bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Ossoff Refuses to Release More Financial Information

Even after a number of controversial payments to Jon Ossoff 's foreign film company surfaced in September—including one from a Chinese-backed media giant—the Georgia Democrat refused to release additional financial documents from the company .
In a recent interview with the Washington Post , Ossoff declined the outlet 's request to `` release further financial information '' relating to his company , noting that `` the particulars of our annual finances are confidential . ''
The refusal comes months after Ossoff quietly disclosed receiving at least $ 5,000 from PCCW , a Hong Kong-based media corporation owned in part by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withholding of financial information could undermine his ability to fend off attacks from his Republican opponent .
Senator David Perdue has criticized Ossoff for accepting funds from a `` communist Chinese news agency '' and called on him to explain `` where his money comes from '' in an October debate .
Ossoff failed to include the PCCW payment in his May candidate financial disclosure before revealing it nearly two months later in an amended filing .
While his campaign initially blamed the discrepancy on a `` paperwork oversight , '' spokeswoman Miryam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the payment was `` around $ 1,000 . ''
Senate ethics rules , however , only require candidates to disclose payments exceeding $ 5,000 .
Lipper responded by telling the Journal-Constitution that—despite falling below the reporting threshold—the payment was disclosed `` in the interest of transparency . ''
The Ossoff campaign declined a Washington Free Beacon request to review documents surrounding the payment , instead pointing to the Journal–Constitution ‘ s review of the company 's 2018 quarterly payments .
The outlet , which did not respond to a request for comment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 950 '' from PCCW in 2018 , though it did not review subsequent years .
The campaign claims that the 2018 records `` document the only transactions '' between Ossoff 's company and PCCW .
In addition to the payment he received from PCCW , Ossoff also received at least $ 5,000 from the Qatari-backed Al Jazeera network , his financial disclosures show .
The network sparked controversy when it aired flattering footage of Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks .
Its English-language counterpart has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ing ] coverage to promote Qatar . ''
Ossoff defended the payment in his Washington Post interview , calling Al Jazeera English a `` completely respected news organization '' with which he negotiated `` directly . ''
Ossoff used a sizable family inheritance to purchase London-based film company Insight TWI in 2013 .
He told the Washington Post that he first loaned the company $ 250,000 before investing `` an unspecified additional amount '' that made him CEO and majority owner .
Ossoff also declined to reveal the total amount he inherited .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` trust fund socialist . ''
Ossoff and Perdue will square off in Georgia 's January 5 Senate runoff election .

Even after a number of controversial payments to Jon Ossoff's foreign film company surfaced in September—including one from a Chinese-backed media giant—the Georgia Democrat refused to release additional financial documents from the company.
In a recent interview with the Washington Post, Ossoff declined the outlet's request to "release further financial information" relating to his company, noting that "the particulars of our annual finances are confidential." The refusal comes months after Ossoff quietly disclosed receiving at least $5,000 from PCCW, a Hong Kong-based media corporation owned in part by the Chinese Communist Party.
Ossoff's withholding of financial information could undermine his ability to fend off attacks from his Republican opponent. Senator David Perdue has criticized Ossoff for accepting funds from a "communist Chinese news agency" and called on him to explain "where his money comes from" in an October debate.
Ossoff failed to include the PCCW payment in his May candidate financial disclosure before revealing it nearly two months later in an amended filing. While his campaign initially blamed the discrepancy on a "paperwork oversight," spokeswoman Miryam Lipper later told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the payment was "around $1,000." Senate ethics rules, however, only require candidates to disclose payments exceeding $5,000. Lipper responded by telling the Journal-Constitution that—despite falling below the reporting threshold—the payment was disclosed "in the interest of transparency."
The Ossoff campaign declined a Washington Free Beacon request to review documents surrounding the payment, instead pointing to the Journal-Constitution's review of the company's 2018 quarterly payments. The outlet, which did not respond to a request for comment, found that Ossoff's company received "about $950" from PCCW in 2018, though it did not review subsequent years. The campaign claims that the 2018 records "document the only transactions" between Ossoff's company and PCCW.
In addition to the payment he received from PCCW, Ossoff also received at least $5,000 from the Qatari-backed Al Jazeera network, his financial disclosures show. The network sparked controversy when it aired flattering footage of Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Its English-language counterpart has since faced criticism for "regularly skew[ing] coverage to promote Qatar." Ossoff defended the payment in his Washington Post interview, calling Al Jazeera English a "completely respected news organization" with which he negotiated "directly."
Ossoff used a sizable family inheritance to purchase London-based film company Insight TWI in 2013. He told the Washington Post that he first loaned the company $250,000 before investing "an unspecified additional amount" that made him CEO and majority owner. Ossoff also declined to reveal the total amount he inherited. Perdue has labeled the Georgia Democrat a "trust fund socialist."
Ossoff and Perdue will square off in Georgia's January 5 Senate runoff election.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--GOP Senators Urge Trump to Submit Iran Nuclear and Paris Climate Deals to Senate to Block Biden From

GOP Senators Urge Trump to Submit Iran Nuclear and Paris Climate Deals to Senate to Block Biden From Reentering Them

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday said the Obama ...

Sens. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham are urging President Trump to send the Iran nuclear and Paris climate agreements to the Senate for ratification in a bid to block President-elect Joe Biden from re-entering the accords when he takes office.
“I urge you now also to remedy the harm done to the balance of powers by submitting the Iran deal and the Paris agreement to the Senate as treaties,” Cruz (R-Texas) wrote in a letter to the president and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“Only by so doing will the Senate be able to satisfy its constitutional role to provide advice and consent in the event any future administration attempts to revive these dangerous deals,” he said.
By declaring the agreements treaties, the Senate would have to ratify them by a two-thirds vote, an improbable outcome considering the Republicans have a slim majority in the chamber, and a move that would vastly complicate Biden’s intention to revive them.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Graham (R-SC) last week tweeted his desire to have the Senate vote on the deals.
“Working hard to secure a vote in the U.S. Senate regarding any potential decision to reenter the Iran nuclear deal,” he said in a post last Wednesday. “Rejoining this agreement would be the most destructive decision a Biden administration could make regarding stability in the Middle East.”
He said his colleagues should go on the record about whether they support or oppose the Iran and Paris deals.
Cruz called the president’s decision to withdraw from both Obama-era agreements “a great accomplishment for the American people.”
He also faulted President Barack Obama for not submitting them to the Senate.
“These agreements could and should have been submitted as treaties given their sweeping scope and immense implications for American foreign and domestic policy. The Paris Agreement, for example, was lauded as the ‘most ambitious climate change agreement in history.’ The Iran Deal, meanwhile, was situated as ‘the most consequential foreign policy debate that our country has had since the invasion of Iraq,'” Cruz wrote.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks at the United Nations in New York in 2015. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
Biden has signaled that he would rejoin the Paris agreement and work with the remaining countries still involved in the nuclear deal to re-enter it.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--NBA Ratings Go Up After League’s Social Justice Push Quiets Down

The National Basketball Association is beginning to learn the same lesson the National Football League learned : Refuse to allow your sport to become a platform for social justice activism , and people will watch .
The NBA opened their 2020-2021 season on Tuesday night , to their highest ratings in three years .
“ The NBA ’ s Opening Night doubleheader averaged a Nielsen-estimated 2.87 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night , up 1 % from last year ( 2.85M ) , up 2 % from 2018 ( 2.82M ) , and the most-watched Opening Night since 2017 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
Notably absent from the Association ’ s Opening Night games was the dramatic and obvious social justice messaging on the court and uniforms .
It also appears as though many players stood for the national anthem .
In the aftermath of the death of George Floyd , the NBA cloaked their summer restart with all types of social justice messaging .
The courts at the NBA “ bubble ” in Orlando had Black Lives Matter written on them , and the players wore jerseys with personalized social justice messages .
Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Sports ” season opener on Tuesday compared favorably to the NBA ’ s BLM-themed July restart .
“ Compared to the first night in the NBA ’ s Walt Disney World ‘ bubble ’ back in July , Opening Night viewership increased 5 % from 2.74 million .
Warriors-Nets increased 28 % from Jazz-Pelicans ( 2.11M ) while Clippers-Lakers declined 8 % from the same matchup ( 3.35M ) , ” SMW reported .
Also , as Sports Media Watch noted , the ratings for the 2020-2021 opener could have been even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lopsided .
The NBA and its advertisers are still very active on the social justice front .
Many of the commercials have an overt or subdued political or social justice tone to them .
However , the league seems to have stayed true to Commissioner Adam Silver ’ s claim that the league would avoid overt in-game political messaging .
“ I would say , in terms of the messages you see on the court and the jerseys , this was an extraordinary moment in time when we began these discussions with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this summer , ” Silver told ESPN in October .
“ My sense is there ’ ll be somewhat a return to normalcy , that those messages will largely be left to be delivered off the floor .
And , I understand those people who are saying , ‘ I ’ m on your side , but I want to watch a basketball game.
’ ” Through one night of programming , it seems as though that policy is working .

The National Basketball Association is beginning to learn the same lesson the National Football League learned: Refuse to allow your sport to become a platform for social justice activism, and people will watch.
The NBA opened their 2020-2021 season on Tuesday night, to their highest ratings in three years.
“The NBA’s Opening Night doubleheader averaged a Nielsen-estimated 2.87 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night, up 1% from last year (2.85M), up 2% from 2018 (2.82M), and the most-watched Opening Night since 2017 (4.88M),” Sports Media Watch reported.
Notably absent from the Association’s Opening Night games was the dramatic and obvious social justice messaging on the court and uniforms. It also appears as though many players stood for the national anthem.
In the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, the NBA cloaked their summer restart with all types of social justice messaging. The courts at the NBA “bubble” in Orlando had Black Lives Matter written on them, and the players wore jerseys with personalized social justice messages.
Though, the NBA’s “Stick to Sports” season opener on Tuesday compared favorably to the NBA’s BLM-themed July restart.
“Compared to the first night in the NBA’s Walt Disney World ‘bubble’ back in July, Opening Night viewership increased 5% from 2.74 million. Warriors-Nets increased 28% from Jazz-Pelicans (2.11M) while Clippers-Lakers declined 8% from the same matchup (3.35M),” SMW reported.
Also, as Sports Media Watch noted, the ratings for the 2020-2021 opener could have been even better had the games not been so lopsided.
The NBA and its advertisers are still very active on the social justice front. Many of the commercials have an overt or subdued political or social justice tone to them. However, the league seems to have stayed true to Commissioner Adam Silver’s claim that the league would avoid overt in-game political messaging.
“I would say, in terms of the messages you see on the court and the jerseys, this was an extraordinary moment in time when we began these discussions with the players and what we all lived through this summer,” Silver told ESPN in October.
“My sense is there’ll be somewhat a return to normalcy, that those messages will largely be left to be delivered off the floor. And, I understand those people who are saying, ‘I’m on your side, but I want to watch a basketball game.’”
Through one night of programming, it seems as though that policy is working.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Bidding Has Begun for Top Free Agent Catcher

The best catcher on the market has an offer .
In an offseason moving at a snail ’ s pace , that counts as progress .
The Phillies have offered J.T .
Realmuto a contract , according to Jon Heyman .
Heyman also reported that there are other offers out there for Realmuto , though the teams that made them are unknown .
The Mets were thought to be a favorite to sign Realmuto early in the offseason , but opted instead for James McCann , signing him to a four-year contract worth $ 40.6 million , considerably less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that Jeff Berry , Realmuto ’ s agent , reached out to him on Monday about his client .
“ It really was not a negotiation .
It was a welcome to the Phillies organization , ” Dombrowski said .
“ I ’ ve known Jeff Berry for a long time , and I talked to him and he welcomed me aboard and we talked about how my family was and we talked about how his family was and we said we would stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him again how much we would love to have J.T .
on board , and that ’ s where it really ended at that point.
” The Phillies seem to make the most sense to sign Realmuto .
He played there the last two seasons , and there aren ’ t many teams looking to spend big now that the Mets are out of the catching market .
The Blue Jays and Nationals have been reported as possible suitors , and the Yankees could get in the mix if they fail to sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mystery teams Heyman is talking about .

The best catcher on the market has an offer.
In an offseason moving at a snail’s pace, that counts as progress.
The Phillies have offered J.T. Realmuto a contract, according to Jon Heyman.
Heyman also reported that there are other offers out there for Realmuto, though the teams that made them are unknown.
The Mets were thought to be a favorite to sign Realmuto early in the offseason, but opted instead for James McCann, signing him to a four-year contract worth $40.6 million, considerably less than Realmuto is expect to garner.
New Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that Jeff Berry, Realmuto’s agent, reached out to him on Monday about his client.
“It really was not a negotiation. It was a welcome to the Phillies organization,” Dombrowski said. “I’ve known Jeff Berry for a long time, and I talked to him and he welcomed me aboard and we talked about how my family was and we talked about how his family was and we said we would stay in contact.
J.T. Realmuto Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“I expressed to him again how much we would love to have J.T. on board, and that’s where it really ended at that point.”
The Phillies seem to make the most sense to sign Realmuto. He played there the last two seasons, and there aren’t many teams looking to spend big now that the Mets are out of the catching market. The Blue Jays and Nationals have been reported as possible suitors, and the Yankees could get in the mix if they fail to sign DJ LeMahieu.
Perhaps these are the mystery teams Heyman is talking about.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Democrat Takes Lead in Extremely Close New York House Race

Yesterday we learned that the race in NY-22 had narrowed from 19 votes earlier this week down to 3 to 5 votes .
After more counting throughout the day yesterday , Democrat Anthony Brindisi has taken the lead .
Brindisi ( D ) has a 14-vote lead over challenger Claudia Tenney ( R ) after several hundred affidavit ballots from Oneida County were finally tabulated this week .
The new counts from Oneida County put Brindisi at 155,625 votes to Tenney ’ s 155,611 , which amounts to a 0.004 % lead for Brindisi .
…a Tenney campaign spokesman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utica and Rome , two urban areas he said would favor Brindisi .
In addition to counting more contested ballots in Oneida County , the judge spent much of Wednesday deciding whether or not to count 118 contested absentee ballots from Madison County .
Tenney ’ s attorneys wanted those ballots tossed because they were all stamped Nov. 4th , the judge interviewed everyone working at the post office that day , all of whom denied the ballots came in late : Tenney ’ s attorneys asked a Republican election commissioner , Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said she couldn ’ t say definitively whether the ballots arrived after Nov. 3 , because six people worked in the office on Nov. 4 and any one of them could have received the late ballots and then timestamped them .
DelConte asked Egger to name the employees .
He asked if they could be available to testify .
And then he put them on the stand… The six employees gave various versions of “ no ” when asked whether they had received any late ballots , and their answers seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge seems to know what the split was among those 118 ballots but the absentee ballots tended to favor Brindisi .
The count still isn ’ t done yet .
Election officials in Oneida County will continue going through the remaining ballots next week , however Judge DelConte ’ s court is closed and won ’ t reopen until January 4 .
So there ’ s no chance this will be decided in time for the start of the new Congress .
Once the judge does return to work , he ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the official count but at this point it certainly looks as if he ’ s planning to include everything he ’ s seen so far .
The race is still tight enough that the lead could change again but we ’ re running out of ballots to count at this point .

Yesterday we learned that the race in NY-22 had narrowed from 19 votes earlier this week down to 3 to 5 votes. After more counting throughout the day yesterday, Democrat Anthony Brindisi has taken the lead.
Brindisi (D) has a 14-vote lead over challenger Claudia Tenney (R) after several hundred affidavit ballots from Oneida County were finally tabulated this week. The new counts from Oneida County put Brindisi at 155,625 votes to Tenney’s 155,611, which amounts to a 0.004% lead for Brindisi. …a Tenney campaign spokesman said the disputed Oneida County votes came from Utica and Rome, two urban areas he said would favor Brindisi.
In addition to counting more contested ballots in Oneida County, the judge spent much of Wednesday deciding whether or not to count 118 contested absentee ballots from Madison County. Tenney’s attorneys wanted those ballots tossed because they were all stamped Nov. 4th, the judge interviewed everyone working at the post office that day, all of whom denied the ballots came in late:
Tenney’s attorneys asked a Republican election commissioner, Mary Egger, to testify virtually, and she said she couldn’t say definitively whether the ballots arrived after Nov. 3, because six people worked in the office on Nov. 4 and any one of them could have received the late ballots and then timestamped them. DelConte asked Egger to name the employees. He asked if they could be available to testify. And then he put them on the stand… The six employees gave various versions of “no” when asked whether they had received any late ballots, and their answers seemed to satisfy DelConte.
No one besides the judge seems to know what the split was among those 118 ballots but the absentee ballots tended to favor Brindisi.
The count still isn’t done yet. Election officials in Oneida County will continue going through the remaining ballots next week, however Judge DelConte’s court is closed and won’t reopen until January 4. So there’s no chance this will be decided in time for the start of the new Congress. Once the judge does return to work, he’ll still have to decide which ballots become part of the official count but at this point it certainly looks as if he’s planning to include everything he’s seen so far.
The race is still tight enough that the lead could change again but we’re running out of ballots to count at this point.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Sanity Prevails! Poll Finds AOC Extremely Unpopular

@ AOC may rack up likes on Twitter , but the real world is not impressed .
Nearly 60 percent of the country thinks poorly of Progressive darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and 75 percent want nothing to do with the socialism she preaches .
Asked whether the free-market economy or socialism was better , 75 percent of likely voters chose capitalism , while 11 percent backed socialism , according to a Heartland Institute/Rasmussen poll .
Another 14 percent said they were “ not sure.
” “ Despite the countless calls for more socialism among elites in media and Hollywood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopting the same socialist policies that have led to mass poverty wherever they have been tried , ” the Illinois-based nonprofit said in a statement released Wednesday , the Washington Times reported .
As for Ocasio-Cortez , who has become the face of socialism in Congress , 58 percent say they have a “ somewhat ” or “ very ” unfavorable opinion of the New York Democrat , while 37 percent have a “ very ” or “ somewhat ” favorable view of her .
Fifteen percent had no opinion about the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The poll respondents were largely split on their view of President-elect Joe Biden .
While 47 percent had a “ somewhat ” or “ very ” unfavorable opinion of the former vice president , 51 percent had a “ somewhat ” or “ very ” favorable impression of him .
The survey polled 1,000 likely voters between Dec. 6 and 7 .
It has a margin of error of plus/minus 1 to 3 percentage points .

@AOC may rack up likes on Twitter, but the real world is not impressed.
Nearly 60 percent of the country thinks poorly of Progressive darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and 75 percent want nothing to do with the socialism she preaches.
Asked whether the free-market economy or socialism was better, 75 percent of likely voters chose capitalism, while 11 percent backed socialism, according to a Heartland Institute/Rasmussen poll.
Another 14 percent said they were “not sure.”
“Likely voters hate socialism,” the pollster said.
“Despite the countless calls for more socialism among elites in media and Hollywood, Americans aren’t interested in adopting the same socialist policies that have led to mass poverty wherever they have been tried,” the Illinois-based nonprofit said in a statement released Wednesday, the Washington Times reported.
As for Ocasio-Cortez, who has become the face of socialism in Congress, 58 percent say they have a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable opinion of the New York Democrat, while 37 percent have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of her.
Fifteen percent had no opinion about the former Queens bartender, the survey found.
The poll respondents were largely split on their view of President-elect Joe Biden.
While 47 percent had a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable opinion of the former vice president, 51 percent had a “somewhat” or “very” favorable impression of him.
The survey polled 1,000 likely voters between Dec. 6 and 7.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Getty Images
It has a margin of error of plus/minus 1 to 3 percentage points.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Dr. Fauci Admits to Lying to American Public About Herd Immunity

Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted in an interview with The New York Times that he played around with the number of vaccinations required for herd immunity in order to subtly encourage Americans to get vaccinated .
`` When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine , I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent .
Then , when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it , I thought , ‘ I can nudge this up a bit , ’ so I went to 80 , 85 . ''
Epidemiologists at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of Americans would need to receive the coronavirus vaccine in order for herd immunity to be established , figures which are still touted by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
Dr. Fauci repeated such figures throughout the pandemic , but about a month ago he started to provide different , higher figures in interviews .
In an interview given last month , Fauci suggested that up to 75 percent of Americans would need to be vaccinated in order to establish herd immunity .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview with CNBC that the rate of vaccination may need to be as high as 85 percent or greater .
Now Fauci is suggesting that up to 90 percent of the population requires vaccinations .
`` We need to have some humility here , '' Fauci said .
`` We really don ’ t know what the real number is .
I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent .
But , I ’ m not going to say 90 percent . ''
This is not the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public for utilitarian purposes in regard to coronavirus .
In the early months of the pandemic , Fauci claimed that there is no reason to wear masks to prevent the spread of the virus as they probably would not work .
He later admitted that masks are helpful for preventing the spread of the virus , and claimed that he said otherwise to prevent the public from stocking up on personal protective equipment when hospitals were in short supply of them .
Changing the declared herd immunity requirements were not entirely deceptive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globe is novel , meaning it has never been seen in humans before , and scientific data regarding issues such as herd immunity was practically absent in the early months of the pandemic .
In addition , the virus has mutated to become more contagious over time , with the new strain discovered in the UK in the past week being the most infectious yet .
Regardless , the main reason for playing around with the numbers appears to be that it would be discouraging to offer such a high vaccination rate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of reach .

Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted in an interview with The New York Times that he played around with the number of vaccinations required for herd immunity in order to subtly encourage Americans to get vaccinated.
"When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent. Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, ‘I can nudge this up a bit,’ so I went to 80, 85."
Epidemiologists at the beginning of the pandemic had asserted that somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of Americans would need to receive the coronavirus vaccine in order for herd immunity to be established, figures which are still touted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Fauci repeated such figures throughout the pandemic, but about a month ago he started to provide different, higher figures in interviews. In an interview given last month, Fauci suggested that up to 75 percent of Americans would need to be vaccinated in order to establish herd immunity. Just last week, Fauci said in an interview with CNBC that the rate of vaccination may need to be as high as 85 percent or greater.
Now Fauci is suggesting that up to 90 percent of the population requires vaccinations.
"We need to have some humility here," Fauci said. "We really don’t know what the real number is. I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent. But, I’m not going to say 90 percent."
This is not the first time that Fauci has admitted to deceiving the public for utilitarian purposes in regard to coronavirus. In the early months of the pandemic, Fauci claimed that there is no reason to wear masks to prevent the spread of the virus as they probably would not work. He later admitted that masks are helpful for preventing the spread of the virus, and claimed that he said otherwise to prevent the public from stocking up on personal protective equipment when hospitals were in short supply of them.
Changing the declared herd immunity requirements were not entirely deceptive, however. The coronavirus spreading around the globe is novel, meaning it has never been seen in humans before, and scientific data regarding issues such as herd immunity was practically absent in the early months of the pandemic. In addition, the virus has mutated to become more contagious over time, with the new strain discovered in the UK in the past week being the most infectious yet.
Regardless, the main reason for playing around with the numbers appears to be that it would be discouraging to offer such a high vaccination rate to Americans when such numbers appear to be out of reach.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Roger Stone Plans $25 Million Lawsuit Against the DOJ

Self-described `` dirty trickster '' Roger Stone said that he will file a $ 25 million lawsuit against the Department of Justice while his lawyers file complaints for prosecutorial misconduct against key DOJ officials .
Stone , a longtime Republican operative and ally to President Trump , was arrested in January 2019 and sentenced to 40 months in prison in February in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation .
Stone 's high-profile arrest at his Florida estate was caught on camera by CNN after allegedly receiving a tip of his scheduled arrest .
`` The terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice , Robert Mueller , James Comey , John Brennan , Rod Rosenstein , Josnathan [ sic ] Kravis , Aaron 'Fat Ass ' Zelinsky Jeannie Rhee and Michael Morando , '' Stone posted to social media site Parler .
`` My lawyers will be filing formal complaints for prosecutorial misconduct 's with DOJ office of professional responsibility at the same time I file a 25 million dollar lawsuit against the DOJ and each of these individuals personally . ''
Stone was found guilty of five separate counts of lying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia investigation regarding his outreach to WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign , one count that he `` corruptly influenced , obstructed , and impeded '' the congressional investigation , and one count for attempting to `` corruptly persuade '' the congressional testimony of radio show host Randy Credico .
Stone was granted a presidential pardon on Wednesday .
He had previously been granted clemency , with his prison time , unpaid fine , and supervised release commuted .
Also pardoned Wednesday were Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner 's father .
On Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also charged in connection with Mueller 's Russia investigation , were granted full pardons .
`` I have an enormous debt of gratitude to God almighty for giving the president the strength and the courage to recognize that my prosecution was a completely , politically motivated witch hunt and my trial was a Soviet-style show trial , '' Stone said Wednesday night .
Stone said on Parler that he was going to add former Attorney General William Barr , who resigned on Wednesday , to the lawsuit , saying that he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Department of Justice declined to comment .

Self-described "dirty trickster" Roger Stone said that he will file a $25 million lawsuit against the Department of Justice while his lawyers file complaints for prosecutorial misconduct against key DOJ officials.
Stone, a longtime Republican operative and ally to President Trump, was arrested in January 2019 and sentenced to 40 months in prison in February in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Stone's high-profile arrest at his Florida estate was caught on camera by CNN after allegedly receiving a tip of his scheduled arrest.
"The terms of my pardon allow me to sue the Department of Justice, Robert Mueller, James Comey, John Brennan, Rod Rosenstein, Josnathan [sic] Kravis, Aaron 'Fat Ass' Zelinsky Jeannie Rhee and Michael Morando," Stone posted to social media site Parler. "My lawyers will be filing formal complaints for prosecutorial misconduct's with DOJ office of professional responsibility at the same time I file a 25 million dollar lawsuit against the DOJ and each of these individuals personally."
Stone was found guilty of five separate counts of lying to the House Intelligence Committee during its own Russia investigation regarding his outreach to WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign, one count that he "corruptly influenced, obstructed, and impeded" the congressional investigation, and one count for attempting to "corruptly persuade" the congressional testimony of radio show host Randy Credico.
Stone was granted a presidential pardon on Wednesday. He had previously been granted clemency, with his prison time, unpaid fine, and supervised release commuted.
Also pardoned Wednesday were Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner's father. On Tuesday, George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan, also charged in connection with Mueller's Russia investigation, were granted full pardons.
"I have an enormous debt of gratitude to God almighty for giving the president the strength and the courage to recognize that my prosecution was a completely, politically motivated witch hunt and my trial was a Soviet-style show trial," Stone said Wednesday night.
Stone said on Parler that he was going to add former Attorney General William Barr, who resigned on Wednesday, to the lawsuit, saying that he would "handle his cross-examination personally."
The Department of Justice declined to comment.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Texas DACA Lawsuit Could Undermine the Program

A Texas judge may strike down President Barack Obama ’ s 2012 DACA amnesty for roughly 700,000 illegal migrants — and undermine other giveaway programs that allow U.S. employers to keep foreign workers in jobs needed by Americans .
In a December 22 hearing , the pro-migration supporters of Obama ’ s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) amnesty asked District Judge Andrew Hanen to preserve the award of work permits , regardless of the economic impact on non-college Americans .
Hanen called the hearing after Texas , and other states filed a lawsuit to have the DACA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the primary benefit and biggest legal question mark in Obama ’ s DACA giveaway , in part , because neither he nor President Donald Trump ever made any serious effort to repatriate the illegals or their parents back to their home countries .
“ The strongest part of the case against DACA is the work permit benefit , ” said John Miano , a lawyer with the Immigration Reform Law Institute , which seeks to reduce legal and illegal immigration .
“ When it comes down to it , the real question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these [ DACA ] people work permits ?
’ … Congress didn ’ t do that , [ Obama ’ s deputies ] just went and did it , and that implicates all these other [ work permit ] programs , so no-one wants to talk about it.
” The Texas case will likely force judges to grapple with the legality of various work permit programs that suppress wage raises by keeping roughly two million foreign contract workers and intending immigrants in U.S. jobs , he said .
The work permits , dubbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed the DACA migrants to get jobs .
Most of the DACA beneficiaries compete for jobs against blue collar Americans , who saw few wage rases from 2000 to 2019 .
Only a small share of the DACA migrants hold white collar jobs where they would compete with journalists and progressives for college-graduate jobs .
During the lengthy hearing , the DACA defenders repeatedly claimed presidents are allowed to grant work permits to a large number of foreign nationals — regardless of Congress ’ priorities , the economic climate , or the impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorization regulations that have existed for many many years before DACA provides that an individual with deferred action– not DACA , but deferred action … may be able to secure work authorization , ” said Nina Perales , a lawyer for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund .
She added : The MALDEF lawyer is arguing Obama could award work permits to migrants because of two regulations , said Miano .
The two regulations are found at 1324a and 274a.12 , he outlined .
If her claim is upheld , Miano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basically transferring to the executive , through a [ legal ] definition the power to create work permits at will , ” Miano said .
Congress , the courts , and the media have quietly given this power to the White House , regardless of what the constitution , laws , or public opinion , Miano added .
For example , the Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training programs keep roughly 400,000 foreign graduates in U.S. white-collar jobs and hinder the ability of American graduates to get starter jobs in well-paid careers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was created , it was done over a dinner party through secret lobbying ” by Microsoft and President Geoge W. Bush ’ s deputies , he added .
Similarly , Obama ’ s deputies created the H4EAD program to provide work permits for roughly 250,000 spouses of H-1B corporate contract workers .
The program was created to help persuade the H-1B spouses to stay working at Fortune 500 companies while they also wait many years for valuable green cards .
The Department of Homeland Security awards many work permits to many other categories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border to ask for asylum .
Additional work permits are awarded at the statutory direction of Congress .
The department does not say how long the work permits usually last , so the resident population of work-permit workers may exceed 2 million people .
Companies are also allowed to import visa workers , such as H-1Bs , L-1s , J-1s , TNs , H-2A , H-2Bs , and E-3 .
The resident population of visa workers likely exceeds one million .
In addition , a large number of foreign workers use temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to legally enter the country so they can illegally work .
The weakness of DACA ’ s work permit claim was recognized in a 2015 decision by a two-judge majority in a federal appeals court after Hanen blocked Obama ’ s 2014 extension of DACA .
The extension was called “ Deferred Action for Parents of Americans , ” and it helped the illegal-immigrant parents of U.S.-born children .
The appeals court said : The justice department ’ s legal brief to the Supreme Court in 2020 recognized the problem : Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the court ’ s discussion about DACA .
“ I don ’ t understand sort of putting what the policy really was about , which is the work authorization and the other things , off to one side is very helpful , ” Roberts told one of the lawyers in the court case .
GOP legislators and staffers have repeatedly dodged the use of regulation to provide work permits to the DACA illegals , likely because of pressure from investors and business donors .
For example , Mark Zuckerberg ’ s FWD.us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect the DACA amnesty — and the White House work permits .
On December 22 , the director of the FWD.us group tweeted his opposition to the Texas lawsuit : Republicans “ want to keep the power [ to issue work permits ] , but they don ’ t want this particular case , ” Miano said .
The GOP-aligned Texas lawyers who brought the case largely dodged the hidden work permit program .
For example , during the hearing with Hanen , Todd Disher , a lawyer with the Texas Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ President Obama overstepped his authority when his administration issued the DACA memorandum in 2012 … That program was unlawful at inception and continues to be unlawful today.
” Republicans , Democrats , judges , and the establishment media are performing mental gymnastics to avoid recognizing the huge labor-rights issue in the DACA debate , said Miano .
But the diversion of jobs from Americans to cheap foreign workers , he said , is built on a legal House of Cards .

A Texas judge may strike down President Barack Obama’s 2012 DACA amnesty for roughly 700,000 illegal migrants — and undermine other giveaway programs that allow U.S. employers to keep foreign workers in jobs needed by Americans.
In a December 22 hearing, the pro-migration supporters of Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) amnesty asked District Judge Andrew Hanen to preserve the award of work permits, regardless of the economic impact on non-college Americans.
Hanen called the hearing after Texas, and other states filed a lawsuit to have the DACA amnesty declared illegal.
The work permits are the primary benefit and biggest legal question mark in Obama’s DACA giveaway, in part, because neither he nor President Donald Trump ever made any serious effort to repatriate the illegals or their parents back to their home countries.
“The strongest part of the case against DACA is the work permit benefit,” said John Miano, a lawyer with the Immigration Reform Law Institute, which seeks to reduce legal and illegal immigration.
“When it comes down to it, the real question is: ‘Where did Congress give these [DACA] people work permits?’ … Congress didn’t do that, [Obama’s deputies] just went and did it, and that implicates all these other [work permit] programs, so no-one wants to talk about it.”
The Texas case will likely force judges to grapple with the legality of various work permit programs that suppress wage raises by keeping roughly two million foreign contract workers and intending immigrants in U.S. jobs, he said.
The work permits, dubbed Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), allowed the DACA migrants to get jobs. Most of the DACA beneficiaries compete for jobs against blue collar Americans, who saw few wage rases from 2000 to 2019.
Only a small share of the DACA migrants hold white collar jobs where they would compete with journalists and progressives for college-graduate jobs.
During the lengthy hearing, the DACA defenders repeatedly claimed presidents are allowed to grant work permits to a large number of foreign nationals — regardless of Congress’ priorities, the economic climate, or the impact on American families.
“The work authorization regulations that have existed for many many years before DACA provides that an individual with deferred action– not DACA, but deferred action … may be able to secure work authorization,” said Nina Perales, a lawyer for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She added:
This [regulatory] benefit, as it is termed, of work authorization is distinct from what the ]Supreme] Court in Regents [the DACA case] identified as the centrality of DACA — which is Deferred Action or Deferred Removal — and the planitiffs have had abundant amount of time to challenge for work authorization regulations. They have chosen not. So that piece is not at issue.
The MALDEF lawyer is arguing Obama could award work permits to migrants because of two regulations, said Miano. The two regulations are found at 1324a and 274a.12, he outlined.
If her claim is upheld, Miano added, then the judges are “basically transferring to the executive, through a [legal] definition the power to create work permits at will,” Miano said.
Congress, the courts, and the media have quietly given this power to the White House, regardless of what the constitution, laws, or public opinion, Miano added.
For example, the Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training programs keep roughly 400,000 foreign graduates in U.S. white-collar jobs and hinder the ability of American graduates to get starter jobs in well-paid careers, he said. “When OPT was created, it was done over a dinner party through secret lobbying” by Microsoft and President Geoge W. Bush’s deputies, he added.
Similarly, Obama’s deputies created the H4EAD program to provide work permits for roughly 250,000 spouses of H-1B corporate contract workers. The program was created to help persuade the H-1B spouses to stay working at Fortune 500 companies while they also wait many years for valuable green cards.
The Department of Homeland Security awards many work permits to many other categories of people, including people who cross the border to ask for asylum. Additional work permits are awarded at the statutory direction of Congress. The department does not say how long the work permits usually last, so the resident population of work-permit workers may exceed 2 million people.
Companies are also allowed to import visa workers, such as H-1Bs, L-1s, J-1s, TNs, H-2A, H-2Bs, and E-3. The resident population of visa workers likely exceeds one million.
In addition, a large number of foreign workers use temporary visas — such as B-1/B-2 visas — to legally enter the country so they can illegally work.
The weakness of DACA’s work permit claim was recognized in a 2015 decision by a two-judge majority in a federal appeals court after Hanen blocked Obama’s 2014 extension of DACA. The extension was called “Deferred Action for Parents of Americans,” and it helped the illegal-immigrant parents of U.S.-born children. The appeals court said:
For the authority to implement DAPA, the government relies in part on 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(h)(3), a provision that does not mention lawful presence or deferred action, and that is listed as a “[m]iscellaneous” definitional provision expressly limited to § 1324a, a section concerning the “Unlawful employment of aliens”—an exceedingly unlikely place to find authorization for DAPA.
The justice department’s legal brief to the Supreme Court in 2020 recognized the problem:
Section 1324a may have ratified extending work authorization to aliens who received deferred action on an individualized basis or pursuant to interstitial class-based deferred-action policies. […] But it cannot reasonably be interpreted to have “br[ought] about [the] enormous and transformative expansion” in the Secretary’s authority that would be required to support conferring work authorization in conjunction with a deferred-action policy like DACA.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged the problem during the court’s discussion about DACA. “I don’t understand sort of putting what the policy really was about, which is the work authorization and the other things, off to one side is very helpful,” Roberts told one of the lawyers in the court case.
GOP legislators and staffers have repeatedly dodged the use of regulation to provide work permits to the DACA illegals, likely because of pressure from investors and business donors.
For example, Mark Zuckerberg’s FWD.us investors’ pressure group worked with Microsoft to protect the DACA amnesty — and the White House work permits. On December 22, the director of the FWD.us group tweeted his opposition to the Texas lawsuit:
Vis a vis the DACA oral arguments right now — Texas just constantly arguing “don’t worry, if you end DACA, it’s going to be fine and no one will get deported” Which is absurd and a dishonest efforts to lower the stakes. — Todd Schulte (@TheToddSchulte) December 22, 2020
Republicans “want to keep the power [to issue work permits], but they don’t want this particular case,” Miano said.
The GOP-aligned Texas lawyers who brought the case largely dodged the hidden work permit program. For example, during the hearing with Hanen, Todd Disher, a lawyer with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, argued narrowly “President Obama overstepped his authority when his administration issued the DACA memorandum in 2012 … That program was unlawful at inception and continues to be unlawful today.”
Republicans, Democrats, judges, and the establishment media are performing mental gymnastics to avoid recognizing the huge labor-rights issue in the DACA debate, said Miano. But the diversion of jobs from Americans to cheap foreign workers, he said, is built on a legal House of Cards.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Biden Says Using Executive Action to Cancel Student Loan Debt Would be “Pretty Questionable”

President-elect Joe Biden said he is “ unlikely ” to use his authority to unilaterally cancel $ 50,000 in student debt for individual borrowers , weighing in on a debate that ’ s been raging for several months .
“ I ’ m going to get in trouble for saying this , [ but ] it ’ s arguable that the president may have the executive power to forgive up to $ 50,000 in student debt , ” Biden told the Washington Post ’ s Karen Tumulty .
“ Well , I think that ’ s pretty questionable .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d be unlikely to do that.
” The idea of broad student-debt cancellation has its origins in Occupy Wall Street , but it burst in earnest onto the mainstream political stage during the Democratic primaries , when Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders campaigned on some form of student-debt cancellation as they vied for the party ’ s nomination .
The combination of the economic devastation of the coronavirus pandemic and Biden ’ s election to the presidency has given the idea new urgency .
With the status of Congress uncertain and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats fall short in the runoffs for Georgia ’ s two U.S. Senate seats next month , student-debt cancellation has emerged as a policy approach that the incoming administration could use to provide some relief to borrowers without Congress .
See : Republican Senate incumbent Loeffler falls behind Democrat Warnock in latest Georgia runoff polling In September , Sen. Warren and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the incoming president to immediately cancel up to $ 50,000 in student debt , a call that other lawmakers , including House Democrats Ilhan Omar and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve argued that the president has the legal authority to cancel the debt .
In a letter accompanying Warren and Schumer ’ s resolution in September , attorneys from Harvard Law School ’ s project on Predatory Student Lending wrote that “ Congress has granted the Secretary a more specific and unrestricted authority to create and to cancel or modify debt owed under federal student loan programs in the Higher Education Act ( HEA ) itself.
” In other words , the president could direct the secretary of education to cancel the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be questioning in the interview published Wednesday .
And even among those who support broad-based student-debt cancellation , there is some concern about pursuing that outcome through executive action .
David Bergeron , a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress , a left-leaning think tank , is in that camp .
Bergeron , who worked at the Department of Education for more than 30 years , said going around Congress raises a number of legal questions , including how the department would pay back the money the agency borrowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the loans .
That , Bergeron said , would put Department of Education officials , including the secretary , at risk of violating the Anti-Deficiency Act , which essentially makes it illegal for an agency to spend money it doesn ’ t have .
As a result , Bergeron worries , he said , that the policy could draw legal challenges from student-loan servicers , lenders and other entities involved in the loan process because the cancellation could be viewed as a taking that ’ s barred under the Constitution .
If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the debt were ultimately reinstated , Bergeron said he ’ s concerned borrowers would be harmed .
“ There are lots of people who could challenge this , [ so ] it is prudent for the Biden administration to take the time that ’ s necessary to examine the issue , ” he said .
“ I would argue that the most important thing is to win Georgia , so the Democrats control the Senate and then it ’ s possible to do it legislatively.
” Biden has indicated previously that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt .
During his campaign for president he proposed to “ immediately cancel a minimum of $ 10,000 of student debt per person.
” Biden reiterated the need to “ immediately ” forgive $ 10,000 in student debt when he introduced Miguel Cardona as his nominee for secretary of education on Wednesday , though Biden framed it as part of a “ legislative plan.
” Alexis Goldstein , senior policy analyst at Americans for Financial Reform , a coalition of consumer , labor and other groups , said she puts more stock in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in writing than in comments made to a columnist .
Nonetheless , “ it ’ s obviously discouraging to hear him express some uncertainty about the legal authority , ” said Goldstein , whose organization was part of a group of more than 200 organizations urging Biden to use his authority to cancel student debt on Day 1 of his administration .
“ The legal authority is very clear , ” Goldstein said .
“ It ’ s documented.
” Natalia Abrams , the executive director of Student Debt Crisis , an advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comments Wednesday , “ the fight is not over ” for broad-based student-debt cancellation through executive action .
Indeed , there is some indication that members of the Biden administration find the policy appealing .
Bharat Ramamurti , a longtime Warren aide whom Biden recently named to his National Economic Council , has called student-debt cancellation by executive order “ good economics and good politics.
” Biden ’ s recent comments come in the same week that Congress failed to extend the coronavirus payment pause on student loans as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which itself was cast into eleventh-hour doubt by Donald Trump ) .
Advocates had said that Congress ’ s failure to act on the student-loan issue increased the urgency for the Biden administration to act boldly following inauguration .
“ I can feel that borrowers are worried that they ’ re going to be forgotten again , ” Abrams said .
“ With the CARES Act , it ’ s one of the first times borrowers felt included in emergency relief , and we want to make sure that wasn ’ t just @ @ @ @

President-elect Joe Biden said he is “unlikely” to use his authority to unilaterally cancel $50,000 in student debt for individual borrowers, weighing in on a debate that’s been raging for several months.
“I’m going to get in trouble for saying this, [but] it’s arguable that the president may have the executive power to forgive up to $50,000 in student debt,” Biden told the Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty. “Well, I think that’s pretty questionable. I’m unsure of that. I’d be unlikely to do that.”
The idea of broad student-debt cancellation has its origins in Occupy Wall Street, but it burst in earnest onto the mainstream political stage during the Democratic primaries, when Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders campaigned on some form of student-debt cancellation as they vied for the party’s nomination.
The combination of the economic devastation of the coronavirus pandemic and Biden’s election to the presidency has given the idea new urgency. With the status of Congress uncertain and the possibility that it will remain divided if Democrats fall short in the runoffs for Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats next month, student-debt cancellation has emerged as a policy approach that the incoming administration could use to provide some relief to borrowers without Congress.
See: Republican Senate incumbent Loeffler falls behind Democrat Warnock in latest Georgia runoff polling
In September, Sen. Warren and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the incoming president to immediately cancel up to $50,000 in student debt, a call that other lawmakers, including House Democrats Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley, have echoed.
They’ve argued that the president has the legal authority to cancel the debt.
In a letter accompanying Warren and Schumer’s resolution in September, attorneys from Harvard Law School’s project on Predatory Student Lending wrote that “Congress has granted the Secretary a more specific and unrestricted authority to create and to cancel or modify debt owed under federal student loan programs in the Higher Education Act (HEA) itself.”
In other words, the president could direct the secretary of education to cancel the debt.
That authority is what Biden appeared to be questioning in the interview published Wednesday. And even among those who support broad-based student-debt cancellation, there is some concern about pursuing that outcome through executive action.
David Bergeron, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, is in that camp. Bergeron, who worked at the Department of Education for more than 30 years, said going around Congress raises a number of legal questions, including how the department would pay back the money the agency borrowed from the Treasury Department when it originated the loans.
That, Bergeron said, would put Department of Education officials, including the secretary, at risk of violating the Anti-Deficiency Act, which essentially makes it illegal for an agency to spend money it doesn’t have.
As a result, Bergeron worries, he said, that the policy could draw legal challenges from student-loan servicers, lenders and other entities involved in the loan process because the cancellation could be viewed as a taking that’s barred under the Constitution. If the policy failed to hold up in court and the debt were ultimately reinstated, Bergeron said he’s concerned borrowers would be harmed.
“There are lots of people who could challenge this, [so] it is prudent for the Biden administration to take the time that’s necessary to examine the issue,” he said. “I would argue that the most important thing is to win Georgia, so the Democrats control the Senate and then it’s possible to do it legislatively.”
Biden has indicated previously that he’s open to canceling some student debt. During his campaign for president he proposed to “immediately cancel a minimum of $10,000 of student debt per person.” Biden reiterated the need to “immediately” forgive $10,000 in student debt when he introduced Miguel Cardona as his nominee for secretary of education on Wednesday, though Biden framed it as part of a “legislative plan.”
Alexis Goldstein, senior policy analyst at Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition of consumer, labor and other groups, said she puts more stock in what Biden campaigned on and has put in writing than in comments made to a columnist.
Nonetheless, “it’s obviously discouraging to hear him express some uncertainty about the legal authority,” said Goldstein, whose organization was part of a group of more than 200 organizations urging Biden to use his authority to cancel student debt on Day 1 of his administration.
“The legal authority is very clear,” Goldstein said. “It’s documented.”
Natalia Abrams, the executive director of Student Debt Crisis, an advocacy group, said that, despite Biden’s comments Wednesday, “the fight is not over” for broad-based student-debt cancellation through executive action.
Indeed, there is some indication that members of the Biden administration find the policy appealing. Bharat Ramamurti, a longtime Warren aide whom Biden recently named to his National Economic Council, has called student-debt cancellation by executive order “good economics and good politics.”
Biden’s recent comments come in the same week that Congress failed to extend the coronavirus payment pause on student loans as part of its $900 billion stimulus package (which itself was cast into eleventh-hour doubt by Donald Trump). Advocates had said that Congress’s failure to act on the student-loan issue increased the urgency for the Biden administration to act boldly following inauguration.
“I can feel that borrowers are worried that they’re going to be forgotten again,” Abrams said. “With the CARES Act, it’s one of the first times borrowers felt included in emergency relief, and we want to make sure that wasn’t just a one-off.”


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Cautious Consumers: Credit Card Borrowing Falls in 2020

Credicards.com industry analyst Ted Rossman told “ Mornings with Maria ” on Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has produced a “ cautious consumer , ” pointing to recent economic data .
Rossman also warned that delinquencies could rise in first half of 2021 .
Earlier this month the Federal Reserve said credit card borrowing fell 6.7 % and outstanding balances on credit cards are down about 11 % compared with their level in February , before the pandemic escalated .
DID COVID RELIEF ACTUALLY COST YOU $ 46,000 IN YOUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT ?
Economic growth has slowed since the quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with U.S. consumer spending increasing modestly in November as household incomes failed to rise for the first time in nine months , according to Reuters .
Last week , the Commerce Department said consumer spending , which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity , increased 0.2 percent after an upwardly revised 0.4 percent increase in October .
Consumer spending increased at a 3.0 percent annualized rate in the July through September period .
Consumer confidence fell last month , according to a survey by the Conference Board , which potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases across the country have been increasing and more lockdowns to curb the spread are anticipated .
GET THE FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE The personal saving rate has increased dramatically since February , which data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows was a seasonally adjusted 8.3 % and shot up to 33.7 % in April .
The personal saving rate was 12.9 % in November .
Rossman said on Thursday that he thinks the data “ goes to show that a lot of the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this point.
” “ We ’ re getting a more cautious consumer in this holiday season , ” he continued .
“ We saw retail sales fall a little bit in both October and November .
People are holding their purse strings a little bit tighter these days.
” He noted that once there is “ wider vaccine availability ” he anticipates an increase in travel , entertainment and other discretionary spending due to pend up demand .
“ I think 2021 could look a lot better especially the second half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get there first and bridging that gap for that next six months or so , that ’ s the challenge , ” Rossman noted .
WHAT 'S IN THE NEW $ 900B CORONAVIRUS RELIEF DEAL ?
He also pointed out that some people have been “ living comfortably ” during the pandemic as they have been working from home , saving money on commuting , and perhaps “ didn ’ t take a big vacation this year.
” “ Those are the kind of people that have extra money to spend and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of its going to home renovations , some of its going to at-home exercise equipment , ” Rossman said .
“ The people that we worry about are those that have been out of work for a while or their income is still greatly reduced , these are the people that I really think need these stimulus programs and perhaps even more than one round.
” “ I think even this recently approved round , we ’ ll see if the president signs it , but even that may not be enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Thursday , House Republicans and Democrats blocked each others ' `` unanimous consent '' requests put forward after President Trump aired grievances Tuesday night to the massive coronavirus stimulus and government funding package lawmakers sent to his desk .
Trump on Tuesday night released a scathing video in which he called panned $ 600 stimulus checks for Americans as too small , saying the number should instead be $ 2,000 .
He also demanded that `` wasteful and unnecessary '' spending – Trump specifically listed foreign aid to several countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be cut from the year-end spending package which lawmakers married to the coronavirus aid so it could all be passed in one vote .
Rossman noted on Thursday that it is unclear how much longer the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact will last .
“ We don ’ t know exactly if we ’ re talking another four months , six months , eight months , but there are definitely people struggling and there ’ s a fear that these delinquencies may start to rise as we get into the first and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rossman said .
According to data from the Federal Reserve , consumer revolving debt – which is comprised mostly of credit card debt – dropped to $ 979.6 billion in October from $ 985.1 in September .
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS Rossman noted that several factors have contributed to the drop in debt .
“ A lot of people have made debt payoff a priority and they ’ ve been spending less , ” he said , adding that “ a lot of people also have had their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to say that many people “ have started gravitating to debit cards ” and buy now , pay later services .
“ Open-ended credit card debt scares them , ” Rossman said .
“ The rates remain high , the average is 16 % .
” Fox News ’ Tyler Olson and The Associated Press contributed to this report .

Credicards.com industry analyst Ted Rossman told “Mornings with Maria” on Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has produced a “cautious consumer,” pointing to recent economic data.
Rossman also warned that delinquencies could rise in first half of 2021.
Earlier this month the Federal Reserve said credit card borrowing fell 6.7% and outstanding balances on credit cards are down about 11% compared with their level in February, before the pandemic escalated.
DID COVID RELIEF ACTUALLY COST YOU $46,000 IN YOUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT?
Economic growth has slowed since the quick rebound in the July through September quarter with U.S. consumer spending increasing modestly in November as household incomes failed to rise for the first time in nine months, according to Reuters.
Last week, the Commerce Department said consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, increased 0.2 percent after an upwardly revised 0.4 percent increase in October. Consumer spending increased at a 3.0 percent annualized rate in the July through September period.
Consumer confidence fell last month, according to a survey by the Conference Board, which potentially discourages spending in the coming months as COVID-19 cases across the country have been increasing and more lockdowns to curb the spread are anticipated.
GET THE FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The personal saving rate has increased dramatically since February, which data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows was a seasonally adjusted 8.3% and shot up to 33.7% in April. The personal saving rate was 12.9% in November.
Rossman said on Thursday that he thinks the data “goes to show that a lot of the first round of stimulus has really worn off at this point.”
“We’re getting a more cautious consumer in this holiday season,” he continued. “We saw retail sales fall a little bit in both October and November. People are holding their purse strings a little bit tighter these days.”
He noted that once there is “wider vaccine availability” he anticipates an increase in travel, entertainment and other discretionary spending due to pend up demand.
“I think 2021 could look a lot better especially the second half of the year, but we need to get there first and bridging that gap for that next six months or so, that’s the challenge,” Rossman noted.
WHAT'S IN THE NEW $900B CORONAVIRUS RELIEF DEAL?
He also pointed out that some people have been “living comfortably” during the pandemic as they have been working from home, saving money on commuting, and perhaps “didn’t take a big vacation this year.”
“Those are the kind of people that have extra money to spend and some of its going to debt payoff, some of its going to home renovations, some of its going to at-home exercise equipment,” Rossman said.
“The people that we worry about are those that have been out of work for a while or their income is still greatly reduced, these are the people that I really think need these stimulus programs and perhaps even more than one round.”
“I think even this recently approved round, we’ll see if the president signs it, but even that may not be enough,” he went on to warn.
On Thursday, House Republicans and Democrats blocked each others' "unanimous consent" requests put forward after President Trump aired grievances Tuesday night to the massive coronavirus stimulus and government funding package lawmakers sent to his desk.
Trump on Tuesday night released a scathing video in which he called panned $600 stimulus checks for Americans as too small, saying the number should instead be $2,000.
He also demanded that "wasteful and unnecessary" spending – Trump specifically listed foreign aid to several countries, along with a few other line-items – be cut from the year-end spending package which lawmakers married to the coronavirus aid so it could all be passed in one vote.
Rossman noted on Thursday that it is unclear how much longer the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact will last.
“We don’t know exactly if we’re talking another four months, six months, eight months, but there are definitely people struggling and there’s a fear that these delinquencies may start to rise as we get into the first and especially second quarter of the year,” Rossman said.
According to data from the Federal Reserve, consumer revolving debt – which is comprised mostly of credit card debt – dropped to $979.6 billion in October from $985.1 in September.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
Rossman noted that several factors have contributed to the drop in debt.
“A lot of people have made debt payoff a priority and they’ve been spending less,” he said, adding that “a lot of people also have had their credit limits cut unexpectedly.”
He went on to say that many people “have started gravitating to debit cards” and buy now, pay later services.
“Open-ended credit card debt scares them,” Rossman said. “The rates remain high, the average is 16%.”
Fox News’ Tyler Olson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--France’s President Macron Released From Quarantine

French President Emmanuel Macron is seen on a screen from his presidential residence in Versailles as he attends by video conference the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris , Monday , Dec. 21 , 2020 .
French President Emmanuel Macron held a cabinet meeting Monday via video , in which he indicated the French could enforce `` systematic tests '' as a condition for French nationals returning from Britain to France for the holidays .
( Julien de Rosa/Pool Photo via AP ) French President Emmanuel Macron is seen on a screen from his presidential residence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris , Monday , Dec. 21 , 2020 .
French President Emmanuel Macron held a cabinet meeting Monday via video , in which he indicated the French could enforce `` systematic tests '' as a condition for French nationals returning from Britain to France for the holidays .
( Julien de Rosa/Pool Photo via AP ) PARIS ( AP ) — French President Emmanuel Macron no longer has virus symptoms and was leaving isolation Thursday after a week with COVID-19 , but is urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and remain vigilant to keep infections under control during the Christmas holidays .
Macron ’ s office said that he is finishing a week of isolation at a presidential retreat in Versailles based on French health protocols , which recommend seven days of confinement following the appearance of symptoms or a positive virus test .
In an apparently self-shot video from the presidential retreat last week , a tired-looking Macron said he was suffering from a dry cough , headaches and fatigue , and said negligence and bad luck led to him getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the holidays but infections remain high , and some doctors are urging new lockdown measures .
As families prepare to gather for traditional Christmas Eve dinners on Thursday , Karine Lacombe , head of the infectious disease department at Paris ’ Saint-Antoine Hospital , warned : “ It ’ s a risky evening , the meal is one of the most risky situations for transmitting the virus.
” But after an emotionally trying year , “ it ’ s important to take into account the need to have some conviviality , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the risk , ” she said on France-Info radio .
France recorded nearly 15,000 new infections Wednesday and has seen nearly 62,000 confirmed virus-related deaths overall .
Follow AP ’ s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https : //apnews.com/hub/coronavirus -pandemic , https : //apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron no longer has virus symptoms and was leaving isolation Thursday after a week with COVID-19, but is urging the French public to limit their contacts and remain vigilant to keep infections under control during the Christmas holidays.
Macron’s office said that he is finishing a week of isolation at a presidential retreat in Versailles based on French health protocols, which recommend seven days of confinement following the appearance of symptoms or a positive virus test.
In an apparently self-shot video from the presidential retreat last week, a tired-looking Macron said he was suffering from a dry cough, headaches and fatigue, and said negligence and bad luck led to him getting infected.
French authorities lifted virus restrictions for the holidays but infections remain high, and some doctors are urging new lockdown measures.
As families prepare to gather for traditional Christmas Eve dinners on Thursday, Karine Lacombe, head of the infectious disease department at Paris’ Saint-Antoine Hospital, warned: “It’s a risky evening, the meal is one of the most risky situations for transmitting the virus.”
But after an emotionally trying year, “it’s important to take into account the need to have some conviviality, it’s a balance between the benefit and the risk,” she said on France-Info radio.
France recorded nearly 15,000 new infections Wednesday and has seen nearly 62,000 confirmed virus-related deaths overall.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus -pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


bonginoreport--2020-12-24--Tucker Carlson Blasts D.C. Mayor for Declaring Christmas Eve “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day”

Tucker Carlson on Wednesday criticized left-wingers for what he perceives to be `` worship '' of Dr. Anthony Fauci , who he described as `` the high priest of the COVID cult . ''
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser , Carlson says , has made Fauci worship official .
`` Bowser has declared December 24 , formerly the date of a notable Christian holiday , as Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day . ''
`` People describe the political divide in America as between the religious and the secular .
But that 's not really true .
`` Everyone in this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether you worship God , or whether you worship yourself .
Those are America 's two competing faiths , and Washington DC is the capital of the latter sect , '' Carlson said .
`` DC is the Rome of spiritual narcissism .
In Washington , human power is worshipped as the living God .
You 'll see temples to human power throughout the city , as well as smaller shrines to its saints . ''
`` The latest holy man to be beatified there is a diminutive federal bureaucrat called Tony Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID cult , a paper mask is his sacred garment , cable television is his pulpit , '' Carlson joked .
`` The people of Washington bow before father Fauci , they throw their Patagonia fleeces before him to ease his way as he passes like palm fronds in the streets of Jerusalem .
They consider him holy . ''
Carlson then turns his attention to a recent declaration by the Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser , who `` has declared Dec 24 , formally the date of a notable Christian holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
December 24 is Dr. Fauci 's birthday .
Born in 1940 , Fauci is now 80 years old .

Tucker Carlson on Wednesday criticized left-wingers for what he perceives to be "worship" of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who he described as "the high priest of the COVID cult."
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, Carlson says, has made Fauci worship official. "Bowser has declared December 24, formerly the date of a notable Christian holiday, as Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day."
"People describe the political divide in America as between the religious and the secular. But that's not really true.
"Everyone in this country has a religion, the question is whether you worship God, or whether you worship yourself. Those are America's two competing faiths, and Washington DC is the capital of the latter sect," Carlson said.
"DC is the Rome of spiritual narcissism. In Washington, human power is worshipped as the living God. You'll see temples to human power throughout the city, as well as smaller shrines to its saints."
"The latest holy man to be beatified there is a diminutive federal bureaucrat called Tony Fauci. Fauci is the high priest of the COVID cult, a paper mask is his sacred garment, cable television is his pulpit," Carlson joked.
"The people of Washington bow before father Fauci, they throw their Patagonia fleeces before him to ease his way as he passes like palm fronds in the streets of Jerusalem. They consider him holy."
Carlson then turns his attention to a recent declaration by the Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, who "has declared Dec 24, formally the date of a notable Christian holiday, as Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day."
"A holy day indeed," Carlson said.
December 24 is Dr. Fauci's birthday. Born in 1940, Fauci is now 80 years old.


bonginoreport--2020-12-25--Tucker Carlson: The Slow, Painful Death of California

You may have noticed we often make fun of California on `` Tucker Carlson Tonight , '' but we 're not really joking .
California matters , and not just because it 's our biggest state .
What happens there is , at some point , almost certain to happen where you live .
Find a national trend that did n't begin in California .
There may be some , but there are n't many .
If you want to know the future , or if you want to prevent it , look west .
With that in mind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is falling apart .
Over the course of the last several decades , California has gone from one of the richest places in the world to the poorest state in our country .
More than a third of its population hovers around the poverty line .
Even before COVID , more than four million Californians were collecting food stamps .
More than 150,000 people in California are homeless .
They 're living on the streets , in parks , under overpasses , in tents on the sidewalk .
This is a human tragedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bad leaders and their bad policies .
If these leaders were judged by their performance , no big-city politician in the state of California would have a job .
They know that , so they 're working hard to make certain that they 're not judged by rational standards .
Instead , they inflame racial wounds to try to keep the population distracted and divided , to keep the attention away from them and their failures .
GARCETTI SAYS HE TURNED DOWN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION POSITION GARCETTI : When I talked about killers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this society is that we let black men and women die ...
I pointed at myself .
We collectively have a choice of whether we 'll be those who heal or whether we 'll continue being the killers .
It turns out there are killers in Garcetti 's city , but they 're not collective .
They 're individuals , they 're criminals , and there are a lot of them .
Under Eric Garcetti , crime in Los Angeles has skyrocketed and many innocent people have died as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
He 's not giving speeches in their memory or apologizing for the policies he supported that led to their deaths .
Neither , by the way , is the city 's new head prosecutor , George Gascón .
He 's announced he will be using the pretext of COVID to release still more criminals into the city of Los Angeles .
TUCKER : GEORGE SOROS , GEORGE GASCON AND THE FALL OF LOS ANGELES '' The plan that we do have is , we 're working to expeditiously release as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been proven to be at high risk , vulnerable people and obviously people that are not a threat to society , '' Gascón told MSNBC last week .
`` So we are going to try to remove as many people from that confinement ... Justice is really about public health and keeping our community safe . ''
Got that ?
Justice is not punishing the guilty , keeping the dangerous away from your children , or enforcing laws .
No , justice is making certain that criminals get critical government services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That attitude distills the emerging politics of California , politics that you should be deeply afraid of , because when they come to your town , they 'll wreck your life .
If we were to put it in one sentence , it 's this : Those who contribute the least get the most .
But do n't you dare complain about it .
Shut up and hate yourself in silence , that 's an order .
Meanwhile , California 's elected leaders divide the spoils .
That 's their job , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to themselves and to their supporters .
As is now official policy in the state , they do this in the most divisive , immoral way possible : Along lines of color .
Observe the controversy over Gov .
Gavin Newsom 's choice to replace Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate .
Here 's Rep. Maxine Waters , D-Calif. , explaining what kind of person Newsom should pick .
WATERS , DEC. 12 : He has a decision that he has to make , and I think that it will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
You know , when Kamala Harris leaves the Senate , that 's only one Black woman who was serving .
And certainly it would be , you know , kind of , you know , unfair not to have at least another Black woman replace her .
This really is the high point of stupidity in this country 's history .
Who cares what color or gender your senators are ?
You want good government .
You want wise , competent people in charge .
But that 's not what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the criteria .
In the end , Newsom appointed California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Harris .
When he did , no one debated whether Padilla might be a good senator , whether he might improve the schools or lower the cost of housing or bring jobs back .
Instead , they argued about his race .
Here 's San Francisco Mayor London Breed , an utter buffoon most famous for defying her own lockdown orders in order to dine at The French Laundry in Napa , explaining that Padilla is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong color .
SF MAYOR CALLS NEWSOM PICK TO REPLACE HARRIS 'REAL BLOW TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY' BREED : When you think about the history of this country and the challenges that exist for African-Americans , especially African-American women in the Senate , definitely this is a real blow to the African-American community , to African-American women , to women in general .
It was definitely a surprise and it 's an unfortunate situation as we are trying to move this country forward and making sure that Black lives truly matter .
First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mayor is so terrible that she 's disqualified herself from any comment on goverment for the rest of her life .
Second , thinking this way is poison , and anyone who lets remarks like this pass without standing up and saying , `` Wait a second , color and gender are irrevlevant to good government and we 're not putting up with this garbage anymore '' is complicit in the destruction of this country .
Again , California , is an actual place inhabited by 40 million people .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
The electrical grid is failing .
The power flickers on and off like a Third World country .
The state 's forests are so mismanaged they keep catching fire and burning uncontrollably .
That 's not climate change , that 's bad management .
Women ca n't jog in public parks for fear of being attacked by the mentally ill homeless .
For the privilege of all of this , California residents pay the highest , the most burdensome taxes in the country .
No one in power is paying any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the new senator .
So what 's happening ?
You know the answer : People who can leave are doing so .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP California 's largest export used to be advanced aerospace products .
That and Hollywood movies were the economy of Southern California .
Now , the state 's main export is population .
More than 40 % of Bay Area residents tell pollsters they want to leave , and that 's one of the happiest places in the state .
It 's no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco fell 20 % in the last year .
Why is that ?
Because no one wants to live there .
The most recent estimates show that California lost more than 135,000 people in the last year .
Among those people , by the way , is Kamala Harris .
She 's in Washington now , and she 's bringing California-style governance to the rest of us .
You should pay attention to that .
This article is adapted from Tucker Carlson 's opening monologue on the Dec. 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tonight . ''

You may have noticed we often make fun of California on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," but we're not really joking.
California matters, and not just because it's our biggest state. What happens there is, at some point, almost certain to happen where you live. Find a national trend that didn't begin in California. There may be some, but there aren't many. If you want to know the future, or if you want to prevent it, look west.
With that in mind, here's the bottom line: California is falling apart. Over the course of the last several decades, California has gone from one of the richest places in the world to the poorest state in our country. More than a third of its population hovers around the poverty line. Even before COVID, more than four million Californians were collecting food stamps. More than 150,000 people in California are homeless. They're living on the streets, in parks, under overpasses, in tents on the sidewalk.
This is a human tragedy caused by the selfishness and the stupidity of bad leaders and their bad policies. If these leaders were judged by their performance, no big-city politician in the state of California would have a job. They know that, so they're working hard to make certain that they're not judged by rational standards. Instead, they inflame racial wounds to try to keep the population distracted and divided, to keep the attention away from them and their failures.
GARCETTI SAYS HE TURNED DOWN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION POSITION
Here's shamefully incompetent Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in June:
GARCETTI: When I talked about killers, I said our collective burden here in this society is that we let black men and women die ... I pointed at myself. We collectively have a choice of whether we'll be those who heal or whether we'll continue being the killers.
It turns out there are killers in Garcetti's city, but they're not collective. They're individuals, they're criminals, and there are a lot of them.
Under Eric Garcetti, crime in Los Angeles has skyrocketed and many innocent people have died as a result of that. But he's not mourning them. He's not giving speeches in their memory or apologizing for the policies he supported that led to their deaths. Neither, by the way, is the city's new head prosecutor, George Gascón. He's announced he will be using the pretext of COVID to release still more criminals into the city of Los Angeles.
TUCKER: GEORGE SOROS, GEORGE GASCON AND THE FALL OF LOS ANGELES
"The plan that we do have is, we're working to expeditiously release as many people as we can, especially those that have been proven to be at high risk, vulnerable people and obviously people that are not a threat to society," Gascón told MSNBC last week. "So we are going to try to remove as many people from that confinement ... Justice is really about public health and keeping our community safe."
Got that? Justice is not punishing the guilty, keeping the dangerous away from your children, or enforcing laws. No, justice is making certain that criminals get critical government services before you do or your parents do.
That attitude distills the emerging politics of California, politics that you should be deeply afraid of, because when they come to your town, they'll wreck your life. If we were to put it in one sentence, it's this: Those who contribute the least get the most. But don't you dare complain about it. Shut up and hate yourself in silence, that's an order.
Meanwhile, California's elected leaders divide the spoils. That's their job, taking what other people built and giving it to themselves and to their supporters. As is now official policy in the state, they do this in the most divisive, immoral way possible: Along lines of color.
NEWSOM PICKS CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE PADILLA TO FILL HARRIS SEAT
Observe the controversy over Gov. Gavin Newsom's choice to replace Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate. Here's Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., explaining what kind of person Newsom should pick.
WATERS, DEC. 12: He has a decision that he has to make, and I think that it will be a Black woman. I think he understands that. You know, when Kamala Harris leaves the Senate, that's only one Black woman who was serving. And certainly it would be, you know, kind of, you know, unfair not to have at least another Black woman replace her.
This really is the high point of stupidity in this country's history. Who cares what color or gender your senators are? You want good government. You want wise, competent people in charge. But that's not what you're getting, because those aren't the criteria. In the end, Newsom appointed California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Harris. When he did, no one debated whether Padilla might be a good senator, whether he might improve the schools or lower the cost of housing or bring jobs back. Instead, they argued about his race.
Here's San Francisco Mayor London Breed, an utter buffoon most famous for defying her own lockdown orders in order to dine at The French Laundry in Napa, explaining that Padilla is a bad choice because he's the wrong color.
SF MAYOR CALLS NEWSOM PICK TO REPLACE HARRIS 'REAL BLOW TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY'
BREED: When you think about the history of this country and the challenges that exist for African-Americans, especially African-American women in the Senate, definitely this is a real blow to the African-American community, to African-American women, to women in general. It was definitely a surprise and it's an unfortunate situation as we are trying to move this country forward and making sure that Black lives truly matter.
First of all, Breed's record as a mayor is so terrible that she's disqualified herself from any comment on goverment for the rest of her life. Second, thinking this way is poison, and anyone who lets remarks like this pass without standing up and saying, "Wait a second, color and gender are irrevlevant to good government and we're not putting up with this garbage anymore" is complicit in the destruction of this country.
Again, California, is an actual place inhabited by 40 million people. It's our most beautiful and most economically important state. The electrical grid is failing. The power flickers on and off like a Third World country. The state's forests are so mismanaged they keep catching fire and burning uncontrollably. That's not climate change, that's bad management. Women can't jog in public parks for fear of being attacked by the mentally ill homeless. For the privilege of all of this, California residents pay the highest, the most burdensome taxes in the country.
No one in power is paying any attention because they're debating the color of the new senator. So what's happening? You know the answer: People who can leave are doing so.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
California's largest export used to be advanced aerospace products. That and Hollywood movies were the economy of Southern California. Now, the state's main export is population. More than 40% of Bay Area residents tell pollsters they want to leave, and that's one of the happiest places in the state. It's no wonder the average rent price on a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco fell 20% in the last year. Why is that? Because no one wants to live there.
The most recent estimates show that California lost more than 135,000 people in the last year. Among those people, by the way, is Kamala Harris. She's in Washington now, and she's bringing California-style governance to the rest of us. You should pay attention to that.
This article is adapted from Tucker Carlson's opening monologue on the Dec. 23, 2020 edition of "Tucker Carlson Tonight."