thetennesseestar--2020-10-09--Judge Again Blocks Restrictions on Ballot Drop Boxes in Ohio

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked an order by Ohio ’ s elections chief that limits the number of ballot drop boxes available in next month ’ s election , calling the move “ essential to vindicate a vital constitutional right.
” U.S. District Judge Dan Polster ’ s decision marked the second time in recent weeks that a court has ruled against LaRose ’ s directive restricting ballot drop boxes to a single location in each county in the presidential battleground state .
A voting rights group keen on expanding access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an attractive option amid concerns about Postal Service cuts and the coronavirus pandemic , and which are often sought by urban , more Democratic-leaning counties — had asked Wednesday for Polster to reopen its case after LaRose said the judge ’ s ruling was “ expressly contrary ” to LaRose ’ s intent .
Polster , based in Cleveland , had dismissed the A. Philip Randolph Institute ’ s case Tuesday because he said a clarification LaRose issued to his one-box-per-county order now permitted ballot drop boxes at multiple locations within a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lawsuit had been seeking .
But LaRose ’ s office argued that by allowing drop boxes “ outside ” boards of elections , his new directive was meant to restrict them to board property just outside the building — not to allow them off site .
Polster said in reopening the case Thursday that LaRose ’ s definition appeared arbitrary .
“ It appears the Secretary has arbitrarily drawn the ‘ outside ’ boundary somewhere beyond a board ’ s premises but not as far as a library a few miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This leaves the Court and the boards with no working definition of where ‘ outside ’ collection is permissible.
” Polster ’ s original order said the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections could move forward with its plan under LaRose ’ s clarified order to set up ballot drop boxes at six public libraries scattered around the county , which is home to Cleveland .
But lawyers for LaRose immediately ordered the county not to proceed .
Three courts have now scolded LaRose for the original drop box directive , calling it unreasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made clear he had the authority to remedy the order under law .
LaRose and his Republican allies in the case , including President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee , argue that Ohio voters have ample opportunities to vote , including being able to deliver absentee ballots by mail or in person .
“ Voting has begun , and Ohio ’ s elections are safe , secure and accessible , ” LaRose spokeswoman Maggie Sheehan said in a text message Thursday .
“ The place to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the Statehouse , not the courthouse.
” Polster said defenders of the directive “ gloss over the risks and obstacles that those options present under today ’ s unprecedented conditions.
” Jen Miller , executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio , said now that both state and federal courts have ruled against the order , LaRose should relent and begin working with Ohio ’ s 88 county boards to add more drop boxes .
“ We applaud the judge ’ s ruling , because multiple , satellite drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural and suburban areas as well as senior citizens , voters with disabilities , and those without reliable transportation , ” she said in a statement .
Julie Carr Smyth is a reporter for The Associated Press .

by Julie Carr Smyth
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked an order by Ohio’s elections chief that limits the number of ballot drop boxes available in next month’s election, calling the move “essential to vindicate a vital constitutional right.”
Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose moved immediately to appeal.
U.S. District Judge Dan Polster’s decision marked the second time in recent weeks that a court has ruled against LaRose’s directive restricting ballot drop boxes to a single location in each county in the presidential battleground state.
A voting rights group keen on expanding access to the boxes — which voters see as an attractive option amid concerns about Postal Service cuts and the coronavirus pandemic, and which are often sought by urban, more Democratic-leaning counties — had asked Wednesday for Polster to reopen its case after LaRose said the judge’s ruling was “expressly contrary” to LaRose’s intent.
Polster, based in Cleveland, had dismissed the A. Philip Randolph Institute’s case Tuesday because he said a clarification LaRose issued to his one-box-per-county order now permitted ballot drop boxes at multiple locations within a county. That was what the institute’s lawsuit had been seeking.
But LaRose’s office argued that by allowing drop boxes “outside” boards of elections, his new directive was meant to restrict them to board property just outside the building — not to allow them off site.
Polster said in reopening the case Thursday that LaRose’s definition appeared arbitrary.
“It appears the Secretary has arbitrarily drawn the ‘outside’ boundary somewhere beyond a board’s premises but not as far as a library a few miles away,” he wrote. “This leaves the Court and the boards with no working definition of where ‘outside’ collection is permissible.”
Polster’s original order said the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections could move forward with its plan under LaRose’s clarified order to set up ballot drop boxes at six public libraries scattered around the county, which is home to Cleveland. But lawyers for LaRose immediately ordered the county not to proceed.
Three courts have now scolded LaRose for the original drop box directive, calling it unreasonable and arbitrary. A state appellate court made clear he had the authority to remedy the order under law.
LaRose and his Republican allies in the case, including President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee, argue that Ohio voters have ample opportunities to vote, including being able to deliver absentee ballots by mail or in person.
“Voting has begun, and Ohio’s elections are safe, secure and accessible,” LaRose spokeswoman Maggie Sheehan said in a text message Thursday. “The place to make changes in how we run our elections is the Statehouse, not the courthouse.”
Polster said defenders of the directive “gloss over the risks and obstacles that those options present under today’s unprecedented conditions.”
Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said now that both state and federal courts have ruled against the order, LaRose should relent and begin working with Ohio’s 88 county boards to add more drop boxes.
“We applaud the judge’s ruling, because multiple, satellite drop boxes provide better access for voters in rural and suburban areas as well as senior citizens, voters with disabilities, and those without reliable transportation,” she said in a statement.
– – –
Julie Carr Smyth is a reporter for The Associated Press.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Bill Lee and 23 Other Republican Governors ‘Strongly Support’ Judge Amy Coney Barret’s Confirmation

Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee along with 23 other Republican governors signed a letter Thursday that “ strongly supports ” the Senate confirmation of Supreme Court justice nominee Amy Coney Barrett .
In the letter , the governors said they agreed with Barrett ’ s judicial doctrine .
“ As elected leaders of our states , we support a judicial philosophy like Judge Barrett ’ s that respects the roles of coequal branches of government and protects powers reserved to the states .
Most importantly , Americans can trust Judge Barrett , because she will apply the text of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter says .
Also , the governors quoted Barrett on how a judge should act .
“ As Judge Barrett stated during the President ’ s announcement of her nomination , “ A judge must apply the law as written .
Judges are not policymakers , and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold , ” the letter says .
“ Americans can trust Judge Barrett , because she will apply the text of the Constitution and statutes as written , ” the letter adds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders said Barret reminded them of so many Americans who are devoted to their family , faith , community and country .
“ Judge Barrett has demonstrated from the bench nothing but legal brilliance , independence , thoughtfulness , and impartiality , ” the letter concludes .
“ She will be an exceptional addition to our nation ’ s highest court.
” The governors sent their letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Minority Leader Charles Schumer , Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barret on Twitter .
“ Proud to join my colleagues in calling for a swift confirmation of the eminently qualified Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court , ” Lee tweeted .
Barrett has been meeting with Senators on Capitol Hill since being nominated by President Donald Trump two weeks ago .
Confirmation hearings for the judge will begin on Monday .
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media .
If you have any tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ] .
Follow Zachery on Twitter @ @ @

A 17-year-old student allegedly opened fire Friday at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas, killing 10 people and wounding another 10, authorities said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said police found explosive devices, including a Molotov cocktail, at the suspected shooter’s home and a vehicle, as well as around the Santa Fe High School where the shooting took place.
Law enforcement officials said the suspect, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a junior at the school, was being held without bond on a capital murder charge.
Abbott said the suspect originally intended to commit suicide following the shooting but told law enforcement officials after he was arrested that he didn’t have the courage to go through with killing himself.
The governor said two guns were used in the attack — a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver. He said the suspect’s father legally owned both guns.It was not clear whether the father knew his son had taken the weapons.
Abbott said there were “one or two” other people of interest being interviewed about the shooting.
Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said, “Injured students and staff have been transported to local hospitals.” He also said an officer from the Santa Fe Independent School District was among those shot.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the shooting as an “absolutely horrific attack,” one of many that have “been going on too long in this country.” Trump told the victims and their families that “we’re with you in this tragic hour and we will be with you forever.” He vowed to get guns “out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others.”
An unidentified male student described fleeing the school during an interview with KHOU-TV in Houston. He said that after he heard three shots, “we all took off in the back, and I tried to get into the trees. I didn’t want to be in sight. I heard four more shots, and then we jumped the fence to somebody’s house.”
An unidentified female student said tearfully on cable channel CNN, “Nobody should have to go through this. Nobody should have to feel that pain.”
Facebook post
Pagourtzis had posted an image on Facebook of himself wearing a “Born to Kill” shirt, but the motive for Friday’s attack wasn’t known.
Abbott saidthat unlike previous school shootings, “there were not those types of warning signs” about the Santa Fe suspect. The governor saidthe early investigation had found no prior criminal history for Pagourtzis.
“The red-flag warnings were either nonexistent or very imperceptible,” Abbott said, though he acknowledged Pagourtzis’ posting of the photo on Facebook.
That same Facebook profile described Pagourtzis as planning to enter the U.S. Marine Corps next year, but the Marine Corps told The Associated Press it had reviewed its records and had found no one by that name as either a recruit or a person in their delayed entry pool.
Classmates described Pagourtzis as quiet and an avid video game player who routinely wore a black trench coat and black boots to class. He had played football on the school’s junior varsity squad and danced as part of a church group. Those who know him expressed shock he might be involved in the killings.
Calls for action
The latest incident came about three months after a shooter with a semiautomatic rifle killed 17 students and school staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It was the third-deadliest school shooting in American history.
The Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said urgent action was needed to prevent gun violence.
“Congress must show as much courage as they have, and act now to ensure that no other community or family must endure the unthinkable horror of gun violence. Our children deserve real leadership: a vote to prevent gun violence now.”
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said Congress must implement reforms that lawmakers recently passed “to make schools safer and keep deadly weapons away from those who should not have them.”
“Our hearts are filled with grief over this horrific loss of life,” he added.
Santa Fe is located in southeastern Texas between the cities of Houston and Galveston.
– – –
Some information for this report came from Associated Press.
VOA News


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Commentary: Biden’s Threat to Pack the Supreme Court Matters

After Joe Biden and Kamala Harris dodged debate questions about “ packing the courts , ” Biden , when pressed further finally said , “ You ’ ll know my opinion on court packing when the election is over.
” Biden is playing games with the American people on what could be the most consequential issue of the election and here is why this matters .
Presidents are constitutionally bound to fill vacancies on the courts including the Supreme Court which has been set to nine justices since 1869 .
It is expected that they will nominate judges who share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these presidential appointments can have far-reaching impacts on the nation .
What is not normal , expected , or natural is to “ pack the court.
” Packing the court is a different thing altogether .
It is when a president attempts to increase the number of judges on any given court in order to get a desired political outcome .
“ Packing the court ” was coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt , and was a slang term for the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937 .
Roosevelt sought to reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an effort to obtain a favorable ruling for the New Deal legislation .
The central provision of the bill would have granted the president power to appoint an additional justice to the Supreme Court – up to a maximum of six – for every member of the court over the age of 70 years and six months .
Roosevelt ’ s bill went nowhere .
The public and Congress rejected it , seeing it for what it was , a power grab .
No president has ever tried it since .
At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , during the Obama-Biden Administration , Senate Republicans accused the White House and Senate Democrats of trying to pack the U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit .
This court is often referred to as the second highest court in the land because it hears important cases concerning the federal government .
In 2013 , The 11-panel court had three vacancies which Obama sought to fill .
But Republicans pointed out that the court did not handle enough cases to warrant 11 judges and sought to reduce the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the case that “ the most underworked appeals court in the country should not be manipulated by the president and his political allies to advance their agenda.
” According to an October 2013 Senate Republican Policy Committee memo , an unnamed D.C .
Circuit Court Judge said , “ I do not believe the current caseload of the D.C .
Circuit or , for that matter , the anticipated caseload in the near future , merits additional judgeships at this time .
… If any more judges were added now , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go around.
” That same memo noted , “ Senate Democrats and their allies have been quite clear : they are pushing to make more appointments to the D.C .
Circuit — not because they are needed , but because they want judges who will rubber-stamp the President ’ s agenda.
” Ultimately , the Obama-Biden Administration succeeded in appointing four judges to that court in which Democrats now hold sway .
This matters because the D.C .
Circuit has sole responsibility for deciding cases having to do with the balance of powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by government agencies affecting issues such as health care , national security , and energy development .
“ In 2013 , when Obama attempted to pack that court , his administration had a problem , ” explained Rick Manning , president of Americans for Limited Government .
“ There were a number of disputes involving the power of the executive branch that were headed to the federal district court of appeals , and that court was philosophically evenly divided .
Fearing that the courts would curtail their power , the Obama-Biden team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the district court of appeals .
They sought to guarantee that the executive branch would win all legal challenges.
” The fact that Biden has been involved in what looks like court packing in the past , should concern every American .
If he is allowed back into the White House , and his party gains control of the Senate , he could very likely abolish the filibuster in order to push through a Roosevelt-type scheme to politicize and pack the Supreme Court .
Catherine Mortensen is the Vice President of Communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Supreme Court Justices ” by The White House .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Biden Refuses Again to Say Whether He Will Pack the Court

Former Vice President Joe Biden again refused to say whether he will pack the Supreme Court Thursday , saying that media will find out where he stands on packing the court “ when the election is over.
” “ You ’ ll know my opinion on court-packing when the election is over , ” he told reporters Thursday .
“ It ’ s a great question , and I don ’ t blame you for asking , ” he continued , “ but you know the moment I answer that question , the headline in every one of your papers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focusing on what ’ s happening now .
The election has begun .
There has never been a court appointment once an election has begun.
” The 2020 presidential candidate made these comments following the Wednesday night vice presidential debate where Vice President Mike Pence pushed Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris to address whether the Biden administration would support adding justices to the Supreme Court if they win the election .
Harris repeatedly dodged answering the question .
Pence reminded Harris that Trump has nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know , if she is confirmed , are you and Joe Biden , if somehow you win this election , going to pack the Supreme Court to get your way , ” Pence asked .
Harris responded by saying that Americans deserve to decide “ who will serve for a lifetime.
” “ Joe and I are very clear the American people are voting right now , and it should be their decision about who will serve on this most important body for a lifetime , ” she said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ I have witnessed the lifetime appointments to the federal courts , the district courts , the courts of appeal , people who are purely ideological , people who have been reviewed by legal professional organizations and found to have been not competent or substandard.
” “ Do you know that of the 50 people who President Trump appointed to the court of appeals for lifetime appointments , not one is black ?
” she continued .
“ This is what they ’ ve been doing .
You want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s have that discussion.
” Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Joe Biden ” by KUSI News YouTube .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Institutional Constraints: Crom Carmichael Explains Why We Need Them and Why They Are Important

Live from Music Row Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to discuss the need for institutional constraints so that the government can properly function .
Leahy : Tennessee ’ s in the red zone in coronavirus cases .
What really does that mean ?
Carmichael : I mean , I have no earthly idea ( Leahy laughs ) what the red zone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football last 20 yards now ?
Carmichael : They just keep moving .
What they do is the authorities just keep moving and the media kind of plays along .
They keep moving the goalposts .
If you ’ ll recall flattening the curve , to begin with , had all to do about making sure that we had enough medical facilities to support the people who needed them .
So then once we got past that then all of a sudden then what mattered the number of cases .
It didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who came down with coronavirus recovered and never had to go to the hospital that didn ’ t matter .
It just became the number of cases .
Then they made it the number of deaths but included in the number of deaths are people who died primarily from some other illness but happened to have coronavirus when they died .
And we know that to be true because the United States represents 5 percent of the world population but it represents 25 percent of the deaths in the world from coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world is grossly under-reporting the number of deaths .
Or it means that we ’ re grossly over-reporting .
Leahy : I ’ m guessing that it ’ s the latter .
Carmichael : We are because when other countries in the world when they report a death from coronavirus , it ’ s actually a death from coronavirus .
It ’ s not somebody who was in the process of dying from cancer who also had Coronavirus .
George Floyd turned out to have had the coronavirus when he died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he listed among them ?
Carmichael : I have no idea .
but they did report that he had coronavirus .
And so so you have this problem with the language .
One thing that Trump should have done it the very outset , well there were three things I wish he had done .
One is I wish he had required the CDC to report the number of deaths only from coronavirus .
If they want to report the other that ’ s okay .
But they ought to have to report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from coronavirus .
The other is he should have had the CDC report the number of people who died in the United States from other causes during the same time period because then you ’ d see just how many people die from other things .
And then the third thing that he should have done was when he put in the national emergency or whatever it is , he said until these national emergency dictates are lifted , no member of the media can make more than the average cameraman .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should have done .
And then all of a sudden the people who do the reporting and the and their bosses this would have been from the president of NBC News all the way down .
They can make no more money during the pandemic than the average cameraman salary .
Carmichael : And that would be fair and it would also have them focus on the fact that there are competing what Trey Gowdy called competing harms .
When you have competing harms , you make the best decision you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to be some negative effect .
And so what you hope to do is that you hope to make the decision that has the fewest negative effects .
And so but getting back to what we were talking about Michael with Jim Roberts .
Carmichael : Yeah , we talked a lot about institutional constraints and we ’ re very fortunate here in Nashville to have a Nashville charter that allows the voters to ultimately provide that institutional constraint against a government policy that they don ’ t like .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27,000 people said we ’ d like to have all the voters have an opportunity to chime in on whether or not a 34 percent tax increase is in the city is in the city ’ s interest .
And who better to decide that then the people who live here the voters .
Not the government that controls .
And you know government elected officials like to call themselves public servants .
What a bunch of what a crock .
Leahy : Good catch .
Good catch there .
They are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not a perfect document .
In fact , the people who signed the constitution and completed new it wasn ’ t a perfect document .
But it was the best that they could come up with given the circumstances at the time .
Because in order to have the constitution take effect you had to have a certain number of states or maybe it was all about .
I don ’ t remember Michael you would know this .
A certain number of states had to vote their legislators had to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nine out of 13 .
Nine out of 13 .
And ultimately nine out of the 13 did ultimately .
Leahy : Although real Rhode Island took a long time to do it .
Carmichael : Okay .
Well , thank you .
That ’ s great information .
But nine had to .
Carmichael : So they had to create a document that would get that we get nine states to agree to it .
And so what the purpose of the constitution was including its flaws , but what its purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And also then limit the powers of that national government .
And they did it with checks and balances and institutional constraints .
They had the executive branch .
They had the Congress .
And they had the courts .
And it was the role of the courts to make sure that the executive branch and the and the legislative branch did not overstep their authority under the constitution .
And it is institutional constraints , you see it right here in Nashville .
The Democrat Party controls the city government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be constrained by the city by the charter .
Leahy : At all .
No constraints on spending .
Leahy : Bob Cooper of Metro Legal and former Attorney General .
Carmichael : It is not just a bad legal argument if you try to blow up the institutional constraints .
We ’ re going to end up in just the same situation as Chicago because that ’ s human nature .
So it ’ s very very important that this institutional constraint .
Leahy : You know , I really would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Carmichael : I would love that .
We are not mean people .
We are vigorous proponents of our point of view and I think Bob Cooper certainly has the intellect and the capability to handle us here one-on-one in the studio .
We ’ ll invite him .
Carmichael : Yeah the mayor does too .
Carmichael : No .
The mayor does too .
You ’ ve invited him to come on the show .
Leahy : He is welcome .
Carmichael : Yeah , and and and the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know how the voters will vote .
I think I know .
I have a prediction of how they vote but that doesn ’ t mean I ’ m right .
But the institutional constraint is to allow if the proper steps are taken which Jim Roberts and his organization did .
The proper steps that have been taken the voters now , get to chime in on whether or not they think the government has done something that it shouldn ’ t .
Leahy : You know , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime if we would invite we would invite both Mayor John Cooper and Metro legal director Bob Cooper to come in sit here with us and dedicate the entire hour and a half that you ’ re in here any Monday Wednesday Friday , and we ’ ll just have an open discussion about this issue .
And we ’ ll make our case .
They ’ ll make their case .
And our listeners , you know can decide what they think .
Now it ’ s not a Judicial hearing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they want to handle it .
But you know the court of public opinion matters , I think Carmichael : Well , it ’ s supposed to that ’ s the point that ’ s what this is .
So in Metro are our institutional constraint has been given to the citizens if they follow a certain procedure .
Carmichael : And at the state level our government is constrained because we have to balance our budget and we don ’ t have an income tax .
And so the government even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did back in the 80s .
The Democrats were in control of the state .
The Democrats still had to manage within the constraints that existed .
And so so it ’ s very very interesting when institutional constraints are abandoned and that ’ s what the Democrat Party is trying to do nationally .
Carmichael : When institutional constraints are abandoned terrible things happen as a result because human nature is a constant .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Belmont Students and Alumni Coalition Claim Private Prisons Are Racist, Call for University to Remov

Belmont Students and Alumni Coalition Claim Private Prisons Are Racist, Call for University to Remove CoreCivic CEO from Board of Trustees

A coalition of Belmont University students and alumni called on the university to remove all ties with private prison company CoreCivic in a virtual town hall on Wednesday .
The moderators and panelists cited the connection as proof of systemic racism and theological issues .
Be Better Belmont formed mid-July in the wake of the George Floyd protests .
In a “ Letter of Demands , ” the coalition asks the university for all information on their relationship to CoreCivic , the removal of CoreCivic CEO and President Damon Hininger from the Board of Trustees , and the refusal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resignations include Andrea Overby , Joe Russell , Marty Dickens , and John Ferguson .
The coalition also asks for all information on the university ’ s “ governance structures and investment patterns.
” It claims that any alignment with prisons directly conflicts with the university ’ s dedication to Christianity .
In its following list of demands , Be Better Belmont also calls for “ anti-racism ” to become part of the university ’ s value and mission ; increased diversity in staffing ; elimination of “ colonist exchanges ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; a “ hate and bias incident reporting system ; ” more social justice , racial justice , and gender studies curriculum ; and reparations for slavery .
Be Better Belmont declined to give a comment on the matter .
A spokesperson responded in an email : “ My apologies but I agreed [ to an interview ] without giving our team a chance to review your publication more closely .
Upon further review , we realized we don ’ t align on the values of your publication .
We will have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interested in learning more , you can visit our website at BeBetterBelmont.com .
Thanks for your interest.
” CoreCivic Public Affairs Manager Ryan Gustin stated that Be Better Belmont , along with other activists , have made a number of false claims about their company .
They deny claims of lobbying for truth-in-sentencing and three strikes laws , having inferior prison qualities , and having twice as many homicides within their Tennessee facilities .
Be Better Belmont will host their monthly open house meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. CDT .
Corinne Murdock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger ” by CoreCivic CEO .
Photo “ Belmont University ” by deldevries .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Second Presidential Debate Canceled by Organizers

The second presidential debate , scheduled for next Thursday between President Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden was canceled Friday by its organizers .
The Commission on Presidential Debates , which runs the event , originally decided to make it a virtual , town hall style event after Trump tested positive last week for the coronavirus .
However , the president declined earlier this week to participate in a virtual event , which was followed by the cancellation .
The president ’ s physician has said that Trump is symptom-free and can resume a public schedule Saturday .
The commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day earlier that the debate would be conducted virtually for “ the health and safety of all involved.
” “ Subsequently , the campaigns of the two candidates who qualified for participation in the debate made a series of statements concerning their respective positions regarding their willingness to participate in a virtual debate on October 15 , and each now has announced alternate plans for that date , ” the statement also reads .
“ It is now apparent there will be no debate on October 15 , and the CPD will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final presidential debate scheduled for October 22.
” The next debate will take place at Belmont University in Nashville , Tenn .
Both candidates have agreed to participate in that debate .
The debate will be divided into six 15-minute segments .
The topics for the six segments will be selected and announced by the moderator , Kristen Welker of NBC News , at least one week before the debate .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Steve Bannon Presents: America Confronts CCP Bioweapon Virus

An all new LIVE STREAM of War Room : Pandemic starts at 9 a.m. Central Time on Saturday .
Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon began the daily War Room : Pandemic radio show and podcast on January 25 , when news of the virus was just beginning to leak out of China around the Lunar New Year .
Bannon and co-hosts bring listeners exclusive analysis and breaking updates from top medical , public health , economic , national security , supply chain and geopolitical experts weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET .
The show ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voice News , the John Fredericks Radio Network , Salem Media Group , and Newsmax TV and the podcast is available on Apple , Spotify , Stitcher , SoundCloud , and Google Play .
You can watch past episodes here .
Previously , Bannon hosted a series of three , two-hour long special programs entitled Descent into Hell : The Chinese People Confront the CCP .
The groundbreaking specials aired live on the John Fredericks Radio Network , America ’ s Voice Network , Dish TV Channel 219 , The Epoch Times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mandarin .
For more information , visit www.pandemic.warroom.org and @ WarRoomPandemic .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Music Spotlight: Jordan Tice

Music Spotlight: Jordan Tice

NASHVILLE , Tennessee – What happens when you take a person who was raised in a bluegrass family and give him a degree in jazz/classical guitar ?
Jordan Tice , a musician ’ s musician , is what you get .
Tice grew up in Annapolis , Maryland where both of his parents played bluegrass .
His mother played fiddle and his dad played banjo and they were involved with the local bluegrass scene .
Tice picked up the guitar early on listening and playing , jazz , blues , and rock .
He cites the Allman Brothers and Jimi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed , “ Bluegrass was something my parents did .
It was not ‘ cool ’ so I resisted it.
” Eventually , Tice succumbed to the bluegrass bug-bite , and as he said , “ I got way into it.
” In college , he studied classical and jazz guitar along with classical composition .
This is what makes Tice ’ s music a little unusual compared to the regular bluegrass you normally hear .
After studying a very diverse variety of music , the musician moved to Boston and started playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ musicians including the members of his band , Hawktail .
The string quartet with which he plays , Hawktail , is even more unique as it combines a classical , yet progressive melody where the listener is not sure if they are hearing a traditional Baroque-styled song or something so new , there isn ’ t even a label for it yet .
He recalled , “ When I first got into playing bluegrass , the part that I really , really liked was the instrumental part of it.
” He was inspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edgar Meyer , Tony Rice , and Chris Thile to name a few .
His first three records were original instrumental music .
“ I started writing instrumental music shortly after I started playing .
I would come up with little ditties and try to turn it into little pieces .
I had this four-track tape recorder that I started throwing things down on .
The [ composing ] is equally important to me as the playing , ” he explained .
After playing in Boston , Tice moved to New York City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2012 , Steve Martin composed five bluegrass songs to help celebrate the 50th-anniversary season of free Shakespeare in the Park .
He persuaded progressive bluegrass master Tony Trischka to lead a small band onstage that includes banjo , fiddle , bass guitar , and a guitar .
Tice was the guitar player at this historic event .
Tice moved to Nashville in early 2015 .
Inspired by Nashville ’ s songwriting sensibility , the longtime composer wrote his first songs with words once he arrived .
His first bluegrass record with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received .
Says Passim , “ The 11 tracks ( 6 songs and 5 instrumentals ) combine many American folk music conventions with Jordan ’ s eccentric harmonic , melodic , and lyrical sense .
The songs seem to be written by someone who has been at it their whole life and each one explodes with craft , color , and personality.
” Now having released his second lyrical record , Motivational Speakeasy , is a solo affair , just Tice and his beloved and well-worn Collings guitar .
It is not necessarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fingerpicking showcases Tice ’ s remarkable instrumental skill , and his guitar work is as crisp and intricate as ever , informed by everything from classical ragtime to psychedelic newgrass .
Although he had performed this type of music before he had never created an album with it .
The words on Motivational Speakeasy songs are “ chattery ” as Tice described .
Old Woody Gutherie ( This Land is Your Land ) , older Bob Dylan , and John Hartford are examples he cites as big influences .
I found two songs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube , “ Walking ’ ” and “ Bad Little Idea “ .
I wanted to know if the clever lyrics from “ Bad Little Idea ” were based on personal experience .
The songwriter admitted , “ It ’ s based on personal experience a little bit , that scenario where you fall in love with someone even though you know it ’ s a bad idea .
You know it ’ s not going to work out but you do it anyway.
” For the most part , the lyrics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extension of his life .
The whole record is very personal .
Tice has an eclectic group of followers .
“ All of my music doesn ’ t fit squarely into one world .
Some bluegrass people like it .
Some country people like it .
Some singer/songwriters like it , ” he said .
That is exactly the way Tice wants it to be .
Like many other artists , Tice live streams concerts during the COVID pandemic .
Not only that , he teaches guitar lessons via Zoom and works as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s records .
Eventually , the guitarist wants to do an album release tour for Motivational Speakeasy where he plans to play at his favorite clubs .
“ I love performing the songs live , it is the most fun part of all for me.
” Additionally , Hawktail will be performing at festivals that were rescheduled for 2021 .
You can learn more about Tice by following him on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and Youtube .
To stream/listen to Motivational Speakeasy , click here .
Bethany Bowman is a freelance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blog , Instagram and Twitter , and YouTube .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Commentary: Trump Is Now One with Countless Essential Workers

Joe Biden has redefined mask wearing .
It is now the thinking man ’ s patriotism , what every “ scientific ” and “ refined ” mind naturally does .
Biden , the media , and the progressive party all blame the now ill Trump for becoming infected .
They accuse the president of becoming sick because he was selfish .
You see , he was not always wearing a mask , or not always isolating in social-distancing fashion , or not always staying inside except for essential expeditionary trips .
Upon reading these condemnations , one could be forgiven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fresno , not the president of the most powerful and necessary nation in history .
The subtext is that Trump is no Biden .
Joe follows “ science.
” He “ gets it.
” He “ listens ” to “ experts.
” Like Trump his rival septuagenarian has health issues , but very much unlike Trump , Biden , until lately , seldom was seen or heard .
For Biden , the way to run a presidency is the way he wishes to conduct the second debate—by Zoom .
Who Is the Real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dichotomy is crazy .
It reveals that Biden has no real idea of who is keeping this country in general , and his own household in particular , alive—much less how hard that task is at a time of plague and quarantine .
Class differences , considerations , and interests are the real themes of this election .
They are on the side of the president who took the same calculated risks that millions do to meet the requirements of their jobs that simply can not be done from basements and safe zones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Joe Biden , in his usual clumsy racialist fashion , at last confessed that his own half-year sequestration kept him safe only because , “ some black woman was able to stack the grocery shelf.
” Aside from the reality that Biden usually stereotypes black people as either stock people , or clueless ( “ you ain ’ t black ” ) , or defenseless ( “ put ‘ y ’ all back in chains ” ) or addicted to drugs ( “ you taking cocaine or not ?
What do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ junkie ?
” ) , he accidently stumbled upon a truth here .
Biden really doesn ’ t take risks , because he assumes that others less privileged will take them on his behalf .
And in doing so , hundreds of thousands of Americans , with masks , with hand sanitizer on their palms , and with careful distancing whenever possible , have been infected , some severely and others mortally so .
So COVID , the quarantine , and the president ’ s illness alike have now become class issues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ elite and entitled “ Karens.
” They scream and rant when they see a slipped mask .
They worship Lord Zoom and His Highness Skype .
They brag about their near-perfect quarantine , and become insufferable when talking of “ the science ” and “ Dr .
Fauci.
” In truth , the telecommunicating , distance-working and remote profiting classes are all part of the pyramidal capstone of American society , the tiny tip that does not totter or blow off because it rests on a vast , indomitable base below that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or brings House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s ( D-Calif. ) designer ice cream to her palazzo ?
Who cooks the food delivered via DoorDash to the right zip codes ?
Who slaughters , cleans and packages the steak cooked by the quarantined class , or meets the sick at the ER door ?
Those of perfect weight , with correct vitamin D levels , who eat the proper vegetables , and keep their blood sugar and cholesterol low , and the fat off with a daily hour at the gym ?
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do wear protective gear .
But they are also busy , often exhausted , short of breath by their eighth hour on their feet , and so human rather than Karen-perfect .
A mask is not a matter of an hour ’ s walk break from quarantine , or a trip to the grocery store , but of impairing breathing for 9-10 hours , day after day , to keep a grocery store open or cut the tree limbs back from sidewalks .
Not long ago during the quarantine , four of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed .
I ordered replacements from Home Depot .
They were delivered by sweaty movers , who did 10-15 such deliveries a day .
Most usually fit the weight , age , and ethnic categories of those at risk .
As two scooted the refrigerator into the kitchen narrows , one had taken off his mask .
He apologized with , “ Sorry , but I can ’ t get enough air after about the 10th delivery.
” I told him “ We beggars can ’ t be choosers—and without you I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as if he slung his mask off to board his private jet , or roamed around the Hamptons while actively infected , as a prelude to lecture the nation on the sacred and deified mask .
We Don ’ t Deserve or Choose to Get COVID It is past time to remember that a hundred million Americans are out on the front lines doing their best to keep the country alive ; and its whiny , sequestered elite fed , powered , supplied and safe—and thus ever more hyper-critical and hypocritical .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yale , or our hospitals on the hours of Stanford , or our assembly plants worked on the rationale of the grad seminar , then most of us would starve , die , or revert to a pre-civilizational existence .
The track record of our elite policymakers , like many of our epidemiologists , and our modelers and our media , is not nearly as good as those who deliver refrigerators or slaughter steers .
There is a now mini-internet industry of exposing our hectoring political and media grandees—take Nancy Pelosi , Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo—shouting about the need to wear masks , while themselves stealthily not wearing them .
And they do so often in the context of sneaking into upscale salons for beauty treatments , or scurrying around a private jet port , or inspecting an “ East Hampton property under construction.
” Their message is unambiguous : “ I do exemptions so I can ensure you don ’ t. ” Most Americans who don ’ t work from home try to wear masks .
They use hand cleansers .
They distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But most also under no circumstance say anything to correct anyone pouring cement , changing tires , cooking food , or fighting fires if their protocols seem like they don ’ t meet Joe Biden ’ s standards .
Not only do these people help to keep us alive another day , but we know those who set such standards for others have often failed them—and predictably in a landscape of privileged hypocrisy .
In this context , Trump is not the reckless one .
He no more deserved to get the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with and without masks , distancing and not so much , and meticulously clean and sometimes not .
Trump is president .
He ’ s not a professor , not a journalist , not a stockbroker , not an actor .
The Left has it upside-down .
It is narcissistic for a president to hibernate on the theory that he can ’ t be replaced , even as he does the nation psychological damage .
It is leadership to go out and , with proper caution , to brave the contagion , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cowering is inexcusable .
His job description is to be one with the people , and to take measured risks , when necessary .
That ’ s what leaders must do .
General George Patton certainly did not have to fly above his 3rd Army in a fragile Piper-Cub in foul weather and near enemy skies .
But he did it to hone his knowledge of the battlespace , and to remind his men that like them , he was as expendable .
Churchill had no business making 25 trips outside wartime Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world to do so if he was going to encourage men that not all was lost , and that the Wehrmacht was not so powerful .
Teddy Roosevelt was not “ reckless ” when he finished a speech after being shot , with the bullet lodged near his heart .
Rather he determined that his Stoicism reminded his audience that he was one with them , and stronger unarmed than the assassin armed .
In our true sickness , we have come to equate COVID-19 infection with some sort of moral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is due to lack of prior exercise or weight control , or whatever writ is used to fault the infected .
No doubt , there are beach boys and sorority girls who do dumb things in their drinking and kissing without masks , as they get and pass the virus to the vulnerable .
But most of the sick and dead were not so reckless .
Trump got infected because his duties entailed meeting guests , talking and jousting with the media , greeting foreign leaders , crisscrossing the country in times of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crises abroad , hosting receptions , huddling nonstop with advisors , and yes , addressing thousands at rallies if need be .
We are told this was foolhardy and exposed others .
Perhaps , but more likely at 74 , too heavy , and with the knowledge that he was vulnerable , Trump took hazards to conduct a normal presidency in times of abnormality .
We are told he was rash , impulsive , poorly served , foolish—fill in blanks— in taking off-label and experimental drugs , or that the combination of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impair his work and endanger his own more sober and judicious citizens .
But in reality , Trump was willing to risk his health again to get back to work .
Yes , it is not especially a safe thing simultaneously to take off-label and experimental drugs like Regeneron ’ s REGN-COV2 and Remdesiver , whose side effects , interactions , and long term risks are not really yet known .
The conservative regime , as media hounds bark nonstop , is not taking new medicines and combining them with the steroid dexamethasone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Again , perhaps .
But it most certainly is necessary if you are president and were elected to guide the nation in times such as these .
Only a lost generation such as our own could transform a president who is willing to take risks to his person to get back on the job , to run the country , and to try to restore a normal campaign in a horrific year into some kind of unpatriotic monster .
Lastly , we come to the “ science.
” Americans have nothing but respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latter has been the most unscientific bunch we ’ ve seen in decades .
The head of the World Health Organization is not a medical doctor .
For weeks , he recycled trite Chinese communist lies about viral transmission , quarantines , and travel bans .
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel , a Biden COVID advisor on a disease that targets septuagenarians , has previously written that life really is , and should be , over at 75 .
Emanuel ’ s timing on how to protect those vulnerable at 75 and over could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a saint .
But take any key issue of the last six months—from wearing masks , to quarantining , to taking cruises , to blind dating , to projecting viral loads and likely lethality—and he has not just been mistaken , but predictably self-contradictory .
So herky-jerky are Fauci ’ s edicts that he finally was reduced to explaining that he had told a “ noble ” lie about the irrelevancies of mask-wearing to ensure supplies for medical professionals .
Later , he was caught without a mask at a sporting event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own commands about social distancing .
The truth is that “ science ” is still ambiguous about long-term quarantines and the cost-benefit efficacy of non-stop wearing of masks .
Science may well soon teach us that far more died from missed surgeries , tests , and examinations , or domestic violence , or drug and alcohol abuse , or billions of hours of lost schooling for an entire generation of youth .
Facts and data may soon reveal far more Americans in our lose/lose year perished as a result of consequences stemming from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus itself .
Recently hundreds of medical professionals signed a declaration urging governments to reconsider the scientific costs of the continued quarantines and the damage they are doing to the nation , given that COVID-19 is a selectively chronological killer .
By quarantining everyone , when the majority of age cohorts are as vulnerable to COVID-19 as to a bad flu—we are consuming limited resources that might well have been better focused on the sick , the vulnerable , and the aged .
The reasoning of these professionals was scientific .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other professionals saying that those who violated mask-wearing and social distancing to protest in the streets were not contravening any laws of lockdowns .
Or , as they put it , it was more hazardous for your health not to protest than to violate a national quarantine .
Throughout this long quarantine those who have screamed the loudest about science , about patriotism , and about fairness—according to their accustomed habit of projection—have been the least scientific .
They are the most insensitive to class and the most ignorant about true patriotism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s greatest nation fed , safe , and viable in a dangerous world that watches America hourly for signs of vulnerability , fear , and mass hysteria .
So this election had always been about class .
It has been about reminding minorities that they deserve good jobs and dignity rather than “ you ain ’ t black ” condescension , and that the rich who profit from China worry little about those who don ’ t .
That ’ s why suddenly Joe Biden , after spending a lifetime as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ideas of others , is now scrambling to Xerox the Trump agenda with the zealotry of a late convert .
He is suddenly blabbering about “ buy American ” and “ hire Americans ” and “ stand up to China ” —words never uttered in the past five decades of Biden ’ s so often self-referenced career .
President .
Trump has no reason to apologize for getting sick .
He took risks to meet the obligations of his office .
And he took more risks to be healthy enough to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is now one with the millions who do the same thing , every day and thereby keep the country functioning—so often for others who haven ’ t got a clue about how or why they do so at all .
Victor Davis Hanson is an American military historian , columnist , former classics professor , and scholar of ancient warfare .
He was a professor of classics at California State University , Fresno , and is currently the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford University ’ s Hoover Institution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillsdale College since 2004 .
Hanson was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 by President George W. Bush .
Hanson is also a farmer ( growing raisin grapes on a family farm in Selma , California ) and a critic of social trends related to farming and agrarianism .
He is the author most recently of The Second World Wars : How the First Global Conflict was Fought and Won ( Basic Books ) .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Crom Carmichael Outlines How the Democratic Party Intends to Destroy the Constitutional Republic of

Crom Carmichael Outlines How the Democratic Party Intends to Destroy the Constitutional Republic of America

Live from Music Row Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
During the second hour , Carmichael revealed the true agenda of the Democratic party whos ultimate end game is to destroy the constitutional republic of the United States and continued to outline the ways in which the Democrats would do so .
Leahy : We are joined in studio by our good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carmichael .
Crom , good morning .
Leahy : Well Crom , you know 25 days and we sometimes kind of get into the weeds of you know , this issue or that issue .
But you know , I kind of have the sense that there ’ s a bigger broader picture going on here that we sometimes miss .
Carmichael : Michael , thanks for that .
I ’ ve been reading a lot .
I finished the book on Hitler ’ s first 100 days .
And I also finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s time coming into office .
And I ’ m closing in on finally thankfully the end of the book on the French Revolution .
And when bad things happen , they don ’ t just happen out of whole cloth .
They happen over a long period of time there .
There are things that build up and build up and build up and then they more or less explode .
And I and I realized that as I was kind of thinking about it and listening to what Harris Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which you played the sound bite of on the Supreme Court and his packing in the Supreme Court or that he won ’ t comment on it because voters don ’ t have a right to hear that until after the election .
But I looked at where we are as a country and the Democrat Party and I ’ m not going to say the Republican Party is pure because it ’ s not .
But Democrat Party Started down this path somewhat at the beginning of the last century .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the consolidation of power and Roosevelt ’ s lust for power and his threatening to pack the court .
Then it hit another milestone when Kennedy approved by executive order the formation of labor unions within the government .
So that so the government employees could be forced to be members of unions which gave enormous power to the thugs who ran those unions and the money that the then flowed from the from those unions to the Democrat Party which tied the Democrat Party to the government unions through compulsory dues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot in this theme that I ’ m developing here .
If you look across the country , I can ’ t think of one state that has been run by governors for an extended period of time that is well run .
Carmichael : Run by Democrats .
Yeah , that is where the governors have been democrats for for for a long time .
Leahy : Oh , come on Crom , there is at least one state .
Carmichael : Can you name one ?
Leahy : Let me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been run .
Leahy : Actually , there ’ s one state .
That ’ s not a disaster which is Massachusetts but it ’ s actually run by a Republican .
Carmichael : Well I ’ m saying it has to be run by Democrats .
Carmichael : Yeah , there ’ s one there ’ s not one .
Now I ’ m asking you to name one city that had been run exclusively by Democrats for say 20 years .
Leahy : Well , is there any City out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exclusively by democrats ?
and the city over a population of a million ?
Carmichael : I don ’ t know the answer to that .
Leahy : Yeah , this is part of the problem but Carmichael : I ’ m not talking about run today .
I ’ m talking about her time for a period of time .
So I can ’ t find that either and and and the situation that we have here in Nashville is part of that problem .
We don ’ t have a competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city of Nashville .
There are a lot of reasons for that .
Carmichael : I know but I ’ m just saying we don ’ t I don ’ t want to get into the reasons .
I ’ m just stating the fact that we don ’ t have that .
And as a result , we have what we have a situation now where we have a mayor in Nashville who doesn ’ t want to follow the law .
But I ’ m going to continue on here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process for 50 years .
Now as I listened to Kamala Harris talk about all the things that the Biden-Harris administration would do .
First of all , she prefaced it by saying that under Trump we have a two trillion dollar deficit .
So let ’ s accept that that that that that somehow is a bad thing .
A two trillion dollar deficit .
Here ’ s what Biden says that he ’ ll do .
Free college .
A big huge infrastructure program .
The Green New Deal .
Medicare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Housing in the tens of billions of dollars a year .
A doubling of disability payments .
And then he says that he wants to raise taxes .
And then he says he wants to repeal the Trump tax cut which of course if he did just that middle-income people would be hit with higher taxes .
Kamala Harris says , no no , he didn ’ t say that .
Well , actually he did say that .
But he also says he ’ s only going to raise taxes on people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s going to double the capital gains tax because he ’ s going to make the capital gains tax the same as the income tax .
Well , there are many states the tax capital gains at the income tax rate .
Leahy : When I hear all these things put together in one place Crom , it seems to me a formula to destroy America ’ s working middle class .
Carmichael : Well destroy the economy .
It ’ s one of these things where you can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somebody gave you a small thing that you could hold in the palm of your hand and said fit this beach ball in that little empty space , you couldn ’ t do it without deflating the beach ball .
Because it wouldn ’ t work .
So I want to kind of continue on here because the Democrat Party is all about masks .
They ’ re all about masks .
They want everybody to be forced to wear a mask .
Now a mask itself , we know that a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carmichael : but but we also know that it ’ s not dispositive .
If it were just positive then we wouldn ’ t be having an increase in the number of cases now because clearly more people are wearing masks than ever before .
And the number of cases is going up .
Not the number of hospitalizations and deaths .
But just the number of cases Leahy : Just as an aside , I saw a Tweet from a guy that list that that looked at cases of coronavirus in about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask mandate .
In each case , each state cases went up dramatically after the mask mandate .
Carmichael : Right now , that ’ s interesting because it may be that masks are actually harmful .
But the point that I ’ m trying to make is how the Democrat Party views masks .
Why do they do that ?
Because they want to compel citizens to adhere to their demands .
That ’ s what they want .
Now , why does that matter ?
The Democrat Party wants to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to compel gun owners and we ’ re talking about the tens of millions of gun owners who legally own a firearm and have a right to do so .
Not just in the constitution .
But you have a God-given right to protect yourself .
Leahy : And that is an example of the Democrats agenda there is in St. Louis where the Soros supported District Attorney Kim Gardener has worked with a grand jury to indict that couple that defended themselves when a mob of a hundred people was threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were just brandishing their guns .
Carmichael : That ’ s a great example .
And so what you have is you have this mosaic this large picture of a Democrat Party that that will support the thugs of the union ’ s government employee unions will support the thugs that are rioting and destroying property and stealing , vandalizing and even committing murder .
They ’ ll they will not even talk about the bad side of that .
And that part is exclusively within the Democrat Party .
And that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when things reach a point , they reach a point where they don ’ t return naturally to some former point .
And I believe that we are now at that point in this election cycle because the Democrats have made it clear that anybody who doesn ’ t think they ’ re going to pack the court is not paying attention .
Leahy : Yeah , they ’ re clearly going to pack the court .
Carmichael : Anybody who doesn ’ t think that they ’ re going to make Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anybody who doesn ’ t think they ’ re going to make Puerto Rico a state and they ’ re doing it only for one reason .
Leahy : Filibuster .
Pack the Senate .
Pack the courts and destroy our constitutional republic .
And they could do it within months .
Carmichael : Yes and make it so that the likelihood of there being a competitive second party a competitive .
Tentative is the same as in California .
There is no Republican Party in California competing at the state level .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what the Democrat Party wants to do at the national level .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Antifa Democrats ” by Ted Eytan CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--UN Food Organization Wins Nobel Peace Prize

The United Nations World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Friday , according to Reuters .
The food organization received the prize for its work fighting hunger around the world seeking to improve conditions for peace in places facing conflict , Reuters reported .
“ The need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more conspicuous than ever , ” Berit Reiss-Andersen , chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee , said in a news conference , according to Reuters .
Reiss-Andersen said the organization is a driving force to stop from hunger being taken advantage of as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased its importance , Reuters reported .
The food group said that hunger across the world could double because of the ongoing pandemic .
The U.N World Food Program said it helps around 97 million people in approximately 88 countries , and that one in nine people worldwide lack enough to eat .
“ I know I ’ m not deserving of an award like this , but all the men and women around the world in the World Food Program and our partners who put their lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Beasley , executive director of the World Food Program , said to The Associated Press .
The food organization is also in charge of a logistics service that has sent medical supplies to more than 120 countries during the coronavirus to assist governments and health partners that are combating the pandemic , Reuters reported .
They also have given transportation help to humanitarian and health workers where there weren ’ t any commercial flights .
“ At a time when we are living through a global pandemic , the need for food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reiss-Andersen told Reuters .
The United Nations World Food Program did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation ’ s requests for comment .
Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation Photo “ Food Program ” by U.S. Embassy Pakistan CC BY-ND 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Space Abounds in Security Threats, Technological Promise, NASA Chief Says

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Thursday applauded the United States ’ recent ending of nine years of reliance on Russia to transport American astronauts to the International Space Station , while also warning of the growing threat of Chinese and Russian anti-satellite technologies .
In a wide-ranging interview on “ Just the News AM , ” Bridenstine touted his agency ’ s innovations in 3D-organ printing , immunization , and fiber optics made possible through the microgravity found in space .
“ All of our power grid is dependent on a timing signal from GPS , ” Bridenstine said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way that the enemies of the United States know is an existential threat to our existence .
That ’ s why they ’ re advancing these capabilities .
That ’ s why President Trump has created the Space Force to make sure no matter how much they invest and no matter what they build in space they will not get a competitive advantage over the United States of America.
” Bridenstine , a former Oklahoma congressman , noted that in 2011 American space shuttles were retired without replacements , leaving a nine-year-gap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human launch capability .
During the Obama administration , a replacement program called Constellation , a moon program , got cancelled as well .
“ There were thousands and thousands of jobs that were let go in Florida at the Space Coast , ” he said .
“ It was just a lack of vision or lack of interest from the previous administration .
I can ’ t tell you why they made those decisions , but certainly they did.
” The successful May launch of NASA astronauts to the International Space Station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canaveral , Fla. marked two new milestones in the Trump administration ’ s ambitious space efforts : the first time since 2011 NASA has sent astronauts to space from U.S. soil and the first crewed flight ever by a private company .
“ When we think about the threats that are proliferating , ” said Bridenstine , turning to space as a military domain , “ anti-satellite missiles are being launched by some of our competitors in the world — China and Russia specifically : co-orbital , anti-satellite capability , jamming , spoofing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working every day to make sure that they can destroy space because they know how dependent we are on it as a nation.
” President Trump championed a new branch of the military , the Space Force ( totally separate from NASA and under U.S. Air Force authority ) aimed at solidifying America ’ s advantage in space , revived the National Space Council , and prioritized the planning of the first manned mission to Mars .
“ We will protect , and we will defend , ” Bridenstine said of America ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is not what NASA ’ s mission is .
Our mission is exploration , discovery , and , in fact , diplomacy .
We actually have the ability to partner with nations all over the world that are competitors of ours , because we are not a national security or defense agency .
But I will tell you we benefit from a secure space environment .
And I am glad , in fact , when I was in the House of Representatives I was very supportive of creating a Space Force even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it happen.
” Bridenstine noted the ubiquity of NASA-inspired technology used by Americans in everything from satellites and cell phones to services like Skype that allow for global communications —technologies first harnessed through space exploration that were licensed to private companies like Nokia .
“ So this is technology that is born of NASA , but think about how we ’ re communicating right now , ” Bridenstine said , referring to his Just the News interview occurring live via Skype and distributed through various satellite and streaming networks .
“ A lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internet .
Internet broadband from space connects people in rural areas of the country .
I come from Oklahoma , a lot of rural Oklahoma would not have the internet , if it weren ’ t for internet broadband from space .
But we also think about things like DirecTV and Dish Network , we think about XM Radio .
These are all communication capabilities , all from this little agency called NASA that has less than half of 1 % of the federal budget.
” Bridenstine noted the future promise of burgeoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has the capability to print human organs in 3D using the microgravity of space .
“ We can take your own skin cells , and then use that to create your own tissue on the International Space Station , ” Bridenstine explained .
“ If you do that in the gravity well of Earth , the tissue just goes flat .
But if you do it in microgravity of space , all of a sudden you can grow tissue in three dimensions .
So we ’ re going to print human organs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for human eyeballs so that people who have macular degeneration don ’ t have to lose their eyesight.
” Bridenstine said space-based technology also allows innovations in compounding pharmaceuticals to fight diseases like pneumonia in ways that can not be done in the gravity well of Earth .
“ That ’ s resulting in therapeutics , we ’ re creating immunization , and advancing innovation for things like salmonella , which , in other countries salmonella is the third leading cause of death for infants , so it makes a huge impact to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
Bridenstine also touted the International Space Station ’ s manufacturing of advanced materials , including pristine fiber optics “ so we don ’ t have to have repeaters every mile , ” he said .
“ That drives down the cost significantly in accordance with the business case for manufacturing in space.
” We ’ re going to have transformational impacts for life on earth .
”


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Nashville Mayor’s Office Says Across-the-Board Cuts Unlikely If Property Tax Repeal Prevails

Despite dramatic threats to cut essential city services if a referendum to repeal Nashville ’ s 34 percent property tax increase prevails , necessary budget cuts likely will not be made as Mayor John Cooper has laid out .
Cooper has called the referendum a “ poison pill ” and said repealing the city ’ s property tax hike would be a “ self-inflicted crisis ” that would “ gut essential city services.
” Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle has said potential cuts could “ render the school district unrecognizable.
” Cooper issued a news release last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget cut would look like , spread evenly across Metro operations .
Trash collection could be cut to twice monthly and recycling collection eliminated , Cooper said .
Parks , recreation facilities and libraries would be partially to completely closed .
More than 500 positions would be eliminated from the Nashville Fire Department , Cooper said .
Four of Metro Nashville Police Department ’ s eight precincts could be closed , and the police force could be reduced by one-third , causing “ dramatic increases in response time and delays.
” The mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conferences and in news releases since .
While passage of the referendum would move the budget out of balance , forcing Metro to make significant budget cuts , Cooper ’ s office , however , said a universal one-third cut of all department budgets , as Cooper has outlined , likely will not occur .
“ An across-the-board cut is unlikely , ” Cooper spokesperson Andrea Fanta told The Center Square .
“ An implementation based on priorities , such as life/health safety , would be less damaging to the community.
” Fanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including emergency services and schools , would be spared from budget cuts .
“ Spending reductions of this magnitude would represent near-term and possibly long-term cessation of many general government services – particularly those not obligated by the Metro charter or state law , ” Fanta said .
Because of the timing of a potential referendum vote , Metro government and Metro Nashville Public Schools would need to cut budgets by $ 332 million over about six months .
“ The impact would be staggering , ” Fanta said , noting Metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and capital spending .
After the state threatened to take over the city ’ s finances last November , the Metro Council opted to balance the city ’ s budget by passing the massive property tax increase instead of dramatically cutting spending .
Property tax bills reflecting the 34 percent increase will go out this week .
According to analysis from the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity , property taxes on a home valued at $ 300,000 will reflect an increase of just under $ 800 .
Property tax on a home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 1,300 .
“ They haven ’ t cut anything to begin with .
They grew the budget by over a million dollars , knowing that we were in a fiscal crisis , ” said Tori Venable , Tennessee state director of Americans for Prosperity , which supported efforts to gather signatures for the referendum .
Nashville has nearly twice as many employees per 1,000 residents as more-populous cities of Louisville , Indianapolis and Jacksonville , according to an analysis from the Beacon Center of Tennessee .
Nashville Metro employees ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any contributions from employees and have cost taxpayers more than $ 696 million since 2015 .
“ We ’ ve had revenue coming in for years and years , and here they are with nothing to show for it – no cash reserves .
And now the shell game is up , ” Venable said .
“ Now people can see just how much Metro has been wasting their resources.
” A citizen group called 4 Good Government delivered more than 20,000 signatures petitioning for a December referendum on the Nashville Taxpayer Protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to ask a judge whether the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act petition must go to the public for a referendum vote in December .
Vivian Jones reports on Tennessee and South Carolina for The Center Square .
Her writing has appeared in the Detroit News , The Hill , and publications of The Heartland Institute .
Photo “ Mayor John Cooper ” by nashville.gov .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Durham Using Grand Jury to Investigate Debunked Trump-Russia Allegation, Reports Say

The U.S. attorney investigating the origins of the Trump-Russia probe is seeking grand jury testimony from a group of computer scientists behind a since-debunked allegation that Donald Trump ’ s real estate company had covert computer contacts with a Russian bank , according to a report .
The New Yorker reports that John Durham , the U.S. attorney for Connecticut , has contacted the scientists in recent weeks seeking their testimony .
According to the magazine , investigators have told potential witnesses they are investigating whether two pseudonymous computer experts gave false information to the U.S. government regarding a covert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alfa Bank , and the Trump Organization .
Hillary Clinton emphasized the allegation of a possible link between Trump and Alfa Bank when it appeared in the press days before the 2016 election .
Durham ’ s use of a grand jury to investigate the allegations about Alfa Bank indicates a new front in his sprawling probe .
Attorney General William Barr appointed Durham in March 2019 to investigate FBI , CIA and other agencies ’ Trump-related intelligence gathering activities .
Durham has focused heavily on the findings from a Justice Department inspector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s investigation of the Trump campaign .
A report from the IG addressed an allegation about Alfa Bank and the Trump Organization that first appeared in Slate magazine on Oct. 31 , 2016 .
According to the Slate story , a computer scientist who went by the pseudonym Tea Leaves discovered suspicious computer traffic between email servers for Alfa Bank and the Trump Organization .
The Clinton campaign seized on the story at the time , saying that it indicated that Donald Trump was secretly conspiring with Russia .
The IG report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI investigated the computer traffic but determined by February 2017 that there were no links between Alfa Bank and Trump ’ s company .
According to the The New Yorker , computer scientists who spoke to Slate for its story in 2016 and to The New Yorker for a story in 2018 have been called to testify before Durham ’ s grand jury .
Alfa Bank has vehemently denied that its computers were used to communicate secretly with Trump ’ s company .
They have alleged in several lawsuits that the computer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided to investigators was fabricated .
The origins of the Alfa Bank theory have been traced back to July 2016 .
Michael Sussmann , a lawyer for the firm Perkins Coie , which represented the Clinton campaign and DNC , briefed former British spy Christopher Steele on the Alfa Bank allegations on July 29 , 2016 .
Steele had been hired to work on behalf of the Democrats to investigate Trump ’ s possible ties to Russia .
Steele investigated the founders of Alfa Bank after the meeting with Sussmann .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged Alfa-Trump links during a meeting on Oct. 11 , 2016 , according to notes from that encounter .
Sussmann briefed James Baker , the FBI ’ s top lawyer through 2018 , about the allegations on Sept. 14 , 2016 , Baker told Congress .
The New Yorker also reported that Durham is seeking the testimony of Daniel Jones , a former FBI agent and consultant who joined forces with Fusion GPS and Christopher Steele in early 2017 to continue investigating Trump ’ s possible ties to Russia .
The New Yorker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided the Senate Intelligence Committee with the Alfa Bank evidence in 2017 .
Jones formed two non-profit groups , The Democracy Integrity Project and Advance Democracy Inc. , that hired Fusion GPS and Steele as contractors .
Jones told the FBI in March 2017 that a group of 10 wealthy liberal donors funded his organization .
Groups controlled by George Soros , the progressive billionaire activist , have given more than $ 1 million to Jones ’ organizations .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Background Photo “ DOJ Building ” by U.S. Justice Department .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Campaign to Pressure Davidson County Election Commission Is off, For Now

Some of the same people who collected the signatures for the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act are holding off on pressuring members of the Davidson County Election Commission .
As reported , The Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act referendum , if approved , would roll back Nashville Mayor John Cooper ’ s 34 to 37 percent tax increase .
As reported last month , the Nashville Election Commission voted three to two to neither approve nor reject the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act .
They instead passed the matter on to a chancery court to guide them on how to proceed , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the election from December 5 to December 15 .
Americans for Prosperity – Tennessee State Director Tori Venable told The Tennessee Star Friday that she and members of her organization had considered “ lighting up phones and emails ” but they will let attorney Jim Roberts file suit on behalf of Davidson County taxpayers .
“ We still discussing possibly an email or phone call campaign , but we have not launched it yet .
We wanted to see if we could take care of it through the courts first and make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it on the ballot , ” Venable said .
“ We haven ’ t ruled it out , but we haven ’ t moved forward with it either.
” Ben Cunningham of Tennessee Tax Revolt , meanwhile , said he has not involved himself in the fight for the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act .
But he also said that members of the Election Commission must do their job — and properly .
“ It appears to me it is not the role of the Election Commission to determine whether or not the wordings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or legal .
That is not their role .
Their role is to put it on the ballot and let the will of the people be shown and , at that point , if someone thinks that it shouldn ’ t be there or wants to legally challenge it then they can do that at any time with any part of the charter .
But it is certainly not the role of the election commission to determine what parts of the charter are valid or not valid .
That is not their role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role is to get it presented to the people and let the people vote on it and then the legal process can unfold after that.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Tori Venable ” by Tori Venable .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Commission on Presidential Debates, C-SPAN Say Debate Moderator Steve Scully’s Account Was Hacked

The Commission on Presidential Debates co-chair and C-SPAN said Friday that the Twitter account of Steve Scully , the scheduled moderator of the second presidential debate , had been hacked .
“ Steve is a man of great integrity , okay ?
” Commission on Presidential Debates co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf said , according to Fox News .
“ I don ’ t know this question about whether he tweeted something out or not , I do know , and you ’ ll probably pick up on it in a minute , that he was hacked… Apparently , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ television and the radio saying that he talked to Scaramucci… He was hacked .
It didn ’ t happen.
” C-SPAN also said that Scully did not “ originate ” the tweet and “ believes his account was hacked.
” The announcements come after a tweet from Scully ’ s account drew attention on social media Thursday night .
The tweet asked former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci what to do about President Donald Trump .
“ @ Scaramucci should I respond to Trump , ” Scully ’ s account tweeted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was referring to .
The tweet has since been deleted .
Scully is set to moderate the second presidential debate , the Commission on Presidential Debates announced in September .
President Donald Trump ’ s campaign and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden ’ s campaign have not yet come to an agreement on the terms of the second debate .
Scaramucci retweeted Scully ’ s tweet Thursday evening with the caption : “ Ignore .
He is having a hard enough time .
Some more bad stuff about to go down.
” Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Steve Scully ” by CSPAN .
Background Photo “ Debate Stage ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Pro-Gun Group Details Why They Think Amy Coney Barrett Would Defend Firearm Rights

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett would be a stalwart supporter of the Second Amendment if confirmed to the court , according to a gun-rights group .
The legislative counsel for the Gun Owners of America , one of the country ’ s largest pro-gun advocacy organizations , said Barrett appears to be a strict constitutionalist .
He also pointed to a dissenting opinion the judge wrote in 2019 in which she wrote in favor of a non-violent felon seeking to restore his firearms rights .
“ She comes out , in my opinion , as a person with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider her to be as much of a constitutionalist as you can get , ” Gun Owners of America legislative counsel Michael Hammond told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a phone interview .
“ Let ’ s say [ Democratic nominee Joe ] Biden becomes the president and Democrats control the Senate , we ’ re going to see gun bans , ” Hammond continued .
“ I think it would be much safer in that we can determine that Barrett is likely to vote the way the Constitution defined.
” Hammond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case before the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals , which included Barrett .
The court considered whether Rickey Kanter should have his firearms rights restored , despite being a convicted felon .
Wisconsin has a statute that prohibits felons from owning firearms that includes convictions in other states that would be considered felonies in Wisconsin , the state legislature detailed .
Kanter , a Wisconsin resident , was sentenced to about a year in prison for knowingly selling diabetic foot inserts that were not the correct thickness , according to the Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Medicaid purchases without changing the dimensions of the inserts to comply with government regulation , the case detailed .
Kanter ’ s motion to restore his gun rights was ultimately denied , but Barrett wrote a 36-page defense in favor of him and of the Second Amendment .
The judge frequently invoked the intentions of the nation ’ s founders .
“ History is consistent with common sense : it demonstrates that legislatures have the power to prohibit dangerous people from possessing guns .
But that power extends only to people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her dissent .
“ Founding-era legislatures did not strip felons of the right to bear arms simply because of their status as felons , ” she continued .
“ Nor have the parties introduced any evidence that founding-era legislatures imposed virtue-based restrictions on the right.
” “ Neither Wisconsin nor the United States has introduced data sufficient to show that disarming all nonviolent felons substantially advances its interest in keeping the public safe … permanently disqualifying Kanter from possessing a gun violates the Second Amendment , ” she added .
But the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state had the right to categorically disqualify all felons from owning guns in the interest of “ preventing gun violence , ” according to the majority opinion .
The majority also added that felons were more likely to abuse firearms than non-felons .
Gun Owners of America and other gun groups throughout the country have advocated for non-violent felons , including Kanter , to have their firearms rights restored , as they allege they are not a danger to themselves and others .
The Firearms Policy Coalition , another pro-Second Amendment organization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their gun rights , according to its webpage .
The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives used to investigate individual cases to restore firearms rights , but the practice ended in the ’ 90s after it was determined to be too costly , according to the agency ’ s webpage .
“ So the question is , if you are a serial killer in most states , you can petition for your rights … but an individual who sold soles can never have his rights restored ?
” Hammond asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for selling the wrong soles ?
” Hammond , despite the outcome , was nevertheless pleased with Barrett ’ s commitment to Kanter ’ s cause .
“ I think the fact that she went to such an elaborate analysis of the Second Amendment is a good thing , and it indicates that she is going to vote as the founders intended , ” Hammond told the DCNF .
The dissent , although promising for groups like Gun Owners of America , is one of the only examples of Barrett ’ s opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record on the issue , Hammond considers Barrett ’ s view on guns to be even stronger than that of Chief Justice John Roberts , who has come under fire after recent court decisions cast doubt on his initial leanings .
The Supreme Court under the direction of Roberts refused to hear 10 Second Amendment cases in mid-June , according to The Atlantic .
The cases may have resulted in possible landmark decisions regarding the right to self-protection both inside and outside of the home , The Atlantic reported .
Hammond called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point ” for gun rights .
Biden ’ s campaign website calls for bans on “ assault weapons ” and “ high-capacity magazines ” in addition to red flag legislation and universal background checks .
Hammond also believes the confirmation of Barrett will lead to a 5-4 pro-gun majority on the court at a minimum , which could potentially strike down sweeping gun bans if Biden were to take office , he said .
Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation Photo “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by The @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-10-10--Some Michigan Swing Voters Cite Harris as the Reason They’re Sticking with Trump

Some Obama-Trump voters in Michigan said that Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris is driving them to vote again for President Donald Trump in November .
In a post-debate focus group with 13 voters , several invoked Harris and the large role that they expect her to have if Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the election , emphasizing the greater importance of Biden ’ s vice-presidential pick , Axios reported .
“ Biden ’ s not going to make it four years , so Kamala Harris is going to be president and I have zero trust she can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picking the lesser of two evils at this point , ” one voter , identified as Shelley D , told Axios .
Her assessment of Biden ’ s fitness received unanimous support from the group , according to Axios .
Some voters also said that Harris ’ s debate performance was almost too good , making her come off as calculated and “ powerful ” and leading some voters to share their concerns that she could help Biden clinch the presidency .
“ I ’ m fearful of this woman because she knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America , ” said one voter .
“ She ’ s basically utilizing everything that has happened this year to attack the Trump campaign and she does it in such a way that she ’ s making really strong points , but I don ’ t think they ’ re true.
” “ She ’ s coming across as very powerful , ” he continued .
Of the group , two voters said that they were voting for Biden , citing Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic and the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2016 , becoming the first Republican to win the state since George H.W .
Bush in 1988 .
Biden leads the president in the state by 8.4 points , according to FiveThirtyEight .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation Photo “ Kamala Harris ” by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0 .