Posted: 2/24/2026 2:33:32 PM EDT
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CNN's Fareed Zakaria went off-script this week — at least by his network's standards — and said the quiet part out loud: Democrat-run cities are a mess, and the politicians in charge either can't or won't do anything about it... "Blue cities are out of control," he said, "promising more, spending more, delivering less, and pushing off the fiscal problems to some future day." He then turned to Los Angeles, and the numbers he cited are staggering. Zakaria noted that the city's homelessness budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 alone totals roughly $950 million. Not the cumulative total over several years. One year. And what has all that money bought? He explained that the LA Homelessness Services Authority reported that homelessness increased by 9% countywide and 10% within the city in 2023. A 2024 AP account found that homelessness had surged by 70% countywide since 2015 and by 80% within the city. "All this amid public frustration, despite billions spent," Zakaria said. Then came perhaps the most damning detail. An audit reviewed $2.4 billion in city homelessness funding and found that "officials could not reliably track where it went or what it achieved." That's right. $2.4 billion has just disappeared into the bureaucratic ether. To make matters worse, not only are there never results, but there’s never any accountability either, at least not for the people running the city. |
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A different article, a different example, but the same topic - wasting tax dollars. California's Dying Bullet Train Some Highlights - California hoping to pay for construction by borrowing against money they hope to get; analysts warn that the money may not actually exist LA to SF plan descoped to 119 mile section from Bakersfield to Merced Dual track (dual direction) bullet trains descoped to regular trains on a shared, single track Downtown Merced station (required by law) replaced by a station 4 miles outside town requiring alternate transport to/from station Page-long list of laws needed to be changed for de-scoped project to be legal (what they are doing is currently illegal and they know it) |
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Same topic, yet another example of corruption and waste - California’s Department of Government Efficiency released a report alleging that $928 million from the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing program (funded by gas taxes and electric bills) has been diverted to Democratic voter registration and leftist activism instead of solar installations. Solar Scam Changes to the Net Energy Metering Program reduced the amount of money homeowners received for energy they sold back to the grid by 75%. Demand for rooftop solar fell ...and there has been no rebound. More than 17,000 solar jobs were lost; demand fell 80%; numerous companies filing for bankruptcy. The solar market contracted 31% year-over-year in 2024, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Gavin Newsom is so committed to saving the environment, they are clearcutting 3,493 mature/old-growth oak trees in native woodlands, grasslands, and vernal pools to make way for 3,000 acres of solar panels |