Saturday Reading Recommendations
Over the course of the last week, I read some things that I think you, as a subscriber to “So, Does It Matter?” might enjoy!
This is going to be a new Saturday feature for this Substack, replacing a more substantive column. I get a lot of people asking me to send along things of interest. So we’re going to do this on a weekly basis!
So, here we go…
Lengthy Profile of Assistant U.S. Attorney General (and friend) Harmeet Dhillon
This week the San Francisco Standard ran a long-form piece by Josh Koehn providing readers some insights into this influential person in the Trump Administration who hails from San Francisco. I think it is worth a read — and not just because I have a lengthy quote right in the middle of it! You can read it all by going here.
Of course, if you missed it, I did my own profile of Harmeet as part of our Profiles In Courage serious on California conservative leaders.
How the U.S. National Debt Impacts The U.S. And You - In 10 Charts
A great write up by Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post on how the massive U.S. National Debt impacts the country, and you — through the use of charts. If you know anything about me, you know that I am an old-school deficit hawk, who is quite worried as we approach nearly $37 trillion in accumulated debt (not including shortfalls in the various entitlement program funds). Check it out.
National Review Piece on U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli
Bill Essayli has only been the U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District for a short period of time, but the federal government’s top prosecutor for the Los Angeles Region is making a difference. Brittany Bernstein wrote a great piece on his efforts on National Review Online here.
Gavin Drank Wine At High-End Fundraising Reception in the Napa Valley, While LA Unrest Was Underway
Props to Christopher Rufo who broke this story (along with Ryan Thorpe and David Propper) over on the New York Post website. Turns out that the Governor was at an event at the Odette Winery (of which is he is a co-owner) dubbed “Vineyard Vibes” mingling with the wealthy, raising money for his sister’s charity. But this was going on while the streets of downtown Los Angeles were a mess. You should read all about it here.
Project Labor Agreement Fail In Frisco
This should surprise anyone. Over dysfunctional San Francisco they have Project Labor Agreements basically requiring all work contracted out by the city to go to expensive union labor. This isn’t working out so great for the folks in Chinatown who have been awaiting a makeover of their historic park. Now they have to wait again because, go figure, all of the bids to do the work came in more than $10 million over what was budgeted. Why? Um, you can figure it out. And read about it here.
California Democrats Cook The Books To Hide Deficit
No one can isolate and explain a complex policy issue more plainly than veteran California political columnist Dan Walter’s. He does it superbly with this column over at CalMatters. People truly get the government they deserve when they keep electing this folks to be in charge of public policy in California.
And this isn’t actually something to read, it’s something to watch!
You may have seen this, as it has been around. How often can you watch a United States President drop an “f-bomb” on television? Here he is talking about his frustration, earlier this week, that even though Iran and Israel agreed to a cease fire, they were still going after each other.
POTUS Drops The “F-Bomb”
Enjoy your weekend!
Oh, what happens when Elon Musk’s SpaceX “takes over” a town in the Rio Valley of Texas?
Jon