thetennesseestar--2020-12-02--Commentary: Will We Be Citizens or Subjects?

A decisive moment comes and passes , a fleeting chance for action .
People rise to the occasion or not , their measure taken and place in history assigned .
We , the citizens of the United States , have reached such a moment .
For those who still remember the old republic , the questions it poses are self-evident .
Do we make a stand or nervelessly surrender our rights ?
Do we affirm ourselves citizens—an historically rare and noble title—or do we accept becoming subjects , the fate of most humankind ?
We might , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which our rulers permit us to go about our lives reasonably undisturbed .
But that would no longer be our call , only their clemency .
In the course of this lamentable year , we ’ ve seen the clemency of our aspiring seigneurs on full display .
It clearly doesn ’ t extend to our laws which they impudently flout .
Nor to the truth , which they smoother or twist in caricature .
Nor to property , which they seize by decree or have their Blackshirts burn .
Nor to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and American traditions that they hate and trash .
If we choose to submit to their mercies , we shouldn ’ t imagine they ’ ll long be tender .
Some have been arguing that we ought just to get on with it , accept the media-hyped election results and prepare for more winnable battles down the road .
But as evidence of grotesque irregularities continues to pile up , it becomes ever harder to accept that time-honored bromide with equanimity .
We can ’ t , to be sure , know exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome was , but we do know how unbelievable the facts are as popularly presented .
We also know which side is responsible for the mudslide now covering the electoral landscape .
And we can make a good guess as to the truth that ’ s been buried beneath .
Many of those who urge us to move along do so out of the most honorable of motives .
Many are sage and experienced .
But their calculations emerge from an obsolete understanding of American politics , certainly of the politics of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tides of political fortune have always flowed back and forth and will continue to do so .
But that consolation , a balm in times past , is now treacherously misleading .
We face something altogether new , a genuine effort at revolution .
During our long republican past , shared economic and social precepts , a common civic culture , religious conviction , and an all-embracing patriotism buffered partisan conflict .
Today , we ’ re back to the human default , wherein “ those who have the power take and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in contest is America itself .
A gauntlet has been thrown and its meaning is unmistakable : “ We the ascendent , the wise , the socially just , can do as we please , and you the misbegotten progeny of this tainted land must take it as it ’ s dished .
We don ’ t care what you think .
We don ’ t care that you know .
Do what you want , squawk , whine , whimper , whatever ; we , your betters , will prevail.
” We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can walk away .
Like the bullied boy we can solace ourselves by fantasizing about what we ’ ll do to that nasty bruiser when he shows up next .
But we ’ ll only be fooling ourselves .
From here on he ’ ll own us .
We ’ re permanently unmanned .
Pretending that what has happened can be calmly borne , just another starting point for conventional politicking , is to normalize it .
Why shouldn ’ t those now congratulating themselves proceed to do it again many times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , extending it to all electoral levels .
And to paraphrase Macbeth , once one has gone far in inequity , there ’ s no turning back .
Criminality needs criminality to cover itself .
Corruption simply cements .
What is to be done ?
Whatever that is , it must depart from politics as usual , the standard model of American governance that our elites wish to inter .
Conventions needn ’ t be abandoned , what ’ s left of the system must continue to be worked , but an audacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stretch institutional bonds to a degree that genuinely alarms our conniving subverters .
At this late stage in our political degeneration nothing less will suffice .
President Trump and his allies have rightly taken their case into the courts .
But more needs to be accomplished , and with swift and dexterous versatility , in the courts of public opinion .
At times like these even the most conscientious jurist will judge the wind as well as the law .
And , at the moment it ’ s blowing hurricane force in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be fundamentally understood more in political than juridical terms .
That means our strategy must buttress legal arguments with formidable public acts .
Jurists are mortals—as are legislators whose ultimate support we ’ ll need more than the courts .
Both are cowed by the pressure of elite opinion .
To do the correct thing , both will need to be steeled by countervailing forces .
They fear , correctly , that adhering to the law will bring out the rioters and streetfighters .
They must be brought to see that vast numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t accept cowardly skulking when the nation is in danger .
So damn the COVID , the president must now lead his followers into America ’ s streets and squares .
They must especially flock to the capitol complexes of all the critical states and register indignant protest .
They must do the same under the media ’ s noses in Washington , New York , and Los Angeles , creating a clamor that broadcast agitprop can ’ t drown out .
This has already begun , but its intensity must greatly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If that be demagoguery , make the most of it !
In the face of their literal coup , let ours be a counter-coup de théâtre .
If the president and his attorney general believe they have the federal goods on individual malefactors , let them convene grand juries , bring in indictments and make midnight ( and televised ) arrests of top perps .
Why shouldn ’ t we take instruction from our foes ?
And don ’ t just petition the jurists , have the president and his lawyers lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) won ’ t give him House leave , provide the Senate with an exclusive .
You say nothing like that has ever been tried ?
Then no better reason for doing it now .
The proceedings would be an educational spectacle the networks , and the president ’ s traducers , couldn ’ t ignore .
And its grand show would suit the occasion .
The courts won ’ t call the election for Trump .
They shouldn ’ t .
The best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the results in those states where misdeeds have been particularly egregious .
Since there ’ s no time for reruns , the state legislatures will then have to grasp the nettle .
They could throw their electoral votes to Trump or , much more likely , find some way to withhold them , or perhaps pick electors who ’ ll abstain or vote for some stand-in .
If , in consequence , neither Trump nor Biden have an electoral majority , the choice will devolve upon the newly elected House , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favoring the president .
The ( probably ) Republican Senate will re-elect Vice President Pence .
Should state legislators fail to show sufficient spine , or should there be rival electoral ballots submitted , there is a final ditch to fall back upon .
The Republican Senate could raise objections to accepting dubious electoral votes .
Something like that happened in 1876 , the last time rampant corruption caused official tabulations to be formally challenged .
Possible end games in a scenario like that are too tangled to assess , but the battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nits to be picked about the legal proprieties of various extremis maneuvers , but in the post-Obergefell age they ’ d have more than enough legal color for political deployment given dire necessity .
And if we fail ?
We fail—but not without forever having branded this election as the leprous thing it was .
And in doing so we will have laid the necessary foundation for a continuing unconventional struggle , one that explores the outer boundaries of our Constitution ’ s resources to trap “ His Fraudulency ” and friends in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But I ’ m getting ahead of events .
We ’ ve not yet reached that point .
The election is still in the balance and we must do our heartfelt best to prevail .
Our forefathers measured up to their great moment when it thunderously came down upon them .
They passed history ’ s test .
Despite the counsels of concession , it is their example that we should now be following .
Stephen Balch is the former Director Texas Tech Institute for the Study of Western Civilization and Founding President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photo “ Trump Van ” by Becker1999 .
CC BY 2.0 .

by Stephen Balch
A decisive moment comes and passes, a fleeting chance for action. People rise to the occasion or not, their measure taken and place in history assigned.
We, the citizens of the United States, have reached such a moment. For those who still remember the old republic, the questions it poses are self-evident. Do we make a stand or nervelessly surrender our rights? Do we affirm ourselves citizens—an historically rare and noble title—or do we accept becoming subjects, the fate of most humankind?
We might, of course, hope for a quiet subjecthood, one in which our rulers permit us to go about our lives reasonably undisturbed. But that would no longer be our call, only their clemency.
In the course of this lamentable year, we’ve seen the clemency of our aspiring seigneurs on full display. It clearly doesn’t extend to our laws which they impudently flout. Nor to the truth, which they smoother or twist in caricature. Nor to property, which they seize by decree or have their Blackshirts burn. Nor to the American past, American institutions, and American traditions that they hate and trash. If we choose to submit to their mercies, we shouldn’t imagine they’ll long be tender.
Some have been arguing that we ought just to get on with it, accept the media-hyped election results and prepare for more winnable battles down the road. But as evidence of grotesque irregularities continues to pile up, it becomes ever harder to accept that time-honored bromide with equanimity. We can’t, to be sure, know exactly what this presidential election’s actual outcome was, but we do know how unbelievable the facts are as popularly presented. We also know which side is responsible for the mudslide now covering the electoral landscape. And we can make a good guess as to the truth that’s been buried beneath.
Many of those who urge us to move along do so out of the most honorable of motives. Many are sage and experienced. But their calculations emerge from an obsolete understanding of American politics, certainly of the politics of this dark moment. For them, the tides of political fortune have always flowed back and forth and will continue to do so. But that consolation, a balm in times past, is now treacherously misleading.
We face something altogether new, a genuine effort at revolution. During our long republican past, shared economic and social precepts, a common civic culture, religious conviction, and an all-embracing patriotism buffered partisan conflict. Today, we’re back to the human default, wherein “those who have the power take and those hold who can.” And the item in contest is America itself.
A gauntlet has been thrown and its meaning is unmistakable: “We the ascendent, the wise, the socially just, can do as we please, and you the misbegotten progeny of this tainted land must take it as it’s dished. We don’t care what you think. We don’t care that you know. Do what you want, squawk, whine, whimper, whatever; we, your betters, will prevail.”
We can pretend to ignore this gauntlet. We can walk away. Like the bullied boy we can solace ourselves by fantasizing about what we’ll do to that nasty bruiser when he shows up next. But we’ll only be fooling ourselves. From here on he’ll own us. We’re permanently unmanned.
Pretending that what has happened can be calmly borne, just another starting point for conventional politicking, is to normalize it. Why shouldn’t those now congratulating themselves proceed to do it again many times over? They can perfect their act, extending it to all electoral levels. And to paraphrase Macbeth, once one has gone far in inequity, there’s no turning back. Criminality needs criminality to cover itself. Corruption simply cements.
What is to be done? Whatever that is, it must depart from politics as usual, the standard model of American governance that our elites wish to inter. Conventions needn’t be abandoned, what’s left of the system must continue to be worked, but an audacity is now called for, a willingness to stretch institutional bonds to a degree that genuinely alarms our conniving subverters. At this late stage in our political degeneration nothing less will suffice.
President Trump and his allies have rightly taken their case into the courts. But more needs to be accomplished, and with swift and dexterous versatility, in the courts of public opinion. At times like these even the most conscientious jurist will judge the wind as well as the law. And, at the moment it’s blowing hurricane force in only one direction.
Our situation must be fundamentally understood more in political than juridical terms. That means our strategy must buttress legal arguments with formidable public acts.
Jurists are mortals—as are legislators whose ultimate support we’ll need more than the courts. Both are cowed by the pressure of elite opinion. To do the correct thing, both will need to be steeled by countervailing forces. They fear, correctly, that adhering to the law will bring out the rioters and streetfighters. They must be brought to see that vast numbers of peaceful but equally angry citizens won’t accept cowardly skulking when the nation is in danger.
So damn the COVID, the president must now lead his followers into America’s streets and squares. They must especially flock to the capitol complexes of all the critical states and register indignant protest. They must do the same under the media’s noses in Washington, New York, and Los Angeles, creating a clamor that broadcast agitprop can’t drown out. This has already begun, but its intensity must greatly ratchet up, becoming incessant and overwhelming. If that be demagoguery, make the most of it!
In the face of their literal coup, let ours be a counter-coup de théâtre. If the president and his attorney general believe they have the federal goods on individual malefactors, let them convene grand juries, bring in indictments and make midnight (and televised) arrests of top perps. Why shouldn’t we take instruction from our foes?
And don’t just petition the jurists, have the president and his lawyers lay their case before a joint session of Congress. If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) won’t give him House leave, provide the Senate with an exclusive. You say nothing like that has ever been tried? Then no better reason for doing it now. The proceedings would be an educational spectacle the networks, and the president’s traducers, couldn’t ignore. And its grand show would suit the occasion.
The courts won’t call the election for Trump. They shouldn’t. The best that can be expected is a vacating of the results in those states where misdeeds have been particularly egregious.
Since there’s no time for reruns, the state legislatures will then have to grasp the nettle. They could throw their electoral votes to Trump or, much more likely, find some way to withhold them, or perhaps pick electors who’ll abstain or vote for some stand-in.
If, in consequence, neither Trump nor Biden have an electoral majority, the choice will devolve upon the newly elected House, with the constitutionally prescribed delegation-by-delegation voting system strongly favoring the president. The (probably) Republican Senate will re-elect Vice President Pence.
Should state legislators fail to show sufficient spine, or should there be rival electoral ballots submitted, there is a final ditch to fall back upon. The Republican Senate could raise objections to accepting dubious electoral votes. Something like that happened in 1876, the last time rampant corruption caused official tabulations to be formally challenged. Possible end games in a scenario like that are too tangled to assess, but the battle could be won. There are scholarly nits to be picked about the legal proprieties of various extremis maneuvers, but in the post-Obergefell age they’d have more than enough legal color for political deployment given dire necessity.
And if we fail? We fail—but not without forever having branded this election as the leprous thing it was. And in doing so we will have laid the necessary foundation for a continuing unconventional struggle, one that explores the outer boundaries of our Constitution’s resources to trap “His Fraudulency” and friends in the snares they themselves have laid.
But I’m getting ahead of events. We’ve not yet reached that point. The election is still in the balance and we must do our heartfelt best to prevail. Our forefathers measured up to their great moment when it thunderously came down upon them. They passed history’s test. Despite the counsels of concession, it is their example that we should now be following.
– – –
Stephen Balch is the former Director Texas Tech Institute for the Study of Western Civilization and Founding President of the National Association of Scholars.
Photo “Trump Van” by Becker1999. CC BY 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-02--Public Affairs Strategist Clint Brewer Outlines the Pros and Cons of a COVID Vaccine Rollout

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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 Clint Brewer to the studio .
During the third hour , Brewer outlined the pros and cons of a COVID-19 vaccine implementation and it ’ s potential .
He later explained how it would most likely be offered to first responders , police , and doctors , and nurses in consideration of their essential positions .
Leahy : The guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s in charge of the Moderna vaccine project .
And he says the approval could happen later this month .
Clint Brewer our All-Star panelists talking today about the three big issues that will define 2021 .
Number two we talked about in the last segment was America ’ s relationship with China .
I agree with that .
Number one .
The potential and the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine which Stephane Bancel of Moderna was talking about .
I agree .
That ’ s the number one issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this more than I have .
What what do you see ?
What are the pluses and minuses the issues to be aware of as the vaccine rollout begins ?
Brewer : Well , I think it ’ s really distribution and access .
I mean , you know , some of these vaccines require two doses over a certain period of time .
I read something yesterday where one of them actually is more effective with a single dose .
So you know what ?
Leahy : I think I want that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you know yeah .
( Leahy chuckles ) So I think it ’ s going to come down to from you know medical efficacy standpoint what ’ s the most effective one ?
And then from a logistics standpoint which one is the most available ?
It ’ s going to come in waves .
I mean I ’ ve read reports that the first round and rightly so would go to medical personnel and first responder people who are on the front lines and the most likely to be exposed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that are healthy so they can continue to treat patients .
So that ’ s step one .
I think that you ’ re going to see you know , everyone from state guards and National Guard gets involved at you can call it the military , but it ’ s not like we ’ re sending the 101st in to distribute the vaccine .
I mean it ’ s going to be Guardsmen and kind of what we ’ ve seen this state .
I think you ’ ll see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country of distribution systems .
I think challenges will be I ’ ll be as anything is in healthcare .
Getting it to the very rural areas that are sparsely populated and making sure it penetrates the inner cities that are densely populated .
And you know , so we have a huge logistical challenge ahead of us .
And then you know , it ’ s getting that vaccine into the mainstream of what Americans do every year .
kind of like a flu shot .
because I mean it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not like everybody gets vaccinated and it melts into history as polio did at one time .
It ’ s not going to happen .
Leahy : It ’ s really like you get your annual COVID shot .
Leahy : As I age the number of shots that I have to get… Brewer : It ’ s just it goes up .
Leahy : I got the flu shot .
I need to get shingles one of the shots for shingles because I ’ m in that age group .
Haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m told do it right .
Because if you get the shot you don ’ t have to deal with it .
Brewer : They should just give you a super shot .
They just need to dart you is what they need to do as you ’ re running down the street .
Leahy : I guess these approvals are going to happen in December , right ?
Brewer : It sounds like it .
Leahy : Yeah , when will these begin ?
What ’ s the rollout ?
Will it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Brewer : Yeah .
I mean , I think it goes to , you know medical personnel .
It ’ s going to go to Doctors and nurses and people , you know orderlies people who you know who work in hospitals and doctors offices so they can keep treating people for everything .
You know , he ’ s been a huge dip in other surgeries during waves of COVID-19 and we need to get people back to healthiness to the extent that we can .
And we need to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with people in all kinds of settings .
I have a friend in West Tennessee who told me that he ’ s got a parent in a managed care facility and that they ’ re already scheduling those .
Leahy : Well , that would be the next logical place to go because it ’ s done by a managed care facility .
Brewer : Yeah , then you go to your most vulnerable .
Definitely folks in nursing homes and managed care facilities .
Leahy : Looking into your crystal ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be available for the average person to take this vaccine ?
Brewer : I think round one will be available late spring , early summer .
Leahy : Okay .
So we ’ re talking by June .
Brewer : Yeah .
If the Biden administration plays it smartly and it ’ s not all in the hands of the Biden administration , but they have a lot of say so .
Leahy : Let me just add the potential Biden administration .
Brewer : The likely Biden administration at this point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a lot to do with directing that .
I think that you know , there should be a push to get people vaccinated in time for you know , gosh we need cities like Nashville to come back from the brink .
I mean we need a tourism-oriented summer here that ’ s safe and healthy and okay to participate in .
Leahy : So if it all goes well and everybody has their shot by June , the other thing to think about is side effects .
We don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gone well apparently .
But you never know .
Brewer : Well , I mean , I think there ’ s you know with any vaccine .
I mean I know with the flu vaccine some people need to take a couple of Tylenol after they get it just because you know may make you feel poorly for a day or half a day .
But I mean , I don ’ t I think that ’ s the issue with the vaccine .
That ’ s what the trials are for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are as few side effects as possible .
The things that I ’ ve seen and I don ’ t know if it ’ s the Moderna vaccine or one of the other drug companies , but it ’ s showing at this point a lot more effectiveness and protection than the flu vaccine .
But you ’ ve got to remember the seasonal flu vaccine is developed just for that .
A seasonal flu .
Leahy : Every year it ’ s a new one .
Brewer : That mutates every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long way to go with COVID-19 to figure out if this a virus that ’ s going to mutate ?
Is a different version of it going to come back every year ?
Leahy : From your reading and by the way , neither of us are medical professionals .
Brewer : No .
Far from it .
We just know what we read in the papers or at the Tennessee Star .
Brewer : We are analysts .
We are synthesizing .
Leahy : Oh , that ’ s right .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve read then you ’ re saying that it would be surprising to you if the vaccine had significant problems in its implementation ?
Brewer : I mean if the reports are correct .
It sounds like it ’ s an effective vaccine the various versions of it .
I think the issue is going to be how do we get it across geographically .
Leahy : Let ’ s say we get to June and you know 80 percent of America has been vaccinated for this .
What happens to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that time ?
Do they go away ?
Brewer : What happens is you get lockdowns in the event of hot spots .
And so if there ’ s not an infection hotspot , then there won ’ t be a lockdown .
Why would you lock anybody down if they are not getting sick ?
Leahy : Well , maybe I mean I ’ m going to express a little skepticism about that .
I think these Democratic mayors and governors love to lock people down .
They love the power !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue more .
Leahy : I don ’ t know .
I think they like the power .
I think that in and let me just say I think that there is the assumption .
We ’ re doing crystal ball stuff right now about what ’ s going to happen .
I think that the premise that if the vaccine is widespread that the premise that the Democratic mayors and governors will give up some of their lockdown authoritarian usurpations of power .
Leahy : You like that ?
Usurpation .
Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not yours .
Brewer : I think that ’ s a better word of the day for this show than bifurcation .
That ’ s more a brand for you .
Usurpation .
Leahy : Yeah , I think we ’ ll call that the word of the day .
Leahy : Yeah , so these usurpations Clint .
But the Democrats I think they would be they are going to be reluctant to give them up .
And so they ’ re going to be even they ’ ll say well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be effective we still need to have lockdowns .
Brewer : I think somebody out there will feel that way and try to be that way .
At some point people want to go back to COVID business as usual , right ?
I mean , it ’ s some at some point… Brewer : At some point , the priorities everyone left on the table in 2019 are going to come back .
So that means you know mayors are going to be back to dealing with mundane things like pay raises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paving streets .
And how do they get all that money ?
Well , people have to have businesses that are open and functioning .
And you have to have consumers going and buying goods .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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 Clint Brewer to the studio.
During the third hour, Brewer outlined the pros and cons of a COVID-19 vaccine implementation and it’s potential. He later explained how it would most likely be offered to first responders, police, and doctors, and nurses in consideration of their essential positions.
(Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel clip plays)
The FDA has indicated to us that it is likely the advisory committee (Inaudible talk) the meeting should happen on December 17, and hopefully, if everything goes well in the next couple of weeks. You could expect between I would say a day to two to three days after we are back meeting the production approval.
Leahy: The guy’s name is Stephane Bancel. He’s in charge of the Moderna vaccine project. And he says the approval could happen later this month. Clint Brewer our All-Star panelists talking today about the three big issues that will define 2021. Number two we talked about in the last segment was America’s relationship with China.
I agree with that. Number one. The potential and the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine which Stephane Bancel of Moderna was talking about. I agree. That’s the number one issue. Tell me you’ve looked into this more than I have. What what do you see? What are the pluses and minuses the issues to be aware of as the vaccine rollout begins?
Brewer: Well, I think it’s really distribution and access. I mean, you know, some of these vaccines require two doses over a certain period of time. I read something yesterday where one of them actually is more effective with a single dose. So you know what?
Leahy: I think I want that one.
Brewer: Well, yeah, you know yeah. (Leahy chuckles) So I think it’s going to come down to from you know medical efficacy standpoint what’s the most effective one? And then from a logistics standpoint which one is the most available? It’s going to come in waves. I mean I’ve read reports that the first round and rightly so would go to medical personnel and first responder people who are on the front lines and the most likely to be exposed as part of their jobs. and the people that are healthy so they can continue to treat patients.
So that’s step one. I think that you’re going to see you know, everyone from state guards and National Guard gets involved at you can call it the military, but it’s not like we’re sending the 101st in to distribute the vaccine. I mean it’s going to be Guardsmen and kind of what we’ve seen this state. I think you’ll see a sort of a patchwork quilt across the country of distribution systems. I think challenges will be I’ll be as anything is in healthcare.
Getting it to the very rural areas that are sparsely populated and making sure it penetrates the inner cities that are densely populated. And you know, so we have a huge logistical challenge ahead of us. And then you know, it’s getting that vaccine into the mainstream of what Americans do every year. kind of like a flu shot. because I mean it’s not going away. It’s not like everybody gets vaccinated and it melts into history as polio did at one time. It’s not going to happen.
Leahy: It’s really like you get your annual COVID shot.
Brewer: Yeah.
Leahy: As I age the number of shots that I have to get…
Brewer: It’s just it goes up.
Leahy: I got the flu shot. I need to get shingles one of the shots for shingles because I’m in that age group. Haven’t done that yet. I’m told do it right. Because if you get the shot you don’t have to deal with it.
Brewer: They should just give you a super shot. They just need to dart you is what they need to do as you’re running down the street.
Leahy: I guess these approvals are going to happen in December, right?
Brewer: It sounds like it.
Leahy: Yeah, when will these begin? What’s the rollout? Will it have to go to first responders first?
Brewer: Yeah. I mean, I think it goes to, you know medical personnel. It’s going to go to Doctors and nurses and people, you know orderlies people who you know who work in hospitals and doctors offices so they can keep treating people for everything. You know, he’s been a huge dip in other surgeries during waves of COVID-19 and we need to get people back to healthiness to the extent that we can. And we need to protect our first responders who are out there dealing with people in all kinds of settings. I have a friend in West Tennessee who told me that he’s got a parent in a managed care facility and that they’re already scheduling those.
Leahy: Well, that would be the next logical place to go because it’s done by a managed care facility.
Brewer: Yeah, then you go to your most vulnerable. Definitely folks in nursing homes and managed care facilities.
Leahy: Looking into your crystal ball of logistics when do you think it will be available for the average person to take this vaccine?
Brewer: I think round one will be available late spring, early summer.
Leahy: Okay. So we’re talking by June.
Brewer: Yeah. If the Biden administration plays it smartly and it’s not all in the hands of the Biden administration, but they have a lot of say so.
Leahy: Let me just add the potential Biden administration.
Brewer: The likely Biden administration at this point. I think that the administration will have a lot to do with directing that. I think that you know, there should be a push to get people vaccinated in time for you know, gosh we need cities like Nashville to come back from the brink. I mean we need a tourism-oriented summer here that’s safe and healthy and okay to participate in.
Leahy: So if it all goes well and everybody has their shot by June, the other thing to think about is side effects. We don’t know the trend. The clinical trials have gone well apparently. But you never know.
Brewer: Well, I mean, I think there’s you know with any vaccine. I mean I know with the flu vaccine some people need to take a couple of Tylenol after they get it just because you know may make you feel poorly for a day or half a day. But I mean, I don’t I think that’s the issue with the vaccine. That’s what the trials are for. It’s to make sure there are as few side effects as possible. The things that I’ve seen and I don’t know if it’s the Moderna vaccine or one of the other drug companies, but it’s showing at this point a lot more effectiveness and protection than the flu vaccine. But you’ve got to remember the seasonal flu vaccine is developed just for that. A seasonal flu.
Leahy: Every year it’s a new one.
Brewer: That mutates every year. I think we have a long way to go with COVID-19 to figure out if this a virus that’s going to mutate? Is a different version of it going to come back every year?
Leahy: From your reading and by the way, neither of us are medical professionals.
Brewer: No. Far from it. We just know what we read in the papers or at the Tennessee Star.
Brewer: We are analysts. We are synthesizing.
Leahy: Oh, that’s right. That’s right. So from everything you’ve read then you’re saying that it would be surprising to you if the vaccine had significant problems in its implementation?
Brewer: I mean if the reports are correct. It sounds like it’s an effective vaccine the various versions of it. I think the issue is going to be how do we get it across geographically.
Leahy: Let’s say we get to June and you know 80 percent of America has been vaccinated for this. What happens to all the COVID-19 restrictions on lockdowns at that time? Do they go away?
Brewer: What happens is you get lockdowns in the event of hot spots. And so if there’s not an infection hotspot, then there won’t be a lockdown. Why would you lock anybody down if they are not getting sick?
Leahy: Well, maybe I mean I’m going to express a little skepticism about that. I think these Democratic mayors and governors love to lock people down. They love the power!
Brewer: I think they like tax revenue more.
Leahy: I don’t know. I think they like the power. I think that in and let me just say I think that there is the assumption. We’re doing crystal ball stuff right now about what’s going to happen. I think that the premise that if the vaccine is widespread that the premise that the Democratic mayors and governors will give up some of their lockdown authoritarian usurpations of power.
Brewer: That may outrank bifurcation.
Leahy: You like that? Usurpation.
Brewer: That’s a good one.
Leahy: Usurpation. Illegally taking power that is not yours.
Brewer: I think that’s a better word of the day for this show than bifurcation. That’s more a brand for you. Usurpation.
Leahy: Yeah, I think we’ll call that the word of the day.
Brewer: I think that’s perfect.
Leahy: Yeah, so these usurpations Clint. But the Democrats I think they would be they are going to be reluctant to give them up. And so they’re going to be even they’ll say well even though the COVID-19 vaccine appears to be effective we still need to have lockdowns.
Brewer: I think somebody out there will feel that way and try to be that way. At some point people want to go back to COVID business as usual, right? I mean, it’s some at some point…
Leahy: I totally agree.
Brewer: At some point, the priorities everyone left on the table in 2019 are going to come back. So that means you know mayors are going to be back to dealing with mundane things like pay raises for educators and hiring more cops and paving streets. And how do they get all that money? Well, people have to have businesses that are open and functioning. And you have to have consumers going and buying goods.
Listen to the third hour here:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-02--General Thomas McInerney Says the President Must Take Action Now Against Acts of Treason Through Exe

General Thomas McInerney Says the President Must Take Action Now Against Acts of Treason Through Executive Order and Insurrection Act

Live from Georgia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed General Tom McInerney to the show who urged the president to claim a national emergency regarding acts of treason through cyber war and let the American people know the seriousness of the situation immediately .
Fredericks : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McInerney .
General McInerney great to have you with us here on The John Frederick ’ s Show again .
Thank you for joining us .
We understand that you ’ ve got some new information on these Dominion voting machines sir .
McInerney : Well I ’ ve got some new information , John .
And by the way , you ’ re doing the Lord ’ s work .
Thank you and God bless you .
You ’ re leading the media on this to be down in Georgia and uh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the answer is going to be the same if we let them use the same techniques that they used in the national election .
After listening to the president yesterday I ’ m making some very bold statements but they ’ re important .
We are not talking about fraudulent voting acts .
But what we are talking about John is treason .
when you coordinate six to ten states using cyber warfare to change the outcome these are treasonous acts .
They ’ re not dirty deeds or fraudulent voting .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are trying to take over our government .
When you use cyber warfare as were as you ’ ve seen in the Dominion voting systems as well as the CIA rogue systems that they ’ ve used Hammer and Scorecard which we ’ ve talked about .
In addition , you have no FBI or DOJ prior investigation to my knowledge .
And finally , the cyber-warfare infrastructure and security agency headed up by a guy by the name of Chris Krebs was saying it was the perfect election .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an idiot .
But most of all he ’ s guilty of treason .
And the president fired him .
He is part of the cabal that has created this major attack , this major warfare and it is warfare .
It ’ s hybrid warfare in the 21st century using cyber warfare and other techniques to change a government without a shot being fired .
And that ’ s what is so serious about this .
And getting those dominion voting machines and impounding them before they change the software is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president should do is he should declare today a national emergency and declare a state of emergency using his executive order dated September 12 , 2018 , declaring a national emergency if there ’ s foreign influence .
Because we know there is Chinese , Russian , and Iranian influence on this election .
And he should use that and he should suspend habeas corpus just as Lincoln and FDR did when they met national tragedies in emergencies like this .
The democratic perpetrators as well as the Russians the Chinese and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war on America .
it ’ s blatant .
We should start arresting them now .
This is serious .
Let ’ s not call this fraudulent activity it ’ s treason John in the 21st-century modern hybrid warfare .
We must suspend the electoral college and the inauguration on the 20th of January until we get this resolved .
And with that executive order that he ’ s got plus the Insurrection Act he has the authority to do this .
This is very serious .
People must understand what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being stolen and it ’ s not through some small criminal acts .
It ’ s through treasonous acts .
And I would also declare Martial Law .
It won ’ t affect the American people except for those people like Antifa and BLM that are going to start rioting once they know they ’ ve been had .
They know they ’ ve been had .
What they ’ re surprised is that the mainstream media except for people like you John are ignoring it .
Fox News ignored it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on it today .
But if it wasn ’ t for Newsmax and One America Network on the television side we ’ d have nothing .
So I ’ m saying American people let ’ s rise up .
Let ’ s set up military tribunals .
This judicial system we have is corrupt .
It ’ s slow-moving .
The founding fathers had never heard of cyber-warfare but they had heard of the oath that we take to defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s what the president is facing .
So wake up America !
We ’ ve got to get this thing rolling .
The president has got to demand a thorough investigation of these elections using his executive order that was promulgated in September of 2018 and suspend all actions until it is thoroughly investigated .
Everybody should demand the president to do this .
We can not proceed on because they quit being covert .
This is blatant outright crookery and cheating and it ’ s a treasonous activity , John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you actually think happened to get you so to the point where you want the president to do these series of executive orders ?
What exactly do you think happened with these Dominion machines ?
McInerney : Well we know John they ’ ve been used before and they programmed them .
And that ’ s why when you see the vote counts when you see the voting for instance in five of the states at 2:30 am in the morning eastern standard time .
TV broadcast reported that Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to cease both counting operations and will continue the following day .
What happened was a unanimous decision by five battleground states is unprecedented and demonstrated pre-coordination .
Now in that , they were changing the voting machine somewhat because the voting for President Trump was overwhelming .
And it was outside their norms and so they had to change things that ’ s why they had to have this delay at 2:45 am .
And then when the numbers came in as you saw in Michigan 138,000 votes came in at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had similar numbers .
In addition in Pennsylvania on the mail-in ballots which everybody knew was going to be a problem , the mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania sent out the state 1.8 million to their citizens .
John , they got back 2.5 million .
Now , who was running the printing press to get another 700,000 votes into the system ?
That ’ s like you got 50,000 football tickets and 80,000 people show up .
Fredericks : But General you know I heard that on Wednesday before Thanksgiving and a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready you know for Thanksgiving with their family .
They had other things going on .
But I mean that was one of the things that came out of that hearing in Pennsylvania that there were 1.8 million absentee ballot applications .
There were 2.5 million absentee ballots cast .
That ’ s a 700 000 difference which is you know basically the margin that dropped in when Trump had the 800,000 vote lead .
Why hasn ’ t this been picked up on every major network ?
Why is anybody even asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots in the system that never got mailed out ?
Like how do you do that General ?
McInerney : If you ’ re a crook and if you ’ re creating treason and that ’ s how you do it .
If you ’ ve got a printing press they crank them out .
I saw a photo of a kind of a big laundry thing they pushed around full of ballots and they hadn ’ t even been folded , John .
They hadn ’ t even been folded .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so the scale of this cyber warfare and this treason was so huge that they had a lot of people involved .
And when you have so many people involved you say , well my goodness , the FBI must have been tracking that .
But what have we heard from Christopher Wray ?
McInerney : What have we heard from the attorney general ?
McInerney : So all of a sudden you wonder why I ’ m getting worked up and I listened to the president and he confirmed that he hadn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the DOJ .
And that ’ s why I believe we ’ ve got to move this into military tribunals because our current court system is not designed our current election system and the inauguration and the electoral college in that was not designed with cyber warfare in mind the president has got to declare this a national emergency .
He has the authority and the executive order and the Insurrection Act .
He must act and that ’ s why I believe we ’ ve got to get the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , take action Mr. President .
Create a national emergency .
Let ’ s resolve this .
Look these perpetrators are the same ones that created the Russian hoax .
It wasn ’ t a hoax .
That was also treason against the government .
Trying to create a coup d ’ etat impeachment .
The same people are involved , John .
The president has got to let the American people know .
The president probably had 85 to 87 million people that voted for him .
Because I believe he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Democrats that voted for Biden but they don ’ t want a crooked system .
This will be the last election we ever have and it ’ s going to happen down in Georgia if they do not cut off the Hammer and Scorecard and those machines .
They have to monitor and watch very carefully , or we are going to have the same outcome .
It doesn ’ t matter how many Republicans show up…

Live from Georgia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond, WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia, WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 (7-9 PM) Hampton Roads, WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed General Tom McInerney to the show who urged the president to claim a national emergency regarding acts of treason through cyber war and let the American people know the seriousness of the situation immediately.
Fredericks: Let’s get to General Thomas McInerney. General McInerney great to have you with us here on The John Frederick’s Show again. Thank you for joining us. We understand that you’ve got some new information on these Dominion voting machines sir.
McInerney: Well I’ve got some new information, John. And by the way, you’re doing the Lord’s work. Thank you and God bless you. You’re leading the media on this to be down in Georgia and uh look at that and the recap because the answer is going to be the same if we let them use the same techniques that they used in the national election. After listening to the president yesterday I’m making some very bold statements but they’re important.
We are not talking about fraudulent voting acts. But what we are talking about John is treason. when you coordinate six to ten states using cyber warfare to change the outcome these are treasonous acts. They’re not dirty deeds or fraudulent voting. They’re treasonous acts punishable by death. They are trying to take over our government. When you use cyber warfare as were as you’ve seen in the Dominion voting systems as well as the CIA rogue systems that they’ve used Hammer and Scorecard which we’ve talked about.
In addition, you have no FBI or DOJ prior investigation to my knowledge. And finally, the cyber-warfare infrastructure and security agency headed up by a guy by the name of Chris Krebs was saying it was the perfect election. No discrepancies. he’s got to be an idiot. But most of all he’s guilty of treason. And the president fired him. He is part of the cabal that has created this major attack, this major warfare and it is warfare. It’s hybrid warfare in the 21st century using cyber warfare and other techniques to change a government without a shot being fired. And that’s what is so serious about this.
And getting those dominion voting machines and impounding them before they change the software is extremely important. Now what I believe the president should do is he should declare today a national emergency and declare a state of emergency using his executive order dated September 12, 2018, declaring a national emergency if there’s foreign influence. Because we know there is Chinese, Russian, and Iranian influence on this election. And he should use that and he should suspend habeas corpus just as Lincoln and FDR did when they met national tragedies in emergencies like this.
The democratic perpetrators as well as the Russians the Chinese and the Iraqis have not disguised this cyber war on America. it’s blatant. We should start arresting them now. This is serious. Let’s not call this fraudulent activity it’s treason John in the 21st-century modern hybrid warfare. We must suspend the electoral college and the inauguration on the 20th of January until we get this resolved.
And with that executive order that he’s got plus the Insurrection Act he has the authority to do this. This is very serious. People must understand what’s happened. This nation’s government is being stolen and it’s not through some small criminal acts. It’s through treasonous acts. And I would also declare Martial Law. It won’t affect the American people except for those people like Antifa and BLM that are going to start rioting once they know they’ve been had.
They know they’ve been had. What they’re surprised is that the mainstream media except for people like you John are ignoring it. Fox News ignored it. Finally, they had a little bit on it today. But if it wasn’t for Newsmax and One America Network on the television side we’d have nothing. So I’m saying American people let’s rise up.
Let’s set up military tribunals. This judicial system we have is corrupt. It’s slow-moving. The founding fathers had never heard of cyber-warfare but they had heard of the oath that we take to defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. They knew about domestic enemies. And that’s what the president is facing.
So wake up America! We’ve got to get this thing rolling. The president has got to demand a thorough investigation of these elections using his executive order that was promulgated in September of 2018 and suspend all actions until it is thoroughly investigated. Everybody should demand the president to do this. We cannot proceed on because they quit being covert. This is blatant outright crookery and cheating and it’s a treasonous activity, John.
Fredericks: General, what do you actually think happened to get you so to the point where you want the president to do these series of executive orders? What exactly do you think happened with these Dominion machines?
McInerney: Well we know John they’ve been used before and they programmed them. And that’s why when you see the vote counts when you see the voting for instance in five of the states at 2:30 am in the morning eastern standard time. TV broadcast reported that Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia had decided to cease both counting operations and will continue the following day.
What happened was a unanimous decision by five battleground states is unprecedented and demonstrated pre-coordination. Now in that, they were changing the voting machine somewhat because the voting for President Trump was overwhelming. And it was outside their norms and so they had to change things that’s why they had to have this delay at 2:45 am.
And then when the numbers came in as you saw in Michigan 138,000 votes came in at 0-400. And all those other states had similar numbers. In addition in Pennsylvania on the mail-in ballots which everybody knew was going to be a problem, the mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania sent out the state 1.8 million to their citizens. John, they got back 2.5 million. Now, who was running the printing press to get another 700,000 votes into the system? That’s like you got 50,000
football tickets and 80,000 people show up.
Fredericks: But General you know I heard that on Wednesday before Thanksgiving and a lot of people were traveling that day getting ready you know for Thanksgiving with their family. They had other things going on. But I mean that was one of the things that came out of that hearing in Pennsylvania that there were 1.8 million absentee ballot applications.
There were 2.5 million absentee ballots cast. That’s a 700 000 difference which is you know basically the margin that dropped in when Trump had the 800,000 vote lead. Why hasn’t this been picked up on every major network? Why is anybody even asking a question how do you get 700,000 ballots in the system that never got mailed out? Like how do you do that General?
McInerney: If you’re a crook and if you’re creating treason and that’s how you do it. If you’ve got a printing press they crank them out. I saw a photo of a kind of a big laundry thing they pushed around full of ballots and they hadn’t even been folded, John. They hadn’t even been folded. And so they were driving trucks up and so the scale of this cyber warfare and this treason was so huge that they had a lot of people involved. And when you have so many people involved you say, well my goodness, the FBI must have been tracking that. But what have we heard from Christopher Wray?
Fredericks: Nothing.
McInerney: What have we heard from the attorney general?
Fredericks: Nothing. Crickets.
McInerney: So all of a sudden you wonder why I’m getting worked up and I listened to the president and he confirmed that he hadn’t heard anything from the FBI or the DOJ. And that’s why I believe we’ve got to move this into military tribunals because our current court system is not designed our current election system and the inauguration and the electoral college in that was not designed with cyber warfare in mind the president has got to declare this a national emergency.
He has the authority and the executive order and the Insurrection Act. He must act and that’s why I believe we’ve got to get the American people sending in to and tweeting to the president, take action Mr. President. Create a national emergency. Let’s resolve this. Look these perpetrators are the same ones that created the Russian hoax. It wasn’t a hoax. That was also treason against the government. Trying to create a coup d’etat impeachment. The same people are involved, John. The president has got to let the American people know.
The president probably had 85 to 87 million people that voted for him. Because I believe he’ll probably get 30 or 40 million Democrats that voted for Biden but they don’t want a crooked system. This will be the last election we ever have and it’s going to happen down in Georgia if they do not cut off the Hammer and Scorecard and those machines. They have to monitor and watch very carefully, or we are going to have the same outcome. It doesn’t matter how many Republicans show up…
– – –


thetennesseestar--2020-12-02--Commentary: Republicans’ Populism Without Trump

November ’ s result should not obscure the fact that Trump bequeathed Republicans a winning populist strategy .
The question is whether there can be populism without his persona .
Republicans should seek to find out , or at least they should be if they have any political sense .
Trump has drawn Republicans the populist blueprint ; now someone else must build from it .
There is an irony in a flawed candidate devising a nearly flawless political strategy .
Both apply to Trump .
Yet while the former has been overemphasized to the point of absurdity , inaccuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been deliberately overlooked .
Democrats , establishment media , the Left , and the Republican elite all want Trump ’ s populism to disappear .
They are all threatened by it and would love 2020 ’ s outcome to be its obituary .
If Republicans are smart , 2020 will be its rebirth in an even more palatable and potent form .
For two elections , Trump stole what the Left and Democrats believed to be their birthright : populism .
Trump eschewed the elite , of which he could have been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his apostasy .
Instead , he forged an unmistakable — and undeniably effective and formidable — political populism .
While the Left and Democrats never could — and never will — admit it , Trump owned their terrain to an extent they have not for decades .
Unable to attack him for a populism they have long supported in name only , they vilified and delegitimized him , but they were unable to “ de-populize ” him or his appeal .
Trump went after America ’ s working class by going after elite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , endless military actions abroad , and a general policy of putting America ’ s interests behind those of other nations and global goals all fell in his crosshairs .
Like federal domestic programs that subsidized others , these elite programs ’ costs were borne by America ’ s working class but bore them nothing .
As a result , in 2016 Trump improved dramatically on Romney ’ s 2012 electoral vote count — the place where elections are decided .
Trump won two million more votes and added 98 electoral votes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan , Ohio , Pennsylvania , and Florida ) to Republicans ’ column .
In 2020 , Trump improved substantially in total votes , adding 11 million and increasing his share of the popular vote total from 46.1 percent to 47.2 percent .
Yes , he lost five states from 2016 ( Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , Georgia , and Arizona ) , but he did so by the barest margins : 159,000 votes .
In reviewing the 2020 outcome , it is crucial that its context by understood .
Trump lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the votes cast in these states .
Further , he did so after four years of establishment media vituperation .
For two years he faced organized opposition in the House , which included hearings and investigations and culminated in impeachment .
This year he faced Senate trial , a global pandemic , lockdowns , economic collapse , and a summer of riots .
In the election itself , there was an unprecedented use of mail-in ballots , which helped increase the vote total by almost 24 million votes , almost 20 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he barely lost .
Despite what the opposition will insist , Republicans should see that Trump ’ s populism almost succeeded despite him .
It also means that the prospect exists that it could do even better without him .
The question is not whether populism worked for Republicans , but whether they will try to run with it again without Trump .
The clear answer is that they would be fools not to try .
As evidence of its potency consider the populist approach ’ s electoral efficiency for Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional electoral votes and states despite winning 1.1 percent less of the popular vote than Romney did four years earlier .
Even with all the obstacles Trump faced in 2020 , he still won the same percentage of the popular vote that Romney did in 2012 and 26 more electoral votes — while missing 63 more by less than 1 percent of the votes cast there .
Imagine a Trump populist message with a new Republican messenger .
Just returning Republican and Independent suburban women would likely have flipped the outcome in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to flip 2 percent of the voters to win the popular vote , but just 0.5 percent on average to flip the five battleground states Trump lost in 2020 .
The bigger question is whether Republicans will pursue populism without Trump .
Trump has been so denigrated by the establishment media and political opponents — both inside and outside the party — that his obvious political accomplishment is overlooked .
Trump arguably created a movement .
His enemies would like nothing more than to have his nascent populist movement discredited with him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ realigning election .
It was not in the way realigning elections are generally considered — geographically — but instead was a class realignment .
This campaign removed all doubt as to which party represented the nation ’ s wealth and political and media establishment — its self-styled “ elite.
” The wealthiest states and urban areas went for Biden .
The establishment media was for Biden .
Big businesses went for Biden .
Outside money was for Biden and Democrats enjoyed an enormous campaign cash advantage .
Again , they were obstacles Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a class realignment election because of Trump .
Of course , there are those who will dispute this for their own purposes .
The Left and Democrats want to retain the rhetoric of populism for themselves .
The Republican establishment want to retain the party for themselves after populism wrested it from them .
In the wake of this clear realignment , Republicans must ask whether they can realign themselves .
Can Republicans raise a new messenger of the Trump message and seize the opportunity before them ?
J.T .
Young served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of communications in the Office of Management and Budget and as deputy assistant secretary in legislative affairs for tax and budget at the Treasury Department .
He served as a congressional staffer from 1987 through 2000 .
Photo “ Trump Supporters ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by J.T Young
November’s result should not obscure the fact that Trump bequeathed Republicans a winning populist strategy. The question is whether there can be populism without his persona. Republicans should seek to find out, or at least they should be if they have any political sense. Trump has drawn Republicans the populist blueprint; now someone else must build from it.
There is an irony in a flawed candidate devising a nearly flawless political strategy. Both apply to Trump. Yet while the former has been overemphasized to the point of absurdity, inaccuracy, and distortion, the latter has been deliberately overlooked.
Democrats, establishment media, the Left, and the Republican elite all want Trump’s populism to disappear. They are all threatened by it and would love 2020’s outcome to be its obituary. If Republicans are smart, 2020 will be its rebirth in an even more palatable and potent form.
For two elections, Trump stole what the Left and Democrats believed to be their birthright: populism. Trump eschewed the elite, of which he could have been a natural member; the elite never forgave his apostasy. Instead, he forged an unmistakable — and undeniably effective and formidable — political populism.
While the Left and Democrats never could — and never will — admit it, Trump owned their terrain to an extent they have not for decades. Unable to attack him for a populism they have long supported in name only, they vilified and delegitimized him, but they were unable to “de-populize” him or his appeal.
Trump went after America’s working class by going after elite policies. Uncontrolled immigration, unbalanced trade, endless military actions abroad, and a general policy of putting America’s interests behind those of other nations and global goals all fell in his crosshairs. Like federal domestic programs that subsidized others, these elite programs’ costs were borne by America’s working class but bore them nothing.
As a result, in 2016 Trump improved dramatically on Romney’s 2012 electoral vote count — the place where elections are decided. Trump won two million more votes and added 98 electoral votes and six states (Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida) to Republicans’ column.
In 2020, Trump improved substantially in total votes, adding 11 million and increasing his share of the popular vote total from 46.1 percent to 47.2 percent. Yes, he lost five states from 2016 (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona), but he did so by the barest margins: 159,000 votes.
In reviewing the 2020 outcome, it is crucial that its context by understood. Trump lost his five states by just 0.8 percent of the votes cast in these states. Further, he did so after four years of establishment media vituperation. For two years he faced organized opposition in the House, which included hearings and investigations and culminated in impeachment. This year he faced Senate trial, a global pandemic, lockdowns, economic collapse, and a summer of riots. In the election itself, there was an unprecedented use of mail-in ballots, which helped increase the vote total by almost 24 million votes, almost 20 percent higher than 2016’s. Still, he barely lost.
Despite what the opposition will insist, Republicans should see that Trump’s populism almost succeeded despite him. It also means that the prospect exists that it could do even better without him. The question is not whether populism worked for Republicans, but whether they will try to run with it again without Trump. The clear answer is that they would be fools not to try.
As evidence of its potency consider the populist approach’s electoral efficiency for Republicans. In 2016, Trump won his decisive additional electoral votes and states despite winning 1.1 percent less of the popular vote than Romney did four years earlier. Even with all the obstacles Trump faced in 2020, he still won the same percentage of the popular vote that Romney did in 2012 and 26 more electoral votes — while missing 63 more by less than 1 percent of the votes cast there.
Imagine a Trump populist message with a new Republican messenger. Just returning Republican and Independent suburban women would likely have flipped the outcome in the crucial battleground states. Republicans only need to flip 2 percent of the voters to win the popular vote, but just 0.5 percent on average to flip the five battleground states Trump lost in 2020.
The bigger question is whether Republicans will pursue populism without Trump. Trump has been so denigrated by the establishment media and political opponents — both inside and outside the party — that his obvious political accomplishment is overlooked. Trump arguably created a movement. His enemies would like nothing more than to have his nascent populist movement discredited with him.
This year’s contest was a realigning election. It was not in the way realigning elections are generally considered — geographically — but instead was a class realignment. This campaign removed all doubt as to which party represented the nation’s wealth and political and media establishment — its self-styled “elite.” The wealthiest states and urban areas went for Biden. The establishment media was for Biden. Big businesses went for Biden. Outside money was for Biden and Democrats enjoyed an enormous campaign cash advantage. Again, they were obstacles Trump and his populism almost overcame.
It was a class realignment election because of Trump. Of course, there are those who will dispute this for their own purposes. The Left and Democrats want to retain the rhetoric of populism for themselves. The Republican establishment want to retain the party for themselves after populism wrested it from them.
In the wake of this clear realignment, Republicans must ask whether they can realign themselves. Can Republicans raise a new messenger of the Trump message and seize the opportunity before them?
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J.T. Young served under President George W. Bush as the director of communications in the Office of Management and Budget and as deputy assistant secretary in legislative affairs for tax and budget at the Treasury Department. He served as a congressional staffer from 1987 through 2000.
Photo “Trump Supporters” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-02--All Star Panelist Clint Brewer Defines the Reality Bifurcation of China in a Biden Administration

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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 Clint Brewer to the studio .
During the third hour , Brewer stated that relations with China was the number two importance to the United States as Trump ’ s tough policies will be lightened under a Biden administration .
He added that a potential movement is on the horizon which would usher in the reestablishment of more traditional relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined by our all-star panelists Clint Brewer .
Clint , we are talking about China .
It looks like Joe Biden as we said is compromised on China .
His son made a whole bunch of money dealing with the Chi-com bureaucrat , fascist , profit-maximizing dictators over there .
And apparently , Joe Biden wants to continue to do deals with China .
And have all his pals make money along the way .
The story was you know , this guy Anthony Blinken .
You have a name like Blinken and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Blinken , and Nod , right ?
( Laughter ) Anyways , Blinken , and the likely Secretary of Defense nominee , Michèle Flournoy had a company called WestExec Advisors and they were helping people make money in China dealing with the crooked and corrupt autocratic Chinese Communist dictators .
That sounds like a wonderful plan .
Brewer : Well , you know , here ’ s the thing .
We ’ ve got sort of an I don ’ t even know what to call it .
I ’ ll make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America when it comes to China .
Leahy : Let me just stop .
The word of the day is reality bifurcation .
Brewer : I think that ’ s actually two words .
That ’ s a phrase .
Brewer : So on the one hand I have we have you know , what I would consider one of the positive policy legacies of the Trump Administration , which is to deal in a more straight-up fashion with China and what it is and what it wants to become which is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : They want to crush us .
Brewer : Not just militarily but also economically .
Leahy : And in terms of technology and information .
Brewer : Yes .
And you know , we call them communist China because technically they say they ’ re communists but they also have to battle it out with us every year for the largest economy in the world .
Leahy : Well what they are is I think it ’ s even of is more of a fascist type .
Leahy : Where the dictators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Here ’ s the interesting part .
So we have that sort of new reality new view of China certainly their handling of the coronavirus .
There ’ s a new story out today about a local report from the province where it originated showing that they mishandled it pretty badly… Brewer : For a couple of months .
But here ’ s the thing that listeners need to remember , and this is not in defense of anybody .
It ’ s just facts .
American companies , some of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Caterpillar or Boeing or consumer brands like Nike or Starbucks are invested heavily in China .
And while they may not get the majority of their revenue from China or even 50 percent of the revenue from China you take a company like Qualcomm and it gets well over 50 percent-plus of its revenue from China .
But all those companies are tied up in our markets .
So their revenue base is based on their share and of doing business in China .
Their stock price is based on in part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of Americans invested in the market in some way whether that ’ s mutual funds or ETFs or Ameritrade accounts or whatever , we have become prior to the Trump administration as an economy , very intertwined with China .
Leahy : And so let me just bring out a couple of things about this .
And it ’ s sort of the biggest advocate for continuing that relationship with China .
Not looking at oh all the human rights violations that go on there because apparently if anything even approaching the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , it ’ s a reason for a national protest .
But if huge huge human rights violations the thousands and thousands of people occur in China , we don ’ t want to talk about that .
Brewer : Well and it ’ s a surveillance state to at a level that I don ’ t think the world ’ s ever seen before .
Leahy : It ’ s really bad .
And because of the things that you ’ re talking about , you know for many many years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s show them all the merits of capitalism and they will see and they ’ ll change the change their ways .
Well , no , it hasn ’ t happened that way .
Brewer : Well , it worked with the Soviet Union .
It ’ s not working with China .
Leahy : It ’ s not working at all with China .
In fact , it ’ s just the opposite .
They ’ re trying to get us to change our ways .
I harken back , did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did with Mark Cuban recently ?
Well , I ’ ll tell you it was very enlightening .
Megyn Kelly , say what you will about her in this particular interview was very good .
And she basically said and of course , the NBA makes a lot of money with China and the NBA has zero interest zero in looking at the huge human rights violations going on over there with basically the slave camps for the Uyghurs for instance .
It ’ s been well documented .
And Megan Kelly asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is making a lot of money off of China .
Are you willing to say that you ’ re not going to do business with China until they address these human rights problems ?
And he refused to say that he would do that .
He said no he said , well we ’ ve got to do business with them even though they are engaged in the suppression of human rights for 100s of 1,000s of their residents .
And basically , he said yeah that ’ s going to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem is and let me just get to that what you ’ re talking about .
I think you ’ re quite right .
This is going to set I think the tone for 2021 .
The Joe Biden ’ s of the world the Anthony Blinken ’ s and the Michele Flournoy ’ s want to continue dealing with the dictator of the authoritarian money-grubbing Chi-com/fascist leaders of China .
and they want America ’ s companies to continue to do that .
That I think is a very very bad thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a potential Biden administration .
What are your thoughts ?
Brewer : I mean , I think that our policies towards them will you know , there ’ s a difference between our current president ’ s rhetoric and our actual policies .
But our policies have gotten tougher .
I think you ’ ll see a relaxing of that there .
There ’ s going to be a movement under Biden in all areas to have sort of , I won ’ t call to normalization but a re-establishment of a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leahy : He ’ s going to bend a knee .
He ’ s going to subvert American sovereignty to the interest of larger International companies that want to do business with all of these dictatorships .
Brewer : Well , I mean , you know , what what what the markets want what Wall Street wants is predictability .
And you know President Trump is not particularly predictable and I think President Biden will be .
Leahy : The markets have done well under Donald Trump .
Brewer : They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets have done well traditionally .
Over time the market really since you know 1932 has done very very well .
Brewer : And there ’ s a divide a very distinct one now between the state of the common laborer worker in America and the markets .
Leahy : Now I think it ’ s just hit the nail on the head .
This is where I ’ ve been going with all this discussion about China .
So I see a world in which the Biden administration continues the dominance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corruptocrat deals with large international corporations that make a lot of money .
And in essence , through their government contracts and government relationships get special treatment .
And they ’ re the people that are going to be hurt are the average small business people .
Brewer : Well , I think what you ’ ll see is , you know , let ’ s turn this list this hour into things to watch in .
2021 .
I mean I think that the relationship with China both at the business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the efficacy of the vaccines for COVID-19 I think that is literally the number two thing to watch .
Leahy : You think the efficacy of the vaccine is the number one thing ?
Brewer : Yeah .
I mean , I think this country can ’ t move forward until we get people vaccinated and we get well and the death stops and the sickness stops .
I mean that ’ s number one because that affects Is everybody .
Leahy : And number two would be China ?
Brewer : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think you are exactly right .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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 Clint Brewer to the studio.
During the third hour, Brewer stated that relations with China was the number two importance to the United States as Trump’s tough policies will be lightened under a Biden administration. He added that a potential movement is on the horizon which would usher in the reestablishment of more traditional relations with nation-states.
Leahy: We are joined by our all-star panelists Clint Brewer. Clint, we are talking about China. It looks like Joe Biden as we said is compromised on China. His son made a whole bunch of money dealing with the Chi-com bureaucrat, fascist, profit-maximizing dictators over there. And apparently, Joe Biden wants to continue to do deals with China. And have all his pals make money along the way. The story was you know, this guy Anthony Blinken.
You have a name like Blinken and I think of the law firm Winkin, Blinken, and Nod, right? (Laughter) Anyways, Blinken, and the likely Secretary of Defense nominee, Michèle Flournoy had a company called WestExec Advisors and they were helping people make money in China dealing with the crooked and corrupt autocratic Chinese Communist dictators. That sounds like a wonderful plan.
Brewer: Well, you know, here’s the thing. We’ve got sort of an I don’t even know what to call it. I’ll make up a phrase a reality bifurcation in America when it comes to China.
Leahy: Let me just stop. The word of the day is reality bifurcation.
Brewer: I think that’s actually two words. That’s a phrase.
Leahy: It’s a phrase. Thank you. (Chuckles)
Brewer: So on the one hand I have we have you know, what I would consider one of the positive policy legacies of the Trump Administration, which is to deal in a more straight-up fashion with China and what it is and what it wants to become which is the preeminent superpower in the world.
Leahy: They want to crush us.
Brewer: Not just militarily but also economically.
Leahy: And in terms of technology and information.
Brewer: Yes. And you know, we call them communist China because technically they say they’re communists but they also have to battle it out with us every year for the largest economy in the world.
Leahy: Well what they are is I think it’s even of is more of a fascist type.
Brewer: Maybe authoritarian.
Leahy: Where the dictators are making all the money.
Brewer: Here’s the interesting part. So we have that sort of new reality new view of China certainly their handling of the coronavirus. There’s a new story out today about a local report from the province where it originated showing that they mishandled it pretty badly…
Leahy: I’m shocked. I’m shocked.
Brewer: For a couple of months. But here’s the thing that listeners need to remember, and this is not in defense of anybody. It’s just facts. American companies, some of our leading companies both industrial companies and likes a Caterpillar or Boeing or consumer brands like Nike or Starbucks are invested heavily in China. And while they may not get the majority of their revenue from China or even 50 percent of the revenue from China you take a company like Qualcomm and it gets well over 50 percent-plus of its revenue from China.
But all those companies are tied up in our markets. So their revenue base is based on their share and of doing business in China. Their stock price is based on in part of that success and with over 55 percent of Americans invested in the market in some way whether that’s mutual funds or ETFs or Ameritrade accounts or whatever, we have become prior to the Trump administration as an economy, very intertwined with China.
Leahy: And so let me just bring out a couple of things about this. And it’s sort of the biggest advocate for continuing that relationship with China. Not looking at oh all the human rights violations that go on there because apparently if anything even approaching the human rights violation occurs in the United States, it’s a reason for a national protest. But if huge huge human rights violations the thousands and thousands of people occur in China, we don’t want to talk about that.
Brewer: Well and it’s a surveillance state to at a level that I don’t think the world’s ever seen before.
Leahy: It’s really bad. And because of the things that you’re talking about, you know for many many years the philosophy was oh yes, let’s show them all the merits of capitalism and they will see and they’ll change the change their ways. Well, no, it hasn’t happened that way.
Brewer: Well, it worked with the Soviet Union. It’s not working with China.
Leahy: It’s not working at all with China. In fact, it’s just the opposite. They’re trying to get us to change our ways. I harken back, did you see this interview that Megyn Kelly did with Mark Cuban recently? Well, I’ll tell you it was very enlightening. Megyn Kelly, say what you will about her in this particular interview was very good. And she basically said and of course, the NBA makes a lot of money with China and the NBA has zero interest zero in looking at the huge human rights violations going on over there with basically the slave camps for the Uyghurs for instance. It’s been well documented.
And Megan Kelly asked Mark Cuban who owns the Dallas Mavericks and is making a lot of money off of China. Are you willing to say that you’re not going to do business with China until they address these human rights problems? And he refused to say that he would do that. He said no he said, well we’ve got to do business with them even though they are engaged in the suppression of human rights for 100s of 1,000s of their residents. And basically, he said yeah that’s going to continue.
Brewer: Freedom of religion.
Leahy: This is a big problem is and let me just get to that what you’re talking about. I think you’re quite right. This is going to set I think the tone for 2021. The Joe Biden’s of the world the Anthony Blinken’s and the Michele Flournoy’s want to continue dealing with the dictator of the authoritarian money-grubbing Chi-com/fascist leaders of China. and they want America’s companies to continue to do that. That I think is a very very bad thing. But I see that expanding under a potential Biden administration. What are your thoughts?
Brewer: I mean, I think that our policies towards them will you know, there’s a difference between our current president’s rhetoric and our actual policies. But our policies have gotten tougher. I think you’ll see a relaxing of that there. There’s going to be a movement under Biden in all areas to have sort of, I won’t call to normalization but a re-establishment of a more traditional relationship with a lot of nation-states.
Leahy: He’s going to bend a knee. He’s going to subvert American sovereignty to the interest of larger International companies that want to do business with all of these dictatorships.
Brewer: Well, I mean, you know, what what what the markets want what Wall Street wants is predictability. And you know President Trump is not particularly predictable and I think President Biden will be.
Leahy: The markets have done well under Donald Trump.
Brewer: They have done well.
Leahy: Of course markets have done well traditionally. Over time the market really since you know 1932 has done very very well.
Brewer: And there’s a divide a very distinct one now between the state of the common laborer worker in America and the markets.
Leahy: Now I think it’s just hit the nail on the head. This is where I’ve been going with all this discussion about China. So I see a world in which the Biden administration continues the dominance, the favoritism, the special deals, the corruptocrat deals with large international corporations that make a lot of money. And in essence, through their government contracts and government relationships get special treatment. And they’re the people that are going to be hurt are the average small business people.
Brewer: Well, I think what you’ll see is, you know, let’s turn this list this hour into things to watch in. 2021. I mean I think that the relationship with China both at the business level and the government level is aside from the efficacy of the vaccines for COVID-19 I think that is literally the number two thing to watch.
Leahy: You think the efficacy of the vaccine is the number one thing?
Brewer: Yeah. I mean, I think this country can’t move forward until we get people vaccinated and we get well and the death stops and the sickness stops. I mean that’s number one because that affects Is everybody.
Leahy: And number two would be China?
Brewer: In my mind yes.
Leahy: I think you are exactly right.
Listen to the third hour here:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.