thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Commentary: Trump Will Win the Post-Pandemic Election

It is by now obvious that the Democrats are determined to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic in a last desperate attempt to get the president .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) has launched yet another Trump investigation , said his call to reopen the economy is “ sinful , ” and colluded with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) to block the GOP effort to pass financial aid without which even more Americans will lose their jobs .
Meanwhile , the nation ’ s Democratic governors refuse to ease their job-killing lockdowns , despite indications that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak .
The Democrats clearly hope that the resultant recession will cause Trump to lose in November .
But the voters are well aware that the Democrats are motivated by pure partisanship .
In a recent Harvard Caps/Harris poll , 60 percent of registered voters said Nancy Pelosi is “ putting party over country.
” They also know Trump wants to reopen the country .
AP reports , “ President Donald Trump gave governors a road map Thursday for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic.
” Democratic governors will balk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their jobs due to state lockdowns , and many are already protesting in North Carolina , Kentucky , Michigan , and Virginia .
Moreover , federal lawsuits have been filed against Democratic governors claiming the lockdowns violate the Constitution : Whitmer is not the only Democratic governor to be sued pursuant to a lockdown .
In March , a federal lawsuit was filed against Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D-N.Y. ) by Brooklyn resident Lee Nigen , who objects to Cuomo ’ s threat to use law enforcement personnel to coerce compliance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Post , “ Clearly , there is a grave public health emergency.… But lawful process matters and emergency orders of this sort , if left unchallenged , will evolve into precedents with horrifying consequences.
” Nigen ’ s lawsuit touches on an issue that will come up again .
On March 23 , Gov .
Cuomo imposed an indefinite ban on large gatherings , an outrageous violation of the constitutional right of free assembly .
When April 30 rolls around , Americans will have had enough of living under house arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious that the fatality projections upon which their Democratic governors based Draconian stay-at-home orders were wild exaggerations based on statistically meaningless data .
Cynical partisans like Nancy Pelosi , Chuck Schumer , Gretchen Whitmer , and Andrew Cuomo will neither be able to keep their constituents imprisoned in their homes nor retain their trust .
Trump ’ s instincts will have been vindicated , and he will leverage his advantages as an incumbent to convince the voters not to fall for any further Democratic skulduggery .
Among these advantages is fundraising : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden , is so far behind that it will be all but impossible for him to raise enough money to compete : Biden and the Democratic National Committee haven ’ t released their March fundraising figures yet — they don ’ t have to report until April 20 .
And while they both are likely to reveal good fundraising months , Biden had just $ 12.1 million in the bank and the DNC had just $ 14 million.… The real human tragedy of the economic downturn is impeding Biden ’ s ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his money through February came from donors who gave $ 200 or less , compared to 50 % for Trump .
In other words , Biden ’ s irresponsible rhetoric concerning COVID-19 has come home to roost .
His public statements and campaign ads have been exploitative and dishonest .
Consequently , he helped engender the coronavirus panic and the very economic downturn that has left him at an insurmountable cash disadvantage .
Moreover , the strongest fundraiser of the Democratic presidential field — Bernie Sanders — has dropped out and grudgingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep database of supporters on behalf of progressive down-ballot candidates .
Biden will , of course , enjoy a disproportionate amount of “ earned media.
” The 2016 election illustrated the limitations of that once formidable resource , however .
Trump also has other advantages , of course , such as a sophisticated “ virtual campaign.
” As Jennifer Harper writes in the Washington Times , “ President Trump has once again proven he can bypass the news media and take his message directly to the public.
” This is , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to him .
It is also why the Democrats are anxious to shut down the economy .
Their only hope is that the coronavirus recession will be blamed on Trump .
As usual , however , they underestimate the intelligence of the voters and the president himself .
When we emerge from the pandemic , Trump will have won yet again .
David Catron is a recovering health care consultant and frequent contributor to The American Spectator .
You can follow him on Twitter at @ Catronicus .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--NJ Issues Citation to Woman Who Dared Organize Protest Against Stay At Home Order, a Gathering that

NJ Issues Citation to Woman Who Dared Organize Protest Against Stay At Home Order, a Gathering that Attorney General Calls ‘Nonsense’

A New Jersey woman was cited by police for organizing a protest against the state ’ s stay at home order .
The protestors gathered outside the New Jersey Statehouse and other locations in Trenton on Friday afternoon as Murphy and state health officials held their daily coronavirus press briefing , according to a story by NJ.com .
New Jersey has now seen at least 78,467 confirmed cases and 3,840 deaths of COVID-19 .
Pagan has to answer to the charge in Municipal Court .
Violations of emergency orders constitute a disorderly persons offense carrying a potential sentence of up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1,000 fine , Fox News reported .
Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal preached to the public , saying , “ First responders have limited PPE .
They should not be using it to break up gatherings or deal with violators who attack them .
It ’ s nonsense .
Don ’ t put our first responders through that .
Take responsibility , because if you don ’ t , there will be consequences : https : //bit.ly/2XLOEFu ” Grewal also said , “ Our police officers are working bravely and tirelessly every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
Regrettably , they are being called upon far too often to deal with people violating the emergency orders— or what is more egregious , people using the virus to spread fear or impede officers in their vital work , ” said Attorney General Grewal .
“ Staying home and maintaining social distance isn ’ t just the best advice to stay healthy , it ’ s the law .
Make no mistake , we will do everything in our power to keep our residents and officers safe , and that means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges against violators.
” The Twittersphere buzzed over the arrest : “ This is insanity .
How much longer are these tyrants going to get away with unlawful citations and false arrests .
Aren ’ t Constitutional rights in force anymore @ GovMurphy .
She must get an attorney ASAP ” .
“ Nobody wants this on our side , but if they arent careful ?
Civil War will break out !
this is the biggest power grab since the 1770s .
ppl got fed up then ?
and i see that happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The absolute genius behind @ realDonaldTrump yielding re-opening power to each state : We ’ ve spent the last 4 years listening to the Left claim Trump was an evil dictactor .
Now we get to watch who the aspiring dictators really are .
…And they all just happen to be Democrats.
” Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Background Photo “ New Jersey Protest ” by Elise Young .

by Bethany Blankley
Nineteen attorneys general, led by Indiana, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and Missouri against the Biden administration.
They’re asking the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court’s order instructing the Biden administration to follow the law to fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
“No one is above the law in America, and we are simply insisting that the Biden administration follow the law,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said (pictured above).
“The rule of law is the framework that enables American liberty to survive and thrive,” he added. “The situation at our southern border provides the perfect example of how going soft on the rule of law gives rise to anarchy, chaos, and ultimately the erosion of our freedom and safety.”
In January 2021, President Joe Biden announced via executive order that he was terminating MPP. Months later, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas began dismantling it and other immigration policies. Southern border encounters then surged to historic levels. In Biden’s first year in office, Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol agents encountered or apprehended roughly 2 million people entering the southern border illegally. This number excludes the several hundred thousand who are estimated to have evaded law enforcement.
At the same time, Mayorkas implemented a wide range of policy changes to effectively halt most deportations. CBP and Border Patrol agents were directed to release illegal immigrants into the U.S. en masse instead of sending them back to Mexico to go through the immigration process.
Texas and Missouri sued, District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas granted their request for a permanent injunction and ordered the administration to reinstate the MPP. He ruled the administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it halted the MPP.
The administration appealed to the Fifth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court and lost. Both courts denied its request to stay Kacsmaryk’s ruling.
After its Supreme Court loss, the administration said it was appealing Kacsmaryk’s ruling, vowing to “vigorously challenge it.” In a statement, it said, “As the appeal process continues, however, DHS will comply with the order in good faith. Alongside interagency partners, DHS has begun to engage with the Government of Mexico in diplomatic discussions surrounding the Migrant Protection Protocols.”
But compliance hasn’t happened, as evidenced by the flood of illegal immigrants the administration is releasing into the U.S. and by the tactics it’s used in court to circumvent the law, the AGs argue.
“From the beginning of this Administration, the United States has been forthright about its intention to terminate MPP simply because it did not like the program, and its conduct demonstrates its readiness to do anything – including ignore the APA’s requirements – to accomplish that objective,” they argue in the brief.
“The Administration’s ‘act now, justify later’ approach began on Inauguration Day, when it summarily paused MPP,” they add.
Throughout the appeals process, “the Fifth Circuit correctly concluded that the United States’ efforts to avoid judicial review violated basic principles of procedure,” they argue.
An unprecedented number of people are expected to come through the southern border after the administration ends the Title 42 public health authority May 23, the attorneys general have argued, necessitating the urgency for the Supreme Court to weigh in.
Implemented under President Donald Trump in January 2019, the MPP led to a reduction in the number of people entering the U.S. illegally. The Trump administration also invoked Title 42 to enable CBP and Border Patrol agents to quickly expel illegal immigrants and prevent entry to a greater number of people during a public health emergency.
Current law requires those not authorized to enter the U.S. to be detained, to stay in Mexico, or be “paroled” into the U.S. based on narrowly defined case-by-case circumstances including “urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”
The Biden administration has been issuing paroles en masse to release illegal immigrants into the U.S., the attorneys general argue, violating the law.
The administration maintains it’s inherited a flawed system, and its policies are more humane than the previous administration’s. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters last December after the administration lost another court battle in the case, “it is not our preference to be reimplementing and reinstituting the Migrant Protection program. … we still feel that the program is inefficient, inhumane, and we are not – we weren’t, we were – did not eagerly reimplement it.”
– – –
Bethany Blankley is a regular contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “AG Todd Rokita” by AG Todd Rokita.


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Newly Declassified FISA Footnotes Expose Major Lies in Dems’ Rebuttal to GOP FISA Memo

Newly declassified footnotes from Inspector General Michael Horowitz ’ s report on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) abuse provide additional insight into the FBI ’ s malfeasance in 2016 , and proof that Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee massively misled the public in their “ rebuttal ” to the Republicans ’ FISA abuse memo .
The new information shows that the FBI knew that former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele lied to them about being the source for a Yahoo news article by Michael Isikoff in September 2016 and withheld this fact from the FISA court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was warned that the now discredited Steele dossier included Russian disinformation , but ignored the warning .
One footnote noted “ that Steele ’ s contact with 5 Russian oligarchs in a short period of time was unusual and recommended that a validation review be completed on Steele because of this activity.
” The footnotes further show that the FBI and Department of Justice heavily relied on information attributed to “ Source E ” / ” Person 1 ” ( Sergei Millian ) for probable cause to obtain the FISA warrants .
Millian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steele dossier .
As Twitter ’ s “ Undercover Huber ” pointed out , the declassification reveals that Section II , p.10 of the FISA warrant used language taken directly from the anti-Trump dossier : “ [ Carter ] Page…has been identified by source reporting as an intermediary with Russian leadership ” in “ a well-developed conspiracy of co-operation ” to influence the 2016 election.
” Because the FISA was heavily redacted in Feb. 2018 , it was hard to debunk Schiff ’ s claim that the FBI only “ narrowly ” relied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even worse , Millian , the FBI ’ s source , was himself under investigation for his alleged links to Russian intel while they were using his information to obtain the FISA warrant against Carter Page .
The Democrats ’ rebuttal to the bombshell GOP FISA memo in February of 2018 has aged very poorly .
In their memo , the Intel Democrats—who had access to the classified FISA information at the time—falsely claimed that officials at the FBI and Justice Department “ did not abuse the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or subvert this vital tool to spy on the Trump campaign.
” The IG report , released in December by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz , identified 17 separate errors and omissions with regard to all four FISA applications .
The Schiff rebuttal also falsely claimed that the DOJ only made “ narrow use ” of information from Steele ’ s sources , and that the FBI had an “ independent basis ” for investigating Page ’ s motivations .
It also claimed that the DOJ “ repeatedly informed the Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and potential bias.
” And it maintained that the Justice Department informed the FISA court that Steele had been hired by “ politically motivated U.S. persons and entities and that his research appeared intended for use “ to discredit ” Trump ’ s campaign .
The rebuttal added that the DOJ only made “ narrow use ” of information from Steele ’ s sources and that in later FISA renewals the DOJ provided “ additional information obtained through multiple independent sources ” that backed up Steele ’ s reporting .
It challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payment to Steele , saying that it neglected that the payment was canceled .
Contrary to Schiff ’ s claims , the newly declassified footnotes show that the FBI did not tell the FISA court that Steele was part of an elaborate “ Russian disinformation campaign , ” just as it did not tell the court that George Papadopoulos had denied collusion during a recorded conversation with an FBI informant .
Despite the Democrats ’ valiant attempts to protect their fellow corruptocrats , it appears that the law is closing in .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ingraham last week , Attorney General William Barr said that “ the evidence shows that we ’ re not dealing with just mistakes or sloppiness .
There is something far more troubling here , and we ’ re going to get to the bottom of it .
And if people broke the law , and we can establish that with the evidence , they will be prosecuted.
” According to Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett , Barr “ tipped his hand ” about U.S. Attorney John Durham ’ s review of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked by host Sean Hannity Thursday night why there have not been any indictments yet , Jarrett said Barr ’ s words provided insight into the potential charges Durham could level against current or former federal law enforcement and intelligence officials in his criminal investigation .
“ I don ’ t think he would have said that unless he was briefed about the evidence gathered by John Durham , so potentially , you ’ re looking at abuse of power , deprivation of rights under color of law , fraud , perjury , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Trump Administration Touts Boost in New Coronavirus Testing

President Donald Trump and administration officials indicated that testing for the coronavirus is headed for a big increase , as the administration moves toward reopening the economy .
“ Earlier this week the [ Food and Drug Administration ] authorized two new antibody tests , which is very exciting , that will determine whether someone has been previously infected with the virus , bringing the total to four authorized antibody tests already , ” Trump said Friday during a press briefing .
“ This will help us assess the number of cases that have been asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work by showing us who might have developed wonderful , beautiful immunity , ” the president added .
Vice President Mike Pence said the “ states could actually more than double the amount of daily testing that is happening today by simply activating all of the labs.
” “ The FDA is currently working on an antibody test that could literally add 20 million new tests to our supply even before the end of April , ” Pence said .
“ Our best scientists and health experts assess that states today have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phase one if they choose to do so , ” Pence said .
“ States that meet the criteria for going into phase one and then are preparing the testing that is contemplated into going into phase one , our best scientists and health experts assess that today , we have a sufficient amount of testing to meet the requirements of phase one reopening if state governors should choose to do that.
” There are two types of tests for coronavirus tests , explained Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he tested negative earlier that day .
One of them is to actually test for the infection .
… The other is to test , as we just mentioned , if someone has been infected .
Usually someone has been infected who has recovered that you can assume–although we need to do some more work on that–that that person is actually protected against subsequent exposure and infection with an identical organism .
… The pluses and minuses are going to impact how we best use the tests and how the tests actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed a map of the United States , demonstrating which states had the largest testing capacity .
Larger states such as Texas and New York have capacity to do 1 million tests per month , she said .
We are working with each of those states on unlocking that full potential .
How are we doing that ?
We ’ re calling on the American Society of Microbiologists .
They work closely with 300 lab directors around the country and the Walter Reed team who developed the entire HIV testing for the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve called them back into service and they are calling lab by lab to find out what are the technical difficulties to bring up all of the platforms that exist in your lab .
Trump also announced that the Agriculture Department will be implementing a $ 19 billion relief program “ for our great farmers and ranchers as they cope with the fallout of the global pandemic.
” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said at the press briefing , “ Having to dump milk or plow under vegetables ready to market is not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartbreaking as well to those who produce them.
” Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “ The Right Side of History ” podcast .
Lucas is also the author of “ Tainted by Suspicion : The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections .
”


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Facebook Coronavirus ‘Fact Checker’ Worked with Wuhan Virus Lab

Breitbart reports , “ Facebook is relying on a ‘ fact checker ’ that uses ‘ expert opinion ’ from a researcher who conducted projects with the Wuhan Institute of Virology , the biolab next to the wet market in Wuhan where the Chinese virus originated.
” An article from Danielle E. Anderson , assistant professor at Duke-NUS medical school , was used by Facebook to “ fact-check ” and censor a video from the Epoch Times .
This is not a fringe claim — CNN reports that the U.S. intelligence community is currently investigating the same laboratory as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same thread of investigation that got ZeroHedge banned from Twitter in late January is now being looked at by the U.S. government and reported on by the mainstream media .
Mark Milley , Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said that the intelligence community is taking a “ hard look ” at the question of whether the Chinese virus originated in a lab .
In Anderson ’ s “ fact check ” of the claim , she writes : “ I will disclose that I am a scientist trained to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Wuhan Institute of Virology ( WIV ) .
I have worked in this exact laboratory at various times for the past 2 years .
I can personally attest to the strict control and containment measures implemented while working there .
The staff at WIV are incredibly competent , hardworking , and are excellent scientists with superb track records .
”


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--California Mayor Says He Will Resign After Comparing Trump Supporters to KKK

The mayor of a Northern California city announced plans to step down Monday after outrage erupted over recent social media posts comparing President Trump supporters to members of the Ku Klux Klan , Fox News reports .
The angry Auburn community , about 33 miles northeast of Sacramento , weighed in on Mayor William Kirby ’ s controversial comments on Facebook during a virtual city council meeting by video Monday .
Kirby addressed the controversy after several voicemails from residents were played .
“ I spent 40 years dedicating my life to serving the community of Auburn as a physician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I perfect ?
No .
We ’ re all a little flawed , ” Kirby said , admitting some of his recent posts were misguided .
Kirby said in a statement to CBS Sacramento , “ Some people have viewed my posts , which were meant to be private and made out of frustration as over the top .
Some were and I regret that.
” “ I want to share with you where my frustrations have come from , ” he said .
He said that as a doctor , he sees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical staff , first responders and my medical colleagues as well as their patients dying unnecessarily due to lack of preparation ” for coronavirus .
“ The president has put us all at risk.
” In one of the posts , the mayor shared a photo of a Ku Klux Klan hood , with the caption , “ Good news for Trump supporters is that most of them already have masks , ” the report said .
The post was later taken down .
Kirby ’ s comments from a screenshot , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported him was removed from the face of the earth in 1939 the world would be a much better place ” and that , “ The same is more true of trump and his supporters today.
” At the council meeting Kirby said he “ absolutely ” thinks Mr. Trump is a racist and that the Facebook posts have “ nothing to do with my job , ” the Auburn Journal reported .
Catherine Smith is a regular contributor to American Greatness .
Photo “ Auburn , California Courthouse ” by Nick Ares @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Commentary: Postcards from the Pandemic Show Good Faith Frays

At the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic , the public was willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the appropriate medical , public health , and government authorities .
The public trusted these pandemic policymakers would use solid scientific evidence as the basis to implement the reasonable measures needed to “ flatten the curve ” and protect the public health .
Now , the American people ’ s good faith is fraying .
In many states , policymakers consulted and combined to impose upon the citizenry “ shelter-in-place ” orders with varying degrees of compromised freedom—and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public complied—evincing the can-do spirit of self-sacrifice that has always allowed our country to surmount her greatest challenges .
Yet after the first month or so , as the loss of lives and livelihoods continued and government restrictions mounted , an ominous realization dawned upon the public : the pandemic policymakers were less rational and reasonable than they thought—and less deserving of the benefit of the doubt when it came to imposing public health measures .
As we ’ ve seen , the pandemic policymakers have an incentive to over react .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer has tightened restrictions upon citizens—such as prohibitions against travel between residences , including vacation homes ; and buying gardening and home improvement materials , such as seeds , paint , and furniture .
Exacerbating the public ’ s ire , Whitmer bolstered her restrictions after most experts believed the pandemic had already peaked in the Great Lakes State .
The governor defends her decision based upon the models she employs to instruct her decisions .
Michiganders are unpersuaded .
In Lansing , citizens led a drive-by protest against Whitmer ’ s new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signatures have been affixed to a symbolic online petition demanding her recall .
Ironically , Whitmer ’ s defense of herself is raising another reason the public ’ s good faith in pandemic policymakers is fraying : there is no agreement on a uniform basis for COVID-19 modeling—or , for that matter , how to determine who has died from the virus .
The models on display at governmental press conferences have been wildly inaccurate ; and , thankfully , the dire predictions of millions dead , overwhelmed hospitals , ventilator shortages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While some argue the shelter-in-place orders explain why these models now appear to be wrong , the truth is these models took into account the implementation of and obedience to such strong public health measures .
Consequently , the public is increasingly aware and agitated that the pandemic policymakers ’ cries of a “ coronapocalypse ” were—and , in many cases , remain—wildly off the mark .
Now the public trust is damaged .
Badly .
Echoing the screenwriter who was asked what makes a Hollywood hit , the public is realizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ science ” the public is supposed to accept without reservation , if not largely guess work , at least has many guesses in it .
Further exacerbating the situation is that many things that should have been elementary considerations of the pandemic policymakers have been rationalized away , downplayed or dismissed in the immediacy of the moment .
Every treatment for an illness can have side effects .
In battling COVID-19 , the primary treatment is a public lockdown .
One large side effect is a pending depression .
Already , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a depression remains a distinct possibility , depending upon how long the lockdown continues and how restrictive it remains .
As the pandemic policymakers ’ prescribed treatment continues , so will its side effect of economic disaster continue exacting its tragic toll on this generation of Americans : homicides , domestic abuse , substance abuse , suicides , anxiety , depression , and other manner of societal afflictions .
At the moment , at least 22 million Americans have lost their jobs—one-in-seven workers .
Yet , believing chump change and lip service is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhibit little understanding or even concern for the effects of their government-mandated economic devastation .
No wonder the American people ’ s good faith is fraying .
The government lockdown has shown a people born to liberty what it ’ s like to live with tyranny : fines or arrests for exercising constitutional rights , including the free exercise of religion ; the citizenry turned into the Stasi by governmental calls to “ snitch ” on neighbors for violating the lockdown ; the parroting of the government ’ s lockdown propaganda by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sneers of a privileged elite deemed “ essential ” and still being paid , who are more than happy to publicly shame those unwilling to go bankrupt .
The list of constitutional infringements grows daily as does the American people ’ s frustration with their public servants .
Regrettably , some Americans don ’ t seem to mind the indefinite suspension of liberty for security .
Eschewing herd immunity for a herd mentality and in accordance with what turns out to be their collectivist ideology ( whether they profess to be liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content with a lengthy lockdown—provided , as in Michigan , they still can obtain essential commodities like booze , marijuana , and lottery tickets .
Freedom isn ’ t free .
But for $ 1,200 a month , some folks will loan their liberty to the pandemic policymakers .
The Lengths We ’ ll Go in the Name of “ Science ” Of course , nothing prevents these citizens from sheltering-in-place until they feel the pandemic has passed and it is safe to begin returning to their normal routines .
Nevertheless , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same .
Belying their professed belief in “ science , ” those crying for an indefinite national house arrest ( excepting , of course , some newly released prisoners ) are as emotional as they are impractical , given the geographic and demographic disparities in how the virus has afflicted America ; and , indeed , how little pandemic policy makers presently really know about COVID-19 .
Such demands grate upon citizens who , in a spirit of national selflessness , allowed the suspension of their God-given rights and the loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic policy makers ’ initially professed “ 15 days ” of lockdown measures to “ flatten the curve.
” A growing number of Americans believe a better treatment at this time is to allow people a choice : let those who want to work do so ; let those who want to shelter-in-place do so .
Unfortunately , publicly airing this view results in condemnations and accusations from their shelter-in-place-indefinitely neighbors , the media , and pandemic policymakers—who still haven ’ t agreed upon which model ’ s curve to flatten , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of flattening to resume normal life .
This is not lost upon the American people who , when hearing calls to continue the lockdown for several months or longer , feel like their good faith has been exploited by budding despots proffering guesswork as science to advance their own agendas .
All the while this erodes the citizenry ’ s communal comity and the pandemic ’ s policymakers ’ credibility at a time when our nation needs both .
God willing , soon this plague will pass ; but the pandemic policymakers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s locked-down patients will take longer to heal .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Officials Bump Wuhan Death Toll Up By 50 Percent

Chinese officials announced an additional 1,290 deaths that had not been initially included in Wuhan death tolls Friday , increasing the city ’ s previous stated death toll by 50 % .
State media announced Friday that almost 1,300 people who died of coronavirus in Wuhan were not counted in death tolls previously announced , NBC News reported .
These additional numbers increase Wuhan ’ s death toll by 50 % to 3,869 deaths , according to NBC .
A Wuhan official reportedly blamed the under-reporting on several medical institutions failing to report deaths in a timely manner .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited hospital capacity and the shortage of medical staff , a few medical institutions failed to connect with local disease control and prevention systems in a timely manner , which resulted in delayed reporting of confirmed cases and some failures to count patients accurately , ” state media reported that an unidentified Wuhan official said , according to NBC .
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian also blamed late reporting from medical workers , NBC reported , saying Friday : “ Medical workers at some facilities might have been preoccupied with saving lives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misreporting , but there has never been any cover-up and we do not allow cover-ups.
” News of China ’ s under-reporting came after weeks of rumors that China has many more victims than the country has announced — rumors fueled by photos of thousands of urns at funeral homes waiting to be filled with cremated ashes of victims , as well as photos of people waiting in long lines to gather the ashes of their cremated relatives , NBC reported .
The news also came after the United States accused China of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the world about the virus and purposefully misrepresenting the number of deaths and cases within the country .
Bejiing has denied that this is the case , NBC reported .
The U.S. Intelligence community reportedly concluded in mid-March that China was falsifying data on coronavirus , prompting the CIA to look into the numbers as well .
President Donald Trump has not directly criticized China in recent weeks , but he frequently has criticized the World Health Organization ( WHO ) for being “ China-centric , ” and cut off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The WHO ’ s reliance on China ’ s disclosures likely caused a twenty-fold increase in cases worldwide , and it may be much more than that , ” Trump said Tuesday .
“ The WHO has not addressed a single one of these concerns nor provided a serious explanation that acknowledges its own mistakes , of which there are many.
” Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--After Struggling for Years, Memphis International Airport Gets Coronavirus Relief Money for Support

Federal officials will lavish nearly $ 25 million of coronavirus relief money to prop up the Memphis International Airport , even though the facility has struggled for years because far fewer people use it .
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ( D-TN-09 ) announced this week that Memphis International , along with three other airports , will receive Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security Act grants .
“ This funding is prompted by a dramatic reduction in air travel , ” Cohen said in an emailed newsletter to his constituents .
In a separate press release , Cohen said Memphis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , the Memphis-based General DeWitt Spain Airport and the nearby Charles W. Baker Airport and Millington-Memphis Airport will receive $ 69,000 each .
“ Air travel has been severely affected by the coronavirus outbreak , ” Cohen said in the press release .
“ There were fewer than 12 people on my last flight to Washington , and that included the crew .
Our airports are hurting , and this funding will help them stay afloat until we get this pandemic behind us.
” As The Tennessee Star reported in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other big ways , despite reports that fliers bypass the airport and choose other options .
Earlier this year , the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Board of Commissioners approved a $ 1.5 million expenditure for a public art project there .
As The Star reported last year , the federal government gave the Memphis International Airport $ 15 million in taxpayer money for improvements and for economic development .
As The Star reported in 2018 , the New York Times described the Memphis airport as “ a glaring casualty of an airline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but cost the Mid-South ’ s most important city its status as a hub.
” As the Times went on to say , there once was a time when Northwest Airlines was the dominant carrier .
Delta Airlines eventually gobbled it up .
Delta then decided it only needed one hub in the south , in Atlanta .
“ The decision cost Memphis almost two-thirds of its passengers , ” according to the Times .
As The Star reported , federal taxpayers shelled out $ 43.3 million to improve the airport , via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million of that money reimbursed airport officials for reconstructing two taxiways .
The remaining $ 14.7 million , meanwhile , went to rehabilitate the Memphis International Airport ’ s Concourse B. Memphis International Airport spokesman Glen Thomas said at the time the airport qualified for the federal funding , even though it seemed like a ghost town .
These funds , Thomas said , involved federal Airport Improvement Program money .
Under federal law the aviation system generates that money .
That money is then apportioned back to airports based on their activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Memphis based on the amount of cargo enplaned here ( we are the world ’ s 2nd busiest cargo airport ) and the number of passengers enplaned , ” Thomas said in an emailed statement to The Star at the time .
The Fed-Ex global hub is at the Memphis Airport .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Background Photo “ Memphis International Airport ” by Thomas R Machnitzki .
CC BY 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Ohio Health Director Amy Acton Sued for Ban on Non-Essential Businesses

The Ohio Department of Health was sued in federal court Thursday for its ban on “ non-essential businesses ” during the coronavirus pandemic .
Unlike other states , Ohio ’ s stay-at-home order was actually issued by Department of Health Director Amy Acton , not the governor .
As such , the lawsuit names Acton in her official capacity as the defendant .
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio by the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law on behalf of Gilded Social , a Columbus-based bridal shop that isn ’ t allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s order .
The complaint asks the court to declare Acton ’ s order unconstitutional and issue a permanent injunction against its enforcement .
“ As a direct result of the Director ’ s unconstitutional practices , Plaintiffs and many others now face an imminent risk of criminal prosecution and extensive daily fines , or in the alternative , decimation of their businesses , livelihoods , and economic security , as well as continued irreparable harm to their rights under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit argues that Acton ’ s order violates Ohioans ’ procedural due process rights because the state has failed to justify its ban on non-essential businesses in an “ immediate hearing , ” which is required by the Constitution and binding precedent .
“ Applied here , precedent dictates that this entitles Plaintiffs and other Ohio businesses shut down as ‘ non-essential ’ to a prompt hearing wherein the State must prove that the business is neither essential nor safe .
In the absence of such safeguards , the Director ’ s Order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the complaint .
Additionally , the lawsuit calls Acton ’ s order “ impermissibly vague , ” since it provides no definition of “ essentiality ” and fails to provide law enforcement “ with sufficient clarity as to how to consistently enforce the Director ’ s regulations without arbitrariness.
” The 1851 Center said Tanya Rutner Hartman , owner of the bridal shop , runs an otherwise-successful business , but is now forced to “ choose between financial ruin or prosecution.
” “ The requirement of an immediate hearing where the state must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technicality : because the state can not justify its arbitrary closures , many Ohio businesses will be free to immediately re-open , even if simply on a limited basis , ” 1851 Center Executive Director Maurice Thompson said in a press release .
“ Basic rights like this are overlooked when health administrators are empowered to serve unchecked as the legislative , executive , and judicial branches of government all at once.
” Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Only 13 Percent of Ohioans Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus, Much Lower Than National Average an

Only 13 Percent of Ohioans Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus, Much Lower Than National Average and National Hotspots

Ohio has almost 10,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Saturday , according to the Ohio Health Department ( ODH ) .
This number may seem like a lot , but the percentage of people testing positive for the Chinese virus remains low in the state .
Out of all the tests Ohio has conducted , only 13 percent of people have come back positive for the coronavirus , according to The COVID Tracking Project ( CTP ) .
Ohio ’ s positive test percentage is well below the national average of 20 percent and far less than states who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data shows .
For example , in Michigan , the CTP numbers show that 31 percent of people have tested positive who have taken the test .
This means someone in Michigan is more than two times more likely than someone in Ohio to test positive for COVID-19 .
If Ohio is compared to the two hardest-hit states in the country , New York and New Jersey , its positive test percentage is nothing compared to those two states .
In New York and New Jersey , people who took a test came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the time respectively .
This shows that someone in New York and New Jersey is almost four times more likely to test positive for the coronavirus than someone in Ohio .
As a state , Ohio has been shut down ever since Gov .
Mike DeWine issued a “ stay-at-home ” order on March 23 .
During this time , DeWine and ODH Director Amy Acton have provided inaccurate projections on how many cases the Buckeye State would experience .
Ohioans across the state have taken notice of this and have shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handled the coronavirus pandemic .
In the last two weeks , the state capitol has seen three protests .
Ohio will not be closed for much longer as DeWine is targeting May 1 as a date to re-open the economy .
The governor said he will be working with Illinois , Michigan , Wisconsin , Minnesota , Indiana and Kentucky to open the region ’ s economy .
“ Ohioans have done a great job , a phenomenal job , fighting back , staying home , ensuring physical distancing , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ ve been doing all the things that needed to be done .
I ’ ve never been prouder to be an Ohioan and I ’ m very grateful for what you have done .
You have flattened the curve.
” The “ stay-at-home ” order has caused many Ohio residents to lose their job .
Over the last four weeks , Ohio has lost more jobs than it did in the last two years .
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media .
If you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Klobuchar Calls for National Vote by Mail in New York Times Op-Ed

Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-MN ) called for nationwide mail-in voting in a recent op-ed published in The New York Times .
“ In a democracy , no one should be forced to choose between health and the right to vote , ” Klobuchar wrote .
As she notes in her column , Klobuchar is the lead sponsor of a bill in the U.S. Senate that would require every state to allow its citizens to vote by mail .
“ We are asking Congress to help states ramp this up in a big way , with funding for everything from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she continued .
According to the health “ experts ” Klobuchar has talked with about the COVID-19 pandemic , many Americans “ will still be at risk on November 3 , the date of the general election.
” “ That is why we must reform our election systems , so that sheltering in place can also mean voting in place .
And we must do it now , while we still have the time to preserve everyone ’ s ability to vote in November .
What we ’ re proposing is neither radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic Party in Klobuchar ’ s home state of Minnesota , as well as the Democratic secretary of state , have proposed a number of sweeping election changes in response to the pandemic , including the legalization of ballot harvesting and ballot drop-boxes for voters to deliver their ballots .
Since President Donald Trump votes by mail , the whole country should be allowed to do so , Klobuchar argued in her op-ed .
“ If you think there ought to be a better way , you ’ re not alone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an election approaching in his newly adopted state , simply requested an absentee ballot from the comfort of his own home – so he could vote safely and easily by mail .
His name ?
Donald Trump .
His address ?
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue .
If it ’ s good enough for him , it ’ s good enough for all Americans , ” she said .
The Minnesota Senator calls it “ troubling ” that many states still insist on “ making it hard to mail in a ballot , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an absentee ballot or by requiring more than one witness .
“ Imagine trying to drum up witnesses – much less a notary – in the thick of a public health crisis .
We need to do away with the hurdles and the back flips once and for all , ” she wrote .
She concluded her article by declaring that the “ failure to prepare for this pandemic has cost so much.
” “ Lives have been lost .
Businesses large and small – representing lifetimes of hard work – now stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many signs it was coming .
November is coming , too , ” said Klobuchar .
“ And if you want to know what it ’ s like to vote in a healthy , safe and secure way – from the comfort of your own home – just ask President Trump .
He ’ s been doing it for years.
” Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Amy Klobuchar ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Background Photo “ NYT Op-ed ” by NYT .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Lawmaker Says Walz Leaving Fate of Minnesota’s Economy in Hands of Multi-State Pact

Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz announced Thursday that he has joined a seven-state compact that will work in “ close coordination ” on plans to “ reopen the economy in the Midwest region.
” Joining Walz in the Midwest alliance are the governors of Wisconsin , Michigan , Illinois , Indiana , Ohio , and Kentucky .
The governors said their “ economies are all reliant on each other ” and so they “ must work together to safely reopen them ” in a joint statement released last week .
“ Today , we are announcing that Michigan , Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana , and Kentucky will work in close coordination to reopen our economies in a way that prioritizes our workers ’ health .
We look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based , data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protects families from the spread of COVID-19 , ” said the statement .
According to the statement , the governors will examine “ four factors ” in determining when to reopen the economy , including sustained control of the rate of new COVID-19 infections , increased testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and plans for social distancing in the workplace .
“ Phasing in sectors of our economy will be most effective when we work together as a region .
This doesn ’ t mean our economy will reopen all at once , or that every state will take the same steps at the same time .
But close coordination will ensure we get this right , ” the statement continued .
Some Republican lawmakers , however , think Gov .
Walz is shirking his responsibility and handing over control of the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who weren ’ t elected by Minnesotans .
“ He is ceding his responsibility in order to avoid political fallout , ” Rep. Jeremy Munson ( R-Lake Crystal ) said in a statement .
“ Notably , we are not joining states who share our southern and western borders , and instead selected states who are facing completely different conditions than Minnesota.
” Munson said Minnesota has done a far better job of flattening the curve than the other states in the alliance , but will now be forced to “ factor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determining when we should open.
” “ Minnesotans elected a governor and a Legislature .
Minnesotans did not elect six governors who do not live in Minnesota .
It is time the Legislature take back its power .
The members of the Minnesota House and Senate were elected to be the diverse body representing the interests of the people .
These six governors were not , ” he continued .
The governors of Iowa , Missouri , North Dakota , and South Dakota reportedly declined to join the regional pact .
House Minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some concerns with the new Midwest coalition and said “ Minnesotans need to have a voice in this process as well.
” “ Just as each state is unique , we have diverse geographic regions and industries who need a Minnesota plan to reopen our economy and get Minnesotans back to work , ” said Daudt .
“ We need to include Minnesotans in these decisions , not just a few commissioners or a multi-state task force.
” Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Governor Extends Eviction Moratorium until May 15

Michigan renters unable to manage their monthly payment are being granted relief through May 15 .
Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-54 on Friday afternoon .
The order extends her previous mandate to suspend evictions for tenants and mobile home owners who rent lot space while the state copes with the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Right now the most effective tool we have to fight this virus is to stay home and slow the spread through person to person contact .
That is why it is important to extend my executive order to suspend evictions so people can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Whitmer said in a press release .
The order prohibits entering premises for the purpose of evicting a resident , and prohibits landlords from demanding possession of premises for nonpayment .
It also authorizes the Michigan Supreme Court to stay eviction-related proceedings until after the COVID-19 emergency has passed .
“ Due to the protection that a residential home provides from the COVID-19 pandemic , and the need to contain self-quarantined and self-isolated individuals within a residential home , no person may enter residential property in order to remove or exclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendee of a forfeited executory contract , a person holding under a tenant or vendee , or the personal property of a tenant , vendee , or person holding under them , ” the order reads .
“ [ A ] sheriff , under-sheriff or constable , deputy , or other officer must not serve process requiring forfeiture of leased residential premises or residential premises held under a forfeited executory contract , ” the order continued .
Notable exceptions to the order are also noted , including “ when the tenant , vendee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a substantial risk to another person or an imminent and severe risk to property.
” Likewise , it is forbidden for any person to “ deny a mobile home owner access to their mobile home , except when the mobile home owner ’ s tenancy has been terminated because the mobile home owner poses a substantial risk to another person or an imminent and severe risk to property.
” Bruce Walker is a regional editor at The Center Square .
He previously worked as editor at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s InfoTech & Telecom News .
Background Photo “ Eviction Notice ” by David Jackmanson .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-19--Nashville Community Oversight Board Demands Police Don’t Ask Illegal Immigrants about Citizenship

Members of Metro Nashville ’ s Community Oversight Board demanded this week that Metro Nashville Police Department ( MNPD ) officers stop asking people about their immigration and citizenship status .
COB members also demanded that MNPD keep tabs on what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers do in Davidson County .
This , according to the COB ’ s first policy advisory report , which they plan to present to MNPD Chief Steve Anderson .
“ The MNPD should create and implement policies that discourage police officers from asking about immigration or citizenship status , ” according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does ask about immigration status or citizenship status , they should be required to document that they asked and provide a justification for the question in their report narratives.
” COB members also want MNPD officers to document whenever federal immigration enforcement officials call on them during their enforcement actions in Davidson County , the report said .
“ Given recent high-profile events involving federal immigration enforcement officials and Metro Government first responders within the Nashville community , DEC and MNPD should better document incidents in which federal agencies call for local law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
“ By keeping records that accurately capture these instances , Metro government officials can better assess the impact that these calls are having on the community as well as keep track of the Metro government resources expended on such requests.
” According to a COB press release , board members want Anderson to adopt their recommendations .
Per its charter , COB members can issue policy advisory reports and recommendations to agencies involved in public safety and the administration of justice in Nashville and Davidson County .
COB Vice Chair Andrés @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the press release .
The approved version of the report , Policy Advisory Report Examining Local Law Enforcement Policies and Immigration Enforcement Actions is available for the public to read on the COB website .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Metro Police Car ” by The Metro Nashville Police Department .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Tennessee Tops 7,000

Tennessee had 7,070 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday night , according to The COVID Tracking Project website .
As @ @ @ @ @ novel coronavirus pandemic took the lives of 148 Tennesseans .
Meanwhile , hospital across the @ @ @ @ @ who tested positive for the virus .
Shelby County continued to tally the highest number @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee , with a total of 1,778 people .
Davidson County still ranked second , @ @ @ @ @ to the Tennessee Department of Health ’ s website .
TDH officials listed the updated @ @ @ @ @ in other Tennessee counties as follows : Hancock and Pickett counties , meanwhile , still @ @ @ @ @ as of press time , the TDH reported .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist @ @ @ @ @ Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

Arizona State Rep. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) and 19 other legislators issued a statement following a video that went viral of three black students kicking two white students out of Arizona State University’s multicultural center. They demanded accountability and threatened to withhold funding from the university.
They announced, “It has come to light following the racially-motivated harassment of two students and their subsequent removal from one of the campus’ study facilities that ASU has allowed a culture of institutionalized racism and neo-segregation to take hold on its campus. The racially-charged removal of these students from the multicultural center begs the question of why Arizonans are being forced to spend tens, potentially hundreds, of millions of their hard-earned tax dollars on a building at a public university that some of our citizens are not allowed to use?”
Hoffman is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and concluded that he would “get to the bottom of this and take the appropriate action in the upcoming budget. Not one penny of taxpayer money should be appropriated to a public institution that in any way enables racism or neo-segregation. Period.”
ASU said it is investigating the incident. The angry students may have been “triggered” by a sticker on the laptop belonging to one of the white males, which said “Police Lives Matter,” and the slogan on the other white male’s shirt, which said “Did not vote for Biden.” They told the two young men, “You’re making this space uncomfortable” and “white is not a culture.” They said the Police Lives Matter sticker was racist.
One of the three told the students to leave, and another remarked, “This white man thinks he can take up our space, and this is why we need a multicultural space, because they think they can get away with this sh*t.” One of the two males packs up and leaves, and the other one stands up and looks like he might have been about to leave too.
A fundraiser was started for the harassed students on GoFundMe — one of the students mentioned in the video that he works 60 hours a week to support himself and his tuition, explaining that he’s not entitled — but GoFundMe removed it, refunding the money back to the donors. The company said it violated their “prohibited conduct policy,” which bans content that GoFundMe finds to be “in support of hate, violence, harassment, bullying, discrimination, terrorism, or intolerance of any kind.”
– – –
Rachel Alexander is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Rachel on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Commentary: The Tyranny of ‘Scientism’ and the Subversion of Science

In an interview with Tucker Carlson , New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy unintentionally defined this critical moment in America ’ s history .
“ We weren ’ t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this , ” he explained about his draconian decrees , including a ban on religious gatherings , to fight coronavirus .
“ First of all , we looked at the data and the science and it says people have to stay away from each other.
” Murphy ’ s comments undoubtedly buoyed the egos of academic “ experts ” across the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightest sense of remorse , that his fidelity to the almighty deity of “ science ” prevailed over protecting the rights of his state ’ s citizens .
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution ?
Meh .
The six-foot distancing rule concocted by a handful of careerist bureaucrats in Washington ?
Bow and scrape .
“ Science ” is a one-word cudgel wielded by dishonest elected officials , journalists , and yes , scientists , to force us to conform to their political whims ; this is particularly true of climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assured , is the “ party of science.
” Democratic lawmakers and candidates routinely promise that they “ believe in science.
” The idea that humans are the main ( or sole ) drivers of global warming is “ settled science.
” Anyone who dares question whatever science du jour is published in the pages of the New York Times or churned out by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is , of course , a denier .
( I have covered scientific issues such as agricultural biotechnology and climate science for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been one of the kinder taunts . )
Meanwhile , claims like Murphy ’ s – when he insists he ’ s dutifully responding to the irrefutable evidence about the spread of coronavirus – go unchallenged .
What if Tucker had pushed Murphy to explain the “ data and science ” that justify his punitive power grab ?
Could Murphy explain the scientifically proven danger posed by people praying together for 45 minutes in church ?
Can the governor cite numerous sources of peer-reviewed papers that support the near-laughable demand that healthy Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spaces ?
No , he can ’ t – because none exist so far .
If anything , the hysteria surrounding COVID-19 largely is fueled by pseudoscience rather than exhaustive evidence gleaned from careful study .
It is far too early in the crisis to have any sort of reliable data , especially in the United States since states are reporting metrics such as fatalities , cases , and hospitalizations in general terms with little granularity .
Since this virus just cropped up over the past five months or so , it doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept that we know very little about its contagion level , lethality , or virulence .
The country of origin – China – can ’ t be trusted to furnish accurate information ; researchers are still getting a handle on what happened in northern Italy and other parts of Europe .
But that doesn ’ t stop the “ experts ” here from brandishing the weapon of “ science !
” to promote their own agenda , which involves the ongoing shutdown of the U.S. economy for at least the next several weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-moving catastrophe is the so-called social distancing rule of six feet .
As I wrote earlier this week , the guidance published by the Centers for Disease Control offers a weak case for this inhumane policy .
The language is vague ; links to a trove of academic research are nowhere to be found .
But that doesn ’ t seem to agitate the “ experts ” or their dutiful scribes in the elite media .
The New York Times produced a fancy animation this week to show how the SARS-CoV-2 virus might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An accompanying article quotes several scientists and academics defending the settled safe space .
“ Three feet is better than nothing , ” according to Dr. Harvey Fineberg , a top official at the National Academies of Sciences , Engineering and Medicine .
“ Six feet is better than three feet .
At that point , the larger drops have pretty much fallen down .
Maybe if you ’ re out of spitting range , that could be even safer , but six feet is a pretty good number.
” Huh ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hardly the ringing endorsement a free society should demand from the credentialed class before we submit to interminable house arrest as our livelihoods and liberties are destroyed .
The Times ’ animation , relying on something called “ augmented reality , ” visualized the spread of infected droplets between people occupying a 600-foot space for a prolonged period of time .
It is a cool graphic , but relies on plenty of assumptions .
A disclaimer at the end noted it is a “ scientific simulation that has not yet been peer-reviewed.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and overreach is ” scientism , ” not science .
Scientism is rooted in an appeal to authority ; people with lots of letters after their surnames are not to be questioned by people who don ’ t .
Here ’ s a great description of scientism by Bruce Thornton at the Hoover Institution : In other words , experts with advanced degrees from prestigious universities are trained to automatically trust other experts with advanced degrees from prestigious universities without so much as a second look .
That , of course , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth , it is inimical to the foundation of science .
Sadly , nearly everyone on the Left and an alarming number of people on the Right now have been intimidated into silence and submission by the raised hand of “ science ” related to coronavirus mitigation .
Decades of climate change brainwashing is reaping huge benefits for the partisan scientific community , the same group that demands we sacrifice the comforts of modern-day life to save the planet despite their long history of failed predictions .
This crisis is achieving their goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many climate propagandists are using the same shaming techniques that they ’ ve wielded against climate skeptics .
“ Nonetheless , conservative pundits , who are not trained as climate scientists , have repurposed the coronavirus modeling to attack climate projections in recent days , ” a columnist for Science magazine sneered this week amid legitimate criticism of the bogus model that drove the extended shutdown .
The underlying message ?
If you ’ re not a climate scientist or a virologist or epidemiologist , shut your mouth while your small business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s not pretend any of this is guided by “ science.
” It ’ s tyranny disguised as the common good to rationalize authoritarian tactics employed by politicians like Phil Murphy and his like minded colleagues .
And too many Americans are falling for it , no questions asked .
Julie Kelly is a political commentator and senior contributor to American Greatness .
Her past work can be found at The Federalist and National Review .
She also has been featured in the Wall Street Journal , The Hill , Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project .
Photo “ Downtown in a Time of COVID-19 ” by GoToVan CC2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--After Slamming Trump for Not Doing Enough, Pelosi Deletes Video of Herself Encouraging People to Vis

After Slamming Trump for Not Doing Enough, Pelosi Deletes Video of Herself Encouraging People to Visit Chinatown

After repeatedly accusing the president of not taking the coronavirus seriously early on , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to have stealthily removed a video on Twitter of herself in late February encouraging people to come to San Francisco ’ s Chinatown .
Nancy Pelosi and local community leaders toured San Francisco ’ s Chinatown on February 24 , amid concerns over COVID-19 ’ s impact on businesses in the area .
The video shows Pelosi ( D-Calif ) on a crowded street insisting that it ’ s “ safe ” for people “ to come join us ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to person spread of the disease in the United States .
Since then , San Francisco County has seen over 1,000 confirmed cases of the disease .
“ We do want to say to people , come to Chinatown , ” Pelosi told media scrum .
“ Here we are—we ’ re again , careful , safe—and come join us.
” Pelosi later viciously attacked President Trump for not doing enough to stop the spread of the China Virus .
“ As the president fiddles , people are dying , ” the Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 29 .
“ The president , his denial at the beginning , was deadly .
His delaying of getting equipment to where it — continues his delaying in getting equipment to where it ’ s needed is deadly , ” Pelosi said .
“ This is such a tragedy .
We don ’ t even know the magnitude of it because we don ’ t have adequate testing.
” Trump hit back the next day , calling the Speaker a “ sick puppy.
” “ It ’ s a sad thing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ puppy , in my opinion , ” Trump told Fox & Friends on March 30 .
“ She ’ s got a lot of problems .
That ’ s a horrible thing to say.
” The Trump administration began taking action to combat COVID-19 in early January and was attacked by Democrats and their media allies for overreacting .
The White House posted a timeline of the president ’ s “ decisive actions ” here .
During her recent appearance on the Late , Late Show , Pelosi again blamed the president for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously early on , repeating the trope that Trump called COVID-19 a “ hoax , ” and saying his “ denial caused deaths.
” “ Even when it was in the public domain—say in January , February—would have been time enough to—again—make the decisions to go forward instead of calling it a hoax , instead of … minimizing it and say it would magically disappear , ” she said .
“ We lost time !
The delaying and the denial caused deaths , and that ’ s just the way it is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from James Corden , the host .
Trump , as most people are aware , called the media ’ s hostile reporting on his response to the coronavirus a “ hoax ” —not the virus itself .
Pelosi , of course , forgot to mention that in late February—to virtue-signal after Trump imposed a “ racist ” travel ban from China—she was telling people that it was “ safe ” to patronize the bars , restaurants , and markets in San Francisco ’ s Chinatown .
It ’ s no wonder she deleted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it became necessary for her to cover her tracks .
In February of 2019 , Pelosi removed another inconvenient tweet—this one supporting disgraced hoaxer Jussie Smollett .
“ The racist , homophobic attack on @ JussieSmollett is an affront to our humanity .
No one should be attacked for who they are or whom they love .
I pray that Jussie has a speedy recovery & that justice is served .
May we all commit to ending this hate once & for all , ” Pelosi wrote in the virtue-signalling tweet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ staged a racist attack on himself , she removed the post .
A lot of people would feel mortified after being proven to be so profoundly wrong , but not San Fran Nan .
She knows she can always depend on sycophantic media and entertainment industry boot-lickers to cover for her—not to mention a freezer full of gourmet ice cream to make her feel better .
Debra Heine is a regular contributor to American Greatness .
Photo “ Nancy Pelosi ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Study: Coronavirus Has Reduced Fatal Crashes More Than Any Other Event in Recent History

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a substantial drop in traffic fatalities across the United States , a study discovered .
The spread of coronavirus — which has infected over half a million people in the U.S. and killed more than 30,000 — has sparked a dramatic downturn in traffic fatalities , according to a study by AutoinsuranceEZ .
The study found that the pandemic has stemmed more fatal crashes than any other historical event in the United States .
“ COVID-19 is our number 1 event that has caused a reduction in fatal crashes .
We can assume that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crashes have fallen as well , ” the study ’ s authors wrote .
“ It has likely caused a reduction in fatal crashes across America , from big cities such as NYC to smaller cities such as Glendale , Arizona , where more pedestrians are killed each year than in crashes from drunk drivers.
” The study , among many details , found that Seattle saw a drop of 100 % in fatal accidents , Massachusetts reported a 75 % drop in crashes , accidents dropped 51 % in Los Angeles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % near the beginning of March .
Major events in the country can have a large impact on transportation .
AutoinsuranceEZ reviewed major events of the past 15 years , and compared how traffic fatalities before and after these events changed .
What were the study ’ s key findings ?
The coronavirus pandemic has reduced fatal traffic accidents more than Hurricane Irene , Hurricane Harvey , the 2016 presidential election and other major events .
All of these events sparked a drop in transportation — and thus traffic accidents , but none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had on the U.S. transportation sector .
Much of this is due to sweeping lockdown orders given by governors and mayors of big cities .
“ Our analysis shows that one positive outcome of the pandemic is the largest reduction in fatal crashes in history , ” AutoinsuranceEZ stated in a Friday press release .
The cities with the biggest drop in traffic include Detroit , San Francisco and Seattle , respectively .
States with the biggest decline in traffic include Michigan , Ohio and California .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photo “ Police Tape ’ by Tony Webster .
CC BY-SA 4.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Chinese Firm’s Letter on Hunter Biden’s Resignation Raises More Questions Than It Answers

The CEO of a Chinese private equity firm sent a letter to Hunter Biden ’ s lawyer on Friday saying that the son of former Vice President Joe Biden was no longer serving as an unpaid director of the firm “ effective from October 2019.
” The lawyer , George Mesires , confirmed that he had received the single-sentence letter from BHR Partners CEO Jonathan Li on Friday , but he again refused to provide the Daily Caller News Foundation with a copy of Hunter Biden ’ s actual letter of resignation from the firm ’ s board .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to identify Hunter Biden as a director of BHR , six months after he pledged to resign from the firm .
Li ’ s letter doesn ’ t address Hunter Biden ’ s ownership stake in BHR .
Business records accessed Friday show that Hunter Biden retains a 10 % stake in the firm through his company , Skaneateles LLC .
The letter also did not provide the exact date in October that Hunter Biden ceased serving as an unpaid director of BHR , nor did it explain why Chinese business records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the firm .
“ Mr .
Robert Hunter Biden no longer serves as an unpaid director on the board of Bohai Harvest RST ( Shanghai ) Equity Investment Fund Management Co. , Ltd. effective from October 2019 , ” Li wrote to Mesires in the letter dated April 17 .
The letter was first disclosed by Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler .
BHR manages the equivalent of $ 2.1 billion in assets , according to its website .
The firm is funded and controlled primarily by Chinese government-owned shareholders , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business records accessed Friday continue to list Hunter Biden as a director of BHR .
Mesires told the DCNF in early November that his client had resigned from BHR ’ s board , but he did not provide any evidence of his departure from the firm at the time .
Hunter Biden received wall-to-wall media coverage when his lawyer announced on his behalf in October that he would resign from the board of BHR by the end of the month , and Joe Biden lauded the move as a representation of “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” However , the statement did not say whether Hunter Biden intended to relinquish his 10 % ownership stake in the Chinese private equity firm .
Joe Biden pledged in December that none of his family members , including Hunter Biden , would engage in foreign business activities were he to become the next president .
Andrew Kerr is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Hunter Biden ” by Burisma Group .
Background Photo “ BHR Partners ” by BHR Partners .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Ilhan Omar Repeats Demand for a Ban on Deportations

Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is calling for a ban on deportations , citing accusations that these repatriation flights are transporting the coronavirus .
“ WE NEED TO STOP ALL DEPORTATIONS DURING THIS CRISIS , ” Ilhan tweeted out in all caps on Thursday .
The post was in response to a report about a recent deportation flight to Guatemala that carried the disease .
The Guatemalan health minister is claiming that the majority of deportees on a flight to his country tested positive for the coronavirus .
This is not the first time Omar has demanded the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Omar and a group of 14 other Democratic lawmakers issued a letter in March to acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf , demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) suspend all deportations , freeze in-person immigration court proceedings , and provide a plan for the possible event of a COVID-19 outbreak in immigrant detention centers .
“ Deporting people who may have been exposed to coronavirus to either countries that have few or no cases or to countries with weak health care infrastructure is an unacceptable risk to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , arguing that the U.S. should care for individuals with the disease , even if they are in the U.S. unlawfully .
The Trump administration does not at all appear willing to go in this direction .
President Donald Trump issued a memo earlier this month , ordering Wolf — the DHS chief — to notify the State Department of any government that refuses to accept deportees from the U.S .
Governments that refuse to accept deportees risk visa sanctions , making it nearly impossible for citizens in their country to obtain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is required that every migrant boarding a deportation flight receive a medical screening .
Any detainee who fails the medical screening or “ is suspected of having a health-risk condition potentially contagious to other detainees , staff and/or third parties , will be denied boarding and referred to an ICE approved facility for screening , ” the agency ’ s guidelines read .
Despite this , the Guatemalan government is claiming that 75 % of detainees in a recent deportation flight carried COVID-19 , but did not go into further details .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omar herself is under investigation by the FBI for alleged immigration fraud , but she , nor the agency , have spoken about the allegations .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Commentary: Will the Republican Establishment Survive the Coronavirus?

President Trump will run whatever campaign he likes , but the playbook has practically been written for him : double down on the pro-worker , anti-globalization politics that won him his first term .
Joe Biden , a barely conscious , Wall Street plutocrat – and a stooge for China , no less – is an obvious and easy foil .
Whatever happens this November , it is questionable whether the establishment politics that came before Trump will survive an unprecedented pandemic that is already testing the GOP ’ s commitment to “ limited government.
” The coronavirus has unleashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not likely to subside when the immediate health threat goes away .
The meltdown is only just getting started , but the signs of devastation are sobering .
Last week was Wall Street ’ s best since 1974 , but that was cold comfort for 22 million Americans currently out of work .
For perspective , that ’ s one-in-seven U.S. workers .
Some predict the unemployment rate could swell to 30 percent , worse than the Great Depression .
When the full impact hits , will Americans tolerate austerity from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer is obvious .
Of course not .
Especially when Wall Street is getting generous bailouts , how will admonitions to stick to “ limited government ” sound to millions of people living in destitution ?
The GOP has already signed on with a $ 2 trillion stimulus package , the largest in history , and the national debt is reaching its highest level since World War II .
At the risk of reading too much into historical parallels , Republicans need to prepare for the possibility that the coronavirus really is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Depression , one which , consequently , will force lawmakers to reimagine the role that national governments play in keeping the economy working for regular people .
The Great Depression gave life to the New Deal .
As Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) looks for another quarter-trillion dollars to keep small businesses afloat , one Republican senator is looking far beyond that .
Senator Josh Hawley ( R-MO ) , the cerebral freshman and a leading voice of populism , wants to protect “ every single job ” in the country by having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of wages for workers at any U.S. business , up to the national median wage , until this emergency is over.
” He also wants to give businesses a bonus for rehiring workers .
Hawley ’ s Republican colleagues will balk at this plan as an incontinent breach of party orthodoxy – a socialist scheme , even .
But the truth is that the “ fiscal conservatism ” of the Republican Party has long been a myth , and not just because of their failure of nerve .
It was President Reagan who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump has been as happy a spender as any president since .
Thrift is hardly a virtue in Washington .
It ’ s about priority .
There ’ s always somehow cash to spend on pointless wars and corporate bailouts , but somehow there never seems to be enough for working people whose lives have become materially worse over the last several decades .
The coronavirus crisis may vindicate one of the central ideas of Hawley and like-minded populists : at some point , the state has some kind of responsibility to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it alone has the power to make good .
At any rate , it is hard to see this crisis making Republican voters , who are increasingly poor , more tolerant of the kind of libertarian establishment politics that had already fallen out of fashion in 2016 .
It was a certain neglect , a “ laissez-faire ” disregard for the role of government in public stewardship , that helped create the inequities of the social order that voters then rejected by voting for an outsider , a figure who promised finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ muscle behind protecting American workers from globalization .
If the inequities of that order were intolerable then , the stresses of the new financial crisis may tip the Jenga Tower over .
There ’ s going to be less tolerance for the kind of Republican who would make things harder for working people by subsidizing the loss of their labor power to Central American migrants or wage slaves in China .
Myths about the benevolence of investment bankers , the all-provisioning power of the free market , and the necessity of government staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will fail to resonate when this crisis has run its course .
When the emergency passes , Republicans may find that the coronavirus will have left the mark of populism that Trump unleashed – and which figures like Hawley champion – on the party for good , perhaps even in spite of Trump himself .
Until now , Trump ’ s campaign has focused a great deal on socialism , rather than the globalization that he campaigned against in 2016 , thanks to the tenacity of an establishment that has ridden his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America First ” agenda .
At some point , though , the buck stops with the president .
It was only days ago that the DHS was planning to hand out thousands more H-2B visas to foreign workers , right in the middle of the worst economic meltdown in generations .
If Americans are really heading for a depression , then running on an establishment message would be untimely at best .
But there are signs of a pivot already in the Trump movement .
Charlie Kirk , who enjoys a rapport with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chagrin of those on the Right who think he is a sellout for the donor class , called for the suspension of all workers ’ visas until the pandemic passes .
This was a 180-degree turn from the very recent past .
As for the party , while it would be foolish to read the GOP ’ s stimulus spending as some willful shift in principle , it is possible that circumstance will force Republican leaders to chart an unprecedented course .
There aren ’ t many reasons at the moment to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered by Joe Biden and the Democrats very plausible .
Matthew Boose is a Mt .
Vernon fellow of the Center for American Greatness and a staff writer and weekly columnist at the Conservative Institute .
His writing has also appeared in the Daily Caller .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Newspaper Giant McClatchy ‘Taking a Close Look’ at Its Cohen-Prague Reports in Wake of New Evidence

McClatchy news service says it is reviewing two reports published in 2018 that claimed to validate a key part of the infamous Steele dossier after declassified information showed that Russian operatives may have fed disinformation to dossier author Christopher Steele .
“ We are taking a close look at this new information and will update or correct our story based on its merits .
Until then , we continue to stand by our reporting , ” McClatchy said in a statement to The Washington Post ’ s Erik Wemple .
Greg Gordon and Peter Stone , the two McClatchy reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick to concede problems with their reports .
“ We will stand by the information that we reported concerning Michael Cohen ’ s alleged trip to Prague unless clear evidence demonstrates that it is false , ” Gordon and Stone told Wemple .
The two journalists reported on April 13 , 2018 and Dec. 27 , 2018 , that the special counsel ’ s office received evidence that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen ’ s cell phone was tracked to the Prague area in Summer 2016 .
If true , the stories would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most explosive allegations of collusion between Trump associates and the Kremlin .
Steele , a former MI6 officer , wrote in his dossier that Cohen visited Prague in August 2016 to meet with Kremlin insiders to discuss paying off Russian hackers .
The McClatchy reports were viewed with some skepticism in journalism circles because of the vague sourcing in the reports , and because other news outlets could not independently verify the bombshell allegation .
But Trump critics and Steele defenders continued citing the stories as evidence of a conspiracy between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 election .
The stories suffered their first heavy blow with the April 18 , 2019 release of the special counsel ’ s report , which stated that Cohen did not visit Prague .
McClatchy only made one slight concession following the release of that report .
The company attached editor ’ s notes saying that the special counsel ’ s report noted that Cohen did not visit Prague .
But the company said that the special counsel was “ silent ” on the claim that Cohen ’ s phone pinged a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered a heavier blow on April 10 with the declassification of footnotes from the Justice Department inspector general ’ s report of the FBI ’ s probe of the Trump campaign .
One footnote said that the FBI received evidence on Jan. 12 , 2017 that the Cohen story was the product of a Russian disinformation campaign .
The footnotes also said that the U.S. intelligence community had evidence that two Russian intelligence officers were aware as early as July 2016 that Steele was investigating the Trump campaign .
Steele ’ s firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment on the new revelations .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--U.S. State Department Resettles Over 1,000 Afghan Refugees During Coronavirus Pandemic: REPORT

In the past month , the State Department resettled over a thousand refugees from Afghanistan , even though the U.S .
Refugee Admissions Program was temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic .
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in refugee camps overseas , including in Greece , where a migrant camp had to be quarantined after 23 asylum seekers tested positive for the coronavirus .
The pause on refugee admissions was expected to last from March 19 through April 6 , but according to Ann Corcoran of Refugee Resettlement Watch , 1,003 Afghan refugees were resettled during that approximate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement last month that the temporary suspension of resettlement travel would “ impact the arrival of refugees in the United States and other countries with refugee resettlement programs.
” But the arrivals don ’ t seem to have been impacted , according to Corcoran , who keeps a close eye on refugee resettlement numbers .
“ While you have been incarcerated at home , discouraged from traveling at all , the US government has flown 1,003 so-called Special Immigrant Visa holders into the US and distributed them around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that on March 16th , there were 6,867 special refugees from Afghanistan for fiscal year 2020 .
“ As of April 13th we are at 7,870 , a gain of 1,003 in that 4 week period !
” She said .
The states of Texas , California , Washington and Virginia took in the most Afghan refugees during that time period , according to a State Dept .
Admissions and Arrivals spreadsheet .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--New Jersey City Is Deploying a Chinese Firm’s Drones to Enforce Social Distancing

Elizabeth , New Jersey , is using a Chinese company ’ s drones to police citizens who fail to employ social distancing guidelines .
Past reports suggest the drones are feeding China data .
Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage is deploying drones from Chinese-based company DJI to warn Elizabeth citizens who are walking outdoors not to get too close in physical proximity to other people .
The drones blare sirens and issue this warning : “ Stop gathering , disperse and go home.
” Bollwage is dismissing critics of his approach .
“ If these drones save one life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information that the drones are sending , ” the mayor said Friday in an MSNBC interview .
New Jersey is considered a coronavirus hotspot — more than 3,000 in the state have died from the virus , which originated in Wuhan , China , before skipping across the globe and landing in the United States , where it has killed more than 30,000 people .
The drones might not be benign .
A 2017 memo from the Los Angeles office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau said officials had “ moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drones are giving critical U.S. “ infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese government.
” The memo cited first- and second-hand anonymous sources inside the drone industry .
ICE has not responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation ’ s request for comment about the memo , which was initially reported in November 2017 by The New York Times .
The memo also stated that officials had “ high confidence the company is selectively targeting government and privately owned entities within these sectors to expand its ability to collect and exploit sensitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of all DJI drones in 2017 , citing “ cyber vulnerabilities.
” DJI is dismissing ICE ’ s claims and said the company gives full control over the drones to the users .
“ We debunked the claims in the NYT article a long time ago .
We hired a firm to investigate the claims .
If you want to share the data , then you can .
But if you want to keep it to yourself , then you can.
” Adam Lisberg , corporate communications director for DJI , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t perform facial recognition , period.
” DJI ’ s app offers an automatic function to store data , which can be turned off if the user dives into a series of settings .
DJI donated drones to 43 agencies in 22 states to help enforce social distancing , MSNBC reported .
The donations are part of DJI ’ s “ COVID-19 US Disaster Relief Program , ” which provides cities access to the drones for the purpose of surveilling populations during the pandemic .
Elizabeth City Policy is also trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s usage .
“ All its [ sic ] doing is spreading an automated notice about social distance .
No recording or pictures are taken , just a tool of encouragement to follow the rules , ” the Elizabeth City Police Department noted in an April 8 tweet .
The tweet came after the police department wrote a Facebook post the same day that contained a more dire warning .
“ These drones will be around the City with an automated message from the Mayor telling you to STOP gathering , disperse and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before issuing a warning that violating the policies subjects them to potential $ 1,000 fines .
“ You have been advised.
” Elizabeth City Hall spokesperson Ruby Contreras told the DCNF that officers “ are not directed to fly over private property , ” and that police officers “ will give a summons ” if people do not heed a drone ’ s warnings .
The technology does not collect facial recognition data from people they warn , she added .
China is employing similar techniques to get ahead of the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million surveillance cameras contain facial recognition technology , Sophie Richardson , the China director at Human Rights Watch , told The Wall Street Journal in March .
The cameras give authorities the ability “ to track who specifically has gone to which precise location , ” Richardson said .
“ It ’ s another way for the government to gather large amounts of information about people , really , without their consent , and in some cases , without their knowledge.
” Chris White is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Chris Bollwage .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Idaho Governor Signs ‘Fairness for Women in Sports Act’ Barring Biological Men from Competing in Wom

Idaho Governor Signs ‘Fairness for Women in Sports Act’ Barring Biological Men from Competing in Women’s Sports

Idaho Governor Brad Little signed into law the Fairness for Women in Sports Act , which bars biological men from competing in women ’ s athletics .
“ The legislature finds that there are ‘ inherent differences between men and women , ’ and that these differences ‘ remain cause for celebration , but not for denigration of the 19 members of either sex or for artificial constraints on an individual ’ s opportunity , ' ” the legislation , signed into law in late March , states , citing the Supreme Court case United States v. Virginia .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physiological differences between males and females result in different athletic capabilities , ” it adds .
The Idaho law also states , in part : Idaho collegiate track and field athlete , Madi K. told Campus Reform she believes that “ this is the right move for Idaho.
” “ I think more states should advocate for fair competition .
I think this will allow sports to enforce fair competition once again and protect the opportunities of success for women that are meant to be protected by the 1972 Title IX educational amendments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed back on suggestions that this type of legislation discriminates against transgender individuals , as many on the left have argued , saying “ they have every opportunity that I have as a cisgender female , just in the male ’ s division.
” “ If creating a separate division for them is realistic and possible then I would be for that as well .
But until something like that is developed , biological males should stay on the males ’ team to keep competition fair , ” she added .
Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid this issue in his state , as more and more cases arise of biological men , who have transitioned to live as women , continue to win against biological women in athletic competitions .
In late 2018 , a biological male by the name of Rachel McKinnon won the cycling world championship .
Third place recipient Jennifer Wagner tweeted “ It ’ s definitely NOT fair ” in response to the race ’ s outcome .
In spring 2019 , transgender woman Cece Telfer ( pictured left ) , who had competed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the 400-meter hurdle race by more than a second in the NCAA Division II Championship .
A similar case in Connecticut case involves three girls and their mothers who filed a lawsuit against the state , represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom , over a state policy allowing transgender youth to compete on sports teams that align with their own gender identity .
Two biological boys have taken home 15 state titles collectively since competing in girls ’ track events .
Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division Kristen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying “ Girls deserve to compete on a level playing field .
Allowing males to compete in girls ’ sports destroys fair competition and women ’ s athletic opportunities .
We commend Gov .
Little for signing the Fairness for Women in Sports Act into law so that those opportunities will be protected in Idaho .
When the law ignores biological differences , women and girls bear the brunt of the harm .
”


thetennesseestar--2020-04-20--Trump Announces $19 Billion for US Farmers Hurt by Coronavirus

CHICAGO/WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Friday announced a $ 19 billion relief program to help U.S. farmers cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic , including $ 16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers and mass purchases of produce , meat and other products .
“ American agriculture has been hard-hit , like most of America , with the coronavirus , and President Trump is standing with our farmers and all Americans to make sure that we all get through this national emergency , ” U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said .
The USDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with regional and local distributors to purchase $ 3 billion in fresh produce , dairy and meat to be distributed for food banks , churches and aid groups .
The agency said it will make monthly purchases totaling about $ 100 million each of fresh produce , dairy products and meat products .
Long lines have formed at U.S. food banks in recent weeks as millions have become unemployed because of lockdowns to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
The decision comes amid rising pressure from the U.S. farm lobby for government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get their goods to market because of disruptions caused by the pandemic , forcing some to throw out supplies .
“ Having to dump milk or plow under vegetables ready to market is not only financially distressing but it ’ s heartbreaking as well for those that produce them , ” Perdue said .
Direct payments will be sent “ as quickly as possible ” to farmers and ranchers as farm commodity producers have experienced “ unprecedented losses , ” Perdue said .
Funding for the immediate aid program will be pulled together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent coronavirus-related aid laws passed by Congress and other funding authorities that USDA has access to , according to Perdue .
Further details of the plan will be released at a later date , the USDA said in a statement .
Reuters reported on Monday that the USDA will spend billions in the initial phase of its plan to bolster the nation ’ s food supply chain against the impacts of the outbreak .
Several North American beef and pork packing plants have shut down as workers have fallen ill or died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , the world ’ s biggest pork processor , said on Sunday it would shut a U.S. plant indefinitely due to a rash of coronavirus cases among employees and warned the country was moving “ perilously close to the edge ” in supplies for grocers .