Outbreak – of common sense, disingenuous mussels

California is in the spotlight first. Given the headline…who’da thunk it.

UC California – Berkeley (why does this sound so familiar…ah, yes, we have a special commenter who went there) conducted a study to find out what the average California voter thinks of paying out cash reparations to ‘victims of systemic prejudice’.

The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by The Times, found that 59% of voters oppose cash payments compared with 28% who support the idea.

Whoa…what’s gonna leave a mark. A pet waterhead concept opposed by almost 60% of the electorate? But wait – it gets better:

The lack of support for cash reparations was resounding, with more than 4 in 10 voters “strongly” opposed.

So after two years of deliberations, their grand ideas is to pay reparations

based on health disparities, mass incarceration and over-policing and housing discrimination

because they are Black. (I guess this time if B is getting theirs,  IPOC has to arrange their own.)

The remedies recommended in the report also go far beyond cash payments and include policies to end the death penalty, pay fair market value for jail and prison labor, restore voting rights to all formerly and currently incarcerated people and apply rent caps to historically redlined ZIP Codes that disadvantaged Black residents, among dozens of other suggestions.

When asked about his stance on the proposal in the spring, Newsom said reparations are more than just cash payments. “This is important, he said – this means votes and without this how can we buy them?”   LA Times

Moving on to the Rio Grande, Gov. Abbott’s continued buoy string use could be imperiled by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Remember we mentioned at various earlier points that Federal agencies are weaponized against the citizenry? Like ATF, the IRS..you know the list. But FWS?

In a letter to President Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, lawmakers led by Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, question the move by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to propose two species of freshwater mussels — the Salina mucket and Mexican fawnsfoot — be protected under the Endangered Species Act, which would designate critical habit for both. The mussels are typically seen in the Rio Grande in Texas.

The FWS said that the populations of both species “have low abundance, limited recruitment, and no ability to disperse into new areas, they are extremely vulnerable to extinction.”

“In making this proposed listing determination, the Service carefully assessed the status of the Rio Grande mussels, including the past, present and future threats that they face,” the FWS said in a statement, adding that the decision was made on the best scientific information available on the two mussels.  Fox News

Now, as Mr. Harvey said, let’s get to the ‘rest of the story.’

“It is worth noting that a petition for the Salina mucket was filed in 2007 and for the Mexican fawnsfoot in 2008,” they say. “That means, the Service sat on these petitions for more than fourteen years before making a listing decision on these species.”

“In addition, the Service has proposed nearly 300 river miles of critical habitat for the mussels along the border,” they say. “This action will not only impact the State of Texas’ ability to protect the border and its citizens, but also the ability of the U.S. Border Patrol to accomplish its mission of protecting the American people and safeguarding our borders.”

They argue that any border security operations related to critical habitat “must go through a consultation process with the Service.” (emphasis added  at two points- ed.)

It’ll be OK for illegals to trample them on the way by, but not for CBP to step on them, right?

Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Liberals suck