Important headlines for January 16th:
Bottom Line: These are stories you don't want to miss and my hot takes on them...'
Excerpt: The 238 communities vying to be home to Amazon’s second headquarters are seeking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Creating up to 50,000 new jobs, paying $100,000 average salaries, Amazon’s HQ2, as it’s called, promises an economic burst that could fundamentally change the region’s business landscape.
Realizing the power of banding together as a tri-county megalopolis, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties have submitted a combined proposal.
It wasn’t until the highly publicized Amazon bid, however, that the everyday work of our economic development organizations became better known. Our efforts to attract and retain companies are tied directly to the assets that businesses like Amazon are seeking, namely, skilled talent, a high-quality education pipeline, quality of life, viable sites, transit and mobility. Financial incentives also matter, but Florida’s low tax competitive business climate is a built-in incentive.
Consider our competitive advantages for business and personal success:
▪ 6 million residents
▪ 3.1 million-person labor force
▪ 53 percent bilingual
▪ $300 billion GDP – 38th-largest in the world
▪ 0% state and local income tax
▪ 2,000 or more daily direct flights
▪ 4 research universities
▪ 375,000 college/university students
▪ 250 or more sunny days per year
▪ 150 miles of beaches
▪ 5 professional sports teams
Hot Take: An extremely well-done story it paints a compelling picture. The odds are currently against SFL receiving the 2nd Amazon HQ. Recent projections from analysts and business reporters have SFL outside of the projected top five locations. Atlanta and Austin are the two consensus leaders. Whatever does or doesn't come out of this the story remains. According to technology research firm 2thinknow, the Miami metro was 20th nationally for technology growth and infrastructure. Entering 2018 we'd bumped up to 11th! Miami's on the verge of cracking the top ten for technology in the US showing that there's a lot more than beaches and bikinis going on in SFL. With all of the other positives we have going for us we're set for the most success we've ever had - Amazon or no Amazon.
The Answer to Border Security Is Technology, Not Wall Rep. Henry Cuellar, CNN
Excerpt: Between 2010 and 2015, the current 654 mile pedestrian wall was breached 9,287 times. Instead of a wall, we should increase the use of modern technology, including cameras, fixed towers and aerial and underground sensors. Violent drug cartels are using more modern technology to breach our border than we are using to secure it. We can't double down on a 14th century solution to a 21st century challenge if we want a viable long-term solution.
Hot take: They think you're stupid. Whether you agree with this or not it's instructive for multiple reasons. First, yes there's already an extensive wall that was supported in a bi-partisan way as recently as 2006. In fact, Senators Biden, Clinton, Kerry, Obama and Schumer all voted for it (among most other Democrats). National security was still as somewhat bipartisan concept about 12 years ago - imagine that... It's also instructive that it's been breached thousands of times they've been documented. Why? because the Obama administration reduced border patrol levels and defunded even the upkeep of the existing wall (after voting for it before being President). So, what's the point here?
It's clear that there's an effort to play politics with the security of this country. It's hypocritical for almost every elected Democrat that's been around since 2006 to oppose funding for increased border security - aside from being potentially dangerous. But it's also instructive. We clearly have technology in place that can ID the number of times the existing wall has been compromised so is technology really the issue here? The problem becomes what's next. You can have cameras and sensors all day long but if no one's there to stop the illegal activity what's the point? If you don't have any barriers and simply rely on cameras how do you think that'll play out? You have cartels like the Zeta, that are former Mexican special forces soldiers that are armed with military equipment. You expect a smattering of border patrol agents in a given area to be able to combat that threat? These people lie and hypocritically attempt to take advantage of the ignorance of the average American. Legit physical barriers are needed to give our border patrol agents a chance to combat the threats they face of the southern border. Technology is a big part of the solution but it's impossible to make it the solution without further endangering our country and the border patrol agents tasked with security the border.
A Link Between Obama's Departure, Your Increasing Wealth Robert Natelson, The Hill
Hot Take: Two sides to every story...One side to every fact. It's more than a coincidence...
Until tomorrow...