wnd--2020-12-25--How the 'pandemic' will change if/when Biden takes office

Going forward into 2021 , it will be interesting to see just how the left plans to deal with the pseudo-pandemic .
The way I see it , they have two options .
Well , I guess actually three , but the third is a non-starter , which is coming clean and admitting to everyone that they lied about the severity of COVID for most of the population and they purposely inflated both the contraction and death rates to gain an election advantage .
The other two are 1 : Now that a Democrat is president ( assuming this ends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will magically begin to lose its planet-killing status , and , thanks to our new president , things will begin to normalize a bit .
Or 2 : Lockdowns will increase , despite vaccinations .
Masks will become mandatory inside and out .
All other controls will remain or be ramped up .
But there will be one change : The press will all of a sudden begin to put a happy face on the whole mess .
We will start to see the brighter side of the pandemic .
I 'm really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the one hand the Dems will be hard-pressed to relinquish their newfound authority over us .
But on the other , it seems the left would want to show the new administration as riding in on a rainbow colored horse to save the day .
( I was going to say , `` riding in on a white horse , '' but that would be racist . )
So maybe they 'll opt for some sort of hybrid .
Oh , they 'll maintain and probably ramp up the mask mandates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also may give a subtle signal to the left 's `` expert class '' to begin ratcheting down the number of positive results and stop skewing the death rates .
First , they may stop classifying everything under the sun as a COVID death .
And second , they may signal to the states/labs to stop all the false positive test results .
Of course , none of this can begin until after Biden 's inauguration .
( Hurts just to say it . )
Both actions would be easy and make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In many areas throughout the U.S. , if someone dies , regardless of how – hit by a truck , heart attack , gunshot , etc .
– but tested positive in the previous 30 days , it 's a COVID-related death .
Just stop these and they 'll be a drastic decline .
And as far as false positives , and without getting too technical , it originates with the PCR , or swab test .
Each sample ( swab ) is cycled many times to find traces of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trace that can be detected .
This is called a cycle threshold .
Most , if not all , states/labs use a threshold of 40 cycles .
But it 's been well-established that 30 cycles should be the threshold , not 40 – that positive findings above 30 are likely false , as they detect traces of viruses so insignificant that they pose no threat whatsoever .
Just by doing these two simple things , both the contraction rates and death rates would nosedive .
And with the sycophantic leftist press on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take full credit , without the majority of Americans discovering that they 've been had – that these things could have been fixed many months ago and that they 've been frightened into submission over a widely overblown , politically motivated pandemic .
I guess we 'll know within a few months .
Listen to an audio version of this column : Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .

Going forward into 2021, it will be interesting to see just how the left plans to deal with the pseudo-pandemic.
The way I see it, they have two options. Well, I guess actually three, but the third is a non-starter, which is coming clean and admitting to everyone that they lied about the severity of COVID for most of the population and they purposely inflated both the contraction and death rates to gain an election advantage.
The other two are 1: Now that a Democrat is president (assuming this ends up being the case), COVID will magically begin to lose its planet-killing status, and, thanks to our new president, things will begin to normalize a bit.
Or 2: Lockdowns will increase, despite vaccinations. Masks will become mandatory inside and out. All other controls will remain or be ramped up. But there will be one change: The press will all of a sudden begin to put a happy face on the whole mess. We will start to see the brighter side of the pandemic.
I'm really torn on choosing one or the other.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
On the one hand the Dems will be hard-pressed to relinquish their newfound authority over us. But on the other, it seems the left would want to show the new administration as riding in on a rainbow colored horse to save the day. (I was going to say, "riding in on a white horse," but that would be racist.)
So maybe they'll opt for some sort of hybrid. Oh, they'll maintain and probably ramp up the mask mandates, distancing, etc. But they also may give a subtle signal to the left's "expert class" to begin ratcheting down the number of positive results and stop skewing the death rates.
First, they may stop classifying everything under the sun as a COVID death. And second, they may signal to the states/labs to stop all the false positive test results. Of course, none of this can begin until after Biden's inauguration. (Hurts just to say it.)
Both actions would be easy and make the incoming Biden people look like miracle workers.
In many areas throughout the U.S., if someone dies, regardless of how – hit by a truck, heart attack, gunshot, etc. – but tested positive in the previous 30 days, it's a COVID-related death. Just stop these and they'll be a drastic decline.
And as far as false positives, and without getting too technical, it originates with the PCR, or swab test. Each sample (swab) is cycled many times to find traces of the virus. The more cycles, the smaller the trace that can be detected. This is called a cycle threshold.
Most, if not all, states/labs use a threshold of 40 cycles. But it's been well-established that 30 cycles should be the threshold, not 40 – that positive findings above 30 are likely false, as they detect traces of viruses so insignificant that they pose no threat whatsoever.
Just by doing these two simple things, both the contraction rates and death rates would nosedive.
And with the sycophantic leftist press on their side, the incoming administration could take full credit, without the majority of Americans discovering that they've been had – that these things could have been fixed many months ago and that they've been frightened into submission over a widely overblown, politically motivated pandemic.
I guess we'll know within a few months.
Listen to an audio version of this column:
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


wnd--2020-12-25--Christmas Day and more of the same

Christmas Day and more of the same

The whole world has seemingly gone topsy-turvy .
Nothing is as it was , and it appears that it will only get worse before it gets better .
We can take Joe Biden 's word for that .
The `` hopeful-incoming president '' did n't have a consoling word for Americans – just that things are bad , and they do n't look good for the future .
Thanks , Joe .
That 's just what we need as we face a new year filled with omens of difficulties and problems for everyone .
Are n't leaders supposed to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times of difficulties ?
Look back in history at times of war .
Even then , we were urged not to give up and to know we are being supported for the future .
But things have changed in these days of COVID .
We are told that it is here , is spreading and , in fact , is getting worse .
There is no real prevention – regardless of the varied vaccines being released – save for us staying away from people , even family , and yes , wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if not all , of our traditional holiday celebrations have been cut short .
We are told not to travel , yet news reports are that airlines are packed with passengers .
Are these people stupid , or do they just feel that their personal lives are more important than government dictates as to our behavior ?
It does n't matter .
They are doing what they want to do during this important holiday season in their lives – whether for religious reasons or just for festive reasons .
Children ca n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there at a mall , but he 'll be encased in a plastic house .
It does take away from the personal touch for the kids .
Office Christmas parties are now a thing of the past as are other general celebrations – the company saves money but also cuts the risk of any of those people becoming infected with COVID and contaminating the entire facility .
And what about religion ?
Remember the line `` Jesus is the reason for the season '' ?
It 's not a joke .
Christmas is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day that Jesus Christ was born in a stable in Bethlehem .
Christians have celebrated that day since it occurred , and it is a very holy celebration .
Non-Christians adopted the celebration part , and it has evolved into the day we recognize today , even being an official national holiday in our country .
But it 's different in 2020 and for the foreseeable future .
In many places , religious services have been forbidden .
Services for many denominations have been relegated to outside the church building .
For many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canceled .
Needless to say , the reaction has not been good , and the challenges to the rules in many cases have wound up in the courts .
We are guaranteed freedom of religion in the Constitution , so these challenges continue .
Some have been victorious for the church in question while others are still being battled .
I do n't know about you , but after weeks of no Masses at my church , we now have outside Masses .
In fact , we 've been given the schedule for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the warning that it 's cold , and rain is predicted , so dress appropriately .
Oh , and wear a mask .
All the while , the beautiful church building is empty .
And while we are faced with the news of COVID in our country , we are given the news that the virus and its mutations are spreading around the world – even to Antarctica .
England is locked down and travel everywhere is restricted as the number of deaths increase .
With all the domestic restrictions , American businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I do n't know about your town , but mine is filled with empty storefronts .
Businesses that I 've depended on for years are just gone .
The owners have lost their sources of income , communities have been devastated .
In a way , we all share this crisis .
How we will recover ?
I do n't know .
I admit , I fear for the worse .
I remember seeing pictures of situations like this from the Great Depression in the '30s .
It was hard to imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling me about it .
It was not easy for them to survive .
I also remember the pictures and stories of the economic situation in the Soviet Union where people could only get a small piece of meat in weeks and the stores had nothing but empty shelves .
Shades of now , when I go to the supermarket to buy paper towels or toilet paper , and the shelves are empty .
Just like in Russia .
I never thought 'd see that in this country – but here it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the devastation from COVID , life and nature continue .
Perfect example : Here in California the weather forecast for Christmas and the following days and week is for cold temperatures , wind and rain !
And yet , we still have fire .
Early morning reports on the 24th were about a massive brushfire in the hills north of San Diego , on the grounds of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton .
Overnight , more than 7,000 people were ordered to evacuate the base communities and in the nearby community of Fallbrook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and at 7:30 a.m. it was reported to be 35 % contained .
But by 9 a.m. that changed .
Officials said the fire by then burned over 3.000 acres and was ZERO percent contained .
Steep terrain , strong winds and tough access make control difficult .
That 's California , and this is what we face , not only for the Christmas season but for the New Year .
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our original content , please contact [ email protected ] .

The whole world has seemingly gone topsy-turvy. Nothing is as it was, and it appears that it will only get worse before it gets better.
We can take Joe Biden's word for that. The "hopeful-incoming president" didn't have a consoling word for Americans – just that things are bad, and they don't look good for the future.
Thanks, Joe. That's just what we need as we face a new year filled with omens of difficulties and problems for everyone.
Aren't leaders supposed to give the people words of encouragement even during times of difficulties? Look back in history at times of war. Even then, we were urged not to give up and to know we are being supported for the future.
But things have changed in these days of COVID. We are told that it is here, is spreading and, in fact, is getting worse. There is no real prevention – regardless of the varied vaccines being released – save for us staying away from people, even family, and yes, wearing a mask.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
That means that most, if not all, of our traditional holiday celebrations have been cut short. We are told not to travel, yet news reports are that airlines are packed with passengers. Are these people stupid, or do they just feel that their personal lives are more important than government dictates as to our behavior?
It doesn't matter. They are doing what they want to do during this important holiday season in their lives – whether for religious reasons or just for festive reasons.
Children can't have their Christmas pageants. Santa may be there at a mall, but he'll be encased in a plastic house. It does take away from the personal touch for the kids.
Office Christmas parties are now a thing of the past as are other general celebrations – the company saves money but also cuts the risk of any of those people becoming infected with COVID and contaminating the entire facility.
And what about religion? Remember the line "Jesus is the reason for the season"? It's not a joke. Christmas is the celebration (recognition) of the day that Jesus Christ was born in a stable in Bethlehem. Christians have celebrated that day since it occurred, and it is a very holy celebration.
Non-Christians adopted the celebration part, and it has evolved into the day we recognize today, even being an official national holiday in our country.
But it's different in 2020 and for the foreseeable future. In many places, religious services have been forbidden. Services for many denominations have been relegated to outside the church building. For many of the others, they are just canceled.
Needless to say, the reaction has not been good, and the challenges to the rules in many cases have wound up in the courts. We are guaranteed freedom of religion in the Constitution, so these challenges continue. Some have been victorious for the church in question while others are still being battled.
I don't know about you, but after weeks of no Masses at my church, we now have outside Masses. In fact, we've been given the schedule for Christmas Masses – all outdoors, with the warning that it's cold, and rain is predicted, so dress appropriately. Oh, and wear a mask.
All the while, the beautiful church building is empty.
Merry Christmas.
And while we are faced with the news of COVID in our country, we are given the news that the virus and its mutations are spreading around the world – even to Antarctica. England is locked down and travel everywhere is restricted as the number of deaths increase.
With all the domestic restrictions, American businesses are facing a crisis of unforeseen consequences. I don't know about your town, but mine is filled with empty storefronts. Businesses that I've depended on for years are just gone. The owners have lost their sources of income, communities have been devastated. In a way, we all share this crisis. How we will recover? I don't know. I admit, I fear for the worse.
I remember seeing pictures of situations like this from the Great Depression in the '30s. It was hard to imagine, but I recall my parent's telling me about it. It was not easy for them to survive.
I also remember the pictures and stories of the economic situation in the Soviet Union where people could only get a small piece of meat in weeks and the stores had nothing but empty shelves.
Shades of now, when I go to the supermarket to buy paper towels or toilet paper, and the shelves are empty. Just like in Russia. I never thought 'd see that in this country – but here it is.
And yet, while we lament the devastation from COVID, life and nature continue. Perfect example: Here in California the weather forecast for Christmas and the following days and week is for cold temperatures, wind and rain!
And yet, we still have fire. Early morning reports on the 24th were about a massive brushfire in the hills north of San Diego, on the grounds of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Overnight, more than 7,000 people were ordered to evacuate the base communities and in the nearby community of Fallbrook.
It's called the Creek Fire, and at 7:30 a.m. it was reported to be 35% contained. But by 9 a.m. that changed. Officials said the fire by then burned over 3.000 acres and was ZERO percent contained. Steep terrain, strong winds and tough access make control difficult.
That's California, and this is what we face, not only for the Christmas season but for the New Year.
Cheers, everyone – and smile.
Follow Barbara Simpson on Facebook.
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


wnd--2020-12-25--If it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me

My grandfather Isadore `` Izzy '' Klayman escaped from a small village near Odessa in the Ukraine just a few years after the Bolshevik Revolution .
His father , Meyer , had been smuggled out of what then was part of Russia a few years earlier , and landed in Philadelphia , Pennyslvania , getting a job in a meatpacking plant as a butcher .
Indeed , this was the family trade back in old country .
Saving money , Meyer later sent for his wife , my great grandmother , Bubba Raisal , and young Izzy and his sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had a `` guaranteed '' long life expectancy in the USSR , given the intense anti-Semitism of the Communists and their historic persecution in Russia .
Given that my grandfather hailed from a peasant village , where birth records were not kept , Izzy , when he entered the United States at Ellis Island in New York City , did not know his birth date .
When the immigration officer asked him to identify his birthday , he responded only : `` Give me Christmas .
If It 's good enough for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
My grandfather was a proud Jew , and at one time he wanted to be a rabbi .
Instead , he continued the family trade in the food business , opening a grocery store and then a meatpacking operation , in which my father , Herman , and Uncle Benny Klayman partnered with him .
It was called `` I. Klayman & Co. , '' and it grew into the largest independent pork-packing plant on the East Coast by the time it was driven out of business – brought about by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic adviser Alan Greenspan .
At its end , the operation slaughtered over 5,000 hogs per day .
You could say that my family knew how to bring home the bacon !
Years later I would quip when asked how and why I came to fight powerful deadly criminals like Bill and Hillary Clinton , whose administration saw the `` fatal disappearance '' of over 80 material witnesses to their myriad of scandals , that working in my family 's meatpacking plant as a youngster , where I was a `` teenage butcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slice and dice . ''
To take on the criminals and the corrupt legal establishment in our nation 's capital for now going on 44 years , one has to be tough but also ethical and moral !
And that was my grandfather Izzy in a nutshell .
To his dying day , he was a spiritually religious man .
Indeed , as a young boy I would ask him about his faith coupled with the kind humanitarian deeds he did , not just for fellow Jews , but for everyone !
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked at I. Klayman & Co. loved him , and despite being the boss along with my father and uncle , he would frequently go down on the kill and cutting room floors and work side by side with them , even when he did not have to – just to show his solidarity .
He and my grandmother Freda , when they had their grocery store , would often hand out free food to the poor , even during the Great Depression when they themselves were on their financial backs .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a true disciple of Jesus .
Indeed , when I would ask him at lunchtime breaks at the pork plant , when he would take me to eat with him at Horn & Hardart restaurant in the northeast section of Philly , if he believed in Christ , my grandfather would answer , `` Why not ?
God can do whatever he desires . ''
For a Jew , albeit one with a pork business , to respond in this way showed me that our Savior was real .
Intellectually , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even with my schooling in Hebrew school , which was necessary for me to be bar mitzvah'ed at age 13 , the time Jewish boys are scheduled to enter into adulthood .
But it was not until Yeshua , the Hebrew name for Jesus , came to me on two occasions , during difficult periods in my life , that I truly became a Christian , albeit a Jewish one , much like our Savior , a simple rabbi born to Mary and Joseph in a manger .
I chronicle my becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Whores : Why and How I Came to Fight the Establishment , '' and in some of my past weekly columns in this fine and courageous publication .
And I am indeed blessed , because not many people have actually had the experience to have our Lord and Savior speak directly to them .
But if people would open up their hearts to Him as my grandfather and later his grandson did , His presence would be experienced .
I have always believed in going directly to the source .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priests and try to listen respectfully to their teachings , my own way of praying is to transcend and talk directly to the Father and His Son .
I do not need intermediaries .
Each to his own , and as Izzy used to say , some people drive Cadillacs and others Lincolns , but they both will get you to the same destination if one is righteous and opens his heart .
This Christmas , when the nation is one the ropes and revolution is just around the corner , as I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It Takes a Revolution : Forget the Scandal Industry ! ''
remember that Jesus himself was a revolutionary .
For starters , He and the Father destroyed the corrupt high priests and brought down the evil and oppressive Romans .
Now with God and His Son 's grace and glory , we must take a pledge this Christmas Day to be Their servants and vanquish the radical leftists who will soon attempt to enslave us via the incoming Biden-Harris regime .
This Christmas reflect that Jesus is with us , and that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Father 's Divine Providence , just as our Founding Fathers did , as inscribed in the Declaration of Independence , on July 4 , 1776 !
But the Father and His Son will not countenance our sitting around watching and being entertained by the cynical and profiteering scandal industry on cable news .
We must act ourselves to save the nation from the leftist barbarians , not much better than the Romans who crucified Jesus , who are now inside our gates and are bent on destroying us from within !
Content created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact [ email protected ] .

My grandfather Isadore "Izzy" Klayman escaped from a small village near Odessa in the Ukraine just a few years after the Bolshevik Revolution. His father, Meyer, had been smuggled out of what then was part of Russia a few years earlier, and landed in Philadelphia, Pennyslvania, getting a job in a meatpacking plant as a butcher. Indeed, this was the family trade back in old country. Saving money, Meyer later sent for his wife, my great grandmother, Bubba Raisal, and young Izzy and his sister Rose, who as Jews would not have had a "guaranteed" long life expectancy in the USSR, given the intense anti-Semitism of the Communists and their historic persecution in Russia.
Given that my grandfather hailed from a peasant village, where birth records were not kept, Izzy, when he entered the United States at Ellis Island in New York City, did not know his birth date. When the immigration officer asked him to identify his birthday, he responded only: "Give me Christmas. If It's good enough for Jesus, its good enough for me."
My grandfather was a proud Jew, and at one time he wanted to be a rabbi. Instead, he continued the family trade in the food business, opening a grocery store and then a meatpacking operation, in which my father, Herman, and Uncle Benny Klayman partnered with him. It was called "I. Klayman & Co.," and it grew into the largest independent pork-packing plant on the East Coast by the time it was driven out of business – brought about by the stupid wage-price freeze of Nixon's economic adviser Alan Greenspan. At its end, the operation slaughtered over 5,000 hogs per day. You could say that my family knew how to bring home the bacon!
Years later I would quip when asked how and why I came to fight powerful deadly criminals like Bill and Hillary Clinton, whose administration saw the "fatal disappearance" of over 80 material witnesses to their myriad of scandals, that working in my family's meatpacking plant as a youngster, where I was a "teenage butcher," taught me how to "slice and dice." To take on the criminals and the corrupt legal establishment in our nation's capital for now going on 44 years, one has to be tough but also ethical and moral!
And that was my grandfather Izzy in a nutshell. To his dying day, he was a spiritually religious man. Indeed, as a young boy I would ask him about his faith coupled with the kind humanitarian deeds he did, not just for fellow Jews, but for everyone! As just one example, the blacks who worked at I. Klayman & Co. loved him, and despite being the boss along with my father and uncle, he would frequently go down on the kill and cutting room floors and work side by side with them, even when he did not have to – just to show his solidarity. He and my grandmother Freda, when they had their grocery store, would often hand out free food to the poor, even during the Great Depression when they themselves were on their financial backs.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
This caring and generosity for mankind marked Izzy as a true disciple of Jesus. Indeed, when I would ask him at lunchtime breaks at the pork plant, when he would take me to eat with him at Horn & Hardart restaurant in the northeast section of Philly, if he believed in Christ, my grandfather would answer, "Why not? God can do whatever he desires." For a Jew, albeit one with a pork business, to respond in this way showed me that our Savior was real.
Intellectually, I thus came to believe in Jesus myself, even with my schooling in Hebrew school, which was necessary for me to be bar mitzvah'ed at age 13, the time Jewish boys are scheduled to enter into adulthood. But it was not until Yeshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus, came to me on two occasions, during difficult periods in my life, that I truly became a Christian, albeit a Jewish one, much like our Savior, a simple rabbi born to Mary and Joseph in a manger.
I chronicle my becoming a Jewish Christian in my autobiography, "Whores: Why and How I Came to Fight the Establishment," and in some of my past weekly columns in this fine and courageous publication.
And I am indeed blessed, because not many people have actually had the experience to have our Lord and Savior speak directly to them. But if people would open up their hearts to Him as my grandfather and later his grandson did, His presence would be experienced.
I have always believed in going directly to the source. And, while I respect rabbis, ministers and priests and try to listen respectfully to their teachings, my own way of praying is to transcend and talk directly to the Father and His Son. I do not need intermediaries. Each to his own, and as Izzy used to say, some people drive Cadillacs and others Lincolns, but they both will get you to the same destination if one is righteous and opens his heart.
This Christmas, when the nation is on the ropes and revolution is just around the corner, as I write in my new book, "It Takes a Revolution: Forget the Scandal Industry!" remember that Jesus himself was a revolutionary. For starters, He and the Father destroyed the corrupt high priests and brought down the evil and oppressive Romans. Now with God and His Son's grace and glory, we must take a pledge this Christmas Day to be Their servants and vanquish the radical leftists who will soon attempt to enslave us via the incoming Biden-Harris regime.
This Christmas reflect that Jesus is with us, and that we can overcome all with His and the Father's Divine Providence, just as our Founding Fathers did, as inscribed in the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 1776! But the Father and His Son will not countenance our sitting around watching and being entertained by the cynical and profiteering scandal industry on cable news. We must act ourselves to save the nation from the leftist barbarians, not much better than the Romans who crucified Jesus, who are now inside our gates and are bent on destroying us from within!
Listen to Larry's recent podcast:
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


wnd--2020-12-25--A priest in the order of Melchizedek

A priest in the order of Melchizedek

Daniel Joseph is president and founder of Corner Fringe Ministries .
Having pastored for over 10 years , his passion @ @ @ @ @ HOPE of the world and seeking to AWAKEN a lost and dying Church , bringing @ @ @ @ @ real repentance through the powerful and inspirational preaching of the Word .

Daniel Joseph is president and founder of Corner Fringe Ministries. Having pastored for over 10 years, his passion is preaching Yeshua/Jesus as the HOPE of the world and seeking to AWAKEN a lost and dying Church, bringing it to a place of real repentance through the powerful and inspirational preaching of the Word.


wnd--2020-12-27--Christians' 'deference to authority has gone too far'

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Religion . ]
COVID-19 and the public health measures in response to it have transformed the religious life of the United States , and not for the better .
Until recently , many religious authorities have acquiesced to government mandates without acknowledging their right to dissent ; still others have adopted an overly deferential view of the biblical command to be subject to governing authorities .
For their part , the laity have mostly remained silent where they should voice their concerns to their church leadership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pastors and elders as something like hired specialists who will mind the matters of the church while the rest of the faithful go about their lives .
Christians owe respect to both their civil and ecclesiastical governments , but our deference to authority has gone too far .
Recent acts of protest and civil disobedience offer hope that at least some Christians understand the threat .
These have varied widely : for months , many churches have continued to operate in defiance of orders against it .
More recently , Sing It Louder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could come together to celebrate Christmas in song in defiance of restrictions .
With increasing success , a number of churches and synagogues have launched lawsuits against the restrictions ( two major examples include Capitol Hill Baptist and Agudath Israel of America ) , and the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn ’ s suit resulted in the Supreme Court issuing an injunction against Governor Andrew Cuomo ’ s restrictions on religious services .
But the majority of churches remain dutifully compliant with all state restrictions .
TRENDING : Battleground state to take legal action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election One of the most prominent and outspoken opponents of government restrictions on worship is John MacArthur ’ s Grace Community Church , which has remained open in spite of fines and threats of arrest .
In July , the church published “ Christ , not Caesar , Is Head of the Church , ” which offered a scriptural defense of their uncompromising refusal to “ acquiesce to a government-imposed moratorium on ... weekly congregational worship or other regular corporate gatherings , ” alongside an equally stark defense of deference to governing authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they claim that apart from matters crucial to defending the liberty of the church , citizens do not have any rights to civil disobedience .
In framing their objections in these terms , MacArthur and many other critics still cede too much ground to the government – and they do so by not appreciating the difference in context between Imperial Rome and the modern day .
The New Testament addressed subjects , not citizens , and this is a critical difference that is easy to miss .
If John Calvin , writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , could hold governments accountable to “ the general purpose ” of the law , how much more can modern Americans have a legitimate expectation that the laws made by our representatives will be “ good and just ” in truth , not merely cloaked with facile claims about the public health risk .
First of all , Christians ought to realize that Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 don ’ t require obedience to governmental authority in all cases whatsoever .
Rather than counseling obedience to all “ powers that be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is better understood as freeing individual believers to resist what Calvin described as powers that “ are not ordained ” – that is , powers that are usurping the type of authority over individual conscience that belongs to God alone .
This clearly applies in the most extreme instances of executive orders restricting religious activity in 2020 , such as bans on corporate song , severe limits on the size of gatherings , or outright bans of in-person worship .
Calvin ’ s exposition of the proper relationship to civil authority goes even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws , ” he wrote in “ Institutes of the Christian Religion ” 4.10.5 , “ looks to the general purpose , but does not consist in the things enjoined.
” In other words , while we have a general obligation to obey government because it is ordained by God , because the purpose of ordinances is our good , our specific duty depends on whether the government over us is “ good and just.
” The line here is very fine – a respect for the rule of law is necessary if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a respect for rights is necessary if the law is to fulfill its purpose in any meaningful way .
Second , and perhaps even more importantly because it applies more widely , nothing about Romans 13 prevents Christians in America from protecting their constitutional rights .
In its original context , Romans describes the believers ’ relationship to an absolute imperial power , not to a constitutionally limited one .
Reformed Christians have long held that to neglect to defend one ’ s civil liberties is the equivalent of political suicide and just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example of “ Loyalty Vindicated , ” a 1698 pamphlet which condemns “ the damn ’ d doctrines of passive obedience and nonresistance , ” and those false preachers who had told the people “ that we ought patiently to hold our protestant throats to be cut by the command of a popish king.
” Writing to justify Jacob Leisler ’ s overthrow of the royal governor of the colony of New York almost a decade earlier , the author argues that the colonial government ’ s failure to protect its citizens ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect their lives .
The rights of representation and assembly – of a voice in one ’ s own government – were not understood as merely civil rights in the 17th century , but rather as part of a suite of protections against arbitrary power .
And this author – like most other Reformed thinkers in the period – saw arbitrary power as naturally unjust , ungodly , and most importantly unordained .
Resistance to such governments was not only justifiable , it was a necessary measure of self-defense .
Leisler ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as others similarly motivated in Long Island , Boston , and Virginia during the period were proactive in their response to threats to liberty .
They did not wait until the governments under which they lived suspended their worship services to recognize the threat of tyranny .
The governments they opposed claimed , of course , that their actions were necessary and proper , and in fact , not a danger to the people at all .
Likewise , the United States today is a signatory to the COVID-19 and Religious Minorities Pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fundamental right to gather for worship ” – yet in practice , policies adopted by the states in response to the pandemic have not only failed to protect religious and other liberties , they have often intentionally threatened them .
Governments around the globe have imposed tighter restrictions on worship services than other types of public gatherings , and have , in some cases , attempted to interfere with religious observances directly .
California ’ s guidelines , for example , state that places of worship “ must ... discontinue indoor singing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that such activities are often central to the actual exercise of any given religion .
Many of the experts religious and political authorities consult , like Italian professor Massimo Marchiori , argue not from the perspective of fundamental rights , but entirely from that of safety : “ It ’ s our humanity that is actually bringing us toward the virus ... You have to take away a bit of humanity , to become a bit antisocial , to protect humanity.
” When reasoning such as this influences decisionmakers , life itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberty collapses .
It is , perhaps , excusable that secular leaders are swayed by such arguments – they have , as it were , no official stake in the notion of transcendence , or the idea that life is given to human beings not simply for existence but for the purpose of reflecting and glorifying the Creator .
Yet few religious leaders or lay persons have offered much in the way of dissent from this line of thought either .
Despite the few examples of dissent we note above , the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have attempted to accommodate their religious practice to the state orders .
A report released by an ecumenical group convened by the Chandler School of Theology is indicative of the ways many have even gone above and beyond the government ’ s guidelines , calling for the creative use of silence in worship , abbreviated preaching , and the abandonment of traditional liturgies .
Likewise , the Central Conference of American Rabbis ’ statement on the acceptability of virtual minyan in times of “ emergency ” ( in contradiction of their earlier rejection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display of risk-aversion that suggests temporal rather than spiritual priorities .
There is another way .
Drawing on the heritage of Reformed resistance theory , American Christians can and should cast a wary eye on public policies imposed by executive fiat .
After months of “ emergency powers ” rhetoric , we have a right to expect that any new public health measures will be laws passed by duly elected representatives , and not simply imposed by experts and executives as if we were subjects of imperial authority .
This would be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – but even then , all policies rooted in the rejection of transcendence ought to be publicly resisted .
Both religious leaders and the laity ought to make an even stronger stand in favor not only of religious liberty but of human flourishing and undertake a renewed assessment of COVID ’ s real risks to our faith and freedom alongside the virus ’ threat to our health .
Sarah A. Morgan Smith is the Director of Faculty at the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University .
Brian A. Smith is the Managing Editor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Religion . ]

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Religion.]
By Sarah A. Morgan Smith & Brian A. Smith
Real Clear Religion
COVID-19 and the public health measures in response to it have transformed the religious life of the United States, and not for the better. Until recently, many religious authorities have acquiesced to government mandates without acknowledging their right to dissent; still others have adopted an overly deferential view of the biblical command to be subject to governing authorities. For their part, the laity have mostly remained silent where they should voice their concerns to their church leadership, expressing the time-honored American tendency to see pastors and elders as something like hired specialists who will mind the matters of the church while the rest of the faithful go about their lives. Christians owe respect to both their civil and ecclesiastical governments, but our deference to authority has gone too far.
Recent acts of protest and civil disobedience offer hope that at least some Christians understand the threat. These have varied widely: for months, many churches have continued to operate in defiance of orders against it. More recently, Sing It Louder USA has helped organize events where groups could come together to celebrate Christmas in song in defiance of restrictions. With increasing success, a number of churches and synagogues have launched lawsuits against the restrictions (two major examples include Capitol Hill Baptist and Agudath Israel of America), and the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn’s suit resulted in the Supreme Court issuing an injunction against Governor Andrew Cuomo’s restrictions on religious services. But the majority of churches remain dutifully compliant with all state restrictions.
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One of the most prominent and outspoken opponents of government restrictions on worship is John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church, which has remained open in spite of fines and threats of arrest. In July, the church published “Christ, not Caesar, Is Head of the Church,” which offered a scriptural defense of their uncompromising refusal to “acquiesce to a government-imposed moratorium on ... weekly congregational worship or other regular corporate gatherings,” alongside an equally stark defense of deference to governing authorities in all other matters – in effect, they claim that apart from matters crucial to defending the liberty of the church, citizens do not have any rights to civil disobedience.
In framing their objections in these terms, MacArthur and many other critics still cede too much ground to the government – and they do so by not appreciating the difference in context between Imperial Rome and the modern day. The New Testament addressed subjects, not citizens, and this is a critical difference that is easy to miss. If John Calvin, writing in the context of early modern Europe, could hold governments accountable to “the general purpose” of the law, how much more can modern Americans have a legitimate expectation that the laws made by our representatives will be “good and just” in truth, not merely cloaked with facile claims about the public health risk.
First of all, Christians ought to realize that Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 don’t require obedience to governmental authority in all cases whatsoever. Rather than counseling obedience to all “powers that be,” many Reformers argued that Romans 13 is better understood as freeing individual believers to resist what Calvin described as powers that “are not ordained” – that is, powers that are usurping the type of authority over individual conscience that belongs to God alone. This clearly applies in the most extreme instances of executive orders restricting religious activity in 2020, such as bans on corporate song, severe limits on the size of gatherings, or outright bans of in-person worship.
Calvin’s exposition of the proper relationship to civil authority goes even further: “all obligation to observe laws,” he wrote in “Institutes of the Christian Religion” 4.10.5, “looks to the general purpose, but does not consist in the things enjoined.” In other words, while we have a general obligation to obey government because it is ordained by God, because the purpose of ordinances is our good, our specific duty depends on whether the government over us is “good and just.” The line here is very fine – a respect for the rule of law is necessary if rights are to be protected, but a respect for rights is necessary if the law is to fulfill its purpose in any meaningful way.
Has Christian deference to authority gone too far? 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. 82% (212 Votes) 18% (48 Votes)
Second, and perhaps even more importantly because it applies more widely, nothing about Romans 13 prevents Christians in America from protecting their constitutional rights. In its original context, Romans describes the believers’ relationship to an absolute imperial power, not to a constitutionally limited one. Reformed Christians have long held that to neglect to defend one’s civil liberties is the equivalent of political suicide and just as verboten to believers.
Consider the example of “Loyalty Vindicated,” a 1698 pamphlet which condemns “the damn’d doctrines of passive obedience and nonresistance,” and those false preachers who had told the people “that we ought patiently to hold our protestant throats to be cut by the command of a popish king.” Writing to justify Jacob Leisler’s overthrow of the royal governor of the colony of New York almost a decade earlier, the author argues that the colonial government’s failure to protect its citizens’ liberties was tantamount to a failure to protect their lives. The rights of representation and assembly – of a voice in one’s own government – were not understood as merely civil rights in the 17th century, but rather as part of a suite of protections against arbitrary power. And this author – like most other Reformed thinkers in the period – saw arbitrary power as naturally unjust, ungodly, and most importantly unordained. Resistance to such governments was not only justifiable, it was a necessary measure of self-defense.
Leisler’s group in New York, as well as others similarly motivated in Long Island, Boston, and Virginia during the period were proactive in their response to threats to liberty. They did not wait until the governments under which they lived suspended their worship services to recognize the threat of tyranny.
The governments they opposed claimed, of course, that their actions were necessary and proper, and in fact, not a danger to the people at all. Likewise, the United States today is a signatory to the COVID-19 and Religious Minorities Pandemic Statement and official CDC guidelines recognize “a fundamental right to gather for worship” – yet in practice, policies adopted by the states in response to the pandemic have not only failed to protect religious and other liberties, they have often intentionally threatened them.
Governments around the globe have imposed tighter restrictions on worship services than other types of public gatherings, and have, in some cases, attempted to interfere with religious observances directly. California’s guidelines, for example, state that places of worship “must ... discontinue indoor singing and chanting activities,” despite the fact that such activities are often central to the actual exercise of any given religion.
Many of the experts religious and political authorities consult, like Italian professor Massimo Marchiori, argue not from the perspective of fundamental rights, but entirely from that of safety: “It’s our humanity that is actually bringing us toward the virus ... You have to take away a bit of humanity, to become a bit antisocial, to protect humanity.” When reasoning such as this influences decisionmakers, life itself becomes an idol and the foundation for liberty collapses.
It is, perhaps, excusable that secular leaders are swayed by such arguments – they have, as it were, no official stake in the notion of transcendence, or the idea that life is given to human beings not simply for existence but for the purpose of reflecting and glorifying the Creator. Yet few religious leaders or lay persons have offered much in the way of dissent from this line of thought either. Despite the few examples of dissent we note above, the vast majority of American worshippers from all backgrounds have attempted to accommodate their religious practice to the state orders. A report released by an ecumenical group convened by the Chandler School of Theology is indicative of the ways many have even gone above and beyond the government’s guidelines, calling for the creative use of silence in worship, abbreviated preaching, and the abandonment of traditional liturgies. Likewise, the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ statement on the acceptability of virtual minyan in times of “emergency” (in contradiction of their earlier rejection of such technological presence) is a display of risk-aversion that suggests temporal rather than spiritual priorities.
There is another way. Drawing on the heritage of Reformed resistance theory, American Christians can and should cast a wary eye on public policies imposed by executive fiat. After months of “emergency powers” rhetoric, we have a right to expect that any new public health measures will be laws passed by duly elected representatives, and not simply imposed by experts and executives as if we were subjects of imperial authority. This would be an important first step towards reclaiming our rights – but even then, all policies rooted in the rejection of transcendence ought to be publicly resisted. Both religious leaders and the laity ought to make an even stronger stand in favor not only of religious liberty but of human flourishing and undertake a renewed assessment of COVID’s real risks to our faith and freedom alongside the virus’ threat to our health.
Sarah A. Morgan Smith is the Director of Faculty at the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University.
Brian A. Smith is the Managing Editor of Law & Liberty.
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Religion.]


wnd--2020-12-27--Democrat unleashes on GOP and media confirms its 'double standard'

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics . ]
If you were waiting to see an obvious double standard in the way media outlets cover Democrats vs. Republicans , you didn ’ t have to wait long .
Cue Jen O ’ Malley Dillon – Joe Biden ’ s campaign manager and newly named deputy White House chief of staff .
In an interview with Glamour magazine , O ’ Malley Dillon uses a seven-letter version of a four-letter word to describe Senate Republicans .
The news isn ’ t that she holds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work with in such low regard , nor that Democrats in Washington have such enmity towards Republicans in general .
( Anyone remember the look of horror on the faces of the Obama White House staff when the last transition began ? )
TRENDING : Battleground state to take legal action against Sidney Powell , other lawyers contesting election The news is how these comments were greeted ( celebrated ? )
by the media and the duplicity in how they treat the “ tone ” emanating from the incoming administration .
Deputy chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under President Trump at the start of his term .
Rest assured , if – mere weeks after an emotional and polarizing election – I had referred to Senate Democrats with the same word , I no doubt would have been called on to resign in disgrace .
Lengthy thought pieces would be written about how I represented the polarized nature of our politics and the burn-it-all-down approach of the next administration .
Hours of cable news airtime would have been dedicated to pundits analyzing whether President Trump approved of how I spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reacted in three ways that serve to highlight their inherent bias .
They either ignored the epithet altogether ; they celebrated what a strong leader O ’ Malley Dillon is ; or they focused on the hypocrisy of any criticism of her word choice .
To be clear , I am not writing this to attack Jen O ’ Malley Dillon .
I have met her and consider her a talented and formidable political opponent .
I know what it ’ s like to be a tough woman in a senior role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held to .
I ’ m sure she ’ s having a hell of a December .
But Democrats are about to start a new Congress with the slimmest House majority in modern history .
The razor-thin margins , if nothing else , will dictate that Democrats work with Republicans and cultivate the kind of relationships needed to build consensus and pass major pieces of legislation .
Starting out by calling the other side “ a bunch of f -- -ers ” probably isn ’ t the best way to do that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least have a reasonable conversation about that fact .
In addition , this comes after Biden ran a campaign on themes of “ decency ” and “ working together.
” The slogan of his transition has been “ unity ” and the media have been happy to highlight it for him .
Of course , when you call a “ lid ” at 9 a.m. every day and take no questions , it makes it difficult to ask if such harsh words represent a shift in approach or simply a mistake .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hill are calling on Biden to replace O ’ Malley Dillon .
However , the fact that they aren ’ t doing so speaks to a drastic difference between our two parties , and the media environment in which we operate , because Democrats never would have been willing to work with me if I had said what O ’ Malley Dillon did .
While the media double standard is disappointing , it is reality , and I hope it doesn ’ t cause young conservatives – especially young conservative women – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working in politics .
As a 32-year-old woman who was named deputy White House chief of staff , I was never even asked to be profiled by publications like Glamour .
That was okay with me – I never saw my role as being so public .
But it shows the difference in coverage the media affords the two parties .
Former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino put it best recently when she said that as a conservative woman , “ you know you aren ’ t going to get glowing media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff done.
” That is what I have tried to do throughout my entire career , and we need plenty more conservative women willing to step up and do the same in the years to come .
As women , we have a long list of obstacles to overcome ; as conservative women we can add media hostility to that list , no matter how disappointing it is .

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]
By Katie Walsh Shields
Real Clear Politics
If you were waiting to see an obvious double standard in the way media outlets cover Democrats vs. Republicans, you didn’t have to wait long. Cue Jen O’Malley Dillon – Joe Biden’s campaign manager and newly named deputy White House chief of staff. In an interview with Glamour magazine, O’Malley Dillon uses a seven-letter version of a four-letter word to describe Senate Republicans.
The news isn’t that she holds these senators she theoretically is going to work with in such low regard, nor that Democrats in Washington have such enmity towards Republicans in general. (Anyone remember the look of horror on the faces of the Obama White House staff when the last transition began?)
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The news is how these comments were greeted (celebrated?) by the media and the duplicity in how they treat the “tone” emanating from the incoming administration. Deputy chief of staff is the position I held under President Trump at the start of his term. Rest assured, if – mere weeks after an emotional and polarizing election – I had referred to Senate Democrats with the same word, I no doubt would have been called on to resign in disgrace.
Lengthy thought pieces would be written about how I represented the polarized nature of our politics and the burn-it-all-down approach of the next administration. Hours of cable news airtime would have been dedicated to pundits analyzing whether President Trump approved of how I spoke.
Instead, this time the media reacted in three ways that serve to highlight their inherent bias. They either ignored the epithet altogether; they celebrated what a strong leader O’Malley Dillon is; or they focused on the hypocrisy of any criticism of her word choice.
To be clear, I am not writing this to attack Jen O’Malley Dillon. I have met her and consider her a talented and formidable political opponent. I know what it’s like to be a tough woman in a senior role in politics and the harsher standard we are held to. I’m sure she’s having a hell of a December. But Democrats are about to start a new Congress with the slimmest House majority in modern history.
Does the media have a double standard? 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% (361 Votes) 1% (2 Votes)
The razor-thin margins, if nothing else, will dictate that Democrats work with Republicans and cultivate the kind of relationships needed to build consensus and pass major pieces of legislation. Starting out by calling the other side “a bunch of f---ers” probably isn’t the best way to do that, and you would expect the media to at least have a reasonable conversation about that fact.
In addition, this comes after Biden ran a campaign on themes of “decency” and “working together.” The slogan of his transition has been “unity” and the media have been happy to highlight it for him. Of course, when you call a “lid” at 9 a.m. every day and take no questions, it makes it difficult to ask if such harsh words represent a shift in approach or simply a mistake.
To their credit, no Republicans on the Hill are calling on Biden to replace O’Malley Dillon. However, the fact that they aren’t doing so speaks to a drastic difference between our two parties, and the media environment in which we operate, because Democrats never would have been willing to work with me if I had said what O’Malley Dillon did. While the media double standard is disappointing, it is reality, and I hope it doesn’t cause young conservatives – especially young conservative women – to lose heart or be discouraged from working in politics.
As a 32-year-old woman who was named deputy White House chief of staff, I was never even asked to be profiled by publications like Glamour. That was okay with me – I never saw my role as being so public. But it shows the difference in coverage the media affords the two parties.
Former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino put it best recently when she said that as a conservative woman, “you know you aren’t going to get glowing media profiles, so you just get your stuff done.”
That is what I have tried to do throughout my entire career, and we need plenty more conservative women willing to step up and do the same in the years to come. As women, we have a long list of obstacles to overcome; as conservative women we can add media hostility to that list, no matter how disappointing it is.


wnd--2020-12-27--Sen. Ted Cruz joins team trying to permanently torpedo Iran deal

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics . ]
In the waning days of the Trump administration , Sen. Ted Cruz has quietly been urging the president to submit both the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement to the Senate for ratification .
But not because they would succeed ; rather , because they would inevitably fail .
The equivalent of a constitutional tripwire , Cruz ’ s gambit would force a showdown between the Senate and President-elect Joe Biden .
President Trump pulled out of the agreements ; Biden has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both without congressional approval .
In a letter obtained by RealClearPolitics , the Texas senator is pressing both the president and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to submit the pacts before Trump leaves office .
TRENDING : Battleground state to take legal action against Sidney Powell , other lawyers contesting election “ Your administration has rightly changed course as a matter of substantive policy by withdrawing from both the Iran Deal and the Paris Agreement .
This was a great accomplishment for the American people , ” Cruz wrote .
“ I urge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done to the balance of powers by submitting the Iran Deal and the Paris Agreement to the Senate as treaties , ” Cruz continued .
“ Only by so doing will the Senate be able to satisfy its constitutional role to provide advice and consent in the event any future administration attempts to revive these dangerous deals.
” Cruz has become a stalwart Trump ally , and if the president takes his advice , he could throw a wrench into the gears of the incoming administration before Biden can even fully nominate his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he would rejoin the Paris Agreement “ on day one , ” and pledged to revive the Iranian nuclear deal he helped negotiate as vice president .
Republicans , meanwhile , are unified in their opposition to both .
A vote against them would signal GOP opposition to the world and , they hope , undermine any unilateral action by Biden to rejoin the agreements .
One senior congressional aide told RCP that sending them to die in the Senate “ would be the final nail in the coffin.
” Central to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Paris accords and Iran deal are actually treaties .
As such , they are subject to the Senate ’ s Article 2 “ advice and consent ” role and require two-thirds of the chamber for ratification .
A 2015 concurrent resolution , co-sponsored by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Majority Whip John Thune , condemned President Obama for joining the Paris agreement without Senate approval and called on the White House to submit it to the chamber .
The Obama administration waved away such complaints .
Although now more than four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican resentment to spark last-minute action .
Asked if the Senate would be given an opportunity to sign off on the Paris accords , then-White House press secretary Josh Earnest sidestepped the separation of powers argument .
He told a reporter it was “ hard to take seriously ” gripes about divided government “ from some members of Congress who deny the fact that climate change exists -- that they should have some opportunity to render judgment about a climate change agreement.
” Secretary of State John Kerry was similarly dismissive when asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratification of the Iran deal .
“ Well , Congressman , I spent quite a few years trying to get a lot of treaties through the United States Senate , and it has become physically impossible , ” Kerry said during a 2015 hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee .
“ That 's why , ” he added .
“ Because you ca n't pass a treaty anymore.
” Kerry will join the incoming administration as Biden ’ s “ climate czar ” where he will be a party to the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cruz isn ’ t alone in trying to force another showdown .
Sen. Lindsey Graham , another Trump ally , tweeted last week that he is working behind the scenes to secure a vote on the two pacts .
He warned that rejoining the Iran nuclear deal “ would be the most destructive decision a Biden administration could make regarding stability in the Middle East.
” Rejoining the climate agreement , he added , would mean “ a big win for China and India.
” As Biden continues to signal his willingness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 75 countries met at a virtual Climate Ambition Summit last week to lay plans for the coming fifth anniversary of the accords , an event that will be co-hosted by the United Nations in the United States .
The president-elect has repeated his promise to lead the country to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 , insisting that doing so is “ an economic opportunity to create jobs and prosperity at home and export clean American-made products around the world.
” Meanwhile , several other powerful nations are preparing to welcome the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Minister Heiko Maas insisting that it is “ the best instrument ” to resolve disputes over Iran ’ s nuclear program .
The Iranians sound somewhat more ambivalent .
“ Some people say , ‘ You are excited for Mr. Biden , ’ '' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said , according to the Associated Press .
`` No , we are not excited Mr. Biden is taking office , but we are very happy Mr. Trump is gone . ''
“ The upcoming American administration can choose what to do , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open .
It ’ s up to them if they are grateful or ungrateful .
If they want the right path , it ’ s ready .
If they want the wrong path , that one is ready for them as well.
” If Trump follows Cruz ’ s advice , Republicans hope to close the path altogether .
Either way , the two agreements and arguments over them will likely shape the early days of the incoming administration .
[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear @ @ @

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]
By Philip Wegmann
Real Clear Politics
In the waning days of the Trump administration, Sen. Ted Cruz has quietly been urging the president to submit both the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement to the Senate for ratification. But not because they would succeed; rather, because they would inevitably fail.
The equivalent of a constitutional tripwire, Cruz’s gambit would force a showdown between the Senate and President-elect Joe Biden. President Trump pulled out of the agreements; Biden has promised to recommit the United States to both without congressional approval. In a letter obtained by RealClearPolitics, the Texas senator is pressing both the president and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to submit the pacts before Trump leaves office.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
“Your administration has rightly changed course as a matter of substantive policy by withdrawing from both the Iran Deal and the Paris Agreement. This was a great accomplishment for the American people,” Cruz wrote.
“I urge you now also to remedy the harm done to the balance of powers by submitting the Iran Deal and the Paris Agreement to the Senate as treaties,” Cruz continued. “Only by so doing will the Senate be able to satisfy its constitutional role to provide advice and consent in the event any future administration attempts to revive these dangerous deals.”
Cruz has become a stalwart Trump ally, and if the president takes his advice, he could throw a wrench into the gears of the incoming administration before Biden can even fully nominate his Cabinet. The incoming president has promised that he would rejoin the Paris Agreement “on day one,” and pledged to revive the Iranian nuclear deal he helped negotiate as vice president. Republicans, meanwhile, are unified in their opposition to both.
A vote against them would signal GOP opposition to the world and, they hope, undermine any unilateral action by Biden to rejoin the agreements. One senior congressional aide told RCP that sending them to die in the Senate “would be the final nail in the coffin.”
Should Sen. Ted Cruz be working to permanently torpedo the Iran deal? 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% (91 Votes) 1% (1 Votes)
Central to Cruz's argument is the contention that the Paris accords and Iran deal are actually treaties. As such, they are subject to the Senate’s Article 2 “advice and consent” role and require two-thirds of the chamber for ratification.
A 2015 concurrent resolution, co-sponsored by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Majority Whip John Thune, condemned President Obama for joining the Paris agreement without Senate approval and called on the White House to submit it to the chamber. The Obama administration waved away such complaints. Although now more than four years removed, Cruz is banking on lingering Republican resentment to spark last-minute action.
Asked if the Senate would be given an opportunity to sign off on the Paris accords, then-White House press secretary Josh Earnest sidestepped the separation of powers argument. He told a reporter it was “hard to take seriously” gripes about divided government “from some members of Congress who deny the fact that climate change exists -- that they should have some opportunity to render judgment about a climate change agreement.”
Secretary of State John Kerry was similarly dismissive when asked why the administration didn’t seek ratification of the Iran deal. “Well, Congressman, I spent quite a few years trying to get a lot of treaties through the United States Senate, and it has become physically impossible,” Kerry said during a 2015 hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “That's why,” he added. “Because you can't pass a treaty anymore.” Kerry will join the incoming administration as Biden’s “climate czar” where he will be a party to the same fight as old battles become new again.
Cruz isn’t alone in trying to force another showdown. Sen. Lindsey Graham, another Trump ally, tweeted last week that he is working behind the scenes to secure a vote on the two pacts. He warned that rejoining the Iran nuclear deal “would be the most destructive decision a Biden administration could make regarding stability in the Middle East.” Rejoining the climate agreement, he added, would mean “a big win for China and India.”
As Biden continues to signal his willingness to rejoin the Paris Agreement, leaders from 75 countries met at a virtual Climate Ambition Summit last week to lay plans for the coming fifth anniversary of the accords, an event that will be co-hosted by the United Nations in the United States. The president-elect has repeated his promise to lead the country to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, insisting that doing so is “an economic opportunity to create jobs and prosperity at home and export clean American-made products around the world.”
Meanwhile, several other powerful nations are preparing to welcome the U.S. back into the Iran deal with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas insisting that it is “the best instrument” to resolve disputes over Iran’s nuclear program. The Iranians sound somewhat more ambivalent. “Some people say, ‘You are excited for Mr. Biden,’" Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, according to the Associated Press. "No, we are not excited Mr. Biden is taking office, but we are very happy Mr. Trump is gone."
“The upcoming American administration can choose what to do," Rouhani continued. "The path is open. It’s up to them if they are grateful or ungrateful. If they want the right path, it’s ready. If they want the wrong path, that one is ready for them as well.”
If Trump follows Cruz’s advice, Republicans hope to close the path altogether. Either way, the two agreements and arguments over them will likely shape the early days of the incoming administration.
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]


wnd--2020-12-27--'Multiple, bipartisan, well-documented' complaints now facing FEC

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics . ]
The Federal Election Commission is officially back .
After the Senate confirmed three new FEC commissioners , the agency now has a full slate of six for the first time since 2017 and a quorum to conduct official business for the first time since August 2019 ( other than a few weeks in June ) .
For a functioning FEC , there is an important matter that requires prompt attention — the subject of multiple , bipartisan , and well-documented legal complaints .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While many agencies and offices probed the scandal from their own perspectives , the clearest path to accountability for the collusion hoax is , in fact , the FEC .
The hoax began with secret payments by Hillary Clinton ’ s 2016 campaign and the Democratic National Committee to foreign agent Christopher Steele and his Russian contacts for the procurement of false , derogatory opposition research on Donald Trump .
Steele committed the bogus information to writing and was paid to spread it to Obama administration officials and liberal media elites in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election bid .
Along the way , Steele was aided by agents of the Ukrainian government and a DNC operative .
TRENDING : Battleground state to take legal action against Sidney Powell , other lawyers contesting election All of this meticulously documented activity violates — among other laws — the Federal Election Campaign Act .
The Steele controversy was so unprecedented that it triggered numerous legal complaints from both sides of the political aisle ( see here or here ) .
Even left-leaning media types , such as then-Politico reporter Kenneth Vogel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severity .
These unsubstantiated claims of collusion resulted in the Mueller investigation , a $ 32 million spectacle that produced not one shred of incriminating evidence .
Worst of all , those claims led to the bogus impeachment of President Trump — for no other reason but politics .
It was the most baseless , ideologically motivated impeachment process in American history , and it may never be topped .
What started as the “ Steele dossier ” has led to an unprecedented decline in Americans ’ faith in our government , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That mistrust is so severe that it lingers today .
Which brings us back to the FEC .
Responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws , the commissioners must hold accountable those who concealed payments to foreign agents and perpetrated a propaganda campaign with one purpose : ending the Trump presidency .
While they ultimately failed , the perpetrators successfully interfered in an American election and unquestionably damaged the integrity of American democracy .
Payments from the Clinton campaign and DNC to Steele were laundered through a law firm , Perkins Coie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ legal services.
” Clinton campaign and DNC officials later claimed to have no idea their funds were actually being diverted to fund a foreign intelligence campaign .
That claim was eventually debunked by the liberal media , which is hardly on President Trump ’ s side .
Federal law requires the treasurer of any political committee to approve all disbursements .
That apparently did not happen .
The law also requires political committees to accurately report the purpose of those expenditures .
That didn ’ t happen either .
Steele ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal service.
” Americans can only conclude there was an effort to misreport and thereby conceal foreign intelligence gathering and the execution of a baseless propaganda campaign .
In the past , other political operatives ( Democrat and Republican ) have been convicted of felonies and gone to prison for falsely reporting the purpose of campaign disbursements .
The FEC needs to apply that same standard here .
Those who perpetrated the “ Russian collision ” charade — at great cost to American democracy — should face the consequences now .
The FEC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of limitations expires .
In the process , the agency needs to offer the public all relevant information about these secret transactions , uncovering the full extent of the propaganda campaign carried out by Steele , the DNC , and other actors .
As President Trump questions the legitimacy of the 2020 election , we can not forget the left ’ s transgressions in 2016 .
Sweeping them under the rug would send the wrong message to the politically powerful , encouraging potential wrongdoers to continue undermining our elections .
The FEC ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restore faith in them .

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]
By Dan Backer
Real Clear Politics
The Federal Election Commission is officially back. After the Senate confirmed three new FEC commissioners, the agency now has a full slate of six for the first time since 2017 and a quorum to conduct official business for the first time since August 2019 (other than a few weeks in June).
For a functioning FEC, there is an important matter that requires prompt attention — the subject of multiple, bipartisan, and well-documented legal complaints. It is the “Russian collusion” hoax. While many agencies and offices probed the scandal from their own perspectives, the clearest path to accountability for the collusion hoax is, in fact, the FEC.
The hoax began with secret payments by Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign and the Democratic National Committee to foreign agent Christopher Steele and his Russian contacts for the procurement of false, derogatory opposition research on Donald Trump. Steele committed the bogus information to writing and was paid to spread it to Obama administration officials and liberal media elites in order to boost Clinton’s weak election bid. Along the way, Steele was aided by agents of the Ukrainian government and a DNC operative.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
All of this meticulously documented activity violates — among other laws — the Federal Election Campaign Act. The Steele controversy was so unprecedented that it triggered numerous legal complaints from both sides of the political aisle (see here or here). Even left-leaning media types, such as then-Politico reporter Kenneth Vogel, caught wind of the scandal’s severity.
These unsubstantiated claims of collusion resulted in the Mueller investigation, a $32 million spectacle that produced not one shred of incriminating evidence. Worst of all, those claims led to the bogus impeachment of President Trump — for no other reason but politics. It was the most baseless, ideologically motivated impeachment process in American history, and it may never be topped.
What started as the “Steele dossier” has led to an unprecedented decline in Americans’ faith in our government, our electoral system, and our very democracy. That mistrust is so severe that it lingers today.
Which brings us back to the FEC. Responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws, the commissioners must hold accountable those who concealed payments to foreign agents and perpetrated a propaganda campaign with one purpose: ending the Trump presidency. While they ultimately failed, the perpetrators successfully interfered in an American election and unquestionably damaged the integrity of American democracy.
Is Hillary Clinton behind the Russian collusion hoax? 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% (495 Votes) 0% (2 Votes)
Payments from the Clinton campaign and DNC to Steele were laundered through a law firm, Perkins Coie, and publicly reported for the purpose of “legal services.” Clinton campaign and DNC officials later claimed to have no idea their funds were actually being diverted to fund a foreign intelligence campaign. That claim was eventually debunked by the liberal media, which is hardly on President Trump’s side.
Federal law requires the treasurer of any political committee to approve all disbursements. That apparently did not happen. The law also requires political committees to accurately report the purpose of those expenditures. That didn’t happen either. Steele’s opposition research was clearly not a “legal service.”
Americans can only conclude there was an effort to misreport and thereby conceal foreign intelligence gathering and the execution of a baseless propaganda campaign. In the past, other political operatives (Democrat and Republican) have been convicted of felonies and gone to prison for falsely reporting the purpose of campaign disbursements. The FEC needs to apply that same standard here.
Those who perpetrated the “Russian collision” charade — at great cost to American democracy — should face the consequences now. The FEC must act promptly, before a statute of limitations expires. In the process, the agency needs to offer the public all relevant information about these secret transactions, uncovering the full extent of the propaganda campaign carried out by Steele, the DNC, and other actors.
As President Trump questions the legitimacy of the 2020 election, we cannot forget the left’s transgressions in 2016. Sweeping them under the rug would send the wrong message to the politically powerful, encouraging potential wrongdoers to continue undermining our elections. The FEC’s first order of business is to restore faith in them.


wnd--2020-12-27--The 'ghastly' part of government's 'Reaper Care'

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Health . ]
With President-elect Biden setting up his team and preparing his luggage for a 4-year stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave it is important to look not just at the policies that he is likely to pursue but also at the ideas behind those policies .
And one of the issues at the top of his list is certain to be health care .
While it is not yet known whether he will merely pursue a public option – or a single-payer solution , both directions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Biden might not be as far afield politically as some of his peers on the left like Sen. Bernie Sanders or Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) , some of his advisers have taken some grim stances .
For instance , in 2009 then-Vice President Biden ’ s health care advisor Ezekiel Emmanuel wrote an article “ Principles for allocation of scarce medical interventions ” that spells out exactly how a government-controlled health care system would allocate limited medical resources .
TRENDING : Battleground state to take legal action against Sidney Powell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the article does Emmanuel attempt to justify why government bureaucrats have the right to control health care , making life and death decisions for its citizens ; it is just simply assumed by the author .
Armed with the implicit authority , he proposes an age-based distribution of health care resources .
The graphical depiction of which is menacingly termed “ The Reaper Curve.
” This hypothetical allocation of medical resources unabashedly justifies itself based on how valuable a person is to society—a measurement based on their productivity versus health care cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you live past 55 years of age , health care resources will become increasingly hard to get as your perceived productivity as a worker diminishes .
This resource allocation would make perfect sense if applied to non-human worker drones .
You would not spend more and more money to repair aging automobile tires , assembly line machinery , or vacuum cleaner belts , for example .
Applied to real , living humans ?
It is an Orwellian dystopia !
This flippant disregard for the humanity of the elderly was summed up when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an elderly person who needs surgery should instead just take a “ painkiller.
” Outlive your usefulness and it is to the trash heap with you .
As unbelievable as that may seem to our American sensibilities , more horrific is the scarcity of resources allocated to babies .
Emmanuel justifies this barbarism by citing the fact that society has not “ invested ” resources into the education or “ care ” of infants and parents have not invested emotional resources into them .
Therefore , society should not prioritize resources to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world little baby .
The common theme of these two extremes is that the value of human life is based on its value to society instead of precious in and of itself .
This may be rational when working on widgets or robotic worker drones but is ghastly when applied to humanity .
Sadly , acceptance of these levels of dehumanization can be learned .
This was demonstrated when a Canadian patient told me that her uncle died unnecessarily due to long delays accessing care .
To my surprise , when I expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s okay .
We know there aren ’ t enough ( health care ) resources to save everyone.
” I was flabbergasted .
Not at the truth of the statement but its acceptance .
The real tragedy though , is that there are solutions .
Dean Clancy recently produced the Personal Option plan .
A few years ago , Dr. John Goodman working with Rep. Pete Sessions ( R-TX ) produced a plan full of big ideas .
And of course , the health care market itself has been innovating by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets .
We do not need government bureaucrats in our exam rooms—when we allow patients and doctors to work together , health care costs can be lower , quality higher , and access to care constant .
Dr. Chad Savage is the founder of YourChoice Direct Care in Brighton , Michigan [ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Health . ]

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Health.]
By Chad Savage, M.D.
Real Clear Health
With President-elect Biden setting up his team and preparing his luggage for a 4-year stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave it is important to look not just at the policies that he is likely to pursue but also at the ideas behind those policies. And one of the issues at the top of his list is certain to be health care. While it is not yet known whether he will merely pursue a public option – or a single-payer solution, both directions ignore the patient-physician relationship.
While a President Biden might not be as far afield politically as some of his peers on the left like Sen. Bernie Sanders or Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), some of his advisers have taken some grim stances. For instance, in 2009 then-Vice President Biden’s health care advisor Ezekiel Emmanuel wrote an article “Principles for allocation of scarce medical interventions” that spells out exactly how a government-controlled health care system would allocate limited medical resources.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
While nowhere in the article does Emmanuel attempt to justify why government bureaucrats have the right to control health care, making life and death decisions for its citizens; it is just simply assumed by the author. Armed with the implicit authority, he proposes an age-based distribution of health care resources. The graphical depiction of which is menacingly termed “The Reaper Curve.”
This hypothetical allocation of medical resources unabashedly justifies itself based on how valuable a person is to society—a measurement based on their productivity versus health care cost. As the Reaper Curve demonstrates, if you live past 55 years of age, health care resources will become increasingly hard to get as your perceived productivity as a worker diminishes. This resource allocation would make perfect sense if applied to non-human worker drones. You would not spend more and more money to repair aging automobile tires, assembly line machinery, or vacuum cleaner belts, for example. Applied to real, living humans? It is an Orwellian dystopia!
This flippant disregard for the humanity of the elderly was summed up when, in 2009, President Obama suggested an elderly person who needs surgery should instead just take a “painkiller.” Outlive your usefulness and it is to the trash heap with you.
As unbelievable as that may seem to our American sensibilities, more horrific is the scarcity of resources allocated to babies. Emmanuel justifies this barbarism by citing the fact that society has not “invested” resources into the education or “care” of infants and parents have not invested emotional resources into them. Therefore, society should not prioritize resources to continue their unloved lives. Welcome to the world little baby.
Will government-controlled health care be forced to allocate limited medical resources? 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. 96% (92 Votes) 4% (4 Votes)
The common theme of these two extremes is that the value of human life is based on its value to society instead of precious in and of itself. This may be rational when working on widgets or robotic worker drones but is ghastly when applied to humanity.
Sadly, acceptance of these levels of dehumanization can be learned. This was demonstrated when a Canadian patient told me that her uncle died unnecessarily due to long delays accessing care. To my surprise, when I expressed sympathy, she coldly stated, “It’s okay. We know there aren’t enough (health care) resources to save everyone.” I was flabbergasted. Not at the truth of the statement but its acceptance.
The real tragedy though, is that there are solutions. Dean Clancy recently produced the Personal Option plan. A few years ago, Dr. John Goodman working with Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) produced a plan full of big ideas. And of course, the health care market itself has been innovating by just opting out of controlled health care markets. We do not need government bureaucrats in our exam rooms—when we allow patients and doctors to work together, health care costs can be lower, quality higher, and access to care constant.
Dr. Chad Savage is the founder of YourChoice Direct Care in Brighton, Michigan
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Health.]