http;//www.Californiacontrarian.com

As many of you are aware on Sunday I write about individuals who have gone beyond the call of duty, and thus should earn our praise and respect. Raheem Cooper is such an individual.
From Epoch Inspired:
UPS driver Raheem Cooper, 30, may never have met Marie Coble, 78, were it not for a fateful drive he took on Aug. 12. Around 2 p.m. that day, Cooper was taking a shortcut along a particular street on his way to his next delivery. He says it was God who put him there.
“It was just God, honestly,” Cooper told The Epoch Times. “He’s got to get all the glory for that. … I was just taking a shortcut, and something just told me to go on her street.”
While driving that day, Cooper looked to his left and noticed a grocery bag on the ground. The next moment, he saw a woman passed out behind her car. On the ground was Marie Coble.
“She was lying on her stomach, and the right side of her face was lying on the pavement,” Cooper said, adding that it was extremely hot that day. He parked and ran over to Coble, quickly noticing that she was bleeding heavily even though her eyes were still open. “She was conscious, but she wasn’t able to talk. And she wasn’t able to get up,” he said.
Cooper called 911 from his phone. While communicating with the dispatcher, he put bags under Coble’s body to protect her from the hot pavement. He also began rubbing her with cold water to keep her cool.
Although her hospital course was stormy with emergency surgery to relieve a brain bleed, Marie Coble is now recovering well at a rehab facility. “She remembers everything now, so she’s doing pretty good,” Cooper said.
Cooper continues visiting Coble at the hospital once or twice a week. He often brings his 8-year-old daughter on the visits.
Cooper now adores Coble. “She’s my adopted grandma now,” he said.

Raheem Cooper … a true hero!
11/10/24

A critical question needs to be asked: “Was Marn’i Washington acting on her own?” (For simplicity’s sake, I am going to assume that Marn’i is a female, even though I am unfamiliar with that name.) Furthermore, could it be that she was merely following directions from someone above her in the chain of command?”
For those of you not familiar with Marn’i Washington, the following comes from multiple sources including the Daily Wire and the NY Post:
A federal disaster relief official ordered workers to bypass the homes of Donald Trump’s supporters as they surveyed damage caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida, according to internal correspondence obtained by The Daily Wire and confirmed by multiple federal employees.
A FEMA supervisor told workers in a message to “avoid homes advertising Trump” as they canvassed Lake Placid, Florida to identify residents who could qualify for federal aid. The supervisor, Marn’i Washington, relayed this message both verbally and in a group chat used by the relief team, multiple government employees said.
The government employees told The Daily Wire that at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags were skipped from the end of October and into November due to the guidance, meaning they were not given the opportunity to qualify for FEMA assistance. Images shared with The Daily Wire show that houses were skipped over by the workers, who wrote in the government system messages such as: “Trump sign no entry per leadership.”
The area was hit with tornadoes, torrential wind and rain, and flooding when Milton hit in October.
The FEMA agents ordered not to help houses with Trump signs were operating in Highlands County, a deep-red area located in south central Florida that backed Trump by 70% on 11/5/24.

The guidance came as the Biden administration was criticized over its sluggish response to Hurricane Helene in rural areas across the country. In Roan Mountain, Tennessee, for example, locals told The Daily Wire it took nearly two weeks for FEMA to show up. The town is located in Carter County, which voted 81% for Trump on Election Day.

Which brings me back to my original question : “Was Marn’i Washington acting on her own?”
Is the poor FEMA response in Roon Mountain,Tennessee related to the dictum given in Highlands County, Florida by FEMA supervisor, Marn’i Washington? Could the swamp be even more widespread than suspected?
11/9/24

President-elect Donald Trump said that he was going to deport all of the illegal aliens who have managed to infiltrate our southern border over the last four years. While just about everyone will agree with arresting and jailing/deporting those illegals who are criminals (Venezuelan gangs occupying apartment buildings in Colorado or members of MS-13), it is going to be much more difficult to uproot and deport an illegal woman with small kids. What might start out as something that most Americans agree with could easily morph into something that will not go over well with a lot of Americans, especially with the mainstream media basically handing out crying towels with their opinion pieces.
When this quasi-dilemma presents itself, as it assuredly will, what should President Trump do? Now most of you will probably find me advising the man who authored “The Art of the Deal,” is quite a stretch … but here goes.
As an aside, before I get to my proposed deal … many, many years ago I had a boss, Vic V., who had a wise dictum: “Never give something up without getting something in return.” I have often thought that his approach was smart and practical. Could Vic V.’s adage be applied here?
First, a basic question needs to be asked: “Why did Biden/Harris/Democrats encourage millions of illegals to come across the border?”
In my opinion, the answer is twofold:
First, they want all of these illegals to eventually become citizens and then vote for Democrats.
Second, when the next census comes, they know that everyone, not just citizens, will be counted. So when a state like California allows millions of illegals to come in to their state, their numbers for the census will go way up and thus California will get more representation.
Therefore, in my version of ‘the art of the deal;’ the Republicans should propose the following legislation with a guarantee that President Trump will sign it into law.
1. All illegals will need to obtain a certificate of residency within the next calendar year. From then on any illegal individual caught without a certificate will be immediately expelled from the U.S. To obtain such a certificate both fingerprints and a photo will be required.
2. In exchange for letting some selected illegals remain in the U.S. starting in 2026 every voter will need a voter ID with both a fingerprint and a picture (the same as the voter ID used in Mexico) or a Real I.D. which requires a valid passport.
3. In addition, for the next census and for all of the censuses from then on, only valid U.S citizens will be counted – noncitizens will not be counted.
Of course, the Democrats in the Senate and the House will oppose such legislation. Thus from then on when a young mother with two children is to be deported, the blame will fall on the Democrats who refused to vote for allowing them to stay in the country as noncitizens residents.
If the Dems are recalcitrant, then the following will be the final compromise … throw in citizenship for DACA individuals. Even though these individuals are not citizens, most Americans feel pity for them. They were brought to the U.S. by their parents and are basically individuals without a country. If the Dems still refuse, then President Trump can point out that he and the Republicans wanted to allow DACA individuals to become citizens, but as with the illegal mothers and their children, the Dems have refused.
I think that although unhappy about it, the Dems will have to sign on to this new piece of legislation. We’ll see.
11/8/24

A day after the election my liberal neighbor asked me if I was happy with the result. He is aware that I am a big Trump backer, but instead of a snarky answer, I replied, “I am happy for America.”
The puzzled look on his face prompted me to continue, “Specifically, I am happy for those struggling economically, as now at least they will have a chance to make ends meet. Likewise I am happy for those who have to drive many many miles back and forth to work, as at least they can look forward to lower gas prices in the future. I am happy for those who will soon be able to buy their first house as dropping interest rates will lead to lower future mortgage payments.
“Furthermore, I am happy that your daughter and my granddaughters can feel safer as President Trump rids the country of young illegal men who prey on innocent girls and women. In addition, I am happy that soon girls and women will not have to put up with men in their locker rooms and bathrooms, and that only real genetic women will be playing in women’s sports.
“Yes, I am happy, and you should be too.”
11/7/24

I think that yesterday’s election was basically decided because Kamala Harris was a lousy candidate, and Trump took advantage of it. Trump took positions on a myriad of things, whereas Harris was the opposite … not taking positions on things she has supported in the past, such as; providing reparations to black Americans; “sanctuary cities”; the restoration of voting rights for all former prison inmates; welcoming multitudes of foreign nationals supposedly displaced by “climate change” to flood into the U.S.; providing taxpayer-funded sex-change mutilations to illegal aliens; ending the detention of illegal aliens; massive restrictions on drilling for oil; giving millions of illegal aliens smuggled into the country a pathway to citizenship; ending the death penalty; forcing automakers to cease building gas-burning vehicles by 2035; decriminalizing prostitution; closing private, for-profit prisons; and abolishing the Senate filibuster.
The Democrats have only themselves to blame for their shellacking, as it was they who covered for Biden’s obvious mental decline, and then arbitrarily anointed Harris as their candidate even though she was not likable and had not ever garnered any votes nationally.
To be honest Harris was put in the unenviable position of trying to reverse the feelings of many Americans concerning the future of our country. Prior to yesterday’s election according to CNN, only 28% of Americans believed the country was headed in the right direction. Gallup’s version was even more dismal at 26%. That was a startlingly low number, especially given its historical precedent.
What do the Democrats do now? To use a sport’s analogy … their staring pitcher (Joe Biden) was knocked out of the game early, and they were forced to use a substandard long-reliever (Kamala Harris) who had never pitched in the big leagues before. Consequently the Dems were trounced. Moreover, to make matters worse for the future, they have no relievers in the bullpen and no good prospects in the minors … they have no one ready to step up and be a starting pitcher before the election in four years … Good! Serves them right !
11/6/24

As I am sure you realize today is the official Election Day even though voting has been going on for quite a while in multiple locales. Thus it is possible that the election has basically already been decided.
For many months I have predicted a Trump victory, and some have asked why I have felt so strongly.
Some recent events obviously did not color my opinion months back. The latest news about jobs (in October there were just 12,000 new jobs, below the consensus estimate of 113,000) was inconsequential because the American people know that many cannot find a job.
I think that the Trump endorsements by Megyn Kelly, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, and RFKJr had only a minimal effect. Likewise, I do not think that the “garbage” comment by Joe Biden had much of an effect.
Similarly,my opinion does not involve the betting sites, (Polymarket now favors Trump 60-40). Months back when I predicted a Trump victory the betting odds were close to even money.
Likewise my opinion did not involve polling, as back when I first predicted a Trump victory, the polling results showed that the race was close to even, and now every day it seems that different polling numbers are coming out.

To reiterate, for months I have been saying that Trump will be our next President. My prediction of a Trump victory was based on my betting on the judgement, pertinacity, and knowledge of the American electorate. Despite what the mainstream media was preaching, I was betting on the American people.
11/5/24

For a long time I have been paying attention to the Nazi-like tactics of some law enforcement officials who come to a person’s home with guns drawn. In a number of these situations a knock on the door or a letter in the mail could have been used instead, but, no. The latest outrageous over-the-top incident occurred on 10/30/24 in upstate New York to Mark Longo and his wife Christy. What did this couple do to warrant a convoy of vehicles and ten government agents to invade his home?
Did Mark Longo pray silently somewhere that he wasn’t supposed to?
Did Mark Longo push a bully who was verbally abusing his son in front of an abortion clinic?
Apparently Mark Longo did something far worse! He was keeping a pet squirrel in his house, and the proper paperwork, although started, had not yet been completed!
Some Karen, possibly Monica Keasler, complained to authorities and subsequently allegedly bragged about it. (I say ‘allegedly’ because Monica Keasler’s Facebook page has been taken down.)
The judge, Richard Rich, who signed the warrant that led to Mark Longo’s house being invaded by the gestapo was an independent until 2013 when he became a Democrat.
From Townhall:
“An upstate man whose beloved squirrel, Peanut, was cruelly killed by the state said he was treated like a “terrorist” when 10 government agents descended on his home during a five-hour raid.
Mark Longo, whose pet P’nut captured the hearts of 3 million social media users, was stunned when a convoy of vehicles carrying officials from the state departments of Environmental Conservation and Health arrived at his Pine City home.
“They treated me like I was a terrorist. They treated this raid as if I was a drug dealer. They ransacked my house for five hours,” Longo told The Post Saturday.
“They asked my wife, who is of German descent, what her immigration status was. They asked if I had cameras in my house. They wouldn’t allow me to go to the bathroom without a police escort, who then checked the back of the toilet to see if I was hiding anything there.” 

Now perhaps some might be asking why I would be blogging about a squirrel in New York on the day prior to the election. Well, I live in the total Democrat controlled state of California … totally Democrat just like New York. The governor of California is a Democrat just like the governor of New York, and most appointees are liberal. Now while I do not have any pets, I do pray quietly. If Kamala is elected, certainly the DOJ will continue to be gestapo-like, just like it is now, and I dread the morning that ten armed government agents come without cause to search my house, just like Mark Longo’s!
11/4/24

On Sundays I write about individuals who do something special, and deserve our respect and praise.
Today, that person is Dr. Luis Manuel de Jesus, an obstetrician who lives and works in Santo Domingo. The father of three had aspired to be a doctor since he was a child.
There is little doubt that the moment of birth should be a joyous time for both the mother and her newborn.
“Bringing life into this world is a great privilege,”
Dr. Luis Manuel de Jesus told The Epoch Times. “[It’s] very fulfilling for me.”

The 46-year-old doctor works at Centro Médico GRUMED, which belongs to Grupo Médico San Cristóbal, with his wife, Diana Figueroa, who is also an OB-GYN. He has loved singing from a young age, eventually joining a church choir. While studying to become a general doctor at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Dr. de Jesus joined the university choir too.
Later, as he went on to study gynecology, obstetrics, and oncology, Dr. de Jesus found himself with no time to attend rehearsals, but his passion for singing didn’t fade.
One day, while introducing a patient to her newborn for the first time, he decided to sing to the pair in his melodious voice.
“I saw that she was very pleased,” he said, adding that after seeing footage of the moment on social media, other patients asked him to sing at their deliveries, too. Soon, his singing began to regularly permeate the maternity ward.
Knowing how incredibly stressful childbirth can be, Dr. de Jesus now frequently goes the extra mile to support his patients by singing during labor to help them feel “relaxed, calm, and happy.”
Truly Dr. de Jesus is a not only a special obstetrician, but also a special person.
11/3/24

Just the other day I read something about what Dave Ramsey said. Let’s be clear, prior to reading about what he said, I had no idea who Dave Ramsey was. Apparently he is an influential financial radio show personality, and he has a ton of listeners. He basically went about how he decided which Presidential candidate to vote for by making a personal spreadsheet. His line of reasoning was formulated and logical. Essentially the spreadsheet contained a multitude of questions which revolved around “whose policies do I like.” “Which are beneficial to me?”
Questions like:
“Who has a tax policy that I like?”
“Who has a foreign policy that I like?”
“Who has a gun policy that I like?”
“Who has a climate change policy that I like?”
“Who has an immigration policy that I like?”
“Who has a woke policy that I like?”
Etc.

He did not consider the following non-policy issues:
“Who’s a mean tweeter?”
“Who cackles when not answering questions?
“Should I vote for Harris solely because she’s a woman?”
“Should I vote against Harris because she is a woman?”

He then tallied the answers to his policy questions in two columns … the DT column and the KH column.
As a consequence of this very logical way of thinking, Dave Ramsey has decided to vote for Donald Trump.
What about you ?
11/2/24

Last night I stayed up way past my bedtime and watched “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Different from when Donald Trump was on that same show, I watched the entire thing, which I am guessing was close to three hours. The guest on this show was not Kamala Harris or Tim Walz, but rather J.D. Vance.
For those of you not very familiar with Trump’s running mate, my suggestion is for you to either to read Vance’s basic autobiography, ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ or to watch Vance speak about a wide variety of subjects on The Joe Rogan Experience on You-Tube.
Admittedly this is only the second time I have watched Rogan’s podcast show, the first being when Donald Trump appeared on that same show about a week or so ago. I think that Vance did well with knowledge on a wide variety of topics. One of the beauties of Rogan’s podcast format is that it allows for open discussion on just about anything.
Rogan and Vance did not agree on everything, and on some topics, e.g. newer PTSD treatments, Rogan knew quite a lot whereas Vance admittedly knew nothing. Keep in mind … no notes, no scheduled questions … a true free-format.
Be that as it may, even though J.D.Vance did quite well, Donald Trump did better. However, what I came away with after three hours or so of watching is that Vance is more than capable of stepping into President Trump’s shoes if something unforeseen were to happen.
Remember:
Neither Harris or Walz appeared on Rogan’s podcast. Harris fell back on the hackneyed “scheduling conflict” trope, and Walz was invisible. Could either of them have appeared with Rogan? … should either of them have appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience.? Only time will tell.
11/1/24