thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Commentary: Our Present Danger Is China’s War on the United States

“ We are at risk of losing a war today because too few of us know that we are engaged with an enemy , the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) , that means to destroy us.
” With these words Brian T. Kennedy kicked off a speech he gave at a Hillsdale College National Leadership Seminar in late September .
Kennedy is the author of Communist China ’ s War Inside America , was president of the Claremont Institute for 13 years , and currently serves as presidentof the American Strategy Group .
Kennedy points us to a variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them spanning the past thirty years or more .
America ’ s trade relationships with China not only erased much of our nation ’ s own manufacturing – including , as COVID-19 taught us , our pharmaceutical industry – but it also helped create a Chinese economy that now rivals our own .
Perhaps most frighteningly , because of neglect under the Bush and Obama administrations , our navy does “ not have enough ships and munitions to defeat China ’ s navy absent the use of nuclear weapons.
” Meanwhile , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the folks in Hollywood are in bed with a government that suppresses its people through a social credit system , constantly monitoring them through social media and other means .
Several million people , including Uyghur Muslims , members of Falun Gong , Christians , and others are either in concentration camps or are denied the right to work , travel , or earn a university education .
In addition to persecuting Christians , Kennedy also notes that Chinese schoolbooks have changed the teachings of Christ in the Gospel , and yet Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement with the CCP that gives it effective control over how the Catholic Church , or what passes for it , is run in China.
” Kennedy reminds us that the CCP was directly responsible for the coronavirus and the subsequent worldwide pandemic .
That government locked down the city of Wuhan from the rest of China when the virus began spreading there , but it continued to allow flights from Wuhan to Europe and America .
From the first signs of this outbreak , the CCP was deceptive about the origins of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making it all the more difficult for other countries to develop effective testing methods .
The enormous financial bonds linking American banks and Wall Street to the Chinese , are also problematic , with the former placing economic benefits and wealth above our country ’ s national interests .
In addition , the efforts of “ China-based cyber criminals yields $ 500 to $ 600 billion of intellectual property theft annually.
” There is even evidence that “ some of the funding for BLM and Antifa is coming from CCP-sponsored or affiliated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road Socialist Organization , and the Chinese Progressive Association.
” In his speech , Kennedy addressed the subject of a “ People ’ s War ” declared on the United States by the People ’ s Republic of China in May 2019 .
This was in response to U.S. tariffs imposed on Chinese goods and American acknowledgement of the CCP ’ s ongoing intellectual property theft .
He then wonders , “ Was the phrase essentially rhetorical or did it signal a fundamental shift or escalation in Chinese thinking ?
” Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the China Threat.
” As Kennedy writes , the PRC has a population of 1.4 billion , of which only 90 million are members of the CCP .
Another 300 million “ are deeply invested in the regime ’ s success.
” But what about the other billion Chinese ?
Surely many of them are unhappy with communism and with the wealth disparity between themselves and their overlords .
Having read of the infiltration of the CCP into American universities , labs , tech companies , and corporations , we must work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – such as the one we have one here in Front Royal , Virginia , and colleges that admit Chinese students do so primarily because of the money .
Those institutions need to come up with alternate revenue streams .
We need to wake up .
We must remember the deceptions practiced by the CCP regarding COVID-19 .
We must remember we are dealing with a government who may well be unofficially at war with us and which acts accordingly .
We must continue to rebuild our military .
We must force corporations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have strong ties to China to publicly disclose those ties , particularly when they defend CCP practices .
Brian Kennedy calls for some of these same measures and ends his speech with these words : Equally important—especially given the violence in our cities that our foreign enemies cheer—is defending our American way of life and teaching our countrymen why America deserves our love and devotion , now and in the days ahead .
When that love and devotion fade , so too does America .
Jeff Minick lives in Front Royal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at jeffminick.com .
He is the author of two novels , Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings , and two works of non-fiction , Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man .

by Jeff Minick
“We are at risk of losing a war today because too few of us know that we are engaged with an enemy, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), that means to destroy us.”
With these words Brian T. Kennedy kicked off a speech he gave at a Hillsdale College National Leadership Seminar in late September. Kennedy is the author of Communist China’s War Inside America, was president of the Claremont Institute for 13 years, and currently serves as presidentof the American Strategy Group.
Kennedy points us to a variety of dangerous CCP trends, many of them spanning the past thirty years or more. America’s trade relationships with China not only erased much of our nation’s own manufacturing – including, as COVID-19 taught us, our pharmaceutical industry – but it also helped create a Chinese economy that now rivals our own.
Perhaps most frighteningly, because of neglect under the Bush and Obama administrations, our navy does “not have enough ships and munitions to defeat China’s navy absent the use of nuclear weapons.”
Meanwhile, many American corporations, sports outfits, and the folks in Hollywood are in bed with a government that suppresses its people through a social credit system, constantly monitoring them through social media and other means. Several million people, including Uyghur Muslims, members of Falun Gong, Christians, and others are either in concentration camps or are denied the right to work, travel, or earn a university education. In addition to persecuting Christians, Kennedy also notes that Chinese schoolbooks have changed the teachings of Christ in the Gospel, and yet Pope Francis will still “be renewing his agreement with the CCP that gives it effective control over how the Catholic Church, or what passes for it, is run in China.”
Kennedy reminds us that the CCP was directly responsible for the coronavirus and the subsequent worldwide pandemic. That government locked down the city of Wuhan from the rest of China when the virus began spreading there, but it continued to allow flights from Wuhan to Europe and America. From the first signs of this outbreak, the CCP was deceptive about the origins of the virus, and it remains so, making it all the more difficult for other countries to develop effective testing methods.
The enormous financial bonds linking American banks and Wall Street to the Chinese, are also problematic, with the former placing economic benefits and wealth above our country’s national interests. In addition, the efforts of “China-based cyber criminals yields $500 to $600 billion of intellectual property theft annually.” There is even evidence that “some of the funding for BLM and Antifa is coming from CCP-sponsored or affiliated groups: Liberation Road, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Chinese Progressive Association.”
In his speech, Kennedy addressed the subject of a “People’s War” declared on the United States by the People’s Republic of China in May 2019. This was in response to U.S. tariffs imposed on Chinese goods and American acknowledgement of the CCP’s ongoing intellectual property theft. He then wonders, “Was the phrase essentially rhetorical or did it signal a fundamental shift or escalation in Chinese thinking?”
Here are some takeaway thoughts from “Facing Up to the China Threat.”
As Kennedy writes, the PRC has a population of 1.4 billion, of which only 90 million are members of the CCP. Another 300 million “are deeply invested in the regime’s success.” But what about the other billion Chinese? Surely many of them are unhappy with communism and with the wealth disparity between themselves and their overlords.
Having read of the infiltration of the CCP into American universities, labs, tech companies, and corporations, we must work to stop this thievery. Secondary schools – such as the one we have one here in Front Royal, Virginia, and colleges that admit Chinese students do so primarily because of the money. Those institutions need to come up with alternate revenue streams.
We need to wake up. We must remember the deceptions practiced by the CCP regarding COVID-19. We must remember we are dealing with a government who may well be unofficially at war with us and which acts accordingly. We must continue to rebuild our military. We must force corporations and organizations like the National Basketball Association that have strong ties to China to publicly disclose those ties, particularly when they defend CCP practices.
Brian Kennedy calls for some of these same measures and ends his speech with these words:
Equally important—especially given the violence in our cities that our foreign enemies cheer—is defending our American way of life and teaching our countrymen why America deserves our love and devotion, now and in the days ahead.
When that love and devotion fade, so too does America.
Let the teaching begin.
– – –
Jeff Minick lives in Front Royal, Virginia, and may be found online at jeffminick.com. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings, and two works of non-fiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Weakened Eta Drenches Central America, at Least 57 Dead

SAN PEDRO SULA , Honduras ( AP ) — The rain-heavy remnants of Hurricane Eta flooded homes from Panama to Guatemala Thursday as the death toll across Central America rose to at least 57 , and aid organizations warned the flooding and mudslides were creating a slow-moving humanitarian disaster across the region .
The storm that hit Nicaragua as a mighty Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday had become more of a vast tropical rainstorm , but it was advancing so slowly and dumping so much rain that much of Central America remained on high alert .
Forecasters said the now-tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward Cuba and possibly the Gulf of Mexico by early next week .
On Thursday afternoon , Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei said a water-soaked mountainside in the central part of the country had slid down onto the town of San Cristobal Verapaz , burying homes and leaving at least 25 dead .
Two other slides in Huehuetenango had killed at least 12 more , he said .
The president initially said more than 50 people had died in slides , but the individual incidents he cited did not reach that total .
Later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national disaster agency , said there were reports of 50 people missing in the Verapaz slide , but government rescue teams had not reached the site .
Earlier Thursday , five others had been killed in smaller slides in Guatemala .
Giammattei said on that 60 % of the eastern city of Puerto Barrios was flooded and 48 more hours of rain was expected .
Guatemala ’ s toll was on top of 13 victims in Honduras and two in Nicaragua .
Panamanian authorities reported eight missing .
Eta had sustained winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was moving north at 8 mph ( 13 kph ) Thursday .
It was centered 85 miles ( 140 kilometers ) northwest of La Ceiba , Honduras .
In Honduras , National Police said Thursday that six more bodies had been found , bringing that country ’ s toll to 13 .
The bodies of two adults and two children were found after excavations in a mudslide that occurred Wednesday in the township of Gualala , and two boys aged 8 and 11 died in another mudslide in El Níspero .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl buried in a landslide Wednesday in mountains outside the north coast city of Tela .
In the same area , a landslide buried a home with a mother and two children inside it , according to Honduras Fire Department spokesman Óscar Triminio .
He said there was also a 2-year-old girl killed in Santa Barbara department when she was swept away by floodwaters .
Hundreds of residents of San Pedro Sula neighborhoods had to abandon their homes before dawn Thursday when water from the Chamelecon river arrived at their doorsteps .
Miguel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s Planeta neighborhood , said his district was lost and many people were missing or drowned .
“ We rescued my brothers , all the family from a balcony , a three-story building , ” he said .
“ How is it possible that a government has done nothing to warn people.
” His family lost everything and had nowhere to go , he said .
The few boats rescuing people had no motors and struggled against the current , he said .
Marvin Aparicio of Honduras ’ emergency management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off by washed out roads .
Luis Alonso Salas , a 45-year-old construction worker , stood on high ground at a gas station where people who fled their homes picked over a pile of donated clothing .
“ It was terrible , I lost my whole house , I couldn ’ t take anything , ” he said .
At 1 a.m. water was up to his neck .
He said others in his neighborhood were still waiting for rescuers in boats from atop their roofs .
Maite Matheu , country director for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that some 2 million Hondurans could be directly impacted by the storm .
“ The situation that we are seeing today is very , very alarming , ” she said .
“ Mainly the people and families that need to be evacuated right now .
There are dozens of families in some towns in the Sula valley who are on their roofs and are asking to be evacuated.
” She said Honduras ’ government did not have the capacity to rescue people .
Giammattei , Guatemala ’ s president , said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that blocked roads made it impossible to do so .
Matheu said her organization was helping gather information about the most pressing needs across Honduras .
The food supply was a real concern , she said .
The country ’ s road network is badly damaged , airports were closed and much of the Sula valley , the country ’ s most agriculturally productive , was flooded .
“ The impact on crops is going to be enormous , ” Matheu said .
The storm ’ s impact would only increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrate , she added .
In Panama , at least eight people were reported missing after flooding and landslides in the province of Chiriqui , which borders Costa Rica .
The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecast that parts of Nicaragua and Honduras could receive 15 to 25 inches ( 380 to 635 millimeters ) of rain , with 40 inches ( 1,000 millimeters ) possible in some isolated parts .
When what ’ s left of the storm wobbles back into the Caribbean it will regain some strength and become a tropical storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eta is predicted to slowly move toward Cuba and Florida , or at least close enough to Florida for forecasters to warn of 7 inches of rain for South Florida in the next five to seven days .
And next week , Eta could even move into the Gulf of Mexico .
“ Whatever comes out ( of Central America ) is going to linger awhile , ” said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
“ I ’ m not convinced we ’ re done with Eta.
” That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still has spin , which is hard to kill off , and that should help it reform , said NOAA hurricane and climate scientist Jim Kossin .
Once it reforms and heads toward Cuba , it could meander in the area for awhile .
“ The winds aren ’ t going to be the problem .
The rains are going to be the problem , ” Klotzbach said .
Eta will be so big , wet and messy that it doesn ’ t have to make landfall in already rain-soaked South Florida to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Slow-moving sprawling ugly tropical storms can certainly pack a precipitation wallop even if it doesn ’ t make landfall , ” Klotzbach said .
Claudio Escalon and Sonia Perez D. is a reporter for The Associated Press .
Pérez D. reported from Guatemala City .
Associated Press writers Marlon González in Tegucigalpa , Honduras , Juan Zamorano in Panama City , Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland and Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : A pregnant woman is carried out of an area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Planeta , Honduras , Thursday , Nov. 5 , 2020 .
The storm that hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday had become more of a vast tropical rainstorm , but it was advancing so slowly and dumping so much rain that much of Central America remained on high alert .
( AP Photo/Delmer Martinez )

by Claudio Escalon and Sonia Perez D.
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) — The rain-heavy remnants of Hurricane Eta flooded homes from Panama to Guatemala Thursday as the death toll across Central America rose to at least 57, and aid organizations warned the flooding and mudslides were creating a slow-moving humanitarian disaster across the region.
The storm that hit Nicaragua as a mighty Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday had become more of a vast tropical rainstorm, but it was advancing so slowly and dumping so much rain that much of Central America remained on high alert. Forecasters said the now-tropical depression was expected to regather and head toward Cuba and possibly the Gulf of Mexico by early next week.
On Thursday afternoon, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei said a water-soaked mountainside in the central part of the country had slid down onto the town of San Cristobal Verapaz, burying homes and leaving at least 25 dead.
Two other slides in Huehuetenango had killed at least 12 more, he said. The president initially said more than 50 people had died in slides, but the individual incidents he cited did not reach that total. Later, David de León, spokesman for the national disaster agency, said there were reports of 50 people missing in the Verapaz slide, but government rescue teams had not reached the site.
Earlier Thursday, five others had been killed in smaller slides in Guatemala.
Giammattei said on that 60% of the eastern city of Puerto Barrios was flooded and 48 more hours of rain was expected.
Guatemala’s toll was on top of 13 victims in Honduras and two in Nicaragua. Panamanian authorities reported eight missing.
Eta had sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph) and was moving north at 8 mph (13 kph) Thursday. It was centered 85 miles (140 kilometers) northwest of La Ceiba, Honduras.
In Honduras, National Police said Thursday that six more bodies had been found, bringing that country’s toll to 13. The bodies of two adults and two children were found after excavations in a mudslide that occurred Wednesday in the township of Gualala, and two boys aged 8 and 11 died in another mudslide in El Níspero.
Earlier, residents found the body of a girl buried in a landslide Wednesday in mountains outside the north coast city of Tela. In the same area, a landslide buried a home with a mother and two children inside it, according to Honduras Fire Department spokesman Óscar Triminio. He said there was also a 2-year-old girl killed in Santa Barbara department when she was swept away by floodwaters.
Hundreds of residents of San Pedro Sula neighborhoods had to abandon their homes before dawn Thursday when water from the Chamelecon river arrived at their doorsteps.
Miguel Angel Beltran, a security guard from the city’s Planeta neighborhood, said his district was lost and many people were missing or drowned.
“We rescued my brothers, all the family from a balcony, a three-story building,” he said. “How is it possible that a government has done nothing to warn people.”
His family lost everything and had nowhere to go, he said. The few boats rescuing people had no motors and struggled against the current, he said.
Marvin Aparicio of Honduras’ emergency management agency said 41 communities have been cut off by washed out roads.
Luis Alonso Salas, a 45-year-old construction worker, stood on high ground at a gas station where people who fled their homes picked over a pile of donated clothing.
“It was terrible, I lost my whole house, I couldn’t take anything,” he said. At 1 a.m. water was up to his neck. He said others in his neighborhood were still waiting for rescuers in boats from atop their roofs.
Maite Matheu, country director for the international humanitarian organization CARE, said Thursday that some 2 million Hondurans could be directly impacted by the storm.
“The situation that we are seeing today is very, very alarming,” she said. “Mainly the people and families that need to be evacuated right now. There are dozens of families in some towns in the Sula valley who are on their roofs and are asking to be evacuated.”
She said Honduras’ government did not have the capacity to rescue people.
Giammattei, Guatemala’s president, said his Honduran counterpart Juan Orlando Hernández requested help, but that blocked roads made it impossible to do so.
Matheu said her organization was helping gather information about the most pressing needs across Honduras. The food supply was a real concern, she said. The country’s road network is badly damaged, airports were closed and much of the Sula valley, the country’s most agriculturally productive, was flooded.
“The impact on crops is going to be enormous,” Matheu said. The storm’s impact would only increase the pressure on a desperate population to migrate, she added.
In Panama, at least eight people were reported missing after flooding and landslides in the province of Chiriqui, which borders Costa Rica.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecast that parts of Nicaragua and Honduras could receive 15 to 25 inches (380 to 635 millimeters) of rain, with 40 inches (1,000 millimeters) possible in some isolated parts.
When what’s left of the storm wobbles back into the Caribbean it will regain some strength and become a tropical storm again, forecasts show.
And then Eta is predicted to slowly move toward Cuba and Florida, or at least close enough to Florida for forecasters to warn of 7 inches of rain for South Florida in the next five to seven days. And next week, Eta could even move into the Gulf of Mexico.
“Whatever comes out (of Central America) is going to linger awhile,” said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. “I’m not convinced we’re done with Eta.”
That’s because what’s left of Eta still has spin, which is hard to kill off, and that should help it reform, said NOAA hurricane and climate scientist Jim Kossin.
Once it reforms and heads toward Cuba, it could meander in the area for awhile.
“The winds aren’t going to be the problem. The rains are going to be the problem,” Klotzbach said.
Eta will be so big, wet and messy that it doesn’t have to make landfall in already rain-soaked South Florida to cause a mess, Klotzbach said.
“Slow-moving sprawling ugly tropical storms can certainly pack a precipitation wallop even if it doesn’t make landfall,” Klotzbach said.
– – –
Claudio Escalon and Sonia Perez D. is a reporter for The Associated Press. Pérez D. reported from Guatemala City. Associated Press writers Marlon González in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Juan Zamorano in Panama City, Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland and Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
About the Headline Photo: A pregnant woman is carried out of an area flooded by water brought by Hurricane Eta in Planeta, Honduras, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. The storm that hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday had become more of a vast tropical rainstorm, but it was advancing so slowly and dumping so much rain that much of Central America remained on high alert. (AP Photo/Delmer Martinez)


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Biden Claims Mandate in First Address to America Since Declaring Victory

Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden Saturday night said he was given a mandate by voters to restore unity and civility after what he called four years of divisiveness under President Donald Trump .
Addressing America from his hometown of Wilmington , Delaware , hours after claiming victory over Trump , Biden said he would lead by example and be the president of all Americans , not just those who voted for him .
“ The people of this nation have spoken , ” he said .
“ They ’ ve delivered us a clear victory , convincing victory.
” Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a number of states .
His legal team held a news conference Saturday in Philadelphia shortly after national media outlets called the race for Biden , claiming widespread voter fraud .
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said at the news conference that a number of federal lawsuits will be filed Monday in states across the country challenging counting methods , including claims that GOP poll watchers weren ’ t allowed to observe the processing of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania and elsewhere .
Giuliani said Trump would not concede when hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden did not mention the upcoming legal battle during his Saturday night address , instead sticking with his message of unity .
“ It ’ s time to put away the harsh rhetoric , lower the temperature , see each other again , listen to each other again , and to make progress , ” he said .
“ We have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies .
They are not our enemies .
They are Americans .
… “ This is a time to heal in America.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlling the coronavirus , dealing with racial injustice , combating climate change and making the economy more fair for the middle class .
“ Our work starts with getting coronavirus under control , ” he said , adding that the economy can ’ t rebound without doing so .
After the U.S. economy soared during Trump ’ s first three years in office , millions of Americans lost their jobs beginning in March when the COVID-19 pandemic led states across the country to shut businesses and other social activities down to slow its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coronavirus task force Monday that will rely on science to drive his presumptive administration ’ s policies .
Biden declared victory Saturday after NBC News , CNN , Fox News , The Associated Press and others called him the winner in Pennsylvania , where the former vice president was born .
Pennsylvania ’ s 20 electoral college votes would give Biden 290 in total by by AP ’ s count after the outlet also called Nevada for the former vice president ; 270 are needed to win the presidency .
Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battleground states , including Pennsylvania , Nevada , Arizona and Michigan .
Trump vows to take the legal challenges all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court .
Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square .
He welcomes your comments .
Contact Dan at [ email protected ] Photo “ Joe Biden ” by Joe Biden .

by Dan McCaleb
Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden Saturday night said he was given a mandate by voters to restore unity and civility after what he called four years of divisiveness under President Donald Trump.
Addressing America from his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, hours after claiming victory over Trump, Biden said he would lead by example and be the president of all Americans, not just those who voted for him.
“The people of this nation have spoken,” he said. “They’ve delivered us a clear victory, convincing victory.”
Trump has not conceded and is legally contesting results in a number of states. His legal team held a news conference Saturday in Philadelphia shortly after national media outlets called the race for Biden, claiming widespread voter fraud.
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said at the news conference that a number of federal lawsuits will be filed Monday in states across the country challenging counting methods, including claims that GOP poll watchers weren’t allowed to observe the processing of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Giuliani said Trump would not concede when hundreds of thousands of ballots are in question in Pennsylvania alone.
Biden did not mention the upcoming legal battle during his Saturday night address, instead sticking with his message of unity.
“It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again, and to make progress,” he said. “We have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. They are Americans. …
“This is a time to heal in America.”
Biden did say his administration would focus on controlling the coronavirus, dealing with racial injustice, combating climate change and making the economy more fair for the middle class.
“Our work starts with getting coronavirus under control,” he said, adding that the economy can’t rebound without doing so.
After the U.S. economy soared during Trump’s first three years in office, millions of Americans lost their jobs beginning in March when the COVID-19 pandemic led states across the country to shut businesses and other social activities down to slow its spread.
Biden said he will name a coronavirus task force Monday that will rely on science to drive his presumptive administration’s policies.
Biden declared victory Saturday after NBC News, CNN, Fox News, The Associated Press and others called him the winner in Pennsylvania, where the former vice president was born. Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral college votes would give Biden 290 in total by by AP’s count after the outlet also called Nevada for the former vice president; 270 are needed to win the presidency.
Trump is mounting a number of legal challenges in battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan.
Trump vows to take the legal challenges all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
– – –
Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square. He welcomes your comments. Contact Dan at [email protected]
Photo “Joe Biden” by Joe Biden.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Trump Could Face More Censorship on Twitter If He Loses Re-Election

President Donald Trump may be subject to increased censorship on his personal Twitter account if he loses the election and becomes a private citizen , according to Twitter .
Twitter allows for public officials to push the community guidelines further than private citizens in the interest of information and direct engagement of users with their elected officials , according to an official statement from the website .
“ Twitter ’ s approach to world leaders , candidates , and public officials is based on the principle that people should be able to choose to see what their leaders are saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we may apply warnings and labels , and limit engagement to certain Tweets .
This policy framework applies to current world leaders and candidates for office , and not private citizens when they no longer hold these positions , ” a Twitter spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ As we ’ ve stated many times , we want to be clear that the accounts of world leaders are not above our policies , ” according to Twitter .
Enforcement action will be directed at any account which promotes terrorism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; shares “ intimate photos or videos ” without the subject ’ s consent ; engages in child sexual exploitation ; or encourages self-harm , according to Twitter .
Enforcement will occur without considering whether the information is valuable public knowledge .
Bloomberg first reported that Trump ’ s “ special treatment ” by the social networking site would end if Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the election on Thursday .
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Donald Trump ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC @ @ @

by Kaylee Greenlee
President Donald Trump may be subject to increased censorship on his personal Twitter account if he loses the election and becomes a private citizen, according to Twitter.
Twitter allows for public officials to push the community guidelines further than private citizens in the interest of information and direct engagement of users with their elected officials, according to an official statement from the website.
“Twitter’s approach to world leaders, candidates, and public officials is based on the principle that people should be able to choose to see what their leaders are saying with clear context. This means that we may apply warnings and labels, and limit engagement to certain Tweets. This policy framework applies to current world leaders and candidates for office, and not private citizens when they no longer hold these positions,” a Twitter spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
We have claimed, for Electoral Vote purposes, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (which won’t allow legal observers) the State of Georgia, and the State of North Carolina, each one of which has a BIG Trump lead. Additionally, we hereby claim the State of Michigan if, in fact,….. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2020
“As we’ve stated many times, we want to be clear that the accounts of world leaders are not above our policies,” according to Twitter.
Enforcement action will be directed at any account which promotes terrorism, clearly threatens violence; posts private information; shares “intimate photos or videos” without the subject’s consent; engages in child sexual exploitation; or encourages self-harm, according to Twitter.
Enforcement will occur without considering whether the information is valuable public knowledge.
Bloomberg first reported that Trump’s “special treatment” by the social networking site would end if Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the election on Thursday.
– – –
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Italy Shuts Down Four Regions as Europe Tries Lighter Lockdowns

MILAN , Italy ( AP ) — Luxury fashion boutiques , jewelry shops and most of Milan ’ s flagship department stores were shuttered Friday , as the center of Italy ’ s vibrant financial capital fell into a gray quiet on the first day of a partial lockdown in four regions aimed at stopping the coronavirus ’ s resurgence .
The new restrictions — which led to closures of a patchwork of nonessential businesses — allow a great deal more freedom than Italy ’ s near-total 10-week lockdown that started in March , but nonetheless brought recriminations from regional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , the south , which was largely spared in the spring , chafed the most , despite concerns that its weaker health care system was especially vulnerable .
Italy ’ s move echoes those in many parts of Europe , where infections are rising again , but governments have been reluctant to impose the kind of nationwide shutdowns they did in the spring because of the terrible economic damage they did .
For instance , many European countries have opted to keep schools open — making work easier for parents — while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even the lighter restrictions this time around , however , are drawing stiff criticism — especially in countries like Britain and Italy where they have exacerbated regional tensions .
Under Italy ’ s complicated 21-point formula , the northern regions of Lombardy , Piedmont and Valle d ’ Aosta and the southern region of Calabria , the toe of Italy ’ s boot , faced increased restrictions for the next 15 days , including the closure of all nonessential stores , take-out only for bars and restaurants , distance learning for students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving hometowns except for work , health or other serious reasons .
Sicily and Puglia , two other southern regions , fell into a second tier of restrictions , while the rest of the country maintained more freedom of movement but with a 10 p.m. curfew and restaurants closings at 6 p.m .
In Rome , Italy ’ s health minister faced Parliament to defend the government ’ s handling of the new phase of the crisis amid concerns the government has too often bypassed lawmakers during the pandemic .
“ In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be the field of a political battle , ” Roberto Speranza said , noting that the criteria being applied had been in place since April without dissent .
“ I say this with all my strength and from my heart : Enough .
Don ’ t fuel polemics.
” Speranza said the lockdowns were a necessity as the number of confirmed infections skyrockets and deaths reach highs not seen since the spring .
The restrictions took effect the day Italy hit a new all-time high of single-day confirmed infections — 37,809 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — 446 — since spring .
Lombardy ’ s latest caseload surged to nearly 10,000 , accounting for more than 25 % of Italy ’ s new confirmed infections on Friday .
“ Maybe people are getting used to seeing 400 dead .
That number would have people petrified in front of their TV sets .
Now people seem more indifferent , ’ ’ Luca Zerbini , a lawyer drinking a take-out cup of coffee near the Duomo cathedral .
In Calabria , the governor vowed to fight the restrictions .
And some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered in the first lockdown but are less hard-hit now have pushed for restrictions to vary by province and not by the larger category of region .
Milan ’ s mayor , Giuseppe Sala , rejected such differential treatment within regions , which share a common health care system .
“ I invite Milanese to stay home as much as possible in these very difficult days , ” Sala said Friday .
All was quiet in the city , where even the lines that usually form in front of popular takeaway sandwich shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were nowhere to be seen .
The hodgepodge of shops considered “ necessary ” includes hairdressers , cosmetic and perfume stores , florists , and sweet shops alongside grocery stores — but not ice cream parlors or pastry shops .
That created the odd situation where the flagship Rinascente department store was open only to customers wanting to access the ground floor for cosmetics , the 7th-floor food court or the penthouse hair salon .
That patchwork reflects efforts to balance slowing the virus ’ s spread with protecting the battered economy — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many fear that businesses that suffered in the spring won ’ t survive new restrictions this time around .
In France , bookshops have been shut , and Paris ’ landmark English-language store Shakespeare and Company appealed to readers for support .
And it got it , receiving 5,000 online orders in one week , compared with the usual 100 .
But even as politicians keep a wary eye on the economy , they are also concerned about pressure on their strained health systems .
Luca Zaia , governor of the northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the deaths in his region were mostly among people over 70 while most infections were among the young , underlining the necessity for people to observe new rules even in one of the regions with the lightest restrictions .
“ We are entering the most critical phase , ’ ’ Zaia said , noting that if the situation worsens they will have to halt other medical procedures to find beds for COVID-19 patients .
Germany ’ s health minister has warned of hard times ahead unless the country can “ break ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has doubled the number of patients in intensive care in just 10 days and set a new record of over 21,500 new confirmed cases on Friday .
And the French government is supplying quick virus tests to nursing homes around the country and to the nation ’ s biggest airport , Paris ’ Charles de Gaulle .
The tests are cheap and fast , but experts say they are also less accurate than the standard ones .
Nursing homes in France , Spain and other European countries saw tremendous numbers of deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second wave is here , and it is violent , ” French Health Minister Olivier Veran warned Thursday night , while urging people to respect a partial national lockdown .
In Denmark , meanwhile , more than a quarter-million people were put on lockdown in a northern region where a mutated variation of the coronavirus infected a mink farm .
Although there was no evidence the mutation posed a threat to people , Danish authorities were taking no chances and ordered millions of the animals to be killed .
Colleen Barry is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Headline Photo : A city police officer walks in the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery shopping arcade in downtown Milan , Italy , Friday , Nov. 6 , 2020 .
Lombardy is among the four Italian regions classified as red zones , where a strict lockdown was imposed starting Friday – to be reassessed in two weeks – in an effort to curb the COVID-19 infections growing curve .
Starting today , only shops selling food and other essentials are allowed to open .
( AP Photo/Antonio Calanni )

by Colleen Barry
MILAN, Italy (AP) — Luxury fashion boutiques, jewelry shops and most of Milan’s flagship department stores were shuttered Friday, as the center of Italy’s vibrant financial capital fell into a gray quiet on the first day of a partial lockdown in four regions aimed at stopping the coronavirus’s resurgence.
The new restrictions — which led to closures of a patchwork of nonessential businesses — allow a great deal more freedom than Italy’s near-total 10-week lockdown that started in March, but nonetheless brought recriminations from regional governments that feel unfairly targeted. In particular, the south, which was largely spared in the spring, chafed the most, despite concerns that its weaker health care system was especially vulnerable.
Italy’s move echoes those in many parts of Europe, where infections are rising again, but governments have been reluctant to impose the kind of nationwide shutdowns they did in the spring because of the terrible economic damage they did. For instance, many European countries have opted to keep schools open — making work easier for parents — while shutting bars and restaurants and many shops.
Even the lighter restrictions this time around, however, are drawing stiff criticism — especially in countries like Britain and Italy where they have exacerbated regional tensions.
Under Italy’s complicated 21-point formula, the northern regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta and the southern region of Calabria, the toe of Italy’s boot, faced increased restrictions for the next 15 days, including the closure of all nonessential stores, take-out only for bars and restaurants, distance learning for students 12 and over and a ban on leaving hometowns except for work, health or other serious reasons.
Sicily and Puglia, two other southern regions, fell into a second tier of restrictions, while the rest of the country maintained more freedom of movement but with a 10 p.m. curfew and restaurants closings at 6 p.m.
In Rome, Italy’s health minister faced Parliament to defend the government’s handling of the new phase of the crisis amid concerns the government has too often bypassed lawmakers during the pandemic.
“In a great country like Italy, this cannot be the field of a political battle,” Roberto Speranza said, noting that the criteria being applied had been in place since April without dissent. “I say this with all my strength and from my heart: Enough. Don’t fuel polemics.”
Speranza said the lockdowns were a necessity as the number of confirmed infections skyrockets and deaths reach highs not seen since the spring.
The restrictions took effect the day Italy hit a new all-time high of single-day confirmed infections — 37,809 — and registered the highest number of deaths — 446 — since spring. Lombardy’s latest caseload surged to nearly 10,000, accounting for more than 25% of Italy’s new confirmed infections on Friday.
“Maybe people are getting used to seeing 400 dead. That number would have people petrified in front of their TV sets. Now people seem more indifferent,’’ Luca Zerbini, a lawyer drinking a take-out cup of coffee near the Duomo cathedral.
In Calabria, the governor vowed to fight the restrictions. And some mayors in the Lombardy in cities that suffered in the first lockdown but are less hard-hit now have pushed for restrictions to vary by province and not by the larger category of region.
Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, rejected such differential treatment within regions, which share a common health care system. “I invite Milanese to stay home as much as possible in these very difficult days,” Sala said Friday.
All was quiet in the city, where even the lines that usually form in front of popular takeaway sandwich shops — still allowed to be open — were nowhere to be seen. The hodgepodge of shops considered “necessary” includes hairdressers, cosmetic and perfume stores, florists, and sweet shops alongside grocery stores — but not ice cream parlors or pastry shops. That created the odd situation where the flagship Rinascente department store was open only to customers wanting to access the ground floor for cosmetics, the 7th-floor food court or the penthouse hair salon.
That patchwork reflects efforts to balance slowing the virus’s spread with protecting the battered economy — and it can be seen across Europe. Many fear that businesses that suffered in the spring won’t survive new restrictions this time around.
In France, bookshops have been shut, and Paris’ landmark English-language store Shakespeare and Company appealed to readers for support. And it got it, receiving 5,000 online orders in one week, compared with the usual 100.
But even as politicians keep a wary eye on the economy, they are also concerned about pressure on their strained health systems.
Luca Zaia, governor of the northern Italian region of Veneto region, said that the deaths in his region were mostly among people over 70 while most infections were among the young, underlining the necessity for people to observe new rules even in one of the regions with the lightest restrictions.
“We are entering the most critical phase,’’ Zaia said, noting that if the situation worsens they will have to halt other medical procedures to find beds for COVID-19 patients.
Germany’s health minister has warned of hard times ahead unless the country can “break” the rising trajectory of coronavirus cases, which has doubled the number of patients in intensive care in just 10 days and set a new record of over 21,500 new confirmed cases on Friday.
And the French government is supplying quick virus tests to nursing homes around the country and to the nation’s biggest airport, Paris’ Charles de Gaulle. The tests are cheap and fast, but experts say they are also less accurate than the standard ones. Nursing homes in France, Spain and other European countries saw tremendous numbers of deaths in the first surge.
“The second wave is here, and it is violent,” French Health Minister Olivier Veran warned Thursday night, while urging people to respect a partial national lockdown.
In Denmark, meanwhile, more than a quarter-million people were put on lockdown in a northern region where a mutated variation of the coronavirus infected a mink farm. Although there was no evidence the mutation posed a threat to people, Danish authorities were taking no chances and ordered millions of the animals to be killed.
– – –
Colleen Barry is a reporter for The Associated Press.
About the Headline Photo: A city police officer walks in the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery shopping arcade in downtown Milan, Italy, Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. Lombardy is among the four Italian regions classified as red zones, where a strict lockdown was imposed starting Friday – to be reassessed in two weeks – in an effort to curb the COVID-19 infections growing curve. Starting today, only shops selling food and other essentials are allowed to open. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--USPS Worker Caught Fleeing to Canada with Undelivered Ballots

A U.S .
Postal Service carrier was caught allegedly trying to cross the Canadian border with undelivered mail , including several absentee ballots , according to The Buffalo News .
Brandon Wilson was stopped while crossing Peace Bridge from New York into Canada at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday , The Buffalo News reported .
Border agents found over 800 pieces of mail that had failed to be delivered in the trunk of Wilson ’ s car while conducting a routine vehicle search , according to the Department of Justice .
There were three absentee ballots found in the mail bin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail found in Wilson ’ s truck were three absentee ballots , 106 political , 220 first-class , and 484 standard pieces of mail , according to The Buffalo News .
The mail was sent between Sept. 16 and Oct. 26 , according to NBC News .
Wilson told border agents that he did not intend to attempt to cross into Canada , but ended up in the wrong lane on I-190 , leading him to accidentally end up at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry , per The Buffalo News .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the undelivered mail , Wilson stated it was not undelivered , but rather belonged to himself and his mother , according to The Buffalo News .
He failed to explain why he was in possession of mail addressed to other people , The Buffalo News reported .
Wilson denied knowledge of the absentee ballots being among the mail in his trunk , per The Buffalo News .
Wilson was arrested and has been “ charged by criminal complaint with delay or destruction of mail , ” according to the Justice Department .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 11 , according to The Buffalo News .
The mail was retrieved by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General , the Justice Department said .
“ This office is committed not only to ensuring the integrity of the mails , but also of individuals ’ rights to vote in a free and fair election .
The criminal conduct with which this defendant is alleged to have engaged undermined both of these interests , ” U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. said , according to The Buffalo News .
Autumn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caller News Foundation .

by Autumn Klein
A U.S. Postal Service carrier was caught allegedly trying to cross the Canadian border with undelivered mail, including several absentee ballots, according to The Buffalo News.
Brandon Wilson was stopped while crossing Peace Bridge from New York into Canada at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, The Buffalo News reported.
Border agents found over 800 pieces of mail that had failed to be delivered in the trunk of Wilson’s car while conducting a routine vehicle search, according to the Department of Justice. There were three absentee ballots found in the mail bin, federal authorities reported.
Among the mail found in Wilson’s truck were three absentee ballots, 106 political, 220 first-class, and 484 standard pieces of mail, according to The Buffalo News. The mail was sent between Sept. 16 and Oct. 26, according to NBC News.
Wilson told border agents that he did not intend to attempt to cross into Canada, but ended up in the wrong lane on I-190, leading him to accidentally end up at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry, per The Buffalo News.
When Customs and Border Protection agents questioned him about the undelivered mail, Wilson stated it was not undelivered, but rather belonged to himself and his mother, according to The Buffalo News. He failed to explain why he was in possession of mail addressed to other people, The Buffalo News reported. Wilson denied knowledge of the absentee ballots being among the mail in his trunk, per The Buffalo News.
Wilson was arrested and has been “charged by criminal complaint with delay or destruction of mail,” according to the Justice Department. He is to appear in court on Nov. 11, according to The Buffalo News.
The mail was retrieved by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department said.
“This office is committed not only to ensuring the integrity of the mails, but also of individuals’ rights to vote in a free and fair election. The criminal conduct with which this defendant is alleged to have engaged undermined both of these interests,” U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. said, according to The Buffalo News.
– – –
Autumn Klein is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Arizona GOP Insists Trump Will Still Win State, Hints at Lawsuits

Arizona ’ s Republican Party chair said Friday that she ’ s still certain President Donald Trump will prevail there as a party lawyer says the GOP is exploring all legal options .
In a call with reporters , Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Dr. Kelli Ward said , despite media reports saying former Vice President Joe Biden has locked up the state ’ s 11 electoral college votes , they see an eventual victory for Trump .
“ I am still very , very positive about delivering Arizona for President Trump , ” Ward said .
“ Our data shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver this state and our eleven electoral votes for the president.
” The gap between Biden and Trump had narrowed significantly over the last 24 hours , Ward said .
Friday morning ’ s ballot release from Maricopa County saw an underwhelming 51 % of votes go Trump ’ s way , short of the estimated 56 % pace he needed to convince elections experts that he could surpass Biden before all ballots were counted .
As of Friday afternoon , Trump trailed Biden by 39,776 votes , with an estimated 209,000 left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call was former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker , who said the GOP ’ s legal team was researching all claims about the propriety of the electoral process and would bring a legal challenge if they thought it warranted .
“ We have a very strong team of lawyers on the ground here to make sure that every avenue is covered , ” he said .
Whitaker would not specify what issues the party ’ s lawyers were exploring .
Ward described complaints from party election judges being kept 20 feet away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing the computers ’ back .
Whitaker didn ’ t say whether that would be the source of a legal challenge .
As of Friday , no one has made public any significant evidence of voter fraud in the state , which has been conducting vote-by-mail elections for more than two decades .
Accusations flew over the use of permanent markers when filling out ballots and whether it corrupted the votes .
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich , to some criticism , said he would explore the issue .
Hours later , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s did not result in a bad ballot .
Cole Lauterbach reports on Illinois and Arizona government and statewide issues for The Center Square .
He has produced radio shows for stations in Central Illinois and created award-winning programs for Comcast SportsNet Chicago .
Photo “ Kelli Ward ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by Cole Lauterbach
Arizona’s Republican Party chair said Friday that she’s still certain President Donald Trump will prevail there as a party lawyer says the GOP is exploring all legal options.
In a call with reporters, Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Dr. Kelli Ward said, despite media reports saying former Vice President Joe Biden has locked up the state’s 11 electoral college votes, they see an eventual victory for Trump.
“I am still very, very positive about delivering Arizona for President Trump,” Ward said. “Our data shows that we are still on track to deliver this state and our eleven electoral votes for the president.”
The gap between Biden and Trump had narrowed significantly over the last 24 hours, Ward said.
Friday morning’s ballot release from Maricopa County saw an underwhelming 51% of votes go Trump’s way, short of the estimated 56% pace he needed to convince elections experts that he could surpass Biden before all ballots were counted.
As of Friday afternoon, Trump trailed Biden by 39,776 votes, with an estimated 209,000 left to count.
Joining Ward on the call was former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, who said the GOP’s legal team was researching all claims about the propriety of the electoral process and would bring a legal challenge if they thought it warranted.
“We have a very strong team of lawyers on the ground here to make sure that every avenue is covered,” he said.
Whitaker would not specify what issues the party’s lawyers were exploring. Ward described complaints from party election judges being kept 20 feet away from screens used to verify ballots, only seeing the computers’ back. Whitaker didn’t say whether that would be the source of a legal challenge.
As of Friday, no one has made public any significant evidence of voter fraud in the state, which has been conducting vote-by-mail elections for more than two decades.
Accusations flew over the use of permanent markers when filling out ballots and whether it corrupted the votes. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, to some criticism, said he would explore the issue. Hours later, he announced that marking ballots with Sharpie’s did not result in a bad ballot.
– – –
Cole Lauterbach reports on Illinois and Arizona government and statewide issues for The Center Square. He has produced radio shows for stations in Central Illinois and created award-winning programs for Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
Photo “Kelli Ward” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Where the Republican Party Stands: Virginia’s Political Shifts in the 2020 Election

The 2020 election outcomes revealed a telling political trajectory occurring in Virginia and the nation .
Final tallies indicated that Republicans ’ future chances of winning in the state may be ever-slimming .
A consistent theme across the board – Republicans fell short with the unprecedented number of absentee voters .
Although Republicans increased their presidential vote totals from 2016 by about 185,000 , Democrats increased their votes by nearly 400,000 .
In every election since 2008 , Democratic candidates had only enjoyed about a 10,000 vote increase per year .
This year , minor party presidential vote totals decreased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70,000 – likely due to the pandemic shutdowns .
Prior to this year , votes for minor parties had increased consistently after a significant drop-off in 2004 .
By comparison , Virginia ’ s minor party voters in 2016 had risen closer to their 369,000 peak in the 1992 presidential election .
With the expansion of mail-in voting and extended early voting , absentee votes reached an all-time high – over 2.8 million .
This reality bolstered Democratic candidates ’ chances of winning , despite pre-election rallying cries of voter suppression and insistence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting .
Biden had a 26 percent higher amount of mail-in ballots than did Trump in Virginia , and a national lead for mail-in ballots returned by over 7 million Democratic voters .
In the past several months , there have been incidents threatening voter fraud such as voters receiving duplicate ballots .
Where Trump had won over certain regions in 2016 , this year Biden led by up to double the points in those same places .
The Democrat earned a 7.6 point lead in Virginia Beach , 6.2 in Chesapeake , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James City , 3.3 in Stafford County , and 2 in Lynchburg .
Biden won the state by about 10 points this year .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton won by about 5 points ; in 2008 and 2012 Barack Obama won by about 6 and 4 points , respectively .
U.S. Senate voter maps over the last few elections are mixed .
While Senator Mark Warren ( D-VA ) enjoyed a statewide 31.3 lead in 2008 after John Warner retired , he barely scraped by with less than a point in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populated areas – including Virginia Beach and Loudoun County – as well as small counties flipped from blue to red .
This year , however , all of those areas flipped back to blue .
Senator Tim Kaine ( D-VA ) more than doubled his statewide leads in his last two races .
Kaine won by 5.9 points in 2012 , then by 16 points in 2018 .
Many of the red counties softened to pink , and several flipped to or deepened blue .
The U.S. House voter maps show definite flips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to reflect the spreading influence of bordering blue counties and cities .
District 2 turned up 23 point leads for Republicans in 2016 , flipped to Democrats by 2 points in 2018 and increased to over 5 points this year .
A similar trend occurred with District 7 .
Republicans led by over 15 points in 2016 , lost to Democrats by 2 points in 2018 and over 1 point this year .
And in District 10 , Republicans led by nearly 6 points in 2016 , lost to Democrats by over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 points this year .
Republican leads in District 5 have slimmed since 2016 , while Districts 1 and 6 have remained fairly consistent .
These are a lot of numbers to keep in mind .
Simply put , the numbers signify Virginia is becoming more blue , and expanded voting methods have only expedited that trend .
A Republican platform didn ’ t appeal to the absentee voter majority – and it appears that cost them the election .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Virginia State Capitol ” by Ron Cogswell .
CC BY 2.0 .

The 2020 election outcomes revealed a telling political trajectory occurring in Virginia and the nation. Final tallies indicated that Republicans’ future chances of winning in the state may be ever-slimming. A consistent theme across the board – Republicans fell short with the unprecedented number of absentee voters.
Although Republicans increased their presidential vote totals from 2016 by about 185,000, Democrats increased their votes by nearly 400,000. In every election since 2008, Democratic candidates had only enjoyed about a 10,000 vote increase per year.
This year, minor party presidential vote totals decreased from about 232,000 to just shy of 70,000 – likely due to the pandemic shutdowns. Prior to this year, votes for minor parties had increased consistently after a significant drop-off in 2004. By comparison, Virginia’s minor party voters in 2016 had risen closer to their 369,000 peak in the 1992 presidential election.
With the expansion of mail-in voting and extended early voting, absentee votes reached an all-time high – over 2.8 million. This reality bolstered Democratic candidates’ chances of winning, despite pre-election rallying cries of voter suppression and insistence that neither party benefits more from mail-in voting. Biden had a 26 percent higher amount of mail-in ballots than did Trump in Virginia, and a national lead for mail-in ballots returned by over 7 million Democratic voters. In the past several months, there have been incidents threatening voter fraud such as voters receiving duplicate ballots.
Where Trump had won over certain regions in 2016, this year Biden led by up to double the points in those same places. The Democrat earned a 7.6 point lead in Virginia Beach, 6.2 in Chesapeake, 5.9 in Chesterfield County, 4.7 in James City, 3.3 in Stafford County, and 2 in Lynchburg.
Biden won the state by about 10 points this year. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won by about 5 points; in 2008 and 2012 Barack Obama won by about 6 and 4 points, respectively.
U.S. Senate voter maps over the last few elections are mixed.
While Senator Mark Warren (D-VA) enjoyed a statewide 31.3 lead in 2008 after John Warner retired, he barely scraped by with less than a point in 2014. Between those two elections, more populated areas – including Virginia Beach and Loudoun County – as well as small counties flipped from blue to red. This year, however, all of those areas flipped back to blue.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) more than doubled his statewide leads in his last two races. Kaine won by 5.9 points in 2012, then by 16 points in 2018. Many of the red counties softened to pink, and several flipped to or deepened blue.
The U.S. House voter maps show definite flips from 2016 to 2020. These changes appear to reflect the spreading influence of bordering blue counties and cities.
District 2 turned up 23 point leads for Republicans in 2016, flipped to Democrats by 2 points in 2018 and increased to over 5 points this year. A similar trend occurred with District 7. Republicans led by over 15 points in 2016, lost to Democrats by 2 points in 2018 and over 1 point this year. And in District 10, Republicans led by nearly 6 points in 2016, lost to Democrats by over 12 points in 2018 and then by 13 points this year. Republican leads in District 5 have slimmed since 2016, while Districts 1 and 6 have remained fairly consistent.
These are a lot of numbers to keep in mind. Simply put, the numbers signify Virginia is becoming more blue, and expanded voting methods have only expedited that trend. A Republican platform didn’t appeal to the absentee voter majority – and it appears that cost them the election.
– – –
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Virginia State Capitol” by Ron Cogswell. CC BY 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Court Ruling Allows Ohio Small Businesses to File Single Local Tax Return

An Ohio native , J.D .
Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers @ @ @ @ @ Alabama and Texas .
He has served as a reporter , editor , managing editor @ @ @ @ @ a regional editor for The Center Square .
Photo “ Ohio Supreme Court ” by @ @ @ @

by J.D. Davidson
– – –
An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square.
Photo “Ohio Supreme Court” by Ohio Supreme Court.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Canadian Company Caught Quietly Exploring for Gold in Buckingham County

Buckingham County officials discovered Canadian mining exploration company Aston Bay Holdings sample drilling in parts of the region for gold deposits , in violation of zoning requirements , according to minutes from a planning commission meeting .
After stopping the company in June from continuing its exploration , Buckingham officials have been holding meetings and public hearings to decide whether or not to allow Aston Bay Holdings to continue its core drilling .
The issue is the latest conflict of environmentalists and mineral extraction businesses fighting for local support in Virginia .
“ We are sitting here trying to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commission Chairman Patrick Bowe said according to the September planning commission meeting minutes .
“ Why would we consider not thanking them for looking for gold ?
I hope they find all they want and come in here and apply for a mining operation.
” Officials at the September meeting also expressed concern over Aston Bay drilling without notifying the county first .
When Bowe suggested that the commission should consider that Aston Bay had already invested in equipment and labor , Supervisor Donnie Bryan asked , “ So what you are saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it and ask for forgiveness than to seek permission ?
” Vice-Chairman John Bickford said that the drilling itself seemed to have little environmental risk .
According to the minutes , he said , “ I ’ m just not sure about the core drilling because it [ is ] so minimal impact with four holes or five holes on 80 some acres , three inches and they are closing them as soon as the sample is gotten .
I just don ’ t know .
I don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It sounds like it ’ s not much of an impact to the environment.
” However , at a public hearing on October 26 , residents expressed concern about a potential mine using too much local water and contaminating local resources .
Resident James Branch Jr. summarized , “ Buckingham County does need new business but not at the expense of Buckingham County .
The core sampling and eventually mines that follow will cause irreparable damage to Buckingham County and surrounding areas .
The environment will be impacted first and foremost because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Contamination of air and water will certainly occur , thus affecting the wildlife as well as human lives.
” “ We are especially concerned about what the waste toxins from this drilling and mining would do to our streams and the shallow residential drinking-water wells in the area , ” states a post by the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance .
In company documents , Aston Bay Holdings emphasizes the difference between exploration and mining activities .
“ An active exploration program does not by itself indicate that mining will eventually occur , or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The road from exploration to mine production is a long one , ” the company states .
In March 2019 , the company announced in a press release that they had signed an agreement with a local timber company to begin exploratory work on the timber company ’ s property , and in June 2019 , the company announced results from a drilling program on the site .
Investor documentation touts a “ historic near-surface gold production and recent gold discovery ” in an area “ Little explored since 1850.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .04 in October 2020 .
At the October 26 meeting , the planning commission determined that before they would grant permits for Aston Bay to resume work , they wanted more input from experts and from the Board of Supervisors ( BOS ) .
The commission sent a letter inviting the BOS to join the commission at a November 16 meeting .
Supervisor Danny Allen , representing the BOS at the October meeting , said , “ To me , I would like to just invite all the people like the geologist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us more information on it here at our next meeting , and invite the Board .
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Aston Bay Virginia Gold Mining ” by Aston Bay .

Buckingham County officials discovered Canadian mining exploration company Aston Bay Holdings sample drilling in parts of the region for gold deposits, in violation of zoning requirements, according to minutes from a planning commission meeting. After stopping the company in June from continuing its exploration, Buckingham officials have been holding meetings and public hearings to decide whether or not to allow Aston Bay Holdings to continue its core drilling. The issue is the latest conflict of environmentalists and mineral extraction businesses fighting for local support in Virginia.
“We are sitting here trying to open up the county to business,” Commission Chairman Patrick Bowe said according to the September planning commission meeting minutes. “Why would we consider not thanking them for looking for gold? I hope they find all they want and come in here and apply for a mining operation.”
Officials at the September meeting also expressed concern over Aston Bay drilling without notifying the county first. When Bowe suggested that the commission should consider that Aston Bay had already invested in equipment and labor, Supervisor Donnie Bryan asked, “So what you are saying, Pat, it’s better to do it and ask for forgiveness than to seek permission?”
Vice-Chairman John Bickford said that the drilling itself seemed to have little environmental risk. According to the minutes, he said, “I’m just not sure about the core drilling because it [is] so minimal impact with four holes or five holes on 80 some acres, three inches and they are closing them as soon as the sample is gotten. I just don’t know. I don’t have enough information to make a decision tonight. It sounds like it’s not much of an impact to the environment.”
However, at a public hearing on October 26, residents expressed concern about a potential mine using too much local water and contaminating local resources. Resident James Branch Jr. summarized, “Buckingham County does need new business but not at the expense of Buckingham County. The core sampling and eventually mines that follow will cause irreparable damage to Buckingham County and surrounding areas. The environment will be impacted first and foremost because of the depletion of water supply. Contamination of air and water will certainly occur, thus affecting the wildlife as well as human lives.”
“We are especially concerned about what the waste toxins from this drilling and mining would do to our streams and the shallow residential drinking-water wells in the area,” states a post by the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance.
In company documents, Aston Bay Holdings emphasizes the difference between exploration and mining activities. “An active exploration program does not by itself indicate that mining will eventually occur, or even that it would be a desirable investment. The road from exploration to mine production is a long one,” the company states.
In March 2019, the company announced in a press release that they had signed an agreement with a local timber company to begin exploratory work on the timber company’s property, and in June 2019, the company announced results from a drilling program on the site. Investor documentation touts a “historic near-surface gold production and recent gold discovery” in an area “Little explored since 1850.” The share price for the holdings was $.04 in October 2020.
At the October 26 meeting, the planning commission determined that before they would grant permits for Aston Bay to resume work, they wanted more input from experts and from the Board of Supervisors (BOS). The commission sent a letter inviting the BOS to join the commission at a November 16 meeting.
Supervisor Danny Allen, representing the BOS at the October meeting, said, “To me, I would like to just invite all the people like the geologist, the health department, whoever can give us more information on it here at our next meeting, and invite the Board. ”
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Aston Bay Virginia Gold Mining” by Aston Bay.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--State Backs Down on Requirement Restaurants Deny Entry to Customers Who Don’t Give Contact Tracing I

State Backs Down on Requirement Restaurants Deny Entry to Customers Who Don’t Give Contact Tracing Info

The state of Michigan eased a requirement that restaurants deny entry to customers who don ’ t give their contact information for contact tracing after a civil liberties group stepped in .
The new Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ( MDHHS ) FAQ page only recommends facilities deny entry to customers who refuse to provide contact information to the restaurant .
A failure to request contact information would have violated the order that threatens a misdemeanor charge , a civil fine up to $ 1,000 , or possibly the loss of a business license .
“ The measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to keep people safe while allowing for restaurants , bars , recreation and entertainment venues , and other gathering places to remain open despite the rapid rise in COVID-19 across Michigan over the last month , ” MDHHS spokeswoman Lynn Sutfin told The Center Square in an email .
The same order applied for personal services , recreation , and entertainment venues and has been in effect “ for months without issue ” , Sutfin said .
Under the Oct. 29 order , restaurants and bars must request patron contact information .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of Michiganders will voluntarily comply with this requirement of restaurants and bars by providing this information that will assist with contact tracing if a positive case is connected with the facility , ” Sutfin said .
However , the MDHHS , a local health department , or law enforcement will investigate complaints about restaurants or bars that aren ’ t collecting contact information , Sutfin said .
“ In addition , we will continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 and impacts on our hospitals and health infrastructure to determine if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) worked with MDHHS to craft the FAQ and strongly recommended that they not punish customers or businesses who choose not to give up their contact information .
Bonsitu Kitaba , Michigan legal director of the ACLU , said in a statement they were encouraged by MDHHS guidance , especially prohibiting businesses from sharing the data with law enforcement , immigration officials , or for non-public , health-related reasons .
“ The guidance also makes clear that customers and businesses will not be punished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their personal information .
This additional guidance should give people confidence that their personal information will be kept private and used for the very limited purpose of stemming the spread of COVID-19 , ” Kitaba said .
“ COVID-19 is still hitting vulnerable communities especially hard as we enter the colder months , and it ’ s on all of us to be vigilant about protecting each other .
We will always work with communities and officials to protect people ’ s health and their civil liberties , ” Kitaba said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department as they work through implementation of the order and guidance for organizations collecting customer contact info , and will provide feedback to them if issues arise.
” State data as of Oct. 29 show restaurants accounted for 15 new outbreaks , or 7 % of Michigan ’ s total new outbreaks .
Bars accounted for 2 % , or four new outbreaks — defined as two or more COVID-19 cases originating from people from different households .
The top categories of new COVID-19 cases continue to be K-12 schools ( 44 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and manufacturing/construction ( 16 ) .
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square .
A graduate of Hillsdale College , his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org .
Previously , he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi .

by Scott McClallen
The state of Michigan eased a requirement that restaurants deny entry to customers who don’t give their contact information for contact tracing after a civil liberties group stepped in.
The new Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) FAQ page only recommends facilities deny entry to customers who refuse to provide contact information to the restaurant.
A failure to request contact information would have violated the order that threatens a misdemeanor charge, a civil fine up to $1,000, or possibly the loss of a business license.
“The measures in last week’s order were intended to keep people safe while allowing for restaurants, bars, recreation and entertainment venues, and other gathering places to remain open despite the rapid rise in COVID-19 across Michigan over the last month,” MDHHS spokeswoman Lynn Sutfin told The Center Square in an email.
The same order applied for personal services, recreation, and entertainment venues and has been in effect “for months without issue”, Sutfin said.
Under the Oct. 29 order, restaurants and bars must request patron contact information.
“It is our hope that the majority of Michiganders will voluntarily comply with this requirement of restaurants and bars by providing this information that will assist with contact tracing if a positive case is connected with the facility,” Sutfin said.
However, the MDHHS, a local health department, or law enforcement will investigate complaints about restaurants or bars that aren’t collecting contact information, Sutfin said.
“In addition, we will continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 and impacts on our hospitals and health infrastructure to determine if additional measures are necessary,” Sutfin added.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) worked with MDHHS to craft the FAQ and strongly recommended that they not punish customers or businesses who choose not to give up their contact information.
Bonsitu Kitaba, Michigan legal director of the ACLU, said in a statement they were encouraged by MDHHS guidance, especially prohibiting businesses from sharing the data with law enforcement, immigration officials, or for non-public, health-related reasons.
“The guidance also makes clear that customers and businesses will not be punished if a customer chooses not to provide their personal information. This additional guidance should give people confidence that their personal information will be kept private and used for the very limited purpose of stemming the spread of COVID-19,” Kitaba said.
“COVID-19 is still hitting vulnerable communities especially hard as we enter the colder months, and it’s on all of us to be vigilant about protecting each other. We will always work with communities and officials to protect people’s health and their civil liberties,” Kitaba said. “We look forward to working with the Department as they work through implementation of the order and guidance for organizations collecting customer contact info, and will provide feedback to them if issues arise.”
State data as of Oct. 29 show restaurants accounted for 15 new outbreaks, or 7% of Michigan’s total new outbreaks. Bars accounted for 2%, or four new outbreaks — defined as two or more COVID-19 cases originating from people from different households.
The top categories of new COVID-19 cases continue to be K-12 schools (44), long-term care facilities (42), and manufacturing/construction (16).
– – –
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Residents Sue Education Minnesota to Stop ‘Illegal Subsidy’ of Political Activity

Three residents sued the Anoka-Hennepin School District and the local chapter of Education Minnesota to stop the “ illegal subsidy of union political activities through teacher union business leave.
” In a lawsuit filed Monday in Anoka County District Court , the plaintiffs assert that the “ Working Agreement ” between the district and Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota requires schools to provide teachers with 100 days of paid leave per school year to conduct work for the union .
The union “ takes advantage of that agreement ” and removes teachers from schools , using them for political activity such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes .
But the union only pays for the cost of a substitute , not the full cost of teachers ’ leave and benefits , according to the complaint .
“ The cost of a full-time teacher ’ s salary alone ranges from $ 227 to $ 562 per day in 2020 .
The substitute rate is between $ 135 and $ 145 per day , ” said a press release from the Upper Midwest Law Center , which is representing the plaintiffs in the case .
The complaint alleges that the arrangement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which prevents the state from distributing money from the treasury unless it is appropriated by the Legislature .
The constitution also prevents the credit of Minnesota from being “ given or loaned to aid any corporation.
” The lawsuit calls the arrangement a violation of the Minnesota Public Employees Labor Relations Act and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution .
State courts in New Jersey and Florida have held that “ these under-reimbursement arrangements violate state laws , ” the complaint says .
“ As a taxpayer of District 11 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for [ Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota ’ s ] political speech .
There is no basis for our school district providing workers for AHEM for its favored political activities using our tax dollars .
This illegal subsidy has to end , ” Dan Huizenga , one of the plaintiffs in the case , said in a statement .
The legal action seeks a permanent injunction prohibiting the district from “ subsidizing union leave ” and asks the court to order the union to reimburse the district for all union leave taken by teachers over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law is clear : government employers can not provide benefits to unions without full compensation , and unions can not force government employers to subsidize union business , ” said Upper Midwest Law Center President Doug Seaton .
“ Just like in New Jersey and Florida , we are confident that the Anoka County District Court will stop this practice and require AHEM and ISD 11 to obey the law in their collective bargaining agreements.
” Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News .
He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for The Daily Caller .
Photo “ Education Minnesota at Minnesota Capitol ” by Education Minnesota .

by Anthony Gockowski
Three residents sued the Anoka-Hennepin School District and the local chapter of Education Minnesota to stop the “illegal subsidy of union political activities through teacher union business leave.”
In a lawsuit filed Monday in Anoka County District Court, the plaintiffs assert that the “Working Agreement” between the district and Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota requires schools to provide teachers with 100 days of paid leave per school year to conduct work for the union.
The union “takes advantage of that agreement” and removes teachers from schools, using them for political activity such as door-knocking and phone-banking for union-backed candidates and causes.
But the union only pays for the cost of a substitute, not the full cost of teachers’ leave and benefits, according to the complaint.
“The cost of a full-time teacher’s salary alone ranges from $227 to $562 per day in 2020. The substitute rate is between $135 and $145 per day,” said a press release from the Upper Midwest Law Center, which is representing the plaintiffs in the case.
The complaint alleges that the arrangement violates Article XI of the Minnesota Constitution, which prevents the state from distributing money from the treasury unless it is appropriated by the Legislature. The constitution also prevents the credit of Minnesota from being “given or loaned to aid any corporation.”
The lawsuit calls the arrangement a violation of the Minnesota Public Employees Labor Relations Act and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
State courts in New Jersey and Florida have held that “these under-reimbursement arrangements violate state laws,” the complaint says.
“As a taxpayer of District 11, I should never be forced to pay for [Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota’s] political speech. There is no basis for our school district providing workers for AHEM for its favored political activities using our tax dollars. This illegal subsidy has to end,” Dan Huizenga, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement.
The legal action seeks a permanent injunction prohibiting the district from “subsidizing union leave” and asks the court to order the union to reimburse the district for all union leave taken by teachers over the last six years.
“Minnesota law is clear: government employers cannot provide benefits to unions without full compensation, and unions cannot force government employers to subsidize union business,” said Upper Midwest Law Center President Doug Seaton. “Just like in New Jersey and Florida, we are confident that the Anoka County District Court will stop this practice and require AHEM and ISD 11 to obey the law in their collective bargaining agreements.”
– – –
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and reported for The Daily Caller.
Photo “Education Minnesota at Minnesota Capitol” by Education Minnesota.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-08--Tennessee Residents Stress That Now Is the Time to Fight for Donald Trump at Stop the Steal Rally

NASHVILLE , Tennessee — Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump packed Tennessee ’ s state capitol Saturday even more motivated , energized , and determined to re-elect the president .
This , even as mainstream media outlets named Joe Biden president-elect in a close contest .
Trump and his supporters have presented credible evidence that voter fraud put Biden over the top .
The protestors attended this Stop the Steal rally , part of a larger series of events that organizers held at state capitols nationwide .
Chattanooga resident Patrick Hampton urged protestors to continue to pray for Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years and for the American worker for four years .
He has endured the fake news .
He has endured the fake Corona disease .
He has endured the fake Russian collusion .
He has endured the people calling him a racist .
All of these things for us , ” Hampton said .
“ Now it is time for us to fight for him.
” Meanwhile , State Sen. Mark Pody ( R-Lebanon ) told the crowd that “ the election is not over.
” “ Donald Trump did better in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for battleground states .
We know there is fraud going on , and we ’ re going to stop the steal , ” Pody said .
“ Here in Tennessee we have to do it through prayer .
We have to stay in prayer and stay in God .
He won ’ t let us down.
” Other speakers announced plans to bus Tennessee volunteers to Georgia , one of the battleground states , to count the legal votes .
Another speaker warned that Democrats “ have awakened a sleeping giant.
” Hampton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never allow socialists to take over .
“ I know there are some patriots that might be discouraged right now as the fake news media has called the election for Joe Biden .
Even when all of the votes are not counted he has declared himself a winner .
But this is what I want us to realize .
Listen closely .
There was a time when the children of Israel were leaving Egypt , and they were faced with the Red Sea in front of them .
They were faced with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them out .
I always ask a question ‘ Why would God allow the children of Israel to wait ?
Why didn ’ t he just open the Red Sea for them to walk through it ?
’ ” Hampton asked .
“ Let me tell you a revelation in that story .
The reason why he allowed them to wait is because the parting of the Red Sea was not only for their deliverance but it was for the destruction of their enemies .
We are waiting for God to part the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ] God for a miracle .
We ’ re not going to be anxious while we wait .
We are going to wait on God to answer our prayers.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump packed Tennessee’s state capitol Saturday even more motivated, energized, and determined to re-elect the president.
This, even as mainstream media outlets named Joe Biden president-elect in a close contest. Trump and his supporters have presented credible evidence that voter fraud put Biden over the top.
The protestors attended this Stop the Steal rally, part of a larger series of events that organizers held at state capitols nationwide.
Chattanooga resident Patrick Hampton urged protestors to continue to pray for Trump.
“He fought for us for four years and for the American worker for four years. He has endured the fake news. He has endured the fake Corona disease. He has endured the fake Russian collusion. He has endured the people calling him a racist. All of these things for us,” Hampton said.
“Now it is time for us to fight for him.”
Meanwhile, State Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) told the crowd that “the election is not over.”
“Donald Trump did better in all the major cities across the nation except for battleground states. We know there is fraud going on, and we’re going to stop the steal,” Pody said.
“Here in Tennessee we have to do it through prayer. We have to stay in prayer and stay in God. He won’t let us down.”
Other speakers announced plans to bus Tennessee volunteers to Georgia, one of the battleground states, to count the legal votes. Another speaker warned that Democrats “have awakened a sleeping giant.”
Hampton vowed to never lay down and to never allow socialists to take over.
“I know there are some patriots that might be discouraged right now as the fake news media has called the election for Joe Biden. Even when all of the votes are not counted he has declared himself a winner. But this is what I want us to realize. Listen closely. There was a time when the children of Israel were leaving Egypt, and they were faced with the Red Sea in front of them. They were faced with an army behind them that wanted to wipe them out. I always ask a question ‘Why would God allow the children of Israel to wait? Why didn’t he just open the Red Sea for them to walk through it?’” Hampton asked.
“Let me tell you a revelation in that story. The reason why he allowed them to wait is because the parting of the Red Sea was not only for their deliverance but it was for the destruction of their enemies. We are waiting for God to part the waters, and we are believing [in] God for a miracle. We’re not going to be anxious while we wait. We are going to wait on God to answer our prayers.”
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]