ICE Tactics Make Partial Federal Gov't Shutdown Likely

We've just gone through the longest federal government shutdown in US history. Democrats wanted a funding bill that included an extension of Obamacare healthcare subsidies enacted during the throes of the COVID pandemic. Senate Republicans refused to budge. A 43-day shutdown ensued. Soon after the Trump administration refused to fund SNAP benefits, eight Senate Democrats (including Pa.'s John Fetterman) voted to join Republicans and end the stalemate.  Now, as a result of the controversial manner in which ICE has enforced immigration laws, at least a partial shutdown looms. 

Congress has already passed 6 of 12 funding measures for government operations. The final 6 include the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes ICE and Border Patrol. There are 53 Senate Republicans, so at least 7 Senate Democrats are needed to keep the federal government fully operational. 

Democrats have so far resisted the temptation to insist on abolishing ICE. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has asked Republicans to separate the DHS bill from the others because changes are needed as a result of the overzealous manner in which ICE has acted in Minneapolis. Two American citizens have been shot dead. They entered the home of an elderly Hmong-American citizen without a warrant and took him away, undressed, in a case of mistaken identity. They've stopped people because of the color of their skin and their accents. They've become an occupation force in which the very people they should be protected are treated like enemy combatants. 

They've somehow managed to turn "Minnesota nice" into Minnesota nasty. We should have learned from the COVID pandemic that people hate restrictions on individual liberties, even something as innocuous as wearing a mask. What is going on is far more repressive, and the entire nation is increasingly concerned that we are on the way to becoming a police state. 

Senator Schumer has offered Democratic support for 5 of the 6 bills. Just not the bill funding DHS. He has four basic demands. First, no home should be entered without a judicial warrant. Second, a general prohibition on wearing masks (I can envision numerous exceptions that would be reasonable). Third, a mandate for body cams and IDs. Fourth, a code of conduct. 

I would also insist on more training, and that it should include crowd control in an urban environment. Most local police officers have far more training than 47 days.  

How Local Government Can Help the Affordability Problem

Governing has an interesting article about three ways in which local government can make our communities more affordable. First, it suggests ways that zoning can be used to make housing less expensive. Second, it proposes ways of making mass transit or alternative transportation more attractive. Third, it argues that utility costs can be reduced through efficiency-enhanced technology. While all three of these paths are worth pursuing, I'd like to focus on transportation. 

We spend a lot of money on transportation. In 2023, U.S. households spent an average $13,174 for transportation, making it the second-largest per annum household expenditure after housing. Unfortunately, the state legislature refused to go along with Governor Josh Shapiro's request to increase the amount of money spent on mass transit. But this is where local governments can step in to reduce the amount of money we spend to drive. Reducing that amount by 25% would save families $3,200 a year. 

First, county government should continue its investment in trail infrastructure. Though most people use these trails for fitness or pleasure, they are also commuting routes. I use trails as part of my commute to the courthouse when weather permits and see plenty of others who do so as well. 

Second, county and municipal government should focus on remote work opportunities for public servants who do not interact personally with the public. Human Services workers, for example, should be trained and encouraged to work at least part of their time from home. 

Third, county and municipal government should offer a bonus to workers who are unable to work remotely but reside within 10 miles of their workplace. 

Fourth, county and municipal government should implement bike share programs where you can rent a bike or an ebike at a reasonable fee and then return after use to any of strategically place hubs. Philly uses Indego at a cost of $4 a month, with ebikes costing 7 cents a minute more. During the cold months, you can drive. But during the eight months of the year that you can regularly ride, this can save a lot of money for groceries or a home. 

Finally, county and local government should invest more in mass transit. Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to bus people, but the best way to change that is to start using it. Where I live, the buses come by less frequently than in Bethlehem or Easton. But I can drive or cycle to Walmart, and from there can pretty much go wherever I want. I am sure we all could make better use of mass transit and should be encouraged to do so. 

Now That Trump Has Changed Course on ICE, Perhaps His Supporters Should, Too

In response to yet another ICE killing in Minneapolis, this time involving an ICU nurse who was shot in the back, President Donald Trump appears to have recognized that sweeping raids by untrained and masked agents wearing tactical gear are bound to backfire. Stopping someone and demanding proof of citizenship simply because he looks or sounds different is repulsive to freedom-loving Americans. Grabbing 5 year-old kids on their way home from preschool is third-world, something I'd expect to see in North Korea, not Minnesota. Yanking a disabled American citizen out of her car when she is on her way to see her doctor and what we see in a police state. Trump has finally made nice with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and has shuffled ICE boss Greg Bovino back to California, along with numerous of his shoot-first agents with him. Bovino has been replaced by Tom Homan, who favors the Obama approach to illegals as opposed to ICE Barbie's repressive tactics. So those of you who attempted to justify the blatant violations of our Constitution in comments on this blog, perhaps it's time for you to re-evaluate.  I'll agree that illegal immigration was getting out of hand and something had to be done. Perhaps it's time for you to agree that the approach taken by Kristi Noem, who actually bragged about shooting her dog, is completely in-American.   

The Nadeem Qayyum Smear

Nadeem Qayyum was swept into Northampton County Council in November's election. He finished fifth in the race for five at-large seats, with 45,000 votes. It was a blue wave in which every Democrat running for county office won. Though Qayyum finished fifth, he still beat the highest Republican candidate (Sam Elias) by nearly 10,000 votes. It was an outcome that few expected. But as my father told a reporter when he lost a DA's race to Charlie Spaziani, "The people have spoken. ... Fuck 'em!"

To put it mildly, I am leery of Qayyum, a Pakistani immigrant whose understanding of English has been very limited in the conversations I've had with him. Over the past two years, he's been the subject of eight incident reports from Easton police. He was investigated for possible witness intimidation when his wife, the infamous Taiba Sultana, was facing assault charges for domestic violence against her adult son. During his county campaign, he was focused on state issues like the minimum wage, which have nothing to do with county government. 

He missed County Council's first Personnel Committee meeting. That's when Matt Deschler was interviewed as County Council's successor to Chris Spadoni as County Council Solicitor. Deschler was peppered with numerous questions about whether his other roles as a Bethlehem assistant solicitor or as the East Bangor Solicitor presented a potential conflict. He explained that the likelihood of such an occurrence is remote. 

The very next night, when County Council was poised to vote on Deschler's appointment, Qayyum suddenly had the same questions. Because his understanding of English is clearly limited (watch the video), he read a number of questions written in advance. They all related to potential conflicts, and I'm unclear whether he understood a word in each response because he kept asking the same questions. After wasting everyone's time with questions that had been asked and answered the day before, Qayyum voted to support Deschler. 

Based on my limited observations, I'd conclude that Qayyum will be a poor member of County Council. But that is no justification for the smear campaign being orchestrated against him. For weeks, I have been receiving anonymous comments claiming that Qayyum wants to use his wife as his interpreter at Council meetings. Yesterday, I received a text from someone claiming that he had heard from a third party that Qayyum had actually approached a judge for permission to use his wife in that capacity. 

This rumor is completely false and is a designed smear against Qayyum. County Council President Ken Kraft told me that Qayyum has never approached him to ask to use Taiba Sultana as his interpreter. County Executive Tara Zrinski said she has not been approached, but said there are earbud translators out there. I also asked former Exec Lamont McClure, and he doesn't think Qayyum approached him. Finally, President Judge Craig Dally affirms that no judge has been approached. He adds there are co court filings about this topic. 

Basically, parties unknown are running a smear campaign against Qayyum to diminish him before he has even had a chance to get his feet wet. This could be because he's Muslim or Pakistani or Taiba Sultana's husband or a Democratic Socialist. Whatever the reason, it's an ugly falsehood designed to reduce his effectiveness. 

Let him screw up on his own. He needs no help from anyone. He might even surprise us. 

Politicians Exploit ICE Homicide to Raise Funds 24 Hours After His Death

On Saturday, an ICU nurse who was participating in anti-ICE activity was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agents that have turned Minneapolis into a war zone. Without question, Alex Pretti was armed. If you want to make cops nervous, that's the way to do it, even if you have a valid permit. At this point, there's no evidence that Pretti was brandishing his weapon, as Kristi Noem falsely claimed, or that he was intended to "massacre law enforcement," as Border Patrol czar Greg Bovino has stated. In fact, Pretti's gun was removed from a holster by an ICE agent before our masked police opened up and poured 9 or 10 bullets into him. 

Without question, this homicide is yet another tragedy inflicted by poorly trained cowboys who, once again, initially refused to allow a physician to render aid. We've been asked to believe that this was a justifiable homicide by officers who were defending themselves from a domestic terrorist. Like Renee Good. Or a disabled American citizen on her way to her doctor when she was yanked from her car. Or detaining a 5 yo boy on his way home from pre-school. I'm sure they were domestic terrorists, too. Ironically, the same people who vehemently protested about being asked to wear masks during a pandemic see nothing wrong with secret police that is stepping all over our basic fourth and fifth amendment rights. 

I've written several times that ICE is totally out of control and needs to refocus its entire strategy. But what I also hate is to see grubby politicians who lack the basic decency to wait until Pretti is buried before exploiting his death and trying to cash in. I'll give you three examples.

First, a PAC with ties to Kamala Harris began exploiting Pretti's death just hours after he was shot. "Alex Pretti is the limit," pontificated Democratic Youth Wave PAC, hitting people up for $50.

Second, Bernie Sanders exploited Pretti's death in a bombastic email today soliciting money for candidates in Minnesota. He only wants $27.

Finally, and close to him, Taiba Sultana sent a blast email to potential contributors on Sunday under the subject "ICE IS KILLING CEVILIANS [sic]". She announces "Another American Killed by Immigration Enforcement," tries to pin the blame on State Senator Lisa Boscola and then asks you to send her "$150 $250 $550 $1000 or any amount [that] helps us organize, reach voters, and prove that conscience still has a place in politics."

My conscience tells me that you don't exploit the murder of a fellow human being 24 hours after his death.

She finishes her email with "Because Pennsylvanian[sic] deserve better.

You certainly deserve someone better than Sultana in Harrisburg.

NorCo's Gracedale Nursing Home Will Need County Contribution for 2025

In late November, former NorCo Council mewmber John Brown predicted that Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home, would require a contribution of $10-15 million from the general fund to balance its books for last year. Was he right? Well, at Thursday evening's County Council meeting, Executive Tara Zrinski conceded that a county contribution would be needed.

Zrinski was presenting a detailed report on the county, department-by-department. When it came to Gracedale, she stated that the county is "working" on eight new hires to reduce dependence on expensive nursing provided by outside agencies.

She went on to say that "we've actually showed some real fiscal progress in so far as the medical aid pending Medicare [I think she means Medicare and Medicaid], pending dollars, is almost double the anticipated reimbursement for Medicaid. So that means the annual loss, and whatever we have to make for a county contribution, is half of what we expected."

Nobody asked her what that annual loss actually is.

The County's proposed 2026 budget (the adopted budget has yet to be posted online) anticipates about $105 million in revenue this year from property taxes. A shortfall at the home would be paid from the revenue generated by property taxes.

The census at Gracedale was recently below the 520 it needs to be in order to brake even.