News Folder 19
An independent view of national news and current events. If self-autonomy and freedom from government appeal to you, this is your channel. (A new episode released most Fridays)
News Folder 19
ICE, Trump Crime Claims, TX Dems MIA, and more (Ep.203)
ICE wants to recruit you, Gov. Whitmer not as green, FBI contradicts Trump's crime claims, Texas Dems go MIA over gerrymandering.
Cover photo credit - Newsweek; Music - Danheim; Writer - Daryl Root
Less government, more freedom!
**Hello. I’m Daryl Root. Welcome to News Folder 19. A voice of self-reliance in a world of government dependency. This is Episode # (203). This week’s sources are unmentioned because I forgot to write down the sources. Apologies to those news outlets.
News Story #.1 – If you listen to this podcast, you know I support the crackdown on illegal immigration. On the other hand, the means being used to do so… is highly questionable.
President Pompous aims to hire at least 10,000 new ICE agents. That would make ICE the single-largest law enforcement agency in the country - larger than the FBI, DEA, and BATF combined. Naturally, I looked those numbers up – just to verify – and it would be correct, but just barely. Employment at ICE would be around 23,000 persons. Of course, not all of them would be field officers.
Dangling bonuses of up to $50,000, federal officials are hoping to hire immigration agents, attorneys and other workers, to help execute the border crackdown. In addition to the signing bonuses, ICE is also offering up to $60,000 in student loan forgiveness. The article doesn’t mention if a person can get both. ICE even brought back the famed ‘Uncle Sam World War Era’ poster, claiming, "America needs you," You could also potentially see advertising on YouTube, SnapChat, Hulu and even Amazon Prime.
Tactical agents presently chase suspects across Home Depot parking lots, farm fields (which is bad for food security), and into medical buildings (where medical staff is desperately needed). Again, I support deportation, but… illegal immigrants who work full-time.. should be last on the list – and not until we have deported pretty much all of those here doing nothing, getting benefits illegally, or have criminal records.
The aggressive recruitment efforts have also angered local sheriffs who worry that deputies, already in short supply like everyone else, will be lured away by the big bonuses and higher pay. The executive director and CEO of the National Sheriff's Association, claimed that the recruitment campaign is another case of “robbing Peter to pay Paul. And in this case, you're robbing the poorest of Peter to pay the richest of Paul."
While there is truth to that, but let’s be honest. Any privately owned company, or publicly owned corporation, is going to recruit the best hires they can find from wherever they can. That’s how smart businesses get to be big businesses. You find the best… and you pay them well. As taxpayers, we should want government to demand the same.
Retired ICE agents who quit during the Biden administration, are among the first to get job offers. "They couldn’t do the jobs they signed up to do. Now, people are lining up to work with us because they know our officers and agents are allowed to enforce immigration law fairly, and across the board, and that’s a cause people really believe in." The key word in that statement is fairly. I, personally, don’t see it always being done fairly, or in our best economic interest – especially when you’re raiding farms... and depleting hospital employees.
For those of you who may want one of these jobs, ICE’s sister-agency, the US Customs and Border Patrol, training typically takes more than 300 days , at least according to a 2024 GAO study.
News Story #.2 - Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has effectively ousted a clean energy advocate from serving on The Michigan Public Services Commission, a board that regulates the state’s energy utilities monopoly. She replaced her with someone who environmental groups charge is an fossil fuel industry ally. I believe there’s a political reason for this, which I will state later.
Environmental groups allege the move was made at the request of utility giant, DTE Energy, which allegedly was unhappy with the commission’s board member, Alessandra Carreon. Her position on clean energy and opposition to rate increases, among the supposed issues.
The commission is made up of three gubernatorial appointees, and Whitmer’s decision, according to environmental groups, could slow the state’s clean energy transition and lead to higher energy bills. I’m sorry Michiganders, but higher energy costs are coming no matter who is serving on the Commission. Your legislators are supposedly advocating for data centers… because they have tax dollar revenues dancing through their heads instead of sugarplums.
Whitmer had appointed Carreon, who was an advocate for greater public involvement in the regulatory process, two years ago to fill a partial term. So who did the Governor replace her with you may ask?
She appointed Shaquila Myers. During the last legislative campaign, she was chief of staff for former Michigan House speaker, Joe Tate, a pro-business Democrat. There’s two words you seldom see together – pro-business Democrat. Tate allegedly refused to allow votes on legislation opposed by big business, and was seen by many in his party, as hostile towards environmental causes. In fairness, this does not necessarily mean that Myers is another Tate.
That said, Rachel Hood, a former Democratic state rep, who had worked on energy policy in Michigan for nearly 20 years, has characterized Myers as not just an energy industry ally, but also “deeply enmeshed in the governor’s policy agenda. And it’s clear that the governor is pushing DTE’s agenda to the best of her ability.”
DTE, as well as Consumers Energy, have given millions of dollars in campaign donations to Whitmer and the state Democratic party. But to be fair, DTE had donated to all but 10 of 148 state legislators during the previous session.
The move comes at a particularly critical juncture. The commission is weighing over $1bn in proposed rate increases between the two companies, and both are slated to deliver formal long-term proposals for delivering power. Commissioners have the power to shape those proposals with decisions covering billions of dollars in infrastructure.
Environmental groups fear that one of those actions could be the reversal of a decision that denies a DTE proposal to build a methane plant.
So what is the reason Whitmer is suddenly becoming not quite as environmentally friendly? It’s simple. She supposedly is considering a run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. To win, you have to appeal a majority of people who vote, not just specific groups. She also knows that green energy, while a legitimate cause to pursue, will never fully provide for all of America’s energy needs.
Just a short reminder… virtually anything you want to know about this podcast can be found at newsfolder19.com. The website contains a home page, as well as a support page and commentary page. Also, a quick thanks to Danheim (who granted me use of their music) and to Susan Kennedy (who does the legal jargon at the end).
News Story #.3 – Let’s talk crime in America, how safe we are or aren’t, and to some extent, whether Trump’s claim of rampant crime during his 2024 presidential campaign was true.
Figures just released by the FBI confirm that the nation was as safe as it ever had been during the final full year of the Biden administration. Every category of crime decreased in frequency, and violent crime dropped to levels not seen since the 1960s. The claim of “every category”… leaves my cynical mind a little suspicious.
The bureau’s annual report reflects a 4.5% year-on-year decrease in all violent crime nationally in 2024, with murder and intentional manslaughter falling over 14% from the prior year. Reported rapes were down 5%, while aggravated assaults and robberies declined 3% and 9%.
The figures would suggest that Trump’s often-repeated fear-mongering during the election campaign about “soft-on-crime” Democrats, creating surging crime rates, would be incorrect. This is especially true in large cities.
The FBI report shows that murders in cities with more than 1 million residents actually declined by 19%, the highest percentage of any category of crime, while rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults showed drops of between 1% and 9%. “The nation’s murder rate for 2024 was down 26% from 2020’s figure and roughly even, relative to where it stood pre-pandemic,” Keep in mind, crime rose quite a bit during the economic shutdown – a shutdown that was the result of completely absurd COVID policy by our governments.
We also need to keep in mind, the term “reported”. The figures were compiled by voluntary submissions from more than 16,000 state, county, city, university, and tribal law enforcement agencies. In addition, not every crime is reported to law enforcement, nor does every agency report crime to the FBI every year.
Overall, the FBI recorded more than 14m criminal offenses in 2024. A violent crime occurred, on average, every 26 seconds, with a murder every 31 minutes, and a rape every four minutes.
Data covering 95% of the US population showed 13,683 offenses, arguably labeled as hate crimes, motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender or gender identity - a stat basically unchanged from the prior year. I don’t believe in the classification of hate crimes. After all, doesn’t a good portion of crime involved hate to some extent? We generally don’t hurt those we love – at least not intentionally.
The dark spot on the report – hence, not every category - was data showing that 64 law enforcement officers had been killed in the line of duty, with firearms used in 46 of the deaths. Law enforcement personnel who reported they had been assaulted rose to nearly 86k, a 10-year high. This year’s figure is expected to rise even more due to… go back to my first story… battles with ICE agents. Attacks against ICE officers have risen 830% since Trump’s second term began in January. Well, what would one expect - considering there wasn’t any immigration crackdown until the Return of the Trump-i?
For all you Trump supporters, this is Trump’s FBI… releasing the conflicting data… proving crime wasn’t nearly as bad as what Trump liked to claim… and what he still likes to claim during immigration debates.
News Story #.4 – If you listen to the news, you probably already know that Texas wants to realign their political districts… mid-decade. Why the mid-decade gerrymandering? So hopefully the state can provide the GOP with additional members in the next US House race. Texas is not the only state desiring to do this. States of both colors are putting out proposals. However, most states will find it difficult to do because... they have independent commissions in charge of realignment following normal census data calculations.
We don’t need to add even more to the silliness of drawing district maps every ten years. Numerous states have gerrymandering maps that look more like a Rorschoch test than a congressional map. It’s insane! You deserve better from your state governments. You deserve consistency, but not consistent insanity.
Most Democratic legislators left Texas - going MIA - to block a vote by denying a quorum to be present. Without at least two-thirds of legislators present, voting can not take place. Gov. Greg Abbott warned them that he will seek their removal from office if they don’t return. I would agree!
As much as I hate the dirty tactics used by both parties - the latest fiasco included - it is the duty of legislators to show up, whether they like what’s happening or not. If you’re a Democrat voter, just imagine if the shoe was on the other foot, and it was Republicans leaving your state over some bizarre proposal. As I state many times, one shouldn’t be a child who takes their ball and runs home because they don’t like the rules made by the majority of other players.
In response to the Texas rare mid-decade political gerrymander scheme, Democratic governors have floated the possibility of redrawing their own state’s maps in retaliation. Gavin Newsome, California’s governor, floated the idea at one point. Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, another potential presidential contender, in addition to Whitmer, has been hosting many of the runaway Lone Star Democrats. He stated, “This is not just rigging the system in Texas, it’s about rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come.” He would be correct! We should all be appalled by any politician trying to rig the system.
The exodus isn’t the first time for such an event in Texas. In 2021, House Democrats left for 38 days in protest of new voting restrictions that still wound up passing after-the-fact. Eventually, they need to return. So other than just being a symbolic gesture – and I believe symbolism to be generally worthless – what is the purpose?
The purpose is this: Delay as long as possible, and hope that public opinion against such a proposal gathers momentum... and the GOP gives up the fight. In a purple state, that might work, but in a red state, I highly doubt it.
For those of you who support the exodus, absence will also delay votes on flood relief, and new warning system installations, in the wake of last month’s catastrophic floods that killed at least 136 people. Democrats had previously criticized Republicans for not quickly voting on flood response. Now it’s they… who delay.
Thank you for listening. Remember… Don’t accept your destiny, create it!
