wnd--2020-04-21--Creative leftists hope to steal the vote

There 's an old joke that goes like this : How does a lifelong conservative voter in Chicago switch to being a liberal voter ?
He dies .
If the left is so great and leftists ' ideas are so wonderful , then how come they often have to cheat to win elections ?
During the coronavirus , with its extraordinary upending of our regular life , some want to use this crisis to permanently change how we vote in this country .
This reminds me of the left 's slogan , `` Never let a crisis go to waste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press reported on a new law in Chicago whereby prisoners can vote in prison ( not just by absentee ballot ) : `` A state law enacted last summer requires that Illinois ' 20,000 pretrial detainees be given the opportunity to vote .
That means absentee ballots must be distributed in every jail in the state .
But the law also requires that any county with more than 3 million residents set up voting machines in the jail .
Cook was the only county to qualify . ''
On April 3 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has prompted new calls to expand access to voting ahead of November 's election and intensified the long-running partisan fight over voting rights .
… And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants money dedicated to vote-by-mail to be part of the next coronavirus bill . ''
TRENDING : As Big Brother expands , government drones now tracking Americans ' body temps without permission It may sound good , but some of the left 's tactics have been designed to basically steal the vote .
The left has been pushing for illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And every time an illegitimate vote is cast it nullifies a legitimate vote that is cast .
If there is cheating by Republicans against Democrats , I 'm not aware of it .
If you answer , `` Watergate , '' please note that was about half a century ago .
As we face the critical election this year , 2020 , we do well to stay on guard against any means from anybody to steal our vote .
Veteran journalist Bob Knight wrote a book , `` Liberty on the Brink , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsify elections .
In a TV interview , he told me , `` One thing is to allow millions of illegal immigrants into the country , not keep track of them , and then weaken the voting laws .
… In the book , I go through a number of ways they do this .
They fight voter ID laws , which are very common-sense laws because everybody agrees on them . ''
Scott Powell , a senior fellow with the Discovery Institute , told me : `` In America you have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy alcohol , to drive a car .
Voting in an election is one of the more important things an American citizen can do , and there should be unanimous support for voter identification .
Without voter identification , we are more likely to have electoral fraud , and that can swing elections in key areas . ''
One of the key strategies of the left to try and sway the outcome of upcoming elections is a movement to abolish the Electoral College .
But that was a brilliant concept the founders included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states across the nation to have their say in the outcome of the election for president .
The left just wants the big cities ( usually liberal ) to decide .
As constitutional attorney Jenna Ellis points out , `` The Electoral College is a process that was put in place to safeguard the safety of the voters and to make sure that every state has a voice and has representation . ''
Bob Knight gives an example of a practice rife with the potential for voter fraud : `` Ballot harvesting is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left is using to , I believe , steal elections .
Ballot harvesting is legal in some jurisdictions , and it means you can go out and collect ballots from people you 're not related to .
Usually you can not vote , you can not turn in a ballot for someone you 're not related to , and that 's to prevent vote fraud . ''
He points out that on election night 2018 , in normally conservative Orange County , California , several Republicans were leading – one of them by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Knight : `` Thousands of ballots came in [ later ] that were harvested by volunteers , usually union leaders .
And that swept the Democrats to power in all congressional districts in Orange County .
Now I ca n't believe that Orange County overnight became a Democratic county , other than the ballot harvesting that facilitated it . ''
Yes , the coronavirus may alter some of how voting is done in this critical election year .
But it ought not to be the means by which the left tries to steal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this threat of voter fraud is : `` The left is trying to take over the country and impose a socialist state on America .
If they win this time around , I 'm not sure we 'll ever get the American freedom we 're used to back . ''

There's an old joke that goes like this: How does a lifelong conservative voter in Chicago switch to being a liberal voter? He dies.
If the left is so great and leftists' ideas are so wonderful, then how come they often have to cheat to win elections?
During the coronavirus, with its extraordinary upending of our regular life, some want to use this crisis to permanently change how we vote in this country. This reminds me of the left's slogan, "Never let a crisis go to waste."
On March 16, the Associated Press reported on a new law in Chicago whereby prisoners can vote in prison (not just by absentee ballot): "A state law enacted last summer requires that Illinois' 20,000 pretrial detainees be given the opportunity to vote. That means absentee ballots must be distributed in every jail in the state. But the law also requires that any county with more than 3 million residents set up voting machines in the jail. Cook was the only county to qualify."
On April 3, CNN observed, "The coronavirus crisis has prompted new calls to expand access to voting ahead of November's election and intensified the long-running partisan fight over voting rights. … And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants money dedicated to vote-by-mail to be part of the next coronavirus bill."
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
It may sound good, but some of the left's tactics have been designed to basically steal the vote.
The left has been pushing for illegal immigrants to be able to vote. And every time an illegitimate vote is cast it nullifies a legitimate vote that is cast.
If there is cheating by Republicans against Democrats, I'm not aware of it. If you answer, "Watergate," please note that was about half a century ago.
As we face the critical election this year, 2020, we do well to stay on guard against any means from anybody to steal our vote. Veteran journalist Bob Knight wrote a book, "Liberty on the Brink," on the left's efforts to falsify elections.
In a TV interview, he told me, "One thing is to allow millions of illegal immigrants into the country, not keep track of them, and then weaken the voting laws. … In the book, I go through a number of ways they do this. They fight voter ID laws, which are very common-sense laws because everybody agrees on them."
Scott Powell, a senior fellow with the Discovery Institute, told me: "In America you have to have an identification to fly, to buy alcohol, to drive a car. Voting in an election is one of the more important things an American citizen can do, and there should be unanimous support for voter identification. Without voter identification, we are more likely to have electoral fraud, and that can swing elections in key areas."
One of the key strategies of the left to try and sway the outcome of upcoming elections is a movement to abolish the Electoral College. But that was a brilliant concept the founders included in the Constitution itself to allow for states across the nation to have their say in the outcome of the election for president. The left just wants the big cities (usually liberal) to decide.
As constitutional attorney Jenna Ellis points out, "The Electoral College is a process that was put in place to safeguard the safety of the voters and to make sure that every state has a voice and has representation."
Bob Knight gives an example of a practice rife with the potential for voter fraud: "Ballot harvesting is one of the latest techniques that the left is using to, I believe, steal elections. Ballot harvesting is legal in some jurisdictions, and it means you can go out and collect ballots from people you're not related to. Usually you cannot vote, you cannot turn in a ballot for someone you're not related to, and that's to prevent vote fraud."
He points out that on election night 2018, in normally conservative Orange County, California, several Republicans were leading – one of them by 14%. And then, says Knight: "Thousands of ballots came in [later] that were harvested by volunteers, usually union leaders. And that swept the Democrats to power in all congressional districts in Orange County. Now I can't believe that Orange County overnight became a Democratic county, other than the ballot harvesting that facilitated it."
Yes, the coronavirus may alter some of how voting is done in this critical election year. But it ought not to be the means by which the left tries to steal our vote.
Knight notes how serious this threat of voter fraud is: "The left is trying to take over the country and impose a socialist state on America. If they win this time around, I'm not sure we'll ever get the American freedom we're used to back."


wnd--2020-04-21--Enrage a Democrat: Point out Trump saved 2.14 million lives

The Democrats have come up with a strategy for defeating President Donald Trump in the November 2020 presidential election : Lie .
Lie a lot .
Lie about everything .
Mainly Democrats want to make gullible people think that Donald Trump did not handle the COVID-19 pandemic well .
Honest people who care about the republic must be prepared to refute these lies .
Democrats argue that Trump did not act quickly enough .
But starting from when ?
If President Trump acted swiftly , early , promptly and effectively , when is the beginning point ?
When was early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a competent national leader have taken action ?
And at what level of intensity ?
On Jan. 31 , 2020 , Trump ordered and announced a declaration of a health emergency through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , as reported in the Los Angeles Times .
TRENDING : As Big Brother expands , government drones now tracking Americans ' body temps without permission Also on Jan. 31 , Trump ordered that `` foreign nationals who recently visited China wo n't be allowed to enter the U.S. , and American citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 14-day quarantines . ''
On Jan. 23 , Trump started to shut down travel from China .
As chronicled in The Federalist , `` On Jan. 17 , the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) announced that American citizens returning from travel-restricted countries were being rerouted to specific airports , where they would be screened and isolated . ''
The CDC also announced on Jan. 17 , that , `` based on current information , the risk from 2019-nCoV to the American public is currently deemed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics , when should the Trump administration have recognized a need to take action ?
The first cases of people becoming infected inside the United States were Feb. 26 , 2020 , in Solano County , California , and Feb. 29 , 2020 , in New Jersey .
To analyze the U.S. government 's response to the epidemic that was circulating in China 's Hubei Province , one comes to the conclusion that the COVID-19 variation of a coronavirus entered the United States in two different waves .
( Maybe even three waves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , U.S. citizens and residents became infected in China , on cruise ships in the Far East , or while traveling alongside those infected overseas in enclosed airplanes flying home , or on business trips .
We ca n't just abandon our citizens in foreign countries .
But there was – to the best of our current knowledge – no contagion happening inside the U.S. until Feb. 26 .
Those infected overseas did not indicate a problem here in the United States .
People brought home after falling sick on the other side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our already infected countrymen returning home were put into quarantine whenever identified .
But then a second wave followed from Europe , where left-wing policies encouraged open borders , caring about the virus ' feelings ( I embellish , of course ) .
Once COVID-19 had overrun the European continent , it was carried from there to the United States , such as on the heavily traveled London-New York City air route .
Yet by Jan. 31 , the Trump administration had already activated the complete health care powers and systems of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump established a national task force to coordinate efforts to fight the disease .
Also on Jan. 29 , experts were saying Trump was over-reacting .
For example , Marc Siegel , M.D.
, wrote in the Los Angeles Times , `` Wuhan Coronavirus is not a threat , but the Flu is . ''
On Feb. 3 , Bloomberg reported : `` China Blasts U.S. for 'Overreaction ' to Virus , Spreading Fear . ''
On Feb. 5 , Sen. Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , accused on Twitter : `` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the current administration is just an excuse to his ongoing war against immigrants . ''
On Jan. 14 , the World Health Organization announced : `` @ WHO Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel # coronavirus ( 2019-nCoV ) identified in # Wuhan , # China . ''
On Jan. 21 , during a television interview with Newsmax host Greg Kelly , Dr. Anthony Fauci said of the coronavirus : `` Obviously , you need to take it seriously , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security are doing .
But this is not a major threat for the people of the United States , and this is not something that the citizens of the United States right now should be worried about . ''
Also on Jan. 21 , Washington state Secretary of Health John Wiesman explained , `` We believe the risk to the public is low . ''
On Jan. 23 , at an emergency committee convened by the World Health Organization , the WHO says that the Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health emergency of international concern .
On Jan. 26 , Dr. Anthony Fauci , said according to The Hill , that the American public should n't worry about the coronavirus outbreak in China .
`` 'It 's a very , very low risk to the United States , ' Fauci said during an interview with radio show host John Catsimatidis on WABC . ''
On Jan. 30 , Director Robert R. Redfeld of the Centers for Disease Control announced , `` We understand that this may be concerning , but based on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immediate risk to the American people is low . ''
At the State of the Union address Feb. 4 , a speech Speaker Pelosi tore up , Trump warned : `` Protecting Americans ' health also means fighting infectious diseases .
We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China .
My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat . ''
The Democrats adore experts instead of trusting in God .
Therefore , we should use this argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' models projected that 2.2 million U.S. citizens and residents will die from COVID-19 .
President Trump 's leadership brought those projected deaths down to 60,000 .
So if we believe the experts ' predictions , Trump saved 2.14 million lives .
Trump 's team really should be assembling and publishing a comprehensive timeline .
There will be more pseudo-impeachment hearings in Congress having to do with the president 's handling of the pandemic .
Trump 's spokesmen should preempt the next round of madness by setting the record straight – in advance @

By Jonathon Moseley
The Democrats have come up with a strategy for defeating President Donald Trump in the November 2020 presidential election: Lie. Lie a lot. Lie about everything.
Mainly Democrats want to make gullible people think that Donald Trump did not handle the COVID-19 pandemic well. Honest people who care about the republic must be prepared to refute these lies.
Democrats argue that Trump did not act quickly enough. But starting from when? If President Trump acted swiftly, early, promptly and effectively, when is the beginning point? When was early? When was late? When should a competent national leader have taken action? And at what level of intensity?
On Jan. 31, 2020, Trump ordered and announced a declaration of a health emergency through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as reported in the Los Angeles Times.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Also on Jan. 31, Trump ordered that "foreign nationals who recently visited China won't be allowed to enter the U.S., and American citizens returning from mainland China will be subject to 14-day quarantines."
On Jan. 23, Trump started to shut down travel from China. As chronicled in The Federalist, "On Jan. 17, the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that American citizens returning from travel-restricted countries were being rerouted to specific airports, where they would be screened and isolated."
The CDC also announced on Jan. 17, that, "based on current information, the risk from 2019-nCoV to the American public is currently deemed to be low."
So, to his critics, when should the Trump administration have recognized a need to take action? The first cases of people becoming infected inside the United States were Feb. 26, 2020, in Solano County, California, and Feb. 29, 2020, in New Jersey.
To analyze the U.S. government's response to the epidemic that was circulating in China's Hubei Province, one comes to the conclusion that the COVID-19 variation of a coronavirus entered the United States in two different waves. (Maybe even three waves, originally unnoticed.)
In January, U.S. citizens and residents became infected in China, on cruise ships in the Far East, or while traveling alongside those infected overseas in enclosed airplanes flying home, or on business trips. We can't just abandon our citizens in foreign countries. But there was – to the best of our current knowledge – no contagion happening inside the U.S. until Feb. 26.
Those infected overseas did not indicate a problem here in the United States. People brought home after falling sick on the other side of the planet are a different situation. Our already infected countrymen returning home were put into quarantine whenever identified.
But then a second wave followed from Europe, where left-wing policies encouraged open borders, caring about the virus' feelings (I embellish, of course). Once COVID-19 had overrun the European continent, it was carried from there to the United States, such as on the heavily traveled London-New York City air route.
Yet by Jan. 31, the Trump administration had already activated the complete health care powers and systems of the U.S. government. On Jan. 29, Trump established a national task force to coordinate efforts to fight the disease.
Also on Jan. 29, experts were saying Trump was over-reacting. For example, Marc Siegel, M.D., wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "Wuhan Coronavirus is not a threat, but the Flu is." On Feb. 3, Bloomberg reported: "China Blasts U.S. for 'Overreaction' to Virus, Spreading Fear."
On Feb. 5, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused on Twitter: "The premature travel ban to and from China by the current administration is just an excuse to his ongoing war against immigrants."
On Jan. 14, the World Health Organization announced: "@WHO Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China."
On Jan. 21, during a television interview with Newsmax host Greg Kelly, Dr. Anthony Fauci said of the coronavirus: "Obviously, you need to take it seriously, and do the kinds of things that the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security are doing. But this is not a major threat for the people of the United States, and this is not something that the citizens of the United States right now should be worried about."
Also on Jan. 21, Washington state Secretary of Health John Wiesman explained, "We believe the risk to the public is low."
On Jan. 23, at an emergency committee convened by the World Health Organization, the WHO says that the Wuhan coronavirus does not yet constitute a public health emergency of international concern.
On Jan. 26, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said according to The Hill, that the American public shouldn't worry about the coronavirus outbreak in China. "'It's a very, very low risk to the United States,' Fauci said during an interview with radio show host John Catsimatidis on WABC."
On Jan. 30, Director Robert R. Redfeld of the Centers for Disease Control announced, "We understand that this may be concerning, but based on what we know now, we still believe the immediate risk to the American people is low."
At the State of the Union address Feb. 4, a speech Speaker Pelosi tore up, Trump warned: "Protecting Americans' health also means fighting infectious diseases. We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat."
The Democrats adore experts instead of trusting in God. Therefore, we should use this argument which they really hate: The experts' models projected that 2.2 million U.S. citizens and residents will die from COVID-19. President Trump's leadership brought those projected deaths down to 60,000. So if we believe the experts' predictions, Trump saved 2.14 million lives.
Trump's team really should be assembling and publishing a comprehensive timeline. There will be more pseudo-impeachment hearings in Congress having to do with the president's handling of the pandemic. Trump's spokesmen should preempt the next round of madness by setting the record straight – in advance.


wnd--2020-04-21--Critical recovery element: Taking power back from our overlords

One of the first lessons in an economics class is everything has a cost .
That 's in stark contrast to lessons in the political arena where politicians talk about free stuff .
In our personal lives , decision-making involves weighing costs against benefits .
Businessmen make the same calculation if they want to stay in business .
It 's an entirely different story for politicians running the government where any benefit , however minuscule , is often deemed to be worth any cost , however large .
Related to decision-making is the issue of being overly safe versus not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe as one can be is worthless .
A minor example : How many of us before driving our cars inspect the hydraulic brake system for damage ?
We 'd be safer if we did , but most of us just assume everything is OK and get into our car and drive away .
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 40,000 Americans lose their lives each year because of highway fatalities .
Virtually all those lives could be saved with a mandated 5 mph speed limit .
Fortunately , we consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40,000 lives are n't worth the costs and inconvenience of a 5 mph mandate .
With the costs and benefits in mind , we might examine our government 's response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The first thing to keep in mind about any crisis , be it war , natural disasters or pandemics , is we should keep markets open and private incentives strong .
Markets solve problems because they provide the right incentives to use resources effectively .
Federal , state and local governments have ordered an unprecedented and disastrous shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
There 's a strictly health-related downside to the shutdown of the U.S. economy ignored by our leadership that has been argued by epidemiologist Dr. Knut Wittkowski , formerly the head of the Department of Biostatistics , Epidemiology , and Research Design at Rockefeller University in New York City .
Wittkowski argues that the lockdown prolongs the development of the `` herd immunity , '' which is our only weapon in `` exterminating '' the novel coronavirus – outside of a vaccine that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more to produce .
He says we should focus on shielding the elderly and people with comorbidities while allowing the young and healthy to associate with one another in order to build up immunities .
Wittkowski says , `` So , it 's very important to keep the schools open and kids mingling to spread the virus to get herd immunity as fast as possible , and then the elderly people , who should be separated , and the nursing homes should be closed during that time , can come back and meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks when the virus has been exterminated . ''
Herd immunity , Wittkowski argues , would stop a `` second wave '' headed for the United States in the fall .
Dr. David L. Katz , president of True Health Initiative and the founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center , shares Wittkowski 's vision .
Writing in The New York Times , he argued that our fight against COVID-19 could be worse than the virus itself .
The bottom line is that costs can be concealed but not eliminated .
Moreover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits from a particular course of action , they will do just about anything , because everything has a benefit .
Political hustlers and demagogues love promising benefits when the costs can easily be concealed .
By the way , the best time to be wrong and persist in being wrong is when the costs of being wrong are borne by others .
TRENDING : As Big Brother expands , government drones now tracking Americans ' body temps without permission The absolute worst part of the COVID-19 pandemic , and possibly its most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans have given to their federal , state and local governments to regulate our lives in the name of protecting our health .
Taking back that power should be the most urgent component of our recovery efforts .
It 's going to be challenging ; once a politician , and his bureaucracy , gains power , he will fight tooth and nail to keep it .

One of the first lessons in an economics class is everything has a cost. That's in stark contrast to lessons in the political arena where politicians talk about free stuff. In our personal lives, decision-making involves weighing costs against benefits. Businessmen make the same calculation if they want to stay in business. It's an entirely different story for politicians running the government where any benefit, however minuscule, is often deemed to be worth any cost, however large.
Related to decision-making is the issue of being overly safe versus not safe enough. Sometimes, being as safe as one can be is worthless. A minor example: How many of us before driving our cars inspect the hydraulic brake system for damage? We'd be safer if we did, but most of us just assume everything is OK and get into our car and drive away. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 40,000 Americans lose their lives each year because of highway fatalities. Virtually all those lives could be saved with a mandated 5 mph speed limit. Fortunately, we consider costs and rightfully conclude that saving those 40,000 lives aren't worth the costs and inconvenience of a 5 mph mandate.
With the costs and benefits in mind, we might examine our government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first thing to keep in mind about any crisis, be it war, natural disasters or pandemics, is we should keep markets open and private incentives strong. Markets solve problems because they provide the right incentives to use resources effectively. Federal, state and local governments have ordered an unprecedented and disastrous shutdown of much of the U.S. economy in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
There's a strictly health-related downside to the shutdown of the U.S. economy ignored by our leadership that has been argued by epidemiologist Dr. Knut Wittkowski, formerly the head of the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design at Rockefeller University in New York City. Wittkowski argues that the lockdown prolongs the development of the "herd immunity," which is our only weapon in "exterminating" the novel coronavirus – outside of a vaccine that's going to optimistically take 18 months or more to produce. He says we should focus on shielding the elderly and people with comorbidities while allowing the young and healthy to associate with one another in order to build up immunities. Wittkowski says, "So, it's very important to keep the schools open and kids mingling to spread the virus to get herd immunity as fast as possible, and then the elderly people, who should be separated, and the nursing homes should be closed during that time, can come back and meet their children and grandchildren after about 4 weeks when the virus has been exterminated." Herd immunity, Wittkowski argues, would stop a "second wave" headed for the United States in the fall. Dr. David L. Katz, president of True Health Initiative and the founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, shares Wittkowski's vision. Writing in The New York Times, he argued that our fight against COVID-19 could be worse than the virus itself.
The bottom line is that costs can be concealed but not eliminated. Moreover, if people only look at the benefits from a particular course of action, they will do just about anything, because everything has a benefit. Political hustlers and demagogues love promising benefits when the costs can easily be concealed. By the way, the best time to be wrong and persist in being wrong is when the costs of being wrong are borne by others.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The absolute worst part of the COVID-19 pandemic, and possibly its most unrecoverable damage, is the massive power Americans have given to their federal, state and local governments to regulate our lives in the name of protecting our health. Taking back that power should be the most urgent component of our recovery efforts. It's going to be challenging; once a politician, and his bureaucracy, gains power, he will fight tooth and nail to keep it.


wnd--2020-04-22--Iran says it launched military satellite into orbit

( WASHINGTON EXAMINER ) -- Iran ’ s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it successfully launched the country 's first @ @ @ @ @ adding to concerns about the advancement of Iran ’ s missile program .
Iranian state @ @ @ @ @ launch , and the Guard said on its official website that the satellite , which @ @ @ @ @ ” successfully reached an orbit of 264 miles above the Earth ’ s surface .
@ @ @ @ @ ’ s powerful armies do not have a comprehensive defense plan without being in space @ @ @ @ @ technology that takes us into space and expands the realm of our abilities is a @ @ @ @ @ Gen. Hossein Salami , the head of the Guard .

(WASHINGTON EXAMINER) -- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it successfully launched the country's first military satellite into orbit, adding to concerns about the advancement of Iran’s missile program.
Iranian state TV shared video of the launch, and the Guard said on its official website that the satellite, which it called “Noor,” successfully reached an orbit of 264 miles above the Earth’s surface.
“Today, the world’s powerful armies do not have a comprehensive defense plan without being in space, and achieving this superior technology that takes us into space and expands the realm of our abilities is a strategic achievement,” said Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-22--Trump's farce of an immigration ban

Trump's farce of an immigration ban

President Donald Trump unleashed his `` April surprise '' on Monday night , sending shock waves from the Beltway Swamp to Silicon Valley with a long-overdue announcement : `` In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy , as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens , '' he declared , `` I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States ! ''
The usual suspects inveighed against the still-unseen proposal early Tuesday morning .
My inbox was flooded with twitching and moaning from Americans for Prosperity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called a freeze the `` wrong approach '' and the Southern Poverty Law Center , which ranted ( as usual ) about `` white nationalists '' and `` racism . ''
The infuriated Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the `` irrational and insidious '' plan ( that no one had yet seen ) and called for `` people of all decency '' to `` denounce this xenophobic agenda . ''
Lawsuits are already being prepared against an executive order that has n't been written or signed .
For nonhysterical observers of the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfectly obvious : initial excitement followed by abject letdown as actual details have trickled out over the last 24 hours .
Do not forget : 22 million American workers across the wage scale are out of work as a result of pandemic-induced lockdowns and layoffs .
Dire straits demand extreme measures .
The well-being of our native workforce and the millions of families dependent upon them must be Washington 's top priority , not big business , big agriculture , Silicon Valley , academia or foreign countries clamoring to send their students and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany crediting Trump on Tuesday morning for understanding that `` ( d ) ecades of record immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for our citizens , '' at his Tuesday evening press conference , Trump revealed that the prematurely heralded and scorned immigration suspension will last a mere 60 days and will exempt temporary foreign visa holders .
Head .
Bang .
Desk .
This is a cynical betrayal of the burgeoning `` America First '' movement .
It 's all moratorium hat and no cattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and routine visa processing were already suspended on March 20 .
– Refugee resettlement was already suspended the same week and is scheduled to be frozen until at least May 15 ( although more than 1,000 Afghan refugees were flown in over the past month while the rest of us have been ordered shut in our own homes ) .
– Foreign travelers from China and Europe , plus Canada and Mexico , were already barred from entering ( though thousands of H-2A and H-2B agricultural and seasonal workers got in and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus outbreaks at Chinese-owned meat plants packed with foreign laborers ) .
– The annual H-1B lottery for Chinese and Indian tech workers was completed last month , and a total of 475,000 H-1Bs are safe while untold thousands of American STEM students , graduates and workers lost their livelihoods .
– Despite massive layoffs of H-1B workers in tech , there is no move to send them home .
Instead , immigration lawyers are outrageously advising H-1B and other temporary visa holders ( including those in the L-1 , B-1 and R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus checks .
– More than a million F-1 foreign student visa holders remain in the country , including nearly 400,000 from China , as do hundreds of thousands of foreign students who secured Optional Practical Training work permits in STEM fields , displacing American workers .
– More than 4,000 J-1 foreign health worker visas were freed up earlier this month while American medical professionals lost their jobs .
The American Medical Association , which has artificially suppressed the supply of doctors for decades to inflate wages , is whining about shortages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time limits even further .
The clamor for an immigration moratorium has been steadily rising , from Pat Buchanan 's advocacy , dating back to his first presidential campaign in 1992 , to immigration hawk Jeff Sessions ' call for an employment-based visa freeze last week .
With a whopping 79 % of Americans now in favor of a full halt to immigration ( according to a recent USA Today/Ipsos poll ) , this was Trump 's golden opportunity to seize momentum .
Instead , we got a mess of squander and blunder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more interested in appeasing India than protecting American workers .
White House adviser Jared Kushner and his top aide , Christopher Liddell ( former Microsoft executive ) , have prioritized appeasing Apple and Amazon .
I 've learned from insiders that there are at least 15 categorical exemptions on the table and more in the works .
A one-time , 60-day Swiss cheese-holed farce of an immigration ban will do far more harm than good for Donald Trump .
Think about it this way : Various illegal-immigration ethnic blocs have been granted `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Why do hordes of foreigners get a permanent reprieve while American citizens will be asked to settle for a measly comma before getting drowned again in mass migration ?
The executive order should cover all foreign influxes and should be renewed for at least as long as the longest TPS extensions : 19 years .
We need Permanent Protected Status for American citizens .
Full stop .

President Donald Trump unleashed his "April surprise" on Monday night, sending shock waves from the Beltway Swamp to Silicon Valley with a long-overdue announcement: "In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens," he declared, "I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!"
The usual suspects inveighed against the still-unseen proposal early Tuesday morning. My inbox was flooded with twitching and moaning from Americans for Prosperity, the Koch Foundation-funded outfit, which called a freeze the "wrong approach" and the Southern Poverty Law Center, which ranted (as usual) about "white nationalists" and "racism." The infuriated Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the "irrational and insidious" plan (that no one had yet seen) and called for "people of all decency" to "denounce this xenophobic agenda." Lawsuits are already being prepared against an executive order that hasn't been written or signed.
For nonhysterical observers of the Trump administration, however, the outcome was perfectly obvious: initial excitement followed by abject letdown as actual details have trickled out over the last 24 hours.
Do not forget: 22 million American workers across the wage scale are out of work as a result of pandemic-induced lockdowns and layoffs. Dire straits demand extreme measures. The well-being of our native workforce and the millions of families dependent upon them must be Washington's top priority, not big business, big agriculture, Silicon Valley, academia or foreign countries clamoring to send their students and workers here to replace ours.
Despite White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany crediting Trump on Tuesday morning for understanding that "(d)ecades of record immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for our citizens," at his Tuesday evening press conference, Trump revealed that the prematurely heralded and scorned immigration suspension will last a mere 60 days and will exempt temporary foreign visa holders.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Head. Bang. Desk. This is a cynical betrayal of the burgeoning "America First" movement. It's all moratorium hat and no cattle:
– All new green card applications and routine visa processing were already suspended on March 20.
– Refugee resettlement was already suspended the same week and is scheduled to be frozen until at least May 15 (although more than 1,000 Afghan refugees were flown in over the past month while the rest of us have been ordered shut in our own homes).
– Foreign travelers from China and Europe, plus Canada and Mexico, were already barred from entering (though thousands of H-2A and H-2B agricultural and seasonal workers got in and some 35,000 more expect a green light despite virus outbreaks at Chinese-owned meat plants packed with foreign laborers).
– The annual H-1B lottery for Chinese and Indian tech workers was completed last month, and a total of 475,000 H-1Bs are safe while untold thousands of American STEM students, graduates and workers lost their livelihoods.
– Despite massive layoffs of H-1B workers in tech, there is no move to send them home. Instead, immigration lawyers are outrageously advising H-1B and other temporary visa holders (including those in the L-1, B-1 and R categories) that they are eligible for stimulus checks.
– More than a million F-1 foreign student visa holders remain in the country, including nearly 400,000 from China, as do hundreds of thousands of foreign students who secured Optional Practical Training work permits in STEM fields, displacing American workers.
– More than 4,000 J-1 foreign health worker visas were freed up earlier this month while American medical professionals lost their jobs. The American Medical Association, which has artificially suppressed the supply of doctors for decades to inflate wages, is whining about shortages and pressuring to relax J-1 rules and time limits even further.
The clamor for an immigration moratorium has been steadily rising, from Pat Buchanan's advocacy, dating back to his first presidential campaign in 1992, to immigration hawk Jeff Sessions' call for an employment-based visa freeze last week. With a whopping 79% of Americans now in favor of a full halt to immigration (according to a recent USA Today/Ipsos poll), this was Trump's golden opportunity to seize momentum. Instead, we got a mess of squander and blunder.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is more interested in appeasing India than protecting American workers. White House adviser Jared Kushner and his top aide, Christopher Liddell (former Microsoft executive), have prioritized appeasing Apple and Amazon. I've learned from insiders that there are at least 15 categorical exemptions on the table and more in the works.
A one-time, 60-day Swiss cheese-holed farce of an immigration ban will do far more harm than good for Donald Trump. Think about it this way: Various illegal-immigration ethnic blocs have been granted "Temporary Protected Status" continuously since 2001. Why do hordes of foreigners get a permanent reprieve while American citizens will be asked to settle for a measly comma before getting drowned again in mass migration? The executive order should cover all foreign influxes and should be renewed for at least as long as the longest TPS extensions: 19 years.
We need Permanent Protected Status for American citizens. Full stop.


wnd--2020-04-22--U.S. judges find majority of gov't bans on church services are constitutional

( WASHINGTON EXAMINER ) -- During the coronavirus shutdown , not all religious liberty cases are created equal .
In @ @ @ @ @ a flurry of churches filed lawsuits against state and local governments , alleging that bans @ @ @ @ @ Others argued that while the bans themselves are constitutional , additional strictures prohibiting drive-in services @ @ @ @ @ delivered decisions on several of these cases last week , finding that the majority of @ @ @ @ @ liberty advocates do not rise to the level of unconstitutionality .

(WASHINGTON EXAMINER) -- During the coronavirus shutdown, not all religious liberty cases are created equal.
In the past few weeks, a flurry of churches filed lawsuits against state and local governments, alleging that bans on services are unconstitutional. Others argued that while the bans themselves are constitutional, additional strictures prohibiting drive-in services are not.
Federal judges delivered decisions on several of these cases last week, finding that the majority of the cases made by religious liberty advocates do not rise to the level of unconstitutionality.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-22--Kentucky church hammers out deal for drive-in services

( WDRB ) -- LOUISVILLE , Ky. -- On Fire Christian Church , which had sued Mayor Greg Fischer over @ @ @ @ @ allowed to continue to hold drive-in services , according to a settlement .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ and Louisville city officials who worked with us to ensure their policies are both consistent @ @ @ @ @ CDC ’ s guidelines , ” said Roger Byron , senior counsel for First Liberty @ @ @ @ @ Texas-based nonprofit that aided the church in its legal fight .
“ During this challenging @ @ @ @ @ see more of this kind of cooperation between government officials and the religious community , @ @ @ @

(WDRB) -- LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- On Fire Christian Church, which had sued Mayor Greg Fischer over COVID-19 measures, will be allowed to continue to hold drive-in services, according to a settlement.
“We are grateful to Mayor Fischer and Louisville city officials who worked with us to ensure their policies are both consistent with the Constitution and the CDC’s guidelines,” said Roger Byron, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute, a Plano, Texas-based nonprofit that aided the church in its legal fight.
“During this challenging time, we need to see more of this kind of cooperation between government officials and the religious community,” Byron said.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-04-23--BuzzFeed 'dossier' version identical to what McCain distributed

The late Republican Sen. John McCain denied being the source for BuzzFeed when it published the Steele dossier of `` salacious and unverified '' claims against then-candidate Donald Trump in early 2017 .
But the text McCain distributed to the FBI and others was `` identical '' to the text published by Buzzfeed , according to an email by FBI investigator Peter Strzok obtained by government watchdog Judicial Watch .
Strzok 's Jan. 10 , 2017 , email to his FBI lawyer paramour , Lisa Page , was sent the same day Buzzfeed published the dossier .
Another email obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee were obtained from `` an inside DNC source , '' not the Russians .
Strzok said there were `` differences '' from the dossier provided to the FBI by Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson and Mother Jones reporter David Corn .
Judicial Watch cited unsealed court filings that show McCain and an associate had shared the dossier with several media outlets .
`` These new emails show that Strzok and his Obama FBI colleagues knew almost immediately that McCain likely leaked the infamous dossier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The emails also show that senior FBI officials had contempt for President Trump and gossiped about its counterintelligence briefing to him .
The FBI under Comey and McCabe was a train wreck and , given the ongoing cover-up of these docs , the agency hasn ’ t improved much . ''
The new batch of emails also shows Strzok communicated with Andrew McCabe , who then was deputy director of the FBI , about a `` leak investigation '' tied to the Clinton Foundation .
It was `` the very leak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Judicial Watch said .
McCabe was fired for leaking to the media and lacking `` candor '' when questioned .
An IG report found he violated FBI policy .
Judicial Watch obtained 138 pages of emails in response to a January 2018 Freedom of Information Act case brought after the DOJ failed to respond to a request for communications between Strzok and Page .
The watchdog organization explained the FBI only processes records at the rate of 500 pages per month and has refused to do text messages .
Now it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further delay production of records .
Strzok sent the email to Page and several top-ranking FBI officials , including McCabe , Assistant Director for the Counterintelligence Division Bill Priestap , Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Jon Moffa , Assistant Director for Public Affairs Michael Kortan , General Counsel James Baker , and Director James Comey ’ s Chief of Staff James Rybicki .
Former State Department official and McCain associate David Kramer said in a Dec. 13 , 2017 , deposition that the dossier was given to him by Steele and he then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN , BuzzFeed and The Washington Post .
The details were first reported by the Daily Caller .

The late Republican Sen. John McCain denied being the source for BuzzFeed when it published the Steele dossier of "salacious and unverified" claims against then-candidate Donald Trump in early 2017.
But the text McCain distributed to the FBI and others was "identical" to the text published by Buzzfeed, according to an email by FBI investigator Peter Strzok obtained by government watchdog Judicial Watch.
Strzok's Jan. 10, 2017, email to his FBI lawyer paramour, Lisa Page, was sent the same day Buzzfeed published the dossier.
Another email obtained by Judicial Watch cited an article claiming that emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee were obtained from "an inside DNC source," not the Russians.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Strzok said there were "differences" from the dossier provided to the FBI by Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson and Mother Jones reporter David Corn.
Judicial Watch cited unsealed court filings that show McCain and an associate had shared the dossier with several media outlets.
"These new emails show that Strzok and his Obama FBI colleagues knew almost immediately that McCain likely leaked the infamous dossier," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
"The emails also show that senior FBI officials had contempt for President Trump and gossiped about its counterintelligence briefing to him. The FBI under Comey and McCabe was a train wreck and, given the ongoing cover-up of these docs, the agency hasn’t improved much."
Did John McCain play an anti-Trump role in the dossier scandal? Yes No Completing this poll entitles you to WND news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use You're logged in to Facebook. Click here to log out. 99% (87 Votes) 1% (1 Votes)
The new batch of emails also shows Strzok communicated with Andrew McCabe, who then was deputy director of the FBI, about a "leak investigation" tied to the Clinton Foundation.
It was "the very leak in which McCabe was later implicated," Judicial Watch said.
McCabe was fired for leaking to the media and lacking "candor" when questioned. An IG report found he violated FBI policy.
Judicial Watch obtained 138 pages of emails in response to a January 2018 Freedom of Information Act case brought after the DOJ failed to respond to a request for communications between Strzok and Page.
The watchdog organization explained the FBI only processes records at the rate of 500 pages per month and has refused to do text messages. Now it's using the coronavirus as a reason to further delay production of records.
Strzok's key email on Jan. 10, 2017, said:
RE: Buzzfeed published some of the reports Our internet system is blocking the site. I have the pdf via iPhone, but it’s 25.6MB. Comparing now. The set is only identical to what [Sen. John] McCain had (it has differences from what was given to us by Corn and Simpson)."
Strzok sent the email to Page and several top-ranking FBI officials, including McCabe, Assistant Director for the Counterintelligence Division Bill Priestap, Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Jon Moffa, Assistant Director for Public Affairs Michael Kortan, General Counsel James Baker, and Director James Comey’s Chief of Staff James Rybicki.
Former State Department official and McCain associate David Kramer said in a Dec. 13, 2017, deposition that the dossier was given to him by Steele and he then provided it to journalists at outlets including CNN, BuzzFeed and The Washington Post.
The details were first reported by the Daily Caller.


wnd--2020-04-22--Another U.S. sheriff refuses to enforce stay-home order

After an address by Washington Democratic Gov .
Jay Inslee , the sheriff of one of the Seattle-Tacoma metro area 's three counties announced he will refuse to enforce the governor 's stay-at-home order .
Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney wrote on Facebook Tuesday night he believes the order violates people 's constitutional rights .
`` I can no longer stay silent as I ’ m not even sure he knows what he is doing or knows what struggles Washingtonian ’ s face right now , '' the sheriff said .
Inslee , who was a candidate for the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't lift many of the restrictions in his current directive when it expires May 4 .
Fortney said that after Inslee 's remarks , he was `` left to wonder if he even has a plan . ''
`` To be quite honest I wasn ’ t even sure what he was trying to say half of the time .
He has no plan .
He has no details , '' the sheriff said .
`` This simply is not good enough in times when we have taken such drastic measures as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our communities have already shown and continue to show they understand the severity of the situation and are doing all they can already to keep themselves , their families and neighbors safe and healthy . ''
'Sheriff Fortney does not get to decide' The local Everett Herald reported the sheriff 's Facebook post had gone viral , collecting more than 6,000 comments and more than 13,000 shares .
The governor also weighed in on it .
`` We can not have individual law enforcement officers arbitrarily decide which laws they 're going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going to enforce , ” Inslee said at a news conference Wednesday in Olympia .
`` Sheriff Fortney does not get to decide what is constitutional .
That is up to the courts .
I plan to follow up directly with Sheriff Fortney , '' Ferguson said .
The sheriff of Franklin County in eastern Washington , J.D .
Raymond , also has announced he will not enforce the governor 's stay-home order .
'This is not a time to blindly follow' On Sunday , thousands of residents gathered in Olympia to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they must be allowed to go back to work .
Fortney said the government `` should not be picking winners or losers when it comes to being able to make an income for your family . ''
`` Are pot shops really essential or did he allow them to stay in business because of the government taxes received from them ?
That seems like a reasonable question , '' the sheriff said .
`` If pot shops are essential , then why are n't gun shops essential ?
Our Governor has told us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not essential , but government construction is okay to continue . ''
Through Monday night , the Washington State Department of Health reported Snohomish County had 99 deaths from the coronavirus among 2,152 confirmed cases .
Fortney argued the data on the spread of the virus and its impact shows the models on which the present policy is based were inaccurate .
`` While that is okay , we can not continue down the same path we have been on if the government reaction does not fit the data or even worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation worse , '' he said .
Forney said he 's received `` a lot of outreach from concerned members of our community asking if Governor Inslee ’ s order is a violation of our constitutional rights . ''
`` As your Snohomish County Sheriff , yes I believe that preventing business owners to operate their businesses and provide for their families intrudes on our right to life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness , '' he said .
`` I am greatly concerned for our small business owners and single-income families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income needed for survival . ''
Fortney concluded with : `` This is not a time to blindly follow , this is a time to lead the way . ''

After an address by Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, the sheriff of one of the Seattle-Tacoma metro area's three counties announced he will refuse to enforce the governor's stay-at-home order.
Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney wrote on Facebook Tuesday night he believes the order violates people's constitutional rights.
"I can no longer stay silent as I’m not even sure he knows what he is doing or knows what struggles Washingtonian’s face right now," the sheriff said.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Inslee, who was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, said Tuesday he won't lift many of the restrictions in his current directive when it expires May 4.
Fortney said that after Inslee's remarks, he was "left to wonder if he even has a plan."
"To be quite honest I wasn’t even sure what he was trying to say half of the time. He has no plan. He has no details," the sheriff said. "This simply is not good enough in times when we have taken such drastic measures as the suspension of constitutional rights.
"However, our communities have already shown and continue to show they understand the severity of the situation and are doing all they can already to keep themselves, their families and neighbors safe and healthy."
'Sheriff Fortney does not get to decide'
The local Everett Herald reported the sheriff's Facebook post had gone viral, collecting more than 6,000 comments and more than 13,000 shares.
The governor also weighed in on it.
"We cannot have individual law enforcement officers arbitrarily decide which laws they're going to enforce and which laws they're not going to enforce,” Inslee said at a news conference Wednesday in Olympia.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson responded on Twitter to Fortney's post.
"Sheriff Fortney does not get to decide what is constitutional. That is up to the courts. I plan to follow up directly with Sheriff Fortney," Ferguson said.
The sheriff of Franklin County in eastern Washington, J.D. Raymond, also has announced he will not enforce the governor's stay-home order.
'This is not a time to blindly follow'
On Sunday, thousands of residents gathered in Olympia to protest the governor's order, declaring they must be allowed to go back to work.
Fortney said the government "should not be picking winners or losers when it comes to being able to make an income for your family."
"Are pot shops really essential or did he allow them to stay in business because of the government taxes received from them? That seems like a reasonable question," the sheriff said. "If pot shops are essential, then why aren't gun shops essential? Our Governor has told us that private building/construction must stop as it is not essential, but government construction is okay to continue."
Through Monday night, the Washington State Department of Health reported Snohomish County had 99 deaths from the coronavirus among 2,152 confirmed cases.
Fortney argued the data on the spread of the virus and its impact shows the models on which the present policy is based were inaccurate.
"While that is okay, we cannot continue down the same path we have been on if the government reaction does not fit the data or even worse, the same government reaction makes our situation worse," he said.
Forney said he's received "a lot of outreach from concerned members of our community asking if Governor Inslee’s order is a violation of our constitutional rights."
"As your Snohomish County Sheriff, yes I believe that preventing business owners to operate their businesses and provide for their families intrudes on our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," he said. "I am greatly concerned for our small business owners and single-income families who have lost their primary source of income needed for survival."
Fortney concluded with: "This is not a time to blindly follow, this is a time to lead the way."


wnd--2020-04-22--Study: Facebook helping colleges 'preemptively' censor speech

Most public colleges and universities have social-media blacklists that violate the First Amendment , according to a report by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education .
And they 're being helped by Facebook .
`` There 's no social media exception to the First Amendment , '' said Adam Steinbaugh , who wrote FIRE 's new report .
`` Government actors can not sanitize public discourse — whether it ’ s President Trump blocking Twitter critics or American colleges filtering dissent on their social media accounts .
By selectively eliminating particular viewpoints , universities are violating the First Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block more than 1,800 unique terms on their social media pages .
And there are `` secret filters '' to remove comments regarding political figures , corporate partners , sports teams and even faculty members .
Eighty-seven percent of colleges block users on Facebook or Twitter , and college managers `` abuse social platform tools to quietly censor posts and users — transforming their pages from public forums into vehicles for positive publicity , '' FIRE reported .
The `` blacklist '' that most public colleges and universities use was `` created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university social media pages , '' the report said .
`` Colleges also compile custom lists collectively banning more than 1,800 words and phrases : from profanities to posts referencing matters of local and national concern , campus controversies , criticism of colleges ' corporate partners or sports teams , and even the weather .
The findings , gleaned from public records from nearly 200 top institutions , show that public universities — bound by the First Amendment — are impermissibly censoring public dialogue , '' FIRE said .
FIRE said it sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools in 47 states .
`` The records from the 198 responding institutions reveal that almost half of the surveyed institutions — 49 % — use Facebook ’ s 'strong ' profanity filter , and 28 % use the 'medium ' filter to prohibit a list of words not disclosed to the public , '' FIRE said .
Some 30 % of colleges create their own `` blacklist , '' collectively censoring 1,825 unique words and phrases .
Words such as `` Trump , '' `` Bernie '' and `` Hillary '' are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the University of Arizona and North Carolina-Chapel Hill .
During protests against the `` Silent Sam '' Confederate monument at Chapel Hill , officials blocked `` Silent Sam . ''
Oklahoma State blocks `` boomer sooner '' and `` university of oklahoma '' while the University of Oklahoma blocks an emoji .
Texas A & M wo n't stand for `` peta '' and `` abuse , '' and Santa Monica bars `` cats , '' `` dissecting '' and `` torture . ''
`` Suffolk County Community College ( NY ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms that demonstrate that the purpose is to inhibit criticism , barring the words 'blizzard , ' 'snow , ' 'dangerous , ' 'slip , ' 'scared , ' 'irresponsible , ' 'tragedy , ' and 'accident . '
'' Courtesy of the system developed by Facebook , state schools can `` automatically 'hide ' users ' comments if they contain words included on either Facebook 's undisclosed list of banned words or their own customized list .
These tools enable public colleges and other government actors to quietly remove critical posts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that even though courts have found such government social media sites are subject to the fairness requirements of the First Amendment , the University of Kansas blocks `` Boycott Koch Industries , '' a Facebook account referencing America ’ s second-largest privately-held company , which is based in Kansas and is a major donor to the university .
• The University of New Hampshire blocked a Twitter account belonging to “ UNH Students for Gary Johnson , ” a Libertarian Party presidential candidate .
• And , the University of Alaska Anchorage blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` State universities are preemptively censoring large swaths of protected speech and altering the public discourse with just a few clicks of the mouse — and Facebook gives them all the tools they need to do it , '' said FIRE Executive Director Robert Shibley .
`` While social media makes it possible to amplify opinions , it also makes it easier than ever for government actors to silence Americans . ''
FIRE said Facebook could help by releasing its `` secret blacklist '' or limiting such tools for government accounts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been censored .
`` Around the country , our public institutions are quietly determining which specific words can be part of the public dialogue , '' said Steinbaugh .
`` FIRE has spent years fighting this fight on campus , and protecting freedom of expression online is all the more important as the coronavirus pandemic drives our communities online . ''

Most public colleges and universities have social-media blacklists that violate the First Amendment, according to a report by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
And they're being helped by Facebook.
"There's no social media exception to the First Amendment," said Adam Steinbaugh, who wrote FIRE's new report. "Government actors cannot sanitize public discourse — whether it’s President Trump blocking Twitter critics or American colleges filtering dissent on their social media accounts. By selectively eliminating particular viewpoints, universities are violating the First Amendment."
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The FIRE study found colleges block more than 1,800 unique terms on their social media pages. And there are "secret filters" to remove comments regarding political figures, corporate partners, sports teams and even faculty members.
Eighty-seven percent of colleges block users on Facebook or Twitter, and college managers "abuse social platform tools to quietly censor posts and users — transforming their pages from public forums into vehicles for positive publicity," FIRE reported.
The "blacklist" that most public colleges and universities use was "created by Facebook, to automatically censor comments on university social media pages," the report said.
"Colleges also compile custom lists collectively banning more than 1,800 words and phrases: from profanities to posts referencing matters of local and national concern, campus controversies, criticism of colleges' corporate partners or sports teams, and even the weather. The findings, gleaned from public records from nearly 200 top institutions, show that public universities — bound by the First Amendment — are impermissibly censoring public dialogue," FIRE said.
Is Facebook going too far with its censorship practices? Yes No Completing this poll entitles you to WND news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use You're logged in to Facebook. Click here to log out. 100% (16 Votes) 0% (0 Votes)
Read the full report.
FIRE said it sent public records requests to more than 200 schools in 47 states.
"The records from the 198 responding institutions reveal that almost half of the surveyed institutions — 49% — use Facebook’s 'strong' profanity filter, and 28% use the 'medium' filter to prohibit a list of words not disclosed to the public," FIRE said.
FIRE provided examples.
Some 30% of colleges create their own "blacklist," collectively censoring 1,825 unique words and phrases. Words such as "Trump," "Bernie" and "Hillary" are banned by Portland State, Oklahoma State, the University of Arizona and North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
During protests against the "Silent Sam" Confederate monument at Chapel Hill, officials blocked "Silent Sam."
Oklahoma State blocks "boomer sooner" and "university of oklahoma" while the University of Oklahoma blocks an emoji.
Texas A&M won't stand for "peta" and "abuse," and Santa Monica bars "cats," "dissecting" and "torture."
"Suffolk County Community College (NY) blocks posts concerning inclement weather, including terms that demonstrate that the purpose is to inhibit criticism, barring the words 'blizzard,' 'snow,' 'dangerous,' 'slip,' 'scared,' 'irresponsible,' 'tragedy,' and 'accident.'"
Courtesy of the system developed by Facebook, state schools can "automatically 'hide' users' comments if they contain words included on either Facebook's undisclosed list of banned words or their own customized list. These tools enable public colleges and other government actors to quietly remove critical posts," FIRE said.
The report noted that even though courts have found such government social media sites are subject to the fairness requirements of the First Amendment, the University of Kansas blocks "Boycott Koch Industries," a Facebook account referencing America’s second-largest privately-held company, which is based in Kansas and is a major donor to the university.
Also:
Georgia State University blocked a “Georgia for Bernie” Twitter account.
The University of New Hampshire blocked a Twitter account belonging to “UNH Students for Gary Johnson,” a Libertarian Party presidential candidate.
Mississippi State University blocks “Legalize Marijuana in Mississippi.”
The University of Utah blocks animal rights activists, including PETA.
And, the University of Alaska Anchorage blocked an “Alaskans4Trump” account."
"State universities are preemptively censoring large swaths of protected speech and altering the public discourse with just a few clicks of the mouse — and Facebook gives them all the tools they need to do it," said FIRE Executive Director Robert Shibley. "While social media makes it possible to amplify opinions, it also makes it easier than ever for government actors to silence Americans."
FIRE said Facebook could help by releasing its "secret blacklist" or limiting such tools for government accounts. The platform could even alert users when they've been censored.
"Around the country, our public institutions are quietly determining which specific words can be part of the public dialogue," said Steinbaugh. "FIRE has spent years fighting this fight on campus, and protecting freedom of expression online is all the more important as the coronavirus pandemic drives our communities online."


wnd--2020-04-22--Has the busybodies' 'Agenda 21' worked its magic?

I know .
`` Agenda 21 '' sounds like one of those conspiratorial rabbit holes like , say , Area 51 or the Bermuda Triangle .
It is not .
It is as real as is the havoc it has helped wreak .
As to whether that havoc was intended , I think not , but I could be wrong .
After the last month or two , I would not be surprised to learn that Lucifer himself conceived Agenda 21 .
Agenda 21 was the end product of the epic U.N. Conference on Environment and Development – more commonly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ –held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 .
The `` 21 '' referred to 2021 , the year by which individual governments around the world were to have achieved the Agenda 21 `` action agenda . ''
In 2015 , the completion date was pushed back to 2030 .
For the last 20 or so years , as the executive editor of a regional business magazine , I have moderated more than 200 industry roundtables , at least half of which have dealt in part or in full with urban development .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I certainly did , in none of those meetings did I hear an urban planner offer a plan of action that differed in any meaningful way from that agreed upon in Rio .
At its core Agenda 21 asked all countries to `` integrate land-use and transportation planning to encourage development patterns that reduce transport demand . ''
This meant specifically adopting `` urban-transport programmes favouring high-occupancy public transport '' and encouraging `` non-motorized modes of transport . ''
The British spellings should have been a giveaway .
For American urban planners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oregon .
The goal was to concentrate the population in densely packed areas and move people around on public transportation just as Portland was so noisily doing .
The rationale for this plan changed over the years from air pollution to oil shortage to dependence on foreign energy to global warming to that shape-shifting , all-purpose hobgoblin , climate change .
The trick was to get people out of their cars , on to `` high occupancy '' public transportation and into new , high-density buildings downtown .
Experience had made me skeptical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey to my uptown Manhattan high school .
This meant nearly 90 minutes each way on bus , train and subway .
In my four years riding the subway uptown I never once got a seat , not even close .
I was happy just to shove my way in , there to be routinely sneezed on and coughed on , occasionally puked on and – this being New York – groped .
After the first week , I asked my mother why adults chose to live that way .
She had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own experience , when finishing grad school in pleasant small-town Lafayette , Indiana , my wife and I ruled out all major metros .
White men being a drag on the academic market even then , we took my wife 's best offer in a livable city , Kansas City as it happened , and bought a house with a yard within walking distance of the university .
What makes the Kansas City metro livable in no small part is that it has more freeway miles per capita than any city of size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to take public transportation anywhere .
I have always thought `` space '' an asset .
It keeps our home prices down , shortens commute time and makes us `` nice . ''
At some urban planning sessions , however , I have been actually hissed for bragging about our freeway miles .
The meanest hate mail I get locally is when I criticize the city 's newest and stupidest shiny object , one that causes more traffic problems than it solves : light rail .
You do n't have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing Americans to die from COVID-19 .
More than half the deaths have been in New York and New Jersey .
When I look at the maps , I can see the grim reaper following the commuter lines out of Manhattan .
I do n't blame New Yorkers for their plight .
They have been stuck with their transit limitations for a century or more .
There was no real way out for them other than to move away .
What I do not understand is why any sane person would want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning sessions I have attended , no one once mentioned the possibility that a pandemic could render public transportation unusable .
The Agenda 21 document mentions `` pandemic '' only briefly in reference to HIV and is otherwise silent on the subject .
The good Dr. Fauci should have seen this coming .
He attended my high school .
He rode the same subway .
It was as crowded and as germ-ridden when he took it as when I did some years later .
If this crisis has a silver lining it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Future '' – and they are all the same – is headed for the shredder .
That done , let 's fire all the urban planners .

I know. "Agenda 21" sounds like one of those conspiratorial rabbit holes like, say, Area 51 or the Bermuda Triangle. It is not. It is as real as is the havoc it has helped wreak.
As to whether that havoc was intended, I think not, but I could be wrong. After the last month or two, I would not be surprised to learn that Lucifer himself conceived Agenda 21.
Agenda 21 was the end product of the epic U.N. Conference on Environment and Development – more commonly known as the "Earth Summit"–held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
The "21" referred to 2021, the year by which individual governments around the world were to have achieved the Agenda 21 "action agenda." In 2015, the completion date was pushed back to 2030.
For the last 20 or so years, as the executive editor of a regional business magazine, I have moderated more than 200 industry roundtables, at least half of which have dealt in part or in full with urban development.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Although individual business leaders might dissent, and I certainly did, in none of those meetings did I hear an urban planner offer a plan of action that differed in any meaningful way from that agreed upon in Rio.
At its core Agenda 21 asked all countries to "integrate land-use and transportation planning to encourage development patterns that reduce transport demand."
This meant specifically adopting "urban-transport programmes favouring high-occupancy public transport" and encouraging "non-motorized modes of transport." The British spellings should have been a giveaway.
For American urban planners, the gold standard has been Portland, Oregon. The goal was to concentrate the population in densely packed areas and move people around on public transportation just as Portland was so noisily doing.
The rationale for this plan changed over the years from air pollution to oil shortage to dependence on foreign energy to global warming to that shape-shifting, all-purpose hobgoblin, climate change.
The trick was to get people out of their cars, on to "high occupancy" public transportation and into new, high-density buildings downtown.
Experience had made me skeptical. For four years I commuted from New Jersey to my uptown Manhattan high school. This meant nearly 90 minutes each way on bus, train and subway.
In my four years riding the subway uptown I never once got a seat, not even close. I was happy just to shove my way in, there to be routinely sneezed on and coughed on, occasionally puked on and – this being New York – groped.
After the first week, I asked my mother why adults chose to live that way. She had no good answer.
Based on my own experience, when finishing grad school in pleasant small-town Lafayette, Indiana, my wife and I ruled out all major metros.
White men being a drag on the academic market even then, we took my wife's best offer in a livable city, Kansas City as it happened, and bought a house with a yard within walking distance of the university.
What makes the Kansas City metro livable in no small part is that it has more freeway miles per capita than any city of size in the world. I have never had to take public transportation anywhere.
I have always thought "space" an asset. It keeps our home prices down, shortens commute time and makes us "nice." At some urban planning sessions, however, I have been actually hissed for bragging about our freeway miles.
The meanest hate mail I get locally is when I criticize the city's newest and stupidest shiny object, one that causes more traffic problems than it solves: light rail.
You don't have to be an epidemiologist to figure out what is causing Americans to die from COVID-19. More than half the deaths have been in New York and New Jersey.
When I look at the maps, I can see the grim reaper following the commuter lines out of Manhattan. I don't blame New Yorkers for their plight. They have been stuck with their transit limitations for a century or more. There was no real way out for them other than to move away.
What I do not understand is why any sane person would want to mimic that model. In all the planning sessions I have attended, no one once mentioned the possibility that a pandemic could render public transportation unusable.
The Agenda 21 document mentions "pandemic" only briefly in reference to HIV and is otherwise silent on the subject.
The good Dr. Fauci should have seen this coming. He attended my high school. He rode the same subway. It was as crowded and as germ-ridden when he took it as when I did some years later.
If this crisis has a silver lining it is that every American city's "Blueprint for the Future" – and they are all the same – is headed for the shredder.
That done, let's fire all the urban planners.


wnd--2020-04-22--COVID-19 underscores the blight of globalism

Last week in this space , I highlighted an object lesson in the stupidity attendant to people of color embracing the left 's racialist orthodoxy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic .
People of color are obviously not the only group that has demonstrated markedly lower intellectual function during this crisis ; many of our fellow Americans have revealed themselves to be so mindblowingly stupid that they present a danger to themselves and others just going about their day , pandemic or no pandemic .
This week 's installment also addresses elements of our stupidity , but is intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and behaviors to which this crisis has given rise .
We 've seen a great deal of naked opportunism amongst far-left politicos and activists evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic .
It is clear that many deeply relish the disruption and disorder that 's come about and would prolong it for as long as possible .
Their actions are craven , odious and illustrative of just how dangerous they are .
Yes , the pandemic has given rise to draconian overreach and ludicrous proposals on the part of some governors and lawmakers , respectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local government officials revealing their autocracy and nanny-state stripes .
As an aside , I hope that this causes our citizens to take stock of those in their local governments , since some of these have the power to compromise civil liberties as readily as those in high office .
And yes , we 've gotten a closer look at the sinister machinations of China 's Communist government .
It 's obvious that they have been far less than forthright in their reporting of when and how the COVID-19 virus made its way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets in Wuhan , and what efforts they put forth to contain it .
They 've lied about their infection and mortality rates , inexplicably attempted to blame America for the pandemic and are likely committing atrocities on a daily basis in dealing with the crisis domestically .
It is also apparent that China 's response has served to mobilize the entirety of their propaganda machine , which has influence around the globe , and has engaged international agencies such as the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , globalists in our government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Chinese are Communists ?
Behind the justifiable outrage we 're seeing on the part of citizens and pundits who 've observed all of this cheap political theater however , there appears to be a measure of naïveté in their expectation of forthrightness and accountability from people whose stock-in-trade is deceit .
In this case , I 'm going to go as far as to say that it is willful ignorance , but we 'll need to look back a few decades to put this into perspective .
Despite having been forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Richard Nixon still claimed the crowning achievement of having opened up China to the West with the help of his secretary of state , Henry Kissinger .
As we know , Nixon did more to sully the Republican brand than anyone in our nation 's history , and in subsequent years , Kissinger has proven himself to be the globalist 's globalist .
Much of the jubilation that ensued attendant to China ostensibly becoming more open had to do with the opportunities this presented for Western capitalists .
Unfortunately , as I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attitude of Western business interests has come to resemble that of Western politicians : They tend to view themselves as some sort of global royalty whose money and power render them immune to geopolitical machinations .
The problem here is that the People 's Republic of China continues to view itself as a nation , which of course it is .
It 's also quite evident that its government intends for China to become the world 's preeminent superpower .
Experts in the Asia-Pacific region and even astute lay observers have had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political leaders have allowed China 's march to dominance to continue unabated .
In fact , while news consumers in the West were admonished to see the exploits of Nixon and Kissinger as a seminal moment in geopolitics nearly 50 years ago , their opening up China was more accurately analogous to a father presenting his 21-year-old son with a syphilitic prostitute as a coming-of-age present .
In the decades since Nixon and Kissinger , China became more amenable to trade and other relations with the West , but their means and methods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design undermined Western solidarity , the West in general and America in particular .
In their own short-term self-interest , American businesses have allowed us to become economic hostages to Communist China .
Tangential to this , Beijing cultivated relationships with the most disloyal individuals of influence in the U.S. , who have done nothing to stultify Chinese hegemony nor mitigate the erosion of our influence on the world stage .
At this point , there are probably as many conspiracy theories out there concerning the COVID-19 pandemic as there are Facebook group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw another one out just for grins .
For the sake of argument , let 's call it a mental exercise : Elements of the Washington establishment , facing the political equivalent of a mortal injury represented by the presidency of one Donald J. Trump , and facing his almost certain re-election , conspire to neutralize this threat by striking at Trump 's biggest achievement – the economy , which is always uppermost in the mind of Americans during an election cycle .
They enroll their Chinese counterparts in an intrigue involving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pathogen into the Chinese population , with the objective essentially being what we are witnessing today .
The Chinese government – which also sees the threat in Trump 's nationalistic bent and could definitely do with thinning out their population a bit – are more than happy to provide the instrument of Trump 's destruction ( and that of the U.S. economy ) : the novel coronavirus .
Frankly , I do n't believe that the coronavirus pandemic came about this way at all – but it 's more than plausible .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the players ( theoretically ) involved and neither should anyone reading this .

Last week in this space, I highlighted an object lesson in the stupidity attendant to people of color embracing the left's racialist orthodoxy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. People of color are obviously not the only group that has demonstrated markedly lower intellectual function during this crisis; many of our fellow Americans have revealed themselves to be so mindblowingly stupid that they present a danger to themselves and others just going about their day, pandemic or no pandemic.
This week's installment also addresses elements of our stupidity, but is intended to cover a wider range of attitudes and behaviors to which this crisis has given rise.
We've seen a great deal of naked opportunism amongst far-left politicos and activists evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that many deeply relish the disruption and disorder that's come about and would prolong it for as long as possible. Their actions are craven, odious and illustrative of just how dangerous they are.
Yes, the pandemic has given rise to draconian overreach and ludicrous proposals on the part of some governors and lawmakers, respectively. The crisis has resulted in some local government officials revealing their autocracy and nanny-state stripes. As an aside, I hope that this causes our citizens to take stock of those in their local governments, since some of these have the power to compromise civil liberties as readily as those in high office.
And yes, we've gotten a closer look at the sinister machinations of China's Communist government. It's obvious that they have been far less than forthright in their reporting of when and how the COVID-19 virus made its way out of a lab and into street markets in Wuhan, and what efforts they put forth to contain it. They've lied about their infection and mortality rates, inexplicably attempted to blame America for the pandemic and are likely committing atrocities on a daily basis in dealing with the crisis domestically.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
It is also apparent that China's response has served to mobilize the entirety of their propaganda machine, which has influence around the globe, and has engaged international agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), globalists in our government and the press.
Did I mention that the Chinese are Communists?
Behind the justifiable outrage we're seeing on the part of citizens and pundits who've observed all of this cheap political theater however, there appears to be a measure of naïveté in their expectation of forthrightness and accountability from people whose stock-in-trade is deceit. In this case, I'm going to go as far as to say that it is willful ignorance, but we'll need to look back a few decades to put this into perspective.
Despite having been forced to resign from office in 1974, President Richard Nixon still claimed the crowning achievement of having opened up China to the West with the help of his secretary of state, Henry Kissinger. As we know, Nixon did more to sully the Republican brand than anyone in our nation's history, and in subsequent years, Kissinger has proven himself to be the globalist's globalist.
Much of the jubilation that ensued attendant to China ostensibly becoming more open had to do with the opportunities this presented for Western capitalists. Unfortunately, as I've articulated on many occasions, the attitude of Western business interests has come to resemble that of Western politicians: They tend to view themselves as some sort of global royalty whose money and power render them immune to geopolitical machinations.
The problem here is that the People's Republic of China continues to view itself as a nation, which of course it is. It's also quite evident that its government intends for China to become the world's preeminent superpower. Experts in the Asia-Pacific region and even astute lay observers have had no difficulty in discerning this, though Western political leaders have allowed China's march to dominance to continue unabated.
In fact, while news consumers in the West were admonished to see the exploits of Nixon and Kissinger as a seminal moment in geopolitics nearly 50 years ago, their opening up China was more accurately analogous to a father presenting his 21-year-old son with a syphilitic prostitute as a coming-of-age present.
In the decades since Nixon and Kissinger, China became more amenable to trade and other relations with the West, but their means and methods have been singularly duplicitous and have by design undermined Western solidarity, the West in general and America in particular. In their own short-term self-interest, American businesses have allowed us to become economic hostages to Communist China. Tangential to this, Beijing cultivated relationships with the most disloyal individuals of influence in the U.S., who have done nothing to stultify Chinese hegemony nor mitigate the erosion of our influence on the world stage.
At this point, there are probably as many conspiracy theories out there concerning the COVID-19 pandemic as there are Facebook group pages – but I'm going to throw another one out just for grins. For the sake of argument, let's call it a mental exercise:
Elements of the Washington establishment, facing the political equivalent of a mortal injury represented by the presidency of one Donald J. Trump, and facing his almost certain re-election, conspire to neutralize this threat by striking at Trump's biggest achievement – the economy, which is always uppermost in the mind of Americans during an election cycle.
They enroll their Chinese counterparts in an intrigue involving the "accidental" release of a deadly pathogen into the Chinese population, with the objective essentially being what we are witnessing today. The Chinese government – which also sees the threat in Trump's nationalistic bent and could definitely do with thinning out their population a bit – are more than happy to provide the instrument of Trump's destruction (and that of the U.S. economy): the novel coronavirus.
Frankly, I don't believe that the coronavirus pandemic came about this way at all – but it's more than plausible. I wouldn't put it past any of the players (theoretically) involved and neither should anyone reading this.