News For Reasonable People

Here we go again—Washington Governor Bob Ferguson is pushing a "millionaire's tax" that'll supposedly only hit the wealthy. Spoiler alert: once they get this through their packed state Supreme Court, everyone's getting taxed. This is the classic slippery slope playbook, and businesses are already eyeing the exits just like they did in California. We break down how this 9.9% income tax proposal completely ignores the state constitution (rejected 13 times, but who's counting?), the mass exodus of businesses and billionaires fleeing to Texas and Florida, and why this blue state spending addiction never ends well. Meanwhile, Washington has some of th...

Chicago City Council has passed an alternate 2026 budget — and Mayor Brandon Johnson has decided not to veto it.After months of conflict over taxes, spending priorities, and how to close a billion-dollar deficit, the City Council moved forward with its own plan, rejecting the mayor’s proposed corporate head tax. Johnson called the budget deeply flawed but chose not to block it, allowing it to become law to avoid a potential government shutdown.

Welcome to #Firegate, where Los Angeles city leadership tried to scrub their own after-action report to hide their catastrophic failures during the Palisades Fire. The LA Times just exposed deliberate deletions designed to shield Mayor Bass, the fire department, and Governor Newsom from accountability—including removing references to the January 1st fire that crews were ordered to leave smoldering, only to reignite six days later and kill 12 people while destroying thousands of homes. The battalion chief who wrote the original report? He refused to sign the cooked version, calling it "highly unprofessional." Sections titled "failures" got renamed "primary challenges," an...

Deadbeat Newsom defaults on $20 billion—and guess who's paying? While every other state in America used federal funds to responsibly pay off their COVID unemployment loans, California chose a different path: stimulus checks for voters and zero dollars toward the debt. Now businesses are stuck with automatic payroll tax hikes that escalate $21 annually, with surcharges projected to exceed $400 per worker. Meanwhile, Newsom had a $100 billion budget surplus in 2022 but didn't use a dime to help employers. Texas paid off their debt. Florida paid off their debt. Even Washington paid theirs. But California? They're too busy funding illegal immigrant healthcare an...

Toilet rats. Yes, you read that right. Western Washington health officials are warning residents that flooding could send sewer rats swimming up into your toilet bowl—because apparently, 2025 wasn't weird enough already. This is the same public health department that brought you "booty bump kits," so you know we're in good hands. We break down their official advice: stay calm (good luck with that), close the lid, flush repeatedly, and—wait for it—squirt Dawn dish soap into the toilet to make the rat slide back down. Because nothing says "government efficiency" like telling taxpayers to lube up their toilet...

Anheuser-Busch is shuttering its 50-year-old Fairfield brewery—yet another business exodus from California. But don't expect the media to connect the dots. They'll blame the beer industry slump, maybe even reference that disastrous Bud Light marketing fiasco from 2023, but conveniently ignore the anti-business policies strangling the Golden State. We're talking crushing taxes, suffocating regulations, sky-high real estate costs, and unpaid unemployment debt being dumped on employers. After losing Chevron's 140-year headquarters and watching countless businesses flee to Texas, Florida, and Nevada, California officials are still scratching their heads wondering what went wrong. Meanwhile, 200 workers lose their jobs and the ma...

Here we go again—universities have gone completely off the rails with performative virtue signaling that accomplishes absolutely nothing. This episode dives into a federal appeals court ruling that sided with a Washington professor who dared to mock his university's land acknowledgement ritual. Spoiler alert: he almost lost his career for it. We break down the absurdity of land acknowledgements (they don't give money, they don't give land back, just empty words to make woke administrators feel better), the insanity of DEI hiring requirements that prioritize ideology over merit, and bonus coverage of an Oklahoma student who got a ze...

A 75-year-old woman had her eye ripped out by a career criminal swinging a bolt-spiked board outside the King County Courthouse in broad daylight—and when police arrested him, their reaction was priceless: "Oh, you know him? Yeah, he usually just punches people." Welcome to Seattle, where a violent felon with EIGHT prior assault convictions gets to roam Third Avenue because he checks every protected box: homeless, mentally ill, drug-addicted, AND identifies as transgender. Mayor Bruce Harrell's solution? "Maybe he was abused as a child. Maybe he's hungry." Sure, he was just looking for a sandwich when he blinded an...

A Portland bureaucrat literally cries on camera and blames capitalism for the city's homelessness crisis—after spending THREE BILLION DOLLARS in five years while homelessness skyrocketed 150-200%. You can't make this up. City Administrator Michael Jordan refuses to mention drugs or mental illness, instead pointing fingers at "wealth distribution" while Portland's streets overflow with addiction and untreated mental health crises. Meanwhile, other cities that don't coddle the homeless industrial complex somehow manage just fine without spending billions on failed policies. Portland spent $700+ million in a single year and saw homelessness jump 67% in two years. Their response? Cry, blame capitalism, an...

Are the Chicago Bears really preparing to leave Illinois? 👀🏈Recent reports suggest the Bears are expanding their stadium search beyond Arlington Heights — and even looking across the border into Northwest Indiana. Fans are furious, and criticism toward Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is growing as negotiations stall and the threat of relocation becomes more real.

Portland and Multnomah County have unveiled an updated Homelessness Response System Action Plan aimed at reducing homelessness through clearer goals, improved coordination, and measurable results. In this video, we break down what’s new in the plan, including the 12 key performance indicators, how the city and county plan to prevent housing loss, expand shelter and services, and accelerate pathways into permanent housing.

Immigration enforcement in Oklahoma has intensified, with recent reports showing a sharp increase in ICE arrests across the state. Much of this rise is driven by partnerships between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, including 287(g) agreements that allow local officers to assist ICE directly.

California has officially reversed course on its plan to revoke thousands of commercial driver’s licenses held by immigrant truckers. After facing pressure and confusion over federal compliance rules tied to work permit expiration dates, the state will now reissue those licenses—offering relief to thousands of drivers who were at risk of losing their livelihoods.

In this video, we cover the shocking incident at the Bellevue Transit Center in Washington, where 38-year-old Mohamed Morray Bangura allegedly placed a false 911 call before attacking responding police officers with a knife. Officer Sean Winebrenner sustained serious facial and shoulder injuries during the confrontation, and another officer fired at the suspect, stopping the assault.

California is facing a major shake-up in its energy sector. Valero has announced a $1.1 billion exit from its Benicia refinery, choosing to shut down operations rather than continue under California’s strict regulatory environment. This closure could remove nearly 9% of the state’s in-state gasoline production—and analysts warn it may intensify the ongoing gas price crisis.

California invested nearly half a billion dollars to upgrade its outdated 911 network — promising faster response times, better location tracking, and modern features like text-to-911.Instead? The project collapsed.System failures. Dropped emergency calls. A design no other state used. And now, taxpayers are left with the bill as the state prepares to start over.

Building a new home in the Sacramento region is getting more expensive—and not just because of materials and labor. According to a new report, local government fees now average $109,000 per home, adding major pressure to housing affordability.

Fannie Mae has announced plans to close its San Francisco office and move operations to Birmingham, Alabama, sparking debate over politics, economics, and the future of San Francisco’s downtown.

The Washington Post editorial board is sounding the alarm on Chicago’s finances, warning that the city has “lost its mind” under Mayor Brandon Johnson. Facing a massive budget shortfall, Chicago leaders are debating controversial proposals including new business taxes, revived head taxes, and short-term budget fixes critics call financial gimmicks.

California is exploring a major shift in how drivers pay for road maintenance — and it could change how much you pay to drive.

Washington state Democrats are discussing a possible new income tax on high earners — but what’s actually true, and what’s being exaggerated?

A semi-truck crash involving a school bus on Interstate 5 near Lacey, Washington has sparked national controversy after claims circulated that state authorities refused an ICE detainer for the driver.

One of San Francisco’s most infamous stalled developments — the Oceanwide Center near Salesforce Tower — is reportedly set to sell for around $95 million, a fraction of the more than $1 billion invested before construction halted.Once planned as a massive mixed-use complex with luxury residences, office space, and a Waldorf Astoria hotel, the project has sat unfinished for years, symbolizing the broader struggles facing downtown San Francisco’s commercial real estate market.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing back against Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s call to end homeless encampment sweeps in New York City.In this video, we break down the growing policy clash between state and city leadership over how to address homelessness. Mamdani argues that clearing encampments without offering permanent housing is ineffective and harmful, while Gov. Hochul says enforcement — including sweeps — must remain part of the solution alongside mental health care, addiction treatment, and housing services.Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams has also weighed in, warning that ending sweeps could worsen quality-of-life issues across the city.

Chicago City Hall is headed for a major budget showdown. 💼🏛️Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed 2026 Chicago budget is facing strong resistance from a majority of City Council members, who are pushing back against his controversial corporate head tax and rolling out an alternate spending plan of their own.With over $1 billion in budget challenges, competing visions for revenue, and political tensions rising, this fight could shape Chicago’s financial future for years to come.

San Francisco residents in the SoMa neighborhood say they’ve reached a breaking point. After years of worsening street conditions, open drug use, slow response times, and ongoing safety concerns, the community has taken matters into its own hands — spending over $800,000 on private security guards to patrol more than 100 city blocks.

Washington State is gearing up for a major tax debate — and Rep. Shaun Scott’s new “Well Washington Fund” is at the center of it. In today’s video, I break down Scott’s proposal for a statewide progressive payroll excise tax designed to raise billions from large employers while claiming to shield essential services from federal budget cuts.

The Seattle metro area just recorded one of the largest declines in job listings in the entire U.S., according to new employment data. Job postings are down more than 35% compared to pre-pandemic levels, with tech and professional sectors hit the hardest.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a new lawsuit against a North Texas Muslim-led housing development, formerly known as EPIC City and now rebranded as The Meadow.Supporters of the project say the lawsuit is politically and religiously motivated, while Paxton’s office argues the case is about investor protection and regulatory compliance — not religion.This case could have broader implications for faith-based and community-centered housing developments across Texas and beyond.

H&M has officially confirmed it is closing its store at San Francisco Centre, the city’s largest shopping mall — and the move signals the near-total collapse of what was once a premier retail destination.San Francisco Centre is now almost completely empty, following years of store closures, anchor tenant departures, and a recent foreclosure that transferred ownership to lenders. Major brands have already left, and now even some of the last remaining retailers are being forced out.

A newly released HUD document has ignited a national controversy. According to reporting from ZeroHedge, the Biden administration allegedly allowed illegal immigrants to receive FHA-backed, taxpayer-insured mortgages — a move critics are calling a “generational betrayal.”

Billionaire hedge fund founder Ken Griffin has officially cut his last remaining tie to Chicago real estate.

After years of price cuts and time on the market, Griffin’s final luxury condo in downtown Chicago is now under contract—marking the end of a once massive property portfolio in the city. The sale comes years after Griffin relocated Citadel’s headquarters to Miami, signaling a broader shift among ultra-wealthy individuals away from traditional financial hubs.

Utah is moving forward with a massive 1,300-bed “Homelessness Accountability Center” — a plan supporters call compassionate intervention and critics warn could become a model for coercive control.

In this video, we break down the controversy surrounding the proposed mega-facility, its connection to Trump-era homelessness policies, and why civil rights advocates, mental-health professionals, and housing experts are raising alarms. The project signals a sharp shift away from “Housing First” toward enforcement, involuntary commitment, and work-conditioned shelter — with potentially far-reaching consequences.

Is this a genuine solution to homelessness, or a dangerous experiment in criminalization and confinement?
Who gets hel...

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has announced a major shift in how the city will address homelessness. In this video, we break down Mamdani’s plan to end homeless encampment sweeps and replace them with a housing-first approach that focuses on connecting unhoused New Yorkers to supportive or rental housing — not policing.

Seattle leads the nation in something again – and as usual, it's not something to celebrate. With 35% office vacancy rates and plummeting commercial rents, the Emerald City has officially become the poster child for how socialist policies destroy business districts. But wait, there's more! Meet Sean Scott, Washington's mini Let's Go Brandon Johnson, who thinks workers can just collectively create the next Amazon while he pushes a statewide payroll tax that will send Microsoft and Meta packing faster than you can say "go woke, go broke." We've already seen this movie in Seattle – Amazon moved 10,000 jobs to Bellevue when they got...

Oakland's last McDonald's just closed, and the employees are protesting... after they helped expose the rat infestation that made it famous. You can't make this stuff up! The same workers who leaked videos of rats running around the kitchen are now demanding their jobs back, striking against a business that's already shuttered. Meanwhile, In-N-Out, Shake Shack, and countless other businesses have fled Oakland citing safety concerns - gunshots through windows, stabbings, armed robberies. But sure, let's blame it all on the rodents. These employees worked there for up to 17 years watching the neighborhood deteriorate, filmed themselves exposing health violations...

Chicago's been stumbling like a drunk leaving a bar after 12 Bud Lights - and the numbers prove it. We're talking 23 straight months of declining business activity, unemployment climbing, and a nearly billion-dollar budget deficit that would make your accountant weep. But instead of admitting their progressive tax-and-spend policies drove businesses away, Mayor Brandon Johnson is doubling down on "progressive revenue" - because apparently taxing the remaining employers into oblivion is the brilliant solution.We break down the devastating economic metrics, from plummeting business barometers to skyrocketing property taxes that have homeowners literally lining up at government offices in panic...

Yet again, Washington's Democratic Socialist representative Sean Scott wants to tax businesses into oblivion with a statewide payroll tax—because apparently $9.4 billion in new taxes this year wasn't enough. While moderate Bellevue Mayor Lynn Robinson warns this will be "detrimental to everybody," Scott thinks he can squeeze $3 billion more from the corporations that actually fund everything in this state. What could go wrong?We break down how Seattle's payroll tax already pushed 10,000 jobs to Bellevue, where businesses can operate without getting fleeced at every turn. Meanwhile, Scott—a proud member of Democratic Socialists of America—argues we need to "spread...

San Francisco offered businesses a MILLION DOLLAR tax break to move into the Tenderloin area. Big shocker – absolutely nobody took the deal! Not a single company thought it was worth it, even with that massive incentive dangling in front of them.We're breaking down why 40% of San Francisco's office space sits empty, why even AI companies are avoiding these specific zip codes, and what it really means when businesses would rather pay full taxes elsewhere than take a million-dollar break in certain neighborhoods. The city won't talk about street conditions, but the results speak for themselves.Meanwhile, they're spinning ri...

Another one bites the dust in downtown Portland as Nordstrom Rack officially closes, leaving 37 employees jobless and shocked residents wondering what went wrong. Yet again, we're witnessing the inevitable consequences of progressive policies that prioritize virtue signaling over basic public safety and business viability.This video breaks down how years of soft-on-crime policies, rampant homelessness, unchecked drug use, and anti-business leadership have created a perfect storm for retail exodus. We examine the crime statistics showing the 200 block of Southwest Morrison – where Nordstrom Rack was located – had more police calls than anywhere else downtown. Meanwhile, CEO Eric Nordstrom warned months ago...