thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Economist Art Laffer Discusses His Move to Nashville and Upcoming Debate at MTSU with Leslie Marshal

Economist Art Laffer Discusses His Move to Nashville and Upcoming Debate at MTSU with Leslie Marshall

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 renowned American economist Art Laffer to the newsmakers line to talk about his efforts in Nashville and his upcoming debate at MTSU with Leslie Marshall .
Leahy : We ’ re joined now by one of the greatest economists in modern American history , Art Laffer who lives in Nashville and moved here from LA about 20 years ago .
Tonight he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tour in the topic of the one and a half hour tour with a discussion with Leslie Marshall on this question .
Will a wealth tax in higher income tax rates increase prosperity and opportunity in America ?
Welcome , Art Laffer , to the Tennessee Star Report .
Laffer : Thank you very much .
It ’ s a pleasure .
I love the Tennessee Star , it ’ s a great name .
Leahy : ( Laughs ) Well , we are delighted to have you here in Tennessee .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s sponsored by the Steamboat Institute .
Will this be a live event at Middle Tennessee State University or a virtual event beginning at 6 pm ?
Laffer : I ’ ll try to make it lively .
And I ’ ll try to make it live as well .
It ’ s going to be a live event .
They wanted to hold it in Colorado , but you can ’ t do it in Colorado .
You can ’ t do it in California .
And nicely Tennessee does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if socially distanced and all that , and so that ’ s why we ’ re having it here .
But it will be live .
Leahy : Well , we will send a reporter there .
So you ’ ll be there in person with Leslie Marshall .
It seems kind of to me Professor Laffer like an unfair fight .
She ’ s a nice person , but I ’ ve listened to her before .
I think this topic your kind of the worldwide expert on it .
Right ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know about that .
But thank you very much .
But I hope it ’ s not a hostile thing at all .
In fact , I ’ m sure it will not .
But she ’ s a wonderful person .
She ’ s very articulate .
She ’ s got a radio show host .
She ’ s sort of the Rush Limbaugh of higher taxes in her talk show , and she ’ s a very nice person .
And I hope it ’ s just a very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the different issues and I ’ ll let you guys decide what you think is best .
Carmicheal : Mike , Art Laffer moved here and did two things as a civilian .
He is the person most responsible for doing away with the estate tax and doing away with the hall tax .
And doing one of those two taxes have done more to benefit Tennessee than probably any other two pieces of legislation .
Beth Harwell was the person probably most responsible as a legislator .
But Art Laffer convinced Governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do away with the estate tax .
And then later to do away with the hall tax .
Leahy : Well , Art Laffer thank you for that .
Laffer : Well , thank you very much .
It ’ s my pleasure .
You ’ re giving me a lot of credit and thank you for that .
But I ’ m not sure I deserve it .
But you know , we had that in California as well with Prop-13 , which I was in very involved with there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tennessee .
By the way , we need to cap property tax rates .
We ’ re one of four states that does not have a property tax rate cap .
And we should have won here in the state .
I think it makes lots of sense , and when you look at what happened with Nashville on trying to raise property taxes what by 32 percent ?
I mean that just should not be allowed .
Carmichael : Well Art the with this proposition that Jim Roberts is behind it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying at least for Davidson County if the voters vote to repeal the 34th .
Laffer : That would be Wonderful .
I ’ m a hundred percent with the voter repeal .
I ’ m that but I also would like to see a Statewide legislative one .
If you look at where in our state the highest property taxes are they are about double in Memphis than they are in Nashville and other places in the state .
Which means if you look at the one area of Tennessee , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course Memphis .
And all those high property taxes are driving people out .
We need to make it a level playing field so people can prosper everywhere .
So it ’ s not just one area .
It really needs to be broad-based .
And I am totally in favor of the repeal here totally , but I also want to put a ceiling on property tax rates for the whole state .
Leahy : Art Laffer , are you working with anyone present in the Tennessee General Assembly to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property tax statewide ?
Laffer : Well , I ’ m working on trying to get the governor to back this idea and to support it fully .
You know without the governor ’ s support it really would be very difficult legislatively to get this through .
I mean , we do have a supermajority of Republicans , but it ’ s not a Republican-Democrat issue .
In California was done under a Democratic governor with Prop 13 , and he supported it very nicely .
Here it should be bipartisan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us .
And I ’ d love to get the governor on board first before we really go into the legislative process .
Leahy : That makes a lot of sense .
Now you moved here from California .
Was it 20 years ago ?
How long ago did you move here ?
Laffer : 14 years ago .
I mean lucky lucky decision .
I did my analysis .
I ’ d never been here .
I thought I knew what was here in Tennessee and of all the things I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I found out these are really nice people .
It ’ s a great place to live in addition to low taxes .
So it was a win-win-win for me all the way around .
I love it here .
Leahy : A lot of people are moving from California to Tennessee .
I don ’ t you follow the latest Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire announced last month that they are moving to Nashville from Los Angeles and we ’ re going to have a little party for them sometime in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invite you to attend that party if you ’ d like to .
Laffer : I would love to come .
I mean , I ’ m an older person .
I ’ m not a really wild and crazy party-goer but I ’ d love to come .
Leahy : So for people that are going to this event at Middle Tennessee State University tonight it begins at six o ’ clock .
It will be you versus Leslie .
Very nice person Democratic strategist .
Leahy : The topic is will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates increased prosperity and opportunities in America ?
It will be live and how big is the forum there ?
Laffer : I think it ’ s about a hundred people fifty to a hundred people .
Because you know , you ’ ve got to have all these people distanced and all the rules still at the universities and that which makes a lot of sense .
But Leslie and I will be on the podium .
They ’ ll be two other people on the podium .
A moderator and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event the head of the Steamboat Institute in Colorado will be also on the podium .
And that ’ ll be just it .
But it will be broadcast live everywhere .
And it ’ s a live debate and a live discussion I like to say .
But a live debate or discussion , whatever you prefer .
Leahy : And we ’ ll report on it as well .
Leahy : SteamboatInstitute.org .
You can just click on there and you can go to the event .
It ’ s featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come back to the Tennessee Star Report ?
Laffer : I would love to come back , and it ’ s such a pleasure being with you .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Art Laffer ” by The White House .
Background Photo “ Nashville ” by Derrick Brutel CC BY-SA 2.0 .

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 renowned American economist Art Laffer to the newsmakers line to talk about his efforts in Nashville and his upcoming debate at MTSU with Leslie Marshall.
Leahy: We’re joined now by one of the greatest economists in modern American history, Art Laffer who lives in Nashville and moved here from LA about 20 years ago. Tonight he will be featured at the Campus Liberty Tour and the topic of the one-and-a-half hour tour – with a discussion with Leslie Marshall – on this question: Will a wealth tax in higher income tax rates increase prosperity and opportunity in America?
Welcome, Art Laffer, to the Tennessee Star Report.
Laffer: Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure. I love the Tennessee Star, it’s a great name.
Leahy: (Laughs) Well, we are delighted to have you here in Tennessee. So tell us about this event tonight. It’s sponsored by the Steamboat Institute. Will this be a live event at Middle Tennessee State University or a virtual event beginning at 6 pm?
Laffer: I’ll try to make it lively. And I’ll try to make it live as well. It’s going to be a live event. They wanted to hold it in Colorado, but you can’t do it in Colorado. You can’t do it in California. And nicely Tennessee does allow people to still get together even if socially distanced and all that, and so that’s why we’re having it here. But it will be live.
Leahy: Well, we will send a reporter there. So you’ll be there in person with Leslie Marshall. It seems kind of to me Professor Laffer like an unfair fight. She’s a nice person, but I’ve listened to her before. I think this topic your kind of the worldwide expert on it. Right?
Laffer: Well, I don’t know about that. But thank you very much. But I hope it’s not a hostile thing at all. In fact, I’m sure it will not. But she’s a wonderful person. She’s very articulate. She’s got a radio show host. She’s sort of the Rush Limbaugh of higher taxes in her talk show, and she’s a very nice person. And I hope it’s just a very good discovering conversation where we lay out all the different issues and I’ll let you guys decide what you think is best.
Carmicheal: Mike, Art Laffer moved here and did two things as a civilian. He is the person most responsible for doing away with the estate tax and doing away with the hall tax. And doing one of those two taxes have done more to benefit Tennessee than probably any other two pieces of legislation. Beth Harwell was the person probably most responsible as a legislator. But Art Laffer convinced Governor Haslam in I think his first year to do away with the estate tax. And then later to do away with the hall tax.
Leahy: Well, Art Laffer thank you for that.
Laffer: Well, thank you very much. It’s my pleasure. You’re giving me a lot of credit and thank you for that. But I’m not sure I deserve it. But you know, we had that in California as well with Prop-13, which I was in very involved with there. We have one left to do here in Tennessee. By the way, we need to cap property tax rates. We’re one of four states that does not have a property tax rate cap. And we should have won here in the state. I think it makes lots of sense, and when you look at what happened with Nashville on trying to raise property taxes what by 32 percent? I mean that just should not be allowed.
Carmichael: Well Art the with this proposition that Jim Roberts is behind it will do exactly what you’re saying at least for Davidson County if the voters vote to repeal the 34th.
Laffer: That would be Wonderful. I’m a hundred percent with the voter repeal. I’m that but I also would like to see a Statewide legislative one. If you look at where in our state the highest property taxes are they are about double in Memphis than they are in Nashville and other places in the state. Which means if you look at the one area of Tennessee, that’s not prospering it’s of course Memphis. And all those high property taxes are driving people out. We need to make it a level playing field so people can prosper everywhere. So it’s not just one area. It really needs to be broad-based. And I am totally in favor of the repeal here totally, but I also want to put a ceiling on property tax rates for the whole state.
Leahy: Art Laffer, are you working with anyone present in the Tennessee General Assembly to put legislation together to put a ceiling on property tax statewide?
Laffer: Well, I’m working on trying to get the governor to back this idea and to support it fully. You know without the governor’s support it really would be very difficult legislatively to get this through. I mean, we do have a supermajority of Republicans, but it’s not a Republican-Democrat issue. In California was done under a Democratic governor with Prop 13, and he supported it very nicely. Here it should be bipartisan. It’s just prosperity for all of us. And I’d love to get the governor on board first before we really go into the legislative process.
Leahy: That makes a lot of sense. Now you moved here from California. Was it 20 years ago? How long ago did you move here?
Laffer: 2006.
Leahy: 2006.
Laffer: 14 years ago. I mean lucky lucky decision. I did my analysis. I’d never been here. I thought I knew what was here in Tennessee and of all the things I thought were here were here and then I found out these are really nice people. It’s a great place to live in addition to low taxes. So it was a win-win-win for me all the way around. I love it here.
Leahy: A lot of people are moving from California to Tennessee. I don’t you follow the latest Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire announced last month that they are moving to Nashville from Los Angeles and we’re going to have a little party for them sometime in November. We’re going to invite you to attend that party if you’d like to.
Laffer: I would love to come. I mean, I’m an older person. I’m not a really wild and crazy party-goer but I’d love to come.
Leahy: So for people that are going to this event at Middle Tennessee State University tonight it begins at six o’clock. It will be you versus Leslie. Very nice person Democratic strategist.
Laffer: She’s great.
Leahy: The topic is will a wealth tax and higher income tax rates increased prosperity and opportunities in America? It will be live and how big is the forum there?
Laffer: I think it’s about a hundred people fifty to a hundred people. Because you know, you’ve got to have all these people distanced and all the rules still at the universities and that which makes a lot of sense. But Leslie and I will be on the podium. They’ll be two other people on the podium. A moderator and also the person who’s sponsoring the event the head of the Steamboat Institute in Colorado will be also on the podium. And that’ll be just it. But it will be broadcast live everywhere. And it’s a live debate and a live discussion I like to say. But a live debate or discussion, whatever you prefer.
Leahy: And we’ll report on it as well.
Carmichael: What’s the outlined address?
Leahy: SteamboatInstitute.org. You can just click on there and you can go to the event. It’s featured there. Art Laffer, will you come back to the Tennessee Star Report?
Laffer: I would love to come back, and it’s such a pleasure being with you.
Listen to the full third hour here:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Art Laffer” by The White House. Background Photo “Nashville” by Derrick Brutel CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Commentary: In 2020, Wallace Learned ‘Never Go Full Crowley’

In the second presidential election debate between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on October 16 , 2012 , CNN moderator Candy Crowley sensed that Obama , coming off a dismal initial September 26 debate , was again floundering .
Romney was driving home the valid point that the Obama Administration had inadequately prepared the American mission in Benghazi for likely terrorist attacks .
And such laxity resulted in a horrific attack and the deaths of four Americans , including the U.S. ambassador .
Yet in the wake of the attacks , Team Obama denied that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act of terror .
Instead , it fed the public a transparently but politically correct false narrative of a spontaneous riot in reaction to a video posted by a purported right-wing Egyptian residing on American soil .
Yet in the debate , Obama retorted : “ The day after the attack , governor , I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people and the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened .
That this was an act of terror and I also said that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who committed this crime.
” Romney pounced : “ You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack it was an act of terror ?
It was not a spontaneous demonstration – is that what you ’ re saying ?
I want to make sure we get that for the record because it took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror.
” Romney was correct .
Obama took two weeks before he eventually jettisoned his administration ’ s concocted “ spontaneous demonstrations ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rice in particular , to her eternal embarrassment – had been peddling to the American people .
Yet in the debate , Obama flailed with a weak , “ Get the transcript.
” In truth , Obama in his comments after the attack had simply offered , “ No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation , alter that character , or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for ” – a deliberate effort not to name Benghazi specifically in the context of a terrorist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was finally forced to do two weeks later , tie specifically the Benghazi deaths to the premeditated attacks of radical Islamic terrorists .
No matter .
Moderator Crowley jumped in with her instant fact-check : “ He did , in fact , sir .
So , let me – let me call it an act of terror.
” Obama was delighted for the reprieve and wagged with delight at the coming out of his debate partner , “ Can you say that a little louder , Candy ?
” On cue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call it an act of terror.
” In other words , Crowley became a real-time , partisan fact-checker , rather than a moderator – but of a peculiar sort that did not fully assume her new role until Obama himself was desperate for a bailout .
Crowley ’ s crazy logic apparently was that Obama really had meant Benghazi when he deliberately talked only in vague terms about generic acts of terror shortly after the attack , but then for the next two weeks nonetheless had allowed his subordinates to float the trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before giving it up when the evidence made peddling that fiction impossible .
For much of the debate , Crowley had further tried to massage a comeback for Obama after his disastrous first outing .
She cut Romney off far more frequently than she did Obama .
She alone had picked the townhall questioners .
And the questions they posed were mostly asymmetrical , such as the following one addressed to Romney : “ I do attribute much of America ’ s economic and international problems to the failings and missteps of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Republicans , I fear the return to the policies of those years should you win this election .
What is the biggest difference between you and George W. Bush , and how do you differentiate yourself from George W. Bush ?
” In the debate ’ s aftermath , Obama supporters crowed ; Romney sulked that Crowley had hijacked the debate .
And Crowley was never asked to moderate anything important again .
CNN offered various defenses .
But , in fact , Crowley ’ s career more or less ended that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into retirement , her finale forever a reminder of what not to do as a debate moderator and an example of media bias .
Something similar occurred with Fox News moderator Chris Wallace in the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden .
Like Crowley , he lost control of the debate .
And similarly , much of the crosstalk grew out of Wallace ’ s asymmetrical “ prove you are not guilty ” questioning .
Wallace ’ s gotcha technique was to spur the candidates with a “ scandal ” question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after two minutes , abruptly and vainly try to cut them off—as if to spur and whip a bronco and then demand on command that the infuriated horse stop his obnoxious bucking .
Trump , in the manner of Mitt Romney in 2012 , was the more frequent debate interrupter , furious likewise about the similar imbalance of both the questions and the moderator ’ s call for order .
For much of the night , Wallace grimaced as he asked Biden to explain a few misdemeanors while demanding Trump defend his presumed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump did not conduct himself as Romney had in 2012 with Crowley – like a philosophical pilot muttering “ such is life , ” as his sabotaged and powerless plane nose-dived into the oblivion below .
Financial scandals ?
Wallace zeroed in on the Trump tax returns , the media scandal du jour – without a word about Hunter Biden ’ s also breaking story of pocketing $ 3.5 million from the wife of the ex-mayor of Moscow even as his father was vice president .
Could he not have at least mentioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
It was not surprising that Wallace did not ask Biden why he has a habitual habit of denigrating blacks , with his riffs like “ you ain ’ t ’ black , ” “ junkie , ” and the Corn Pop yarns .
Instead , Wallace went back decades to an obscure Biden “ predator ” quote and then did not press Biden much when he simply stonewalled .
When Wallace , learning and forgetting nothing , turned to Trump on race , he dug up his own old 2016 debate question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Charlottesville quote by truncating Trump ’ s explicit condemnation of white supremacists and Klansmen .
Wallace , for the nth time , was trying to force Trump to confess that he condemns white supremacists , in always a new way different from the various times Trump had done so in the past – reminding us that Wallace ’ s aim was not to find the answer but to continue to raise the question .
One might suggest Wallace was going the full “ when did you stop beating your wife ” routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruined that old trope , by actually previously suggesting in June 2018 that the first lady may have been tardy in returning to work after an operation , in order to hide bruises from her abusive presidential husband .
When Wallace turned on Trump on the matter of honoring the verdict of the election , he honed in again on Trump ’ s past worries and statements about voter fraud and irregularities endangering the sanctity of the voter .
Fine .
But the obvious parallel question to Biden was to ask what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in January 2017 , the Obama Administration plotted to take out the national security advisor designate ?
If Wallace was worried about honoring the protocols of elections and transfer of power , then surely he might have asked Biden why , on his vice-presidential watch , were the FBI , Justice Department , and CIA weaponized and used to spread the fraudulent Steele dossier ( paid for by Hillary Clinton and now known to have been mostly fantasies , cooked up by the huckster Steele drawing on a Russian operative working at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroy a campaign , a transition , and a president ?
But if Romney chattered in crosstalk as Crowley indulged Obama , Trump , as his way , thundered at Wallace ’ s similar indulgence of Biden .
A miffed Romney went out quietly , an enraged Trump roared and stayed put .
The other day at a press conference , another Fox reporter , White House correspondent John Roberts , let loose with yet another demand that Trump condemn white supremacy – the domestic twin to the monotonous Russian collusion hoax questioning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ definitive and unambiguous ” denunciation for the thousandth time , as if observers were ignorant that continually asking the same question after receiving answers deemed unwelcome is not about discovering the truth , but virtue-signaling the smearing , as in , “ Will you finally assert that you are not now and never have been a Communist ?
” The more Trump hammers Putin – more sanctions , deadly weapons sent to Ukraine , Russian mercenaries killed in Syria , beefed-up NATO and Pentagon budgets , cheap U.S. oil crashing Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the German-Russian pipeline , getting out of ossified missile treaties , and the more Trump is exonerated by the inspector general , congressional inquiries , and the Mueller report – the more he is accused of Putin collusion .
So too , the more Trump denies he is a white supremacist , and the more his economic agenda is geared to offering minorities economic empowerment , fair drug sentencing , inner-city charter schools and help for black colleges , the more virulent the supremacist questioning .
The obvious psychological diagnosis is that those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reset or said nothing as Biden talked down to and insulted blacks , the more they project these pathologies onto Trump .
Roberts droned on like a North Korean reeducation camp inquisitor , rephrasing ad nauseam the same demand for a false confession .
In answering , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnaney blew him out of the water .
Unlike Roberts , she came equipped with all sorts of citations not just noting Trump ’ s prior denunciations of supremacists , but by doing so in such detail to reveal Roberts ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural social media push backs against Roberts , and in response he melted down on live TV , snapping , “ For all of you on Twitter who are hammering me for asking the question , I don ’ t care .
Stop deflecting .
Stop blaming the media .
I ’ m tired of it.
” Was that the news ?
A crusading journalist grows tired of that tiny pushback ?
Roberts apparently is unable to endure a fraction of the bothersome questioning of motives that he so doggedly has imputed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But he will now be mostly remembered for his press conference puerile petulance and later meltdown .
His hysterias reflect only agendas , not a desire for truth .
He likes hitting others but has a glass jaw .
And he offers a reminder to us that the beltway gotcha media is narcissistic , adolescent , and incestuous .
Who could trust such people to report the news dispassionately ?
When Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 , the media went berserk with all sorts of unhinged themes : did not Trump deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as if the 210,000 dead or CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo earned by their recklessness their infections , too ? )
Would not the virus make Trump now eat crow ?
Would he step down ?
Would he bow out of the debate ?
Was the confirmation hearing for Amy Coney Barrett over before it could even begin ?
Amid that hysteria , what was Wallace ’ s post facto reaction to his moderator ’ s role at the debate ?
He blamed Trump alone for the melee , never reexamined his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-examination of his Crowley-like passive-aggressive performance .
Just hours after Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 , a now-Dr. Wallace went on a tear , diagnosing about why and how Trump was infected – without any iota of information about the severity of the infection , its prognosis , or how exactly a number of officials , many at the Amy Coney Barrett open-air White House reception , seem likewise later to have become sickened , masks or no masks .
In animated tones ( “ Wear the damn mask !
” ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in unhinged Don Lemon-fashion , Trump ’ s infection on his own laxity in not always wearing a mask .
He insinuated that the White House might not be forthcoming with accurate news .
He castigated White House advisor Scott Atlas as incompetent on grounds he lacked a specialization in epidemiology .
In other words , with no information , no facts , and no expertise , Dr. Wallace was now judge , jury , and executioner pontificating about why the president was singularly culpable for his own medical fate—apparently unlike the similarly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of local , state , and federal government officials who have been sickened , including many senators and over a dozen congressional representatives .
Did they all meet their fates because , on occasion , they brought it on themselves by not wearing a mask ?
Or were they without masks because they saw Trump sometimes on TV without one ?
When , after a poor public performance that has lasting consequences , a marquee journalist hits the airways to perform an encore performance of errors , to meltdown childishly , to replay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to protest the unfairness of his self-created debacle , and by his continued obsessions proves that indeed his critics are correct that he is obsessed , then he has gone the full Crowley – with all that such a fate entails .
Whether these journalists know it or not , in the American mind they are already retired before they have even retired .
Victor Davis Hanson reports for American Greatness .
Photo “ Chris Wallace ” by The Kremlin CC BY 4.0 .

by Victor Davis Hanson
In the second presidential election debate between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on October 16, 2012, CNN moderator Candy Crowley sensed that Obama, coming off a dismal initial September 26 debate, was again floundering.
Romney was driving home the valid point that the Obama Administration had inadequately prepared the American mission in Benghazi for likely terrorist attacks. And such laxity resulted in a horrific attack and the deaths of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador.
Yet in the wake of the attacks, Team Obama denied that the killing of four Americans was indeed an act of terror. Instead, it fed the public a transparently but politically correct false narrative of a spontaneous riot in reaction to a video posted by a purported right-wing Egyptian residing on American soil.
Yet in the debate, Obama retorted: “The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people and the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened. That this was an act of terror and I also said that we’re going to hunt down those who committed this crime.”
Romney pounced: “You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack it was an act of terror? It was not a spontaneous demonstration – is that what you’re saying? I want to make sure we get that for the record because it took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror.”
Romney was correct. Obama took two weeks before he eventually jettisoned his administration’s concocted “spontaneous demonstrations” party line that his subordinates – Susan Rice in particular, to her eternal embarrassment – had been peddling to the American people.
Yet in the debate, Obama flailed with a weak, “Get the transcript.”
In truth, Obama in his comments after the attack had simply offered, “No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for” – a deliberate effort not to name Benghazi specifically in the context of a terrorist act.
Obama did not, as he was finally forced to do two weeks later, tie specifically the Benghazi deaths to the premeditated attacks of radical Islamic terrorists. No matter. Moderator Crowley jumped in with her instant fact-check: “He did, in fact, sir. So, let me – let me call it an act of terror.”
Obama was delighted for the reprieve and wagged with delight at the coming out of his debate partner, “Can you say that a little louder, Candy?” On cue, she obsequiously complied, “He did call it an act of terror.”
In other words, Crowley became a real-time, partisan fact-checker, rather than a moderator – but of a peculiar sort that did not fully assume her new role until Obama himself was desperate for a bailout.
Crowley’s crazy logic apparently was that Obama really had meant Benghazi when he deliberately talked only in vague terms about generic acts of terror shortly after the attack, but then for the next two weeks nonetheless had allowed his subordinates to float the trial balloon of an alternate reality video, before giving it up when the evidence made peddling that fiction impossible.
For much of the debate, Crowley had further tried to massage a comeback for Obama after his disastrous first outing. She cut Romney off far more frequently than she did Obama. She alone had picked the townhall questioners.
And the questions they posed were mostly asymmetrical, such as the following one addressed to Romney: “I do attribute much of America’s economic and international problems to the failings and missteps of the Bush Administration. Since both of you are Republicans, I fear the return to the policies of those years should you win this election. What is the biggest difference between you and George W. Bush, and how do you differentiate yourself from George W. Bush?”
In the debate’s aftermath, Obama supporters crowed; Romney sulked that Crowley had hijacked the debate. And Crowley was never asked to moderate anything important again.
CNN offered various defenses. But, in fact, Crowley’s career more or less ended that night and two years later she went into retirement, her finale forever a reminder of what not to do as a debate moderator and an example of media bias.
Why Not Lose Nobly?
Something similar occurred with Fox News moderator Chris Wallace in the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Like Crowley, he lost control of the debate. And similarly, much of the crosstalk grew out of Wallace’s asymmetrical “prove you are not guilty” questioning.
Wallace’s gotcha technique was to spur the candidates with a “scandal” question to rev them up, and then after two minutes, abruptly and vainly try to cut them off—as if to spur and whip a bronco and then demand on command that the infuriated horse stop his obnoxious bucking.
Trump, in the manner of Mitt Romney in 2012, was the more frequent debate interrupter, furious likewise about the similar imbalance of both the questions and the moderator’s call for order. For much of the night, Wallace grimaced as he asked Biden to explain a few misdemeanors while demanding Trump defend his presumed felonies.
And Wallace seemed stunned that Trump did not conduct himself as Romney had in 2012 with Crowley – like a philosophical pilot muttering “such is life,” as his sabotaged and powerless plane nose-dived into the oblivion below.
Financial scandals? Wallace zeroed in on the Trump tax returns, the media scandal du jour – without a word about Hunter Biden’s also breaking story of pocketing $3.5 million from the wife of the ex-mayor of Moscow even as his father was vice president. Could he not have at least mentioned such “Russian collusion”?
Race? It was not surprising that Wallace did not ask Biden why he has a habitual habit of denigrating blacks, with his riffs like “you ain’t’ black,” “junkie,” and the Corn Pop yarns. Instead, Wallace went back decades to an obscure Biden “predator” quote and then did not press Biden much when he simply stonewalled.
When Wallace, learning and forgetting nothing, turned to Trump on race, he dug up his own old 2016 debate question. And again, Wallace deliberately edited the Charlottesville quote by truncating Trump’s explicit condemnation of white supremacists and Klansmen. Wallace, for the nth time, was trying to force Trump to confess that he condemns white supremacists, in always a new way different from the various times Trump had done so in the past – reminding us that Wallace’s aim was not to find the answer but to continue to raise the question.
One might suggest Wallace was going the full “when did you stop beating your wife” routine – except our corrupt media had already ruined that old trope, by actually previously suggesting in June 2018 that the first lady may have been tardy in returning to work after an operation, in order to hide bruises from her abusive presidential husband.
When Wallace turned on Trump on the matter of honoring the verdict of the election, he honed in again on Trump’s past worries and statements about voter fraud and irregularities endangering the sanctity of the voter.
Fine. But the obvious parallel question to Biden was to ask what he was doing in the Oval Office when, in January 2017, the Obama Administration plotted to take out the national security advisor designate? If Wallace was worried about honoring the protocols of elections and transfer of power, then surely he might have asked Biden why, on his vice-presidential watch, were the FBI, Justice Department, and CIA weaponized and used to spread the fraudulent Steele dossier (paid for by Hillary Clinton and now known to have been mostly fantasies, cooked up by the huckster Steele drawing on a Russian operative working at the liberal Brookings Institution), to destroy a campaign, a transition, and a president?
Instead, silence.
But if Romney chattered in crosstalk as Crowley indulged Obama, Trump, as his way, thundered at Wallace’s similar indulgence of Biden. A miffed Romney went out quietly, an enraged Trump roared and stayed put.
Outfoxed
The other day at a press conference, another Fox reporter, White House correspondent John Roberts, let loose with yet another demand that Trump condemn white supremacy – the domestic twin to the monotonous Russian collusion hoax questioning.
Roberts insisted that Trump provide a “definitive and unambiguous” denunciation for the thousandth time, as if observers were ignorant that continually asking the same question after receiving answers deemed unwelcome is not about discovering the truth, but virtue-signaling the smearing, as in, “Will you finally assert that you are not now and never have been a Communist?”
The more Trump hammers Putin – more sanctions, deadly weapons sent to Ukraine, Russian mercenaries killed in Syria, beefed-up NATO and Pentagon budgets, cheap U.S. oil crashing Russia’s main source of revenue, damning the German-Russian pipeline, getting out of ossified missile treaties, and the more Trump is exonerated by the inspector general, congressional inquiries, and the Mueller report – the more he is accused of Putin collusion.
So too, the more Trump denies he is a white supremacist, and the more his economic agenda is geared to offering minorities economic empowerment, fair drug sentencing, inner-city charter schools and help for black colleges, the more virulent the supremacist questioning. The obvious psychological diagnosis is that those who once canonized Obama’s Russian reset or said nothing as Biden talked down to and insulted blacks, the more they project these pathologies onto Trump.
Roberts droned on like a North Korean reeducation camp inquisitor, rephrasing ad nauseam the same demand for a false confession. In answering, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnaney blew him out of the water. Unlike Roberts, she came equipped with all sorts of citations not just noting Trump’s prior denunciations of supremacists, but by doing so in such detail to reveal Roberts’ own obsessions.
Afterward, there were natural social media push backs against Roberts, and in response he melted down on live TV, snapping, “For all of you on Twitter who are hammering me for asking the question, I don’t care. Stop deflecting. Stop blaming the media. I’m tired of it.” Was that the news?
A crusading journalist grows tired of that tiny pushback? Roberts apparently is unable to endure a fraction of the bothersome questioning of motives that he so doggedly has imputed to others.
Roberts is a distinguished journalist. But he will now be mostly remembered for his press conference puerile petulance and later meltdown. His hysterias reflect only agendas, not a desire for truth. He likes hitting others but has a glass jaw. And he offers a reminder to us that the beltway gotcha media is narcissistic, adolescent, and incestuous. Who could trust such people to report the news dispassionately?
Media Medical Madness
When Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19, the media went berserk with all sorts of unhinged themes: did not Trump deserve the infection due to his recklessness (as if the 210,000 dead or CNN’s Chris Cuomo earned by their recklessness their infections, too?) Would not the virus make Trump now eat crow? Would he step down? Would he bow out of the debate? Was the confirmation hearing for Amy Coney Barrett over before it could even begin?
Amid that hysteria, what was Wallace’s post facto reaction to his moderator’s role at the debate?
He blamed Trump alone for the melee, never reexamined his own asymmetrical questioning, and seemed incapable of self-examination of his Crowley-like passive-aggressive performance.
Just hours after Trump had tested positive for COVID-19, a now-Dr. Wallace went on a tear, diagnosing about why and how Trump was infected – without any iota of information about the severity of the infection, its prognosis, or how exactly a number of officials, many at the Amy Coney Barrett open-air White House reception, seem likewise later to have become sickened, masks or no masks.
In animated tones (“Wear the damn mask!”) an increasingly flustered Wallace variously blamed, in unhinged Don Lemon-fashion, Trump’s infection on his own laxity in not always wearing a mask. He insinuated that the White House might not be forthcoming with accurate news. He castigated White House advisor Scott Atlas as incompetent on grounds he lacked a specialization in epidemiology.
In other words, with no information, no facts, and no expertise, Dr. Wallace was now judge, jury, and executioner pontificating about why the president was singularly culpable for his own medical fate—apparently unlike the similarly infected millions worldwide, and the thousands of local, state, and federal government officials who have been sickened, including many senators and over a dozen congressional representatives. Did they all meet their fates because, on occasion, they brought it on themselves by not wearing a mask? Or were they without masks because they saw Trump sometimes on TV without one?
When, after a poor public performance that has lasting consequences, a marquee journalist hits the airways to perform an encore performance of errors, to meltdown childishly, to replay his prior blunders in self-interested fashion, and to protest the unfairness of his self-created debacle, and by his continued obsessions proves that indeed his critics are correct that he is obsessed, then he has gone the full Crowley – with all that such a fate entails.
Whether these journalists know it or not, in the American mind they are already retired before they have even retired.
– – –
Victor Davis Hanson reports for American Greatness.
Photo “Chris Wallace” by The Kremlin CC BY 4.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Trump Signs Executive Order Establishing Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday aimed at “ saving lives ” of those suffering from mental and behavioral health needs , particularly during the coronavirus pandemic .
Through the executive order issued Monday morning , Trump called for more crisis-intervention services to those in “ immediate life-threatening situations , ” and encouraged increased availability of continuing care after crises , nurture mentorship programs , expanded availability of telehealth , and more .
“ The pandemic has also exacerbated mental- and behavioral-health conditions as a result of stress from prolonged lockdown orders , lost employment , and social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that during the last week of June , 40.9 percent of Americans struggled with mental-health or substance-abuse issues and 10.7 percent reported seriously considering suicide , ” the order continues .
“ We must enhance the ability of the Federal Government , as well as its State , local , and Tribal partners , to appropriately address these ongoing mental- and behavioral-health concerns.
” The order establishes a Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group ( Working Group ) intended to facilitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exacerbated by the pandemic .
This includes issues related to suicide prevention , the order notes .
“ The Working Group will be co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services , or his designee , and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy , or her designee , ” the order said .
“ The Working Group shall be composed of representatives from the Department of Defense , the Department of Justice , the Department of Agriculture , the Department of Labor , the Department of Housing and Urban Development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Veterans Affairs , the Small Business Administration , the Office of National Drug Control Policy , the Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) , and such representatives of other executive departments , agencies , and offices as the Co‑Chairs may , from time to time , designate with the concurrence of the head of the department , agency , or office concerned , ” the executive order stated .
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Trump Working ” by Dan @ @ @

by Mary Margaret Olohan
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday aimed at “saving lives” of those suffering from mental and behavioral health needs, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.
Through the executive order issued Monday morning, Trump called for more crisis-intervention services to those in “immediate life-threatening situations,” and encouraged increased availability of continuing care after crises, nurture mentorship programs, expanded availability of telehealth, and more.
“The pandemic has also exacerbated mental- and behavioral-health conditions as a result of stress from prolonged lockdown orders, lost employment, and social isolation,” the executive order says.
“Survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that during the last week of June, 40.9 percent of Americans struggled with mental-health or substance-abuse issues and 10.7 percent reported seriously considering suicide,” the order continues. “We must enhance the ability of the Federal Government, as well as its State, local, and Tribal partners, to appropriately address these ongoing mental- and behavioral-health concerns.”
The order establishes a Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group (Working Group) intended to facilitate a government response to mental health conditions exacerbated by the pandemic. This includes issues related to suicide prevention, the order notes.
“The Working Group will be co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or his designee, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, or her designee,” the order said.
“The Working Group shall be composed of representatives from the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and such representatives of other executive departments, agencies, and offices as the Co‑Chairs may, from time to time, designate with the concurrence of the head of the department, agency, or office concerned,” the executive order stated.
– – –
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Trump Working” by Dan Scavino Twitter.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--REVIEW: ‘Riding the Dragon’ Exposes Biden Family Connections with Corrupt Chinese Communists

A damning new documentary , “ Riding the Dragon : The Bidens ’ Chinese Secrets , ” directed by M.A .
Taylor and narrated by bestselling author Peter Schweizer , is shining sunlight on the close ties between Joe Biden ’ s family and the Chinese elite .
Peter Schweizer , head of the Florida-based Government Accountability Institute and narrator of the film said the documentary is based on corporate records , financial documents , legal briefings and court papers .
The film features investigative journalist and author Peter Schweizer and Schweizer ’ s revelations of Chinese influence over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Secret Empires ” and the more recent “ Profiles in Corruption ” ( both # 1 New York Times bestsellers ) .
“ Riding the Dragon : The Bidens ’ Chinese Secrets ” delves into a number of lucrative business deals facilitated by Hunter Biden during his time as a board member for the BHR Partners firm .
BHR is headquartered in Beijing , and the movie explores how Hunter Biden was able to secure meetings and agreements with Chinese officials thanks to his father ’ s position as vice president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Produced by Lightspeed Pictures in association with Blaze Media , the documentary ’ s six chapters each dissect a different deal the Bidens made with the Chinese government .
One such deal was a 2015 venture by BHR and AVIC Auto , which is run by Aviation Industry Corp. of China , to purchase the American auto parts manufacturer Henniges Automotive .
AVIC builds aircraft for the Chinese military , and the film notes that Henniges ’ s products can be used for both civilian and military purposes .
The Washington Times reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Commerce Department and placed on a list of companies denied export licenses for their role in selling missile goods to Iran .
“ AVIC was notorious for its history of stealing U.S. military technologies to build their own fighter jets and drones , ” Mr. Schweizer said .
Both CGN and AVIC were listed by the Pentagon as military-linked Chinese companies in June .
Another deal that benefited the Chinese military was in 2017 .
That year , as detailed in the movie , BHR helped China Molybdenum Co. Ltd. acquire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congo ’ s Tenke copper mine .
Molybdenum can be used to make steel for weapons manufacturing .
Hunter Biden alone pocketed millions of dollars while his father served as Barack Obama ’ s vice president and “ point man ” on China policy .
The film reveals a wealth of new details , including : Hunter Biden ’ s firm invested in a Chinese nuclear company that was actively stealing nuclear secrets from the United States : Biden ’ s firm helped China in its quest to control the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bought a company that provides dual use technologies to the Chinese military .
Political pressure forced Hunter Biden to resign from the board of his China investment firm in late 2019 but , according to the “ Riding the Dragon , ” Biden quietly maintains a multimillion-dollar ownership stake in the firm .
The Hunter Biden investigation revealed a largely hidden financial relationship between China and both Bidens , Mr. Schweizer said in an interview .
“ It ’ s a relationship that grew while Joe Biden was vice president of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the point person on U.S. policy towards China , ” Mr. Schweizer said .
“ Is it really that crazy to think that by partnering with the son of the vice president , [ the Chinese ] were trying to buy them too ?
” Mr. Schweizer asked .
“ And make no mistake : These firms Hunter was dealing with are directly tied to the Chinese military.
” “ We also know that these deals didn ’ t just make the Bidens ’ money ; they had potentially dangerous consequences for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Riding the Dragon ” is available to view on YouTube , free for all to see who are interested in learning the truth behind the Biden family ’ s cozy relationship with China ’ s Communist elite .
Photo “ Riding the Dragon ” by The Blaze TV YouTube .

A damning new documentary, “Riding the Dragon: The Bidens’ Chinese Secrets,” directed by M.A. Taylor and narrated by bestselling author Peter Schweizer, is shining sunlight on the close ties between Joe Biden’s family and the Chinese elite. Peter Schweizer, head of the Florida-based Government Accountability Institute and narrator of the film said the documentary is based on corporate records, financial documents, legal briefings and court papers.
The film features investigative journalist and author Peter Schweizer and Schweizer’s revelations of Chinese influence over the Biden family found in the 2018 book “Secret Empires” and the more recent “Profiles in Corruption” (both #1 New York Times bestsellers).
“Riding the Dragon: The Bidens’ Chinese Secrets” delves into a number of lucrative business deals facilitated by Hunter Biden during his time as a board member for the BHR Partners firm. BHR is headquartered in Beijing, and the movie explores how Hunter Biden was able to secure meetings and agreements with Chinese officials thanks to his father’s position as vice president and as a prominent American political figure.
Produced by Lightspeed Pictures in association with Blaze Media, the documentary’s six chapters each dissect a different deal the Bidens made with the Chinese government.
One such deal was a 2015 venture by BHR and AVIC Auto, which is run by Aviation Industry Corp. of China, to purchase the American auto parts manufacturer Henniges Automotive. AVIC builds aircraft for the Chinese military, and the film notes that Henniges’s products can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
The Washington Times reported a year earlier, AVIC was sanctioned by the Commerce Department and placed on a list of companies denied export licenses for their role in selling missile goods to Iran.
“AVIC was notorious for its history of stealing U.S. military technologies to build their own fighter jets and drones,” Mr. Schweizer said.
Both CGN and AVIC were listed by the Pentagon as military-linked Chinese companies in June.
Another deal that benefited the Chinese military was in 2017. That year, as detailed in the movie, BHR helped China Molybdenum Co. Ltd. acquire a stake in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tenke copper mine. Molybdenum can be used to make steel for weapons manufacturing.
Hunter Biden alone pocketed millions of dollars while his father served as Barack Obama’s vice president and “point man” on China policy.
The film reveals a wealth of new details, including:
Hunter Biden’s firm invested in a Chinese nuclear company that was actively stealing nuclear secrets from the United States:
Biden’s firm invested in Chinese surveillance technology;
Biden’s firm helped China in its quest to control the world’s strategic metals;
Biden’s firm bought a company that provides dual use technologies to the Chinese military.
Political pressure forced Hunter Biden to resign from the board of his China investment firm in late 2019 but, according to the “Riding the Dragon,” Biden quietly maintains a multimillion-dollar ownership stake in the firm.
The Hunter Biden investigation revealed a largely hidden financial relationship between China and both Bidens, Mr. Schweizer said in an interview.
“It’s a relationship that grew while Joe Biden was vice president of the United States and shortly after he was appointed the point person on U.S. policy towards China,” Mr. Schweizer said.
“Is it really that crazy to think that by partnering with the son of the vice president, [the Chinese] were trying to buy them too?” Mr. Schweizer asked. “And make no mistake: These firms Hunter was dealing with are directly tied to the Chinese military.”
“We also know that these deals didn’t just make the Bidens’ money; they had potentially dangerous consequences for our national security,” Mr. Schweizer said.
“Riding the Dragon” is available to view on YouTube, free for all to see who are interested in learning the truth behind the Biden family’s cozy relationship with China’s Communist elite.
Watch the full movie:
– – –
Photo “Riding the Dragon” by The Blaze TV YouTube.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Middle School Teacher Rips Student for Naming President Trump as Person He Admires

A Tacoma , Washington middle school teacher took great offense when one of his students named President Trump as a person he admires .
The thing is , Perry G. Keithley Middle School sixth grade teacher Brendan Stanton ( below ) asked his virtual class this very question — “ who is the one person you admire and why ?
” According to MyNorthwest.com , the male student answered : I admire Donald J. Trump because he is making America great again .
And because he is the best president the United States of America could ever , ever have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorists couldn ’ t come into in the U. S. Trump is the best person in the world .
And that ’ s why I had admire him .
The boy ’ s mother , Elsy Kusander , entered the room to hear Stanton “ berating the president ” so she began recording what was being said on her phone .
Stanton was so angry , apparently , he would not even say Trump ’ s name .
“ The example that was shared in the chat , which I went ahead and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right ?
” Stanton told his class .
“ Especially as that individual has created so much division and hatred between people and specifically spoken hatred to many different individuals , ok ?
“ Again , that individual has spoken hate to many individuals and I don ’ t think is an appropriate example for a role model that we should be admiring.
” When Kusander contacted Stanton to discuss the matter , she didn ’ t immediately make him aware she had made a recording .
Stanton claimed using President Trump wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question before the class was about “ a computer programmer they admired ” ( Stanton teaches technology education ) .
Students could name “ someone from the community ” if they couldn ’ t think of a programmer .
Although Keithley Middle School online classes typically “ are recorded and posted to the online portal for students and their parents , ” Stanton claimed he deleted the “ admired person ” question due to student privacy concerns .
He also pointed out Kusander ’ s son ’ s answer offended another student in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do try to keep politics out of the classroom… because students have different opinions , right ?
” Stanton told Kusander .
Kusander then revealed she had witnessed what transpired : “ I came into the room , and you were talking , I got my phone and I recorded part of your conversation , ” she revealed before doubling down .
“ I clearly saw and recorded what you were saying… ” Suddenly , the apolitical Stanton who would never bring his political opinion into the classroom , was a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do apologize if my words were not perfect at the time , ” he told her .
“ If I used… if I said that Trump was ‘ hateful and divisive , ’ that may have been what I used at the time , but my purpose was in bringing us back to the conversation of computer scientists and the positive role that they ’ ve played in our history.
” He again offered to apologize to her son .
“ I totally respect him as an individual .
And his opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feedback and also parent feedback as well .
So I appreciate you having this conversation with me , ” Stanton said .

by The College Fix
A Tacoma, Washington middle school teacher took great offense when one of his students named President Trump as a person he admires.
The thing is, Perry G. Keithley Middle School sixth grade teacher Brendan Stanton (below) asked his virtual class this very question — “who is the one person you admire and why?”
According to MyNorthwest.com, the male student answered:
I admire Donald J. Trump because he is making America great again. And because he is the best president the United States of America could ever, ever have. And he built the wall so terrorists couldn’t come into in the U. S. Trump is the best person in the world. And that’s why I had admire him.
The boy’s mother, Elsy Kusander, entered the room to hear Stanton “berating the president” so she began recording what was being said on her phone.
Stanton was so angry, apparently, he would not even say Trump’s name.
“The example that was shared in the chat, which I went ahead and erased for us, was not appropriate right?” Stanton told his class. “Especially as that individual has created so much division and hatred between people and specifically spoken hatred to many different individuals, ok?
“Again, that individual has spoken hate to many individuals and I don’t think is an appropriate example for a role model that we should be admiring.”
When Kusander contacted Stanton to discuss the matter, she didn’t immediately make him aware she had made a recording. Stanton claimed using President Trump wasn’t an appropriate answer because the question before the class was about “a computer programmer they admired” (Stanton teaches technology education). Students could name “someone from the community” if they couldn’t think of a programmer.
Although Keithley Middle School online classes typically “are recorded and posted to the online portal for students and their parents,” Stanton claimed he deleted the “admired person” question due to student privacy concerns. He also pointed out Kusander’s son’s answer offended another student in the class, not him.
“I do try to keep politics out of the classroom… because students have different opinions, right?” Stanton told Kusander.
Kusander then revealed she had witnessed what transpired:
Stanton’s story then started to change. “I came into the room, and you were talking, I got my phone and I recorded part of your conversation,” she revealed before doubling down. “I clearly saw and recorded what you were saying…” Suddenly, the apolitical Stanton who would never bring his political opinion into the classroom, was a little more honest about what transpired. “I do apologize if my words were not perfect at the time,” he told her. “If I used… if I said that Trump was ‘hateful and divisive,’ that may have been what I used at the time, but my purpose was in bringing us back to the conversation of computer scientists and the positive role that they’ve played in our history.” He again offered to apologize to her son. “I totally respect him as an individual. And his opinion. I am always interested in student feedback and also parent feedback as well. So I appreciate you having this conversation with me,” Stanton said.
Ms. Kusander shared her concerns with KTTH’s Jason Rantz Show.
Read the article.
– – –
Photo “President Trump” by The White House.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Lucas Case

A judge denied Senator Louise Lucas ’ request to have her case dismissed , but also rejected a subpoena calling Portsmouth Commonwealth ’ s Attorney Stephanie Morales in a Monday hearing .
As a result , the case goes to Morales ’ office and she will take the lead on the prosecution .
Lucas and 18 others charged by the Portsmouth Police Department ( PPD ) will have their next hearing on November 19 .
Judge Claire Cardwell ruled that the Portsmouth Police can not call Morales as a witness ; some of Lucas ’ supporters viewed the subpoena as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prosecution .
In a statement , Morales ’ lawyer said , “ The judge said that the police department is to transmit its investigative file to Ms. Morales .
Ms. Morales will prosecute all of the matters under her constitutional authority as the elected Commonwealth ’ s Attorney.
” Lucas ’ attorney Delegate Don Scott ( D-Norfolk ) told Wavy.com , “ The judge saw it for what it was .
The commonwealth ’ s attorney should never have been subpoenaed in this matter.
” According to the Virginia Public Access Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3,000 to Morales campaign , $ 1,000 in 2014 and $ 1,500 in 2017 .
Local tea party leader and lawyer Tim Anderson commented on the donations on Facebook .
Anderson asked his followers , “ I am curious if you think there is a conflict ?
” Senator Joe Morrissey ( D-Richmond ) , who used to be a prosecutor said that attorneys can recuse themselves even if there is no conflict of interest .
“ Given that [ Morales has ] been subpoenaed as a witness , given that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of action could be to recuse herself .
Now I ’ m not saying that she has to do that , but I ’ m saying it ’ s something she should consider.
” “ When you recuse yourself , it may not be because you have a conflict of interest but rather because there ’ s an appearance of a conflict , or what is known as an appearance of impropriety .
To avoid any appearance of impropriety , the best course of action is often to recuse oneself.
” Anderson is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lucas .
After the June 10 protest where a Confederate monument was damaged and a man was injured , the PPD announced felony charges against 19 people for damaging the monument , including Lucas .
At the same time , the PPD listed Morales as a witness .
Morales ’ office responded with a press release , saying that if Morales was subpoenaed , “ it removes the ability of this Commonwealth Attorney from acting and places the matters in the hands of a special prosecutor who is not accountable to this city.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , Lucas ’ daughter , Vice-Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke , was charged with a misdemeanor for calling for Police Chief Angela Greene to be fired .
City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton resigned one day after placing Greene on administrative leave , and City Attorney Solomon Ashby was fired by the city council in a vote split along racial lines .
Lucas-Burke , Greene , Pettis-Patton , and Ashby are all Black .
Local NAACP leaders have repeatedly tried to charge White city councilmembers Bill Moody and Elisabeth Psimas with misdemeanors alleging that they both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prosecute Lucas .
The case has highlighted division in Portsmouth ’ s government and civic leadership ; it has also attracted attention from high-profile Virginia politicians .
Democrats have sided with Lucas , while Republicans have criticized her and called for Greene to be re-instated as police chief .
The Portsmouth Tea Party has held rallies supporting Greene .
“ I ’ ve seen the police footage , ” Senator Amanda Chase said in August , “ I saw for myself what [ Lucas ] did , and she clearly overstepped her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we don ’ t have the ability to tell law enforcement to stand back , that ’ s not in our purview.
“ In August , Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Chairman , Delegate Lamont Bagby ( D-Henrico ) , said , “ We are confident that justice will be served and that she will be exonerated of these charges .
She was there fighting for justice .
These charges against her are simply outrageous.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A judge rejected a subpoena calling Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Morales to testify in the Lucas case Monday. As a result, the case goes to Morales’ office and she will take the lead on the prosecution. Lucas and 18 others charged by the Portsmouth Police Department (PPD) will have their next hearing on November 19.
Judge Claire Cardwell ruled that the Portsmouth Police can not call Morales as a witness; some of Lucas’ supporters viewed the subpoena as an attempt to keep Morales out of the prosecution. In a statement, Morales’ lawyer said, “The judge said that the police department is to transmit its investigative file to Ms. Morales. Ms. Morales will prosecute all of the matters under her constitutional authority as the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney.”
Lucas’ attorney Delegate Don Scott (D-Norfolk) told Wavy.com, “The judge saw it for what it was. The commonwealth’s attorney should never have been subpoenaed in this matter.”
According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Lucas’ Political Action Committee gave $3,000 to the Morales campaign, $1,000 in 2014 and $1,500 in 2017. Local tea party leader and lawyer Tim Anderson commented on the donations on Facebook. Anderson asked his followers, “I am curious if you think there is a conflict?” Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond), who used to be a prosecutor said that attorneys can recuse themselves even if there is no conflict of interest. “Given that [Morales has] been subpoenaed as a witness, given that she may know Lucas, the better course of action could be to recuse herself. Now I’m not saying that she has to do that, but I’m saying it’s something she should consider.”
“When you recuse yourself, it may not be because you have a conflict of interest but rather because there’s an appearance of a conflict, or what is known as an appearance of impropriety. To avoid any appearance of impropriety, the best course of action is often to recuse oneself.”
Anderson is himself facing a lawsuit for allegedly defaming Lucas.
After the June 10 protest where a Confederate monument was damaged and a man was injured, the PPD announced felony charges against 19 people for damaging the monument, including Lucas. At the same time, the PPD listed Morales as a witness. Morales’ office responded with a press release, saying that if Morales was subpoenaed, “it removes the ability of this Commonwealth Attorney from acting and places the matters in the hands of a special prosecutor who is not accountable to this city.”
In the ongoing aftermath of the case, Lucas’ daughter, Vice-Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke, was charged with a misdemeanor for calling for Police Chief Angela Greene to be fired. City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton resigned one day after placing Greene on administrative leave, and City Attorney Solomon Ashby was fired by the city council in a vote split along racial lines. Lucas-Burke, Greene, Pettis-Patton, and Ashby are all Black. Local NAACP leaders have repeatedly tried to charge White city councilmembers Bill Moody and Elisabeth Psimas with misdemeanors alleging that they both violated city charter by calling for Greene to prosecute Lucas.
The case has highlighted division in Portsmouth’s government and civic leadership; it has also attracted attention from high-profile Virginia politicians. Democrats have sided with Lucas, while Republicans have criticized her and called for Greene to be re-instated as police chief. The Portsmouth Tea Party has held rallies supporting Greene.
“I’ve seen the police footage,” Senator Amanda Chase said in August, “I saw for myself what [Lucas] did, and she clearly overstepped her bounds as a legislator. You know, we don’t have the ability to tell law enforcement to stand back, that’s not in our purview.“
In August, Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Chairman, Delegate Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico), said, “We are confident that justice will be served and that she will be exonerated of these charges. She was there fighting for justice. These charges against her are simply outrageous.”
– – –
Editor’s note: A previous version of this report incorrectly asserted Judge Claire Cardwell denied a motion to dismiss Lucas’ case. The motion is still pending, and a decision on the matter is expected in November. The Star regrets the error in the original story, which is now corrected in the current version.
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Email tips to [email protected].


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Whitmer Administration Issues Statewide Facemask Order After Past Orders Tossed

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ( MDHHS ) Director Robert Gordon on Monday issued an Emergency Order under a 1978 law restricting gathering sizes , requiring face coverings in public spaces and enacting limitations on bars .
The order is effective immediately and remains in effect through Oct. 30 .
The order doesn ’ t lean on the rule Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer has used to issue emergency orders that the Michigan Supreme Court invalidated on Friday .
“ When it comes to fighting COVID-19 , we are all in this together .
We need Michiganders everywhere to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practicing safe physical distancing so we can keep our schools and small businesses open and protect the brave men and women serving on the front lines of this crisis , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ The epidemic order that Director Gordon issued today is an important step to protect Michiganders across the state from the spread of COVID-19 .
Let ’ s all mask up and stay safe.
” The 1978 law allows Gordon to prohibit gatherings for any purpose and may establish rules during COVID-19 to protect public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a misdemeanor , imprisonment for not more than six months , or a fine of not more than $ 200 , or both .
Violations of this order are also punishable by a civil fine of up to $ 1,000 .
“ Michigan was hit hard by COVID-19 early in the pandemic , ” Gordon said in a statement .
“ Strict preventive measures and the cooperation of Michiganders drove those numbers down dramatically , greatly reducing the loss of life .
As we head into flu season , this order is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health care system can provide care for all health issues , keep schools open , and maintain economic recovery.
” • Requirements to wear masks at indoor and outdoor gatherings , defined as any occurrence where persons from multiple households are present in a shared space in a group of two or more .
• Requires businesses and government offices to enforce those requirements for gatherings on their premises .
The order also requires the wearing of masks at schools , except for in Michigan Economic Recovery Council Region 6 .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that mirror Whitmer ’ s previous requirements .
These include indoor gatherings of more than 10 and up to 500 people occurring at a non-residential venue are permitted within the following limits : • In venues with fixed seating , limit attendance to 20 % of normal capacity .
However , gatherings up to 25 % of normal capacity are permitted in Michigan Economic Recovery Council Region 6 .
• In venues without fixed seating , limit attendance to 20 persons per 1,000 square feet in each occupied room .
However , gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ square feet are permitted in Michigan Economic Recovery Council Region 6 .
• Non-residential outdoor gatherings of between 100 and 1,000 persons at venues with fixed seating are permitted at up to 30 % of normal capacity and at 30 persons per 1,000 square feet at venues without fixed seating .
• The order requires bars to close indoor common areas where people can congregate or dance .
Local health departments are authorized to enforce the order , and law enforcement officers are deemed as “ department representatives ” for enforcing this order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violations of this order within their jurisdiction .
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square .
A graduate of Hillsdale College , his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org .
Previously , he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi .

by Scott McClallen
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon on Monday issued an Emergency Order under a 1978 law restricting gathering sizes, requiring face coverings in public spaces and enacting limitations on bars.
The order is effective immediately and remains in effect through Oct. 30.
The order doesn’t lean on the rule Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has used to issue emergency orders that the Michigan Supreme Court invalidated on Friday.
“When it comes to fighting COVID-19, we are all in this together. We need Michiganders everywhere to do their part by wearing masks and practicing safe physical distancing so we can keep our schools and small businesses open and protect the brave men and women serving on the front lines of this crisis,” Whitmer said in a statement.
“The epidemic order that Director Gordon issued today is an important step to protect Michiganders across the state from the spread of COVID-19. Let’s all mask up and stay safe.”
The 1978 law allows Gordon to prohibit gatherings for any purpose and may establish rules during COVID-19 to protect public health.
Violations of this order are punishable by a misdemeanor, imprisonment for not more than six months, or a fine of not more than $200, or both.
Violations of this order are also punishable by a civil fine of up to $1,000.
“Michigan was hit hard by COVID-19 early in the pandemic,” Gordon said in a statement. “Strict preventive measures and the cooperation of Michiganders drove those numbers down dramatically, greatly reducing the loss of life. As we head into flu season, this order is necessary to protect vulnerable individuals, ensure the health care system can provide care for all health issues, keep schools open, and maintain economic recovery.”
The order includes:
Requirements to wear masks at indoor and outdoor gatherings, defined as any occurrence where persons from multiple households are present in a shared space in a group of two or more.
Requires businesses and government offices to enforce those requirements for gatherings on their premises. The order also requires the wearing of masks at schools, except for in Michigan Economic Recovery Council Region 6.
The order reinstates limitations on gathering sizes that mirror Whitmer’s previous requirements. These include indoor gatherings of more than 10 and up to 500 people occurring at a non-residential venue are permitted within the following limits:
In venues with fixed seating, limit attendance to 20% of normal capacity. However, gatherings up to 25% of normal capacity are permitted in Michigan Economic Recovery Council Region 6. In venues without fixed seating, limit attendance to 20 persons per 1,000 square feet in each occupied room. However, gatherings of up to 25 persons per 1,000 square feet are permitted in Michigan Economic Recovery Council Region 6. Non-residential outdoor gatherings of between 100 and 1,000 persons at venues with fixed seating are permitted at up to 30% of normal capacity and at 30 persons per 1,000 square feet at venues without fixed seating.
The order requires bars to close indoor common areas where people can congregate or dance.
The order doesn’t continue restaurant capacity restrictions.
Local health departments are authorized to enforce the order, and law enforcement officers are deemed as “department representatives” for enforcing this order and are specifically authorized to investigate potential violations of this order within their jurisdiction.
– – –
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Rip Off: Over $1.7 Million of CARES Funding Wasted on COVID-19 Exposure App Used by Only 13.5 Percen

Rip Off: Over $1.7 Million of CARES Funding Wasted on COVID-19 Exposure App Used by Only 13.5 Percent of Cell Phone Users

The Virginia government will reportedly have spent over $ 1.7 million for the COVID-19 exposure reporting app COVIDWISE , which 13.5 % of cell phone users have downloaded .
Approximately $ 1.5 million was spent on marketing alone .
The Virginia Department of Health ( VDH ) and SpringML Inc. received $ 229,000 in CARES federal emergency funding to co-develop and launch COVIDWISE .
The app allows users to upload their positive test results , which allows other users to receive exposure notifications .
Users will only be notified if they have been within a 6 foot vicinity for over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project between Google and Apple .
The app doesn ’ t collect any personal or geographic data from users .
The $ 1.5 million went to Madison+Maine , a Richmond-based marketing company .
Madison+Maine has worked extensively with government and administrative bodies in the past – including the Virginia Attorney General ’ s office and the City of Chesapeake .
Marketing for the app covers digital advertising on social media , print , transit , radio , and broadcasting .
“ The cornerstone of this campaign is to drive people to COVIDWISE.org , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officer at Madison+Maine .
In an interview with The Virginia Star , VDH Director of Health Informatics & Integrated Surveillance Systems Jeff Stover stated that recent coverage pointing out the percentage of downloads from the state population doesn ’ t accurately reflect the app ’ s success .
“ Seven percent is a bad number – newborns don ’ t have cell phones , 89-year-olds don ’ t have cell phones .
We went to the U.S. Census Bureau , took the number of people ages 18 to 65 , and accepted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent coverage [ of the population ] .
” “ We use that number to report our downloads .
That percentage – 13.5 % – is the real number that matters.
” Stover also reported that their office is seeing two to five thousand downloads a day , with approximately 10,000 downloads this past weekend .
Governor Ralph Northam and his administration reportedly used the app to notify their staff of their positive test results .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to [ email protected ] .

The Virginia government will reportedly have spent over $1.7 million for the COVID-19 exposure reporting app COVIDWISE, which 13.5% of cell phone users have downloaded. Approximately $1.5 million was spent on marketing alone.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and SpringML Inc. received $229,000 in CARES federal emergency funding to co-develop and launch COVIDWISE. The app allows users to upload their positive test results, which allows other users to receive exposure notifications. Users will only be notified if they have been within a 6 foot vicinity for over 15 minutes.
COVIDWISE is a collaborative project between Google and Apple. The app doesn’t collect any personal or geographic data from users.
The $1.5 million went to Madison+Maine, a Richmond-based marketing company. Madison+Maine has worked extensively with government and administrative bodies in the past – including the Virginia Attorney General’s office and the City of Chesapeake.
Marketing for the app covers digital advertising on social media, print, transit, radio, and broadcasting.
“The cornerstone of this campaign is to drive people to COVIDWISE.org,” stated David Saunders, Chief Idea Officer at Madison+Maine.
In an interview with The Virginia Star, VDH Director of Health Informatics & Integrated Surveillance Systems Jeff Stover stated that recent coverage pointing out the percentage of downloads from the state population doesn’t accurately reflect the app’s success.
“Seven percent is a bad number – newborns don’t have cell phones, 89-year-olds don’t have cell phones. We went to the U.S. Census Bureau, took the number of people ages 18 to 65, and accepted a notion that our market is an 80 percent coverage [of the population].”
Stover affirmed that percentage equates to 4.25 million people.
“We use that number to report our downloads. That percentage – 13.5% – is the real number that matters.”
Stover also reported that their office is seeing two to five thousand downloads a day, with approximately 10,000 downloads this past weekend.
Governor Ralph Northam and his administration reportedly used the app to notify their staff of their positive test results.
– – –
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].


thetennesseestar--2020-10-06--Kent State University Assigns Anime Porn to High School Minor

According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education ’ s website , College Credit Plus ( CCP ) “ is Ohio ’ s dual enrollment program that provides students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking courses from Ohio colleges or universities.
” A 17-year-old high school student enrolled in Ohio ’ s CCP program signed up for “ College Writing I : Social Issues Through Anime ” at Kent State University ( KSU ) .
The male student received an assignment that immediately caused him to go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task .
The KSU professor running the class , Bre Stephens , refused the minor student ’ s request for a substitute assignment .
Consequently , the 4.0-grade-point-average student opted to neither read the material in question nor write about it – instead , he took a zero on the assignment .
The material in question comes from the book , Anime from Akira to Howl ’ s Moving Castle by Susan J. Napier .
“ It ’ s sexually explicit with acts of sex that are unimaginable – pictures and descriptions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , ” said State Representative Reggie Stoltzfus ( R-Paris Township ) in an interview with The Ohio Star .
Representative Stoltzfus was contacted by the student ’ s family who requested his assistance .
Representative Stoltzfus involved Ohio Representative Don Jones ( R-Freeport ) .
Jones is the Chairman of the Primary and Secondary Education Committee .
Both Jones and Stoltzfus have been in communication with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the State Relations Director at KSU – they asked KSU State Relations Director Brady Oxander to give the give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the material to be removed from the course .
According to Stoltzfus , KSU would not confirm with the representatives or the student ’ s parents whether an alternative would be issued upon their appeal , but reserved that communication for only the minor student .
However , KSU did deny the request to pull the material from the course through State Relations Director Brady Oxender who wrote “ [ t ] he assigned text is related to the subject matter and prepares the class for dialogue about themed issues .
Faculty have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and learning to fulfill the course objectives.
” Oxender explained in the email that students and their guardians sign a waiver acknowledging that course materials may contain adult themes .
“ I can understand the idea of ‘ adult material ’ to an extent but this raises the question – what constitutes adult material ?
” asked Representative Jones , rhetorically , during a phone interview with The Star .
Jones said there are two issues – “ the first issue is we don ’ t know if the student will be given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the second issue is the university and this material – it ’ s pornographic and shouldn ’ t be introduced to students at college or any level.
” A picture that accompanies the text in question is not published here due to its pornographic nature .
The text in question is displayed in part but can not be displayed in full because it describes gross sexual acts involving minors , sex with demonic creatures , rape , sexual violence and sexual gore .
Representative Jones said , “ If this stuff was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an adult to a minor – found on someone ’ s computer – they could get arrested .
But because it ’ s under the banner of education it ’ s supposed to be okay.
” An Ohio attorney was contacted by The Star and consulted on the Ohio Revised Code ( ORC ) and whether the book and assignment would be a violation .
The attorney stated there are two codes that may be involved but both contain exemptions for the use of material for educational purposes .
The first code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that addresses ‘ Disseminating Matter Harmful to Juveniles ’ ( if “ harmful ” to the juvenile , a misdemeanor – if ‘ obscene ’ then a 5th degree felony ) .
This does contain the ‘ educational purpose ’ defense , ” said the attorney .
He continued “ the other is ORC 2907.322 ‘ Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving A Minor ’ ( highest penalty is a 2nd degree felony ) .
It also contains the educational purpose exception.
” The attorney concluded “ [ f ] rom what I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit ‘ risqué ’ – but I think it would more likely be considered “ art ” rather than “ pornography.
” The author is a professor of Japanese Studies at Tufts University.
” Representative Jones concluded , “ I told Brady [ Oxander ] that if my college daughter received and was to report on these materials , we ’ d be there cleaning out her dorm room and bringing her home .
We spend millions of dollars a year on mental health , suicide awareness and prevention , sexual abuse issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stuff we are exposing children to .
And we wonder why we struggle with these issues ; we are planting the seed.
” Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio Star .
Windsor is also an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV .
Follow Jack on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Kent State University ” by Kentstate1910 CC4.0 .

According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s website, College Credit Plus (CCP) “is Ohio’s dual enrollment program that provides students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking courses from Ohio colleges or universities.”
A 17-year-old high school student enrolled in Ohio’s CCP program signed up for “College Writing I: Social Issues Through Anime” at Kent State University (KSU).
The male student received an assignment that immediately caused him to go to his professor to seek an alternative writing task.
The KSU professor running the class, Bre Stephens, refused the minor student’s request for a substitute assignment.
Consequently, the 4.0-grade-point-average student opted to neither read the material in question nor write about it – instead, he took a zero on the assignment.
The material in question comes from the book, Anime from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle by Susan J. Napier.
“It’s sexually explicit with acts of sex that are unimaginable – pictures and descriptions. Somebody with a twisted mind conjured it up,” said State Representative Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Paris Township) in an interview with The Ohio Star. Representative Stoltzfus was contacted by the student’s family who requested his assistance.
Representative Stoltzfus involved Ohio Representative Don Jones (R-Freeport). Jones is the Chairman of the Primary and Secondary Education Committee.
Both Jones and Stoltzfus have been in communication with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the State Relations Director at KSU – they asked KSU State Relations Director Brady Oxander to give the student an alternative assignment and for the material to be removed from the course.
According to Stoltzfus, KSU would not confirm with the representatives or the student’s parents whether an alternative would be issued upon their appeal, but reserved that communication for only the minor student.
However, KSU did deny the request to pull the material from the course through State Relations Director Brady Oxender who wrote “[t]he assigned text is related to the subject matter and prepares the class for dialogue about themed issues. Faculty have academic freedom to communicate ideas for discussion and learning to fulfill the course objectives.”
Oxender explained in the email that students and their guardians sign a waiver acknowledging that course materials may contain adult themes.
“I can understand the idea of ‘adult material’ to an extent but this raises the question – what constitutes adult material?” asked Representative Jones, rhetorically, during a phone interview with The Star.
Jones said there are two issues – “the first issue is we don’t know if the student will be given a chance to make up the assignment and the second issue is the university and this material – it’s pornographic and shouldn’t be introduced to students at college or any level.”
A picture that accompanies the text in question is not published here due to its pornographic nature. The text in question is displayed in part but cannot be displayed in full because it describes gross sexual acts involving minors, sex with demonic creatures, rape, sexual violence and sexual gore.
Representative Jones said, “If this stuff was pulled down from the internet and sent from an adult to a minor – found on someone’s computer – they could get arrested. But because it’s under the banner of education it’s supposed to be okay.”
An Ohio attorney was contacted by The Star and consulted on the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and whether the book and assignment would be a violation.
The attorney stated there are two codes that may be involved but both contain exemptions for the use of material for educational purposes.
The first code the attorney cited is “ORC 2907.31 that addresses ‘Disseminating Matter Harmful to Juveniles’ (if “harmful” to the juvenile, a misdemeanor – if ‘obscene’ then a 5th degree felony). This does contain the ‘educational purpose’ defense,” said the attorney.
He continued “the other is ORC 2907.322 ‘Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving A Minor’ (highest penalty is a 2nd degree felony). It also contains the educational purpose exception.”
The attorney concluded “[f]rom what I know about anime, it can get a bit ‘risqué’ – but I think it would more likely be considered “art” rather than “pornography.” The author is a professor of Japanese Studies at Tufts University.”
Representative Jones concluded, “I told Brady [Oxander] that if my college daughter received and was to report on these materials, we’d be there cleaning out her dorm room and bringing her home. We spend millions of dollars a year on mental health, suicide awareness and prevention, sexual abuse issues – yet this is the type of the stuff we are exposing children to. And we wonder why we struggle with these issues; we are planting the seed.”
– – –
Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio Star. Windsor is also an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV. Follow Jack on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kent State University” by Kentstate1910 CC4.0.