Evidence of Advancing Prosperity
Economic improvement and renewed rights are reasons for optimism.
Improving Economic Conditions for the Middle Class
Data shows that the middle class is growing more affluent.
Americans are working less to acquire more, Unleash Prosperity reports. The Cato Institute’s Simon Abundance Index documents how many hours people have to work to purchase goods.
“Considering that the time-price of commodities decreased at a faster proportional rate than population increased, we find that humanity is experiencing superabundance,” write Gale L. Pooley and Marian L. Tupy for the Cato Institute.
Based on this data, Americans in 2024 can buy twice as much as they could in 1980 with their earnings.
Reports of scarcity are confronted with this data suggesting that abundance is likely to last well into our future and prosperity continues to advance.
The prices of many commodities have dropped by approximately 70.4 percent, on average between the years of 1980 and 2024.
Americans hear a great deal of negative economic news. This index indicates that Americans are very doing well in terms of purchasing power and thus, prosperity.
Most of the mainstream media will never report this data as it goes against their narrative. The media prefers to keep us angry, unhappy, and antagonistic towards President Trump.
The media likes to push the message that the rich are getting richer. That may be true, but the rest of us are getting richer as well. High tides lift all boats.
Supreme Court Likely to Support Parental Opt-Out Rights
The Supreme Court is faced with a question of whether or not parents have the right to remove their child from a classroom if they believe that a lesson is objectionable.
The Justices appear likely to support the position of the parents, The Hill reports. Parents objected to LGBTQ+ themed books being used in elementary school classrooms in Montgomery County, MD.
Montgomery County began incorporating LGBTQ+ themed books at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. Books included in the language arts classes introduce transgender characters and describe homosexual relationships.
Books include those titles below, The Hill reports.
Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope. The author writes about her transgender son who becomes a girl.
Love Violet. The story is about two girls in a homosexual relationship.
Approximately 20 books were included in the program called, “Pride Storybooks” introduced into the elementary schools, American Greatness reports. They are used in pre-K through 8th grade.
“The collection does not just celebrate Pride parades: it also introduces small children to the gruesome process of ‘gender-transitioning’ and, inevitably, the ludicrous dogma of pronoun preferences,” Andrea Picciotti-Bay writes for the outlet.
Parents objecting to these and other titles with the LGBTQ+ theme come from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim backgrounds. The parents requested to have their children be allowed to opt-out from the lessons. No opt-out was allowed so the parents filed a lawsuit.
For the complete article please click the link below.
Young Americans are Unhappy, Unaffiliated, and Unpatriotic; Study Shows
A recent study conducted by Harvard University shows some concerning trends for young people, aged 18-29 years old.
Results of the 2025 study conducted by the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics indicate that many young people do not have the same view of financial security and traditional life that earlier generations have enjoyed, the Harvard Youth Poll reports.
Young Americans are not prioritizing marriage and family. Only 48 percent of the youth polled said that having children is important. Only 57 percent believe that marriage is important.
A traditional family structure is favored by more of the youth who identify as Republicans, than those who identify as Democrats.
There are other differences between the political parties. Significant differences in the data are evident comparing Republicans to Democrats on several issues.
When questioned about values, the second and third most important values for Democrats are “diversity and inclusion” and “democracy and civic engagement.” Young Democrats believe in a participatory model where the collective make decisions and inclusion is more important than merit.
Young Republicans prioritize “economic opportunity and upward mobility” and “Christian values.” The collective responses of young Republicans indicate, “a worldview grounded in meritocracy, faith, and personal responsibility,” the report concludes.
Many young Americans do not feel any deep connection to community or country. Only 18 percent of respondents said they had a strong attachment to any community.
Responding to questions about how they feel about the country, again there is a distinct difference between Republicans and Democrats.
When asked about having pride in being an American, 76 percent of Republicans said they did have pride in their country. Only 24 percent of Democrats report pride in their country with 54 percent of Democrats stating that they are embarrassed to be American.
The trend of young Americans not having pride in their country is concerning. Patriotism is passed from one generation to the next. If positive messaging about the country is not provided in schools, parents must take on the very important task of teaching patriotism to the next generation.
Organizations We Like
Patriot Academy
https://www.patriotacademy.com/
The mission of Patriot Academy is, “to equip and educate a generation of citizen leaders to champion the cause of freedom and truth in every sector of society, as we help restore our Constitutional Republic and the Biblical principles that cause a Nation to thrive.”
They offer books, videos, and classes. They are working to bring young Americans into the light, teaching them the true history of America, the founding and founders, and the amazing stories of our American heroes. Counteracting DEI and all the negative messages from the government-run schools, Patriot Academy is working to turn people towards optimism, hope, and patriotism.
Your Right to Bear Arm in Washington
The Washington legislature passed a bill placing requirements ahead of any new gun purchase.
Democrats in Olympia passed Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1163 requiring a permit to purchase a firearm in the state, The Center Square reports.
Anyone who wants to buy a gun in Washington will now have to go through a background check and fingerprinting. Hopeful gun purchasers will also be required to complete certified firearms training.
The bill also includes more record keeping, tracking, and data management for gun dealers.
Representative Jim Walsh (R-Aberdeen) warned that the bill infringes on the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Walsh also stated that the bill results in excessive overreach on the part of the government.
Governor Ferguson (D) is likely to sign the bill making it a law on May 1, 2025. Gun rights advocates may challenge the law’s constitutionality.
Washington State Legislature
To keep up to date on what is happening in Olympia, please follow the Conservative Ladies.
Rooting Out Corruption
In this article, The Heartland Institute Senior Fellow, S.T. Karnick, analyzes the the corruption that occurs when government grows and expands its power through partnerships with private companies or when government entities create NGOs to do the government’s bidding.
“It is a way of concealing a government’s increasing accumulation of power,” Karnick writes.
Discussed in the article is how the climate change “crisis” is used to advance power and influence to benefit specific individuals or entities.
“More government is not the answer,” Karnick writes. “Power always corrupts. Relying on government to ‘conserve’ the American Way will lead only to further disasters.”
To read the article please click the link below.
https://substack.com/home/post/p-161567125
Local Election News
Several local offices are up for election this November. There is a short window in May for anyone interested in running for office. It’s a good time to get involved with many open positions. If you think you would like to run for office, but are not sure how to do it, consider the services of One Politician.
One closing thought…
While the red parts of the country are celebrating renewed freedom, opportunity, and prosperity, things in the PNW look grim under Leftist policies including sanctuary for illegal alien criminals, pro-criminal advocacy, anti-business regulations and taxation. There is hope, however, as the pendulum swings and Americans in blue cities and states witness the improved quality of life under Republican leadership. Optimism is in the air - even in the PNW.
I always appreciate your factual writing style and perspective. Thank you for your work.