bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Trump Urged to Intervene After China Continues Cheating on Obama-Era Stock Market Deal

The recent spectacular collapse of a Chinese coffee company and a stark warning by federal regulators are focusing an uncomfortable light on an Obama-Biden era stock market concession to Beijing , one that could become President Trump ’ s next target .
Since 2013 , Chinese companies have been allowed to participate in U.S. stock and bond exchanges without having to fully comply with the same Sarbanes-Oxley Act accounting practices and risk disclosure required of American companies .
The concession was made in a little-noticed Memorandum of Understanding executed seven years ago by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Sarbanes-Oxley law to ensure U.S. investors are protected from making bad investments because of faulty audits or financial information .
The agreement was reached in May 2013 after Chinese leaders pleaded for improved access to American capital markets in multiple meetings with then-Vice President Joe Biden , transcripts from the Obama administration ’ s archives show.. Now seven years later , the PCAOB and its parent Securities and Exchange Commission have allowed the agreement to continue despite their own warnings that China has not been complying with the MOU and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with potentially risky investments totaling as much as $ 1.9 trillion .
“ We remain concerned about our lack of access in China , ” the PCAOB said in a recent statement .
“ ….Unfortunately , since signing the MOU in 2013 , Chinese cooperation has not been sufficient for the PCAOB to obtain timely access to relevant documents and testimony necessary to carry out our mission consistent with the core principles identified above , nor have consultations undertaken through the MOU resulted in improvements.
” The warning , also echoed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t ensure American investors who wittingly or unwittingly invest in Chinese companies that the financial data offered by those companies is sound .
The danger of China ’ s noncompliance was dramatized recently by the spectacular collapse of Luckin Coffee , which used Wall Street to raise a half-billion dollars on the bold promise it could become the Starbucks of China .
The company recently collapsed after investors were told its $ 12 billion valuation was based on inflated accounting .
The firm reportedly has admitted it fabricated its 2019 revenue numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coffee and a clear case of China being allowed to play by different rules than U.S. firms , supporters of President Trump ’ s get-tough China policy are encouraging the president to take action , up to and including de-registering Chinese companies from the American stock and bond markets if compliance doesn ’ t snap into place .
“ It is unconscionable that Chinese entities that have already raised over a trillion dollars from U.S. investors have their securities ( stocks , bonds , etc . )
registered with the Securities and Exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'pass ' from compliance with the statutes , regulations and accounting standards required of SEC-registered American corporations , ” declared a letter sent to Trump on Sunday from dozens of conservative and liberal activists and national security experts .
Those urging the president to act cite his recent and unexpected action to order the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board overseeing the Thrift Savings Plan of federal and military retirement funds to stop plans to invest those funds in Chinese `` bad actor '' and other companies through a new global index .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars to be invested in Chinese companies , including military contractors and human rights abusers , was made in 2017 by Obama-holdover appointees and was weeks away from occurring when Trump suddenly intervened earlier this month .
The board was instructed by Trump ’ s chief national security and economic advisors to stop the investment , and the president has named new appointees to implement his reversal of the Obama policy .
The argument Trump made in intervening in the federal retiree matter was that economic security and national security go hand and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And advocates of a second intervention , this time with the PCAOB , believe strongly that the same argument applies to the U.S. capital markets more broadly .
Michael Pillsbury , Trump ’ s chief outside policy adviser on China , told Just the News he believes Trump should intervene and force regulators to make China comply with its 2013 MOU or penalize Chinese companies by removing them from U.S. exchanges .
“ I learned the president ’ s views on this well during the transition , when he told me at Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that separates national security and economic security , in his mind there is no separation between the two , ” Pillsbury said .
“ The National Security Council and the National Economic Council should co-sign a letter demanding action , ” he added .
“ It ’ s a matter of both national security and economic fairness to Americans.
” Trump was asked about China ’ s lack of compliance with the MOU last week during a TV appearance with Fox Business News anchor Maria Bartiromo , and said his White House is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , so we say , 'You 're going to do this and you 're going to follow the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq . '
And what are they going to do ?
They say , 'OK , we 'll move to London or we 'll move to Hong Kong , ' ” the president said in explaining past inaction on an issue that has been known to regulators for years .
Roger W. Robinson , the chairman of the Prague Security Studies Institute and a former senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Trump has the leverage to demand an end to China 's preferential treatment because China has no other capital markets with the liquidity , depth , research support and prestige of the U.S. markets .
And , he added , there is a powerful political argument that China ’ s ability to access U.S. capital markets without complying with the same rules as U.S. firms can unfairly cost millions of Americans jobs down the road because of an uneven playing field .
“ The fact that Chinese companies are not required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulations on material risk disclosure means that they are actually receiving preferential treatment over their American corporate counterparts in our capital markets , ” Robinson said .
`` For those worried that forcing such compliance would cause China to simply move its companies ' listings and equity and debt offerings elsewhere , U.S. global financial dominance is such that , to a large extent , there is no ‘ elsewhere ’ given China 's huge annual fundraising requirements , ” he added .
China ’ s ability to access the New York Stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley accounting rules came during the Obama-Biden second term .
After American and other foreign investors lost billions in Chinese investments between 2010 and 2012 during an era of risky mergers and startups , U.S. regulators began cracking down , including seeking action against the four major accounting firms in China that had refused to provide auditing documents requested by the SEC .
The accountants claimed they couldn ’ t provide the information without violating Chinese privacy laws .
The SEC would eventually settle the accountant cases with fines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SEC ’ s blessing -- proceeded with the MOU with China ’ s securities regulator .
Under the deal , China agreed to let PCAOB gain “ timely access ” to certain audit documents of its homeland companies , but did not allow on-site audit firm inspections like those imposed on American firms , kicking that compliance issue down the road .
In the end , China never allowed the inspections and mostly failed to comply with the document requests , essentially allowing the country ’ s U.S.-listed firms to enjoy all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the need to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley .
The SEC and PCAOB has been raising red flags since 2018 but its lack of action has drawn significant criticism .
In the period leading up to the MOU , China pleaded its case to Vice President Biden , who was a point man for Obama on many issues related to China and frequently visited with Chinese leaders , according to documents in the Obama administration ’ s archives .
Biden himself embraced China 's economic emergence as good for the world .
`` I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years and continue to hold the view that a rising China is a positive development , '' Biden declared in 2011 speech .
Biden hosted current Chinese President Xi Jingping , then Beijing ’ s vice president , at an event in August 2011 where the Chinese leader urged that the Obama administration “ eliminate the interferences of trade and investment protectionism ” in American markets , according to a transcript in the Obama administration archives .
Biden responded with a promise to work toward a solution , the transcript shows .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America .
And I would argue we have legitimate concerns in reverse , ” Biden said .
“ But the trajectory of the relationship is nothing but positive , and it ’ s overwhelmingly in the mutual interest of both our countries .
And it ’ s presumptuous to say this , but I think it ’ s in the interest of the world .
It ’ s in the interest of the world that we increase the interaction between not only our business community , but our economies writ large.
” A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejecting the notion that China posed a threat to U.S. supremacy and urging Americans to invest in Beijing ’ s success .
“ Some here and in the region see China ’ s growth as a threat , entertaining visions of a cold-war-style rivalry or great-power confrontation .
Some Chinese worry that our aim in the Asia-Pacific is to contain China ’ s rise , ” Biden wrote .
“ I reject these views .
“ I remain convinced that a successful China can make our country more prosperous , not less , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that meeting and op-ed , the MOU was signed .

The recent spectacular collapse of a Chinese coffee company and a stark warning by federal regulators are focusing an uncomfortable light on an Obama-Biden era stock market concession to Beijing, one that could become President Trump’s next target.
Since 2013, Chinese companies have been allowed to participate in U.S. stock and bond exchanges without having to fully comply with the same Sarbanes-Oxley Act accounting practices and risk disclosure required of American companies.
The concession was made in a little-noticed Memorandum of Understanding executed seven years ago by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a nonprofit regulator empowered by the Sarbanes-Oxley law to ensure U.S. investors are protected from making bad investments because of faulty audits or financial information.
The agreement was reached in May 2013 after Chinese leaders pleaded for improved access to American capital markets in multiple meetings with then-Vice President Joe Biden, transcripts from the Obama administration’s archives show..
Now seven years later, the PCAOB and its parent Securities and Exchange Commission have allowed the agreement to continue despite their own warnings that China has not been complying with the MOU and has left global investors, including Americans, with potentially risky investments totaling as much as $1.9 trillion.
“We remain concerned about our lack of access in China,” the PCAOB said in a recent statement. “….Unfortunately, since signing the MOU in 2013, Chinese cooperation has not been sufficient for the PCAOB to obtain timely access to relevant documents and testimony necessary to carry out our mission consistent with the core principles identified above, nor have consultations undertaken through the MOU resulted in improvements.”
The warning, also echoed by the SEC, means that federal regulators can’t ensure American investors who wittingly or unwittingly invest in Chinese companies that the financial data offered by those companies is sound.
The danger of China’s noncompliance was dramatized recently by the spectacular collapse of Luckin Coffee, which used Wall Street to raise a half-billion dollars on the bold promise it could become the Starbucks of China. The company recently collapsed after investors were told its $12 billion valuation was based on inflated accounting. The firm reportedly has admitted it fabricated its 2019 revenue numbers.
Armed with the tale of Luckin Coffee and a clear case of China being allowed to play by different rules than U.S. firms, supporters of President Trump’s get-tough China policy are encouraging the president to take action, up to and including de-registering Chinese companies from the American stock and bond markets if compliance doesn’t snap into place.
“It is unconscionable that Chinese entities that have already raised over a trillion dollars from U.S. investors have their securities (stocks, bonds, etc.) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, but have been given a 'pass' from compliance with the statutes, regulations and accounting standards required of SEC-registered American corporations,” declared a letter sent to Trump on Sunday from dozens of conservative and liberal activists and national security experts.
Those urging the president to act cite his recent and unexpected action to order the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board overseeing the Thrift Savings Plan of federal and military retirement funds to stop plans to invest those funds in Chinese "bad actor" and other companies through a new global index.
The decision to allow billions of federal retirement dollars to be invested in Chinese companies, including military contractors and human rights abusers, was made in 2017 by Obama-holdover appointees and was weeks away from occurring when Trump suddenly intervened earlier this month.
The board was instructed by Trump’s chief national security and economic advisors to stop the investment, and the president has named new appointees to implement his reversal of the Obama policy.
The argument Trump made in intervening in the federal retiree matter was that economic security and national security go hand and hand when it comes to China. And advocates of a second intervention, this time with the PCAOB, believe strongly that the same argument applies to the U.S. capital markets more broadly.
Michael Pillsbury, Trump’s chief outside policy adviser on China, told Just the News he believes Trump should intervene and force regulators to make China comply with its 2013 MOU or penalize Chinese companies by removing them from U.S. exchanges.
“I learned the president’s views on this well during the transition, when he told me at Trump Tower, that unlike the permanent bureaucracy that separates national security and economic security, in his mind there is no separation between the two,” Pillsbury said.
“The National Security Council and the National Economic Council should co-sign a letter demanding action,” he added. “It’s a matter of both national security and economic fairness to Americans.”
Trump was asked about China’s lack of compliance with the MOU last week during a TV appearance with Fox Business News anchor Maria Bartiromo, and said his White House is reviewing the matter.
“What happens is, so we say, 'You're going to do this and you're going to follow the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq.' And what are they going to do? They say, 'OK, we'll move to London or we'll move to Hong Kong,'” the president said in explaining past inaction on an issue that has been known to regulators for years.
Roger W. Robinson, the chairman of the Prague Security Studies Institute and a former senior economic adviser to President Ronald Reagan, said Trump has the leverage to demand an end to China's preferential treatment because China has no other capital markets with the liquidity, depth, research support and prestige of the U.S. markets.
And, he added, there is a powerful political argument that China’s ability to access U.S. capital markets without complying with the same rules as U.S. firms can unfairly cost millions of Americans jobs down the road because of an uneven playing field.
“The fact that Chinese companies are not required to comply with federal securities laws and SEC regulations on material risk disclosure means that they are actually receiving preferential treatment over their American corporate counterparts in our capital markets,” Robinson said.
"For those worried that forcing such compliance would cause China to simply move its companies' listings and equity and debt offerings elsewhere, U.S. global financial dominance is such that, to a large extent, there is no ‘elsewhere’ given China's huge annual fundraising requirements,” he added.
China’s ability to access the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and other markets without fully complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley accounting rules came during the Obama-Biden second term.
After American and other foreign investors lost billions in Chinese investments between 2010 and 2012 during an era of risky mergers and startups, U.S. regulators began cracking down, including seeking action against the four major accounting firms in China that had refused to provide auditing documents requested by the SEC. The accountants claimed they couldn’t provide the information without violating Chinese privacy laws.
The SEC would eventually settle the accountant cases with fines.
And the PCAOB -- with the SEC’s blessing -- proceeded with the MOU with China’s securities regulator. Under the deal, China agreed to let PCAOB gain “timely access” to certain audit documents of its homeland companies, but did not allow on-site audit firm inspections like those imposed on American firms, kicking that compliance issue down the road.
In the end, China never allowed the inspections and mostly failed to comply with the document requests, essentially allowing the country’s U.S.-listed firms to enjoy all the benefits of U.S. stock market access without the need to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley. The SEC and PCAOB has been raising red flags since 2018 but its lack of action has drawn significant criticism.
In the period leading up to the MOU, China pleaded its case to Vice President Biden, who was a point man for Obama on many issues related to China and frequently visited with Chinese leaders, according to documents in the Obama administration’s archives. Biden himself embraced China's economic emergence as good for the world.
"I’ve held the view for so many years and continue to hold the view that a rising China is a positive development," Biden declared in 2011 speech.
Biden hosted current Chinese President Xi Jingping, then Beijing’s vice president, at an event in August 2011 where the Chinese leader urged that the Obama administration “eliminate the interferences of trade and investment protectionism” in American markets, according to a transcript in the Obama administration archives.
Biden responded with a promise to work toward a solution, the transcript shows.
“You have legitimate concerns about access to America. And I would argue we have legitimate concerns in reverse,” Biden said. “But the trajectory of the relationship is nothing but positive, and it’s overwhelmingly in the mutual interest of both our countries. And it’s presumptuous to say this, but I think it’s in the interest of the world. It’s in the interest of the world that we increase the interaction between not only our business community, but our economies writ large.”
A month later, Biden penned an op-ed rejecting the notion that China posed a threat to U.S. supremacy and urging Americans to invest in Beijing’s success.
“Some here and in the region see China’s growth as a threat, entertaining visions of a cold-war-style rivalry or great-power confrontation. Some Chinese worry that our aim in the Asia-Pacific is to contain China’s rise,” Biden wrote. “I reject these views.
“I remain convinced that a successful China can make our country more prosperous, not less,” he added.
Within 18 months of that meeting and op-ed, the MOU was signed.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Texas Governor Points Out That His State and Florida Handled Coronavirus Better Than Blue States Pra

Texas Governor Points Out That His State and Florida Handled Coronavirus Better Than Blue States Praised by Media

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas may have just earned the status of troll level : Jedi .
While the media and Democrats wait breathlessly for the COVID-19 emergencies to plague red states that dare to move to reopen their economies , the data is simply not bearing them out .
Meanwhile , the same blue state Governors are begging for a federal bailout to save them from the economic impacts of their shutdowns .
Governor Greg Abbott decided to call them out in a single graphic : Succinct , factual and devastating .
Especially when you have high-profile personalities like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are ready to flee California for redder pastures .
And when New York has already seen the nation ’ s biggest net negative migration .
In fact , Governor Cuomo got really , really mad at Florida for stealing his wealthy citizens .
Even President Trump changed his primary residence to Florida .
This is why President Trump and GOP candidates from low tax states need to make hay with the latest proposal from Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
At $ 3 trillion , it will not just bankrupt our children and grandchildren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bail out mismanaged blue states .
It also repeals the SALT deduction cap for federal taxes , giving a boost to blue states with high tax rates .
Governor Abbott was more than fair in the graphic above .
He used the state deficits before the COVID-19 pandemic .
Every single state in the country is going to have economic impacts from the pandemic .
Each is going to have to figure out how to navigate that and make a compact with their residents to overcome the hit .
The financial repercussions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no more important than the hits taken by Florida or Texas .
Florida relies heavily on tourism and the Texas economy is tied inextricably to oil and gas .
Both of these sectors have taken huge losses during the last several months .
Stop and think about the economy of Orlando without Disney World .
Or the economy of Dallas and Houston with oil at $ 12 a barrel .
Abbott and Governor DeSantis of Florida are going to have to navigate their individual challenges .
They are facing them head on by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measured way .
Both governors have been capable through the entire pandemic of viewing their states in a regional way .
Jacksonville is not Miami any more than Dallas is Lubbock .
The state policies in Florida and Texas have reflected this fact , though both governors have been willing to step in when local policy seems to be needlessly restrictive .
By contrast , Governor Newsom of California and Governor Cuomo in New York have taken a peanut butter approach to their states , leveling the same restrictions statewide .
They essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are not urban centers that don ’ t have high population densities .
The central valley in California and Albany to Lake Placid did not need to be treated the same as Los Angeles and New York City .
Yet many polices that may make sense in large cities are still being applied to these areas .
Now California and New York are seeking relief that goes beyond the impact COVID-19 has had on their economy .
They are seeking funds that would help them relieve debt accumulated through years of fiscal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Google the term ‘ austerity ’ and take a critical eye to their budgets .
Both have line-item veto authority and need to figure out how to use it .
Maybe Newsom would like to repeal the $ 125 million he allotted for making pandemic relief payments to illegal immigrants .
Or the coverage for illegal immigrants up to age 19 in the Medi-Cal program .
Likewise , the New York state budget is notoriously full of pork and grants for favored pet projects .
Time to get back to basics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , repeal of the SALT cap increases the amount paid by individuals in red states who make the same salary as their blue state counterparts .
The deduction should be eliminated altogether .
No individual should be subsidizing another ’ s federal tax obligation by paying more on equal income .
The progressive left likes to shoot back that red states get more from the federal governments than blue states .
This is an outright falsehood .
Federal dollars make up a bigger percentage of red state budgets because they generally have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue states actually receive more per resident than red states .
In addition to foreign policy related to China , economic arguments are going to be key to the 2020 election .
A recent swing state poll already shows that voters trust Donald Trump on the economy by more than the margin of error against Biden .
Let ’ s swing them back to red by highlighting that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want to punish them for being fiscally responsible by bailing out their blue state neighbors .
And let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red to blue in Texas , Florida and others by making the same pitch .

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas may have just earned the status of troll level: Jedi. While the media and Democrats wait breathlessly for the COVID-19 emergencies to plague red states that dare to move to reopen their economies, the data is simply not bearing them out.
Abbot Makes the Case
Meanwhile, the same blue state Governors are begging for a federal bailout to save them from the economic impacts of their shutdowns. Governor Greg Abbott decided to call them out in a single graphic:
Succinct, factual and devastating. Especially when you have high-profile personalities like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk saying publicly they are ready to flee California for redder pastures. And when New York has already seen the nation’s biggest net negative migration. In fact, Governor Cuomo got really, really mad at Florida for stealing his wealthy citizens. Even President Trump changed his primary residence to Florida.
Abbott Sets the Stage for 2020
This is why President Trump and GOP candidates from low tax states need to make hay with the latest proposal from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. At $3 trillion, it will not just bankrupt our children and grandchildren. It explicitly asks red state residents to bail out mismanaged blue states. It also repeals the SALT deduction cap for federal taxes, giving a boost to blue states with high tax rates.
Governor Abbott was more than fair in the graphic above. He used the state deficits before the COVID-19 pandemic. Every single state in the country is going to have economic impacts from the pandemic. Each is going to have to figure out how to navigate that and make a compact with their residents to overcome the hit.
The financial repercussions felt by New York and California are no more important than the hits taken by Florida or Texas. Florida relies heavily on tourism and the Texas economy is tied inextricably to oil and gas. Both of these sectors have taken huge losses during the last several months. Stop and think about the economy of Orlando without Disney World. Or the economy of Dallas and Houston with oil at $12 a barrel.
Federalism, Folks
Abbott and Governor DeSantis of Florida are going to have to navigate their individual challenges. They are facing them head on by beginning to open their economies in a measured way. Both governors have been capable through the entire pandemic of viewing their states in a regional way. Jacksonville is not Miami any more than Dallas is Lubbock. The state policies in Florida and Texas have reflected this fact, though both governors have been willing to step in when local policy seems to be needlessly restrictive.
By contrast, Governor Newsom of California and Governor Cuomo in New York have taken a peanut butter approach to their states, leveling the same restrictions statewide. They essentially ignored the wide swaths of their states that are not urban centers that don’t have high population densities. The central valley in California and Albany to Lake Placid did not need to be treated the same as Los Angeles and New York City. Yet many polices that may make sense in large cities are still being applied to these areas.
Now California and New York are seeking relief that goes beyond the impact COVID-19 has had on their economy. They are seeking funds that would help them relieve debt accumulated through years of fiscal mismanagement. Both men would do well to Google the term ‘austerity’ and take a critical eye to their budgets. Both have line-item veto authority and need to figure out how to use it.
Austerity Anyone?
Maybe Newsom would like to repeal the $125 million he allotted for making pandemic relief payments to illegal immigrants. Or the coverage for illegal immigrants up to age 19 in the Medi-Cal program. Likewise, the New York state budget is notoriously full of pork and grants for favored pet projects. Time to get back to basics, boys.
Who Is Subsidizing Who?
Meanwhile, repeal of the SALT cap increases the amount paid by individuals in red states who make the same salary as their blue state counterparts. The deduction should be eliminated altogether. No individual should be subsidizing another’s federal tax obligation by paying more on equal income.
The progressive left likes to shoot back that red states get more from the federal governments than blue states. This is an outright falsehood. Federal dollars make up a bigger percentage of red state budgets because they generally have smaller budgets. Based on population, blue states actually receive more per resident than red states.
Closing Argument
In addition to foreign policy related to China, economic arguments are going to be key to the 2020 election. A recent swing state poll already shows that voters trust Donald Trump on the economy by more than the margin of error against Biden. Let’s swing them back to red by highlighting that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want to punish them for being fiscally responsible by bailing out their blue state neighbors. And let’s take back the districts that swung from red to blue in Texas, Florida and others by making the same pitch.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Pelosi’s “Stimulus” Would Force Americans to Compete With Illegals

While Americans lose their jobs , Democrats keep illegal aliens employed .
Daniel Greenfield , a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center , is an investigative journalist and writer focusing on the radical Left and Islamic terrorism .
Who are Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s Heroes ?
Based on the $ 3 trillion HEROES Act that House Democrats have just unveiled , the answer is illegal aliens and criminals .
While the HEROES Act pretends to be about coronavirus relief , its focus is on immigration .
With over 20 million jobs lost in April , the HEROES Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that millions of illegal aliens will still be able to keep their jobs , no matter how many Americans lose theirs .
Buried under the misleadingly titled , `` Protections for Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers '' , is a virtual blank check to keep illegal aliens from being deported .
The HEROES Act 's definition of `` critical infrastructure workers '' covers cafeteria workers , warehouse janitors , and pet food delivery boys .
Anyone who works in virtually any field involving food in any way is a `` critical infrastructure worker '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traps at any facility involving food from `` wholesale to retail '' is a critical worker .
A vast array of call center workers and delivery people are covered .
Even laundromat employees are critical infrastructure workers under the federal definition used by the HEROES Act .
The HEROES Act does n't just protect illegal aliens from deportation , but SEC .
191203 declares that `` hiring '' illegal aliens is not a violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act and that the aliens are `` deemed to be in a period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Americans seeking jobs as essential workers will be forced to compete with newly legalized illegal aliens .
Even while tens of millions of Americans are out of work , Pelosi and the House Democrats are going to great lengths to protect the ability of employers to illegally hire illegal aliens while authorizing them to accept those jobs .
And considering how Federal judges have defended DACA ’ s deferred action , this temporary deferral could effectively become a permanent amnesty for millions of illegals .
The HEROES Act is really a backdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heroes ” for delivering pizza .
And these heroes who delivered pizza and sprayed for roaches in a plant somewhere can ’ t be deported .
Instead , they ’ re going to be honored and legalized while Americans lose their jobs , savings , and lives .
The HEROES Act may end up killing more Americans of employment age than the coronavirus will .
Pelosi ’ s boondoggle also extends visas for aliens already in this country , regardless of whether they 're `` critical '' workers or not , and 'rolls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't issued during this time .
The Democrats are determined not to miss a single chance to bring more of their voters into the United States .
The rollover provisions focus on chain migration via `` family-sponsored immigrants '' , `` employment-based immigrants '' and `` diversity immigrants '' .
All of these are aspects of a broken immigration system .
SEC .
191204 or “ Supplementing the COVID Response Workforce ” expedites processing applications for aliens who `` provide healthcare '' within 30 days by email .
Visa applications can be bypassed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This could allow for bringing Syrian Islamic “ health care workers ” to this country with virtually no oversight or screening even though the shortage of personnel that is driving this strategy has never actually come into being and American workers are being furloughed at hospitals and medical centers that were prevented from performing most procedures .
American health care workers furloughed because of the lockdown may end up losing their jobs because the Democrats who praise them as “ heroes ” insist on bringing in foreign workers to take their place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being brought in under the broad umbrella of “ preventing COVID-19 ” .
If we didn ’ t have open borders on the ground and in the air , there wouldn ’ t have been a Wuhan Virus to prevent .
But even while claiming to fight a pandemic caused by a foreign virus , Pelosi and the Democrats want more immigration and more open borders to spread more pandemics .
SEC .
191205 seeks to free illegal aliens already in ICE custody with a review of `` the immigration files of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assess the need for continued detention '' to free those who are `` not subject to mandatory detention laws . ''
The section also demands that illegal aliens get free video chats , email access , and orders that pro-illegal alien lefty groups be given `` broad and flexible access '' to illegals .
But the HEROES Act doesn ’ t just settle for freeing illegal aliens , not when it can also free criminals .
The Dem bill seeks to free `` vulnerable and low-risk individuals '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` vulnerable '' is any prisoner over who is over 50 or under 18 who has , sickle-cell anemia , or asthma .
And how do Pelosi and her ilk define `` low-risk '' ?
Any criminal who `` does not pose a risk of serious , imminent injury to a reasonably identifiable person '' .
That covers criminals who pose a risk of serious , imminent injury to any random member of the public .
Criminals who pose a risk of serious , but not imminent injury , criminals who pose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury , and criminals who pose a serious , imminent risk of injury to someone who can ’ t be reasonably identified , could all be considered “ low-risk ” by the jailbreaking HEROES Act .
Under these parameters , an asthmatic serial killer ought to be considered low-risk because we can ’ t identify whom he might chop to bits .
A paranoid schizophrenic who only seriously assaults people when he goes off his medication could be considered to pose a risk of serious , but not imminent injury .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seriously hurt their victims would be considered low-risk .
Ditto for car thieves , burglars , assorted robbers , and any felon who isn ’ t walking around with a sign reading , “ I will kill Andrew next Tuesday ” .
And even then , we might not be “ reasonably ” sure which Andrew he means .
These are the heroes of Pelosi ’ s HEROES Act .
There 's also money for `` safe and sanitary temporary transitional housing '' and facilitating `` family reunification '' for the released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` all pre- and post-adjudication release processes and mechanisms applicable to juveniles… as quickly as possible '' .
Pelosi and her Democrat allies claim to be very concerned about inmates in custody contracting the coronavirus .
And yet after months of this , the predicted mass death tolls in prisons haven ’ t happened .
Instead the elderly have been dying in large numbers in nursing homes .
If the Democrats were really concerned , they would cut off funding to any municipality arresting people over social distancing .
But the Dems seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which citizens are arrested and criminals are freed .
The HEROES Act contains plenty that is bad , including a waiver of the Buy American Act that is a free gift to the People ’ s Republic of China , but its obsession with criminals and illegal aliens , at the expense of Americans , shows who Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats think that they ’ re really in office to serve .
While Americans are put out of work , the Democrats help illegal aliens hang on to their jobs .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cut hair , go for a walk , or play catch , criminals are set free .
The Democrat coronatopia is a place where criminals are free and everyone else is in prison , and where only government officials and illegal aliens have jobs .

Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is an investigative journalist and writer focusing on the radical Left and Islamic terrorism.
Who are Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Heroes? Based on the $3 trillion HEROES Act that House Democrats have just unveiled, the answer is illegal aliens and criminals.
While the HEROES Act pretends to be about coronavirus relief, its focus is on immigration.
With over 20 million jobs lost in April, the HEROES Act goes to great lengths to make sure that millions of illegal aliens will still be able to keep their jobs, no matter how many Americans lose theirs.
Buried under the misleadingly titled, “Protections for Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers”, is a virtual blank check to keep illegal aliens from being deported. The HEROES Act’s definition of “critical infrastructure workers” covers cafeteria workers, warehouse janitors, and pet food delivery boys.
Anyone who works in virtually any field involving food in any way is a “critical infrastructure worker”. An illegal alien putting out mouse traps at any facility involving food from “wholesale to retail” is a critical worker. A vast array of call center workers and delivery people are covered. Even laundromat employees are critical infrastructure workers under the federal definition used by the HEROES Act.
The HEROES Act doesn’t just protect illegal aliens from deportation, but SEC. 191203 declares that “hiring” illegal aliens is not a violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act and that the aliens are “deemed to be in a period of deferred action and authorized for employment.”
Americans seeking jobs as essential workers will be forced to compete with newly legalized illegal aliens.
Even while tens of millions of Americans are out of work, Pelosi and the House Democrats are going to great lengths to protect the ability of employers to illegally hire illegal aliens while authorizing them to accept those jobs. And considering how Federal judges have defended DACA’s deferred action, this temporary deferral could effectively become a permanent amnesty for millions of illegals.
The HEROES Act is really a backdoor amnesty that will declare illegal aliens “heroes” for delivering pizza. And these heroes who delivered pizza and sprayed for roaches in a plant somewhere can’t be deported. Instead, they’re going to be honored and legalized while Americans lose their jobs, savings, and lives.
The HEROES Act may end up killing more Americans of employment age than the coronavirus will.
Pelosi’s boondoggle also extends visas for aliens already in this country, regardless of whether they’re “critical” workers or not, and ‘rolls over’ all the visas that weren’t issued during this time. The Democrats are determined not to miss a single chance to bring more of their voters into the United States.
The rollover provisions focus on chain migration via “family-sponsored immigrants”, “employment-based immigrants” and “diversity immigrants”. All of these are aspects of a broken immigration system.
SEC. 191204 or “Supplementing the COVID Response Workforce” expedites processing applications for aliens who “provide healthcare” within 30 days by email. Visa applications can be bypassed with video-conferencing, and interviews are waived. This could allow for bringing Syrian Islamic “health care workers” to this country with virtually no oversight or screening even though the shortage of personnel that is driving this strategy has never actually come into being and American workers are being furloughed at hospitals and medical centers that were prevented from performing most procedures.
American health care workers furloughed because of the lockdown may end up losing their jobs because the Democrats who praise them as “heroes” insist on bringing in foreign workers to take their place.
And these foreign health care workers are being brought in under the broad umbrella of “preventing COVID-19”. If we didn’t have open borders on the ground and in the air, there wouldn’t have been a Wuhan Virus to prevent. But even while claiming to fight a pandemic caused by a foreign virus, Pelosi and the Democrats want more immigration and more open borders to spread more pandemics.
SEC. 191205 seeks to free illegal aliens already in ICE custody with a review of “the immigration files of all individuals in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assess the need for continued detention” to free those who are “not subject to mandatory detention laws.”
The section also demands that illegal aliens get free video chats, email access, and orders that pro-illegal alien lefty groups be given “broad and flexible access” to illegals.
But the HEROES Act doesn’t just settle for freeing illegal aliens, not when it can also free criminals.
The Dem bill seeks to free “vulnerable and low-risk individuals” in pre-trial detention. The definition of “vulnerable” is any prisoner over who is over 50 or under 18 who has, sickle-cell anemia, or asthma.
And how do Pelosi and her ilk define “low-risk”?
Any criminal who “does not pose a risk of serious, imminent injury to a reasonably identifiable person”.
That covers criminals who pose a risk of serious, imminent injury to any random member of the public.
Criminals who pose a risk of serious, but not imminent injury, criminals who pose a risk of imminent, but not serious injury, and criminals who pose a serious, imminent risk of injury to someone who can’t be reasonably identified, could all be considered “low-risk” by the jailbreaking HEROES Act.
Under these parameters, an asthmatic serial killer ought to be considered low-risk because we can’t identify whom he might chop to bits. A paranoid schizophrenic who only seriously assaults people when he goes off his medication could be considered to pose a risk of serious, but not imminent injury.
And, of course, muggers who don’t seriously hurt their victims would be considered low-risk. Ditto for car thieves, burglars, assorted robbers, and any felon who isn’t walking around with a sign reading, “I will kill Andrew next Tuesday”. And even then, we might not be “reasonably” sure which Andrew he means.
These are the heroes of Pelosi’s HEROES Act.
There’s also money for “safe and sanitary temporary transitional housing” and facilitating “family reunification” for the released criminals. And a push for applying “all pre- and post-adjudication release processes and mechanisms applicable to juveniles… as quickly as possible”.
That would cover 17-year-old offenders.
Pelosi and her Democrat allies claim to be very concerned about inmates in custody contracting the coronavirus. And yet after months of this, the predicted mass death tolls in prisons haven’t happened. Instead the elderly have been dying in large numbers in nursing homes. If the Democrats were really concerned, they would cut off funding to any municipality arresting people over social distancing.
But the Dems seem happy with a state of affairs in which citizens are arrested and criminals are freed.
The HEROES Act contains plenty that is bad, including a waiver of the Buy American Act that is a free gift to the People’s Republic of China, but its obsession with criminals and illegal aliens, at the expense of Americans, shows who Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats think that they’re really in office to serve.
While Americans are put out of work, the Democrats help illegal aliens hang on to their jobs. And while Americans are locked up for trying to cut hair, go for a walk, or play catch, criminals are set free.
The Democrat coronatopia is a place where criminals are free and everyone else is in prison, and where only government officials and illegal aliens have jobs.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Andrew Cuomo Says He Did “Everything” He Could to Prevent More Nursing Home Deaths

Appearing Tuesday on MSNBC , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) attempted to dismiss growing accusations that his administration failed to protect nursing home residents during the Chinese coronavirus pandemic , asserting : “ We did everything we could ” and did not skip any “ precautions.
” A partial transcript is as follows : STEPHANIE RUHLE : You have been criticized for your comments about nursing homes .
Some people say you did not act quickly enough , too little , too late .
What is your response to that criticism ?
GOV .
ANDREW CUOMO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for doing too much .
I have the strongest national provisions in place where staff of nursing homes must be tested twice per week , and the nursing homes are upset that this is too burdensome for them to do it .
I understand that it ’ s burdensome .
I understand it ’ s the most aggressive in the nation , but I also understand that this is the most vulnerable population in the most vulnerable place .
We will have lost many Americans in this , but the only solace we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is we can say we did everything we could , and we didn ’ t lose anyone for want of medical care , precautions , etcetera .
Yes , they ’ re unhappy that I ’ m saying two tests a week for staff , but I want to make sure every one of us can say we did everything that we could .

Appearing Tuesday on MSNBC, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) attempted to dismiss growing accusations that his administration failed to protect nursing home residents during the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, asserting: “We did everything we could” and did not skip any “precautions.”
A partial transcript is as follows:
STEPHANIE RUHLE: You have been criticized for your comments about nursing homes. Some people say you did not act quickly enough, too little, too late. What is your response to that criticism?
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO: I’m getting criticized now for doing too much. I have the strongest national provisions in place where staff of nursing homes must be tested twice per week, and the nursing homes are upset that this is too burdensome for them to do it. I understand that it’s burdensome. I understand it’s the most aggressive in the nation, but I also understand that this is the most vulnerable population in the most vulnerable place. We will have lost many Americans in this, but the only solace we’re going to be to take is we can say we did everything we could, and we didn’t lose anyone for want of medical care, precautions, etcetera. Yes, they’re unhappy that I’m saying two tests a week for staff, but I want to make sure every one of us can say we did everything that we could.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Joe Rogan Moves Podcast to Spotify in $100 Million Deal

Joe Rogan has announced his wildly popular podcast is moving to Spotify .
The Joe Rogan Experience , among the most popular podcasts in the world , will arrive on the streaming service on September 1 before moving exclusively at the end of the year .
According to the Wall Street Journal , the multi-year deal is worth 100 million dollars ( £82 million ) .
Announcing the news , Rogan said : “ It will remain FREE , and it will be the exact same show .
It ’ s just a licensing deal , so Spotify won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show .
“ They want me to just continue doing it the way I ’ m doing it right now .
“ I ’ m excited to have the support of the largest audio platform in the world and I hope you folks are there when we make the switch !
” Rogan , a stand-up comedian and TV host , launched his podcast in 2009 and it soon developed a vast audience .
Rogan invites a wide variety of guests on the show , including actors , musicians , authors , artists @ @ @ @ @

The Joe Rogan Experience, among the most popular podcasts in the world, will arrive on the streaming service on September 1 before moving exclusively at the end of the year.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the multi-year deal is worth 100 million dollars (£82 million).
Announcing the news, Rogan said: “It will remain FREE, and it will be the exact same show. It’s just a licensing deal, so Spotify won’t have any creative control over the show.
“They want me to just continue doing it the way I’m doing it right now.
“I’m excited to have the support of the largest audio platform in the world and I hope you folks are there when we make the switch!”
Rogan, a stand-up comedian and TV host, launched his podcast in 2009 and it soon developed a vast audience.
Rogan invites a wide variety of guests on the show, including actors, musicians, authors, artists, scientists and comedians.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Kayleigh McEnany Torches the Cuomos During Presser

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany called out CNN host Chris Cuomo during a press conference Wednesday for “ interestingly ” taking “ a less safe version ” of Hydroxychloroquine before criticizing President Donald Trump for ‘ dangerously ’ taking the drug to protect himself against the novel coronavirus .
Further , McEnany referred Cuomo to his brother , the Governor of New York , who happens to be excited about the promising evidence behind the drug in treating COVID-19 patients in his state .
“ The President knows that Hydroxychloroquine is not supported by science , he knows it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he ’ s using it , ” McEnany told reporters .
“ Well , Cuomo mocked the President for this and interestingly , I found this out just before coming here , Hydroxychloroquine , of course , is an FDA approved medication with a long-proven track record for safety .
And it turns out that Chris Cuomo took a less safe version of it called ‘ quinine , ’ which the FDA removed from the market in 2006 because of its serious side effects , including death.
” McEnany added , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of the President .
And on that note , to Chris Cuomo , I ’ d like to redirect him to his brother , the Governor of New York , Governor Cuomo , who has several on the record statements about Hydroxychloroquine , saying ‘ I ’ m an optimist , I ’ m hopeful about that drug .
And that ’ s why we ’ ll try it here in New York as soon as we get it .
There has been anecdotal evidence that it ’ s promising .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead.
’ And I have about eight other quotes from Governor Cuomo , should any of you have interest in that.
” The drug is FDA-approved for emergency use against COVID-19 and many doctors have touted the drug as successful in their patients suffering from the virus .
It ’ s typically used for the prevention of malaria .
The President was prescribed the drug by the White House doctor , which he announced earlier this week , as several cases of the virus were recently reported in Trump ’ s circle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that after discussing whether to administer the drug and , after consulting with experts “ we concluded that the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.
” The drug that Cuomo took , while sick with the virus that he ’ s since recovered from , is what the FDA warns has “ serious risks ” associated with “ off-label ” use .
In her blog posts documenting Cuomo ’ s treatment , his wife Cristina wrote that he was using “ potentized quinine , ” saying that it ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that she took it for her own Lyme disease treatment .
“ On top of this is homeopathy , which works according to the symptom picture .
Potentized quinine ( OXO ) ; it ’ s derived from the nontoxic bark of Peruvian-grown quinine plants , ” she wrote .
“ It is a natural antibiotic ( it ’ s being used in India with very good results ) .
This is not on the market here ; Dr. Lancaster has made this in her lab for 40 years , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The medicine Plaquinol , which many doctors are using for COVID-19 is similar to quinine , but it has negative side effects . )

War on drugs: agents seized enough to kill U.S. population 19 times
The war on drugs being fought on a daily basis at our borders has been able to be quantified with...


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Oh Brother: Ilhan Omar Accused of Another Crime

Omar had dismissed the criminal accusation as a `` 'scary , lying immigrants ' smear ''

Shortly after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a "stay-at home" order on March 25, local Imam Tawakal Ismail partnered with 115-year-old charity GMCC to deliver meals to seniors and disabled individuals in immediate risk of hunger.
On April 9, GMCC's website announced the meal program's partners and major donors. The list included the imam's charitable organization Darul Hadiith, and GMCC's Minnesota FoodShare program.
Absent from the list: U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, or any other elected official or candidate.
This was intentional. Responding to questions via phone and email, Imam Tawakal states that the project is strictly "charity work," and that he has been explicitly rejecting political partnerships and forbidding campaign photo or video opportunities.
On May 5, GMCC posted a formal news release announcing the program's growth and success, and again listing partners and major donors. No political campaigns had joined, as expected.
Unexpectedly, Rep. Ilhan Omar tweeted this fundraising appeal the same day:
Image source: Twitter screenshot
Soliciting charitable contributions under false pretenses is, of course, a crime. Federal and state election law further governs the act if committed by a political campaign.
The reputational and organizational concerns for the charity project were also clear. "@IlhanMN" is Rep. Omar's campaign account, the fundraiser was hosted by massive Democrat/progressive donation platform ActBlue, and the graphic read "PAID FOR BY ILHAN FOR CONGRESS." As the "@IlhanMN" account has 2 million followers, the unwanted appearance of a political partnership would spread quickly.
Rep. Omar's tweet appeared to cause an emergency. That evening, GMCC's executive director posted a remarkable denial:
Image source: Twitter screenshot
Since August 2016, only one local resident has agreed to speak on-record with evidence of illegal activity by Rep. Omar. (He quickly received multiple threats, and has required security). Imam Tawakal Ismail is now the second. A religious and organizational leader, a source describes him as a high-profile, influential member of the community.
Imam Tawakal states — with compelling evidence, below — that Rep. Omar's tweet was no simple mistake: "She knew."
On May 3, two days prior to Rep. Omar's fundraising tweet, Imam Tawakal was at Safari restaurant to coordinate his program's meal distribution. Per the contract Tawakal had signed on behalf of the charity partnership, his program would begin feeding seniors and disabled individuals at 6 p.m. that evening.
States Tawakal, via email:
Image source: Email screenshot
That weekend, states Tawakal, Rep. Omar's campaign was also at Safari restaurant — but for a separate event. (Video of Rep. Omar at Safari restaurant that weekend was posted on her Facebook account on May 4.)
According to Tawakal, he told Rep. Omar's campaign of the program's "no politicians" policy — in-person:
Image source: Email screenshot
I asked Imam Tawakal why he was certain that Rep. Omar knew of the policy.
Imam Tawakal answered by identifying the Rep. Omar campaign staffer he spoke with, and providing eye-opening details about the discussion:
Image source: Email screenshot
Ali Isse "Ganey" is perhaps the longest-serving, most influential member of Rep. Omar's campaign and congressional staff. He is shown below in a Facebook photo from his account with Omar and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.):
A 2018 article titled, "Congresswoman-elect Ilhan Omar Picks Leadership Team," describes him:
Isse has served critical roles in Omar's two successful campaigns as the field organizer for her Minnesota House race and was the outreach director for the historic congressional campaign.
Imam Tawakal also explicitly confirmed the GMCC executive director's statement that Rep. Omar had no involvement whatsoever with the meal project:
Image source: Email screenshot
At some point between the posting of the GMCC executive director's May 5 statement and May 8, Rep. Omar deleted her ActBlue fundraising appeal without comment.
This graphic was published in a May 5 GMCC press release. On-record, the leadership of all partners listed above state Rep. Ilhan Omar was never involved. One leader states he had an altercation with a top Omar staffer, demanding Omar stay away from the meal program. Image source: GMCC press release screenshot
I reported the incident on May 8:
To the meal program's partners and donors — and perhaps the Federal Election Commission — a public apology and thorough explanation from Rep. Ilhan Omar regarding the location of funds donated while her appeal was live might be expected.
This did not occur. In fact, it appears as if the strong-arm tactics similar to those described above by Imam Tawakal continued.
In the 24 hours following my above tweet, the GMCC executive director's May 5 tweet was deleted. The following two tweets later appeared:
Image source: Twitter screenshot
Notably, she did not correct her earlier statement — "Ilhan Omar had nothing to do with the project. I do not know where this money is going to." She simply announced that GMCC had since confirmed that Rep. Omar would be sending funds.
She also posted the correct link for donors to give to GMCC. She did not repost Rep. Omar's ActBlue link.
Rep. Omar and her campaign communications staffer, however, then chose to falsely describe the charity's clear statement while attacking Minnesota state Rep. Steve Drazkowski and myself:
Image source: Twitter screenshot
Image source: Twitter screenshot
Rep. Omar's and her campaign communications staffer's replies are demonstrably false.
Rep. Drazkowski is, objectively, the least appropriate target for Rep. Omar regarding campaign finance issues. In 2018, Rep. Drazkowski filed a complaint against Rep. Omar with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. The Board's investigation found Rep. Omar's campaign had committed at least six infractions, which she was ordered to repay.
(Far more troubling, the Board revealed that Omar had jointly filed her personal taxes with one man while she was married to another — a felony — for at least two years, and perhaps eight.)
Rep. Drazkowski's response and my May 8 tweet are not "deliberate disinformation," or a "rightwing conspiracy theory." They are information confirmed on-record by two principals, along with verifiable screenshots. GMCC's executive director did not refer to her earlier statement as having been inaccurate or false in any manner — let alone a "lie."
Accusing Rep. Drazkowski, myself, and GMCC's executive director of framing Omar with "'scary, lying immigrants' smears" is unfounded and outrageously false. In the cases of Imam Tawakal and Ms. Dorn, Rep. Omar's actions seem particularly reprehensible.
For six weeks, Ms. Dorn and Imam Tawakal — an immigrant — have been feeding immigrant seniors and disabled individuals facing hunger in Rep. Omar's district. According to Imam Tawakal, Rep. Omar's campaign attempted to strong-arm an immigrant's food charity to falsely take credit forrescuing her potential voters.
Imam Tawakal states that he firmly rejected Rep. Omar's campaign in-person, but she then attempted to steal credit later -- when Imam Tawakal was not physically present.
Further, Imam Tawakal states that Rep. Omar explicitly requested donations based on the false pretense of a partnership, and claimed the donations help Minnesota FoodShare feed Minnesotans who "struggle with hunger." This appears to have been completely false.
Since August 2016, reporters Preya Samsundar, Scott Johnson, and myself have reported — with photo, video, and other verified evidence — several such incidents of Rep. Omar's campaign and staff explicitly threatening and bullying the immigrant population of her district. We have reported that, dating back to 2009, Omar appears to have committed the most extensive spree of federal and state felonies committed by a congressperson in U.S. history.
With an apparent crime in progress to investigate, perhaps local Minnesota media and authorities will finally take action to protect the district from her — particularly its Somali immigrant population.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--How Coronavirus Is Changing How People Look at Education

In just a few weeks , US education has dramatically changed .
Schools have been closed for the academic year in most states , and some districts have already canceled their foray into virtual school-at-home this spring , ending the school year early .
With more than 50 million US students at home with their families , engaged in varying degrees of quarantine schooling , questions emerge about how long this will last and what education may look like post-pandemic .
Most families will be eager to resume their previous routines , returning to school and work as soon as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong social distancing measures in place .
But some families may be curious about K-12 education models that favor personalization , small group learning environments , high-quality virtual programming and other innovative alternatives .
While most of us have been forced to work and learn from home for the past two months , separated from our colleagues and community , some employers and employees are finding that working from home has its benefits , including higher productivity gains and lower costs .
A recent Brookings Institution report reveals that we “ may see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing long after the pandemic ends .
Similarly , some students are finding that they prefer this pandemic distance learning experiment over traditional schooling .
Additionally , a recent survey by EdChoice finds that more than half of respondents have a more favorable view of homeschooling as a result of the pandemic , suggesting a rising openness to different K-12 learning models .
As parents experience a growing cultural embrace of teleworking that can create more workplace freedom and flexibility , they may also look to grant this freedom and flexibility to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conventional classroom .
Here are four K-12 education models that will likely get increased attention over the coming months : Forest preschools and outdoor early childhood programs were already gaining traction prior to the pandemic .
The New York Times reported last summer that “ nature-based preschools have seen a tidal wave of interest in recent years , ” pointing to survey data from a national organization that represents nature preschools and forest kindergartens .
These programs prioritize ample outside time , natural play and exploration , typically with small class sizes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn in and from nature in all kinds of weather .
As conventional schools implement social distancing measures that may include staggered attendance to keep class sizes down and avoid over-crowded school buildings , some families may look to full-time programs that already focus on small groups and outside learning .
Christine Heer , M.Ed .
and Lisa Henderson are the co-owners of Sprouts , the first licensed farm and forest kindergarten in Massachusetts .
They explain that their program is held almost entirely outdoors and already provides adequate space necessary for safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expects that programs like Sprouts will become a model for other early childhood programs coping with reopening amidst the pandemic , as well as a magnet for parents exploring other educational options .
Heer explains : “ COVID-19 is now forcing communities to look at new ways of offering safe , healthy options for education at all levels and we are convinced that programs like ours will attract the attention of parents and educators as we reconsider how to bring children back into childcare and preschool settings in a safe , stress-free way.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be making some slight adjustments when we return to Sprouts , like creating a hands-free hand washing station and keeping lunch boxes in individual backpacks instead of mixing them together in a crate .
We believe that nature-immersive programs are the perfect fit to address the stress-free , healthy environments we will need to provide for families.
” The push toward smaller , less institutionalized learning environments may also be a boost for the burgeoning microschool movement .
Microschools usually operate out of homes or local community organizations and typically have no more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ varying ages .
Often microschools operate as hybrid homeschool programs , where young people are registered as homeschoolers but attend a microschool either full- or part-time , taking classes and engaging with teachers and mentors .
Sometimes microschools operate through state charter school programs , such as Arizona-based Prenda , a fast-growing network of in-home microschools that is tuition-free for Arizona residents .
New microschool models may gain momentum as parents seek a consistent , in-person learning environment for their children that emphasizes personalization and small class sizes .
If history offers any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools reopen , it ’ s possible that many parents may continue to keep their children at home , at least in the short-term .
NPR recently highlighted historical research by health care economist , Melissa Thomasson , who found that when New York City schools reopened during the 1916 polio epidemic , approximately one-quarter of the city ’ s schoolchildren stayed home , prompting the city to temporarily loosen its compulsory attendance laws .
If this happens during our current pandemic , neighbors may decide to form their own in-home learning co-ops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other ’ s children while balancing their own work schedules .
Well-regarded homeschool programs , such as Oak Meadow and Clonlara , could see a bump in sales as parents look for curriculum guidance beyond , or in addition to , virtual learning , and new curriculum offerings could emerge to meet growing demand .
By necessity , the pandemic has introduced many parents and children to the possibility of virtual learning .
While we may all clamor for face-to-face interaction again , we are likely more comfortable with online connections and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior to this stay-at-home experience .
Some students are finding that they prefer online education , and parents may be curious about virtual learning options going forward .
Many states offer tuition-free virtual public school options , such as those provided through K12 .
Some colleges and universities are beginning to offer rigorous online programs for high school students that combine earning an accredited high school diploma with college credits , giving young people more autonomy and flexibility in their learning , while helping to defray college tuition costs .
Affiliated with Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fully online , accredited high school that incorporates college credits into its curriculum .
The online school is tuition-free for Arizona residents , and the full-time accelerated program for out-of-state students costs just under $ 7,000 a year .
Supporting the expansion of education choice mechanisms , such as education savings accounts , vouchers and tax-credit scholarship programs , can help more families to opt out of their assigned district school and select other education options that may otherwise be financially out-of-reach .
New online learning programs will also likely sprout during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and students become more at ease with , and supportive of , virtual education .
One virtual school startup , Sora Schools , is already seeing more interest in its nascent , project-based program that serves high schoolers across the country .
“ We 've actually been growing a lot in the last couple of months , ” says cofounder Indra Sofian .
“ Recently we 've had many conversations with parents who are not prepared to fully homeschool their children and parents who were concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 're currently projecting to enroll at least 50 students based on our current growth rate by the fall.
” As many investors shift their portfolios toward edtech startups during the pandemic , it is likely that online education options and virtual learning tools will continue to expand in the coming months .
Even though pandemic homeschooling is nothing like the real thing , the finding that parents have a more favorable impression of homeschooling now than before is a strong signal that at least some of them will choose the homeschooling option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informal survey conducted by Corey DeAngelis of the Reason Foundation found that 15 percent of parents say they will choose homeschooling when schools reopen .
If these parents have warmed up to homeschooling under these difficult social distancing circumstances , just wait until they can actually leave the house , go to the library and museums , gather with friends , take community classes and so on .
Images have started to appear of what back-to-school looks like in some countries as children return to school .
Some parents might be turned off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and face shields all day , as well as learning in spread out classrooms , and may choose homeschooling , at least until the pandemic ends .
With more parents likely to continue teleworking post-pandemic , job flexibility may also allow for more learning flexibility , as parents discover that they don ’ t have to be the ones teaching their homeschooled children but rather connecting them to both in-person and online tutors , mentors , classes and other resources .
COVID-19 has disrupted much of the way we live and learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the foreseeable future .
Forest schools , microschools , online learning programs and homeschooling will likely become increasingly popular in the coming months , as parents search for other education options beyond their local school .
While some private schools are shutting down as a result of the pandemic , unable to cope with the economic shock , this can be a great time for visionary entrepreneurs to create more nimble K-12 learning models that give parents and learners the high-quality , flexible and safe academic environment they want .
This article @ @ @ @ @

In just a few weeks, US education has dramatically changed. Schools have been closed for the academic year in most states, and some districts have already canceled their foray into virtual school-at-home this spring, ending the school year early. With more than 50 million US students at home with their families, engaged in varying degrees of quarantine schooling, questions emerge about how long this will last and what education may look like post-pandemic. Most families will be eager to resume their previous routines, returning to school and work as soon as it’s allowed, likely with strong social distancing measures in place. But some families may be curious about K-12 education models that favor personalization, small group learning environments, high-quality virtual programming and other innovative alternatives.
While most of us have been forced to work and learn from home for the past two months, separated from our colleagues and community, some employers and employees are finding that working from home has its benefits, including higher productivity gains and lower costs. A recent Brookings Institution report reveals that we “may see a more permanent shift toward telecommuting” continuing long after the pandemic ends. Similarly, some students are finding that they prefer this pandemic distance learning experiment over traditional schooling. Additionally, a recent survey by EdChoice finds that more than half of respondents have a more favorable view of homeschooling as a result of the pandemic, suggesting a rising openness to different K-12 learning models. As parents experience a growing cultural embrace of teleworking that can create more workplace freedom and flexibility, they may also look to grant this freedom and flexibility to their children, seeking educational options beyond a conventional classroom.
Here are four K-12 education models that will likely get increased attention over the coming months:
Forest Schools
Forest preschools and outdoor early childhood programs were already gaining traction prior to the pandemic. The New York Times reported last summer that “nature-based preschools have seen a tidal wave of interest in recent years,” pointing to survey data from a national organization that represents nature preschools and forest kindergartens. These programs prioritize ample outside time, natural play and exploration, typically with small class sizes and enthusiastic educators who enjoy helping children to learn in and from nature in all kinds of weather.
As conventional schools implement social distancing measures that may include staggered attendance to keep class sizes down and avoid over-crowded school buildings, some families may look to full-time programs that already focus on small groups and outside learning. Christine Heer, M.Ed. and Lisa Henderson are the co-owners of Sprouts, the first licensed farm and forest kindergarten in Massachusetts. They explain that their program is held almost entirely outdoors and already provides adequate space necessary for safe interactions between children and teachers. Heer expects that programs like Sprouts will become a model for other early childhood programs coping with reopening amidst the pandemic, as well as a magnet for parents exploring other educational options.
Heer explains: “COVID-19 is now forcing communities to look at new ways of offering safe, healthy options for education at all levels and we are convinced that programs like ours will attract the attention of parents and educators as we reconsider how to bring children back into childcare and preschool settings in a safe, stress-free way.” Henderson adds: “We will be making some slight adjustments when we return to Sprouts, like creating a hands-free hand washing station and keeping lunch boxes in individual backpacks instead of mixing them together in a crate. We believe that nature-immersive programs are the perfect fit to address the stress-free, healthy environments we will need to provide for families.”
Microschools
The push toward smaller, less institutionalized learning environments may also be a boost for the burgeoning microschool movement. Microschools usually operate out of homes or local community organizations and typically have no more than a dozen K-12 students, of varying ages. Often microschools operate as hybrid homeschool programs, where young people are registered as homeschoolers but attend a microschool either full- or part-time, taking classes and engaging with teachers and mentors. Sometimes microschools operate through state charter school programs, such as Arizona-based Prenda, a fast-growing network of in-home microschools that is tuition-free for Arizona residents. New microschool models may gain momentum as parents seek a consistent, in-person learning environment for their children that emphasizes personalization and small class sizes.
If history offers any lessons as to what might happen when schools reopen, it’s possible that many parents may continue to keep their children at home, at least in the short-term. NPR recently highlighted historical research by health care economist, Melissa Thomasson, who found that when New York City schools reopened during the 1916 polio epidemic, approximately one-quarter of the city’s schoolchildren stayed home, prompting the city to temporarily loosen its compulsory attendance laws. If this happens during our current pandemic, neighbors may decide to form their own in-home learning co-ops, taking turns caring for and educating each other’s children while balancing their own work schedules. Well-regarded homeschool programs, such as Oak Meadow and Clonlara, could see a bump in sales as parents look for curriculum guidance beyond, or in addition to, virtual learning, and new curriculum offerings could emerge to meet growing demand.
Virtual Degree Programs
By necessity, the pandemic has introduced many parents and children to the possibility of virtual learning. While we may all clamor for face-to-face interaction again, we are likely more comfortable with online connections and learning and working remotely than we were prior to this stay-at-home experience. Some students are finding that they prefer online education, and parents may be curious about virtual learning options going forward. Many states offer tuition-free virtual public school options, such as those provided through K12. Some colleges and universities are beginning to offer rigorous online programs for high school students that combine earning an accredited high school diploma with college credits, giving young people more autonomy and flexibility in their learning, while helping to defray college tuition costs.
Affiliated with Arizona State University, ASU Prep Digital is a fully online, accredited high school that incorporates college credits into its curriculum. The online school is tuition-free for Arizona residents, and the full-time accelerated program for out-of-state students costs just under $7,000 a year. Supporting the expansion of education choice mechanisms, such as education savings accounts, vouchers and tax-credit scholarship programs, can help more families to opt out of their assigned district school and select other education options that may otherwise be financially out-of-reach.
New online learning programs will also likely sprout during and after this pandemic, as parents and students become more at ease with, and supportive of, virtual education. One virtual school startup, Sora Schools, is already seeing more interest in its nascent, project-based program that serves high schoolers across the country. “We've actually been growing a lot in the last couple of months,” says cofounder Indra Sofian. “Recently we've had many conversations with parents who are not prepared to fully homeschool their children and parents who were concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their students' schooling in the fall. We're currently projecting to enroll at least 50 students based on our current growth rate by the fall.” As many investors shift their portfolios toward edtech startups during the pandemic, it is likely that online education options and virtual learning tools will continue to expand in the coming months.
Homeschooling
Even though pandemic homeschooling is nothing like the real thing, the finding that parents have a more favorable impression of homeschooling now than before is a strong signal that at least some of them will choose the homeschooling option even when schools reopen. A recent informal survey conducted by Corey DeAngelis of the Reason Foundation found that 15 percent of parents say they will choose homeschooling when schools reopen. If these parents have warmed up to homeschooling under these difficult social distancing circumstances, just wait until they can actually leave the house, go to the library and museums, gather with friends, take community classes and so on.
Images have started to appear of what back-to-school looks like in some countries as children return to school. Some parents might be turned off by the idea of their children wearing masks and face shields all day, as well as learning in spread out classrooms, and may choose homeschooling, at least until the pandemic ends. With more parents likely to continue teleworking post-pandemic, job flexibility may also allow for more learning flexibility, as parents discover that they don’t have to be the ones teaching their homeschooled children but rather connecting them to both in-person and online tutors, mentors, classes and other resources.
COVID-19 has disrupted much of the way we live and learn, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Forest schools, microschools, online learning programs and homeschooling will likely become increasingly popular in the coming months, as parents search for other education options beyond their local school. While some private schools are shutting down as a result of the pandemic, unable to cope with the economic shock, this can be a great time for visionary entrepreneurs to create more nimble K-12 learning models that give parents and learners the high-quality, flexible and safe academic environment they want.
This article was reprinted from Forbes.


bonginoreport--2020-05-20--Florida Governor Shreds Media’s Apocalyptic Coverage

During a press conference with Vice President Mike Pence Wednesday , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis called out the mainstream media for their inaccurate reporting about COVID-19 deaths in his state .
DeSantis was initially tentative to shut down outdoor recreational areas like beaches and was ridiculed by the media for his allegedly relaxed response .
The media was calling Florida “ the next New York City , ” claiming the epicenter of the coronavirus was moving to the sunshine state .
As of today , Florida has a total of 2,052 COVID-19 deaths compared to New York ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposites in both death rates and gubernatorial responses .
When asked about the accuracy of Florida ’ s data , DeSantis called out the media for trying to insinuate the data was false in any manner .
“ Our data is available , our data is transparent .
In fact , Dr. [ Deborah ] Birx has talked multiple times about how Florida has the absolute best data .
So , any insinuation otherwise is just typical , partisan narrative trying to be spun , ” DeSantis told reporters .
“ You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your profession who wax poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York.
” DeSantis recalled the mainstream media ’ s narrative claiming we all need to wait two weeks and then Florida will be like New York or Italy .
“ Well , hell , we ’ re eight weeks away from that and it hasn ’ t happened , ” DeSantis said .
“ I was the number one landing spot from tens of thousands of people leaving the number one hot zone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” DeSantis concluded by saying Florida has succeeded in tackling coronavirus and he ’ s frustrated the mainstream media treat him as the boogeyman .
“ We ’ ve succeeded and I think that people just don ’ t want to recognize it because it challenges their narrative , it challenges their assumption .
So , they ’ ve got to try and find a boogeyman , ” DeSantis said .
In an interview with National Review ’ s Rich Lowry , DeSantis said he was surprised at how hostile the coverage was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he noted that “ none of these people knew anything about Florida at all , ” so he didn ’ t care what they were saying .
For instance , the mainstream media made it conventional wisdom Florida would be hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic because of their roughly 350,000 residents in nursing care facilities across the state , but the state took practical measures to mitigate the spread of the virus for such facilities .
“ We advised , before there was even mitigation , if you ’ re 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible and avoid crowds .
And that was just something that made sense , ” DeSantis told National Review .
Meanwhile , New York ’ s Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo issued an advisory for hospitals to discharge elderly patients with COVID-19 back to nursing homes .
Nursing homes and long-term care facilities alike are struggling to protect their employees and residents from the coronavirus because they lack adequate protective equipment .
Many facilities are also short on staff , which requires staff members to interact with more patients , both healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national coverage of the coronavirus crisis is that at the same time DeSantis was being made into a villain , New York governor Andrew Cuomo was being elevated as a hero , even though the DeSantis approach to nursing homes was obviously superior to that of Cuomo , ” Lowry wrote on the poor coverage of DeSantis ’ pragmatic work .
The media has a clear agenda in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic ; champion the Democratic governors and slam the Republican governors .
It doesn ’ t matter whether Republicans are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poorly .
The goal of the media is to alter reality to make it fit their narrative .

During a press conference with Vice President Mike Pence Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out the mainstream media for their inaccurate reporting about COVID-19 deaths in his state. DeSantis was initially tentative to shut down outdoor recreational areas like beaches and was ridiculed by the media for his allegedly relaxed response.
The media was calling Florida “the next New York City,” claiming the epicenter of the coronavirus was moving to the sunshine state. As of today, Florida has a total of 2,052 COVID-19 deaths compared to New York’s 22,843 deaths. The two states are opposites in both death rates and gubernatorial responses.
When asked about the accuracy of Florida’s data, DeSantis called out the media for trying to insinuate the data was false in any manner.
“Our data is available, our data is transparent. In fact, Dr. [Deborah] Birx has talked multiple times about how Florida has the absolute best data. So, any insinuation otherwise is just typical, partisan narrative trying to be spun,” DeSantis told reporters. “You’ve got a lot of people in your profession who wax poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York.”
DeSantis recalled the mainstream media’s narrative claiming we all need to wait two weeks and then Florida will be like New York or Italy.
“Well, hell, we’re eight weeks away from that and it hasn’t happened,” DeSantis said. “I was the number one landing spot from tens of thousands of people leaving the number one hot zone in the world to come to my state.”
Good stuff from DeSantis here. pic.twitter.com/ESvo6Pb1uw — Noam Blum (@neontaster) May 20, 2020
DeSantis concluded by saying Florida has succeeded in tackling coronavirus and he’s frustrated the mainstream media treat him as the boogeyman.
“We’ve succeeded and I think that people just don’t want to recognize it because it challenges their narrative, it challenges their assumption. So, they’ve got to try and find a boogeyman,” DeSantis said.
In an interview with National Review’s Rich Lowry, DeSantis said he was surprised at how hostile the coverage was of his work in Florida. However, he noted that “none of these people knew anything about Florida at all,” so he didn’t care what they were saying.
For instance, the mainstream media made it conventional wisdom Florida would be hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic because of their roughly 350,000 residents in nursing care facilities across the state, but the state took practical measures to mitigate the spread of the virus for such facilities.
“We advised, before there was even mitigation, if you’re 65 and older, stay home as much as possible and avoid crowds. And that was just something that made sense,” DeSantis told National Review.
Meanwhile, New York’s Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an advisory for hospitals to discharge elderly patients with COVID-19 back to nursing homes. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities alike are struggling to protect their employees and residents from the coronavirus because they lack adequate protective equipment. Many facilities are also short on staff, which requires staff members to interact with more patients, both healthy and ill.
“An irony of the national coverage of the coronavirus crisis is that at the same time DeSantis was being made into a villain, New York governor Andrew Cuomo was being elevated as a hero, even though the DeSantis approach to nursing homes was obviously superior to that of Cuomo,” Lowry wrote on the poor coverage of DeSantis’ pragmatic work.
The media has a clear agenda in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic; champion the Democratic governors and slam the Republican governors. It doesn’t matter whether Republicans are doing well or whether Democrats are doing poorly. The goal of the media is to alter reality to make it fit their narrative.
Chrissy Clark is a freelance reporter. She reports on higher education and college campus issues. Her work is featured in The Daily Wire, the Washington Free Beacon, and The Daily Signal. Follow her on social media @chrissyclark_ or contact her at clarkchrissy58@gmail.com