EDITORIAL
BY DHIREN SHAH
Hello Readers,
Our beloved Senator Ronald Rice (1945-2023, 77 years old) has passed away and hopefully gone to heaven. His heart for the people and constant work for the people is the key to become close to the people’s heart. Local Talk’s staff and I will pray for his soul. Local Talk offers condolences to his family, friends, and his followers.
If some legislation was not right for the people, he stood up against his friends, whether local officials or even the governor. The community came first, always. I salute Ronald L. Rice who served the community in the State Senate from 1986 to 2022. He was elected in a special election to serve the 28th District after the death of John P. Caufield in 1986. Since then, he served as a senator and once as deputy mayor and West Ward councilman of Newark, NJ. He lost two elections for the mayoral election, once against former mayor Sharpe James in 1998 and against Cory Booker in 2006. In my opinion, he was an elected representative who was truly for the people.
President Joseph Biden declared his budget proposal on March 8, 2023. He has promised that he will tax wealthy Americans making over $400,000 and extend social security benefits for about 25 years. However, in his $6.8 trillion budget proposal, there is no mention of a social security program which he promised to raise money for. His plan for infrastructure money is mainly for New York and New Jersey projects, the extension of the Second Avenue Subway and a new train tunnel between New York and New Jersey. He has increased spending on military and benefits for the lowest earning retirees, which is a good point in the budget. Right now, the economy is not looking so good due to high inflation. The open southern border is costing us millions to keep those who illegally entered the USA.
Saudi Arabia and its archrival Iran have signed an agreement by mediator China. Now, they have plans to open their embassies in both countries. They will renew the security pact signed between those two countries 22 years ago. China and Russia are getting closer to each other, and now they are joining hands with Saudi Arabia, Iran, and a few other countries. This is not good for America. We should not be fully trusting our allies, especially European allies who can flip at any time if it is not in their favor.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky) has revealed without name that a Biden family member is involved in Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings with China for about $3 million. Comer declined to reveal the name of the person. Comer stated that the revelation raises more national security concerns. Also, the Republicans have access to some of the Biden family’s financial records, which found this $3 million dollar payment from the Chinese Community Party, shortly after Biden’s tenure as Vice President concluded.
The spring election season in the Local Talk area is around the corner. For Newark and Irvington, the school board election is on April 25, 2023. Municipal elections for non-partisan posts in South Orange is on May 9, 2023. The Primacy election is on June 6, 2023. The General Election will be on November 7, 2023. Belleville, Bloomfield, Orange, Maplewood and West Orange have moved their elections to November. This will save money for those cities on the election cost.
Have a wonderful week. I’ll talk to you next week.
