Saxman: Yes, Virginia We Have a Budget, Confusion on Cannabis, and Persistent Gas Prices

First things first – if you haven’t seen Top Gun Maverick, just go. It is fantastic. Well worth the wait. Plus they told China to go pound sand on taking off the Taiwan and Japanese flags on Cruise’s fighter jacket. Might have to see it again just to say thanks for that move. Great movie. Instant top ten of all time. Here’s the trailer to further entice you to liberate your money from your wallet.

Virginia FREE Friday will be on the road again checking in from “dreary old Manhattan” as Michele and I will be dropping the youngest, John (20 on Wednesday), for an internship in the Big Apple.

Same Bat Time, same Bat Channel – CLICK HERE AT 3pm on FRIDAY to join the growing audience which cares deeply about Virginia and American politics.

It’s usually a wonderful conversation.

Okay – before I jump into the best charts and graphs from the week, let’s give a little unsolicited feedback on all things politics. I’ll cut to the quick to stir thought.

1. The Virginia budget passed the House and Senate. Late. Very Late. This trend should not become tradition.
2. Both parties, for the most part, are hailing is at as a bipartisan effort and even using the “C” word – COMPROMISE. Such a dangerous primary filled world for a politician to use such a word. Stay strong, folks. Stay strong. Thank you to Delegate Barry Knight and Senator Janet Howell for getting the job done.
3. That’s all politics is – compromise. Same goes for just about any human relationship. Don’t believe me? Try this out tonight – “What’s for dinner?”
4. Both parties are also hailing all the good that they will be able to do with the positive revenue estimates. This underscores the reality that a growing economy is a very good thing. Pro-business policies matter in attaining or maintaining vibrant economic growth.
5. Gotta be honest here – what the hell is with tobacco and cannabis? First we are legalizing marijuana (a MUCH more potent pot than the 70s grass) while we are banning (criminalizing) menthol cigarettes. THEN we go and re-criminalize MaryJane if someone has 4 oz? IF you can find the logic train here, climb aboard!
6. President Biden is, apparently, going to Saudi Arabia to ask the country he recently called a “pariah” to turn the oil spigots – presumably to the right. (Don’t go there) #SupplyMatters See chart below $4.67 nationwide average.
7. Imagine if we had the Atlantic Coast, Keystone, and Mountain Valley Pipelines up and operating? Say nothing … just imagine was all I asked.
8. Elon Musk tells his employees that it’s time to get back to work by working 40 hours in the office or “they should pretend to work somewhere else.” We’ll see how that goes. Reminds me of my dad, “If they don’t like it … (pointing out) there’s the door. Don’t let it hit them on the way out!”
9. Interesting and provocative op-ed in the WSJ, “The West’s Struggle for Mental Health.” By Liah Greenfield of Boston U.
   

   The more a society is dedicated to the value of equality and the more choices it offers for individual self-determination, the higher its rates of functional mental illness. These rates increase in parallel with the increase in the available occupational, geographical, religious, gender and lifestyle-related choices. This explains why, since the 1970s, the U.S. leads the world as the country most affected by functional mental illness, though other prosperous liberal democracies aren’t far behind.

   This should be required reading for policy makers and business leaders JUST to get the ball rolling. Begs the question – Are we regressing to the mean? Talk among yourselves. We’ll revisit soon.

10. Janet Yellen admitted that she was wrong about inflation. Good on her for being so brave to admit the patently obvious. Yellen chaired the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018 and became Secretary of the Treasury in January of 2021. In EVERY other industry she would have been fired, but in politics she’s hailed for telling the truth.
11. Next thing you know, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s role in Russiagate might get reported on. THANKFULLY we have intellectually honest people like Matt Taibbi doing great work like his recent and excellent piece Shouldn’t Hillary Clinton Be Banned From Twitter Now? The Left has a solid contingent of intellectually honest and interesting journos namely – Taibbi, Bill Maher, and Krystal Ball. Why? Because they call Bravo Sierra on their own.
12. What about Trump you say? a) see chart below on his record of endorsements in real races; b) Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson recently said in this article – Republicans Must Move Past Trump and that, “There’s a significant amount of our base that is happy with an off-ramp from the Trump train.” Will Hutchinson win the nomination? Doubtful. BUT the GOP will be going through its own direction deliberation asking a central question – is this about him or us? I’m taking Us and the Over.
13. Some college friends and I had a chat over when “it all went downhill” – nominees included Tom’s the Amazin’ Mets beating the Orioles 4-1 in the ‘69 World Series. I offered when the American League began the Designated Hitter, when M*A*S*H killed Henry Blake (which damn near killed my mom who still cried decades later), video games, the microwave, and social media. Mom used to say it was the dishwasher. Jersey native Fred suggested – Tommy (Joe Pesci) getting whacked in Goodfellas – “Pivotal moment in our society.” Let’s be honest…Tommy had it coming…

Now to use one of my favorite weekly phrases- Bill Maher saying…

Aaaandd finally…

Speaking of social media. How short is our attention span? This one shows you.

Tik Tok is on the move but Facebook is dominant since they also own Instagram. #Meta

Plastics!

Can’t wait to fill up for the trip to NYC this weekend. Amtrak and the airlines offerings were worse. #Inflation #That’sOKJanet

And how’s supply looking? Mmm … not good.

And don’t forget what fuels those electricity prices – natural gas.

Trump – does he have the pull anymore? Or is he just piling up the Ws by showing up at finish line to claim credit. Big miss in Georgia. Yuge.

People wrote off Russia way too early. This thing will be around for awhile and food prices could destabilize regions of the world especially MENA (Middle East North Africa).

Persistent high gas prices create persistently bad polls. #TheRoadtoRiyadh

See you at 3 today!