thetennesseestar--2020-10-26--No. 18 Michigan Tops No. 21 Minnesota 49-24 in Milton Debut

MINNEAPOLIS , Minnesota ( AP ) — After playing sparingly for Michigan as a backup his first two years and waiting for this virus-shortened season to start seven weeks late , Joe Milton ’ s time at quarterback had finally come .
The enormity of the moment hit him in the locker room , just before taking the field at Minnesota .
“ I started tearing up , ” Milton said .
“ It ’ s real and it ’ s time to prove to the world what I can do.
” Milton delivered two touchdowns and 277 total yards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
18 Wolverines trampled the No .
21 Gophers with 258 rushing yards in a 49-24 victory Saturday night .
“ I felt great .
I was comfortable .
I didn ’ t panic , ” said Milton , who went 15 for 22 for 225 yards and rushed eight times for 52 yards .
Zach Charbonnet burst through the middle untouched for a 70-yard score in the first quarter , the first of five rushing touchdowns that set the tone for Michigan ’ s dominance on offense .
Donovan Jeter followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an airborne fumble forced by a blitzing Michael Barrett , one of five sacks by the Wolverines .
Defensive coordinator Don Brown dialed up pressure from every direction , and Michigan ’ s front seven — led by defensive end Kwity Paye — was as fierce as advertised .
“ I just have to be better , period , ” said Minnesota ’ s Tanner Morgan , who went 18 for 31 for 197 yards , one touchdown and one interception .
Barrett added a 66-yard kickoff return to set up Milton ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capped a 21-point first quarter .
“ I really trusted in our team .
I believe in them in that way , ” coach Jim Harbaugh said .
“ That ’ s the way I visualized this game to happen.
” “ Our team is a ticking time bomb .
You never know whenever a big play can happen , either offensively or defensively , ” Barrett said .
“ We just have a lot of guys that have that ‘ it ’ factor.
” With the Wolverines leading 28-17 late in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fleck ordered a fake punt on fourth-and-4 at their own 31 , an obvious sign of how overwhelmed their defense was .
Tight end Ko Kieft , who had given the Gophers a 7-0 lead with a touchdown catch , took the snap as the upback but was stuffed for a 2-yard loss .
“ We had a really good look for it , ” Fleck said .
Hassan Haskins rushed six times for 82 yards and two touchdowns for the Wolverines , whose only obvious mistakes were on special teams — allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and three missed field goals by Jake Moody .
“ We know we ’ re much better than what we showed , ” said Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin .
Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns for the Gophers , who hosted a nearly-empty stadium with the Big Ten starting under strict health protocols during the pandemic .
Only family members of players and staff , less than 1,000 , were distanced throughout the lower bowl .
“ At first it was weird with there not being fans , but once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hitting around and the game started and we were actually going , it felt the same as it always had , ” Michigan linebacker Joe Ross said .
The Wolverines improved to 13-2 in their last 15 conference openers .
They have not lost at Minnesota for the Little Brown Jug since 1977 .
The Gophers last hoisted that trophy in 2014 .
The Gophers played without two starting offensive linemen , right tackle Daniel Faalele and right guard Curtis Dunlap .
Dunlap had a cast on his left foot .
Positive COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with punter Mark Crawford , kicker Michael Lantz and kickoff specialist Grant Ryerse all held out .
Brock Walker handled field goals and extra points , but his recent recovery from hernia surgery forced him to pooch kick all of the kickoffs , which aided Barrett ’ s 66-yard return .
The Big Ten assigned the first all-Black officiating crew in the history of the major five conferences , with referee Larry Smith leading the group of eight on-field officials and four others with off-the-field responsibilities .
The Big Ten , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiatives this week , said 22 % of its 2020 officiating staff is either minorities or women .
The Wolverines ought to move up several spots after this opening performance when the next Associated Press rankings are revealed on Sunday .
Though the FBS conferences are on such different schedules and voting patterns are unpredictable , the Gophers will have a tough time staying in the Top 25 .
Michigan marked their fifth AP-ranked foe out of the last six opponents .
Michigan : Though the returning stable of running backs was strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over behind a largely unproven offensive line with a young group of receivers and played with a poise well beyond his experience .
The offense over six years under Harbaugh has not materialized the way the Wolverines have expected , but this was a promising start .
Minnesota : With seven regulars — including four NFL draft picks — departed from the defense that ranked third in the Big Ten and 10th in the FBS last season with an average of 306.6 yards allowed per game , this new group for the Gophers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Linebacker Braelen Oliver , an expected starter , suffered an unspecified injury in spring practice and did not play .
Dave Campbell is a sports reporter for The Associated Press .
Photo “ Michigan Football ” by Hillel Steinberg CC BY-ND 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis Complains the Electoral College Hurts America

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ( D-TN-09 ) complained this week about the U.S .
Electoral College , one week before next week ’ s presidential election .
Cohen , on Twitter , said the Electoral College causes low voter turnout and called to abolish it .
“ People say we need the Electoral College because it prevents big states from overpowering small # rural communities .
The 2020 election proves that ’ s just not true .
Almost all campaign activities are centered in just six states with significant rural populations , ” Cohen wrote .
Cohen also said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privilege urban centers — it arbitrarily heightens the votes of # SwingStates.
” “ This means candidates don ’ t take time to visit the MAJORITY of communities .
No wonder half the country doesn ’ t vote , ” Cohen wrote .
“ No wonder pple feel their voice doesn ’ t count .
This is NOT democracy.
” As The Tennessee Star reported last year , Cohen said our nation ’ s Electoral College was “ conceived in sin ” and invented to keep black people down .
In a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cohen as saying “ the country is different than it was when the Constitution was drafted.
” “ When the Constitution was drafted , a lot of it had to do with slavery .
The slave states wanted equal representation in the Senate because they wanted to keep slavery .
The slave states wanted to have an Electoral College where the members that they had in Congress counted towards the vote for president , where the slaves counted as two-thirds and in the popular vote they would count as zero , ” Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states didn ’ t want a popular election because their slaves wouldn ’ t count toward voting and the slave states would have less votes .
This is all conceived in sin and perpetuating slavery on the American people and on the African-American people directly.
” Also as The Star reported last year , Cohen , a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee , has introduced a bill to eliminate the Electoral College used to select U.S. presidents .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email protected ] Image “ Rep Steve Cohen ” by C-Span.org .

by Thomas Catenacci
A group of 27 Republican congressmen urged President Donald Trump to order a Justice Department-appointed special counsel investigation of “legitimate questions” about election irregularities.
The Republican congressmen asked Trump to direct Attorney General William Barr to appoint the special counsel, according to a letter obtained by Politico that was sent to the White House on Wednesday. Reps. Lance Gooden, Paul Gosar, Louie Gohmert, Scott Perry and Jody Hice were among the 27 congressmen who signed onto the letter.
“The American people deserve a definitive resolution to the uncertainty hovering over the outcome of our election, but legitimate questions of voter fraud remain unanswered,” the congressmen wrote.
Barr said on Dec. 1 that the Department of Justice has yet to find any evidence of election fraud that could sway the result, sparking criticism from conservatives. Trump hesitated when asked if he still had confidence in Barr.
“The Department of Justice has been asked on multiple occasions to launch an investigation into this matter, but inaction from the Department along with public comments made by the Attorney General indicate a lack of willingness to investigate the irregularities your campaign and other elected officials across the nation have alleged,” the Republican congressmen continued.
“The appointment of a Special Counsel would establish a team of investigators whose sole responsibility is to uncover the truth and provide the certainty America needs,” they added.
Several news organizations including The Associated Press and Fox News declared former Vice President Joe Biden the winner of the election on Nov. 7. Trump’s campaign has filed numerous lawsuits alleging widespread fraud, but courts across the country have handed the campaign many defeats.
Texas filed a new lawsuit against Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin Tuesday arguing the states altered their election procedures illegally. Alabama and Louisiana have expressed interest in joining the suit, according to Newsweek.
“Our Country stands at an important crossroads,” the lawsuit said. “Either the Constitution matters and must be followed, even when some officials consider it inconvenient or out of date, or it is simply a piece of parchment on display at the National Archives.”
“We ask the Court to choose the former,” it continued.
– – –
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Witnesses Testify on First Day of Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act Trial

The dispute over the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act went to trial Monday .
Nashville attorney Jim Roberts said he expects Davidson County Chancery Court Judge Ellen Hobbs Lyle will issue a ruling by the end of this week .
As reported , Roberts is fighting the Davidson County Election Commission to get the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act referendum on the December 5 ballot .
The Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act referendum , if approved , would roll back Nashville Mayor John Cooper ’ s 34 to 37 percent tax increase .
Roberts told The Tennessee Star that two witnesses testified Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former Metro Nashville Council member Duane Dominy .
“ Jeff Roberts testified and admitted the Election Commission didn ’ t set it [ the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act ] for an election .
They didn ’ t call an election , ” said Jim Roberts , who is not related to Jeff Roberts .
“ They are trying to get out from behind that by saying they conditionally set it , but they didn ’ t set any conditions for it to actually happen and that was pretty much it .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and over you just can ’ t do this.
” Dominy , meanwhile , testified that he fought to place the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act on the ballot , Jim Roberts said .
As reported last month , members of the Davidson County Election Commission voted to neither approve nor reject the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act .
They instead passed the matter on to a chancery court to guide them on how to proceed .
They also moved the “ conditional ” date of the election from December 5 to December 15 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission hasn ’ t done anything , ” Jim Roberts said Monday .
“ They still have not refused to put the matter on the ballot or put it on the ballot.
” As reported , members of the Davidson County Election Commission met privately last month .
At least one of the five commission members refused to say what they discussed , even though it was government business .
Jim Roberts , at the time said he suspected commission members met to discuss ways to undermine the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will begin Tuesday .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Politics, Competition With Religious Schools, Far Outweighed Science in School Shutdown Decisions, A

Politics, Competition With Religious Schools, Far Outweighed Science in School Shutdown Decisions, Analysis Found

In response to state and local government shutdowns reportedly designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , schools districts and local governments implemented different reopening guidelines and timelines – but did so more because of politics or competition with private schools than because of science , a new report published by Brown University found .
The EdWorking Paper published by The Annenberg Institute at Brown University authored by Michael T. Hartney from Boston College and Leslie K. Finger from the University of North Texas found that “ the most critical decision facing the nation ’ s school boards – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to what degree – appears to be closely related to the partisanship of a local school district.
” The report charted a descriptive county-level relationship between the percentage of K-12 students attending school in-person this fall and the local area ’ s support for President Donald Trump in 2016 .
The data pertaining to school reopening was taken from Burbio ’ s school opening tracker ; election data was taken from MIT ’ s Election Data and Science Lab .
According to an August 2020 Pew Research Center report , “ Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that the battle over re-opening schools has occurred in a highly polarized political environment , where public health decisions – including whether and when to send children back into classrooms – appear to be wrapped up in partisanship and sentiment toward the president.
” The coronavirus-caused state shutdowns presented a unique opportunity to examine how local governments responded to a public health crisis while “ high levels of partisan polarization and an increasing tendency for local issues to become nationalized ” was occurring , the authors note .
Because all school districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the fall , the authors evaluated which factors best predicted whether a district chose to return students to the classroom for in-person instruction or to educate them remotely .
“ Contrary to the conventional understanding of school districts as localized and non-partisan actors , we find evidence that politics , far more than science , shaped school district decision-making , ” the authors wrote .
“ Mass partisanship and teacher union strength best explain how school boards approached reopening.
” Public school districts were also impacted by competition from private schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they remained open , increased the likelihood that public school districts stayed open for in-person instruction in the same geographic locations .
“ The choice to leave one ’ s public school for a private school represents a real threat to public schools during the pandemic , ” the authors write , whereas “ public schools are less available or their instruction is less desirable , private schools become increasingly attractive.
” They also found that some previously committed public school families opted to enroll their children in private school options including home-schooling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an increase in student applications , mostly coming from public school families , they found .
In Texas , the Texas Homeschooling Coalition saw a 400 percent increase in parents withdrawing their children from the public school system in August and September .
In the greater Boston area , Roman Catholic schools , most of which are offering in-person instruction , saw enrollment skyrocket .
According to the Boston Archdiocese school superintendent , when the Massachusetts Teacher Association began calling for remote-only classes , “ our phone ( s ) started ringing off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 schools … I joke that we should send a thank you note to the school districts , because of their tone deafness , in terms of what the parents were looking for , ” WBUR News reported in September .
The authors “ expect public school districts in areas with more Catholic schools to be more likely to remain open.
” Roman Catholic schools enroll slightly more than 37 percent of all students attending private schools , and are generally less expensive than other private schools , the authors note .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , states , cities and counties specifically restricted private schools from re-opening— in New Jersey , California , and Milwaukee , Wisconsin , for example .
Overall , the findings “ have important implications for our understanding of education policy and the functioning of American local governments , ” they argue .
Bethany Blankley is a reporter for The Center Square .
Photo “ School Temperature Check ” by Dan Gaken CC BY-ND 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Sorority Apologizes for Congratulating Amy Coney Barrett

The Kappa Delta sorority deleted and apologized for a congratulatory message for Amy Coney Barrett , who was a member of the sorority during her time at Rhodes College .
The sorority tweeted an image of a statement , saying “ KD alumna Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to serve on the Supreme Court .
While we do not take a stand on political appointments , we recognize Judge Coney Barrett ’ s significant accomplishment .
We acknowledge our members have a variety of views and a right to their own beliefs.
” The next day , the sorority deleted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The organization stated that it was “ deeply sorry ” for the “ hurtful ” original statement .
“ Our approach was disappointing and hurtful to many , ” said the new statement .
“ We did not intend to enter a political debate , take a stand on the Supreme Court nomination , cause division among our sisters , or alienate any of our members.
” The sorority also recalled its new “ intentional journey ” to focus on diversity , equity , and inclusion .
“ Thank you for holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , many on Twitter expressed disappointment in the apology .
“ Don ’ t let the internet bully you , ” said one user .
“ It ’ s an amazing accomplishment that one of our sisters was nominated to the highest court in the land !
Regardless of politics or not .
Also , judges judge based off the constitution and law , not opinions and politics.
” “ What ’ s disappointing is that you let yourself be bullied and showed that ‘ once a KD always a KD ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barrett , regardless of her political affiliation , is a Kappa Delta sister .
She deserves acknowledgement for her achievement from her sorority .
Disgraceful , ” said another .
Alumni also launched a petition titled “ Kappa Deltas Against Judge Amy Coney Barrett , ” which alleges that Barrett “ does not intend to defend the rights of marginalized peoples , ” including “ BIPOC and LGBQT+ communities.
” The petition has garnered more than 11,500 signatures .
Eli Dueker , a Kappa Delta alum , professor at Bard College , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denouncing Barrett ’ s potential influence on the Supreme Court .
Dueker recalled Barrett as “ a dedicated new sister , whip-smart , and incredibly kind , ” but expressed concern that “ access to healthcare and abortion ” for “ women , men , non-binary people — whether queer , trans , or straight ” would be threatened if Barrett is confirmed .
“ I reject the idea of a Judge Coney Barrett , whose views undermine the health and safety of others , having a lifetime sway on the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College promoted Dueker ’ s letter on its official website .
Campus Reform reached out to Kappa Delta for comment and will update this article accordingly .
Benjamin Zeisloft is a Pennsylvania Senior Campus Correspondent , reporting on liberal bias and abuse for Campus Reform .
He is studying Finance and Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania .
Benjamin also writes for The UPenn Statesman and the Wharton International Business Review .
Photo “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by Rachel Malehorn CC BY 3.0 .
Background Photo “ Kappa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Senator Marsha Blackburn on ACB Confirmation: ‘The Left and the Mainstream Media Have No Use for Wom

Senator Marsha Blackburn on ACB Confirmation: ‘The Left and the Mainstream Media Have No Use for Women Who Are Conservatives Because They Will Not Submit to the  Leftist Agenda’

Live from Music Row Monday 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 Tennessee ( R ) , Sen. Marsha Blackburn , to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Blackburn outlined today ’ s proceedings in the Senate for the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett while discussing how the left has personally attacked conservative women in America today and throughout history .
Leahy : And now , here is Senator Marsha Blackburn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Welcome to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy and Crom Carmichael .
Good morning , Senator Blackburn .
Blackburn : Good morning .
I am absolutely delighted to join you .
Leahy : It ’ s a big day in American history .
How do you feel about this vote ?
What time do you think the vote to confirm Amy Coney-Barrett will be held in the Senate today ?
Blackburn : I think we ’ ll get around to it about seven o ’ clock tonight .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will expire .
Now .
There is an outside chance that they will yield back some of their time earlier in the day .
If they do we ’ re ready for that because we ’ re ready to take the vote .
And then I will head down to the White House as soon as I vote .
And the president should be swearing her into the Supreme Court tonight Carmichael : Now , let me ask you a couple of procedural questions .
You all held a vote yesterday .
Can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why it ’ s so important in terms of the timing and the scheduling ?
Blackburn : Yes .
It is the cloture vote is what it ’ s called , and we invoked cloture and started the 30-hour clock for 30 hours of debate .
And that is why that would expire at about seven o ’ clock tonight .
But Crom as you remember during Kavanaugh I think out of frustration they yielded back at 25 hours and the vote was taken .
So we don ’ t know if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours or not .
But here ’ s the thing .
They have been so disrespectful of Judge Barrett .
And Judge Barrett and the chairman and the process .
They did not even show up for the committee vote because they thought they were going to be able to stymie us and would keep her from getting out of committee .
Every Republican showed up .
The chairman went ahead and called the committee to proceed .
We agreed to proceed even though they chose not to show up .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly when we were going to meet .
But instead of coming what they did was to bring pictures of people they had talked about regarding the Affordable Care Act .
Well , we voted her out of committee .
Then Chuck Schumer has proceeded to offer adjournment resolution after adjournment resolution to keep this vote from taking place .
So people are saying why did they oppose her ?
So the reason they opposed her is she is a pro-life , pro-family , pro-religion , pro-business female .
She comes from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the left and the mainstream media have no use for women who are conservatives because they will not submit to the leftist agenda .
And whether it is Judge Barrett or me or other conservative females that are out there , they will try to pound you into submission to that agenda and they ’ re not able to do it .
So what do they do ?
They become angry and then they start the politics of personal destruction and tried to knock and ridicule you .
Carmichael : Senator , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is exactly right , but I ’ m going to expand it a little bit .
In addition to the things that you just said to describe yourself you also have very very strong economic free-market and pro-America views and you are able to articulate your support for all the things that you hold dear .
Amy Coney Barrett is similarly a very very strong woman from an intellectual standpoint .
And as was Clarence Thomas .
And Clarence Thomas is a Black man and he ’ s not a woman but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can articulate .
And it ’ s been my observation that the Democrats are just simply scared to death of women and people of color who have strong views that are different than theirs .
Because while they can ’ t defend their views you can defend yours .
And so they ’ re just simply scared of you .
Blackburn : Well , yes .
You know what they do , and I actually talked about this on the floor last night when I gave my wrap-up remarks .
I said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of choosing a diversity of viewpoints and having point-counterpoint our friends on the left have decided they are going to lock in on intellectual isolation .
They do not want the discussion .
They do not want the point-counterpoint .
They have let this devolve to the point that it has become a cancel culture .
And Crom , we see it in our high schools .
We ’ re seeing it in our colleges .
We see it in the public square .
We see it in social media .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wives of liberalism .
If you are not in lockstep , then they will shut you up .
They will try to slice you and dice you slice you cut you up and shut you up .
And they do it time and time and time again .
Carmichael : Now , what is the Genesis ?
I ’ ve got I ’ ve maintained for a year since Michael has had me on his show , I ’ ve maintained for a year that the root cause of cancer in the Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government employee unions .
And all of the power and all the money that they get in the Democrat Party , as a result , it is the party of government .
It ’ s not the party of the people .
How do you respond to that ?
Blackburn : Well , I think it ’ s I think that the SEIU and the government unions are the implementers of this agenda .
But like I wrote in my book that just came out , The Mind of a Conservative Woman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s movement in the 70s in you ’ re going to find the Genesis of a lot of this .
And they wanted to promote and push forward women that would agree or ascribe to a leftist agenda .
Much of it had to do about abortion .
Much of it had to do about worker rights .
Or as they would say fairness in the workplace .
Much of it had to do about government control .
Look at what the Democrats did in 2012 with the story of the life of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depended on the government from the time she was a little girl at three years old until she retired at 63 years old .
And the whole thing was mocked and ridiculed .
But we have to realize that is how they see the process .
And they want to control your healthcare .
Your education .
Where you live where you work and what you do for your work .
And then have you dependent on the government for your retirement .
Well , generally we call that socialism .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on the vote coming up today .
The cloture vote yesterday was 51-47 I believe .
Lisa Murkowski has said she ’ s going to change her vote to be in favor of the nomination .
Leahy : By my calculation , it looks like it ’ ll be 52-46 .
Is that kind of what you think is going to happen later today ?
Blackburn : Yes .
Yes .
We think that is where we are with the vote .
And we think that is how we will end up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Senate Judiciary Committee , of course , have spent our entire October working on this .
Leahy : Working on this and working diligently .
Senator Blackburn a very busy schedule today on a day of a historic vote .
Thank you for joining us today .
And please come back again .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marsha Blackburn Facebook .
Photo “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by University of Notre Dame .
Background Photo “ Supreme Court ” by deadlinedd CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Analysis: Jobs, Housing Show Recovery Continues

There were only two insightful reports on the economy this past week—for jobs and housing .
Both show impressive gains .
Weekly initial unemployment claims fell by 56,000 , to 787,000 .
They are down more than 100,000 from a month ago .
There has also been a substantial decline in the insured unemployment rate to 5.7 percent from 8.7 percent a month ago .
Also , the number of people receiving unemployment insurance payments fell to 8.4 million ; it was 12.6 million a month ago .
The Homebuilders Index for October was 85 , breaking the all-time high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Expect Next Week The week ahead will bring important economic reports .
The Markit surveys of business activity for October should show solid gains for the month , with readings in the mid-50s .
On Tuesday , new orders for durable goods in September will show whether orders are continuing to recover .
August orders ( excluding the volatile defense and transportation components ) were within a half of a percentage point of their prior peak .
My estimate shows next Thursday ’ s third quarter GDP numbers will show a 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media may again mistakenly report the gain at its annual rate of 31 percent .
( It ’ s an impressive gain however you may state it.—Ed . )
On Friday , the report for wages and salaries , incomes and spending in September should show the economy continued its rapid recovery at the end of the third quarter .
Charts through yesterday show daily COVID cases are increasing , while daily death trends are more contained .
CDC data show hospitalization rates through October 10 continued to decline for all age groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any clear direction .
The Nasdaq and QQQs were down 1 percent to 2 percent offsetting some of the gains from the previous week .
Other major indexes were down less than 1 percent .
Economic news continues to show the economy recovering rapidly .
Even weekly jobs data are now pointing in a positive direction .
With more upbeat news on the economy and corporate earnings , analysts are busy raising their fourth quarter earnings estimates .
With Biden ’ s odds of winning already slipping away , the news tying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family dealings is another challenge for the former Vice President .
Both the economy and the election are moving in Trump ’ s direction .
My main concern is Republicans buying into a second massive “ stimulus ” bill .
This would slow the recovery in the coming year .
This article was originally posted at Heartland Daily News ( https : //heartlanddailynews .
com/ ) and is reprinted with permission .
Robert Genetski , Ph.D. , one of the nation ’ s leading economists and financial advisors , has spent more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic and investment principles for sound financial decisions .
He heads ClassicalPrinciples .
Photo “ NYSE ” by Financial Times CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Conservative Activist Julie Strauss Levin Discusses Her Commentary and the Biden Family’s Pattern of

Conservative Activist Julie Strauss Levin Discusses Her Commentary and the Biden Family’s Pattern of Conflicts of Interest

Live from Music Row Monday 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 attorney Julie Strauss Levin to the newsmakers line to discuss her recent commentary at the Tennessee Star and the Biden family ’ s pattern of conflicts of interest .
Leahy : We are joined on our newsmaker line now by Julie Strauss Levin .
Fellow Conservative activist , attorney , and a great writer who has delivered some of the very best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Tennessee Star .
Good morning , Julie .
Levin : Good morning , Michael .
It ’ s good to be with you .
Leahy : Well , look your commentaries have been so compelling .
I ’ ve had several friends say look , this is perhaps the best summary of the problem we face with the Biden family .
You and I were talking prior to the debate on Thursday .
You had some issues with some points you want to make .
We published your commentary at about midnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our most popular commentaries ever .
Tell us a little bit about why this is the October surprise Joe Biden just wants to go away .
Levin : Well first thank you for having me on I really appreciate it .
You know Michael , to say this is a surprise when I was writing this it was a bit difficult even to come up with the right adjectives .
We have a situation here where the Biden family and as everybody knows Joe Biden has been in government for 47 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama-Biden administration .
We ’ re focusing on when he was vice president and then thereafter .
My guess is there ’ s a lot even prior to that .
But let ’ s just focus on when he was VP .
If you remember and I talked about this in the article , but I do think it ’ s instructive because you know as Shakespeare said thou protesteth too much .
That ’ s what ’ s going on with this man .
In November of 2019 , I believe it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden when he was on the campaign trail as a member of Fox how many times have you spoken to your son about his overseas business dealings .
And Joe Biden got his anger up as he really wants to do when he ’ s on the defensive .
And he said I have never done so .
So as we all know , rule number one , never say never .
Well , that ’ s just not reality .
but he was so dogmatic about it .
And of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that ’ s not true .
I ’ m going to fast forward a minute to the debates last Thursday night when he made a statement that was equally as indignant when he said and looked into the camera knowing all the time that millions of Americans are watching this last debate .
It ’ s so important because people for some strange reason have not made up their mind .
There are some .
And he said I have not taken a penny from a foreign source in my life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do .
There ’ s a lot of hedging from the Adam Schiff ’ s and from the Schumer ’ s and from the policies of the world of the entire left .
I don ’ t mean just mean Biden .
But also in the media , they have been jumping ahead of this thing that these are Russian scandals .
Leahy : With no evidence to support that claim either .
Levin : There is zero evidence .
And to the contrary , there is a very well written report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pages I believe written by Ron Johnson ’ s Homeland Security Committee that contradicts that .
Just yesterday Congressman Jordan was on Fox and he said he had his staff doing independent research on this wrong .
We have the FBI saying this is not Russian disinformation because that ’ s been you know , just throw Russia at something in the Americas .
Leahy : Russia , Russia , Russia .
That ’ s what all of them have been saying for four and a half years .
Levin : You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been saying , and you know , they really insult the intelligence of the American people .
So what do we have here ?
We have a situation where last September Joe Biden ’ s son Hunter went to a repair shop in Wilmington , Delaware where he dropped off a laptop and he signed a receipt .
We know it ’ s his signature because it matches the signature on among other things .
The paternity lawsuit papers that he had going on with a woman .
We will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also left his other information .
He never retrieved the laptop .
And like many receipts when we all drop things off whether it ’ s at a try cleaner or a laptop repair shop it seizes title to the property if you leave it .
So he leaves his laptop .
The owner of the store has it for quite a bit of time .
Certainly past the 90 days .
And at some point , we all know what happened with the impeachment .
And so he knows that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Junior ’ s laptop .
And he at some point hands it over to the FBI because he opens it and sees that there is information in here that would be of interest to the government .
So that ’ s what he does .
The FBI has verified that this is Hunter ’ s laptop .
The only ones who have not denied it Is the Biden family .
Conclusively .
They haven ’ t denied it .
As a matter of fact , it ’ s politics at its best because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of Joe Biden as you said saying Russia , Russia , Russia .
He has the Biden campaign very carefully dissecting a response to the contrary .
There are two reporters who have actually done their job and asked questions .
One of whom I think was over this past weekend .
And the other one was the other week when one CBS reporter did and Biden snapped at him and said , there you go .
You know , it ’ s a smear job .
Leahy : Yeah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of smear jobs on Joe Biden , right ?
Levin : Exactly .
Yeah .
He had his candidate wrong .
He thought he was talking to Donald Trump .
The bottom line is that there are emails on this computer that very strongly shall we say and I ’ ll be lower case c conservative and what I say here that point out that Biden family , not just Hunter , but the Biden family over time has made millions of dollars using the Biden name .
We certainly know that Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a board in the Ukraine of a company known as Burisma .
That name , if the media was actually doing its job would be a household name .
Leahy : And we know that he arranged for one of the executives with that group to meet with his father when he was sitting vice president , right ?
Levin : That ’ s correct .
So now if we , you know dial back to I never do this .
I never did that .
I never spoke to my son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two trip that VP Biden took to China and his son happens to be sitting on the flight .
How long is this flight ?
I don ’ t know Michael .
Levin : It ’ s a long time .
It ’ s a long time to be sitting on the flight with your father and having no discussion whatsoever of why Hunter is on the plane with his father .
Leahy : Well , there ’ s a picture of Biden shaking hands with Jonathan Lee over in China on that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a business partner in an investment firm that Hunter Biden ’ s part of we do you believe that stock emitted by Ron Johnson .
Then this Tony Bobulinski who is the CEO of Sino Hawk Holdings said , yeah , I met in person with Joe Biden in 2017 for an hour and we talked about these China deals .
That ’ s it .
You pointed that out in your article .
Levin : That ’ s right .
And for all of those who say again , this is under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , that ’ s after you know , the vice president was vice president .
He ’ s a private citizen .
He can do his thing .
Well , first of all , we know for a fact that Hunter Biden actually started traveling to China after his father was elected Vice President .
But before you know , he actually , you know went in in January of 2009 .
So this has been going back awhile .
Leahy : It ’ s a pattern and it seems to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for joining us .
Please come back and give us more details about it .
A great commentary on the Biden family and their conflicts of interest .
Thanks for joining us , Julie .
Levin : Thank you .
Take care .
Listen to the full second 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 .
Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report , host Michael Patrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strauss Levin to the show to discuss her recent Biden commentary at the Tennessee Star .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Commentary: Trump’s ‘Great Truth’ Recalibrated Foreign and Domestic Policy, Shifted Republican Ortho

Commentary: Trump’s ‘Great Truth’ Recalibrated Foreign and Domestic Policy, Shifted Republican Orthodoxy

What was , is , and will be the Trump agenda ?
Against all odds , what elected Trump in 2016 was a recalibration of American foreign and domestic policy—and the art of politicking itself .
In foreign affairs , the United States would no longer adhere to every aspect of the 75-year-old postwar order it created—given the world now bore little resemblance to the world of 1945 .
Prior bipartisan foreign policy had often ossified to the point of enhancing the power of our enemies , weakening our complacent friends , and terribly damaging our own power .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was hardly a “ JV ” organization .
North Korea was recklessly testing missiles and bragging of its nuclear-tipped rockets pointed at our West Coast .
Israel and the moderate Arab regimes were ostracized as part of the insane Obama empowerment of theocratic Iran and its quest for a radical crescent encompassing Syria , Lebanon , Hezbollah , and Hamas .
Russian reset was an utter failure .
Unhinged , we were hectoring Vladimir Putin on human rights while agreeing to dismantle missile defense in Europe , if he would just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give Obama space during his 2012 reelection bid .
The Asian pivot was laughable .
Our friendly and hostile trading partners praised the Obama Administration in direct proportion to their manipulation of it .
In the 1950s , it was understandable that the United States would spend blood and treasure abroad to resurrect the destroyed economies after World War II and contain Soviet Communism .
Its policy of allowing recovering allies to run up huge trade deficits to reenter the world community was seen both as desirable and affordable , as was putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain the Soviet Union .
Western Europe , Japan , Taiwan , and South Korea became powerhouses , often with wide open , one-sided access to U.S. markets .
China would never have achieved its 40-year stunning ascendence had America applied to Chinese trade the same mercantilism that China applied to the United States .
By 2016 , it was clear that a host of world and international trade and development organizations took for granted U.S. moral and financial support , while assuming wide open entrance for all into the U.S. market .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the destruction of much of the American interior ’ s manufacturing and assembly industries .
Those whose labor could not be so easily xeroxed—Silicon Valley , Wall Street , banking and insurance , big law , the media , entertainment , professional sports , and large research universities—saw their markets expand to 7 billion consumers .
Coastal elites got rich .
Interior deplorables and clingers were said to have deserved their fate by not going to college or failing to learn how to code .
They were lectured that not even a magic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the words of Lawrence Summers , former Harvard president and the architect of President Obama ’ s team of economic advisers , they deserved their unfortunate fates , which in our meritocracy matched their meager abilities .
“ One of the challenges in our society is that the truth is a kind of disequalizer , ” Summers reportedly once said .
“ One of the reasons that inequality has probably gone up in our society is that people are being treated closer to the way that they ’ re supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matrix of easing into decline , Trump stormed in .
He damned globalists as elites who cared more about abstractions abroad than unfairness and the poor at home right under their noses .
To restore U.S. primacy , he greenlighted gas and oil production .
When the United States became the largest producer of both , much of the world changed .
The Middle East no longer had a political stranglehold over U.S. foreign policy .
Russia , and illiberal regimes like Iran , lost hundreds of billions in carbon income .
American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices in the Westernized world .
And the elite dismissed all that as too damaging to the planet .
Tax reform and deregulation lured back to U.S. shores offshored money and opened up trillions of dollars for investment that had been inert—the owners of which had been understandably worried by the redistributionist rhetoric and policies of the increasingly leftwing second-term Obama Administration and its recalibration of the Democratic Party .
Closing the border with Mexico slowly tapered off the once-endless supplies of cheap imported labor .
For the first time in a half-century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needy employers who paid record entry-level wages , as unemployment fell to near historic peacetime lows .
Minority youth were no longer begging employers for a chance of a job , but rather were being begged by them to come to work .
Ancient fights over unions and minimum wages faded as an increasingly wealthy America saw middle-class income soar for the first time in years as employers paid whatever was necessary to land American workers .
Trump stopped most optional military interventions that did not pencil out in a cost-benefit advantage for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , don ’ t-tread-on-me realism bombed ISIS out of existence and took out the terrorist Iranian mastermind Qasem Soleimani , or threatened Kim Jong-un with massive retaliation if he dared launch a missile toward the United States .
At no time did Trump think he should remove Bashar al-Assad and try to create a Western democracy in Syria , or invade and overthrow the Iranian regime—as opposed to slowly strangle them with sanctions , new alliances , and military deterrence .
There was no desire to return to spend money or lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reboot democratic institutions .
There were two final pillars of the new Trump foreign policy .
One was to talk honestly to allies about investing in their own defense as promised .
Most not only counted on U.S. protection but often loudly seemed to resent their ensuing dependence by opportunistically ankle-biting the United States for its global policeman role .
Western Europe and Asia , and especially Germany and Japan , were told that if Russia and China really were existential threats , then such front-line states had to commensurately invest in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected 19-year-olds from rural Michigan or northern Florida to fly over to their defense .
Unpredictability was seen as safer deterrence in a dangerous world than predictable and ossified policy .
So , against all advice , Trump called China to account for its commercial cheating and insidious infiltration into Western banking , corporate , media , entertainment , and academic institutions .
He cut off aid to Palestinians who refused to recognize Israel , moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem , reminded the Assad regime that it would never recover the Golan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , encouraged the moderate Arab world to ally with Israel to protect against revolutionary Shiite Iran , and reminded Canada and Mexico that one reason why they had small militaries , and growing economies , was their proximity to the United States—and thus such magnanimity should be reciprocated with symmetry rather than seen as naïveté that explained its continuance .
The second pillar of Trumpism was a shift in Republican orthodoxy to reemphasize class differences and in radically different ways .
No longer was there talk of privatizing Social Security , institutionalizing free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or following international commercial accords against the interest of an increasingly hollowed out American middle class .
Deregulation and cuts in corporate taxes galvanized the economy and indeed profits “ trickled down ” to the hoi polloi .
But such necessary free-market reforms were not the be-all and end-all of Republican orthodoxy , which was now readjusted to be more in the interest of the factory worker , not just the Wall Street investor .
Closing the border cut off the easy supply of cheap labor for corporations .
Only that way would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise .
More radially , Trumpism did not see the middle classes as spent , addicted , eroding and doomed , much less as deplorables , clingers , irredeemables , dregs , and chumps as the coastal elites increasingly liked to smear them .
And Trump certainly did not see poor whites , without much influence , as privileged , and thus in need of making atonement for supposed sins of the past or the present .
One reason why Trump is libeled as a racist is that he saw through the white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for bias and prejudice , in order to win psychological exemption for the elite ’ s own near-monopoly on blue-chip university admissions , corporate , media and academic old-boy access and cultural influence .
Aside from fundamental changes in foreign and democratic policy , and renewed emphasis on class instead of race , Trumpism changed the political dialectic .
Of course , Trump could be crude , even at times bullying and profane .
But much of his braggadocio and vulgarity were designed as chemotherapy to kill the cancer of the administrative state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the revolving-door , bipartisan coastal elite .
The reasons why Trump just days after his inauguration faced a failed impeachment , or calls for his removal by the 25th Amendment , or even talk of a military coup , or the Steele dossier hoax that led to a $ 40 million , 22-month effort by progressives to destroy his presidency , his person and his family , were manifold .
But one cause surely was that Trump was orphaned from the hard-Left Democratic Party and the Republican establishment and seemed either to welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the cost that it entailed .
True , Trump may have defined presidential comportment down with his “ sleepy , ” “ crooked , ” “ lying , ” and “ low-energy ” epithets and with his crowds cheering to “ lock her up.
” But then again , what was so moral in the past about mellifluously assuring Americans they would lose neither their doctor nor their health plan—to the amusement of the likes of Jonathan Gruber who knew all along that they would ?
Or ramming through the Iran Deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Senate , while deluding the country with a “ know-nothing ” media echo chamber ?
If we learned anything from the Obama years , supposedly “ scandal-free ” presidents might do anything from weaponizing the IRS and siccing the FBI on opponents to dismantling viable allied missile defense to leverage foreign leaders to aid their reelection campaigns—and then call all that moral , with a chorus of media assent .
When a man takes on the role of the gunslinger arriving in the town to clean up the mess , one must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offend his supporters as much as they terrified his adversaries , all the more so as he succeeds and thus the beneficiaries see an end on the horizon to their embarrassing need to have called in the unorthodox to do what their own polite conventionality should have done , but choose not ( or did not have the courage ) to do .
We can sense the viability of Trumpism by the current lack of coherent attacks on its principles and achievements .
Would a President Mitt Romney demand that the U.S. embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nikki Haley cease the new containment of China ?
Would a President Marco Rubio return to the Bush-Obama coaxing of NATO partners to please , pretty please pay up what they had promised ?
Or alternatively , would a President Joe Biden warn the Arab countries to cease their “ destabilizing ” new partnership with Israel ?
Would he jawbone them to return the autocratic Palestinians to front and center of the Middle East “ peace ” plan ?
Would a President Biden begin dismantling 400 miles of border wall and return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most certainly would raise taxes , restore cumbersome regulations , strangle the fossil fuel industry , and return to identity politics pandering .
But after the 2017-20 Trump boom , he would do so without any expectation that the economy would grow or the country would heal or the world would suddenly cool down and the seas cease to rise .
Biden knows that under Obama a natural recovery stagnated , a uniter president ignited the country with his team of racial arsonists , and the government wasted billions of dollars in green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did far more than Washington to expand the use of solar energy and electric cars .
And what about the NeverTrumper—always wrong that Trump would not be nominated or not be elected or be destroyed by “ Russian collusion ” ?
At the end of Trump , whether in 2020 and 2024 , would they resurrect the Weekly Standard or return to the Sunday talk shows ?
Would the legions of handlers , operatives and advisors return to recalibrate all the party Senate and House races along the lines of a Mitt Romney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NeverTrump Phoenix arise to save the Republican Party from the ashes of Trumpism—on the principle that deplorables would always support RINO candidates , but RINOS would bolt the minute a deplorable candidate appeared .
Could a Jeff Flake or a Ben Sasse or a John Kasich candidacy shatter the Blue Wall ?
Probably not at all .
Elite Republicanism would fail because the white working classes would return either to political hibernation in the swing states or rejoin the Democratic Party .
Growing minority support would vanish because blacks and Latinos would see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injurious to their futures than was a crudely talking , Queens-accented populist Trump .
Trumpism did not dismantle Republican conservatism .
It simply enhanced conservative appeal by closing the border , confronting China , demanding fair trade , avoiding optional military expeditions , emphasizing the concerns of the working class , and redefining presidential behavior as boisterously honoring promises rather than mellifluously reneging on them .
Whatever Trump ’ s fate , the NeverTrump faction will not succeed in rebuilding a new-old Republican Party under the Bush-McCain-Romney paradigm .
Biden and his leftist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority unemployment to Trump levels .
Neither would they declare an end to containing China and claim such past confrontation was an unnecessary provocation .
Like it or not , Trump hit on a great truth that no leader can write off his country ’ s vast industrial interior , destroy his nation ’ s borders , willingly cede global leadership to a Communist dictatorship , manipulate intelligence agencies to destroy political opponents , prefer to manage decline rather than to seek renewal , and meanwhile , as he did all that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis Hanson is an American military historian , columnist , former classics professor , and scholar of ancient warfare .
He was a professor of classics at California State University , Fresno , and is currently the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford University ’ s Hoover Institution .
Photo “ Trump ” by The White House .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Commentary: A Ban on Fracking Would Kill 6 Million Jobs Across Seven States by 2025

Joe Biden upended the historic formula of a Democratic presidential nominee .
Usually , the hopeful plays his liberal greatest hits to the primary crowd , before tacking to the center as the election dawns and ordinary Americans start listening .
Since his assisted capture of the nomination , Biden has veered leftward , crafting , with the help of the party ’ s progressive wing , the most progressive platform since the ill-fated George McGovern in 1972 .
This is not , as some attest , a political rebirth , but the reparations Biden and the party must pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big prize .
The fractures within this forced marriage were first sealed with Senators Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and Elizabeth Warren ’ s ( D-Mass . )
help—the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force scored some big wins , shunting Biden ’ s energy platform into what supporters have assured is the “ most aggressive climate change plan of any presidential candidate in U.S. history.
” At the final presidential debate , these cracks finally burst open .
Biden first committed to collapsing the oil industry , then , as the realization washed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a change would be transitory : “ I would transition from the oil industry , yes , ” he said .
Biden ’ s in trouble .
His unlikely candidacy relies on regular blood transfusions from the Democratic Party ’ s “ climate justice ” wing .
In dive bar parlance , “ climate justice ” means end fossil fuels and ban fracking .
Again , Biden insisted “ I never said I opposed fracking !
” Yet even CNN rated that claim false in what is perhaps the first time that network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has morphed from position to position—to some he ’ d ban fracking , to others he ’ d transition from fracking , to others still he ’ d leave fracking alone .
Fracking is a process designed to extract fossil fuels from shale rock formations .
In Pennsylvania alone , fracking provides 32,000 high-paying jobs to workers whose ancestral generations NAFTA condemned to economic apartheid and social decay .
Biden ’ s “ transition ” away from fossil fuels would dissolve the livelihoods of millions of Americans in Texas , Oklahoma , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dakota , and New Mexico .
The U.S. oil and gas industry supports 10.3 million jobs , paying an average salary of $ 101,000 , and pumping $ 1.3 trillion into the U.S. economy last year alone .
Biden later revisited his statement , saying that he would end fossil fuel subsidies , and insisting : “ We ’ re not getting rid of fossil fuels for a long time .
.
.
probably 2050.
” Displaced workers , he said , would be ushered into alternative work—much like NAFTA ’ s orphans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke with Biden .
U.S. Representative Kendra Horn ( D-Okla. ) insisted the party standard-bearer ’ s position was “ one of the places where Biden and I disagree.
” Another , Rep. Xochitl Torres Small ( D-N.M. ) said Biden was “ out of touch with the reality on the ground ” and warned against Biden ’ s “ demonization ” of the industry .
That industry did not take kindly to Biden ’ s comments .
Mike Sommers , president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s comments cracked through the Democratic Party ’ s foundations .
Biden ’ s appeal to the party establishment rests on his electability , his moderate magnetism .
To win , Biden must reconquer the Rust Belt and recapture blue-collar Democrats , the fabled Obama-Trump voters , millions of whom deserted a party hostile to their interests for President Trump ’ s Rust Belt revival .
This strategy runs right through Pennsylvania , a state in which 80 percent said the oil and gas industries provide “ some ” or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them personally .
A full 67 percent said those industries would remain “ essential ” to America even by 2040 .
That ’ s only 10 years before Biden ’ s fossil fuel transition deadline .
Such a transition would cost millions of jobs and juke the gas pumps to $ 6 a gallon , hurting not just the same Americans whom NAFTA consigned to economic wastelands , but all Americans .
Harold Hamm , founder of Continental Resources , said after the debate that “ $ 6 gas ” would adorn a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If Biden is elected and his plan on energy is adopted , he will send America into a deep depression and millions of jobs will be lost in Texas , Pennsylvania , Ohio , Michigan , Oklahoma , North Dakota and we will once again be beholden to foreign rogue regimes for our energy.
” Biden ’ s energy platform pays tribute to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ’ s ( D-N.Y. ) Green New Deal , deadlining net zero emissions by 2050 .
Wayne Christian , head of the regulatory Texas Railroad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero-emissions goal was “ impossible , ” would hurt American families , and destroy the economy .
The Democratic nominee is careful as one can be in mapping a safe path between conflicting party interests .
The climate justice wing demands punishing measures , measures demanding Democratic voters lose their jobs .
This year , Biden ’ s fracking position has morphed from a full ban to a phase-out , to “ no new fracking.
” The latter , Biden seemingly believes , is a neat sop to the warring factions , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to endorse .
When questioned , the Biden campaign offers boiler plate insisting he does not support a nationwide fracking ban but will stop all oil and gas drilling on federal lands and will oppose new fracking permits .
Yet , a new study found a fracking ban on federal lands and waters alone would dissolve , by 2022 , 1 million U.S. jobs and derail America ’ s energy independence .
Americans by 2030 would spend $ 20 billion more on surging energy bills .
Biden ’ s austere relationship with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assisted capture of the nomination , the Biden campaign paid reparations to the progressive wing unhappy with his unlikely victory .
The Sanders-Warren wing not only had a major say across a host of policies but was especially present in crafting Biden ’ s energy platform .
The youth-driven Sunrise Movement described Biden ’ s platform as a “ seismic shift in climate policy at the federal level ” telling supporters : “ Joe Biden ’ s plan isn ’ t everything , but it isn ’ t nothing at all.
” Inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s policy director , told media : “ He will demand a worldwide ban on fossil fuel subsidies and lead the world by example , eliminating fossil fuel subsidies in the United States during the first year of his presidency.
” Outside the campaign , Leah Stokes , a noted “ climate justice ” activist , recently assured that the Unity Task Force was “ extremely successful ” scoring major wins for the movement in a plan she baptized the “ most aggressive climate change plan of any presidential candidate in U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Kamala Harris , the vice presidential nominee ’ s unequivocal position : ban fracking .
A ban on fracking would kill 6 million jobs across seven states by 2025—600,000 Pennsylvanians would join the welfare rolls , and the blue-collar renaissance would disappear with them .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--New Mexico Legislator Flees Home After Receiving Threats

SANTA FE , New Mexico ( AP ) — A New Mexico state senator said he fled his house after receiving anonymous threatening telephone messages following his criticism of a protest outside the state Capitol against coronavirus restrictions .
State Sen. Jacob Candelaria said Sunday that he received the series of profanity-laced telephone telephone messages after he issued the criticism Saturday night in a TV appearance .
A male caller accused the Democratic senator from Albuquerque of not knowing what it means to be an American and said that “ we ’ re going to get you out one way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another message included homophobic slurs against the openly gay legislator and attorney , the lawmaker said Candelaria had said that the protest of several hundred demonstrators near the Statehouse was risky and irresponsible .
The protesters urged Democratic Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham to reopen the state ’ s economy and denounce pandemic restrictions .
Many waved presidential campaign flags supporting President Donald Trump .
New Mexico health officials have banned gatherings of more than five people and mandated masks in public , with a variety of restrictions on businesses , amid a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed COVID-19 infections in recent days .
Candelaria said he left his home in Albuquerque with his husband and that they are staying outside of the city in New Mexico .
The lawmaker claimed the response to the messages he received from local and state law enforcement authorities was inadequate in light of credible recent threats made against politicians such as Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
He also expressed concern that he could become the target of intimidation or violence as a gay , Latino person .
Candelaria said he grew more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man with an outstanding warrant for arrest , with help from a private investigator .
“ I have no idea how I can keep my family safe right now other than leave , ” Candelaria said .
“ They do not have the right to make death threats like this and have it go unaccountable.
” Candelaria said state police officers arrived at his home about 12 hours after he contacted them .
Candelaria said he grew frustrated when officers suggested the voice messages were not necessarily a threat .
State Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the agency ’ s investigations bureau is actively handling Candelaria ’ s complaint of threats , but declined to provide more information .
The initial state police response also is being reviewed , Soriano said .
Gilbert Gallegos , a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department , said Sunday that a city police officer contacted Candelaria after his initial 911 call and arranged to periodically drive by the legislator ’ s house to watch for suspicious activity .
State police are leading the investigation , Gallegos said .
Mogran Lee is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Headline Photo : In this March , 10 , 2015 , file photo , New Mexico state Sen. Jacob R. Candelaria speaks during the Senate Public Affairs Committee at the state Capital in Santa Fe , N.M. On Sunday , Oct. 25 , 2020 , Candelaria said he received anonymous threatening telephone messages shortly after publicly criticizing a political demonstration that took place outside the state Capitol , and that he fears for his safety .
( Luke E. Montavon/Santa Fe New Mexican via AP , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Belmont University Professor Criticized Rocketown for Allowing Conservative Event Featuring John Ric

Belmont University Professor Criticized Rocketown for Allowing Conservative Event Featuring John Rich and Tomi Lahren

Prior to Turning Point USA Nashville ’ s Debate Watch Party on Thursday , Belmont University ’ s College of Theology Assistant Professor David Dark criticized Rocketown for allowing conservatives to speak there .
In a Facebook post , Dark asked his peers to persuade Rocketown to “ rethink the decision to host an event like this.
” Rocketown is a non-profit that markets itself as a faith-based outreach facility geared toward youth .
It also functions as an entertainment venue .
In his post , Dark insinuated that money and power prompted Rocketown to host the event .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael W. Smith ] listens to who would advise against this have been drowned out by other ( perhaps wealthier ) associates.
” The watch party was planned and hosted by senior Belmont student and Turning Point USA Belmont President Jeffrey Seraphine .
As The Tennessee Star reported previously , Seraphine and other students came up with the idea for a watch party less than a month before the final presidential debate .
Speakers at the event were a slew of leading conservative personalities : John Rich , Tomi Lahren , Kelly Shackelford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Ming Wang , and Dr. Carol Swain .
Topics of their speeches included religious liberty , pro-life , freedom of speech , community , and the reality of the American dream .
In the comments , Dark referred to the event as a “ white supremacist death cult front.
” Dark shared in an interview with The Star that he didn ’ t intend for his comments to bring anyone down – especially not Smith , Lahren , or Rich .
Instead , he said that he disagreed with Rocketown hosting such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this pandemic .
“ I don ’ t think of myself as a partisan person , but in the case of the election of Donald Trump – about four years ago we learned via the Access Hollywood Reporting that Donald Trump is an unrepentant sexual assailant .
It ’ s also the case in the Republican Party , in recent years , seems to be banking on white supremacist terror and COVID denial .
And , you know , as a Nashville resident it is my business if it was a super-spreader event.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rocketown ’ s choice to allow an event featuring Rich due to a community controversy centered around the firing of a staff member .
“ Again , because I admire Rocketown and Michael W. Smith , I would prefer the brand Rocketown steer clear of that kind of event .
It ’ s also a fact that John Rich essentially got Brittany Paschall – the former academic dean of Lipscomb Academy , a thinker , an educator , a woman of color – fired because of her insistence on addressing white fragility and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not just a country singer , he ’ s also someone who went after a thoughtful woman at Lipscomb.
” Paschall formerly served as the Lipscomb Academy Dean of Intercultural Development .
She led the charge in academy discussion on racism and white privilege .
To date , Lipscomb hasn ’ t issued an explanation for Paschall ’ s firing .
Following initial coverage of the story by Nashville Scene linking Rich to Paschall ’ s release from the academy , Rich ’ s publicist gave the outlet an audio recording of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speech during a town hall at the school .
“ You can ’ t be hating on Brittany Paschall .
Because Brittany Paschall has a constitutional right to think what she wants to think , be who she wants to be and support who she wants to support , just like all of us do.
” Rich also released a statement that he never called for Paschall to be fired .
Rather , the singer expressed disappointment with social justice curriculum offered by the academy .
In a follow-up interview , Seraphine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s assertions weren ’ t supported by the facts of the evening or the history of the venue .
“ I am all for civil discourse .
People disagreeing about politics and doing so civilly is what makes this country amazing !
Here ’ s where I have a problem with professor Dark ’ s statements .
He takes issue with Rocketown hosting a ‘ partisan ’ event .
Well , Rocketown has hosted many Democratic individuals over the years , including Mike Bloomberg this summer .
Did conservatives ‘ cancel ’ them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that the watch party wasn ’ t a super-spreader event , according to reports he received from the Metro Health Department inspector that attended the event .
He stated that he ’ d received emails from Metro indicating that the event complied fully with health department guidelines .
“ I consider the speakers that we had patriots and advocates for limited government and conservatism .
Clearly , Professor Dark would rather rally the troops to stop those voices from being heard .
I think we can disagree on our politics without lighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strand , a Belmont senior who attended the event , shared that she was disheartened by Dark ’ s stance .
“ Professor Dark , a theology professor , feels the need to shame a completely student-run conservative organization for exercising our freedom of speech .
Isn ’ t that what college is all about , though ?
The freedom to exchange ideas ?
Apparently that is not the case with Professor Dark .
It seems as if he is wanting to suppress free speech , and his intolerance on the matter is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ David Dark ” by David Dark .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Analysis: Media Titans Subvert Reality About Biden-Ukraine Profiteering

After big tech companies suppressed a New York Post article exposing written evidence that Joe Biden “ spent some time together ” with a top executive of a corrupt Ukrainian energy firm that was enriching his son , media titans are misleading the public about the central facts of this explosive affair .
Twitter , for a prime example , pinned a post to the top of its home page claiming that Biden “ played no role in pressuring Ukraine officials into firing the prosecutor ” at the core of this case .
That is flatly disproven by the words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video that he told Ukraine ’ s president and its prime minister that he would withhold $ 1 billion in U.S. aid from their nation unless they removed the prosecutor .
“ If the prosecutor is not fired , ” warned Biden , “ you ’ re not getting the money.
” Biden then added , “ Well , son of a bitch , he got fired.
” Twitter ’ s brazen falsehood only scratches the surface of media misinformation about this matter .
In addition to spreading outright fictions , media outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are necessary to see the big picture .
These facts—which are documented in the following bullet points—build upon each other and implicate Joe Biden in a web of corruption that involves bribery , extortion , and obstruction of justice : • In April 2014 , while Joe Biden was vice president , he traveled to Ukraine and promised its parliament that the U.S. would help the nation increase its fossil fuel production to make it less dependent on Russian energy .
In that same month : • the largest private natural gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son Hunter and his business partner to the company ’ s board and began making payments to their firm that amounted to more than $ 3.3 million .
• the owner of the energy company—a Ukrainian oligarch named Nikolai Zlochevskyi who the U.S. State Department considered corrupt and who had just fled to Russia—personally approved Hunter ’ s hiring .
• the oligarch ’ s London bank accounts were seized by British officials in a money laundering investigation .
• In February 2015 , the U.S. State Department and the FBI learned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian prosecutors to shut down investigations of him .
Thus , the government of Ukraine replaced the chief prosecutor with a new one that would be fired one year later at the insistence of Joe Biden .
• Both Bidens claimed that they never discussed Hunter ’ s business dealings with each other , but a corroborated trove of emails shows that a top executive of the energy company thanked Hunter in April 2015 for “ inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent some time together.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same top executive wrote an email to Hunter and his partner in which he : • criticized a proposal they recently sent to him because it was “ lacking concrete tangible results that we set out to achieve in the first place ” and did not “ offer any names of top US officials ” or “ Ukrainian officials ” to help the oligarch improve “ his situation in Ukraine.
” • stated that if they left these names out of their proposal “ to be on the safe and cautious side , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instructed them to “ proceed immediately ” with enlisting “ high-ranking US officials ” to visit Ukraine and persuade “ the highest level of decision makers here in Ukraine ” to “ close down ” all “ cases/pursuits against ” the oligarch .
• The next month in December 2015 , Joe Biden acted in accord with the instructions of the energy company executive by visiting Ukraine and telling its president and its prime minister : “ If the prosecutor is not fired , you ’ re not getting the money.
” • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief prosecutor secured a court order to seize property of the oligarch , including his land , houses , and a Rolls-Royce Phantom .
• Two weeks later on February 16 , the president of Ukraine forced the chief prosecutor to resign .
White House phone logs show that Joe Biden talked to the president of Ukraine at least three times in the week surrounding the firing .
The phone log for the last of these calls states : “ The Vice President also commended President Poroshenko ’ s decision to replace Prosecutor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for needed reform of the prosecutorial service.
” • Contrary to Biden ’ s claim that the prosecutor stood in the way of reform , when the president of Ukraine announced the firing , he complimented the prosecutor for implementing reforms that his predecessors had “ been opposing for decades ” and then listed the specific reforms .
The president then said that he only asked the prosecutor to resign because he “ failed to gain society ’ s trust.
” • Two months later in May 2016 , Ukraine ’ s parliament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new chief prosecutor who was : • the best man of the president who appointed him .
• sentenced to prison in 2012 for embezzlement and abuse of office .
• pardoned by the previous president and released from jail in 2013 .
• Six months later on November 1 , 2016 , this new chief prosecutor , who Biden later described as “ solid , ” dropped all criminal charges against the oligarch .
The prosecutor then applauded these actions as a “ success ” because the oligarch paid $ 7.46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the settlement .
Far from being a prosecutorial victory , the oligarch praised these outcomes and stated that they would allow his corporation to increase production and “ attract international companies to Ukraine.
” • Two weeks later on November 16 , the energy company made its last documented payment to Hunter .
In addition to the recent closure of all criminal cases against the oligarch , Donald Trump had just won an upset victory in the U.S. presidential election .
This left Joe Biden incapable of using U.S. taxpayer funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 2019 , the Ukrainian president who followed Biden ’ s order to remove the chief prosecutor lost his bid for reelection .
• The next month in April 2019 , Hunter resigned from the board of the energy company .
• Five months later in August 2019 , the prosecutor who Biden praised as “ solid ” resigned under pressure from the new president after failing to prosecute anyone of note during his three-year • In June 2020 , the oligarch tried to bribe other prosecutors who began to investigate him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The payoff was six million U.S. dollars , the largest bribery seizure in the history of Ukraine .
In the face of all of these incriminating facts , NPR ’ s Public Editor posted a Tweet saying that NPR is not reporting on “ the NY Post ’ s Hunter Biden story ” because “ we don ’ t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories , and we don ’ t want to waste listeners ’ and readers ’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oligarch and Hunter One of the more outlandish falsehoods about this affair comes from the Washington Post ’ s lead “ Fact Checker , ” Glenn Kessler .
He claims that the chief prosecutor ( Viktor Shokin ) who was sacked at the behest of Biden “ was not investigating ” the oligarch ’ s company ( Burisma ) at the time.
” As proof of this , he asserts : In September 2015 , then-U.S .
Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt publicly criticized Shokin ’ s office for thwarting a British money-laundering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mykola Zlochevsky .
In reality , however , the U.S. ambassador was not criticizing Shokin but his predecessor , Vitaliy Yarema .
This is proven by the fact that the British money laundering probe cited by the ambassador ended on January 21 , 2015 , and Shokin was not appointed chief prosecutor until the next month in February 2015 .
The London Guardian , the Financial Times , and the New York Times all reported that the probe ended in January , raising the question of how Kessler could honestly botch this fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scales up the rhetoric and claims that the ambassador “ blasted Shokin for ‘ openly and aggressively undermining reform ’ and having ‘ undermined prosecutors working on legitimate corruption cases ’ .
” However , the ambassador stated that “ corrupt actors within the Prosecutor General ’ s office ” did this , not Shokin .
Furthermore , in the very same speech that Kessler misquoted twice , the ambassador began speaking about the present and said : “ We want to work with Prosecutor General Shokin ” and help him lead “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrates that Shokin is not the person who the ambassador castigated .
Twitter , in turn , invoked Kessler ’ s bogus fact check to insist that the “ prosecutor was not investigating Burisma at that time.
” Like Kessler , articles by CNN and Bloomberg take the ambassador ’ s words out of context to make it seem like he was lambasting Shokin instead of his predecessor .
In contrast to those false reports—court records , first-hand sworn testimony , and the words of a top executive of the oligarch ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact , investigating the oligarch and also Hunter at the time Joe Biden forced the firing of the prosecutor .
Just two weeks before he was fired , the Prosecutor General ’ s Office , which was led by Shokin , obtained a court order to seize property of the oligarch , including his land , houses , and a Rolls-Royce Phantom .
• “ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter Biden , was a member of the Board of Directors.
” • The president of Ukraine “ was emphatic that I should cease my investigations regarding Burisma .
When I did not , he said that the US ( via Biden ) were refusing to release the USD $ 1 billion promised to Ukraine .
He said that he had no choice , therefore , but to ask me to resign.
” Shokin also wrote to reporter John Solomon that his “ specific plans ” for the investigation “ included interrogations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive board , including Hunter Biden.
” Three months before Shokin was fired , a top executive of the oligarch ’ s energy company sent an email to Hunter and his partner urging them to get “ high-ranking US officials ” to persuade “ the highest level of decision makers here in Ukraine ” to “ close down ” all “ cases/pursuits against ” the oligarch .
In this email , he identified the “ Prosecutor General ” as one of his “ key targets.
” A common media refrain is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Hunter ’ s laptop is not authenticated or verified .
Leslie Stahl of CBS ’ s 60 Minutes went as far as to say that it “ can ’ t be verified.
” Such claims are belied by the fact that key aspects of it have already been verified .
For example , the listed recipient of one of the most damming emails released thus far has confirmed that he received the email .
Tony Bobulinski , a former business partner of Hunter ’ s , issued a public statement that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and that the “ email is genuine.
” The email lays out how the “ equity ” of a business venture with “ CEFC ” ( a Chinese energy company ) will be “ distributed.
” It does this by using the initials of the people copied on the email and numbers that add up to 100 percent .
The last one of these says “ 10 held by H for the big guy ?
” According to Bobulinski , “ the big guy ” is “ in fact a reference to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden called his dad ‘ the Big Guy ’ or ‘ my Chairman ’ .
” Beyond such first-hand testimony , the NY Post points out that it has published an array of pictures and emails from the laptop that “ contain an extraordinary level of detail , ” “ most of which have nothing to do with Ukraine or China.
” These include , for example , a picture of Hunter in a bathtub and a picture of a Biden family meal , along with emails to friends and family all bearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and collectively , these confirmable details corroborate that these are Hunter ’ s communications .
Moreover , if any of these communications were fictitious , it would be easy to prove this by showing that other people copied on the emails and texts received something different .
Yet , no one has even claimed this is the case , much less presented proof of it .
While ignoring all of the evidence that supports the authenticity of the laptop ’ s contents , Joe Biden , Adam Schiff ( Chairman of the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of government intelligence officials led by James Clapper ( Obama ’ s Director of National Intelligence ) are claiming that the contents of the laptop could be or definitely are Russian “ information.
” Yet , as Clapper and company admit , “ we do not have evidence of Russian involvement—just that our experience makes us deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a signiﬁcant role in this case.
” That same group of people who are now invoking Russia previously spread demonstrable falsehoods that Trump and his team colluded with Russia in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were disproven by a 2-year , $ 32 million investigation by an independent counsel which “ did not establish ” or “ identify evidence ” that members of the “ Trump Campaign ” or “ any U.S. persons ” “ conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.
” Furthermore , the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice ( an Obama appointee ) “ identified at least 17 significant errors or omissions ” in warrant applications that the Obama administration used to surveil people associated with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Inspector General also reported that he “ did not receive satisfactory explanations ” for these misleading warrant applications .
Nevertheless , a range of broadcasts and publications by NBC , the Daily Beast , the New York Times , Business Insider , and Vox have given more airtime and credence to politically opportune speculation from partisans who previously spread misinformation about Russian collusion than to the verifiable facts of this matter .
Another common media canard is the uncritical parroting of this statement from the Biden campaign : “ We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the time and no meeting , as alleged by the New York Post , ever took place.
” That talking point is effectively meaningless because Biden ’ s official schedules are not comprehensive , and after Politico pressed the campaign about this matter , it reported : Biden ’ s campaign would not rule out the possibility that the former VP had some kind of informal interaction with Pozharskyi ( the energy company exec ) , which wouldn ’ t appear on Biden ’ s official schedule .
But they said any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that admission is deceptive because Biden ’ s official schedules are so incomplete that they are even missing White House meetings .
A prime example is an Oval Office meeting on January 5 , 2017 in which Biden , Obama , and other administration officials discussed prosecuting Trump ’ s incoming National Security Advisor ( H/T Joel Pollak ) .
Yet another media falsehood is the claim that the email isn ’ t clear about whether Joe Biden actually met with the energy executive .
The Associated Press , for instance , reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email “ makes it unclear if he actually met Joe Biden.
” That is refuted by carefully reading the email , which states : Dear Hunter , thank you for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent some time together .
It ’ s realty an honor and pleasure .
As we spoke yesterday evening , would be great to meet today for a quick coffee .
What do you think ?
I could come to you office somewhere around noon or so , before or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Given room for the language barrier , even if the executive meant “ spend some time together ” when he wrote “ spent some time together , ” he still used the word “ pleasure , ” which is not the kind of thing one would say if he merely had an unfulfilled opportunity to meet the VP .
Also , the fact that the executive was flying out on the same day begs the question of why he would be thanking Hunter for inviting him from Ukraine to DC for a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James D. Agresti is the president of Just Facts , a think tank dedicated to publishing rigorously documented facts about public policy issues .
Photos “ Burisma ” by Bella Bellini CC BY-SA 4.0 and “ Hunter Biden ” by Burisma Group .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Top Al-Qaida Leader on FBI Most Wanted List Killed in Afghanistan According to Report

Afghanistan on Sunday claimed to have killed a top al-Qaida terror leader and propagandist who is on the FBI ’ s most wanted list .
Husam Abd al-Rauf , who was wanted by the FBI for providing support to terrorist organizations and conspiring to kill U.S. nationals , was reportedly killed in firefight in a Taliban-controlled area , according to the Associated Press .
A total of six other suspected Islamic militants were dispatched in the raid and one Afghan authority was killed , the AP reported .
Al-Rauf reportedly served as al-Qaida ’ s chief of media and wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audio messages , according to the news wire .
The National Directorate of Security , an Afghan government body , said the red-haired man was a close associate of Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri , the current leader of al-Qaida , the AP noted .
Al-Rauf was reportedly heard on a 2018 audio tape mocking President Donald Trump and calling him “ Donald T Rambo , ” in an effort to liken him to the popular American fictional character John Rambo , played by Sylvester Stallone , according to the news wire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follows a Saturday suicide bomb attack in Kabul that left 24 dead and 57 injured , the AP reported .
Al-Qaida has not immediately recognized al-Rauf ’ s death , according to the AP .
Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ FBI Rauf ” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-27--Roger Simon Discusses The New York Times Story on The Epoch Times, Hunter Biden’s Escapades, and Joe

Roger Simon Discusses The New York Times Story on The Epoch Times, Hunter Biden’s Escapades, and Joe Biden’s Lid

Live from Music Row Monday 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 the founder of Pajamas Media Roger Simon to the studio to discuss the recent New York Times Sunday edition commentary which attacked the formation of The Epoch Times .
He also later discussed Hunter Biden ’ s escapades and how Joe Biden has ceased to campaign before the election .
Leahy : In the studio of course the original all-star panelist Crom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the studio , My former boss at PJ Media and the founder of Pajamas Media .
Academy Award-nominated screenwriter .
Novelist and an all-around great guy .
And now he saw the light and moved to Nashville from Los Angeles in 2018 and is a columnist for The Epoch Times Roger Simon .
Good morning Roger .
Simon : Good morning to you .
You are getting me out early again .
Leahy : So You told me as we ’ re coming in that The New York Times is attacking your employer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ?
Simon : Well , it ’ s a good deal for them .
If you read The Sunday New York Times then there no wider read Sunday paper than The New York Times in New York or in the country .
It ’ s the best-selling Sunday newspaper in the country , Unfortunately , they attacked The Epoch Times in an above the fold article as they say on the front of The New York Times on Sunday because The Epoch Times is a sinful newspaper that supports Trump .
Simon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t support anybody .
Carmichael : Were they attacking did they take a particular subject or was it just a general broadside ?
Simon : Well , it was a deep attack on the paper and how it was formed .
I mean it was a long article .
I don ’ t know who got through it except for people maybe who like me who work for The Epoch Times .
But they attacked a lot of the formation of it too because it was originally formed by the Falun Gong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know how many listeners know some of you might .
Simon : I think a bit .
But basically , it ’ s a religious organization that was formed in the late 90s in China and the regime went crazy .
Leahy : Because they don ’ t want anything but one belief system .
Simon : You got it .
And but who is it being China millions of people joined the Falun Gong .
And then a lot of them were locked up tortured even their kidneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I mean , it was really that ’ s pretty horrible .
Simon : So many of them fled to the US and they established the Epoch Media Group and NTD Television where I ’ m going to be doing the election night .
And NTD stands for New Tang Dynasty .
Leahy : NTD Television .
And you are going to be there on election night .
Crom and I are going to be broadcasting on the radio and we ’ re going to be launching the Tennessee Star Evening News on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Jason Aldean ’ s kitchen and rooftop bar in Nashville .
Carmichael : What time do we start ?
Leahy : Well , you know , I think we started five and we end when we end .
Carmichael : I love that .
That ’ s good .
Do they have beds for us ?
Simon : I ’ ve been there .
They have food .
( Laughter ) Leahy : Roger have you sent a thank-you note to The New York Times ?
Simon : Well , no , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve done us a huge favor especially .
What ’ s interesting about it because believe it or not .
I ’ m probably the only person who was written for both papers .
I wrote for The New York Times in the 80s .
And you know the 80s it was a little bit better than it is today .
But anyway actually working for the Epoch Times is more fun .
They ’ re better edited and they ’ re nicer people .
So , you know .
Leahy : What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : It was so long ago was the 80s .
I don ’ t remember what The Times is like now .
Carmichael : Now The Epoch Times is both a digital and it also is a physical paper .
Carmichael : And I have a friend of mine who is one of your subscribers and he ’ s loaned me a couple of your physical papers and I ’ m going to subscribe .
Carmichael : But but the part that I think is really really cool and the stories are very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two pages of puzzles in there .
You ’ ve got every kind of puzzle you could think of and it ’ s fabulous .
Simon : Well , everybody is told me that but I ’ m so scared of puzzles that I never do them .
Carmichael : It ’ s I mean every kind you could think of and it ’ s really impressive .
Leahy : So Roger I wanted to talk to you a little bit about Hunter Biden ’ s escapades and they seem to be unending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden ’ s escapades .
Let me say this Hunter Biden ’ s problem that he has today and there are many and he has many personal problems and they are because his father has essentially forced him to be a dishonest man his entire adult life .
Simon : I couldn ’ t agree with you more .
In fact , I ’ ve written something similar .
I mean , you know the interesting thing about Joe Biden that begins with and you know , his son must have known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that he plagiarized extensively in law school .
Law school .
( Chuckles ) That means he began with no respect for the law .
Simon : And you know at the age of whatever he was at Syracuse University Law School .
So the kid grows up knowing his dad has no respect for the law .
Think about that .
And then he goes off and becomes a crackhead and even worse .
I happen to have seen some of the videos and it ain ’ t pretty .
Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes , we see more of Hunter Biden than you ever wanted to .
Simon : In apropos of Joe and Hunter Biden .
Carmichael : You see more of Hunter Biden than you see of Jeffrey Toobin ?
( Laughter ) Leahy : Well there , that ’ s a good point .
That element is kind of covered up shall we say digitally .
Simon : There ’ s a girl there doing to Hunter what Toobin did to himself .
Simon : What is really interesting about the video see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it is shot by a third camera .
Whether Hunter knew this or not and how to do this in that it ’ s unclear because in the midst of the video when you see his face when he ’ s lighting up the crack pipe , we really know it ’ s Hunter because it illuminates his face .
Simon : Then you also see him take a cell phone and start videoing his escapade himself .
Why would he do that if he knew there was a camera or anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
And where was this ?
Simon : Somewhere in China .
One assumes .
Leahy : One assumes .
And where was that video ?
What was the origin of that video ?
Was it on the laptop from the Delaware computer repair guy ?
Leahy : Did the Communist Chinese Party have it to blackmail somebody ?
Simon : Oh , well , I ’ m sure they have lots of stuff .
That ’ s what they do for a living .
Carmichael : Well there ’ s an article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is elected he ’ s going to undo all of the technology embargoes and he ’ ll Chinese go back to stealing our technology again .
This is such a serious problem because China is somewhere between an adversary and an enemy of the United States .
If you define an enemy where you are at war and if you put it at that extreme level .
But an adversary is somebody who seeks to do you harm ?
They ’ re not a trading partner .
In addition to the trade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They want to see us be a weak country .
Simon : I think that is true .
And they essentially want to own the world .
Simon : Now this video and kind of stuff like that , anyone could do it .
I mean because you know video cameras now you can put in your lapel .
So it ’ s no big deal .
They must have libraries of this stuff and the Russians do too .
Leahy : But Roger here is the question .
Apparently , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about those videos or anything related to Hunter Biden because it ’ s all a lie he says .
Simon : Also he ’ s taking the lid .
I ’ ve never heard that before .
Carmichael : And you ’ re a journalist .
And you ’ ve never heard of the lid .
They invent terms that are convenient for them .
Simon : I guess so .
Anyway , he took a lid .
Simon : He ’ s taking a lid up until the election and he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : He ’ s gone .
No more questions , please .
Leahy : We used to have campaigns when there were questions Crom .
Carmichael : Well , it ’ s going to be very interesting to see if the American people will allow somebody to become President with all of this much terrible terrible information .
If the Republicans retained the Senate or take the House , a Biden President , which I don ’ t think will happen , couldn ’ t last the hearings .
Listen to the third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
Photo “ Roger Simon ” by Roger Simon .