Opinions to go Online

Any country’s borders are a matter of sovereign priority. The U.S. is no exception. But Mexico is not Canada. It still enables a migrant mess. The solution, as has been made obvious, is not a Mexican-subsidized wall or inhumane border practices.

What the migrant surge requires is an approach that directly impacts the motivation of those migrating up from Central America to the U.S.-Mexico border. We know the poverty, cartel-gang terrorism and corruption they are escaping from in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. That’s why it’s imperative that America help address the root cause—not merely implement an ad hoc policy that guarantees bumper-sticker nativism and border chaos.

That’s why we need what amounts to a Marshall Plan for Central America. One that helps law enforcement; addresses governments’ susceptibility to corruption; stimulates economic development with hemispheric trade partners; and prioritizes diplomatic relations. In short, a program that incentivizes locals to stay and grow sustainable communities rather than opt out and flee north. In sum, a program that is not some Yanqui giveaway, but one that is a pragmatic, prime example of enlightened self-interest—not unlike the original Marshall Plan in post World War II Europe.

“If we want to solve the immigration issue, we need to go to the root of the cause—and that is that people can’t find safety and opportunity in Central America,” bluntly underscored Julian Castro, a former HUD secretary, San Antonio mayor and presidential candidate.

Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, chairman of the National Governors Association, leads an initiative called Disagree Better that aims to reduce political divisiveness. He recently met with President Biden in a rare moment of cordiality and bipartisanship. No, it’s not exactly an updated version of Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neill and Republican President Ronald Reagan sharing beers, but anything that lessens democracy-threatening, America-diminishing, zero-sum political pandering and brawling can certainly help.

 

Finally. A crackdown on Tampa scooter abandonment. Or is it? Riders now have to park rented e-vehicles in city-approved designated areas. If not, a penalty fee of $5 will be imposed. $5! Up those fees into serious fines or start seeing scooters in dumpsters instead of on sidewalks.

* “(Republicans have) no clue about the power of women … (but they’re) about to find out.” –President Joe Biden, after signing an executive order aimed at advancing the study of women’s health.

* “I’m not backing down.”–President Biden on his plans to forgive billions of dollars in student loans.

* A Biden fundraiser at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall raised more than $25 million. Yes, it helped that Barack Obama and Bill Clinton joined Biden.

* Harry Sloan: We’ll be seeing that name again. He’s the former chairman of MGM and a backer of Nikki Haley. He has now agreed to help raise money for Biden’s re-election campaign. Among his outreach plans: recruiting old-school “business Republicans” to support Biden and hosting a major Biden fundraiser later this year.

*”The Florida Supreme Court puts abortion on the ballot—and hands Trump a serious problem.”–USA Today: A reminder that abortion rights will be front and center in Florida.

* The Biden campaign, in an appeal to Nikki Haley voters, has released a 30-second “Save America, Join Us” ad that will run across a wide array of digital platforms.

* “Out for Biden-Harris”: A national program to mobilize LGBTQ+ voters, communities and leaders across the country.

* The U.S.-Israel relationship is looking increasingly fraught over the Hamas war and the tragic Gaza mess. That includes, according to the UN, the killing of at least 190 aid workers in Gaza through March. And it hardly helps that President Biden and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu don’t get along.

* History—and common-sense, political reality—has shown that a third party candidate is much more of a “spoiler” than a viable candidate. In 2024, a third party choice (say, “No Labels”) can become an ironic, de-facto stalking horse for Trump, and that, of course, includes Robert Kennedy Jr. Recall that Ross Perot hardly helped President George H.W. Bush in 1992, anymore than Ralph Nader helped Al Gore in 2000. Spoilers spoil. No alert needed.

* “A healthy relationship (with China) must provide a level playing field for firms and workers in both countries.” That was Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, in her visit to China. You can bet that China joining the WTO in 2001 was brought up. That’s because Beijing had agreed to follow the same global rules governing imports, exports and foreign investments that most countries in the world were following. In short, China had agreed to make its own playing field as level as the rest of the world. In truth, it hasn’t.

 

* Palindrome update: Sex at noon taxes.

* Back in the raised-as-a-Catholic day, we were forbidden to see movies such as “And God Created Woman” starring the uber-hot Brigitte Bardot. The Legion of Decency had it on its list of condemned movies. But we made do with “The Ten Commandments,” “The Blob,” “The Fly” and “Around The World In 80 Days.”

But thanks to Turner Classic Movies, I’ve FINALLY seen it (her). No, it wasn’t worth it. The Bardot character was flirty, amoral and silly. So was the plot line about her being an amorous orphan who was going to be returned to an orphanage. But the marketing was spot on, including most memorably: “…But the Devil invented Brigitte Bardot.” Too bad Satan couldn’t help make a better movie.

* 2028: At least we know who won’t be running for president.

* “The celebrity is a person who is known for his well-knownness.”–Daniel Boorstin, former librarian of Congress.

 

* Ronna McDaniel, the former RNC chairperson known for news media demonization and election denying, was hired–briefly–by NBC. She was to have a commentator spot on MSNBC, much to the dismay and disillusionment of other hosts and commentators. NBC changed its mind. Rachel Maddow & Co. made had their point—publicly: No one with a MAGA pedigree is welcomed. This isn’t Michael Steele.

* USF has announced plans to launch the state’s first college of AI and Cybersecurity.

* The unemployment rate for Tampa Bay is 2.9%–the same as the state of Florida’s. The U.S. rate is 3.6%.

* The Wall Street Journal recently named Tampa Bay the nation’s 4^th “hottest job market.” Tampa added about 12,000 jobs in the past year.

* Tampa City Council gave initial approval to a $600 million project that would transform the Tampa Heights YMCA site into a multi-use district.

* Thirty-eight states, including Florida, (plus D.C. and Puerto Rico) allow some form (online/retail) of sports betting.

* No surprise that Florida remains one of 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. “Medicaid expansion doesn’t work,” deadpanned Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples.

* Currently 24 states allow the use of recreational marijuana. That number can change in November when Floridians will vote on a proposed constitutional amendment on recreational marijuana.

* Walt Disney World has announced plans to expand its theme park by 12 to 14 acres.

* Brown-shirt vetting? Sheriff’s deputies have twice detained a recruit from the same February training class of the Florida State Guard.

* Since 2008, the Rays have won the third-most games in MLB (behind only the payroll-bulging Dodgers and Yankees.)

* The Rays franchise was valued at $1.25 billion in the annual Forbes.com listing—or 27^th overall.

* ESPN’s list of the “30 coaches who will define the next decade of college football” includes USF’s Alex Kolesh.

* Pro golfer Nelly Korda, 25, is the world’s No.1 player. She also won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bradenton is her home town.

* Dartmouth’s response to a student-athlete union: Players are “students whose educational program includes athletics.” Maybe that still applies to Dartmouth.

* It’s obvious that the Jan. 6 insurrection is central to the Trump martyr campaign. Criminals are “great patriots” and those arrested and jailed are “hostages.” It’s an unsurprising, faux-patriotic response to a “stolen election.”

* “If I don’t get re-elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath.” More hyperbole?

* Speaks volumes that a former Trump vice president, attorney general, chief of staff, defense secretary and White House counsel, are not endorsing Trump in 2024. They’ve seen and enabled too much already.

* Trump: “When I did the mug shot in Atlanta … you know who embraced it more than anyone else? The black population.” Vintage Trump: insult while you’re pandering.

* Trump says he wants immigrants who come from “nice” countries: Yet another code word for white. Not enough immigrants from Luxembourg.

* “When the president does it, that means it is not illegal.”–The duplicitous, Trump predecessor Richard Nixon.

* Alabama: Embryos are people—and future Republicans: GOPryos.

* Trump veep speculation has included Marco Rubio, a former opponent, who has recently acknowledged that sharing a ticket would be “an honor.” So much for the “Liddle Marco” senator who accurately labeled Trump a “con artist.”

* Before he was president, Trump was sued by the DOJ for refusing to rent apartments to black and Puerto Rican tenants. Trump owns his track record, and minority voters should never forget who he really was before he needed their votes.

* Two Corinthians update: Trump, working religiously at hypocrisy, is now selling (“God Bless the USA”) Bibles ($59.95). “It’s my favorite book,” said Trump. And here we thought it was “The Art of the Deal.”

* And what’s next to peddle? How about industrial-strength Bible belts for overweight, Trump-fawning evangelicals?

* Trump International Airport? Another stain.

* Precedent? In 1920, Eugene Debs, the Socialist Party candidate, got a million votes while in prison.