Cash

Approximately $350 million cash was flown out of MN airport in 2025 after $343 million left the same way in 2024. This amount, which has tripled in recent years, averages nearly one million dollars per day, with funds often legally declared and transported by couriers to destinations like Somalia, raising federal fraud investigation concerns. The cash is often transported in suitcases and legally declared by Somali-American couriers, primarily heading to Dubai and Somalia. Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. § 5316), which allows the transportation of any amount of currency provided it is reported.

Fraudsters

One common refrain concerning taxes is, I don’t mind paying if the money is properly used. All too often examples of waste and fraud keep coming to the surface. Tax the rich and use that money to help those who are not rich. In practice, too many times much of the money is siphoned off by various agencies and sometimes criminals before it gets to it intended purpose. Here is one of many examples: A 2024 California state audit found that the state spent roughly $24 billion on homelessness programs over five years, yet failed to consistently track the effectiveness or outcomes of this spending. Despite this investment, the homeless population grew to over 181,000, with critics arguing the approach lacks accountability, transparency, and sufficient data to justify the high costs. The question of what happened to the money cannot be answered because the controls needed to follow the money were not properly installed. California is now proposing a tax on billionaires to fund healthcare and education expected to raise $100 billion dollars but will the money go where it is intended. Will this be another slush fund for unscrupulous fraudsters? MN was a little better. Money was stolen from government projects designed to help feed children, house poor families and treat autism and much of it was sent overseas and additional sums were used to purchase luxury items for the thieves.

Starbucks

What’s happening in Washington State. Shortly after her election in November 2025, Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson joined a union protest and urged a public boycott of Starbucks to support striking baristas. Wilson, a pro-labor figure, declared, "I am not buying Starbucks and you should not either," citing unfair labor practices. The move highlighted tensions between Seattle city leadership and the coffee giant Less than two years later Starbucks is moving corporate headquarters to Nashville Starbucks is establishing a major new corporate hub in Nashville, Tennessee, investing millions to create a Southeast base that will house up to 2,000 employees within five years Next up the Governor. Signed into law in March 2026 by Governor Bob Ferguson, Washington's 9.9% "Millionaires' Tax" (Senate Bill 6346) imposes a tax on annual income over $1 million The money to be used for The revenue is aimed at funding K-12 school meals, lowering child care costs, and expanding the Working Families Tax Credit.

Friedman

Often times people will not reveal how they feel when their thoughts are not deemed acceptable but sometimes things come out showing the underlying truth and such is the case of columnist Thomas Friedman. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman stated he is "torn" about the military defeat of the Iranian regime because he does not want President Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to gain political strength from it. While acknowledging the regime is "terrible" and its removal would benefit the region, he described both leaders as "awful human beings" and expressed reluctance at them getting credit for a victory.

Iranian women

For more than 47 years various forms of negotiation with Iran have been tried without success. Today military force is added to economic sanctions in an attempt to bring about change. The goal is freedom and full citizenship for the Iranian people especially for women. Here is what Google AI says about the situation in present day Iran. Women in Iran do not have equal rights to men and face systemic, legal discrimination in almost all aspects of life, including marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance, and personal freedom. Laws require women to have male guardian permission for travel, enforce strict dress codes, and prioritize patriarchal interpretations of law, treating women as second-class citizens. In 2017 450,000 women marched on Washington to protests Trumps derogatory remarks about women which included his now infamous statements in the Billy Bush tape, his calling women pigs and criticizing their appearance, and a threat to abortion rights. While these are worthwhile objections the mistreatment of women in Iran seems more severe. Will the American people be willing to put up with $4 gas to bring the women in Iran into the 21st century?

Cages

In 2014 the number of unaccompanied minors entering the country increased rapidly and the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) built chain length enclosures to handle the overflow. These children were only supposed to stay no longer than 72 hours but many stayed longer sometimes months. These enclosures were used to separate young men from young women and adults from children. Children were separated from their parents when one of the parents had a criminal record. During 2014 minors were held in appalling and inhumane conditions designed for short-term stays of 12 hours or less and were often overcrowded. They were called hieleras or iceboxes by detainees due to their frigid low temperatures. They slept on concrete floors with thin blankets. They lacked basic hygiene supplies like soap, diapers and toothbrushes. Toilets were open and shared. This was the situation when Trump took office and instigated a zero tolerance for criminal migrants and when parents were detained for prosecution the children were separated from their families and kept in facilities around the country. More than 5,000 children fell into this category. They were later reconnected with their families and by the time Biden took office there were still 1,000 separated. During the next four years more than 300,000 unaccompanied minors crossed the border and were lost by the border patrol and since Trump started his second term 130,000 of those lost children have been found.

States

The states are often used as labs to test out new policies. Because of the rising income gap there are states which are introducing policies that transfer both wealth and income from the rich to those who are not rich. California has been a leader in this type of government and there are serious problems. The top one percent of earners pay 50% of all state income tax and they are currently considering a wealth tax. Meanwhile the state has significantly increased spending on education, healthcare and public services and they are facing deep deficits. Low- and middle-income people are unable to provide for their families because of the high cost of food, housing, utilities, rent and transportation. Add to this excessive regulation, the push for zero carbon and a large homeless population and the people cannot live a decent life. The result is that people are leaving the state and that includes rich people. Other states like New York, Illinois and New Jersey are following a similar path.