wnd--2020-03-02--The establishment's ultimatum: Scuttle Bernie!

After Joe Biden 's blowout victory in South Carolina Saturday and the swift withdrawal of Tom Steyer , `` Mayor Pete '' Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar , the decisive day of the race for the Democratic nomination , Super Tuesday , is at hand .
Fourteen states – including California , Texas and delegate-rich Colorado , North Carolina and Virginia – hold primaries Tuesday , where 40 % of the delegates to the Democratic convention will be chosen .
Yet consider where the Democratic Party , the party of diversity , America 's `` progressive '' party , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans , Asians and Hispanics , the party of women and LGBT , will close out this day .
Of the 24 candidates who sought the nomination in 2019 , all the black candidates such as Sens .
Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and Gov .
Deval Patrick , have been eliminated .
The sole Asian American , Andrew Yang , is gone .
The Hispanic candidate , Julian Castro , is long gone .
Winning just 2 % of the black vote in South Carolina , 38-year-old gay candidate Pete Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two women in the race , Elizabeth Warren and Klobuchar , were put under pressure from the Democratic establishment in its hair-on-fire panic .
To do what ?
TRENDING : Here 's the brutal anti-Biden ad Obama 's trying to get taken off the air in South Carolina These female senators were to sacrifice their hopes and dreams to advance the establishment 's plot to derail the nomination of the unapologetic progressive who has run the best and boldest campaign of this election year – Bernie Sanders .
Klobuchar packed it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
And where does that leave the party of diversity this first week in March ?
With three potential nominees .
All three are aging white men – Joe Biden , Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg .
All three , if nominated and elected , would soon celebrate their 80th birthday in the White House .
The establishment 's ultimatum : Everyone , get with the program of breaking Bernie and `` Go with Joe ! ''
or face retribution .
Of what is the establishment terrified ?
That if Sanders is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in November .
And not only will the White House be lost , all hopes of winning the Senate and blocking Trump 's second-term Supreme Court nominees would also be lost .
And not only the Senate but Nancy Pelosi 's House could also be lost .
And not only the House but hundreds of down-ballot candidates could also lose , leaving the GOP with the whip hand in redistricting congressional seats through the decade .
For Democrats , the fear is of the Harding-Coolidge Roaring '20s revisited .
And if Trumpists rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the populist-left of `` Crazy Bernie '' dominates the Democratic Party , what happens to the agenda of the establishment ?
Today promises to a fateful one in the history of the Democratic Party , and it will answer many questions : Will Sanders win enough delegates to give him an insurmountable lead for the nomination ?
Or will he have a good , but not a great , night , winning most of the states , but not a large enough pile of delegates to reach 50 % before the convention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was being urged to drop out and back Biden before he got the first returns on his $ 500 million investment in his campaign , what did he buy with that half billion ?
We shall find out today .
If his performance is disappointing , will he yield to the establishment and do what it demands to advance the killing of Sanders ' candidacy ?
As for Biden , the questions are clear and crucial : Will the momentum from Saturday 's victory be sustained and replicated in Alabama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American share of the Democratic electorate is similar to South Carolina 's ?
Will today provide the clarity the establishment and Biden want , and make this a Biden-Sanders race , with those two coming into the convention with large blocs of delegates but neither with a majority ?
What the establishment wants is for the first ballot to end without a nominee – if that nominee would be Sanders – and the pledged delegates to be freed of their commitments , and for the superdelegates to vote on the second ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be spared falling into the custody of an angry septuagenarian socialist .
For the Democratic establishment , the stakes could not be higher and thus that establishment , after Biden 's landslide in South Carolina , is not disguising its interests or demands : Sanders must be denied the nomination , and Biden is the only one who can accomplish that .
Biden might have won South Carolina without the endorsement of veteran African American Congressman Jim Clyburn , but it was Clyburn 's blessing that gave Biden his landslide .
And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the major factors of his victory will be his South Carolina landslide and his support from African Americans .
Should Biden win the nomination , still a long shot , he will be in deep political debt .
Look for Biden to put an African American woman on his ticket .

After Joe Biden's blowout victory in South Carolina Saturday and the swift withdrawal of Tom Steyer, "Mayor Pete" Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the decisive day of the race for the Democratic nomination, Super Tuesday, is at hand.
Fourteen states – including California, Texas and delegate-rich Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia – hold primaries Tuesday, where 40% of the delegates to the Democratic convention will be chosen.
Yet consider where the Democratic Party, the party of diversity, America's "progressive" party, the all-inclusive party of persons of color, African Americans, Asians and Hispanics, the party of women and LGBT, will close out this day.
Of the 24 candidates who sought the nomination in 2019, all the black candidates such as Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and Gov. Deval Patrick, have been eliminated. The sole Asian American, Andrew Yang, is gone. The Hispanic candidate, Julian Castro, is long gone. Winning just 2% of the black vote in South Carolina, 38-year-old gay candidate Pete Buttigieg is gone.
After South Carolina, the last two women in the race, Elizabeth Warren and Klobuchar, were put under pressure from the Democratic establishment in its hair-on-fire panic. To do what?
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
These female senators were to sacrifice their hopes and dreams to advance the establishment's plot to derail the nomination of the unapologetic progressive who has run the best and boldest campaign of this election year – Bernie Sanders.
Klobuchar packed it in Monday. Warren is barely hanging on. And where does that leave the party of diversity this first week in March?
With three potential nominees. All three are aging white men – Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg. All three, if nominated and elected, would soon celebrate their 80th birthday in the White House.
The establishment's ultimatum: Everyone, get with the program of breaking Bernie and "Go with Joe!" or face retribution.
Of what is the establishment terrified?
That if Sanders is nominated, Donald Trump will crush him in November. And not only will the White House be lost, all hopes of winning the Senate and blocking Trump's second-term Supreme Court nominees would also be lost.
And not only the Senate but Nancy Pelosi's House could also be lost. And not only the House but hundreds of down-ballot candidates could also lose, leaving the GOP with the whip hand in redistricting congressional seats through the decade.
For Democrats, the fear is of the Harding-Coolidge Roaring '20s revisited.
And if Trumpists rule the roost in the Republican Party and the populist-left of "Crazy Bernie" dominates the Democratic Party, what happens to the agenda of the establishment?
Today promises to a fateful one in the history of the Democratic Party, and it will answer many questions:
Will Sanders win enough delegates to give him an insurmountable lead for the nomination? Or will he have a good, but not a great, night, winning most of the states, but not a large enough pile of delegates to reach 50% before the convention in Milwaukee?
As for Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who was being urged to drop out and back Biden before he got the first returns on his $500 million investment in his campaign, what did he buy with that half billion? We shall find out today.
If his performance is disappointing, will he yield to the establishment and do what it demands to advance the killing of Sanders' candidacy?
As for Biden, the questions are clear and crucial: Will the momentum from Saturday's victory be sustained and replicated in Alabama and other Southern and border states where the African American share of the Democratic electorate is similar to South Carolina's?
Will today provide the clarity the establishment and Biden want, and make this a Biden-Sanders race, with those two coming into the convention with large blocs of delegates but neither with a majority?
What the establishment wants is for the first ballot to end without a nominee – if that nominee would be Sanders – and the pledged delegates to be freed of their commitments, and for the superdelegates to vote on the second ballot, and for the party thus to be spared falling into the custody of an angry septuagenarian socialist.
For the Democratic establishment, the stakes could not be higher and thus that establishment, after Biden's landslide in South Carolina, is not disguising its interests or demands: Sanders must be denied the nomination, and Biden is the only one who can accomplish that.
Biden might have won South Carolina without the endorsement of veteran African American Congressman Jim Clyburn, but it was Clyburn's blessing that gave Biden his landslide.
And if Biden wins Alabama and other states today, the major factors of his victory will be his South Carolina landslide and his support from African Americans.
Should Biden win the nomination, still a long shot, he will be in deep political debt.
Look for Biden to put an African American woman on his ticket.


wnd--2020-03-02--CDC: Center for Democrat Control

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wnd--2020-03-02--Coronavirus, health care and 'democratic socialism'

( REGIE 'S BLOG ) -- As I watched my neighbor put her dog ’ s poop in a single-use plastic baggy , I thought about split pants in China .
When my wife and I got off the plane , 18 years ago , to adopt our first daughter , we were taken aback by the split pants .
Split pants are ( or at least were , back then ) pants the children wear that are open in the crotch area .
That allows them to urinate or defecate unobstructed , onto the street or wherever they may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will learn to “ aim it at the toilet ” or something to that effect .
Either way , I distinctly remember my brand new Nike slip-ons ( probably made not far from where I was standing ) sloshing into a mix of urine and who knows what else , and continuing to do so for the next three weeks .
As I started feeling the cough coming on , I remember one of the women in our group saying , at one of the airports ( as she too , stepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country probably have built up antibodies inside them our bodies have never even thought about .
”

(REGIE'S BLOG) -- As I watched my neighbor put her dog’s poop in a single-use plastic baggy, I thought about split pants in China.
When my wife and I got off the plane, 18 years ago, to adopt our first daughter, we were taken aback by the split pants. Split pants are (or at least were, back then) pants the children wear that are open in the crotch area. That allows them to urinate or defecate unobstructed, onto the street or wherever they may be. The theory is that eventually they will learn to “aim it at the toilet” or something to that effect.
Either way, I distinctly remember my brand new Nike slip-ons (probably made not far from where I was standing) sloshing into a mix of urine and who knows what else, and continuing to do so for the next three weeks.
As I started feeling the cough coming on, I remember one of the women in our group saying, at one of the airports (as she too, stepped into urine) “The people in this country probably have built up antibodies inside them our bodies have never even thought about.”
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-03-02--'You know the thing!' Watch Biden flub the Declaration of Independence

[ captionic id= '' attachment_4801757 '' align= '' aligncenter '' width= '' 600 '' ] Joe Biden on the campaign trail Monday , March 2 , 2020 ( video screenshot ) [ /caption ] Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden , whose infamous gaffes include firing shotguns to warn intruders and telling a paralyzed supporter to stand , recently claimed 150 million Americans were killed by gun violence .
That would be about half the nation 's population .
But anyone who might think it could n't get worse would be wrong : TRENDING : Here 's the brutal anti-Biden ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air in South Carolina At a campaign appearance in Texas on Monday he said men and women were created `` by you know , you know the thing . ''
He apparently was working off the original material in the Declaration of Independence , which states : `` When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth , the separate and equal station to which the Laws of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation .
`` We hold these truths to be self-evidence , that all men are created equal , they they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness… '' The Daily Caller reported Biden appeared to forget the words to the preamble of the Declaration .
`` We hold these truths to be self-evidence , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created by you know , you know the thing . ''
On Twitter , 1st Responder PTSD Advocate said , `` At first I thought all the @ Joe Biden gaffes would make a great @ realDonaldTrump commercial , but at this rate it 'll have to be a half hour infomercial . ''
The `` 150 million '' claim came in a recent debate .
His campaign later said he meant 150,000 .

Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden, whose infamous gaffes include firing shotguns to warn intruders and telling a paralyzed supporter to stand, recently claimed 150 million Americans were killed by gun violence.
That would be about half the nation's population.
But anyone who might think it couldn't get worse would be wrong:
You can’t make this up...
pic.twitter.com/Hq6dLUbXLC — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 2, 2020
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
At a campaign appearance in Texas on Monday he said men and women were created "by you know, you know the thing."
The thing?
He apparently was working off the original material in the Declaration of Independence, which states: "When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…"
The Daily Caller reported Biden appeared to forget the words to the preamble of the Declaration.
"We hold these truths to be self-evidence," he said. "All men and woman created by you know, you know the thing."
The report noted Biden was "roundly mocked."
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men and women creates by the zlur ᗪᗷᗴᗷᗩIᘔYᔕᐯ
ˢᶦᵈᵛᵉʲᵃᶦ
sᴠᴜsʙᴡʙsᴜ bʞɟnxnsʌsq ...you know the thing! pic.twitter.com/VbnNeMnhb0 — The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 2, 2020
On Twitter, 1st Responder PTSD Advocate said, "At first I thought all the @Joe Biden gaffes would make a great @realDonaldTrump commercial, but at this rate it'll have to be a half hour infomercial."
The "150 million" claim came in a recent debate. His campaign later said he meant 150,000.


wnd--2020-03-03--Court orders school to explain punishing students over activities at home

A court in Michigan has ordered a school district to explain why it punished students for legal actions done outside of school time in their own homes .
The order came after lawyers for students at Saline High School in Saline , Michigan , and their parents filed a motion for a restraining order and preliminary injunction seeking to halt the punishment .
The Saline Area Schools district in Saline , Michigan , suspended four students for what it described as an offensive conversation on Snapchat .
The Snapchat occurred on a Sunday evening between friends and acquaintances , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the students and their parents .
African-American and Caucasian children , he said , were using inappropriate and offensive language in a joking manner and in the context of immature banter among friends .
`` The conversation did not occur at the school , at a school event , or on any school equipment , '' said Kallman .
`` While all the children are embarrassed by their language , it does not justify the school ’ s rush to judgment and overreaction . ''
Two of the suspended students have been allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to be punished with bans on participating in many school activities .
Kallman argued courts `` have ruled that 'while public schools are not run as democracies , neither are they run as Stalinist regimes .
Students do have First Amendment rights , and school officials do not have unfettered authority to regulate student speech . '
He said schools `` may punish students for lewd speech or profanity used during school , but the Supreme Court has made it clear that schools have no power to punish lewd or profane out-of-school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district claims the school was disrupted by the students ' speech .
`` However , no school should be permitted to manufacture its own , self-described 'disruption ' in order to sanction out-of-school speech it may find offensive , '' he argued .
`` Defendants can not simultaneously issue public media statements , hold public meetings on the issue , call its own students 'racist , ' and then complain about the 'disruption ' the media attention and public interest in the Snapchat has caused . ''
Kallman explained that the parents have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and avoid litigation .
`` Plaintiffs and their parents initiated multiple conversations with defendants prior to the filing of this lawsuit to resolve this matter and reinstate all the children .
Defendants refused , '' he said .
`` Plaintiffs waited to file this motion for injunctive relief to give defendants an opportunity to meet with their counsel and reconsider their position .
Plaintiffs ' counsel met with Defendant Saline Superintendent Graden to make a final effort to have all the children fully reinstated to school .
Defendants refused . ''
The objective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school 's punishments .
It asks that the students be returned to `` school and full school activities '' and that the district stops `` continuing to improperly punish plaintiffs in violation of their constitutional rights . ''
U.S. District Judge Paul Borman has ordered the district to answer within a few days .
The students are also asking for a declaratory judgment , damages and injunctive relief for the violation of their constitutional rights to due process and free speech .
Kallman said the case `` boils down to a simple question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who disciplines – the local public school or the parent ? ''
`` If a child gets stopped for drunk driving on a Saturday night , does the school have the right to expel that student ?
The answer is obvious .
No .
The conversation of these children had nothing to do with the school .
It has no authority to discipline students for out of school misbehavior . ''
He said the school is `` acting is acting outside the scope of its authority , has no legal right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has violated our clients ’ constitutional rights by their reckless and hasty rush to judgment . ''
The students are not named in the complaint .
The defendants include the school , the school board , Supt .
Scot Graden , Assistant Supt .
Steve Laatsch , Principal David Raft , Assistant Principal Joe Palka and Assistant Principal Theresa Stager .
The complaint states : `` A foundational core of our Constitutional Republic is that the state can not punish its citizens for engaging in speech that is protected by the First Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminally punished for protected speech , a public school can not discipline speech that falls within the ambit of the First Amendment . ''
Police grilled students without notifying them of possible penalties , and the school issued a statement to the entire community that the children were guilty of `` an act of racism that created harm to all of our students , especially students of color . ''
The school charged the students with `` hate , prejudice , and racism . ''
District officials declined to respond to a WND @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the court explains that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims , and they `` will suffer irreparable harm unless the request for relief in granted . ''
`` The government has no legally cognizable interest in suppressing the exercise of constitutional rights , '' the filing explains .
`` Accordingly , no harm to defendants would result from granting the requested injunctive relief . ''
The bottom line is that the district `` acted outside the scope of their authority by disciplining plaintiff children for speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was not related to the school in any way . ''

A court in Michigan has ordered a school district to explain why it punished students for legal actions done outside of school time in their own homes.
The order came after lawyers for students at Saline High School in Saline, Michigan, and their parents filed a motion for a restraining order and preliminary injunction seeking to halt the punishment.
The Saline Area Schools district in Saline, Michigan, suspended four students for what it described as an offensive conversation on Snapchat.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The Snapchat occurred on a Sunday evening between friends and acquaintances, said lawyer David Kallman, who is representing the students and their parents. African-American and Caucasian children, he said, were using inappropriate and offensive language in a joking manner and in the context of immature banter among friends.
"The conversation did not occur at the school, at a school event, or on any school equipment," said Kallman. "While all the children are embarrassed by their language, it does not justify the school’s rush to judgment and overreaction."
Two of the suspended students have been allowed to return to school, but they continue to be punished with bans on participating in many school activities.
Kallman argued courts "have ruled that 'while public schools are not run as democracies, neither are they run as Stalinist regimes. Students do have First Amendment rights, and school officials do not have unfettered authority to regulate student speech.'
He said schools "may punish students for lewd speech or profanity used during school, but the Supreme Court has made it clear that schools have no power to punish lewd or profane out-of-school speech."
The lawyer noted the district claims the school was disrupted by the students' speech.
"However, no school should be permitted to manufacture its own, self-described 'disruption' in order to sanction out-of-school speech it may find offensive," he argued. "Defendants cannot simultaneously issue public media statements, hold public meetings on the issue, call its own students 'racist,' and then complain about the 'disruption' the media attention and public interest in the Snapchat has caused."
Kallman explained that the parents have made numerous efforts to resolve the situation and avoid litigation.
"Plaintiffs and their parents initiated multiple conversations with defendants prior to the filing of this lawsuit to resolve this matter and reinstate all the children. Defendants refused," he said. "Plaintiffs waited to file this motion for injunctive relief to give defendants an opportunity to meet with their counsel and reconsider their position. Plaintiffs' counsel met with Defendant Saline Superintendent Graden to make a final effort to have all the children fully reinstated to school. Defendants refused."
The objective of the lawsuit is to lift the school's punishments.
It asks that the students be returned to "school and full school activities" and that the district stops "continuing to improperly punish plaintiffs in violation of their constitutional rights."
U.S. District Judge Paul Borman has ordered the district to answer within a few days.
The students are also asking for a declaratory judgment, damages and injunctive relief for the violation of their constitutional rights to due process and free speech.
Who disciplines?
Kallman said the case "boils down to a simple question: When a child misbehaves at home, who disciplines – the local public school or the parent?"
"If a child gets stopped for drunk driving on a Saturday night, does the school have the right to expel that student? The answer is obvious. No. The conversation of these children had nothing to do with the school. It has no authority to discipline students for out of school misbehavior."
He said the school is "acting is acting outside the scope of its authority, has no legal right to impose the discipline carried out, and has violated our clients’ constitutional rights by their reckless and hasty rush to judgment."
The students are not named in the complaint. The defendants include the school, the school board, Supt. Scot Graden, Assistant Supt. Steve Laatsch, Principal David Raft, Assistant Principal Joe Palka and Assistant Principal Theresa Stager.
The complaint states: "A foundational core of our Constitutional Republic is that the state cannot punish its citizens for engaging in speech that is protected by the First Amendment. Just as citizens cannot be criminally punished for protected speech, a public school cannot discipline speech that falls within the ambit of the First Amendment."
Police grilled students without notifying them of possible penalties, and the school issued a statement to the entire community that the children were guilty of "an act of racism that created harm to all of our students, especially students of color."
The school charged the students with "hate, prejudice, and racism."
District officials declined to respond to a WND request for comment.
The new request to the court explains that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims, and they "will suffer irreparable harm unless the request for relief in granted."
"The government has no legally cognizable interest in suppressing the exercise of constitutional rights," the filing explains. "Accordingly, no harm to defendants would result from granting the requested injunctive relief."
The bottom line is that the district "acted outside the scope of their authority by disciplining plaintiff children for speech that occurred at home over the weekend and was not related to the school in any way."


wnd--2020-03-03--Homeschooling to the rescue as coronavirus closes schools

A `` vast unplanned experiment in mass homeschooling '' could be unleashed in the United States if school officials follow the response of some nations to the coronavirus .
The forecast by Kevin Carey , vice president of education policy for the New America think tank , came in a New York Times story highlighted by the Foundation for Economic Education .
In Japan , officials closed all schools , beginning Monday , for the next month .
Hong Kong officials have closed schools for two months , That has n't happened in the U.S. yet .
But FEE said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the globe , cities and countries are taking action to prevent the new respiratory virus strain from spreading . ''
`` While the virus has not yet hit hard in the United States , government officials and health agencies have enacted response plans , corporations are halting travel abroad , and education leaders are grappling with what a widespread domestic outbreak of the virus could mean for schoolchildren , '' FEE said .
FEE said it 's `` unfortunate that it takes a viral epidemic to spotlight the many alternatives to conventional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is homeschooling widely popular in the U.S. , educating approximately two million children nationwide , but other schooling alternatives , such as virtual learning , micro-schooling , and hybrid homeschooling continue to sprout . ''
Among the wide range of alternatives to sitting in a classroom , American students have access to programs such as the Florida Virtual School , established in 1997 as the first fully online public high school .
Micro-schools , the report said , are small , home-based , multi-age facilities that `` act like a one-room schoolhouse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEE said , already has 80 such facilities serving about 550 students .
`` Like micro-schools , hybrid homeschooling programs and small , community-based classes for homeschoolers are also gaining popularity and may be swept into the limelight if conventional schools are forced to temporarily close , '' said FEE .
`` Operating with small , age-mixed groups of children , these hybrid models and classes offer an alternative to institutional schooling , avoiding large classrooms and crowded buildings . ''
The organization found : `` These emerging learning options outside of traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' is possible but also that it may be highly desirable .
Personalized learning , small group interactions that build community and connection , and education without the coercion inherent in standard schooling are beneficial whether or not a pending epidemic is what exposes families to these education possibilities . ''

A "vast unplanned experiment in mass homeschooling" could be unleashed in the United States if school officials follow the response of some nations to the coronavirus.
The forecast by Kevin Carey, vice president of education policy for the New America think tank, came in a New York Times story highlighted by the Foundation for Economic Education.
In Japan, officials closed all schools, beginning Monday, for the next month. Hong Kong officials have closed schools for two months,
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
That hasn't happened in the U.S. yet.
But FEE said that as "fears of coronavirus mount around the globe, cities and countries are taking action to prevent the new respiratory virus strain from spreading."
"While the virus has not yet hit hard in the United States, government officials and health agencies have enacted response plans, corporations are halting travel abroad, and education leaders are grappling with what a widespread domestic outbreak of the virus could mean for schoolchildren," FEE said.
FEE said it's "unfortunate that it takes a viral epidemic to spotlight the many alternatives to conventional K-12 schooling."
"Not only is homeschooling widely popular in the U.S., educating approximately two million children nationwide, but other schooling alternatives, such as virtual learning, micro-schooling, and hybrid homeschooling continue to sprout."
Among the wide range of alternatives to sitting in a classroom, American students have access to programs such as the Florida Virtual School, established in 1997 as the first fully online public high school.
Micro-schools, the report said, are small, home-based, multi-age facilities that "act like a one-room schoolhouse." An Arizona program, Prenda, FEE said, already has 80 such facilities serving about 550 students.
"Like micro-schools, hybrid homeschooling programs and small, community-based classes for homeschoolers are also gaining popularity and may be swept into the limelight if conventional schools are forced to temporarily close," said FEE.
"Operating with small, age-mixed groups of children, these hybrid models and classes offer an alternative to institutional schooling, avoiding large classrooms and crowded buildings."
The organization found: "These emerging learning options outside of traditional schooling show not only that 'mass homeschooling' is possible but also that it may be highly desirable. Personalized learning, small group interactions that build community and connection, and education without the coercion inherent in standard schooling are beneficial whether or not a pending epidemic is what exposes families to these education possibilities."


wnd--2020-03-03--Coronavirus hysteria: Worse than the virus itself

We go from hysteria to hysteria .
And even that 's not quite accurate .
We now endure multiple hysterias at once .
The latest , of course , is COVID-19 , better known as the coronavirus .
In addition to China , where the virus originated , major cities in Italy and Japan are in lockdown mode , and Japan has closed all its schools .
In the United States , where , as of this writing , six people – most , if not all , of whom were already ill – have died , the states of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Florida and the city of San Francisco have declared states of emergency .
Many international and domestic business conferences have been canceled , including : –The Microsoft MVP Global Summit March 15-20 in Bellevue and Redmond , Washington ( now to be an online-only event ) .
–The MWC ( Mobile World Congress ) Barcelona , billed as `` the largest mobile event in the world . ''
Amazon has asked its 798,000 employees to stop all nonessential travel , both domestic and international , immediately .
Meanwhile , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 % and $ 3.5 trillion was erased for U.S.-listed stocks .
It was the worst week for stocks since the financial crisis in October of 2008 . ''
And the `` yield on the 10-year Treasury note hit a record intraday low [ last ] Tuesday as coronavirus rocked risk markets and investors flooded into safe-havens , '' according to Markets Insider .
If these trends continue , the world economy is likely to enter a recession , if not a depression .
Unless the coronavirus becomes a worldwide mass killer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hysteria over coronavirus will cause much more suffering than the virus .
All this leads to three questions : 1 .
Why are n't we seeing a sober , measured reaction to the virus ?
2 .
What has caused this hysteria ?
3 .
Why are so many people in panic mode ?
Answer to question 1 : Because people have lost all perspective .
This flu , like SARS and swine flu before it , has been given a name .
Every year tens of thousands of people die of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2017-2018 flu season , in America alone , according to the CDC , about 61,000 people died of the flu .
But because that flu did n't have a special name , no one other than individuals close to those who died from the flu knows or cares about any no-name flu .
In 2003 , there was hysteria over SARS , which also originated in China , and which killed a total of 8,096 people in 29 countries .
In 2009 , the World Health Organization , which should be renamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide pandemic alert level of the swine flu ( a variant of the H1N1 virus ) to Phase 6 , the highest alert level .
According to the CDC , the swine flu infected approximately 61 million Americans , of whom 12,269 died .
To put that into perspective , also according to the CDC , the next season 's flu , that of 2010-2011 , killed about 37,000 Americans ; in 2012-2013 , 43,000 died of the flu ; and as noted , in 2017-2018 , 61,000 died ( the CDC 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to question 2 : Overwhelmingly because of the news media .
The news media have been breathlessly reporting virtually every new diagnosis of the coronavirus 24/7 .
Typical of media reporting is this from Canada 's most widely read newspaper , The Globe and Mail : `` COVID-19 spreads so rapidly that one Harvard researcher has warned that 40 to 70 percent of the world 's adults will be infected . ''
But they never bother to tell you that being `` infected '' is , for almost everyone , not remotely life-threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is perplexing .
I am not certain why people panic so easily .
Perhaps it is built into human nature .
Perhaps it is the power of the media to influence people .
Perhaps it is because life is so easy in the modern world that people have come to expect a life without deadly illness or premature death from any cause .
Perhaps it is because of the lack of perspective noted above .
There are things about which people should be panicked .
For example , the contempt for America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young Americans from elementary school through college is worthy of panic .
The extreme levels of economy-collapsing debt we are irresponsibly piling onto the backs of future generations to maintain `` entitlements '' is worthy of panic .
So is the premature sexualization of children – encouraging them to choose their own gender and taking 5-year-olds to public libraries for `` drag queen story hour . ''
But such things hardly register with most Americans .
I feel awful for kids today .
They are relentlessly told that global warming poses an `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are relentlessly told that President Donald Trump poses an `` existential threat to America '' – the words used , for example , a few weeks ago by Frank Rich in New York Magazine , and used by the `` moderate '' Mike Bloomberg repeatedly in his speeches .
And now they are told their families had better stock up on toilet paper because only God knows when they will be unable to leave their homes .
It was a Democratic president who told Americans , during World War II no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fear but fear itself . ''
He is a liberal idol , in part for saying that .
That is more or less exactly what Trump has been saying .
Yet he 's an `` existential threat '' to our country .

We go from hysteria to hysteria.
And even that's not quite accurate. We now endure multiple hysterias at once.
The latest, of course, is COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus. In addition to China, where the virus originated, major cities in Italy and Japan are in lockdown mode, and Japan has closed all its schools. In the United States, where, as of this writing, six people – most, if not all, of whom were already ill – have died, the states of Washington (where all six deaths occurred) and Florida and the city of San Francisco have declared states of emergency.
Many international and domestic business conferences have been canceled, including:
–The Google News Initiative Summit in late April in Sunnyvale, California.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
–The Microsoft MVP Global Summit March 15-20 in Bellevue and Redmond, Washington (now to be an online-only event).
–The Facebook Global Marketing Summit, March 9-12 in San Francisco.
–The MWC (Mobile World Congress) Barcelona, billed as "the largest mobile event in the world."
Amazon has asked its 798,000 employees to stop all nonessential travel, both domestic and international, immediately.
Meanwhile, according to Time, "U.S. stocks lost nearly 12% and $3.5 trillion was erased for U.S.-listed stocks. It was the worst week for stocks since the financial crisis in October of 2008."
And the "yield on the 10-year Treasury note hit a record intraday low [last] Tuesday as coronavirus rocked risk markets and investors flooded into safe-havens," according to Markets Insider.
If these trends continue, the world economy is likely to enter a recession, if not a depression.
Unless the coronavirus becomes a worldwide mass killer, it will be fair to say that the hysteria over coronavirus will cause much more suffering than the virus.
All this leads to three questions:
1. Why aren't we seeing a sober, measured reaction to the virus?
2. What has caused this hysteria?
3. Why are so many people in panic mode?
Answer to question 1: Because people have lost all perspective.
This flu, like SARS and swine flu before it, has been given a name. Every year tens of thousands of people die of that season's generic flu. In the 2017-2018 flu season, in America alone, according to the CDC, about 61,000 people died of the flu. But because that flu didn't have a special name, no one other than individuals close to those who died from the flu knows or cares about any no-name flu.
In 2003, there was hysteria over SARS, which also originated in China, and which killed a total of 774 people in 29 countries.
In 2009, the World Health Organization, which should be renamed the World Hysteria Organization, raised the worldwide pandemic alert level of the swine flu (a variant of the H1N1 virus) to Phase 6, the highest alert level.
According to the CDC, the swine flu infected approximately 61 million Americans, of whom 12,269 died. To put that into perspective, also according to the CDC, the next season's flu, that of 2010-2011, killed about 37,000 Americans; in 2012-2013, 43,000 died of the flu; and as noted, in 2017-2018, 61,000 died (the CDC's upper figure was 95,000).
Answer to question 2: Overwhelmingly because of the news media. The news media have been breathlessly reporting virtually every new diagnosis of the coronavirus 24/7. Typical of media reporting is this from Canada's most widely read newspaper, The Globe and Mail: "COVID-19 spreads so rapidly that one Harvard researcher has warned that 40 to 70 percent of the world's adults will be infected." But they never bother to tell you that being "infected" is, for almost everyone, not remotely life-threatening.
Answer to question 3: This one is perplexing.
I am not certain why people panic so easily. Perhaps it is built into human nature. Perhaps it is the power of the media to influence people. Perhaps it is because life is so easy in the modern world that people have come to expect a life without deadly illness or premature death from any cause. Perhaps it is because of the lack of perspective noted above.
There are things about which people should be panicked. For example, the contempt for America and capitalism taught to a generation of young Americans from elementary school through college is worthy of panic. The extreme levels of economy-collapsing debt we are irresponsibly piling onto the backs of future generations to maintain "entitlements" is worthy of panic. So is the premature sexualization of children – encouraging them to choose their own gender and taking 5-year-olds to public libraries for "drag queen story hour." But such things hardly register with most Americans.
I feel awful for kids today. They are relentlessly told that global warming poses an "existential threat" to life on earth. They are relentlessly told that President Donald Trump poses an "existential threat to America" – the words used, for example, a few weeks ago by Frank Rich in New York Magazine, and used by the "moderate" Mike Bloomberg repeatedly in his speeches. And now they are told their families had better stock up on toilet paper because only God knows when they will be unable to leave their homes.
It was a Democratic president who told Americans, during World War II no less, that "we have nothing to fear but fear itself." He is a liberal idol, in part for saying that.
That is more or less exactly what Trump has been saying. Yet he's an "existential threat" to our country.


wnd--2020-03-03--Scientist: There actually ARE ways to reduce global temperature

The world 's richest man , Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , has announced he 's contributing $ 10 billion to `` fight climate change . ''
In a Wall Street Journal article , Holman W. Jenkins Jr. reviews the various ways that Bezos ' money likely will be wasted , based on the presumption that the human-caused release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is causing a catastrophic warming of the planet .
Scientist Art Robinson , known for The Petition Project , which has gathered the signatures of more than 30,000 scientists who doubt human-caused global warming , notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lower the Earth 's temperature , he should fund a methodology first suggested by S.S. Penner in 1993 in the Journal of Clean Technology and Environmental Sciences .
Robinson , who has a Ph.D. in chemistry from Cal Tech , where he served on the faculty , co-founded the Linus Pauling Institute with Nobel-recipient Linus Pauling , where he was president and research professor .
He later founded the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine .
Robinson , pointing out that Jenkins does n't mention Penner 's name in his article , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 % of the jet fuel in current commercial jet airliners into particulate forms at a cost of about $ 300 million per year would lower the Earth 's temperature by 1.5 degrees centigrade .
Edward Teller and Lowell Wood , Robinson notes , similarly suggested adding particulates to the atmosphere by means of naval guns or other means at a cost of about $ 2 billion per year .
That might actually lower Earth 's temperature , Robinson says , but we ought to consider whether or not that 's a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the current climate alarm is based on two lies : 1 .
That the atmospheric carbon dioxide increase from human use of hydrocarbon fuels is causing a significant rise in Earth temperature .
2 .
That this ongoing rise in temperature will catastrophically affect the Earth environment in such a way as to cause the deaths of billions of people .
`` The recent natural rise in temperature and the increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from human hydrocarbon use have combined to markedly increase the amount of plant and animal life on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Contrary to political claims , this has not reduced human habitability .
Our biological environment has greatly flourished during this past century of hydrocarbon use .
Why reverse it ? ''
Historically , he adds , warm periods `` led to wonderful advances in civilization and cool periods involved great human suffering . ''
`` Politically , of course , 'climate change ' has never been about 'climate change , ' '' he says .
`` It is about world taxation , world redistribution of wealth , world control of currently free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schemes that diminish human freedom .
It fits well in the policies of the current hopefuls running against President Trump . ''

The world's richest man, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has announced he's contributing $10 billion to "fight climate change."
In a Wall Street Journal article, Holman W. Jenkins Jr. reviews the various ways that Bezos' money likely will be wasted, based on the presumption that the human-caused release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is causing a catastrophic warming of the planet.
Scientist Art Robinson, known for The Petition Project, which has gathered the signatures of more than 30,000 scientists who doubt human-caused global warming, notes Jenkins suggests that if Bezos really wants to lower the Earth's temperature, he should fund a methodology first suggested by S.S. Penner in 1993 in the Journal of Clean Technology and Environmental Sciences.
Robinson, who has a Ph.D. in chemistry, co-founded the Linus Pauling Institute with Nobel-recipient Linus Pauling, where he was president and research professor. He has held research positions at Cal Tech and Stanford is the founder of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Robinson, pointing out that Jenkins doesn't mention Penner's name in his article, says Penner calculated that the conversion of 2% of the jet fuel in current commercial jet airliners into particulate forms at a cost of about $300 million per year would lower the Earth's temperature by 1.5 degrees centigrade. Edward Teller and Lowell Wood, Robinson notes, similarly suggested adding particulates to the atmosphere by means of naval guns or other means at a cost of about $2 billion per year.
That might actually lower Earth's temperature, Robinson says, but we ought to consider whether or not that's a good idea in the first place.
Robinson says the current climate alarm is based on two lies:
1. That the atmospheric carbon dioxide increase from human use of hydrocarbon fuels is causing a significant rise in Earth temperature. 2. That this ongoing rise in temperature will catastrophically affect the Earth environment in such a way as to cause the deaths of billions of people.
"The recent natural rise in temperature and the increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from human hydrocarbon use have combined to markedly increase the amount of plant and animal life on the Earth," says Robinson. "Contrary to political claims, this has not reduced human habitability. Our biological environment has greatly flourished during this past century of hydrocarbon use. Why reverse it?"
Historically, he adds, warm periods "led to wonderful advances in civilization and cool periods involved great human suffering."
"Politically, of course, 'climate change' has never been about 'climate change,'" he says.
"It is about world taxation, world redistribution of wealth, world control of currently free people, world socialism, and grandiose schemes that diminish human freedom. It fits well in the policies of the current hopefuls running against President Trump."


wnd--2020-03-03--'Wheel of Fortune' contestant baffles audience after solving puzzle with just two letters

A contestant on `` Wheel of Fortune '' surprised viewers and host Pat Sajak by solving a 17-letter puzzle with impressive speed and with only two consonants on the board .
Taya Somers , a businesswoman and mother of five , correctly solved the puzzle with a scarce amount of information , only knowing she was hunting for a `` phrase '' and that said phrase contained one ' N ' and one 'T . '
Somers believed she knew the answer as the board displayed : Confident , Somers told Sajak she was ready to solve the puzzle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to disguise the surprise in his voice .
But Somers ' hunch was correct as she stated , “ A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER.
” '' Of course ! ''
a pleased and surprised Sajak responded , moving toward Somers to congratulate her on the lightning-fast solve .
`` That was very impressive , '' Sajak told Somers , who was overcome with emotion over the incredible moment .
Somers earned a mere $ 650 for the solve , but Sajak told her that a trip to Peru was also on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Wheel of Fortune '' has returned to normal after Sajak took time off due to emergency surgery he had last November .
In the interim , longstanding co-host Vanna White made her solo hosting debut and was joined for one week in January by Sajak 's daughter , 25-year-old Maggie Sajak , as a special guest .
Maggie was only a year old the last time she graced the `` Wheel '' stage in 1996 , and joked that she would hopefully be `` a little more eloquent than last time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her perspective as Sajak 's daughter , watching her father go through emergency surgery was `` a scary experience , '' but said that her dad was `` doing great . ''
`` I know he 's so excited to be back next week , '' Maggie said in January .
`` Wheel of Fortune '' audiences are glad to see Sajak back at the helm , doing what he has done best for the past 38 years .
Sajak and White renewed their contracts for their roles with `` Wheel of Fortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last December .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

A contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" surprised viewers and host Pat Sajak by solving a 17-letter puzzle with impressive speed and with only two consonants on the board.
Taya Somers, a businesswoman and mother of five, correctly solved the puzzle with a scarce amount of information, only knowing she was hunting for a "phrase" and that said phrase contained one 'N' and one 'T.'
Somers believed she knew the answer as the board displayed:
“_ – _ _ _ _ _ – _ _ _ _ – N _ – _ T_ _ _ .”
Confident, Somers told Sajak she was ready to solve the puzzle.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"OK," Sajak replied, unable to disguise the surprise in his voice.
But Somers' hunch was correct as she stated, “A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER.”
"Of course!" a pleased and surprised Sajak responded, moving toward Somers to congratulate her on the lightning-fast solve.
Did anybody else solve the puzzle that quickly at home? 🧐🤯 #WheelOfFortune pic.twitter.com/nCZRG9QioA — Wheel of Fortune (@WheelofFortune) February 27, 2020
"That was very impressive," Sajak told Somers, who was overcome with emotion over the incredible moment.
Somers earned a mere $650 for the solve, but Sajak told her that a trip to Peru was also on the horizon for the emotional and happy contestant.
"Wheel of Fortune" has returned to normal after Sajak took time off due to emergency surgery he had last November.
In the interim, longstanding co-host Vanna White made her solo hosting debut and was joined for one week in January by Sajak's daughter, 25-year-old Maggie Sajak, as a special guest.
Maggie was only a year old the last time she graced the "Wheel" stage in 1996, and joked that she would hopefully be "a little more eloquent than last time."
Maggie told audiences that from her perspective as Sajak's daughter, watching her father go through emergency surgery was "a scary experience," but said that her dad was "doing great."
"I know he's so excited to be back next week," Maggie said in January.
"Wheel of Fortune" audiences are glad to see Sajak back at the helm, doing what he has done best for the past 38 years.
Sajak and White renewed their contracts for their roles with "Wheel of Fortune" through 2022, USA Today reported last December.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-03-03--Bill Kristol completely abandons the right: Urges vote for BIDEN!

Bill Kristol long has been regarded as a conservative or neoconservative .
He founded the now-defunct Weekly Standard .
He 's a commentator on networks and played a leading role in defeating President Bill Clinton 's health care plan .
But he has been a strong critic of President Trump .
And now he 's telling people to vote for Joe Biden .
He wrote in his new publication The Bulwark that any `` normal American '' does n't want to have to choose between President Trump and socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders .
`` The answer actually is simple , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sens .
Amy Klobuchar nor Elizabeth Warren will be the Democratic nominee .
And New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg is faltering .
So , `` if you 're inclined toward American constitutional democracy , the rule of law , and a free economic order , '' your vote is for Biden .
`` Who is it among us that has lost their minds ? ''
radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh wondered .
`` What 's Bill Kristol doing endorsing a guy that sought to deny Clarence Thomas a seat on the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those who `` do n't like demagogues of the right or the left . ''
`` You want competent , responsible governance somewhere in the vicinity of the broad center .
You cherish American exceptionalism , and you know that means rejecting European-style demagoguery of the right and left that exploits people 's anxieties and seduces them with false promises .
You dread a future featuring an authoritarian and illiberal party facing off against a socialist and illiberal party .
And so you don ’ t want to face a choice–you don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a choice– between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in November . ''
He said the choice is simple : Joe Biden .
Kristol , noted Robin Young of WBUR in Boston , has so thoroughly changed his politics that he recently stated when Democrats tried to remove Trump from office , `` We are all Democrats now . ''
He claimed a second Trump term would be `` dangerous . ''
Kristol , who served in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W .
Bush administrations , fears the Republican Party wo n't survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm much more pessimistic than I was a couple of years ago that it would be easy or even possible to get beyond Trump , '' he said .

Bill Kristol long has been regarded as a conservative or neoconservative. He founded the now-defunct Weekly Standard. He's a commentator on networks and played a leading role in defeating President Bill Clinton's health care plan.
But he has been a strong critic of President Trump.
And now he's telling people to vote for Joe Biden.
He wrote in his new publication The Bulwark that any "normal American" doesn't want to have to choose between President Trump and socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"The answer actually is simple," Kristol wrote. He noted neither Sens. Amy Klobuchar nor Elizabeth Warren will be the Democratic nominee. And New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg is faltering.
So, "if you're inclined toward American constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and a free economic order," your vote is for Biden.
"Who is it among us that has lost their minds?" radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh wondered. "What's Bill Kristol doing endorsing a guy that sought to deny Clarence Thomas a seat on the Supreme Court?"
Kristol said his advice is for those who "don't like demagogues of the right or the left."
"You want competent, responsible governance somewhere in the vicinity of the broad center. You cherish American exceptionalism, and you know that means rejecting European-style demagoguery of the right and left that exploits people's anxieties and seduces them with false promises. You dread a future featuring an authoritarian and illiberal party facing off against a socialist and illiberal party. And so you don’t want to face a choice–you don’t want the country to face a choice– between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in November."
He said the choice is simple: Joe Biden.
Kristol, noted Robin Young of WBUR in Boston, has so thoroughly changed his politics that he recently stated when Democrats tried to remove Trump from office, "We are all Democrats now."
He claimed a second Trump term would be "dangerous."
Kristol, who served in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, fears the Republican Party won't survive the Trump administration.
"I think I'm much more pessimistic than I was a couple of years ago that it would be easy or even possible to get beyond Trump," he said.


wnd--2020-03-03--Dems: It's 'circumstances' that make people rich

An overwhelming majority of Democrats believe it is merely `` circumstances '' that make people rich , not hard work .
Pew Research said its new poll found 65 % of Americans `` say the main reason some people are rich is because they have had more advantages in life than most other people . ''
Among Democrats , 82 % adopt that position .
Similarly , 86 % of Democrats say people end up poor because of the obstacles they 've faced .
Only 16 % say hard work is the driver behind becoming rich , and only 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people poor .
For Republicans , 45 % say people are rich because of their circumstances , and 53 % say it 's from hard work .
For the poor , 55 % say they are poor because of obstacles , and 42 % say it 's from their lack of hard work .
The poll was taken Jan. 6-19 among 12,638 U.S. adults who are part of the Center 's American Trends Panel .
`` Views of why people are rich have changed significantly over the past few years , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason a person is rich is because they possess more advantages than other people , '' the report said .
`` The share [ in a recent telephone survey ] saying the main reason a person is rich is because they have more advantages than others has increased 13 percentage points since 2018 , while there has a been a comparable decline ( 12 points ) in the share attributing a person ’ s wealth more to hard work .
These changes are evident among both Republicans and Democrats , '' Pew reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there are mode differences between the telephone and online surveys .
The differences are more pronounced among Republicans than Democrats .
Comparing the January telephone and panel surveys among Republicans , similar shares say that rich people are wealthy more because 'they have worked harder than most other people . '
However , there is a 16 percentage point difference in the shares who attribute being rich to having 'had more advantages in life ' ( 29 % on the phone , 45 % online ) , '' the report said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a sizable share of Republicans volunteer 'both ' ( 14 % ) or 'don ’ t know ' ( 4 % ) as a response on the telephone , while these types of volunteered responses are not possible online ( a small share – 2 % – skip the question online ) . ''
Pew continued : `` When asked about the impact of billionaires on the country , a majority ( 58 % ) say it is neither bad nor good .
... Nearly a quarter ( 23 % ) say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortunes of a billion dollars or more is a bad thing , while slightly fewer ( 19 % ) see this as a good thing . ''

An overwhelming majority of Democrats believe it is merely "circumstances" that make people rich, not hard work.
Pew Research said its new poll found 65% of Americans "say the main reason some people are rich is because they have had more advantages in life than most other people."
Among Democrats, 82% adopt that position. Similarly, 86% of Democrats say people end up poor because of the obstacles they've faced. Only 16% say hard work is the driver behind becoming rich, and only 12% say lack of hard work leaves people poor.
For Republicans, 45% say people are rich because of their circumstances, and 53% say it's from hard work. For the poor, 55% say they are poor because of obstacles, and 42% say it's from their lack of hard work.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The poll was taken Jan. 6-19 among 12,638 U.S. adults who are part of the Center's American Trends Panel.
"Views of why people are rich have changed significantly over the past few years, with a growing share of Americans saying the main reason a person is rich is because they possess more advantages than other people," the report said.
"The share [in a recent telephone survey] saying the main reason a person is rich is because they have more advantages than others has increased 13 percentage points since 2018, while there has a been a comparable decline (12 points) in the share attributing a person’s wealth more to hard work. These changes are evident among both Republicans and Democrats," Pew reported.
"It is important to note that there are mode differences between the telephone and online surveys. The differences are more pronounced among Republicans than Democrats. Comparing the January telephone and panel surveys among Republicans, similar shares say that rich people are wealthy more because 'they have worked harder than most other people.' However, there is a 16 percentage point difference in the shares who attribute being rich to having 'had more advantages in life' (29% on the phone, 45% online)," the report said.
"One reason for this difference is that a sizable share of Republicans volunteer 'both' (14%) or 'don’t know' (4%) as a response on the telephone, while these types of volunteered responses are not possible online (a small share – 2% – skip the question online)."
Pew continued: "When asked about the impact of billionaires on the country, a majority (58%) say it is neither bad nor good. ... Nearly a quarter (23%) say the fact that some people have personal fortunes of a billion dollars or more is a bad thing, while slightly fewer (19%) see this as a good thing."


wnd--2020-03-03--Bloomberg boasts of backing Ground Zero mosque

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg told a pro-Israel policy conference Monday that one of his proudest moments as mayor of New York City was his defense of the controversial plan to build a mosque near the site of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center by Islamic jihadists .
`` I was never prouder than when I stood in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty and argued that Muslim New Yorkers had every right to build a mosque anywhere in our city , including near the World Trade Center , '' Bloomberg told the American Israel Public Affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rauf 's proposal in 2010 to create a 15-story Islamic cultural center on the site sparked a national uproar .
At the time , former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in an interview the people behind the mosque `` are really radical Islamists who want to triumphally prove that they can build a mosque right next to a place where 3,000 Americans were killed by radical Islamists – those folks do n't have any interest in reaching out to the community . ''
Orthodox Muslims historically have regarded mosques built in territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conquest .
Bloomberg described the proposed mosque in a 2010 speech at the time of the controversy as a symbol of tolerance .
The plan by the American Society for Muslim Advancement and the Cordoba Initiative , which had the support of then-President Obama , eventually was scrapped .
It had the support of then-President Obama and many other New York political figures in addition to Bloomberg .
Bloomberg , the only Democratic candidate at the AIPAC event , received a standing ovation after his speech Monday .
It was the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Bloomberg to 9/11 stirred controversy .
He claimed in a February campaign ad that he `` led '' New York during the difficult time of the 9/11 attacks .
However , Rudy Giuliani was the mayor at the time .
Bloomberg took power the following year .
In his August 2010 speech at the time of the Ground Zero mosque controversy , Bloomberg said , `` Muslims are as much a part of our city and our country as the people of any faith .
`` The World Trade Centre site will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , in our hearts , '' he said .
`` But we would be untrue to the best part of ourselves – and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans -– if we said no to a mosque in lower Manhattan . ''
Bloomberg said he hoped the new mosque would bring the city closer together .
`` Political controversies come and go , but our values and our traditions endure – and there is no neighborhood in this city that is off limits to God 's love and mercy , @ @ @ @

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg told a pro-Israel policy conference Monday that one of his proudest moments as mayor of New York City was his defense of the controversial plan to build a mosque near the site of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center by Islamic jihadists.
"I was never prouder than when I stood in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty and argued that Muslim New Yorkers had every right to build a mosque anywhere in our city, including near the World Trade Center," Bloomberg told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to applause.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's proposal in 2010 to create a 15-story Islamic cultural center on the site sparked a national uproar. At the time, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in an interview the people behind the mosque "are really radical Islamists who want to triumphally prove that they can build a mosque right next to a place where 3,000 Americans were killed by radical Islamists – those folks don't have any interest in reaching out to the community."
Orthodox Muslims historically have regarded mosques built in territory previously not under Islamic law as symbols of conquest.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Bloomberg described the proposed mosque in a 2010 speech at the time of the controversy as a symbol of tolerance.
The plan by the American Society for Muslim Advancement and the Cordoba Initiative, which had the support of then-President Obama, eventually was scrapped. It had the support of then-President Obama and many other New York political figures in addition to Bloomberg.
Bloomberg, the only Democratic candidate at the AIPAC event, received a standing ovation after his speech Monday.
It was the second time in a month that a reference by Bloomberg to 9/11 stirred controversy. He claimed in a February campaign ad that he "led" New York during the difficult time of the 9/11 attacks.
However, Rudy Giuliani was the mayor at the time. Bloomberg took power the following year.
In his August 2010 speech at the time of the Ground Zero mosque controversy, Bloomberg said, "Muslims are as much a part of our city and our country as the people of any faith.
"The World Trade Centre site will forever hold a special place in our city, in our hearts," he said. "But we would be untrue to the best part of ourselves – and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans -– if we said no to a mosque in lower Manhattan."
Bloomberg said he hoped the new mosque would bring the city closer together.
"Political controversies come and go, but our values and our traditions endure – and there is no neighborhood in this city that is off limits to God's love and mercy," he said.


wnd--2020-03-03--The 'thrill' is gone: Chris Matthews out at MSNBC

( NBC NEWS ) -- Chris Matthews , one of the longest-tenured voices at MSNBC , announced his retirement during @ @ @ @ @ s airing of his talk show , “ Hardball.
” Matthews , 74 , said @ @ @ @ @ agreed to part ways .
The decision followed a series of events that resulted in @ @ @ @ @ s statements about Bernie Sanders , African-American lawmakers , and comments he had made to @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m retiring , ” Matthews said .
“ This is the last @ @ @ @ @ .
”

(NBC NEWS) -- Chris Matthews, one of the longest-tenured voices at MSNBC, announced his retirement during Monday’s night’s airing of his talk show, “Hardball.”
Matthews, 74, said he and MSNBC had mutually agreed to part ways. The decision followed a series of events that resulted in criticism of the host’s statements about Bernie Sanders, African-American lawmakers, and comments he had made to female journalists and coworkers.
“I’m retiring,” Matthews said. “This is the last ‘Hardball’ on MSNBC.”
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-03-03--Leftists furious after seeing Pence's all-male task force, lose all hope when they start to pray

The left will use any reason to hate on Vice President Mike Pence , Christianity and white males , even during a pandemic .
On Wednesday the vice president shared a photo of his coronavirus task force meeting and MSNBC ’ s Stephanie Ruhle was among those who immediately attacked .
“ Today we had a very productive meeting of the White House Coronavirus Taskforce in the Situation Room , ” Pence tweeted .
“ We placed additional travel restrictions on Iran & we are increasing the travel advisory to level 4 , urging Americans not to travel to specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Where are the women ?
” Ruhle replied , as if the vice president has time to worry about making certain every group is represented in order to fight a worldwide virus .
“ Could you dig up one woman at least ?
Or would 'Mother ' not allow it ?
” feminist activist Amy Siskind wrote .
But the left saved its really vile comments for when a photo of the vice president daring to pray with his team was shared .
“ Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screwed , ” New York Times Magazine writer Thomas Chatterton Williams said .
It is a sad day in America when the act of appealing to our Lord for help is seen as worthy of mockery .
It is because many leftists do not comprehend what prayer means to us and what prayer is all about .
We are not praying for God to swoop in and cure the disease for us .
We are praying for him to grant our doctors , scientists and researchers the wisdom to fix it .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this crisis and for those who are afflicted to be helped in their struggle .
Many of these people do not believe in God because they have treated him like the genie in the magic lamp in the past , and they did not get what they wanted when they made a wish .
That is not how this works .
It has never been how prayer works .
And it is telling that when you see them mock a photo of a group of people praying those people are almost always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack against them we will pray for them , that someday they find the light of Jesus and be saved .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

The left will use any reason to hate on Vice President Mike Pence, Christianity and white males, even during a pandemic.
On Wednesday the vice president shared a photo of his coronavirus task force meeting and MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle was among those who immediately attacked.
“Today we had a very productive meeting of the White House Coronavirus Taskforce in the Situation Room,” Pence tweeted.
“We placed additional travel restrictions on Iran & we are increasing the travel advisory to level 4, urging Americans not to travel to specific regions in Italy & South Korea.”
Today we had a very productive meeting of the White House Coronavirus Taskforce in the Situation Room. We placed additional travel restrictions on Iran & we are increasing the travel advisory to level 4, urging Americans not to travel to specific regions in Italy & South Korea. pic.twitter.com/Npv5ADRijT — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) February 29, 2020
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
“Where are the women?” Ruhle replied, as if the vice president has time to worry about making certain every group is represented in order to fight a worldwide virus.
Where are the women? https://t.co/YSMGOmigku — Stephanie Ruhle (@SRuhle) March 1, 2020
“Could you dig up one woman at least? Or would 'Mother' not allow it?” feminist activist Amy Siskind wrote.
Could you dig up one woman at least? Or would “Mother” not allow it? — Amy Siskind 🏳🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) March 1, 2020
But the left saved its really vile comments for when a photo of the vice president daring to pray with his team was shared.
“Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying for a solution. We are so screwed,” New York Times Magazine writer Thomas Chatterton Williams said.
Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying for a solution. We are so screwed. pic.twitter.com/p020FBIK9J — Thomas Chatterton Williams 🌍 🎧 (@thomaschattwill) March 1, 2020
Americans are safe now.
Mike Pence is gonna pray away
the Coronavirus!#TrumpVirus🤡#KidVicious🖕🏽🙄🖕🏽 https://t.co/l5a86U8tiE — kirk acevedo (@kirkacevedo) February 27, 2020
The problem is not that Pence prays. People can pray and believe in science. The problem is that Pence is not one of those people. His brand of conservative Christianity casts doubt on science in the name of faith. That’s why people are concerned about him. #coronavirus. https://t.co/fA1d4N3aJh — Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons (@GuthrieGF) March 2, 2020
It is a sad day in America when the act of appealing to our Lord for help is seen as worthy of mockery.
It is because many leftists do not comprehend what prayer means to us and what prayer is all about.
We are not praying for God to swoop in and cure the disease for us. We are praying for him to grant our doctors, scientists and researchers the wisdom to fix it.
We are praying for the strength to deal with this crisis and for those who are afflicted to be helped in their struggle.
Many of these people do not believe in God because they have treated him like the genie in the magic lamp in the past, and they did not get what they wanted when they made a wish.
That is not how this works. It has never been how prayer works.
And it is telling that when you see them mock a photo of a group of people praying those people are almost always Christians.
Because rather than going on the attack against them we will pray for them, that someday they find the light of Jesus and be saved.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-03-04--Rush Limbaugh: Biden's latest flub actually wasn't a mistake

At a campaign event in Houston on Monday , Biden launched into a quote that mentions God , and since he can not do that as a Democrat , he had to shut it down before reaching the word , Limbaugh told his listeners Tuesday .
Biden was trying to recite the preamble to the Declaration of Independence .
`` We hold these truths to be self-evident , '' he began .
But he concluded with : `` All men and women created by , go– you know — you know the thing .
You know how we talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' TRENDING : 'Go to hell ! '
Donna Brazile viciously erupts on GOP chairwoman Limbaugh said : `` We hold these truths to be self-evident .
All men endowed by their Creator — that 's what he couldn ’ t say .
Democrats ca n't acknowledge God .
This is where Plugs , to me , is showing signs of being mentally with it .
Plugs did n't forget God .
What Plugs realized is he ca n't mention God as a Democrat .
God is the ecology .
God is climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is a party — God gets booed at the Democrat convention . ''
Limbaugh was recalling the 2012 Democratic National Convention , when mention of God was removed from the party platform .
`` Have you forgotten ?
They remove God .
And it 's all about abortion .
It 's all about abortion , '' he said .
`` So Plugs ( Biden ) knows he ca n't mention Creator .
So he 's trying to [ re ] cite — and Plugs is old enough when the Democrats used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They used to be able to go to church .
They used to be able to talk about God .
They used to be able to talk about Jesus Christ .
They used to be able to incorporate God in their politics .
They ca n't anymore .
`` Don ’ t tell me these people are not a bunch of radical leftists .
There ’ s nothing moderate or mainstream media about ’ em .
And Plugs here had his wits about him enough to realize that if he mentioned creator or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doo-doo on the eve of Super Tuesday .
So he caught himself .
Now , he sounds stupid , but I think in this case Plugs ’ mental acuity is actually on display .
`` He 's trying to tell them we know it 's God , I ca n't say God , Creator , you know what I 'm talking about , you know the thing , you know it , I ca n't say it .
That 's what he 's saying to 'em .
Do n't doubt me on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God .
He did n't forget endowed by Creator .
He knows that .
He 's known that .
Plugs is old enough that he was taught this in school and had to recite this in school like all the rest of us . ''
The Declaration of Independence states : `` When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth , the separate and equal station to which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's God entitle them , a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation .
`` We hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness . ''
Twitter user 1st Responder PTSD Advocate said , `` At first I thought all the @ Joe Biden gaffes would make a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 'll have to be a half hour infomercial . ''
Limbaugh said he now believes that the Democrats expect to lose in 2020 .
`` They don ’ t want Bernie Sanders to be the nominee because they don ’ t want that kind of shellacking .
They think they 're gon na lose with Biden anyway .
… This is all about the Democrat establishment , including media people , protecting themselves against a Democrat electoral defeat , '' he said .
`` This is all about Chuck Todd and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBS , and CNN keeping their jobs and keeping their credibility .
It ’ s all about Donna Brazile keeping her job at the DNC or whatever her job is .
It ’ s all about the Democrat establishment not being swept aside like the Republican establishment was swept aside when Trump won .
They don ’ t want any Never Trumpers in the Democrat Party .
The people that would become the equivalent of the Never Trumpers , the Never Bernies , they don ’ t want to lose their positions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose to Trump , then that ’ s fine .
It is so obvious to me what ’ s going on . ''

Talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh thinks Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden's latest flub really wasn't a flub.
At a campaign event in Houston on Monday, Biden launched into a quote that mentions God, and since he cannot do that as a Democrat, he had to shut it down before reaching the word, Limbaugh told his listeners Tuesday.
Biden was trying to recite the preamble to the Declaration of Independence.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident," he began. But he concluded with: "All men and women created by, go– you know — you know the thing. You know how we talk about it, or we the people."
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Limbaugh said: "We hold these truths to be self-evident. All men endowed by their Creator — that's what he couldn’t say. Democrats can't acknowledge God. This is where Plugs, to me, is showing signs of being mentally with it. Plugs didn't forget God. What Plugs realized is he can't mention God as a Democrat. God is the ecology. God is climate change. You can't mention God. This is a party — God gets booed at the Democrat convention."
Limbaugh was recalling the 2012 Democratic National Convention, when mention of God was removed from the party platform.
"Have you forgotten? They remove God. And it's all about abortion. It's all about abortion," he said. "So Plugs (Biden) knows he can't mention Creator. So he's trying to [re]cite — and Plugs is old enough when the Democrats used to be able to mention God. They used to be able to go to church. They used to be able to talk about God. They used to be able to talk about Jesus Christ. They used to be able to incorporate God in their politics. They can't anymore.
"Don’t tell me these people are not a bunch of radical leftists. There’s nothing moderate or mainstream media about ’em. And Plugs here had his wits about him enough to realize that if he mentioned creator or God, he would be in deep doo-doo on the eve of Super Tuesday. So he caught himself. Now, he sounds stupid, but I think in this case Plugs’ mental acuity is actually on display.
"He's trying to tell them we know it's God, I can't say God, Creator, you know what I'm talking about, you know the thing, you know it, I can't say it. That's what he's saying to 'em. Don't doubt me on this, folks. He didn't forget God. He didn't forget endowed by Creator. He knows that. He's known that. Plugs is old enough that he was taught this in school and had to recite this in school like all the rest of us."
Biden's performance Monday:
You can’t make this up...
pic.twitter.com/Hq6dLUbXLC — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 2, 2020
The Declaration of Independence states: "When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Biden was roundly mocked on Twitter.
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men and women creates by the zlur ᗪᗷᗴᗷᗩIᘔYᔕᐯ
ˢᶦᵈᵛᵉʲᵃᶦ
sᴠᴜsʙᴡʙsᴜ bʞɟnxnsʌsq ...you know the thing! pic.twitter.com/VbnNeMnhb0 — The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 2, 2020
Twitter user 1st Responder PTSD Advocate said, "At first I thought all the @Joe Biden gaffes would make a great @realDonaldTrump commercial, but at this rate it'll have to be a half hour infomercial."
Limbaugh said he now believes that the Democrats expect to lose in 2020.
"They don’t want Bernie Sanders to be the nominee because they don’t want that kind of shellacking. They think they're gonna lose with Biden anyway. … This is all about the Democrat establishment, including media people, protecting themselves against a Democrat electoral defeat," he said.
"This is all about Chuck Todd and all the guys at ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN keeping their jobs and keeping their credibility. It’s all about Donna Brazile keeping her job at the DNC or whatever her job is. It’s all about the Democrat establishment not being swept aside like the Republican establishment was swept aside when Trump won. They don’t want any Never Trumpers in the Democrat Party. The people that would become the equivalent of the Never Trumpers, the Never Bernies, they don’t want to lose their positions. If that means that they have to lose to Trump, then that’s fine. It is so obvious to me what’s going on."


wnd--2020-03-04--Sanders' praise of Castro sickens me – I was there, Bernie!

Bernie Sanders has given us a peek into his worldview .
It goes something like this : Hitler built great highways .
Mussolini made the trains run on time .
And Fidel Castro educated the illiterates of Cuba .
What a disgusting spectacle it was , watching this presidential candidate pay media homage to the leading mass murderer in the history of this hemisphere !
Anybody like me , who fell deeply in love with the whole Castro setup and had remained in that state of glowing admiration for almost two weeks – by which time the regime 's bloodthirsty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executions by firing squad after a 10-minute trial , or no trial at all !
– had to feel like a bully was opening old wounds , which hurt just as much now as they did originally when Fidel and Ché Guevara were taking such delight in Castro 's `` revolutionary justice . ''
The Castro regime , when questioned about those reckless firing squads , replied `` We do n't execute according to old-fashioned law .
We execute according to revolutionary justice . ''
That quote is really an almost diplomatic version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its elimination of any real or potential opposition .
What Ché Guevara actually said was , `` To send men to the firing squad , judicial proof is unnecessary .
These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail .
This is a revolution .
And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate . ''
I was one of those naive young journalists who thought Fidel would bring democracy to Cuba and then , in the style of Simón Bolivar , go about liberating and bringing democracy to all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of trust like ours still hurts .
To hear Bernie Sanders casually talking about the wonderful deeds Castro brought to Cuba was sickening and acutely disgraceful .
TRENDING : 'Go to hell ! '
Donna Brazile viciously erupts on GOP chairwoman I do want to thank Sanders , however , for brandishing his political views rather than concealing them .
Prior to Sanders , we might suspect someone of harboring radical views , but proving it was arduous and most often not worth the effort .
With Bernie Sanders talking about the marvels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela , Nicaragua , Cuba and all the others who ought to fall to their knees in gratitude for the benefits socialism has bestowed upon them , Bernie and his enablers in the mass media reveal themselves to be formidable foes of the American way .
Take an undeniable fact in the argument about socialism .
Socialism has been tried in at least 39 different countries , and has been an utterly dreadful failure in every single one .
Get it here while it 's short and hot .
You 'll never get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here 's a strange one for you .
The most effective political propaganda of all was never even intended to be political propaganda .
The movie `` The Godfather Part II '' gave all Americans the indelible impression that Cuba prior to Castro was one big brothel surrounded by casinos , all under the watchful eye of Cuban `` dictator '' Fulgencio Batista .
Yes , Cuba provided all sorts of `` entertainment '' for American thrill-seekers , but how about a fair hearing for the other side ?
The Cuban standard of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wreck , was , in those days of Batista , equal to that of many countries in Western Europe .
The Cuban peso traded on par with the American dollar .
As for Batista being a dictator , it is a rare dictator indeed who allows a Cuban judge to throw a case out of court when he felt it had no merit .
That 's how Castro `` beat the rap '' when charges from one of his attempts to overthrow Batista 's government were rejected by Judge Manuel Urrutia !
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders began mocking people like me who simply know too much and care too much about this lovely island nation that has gone from fragrant prosperity all the way down to poverty and putrefaction .
And all to the merry tune of ideologues like Sanders spouting their wretched ideology !
If Cuba is granted a liberation , we ca n't have a Nuremberg-style trial , for many obvious reasons .
So what ?
As a friend and admirer of the 1950s Cuba , all I want from Bernie is a one-hour question-and-answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he really believes the Cuban people are better off under Castro than they were under Batista .
Meanwhile , `` Thanks again , Bernie ! ''
for providing us Americans with a mirror we can not duck or dodge , which tells us how miserably deteriorated we have become in our perceptions .

Bernie Sanders has given us a peek into his worldview. It goes something like this: Hitler built great highways. Mussolini made the trains run on time. And Fidel Castro educated the illiterates of Cuba.
What a disgusting spectacle it was, watching this presidential candidate pay media homage to the leading mass murderer in the history of this hemisphere! Anybody like me, who fell deeply in love with the whole Castro setup and had remained in that state of glowing admiration for almost two weeks – by which time the regime's bloodthirsty nature was revealed in the thousands of executions by firing squad after a 10-minute trial, or no trial at all! – had to feel like a bully was opening old wounds, which hurt just as much now as they did originally when Fidel and Ché Guevara were taking such delight in Castro's "revolutionary justice."
The Castro regime, when questioned about those reckless firing squads, replied "We don't execute according to old-fashioned law. We execute according to revolutionary justice."
That quote is really an almost diplomatic version of the Castro regime's policy on its elimination of any real or potential opposition. What Ché Guevara actually said was, "To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary. These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution. And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate."
I was one of those naive young journalists who thought Fidel would bring democracy to Cuba and then, in the style of Simón Bolivar, go about liberating and bringing democracy to all the nations of Latin America. The betrayal of trust like ours still hurts. To hear Bernie Sanders casually talking about the wonderful deeds Castro brought to Cuba was sickening and acutely disgraceful.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
I do want to thank Sanders, however, for brandishing his political views rather than concealing them. Prior to Sanders, we might suspect someone of harboring radical views, but proving it was arduous and most often not worth the effort. With Bernie Sanders talking about the marvels of socialism currently enriching the populations of Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba and all the others who ought to fall to their knees in gratitude for the benefits socialism has bestowed upon them, Bernie and his enablers in the mass media reveal themselves to be formidable foes of the American way.
Take an undeniable fact in the argument about socialism. Socialism has been tried in at least 39 different countries, and has been an utterly dreadful failure in every single one. Get it here while it's short and hot. You'll never get that fact from the mass media.
Here's a strange one for you. The most effective political propaganda of all was never even intended to be political propaganda. The movie "The Godfather Part II" gave all Americans the indelible impression that Cuba prior to Castro was one big brothel surrounded by casinos, all under the watchful eye of Cuban "dictator" Fulgencio Batista. Yes, Cuba provided all sorts of "entertainment" for American thrill-seekers, but how about a fair hearing for the other side?
The Cuban standard of living, now a typical Communist train wreck, was, in those days of Batista, equal to that of many countries in Western Europe. The Cuban peso traded on par with the American dollar. As for Batista being a dictator, it is a rare dictator indeed who allows a Cuban judge to throw a case out of court when he felt it had no merit. That's how Castro "beat the rap" when charges from one of his attempts to overthrow Batista's government were rejected by Judge Manuel Urrutia!
I have personally not been the same since Bernie Sanders began mocking people like me who simply know too much and care too much about this lovely island nation that has gone from fragrant prosperity all the way down to poverty and putrefaction. And all to the merry tune of ideologues like Sanders spouting their wretched ideology!
If Cuba is granted a liberation, we can't have a Nuremberg-style trial, for many obvious reasons. So what? As a friend and admirer of the 1950s Cuba, all I want from Bernie is a one-hour question-and-answer session to try to find out if he really believes the Cuban people are better off under Castro than they were under Batista.
Meanwhile, "Thanks again, Bernie!" for providing us Americans with a mirror we cannot duck or dodge, which tells us how miserably deteriorated we have become in our perceptions.