bonginoreport--2020-08-21--Kim Jong Un Acknowledges That His Country’s Economy Isn’t Doing Great

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SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) — With unusual candor , North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledged his plans to improve the country ’ s dismal economy are n't succeeding as his ruling party scheduled a rare congress in January to set development goals for the next five years .
The Workers ’ Party said North Korea ’ s economy has “ not improved in the face of the sustaining severe internal and external situations '' — a reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the coronavirus pandemic and devastating floods — and that development goals have been “ seriously delayed and the people ’ s living standard ( has ) not been improved remarkably.
” Kim announced his first five-year development plan with goals of improving North Korea ’ s power supply and agricultural and manufacturing production during the last Workers ’ Party congress in 2016 , its first in 36 years .
But at Wednesday 's meeting of the party ’ s decision-making Central Committee , Kim acknowledged economic “ shortcomings '' caused by “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the situation in the region surrounding the Korean Peninsula , ” the North 's official Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday .
Experts say the coronavirus derailed some of Kim ’ s major economic goals after North Korea imposed a lockdown that significantly reduced trade with China — its major ally and economic lifeline — and likely hampered its ability to mobilize its workforce .
In a closed-door briefing to South Korean lawmakers on Thursday , Seoul ’ s spy agency said the stress of managing state affairs had caused Kim to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a select group of senior officials , including his sister Kim Yo Jong , who is now chiefly involved in shaping policies toward Washington and Seoul .
Lawmaker Ha Tae-keung said officials from the National Intelligence Service , which has a mixed track record in reading developments in North Korea 's secretive ruling elite , insisted that Kim Jong Un ’ s rule over his country remains absolute .
There are no signs that Kim is experiencing health problems or is grooming his sister as his successor , Ha paraphrased NIS officials as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who attended the briefing , said the NIS believes North Korea ’ s foreign currency reserves are being depleting rapidly because of prolonged border controls imposed under its anti-virus campaign which have led to cutbacks in construction and other activities .
The NIS did not confirm the lawmakers ’ comments .
Last week , Kim Jong Un sacked his premier after an evaluation of the Cabinet ’ s performance in economic policies .
He also said the country was facing a dual challenge of fending off COVID-19 and repairing damage from torrential rain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , destroying thousands of homes and nearly 100,000 acres of crops .
Kim insisted North Korea will keep its borders shut and reject any outside help .
“ North Korea had originally planned to lavishly celebrate its economic achievements ( from Kim ’ s first five-year plan ) at the Oct. 10 celebration of the 75th anniversary of the party ’ s founding ... but couldn ’ t foresee the huge setbacks ” caused by COVID-19 and floods , said Cheong Seong-Chang , a senior analyst at South Korea ’ s Sejong Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for January likely reflects hope that the pandemic will ease by then , North Korea may struggle to fully revive cross-border trade , especially if its poor healthcare system continues to raise concern , Cheong said .

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — With unusual candor, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledged his plans to improve the country’s dismal economy aren't succeeding as his ruling party scheduled a rare congress in January to set development goals for the next five years.
The Workers’ Party said North Korea’s economy has “not improved in the face of the sustaining severe internal and external situations" — a reference to a triple blow of U.S.-led sanctions, the coronavirus pandemic and devastating floods — and that development goals have been “seriously delayed and the people’s living standard (has) not been improved remarkably.”
Kim announced his first five-year development plan with goals of improving North Korea’s power supply and agricultural and manufacturing production during the last Workers’ Party congress in 2016, its first in 36 years.
But at Wednesday's meeting of the party’s decision-making Central Committee, Kim acknowledged economic “shortcomings" caused by “unexpected and inevitable challenges in various aspects and the situation in the region surrounding the Korean Peninsula,” the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday.
Experts say the coronavirus derailed some of Kim’s major economic goals after North Korea imposed a lockdown that significantly reduced trade with China — its major ally and economic lifeline — and likely hampered its ability to mobilize its workforce.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the 6th National Conference of War Veterans in Pyongyang in August by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). STR / AFP - Getty Images
In a closed-door briefing to South Korean lawmakers on Thursday, Seoul’s spy agency said the stress of managing state affairs had caused Kim to recently delegate some of his powers to a select group of senior officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, who is now chiefly involved in shaping policies toward Washington and Seoul.
Lawmaker Ha Tae-keung said officials from the National Intelligence Service, which has a mixed track record in reading developments in North Korea's secretive ruling elite, insisted that Kim Jong Un’s rule over his country remains absolute. There are no signs that Kim is experiencing health problems or is grooming his sister as his successor, Ha paraphrased NIS officials as saying.
Kim Byung-kee, another lawmaker who attended the briefing, said the NIS believes North Korea’s foreign currency reserves are being depleting rapidly because of prolonged border controls imposed under its anti-virus campaign which have led to cutbacks in construction and other activities.
The NIS did not confirm the lawmakers’ comments.
Last week, Kim Jong Un sacked his premier after an evaluation of the Cabinet’s performance in economic policies. He also said the country was facing a dual challenge of fending off COVID-19 and repairing damage from torrential rain that lashed the country in recent weeks, destroying thousands of homes and nearly 100,000 acres of crops. Kim insisted North Korea will keep its borders shut and reject any outside help.
“North Korea had originally planned to lavishly celebrate its economic achievements (from Kim’s first five-year plan) at the Oct. 10 celebration of the 75th anniversary of the party’s founding ... but couldn’t foresee the huge setbacks” caused by COVID-19 and floods, said Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior analyst at South Korea’s Sejong Institute.
While scheduling the new party congress for January likely reflects hope that the pandemic will ease by then, North Korea may struggle to fully revive cross-border trade, especially if its poor healthcare system continues to raise concern, Cheong said.


bonginoreport--2020-08-21--EU and Britain Make Little Progress on Post-Brexit Deal

BRUSSELS/LONDON ( Reuters ) - Britain and the European Union made scant progress towards a deal on future ties in talks this week , and their chief negotiators blamed each other for the stalemate as time ticks down to an end-of-year deadline .
“ Those who were hoping for negotiations to move swiftly forward this week will have been disappointed , ” the EU ’ s chief negotiator , Michel Barnier , told a news conference after two full days of talks in Brussels .
His British counterpart David Frost said a deal on post-Brexit relations was “ still possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal but would not be easy to achieve .
“ There are ... significant areas which remain to be resolved and even where there is a broad understanding between negotiators , there is a lot of detail to work through , ” Frost said in a statement .
“ Time is short for both sides.
” British officials said London was willing to talk about any issue and that the EU ’ s insistence Britain must accept its position on state aid and fisheries meant Brussels was responsible for slowing the talks down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first country ever to leave the EU , which it had joined in 1973 .
Their relationship is now governed by a transition arrangement that keeps previous rules in place while they negotiate a new partnership , to be effective from 2021 , on everything from trade and transport to energy and security .
The EU says Britain can only go on trading freely with its lucrative single market of 450 million people if London accepts “ level playing field ” rules to guarantee fair competition .
Without an agreement , trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fifth-largest economy and biggest trading bloc would break down , potentially deepening the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Disagreements over state aid rules and fishing quotas have so far thwarted a deal , which the EU says must be in the making in time to be approved at an Oct. 15-16 summit of the bloc ’ s 27 national leaders to enable ratification this year .
Beyond the biggest stumbling blocks , differences also linger in discussions on migration , security , dispute-settling mechanisms , human rights guarantees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wreaking economic havoc and both sides of the Channel wanting to avoid an even deeper recession , EU sources had been relatively upbeat in recent weeks that an agreement could be reached on time .
Barnier sounded downbeat on Friday , however , saying he was “ disappointed and concerned ” because British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had told the EU he wanted to speed up the negotiating process over the summer .
“ This week , once again , as in the July round , the British negotiators have not shown any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fundamental importance for the European Union , ” Barnier said .
“ And this despite the flexibility which we have shown over recent months.
” Barnier said no progress at all was made this week on the vexed question of fishing rights in UK waters , and overall negotiations often appeared to be going backwards rather than forwards and so , at this stage , an agreement looked unlikely .
“ On the European side , we are very concerned about the state of play in our negotiations .
The clock is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did note , however , some progress on energy and anti-money laundering cooperation from 2021 .
An EU diplomat said few had expected significant progress this month , and there are better prospects for headway to be made in the next round of negotiations , which will be held in London during the second week of September .

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union made scant progress towards a deal on future ties in talks this week, and their chief negotiators blamed each other for the stalemate as time ticks down to an end-of-year deadline.
EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier holds a news conference after a meeting with Britain's chief negotiator David Frost in Brussels, Belgium August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Pool
“Those who were hoping for negotiations to move swiftly forward this week will have been disappointed,” the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, told a news conference after two full days of talks in Brussels.
His British counterpart David Frost said a deal on post-Brexit relations was “still possible” and was still London’s goal but would not be easy to achieve.
“There are ... significant areas which remain to be resolved and even where there is a broad understanding between negotiators, there is a lot of detail to work through,” Frost said in a statement. “Time is short for both sides.”
British officials said London was willing to talk about any issue and that the EU’s insistence Britain must accept its position on state aid and fisheries meant Brussels was responsible for slowing the talks down.
On Jan. 31, Britain became the first country ever to leave the EU, which it had joined in 1973.
Their relationship is now governed by a transition arrangement that keeps previous rules in place while they negotiate a new partnership, to be effective from 2021, on everything from trade and transport to energy and security.
The EU says Britain can only go on trading freely with its lucrative single market of 450 million people if London accepts “level playing field” rules to guarantee fair competition.
“THE CLOCK IS TICKING”
Without an agreement, trade and financial ties between the world’s fifth-largest economy and biggest trading bloc would break down, potentially deepening the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disagreements over state aid rules and fishing quotas have so far thwarted a deal, which the EU says must be in the making in time to be approved at an Oct. 15-16 summit of the bloc’s 27 national leaders to enable ratification this year.
Beyond the biggest stumbling blocks, differences also linger in discussions on migration, security, dispute-settling mechanisms, human rights guarantees and other areas.
With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking economic havoc and both sides of the Channel wanting to avoid an even deeper recession, EU sources had been relatively upbeat in recent weeks that an agreement could be reached on time.
Slideshow ( 4 images )
Barnier sounded downbeat on Friday, however, saying he was “disappointed and concerned” because British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had told the EU he wanted to speed up the negotiating process over the summer.
“This week, once again, as in the July round, the British negotiators have not shown any real willingness to move forward on issues of fundamental importance for the European Union,” Barnier said. “And this despite the flexibility which we have shown over recent months.”
Barnier said no progress at all was made this week on the vexed question of fishing rights in UK waters, and overall negotiations often appeared to be going backwards rather than forwards and so, at this stage, an agreement looked unlikely.
“On the European side, we are very concerned about the state of play in our negotiations. The clock is ticking,” he said.
He did note, however, some progress on energy and anti-money laundering cooperation from 2021.
An EU diplomat said few had expected significant progress this month, and there are better prospects for headway to be made in the next round of negotiations, which will be held in London during the second week of September.


bonginoreport--2020-08-21--Pompeo: U.S. Will Aim to Block Any Violations of Iran Sanctions by Russia and China

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - The United States was further isolated on Friday over its bid to reimpose international sanctions on Iran with 13 countries on the 15-member U.N. Security Council expressing their opposition , arguing that Washington ’ s move is void given it is using a process agreed under a nuclear deal that it quit two years ago .
In the 24 hours since U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he triggered a 30-day countdown to a return of U.N. sanctions on Iran , including an arms embargo , long-time allies Britain , France , Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , Vietnam , Niger , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , South Africa , Indonesia , Estonia and Tunisia have already written letters in opposition , seen by Reuters .
The United States has accused Iran of breaching a 2015 deal with world powers that aimed to stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief .
But President Donald Trump described it as the “ worst deal ever ” and quit in 2018 .
Diplomats said Russia , China and many other countries are unlikely to reimpose the sanctions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China against that on Friday , threatening U.S. action if they refuse to reimpose the U.N. measures on Iran .
The United States acted on Thursday after the Security Council resoundingly rejected its bid last week to extend an arms embargo on Iran beyond its expiration in October .
Only the Dominican Republic joined Washington in voting yes .
Dominican Republic has not yet written to the council to state its position on the sanctions snapback push .
Under the process Washington says it has triggered , it appears all U.N. sanctions should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m New York time ) on Sept. 19 - just days before Trump is due to address world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly , the annual meeting that will be largely virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic .
A 2015 Security Council resolution enshrining the nuclear deal states that if no council member has put forward a draft resolution to extend sanctions relief on Iran within 10 days of a non-compliance complaint , then the body ’ s president shall do so within the remaining 20 days .
The United States would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it a cleaner argument that sanctions on Iran have to be reimposed .
However , the 2015 resolution also says the council would “ take into account the views of the states involved.
” Given the strong opposition , some diplomats say the council president - Indonesia for August and Niger for September - would not have to put up a draft text .
“ Faced with this very strong view of a majority of Security Council members that the snapback process has not been triggered , as the presidency they are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said a U.N. Security Council diplomat , speaking on condition of anonymity .
Pompeo and outgoing U.S. Iran envoy Brian Hook signaled that Washington expects Indonesia or Niger to put a text to a vote .
Another U.S. option is to put forward the draft itself or ask the Dominican Republic to do so .
The United States argues that it can trigger the sanctions snapback process because the 2015 Security Council resolution still names it as a nuclear deal participant .
However , in a joint letter to the Security Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it complaint , Britain , Germany and France said : “ Any decisions and actions which would be taken based on this procedure or on its possible outcome would also be devoid of any legal effect.
” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres distanced himself from the showdown in the Security Council .
“ Security Council members will need to interpret their own resolution , ” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters .
“ It ’ s not the Secretary-General .
”

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States was further isolated on Friday over its bid to reimpose international sanctions on Iran with 13 countries on the 15-member U.N. Security Council expressing their opposition, arguing that Washington’s move is void given it is using a process agreed under a nuclear deal that it quit two years ago.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to reporters following a meeting with members of the U.N. Security Council about Iran's alleged non-compliance with a nuclear deal and calling for the restoration of sanctions against Iran at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., August 20, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Segar/Pool
In the 24 hours since U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he triggered a 30-day countdown to a return of U.N. sanctions on Iran, including an arms embargo, long-time allies Britain, France, Germany and Belgium as well as China, Russia, Vietnam, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Indonesia, Estonia and Tunisia have already written letters in opposition, seen by Reuters.
The United States has accused Iran of breaching a 2015 deal with world powers that aimed to stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief. But President Donald Trump described it as the “worst deal ever” and quit in 2018.
Diplomats said Russia, China and many other countries are unlikely to reimpose the sanctions on Iran. Pompeo again warned Russia and China against that on Friday, threatening U.S. action if they refuse to reimpose the U.N. measures on Iran.
The United States acted on Thursday after the Security Council resoundingly rejected its bid last week to extend an arms embargo on Iran beyond its expiration in October. Only the Dominican Republic joined Washington in voting yes.
Dominican Republic has not yet written to the council to state its position on the sanctions snapback push.
Under the process Washington says it has triggered, it appears all U.N. sanctions should be reimposed at midnight GMT (8 p.m New York time) on Sept. 19 - just days before Trump is due to address world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, the annual meeting that will be largely virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic.
WHAT NOW?
A 2015 Security Council resolution enshrining the nuclear deal states that if no council member has put forward a draft resolution to extend sanctions relief on Iran within 10 days of a non-compliance complaint, then the body’s president shall do so within the remaining 20 days.
The United States would be able to veto this, giving it a cleaner argument that sanctions on Iran have to be reimposed.
However, the 2015 resolution also says the council would “take into account the views of the states involved.” Given the strong opposition, some diplomats say the council president - Indonesia for August and Niger for September - would not have to put up a draft text.
“Faced with this very strong view of a majority of Security Council members that the snapback process has not been triggered, as the presidency they are not bound to introduce the draft resolution,” said a U.N. Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Pompeo and outgoing U.S. Iran envoy Brian Hook signaled that Washington expects Indonesia or Niger to put a text to a vote. Another U.S. option is to put forward the draft itself or ask the Dominican Republic to do so.
The United States argues that it can trigger the sanctions snapback process because the 2015 Security Council resolution still names it as a nuclear deal participant.
However, in a joint letter to the Security Council on Thursday hours after the U.S. submitted it complaint, Britain, Germany and France said: “Any decisions and actions which would be taken based on this procedure or on its possible outcome would also be devoid of any legal effect.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres distanced himself from the showdown in the Security Council.
“Security Council members will need to interpret their own resolution,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. “It’s not the Secretary-General.”


bonginoreport--2020-08-21--Gov. Cuomo Cashes in on His Own Incompetence

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the state of New York especially hard .
Almost 33,000 New Yorkers have died from the virus , more total deaths than any other state in the country .
And New York ranks as the second-worst state for deaths when adjusted for population .
The Empire State alone accounts for one in five coronavirus deaths in the US despite having only around six percent of the nation ’ s population .
Why did New York fare so poorly ?
Well , the coronavirus is far more lethal for older people .
How well a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with how well they protected elderly , vulnerable populations .
In New York , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo mandated that nursing homes accept patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 even if it means exposing their residents to the virus .
Yes , you read that right .
It shouldn ’ t come as a shock , then , that at least 6,600 of the state ’ s deaths happened in nursing homes .
And this is almost certainly an undercount , as the Associated Press says it could be more like 11,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which New York defined its deaths .
( The AP described New York ’ s death toll as “ cloaked in secrecy ” and even Democratic state legislators have accused the state of trying to cover up the number of nursing home deaths ) .
Of course this is what would happen if you force institutions housing the elderly to accept carriers of a virus that is highly lethal for older people .
Other states such as Florida did the opposite .
By barring COVID-19 positive patients from nursing homes , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo has refused to allow an independent investigation into his handling of the nursing home debacle despite bipartisan calls for oversight .
From start to finish , Cuomo botched the COVID-19 response woefully .
National Review ’ s Kyle Smith summarized the governor ’ s mistakes “ breathtakingly bad moves ” that “ in retrospect amounted to catastrophe.
” “ Cuomo failed to call for , and even actively discouraged , informal social-distancing measures in early March , ” Smith wrote .
And don ’ t forget “ his March 25 edict to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected patients , which caused a mass deadly outbreak among helpless , trapped , elderly New Yorkers.
” Of course , at first glance , Cuomo deserves some grace .
The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in modern American history , and the governor was hardly the only policymaker who fell flat on his face in response to the novel crisis .
Yet Cuomo didn ’ t just woefully botch his handling of COVID-19 .
He actively brags about his supposed “ success ” and has even attempted to capitalize on it personally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent nursing homes into death spirals with his foolish government mandates promoted posters that celebrated New York ’ s COVID-19 response , and , of course , celebrated Cuomo himself .
So , it ’ s hard to avoid the conclusion that he is a political opportunist with few scruples reining him in .
CNN anchor Jake Tapper blasted the governor ’ s “ victory tour ” and shameful poster in a powerful on-air takedown : “ There are no illustrations of the more than 32,000 dead New Yorkers , the highest death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The level of arrogance required for a politician to engage in such a tone-deaf display is stunning .
But it gets worse .
Apparently , Cuomo had time to write an entire book while handling the COVID-19 crisis .
Even if it was ghost-written , Cuomo still must have had an eye on capitalizing on the crisis for self-promotion all along .
The governor ’ s new book is titled American Crisis : Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and is set for an Oct. 13 release .
Cuomo has so far refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book deal .
He won ’ t reveal how much money he will make , beyond promising vaguely that some of the money will go to charity .
Critics , understandably , blasted the governor ’ s book deal as selfish and obtuse .
“ [ Governor Cuomo ] should be writing condolence cards to families who ’ s loved ones died thanks to his deadly nursing home mandate instead of writing a book about his so called leadership , ” Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean , who lost her in-laws to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a tweet .
“ People are mourning the loss of loved ones , yet [ Cuomo is ] putting out a book declaring himself a bold , great leader , ” New York GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said in response to the book ’ s roll-out .
Faced with such blatant mismanagement and callous arrogance amid a national crisis , it would be fair for observers to conclude that Andrew Cuomo is among the worst politicians in America .
Yet we must also note that this isn ’ t a coincidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw the short straw and happen to get stuck with a bad governor .
It ’ s also no coincidence that one of the country ’ s worst politicians is “ failing upward ” in his career , from his skyrocketing public profile to his ( likely lucrative ) book deal .
New York has one of the largest governments of any states in the country .
From sky-high taxes to soda bans , it has overwhelmingly voted for statist policies .
And , as economist Friedrich A. Hayek famously noted in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Why the Worst Get on Top , ” positions of power in big-government systems inevitably attract a society ’ s worst and most immoral individuals .
“ [ Hayek ] argued with great insightfulness that ‘ the unscrupulous and uninhibited are likely to be more successful ’ in any society in which government is seen as the answer to most problems , ” FEE President Emeritus Lawrence W. Reed explained .
“ They are precisely the kind of people who elevate power over persuasion , force over cooperation .
Government , possessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the use of force , attracts them just as surely as dung draws flies.
” Hayek himself wrote , “ The probability of the people in power being individuals who would dislike the possession and exercise of power is on a level with the probability that an extremely tenderhearted person would get the job of whipping-master in a slave plantation.
” Cuomo ’ s rise and New York ’ s COVID-19 saga prove Hayek right and leaves us with a clear lesson : So long as we entrust massive amounts of power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to unintentionally place our fate in the hands of the worst among us .
However , by leaving more of our problems to be solved by the private sector and civil society , we can ensure that true innovators and moral leaders are the ones leading us forward .

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the state of New York especially hard. Almost 33,000 New Yorkers have died from the virus, more total deaths than any other state in the country. And New York ranks as the second-worst state for deaths when adjusted for population. The Empire State alone accounts for one in five coronavirus deaths in the US despite having only around six percent of the nation’s population.
Why did New York fare so poorly?
Well, the coronavirus is far more lethal for older people. How well a state has mitigated the death count closely corresponds with how well they protected elderly, vulnerable populations. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated that nursing homes accept patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 even if it means exposing their residents to the virus.
Yes, you read that right.
It shouldn’t come as a shock, then, that at least 6,600 of the state’s deaths happened in nursing homes. And this is almost certainly an undercount, as the Associated Press says it could be more like 11,000 when you adjust for the odd way in which New York defined its deaths. (The AP described New York’s death toll as “cloaked in secrecy” and even Democratic state legislators have accused the state of trying to cover up the number of nursing home deaths).
Of course this is what would happen if you force institutions housing the elderly to accept carriers of a virus that is highly lethal for older people. Other states such as Florida did the opposite. By barring COVID-19 positive patients from nursing homes, they escaped thousands of deaths.
Worse, Cuomo has refused to allow an independent investigation into his handling of the nursing home debacle despite bipartisan calls for oversight.
From start to finish, Cuomo botched the COVID-19 response woefully. National Review’s Kyle Smith summarized the governor’s mistakes “breathtakingly bad moves” that “in retrospect amounted to catastrophe.”
“Cuomo failed to call for, and even actively discouraged, informal social-distancing measures in early March,” Smith wrote. And don’t forget “his March 25 edict to long-term care facilities that they must accept infected patients, which caused a mass deadly outbreak among helpless, trapped, elderly New Yorkers.”
Of course, at first glance, Cuomo deserves some grace. The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in modern American history, and the governor was hardly the only policymaker who fell flat on his face in response to the novel crisis. Yet Cuomo didn’t just woefully botch his handling of COVID-19. He actively brags about his supposed “success” and has even attempted to capitalize on it personally.
After all, the same governor who sent nursing homes into death spirals with his foolish government mandates promoted posters that celebrated New York’s COVID-19 response, and, of course, celebrated Cuomo himself. So, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that he is a political opportunist with few scruples reining him in.
IMAGE: @NYGovCuomo releases a "New York Tough" political poster that reminds me of what you'd see in the New Deal chapter of a history textbook or, appropriately, on the New York State U.S. History Regents. pic.twitter.com/lN8EmKL3wo — Andrew Donovan (@AndrewDonovan) July 13, 2020
CNN anchor Jake Tapper blasted the governor’s “victory tour” and shameful poster in a powerful on-air takedown: “There are no illustrations of the more than 32,000 dead New Yorkers, the highest death toll by far of any state.”
NY Gov Cuomo seems to go on victory lap despite highest death toll in U.S. @drsanjaygupta reports pic.twitter.com/SQodVimCWk — The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) July 14, 2020
The level of arrogance required for a politician to engage in such a tone-deaf display is stunning.
But it gets worse.
Apparently, Cuomo had time to write an entire book while handling the COVID-19 crisis. Even if it was ghost-written, Cuomo still must have had an eye on capitalizing on the crisis for self-promotion all along.
The governor’s new book is titled American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and is set for an Oct. 13 release. Cuomo has so far refused to disclose the financial details of his book deal. He won’t reveal how much money he will make, beyond promising vaguely that some of the money will go to charity.
We went through hell, but we have learned so much.
New York went from one of the highest #COVID19 rates to one of the lowest. https://t.co/poeUH1g6Ze — Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) August 18, 2020
Critics, understandably, blasted the governor’s book deal as selfish and obtuse.
“[Governor Cuomo] should be writing condolence cards to families who’s loved ones died thanks to his deadly nursing home mandate instead of writing a book about his so called leadership,” Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean, who lost her in-laws to COVID-19 in a New York nursing home, wrote in a tweet.
“People are mourning the loss of loved ones, yet [Cuomo is] putting out a book declaring himself a bold, great leader,” New York GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said in response to the book’s roll-out.
.@NYGovCuomo should be writing condolence cards to families who’s loved ones died thanks to his deadly nursing home mandate instead of writing a book about his so called leadership. — Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) August 20, 2020
Faced with such blatant mismanagement and callous arrogance amid a national crisis, it would be fair for observers to conclude that Andrew Cuomo is among the worst politicians in America. Yet we must also note that this isn’t a coincidence. New York didn’t simply draw the short straw and happen to get stuck with a bad governor. It’s also no coincidence that one of the country’s worst politicians is “failing upward” in his career, from his skyrocketing public profile to his (likely lucrative) book deal.
New York has one of the largest governments of any states in the country. From sky-high taxes to soda bans, it has overwhelmingly voted for statist policies. And, as economist Friedrich A. Hayek famously noted in a chapter of The Road to Serfdom titled “Why the Worst Get on Top,” positions of power in big-government systems inevitably attract a society’s worst and most immoral individuals.
“[Hayek] argued with great insightfulness that ‘the unscrupulous and uninhibited are likely to be more successful’ in any society in which government is seen as the answer to most problems,” FEE President Emeritus Lawrence W. Reed explained. “They are precisely the kind of people who elevate power over persuasion, force over cooperation. Government, possessing by definition a legal and political monopoly of the use of force, attracts them just as surely as dung draws flies.”
Hayek himself wrote, “The probability of the people in power being individuals who would dislike the possession and exercise of power is on a level with the probability that an extremely tenderhearted person would get the job of whipping-master in a slave plantation.”
Cuomo’s rise and New York’s COVID-19 saga prove Hayek right and leaves us with a clear lesson: So long as we entrust massive amounts of power to the government, we will continue to unintentionally place our fate in the hands of the worst among us. However, by leaving more of our problems to be solved by the private sector and civil society, we can ensure that true innovators and moral leaders are the ones leading us forward.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--Fact Check: Yes, Dems Did Omit “Under God” From Pledge of Allegiance Numerous Times

As the Democratic National Convention played out across locked-down America over the past week , conservative observers were keen to note that Democrats had omitted “ under God ” from when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance .
President Trump took offense to their actions and tweeted : “ The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention .
At first I thought they made a mistake , but it wasn ’ t .
It was done on purpose .
Remember Evangelical Christians , and ALL , this is where they are coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 !
” The Pledge , for those whose memories were too rusty ( or too seditious , let ’ s be frank , to remember ) goes like this : '' I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America , and to the republic for which it stands , one nation under God , indivisible , with liberty and justice for all . ''
It didn ’ t always read this way , with the words “ the Flag of the United States of America ” only added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the threat of Communism , President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “ under God , ” creating the 31-word version that every American ought to know by heart .
Perhaps signaling their support to Communist ideals in rejection of American values , or perhaps out of militant opposition to all-things-religious , a number of Democrats opted to remove the words when they recited the Pledge .
Following the observation that Democrats had done so , a number of so-called “ fact checkers ” ( who ought to turn in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the party of Joe Biden did not , in fact , omit the words .
Among these rebuttals to the claim , “ fact checkers ” at USA Today , Snopes , and PolitiFact claim that the Democrats did no such thing .
Snopes says that the claim is “ mostly false ” but admits that the phrase was omitted “ from at least two recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance at individual caucus meetings during the DNC in 2020.
” CNN 's resident hall monitor Oliver Darcy attempted to dunk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his claim , according to discredited fact-check site Snopes , was `` mostly false . ''
What ’ s false , they claim , is that the DNC itself did not issue any guidelines forbidding use of the phrase—not that anyone even claimed that .
The claim was always that a number of Democrats omitted the phrase , which they did .
Snopes even admits as much .
You can ’ t doublespeak your way out of this .

As the Democratic National Convention played out across locked-down America over the past week, conservative observers were keen to note that Democrats had omitted “under God” from when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
President Trump took offense to their actions and tweeted: “The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention. At first I thought they made a mistake, but it wasn’t. It was done on purpose. Remember Evangelical Christians, and ALL, this is where they are coming from-it’s done. Vote Nov 3!”
The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention. At first I thought they made a mistake, but it wasn’t. It was done on purpose. Remember Evangelical Christians, and ALL, this is where they are coming from-it’s done. Vote Nov 3! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2020
The Pledge, for those whose memories were too rusty (or too seditious, let’s be frank, to remember) goes like this:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
It didn’t always read this way, with the words “the Flag of the United States of America” only added in 1923. In 1954, in response to the threat of Communism, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “under God,” creating the 31-word version that every American ought to know by heart.
Perhaps signaling their support to Communist ideals in rejection of American values, or perhaps out of militant opposition to all-things-religious, a number of Democrats opted to remove the words when they recited the Pledge.
Following the observation that Democrats had done so, a number of so-called “fact checkers” (who ought to turn in their credentials) are falsely claiming that members of the party of Joe Biden did not, in fact, omit the words.
And another example of the DNC omitting "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.
This is Joe Biden's party. pic.twitter.com/880IClPlOb — Tim Murtaugh - Download the Trump 2020 app today! (@TimMurtaugh) August 22, 2020
Among these rebuttals to the claim, “fact checkers” at USA Today, Snopes, and PolitiFact claim that the Democrats did no such thing. Snopes says that the claim is “mostly false” but admits that the phrase was omitted “from at least two recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance at individual caucus meetings during the DNC in 2020.”
CNN's resident hall monitor Oliver Darcy attempted to dunk on President Trump by pointing out that his claim, according to discredited fact-check site Snopes, was "mostly false."
You’ll be shocked to know that this viral claim is mostly false: https://t.co/IsU7lLpaqD https://t.co/r5FkC2dwj9 — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 22, 2020
What’s false, they claim, is that the DNC itself did not issue any guidelines forbidding use of the phrase—not that anyone even claimed that.
The claim was always that a number of Democrats omitted the phrase, which they did. Snopes even admits as much.
You can’t doublespeak your way out of this.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--TikTok to Challenge Trump EO

TikTok to Challenge Trump EO

The Tencent Holdings Ltd. WeChat and ByteDance Ltd. TikTok app icons are displayed on a smartphone in an arranged photograph taken in Arlington , Virginia , on Friday , Aug. 7 , 2020 .
TikTok plans to sue the Trump administration as early as next week over the president 's executive order banning U.S. transactions with the popular video-sharing app and its Chinese parent ByteDance , the company confirmed .
Under the president 's executive order issued Aug. 6 , any transactions with ByteDance subject to U.S. jurisdiction will face prohibition in 45 days .
The full extent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Secretary of Commerce the power to identify those transactions subject to Trump 's order .
A separate order issued on Aug. 14 gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the U.S. operations of TikTok .
ByteDance is in talks with potential acquirers like Microsoft and Oracle .
The challenge to the Aug. 6 executive order does n't affect the sale discussions with Microsoft and Oracle .
`` Even though we strongly disagree with the Administration 's concerns , for nearly a year we have sought to engage in good faith to provide a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told CNBC Saturday .
`` What we encountered instead was a lack of due process as the Administration paid no attention to facts and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses . ''
`` To ensure that the rule of law prevails and that our company and users are treated fairly , we have no choice but to challenge the Executive Order through the judicial system , '' the spokesperson said .
TikTok is working to ensure its employees continue to get paid even if the app is banned in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the matter .
The app is popular among teenagers and is known for sharing videos of dances and comedy routines in 60-second bites , many of which go viral .
U.S. officials are concerned that information on TikTok users could be passed on to China 's communist government , and the Trump administration is stepping up efforts to remove Chinese apps from U.S. online networks on national security grounds .
The Chinese company Tencent , which owns the messaging app WeChat , was also hit with an executive order banning U.S. transactions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expanded to more than 100 million monthly users .
The app has about 800 million active users worldwide and has been downloaded more than 2 billion times .
Congress voted in July to ban federal employees from downloading TikTok on government-issued phones due to national security concerns .

The Tencent Holdings Ltd. WeChat and ByteDance Ltd. TikTok app icons are displayed on a smartphone in an arranged photograph taken in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020.
A separate order issued on Aug. 14 gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the U.S. operations of TikTok. ByteDance is in talks with potential acquirers like Microsoft and Oracle. The challenge to the Aug. 6 executive order doesn't affect the sale discussions with Microsoft and Oracle.
Under the president's executive order issued Aug. 6, any transactions with ByteDance subject to U.S. jurisdiction will face prohibition in 45 days. The full extent of the ban is unclear, as it gives the Secretary of Commerce the power to identify those transactions subject to Trump's order.
TikTok plans to sue the Trump administration as early as this week over the president's executive order banning U.S. transactions with the popular video-sharing app and its Chinese parent ByteDance, the company confirmed.
"Even though we strongly disagree with the Administration's concerns, for nearly a year we have sought to engage in good faith to provide a constructive solution," a TikTok spokesperson told CNBC Saturday. "What we encountered instead was a lack of due process as the Administration paid no attention to facts and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses."
"To ensure that the rule of law prevails and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the Executive Order through the judicial system," the spokesperson said.
Reuters first reported the news.
TikTok is working to ensure its employees continue to get paid even if the app is banned in the U.S., according to a person familiar with the matter. The app is popular among teenagers and is known for sharing videos of dances and comedy routines in 60-second bites, many of which go viral.
U.S. officials are concerned that information on TikTok users could be passed on to China's communist government, and the Trump administration is stepping up efforts to remove Chinese apps from U.S. online networks on national security grounds.
The Chinese company Tencent, which owns the messaging app WeChat, was also hit with an executive order banning U.S. transactions.
In the U.S., TikTok has expanded to more than 100 million monthly users. The app has about 800 million active users worldwide and has been downloaded more than 2 billion times.
Congress voted in July to ban federal employees from downloading TikTok on government-issued phones due to national security concerns.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--Biden Accused of Recycling 2008 DNC Speech for Nomination Acceptance Speech

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivered his nomination acceptance speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention on Thursday night .
Some viewers noticed striking similarities between his acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC and his acceptance speech as Barack Obama 's vice president at the 2008 DNC .
The two speeches shared especially similar platitudes , and at times , Biden used the exact same wording .
Here are some of the examples of how the two speeches are notably similar despite being delivered 12 years apart .
2008 : `` It 's about whether you can look your children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're going to be okay . '
'' 2020 : `` It 's about looking your kids in the eye and say , 'Honey , it 's going to be okay . '
'' 2008 : `` That 's how you come to believe , to the very core of your being , that work is more than a paycheck .
It 's dignity .
It 's respect . ''
2020 : `` He would say , 'Joey , a job is about a lot more than a paycheck .
It 's about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
'' 2008 : `` Barack Obama will transform our economy by making alternative energy a genuine national priority , creating 5 million new jobs and finally freeing us from the grip of foreign oil .
That 's the change we need . ''
2020 : `` With pipes that transport clean water to every community .
With 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in America . ''
2008 : `` Barack Obama will put more cops on the streets , put the 'security ' back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until we achieve equal pay for women . ''
2020 : `` I will not let it happen .
If I 'm your president , we 're going to protect Social Security and Medicare . ''
2008 : `` And this is the time as Americans , together , we get back up . ''
2020 : `` It 's an America we can rebuild together . ''
2008 : `` These are extraordinary times .
This is an extraordinary election . ''
2020 : `` All elections are important .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more consequential . ''
The comparison video of Biden 's two speeches racked up nearly 30,000 Likes and over 1.2 million views on Twitter in less than 24 hours .
Besides being accused of replicating his own DNC speech from 2008 , Biden found himself fending off allegations of plagiarism in his 2020 DNC acceptance speech .
Canadians spotted noticeable commonalities between Biden 's Thursday night speech and the farewell letter written by liberal Canadian politician Jack Layton , who was the leader of the New Democratic Party before his passing in 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his failed 1988 campaign for the White House .

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivered his nomination acceptance speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention on Thursday night. Some viewers noticed striking similarities between his acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC and his acceptance speech as Barack Obama's vice president at the 2008 DNC.
The two speeches shared especially similar platitudes, and at times, Biden used the exact same wording. Here are some of the examples of how the two speeches are notably similar despite being delivered 12 years apart.
2008: "It's about whether you can look your children in the eye and say, 'We're going to be okay.'"
2020: "It's about looking your kids in the eye and say, 'Honey, it's going to be okay.'"
2008: "That's how you come to believe, to the very core of your being, that work is more than a paycheck. It's dignity. It's respect."
2020: "He would say, 'Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about your dignity. It's about respect.'"
2008: "Barack Obama will transform our economy by making alternative energy a genuine national priority, creating 5 million new jobs and finally freeing us from the grip of foreign oil. That's the change we need."
2020: "With pipes that transport clean water to every community. With 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in America."
2008: "Barack Obama will put more cops on the streets, put the 'security' back in Social Security and never give up until we achieve equal pay for women."
2020: "I will not let it happen. If I'm your president, we're going to protect Social Security and Medicare."
2008: "And this is the time as Americans, together, we get back up."
2020: "It's an America we can rebuild together."
2008: "These are extraordinary times. This is an extraordinary election."
2020: "All elections are important. But we know in our bones this one is more consequential."
The comparison video of Biden's two speeches racked up nearly 30,000 Likes and over 1.2 million views on Twitter in less than 24 hours.
Besides being accused of replicating his own DNC speech from 2008, Biden found himself fending off allegations of plagiarism in his 2020 DNC acceptance speech.
Canadians spotted noticeable commonalities between Biden's Thursday night speech and the farewell letter written by liberal Canadian politician Jack Layton, who was the leader of the New Democratic Party before his passing in 2011.
Biden was also accused of plagiarism during his failed 1988 campaign for the White House.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--Woman Arrested for Allegedly Stealing MAGA Hat From 7-Year-Old

Police have named and arrested one of two Biden supporters who allegedly stole a `` Make America Great Again '' hat from a 7-year-old boy while punching his mother repeatedly outside the final night of the Democratic National Convention .
According to an advisory , the Wilmington Police Department identified 21-year-old Olivia Winslow as the first female suspect in connection with an `` offensive touching '' and robbery investigation involving the juvenile victim .
On Thursday , a little after 8:00 p.m. , police were dispatched to the 600 block of South Justison Street .
Winslow was taken into custody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , second degree conspiracy , and endangering the welfare of a child .
She was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released on her own recognizance , police officials reported .
The investigation is still ongoing at this time .
The victim 's family was confronted after leaving a peaceful counter-protest and waiting for a table at a nearby restaurant .
`` That 's someone else 's hat ! ''
the young child had shouted as the Democrats retorted with expletives .
He pleaded for his property back , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Your mom f***ing likes Trump.
” The Biden supporters then tossed the Trump hat over a fence into a dirt-filled construction site where the mother-and-son pair could not retrieve it .
Dan Bongino urged President Donald Trump to replace the MAGA hat .
Donald Trump Jr. responded quickly , telling him that the Trump family was already on it .
In response to the viral video that received 2.9 million views , the Students for Trump organization tweeted that the White House had called the boy yesterday .

Police have named and arrested the two Biden supporters who allegedly stole a "Make America Great Again" hat from a 7-year-old boy while punching his mother repeatedly outside the final night of the Democratic National Convention.
Wilmington Police arrest 21-year-old woman in connection with offensive touching and robbery investigation: https://t.co/G3p1OUXGqD — Wilmington Police (@WPDPIO) August 22, 2020
According to an advisory, the Wilmington Police Department identified 21-year-old Olivia Winslow as the first female suspect in connection with an "offensive touching" and robbery investigation involving the juvenile victim.
A pro-Trump mother and her 7-year-old son say they were harassed and assaulted by Biden supporters in Wilmington after attending a protest against Joe Biden.
Video of the altercation ?
pic.twitter.com/Z1So6crRrk — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 21, 2020
On Thursday, a little after 8:00 p.m., police were dispatched to the 600 block of South Justison Street.
Winslow was taken into custody yesterday and charged with second degree robbery, second degree conspiracy, and endangering the welfare of a child.
She was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released on her own recognizance, police officials reported.
Since, Wilmington Police have also identified 21-year-old Camryn Amy as the second female suspect, arrested for similar charges plus two counts of offensive touching.
Update #1 (Wilmington Police arrest second suspect in connection with offensive touching and robbery investigation): https://t.co/bW2SilUNz9 — Wilmington Police (@WPDPIO) August 22, 2020
Amy was committed to Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institute on $45,000 secured bail.
Right before the alleged assault, Winslow and Amy were captured on footage as the two women threatened and threw coffee at Students for Trump activist Katie Daviscourt.
"I'll whoop your a**, b**ch!" Winslow yelled.
When Daviscourt asked why the duo aren't pro-Trump, Amy called the president a child molester. To which, Daviscourt volleyed back: "No, but Joe Biden is."
Right before these two @JoeBiden supporters ASSAULTED 7-year-old Riley outside of the DNC National Convention, they threw coffee at me when I questioned them about President Trump.
Charges will be filed! pic.twitter.com/jQuo4NAEzx — Katie Daviscourt?? (@KatieDaviscourt) August 23, 2020
In the initial incident, the victim's family was confronted after leaving a peaceful counter-protest and waiting for a table at a nearby restaurant.
"That's someone else's hat!" the young child had shouted as the Democrats retorted with expletives. He pleaded for his property back, to which one of the women responded: “Your mom f***ing likes Trump.”
The Biden supporters then tossed the Trump hat over a fence into a dirt-filled construction site where the mother-and-son pair could not retrieve it.
Dan Bongino urged President Donald Trump to replace the MAGA hat. Donald Trump Jr. responded quickly, telling him that the Trump family was already on it.
In response to the viral video that received 2.9 million views, the Students for Trump organization tweeted that the White House had called the boy yesterday.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--The Numbers Are In: Biden’s DNC Acceptance Speech Got 21% Fewer Viewers Than Hillary in 2016 – 38% F

The Numbers Are In: Biden’s DNC Acceptance Speech Got 21% Fewer Viewers Than Hillary in 2016 – 38% Fewer Than Trump

Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the Democrat presidential nomination Thursday , but his speech drew fewer viewers than Hillary Clinton did in 2016 , according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research .
Biden ’ s speech was watched by 21.8 million people on TV , according to initial figures from Nielsen , beating out the early numbers for other major speeches at the convention earlier in the week .
The figure , which does not include online streaming of the speech , is expected to grow when additional networks are added .
[ … ] Still , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Clinton ’ s speech at the convention in 2016 when she accepted the Democratic nomination that year .
It is also more than 38 percent lower than President Trump ‘ s acceptance speech at the Republican convention four years ago , which drew 34.9 million viewers .
On Wednesday , the Democrat National Convention ( DNC ) garnered 21.7 million viewers , tumbling 12 percent from 2016 , according to Nielsen .
Tuesday ’ s program had 6.13 million viewers on ABC , CBS and NBC , with figures plummeting 48 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 convention , The Hill noted .
Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on the final night of the party ’ s convention on Thursday , saying President Donald Trump has “ cloaked America in darkness ” and urged voters to make a change .
Biden , who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in 1988 and 2008 before serving two terms as vice president under President Barack Obama , said the United States is facing four converging crises : a global pandemic , an economic crisis , “ racial injustice , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life-changing election that will determine America ’ s future for a very long time , ” he said .
“ Character is on the ballot .
Compassion is on the ballot .
Decency , science , democracy .
They ’ re all on the ballot.
” Biden took aim at Trump , saying the president has brought “ too much anger , too much fear , too much division ” to the White House and vowed to serve as “ an ally of light ” if elected .
“ While I will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an American president .
I will work as hard for those who didn ’ t support me as I will for those who did , ” Biden said .
“ That ’ s the job of a president .
To represent all of us , not just our base or our party .
This is not a partisan moment .
This must be an American moment.
” The UPI contributed to this report .

Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the Democrat presidential nomination Thursday, but his speech drew fewer viewers than Hillary Clinton did in 2016, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research.
The Hill reports:
Biden’s speech was watched by 21.8 million people on TV, according to initial figures from Nielsen, beating out the early numbers for other major speeches at the convention earlier in the week. The figure, which does not include online streaming of the speech, is expected to grow when additional networks are added. […] Still, the initial numbers mark a 21 percent drop from Clinton’s speech at the convention in 2016 when she accepted the Democratic nomination that year. It is also more than 38 percent lower than President Trump‘s acceptance speech at the Republican convention four years ago, which drew 34.9 million viewers.
On Wednesday, the Democrat National Convention (DNC) garnered 21.7 million viewers, tumbling 12 percent from 2016, according to Nielsen. Tuesday’s program had 6.13 million viewers on ABC, CBS and NBC, with figures plummeting 48 percent drop from the second night of the 2016 convention, The Hill noted.
Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on the final night of the party’s convention on Thursday, saying President Donald Trump has “cloaked America in darkness” and urged voters to make a change. Biden, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in 1988 and 2008 before serving two terms as vice president under President Barack Obama, said the United States is facing four converging crises: a global pandemic, an economic crisis, “racial injustice,” and global warming.
“This is a life-changing election that will determine America’s future for a very long time,” he said. “Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy. They’re all on the ballot.”
Biden took aim at Trump, saying the president has brought “too much anger, too much fear, too much division” to the White House and vowed to serve as “an ally of light” if elected.
“While I will be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t support me as I will for those who did,” Biden said. “That’s the job of a president. To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.”
The UPI contributed to this report.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--Great Work de Blasio: NYC Could Take a Decade to Recover From Pandemic

Real estate developer Don Peebles told CNBC on Friday that he anticipates a slow economic recovery for New York City in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I think New York will ultimately come back .
It 'll come back differently .
It 'll be a different place , and it will be much more affordable , '' said Peebles , CEO of privately held Peebles Corp. , which has a corporate office in lower Manhattan .
He added on `` The Exchange , '' `` I think it 's going to take New York about a decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maybe longer .
But it 's not going to be soon . ''
Peebles said he foresees challenges ahead for New York City in attracting and maintaining new residents and businesses going forward .
Among them is the strength of other U.S. cities , especially in places with a more tax-friendly environment , he said .
`` New York City can come back , if it becomes competitive and if we all recognize that we 've got to go and compete with South Florida , '' he said .
`` We 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee ] .
We 've got to compete with Austin , Texas , and Dallas , Texas .
Absent of that , if we keep these blinders on , New York City 's hole is just going to dig deeper . ''
Previously rumored to have weighed running for mayor of New York , Peebles said Friday that `` probably I will focus on my business , but we 'll see . ''
The city 's next mayoral election is 2021 .
The current officeholder , Mayor Bill de Blasio , is term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City has been debated often , especially following seminal events such as the Great Recession , 9/11 and the fiscal crisis of the 1970s .
In each case , the most dire forecasts for the city have n't materialized .
But the coronavirus pandemic , Peebles contended , has been `` worse than all three of them . ''
The city — once the epicenter of the United States ' Covid-19 outbreak — has only seen an acceleration of troubling trends that predated the health crisis , Peebles said .
`` There was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Covid .
New York was becoming less competitive in terms of it becoming a business-friendly environment .
It was less competitive and less attractive to high net worth individuals , and as result of that people were leaving , '' he said .
Now , Peebles said many realized they could work from anywhere .
From a real estate lens , in particular , he said markets such as South Florida are likely to see a `` massive growth . ''
Peebles Corp. has developments in that region .
`` New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are selling now at 50 % discounts for new construction , '' he said .
`` I think that shows some real stress . ''

Real estate developer Don Peebles told CNBC on Friday that he anticipates a slow economic recovery for New York City in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I think New York will ultimately come back. It'll come back differently. It'll be a different place, and it will be much more affordable," said Peebles, CEO of privately held Peebles Corp., which has a corporate office in lower Manhattan.
He added on "The Exchange," "I think it's going to take New York about a decade or so to dig out of this. Maybe longer. But it's not going to be soon."
Peebles said he foresees challenges ahead for New York City in attracting and maintaining new residents and businesses going forward. Among them is the strength of other U.S. cities, especially in places with a more tax-friendly environment, he said.
"New York City can come back, if it becomes competitive and if we all recognize that we've got to go and compete with South Florida," he said. "We've got to compete with Nashville, [Tennessee]. We've got to compete with Austin, Texas, and Dallas, Texas. Absent of that, if we keep these blinders on, New York City's hole is just going to dig deeper."
Previously rumored to have weighed running for mayor of New York, Peebles said Friday that "probably I will focus on my business, but we'll see." The city's next mayoral election is 2021. The current officeholder, Mayor Bill de Blasio, is term limited.
The death of New York City has been debated often, especially following seminal events such as the Great Recession, 9/11 and the fiscal crisis of the 1970s. In each case, the most dire forecasts for the city haven't materialized. But the coronavirus pandemic, Peebles contended, has been "worse than all three of them."
The city — once the epicenter of the United States' Covid-19 outbreak — has only seen an acceleration of troubling trends that predated the health crisis, Peebles said.
"There was an exodus out of New York prior to Covid. New York was becoming less competitive in terms of it becoming a business-friendly environment. It was less competitive and less attractive to high net worth individuals, and as result of that people were leaving," he said.
Now, Peebles said many realized they could work from anywhere. From a real estate lens, in particular, he said markets such as South Florida are likely to see a "massive growth." Peebles Corp. has developments in that region.
"New York City, I mean some major projects are selling now at 50% discounts for new construction," he said. "I think that shows some real stress."


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--France Pushes Back Launch of Coronavirus Economic Reboot Plan to September

PARIS ( Reuters ) - The French government said on Saturday it would unveil details of its 100 billion euro @ @ @ @ @ plan to reinvigorate the economy in the first week of September , instead of next @ @ @ @ @ on preparing the new school term .
“ The recovery plan is ready , the @ @ @ @ @ stands , ” government spokesman Gabriel Attal said in a statement .
Schools are set @ @ @ @ @ , after most were closed during a two-month lockdown earlier this year to fight the @ @ @ @ @ is working to ensure protective measures will be adequate , Attal said .
France has @ @ @ @ @ parameters of its crisis measures , including cuts to domestic business taxes , investment in @ @ @ @ @ and funding for environmental initiatives .

FILE PHOTO: French Government's spokesperson Gabriel Attal delivers a speech after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France July 29, 2020. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS
PARIS (Reuters) - The French government said on Saturday it would unveil details of its 100 billion euro ($118 billion) plan to reinvigorate the economy in the first week of September, instead of next Tuesday, as it focuses on preparing the new school term.
“The recovery plan is ready, the timetable for its implementation still stands,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal said in a statement.
Schools are set to reopen on Sept. 1, after most were closed during a two-month lockdown earlier this year to fight the coronavirus, and the government is working to ensure protective measures will be adequate, Attal said.
France has already outlined some of the parameters of its crisis measures, including cuts to domestic business taxes, investment in promoting jobs for the young and funding for environmental initiatives.
($1 = 0.8478 euros)


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--President Trump Accuses FDA of Delaying Coronavirus Vaccine

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
President Trump on Saturday accused the Food and Drug Administration Saturday of deliberately slow-walking COVID-19 treatments to hurt his 2020 reelection chances .
“ The deep state , or whoever , over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics .
Obviously , they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd .
Must focus on speed , and saving lives !
, ” Trump tweeted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier in the week , the FDA halted an emergency approval for blood plasma as a treatment for the disease .
Top government scientists , including Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci , reportedly intervened to push for a delay .
“ You have a lot of people over there who don ’ t want to rush things because they want to do it after November 3 , ” Trump said Wednesday after the news broke .
The president has been urging the FDA to be more proactive during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his push for COVID-19 patients to take the unproven anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine , after the FDA yanked its authorization for use of the drug in hospitals , citing a lack of evidence that its effective .
“ Many doctors think it is extremely good and some people don ’ t … I happen to believe in it .
I would take it .
As you know , I took it for a 14 day period and I ’ m here , right ?
I ’ m here , ” Trump said at the @ @

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President Trump on Saturday accused the Food and Drug Administration Saturday of deliberately slow-walking COVID-19 treatments to hurt his 2020 reelection chances.
“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!,” Trump tweeted, tagging agency commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn.
Earlier in the week, the FDA halted an emergency approval for blood plasma as a treatment for the disease.
Top government scientists, including Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci, reportedly intervened to push for a delay.
“You have a lot of people over there who don’t want to rush things because they want to do it after November 3,” Trump said Wednesday after the news broke.
The president has been urging the FDA to be more proactive during the coronavirus pandemic.
Last month, he revived his push for COVID-19 patients to take the unproven anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, after the FDA yanked its authorization for use of the drug in hospitals, citing a lack of evidence that its effective.
“Many doctors think it is extremely good and some people don’t … I happen to believe in it. I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14 day period and I’m here, right? I’m here,” Trump said at the time.


bonginoreport--2020-08-22--Taliban Attacks in Afghanistan Have Killed at Least 18, Wounded Eight

This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission .
Afghan officials say Taliban militants have killed at least 18 people and wounded eight others in two fresh attacks in Takhar and Nangarhar provinces .
The insurgents attacked pro-government militia forces in Takhar ’ s Khwaja Bahauddin district overnight , killing at least 13 members of the force , local police said on August 20 .
Security sources said one army soldier was also killed and two others wounded when they went to support the militia forces that came under Taliban attack .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several hours .
Many districts in the northeastern province are contested between the militants and government forces .
The Afghan spy agency supports pro-government local militia groups – known as Public Uprising Forces — in remote areas across the country to fight against the Taliban insurgency .
Meanwhile , officials in eastern Nangarhar Province say at least four security officers were killed and two others wounded in an overnight Taliban assault in areas bordering Pakistan .
Attaullah Khogyani , a spokesman for provincial governor said on August 20 that 10 Taliban fighters were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the militants .
The latest violence comes as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani urged the Taliban to accept a permanent cease-fire and began peace talks with the government .
But the prospect of intra-Afghan peace talks sought by the United States was thrown into more uncertainty as the government said it would not release the last 320 Taliban prisoners it holds until the militants freed more captured Afghan soldiers .
Kabul has already freed 4,600 Taliban inmates out of the 5,000 pledged in a landmark U.S.-Taliban deal signed in February .
The Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners it had pledged in the agreement with the United States .
The prisoner swap was a precondition for launching peace talks .

This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Afghan officials say Taliban militants have killed at least 18 people and wounded eight others in two fresh attacks in Takhar and Nangarhar provinces.
The insurgents attacked pro-government militia forces in Takhar’s Khwaja Bahauddin district overnight, killing at least 13 members of the force, local police said on August 20.
Security sources said one army soldier was also killed and two others wounded when they went to support the militia forces that came under Taliban attack.
The officials said the clash in Takhar lasted several hours. Many districts in the northeastern province are contested between the militants and government forces.
The Afghan spy agency supports pro-government local militia groups – known as Public Uprising Forces — in remote areas across the country to fight against the Taliban insurgency.
Meanwhile, officials in eastern Nangarhar Province say at least four security officers were killed and two others wounded in an overnight Taliban assault in areas bordering Pakistan.
Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for provincial governor said on August 20 that 10 Taliban fighters were also killed in fighting between security forces and the militants.
The latest violence comes as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani urged the Taliban to accept a permanent cease-fire and began peace talks with the government.
But the prospect of intra-Afghan peace talks sought by the United States was thrown into more uncertainty as the government said it would not release the last 320 Taliban prisoners it holds until the militants freed more captured Afghan soldiers.
Kabul has already freed 4,600 Taliban inmates out of the 5,000 pledged in a landmark U.S.-Taliban deal signed in February.
The Taliban says it has freed all 1,000 government prisoners it had pledged in the agreement with the United States.
The prisoner swap was a precondition for launching peace talks.


bonginoreport--2020-08-23--Like Losers John Kerry and George McGovern, Biden Doesn’t Get a Bump in Post-DNC Polls

Joe Biden didn ’ t get a poll boost from the Democratic National Convention , and the odds in favor of a Biden victory failed to improve in the betting markets following his pick of Kamala Harris as his Vice Presidential candidate .
The CBS/YouGov battleground tracker revealed on Sunday that Biden was 10 points ahead of Donald Trump .
This is seemingly good news for Democrats , until you realize the number remains unchanged following the Harris VP announcement and the entire Democratic National Convention .
Of course the DNC was marred with flubs and insights into what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most analysts still predicted a small injection of enthusiasm for the Biden camp .
This never happened .
Getting no boost after a convention has happened only a few times in modern Democrat Party history .
By John Kerry in 2004 and George McGovern in 1972 .
Kerry ended up losing to George W. Bush and McGovern got thrashed by Nixon in an historic landslide beaten only in scale by Presidents FDR and Ronald Reagan .
In Republican terms , Mitt Romney saw no bump after his 2012 convention .
He went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Left-leaning media organizations like ABC News quickly tried to spin the bad news for Biden , reflecting not on his registered voter polling numbers but rather on his “ favorability ” instead .
Even the Morning Consult pollsters had to acknowledge that while people seemed to like Biden as a person more after the DNC , he didn ’ t get a poll bump , his numbers “ unchanged ” since the start of the convention .
But real numbers from the CBS/YouGov battleground tracker poll of registered voters reveal Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telethon .
This gives President Trump the chance to narrow the “ gap ” this week during the Republican Convention .
The President is set to speak every night , unlike Biden who only appeared on the first and last nights of the Democrat event .
And while the 10-point difference will be seized upon by media analysts and Democrat operatives , it is also worth noting that at this time in the 2016 race , CBS had Hillary Clinton leading by 8 points .
She – unlike Biden – received a poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention in July 2016 .
The betting markets also viewed the Kamala Harris pick unfavorably : I ’ ll discuss this more with Trump 2020 Campaign Advisor Jason Miller on the brand new National Pulse TV , Monday at 3pm on America ’ s Voice .
Click here to watch on Monday at 3pm .

No Bump Chump: Biden Suffers Same Fate as Loser John Kerry and George McGovern in Post-DNC Polls
Joe Biden didn’t get a poll boost from the Democratic National Convention, and the odds in favor of a Biden victory failed to improve in the betting markets following his pick of Kamala Harris as his Vice Presidential candidate.
The CBS/YouGov battleground tracker revealed on Sunday that Biden was 10 points ahead of Donald Trump. This is seemingly good news for Democrats, until you realize the number remains unchanged following the Harris VP announcement and the entire Democratic National Convention.
Of course the DNC was marred with flubs and insights into what the modern Democratic Party stands for, but most analysts still predicted a small injection of enthusiasm for the Biden camp. This never happened.
HISTORICAL LOSERS.
Getting no boost after a convention has happened only a few times in modern Democrat Party history. By John Kerry in 2004 and George McGovern in 1972.
Kerry ended up losing to George W. Bush and McGovern got thrashed by Nixon in an historic landslide beaten only in scale by Presidents FDR and Ronald Reagan.
In Republican terms, Mitt Romney saw no bump after his 2012 convention. He went on to lose to incumbent President Barack Obama.
Left-leaning media organizations like ABC News quickly tried to spin the bad news for Biden, reflecting not on his registered voter polling numbers but rather on his “favorability” instead.
Even the Morning Consult pollsters had to acknowledge that while people seemed to like Biden as a person more after the DNC, he didn’t get a poll bump, his numbers “unchanged” since the start of the convention.
NEW: @JoeBiden leads @realDonaldTrump, 52% to 43%, in our post-#DemConvention poll, unchanged from Monday. But Biden set a record for his favorability this year: 51% view him favorably, 45% unfavorably, a 6-point net improvement in the week. https://t.co/o8eJvoiCEf pic.twitter.com/Hpr32ZRLeK — Eli Yokley (@eyokley) August 22, 2020
But real numbers from the CBS/YouGov battleground tracker poll of registered voters reveal Biden’s chances unchanged since before the DNC telethon.
This gives President Trump the chance to narrow the “gap” this week during the Republican Convention. The President is set to speak every night, unlike Biden who only appeared on the first and last nights of the Democrat event.
And while the 10-point difference will be seized upon by media analysts and Democrat operatives, it is also worth noting that at this time in the 2016 race, CBS had Hillary Clinton leading by 8 points.
She – unlike Biden – received a poll bump of around two points after her convention in July 2016.
The betting markets also viewed the Kamala Harris pick unfavorably:
On the political betting exchange PredictIt, Biden’s 2020 shares are trading at 60 cents — the same price they were trading prior to the Harris announcement. Trump is a distant second at 43 cents, a price also unchanged.
I’ll discuss this more with Trump 2020 Campaign Advisor Jason Miller on the brand new National Pulse TV, Monday at 3pm on America’s Voice. Click here to watch on Monday at 3pm.


bonginoreport--2020-08-23--Twitter Censors President Trump – Again

Twitter Censors President Trump – Again

Twitter hid another tweet from President Donald Trump behind a warning label earlier today , the latest in a string of censorship against the President that the platform has taken this year .
Earlier today , President Trump tweeted that mail drop boxes are a “ voter security disaster , ” that allow people to vote multiple times .
The president also warned that the mailboxes are not sanitized to prevent the spread of the Chinese virus .
Jack Dorsey ’ s company has now hidden the tweet behind a filter , warning users about “ misinformation.
” Users who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will see the following message : “ This tweet violated the Twitter Rules about civil and election integrity .
However , Twitter has determined that it may be in the public ’ s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.
” This is just the latest in many acts of censorship that Twitter has taken against President Trump ’ s account this year .
In May , Twitter added “ fact check ” labels to tweets from President Trump warning voters about the potential for fraud in mail-in ballots .
The decision came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in West Virginia was charged with fraud for tampering with vote-by-mail requests .
During the Minneapolis riots , Twitter again censored one of the President ’ s tweets , falsely accusing him of “ glorifying violence ” over a tweet that linked rioting to gun violence .
The month after , Twitter put a “ public interest notice ” on one of Trump ’ s tweets warning that violent rioters outside the White House would be met with force , accusing him of “ threatening harm against an identifiable group.
” In July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the President in response to a copyright claim by the New York Times , despite the fact that the image was substantially edited .
And earlier this month , Twitter took down a Fox & Friends interview with the President , accusing Trump of spreading “ misinformation ” about COVID-19 .
Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News , where he has published material from whistleblowers inside Google , Facebook , YouTube , and Twitter .
Bokhari ’ s upcoming book , # DELETED : Big Tech ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steal The Election is currently available for preoder at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , and other retailers .

Twitter hid another tweet from President Donald Trump behind a warning label earlier today, the latest in a string of censorship against the President that the platform has taken this year.
Earlier today, President Trump tweeted that mail drop boxes are a “voter security disaster,” that allow people to vote multiple times. The president also warned that the mailboxes are not sanitized to prevent the spread of the Chinese virus.
So now the Democrats are using Mail Drop Boxes, which are a voter security disaster. Among other things, they make it possible for a person to vote multiple times. Also, who controls them, are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas? They are not Covid sanitized. A big fraud! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2020
Jack Dorsey’s company has now hidden the tweet behind a filter, warning users about “misinformation.” Users who attempt to view the message on Twitter will see the following message:
“This tweet violated the Twitter Rules about civil and election integrity. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”
This is just the latest in many acts of censorship that Twitter has taken against President Trump’s account this year.
In May, Twitter added “fact check” labels to tweets from President Trump warning voters about the potential for fraud in mail-in ballots. The decision came just days after a USPS mail carrier in West Virginia was charged with fraud for tampering with vote-by-mail requests.
During the Minneapolis riots, Twitter again censored one of the President’s tweets, falsely accusing him of “glorifying violence” over a tweet that linked rioting to gun violence.
The month after, Twitter put a “public interest notice” on one of Trump’s tweets warning that violent rioters outside the White House would be met with force, accusing him of “threatening harm against an identifiable group.”
In July, Twitter took down a meme retweeted by the President in response to a copyright claim by the New York Times, despite the fact that the image was substantially edited.
And earlier this month, Twitter took down a Fox & Friends interview with the President, accusing Trump of spreading “misinformation” about COVID-19.
Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News, where he has published material from whistleblowers inside Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Bokhari’s upcoming book, #DELETED: Big Tech’s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election is currently available for preoder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers.