Latest news with #MichaelSavage
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Donald Trump is saving California from itself
Gavin Newsom has changed direction once again. After a brief feint as a Maga-whispering moderate, California's governor has 'woken up' in the wake of the LA immigration riots to become the self-anointed leader of the anti-Trump #Resistance. Just weeks ago, Newsom had launched a podcast, inviting Right-wing firebrands like Charlie Kirk, Michael Savage, and Steve Bannon as his initial guests. Progressives detested this shift. But now that he has effectively denounced Donald Trump as a 'dictator', The Daily Beast and MSNBC have been quick to celebrate his reinvention. The progressive clerisy's homepage, The Atlantic, recently dubbed Newsom 'the nation's foremost Trump foil'. Although changing colour might help with this chameleon's bid for the 2028 Democrat presidential nomination, it's not good news for the long-suffering people of California. The working and middle classes don't benefit from his performative talk of avoiding tariffs and ignoring federal immigration law. What Newsom should be looking at is how to bolster California's struggling economy, which lags way behind rivals such as Texas and Florida in crucial areas like job creation. And that would mean making peace with at least some of Donald Trump's agenda. To be sure, the president's tariffs appear to be hurting California's ports and tech companies dependent on overseas manufacturing, but the state clearly needs some sort of economic paradigm change. Virtually every high wage sector has lost jobs since 2022, including business services and information, the supposed linchpins of the state's economy. All this occurred before Trump's chaotic tariff barrage. Trump's commitment to investment in new military technology and space exploration, as well as reshoring manufacturing more generally, also opens enormous opportunities for California's heavily Latino blue collar workers. Should Newsom choose to embrace the president's policies, that is. Consider space. Boosted by a huge surge of investment, space industry global revenues are up tenfold since the early 2000s, from $175 billion (£130.4 billion) in 2005 to almost $385 billion (£286.9 billion) in 2017. By 2040, the industry's annual revenues globally are projected to surpass a trillion dollars. California has a 19 per cent international share in the sector, as well as 40 per cent of the industry in the US. With Trump's backing, that could grow even further. California already enjoys by far the country's largest cohort of aerospace engineers, typically earning salaries around three times the national average. Many are employed by large contractors, but the most exciting developments can be seen in places like El Segundo, which calls itself 'the aerospace capital of the world', and Douglas Park, next to the Long Beach airport. If Newsom would wake up from his dogmatic slumbers, he would realise that 'deep tech' firms in space and aerospace likely have a far better future than traditional consumer and media-oriented firms like Salesforce, Meta, and Google. In part due to artificial intelligence, all have announced major cutbacks. Even many 'creative jobs' – actors, writers, journalists – could be threatened by AI generated content. In contrast, hardware engineers, skilled machinists, and the builders and designers of spacecraft, drones, space mining operations and new engine systems could share an expansive future. The aerospace boom is being driven by more than just a few brilliant geeks backed up by H1-B visa indentured servants. Aerospace firms have their share of PhDs, but they also employ welders and other production workers. In a state that has been very hard on blue collar workers, this should be embraced, even if it reflects Trumpian priorities. There are further opportunities for California among Trump's policy objectives. The president wants to revive the US shipbuilding industry, and California was once critical to constructing America's 'arsenal of democracy'. One place that could benefit is Solano County in the Bay Area, which once was home to Liberty ship production. Even virulently anti-Trump Hollywood could see advantages. This Newsom-aligned industry is now losing employment at a fearful rate, down more than one-third over the past 10 years, with 18,000 full time positions disappearing in just the past three. Tariffs may not be what the industry needs – it's already too dependent on cheaper, highly subsidised foreign productions – but the people who work in it would benefit if California and the Trump White House devised an incentive package to reverse off-shore production. And then there is housing, a prime concern for most Californians. The federal government is the nation's biggest landowner and owns roughly half of California. Republicans have floated the idea of selling federal lands as an option for closing the deficit. Federal lands adjacent to the state's large urban areas also could create, in selected places, an opportunity for new housing that could dodge many of California's currently stifling regulations. But perhaps Trump's biggest gift would be to push California politics back towards the centre, including on immigration. Due to Trumpian cutbacks, Newsom is being forced to abandon his dream of providing free health services to all undocumented immigrants. Now that the state is suffering a severe deficit, Washington is unlikely to send money to preserve Newsom's dreamscape. Of course Newsom blames the current budget deficit on Trump, although he does not explain why many other states, including archrivals Texas and Florida, enjoy surpluses. California would do far better if its governor focused on how to take advantage of Trump's initiatives. After all, Maga will be in office at least until 2028. Californians can enjoy the fruits of Trump's policies even as they grumble darkly about him.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Will new road be 'key infrastructure' or 'insanity'?
Some people say it will be a "key piece of infrastructure", while others call parts of the plans "insanity". Now a public consultation on the Newry Southern Relief Road has come to an end. The road would link the main A1/N1/M1 Belfast to Dublin road with the A2 Warrenpoint to Newry dual carriageway. If it goes ahead, the project is expected to cost between £110m and £130m, much of which is due to come from the Belfast Region City Deal (£93.4m). Those in favour of the road say it will reduce congestion in Newry city centre, stimulate the economy, and improve access to Warrenpoint port. But opponents have raised concerns about a fixed bridge crossing Newry Ship Canal, while residents of the rural Flagstaff and Fathom areas do not want a major road sweeping through the countryside. Michael Savage from Newry Chamber of Commerce spoke to BBC News NI in the centre of Newry, standing by a stretch of road that perhaps best represents the rationale for the relief road. A junction there sees HGV traffic from Belfast, Dublin, and everywhere trying to make its way through the relatively narrow Kilmorey Street on its way to and from Warrenpoint port. "From day one the chamber has been fundamentally behind the delivery of this very key piece of infrastructure for this region," Mr Savage said. "We fully support the southern relief road, and we want it delivered as quickly as possible. "It's about relieving the lungs of the people of Newry and removing thousands of HGV vehicles coming from Warrenpoint port out of the city centre and also creating great access for the development of our port to the eastern seaboard and the A1 corridor between Belfast and Dublin." Mr Savage said it would take thousands of HGV movements each year out of the city centre. The preferred route is around 2.5 miles (4km) long, but the geographical layout of Newry means it is far from straightforward. That is because the Warrenpoint dual carriageway effectively runs flush with the shoreline on the County Down side of Carlingford Lough. To get to the Belfast-Dublin road (on the Armagh side of the lough), the new route must rise quickly up the steep inclines of Flagstaff and Fathom, with a river and canal in between. As a result, not everyone is happy with the plan. Brian Clelland, a member of the Newry 2020 campaign group, which was originally established to drive plans for a City Park, takes issue with the plan for a fixed bridge across the ship canal. He said it would block the canal, which is nearly 300 years old and is the oldest working canal in Ireland. "The Southern Relief Road in its current form will block that permanently, so they'll destroy access to Newry for tall ships and, in fact, most masted vessels," he said. "It's also well known that the Dublin government is building the Narrow Water bridge just outside Warrenpoint, and the insanity of it is that they are spending millions to have a beautiful opening bridge that would allow tall ships up, but the Southern Relief Road that is being built by Stormont is building a fixed bridge that would block tall ships." Higher up along the route is Roisín Morgan, who has lived in the Flagstaff area for most of her life. Ms Morgan said the road would destroy the rural area. "The ground I'm standing on, we're going to lose," she said. "The road is going through several plots of land, and it's going to come up through the field below us. "They have to dig down, so there'll be a lot of blasting through granite if the road goes ahead, which I hope it won't be. "Then it goes into Benson's Glen, which is a historic woodland; there are trees there that are hundreds of years old." Ms Morgan said the proposals would "put 7,000 vehicles a day coming up this hill". "I know they are talking about the air pollution in Newry, but they should be reducing air pollution, not moving it," she said. The new Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins is from Newry, and in the past she has spoken about her preference for a lifting bridge over Newry Canal as part of the project. A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson said: "The minister will... consider responses as part of the consultation process, including whether or not to move forward to public inquiry." They said Kimmins was unavailable for interview. Newry bypass bridge won't open for passing boats Newry regeneration scheme a bridge too far?
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Newry: Will new road be 'key infrastructure' or 'insanity'?
Some people say it will be a "key piece of infrastructure", while others call parts of the plans "insanity".Now a public consultation on the Newry Southern Relief Road has come to an road would link the main A1/N1/M1 Belfast to Dublin road with the A2 Warrenpoint to Newry dual it goes ahead, the project is expected to cost between £110m and £130m, much of which is due to come from the Belfast Region City Deal (£93.4m). Those in favour of the road say it will reduce congestion in Newry city centre, stimulate the economy, and improve access to Warrenpoint opponents have raised concerns about a fixed bridge crossing Newry Ship Canal, while residents of the rural Flagstaff and Fathom areas do not want a major road sweeping through the countryside. Michael Savage from Newry Chamber of Commerce spoke to BBC News NI in the centre of Newry, standing by a stretch of road that perhaps best represents the rationale for the relief road.A junction there sees HGV traffic from Belfast, Dublin, and everywhere trying to make its way through the relatively narrow Kilmorey Street on its way to and from Warrenpoint port."From day one the chamber has been fundamentally behind the delivery of this very key piece of infrastructure for this region," Mr Savage said."We fully support the southern relief road, and we want it delivered as quickly as possible."It's about relieving the lungs of the people of Newry and removing thousands of HGV vehicles coming from Warrenpoint port out of the city centre and also creating great access for the development of our port to the eastern seaboard and the A1 corridor between Belfast and Dublin." 'Truly transformative' Mr Savage said it would take thousands of HGV movements each year out of the city preferred route is around 2.5 miles (4km) long, but the geographical layout of Newry means it is far from is because the Warrenpoint dual carriageway effectively runs flush with the shoreline on the County Down side of Carlingford Lough. To get to the Belfast-Dublin road (on the Armagh side of the lough), the new route must rise quickly up the steep inclines of Flagstaff and Fathom, with a river and canal in a result, not everyone is happy with the plan. Brian Clelland, a member of the Newry 2020 campaign group, which was originally established to drive plans for a City Park, takes issue with the plan for a fixed bridge across the ship said it would block the canal, which is nearly 300 years old and is the oldest working canal in Ireland."The Southern Relief Road in its current form will block that permanently, so they'll destroy access to Newry for tall ships and, in fact, most masted vessels," he said."It's also well known that the Dublin government is building the Narrow Water bridge just outside Warrenpoint, and the insanity of it is that they are spending millions to have a beautiful opening bridge that would allow tall ships up, but the Southern Relief Road that is being built by Stormont is building a fixed bridge that would block tall ships." Higher up along the route is Roisín Morgan, who has lived in the Flagstaff area for most of her life. Ms Morgan said the road would destroy the rural area."The ground I'm standing on, we're going to lose," she said."The road is going through several plots of land, and it's going to come up through the field below us."They have to dig down, so there'll be a lot of blasting through granite if the road goes ahead, which I hope it won't be."Then it goes into Benson's Glen, which is a historic woodland; there are trees there that are hundreds of years old."Ms Morgan said the proposals would "put 7,000 vehicles a day coming up this hill"."I know they are talking about the air pollution in Newry, but they should be reducing air pollution, not moving it," she said. 'Whether or not to move forward' The new Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins is from Newry, and in the past she has spoken about her preference for a lifting bridge over Newry Canal as part of the project.A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson said: "The minister will... consider responses as part of the consultation process, including whether or not to move forward to public inquiry."They said Kimmins was unavailable for interview.
