Daily News Brief for Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023. 
 
Isn’t it about time to take action on how you're going to give your children and grandchildren a good music education? Moses, David, and all the Saints of the church have worshiped God with musical might, so let’s be confidently found doing the same. 
 
Bohnet Music Academy instructs children and adults in how to be musically literate. That’s everything you need to know and do as the musician God made you to be. Lessons are available locally in Moscow, ID and online. What’s great is that in addition to getting vocal training, you can also study the piano, guitar, violin, cello, drums, or the trumpet.  
 
Visit Bohnetma.com/crosspolitic for more information on how to equip your family to serve God’s musical commands. B-O-H-N-E-T MA.com/crosspolitic
 http://bohnetma.com/crosspolitic 
 
https://www.based-politics.com/2023/07/31/were-paying-billions-in-taxes-for-federal-offices-that-are-sitting-mostly-empty/
 
We’re paying billions in taxes for federal offices that are sitting mostly empty
 
From Based Politics.com:
 
The pandemic changed how people work, with remote work becoming wildly more prominent. And the federal government was no exception. But now, post-pandemic, taxpayers are on the hook for billions to fund federal offices that are sitting mostly empty, a new report reveals.
 
Earlier this month the Government Accountability Office published a report examining the utilization of current federal workspaces, as John Kartch explains for Americans for Tax Reform, and its results were remarkable.
 
As Kartch notes, the report found that all 24 federal agencies’ headquarters are “vastly underutilized” with most headquarters under 25% capacity and several below 10% capacity.
 
That’s right: Many federal offices are 75% or even 90% empty. These include the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Small Business Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and more cabinet-level agencies.
 
Why does this matter? Well, as Kartch writes, “Taxpayers pay for air conditioning, heating, maintenance, and security for agency buildings at a cost of billions per year, while the same agencies lecture Americans about ‘climate’ and the type of stove you have in your home.”
 
This isn’t cheap. The GAO report notes that “The federal government owns 511 million square feet of office space, costing billions annually to operate and maintain.” That’s money out of our pockets.
 
https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2023/07/30/report-california-loses-nearly-350-million-to-migration-out-of-state/
 
California Loses Nearly $350 Million to Migration Out-of-State
 
The State of California lost nearly $350 million in tax revenues in 2021 due to migration out of the state — a worrisome figure as the state contemplates a new deficit of $32 billion this year.
 
The real estate website MyEListing.com reported:
 
California ranks first among states experiencing the worst net negative tax income migration. With a staggering net loss of $343.2 million, the Golden State is witnessing an outflow of high-income earners.
 
Despite its numerous attractions, from the booming tech industry and world-class universities to beautiful landscapes and cultural richness, California’s high personal income tax rates seem discouraging for many high-wealth individuals. This, coupled with the state’s high cost of living, will likely fuel a wealth migration out of California.
 
These trends affect the state’s economy, especially the real estate and job markets. The departure of high-income earners can decrease demand for luxury real estate and potentially affect the commercial real estate sector. It also impacts job creation, as these high-income individuals often play a significant role in business expansion and entrepreneurial activities.
 
New York was second, losing $299.6 million; and Illinois was third, with a net loss of $141.7 million.
 
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has focused on attacking conservative states like Florida, but he is losing residents — and tax revenues to those states. MyEListing.com notes that Florida and Texas led all other states in “positive tax migration.” Arizona, currently governed by Democrats, was third.
 
Newsom enjoyed a budget surplus of nearly $100 billion last year, buoyed in part by federal coronavirus funds that were signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021.
 
https://thepostmillennial.com/private-school-enrollment-jumps-25-percent-in-washington-as-exodus-from-public-schools-continues?utm_campaign=64487
 
Private school enrollment jumps 25 percent in Washington as exodus from public schools continues
Washington private schools saw a 25 percent jump in enrollment over the last three years and homeschooling saw a 42 percent increase as public school enrollment continued to fall.
 
According to the State Board of Education, in 2019-20, there were 65,270 students enrolled in K-12 private schools in the state. By 2022-23, that number had spiked to 81,434 students.
 
Additionally, the number of students that are homeschooled also increased from 20,844 in 2019-20 to 29,798 in 2022-23.
 
According to Liv Finne at the Washington Policy Center, “The numbers show that over 110,000 parents in Washington state have decided that enrolling in controversial public schools is not the best option for their children.”
 
A nationwide data analysis performed by the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), the nation’s “report card,” showed that only 35 percent of Washington's 4th graders are proficient in math with 74 percent testing at a basic level for the 2022-23 school year.
 
The numbers got worse the older the students got with only 28 percent of 8th graders showing proficiency in math and 64 percent showing only a basic knowledge of the material.
 
The analysis also revealed that students in the Evergreen State lost over five months (-0.65 grade equivalents) of learning in math, while in Washington's largest district Seattle Public Schools, students were down four and a half months of learning (-0.50 grade equivalent).
 
Democrat Governor Jay Inslee, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, and teachers’ unions kept public schools shuttered for in-person learning for more than a year in their response to COVID. Public schools did not welcome back students until the fall of 2021 and were regularly closed for “outbreaks.”
 
By comparison, private schools reopened a year earlier in the fall of 2020.
 
Rather than deal with the learning loss which was already evident just a few months into online learning, in May 2021, Inslee signed SB 5044 to force Critical Race Theory (CRT),  including hyper-sexualized gender theory into the classrooms and universities.
 
Additionally, many schools have begun removing higher-level learning programs including advanced placement courses for more advanced students.
 
Adding to the many reasons parents are pulling their children is violence in the schools after districts like Seattle and Bellevue banned police officers from campuses.
 
Washington public schools are getting more desperate for enrollment, as student counts are tied to federal dollars, and have been running ads in various markets trying to get students to return.
 
Due to the massive loss of students, some districts including Seattle and Bellevue have already announced that some schools will be closed.
 
Now for my favorite topic… sports!
 
https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2023/07/31/report-canadian-non-binary-rugby-player-accused-of-injuring-women-was-named-hardest-hitter-on-mens-team/
 
Canadian ‘Non-Binary’ Rugby Player Accused of Injuring Women was Named ‘Hardest Hitter’ on Men’s Team
 
A “non-binary” rugby player accused of injuring women in a match was previously named “hardest hitter” when serving on the men’s team, new evidence shows.
 
Last June, the “non-binary” player was removed from a women’s rugby match after he injured three competitors. After the identity of the player remained unknown, it has now been revealed. Per Reduxx:
 
The identity of the man involved in the incident has now been confirmed as Ash Davis, who previously played in the men’s division of the club and had been awarded the “hardest hitter” designation during the Senior Awards Banquet just last year.
 
According to a source within the rugby club, there has been ‘much opposition’ to Davis’ participation in the women’s category, but club members are concerned about speaking up out of “fear of being labeled transphobic.”
 
The source also explained that ‘many people have known Ash for years, making it more sensitive.’
 
Marshi Smith, the co-founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), told Reduxx that the rugby club did not care about the safety of the women players.
 
 “Young women are being forced to jeopardize their physical safety to satisfy the desires of a man, Ash Davis, in Canadian rugby,” Smith said.
 
Despite opposition within the rugby club, leaders like club President Jane Kirby are willing to risk the health and safety of young female players, prioritizing men’s preferences over ethical concerns and the potential for life-threatening injuries or death. This policy of sacrificing girls’ and women’s well-being for men’s eligibility preferences is unethical and perilous,” Smith added.