bonginoreport--2020-12-28--Nashville Bombing Suspect Reportedly Told Neighbor World Was “Never Going to Forget Me” Days Ago

The suspect who authorities say was responsible for the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville reportedly told his neighbor in the days before the explosion that `` Nashville and the world is never going to forget me . ''
Rick Laude said he saw Anthony Quinn Warner standing at his mailbox while driving on Dec. 21 .
Laude pulled over his car to speak with Warner and after asking how Warner 's elderly mother was doing , Laude said he casually asked Warner , `` Is Santa going to bring you anything good for Christmas ? ''
Laude said Warner smiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yeah , Nashville and the world is never going to forget me . ''
Laude , 57 , a commercial truck driver , said he did n't think much of the remark and thought Warner only meant that `` something good '' was going to happen for him .
He said he was `` speechless '' later when he read that authorities had identified Warner as the suspected bomber .
`` Nothing about this guy raised any red flags , '' Laude said .
`` He was just quiet . ''
Authorities are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explosion that damaged dozens of downtown buildings and injured three people .
`` We hope to get an answer .
Sometimes , it 's just not possible , '' David Rausch , the director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a Monday interview on NBC 's `` Today '' show .
`` The best way to find a motive is to talk to the individual .
We will not be able to do that in this case . ''
Authorities say Warner was not on their radar before the explosion .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Warner 's only arrest was for a 1978 marijuana-related charge .
`` It does appear that the intent was more destruction than death but again that 's all still speculation at this point as we continue in our investigation with all our partners , '' Rausch said .
Officials have not provided insight into why Warner selected the particular location for the bombing , which damaged an AT & T building and disrupted cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Daily Mail that Warner 's father , who died in 2011 of dementia , worked for BellSouth , which was acquired by AT & T in 2006 .
The source said Warner was believed to be `` heavily '' into 5G conspiracy theories -- particularly that the networks were supposedly killing people .
`` The unofficial motive thus far is the suspect believed 5G was the root of all deaths in the region and he 'd be hailed a hero , '' the source said .
`` We are waiting on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with some answers . ''
AT & T runs a 5G wireless network across the country , which the telecommunications giant says reaches more than 225 million Americans .
Forensic analysts were reviewing evidence collected from the blast site to try to identify the components of the explosives as well as information from the U.S .
Bomb Data Center for intelligence and investigative leads , according to a law enforcement official who said investigators were examining Warner 's digital footprint and financial history , as well as a recent deed transfer of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents , meanwhile , were examining a number of potential leads and pursuing several theories , including the possibility that the AT & T building was targeted .
The bombing took place on a holiday morning well before downtown streets were bustling with activity and was accompanied by a recorded announcement warning anyone nearby that a bomb would soon detonate .
The audio switched to a recording of Petula Clark 's 1964 hit `` Downtown '' shortly before the blast .
Warner , who public records show had experience with electronics and alarms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computer consultant for a Nashville realtor , had been regarded as a person of interest in the bombing since at least Saturday , when federal and local investigators converged on the home linked to him .
Officials said their identification of Warner relied on several key pieces of evidence , including DNA found at the explosion site .
Investigators had previously revealed that human remains had been found in the vicinity .
In addition , investigators from the Tennessee Highway Patrol recovered parts from the RV among the wreckage from the blast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number to an RV that was registered to Warner , officials said .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP '' We 're still following leads , but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved , '' FBI agent Dough Korneski told reporters .
`` We 've reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle .
We saw no other people involved . ''
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

The suspect who authorities say was responsible for the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville reportedly told his neighbor in the days before the explosion that "Nashville and the world is never going to forget me."
Rick Laude said he saw Anthony Quinn Warner standing at his mailbox while driving on Dec. 21. Laude pulled over his car to speak with Warner and after asking how Warner's elderly mother was doing, Laude said he casually asked Warner, "Is Santa going to bring you anything good for Christmas?" Laude said Warner smiled and then said, "Oh, yeah, Nashville and the world is never going to forget me."
Laude, 57, a commercial truck driver, said he didn't think much of the remark and thought Warner only meant that "something good" was going to happen for him. He said he was "speechless" later when he read that authorities had identified Warner as the suspected bomber.
"Nothing about this guy raised any red flags," Laude said. "He was just quiet."
Authorities are working to determine a motive behind the explosion that damaged dozens of downtown buildings and injured three people.
NASHVILLE BOMBING SUSPECT ANTHONY QUINN WARNER DIED IN EXPLOSION, POLICE CONFIRM
"We hope to get an answer. Sometimes, it's just not possible," David Rausch, the director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a Monday interview on NBC's "Today" show. "The best way to find a motive is to talk to the individual. We will not be able to do that in this case."
Authorities say Warner was not on their radar before the explosion. A TBI records report released Monday showed that Warner's only arrest was for a 1978 marijuana-related charge.
"It does appear that the intent was more destruction than death but again that's all still speculation at this point as we continue in our investigation with all our partners," Rausch said.
Officials have not provided insight into why Warner selected the particular location for the bombing, which damaged an AT&T building and disrupted cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service.
A source close to the investigation told the Daily Mail that Warner's father, who died in 2011 of dementia, worked for BellSouth, which was acquired by AT&T in 2006. The source said Warner was believed to be "heavily" into 5G conspiracy theories -- particularly that the networks were supposedly killing people.
"The unofficial motive thus far is the suspect believed 5G was the root of all deaths in the region and he'd be hailed a hero," the source said. "We are waiting on the digital footprint that should finally provide us with some answers."
AT&T runs a 5G wireless network across the country, which the telecommunications giant says reaches more than 225 million Americans.
Forensic analysts were reviewing evidence collected from the blast site to try to identify the components of the explosives as well as information from the U.S. Bomb Data Center for intelligence and investigative leads, according to a law enforcement official who said investigators were examining Warner's digital footprint and financial history, as well as a recent deed transfer of a suburban Nashville home they searched.
LA ENTERTAINMENT EXEC LINKED TO NASHVILLE BOMBING SUSPECT
Federal agents, meanwhile, were examining a number of potential leads and pursuing several theories, including the possibility that the AT&T building was targeted.
The bombing took place on a holiday morning well before downtown streets were bustling with activity and was accompanied by a recorded announcement warning anyone nearby that a bomb would soon detonate. The audio switched to a recording of Petula Clark's 1964 hit "Downtown" shortly before the blast.
Warner, who public records show had experience with electronics and alarms and who had also worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville realtor, had been regarded as a person of interest in the bombing since at least Saturday, when federal and local investigators converged on the home linked to him.
Officials said their identification of Warner relied on several key pieces of evidence, including DNA found at the explosion site. Investigators had previously revealed that human remains had been found in the vicinity.
In addition, investigators from the Tennessee Highway Patrol recovered parts from the RV among the wreckage from the blast and were able to link the vehicle identification number to an RV that was registered to Warner, officials said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"We're still following leads, but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved," FBI agent Dough Korneski told reporters. "We've reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle. We saw no other people involved."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--Stacey Abrams Claims Republicans Can Only Win Elections Through Voter Suppression

Failed Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said in a CNN interview on Monday that Republicans can not win elections without suppressing voters .
`` We are going to work to mitigate voter suppression , '' Abrams claimed .
`` You are absolutely right that when voter suppression was put on its heals in the 2020 election through the work for Fair Fight 2020 and other organizations around the country , we saw voters turn out in record numbers and in record composition . ''
`` And Republicans do not know how to win without using voter suppression as one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Voter suppression is their modus operandi . ''
Abrams lost the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election to Brian Kemp by a margin of 55,000 votes .
While acknowledging that she could not surpass Kemp 's lead Abrams refused to concede the election .
She still refuses , claiming that she lost due to voter suppression .
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigated claims of electoral irregularities in 2018 and found `` no evidence ... of systematic malfeasance—or of enough tainted votes to force a runoff election between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concede the election .
Nevertheless , Abrams has remained active in politics and became a key organizer for the Democratic campaign in Georgia during the 2020 election .
Biden carried the state by less than 12,000 votes in November , with the Trump campaign alleging voter fraud delivered the state to Biden .
Courts , meanwhile , have rejected such claims .
Abrams has teamed with Hollywood celebrities and producers to bring their influence to bear in the Peach State .
With phone banking and appearances , Abrams has coordinated with the out-of-towners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Rev .
Raphael Warnock , both of whom are seeking to defeat the GOP senators who currently represent the state at the federal level .
The election for these seats was held as part of the general election on Nov. 3 , but the races were both too close to call .
That resulted in a runoff election , which will be held on Jan. 5 .
Abrams has been vocal in her support of Ossoff and Warnock , and is putting the full weight of her unelected leadership behind their campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with have been alleged to have sent absentee ballots to people who do n't live or vote in Georgia .
Under the auspices of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , investigations have been launched into voting groups helmed by Abrams , including America Votes , Vote Forward and The New Georgia Project .
Raffensperger said `` I have issued clear warnings several times to groups and individuals working to undermine the integrity of elections in Georgia through false and fraudulent registrations .
The security of Georgia 's elections is of the utmost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had `` received specific evidence that these groups have solicited voter registrations from ineligible individuals who have passed away or live out of state . ''

Failed Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said in a CNN interview on Monday that Republicans cannot win elections without suppressing voters.
"We are going to work to mitigate voter suppression," Abrams claimed. "You are absolutely right that when voter suppression was put on its heals in the 2020 election through the work for Fair Fight 2020 and other organizations around the country, we saw voters turn out in record numbers and in record composition."
"And Republicans do not know how to win without using voter suppression as one of their tools," she continued. "Voter suppression is their modus operandi."
Abrams lost the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election to Brian Kemp by a margin of 55,000 votes. While acknowledging that she could not surpass Kemp's lead Abrams refused to concede the election. She still refuses, claiming that she lost due to voter suppression.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigated claims of electoral irregularities in 2018 and found "no evidence... of systematic malfeasance—or of enough tainted votes to force a runoff election between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams." Abrams has still refused to concede the election.
Nevertheless, Abrams has remained active in politics and became a key organizer for the Democratic campaign in Georgia during the 2020 election.
Biden carried the state by less than 12,000 votes in November, with the Trump campaign alleging voter fraud delivered the state to Biden. Courts, meanwhile, have rejected such claims.
Abrams has teamed with Hollywood celebrities and producers to bring their influence to bear in the Peach State. With phone banking and appearances, Abrams has coordinated with the out-of-towners to advance the campaigns of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock, both of whom are seeking to defeat the GOP senators who currently represent the state at the federal level.
The election for these seats was held as part of the general election on Nov. 3, but the races were both too close to call. That resulted in a runoff election, which will be held on Jan. 5.
Abrams has been vocal in her support of Ossoff and Warnock, and is putting the full weight of her unelected leadership behind their campaigns. The voting groups that she works with have been alleged to have sent absentee ballots to people who don't live or vote in Georgia.
Under the auspices of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, investigations have been launched into voting groups helmed by Abrams, including America Votes, Vote Forward and The New Georgia Project.
Raffensperger said "I have issued clear warnings several times to groups and individuals working to undermine the integrity of elections in Georgia through false and fraudulent registrations. The security of Georgia's elections is of the utmost importance."
Raffensperger said that he had "received specific evidence that these groups have solicited voter registrations from ineligible individuals who have passed away or live out of state."


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--YouTube Censors Dr. Ron Paul for Questioning St. Fauci

YouTube has censored a video from former congressman Ron Paul , known for his trailblazing presidential campaigns against the Republican establishment in 2008 and 2012 .
Paul , who is a medical doctor , was censored for “ medical misinformation.
” “ Very disturbing news : YouTube has pulled an episode of the Ron Paul Liberty Report and issued a “ warning ” that any more violations will result in our not being able to put up more programs , ” said Paul on Twitter .
According to Paul , his video was taken down for “ medical misinformation.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long career as a medical doctor .
He obtained his medical doctorate from Duke University , and worked as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard , before opening a private practice in Texas .
“ The episode was a news report on a Trump rally — they said it is “ medical misinformation.
” The former congressman said that YouTube , without warning , targeted a video that was already several weeks old .
“ If you care about independent media voices now is the time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how you feel about their attack on the Ron Paul Liberty Report… ” “ The decision by YouTube to take the program down and issue a warning makes no sense .
We are a news and analysis program .
Why take down a program that is several weeks old out of the blue ?
In the censored episode , Paul criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci of the CDC , in particular over first opposing the use of masks and then supporting them .
The episode is still available on Soundcloud and other platforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube for comment .
Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News .
His new book , # DELETED : Big Tech ’ s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election , which contains exclusive interviews with sources inside Google , Facebook , and other tech companies , is currently available for purchase .

YouTube has censored a video from former congressman Ron Paul, known for his trailblazing presidential campaigns against the Republican establishment in 2008 and 2012. Paul, who is a medical doctor, was censored for “medical misinformation.”
“Very disturbing news: YouTube has pulled an episode of the Ron Paul Liberty Report and issued a “warning” that any more violations will result in our not being able to put up more programs,” said Paul on Twitter.
According to Paul, his video was taken down for “medical misinformation.”
Before entering Congress, Paul enjoyed a long career as a medical doctor. He obtained his medical doctorate from Duke University, and worked as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, before opening a private practice in Texas.
Very disturbing news: YouTube has pulled an episode of the Ron Paul Liberty Report and issued a "warning" that any more violations will result in our not being able to put up more programs. The episode was a news report on a Trump rally – they said it is "medical misinformation." pic.twitter.com/bzZuPVPY2d — Ron Paul (@RonPaul) December 22, 2020
“The episode was a news report on a Trump rally — they said it is “medical misinformation.”
The former congressman said that YouTube, without warning, targeted a video that was already several weeks old.
“If you care about independent media voices now is the time to fight against blatant censorship. Let YouTube know how you feel about their attack on the Ron Paul Liberty Report…”
“The decision by YouTube to take the program down and issue a warning makes no sense. We are a news and analysis program. Why take down a program that is several weeks old out of the blue?
The decision by @YouTube to take the program down and issue a warning makes no sense. We are a news and analysis program. Why take down a program that is several weeks old out of the blue? — Ron Paul (@RonPaul) December 22, 2020
In the censored episode, Paul criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci of the CDC, in particular over first opposing the use of masks and then supporting them. The episode is still available on Soundcloud and other platforms.
Breitbart News has reached out to YouTube for comment.
Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. His new book, #DELETED: Big Tech’s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election, which contains exclusive interviews with sources inside Google, Facebook, and other tech companies, is currently available for purchase.


Congress’ Spending Binge

President Trump had supporters waiting in the wings to fight for him and for the American people .
Now , the swamp has gotten exactly what it wanted .
There is no way to sugarcoat it .
The Washington establishment — and the big-spending congressional appropriators , lobbyists , and bureaucrats who comprise it — jammed through a massive “ omnibus ” spending package and combo COVID-19 relief bill with a price tag of more than $ 2.3 trillion .
President Trump was correct to initially balk at the absurd spending but did so despite the fact his team negotiated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments to Americans .
Unfortunately , notwithstanding our $ 27.5 trillion debt , the president capitulated , signed the bill , and left conservatives holding the bag with a vote on un-offset spending .
Once again , an end-of-year spending “ showdown ” just means another betrayal of the American people .
This is a sad way to end a term .
The veil had been lifted for the American people , who were coming to see the unbelievable amount of spending that occurs every year as directly contrary to their well-being and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bills promote policies that have nothing to do with seeing our fellow citizens through the difficulty of forced school and business closings and limited livelihoods via the force of government , but instead , actively aid in the destruction of our republic and way of life .
The president and members of Congress who supported this bill made a choice .
That choice was to fund an education system that teaches our children America is evil and broken .
It was to fund wars they say they want to end , but refuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a choice to fund border operations specifically designed to be ineffective — so they can wink to business and tout cheap labor .
It was a choice to fund a radical climate agenda to appease corporate boardrooms who live in fear of the social justice mob but who beg for crony corporatist deals .
It was to send money to other countries as we pile up mountains of debt , and to fund the very socialized medicine they decry in speeches .
• A $ 431 million reduction in funding for ICE beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number by 11,000 beds , and severely weakening our ability to deal with future border surges .
• The creation and funding of two new politically motivated Smithsonian museums on the National Mall for Latinos and women ( not only are these poised , if not intended , to become taxpayer-funded hubs for the advancement of critical race theory ; they will likely cost over $ 1 billion upfront ) .
• Billions to fund the left ’ s green climate agenda — with Democrat talking points touting that the bill “ combats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Obama “ Kigali ” accords —another global climate effort that puts American needs last .
• $ 4 billion to fund vaccines in other countries before we ’ ve fully accomplished vaccine distribution to Americans here in the United States .
• Some $ 41 billion of tax dollars in foreign aid sent around the world — significantly more than the president ’ s request in his budget .
• $ 82 billion in education funding in a bill supposedly focused on COVID relief — including a restriction on states using dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers unions harm children by demanding school shutdowns .
• Continued funding to full-throated operations in Iraq , Afghanistan , Syria , and dozens of engagements that exist under a 20-year-old authorization of force which Congress refuses to even debate .
Even worse , the legislation subsidizes the very state and local governments that are shutting down small businesses and locking down schools .
Instead of blank checks to governors , it just sends smaller checks to local school boards , road builders , SNAP program administrators , and other programs to fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since August , Americans — especially small business owners — have been waiting for a simple bill to extend small business loans and forgiveness for COVID-19 relief .
There is bipartisan support for such a fix , but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admitted holding that up for purely political reasons during the election .
Of course , rather than fight for a clean bill accompanied by a full debate on the normal appropriations bills , establishment Republicans agreed to merge with an expanded COVID-19 relief bill of more than $ 900 billion with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill that funds government operations through September 2021 .
The product is more than 5,600 pages long , written in closed rooms by a handful of staff and even fewer members of Congress , but lots of input from corporate lobbyists .
It ’ s filled with thousands of policy issues — and we had no real debate over them .
The people ’ s representatives had two-and-a-half hours to review it before the first vote was called .
We had zero chance to debate the legislation at all , much less amend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is exactly how things are supposed to be .
This is how they get away with funding what they ’ re too scared to tell you they are doing .
Those who want to spend your money and borrow even more to pay for things like gender education programs in Pakistan don ’ t want to put their names on it .
Then , to protect themselves , they pull out tired , dishonest talking points like “ a no vote on this bill is a vote against funding the military , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding , important projects in your district , and COVID-19 relief.
” This year , the corruption was exposed .
This bill was flawed to its core , the complaints about it were wide-ranging , and we can not fix it unless we are willing to start over , go back to the drawing board , and agree to do things the right way .
Unfortunately , however , this isn ’ t going to happen .
Some political consultants are assuredly in the president ’ s ear screaming about losing Georgia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of unprincipled debt-laden legislation like this that continues to drive more and more people away from the Republican Party .
Indeed , given how it contradicts everything he ran on , President Trump should have never signed this bill , much less threatened a veto only to back away from it .
He had supporters waiting in the wings to fight for him and for the American people .
Now , the swamp has gotten exactly what it wanted .
It ’ s time for Congress to do its job .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation — before we vote on something .

There is no way to sugarcoat it. The Washington establishment — and the big-spending congressional appropriators, lobbyists, and bureaucrats who comprise it — jammed through a massive “omnibus” spending package and combo COVID-19 relief bill with a price tag of more than $2.3 trillion.
President Trump was correct to initially balk at the absurd spending but did so despite the fact his team negotiated much of it while demanding additional direct payments to Americans. Unfortunately, notwithstanding our $27.5 trillion debt, the president capitulated, signed the bill, and left conservatives holding the bag with a vote on un-offset spending.
Once again, an end-of-year spending “showdown” just means another betrayal of the American people. This is a sad way to end a term.
The veil had been lifted for the American people, who were coming to see the unbelievable amount of spending that occurs every year as directly contrary to their well-being and that of the country. These two bills promote policies that have nothing to do with seeing our fellow citizens through the difficulty of forced school and business closings and limited livelihoods via the force of government, but instead, actively aid in the destruction of our republic and way of life.
The president and members of Congress who supported this bill made a choice. That choice was to fund an education system that teaches our children America is evil and broken. It was to fund wars they say they want to end, but refuse to debate doing so.
It was a choice to fund border operations specifically designed to be ineffective — so they can wink to business and tout cheap labor. It was a choice to fund a radical climate agenda to appease corporate boardrooms who live in fear of the social justice mob but who beg for crony corporatist deals. It was to send money to other countries as we pile up mountains of debt, and to fund the very socialized medicine they decry in speeches.
This “deal” contains:
A $431 million reduction in funding for ICE beds, reducing to Obama administration levels the number by 11,000 beds, and severely weakening our ability to deal with future border surges.
The creation and funding of two new politically motivated Smithsonian museums on the National Mall for Latinos and women (not only are these poised, if not intended, to become taxpayer-funded hubs for the advancement of critical race theory; they will likely cost over $1 billion upfront).
Billions to fund the left’s green climate agenda — with Democrat talking points touting that the bill “combats climate change,” and funding for the Obama “Kigali” accords —another global climate effort that puts American needs last.
$4 billion to fund vaccines in other countries before we’ve fully accomplished vaccine distribution to Americans here in the United States.
Some $41 billion of tax dollars in foreign aid sent around the world — significantly more than the president’s request in his budget.
$82 billion in education funding in a bill supposedly focused on COVID relief — including a restriction on states using dollars for scholarships for private alternatives — while teachers unions harm children by demanding school shutdowns.
Continued funding to full-throated operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and dozens of engagements that exist under a 20-year-old authorization of force which Congress refuses to even debate.
Even worse, the legislation subsidizes the very state and local governments that are shutting down small businesses and locking down schools. Instead of blank checks to governors, it just sends smaller checks to local school boards, road builders, SNAP program administrators, and other programs to fill out those budgets all the same.
Since August, Americans — especially small business owners — have been waiting for a simple bill to extend small business loans and forgiveness for COVID-19 relief. There is bipartisan support for such a fix, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admitted holding that up for purely political reasons during the election.
Of course, rather than fight for a clean bill accompanied by a full debate on the normal appropriations bills, establishment Republicans agreed to merge with an expanded COVID-19 relief bill of more than $900 billion with a massive $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds government operations through September 2021.
The product is more than 5,600 pages long, written in closed rooms by a handful of staff and even fewer members of Congress, but lots of input from corporate lobbyists. It’s filled with thousands of policy issues — and we had no real debate over them. The people’s representatives had two-and-a-half hours to review it before the first vote was called. We had zero chance to debate the legislation at all, much less amend it.
To the Washington establishment, this is exactly how things are supposed to be. This is how they get away with funding what they’re too scared to tell you they are doing. Those who want to spend your money and borrow even more to pay for things like gender education programs in Pakistan don’t want to put their names on it. Then, to protect themselves, they pull out tired, dishonest talking points like “a no vote on this bill is a vote against funding the military, on border wall funding, on research funding, important projects in your district, and COVID-19 relief.”
This year, the corruption was exposed. This bill was flawed to its core, the complaints about it were wide-ranging, and we cannot fix it unless we are willing to start over, go back to the drawing board, and agree to do things the right way. Unfortunately, however, this isn’t going to happen.
Some political consultants are assuredly in the president’s ear screaming about losing Georgia. In truth, it’s Republican support of unprincipled debt-laden legislation like this that continues to drive more and more people away from the Republican Party.
Indeed, given how it contradicts everything he ran on, President Trump should have never signed this bill, much less threatened a veto only to back away from it. He had supporters waiting in the wings to fight for him and for the American people. Now, the swamp has gotten exactly what it wanted.
It’s time for Congress to do its job. That means reading, debating, and amending legislation — before we vote on something.
Chip Roy is the Republican representative for the 21st congressional district in Texas.


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--Stimulus Check Money Won’t Count as Taxable Income

The second round of direct checks authorized in the almost $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package are not a carbon copy of the first checks , starting with the halved , $ 600 payout size .
But many rules about stimulus checks 2.0 remain the same — and that means some theories about the government money that were untrue in the spring are just as untrue now .
Those are canards like some supposed obligation to pay back the money ( wrong ) or the capacity of some random cold-caller to get your money quicker ( that ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to prevent possible confusion .
Congress passed the relief bill on Monday and it awaits President Donald Trump gave into his misgivings over the relatively modest sign of the stimulus , among other concerns , and on Sunday signed the massive pandemic-aid bill , averting a government shutdown in the process .
But the Federal Trade Commission put out a reminder on Tuesday that nobody will ever call you asking for money to quicken your access to the cash .
At the same time , the new set of stimulus checks do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like for people who are behind on child support or married to a non-citizen .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday these economic impact payments could start arriving in bank accounts next week .
Before that money hits your bank account , here ’ s a brush-up on old myths to ignore and new ones to avoid .
‘ I ’ ll have to pay back this money ‘ “ No , you do not .
It ’ s yours to keep , ” said Lauren Saunders , associate director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill summaries note the stimulus is an advance on your 2020 tax credit , but consumers shouldn ’ t think of the credit like an advance that ’ s due back later .
The income thresholds are the same , supplying the full payment — $ 600 per adult and $ 600 per qualifying child — to individuals with adjusted gross incomes below $ 75,000 per year and married couples filing jointly with adjusted gross incomes under $ 150,000 per year .
The Internal Revenue Service will look at a household ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( These were the ones people had to file by July 15 , or Oct. 15 if they applied for an extension . )
The payments also diminish at the same rate for people making above the income threshold ( $ 5 for every $ 100 on top of the threshold. )
.
But the payments gradually come to a halt at a lower income level this time around .
That ’ s because there ’ s less money per check , so it runs out sooner when using the same phase-out formula @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end completely for single filers making $ 87,000 per year and above , and it ends for married couples worth $ 174,000 per year and above .
With the $ 1,200 checks , the payments ended at annual incomes of $ 99,000 for individuals and $ 198,000 for couples .
Again , no .
The stimulus check you receive will not factor into your income-tax liability .
That ’ s a point the House Ways and Means Committee noted in its rundown Monday on the new round of checks .
And because stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income , they don ’ t influence , offset or factor into the size of your refund .
While stimulus checks don ’ t count as taxable income , unemployment benefit money does count when the IRS tallies up a person ’ s income-tax bill , according to April Walker , lead manager for tax practice & ethics at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants .
The new relief package authorized supplemental $ 300 weekly unemployment insurance going into mid-March .
One peril is a nasty tax bill waiting for people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for income tax when receiving their weekly payouts , experts say .
Thirty-seven percent of people didn ’ t know jobless benefits were taxable income , according to a June survey from Jackson Hewitt , the national tax preparation chain .
Just over half of the 1,000 people surveyed ( 51 % ) didn ’ t know they had to ask for withholdings on their benefits .
‘ My stimulus check will eat into my IRS refund ’ Nope .
The stimulus check you receive now won ’ t eat into your refund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get chipped away with a default on student loans , back taxes or others debts , Saunders said .
When the first stimulus checks hit accounts , the money was supposed to help families feed themselves , but with an initial lack of protections , the money “ actually fed some debt collectors .
This time , debt collectors will not be able to garnish payment , ” Saunders said .
Though there were all sorts of financial obligations and delinquencies barred from dipping into stimulus checks , one exception was past debts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second round of stimulus checks , people behind on child support will not have those debts skimmed off the top .
“ Some of those debts were very old , ” and the children supposed to be supported had grown up and gone on with their lives , Saunders said .
‘ I can speed up the payment process ‘ For many people who are hurting and feeling like they are trying to financially survive day to day , the money can ’ t come soon enough .
But don ’ t let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials will never call you , text you or hit you up on social media offering to get you your stimulus money in exchange for money upfront , the Federal Trade Commission reminded consumers Tuesday .
Anyone who makes that kind of offer is trying to con you , the agency said .
“ There ’ s no such thing as getting your money early , or faster .
Anyone who says they can hook you up now ( or soon ) is both lying and a scammer , ” the consumer protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposter have cost consumers more than $ 5 million , according to an FTC database tracking the consumer complaints its received during the pandemic .
After the bill is signed , the IRS will start issuing payments early next week and into January 2021 , according to the House Ways and Means Committee .
“ When available , electronic direct deposit will be used in place of mailing a paper check , ” the committee added .
‘ It ’ s now or never to get the stimulus ’ Not necessarily .
Remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advance credit on the taxes you will file early next year for your 2020 earnings .
If a person ’ s 2019 earnings surpassed the income caps but then they had a rough 2020 , they can get the stimulus payment after filing their taxes .
If someone still earned over the income caps , they still will not receive a check The IRS ’ s 1040 for the upcoming tax season will include a line where taxpayers can claim their recovery rebate credit .
The IRS released the revamped 1040 earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes — likely because they made too little money — had until Nov. 21 to submit their bank account information via the Non-Filer Portal and get their stimulus check this year .
Saunders noted that people who didn ’ t make this deadline can still get their first stimulus check and the upcoming $ 600 check by filing an income tax return next year .
There ’ s one catch on getting this year ’ s direct checks during next year ’ s tax season .
The amounts will be lumped into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Ways and Means Committee noted .
Because of that , the money “ will be subject to the garnishment and offset rules that generally apply to federal income tax refunds.
” The IRS will reduce refunds on obligations such as past-due child support , debts owed to other federal government agencies and state income tax bills .
Not necessarily .
Like the first round of stimulus checks , the second round goes to people with Social Security numbers .
In the specific context of these direct checks , that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Allen Orr , president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association .
But in the CARES act , citizens and Green Card holders married to spouses who were not documented did not get the $ 1,200 stimulus check , nor did they get the $ 500 apiece for their citizen children .
The decision launched lawsuits from people who said they were being deprived of badly-needed money just because of who they happened to love and marry .
The new bill addresses the issue of “ mixed status ” marriages .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the $ 600 direct payment , as will any children who have a Social Security number , Orr said .
The bill also has a retroactivity clause .
That means the Social Security card holder who previously missed out on the $ 1,200 payment and eligible children who missed out on $ 500 will be eligible for it , according to Orr .
The provision was an attempt to right a past wrong , Orr said .
Last week , Sen. Marco Rubio , a Republican from Florida , made the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied some eligible American citizens from receiving a federal stimulus check under the CARES Act was an oversight that needed correction , ” he said in a statement .
“ No American should have been blocked from receiving federal assistance during a global pandemic because of who they married .
”

The second round of direct checks authorized in the almost $900 billion coronavirus relief package are not a carbon copy of the first checks, starting with the halved, $600 payout size.
But many rules about stimulus checks 2.0 remain the same — and that means some theories about the government money that were untrue in the spring are just as untrue now.
Those are canards like some supposed obligation to pay back the money (wrong) or the capacity of some random cold-caller to get your money quicker (that’s a scam).
Federal regulators are already trying to prevent possible confusion. Congress passed the relief bill on Monday and President Donald Trump gave into his misgivings over the relatively modest sign of the stimulus compared to the first relief measures announced in March, among other concerns. Last Sunday, he signed the massive pandemic-aid bill, averting a government shutdown in the process.
But the Federal Trade Commission put out a reminder on Tuesday that nobody will ever call you asking for money to quicken your access to the cash.
At the same time, the new set of stimulus checks do have some new rules for certain scenarios, like for people who are behind on child support or married to a non-citizen.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday these economic impact payments could start arriving in bank accounts next week.
Before that money hits your bank account, here’s a brush-up on old myths to ignore and new ones to avoid.
‘I’ll have to pay back this money‘
“No, you do not. It’s yours to keep,” said Lauren Saunders, associate director of the National Consumer Law Center.
Some of the bill summaries note the stimulus is an advance on your 2020 tax credit, but consumers shouldn’t think of the credit like an advance that’s due back later.
The income thresholds are the same, supplying the full payment — $600 per adult and $600 per qualifying child — to individuals with adjusted gross incomes below $75,000 per year and married couples filing jointly with adjusted gross incomes under $150,000 per year.
The Internal Revenue Service will look at a household’s 2019 returns to determine eligibility. (These were the ones people had to file by July 15, or Oct. 15 if they applied for an extension.)
The payments also diminish at the same rate for people making above the income threshold ($5 for every $100 on top of the threshold.).
But the payments gradually come to a halt at a lower income level this time around.
That’s because there’s less money per check, so it runs out sooner when using the same phase-out formula as before. Now, the payments end completely for single filers making $87,000 per year and above, and it ends for married couples worth $174,000 per year and above.
With the $1,200 checks, the payments ended at annual incomes of $99,000 for individuals and $198,000 for couples.
‘The stimulus check is taxable income‘
Again, no. The stimulus check you receive will not factor into your income-tax liability. That’s a point the House Ways and Means Committee noted in its rundown Monday on the new round of checks.
And because stimulus checks don’t count as taxable income, they don’t influence, offset or factor into the size of your refund.
While stimulus checks don’t count as taxable income, unemployment benefit money does count when the IRS tallies up a person’s income-tax bill, according to April Walker, lead manager for tax practice & ethics at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
The new relief package authorized supplemental $300 weekly unemployment insurance going into mid-March.
One peril is a nasty tax bill waiting for people who didn’t know to withhold money for income tax when receiving their weekly payouts, experts say.
Thirty-seven percent of people didn’t know jobless benefits were taxable income, according to a June survey from Jackson Hewitt, the national tax preparation chain. Just over half of the 1,000 people surveyed (51%) didn’t know they had to ask for withholdings on their benefits.
‘My stimulus check will eat into my IRS refund’
Nope. The stimulus check you receive now won’t eat into your refund later. It also won’t get chipped away with a default on student loans, back taxes or others debts, Saunders said.
When the first stimulus checks hit accounts, the money was supposed to help families feed themselves, but with an initial lack of protections, the money “actually fed some debt collectors. This time, debt collectors will not be able to garnish payment,” Saunders said.
Though there were all sorts of financial obligations and delinquencies barred from dipping into stimulus checks, one exception was past debts on owed child support.
In the second round of stimulus checks, people behind on child support will not have those debts skimmed off the top. “Some of those debts were very old,” and the children supposed to be supported had grown up and gone on with their lives, Saunders said.
‘I can speed up the payment process‘
For many people who are hurting and feeling like they are trying to financially survive day to day, the money can’t come soon enough. But don’t let that push you into scam.
Government officials will never call you, text you or hit you up on social media offering to get you your stimulus money in exchange for money upfront, the Federal Trade Commission reminded consumers Tuesday. Anyone who makes that kind of offer is trying to con you, the agency said.
“There’s no such thing as getting your money early, or faster. Anyone who says they can hook you up now (or soon) is both lying and a scammer,” the consumer protection agency added.
In general, government imposter have cost consumers more than $5 million, according to an FTC database tracking the consumer complaints its received during the pandemic.
After the bill is signed, the IRS will start issuing payments early next week and into January 2021, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. “When available, electronic direct deposit will be used in place of mailing a paper check,” the committee added.
‘It’s now or never to get the stimulus’
Not necessarily. Remember, the direct payments are technically an advance credit on the taxes you will file early next year for your 2020 earnings. If a person’s 2019 earnings surpassed the income caps but then they had a rough 2020, they can get the stimulus payment after filing their taxes. If someone still earned over the income caps, they still will not receive a check
The IRS’s 1040 for the upcoming tax season will include a line where taxpayers can claim their recovery rebate credit. The IRS released the revamped 1040 earlier this month.
People who did not file taxes — likely because they made too little money — had until Nov. 21 to submit their bank account information via the Non-Filer Portal and get their stimulus check this year. Saunders noted that people who didn’t make this deadline can still get their first stimulus check and the upcoming $600 check by filing an income tax return next year.
There’s one catch on getting this year’s direct checks during next year’s tax season. The amounts will be lumped into a taxpayer’s general income tax refund, the Ways and Means Committee noted. Because of that, the money “will be subject to the garnishment and offset rules that generally apply to federal income tax refunds.”
The IRS will reduce refunds on obligations such as past-due child support, debts owed to other federal government agencies and state income tax bills.
‘My immigration status will interfere with stimulus’
Not necessarily. Like the first round of stimulus checks, the second round goes to people with Social Security numbers. In the specific context of these direct checks, that’s U.S. citizens and green card holders, according to Allen Orr, president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
But in the CARES act, citizens and Green Card holders married to spouses who were not documented did not get the $1,200 stimulus check, nor did they get the $500 apiece for their citizen children. The decision launched lawsuits from people who said they were being deprived of badly-needed money just because of who they happened to love and marry.
The new bill addresses the issue of “mixed status” marriages. Now, the Social Security card holder will get the $600 direct payment, as will any children who have a Social Security number, Orr said.
The bill also has a retroactivity clause. That means the Social Security card holder who previously missed out on the $1,200 payment and eligible children who missed out on $500 will be eligible for it, according to Orr.
The provision was an attempt to right a past wrong, Orr said.
Last week, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, made the same point. “Fixing the provision that denied some eligible American citizens from receiving a federal stimulus check under the CARES Act was an oversight that needed correction,” he said in a statement. “No American should have been blocked from receiving federal assistance during a global pandemic because of who they married.”


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--Local Mask Mandates Don’t Seem to Have Made a Difference in Tennessee

As you may have heard , we ’ ve sort of got a `` casedemic '' problem here in Tennessee .
That means lots and lots ( and lots ) of people are testing positive for COVID-19 .
That ’ s about all we know for sure , of course .
Nevertheless , hand-wringing from media , politicians , and local ‘ health authorities ’ is seemingly neverending , as are local reporters in my neck of the woods being filmed standing in front of that FEMA body truck they don ’ t bother to tell us has been sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unused , SINCE MARCH .
Hospitals aren ’ t overwhelmed by any measure , and even the death toll isn ’ t really all that impressive either considering that Tennessee is actually below the national average in deaths per million and most people who are dying are either already super old or super sick .
Indeed , while COVID does tragically hit some people hard , most ‘ cases ’ are quite mild and often non-symptomatic , driven by panic at every sniffle or people being forced to test for work and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that not everyone counted as a ‘ COVID death ’ is really a death caused by COVID , but rather someone who had a positive PCR test at some point in 2020 before dying .
When you have a highly contagious respiratory virus going around , particularly one that is seasonal and seems to be boxing out the flu , an increasing percentage of those who die will likely have it .
These ‘ scary ’ numbers lie at the root of the ongoing panic and give continued justification for our overlords @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here in Tennessee , one of the few states without a statewide mask-mandate , much pressure has been placed upon Republican Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee to “ do something.
” Since lockdowns are thankfully for the most part out of the question here , the pressure has centered on establishing that mandate the mask-Karens have been longing for .
Even former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist , a medical doctor , has gotten in on the action , begging Lee to pull the trigger in a Facebook post earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the winter months when such viruses always tend to spread , but on supposedly unmasked rural counties .
But is Frist correct ?
Fortunately , like Florida , Tennessee is a great place to compare mask-mandated places with ones that aren ’ t and see if such governmental overreach really does contribute to slowing the spread of COVID-19 .
If they help , surely some evidence of that would be in the data , right ?
Since I ’ m a resident of the eastern part of the state , I decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first started getting the data together , I didn ’ t know entirely what to expect .
If there was a sharp difference showing masked counties doing better than unmasked ones , it would be a truth I would have to report , even if it went against my preconceived ( in this case anti-mask ) notions .
Then again , I figured if that were the case every news outlet in the country would be reporting it .
After all , they make a national news story out of every cherry-picked “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came out of Kansas a few weeks ago , that purports to show masks working .
The Tennessean even lamely tried to use positivity rates , which vary widely in urban vs rural settings often because rural areas test significantly less , to shame Lee into giving in .
But if they had raw numbers showing masked areas doing significantly better , wouldn ’ t they be shouting those from the rooftops ?
Of course they would , which led me to believe the numbers I generated would be , shall we say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks .
And boy was I correct .
While we ’ re not allowed to insert tweets or images in op-eds , you can view my data here .
Since COVID appears to be seasonal and often hits different parts of the nation at different times and Tennessee is a WIDE state , I stuck with only the east Tennessee area for this particular analysis .
For simplicity , I also left out counties that chickened out and issued mask mandates in the middle of the time period .
Then I ran the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period from October 1 to December 22 .
Nine did not have a mask-mandate in place , while eight did .
Over the allotted period , counties with mask mandates saw 4.7 % of their population infected while those without them saw a 4.6 % infection rate .
Interestingly , Hawkins County , which let its mandate expire at the end of September , had 4.3 % of its population infected , while Carter County had 5.1 % infected with a mandate in place .
Both have nearly identical populations .
Granted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There always are .
Almost everyone got a spike in November , masked or not .
That ’ s because this virus is seasonal , and there was no stopping it once it came .
Some areas were hit harder in the spring and over the summer .
Often urban areas like Knox County will actually tend to fight off bugs like this a little better because of other coronavirus antibodies developed through greater population density , and there ’ s sadly little stopping the virus , when it comes , from ripping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barely experienced it , rural or not .
Although mask-wearing will generally be less in the non-mandated areas , some people shun wearing masks where they ’ re mandated and some people wear masks where they aren ’ t required to .
But even with these other factors , if mask mandates worked as our overlords insist they do , does not logic demand that the raw numbers would show it at least a little ?
If this data were in the pro-maskers ’ favor , wouldn ’ t it have already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times ?
When you combine this Tennessee data with Rational Ground ’ s data from Florida and masked vs unmasked states nationwide that I wrote about in last week ’ s column , the picture is increasingly clear .
It ’ s time to face the fact that mask mandates DO NOT WORK to stop or even slow the spread of COVID-19 .
Follow Scott on Twitter @ SKMorefield , Parler @ smorefield , and Facebook .
Also , be sure to follow Scott ’ s COVID ‘ Team Reality ’ Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors , medical professionals , analysts , data hounds , media , and politicians unafraid to tell the truth about COVID-19 .

As you may have heard, we’ve sort of got a "casedemic" problem here in Tennessee. That means lots and lots (and lots) of people are testing positive for COVID-19. That’s about all we know for sure, of course. Nevertheless, hand-wringing from media, politicians, and local ‘health authorities’ is seemingly neverending, as are local reporters in my neck of the woods being filmed standing in front of that FEMA body truck they don’t bother to tell us has been sitting in front of the regional hospital, unused, SINCE MARCH. Hospitals aren’t overwhelmed by any measure, and even the death toll isn’t really all that impressive either considering that Tennessee is actually below the national average in deaths per million and most people who are dying are either already super old or super sick.
Indeed, while COVID does tragically hit some people hard, most ‘cases’ are quite mild and often non-symptomatic, driven by panic at every sniffle or people being forced to test for work and other reasons. And there is increasingly solid evidence that not everyone counted as a ‘COVID death’ is really a death caused by COVID, but rather someone who had a positive PCR test at some point in 2020 before dying. When you have a highly contagious respiratory virus going around, particularly one that is seasonal and seems to be boxing out the flu, an increasing percentage of those who die will likely have it. These ‘scary’ numbers lie at the root of the ongoing panic and give continued justification for our overlords to continue to exercise control over society.
Here in Tennessee, one of the few states without a statewide mask-mandate, much pressure has been placed upon Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to “do something.” Since lockdowns are thankfully for the most part out of the question here, the pressure has centered on establishing that mandate the mask-Karens have been longing for. Even former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a medical doctor, has gotten in on the action, begging Lee to pull the trigger in a Facebook post earlier this month that blamed rising case numbers not on the winter months when such viruses always tend to spread, but on supposedly unmasked rural counties.
But is Frist correct? Fortunately, like Florida, Tennessee is a great place to compare mask-mandated places with ones that aren’t and see if such governmental overreach really does contribute to slowing the spread of COVID-19. If they help, surely some evidence of that would be in the data, right? Since I’m a resident of the eastern part of the state, I decided to run the numbers myself. When I first started getting the data together, I didn’t know entirely what to expect. If there was a sharp difference showing masked counties doing better than unmasked ones, it would be a truth I would have to report, even if it went against my preconceived (in this case anti-mask) notions.
Then again, I figured if that were the case every news outlet in the country would be reporting it. After all, they make a national news story out of every cherry-picked “study,” like the one that came out of Kansas a few weeks ago, that purports to show masks working. The Tennessean even lamely tried to use positivity rates, which vary widely in urban vs rural settings often because rural areas test significantly less, to shame Lee into giving in. But if they had raw numbers showing masked areas doing significantly better, wouldn’t they be shouting those from the rooftops? Of course they would, which led me to believe the numbers I generated would be, shall we say, inconvenient for the chosen narrative on masks.
And boy was I correct. While we’re not allowed to insert tweets or images in op-eds, you can view my data here. Since COVID appears to be seasonal and often hits different parts of the nation at different times and Tennessee is a WIDE state, I stuck with only the east Tennessee area for this particular analysis. For simplicity, I also left out counties that chickened out and issued mask mandates in the middle of the time period. Then I ran the numbers for 17 contiguous counties for the period from October 1 to December 22. Nine did not have a mask-mandate in place, while eight did.
Over the allotted period, counties with mask mandates saw 4.7% of their population infected while those without them saw a 4.6% infection rate. Interestingly, Hawkins County, which let its mandate expire at the end of September, had 4.3% of its population infected, while Carter County had 5.1% infected with a mandate in place. Both have nearly identical populations.
Granted, there are other factors at play. There always are. Almost everyone got a spike in November, masked or not. That’s because this virus is seasonal, and there was no stopping it once it came. Some areas were hit harder in the spring and over the summer. Often urban areas like Knox County will actually tend to fight off bugs like this a little better because of other coronavirus antibodies developed through greater population density, and there’s sadly little stopping the virus, when it comes, from ripping through ‘virgin’ areas that have barely experienced it, rural or not. Although mask-wearing will generally be less in the non-mandated areas, some people shun wearing masks where they’re mandated and some people wear masks where they aren’t required to. But even with these other factors, if mask mandates worked as our overlords insist they do, does not logic demand that the raw numbers would show it at least a little? If this data were in the pro-maskers’ favor, wouldn’t it have already been on the front page of The New York Times?
When you combine this Tennessee data with Rational Ground’s data from Florida and masked vs unmasked states nationwide that I wrote about in last week’s column, the picture is increasingly clear. It’s time to face the fact that mask mandates DO NOT WORK to stop or even slow the spread of COVID-19.
Follow Scott on Twitter @SKMorefield, Parler @smorefield, and Facebook. Also, be sure to follow Scott’s COVID ‘Team Reality’ Twitter list, 165 (and counting) doctors, medical professionals, analysts, data hounds, media, and politicians unafraid to tell the truth about COVID-19.


bonginoreport--2020-12-29--Biden Likely to Delay Timeline for Artemis Moon Landing Slated for 2024

An artist 's depiction of astronauts walking on the moon as part of NASA 's Artemis program .
NASA 's quest to put boots back on the moon will likely get less urgent after takes office next month .
Through its , the space agency has been working to land two astronauts , including the first-ever female moonwalker , near the lunar south pole by 2024 .
That ambitious deadline , which was , will likely be relaxed under the Biden administration , experts say .
`` I expect the 2024 goal to go away , '' space policy expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political science and international affairs at George Washington University 's Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington , D.C. , told Space.com .
Related : Presidential visions for space : From Ike to Trump Eric Stallmer , executive vice president of government affairs and public policy at Voyager Space Holdings , agreed with that assessment .
`` I think people will reassess the timeline for sure , '' Stallmer , who served as president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation from 2014 until this autumn , told Space.com .
`` And , candidly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2024 timeline was realistic .
It was ambitious and aspirational , but I do n't think realistic . ''
That does n't mean Artemis itself will get the axe , however .
Indeed , both Logsdon and Stallmer think the program and its long-term goals — establishing a sustainable presence on and around the moon , and using such efforts to prepare for — will remain on firm footing after Biden takes office .
The president-elect has n't said much publicly about NASA or space exploration to date .
However , Logsdon pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` very bullish on human exploration . ''
And the platform explicitly endorses the broad Artemis vision : `` We support NASA 's work to return Americans to the moon and go beyond to Mars , taking the next step in exploring our solar system . ''
Human space exploration also seems to enjoy wide support , both on Capitol Hill and throughout the country .
`` At least among the attentive public , there 's a pretty firm consensus that it 's time to start exploration , and that the moon is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Tweaks to the Artemis timeline , should they indeed occur , wo n't be the only changes the Biden administration makes in the realms of space policy , science and exploration .
For example , the 2020 Democratic Party platform , which you can read , voices a strong commitment to Earth science and the fight against climate change : `` Democrats additionally support strengthening NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ’ s Earth-observation missions to better understand how climate change is impacting our home planet . ''
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words under a Biden administration .
`` I think it 's entirely likely that NASA will be given a prominent role in the global , which Biden has said will be one of his top priorities , '' Logsdon said .
That would represent a marked departure from the Trump administration 's priorities .
The president withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord , for instance , and White House budget requests during his term have repeatedly ( though Congress has generally restored funding to the targeted projects ) .
These two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landing and boosting NASA Earth science — may end up working in concert .
Spreading Artemis funding out over additional years would free up money that could be routed to Earth science , Stallmer said .
Logsdon also predicted one more shift to come under Biden : `` a friendlier approach to multilateral cooperation . ''
The Trump administration has tended to evince less flexibility in the diplomatic realm , Logsdon said , citing the as an example .
The Accords lay out a set of principles by which nations must abide if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program as a partner .
These principles , and the Accords themselves , `` are more or less fine , '' Logsdon said .
But they 're presented in a sort of take-it-or-leave-it way , he added , `` and I know from conversations with some of the local representatives of other countries that that was not appreciated . ''
Still , he stressed that NASA and the U.S. space program overall appear to be in good shape , a result due in part to the efforts of the policy-shaping National Space Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NSC early in his term ; it had last been active in the early 1990s , during the administration of President George H.W .
Bush .
Whether or not Biden will retain the NSC remains to be seen , as do pretty much all the details of his space-policy priorities ; all we have for now is speculation .
But the overall picture could start coming into clearer focus soon , once Biden announces his pick for NASA Administrator .
( The current agency chief , Jim Bridenstine , has said he wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Biden administration . )
Biden has made history with his .
His nominations include the first African-American for Secretary of Defense ( Lloyd Austin ) ; the first woman to head the Treasury Department ( Janet Yellen ) ; the first Native American Interior Secretary ( Deb Haaland ) ; the first Latino in charge at Homeland Security ( Alejandro Mayorkas ) ; the first female Director of National Intelligence ( Avril Haines ) ; and the first openly LGBTQ person to serve in any Cabinet post ( Pete Buttigieg , Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will get the first female administrator in its 62-year history .
We 'll just have to wait and see .
Mike Wall is the author of `` `` ( Grand Central Publishing , 2018 ; illustrated by Karl Tate ) , a book about the search for alien life .
Follow him on Twitter @ michaeldwall .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom or Facebook .

An artist's depiction of astronauts walking on the moon as part of NASA's Artemis program.
NASA's quest to put boots back on the moon will likely get less urgent after President-elect Joe Biden takes office next month.
Through its Artemis program , the space agency has been working to land two astronauts, including the first-ever female moonwalker, near the lunar south pole by 2024. That ambitious deadline, which was announced by Vice President Mike Pence in 2019 , will likely be relaxed under the Biden administration, experts say.
"I expect the 2024 goal to go away," space policy expert John Logsdon, a professor emeritus of political science and international affairs at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, D.C., told Space.com.
Related: Presidential visions for space: From Ike to Trump
Eric Stallmer, executive vice president of government affairs and public policy at Voyager Space Holdings, agreed with that assessment.
"I think people will reassess the timeline for sure," Stallmer, who served as president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation from 2014 until this autumn, told Space.com. "And, candidly, I don't think anyone thought that 2024 timeline was realistic. It was ambitious and aspirational, but I don't think realistic."
That doesn't mean Artemis itself will get the axe, however. Indeed, both Logsdon and Stallmer think the program and its long-term goals — establishing a sustainable presence on and around the moon, and using such efforts to prepare for crewed missions to Mars — will remain on firm footing after Biden takes office.
The president-elect hasn't said much publicly about NASA or space exploration to date. However, Logsdon pointed to the Democratic Party's official 2020 platform , stressing that it's "very bullish on human exploration."
And the platform explicitly endorses the broad Artemis vision: "We support NASA's work to return Americans to the moon and go beyond to Mars, taking the next step in exploring our solar system."
Human space exploration also seems to enjoy wide support, both on Capitol Hill and throughout the country.
"At least among the attentive public, there's a pretty firm consensus that it's time to start exploration, and that the moon is the appropriate first destination," Logsdon said.
Related: President-elect Biden selects eight-person NASA transition team
Tweaks to the Artemis timeline, should they indeed occur, won't be the only changes the Biden administration makes in the realms of space policy, science and exploration. For example, the 2020 Democratic Party platform, which you can read here , voices a strong commitment to Earth science and the fight against climate change: "Democrats additionally support strengthening NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth-observation missions to better understand how climate change is impacting our home planet."
And these probably won't just be empty words under a Biden administration.
"I think it's entirely likely that NASA will be given a prominent role in the global climate change effort , which Biden has said will be one of his top priorities," Logsdon said.
That would represent a marked departure from the Trump administration's priorities. The president withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, for instance, and White House budget requests during his term have repeatedly sought to cancel NASA Earth science missions (though Congress has generally restored funding to the targeted projects).
These two postulated changes — delaying the 2024 moon landing and boosting NASA Earth science — may end up working in concert. Spreading Artemis funding out over additional years would free up money that could be routed to Earth science, Stallmer said.
Logsdon also predicted one more shift to come under Biden: "a friendlier approach to multilateral cooperation." The Trump administration has tended to evince less flexibility in the diplomatic realm, Logsdon said, citing the Artemis Accords as an example.
The Accords lay out a set of principles by which nations must abide if they wish to participate in the Artemis program as a partner. These principles, and the Accords themselves, "are more or less fine," Logsdon said.
But they're presented in a sort of take-it-or-leave-it way, he added, "and I know from conversations with some of the local representatives of other countries that that was not appreciated."
Still, he stressed that NASA and the U.S. space program overall appear to be in good shape, a result due in part to the efforts of the policy-shaping National Space Council (NSC). Trump resurrected the NSC early in his term; it had last been active in the early 1990s, during the administration of President George H.W. Bush.
Whether or not Biden will retain the NSC remains to be seen, as do pretty much all the details of his space-policy priorities; all we have for now is speculation. But the overall picture could start coming into clearer focus soon, once Biden announces his pick for NASA Administrator. (The current agency chief, Jim Bridenstine, has said he won't continue in the top job in the Biden administration .)
Biden has made history with his picks for other high-profile government jobs . His nominations include the first African-American for Secretary of Defense (Lloyd Austin); the first woman to head the Treasury Department (Janet Yellen); the first Native American Interior Secretary (Deb Haaland); the first Latino in charge at Homeland Security (Alejandro Mayorkas); the first female Director of National Intelligence (Avril Haines); and the first openly LGBTQ person to serve in any Cabinet post (Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation).
So maybe NASA will get the first female administrator in its 62-year history. We'll just have to wait and see.


bonginoreport--2020-12-29--“Deadliest Catch” Star Nick McGlashan Dead at Age 33

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) “ Deadliest Catch ” star @ @ @ @ @ .
He was 33 .
McGlashan ’ s family told TMZ that he passed away @ @ @ @ @ of death has yet to be determined by the medical examiner .
McGlashan , who @ @ @ @ @ fishing vessel , appeared on the crabbing reality series from 2013 to 2020 .
He @ @ @ @ @ and entered rehab during the show ’ s 13th season .
He became sober and @ @ @ @ @ those wanting to get clean .
He highlighted his sobriety on his Instagram and Facebook @ @ @ @ @ summer , fellow “ Deadliest Catch ” star Mahlon Reyes died following a heart attack @ @ @ @

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“Deadliest Catch” star Nick McGlashan died on Sunday. He was 33.
McGlashan’s family told TMZ that he passed away in Nashville. His cause of death has yet to be determined by the medical examiner.
McGlashan, who worked on the Summer Bay fishing vessel, appeared on the crabbing reality series from 2013 to 2020.
He struggled with alcohol and drugs and entered rehab during the show’s 13th season. He became sober and served as an advocate for those wanting to get clean. He highlighted his sobriety on his Instagram and Facebook page bios.
Over the summer, fellow “Deadliest Catch” star Mahlon Reyes died following a heart attack at age 38.


bonginoreport--2020-12-29--CDC Reports .01% Flu Positivity – vs. 15.8% the Past Five Years

As coronavirus cases surge nationwide , the flu has seen a remarkable dip .
Reported cases of influenza reached record lows last week , with fewer than 40 diagnoses recorded during Dec. 13-19 .
In week 51 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's `` FluView '' data monitoring system , 36 positive flu tests were documented .
This marks a steep decrease from last year 's total of 7,703 cases during the same time frame .
The positivity rate has sharply declined this calendar year as only 0.10 % of tests taken this year came back positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive .
The data comes in defiance of the `` twindemic '' concerns perpetuated by medical experts , or the idea that the raging coronavirus pandemic and the seasonal increase in reported flu cases would converge with catastrophic results .
Dr. Brian Garibaldi , the medical director of Johns Hopkins University ’ s Biocontainment Unit , told the Washington Examiner that “ we have to be concerned about the possibility of having a surge in flu at the same time as we 're seeing a surge in COVID.
” “ In any given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu , ” Garibaldi said .
“ There ’ s always a concern that our emergency departments will be overwhelmed and ICU capacity will be strained [ due to the concurrence of flu and COVID-19 outbreaks ] , particularly with people who have coexisting conditions that then get influenza.
” Some elected officials acknowledged the possibility of a so-called `` twindemic '' and laid out their proposals to combat a shortage of resources .
In September , Gov .
Doug Ducey of Arizona expressed concerns about dwindling supplies , vowing he was taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 and flu season presents a perfect storm , and we aren ’ t taking any chances , ” Ducey said .
“ We are approaching this fall with a proactive mindset and plan of action to limit the impact of the flu and preserve hospital resources . ''
Other governors are taking disease containment plans a step further , shutting their states down for the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic began .
States such as California and New York began their second rounds of heightened restrictions earlier this month .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than 19 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with the coronavirus to date , with more than 333,000 reported deaths attributed to the virus .

As coronavirus cases surge nationwide, the flu has seen a remarkable dip. Reported cases of influenza reached record lows last week, with fewer than 40 diagnoses recorded during Dec. 13-19.
In week 51 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "FluView" data monitoring system, 36 positive flu tests were documented. This marks a steep decrease from last year's total of 7,703 cases during the same time frame. The positivity rate has sharply declined this calendar year as only 0.10% of tests taken this year came back positive. The five-year average is 15.80% positive.
The data comes in defiance of the "twindemic" concerns perpetuated by medical experts, or the idea that the raging coronavirus pandemic and the seasonal increase in reported flu cases would converge with catastrophic results. Dr. Brian Garibaldi, the medical director of Johns Hopkins University’s Biocontainment Unit, told the Washington Examiner that “we have to be concerned about the possibility of having a surge in flu at the same time as we're seeing a surge in COVID.”
“In any given winter, hospitals are taxed by the flu,” Garibaldi said. “There’s always a concern that our emergency departments will be overwhelmed and ICU capacity will be strained [due to the concurrence of flu and COVID-19 outbreaks], particularly with people who have coexisting conditions that then get influenza.”
Some elected officials acknowledged the possibility of a so-called "twindemic" and laid out their proposals to combat a shortage of resources. In September, Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona expressed concerns about dwindling supplies, vowing he was taking preventive action.
“The overlap of COVID-19 and flu season presents a perfect storm, and we aren’t taking any chances,” Ducey said. “We are approaching this fall with a proactive mindset and plan of action to limit the impact of the flu and preserve hospital resources."
Other governors are taking disease containment plans a step further, shutting their states down for the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. States such as California and New York began their second rounds of heightened restrictions earlier this month.
According to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker, more than 19 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with the coronavirus to date, with more than 333,000 reported deaths attributed to the virus.


bonginoreport--2020-12-29--The Pittsburgh Penguins, Valued at $650 Million, Received Nearly $5 Million in PPP Loans

The Pittsburgh Penguins are worth a lot of money .
So , given that , it may surprise you to learn that the team received $ 4.82 million in Payment Protection Program loans .
Well .
prepare to be surprised .
Of all the teams comprising the NHL , NFL , NBA , and MLB , only the Pittsburgh Penguins received a PPP loan , the New York Post reports .
The Penguins explained their request for financial relief from the program in response to a request for comment from the Post .
“ With our arena being ordered closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we requested that our landlord , the Sports & Exhibition Authority ( SEA ) , consider a temporary deferral of our annual rent payment due in September .
This request was denied , ” the Penguins explained .
“ Accordingly , we borrowed $ 4.8M under the CARES Act program in mid-August and applied the funds to our $ 6.1M September rent payment to the SEA , which was used by the public agency to make its required bond payment .
“ The SEA indicated it is facing similar financial difficulties due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center , and we are pleased these funds were used to support an important public agency during these challenging times.
” The Penguins did furlough 40 employees over the summer but brought them back on September 1 to begin preparations for the upcoming season , the team wrote .
On Christmas Eve , it was reported that Penguins Co-Owner Ron Burkle purchased Michael Jackson ’ s Neverland Ranch for $ 22 million .
Currently , coronavirus restrictions in Pennsylvania prevent fan attendance .
The league is scheduled to begin its 2021 season on @ @ @

The Pittsburgh Penguins are worth a lot of money. So, given that, it may surprise you to learn that the team received $4.82 million in Payment Protection Program loans.
Well. prepare to be surprised.
Of all the teams comprising the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB, only the Pittsburgh Penguins received a PPP loan, the New York Post reports.
The Penguins explained their request for financial relief from the program in response to a request for comment from the Post.
“With our arena being ordered closed since March and without any event revenue, we requested that our landlord, the Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA), consider a temporary deferral of our annual rent payment due in September. This request was denied,” the Penguins explained.
“Accordingly, we borrowed $4.8M under the CARES Act program in mid-August and applied the funds to our $6.1M September rent payment to the SEA, which was used by the public agency to make its required bond payment.
“The SEA indicated it is facing similar financial difficulties due to the closure of the SEA-owned Convention Center, and we are pleased these funds were used to support an important public agency during these challenging times.”
The Penguins did furlough 40 employees over the summer but brought them back on September 1 to begin preparations for the upcoming season, the team wrote.
On Christmas Eve, it was reported that Penguins Co-Owner Ron Burkle purchased Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch for $22 million.
Currently, coronavirus restrictions in Pennsylvania prevent fan attendance. The league is scheduled to begin its 2021 season on January 14.


bonginoreport--2020-12-29--Russia Admits to Three Times as Many Coronavirus Deaths as Previously Reported

Russia said on Monday that its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported , making it the country with the third-largest number of fatalities .
For months , the Russian president , Vladimir Putin , has boasted about Russia ’ s low fatality rate from the virus , saying earlier this month that it had done a better job at managing the pandemic than western countries .
But since early in the pandemic , some Russian experts have said the government was playing down the country ’ s outbreak .
On Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Rosstat statistics agency said that the number of deaths from all causes recorded between January and November had risen by 229,700 compared with the previous year .
“ More than 81 % of this increase in mortality over this period is due to Covid , ” said the deputy prime minister , Tatiana Golikova , meaning that more than 186,000 Russians have died from Covid-19 .
Russian health officials have registered more than 3m infections since the start of the pandemic , putting the country ’ s caseload at fourth-highest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 55,265 deaths – a much lower fatality rate than in other badly hit countries .
Russia has been criticised for only listing Covid deaths where an autopsy confirms the virus was the main cause .
Alexei Raksha , a demographer who left Rosstat in July , told AFP last week that the Russian health ministry and the consumer health ministry falsify coronavirus numbers .
Rosstat ’ s new figures mean that Russia now has the world ’ s third-highest Covid-19 death toll behind the US with 333,140 and Brazil with 191,139 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are holding out against reimposing a nationwide lockdown .
The Kremlin hopes to buttress the struggling economy even as the country is battered by a second wave of infections .
Russia ’ s government predicts the economy will shrink by 3.9 % this year , while its central bank expects an even deeper decline .
During his end-of-year press conference earlier this month , Putin rejected the idea of imposing the kind of lockdown many European countries introduced going into the Christmas holidays .
“ If we follow the rules and demands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need any lockdowns , ” he said .
While strict measures have been imposed in some big cities , authorities in many regions have limited restrictions to mask-wearing in public spaces and reducing mass gatherings .
But many Russians flout social distancing rules , and in recent weeks the country ’ s outbreak has overwhelmed poorly funded hospitals in the regions .
Russia has instead pinned its hopes on corralling its outbreak by vaccinating people with its Sputnik V jab , named after the Soviet-era satellite .
The country launched a mass vaccination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-risk workers aged 18-60 without chronic illnesses .
Over the weekend , the over-60s got the green light to receive the shot .
On Monday , Sputnik V ’ s developer , the state-run Gamaleya research centre , said that around 700,000 doses had so far been released for domestic use .
However , Russia has not said how many people it has vaccinated so far , and according to recent surveys by state-run polling company VCIOM and the Levada polling agency only 38 % of Russians plan to get the shot .

Russia said on Monday that its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported, making it the country with the third-largest number of fatalities.
For months, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has boasted about Russia’s low fatality rate from the virus, saying earlier this month that it had done a better job at managing the pandemic than western countries.
But since early in the pandemic, some Russian experts have said the government was playing down the country’s outbreak.
On Monday, Russian officials admitted that was true. The Rosstat statistics agency said that the number of deaths from all causes recorded between January and November had risen by 229,700 compared with the previous year.
“More than 81% of this increase in mortality over this period is due to Covid,” said the deputy prime minister, Tatiana Golikova, meaning that more than 186,000 Russians have died from Covid-19.
Russian health officials have registered more than 3m infections since the start of the pandemic, putting the country’s caseload at fourth-highest in the world.
But they have only reported 55,265 deaths – a much lower fatality rate than in other badly hit countries.
Russia has been criticised for only listing Covid deaths where an autopsy confirms the virus was the main cause.
Alexei Raksha, a demographer who left Rosstat in July, told AFP last week that the Russian health ministry and the consumer health ministry falsify coronavirus numbers.
Rosstat’s new figures mean that Russia now has the world’s third-highest Covid-19 death toll behind the US with 333,140 and Brazil with 191,139, according to an AFP count.
Russian authorities are holding out against reimposing a nationwide lockdown. The Kremlin hopes to buttress the struggling economy even as the country is battered by a second wave of infections.
Russia’s government predicts the economy will shrink by 3.9% this year, while its central bank expects an even deeper decline.
During his end-of-year press conference earlier this month, Putin rejected the idea of imposing the kind of lockdown many European countries introduced going into the Christmas holidays.
“If we follow the rules and demands of health regulators, then we do not need any lockdowns,” he said.
While strict measures have been imposed in some big cities, authorities in many regions have limited restrictions to mask-wearing in public spaces and reducing mass gatherings.
But many Russians flout social distancing rules, and in recent weeks the country’s outbreak has overwhelmed poorly funded hospitals in the regions.
Russia has instead pinned its hopes on corralling its outbreak by vaccinating people with its Sputnik V jab, named after the Soviet-era satellite.
The country launched a mass vaccination programme earlier this month, first inoculating high-risk workers aged 18-60 without chronic illnesses.
Over the weekend, the over-60s got the green light to receive the shot.
On Monday, Sputnik V’s developer, the state-run Gamaleya research centre, said that around 700,000 doses had so far been released for domestic use.
However, Russia has not said how many people it has vaccinated so far, and according to recent surveys by state-run polling company VCIOM and the Levada polling agency only 38% of Russians plan to get the shot.


bonginoreport--2020-12-30--Munchin Says $600 Stimulus Checks Will Start Going Out Tonight

The latest round of coronavirus stimulus payments will start going out tonight , Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Tuesday .
The $ 600 payments that are part of the $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief package will arrive via direct deposit in some people ’ s accounts as soon as tonight , Mnuchin said in a tweet , and will continue into next week .
Paper checks will be mailed out starting Wednesday , he said .
Also see : When will I get my $ 600 stimulus check ?
Individuals can check the status of their stimulus payment at IRS.gov/GetMyPayment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but should be working soon , the Treasury Department said .
Recipients should be aware that Friday is a federal holiday , and banks will be closed , and that the entire payment dispersal process is expected to take about two months to complete .
Last week , Mnuchin told CNBC that the payments would be getting out quickly : “ People go out and spend this money , and that helps small business and that helps getting more people back to work.
” After a four-day delay , President Donald Trump signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits and includes funds for small businesses , Sunday night The possibility of raising the payment amount to $ 2,000 is in limbo at the moment .
Trump supports the larger payment , and the House on Monday overwhelmingly approved such a bill , but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday rejected two Democratic motions to vote on the bill , suggesting any vote would be dependent on adding language to the bill repealing liability protections for online speech and an investigation into potential voter fraud .
While the higher payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it is too expensive .

The latest round of coronavirus stimulus payments will start going out tonight, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Tuesday.
The $600 payments that are part of the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package will arrive via direct deposit in some people’s accounts as soon as tonight, Mnuchin said in a tweet, and will continue into next week.
Paper checks will be mailed out starting Wednesday, he said.
Also see: When will I get my $600 stimulus check?
Individuals can check the status of their stimulus payment at IRS.gov/GetMyPayment. The site is currently offline, but should be working soon, the Treasury Department said.
Recipients should be aware that Friday is a federal holiday, and banks will be closed, and that the entire payment dispersal process is expected to take about two months to complete.
Last week, Mnuchin told CNBC that the payments would be getting out quickly: “People go out and spend this money, and that helps small business and that helps getting more people back to work.”
After a four-day delay, President Donald Trump signed the relief bill, which also extends unemployment benefits and includes funds for small businesses, Sunday night
The possibility of raising the payment amount to $2,000 is in limbo at the moment. Trump supports the larger payment, and the House on Monday overwhelmingly approved such a bill, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday rejected two Democratic motions to vote on the bill, suggesting any vote would be dependent on adding language to the bill repealing liability protections for online speech and an investigation into potential voter fraud.
While the higher payments have broad support, some Senate Republicans say it is too expensive.