California, China, Taxes, And More

Hey fam, we started this newsletter two weeks ago with exactly zero subscribers. Now, tens of thousands of you are reading Good Morning Fam every day. In addition, hundreds of you have sent me stories to cover and I am so grateful for your contribution to hold the government accountable.

As we begin to wrap up 2021, my team and I are working on BIG things ahead in 2022. Unfortunately, big things require a lot of time and energy. Because of this, I will need to end Good Morning Fam for now.

Thanks for being part of the family and you will hear from me soon. - LJ

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Who Needs Power Anyway?

One of the largest newspapers in California is openly advocating for the closure of the state’s last nuclear power plant. The reason? Climate Change.

This is from Fox News:

Critics flamed the Los Angeles Times editorial board over the weekend for arguing that California's last remaining nuclear power plant needed to be closed in the name of doing even more to fight climate change. 

In a Sunday editorial, the board criticized those advocating for the plant to remain open despite the plant operator's 2018 decision to shut down, and implored California's state government to get other renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, in place to prevent an increase in the use of natural gas following the plant's closure.

California has substantial energy problems. Just last summer the state was forced to enact rolling blackouts as a heatwave crushed the state and power demand surpassed power supply. To make matters worse, California is dealing with a substantial drought that drastically reduces the production of hydroelectric power. Eliminating a power plant in the midst of an energy crisis seems to be an odd strategy.

China Is Still Terrible

As the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics approach, countries around the world are enacting diplomatic boycotts to protest China’s long list of human rights abuses. China’s latest strategy to counter renewed international pressure is to partner with American social media influencers to win hearts and minds.

This is from The Washington Free Beacon:

The Chinese consulate in New York City hired the public relations firm Vippi Media to run the influence campaign, according to disclosures filed with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. For $300,000, Vippi Media will hire prominent Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch users to tout the games and promote China-U.S. cooperation on issues like climate change, the contract says.

China is waging the social media blitz amid growing threats to boycott the games. The United States, Canada, and Australia this month announced a diplomatic boycott over China's human rights abuses and the recent disappearance of a Chinese tennis star who accused a Communist Party official of rape. Human rights groups have asked NBC and other TV broadcasters not to air the Beijing Olympics, which begin Feb. 4. American companies—Coca-Cola, Visa, Intel, and others—also face pressure to pull out of sponsorship deals for the games.

Taxing Cigarette Alternatives?

House Democrats proposed an additional tax on vaping products in the House version of Build Back Better. The problem is that President Biden claimed his spending bill would not raise taxes on Americans who earn less than $400,000 per year.

This is from Reason Magazine:

Senate Democrats have nixed the idea of imposing a new federal tax on nicotine vaping products, which would have disadvantaged a potentially lifesaving alternative to cigarettes and violated President Joe Biden's pledge to avoid raising taxes on American households that earn less than $400,000 a year. The Wall Street Journal reports that Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D–Nev.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, "pushed to remove the tax," which was included in the House version of the Build Back Better spending package, and "helped force its deletion."

The best line in the story came from Gregory Conley:

"There is no valid reason to impose new taxes on tobacco-free nicotine products, particularly at a time when American families are feeling the impact of rising inflation," Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, said in response to the provision. He noted that House Democrats were perversely "aiming to make smoke-free alternatives more expensive than smoking."

BONUS: How Many Government Agencies Are There?

If you had to guess, how many government agencies do you think are in existence? Personally, I would’ve guessed 30-40. Maybe 50? Not even close. 456 according to the internet. Go read the full piece at Redstate.