THE MORNING RANT: Buck Shots (11/28/2025)

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Before I haul out the holly and start setting up for Christmas today, I’ll take advantage of the opportunity to clear the spindle of a few items that didn’t warrant an entire post unto themselves.

Principled Free Traders Hit Hardest

There is emerging bad news for all the America-last “free traders” who celebrated the loss of American jobs during the era of unilateral surrender to foreign mercantilism. Specifically, President Trump’s effort to re-shore American manufacturing is reducing the trade deficit and creating new manufacturing jobs here at home.

This is just one of many stories about manufacturing jobs being reshored to the US:

“GE Appliances bolsters ties with US suppliers as it moves production from China” [AP – 11/21/2025]

This article documents how GE is moving production of washers and dryers from China to Kentucky, creating 800 jobs in Louisville alone, while directly investing $490 million into the US economy with the plant’s construction and tooling. In addition, GE has announced contracts worth more than $150 million to US businesses who will be suppliers to the Kentucky operations.

Donald Trump’s policy of repatriating jobs is having its desired impact. Wealth retained in this country, which then circulates through the American economy, propels Gross Domestic Product (GDP) upward. It’s already starting to happen.

“US trade deficit narrows sharply in August in boost to third-quarter GDP” [MSN – 11/20/2025]

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed more than expected in August as businesses imported fewer goods against the backdrop of higher tariffs, a trend that if sustained could be a potential tailwind for economic growth in the third quarter.

The monthly trade deficit decreased by an impressive 24% in August, injecting about $20 billion into the US economy that otherwise would have been sent overseas.

What if ICE had Door Dash do Its Work for Them?

Last Friday I wrote about the black market of illegal, foreign labor that constitutes much of the actual workforce delivering meals for companies such as Door Dash and Uber Eats.

A few days later, Turning Point’s Savannah Hernandez offered up a humorous idea to make ICE’s job easier. Rather than chasing down people who are in the country illegally, ICE can just order Door Dash or Uber Eats and have them show up at ICE’s front door.

Sustainable, Organic Schadenfreude

Because I have always understood what a fraud the entire green energy scam is, I have never been at risk of getting suckered into any “renewable energy” investments. I also know that the “winners” in this sector have been those scamming the government for grant money, and those scamming credulous investors out of their savings. Celebrities have been especially good marks for those promoting the climate scam, because celebrities are not only wealthy, but they are often naïve and gullible.

“Drake, DiCaprio, the Clippers backed this ‘green’ L.A. firm. It crumbled amid fraud claims” [LA Times – 10/14/2025]

Aspiration Partners, a Marina del Rey green investing firm, collapsed after executives pleaded guilty to using falsified documents to defraud celebrity investors. The company attracted backers including Leonardo DiCaprio, Drake and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer before filing for bankruptcy in March.

Amidst its pure financial fraud, Aspiration was also peddling carbon credits, which people are finally starting to realize is a form of fraud too. While my moral compass would never allow me to participate in a scam against celebrities, I do feel a little schadenfreude when I read that these green crusaders got swindled by con men pushing the climate hoax.

Is Chicago in a Doom Loop or a Death Spiral?

Goldman Sachs was left holding the bag after a sale of Chicago municipal bonds was largely rejected by investors.

“Goldman Left With $75 Million in Chicago Debt After Sale” [Bloomberg – 11/20/2025]

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. took down a portion of a $454 million debt deal from Chicago on Wednesday even after boosting yields on the sales-tax bonds that hold higher ratings than the city. The bank was left with roughly $75 million of unsold bonds issued through the city’s Sales Tax Securitization Corp., according to a Chicago spokesperson.

Goldman priced the bonds too cheaply for the risk inherent in issuing bonds on behalf of a failing city, and even when the yield was increased in an attempt to draw in more buyers, Goldman still couldn’t sell all the bonds. As a result, Goldman is stuck with about $75 million dollars in bonds to be repaid by the city of Chicago…if they’re ever actually repaid. Investors seem pretty skeptical, otherwise Goldman wouldn’t have had to eat those unmarketable bonds.

Chicago’s financial default seems inevitable, as it keeps raising taxes while running off its productive, tax-paying citizens. Investors know what time it is. Goldman just figured it out.

Who Would Insure a Container Ship Carrying Lithium Batteries?

A container ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles spontaneously erupted in a massive fire that was so toxic and intense that nearby communities were ordered to shelter in place.

“’One Henry Hudson’ fire spurs port emergency in Los Angeles” [Splash247 – 11/24/2025]

A fire broke out aboard the 8,212 teu ONE Henry Hudson while docked at Yusen Container Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles late Friday evening. The incident prompted a major emergency response involving nearly 200 firefighting personnel and sparked a shelter-in-place order for nearby communities.

Predictably, it turns out that the ship’s cargo included containers carrying lithium batteries.

“Ship fire contained but remains under close watch at Port of Los Angeles” [LA Daily News – 11/25/2025]

The contents were described as general cargo, but [Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr Mark] Leahey did confirm that shipments of lithium batteries were included.

The ship has been hauled out to sea where it remains under close watch “to ensure there are no re-flashes.”

For now, this incident is being referred to as an “electrical fire.” I’ve done a little digging, and as best I can tell, this “electrical fire” is only the second incident ever at the Port of LA that required neighboring residents to shelter in place. The previous occurrence was in 2018, due to a chemical spill.

Fortunately, the crew was safely evacuated because the ship was in port, but these ship-borne fires involving EVs and lithium batteries are becoming dangerously common.

[h/t to Mr. CBD for sending me this story.]

Don’t Mess with the Gulf of America

The 2025 hurricane season ends this weekend, and for the first time since 2015, there was not a single hurricane making landfall on the United States coast. Not only were there no hurricane strikes, but there were zero hurricanes at all in the Gulf of Mexico America this season.

The Gulf of Mexico had a long history of catastrophic, category 5 hurricanes, but so far there has never been a hurricane in the Gulf of America. It should have been renamed a long time ago, since hurricanes are clearly afraid of entering the Gulf of America.

Life Imitates Fiction

My pal Scott McKay at The American Spectator has a new book out, titled “Blockbusters.” It’s the third in his Mike Holman series, in which the protagonist is involved in a conservative takeover of the entertainment industry. It’s a good read, and timely too, considering all the media upheavals going on, including the imminent sale of debt-laden Warner, as well as conservative-ish media conglomerate Sinclair making a bid for Scripps.

If you have a Kindle Unlimited membership it can be downloaded for free from Amazon.

Throckmorton’s First Law of Live Music: “If there’s an upright bass in the band, it’s probably going to be good.”

At the Throckmorton household, we have a strictly-enforced house rule of “no Christmas before Thanksgiving.” Since the fridge is full of Thanksgiving leftovers, I suppose it’s safe to start gearing up for Christmas now.

Here’s Dailey and Vincent with the Bill Monroe classic, “Christmas Time’s a-Coming”

[buck.throckmorton at protonmail dot com]

posted by Buck Throckmorton at 11:00 AM

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