wnd--2020-05-07--15-year-old boy risks life to save toddler from drowning in canal

It 's every parent 's worst nightmare : One moment , your child is in sight , toddling around , safe and not getting up to mischief , and the next moment they 've completely vanished .
Mom Becca Hampton from Knottingley , West Yorks , England , has two children and experienced that terror recently .
On Sunday afternoon , her son , 15-month-old Reggie , was out in the yard when he somehow managed to get out through a makeshift gate and headed for a nearby canal .
Thankfully , 15-year-old Ryley Ferguson was nearby , walking his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the canal and heard as the boy fell into the water .
`` Basically , I was walking the dogs on the other side of the canal and I could hear this little kid shouting us and waving , '' he said , according to the Yorkshire Evening Post .
`` I realised how young he was and with him being on the other side I thought I need to go and get him or he ’ s going to go in . ''
TRENDING : Tony Fauci and the Trojan horse of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the water , Ryley removed his jacket and jumped in .
He reached the boy and started shouting for help , unable to drag the toddler out of the water alone .
`` Since it ’ s happened I ’ ve been ok , it does n't feel real and I did what anyone else would do , it ’ s just lucky that I was there because 30 seconds later , he would have been dead , '' he said .
He 's since been hailed as a local hero , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` guardian angel . ''
`` Knottingley has a new HERO , '' Susan Dann posted on Sunday .
`` RYLEY FERGUSON from The Ridgeway . ''
`` While walking the canal today RYLEY witnessed an unaccompanied toddler fall into the canal from the opposite bank below Foundry Lane .
Without further ado RYLEY immediately stripped off some clothing , dived in and swam across and saved the toddlers life .
By the time RYLEY got there the toddler was submerged . ''
`` Our town is extremely fortunate to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a local councillor , said , according to the Daily Mail .
`` He 's a hero and he deserves to be recognised as such . ''
The thanks has gotten back to Ryley 's parents , Amy and Michael , who are also proud of their son .
`` We heard from one of the neighbours near the canal that they saw what happened and she said Ryley did n't hesitate and jumped straight in after the toddler , '' his mom said .
`` If he had been seconds later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one would have known where he went , '' his dad pointed out .
`` He must have had somebody watching over him . ''
Probably no one is more thankful than Hampton , though , who shared a photo of Ryley holding Reggie and said she 'll be keeping it as a reminder .
`` Our hero right there with my boy , '' Hampton shared on Tuesday .
`` [ T ] his photo will be getting printed and put into a frame and put where Reggie can see it so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Reggie will always know who his hero is and we will forever be in your debt . ''
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

It's every parent's worst nightmare: One moment, your child is in sight, toddling around, safe and not getting up to mischief, and the next moment they've completely vanished.
Mom Becca Hampton from Knottingley, West Yorks, England, has two children and experienced that terror recently. On Sunday afternoon, her son, 15-month-old Reggie, was out in the yard when he somehow managed to get out through a makeshift gate and headed for a nearby canal.
Thankfully, 15-year-old Ryley Ferguson was nearby, walking his pups. He saw Reggie walking toward the canal and heard as the boy fell into the water.
"Basically, I was walking the dogs on the other side of the canal and I could hear this little kid shouting us and waving," he said, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. "I realised how young he was and with him being on the other side I thought I need to go and get him or he’s going to go in."
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Once the toddler made it into the water, Ryley removed his jacket and jumped in. He reached the boy and started shouting for help, unable to drag the toddler out of the water alone.
"Since it’s happened I’ve been ok, it doesn't feel real and I did what anyone else would do, it’s just lucky that I was there because 30 seconds later, he would have been dead," he said.
He's since been hailed as a local hero, and a very grateful Hampton has dubbed him a "guardian angel."
"Knottingley has a new HERO," Susan Dann posted on Sunday. "RYLEY FERGUSON from The Ridgeway."
"While walking the canal today RYLEY witnessed an unaccompanied toddler fall into the canal from the opposite bank below Foundry Lane. Without further ado RYLEY immediately stripped off some clothing, dived in and swam across and saved the toddlers life. By the time RYLEY got there the toddler was submerged."
"WELL DONE RYLEY."
"Our town is extremely fortunate to have a lad like Ryley," Tom Gordon, a local councillor, said, according to the Daily Mail. "He's a hero and he deserves to be recognised as such."
The thanks has gotten back to Ryley's parents, Amy and Michael, who are also proud of their son.
"We heard from one of the neighbours near the canal that they saw what happened and she said Ryley didn't hesitate and jumped straight in after the toddler," his mom said.
"If he had been seconds later that kid would have drowned and no one would have known where he went," his dad pointed out. "He must have had somebody watching over him."
Probably no one is more thankful than Hampton, though, who shared a photo of Ryley holding Reggie and said she'll be keeping it as a reminder.
"Our hero right there with my boy," Hampton shared on Tuesday.
"[T]his photo will be getting printed and put into a frame and put where Reggie can see it so he knows who his guardian angel is. Reggie will always know who his hero is and we will forever be in your debt."
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-05-08--Ex-NYT reporter: 'I don't want justice' for Reade - 'I want a win' for Biden

It is n't particularly unusual that a New York Times reader , in response to the paper 's rather lenient editorial request to have the Democratic National Committee investigate Tara Reade 's allegation of sexual assault against presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden , might write a letter to the editor which includes the line , `` I don ’ t want an investigation .
I want a coronation of Joe Biden . ''
It 's a bit more unusual when that reader 's letter is printed .
The New York Times still has standards .
They 're entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the paper operate under the utterly misguided assumption that the DNC could effectively investigate its own nominee and vouchsafe to us there was nothing to the charges .
They 're still standards , though , and they 're the kind of standards that would n't usually let a letter to the editor get published which essentially said the Democratic Party might be nominating a sexual predator , but it 's a sexual predator we can all get behind .
It 's incredibly unusual -- and telling -- when that New York Times reader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is in panic mode ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion Martin Tolchin apparently is n't very happy something might spoil Biden 's path to the White House , including a former aide 's allegation she sexually assaulted him .
`` I totally disagree with this editorial .
I don ’ t want an investigation .
I want a coronation of Joe Biden , '' Tolchin wrote in a letter published Monday .
`` Would he make a great president ?
Unlikely .
Would he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Would he make a better president than the present occupant ?
Absolutely , '' it continued .
Yes , but the accusation here is that , in 1993 , Biden pushed Reade up against a wall and digitally penetrated her against her will .
One would think that an investigation would be the slightest bit of justice we could do the allegation .
That 's not terribly a concern for Tolchin , though .
`` I don ’ t want justice , whatever that may be .
I want a win , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Mr. Biden is our best chance , '' the letter continued .
This is n't , by the way , because of the fact he does n't think there 's any possibility Reade 's allegation is true .
In fact , he 's afraid it is : `` Suppose an investigation reveals damaging information concerning his relationship with Tara Reade or something else , and Mr. Biden loses the nomination to Senator Bernie Sanders or someone else with a minimal chance of defeating Mr. Trump .
Should we really risk the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a sad state of affairs when Mr. Tolchin 's letter finds its way into the august pages of The New York Times .
As it turns out , he 's a bit of an insider on the Hill -- so much so that he literally helped found the news outlet The Hill after he left The Times .
Here was the disclosure note after Tolchin 's letter : `` The writer is a former reporter for The New York Times , a founder and editor in chief of The Hill , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Politico .
His views are his own . ''
Yes , one would hope so .
By publishing it , The Times has made me more than a bit uncertain .
Is The New York Times exposing an ugly strand of thinking by publishing a thoroughly ugly letter ?
I somewhat doubt it , particularly in a paper not known for leaving a whole lot to morality in the Trump era .
Is its editorial board thoroughly unaware of its profound ugliness ?
By at least presenting this letter to us as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one more than suspects that .
To be fair , The Times would have done Tolchin an enormous kindness by keeping this out of their pages in more ways than one : Tolchin is 91 , which is perhaps past the age when he should have his letters to the editor automatically published no matter what the contents might be .
If they 're assuming he 's still in compos mentis , then , what are we also assuming about what Tolchin -- and indeed , the slice of the left that found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their readers , even if they found it ugly -- had to say ?
For over four years , from the moment the man who would become our president came down the escalator at Trump Tower , the right was told it must disown President Trump because of his personal failings .
This , mind you , was before the `` Access Hollywood '' video and accusations of sexual misconduct came along .
If you were conservative -- and especially Christian and conservative -- you had to vote against your interests if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man who Trump was .
For that period , the left has patted itself on the back for its moral rectitude .
The right had no place to talk anymore , even if they personally disapproved of Trump 's lifestyle choices or disbelieved the accusations against him .
Now it 's not even a matter of disbelieving Reade 's accusations .
Tolchin is afraid we might find something that could make him believe them -- or , perhaps more importantly , make other people believe them .
To Tolchin , it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or not Reade is telling the truth .
In other words , the left is using the same logic they think Christian conservatives use to unethically stomach Trump to actually unethically stomach Biden , all because he would `` make a better president than the present occupant . ''
And they 'll pat themselves on the back for doing so .
`` Believe all women , '' indeed .
The left does n't care about women .
All it does is care about politics .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal @

It isn't particularly unusual that a New York Times reader, in response to the paper's rather lenient editorial request to have the Democratic National Committee investigate Tara Reade's allegation of sexual assault against presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden, might write a letter to the editor which includes the line, "I don’t want an investigation. I want a coronation of Joe Biden."
It's a bit more unusual when that reader's letter is printed.
The New York Times still has standards. They're entirely backward standards -- standards which would have the paper operate under the utterly misguided assumption that the DNC could effectively investigate its own nominee and vouchsafe to us there was nothing to the charges.
They're still standards, though, and they're the kind of standards that wouldn't usually let a letter to the editor get published which essentially said the Democratic Party might be nominating a sexual predator, but it's a sexual predator we can all get behind.
It's incredibly unusual -- and telling -- when that New York Times reader is a former New York Times reporter.
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Martin Tolchin apparently isn't very happy something might spoil Biden's path to the White House, including a former aide's allegation that Biden sexually assaulted her.
"I totally disagree with this editorial. I don’t want an investigation. I want a coronation of Joe Biden," Tolchin wrote in a letter published Monday.
"Would he make a great president? Unlikely. Would he make a good president? Good enough. Would he make a better president than the present occupant? Absolutely," it continued.
Yes, but the accusation here is that, in 1993, Biden pushed Reade up against a wall and digitally penetrated her against her will. One would think that an investigation would be the slightest bit of justice we could do the allegation.
That's not terribly a concern for Tolchin, though.
"I don’t want justice, whatever that may be. I want a win, the removal of Donald Trump from office, and Mr. Biden is our best chance," the letter continued.
This isn't, by the way, because of the fact he doesn't think there's any possibility Reade's allegation is true. In fact, he's afraid it is: "Suppose an investigation reveals damaging information concerning his relationship with Tara Reade or something else, and Mr. Biden loses the nomination to Senator Bernie Sanders or someone else with a minimal chance of defeating Mr. Trump. Should we really risk the possibility?"
So yes, it's a sad state of affairs when Mr. Tolchin's letter finds its way into the august pages of The New York Times. As it turns out, he's a bit of an insider on the Hill -- so much so that he literally helped found the news outlet The Hill after he left The Times.
Here was the disclosure note after Tolchin's letter: "The writer is a former reporter for The New York Times, a founder and editor in chief of The Hill, and was an adviser during the pre-launch phase of Politico. His views are his own."
Yes, one would hope so. By publishing it, The Times has made me more than a bit uncertain.
Is The New York Times exposing an ugly strand of thinking by publishing a thoroughly ugly letter? I somewhat doubt it, particularly in a paper not known for leaving a whole lot to morality in the Trump era.
Is its editorial board thoroughly unaware of its profound ugliness? By at least presenting this letter to us as a viable reaction to their editorial, one more than suspects that.
To be fair, The Times would have done Tolchin an enormous kindness by keeping this out of their pages in more ways than one: Tolchin is 91, which is perhaps past the age when he should have his letters to the editor automatically published no matter what the contents might be.
If they're assuming he's still in compos mentis, then, what are we also assuming about what Tolchin -- and indeed, the slice of the left that found this entirely rational enough to pass along to their readers, even if they found it ugly -- had to say?
For over four years, from the moment the man who would become our president came down the escalator at Trump Tower, the right was told it must disown President Trump because of his personal failings.
This, mind you, was before the "Access Hollywood" video and accusations of sexual misconduct came along. If you were conservative -- and especially Christian and conservative -- you had to vote against your interests if Trump became the nominee simply because of the man who Trump was.
For that period, the left has patted itself on the back for its moral rectitude. The right had no place to talk anymore, even if they personally disapproved of Trump's lifestyle choices or disbelieved the accusations against him.
Now it's not even a matter of disbelieving Reade's accusations. Tolchin is afraid we might find something that could make him believe them -- or, perhaps more importantly, make other people believe them. To Tolchin, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether or not Reade is telling the truth.
In other words, the left is using the same logic they think Christian conservatives use to unethically stomach Trump to actually unethically stomach Biden, all because he would "make a better president than the present occupant." And they'll pat themselves on the back for doing so.
"Believe all women," indeed. The left doesn't care about women. All it does is care about politics.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-05-08--Watch police in anti-gun Canada draw guns, tackle woman over toy 'Star Wars' gun

Canada 's hysteria about guns was on full display as shocking footage showed police officers swarm and handcuff a 19-year-old woman who was holding a plastic gun as part of a `` Star Wars '' Stormtrooper character costume .
The costumed teen was outside the Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina in Lethbridge , Alberta , as part of the themed eatery 's promotion on Monday , May 4 , a day of celebration among `` Star Wars '' fans because it 's a play on words with one of the franchise 's catchphrases , `` May the force be with you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bradley Whalen , told Lethbridge News Now that he asked his employee to wear the costume , which video showed included a helmet , full body suit and toy gun , while walking outside to drum up business .
He said they `` had people stopping by and getting pictures with the Stormtrooper '' and that they `` put a couple of promotions on in the restaurant to entice people to come . ''
Things turned sour , however , when police officers suddenly descended upon the woman .
TRENDING : Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion “ Police officers had guns drawn , pointed at my employee , '' Whalen said .
`` They were yelling at her to put the gun down so she threw the plastic gun on the ground . ''
`` At that point in time when I came out , she was on her knees kneeling down on the ground , '' he said .
`` The police had already checked and seen that the gun was plastic so they already knew that there wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whalen said she had trouble complying with their orders because of the costume .
“ She kept yelling at them that she couldn ’ t kneel down because , in that Stormtrooper costume , you can ’ t even sit down in it , like it ’ s impossible to sit down . ''
Officers instead pushed her to the ground , causing her to have a bloody nose and leaving a crimson stain on the concrete as proof .
YouTube user Deiby Corleoni posted the incident caught on camera , apparently taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident .
The clip initially showed the woman milling around a concrete area in front of the restaurant , even doing a `` march '' for the videographer .
The video then cut to a more sinister scene from the other side of the street , possibly on a return trip , this time with the teen dressed as a Stormtrooper putting her empty hands up in surrender as officers pointed their weapons at her .
Officers yelled at the teen to get on the ground until she eventually got onto her knees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Get down on the ground !
Get on your belly ! ''
The clip panned to Whalen , who emerged from the restaurant and shouted , `` It 's a plastic gun ! ''
When the camera focused back on the Stormtrooper , she was on her belly crying out in pain , surrounded by three police officers and being handcuffed .
Whalen again protested , `` It 's a prop ! ''
An officer approached the person filming and told him to stay back .
`` This is Canada , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We do n't have guns in Canada .
That 's a plastic gun .
I could buy it at the dollar store . ''
The full footage of the incident can be seen below .
WARNING : The following video contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive .
The Lethbridge Police Service responded to outrage over police conduct with an official statement Tuesday and announced an investigation into the matter .
`` Upon reviewing the file and additional information , including video circulating on social media , Chief Scott Woods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alberta Police Act that will look into whether the officers acted appropriately within the scope of their training and LPS policies and procedures , '' the department said .
Jason Walper , inspector for the Lethbridge Police Service , told Lethbridge News Now that officers were responding to `` multiple '' 911 calls about the fake firearm .
“ Any time our officers are responding to something that ’ s very spontaneous where there ’ s a weapon involved , our first responsibility is to ensure we can create a safe environment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the individual itself , '' Walper said .
“ So certainly , their first response is to deal with that weapon and remove the weapon from the person , take the person into custody , and then allow us to follow up with that investigation to determine exactly what occurred.
” Walper admitted that officers “ pushed the individual down to the ground ” after she was already disarmed and on her knees , causing the woman 's bloody nose .
Although she was taken into custody , the 19-year-old was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been hostile toward gun ownership , and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently upped the ante as he banned an additional 1,500 types of firearms .
Despite the country 's restrictive laws , however , a gunman opened fire in Nova Scotia last month , killing 22 people , which may have accounted for some of the officers ' hysteria .
Still , this incident could have been avoided with a little common sense once officers confirmed they were dealing with a prop that was part of a `` Star Wars '' costume .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloodied and terrified by their overreaction .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

Canada's hysteria about guns was on full display as shocking footage showed police officers swarm and handcuff a 19-year-old woman who was holding a plastic gun as part of a "Star Wars" Stormtrooper character costume.
The costumed teen was outside the Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina in Lethbridge, Alberta, as part of the themed eatery's promotion on Monday, May 4, a day of celebration among "Star Wars" fans because it's a play on words with one of the franchise's catchphrases, "May the force be with you."
The restaurant's owner, Bradley Whalen, told Lethbridge News Now that he asked his employee to wear the costume, which video showed included a helmet, full body suit and toy gun, while walking outside to drum up business.
He said they "had people stopping by and getting pictures with the Stormtrooper" and that they "put a couple of promotions on in the restaurant to entice people to come."
Things turned sour, however, when police officers suddenly descended upon the woman.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
“Police officers had guns drawn, pointed at my employee," Whalen said. "They were yelling at her to put the gun down so she threw the plastic gun on the ground."
"At that point in time when I came out, she was on her knees kneeling down on the ground," he said. "The police had already checked and seen that the gun was plastic so they already knew that there wasn’t an issue or a risk there.”
Whalen said she had trouble complying with their orders because of the costume. “She kept yelling at them that she couldn’t kneel down because, in that Stormtrooper costume, you can’t even sit down in it, like it’s impossible to sit down."
Officers instead pushed her to the ground, causing her to have a bloody nose and leaving a crimson stain on the concrete as proof.
YouTube user Deiby Corleoni posted the incident caught on camera, apparently taken from a vehicle beginning just before the incident.
The clip initially showed the woman milling around a concrete area in front of the restaurant, even doing a "march" for the videographer.
The video then cut to a more sinister scene from the other side of the street, possibly on a return trip, this time with the teen dressed as a Stormtrooper putting her empty hands up in surrender as officers pointed their weapons at her.
Officers yelled at the teen to get on the ground until she eventually got onto her knees, but still an officer shouted, "Get down on the ground! Get on your belly!"
The clip panned to Whalen, who emerged from the restaurant and shouted, "It's a plastic gun!"
When the camera focused back on the Stormtrooper, she was on her belly crying out in pain, surrounded by three police officers and being handcuffed. Whalen again protested, "It's a prop!"
An officer approached the person filming and told him to stay back.
"This is Canada," the person with the camera said. "We don't have guns in Canada. That's a plastic gun. I could buy it at the dollar store."
The full footage of the incident can be seen below.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive.
https://youtu.be/zE0VEHkBtIA
The Lethbridge Police Service responded to outrage over police conduct with an official statement Tuesday and announced an investigation into the matter.
"Upon reviewing the file and additional information, including video circulating on social media, Chief Scott Woods has directed a service investigation under the Alberta Police Act that will look into whether the officers acted appropriately within the scope of their training and LPS policies and procedures," the department said.
Jason Walper, inspector for the Lethbridge Police Service, told Lethbridge News Now that officers were responding to "multiple" 911 calls about the fake firearm.
“Any time our officers are responding to something that’s very spontaneous where there’s a weapon involved, our first responsibility is to ensure we can create a safe environment for the officers, for the public, and the individual itself," Walper said.
“So certainly, their first response is to deal with that weapon and remove the weapon from the person, take the person into custody, and then allow us to follow up with that investigation to determine exactly what occurred.”
Walper admitted that officers “pushed the individual down to the ground” after she was already disarmed and on her knees, causing the woman's bloody nose.
Although she was taken into custody, the 19-year-old was not charged with any crime.
Canada has been hostile toward gun ownership, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently upped the ante as he banned an additional 1,500 types of firearms.
Despite the country's restrictive laws, however, a gunman opened fire in Nova Scotia last month, killing 22 people, which may have accounted for some of the officers' hysteria.
Still, this incident could have been avoided with a little common sense once officers confirmed they were dealing with a prop that was part of a "Star Wars" costume.
Instead, this young woman was left bloodied and terrified by their overreaction.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-05-07--A tale of 2 drugs: Lives sacrificed on the altar of money & power

Note : Dr. Vliet is a member of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons , AAPS .
At the presidential biefing on April 30 , Dr. Anthony Fauci announced early results , prior to peer-review , of one clinical trial using remdesivir , an intravenous ( IV ) experimental antiviral medicine in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 .
At the `` warp speed '' currently in vogue for the Fauci-led push to a new vaccine , the very next day the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization ( EUA ) for remdesivir to be used in seriously ill hospitalized patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump met with the CEO of the drug 's manufacturer , Gilead Sciences , in the Oval Office .
Such rapid authorization is quite unusual with the FDA .
Unlike the experimental remdesivir with no prior FDA approval , hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ ) required two months from reports of successful use in China and South Korea to get the March 28 FDA EUA for use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients .
HCQ was approved in 1955 for malaria , and later for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis .
Over the last 65 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written for HCQ worldwide .
The EUA for HCQ did not , however , expand its availability but imposed restrictions to prevent non-hospitalized patients from accessing the government 's stockpile of the drug .
Democratic Govs .
Cuomo ( New York ) , Sisolak ( Nevada ) and Whitmer ( Michigan ) then imposed restrictive orders on outpatient use , and all but four states have followed their lead .
In decades of widespread use , HCQ has an impressive safety record .
Irregular heart rhythm or damage to the retina occur rarely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term .
The FDA shows only 62 cardiac deaths attributed to HCQ out of more than 50 million prescriptions , or 0.000124 % ( 1.2 out of each 1 million Rx ) .
Rheumatology guidelines for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis do not even require baseline electrocardiograms before prescribing HCQ , since the risk is minimal .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is in panic mode ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion Approximately $ 70 million in U.S. taxpayer funding began Gilead 's partnership with the U.S. Army , Centers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) to develop remdesivir .
Initially for treating Ebola , it failed to show benefit and was shelved .
If remdesivir is used to treat COVID-19 , Gilead shareholders , not the taxpayers , will profit .
Early results of the first clinical trial of remdesivir against placebo in coronavirus showed modest benefits , according to The New York Times .
Surviving patients given remdesivir were discharged four days sooner than patients given placebo , though no criteria were given for determining improvement .
Death rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of patients receiving remdesivir had potentially severe side effects , including multiple organ dysfunction , septic shock , acute kidney injury and low blood pressure .
Another 23 % showed evidence on lab tests of liver damage .
Gilead 's own press release revealed the side effect of acute respiratory failure in 6 % of patients in the remdesivir five-day treatment group , and 10.7 % of patients in the 10-day treatment group , clearly ominous findings with a drug designed to treat respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 .
Dr. Steven Nissen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted dozens of clinical trials , explained to The New York Times : `` The disclosure of trial results in a political setting , before peer review or publication , is very unusual .
Scientists will need to see figures on harms associated with the drug in order to assess its benefits .
… This is too important to be handled in such a sloppy fashion . ''
Dr. Michele Barry , a global health expert at Stanford University , expressed concern about Dr. Fauci 's overly enthusiastic praise for remdesivir : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 'standard of care ' until peer review of data and publication , and before studies have shown benefit in mortality . ''
The leading communicable disease specialist in France , professor Didier Raoult , asked about another odd aspect of the remdesivir trial : `` Could Anthony Fauci explain why the investigators of the NIAID remdesivir trial did change the primary outcome during the course of the project ? ''
Death as the primary outcome was moved to a secondary outcome , and days to recovery became the primary trial outcome .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are completed is highly unusual and suggests `` p-hacking '' – manipulating the data to get a statistically significant `` p value . ''
In contrast , the multi-country compilation of evidence on HCQ and azithromycin in treatment of COVID-19 ( updated April 27 , 2020 ) has consistently shown that these older medicines prevent infections , significantly reduce severity of illness , reduce viral load and duration of infectivity , reduce number of hospitalizations , reduce ventilator use and markedly reduce deaths .
The data are far beyond `` anecodotal , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Money appears to be trumping medical wisdom in the recent enthusiasm for remdesivir based on just one study with modest results .
One naturally wonders whether this may have anything to do with the fact that the `` world 's largest asset manager , '' BlackRock , owns the largest share of all Gilead stock at 8.4 % .
BlackRock 's influence in Washington , D.C. , is legendary , and it recently was awarded the financial crown jewel of administering the Federal Reserve 's $ 4.5 trillion COVID-19 loan bail-out program .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's favor ?
Nine of the experts on the NIH COVID-19 Panel recommending treatment options have disclosed financial support from Gilead .
Why did these nine experts not recuse themselves ?
Did financial conflicts of interest affect the recommendation against HCQ , the older , safer , cheaper medicine , and for use of remdesivir , the new , expensive experimental medicine , based on weak , not-yet-peer-reviewed evidence ?
HCQ has been off patent for decades , is available from a dozen U.S. generic manufacturers and is also produced in China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HCQ costs the patient on average less than $ 10 ( range 37-63 cents per tablet ) , for the usual 5-7 day course of treatment .
Remdesivir costs upwards of $ 1,000 per dose , plus the added costs of having to be hospitalized to receive it .
In addition to HCQ 's low cost , major pharmaceutical companies ( Novartis , Bayer , Teva , and others ) have donated nearly 50 million doses to the Strategic National Stockpile .
Tragically for Americans sick with COVID-19 , most of this medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are interfering with its use in outpatients when it has greatest effect .
Patients ' lives are being sacrificed on the altar of financial interests and elite D.C. powerbrokers , instead of being entrusted to the judgment of patients ' own physicians .
We are witnessing the deadly consequences of bureaucrats and governors practicing medicine .
Money over medical wisdom , and politics above patients : two viruses more lethal than COVID-19 .

Note: Dr. Vliet is a member of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, AAPS.
At the presidential biefing on April 30, Dr. Anthony Fauci announced early results, prior to peer-review, of one clinical trial using remdesivir, an intravenous (IV) experimental antiviral medicine in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. At the "warp speed" currently in vogue for the Fauci-led push to a new vaccine, the very next day the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for remdesivir to be used in seriously ill hospitalized patients. To announce the emergency approval, President Trump met with the CEO of the drug's manufacturer, Gilead Sciences, in the Oval Office.
Such rapid authorization is quite unusual with the FDA. Unlike the experimental remdesivir with no prior FDA approval, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) required two months from reports of successful use in China and South Korea to get the March 28 FDA EUA for use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. HCQ was approved in 1955 for malaria, and later for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Over the last 65 years, hundreds of millions of prescriptions have been written for HCQ worldwide.
The EUA for HCQ did not, however, expand its availability but imposed restrictions to prevent non-hospitalized patients from accessing the government's stockpile of the drug. Democratic Govs. Cuomo (New York), Sisolak (Nevada) and Whitmer (Michigan) then imposed restrictive orders on outpatient use, and all but four states have followed their lead.
In decades of widespread use, HCQ has an impressive safety record. Irregular heart rhythm or damage to the retina occur rarely, usually with high doses used long term. The FDA shows only 62 cardiac deaths attributed to HCQ out of more than 50 million prescriptions, or 0.000124% (1.2 out of each 1 million Rx). Rheumatology guidelines for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis do not even require baseline electrocardiograms before prescribing HCQ, since the risk is minimal.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Approximately $70 million in U.S. taxpayer funding began Gilead's partnership with the U.S. Army, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop remdesivir. Initially for treating Ebola, it failed to show benefit and was shelved. If remdesivir is used to treat COVID-19, Gilead shareholders, not the taxpayers, will profit.
Early results of the first clinical trial of remdesivir against placebo in coronavirus showed modest benefits, according to The New York Times. Surviving patients given remdesivir were discharged four days sooner than patients given placebo, though no criteria were given for determining improvement. Death rates were not significantly different. About 25% of patients receiving remdesivir had potentially severe side effects, including multiple organ dysfunction, septic shock, acute kidney injury and low blood pressure. Another 23% showed evidence on lab tests of liver damage.
Gilead's own press release revealed the side effect of acute respiratory failure in 6% of patients in the remdesivir five-day treatment group, and 10.7% of patients in the 10-day treatment group, clearly ominous findings with a drug designed to treat respiratory failure caused by COVID-19.
Dr. Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist who has conducted dozens of clinical trials, explained to The New York Times: "The disclosure of trial results in a political setting, before peer review or publication, is very unusual. Scientists will need to see figures on harms associated with the drug in order to assess its benefits. … This is too important to be handled in such a sloppy fashion."
Dr. Michele Barry, a global health expert at Stanford University, expressed concern about Dr. Fauci's overly enthusiastic praise for remdesivir: "It is unusual to call a drug the 'standard of care' until peer review of data and publication, and before studies have shown benefit in mortality."
The leading communicable disease specialist in France, professor Didier Raoult, asked about another odd aspect of the remdesivir trial: "Could Anthony Fauci explain why the investigators of the NIAID remdesivir trial did change the primary outcome during the course of the project?" Death as the primary outcome was moved to a secondary outcome, and days to recovery became the primary trial outcome. Changing the primary outcome before trial results are completed is highly unusual and suggests "p-hacking" – manipulating the data to get a statistically significant "p value."
In contrast, the multi-country compilation of evidence on HCQ and azithromycin in treatment of COVID-19 (updated April 27, 2020) has consistently shown that these older medicines prevent infections, significantly reduce severity of illness, reduce viral load and duration of infectivity, reduce number of hospitalizations, reduce ventilator use and markedly reduce deaths. The data are far beyond "anecodotal," as Dr. Fauci dismissively called it.
Money appears to be trumping medical wisdom in the recent enthusiasm for remdesivir based on just one study with modest results. One naturally wonders whether this may have anything to do with the fact that the "world's largest asset manager," BlackRock, owns the largest share of all Gilead stock at 8.4%. BlackRock's influence in Washington, D.C., is legendary, and it recently was awarded the financial crown jewel of administering the Federal Reserve's $4.5 trillion COVID-19 loan bail-out program.
Is someone stacking the deck in Gilead's favor? Nine of the experts on the NIH COVID-19 Panel recommending treatment options have disclosed financial support from Gilead. Why did these nine experts not recuse themselves? Did financial conflicts of interest affect the recommendation against HCQ, the older, safer, cheaper medicine, and for use of remdesivir, the new, expensive experimental medicine, based on weak, not-yet-peer-reviewed evidence?
HCQ has been off patent for decades, is available from a dozen U.S. generic manufacturers and is also produced in China, India, Israel and other countries. HCQ costs the patient on average less than $10 (range 37-63 cents per tablet), for the usual 5-7 day course of treatment. Remdesivir costs upwards of $1,000 per dose, plus the added costs of having to be hospitalized to receive it.
In addition to HCQ's low cost, major pharmaceutical companies (Novartis, Bayer, Teva, and others) have donated nearly 50 million doses to the Strategic National Stockpile. Tragically for Americans sick with COVID-19, most of this medicine still sits in warehouses because state governments are interfering with its use in outpatients when it has greatest effect.
Patients' lives are being sacrificed on the altar of financial interests and elite D.C. powerbrokers, instead of being entrusted to the judgment of patients' own physicians. We are witnessing the deadly consequences of bureaucrats and governors practicing medicine.
Money over medical wisdom, and politics above patients: two viruses more lethal than COVID-19.


wnd--2020-05-07--Doctor's orders: 4 things to do as we reopen for business

Note : Dr. Orient is executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons , AAPS .
If the country reopens for business , there will be more cases of COVID-19 reported and more deaths .
And the more tests we do , the more cases we will find .
If the country remains locked down , there will be more cases of COVID-19 reported and more deaths .
There will also be increasing economic devastation , which itself causes deaths , and many more deaths from other medical conditions that have been untreated .
If an epidemic starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is promptly identified , it can be contained .
But COVID-19 was probably circulating worldwide for at least a month before it was recognized .
That 's how as many as half the people in certain places got antibodies .
The idea of `` flattening the curve '' was to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed .
It was a delaying tactic , with no prospect of ending the disease .
In a few places , especially New York City , hospitals are struggling .
In most places they are nearly empty and going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` expert '' models that predicted 2 million deaths in the U.S. were wildly wrong .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is in panic mode ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion What is going on now ?
It is hard to say .
Many deaths are coded as COVID-19 , without confirmation , because hospitals get paid more for that diagnosis .
( Medicare has paid hospitals by the diagnosis for decades . )
Half the U.S. Cases of COVID-19 have likely been nursing home residents .
Did some die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of neglect ?
Could be – no visitors are allowed in .
What to do now ?
Let the collapse continue until `` we have a vaccine '' ?
Does that mean `` until ( unless ? )
everybody is vaccinated with a safe and effective vaccine '' ?
There is NO vaccine for most viruses .
The influenza vaccine may be only 30 % effective , and many serious side effects are reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System ( VAERS ) .
Here 's what you can do now to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home if you are sick .
• Wearing a mask in public is a `` precaution '' backed by little evidence .
It probably does not protect you but may help protect others .
It has germs all over it , outside and inside , so do not touch it .
If it is cloth , wash it with soap and water .
Do n't wear it while driving – at least one crash may have resulted .
• Take your vitamins .
Some doctors recommend 5,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
In an Indonesian study , 96 % of patients who died of COVID-19 were vitamin D deficient , and only 7 % of survivors had low or deficient vitamin D. Vitamin C , selenium , zinc and other nutrients help build resistance .
• Ask your doctor about early treatment with hydroxychloroquine , azithromycin and zinc .
It 's a new indication for long-established drugs , being used with great success in Brazil , India , France , Israel , Morocco , Algeria and some places in the U.S. Use is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who state there is not enough evidence .
For further information , see the May issue of AAPS News and our compendium of coronavirus articles .

Note: Dr. Orient is executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, AAPS.
If the country reopens for business, there will be more cases of COVID-19 reported and more deaths. And the more tests we do, the more cases we will find.
If the country remains locked down, there will be more cases of COVID-19 reported and more deaths. There will also be increasing economic devastation, which itself causes deaths, and many more deaths from other medical conditions that have been untreated.
If an epidemic starts in one or a few locations and is promptly identified, it can be contained. But COVID-19 was probably circulating worldwide for at least a month before it was recognized. That's how as many as half the people in certain places got antibodies.
The idea of "flattening the curve" was to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. It was a delaying tactic, with no prospect of ending the disease. In a few places, especially New York City, hospitals are struggling. In most places they are nearly empty and going bankrupt for lack of patients. The "expert" models that predicted 2 million deaths in the U.S. were wildly wrong.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
What is going on now? It is hard to say. Many deaths are coded as COVID-19, without confirmation, because hospitals get paid more for that diagnosis. (Medicare has paid hospitals by the diagnosis for decades.) Half the U.S. Cases of COVID-19 have likely been nursing home residents. Did some die of "failure to thrive" because of neglect? Could be – no visitors are allowed in.
What to do now? Let the collapse continue until "we have a vaccine"? Does that mean "until (unless?) everybody is vaccinated with a safe and effective vaccine"? There is NO vaccine for most viruses. The influenza vaccine may be only 30% effective, and many serious side effects are reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
Here's what you can do now to protect yourself and others:
Stay home if you are sick.
Wearing a mask in public is a "precaution" backed by little evidence. It probably does not protect you but may help protect others. It has germs all over it, outside and inside, so do not touch it. If it is cloth, wash it with soap and water. Don't wear it while driving – at least one crash may have resulted.
Take your vitamins. Some doctors recommend 5,000 IU/day of vitamin D3, or even more if exposed to a respiratory virus. In an Indonesian study, 96% of patients who died of COVID-19 were vitamin D deficient, and only 7% of survivors had low or deficient vitamin D. Vitamin C, selenium, zinc and other nutrients help build resistance.
and only 7% of survivors had low or deficient vitamin D. Vitamin C, selenium, zinc and other nutrients help build resistance. Ask your doctor about early treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and zinc. It's a new indication for long-established drugs, being used with great success in Brazil, India, France, Israel, Morocco, Algeria and some places in the U.S. Use is discouraged by the FDA and the AMA, who state there is not enough evidence.
For further information, see the May issue of AAPS News and our compendium of coronavirus articles.


wnd--2020-05-07--Was Joe Biden a 1993 Bill Clinton wannabe?

In spring 1993 , says former Joe Biden staffer Tara Reade , the then-senator pinned her against a wall , reached under her skirt and violated her sexually .
In January 1993 , Bill Clinton became president of the United States .
Clinton was first accused of rape at Oxford .
While holding high offices in Arkansas , Clinton refined his technique .
He would ask sexual favors of women with government jobs like Paula Jones , who risked being fired if they refused .
In this perverse `` reverse prostitution , '' Bill Clinton implicitly threatened to strip away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she performed sexual acts .
Rapists , say psychologists , are driven by an insatiable lust not for sex but for power .
They crave the sadism of forcing others to submit , just as leftist politicians do .
President Bill Clinton 's 1992 victory showed power-addicted Democratic politicians how to get away with exploiting women .
He brazenly refused to resign when accused by victims .
His enabler Hillary smeared such women , and the leftist press covered up their comrade 's wrongs .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump of collusion As a sexual predator , President Bill Clinton went after volunteer aides such as Kathleen Willey .
He even sexually preyed on Monica Lewinsky , a very young White House intern barely older than his own daughter .
Was Sen. Joe Biden in 1993 a Bill Clinton wannabe who tried coercing female staffer Tara Reade into his personal harem ?
Biden , now 77 , whose lust and never-great mental acuity have faded , now says he can not remember and that Reade 's allegations are false .
Biden has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test .
Given his memory-erasing semi-senility , he might pass it .
The New York Times called for a fair investigation of Biden – by the Democratic National Committee .
In fairness , Reade 's allegations have varied over 27 years , but psychologists say this is normal in victims , who sometimes take decades before maturity , courage , revenge , or justice move them to finger their rapist .
Biden refuses to open his senatorial archives at the University of Delaware to an honest search for a complaint Reade says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent months combed through this archive and , perhaps , removed incriminating evidence .
Bill Clinton did something similar , sending operative Sandy Burger to the National Archives , where he was caught stuffing stolen Clinton documents into his underwear .
As vice president , Biden required colleges to let women 's rape accusations deny male students the presumption of innocence and the right to question their accuser .
By this standard , Biden by Reade 's mere accusation would already be guilty .
But power nowadays makes its own morality .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others as they force citizens to submit to their dictatorial whims .
`` I do n't want an investigation .
I want a coronation of Joe Biden , '' demands former New York Times journalist and co-founder of Politico Martin Tolchin .
`` I do n't want justice .
… I want a win , the removal of Donald Trump from office , and Mr. Biden is our best chance . ''
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Joe Biden anyway , '' writes Linda Hirshman , author of `` Reckoning : The Epic Battle Against Sexual Abuse and Harassment . ''
Hirshman now empathizes with feminist Gloria Steinem , who `` threw [ Monica Lewinsky ] under the bus … to protect Bill Clinton . ''
`` Utilitarian morality requires that I turn my face away from … people I propose to sell out … [ such as ] Tara Reade , '' writes Hirshman .
`` If Reade were sacrificed [ to prevent Trump 's reelection ] , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arguably defensible , '' writes Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. , `` because if there are two evils here , Biden is much the lesser . ''
`` Vote for Joe Biden , '' even if he did rape Ms. Reade , writes Pitts , because `` principle may have become a luxury too costly to afford . ''
To these typical , hypocritical leftist Democrats – and to all the female politicians who used to say that women `` must be believed '' but now , eager to be vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old saying proves true : Without double standards , Democrats would have no standards at all .
To Democrats , lust for power trumps everything else .
By supporting Joe Biden , as they supported Bill Clinton , Democrat women are declaring that females may be `` sacrificed '' to leftist rapists .
What else would Democrats do to gain more power ?
Election-stealing ?
Silencing free speech ?
Antifa thuggery and violence ?
Infanticide ?
Betray the United States to Communist China , which has already bought Joe Biden 's soul for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him ?
By hypocritically embracing Biden 's `` lesser '' evil , Democrats reveal themselves as unfit for any position of government power or public trust .
Lowell Ponte is a former Reader 's Digest Roving Editor .
His articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal , the New York Times and other major publications .
His latest paper co-authored with Craig R. Smith , `` The Secret War , '' shows how to rethink several areas of investment to protect and grow your savings against little-known economic threats .
For a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 800-630-1492 .

In spring 1993, says former Joe Biden staffer Tara Reade, the then-senator pinned her against a wall, reached under her skirt and violated her sexually.
In January 1993, Bill Clinton became president of the United States. Clinton was first accused of rape at Oxford. While holding high offices in Arkansas, Clinton refined his technique. He would ask sexual favors of women with government jobs like Paula Jones, who risked being fired if they refused.
In this perverse "reverse prostitution," Bill Clinton implicitly threatened to strip away a woman's income and employability unless she performed sexual acts.
Rapists, say psychologists, are driven by an insatiable lust not for sex but for power. They crave the sadism of forcing others to submit, just as leftist politicians do.
President Bill Clinton's 1992 victory showed power-addicted Democratic politicians how to get away with exploiting women. He brazenly refused to resign when accused by victims. His enabler Hillary smeared such women, and the leftist press covered up their comrade's wrongs.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
As a sexual predator, President Bill Clinton went after volunteer aides such as Kathleen Willey. He even sexually preyed on Monica Lewinsky, a very young White House intern barely older than his own daughter.
Was Sen. Joe Biden in 1993 a Bill Clinton wannabe who tried coercing female staffer Tara Reade into his personal harem? Biden, now 77, whose lust and never-great mental acuity have faded, now says he cannot remember and that Reade's allegations are false.
Biden has not volunteered to take a lie detector test. Given his memory-erasing semi-senility, he might pass it. The New York Times called for a fair investigation of Biden – by the Democratic National Committee.
In fairness, Reade's allegations have varied over 27 years, but psychologists say this is normal in victims, who sometimes take decades before maturity, courage, revenge, or justice move them to finger their rapist.
Biden refuses to open his senatorial archives at the University of Delaware to an honest search for a complaint Reade says she filed. But Biden operatives reportedly in recent months combed through this archive and, perhaps, removed incriminating evidence. Bill Clinton did something similar, sending operative Sandy Burger to the National Archives, where he was caught stuffing stolen Clinton documents into his underwear.
As vice president, Biden required colleges to let women's rape accusations deny male students the presumption of innocence and the right to question their accuser. By this standard, Biden by Reade's mere accusation would already be guilty.
But power nowadays makes its own morality. We see a rapist-like gleam in the eyes of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others as they force citizens to submit to their dictatorial whims.
"I don't want an investigation. I want a coronation of Joe Biden," demands former New York Times journalist and co-founder of Politico Martin Tolchin. "I don't want justice. … I want a win, the removal of Donald Trump from office, and Mr. Biden is our best chance."
"I believe Tara Reade. I'm voting for Joe Biden anyway," writes Linda Hirshman, author of "Reckoning: The Epic Battle Against Sexual Abuse and Harassment." Hirshman now empathizes with feminist Gloria Steinem, who "threw [Monica Lewinsky] under the bus … to protect Bill Clinton."
"Utilitarian morality requires that I turn my face away from … people I propose to sell out … [such as] Tara Reade," writes Hirshman.
"If Reade were sacrificed [to prevent Trump's reelection], it would be … unfair, yet arguably defensible," writes Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr., "because if there are two evils here, Biden is much the lesser."
"Vote for Joe Biden," even if he did rape Ms. Reade, writes Pitts, because "principle may have become a luxury too costly to afford."
To these typical, hypocritical leftist Democrats – and to all the female politicians who used to say that women "must be believed" but now, eager to be vice president, embrace accused rapist Biden – the old saying proves true: Without double standards, Democrats would have no standards at all.
To Democrats, lust for power trumps everything else. By supporting Joe Biden, as they supported Bill Clinton, Democrat women are declaring that females may be "sacrificed" to leftist rapists.
What else would Democrats do to gain more power? Election-stealing? Silencing free speech? Antifa thuggery and violence? Infanticide? Betray the United States to Communist China, which has already bought Joe Biden's soul for $1.5 billion and can secretly blackmail him?
By hypocritically embracing Biden's "lesser" evil, Democrats reveal themselves as unfit for any position of government power or public trust.
Lowell Ponte is a former Reader's Digest Roving Editor. His articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other major publications. His latest paper co-authored with Craig R. Smith, "The Secret War," shows how to rethink several areas of investment to protect and grow your savings against little-known economic threats. For a free, postpaid copy, call toll-free 800-630-1492.


wnd--2020-05-07--'No legal basis' for Mueller probe that ruined lives of those connected to Trump campaign

A newly unredacted memo to Robert Mueller shows that there was no legal justification for the special counsel investigation that consumed the presidency for two years , helped Democrats win back that House and ruined the lives of many people connected to the Trump campaign in 2016 , according to Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. Graham told the Fox News Channel 's Sean Hannity Wednesday night that Attorney General William Barr gave him a copy of the August 2017 `` scope '' memo on Tuesday .
It shows the targets of the Trump-Russia probe were former Trump campaign volunteers Carter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security adviser Michael Flynn and onetime campaign manager Paul Manafort .
Graham pointed out that in January 2017 , eight months before the memo was issued , the subsource for the Steele dossier disavowed the document .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is in panic mode ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion First , without the dossier , Graham noted , there would be no warrant to surveill Page .
Second , evidence unsealed last week shows the case against Flynn was to be closed in January 2017 for lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by FBI lead investigator Peter Strzok .
Third , Papadopolous ' testimony that he denied working with the Russians had been suppressed .
Fourth , the charges against Manafort had nothing to do with the Russia claims .
`` So the foundation for the Mueller investigation is crumbling , '' the senator said .
Graham said the `` legal foundation to justify Mueller 's appointment in my view does not exist . ''
`` That 's why this memo is so important , '' he said .
`` There was no legitimate reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with the Russians on August the 2nd , 2017 .
Therefore , the entire Mueller investigation was illegitimate to begin with .
That ’ s very important . ''
Graham acknowledged he was a supporter of the Mueller investigation , saying that at the time `` he did n't know . ''
`` Now I know .
Now I know why Mueller did n't find anything .
Because there was nothing there to find , '' he said .
In July 2018 – according to a memo that would have been available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FISA court that issued the spy warrants that the former British spy Christopher Steele 's subsource had verified claims against Trump in his dossier .
In fact , the subsource undercut the dossier , saying it was all , in Graham 's words , `` hearsay bar talk . ''
Hannity asked : `` Senator , all of these people broke the law , did n't they ? ''
`` I 'm telling you , man , this is J. Edgar Hoover stuff , '' Graham said .
`` We 're going to @ @ @ @

A newly unredacted memo to Robert Mueller shows that there was no legal justification for the special counsel investigation that consumed the presidency for two years, helped Democrats win back that House and ruined the lives of many people connected to the Trump campaign in 2016, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Graham told the Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity Wednesday night that Attorney General William Barr gave him a copy of the August 2017 "scope" memo on Tuesday.
It shows the targets of the Trump-Russia probe were former Trump campaign volunteers Carter Page and George Papadopoulos, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and onetime campaign manager Paul Manafort.
Graham pointed out that in January 2017, eight months before the memo was issued, the subsource for the Steele dossier disavowed the document.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
First, without the dossier, Graham noted, there would be no warrant to surveill Page. Second, evidence unsealed last week shows the case against Flynn was to be closed in January 2017 for lack of evidence, but it was reopened by FBI lead investigator Peter Strzok. Third, Papadopolous' testimony that he denied working with the Russians had been suppressed. Fourth, the charges against Manafort had nothing to do with the Russia claims.
"So the foundation for the Mueller investigation is crumbling," the senator said.
Graham said the "legal foundation to justify Mueller's appointment in my view does not exist."
"That's why this memo is so important," he said.
"There was no legitimate reason to believe any of these four were working with the Russians on August the 2nd, 2017. Therefore, the entire Mueller investigation was illegitimate to begin with. That’s very important."
Graham acknowledged he was a supporter of the Mueller investigation, saying that at the time "he didn't know."
"Now I know. Now I know why Mueller didn't find anything. Because there was nothing there to find," he said.
Graham pointed out further malfeasance.
In July 2018 – according to a memo that would have been available to Mueller – the FBI told the FISA court that issued the spy warrants that the former British spy Christopher Steele's subsource had verified claims against Trump in his dossier. In fact, the subsource undercut the dossier, saying it was all, in Graham's words, "hearsay bar talk."
Hannity asked: "Senator, all of these people broke the law, didn't they?"
"I'm telling you, man, this is J. Edgar Hoover stuff," Graham said. "We're going to have hearings."
See the interview:


wnd--2020-05-07--Supreme Court eyes ballot harvesting case that could affect election integrity across nation

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by the Daily Signal . ]
With mail-in voting becoming a national issue during the COVID-19 crisis , the Supreme Court could decide to hear a cornerstone election integrity case .
On the line is Arizona ’ s ban on ballot harvesting .
The state prohibits political operatives and activists from having access to large amounts of absentee ballots for the purpose of collecting votes .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is in panic mode ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion Arizona is one of 20 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Also on the line is Arizona ’ s in-precinct voting law , which , as in most states , requires voters to cast an in-person vote at a polling place in their local precinct .
The 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals , a liberal bench that frequently is overturned by the Supreme Court , in late January struck down Arizona ’ s 2016 election law in the case of Democratic National Committee v. Arizona .
“ I anticipate that a bunch of states will be interested in joining our case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Daily Signal in a phone interview .
“ If the 9th Circuit decision stands , it could put in jeopardy all kinds of commonsense voter integrity measures .
That means laws preventing voter intimidation , laws preventing multiple voting , and laws protecting the secrecy of the ballot , ” Brnovich , a Republican first elected in 2014 , said .
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez praised the 9th Circuit ’ s finding that the state ’ s law violates the federal Voting Rights Act .
“ The court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collection for the 2020 election after finding that this Republican voter-suppression effort was a discriminatory attack on voters of color , including Native American , Latinx , and African-American communities , ” Perez said in a written statement in late January .
“ As Democrats , our goal is to engage every eligible American voter as an active participant in our democracy by making it easier for people to vote , not harder.
” Ballot harvesting , which allows professional campaign operatives and political activists to have access to absentee ballots and authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27 states and the District of Columbia .
Two Senate Democrats–Ron Wyden of Oregon and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota–have proposed a bill that would , among other things , allow nationwide ballot harvesting .
They are promoting the legislation as a means to allow more voting during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Critics of ballot harvesting say it exposes voters to coercion and intimidation in their own homes , without protections normally present at polling places .
There is also a significant record showing that legal vote harvesting leads to illegal fraud and intimidation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a major priority nationally .
“ The pandemic has created new opportunities , ” Jason Snead , executive director of the watchdog group Honest Elections , said during a conference call last week .
“ The first is ballot harvesting .
We saw the Nevada case ; they are pushing for legalized ballot harvesting , and they are pushing it in other cases as well .
They are advancing significant wins to date.
” In Minnesota , Attorney General Keith Ellison , a Democrat , settled a challenge to the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the settlement , candidates in that state will be allowed to help cast ballots , Snead noted .
The Arizona case is significant , he said .
“ Fortunately , the state of Arizona is seeking Supreme Court review , ” Snead said .
“ So there is an opportunity there for anyone looking to provide amicus support to file a brief .
That is a tremendously important case in terms of protecting our elections against ballot harvesting.
” Brnovich , the Arizona attorney general , contends that the case largely is about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of elections .
“ The hard left always tries to advance its agenda , ” Brnovich told The Daily Signal .
“ Tom Steyer and George Soros are pushing their left-wing agendas by trying to control the election process .
These elitist billionaires just want to control lives and can do that by controlling elections.
” Brnovich said this is shortsighted ambition for the Democratic Party , considering a North Carolina congressional race in which the Republican candidate nearly stole an election through ballot harvesting .
“ We want people to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the attorney general said .
The Arizona Legislature passed legislation in 2016 to restrict ballot harvesting in the state unless the person collecting a ballot is a family member , a person living in the same household , or a caregiver .
Brnovich said the law was based in part on the bipartisan Commission on Federal Election Reform in 2005 chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker .
The Carter-Baker commission recommended that states “ prohibit a person from handling absentee ballots other than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S .
Postal Service or other legitimate shipper , or election officials.
” The commission found that absentee ballots “ remain the largest source of potential voter fraud.
” Since the 1970s , Arizona has required voters to vote at a polling place in their precinct .
If the Supreme Court agrees to take the case , it will have a substantial record to review , Brnovich said .
The Democratic National Committee filed suit over the Arizona law in 2016 .
Arizona won the case in the U.S. District Court in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnesses .
The DNC appealed , and a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit initially sided with Arizona .
However , the DNC appealed to a larger panel of the 9th Circuit , which reversed the ruling Jan. 27 .
Arizona then appealed to the Supreme Court .
Brnovich obtained a stay of the 9th Circuit ’ s decision , leaving Arizona ’ s laws restricting ballot harvesting and out-of-precinct voting in place while the high court decides whether to hear the matter .
Arizona ’ s petition contends that since so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presents an appropriate vehicle to establish a clear rule of law for the country .
[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by the Daily Signal . ]

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by the Daily Signal.]
By Fred Lucas
Daily Signal
With mail-in voting becoming a national issue during the COVID-19 crisis, the Supreme Court could decide to hear a cornerstone election integrity case.
On the line is Arizona’s ban on ballot harvesting. The state prohibits political operatives and activists from having access to large amounts of absentee ballots for the purpose of collecting votes.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Arizona is one of 20 states with a law restricting the practice.
Also on the line is Arizona’s in-precinct voting law, which, as in most states, requires voters to cast an in-person vote at a polling place in their local precinct.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a liberal bench that frequently is overturned by the Supreme Court, in late January struck down Arizona’s 2016 election law in the case of Democratic National Committee v. Arizona.
“I anticipate that a bunch of states will be interested in joining our case,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich told The Daily Signal in a phone interview.
“If the 9th Circuit decision stands, it could put in jeopardy all kinds of commonsense voter integrity measures. That means laws preventing voter intimidation, laws preventing multiple voting, and laws protecting the secrecy of the ballot,” Brnovich, a Republican first elected in 2014, said.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez praised the 9th Circuit’s finding that the state’s law violates the federal Voting Rights Act.
“The court’s ruling will restore out-of-precinct voting and ballot collection for the 2020 election after finding that this Republican voter-suppression effort was a discriminatory attack on voters of color, including Native American, Latinx, and African-American communities,” Perez said in a written statement in late January. “As Democrats, our goal is to engage every eligible American voter as an active participant in our democracy by making it easier for people to vote, not harder.”
Ballot harvesting, which allows professional campaign operatives and political activists to have access to absentee ballots and authority to recruit voters, is allowed in 27 states and the District of Columbia.
Two Senate Democrats–Ron Wyden of Oregon and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota–have proposed a bill that would, among other things, allow nationwide ballot harvesting. They are promoting the legislation as a means to allow more voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Critics of ballot harvesting say it exposes voters to coercion and intimidation in their own homes, without protections normally present at polling places. There is also a significant record showing that legal vote harvesting leads to illegal fraud and intimidation.
For progressives, ballot harvesting has become a major priority nationally.
“The pandemic has created new opportunities,” Jason Snead, executive director of the watchdog group Honest Elections, said during a conference call last week. “The first is ballot harvesting. We saw the Nevada case; they are pushing for legalized ballot harvesting, and they are pushing it in other cases as well. They are advancing significant wins to date.”
In Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, settled a challenge to the state’s ban on ballot harvesting. Under the settlement, candidates in that state will be allowed to help cast ballots, Snead noted.
The Arizona case is significant, he said.
“Fortunately, the state of Arizona is seeking Supreme Court review,” Snead said. “So there is an opportunity there for anyone looking to provide amicus support to file a brief. That is a tremendously important case in terms of protecting our elections against ballot harvesting.”
Brnovich, the Arizona attorney general, contends that the case largely is about the left’s trying to seize control of elections.
“The hard left always tries to advance its agenda,” Brnovich told The Daily Signal. “Tom Steyer and George Soros are pushing their left-wing agendas by trying to control the election process. These elitist billionaires just want to control lives and can do that by controlling elections.”
Brnovich said this is shortsighted ambition for the Democratic Party, considering a North Carolina congressional race in which the Republican candidate nearly stole an election through ballot harvesting.
“We want people to have confidence and faith in the election system,” the attorney general said.
The Arizona Legislature passed legislation in 2016 to restrict ballot harvesting in the state unless the person collecting a ballot is a family member, a person living in the same household, or a caregiver.
Brnovich said the law was based in part on the bipartisan Commission on Federal Election Reform in 2005 chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker.
The Carter-Baker commission recommended that states “prohibit a person from handling absentee ballots other than the voter, an acknowledged family member, the U.S. Postal Service or other legitimate shipper, or election officials.”
The commission found that absentee ballots “remain the largest source of potential voter fraud.”
Since the 1970s, Arizona has required voters to vote at a polling place in their precinct.
If the Supreme Court agrees to take the case, it will have a substantial record to review, Brnovich said.
The Democratic National Committee filed suit over the Arizona law in 2016. Arizona won the case in the U.S. District Court in 2018 after a 10-day trial with 33 witnesses.
The DNC appealed, and a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit initially sided with Arizona. However, the DNC appealed to a larger panel of the 9th Circuit, which reversed the ruling Jan. 27.
Arizona then appealed to the Supreme Court.
Brnovich obtained a stay of the 9th Circuit’s decision, leaving Arizona’s laws restricting ballot harvesting and out-of-precinct voting in place while the high court decides whether to hear the matter.
Arizona’s petition contends that since so many states have similar measures, the case presents an appropriate vehicle to establish a clear rule of law for the country.
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by the Daily Signal.]


wnd--2020-05-07--Time for conservatives to go on offense for a change

A common criticism from libertarians and those further to the political right is that `` conservatism '' does n't actually conserve anything .
American culture is relentlessly forced leftward .
Those on the right excel at watching news , being outraged and then … doing absolutely nothing except showing up to vote every few years .
Conservatives , as a group , allow themselves to be bullied by liberals and spend their time trying to prove they are not a [ racist , sexist , homophobe , etc . ]
instead of actually holding elected officials accountable when they win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is gutless , because all you have to do is complain .
This ridiculous overreaction to the Chinese coronavirus is an example of how the bureaucracy has gotten out of control .
We now know the methodology used to come up with a prediction of 2.2 million American deaths was absurd .
That horribly wrong estimate was used to cancel the Constitution , put millions of Americans on house arrest and destroy the U.S. economy .
It was wrong .
Terribly wrong .
And chances are nobody will be held accountable for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shocking amount of medicine , medical testing supplies and other critical parts of the U.S. health care infrastructure come from China !
With all of this health care bureaucracy leftists and their globalist partners have set up over the past 40 years in America , their biggest accomplishment seems to have been shipping more and more of the U.S. health care supply chain overseas .
All the left and globalists ever seem to do is increase the administrative state in everything they touch .
It gets more and more expensive , but less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make whatever it is they 're administering any better .
TRENDING : Fox News report : 'Schiff is in panic mode ' as transcripts absolve Trump of collusion We recently learned from a long-term study of Common Core that this globalist liberal initiative has essentially done to American education what the health bureaucracy did for American health care .
It has massively increased the cost and administrative state of education , while actual educational achievement has plummeted .
The recent study shows American students with math , science and reading scores at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past 40 years !
Just as America 's globalist federal health care bureaucracy was worse than useless in stoking an unnecessary national panic , someone should be fired for the disastrous educational debacle inflicted on American schools .
But what do we expect will be the response to these disasters ?
We already know what globalist leaders and the bureaucrats will respond : We need more money !
More administration !
More programs !
More time !
And American education will get more expensive .
Administrators will hire more administrators to develop new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educational achievement will continue to decline .
Does anyone honestly expect a return to basics , a candid assessment of the catastrophic failures of the bureaucracy , any accountability or a truthful critique of liberal dogma such as self-esteem , diversity , global warming , anti-capitalism and other globalist propaganda that has replaced foundational instruction in math , science , reading and history ?
If the current bureaucrats remain in place , obviously not .
We also know there will not be any honest comparison of U.S. education against the nations that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and other Democrats have famously said crisis situations should never be wasted .
That is , they should always be exploited to advance liberal agendas .
Those on the left are masters at using emergencies as cover to ram through political schemes and make massive changes for their own political benefit while people are distracted or dealing with some large problem .
It is time conservatives take a similar approach and use these times of crisis to force an assessment of the left 's agenda that helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci and others who have spent literally decades soaking up government paychecks and growing their bureaucracies – only to provide horrifically wrong data and advice , resulting in the de facto cancellation of the Constitution and the loss of trillions of dollars when their so-called expertise is needed most – must be held accountable .
Not only should Dr. Fauci be fired , but the entire worthless American health care bureaucracy should be dismantled and rebuilt into something actually beneficial to the American people it is supposed to be serving .
Likewise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educational disaster wrought by leftists claiming to be all for children and improving American education should result in the immediate cancellation of Common Core and education returned to teaching basic academic skills without the virus of social justice and liberal politics .
Likewise , as bombshell after bombshell is discovered about the Obama Department of Justice using the secretive FISA court to issue secret warrants based on fake evidence to wiretap and hack the servers of the Trump presidential campaign , it is clear the national intelligence apparatus has been abused and needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never-ending stream of stunning revelations of the political abuse of an already constitutionally questionable secret court system should result in fundamental changes , because human nature is obviously such that it can not be trusted not to abuse that amount of power .
This is why these off-the-books courts rubber stamping the wish lists of their unaccountable federal law enforcement customers was never included in our nation 's founding .
That entire secret court system and everyone in federal law enforcement having anything whatsoever to do with any of the political abuse of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as severely as possible to make it clear that such a level of abuse of power must never be permitted to happen again .
Americans must use these disastrous times in our nation 's history to demand the health care , education and federal law enforcement bureaucracies be quarantined and returned to a state of accountability benefiting the American people .

A common criticism from libertarians and those further to the political right is that "conservatism" doesn't actually conserve anything. American culture is relentlessly forced leftward. Those on the right excel at watching news, being outraged and then … doing absolutely nothing except showing up to vote every few years.
Conservatives, as a group, allow themselves to be bullied by liberals and spend their time trying to prove they are not a [racist, sexist, homophobe, etc.] instead of actually holding elected officials accountable when they win elections to roll back liberal advances. It is gutless, because all you have to do is complain.
This ridiculous overreaction to the Chinese coronavirus is an example of how the bureaucracy has gotten out of control. We now know the methodology used to come up with a prediction of 2.2 million American deaths was absurd. That horribly wrong estimate was used to cancel the Constitution, put millions of Americans on house arrest and destroy the U.S. economy. It was wrong. Terribly wrong. And chances are nobody will be held accountable for it.
We now know that a shocking amount of medicine, medical testing supplies and other critical parts of the U.S. health care infrastructure come from China! With all of this health care bureaucracy leftists and their globalist partners have set up over the past 40 years in America, their biggest accomplishment seems to have been shipping more and more of the U.S. health care supply chain overseas.
All the left and globalists ever seem to do is increase the administrative state in everything they touch. It gets more and more expensive, but less and less effective at actually doing anything to make whatever it is they're administering any better.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
We recently learned from a long-term study of Common Core that this globalist liberal initiative has essentially done to American education what the health bureaucracy did for American health care. It has massively increased the cost and administrative state of education, while actual educational achievement has plummeted. The recent study shows American students with math, science and reading scores at lower levels than any time in the past 40 years! Just as America's globalist federal health care bureaucracy was worse than useless in stoking an unnecessary national panic, someone should be fired for the disastrous educational debacle inflicted on American schools.
But what do we expect will be the response to these disasters? We already know what globalist leaders and the bureaucrats will respond: We need more money! More administration! More programs! More time! And American education will get more expensive. Administrators will hire more administrators to develop new programs and demand more funding while actual educational achievement will continue to decline. Does anyone honestly expect a return to basics, a candid assessment of the catastrophic failures of the bureaucracy, any accountability or a truthful critique of liberal dogma such as self-esteem, diversity, global warming, anti-capitalism and other globalist propaganda that has replaced foundational instruction in math, science, reading and history? If the current bureaucrats remain in place, obviously not. We also know there will not be any honest comparison of U.S. education against the nations that are trouncing American students in these areas.
Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and other Democrats have famously said crisis situations should never be wasted. That is, they should always be exploited to advance liberal agendas. Those on the left are masters at using emergencies as cover to ram through political schemes and make massive changes for their own political benefit while people are distracted or dealing with some large problem. It is time conservatives take a similar approach and use these times of crisis to force an assessment of the left's agenda that helped contribute to the emergency.
Dr. Anthony Fauci and others who have spent literally decades soaking up government paychecks and growing their bureaucracies – only to provide horrifically wrong data and advice, resulting in the de facto cancellation of the Constitution and the loss of trillions of dollars when their so-called expertise is needed most – must be held accountable. Not only should Dr. Fauci be fired, but the entire worthless American health care bureaucracy should be dismantled and rebuilt into something actually beneficial to the American people it is supposed to be serving.
Likewise, the dismal results of a decade of educational disaster wrought by leftists claiming to be all for children and improving American education should result in the immediate cancellation of Common Core and education returned to teaching basic academic skills without the virus of social justice and liberal politics.
Likewise, as bombshell after bombshell is discovered about the Obama Department of Justice using the secretive FISA court to issue secret warrants based on fake evidence to wiretap and hack the servers of the Trump presidential campaign, it is clear the national intelligence apparatus has been abused and needs to be rebuilt from scratch. The never-ending stream of stunning revelations of the political abuse of an already constitutionally questionable secret court system should result in fundamental changes, because human nature is obviously such that it cannot be trusted not to abuse that amount of power. This is why these off-the-books courts rubber stamping the wish lists of their unaccountable federal law enforcement customers was never included in our nation's founding. That entire secret court system and everyone in federal law enforcement having anything whatsoever to do with any of the political abuse of these agencies should be fired and prosecuted as severely as possible to make it clear that such a level of abuse of power must never be permitted to happen again.
Americans must use these disastrous times in our nation's history to demand the health care, education and federal law enforcement bureaucracies be quarantined and returned to a state of accountability benefiting the American people.