by dap | Jan 19, 2025 | Fox News
The tragedies of
are suffocating and impossible to wrap my mind around as a born-and-raised California mom who evacuated our forever home at 4 a.m. on Jan. 8.
I’m heartbroken. I’m livid. I’m praying. I’m guilty of emerging unscathed (so far). I’m vigilantly searching for answers while preparing for the next round of “Particularly Dangerous Event” winds. My own kids are asking me terrifying questions, and I’m answering with a faked “everything will be OK for everyone” confidence that only parents know how to do.
families so egregiously? They traded the time-tested value of responsibility for empty trends of “diversity, equity and inclusion.”
I don’t believe in politicizing tragedies – especially of this magnitude – but unfortunately, some tragedies are exacerbated by political motives and actions (or rather, inactions). With some estimates of damages to be upwards of $250 billion and 24 innocent people dead as of this writing, NOW is the time for us to be vigilant in asking questions and planning solutions for our children’s future.
I’ll recap just some of
’ documented priorities for taxpaying citizens over the last several years:
Were fires inevitable given the conditions? Of course. But, a lack of responsibility from leaders partnered with DEI-driven priorities failed to mitigate carnage – as shamelessly showcased by
, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and even the guy who allegedly oversaw the county-wide emergency alert system when it repeatedly alerted 10 million people to “Evacuate Now” by mistake. (“I’m so sorry, I messed up,” I heard him say on the radio. At least he admitted it, unlike others.)
My own teens have a better sense of responsibility and impending consequences than our elected and appointed officials. According to credible reports, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power previously drained the city’s second-largest reservoir near Pacific Palisades and failed to notify county or city fire departments.
Mayor Karen Bass abandoned the city under her watch and traveled to Africa despite National Weather Service warnings of unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions on Jan. 3.
Years of budget cuts in areas that warrant priority – including Newsom reportedly slashing over $100 million from fire preparedness in 2024 – continue to deplete resources and exacerbate potential decimation, like we’re experiencing now.
Major fires are
. By all evidence, our leaders at the top are making irresponsible choices not rooted in hindsight, current events or fact-based projections. As a mom who constantly reminds my kids to think ahead, I am infuriated.
As parents, we can hold leaders accountable in public forums and call on our representatives to revisit and reverse failing policies. But, more importantly, we must raise our children to understand the seriousness of responsibility, value merit and fear consequences.
The “there’s no wrong or right” parenting mentality has got to stop. The “you do you” philosophy in schools must end. The obsession with abandoning merit-based standards and skills in education and the workplace – to check boxes based on sexuality, gender and perceived inequalities – must die. Responsibility and accountability are the bedrock for maintaining a free, functioning, and safe society. (It’s one of our foundational principles for creating PragerU Kids.)
failed families. Blatant irresponsibility and DEI-focused priorities are now proven accomplices to physical, mental and spiritual destruction for hundreds of thousands – with no end in sight. Not on this California mom’s watch. Teach the kids before it’s too late.
by dap | Jan 19, 2025 | Fox News
The saying goes that a cobbler’s kids have no shoes. But my own experience in creating an estate and legacy planning product after the
over a decade ago has ensured that I practice what I preach.
Given that I know how important formalizing my wishes and information is, I recently updated my own estate plan. Here’s why you should update yours, too — or get on it if you haven’t already put one in place.
Whether you are asset-heavy or asset-light, have many dependents or none, or have complex or simple affairs, putting an estate plan together is critical to make sure your wishes are carried out and that your loved ones aren’t overwhelmed by the process. Being organized now helps save your
when they need it the most.
So, what should you put in place or revisit?
First, make sure you have an updated will. This will legally set forth your wishes and make the process easier for your loved ones to work through. From clarity on what happens to your assets and personal effects to even who gets your loyalty points, being thoughtful up front assists your loved ones in carrying out your wishes while minimizing fighting between family and friends.
My suggestion is — if you have a family dynamic that allows for it — include your loved ones in the process. This way, family members can voice their concerns and thoughts
and feel like they are part of the process. Plus, some of the decisions may impact them directly, such as if family members want to be buried near each other and need to secure burial plots.
Or perhaps some family members are more comfortable playing certain roles while other members don’t want the responsibility. A frank conversation can help sort this out now when emotions aren’t in overdrive.
While there are online options to get a quick will, and that is certainly better than having no will, you may want to contact an estate planning attorney, who can give clarity on state rules that pertain to estates. Attorneys can often offer up strategies or referrals for information around tax planning and efficiency as well. They will also make sure you have the appropriate witnesses and notarization as required by your state.
My estate plan also includes powers of attorney for healthcare decisions and personal property decisions. Powers of attorney grant someone the ability to make a decision on your behalf if you cannot make those yourself, such as due to an accident or other mental incapacitation.
In addition to deciding who plays that role, it sets forth parameters for that person to follow. Your healthcare power of attorney can include directives around organ donation and burial vs. cremation, among other health and final wishes decisions.
While putting together your will and powers of attorney are great first steps, they won’t cover all your wishes and information. Think through your digital assets. What do you want your loved ones to have access to from your digital files, and what do you maybe not want anyone to see? Do you want a note left on your social media account to alert friends who may not hear about something happening to you? This is something you can put into your will directly or lay out in the given location within your legacy and wishes planning kit.
And, as you put this plan and related directives together, make sure your loved ones can find everything! It doesn’t help to have a will or power of attorney that nobody can find! I
about the Aretha Franklin will saga, where no will was found, then several different copies surfaced, including one found in the cushions of her couch. The ensuing legal battle took five years to resolve!
You want to make it easy for your loved ones to find your wishes, information and documents. Consider building out a full legacy and wishes planning kit, like my
kit or similar kit you put together, that contains any information plus anything physical that a loved one or estate executor may need to access in one place.
This is where copies of your will and powers of attorney should be left. If you don’t want to physically put them in the kit, you can instead leave instructions on how to access them.
I hear from people that things like safe deposit box keys often are a major challenge to find if they are not organized in one location, like a legacy kit. Sometimes, a loved one may not know how to contact your estate planning attorney, accountant, financial advisor, bank, or other key service providers. This information should also make it into your kit as part of a comprehensive estate plan.
A side benefit of having a kit is that you have one thing to grab in case of an emergency situation, whether that be an accident, natural disaster or otherwise.
How should you get started on your estate plan or your update? Consider getting a kit like Future File that asks questions and helps you think through your wishes. Where prompted, take that information to expert service providers, starting with an estate planning attorney, to get your legal documents in order. Finally, make sure your loved ones can access that information you can put together.
Even though I did my estate plan and legacy kit a while ago, circumstances changed and I felt a ton of relief after finishing an update.
Don’t put it off — nobody knows what tomorrow may bring, as we are constantly reminded. It will give you peace of mind to know it is taken care of and will save your loved ones a lifetime of grief, as well as a ton of time and money in their time of need.
by dap | Jan 19, 2025 | Fox News
President-elect Donald Trump campaigned in 2024 as an anti-establishment populist prepared to take on the political class and act on behalf of working families. When Trump is prepared to move forward in that direction, I will gladly support him. When he does not, I will vigorously oppose him.
Trump has said the United States should not be paying, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. He’s right. Under
, we have made some good progress in lowering the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs in this country, including having Medicare negotiate prices with the pharmaceutical industry. But much more needs to be done. I look forward to working with President Trump on legislation that would end the absurdity of Americans paying, by far, the highest price in the world for prescription drugs. We must have the courage to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower drug prices substantially.
At a time when many financially strapped Americans are paying 20 or 30% interest rates on their credit cards, President Trump has stated that he wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. He’s right. I will soon be introducing bipartisan legislation to protect Americans from being ripped off by the credit card industry and look forward to his support.
President Trump has rightfully pointed out that disastrous trade agreements like NAFTA and
have cost millions of American jobs as corporations shut down manufacturing in this country and moved abroad to find cheap labor. As someone who strongly opposed those agreements, I look forward to working with the Trump administration on new trade policies that will protect American workers and create good-paying jobs in our country.
Some of Trump’s nominees have also made important points. Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is right when he says that food corporations are “poisoning” our young people with highly processed foods that are causing obesity,
and other serious health problems. The Trump administration and Congress must take on the greed of the food industry and create a healthier America.
At a time when many large corporations are routinely breaking the law and engaging in illegal union-busting, Trump’s Labor Secretary nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been supportive of the PRO Act, which would protect a worker’s right to join a union and bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions. She is right. Workers must have the right to join a union without illegal interference by their bosses. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to pass the PRO Act into law.
No one denies that we must end waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. Tesla and SpaceX CEO
, for example, is correct when he points out that the Pentagon has failed seven audits and cannot fully account for its budget of over $800 billion. We must make the Defense Department far more efficient, save taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars a year and cut spending.
But let me be clear. While I am more than prepared to work with the
in areas of agreement, I have some very strong disagreements with positions that Trump has proposed.
At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when the wealthiest people have never had it so good, it would be an outrage to provide hundreds of billions of dollars in additional tax breaks to large corporations and the wealthiest people in this country. Any
should go to the working families of this country. Billionaires and large profitable corporations must start paying their fair share in taxes.
Further, we must not throw millions of people off of the health care they have by making massive cuts to Medicaid and other public health programs, which is how some Republicans want to pay for their tax cuts for the rich. Medicaid is a lifeline not only for millions of low-income Americans, but also for over a million seniors in nursing homes and people with disabilities.
The last 10 years have been the warmest on record and, as a result, we have seen unprecedented extreme weather disturbances throughout the United States and the world. While
and North Carolina is still recovering from destructive flooding, Trump is dangerously wrong when he claims climate change is a “hoax.” Virtually the entire scientific community understands that climate change is real, is caused by carbon emissions and is an enormous threat to the well-being of our kids and future generations. We must, with the entire global community, combat climate change.
We must not engage in the mass deportation of 20 million people in this country, many of whom have worked and lived here for virtually their entire lives and are a vital part of our economy. We need to stop
and should deport people who commit serious criminal offenses. But we must not break up millions of families, put children in cages, or use the U.S. military unconstitutionally to round up immigrants in door-to-door searches.
Trump Treasury Secretary nominee
is wrong when he opposes the need to raise the federal minimum wage. At a time when the $7.25 minimum wage has not been raised in 15 years, it is unconscionable that millions of Americans continue to work for starvation wages. We must raise the minimum wage to a living wage: $17 an hour.
We must not allow billionaire oligarchs to buy our government. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he wants the
to represent the needs of working people. Well, you don’t do that by surrounding yourself with the richest people in the world and putting 13 billionaires in your cabinet, many of whom have a direct financial stake in the industries they are charged with regulating. Further, we need real campaign finance reform which prevents billionaires in both parties from buying elections.
Let us never forget we are the wealthiest country in the history of the world. There is no reason why 60% of Americans should live paycheck to paycheck, why we have massive and growing income and wealth inequality, why
or underinsured, why 25% of seniors in America are trying to survive on $15,000 a year or less, why young people leave college deeply in debt, or why childcare is unaffordable for millions of families. We can do better. We must do better.
I look forward to working with
when he stands with the working families of this country. I will vigorously oppose him when he represents the needs of the billionaire class and wealthy special interests.
by dap | Jan 19, 2025 | Fox News
On January 20, 2025, at noon,
as the 47th president of the United States. He will be only the second president to serve non-consecutive terms, Grover Cleveland being the first. Cleveland’s fate was the result of buyer’s remorse from the public. First elected in 1884, he was defeated in 1888 by Benjamin Harrison, whose economic policies turned out to be a disaster. Harrison was so weak that Cleveland saw an opportunity to regain the White House. He was re-elected in 1892.
On Monday, Trump will repeat Cleveland’s rare act as he stands for inauguration on one of the coldest days of the year in Washington, D.C. Trump announced that the ceremony would be
, with live viewing for up to 20,000 at the Capital One Arena. Although over 200,000 people have tickets for the inauguration, most of them will be watching on screens with the rest of America. Harsh weather has driven the ceremonies inside on only a handful of occasions, most recently for Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985, when the temperature was seven degrees at noon.
Inauguration Day is the performance of a Constitutionally mandated ritual, our way of keeping the promise of democracy every four years. Its traditions, largely devoid of politics, are beloved by the public no matter who is placing their hand on the Bible. Every four years, this occasion is a celebratory acknowledgment of what unites us. Americans mostly set aside their differences and focus on our enduring democracy. Hard feelings may linger from the election, but the inaugural celebration transcends those divisions, if only for a day.
It begins in the late morning when it is tradition for the incoming president and his spouse to be hosted at the White House for tea by the outgoing president and his spouse. The Bidens will host the Trumps on January 20. This tea, another example of the peaceful transition of power, can be awkward when winners and losers come together in those final moments. The Trumps skipped it altogether in 2021, but photos from various transitions show a lot of stiff smiles. Everyone studies the photos for body language clues, but the bottom line is that it usually happens. Americans love to see leaders from different parties getting along, even superficially. Note the explosive response in the press and on social media over
at Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
It is also traditional for the outgoing and incoming presidents to ride to the Capitol together. Trump and Obama rode together on Trump’s first inauguration day in 2017. It is unknown whether Biden and Trump will share a car this time.
The inauguration ceremony itself will follow tradition, with all four living presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden present. Holding places of honor along with Cabinet appointees and high-ranking guests will be some new faces for this occasion—a collection of the nation’s most powerful tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.
Everyone looks forward to the inauguration speech, which sets the tone for the new administration. Over the centuries, signature lines have become memorable long after a president has come and gone. What makes a statement memorable is how well it reflects the enduring spirit of America. For example, Thomas Jefferson’s declaration that “every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.” Or Abraham Lincoln in 1865, when the Civil War was in its final, most bloody period, offering this remarkable olive branch: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Franklin Roosevelt stood before a nation shattered by the Great Depression and sought to instill a new resolve with these words: “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” John F. Kennedy uttered what was perhaps the most famous inaugural line of all: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
In Reagan’s first inaugural address, he staked out the guiding principle of American greatness in the world: “Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.”
Reports from the Trump transition are that Trump will set an upbeat tone for his second inauguration, and if he does that, he will receive a positive public response. On this hallowed day, Americans like their leaders to speak about what is right with America.
After the ceremony there will be a parade, which has also been moved to the Capital One Arena. The inaugural parade, which has been a custom since the earliest days of the nation, is an opportunity to combine celebration with a showcase of the best of American life, with marching bands, floats and exhibits representing the states. American sacrifice and courage will be on display with military units, police, and fire departments.
This year’s parade will also feature the first responders of Butler County, Pennsylvania, the location of a July assassination attempt on Donald Trump. They will pay homage to fallen Buffalo Township fire chief
, who was shot and killed that day.
Finally, it is customary for the outgoing president to slip a personal note to his successor into a drawer of the Oval Office desk. The tradition began with Ronald Reagan, who left a personal note for George H.W. Bush. Bush then did the same for Bill Clinton, writing, “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.”
When President Trump entered the White House for his first term, he found a note written by
: “Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure.”
Trump left a note for Joe Biden in 2021, which Biden said was “a very generous letter.” Now Joe Biden will leave a note for Trump. And the great cycle of American life continues.
by dap | Jan 18, 2025 | Fox News
As anti-Trump protesters swarmed the steps below the Lincoln Memorial Saturday, media outlets painted a feel-good portrait. NBC4 Washington
on social media: “Grassroots groups are descending on the capital for the People’s March before President-elect Trump’s inauguration.” The Associated Press
that anti-Trump “demonstrators” “converge” on Washington, D.C., for protests led by the Women’s March, a “grassroots movement.”
The Washington Post
the protests as a “joint effort among civil rights, racial and social justice and reproductive health organizations,” highlighting the event’s “diverse mix of people.”
While this positive media coverage may have captured the energy of ordinary protesters, they omitted one critical detail: the name of for-profit professional machine behind the protest.
Far from a spontaneous outpouring of civic action, the event was coordinated by
, a for-profit company based in Silver Spring, Md., and the official permit holder for the protests, according to a
, which I obtained from the U.S. National Park Service. In the 1990s, covering international trade for the Wall Street Journal, I was among the first reporters to put the term “AstroTurf” into the paper’s pages, describing a coalition against tariffs on minivans that the auto industry called “grassroots” but was actually manufactured by an industry lobbying group. Protest organizing isn’t much different nowadays, and today’s “People’s March” is more AstroTurf than “grassroots.” So too is the march planned for Monday, when we can expect more aggressive rabble-rousers to show up, as I
earlier this week.
A plan, marked “Confidential Document – Not for Distribution” and submitted as part of the permit application, reveals that Movement Catalyst and its team of professional protest organizers coordinated everything from security to dumpster pickups, “port-a-potties” and a meticulously detailed “run of show,”
The confidential document reveals the extraordinary precision with which this event was constructed, down to the golf carts, water stations and even snack distribution for staff.
Why does this matter? Because the public deserves transparency. When media outlets frame such events as grassroots, led by ordinary Americans gathering to voice their concerns, it misrepresents the reality. These are highly coordinated, well-funded initiatives driven by professional organizers. The lack of scrutiny obscures the financial, strategic and political interests behind these movements. It’s critical to follow the money and understand the players using the imagery of grassroots activism to advance their agendas. Often, media outlets will look at conservative events, like the March for Life, with skepticism and scrutiny, while deeming progressive causes as “grassroots.” We should have equal-opportunity transparency.
So, what is Movement Catalyst LLC? According to
, it is a limited liability corporation established in February 2021. On its website, Movement Catalysts promotes its for-profit services, writing it’s an “experienced and interdisciplinary team of strategists, organizers, campaigners, and researchers” who launch “strategic projects to meet the moment,” partnering with organizations to “expand their ability to have an impact, and anchor movement infrastructure.” Its officials didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The People’s March is one of those “strategic projects,” and the company’s services include “strategy & campaign development” and “creative protests & events.” A look at its funding reveals the scale of its operations. In 2021, Movement Catalyst LLC received $592,050 from the New York-based Sustainable Markets Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for “web campaign development,” according to its
. Then, in 2023, Philadelphia-based Workers United, working on “organizing the unorganized collective bargaining,” paid Movement Catalyst LLC a total of $319,600, according to its
The services provided? “CONSULTANT.” This is far from a “grassroots,” mom-and-pop operation run over a kitchen table.
The confidential document lists four top officials at Movement Catalyst, as “protest leads”:
The document also includes a polished map for staff and volunteers, marked “FOR INTERNAL USE – STAFF & VOLUNTEERS,” detailing traffic flow and staging areas at Franklin Park, McPherson Square and Farragut Square. The “Production Schedule for People’s March” reveals the granular level of planning: “Portable restrooms,” “Golf carts,” “Tents,” “Stage,” Tables,” “Chairs,” “Leaflets, pamphlets,” “Signs, banners,” “Bullhorns” and Movement Catalyst for “Paid Team Clean Up.”
“Miscellaneous” items include walkie-talkies, “500 cardboard trash receptacles,” “5000 masks,” hand sanitizer, earbuds, “snacks for volunteers and staff,” “coffee and catering for staff,” sweatshirts, scarves, t-shirts, “office supplies” and “badges for staff.”
provided restroom trailers, “Metro Golf Car” delivered golf carts, and Bell Visuals managed live-streaming. The permit lists “Site Security” as “Omni Ranger Solutions.”
, a D.C. company quietly behind many of protest messages projects around the nation’s capital, is listed among the vendors for live-streaming.
The “PRODUCTION SCHEDULE” and “RUN OF SHOW/RALLY PROGRAM” was scripted with leaders and performers from many big-money organizations, including the Women’s March, Popular Democracy in Action, Standing Up for Racial Justice, Harriet’s Wildest Dreams and Dream Defenders. Movement Catalyst promised to provide at least 750 “identifiable marshals,” each wearing “hi-visibility vests and volunteer credentials.”
This level of professionalism is not new in modern protests, but rarely are the details disclosed so explicitly. The public has a right to know when well-financed organizations use the guise of grassroots activism to promote their interests. Transparency ensures accountability and enables a more informed discussion about the role of professional activism in shaping public discourse.
Behind the music, speeches and banners lies a highly coordinated operation, far removed from the grassroots imagery projected by the media. This matters because democracy thrives on truth, and understanding who pulls the strings is essential for an informed citizenry. Professional organizing is most certainly legal, but in this day of misinformation, it’s critical to examine who is driving movements cast as “grassroots,” so the public isn’t misled.
Sunday morning’s plans, from 4 a.m. until 5 a.m., includes a final essential: “Load out dumpsters and portable restrooms.”
