wnd--2020-04-24--China's next power grab – with the help of Western elites

After unleashing the CCP virus on the world , the Chinese Communist Party is working to expand it power abroad .
It has vowed to use the economic chaos from the pandemic to tighten its global grip on critical industries .
The Red regime sees human suffering as a profiteering opportunity , selling shoddy medical supplies and protective gear .
Canada ordered a million respirator masks only to discover they were crap .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom stepped to the front of the sucker line , placing a billion-dollar face mask order with sanctioned Chinese electric car maker BYD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass transit funds to buy electric buses from the Chinese government-run enterprise on national security grounds .
But that did n't stop Newsom from passing over perfectly good American companies to hand our money to a mortal enemy .
China 's power grab is not limited to medical industries .
The CCP plans to take over the financial sector just as it has taken over heavy industry and advanced manufacturing .
And there are plenty of Americans willing to help them do it .
The People 's Bank of China is set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currency , The Economist reports .
Its ostensible purpose is to make digital payments easier , but the utility of digital currency to central planners goes far beyond that .
It will enable the communist government to not only track how money is spent , but also control how it 's spent .
Without paper cash , the government will have far more effective oversight over all economic transactions and social activity .
The government will be able to attach coding to dictate how and where the digital currency is used .
Doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' or politically unreliable would become impossible .
The digital currency is part of CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping 's project for building a new economic infrastructure that includes 5G , artificial intelligence and other technologies integrated in China 's social credit score system .
Perhaps out of fear of being frozen out of this brave new communist world , McDonald 's , Starbucks and Subway have signed on to the project .
In this integrated system , when you walk into a restaurant after you 've ordered your food , a camera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant says `` welcome , here 's your food , '' and the bank automatically takes digital payment .
Just as we 've seen before , Western elites are acting as paid cheerleaders in the Chinese Communist Party 's latest project .
Take for example Sheila Bair , former head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation , the government agency that insures your bank account .
You 'll see her on television and read her columns .
Bair will tell you the long-term interests of the U.S. and China are aligned and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' rather than take on China alone , and so on and so forth .
What Sheila Bair does n't like to tell you is that she sits on the board of China 's biggest commercial bank , the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China , ICBC .
The bank is owned by the Chinese government and controlled by the CCP .
ICBC is a key player in the Belt and Road Initiative , the CCP 's colonialist plan to enslave developing countries in debt peonage .
The Belt and Road Initiative extends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on terms countries can not meet , then takes possession of ports and other facilities in perpetuity .
ICBC is taking part in 212 Belt and Road projects now exceeding $ 67 billion .
`` In the future , we will attach ourselves to over 400 projects with hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars of funding , '' ICBC President Gu Shu says .
Bair 's bank also paid over $ 6 million in fines for money-laundering violations in the U.S. and ran a multi-million dollar money-laundering , tax fraud and smuggling racket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reuters reports .
Several senior bank executives were arrested .
`` ICBC is a flagship in China 's quest to become a global banking giant .
At the direction of the ruling Communist Party , it and other Chinese state-run banks have aggressively expanded into offshore markets , '' Reuters also reports , Sheila Bair helpfully tells us , `` We should learn from China '' and China should be involved in developing international banking rules .
Bair is a living , breathing example of how Beijing funnels millions of dollars to prestigious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence in Washington .
She 's served in Democratic and Republican administrations and exemplifies the bipartisan Washington consensus that reigned unchallenged for decades .
Now , Sheila Bair has endorsed Joe Biden for president .
She is clearly angling for a Cabinet position .
Joe Biden has consistently been wrong about , contributed to and benefited from the terrifying rise of the Chinese Communist Party .
Shelia Bair 's coziness with China 's dictators is what best qualifies her to serve in a Biden administration .
We ca n't let that happen .

After unleashing the CCP virus on the world, the Chinese Communist Party is working to expand it power abroad.
It has vowed to use the economic chaos from the pandemic to tighten its global grip on critical industries.
The Red regime sees human suffering as a profiteering opportunity, selling shoddy medical supplies and protective gear. Canada ordered a million respirator masks only to discover they were crap.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom stepped to the front of the sucker line, placing a billion-dollar face mask order with sanctioned Chinese electric car maker BYD. Congress barred the use of federal mass transit funds to buy electric buses from the Chinese government-run enterprise on national security grounds. But that didn't stop Newsom from passing over perfectly good American companies to hand our money to a mortal enemy.
China's power grab is not limited to medical industries.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The CCP plans to take over the financial sector just as it has taken over heavy industry and advanced manufacturing. And there are plenty of Americans willing to help them do it.
The People's Bank of China is set to launch the world's first official digital currency, The Economist reports.
Its ostensible purpose is to make digital payments easier, but the utility of digital currency to central planners goes far beyond that. It will enable the communist government to not only track how money is spent, but also control how it's spent.
Without paper cash, the government will have far more effective oversight over all economic transactions and social activity.
The government will be able to attach coding to dictate how and where the digital currency is used. Doing business with any enterprises deemed "criminal" or politically unreliable would become impossible.
The digital currency is part of CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping's project for building a new economic infrastructure that includes 5G, artificial intelligence and other technologies integrated in China's social credit score system.
Perhaps out of fear of being frozen out of this brave new communist world, McDonald's, Starbucks and Subway have signed on to the project.
In this integrated system, when you walk into a restaurant after you've ordered your food, a camera picks up your face, the AI assistant says "welcome, here's your food," and the bank automatically takes digital payment.
Just as we've seen before, Western elites are acting as paid cheerleaders in the Chinese Communist Party's latest project.
Take for example Sheila Bair, former head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the government agency that insures your bank account. You'll see her on television and read her columns.
Bair will tell you the long-term interests of the U.S. and China are aligned and that the president should "work with allies" rather than take on China alone, and so on and so forth.
What Sheila Bair doesn't like to tell you is that she sits on the board of China's biggest commercial bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, ICBC. The bank is owned by the Chinese government and controlled by the CCP.
ICBC is a key player in the Belt and Road Initiative, the CCP's colonialist plan to enslave developing countries in debt peonage. The Belt and Road Initiative extends loans for infrastructure projects around the world on terms countries cannot meet, then takes possession of ports and other facilities in perpetuity.
ICBC is taking part in 212 Belt and Road projects now exceeding $67 billion. "In the future, we will attach ourselves to over 400 projects with hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars of funding," ICBC President Gu Shu says.
Bair's bank also paid over $6 million in fines for money-laundering violations in the U.S. and ran a multi-million dollar money-laundering, tax fraud and smuggling racket with Chinese criminal organizations in Europe, Reuters reports. Several senior bank executives were arrested.
"ICBC is a flagship in China's quest to become a global banking giant. At the direction of the ruling Communist Party, it and other Chinese state-run banks have aggressively expanded into offshore markets," Reuters also reports,
Sheila Bair helpfully tells us, "We should learn from China" and China should be involved in developing international banking rules.
Bair is a living, breathing example of how Beijing funnels millions of dollars to prestigious figures in finance and politics to buy influence in Washington. She's served in Democratic and Republican administrations and exemplifies the bipartisan Washington consensus that reigned unchallenged for decades.
Now, Sheila Bair has endorsed Joe Biden for president. She is clearly angling for a Cabinet position.
Joe Biden has consistently been wrong about, contributed to and benefited from the terrifying rise of the Chinese Communist Party.
Shelia Bair's coziness with China's dictators is what best qualifies her to serve in a Biden administration.
We can't let that happen.


wnd--2020-04-24--The death of knowledge about self-sufficiency

When I was a young teen , I read a sobering statement – that most Americans would starve to death standing next to a cow in a field of ripe wheat .
In other words , most people do n't have the faintest idea how to obtain food from elemental sources .
In the age of coronavirus , this statement is coming back to haunt me .
The pandemic has caused an interruption in supply lines , and for the first time in decades , Americans may face shortages .
We 're not used to seeing empty shelves at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply ?
For 5,000-plus years of civilization , mankind has honed thousands of survival skills .
How to build a home from raw materials .
How to make a fire without matches .
How to hunt animals with only the most primitive of tools .
How to make those primitive tools .
How to raise crops , harvest them and preserve them through the upcoming year .
And here 's what bothers me : We 've forgotten 5,000 years ' worth of skills in one hundred years .
A century ago , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without electricity .
They knew how to get through a year without depending on too many external sources for their everyday needs .
The survival skills children learned at their parents ' knees were still being handed down .
Those skills are mostly lost in our modern times – a tragic loss , in my opinion , because recapturing them is so difficult .
When old-timers die , they take their combined wisdom and knowledge with them unless the younger generation takes the time to learn it .
The older generation may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiences , but what if the younger generation does n't want to learn those skills because technology has replaced it ?
The wisdom is lost .
Make no mistake , there 's a reason modern technology has replaced old-fashioned methods .
It 's better , faster , cleaner , easier and more efficient .
But if modern technology should disappear , what then ?
Four months ago , many people would assume this was an irrational line of thinking .
Now , not so much .
In first-world countries like America , technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around nature .
In the last hundred years or so , the age-old human necessity of working with the cycle of reaping and sowing – and preparing for lean times – has fallen into disfavor and even ridicule .
We no longer have to be self-sufficient .
We no longer have to store our harvest to tide us over lean times .
As a result , we 've forgotten how .
Improvements in farming techniques , coupled with the ease of importing foods from all over the world , has made food supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bothers stocking up any longer .
Just-in-time ( JIT ) deliveries keep our store shelves full .
E-commerce offers near-instant gratification .
China manufactures everything we want .
And for decades , we 've gotten away with it .
Everything was abundant .
So abundant , in fact , that Americans have forgotten what it 's like not to have everything .
This complacency has result in many of the time-tested methods of food preservation , husbandry , building , sewing , metal working , carpentry and other basic self-reliance skills being forgotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These mega-corporate experts provide us with genetically modified foods and prepackaged meals full of unpronounceable ingredients , year after year , decade after decade .
It 's gotten to the point where there are entire generations of people who have no idea where eggs and meat come from , who are suspicious when they see a dusting of dirt on a potato ( if they even buy a potato in the first place over frozen French fries ) and who think raw milk will kill them .
These are the people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cow in a field of ripe wheat .
These are the people whose eyes widen with wonder the first time they taste homemade bread or pick a sun-warmed strawberry … because they 've never had REAL food before .
And this makes us intensely weak and vulnerable .
As we 're finding out , it just takes a burp in the smooth flow of goods and services to remind us how helpless we truly are without those antiquated skills that allowed our forefathers to survive .
We 've allowed ourselves to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources , and we no longer have to obtain life 's necessities through our own personal efforts .
Contemporary society has specialized beyond that , with experts assuring us modern technology superseded old methods in every respect .
And they 're right .
Billions of people have clean water , abundant food and life-saving medical treatment thanks to modern technology .
But at what price ?
What have we lost as a result of this ease and comfort ?
What happens when a society is so acclimated to convenience that it is unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparedness expo I attended several years ago , I sat in on a packed gardening seminar .
The speaker said something that startled me : `` Humans are the only species on the planet too ignorant to feed themselves . ''
He 's right .
Every living thing on the planet knows what it takes to get food .
If they do n't , they die .
But we 've `` evolved '' past the need to grow or raise anything we consume .
Many of us have become too civilized to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or our feet in a cow patty .
Let someone else do the dirty work .
We 're too smart to feed ourselves .
( A hat tip to Michael Bloomberg for voicing that exact sentiment . )
Look , I enjoy modern comforts and conveniences as much as the next person .
I 'm not writing this column with a quill and oak-gall ink .
But if conveniences disappear , then what ?
That 's a question very few people are eager to answer .
But now , suddenly , people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are eager to bridge the gap between old and new .
Rural properties are sizzling .
Victory Gardens are exploding .
Chickens are the hottest new thing .
I urge everyone to embrace some aspect of self-sufficiency , even if it 's starting a windowsill herb garden or watching YouTube videos on how to grow food or raise livestock .
Do n't be the kind of person who would starve to death standing next to a cow in a field of ripe wheat .
Patrice Lewis is pleased to announce the availability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Living Series ebooklets , representing over 17 years of homesteading experience .
Subjects include preparedness , frugality , rural skills , food preservation , and more .
Click this link for details .

When I was a young teen, I read a sobering statement – that most Americans would starve to death standing next to a cow in a field of ripe wheat. In other words, most people don't have the faintest idea how to obtain food from elemental sources.
In the age of coronavirus, this statement is coming back to haunt me. The pandemic has caused an interruption in supply lines, and for the first time in decades, Americans may face shortages. We're not used to seeing empty shelves at the supermarket. How secure is our food supply?
For 5,000-plus years of civilization, mankind has honed thousands of survival skills. How to build a home from raw materials. How to make a fire without matches. How to hunt animals with only the most primitive of tools. How to make those primitive tools. How to raise crops, harvest them and preserve them through the upcoming year.
And here's what bothers me: We've forgotten 5,000 years' worth of skills in one hundred years.
A century ago, many of our forebears still lived on farms without electricity. They knew how to get through a year without depending on too many external sources for their everyday needs. The survival skills children learned at their parents' knees were still being handed down.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Those skills are mostly lost in our modern times – a tragic loss, in my opinion, because recapturing them is so difficult.
When old-timers die, they take their combined wisdom and knowledge with them unless the younger generation takes the time to learn it. The older generation may be willing to pass on their skills and experiences, but what if the younger generation doesn't want to learn those skills because technology has replaced it? The wisdom is lost.
Make no mistake, there's a reason modern technology has replaced old-fashioned methods. It's better, faster, cleaner, easier and more efficient. But if modern technology should disappear, what then?
Four months ago, many people would assume this was an irrational line of thinking. Now, not so much.
In first-world countries like America, technology has allowed us to ignore or work around nature. In the last hundred years or so, the age-old human necessity of working with the cycle of reaping and sowing – and preparing for lean times – has fallen into disfavor and even ridicule.
We no longer have to be self-sufficient. We no longer have to store our harvest to tide us over lean times. As a result, we've forgotten how. Improvements in farming techniques, coupled with the ease of importing foods from all over the world, has made food supplies so cheap and abundant that no one bothers stocking up any longer. Just-in-time (JIT) deliveries keep our store shelves full. E-commerce offers near-instant gratification. China manufactures everything we want.
And for decades, we've gotten away with it. Everything was abundant. So abundant, in fact, that Americans have forgotten what it's like not to have everything. This complacency has result in many of the time-tested methods of food preservation, husbandry, building, sewing, metal working, carpentry and other basic self-reliance skills being forgotten by everyone but a few dedicated specialists.
These mega-corporate experts provide us with genetically modified foods and prepackaged meals full of unpronounceable ingredients, year after year, decade after decade. It's gotten to the point where there are entire generations of people who have no idea where eggs and meat come from, who are suspicious when they see a dusting of dirt on a potato (if they even buy a potato in the first place over frozen French fries) and who think raw milk will kill them. These are the people who would starve to death standing next to a cow in a field of ripe wheat. These are the people whose eyes widen with wonder the first time they taste homemade bread or pick a sun-warmed strawberry … because they've never had REAL food before.
And this makes us intensely weak and vulnerable. As we're finding out, it just takes a burp in the smooth flow of goods and services to remind us how helpless we truly are without those antiquated skills that allowed our forefathers to survive. We've allowed ourselves to get too comfortable and too dependent on outside sources, and we no longer have to obtain life's necessities through our own personal efforts.
Contemporary society has specialized beyond that, with experts assuring us modern technology superseded old methods in every respect. And they're right. Billions of people have clean water, abundant food and life-saving medical treatment thanks to modern technology.
But at what price? What have we lost as a result of this ease and comfort? What happens when a society is so acclimated to convenience that it is unable to survive its absence?
At a preparedness expo I attended several years ago, I sat in on a packed gardening seminar. The speaker said something that startled me: "Humans are the only species on the planet too ignorant to feed themselves."
He's right. Every living thing on the planet knows what it takes to get food. If they don't, they die. But we've "evolved" past the need to grow or raise anything we consume. Many of us have become too civilized to be caught with our hands in the soil or our feet in a cow patty. Let someone else do the dirty work. We're too smart to feed ourselves. (A hat tip to Michael Bloomberg for voicing that exact sentiment.)
Look, I enjoy modern comforts and conveniences as much as the next person. I'm not writing this column with a quill and oak-gall ink. But if conveniences disappear, then what? That's a question very few people are eager to answer.
But now, suddenly, people are realizing how vulnerable we are. Suddenly people are eager to bridge the gap between old and new. Rural properties are sizzling. Victory Gardens are exploding. Chickens are the hottest new thing.
I urge everyone to embrace some aspect of self-sufficiency, even if it's starting a windowsill herb garden or watching YouTube videos on how to grow food or raise livestock. Don't be the kind of person who would starve to death standing next to a cow in a field of ripe wheat.
Don't let knowledge die.
Patrice Lewis is pleased to announce the availability of the complete collection of 52 Country Living Series ebooklets, representing over 17 years of homesteading experience. Subjects include preparedness, frugality, rural skills, food preservation, and more. Click this link for details.


wnd--2020-04-24--4 reasons NOT to ask your pastor about the Sabbath

Editor ’ s note : Following is a Bible study video presented by Elizabeth Farah , co-founder and chief operating @ @ @ @ @ of CEO and co-founder Joseph Farah .
You can subscribe to Elizabeth Farah ’ s @ @ @ @

Editor’s note: Following is a Bible study video presented by Elizabeth Farah, co-founder and chief operating officer of WND and wife of CEO and co-founder Joseph Farah. You can subscribe to Elizabeth Farah’s YouTube channel here.


wnd--2020-04-24--Non-government experts advise 'herd immunity'

The problem that we have in this country right now regarding the current virus outbreak is that the response is being controlled by politicians .
And by politicians , I do n't just mean our elected political class .
I also mean our unelected political class .
We 've effectively put two people in charge of this entire event .
Those two being Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx .
What they say goes , and all other `` experts '' in the field of virology seem to be discounted or ignored .
Commentator Mark Levin recently said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of demi-god .
And he 's right .
But Fauci has n't really been right about much regarding this pandemic .
Other experts in the field , like Dr. David Katz , founding director ( 1998-2019 ) of Yale University 's Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center , disagree on a number of assertions by Fauci and others .
Dr. Katz disagrees with these conventional-wisdom experts and says we do n't need wholesale testing on millions of Americans .
Instead Katz opts for `` representative random sampling – a small population representative of a sState @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , that the random samples must be of residents of the United States .
We can not just rely on data collected in other countries .
Katz asserts that this can be accomplished in 72 hours .
After the data are gathered on these representative samples , people could begin being phased back into the workforce .
But he also adds that this can already be done , without further sampling – just from the observed data we 've already acquired , such as the risks to the elderly and the sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to work .
The problem is that Katz does n't have the national platform of Fauci and Birx , and they both are as much politicians as they are physicians or scientists .
Fauci has been in government for 36 years , and Birx works as a diplomat for the `` Deep State '' Department .
Katz , on the other hand , has more medical and scientific degrees than Trump has tweets .
We would do better to listen to someone like this .
Oh , and he does n't work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also disagrees with the advice to shelter in place and remain separated from others .
Instead he is a staunch supporter of herd immunity – a form of indirect protection from disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection , whether through previous infections or vaccination , thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immune .
Fauci and Birx are against herd immunity .
And by sheer coincidence , so is the World Health Organization .
Big surprise .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kick the can down the road .
As Levin says , `` You 've now pushed off this widespread immunity where people build their own antibodies . ''
Katz , who wrote of this very subject some five weeks ago , insists that putting off the opening of our economy is a fool 's errand .
He says that herd immunity , in lieu of a vaccine , which may be many months away , allows `` people who are prone to the milder version of this infection to get it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are [ then ] immune . ''
The doctor then adds that if he gets it and gets over it , he now forms a `` roadblock '' on behalf of ones who have yet to get the virus .
He can no longer get it and ca n't give it to anyone else , whether someone is more vulnerable or not .
`` When enough of us have made antibodies at the population level , there are enough dead ends that the virus just ca n't get through the population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find a host and it dies out .
That 's herd immunity , '' says Katz .
I and many other free-thinkers much prefer this common-sense approach .
Unfortunately our political class is more fearful of being blamed for releasing the populace `` too soon '' than they fear their fellow citizens not having anything to return to .
So instead we just wait for the government `` experts , '' the ones who have been wrong from the get go , to tell us when it 's safe to venture out @ @ @ @ @

The problem that we have in this country right now regarding the current virus outbreak is that the response is being controlled by politicians.
And by politicians, I don't just mean our elected political class. I also mean our unelected political class. We've effectively put two people in charge of this entire event. Those two being Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx.
What they say goes, and all other "experts" in the field of virology seem to be discounted or ignored. Commentator Mark Levin recently said that Fauci is being treated like some sort of demi-god. And he's right.
But Fauci hasn't really been right about much regarding this pandemic.
Other experts in the field, like Dr. David Katz, founding director (1998-2019) of Yale University's Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, disagree on a number of assertions by Fauci and others.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Dr. Katz disagrees with these conventional-wisdom experts and says we don't need wholesale testing on millions of Americans. Instead Katz opts for "representative random sampling – a small population representative of a sState or the U.S."
He stresses, however, that the random samples must be of residents of the United States. We cannot just rely on data collected in other countries.
Katz asserts that this can be accomplished in 72 hours. After the data are gathered on these representative samples, people could begin being phased back into the workforce.
But he also adds that this can already be done, without further sampling – just from the observed data we've already acquired, such as the risks to the elderly and the sick. The low-risk population should already be returning to work.
The problem is that Katz doesn't have the national platform of Fauci and Birx, and they both are as much politicians as they are physicians or scientists. Fauci has been in government for 36 years, and Birx works as a diplomat for the "Deep State" Department.
Katz, on the other hand, has more medical and scientific degrees than Trump has tweets. We would do better to listen to someone like this. Oh, and he doesn't work for the federal government.
Dr. Katz also disagrees with the advice to shelter in place and remain separated from others.
Instead he is a staunch supporter of herd immunity – a form of indirect protection from disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, whether through previous infections or vaccination, thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immune.
Fauci and Birx are against herd immunity. And by sheer coincidence, so is the World Health Organization. Big surprise.
Instead, as politicians do, Fauci would prefer to kick the can down the road. As Levin says, "You've now pushed off this widespread immunity where people build their own antibodies."
Katz, who wrote of this very subject some five weeks ago, insists that putting off the opening of our economy is a fool's errand. He says that herd immunity, in lieu of a vaccine, which may be many months away, allows "people who are prone to the milder version of this infection to get it, get over it, make antibodies, and are [then] immune."
The doctor then adds that if he gets it and gets over it, he now forms a "roadblock" on behalf of ones who have yet to get the virus. He can no longer get it and can't give it to anyone else, whether someone is more vulnerable or not.
"When enough of us have made antibodies at the population level, there are enough dead ends that the virus just can't get through the population. [The virus] finds it harder to find a host and it dies out. That's herd immunity," says Katz.
I and many other free-thinkers much prefer this common-sense approach. Unfortunately our political class is more fearful of being blamed for releasing the populace "too soon" than they fear their fellow citizens not having anything to return to.
So instead we just wait for the government "experts," the ones who have been wrong from the get go, to tell us when it's safe to venture out of our residential prisons.


wnd--2020-04-25--Petition urges Christian support for Jewish nation

Few people groups have suffered throughout history as much as the Jews .
In one episode alone , the Holocaust , 6 million were murdered .
Now the founder of the non-profit Return O ' Israel is asking for Christians worldwide to back a statement called the `` Christian Declaration Of Support For Israel . ''
The promoter is Anthony Abma , who says he followed the example of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples .
TRENDING : Pelosi : 'Chunk of money ' in next coronavirus bill will go to vote-by-mail It was compiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chairman of the Sovereignty Movement and timed to mark the centennial anniversaries of both the San Remo Conference and Treaty of Sévres .
`` Our objective is for Christians worldwide to sign this document as a show of our collective solidarity with Israel in support of their biblical , legal and indigenous rights in their ancestral homeland , '' Abma explained .
`` Doing so will also counter the rising tide of anti-Semitism , the BDS movement and the recent case launched by the International Criminal Court in the Hague , Netherlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders . ''
Abma noted the Scriptures `` unequivocally and categorically call upon all Bible believers to demonstrate unconditional support for Israel and the Jewish people through prayer and action , according to the Will and Word of God as stated . ''
The Bible recorded God 's granting of specific land to the forefathers of Israel and foretold the return of the Jewish people to live in their ancestral homeland .
The statement affirms ' Israel 's right to be a nation , to have an undivided Jerusalem as its capital and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain .
The document says : `` We , the Christian Community Worldwide , heretofore pledge our allegiance to the truths of God ’ s Word and support for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland as : Guided by the purposes and principles of the Bible , and good faith in the fulfillment of the obligations assumed by every believer in accordance with the Bible as the Word of God ; Affirming that the Jewish people have especially been chosen by God out of all other peoples on earth while recognizing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be different , to consider themselves different , and to be respected as such , the Jewish people hold and are entitled to the unique position of having been entrusted with and designated as keepers of the “ book ” , the Word of God and the monotheistic faith in the One True God , creator , and Master of the Universe ; [ and ] Reaffirming that the Jewish people , in the exercise of their rights as God ’ s chosen people , should be free from discrimination of any kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` injustices '' and the urgent need to `` respect and promote the inherent rights of the Jewish people which derive from their political , economic and social structures and from their cultures , religion , spiritual traditions , history and philosophies , especially their rights to their ancestral lands , territories , and resources . ''
It includes a long list of international treaties to protect the Jewish people , including the Balfour Declaration from the San Remo Conference , the Treaty of Sevres , the Joint Resolution of the American House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.N. Charter and Resolution 181 from the 1947 U.N. General Assembly .
The signers , `` considering that the rights affirmed in treaties , agreements and other constructive arrangements between States affirming the legality of the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland as their sovereign territory are , in some situations , matters of international concern , interest , responsibility , and character , '' it said .
`` Solemnly proclaim [ ] this Declaration of Christian Support for the Rights of the Jewish peoples as a standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spirit of partnership and mutual respect . ''
The document also notes the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith .
Christians , it says , are to `` actively assist and participate in the plan of God ’ s redemption that calls for the ingathering of the Jewish people and their full and complete restoration in sovereignty as the reconstituted nation of Israel today in their ancestral homeland . ''
The objective of Return O ' Israel is to `` provide international Christian support towards the actualization of full Jewish sovereignty in Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future Redemption of Jews and Christians . ''

Few people groups have suffered throughout history as much as the Jews.
In one episode alone, the Holocaust, 6 million were murdered.
Now the founder of the non-profit Return O' Israel is asking for Christians worldwide to back a statement called the "Christian Declaration Of Support For Israel."
The promoter is Anthony Abma, who says he followed the example of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
It was compiled with the help of Rabbi Sam Solomon, chairman of the Sovereignty Movement and timed to mark the centennial anniversaries of both the San Remo Conference and Treaty of Sévres.
"Our objective is for Christians worldwide to sign this document as a show of our collective solidarity with Israel in support of their biblical, legal and indigenous rights in their ancestral homeland," Abma explained. "Doing so will also counter the rising tide of anti-Semitism, the BDS movement and the recent case launched by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands, of alleged war crimes against Israeli leaders."
Read the document.
A video explains the movement:
Abma noted the Scriptures "unequivocally and categorically call upon all Bible believers to demonstrate unconditional support for Israel and the Jewish people through prayer and action, according to the Will and Word of God as stated."
The Bible recorded God's granting of specific land to the forefathers of Israel and foretold the return of the Jewish people to live in their ancestral homeland.
The statement affirms' Israel's right to be a nation, to have an undivided Jerusalem as its capital and that God's promises to the Jews remain.
The document says: "We, the Christian Community Worldwide, heretofore pledge our allegiance to the truths of God’s Word and support for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland as: Guided by the purposes and principles of the Bible, and good faith in the fulfillment of the obligations assumed by every believer in accordance with the Bible as the Word of God; Affirming that the Jewish people have especially been chosen by God out of all other peoples on earth while recognizing the right of Jews and all peoples to be different, to consider themselves different, and to be respected as such, the Jewish people hold and are entitled to the unique position of having been entrusted with and designated as keepers of the “book”, the Word of God and the monotheistic faith in the One True God, creator, and Master of the Universe; [and] Reaffirming that the Jewish people, in the exercise of their rights as God’s chosen people, should be free from discrimination of any kind."
It also references the historic "injustices" and the urgent need to "respect and promote the inherent rights of the Jewish people which derive from their political, economic and social structures and from their cultures, religion, spiritual traditions, history and philosophies, especially their rights to their ancestral lands, territories, and resources."
It includes a long list of international treaties to protect the Jewish people, including the Balfour Declaration from the San Remo Conference, the Treaty of Sevres, the Joint Resolution of the American House of Congress in 1922, Article 80 of the U.N. Charter and Resolution 181 from the 1947 U.N. General Assembly.
The signers, "considering that the rights affirmed in treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States affirming the legality of the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland as their sovereign territory are, in some situations, matters of international concern, interest, responsibility, and character," it said. "Solemnly proclaim[] this Declaration of Christian Support for the Rights of the Jewish peoples as a standard of achievement to be pursued in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect."
The document also notes the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith. Christians, it says, are to "actively assist and participate in the plan of God’s redemption that calls for the ingathering of the Jewish people and their full and complete restoration in sovereignty as the reconstituted nation of Israel today in their ancestral homeland."
The objective of Return O' Israel is to "provide international Christian support towards the actualization of full Jewish sovereignty in Israel which is believed to bring about the future Redemption of Jews and Christians."


wnd--2020-04-25--Gun-store owner to state demanding shutdown: God & Trump are my leaders, not you

Of all the Constitution-trashing actions taken during the COVID-19 lockdown , none is more obviously illegal than declaring gun stores `` nonessential '' and shuttering them .
There are few businesses in America whose existence is protected by both a constitutional amendment and by Supreme Court decisions like Heller v. District of Columbia .
That does n't matter to the governors of plenty of blue states who 've decided that exercising your right to protect yourself could result in you getting COVID-19 .
Liquor stores , meanwhile , remain open .
And yes , as I 've pointed out before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want ICUs flooded with alcoholics forced to detox -- but the constitutional right to hooch only exists to cancel out Prohibition and there 's no evidence that you 're any more likely to get infected with coronavirus in a gun store than you are in the Cheep-Booz Liquor Outlet .
In Massachusetts , it 's actually a Republican governor who 's closed the state 's firearm dealers -- although a Republican in Massachusetts is n't necessarily indicative of someone who believes in constitutional freedom .
( See : Romney , Mitt . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baker has ordered the state 's gun stores to close because of the coronavirus crisis .
That does n't concern John `` Mr. Gunrunner '' Costa , however .
TRENDING : Pelosi : 'Chunk of money ' in next coronavirus bill will go to vote-by-mail You do n't get a nickname like that without a dedication to the Second Amendment , and Costa certainly delivers .
Not only is he not afraid of Massachusetts functionaries trying to close his store , he says that his only leaders are `` God and [ President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk with MassLive ( a `` brief interview before hanging up , '' natch ) , the owner of The Gunrunner LLC ( again , natch ) explained he has no intention of complying with the `` insane socialist governor '' and his order , saying they 'll have to `` drag '' him out of his store .
“ That guy is an idiot .
He ’ s a liar .
He ’ s a RINO [ Republican In Name Only ] , ” the Middleborough firearms dealer said .
“ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , the attorney general has her hand so far up his butt that she can actually move his mouth .
So no , I will not comply to this insane socialist governor .
And that ’ s why I won ’ t close.
” Costa noted that most states are respecting the Second Amendment and designating gun shops as `` essential . ''
This is particularity important given the fact that gun sales are at record highs , likely due to the uncertainty COVID-19 has presented and the potential of not getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the worse .
“ This thing with the governor , all the rest of the country , most gun shops are open , ” Costa said .
“ This governor , his plan is to shut down the gun shops , not because the spread of the pandemic , it ’ s all about taking away our rights .
It ’ s all about preventing the sales of guns.
” Costa says that there 's hardly any risk of COVID infection , either , considering the fact that he deals with customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun they 're interested in , he brings it out to show them , and if they want it they buy it .
“ They see the gun .
If they like it , fine .
I sell them the gun , ” Costa said .
“ Everything is done at the vehicle .
No one comes in here .
That ’ s called curbside service.
” He compared this to how restaurants are doing business .
“ This is really funny , all the restaurants are doing curbside service yet nobody is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , ” Costa said .
“ They ’ re all open .
And what do they deal with ?
They deal with food .
How the hell do you know if any of them people in that restaurant is not infected with the virus , meanwhile handling the food and giving it to us to take home .
I won ’ t buy a damned thing from these restaurants.
” He 's not going anywhere , as evidenced by his appearance on Glenn Beck 's radio show earlier this month .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drag me out of here or kill me , one or the other , ” he said , according to Fox News .
“ They ’ re not worried about the coronavirus .
They ’ re using that as a backdrop to put us Second Amendment people totally gone , out of business , and that ’ s the way it is.
” Costa was issued a cease-and-desist order by the town of Middleborough on April 2 .
He 's continued to offer curbside gun service , however .
The Massachusetts Bureau of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of firearm sales at curbside , but Baker 's executive order has shuttered gun stores until May 4 .
“ The only folks on the firearms side that have been essential in Massachusetts since we introduced the essential order are manufacturers , ” Baker said earlier this month when asked to make it clear whether gun shops should be closed .
While the Baker administration is currently facing a suit by a group of gun store owners , Costa is n't among them .
Instead , he 's relying on his two bosses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I will stick to my guns .
I will stick to the Constitution which gives me every damn right to stay open , ” Costa said .
“ My boss , I have two leaders , God and Trump .
No one else.
” This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

Of all the Constitution-trashing actions taken during the COVID-19 lockdown, none is more obviously illegal than declaring gun stores "nonessential" and shuttering them.
There are few businesses in America whose existence is protected by both a constitutional amendment and by Supreme Court decisions like Heller v. District of Columbia. That doesn't matter to the governors of plenty of blue states who've decided that exercising your right to protect yourself could result in you getting COVID-19.
Liquor stores, meanwhile, remain open. And yes, as I've pointed out before, I understand that you don't want ICUs flooded with alcoholics forced to detox -- but the constitutional right to hooch only exists to cancel out Prohibition and there's no evidence that you're any more likely to get infected with coronavirus in a gun store than you are in the Cheep-Booz Liquor Outlet.
In Massachusetts, it's actually a Republican governor who's closed the state's firearm dealers -- although a Republican in Massachusetts isn't necessarily indicative of someone who believes in constitutional freedom. (See: Romney, Mitt.)
In this case, Gov. Charlie Baker has ordered the state's gun stores to close because of the coronavirus crisis. That doesn't concern John "Mr. Gunrunner" Costa, however.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
You don't get a nickname like that without a dedication to the Second Amendment, and Costa certainly delivers.
Not only is he not afraid of Massachusetts functionaries trying to close his store, he says that his only leaders are "God and [President Donald] Trump."
In a talk with MassLive (a "brief interview before hanging up," natch), the owner of The Gunrunner LLC (again, natch) explained he has no intention of complying with the "insane socialist governor" and his order, saying they'll have to "drag" him out of his store.
“That guy is an idiot. He’s a liar. He’s a RINO [Republican In Name Only],” the Middleborough firearms dealer said.
“And I’ll tell you something right now, the attorney general has her hand so far up his butt that she can actually move his mouth. So no, I will not comply to this insane socialist governor. And that’s why I won’t close.”
Costa noted that most states are respecting the Second Amendment and designating gun shops as "essential." This is particularity important given the fact that gun sales are at record highs, likely due to the uncertainty COVID-19 has presented and the potential of not getting police protection if things take a turn for the worse.
“This thing with the governor, all the rest of the country, most gun shops are open,” Costa said. “This governor, his plan is to shut down the gun shops, not because the spread of the pandemic, it’s all about taking away our rights. It’s all about preventing the sales of guns.”
Costa says that there's hardly any risk of COVID infection, either, considering the fact that he deals with customers in their cars. They mention what gun they're interested in, he brings it out to show them, and if they want it they buy it.
“They see the gun. If they like it, fine. I sell them the gun,” Costa said. “Everything is done at the vehicle. No one comes in here. That’s called curbside service.”
He compared this to how restaurants are doing business.
“This is really funny, all the restaurants are doing curbside service yet nobody is telling them they can’t do that,” Costa said.
“They’re all open. And what do they deal with? They deal with food. How the hell do you know if any of them people in that restaurant is not infected with the virus, meanwhile handling the food and giving it to us to take home. I won’t buy a damned thing from these restaurants.”
He's not going anywhere, as evidenced by his appearance on Glenn Beck's radio show earlier this month.
“They’re going to have to drag me out of here or kill me, one or the other,” he said, according to Fox News.
“They’re not worried about the coronavirus. They’re using that as a backdrop to put us Second Amendment people totally gone, out of business, and that’s the way it is.”
Costa was issued a cease-and-desist order by the town of Middleborough on April 2. He's continued to offer curbside gun service, however. The Massachusetts Bureau of Firearms hasn't commented on the legality of firearm sales at curbside, but Baker's executive order has shuttered gun stores until May 4.
“The only folks on the firearms side that have been essential in Massachusetts since we introduced the essential order are manufacturers,” Baker said earlier this month when asked to make it clear whether gun shops should be closed.
While the Baker administration is currently facing a suit by a group of gun store owners, Costa isn't among them. Instead, he's relying on his two bosses, neither of whom is Baker.
“I will stick to my guns. I will stick to the Constitution which gives me every damn right to stay open,” Costa said. “My boss, I have two leaders, God and Trump. No one else.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-04-25--Missouri files suit against China for coronavirus 'deceit'

The state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against China over the communist nation 's handling of the coronavirus , making it the first state to do so .
`` In Missouri , the impact of the virus is very real -- thousands have been infected and many have died , families have been separated from dying loved ones , small businesses are shuttering their doors , and those living paycheck to paycheck are struggling to put food on their table , '' Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a Tuesday statement .
The suit targets Chinese agencies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy that could allow Missouri to sue in spite of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act , which bars most lawsuits against foreign governments , according to Fox News .
The suit filed in the Eastern District of Missouri claims China turned a blind eye to the rest of the world while trying to protect its reputation .
The suit further alleges that after the pandemic was under way , China sought to hoard personal protective equipment needed by other nations .
`` An appalling campaign of deceit , concealment , misfeasance , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the lawsuit read .
TRENDING : Pelosi : 'Chunk of money ' in next coronavirus bill will go to vote-by-mail '' During the critical weeks of the initial outbreak , Chinese authorities deceived the public , suppressed crucial information , arrested whistleblowers , denied human-to-human transmission in the face of mounting evidence , destroyed critical medical research , permitted millions of people to be exposed to the virus , and even hoarded personal protective equipment — thus causing a global pandemic that was unnecessary and preventable . ''
The suit put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s actions .
`` This COVID-19 pandemic is the direct result of a sinister campaign of malfeasance and deception carried out by Defendants , '' it said .
`` Defendants , in violation of their duties to the international community , engaged in dangerous activities that imperiled the lives and health of millions .
...
When their actions began to kill hundreds of thousands of people across the globe , Defendants sought to minimize the consequences , engaging in a coverup and misleading public relations campaign by censoring scientists , ordering the destruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusing cooperation with the global community , all in violation of international health standards . ''
The suit noted that Missouri has experienced only a part of the global suffering for which China is at fault .
`` Missouri is not alone : the virus unleashed by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government has left no community in the world untouched , '' the lawsuit said President Donald Trump recently froze U.S. funding to the World Health Organization for its inactions during the early days of the pandemic .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ astray .
`` When China did inform the WHO of the disease , Chinese authorities denied human-to-human transmission , despite having significant evidence to the contrary .
On information and belief , Defendants ’ denial induced the WHO to also deny or downplay the risk of human-to human transmission in the critical weeks while the virus was first spreading . ''
Once the world was suffering , China sought to gain , according to the suit .
`` [ T ] he Defendants ’ hoarding of PPE has been motivated , at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit from increased worldwide demand of PPE during the viral outbreak , including in Missouri , '' the suit read .
`` Defendants ’ hoarding of PPE has adversely impaired the ability of health care providers throughout the world , including in the United States and in Missouri , from safely and effectively treating patients with the virus .
`` The conduct of the Defendants was knowing , willful , and in reckless disregard of the rights of the State and its residents .
Defendants demonstrated a complete indifference to or conscious disregard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their conduct was unreasonable and was reckless in light of the known risks to them of COVID-19 , '' the suit read .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

The state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against China over the communist nation's handling of the coronavirus, making it the first state to do so.
"In Missouri, the impact of the virus is very real -- thousands have been infected and many have died, families have been separated from dying loved ones, small businesses are shuttering their doors, and those living paycheck to paycheck are struggling to put food on their table," Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a Tuesday statement.
The suit targets Chinese agencies and the Chinese Communist Party in a legal strategy that could allow Missouri to sue in spite of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which bars most lawsuits against foreign governments, according to Fox News.
The suit filed in the Eastern District of Missouri claims China turned a blind eye to the rest of the world while trying to protect its reputation. The suit further alleges that after the pandemic was under way, China sought to hoard personal protective equipment needed by other nations.
"An appalling campaign of deceit, concealment, misfeasance, and inaction by Chinese authorities unleashed this pandemic," the lawsuit read.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"During the critical weeks of the initial outbreak, Chinese authorities deceived the public, suppressed crucial information, arrested whistleblowers, denied human-to-human transmission in the face of mounting evidence, destroyed critical medical research, permitted millions of people to be exposed to the virus, and even hoarded personal protective equipment — thus causing a global pandemic that was unnecessary and preventable."
The suit put the darkest possible interpretation on China’s actions.
"This COVID-19 pandemic is the direct result of a sinister campaign of malfeasance and deception carried out by Defendants," it said.
"Defendants, in violation of their duties to the international community, engaged in dangerous activities that imperiled the lives and health of millions. ... When their actions began to kill hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, Defendants sought to minimize the consequences, engaging in a coverup and misleading public relations campaign by censoring scientists, ordering the destruction and suppression of valuable research, and refusing cooperation with the global community, all in violation of international health standards."
The suit noted that Missouri has experienced only a part of the global suffering for which China is at fault.
"Missouri is not alone: the virus unleashed by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government has left no community in the world untouched," the lawsuit said
President Donald Trump recently froze U.S. funding to the World Health Organization for its inactions during the early days of the pandemic. The lawsuit argued China deliberately led the WHO astray.
"When China did inform the WHO of the disease, Chinese authorities denied human-to-human transmission, despite having significant evidence to the contrary. On information and belief, Defendants’ denial induced the WHO to also deny or downplay the risk of human-to human transmission in the critical weeks while the virus was first spreading."
Once the world was suffering, China sought to gain, according to the suit.
"[T]he Defendants’ hoarding of PPE has been motivated, at least in part, by the desire to profit from increased worldwide demand of PPE during the viral outbreak, including in Missouri," the suit read.
"Defendants’ hoarding of PPE has adversely impaired the ability of health care providers throughout the world, including in the United States and in Missouri, from safely and effectively treating patients with the virus.
"The conduct of the Defendants was knowing, willful, and in reckless disregard of the rights of the State and its residents. Defendants demonstrated a complete indifference to or conscious disregard for the safety of the public and their conduct was unreasonable and was reckless in light of the known risks to them of COVID-19," the suit read.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-04-25--Massive asteroid approaching Earth next week – looks like it's wearing a face mask

( USA TODAY ) An asteroid is hurtling close to the Earth , and with it , a startling reminder @ @ @ @ @ .
The space rock , known as 1998 OR2 , will be nearly 4 million @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday at around 5:59 a.m .
ET — classifying it as a `` potentially hazardous @ @ @ @ @ of it posing a threat to Earth any time soon .
A newly-captured image by @ @ @ @ @ surprise .
As the asteroid inches closer to our planet , it looks as if @ @ @ @ @ mask , and may very well be conducting its own social distancing practices .

(USA TODAY) An asteroid is hurtling close to the Earth, and with it, a startling reminder of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The space rock, known as 1998 OR2, will be nearly 4 million miles away from Earth next Wednesday at around 5:59 a.m. ET — classifying it as a "potentially hazardous" asteroid despite the impossibility of it posing a threat to Earth any time soon.
A newly-captured image by Arecibo Observatory brings its own surprise. As the asteroid inches closer to our planet, it looks as if it's wearing its own mask, and may very well be conducting its own social distancing practices.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-25--Cruz: 'We have spent more than enough' on coronavirus funding

( BREITBART ) Friday on Fox Business Network ’ s “ Varney & Company , ” Sen. Ted Cruz ( @ @ @ @ @ additional emergency relief funding after the House of Representatives passed a $ 484 billion package @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
Cruz pushed back against additional funding , saying the United States @ @ @ @ @ enough.
” “ We have spent more than enough money , ” Cruz advised .
@ @ @ @ @ our way out of this .
We have spent now nearly $ 3 trillion .
@ @ @ @ @ % of our total national debt .
Enough is enough is enough .
The focus @ @ @ @ @ one of these bills that has come through .
I agreed that we need emergency @ @ @ @ @ to help people through the relief as a short-term bridge loan , but none of @ @ @ @ @ ’ t designed to fix the problem .
It was simply relief — relief to @ @ @ @ @ ”

(BREITBART) Friday on Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Company,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) weighed in on additional emergency relief funding after the House of Representatives passed a $484 billion package to aid small businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Cruz pushed back against additional funding, saying the United States “has spent more than enough.”
“We have spent more than enough money,” Cruz advised. “We cannot spend our way out of this. We have spent now nearly $3 trillion. We’ve spent 15% of our total national debt. Enough is enough is enough. The focus — look I supported every one of these bills that has come through. I agreed that we need emergency relief to help people, to help people through the relief as a short-term bridge loan, but none of the spending … it wasn’t designed to fix the problem. It was simply relief — relief to people that were hurting.”
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-25--S. Korean studies: Antibodies could thwart COVID-19 reinfection, spread

( ABC NEWS ) Results from two new South Korean studies shed light on whether antibodies will be a reliable @ @ @ @ @ for those who have recovered from the disease .
In one ongoing study , the @ @ @ @ @ found that 100 % of 25 randomly selected patients who were hospitalized with symptoms and @ @ @ @ @ defensive antibodies against COVID-19 .
Researchers were initially concerned that antibodies might not kill the @ @ @ @ @ of patients had both antibodies and a current COVID-19 infection .

(ABC NEWS) Results from two new South Korean studies shed light on whether antibodies will be a reliable form of protection against COVID-19 for those who have recovered from the disease.
In one ongoing study, the Korean Center for Disease Control found that 100% of 25 randomly selected patients who were hospitalized with symptoms and who fully recovered, developed defensive antibodies against COVID-19.
Researchers were initially concerned that antibodies might not kill the virus, because roughly half of patients had both antibodies and a current COVID-19 infection.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-25--Driver in crash may have passed out from wearing N95 mask too long

( ABC NEWS ) The driver of a single-car crash in Lincoln Park , New Jersey , is `` believed @ @ @ @ @ behind the wheel after wearing an N-95 mask for too long , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ to an accident on Thursday where a vehicle careened , front bumper first , into @ @ @ @ @ the officers cleared the scene where the driver was the only occupant of the car @ @ @ @ @ the crash on their Facebook page with a caption that created an `` overwhelming response @ @ @ @ @ is believed to have resulted from the driver wearing an N95 mask for several hours @ @ @ @ @ the wheel due to insufficient oxygen intake/excessive carbon dioxide intake , '' the post read @ @ @

(ABC NEWS) The driver of a single-car crash in Lincoln Park, New Jersey, is "believed" to have passed out behind the wheel after wearing an N-95 mask for too long, police said.
Lincoln Park Police Department responded to an accident on Thursday where a vehicle careened, front bumper first, into a wooden pole. After the officers cleared the scene where the driver was the only occupant of the car, they posted photographs of the crash on their Facebook page with a caption that created an "overwhelming response."
"The crash is believed to have resulted from the driver wearing an N95 mask for several hours and subsequently passing out behind the wheel due to insufficient oxygen intake/excessive carbon dioxide intake," the post read in part.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-25--Weatherman working from home interrupted by needy cat, becomes internet sensation

With all of this working from home going on during the coronavirus crisis , what a day on the job looks like can vary wildly .
From pajama bottoms paired with business-casual tops to family members passing by constantly , the `` culture '' of a company has greatly diversified to include each employee 's immediate surroundings .
But one difference that most people can embrace is the appearance of adorable intruders : sometimes dogs , sometimes cats , sometimes babies .
Everyone seems to be in a more relaxed frame of mind , and seeing something cute pop on-screen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embarrassing as it might have otherwise been .
For Jeff Lyons of Evansville , Indiana , the intrusion was n't just welcome -- it became an integral part of his work .
The chief meteorologist for WFIE-TV , Lyons happens to own ( or be owned by , as many people with cats claim ) a large , fluffy cat named Betty .
TRENDING : Pelosi : 'Chunk of money ' in next coronavirus bill will go to vote-by-mail Betty rules the roost ( again , as many people with cats can confirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' office became the dining room , according to WFIE , Betty did n't feel compelled to change her habits , and ended up marching in on one of Lyons ' recordings .
`` W.C Fields famously said : 'Never work with kids and animals , ' '' Lyons shared in a Facebook post on April 13 .
`` I should heed that advice , but I think I ’ ve been replaced .
Maybe the better quote is 'Claim victory and depart the field . '
'' Viewers loved it .
Betty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was featured alongside Lyons during the forecast -- but decidedly on her own terms .
`` Even with all of your kind comments , Betty does n't seem to be handling her new-found fame very well ! ''
Lyons wrote after a particularly trying segment in which Betty clearly did not want to be in the limelight .
`` Of course , she 's 10 years old , so can be a little crabby when I put her out of her comfort zone ... but then again , are n't we all ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ read a post Wednesday .
`` Two hams on the screen and a little ham on my fingers made it work ... at least for awhile .
Why do I get the feeling I ’ m performing tricks for the cat instead of the other way around ? ''
`` After 11 years of lounging around the house , I 'm putting this cat to work ... for you ! ''
he updated on Thursday , along with a video that had Betty giving the forecast .
`` There 's a fine line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think of this format for some actual useful information ?
I helped her with the forecasting , if that makes any difference ! ''
There was even a Facebook Live Q & A hosted by Lyons and featuring the now-famous feline .
An Instagram account was created for her , too , allowing her devotees to follow more of her antics .
Betty has been seen all over the globe , which is pretty good reach for a cat that works from home .
Whether she 'll remain a staple in Lyons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but for now , everyone seems to be enjoying her presence and her suitably catty attitude .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

With all of this working from home going on during the coronavirus crisis, what a day on the job looks like can vary wildly. From pajama bottoms paired with business-casual tops to family members passing by constantly, the "culture" of a company has greatly diversified to include each employee's immediate surroundings.
But one difference that most people can embrace is the appearance of adorable intruders: sometimes dogs, sometimes cats, sometimes babies. Everyone seems to be in a more relaxed frame of mind, and seeing something cute pop on-screen during a video conference isn't as embarrassing as it might have otherwise been.
For Jeff Lyons of Evansville, Indiana, the intrusion wasn't just welcome -- it became an integral part of his work.
The chief meteorologist for WFIE-TV, Lyons happens to own (or be owned by, as many people with cats claim) a large, fluffy cat named Betty.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Betty rules the roost (again, as many people with cats can confirm is standard), and when Lyons' office became the dining room, according to WFIE, Betty didn't feel compelled to change her habits, and ended up marching in on one of Lyons' recordings.
"W.C Fields famously said: 'Never work with kids and animals,'" Lyons shared in a Facebook post on April 13. "I should heed that advice, but I think I’ve been replaced. Maybe the better quote is 'Claim victory and depart the field.'"
Viewers loved it. Betty became a star, and soon she was featured alongside Lyons during the forecast -- but decidedly on her own terms.
"Even with all of your kind comments, Betty doesn't seem to be handling her new-found fame very well!" Lyons wrote after a particularly trying segment in which Betty clearly did not want to be in the limelight.
"Of course, she's 10 years old, so can be a little crabby when I put her out of her comfort zone...but then again, aren't we all?"
Reddit thought I would like to see a weatherman working from home. Reddit was right. pic.twitter.com/7ckvoJEUAC — Scoots (@scootertooter7) April 15, 2020
"Co-Weathering with Betty," read a post Wednesday. "Two hams on the screen and a little ham on my fingers made it work...at least for awhile. Why do I get the feeling I’m performing tricks for the cat instead of the other way around?"
"After 11 years of lounging around the house, I'm putting this cat to work...for you !" he updated on Thursday, along with a video that had Betty giving the forecast. "There's a fine line between clever and creepy...what do you think of this format for some actual useful information? I helped her with the forecasting, if that makes any difference!"
There was even a Facebook Live Q&A hosted by Lyons and featuring the now-famous feline. An Instagram account was created for her, too, allowing her devotees to follow more of her antics.
Betty has been seen all over the globe, which is pretty good reach for a cat that works from home.
Whether she'll remain a staple in Lyons' work remains to be seen, but for now, everyone seems to be enjoying her presence and her suitably catty attitude.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-04-25--The tiny virus that further sickens the 'fevered mob'

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics . ]
In his 1898 novel , “ The War of the Worlds , ” H.G .
Wells imagined a world changed forever by something like our dread coronavirus .
In that familiar story , Martian invaders were close to total domination of the Earth when they were unexpectedly vanquished by the “ germs of disease , ” famously called by Wells “ the humblest things that God , in his wisdom , had put upon this earth.
” In the novel , mankind is saved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science fiction viruses are usually employed to devastate human society , or change it forever .
The extent to which COVID-19 will leave a permanent mark on us is yet unknown , but it is safe to declare that generations of future doctoral students will study its impact on everything from handshakes to food supply chains .
TRENDING : Pelosi : 'Chunk of money ' in next coronavirus bill will go to vote-by-mail Within the sphere of politics , we have already seen short-term impacts to elections and how legislative bodies do their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the psychology of crisis will translate into permanent changes in the relationship between the governed and the government can only be answered with informed guesses .
Is the rebellion in Michigan against Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s stringent stay-at-home orders the first shot in a war against the nanny state or the last gasp of “ consent of the governed ” ?
Will the electorate become enamored of receiving “ paychecks ” from the government for not working , or will it chafe at adding untold trillions to the national debt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political media continue to play the role of a Greek chorus , pretending to speak for the general population and assuming a posture of omniscience despite being mainly aligned with one political party – and being so wrong so often ?
It is that last question that consumes me today as I watch yet again the White House press corps savage President Trump .
It ’ s become a daily ritual , and one that I enjoy not because the president is being attacked , but because he so deftly fends off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a dozen Lilliputians who mistakenly thought they had the giant pinned .
What I don ’ t know is how many voters believe the Fake News being used against Gulliver or how they view him when he on occasion loses his cool in response to their poison darts .
Hopefully , the average citizen recognizes that swatting at mosquitoes is the appropriate response when traversing across a dangerous swamp .
The skeeters , of course , have a different take .
Last week , we witnessed the White House press corps at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump against Dr. Anthony Fauci , one of his chief advisers on the pandemic .
Like many experienced hands in D.C. before him , Fauci made the mistake of appearing on a Sunday morning talk show with the expectation that the journalist interviewing him was interested in a Socratic dialogue intended to elucidate the truth .
No such luck .
Jake Tapper , host of CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , ” was only interested in playing a grade-school game of gotcha .
He wanted to maneuver Dr. Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
I watched with amusement as Fauci fenced with Tapper in regard to whether or not the president “ had gotten started too late ” on mitigation efforts against the coronavirus , and was therefore responsible for thousands of deaths .
Fauci began his response with a catchphrase that should be used by every guest who appears on Tapper ’ s show : “ You know it isn ’ t as simple as that , Jake .
I ’ m sorry.
” Unfortunately , he proceeded to try to treat Tapper like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought , which led him to make self-evident statements of little probative value , but which Tapper ( and his fellow wolfpack journalists ) twisted into a condemnation of the president .
“ Obviously , could you have done something a little earlier ?
Would it have had an impact ?
Obviously , ” Fauci stated , but he then shot down Tapper ’ s attempt to make a comparison between South Korea and the United States when it comes to deaths from the virus .
“ It ’ s a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where they had an outbreak in Daegu and had the capability of immediately attempting shutting it off completely in a way we may not have been able to do in this country , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t think you could say that we are where we are right now because of one factor .
It ’ s very complicated.
” But Tapper wasn ’ t buying it .
He had an agenda , a roadmap in the form of a New York Times report asserting that Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommend ” social distancing guidelines as far back as the third week of February , but the administration didn ’ t announce such guidelines until a month later .
The implication was that the delay was equivalent to premeditated murder .
When Fauci didn ’ t take the bait , Tapper got more direct : “ Do you think lives could have been saved if social distancing , physical distancing , stay-at-home measures had started the third week of February instead of mid-March ?
” This was like asking whether an accident could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told in advance to swerve left instead of right .
Yeah , thanks , you know-it-all Greek chorus !
By now , I ’ m screaming at the TV and at Tapper ’ s smug face as he dutifully sets up Fauci for the kill .
Please , Doc , just don ’ t say “ obviously ” again !
But it was inevitable .
Fauci just never understood that he was being ambushed .
“ You know , Jake , it ’ s the what-could-have , what-would-have , ” Fauci replied .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go back and say that [ lives could have been saved ] .
I mean obviously you could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier , you could have saved lives .
Obviously , no one is going to deny that .
… But what goes into those kinds of decisions -- it ’ s complicated .
But you ’ re right .
Obviously , if we had right from the beginning shut everything down , it may have been a little different.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ This could not be good .
What is obvious to you and me is absolutely mind-blowing to the Jake Tappers of the world , who seize on every shred of common sense as the first sign of a coverup in plain sight .
Then Fauci gave Tapper and the rest of the partisan press just what it needed when he made the vague and obviously true statement that “ there was a lot of pushback about shutting things down back then.
” It didn ’ t seem like a big deal at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious , but within hours , the rest of the mainstream media was quoting Fauci as if he had pointed the finger at Donald Trump and said , “ It ’ s all his fault !
Trump was the one who pushed back !
He made me do it !
” Of course , that ’ s nonsense .
Everybody except perhaps Sen. Tom Cotton was pushing back against the doomsday scenario of shutting down the economy at that time .
Most of us probably never even envisioned it as a realistic possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its 20-20 hindsight could manage to condemn Trump with such skimpy evidence .
But condemn they did !
The narrative was quickly shaped and shopped around that Fauci was blaming the president for thousands of deaths .
Even the once conservative Drudge Report informed its millions of readers that “ Fauci downloads on Trump , ” which is hip headline lingo for criticizing his boss .
Only it never happened .
In his interview with Tapper , Fauci had not one harsh word to say about the president .
Trump knew it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the press apparently didn ’ t know it , and the phony story spread for 24 hours that the Good Doctor had pushed back against the president when he was really pushing back against the misleading questions .
Even a lot of the conservative media like Breitbart and Gateway Pundit were quick to adopt the Fake News narrative that Fauci had been disloyal to Trump .
What interview were they watching ?
Please , folks , get the facts straight before you make accusations .
The following day , at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci and the president got to set the record straight .
It didn ’ t take long .
Following his first response to a question , Fauci said he needed to clarify something he said the previous day in response to a hypothetical question : “ Hypothetical questions sometimes can get you into some difficulty , because it ’ s what ‘ would have ’ or ‘ could have ’ [ happened ] .
The nature of the hypothetical question was , ‘ If in fact we had mitigated earlier , could lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer to my question was ... ‘ Yes.
’ I mean obviously .
If mitigation helps — I ’ ve been up here many times telling you mitigation works — so if mitigation works and you ... initiate it earlier , you will probably have saved more lives .
If you initiate it later , you probably would have lost more lives .
You initiate it at a certain time .
That was taken as a way that maybe something was at fault here.
” Fauci then explicitly explained that before there even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other medical professionals had talked about “ the pros and the cons , and effectiveness or not , of strong mitigation.
” The “ pushback , ” in other words , was the normal give-and-take of professionals having a serious discussion about real-life consequences of real hard decisions .
It had nothing to do with President Trump .
“ The first and only time that Dr. [ Deborah ] Birx and I went in and formally made a recommendation to the president to actually have a … shutdown in the sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the recommendation and went to the mitigation.
” This firm and clear statement that the press had gotten the story wrong wasn ’ t good enough for some of the reporters present .
Paula Reid of CBS even tried to shift the narrative against Fauci himself by casting him as a toady of Trump .
“ Are you doing this voluntarily ?
” she asked without the slightest hint of shame .
The poison look that Fauci gave her was the perfect summation of how an informed citizenry feels about the misinforming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he might have asked .
“ Did you really just ask me that insulting question ?
” Par for the course .
Only usually it is President Trump who is being insulted by the masters of the universe in the journalism racket .
But as the Washington press corps gets bolder , they seem willing to go after nearly anybody , even on occasion a Democrat !
Or maybe they had to seek easier targets since Trump punches back .
It is my hope that one of the changes we may see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is that the American public will stop relying on the media to interpret events for them , or to pass judgment on our behalf .
It was easy for reporters to turn President Trump into a dangerous buffoon when they controlled the narrative , but as soon as Trump decided to hold daily press conferences about how his administration was responding to the virus crisis , it gave Americans a chance to judge for themselves the character and competence of their commander in chief .
They also have a chance to judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hews to reality or — as I think — diverges into pure fantasy .
With any luck , we can break the stranglehold of the know-it-all media mafia on the flow of information into the homes of most Americans .
On the other hand , it is entirely possible that the Trump-hating media will redouble its efforts to alienate Trump from everyday Americans by painting him as an out-of-touch madman .
I wish I knew which way the matter will be resolved , but like the narrator of “ War of the Worlds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stress and danger of the time have left an abiding sense of doubt and insecurity in my mind.
” How much of that doubt and insecurity is a function of the virus , and how much of it was created by the Greek chorus of media negativity , is one of those questions that will have to wait to be answered by future scholars .
Frank Miele , the retired editor of the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell Mont.
, is a columnist for RealClearPolitics .
His books — including “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Know Is Fake ?
” — are available from his Amazon author page .
Visit him at HeartlandDiaryUSA.com to read his daily commentary or follow him on Facebook @ HeartlandDiaryUSA or on Twitter [ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics . ]

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]
By Frank Miele
Real Clear Politics
In his 1898 novel, “The War of the Worlds,” H.G. Wells imagined a world changed forever by something like our dread coronavirus. In that familiar story, Martian invaders were close to total domination of the Earth when they were unexpectedly vanquished by the “germs of disease,” famously called by Wells “the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, had put upon this earth.”
In the novel, mankind is saved by germs, but in modern Hollywood science fiction viruses are usually employed to devastate human society, or change it forever. The extent to which COVID-19 will leave a permanent mark on us is yet unknown, but it is safe to declare that generations of future doctoral students will study its impact on everything from handshakes to food supply chains.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Within the sphere of politics, we have already seen short-term impacts to elections and how legislative bodies do their work, but the question of how the psychology of crisis will translate into permanent changes in the relationship between the governed and the government can only be answered with informed guesses. Is the rebellion in Michigan against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stringent stay-at-home orders the first shot in a war against the nanny state or the last gasp of “consent of the governed”? Will the electorate become enamored of receiving “paychecks” from the government for not working, or will it chafe at adding untold trillions to the national debt and demand new austerity measures? Can the political media continue to play the role of a Greek chorus, pretending to speak for the general population and assuming a posture of omniscience despite being mainly aligned with one political party – and being so wrong so often?
It is that last question that consumes me today as I watch yet again the White House press corps savage President Trump. It’s become a daily ritual, and one that I enjoy not because the president is being attacked, but because he so deftly fends off the swarming journalistic pests like Gulliver shaking loose from a dozen Lilliputians who mistakenly thought they had the giant pinned. What I don’t know is how many voters believe the Fake News being used against Gulliver or how they view him when he on occasion loses his cool in response to their poison darts. Hopefully, the average citizen recognizes that swatting at mosquitoes is the appropriate response when traversing across a dangerous swamp. The skeeters, of course, have a different take.
Last week, we witnessed the White House press corps at its fustian worst while trying to pit President Trump against Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of his chief advisers on the pandemic. Like many experienced hands in D.C. before him, Fauci made the mistake of appearing on a Sunday morning talk show with the expectation that the journalist interviewing him was interested in a Socratic dialogue intended to elucidate the truth. No such luck. Jake Tapper, host of CNN’s “State of the Union,” was only interested in playing a grade-school game of gotcha. He wanted to maneuver Dr. Fauci into blaming Trump for the deaths of Americans.
I watched with amusement as Fauci fenced with Tapper in regard to whether or not the president “had gotten started too late” on mitigation efforts against the coronavirus, and was therefore responsible for thousands of deaths. Fauci began his response with a catchphrase that should be used by every guest who appears on Tapper’s show: “You know it isn’t as simple as that, Jake. I’m sorry.” Unfortunately, he proceeded to try to treat Tapper like an adult capable of nuance and rational thought, which led him to make self-evident statements of little probative value, but which Tapper (and his fellow wolfpack journalists) twisted into a condemnation of the president.
“Obviously, could you have done something a little earlier? Would it have had an impact? Obviously,” Fauci stated, but he then shot down Tapper’s attempt to make a comparison between South Korea and the United States when it comes to deaths from the virus.
“It’s a little bit unfair to compare us to South Korea, where they had an outbreak in Daegu and had the capability of immediately attempting shutting it off completely in a way we may not have been able to do in this country,” he said. “I don’t think you could say that we are where we are right now because of one factor. It’s very complicated.”
But Tapper wasn’t buying it. He had an agenda, a roadmap in the form of a New York Times report asserting that Fauci and other officials had “wanted to recommend” social distancing guidelines as far back as the third week of February, but the administration didn’t announce such guidelines until a month later. The implication was that the delay was equivalent to premeditated murder. When Fauci didn’t take the bait, Tapper got more direct: “Do you think lives could have been saved if social distancing, physical distancing, stay-at-home measures had started the third week of February instead of mid-March?”
This was like asking whether an accident could have been avoided if the driver was told in advance to swerve left instead of right. Yeah, thanks, you know-it-all Greek chorus! By now, I’m screaming at the TV and at Tapper’s smug face as he dutifully sets up Fauci for the kill. Please, Doc, just don’t say “obviously” again! But it was inevitable. Fauci just never understood that he was being ambushed.
“You know, Jake, it’s the what-could-have, what-would-have,” Fauci replied. “… It’s very difficult to go back and say that [lives could have been saved]. I mean obviously you could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives. Obviously, no one is going to deny that. … But what goes into those kinds of decisions -- it’s complicated. But you’re right. Obviously, if we had right from the beginning shut everything down, it may have been a little different.”
“Obviously” times three! This could not be good. What is obvious to you and me is absolutely mind-blowing to the Jake Tappers of the world, who seize on every shred of common sense as the first sign of a coverup in plain sight. Then Fauci gave Tapper and the rest of the partisan press just what it needed when he made the vague and obviously true statement that “there was a lot of pushback about shutting things down back then.”
It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. After all, it was obvious, but within hours, the rest of the mainstream media was quoting Fauci as if he had pointed the finger at Donald Trump and said, “It’s all his fault! Trump was the one who pushed back! He made me do it!” Of course, that’s nonsense. Everybody except perhaps Sen. Tom Cotton was pushing back against the doomsday scenario of shutting down the economy at that time. Most of us probably never even envisioned it as a realistic possibility. Only the self-absorbed Greek chorus with its 20-20 hindsight could manage to condemn Trump with such skimpy evidence.
But condemn they did! The narrative was quickly shaped and shopped around that Fauci was blaming the president for thousands of deaths. Even the once conservative Drudge Report informed its millions of readers that “Fauci downloads on Trump,” which is hip headline lingo for criticizing his boss.
Only it never happened. In his interview with Tapper, Fauci had not one harsh word to say about the president. Trump knew it. I knew it. Fauci knew it. But the press apparently didn’t know it, and the phony story spread for 24 hours that the Good Doctor had pushed back against the president when he was really pushing back against the misleading questions. Even a lot of the conservative media like Breitbart and Gateway Pundit were quick to adopt the Fake News narrative that Fauci had been disloyal to Trump. What interview were they watching? Please, folks, get the facts straight before you make accusations.
The following day, at the April 13 coronavirus task force briefing, Fauci and the president got to set the record straight. It didn’t take long. Following his first response to a question, Fauci said he needed to clarify something he said the previous day in response to a hypothetical question:
“Hypothetical questions sometimes can get you into some difficulty, because it’s what ‘would have’ or ‘could have’ [happened]. The nature of the hypothetical question was, ‘If in fact we had mitigated earlier, could lives have been saved?’ And the answer to my question was ... ‘Yes.’ I mean obviously. If mitigation helps — I’ve been up here many times telling you mitigation works — so if mitigation works and you ... initiate it earlier, you will probably have saved more lives. If you initiate it later, you probably would have lost more lives. You initiate it at a certain time. That was taken as a way that maybe something was at fault here.”
Fauci then explicitly explained that before there even was a task force, he and the other medical professionals had talked about “the pros and the cons, and effectiveness or not, of strong mitigation.” The “pushback,” in other words, was the normal give-and-take of professionals having a serious discussion about real-life consequences of real hard decisions. It had nothing to do with President Trump.
“The first and only time that Dr. [Deborah] Birx and I went in and formally made a recommendation to the president to actually have a … shutdown in the sense of ... strong mitigation ... the president listened to the recommendation and went to the mitigation.”
This firm and clear statement that the press had gotten the story wrong wasn’t good enough for some of the reporters present. Paula Reid of CBS even tried to shift the narrative against Fauci himself by casting him as a toady of Trump. “Are you doing this voluntarily?” she asked without the slightest hint of shame.
The poison look that Fauci gave her was the perfect summation of how an informed citizenry feels about the misinforming media. “Are you kidding?” he might have asked. “Did you really just ask me that insulting question?”
Par for the course. Only usually it is President Trump who is being insulted by the masters of the universe in the journalism racket. But as the Washington press corps gets bolder, they seem willing to go after nearly anybody, even on occasion a Democrat! Or maybe they had to seek easier targets since Trump punches back.
It is my hope that one of the changes we may see happen as a result of the current pandemic is that the American public will stop relying on the media to interpret events for them, or to pass judgment on our behalf. It was easy for reporters to turn President Trump into a dangerous buffoon when they controlled the narrative, but as soon as Trump decided to hold daily press conferences about how his administration was responding to the virus crisis, it gave Americans a chance to judge for themselves the character and competence of their commander in chief. They also have a chance to judge for themselves how closely the media narrative hews to reality or — as I think — diverges into pure fantasy.
With any luck, we can break the stranglehold of the know-it-all media mafia on the flow of information into the homes of most Americans. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that the Trump-hating media will redouble its efforts to alienate Trump from everyday Americans by painting him as an out-of-touch madman. I wish I knew which way the matter will be resolved, but like the narrator of “War of the Worlds,” I too must confess “the stress and danger of the time have left an abiding sense of doubt and insecurity in my mind.”
How much of that doubt and insecurity is a function of the virus, and how much of it was created by the Greek chorus of media negativity, is one of those questions that will have to wait to be answered by future scholars.
Frank Miele, the retired editor of the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell Mont., is a columnist for RealClearPolitics. His books — including “The Media Matrix: What If Everything You Know Is Fake?” — are available from his Amazon author page. Visit him at HeartlandDiaryUSA.com to read his daily commentary or follow him on Facebook @HeartlandDiaryUSA or on Twitter
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]