The Oxford Report

Breaking this afternoon - Congress passes bill forcing TikTok Sale laced around $95 Billion Aid To Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

Before the biggest threat to entrepreneurship since C.E. Ruthenberg¹, a nation wide scoop on best staffed Apple Store with the least foot traffic, drive by wait times and a Genius Bar serving walk ups faster than Chick-fil-A, go to Cumberland.

Granted - Cumberland mall has had a couple of fire fights in the food court, but no problem - go in the front entrance (next to Dick’s) and hang a left, two stores down is Apple. It’s an Uber ride from airport and a layover to the Braves game. 

Now Show Me an American Tragedy - While Trampling (with a tall T) over free markets and free speech of 170m TikTok users and 7 million small businesses, the D’s and R’s suddenly became best buds for 15 minutes by overwhelmingly passing a bill, 360-58, to officially outlaw TikTok’s ownership.

The bill was bubble wrapped with funding $60.8 billion to Ukraine, billions more to Israel and Taiwan, and a few nickels for humanitarian aid to Gaza.

All Washington fair since the latter does not have a single registered Washington lobbyist and here’s a heads up why it never ends. 

News Alert - Washington’s most powerful lobbyists, the big boys on K street, are promoting their services to Ukraine as ‘free‘ – but at the same time, taking in hundreds of millions in fees from Pentagon contractors who stand to benefit from the war and free works out to be 10% right off the top. So, a good pay day on Ukraine - enough to spread around. 

Is the real goal in Washington from Supreme Court to Congress, everybody leaves with a billion in the bank before they leave? If it is, pay the severance.

Total Ukraine aid. Now $140B.

CBO².

Real danger is not the loot but wrapping a national security cover around banning a company as a buyout for 5 guys in the valley. 

TikTok is not going away. Congress is picking owners and every entrepreneur should be against it. Whose next?

Companies are like books, not all are in my taste but when a government authority arbitrarily bans something that could be decided by an individual, family, parents or customers - you’re walking all over me.

What’s next? Trump pulls CNN’s FEC license or Biden Fox. Not a bad idea, but terribly un-American. 

I am going to be pulling the lever hard for Team Kennedy.

Stay in Your Swamp Bro -  a little wind at our backs, finally got a piece of pie.

S. GA land prices are getting a good bump and it’s not just because of timber - Fla’s land prices are so high, they are scurrying half backs (half way back home) to N. GA hills and now even flankers to S. GA. 

Thanks to Ray, Jerry and all of you belling up to that Fla land bar. Fire. 

GA-FL line kisses so, Florida's spillovers, who Charley, my swamp surveyor, described Wednesday like this: “Cliff, Florida is coming, Yankees are coming, bunches of them. I am busier than ever."

Music to my ears, Charley. Stay in the swamp bro. If you do, something good comes along besides the snakes. 

Sunday Culinary Tip 

Smash burgers are good for two reasons: cooked in a cast-iron pan for the heat required for their characteristic and an 80/20 lean to fat mixture of beef; you need that fat to make it flavorful and crusty. Chris, is this possible with Buffalo? 

So, use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, as you are going to crank up the heat high on your stove. Have all of your toppings ready; the cooking process will be no more than three minutes. Be prepared to make a mess. Smash the burgers down with beer can and enjoy. Go with the Triple.

Have a great Sunday!

Cliff Notes: 

1. Charles Emil Ruthenberg (July 9, 1882 – March 1, 1927) was an American Marxist politician and a founder and head of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). He is one of four Americans to be buried in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis.

2. The Congressional Budget Office is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides budget and economic information to Congress.