represent market distortions or handouts and that their removal levels the playing field.
    • Increased Excise Tax on Private Foundation Investment Income (Sec. 112022): An increase in the excise tax on the net investment income of certain private foundations, based on asset size, is proposed. This is a way to ensure that large, tax-exempt foundations contribute more to public revenue, particularly if there are concerns about how these funds are being utilized or if they are perceived as benefiting from arrangements that do not primarily serve domestic charitable purposes.
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  • Business Tax Devolutions: A Critical Dissection of Title XI, Subtitle B, Parts 1 & 2

    The recently proposed business tax measures under Title XI, Subtitle B, Parts 1 & 2, are presented as beneficial reforms. However, a closer examination reveals a series of provisions that range from questionably effective to deeply detrimental to American interests and fiscal responsibility.

    Sec. 111001: Extension of Special Depreciation Allowance (Bonus Depreciation) – A Recipe for Misallocation

    This section proposes extending 100% bonus depreciation for property acquired after January 19, 2025, and placed in service before January 1, 2030. This isn’t sound economic policy; it’s a blatant handout, likely to benefit well-connected insiders. Reports of companies already stockpiling assets suggest this will merely accelerate a pre-existing rush to capitalize on a temporary distortion. Such a policy actively encourages a misallocation of resources, incentivizing potentially unnecessary capital expenditure over more sustainable investments or debt reduction. It’s a short-sighted pump for certain sectors that will only exacerbate our national debt, not alleviate it.

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