Hawaii Plans To Tax Tourists To Help Stop Climate Doom Or Something

By William Teach April 30, 2025 – 5:16 pm

Weird. I would have thought all the Warmists in Hawaii would be willing to pay more in taxes themselves, rather than hit up the folks who account for 22% of Hawaii’s GDP. Oh, and help drive construction and rentals

Hawaii plans to increase hotel tax to help it cope with climate change

In a first-of-its kind move, Hawaii lawmakers are ready to hike a tax imposed on travelers staying in hotels, vacation rentals and other short-term accommodations and earmark the new money for programs to cope with a warming planet.

State leaders say they’ll use the funds for projects like replenishing sand on eroding beaches, helping homeowners install hurricane clips on their roofs and removing invasive grasses like those that fueled the deadly wildfire that destroyed Lahaina two years ago.

A bill scheduled for House and Senate votes on Wednesday would add an additional 0.75% to the daily room rate tax starting Jan. 1. It’s all but certain to pass given Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers and party leaders have agreed on the measure. Gov. Josh Green has said he would sign it into law.

Officials estimate the increase would generate $100 million in new revenue annually.

Hitting up visitors is probably not the way to do this. Sure, it ends up being about $31 on average a day, but, that is money that cannot be spent on other things while on vacation. I bet that the citizens of the People’s Republik Of Hawaii wouldn’t want to pay $1 a day out of their own pockets

“We had a $13 billion tragedy in Maui and we lost 102 people. These kind of dollars will help us prevent that next disaster,” Green said in an interview.

Fleecing tourists who have to take long fossil fueled flights to keep your state going won’t fix the government being incompetent. It won’t clear the dead brush or stop falling power lines.

The governor has long said the 10 million visitors who come to Hawaii each year should help the state’s 1.4 million residents protect the environment.

Green believes travelers will be willing to pay the increased tax because doing so will enable Hawaii to “keep the beaches perfect” and preserve favorite spots like Maui’s road to Hana and the coastline along Oahu’s North Shore. After the Maui wildfire, Green said he heard from thousands of people across the country asking how they could help. This is a significant way they can, he said.

So, if he believes that why doesn’t he slap a tax on the residents of Hawaii? Gov? Anything? Surely they’d be willing to pay through the nose, right?

Read: Hawaii Plans To Tax Tourists To Help Stop Climate Doom Or Something »

Posted in AGW Socialism, Democrats, Global Warming | 5 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach April 30, 2025 – 1:00 pm

…is a wonderful low carbon bike, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Maggie’s Farm, with a post on Wednesday linkage.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 7 Comments | Trackback URL

Democrats Big Mad With Gov Gretchen Whitmer Over Deal With Trump

By William Teach April 30, 2025 – 10:30 am

They weren’t mad with her when she cosplayed Mussolini during COVID, but, are now

Whitmer just got what she wanted from Trump. But she’s making a risky bet.

President Donald Trump hugged Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer upon landing Tuesday in Michigan to announce a new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. He lavished praise on her during a speech at the base, referring to her as simply “Gretchen” more than once. And when he was done speaking, he invited her to the podium to give remarks she said she was not planning.

“I am so, so grateful that this announcement was made today, and I appreciate all the work,” Whitmer said, without specifically praising Trump.

Trump’s announcement that he would “save Selfridge” with the new fighter mission marked a long-sought victory for Whitmer and her battleground state. But the scene also illustrated the political minefield that Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has had to navigate as she has sought to build a working relationship with Trump at a time when other ambitious Democrats are spoiling for a fight.

Trump wasted little time acknowledging the bipartisan moment as he spoke Tuesday with Whitmer in the background. He complimented her as “very effective.”

“I’m not supposed to do that. She’s a Democrat,” Trump said. “They say, ‘Don’t do that. Don’t have her here.’ I said, ‘No, she’s going to be here.’ She’s done a very good job, frankly, and she was very much involved with the Republicans [on Selfridge].”

See, this is the way it’s supposed to work: each state is sovereign, and work to do what is best for each state. Instead of governors playing petty politics, they reach out to the federal government to work together. Even if the people involved do not like each other, they have to work together to accomplish things that benefit the state and/or federal government. You know that many negotiating on behalf of the US despise some people they negotiate with from other countries, right? But, it is part of the job. Whitmer, whether you like her or hate her, did the correct thing. She put the state first. And, since the 17th Amendment turned Senators from being the ambassadors from the state general assemblies to D.C. who put the needs of their state first into standard old elected schmucks, someone has to do the part, right?

Yet, to other Democrats, Whitmer is showing herself to be out of step with a political moment where Trump represents an existential threat to democracy.

“I think the fight back faction of the Democratic Party is ascendant, and leaders who ignore that risk getting left behind,” said Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the liberal organizing group Indivisible. (snip)

In Michigan, Whitmer has had an intraparty foil in Attorney General Dana Nessel (D), who has repeatedly sued the Trump administration and struck a more combative tone toward the president. Nessel has leaned into their dueling styles at times.

“Why I refuse to normalize this president: Appeasement is not [a] workable strategy with a fascist,” Nessel wrote on X a day after Whitmer’s Oval Office appearance, sharing an earlier interview where she suggested she has little “common ground” with Trump.

This is nothing compared to the roasting she’s gotten online from the unhinged Democrat base. It’s vicious.

The base currently contributes an estimated $850 million annually to Michigan’s economy and state officials estimate that the base supports some 30,000 jobs, including about 5,000 members of the Air and Army National Guard and Reserve.

She did what was best for Michigan.

Adrian Hemond, a Democratic strategist in Michigan, said in the wake of the Oval Office visit that most people in Michigan understand it is “part of the job” for the governor to work with the president, regardless of party. He expressed doubt that Whitmer wants to run for president but acknowledged the visit was less than ideal politically.

This is why the hardcore, hateful, politics from the Democrats is a problem: it can interfere with doing the job. But, if she does run, she can appeal to more middle ground voters by saying “I did the things best for my state, regardless of party and politics. And I’ll do the same as president.” I mean, she’d probably go pure Progressive as president, but, it would sound good during a campaign.

Read: Democrats Big Mad With Gov Gretchen Whitmer Over Deal With Trump »

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Bummer: Trump Admin Boots National Climate Assessment Authors

By William Teach April 30, 2025 – 7:15 am

Go work in the private sector, see if anyone will pay you for this

All Authors Working on Flagship U.S. Climate Report Are Dismissed

The Trump administration has dismissed the hundreds of scientists and experts who had been compiling the federal government’s flagship report on how global warming is affecting the country.

The move puts the future of the report, which is required by Congress and is known as the National Climate Assessment, into serious jeopardy, experts said.

Since 2000, the federal government has published a comprehensive look every few years at how rising temperatures will affect human health, agriculture, fisheries, water supplies, transportation, energy production and other aspects of the U.S. economy. The last climate assessment came out in 2023 and is used by state and local governments as well as private companies to help prepare for the effects of heat waves, floods, droughts and other climate-related calamities.

On Monday, researchers around the country who had begun work on the sixth national climate assessment, planned for early 2028, received an email informing them that the scope of the report “is currently being re-evaluated” and that all contributors were being dismissed.

Here’s the one thing: the NCA is required by the idiotic Global Change Research Act of 1990 (GCRA). They must produce one every four years. So, will there actually be one in 2027? Will Trump care? Perhaps Trump will bring in a whole bunch of Skeptics and Realists to produce it, showing that there is no doom and gloom, and no need for more taxes and fees, government control of citizens, and no taking of freedom and personal life choices.

“There may well be a sixth National Climate Assessment,” said Meade Krosby, a senior scientist at the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group and a contributor to the assessment. “The question is whether it is going to reflect credible science and be of real use to our communities as they prepare for climate change.”

Funny how they always end up being blueprints for more Government.

Charles Rotter at Watts Up With That?

The absurdity of the situation becomes even clearer when reading how the dismissed researchers reacted. Jesse Keenan, a climate adaptation professor, practically cried into his recycled coffee mug, declaring, “This is as close as it gets to a termination of the assessment. If you get rid of all the people involved, nothing’s moving forward”?. Exactly, Professor Keenan. That was precisely the point. Perhaps it’s time to move forward with serious, grounded research rather than ideologically driven climate sermons.

A cult is involved, so, they will do everything to not allow serious, grounded research. Especially since that would not involve Big Government authoritarianism.

Read: Bummer: Trump Admin Boots National Climate Assessment Authors »

Posted in Collapsing Science, Global Warming | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Huh: Illegals Released During Trump’s First 100 Days 20,444 Times Less Than Biden’s

By William Teach April 30, 2025 – 7:00 am

Remember when we had to had new legislation to Fix The Border? Legislation which would prioritize legalizing illegals/migrants and get around to securing the border later? Except for that thing about shutting down crossings when they are more than 5,000 a day between ports of entry or something. Which is still more than what is happening now

Only nine illegal immigrants released into US during Trump’s first 100 days — 99.99% drop from same period under Biden: Homan

Just nine illegal migrants were released into the US during President Trump’s first 100 days in office — compared to 184,000 in the same period last year then-President Biden, border czar Tom Homan said Tuesday.

The stunning figures came as the White House marked a 99.99% decrease in so-called “gotaways” — unlawful entrants not turned back whom the administration called “the top threat to public safety.”

“In that same time frame that we released nine, [the Biden administration] released 184,000 illegal aliens in the country,” Homan said on “Fox and Friends” early Tuesday.

“President Trump is a game changer,” Homan said.

Well, let’s be fair: it took Trump with a crew of people, like Homan, to make this happen. A president who has the will to enact policies and move forward with action can make a big difference.

“What’s happening on the border, he did in seven weeks what Joe Biden couldn’t — or wouldn’t — do in four years.”

Joe wouldn’t. Well, his advisors and wife who were actually in charge wouldn’t. They did not want to. They wanted the border overrun. Oh, and weren’t particularly happy when Governors like Greg Abbott started shipping them to Democrat run sanctuary cities.

Homan stressed that the nine who were allowed in all had good reasons. Four were material witnesses in criminal investigations they wanted to testify in court, another four were in “extreme medical distress” and one was released on unspecified humanitarian grounds, Homan said.

And they can be tracked easily.

Under the Biden administration, Border Patrol officials would see up to 15,000 migrants crossing the border per day, Homan said.

“You know what the number was yesterday? 178 … 178 across 2,000 miles of border,” he said of the dramatic decline in those even attempting entry. Illegal border encounters are down 95%, the White House said.

If you tell them not to come, that they won’t be allowed in, that they won’t get free stuff, and that the ones here are going to be caught and deported you seriously incentivize them to not come. When you surge forces to the border to stop them, you incentivize them to not come.

Read: Huh: Illegals Released During Trump’s First 100 Days 20,444 Times Less Than Biden’s »

Posted in Donald Trump, Illegal Immigration | 18 Comments | Trackback URL

Bummer: Raleigh Fails Again To Find Someone To Build Bus Rapid Transit

By William Teach April 29, 2025 – 3:00 pm

The BRT for Raleigh goes all the way back to 2016, when the voters approved a plan. It’s almost 10 years later and

When planning to build something, isn’t it a good idea to have someone to actually build it before announcing you’re going to build it?

Raleigh is once again trying to find contractors to build North Carolina’s first bus rapid transit line. This time the city is trying a different strategy, one that will further delay the project.

Last year, the city twice sought bids from construction companies to build the New Bern Avenue BRT line, which will run 5.4 miles between downtown and a planned park-and-ride lot off New Hope Road. The first time, no one bid. The second attempt yielded one bid that was more than $41 million higher than the city’s estimates and was rejected.

The rest is behind a hard paywall, but, the result is no bids. Zero. No one wants to build it. Here were are 9 years later and not one project has even started. Is there a need for this on New Bern? How many people will actually ride it? Is it taking people where they want to go? Is this more about forcing the peasants out of their cars and onto buses, like we’ve seen in so many leftist cities (while the Elites travel in fossil fueled large SUVs)?

BTW, I’m reserving judgement on this, until we have more info

Read: Bummer: Raleigh Fails Again To Find Someone To Build Bus Rapid Transit »

Posted in Global Warming, NC News | 7 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach April 29, 2025 – 1:44 pm

…is a world killing fossil fueled vehicle, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is American Greatness, with a post on Josh Hawley introducing the PELOSI Act.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 20 Comments | Trackback URL

Gov. Pritzker Calls For Violence From Democrats

By William Teach April 29, 2025 – 10:30 am

So, when citizens of Illinois commit violence in the name of Democrat policies can Pritzer be arrested for incitement?

Pritzker Calls For ‘Mass Protests,’ Says Democrats’ Strategy Is ‘Stale’

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, called on Democrats to engage in “mass protests” during a fervid speech in New Hampshire on Sunday night, rejecting the bipartisan approach pushed by others in his party and sparking backlash from the White House.

“It’s time to fight everywhere and all at once,” Pritzker, who was on the Harris campaign’s short list for a running mate last year, told a crowd of Democratic officials and donors in Manchester.

“Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now,” he continued. “These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have.”

“For far too long, we’ve been guilty of listening to a bunch of do-nothing political types who would tell us that America’s house is not on fire, even as the flames are licking their faces,” he said. Democrats need to “stop thinking we can reason or negotiate with a madman,” he said, referring to President Donald Trump.

This is a call to violence. The funny thing, though, is that when the hardcore Democrat base gets violent they tend to destroy Democrat areas. During the George Floyd protests what areas were smashed? Who’s businesses were razed? Yeah, it was in Democrat run areas. Nothing new for Democrat

In comments to reporters Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller slammed Pritzker’s calls for protests.

“His comments, if nothing else, could be construed as inciting violence,” Miller said when asked if the Justice Department would “take action” against the governor. “President Trump survived two assassination attempts against his life.”

Dems like calling for violence

“He wasn’t listening to my speech at all then,” [Pritzer] said. “I was calling for people to take out their megaphones and their microphones, to stand up on soapboxes and to get to the ballot box in order to defeat the people who are trying to take so many things away from the American people. That has nothing to do with inciting violence.”

Yeah, he used a bit of language to protect himself, but, we’ve seen this schtick before, and they want violence.

Read: Gov. Pritzker Calls For Violence From Democrats »

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Earthquakes And ‘Climate Change’ Could Cause Flooding In The Pacific NW, But, Mostly Earthquakes

By William Teach April 29, 2025 – 7:14 am

Of course, the Warmists blame earthquakes on you driving a fossil fueled vehicle

Climate change is ramping up flood risk in the Pacific Northwest: Study

A powerful future earthquake, coupled with climate-driven surges in sea levels, could significantly increase flood risks in the Pacific Northwest, a study has found.

These conditions could impact thousands of residents and their properties in Northern California, Oregon and Washington state, according to the study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A major earthquake could ultimately cause coastal regions to sink up to 6 1/2 feet, expanding the federal-designated coastal floodplain by between 35 square miles and 116 square miles, the study’s authors determined.

They defined the coastal floodplain as the area that exhibits a 1 in 100 chance of flooding each year.

Dura and her colleagues created tens of thousands of models to assess the amount of land sinkage that could occur after the next big Cascadia earthquake. They then used geospatial analysis to quantify earthquake-fueled expansion of the floodplain at 24 adjacent communities and estuaries.

Since earthquake timing remains uncertain, the team modeled the effects of such an event happening both now and in 2100, when climate-driven sea-level rise would exacerbate the impacts of any land sinkage.

There aren’t many really long term tide gauges for Washington and Oregon, but, here’s Astoria, which has “The relative sea level trend is -0.14 millimeters/year with a 95% confidence interval of +/- 0.29 mm/yr based on monthly mean sea level data from 1925 to 2024 which is equivalent to a change of -0.05 feet in 100 years.” Three of the other 4 gauges show a decline for Oregon. Neah Bay, Washington, shows “-0.56 feet in 100 years.” Seattle shows “0.69 feet in 100 years.” Friday Harbor has “0.39 feet in 100 years.” Seattle is the outlier for the long term, and short term, stations.

There is no anthropogenic, or natural, sea rise doom in the future.

If a major earthquake occurred now, the scientists determined an additional 14,350 residents, 22,500 structures and 777 miles of roadway would fall within the postevent floodplain zone — more than doubling flood exposure.

Potential flooding would affect five airports; 18 “critical” care, rescue and education facilities; eight wastewater treatment plants; one electricity substation; and 57 possible contamination sources, such as animal feeding operations, gas stations and solid waste sites.

“Today, and more so in 2100 as background sea levels rise, the immediate effect of earthquake-driven subsidence will be a delay in response and recovery from the earthquake due to compromised assets,” Dura said.

It’s like they felt it was their cult duty to throw ‘climate change’ into the mix, when it’s really about the danger of earthquakes.

Read: Earthquakes And ‘Climate Change’ Could Cause Flooding In The Pacific NW, But, Mostly Earthquakes »

Posted in AGW Scaremongering, Global Warming | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

LOL: Trump Admin Puts Photos Of Illegal Alien Criminals On White House Lawn

By William Teach April 29, 2025 – 7:00 am

Oh, the caterwauling this has created amongst the Democrats. MSNBC is absolutely losing it over this, if you can take watching the video

White House lawn displays yard signs featuring migrant criminals: ‘we will hunt you down’

The White House on Monday debuted a display of yard signs featuring several illegal migrant criminals who had been arrested under the Trump administration.

Each sign includes the migrant’s mugshot, their crime and a tag which reads “arrested.” Among the crimes listed are “rape,” “homicide” and “distribution of fentanyl.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a video via X showing at least 90 signs on display.

“We will hunt you down,” the White House wrote via X. “You will face justice. You will be deported — and you will never set foot on American soil again. Oh, and your mugshot may just end up on a yard sign at the White House.”

Do the Democrats really want to assail Trump and his people over this? Do they want to get into high dudgeon over showing the faces of illegal aliens, many let in by the Biden regime, who were rapists and murderers? Is this your hill?

Leavitt also announced during a morning press briefing President Donald Trump would sign an executive order targeting sanctuary cities throughout the U.S. The order would allow law enforcement to “pursue criminals and protect innocent citizens.”

I disagree with this: go after the illegals in non-sanctuary jurisdictions first. The ones Biden shipped around the nation to small town USA. Let Democrats deal with the criminal illegals in their cities for the time being. They can be last.

Read: LOL: Trump Admin Puts Photos Of Illegal Alien Criminals On White House Lawn »

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