thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Commentary: Biden Is Speaking Out of Both Sides of His Mouth

Former Vice President Joe Biden seems to think he can coast to victory by posing as a moderate while adopting the most extreme policy platform of any major-party candidate in American history .
The thing is , the American people just aren ’ t that stupid — we know a huckster when we see one .
Anxious to boost the dismally-low enthusiasm for his candidacy among his party ’ s base — one member of which recently compared voting for Biden to eating “ half a bowl of s— ” — Biden has taken the unprecedented step of shifting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the nomination , rather than moving toward the political center .
After appointing far-left firebrands such as Robert Francis “ Beto ” O ’ Rourke and radical Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to spearhead his policy agenda , Biden unveiled a so-called “ unity platform ” that directly copied numerous proposals championed by democratic-socialist Senator Bernie Sanders .
Sanders gushed that Biden ’ s radical new agenda would make him the most progressive president since FDR , echoing former President Barack Obama .
Those two wily politicians seem to agree with the assessment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who named Biden as the “ candidate who can be most effectively pressured.
” It doesn ’ t take a Beltway insider to see that , of course — ordinary voters are increasingly aware that Biden is handing the reins over to the very people that moderate Democrats were trying to keep on the sidelines .
In a recent focus group conducted in Michigan , for instance , swing voters described Biden ’ as a “ puppet ” who is “ not capable of being President.
” Biden ’ s relatively low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fueled this perception , showing voters a stark contrast between the candidate ’ s noticeable lethargy and the frenetic ambition of the ideologues who are shaping his agenda .
Some of those in the study also remarked that he seems to be “ showing signs of dementia , ” and even those who said they intend to vote for Biden in November made it clear that they are not the least bit excited by the prospect .
There is , in fact , an enormous enthusiasm gap between those who intend to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote for President Trump .
Even after Biden offered up more red meat for his base , including a slew of new climate regulations projected to cost $ 2 trillion , only 31 percent of his supporters said they are excited to vote for him , while 72 percent described themselves as feeling “ anxious ” about the upcoming election .
Many of those anxious and apathetic Biden supporters are undoubtedly the moderate Democrat voters who saw the former vice president as a savior during the primaries , and are now watching with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominated by the very radicals he was campaigning against a few months ago .
It was a classic bait and switch .
Biden and his team may think they ’ ve gotten away with pulling a fast one on the American people , but we hear what he says , no matter which side of his mouth the words come out .
Terry Bowman is a 24-year Ford/UAW worker , the Co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party , and the Chairman of the Workers for Trump National Advisory Board .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Trump: Convention Speech Locale is White House or Gettysburg

WASHINGTON , D. C. ( AP ) – President Donald Trump said Monday that his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination will be held at either the White House or the Gettysburg battlefield .
The president ’ s initial hopes for the event to be a four-day promotion for his reelection bid have been steadily constrained by the coronavirus pandemic , culminating in his decision last month to cancel nearly all of the in-person proceedings .
In recent weeks , President Trump and his aides have looked for alternatives that would allow him to recreate at least some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have narrowed the Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech , to be delivered on the final night of the Convention ( Thursday ) , to two locations – The Great Battlefield of Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , and the White House , Washington , D.C. , ” Trump tweeted Monday .
He added that a decision on the location of the Aug. 27 speech will be made soon .
Both sites are federal property , raising legal and ethical issues for their use in a political event .
The president is not covered by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by nearly all federal employees , though White House and other federal officials supporting the event are .
The Civil War battlefield in Pennsylvania could also resurface the president ’ s repeated defense of monuments to heroes of the Confederacy .
Trump has previously turned to national parks and monuments to hold politically tinged events , including a July 4 event on the National Mall in 2019 and one at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota just last month .
In May , he gave an interview to Fox News inside the Lincoln Memorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his appointed secretary of the Interior , David Bernhardt .
Trump has spoken openly of his fondness for President Abraham Lincoln , whose short address dedicating the national cemetery for Union soldiers in 1863 crystallized the cause for which they died fighting .
But Trump has repeatedly courted controversy in office in opposing efforts to remove displays of the Confederate battle flag and failing to resoundingly condemn white supremacists .
The Republican National Convention was initially slated for Charlotte , North Carolina , before Trump moved it to Jacksonville , Florida , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state would be more amenable to his aim of having thousands of mask-less supporters cheering his renomination .
But as a wave of new coronavirus cases swept the Sun Belt , Trump was forced to cancel those proceedings last month .
Now almost the entirety of the convention will be conducted virtually , except for a formal renomination vote on Aug. 24 in Charlotte by just a few hundred delegates casting proxy votes for those unable to assemble in person .
About the Headline Photo : President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the South Lawn as he arrives at the White House in Washington , Sunday , Aug. 9 , 2020 , after returning from Morristown , N.J. ( AP Photo/Andrew Harnik )

Richmond Police arrested 11 people during a protest outside the Richmond City Justice Center on Tuesday.
The group was gathered outside of the Justice Center to protest conditions in the Richmond jail after COVID-19 outbreak among 100 inmates and staff was reported.
Richmond police officers arrived outside of the Justice Center to help the Richmond Sheriff’s office deal with the group protesters who had moved from the public sidewalk onto Justice Center grounds during the demonstration, causing a security concern, according to the Richmond police description of the incident,
Just before 7 p.m., a man on a bicycle attempted to block a tow truck trying removing a vehicle that had been illegally parked in front of the Justice Center. When a Richmond police officer arrived at the scene, the man tried to flee on his bike and was then stopped by the officer. Other protesters witnessed this and attempted to stop the arrest, leading to those people being arrested as well, according to the police account.
A video of the incident was captured and published to the RVA Magazine Instagram account. That video is below.
A flyer on social media for the protest read: “Our comrades on the inside are facing retaliation from officers for simply requesting adequate medical attention. These conditions are inhumane. We stand in solidarity with those who have been kidnapped, convicted and caged.”
On Wednesday, Richmond police released the names and charges for the 11 protesters arrested.
Their names and charges are as follows:
Stephen Roach Obstruction of Justice Impeding the flow of traffic
Benjamine Skromine Obstruction of Justice Impeding the flow of traffic
Gabrielle Brost Hoffman Obstruction of Justice
Aditya Mohan Obstruction of Justice
Rachel Fidlow Obstruction of Justice
Andre Rosson Obstruction of Justice
Alex Oxford Obstruction of Justice with Force
Jonathan Miranda Disorderly Conduct
Susanna Keating Disorderly Conduct
Mollie Luck Disorderly Conduct
Carmen Day Disorderly Conduct
– – –
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 “Richmond City Justice Center Protest” by RVA Mag.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Commentary: The Age of COVID-19 May Be the Perfect Time to Re-Think the Legal Monopoly Known as the

Commentary: The Age of COVID-19 May Be the Perfect Time to Re-Think the Legal Monopoly Known as the Bar

COVID-19 has delivered an occasional silver lining in the economic clouds troubling America .
The most obvious is to highlight stupid regulations imposed to benefit special interests and their political enablers .
Including members of the legal monopoly .
Professional regulation is supposed to protect the public .
However , even doctors and lawyers , among many others , have used controls to limit competition for their services .
They are even more insistent that other experienced and well-trained professionals — such as nurses and paralegals — be prevented from competing than that the occasional genuine incompetent be ferreted out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduating from a fine law school nor becoming a noted practitioner .
I did the first , but having decided that I didn ’ t want to practice I took my final year ’ s classes pass/fail so I could concentrate on playing and writing politics .
After signing up for Ronald Reagan ’ s campaign and ending up in the White House in 1981 , I never did practice .
Rather , my legal highlight was writing an article for the Los Angeles Times advocating abolition of the mandatory bar while I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finding his work under attack in the state ’ s leading newspaper caused the head of the state bar to pen a reply .
No surprise , despite my best efforts , the bar , both organization and exam , still exist .
But at least someone in authority took note of my arguments .
Now COVID-19 is forcing states to reluctantly open the system a bit .
Under coronavirus siege my old nemesis , the California bar , postponed the July bar exam , which I took 41 years ago ( has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , first to September and then to October .
Moreover , the California Supreme Court , which sits atop the state ’ s legal hierarchy , ordered that the test be available remotely and lowered the passing score for a test long considered to be one of the nation ’ s toughest .
Even more dramatic , the jurists ordered the state bar to create a system of provisional licensing for practice while supervised by current attorneys .
The latter program is to run through June 2022 .
Practice under established practitioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , who normally did not even attend law school .
For instance , Abraham Lincoln was primarily self-taught , relying on books lent to him by the attorney with whom he first worked after being admitted to the bar .
It would be a good , practical path today , concentrating on the essentials of practice , rather than promoting left-wing philosophical fantasies such as Critical Legal Studies .
New York state also postponed the July bar exam , urging new law school graduates to wait and take an even later test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys are sharply restricted in what they can do , frustrating them and their employers .
So the state bar took a similar approach as California , issuing new rules that “ will allow all covered candidates employed in New York to work under the supervision of a qualified attorney in good standing.
” The New York bar explained that this “ temporary authorization program is intended to carry qualified candidates through their swearing-in date , so long as those candidates pass their first bar examination no later than 2021.
” This initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the state rejected a proposal to grant “ diploma privileges , ” that is , allow graduates of specified schools to practice without taking the bar .
In March a New York bar association task force decided that “ the absence of an examination would create unacceptable risks that persons lacking minimum competence to practice law would gain admission in New York.
” The claim is unsurprising but unsupported .
Exams are filled with abstract questions on both national and state legal rules , which are far different than the realities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of work .
What evidence is there that memorizing a vast number of regulations and principles , most of which will never prove useful in any attorney ’ s practice , is a valid , let alone good , measure of competence ?
I can testify from experience that test-takers cram for the exam , usually by paying for special bar review courses in which instructors educate for the test , emphasizing whatever is necessary to make it through a two-day bar exam rather than succeed in the three- to four-decade career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have ended up practicing despite passing the bar exam ; many quality lawyers failed the test one or more times , going on to exemplary careers .
The test ’ s relationship to good legal work is mostly theoretical .
As for providing a useful credential for consumers to judge , the bar could be voluntary .
Clients could use it as one among many factors in judging competence .
Of greater value would be the reputation of the new lawyer ’ s colleagues , and especially of the firm or other organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latter have a powerful incentive to choose the best attorneys that they can find , with or without an arbitrary , state-mandated test of artificial knowledge .
Perhaps the best evidence that the exam is purely protectionist is the requirement that even an established lawyer often must pass the bar exam of another state before practicing there .
Diploma privileges once were common across the nation , used in the late 19th and early 20th century to encourage aspiring attorneys to attend law school .
However , as the legal monopoly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before ultimately coming under antitrust attack by federal agencies for setting fees — the practice was abolished .
Still , diploma privileges persisted into the 1980s in Mississippi , Montana , South Dakota , and West Virginia .
Until recently only Wisconsin allowed graduates of law schools , in this case its own , to automatically practice .
New Hampshire takes a hybrid approach , allowing graduates of its sole law school to skip the bar exam if they complete a specific program and take a version of the test before graduating .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to innovate .
In April , Utah approved diploma privileges for any school approved by the American Bar Association so long as the applicant completes 360 hours of practice under a licensed attorney .
In June , the Washington state supreme court reversed an earlier decision and decided to grant diploma privileges for law school graduates from ABA-accredited schools without any practice requirement .
The judges declared that their decision “ recognizes the extraordinary barriers facing applicants currently registered to take the bar examination in either July or September 2020.
” At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state supreme court followed suit , specifying ABA-approved schools that had achieved a minimum bar exam pass rate .
In late July , Louisiana ’ s high court joined the growing parade .
All ABA-approved schools qualify , though would-be attorneys must complete continuing education of the bar courses as well as a state bar mentoring program .
Barred from taking advantage of the rule are those who previously failed the bar .
These decisions generated heated opposition .
For example , Louisiana Justice Will Crain complained of failing to test “ for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gift a law license rather than test competency , ” and “ removing the sole competency filter for admission to the practice of law.
” He asked if the court would allow COVID-19 “ as an excuse against the victims of incompetence ?
” Yet with his emotions running at floodtide , he offered no evidence to back his claim that “ The bar examination acts to protect the public from basic incompetency.
” The test provides a good challenge for memorization but sheds no light on one ’ s ability to relate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with colleagues , negotiate settlements , or perform in court .
The bar exam is high public drama , intended to screen out potential competitors while convincing members of the public that the legal bar is looking after them .
The pandemic helped break through this carefully constructed façade .
What is only a modest , though still welcome , relaxation of the rules should be viewed as merely a good start .
Licensing has become a national scourge .
Incumbent professionals , who are always grandfathered into any new licensing system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hair braiders , florists , bartenders , masseurs , embalmers , and scores more professionals .
The burden of these restrictions fall particularly hard on people who move frequently — spouses of military service personnel , for instance .
In most cases warnings of consumer harm are laughable .
An incompetent bartender , florist , or hair braider might prove to be inconvenient , but little more .
The cost , in denying competent people jobs , reducing choice and raising costs for consumers , and freezing the job market is far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss imposed by licensing run $ 200 billion annually .
The economic disaster created by COVID-19 offers an opportunity to eliminate or relax rules that made no sense in good times .
The mandatory bar exam and other restrictive tools used to enforce the legal monopoly should be eliminated .
Granting diploma privileges , allowing practice under an attorney ’ s supervision , and turning the bar exam into a voluntary credential all would be good starting points for reform .
The coronavirus offers an opportunity to bring some good out of so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan .
He is a graduate of Stanford Law School and a member of the California and D.C. bars .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Memphis Barber Wins Lawsuit Against Tennessee Officials who Kept Him from Working

A Memphis man has won a lawsuit against the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners for denying him the right to work .
As The Tennessee Star reported in 2018 , state officials denied that man , Elias Zarate , a barber ’ s license because he did not have a high school diploma .
A press release that the Nashville-based Beacon Center of Tennessee emailed Monday updated Zarate ’ s case .
Beacon , a right-of-center think tank , represented him .
“ The judge ruled that it was constitutionally irrational for the government to require barbers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they don ’ t require one for cosmetologists , who perform essentially the same function , ” Beacon officials said in their press release .
Beacon Vice President of Legal Affairs Braden Boucek said in the press release that “ the government shouldn ’ t stand between Elias and the career he loved just because he didn ’ t graduate high school.
” “ If emergency personnel don ’ t need to graduate high school to restart the heart of a person who stopped breathing , then you can cut hair without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ruling finally righted this injustice , ” Boucek said .
“ After overcoming massive challenges throughout his life , Elias and other barbers who do not have a high school degree are finally able to go back to work.
” As reported , Zarate ’ s mother died in a car accident .
Authorities deported his father , who was in the United States illegally .
Elias attended school and worked to support his two younger siblings , but he ultimately quit in the 11th grade to work full time .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grueling work to provide for others , Elias thought he had made it , ” the Beacon Center of Tennessee wrote in an article at the time .
“ He was finally able to work in a field that he cared about and had a talent for , and he was able to earn good money doing it .
Life , it seemed , was coming together , ” Beacon officials wrote .
“ State officials quickly tore his dream apart .
Elias was shut down shortly after he got started .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punishment.
” Davidson County Chancellor Anne C. Martin oversaw Zarate ’ s case , according to court documents .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Police Arrest 4, Cite 42 in Nashville Over Weekend for Violating Mask Mandates

Nashville Metro police arrested 4 people and cited 42 others for violating mask mandates over the weekend on Broadway .
The police wrote 20 citations on Friday , 18 on Saturday , and four on Sunday .
One arrest was made Friday , and three were made Saturday .
One of those arrested this past weekend is one of these visitors is a 45-year-old man from Florida named Patrick Walls .
Walls was arrested Saturday for not wearing a mask .
Reports state that Walls was warned to put on a mask after being ejected from a bar .
Walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by yelling ” and acting aggressively , according to the arrest affidavit .
Police arrested Walls for public intoxication and “ repeatedly not wearing a mask in public despite warnings.
” Other arrests were made after citizens initially complied with police orders to put on masks but removed them later .
The arrests come just days after a 61-year-old man was arrested for violating the mask mandates .
Police greatly increased their presence on Broadway this past weekend , bolstering numbers of walking patrols and employing a six-person ATV unit .
The increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drake , the Metro Police ’ s Interim Police Chief .
Drake took the reigns Thursday after former Police Chief Steve Anderson retired amid calls for his resignation from both city council members and the Tennessee chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) .
Drake has made it clear that one of his primary goals as the interim chief is to enforce Nashville ’ s mask mandates and help Mayor John Cooper “ mitigate this pandemic.
” Mayor Cooper had strong words concerning the mask mandates last week , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the mask mandates .
“ Otherwise , Nashville is not the place for you , ” said Cooper in a statement .
He said that visitors must “ follow [ Nashville ’ s ] rules to keep everyone safe.
” Sam Medley is a journalist at the Tennessee Star and Star News Network .
You can follow Sam at Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Sen. Ron Johnson Subpoenas FBI Director Christopher Wray for All Crossfire Hurricane Documents

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , subpoenaed FBI Director Christopher Wray last week for all documents related to Crossfire Hurricane , the investigation of the Trump campaign ’ s possible ties to Russia .
The subpoena , issued on Aug. 6 , calls for Wray to produce all of the documents related to the probe by Aug. 20 .
Johnson is also demanding that Wray hand over all records that the FBI provided the Justice Department ’ s office of the inspector general for its scathing report on Crossfire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday that he intends to subpoena Jonathan Winer , a former State Department official who served as a key liaison between dossier author Christopher Steele and State Department officials before the 2016 election .
Winer arranged a meeting for Steele at Foggy Bottom in October 2016 and was also a background source for multiple news articles that contained Steele ’ s unverified allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia .
Johnson and several other Senate Republicans are investigating various decision that the FBI made in its probe of the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Steele dossier .
A report from the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) inspector general issued Dec. 9 said that the FBI failed to disclose damning information about the Steele dossier in applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) orders against former Trump aide Carter Page in 2016 and 2017 .
The bureau relied heavily on the dossier , authored by Christopher Steele , to argue that Page was acting as an agent of Russia .
The FBI failed to verify any of the core allegations against Page and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long expressed frustration with Wray over the production of documents related to Crossfire Hurricane .
House Republicans have threatened multiple times to subpoena the Trump appointee but never pulled the trigger .
One question Republicans have raised is why information about Crossfire Hurricane has taken years to disclose .
They have also noted that most of the evidence that has been turned over has proved embarrassing for the FBI .
Text messages between Peter Strzok , the lead investigator on Crossfire Hurricane , and Lisa Page , an FBI lawyer during the probe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ text messages while working on the investigation .
On Sunday , Sen. Lindsey Graham , another Republican digging into the origins of Crossfire Hurricane , released a declassified FBI memo of a Feb. 14 , 2018 , briefing provided to the Senate Intelligence Committee regarding the primary source for Steele .
The memo said that the FBI had no reason to believe that Steele fabricated any information in the dossier .
Graham accused the FBI of lying to the Senate panel , noting that Steele ’ s source , Igor Danchenko , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not recognize some of the information in the dossier that Steele attributed to him .
Danchenko told the FBI that he provided Steele with “ rumor and speculation ” about Donald Trump and members of the campaign .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--This Week’s Special Legislative Session Could Cost Tennessee Taxpayers More Than $100,000

The special session of Tennessee lawmakers scheduled for the week of August 10 will likely cost Tennessee taxpayers more than $ 100,000 .
Legislators were called to the special session by Governor Bill Lee through an August 3 proclamation to address three issues , the first two which could have been addressed during the previous legislative session .
The first issue is limiting the COVID-19 liability risk for healthcare providers , businesses and schools operating in a responsible and safe manner .
The legislature took up the matter under SB 2381 / HB 2623 when they returned in June from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , passed a different version of the legislation and a bi-partisan joint Conference Committee Report passed the Senate with a 24 to 5 vote .
With 46 Ayes , 36 Nays and 6 Present and Not Voting , the measure failed in the House by not receiving a constitutional majority of 50 votes in favor .
Another piece of legislation regarding the expansion of telemedicine under SB 1892 / HB 1699 was taken up by a different bi-partisan joint Conference Committee .
The House went on to adopt the Conference Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , like many other bills the House passed during the second session in June , the Senate never voted on it .
A third issue that has arisen from some of the protests held on and around the Capitol grounds over the past many weeks is the vandalism and defacement of public property , camping , and other risks to public safety .
The General Assembly will also consider whether additional legislation is appropriate to protect the safety of state employees and the public and prevent the damage and destruction to public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make any appropriations in order to fund the first year of any act passed during the special session .
Tennessee ’ s constitution requires that bills be considered and passed by a majority of each house on three different days .
Even though typically the first two considerations are perfunctory in nature , it will take a minimum of three days for the session .
Members of the General Assembly , with the exceptions of the two Speakers who have a state vehicle and driver , receive a mileage allowance of $ 0.47 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a per diem based on whether or not their residence is considered within driving distance of Nashville , at a rate of $ 61 or $ 284 per day , respectively .
As such , a typical three-day week of session comes at a cost of about $ 100,000 while a four-day week costs nearly $ 138,000 , according to House and Senate documents for the first quarter of 2020 .
The one-day special session called by Lee for August 23 , 2019 , to elect a new Speaker of the House of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel and per diem expense reports for 2019 .
Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--With Less Than a Week to Go, Biden and the Democrats Are Still Juggling Virtual Convention Details

ATLANTA , Georgia ( AP ) — Joe Biden ’ s presidential nominating convention will highlight the U.S. political spectrum from the left flank of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the Republican old guard of former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich .
But that doesn ’ t mean there ’ s room for every prominent Democrat who would get a share of the spotlight at what would have been a traditional convention in Milwaukee before the COVID-19 pandemic made that impossible .
Instead , Biden ’ s campaign and other convention planners are continuing negotiations with various power players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention with just eight hours of programming over four nights from Aug. 17-20 .
Still unsettled , according to convention organizers , is who gets to speak live and who must be taped .
The virtual production is slated for 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. EDT each night , leaving Biden and his aides an unusually narrow window to satisfy a range of egos within the party while trying to project a cohesive message to voters ahead of his general election campaign against President Donald Trump .
Time slots became even more finite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inclusion of rank-and-file voters from around the country .
They range from a Pennsylvania farmer who voted for Trump in 2016 to a pastor from Reno , Nevada , a public transit bus driver from Atlanta and a union auto worker from Michigan .
Those voters will join several party luminaries : former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton , 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama .
All will speak separately , according to Democrats with knowledge of the schedule .
At least three of Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : California Sen. Kamala Harris , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
But that leaves only so much time for the rest of the party bench — other failed 2020 candidates , sitting governors , congressional leaders -– who at a normal convention would at least be guaranteed to take the stage during each night ’ s early prime time hours .
“ We had two goals in mind : to include more Americans than ever before , and to ensure that all Americans see themselves reflected in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cutter , a veteran Democratic strategist who is directing the program lineup for Biden .
A spot could open later this week should Biden tap Harris or Warren as his running mate .
The vice-presidential nominee is slated to speak Wednesday night .
The roll call , when Biden will be nominated officially , is slated for 30 minutes on Tuesday night , with video featuring all 50 states and seven territorial delegations .
Many other details remain up in the air , organizers said , from specific time slots to how many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden is expected to speak live from his home state of Delaware , but advisers have not disclosed a venue .
Live addresses involve potential technical difficulties , and they also introduce unpredictable time elements should a speaker go over his or her allotted time .
That ’ s a common bug at traditional conventions , when dozens of politicians take an arena stage for hours of programming each evening .
It becomes less manageable , organizers said , with a hybrid production of live and recorded material like what Democrats are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recent virtual productions of the NFL Draft , which was a live broadcast that incorporated tape delayed feeds , and former NBA star LeBron James ’ national high school graduation bonanza , which was taped .
There had been a question over whether Ocasio-Cortez , a high-profile House freshman , would get a convention slot .
A favorite of young progressives , she endorsed Sanders in the primary and has been a harsh critic of the Democratic establishment where Biden has spent his nearly five decades in national politics .
But Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since he took control of the nominating contest over Sanders and others in early March ; Ocasio-Cortez was a prominent leader in a policy task force that Biden and Sanders impaneled this spring to hash out details of the Democratic Party platform .
Organizers would say only that Ocasio-Cortez will have a role in the convention lineup .
Some establishment Democrats had lobbied Biden ’ s inner circle that progressives would have ample representation from Sanders and Warren , while adding Ocasio-Cortez would overshadow other young up-and-comers , including more moderate House freshmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to feature the full breadth of the party and his supporters .
They pointed to Kasich , who ran for the GOP nomination in 2016 and has remained a harsh Trump critic , and they noted that Biden ’ s invitation to the former Ohio governor irked progressives perhaps more than including Ocasio-Cortez might bother some moderate Democrats .
Bill Barrow is a reporter at The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : In this July 24 , 2016 , file photo , workers prepare for the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden ’ s presidential nominating convention will highlight the U.S. political spectrum from the left flank of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the Republican old guard of former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich .
But that doesn ’ t mean there ’ s room for every prominent Democrat who would get a share of the spotlight at a routine convention taking place without the backdrop of a pandemic .
( AP Photo/Paul Sancya , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Puerto Ricans Demand Answers Over Primary Ballot Shortage and Election Delay

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( AP ) — The future of Puerto Rico ’ s botched primaries rested in the hands of the island ’ s Supreme Court as answers trickled out Monday on why voting centers lacked ballots and forced officials to reschedule part of the primaries in a blow to the U.S. territory ’ s democracy .
A plan to hold another primary on Aug. 16 for centers that could not open on Sunday could change depending on the ruling of a lawsuit filed by Pedro Pierluisi , who is running against Gov .
Wanda Vázquez to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Progressive Party .
Joining the lawsuit was Puerto Rico Sen. Eduardo Bhatia , of the main opposition Popular Democratic Party .
Meanwhile , María Dolores Santiago , the electoral commission official for the New Progressive Party , told The Associated Press that key officials knew about the problems leading up to the primary on Sunday , but nobody did anything to stop it .
She said the last of the remaining ballots arrived Saturday at 8:30 p.m. , days behind schedule , and that trucks loaded with the ballots and electronic voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the day of the primary , when normally they depart one or two days beforehand .
Santiago repeatedly refused to answer questions including why she didn ’ t personally suggest that the primaries be delayed during Saturday ’ s meeting with the president of the electoral commission .
She only said that at the time , the general agreement was to go ahead and hold the primary .
“ Maybe other decisions should have been taken , but we have to work with reality , ” she said .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Wanda Vázquez and other top officials from the island ’ s two main parties have demanded that the president of the elections commission resign after a lack of ballots meant people were only able to vote in nearly 60 of 110 precincts on Sunday .
Carlos Méndez , president of the island ’ s House of Representatives , also demanded that the commission release the results of the completed votes .
It was the first time primaries have been halted and led many to worry that it has cracked Puerto Ricans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect the outcome of upcoming November general elections on an island with a voter participation rate of nearly 70 % .
“ That scar will never leave Puerto Rico , ” said political analyst Domingo Emanuelli .
“ It was a hold-up of the country ’ s democracy.
” Juan Ernesto Dávila , president of the election commission , told WAPA TV on Monday that he thought the ballots would go out in time and that the electoral commission officials of the two main parties he met with a day before the primaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also said it wouldn ’ t be responsible to resign amid an ongoing primary .
“ Once the primary process concludes , I will analyze that , ” he said .
The primary pits two candidates who served as replacement governors following last year ’ s political turmoil .
Vázquez faces Pierluisi , who represented Puerto Rico in Congress from 2009 to 2017 .
Pierluisi briefly served as governor after Gov .
Ricardo Rosselló resigned in August 2019 following widespread street protests over a profanity-laced chat that was leaked and government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court ruled that Vázquez , then the justice secretary , was constitutionally next in line because there was no secretary of state .
Meanwhile , the main opposition Popular Democratic Party , which supports Puerto Rico ’ s current political status as a U.S. territory , was holding a primary for the first time in its 82-year history .
Three people are vying to become governor — San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz , known for her public spats with U.S. President Donald Trump following the devastation of Hurricane Maria ; Puerto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delgado , mayor of the northwest coastal town of Isabela .
A federal control board that oversees Puerto Rico ’ s finances dismissed accusations that the electoral commission did not have enough funding , saying it approved all of its funding requests .
“ The disruptions … are the result ( of ) inefficient organization at an agency that only two weeks ago struggled to procure the printing of ballots for an election that was originally supposed to take place on June 7 , ” the board said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it has the more than enough staff to perform the one task it is charged with.
” The ongoing chaos could be further disrupted by additional lawsuits , experts say .
Edgardo Román , president of the Bar Association of Puerto Rico , said the situation is in a legally gray area .
A new date has to be set for those who didn ’ t get a chance to vote because the ballots never arrived , he said , but it ’ s less clear what will happen to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote because they didn ’ t find out in time that the ballots eventually arrived .
“ Everything has been rather abrupt , ” he said .
“ We have had the worse electoral experience in the history of Puerto Rico.
” The political upheaval was demoralizing to some , but Gireliz Zambrana , a 31-year-old federal employee who didn ’ t get a chance to vote on Sunday , said he would try again on Aug. 16 even though he is frustrated and said what happened is irrational .
He stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change : the island is still struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria and a series of strong earthquakes amid a pandemic and a 13-year economic recession .
“ One has to go out and vote , ” he said .
“ The only way to fix all of this is kicking people out.
” Danica Coto is a reporter with The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : An official turns away two voters at a voting center lacking ballots in Carolina , Puerto Rico , Sunday , Aug. 9 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were marred on Sunday by a lack of ballots in a majority of centers across the U.S. territory , forcing frustrated voters who braved a spike in COVID-19 cases to turn around and go back home .
( AP Photo/Danica Coto )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--REVIEW: ‘Apocalypse Never’ Takes Direct Aim at ‘Consensus’ of Climate Alarmism

An important new book by Michael Shellenberger , Apocalypse Never : Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All , attempts to counter the common belief that climate change poses an imminent and existential threat to humanity and the planet .
At 285 pages , this is a relatively short and very readable book , but it covers a lot of ground .
And with an additional 125 pages containing over 1,000 footnotes , Shellenberger ’ s arguments are well documented .
The book should be required reading for politicians .
It should also be required reading for Google CEO Sundar Pichai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the handful of other online communications titans who exercise almost total control over what facts and opinions make their way into public discourse .
This book also belongs in the hands of climate activist journalists , for whom a 16-year-old truant is an oracle with unassailable credibility , while contrarian scientists and economists are only targets for smear campaigns .
Needless to say , Shellenberger ’ s book has attracted furious rebuttals—this one in the Yale Climate Review is typical—but it is unlikely many of these critics read the book all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open mind .
One of Shellenberger ’ s primary points is that while climate change is occurring , it is not the biggest global environmental threat and that policies to “ fight climate change ” are causing some of the most harm to the environment .
So-called “ renewable energy ” is a prime example of this .
To debunk the supposed environmental benefits of renewable energy , Shellenberger makes frequent reference to the concept of power density .
In this analysis , nuclear energy comes out on top , generating the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space .
Power density takes into account the footprint of the generating plant , as well as the area required for extraction of construction material and fuel , the distribution grid , and the subsequent waste storage .
Following nuclear is hydroelectricity , then fossil fuels .
Renewable energy sources bring up the distant rear .
In order , they are solar , wind , and biofuel/biomass .
The extreme amount of land consumed by renewables is only part of the problem .
Because renewables supply intermittent power , backup has to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ batteries or natural gas power plants .
Shellenberger exposes the links between fossil fuel interests and the pro-renewable-but-anti-nuclear lobby and makes a convincing case that there is a synergy between the two .
By blocking nuclear power , which offers a continuous supply of electricity , expansion of quick-start natural gas power plants become necessary to fill in when the sun is down and the wind falters .
In a section that constitutes a goldmine for political foes of California ’ s aristocratic families headed by the Brown , Getty , Newsom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly how this clique used its influence to protect their oil and gas interests at the same time as they have steadily worked to eliminate nuclear power .
This is a scandal ripe for further investigation .
Renewables don ’ t just consume land and cause increased use of fossil fuel to provide the necessary backup power , they ’ re killing wildlife .
Lots of wildlife .
Defenders of wind power make the stunningly deceptive claim that “ house cats kill more birds than windmills.
” This knowingly ignores the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they kill common sparrows .
Windmills , on the other hand , are slaughtering raptors at alarming rates , along with bats and insects .
In all three cases , this is no joke .
Any competent ecologist will explain the threat of extinction posed by windmills to these species , as well as how essential their survival is to ecosystem health .
To dwell exclusively on Shellenberger ’ s takedown of renewables would not do justice to the rest of his book .
One of his primary themes is the land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only in the context of renewables but also with respect to agriculture and livestock .
He explains that adopting modern agricultural practices is a more significant variable , by an order of magnitude , than climate change in affecting crop yields .
He explains the potential of indoor agriculture , aquaculture , and mechanized agriculture to dramatically reduce the land required for global food production .
He even cites studies that find “ industrial beef ” requires “ fourteen to nineteen times less land than pasture beef.
” This point , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” agriculture are causing far more harm than benefit to the environment , is lost on the climate activist lobby .
Shellenberger devotes a chapter in his book to explaining how the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) has become politicized , and that the “ Summary for Policymakers ” they periodically release often misrepresents the source reports to highlight worst-case scenarios .
These hyped summaries are then selectively quoted by activist journalists and agenda-driven politicians to exaggerate the IPCC findings even more .
Pursuant to this message , no price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to destroy the planet any day now , it doesn ’ t matter if the forests burn to fuel cooking fires , or windmills and solar farms destroy habitats and species .
For those of us who already are convinced that climate change is not an existential threat , but a manageable one that may take its place among a host of other serious challenges , no further discussion is required .
Politicians are corrupt , business investors are opportunistic , scientists are politicized , socialists exploit the climate agenda , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate crusade that previous generations found in religion and patriotism .
Enough said .
Something else Shellenberger highlights , however , bears special emphasis .
He makes a case for big infrastructure .
Not only nuclear power plants but also hydropower and power grids .
He describes the plight of Africans for whom reliable supplies of water and energy would completely transform their lives .
Big infrastructure in Africa would enable prosperity , political stability , and space-efficient agriculture .
It would eliminate the need to forage for wood or hunt game .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would allow African nations to acquire the development and demographic trajectory already achieved or well underway in the rest of the world ; a stabilizing population , female emancipation , lower infant mortality , higher life expectancy , increased literacy , better public health , urbanization .
Instead , Shellenberger writes , “ sustainable ” development aid rarely funds infrastructure in Africa .
An example of a project that attracts almost universal condemnation from the global environmentalist is the Grand Inga Dam complex on the Congo River .
If completed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power than the Three Gorges Dam in China ; possibly exceeding 40 gigawatts of continuous electricity .
Overall , Africa ’ s hydroelectric potential has barely been tapped .
Africa also lacks a reliable electricity grid , or a natural gas pipeline network .
With the exception of South Africa , there are no nuclear power plants in Africa .
The economic and environmental benefits of big infrastructure in Africa not only would accrue to Africans , greatly improving their standard of living and quality of life .
It is also an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to seize , with the full support of the U.S. government .
This not only would extend American influence in Africa and offer remunerative opportunities to American businesses , but it would also be a way to revive America ’ s nuclear power and civil engineering industries .
Moreover , it would preclude other nations , most notably China and Russia , from stepping in to fill the vacuum .
America ’ s response to the “ climate crisis , ” is set to go into overdrive if Biden becomes president next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make all of life ’ s essentials less affordable , especially for low-income Americans , and diminish America ’ s ability to do good in the rest of the world .
Virtually all climate skeptics attempt to stress this moral foundation , from the irrepressible Marc Morano to more nuanced “ lukewarmist ” experts such as economist Bjorn Lomborg or scientist Judith Curry , but they face an overwhelming political and cultural momentum that marginalizes their voices .
The consensus enforcers may have a tough time shoving Shellenberger into that box .
Shellenberger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem , just not an existential crisis , has impeccable credentials as an environmentalist .
He has spent his entire life fighting for environmental causes and was one of the pioneering “ ecomodernists , ” a school of thought that sought ways to decouple economic growth from environmental destruction , and promoted practical and optimistic solutions .
Shellenberger ’ s earlier book Break Through : From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility , co-written with fellow environmentalist Ted Norhaus , earned him the distinction of becoming one of Time magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2008.
” To answer the deep need for meaning that apocalyptic environmentalism offers , Shellenberger concludes his book with a discussion of environmental humanism .
As he puts it , “ we need to go beyond rationalism and re-embrace humanism , which affirms humankind ’ s specialness , against Malthusian and apocalyptic environmentalists who condemn human civilization and humanity itself .
.
.
we must ground ourselves first in our commitment to the transcendent moral purpose of universal human flourishing and environmental progress , and then in rationality.
” This environmental humanist agenda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct challenge to climate alarmists , who must now answer the question , as Shellenberger writes “ are they motivated by love for humanity or something closer to its opposite ?
” To emphasize his point , Shellenberger notes that saving the African gorillas , or , for that matter , the California condor , was not something we did because we needed the gorillas , or the condors , for our survival .
We saved them because we love them .
Surely we can find a way , in the beliefs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same for our fellow humans .
Edward Ring is a senior fellow of the Center for American Greatness and co-founder of the California Policy Center , which he co-founded in 2013 .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Players Unite in Push to Save College Season, Create Union

Michigan defensive back Hunter Reynolds saw the tweets from Trevor Lawrence and other college football players pushing for the opportunity to play this season despite the pandemic .
Reynolds , one of the organizers behind a players ’ rights movement in the Big Ten , didn ’ t like the way some on social media seemed to be pitting Lawrence ’ s message against the efforts of # BigTenUnited and # WeAreUnited .
Reynolds got on a call with Lawrence and the star quarterback ’ s Clemson teammate , Darien Rencher , and within a matter of hours the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College football players from across the country united Sunday in an attempt to save their season and ensure they will no longer be left out of the sport ’ s biggest decisions .
Lawrence , Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields , Oklahoma State All-America running back Chuba Hubbard , Alabama running back Najee Harris and numerous other players from Florida State to Oregon posted a graphic on social media with # WeWantToPlay and # WeAreUnited .
“ We came to the conclusion , We Want to Play , their message might have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day the message wasn ’ t too far off from what Big Ten United wanted to promote , ” Reynolds said .
“ Which is we all want to play sports this fall .
Every athlete , I ’ m pretty sure , wants to play their sports .
They just want to do so safely.
” The # WeAreUnited hashtag was used a week ago by a group of Pac-12 players in announcing a movement they say has the support of hundreds of peers within their conference .
They have threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 protocols , racial injustice in college sports and economic rights for athletes are not addressed .
# BigTenUnited arrived on the scene a couple days later , a movement that claimed the backing off 1,000 Big Ten football players .
Their demands were more targeted , strictly related to health and safety in dealing with COVID-19 .
Sunday night , the call with Reynolds , Rencher and Lawrence led to a Zoom meeting — of course — with some of the Pac-12 players involved in “ WeAreUnited.
” Washington State defensive lineman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graphic and now the movement is officially nationwide .
“ Just started bouncing ideas off each others ’ heads and kind of discussing where we go from here and we ended up coming up with that statement , ” said Reynolds , a senior from South Orange , New Jersey .
Under the logos of each Power Five conference — ACC , Big Ten , Big 12 , Pac-12 and SEC — the players pronounced their platform : — We all want to play football this season .
— Establish universal mandated health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college athletes against COVID-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA .
— Give players the opportunity to opt out and respect their decision .
— Guarantee eligibility whether a player chooses to play the season or not .
— Use our voices to establish open communication and trust between players and officials : Ultimately create a College Football Players Association .
All of this capped a weekend during which the adults who run college sports seemed to be moving toward shutting it all down because of the pandemic .
A day after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major college football leagues to cancel the fall season , Power Five conference commissioners met Sunday .
They discussed mounting concerns about whether a season can be safely conducted with the pandemic still not under control in the United States .
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said no decisions on the season have been made , but conceded the outlook has not improved .
“ Are we in a better place today than two weeks , ago ?
No , we ’ re not , ” he said .
Bowlsby cited “ growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around myocarditis.
” Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart and it has been found in some COVID-19 patients .
There is concern it could be a long-term complication of contracting the virus even in young , healthy people , a group that has usually avoided severe cardiovascular symptoms .
Also Sunday night , the Big Ten ’ s university presidents and chancellors held a previously unscheduled meeting , a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was not announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct knowledge of the meeting , speaking on condition of anonymity , said no votes were taken or decisions made about the college football season .
The final call on whether major college football will played this season rests in the hands of the university presidents who oversee the largest conferences .
With doom and gloom hanging over college football , Lawrence , who has become the face of the sport in a summer of strife , tried to push back the tide with a series of tweets .
“ People are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk , if we don ’ t play , ” Lawrence posted .
“ Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract covid19.
” Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth had a similar message , and the parents of Ohio State football players weighed in , too .
Reynolds wants athletes to have a say in the meetings that are deciding the fate of their sports — starting now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not being afraid to speak our minds and having social media to kind of mobilize , I think that box on a Zoom call is something that is pretty attainable , ” he said .
“ Especially , in the near future.
” Ralph D. Russo is a college football reporter for The Associated Press .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Pentagon Offers Military Airwaves for 5G Wireless Networks

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) — The Pentagon plans to free up a big chunk of its military airwaves in the U.S. for high-speed internet service , part of a broader push to get ahead of China in the deployment of 5G wireless technology .
The Trump administration announced Monday that it has identified radio spectrum used for radar defense systems that can be shared with commercial telecommunications providers without compromising national security .
5G is a new technical standard for the “ fifth generation ” of wireless networks that promises faster speeds ; less lag , or “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network ; and the ability to connect many devices to the internet without bogging it down .
5G networks will ideally be better able to handle more users , lots of sensors and heavy traffic .
But a June report by the Congressional Research Service said there aren ’ t as many frequencies available for 5G technology in the U.S. compared to other countries because the American military holds so much of the usable spectrum .
Much of the investment in the U.S. has centered around the higher-frequency “ millimeter wave ” spectrum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t likely work as well outside urban areas .
That ’ s in contrast to China , which has been investing in building out networks using the less-expensive lower and middle bands .
White House officials said Monday that the will be able to auction 100 megahertz of the military ’ s “ mid-band ” spectrum beginning in December 2021 for use as soon as mid-2022 .
It has previously been used for shipboard and airborne radar systems .
The Pentagon plans to free up a big chunk of its military airwaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , part of a broader push to get ahead of China in the deployment of 5G wireless technology .
The Trump administration announced Monday that it has identified radio spectrum used for radar defense systems that can be shared with commercial telecommunications providers without compromising national security .
“ This band has the ideal characteristics for 5G deployment — to travel long distances to ensure that all Americans have access to the network , while delivering ultra-fast and high performance that will power technologies in the future , ” said Michael Kratsios , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasized this was an unusually fast timeline for transferring federal spectrum to commercial use .
FCC Commissioner Michael O ’ Rielly , a Republican who has been at odds with President Donald Trump ’ s administration on some issues , sent a letter to the president in April urging him to cut through red tape and get the Pentagon to give up some of its frequencies .
“ The U.S. does not have the luxury of waiting years to provide spectrum for 5G services , especially when competitors such as China can move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the resources and power of their centralized , Communist regime , ” O ’ Rielly wrote .
Federal officials have been working to give American companies a leg up in advancing 5G networks in part to thwart the global ambitions of China-based Huawei , which holds a leading share of the market for wireless equipment and is seen by Washington as a security threat .
Huawei ’ s lower-cost equipment is popular with developing countries and is making inroads into Europe .
“ Opening up this critical block of mid-band spectrum for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competitiveness in the 5G ecosystem , ” said a statement from Meredith Attwell Baker , the trade association ’ s CEO .
Matt O ’ Brien and Deb Riechmann are reporter with The Associated Press .
O ’ Brien reported from Providence , Rhode Island .
About the Headline Photo : Federal Communication Commission ( FCC ) Commissioner Michael O ’ Rielly , speaks during an open hearing and vote on Net Neutrality in Washington , Thursday , Feb. 26 , 2015 .
The Pentagon plans to free up a big chunk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-speed internet service , part of a broader push to get ahead of China in the deployment of 5G wireless technology .
O ’ Rielly , a Republican who has been at odds with President Donald Trump ’ s administration on some issues , sent a letter to the president in April urging him to cut through red tape and get the Pentagon to give up some of its frequencies .
( AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Crom Carmichael Explains the Media’s Exaggeration of Coronavirus Deaths and it’s Relation to Mail-Ou

Crom Carmichael Explains the Media’s Exaggeration of Coronavirus Deaths and it’s Relation to Mail-Out Voting

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
At the end of the second hour , Carmichael weighed in on Chuck Todd ’ s recent claims that the coronavirus deaths may exceed WWI , WWII , and Vietnam .
He compared the virus deaths to those of people who had drowned worldwide and by the Spanish Flu citing a clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to push a ‘ mail-out ’ voting scenario .
It ’ s easy , even dangerous to become numb to the scope of the coronavirus tragedy that ’ s all around us .
Yesterday the US hit a total of five million cases .
That is two million more than Brazil which is second in the world to cases .
We ’ ve also passed 160,000 deaths .
We are at 163,828 as of this morning .
And the University of Washington ’ s model projects the toll could roughly double to 300,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let ’ s put that 160,000 figure into a little bit of perspective .
That ’ s about 40 percent more than the total number of Americans killed in WWI .
It is nearly triple the number of Americans killed from Vietnam .
And if that University of Washington figure is correct , by December , we would have passed the number of US battle deaths from WWII all in less than one calendar year .
Leahy : Virtual signaling Chuck Todd on Meet the Press yesterday .
Crom do you have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Laughs ) In another segment about the coronavirus he also said this was the worst pandemic in 100 years .
And that ’ s true .
That part is true because the pandemics that we ’ ve had in the last 100 years had been pretty darn small .
But the Spanish Flu which is the one he is referring to of over a little 100 years ago .
In order to help Chuck have a little perspective let me provide the following : One-third of the world ’ s population was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people died worldwide from the Spanish Flu .
Now that ’ s when the population was only a fraction of what it is today .
60 million people in the world died today , 60 million die every year .
60 million .
And Chuck Todd is saying there are 675,000 deaths from coronavirus and somehow it is terrible .
In the US three million people die every year .
And in fact , when Obama and Biden were President and Vice President 25 million Americans died .
Carmichael : What did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They didn ’ t do anything .
Leahy : They didn ’ t do anything about those 25 million deaths Crom .
Carmichael : Yes .
And I ’ m surprised that Chuck Todd did not point out that during Trump ’ s first two years 6 million people died because 3 million people die in the US every year coronavirus or not .
And so what Chuck Todd is doing , he ’ s setting up the old strawman .
He sets up something as if it is a big deal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually happened in WWII , battle deaths for Americans in WWII were relatively small compared to the rest of the world .
And in fact , the US did not have any civilian casualties in the US itself unless you had some spy running around killing a few people .
But in the world , 80 million people died in WWII .
80 million .
Carmichael : 47 million were civilians .
Now in order to try to give Chuck some perspective here , 320,000 die every year in the world from drowning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So in the course of three years a million people in the world die from drowning .
That is more than will die from the coronavirus .
Leahy : What has Donald Trump done about that ?
Carmichael : What has the world done ?
( Leahy laughs ) What has the World Health Organization done ?
Have they eliminated swimming pools ?
Have they closed the beaches ?
Well , there are some Democrat governors that have closed the beaches .
Leahy : But not because of drownings .
Carmichael : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Leahy chuckles ) That ’ s exactly right .
Should we say that people can not get in the water ?
Worldwide every year 800,000 people die of suicide .
800,000 .
What is the World Health Organization doing about that ?
What is Chuck Todd doing about that ?
By the way , during the coronavirus lockdown , domestic abuse went up dramatically .
The calls to suicide hotlines exploded during the coronavirus lockdown .
Leahy : I think suicides are up aren ’ t they ?
Carmichael : Oh yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murders in cities are going through the roof .
You can ascribe that the coronavirus .
You can ascribe it do to the defunding the police .
You can attach a lot of different reasons for that .
Leahy : Violent crimes are going up .
Carmichael : So we have to ask ourselves , Chuck Todd is not a stupid person .
He is a political hack .
There is no question about that .
And so the question is why is Chuck Todd and why are all the other people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus ?
And the answer has nothing to do with the illness .
It has everything to do with trying to put pressure on state legislators to do mail-out voting .
Leahy : Mail-out voting .
Which is just going to be filled with fraud .
Carmichael : Filled with fraud .
And it ’ s the only way that the Democrats can win the election .
And let ’ s be clear about something .
When a state does mail out voting and engages in fraud and somebody says California .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win California anyway .
That part is true .
But there are House seats in California that are highly contested .
And the fraud for mail-out voting in those districts could very well determine that Democrats fraudulently wins and Nancy Pelosi retains the speakership .
Leahy : By the way , there are 53 House seats in California .
One is vacant right now .
Republicans only hold six of those seats .
And 40 some odd are held by Democrats .
And before the mid-terms , it was like 14 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and guess what ?
We ’ re likely to have a Republican House .
Carmichael : Right .
And that ’ s why the Democrats are trying so hard to cheat .
They have become truly the Machiavellian party .
The ends justify the means .
So they are trying to get the mail out voting in Michigan .
Whitmer sent out requests for absentee ballots to all the voters .
So this whole thing of COVID and all these other things are all now about trying to get the mail-out voting so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And if Trump were to win re-election it would be a way for the Democrats to claim he ’ s illegitimate .
Leahy : They are going to claim that anyway .
Carmichael : They are going to claim that anyway .
Listen to the 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--2020-08-11--Crom Carmichael Discusses Logic, Common Sense, and Why Mail-Out Voting is Susceptible to Fraud

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
During the second hour , Carmichael defined himself as a logical person more than that of a conservative because he believes he can support his opinions with logic .
He later defined what he calls ‘ mail-out ’ voting and described the difference between them and absentee voting .
Leahy : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good friend .
The original all-star panelist .
Crom , I think you ’ ve been on the air for well over 30 years here .
Good morning Crom .
Carmichael : Good morning .
How are you , sir ?
Leahy : You know when I say original all-star panelist it is to remind all of our listeners that when I moved to Nashville in 1990 I didn ’ t know anything about politics here in the area .
It took a while to figure it out .
And there was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Crom Carmichael on the old Teddy Bart Show .
And I would listen to that every morning .
And after listening to him for about six months with one conservative on it , that would be you , I kind of had a pretty good sense of Nashville and Tennessee .
So thank you for that 30 years ago .
Carmichael : I really do not consider myself to be conservative .
I consider myself to be logical .
Carmichael : Because when you say conservative or if you say liberal or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All of my opinions I believe I can support logically .
Carmichael : Teddy would call me a conservative .
That ’ s why my brick was always an edifice of logic .
It was not an edifice of conservatism .
Leahy : I ’ ll accept the descriptor as conservative .
But you are probably correct .
Leahy : Logically .
The logical Crom Carmichael here .
Speaking of logic .
Carmichael : Which by the way , if you consider yourself to be logical then the evidence can be presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change your mind .
Somebody one day had said you are just an ideologue .
Leahy : You are not an ideologue .
Carmichael : Actually I am an ideologue .
Ideas matter .
I ’ m not a partisan .
I am an ideologue .
And I said to him , I don ’ t know if you are complimenting me or not but I think you are .
You may not .
But ideas matter .
And so I ’ m not a partisan .
When Don Sundquist came out for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican .
That was a terrible idea .
A terrible idea .
Could not be defended logically .
And so I attacked him .
There were other people in the radio media that attacked him .
Dave Ramsey by the way was one of the stewards in that movement .
Steve Gill .
Carmichael : Phil Valentine .
They all had their shows .
They moved them down and then that was all the horn honking .
Carmichael : You can ’ t say that too many times fast or you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great time in Tennessee .
And by the way , all the facts that the left presented supporting the state income tax have now been completely debunked .
Carmichael : They were false .
Now there were some people who said them and believed them .
And they were just ignorant .
There were other people who lied and knew that they were false but wanted the income tax .
Leahy : Because they wanted power .
I want to just take one of our callers here Crom .
We are talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question for us about masks .
Good morning Karen .
You are on the Tennessee Star Report with Crom Carmichael and me , I ’ m Michael Patrick Leahy .
Caller Karen : Hello .
I just wanted to know why maks only work one way .
How come if you don ’ t wear a mask you give disease and but people who wear one it doesn ’ t prevent it ?
Leahy : Well Karen .
All the evidence I ’ ve seen is that cloth masks and surgical masks don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of COVID-19 .
Carmichael : Well , that ’ s the point that Karen is making .
It ’ s that if somebody is not wearing a mask and somebody who is wearing a mask is in front of them then according to the councilwoman if masks work then the person wearing the mask ought to be completely safe .
But Karen ’ s point is that neither of them ( Leahy chuckles ) in that circumstance are safe .
Therefore masks may be slightly beneficial .
Might be .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Karen ’ s point .
Karen : All I know is that I can not breathe in a mask .
Leahy : And a lot of dentists , by the way , Karen , did you see the story the other day where they said that masks can increase the possibility of stroke for some folks ?
Karen : More people need to stand up against not wearing a mask .
Leahy : Karen , you get the award today for adding another brick to the edifice of logic .
Karen : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know .
Leahy : I like that .
There ’ s a lot of logic out there among our listeners .
Carmichael : Yes , there is .
Leahy : Emulating perhaps your style or also developing it on their own .
Leahy : They have it on their own .
It ’ s Tennessee .
We have lots of common sense in Tennessee .
Carmichael : We do have lots of common sense in Tennessee .
Leahy : Speaking of common sense .
This controversy about the difference between absentee ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little bit of sleight of hand going on by the crowd .
Carmichael : What you have is you have a football is a ball .
But not all balls are footballs .
OK ?
So an absentee ballot is a vote by mail .
But not all vote by mails are absentee ballots .
An absentee ballot is a request that is made by the voter which confirms that the voter exists .
That the signatures match .
And that the current address of the voter is correct .
After you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , which in Tennessee you have to vote for the first time , then they ’ ll mail it to you wherever you are .
You don ’ t have to be in Tennessee .
If you are vacationing in Florida and you want your absentee ballot mailed to Florida then you request it and give the address of where you want it mailed .
But your signature is confirmed .
Carmichael : Yes .
And a mail-out ballot which is what I ’ m now calling them .
A mail-out ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ballots to everyone who is on the voter rolls at a given time even though the voter rolls may not have been purged for years .
Which means there are many many dead people .
In Clark County , Nevada they actually did this and found , I believe it was one in six that turned out to be mailed out to people who had moved or died .
Leahy : It was like 200,000 .
It was a big number .
Leahy : And when elections are determined by 1,000 votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for voter fraud .
And anyone in the media who says that mail out ballots is a good idea and is good for our Democracy is either ignorant to the point of being a fool , because you can ’ t possibly not understand the amount of fraud , or you are dishonest to the core .
Which is where I would put George Stephanopoulos .
Because George Stephanopoulos when anyone brings up voter fraud he immediately jumps in and says there ’ s no evidence of that .
He immediately jumps in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been a political hack his whole life .
Carmichael : Well they all are because they pretty much all say the same thing .
That is their response .
And there is plenty of evidence .
In fact , you pointed out .
I raise the story but you gave the rest of the story about the person in North Carolina who did the vote harvesting on behalf of a Republican .
What they did was they broke the law .
And that ’ s the same type of thing as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And you pointed out that it was an angry Democrat who had been doing that for years for Democrats .
And so when he switched sides the Democrats knew exactly what he was doing .
Leahy : They knew the deception going on because they themselves had been practicing it for decades .
Carmichael : So voter fraud is a problem to begin with .
Mail-out voting where you mail ballots to everybody ’ s registered address would result in a fraudulent election .
Another really good story to support the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the article about what happened up in New York .
Here you just have one House seat .
Leahy : Now let ’ s see this is an election that happened back in June .
Carmichael : Yes .
June 23rd was when they had the election .
Leahy : Are the results final yet ?
Carmichael : Well , they are final because the judge made them final and not because both sides agreed on the count .
In fact , the person who was judged by the judge to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the judge is saying , I don ’ t care whether you are going to concede or not .
I ’ m naming this person the victor .
And the judge didn ’ t say it exactly like that .
But what the judge did was is he ruled that this is the date that is deposited .
Anything that can not be shown to be a ballot that was received on or before that date , if you can ’ t prove then that vote doesn ’ t count .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots that had no evidence at all as to when they were received .
None !
( Laughs ) They weren ’ t postmarked .
They weren ’ t anything .
And by the way , this is on both sides .
Carmichael : Yes .
All kinds of problems .
And so both sides were cheating .
( Chuckles ) Leahy : What a shock in New York .
In a Democratic primary .
I am shocked !
Listen to the second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Minnesota Nonprofit Used Donations Intended for Jailed Protesters to Bail Violent Offenders

The Minnesota Freedom Fund ( MFF ) , a bail-issuing nonprofit trending since George Floyd ’ s death , recently used its donations intended for jailed protestors to bail several violent offenders .
Donors intended for their MFF contributions to bail out jailed Black Lives Matter protesters .
Instead , Fox9 found that MFF recently paid near half a million in cash to bail out two individuals whose charges are entirely unrelated to Floyd protests .
One of the individuals , Darnika Floyd ( pictured left ) , stands accused of second degree murder for stabbing someone to death ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right ) , a twice-convicted rapist facing two separate charges for kidnapping , sexual assault , and assault .
Under Minnesota law , records of third parties such as the MFF who pay bail in cash aren ’ t public .
The only way to discover who bailed who is through other public court documents , such as those recording an agreement by defendants to pay back bail money to their issuers .
Cash bail becomes the property of the accused , regardless of who posted the bail .
Not only are Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempting to hold some of Hollywood and Washington ’ s political elite responsible .
Floyd ’ s death triggered many celebrities to donate to the MFF , persuading their fan bases to do the same – Steve Carell , Seth Rogen , and Ben Schwartz , to name a few .
Several of Joe Biden ’ s staffers also donated to MFF , causing backlash to the Democratic presidential candidate .
As of yet , neither Biden ’ s campaign or any of the celebrity donors have issued comments on the matter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of MFF , said that he doesn ’ t look at the charge when posting bail , because that ’ s “ not the point.
” The nonprofit ’ s Board President , Octavia Smith , agreed that the focus isn ’ t so much the charges but rather the idea of accused individuals being held in jail at all .
“ [ The ] cash bail system is just operating on this thing [ where ] they haven ’ t been convicted of anything , you know ?
And people are literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t afford to pay high bills.
” The legal system has historically relied on bail to ensure the defendant returns to court , and to protect the community and any victim ( s ) .
In the event that a defendant fails to return – such as was the case for one of MFF ’ s recently bailed suspects – the court will hold the bond issuer accountable .
Normally , bonds issuers will send out a bounty hunter to track down the defendant .
In their case , MFF forfeited the bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time the nonprofit has stirred controversy .
In June , Twitter users were in uproar over the nonprofit ’ s tweet about spending only $ 200,000 of its recently-acquired $ 35 million for bailouts .
Prior to Floyd ’ s death , MFF stated on its site that it was a three person staff with an annual budget hovering around $ 200,000 .
After , MFF donations soared to around $ 35 million .
Most recently , the nonprofit tweeted that it spent $ 1.5 million on 95 people in July , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since protests and riots began in the wake of Floyd ’ s death .
The post also shared its transferral of $ 4.5 million to the National Bail Fund Network , an organization with the express goal of abolishing the bail system and any form of pretrial detention .
It is unclear what percentage of those funds was applied to jailed protesters .
MFF did not respond for a comment by press time .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Minnesota Sun and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Commentary: As a Singularity Draws Near, Can We Step Back from the Brink?

It ’ s obvious to all , at this point , that factional division is reaching a breaking point in America .
Like a pair of locked-together tectonic plates pulling slowly in opposite directions , the strain has been increasing for a long time now – and when seismic ruptures finally occur , they happen suddenly , and release enormously destructive energies .
Some years back , John Derbyshire referred to this pent-up tension as a “ cold civil war , ” and here in 2020 more and more of us are getting the feeling that the term is apt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also been the subject of an ongoing weekly discussion between the radio host John Batchelor and historian Michael Vlahos . )
Scholars have argued over the nature of civil wars since the Romans first gave us the term .
As described in David Armitage ’ s fascinating book Civil War : A History in Ideas , they have settled , over time , on a three-way taxonomy : Secessionist : Civil wars are those in which one part of a nation wishes to separate itself and go its own way .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it could be argued , fall into this category : not only the one we now call “ the Civil War , ” but also the one we proudly refer to as the American Revolution .
Successionist : Civil wars are conflicts in which factions vie for control of a nation ’ s political system .
In these conflicts the form of the nation is not at issue , just who shall occupy the throne .
History is rich with examples .
Supersessionist : Civil wars are those in which two factions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of the nation should be , vie for sovereignty over the nation ’ s territory .
The French and Russian revolutions were of this type .
Throughout history , civil war has been regarded as uniquely evil .
It pits neighbor against neighbor and brother against brother .
It is the form of war in which , no matter who wins , the nation loses .
Charles de Gaulle once said , “ All wars are bad .
.
.
But civil wars , in which there are brothers in both trenches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ born when war concludes.
” Montaigne said , “ Civill warres have this one thing worse than other warres , to cause every one of us to make a watch-tower of his owne house.
” One of the peculiarities of civil war is that it is hard to say , except in retrospect , when a nation has passed the point of no return .
There is rarely anything so distinct as Caesar ’ s fateful crossing of the Rubicon .
It is , rather , like falling into a black hole : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” at some distance from the singularity , beyond which nothing can escape .
To a space-traveler falling through it , there is no visible difference , no noticeable boundary – but once you have crossed that fateful border , there ’ s no possibility of turning back .
All future timelines must pass through the singularity .
Is that where we are today ?
For the answer to be “ no ” means either that one side in this great political conflict will simply admit defeat , or that there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coming together in a newly formed political center .
Does that seem likely ?
Looking at the yawning rift in American politics – the fundamentally incompatible visions of society and government that the two factions hold , the dehumanizing mutual antipathy that finds freer expression every day , the unforgettable damage already done , and the implacable fury with which they grapple for every atom of power – can any of us imagine some way forward in which Right and Left just “ bury the hatchet ” and “ hug it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commonality – but the social and political axioms of “ blue ” and “ red ” have moved so far apart as to be wholly incommensurate .
Even the most basic axiom of all – that the United States of America , for all its flaws , is essentially good and worth preserving – is now the subject of acrid , even violent , disagreement .
( Our nation ’ s “ newspaper of record ” has even gone out of its way to insist that the premise is not debatable , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event horizon , then what sort of singularity – which of the three forms of civil war – are we falling toward ?
Although the 2020 election will be bitterly contested – it may even turn out , in retrospect , to have been the singularity itself – the stakes here are much larger than who gets to spend the next four years in the White House .
No matter who wins , the underlying strain will only increase .
( Indeed , it will probably increase sharply : if you think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just wait till mid-November or so . )
If civil war is coming , then , it isn ’ t of the “ successionist ” variety .
Will the conflict be of the “ secessionist ” type ?
Alas , no .
Would that it were !
If we look at the current state of American affairs as a failed marriage , the best solution would be some sort of divorce .
A secessionist solution might very well be welcomed by all , and avoid civil war altogether .
The problem , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil war , the two sides do not occupy distinct and contiguous geographical regions , but are , rather , mixed together county by county , or even house by house .
Nobody has yet arrived at any plausible plan for the factions to disaggregate – and without physical separation , it is hard to imagine a realistic means of political separation .
That leaves the “ supersessionist ” type , which seems closest to the mark .
“ Red ” and “ blue ” have profoundly different visions of the scope and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the role of government in American life generally .
They differ also on fundamental questions of religion , ethics , morals , and even human nature .
Red believes that the American founding was a work of astonishing insight and inspiration and that it represents the best compromise yet struck by the minds of men to enable the possibility of ordered liberty and the individual citizen ’ s pursuit of happiness and prosperity .
Blue seems to believe increasingly that the whole thing was a sinister power-grab by a cadre of rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consolidate their immoral supremacy , and that the whole thing is so rotten that it should be torn up by its roots and replaced with something fairer and nobler .
( Blue has already revealed that it wishes to see the Second Amendment , the Senate , the Electoral College , and our nation ’ s borders abolished – and its grievances hardly end there . )
We are fighting , then , not over who shall rule over the existing system , nor about whether the United States should be broken up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether the United States as currently constituted should continue to exist , or should be wholly replaced with an entirely new regime .
Yes , the idea of civil war is always repugnant .
But there is another form of conflict that is very closely related to civil war – indeed they are often quite the same thing – that has exactly the opposite emotional polarity , and is especially well-related to civil wars of the supersessionist type : revolution .
Consider the difference .
As David Armitage reminds us , “ Civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ betoken the blighting and collapse of the human spirit , while revolutions affirm and actualize it.
” Civil war is a sickening thing , a noisome evil – but revolution is something to stir the heart , a pathway to fame and glory .
( That the latter is so often just what the victors later call the former is quite beside the point . )
A characteristic of revolutions is that they rupture the fabric of history .
In periods of high civilization , however , that fabric is strong : healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but extend both backward and forward in time .
The citizens of a robust and prosperous polity are taught from childhood to have a reverent appreciation for what their ancestors have bequeathed them , and a sense of duty to preserve , cherish , and build upon it for generations yet unborn .
( Just so was my own generation raised , long ago in mid-20th-century America . )
To rupture that fabric is far easier when it is already weakened – and this is precisely what has happened in America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the past half-century .
Insofar as the American past is taught or remembered at all today , it is as a litany of sins , deserving not propagation , but denunciation .
The result is that American culture has , to a very great extent , lost its extension in time , and exists in an increasingly narrow present .
Roger Kimball has called this , in a lovely coinage , “ temporal provincialism.
” We might also call it historical “ stenosis ” : a pathological narrowing of the channels through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the present and the future .
And in the sense that the present is always being born from the womb of history , it brings to mind the tying off of an umbilicus – though that is really far too optimistic a metaphor .
A better one is the cutting of a flower .
This narrowing presentism tears at a fundamental requirement of civilization : that its citizens see themselves as a living bridge between past and future .
If the past is rejected or forgotten , then we have no estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we can build , ex nihilo , in the present .
To create a viable nation from scratch , however , is a daunting task , and one that rarely succeeds .
Revolution may make for an exhilarating present , but it destabilizes the future .
Civilization depends also on high “ time preference ” : we defer present consumption to profit from the increased relative value of the things we build for the future .
But too-rapid technological and social changes , and of course the deliberate obliteration of history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the future and drive time-preference toward the present .
This in turn manifests itself in hedonism , anomie , present consumption , loss of social cohesion ( why pull together when there ’ s nothing to pull for ? )
, and declining birth rates .
This all feeds back upon itself in an intensifying , destructive cycle .
These are dangerous times .
Civil war is nothing to wish for .
But under the name of “ revolution , ” it can be a powerful attractor , especially in an era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossed the event horizon ?
Can we , for the sake of our children ’ s children , find at the last moment a way to reverse course , to step back from the brink , to find a future timeline that avoids the dreadful singularity of civil war ?
Only future historians can answer that question .
But one thing is certain : things that are falling tend to accelerate .
Time is short .
Malcolm Pollack is a recording engineer and writer living in Wellfleet , Massachusetts .
He blogs at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mtpollack .
Photo “ Tattered Flag ” by David Shankbone CC2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Whitmer Lashes Out at President Trump for ‘Cutting’ Unemployment Benefits

Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer lashed out at President Trump in a statement on Sunday after the president cut the enhanced federal unemployment benefit from $ 600 a week to $ 400 a week after Democrats in the House failed to make a deal with the Republican-controlled Senate on the matter .
Trump signed four executive orders on Saturday , one of which lowers the enhanced unemployment benefit by a third through the end of the year , with states being required to contribute $ 100 , according to MLive .
Unemployed Americans originally received $ 600 per week through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 .
“ Once again , the president has refused to work together with Congress on a bipartisan recovery package that supports our states , families , frontline workers , and small businesses , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ He has routinely proven that he ’ s more focused on his chances in the November election than fighting the virus that has killed more than 160,000 Americans.
” The order signed Saturday would give an extra $ 400 per week to unemployed Americans — $ 300 from federal aid and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of unemployment already coming from the state , MLive said .
Eligible claimants could begin receiving funds the week ending August 1 .
“ The president ’ s recent actions do nothing to protect the millions of unemployed Americans who need to put food on the table for themselves and their families .
He cut federal funding for unemployed workers and is requiring states that are facing severe holes in our budgets to provide 25 percent of the funding , ” Whitmer said .
“ His refusal to provide full federal funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us combat this virus will hurt the brave men and women on the front lines of this crisis , like our first responders , health care workers , child care workers and more.
” Michigan saw more than 17,000 new unemployment claims for the week ending August 1 , a drop of 6,901 new claims compared to earlier weeks , according to recent reports .
Whitmer said Trump ’ s recent orders “ do nothing to protect our kids from the spread of this virus.
” “ It ’ s time for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop playing political games , and work with Congress on a recovery package that will help us fight this virus , protect working families , and send our kids , educators , and support staff back to school safely , ” Whitmer said .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Ohio Accepts Plan for $300 in Federal Unemployment Aid

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) — Ohio unemployment claimants would receive $ 300 in federal weekly unemployment assistance under an option provided by the White House that doesn ’ t require extra state spending , the administration of Gov .
Mike DeWine said .
The plan agreed to late Sunday by DeWine means less money for the unemployed under another option , that would provide $ 400 a week , with $ 100 coming from the state .
Both options involve less than the $ 600 a week in federal pandemic aid that recipients were receiving until their expiration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to agree on an extension .
Ohio recipients will still receive regular state unemployment benefits under the plan .
The new federal benefit – if it goes forward – might not take effect until later this month while Ohio seeks guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor for implementing it , said DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney .
He said software changes were required to the state ’ s unemployment compensation computer system .
The money helps further the state ’ s recovery from the pandemic “ because this does go directly back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Many states questioned whether they could afford the $ 100 given economies already cratering because of the pandemic and sharply reduced tax revenue .
Unlike the federal government , Ohio must have a balanced budget and can ’ t run up debts .
DeWine had said on CNN Sunday morning that the state was exploring paying the extra $ 100 .
“ We ’ re looking at it right now to see if we can do this , ” the governor said .
Taking on the financial burden of the extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review process and involved consulting with state lawmakers because new state spending was required , Tierney said Monday .
Despite DeWine ’ s announcement , whether President Donald Trump even has the constitutional authority to extend federal unemployment benefits by executive order remains unclear .
Both Democrats and Republicans have questioned the move ’ s validity .
To date , Ohio ’ s human services agency has issued more than $ 4.9 billion in federal pandemic aid to more than 503,000 unemployed Ohioans .
Overall , the state has distributed more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 771,000 Ohioans in the past 20 weeks .
The $ 300 should be a temporary fix ahead of a long-term solution , said Sen. Kenny Yuko of Cleveland , the top-ranking Democrat in the Ohio Senate .
“ In order to protect families and the economy , we need a plan that gets workers the relief they need as soon as possible , ” Yuko said .
Ohio has reported more than 101,000 probable and confirmed coronavirus cases , including 883 announced Monday , well below the 21-day average of 1,217 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Welsh-Huggins is a reporter with The Associated Press .
Photo “ Governor Mike DeWine ” by US Air Force .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-11--Madison County Judge Sets Back Efforts to Recall School Board Members in Tennessee

One group ’ s mission to give all Tennessee voters the power to recall school board members has withered away because of a chancery court judge in Madison County .
As The Tennessee Star reported last month , members of the Tennessee General Assembly proposed a law that would have given voters statewide the power to recall school board members .
But legislators later watered down the bill so that it would apply only to Madison County , and they later passed it into law .
A group of Williamson County parents recently formed Recall Williamson .
They said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give additional counties the right to recall school board officials .
State Rep. Glen Casada ( R-Franklin ) had planned to sponsor that bill , as reported .
But according to court filings , Madison County Chancellor James F. Butler recently ruled that the law in its current form does not comply with the Tennessee Constitution .
Butler , in his ruling , said the law “ does not provide a process by which the County Commission gets local approval.
” Recall Williamson head Gary Humble told The Star Monday that Casada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law applicable to the entire state .
“ That is gone now because the statute doesn ’ t exist anymore .
So if we were to do this legislatively we would have to put [ up ] a whole new bill , because that bill is gone now .
It ’ s gone .
There is no chance to amend it .
We have to write a whole new bill .
And that ’ s not going to happen , ” Humble said .
“ Last year , after it got lobbied , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Assembly .
The [ state ] Senate passed it 31 to nothing the first time .
But after it got amended in the [ state ] House and had to come back to the Senate for approval it only got 17 yes votes .
What does that tell you ?
Everyone who voted yes previously had gotten lobbied .
And they voted no the next time around.
” As Humble said , “ no one is going to run that bill again , because it aint going to pass.
” Humble said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ displeased with their local school board ’ s mandate that students wear masks or other face coverings for COVID-19 — and they wanted to recall certain people from office .
“ As far as I am concerned , as a parent right now , with what ’ s in front of us , there is almost not an election right now more important than our school board members , ” Humble said .
“ That is why this fight meant so much to so many people.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]