RISE OF THE WOKE MILITARY How the progressive agenda is undermining combat readiness By Michael Washburn
JUNE 10–16, 2022 | $6.95
NO. 23
Editor’s Note
Military Going Woke a policy giving priority to diversity, inclusion, and equity as “the primary criteria” for U.S. military culture is raising concerns about the United States’ combat readiness. Specifically, a plan released as part of the 2021 Special Operations Command considers inclusion and diversity “a strategic imperative.” Experts interviewed by Insight are warning that these new priorities have nothing to do with combat effectiveness. And while the push for the policies comes from the executive branch, experts believe many Pentagon leaders also have bought into such concepts as critical race theory and are helping to push the ideology. “Any time that personnel are diverted away from training aimed at making the military more combat-effective has a cost,” Kingsley Browne, a law professor at Wayne State University, told Insight. This new form of “wokeness” in the military, observers say, has given way to double standards that could prove to be dangerous. An example is the lowering of physical fitness standards for women. “There is a widespread belief that women are often given extra chances to pass training, especially in the Special Operations Forces,” Browne said. Browne specifically worries about the impact that this, and the use of ideologies rooted in a Marxist framework, will have on morale and cohesion within military units. Jasper Fakkert Editor-in-chief
2 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
JASPER FAKKERT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHANNALY PHILIPP LIFE & TRADITION, TRAVEL EDITOR CHRISY TRUDEAU MIND & BODY EDITOR
ON THE COVER Concerns over “wokeness” in the military— and its impact on morale, cohesion, and combat readiness—are growing. U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO BY CPL. CARLOS LOPEZ
CRYSTAL SHI HOME, FOOD EDITOR SHARON KILARSKI ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR BILL LINDSEY LUXURY EDITOR BIBA KAJEVICH ILLUSTRATOR SHANSHAN HU PRODUCTION CONTACT US THE EPOCH TIMES ASSOCIATION INC. 229 W.28TH ST., FL.7 NEW YORK, NY 10001 ADVERTISING ADVERTISENOW@EPOCHTIMES.COM SUBSCRIPTIONS, GENERAL INQUIRIES, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR HELP.THEEPOCHTIMES.COM (USPS21-800)IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE EPOCH MEDIA GROUP, 9550 FLAIR DR. SUITE 411, EL MONTE, CA 91731-2922. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT EL MONTE, CA, AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE EPOCH TIMES, 229 W. 28TH STREET, FLOOR 5, NEW YORK, NY 10001.
vol. 2 | no. 23 | june 10–16, 2022
16 | Wildfire Season
49 | Investing During
a Recession Where should investors turn when there’s so much uncertainty?
A crippling shortage of firefighters coincides with fire season.
18 | School Board
50 | Take a Break
Exodus Texas has left a national school board body over its implication that parents were engaging in domestic terrorism.
The world in which we live is fast-paced, so make time for a nap.
52 | World’s Larg-
est Prison? China’s techauthoritarianism and the persecution of the Uyghurs.
26 | Arizona’s Mules An election integrity group presents evidence of ballot trafficking in two counties.
28 | Mississippi
Primary Twist Allegations of campaign finance violations against an incumbent congressman may lead to a competitive primary race.
42 | Lifeguard Luxury
Los Angeles Beach lifeguards are getting big bucks and plush benefits.
44 | US–Saudi Relations The consequences of Biden’s inept diplomacy.
47 | Gas Shortage
Economists warn a new House bill will bring back 1970s-style gas lines.
48 | Wages and
Savings No, consumers can’t perform miracles for the U.S. economy.
56 | A Stone Mansion
Features
This historic estate combines charm with modern conveniences.
12 | FBI’s Flynn–Russia Transcripts A U.S. attorney says there’s no evidence that requests from Biden and others to unmask Flynn were politically motivated.
58 | Exploring
Italy’s Heel This coastal city is a must-visit for fans of wine and history.
20 | Biofuel Versus Gasoline Studies show the Biden administration’s biofuel initiative may be worse for the environment than gasoline.
60 | Profits on the Vine Make your portfolio a bit more interesting by adding wine.
30 | ‘Woke’ Military How Biden’s push for diversity and inclusion in the military may be jeopardizing combat readiness. THE LEAD
63 | Man Cave Musts
36 | Pastors Getting Political A national group is emboldening pastors to seek public office and spur civil service guided by the Bible. Gas prices of over $7 per gallon in Menlo Park, Calif., on May 25. The average price of gas has soared to a record high of $4.91 per gallon, with AAA data showing that 13 states have hit $5 per gallon or more. JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES
A gathering of suggestions to make your space more inviting.
66 | Haiti in New
Hampshire “Top Chef” star Chris Viaud celebrates his family heritage via food.
67 | Rules for the Road
Make your company look great while you’re on business trips. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 3
T H G IL T O P S D-Day Anniversary A U.S. AIRBORNE SOLDIER SPEAKS WITH 101-year-old World War II veteran Betty L. Huffman-Rosevear, who was a second lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps, on the sidelines of celebrations for the 78th D-Day anniversary marking the Normandy landings of June 6, 1944, in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France, on June 5. PHOTO BY JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
4 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 5
SHEN YUN SHOP
Great Culture Revived. Fine Jewelry | Italian Scarves | Home Decor
ShenYunShop.com
6 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Tel: 1.80 0.208.2384
NAT ION • WOR L D • W H AT H A P P E N E D T H I S W E E K
The Week
No. 23
Former U.S. national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn arrives for his sentencing hearing at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington on Dec. 18, 2018. PHOTO BY SAUL LOEB/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Flynn Unmasked Biofuel Versus Gasoline Studies show the Biden administration’s biofuel initiative may be worse for the environment than gasoline. 20
12
Arizona Politicians Hear Ballot Trafficking Findings An election integrity group presents evidence of ballot trafficking in Maricopa and Yuma counties. 26
Pastors Urged to Get Political A national group emboldens pastors to seek public office and spur civil service guided by the Bible. 36
INSIDE I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 7
The Week in Short US
“Somebody’s on the path to destruct America, and somebody’s got to say, ‘Guys, enough is enough.’”
15%
John Catsimatidis, billionaire and oil refiner, on the Biden administration’s stance against U.S. oil drilling and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, which he says are leading to an unnecessary recession.
“It was like comparing a mountain with a mole heap, and the mountain’s the cost and the mole heap was the benefits.” Dr. Paul Frijters, professor, London School of Economics, on comparing the costs and benefits of governments’ COVID-19 policies.
Mortgage demand plunged to its lowest level in 22 years last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Market Composite Index shows.
61.3%
More than 61.3 percent of San Francisco voters said “yes” to ousting Chesa Boudin, a Democrat, as their city’s district attorney.
83 Percent
of Americans believe that the economy is performing poorly or not so good, according to a poll from the Wall Street Journal and NORC at the University of Chicago, released on June 6.
8 Overdoses — Health officials in Montana say there were at least eight fatal drug
overdoses between May 22 and June 1 in the state, an “alarming number” that can be directly attributed to the potent synthetic narcotic fentanyl. 8 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
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22 YEARS
A breakthrough infection review published in Nature Medicine shows that COVID19 vaccines decrease the risk of long COVID by only 15 percent.
The Week in Short US DOJ
DOJ Declines to Pursue FBI Whistleblower Allegations THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. JUDICIARY
Supreme Court Holds Private Citizens Can’t Sue Border Patrol for Damages A U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENT in Washington state cannot be personally
sued in the federal court system for damages resulting from a claim of illegal retaliation and excessive force made by a private citizen, the Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous decision. The Biden administration argued that the threat of liability would interfere with Border Patrol agents doing their jobs. The Supreme Court agreed, overturning a decision of the often-reversed U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that had allowed the lawsuit to move forward. The justices ruled 9–0 that a Border Patrol agent couldn’t be sued for a retaliation claim under the First Amendment, and held 6–3 that the agent couldn’t be sued for excessive use of force under the Fourth Amendment.
JAN. 6
‘Insufficient Evidence’ of Excessive Force in Shooting Death of Ashli Babbitt: DOJ Report CAPITOL POLICE LT. MICHAEL BYRD produced no reports on his fatal
shooting of Ashli Babbitt at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and refused to give an official statement to investigators, but he agreed to a “voluntary debriefing” in which he stated if the “mob of rioters” outside the Speaker’s Lobby at the Capitol gained entry, “it wasn’t going to go well.” In records released by Judicial Watch, where those details emerged, some of the assertions drew immediate fire from Ashli Babbitt’s husband and a witness to the shooting, who said the document gets a number of things wrong. “If they can deem it a good shoot, they should be able to make everything public and explain exactly why—by the book—it was justified,” Aaron Babbitt told The Epoch Times. “They should not have to be forced to produce half-redacted statements full of contradictory statements.”
(DOJ) Office of Inspector General has declined to investigate allegations from FBI whistleblower William McGrath, who claims the bureau retaliated against him for refusing an order that, he says, would have compromised the life of a confidential informant. McGrath provided The Epoch Times with the letter from DOJ Assistant Inspector General Sean O’Neill, which stated that no investigation would be conducted into the“renewed allegations” McGrath has been pursuing for more than 20 years. McGrath contends that his allegations have never been properly investigated. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security is currently considering his case, which concerns an order he received while working as a special agent investigating Russian organized crime in 1997. CRIME
Man Arrested Near Home of Supreme Court Justice Had Gun: Officials THE CALIFORNIA MAN accused of
attempting to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh made his first court appearance on June 8 in federal court. Nicholas John Roske, 26, appeared in court hours after being arrested with a Glock 17 pistol and a tactical knife in Chevy Chase, Maryland, near where Kavanaugh and his family reside, according to court documents obtained by The Epoch Times. Roske was arraigned inside the federal courthouse in Greenbelt on a charge of attempted murder or threatening to murder a justice, which could land him 20 years in prison. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 9
The Week in Short World SRI LANKA
Debt-Ridden Sri Lanka Asks China to Revise $1.5 Billion Swap Deal SRI LANKA HAS REQUESTED that
A nearly empty Osaka Station City in Osaka, Japan, on Sept. 30, 2021. WORLD
Demographers Warn of Impending Population Collapse AMID THE DELUGE of dire predictions that the human population will
China amend the terms of a $1.5 billion yuan-denominated swap facility so that it can be used to fund essential imports, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said. The swap agreement, signed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in March 2021, stipulates that the fund can be used only if Sri Lanka has enough foreign reserves to last three months. Sri Lanka is on the verge of bankruptcy, with its foreign exchange reserves plummeting by 70 percent over the past two years, leaving it struggling to pay for essential imports. Wickremesinghe said that the country requires at least $6 billion to stay afloat over the next six months.
LONDON
Three Quarters of London Workers Will Never Return to Office Full-Time: Study
THREE OUT OF FOUR
workers in London believe they will never return to the office full-time after finding that working from home has improved their quality of life, according to a new study from the Policy Institute and King’s College London. Researchers surveyed 2,015 London workers aged 16 and older between March 25 and “To Let” signs for empty office space at Ludgate Hill in April 13. London on Jan. 12, 2021. According to the study’s findings, three-quarters of London workers think they “will never return to the previous way of working where most people come into their workplace five or more days a week.” 10 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
The construction site of a Chinese-funded project in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Oct. 28, 2021.
WALES
Welsh Government Announces Plan to Become an ‘AntiRacist Nation’ THE LABOUR-RUN WELSH
government has announced its aim to take action to turn Wales into an equitable, anti-racist nation through mandatory anti-racism training and lessons for schoolchildren and all public bodies. The Welsh government announced its Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan to “eradicate” racism from the National Health Service, hospitals, schools, and more in the country.
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rise exponentially, deplete the earth’s resources, and overheat the planet, recent demographic studies predict the opposite—that the number of people will peak within the next several decades and then begin a phase of steady, irreversible decline. A study published in the Lancet projects that the global human population will peak at 9.7 billion within several decades, and then start to decline. According to the Lancet and other studies, populations will soon start to fall throughout Asia and South America, catching up with chronic declines that are already taking place in Europe.
World in Photos
1. 2.
3.
1. Contestants chase a wheel of cheese in the men’s downhill race at the annual Cooper’s Hill CheeseRolling and Wake event in Gloucester, England, on June 5. 2. A veterinarian checks the teeth of a hippopotamus at the Caricuao Zoo, in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 4. 3. A rider competes during the 74th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné individual time trial cycling race, between Montbrison and La Batie d’Urfe, France, on June 8. 4. A man washes his clothes as others bathe in a canal on a hot summer afternoon in New Delhi on June 4.
4.
DURHAM PROBE
FLYNN UNMASKED FBI didn’t mask top Trump adviser’s name when sharing classified transcripts of Russia calls with media BY ZACHARY STIEBER
Former U.S. national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn arrives for his sentencing hearing at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington on Dec.18, 2018. PHOTO BY CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES
12 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
T
Nation Politics
HE F BI DIS T R IBU T ED T R A N S CR IP T S of calls between then-incoming national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and Russia’s ambassador to the United States without shielding Flynn’s name, according to a newly published report, which also found no evidence that requests from then-Vice President Joe Biden and other executive branch officials to unmask Flynn’s identity were politically motivated. Flynn and the ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, spoke several times after Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. Flynn’s identity was made known, or unmasked, to a number of Obama administration officials, who requested the unmasking prior to Trump being sworn in. Portions of the transcripts were reported by The Washington Post before Trump’s inauguration, citing a “senior U.S. government official.” A later article cited nine current and former officials. All likely violated the federal code that prohibits disclosure of classified information. Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, in May 2020 tasked U.S. Attorney John Bash with reviewing the unmasking requests of Flynn and others, with the Department of Justice indicating the frequency and motivation for the unmasking appeared to be problematic. Bash’s report was never made public but was published on May 31 by BuzzFeed News after the outlet obtained it through a Freedom of Information Act request. Bash, another Trump appointee, said he examined whether any senior officials had obtained Flynn’s identity in connection with the calls through an unmasking request made ahead of Trump’s inauguration. “The answer is no. According to the FBI, the Bureau did not disseminate an intelligence report discussing those communications and containing masked USPII for General Flynn before President Trump’s inauguration. For that reason, the public disclosure of the communications could not have resulted from an unmasking request,” Bash wrote. USPII stands for U.S. person identifying information. “That conclusion is consistent with my review of unmasking records, which did not reveal any unmasking request corresponding to a report discussing those communications,” and was confirmed by other information, Bash added. But the U.S. attorney, who resigned in October 2020, also said he learned that during the time when Trump was preparing to enter office that the FBI shared transcripts of the Flynn–Kislyak calls “outside of the Bureau without masking General Flynn’s name.” I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 13
Nation Politics
14 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contact with Sergey Kislyak, but the Department of Justice found the bureau didn’t have a “legitimate investigative basis” to interview Flynn and dropped the criminal case.
sons that I hope are obvious, to have Mr. Flynn’s name unmasked,” Comey said. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe later told the committee that he didn’t think Flynn’s name was ever masked, which would have made requests for unmasking “unnecessary.” Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contact with Kislyak, but the Department of Justice found the bureau did not have a “legitimate investigative basis” to interview Flynn and dropped the criminal case.
No Evidence Flynn Requests Made for ‘Improper Reasons’ Bash and his team, which included an FBI special agent and two assistant U.S. attorneys, reviewed unmasking requests made between March 1, 2016, and Jan. 31, 2017. Trump was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2017. The team reviewed records of unmasking requests and underlying intelligence reports, spoke with intelligence and other federal officials, and reviewed classified and unclassified transcripts of former senior officials testifying to Congress. Bash said he didn’t uncover evidence that senior U.S. officials unmasked the identities of Flynn or other U.S. persons who were in intelligence reports “for political purposes or other inappropriate rea-
CLOCKWISE FROM L: MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/ GETTY IMAGES, COURTESY OF U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
“Evaluating that dissemination and determining how the information was provided to the media is beyond the scope of this review,” Bash said. An FBI spokesperson told Insight in an email, “The FBI’s dissemination of information in intelligence products to other executive branch agencies is governed by policies and processes, which are periodically reviewed, and that ensure appropriate protections for privacy and identifying information.” Flynn didn’t respond to a request for comment. “The Obama team leaked partial Flynn transcripts to the media, the media printed them without context, the Obama team unmasked the name as if they hadn’t leaked it already,” former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, who reviewed the report, wrote on Twitter. Grenell declassified the list of officials who had asked for Flynn’s identity. Former FBI Director James Comey told a congressional panel in 2017 that the bureau was charged with sharing information about Flynn’s talks with Kislyak with other government agencies. Comey said he passed the information to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, with Clapper briefing President Barack Obama, Biden, and other senior officials. “Our people judged it was appropriate, for rea-
Nation Politics
sons” during the period of time in question. “I did not find any basis to conclude that the requests were made for improper reasons,” Bash said. “Most critically, all but one of the requests that listed a senior official as an authorized recipient of General Flynn’s identity were made by an intelligence professional to prepare for a briefing of the official, not at the direction of the official.” The FBI spokesperson said: “The FBI fully cooperated with the review conducted in 2020 by U.S. Attorney Bash. As explained in his report, Bash didn’t identify any improper action by the FBI and found that the FBI complied with applicable policies and processes in 2016 and 2017.” Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency (NSA), indicated in 2020 that Biden and others wanted Flynn’s identity, but they had others submit the actual requests because only certain personnel are authorized to make them. The NSA didn’t return a request for comment. Bash noted that it would be hard to uncover abuse of the unmasking process because the legal standard that allows the identity of U.S. persons to be made known “is relatively easy for the most senior officials to satisfy,” while the NSA’s default position “means that many unmasking requests are clearly justified as an objective matter, even if secretly made for inappropriate reasons.” “Unless the senior official ultimately takes some improper action with the USPII, such as leaking it to the press, it would be difficult to detect an inappropriate purpose for making a single unmasking request,” he said.
2 Factors Bash’s team concluded it was very unlikely Obama administration officials “systematically exploited” the process to target Trump’s campaign or transition team, largely based on two factors. The first is that intelligence officials review communications and sift out all information on Americans that does not appear relevant to “foreign intelligence and national security objectives,” according to Bash, citing rules across the NSA, CIA, and FBI. That leaves relatively few Americans for which administration officials such as the vice president can request unmasking. The second is that the bulk of the identities that remain in the reports were routinely revealed based on regular requests by staffers. Presidents and some other senior officials on a daily basis receive what’s called the President’s Daily Brief, a document containing classified information collected by intelligence officials. From at least 2015, briefers presenting the brief would ask intelligence agencies to unmask the identities of most Americans mentioned in documents contained in the brief, Bash found. The
justification offered for the request was “typically no more than a boilerplate statement” that a briefer needed the identities for the morning briefing of a particular official. “The request would usually then be granted that morning, sometimes in a matter of minutes. The requests were rarely denied,” Bash said. Briefers for the attorney general, FBI director, CIA director, and director of national intelligence told Bash that asking for unmasking ahead of the briefings was standard operating procedure and, in some cases, was also done by their predecessors. Intelligence officials who selected reports for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said the procedure was actually given to them by their predecessors in writing, though the document was not able to be located. An NSA official with 32 years of experience with the agency said the anticipatory requests by briefers had been done since 2008, if not earlier. The director of the brief on March 23, 2017, ordered staffers to stop making the widespread requests. “That change was likely prompted by public discussion of unmaskings,” Bash said. Grenell said that what took place was illegal. “It’s illegal for briefers to share the name without a request,” he said. “That should be corrected.” Bash said: “Despite finding no evidence of inappropriate unmasking requests, I am troubled by how easy it is for political appointees of the incumbent administration to obtain nonpublic information about individuals associated with a presidential campaign or a transition team. There exists a significant potential for misuse of such information—misuse that could be difficult to detect.” He recommended intelligence agencies adopt stricter safeguards for unmasking requests relating to presidential campaigns or transitions, including implementing a higher standard for granting the requests.
“I am troubled by how easy it is for political appointees of the incumbent administration to obtain nonpublic information about individuals associated with a presidential campaign or a transition team.” John Bash, U.S. attorney
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security James R. Clapper Jr. (L) and President Barack Obama walk to the Rose Garden of the White House on June 5, 2010.
I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 15
D I S AS T E R S
Wildfire Season Ramps Up Amid Crippling Firefighter Shortage Acres burned in April, mainly in the Southwest, are about 70 percent above the 10-year average
I
By Autumn Spredemann n t he sou t h w est er n United States, wildfire season kicked off earlier than usual this year as dangerous drought conditions persist across a staggering 48 percent of the nation. Meanwhile, state and federal forestry services are struggling to fill thousands of vacancies for wildland firefighters as would-be applicants turn to more lucrative and less demanding careers. The worst part of fire season typically hits between June and August. Nonetheless, as of May 21, the country has
16 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
already experienced 26,321 wildfires that have destroyed more than 1.6 million acres. In New Mexico and Arizona, this is particularly prevalent. Due to the early surge in conflagrations, President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for New Mexico on May 4. More than 600 fires had burned across the two states by early May. Amid the soaring demand for wildland firefighters, the U.S. Forest Service can’t give jobs away in some states. “Ten or so years ago, we would have
people beating down the doors. For two jobs, we would have 100 applicants,” Texas fire program leader Chris Schenck told Insight. Schenck worked with the U.S. Forest Service for 34 years and has a son who serves as a wildland firefighter in Utah. Today, he still works in wildfire mitigation at his “retirement job” for Texas. In March, several fires merged to form the Eastland Complex fire, which burned more than 54,000 acres and set a record as Texas’ largest wildfire to date. Damage estimates from the historic blaze result-
Nation Wildfires
A firefighter watches as a wildfire burns in Boulder, Colo., on March 26.
70% YEAR-TO-DATE ACRES
FROM L: MICHAEL CIAGLO/GETTY IMAGES, JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES
burned in April are approximately 70 percent above the 10-year average.
ed in more than $23 million in agricultural losses alone. When it comes to fighting blazes in the wilderness, Schenck said it’s the passion, not the pay, that brings people into the business. And America’s passion for fighting fires appears to be waning. “Now, they [U.S. Forest Service] are going to these hiring fairs and will probably have to make a second trip because they don’t have enough qualified applicants or sometimes just even interested applicants for entry-level positions,” Schenck said. In June 2021, Biden raised the minimum wage for wildland firefighters to $15 an hour. Additionally, permanent workers on the front lines would get up to a 10 percent retention bonus. Temporary workers who committed to staying all season were eligible for an extra $1,000 in pay. “Last year, about 14,300 firefighters did receive a permanent minimum wage increase to $15 an hour,” Sheri Ascherfeld
with National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, told Insight. For perspective, the wage increase is about the same hourly pay as an average shift manager or assistant manager at a fast-food outlet. “This year, we’re continuing to look at ways we can improve their pay and hoping that more information comes out in the next few months as to how Congress and the departments are going to provide [wildland firefighters] more help,” Ascherfeld said. Fifteen measures were introduced in 2021 that fell under the umbrella of wildfire management and support, all of which await congressional approval. Only a few have made it as far as the committee hearing stage. Buried within that list is H.R. 5631, or the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act, introduced in October 2021 by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.). The bill includes provisions such as additional pay increases for workers, health care, mental health services for all wildfire fighters, and housing stipends. Ascherfeld explained that federal fire management agencies were allocated $600 million to invest in wildfire management, much of which will be devoted to increased pay rates and turning seasonal or part-time positions into permanent, full-time jobs. “A lot of the workforce is college students that return each summer. So right now, there’s a lot of hiring that’s going on and training. A lot of our crews are coming on board and doing their critical training at this time of the year before they go out to the fire line,” she noted. The U.S. Forest Service had 8,300 firefighters trained and ready to combat the increasing blazes by April. However, that number represents only 73 percent of what the agency has said it hoped to marshal to battle this year’s wildfires. “The negative impacts of today’s largest wildfires far outpace the scale of efforts to protect homes, communities, and natural resources,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Our experts expect the trend will only worsen.”
During testimony given before the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 4, Forest Service chief Randy Moore acknowledged that in some areas, the agency has only reached 50 percent of its staffing goals. “We are making offers, and there’s a lot of declinations in those offers,” he said. Schenck attributes this to more than just low wages, but also a shift in the kind of work demands that younger generations are willing to take on. “What young people want from work [today] is very different. And you look at the work of daily firefighters: long hours, usually during the summer when most people take vacations with their families. “There are some demands on that work [wildfire fighting] that I can see, with what some people want, would be less appealing to them,” he said. Moreover, Schenck says people graduating from university aren’t as attracted to natural resource careers involving wildfire management. “I told some guidance counselor in the 8th grade, I wanted to be a forest ranger and she said, ‘That doesn’t pay much,’ ... and you know what, she was right. But honestly, I loved my work throughout my career. It’s been hard and satisfying work.” Year-to-date acres burned in April are approximately 70 percent above the 10year average, with the vast majority located in the U.S. Southwest. Most of that area is forecast to have above-normal significant fire potential for the rest of May and June.
A fire captain uses a chainsaw to cut down a tree while battling a wildfire near Westwood, Calif., on Aug. 12, 2021. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 17
E D U CAT I O N
Texas Quits National School Board Association
Lone Star State joins 22 other states after national body implied parents were ‘domestic terrorists’ By Juliette Fairley nonprofit that serves local school boards in Texas joins 22 other states in withdrawing from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) after a Sept. 29, 2021, letter sent to U.S. President Joe Biden was thoroughly analyzed. Funding for the Texas Association of Schools Boards (TASB) membership renewal for the upcoming year would have been due on July 1, 2022, but based on the board’s May 23 decision, the renewal will not be processed. “After several hours of discussion, our board decided to leave the NSBA due to the significant lack of internal controls and processes outlined in the report,” Tiffany Dunne-Oldfield, TASB’s associate executive director of communications and marketing, told Insight. “In short, serious concerns about the lack of good governance practices was the primary driver behind the decision.” The report in question involved an internal investigation by an outside law firm that was commissioned by the association and released on May 20. “I’m glad they were doing some reports and audits, but they were completely unnecessary,” said state Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie). “All somebody had to do was read the plain text of the letter that we know was worked on in collusive action with the NSBA and the Biden administration. TASB should have left NSBA the second that letter became published.” The Sept. 29 letter, signed by NSBA Interim Executive Director Chip Slaven and President Viola Garcia, asked for federal law enforcement and other assistance to deal with the growing number of alleged threats against school board members. “I was alarmed they were actually looking at using law enforcement, the National Guard, to
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suppress a parents’ right to participate in their children’s education,” said state Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano). The letter further implied that parents were engaging in domestic terrorism. “As these acts of malice, violence and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes,” Slaven and Garcia wrote. Shaheen and Harrison, who are both members of the Freedom Caucus, had been pressuring TASB to withdraw from NSBA since the letter was made public last year. “It shows a connectivity between the Justice Department and the White House, trying to falsely accuse parents of being domestic terrorists,” said Pat Hardy, a Republican who has served on the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) for some 20 years. “In other words, the president of the United States is basically calling parents who question some of the things that are going on in their
“Serious concerns about the lack of good governance practices was the primary driver behind the decision.” Tiffany Dunne-Oldfield, associate executive director of communications and marketing, Texas Association of School Boards
Texas School Board
Texas state Rep. Matt Shaheen of the Texas Freedom Caucus speaks to the media at the Texas Capitol in Austin on July 13, 2021. with the National School Board Association,” Shaheen told Insight. “That’s very troubling. That means you have the National School Board Association with the executive branch of the federal government working against parents.” The letter was not widely reviewed or approved within the organization, and the finalized letter was not disclosed to the full NSBA Board of Directors or NSBA members until after it was submitted. “When they called these parents terrorists, that was way, way over the line,” Shaheen said. “They didn’t believe parents had STATES the right to speak out when have withdrawn liberal Democratic extremfrom the National ists were trying to sexualSchool Boards ize their children. Association. “Children have been politicized by liberal extremists for a very long time.” Texas is the 23rd state to withdraw from NSBA, which provides national-level events and training as well as advocacy on behalf of state associations in Washington, D.C. Other states that have also withdrawn include California, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire, Illinois, and Missouri. “This organization was using taxpayer money to ask the administration to target those same tax-paying parents,” Harrison said. For 2021-22, TASB is saving $103,747 on membership dues it would have paid NSBA, according to Dunne-Oldfield. “At present, we are not looking at any alternative organizations,” she told Insight in an email. “Our TASB Risk Management Fund [insurance] is not connected to our membership in the NSBA. It’s Texas focused and managed here in Texas.”
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An instructor leads a classroom discussion at the Xavier Academy in Houston on Aug. 23, 2021.
children’s schools domestic terrorists.” The report further concluded the following. The September 2021 letter was “principally directed, reviewed, and approved by” Slaven, who was responsible for both the “origin and substance of the letter.” NSBA President Frank Henderson Jr. has since apologized. “Thank you for apologizing,” said Audrey Young, a Republican SBOE member. “People can apologize all day long, but unless your behavior changes, then an apology means nothing. “I want to see NSBA get back to providing global training on the importance of local boards, their authority and their responsibility to the community. It is my opinion that TASB was not receiving its money’s worth.” The review points to collaboration between Slaven and the White House, but it “did not find direct or indirect evidence suggesting the administration requested the letter.” “What was alarming as I read the report is where the Biden administration was working
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A field of dead corn sits next to the Lincolnland AgriEnergy ethanol plant in Palestine, Ill., July 25, 2012. PHOTO BY SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES
Biofuel Versus G ENERGY
Studies show Biden administration’s biofuel initiative may be worse for the environment than gasoline
By Autumn Spredemann
20 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Gasoline I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 21
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ever al long-ter m studies show that the impact of increased corn ethanol production has worse environmental consequences in terms of carbon emissions than ordinary gasoline. As Americans plan their summer travels, the Biden administration has allowed up to a 15 percent corn ethanol-gasoline mix from June to September. It represents a victory for the U.S. corn lobby and will also provide some relief from severely inflated gas prices due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ethanol contains roughly one-third less energy than gasoline, which means cars will drive up to 5 percent fewer miles on E15 than gasoline alone. But the director of research and senior policy analyst at Height Capital Markets, Benjamin Salisbury, said E15 averaged about 25 cents per gallon less than E10 in April. HE SAID BECAUSE E15 contains less ener-
gy per gallon, the savings amounted to 17 cents per gallon with adjusted mileage. Fuel prices reached another historic high over Memorial Day weekend, hitting an average of $5 per gallon in seven states. The national average is still holding at $4.62 per gallon, representing a considerable spike from $3.05 at the same time last year. Under normal circumstances, there’s a 10 percent ethanol mix allowed in gasoline, commonly referred to as E10. Then on April 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency waiver enabling an increase
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“With no significant impacts on emissions from cars and trucks, we expect consumers can continue to use E15 without being concerned that its use in the summer will impact air quality.” However, it isn’t fuel emissions that have scientists sounding alarm bells over the increased use of E15, it’s the production process. IN FEBRUARY, A study published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirmed the findings of earlier reports from 2016 and 2008, pointing to biofuel having a larger carbon output than gasoline due to the amount of land that has to be cleared to grow corn. “It basically reaffirms what many suspected, that corn ethanol is not a climate-friendly fuel,” said lead study author and scientist Tyler Lark of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “We need to accelerate the shift toward better renewable fuels, as well as
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Searchinger’s group study concluded that over a 30-year period, biofuels could end up contributing twice as much carbon dioxide to the air as regular gasoline.
of up to 15 percent ethanol in fuel (E15) for the summer months. The Biden administration said in April that drivers could expect to see an average savings of 10 cents per gallon by using E15. Before the emergency waiver, gas stations couldn’t sell E15 during summer due to U.S. Clean Air Act restrictions. Ethanol evaporates more quickly in warmer air, which some experts suggest could cause worse air pollution. Nevertheless, EPA spokesperson Taylor Gillespie told Insight that air quality emissions from the use of E15 this summer won’t be an issue. “Because the RVP [Reid Vapor Pressure] of E10 and E15 gasoline used by consumers will be the same ... there is no change in evaporative emissions,” Gillespie said. “Prior research by [the] EPA has shown no significant impact on evaporative emissions when the 1-psi waiver is extended to E15.
Nation Environment
15%
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION is allowing up to a 15 percent corn ethanol-gasoline mix from June to September this year.
some experts believe negates the amount expelled when the plants are eventually burned. Even so, Tim Searchinger, a Princeton University scholar at the time, said the entire industry must be considered to understand the scope of carbon emissions involved in corn’s production. “The simplest explanation is that when we divert our corn or soybeans to fuel if people around the world are going to continue to eat the same amount that they’re already eating, you have to replace that food somewhere else,” Searchinger noted.
Richard Speer unloads corn from a truck at Adkins Energy near Lena, Ill., in this file photo. make improvements in efficiency and electrification.” Lark’s study, which was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Wildlife Federation, revealed that ethanol is a minimum of 24 percent more carbon-intensive than gasoline due to the emissions involved with land management, processing, and combustion. The enactment of the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005 boosted the price of corn by 30 percent and soybeans by 20 percent. Corn cultivation alone expanded by 8.7 percent from 2008 to 2016, covering an additional 6.9 million acres. In 2008, a different study suggests ethanol’s reduced carbon emission as fuel was offset entirely by the production process. Crops absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, which
“THAT’S DONE IN a significant part by burning down forests, plowing up grasslands. That releases a great deal of carbon dioxide.” Searchinger’s group study concluded that over a 30-year period, biofuels could end up contributing twice as much carbon dioxide to the air as regular gasoline. The University of Michigan Energy Institute released a report in 2016 supporting Searchinger’s findings. During an eight-year study, results showed that powering an American vehicle with ethanol made from corn would cause more carbon pollution than powering it with gasoline. All three studies reject the work of other scientists who traditionally use an approach to measuring carbon emissions called the lifecycle analysis. Lifecycle analyses operate under the assumption that growing crops will completely absorb carbon pollution from biofuels. Yet the 2016 study revealed that additional plant growth soaked up just 37 percent of biofuel pollution from 2005 to 2013, leaving most of it in the atmosphere. “I’m bluntly telling the lifecycle analysis community your method is inappropriate,” said professor John DeCicco, who led the 2016 University of Michigan study. Though when it comes to managing corn production, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte
Shaw told Insight the industry is more streamlined and efficient these days. “Our farmers are doing what they do, which is being more productive. We produce more bushels than we ever have before on fewer acres and, quite frankly, with less input per bushel.” Iowa is the nation’s largest biofuel-producing state, including corn-based ethanol and biodiesel made from soybeans. State legislators have their sights set on expanding ethanol and biodiesel production beyond President Joe Biden’s summertime allowance of E15. ON MAY 17, Iowa’s Gov. Kim Reynolds
signed House File 2128 into law. The legislation requires most gas stations to sell E15 in a rapid expansion plan to widen its availability. Further, the law will boost the sales of 20 percent biodiesel blends. “First and foremost, the impacts are there will be more choices and lower cost choices for consumers,” Shaw said. “There are three places selling E15 for 15 cents under the normal price of gas within a mile from where I work. I’ve seen it as cheap as 30 cents under in different parts of Iowa. So we’re excited that consumers are going to have that choice.” He also indicated that increased ethanol production would create a more stable domestic demand for U.S. farmers and is a boon for the economy. It also provides a buffer against market instability. “Right now, things are pretty high with the war in Ukraine. China [is] in the market buying big time. That always drives prices up,” he said. “But we also know if China flips the switch and prices go in the tank ... being able to have a more stable domestic demand is always a good thing.”
A man pumps gas in Irvine, Calif., on April 1. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 23
T H G IL T O P S Sailing Away SAILORS PARTICIPATE IN DUBAI’S al-Gaffal race, an annual long-distance dhow sailing competition meant to honor the lost tradition of pearl diving, which kicks off from Sir Abu Nuair island, about 64 miles west of Dubai, and finishes near the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, in the United Arab Emirates on June 3. PHOTO BY KARIM SAHIB/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
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E L EC T I O N I N T EG R I T Y
Arizona Politicians Hear Ballot Trafficking Findings Election integrity group presents evidence of ballot trafficking in Maricopa and Yuma counties
T
By Allan Stein
26 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
1,435 VISITS In Yuma County, the study found 1,435 unique drop box visits by 41 target devices based on cellphone signals, or “pings.”
4,242 VISITS In Maricopa County, the study found 202 target devices that made 4,242 unique drop box visits.
ALLAN STEIN/THE EPOCH TIMES
he election integrity group investigation into so-called “mules,” illegal balTrue the Vote presented Arizona lot runners, and the role nongovernmental orlawmakers with cellphone track- ganizations may have played to commit 2020 ing data showing that alleged bal- election fraud. lot traffickers visited drop boxes The investigation focused on two of the state’s in two of the state’s largest counties no less than largest counties—Maricopa and Yuma counties— 5,700 times during the 2020 election. and on unique visits to ballot boxes utilizing cell“When we started the project, we didn’t know phone tracking technology to develop “patterns [what we would find],” said Catherine Engelbrecht, of life” for each alleged ballot trafficker. the Texas group’s founder and president. “We began to think through what is a realistic “WE RESOLVED TO try to find a path that we could expectation or threshold for when going to a drop measure that would be useful to law enforcebox is too many times. We wanted to focus on a ment,” Engelbrecht said. clear, narrow data set [to demonstrate] ‘extreme The study used Oct. 7 to Nov. 3, 2020, as a timeoutlier behavior.’” frame, identifying 202 target devices that made The group’s investigators settled on 10 visits as 4,242 unique drop box visits in Maricopa County. the threshold—but “here, in AriIn Yuma County, the study found zona, they went an average of 21 1,435 unique drop box visits by 41 times,” Engelbrecht told the panel target devices based on cellphone “The of state legislators on May 31. signals, or “pings.” exploitation Lawmakers—all Republican— Engelbrecht said a geofence is vowed to move forward with HB around every drop box to provide a targets 2289 to make ballot drop boxes “digital coordinate set” and measure the most illegal in Arizona. how many times a device passed vulnerable through the geofence. Measure“THE ONLY THING I would like to communities. ments are precise to within a meter see come out of this meeting is of contact with a ballot box. This is voter people going to jail,” said state The federal government uses the abuse.” Rep. Quang Nguyen, a Republisame tracking technology. Its accucan. “I would just like to see peoracy is “nearly perfect [like] wearing Catherine Engelbrecht, founder and president, ple cuffed.” an ankle bracelet,” she said. True the Vote The presentation was delayed by 45 minutes while Arizona “FRIENDS, IT’S HAPPENING on all of Democratic legislators wrangled over proposed our phones, which are attached to us at almost gun control. all times. Suffice for this purpose and for this “This is political grandstanding, which I find is time to say the outlier set was so extreme that shameful,” said Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem, it warrants serious consideration, one that we a Republican. hope this body before us will consider,” Engel“They’re trying to suspend the rules—which brecht said. is always a bad idea—to bring forward a bill that Phillips said the web of cellphone signals is “so hasn’t gone to committee and that has not had significant.” any vetting whatsoever. It’s not going to happen.” “Your phone is sending regular pings; [this] is During the 90-minute presentation, Engel- how all that comes together,” he said. brecht and True the Vote data investigator Gregg “It can’t be overstated not to do what the Phillips, former head of Mississippi’s Depart- [New York Times] did” in a series of articles ment of Human Services, described the group’s on geofencing—“to say we got 50 billion pings
Nation Arizona
True the Vote founder and President Catherine Engelbrecht speaks during a presentation on ballot trafficking at the Arizona state Capitol in Phoenix on May 31. Seated next to her is True the Vote data investigator Gregg Phillips.
and make all these [erroneous] assumptions.” Phillips said the group’s study sifted through billions of signals, “teasing out” devices to exclude “false positive” signals. Dinesh D’Souza illustrated these findings in the new movie “2,000 Mules,” which seeks to expose organized ballot trafficking in the 2020 election. “We decided to go in on a methodology that uses ad data [embedded] in all of your phones. This is how digital DNA is captured,” Engelbrecht said. “If there were a subversion of [electoral] process, it would show up in the drop boxes. We believed that to prove it, [geospatial data] would be something to focus on. We resolved to look at the ways to prove this.” TRUE THE VOTE is investigating alleged 2020
ballot harvesting in Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania electoral jurisdictions as well, and will share its findings with law enforcement officials that could lead to criminal investigations. Engelbrecht said inaccurate voter rolls provide a “gateway to all your problems” with the mass mailing of ballots, and she said issues are more likely to occur at ballot drop boxes because they aren’t well regulated. True the Vote recommends that Arizona law-
makers commit to cleaning voter rolls using real-time technology and eliminate drop boxes and the mass mailing of ballots. Or at the very least, drop boxes should be secure with video surveillance technology. FINALLY, LAWMAKERS SHOULD make the penalty
for ballot-running something “cheaters will fear,” said Engelbrecht, who views 2020 election fraud as a “vertical grift layers and layers deep.” “The exploitation targets the most vulnerable communities. This is voter abuse. This is not about Republicans or Democrats. This is about securing the vote,” she said. Arizona state Rep. Leo Biasiucci, a Republican, said, “Obviously something is going on. We’ve got to figure out what went wrong, how to fix it, and if you were involved, you should be prosecuted.” State Sen. Nancy Barto, a Republican, said it’s “very scary” for voters to not have confidence in the ballot. “We are going to get a handle on this,” Barto said. State Sen. Walter “Walt” Blackman, a Republican, summed up the solution for Arizona in “HB 2289.” “After seeing this, we need to move forward with [HB] 2289,” he said, to loud applause.
The tracking technology’s accuracy is ‘nearly perfect [like] wearing an ankle bracelet,’ an expert says.
I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 27
Campaign Finance Allegations Shake Up Republican’s Reelection Bid MISSISSIPPI
Primary challengers pounce on allegations
R
$200,000
ACCORDING TO a 2020 report by a leftwing watchdog group, Palazzo may have used campaign funds to pay himself nearly $200,000.
ACCORDING TO A 2020 report by the Campaign
Legal Center, a left-wing watchdog group, Palazzo may have used campaign funds to pay himself nearly $200,000. An investigation by the House Ethics Committee is ongoing. A spokesman for Palazzo told Mississippi Today last month that the allegations against him are politically motivated and that the congressman hopes the ethics committee will clear his name. Palazzo serves on the House Appropriations Committee, which allocates federal spending. It’s likely that the allegations against Palazzo will “evaporate” when this session of Congress ends, according to Kedric Payne, vice president 28 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
“We need a Congressman who shows up and gets the job done and I intend to do just that.” Clay Wagner, GOP primary candidate
of the Campaign Legal Center. Congress might neither clear nor punish Palazzo. But he might face punishment from voters. This year, six candidates are running against him in the Republican primary. Palazzo’s campaign platform supports prolife policies, backing law enforcement, ending illegal immigration, decreasing flood insurance costs, lowering taxes, funding warship-building programs, and the Second Amendment. DESPITE PALAZZO’S STANDING as an estab-
lished incumbent, Republican primary opponent Carl Boyanton has already out-fundraised him. His campaign lists Palazzo’s alleged ethics violations on his website. “One of the main reasons I am running for Congress is because of the inept leadership and outright corruption we have in the swamp,” Boyanton wrote in a blog post. “It has been almost a year since the ethics committee found 6–0 that Congressman Steven Palazzo committed campaign finance violations.” His platform supports term limits, pro-life policies, a balanced budget amendment, stopping illegal immigration, decentralizing government power, and decreasing the costs of college. Another opponent, Clay Wagner, has raised nearly as much as Palazzo. According to a Facebook post by Wagner, Palazzo has avoided candidate forums. “Unsurprisingly, Congressman Palazzo failed to show up to this forum just like he failed to appear at the last one. We need a Congressman who shows up and gets the job done and I intend to do just that,” Wagner wrote. He supports decreasing inflation, creating
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ep. steven palazzo (r-miss.) has won the past six elections in Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District, but recent campaign finance allegations may shake up his reelection bid, with four Republicans vying to oust him in the 2022 primary. In March 2021, the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) made public a report that suggested Palazzo “may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.” The OCE found evidence that Palazzo used campaign funds to maintain and improve a property he owned, may have spent campaign funds on personal expenses, may have asked official staffers to perform campaign and personal work during their workdays, may have spent congressional allowances on campaign or personal expenses, and may have used his position to ask for special treatment from the Navy for his brother, according to the report.
By Jackson Elliott
2022 Midterm Elections
It’s likely that the allegations against Palazzo will ‘evaporate’ when this session of Congress ends, an expert says.
Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) might face punishment from voters as six candidates run against him in the Republican primary this year.
jobs, decreasing taxes, the Second Amendment, strengthening the military, promoting education, stopping illegal immigration, and giving power to the states. Despite the fundraising successes of his opponents, January polling data from inside Palazzo’s campaign suggest that he started the race with a strong lead. “CONGRESSMAN PALAZZO STARTS the race
out with a whopping 65% of the vote. No other candidate even eclipses the double digit mark,” the poll reads. Two Democratic candidates are running for their party’s nomination in the 4th Congressional District as well. Democratic candidate David Sellers has raised $17,531 so far, and fundraising figures for Democratic candidate Johnny DuPree aren’t yet available. The 4th Congressional District is extremely conservative, so both candidates are unlikely to win. In the rest of Mississippi, elections are likely to go to the local incumbents. According to the Cook Political Report, the 1st and 3rd Congressio-
“One of the main reasons I am running for Congress is because of the inept leadership and outright corruption we have in the swamp.” Carl Boyanton, GOP primary candidate
nal Districts are all solidly conservative, while the 2nd is solidly Democratic. Rep. Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) has held the 1st Congressional District since 2015. He supports a strong national defense, the Second Amendment, agriculture, decreased economic regulations, pro-life policies, and social security reform. In the general election, he’ll likely face either Democratic candidate Hunter Avery or Dianne Black. REP. BENNIE THOMPSON (D-Miss.) has held the
2nd Congressional District since 1993. He supports civil rights protections, government funding to strengthen the economy, increased educational standards, strengthening U.S. industry, renewable energy, and partial-birth abortion. He’ll likely face Republican candidate Brian Flowers in the general election. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.) has held the 3rd Congressional District since 2019. He supports free-market policies, pro-life and pro-Second Amendment laws, and stronger border security. He’ll face lone Democratic candidate Shuwaski Young in the general election. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 29
NATIONAL SECURITY
BIDEN’S
‘WOKE’ MILITARY
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Female Marine Corps recruits from Lima Company during training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, Calif., on April 22, 2021. PHOTO BY PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Diversity and inclusion requirements are undermining combat readiness and effectiveness, analysts say By Michael Washburn
I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 31
The Lead Military
s the u.s. military rolls out its new fitness test, which imposes different physical standards and requirements for men and women, longtime defense analysts and observers say that the push for diversity and inclusion—a trend that accelerated under President Barack Obama and that the Biden administration has aggressively carried forward—undermines combat training and readiness. “The Biden administration has assigned priority to diversity, inclusion, and equity as the primary criteria. That is a key decision and from it flows everything else that is problematic” in the military today, said Elaine Donnelly, founder and president of the Center for Military Readiness, a public policy organization in Livonia, Michigan. Donnelly views the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan 2021 released by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) as providing a good measure of the new priorities. The plan’s “Strategic Objective 2” is to “educate USSOCOM professionals and leaders to help facilitate and sustain a diverse and inclusive culture.” Another of its goals is to “increase hiring rates of diverse applicants.” The plan sets forth a far-reaching plan “to address and remediate bias” and calls diversity and inclusion “a strategic imperative” numerous times in the course of just 20 pages, Donnelly noted.
BIDEN FOLLOWS OBAMA Under Biden, the military has pushed a
Kingsley Browne, law professor, Wayne State University 32 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
bill for transitions),” said Kingsley Browne, a law professor Wayne State University in Detroit and author of the book “Co-Ed Combat: The New Evidence That Women Shouldn’t Fight the Nation’s Wars.” Browne sees the policy and cultural shifts within the military not just as the work of one president or cabinet official bent on promoting a “woke” agenda, but as an agenda that many military officials at different levels of command have endorsed, whether because they believe in it or because they are conscious of the impact that their stance on these issues will have on their career. “We have a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who talks about ‘white rage’ and a Special Operations Command that has declared that ‘diversity and inclusion are operational imperatives,’” Browne said.
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“There is a widespread belief that women are often given extra chances to pass training.”
wide range of imperatives and priorities that have little to do with the traditional function of training soldiers to be as effective in combat as possible and to minimize U.S. casualties, observers say. But it would be a mistake to think that the current administration has taken a new direction when it’s carrying on and expanding directives, policies, and programs that flourished under Obama. “It seems like a third term for Obama on this score. We have a president who says that climate change is the greatest threat to U.S. security, who has reversed President Trump’s executive order banning teaching service members racially divisive concepts that sometimes go by the name ‘critical race theory,’ and who has lifted all restrictions on service by transgender persons (and promised to fit the
The Lead Military
(Below) President Joe Biden addresses the U.S. Air Force in Suffolk, Va., on June 9, 2021. (Bottom) Changes pushed heavily under the Obama administration have grown even more pronounced under Biden, experts say.
U.S. Army soldiers protect a wounded comrade from dust and smoke flares after a blast during a patrol near Baraki Barak base in Logar Province, Afghanistan, on Oct. 13, 2012. “Consistent with past practice, commanders are routinely evaluated by how well they satisfy diversity imperatives, even if those imperatives diminish readiness.”
ABANDONING TRADITIONAL REQUIREMENTS The new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) is undergoing implementation just as controversy develops around gender-integrated training in another area of the services, namely the Air Force. An unnamed female trainee who recently left the Air Force’s Combat Control School reportedly wrote in an April 2021 memo that instructors lowered fitness standards to accommodate her.
The new ACFT, which has lower physical standards than its predecessors—requiring, for example, the ability to do nine push-ups instead of 10—and different requirements for men and women in categories such as strength, endurance, and running speed, didn’t come into being overnight. Rather, it is the end result of a long-running effort to scrap standards and expectations that men were more likely to be able to meet, observers say. In December 2015, then-Defense Secretary Ashton Carter ordered the opening of all combat roles in the military to women within 30 days, denying a request from the Marine Corps for a partial exemption from the order for certain
roles such as infantry and fire support reconnaissance. By the end of the 30-day period, all branches of the armed forces had to present Carter with their implementation plans for gender integration. “Fully integrating women into all military positions will make the U.S. armed forces better and stronger,” Carter stated at the time, though he acknowledged that “there will be problems to fix and challenges to overcome.” The official response to those who expressed concern about the realism of Carter’s plan was to offer assurances that standards for physical fitness and ability were and would remain gender-neutral, Browne said. But physical differences between the genders in areas such as upper-body strength and stature meant that things didn’t always play out as the advocates of diversity had hoped. “Use of gender-neutral standards creates a dilemma,” Browne said. “You can adopt standards that are challenging I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 33
Susan Katz Keating, journalist and defense analyst
34 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
for men and women and for people of different ages, Browne noted. He sees the name of the test as something of a misnomer, given that it doesn’t really seek to gauge how well people can perform combat tasks but rather to measure general physical fitness. It sets maximum and minimum scores on the basis of percentiles within the category, or “cohort,” in question. It sets a passing score at the fifth percentile for an age and sex cohort, which Browne considers a low bar, and a maximum score at the 96th percentile. One illustration of the problems inherent in the new test, in Browne’s view, is the “sprint-drag-carry” test, which purports to measure not just a single aptitude but, instead, strength, agility, endurance, and aerobic maneuvering. The test allows an 18-year-old woman to pass with a time of 3 minutes and 15 seconds, but a man must take no longer than 2 minutes and 28 seconds in order to pass. On a battlefield, heavy ordnance or the body of a wounded soldier that has to be moved under fire to safety doesn’t make allowances based on the gender of the soldier who has to perform the task. In light of this reality, Army officials haven’t explained how the test is useful or relevant.
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“The service members disagree with many of the policies, but are keenly aware that they are working within a command structure that doesn’t ask them to vote on policies.”
for men, in which case few, if any, women will pass, or you can adopt standards that reasonable numbers of women can pass, which will be a walk in the park for men. “The choice made after 2015 was to try to thread the needle between these two options—to make it not too hard but not too soft. But even with that compromise, you still had a disproportionate number of women who failed the test.” Faced with these difficulties in bringing about the complete gender integration ordered by Carter, lawmakers in Congress commissioned a RAND Corporation study, which set out to address the question of whether soldiers of all ages and genders should be subject to the same standards of physical fitness. The study came to the conclusion that a gender-normed Army fitness test would “ensure parity in pass rates between groups, but it would also require the Army to accept differences in potential combat readiness among soldiers who are held to different testing standards.” The new ACFT that the Army is now in the process of implementing doesn’t impose standards that anyone hoping to be a soldier must meet, as in the past, but instead sets forth varying standards
The Lead Military
U.S. Marine Corps recruits from Lima Company, the first gender-integrated training class, at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, Calif., on April 21, 2021.
“Who do you want to be trying to extract you and move you to safety if you’re wounded?” Browne said. “I guess the Army’s answer is that it doesn’t matter, because both potential rescuers are equally ‘fit.’” The new norms aren’t the only impediment to readiness in a military where officers face intense political pressure to pass women, Browne and others believe. “Even without gender-norming of the physical tests referred to above and using the same standards for men and women, it is still possible to cheat. There is a widespread belief that women are often given extra chances to pass training, especially in the special operations forces,” he said. In corroboration of this view, journalist and defense analyst Susan Katz Keating wrote an exposé for People magazine in 2015 reporting her findings that two women who passed the Army’s elite Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia, received special treatment, and instructors gave them a pass even after infractions for which male trainees were disqualified. This exposé came on the heels of People’s reporting that Rep. Steve Russell, then a Republican congressman for Oklahoma, had become concerned about reports of a gender-based double standard in Ranger training and had asked the Department of Defense for documents relating to the two female candidates, Kristen Griest and Shaye Haver.
that Griest herself expressed surprise that she and Haver passed the course after failing a key segment of training at Fort Benning, not once but twice. Keating agrees with Browne that the changes pushed heavily under the Obama administration have grown even more pronounced under Biden. “The Biden administration has taken previous policies and amplified them. For example, soon after Biden came into office, he reversed the existing policy on transgender troops, opening the door for them to serve openly, and also to go through the transition process, including surgery, on the public’s dime,” Keating said. Keating also sees relatively little dissent in the services over the change in course. “From what I’ve seen in several branches, the service members disagree with many of the policies but are keenly aware that they are working within a
The new norms are not the only impediment to readiness in a military where officers face intense political pressure to pass women, some believe.
DOUBLE STANDARDS Among Keating’s findings were that Griest and Haver were able to take a special preparatory two-week pre-training course that male trainees weren’t allowed to take; that they received direct personal counseling and encouragement from an experienced Ranger that wasn’t available to their male peers; that they were allowed to repeat patrols after making mistakes that disqualified male candidates; and
U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley (L) congratulates Capt. Kristen Griest during a U.S. Army graduation ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga., on Aug. 21, 2015.
command structure that doesn’t ask them to vote on policies. When it comes to policies, the services don’t ask, they tell,” Keating said.
THE NEW PRIORITIES Besides the effects on what happens during training and the standards and requirements involved, the cultural shift within the military in favor of diversity, inclusiveness, and equity has caused far-reaching changes in how candidates for military service spend their time. In Browne’s view, the time that trainees spend learning about critical race theory, implicit bias, politically correct pronouns, and microaggressions—instead of traditional things like firing with precision or scaling obstacles with full-body gear—comes with a steep price. “Any time that personnel are diverted away from training aimed at making the military more combat-effective has a cost,” Browne said. “I think that a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the military assume that when personnel are not deployed, they are just sitting around with nothing to do. “Under this view, giving them some extra training in how to be a social justice warrior is relatively costless. In fact, however, time and resources spent on such matters are time and resources not spent on enhancing combat effectiveness.” When the inculcation of critical race theory—a Marxist-rooted framework that views the United States as a systematic “oppressor” of ethnic minorities—and new doctrines are priorities, Browne also sees a severe effect on morale and cohesion within military units. While the goal of training in the past has been to promote unity, doctrines that divide trainees into categories of oppressed and oppressors are unlikely to foster a sense of shared purpose, he said. “Similarly, the message that male personnel often receive— that their female colleagues are more highly valued—creates resentment and is similarly destructive to cohesion,” Browne said. The Department of Defense didn’t respond to a request for comment. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 35
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Paul Blair, founder of Liberty Pastors, encourages pastors from all over the country to apply Bible teachings to all areas of life, including political issues, at a conference in Grapevine, Texas, on Aug. 30, 2020. 36 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
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FAITH
PASTORS URGED TO GET POLITICAL
National group emboldens pastors to seek public office, spur civil service guided by Bible
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BY NANETTE HOLT
COURTESY OF LIBERTY PASTORS
astor jack hilligoss never thought of himself as a political kind of guy. He was happy leading HighPoint Church in sleepy Lake Wales, a 20-square-mile patch of sunshine in the geographic center of the Florida peninsula. Dotted with old orange groves, it’s home to about 16,000 residents and exudes small-town values centered on faith, family, and freedom. But a few years ago, agitators from outside the community began showing up at public meetings and events. They used words like “justice” and “equity” and sowed confusion, contentiousness, and division among neighbors, Hilligoss said. He first challenged the rants of Black Lives Matter and LGBT activists from the pulpit in his church. Then, emboldened by training from a national group that urges pastors to get politically involved, he realized he had to take action outside the doors of his church to try to bring unity to his town. So Hilligoss launched a mayoral campaign against two other contenders. In May, his son swore him in as his city’s top elected official. That’s precisely the kind of victory Liberty Pastors seeks to celebrate. Since 2016, the loosely affiliated network has trained more than 1,000 pastors, instructing them on biblical reasons for getting involved in government, and encouraging them to take that message to their flocks. The group also admonishes pastors to approach every area of life with guidance from the Bible. Four “training camps” for pastors are I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 37
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scheduled this summer and fall in St. Louis; Austin, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. There’s room for up to 100 pastors at each. The hope is that, through the training, attendees will learn to apply principles from the Bible to every part of daily life, and will train their church members to do the same. The goal is that they’ll all begin to carry a biblical worldview with them every day of the week, and not leave those values behind when they walk out of church on Sundays.
More Christians Living by TV Programs Than Bible Most aren’t letting the Bible dictate all parts of their lives, a new study shows. The work released on May 24 by the Cultural Research Center (CRC) at Arizona Christian University found that “just 37 percent of Christian pastors have a biblical worldview.” “The alarming findings were dismissed by some as not surprising given the degree of ‘wokeness’ that has invaded Christian churches,” the report’s authors noted. According to their research, “the prevailing worldview among pastors is best described as Syncretism, the blending of ideas and applications from a variety of holistic worldviews into a unique but inconsistent combination that represents their personal preferences. More than six of every 10 pastors (62 percent) hold a syncretistic worldview.” And that is “just further evidence that the culture is influencing the American church much more than Christian churches are influencing the culture,” CRC Director of Research George Barna wrote. American society overall is moving away from being guided by the Bible, his group found in a report released in 2021. It found that “almost nine out of 10 U.S. adults (88 percent) [were] embracing syncretism as their primary worldview.” Liberty Pastors aims to redirect American culture among the faithful to one guided by the Bible, starting with one church congregation at a time. “The problem is, we have been taught in our seminaries not to preach about certain topics, and that is wrong,” said founder Paul Blair, senior pastor of Fairview Baptist Church, based in Edmond, Oklahoma, with a satellite campus in Orlando, Florida. 38 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
(Above) Pastors from around the country attend a training on the Christian origins of the United States, during a conference. (Right) Liberty Pastors founder Paul Blair (R) kneels in prayer during a conference, encouraging patriotism within Christian churches. Blair grew up the son of an architect who also served as a volunteer pastor. As a child, Blair knew one thing for sure: He didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps in that vocation. After a four-year stint in the NFL, Blair found success in business. When asked, he agreed to volunteer as a youth pastor at his church. Eventually, he was asked to take on a paid top-leadership role. He recalls feeling tapped by God to embrace the challenge. It was a happy life doing what he suddenly felt called to do. Then one afternoon, while working on a sermon, his heart sunk. In the background, he’d been listening to a rerun of
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“The Andy Griffith Show,” enjoying the characters’ expressions of traditional values. Then, a new show came on, one focused on crime, with coarse language, and values very unlike his own. “It shook me,” he said, to see the change in the country’s values so clearly defined by television programs made decades apart. He thought about the nation his children would inherit, where they would raise his grandchildren. “I realized we were in a moral freefall,” he said. “That slapped me awake. I thought: ‘Someone’s got to do something!’” Repairing the moral compass of the entire country seemed to him an impossible task. But what if pastors could be enlisted to disciple their own flocks, he mused. Working together, they could reshape their communities and reject the Marxist policies creeping in, he thought with growing excitement. They could then reclaim their cities, and then their states. He envisioned state leaders working together to reclaim the country, resulting in a new Great Awakening, he said. Out of that revelation came a pastor-training effort called “Reclaim Oklahoma for Christ.” The mission has since expanded to be called “Reclaiming America for Christ.” Part of the overall plan is to build a network of “Liberty Pastors.” Since 2016, Blair and allies in that mission have held
George Barna, director of research, CRC
BLAIR’S TEAM EXPLAINS to pastors the
history and purposes of the country’s founding documents. With fiery presentations, they aim to inspire peers to take what they’ve learned to their own pulpits and urge their flocks to work to reclaim and preserve the nation’s original Christian values. When they leave, pastors are asked to take action in three ways. They’re advised to adjust their church bylaws to ensure they can’t be forced legally to perform marriages that go against their beliefs. Recommended verbiage from the international nonprofit Liberty Counsel is provided. It’s a way to defend the family, which has come under attack by those who would further Marxist policies in the United States, Blair says. Part of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) mission is to undermine the nuclear family and advance a Marxist society, its promotional materials have stated. Pastors are also urged to start or partner with a homeschool group to help facilitate a mass exodus of children out of public schools. Public education in the United States has drifted too far away from the Bible’s teachings and often presents materials that harm I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 39
FROM L: COURTESY OF LIBERTY PASTORS, HOLLY KELLUM/THE EPOCH TIMES
“The culture is influencing the American church much more than Christian churches are influencing the culture.”
conferences and two-day training sessions for fellow pastors. It’s one of those training sessions that inspired Hilligoss to aim for the top leadership role in little Lake Wales. Other pastors now are reporting back similar successes in battles to secure elected offices across the country, Blair said. During the training events, compatriots in the Liberty Pastors mission passionately teach about the founding of America. They explain how colonial pastors led the men and boys of their congregations in the fight for independence during the Revolutionary War. Those pastors became known by what was originally a derisive term—The Black Robed Regiment. It was a reference to the dark robes traditionally worn in the pulpit, which became a tool for recruiting warriors for freedom from England. Many of those pastors took leadership roles on Revolutionary War battlefields, leading congregants to sacrifice their safety for the cause of freedom, historical records confirm.
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children’s innocence and indoctrinate them in policies that conflict with traditional values, Blair says. And pastors are asked to start a Salt and Light Ministries group, where church members can learn more about how to live out biblical principles. The power of those groups can be harnessed to have Christian values and the Christian worldview heard in politics and political decision making, Blair says, carrying out voter registration drives, writing letters to elected officials about concerns, and more. “We’re discipling pastors, so they’ll disciple their people,” Blair says. “That’s a revival, right there!” To date, more than 1,000 pastors have taken the training. “We don’t make a nickel on this thing,” Blair said. “We lose money doing this. But we consider this to be SINCE 2016, missionary work Liberty Pastors has of our church. trained more than This is a labor of 1,000 pastors. love.” In office as mayor of Lake Wales for just a month, Hilligoss already sees the potential the position holds to affect the community in positive ways. While many mayors around the country are leading celebrations for Pride Month in honor of LGBT activism, he’ll read a proclamation on June 7 declaring it Responsible Fatherhood Month in his community. About one in four children in the
1,000 PASTORS
United States doesn’t have a father in the home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Children born into homes without dads are two times more likely to drop out of school, and fatherless boys are three times as likely to go to jail. Six in 10 youths who commit suicide are in fatherless homes. Nine in 10 homeless or runaway children don’t have dads at home. But children with positive father-child relationships are half as likely to show signs of depression, and 80 percent less likely to spend time in jail. The move to honor fathers in Lake Wales reflects a push by Florida Gov.
Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who signed legislation in April that provides almost $70 million for state programs encouraging and supporting responsible and involved fatherhood. As mayor, Hilligoss has also been able to elect a community member to fill a spot on the school board, one vacated by the arrest of the person holding the seat. The person Hilligoss appointed to help make education decisions in the town is a like-minded Christian pastor. HILLIGOSS STARTED THINKING about
becoming more active in the political process shortly after former President Donald Trump asked the country to lock down temporarily to slow the spread of COVID-19. It didn’t feel right, Hilligoss said. He met with other community leaders who felt the same way. “We just decided we have to tackle what’s right in front of us,” Hilligoss said. “We can’t go change [Washington,] D.C. We can’t change the whole country. But maybe, starting from where we are in our own communities, we can begin to Participants step forward at the end of a Liberty Pastors training in Edmond, Okla., to sign their names on a “muster roll parchment,” committing to the group’s mission.
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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIBERTY PASTORS
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make a difference. Let’s do everything we can to bring a godly influence on the government, education, and businesses in our county.” That meeting birthed a group called County Citizens Defending Freedom. It began as an effort to put the governance of Polk County, Florida, back in line with principles ordained in the U.S. Constitution. Since then, that group, too, has expanded its efforts to reach the nation, county by county. So when a Lake Wales city commissioner was removed from her post after an arrest, Hilligoss accepted an appointment to serve in her place. Four months later, he decided to run for mayor. “I began to realize that the same leadership, gifts, and abilities that you use to run a local church are pretty applicable to local government,” Hilligoss said. His swearing-in has caused a bit of a commotion already. “I’ve been a pastor in this town for a long time, so a lot of my parishioners, as well as members of other churches, showed up—it was a packed house,” he said. “One nice thing I like about Lake Wales is they still do an invocation before the official agenda. It was an exciting atmosphere—very fervent prayers, a lot of celebration. And there were a couple of citizens who were offended by that. They
felt like it went over the top. “So they showed up at the next meeting, the first one that I chaired, and, during public comment time ... made us aware that we were not a Christian nation, our founders were not Christian, that is inaccurate history, and that the invocation was inappropriate.” AFTER THE MEETING, one of the speak-
ers approached him to say that she “did not move to Lake Wales in order to be in a Christian community,” Hilligoss said.
“We have been taught in our seminaries not to preach about certain topics, and that is wrong.” Paul Blair, senior pastor, Fairview Baptist Church
(Left) Pastors from all over the country attend a training that encourages political awareness and patriotism from church leaders and members. (Above) Dan Fisher presents “Bringing Back the Black Robed Regiment,” about pastors who recruited and led soldiers in the Revolutionary War. He knows his appointment will rankle some, but he’s vowed to press on. “We’re charged to promote things that unify the citizens and promote economic growth, while maintaining our small-town values. That’s what our charter says. It’s making sure the roads are working, and the utilities are working. It’s providing economic opportunity, and doing everything we can to promote the prosperity of the local business owners, and the quality of life of the people that live here. “Also, to be a champion for our city, to attract the kind of businesses that will make that happen in our city. And then on top of that, just enforce the law, enforce the rules equally. That’s all city government is supposed to do. I say, as a very conservative, convinced, and enthusiastic Christian, that even my faith shouldn’t dominate the [City Commission] chamber.” But, he adds, “if we’re truly genuine Christians, we should be trying to influence every level of our society, education, economics, business, government, everything. And the Bible gives us guidelines on how to do that. Liberty Pastors was a big part of helping me come to that understanding.” I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 41
Nation Los Angeles
OV E R T I M E
Lifeguard Luxury
Los Angeles beach lifeguards are making big bucks, getting plush retirement benefits
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By Mark Tapscott
42 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
A Los Angeles Country lifeguard looks toward the ocean with his binoculars at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica, Calif., in this file photo. tember 30 when people are most likely to spend time on a Los Angeles beach. With Southern California’s climate, however, lifeguard services are needed throughout the year, so the 9,286 rescues in 2021 equal an average of 25 per day for the full year. There are currently 154 full-time lifeguards, plus 650 seasonal lifeguards, providing coverage for 72 miles of Southern California beaches, including 31 miles of public beaches centered on the Los Angeles metropolitan area and the Catalina Island area 22 miles off the coast from the city. BESIDES KEEPING WATCH on swimmers
at the beaches, the lifeguards also conduct rescue boat operations, underwater rescue and recovery, swift-water rescue, cliff rescue, marine mammal rescue, and marine firefighting. Earning the second-highest total compensation among Los Angeles lifeguards in 2021 was lifeguard chief Fernando Boiteux, with $463,517, Open the Books said in a statement. Third was section chief Kenichi Ballew-Hasket with $409,414. The fourth-highest was lifeguard chief James P. Gartland at $386,556, and fifth was lifeguard captain Patrick O’Neill at $383,032. Open the Books said only two of the top 20 earners are women, lifeguard captain Virginia Rupe at $307,664 in 16th place, and ocean lifeguard specialist Lauren Dale, who received $303,518, for the 19th-highest-paid.
Lucrative overtime compensation is the key driver in the high earnings of Los Angeles lifeguards, Open the Books stated, noting that “37 lifeguards made overtime in amounts between $50,000 and $247,000. For example, Douglas (overtime: $246,060); James Orr ($146,506); O’Neill ($133,235); and five others each made six-figures plus. “HOWEVER, IN A six-year period, be-
tween 2016 and 2021, the LA lifeguard corps made a fortune in overtime. The top three high earners made between $505,579 and $980,007 in overtime alone: Daniel Douglas ($980,007); Jaro Spopek ($513,365); and James Orr ($505,579).” Open the Books pointed out in its statement that Los Angeles lifeguards face unusual on-the-job dangers, but not many of those who are recognized for heroism are among the top earners. Only two of the top 20 earners, for example, received the LA Fire Department’s Exemplary Service Award in 2021. “Some high-earning lifeguards also win awards for heroism. However, we found many lifeguards winning Valor Awards failed to crack the top of the payroll,” Open the Books reported. “In 2020, the Medal of Valor winner, Edward ‘Nick’ Macko (salary: $134,144), an ocean lifeguard, jumped into the rough waters in a remote Palos Verdes gorge and pulled a man to safety through potentially skull-crushing swells and over razor-sharp rocks.”
THIS PAGE: ROBYN BECK/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
os angeles lifeguard captain Daniel Douglas was paid $510,283 in 2021, including base pay of $150,054, and $246,000 in overtime. But wait, there’s more! Douglas also received $28,661 in “Other Pay” and benefits valued at $85,508. Douglas was the top earner among 98 Los Angeles-area beach lifeguards found by Open the Books to have “earned at least $200,000 including benefits last year, and 20 made between $300,000 and $510,283. Thirty-seven lifeguards made between $50,000 and $247,000 in overtime alone.” And that’s not even the end of it. Los Angeles lifeguards can retire at age 55 and receive up to 79 percent of their base pay, making them participants in one of the increasingly rare “defined benefit” retirement programs in the country. Most private employers and many government agencies have changed in recent years to “defined contribution” programs that define benefits by how much the employee contributes to the plan. Measured over the six years since 2016, Douglas has received just under $1 million in total compensation, according to Open the Books, a nonprofit government watchdog that describes itself as seeking to post on the internet “every dime, online, in real time.” Data provided by the Los Angeles Fire Department, which oversees the lifeguards, show they are involved in scores of rescues every day throughout the beach season. Nearly 52 million people spent time on Los Angeles beaches in 2021, necessitating 9,286 rescues by lifeguards. That’s an average of 61 rescues per day for the 152 days between May 1 and Sep-
P OL I T IC S • E C ONOM Y • OPI N ION T H AT M AT T E R S
Perspectives
No.23
University students rally to demand the resignation of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the country’s crippling economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on May 19. PHOTO BY ISHARA S. KODIKARA/ AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
CANCEL ALL DEBTS TO CHINA
ARE 1970S-ERA GAS LINES RETURNING?
Sri Lanka’s debt is an example— but others should follow. 45
Economists warn fuel price controls would lead to disaster for Americans.
UNSETTLING TREND IN WAGES AND SAVINGS 47
There are important clouds on the horizon for the American consumer. 48
INSIDE I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 43
Thomas McArdle
THOMAS MCARDLE was a White House speechwriter for President George W. Bush and writes for IssuesInsights.com.
Deflated Diplomacy
Inflation is the least of the repercussions of Biden’s incompetent diplomacy
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hen President Barack Obama received his Nobel Peace Prize less than 11 months after his inauguration in 2009, the young, new president with close to zero foreign policy experience correctly made a point of defending the practice of dealing with thuggish regimes. Human rights, Obama said in Oslo, “must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach—condemnation without discussion—can carry forward only a crippling status quo.” The first example Obama chose to cite: “In light of the Cultural Revolution’s horrors, Nixon’s meeting with Mao [in 1972] appeared inexcusable.” Not only has President Joe Biden selectively defied his former boss’s exhortation, but his administration’s diplomatic ham-handedness toward a less-than-pristine U.S. ally has helped that same communist China’s aims toward global domination. Inflation months ago became much worse than the Biden administration, in its wishful thinking, believed possible. One way to lessen inflation might be to get the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase production. But how do you do that when you’ve diplomatically dissed OPEC’s dominant member, Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest, most profitable oil exporter, for the brutal 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, carried out within the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul and conducted by Saudi agents? The sight of 36-year-old Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his shorts at his palace by the sea was a signal to keep things mellow. Yet, at this inaugural meeting with the de facto Saudi ruler last September, Biden
44 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
national security adviser Jake Sullivan, boy-faced at 45, proceeded to practice the ill-advised “satisfying purity of indignation” and bring up Khashoggi. Not surprisingly, he got shouted at by the youthful crown prince—who also told him that the United States’ wishes that OPEC boost its oil production wouldn’t be happening.
Just how much ‘satisfying purity’ will Biden and his band of diplomatic blunderers feel when they realize that, with global dominance at stake, they’ve been shooting in the wrong direction? During the presidential campaign, Biden promised he was “not going to, in fact, sell more weapons” or provide “subsidies” and “material” to Saudi Arabia, and that he would “make them pay the price and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are.” Not content with that, Biden accused the Saudi royal family of “murdering children.” We can be sure that no Beijing or Moscow diplomat has ever botched private meetings with Salman by scolding him regarding Khashoggi; their regimes both have their own Khashoggis. First of all, Biden is reviving a significantly worse version of Obama’s Iran nuclear deal, which Saudi Arabia knows will fast-track a nuclear-armed Iran. Demonstrating the devastating ripple effects that U.S. ineptitude can inadvertently set in motion, Saudi Arabia earlier this year began active talks with communist China to shift to conducting, at least partially, its oil sales to China in yuan instead of U.S. dollars, a change that could cause other oil-producing countries to follow suit, China now boasting the world’s largest economy.
Saudi Arabia, whose biggest trading partner is China, is a key player in Beijing’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which seeks to extend China’s economic dominance throughout the world, often through debt-trap diplomacy. Nineteen Arab countries have now agreed to BRI construction projects. China has long been selling weapons to Saudi and is apparently helping the kingdom build its own ballistic missiles. In the wake of the European Union imposing a phased oil embargo on Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, boosting the global price of oil even further, “OPEC+,” which includes Russia, will increase production by only 432,000 barrels per day in June, despite repeated pleas from the Biden administration for more. Is it any wonder amid all this that the leader of the free world could not even arrange a phone call with Salman, or with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan? Now, Biden is reportedly seriously mulling a visit to Saudi Arabia in hopes of securing a face-to-face meeting with the crown prince he called a child murderer. It’s more likely that such a trip will be used to humiliate Biden and America, with Salman gleefully standing him up. Real leadership by the world’s lone superpower recognizes that evil is to be found in corridors of power all over the world. In defense of liberty, it weighs and evaluates the evils, in the end unavoidably dealing with, even sometimes allying with, thugs. With China, Russia, and Iran to contend with, Biden ineptly aimed his ire at, as far as American interests go, a lesser evil. Just how much “satisfying purity” will Biden and his band of diplomatic blunderers feel when they realize that, with global dominance at stake, they’ve been shooting in the wrong direction?
Anders Corr
ANDERS CORR is a principal at Corr Analytics Inc., publisher of the Journal of Political Risk. He is an expert in political science and government.
Cancel All Debts to China
Sri Lanka’s debt is an example—but others should follow
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ne of the many threats to the United States from China runs through Sri Lanka. In that South Asian country, there are ongoing food riots. Sri Lanka owes so much to Beijing that it had to surrender one of its ports, plus 15,000 acres, for 99 years. Beijing doubtless seeks to turn the port, about 250 miles from its arch-rival India, into a naval base. Other countries also owe dangerously unsustainable amounts of debt to Beijing. Djibouti, Laos, Zambia, and Kyrgyzstan owe at least 20 percent of their respective gross domestic products (GDPs) to China. Most emerging market countries like this are paying more and more of their national income as interest. Once they can’t pay, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) springs the trap, demanding major concessions, including military bases that threaten the United States and its allies. China already has a military base in Djibouti. Beijing makes extraordinary profits on exports to the United States and Europe, then loans money to poorer countries around the world to finance infrastructure building by China’s own companies. The interest rates, repayment periods, and seniority of the debt (China gets paid first) are highly advantageous to the regime in Beijing, because the CCP makes sure to grease the palms of leaders who cooperate with up to millions of dollars. The usurious terms that result must be kept secret, or else they outrage voters. According to the Financial Times on June 1, China “proved to be needlessly secretive in its dealings, so sovereign debt is
more opaque than it was, as well as more fractured.” The seniority of China’s loans is a stab in the back of international institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, along with U.S. corporations that lent money to emerging market countries long before Beijing came along.
Most emerging market countries are paying more and more of their national income as interest. Once they can’t pay, the CCP springs the trap, demanding major concessions, including military bases that threaten the United States and its allies. “Unless and until debtors plagued by weak institutions and ... corruption are held to account, a dollar borrowed will continue to be a dollar gained,” according to Jay Newman, author of a book on illicit global finance. Emerging market countries “will suck in as much money as they can, whenever they can—whether from markets, from bribes, from the IMF, or from China—and hide behind the notion that events spiraled beyond their control,” he wrote. While the top politicians in these debtor countries spend their illicit millions—pennies compared to the billions in debt with which they saddle their countries—their people sink deeper into poverty and hunger. In 2019, Sri Lanka was an upper-middle-income country with $8
billion in reserves. Last month, it defaulted on $50 billion worth of international debts. Sri Lanka’s crisis has devolved into government begging from neighbors amid anti-government riots. In the short term, the country needs approximately 100,000 metric tons of food. Sri Lanka is now plagued by fuel shortages, power blackouts, lack of medicine, delayed treatment at hospitals, and double-digit inflation. Rising interest rates in the United States and Europe will only further starve Sri Lanka and other emerging markets of capital. India stepped in with $3 billion in credit and currency swaps for Sri Lanka. Still, India is the other country, in addition to China, that imposes egregiously opaque terms on their foreign loans. They seek to make their debt senior to that of international institutions and U.S. loans. The latter, which typically have better terms for poorer countries, are being driven out. During Sri Lanka’s time of greatest need, its “friend” China only offered a few hundred million dollars—in loans. The mask has dropped, and now, it’s time for the CCP to try to extract another pound of flesh. Sri Lanka, and the world, should say no. The CCP’s usurious debts globally are only imposed by bribing leaders and tricking voters. China’s regime is itself illegitimate, totalitarian, and allied with Russia. Defaulting on loans to China would thus do the world a service, and ease a humanitarian crisis in emerging market countries. Western capital markets shouldn’t penalize Sri Lanka and other emerging markets for doing the world a favor. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 45
Milton Ezrati
MILTON EZRATI is chief economist for Vested, a contributing editor at The National Interest, and author of “Thirty Tomorrows” and “Bite-Sized Investing.”
Can Biden Help Housing?
White House solution isn’t nearly enough
t one time or another, every politician—local, state, and federal— promises to help create “affordable housing.” The issue has become especially critical of late with rents and housing prices rising and higher interest rates making it more difficult to support a mortgage. The Biden administration has responded with a five-point program. Some of its elements have merit, but from a practical standpoint, it isn’t likely to do much to make housing more affordable. The problem with housing costs has indeed become more acute. According to Realtor.com, rents on average nationally have risen some 17 percent over the past 12 months. The Case–Shiller home price index reports nearly a 20 percent rise over this time. Prices of construction materials have risen some 19.2 percent, and the cost of construction services has jumped some 18.1 percent. Mortgage rates were less than 3 percent a year ago; presently, they stand at about 5.5 percent. The National Association of Realtors’ measure of home ownership affordability tracks a 9.3 percent drop over the past 12 months. Against this adverse background, it’s certainly understandable that the White House wants to do something to ease the strain. Here are the five points of its program and the limitations of each. President Joe Biden’s plan first looks at zoning and land use. It’s a good place to start. Zoning—such as strictures on multifamily units— often keeps housing prices high. Such impediments to construction have received much of the blame for astronomical home prices in places such as San Francisco and Berkeley, California. 46 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Rent control in New York City and other cities across the country gets the blame for why landlords resist refurbishing and expanding availability in existing structures and why residents continue to keep huge apartments off the market when they might otherwise downsize. Strictures against multiuse arrangements in existing buildings also have held back housing supply.
Mortgage rates were less than 3 percent a year ago; presently, they stand at about 5.5 percent. But if these are good places to look, there is little the federal government can do. Most such rules are made at the local level. Washington can’t simply order states and cities to change their laws, much less enforce them in different ways. Meanwhile, local politicians face considerable resistance to change. Zoning changes frequently face opposition from existing residents. They reject high-rise buildings because they will change the nature of the neighborhood and hurt property values for those already in place. Low-cost housing often faces resistance on a not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) basis. Those resisting are also usually big donors to local politicians. It’s simply unrealistic to expect a mayor or city council members to cross their big donors because Washington thinks it’s a good idea. Nor is it clear how the White House would implement the second and third points of its program: increasing financing options
for non-traditional construction, such as manufactured housing, and improving coordination of multifamily housing financing programs. Much of this is outside Washington’s power to influence, especially in the absence of major legislation. There are multifamily federal housing finance programs, and better coordination would undoubtedly help stimulate building. Still, such efforts would have to be robust enough to overcome the notorious tendency for Washington bureaucracies to move slowly and guard their prerogatives. The final element in the White House plan would deal with shortages of labor and the high cost of building materials. The language here is vague. For example, it’s unclear how the White House plans to find more construction workers. There is no talk in the plan about subsidies and training. It does mention the promotion of modular and manufactured housing, as well as conducting research on labor-saving construction technologies. But even if such an effort could come up with a good idea, it isn’t clear how Washington could get the nation’s highly fragmented construction industry to adopt it. On materials costs, one clear area where Washington could help is by allowing low-cost Canadian softwood into the country, but the plan is silent on that matter. Affordable housing remains an urgent issue for millions of Americans, especially since housing is becoming less affordable by the week. If any of what the White House proposes does help, it would make little difference at best and certainly will take longer to have an effect than most would like.
EMEL AKAN is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times in Washington. Previously, she worked in the financial sector as an investment banker at JPMorgan.
Emel Akan
Are 1970s-Era Gas Lines Returning? Economists warn fuel price controls would bring disaster for Americans
BRANDON BELL/GETTY IMAGES
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as prices continue to rise, topping historic highs, and there’s no imminent hope of relief in sight, according to sector analysts. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States has now more than doubled since President Joe Biden took office. Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration say a solution may be found by cracking down on Big Oil’s exploitative price increases at the pump. Last month, House Democrats passed the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, which empowers politicians and bureaucrats to bring civil action against gas companies that engage in “unconscionable pricing,” as defined by the bill. The legislation grants the president the power to declare an energy emergency for up to 30 days, with the option to extend the declaration. “So essentially, what this bill would do is, for an unlimited duration, create a system where politicians and bureaucrats can decide what the appropriate level for prices are and fine people,” according to Jack Spencer, senior research fellow for energy and environmental policy at the Heritage Foundation. Spencer called the measure a recipe for “disaster” during a virtual panel discussion on June 1 hosted by the conservative think tank. Many economists are opposed to price controls as a means of curbing inflation. It would repeat mistakes that led to gas lines in the 1970s, they say. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, during an interview with Bloomberg, called the price-gouging bill “dangerous nonsense.” The bill was also met with opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which dubbed it the “Bring Back 1970s Gas Lines Act.” In August 1971, President Richard Nixon ordered a 90-day freeze on prices
The gas shortages lasted until President Ronald Reagan completely repealed price controls in 1981. and wages. Inflation eased for a while, but price increases from the 1973 Arab oil embargo made inflation worse. According to industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey, which monitors prices at gas stations nationwide, there is “great danger” that something comparable to the 1970s controls may reappear in 2022. “When President Nixon instituted price controls in 1971, they were only supposed to last 90 days. Instead, they lasted for nearly 10 years,” Lundberg wrote in a recent note to clients. Nixon’s price-control initiatives on petroleum and natural gas were far less effective. Inflation, which was slightly above 4 percent in 1971, reached double digits. “When you have binding price controls, you get shortages. And the shortages manifested themselves as gas lines,” David Kreutzer, senior economist at the Institute for Energy Research, said at the Heritage panel. There were stories of people waiting hours, which wasn’t unusual, he said:
“I waited in the line almost three hours one time.” The shortages lasted until President Ronald Reagan completely repealed price controls in 1981. Within five years, gas prices at the pump dropped by a third. Lundberg argues that blaming businesses for price gouging is the “first step toward price controls.” She says if Biden imposes controls, current “eye-popping pump prices would be joined by station outages, closures, and long lines of angry motorists.” Price controls, according to proponents, have been used in numerous industries throughout U.S. history. There are still price limits in several significant areas, including public utilities, rent, and health care. As governments grapple with the effects of COVID-19 and climate change, enacting selective price controls to protect consumers from price gouging would be a wise policy, they recommend. However, economists disagree about whether price controls could solve America’s inflation problem. In January, the University of Chicago conducted a survey of the country’s leading economists to learn about their perspectives on price regulations. When asked whether price controls similar to those used in the 1970s might successfully lower U.S. inflation over the next 12 months, 65 percent responded they “disagree” or “strongly disagree.” “Just stop. Seriously,” Austan Goolsbee, a professor at the University of Chicago and former adviser to President Barack Obama, responded to the question. The survey also found that only 10 percent of economists believe that a key driver behind today’s higher inflation is big corporations in uncompetitive markets using their market dominance to raise prices to juice their profits. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 47
DANIEL LACALLE is chief economist at hedge fund Tressis and author of “Freedom or Equality,” “Escape from the Central Bank Trap,” and “Life in the Financial Markets.”
Daniel Lacalle
Unsettling Trend in Wages and Savings
There are important clouds on the horizon for the American consumer
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48 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
U.S. families may have been patient these past months, but they can't perform miracles. into recessionary risk territory. A plummeting saving rate is deeply concerning. It proves that consumers are suffering from elevated inflation as real wages remain in negative territory. “From April 2021 to April 2022, real average hourly earnings decreased 2.3 percent, seasonally adjusted,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics website reads. Put these two figures together— real average earnings down by 2.3 percent and the household saving rate almost halved—and families are struggling, wages are being dissolved by inflation, and savings are being wiped out. Consumer credit card debt is almost at all-time highs. Balances rose to $841 billion in the first three months of 2022, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The astronomical level of credit card debt is arriving just as rate increases start to have a significant impact on families’ ability to repay their financial commitments.
Despite the perception of a solid economy with a tight labor market and rising nominal wages, the reality of the United States is that massive deficit spending and inflationary policies are hurting the middle and working classes. Unemployment may be low, but employment-to-population and labor participation rates remain poor, and the so-called “great resignation” is starting to reverse as citizens struggle financially. It seems very difficult to believe that consumers will end the 2022 fiscal year with the current levels of consumption growth, but the real challenge will appear in 2023. The buffers that families and businesses built in 2020 have all but disappeared. In the other G-4 economies, the situation isn’t much different. With the latest data available, the household saving rate in the eurozone, Japan, and the UK has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, according to JP Morgan. The key is inflation. If consumer prices continue to be elevated into the third quarter, it’s very hard to believe that citizens will be comfortable depleting savings to continue consuming at the same pace as the first half of 2022. Developed economies’ families aren’t used to high inflation and seem to be accepting the mainstream idea that price increases will drop in the next few months. However, this may be a bad idea. Food prices are at all-time highs, oil and gas prices are supported by geopolitical risks and poor inventory levels, and government deficit spending means that consumption of monetary reserves will continue to be extraordinary. U.S. families may have been patient these past months, but they can’t perform miracles. If inflation persists, the trend in real wages and savings will inevitably lead to a slump in demand and a higher recession risk.
SAMIRA BOUAOU/THE EPOCH TIMES
he u.s. consumption figure seems robust. A 0.9 percent rise in personal spending in April looks good on paper, especially considering the challenges that the economy faces. This apparently strong figure is supporting an average consensus estimate for the second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) of 3 percent, according to Blue Chip Financial Forecasts. However, the Atlanta Fed GDP nowcast for the second quarter stands at a very low 1.9 percent. If this is confirmed, the U.S. economy may have delivered no growth in the first half of 2022 after the decline in the first quarter, narrowly avoiding a technical recession. The evidence of the slowdown isn’t just from temporary and external factors. Consumer and business confidence indicators present a less favorable environment than the expectations of an optimistic market consensus. According to the FocusEconomics aggregate of estimates, the U.S. economy should grow by a healthy 3.6 percent in 2022, helped by very strong third and fourth quarters at 4.9 percent and 5.5 percent growth, respectively. The main driver of this surprisingly resilient trend is the unstoppable consumption estimates. However, there are important clouds on the horizon for the U.S. consumer. We can’t forget that consumer figures have been relatively solid, but at the same time, there has been a collapse in saving, with the personal saving rate falling to a 14-year low of only 4.4 percent in April from 8.7 percent in December. The U.S. personal saving rate is now 3.3 percent lower than its pre-pandemic level, and the University of Michigan consumer confidence index fell in early May to an 11-year low of 59.1 from 65.2, deep
Fan Yu
FAN YU is an expert in finance and economics and has contributed analyses on China’s economy since 2015.
Follow the ‘Smart Money’?
Amid stagflation fears, cash is the best investment, fund managers say
MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO/GETTY IMAGES
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he s&p 500 index ended May flat, despite massive volatility in the public markets throughout the month amid increasing angst about slowing economic growth and the risks of runaway inflation. The U.S. economy is on shaky ground. The specter of rising rates, weak consumer sentiment, slowing economic growth, and inflation have severely dampened risk appetite in public and private markets. Asset values have decreased, although the Federal Reserve didn’t begin “quantitative tightening”— planned reduction of its balance sheet—until June 1. So amid all the uncertainty, where should investors turn? Let’s first look at the asset classes where investors shouldn’t turn. Venture capital (VC) investments have witnessed a terrible performance in 2022. Implied valuations of U.S. venture capital investments are down almost 50 percent year-over-year, Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a May 31 note to clients. This would be the worst year so far for VCs in 20 years. That trails significantly the performance of publicly traded technology stocks, with the Nasdaq 100 index— which is made up of more mature technology companies—down about 22.5 percent year-to-date through May 31, or down 7.4 percent in the past 12 months. What about cryptocurrencies, Web3, the metaverse, and the like? Bitcoin, the biggest crypto by market cap and an asset that is definitionally deflationary, has declined more than 30 percent since Jan. 1. Smaller cryptocurrencies and digital tokens have also followed suit, with the collapse of TerraUSD and its sister token LUNA further shaking investor confidence. In a recent investor survey by Deutsche Bank on what asset classes
So far in 2022, venture capital investments have had their worst performance in 20 years. professional investors most prefer in a sustained inflationary environment, cryptocurrencies came in last in the asset classes quoted, with only 1 percent of respondents favoring them. Early-stage technology firms— crypto or non-crypto—are bracing for a capital drain in the near future. Experts expect VCs, facing worsening portfolio performance, to prioritize using capital to shore up existing investments instead of deploying into new ones. And as less-sophisticated and less-focused VCs exit certain industries (e.g. VCs dabbling in crypto markets may decide to exit altogether), capital will be scarce and some startups will collapse if they mismanage their finances. Of course, this environment is great for contrarian investors to go in and provide rescue capital with highly favorable terms. But this is only suitable for the most risk-tolerant, institutional investors—think Warren Buffet during the 2008 financial crisis. For a peek into how the “smart money” is positioned, Bank of America’s
monthly global fund manager survey results for May are, unsurprisingly, very bearish. Growth optimism was at an all-time low (for the survey) and many fund managers cited stagflation fears. As for the actual investments they prefer, fund managers were most bullish on (in order) cash, health care investments, commodities, energy, and consumer staples. Cash—which loses value in an inflationary environment—is the best “investment,” smart money investors say. They held the most pessimistic views on technology firms, equities in general, the eurozone, and emerging markets. In the Deutsche Bank survey, which was a one-time effort on identifying the best investments to combat a sustained inflationary period, real estate came on top. Property investments (cited by 43 percent) were followed by developed market equities (33 percent), gold (15 percent), and cash (4 percent). The only other asset classes mentioned were developed market corporate bonds, government bonds, and cryptocurrencies. Real estate atop the list is reasonable given its reputation for holding up well in past rate hike cycles. Gold, another hard asset, is traditionally seen as a haven but its price has been flat yearto-date. As for stocks? Opinions are mixed, but one segment has been buying. A recent JPMorgan analysis showed that corporate insiders have routinely bought “the dip” this year. Without them, the U.S. stock market would have suffered even bigger declines this year. Average investors buying stocks should focus on profitable companies in growing industries with low leverage and good management teams. After years of index investing (achieving beta with the market) when the entire market rose, astute fund managers who can pick quality stocks should outperform going forward. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 49
JEFF MINICK lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. He is the author of two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust on Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning as I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.”
Jeff Minick
Embracing Nap Time
Sometimes just a brief siesta can recharge and reinvigorate us
mericans aren’t spending enough time with their eyes closed. Over the past four or five years, I’ve fallen in love. Even that description is too weak for what I’ve experienced. Smitten, infatuated, head over heels—these synonyms come a bit closer, but still miss the mark. This demi-goddess I worship generally arrives just after lunch. Wordless, as in Sandburg’s “Fog,” she arrives on “little cat feet,” gently takes my hand in hers, leads me to my Lazy-Boy, and snuggles beside me beneath a light blanket. She kisses my eyes closed, eases my breathing, pushes me into the cushions, and by her grace steals away, however momentarily, my troubles and my obligations. I’m speaking, of course, of my afternoon nap. Much earlier in my life, I took a daily afternoon snooze, but I was a toddler then and have no memory of those naptimes, gratefully appreciated, no doubt, by my mother. For the rest of my life, sacking out between dawn and nighttime was as rare as a Carolina snow in May. On those few occasions that I did indulge, I woke up wishing Americans everywhere practiced the custom of the siesta, as this division by sleep seems to make two days out of one. Only in the past few years, when the work I do is still plentiful but completed now on my own timetable, have I availed myself of a regular nap. Unlike some older folks I know, who slumber for an hour or more, I find that half an hour in the Lazy-Boy clears my jumbled mind like an eraser across a whiteboard. I wake up renewed in spirit and energy; in fact, I began these very words just minutes after kicking aside the blanket. In my younger days—ages 10 to 65—my bedtime habits weren’t the 50 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Sacking out between dawn and nighttime was as rare as a Carolina snow in May. best. I got along on five to six hours of shut-eye most nights, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve slept past 10 a.m. as an adult. When I did wake up late, I always felt as if I had wasted half the day. In the words of the immortal John Wayne, I was “burning daylight.” Even today, I generally hit the hay an hour or so before midnight and rise with the dawn. I’m not alone. A Gallup Poll finds that “In U.S., 40% Get Less Than Recommended Amount of Sleep.” Interestingly, this same poll shows that Americans in 1942—who were in the middle of World War II—slept far more than we do today. Experts list several causes for our sleep-deprived citizens, ranging from the frenetic pace demanded by so many of our jobs and duties to our overuse of caffeinated drinks. Lately, studies have shown that screen
time—phones and laptops—before bedtime can also keep us awake, revving up our brains with information and stimulating our emotions. Social media, in particular, can affect our young people, causing them to click away on their devices until the wee hours of the morning. This lack of sleep has consequences. It makes us less sharp, more forgetful, more prone to traffic accidents, and liable to nod off during Aunt Mathilda’s slide show of her trip to Canada 30 years ago. (OK, we might crash during that one even with eight hours of shuteye.) Inadequate sleep can also make us short-tempered and grouchy, which may explain why we Americans are so easily riled these days by our political opponents. A bit more time with our heads on a pillow might just bring some peace to our uncivil society. Anyway, the old maxim, “Do as I say, not as I did” applies here. For more than 50 years, I realize now, I walked through many a daylight hour sleep-deprived, getting much done, to be sure, but also lost in a fog some of the time. Clearly, I’m a slow learner. No need for you to be the same. Hug those sheets and get some sleep.
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Nation Profile
THOUGHT LEADERS
World’s Largest Prison? China’s tech-authoritarianism and the persecution of the Uyghurs
C
an you imagine a society,” Nurey Turkel asks, “where everywhere you go, you are under the camera, where the mobile device you’re carrying is essentially a tracking and listening device?”
In a recent episode of “American Thought Leaders,” host Jan Jekielek sat down with Uyghur American human rights advocate Nury Turkel, vice-chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. Turkel’s new book, “No Escape: The True Story of China’s Genocide of the Uyghurs,” is a chilling look into China’s techno-autocracy and what can result when a communist regime runs unchecked for decades. Researchers estimate that the Chinese regime has detained more than 1 million Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities in the far west region of Xinjiang, in a campaign that the U.S. government and other Western parliaments have designated a genocide. JAN JEKIELEK: In “No
Escape,” you describe a man being interrogated and this technocratic regime that’s 52 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
working to use the information that he passed on. NUREY TURKEL: That in-
dividual, who had committed no crimes, had a foreign contact and was picked up by Chinese security. They relied on his travel history, foreign contacts, and even some social contacts to create this massive database involving him. The machine they used was spitting out names generated with the help of something called the integrated joint operating platform, or IJOP. MR . JEKIELEK: Altogeth-
er, Chinese security generated a database of 20,000 contacts—people who were one or two steps away from him. Not only that, they actually went after most of them. MR . TURKEL: In a 10-day
period in 2017, Chinese security put out arrest warrants for more than 20,000 people. The police were able to locate about 17,000. Their lives were shattered. No one asked what
“This regime is afraid of its own population. How can such a government be normalized?”
Nury Turkel, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Nation Profile
crime they had committed or what might happen to them in the future. The lives of those people are meaningless to the Chinese architects of today’s nightmare. This tech-authoritarianism first started with a personal data collection that included voice samples, iris samples, and DNA samples. They created a massive database starting in 2012, involving people using WeChat, communicating, traveling, passport applications, all around the world. And because of IJOP, some Uyghurs made a conscious decision to delete from their devices foreign contacts, their children, even in some instances their spouses, in order to avoid being caught up in this network. Thousands of Uyghurs to this day cannot have normal contact because of IJOP. This regime is afraid of its own population. How can such a government be normalized? MR . JEKIELEK: How is it
that you came to the United States?
FROM L: MELVIN SOTO-VÁZQUEZ/CPI STUDIOS, GREG BAKER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
MR . TURKEL: Getting a
passport was the most difficult part, especially if you’re part of another group and not a mainstream Chinese citizen. The other challenging aspect was financial. As I point out in the book, my parents gave me their life savings to send me to America for my education. MR . JEKIELEK: I guess at
that time you weren’t really on their radar. MR . TURKEL: At first, I
was not politically active.
The Artux City Vocational Skills Education Training Service Center, believed to be a reeducation camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained, north of Kashgar, Xinjiang region, China, on June 2, 2019. The Uyghur nightmare essentially started with two things. One was the Tiananmen Square massacre, when the Chinese military killed thousands of students demanding democratic freedom. The other major event was the end of the Cold War, which involved several Central Asian countries with historical and cultural ties to the Uyghur people. That made the Chinese ratchet up their propaganda against Uyghurs. I said to myself: “There’s no future for me in this country. There may not be even gainful employment for me as a member of an oppressed ethnic group in China.” That brought me to the United States in 1995. MR . JEKIELEK: So for
over 20 years, you’ve been advocating for the rights of the Uyghur people? MR . TURKEL: And others
who have been persecuted in similar fashion. MR . JEKIELEK: You
mention the year 2016 many times in “No Escape.” The man who “pacified” Tibet was basically shifted to Xinjiang to do the same to the Uyghurs. That was a significant change. MR . TURKEL: Absolute-
ly. Chen Quanguo has a military background. He did an “amazing job” on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet. We know now that he was the one who installed all the surveillance apparatus there. Because of his effort and “success” in squelching Tibetan resentment, he got promoted in August 2016. When he was moved to Urumqi from Lhasa, he brought his own security detail, as reported by The New Yorker last year. Leaked documents show that Chinese leader Xi Jinping essentially said, “Show no mercy.” So Chen told his officials, “Everyone should be rounded up.” Unlike in the United States or other liberal democracies, there’s no policy debate in China.
If a supreme leader or his henchman says a few words, that becomes policy. MR . JEKIELEK: In “No
Escape,” you write: “Whenever Zumrat met someone she trusted in the streets, there was a little ritual each person would go through before exchanging tidbits of gossip. First, they would roll their eyes up, or to the left or right to indicate where the nearest surveillance camera was mounted, and then talk briefly, scratching their noses or mouths so that the words could not be deciphered by lipreading. As in other totalitarian states, paranoia became the watchword for survival, only more so, because China could use its cutting-edge artificial intelligence and high-tech monitoring to peer into the most private recesses of people’s lives.” MR . TURKEL: Cameras
are ubiquitous. The police can stop you and check your mobile device for problematic content. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 53
Nation Profile
“There’s no policy debate in China. If a supreme leader or his henchman says a few words, that becomes policy. ” That includes pictures, text messages, and call history. Can you imagine a society where everywhere you go, you are under the camera, where the mobile device you’re carrying is essentially a tracking and listening device? Can you imagine going through checkpoints every day, subjecting yourself to daily humiliation, simply because you happen to be Uyghur? U.S. State Department official Dan Nadel said that China has created an open air prison for the Uyghur people. I think that’s an accurate description. And this surveillance is metastasizing. China has exported the same techniques to over 80 countries. That
MR . JEKIELEK: I’ve seen
MR . JEKIELEK: You doc-
MR . TURKEL: Today, in
ument that rape as a tool of punishment and transformation is common in the prisons and camps.
China, people live in a kind of combination of North Korea and the United States. It’s like a North Korean police state because there’s no freedom. You must believe what the state says and be unwilling to criticize the state, the CCP. The Chinese, as you know, spend more money on domestic security than on national defense. Why would they do that? Why are they so fearful of their own population? The United States aspect has a lot to do with materialistic satisfaction and desire: big cars, big homes, vacations in Western Europe, and having a successful business. There is this handful of people who are picked by the CCP and who can send their children overseas to good schools, spend time on a European vacation, and own multiple homes. They’re not willing to disturb that luxury. So the CCP created this strange lifestyle where people can have a taste of North Korea and the United States at the same time. And the American people need to wake up. This re-
MR . TURKEL: Sexual
violence against Uyghur women was one way the Chinese government treated this vulnerable population. About a year ago, the Chinese Embassy in Washington tweeted, “We’re liberating Uyghur women from being baby-making machines.” That was horrifying. They think the drugs they’re giving to Uyghur women, the forced steril-
it described as the perfect police state.
gime we are dealing with is controlled by a communist party. Their domestic and foreign policies, their economic and societal policies all are set by the Communist Party. MR . JEKIELEK: Recently,
your brother was viciously attacked in Fairfax County, Virginia. In The Epoch Times, we have a long piece by Anders Corr [“Attack on Senior US Official’s Brother May Have China Link”] about it. It’s certainly consistent with the way that the CCP goes after those Chinese in other nations that it views as enemies. MR . TURKEL: That’s pre-
cisely why I named my book “No Escape.” The Chinese leadership still thinks they own me and others, even though we have nothing to do with them as far as our rights and citizenship are concerned. My brother’s attacker belongs to a group that has spent countless hours on social media, maligning and bullying Uyghur activists. It’s a Uyghur group, which makes it even more disturbing. Here we have Uyghur activists who are fighting to stop the genocide, yet a group of radical online activists are trashing them. They picked my brother to victimize, and this is happening in the United States of America. We should not have to worry about some foreign government intimidating us in a free country.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
THIS PAGE: GREG BAKER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
should concern those of us who care about freedom and the health of democracy.
Police officers patrolling in the old city area in Kashgar, Xinjiang region, China, on June 3, 2019. 54 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
izations, and the gang rapes are liberating them. Just let that sink in. Tursunay Ziyawudun, who was on the news, was gang raped in prison. I was sitting in a public hearing in May 2021, organized by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and I could not hold back my tears while I was listening to her.
T R AV E L • F O O D • L U X U R Y L I V I N G
Unwind
No.23
Known for producing 40 percent of Italy’s olive oil and having the longest coastline on the Italian mainland, this area is home to miles of inviting beaches and charming towns. PHOTO BY DAVID IONUT/SHUTTERSTOCK
Puglia: An Italian Delight BUILT IN 1908 IN THE AREA now called Sea Cliff, and recently the home of actress Sharon Stone, this magnificent estate is ready to welcome new owners. 56
A PROPER MAN CAVE REQUIRES unique accoutrements that make it a sanctuary; accordingly, we present a selection of items to make yours the envy of the block. 63
58
DISCOVERING ‘TOP CHEF’ star Chris Viaud’s authentic, mouth-watering Haitian cuisine in New Hampshire is an unexpected pleasure. 66
INSIDE I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 55
SEAStunner CLIFF In addition to breathtaking views of the Pacific and the Golden Gate Bridge, this home has historic and celebrity provenance By Phil Butler
56 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
All throughout the house and guest suite, little observation/ relaxation points add to the home’s dreamy personality.
Lifestyle Real Estate
T
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRIAN KITTS/NEAL WARD PROPERTIES
he old adage “once in a lifetime” is often used to amplify an opportunity or moment in time, but it’s apt in the case of this spectacular home in San Francisco’s Sea Cliff neighborhood. Listed for a cool $39 million, the former home of actress Sharon Stone is a grand display of style and exclusivity, with an amazing view of one of America’s most recognized symbols. No. 1, 25th Avenue sits at the end of a cul-desac of the Sea Cliff neighborhood overlooking Baker Beach and the Golden Gate Bridge. The 8,495-square-foot Italianate-Victorian mansion offers seven bedrooms and eight full and two half baths in a perfect melding of old-world charm and ultra-modern amenities. The home is in all ways impressive, as are the breathtaking views it offers of San Francisco Bay, the Marin Headlands, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Built in 1908—before the Golden Gate Bridge existed—this elegant manor was the first home built on these cliffs. The property has been completely updated with modern livability and preservation of its old-world charm in mind. On the main level, high ceilings, dark parquet floors, custom fireplaces, and statuesque doors accentuate the dramatic entrance foyer, formal living room, and dining room with awesome views, a
cozy den, a reading room, and kitchen with Viking and Wolf appliances. Upstairs, the master suite features two luxurious dressing rooms and baths. Also on this level are three additional bedrooms. Two of these have Juliet balconies with charming courtyard overlooks, and one has a private terrace. There’s also an upper-level guest suite and a family room. The grounds of the property are a private paradise of terraces, private walks, lush greenery, and stunning overlooks. At one end of a U-shaped courtyard, there’s a stylish separate guest suite with a library and powder room. There are also two two-car garages, one of which is attached to the main house. From the clifftop deck, another wooden stairway leads to a lower deck and private access to venerable Baker Beach below. “Basic Instinct” star actress Sharon Stone and her then-husband journalist Phil Bronstein purchased this house in 1998, owning it until 2005. Other notable residents of this prestigious neighborhood include billionaire hedge fund legend George Soros, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, actor Eugene Levy, and Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. Phil Butler is a publisher, editor, author, and analyst who is a widely cited expert on subjects ranging from digital and social media to travel technology.
1 25TH AVENUE SEA CLIFFS SAN FRANCISCO $39 MILLION • 7 BEDROOMS • 8,495 SQUARE FEET • 10 BATHS • 0.39 ACRES KEY FEATURES • ICONIC DESIGN • UNMATCHED VIEWS AND LOCATION • CELEBRITY HOME • ULTRA-PRESTIGIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD AGENT NEAL WARD PROPERTIES MOBILE: 415-269-9933 FEATURED BY TOPTENREALESTATEDEALS.COM
The elegant formal dining room and many of the other rooms on this level provide uncompromising vistas of the surrounding area. Another view from a side terrace reframes this incredible home’s biggest selling point. It is truly a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.
The main living room fireplace adds awesomeness and warmth, in contrast to the chic-cool of the sea, the famous bridge, and the bay beyond. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 57
Travel Italy
The town of Alberobello, Puglia.
Hidden Puglia
Otherworldly houses, wild beaches, and Baroque architecture await visitors By Tim Johnson
T
hey were weird and strange and felt somewhat otherworldly. Approaching them on foot felt a little like discovering an alien village in some outer-space sci-fi movie, not a UNESCO-protected settlement in the southern part of Italy. Climbing a small rise, the details of the tiny dwellings became clear—round, white-washed base with a conical roof, some splashed with symbols of good luck. All of them were hundreds of years old. Built of dry stone and clearly crowded for even a single-family, why would anyone choose to live in such an odd dwelling? The experts disagree, but my guide told us the prevailing theory—that it all had to do with taxation. These houses, known collectively as “trulli,” were built to be taken down quickly. Generally erected in remote locations, residents would get some advance notice when the tax collector
58 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
was approaching, and he couldn’t charge them for what wasn’t there. “Just by pulling out a few stones, they could collapse them, then rebuild quickly when he was gone,” she said with a small smile. There’s plenty to love in Puglia. It has the longest coastline of any Italian region, and is dotted with picture-perfect Mediterranean beach towns, ancient buildings set right on the rocks, with clear aquamarine blue waves crashing into a white foam below. Wild country, too, with an abundance of natural spaces to explore, such as Gargano National Park, where rugged cliffs, islands, and natural archways rise to one of the oldest pine forests on the continent. You’ll find a rich and textured history in Puglia. Exposed to the trade winds, many peoples blew through the area over thousands of years of history, from Mycenaean Greeks, a bronze age culture that formed one of Europe’s first so-
ITALY Bari PUGLIA
The Puglia region is home to 13 Blue Flag beaches.
Lecce
FROM TOP L: JOSEF SKACEL/SHUTTERSTOCK, THE EPOCH TIMES, MASSIMO PARISI/SHUTTERSTOCK, GREENS AND BLUES/SHUTTERSTOCK
Travel Italy
phisticated civilizations more than 1,000 years B.C., to Sicilians and Saracens, who formed the Emirate of Bari. Each one left its mark. In addition to touring trulli, I spent time in Lecce, a small city of fewer than 100,000 people that’s sometimes called the Florence of the South. Puglia’s second city, there’s a small Roman amphitheater and other ruins right in the heart of town. But it’s the baroque architecture that puts this place on the map—so much of it and so distinctive that Lecce Baroque (or “Barocco Leccese”) is actually a recognized architectural style. Some of the city’s most famous buildings were built (or restored) by Italy’s most famous architects in the 16th and 17th centuries, Baroque’s heyday. Walking through town, between squares on small lanes, I was presented with a series of surprises, each new church, archway, or palace more impressive than the last. Their façades, replete with tiny, cacophonous details— gargoyles and gremlins and so much more—inspired some and repelled others. And while its name may not conjure the vivid images other major Italian cities do, Bari, about 100 miles north, is Puglia’s capital and commercial center. Somewhat sleepy, this city of about 300,000 presents itself slowly and rewards those who take their time exploring its back lanes and pedestrian streets. Walking along a piazza lined with palms caressed by the breezes of the Adriatic Sea, my guide told me that a section of bricks here was once part of a road built by the Romans in the second century B.C. We passed an olive tree right in the middle of a square (“We have over 60 million olive trees in the region—olive oil is the gold of Puglia,”
The church of Santa Croce is a fine example of Lecce Baroque.
our guide said), and proceeded to see some of the city’s biggest attractions. These include the Basilica of St. Nicholas—yes, that St. Nick. But far from a white-bearded man in a bright red suit whose belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly, the cathedral, built in 1087, reveals a very different person. The Baroque ceiling visually tells the story of a Greek-born man in present-day Turkey in the third century who performed many miracles and loved to give secret gifts. He remains the patron saint of many people, including sailors, children, brewers, and repentant thieves. But it was the small spots deep in the Old Town that fascinated me. On one lane, women made pasta—orecchiette, specifically—which looked like small ears. Using pure muscle memory, they chatted away to each other, their hands constantly in motion, kneading together and forming a simple mixture of water, salt, and white flour. No eggs, because in the past, many were too poor to afford them. On another hidden passage was a very tiny shop where a man carves wooden puppets. He told me he’s been creating them for more than 25 years. “It takes two days just to make the head,” he said in heavily accented Italian as he continued to carve. It’s unique, a bit strange, and certainly lovely. And perhaps not too surprising to find this here in Puglia, where curious discoveries in an often-overlooked region are definitely, always commonplace. Tim Johnson is based in Toronto. He has visited 140 countries across all seven continents.
40% OF ITALY’S OLIVE OIL is produced in Puglia.
If You Go Fly: Bari’s Karol Wojtyla International Airport is served by a number of major European carriers. Getting Around: While public transit or taxis are a good option in the larger cities, you’ll almost certainly need a rental car to access everything this region has to offer. Stay: The Grande Albergo delle Nazioni is set right on the Adriatic. Enjoy sea views from your room or, even better, from the rooftop pool, then settle in for a nice seafood dish in the onsite restaurant.
Pizzomunno Beach in Gargano National Park. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 59
THE BUSINESS of Wine
If you enjoy wine, you may want to consider adding it to your investment portfolio By Bill Lindsey
Alternative investments into commodities such as wine allow diversification away from stocks.
60 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Lifestyle Wine as an Investment
T
o say wine is popular is a massive understatement, with an estimated $339 billion spent worldwide on fermented beverages in 2020, according to WineDeals.com. The United States and France top the list in terms of consumption, with many indicators suggesting that global consumption will continue to rise significantly. But while it’s a popular drink, with the vast majority consumed very soon after purchase, could it also be a viable investment? What constitutes an investment varies based on who you ask, with antique toys, artwork, and even vehicles vying with traditional stock and bond options. Ongoing stock market fluctuations, rampant inflation, and trade wars have some investors seeking alternative havens for cash, with many giving wine serious consideration. Even if the market goes completely sideways and you’re using stock certificates as napkins, you can at least drink the wine. Which raises the question: What wine qualifies as an investment? The short answer is nothing you can buy at the local grocery store.
LEFT PAGE: LOUIS HANSEL/UNSPLASH, RIGHT PAGE: SOTHEBY’S, KIM WOOJEONG/UNSPLASH
AS MIGHT BE expected, rare wines and
those with historic significance tend to bring high prices; as an example, a 1787 Château Lafite that might have been owned by Thomas Jefferson (it has his initials etched into the bottle), sold for $156,450 in 1985. More recently, a 1945 Romanée-Conti sold for $558,000 during a Sotheby’s auction. As expected, these are the exception rather than the norm; FinanceBuzz.com reports that wine has seen annualized returns of 13.6 percent over the past 15 years, outperforming many traditional investments. However, wine investing requires in-depth product knowledge, and purchasing requires proper storage, a topic we addressed several issues ago. To be considered an investment-grade wine, it should first of all have a great taste, which takes mass-produced wines out of contention. The taste can be shaped by the region in which it was produced, the skills of the winemakers, and certain weather events that may have shaped the resulting vintage. Some
investors choose to select wines from certain regions, such as Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, or even California. By limiting the choices to one or a few specific areas, it’s theoretically easier to keep track of factors affecting the quantity and quality of wines produced. Rarity is always a good thing, but investors can do well by adhering to the basics of supply and demand, looking for vintages that are currently in high demand and expected to remain in high demand. When it comes to actually purchasing wine, in order to simplify matters, some investors utilize a service such as Vint in which, rather than an individual buying, housing, and reselling cas-
Sotheby’s Wine auctions are eagerly anticipated by wine investors seeking the rarest vintages for their collections. Once acquired, treat investment wines as you would any other physical asset, cataloging them as you add them to the inventory.
As might be expected, rare wines and those with historic significance tend to bring high prices. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 61
Lifestyle Wine as an Investment
LIFESTYLE
LIQUID INVESTMENTS How to profit when buying wine
Christie’s is another top auction house regularly organizing auctions of fine and rare spirts and wines. es of wine, shares of a specific wine collection can be purchased. Other options include CultX, a digital platform based in London operating its own warehouse to accept, distribute, and store wines, or Liv-ex, the London International Vintners Exchange, a marketplace bringing buyers and sellers together. COLLECTORS TEND TO fall into several
62 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
1 Buy Wisely Choose wines based on the potential for appreciation. To determine which wines to consider, spend time researching vintages that have a history of solid sales and appreciation.
2 Protect It Once wine has been purchased, it needs to be properly stored in your cellar or a commercial facility to preserve and enhance its quality and taste. Insurance is a must.
3 How to Sell It
This bottle of Romanée-Conti from 1945 fetched a tidy $558,000 when offered at an auction by Sotheby’s.
Beginners may be best off working with a firm such as VinoVest that makes it easier to become a wine investor. Experienced investors may use a marketplace such as the Liv-ex exchange.
COURTESY OF SOTHEBY’S
groups: those who buy and store their wines in their own facilities, those who store their wines in a commercial facility, and those who purchase strictly for investment, never actually taking possession of the wines, but rather working with a firm that handles all the details involved from purchase to sale. An example is Vinovest, where an individual can create a wine portfolio with as little as a $1,000 investment. While this method certainly works for those with a broad knowledge of wines and their acquisition and sale, it also presents a unique opportunity to invest in wines without needing to have an encyclopedic knowledge base or even having to store or insure the wines. Beginning wine investors can choose to rely on the firm’s expertise in selecting, purchasing, and eventually reselling fine wines. Just as a real estate investment trust allows an investor to share ownership and hopefully profits without having to do all the work or take all the risk, these wine investment firms allow casual wine fans to invest while they learn.
Rapid appreciation of investment wine can certainly occur, but as a rule of thumb, many investors hold wine for at least three years, which clearly affects the issue of liquidity. While wine has clearly become a recognized investment vehicle, as is the case with all investments, there are serious considerations to take into account, starting with never investing more capital than you can afford to lose. There are also tax implications to consider, which is why it’s prudent to discuss any potential investment plan with a knowledgeable financial adviser and tax counselor.
Luxury Living Man Cave Must-Haves
SUGGESTIONS TO HELP MAKE YOUR MAN CAVE EPIC The man cave: your sanctuary from stress and wives with a long list of chores. Any or all of these upgrades will make your cave the envy of the neighborhood. By Bill Lindsey
Stogie Storage
Know When to Hold ’Em
DÖTTLING HUMIDOR
BBO ELITE ALPHA POKER TABLE
$16,999
This Spanish cedar-lined humidor protects your cigars from atmospheric elements for maximum freshness. The drawer slides out while the glass window provides a view of your collection illuminated by LEDs. The calfskin-covered exterior exudes luxury, with a hygrometer, thermometer, and barometer monitoring the interior conditions.
$3,499
Featuring oversized armrests and drink holders for maximum comfort, this table has customizable LEDs to create a spectacular atmosphere, and massive claw legs for maximum stability. Between games, use the cover to convert it to a desk or a table for projects.
Your Own Arcade
SHARPER IMAGE PACMAN’S PIXEL BASH CABARET FROM TOP L: COURTESY OF BBO POKER TABLES, DÖTTLING, SHARPER IMAGE, TREAD WALL FITNESS, CREATIVE HOME ENGINEERING
$2,995
Climb High!
TREADWALL FITNESS
Looking as though it came straight out of a bar or game room, this system features 32 classic arcade games, including Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, Rally X, Dig Dug, and more. All are ready to play, with vivid graphics and exciting audio—and no quarters needed!
CONTACT FOR PRICING
Add a climbing wall and the man cave becomes a gym. The wall moves as you climb and stops when you stop, just like the real thing. The motion means you never reach the top, so a climb can last as long as desired.
What Man Cave?
CREATIVE HOME ENGINEERING CONTACT FOR PRICING
Imagine walking up to a bookshelf or a wall and discretely activating a secret switch that makes the bookcase or wall slide open. A wide variety of styles and sizes are available, from functional dressers and wine storage systems to walls, mirrors, or even a vintage telephone booth. I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 63
Epoch Booklist RECOMMENDED READING FICTION
‘All the Pretty Horses’
By Cormac McCarthy
Adventure Between Mexico and the States The first of Cormac McCarthy’s “Border Trilogy,” “All the Pretty Horses” follows the young man John Grady Cole on his quest for love and adventure across the U.S. border into Mexico in 1949. There he traverses an era of ranching that’s being swept away by the modern world. VINTAGE BOOKS, 1993, 301 PAGES
‘The Broken Spine’
By Dorothy St. James
Murder Mystery in the Library When the town council of Cypress, South Carolina, decides to turn the public library into a tech center, getting rid of all the books, librarian Tru Becket springs into action, storing discarded volumes in a basement
This week’s selection features a history of Jewish mobsters fighting Nazis in America and a Dickens novel famous for its vivid characters.
vault, where she lends out books under the radar. Meanwhile, the head of the tech project is murdered, crushed by a library bookshelf, and we spend the rest of the story, along with Tru and her two best friends, hunting down the killer. No hanky-panky and no obscenities, it’s a great beach read. BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP, 2021, 320 PAGES
HISTORY
‘Gangsters vs. Nazis’
By Michael Benson
Busting Heads in Pre-WW2 America Told in a colorful, Runyonesque style, the tale is about one of the strangest campaigns of the late 1930s. It shows how the Jewish American community organized to fight the German American Bund and other fascist groups in the United States in the years prior to America’s entry into World War II. To break up Nazi rallies and bust heads, the community enlisted Jewish gangsters, the author claims—not “good guys” protecting the American way. This is a fascinating and entertaining read. CITADEL PRESS, 2022, 304 PAGES
64 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
Are there books you’d recommend? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know at features@epochtimes.com
‘The Fabric of Civilization’
By Virginia Postrel
Tech Knit into Society’s Fabric Fabric is interwoven with our history and our civilization. Its creation is a story of human ingenuity. Postrel examines textiles’ building blocks and then the finished cloth. She demonstrates how making textiles drove civilization. Collecting enough fiber, spinning it into thread, and weaving it—for just a single bolt of cloth— was tremendous work when everything was done by hand. You may never take cloth for granted again. BASIC BOOKS, 2020, 320 PAGES
BIOGRAPHY
‘Chopin’s Piano’
By Paul Kildea
Keys to His Heart “Chopin’s Piano” focuses on Polish composer Frédéric Chopin’s creation of his 24 Prel-
udes and the pianino he used while staying in Mallorca, Spain. This is only the beginning of a journey describing in delicious detail the development of piano-making and how music is transmitted, transformed, and interpreted through the ages.
FOR KIDS
W.W. NORTON & COMPANY, 2018, 288 PAGES
By Marchette Chute
CLASSICS
‘Great Expectations’
By Charles Dickens
Finding the Right Path Although it’s centered on orphan Pip Pirrip, this coming-of-age novel also features such characters as the halfinsane Miss Havisham, a bride jilted at the altar who wears her wedding dress the rest of her life; her beautiful adopted daughter Estella, whom she raises as a coldhearted weapon of revenge on men; and Magwitch, a convict who eventually looms large in Pip’s later life. In the entangled relationships of these people are battles between the real values of honesty, affection, and loyalty versus status and money. PENGUIN CLASSICS, 2002, 544 PAGES
‘Stories From Shakespeare’
Young Person’s Guide to the Bard Is your high school student struggling with “Macbeth” or “Romeo and Juliet”? Chute’s retellings will ease their pain, give them a clear picture of each play, and deepen their appreciation. This is a well-written, readable, and wise guide. MERIDIAN BOOKS, REISSUE, 1959, 320 PAGES
‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go’
By Dr. Seuss
The Journey of Life A fun and inspiring children’s read-aloud book and a favorite graduation gift to boot, Dr. Seuss’s “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” is a confidenceboosting book that chronicles the journey of life and is relatable to readers of any age. RANDOM HOUSE, 1990, 56 PAGES
Ian Kane is a U.S. Army veteran, filmmaker, and author. He enjoys the great outdoors and volunteering.
MOVIE REVIEWS
Epoch Watchlist
This week, we look at a quirky indie comedy about voiceover actors in Hollywood, as well as the epic conclusion to the “Jurassic Park” series.
NEW RELEASE
INDIE PICK
‘500 Days of Summer’ (2009)
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ (2022) This movie marks the dramatic conclusion to the long-running Jurassic Park franchise, bringing together two generations of stars from the series for the first time. Four years have passed since the destruction of Isla Nublar, and dinosaurs roam the world freely along with humans. This adventure film is packed with nostalgia, and although it’s a pleasure to see Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum once again, the questionable ethics of genetic manipulation, cloning, and transhumanism manage to derail this woke blockbuster.
ACTION | ADVENTURE | SCI-FI
Release Date: June 10, 2022 Director: Colin Trevorrow Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern Running Time: 2 hours, 26 minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13 Where to Watch: Theaters
AN ENCHANTING IRISH FANTASY fantastical special effects. It’s one of those rare movies that appeal to both adults and children. ADVENTURE | FAMILY | FANTASY
‘Darby O’Gill and the Little People’ (1960)
An older man loses his job to a younger one but doesn’t want to tell his daughter about the replace-
ment. He eventually meets the King of the Leprechauns who may be able to help with his situation. This is a delightful film filled with charming characters, amazing scenery, and
Release Date: June 22, 1960 Director: Robert Stevenson Starring: Albert Sharpe, Janet Munro, Sean Connery Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes MPAA Rating: G Where to Watch: DirecTV, Redbox, Vudu
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a greeting card writer, thinks everything is fine in his relationship with Summer (Zooey Deschanel). But when she dumps him out of the blue, he looks back over their 500 days together to figure out what went wrong. Told in non-linear fashion, this quirky comedy has an effortless chemistry between its young stars. Although the characters have a season of love, the film’s not really a rom-com. Instead, it’s
about Tom learning a lot about relationships and himself—about love, loss, and moving forward. COMEDY | DRAMA | ROMANCE
Release Date: Aug. 7, 2009 Directors: Marc Webb Starring: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Geoffrey Arend Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13 Where to Watch: Redbox, DirecTV, Epix
A CLASSIC ’80S LAUGH FEST
‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ (1983) Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to take his wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) and two children, Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) and Audrey (Dana Barron), on a vacation to visit a California theme park. Along the way, the Griswolds experience all sorts of mayhem. How often do we all plan elaborate vacations but then whatever can go wrong, does? Besides the hilarious spoofs, part of what makes this
comedy so engaging is that many folks can relate to the characters in this side-splitting ’80s comedy. ADVENTURE | COMEDY
Release Date: July 29, 1983 Director: Harold Ramis Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Imogene Coca Running Time: 1 hour, 38 minutes MPAA Rating: R Where to Watch: DirecTV, Vudu, Redbox
I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 65
Food Chefs
A FAMILY AFFAIR: WITH THE HELP OF SPECIAL GUEST CHEFS, CHRIS VIAUD BRINGS A TASTE OF HAITI TO NEW HAMPSHIRE The ‘Top Chef’ star’s farm-to-table restaurant Greenleaf shows off his classical French training, but his monthly Ansanm Sunday Dinners dive deeper into his Haitian heritage By Nick Dauk
A
Chris Viaud with his mother, Myrlene, the inspiration— and chef— behind Ansanm’s menus.
romas of citrus, garlic, and herbs waft through the Sunday evening air as Caribbean steel drums set the mood for a night of homecooked Haitian cuisine. As diners sip fruity cocktails and nibble on plantains, they can be forgiven Poule nan sos— for forgetting they aren’t on a chicken tropical getaway. marinated in epis, a Instead, they’re sitting in an old bank building in Milford, New staple Haitian seasoning Hampshire, nearly 1,700 miles base, and slowfrom Haiti’s shores. cooked in a More specifically, they’re at- Creole sauce of tending an Ansanm Sunday Din- tomato, peppers, and onions. ner at Greenleaf, an award-winning restaurant owned by James Haitian pate, Beard-nominated chef Chris Via baked puff aud, who competed on season 18 pastry with a of “Top Chef.” Though his time savory filling. on television included wowing judges with a creative yet classic grilled cheese sandwich—and winning $10,000—Viaud set his culinary ambitions on introducing Milford’s mouths to home- Age: 31 made favorites from his own From: Randolph, childhood. Mass. “Ansanm Sunday Dinners are Lives: Milford, really my mother’s dinners,” Vi- N.H. aud said. “Unlike the menu for Caribbean Greenleaf, all of the Ansanm dishIngredients es are those she prepared when He Can’t Live we were growing up. On Sundays, Without: she’s the chef in the kitchen—I’m Rice and just the student.” plantains Viaud, a first-generation Hai- Best Meal for tian American, graduated from First-Timers to Johnson & Wales University’s Haitian Cuisine: prestigious culinary program and Griot (marinated honed his classical French cook- twice-fried pork) ing skills at Boston’s Deuxave. If He Could Only From Tuesday through Saturday Eat in One City at Greenleaf, he showcases his tal- Forever: Chicago ents with tasty takes on familiar Most Underfoods like duck rillette and roast- rated Chef: ed New York strip. Byron Gomez But one Sunday each month, he
Chris Viaud, chef and owner of Greenleaf and Ansanm—meaning ‘together’ in Haitian Creole—in Milford, N.H.
CHRIS VIAUD
rooms straight from Haitian soil. His hope is that the area embraces not only the cuisine, but Haitian culture as well. Viaud views each pop-up dinner as an opportunity to educate diners about Haiti’s diverse dishes—and provide Milford’s small Haitian community with a taste of home. “It’s been quite the journey and opportunity to share our culture with people who might have never experienced anything similar,” Viaud said, “to show them that Haitian cuisine can be as wellknown and respected as French and Italian dishes.” Nick Dauk is an Orlando-based writer whose work has been featured in BBC News, Insider, Fox Business, and The Telegraph.
THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF ANSANM, JENNIFER BAKOS PHOTOGRAPHY
66 I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022
opens the restaurant’s doors to Ansanm’s menu of authentic Haitian dishes, prepared with love by himself and his parents, Myrlene and Yves. “We curate the menu with different Haitian foods each time, so new and returning guests have a full opportunity to expand their knowledge of what Haitian cuisine is,” he said. “It’s a beautiful evening offering a taste of our ancestry that you can’t find in this area.” Whether it’s poule nan sos (stewed chicken in a Creole sauce) or a side of pikliz (spicy vegetable slaw), every meal is rich enough to bring warm Caribbean vibes to the Granite State—especially when Viaud imports djon djon black mush-
How to Behave on
Business Trips
Doing business away from the office should be enjoyable and productive On business trips across town or across the globe, you are the highly visible representative of your company, so conduct yourself accordingly. Without being paranoid, act as if every word and action is being evaluated. By Bill Lindsey
Respect 4 Strangers and Unusual Customs
1 Set a Great Example You represent the company, so be smart and aware. During business hours, dress the part. For dinners or social times, if in doubt, dress conservatively. At lunch or dinners, avoid overindulging in food or drinks, even if your host is behaving badly. Acting as if you were being observed is a great way to avoid embarrassing behavior, especially when you’re wearing clothing or carrying luggage emblazoned with the company logo.
COCO FLAMINGO/GETTY IMAGES
2 Be on Time Adhere to the schedule for meetings, seminars, meals, and any outings. Don’t be the guy that holds up the bus or makes everyone wait. When you arrive, greet everyone respectfully and politely, making eye contact and smiling. You don’t want to find out the receptionist you were dismissive of is the CEO’s daughter. Consistently being a bit early prevents missed appointments and identifies you to clients and coworkers as someone who takes business seriously.
What’s considered normal behavior differs as you travel across the country or the globe. By always being respectful and polite, the chances of offending someone drop considerably. If in doubt, smile and keep your mouth shut, showing respect even if the behavior is off-putting to you personally. Loudly pointing out that Americans drink their beer ice cold won’t go over well when your London clients take you to a British pub.
Step Away 3 From the Phone A missed, unexpected call is rarely cause for panic; your phone has the ability to take a message, and if the caller didn’t leave one, it probably wasn’t important. Mute your phone’s ringer during meetings or while manning a trade show booth, leaving it in your pocket or briefcase. You can check it during breaks. Taking or making calls can be construed as rude, especially when someone is expecting your full attention.
5 Be Patient Cutting in line to jump into an elevator to get to your meeting or the trade show is rude and disrespectful. Even worse, imagine arriving at your meeting, or having a prospective client approach your booth, and recognizing them as the person you jumped in front of in line. If, during a meeting, you are eagerly waiting for a chance to speak, relax, take a deep breath, pay attention, and make eye contact; you just might learn something valuable.
I N S I G H T June 10–16, 2022 67
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