News
Huntington Beach Faces Lawsuit from California Regarding Voter ID Legislation
California has filed a lawsuit against Huntington Beach over the city’s controversial voter ID law, which requires voters to show photo identification in local elections starting in 2026. The 320-page lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, accuses Huntington Beach of violating California’s Constitution and state election code.
Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta held a news conference in downtown Los Angeles to address the issue, stating that Huntington Beach’s charter does not exempt the city from following state laws governing voter registration and election integrity. Bonta emphasized that the photo identification requirement is not only misguided but blatantly illegal, accusing the city of willfully violating the law.
The voter ID law, known as Measure A, was approved by voters in Huntington Beach with 53.4% support on the March 5 ballot. The city’s attorney, Michael Gates, stated that the city will vigorously defend the will of the people and uphold the new law.
This lawsuit is just the latest in a series of clashes between California and Huntington Beach. Over the past few years, the conservative beach town has made headlines for its stance against COVID-19 restrictions, zoning requirements, immigration laws, and now, voter ID regulations.
Despite warnings from the California Secretary of State and Attorney General, Huntington Beach proceeded with placing the voter ID measure on the ballot. The law requires voters to verify their identities when registering to vote, but does not mandate photo identification at the polls.
In response to the lawsuit, Huntington Beach residents, civil rights organizations, and the ACLU have raised concerns about the potential impact of voter ID laws on marginalized communities. A resident filed a lawsuit to block the measure, arguing that it imposes severe burdens on Black, Latino, and low-income voters.
While a judge declined to stop the measure from appearing on the ballot, he noted that its implementation could raise constitutional issues, which may require judicial review. The state’s lawsuit against Huntington Beach focuses on the legality of the voter ID law, but also raises concerns about monitoring ballot drop boxes.
As the legal battle unfolds, all eyes are on Huntington Beach to see how the controversial voter ID law will be implemented. State officials are monitoring the situation closely to ensure compliance with election laws and to protect the rights of all voters.
In conclusion, the clash between California and Huntington Beach over the voter ID law reflects broader tensions around voting rights and election integrity. The outcome of this lawsuit will have implications not only for Huntington Beach but also for debates over voter ID laws across the country.
News
Is now the right time to invest in gold as prices have cooled?
The price of gold has climbed to record highs recently and has remained strong through much of April. And, that growth continued until the precious metal traded at around $2,390 per ounce on April 19, 2024. But since, growth in the price of the precious metal has cooled, with gold’s price now hovering around $2,300 per ounce.
This lull in gold’s price may represent an investment opportunity.
In general, investing is centered around buying assets when prices are low and selling them when prices are high – generating a profit on the difference between the two. So, considering the declines in gold’s price over the past few days, now may be the time to make your investment. But is buying gold during this lull in prices really a good idea?
Compare your gold investment options among leading brokers now.
Gold prices have cooled. Should you buy in now?
With gold’s price down from recent highs, you may be wondering if now is the right time to buy in. There are several reasons the dip in gold’s price may represent an opportunity to buy. Here are some of the biggest:
Prices may rise again
If looking at a gold price chart shows anything for certain, it shows that changes in the overall growth of the medal come in fits and spurts. Periods of price growth are typically followed by periods of declines and vice versa.
But with inflation rising in recent months – and with gold’s reputation as a safe-haven asset that can hedge against inflation – it only makes sense that the price of the precious metal will eventually start to head up again in the future. While attempting to time that directional change may be tricky, buying the precious metal while the price is down gives you the opportunity to take advantage of any upward movement that may be ahead.
Add gold to your portfolio now before prices have a chance to rise.
You may be able to make a quick profit
Gold isn’t known as an asset in which you can earn a quick return, but in today’s market, that may be the case. Don’t forget that in January, gold was trading at just $2,000 per ounce. And, by mid-April, the commodity’s price had climbed to around $2,400 per ounce. That’s about 20% growth in a matter of months, much of which happened since March 1 – an impressive climb for any investment asset.
Perhaps more importantly, gold’s price growth through the beginning of 2024 shows that the commodity doesn’t have to be a buy and hold style investment that you keep in a safety deposit box or precious metal depository for years to come. There’s also the possibility that the commodity’s price could climb further ahead, making it a compelling way to potentially generate a quick profit.
There are other benefits of investing in gold
There are other benefits of investing in gold that have little to do with the price growth seen thus far in 2024 – or the lull in prices seen over the past couple of days. Those benefits include:
- Inflation protection: Gold has long been considered an inflation hedge, and for good reason. When inflation drives the prices of consumer goods and services up – and the value of the dollar down – gold’s price tends to rise. So, it could be used to maintain the value of your portfolio during inflationary economic conditions. That’s important in today’s economic environment as stubborn inflation continues to weigh on the value of the dollar.
- Portfolio diversification: Gold’s price doesn’t always move in the same pattern that bonds or stocks do. So, mixing a reasonable amount of gold into your portfolio (up to 10% of your portfolio assets) as a diversifier could protect you from losses should one or more of your traditional portfolio assets fall in value. “If you have less than 5% – 10% of your net worth in commodities & FX (forex), you should absolutely consider adding exposure to gold and other precious metals,” says Vijay Marolia, money manager and managing partner at the wealth management firm, Regal Point Capital.
The bottom line
Gold’s price has fallen from recent highs – which may represent an opportunity to tap into growth ahead. However, gold isn’t simply a “buy while it’s low and sell while it’s a high” kind of investment opportunity. The commodity can also protect your portfolio from the stubborn inflation we’ve seen thus far in 2024 while acting as a diversification tool that could increase your risk-adjusted portfolio returns. So, consider adding gold to your portfolio today while it has the potential to grow in value.
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