thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Martha Boneta Commentary: Let’s Do Talk About President Trump’s Coronavirus Response—It’s Actually Q

Martha Boneta Commentary: Let’s Do Talk About President Trump’s Coronavirus Response—It’s Actually Quite a Success

Talk in Washington has turned to the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and what President Trump will do to replace her—and Democrats aren ’ t happy about it .
First , they know Republicans probably have the votes to approve a qualified nominee if the president appoints one .
Second , they don ’ t like that it takes the focus off what they see as a winning campaign issue—President Trump ’ s response to covid-19 .
But their relentless criticism of his response was about to get called into question anyway as the presidential debates near and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did and how .
Because when you look at it , the president ’ s response has been nothing short of spectacular .
Official death tolls now put the damage at nearly 200,000 Americans .
Considering more than 2 million were predicted at the outset to die in the first year , we ’ re still at less than 10 percent of the prediction .
About half the victims were 85-older ; about two-thirds are 75-older .
New York , where the Democrat governor ignored the Navy hospital ship in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government built for the state and forced covid patients into nursing homes , accounts for about a sixth of the deaths in the nation and more than Texas , and California combined .
And this for a virus no one outside Wuhan , China , had heard of until New Year ’ s Eve .
Early on , we read that President Trump basically ignored the virus for 70 days , by which time it had sunk its tentacles into the American mainstream and shut down our economy .
The problem with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which 70 days Trump abandoned ship .
Three days after China reported the discovery of the virus to the World Health Organization , Trump had directed the Centers for Disease Control to try to get scientists into China to investigate .
By Jan. 6 , the administration had issued its first travel warning to Wuhan .
By the 11th—the day the administration got its first look at the mapped genome of the virus—it had upgraded the travel notice to Level 1 and begun to search for a vaccine .
By Jan. 23 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditionally by the Food and Drug Administration .
By the end of January , the White House Coronavirus Task Force had been appointed , vetted , agendized and announced , and the White House had cut travel to China and declared the coronavirus a public health emergency .
On Feb. 4 , President Trump talked about covid during his State of the Union address , saying the US would do everything in its power to stop the disease and save Americans .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously tore up that speech , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had begun to threaten the bottom line of merchants in San Francisco , she went on TV to say “ Come to Chinatown .
Here we are .
Come join us.
” By the end of February , the administration had gotten experts into China , announced a series of partnerships to develop vaccines , allowed more labs to produce tests and barred travel to Iran and restricted it to other countries .
In March , President Trump signed the first coronavirus relief bill , got top health insurance companies to waive the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partnerships to open drive-through testing sites , approved numerous fast diagnostic tests , and began to purchase millions of masks and other personal protection devices .
He approved tele-health visits , let doctors practice across state lines and got American businesses to ramp up ventilator manufacturing to the point we were producing in 100 days three times what we produce annually .
On the economic side , he waived interest on student loan payments , moved tax day from April to July , created a program to issue low-interest and no-interest loans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and rewrote USDA regulations to help feed children who lost their access to meals when schools shut down in the middle of the month .
In the coronavirus relief packages , he ensured direct payments went to Americans as well as tax breaks , a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions and other measures to help them endure the hardest parts of the lockdown .
And what is the result ?
The curve is flattened .
Vaccines are expected within the month .
Deaths are down to less than 300 per day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no one in the US died for lack of a ventilator , meds , beds or protective equipment .
Unemployment , which reached a record 14.7 percent at the height of the shutdown in April , is now 8.4 percent nationally and as low as 6 percent in states where governors have been aggressive about reopening .
And all done by working with private industry in the greatest public-private mobilization since World War II , by working with governors across party lines , by remaking health care and approval processes on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be stronger as a result of this .
Our health system will be better prepared for the next pandemic—and the next flu season .
Our economy will be more resilient .
And a lot of the thanks for that must go to President Trump .
So yes , let ’ s talk about his coronavirus response .
Let ’ s tell the whole story .
Martha Boneta is an American policy advisor , commentator , and farmer .
Martha is also the President of Vote America First .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Pelosi Says ‘Large Number’ of Dems Wanted Her to Shut Down Government to Stop GOP Filling Court Vaca

Pelosi Says ‘Large Number’ of Dems Wanted Her to Shut Down Government to Stop GOP Filling Court Vacancy

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she rejected calls from fellow Democrats outside of the chamber who wanted her to shut down the federal government over the Senate GOP ’ s handling of the Supreme Court vacancy .
“ I have the privilege of being a leader in the most diverse party in every possible way including opinion .
A large number of people outside , not in the House , but outside wanted me to shut down government because of what they ’ re doing on Justice Ginsburg .
Shut down government ?
I ’ m not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said at a press conference .
“ But when the West is on fire and the South is battered by storms and the whole country is suffering from a downturn in the economy and the people we need so that we can do our jobs – public employees – we ’ re going to shut them down ?
No , I don ’ t think so , ” she also said .
The House on Tuesday night passed a stopgap spending measure , known as a continuing resolution , to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 to Dec. 11 .
President Trump and fellow Republicans are trying to fill the Supreme Court seat of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who died last week .
Democrats and others argue that the winner of the 2020 presidential election , just weeks away , should put forth the nominee .
Pelosi said Thursday that the “ beautiful diversity ” of her party is that “ we are not a rubber stamp.
” “ We have all kinds of opinions in the party , ” said the California Democrat , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House ’ s bipartisan passage of the resolution earlier this week to keep government running .

One of the principles asserted by Governor Haslam in support of his IMPROVE Act and its proposed increase of 7 cents per gallon in the gas tax is that “users” of roads should pay for road construction.
The gas tax is proper, he argues, because people who purchase gas to fuel their cars are the users of roads, and the gas tax is the best mechanism to charge them for that usage.
For at least a decade, however, revenue sources originally designed to fund highway construction have been intermingled, and that “user” fee principle has not strictly been applied to the funding of road construction. The IMPROVE Act does not fully address the co-mingling of funds.
The Highway Fund receives road construction “user fee” revenues from gasoline tax, motor fuel tax, gasoline inspection tax, motor vehicle registration tax and the motor vehicle title fees. At least 25 percent of those road construction “user fees” go to the General Fund, Education and Debt Service.
Though the majority of these “user fee” revenues have been allocated to the Highway Fund, between 25 percent and 29 percent of those fees -ranging from $177 million to $196 million annually– have been diverted away from the Highway Fund between FY 2011-12 and FY 2017-18, as Table 1 below illustrates.
Table 1
Highway Fund ‘User Fees’ Allocated to Funds Other than the Highway Fund
FY 2011-12 to FY 2017-18
Fiscal Year Highway Fund”User Fees ” Directed to General Fund, Education & Debt Svc. As % of Highway Fund Total Sales & Use Tax Revenues Sales Tax $ to Highway Fund % Sales Tax to Highway Fund Data Source (Link to Document) Page of Data Source 2017-18 $187,100,000 26.2% $8,861,100,000 $22,600,000 0.26% Estimated 99 of 558 2016-17 $195,200,000 26.5% $8,564,100,000 $22,600,000 0.26% Revised Est. 98 of 558 2015-16 $189,572,000 26.2% $8,267,224,400 $22,625,400 0.27% Actual 97 of 558 2014-15 $177,611,900 25.1% $7,706,018,700 $38,165,000 0.50% Actual 97 of 550 2013-14 $196,234,300 28.9% $7,286,164,500 $53,797,600 0.74% Actual 97 of 542 2012-13 $194,365,000 28.4% $7,012,028,700 $60,902,800 0.87% Actual 97 of 545 2011-12 $193,243,800 28.2% $6,899,944,000 $64,574,000 0.94% Actual 111 of 656
The state of Tennessee budget documents detail the revenue sources and the basis of apportionment for those revenues. For every one of the “user fee” revenues, the Tennessee Code Annotated that directs funds away from the Highway Fund is cited.
There are also allocations to the Highway Fund, such as Gross Receipts Tax-Other and Beer Tax, that would otherwise be considered General Fund revenues, as the majority of those revenues are allocated to the General Fund. However, the increase of 25 to 29 percent to the Highway Fund is net the General Fund dollars.
In the upcoming 2017-18 budget year, the redistribution of “user fees” strictly to the Highway Fund would increase the Highway Fund by $187 million, and combined with the past six years would have added a total of $1.3 billion to the Highway Fund, all without a gas tax increase.
The co-mingling of funds goes both ways.
“Sales and Use Tax” revenues have been and continue to be allocated to the Highway Fund.
During Gov. Haslam’s administration, the percentage of state sales tax revenues allocated to the Highway Fund ranged between 0.26 and 0.94 percent. Essentially, the alternate “Hawk Plan,” named for Rep. David Hawk of Greenville, which allocates 0.25 percent of the sales tax revenues to the Highway Fund has been in effect for years to an even greater extent.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Former Tennessee Attorney General Paul Summers Discusses the Keep Nine Amendment Project

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed former Tennessee Attorney General Paul Summers to the show .
During the second hour , Summers discussed his project called The Keep Nine Amendment which would disable people from adding more judges to the Supreme Court .
He also went into more depth about this amendment by explaining the definition of court-packing and why it ’ s detrimental to the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined right now by the former attorney general for the state of Tennessee .
One of the organizers of the Keep Nine Amendment project , Paul Summers .
Welcome , Paul .
Summers : Thank you very much .
Glad to be here .
Leahy : Well , we are delighted to have you here .
You served as Tennessee Attorney General from 1999-2005 ?
Leahy : 2006 .
Great .
Great .
And you are in private practice here in Nashville now ?
Summers : I am .
I ’ m in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank .
And most importantly work with a non-profit called The Jason Foundation .
Leahy : The Jason Foundation is organizing the Keep Nine Amendment ?
Summers : No .
The Jason Foundation is organized in preventing and training people about the silent epidemic of youth suicide .
Leahy : Let ’ s talk about the Keep Nine Amendment .
Let me read what it states .
There are 27 Amendments to the constitution .
The last one was ratified in 1992 .
This would be the 28th I guess if it were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the states for ratification .
It reads simply this , “ the Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices.
” That would be general Summers the shortest amendment to the Constitution I believe .
Summers : It would be the shortest and probably one of the most important amendments to the United States Constitution .
Leahy : Tell us why it would be one of the most important .
Summers : Most people including lawyers think that it ’ s set at nine .
But before 1869 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Supreme Court .
The Constitution is silent as to the number of justices .
We are striving on a bi-partisan basis with former attorney ’ s general and other officials to set the constitution at nine justices to prevent the concept of court-packing .
Leahy : I know the last time this was attempted was in the 1930s when Franklin Delano Roosevelt tried to add four justices .
It almost got there for various reasons .
Because of the death of the Democrat Majority Leader who was pushing it got dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility of having a ninth justice confirmed whose more conservative and might make the court six , three .
Its become very political .
What are the negative things about court-packing ?
Summers : Basically the negatives are , number one .
Court packing-which is increasing or decreasing the number of justices could possibly be done just by a bill that was passed by the Congress and signed by the president at the present moment .
But court-packing does lessen the independence of the court system .
Particularly the Supreme Court .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also dampens the checks and balances on abuse of power by our most important third branch of government known as the judiciary .
Court-packing could either be increasing the number of justices or decreasing the number of justices so as to align with the political ideology of both the Congress and the president if they are both in power .
Leahy : And on your website , keepnine.org where you are urging people to take action by contacting Fox News anchor Chris Wallace .
By the way , Chris Wallace has identified six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29th between Donald Trump and Joe Biden .
One of those topics is about the Supreme Court .
You want people to take action to contact Wallace and ask this question .
Will you endorse the Keep Nine Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which says that the Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices .
You want to have people ask Chris Wallace to ask that question on September 29 .
How do people do that ?
Summers : They can contact the website for Fox News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ website .
But most importantly they can participate in interviews like we are doing today to broadcast to our neighbors which will eventually get back to Chris Wallace .
They can also call our number at the non-profit coalition to preserve the independence of the Supreme Court at 202-255-5000 .
And you can talk about how to get that question asked at the next debate .
Leahy : So they can get instructions as to what to do to elevate that question .
Summers : You have got it exactly right and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I want to ask you a question .
I want to invite you to an event .
You are probably not aware of this but here at The Tennessee Star , we ’ ve been conducting a Constitution Bee for secondary students for three years .
And we give away educational scholarships .
Leahy : We ’ ve expanded it this year .
And on October 24 at the Springhill Suites-Marriott , we are conducting the very first National Constitution Bee from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m .
The first place is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second place is $ 5,000 .
And third place is $ 2,500 .
You can use it wherever you want , high school or college .
I ’ m going to invite you to attend that event .
We ’ d be delighted to have you there .
Summers : I just wrote it down .
Leahy : Alan Dershowitz is going to be addressing the kids by Zoom at that event .
Summers : Wonderful .
This is much needed .
Ironically I ’ m writing a series of articles regarding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of my local newspapers here in Tennessee which basically talk about the founding documents which are not taught in civics like they used to be in the 1970s .
Leahy : And by the way , we wrote a book called guidetotheconstitution.org .
What else does keepnine.org plan to do after the debate on September 29 ?
And we are going to work hard to get this question asked by Chris Wallace .
What other things can people do ?
Summers : Three to one all voters favor a Keep Nine type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moderate and independent voters our polling indicates are in favor of this .
This has been the situation or the law but not constitutional law since 1869 .
We want to make sure that the Supreme Court is independent .
Follows the rule of law and protects us from abuse of power from other branches of government .
Now , what we can do even if the question is asked and even if the five to one all voters are in favor of the constitutional amendment there is a lot of work to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have got to get it passed by the House and the Senate by a two-thirds vote in each House .
Then we have to get it ratified by three-quarters of the United States .
Leahy : I think on that note that there is a lot of work to be done .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Nashville Mayor John Cooper Says His Administration Has Shown Complete Transparency on COVID-19

Nashville Mayor John Cooper said Thursday that he and members of his administration have shown total transparency providing information to the public about COVID-19 .
Cooper said this at a press conference Thursday .
FOX 17 reporter Dennis Ferrier asked Cooper to respond to criticism that Nashville accepts federal COVID-19 assistance despite the mayor closing bars and restaurants based on insufficient data .
Cooper said he acted on federal COVID-19 guidelines .
“ It was not insufficient data .
It was an alarming trend that was responded to , and I think we can look back and say we responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our successful reopening strategy is that we have to look after our own reputation here in Nashville .
We have businesses that depend on Nashville ’ s public health reputation to reopen successfully , and we are doing that now that we are able to show improvement with the disease that we are a safe city , particularly for being a major hospitality center , ” Cooper said .
“ As we have gotten better health news , we are opening capacity and we should celebrate every Nashvillians ’ hard work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of potential super-spreading events .
There was a lot of danger and risk .
We were the Number One worst county in the state .
And due to our hard work Tennessee ’ s numbers are improved , and we are in a situation that we can get people back into what is the most affected industry in America , which is the hospitality industry.
” As The Tennessee Star reported this week , Cooper announced at a July 2 press conference that he was shutting down all bars in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process he temporarily shut down entertainment and event venues and reduced restaurant capacities from 75 percent to 50 percent .
At the time , Cooper made no mention of an internal email sent within the Metro Davidson County Health Department just two days earlier stating there had been only 19 cases of COVID-19 traced to bars in the city .
County officials traced just three cases traced to restaurants .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected @


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Over 120 Arrests Recorded at Louisville Riots, Reports Say

Over 120 people were arrested during riots in Louisville , Kentucky following a grand jury decision to charge one of three officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor , who was killed during the execution of a narcotics warrant in March .
A total of 127 people were apprehended between Wednesday and Thursday for damaging businesses , jumping on city vehicles and violating curfew , according to the Associated Press .
Garbage crews have since begun to clear the damage reportedly caused by rioters , AP reported .
Daily Caller reporters Shelby Talcott and Jorge Ventura were among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encircled and detained by officers , according to tweets from Talcott .
Two City Gear stores and a pawn shop were looted by the violent demonstrators , police said , according to AP .
Two officers were shot , with one undergoing surgery , according to CBS News .
Both are currently stable .
Larynzo Johnson , 26 , was arrested for shooting both cops and will likely appear in court on Friday , CBS reported .
Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Breonna Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Thousands of Voters Had Already Cast Their Ballots Before RBG Died

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have already voted in states around the country , including tens of thousands who had cast their ballots before the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the possible impact it may have on the election .
Multiple states , including some critical battlegrounds , have seen massive turnout in early voting compared to 2016 as hundreds of thousands of voters have lined up outside early-voting locations or have sent in their mail-in ballots for either President Donald Trump or Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden .
In North Carolina , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 , approximately 890,000 voters had requested a ballot as of Friday morning , according to the State Board of Elections .
Of those , over 115,000 had been returned by Friday when Ginsburg died of cancer , creating a vacancy on the Supreme Court that Trump said he would nominate someone to fill .
North Carolina data indicates that more Democrats are relying on mail-in ballots so far than Republicans .
Of the ballots requested in North Carolina , nearly half have been sent to registered Democrats , compared to less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned , over 55 % have come from Democratic voters .
While Ginsburg ’ s death may not affect how many were planning to vote , there is little question that it elevates the Supreme Court to one of the major election issues , Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright told Politico .
“ The truth of the matter is , not only are the courts on the ballot , but generations of decisions are on the ballot .
I think we ’ ll see enthusiasm like we ’ ve never seen before , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , this election could mean life or death.
” In addition to the influx of mail-in ballots , over 200,000 voters have registered in North Carolina since 2016 , an increase of approximately 3 % , according to The New York Times .
Minnesota , another battleground state in which both Trump and Biden have frequently campaigned , also began sending ballots to voters and early in-person voting Friday .
By the time early voting opened , over one million voters had requested absentee ballots , according to the Michigan Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet begun in other battleground states , many of them have reported notable increases in the amount of absentee ballots requested .
In Wisconsin , which began sending ballots Thursday , over 1 million voters had requested absentees before Friday , and over 2,700 had already been returned , according to the state ’ s election commission .
The total , which represents over 30 % of the state ’ s electorate , is over 800,000 more than the amount of absentee ballots cast in 2016 , according to the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the registered voters have already requested an absentee ballot by Sept. 15 , the New York Times reported .
In 2016 , only 1 % of the state ’ s ballots were cast by mail .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ People Voting ” by Wyofile .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Republicans Sue Minnesota Over Eight-Day Extension to Count ‘Late’ Ballots

Republicans in the state of Minnesota filed a lawsuit after the state government announced that late mail-in ballots could be counted up to 8 days after Election Day , as reported by the Washington Free Beacon .
The plaintiffs in the suit are state representative Eric Lucero ( R-Minn. ) and elector James Carson ( R-Minn. ) , who sued Secretary of State Steve Simon , the man who ultimately made the decision to extend the ballot-counting deadline by just over a week .
The lawsuit points out that such a decision being made by one statewide official violates the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state legislature , and also allows for the counting of ballots that have “ no post mark and no evidence of having been cast on November 3rd.
” Secretary Simon ’ s decision specifically mandates that if a ballot does not have a postmark , then “ the election official reviewing the ballot should presume that it was mailed on or before Election Day.
” The Republican lawsuit warns that such a disastrous decision could so heavily impact the election that Minnesota ’ s results could be rejected entirely , negating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the possibility of widespread fraud , voter disenfranchisement , and disputed results .
Minnesota is the latest crucial battleground state to have such a controversial decision made to increase its leniency towards voting-by-mail .
In Pennsylvania , the State Supreme Court ruled that ballots can be counted up to three days after Election Day .
In Michigan , a single federal judge not only extended the counting deadline by two weeks , but also legalized the highly illegal practice of “ ballot-harvesting.
” And in Wisconsin , a far-left judge gave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ late ” ballots after Election Day .
All four states , located in the Rust Belt , are considered crucial to President Donald Trump ’ s chances of re-election this November .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Data Proves That Most Newly-Reopened Schools Are Safe from Coronavirus

The latest data from health experts seems to be proving that reopening schools is not nearly as dangerous as some fearmongers warned , and that newly-reopened schools are not nearly as likely to experience surges in the coronavirus , as reported by the Washington Examiner .
The data comes from the National COVID-19 School Response Data Dashboard , which is run by researchers at Brown University .
Their research showed that in the period from August 31st to September 13th , there were only about 230 new coronavirus cases for every 100,000 students , and about 490 new cases for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sample consisted of over 550 schools , with 300 of them featuring in-person classes .
Emily Oster , an economist at Brown and one of the researchers behind the project , said that these numbers should be “ reassuring , and suggest that school openings may be less risky than they expected.
” Oster also pointed out that , if anything , coronavirus rates are lower within reopened schools than in their surrounding communities .
This trend was also reflected by a study in Texas conducted by state health officials .
Since schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been approximately 2,352 positive coronavirus tests directly linked to the schools , which is only a fraction of the overall student population of 1.1 million , accounting for just 0.21 percent .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Register Now for Carol Swain’s National Law Enforcement Virtual Event to Be Held October 17

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist , Dr. Carol Swain , to the studio to promote her upcoming virtual national law enforcement tribute .
Leahy : Carol , you are always doing important things .
And you have a very important thing coming up next month .
Tell us about what this is and provide more details .
Swain : It ’ s October 17 from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a national tribute to our law enforcement officers around the nation .
And we have the noted Civil Rights activist Bob Woodson .
Swain : With The Woodson Center and 1776 Unites .
As well as speakers from law enforcement past and present .
And I will be speaking and Joni Bryant will be co-hosting it with me .
Leahy : We love Joni Bryant .
She is very brave and very intrepid .
She ’ s the co-organizer and executive director of the 917 Society .
A great sister organization to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of legally .
Swain : I ’ ll let you get to the press release .
But we are giving away over 150 gift certificates to active duty law enforcement officers .
So if you know anyone , urge them to register .
And if you are a business out there and you ’ d like to sponsor this even just contact me at [ email protected ] and I will tell you how you can be a sponsor .
Leahy : It ’ s a virtual event .
And we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and watch it on October 17 from 10 a.m. to noon central time .
The event will feature keynote speaker and recognized Civil Rights activist Robert L. Woodson , Sr. who will offer thanks to officers while sharing key insights into the current environment where they now operate .
His address will be titled , No Police , No Peace .
I love that .
Swain : I do too .
I love that title .
Leahy : That ’ s a very interesting phrase and you think you may have heard it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other speakers include acting and current law enforcement professionals .
Kenneth Harms will discuss the politicization of law enforcement .
Tell me about that .
That ’ s what you are seeing all over the place .
James Smallwood .
He is the head of the fraternal order of the police here in Nashville .
Lieutenant Randy Sutton .
Tennessee Republican Senate candidate Bill Hagerty will also be speaking .
The topics covered will range from legal and medical resources available to officers and the political and social environment officers face and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee Beaman , a good friend and he is a co-sponsor .
I have a quote here from him .
Leahy : From Lee Beaman , “ I am convinced that police officers are among the most honorable people in our society and their ranks are filled with an incredibly high percentage of truly wonderful people .
It breaks my heart that they are being so unjustly criticized and attacked even by elected officials in the media .
It must be demoralizing .
I believe its time for the good people of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our law enforcement and let them know we appreciate them.
” That ’ s Lee Beaman who is a sponsor of the event .
Swain : Lee Beaman is the one who sparked the whole idea of how we were going to honor our law enforcement officers .
And I happen to know that Lee Beaman contributed enough money that every police officer in Nashville got a free meal independently of his support of the national tribute .
Could you read the sponsors and also if we get more sponsors we will give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference and we can have up to 5,000 attendees .
It ’ s virtual .
Leahy : Sponsors include The Woodson Center .
The Tennessee Star .
We are a sponsor of it .
Cooper-Steel and the 917 Society .
That ’ s Joni Bryant ’ s group .
They hand out copies of the Constitution to graduating 8th-graders in Tennessee and they are trying to take that around the country .
Swain : Go to bethepeoplenonprofit.com and register for the conference as well as making a contribution if you want to and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not necessary .
It is a FREE event .
You don ’ t get many free things today .
But show your love for police officers .
Register and help make this successful .
Leahy : Go to bethepeoplenonprofit.com .
Go there and you ’ ll see the national tribute to law enforcement and hit the red register now button .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radio .
Background Photo “ Metro Nashville Police Car ” by nashville.gov .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Trump Will Win Virginia, Delegation Chairman Says Following Poll Showing Biden and President in 5 Po

Trump Will Win Virginia, Delegation Chairman Says Following Poll Showing Biden and President in 5 Point Race

A new poll shows Joe Biden leading President Donald Trump by only 5 points , nearly at the margin of error of 3.9 percent , but the president ’ s delegation chairman says that does not factor in Trump ’ s grassroots effort .
The Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University released the poll , which is available here .
Biden holds a 5-point lead in Virginia over President Donald Trump , 48 % to 43 % , according to the survey of likely voters released Thursday .
Among Virginians who are enthusiastic about voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lead jumps to 8 points , 51 % -43 % , the poll said .
“ Enthusiasm is a key to Biden ’ s lead and will be a key to turnout on Election Day , ” Wason Center Research Director Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo said .
“ We saw an enthusiasm gap of 6 points between Democrats and Republicans in this survey.
” The Wason Center interviewed 796 registered Virginia voters on cell phone and landline , September 9-21 .
However , John Fredericks , chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
“ I ’ ve been telling everybody for a month the state is in play , ” Fredericks said .
“ When you take our ground game and the most recent poll numbers , we are going to carry Virginia .
This is going to be the upset to rock the world Nov. 3.
” Trump has momentum , Fredericks said , mentioning Democratic Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s efforts to cancel Trump ’ s rally today at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transportation sent a letter to all Virginia airports reminding them of coronavirus restrictions , 13 News Now reported .
Fredericks said that is in response to Trump ’ s enormous turnout on the ground .
“ The Virginia Democrats are in complete panic mode , ” he said .
“ The only thing they can do now is try to stop our operation from campaigning and stop the president from coming to Virginia.
” Fredericks said it is “ interesting ” when protesters can burn down Richmond and Democratic leaders do not impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , but they try to cancel a Trump rally .
Trump has a massive ground game , meaning he has 6,000 volunteers knocking on doors across the state , Fredericks said .
They contacted 2,100,000 voters directly and knocked on more than 300,000 doors , and there are 40 days to go .
He said he estimates they will knock on half a million doors by Election Day , or one-eighth of the projected turnout .
Meanwhile , Biden has zero door knockers because making direct contact “ doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ Certainly , if you can ’ t send your kids to school , you can ’ t be knocking on doors for Joe Biden.
” The poll results led Breitbart writer Michael Patrick Leahy to place Virginia back in the battleground category , according to a story published Thursday .
The 5-point lead is Biden ’ s lowest lead in the state for the election cycle .
Leahy is the majority shareholder of Star News Digital Media .
Leahy recently reported in Breitbart that Trump ’ s support in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be double the 8 percent he received in 2016 , based on polling data .
One pollster said that could be due to Trump ’ s emphasis on law and order .
Fredericks concluded by saying , “ We ’ re going to win.
” Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Photo “ Joe Biden ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .
Breitbart author Michael Patrick Leahy is the majority shareholder of Star News Digital Media , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia Star .
John Fredericks is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate and the chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Military Mail-in Ballots Cast for Trump Discarded in Pennsylvania, Federal Investigation Finds

Nine military mail-in ballots cast for President Donald Trump were discarded at a local Pennsylvania board of elections office , a federal investigation concluded .
The FBI and Pennsylvania State Police began an investigation Monday at the request of Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis , U.S. Attorney David Freed said in a statement .
Salavantis requested federal assistance following reports of issues with a small number of ballots at the Luzerne County Board of Elections .
“ Investigators have recovered nine ballots at this time , ” Freed said in a statement Thursday .
“ All nine ballots were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It is the vital duty of government to ensure that every properly cast vote is counted , ” he said .
The investigation into the mail-in mishap comes as the November election , which will see a significant uptick in mail voting , approaches .
A record 76 % of Americans will be able to vote by mail in the general election , The New York Times reported .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy faced scrutiny in August for the United States Postal Service ’ s implementation of new internal policies .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy changes , which included the removal of letter sorting machines , DeJoy announced .
“ To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail , I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded , ” DeJoy said in a statement .
Trump has opposed universal mail-in voting and has said that the election will be more susceptible to fraud .
He floated the idea of delaying the election , but later backtracked .
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--New Survey Finds Millennials Much More Intolerant than Boomers

A new survey of 2,000 demographically representative adults who were asked 51 worldview questions found Millennials are the least tolerant Americans and the most likely to seek revenge .
Most congressional staffers are members of the Millennial and Baby Buster generation , with the Millennials tending to be in higher-level positions such as legislative directors .
The younger Busters are most often found in positions such as press assistant and legislative assistant .
Among the survey ’ s most controversial findings are these : • Despite their well-known advocacy of “ tolerance , ” Millennials emerged from the survey as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — by their own admission — of people who possess different views than they do .
• Millennials are 15 percentage points less likely than Gen Xers to say they treat other people the same way they want to be treated , and are 28 points less likely than Baby Boomers to embrace that approach ( known to Christians as the “ Golden Rule ” ) .
• Millennials are also twice as likely as other people to say that the kind of people they always respect are those who hold the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Further , Millennials also stood out as the generation that is most likely to acknowledge that they are “ committed to getting even ” with those who wrong them — in fact , 28 percentage points more likely than Baby Boomers to hold a vengeful point of view .
• Millennials indicated that they have less respect for life , in general .
For instance , they are less than half as likely as other adults to say that life is sacred .
• They are twice as likely to diminish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human beings as either “ material substance only ” or their very existence as “ an illusion.
” • Millennials increasingly — and robustly — reject the Christian faith , with only 2 percent possessing a biblically based worldview .
They are also discarding the most basic American values , such as respect for others and obligations of civic engagement .
The survey is conducted by noted survey researcher Dr. George Barna on behalf of the Cultural Research Center ( CRC ) at Arizona Christian University .
The survey has a maximum sampling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a 95 percent confidence interval .
Millennials are those Americans born between 1984 and 2002 , while Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and Elders includes living individuals born before 1946 and still living .
The survey also measured worldviews of Baby Busters ( also known as Gen X ) , those born between the Boomer and Millennial generations .
“ The significantly divergent worldview perspectives and applications of the four generations—especially how different the Millennials are from all of their predecessors— suggests a nation that is at war with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a new identity , ” Barna said in a statement .
“ The data also point out that America is losing its spiritual unity at a rapid pace , ” Barna continued .
“ Even a rudimentary understanding of the foundations of the American republic reminds us that , unless the United States maintains spiritual unity under the hand of God , we will not be able to sustain the freedoms that have made this nation unique and desirable .
“ The heart and soul of the nation pursue other gods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation .
And a nation with an influential — and , indeed , its largest — generation reflecting indifference toward the overall health and well-being of the nation is one flirting with cultural decline.
” Follower of Christ , devoted husband of Claudia , doting father and grandfather , conservative lover of liberty , journalist and First Amendment fanatic , former Hill and Reagan aide , vintage Formula Ford racer , Okie by birth/Texan by blood/proud of both , resident of Maryland .
Read more here .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Dr. Li-Meng Yan Explains How the CCP Is Responsible for the Release of the Coronavirus

Live from Virginia Thursday 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 virologist Dr. Li-Meng Yan to the show .
During the show , Yan explained her interpretation of how the COVID virus spread and the coordination between the Chinese Communist Party , WHO , and scientific minds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
Fredericks : Joining us now is Dr. Li-Meng Yan .
She ’ s the first whistleblower doctor of the corrupt CCP saying that COVID-19 is a CCP bioweapon .
You saw her a few nights ago on Tucker Carlson .
She ’ s also been interviewed in some of the biggest networks in America and she ’ s joining us now .
On December 31 Dr. Yan was an eyewitness to what she describes as a Communist Party of China cover-up .
A CCP cover-up and the lab of origin after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the US-based blogger Lou Day on January 19 the CCP mounted a massive pressure and cyber propaganda campaign against her and began threatening to disappear her .
Dr. Yan fled Hong Kong on April 28 and has been living in a safe house in the U.S. since then .
So she is safe right now in a safe house .
Dr. Yan , I really appreciate you joining us .
Thanks for being with us today .
Yan : Good morning John .
Thanks for having me Fredericks : Dr. Yan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risking your life and that of your family members in order to get the story out .
Can you tell us what exactly in your view and with your research happened at that lab in Wuhan ?
Yan : What I can briefly tell you is first , the Chinese Communist Party knew this from the very early beginning because they knew that it ’ s not a natural origin coronavirus that is not from bat not from any immense and wild animal or seafood market .
This virus from the beginning is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discovered and owns the unique trojan bad coronavirus .
And after modification using those expertise from the Chinese Communist Party influenced and controlled apps finally from the non-harmful virus become the highly contagious invisible and also these are viruses as we know now .
And the Chinese Communist Party government purposefully may release this one from the map it ’ s definitely not caused by the lab accident because as we know this is a very terrible virus it ’ s not a common thing it does not stay in the common lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wuhan the highest biosafety lab in the world .
And the Chinese Communist Party makes up a lot of lies to collaborate with their friends like WHO so like the people in the scientific world and to cover it up and distract people ’ s attention make you believe their lives and listen to them .
That is basically the whole story .
Fredericks : So Dr. Yan are you saying that the CCP and the Chinese military manufactured this virus in their lab ?
I understand that .
How was it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somebody drop a vial ?
I mean how is this released into Wuhan originally ?
Why and how is it released ?
Yan : Why that is their motive ?
Still , as I said for example if you want to ask the killer why did he kill the person you always need to ask the killer himself .
So this motive we need to know it from the Chinese Communist Party itself .
But what I can tell you is based on my experience in the P3 lab in the WHO reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top emerging disease map in the world I can tell you that P3 lab P3 plus lab and also P4 map they have a very very strict protocol .
So they have the 24 hours seven days surveillance .
they have the specific team to monitor you to help you .
They did the background checking by the government to the people get into that lab .
And also they get your training after the examination .
And then do the work under the company with other people .
Basically , you get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a person will be the only one come out alive .
No pathogen .
No animals .
Even the naive ones can come out alive .
They are destroyed .
This is a very strict procedure .
Government is not stupid .
They know how dangerous this type of lab is so they definitely won ’ t allow the accident things to come out .
And if this comes out that is intentionally released .
Also , we have other intelligence .
But just based on my experience you can already understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re saying is that it is very , and I want to be sure I understand what you ’ re saying that it is very unlikely you ’ re saying that this was released by accident .
That there were there are too many protocols in place .
You ’ re saying that it ’ s very unlikely that this was an accident getting it released .
Is that what I ’ m understanding ?
Yan : Yeah .
It can not happen .
And also once it is accidentally released it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean you may say that the Chinese Communist government start to do the propaganda this they said oh we have this kind of accident some years before and we have that kind of biosafety since having some people get infected .
But remember , first that is a common pathogen from the common labs .
And the second thing is this type of lab accident because of the lack of surveillance in some common labs never leads to a big outbreak of a pandemic .
But the statutory two things as we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese Communist Party plays a critical role in this pandemic .
So they are the ones to cover up the things not going to put anyone should be responsible if this is the accident .
And also the other one tells the world no human to human transmission until I reveal it on 19 January .
And they have to admit it within hours .
and then they are the ones who knocked down Wuhan .
But beyond people go around the world .
They are the ones surprised who and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be obedient and to get the benefit during working with them .
And they are the ones who made us spread a lot of big news .
Right even as we know they try to blame it to us to outer space .
so all these things together I ’ m sure people will understand just judged by common sense that if it is not intentionally released who would spend so much time and cost to do this ?
Hilarious , right ?
Fredericks : Fascinating some of the things that you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Number one again we appreciate your being with us we know how dangerous it is for you to be out and about .
So what a lot of people can ’ t understand is that the CCP obviously knew this was highly contagious .
And dangerous that ’ s why they locked down Wuhan and restricted travel to Beijing .
Yet they allowed residents of Wuhan to fly to the west , Italy , the United States , San Francisco , and Europe .
Why would they allow Chinese and Wuhan that might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease could be spread between humans .
Why did they allow them to fly to Italy , Europe , U.S. , but not Beijing ?
Why couldn ’ t they couldn ’ t get out of Wuhan into china but they could fly to Europe and to the United States .
Why ?
Yan : Yeah .
So very simple based on a bad idea to harm people .
So that is a very simple reason for that .
And those officers sending people important people in the CCP they stay in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down Beijing .
I think people in us may not know that even until April before I fly to the US I know that in Beijing city if people go to the suburb at that time although the Chinese Communist Party claimed zero cases for monks , still they don ’ t allow people to free go into and out of Beijing somehow .
So even if you go to the suburb you have to be careful .
If you go a little bit further you may not get back because you need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government is ?
They just care about themselves .
But they don ’ t mind this is a highly contingent lethal virus which leads to the pandemic and breakdown of the economy and global health .
Terrible things .
Listen to the full show here :


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Republicans Argue Against Electronic Ohio Ballot Application

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) — Ohio ’ s top election official acted reasonably when he barred counties from accepting absentee ballot applications electronically in the face of potential cyberthreats and a loosely worded law , lawyers for the state and Republicans argued in a court filing Wednesday .
Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose ’ s directive was also “ consistent with more than a decade of bipartisan precedent , ” according to groups including the Trump campaign , the Republican National Committee and the state GOP .
The filings in a state appellate court were submitted ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit brought by the Ohio Democratic Party , alleging LaRose ’ s order is unconstitutional .
A county judge temporarily blocked the order Sept. 11 .
Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh ordered LaRose to allow ballot applications by electronic means , including by email or fax .
Enforcement of McIntosh ’ s order was stayed , however , as the state appeals to Ohio ’ s 10th Appellate District .
Lawyers for the Republican committees wrote that “ emails can be vessels for cybersecurity threats , including ransomware , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” That argument mirrors one made by LaRose , who says he fears moving away from accepting the forms exclusively in person or by mail would risk outside interference in a critical presidential battleground .
The dangers of submitting an absentee application as an email attachment are a matter of debate in the case , however .
A group of computer information and engineering technology experts from several top U.S. universities said in a Tuesday filing that steps are available to Ohio ’ s 88 county election boards to easily protect against risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the court that siding with Democrats could mean electronic applications arriving in other ways besides email or fax , including as text messages or submissions to an election board ’ s Twitter account or an election director ’ s Facebook page .
The Ohio deadline for submitting applications for an absentee , or mail-in , ballot is noon Oct. 31 , but postal and election officials recommend mailing them no later than Oct. 27 , a week before Election Day .
Early voting begins in Ohio on Oct. 6 .
Julie Carr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Virginia Second Congressional District Candidate Scott Taylor Talks About His Current Race and How V

Virginia Second Congressional District Candidate Scott Taylor Talks About His Current Race and How Virginia Is in Play for Trump

Live from Virginia Thursday 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 VA House of Delegates candidate Scott Taylor to the show .
During the show , Taylor weighed in on what he was seeing on the ground as he door knocked through his district in Virginia and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He confessed that the phenomena of people not admitting they were voting for Trump was true as he heard many people say they would be voting for him this time around .
Fredericks : Guess who ’ s with us now ?
He ’ s a little fired up today he ’ s one of the main speakers at the big rally tomorrow with Newport News because he ’ s in his district kind of .
Kind of in the area .
Scott Taylor with us .
He ’ s trying to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-termer Elaine Luria .
Has anybody heard from her about these riots in Richmond and SCOTUS and the packing of the Supreme Court and anything is going on ?
Haven ’ t heard a peep out of her .
Joining us now Scott Taylor .
Scott , great to have you .
Taylor : John , I ’ m fired up as well man .
It ’ s good to hear from you .
Looking forward to tomorrow .
Fredericks : Hey Scott , you ’ re going to win this race .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been out .
You guys are looking good .
Trump ’ s gon na win the Second District probably by five or six .
I think you ’ re right there with him .
Tell us about your campaign right now .
Taylor : Things are going fantastic as you alluded to .
Our polls are strong .
The feedback we ’ re getting in the neighborhood because of course , we ’ re door-knocking .
The feedback is fantastic .
I just got a text message this morning from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s never voted , never voted .
And she ’ s very like I always thought she was very liberal .
She spent a lot of time out in California .
She lives in Las Vegas and Los Angeles .
And she said you ’ ll be proud of me .
I ’ ve registered to vote for the first time .
And I ’ m gon na be with Trump .
And I ’ m like whoa !
Like I mean , I ’ m telling you .
People are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re underestimating what ’ s happening out there in the electorate .
The feedback we ’ re getting is fantastic .
As you said Elaine Luria has been absent and unaccountable and ineffective and hasn ’ t said anything about the most important things that are going on in our lives right now .
And so I think we ’ re going to win big .
I talked to the president last week .
He was fired up .
I mean he was hilarious and fired up .
And he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are making a play for Virginia .
Fredericks : Well look that ’ s why he ’ s coming to Virginia .
Of course , the fake news said oh Virginia not play he ’ s just coming to Virginia because he wants to reach North Carolina voters .
Newport News I guess it ’ s fascinating to me that all of a sudden Newport News has become a media market for what Greenville , North Carolina ?
It ’ s three and a half hours away !
You know the fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They always do this to us .
They ’ re like Virginia ’ s not in play .
Nothing to see here .
Now we ’ ve got a poll just out today which is a fake poll anyway because it ’ s so skewed on the Democrat ’ s way .
It shows Biden up by only five over Trump .
If the Christopher Newport University polls got him by five , I know it ’ s tied .
Taylor : There ’ s a lot .
You know that phenomena about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting the president but they actually are ?
It ’ s true .
I hear it all the time .
People just don ’ t want to say anything .
and he ’ s always soft in the polls right because people don ’ t want to talk about it .
But I ’ m telling you and you know what even if the president you know is coming here .
And there ’ s some media market that reaches North Carolina , great .
It ’ s brilliant right ?
You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hitting North Carolina .
So good .
And good for him being able to do that if that ’ s the case .
But he told me directly on the phone last week .
I spoke to him for about 10 minutes and he said Virginia ’ s in play .
We ’ re making a play for it .
You got it .
Your governor ’ s crazy .
And then you look at some of the stuff that ’ s happened here with these lockdowns the inconsistency and lack of leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social justice when Richmond was literally burning and the American flag was ordered down from the capitol grounds of Virginia the day before Independence Day because it was supposedly a target for protesters .
What in the hell ?
I mean that ’ s un-American !
So I think that there ’ s a groundswell that ’ s happening .
And you know you ’ re not seeing that in the polls .
And you know Larry Sabado and other folks that are tweeting all the time and talk about the stuff and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ground .
You know what I mean ?
Like they ’ re not out there personally talking to people and listening to them because I ’ m here .
I ’ m talking to people as you know .
I ’ m not talking all the time to the hard Republicans or hard Democrats .
I ’ m right down the middle talking to sophomores and the softy undecided .
And I ’ m telling you the feedback is very positive for our side and for the president .
Fredericks : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re out knocking on doors .
And by the way the Biden campaign and the lawyer campaign they don ’ t knock on doors because it doesn ’ t fit their COVID be afraid you ’ re all gon na die narrative .
So as you ’ re not gon na endure Scott and I know you are a door knocker .
You go out there .
You love to talk to people that ’ s why you ’ ve been successful in politics .
It ’ s one of your signatures .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , first of all when you go up to a door , is there reticence to engage because of COVID ?
How was that has the experience been ?
Taylor : Not one time you know I didn ’ t door knock in the primary because I was concerned about that and obviously , everybody was of course .
And you know I started door knocking just over a month ago .
And not one time has anybody said anything to me like why are you here ?
I mean quite frankly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interaction you know they ’ ve been hunkered down .
And what I do you know I go and knock on the door and then I walk back about 10 feet and I give them space and talk to them .
And but and people are just as appreciative now if not more than they have ever been when I ’ m door knocking .
And let me give you a quick anecdote of a story .
I was in the Pembroke area and I ’ m speaking to uh there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her and she said I don ’ t like the president .
I ’ m you know she goes she ’ s a Democrat .
she ’ s she said I don ’ t you know why should I vote for you over Luria ?
You know , of course , I told her that and she ’ s like I don ’ t like the president ’ s you know how he acts and stuff like that .
and then she says but here ’ s the but you know I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scares me for the first time my life I ’ m scared about you to know that those people aren ’ t saying anything when there are these riots and vandalism .
She said I ’ m scared .
and she said and I ’ m in my 60s .
My husband and we rely on our 401-k and she ’ s like it was going gangbusters when you were in congress and the president was there .
And she says and you know it ’ s taking a hit because of COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that obviously Biden ’ s plans or lack thereof we ’ re going to be able to get her to get that stock her 401-k back up .
And when I left there she was definitely voting for me and I think she was voting for the president too .
Fredericks : Well I mean that ’ s right .
Well , that ’ s just one example of many that I think you ’ d be able to give us the reaction and people .
Like , look people they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They don ’ t like his personality whatever .
but it ’ s turning for him because the alternative is Joe Biden .
Right ?
Listen to the full show here :


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Virginia Senate Committee Advances a Bevy of House Bills to Floor

Democrats in the state Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on Thursday advanced numerous House bills relating to policing and justice reform and COVID-19 .
All together the committee considered 20 bills during the meeting and hastily reported 19 to be considered on the Senate Floor on Friday or sometime next week .
Despite Democrats holding an 11-person majority in the Finance and Appropriations Committee , Republican members voted against nearly every bill , except for two pieces of legislation , one of which was passed by indefinitely unanimously .
Most of the legislation considered Thursday were either similar or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arguments of opposition are not entirely new .
The Republican senators who voted against most of the bills were Steve Newman ( R-Bedford ) , Rank Ruff ( R-Mecklenburg ) , Emmett Hanger ( R-Augusta ) and Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment ( R-James City County ) .
After the meeting ended , Norment told The Virginia Star that he and his conservative colleagues voted against the House bills to represent concerns from a combination of Republicans who do not sit on the committee .
Norment touched on concerns stemming from three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Bill 5029 , which calls for misdemeanor or felony charges against law enforcement officers who fail to stop or intervene the use of excessive force by other officers while on duty .
“ I ’ m not enthusiastic about that bill , ” Norment said .
“ I think there is too much subjectivity involved in it as far as the way somebody has been trained and then a citizen complaint has been made that the officer exceeded the limits of the training.
” House Bill 5049 , which prohibits state or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchasing military equipment , was the second legislation Norment mentioned .
Norment said his concerns over that bill came from other Republican senators who represent more rural and Southwest Virginia districts because issues of flooding and problems with terrain occur frequently where military vehicles would be very helpful .
The most contentious legislation for Norment and other Republicans was House Bill 5055 , which requires localities to establish law enforcement civilian review boards .
“ What you have is a citizen review board where there will be appointments by local governments and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to be actively seeking those positions are going to be activists , ” Norment said .
“ Specifically , take Richmond [ for example ] .
Mayor Stoney ’ s record is not extraordinary in the enforcement of the law , he has been very receptive to some of the local activists yelling and screaming .
That makes me uncomfortable.
” Norment expressed more concerns on the number of former law enforcement members that would be allowed to participate , the oversight bodies having subpoena power and the likelihood of board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make decisions against officers .
Some of the other legislation advanced by the committee called for prohibiting no-knock search warrants , citations for marijuana possession and certain traffic offenses , class six felonies for law enforcement officers that use neck restraints and establishing a response and alert system throughout Virginia for people having a mental health breakdown , among others .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Tommy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photo “ Virginia Capitol ” by Amadeust .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--House Education Committee Approves Legislation to Increase Access to Apprenticeship Programs

The Michigan House of Representatives Education Committee approved legislation that increases accessibility to apprenticeship programs in high schools on Thursday .
The legislation , sponsored by Rep. Ben Frederick ( R-85-Owosso ) , brings Michigan apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs in line with federal workforce mandates so federal funding can be used .
“ Modern apprenticeships are in emerging and high-growth sectors such as energy conservation , health care and information technology , in addition to traditional industries such as manufacturing and construction , ” Frederick said in a statement .
“ Apprenticeships are a great option for people seeking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we should do all we can to make these programs accessible , especially as students consider their future careers.
” The bill adds apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs to the definition of “ proprietary schools , ” as long as the programs are registered under the national apprenticeship act .
Apprenticeship programs and other trade education are often seen as a way to enter a high-paying field without taking on the debt typically associated with a college education .
“ At this time of increased federal and state support for the advancement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow us the flexibility to assist job seekers to enter these high skill and high wage careers without the burden of college debt , ” said Jodi Kerbyson , CEO of GST Michigan Works !
in testimony provided to the committee .
President Trump has previously voiced support for increased technical education , a stance that has been backed up by conservative leaders .
Kent Misegades , author of the new book Guide to Shop and Engineering : An Introduction to the Industrial Arts , said that shop class and technical training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education .
“ Until the late 70s , nearly every young man in America took one or more years of ‘ Shop ’ class , also known as ‘ Industrial Arts ’ or today ‘ Career and Technical Education – CTE ’ .
The shop skills and basic engineering knowledge acquired in these lessons enabled generations of Americans to make , fix and grow things , ” Misegades told The Tennessee Star .
“ This saved them money , brought them great satisfaction , launched careers and helped establish countless businesses that employ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host Mike Rowe has also called for increased vocational training , saying that a lack of shop education has led to increased student debt .
“ The skills gap today , in my opinion , is a result of the removal of shop class and the repeated message that the best path for most people happens to be the most expensive path .
This is why , in my opinion , we have $ 1.6 trillion of student loans on the books , and 7.3 million open positions , most of which don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rowe said .
“ …We ’ re just disconnected .
We ’ re rewarding behavior we should be discouraging .
We ’ re lending money we don ’ t have to kids who are never going to be able to pay it back to train them for jobs that don ’ t exist anymore .
That ’ s nuts.
” The legislation , which was approved unanimously by the committee , will now go to the House Ways & Means Committee for further consideration .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at @ JordynPair .
Photo “ Shop Class ” by Bureau of Land Management .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Mobs Confront Police as Richmond Riots Continue to Engulf a City in Chaos

Three people were arrested by police after a large protest gathered outside Richmond Police headquarters in downtown Richmond Wednesday night .
The protest , which hundreds of people took part in , was in response to the decision by a grand jury in Louisville , Kentucky to not charge the police officers involved in Breonna Taylor ’ s death .
A flyer for the protest circulated social media on Wednesday and called for protesters to meet at Monroe Park on Virginia Commonwealth University ’ s campus at 8 p.m. On Twitter , the Richmond Police Department ( RPD ) said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Officers will be present to monitor the events & respond , if necessary , ” RPD wrote .
“ We will work to keep citizens & businesses safe while supporting the public ’ s right to free speech.
” According to a Richmond police news release on Thursday afternoon , a hundred or so protesters assembled at Monroe Park around 9 p.m. before marching to RPD ’ s Third Precinct , located on South Meadow Street , and demonstrating there for half an hour .
Protestors were chanting generic anti-police slogans like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Richmond Times-Dispatch .
Afterwards , the group moved on and went to the Richmond police headquarters on West Grace Street , according to the RPD release .
A standoff between the group of protesters and RPD officers started around 10:45 p.m. and Richmond police never used tear gas to disperse the crowd , according to CBS 6 .
The arrests happened while the crowd of protestors were demonstrating outside police headquarters .
“ While outside RPD Headquarters , protestors were observed spray painting the building , attempting to blind police personnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and blocking traffic , ” RPD said .
The three people arrested are as follows : Noah Woodruff , Lynn Murphy and Dani Short .
Woodruff was charged with disorderly conduct for pulling an officer ’ s shield , Murphy was served with an outstanding warrant for obstructing free passage and Short was charged with obstruction of justice for interfering with the arrest of Murphy , according to the release .
Protests over the decision in the Taylor cause erupted in cities across the nation on Wednesday with some turning violent .
Jacob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Jill Biden Pays Homage to Levar Stoney While Richmond Crumbles

Jill Biden spent Thursday in Virginia , starting her day meeting with educators and military leaders in Hampton Roads , then heading to Richmond where she met Mayor Levar Stoney in front of the Voter Registrar ’ s Office , and then going to Henrico with Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn ( D- Fairfax ) for a round-table with working mothers .
In Hampton Roads , she touted her husband ’ s policy on education .
Biden said , “ This crisis has shown us the deep inequity in our system especially for children of color and low-income communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to broadband , ” Wavy.com reports .
In Richmond , Biden and Stoney waved as supporters paraded by in their cars .
Biden said “ This , I know that it sounds trite , but this is the most important election of anyone ’ s lifetime and the election really is taking place right now.
” According to 12OnYourSide , Biden said her husband ’ s campaign isn ’ t taking Virginia for granted .
“ Why wouldn ’ t I come down to Virginia ?
” Biden asked ABC8News reporters .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband Joe Biden .
“ One vote could win an election.
” At the Henrico roundtable , Jill Biden spoke about how the Biden-Harris ticket would benefit working mothers .
Filler-Corn tweeted , “ Incredible honor to introduce the next First Lady of the United States , Jill Biden , today in Henrico !
@ DrBiden listening from working VA moms , including @ debrarodmanva , on how @ joebiden and @ kamalaharris can help our Commonwealth # buildbackbetter .
Go vote now !
” According to ABC8News , Jill Biden expressed concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court Justice being confirmed before the election .
“ I guess we ’ re going to have to wait until the next opening , ” Jill Biden said .
She told ABC8News that she hopes a transition of power to her husband would be peaceful .
“ I know Joe Biden will insist that it ’ s a peaceful transition , ” she said .
The Bidens plan to visit Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s casket tomorrow .
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ] Photo “ Jill Biden ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-25--Carol Swain Weighs in on President Trump’s Recent Executive Order and States That He Has Done More f

Carol Swain Weighs in on President Trump’s Recent Executive Order and States That He Has Done More for the Black Community Than Any Other in Her Lifetime

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist , Dr. Carol Swain , to the studio .
At the end of the second hour , Swain weighed in on President Trump ’ s recent executive order on September 22 regarding the classification of racial and sexual identities .
She added that she felt the president has done more for the Black community in her lifetime than any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s President Trump talking about his efforts to promote economic development in the Black community .
Carol , what are your thoughts ?
Swain : He ’ s also done more for Black colleges and universities .
And I would agree with President Trump that he ’ s done more than any president in my lifetime .
Leahy : He says that and then the lefties on the mainstream media start rolling their eyes .
What !
More than any other president since Abraham Lincoln .
Swain : I ’ m saying more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And if you look at Lyndon Johson and his great society and all the things he tried to do , that helped set the country further in the wrong direction .
And it sort of destroyed a lot .
It was part of the policies that came out of the 1960s that really helped bring America down as well as the Black community .
Leahy : Wait .
Wait .
Wait .
Lyndon Johnson started that war on poverty in 1964 .
Let ’ s see .
Swain : It was a boondoggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations and it didn ’ t do what it was intended to do .
Leahy : Poverty had been declining until then .
And now what , 12 percent were officially in poverty ?
Swain : I remember when I was in graduate school and one of my professors was really pushing that whenever you criticize the behavior of the poor or minorities you were blaming the victim .
Leahy : Were you the victim , Carol ?
Swain : I ’ ve never been a victim .
And I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Leahy : That I can attest to Carol .
Swain : But one of the things that President Trump has done and everything he does is always twisted .
He signed an executive order on the 22nd that had to do with racial and sex stereotyping .
And it ’ s significant because it really is a blow against the critical theory .
Critical race theory .
Critical gender theory .
And I believe it will benefit all Americans because it makes it very clear that its wrong to discriminate on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is a message that needs to be reaffirmed .
It ’ s discrimination against the 1964 Civil Rights Act as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment .
I believe we often lose sight that it applies to everyone including White Americans .
And if you do end discrimination or make an effort to move toward a society where you are judging people as individuals and not by their group identities , I think that will push us closer towards racial reconciliation .
There are fewer sources of conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group against another .
Leahy : Now Carol , you said he signed this executive order on the 22nd .
That ’ s the day before yesterday .
Do I have that right ?
Leahy : Here is the thing .
I ’ ve not read anything about it in the mainstream media .
Swain : It doesn ’ t get any attention .
You have a better reading voice so you can read this paragraph .
It ’ s the key element .
Leahy : This is the key paragraph signed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however many people are pushing a different vision of America that is grounded in a hierarchy based on social and political identities rather than in the inherent and equal dignity of every person as an individual .
This ideology is rooted in the perdition and false belief that America is an irredeemable racist and sexist country .
And that some people based on their race or sex are oppressors .
And that racial and sexual identities are more important than our common status as human beings and Americans .
President Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I think that is very important .
And I also believe that for us to have more racial harmony in this country that we have to address the crime and the violence that is taking place in Black communities .
And the crime against Whites because they are White .
We have to treat those as hate crimes the same way that we treat White on Black or White or Hispanic crimes as hate crimes .
We have to have one standard and not a double standard .
Leahy : The language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounded very familiar to me .
It sounded like language that Carol Swain has used at some time .
( Swain chuckles ) I ’ m just pointing this out , Carol .
Do you have any comment about that ?
Swain : I ’ ve been talking about what ’ s been taking place for a number of years .
Leahy : I ’ m just saying that that language is very familiar .
Swain : I think so and I ’ m very pleased that the president has taken a stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share anything with us about that ?
Swain : I spoke at the Council on National Policy a few weeks ago and about the executive orders and some of the decisions about banning diversity , I want to call it exclusion training .
But diversity , they call it equity training in federal agencies came after my presentation .
And I ’ ve also written articles about it and I ’ ve been talking about it like forever .
Let the record reflect that in 2016 I said that the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I paid a high price for speaking the truth .
Leahy : By the way , Carol did you see that the Black Lives Matter organization has taken down their about us section everything that is Marxist about them .
They just took it down off the website .
Swain : They are the same organization .
They are sanitizing the website .
And the website was more extreme back in 2016 .
It ’ s the same organization .
And you remember how the Southern Poverty Law Center bankrupted the Klan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them whenever their members engaged in violence ?
Swain : I think that if Black Lives Matter affiliates continue to push violence they should be held financially accountable .
They need to be sued .
Leahy : I like that idea .
I like that idea a lot .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-26--President Trump Visits Virginia, Draws Massive Crowd

NEWPORT NEWS , Virginia – President Donald J. Trump spoke at a campaign rally Friday night in Virginia drawing a crowd of well over ten thousand people .
The event took place in Newport News , Virginia outside of an airport hangar near the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport .
During his speech , Trump touched on a number of subjects relating to his presidential campaign , political opponent Joe Biden and Democrats as well as other topics like COVID-19 and the nationwide protests .
After exiting Air Force One and walking to the podium , President Trump began his speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days from now we are going to win Virginia , win North Carolina and win four more years in the White House and keep doing what we have been doing , ” Trump said .
Trump then quickly moved on to criticizing former Vice President Joe Biden and his campaign .
“ If sleepy Joe Biden wins , your Second Amendment will be eliminated and your firearms will be confiscated , ” the president said .
Trump added : “ Biden vowed to impose punishing taxes on gun owners , outlaw many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a national gun registry and wage the most aggressive war on gun rights in U.S. history.
” Almost anytime Trump mentioned Biden or named other Democratic lawmakers , including Virginia ’ s current Governor Ralph Northam , loud boos echoed out from the large crowd .
Trump called Northam crazy , said that the governor , alongside Biden , was also trying to take Virginians ’ guns away and commented on his controversial stance on late-term abortions .
The president also touted achievements during his three years in office intermittently throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an hour , such as the government ’ s handling of COVID-19 , the creation of the Space Force , strengthening the military and the border wall , among others .
Additionally , the president promised to use his potential next term to turn America into the “ manufacturing superpower of the world , ” hire more police and “ will uphold religious liberties , free speech and the right to keep and bear arms.
” After back and forth between Democratic and Republican lawmakers this week on who should appoint the newest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill the vacant seat left by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Trump said he will announce his nominee on Saturday at 5 p.m .
The president did not offer any specifics on his appointee , only that it will be “ somebody great ” and that “ it will be a woman.
” Multiple news outlets Friday reported that Trump will choose federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett , which will be the president ’ s third Supreme Court nominee while in office .
According to senior Trump campaign officials , 5,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , but 12,000 people showed up instead – as well as an additional 2,000 , who were turned away .
Overall , Trump ’ s visit to the Commonwealth was a confidence-builder for the campaign to reelect the president in Virginia and possibly turning the Commonwealth into a battleground state once again .
“ President Trump ’ s visit tonight shows not only his commitment to the Commonwealth but also that Virginia is a true battleground , ” said Trump Victory spokesperson Samantha Cotten .
“ Voters will remember that President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his America First agenda has benefited Virginia , while Joe Biden hides in his basement bunker .
Come November , Virginians will elect President Trump and the entire GOP ticket.
” Other speakers at the event included Vice President Mike Pence , Virginia congressional candidates Nick Freitas , Scott Taylor and Leon Benjamin , and Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Rich Anderson .
Chairman of the Virginia delegation for the Trump Campaign , John Fredericks , emceed the event .
“ Oh , [ Democrats ] are shaking tonight , they having nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They ’ re looking at these poll numbers , so what do they do ?
Ralph Northam and the Virginia Democrats last minute they tried to shut us down.
” Virginia has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since the 2004 election .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] John Fredericks is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delegation .

by Joe Mueller
Attorneys general from 26 states are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower-court decision upholding a California law banning the raising or importing pork, veal or eggs if the animals are confined.
The Supreme Court announced on March 28 that it would hear the pork industry’s challenge to California’s Proposition 12, a law restricting confinement practices in animal agriculture. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 11.
Prop. 12 was approved by 63% of California voters in 2018. The law established minimum space requirements based on square feet for calves raised for veal, breeding pigs and egg-laying hens. It banned the sale of products from those animals if they were “confined in a cruel manner,” defined as in areas below minimum square-feet requirements.
The case, National Pork Producers Council v. Karen Ross, the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, focuses on the regulation of animal products outside of California by prohibiting the in-state sale of products traceable to the animal being confined in a “cruel manner.” The Pork Producers and others argue the law violates the Interstate Commerce Clause and general constitutional restrictions against “extraterritorial regulation.”
The brief filed by the attorneys general states California consumes 13% of the nation’s pork and imports 99.87% of pork consumed. The attorneys general argue the “entire impact of Proposition 12 will be visited on out-of-state producers that, though they have no vote in California, must remodel their farms (or reduce their herds) to comply with the law.”
“Under no circumstances should the state of California be allowed to dictate to Missouri farmers and ranchers how they can raise and confine breeding pigs, egg-laying hens, and veal calves,” Missouri Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a statement. “Further, California is attempting to impose their will on Missouri farmers and ranchers by threatening to deny entry into the California market if those farmers and ranchers don’t comply with their pointless regulations. Missouri’s farmers and ranchers have been tending to their land and livestock for generations, they don’t need Californian politicians telling them how to do their jobs.”
Of the 19 briefs filed with the Supreme Court on the case last week, all urged the court to reverse the lower court’s decision, with the exception of two neutral parties providing economic information.
A brief filed to persuade the Supreme Court not to hear the case was filed last year by The Humane Society of the United States, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Animal Equality, The Humane League, Farm Sanctuary, Compassion in World Farming USA, and Animal Outlook. They stated the Pork Producers’ argument uses a “dormant Commerce Clause” to stop in-state sales of certain pork products from “animals confined in cruel and unsanitary conditions that threaten the health of California consumers. … Because that prohibition applies only to sales inside California, moreover, producers outside California are free to confine animals however they choose for products sold outside the state.”
States represented by the attorneys general are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
– – –
Joe Mueller covers Missouri for The Center Square. After seven years of reporting for daily newspapers in Illinois and Missouri, he spent the next 30 years in public relations serving non-profit organizations and as a strategic communications consultant.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-26--Commentary: Black Lives Matter’s Goal to ‘Disrupt’ the Nuclear Family Fits a Marxist Aim That Goes B

Commentary: Black Lives Matter’s Goal to ‘Disrupt’ the Nuclear Family Fits a Marxist Aim That Goes Back a Century and a Half

The organization Black Lives Matter has removed from its website a page that included language condemning America ’ s “ Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.
” The page , titled “ What We Believe , ” included various public policy positions unrelated to police brutality and police reform .
The Washington Examiner discovered on Monday the page had been removed .
“ Page Not Found .
Sorry , but the page you were trying to view does not exist , ” the page now reads .
The Wayback Machine archived the page , however , and it contains a lengthy description @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objectives .
Among the views expressed is a desire to “ disrupt ” the traditional family structure .
According to the Examiner , BLM did not respond to the paper ’ s request for comment , so it ’ s unclear if the page was deliberately removed .
Whatever the case , BLM ’ s endorsement of this language should come as little surprise .
As Brad Polumbo has shown , there are effectively two Black Lives Matter phenomena : the Black Lives Matter™ organization and “ black lives matter ” as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting in good faith for police reform who believe African Americans suffer disproportionately from police violence .
The former , Black Lives Matter™ , is an organization co-founded by Patrisse Cullors , Alicia Garza , and Opal Tometi that has roots in Marxism .
“ We actually do have an ideological frame [ work ] , ” Cullors said of her organization in 2015 .
“ We are trained Marxists .
We are super-versed on , sort of , ideological theories.
” As I pointed out in a 2017 article , Karl Marx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just private property .
In The Communist Manifesto , Marx and his associate Frederick Engels defend attempts by Communists to abolish the traditional family .
“ Abolition [ Aufhebung ] of the family !
Even the most radical flare up at this infamous proposal of the Communists , ” Marx wrote .
“ On what foundation is the present family , the bourgeois family , based ?
On capital , on private gain .
In its completely developed form , this family exists only among the bourgeoisie.
” Marx and Engels proceeded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , before explaining why it was natural and desirable for the institution to “ vanish.
” “ The bourgeois family will vanish as a matter of course when its complement vanishes , and both will vanish with the vanishing of capital , ” Marx and Engels wrote .
“ The bourgeois clap-trap about the family and education , about the hallowed co-relation of parents and child , becomes all the more disgusting , the more , by the action of Modern Industry , all the family ties among the proletarians are torn asunder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles of commerce and instruments of labour.
” From where does this hostility to the family stem ?
Marx and Engels offered clues .
“ The modern family contains in germ not only slavery ( servitus ) , but also serfdom , since from the beginning it is related to agricultural services , ” Engels wrote in The Origin of the Family , Private Property and the State , quoting Marx .
“ It contains in miniature all the contradictions which later extend throughout society and its state.
” The hostility to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Engels , however .
One of the first steps the Bolsheviks took after seizing power was to begin a decades-long struggle to abolish marriage and weaken the traditional family .
“ The issue was so central to the revolutionary program that the Bolsheviks published decrees establishing civil marriage and divorce soon after the October Revolution , in December 1917 , ” writes Harvard historian Lauren Kaminsky .
“ These first steps were intended to replace Russia ’ s family laws with a new legal framework that would encourage more egalitarian sexual and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Atlantic , written by a woman living in Russia at the time , describes these efforts in detail .
The term “ illegitimate children ” was abolished , and a law was passed that allowed couples to divorce in “ a matter of a few minutes.
” Legislation was introduced to eliminate distinctions between legal wives and mistresses , including granting property rights to the unmarried consorts .
“ Chaos was the result , ’ the Russian woman wrote .
“ Men took to changing wives with the same zest which they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restored forty-per-cent vodka.
” About a half century later , the Chinese Communist Party introduced a different version of state-enforced family orchestration .
It ’ s “ one-child policy ” ( 1979–2015 ) , the most extreme population planning policy in world history , placed limits on the number of children Chinese families could have .
Decades before the policy went into effect , Party Chairman Mao Zedong ( 1893–1976 ) famously explained why it was necessary for the state to manage family procreation and the labor stock .
“ ( Re ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my view , humankind is completely incapable of managing itself , ” Mao said .
“ It has plans for production in factories , for producing cloth , tables and chairs , and steel , but there is no plan for producing humans .
This is anarchism—no governing , no organization and no rules.
” Even today the aversion to the traditional family remains strong in socialists .
A 2019 article in The Nation titled “ Want to Dismantle Capitalism ?
Abolish the Family ” offers a glimpse of the modern socialist critique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the nuclear private household is where the overwhelming majority of abuse can happen , ” author Sophie Lewis explains .
“ And then there ’ s the whole question of what it is for : training us up to be workers , training us to be inhabitants of a binary-gendered and racially stratified system , training us not to be queer.
” For true believers of collectivism , there ’ s little question that private family matters are also state matters .
Socialism requires collective control of resources , and humans are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the traditional nuclear family , which places authority in the hands of parents rather than the community , is an affront to so many socialists .
The scholar Robert Nisbet has explained that the family is one of the three pillars of authority outside the state , along with the church and civic organizations .
All three of these institutions offer humans something essential to the human experience : community .
Nisbet believed all three pillars served as important checks on centralized political power , which is why Nisbet saw the decline of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations in America as an ill omen for liberty .
“ …the quest for community is an impulse that stems from human nature .
All yearn for participation and for a sense of belonging within a cause or body greater than the single person , ” Nisbet wrote in The Quest for Community : A Study in the Ethics and Order of Freedom ( 1953 ) .
“ If the desire for community can not be filled in church , in family , in neighborhood , or in locality , then it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It ’ s unclear why Black Lives Matter™ scrubbed the anti-nuclear family language from its website .
What ’ s clear , however , is that its previously stated goal to “ disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure ” fits the Marxist paradigm that stretches back a century and half .
Perhaps the removed page reflects a change of heart .
On the other hand , it could simply be a tactic to conceal its Marxist roots .
As Dan Sanchez and I wrote in a recent FEE article , in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tendency to shun the Marxist label even while embracing its ideals .
” There are a lot of people who don ’ t want to call themselves Marxist , ” Eugene D. Genovese , an eminent Marxist academic , told The New York Times in a 1989 article on the mainstreaming of Marxism in US universities .
We don ’ t know for certain why many individuals and groups advocating doctrines rooted in Marxism tend to reject the Marxist label—Cullors ’ s 2015 confession that she and Garza are “ trained Marxists ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it seems likely adherents have gleaned a basic truth once observed by the writer Upton Sinclair .
“ The American People will take Socialism , but they won ’ t take the label , ” Sinclair observed in a private 1951 correspondence with fellow socialist Norman Thomas .
Many people and organizations of good faith support the black lives matter movement because they believe all people deserve equal treatment and due process before the law .
But Americans should be careful to not confuse the broader black lives matter movement with Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be antithetical to freedom and family—even if they no longer say so .
Jonathan Miltimore is the Managing Editor of FEE.org .
His writing/reporting has been the subject of articles in TIME magazine , The Wall Street Journal , CNN , Forbes , Fox News , and the Star Tribune .
He previously served in editorial roles at The History Channel magazine , Intellectual Takeout , and Scout .
He is an alumni of the Institute for Humane Studies journalism program , a former reporter for the Panama City News Herald , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department of George W. Bush .
Photo “ BLM ” by Phil Roeder CC BY 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-26--Trump Has Reportedly Chosen His Next Supreme Court Justice Nominee

President Donald Trump will nominate federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States , multiple outlets reported Friday evening .
Sources close to the process said that Trump will announce Barrett as the Supreme Court nominee Saturday , according to the New York Times .
Trump is not known to have met with any other candidate for the vacancy , the Times reported , noting that aides warned there is a possibility Trump could change his mind before the announcement .
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told congressional Republicans that he will choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation .
The White House declined to comment to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
If nominated and confirmed , Barrett would replace former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who died Sept. 18 at the age of 87 due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer .
Barrett ’ s pro-life stances contrast sharply to Ginsburg ’ s fierce defense of abortion access in the United States , and the projected Supreme Court nominee is frank about prioritizing her Catholic faith .
“ If you can keep in mind that your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a lawyer , but to know , love and serve God , ” Barrett said during a 2006 commencement address to Notre Dame law students , “ you truly will be a different kind of lawyer.
” Trump considered nominating Barrett to replace former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2018 but ultimately chose Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
“ I ’ m saving her for Ginsburg , ” Trump said of Barrett in 2019 , Axios reported .
The president appointed Barrett to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times .
Her confirmation hearings gained national attention when Democratic lawmakers questioned her about her Catholic beliefs , suggesting that Barrett ’ s Catholicism made her unfit to serve as a judge .
“ The conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you , ” Democratic California Sen. Dianne Feinstein told her .
“ And that ’ s of concern.
” Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by Notre Dame Law School .