'We keep hearing about this stalled demand for EVs'

'Shame on President Biden'

Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats’ nominee for president, finally released her policy platform Monday, a little over 24 hours before her first debate with former President Donald Trump.  The Harris platform makes various claims about the root causes of issues faced by America and the way Harris plans to address those issues. The claims underlying her policy promises are false, however. Here is a look at what the Harris campaign released under the title “A New Way Forward.” Harris Vows to ‘Secure Border’ After 4 Years of Open Borders  Harris’ policy platform says that, if elected, she will “secure our border and fix our broken immigration system.” The Biden-Harris administration, however, abruptly shifted the nation’s border policies on Day One, enabling a massive influx of illegal immigrants since 2021.  The platform focuses on “the bipartisan border bill” that failed to pass the House of Representatives in 2023 and suggests the legislation would solve illegal immigration. The platform blames Trump for “killing the bipartisan border bill” although out of office and thereby failing to solve the border crisis. The platform states that Harris would sign the legislation, suggesting that nothing more is needed to solve the underlying issues. Congressional Republicans, however, said the border bill was political posturing and not a true effort to secure the border.   The bill “spends $20 billion to not secure the border, but to more efficiently encounter, process, and disperse illegal migrants,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told reporters.    Harris arguably shares responsibility for the border crisis with President Joe Biden, who tasked her in March 2021 with solving the “root causes” of illegal immigration from three Central American nations. That’s when both supporters and critics began referring to Harris as Biden’s “border czar.” Harris Says Equality Act Will ‘Protect Civil Rights and Freedoms’ Harris now promises to “protect civil rights and freedoms” by passing the Equality Act to “enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in health care, housing, education, and more into law.”  But critics say the Equality Act would undermine women’s civil rights in order to help a minority of men who claim to be women.  The bill would add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  It would force schools and other programs to allow biological males who “identify” as females to compete against girls and women in sports and use private female facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms. Harris Blames Inflation on Price Gouging, Not Government Spending Harris’ policy statement on inflation suggests again that price gouging, not government spending, is the central driver of rising prices.  “As president, she will direct her administration to crack down on anti-competitive practices that let big corporations jack up prices and undermine the competition that allows all businesses to thrive while keeping prices low for consumers,” the campaign website states.  However, as Heritage Foundation budget expert EJ Antoni pointed out, there is a far more obvious culprit: government spending. Antoni, an economist, noted: “One of the functions of money is that of a measuring tool. If a yardstick were to shrink from 36 inches down to just 30, it would take 120 of these shortened yardsticks to cover the distance of a football field, instead of 100. As the dollar has lost value, it takes more dollars to measure the value of the things we buy.” If price gouging caused 40-year record-high inflation, Antoni asked, did businessmen “magically” become greedy when Biden and Harris took office?  “Were corporations never greedy in the 40 years leading up to Biden’s inflationary expansion of government?” he asked. “Businesses haven’t even passed all their higher costs on to consumers; if they’re trying to be greedy, they’re doing it all wrong.” Harris’ policy platform also tacitly admits that it is implausible that price gouging is responsible for increases in prices. The platform notes that her “first-ever federal ban on corporate price gouging on food and groceries” would “build on the anti-price gouging statutes already in place in 37 states.” If bans on price gouging were the solution to inflation, wouldn’t these bans have prevented the problem in those 37 states? Harris Promises Crackdown on Iran, Though Biden-Harris Admin’s Loose Sanctions Netted Regime Billions Harris’ platform talks a tough game on Iran, the world’s top sponsor of radical Islamist terrorism.  A section on keeping America safe proclaims: “Vice President Harris will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect U.S. forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.” Tehran is the top financial sponsor of the terrorist group Hamas, which infamously slaughtered 1,139 Israelis—including women and children—on Oct. 7 in southern Israel. Harris’ new policy pronouncements overlook the fact that the Biden-Harris administration loosened U.S. economic sanctions on Iran, netting the Islamist regime $71 billion more before Oct. 7 than under Trump-Pence administration policies. If Harris would “never hesitate” to protect U.S. interests from Iran, did she object to the administration’s move to loosen sanctions? Harris Repeats Widely Debunked Claim That Trump Campaign Created Project 2025  The Harris policy platform includes several tabs contrasting the vice president’s positions with what it calls “Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda,” although Trump repeatedly has distanced himself from The Heritage Foundation-led Presidential Transition Project.  In fact, a campaign official for Harris already has acknowledged that the vice president has deliberately misled voters about Project 2025. Harris and her campaign repeatedly have tried to link Project 2025 to Trump, despite the former president’s pushback. In a particularly ironic claim, Harris said Trump would implement his Project 2025 agenda to consolidate power, bring the Department of Justice and the FBI under his direct control so he can give himself unchecked legal power, go after opponents, and “rule as a dictator on ‘Day One.’”  However, the Biden-Harris Justice Department targeted pro-lifers and other Americans with dissenting political and religious views, particularly after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and abortion on demand in June 2022. For instance, a Michigan jury recently found seven pro-life activists guilty of engaging in a conspiracy against rights and violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act, for peacefully protesting outside an abortion clinic. The charges against the pro-life activists were brought by DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, led by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. Launched two years ago by The Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 has grown to a coalition of 110 conservative organizations that developed a transition plan for the next presidential administration. The Heritage-led coalition considers its work to be nonpartisan and offers it to whoever occupies the White House in January 2025. The post FACT CHECK: Kamala Harris Campaign Platform Makes Promises Based on False Assumptions appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A kitten was dropped off for help at just a few days old. Now, she has a smokey coat and the most smiley face. BertieKimberlyBertie (aka St Bertrille) was just a few days old when she came to Ellen Carozza LVT, VTS (CP-Feline), president of Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation, for a chance at a better life.Weighing just 70 grams, Bertie needed to be closely monitored and tube-fed. After several days of painstaking care, the kitten started to turn a corner.To ensure she stayed on track, Kimberly, a foster volunteer for the foundation, took her on and kept up with the round-the-clock feedings. Ellen Carozza"She needed to be tube-fed for a few days before she could even suckle from a bottle, but she was feisty and determined. She spent almost two weeks in an incubator to maintain her body temperature," Kimberly told Love Meow.Once Bertie gained the strength to move around, she'd wait at the incubator window every two hours for her bottle to be served. KimberlyShe became very vocal at mealtime and especially active when she heard her foster mom. She crawled towards her voice and squeaked for attention. Before long, she discovered her purr motor and turned it up on high.Once Bertie tasted freedom outside her cozy incubator, she toddled around like a tiny explorer charting a new world. KimberlyBertie noticed other kittens scampering around her nursery and was determined not to miss out on the action. She clambered to the summit of her fish bed, overlooking the room."It's so funny to watch this tiny little kitten with eyes that are too big for her head crawl around and explore." KimberlyOnce Bertie was weaned, she tackled the litter box like a pro. She befriended the bigger cats in the residence, zooming around with them with reckless abandon. Meanwhile, her gorgeous smokey coat emerged.Her fur turned into a stunning smoke pattern and grew fluffier each day. Kimberly"Bertie has a smoke coat, which is when the tips of the hair are black, and the roots are silver or gray. It is different from a fever coat, which is usually caused by illness or stress and is temporary."She keeps her mouth slightly agape as if sporting a perpetual "blep" on her face. When she struts through the kitchen, she exudes the confidence of a runway model, showcasing her fancy coat. Bertie takes her bathtub duties very seriouslyKimberly"She was also the bathtub lifeguard. You couldn't take a bath without her perched on the side."She rallied the rest of the feline crew to join the bathtub duties. An older cat watched from the porcelain throne while the younger ones inspected the tub's contents. Bertie and her feline friendsKimberly"Bertie was extremely affectionate and just wanted to be held or sit in a lap. She loved playing with Frankie Bangs (another foster kitten), and despite him having two wonky back legs, their matches rivaled the WWE."Bertie greeted people with a charming smile that never faded. Her happy purrs and playful antics were a constant source of delight. Bertie is fluffy and smileyKimberlyWhen Bertie was ready to spread her wings and fly, she quickly found a wonderful family to love and spoil her endlessly."She arrived in a box at about two days old, looking like a gummy bear, and turned into this glorious floof." Ellen CarozzaLast weekend, Bertie moved in with her new mom. She curled up in her arms and placed her little paw on her hand as if to say, "You are the chosen one." Bertie has found her forever homeEllen Carozza and KimberlyShare this story with your friends. More on Kimberly's fosters on Instagram @somdkittenfosters, Ellen's rescues @thecatlvt, and Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation on Facebook.Related story: Cat Gives Indoor Life a Try After Living Outside Most of His Life, Turns Out It's the Best Thing Ever

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It seems Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s promises to reform his anti-free speech attitude were short-lived. The company announced its newest partnership to censor supposed “misinformation.” Zuckerberg recently admitted guilt and regret for his company’s election interference and unjustified censorship, particularly at the government’s behest in 2020. Yet Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp) has now announced its partnership with Japanese fact checker Litmus, a member of the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). IFCN’s parent has received funding from radical leftist billionaire George Soros in the past, a fact that has never held Meta back from using IFCN as an accreditor for its allegedly third-party independent fact-checking partners. In a Sept. 2 blog post, Meta proudly revealed its new partnership with Litmus. A Google Translate translation of the Japanese language blog declared it was launching “a third-party fact-checking program in Japan as part of further efforts to prevent the spread of misinformation on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.”  Litmus is the “first fact-checking media” in Japan and will supposedly assess the “accuracy of information” on Meta’s platforms, according to the Meta blog post. Nicole Han, Meta’s Strategic Partner Development Manager, celebrated the company’s continued censorship efforts in the blog. “Meta is always committed to preventing the spread of misinformation on the platform, and we understand the value of partnering with local experts to do so,” Han stated. This appears in direct contradiction to Zuckerberg’s seemingly insincere letter in August. Meta bragged that its fact-checking program has expanded since 2016 to around a hundred organizations for over 60 languages globally. The platform added that, “This time, we will partner with Litmus … for the first time and develop this program. Litmus is recognized as a member of the International Fact Check Network (IFCN), a neutral coalition of fact-check media around the world,” though Litmus has not yet renewed its membership for this new fiscal year. Meta added, “All of Meta's fact-checking partners are accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) … or the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN).” But IFCN is anything but neutral. Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) gaveIFCN’s parent Poynter Institute $492,000 in grants between 2016 and 2019. Shockingly, IFCN specifically prioritized “facts” over free speech in April, and IFCN’s PolitiFact was exposed by MRC that same month for going all in on protecting President Joe Biden, then the Democrat presidential candidate. Meta apparently avoided any mention of Poynter in its blog post. Conservatives are under attack. Contact Meta here and demand that it be held to account to mirror the First Amendment and provide an equal platform for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using MRC Free Speech America’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

Kamala Harris has yet to release any official policy proposals on her campaign website, but she has been sharing her thoughts through speeches, social media posts, and surrogates. One of her latest positions, now with more “joy,” claims she is pro-worker and pro-small-business — quite the rebranding.Harris broke more Senate ties than any vice president in history, directly influencing key legislation. She played a decisive role in bad administration policies, casting the deciding vote on measures like the American Rescue Plan, which stoked historic inflation that continues to burden workers and businesses. She also voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which drove up deficits and allowed government spending to overshadow private-sector spending. The vice president’s tie-breaking votes make her directly responsible for these outcomes.Your work should be your choice — not to mention that flexible work benefits the economy. But Harris doesn’t think so.Harris’ proposed policies do little to remove regulatory or tax barriers for small businesses and workers; in fact, many of her ideas would do the opposite. Higher corporate taxes, increased capital gains taxes, and unrealized gains taxes, regardless of the intended income bracket, would negatively affect hiring, worker pay, and small business operations. While she has mentioned increasing a tax credit for small businesses, she has provided no clear specifics. Any potential credit would likely be offset by the increases in other corporate and income taxes.The Biden-Harris administration often uses meaningless statistics to boast about its supposed small business success. For instance, the administration claims a “record” 19 million “small business applications” were received under its leadership. The problem is that no one can explain what this figure actually represents, and I have asked several people deeply involved in the small business community, including major lobbying organizations.We do know that this statistic has nothing to do with new business formation at those levels. You don’t need to apply to become a small business, although small businesses with entities do register at the state level. Currently, over 33 million small businesses exist, and that number typically grows by fewer than 1 million per year in normal, active years.Even in 2020, during the pandemic — a significant time for new small business formation — around 1.07 million new businesses were started, according to the Small Business Administration.Harris’ stance against worker freedom further harms both workers and small businesses. Supporting them means respecting an individual’s right to choose how and when to work. More than 70 million gig workers operate in the United States, alongside over 33 million small businesses.Workers often pursue flexibility and independence, choosing to set their own hours and work terms instead of becoming traditional employees. Small businesses prefer hiring contractors to avoid the increased costs, time, and regulatory burdens of managing a full-time workforce.When both parties agree to an arrangement that works for them and pay their taxes — self-employed individuals pay double the self-employment tax, covering both their contribution and what an employer would pay — the government has no business interfering.Your work should be your choice — not to mention that flexible work benefits the economy.But Harris doesn’t think so, despite her claims of being pro-worker and pro-small-business.In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration reversed a pro-worker independent contractor rule established under President Trump. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Department of Labor introduced a stricter set of standards, reducing the ability to be or hire a contractor, though enforcement has remained limited so far.Harris pushed this stance even farther. On September 2, 2024, she posted on X (formerly Twitter): “When I am President, we will pass the PRO Act and end union-busting once and for all.” The PRO Act includes anti-contractor provisions similar to California’s AB 5 rule, aiming to nationalize these restrictive measures and impose other anti-contractor, anti-free-work, and anti-small-business positions into law.Kamala Harris’ actions clearly oppose worker freedom and small business success. These large groups should let her know what they think of that in November.

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