Top Ten List
The Who, Cher, Tears for Fears, and Isaac Hayes
Another quiet week in American politics, let’s see if we can make a Top Ten List of it.
I’m still wrapping my head around Marjorie Taylor Greene upping the dosage and appearing normal. #BetterLivingThroughChemistry #GoPHRMA
From the home office in Short Pump…
The Epstein Files - super fun. Peak 21st Century living right there. Like you, I was thrilled someone with my name was not included.
Tariffs - Econ 101 met PoliSci 101 and suddenly over 200 food and agricultural products are liberated.
Super genius. Like totally stable
Next up - the Supreme Court driving a stake through the heart of the rest of them. Yeah, it turns out there was no emergency after all.
(I’m guessing the Trump family has their groceries delivered. Just a guess…)
Speaking of stupid…let’s check in on ideas to lower housing costs?
How about a FIFTY YEAR MORTGAGE???
It’s not about financing. It’s about SUPPLY. Financing over a LONGER term only increases…THE COST. Staggering combination of arrogance and immorality.
Speaking of stupid…(inner monologue break out moment) how much longer can we allow social media to break down our society?
From The Mailbag of Your Fellow Smart Readers:
Companies are working to prevent states from regulating Big Tech, but Section 230 protections should be reformed to hold social media companies liable for societal harm, similar to how opioid manufacturers were bankrupted for the damage they caused despite legitimate uses of their products. Trump is being irresponsible and short-sighted by supporting Big Tech leaders without considering the long-term consequences of shielding these companies from accountability.
If it’s bad for kids in schools, is suddenly healthy for adults? Nope. #MyLifeAccordingToAlgorithms
Speaking of unhealthy…how about online betting sites? The American Psychological Association reports that almost 30% of those who gamble do so everyday. That includes state run lotteries. We need to get a handle on this with robust regulations. Oh and ban prop bets along with parlays NOW. The recent reports of organized crime should scare state legislators into action. People are getting trapped in a vicious cycle of gambling debts. #WeWereWarned
Campaign Finance Reform - want to “Clean” things up? Simply have a level of campaign contribution trigger financial disclosures. For instance, if you drop over $1,000,000 in a year you should be required to open your financials up for public review. #TransparencyFiles
Special Sessions - Governors should NOT call a Special Session unless it is absolutely necessary - the General Assembly does NOT have to adjourn them.
(Political points awarded to General Assembly Democrats for taking FULL advantage of the still ongoing Special Session to get what they want on redistricting reform and university appointments) #YouWouldHaveBeenWarnedHadYouCalled
Pop culture reference? Cher’s If I Could Turn Back Time:
YUGE lesson for all you wanna be governors - stick to the 60 and 45/46 day sessions.
Since we are now on Virginia, let’s talk about the upcoming budget battle. WOW - we have a doozy coming up. I was briefed by a senior legislative leader who said this is the worst budget outlook in over 10 years.
We have a $7 BILLION problem:
$1.2 Billion for K-12 re-benchmarking
$3.2 Billion for Medicaid
$2.3 Billion for Federal Tax Conformity
$350 Million for SNAP benefits.
Aaaaand suddenly we’re back to Econ 101 meeting up with PoliSci 101...
A spokesperson for Governor-elect Spanberger said this to the Virginia Scope asking about a bill being introduced in the Senate to repeal Right to Work:
Governor-elect Spanberger believes the number-one job of the Governor of Virginia is to strengthen the Commonwealth’s economy and attract new jobs.
She’s correct. Economic growth and job creation are the metrics by which every Virginia governor is measured. Period.
Every economic development office (state and local) in the country will be watching Virginia’s actions on Right To Work.
Speaking of bills being introduced…lots of bills have been dropped in an effort to, once again, replace Human Resources departments with Virginia’s legislative branch. Which is interesting since so few have actually run a business and made a payroll (other than campaigns, of course).
Legislative Idea - Since political campaigns have become multimillion dollar enterprises, shouldn’t they be subject to all labor laws? Should political campaigns be allowed to use free labor?
Looking Ahead
If this was a stock in your portfolio, would you sell, buy, or hold?
What stock is that, you ask?
Donald Trump’s political stock heading into the 2026 midterms:
And people worry about Democracy…Just stop already.
Trust. The. Process.
This is a good time to share the story of the creation of The Who’s iconic song, “Who Are You?”
Around 1976, famed Who guitarist Pete Townshend met with his finance manager one day for…THIRTEEN HOURS.
That’s probably NOT a fun meeting, right?
Thirteen hours with your finance manager is a, “You need to pull your head out of your a$$” conversation.
As the story goes, Townshend went to local SoHo bar in London (check the lyrics) and got blind stinking drunk after running into two members of the Sex Pistols - an up and coming punk rock band.
Confronted with bad finances, an identity crisis of possibly “selling out”/being "‘the establishment”, and of being replaced by the anti-establishment rising punk movement, Townshend is woken up by a police officer and his inner monologue was “Who the f*ck are you?”
The lyrics are about him - not you - by the way.
Here are the lyrics sans famous refrain:
I woke up in a Soho doorway
A policeman knew my name
He said, “You can go sleep at home tonight
If you can get up and walk away”
I staggered back to the underground
And the breeze blew back my hair
I remember throwin’ punches around
And preachin’ from my chair
I took the tube back out of town
Back to the Rollin’ Pin
I felt a little like a dying clown
With a streak of Rin Tin Tin
I stretched back and I hiccupped
And looked back on my busy day
Eleven hours in the tin pan
God, there’s got to be another way
I know there’s a place you walked
Where love falls from the trees
My heart is like a broken cup
I only feel right on my knees
I spit out like a sewer hole
Yet still receive your kiss
How can I measure up to anyone now
After such a love as this?
2028 is now and both major parties are about to go into a very long finance meeting.
We’re about to find out who they really are…Right now, I have no earthly idea.
Ladies and gentlemen, John Entwistle on bass, Keith Moon on drums, Roger Daltrey lead vocals, and Peter Townshend on lead guitar….The Who.
In the 70s, I was Funk before Punk. Credit goes to Isaac Hayes:
I’m talking about Sax…
And FINALLY - the Scots are coming!!!
Scotland beat Denmark to qualify for the World Cup next year here in North America. AMAZING highlights.
First time in 28 years for the Scots to qualify for the Cup and they have lost their minds:
Joyously, hilariously lost their minds: