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A Sudden Burst of Sanity Strikes Congress By Rondal Goldfarb In another whiplash moment that defied expectations, Congress courageously stood up in unity to push back against some of the most egregious policy proposals of the 119th sessions to expand the welfare state. In a shocking plot twist, the uniparty united against itself in a flurry of final votes in the final death throes of the 119th Congress. After a long session of rocketing through so many socialist bills through Congress at a speed that almost risked warping space time to deliver us into an alternative universe where their dystopian hellscape thrives, Speaker Jeffries and Minority Leader Hern (R-OK) curb stomped the brakes so hard that they actually flipped time back into a world where common sense survives and the free market still reigns, if only for a blissful but serene moment. After months of Democrats campaigning hard on their Soviet housing scheme, the HOUSE Act, and pitching the idea to every exhausted midwest farmer who took a blood oath to vote for them if they would just stop harassing them, Congresscritters united in lockstep to flush their own bill down the toilet and say JK by a vote of 433-0! Back to the drawing board. And thank goodness. The HOUSE Act, sponsored by Senators Storm, Guenther, and our old friend, Commie Kahiona, has a litany of problems with it but now that it has been relegated to the dustbin of history by the sponsors’ own Party, we’ll just cover the topline insanity: The HOUSE Act invests $175 Billion in taxpayer dollars into new public housing projects. Par for the course from The Three Apparatchiks. Public housing is a fundamentally flawed policy that exemplifies the inefficiencies of government intervention in the housing market. By centralizing control over housing production and management, public housing programs often suffer from poor quality construction, inadequate maintenance, and misallocation of resources. These projects frequently fail to meet the actual needs of low-income communities, fostering dependency rather than empowerment. Furthermore, public housing disrupts the natural dynamics of supply and demand, discouraging private investment and innovation in affordable housing solutions and raising costs for everyone else. A better approach would be to reduce regulatory barriers, such as construction mandates and Davis Bacon requirements, to encourage a competitive housing market that organically addresses the diverse needs of individuals while promoting economic mobility and self-reliance. While it is perfectly reasonable to question the Republican leadership’s judgment as well, given their sworn allegiance to the People’s First Agenda, the move somewhat tracks with the sudden reversal from trend in their decision to kill the veto overturn over the Blutarsky Bill. Interestingly though, the Republicans are the only ones that have justified their actions in the House on this issue. Democrats, meanwhile, have been as unified in their silence on the motion as they were in their opposition. Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Duplantis (R-Red Lobster) tried to get Senator Storm to answer for it on the Corporate News Media’s bungled election coverage but was met with the same deafening silence as when Vanessa Taylor herself also asked them questions they did not want to answer. Personally, we do not really need a reason; we just hope this turning over a new leaf for Congress carries over into the next session. But wait. There’s more! After politically posturing from adding modest benefit changes to Medicare all the way through Medicare for All and beyond, House Democrats and Republicans both finally mustered enough courage to unanimously renounce a bill by the DNC Chair herself, Senator O’Hare (D-HI), to provide coverage for dental, vision, and hearing services under Medicare. Nevermind that the program has less than 10 years left to live even before considering the additional costs of the proposed expanded benefits. For reasons that remain unknown to all, (even staffers could be seen literally aghast from camera #4 on C-SPAN 2,) House Democrats under Speaker Jeffries finally heard the call of their fallen comrade, President Biden, and beat Medicare. Or saved it, from our perspective. At least for now. We really are not in Kansas anymore. This phenomenon is basically unprecedented in House history. Why did the leadership of a party that campaigned so heavily on housing and health issues suddenly bring up their own bills in the final weeks of Congress only to self-immolate them on the floor like a teething toddler in a tantrum? The world may never know. But for the rest of us watching at home, your entitlements will endure a little longer, and we are not all being rounded into taxpayer-sponsored Soviet style tenements against our will just yet. At least until January. Until then, you can check out any time you like, but only if you continue to: #ChooseFreedom -
Treasury Secretary Levi Koenig Approves New Opportunity Zones in New Jersey, Calls for Nationwide Participation by Jean Luke Perry Secretary of the Treasury Levi Koenig has announced the approval of a request to designate New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise Zones as federal Opportunity Zones at the request of Senator Vini Vinachelli (R-NJ), marking a significant expansion of the program aimed at driving economic revitalization in distressed communities. The move comes as part of the Innovation Growth Amendment under the Permanent Tax Cuts Act, championed by Senators Levi Koenig (R-FL), Osiris Storm (D-NY), Charlotte O’Hare (D-HI), and led by the Van Horn administration. The initiative will bring a new round of 5,000 Opportunity Zones to economically struggling areas, including those within New Jersey’s UEZs. Secretary Koenig hailed the decision as a “strategic alignment of federal and state resources to unlock unprecedented investment and growth.” “New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise Zones have been a proven success in fostering economic development, and expanding the Opportunity Zone program to these areas will enhance their impact,” Koenig said in a press conference. “I encourage states across the country to submit their proposals for the next round of designations so we can continue driving transformative change in underserved communities.” New Jersey’s UEZs, which have historically faced high unemployment and limited access to capital, will now benefit from the tax incentives and investment opportunities provided by the OZ framework. This dual-front strategy leverages federal and state initiatives to attract private-sector investment, support infrastructure projects, and stimulate business development. The Treasury Department also confirmed that existing Opportunity Zones expiring in December 2026 would be eligible for re-designation under the new legislation, granting an additional five years of benefits to previously designated areas. This renewal option aims to ensure sustained growth in areas where OZs have shown measurable success. Governor Jack Ciattarelli of New Jersey added, “This designation positions our state as a leader in economic revitalization. We’re committed to ensuring these new Opportunity Zones create equitable and sustainable opportunities for residents and businesses.” The Treasury Department has invited all states to submit proposals for the expanded Opportunity Zone program, emphasizing the importance of targeting areas with significant economic challenges. Secretary Koenig assured that the application process would prioritize transparency and collaboration with local governments and community stakeholders. As the next round of Opportunity Zone designations begins, the federal government is optimistic that the expanded program will continue driving private investment into areas most in need, fulfilling its mission to foster economic opportunity and build stronger, more resilient communities. -
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