It’s not a partisan statement to say that the massive tax reform bill – that will soon become the law of the land – is deeply unpopular. Given that tax cuts are generally a pretty easy thing to sell, it’s quite stunning to hear that according to the most recent Quinnipiac University Poll, only 29% of Americans favor the bill. As a housing professional, there is plenty to dislike about the bill. Reducing or eliminating the deductibility of mortgage interest and property taxes alone essentially reflects a belief that government subsidization of homeownership caused the financial crisis, which is absolutely untrue. Considering that Latinos are projected to account for more than 50% of all new homeowners over the next decade, the sudden belief on the part of our elected officials that it’s time for government to drastically reverse its 80-year commitment to promoting homeownership is yet another kick in the gut for a community that has been pummeled over the last two years. That said, with NAHREP growing by leaps and bounds, the force of Latinos in the housing market is more certain and resolved than ever. I believe wholeheartedly that homeownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream, and the drive for a better life will prevail even when more obstacles are dropped in front of us.
Inflation has impacted all of us. The price of almost everything has spiked faster and harder than at any time since the 80s. Few things can obliterate a modern economy more than out-of-control inflation.
For most people, there is little upside to writing about the January 6th hearings, but as you probably know by now, I don’t worry about those things. We all must stand for something. The hearings have almost everyone taking sides before a single witness is called. Democrats believe that the events of January 6th were a calculated effort to undermine our democracy by demolishing two of the most sacred tenants of our nation, free elections, and the peaceful transition of power.
Most people consider themselves either a conservative or a liberal. I think if we forget political parties, which flip their positions on things all of the time, and instead focus on the actual definition of what it means to be a conservative and what it means to be a liberal, we might be able to temper the emotional reactions some of us have with political discourse.