Idaho GOP: Stop Biden-Flation!

 

Tomorrow you have the chance to lower costs at the pump.  Tomorrow you can make a used car cost less than a new car off the lot.  Tomorrow you can defend life; stop the sexualization of our children; end the violence in our nation’s streets; rebuild our military; support first responders; and restore confidence in our constitutional order. All you have to do is join Republicans across this Nation and vote. On Election Day, amplify your fellow Americans’ message: stop Joe Biden’s reckless economic policies and tell Kamala Harris that the only thing that needs defunding is her control of the US Senate. Vote Republican and reject the extremist Democrat agenda. The Idaho election is TOMORROW. Here are a couple things you can do to prepare to vote. ✔️ Know your District ✔️ Know where your Polling place is ✔️ Learn about your Republican Candidates with our Voter Guide ✔️ Vote Republican tomorrow, Tuesday November 8th! Dorothy Moon, Chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party

Sears Takes the Shears, Sheds More Stores

The Department Store is falling on hard times.

Not just specific brands and companies, but the very concept of a brick and mortar place to shop and purchase goods--that is falling on hard times, too.

The ability to purchase items on the Internet--and for less--has overtaken driving to a local store.

What has made it harder for these business outlets to compete and stay in business?

The last casualty of the rapid changing economy?

Sears.

From the Associated Press:

Sears will close another 72 stores as sales shrink and losses grow, an announcement that has become a familiar refrain as the company retrenches.

As shared above, this is a growing problem for department stores across the country. I have spoken with Torrance City Councilmembers, and they fear the worse regarding the sales tax base generated by the Del Amo Mall.

They already know about the one Sears departments store, along with the automotive section, which are both facing hard times.

The beleaguered retailer, which operates Kmart and Sears stores, said it has identified about 100 stores that are no longer turning a profit, and the majority of those locations will be shuttered soon. Two stores are in California — a Sears at the Puente Hills Mall in City of Industry and a Kmart in Kern County.

Right now, two stores in California have landed on the chopping block. How many want to guess that the rest of the stores will shutter by the end of the year?

After this round of closures, the company will have about 800 stores, down from about 1,000 at the end of last year and far below the 2012 peak of 4,000 stores.

RETAIL JOB CUTS

They’ve cut to the bone in the retail industry, Bloomberg reports.

Data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas show closings have led jobs cuts by reason so far this year with the outplacement firm tracking a total of 2,565 shuttered units.

Brick-and-mortar closings have been responsible for 35 percent of announced job cuts across all industries, up from 23.6 for the same period last year.

The problem lies on more than the shifting technology. The forced wage hikes in blue states, combined with the regulatory burdens, have forced retailers to cut costs everywhere, and in many cases they have to cut their operations completely.

Bankruptcies are also taking a more prominent role this year, accounting for 14.6 percent of job cuts versus less than 2 percent in the first five months of 2017, the Challenger data show.

In May alone, the number of planned job cuts across all industries slowed, falling to 31,515 — the lowest since last October, according to Challenger.

There's some good news, and I think that President Trump and the Republican Congress deserve thanks for that.

Sears also posted a quarterly loss of $424 million and said store closings already underway contributed to a drop of more than 30 percent in revenue. That marks the more than five years of straight quarterly sales drop, according to FactSet.

OUCH! Of course, department stores do not have to suffer like this. They can learn to change and adapt with the times. One report indicated that JC Penny did exactly that, and their profits improved. Grocery stores are adopting and adapting their app programs

Sales at established stores, a key gauge of a retailer’s health, tumbled nearly 12 percent, down 9.5 percent at Kmart stores and 13.4 percent at Sears.

Rob Riecker, Sears’ chief financial officer, said in a pre-recorded call that the company’s stores are “a critical component in our transformation.”

Critical in that they are about to be closed down? UGH

But to meet customer needs and improve financial results, Sears must close poorly performing stores and “focus on our best stores, including our newer smaller-store formats,” he said, according to a transcript of the call.

Smaller stores require less overhead. What will they showcase?

The latest closings underscore the deep-rooted problems at Sears, which was once a one-time powerhouse retailer that survived two world wars and the Great Depression but has been calving off pieces of itself as it burns through money.

A company does not have to "burn through money". What current financial practices are hurting the store at this time?

“The demise of Sears has felt like a prolonged, drip, drip, drip as evidenced by the string of quarterly sales numbers,” said Mark Hamrick, Bankrate.com senior economic analyst. “Essentially, it has been injury by a thousand cuts, whether by failing to staff stores to provide customers with good experiences or by failing to stock better quality merchandise in its stores.”

Well, there you have it. Two key problems: bad service and bad goods. 

Chairman and CEO Edward Lampert, who combined Sears and Kmart in 2005 after helping to bring the latter out of bankruptcy, has long pledged to save the famed retailer, which started in the 1880s as a mail-order catalog business.

That's why the sudden crashing and burning of Sears is just shocking and sad all at once. How is it possible that a company which lasted for more than a century cannot find new, better, innovative ways to overcome the last tech and marketing fads and developments?

What kind of leadership is heading the company now? It seems to me that the thought processes are more invested in just hanging on barely rather than taking firm stances to cut the fat, trim the red tape, and get back to basics.

But the stores have remained an albatross. And Kenmore, the retailer’s renowned appliance brand, became the latest potential sale after ESL Investments, the company’s largest shareholder, headed by Lampert, said it might be interested in buying it.

Sears also has made deals with Amazon. The company announced recently that shoppers could buy any brand of tires on Amazon.com, have them shipped to a Sears Auto Center and then bring in their car to get them installed. Amazon began selling Sears’s Kenmore brand of ovens, washers and other appliances last year.

There is hope.

Shares of Sears Holdings Corp., based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, fell 12 percent, or 40 cents, to $2.81 on Thursday.

Final Reflection

The decline of the corporate department store model may not end in tragedy. Some companies are learning to bring in the technology, merge with online store brands, and work around the excessive costs and regulations of certain state governments.

However, cities like Torrance and other Southern California locales will find more ghost-town department stores if residents and locally elected officials don't take a strong stance to stop the left-wing, anti-business madness of the current government leaders.

New Jersey and Virginia: Citizen Sanctuaries or Sanctuary States?

The biggest elections of 2017 will be this Tuesday (November 7^th, 2017) for the New Jersey and Virginia governorships. The stakes are high, just as they were telling victories for Republicans in 2009. That year, two Democrats were serving (?) as chief executive in both states, and with Obama’s win the year before, those elections served as a referendum on the success or the reception of the newly-elected President.

Republicans ended winning both offices. Bobby McDonnell rejected Obama’s agenda. He left office under a cloud of scandal, although later exonerated. Chris Christie shocked pundits in 2009—and in 2013 with re-election by double-digits, scooping up the endorsements from local and county officeholders throughout New Jersey.

The issues facing the two commonwealths today—and which serve as a referendum on President Trump—have changed considerably. In 2009, the dismal economy weighed on everyone. The accelerating expansion of government and the corruption accompanying it worried voters.. Obama was already pushing shovel-ready fraud and launched his government take-over of the economy called Obamacare. Because of Obama’s relentless overreach, Republicans snatched up the first of many governorships, building a strong bulwark of conservative state sovereignty against the Obama-nation.

Following  Obama’s destructive, anti-American policies, Trump’s victories and agenda have pushed a new set of political concerns to the forefront. While the economy is roaring at a steady 3% GDP (likely to hit 5-6% with effective tax reform), the economies in Virginia and definitely New Jersey could use a boost. Virginia’s GOP candidate Ed Gillespie has promised a higher threshold before taxing incomes. He has also pledged to cut spending and regulations for Virginia businesses to flourish again. In New Jersey, property taxes are eating out the middle class. Despite Christie’s 2% cap, property owners are still hurting. If Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno can’t pull off a win, Goldman Sachs-owned Democratic Governor Phil Murphy will send the rates skyrocketing. If that happens, expect more homeowners to pull up stakes and flee to Florida.

The other issue weighing on voters’ minds is public safety, especially illegal immigration. Overwhelmed public services, housing, and roads have awakened outrage in Virginia. MS-13 is killing off children in the Old Dominion. New Jersey’s urban core has attracted rampant criminality for decades, and illegal immigration has only made it worse. Virginia’s Republican contender, Ed Gillespie, has improved his chances in the last month. His competition, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, was running hard left with the national party. He voted against banning sanctuary cities at in the state legislator. He talked about taking down all the Confederate statues. He wants free college for everyone, and like most Democrats, he loves playing the race card.

Fortunately for the Commonwealth and the MAGA agenda, the illegal immigration issue has harnessed the power of the grassroots, at one time non-committal at best about proto-Establishment Gillespie. The Republican candidate’s strong pledges for public safety and economic prosperity have galvanized voters. What about New Jersey? The Republican contender has a pedigree of her own. Her biggest liability is former boss Chris Christie and his dismal approval ratings: worse than President Trump! Guadagno also turned off the Trump Administration, and don’t expect Steve Bannon to rush in last-minute to boost her chances.

Nevertheless, like Gillespie, Guadagno is surging in the polls. Why? Illegal immigration. The crime rates are terrible in New Jersey. Rival gangs and violent illegal aliens have committed heinous crimes in the last year alone. ICE just rounded up 36 criminal illegals in Middlesex County, and consistently the crime reports identify illegals time and again. Blind to the stark problems in the Garden State, Democratic candidate Phil Murphy has openly declared that if elected, he will turn New Jersey into a sanctuary state.

This horrific proposal has worked in Guadagno’s favor, allowing her to showcase her track record on public safety and law enforcement. A former federal prosecutor and county sheriff, she collaborated with ICE, diligently placing citizens’ safety ahead of political correctness. A staunch supporter of the Second Amendment (with an “A” rating from the NRA), Guadagno’s bonafides are helping close the polling deficit with her opponent.

On a national level. these two races stand out because they represent the national fight between Left and Right. Republicans are returning to their populist roots, focusing on the rule of law, and restoring the nation to the control of law-abiding citizens whose elected officials promote the general welfare of taxpayers. The Democratic Party has turned into progressives on steroids. Obsessed with identity politics and race, while pandering to the political connected 1%, they have disdained the needs of the working man while coddling welfare recipients and illegal aliens.

Virginia voters are likely to make the right choice November 7. Breitbart CEO Steve Bannon just endorsed Gillespie, all but assuring a stronger-than-expected conservative turnout. Democrat Ralph Northam has flip-flopped on the sanctuary city issue, alienating his Democratic base, discouraging volunteers, and earning the distrust of prospective voters. Virginia residents want their citizen sanctuary back, and Gillespie will deliver.

As for New Jersey, does Guadagno have a better chance than a poor Atlantic City casino? The biggest factor is the Trump voters, disaffected with the Lieutenant Governor and learning toward a third-party conservative. If they wake up and switch to Guadagno, she stands a better chance of winning. Anything can happen. Despite the dour options in New Jersey, a GOP win in Virginia will ensure a smooth expansion of the MAGA Agenda across the country and further dash prospect Democratic hopes across the country. It would be nice for another Republican win in blue-state New Jersey. If nothing else, a Guadagno victory will stop another sanctuary state and send a clear message to the flailing national Democratic opposition that such dangerous virtue-signaling that masquerades as law-making is a big loser politically.

Bag Boy Peter Agui-LIAR Finds a New Job?!

If only it were true.

It just goes to show everyone how desperate the left-wing media is to promote liberal, Democratic candidates at all costs.

It's a real shame.

Check out this fawning report in the Press-Enterprise:

Rep. Pete Aguilar bags groceries for a day as part of Inland Empire tour

Rep. Pete Aguilar went from one cash register to another, bagging groceries at Gerrards Market in Redlands on Friday, July 7, as part of his “Job for a Day” tour.

Granted, serving in a grocery in itself is not a bad thing.

I did it, and I was glad to do it. I think that Peter Agui-LIAR should go into another line of work,

Some customers were unaware the Democratic congressman — clad in slacks, a tie, blue apron, and sneakers — was handling their packaged fish, bottled water, and bananas. Others took photos with him. A woman talked politics with him.

“You’re doing great!” one cashier told him.

But when it comes to the national budget and accounting, he does a terrible job! Did they check the drawers after his shift ended?

Aguilar began his job tour in April working as a server at Mitla’s Cafe in San Bernardino. He’ll try a new job on a quarterly basis throughout the year. His aim is to connect with residents and learn more about businesses in his district.

Great, now we have a Congressman who is stealing more jobs from California residents. He suppors illegal aliens, wants to let them take jobs from hard-working Americans. Then he wants to play the cameras and pretend that he cares about working people.

What a joke.

“The goal is to just get out there in the community and to experience some real jobs that folks in the Inland Empire have and do each and every day,” said Aguilar, the former mayor of Redlands. “Talk to folks to hear their concerns about healthcare, about jobs.”

UESTION for you, Petey: how many homeless shelters have you visited??

“The only way to do that is by getting out,” he said.

How about getting out of office and getting a real job?

It took a minute or so for Redlands resident Avis Taylor to recognize the congressman. Aguilar wore a badge with just his first name.

“You look a lot like Pete Aguilar,” she told him.

At that point, I would have have hammered the guy on every job-killing proposal and program he has voted for. I would have gone after him for promoting the unaffordable "Affordable Care Act." What's up with that? And why does he support allowing illegal aliens to break into the United States, only to turn around and give them amnesty and all the taxpayer-funded benefits along with that?

Once she learned who she was dealing with, she voiced her concerns.

“You’ve got to do something about this country,” she said.

I got a better idea. He should stop representing this country or his district in Congress and just go away.

Taylor, 86, talked to Aguilar about the need for more Democrats in Congress where Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate.

Oh brother! You can tell that these "customers" are paid political hacks looking to make Agui-LIAR look good. Give me a break.

“We’ve got to push back,” Aguilar told her.

She told him she was concerned about the environment and the status of monument designations. She also wondered what will happen to Medicare.

Customer Diane Bruns, 62, of Twin Peaks didn’t recognize Aguilar. She sensed there was something unique about the man bagging groceries because of the two photographers surrounding him.

Although Aguilar is not her representative, she thought his job tour was a good way to get to know his constituents. She would have liked it had Aguilar introduced himself to her, she said.

A teacher, Bruns said she has taken her students to visit their representative,  Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley.

“It’s good getting out to the public,” Bruns said.

Tom Reingrover, owner of Gerrards, watched as Aguilar interacted with customers. Reingrover said he wasn’t concerned about conversations potentially getting heated given the political climate over immigration and healthcare. He said he was just glad to have Aguilar at his store.

“I think it’s great. He’s a good local guy,” Reingrover said. “A lot of my customers know him and recognize him.”

In the end, Aguilar learned one major thing.

“You’ve got to make sure you put the heavy stuff at the bottom,” he said. “That’s rule No. 1”

Republican Sean Flynn, a Scripps College economics professor who has announced he will run against Aguilar in 2018, said the congressman should curtail his jobs tour and focus on his own job.

How about throwing him out of his job?

I can't say that i am big fan of Sean Flynn. After all, this is the same guy who had not voted for years, and had donated big money to Democratic candidates, including US Senator Gary Peters. What kind of Republican donates money to Democratic candidates and never votes? A plant!

“I think Pete Aguilar’s efforts to find out more about jobs in our district is commendable, but I would prefer he spend his time in Washington working to create jobs in the Inland Empire. Unlike Pete, I’ve run businesses before and know how important strong government action is on job creation.”

Notice the "make nice" rhetoric?

I want a fighter. I want someone who will do what is right for the constituents, the taxpayers of the 31st Congressional District.

Final Reflection

I wish it were true, but sadly Peter Agui-LIAR is still working in Congress for himself rather than serving the interests of the men and women in his district. The outcome is so sad and depressing. Agui-LIAR wants to play down-to-earn bonhommie within his district, but the truth is he has become so far removed from the needs of Americans, plus he has no interest in working with Republican leaders in the House to do the right thing for all Americans.

Our rights are under attack, along with the economy, which is barely getting back into gear. Obamacare is a huge failure, and we need more freedom, less intervention in the market place! Speaking of market places --- I would prefer to see Peter Agui-LIAR work in a grocery store as opposed to the halls of Congress!