On affordability, AI pooches and attaining a license

How did the nexus of how Americans are faring financially go from economy to affordability.
It has traditionally been through the lens of economic data, such as unemployment rate, jobs lost, jobs gained, stock market, inflation rate and a host of other metrics.
Now it's morphed into one metric: affordability.
So politicians are now ignoring all those old-fashioned metrics and taking the easy way out by just focusing on affordability.
It used to be politicians would promise "a chicken in every pot!"
Now they promise, rent control, free buses and free child care, which can cost thousands of dollars a year for a single child.
New York City's mayor-elect promises to institute free child care for all, which would cost about $12.7 billion a year to be paid for by the city's wealthiest residents and corporations.
Which brings to mind "Ten Years After's" prophetic song lyric from "I'd love to change the world" that goes "Tax the rich, feed the poor, till there are no rich no more."
Every action gets a reaction, so there's no question there will be a fleeing of wealthy New Yorkers to Florida when this happens, and then who pays the $12.7 billion.
Zoran Mamdani's plan no doubt is to lead New Yorkers down a socialist path that will end a full-blown communist cityscape.
Once you descend into communism you never dig yourself out of that hole.

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Speaking of digging holes, I've seen a couple of ads recently touting the joys of having an AI dog.
In one commercial a middle-aged man says he loves his AI dog, because he doesn't have the time to take care of it, but he loves when it playfully cuddles with him and sits on his lap.
The ad stresses the companionship with no commitment is a winning combo for many and that they can also serve as an emotional support tool.
I'm just wondering if you can get one that makes a mess in the same spot on your rug on a daily basis.
Sorry, this is creepy, folks. What now: AI wives? Hmmm!

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Lastly when I was going to get my license long, long, long ago in a place far, far away I had to take a driver's education class, pass a written test and a driver's test.
So how come today illegal aliens are getting commercial licenses that allow them to drive a semi, when they can't answer questions in English and can't identify road signs.

But that's exactly what's happening.

An illegal alien making a U-turn while driving a semi on a Florida interstate in August led to a crash that killed three.
The driver "struggled with English proficiency, failing a post-crash assessment where he correctly answered only two of 12 questions and identified only one of four road signs," according to court documents."

He has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide.

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Btw, I'll be going to my sister's house for Thanksgiving, so I'm probably going to leave my AI watchdog on the front porch.