“That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above.”
— Hermes Trismegistus, The Emerald Tablet

As   a bemused observer of the New Age movement   in the 1990s, the mystics’ phrase “As above, so below” became familiar. It originates with the Emerald Tablet. (Wikipedia has an   entry   suitable for further explanation.) The phrase comes to mind this morning in the context of the madness of the Donald Trump elite (above) as well as that of MAGA footsoldiers (below).

Here is Chasten Buttigieg, spouse to former Biden Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg,  commenting  on Trump Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s (above) Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press”:

Take it from the billionaire! All you need to do to get ahead is sell your home or break your lease, quit your job, move your kids’ school, hire movers (across the country? come on, that’s only a few thousand dollars!), find a new job, find a new place to live (put first and last month plus security deposit down), and leave your family, friends, and community behind. It’s that easy! My god, these people are so un-serious.

Nicholas Kristoff   scoffs , “You know the best way to bring your life expectancy down? Move from a blue state to a red state. Red states have a life expectancy 2.2 years shorter than blue states.”

Now for the below. A video posted Sunday and shot in a Delray Beach, Florida parking garage. Marissa explains how an older white woman blocked her exit and called ICE to come arrest her and her   passenger :

This is the new America! I’m an American Citizen born and raised here. This women tried to open my car door and asked me what country I was from, and to go back home. I guess I’m not white enough for this country anymore! #thisisamerica #ice #racialprofiling

I've always been perplexed by the idea that people should pick up all their roots and move to another part of the country for purely economic reasons. 

It would be better to make economics satisfactory for everyone . 

Unless you are in a long lasting economic dead zone , you shouldnt have to uproot your life to make it. 

I've always been perplexed by the idea that people should pick up all their roots and move to another part of the country for purely economic reasons.

All people do not have the same values.

Nor the same prioities

Bessant says the way to beat inflation is to pick up and move to another state. Totally impractical for almost everyone. 

It most certainly is.

First you have to find a job. Chances are if you someplace more "affordable" you're not going to get the salary/wage you're currently getting.

Then there's finding a place to live if you find the job. You'll probably end up renting for awhile or until you can afford the down payment and closing costs.

Then there's the actual expense of actually moving. You can do a DIY where you do ALL the work or pay someone to pack up your stuff and move it for you.

I've done military moves. Always stressful. Never fun. And always scary

I've always been perplexed by the idea that people should pick up all their roots and move to another part of the country for purely economic reasons. 

That is literally the story of American history.  What about it is perplexing?

Do you seriously believe it is appropriate or even reasonable for the Secretary Of The Treasury to tell the American people to move to another state to search out lower inflation ?   It is absurd. 

Scott Bessent's advice on how to reduce inflation raises eyebrows - Newsweek

Some Republicans   celebrated the idea as an endorsement   of the pro-consumer policies of red states. However, Bessent’s proposal has been largely met with derision from social media users who pointed out that relocating one’s family is a costly trade-off for a modest decrease in inflation, and that other fiscal consequences of migrating to red states could outweigh these potential savings.

“Great message. Tired of high grocery prices? Sell your home, find a new job, buy a new home, move somewhere else, start life over. Magic! Now your grocery bill is $10 less,”   wrote one X user .

The CEA does not appear to have published the state-by-state analysis showing the 0.5 percent difference in inflation rates between red and blue that Bessent referenced. The latest regional data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for September found that the 12-month inflation rate was lowest (2.7 percent) for states in the South, all of which voted for Trump in the 2024 election. By comparison, the West recorded an annual inflation rate of 3.3 percent, with both the Midwest and Northeast at 3.1 percent.

A study done by the bipartisan Congressional Joint Economic Committee examined overall cost increases between January 2021 and December 2024. This found a slight correlation with states’ political leanings in favor of red states, albeit with notable exceptions like Florida, which saw one of the largest jumps, and Maine, which boasted one of the lowest.

Do you seriously believe it is appropriate or even reasonable for the Secretary Of The Treasury to tell the American people to move to another state to search out lower inflation ?   It is absurd. 

I seriously believe people do that on their own all the time, and have since long before we were actually a nation.

And its defeatist. It misses the point. And more to the point, Bessant ought to know this. But, it is a desperate attempt to weasel out of the fact that Trump and his cabinet officials have not ended inflation yet. Just move. . . and make life easy on Trump and Bessant (by lowering expectations) while the rot still gradually creeps and seeps into the lingering states. Once again, Trump and his 'wishful' thinkers best beware what they 'ask' for, because inviting blue states citizens to come OCCUPY red states will not only add to the population of said states-it will mean their other political views are 'following after' and with them.

And then there is the judgements that certainly exist in red-states as we can all "see" that Trump and MAGA supporters expect capitulation to the hierarchy. There is no real freedom if you are told who/what/where to be and exist by red-state elites.

Exactly. Bessant is speaking out his frustration and desperation. But, but, he can't chew out Trump so he comes up with a lame statement that is stupid on its face.

Bessant's point can not be move to beat inflation anyway. He is basically tossing out a red herring, because he was asked to say. . . something and that came out more or less. 

Only a fool would move away from every other thing they love and care about, in hopes of escaping a national problem.

Bessant ought to be ashamed of spewing such a cheap, insignificant, sound-bite. 

Only a fool would move away from every other thing they love and care about, in hopes of escaping a national problem.

Riiiiight.

So all those hundreds of thousands of Californians moving to cheaper places has nothing to do with lower cost of living and is all about ..... what? ..... better high school football?.....  love of cicadas? ....  homemade pecan pie?  

Look, the point is people move back and forth based on a variety of reasons and I am not going to waste my time telling you the reasons which anybody can factor out for themselves. I see the (high) cost in California and case in point we have a governor candidate-two to be exact that I know of-that is talking about affordability, taxation (property), and prices in general. 

So you can 'gloat' or 'send up a trial balloon for purposing of trying to make 'hay' out of current trends all you want. The fact is citizens' feet are not NAILED to the ground in Texas or California or any other state in the country. So do not try to take credit for a trend, because they can and do change (that is why they are labeled as "trending" - emphasis on: "ing." 

Also, people move into California as a 'backstop' to those departing. Those departing are largely conservative anyway. Indeed, some of the 'newbies' in California are coming from red states where they can't take it there anymore.

Those departing are moving to liberal cities and towns in red states (thus 'softening' conservative power/control over government). Some who are departing California-move back (for their own varied set of circumstances and reasons. Finally, we have too many citizens living in California (it's a big state) anyway. Some of these citizens should 'go forth' and help change other parts of the country into something better.

Trying to claim some 'victory' over where people moving is stupid. Why? Because people move all the time and if you really think California is not doing well. . . all California has to do is change a few policies and "Voila" - the tide (influx) will return as people and business are known to do!

And with this, I am done with this 'toxic' discussion about where people live, because its bull--it and petty-especially since we know how FICKLE people can be about living in parts of this country anyway.

Look, the point is people move back and forth based on a variety of reasons and I am not going to waste my time telling you the reasons which anybody can factor out for themselves.

The point is that people move for monetary reasons more often than any other, so it's pretty crazy to that suggestion crazy.

So you can 'gloat'

You are imagining things that are not there.

Those departing are largely conservative anyway.

Really?  Who's measuring that?  Where is that data?  That would be interesting to see.

Those departing are moving to liberal cities and towns in red states

Where is this published?

Trying to claim some 'victory'

Again.. imagining things that aren't there.  Occam's Razor being what it is, people are most likely leaving California because it's too expensive to live there.  That has everything to do with housing costs, which are unsurprisingly higher in a place with California's climate and scenery.

The point here is that it's not at all strange to suggest people move for financial reasons.. because people move for financial reasons all the time..  So John calling that "unreasonable" is itself unreasonable.

When "done" means "done."

I will link you as I depart: 

1. ppic     

California’s Republican Exodus

2. duckduckgo

a. Californians who leave turn some states bluer — and others redder

Life expectancy is highly correlated to race. Tough to switch races.

Perfect example of a comment that is flat-as it speaks to much but informs us of nothing.

Perfect example of a comment that is flat -as it speaks to much but informs us of nothing.

As it is written:

The wisdom in  The Kybalion   is closed except to those who  possess "Understanding,"  meaning true wisdom is only accessible to those who are prepared to truly listen and comprehend it. This principle implies that knowledge is not simply given, but must be received by those who are ready to grasp its meaning beyond the surface level.

Wisdom and Understanding : The quote, "The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding," means that wise teachings are not effective if the listener doesn't have the capacity to understand them. It is a matter of readiness and receptivity.

What???

What???

Don’t feel bad, most people are not familiar with The Kybalion.

I don't feel bad at all. I was wondering why you bring it up to me.

Tough to switch races.

Tough-- but not impossible. (After all Michael Jackson did it!)

"You know the best way to bring your inflation rate down? Move from a blue state to a red state. Blue state inflation is half a percent higher."
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You know the best way to bring your life expectancy down? Move from a blue state to a red state. Red states have a life expectancy 2.2 years shorter than blue states.

As anyone who has studied statistics knows:

Correlation does not imply causation!