> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://pamphleteer.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Today's Takes: Friday, July 9
- URL: https://pamphleteer.co/newsletter/todays-takes-friday-july-9-nl/
- Published: 2021-07-09T12:18:57.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-17T11:44:46.000Z
- Description: Vol. I, No. 43 • A Journal of Freedom • ProPublica • Gun Violence • Clown World • Fireflies • Bowling Balls • Much More!
- Author: The Pamphleteer
- Tags: Newsletter, #Import 2026-08-01 20:40

#### 🔎 What is ProPublica up to? ([ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/?ref=pamphleteer.co))

*ProPublica* has released a series of "bombshell" investigative pieces over the past month or so using a trove of IRS documents given them by a whistleblower to examine how the ultra-wealthy like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos avoid paying taxes. In light of Biden's aggressive push to [massively increase the IRS operating budget](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/biden-calls-for-increasing-the-irss-budget-by-67-can-it-really-raise-700-billion-11619643644?ref=pamphleteer.co) to bring in an additional $700 billion in tax revenue, *ProPublica* looks like a regime mouthpiece, wearing a populist cloak, spreading the gospel that the rich need to be reigned in and the IRS (which they have consistently claimed is [underfunded](https://www.propublica.org/series/gutting-the-irs?ref=pamphleteer.co)) is the one to do it. What they don't want you to know is that the burden of a more aggressive IRS will fall far more heavily on the middle class—something in line with Biden's attempt to put even the best, most honorable of us on the government dole.

- How Tech Mogul Peter Thiel Turned a Retirement Account for the Middle Class Into a $5 Billion Tax-Free Piggy Bank ([Read](https://www.propublica.org/article/lord-of-the-roths-how-tech-mogul-peter-thiel-turned-a-retirement-account-for-the-middle-class-into-a-5-billion-dollar-tax-free-piggy-bank?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax ([Read](https://www.propublica.org/article/the-secret-irs-files-trove-of-never-before-seen-records-reveal-how-the-wealthiest-avoid-income-tax?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- How Sports Owners Use Their Teams to Avoid Millions in Taxes ([Read](https://www.propublica.org/article/the-billionaire-playbook-how-sports-owners-use-their-teams-to-avoid-millions-in-taxes?utm%5Fsource=sailthru&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=majorinvestigations&utm%5Fcontent=feature))

### Headlines

#### 📰 TODAY IN: General Headlines

- Donald J. Trump: Why I’m Suing Big Tech ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-j-trump-why-im-suing-big-tech-11625761897?ref=pamphleteer.co))  
  - *Donald Trump does a column in the Wall Street Journal*
- Tokyo Olympics to Be Held Without Spectators During Covid-19 State of Emergency ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/tokyo-olympics-to-be-held-under-covid-19-state-of-emergency-11625733103?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Travel Is Bouncing Back Strong, and Airlines Are Racing to Keep Up ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/travel-is-bouncing-back-strong-and-airlines-race-to-keep-up-11625669174?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Haiti President Jovenel Moïse Assassinated at Home, Official Says ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-at-home-official-says-11625654496?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Amtrak to Spend $7 Billion to Upgrade Passenger Trains ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/amtrak-to-spend-7-billion-to-upgrade-passenger-trains-11625673724?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Tucker Carlson claims he was ‘unmasked’ by NSA for seeking Putin interview ([NY Post](https://nypost.com/2021/07/07/tucker-carlson-claims-he-was-unmasked-by-nsa-for-seeking-putin-interview/?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Michael Avenatti, former Stormy Daniels lawyer, sentenced to 30 months in Nike extortion case ([Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/avenatti-sentence-nike-trump/2021/07/08/149d95e8-df58-11eb-9f54-7eee10b5fcd2%5Fstory.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))  
  - *A [pet favorite](https://twitter.com/RichardHanania/status/1413247255251881986?s=20&ref=pamphleteer.co) of the "Orange Man Bad" crowd*

#### 💸 TODAY IN: Economic News

- Fed Pencils In Earlier Interest-Rate Increase ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-reserve-meeting-interest-rates-bond-purchases-june-2021-11623777582?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- U.S. Jobless Claims Edged Up to 373,000 Last Week ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/unemployment-benefits-weekly-jobless-claims-07-08-2021-11625688074?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Fed Officials See Earlier End for Bond Buying, Emphasize Patience ([WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-debated-how-to-begin-pulling-back-on-stimulus-at-june-meeting-11625680801?mod=djemCapitalJournalDaybreak&ref=pamphleteer.co))

#### 🤡 TODAY IN: Clown World News

- Bay Area city may explore allowing undocumented residents to vote in local elections ([SF Chronicle](https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/Bay-Area-city-may-explore-allowing-undocumented-16298920.php?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Scientists in Wuhan should be awarded Nobel Prize, rather than being blamed ([Global Times](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202106/1226429.shtml?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Seattle politicians deem suburbs racist, begin CRT-inspired dismantling ([MyNorthwest](https://mynorthwest.com/3004893/rantz-seattle-politicians-racist-crt-dismantling/?ref=pamphleteer.co))

### Original Reads

![](https://pamphleteer.co/content/images/2021/07/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-1.jpg)

🔫 A heavier read on "Gun Violence" and what it really means ([Read](https://pamphleteer.co/post/gun-violence/))

#### In case you missed it

- 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' and the Evergreen Ills of American Politics by Jerod Hollyfield ([Read](https://pamphleteer.co/post/mr-smith-goes-to-washington-and-the-evergreen-ills-of-american-politics/))
- Avuncular Tom by Jerod Hollyfield ([Read](https://pamphleteer.co/post/avuncular-tom/))
- The Man Who Sued the World by Megan Lee Podsiedlik ([Read](https://pamphleteer.co/post/the-man-who-sued-the-world/))
- Tenured Negligence by Jerod Hollyfield ([Read](https://pamphleteer.co/post/tenured-negligence/))

### Nashville Politics

- Bill Proposes Voter Poll on Legalization, Decriminalization of Medical or Recreational Marijuana in Tennessee ([Star](https://tennesseestar.com/2021/07/08/bill-proposes-voter-poll-on-legalization-decriminalization-of-medical-or-recreational-marijuana-in-tennessee/?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Council approves plan to reduce Metro’s unfunded liabilities ([Main Street](https://www.mainstreet-nashville.com/news/council-approves-plan-to-reduce-metro-s-unfunded-liabilities/article%5Fd0b36818-df74-11eb-98e6-e3b4c19fa1b3.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Lee announces environmental stewardship awards ([TNJ](https://onthehill.tnjournal.net/lee-announces-environmental-stewardship-awards/?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Criticism continues for state's $2.5M 'Tennessee on Me' tourism campaign ([Center Square](https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/criticism-continues-for-states-2-5m-tennessee-on-me-tourism-campaign/article%5Ff07bf226-df5d-11eb-ae50-1fda0837135e.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))

### Nashville News

- Stuck in heavy Nashville traffic en route to hospital, UPS driver helps wife deliver their baby on freeway ([Tennessean](https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2021/07/07/nashville-ups-driver-helps-wife-deliver-baby-stuck-traffic-interstate/7839994002/?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- New jobless claims tick up during Tennessee's final week of federal benefits ([Center Square](https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/new-jobless-claims-tick-up-during-tennessees-final-week-of-federal-benefits/article%5F64f8cc1a-e002-11eb-9b85-0f16c75af65c.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))

### Nashville Development

- Nashville’s Bonkers Housing Market ([Scene](https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/citylimits/nashville-s-bonkers-housing-market/article%5F9fee1dac-de6d-11eb-8292-635c1f0585b7.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Developer of West End Park site lands $40.7M+ loan ([Post](https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/notes-developer-of-west-end-park-site-lands-40-7m-loan/article%5F445ab342-df67-11eb-8c56-c728c1798709.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Nashville's iconic Bluebird Café reopening July 16 ([WSMV](https://www.wsmv.com/news/nashvilles-iconic-bluebird-caf-reopening-july-16/article%5F9a3ab518-dfd1-11eb-a6d1-4b3c50057848.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- HUD to decide fate of East Nashville housing complex ([Post](https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/hud-to-decide-fate-of-east-nashville-housing-complex/article%5F3cf3e594-df65-11eb-aff8-0786398e3a05.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- 600-seat music venue set for Madison area in 2022 ([Biz Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/07/08/600-seat-music-venue-set-for-madison-area-in-2022.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Wedgewood-Houston property sells for $6.5M ([Post](https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/wedgewood-houston-property-sells-for-6-5m/article%5F33dcc918-e00e-11eb-9fc9-e3b538862ccb.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- TDOT hopes to reopen Hernando DeSoto Bridge over Mississippi River by the end of July ([Channel 5](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/tdot-hopes-to-reopen-hernando-desoto-bridge-over-mississippi-river-by-the-end-of-july?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Doster Construction Co. lands contract for Halls Chophouse in new Broadwest development ([Biz Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/07/08/halls-chophouse-to-begin-construction-in-nashville.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- How 'micro homes' could be part of Nashville's affordable housing solution ([Tennessean](https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2021/07/08/nashville-micro-homes-could-be-affordable-housing-solution/7817584002/?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- Nearly one year into construction, Saint Thomas Midtown's $300 million campus master plan is taking shape ([Biz Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/07/07/saint-thomas-midtowns-300-million-campus.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))
- CA South announces plans to build condos, office space in Pie Town ([Biz Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/07/08/ca-south-plans-condos-pie-town.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))

### One Good Read

🎳 A grand tour through the creation of the bowling ball and where they go when people throw them away ([Read](https://www.curbed.com/2021/06/recycle-bowling-balls-sims.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))

### Something to Look At

![](https://pamphleteer.co/content/images/2021/07/07TB-FIREFLIES1-superJumbo.jpg)

💡 How Swarms of Fireflies Sync Their Flashes ([Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/science/fireflies-sync-flashes.html?ref=pamphleteer.co))

### Have a great weekend!

![](https://pamphleteer.co/content/images/2021/07/762b9ff1-141f-45c3-bc69-385339987835.png)