thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Crom Carmichael Talks Voter Fraud, Mail-In Ballots, and the Upcoming Election Train Wreck

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
At the top of the third hour , Carmichael discussed and how the Democrats backed by the mainstream media want to ignore any investigations into alleged cases of voter fraud .
He described later on how mail-in ballots can be requested within up to five days of the election date aiding in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crom , there have always been allegations of voter fraud in elections going all the way back to the founding of the republic , I imagine .
It seems to be totally on steroids right now Crom .
Carmichael : The problem is this .
There are systemic problems in some states because of their laws .
And these are fixable , but unfortunately , the Democrat apparently does not want the problems that they know to exist to be fixed .
Leahy : Why is that ?
Carmichael : Well , let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point first .
First of all , we talked about Georgia investigating thousands of cases of voter fraud .
The Democrats in the state of Florida are saying there is no voter fraud in Georgia .
No need for the investigation .
Leahy : Oh .
Nothing to be seen here .
Move along .
Carmichael : If you never investigate a case of voter fraud , then those who say there is no voter fraud can claim there ’ s never been an investigation .
( Leahy chuckles ) So that doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any .
Here ’ s the problem .
In Pennsylvania , they just had a primary back in June .
Leahy : Back in June .
We are in September now .
That ’ s three months ago .
Carmichael : Yes .
And many of the people in those primaries voted by mail .
And it created all kinds of problems , because so many more people voted by mail than the other time , because the time period prior to the election that you are still allowed to request a vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And the Republicans in Pennsylvania are attempting to pass legislation that simply says it moves it to 15 days from seven .
Which is a reasonable period of time for somebody to request a ballot .
Get the ballot .
Fill it out .
And send it in and have it arrive and be in house by election day .
And Republicans control both houses of the legislature in Pennsylvania .
Leahy : Although there is a Democrat governor .
Carmichael : Democrat governor says to veto the bill .
He says no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
And he said for a ‘ variety of reasons.
’ But he won ’ t say anything more than the ‘ variety of reasons.
’ Now we know in New York state that doesn ’ t much matter .
Leahy : Let me guess the top reason .
If you had those little thought bubbles .
They ’ ll catch us cheating .
( Chuckles ) Carmichael : So you can request a ballot , believe it or not , up to five o ’ clock on October 27th .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : So to receive the ballot , fill it out , and mail it back in , the chances of it reaching the appropriate destination by election day is next to none .
In other states , by the way , you can actually request a ballot on the day of the election .
So you had these problems that are going to happen .
The media knows these problems are going to happen .
And yet the media just ignores them .
And then when the confusion and the catastrophe and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reasons for it .
And that ’ s why I say , Michael , is that the problem we have in the country is not our political parties , it ’ s the media being in league with one of the political parties .
And I would say the same thing if the mainstream media were in league with the Republican Party and the Republican Party were trying to do things that were clearly… Carmichael : Not even illegal , just unworkable .
Carmichael : Because when ballots come in , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election day… Leahy : You can see this train wreck coming in slow slow motion .
Carmichael : Yes .
It ’ s coming and you can see it .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Polling Place ” by Tim Evanson CC2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Astronomers See Possible Hints of Life in Venus’s Clouds

Astronomers have found a potential sign of life high in the atmosphere of neighboring Venus : hints there may be bizarre microbes living in the sulfuric acid-laden clouds of the hothouse planet .
Two telescopes in Hawaii and Chile spotted in the thick Venusian clouds the chemical signature of phosphine , a noxious gas that on Earth is only associated with life , according to a study in Monday ’ s journal Nature Astronomy .
Several outside experts — and the study authors themselves — agreed this is tantalizing but said it is far from the first proof of life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t satisfy the “ extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence ” standard established by the late Carl Sagan , who speculated about the possibility of life in the clouds of Venus in 1967 .
“ It ’ s not a smoking gun , ” said study co-author David Clements , an Imperial College of London astrophysicist .
“ It ’ s not even gunshot residue on the hands of your prime suspect , but there is a distinct whiff of cordite in the air which may be suggesting something.
” As astronomers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside our solar system , a major method is to look for chemical signatures that can only be made by biological processes , called biosignatures .
After three astronomers met in a bar in Hawaii , they decided to look that way at the closest planet to Earth : Venus .
They searched for phosphine , which is three hydrogen atoms and a phosphorous atom .
On Earth , there are only two ways phosphine can be formed , study authors said .
One is in an industrial process .
( The gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agent in World War I . )
The other way is as part of some kind of poorly understood function in animals and microbes .
Some scientists consider it a waste product , others don ’ t .
Phosphine is found in “ ooze at the bottom of ponds , the guts of some creatures like badgers and perhaps most unpleasantly associated with piles of penguin guano , ” Clements said .
Study co-author Sara Seager , an MIT planetary scientist , said researchers “ exhaustively went through every possibility and ruled all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strikes , small meteorites falling into the atmosphere .
… Not a single process we looked at could produce phosphine in high enough quantities to explain our team ’ s findings.
” The astronomers hypothesize a scenario for how life could exist on the inhospitable planet where temperatures on the surface are around 800 degrees ( 425 degrees Celsius ) with no water .
“ Venus is hell .
Venus is kind of Earth ’ s evil twin , ” Clements said .
“ Clearly something has gone wrong , very wrong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim of a runaway greenhouse effect.
” But that ’ s on the surface .
Seager said all the action may be 30 miles ( 50 kilometers ) above ground in the thick carbon-dioxide layer cloud deck , where it ’ s about room temperature or slightly warmer .
It contains droplets with tiny amounts of water but mostly sulfuric acid that is a billion times more acidic than what ’ s found on Earth .
The phosphine could be coming from some kind of microbes , probably single-cell ones , inside those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives in the 10-mile-deep ( 16-kilometer-deep ) clouds , Seager and Clements said .
When the droplets fall , the potential life probably dries out and could then get picked up in another drop and reanimate , they said .
Life is definitely a possibility , but more proof is needed , several outside scientists said .
Cornell University astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger said the idea of this being the signature of biology at work is exciting , but she said we don ’ t know enough about Venus to say life is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not skeptical , I ’ m hesitant , ” said Justin Filiberto , a planetary geochemist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston who specializes in Venus and Mars and isn ’ t part of the study team .
Filiberto said the levels of phosphine found might be explained away by volcanoes .
He said recent studies that were not taken into account in this latest research suggest that Venus may have far more active volcanoes than originally thought .
But Clements said that explanation would make sense only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as volcanically active as Earth .
David Grinspoon , a Washington-based astrobiologist at the Planetary Science Institute who wrote a 1997 book suggesting Venus could harbor life , said the finding “ almost seems too good to be true.
” “ I ’ m excited , but I ’ m also cautious , ” Grinspoon said .
“ We found an encouraging sign that demands we follow up.
” NASA hasn ’ t sent anything to Venus since 1989 , though Russia , Europe and Japan have dispatched probes .
The U.S. space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of them , called DAVINCI+ , would go into the Venusian atmosphere as early as 2026 .
Clements said his head tells him “ it ’ s probably a 10 % chance that it ’ s life , ” but his heart “ obviously wants it to be much bigger because it would be so exciting.
” Seth Borenstein is a reporter for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : This May 2016 photo provided by researcher Jane Greaves shows the planet Venus , seen from the Japan Aerospace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A report released on Monday , Sept. 14 , 2020 says astronomers have found a potential signal of life high in the atmosphere of our nearest neighboring planet .
( J. Greaves/Cardiff University/JAXA via AP )

A new bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour is emerging in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Representative Patty Kim (D-Harrisburg), the bill as described in a memorandum appears similar to legislation Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) is spearheading in his chamber. It contrasts with a more radical measure authored by Representative Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) that would hike the wage floor to $16.50 in July 2025 and gradually increase it to $21 by mid-2028. The Rabb bill would also apply the state minimum wage to prisoners, vastly boosting their pay.
In her memo pushing for a $15 hourly floor, Kim (pictured above) lamented that the commonwealth last hiked its minimum wage to $7.25 in 2009. She cited data from the U.S. Department of Labor indicating that 30 states, including all of those that neighbor Pennsylvania, mandate higher wage minimums. Her $15 rate would take effect in January 2024 and would tie future minimum-wage rises to inflation.
“Too many people have worked too hard for too long to not be able to pay their bills,” Kim said at a House Majority Policy Committee hearing on the issue in late March. “We want to tag a cost-of-living adjustment on this, so we never have to wait years and years – or wait for a once-in-a-century pandemic – for this issue to have a bright light shined on it.”
While free-market advocates generally oppose minimum wage increases, some in Harrisburg expect Republicans like Laughlin who now champion a hike will insist that such a policy come as part of a broader deal that will include regulatory reform. Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has urged enactment of a new $15 floor and many Republicans have sensed an opportunity for dealmaking, particularly insofar as they control the state Senate.
Advocates of an increase often cite a Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Advisory Board report indicating that 63,800 individuals — less than two percent of the state’s workforce — earned $7.25 per hour or less in 2021. Nonetheless, wages have risen markedly over the last two years and many who continue to make so little are teenagers working one of their first jobs.
After House Democrats began clamoring for new pay mandates, the Harrisburg-based Commonwealth Foundation (CF) issued a backgrounder in March opposing the idea. CF cited calculations from the nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office suggesting that even raising the floor to $12 per hour would kill 5,000 jobs.
And the think tank fears the proposal could disadvantage even workers who keep their jobs insofar as employers may compensate for the new mandate by cutting worker hours and benefits. An example of this was observed nationally in 2018 after Amazon set its own low-end hourly wage to $15 but nevertheless suspended workers’ monthly bonuses and stock options.
Instead of raising the minimum wage, CF suggested, the commonwealth should focus on lowering impediments to employment by reforming licensing and permitting processes as well as improving public-assistance programs so they reward those who secure employment.
– – –
Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Pennsylvania Daily Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Patty Kim” by Rep. Patty Kim. Background Photo “Pennsylvania Capitol” by Ad Meskens. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Anti-Inflammatory Drug May Shorten COVID-19 Recovery Time

( AP ) — A drug company says that adding an anti-inflammatory medicine to a drug already widely used for hospitalized COVID-19 patients shortens their time to recovery by an additional day .
Eli Lilly announced the results Monday from a 1,000-person study sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
The result have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists , but the government confirmed that Lilly ’ s statement was accurate .
The study tested baricitinib , a pill that Indianapolis-based Lilly already sells as Olumiant to treat rheumatoid arthritis , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a mistaken or overreacting immune system attacks joints , causing inflammation .
An overactive immune system also can lead to serious problems in coronavirus patients .
All study participants received remdesivir , a Gilead Sciences drug previously shown to reduce the time to recovery , defined as being well enough to leave the hospital , by four days on average .
Those who also were given baricitinib recovered one day sooner than those given remdesivir alone , Lilly said .
Lilly said it planned to discuss with regulators the possible emergency use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If that ’ s approved , Lilly will propose that the drug be sold through usual commercial means .
Based on current pricing , the government would pay $ 105 per patient per day , and for people with private insurance , hospitals would pay about $ 150 per day , Lilly said .
What a patient ends up paying out of pocket depends on many factors .
It would be important to know how many study participants also received steroid drugs , which have been shown in other research to lower the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalized COVID-19 patients , said Dr. Jesse Goodman , former U.S. Food and Drug Administration chief scientist now at Georgetown University who had no role in the study .
Figuring out how to best use the various drugs shown to help “ is something we ’ re going to have to work at , ” he said .
Marilynn Marchione is a reporter for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : The Eli Lilly corporate headquarters is pictured April 26 , 2017 , in Indianapolis .
A drug company says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already widely used for hospitalized COVID-19 patients shortens their time to recovery by an additional day .
Eli Lilly announced the results Monday , Sept. 14 , 2020 , from a 1,000-person study sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
( AP Photo/Darron Cummings , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--California Mothers Sue California Gov. Newsom, Saying His Partial Reopening of Schools Hurts Special

California Mothers Sue California Gov. Newsom, Saying His Partial Reopening of Schools Hurts Special Needs Students, Causes Anxiety Over Grades

Four mothers have filed a lawsuit against California Gov .
Gavin Newsom over his coronavirus education plan , claiming adverse effects including anxiety over poor grades and lack of special education access .
The lawsuit was filed Sept. 10 in Shasta County Superior Court by the Freedom Foundation on behalf of the northern California families .
The complaint is available here .
The plaintiffs allege the plan that requires students to be in classes part-time denies them their constitutional right to a quality education as enshrined in the California Constitution .
Other defendants are Xavier Becerra , California attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director ; Tony Thurmond , state education director ; Jim Cloney , superintendent of the Shasta Union High School District ; Mindy DeSantis , superintendent of Millville Elementary School District ; and Brian Winstead , superintendent of Enterprise Elementary School District .
This is far from the only lawsuit over education and COVID-19 .
A group of southern California parents also recently sued Newsom over similar claims , although that case is built on federal law .
Following last spring ’ s initial shutdown of schools , there were lawsuits filed in three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education services , Education Week reported in July .
Those states were Hawaii , Illinois and Pennsylvania .
Last month , attorneys for an anonymous middle school student sued the Upper Arlington City Schools district in Ohio , WSYX said .
The suit was based on the decision to allow only some special needs students to return to classrooms while the remainder will have to take online learning .
Parents sued the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district in North Carolina to force schools to place children in classrooms , WCNC reported .
Mariah Gondeiro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star News that their northern California case is based on the state constitution , which she said she believes offers broader protections for students than the other case in California .
Shasta County also has a lower coronavirus case count than Los Angeles County , she said .
Beth Watt , one of the mothers working with the Freedom Foundation , said in a statement , “ All of my children were straight-A students before distance learning began .
This spring my children received a ‘ P ’ for all subjects , causing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to excel in school.
” “ They are frustrated to tears over the lack of instruction , ” Watt said .
“ They are upset trying to navigate poor connectivity to get through their assigned online curriculum .
My son is on anxiety medication for the first time in his life .
Online education is causing serious mental health issues , along with an academic crisis the students find themselves in .
Our children deserve better than this ; our tax-funded education system is failing students.
” Gondeiro said , “ Governor Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the science ’ .
It is time for Newsom to take his own advice .
Thousands of educators , parents and even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Pediatrics say students need to be in school.
” The CDC ’ s statement on the need to reopen schools is available here .
Gondeiro said there have been numerous studies conducted worldwide that reveal children are not COVID-19 transmitters .
The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment stating that Newsom ’ s policy violates the rights of all California students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced .
The Freedom Foundation also mentioned it believes the push to keep students at home is politically motivated .
The group cited an audio clip of Los Angeles County Health Director Barbara Ferrer , who was captured on a hot mic saying she would not allow schools to reopen until after the November election .
That clip is available on YouTube here .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--State Revenues $115.1 Million More than Budgeted for First Month of Fiscal Year 2021-2022

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the first month of the state ’ s 2021-2022 fiscal year by $ 115.1 million , Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Butch Eley reported Monday .
Total state revenues for August , the first month of the fiscal year on an accrual basis , were $ 1.16 billion , which is $ 22 million more than August 2019 and 11 percent more than the budgeted estimate for the month .
“ Tennessee revenues exceeded expectations for the month and exhibited modest gains compared to August 2019 , ” said Eley .
August marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post-COVID surpluses , after three consecutive months of budget shortfalls in April , May and June .
Eley attributed the positive results to strong consumer activity in some areas , “ as federal stimulus resources remained a large part of the state ’ s strong performance.
” According to Eley , “ [ t ] ax receipts from building material suppliers , food stores , furniture and home appliance retailers have increased significantly compared to last year.
” Meanwhile , “ apparel stores , many small retailers , restaurants and bars continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Eley .
Overall , sales tax revenues made up most of the revenue surplus at $ 103 million – or 13.65 percent – over the budgeted $ 755 million .
Further demonstrating the strength of the consumer market , sales tax collections were also 3.85 percent ahead of last year .
The state ’ s corporate taxes – also known as the franchise and excise taxes – were off 3.75 percent compared to last year , but exceeded estimates for the month by $ 11.5 million – or 37.14 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 million .
As University of Tennessee Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research reported last week , two-thirds of the respondents to a business leaders ’ survey expect the state ’ s economy to be better than the national economy over the next 12 months .
Further good news out of the survey was that “ nobody expects to see substantial employment declines for their company over the next 12 months.
” “ Over three-quarters of Tennessee business leaders report having less than 10 percent of their workforce laid off or furloughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ In fact , about 16 percent of business leaders indicated they have actually increased employment in the past three months , ” according to Boyd Center Director Bill Fox .
Income – up $ 436,000 or 39.39 percent against a budget of $ 1.1 million Inheritance & Estate – up $ 993,000 against a budget of $ 0 Beer – up $ 53,000 or 3.3 percent against a budget of $ 1.6 million Motor vehicle registration – up $ 4 million or 15 percent against a budget of $ 26 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 232,000 or 11.5 percent against a budget of $ 2 million Privilege – up $ 2.1 million or 6.7 percent against a budget of $ 31.3 million Gross receipts – up $ 1.4 million or 10.6 percent against a budget of $ 13.1 million Motor vehicle fuel – up $ 1.1 million or 4.8 percent against a budget of $ 22.7 million Tax receipts that were below the budgeted estimates for the month : Gasoline – off $ 3 million or 4 percent against a budget of $ 74.6 million Petroleum special – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a budget of $ 6.1 million Tobacco – off $ 946,000 or 4.7 percent against a budget of $ 20.3 million Mixed drink – off $ 4 million or 38 percent against a budget of $ 10.5 million Business – off $ 1 million or 11.4 percent against a budget of $ 9 million Alcoholic beverage – off $ 328,000 or 4.6 percent against a budget of $ 7.2 million The tax revenues have put the state ’ s General Fund $ 108.6 million or 15 percent ahead of the budgeted estimates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of plan by a combined $ 6.5 million .
While Eley said they are pleased with the positive start to the fiscal year , “ we will remain cautiously optimistic and continue to monitor economic activity and revenue trends to ensure fiscal stability.
” State revenue tables for August can be viewed here .
Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--More Than 200 GOP Women Have Pursued House Seats This Year, Smashing Previous Record

More than 200 Republican women ran for the U.S. House of Representatives this year , eclipsing the record of 135 set a decade ago , Newsy reported .
While 2018 brought a record number of women to Congress , only 13 in the House were Republican , prompting the party to actively recruit more women to run for office .
“ We need to do better at making sure that we ’ re helping and supporting Republican women as candidates , ” House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney ( pictured above ) said in a CBS News interview after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My grandmother was the first woman ever elected to the Dallas City Council and that was in 1957 , so I have been around tribalizing women and I think it ’ s disappointing to not see that reflected in the U.S. House of Representatives from a Republican woman ’ s perspective , ” Genevieve Collins , who is trying to unseat Texas freshman Democratic Rep. Collin Allred , told Newsy .
“ The fact that there ’ s only 13 Republican women means that our voices , our perspectives and our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and also really help move the needle down the line to really make an impact , ” she said .
Her comments were echoed by Iowa state Rep. Ashley Hinson , who is running against freshman Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer in the state ’ s 1st Congressional District .
“ If you look at the number of Republican women who have stepped up to run this year , that tells the other side of the story – that is Republican women are ready to engage , ” Hinson told Newsy .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan , Colorado and other states nearly guarantee that more than 13 GOP women will serve in the House during the next Congress , their party is unlikely to regain the majority in the lower chamber , forecasts show .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ U.S .
Capitol ” by Gage Skidmore CC2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Armed Oregon Residents Set Up Roadblocks After Fire Was Ignited Intentionally, Police Say

Bands of armed Oregonians blocked roads and demanded identification from motorists after a small fire was ignited intentionally on Saturday , police said .
Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese said the blaze was started by an illegal firework and was put out quickly , according to a Saturday tweet from the department .
Oregon has been plagued by wildfires in recent days , as 22 people on the West Coast have lost their lives and large portions of the state were covered by an orange hue , ABC News reported .
“ We started receiving reports of local residents establishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reese said in the tweet .
“ Deputies responded to reports some people were armed and asking for identification of the folks they stopped .
We told people engaging in this behavior that roadways are open to all users , and their actions are illegal and they could be subject to citation or arrest.
” Reese told the public that Multnomah County , which houses Portland , is not under an evacuation mandate , and he did not release a motive for the roadblocks .
The Sheriff said his office “ will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Sheriff ’ s Office will not tolerate illegal activity of any kind , including civilian roadblocks , ” he said in the tweet .
“ We want to remind people , if they see suspicious activity or persons , call 911.
” Jake Dima is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Oregon Fire ” by U.S. Dept .
of Agriculture CC1.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Protesters Harass New ICE Director at His House

Protesters from a group calling itself Charlotte Underground showed up at ICE director Tony Pham ’ s house to protest .
The organization , who describes itself as “ a coalition of community members dedicated to ending state violence against Black and marginalized people ” on it ’ s Facebook page , arrived at Pham ’ s house , chanted , and yelled at police and neighbors .
In a Facebook video posted to the groups page the woman filming , presumably an organizer for the group berated fellow protesters with shouts of “ hurry up ” and “ Quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group ’ s motivations , telling the camera “ what he ’ s doing is not appropriate ” and notes that “ there is a police presence in the neighborhood , it seems like neighbors have been tipped off , ” as the group approaches Pham ’ s house .
Protesters ran onto Pham ’ s lawn , and tossed cardboard tombstones on the grass , which the organizer says are for “ folks who passed away in ice detention facilities.
” The organizer goes on to say “ our people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say no , ” and “ Abolish ICE , ” before chanting “ Pham is not family !
” Later in the video organizer explains the decision to protest at Pham ’ s house “ we pulled up at his house ya ’ ll cause the issue is that important , ” and then seemingly rebukes her fellow protesters asking “ do ya ’ ll understand how important this is ?
” A woman peered out of Pham ’ s house as protesters chant no borders , no nations , no fucking deportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yell “ F*ck you , lady !
Come out and talk to us !
Be accountable !
” What the woman , be Pham ’ s wife , needs to be accountable for was not mentioned .
Before moving away from Pham ’ s house protesters threw their signs onto Pham ’ s lawn , which was already covered in a manikin made of trash bags , signs , and fake tombstones .
A man left his home as the group walked passed and walked up to talk to the protesters .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ f*ck you , sir !
I don ’ t give a f*ck !
I don ’ t give a f*ck !
I don ’ t give a f*ck !
You don ’ t have no street on stolen land !
You don ’ t have no street on stolen land !
You don ’ t have no street !
” at the man .
The organizer then alternated between the police officer and the now retreating resident , repeating various insults and slogans .
Police followed the protesters as they continued away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Vietnamese refugee took over Immigrations and Customs Enforcement after Matt Albence retired .
As of press time , no statement has been made by Pham regarding the incident .
Ben Kolodny is a reporter for The Ohio Star and the Star News Network .
Follow Ben on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Commentary: The Chinese Cultural Revolution’s Lessons for America’s Cancel Culture

On September 13 , 1971 , Lin Biao , China ’ s defense minister , died in an airplane crash .
What made his last flight memorable was that he was fleeing to the Soviet Union after he was discovered plotting a coup against party General Secretary Mao Zedong .
Lin ’ s plane ran out of fuel .
Or so goes the official story advanced by the Chinese Communist Party .
This was an early and extreme version of the “ cancel culture ” so prevalent in America today .
Fall afoul of the PC polizei and you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and personal plane crash .
Your best hope is to grovel before your oppressors , demonstrating sufficient abject remorse and engaging in enough self-flagellation to win relief from the draconian sentence normally imposed .
Luckily , the current penalties for independent thought remain less those than under Mao .
Now the villains are racists and homophobes rather than capitalist roaders and revisionists .
The most important difference today is the mob ’ s determination to ruin those with whom one disagrees .
Lin was one of the CCP military leaders who made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the communists taking power he became minister of national defense and vice premier .
By the end of the 1960s he was officially anointed as Mao ’ s successor — a dangerous position to occupy while the Red Emperor was still alive .
Especially during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution .
Like many great historical figures , Mao had enormous skills and weaknesses .
The son of prosperous peasants , he joined the nascent communist party , rose within the ranks , and drove it to victory .
On October 1 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the People ’ s Republic of China .
However , even after the CCP ’ s victory he fueled conflict .
In the early years came consolidation of victory across his vast , populous nation : there were many class enemies and opponents of the revolution to neutralize and punish .
He was the dominant voice demanding the PRC ’ s entry in the Korean War , turning the imminent allied victory over North Korea into a bloody two-and-a-half-year stalemate .
He briefly invited criticism of the party leadership , before turning on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successive drives against those seen as adversaries , including the Sufan Movement , which aimed at supposed counter-revolutionaries , and Anti-Rightest Movement , which targeted any and all detractors , even on the far left .
Next came the disastrous Great Leap Forward , which lead to mass starvation and the deaths of tens of millions .
Even senior party officials feared telling him the truth about his bizarre directives , which ranged from backyard steel production to collective agricultural cultivation .
Eventually he was pushed aside into a more ceremonial role .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the welfare of his more than 700 million countrymen — he made light of the threat of nuclear war because he believed that China had more than enough people to replace any killed — Mao launched the Cultural Revolution in May 1966 to cleanse the party of capitalists , capitalist roaders , rightists , traditionalists , revisionists , bourgeois remnants , and anyone else lacking sufficient revolutionary fervor .
Which , conveniently , could be summed up as anyone who doubted his leadership after he had thrown the country into chaos , forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mankind , caused untold death and devastation , and treated the slightest criticism as disloyalty .
The ultimate objective was to again make “ Mao Zedong thought , ” which had already killed millions , the governing standard in the PRC .
Mao called for the young to go forth and ferret out the people ’ s enemies .
They were “ to rebel ” and “ bombard the headquarters , ” as well as most everywhere else .
The infamous Red Guards spread across China , waving copies of the Little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( It became a popular export ; as a high school student I bought a copy in London ’ s Hyde Park in the early 1970s . )
Their “ struggle sessions ” were highlighted by coerced “ self-criticism ” and public humiliation of anyone deemed insufficiently radical .
Anyone in authority could be dragged before a crazed mob .
Individuals with Western connections could be punished while their homes were ransacked .
Universities were closed , education was abandoned , students were sent into the countryside to work and “ learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cultural Revolution remain indelible more than a half century later .
People beaten to death .
Crowds of automatons waving red books and chanting in unison .
Accomplished professionals sitting wearing dunce caps while being harangued by baying crowds .
Demands for confessions of manifold ideological crimes .
People fired , discredited , exiled , and impoverished by an ideologically crazy and politically manipulated mob .
The normal , reasonable , professional , and sensible being sent to be reeducated in the crazed ideological ruminations of a self-absorbed dictator .
An entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work while passionately oppressing neighbors and governors at the behest of the Red Emperor determined to reassert control of the people ’ s revolution while living in luxury in Beijing ’ s Zhongnanhai compound .
No one , and nothing , was safe from Mao ’ s legions , who targeted the foreign , the ancient , the individual , and the private .
Those who lived through the period — a friend of mine spent her childhood in violent chaos , eventually escaping to America — have horrid stories to report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Nien Cheng ’ s Life and Death in Shanghai .
The English-speaking anglophile was accused of being a spy and jailed for seven years , while her daughter was beaten to death .
The paranoid Mao loosed the Red Guards on his party enemies , including Liu Shaoqi , China ’ s president , who died in prison .
Deng Xiaoping , who was later recalled by Mao and became “ paramount leader ” after the latter ’ s death , went through a time of rural exile .
Many other top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s father , also were purged in one fashion or another .
The campaign was led by Mao ’ s wife , the former actress Jiang Qing .
Anyone concerned about their own position , such as Lin Biao , joined in .
He had risen by supporting Mao despite privately recognizing that the Great Leap Forward had been a disaster .
Indeed , he became defense minister when his predecessor was removed for the temerity of publicly criticizing Mao ’ s policies .
In 1966 , Lin ’ s recompense for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being named CCP vice chairman .
Three years later he was proclaimed Mao ’ s successor , which proved to be his doom .
Soon Mao was suspicious that Lin would move against him and planned to purge his most loyal , though cynical , supporter .
The facts surrounding Lin ’ s subsequent flight remain unclear — after Mao ’ s death the Chinese government destroyed many of the relevant official records — but he and his family likely chose to flee what they believed to be his imminent political demise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Revolution in 1969 , but the mix of party purge/civil war/paranoid extravaganza only ended on Mao ’ s death in 1976 .
At which point the “ normal ” communists reasserted control , arresting Jiang and three colleagues , the infamous “ Gang of Four.
” Soon Deng triumphed as the CCP shook off Maoism and decided to address the real world .
From that stemmed Beijing ’ s turn toward the market and its rapid economic rise .
Unwilling to admit that it had taken power through the zeal and labor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Mao had been 70 percent good , so his leadership warranted continuing respect .
What are tens of millions of dead among friends , after all ?
His childhood home in Hunan province is preserved .
His tchotchke is on sale across the country .
His portrait adorns the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Tiananmen Square .
His massive mausoleum is a popular tourist site .
( I visited a few years ago , joining the throngs who passed through an entryway with a massive bronze statue , where visitors piled flowers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body , actually thought to be a wax replica . )
Until recently few Chinese did more than pretend that his life offered positive lessons for the PRC today , but President Xi appears to be modeling Mao , tragically turning China back toward brutal totalitarianism , to its people ’ s terrible detriment .
Today America is going through its own Cultural Revolution , though thankfully much more genteel than that in China .
In America the loony mob of left-wing purists seeking to cleanse the revolution is usually virtual .
Victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but without the dunce cap .
Rarely are homes destroyed , though businesses have become fair game , especially if their wares include jewelry or designer handbags .
In the latter cases white auxiliaries of BLM heroically empty retailers of their oppressive products , later enduring the indignity of sacrificially using them .
What marks today ’ s cancel culture is not criticizing those with whom one disagrees .
Or with challenging those who promote ideas viewed as offensive .
Both are inherent aspects of free speech , even though the suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are racists and homophobes rather than capitalist roaders and revisionists .
The most important difference today is the mob ’ s determination to ruin those with whom one disagrees .
Disagreements over ideas no longer are just disagreements over ideas .
Rather , they are evidence of depravity , immorality , indecency , even insanity .
So self-righteous mobs demand that anyone with unpopular thoughts be denied publication , disciplined by employers and professional associations , and fired from their jobs .
Those targeted are expected to engage in the online version of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apologies and acknowledgement of heresies from progressivism are the bare minimum acceptable .
Weepy promises to resolutely adhere to the most radical left-wing agendas in the future are expected .
Of course , reeducation , directed by well-compensated , mostly white professionals who make a living selling such nonsense as “ white guilt ” and “ white fragility ” is mandatory .
Even then , those deemed as insufficiently obsequious are targeted for personal destruction .
Campus pseudo-revolutionaries , likely unconsciously , have adopted the Maoist Red Guards as their model .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bitter end .
The Left ’ s cancel culture may suffer a similar fate .
Violent left-wing sanctimony already is generating pushback , including from genuine liberals who believe in the moral necessity and practical importance of free speech .
As Lin Biao discovered , even the most fervid supporters of totalitarianism can , and often do , end up as its victims .
Today ’ s architects of progressive oppression may learn the painful lesson that revolutions tend to eat their own .
Once the cancel culture has taken over , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which to hide .
Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute .
A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan , he is author of Foreign Follies : America ’ s New Global Empire .
Photo “ Chairman Mao ” by Manhhai CC2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Ohio Legislation Seeks to Change Local Income Tax Structure

Legislation in the Ohio General Assembly seeks to change the state ’ s 60-year-old income tax structure that allows municipalities to tax workers even if they don ’ t physically work in the city taxing them .
The bill , HB 754 and its companion SB 352 , would modify income tax withholding rules for COVID-19-related work-from-home employees , taxing those Ohio workers where they live , rather than where they work .
The legislation and a recent report from The Greater Ohio Policy Center comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed in July by The Buckeye Institute and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and city of Columbus .
The lawsuit asks the court to declare unconstitutional Ohio ’ s law allowing cities to tax income from workers who do not live in , and were prohibited from working within , the city ’ s jurisdiction during Ohio ’ s stay-at-home order .
The Greater Ohio Policy Center , an organization that develops policies focused on metropolitan regions , says the legislation or the lawsuit could cost Ohio ’ s six largest cities $ 306 million annually .
In a news release citing its report , GOPC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a temporary pandemic to justify changes to a long-term tax structure would unfairly penalize cities who have long supported Ohio ’ s economic competitiveness and made investment decisions based on the expectation of this structure ’ s existence , ” according to the release .
Robert Alt , president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute , said both the lawsuit and the pending legislation benefits both Ohio taxpayers and cities .
“ Ohio law permits workers to be taxed based upon where they live and where they actually perform work , under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources – police , fire and other public services – when they are at work , ” Alt said .
“ Ohio law does not allow cities – which , according to the report , get nearly 70 percent of their taxes from people who have no say in the city government – to take income taxes from workers based upon ‘ let ’ s pretend ’ you performed work in a different city than you actually did .
“ The unconstitutional system in question here is not only unfair to workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are actually providing public services and are losing out on the tax revenues they are entitled to.
” HB 754 has yet to be assigned to a committee , while SB 352 has been assigned to the Senate Local Government , Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee .
J.D .
Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square .
Photo “ Ohio Capitol ” by Jim Bowen CC2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Sr. Advisor to Trump-Pence 2020 Campaign Mercedes Schlapp Weighs in the Democrats Deceptive Games

Live from Virginia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed Senior Advisor to the Trump-Pence 2020 campaign Mercedes Schlapp to the show .
During the show , Schlapp discussed the coordinated violence and organized media attacks on President Trump ’ s character in which she discusses recognizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Democrats play .
Fredericks : Joining me now Mercedes Schlapp .
She is the Senior Advisor to Trump-Pence 2020 .
We are down 50 days to go until this election .
Mobilization .
Mobilization .
Mobilization .
It ’ s all about getting out to vote .
Getting your friends out to vote .
And getting them to the polls if you can vote on election day .
Polls are tightening .
The Trump campaign now pulling ahead in some of these key battleground states .
Everything working in their favor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enlightenment to this .
Mercedes , great to have you .
Schlapp : Thank you for having me .
It ’ s great to be here .
Fredericks : Let ’ s get first to the fake article in The Atlantic magazine a week ago .
Obviously this is a coordinated hit job .
What ’ s interesting is that 25 people that were there in France have denied the president ever said this .
My theory is the reason why none of these unnamed sources came forward is because if anybody did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone with the president during that trip .
So anybody that comes forward there is likely to be two , three , four or five other people that were with the president and the unnamed source at the time the person said he said it .
That ’ s why they ’ ll never come forward .
It ’ s not because of retaliation or retribution .
It ’ s because they made this story up .
And if they say who they were , three or four people would say I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that never happened .
That ’ s my theory .
Schlapp : Yeah .
Here ’ s the deal .
I think you have these ‘ unnamed sources , ’ which of course they seem to dominate many of these journalists and basically trying to control what narrative they want to be pushing out .
And it ’ s interesting .
I find it very cyclical .
It starts with this story with unnamed sources .
It then becomes a DNC ad or a Biden ad .
And then Joe Biden gives a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s record and his commitment to veterans and the military all based on lies .
And so The Atlantic article , and I knew a lot of for people that were on that trip have all came out .
Over 21 people came out on the record saying that never ever happened .
But it ’ s too late .
By that time the liberal media hangs onto it , and they literally do 24/7 coverage on it , and it goes viral on social media .
Then it becomes part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s out there campaigning , even though he only campaigns out in the public maybe once or twice a week .
Look , we are used to this deceptive game .
We are going to see a lot more of this coming our way from now to election day .
And it ’ s all about what can they do to try to destabilize the president ’ s really strong support from his base and from his supporters .
The people of the military and the veterans all know that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear about his commitment to a strong military and to helping our veterans .
Fredericks : The president ’ s record with veterans and the military and what he ’ s said has been stellar from the beginning .
So this doesn ’ t fit into anything he would ever say or do .
As you said , 21 people have denied this and all the people that were there .
This was a hit job .
The Biden campaign doesn ’ t have a program for anything .
Their whole campaign is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Take some media hit job on Trump and amplify it .
That ’ s it .
That ’ s their entire campaign so far .
Schlapp : Their entire campaign has been all anti-Trump .
It started with their doom and gloom convention where they did not present a clear vision of America .
In fact , their whole goal was just to say how bad Donald Trump is .
You can personally not like the president , but that does not in any way help understand what the radicals are really trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know .
And it ’ s funny , with my 13-year-old daughter who told me this morning .
Mom , Joe Biden is a puppet of the left .
That is a perfect description .
He himself needs to keep that far-left base in a good place , and it ’ s why he has signed onto Bernie Sanders ’ s unity plan .
And the unity plan is the list of the crazy ideas of the left .
Whether it be let ’ s add a tremendous amount of tax burdens on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the point of defunding the police .
And obviously giving free healthcare to illegals .
I mean the list goes on and on .
The American people have to see through this .
It ’ s like his fracking idea where he goes from saying yes , we are going to ban fracking when its convenient to make sure his Democratic base is happy , and then all of a sudden its no , no .
We ’ re not going to ban fracking .
What is it , Joe ?
Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban ?
He keeps changing his mind when it comes to these issues , because of the fact that he ’ s very nervous , he ’ s not going to appease the far left .
And I just think that the American people need to realize that .
This is no longer a moderate party .
This is a party with radical ideas that will fundamentally change America .
And when you have Bernie Sanders saying that our radical ideas can become mainstream , that ’ s a red flag for Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and we can ’ t let Joe Biden become president .
Fredericks : We are getting down to the wire with 50 days .
Let ’ s get to one item here , Mercedes in the news .
I just want to get your reaction to the assassination attempt of two innocent officers in LA yesterday .
They were shot .
Both of them now fighting for their lives .
They were just sitting in a patrol car .
It was an ambush .
The alleged assailant appears to be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ male .
There is a $ 100,000 reward out .
But disturbing to a lot of people today in America , and those that have seen this on social media is the people in LA cheering when these cops were shot .
Dancing .
Sending out videos .
Then blocking the entrance into the hospital and into the emergency room .
Cops had to clear them out .
Then chanting hope you die .
Mercedes , you ’ ve got a family .
You have a bunch of daughters .
How do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I think that it ’ s so hard to really understand how those people who were the ‘ protesters ’ can try to block the entrance of an emergency room wishing the death of these police officers .
It ’ s just pure evil .
And that ’ s how I explain it to them .
It ’ s just pure evil and cruel people who don ’ t have any respect for our law enforcement and for life in general .
And I think this has become a biproduct of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whether it be in Portland or Seattle .
The rising crime in Chicago and New York .
And its the Democrat party ’ s fault and Joe Biden ’ s fault , because he is the leader of that party for demonizing our law enforcement .
And the mere fact is that you have seen this mayhem on the streets and the chaos on the streets , which have resulted in these innocent lives being shattered forever .
And I think it just hits home .
I mean I have one of my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down in Florida .
She ’ s a cop .
I went to high school with her .
And these are people who have families and who are there to keep our communities safe .
And because the Democrats and Joe Biden have all made the police the bad guys , all of them , instead of saying there are a couple of bad apples in here .
But the reality is that all of these guys are in there , for the most part , to make sure that we are safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the calls of 9-1-1 or if there ’ s a domestic violence case .
Or a child being abused .
That ’ s very problematic .
And I find it horrifying that we having to see these incidences happen in these cities .
Fredericks : It ’ s sickening .
Evil is what it is .
But I never thought I would see things like this in my lifetime and this country .
Just the hatred that is going on .
I ’ m not even going to get into why this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspects of it .
But it is certainly sick and certainly something that we don ’ t want .
Listen to the full interview here :


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Healthcare Activist Says Patients Aren’t Being Allowed Crucial Visitors

A nurse turned medical activist is accusing an Ohio Healthcare Provider of refusing to help her husband after she complained about the Hospital ’ s visitor policies .
Michelle Estel , says that she received a letter from Fairfield Medical Center ( FMC ) , where her husband was receiving chemotherapy for his lymphoma stating that the hospital could no longer provide care to him since the relationship between he and the hospital was “ no longer effective.
” In an interview with The Ohio Star Monday , Estel spoke about the struggle she has had in dealing with Fairfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Estel received the cancer diagnosis in late 2019 , and upon his second round of chemo-therapy .
Mrs. Estel was told by nurses she wouldn ’ t be able to come with him due to COVID-19 restrictions .
Estel , who was granted medical power of attorney by her husband , said she was not allowed to attend treatments and was unable to make decisions on behalf of her husband while he received medical care .
“ My husband wasn ’ t even coherent enough to text me , and he was making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fought with the hospital even taking it up the highest levels of hospital administration .
“ I told them I need to be there , I need to be there for him , I ’ m his medical power of attorney , I know all of his stuff , I ’ m a nurse , I know how to take precautions and wear all the personal protective equipment !
I live in the same house and sleep in the same bed as him , we should be viewed as the same unit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of progress , Estel says she started an online petition and went to State Representative Ron Hood and State Senator Tim Schafer , both of whom spoke to the hospital on her behalf .
Shortly after that Estel says her husband received a letter telling him Fairfield Medical Center would no longer provide him with care except in emergencies .
A letter obtained by The Ohio Star shows FMC stated that “ at this time we do not believe that the relationship Fairfield Medical Centers and yourself is effective , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The move by FMC ends a 5 year-long medical relationship stemming back from Charles Estel ’ s initial diagnosis with dormant Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma .
He will be forced to seek healthcare with another provider and described himself as “ very worried ” about having to find another medical care provider while in treatment .
Michelle Estel stated that since the fight with FMC she ’ s gotten multiple reports from of similar experiences with hospitals across the state .
“ I had people call me with complaints where they were the medical power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alzheimer ’ s who weren ’ t allowed into a hospital , ” said Estel .
The Star spoke with a hospital administrator who said that the FMC now allows visitors , a policy they described as “ off and on based on the numbers in the county.
” Ben Kolodny is a reporter for The Ohio Star and the Star News Network .
Follow Ben on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--TRUMPDATE: Latest From the Team Trump Virginia Campaign for Tuesday, September 15

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of our daily Virginia Trump campaign update !
We will provide our readers with daily updates on the Trump Virginia campaign from today to November 3 ( and after…if need be ! )
.
It ’ s officially 50 days until the election on November 3 , and 15 days until President Trump and Joe Biden square off in the first presidential debate .
The Trump re-election campaign has officially kicked into high gear .
Depending on who you ask , Virginia is very much in play for President Trump .
Virginia has voted Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign is working has hard as possible to make sure the commonwealth goes red on Election Night .
The Trump Virginia team has three campaign events scheduled this week that you won ’ t want to miss .
It ’ s an opportunity to meet with fellow MAGA supporters and hear from some of the important voices leading the way for Trump Virginia .
On Wednesday , September 16 , Trump Virginia will hold a rally in Louisa in front of the courthouse downtown .
Attendees can expect to hear from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Wendy Williams , the wife of U.S. Senate candidate Daniel Gade .
John Fredericks will also be delivering remarks .
A couple hundred are expected to turn out for this event , and masks will be handed out to attendees .
On Friday , September 18 Republican National Committee co-chair Tommy Hicks is coming to Virginia Beach for a Trump campaign appearance .
Scott Taylor , who is a Republican running for Congress , will also be appearing and speaking to those in attendance .
The time of this event is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday , September 19 , a Trump car parade will be taking place in Manassas beginning at 10:30 am .
So be sure to decorate your vehicles with all your Trump and MAGA gear to show your support for the president ’ s re-election .
Check back every day for more Trump Virginia campaign updates !
If you want to join the volunteer team or if you need signs email John Fredericks or Justin Rice .
To Donate to our Virginia campaign click here .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Letter to the Editor: Colonel George Mason’s Key Contribution to Our Constitution

On 15 September 1787 , the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia was just two days from adjourning after nearly four months of painstaking negotiations .
Yet Col. George Mason of Virginia remained fearful the proposed federal government could one day go rogue .
In the waning hours of deliberation , he set out to persuade fellow delegates they were on the verge of codifying a fatal flaw .
On that day , with extraordinary foresight , Mason championed a ‘ Break In Case of Emergency ’ tool which 233 years later is being used to stop out-of-control federal bureaucrats and career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change to Article V , which defines the two-step process for constitutional amendments : first they are proposed , then separately ratified .
The ratification step is more widely known : three-fourths of state legislatures ( 38 in all ) must affirm proposed amendments before they are incorporated to our constitution .
For the preceding step , Mason pointed out , the draft constitution empowered only the U.S. Congress to propose amendments .
The flaw was easily grasped by his fellow Framers as all had experienced firsthand British royal tyranny .
Those with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never reform themselves .
If only the federal Congress can craft amendments , how will federal abuse of power be constitutionally thwarted ?
The record shows unanimous assent to George Mason ’ s motion .
Article V was quickly changed so that the republic ’ s sovereign citizens – acting through their state legislature – also can propose constitutional amendments .
This is done by convening a so-called convention of states ( COS ) , also called an Article V convention .
A COS is mandated whenever two-thirds of state legislatures ( 34 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolutions .
This mirrors Article V ’ s requirement of a two-thirds vote in both chambers for Congress to propose amendments .
Since 2014 , at the urging of Convention of States Action ( www.cosaction.com ) , fifteen states have adopted a COS resolution for amendments that achieve one of three urgent goals : – Placing fiscal restraints on the federal government , such as limiting deficit spending .
– Curtailing abuse of federal authority , such as spying on citizens , crony-capitalism , and regulatory overreach .
– Imposing term limits on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These three goals are intertwined : careerist politicians implementing unconstrained federal power are highly motivated by electoral self-interest to spend borrowed money .
Federal borrowing shifts the cost of current outlays to the far-off future .
For careerist politicians this means shifting costs away from those who will vote for or against their reelection .
Today ’ s voters might object to paying for their careerist politicians ’ costly giveaways to special interests .
They can deny careerists the easy , endless reelections they crave .
Future voters get the bill ( plus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but can hold no one accountable .
In effect , career politicians enjoy the fruits of others ’ future labor .
We have a word for this : slavery .
Federal politicians have an unlimited ability to enslave future taxpayers—your children , nieces , nephews , and grandchildren .
We call Washington ’ s accumulated IOUs the national debt .
It is more accurately called generational theft , a heist that currently exceeds $ 26.7 trillion .
Today ’ s debt is more than 370 percent higher than the $ 5.67 trillion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dawn of the new century .
What great national goal was achieved by Washington with the $ 21 trillion its swamp rats borrowed over the past 20 years ?
Is there problem the careerists have solved with all those IOUs ?
No , not a one .
Is anyone naïve enough to believe Washington ’ s careerists will fix anything by borrowing another $ 21 trillion , which surely they will do ( and more quickly this time ) if we do not stop them ?
Our national debt is the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a moral disgrace that unfolds daily , in plain sight by known perpetrators .
There is zero individual accountability for the debt these careerists pile up daily .
Washington ’ s elites believe no one can or will stop them .
Ever .
George Mason ensured we have a constitutional tool to eliminate the loathsome den of federal thieves in Washington .
Virginia ’ s General Assembly should join their counterparts in 15 states who already are committed to ending the DC swamp ’ s thievery .
They can do this by passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ronnie Campbell ( District 24/Lexington ) .
This will happen only if Virginia voters like you make it happen .
Support Convention of States Action by adding your name to those of more than 51,000 other Virginians who have signed our petition ( go to www.cosaction.com ) .
When you sign it , your state legislators will be advised of yet another constituent that wants him or her to step-up and take hold of their duties under Article V. How fitting it would be if you were to do this today , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Zoom Wars: Loudoun, Fairfax County Public Schools Battling Internet Security Attacks, Including Porn

Two northern Virginia school districts struggled with internet security problems in their first week .
Loudoun County Public Schools ’ ( LCPS ) virtual learning was interrupted by ten cases of people logging into classes and using racial slurs or displaying pornographic and racist imagery , according to reporting by WUSA 9 .
Also last week , Fairfax County Public Schools announced that they are the victims of a ransomware attack .
LCPS parent Amy Kirk told WUSA 9 , “ I asked [ my son ] specifically what did the video have , and he very sheepishly quietly said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what did you do , and he said nothing , he didn ’ t want to talk about it.
” A press release stated , “ LCPS is aware that social media posts with racist and other inappropriate content have been appearing on various platforms over the last 24 hours , some of which name LCPS schools or are attributed to LCPS students .
Many posts are attributed to a person who claims to be an LCPS student , although no one with that name attends our schools.
” In an email to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images and slurs .
He said the district was working to educate faculty and teachers on how to control their digital classrooms .
Williams warned students and parents that the school would hold students accountable for their actions .
“ Although some may believe that it is acceptable to use expressions that are defined as racial slurs as a term of endearment to their friends , LCPS will not tolerate such language in a school environment .
The display of sexually explicit and pornographic images is a violation of our Student Code of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
LCPS will also cooperate with local , state , and federal law enforcement agencies in investigations.
” Fairfax County Public Schools Director of News and Information , Lucy Caldwell , told The Virginia Star , “ We recently learned that ransomware was placed on some of our systems .
We are taking this matter very seriously and are working diligently to address the issue .
We have retained leading security experts to help us investigate the matter and recover from the situation .
We also are coordinating our efforts with law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems or data were compromised by the attacks .
“ The ransomware issue did not disrupt the distance learning program during the first week of school , ” the district said in a press release .
“ If it is determined in the course of our investigation that personal information has been compromised , we will take steps to notify affected individuals as appropriate .
” “ At this time , we are not asking staff or students to make changes to their devices as a result of this issue , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--House Passes Bill to Make Police Investigation Records Public

The House on Thursday passed legislation that would allow the public to view past police investigative records .
Sponsored by Del .
Chris Hurst ( D-Montgomery County ) , the bill passed the Democratic-majority body by a vote of 59-Y 37-N , and three not voting , mostly along party lines except for five Republican delegates voting on the prevailing side .
The bill calls for criminal investigation files to be released to the public in the Commonwealth once the case is over or , for cases that have not been prosecuted , three years after the incident happened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement hiding almost all of their files from the public eye .
“ We are trying to increase transparency and accountability for law enforcement across the Commonwealth and also try to seek justice for those who have not been able to get it so far , ” Hurst said in an interview with The Virginia Star .
“ [ The bill would ] help with greater understanding of transparency for things like officer-involved shootings or unsolved deaths and unsolved cases .
And the other thing too is to try and help those that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that contain criminal incident information , including the reported criminal activity , date and time and the identity of the investigating officer , adult arrestee photographs , records of completed unattended death investigations to the parent or spouse , and information of the arrestee are required to be released .
Nevertheless , law enforcement agencies and the state attorney can petition to a judge for specific information within criminal case files to not be released if that information would likely jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution , the safety of an individual or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capture .
Records that are exempt from release under the bill include prisoners in Virginia facilities , tactical plans of law enforcement , any portions containing information on undercover operations or protective details and the identity of victims , witnesses or undercover officers , among others .
The identity of people anonymously providing information about a crime or criminal activity is also exempt .
Del .
Glenn Davis ( R-Virginia Beach ) , along with some of his Republican colleagues , have concerns about the bill actually helping criminals , while hurting law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we have to be very careful to not provide an avenue for criminals who commit a heinous act to have insight into an investigation or where an investigation sits to allow them to be proactive with future actions , ” Davis said .
“ In my mind we are not paying enough attention to the victims and to the men and women in uniforms , ” Bloxom said .
“ We ’ re actually , I think , catering to the criminals and at some point I guess you have to pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t like the direction of this .
Dana G. Schrad , the executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police , told the Daily Press that the association opposes efforts to make investigative files public without law enforcement ’ s discretion .
When asked if the bill will pass the Senate , Hurst said he has been speaking with some Senators and is hopeful that they will listen to the testimony and pass the legislation .
The Senate convenes Tuesday afternoon and then Wednesday morning .
Jacob Taylor is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Corey Lewandowski on Mail In Voting: We Can’t Change the Rules Halfway Through the Game

Live from Virginia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed the Trump-Pence Senior Campaign advisor Corey Lewandowski to the show .
During the program , Lewandowski discussed how the Trump campaign was preparing for election night and the legal battles that may lay ahead .
He later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for fraud and explained how ID is necessary for just about everything else in life but why not with voting in our country .
Fredericks : Joining us now Corey Lewandowski .
Corey , The New York Times bestselling author , author of Trump ’ s Enemies .
He ’ s also Senior Advisor to the Trump-Pence 2020 campaign .
He ’ s with us now .
Hey , Corey , welcome to the show .
I hope you had a great weekend .
Lewandowski : Good morning , John .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I had the privilege to be home this weekend .
A real treat , and I saw the kids .
Two of my boys had football tryouts , so maybe this country is getting back to normal .
Fredericks : That ’ s good .
Corey , we have 55 days until this election .
Fox News poll out and Rasmussen polls showing the race tied .
We ’ ve moved ahead in a lot of these battleground states .
But Corey , the concern seems to be this voter integrity project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about how the Democrats are plotting to steal this thing through these mail-in ballots .
What is the campaign strategy here for this ?
Lewandowski : Look , we have a massive ( EDL ) operation – Election Day Operation .
We have over 300 attorneys ready to go in the most targeted areas .
We are concerned , John .
Not about states like Florida that have a permanent absentee voter file .
If you apply , you can track the application from the minute you get it all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verified .
We know that only one person is going to vote one time .
We have no concerns with that at all .
We do have concerns as a campaign of these states that are simply mailing out ballots to every person who has ever lived or resided at a particular domicile .
Whether they ’ ve been there a week or they haven ’ t been there for 10 years .
They are sending ballots everywhere .
It is ripe for fraud .
We know the voter files historically are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So we are concerned about that .
We are taking steps .
But my prediction is probably going to be , when you think back just four years ago , Donald Trump won in a landslide .
According to the electoral college .
They didn ’ t call the race until about three o ’ clock in the morning , even though it was long over by then .
I predict that because of the way these absentee ballots and permanent files are going out , we may not know the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outcome of the election .
Fredericks : Are there any battleground states that are mailing out ballots ?
Lewandowski : There are a bunch of these .
And the issue is that even in states that have historically voted Republican that are doing this .
So the state of Ohio is sending ballots out to people .
A state that we are going to win by eight points , which is what we won by in 2016 .
I think we ’ ll have a bigger margin of victory in 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that the federal courts understand , and that the people understand , you can ’ t simply mail ballots to everyone based on their domicile .
You can ’ t mail them that way .
It ’ s not fair , and it ’ s ripe for fraud and we have to do a better job .
If you want to apply for an absentee ballot because you are out of state , you have a religious holiday or some other reason you can ’ t be there , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor of that .
We are not in favor of the mailing of ballots to every person that ’ s ever resided at a particular domicile .
Fredericks : These ballots are supposed to be verified with a signature .
You are talking about 60 to 80 million mail-in ballots potentially , which is what Bannon said 15 minutes ago .
How do you possibly verify 80 million ballots ?
That ’ s impossible .
It can ’ t be done !
Lewandowski : We ’ ve seen this experiment in the primaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maloney ’ s seat , who is involved in a competitive congressional primary , took seven weeks to count the ballot in one congressional race .
And we saw it which is a little different in the Democratic primary for president in the state of Iowa , where it took them over a week to count the total of 100,000 ballots .
I mean look , it ’ s not that many .
100,000 ballots shouldn ’ t take a week to count .
Carolyn Maloney ’ s congressional district only has 800,00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t all vote .
And it ’ s taken weeks and or months to come up with who the winner is .
You are doing a disservice to the American people .
We need to do better .
And John , by the way look , this is all under the guise of COVID as you know .
Now we see that Anthony Fauci , who the media adores half the time , says there is no reason you can ’ t vote in person .
And they say ah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s he ’ s talking about anymore .
It ’ s always what is convenient for the media .
Never what the real truth is anymore .
Fredericks : Well , Corey look , you have these protests and riots .
There are no masks .
People standing shoulder to shoulder .
You just had a big rally in Washington , D.C. Tens of thousands of people there .
No masks .
No social distancing .
You can go to a Walmart or a casino , but all of a sudden you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing makes no sense .
I think the concern is , does the Trump campaign have a process in place that is going to be able to challenge these fraudulent ballots , because we all know if you don ’ t , they are going to try to steal it even if we have a big lead on November the third ?
Lewandowski : I think the American people are going to be watching this very very closely .
I have very little faith in places like Michigan , which is run by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her state , because she doesn ’ t want to spread COVID .
But her husband called people to put his boat in the water because I ’ m the governor ’ s husband .
This is the hypocrisy of the left , John .
We won the state of Michigan by 10,704 votes four years ago .
We are going to be back there .
We are campaigning every day reminding the people of the promises the president made and the promises that he ’ s delivered on .
And we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I have zero confidence that the governor and secretary of state there to actually have a fair and honest election , which is a difficult thing to say .
But if you look at the way they ’ ve politicized this whole thing it ’ s gravely concerning .
We need to go back to which is so simple , John , it ’ s called ID ’ s .
It ’ s called identification .
If you want to go vote or go on a local bus or a metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You want to buy a ticket to get on a Greyhound you have to produce an ID .
You want to go on the train , you have to produce an ID .
You are going to do the most important thing arguably that our country has to offer which is a vote , hey !
Don ’ t worry about it .
We don ’ t have to check your ID .
Don ’ t worry about it .
Now people are saying there isn ’ t widespread voter fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ too many that could have been prevented if we are checking ID ’ s ?
Fredericks : I think so .
You can ’ t , like you said Corey , you can ’ t do anything without an ID .
The fact that you are able to vote without signature verification and ballots that are just mailed out to who knows where they end up .
We ’ ve heard reports where they have stacked up in apartment complexes , and then they can get harvested and mailed back in .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are pre-paid , there is no postmark .
At what date do you stop taking them ?
Two days after ?
Midnight ?
At what date do you say these ballots are not legal or they are too late ?
Nobody has any idea .
Lewandowski : It ’ s very simple right ?
If you put a postmark on it that says this was the day of the election , then you are good to go .
Then why would we have different criteria , then hey how about this ?
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your quarterly statements , and you are going to pay on April 15th ?
Guess what the IRS does ?
It looks at the date that the mail was postmarked .
That doesn ’ t mean it has to be in the door .
But it means you have to have met the deadline or else they fine you or penalize you for paying your taxes .
Why is it that we are going to allow voting to be so different .
Just have it so simple .
If it is postmarked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not postmarked it doesn ’ t count .
It ’ s simple .
That ’ s how the rules work .
We can ’ t change the rules in the middle of the game !
Listen to the full show here :


thetennesseestar--2020-09-15--Relocated Isle Royale Wolves Form Groups, Reduce Moose Herd

TRAVERSE CITY , Michigan ( AP ) — Gray wolves that were taken to Michigan ’ s Isle Royale National Park to rebuild its nearly extinct population are forming social groups , staking out territory and apparently mating – promising signs despite heavy losses from natural causes and deadly fights , scientists said Monday .
They ’ ve also achieved a primary goal of the reintroduction initiative by reducing the park ’ s moose herd , which has become too big for its own good , researchers with Michigan Technological University said .
“ They ’ re having no trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s really significant , ” said wildlife ecologist Rolf Peterson , who has spent decades studying the relationship between the two species on the Lake Superior island chain .
“ The signs are all positive , I think.
” Data from radio-transmission collars worn by transplanted wolves and images from remote cameras suggest pups were born the past two years , although the number is uncertain , researchers with the park and State University of New York said .
Wolves are believed to have made their way to Isle Royale by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian province of Ontario in the mid-20th century .
After becoming established , their numbers averaged in the 20s before declining sharply in the past decade , primarily due to inbreeding .
The National Park Service announced plans in 2018 to restore the population , which had fallen to two .
Crews took 19 wolves from Minnesota , Ontario and Michigan ’ s Upper Peninsula to the island in a series of airlifts .
Some have died and at least one wandered back to the mainland .
A report released Monday by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live wolves during low-altitude flights last winter , said 12 had been spotted .
Two others that had been seen previously were unaccounted for , meaning the population could be as high as 14 .
Researchers counted 15 live wolves in 2019 , when the first pup was believed to have been born to the new arrivals .
It may have been conceived before its mother was taken to the island , Peterson said .
In a separate report , the park service and SUNY scientists said images from remote cameras on Isle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relocated from Michipicoten Island , Ontario , had likely given birth to at least two pups .
Pup-sized scats were collected from two sites this summer , and pup-sized tracks were spotted .
Genetic analysis of the scats may help determine how many have been born on the island .
Four social groups appeared to be taking shape , displaying signs of courtship and willingness to mate , although they weren ’ t sufficiently structured to be considered packs , the Michigan Tech report said .
Two have staked out territories on opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park ’ s main island , while the others were trying to establish secure areas to wander and hunt , spending considerable time on smaller islands .
“ The wolf situation on Isle Royale remains dynamic as these wolves continue to work out their relationships with one another , ” said Mark Romanski , a park service biologist coordinating the introduction program .
“ It is expected that social organization ought to settle down , but then again , wolves don ’ t always abide by human expectations.
” The plan calls for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Isle Royale over three to five years , but the coronavirus pandemic has put additional relocations on hold , spokeswoman Liz Valencia said .
The Michigan Tech team ’ s moose census , also based on aerial observations , estimated the population at 1,876 .
That is 9 % smaller than the 2019 count of 2,020 animals , which scientists now say might have been too high .
Either way , it appears the wolves ’ presence has halted a boom that saw moose numbers jump by about 19 % annually from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were averaging one moose kill every other day during the winter study period .
The moose explosion has damaged the park ’ s vegetation , particularly balsam fir , their food of choice during long , snowbound winters .
They ’ ve killed off many of the mature trees .
Last winter , moose munched virtually all the new growth that had poked above the snow in one monitored section .
John Flesher is a reporter for The Associated Press Photo “ Wolves ” by Caninest CC2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--BREAKING: Supreme Court Says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Has Died of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer at

BREAKING: Supreme Court Says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Has Died of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer at Age 87

WASHINGTON .
D.C. ( AP ) — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , a diminutive yet towering women ’ s rights champion who became the court ’ s second female justice , died Friday at her home in Washington .
She was 87 .
Ginsburg died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer , the court said .
Her death just over six weeks before Election Day is likely to set off a heated battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate , and the Republican-led Senate should confirm , her replacement , or if the seat should remain vacant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat Joe Biden is known .
Chief Justice John Roberts mourned Ginsburg ’ s passing .
“ Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature .
We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague .
Today we mourn , but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice , ” Roberts said in a statement .
Ginsburg announced in July that she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for lesions on her liver , the latest of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her final years on the bench as the unquestioned leader of the court ’ s liberal wing and became something of a rock star to her admirers .
Young women especially seemed to embrace the court ’ s Jewish grandmother , affectionately calling her the Notorious RBG , for her defense of the rights of women and minorities , and the strength and resilience she displayed in the face of personal loss and health crises .
Those health issues included five bouts with cancer beginning in 1999 , falls that resulted in broken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear a blocked artery and assorted other hospitalizations after she turned 75 .
She resisted calls by liberals to retire during Barack Obama ’ s presidency at a time when Democrats held the Senate and a replacement with similar views could have been confirmed .
Instead , Trump will almost certainly try to push Ginsburg ’ s successor through the Republican-controlled Senate — and move the conservative court even more to the right .
Ginsburg antagonized Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign in a series of media interviews , including calling him a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1993 was the first by a Democrat in 26 years .
She initially found a comfortable ideological home somewhere left of center on a conservative court dominated by Republican appointees .
Her liberal voice grew stronger the longer she served .
Ginsburg was a mother of two , an opera lover and an intellectual who watched arguments behind oversized glasses for many years , though she ditched them for more fashionable frames in her later years .
At argument sessions in the ornate courtroom , she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for being a stickler for following the rules .
She argued six key cases before the court in the 1970s when she was an architect of the women ’ s rights movement .
She won five .
“ Ruth Bader Ginsburg does not need a seat on the Supreme Court to earn her place in the American history books , ” Clinton said at the time of her appointment .
“ She has already done that.
” On the court , where she was known as a facile writer , her most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ordered the Virginia Military Institute to accept women or give up its state funding , and the 2015 decision that upheld independent commissions some states use to draw congressional districts .
Besides civil rights , Ginsburg took an interest in capital punishment , voting repeatedly to limit its use .
During her tenure , the court declared it unconstitutional for states to execute the intellectually disabled and killers younger than 18 .
In addition , she questioned the quality of lawyers for poor accused murderers .
In the most divisive of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2000 , she was often at odds with the court ’ s more conservative members — initially Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O ’ Connor , Antonin Scalia , Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas .
The division remained the same after John Roberts replaced Rehnquist as chief justice , Samuel Alito took O ’ Connor ’ s seat , and , under Trump , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joined the court , in seats that had been held by Scalia and Kennedy , respectively .
Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that settled the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush was a “ breathtaking episode ” at the court .
She was perhaps personally closest on the court to Scalia , her ideological opposite .
Ginsburg once explained that she took Scalia ’ s sometimes biting dissents as a challenge to be met .
“ How am I going to answer this in a way that ’ s a real putdown ?
” she said .
When Scalia died in 2016 , also an election year , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to fill the opening .
The seat remained vacant until after Trump ’ s surprising presidential victory .
McConnell has said he would move to confirm a Trump nominee if there were a vacancy this year .
Reached by phone late Friday , Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , the chairman of the Judiciary Committee , declined to disclose any plans .
He said a statement would be forthcoming .
Ginsburg authored powerful dissents of her own in cases involving abortion , voting rights and pay discrimination against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at swaying the opinions of her fellow judges while others were “ an appeal to the intelligence of another day ” in the hopes that they would provide guidance to future courts .
“ Hope springs eternal , ” she said in 2007 , “ and when I am writing a dissent , I ’ m always hoping for that fifth or sixth vote — even though I ’ m disappointed more often than not.
” She wrote memorably in 2013 that the court ’ s decision to cut out a key part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the voting rights of Black people , Hispanics and other minorities was “ like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.
” Change on the court hit Ginsburg especially hard .
She dissented forcefully from the court ’ s decision in 2007 to uphold a nationwide ban on an abortion procedure that opponents call partial-birth abortion .
The court , with O ’ Connor still on it , had struck down a similar state ban seven years earlier .
The “ alarming ” ruling , Ginsburg said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women ’ s lives.
” In 1999 , Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer and received radiation and chemotherapy .
She had surgery again in 2009 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in December 2018 for cancerous growths on her left lung .
Following the last surgery , she missed court sessions for the first time in more than 25 years on the bench .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tumor on her pancreas in August 2019 .
She maintained an active schedule even during the three weeks of radiation .
When she revealed a recurrence of her cancer in July 2020 , Ginsburg said she remained “ fully able ” to continue as a justice .
Joan Ruth Bader was born in Brooklyn , New York , in 1933 , the second daughter in a middle-class family .
Her older sister , who gave her the lifelong nickname “ Kiki , ” died at age 6 , so Ginsburg grew up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an only child .
Her dream , she has said , was to be an opera singer .
Ginsburg graduated at the top of her Columbia University law school class in 1959 but could not find a law firm willing to hire her .
She had “ three strikes against her ” — for being Jewish , female and a mother , as she put it in 2007 .
She had married her husband , Martin , in 1954 , the year she graduated from Cornell University .
She attended Harvard University ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when her husband took a law job there .
Martin Ginsburg went on to become a prominent tax attorney and law professor .
Martin Ginsburg died in 2010 .
She is survived by two children , Jane and James , and several grandchildren .
Ginsburg once said that she had not entered the law as an equal-rights champion .
“ I thought I could do a lawyer ’ s job better than any other , ” she wrote .
“ I have no talent in the arts , but I do write fairly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sherman is a reporter with The Associated Press .

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


thetennesseestar--2020-09-18--U.S. Bans WeChat, TikTok from App Stores Citing Security Risk

The U.S. Commerce Department said Friday it will ban Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat from U.S. app stores on Sunday and will saddle the apps with technical restrictions that could seriously limit their functionality in the U.S .
The order , which cited national security and data privacy concerns , follows weeks of dealmaking over the video-sharing service TikTok .
President Donald Trump has pressured the app ’ s Chinese owner to sell TikTok ’ s U.S. operations to a domestic company .
It is not clear how the latest prohibitions will affect a deal recently struck by California tech giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TikTok ’ s data collection and related issues .
TikTok expressed “ disappointment ” over the move and said it would continue to challenge President Donald Trump ’ s “ unjust executive order.
” The Commerce Department is enacting an order announced by President Donald Trump in August .
TikTok sued to stop that ban .
Google and Apple , the owners of the major mobile app stores , did not immediately reply to questions .
Neither did WeChat owner Tencent .
Oracle , which has proposed a deal with TikTok aimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not reply .
“ At the President ’ s direction , we have taken significant action to combat China ’ s malicious collection of American citizens ’ personal data , while promoting our national values , democratic rules-based norms , and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations , ” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a prepared statement .
The action is the Trump administration ’ s latest attempt to counter the influence of China , a rising economic superpower .
Since taking office in 2017 , Trump has waged a trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese companies and stifled the business of Chinese firms like Huawei , a maker of phones and telecom equipment .
China-backed hackers , meanwhile , have been blamed for data breaches of U.S. federal databases and the credit agency Equifax , and the Chinese government strictly limits what U.S. tech companies can do in China .
The order requires WeChat , which has millions of U.S. users who rely on the app to stay in touch and conduct business with people and companies in China , to end payments through its service as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical services from vendors that could seriously impact its functions .
Similar technical limitations for TikTok don ’ t go into effect until Nov. 12 , shortly after the U.S. election .
Ross said early Friday on Fox Business Network that access to that app may be possible if certain safeguards are put into place .
TikTok says it has 100 million U.S. users and 700 million globally .
Nicholas Weaver , a computer science lecturer at UC Berkeley , said the actions taking effect Sunday are short-sighted and suggest that “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a friendly place for business.
” Users , meanwhile , face a security “ nightmare ” because they won ’ t be able to get app updates that fix bugs and security vulnerabilities , he said .
WeChat users have sued to stop the ban , and a federal judge in California appeared sympathetic to WeChat users in a hearing Thursday , but did not issue an injunction against the government .
The Justice Department had said in a filing in that case that they would not target WeChat users with criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for messaging .
Like most social networks , TikTok , owned by China ’ s ByteDance , collects user data and moderates users ’ posts .
It grabs users ’ locations and messages and tracks what they watch to figure out how best to target ads to them .
Similar concerns apply to U.S.-based social networks such as Facebook and Twitter , but Chinese ownership adds an extra wrinkle because the Chinese government could demand cooperation from Chinese companies .
The administration has provided no specific evidence that TikTok has made U.S. users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leading several cybersecurity experts to question whether the administration ’ s efforts are more political efforts against China than tied to concern about data security .
“ If there are direct national security threats , that information should be shared with the U.S. population , ” said David Kennedy , CEO of cybersecurity firm TrustedSec , before the Commerce Department ’ s regulations were announced .
“ We ’ re not taking about what needs to happen policy-wise , we ’ re trying to hack this together to hurt China.
” TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data in China and that it would not give user data to the government , and does not censor videos per dictates from China .
Tali Arbel , Matt O ’ Brien and Matt Ott are reporters for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : Icons for the smartphone apps TikTok and WeChat are seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing , in a Friday , Aug. 7 , 2020 file photo .
The Commerce Department said President Trump ’ s proposed ban of the apps WeChat and TikTok will go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ safeguard the national security of the United States.
” The government said its order , previously announced by Trump in August , will “ combat China ’ s malicious collection of American citizens ’ personal data.
” ( AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein , File )