thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Governor Lee Denies Nashville Mayor Cooper’s Request for $82.6 Million Additional Coronavirus Relief

Governor Lee Denies Nashville Mayor Cooper’s Request for $82.6 Million Additional Coronavirus Relief Funding

Governor Bill Lee responded in writing Thursday denying Nashville Mayor John Cooper ’ s request for an additional $ 82.6 million in coronavirus relief funding .
In addition to the letter , Lee addressed the issue during a press conference Thursday , saying “ I have to believe the strategy that I ’ m investing in is one that is consistent and aligned with the state ’ s strategy and Nashville ’ s are not.
” One of Lee ’ s strategies has been to avoid raising taxes in a time of crisis .
At the same time , Cooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 32 percent property tax increase to cover his year-over-year budget increase of $ 115 for fiscal year 2020-2021 while simultaneously estimating a revenue shortfall of $ 280.6 million Lee went on to put some perspective on what it would mean if he gave Nashville the additional funding .
“ Providing funding for Nashville additionally , beyond the billions of dollars they currently have , means taking away from the funding from those other 94 counties.
” As the governor pointed out , Nashville was one of only three local governments in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government received over $ 121 million , according to U.S. Department of Treasury documentation , while Memphis city received $ 114 million and Shelby County received $ 50 million in addition to the state ’ s $ 2.4 billion .
Lee also reiterated the approach that the state has made with regard to the COVID-19 recovery .
“ We made a commitment early on to try to lift restrictions as soon as possible in a way that we thought would not compromise our approach to health and mitigation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our economy moving forward.
” While 1,000 business leaders surveyed by University of Tennessee Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research expected that the state ’ s economy to be better than that of the national economy over the next 12 months , Nashville is not recovering nearly as well .
“ Metro Nashville is the least rapidly recovering economy of all metro regions in the United States as of right now , ” Lee said .
After a pause to let that point sink in , he added , “ That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that particular place from an economic standpoint is not an effective one.
” In his written response to Cooper , Lee points out that “ the Metro-Nashville area has benefitted from $ 2.5 billion of the $ 13 billion in Tennessee ’ s COVID-19 related response funds.
” At $ 3,745 per resident , Nashville ranks as the highest per capita relief of any other of Tennessee ’ s 95 counties by nearly $ 1,000 per capita of the second-highest Williamson County .
Meanwhile , and in sharp contrast , Bledsoe County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per capita .
Lee expressed to Cooper his “ deep concern ” that only $ 5.7 million of the $ 93 million in coronavirus relief funding spent by the Cooper administration went toward business relief .
“ This concern is heightened by the ongoing challenges ahead for Nashville business owners who have already endured some of the most restrictive limitations on commercial activity , as well as a recently enacted property tax increase.
” Lee went so far as to ask Cooper to reprioritize the relief fund budget by allocating the “ full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million toward economic relief for businesses , which would match the state ’ s investment of $ 26 million in small business relief payments to Nashville businesses .
While Lee has left most decisions regarding issues such as masks and business restrictions to the local authority , in his letter he leaned heavily on Cooper about the handling of businesses reopening .
“ I would also strongly encourage you to consider and weigh the impact that locally imposed restrictions will have on the prospects for Nashville ’ s future.
” The governor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revelations accusing the Cooper administration of suppressing COVID-19 data in order to keep downtown bars closed .
Lee was questioned during the press conference about Nashville ’ s selective release of data in order to keep businesses closed .
He responded by focusing on the need to get Nashville ’ s economy moving forward .
“ We need to be less restrictive on businesses , ” said Lee , particularly those where they haven ’ t seen a correlation to COVID-19 cases .
In Lee ’ s letter to Cooper , he took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list ” of state and federal support for Metro-Nashville including $ 377 million for health and social safety net services , $ 1.4 billion in economic relief for employers and $ 224 million in payments to government entities within Davidson County .
Lee then went on to ask several questions of Cooper related to how funds were spent , if the budgeted amounts were duplicative across state and federal relief funds , covered under other relief programs and if the expenses are in compliance with federal guidance .
Lee told Cooper he agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery is influential to Tennessee ’ s economic recovery ” that he would appreciate Cooper ’ s partnership toward achieving that shared goal .
In the press conference , Lee said he expects that he and Cooper will continue to talk about what they think is the best strategy going forward .
Lee ’ s Thursday press conference can be viewed here .
Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .
Background Photo “ Nashville City Hall ” by euthman .
CC BY-SA 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--In Wake of Nashville COVID-19 Data Suppression Allegations, Mayor Cooper’s Press Secretary Attacks C

In Wake of Nashville COVID-19 Data Suppression Allegations, Mayor Cooper’s Press Secretary Attacks Character of Award-Winning Reporter

Nashville Mayor John Cooper ’ s Press Secretary Chris Song attacked the character of the reporter who broke the story about keeping information about COVID-19 cases secret during a press conference Thursday .
WZTV ’ s Fox 17 reporter Dennis Ferrier was the first to report on the “ disturbing revelation ” Wednesday based on emails he received from the Nashville mayor ’ s office .
As Ferrier reported , the email discussion “ involves the low number of coronavirus cases emerging from bars and restaurants and how to handle that.
” “ And , most disturbingly , how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferrier reported .
Cooper is the defendant in a legal complaint brought by a local bar own for violating constitutional rights related to COVID-19 .
The plaintiff maintains that from the very first orders , bars and restaurants were consistently treated differently than other businesses , particularly those located on Broadway .
Over the course of several emails , the low number of only about 80 COVID-19 cases associated with bars was discussed as was the point that the information was going to stay within the mayor ’ s office and not released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor ’ s office and the health department to confirm the authenticity of the emails , he was told to file a freedom of information act request .
Ferrier went on to get verification of the authenticity from a staff attorney .
During the mayor ’ s press conference Thursday , Ferrier addressed the issue .
Emails released between the mayor ’ s office and the health department suggest at least , at least a reluctance to share COVID-19 numbers that don ’ t support policy .
To paraphrase , ‘ we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they are low.
’ We ’ re talking about bars and restaurants .
And , if you do say this out of context , we did ask for context yesterday and were told not just no comment but FOIA us .
And that doesn ’ t really feel like a ‘ we ’ re all in this together ’ comment .
It ’ s adversarial .
And , don ’ t you think that the bar and restaurant owners , some who are going out of business every week deserve to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shouldn ’ t that be widespread disseminated by the office ?
We talked about sharing good news .
That was pretty good news .
After the perfunctory thanking of Ferrier for his question , Song avoided eye contact with Ferrier by looking down as he responded without answering the question .
As I talked to your production team yesterday , when you asked for comment , you sent over nine screen shots of documents that you had asked me to verify .
I told your production team that that needed to go through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public records request , because that ’ s what needs to be done , to go through line by line and make sure that those documents were verified the right way .
I wasn ’ t putting your team off .
That is something that our office can not do .
That ’ s something that needs to go through the Metro Clerk ’ s office .
I would have done that with any request of that nature .
When you asked for comment , there was absolutely no context for the comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screenshots and asking for comment .
Song then expressed that he would have provided a comment , if asked again .
“ After you formulated your story , it would have been nice to have an opportunity for the mayor ’ s office to participate in that story.
” After defending his actions , Song then went into attack mode against Ferrier .
“ I think it was a lapse in journalistic judgement and due diligence.
” Dismissively , Song then turned to walk away as he said , “ In terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let Dr. Jahangir participate in responding first … ” As Song turned away , Ferrier responded , “ Let me add , since you made a character comment , ” before he was interrupted by Song coming back to the microphone .
“ No , since you asked a question , ” responded Song , “ I ’ m going to let Dr. ” as Ferrier then continued .
“ Since you made a character comment , I ’ d like to make one about you .
When you call after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we wish you would have asked again , ’ I mean , this isn ’ t high school .
You ’ re not asking a girl out on a date.
” Song then walked back to the podium .
Ferrier continued , “ If you don ’ t have a comment up front , we don ’ t have to come and ask you again an hour later .
We have deadlines and I ’ m asking you now .
So here ’ s a chance to answer.
” Song , obviously agitated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no .
You had a deadline and you asked a question ” At that point , Ferrier finished , saying “ And you didn ’ t answer , you said ‘ FOIA , ’ sir , ” before being rudely interrupted by Song .
“ You ’ re not listening .
I just responded to your question .
You asked me for a comment , without context .
You asked me to verify documents.
” Song went on to explain that he told Ferrier ’ s assignment editor that he could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper channels in which to do that .
“ She went through another channel , did not notify me that she had done that and you ran your story.
” Song , still defending his position , continued to go after Ferrier , “ Without coming back to ask me for comment , you said… ” Circling back to the start when he initially asked for comment , Ferrier pointed out , “ We ’ re asking you now.
” “ We ran the story .
We asked you before and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s so funny that a Metro staff attorney validated these emails in one hour that you told us to FOIA.
” At that point , Song seemed like he was retreating , but instead made his point again .
“ Okay , you know what , that ’ s fine .
But , what you should have done was to come back , tell me that you had validated those emails in whatever way that you did.
” Reiterating what happened , Ferrier told Song , “ Because you told us to FOIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal channels to extract this information.
” While Song looked like he was trying to say something , Ferrier got to the heart of the matter .
“ Because you don ’ t want to share it.
” Ferrier also addressed Song ’ s unprofessionalism in attacking him and keeping the information secret .
“ You ’ re not going to talk to me like this and walk away .
I ’ ll talk to you in the same tone .
This is America and the people have a right to know.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by saying “ The real co , ” before he again addressed Song ’ s demeanor , “ Don ’ t shake your head.
” Song responded , “ Okay , ” but as Ferrier tried to return to the topic by saying “ because people are wondering , ” Song went back to defending himself .
“ This is what I told your producer was the proper way to do it .
So , I ’ m going to let Dr. Jahangir now answer your question , ” and turning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Thank you.
” Rather than Dr. Alex Jahangir , Chairman of the Metro Board of Health , coming to the podium to answer Ferrier ’ s question , mask-donned Cooper appeared .
He told Ferrier , “ Thank you Dennis .
Come see me .
We ’ ll get to the bottom of this .
I do want some of our distinguished guests to be able to finish the press conference.
” Chris Song released a statement Thursday on transparency and timely release of community COVID-19 data , which can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .

Eighteen individuals are now collecting petitions for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District race as of last Friday.
Twelve people are collecting qualifying petitions for the GOP primary, three are gathering petitions for the Democrat primary, and three independents are also accumulating petitions.
The 12 Republicans listed on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website as collecting petitions are former Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell of Nashville, businessman Baxter Lee of Nashville, Robby Starbuck of Franklin (listed as Robert Starbuck Newsom), Geni Batchelor of Lebanon, Natisha Brooks of Nashville, former Williamson County GOP Chair Omar Hamada of Franklin, Timothy Bruce Lee of Nashville, Annabelle Lee of Madison, Alan Clement Sharp of Nashville, David Vitalli of Brentwood, Stewart Parks of Nashville, and Richie Lee of Nashville.
Among the publicly announced candidates, Tennessee newcomer and former State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus and retired Brig. General Kurt Winstead have not yet been listed as having begun their qualifying petitions process. Hamada has not yet made a decision as to whether or not he is officially entering the race.
Records show that Harwell, Starbuck, Brooks, Baxter Lee, Ortagus, Winstead, Batchelor, and Timothy Bruce Lee have also filed candidate paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Starbuck has raised $255,066.53 and has $138,741.16 on hand, which Brooks has raised $24,517.00 and has $19,655.34 on hand. The rest filed their FEC paperwork after the year-end December 31, 2022 deadline. The 2022 first quarter January 1-March 31 financial reports, which are scheduled to be released in mid-April, will cover all candidates who have reached the FEC reporting threshold.
Sources tell The Star that several Republican candidates are expected to have impressive fundraising totals.
Clay Faircloth, Richard H. Harris, and Joel Michael Hurbert, all from Nashville, are listed as collecting petitions for the Democrat primary.
Derrick Brantley of Nashville, Patrick O. Halfacre of Hohenwald, and Richard A. Shannon of Franklin are the independents who are collecting petitions. Shannon has appeared on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy. Only Brantley appears to have filed documents with the FEC.
In order to appear on the ballot, candidates are required to collect 25 valid signatures from registered voters and have until noon on April 7 to turn in those qualifying petitions. Candidates who qualify have until April 14 to withdraw their names from the ballot. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office told The Star, unless pending legislation changes things, that they will finalize the ballots on April 21.
The 5th Congressional District consists of parts of Davidson, Williamson, and Wilson counties, and all of Maury, Marshall, and Lewis counties.
– – –
Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected] Follow Aaron on GETTR.
Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Martin Falbisoner. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Commentary: The Weak Case for Biden v. Trump’s Strong Record

The best and probably only valid argument for voting to make Joe Biden president of the United States is that he is not Donald Trump .
Unlike Mr. Trump , Biden ’ s personal behavior — except occasionally toward women — is rarely boorish , and his utterances , though often confused , incoherent , and inane , usually are not tasteless or insulting .
That , however , is insufficient as a reason to entrust the Oval Office to a befuddled character who , after feeding at the taxpayer-funded trough for more than four and a half decades , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noteworthy accomplishment .
Furthermore , his convivial appearance and a cooperatively compliant media obscure his history of plagiarism , lying , and having befriended and supported the most racist bigots that the southern states used to send to congress to defend their Jim Crow practices .
Now well past his prime , Mr. Biden has been a mediocre time-server — and one with a record of having been wrong on every significant issue he has addressed during what is presented as his “ public service.
” The contrast with the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his accomplishments more than offset his often obnoxious behavior .
In the domestic arena , we have enjoyed : • His appointment of superb judges who base their constitutional decisions on that document as written and are restoring the rule of law by making legal decisions rather than political policy ones properly the sphere of elected legislative bodies ; • Further support for the rule of law by his firmly standing against and effectively countering efforts by rampaging incendiary looters to impose destructive dictatorial mob rule ( with the silent acceptance or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political opponents ) ; • Actual energy independence as a result of policies that have encouraged innovation and the development of that nation ’ s domestic natural resources ; • An economy that boomed prior to the pandemic and promises to do so again thanks to long-overdue tax cuts and the elimination of unnecessary , unproductive , and stifling governmental regulation ; and • Along with and as part and parcel of the foregoing , an unprecedented rate of participation in the work force and full employment that has benefited everyone nationwide and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The successes of President Trump ’ s foreign policy and international initiatives have been even greater : • An impressive start toward rebuilding a military that promises to secure peace through strength sufficient to protect our national interests ; • Being the first administration in many decades that has been bringing our troops back home , instead of squandering their lives by sending them into harm ’ s way with no clearly defined and achievable goals in conflicts in which we have little or no national interest ; • Startling and improbable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Arab countries finally have begun ( with U.S. encouragement ) to recognize and engage in normal relations with the state of Israel ; • Moving our embassy in Israel to Jerusalem as every prior administration has claimed to support and promised but failed to do and as Mr. Trump ’ s political adversaries opposed , wrongly predicting that the step would lead to chaos in the region ; • Clearly recognizing and acting effectively to protect U.S. interests through such things as renegotiating unfair trade agreements that sent jobs and manufacturing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. taxpayer dollars to foreign powers hostile to us , and freeing us from the Paris Climate Accords that would have cost the country trillions of dollars and crippled our economy ; • Quietly but firmly standing up to aggressive steps by China ’ s communist government and making it clear that the U.S. will continue to do so ; and • Repudiating and withdrawing from the execrable nuclear deal with which the prior administration rewarded and tried to appease the mullahs ruling Iran .
There are three further and very important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump despite all his blustering : First , the possibility of an individual with Mr. Biden ’ s demonstrated lack of judgment and questionable mental health having any measure of control over our nuclear arsenal is too terrifying to contemplate .
The most recent demonstration of his judgment was his selection of Kamala Harris to run with him as his vice presidential candidate .
Given the age of each of the two viable presidential candidates , voters would be well advised also to consider whether they would prefer have Mike Pence or Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the nation ’ s stockpile of nuclear weapons .
Second , although his opponents equate him to Hitler and claim he is tyrannical , Mr. Trump is the exact opposite .
Aspiring dictators centralize control to garner power .
President Trump has steadily increased the powers and responsibilities of state and local governments and those of individual citizens at the expense of those in the federal government .
Finally and most importantly , President Trump has come to grips with and begun to limit the power of the very real and dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureaucracies permanently staffed too often by zealous individuals who feel entitled to substitute their policy preferences for those promulgated by officials we elect to temporarily run our government .
We should all hope and pray that President Trump will continue and be successful in that vital endeavor .
Peter Taussig is a retired lawyer who practiced in San Francisco for more than 50 years .
Before graduating from law school , he worked as a newspaper editor and reporter and served as an officer in the U.S. Army .
An Eagle Scout , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the mid-South during the region ’ s turbulent initial school integration days in the second half of the 1950s .
Photo “ Donald Trump ” and “ Joe Biden ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Conservative Clergy of Color Offers Corporate Training Program As Alternative to Racist Narrative Pu

Conservative Clergy of Color Offers Corporate Training Program As Alternative to Racist Narrative Pushed by Black Lives Matter

The Conservative Clergy of Color wants businesses to know they have an alternative to the racist rhetoric being thrown around for diversity training .
The organization this week announced the “ Getting to All Lives Matter , ” a fact-based , six-step training program that operates on the assumption all Americans want to build a better society .
This is an alternative to the rhetoric pushed by Black Lives Matter , which attempts to scare businesses , they said .
The program ’ s six steps are : • Why The All Lives Matter Approach Means Stronger Teams • How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is The Media ?
• What ’ s Working , What Didn ’ t , and What Should Be Tried Bishop Aubrey Shines , chairman of the Conservative Clergy of Color , spoke to Star News Digital Media .
He said the organization already had been contacting corporations , some of which have shown interest .
They are now conducting a media “ blitz ” to spread the word that there is an alternative to looting .
“ We want to present this from a historical Judeo-Christian perspective , ” Shines said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will cool down the divisiveness we are seeing across the nation.
” Depending on their availability , the clergy will work with a company ’ s HR department or designated manager .
They have specific data and a curriculum .
Anyone who wants more information is welcome to contact the Conservative Clergy of Color through their website here , Shines said .
The organization also plans to announce a new phone number later today , he said .
“ We are an alternative voice to the rhetoric and the … looting and burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and systemic racism , ” Shines said .
“ It ’ s silly .
It has no historical basis to it .
These are revisionists who are trying to sow the seeds of discord .
We ’ re not going for it .
We are American .
Period.
” Conservative Clergy of Color ’ s website says the organization is an “ educational nonprofit that seeks to set the record straight on the truths that guide our country .
Its goal is to build , not to destroy.
” Jason M. Reynolds has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Photo “ Bishop Aubrey Shines ” by Conservative Clergy of Color .
Star News Digital Media executives also own Old Ironsides Advisors , a management consultancy serving conservative nonprofits including Conservative Clergy of Color .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--CONSTITUTION DAY: 917 Society Members Hope Greater Knowledge of the U.S. Constitution Can Remedy Nat

CONSTITUTION DAY: 917 Society Members Hope Greater Knowledge of the U.S. Constitution Can Remedy Nation’s Ills

FRANKLIN , Tennessee — Members of the Tennessee-based 917 Society celebrated Constitution Day Thursday , and some speakers expressed optimism that more widespread knowledge of the U.S. Constitution can help overcome this country ’ s current divisions .
917 Society members gathered at the Elks Lodge in Franklin .
“ I know that I ’ m preaching to the choir , but I am frustrated with a lot of the stuff that ’ s going on in this country today , and I know that you all probably feel the same way , ” Beaman said .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have that ’ s exhibited in violence and riots against the police , against the military , against the foundations of this country , and tearing statues down , ” Beaman said .
Beaman said the people who make up what he called the “ Hate America Crowd ” worried him , especially since it seemed many Americans share their point of view .
“ How did it get this way ?
” Beaman asked .
“ I think that we patriots who love this country have been derelict in our responsibilities.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , universities , and elected officials “ to go way far afield , ” and people who love American need to take more of a stand .
“ One of the small things that can mean a lot is if everybody understands the Constitution , ” Beaman said .
Nashville physician Ming Wang , who immigrated to the United States from communist China , said that too many Americans “ fixate on our differences rather than appreciate what we have in common.
” “ When I see these riots , as an immigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have freedom , I just want to shout at them and say ‘ Don ’ t screw it up .
We ’ ve got it good , ’ ” Wang said .
“ This is the best country and such a blessing .
Can ’ t we just protect and appreciate what we have and keep America strong ?
’ ” Wang said that finding common ground will help Americans overcome their polarizations .
As reported , because of the 917 Society every eighth-grader in Tennessee gets a copy of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school and about four years before they start voting .
Eighth-grade is the year students are supposed to have civics in the U.S. curriculum .
Constitutional literacy right now , as members of the group have pointed out , is low among many people .
Due to the lack of funding and resources , teachers find it difficult to add one more thing to their classroom agenda .
That ’ s where the 917 Society comes in .
Tennessee is the first state to offer a free state Constitution Day program .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Hosts Leahy and Swain Plan Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire’s Welcome Party to Nashville

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist , Dr. Carol Swain , to the studio .
At the end of the second hour , host Leahy and Swain discussed planning a welcome party for Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire who will be relocating from Los Angeles to the Nashville area and perhaps as a judge for the National Constitution Bee on October 24 at the Springhill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy : We want to plan the welcome party for Ben Shapiro at the Daily Wire .
75 people .
And they are bringing jobs by the way .
Jobs are open hereto join Ben Shapiro ’ s Daily Wire team .
Now we got to think through this party that we are going to have .
And by the way , every listener is welcome to be joining this party .
Call in if you want to join .
We ’ ll do it in October at some time .
But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swain : First of all , we have to have a location outside of Davidson County where you can have more than 25 people .
Leahy : Carol !
You are so right .
You took the words out of my mouth .
So in October , we are going to have a party .
And if you want to give us an idea of where this venue will be , it will be to welcome Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire to Nashville .
And by the way , I did talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning show , the other news talk station .
Ben Shapiro runs late at night on the other station .
And I ’ ve invited them to participate in this as well .
And they did not say no .
So we ’ ll see .
But we are going to have a party .
And really we are going to have a celebration of Ben Shapiro coming to Nashville .
Except , Carol you are absolutely right .
It can not be held in Davidson County .
Can not be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city like a guy with a Napolean complex , Mayor Cooper .
Swain : Well we could call it a protest ( Leahy laughs ) and have it somewhere in Davidson County .
Leahy : Obviously if we weren ’ t wearing masks we ’ d all be arrested and get fines .
If we called it a Black Lives Matter protest everybody could do it and nobody would be arrested .
But here ’ s my thought .
I actually do have a venue secured in Brentwood .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this and it might not be exactly the right way to do it .
We are going to make it for an evening .
We ’ ll go to the National Constitution Bee where we are giving away prizes to kids who participate in the bee and read our book .
Guidetotheconstitution.org .
You can go there and read it and listen to podcasts .
We ’ ve been doing this for the fourth year .
The first year to be national .
We are holding on October 24 in Brentwood at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve got that reserved for the entire day .
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day for the National Constitution Bee .
But Carol , what do you think about this .
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. we still have the room .
We could have that as the venue for the welcome to Nashville Ben Shapiro and Daily Wire party .
Swain : I think that ’ s very clever of how you promoted the National Constitution Bee and the party planning .
And the Spring Hill Suites , how many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : It can hold several hundred .
Swain : I was wondering about the venue .
And if it is large enough .
Is it owned by conservatives ?
Leahy : I think so .
You ’ ve got your event that ’ s earlier ?
Swain : No , this is something else .
Leahy : You ’ ve got so much going on Carol .
Leahy : Carol , this is just too much fun planning a party for Ben Shapiro .
I am also going to invite Ben Shapiro .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ know you get up every morning in LA and you listen to this program .
I ’ m going to invite Ben to be one of our judges at the National Constitution Bee to celebrate Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire for coming to Nashville .
What do you think about that ?
Swain : I think you need to run it by his handlers .
Leahy : We need to run it by Ben .
And actually we ’ ll hold the party for him whether or not they show up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebration .
Swain : And maybe it would bring conservatives together .
Leahy : I ’ d like that .
We were thinking about this .
Swain : Except , he would not be an establishment conservative and so that would be a problem .
Leahy : Well , here ’ s the thing .
I have the venue all day .
Swain : Alright .
Well if Ben Shapiro nixed the party I ’ ll try to find a use for that venue .
It will be free right ?
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down October 24 .
I guess I ’ ll have to get event insurance for two things .
The National Constitution Bee from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And then the welcome Ben Shapiro party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Swain : You must have a lot of stamina for a person that ’ s over 50 .
( Laughs ) Leahy : Shh .
Now don ’ t tell anybody , Carol .
I know you are a youngster .
But I ’ m in the danger zone for COVID .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oh my .
And you don ’ t have a mask on .
Leahy : How could you do a radio show with a mask ?
Speaking of which I just have to play this clip of Joe Biden just staying stupid stuff .
Swain : Well , that ’ s what Democrats do .
Leahy : Yeah .
Pretty much .
That ’ s why people have to listen to this show to get the truth .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Ben Shapiro ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Commentary: Critical Race Theory Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg in Woke Government Training

The Trump Administration put critical race theory on notice this month .
The White House issued a directive outlawing the inclusion of exercises based on this theory in government training .
“ These types of ‘ trainings ’ not only run counter to the fundamental beliefs for which our Nation has stood since its inception , but they also engender division and resentment within the Federal workforce , ” the directive declared .
Government agencies , such as the Department of Education , followed the directive ’ s lead and now aim to root out this insidious indoctrination .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training “ that teaches , trains or suggests the following : ( 1 ) virtually all White people contribute to racism or benefit from racism ( 2 ) critical race theory ( 3 ) white privilege ( 4 ) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country ( 5 ) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil ( 6 ) Anti-American propaganda.
” This is a strong and correct move by President Trump .
Researcher Christopher Rufo has done a phenomenal job exposing these racist , anti-American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in our government and it ’ s commendable that the president is doing something about it .
But it must be understood this only scratches the surface of the problem .
These employees will still learn about the absolute necessity of “ diversity and inclusion.
” They may not hear the worst excesses that Rufo has exposed , but they will be taught about why they must strive to make their agency more politically correct .
The White House directive leaves diversity and inclusion material standing—a major component of government training .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its diversity and inclusion training satisfies the White House directive .
Diversity and inclusion training is just a mild form of critical race theory .
You can see this from the many examples of diversity and inclusion training offered by government agencies .
Consider the Department of Veterans Affairs training on the subject .
In its standard PowerPoint , it criticizes the idea of the American melting pot and tells employees to think of America as a “ vegetable soup instead.
” It supports resistance to assimilation , with one bullet point declaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not want to be assimilated , they want their tastes , looks and texture to remain whole.
” The PowerPoint extols diversity as the greatest thing ever , claiming there is a business , economic , and human imperative for this trait .
“ Diverse teams are more creative and perform better in problem-solving than homogeneous teams , ” the training states .
It also argues : “ the human costs of intolerance to diversity is incalculable.
” The training curiously blames the 1986 Challenger disaster on NASA ’ s lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case where an employee is supposed to overlook a Costa Rican worker ’ s tardiness and lack of apology due to cultural differences .
This is less outrageous than teaching employees to hate whites or whites to hate themselves , but it is still left-wing indoctrination .
Some departments are even keeping critical race theory training and simply changing the name .
On Monday , Rufo exposed a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention teaching series that demands white employees acknowledge their privilege and claims America was founded on white supremacy .
Thankfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canceled soon after it was exposed , but there could be many more like it skirting the president ’ s directive .
Sources tell me that the proposed directive was supposed to target all diversity training .
That would make perfect sense , since much of the material and coursework also encourages white privilege-checking and anti-American views .
But administration officials , fearful of a backlash , scrapped this expansive plan in favor of one more narrow in its aim at critical race theory training .
Of course , it ’ s good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjected to the more radical versions of diversity training .
White employees won ’ t be told directly they ’ re racist and that they need to check their white privilege .
They also probably won ’ t be told that America was founded on white supremacy and racial exploitation .
But the directive does not eradicate the woke rot within our government .
The new plan merely restores the government ’ s level of indoctrination back to how it was under Barack Obama .
Sadly , this training is not just limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of this indoctrination on their employees .
Some corporations are implementing the radical anti-white training the administration is scrapping for government employees .
The Democrats want all of this to be expanded in the public and private sectors .
Senator Bob Menendez ( D-N.J. ) introduced legislation in July that would demand more diversity and inclusion initiatives from government agencies and contractors .
Under the legislation , agencies and contractors would have to submit diversity plans to boost this most cherished project in their offices .
“ Our Federal Jobs Act strives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for the people , look more like the people it represents .
Increasing diversity in the workplace also creates a culture of inclusion that is reflected in the policies and programs advanced by the federal agencies , giving visibility and a voice to communities that are often left behind , ” Menendez said of his bill .
Democrats also have legislation targeting private companies to make sure they comply with the diversity cult .
The Promoting Diversity and Inclusion Act of 2019 is one such example .
The bill would rate financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversity and inclusion , essentially making this trait equivalent to a bank ’ s assets .
“ When you have power , you have to use it , ” said bill sponsor Rep. Al Green ( D-Texas ) .
“ We have the power .
Regulations may be the thing to do .
I think the carrot was a good idea , but after having heard some things today , I think we have to move to the stick , that ’ s regulations.
” “ Move to the stick ” is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlled by the Democrats will promote diversity .
Trump can counter this dystopian vision with a more aggressive attack on diversity and inclusion training .
America is a meritocracy that should not prize workers based on skin color .
It should focus on training the best workers to do their jobs effectively .
Diversity training shifts employee and employer focus toward left-wing imperatives and away from getting the job done right .
It ’ s anti-American and a waste of resources .
In the words of our president , this is a sickness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Paul Bradford is a Capitol Hill refugee now earning an honest living .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Metro Council Member-at-Large Steve Glover Appears on ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ to Discuss Nashville

Metro Council Member-at-Large Steve Glover Appears on ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ to Discuss Nashville COVID Cover-Up

On the heels of the stunning revelations by Nashville journalist Dennis Ferrier that the Mayor John Cooper ’ s office suppressed the report of improving coronavirus case numbers , City Council Steve Glover appeared on Fox News ’ Tucker Carlson Tonight Thursday .
TUCKER CARLSON : Steve Glover is a city councilmember in the great city of Nashville , and we ’ re happy to have him on tonight .
Mr. Glover , thank you for coming on .
Mr. Glover , a very straightforward question : it ’ s your city , you are an elected official in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the population of Nashville get a straight answer about what the basic coronavirus data are from the mayor ?
STEVE GLOVER : So , I ’ ll give you what I think is probably a simple answer .
I believe that the mayor happens to substitute his wisdom on a regular basis for those who are in the Health Department , along with the professionals he has around him in his own office ; and he constantly inserts his own wisdom versus those outside .
There seems to be a heavy-handed approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , yes , This doesn ’ t seem to be guided by science in the slightest .
If you have 22 cases in bars and restaurants , then that suggests maybe they shouldn ’ t be locked down .
Why would he hide that information ?
What ’ s in it for him when the population of Nashville suffers ?
GLOVER : Well , the problem is , all your going to do is speculate on this .
You said it – Nashville is absolutely a great city .
We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have people who embrace one another .
Who love one another .
And we also so fortunate and blessed that we have great tourists that come and visit us – and by the way , spend a lot of money in Nashville .
The major problem is , we don ’ t have a city problem right nere in Nashville .
We have a leadership problem in Nashville .
I think you are asking the right questions and forgive me for not being able to give you the answer in a definite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why we are doing this .
We are destroying the downtown area , literally .
Not only economic engine for Nashville – but also the economic engine for the state for the state of Tennessee .
You know , Governor Lee is opening the state back up .
It ’ s time we do the same thing for Nashville .
CARLSON : So , you just had a reporter catch the mayor of your city – one of the fastest growing cities in the country – hiding critical health data for political reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should he still be your mayor for a single day more ?
That seems unforgivable to me .
GLOVER : I don ’ t know the exact legal answer to that .
I will tell you that over the last 24 hours , life ’ s been a little bit hectic here because of this .
I started working with a group , aSmartNashville.org , about a month ago , and we started looking at this data .
As they brought this data to me , I looked at it and nothing ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same as any one of these cities that are run by the far-left liberal group .
And so the problem was that none of the data made sense .
Well , there are some wonderful people here great hospitals – but they couldn ’ t get the right data , they couldn ’ t get the number of beds , they report ICU ; they report all these other things .
And you ask , ‘ based on what ?
’ It never was actual – they never reported what the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can find a way to get rid of that mayor .
There ’ s no reason a city like Nashville would be held hostage by a liar by Mayor Cooper .
In my opinion , anyway .
Mr. Glover , thank you .
May you have godspeed on that .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--‘Nothing Left in the Bucket’: Wildfire Resources Run Thin

Justin Silvera came off the fire lines in Northern California after a grueling 36 straight days battling wildfires and evacuating residents ahead of the flames .
Before that , he and his crew had worked for 20 days , followed by a three-day break .
Silvera , a 43-year-old battalion chief with Cal Fire , California ’ s state firefighting agency , said he ’ s lost track of the blazes he ’ s fought this year .
He and his crew have sometimes been on duty for 64 hours at a stretch , their only rest coming in 20-minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this 23 years , and by far this is the worst I ’ ve seen , ” Silvera said before bunking down at a motel for 24 hours .
After working in Santa Cruz County , his next assignment was to head north to attack wildfires near the Oregon border .
His exhaustion reflects the situation on the West Coast fire lines : This year ’ s blazes have taxed the human , mechanical and financial resources of the nation ’ s wildfire-fighting forces to an extraordinary degree .
And half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Heat , drought and a strategic decision to attack the flames early combined with the coronavirus to put a historically heavy burden on fire teams .
“ There ’ s never enough resources , ” said Silvera , one of nearly 17,000 firefighters battling the California blazes .
“ Typically with Cal Fire , we ’ re able to attack — air tankers , choppers , dozers .
We ’ re good at doing that .
But these conditions in the field , the drought , the wind , this stuff is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t contain one before another erupts.
” Washington State Forester George Geissler says there are hundreds of unfulfilled requests for help throughout the West .
Agencies are constantly seeking firefighters , aircraft , engines and support personnel .
Fire crews have been summoned from at least nine states and other countries , including Canada and Israel .
Hundreds of agreements for agencies to offer mutual assistance have been maxed out at the federal , state and local levels , he said .
“ We know that there ’ s really nothing left in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our sister agencies to the south in California and Oregon are really struggling.
” Demand for firefighting resources has been high since mid-August , when fire officials bumped the national preparedness level to critical , meaning at least 80 % of crews were already committed to fighting fires , and there were few personnel and little equipment to spare .
Because of the extreme fire behavior , “ you can ’ t say for sure having more resources would make a difference , ” said Carrie Bilbao , a spokesperson for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. government operation in Boise , Idaho help decide which fires get priority when equipment and firefighters run scarce nationwide .
Government spending on fighting wildfires has more than tripled since the 1990s , to an average of $ 1.8 billion annually .
That ’ s failed to reduce the problem as climate change , drought and millions of trees killed by pests led to more fires in the Western U.S. over the same period , particularly dangerous “ megafires ” that burn 100,000 acres ( 404 square kilometers ) or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers to push prevention efforts , including controlled burns , faster approval of logging projects and upgrading homes to make them more fire resistant .
“ We are at a critical time : The West is burning .
People are dying .
The smoke is literally starting to cover our country , and our way of life as we know it is in danger , ” Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana said Wednesday during testimony in support of an emergency wildfire bill , co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevention .
Andy Stahl , a forester who runs Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics , an advocacy group in Oregon , said it would have been impossible to stop some of the most destructive blazes , a task he compared to “ dropping a bucket of water on an atomic bomb.
” Yet Stahl contends the damage could have been less if government agencies were not so keen to put out every blaze .
Extinguishing smaller fires and those that ignite during wetter months allows fuel to build up , setting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drought and hot , windy weather , he said .
That ’ s been exacerbated this year by the pandemic , which led U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen to issue a directive in June to fight all fires aggressively , reversing a decadeslong trend of allowing some to burn .
The idea was to minimize large concentrations of firefighters by extinguishing blazes quickly .
Fighting the flames from the air was key to the strategy , with 35 air tankers and 200 helicopters used , Forest Service spokesperson Kaari Carpenter said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths of firefighters , including four aviators , fire officials in Boise warned that long-term fatigue was setting in .
They called for a “ tactical pause ” to reinforce safe practices .
With no end in sight to the pandemic , some worry the focus on aggressively attacking every fire could last .
Allowing instead for more fires to burn if they are not threatening life or property would free up firefighters for the most dangerous blazes , said Tim Ingalsbee with the advocacy group Firefighters United for Safety , Ethics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,000 personnel have been fighting blazes from the Oregon border to the Mexico border , bouncing from fire to fire , said Tim Edwards , president of the union for Cal Fire , the nation ’ s second largest firefighting agency .
“ We ’ re battle-hardened , but it seems year after year , it gets tougher , and at some point in time , we won ’ t be able to cope .
We ’ ll reach a breaking point , ” said Edwards , a 25-year veteran .
The immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in camp and at home .
Firefighters “ see all this destruction and the fatigue , and then they ’ re getting those calls from home , where their families are dealing with school and child care because of COVID .
It ’ s stressing them out , and we have to keep their heads in the game , ” he said .
The pandemic also has limited the state ’ s use of inmate fire crews — either because of early releases to prevent outbreaks in prisons or because many are under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Aside from the human toll , the conflagrations in Colorado , Montana , Utah , New Mexico , Arizona , and now California and the Pacific Northwest have cost hundreds of millions of dollars .
California alone has spent $ 529 million since July 1 on wildfires , said Daniel Berlant , assistant deputy director of Cal Fire .
By comparison , the state spent $ 691 million the entire fiscal year that ended June 30 .
The U.S. government will reimburse most state costs for the biggest disasters .
Back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saved two people at the beginning of their 26-day tour .
Two hikers encountered the crew after the firefighters themselves were briefly trapped while trying to save the headquarters building at Big Basin Redwoods State Park .
“ We got in a bad spot , and there were a few hours there we didn ’ t know if we ’ d make it , ” Silvera said .
“ Those people found us , and we wouldn ’ t have been in there.
” “ That ’ s what you sign up for.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters for The Associated Press .
Anderson reported from Denver and Brown reported from Billings , Montana .
About the Headline Photo : In this Sept. 7 , 2020 , file photo , a firefighter battles the Creek Fire as it threatens homes in the Cascadel Woods neighborhood of Madera County , Calif .
This year ’ s fires have taxed the human , mechanical and financial resources of the nation ’ s wildfire fighting forces to a degree that few past blazes did .
And half of the fire season is yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--In Leaked November 2016 Phone Call with Ukraine President, Biden Sought to Undermine Trump Administr

In Leaked November 2016 Phone Call with Ukraine President, Biden Sought to Undermine Trump Administration

In November of 2016 , then-Vice President Joe Biden belittled and sought to undermine the incoming Trump administration , a recently leaked phone call between Biden and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko reveals .
In the call , which was brought to light by Ukrainian politician Andriy Derkach , the outgoing veep told Poroshenko that he had withheld certain information regarding Ukraine from the Trump transition team because they lacked foreign policy experience .
Biden also promised to stay “ deeply engaged ” in Ukraine policy even after he left office .
Biden famously threatened Poroshenko in March 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pull $ 1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees if he didn ’ t immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin , who was investigating corruption at Burisma Holdings , a natural gas company that employed his son Hunter Biden .
Last May , Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky called for an investigation after audio recordings from that telephone conversation leaked .
Shokin described how Poroshenko had pressured him to tank the Burisma investigation in a a sworn affidavit prepared for a European court .
“ On several occasions President Poroshenko asked me to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider the possibility of winding down the investigative actions in respect of this company but I refused to close this investigation , ” Shokin testified .
“ The truth is that I was forced out because I was leading a wide-ranging corruption probe into Burisma Holdings , a natural gas firm active in Ukraine and Joe Biden ’ s son , Hunter Biden , was a member of the Board of Directors.
” In the November 16 , 2016 phone call , Biden told Poroshenko that Trump ’ s team was not up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ The truth of the matter is that the incoming administration doesn ’ t know a great deal about the situation , ” he said .
Biden also asked the then-president of Ukraine what he said in his phone call with the newly elected Trump , saying that his potential trip to Ukraine in December depended on the answer .
“ With regard to my coming on the 21st , as I told you I can never come … the 21st .
I am going to try to come immediately after , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s where I am now , part of my answer to that depends on what was your conversation with our president-elect ?
” Biden said .
The former vice president then began disparaging the incoming Trump team in earnest , saying that they did not think they were going to win the election and because of this , the incoming administration was not up to the job .
“ One of the things I ’ ve been doing is spending — they are not making the — I ’ m not being critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the incoming administration has been very , very slow on getting ready for transition , ” Biden said .
“ Quite frankly , like most of America , they didn ’ t think they were going to win the election , so they did not have a fulsome transition team .
As a matter of fact , they changed their transition team .
Transition is a very , very delicate and precise dance , it goes on from administration to administration over the last 100 years and it requires the exchange of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he continued .
Biden went on to divulge that he had withheld some information regarding Ukraine from members of the Trump transition team .
“ And the people they put forward to be part of the transition have to be cleared to do that , just as we had to be cleared after the Bush administration , etc .
They have not done that , they ’ re trying to catch up and do it now since they fired the guy who headed up the transition just last week .
The reason I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been somewhat limited on what I am able to tell their team about Ukraine , ” he explained .
In November of 2016 , Trump fired two very questionable individuals who had been handling national security for the transition , former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan and lobbyist Matthew Freedman .
The “ purge ” was reportedly orchestrated by Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law and close adviser .
“ The truth of the matter is that the incoming administration doesn ’ t know a great deal about the situation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ president-elect , who is the only one who has any foreign policy experience , ” he added , referring to Vice President Mike Pence .
At the time , it should be noted , the FBI was conducting a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign ’ s contacts with Russia based the Democrat-funded opposition research gathered by the anti-Trump former British spy Christopher Steele .
Poroshenko said that Biden played “ an enormous role in bringing peace to my country , and actually save my country , ” and Biden thanked him for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to divulge his plans to remain involved in U.S-Ukrainian policy even after leaving office .
“ Well , you ’ re awfully generous , ” Biden said , adding , “ I don ’ t plan on going away .
As a private citizen , I plan on staying deeply engaged in the endeavor that you have begun and we have begun.
” The former VP then expressed concern that the incoming administration might question his motives if he set up a foreign policy backchannel for himself after he left office as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried that they don ’ t know enough , they will think I ’ m trying to game them , ” Biden explained .
“ They will think I am trying to put them in a corner .
They will question my motives in going before they are fully briefed .
And I ’ m sure you understand that , you ’ re a good negotiator , ” he added .
In a post at the Federalist Thursday , Alex Plitsas , a national security expert and U.S. Army combat veteran of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer to set up a backchannel with Ukraine after he left office a potential Logan Act violation , an ironic twist since it was Biden himself who suggested using the rarely used law against National Security Advisor Michael Flynn as a pretext to pursue criminal charges against him .
Robert Gates , who served as defense secretary for the Obama administration , said in his memoir that Biden has “ been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.
” Despite Biden ’ s established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama selected him to be the “ point man ” on Ukraine , Iraq , Afghanistan and China due to his 30 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee .
As the hapless Biden campaigns to be the nation ’ s next commander-in-chief , we continue to see the fallout from Obama ’ s unfortunate choice .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Support for BLM Drops Among Hispanics, White Voters, and Republicans, New Poll Shows

Support for the Black Lives Matter movement has fallen since June , dropping more than 12 percentage points over the past three months among non-black Americans , according to a poll published Thursday .
Roughly 55 % of American adults said that they supported BLM in September , compared to 67 % of people who said the same thing in June , according to a poll from the Pew Research Center .
White American support fell the most , dipping from 60 % in June to 45 % in September , the poll found .
Hispanic American support for BLM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while Asian Americans have cooled to the movement as well , with support dropping from 75 % to 69 % since June .
The poll comes nearly four months after the death of George Floyd , a black man who died in late May after a white officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes , per video of the incident .
The poll draws from data collected in a panel conducted Sept. 8 to Sept. 13 .
A total of 10,093 panelists responded out of 11,506 who were sampled , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the full slate of respondents falling at plus or minus 1.6 percentage points .
Support for BLM among Republicans fell from 37 % in June to 16 % as of September , while support among Democrats has remained high , decreasing slightly from 92 % in June to 88 % this month .
Demonstrations and riots followed the death of Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake , a black man who was shot in the back multiple times in August by cops .
Blake told investigators after the shooting that he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of the incident , according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice .
Support for demonstrations against police shootings stood at 61 % approval to 36 % disapproval in June , but both figures changed to 48 % in August , according to a Marquette Law School poll published in August .
That poll was conducted prior to protests in Kenosha , Wisconsin , which began after police shot Blake .
Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Analysis: Is the Official COVID-19 Death Toll Accurate?

Roughly two-thirds of U.S. residents don ’ t believe the CDC ’ s official tally for the number of Covid-19 deaths .
This distrust , however , flows in opposing directions .
A nationally representative survey conducted by Axios/Ipsos in late July 2020 found that 37 % of adults think the real number of C-19 fatalities in the U.S. is lower than reported , while 31 % think the true death toll is greater than reported .
The facts show that neither side has an airtight case , but the evidence is more consistent with the theory that less people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures indicate .
Nevertheless , the extent of the possible overcount is unknown , and even if it were as high as 50,000 , it would not make a marked difference in key measures of the pandemic ’ s severity .
Hence , debates over the accuracy of the death toll distract from other issues with much greater implications .
The main argument of those who claim that the official C-19 death tally is an undercount is based on a factor called “ excess deaths.
” This is defined as the total number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic minus the number of deaths that would normally occur at this time of the year .
In the words of the Government Accountability Office , “ Examining higher-than-expected deaths from all causes helps to address limitations in the reporting of Covid-19 deaths because the number of total deaths is likely more accurate than the numbers of deaths from specific causes.
” U.S. death certificate data shows that the rise in deaths during the pandemic has indeed been greater than the number of reported C-19 deaths .
Some jump to the conclusion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were not recorded as such , but a broad array of data indicates that the bulk or all of them are caused by societal reactions to C-19—instead of the disease itself .
For a prime example of how people misconstrue this issue , CNN ’ s chief media correspondent , Brian Stelter , reported on August 16 : We are likely to see the 170,000 mark crossed today—confirmed deaths from Covid-19 .
But researchers have looked at the actual number of excess deaths in this country—estimated deaths above the norm—and they say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far this year .
So the real actual death toll from Covid-19 is around 200,000 .
We have to constantly remind viewers that it ’ s even worse than we know .
It ’ s even worse than the data indicate .
First , Stelter is wrong that this figure is for “ confirmed ” deaths .
It is actually for “ confirmed ” plus “ suspected ” deaths .
Those exact words come from the CDC ’ s official guidance for certifying C-19 deaths , which was published on April 3 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim , the CDC ’ s website stated that its C-19 “ case counts and death counts ” have included “ both confirmed and probable cases and deaths ” since April 14 .
In other words , Stelter misrepresented the essence of the data even though this accounting change was in effect for four full months .
The impact of including probable deaths in the count is evidenced by how the CDC altered its website when it adopted this methodology .
Two days after the new method of counting deaths was implemented , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of its usual once-per-day update ) to incorporate this revision .
The changes it made on that day ( April 16 ) provide a rough sense of scale for how the new policy modified the death toll : • None any updates , the CDC reported that 24,582 people had died from C-19 as of April 14 .
• None , the CDC reported that 27,012 people had died from C-19 as of April 15 , including 22,871 “ confirmed ” and 4,141 “ probable.
” • None , the CDC reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of April 15 , including 26,930 “ confirmed ” and 4,141 “ probable.
” Taken at face value , the second update shows that CDC ’ s insertion of “ probable ” cases raised the death count from 26,930 to 31,071 , or by 15 % .
From a more skeptical standpoint , the difference between the 22,871 “ confirmed ” deaths on the first update and the 31,071 “ confirmed and probable ” deaths on the second update amounts to a 36 % rise caused by these bookkeeping modifications .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholars who conduct research on excess deaths have found that multitudes of them have been caused by lockdowns , panic , and other responses to the pandemic .
In July 2020 , the Journal of the American Medical Association published a paper regarding this matter by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Yale University .
An article about the study from Virginia Commonwealth University summarizes its findings and quotes the researchers as follows : • None Some excess deaths “ may reflect under-reporting ” or “ patients with Covid-19 who died from related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility , the one we ’ re quite concerned about is ” the “ spillover effects of the pandemic , such as delayed medical care , economic hardship or emotional distress.
” • None In the five states that that had the most Covid-19 deaths in March and April : • None “ New York City ’ s death rates alone rose a staggering 398 % from heart disease and 356 % from diabetes.
” • None “ Still others may have struggled to deal with the consequences of job loss or social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people struggling with depression , addiction and very difficult economic conditions caused by lockdowns may have become increasingly desperate , and some may have died by suicide .
People addicted to opioids and other drugs may have overdosed.
” • None “ The findings from ” the “ study confirm an alarming trend across the U.S. , where community members experiencing a health emergency are staying home—a decision that can have long-term , and sometimes fatal , consequences.
” Numerous other facts corroborate the ones above , a small sampling of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific survey commissioned by the American College of Emergency Physicians in April 2020 found that of adults have “ actively delayed or avoided seeking medical care due to concerns about contracting ” C-19 .
• None • None “ Doctors at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek say they have seen more deaths by suicide during this quarantine period than deaths from the Covid-19 virus.
” • None Mike deBoisblanc , head of the trauma unit at the hospital stated that he ’ s “ seen a year ’ s worth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” and “ mental health is suffering so much ” that he says “ it is time to end the shelter-in-place order.
” • None A scientific survey conducted by the CDC in July 2020 found that about of U.S. adults had “ symptoms of anxiety disorder ” as compared to around the same time last year .
The perils of this are underscored by a , which found that the overall risk of death among people with anxiety is 43 % higher than the general population .
• None A study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that 27.8 % of U.S. adults had symptoms of depression during the C-19 pandemic as compared to 8.5 % before the pandemic .
The same found that depression is associated with a 71 % higher risk of death .
• None published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimated that “ more than 20 million jobs ” were “ swept away ” in the early months of the C-19 pandemic .
about mortality , “ psychosocial stress , ” and job losses found that “ unemployment is associated with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies controlling for covariates.
” • None A study published by Just Facts in found that anxiety related to C-19 will ultimately destroy at least seven times more years of life than can possibly be saved by lockdowns .
With regard to this study , the accomplished psychiatrist Joseph P. Damore , Jr. wrote that it “ thoroughly answers the question about the cure being worse than the disease.
” Thus , many or all of the excess deaths that Stelter and others attribute to C-19 are caused by the actions of governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not limited to stay-at-home orders , business shutdowns , and pervasive misinformation that fuels ill-informed decisions , panic , and depression .
Several lines of evidence prove that some deaths included in the official C-19 tally were , in fact , not caused by C-19 .
However , the combined weight of this evidence is not enough to prove that the reported death toll is significantly greater than the actual one .
Four weeks after the World Health Organization declared C-19 a pandemic , Dr. Deborah Birx , the coordinator of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the U.S. is taking a “ a very liberal approach ” to counting C-19 deaths compared to “ some countries.
” She then explained that “ if someone dies with Covid-19 , we are counting that as a Covid-19 death.
” Notably , that standard does not distinguish between dying from Covid-19 and dying with Covid-19 .
In the wake of Birx ’ s statement , various government officials revealed exactly how they were implementing this “ very liberal approach ” : • None • None “ In Macomb County , Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case in which an individual died by suicide .
Because they had a family member in the hospital suffering from Covid-19 , Spitz had a postmortem test done and found that the individual who died at home was positive for Covid-19 .
The virus wasn ’ t their cause of death , but the individual is counted as a Covid-19 death.
” • None In Oakland County , “ every individual who has died while infected with Covid-19 has counted as a coronavirus death , according to Dr. Ljubisa J. Dragovic , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • None • None If “ you were in hospice and had already been given a few weeks to live , and then you were also found to have Covid , that would be counted as a Covid death .
It means that technically , even if you died of a clear alternate cause , but you still had Covid at the time , it ’ s still listed as a Covid death.
” • None “ So everyone who ’ s listed as a Covid death doesn ’ t mean that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had Covid at the time of death.
” • None that the Department of Public Health was partly unwinding its previous policy but some of it would • None • None We are “ trying to remove those obvious cases ” from the C-19 death tally “ where the Covid diagnosis was not the reason for the death .
If there was a gunshot wound , if there was a motor vehicle accident , we know that that was not related to the Covid positive status.
” • None If “ someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and then had a stroke or other event , it ’ s not as easy to separate that and say Covid didn ’ t exacerbate that existing illness .
That would not be removed from the count.
” • None “ Even if somebody was very elderly and they were maybe in hospice , we still can ’ t say that their Covid infection didn ’ t hasten the death , and so it ’ s relevant that Covid-19 maybe had a chance to accelerate that process.
” • None • None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Environment has reclassified three deaths at a Centennial nursing home as Covid-19 deaths , despite the fact attending physicians ruled all three were not related to coronavirus.
” • None A spokesman for the state explained that it “ follows the CDC ’ s case definition of Covid-19 cases and deaths , ” and “ when a person with a lab-confirmed case of Covid-19 dies , their death is automatically counted as a Covid-19 death unless there is another cause that completely rules out Covid-19 , such as a fatal physical injury.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ death in Colorado where C-19 was completely ruled out , but the state counted it anyway : • None A man was found dead with blood alcohol content about twice the level that is potentially fatal , and Montezuma County Coroner George Deavers ruled that he died of alcohol poisoning .
• None Colorado ’ s Department of Public Health and Environment classified the case as a C-19 fatality because the man tested positive for C-19 after his death .
• None The coroner stated : “ Yes , he did have Covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his life.
” • None • None A local Fox news station asked Dr. Raul Pino , the health officer of Orange County , if two people in their twenties who had allegedly died of Covid-19 had any preexisting conditions .
Pino replied : “ The first one didn ’ t have any .
He died in a motorcycle accident.
” • None Two days after the news station published this story , Pino ’ s office said the case “ was reviewed , ” and the person “ was taken off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • None “ Even if it ’ s not listed on their death certificate , anyone who has a Covid-19 positive test within a certain period of when they died , is also counted as a Covid-19 positive death.
” • None If a person dies in a car crash and tested positive for C-19 in the prior 60 days , “ Yes , the death would be added ” to the C-19 death tally because “ it is important to understand who died WITH the disease even if the disease was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatal accidents are a small subset of the total.
” Short of scrutinizing every alleged C-19 death or a truly representative sample of them , there is no way to tell how many cases like those above are part of the official tally .
However , certain evidence suggests they are not a large portion of the total : • None Contrary to Birx ’ s statement in March , the CDC issued guidance in early April that : “ Not all conditions present at the time of death have to be reported—only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” • None The CDC posted that guidance on April 3 when the official C-19 death count was people , or less than one-thirtieth of the .
Thus , whatever happened prior to then can ’ t have a major impact on the total .
• None Some states instruct people who fill out death certificates to exclude C-19 if it didn ’ t play an active role in the fatality .
Mississippi , for instance , : “ If Covid-19 was unrelated to the cause of death and not a contributing factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the death certificate .
On the other hand , the CDC ’ s guidance and other government policies still incentivize or stack the deck in favor of including C-19 on death certificates .
For example : • None medical professionals to report C-19 deaths according to this standard : “ Whether Covid-19 shortened a life by 15 years or 15 minutes ; whether Covid-19 is an underlying or contributing condition , the virus was in circulation , infected an Alaskan , and hastened their death .
This must be reported.
” Given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a life by 15 minutes , these instructions favor placing C-19 on the death certificates of people who died • None for certifying C-19 deaths provides three examples of how to record them on death certificates , one of which involves an 86-year-old female who was never tested for C-19 , had a debilitating stroke three years prior to her death , and passed on with “ a high fever and severe cough after being exposed to an ill family member who subsequently was diagnosed with Covid-19.
” The guidance states the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pivotal factor that led to her death , should be listed as “ Probable Covid-19.
” However , can cause a fever and cough , and a recent shows it is not uncommon for people to display symptoms of C-19 but test negative for it .
• None , which became law in for treating Medicare patients who are diagnosed with C-19 .
Until recently , a positive lab test for C-19 was not needed to obtain this money , but the federal government in September “ to address potential Medicare program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not appear on a death certificate for hospitals to receive these payments , so it may not influence decisions to include it .
• None : “ If the patient was a confirmed Covid-19 case , but Covid-19 contributed to but did not cause the death , such as stroke , ” C-19 should be listed in Part II of the death certificate .
This again favors placing C-19 on death certificates , for as the director of Illinois Department of Public Health : If “ someone has another illness , like heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other event , it ’ s not as easy to separate that and say Covid didn ’ t exacerbate that existing illness.
” Note that the CDC in its C-19 death tally all death certificates that mention C-19 , regardless of whether it appears in Part I or Part II .
A breakdown of how many C-19 deaths appear in Part I versus Part II might shed considerable light on the issue of C-19 ’ s lethality .
This is because Part I of a death certificate “ is for reporting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , ” while Part II is for “ other significant conditions that contributed to the death , but are not a part of the sequence of conditions directly leading to the death.
” Thus , Just Facts requested such data from the CDC on September 11 and is awaiting a reply .
Media outlets have persistently reported on the number of C-19 deaths while ignoring vital facts that place them in context .
A simple example of this is that 2.8 million people die in the U.S. every year , including about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ import , accidents rob an average of 30.6 years of life from each of its victims , as compared to roughly 10.8 years for C-19 .
Yet in contrast , media outlets don ’ t continually publicize the running death tally from accidents .
This focus on the raw number of C-19 fatalities—combined with the fact that the very nature of the disease makes these figures uncertain—has spurred controversy over the accuracy of the CDC ’ s death count .
Adding fuel to the fire , the statements and actions of some public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But even if the real death toll is 50,000 less than the 200,000 deaths currently reported by the CDC , this 25 % difference would have little effect on key measures of the pandemic ’ s severity .
Consider , for example , the infection fatality rate , which is the portion of people who die after catching the disease .
In early March , the World Health Organization announced that “ about 3.4 % of reported Covid-19 cases have died ” and that “ by comparison , seasonal flu generally kills far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This 3.4 % figure was widely reported , and many media outlets criticized President Trump for saying , “ I think the 3.4 % is really a false number , ” and “ I would say the number is way under 1 % .
” As it turned out , Trump was correct , and the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford now estimates that the infection fatality rate for C-19 is “ somewhere between 0.1 % and 0.41 % .
” This is well below 1 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ range of the flu ’ s infection fatality rate of 0.15 % .
So even if C-19 deaths are overcounted by 25 % , and this exaggerates the fatality rates by the same amount , they would still be 0.1 % to 0.3 % —or practically unchanged .
Likewise , the CDC ’ s current best estimates for the infection fatality rate range from 0.003 % for people aged 0–19 to 5.4 % for people aged 70 and above .
Again , a 25 % change in these figures would leave them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the death count are a distraction from more informative measures like the odds of dying from C-19 for those who catch it .
In this case , the highly publicized figure of 3.4 % proved to be off by about a factor of 10 .
That is a major factor that truly informs the big picture .
From an even broader perspective , the most comprehensive available measure of the threat posed by Covid-19 is the total years of life that it will rob from all people who were alive at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts for the facts that : • None there is a material difference between a malady that kills a 20 year-old in the prime of her life and one that kills a 90-year-old who would have otherwise died a month later .
• None Covid-19 is unlikely to have an ongoing high death toll because the virus that causes it mutates than that of the flu and other contagious diseases .
Thus , it is far less likely to keep taking lives in the face of acquired immunity and vaccines .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the actual death toll amount to rounding errors in the relative threats posed by Covid-19 and other common scourges that take masses of lives every year : In conclusion , the facts of this matter accord with a Government Accountability Office technology assessment published in July that found : “ The extent of any net undercounting or overcounting of Covid-19 deaths is unknown.
” More importantly , debates over the accuracy of this figure divert attention from other issues that have much greater implications for understanding the pandemic and how it should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D. Agresti is the president of Just Facts , a think tank dedicated to publishing rigorously documented facts about public policy issues .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Sen. Blackburn Introduces Two Bills to Protect Police, Other First Responders

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) said she cosponsored two bills this week to support law enforcement officers and other first responders .
The bills follow an increase in violence against police which coincides with protests and riots .
“ Tennesseans hold our law enforcement officials in the highest regard , and expect us to provide support for them when needed , ” Blackburn said .
“ It ’ s unfortunate that the state of our public discourse has led us to this point.
” She tweeted , “ The radical left ’ s mob has no respect for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churches and destroying our cities.
” According to the FBI ’ s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Program , a total of 37 law enforcement officers have been killed in the U.S. in 2020 .
This represents an increase of more than 20 percent from a year ago .
Of those , eight were ambushed in premeditated attacks , two were victims of an unprovoked attack and the other 27 were killed in the line of duty .
Blackburn pointed to the attack Sunday on two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car .
Blackburn said , “ This year , there have been over 20 percent more law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty than this time in 2019 .
This devastating fact can be directly accredited to the chaos that has been emboldened by elected officials who have refused to maintain law and order in their cities.
” On Thursday , Blackburn and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis ( R-NC ) introduced the Protect and Serve Act to create federal penalties for people who deliberately target law enforcement officers with violence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the act , attacks would be a federal crime subject to a prison sentence of up to 10 years .
An offender could get life in prison if the crime causes death or if it includes kidnapping , attempted kidnapping or attempted murder .
Tillis said the act has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police , Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association , Sergeants Benevolent Association , and Major County Sheriffs of America .
On Wednesday , Blackburn and U.S. Sen. John Kennedy ( R-LA ) introduced the Stop Blocking Hospitals Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offense to obstruct any ambulance , fire department vehicle , law enforcement vehicle or emergency personnel from responding to an emergency .
Penalties would include imprisonment of one to five years , a fine or both .
Both the Protect and Serve Act and the Stop Blocking Hospitals Act are endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations , Tillis said .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Sign up for the Star News Education Foundation’s National Constitution Bee October 24

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – hosts Leahy and Swain discussed the National Constitution Bee competition to take place on October 24 at the Springhill Suites Marriott in Brentwood , Tennessee .
During the third hour , Leahy and Swain discuss the details of the National Constitution Bee which is open to all 8th grade thru 12th-grade students nationwide .
Leahy : I want to segway to a couple of interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Constitution was signed at Constitutional Hall in Philadelphia .
It was then sent to the states for ratification .
So this is Constitution Day and it seems relevant .
We also had some questions about our National Constitution Bee which is going to be held here in Brentwood , Tennessee at the Marriott Springhill Suites on October 24 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m .
This is for kids in 8th grade to 12th grade .
It ’ s all based upon the book that I co-authored .
Guide to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can go get the book .
It ’ s like $ 30 .
Go there and get the book .
Also , Carol , I have created a podcast of the entire book .
And so you can download it .
It ’ s about 27 podcasts and you can listen to the entire book .
If you are a kid right now and you want some scholarship money , $ 10,000 to the winner .
$ 5,000 to the second place .
$ 2,500 to third place .
We are giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That means not just college .
You can use the money from this scholarship to pay for your private school .
Swain : So Michael , what is the age range again ?
Leahy : Eighth grade to 12th grade .
Anybody in the entire United States listening to this right now , you can get the book .
guidetothecostitution.org .
You can listen to it for free the entire book with 27 podcasts .
Our friend Jimmy Tidwell moderated part of it .
Swain : When are you going to something for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step at a time Carol .
This is a lot of work .
Swain : We ’ re trying to save the republic here .
Leahy : Yeah .
I hear you !
Why are people under the age of 30 in favor of Joe Biden by two to one ?
Why do they hate capitalism ?
I ’ ll tell you why .
Leahy : They were born in 1990 and they were given propaganda from day one in K-12 public schools and in colleges .
Swain : What do you mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s happening in private schools as well as Christian academies .
Leahy : In some private schools it is yes .
Leahy : A lot .
So if you are out there right now .
I ’ m going to talk to Fran Bush who ’ s on the board of Metro Nashville and represents district six .
To the kids that aren ’ t going to school and want an opportunity to go to school and you are from district six in MNPS right now .
Sign up !
You can sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to guidetotheconstitution.org and you can get the book and listen to the book .
There is a link to sign up there as well .
it ’ s free to sign up .
The book costs $ 30 .
but it ’ s a great book .
I wrote part of it .
Swain : You don ’ t have to apologize for $ 30 .
Leahy : I think they can afford it .
But if they can ’ t the podcast is there .
Here is a little secret about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10,000 for an educational scholarship that they can use to go to a private middle , high school , or college .
So anybody can use that money starting in January , right ?
It ’ s a four-year scholarship .
So if you want to pick it for the spring semester you can do that or the spring and fall .
Swain : So give us the website address again so that people can go in there and dig around .
Leahy : nationalconstituionbee.org .
Go sign up .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids every weekend between now and then .
But here ’ s the little secret .
We are giving away $ 10,000 .
The kid will earn $ 10,000 .
Carol , we ’ ve done this .
This will be our fourth year .
It ’ s like pulling teeth to get the kids to come to this event because the teachers in the public school aren ’ t really supporting it .
There are a couple that are but most aren ’ t for the most part .
But we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
17 kids are the second year .
24 our third year .
This is our fourth year .
And I think we ’ ll be fortunate if we get 30 to 50 kids there .
Swain : Well have you targeted the homeschooling population ?
Leahy : We targeted the homeschoolers too .
I ’ m just telling you the most important thing in the country today as you and I will agree is to have kids understand our history and understand our Constitution .
It ’ s not being taught in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults to understand it .
So I think that maybe we need another part of the Constitution Bee for adults .
You might get more participation .
Leahy : Maybe .
I don ’ t disagree with that .
Swain : Everyone needs to understand the Constitution .
It ’ s not about the high schoolers .
But our country for it to stand we have to have something that we all share .
And that needs to be a knowledge and reverence of the Constitution as well as the founding documents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Declaration of Independence , and the Constitution .
Those are the things that really bind us together as Americans in a Judeo-Christian country .
Swain : And I still say there is erosion , this nation has been a Judeo-Christian nation that ’ s eroding but we need to turn things around .
Otherwise , we become a failed socialist experiment .
Leahy : I totally agree with that .
And the first step is to get the kids to understand the Constitution .
Now the little secret I was going to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it ’ s just like 95 percent of life is just showing up ?
Just show up .
Just show up .
There are going to be 30 kids there .
Maybe 40 .
Maybe 50 .
Anybody in the United States can come .
Eighth grade to 12th grade .
Anybody can come .
Your odds of winning the prize of $ 10,000 are pretty good because there is such a lack of interest among the public school infrastructure to support the Constitution .
This is the opportunity now for you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or grandkids earn money for educational scholarships .
And you have a pretty good shot .
If you are one out of 30 and we are giving three prizes away , that ’ s a one in 10 chance of walking away with some educational money .
I think that ’ s a great selling point .
Swain : I agree with you and I hope our listeners will consider their own children , grandchildren , nieces , nephews , cousins , and the homeschoolers .
I would be all over this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ good about it .
And what ’ s interesting is that the last time we had like 24 kids participate .
We had probably about five or six that were homeschoolers .
And we have a good relationship with the homeschool community .
If your kids or grandchildren that are homeschooled go to the NationalConstitutionBee.org .
The event is October 24th at Springhill Suites from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It ’ s just a great opportunity .
It ’ s great odds .
Anybody listening to this program anywhere in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drive or fly .
We don ’ t expect a lot of people from outside Tennessee but it ’ s open to everybody .
Swain : Well you do need a program for the adults and that may be an incentive to push their kids to compete .
Leahy : Maybe .
We ’ ll see .
The adults today they are busy making a living in this coronavirus world and making sure their kids get some level of education .
I am just shocked at how little the public schools and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids about our constitution .
That ’ s why you need to go to guidetotheconstitution.org .
You can listen to the entire book on the podcast for free .
My passion for the Constitution and teaching our kids on full display .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--Model That Predicted Five of Past Six Presidential Elections Has Trump in 2020 by ‘Landslide’

A professor of political science whose controversial election model has correctly called five of the last six U.S. presidential elections says President Trump will win reelection in 2020 in a “ landslide.
” Helmut Norpoth , who teaches at Stony Brook University , is giving Trump “ a 90-percent chance of being re-elected in a landslide , ” the Long Island , N.Y. , school said in a recent press release .
Norpoth ’ s “ Primary Model ” has correctly predicted nearly every presidential election since 1996 , missing only George Bush ’ s 2000 victory over Al Gore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applied to previous elections , ” Stonybrook said , it “ correctly predicts an impressive 25 of the last 27.
” ) The model utilizes data from presidential primaries to help predict who will win .
“ I focus on early primaries and the way the candidates perform in those early contests , ” Norpoth said in the press release .
“ It ’ s a very good predictor , and a leading indicator of what ’ s going to happen in November.
” The professor said he was unsurprised at the model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s performance in the primaries earlier in the winter .
“ When I looked at New Hampshire and I saw that Donald Trump got 85 percent of the votes … I was pretty sure what the model was going to predict , ” he said in the release .
Joe Biden , on the other hand , pulled down only 8.4 % in New Hampshire , Norpoth said , a number that is “ unbelievable for a candidate with any aspirations of being president , ” he stated .