Biden’s book-cooking on migrants, fix the NEA’s outdated charter and other commentary

Border beat: Biden’s Book-Cooking on Migrants

Team Biden officials are padding numbers to convince Americans “and the media that their border security strategy is working,” when really the issue of illegal immigration is now far worse, fumes Chad Wolf at Fox News. When the Department of Homeland Security “claims unlawful entries between the ports of entry are down,” for example, it’s only including migrants stopped by Border Patrol agents. Its reports don’t count those “found inadmissible at ports of entry, the categorical parole illegal aliens, and the gotaways.” The actual total since May is 294,183, or about 9,490 per day. That qualifies as a “mass release of illegal aliens into American communities.”

Libertarian: Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion Bust

Under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion plan, New York state pledged $750 million for Elon Musk’s SolarCity “to build a 1.2 million-square-foot factory,” notes Reason’s Joe Lancaster, plus “another $240 million to purchase manufacturing equipment.” It also agreed to exempt the facility from property taxes in its first 10 years, a savings estimated at $260 million. In exchange, the state expected “as many as 5,000 jobs” and enough solar panels manufactured to cover “1,000 roofs per week.” Instead, it saw just “21 installations per week” and only 1,700 jobs — and “the majority of those” employees work for Elon Musk’s Tesla and not on solar projects. Ironically, Musk himself was right in saying government should try to get out of the way and not impede progress. “If only policy makers would listen.”

Ed desk: Fix the NEA’s Outdated Charter

“When Congress granted the National Education Association a federal charter in 1906, it tasked the union with promoting ‘the cause of education in the United States,’ ” recall Rep. Scott Fitzgerald and Aaron Withe at The Wall Street Journal. Yet the union hasn’t worked to fulfill that task but instead to promote a “left-wing” agenda. And when not pushing that agenda, it’s worked to block “efforts to reform failing schools” via, for instance, school choice and performance-based pay. Fortunately, “Congress can repeal or revise federal charters”; it should do so for the NEA. The Student Act “would amend the union’s charter by adding 11 accountability and transparency provisions commonly found in other federal charters.” The push for quality education can begin “by reining in” the NEA and encouraging a “return to its founding ethos.”

Conservative: It’s Over (Maybe) for ESG

“After a year of setbacks, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing is under fire,” reports Mike Viola at National Review — thanks to its promoters “letting investors down with unclear goals, politicized portfolios, and disappointing returns.” With 75% of adults investing for retirement “in some fashion, ESG may compromise the savings of a large swath of Americans.” No wonder BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said he was ashamed to have taken part in the fiasco. Still, “consumers should remain wary of what comes next.” Fink now “wants to promote ‘conscientious capitalism’ in his investments,” including considering “decarbonization and governance.” It’s “packaging progressivism as a risk-management process for investments.” Yet ESG “factors haven’t helped reduce risk” and “ideologically tinged investment products” leave “consumers shortchanged.”

Free-speech watch: Elon Musk’s Noble Fight

“A quick perusal makes it clear that Twitter publishes facts and opinions from across the ideological spectrum,” yet “[Elon] Musk and Twitter have been, and continue to be, maligned by those whose idea of free speech is that — and only that — which promotes a progressive narrative about things cultural and political,” argues Patrick Maines at RealClear Politics. “Musk has often and openly invited those on the left to post” on Twitter, as well as those on the right, proclaiming the “digital town square” open for everyone. “Journalistically and constitutionally, pledges like that reflect the highest ideals of journalism and free speech. But to the woke, it’s those very qualities that inspire their hatred and derision.”

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board