powerlineblog--2020-11-21--Why We Have the Worst “Experts,” Chapter 12,186

Our elite betters wonder why we don ’ t trust their “ scientific ” authority , but let ’ s roll back the tape to this May 15 story from NBC News , which they called a “ fact check : ” Fact check : Coronavirus vaccine could come this year , Trump says .
Experts say he needs a ‘ miracle ’ to be right .
President Donald Trump has suggested multiple times that a coronavirus vaccine could come within months , an accelerated timeline that prominent health experts and veteran vaccine developers say is unlikely absent a miracle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it by the end of the year if we can , maybe before , ” Trump said Friday during in a Rose Garden event centered on his administration ’ s efforts to fast-track a vaccine .
“ Vaccine work is looking VERY promising , before end of year , ” Trump tweeted on Thursday .
“ I think we ’ re going to have a vaccine by the end of the year , ” he told reporters later in the day .
But experts say that the development , testing and production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still at least 12 to 18 months off , and that anything less would be a medical miracle .

Our elite betters wonder why we don’t trust their “scientific” authority, but let’s roll back the tape to this May 15 story from NBC News, which they called a “fact check:”
Fact check: Coronavirus vaccine could come this year, Trump says. Experts say he needs a ‘miracle’ to be right.
President Donald Trump has suggested multiple times that a coronavirus vaccine could come within months, an accelerated timeline that prominent health experts and veteran vaccine developers say is unlikely absent a miracle.
“We’re looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before,” Trump said Friday during in a Rose Garden event centered on his administration’s efforts to fast-track a vaccine. “Vaccine work is looking VERY promising, before end of year,” Trump tweeted on Thursday. “I think we’re going to have a vaccine by the end of the year,” he told reporters later in the day.
But experts say that the development, testing and production of a vaccine for the public is still at least 12 to 18 months off, and that anything less would be a medical miracle.


powerlineblog--2020-11-21--Podcast: The Three Whisky Happy Hour—”Snobbish Snobology” Postponed

After getting a review of new and unpronounceable whiskies out of the way ( such as the one posted here on the left ) along with the miseries of the week just past that compel several drams of whisky , “ Lucretia ” and I had planned to talk about an obscure but profound essay from way back in 1973 that explores the serious philosophical roots of how today ’ s progressive left is best explained by the left ’ s formal commitment to snobbery .
No really—we were !
We had a whole seminar on “ snobbish snobology ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more fitting topic for single-malt whisky fanatics ? )
, but we got diverted by—what else ?
—the election postgame show .
Among our questions and issues : What needs to be surveyed to make out a prima facia case of election fraud ?
And what kind of evidence is necessary to prove it ?
Given the low and continually falling trust in our leaders and institutions , is it any wonder that people ( including apparently one-third of Democrats according to one poll ) don ’ t think this election was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibilities , and then ask our listeners : would you like us to do a live taping of the podcast next week ?
We could have a virtual happy hour under the new lockdown , though of course you ’ d have to bring your own whisky .
Let us know .
You know what to do now .
If not us , then who ?
And if not here , then where ?

After getting a review of new and unpronounceable whiskies out of the way (such as the one posted here on the left) along with the miseries of the week just past that compel several drams of whisky, “Lucretia” and I had planned to talk about an obscure but profound essay from way back in 1973 that explores the serious philosophical roots of how today’s progressive left is best explained by the left’s formal commitment to snobbery. No really—we were! We had a whole seminar on “snobbish snobology” ready to go (is there a more fitting topic for single-malt whisky fanatics?), but we got diverted by—what else?—the election postgame show.
Among our questions and issues: What needs to be surveyed to make out a prima facia case of election fraud? And what kind of evidence is necessary to prove it? Given the low and continually falling trust in our leaders and institutions, is it any wonder that people (including apparently one-third of Democrats according to one poll) don’t think this election was on the up-and-up? We kick around the possibilities, and then ask our listeners: would you like us to do a live taping of the podcast next week? We could have a virtual happy hour under the new lockdown, though of course you’d have to bring your own whisky. Let us know.
You know what to do now. If not us, then who? And if not here, then where?


powerlineblog--2020-11-21--A word with Elise Stefanik (2) [with comment by Paul]

This concludes my report on an interview with Rep. Elise Stefanik yesterday afternoon .
I posted the first installment here , including my daughter Eliana ’ s 2014 NR profile of her just before she became the youngest woman elected to Congress at the time .
I mentioned to Rep. Stefanik how much I admired women standing up to run for office on our side because of the abuse to which they subject themselves .
Unlike their Democratic counterparts , the abuse won ’ t be offset by features glamorizing them in the fashion magazines .
We ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 class to be featured by Glamour in a shot like this one , for example .
“ You need a thick skin , ” she said , “ and it ’ s not just women.
” She cited Senator Tim Scott .
“ They are vicious and vile ” — you know who “ they ” are — “ and they can get away with it because the media allow them to.
” She noted that Nancy Pelosi ’ s super PAC devoted special attention to fending off Republican women candidates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ story “ Pelosi-aligned super PAC adds $ 18M to fall ad buys.
” With the help of contributions that rolled in during the House Intelligence Committee impeachment hearing — I made one to her myself — Stefanik explained that her own E-PAC was able to max out in support of its candidates .
Here is a complete list of candidates supported by E-PAC who have won or are projected to win this cycle : Stefanik mentioned that several of these candidates are “ firsts.
” Nancy Mace , for example , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman in Congress from South Carolina .
She must be one tough cookie .
She might also be the first former Waffle House waitress to make it to Congress .
Young Kim and Michelle Steel are the first Korean American women in Congress , Yvette Herrell is the first Cherokee American woman in Congress , and Stephanie Bice is the first Iranian American woman in Congress .
If these women were Democrats , they would be on their way to celebrity status .
Stefanik also pointed out the GOP members among the incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Victoria Spartz ( born in Ukrainian SSR ) , Nicole Malliotakis ( daughter of Cuban mother ) , Carlos Giménez ( immigrant from Cuba ) , and Maria Elvira Salazar ( daughter of Cuban parents ) .
Malliotakis may start an anti-socialist “ squad.
” They all have a valuable perspective on the present discontents .
Stefanik answered my last question before I asked it : what ’ s on the horizon ?
“ I ’ m already hearing from women who to want to run in 2022 , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and forthright Rep. Stefanik was as we spoke .
She is a bright light who is making an important contribution to the conservative cause .
PAUL ADDS : I ’ m proud to say that Rep. Stefanik was a Power Line pick when she first ran for Congress in 2014 .
My older daughter brought her to our attention .

This concludes my report on an interview with Rep. Elise Stefanik yesterday afternoon. I posted the first installment here, including my daughter Eliana’s 2014 NR profile of her just before she became the youngest woman elected to Congress at the time.
I mentioned to Rep. Stefanik how much I admired women standing up to run for office on our side because of the abuse to which they subject themselves. Unlike their Democratic counterparts, the abuse won’t be offset by features glamorizing them in the fashion magazines. We’re not holding our breath for Stefanik’s 2020 class to be featured by Glamour in a shot like this one, for example.
“You need a thick skin,” she said, “and it’s not just women.” She cited Senator Tim Scott. “They are vicious and vile” — you know who “they” are — “and they can get away with it because the media allow them to.”
She noted that Nancy Pelosi’s super PAC devoted special attention to fending off Republican women candidates. This is the subtext of the Politico story “Pelosi-aligned super PAC adds $18M to fall ad buys.”
With the help of contributions that rolled in during the House Intelligence Committee impeachment hearing — I made one to her myself — Stefanik explained that her own E-PAC was able to max out in support of its candidates. Here is a complete list of candidates supported by E-PAC who have won or are projected to win this cycle:
Young Kim (CA-39)
Michelle Steel (CA-48)
Lauren Boebert (CO-03)
Kat Cammack (FL-03)
Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27)
Ashley Hinson (IA-01)
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02)*
Mary Miller (IL-15)
Victoria Spartz (IN-05)
Lisa McClain (MI-10)
Michelle Fischbach (MN-07)
Yvette Herell (NM-02)
Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)
Claudia Tenney (NY-22)*
Stephanie Bice (OK-05)
Nancy Mace (SC-01)
Diana Harshberger (TN-01)
Beth Van Duyne (TX-24)
*Projected
Stefanik mentioned that several of these candidates are “firsts.” Nancy Mace, for example, is the first female graduate of Citadel and first woman in Congress from South Carolina. She must be one tough cookie. She might also be the first former Waffle House waitress to make it to Congress.
Young Kim and Michelle Steel are the first Korean American women in Congress, Yvette Herrell is the first Cherokee American woman in Congress, and Stephanie Bice is the first Iranian American woman in Congress. If these women were Democrats, they would be on their way to celebrity status.
Stefanik also pointed out the GOP members among the incoming freshman whose families come from Communist countries: Victoria Spartz (born in Ukrainian SSR), Nicole Malliotakis (daughter of Cuban mother), Carlos Giménez (immigrant from Cuba), and Maria Elvira Salazar (daughter of Cuban parents). Malliotakis may start an anti-socialist “squad.” They all have a valuable perspective on the present discontents.
Stefanik answered my last question before I asked it: what’s on the horizon? “I’m already hearing from women who to want to run in 2022,” she said.
I was struck by how forthcoming and forthright Rep. Stefanik was as we spoke. She is a bright light who is making an important contribution to the conservative cause.
PAUL ADDS: I’m proud to say that Rep. Stefanik was a Power Line pick when she first ran for Congress in 2014. My older daughter brought her to our attention.


powerlineblog--2020-11-21--Coronavirus in one state (129)

Coronavirus in one state (129)

Governor Walz ’ s most recent shutdown order became effective overnight .
He seized control of the public relations this week by taking over each of the press briefings usually run by the Minnesota Department of Health .
He concluded with a bang yesterday , convening a briefing on mental health issues exacerbated by the shutdown and related restrictions .
He also hosted several guests from mental health services along with Lt. Gov .
Peggy Flanagan and Commissioner of Human Services Jody Harpstead and MDH Commissioner Malcolm .
My favorite bumper sticker is Support Mental Health or I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freewheeling at four press conferences this week has not done much for my own peace of mind .
That much I can tell you .
If you live in Minnesota and need help , please do check out the press briefing ( audio below ) .
Resources are available .
The state has set up a text crisis line that can be reached at MN 741741 .
The epidemic continues its current surge .
The authorities attributed 68 new deaths to COVID-19 in the data released yesterday .
Forty-four of the deaths occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fatalities skew heavily to the elderly and infirm .
( The age distribution is accessible here at the MDH Situation Update .
Most decedents were in their 80 ’ s and 90 ’ s . )
Although the MDH “ 5-point battle plan ” to combat spread of the disease in nursing homes appears to have come a cropper , this subject has gone unmentioned at the press briefings this week .
The shutdown in its various manifestation has produced devastating collateral consequences , especially for kids locked out of schools and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the children ” Kevin Roche quotes a pediatrician who wrote him on this point : One of the few good things that the Academy of Pediatrics has done in the last few months is to to rightfully insist that children are being harmed immeasurably by lack of in-person schooling .
The harm they are suffering is not being adequately reported on in any of the main stream media , and any mention of the parochial school experience in Minnesota is completely ignored by the Governor and the MDH .
What better case study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private schools in their own districts ?
I take care of kids who attend private ( mostly Catholic ) and public schools and the difference in the happiness level of the children and their parents is astounding , with the private school kids of course being the happy ones .
The level of sadness , worry and downright despair I am seeing EVERY day in my clinic is appalling and something I have never seen before in my 30 plus years of practice .
A propos of the dog and pony shows Walz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Governor loves to trot out CV patients to talk about the disease and health care executives and providers to talk about how hard their jobs are right now , and they are , but as the physician points out , we see nothing about the thousands , tens of thousands , of lives literally being irreparably damaged .
In pursuit of every extreme action to save the lives of frail 80 and 90 year-olds , we are doing immeasurable harm to children , especially minority and low-income children .
This is unconscionable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about the primary thing that drives me to keep doing the blog , it is the completely unbalanced and irrational response to the epidemic , exemplified by the unilateral , and they are unilateral , actions of our Governor .
Government is supposed be a vehicle by which we , the citizens , attempt to do that which creates the greatest overall benefit for our society .
The epidemic response so far has been a shortsighted , monomania obsessed with preventing a few years of life lost , while ignoring what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off topic , Kevin also addresses the CDC report on the Sturgis rally that is in the news this week .
Referring to “ that naughty , naughty Sturgis motorcycle rally , ” Kevin adds a little context that is otherwise missing in the news reports : Minnesota ’ s hammering on South Dakota and the Sturgis rally should be a story unto itself .
Among the businesses shut down by Walz ’ s latest executive order are gyms .
Life Time Fitness posted a press release seeking the data supporting this element @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conference .
Tom Hauser was the last reporter to get a question in and asked Walz about it .
In his concluding remarks Walz seemed to have it in mind .
“ It ’ s not about numbers .
It ’ s not about data .
It ’ s about neighborliness , ” he said .
And here we thought it was about “ the science .
”

Governor Walz’s most recent shutdown order became effective overnight. He seized control of the public relations this week by taking over each of the press briefings usually run by the Minnesota Department of Health. He concluded with a bang yesterday, convening a briefing on mental health issues exacerbated by the shutdown and related restrictions. He also hosted several guests from mental health services along with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Commissioner of Human Services Jody Harpstead and MDH Commissioner Malcolm.
My favorite bumper sticker is Support Mental Health or I’ll Kill You and listening to Governor Walz freewheeling at four press conferences this week has not done much for my own peace of mind. That much I can tell you. If you live in Minnesota and need help, please do check out the press briefing (audio below). Resources are available. The state has set up a text crisis line that can be reached at MN 741741.
The epidemic continues its current surge. The authorities attributed 68 new deaths to COVID-19 in the data released yesterday. Forty-four of the deaths occurred among residents of long-term care facilities. The fatalities skew heavily to the elderly and infirm. (The age distribution is accessible here at the MDH Situation Update. Most decedents were in their 80’s and 90’s.) Although the MDH “5-point battle plan” to combat spread of the disease in nursing homes appears to have come a cropper, this subject has gone unmentioned at the press briefings this week.
The shutdown in its various manifestation has produced devastating collateral consequences, especially for kids locked out of schools and stuck at home. In “Save the children” Kevin Roche quotes a pediatrician who wrote him on this point:
One of the few good things that the Academy of Pediatrics has done in the last few months is to to rightfully insist that children are being harmed immeasurably by lack of in-person schooling. The harm they are suffering is not being adequately reported on in any of the main stream media, and any mention of the parochial school experience in Minnesota is completely ignored by the Governor and the MDH. What better case study do the school districts need than the private schools in their own districts? I take care of kids who attend private (mostly Catholic) and public schools and the difference in the happiness level of the children and their parents is astounding, with the private school kids of course being the happy ones. The level of sadness, worry and downright despair I am seeing EVERY day in my clinic is appalling and something I have never seen before in my 30 plus years of practice.
A propos of the dog and pony shows Walz has staged this week Kevin comments:
The Governor loves to trot out CV patients to talk about the disease and health care executives and providers to talk about how hard their jobs are right now, and they are, but as the physician points out, we see nothing about the thousands, tens of thousands, of lives literally being irreparably damaged. In pursuit of every extreme action to save the lives of frail 80 and 90 year-olds, we are doing immeasurable harm to children, especially minority and low-income children. This is unconscionable and a social disgrace. When I talk about the primary thing that drives me to keep doing the blog, it is the completely unbalanced and irrational response to the epidemic, exemplified by the unilateral, and they are unilateral, actions of our Governor. Government is supposed be a vehicle by which we, the citizens, attempt to do that which creates the greatest overall benefit for our society. The epidemic response so far has been a shortsighted, monomania obsessed with preventing a few years of life lost, while ignoring what the impact is on everyone else.
Slightly off topic, Kevin also addresses the CDC report on the Sturgis rally that is in the news this week. Referring to “that naughty, naughty Sturgis motorcycle rally,” Kevin adds a little context that is otherwise missing in the news reports:
400,000 attendees, resulting among Minnesotans, although remember, this is Minnesota contact tracing we are talking about here, in 51 primary cases, only 21 secondary cases, which is a very low secondary attack rate, and 9 more potential secondary or tertiary cases, 4 hospitalizations and one unfortunate death, which we were told at the time by [MDH] was a person with serious underlying conditions. Hardly a disaster and a grand total of 3 one-hundredths of a percent of Minnesota’s total cases.
Minnesota’s hammering on South Dakota and the Sturgis rally should be a story unto itself.
Among the businesses shut down by Walz’s latest executive order are gyms. Life Time Fitness posted a press release seeking the data supporting this element of the shutdown yesterday afternoon during the press conference. Tom Hauser was the last reporter to get a question in and asked Walz about it. In his concluding remarks Walz seemed to have it in mind. “It’s not about numbers. It’s not about data. It’s about neighborliness,” he said. And here we thought it was about “the science.”


Where’s the outrage?

The Washington Post claims that the “ Black community ” is angry over claims of vote fraud by President Trump and his legal team .
It ’ s true that some of the claims of fraud center on precincts that are populated almost entirely by Blacks .
However , I doubt that many Blacks care about the Trump campaign ’ s allegations of fraud and I suspect that even fewer are outraged by them .
The Post cites five Blacks who have expressed displeasure .
Four of them are activists .
The other is a professor of African-American studies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be angry , just as it ’ s part of the job of Washington Post reporters to dig up people who are outraged by supposed racial slights by Donald Trump .
But the reporters provide no evidence that the grievances of the activists and the professor have any resonance in the Black community .
It simply expects readers of the Post to assume they do .
I assume they don ’ t .
I assume that the vast majority of Blacks , like the vast majority of Whites , figure that Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the extent they focused on the presidential election at all , have moved on to other concerns .
Meanwhile , in a story that appears next to one about alleged Black outrage , the Post sniffs that “ most in GOP greet crisis with customary response : silence.
” What “ crisis ” is the Post talking about ?
It ’ s President Trump ’ s “ effort to overturn election results in states that he lost.
” What evidence is there that Trump is trying to overturn election results , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine what the results , fairly tabulated , are ?
The Post refers only to an invitation by Trump to Michigan GOP legislative leaders which the Post says is part of an attempt to block the state from certifying the Michigan results .
Is this a crisis ?
Of course not .
It ’ s just a meeting .
Do Republican elected officials have any obligation to opine about the meeting or related developments ?
I don ’ t think so .
The Post ambushed Sen. Josh Hawley to question him about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t aware that such a meeting was going to take place .
I wasn ’ t either .
After being informed about the meeting , Hawley said : That ’ s a reasonable response , not just for a Republican Senator , but for any normal person .
Only Washington Post reporters , their fellow anti-Trumpers and pro-Democrat activists , and professors of African-American studies have anything to be outraged about when it comes to the president ’ s post-election behavior , so far .

The Washington Post claims that the “Black community” is angry over claims of vote fraud by President Trump and his legal team. It’s true that some of the claims of fraud center on precincts that are populated almost entirely by Blacks. However, I doubt that many Blacks care about the Trump campaign’s allegations of fraud and I suspect that even fewer are outraged by them.
The Post cites five Blacks who have expressed displeasure. Four of them are activists. The other is a professor of African-American studies. It’s part of their job to be angry, just as it’s part of the job of Washington Post reporters to dig up people who are outraged by supposed racial slights by Donald Trump.
But the reporters provide no evidence that the grievances of the activists and the professor have any resonance in the Black community. It simply expects readers of the Post to assume they do.
I assume they don’t. I assume that the vast majority of Blacks, like the vast majority of Whites, figure that Joe Biden has won the election and, to the extent they focused on the presidential election at all, have moved on to other concerns.
Meanwhile, in a story that appears next to one about alleged Black outrage, the Post sniffs that “most in GOP greet crisis with customary response: silence.” What “crisis” is the Post talking about? It’s President Trump’s “effort to overturn election results in states that he lost.”
What evidence is there that Trump is trying to overturn election results, as opposed simply to litigating in order to determine what the results, fairly tabulated, are? The Post refers only to an invitation by Trump to Michigan GOP legislative leaders which the Post says is part of an attempt to block the state from certifying the Michigan results.
Is this a crisis? Of course not. It’s just a meeting.
Do Republican elected officials have any obligation to opine about the meeting or related developments? I don’t think so.
The Post ambushed Sen. Josh Hawley to question him about the meeting. Hawley said he wasn’t aware that such a meeting was going to take place. I wasn’t either.
After being informed about the meeting, Hawley said:
I don’t have any concerns. I’m obviously not privy to the conversation, but I don’t really have concerns with [Trump] talking about the situation with elected officials.
That’s a reasonable response, not just for a Republican Senator, but for any normal person. Only Washington Post reporters, their fellow anti-Trumpers and pro-Democrat activists, and professors of African-American studies have anything to be outraged about when it comes to the president’s post-election behavior, so far.


powerlineblog--2020-11-22--COVID Hypocrisy Is the Least Of It

COVID Hypocrisy Is the Least Of It

Gavin Newsom ’ s infamous dinner with lobbyists at the French Laundry is the latest example of a political leader who prescribes rules for the rest of us , and then flouts them himself .
We have seen this over and over again , as Karol Markowicz reminds us ( via InstaPundit . )
She cites many examples of our supposed betters who hector us to wear masks , social distance , close down our businesses , avoid restaurants , associate with no one outside our immediate families , and so on , but who wouldn ’ t dream of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Is this hypocritical ?
Of course .
But that isn ’ t the most important point .
The real significance of politicians flouting their own rules is that it shows they know those rules are unnecessary or useless .
Take the case of Governor Newsom ’ s ritzy dinner .
Newsom ’ s guests included the CEO of the California Medical Association , as well as that group ’ s senior vice president and head lobbyist .
If these people–privy to all the latest scientific information !
–actually believed that COVID is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health , and wearing masks indoors while social distancing and associating only with one ’ s immediate family would protect them from contracting it , you can be sure they would not have joined in the scofflaw dinner at the French Laundry .
Not to protect you , but to protect themselves .
But they obviously don ’ t believe those things .
Actions speak louder than words .
The fact that our political leaders and other members of the alleged elite consistently flout the rules they lay down for the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are bullshit .
And if those rules don ’ t protect them , they don ’ t protect us either .
That is the real point , more than the hypocrisy that is so obvious .
Which reminds me of an excellent book by Peter Schweizer , Do As I Say , Not As I do .
It is an entertaining book , as Schweizer goes down a roll call of prominent liberals and shows how every one , in his or her own life , betrays liberal principles .
But Peter emphasizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t the real point .
Rather , the key lesson is that liberal political and cultural leaders actually understand that it is conservative principles , not liberal ones , that work .
Therefore , they lead their own lives according to conservative principles , while enjoining the rest of us to be liberal .
COVID is only one of many instances where liberals ’ actions speak much louder than their words .

Gavin Newsom’s infamous dinner with lobbyists at the French Laundry is the latest example of a political leader who prescribes rules for the rest of us, and then flouts them himself. We have seen this over and over again, as Karol Markowicz reminds us (via InstaPundit.) She cites many examples of our supposed betters who hector us to wear masks, social distance, close down our businesses, avoid restaurants, associate with no one outside our immediate families, and so on, but who wouldn’t dream of limiting their own lives in such fashion.
Is this hypocritical? Of course. But that isn’t the most important point. The real significance of politicians flouting their own rules is that it shows they know those rules are unnecessary or useless. Take the case of Governor Newsom’s ritzy dinner. Newsom’s guests included the CEO of the California Medical Association, as well as that group’s senior vice president and head lobbyist. If these people–privy to all the latest scientific information!–actually believed that COVID is a deadly disease for people in normal health, and wearing masks indoors while social distancing and associating only with one’s immediate family would protect them from contracting it, you can be sure they would not have joined in the scofflaw dinner at the French Laundry. Not to protect you, but to protect themselves.
But they obviously don’t believe those things. Actions speak louder than words. The fact that our political leaders and other members of the alleged elite consistently flout the rules they lay down for the rest of us shows that they know those rules are bullshit. And if those rules don’t protect them, they don’t protect us either. That is the real point, more than the hypocrisy that is so obvious.
Which reminds me of an excellent book by Peter Schweizer, Do As I Say, Not As I do. It is an entertaining book, as Schweizer goes down a roll call of prominent liberals and shows how every one, in his or her own life, betrays liberal principles. But Peter emphasizes that hypocrisy, while obviously present, isn’t the real point. Rather, the key lesson is that liberal political and cultural leaders actually understand that it is conservative principles, not liberal ones, that work. Therefore, they lead their own lives according to conservative principles, while enjoining the rest of us to be liberal. COVID is only one of many instances where liberals’ actions speak much louder than their words.


Shutdown Blues [Updated]

Today the latest shutdown order by Governor Tim Walz took effect in Minnesota .
COVID cases have been rising across the Upper Midwest , so our “ emergency ” continues .
This time , the shutdown applies to restaurants , bars , gyms and youth sports .
Of course , that COVID cases are rising is no mystery , even apart from the fact that vastly expanded testing naturally generates more cases .
COVID is a seasonal flu bug .
When it declined during the Summer in Northern states , it wasn ’ t because shutdowns and mask mandates were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got hot .
It was entirely predictable that the disease , like any seasonal flu , would come back strongly when the weather got colder , and it has .
Minnesota ’ s current shutdown is to last 30 days , but it almost certain to stay in effect well beyond next month , likely until a combination of warm weather and a vaccine brings about a steep reduction in COVID infections .
The current shutdown has several noteworthy features .
First is the fact that it does not apply to retail establishments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that small businesses must close down while big businesses ( Target , Costco , Walmart , Home Depot , Total Wine ) remained open .
As a result , thousands of small businesses were devastated , and many went bankrupt .
The Walz administration has now stated that retail establishments are not a source of COVID spread .
So , sorry about that , small businesspeople .
And one wonders : what was the scientific basis for the retail shutdown last Spring ?
Obviously , there wasn ’ t one .
Second , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current restaurant and bar shutdown , either .
My colleague John Phelan points out that the Minnesota Department of Health ’ s own numbers indicate that restaurants and bars account for only 1.7 % of the cases diagnosed since June 10 .
In fact , these numbers are largely meaningless since the state admits that the source of something like 69 % of cases is unknown .
But from any perspective , there is no reason to single out restaurants and bars for closure .
The case is even worse with respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with fewer than 1/2 of 1 % of cases .
On Wednesday , the founder of LifeTime Fitness , the largest chain of fitness centers in this area , sent an email to members objecting to the contemplated closure of gyms .
He pointed out the infinitesimal number of COVID infections that have been traced to gyms , and argued : He also urged LifeTime ’ s many thousands of members to contact the governor and other officials to protest the gym closure order .
This was the context in which , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ It ’ s not about numbers .
It ’ s not about data .
It ’ s about neighborliness.
” That must be one of the stupidest utterances by any public official in history .
But it ’ s nice to know that data have nothing to do with Minnesota ’ s draconian shutdown orders .
Third , it is noteworthy that Indian-owned gambling casinos are not being closed down : I can ’ t imagine on what basis gambling casinos can be distinguished from bars and restaurants .
Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can .
The Indian tribes are among the largest donors to the DFL party .
[ See Update below . ]
Fourth , high school and youth sports are also being shut down .
This actually isn ’ t surprising , since the schools are pretty much all closed down already , and you can ’ t play football or basketball via Zoom .
But the manner in which America ’ s youth are being sacrificed , as the least efficient possible method of protecting elderly people in nursing homes , isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sin .
Once again , this has nothing to do with “ science.
” See , for example , the recent Swedish study that found “ that closing schools does practically nothing to save lives or stop the spread of Covid.
” Rather , it has much to do with the political power of the teachers ’ unions .
One wonders when citizens will rise up in rebellion against the proto-fascist regimes of self-appointed dictators like Tim Walz , particularly now that they have abandoned any pretense of empirical or scientific support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our freedoms .
Is there a silver lining ?
I suppose it could be worse .
We could be like Australia , for instance : And here I always thought that Australians were freedom-loving people .
Evidently not .
UPDATE : My son , who knows a lot about this topic because of his involvement in professional boxing , points out that Indian casinos are on sovereign land over which the State of Minnesota lacks jurisdiction , so that Governor Walz could not have included them in his latest shutdown order .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not the end of the story .
Minnesota ’ s government collaborates with the tribes in many ways , and to my knowledge , there have been no reports of any efforts to persuade the tribes to go along with the supposedly life-saving measures that the state ’ s government has implemented , i.e.
, shutting down restaurants and bars .
Further , the Walz administration has never been a respecter of jurisdictional boundaries .
Thus , it has complained endlessly about the Sturgis , South Dakota , motorcycle rally , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Sturgis rally is responsible for the failure of the Walz administration ’ s anti-COVID measures .
If the Sturgis rally , 400 miles from Minnesota , could frustrate the governor ’ s schemes , so could the Indian casinos , which are located just outside the Twin Cities metro area and are open 365 days a year , not for just a few days like the Sturgis rally .
But you will not hear a single word from the governor , urging Minnesotans to stay away from these popular , non-compliant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
I don ’ t think that fact is coincidental .

Today the latest shutdown order by Governor Tim Walz took effect in Minnesota. COVID cases have been rising across the Upper Midwest, so our “emergency” continues. This time, the shutdown applies to restaurants, bars, gyms and youth sports.
Of course, that COVID cases are rising is no mystery, even apart from the fact that vastly expanded testing naturally generates more cases. COVID is a seasonal flu bug. When it declined during the Summer in Northern states, it wasn’t because shutdowns and mask mandates were working. It was because the weather got hot. It was entirely predictable that the disease, like any seasonal flu, would come back strongly when the weather got colder, and it has. Minnesota’s current shutdown is to last 30 days, but it almost certain to stay in effect well beyond next month, likely until a combination of warm weather and a vaccine brings about a steep reduction in COVID infections.
The current shutdown has several noteworthy features. First is the fact that it does not apply to retail establishments. Last Spring, Governor Walz decreed that small businesses must close down while big businesses (Target, Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, Total Wine) remained open. As a result, thousands of small businesses were devastated, and many went bankrupt. The Walz administration has now stated that retail establishments are not a source of COVID spread. So, sorry about that, small businesspeople. And one wonders: what was the scientific basis for the retail shutdown last Spring? Obviously, there wasn’t one.
Second, there is no significant empirical basis for the current restaurant and bar shutdown, either. My colleague John Phelan points out that the Minnesota Department of Health’s own numbers indicate that restaurants and bars account for only 1.7% of the cases diagnosed since June 10.
In fact, these numbers are largely meaningless since the state admits that the source of something like 69% of cases is unknown. But from any perspective, there is no reason to single out restaurants and bars for closure.
The case is even worse with respect to gyms, which have been associated with fewer than 1/2 of 1% of cases. On Wednesday, the founder of LifeTime Fitness, the largest chain of fitness centers in this area, sent an email to members objecting to the contemplated closure of gyms. He pointed out the infinitesimal number of COVID infections that have been traced to gyms, and argued:
Health clubs are NOT the problem, THEY ARE THE SOLUTION to maintaining public health. They are, in fact, the safest environments people may visit as compared with other forms of retail, entertainment, or any other place, at this time.
He also urged LifeTime’s many thousands of members to contact the governor and other officials to protest the gym closure order.
This was the context in which, as Scott noted earlier today, Governor Walz said, “It’s not about numbers. It’s not about data. It’s about neighborliness.” That must be one of the stupidest utterances by any public official in history. But it’s nice to know that data have nothing to do with Minnesota’s draconian shutdown orders.
Third, it is noteworthy that Indian-owned gambling casinos are not being closed down:
I can’t imagine on what basis gambling casinos can be distinguished from bars and restaurants. Well, no, on second thought I can. The Indian tribes are among the largest donors to the DFL party. [See Update below.]
Fourth, high school and youth sports are also being shut down. This actually isn’t surprising, since the schools are pretty much all closed down already, and you can’t play football or basketball via Zoom. But the manner in which America’s youth are being sacrificed, as the least efficient possible method of protecting elderly people in nursing homes, isn’t just a scandal, it is a sin. Once again, this has nothing to do with “science.” See, for example, the recent Swedish study that found “that closing schools does practically nothing to save lives or stop the spread of Covid.” Rather, it has much to do with the political power of the teachers’ unions.
One wonders when citizens will rise up in rebellion against the proto-fascist regimes of self-appointed dictators like Tim Walz, particularly now that they have abandoned any pretense of empirical or scientific support for their arbitrary and capricious infringements on our freedoms.
Is there a silver lining? I suppose it could be worse. We could be like Australia, for instance:
And here I always thought that Australians were freedom-loving people. Evidently not.
UPDATE: My son, who knows a lot about this topic because of his involvement in professional boxing, points out that Indian casinos are on sovereign land over which the State of Minnesota lacks jurisdiction, so that Governor Walz could not have included them in his latest shutdown order. That is an excellent point.
But it is not the end of the story. Minnesota’s government collaborates with the tribes in many ways, and to my knowledge, there have been no reports of any efforts to persuade the tribes to go along with the supposedly life-saving measures that the state’s government has implemented, i.e., shutting down restaurants and bars.
Further, the Walz administration has never been a respecter of jurisdictional boundaries. Thus, it has complained endlessly about the Sturgis, South Dakota, motorcycle rally, and has gone so far as to imply that the Sturgis rally is responsible for the failure of the Walz administration’s anti-COVID measures. If the Sturgis rally, 400 miles from Minnesota, could frustrate the governor’s schemes, so could the Indian casinos, which are located just outside the Twin Cities metro area and are open 365 days a year, not for just a few days like the Sturgis rally. But you will not hear a single word from the governor, urging Minnesotans to stay away from these popular, non-compliant venues, located just a few miles away. I don’t think that fact is coincidental.


powerlineblog--2020-11-22--Fighting Words, by David Horowitz

Fighting Words, by David Horowitz

Our friend David Horowitz wrote this essay , which he titled “ Fighting Words.
” It is a call for freedom-loving Americans to fight back against the totalitarian Left .
By now it should be obvious – even to conservatives – that we are in a war .
It is a conflict that began nearly fifty years ago when the street revolutionaries of the Sixties joined the Democrat Party .
Their immediate goal was to help the Communist enemy win the war in Vietnam , but they stayed to expand their influence in the Democrat Party and create the radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war that today ’ s Democrats are engaged in reflects the values and methods of those radicals .
It is a war against us – against individual freedom , against America ’ s constitutional order , and against the capitalist engine of our prosperity .
Democrat radicals know what they want and where they are going .
As a result , they are tactically and organizationally years ahead of patriotic Americans who are only beginning to realize they are in a war .
The Democrats ’ plan to steal the 2020 election was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their first attacks on Voter I.D.s , and then every effort to secure the integrity of the electoral system .
Those attacks metastasized into an all-out assault on Election Day itself with early- and late-voting grace periods , and a flood of 92 million mail-in ballots , hundreds of thousands of which were delivered in the middle of the night to be counted behind the backs of Republican observers after Election Day had passed .
The result of these efforts is that Election Day no longer really exists as a day when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a fact that offers generous opportunities for the election saboteurs to do their work .
Those saboteurs ’ opportunities were greatly enhanced this year with the installation in battle ground states of voting machines specifically designed to calculate how many votes were required to steal an election and then to switch ballots already cast and deliver them to the chosen party .
Mail-in ballots were indispensable to the realization of this plan .
I will not dwell at length on the years it took the Republican Party , and American patriots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become or the threat it posed to our country as an enemy within .
Suffice it to say that Republicans can still be heard referring to Democrats as “ liberals ” when it is obvious even to them that there is nothing liberal about their principles or methods .
They are vindictive bigots who are actively destroying the First Amendment in our universities , on the Internet and in our once but no longer free press .
Suffice it to note that while Democrats accuse Republicans including the President of being racists and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is this : “ Oh , the Democrats are just playing politics.
” This is not “ playing ” people .
It is war .
They are trying to kill us politically , and we need to respond accordingly , to fight fire with fire .
Today ’ s Democrat Party is a party of character assassins and racists .
Republicans know this but are reluctant to say it .
That is how a pathological liar and corrupt political whore like Joe Biden can accuse the choice of 73 million Americans of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corona virus patients .
That ’ s why Biden and his gunslingers can do so with no consequences – without so much as a wrist slap – from “ moderates ” and independents , who know better .
The Democrats ’ ability to intimidate well-meaning Americans is that great .
Is this too blanket a condemnation ?
Where , then , is the Democrat who was outraged by the four-year Russia collusion hoax and the failed coup and impeachment attempts – all of which accused the president , without a shred of evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat who dissented from the public lynching of an exemplary public servant , Justice Brett Kavanaugh , over an incident that never happened 37 years ago at a time when he was a high school kid ?
Where is the Democrat who has condemned the violent street criminals of Antifa and Black Lives Matter who got away with conducting the most destructive civic insurrection in American history , orchestrating mayhem and disrespect for the law that led to the murders of scores of people who happen to have been mainly black ?
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political war that has engulfed us .
When it is used by enough Americans who love their country , it will cancel the surreal universe that Democrats ’ lies have imposed on us , and the war will be on its way to being won .
Democrats are not democrats ; they are totalitarians .
They have declared war on the First Amendment , the Second Amendment , the Electoral College , the Senate , the Supreme Court , the election system , and the idea of civil order .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States to be de-platformed and jailed .
Their obvious goal is a one-party state that criminalizes dissent .
To them , support for such basic necessities as borders and law enforcement are racist .
If you oppose their efforts to legalize infanticide , they will condemn you as enemies of women , and if you make videos of their confessions to selling body parts of murdered infants , they will – like Kamala Harris – throw you in jail .
Progressives are not progressive ; they are reactionaries .
They are out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a status hierarchy where race , gender , and sexual orientation define and confine you to an unalterable place in their new social order .
If you are white or male or heterosexual or religious – Justice Kavanaugh was all four – you are guilty before the fact .
But if you are a member of a designated ( but increasingly imaginary ) “ victim ” group you are innocent even when the facts show you are guilty – like the reprehensible female who lied to Congress in a calculated attempt to destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you are a member of a “ victim ” group you have an unlimited license to persecute others .
Thus , the LGBTQ lobby is currently behind a nation-wide crusade to strip Christians of their First Amendment rights and criminalize their religion .
They use their victim status to leverage their hate of people who don ’ t embrace their agendas , and deploy it to crush them – and only Republicans seem to care .
Identity politics is a pure form of racism , yet Trump is the only Republican I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political spine to call a Democrat a racist .
Identity “ wokism ” is a totalitarian politics because it encompasses every aspect of life , down to the pronouns one is ordered to use .
The progressive police state will leave no space free .
Racists and aspiring totalitarians are what Democrats have become .
The only moral principle they are guided by is the old Bolshevik saw , “ the ends justify the means.
” They will say anything however false and condone anything , however criminal , which advances their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the principal weapon wielded by Democrats , this is most evident in their claim that there is “ systemic racism ” in America , which needs to be rooted out even if it means destroying the very foundations of law and order .
When two Republican canvassers refused to certify the election result in Detroit – a city once the richest in America but now mainly black and poor thanks to fifty-nine years of misrule by Democrats – they were accused of “ systemic racism.
” This charge and the accompanying threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two withdrew their objections .
But if there was in fact election fraud in Detroit , to object to it is not by any stretch of the imagination “ systemic racism.
” To believe otherwise is to believe that black people , due to their skin color , are incapable of committing election fraud .
How racist is that ?
“ Systemic racism ” is an assertion made reflexively by Democrats that is never accompanied by evidence .
For good reason .
Systemic racism has been outlawed in America since the Civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were actual instances of systemic racism in 2020 , there would be lawsuits – plenty of them .
Even making the racist assumption , which the Identity Politics crowd does make , that all white people are white supremacists by dint of their skin color , there are tens of thousands of black lawyers , prosecutors , district attorneys , attorneys general , and elected officials who would be filing lawsuits over a practice that is illegal .
You never hear of massive lawsuits over systemic racism , because “ systemic racism ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it is an indispensable weapon wielded by Democrats to advance their anti-democratic agendas and quests for power .
But the only reason Democrats are able to do this so successfully – even going so far as to justify the arson , looting and general destruction in more than 600 American cities this summer – is because Republicans , and conservatives generally , are too cowardly to confront them .
This war will continue until patriotic Americans summon the courage to call Democrats the racists , liars , character assassins and aspiring totalitarians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so in so many words .
Blowback works .
David has a new book coming out from Regnery next April titled The Enemy Within : How A Totalitarian Movement is Destroying America .

Our friend David Horowitz wrote this essay, which he titled “Fighting Words.” It is a call for freedom-loving Americans to fight back against the totalitarian Left.
By now it should be obvious – even to conservatives – that we are in a war. It is a conflict that began nearly fifty years ago when the street revolutionaries of the Sixties joined the Democrat Party. Their immediate goal was to help the Communist enemy win the war in Vietnam, but they stayed to expand their influence in the Democrat Party and create the radical force that confronts us today. The war that today’s Democrats are engaged in reflects the values and methods of those radicals. It is a war against us – against individual freedom, against America’s constitutional order, and against the capitalist engine of our prosperity.
Democrat radicals know what they want and where they are going. As a result, they are tactically and organizationally years ahead of patriotic Americans who are only beginning to realize they are in a war. The Democrats’ plan to steal the 2020 election was hatched many years ago when Democrats launched their first attacks on Voter I.D.s, and then every effort to secure the integrity of the electoral system. Those attacks metastasized into an all-out assault on Election Day itself with early- and late-voting grace periods, and a flood of 92 million mail-in ballots, hundreds of thousands of which were delivered in the middle of the night to be counted behind the backs of Republican observers after Election Day had passed.
The result of these efforts is that Election Day no longer really exists as a day when the votes are cast and counted. This is a fact that offers generous opportunities for the election saboteurs to do their work. Those saboteurs’ opportunities were greatly enhanced this year with the installation in battle ground states of voting machines specifically designed to calculate how many votes were required to steal an election and then to switch ballots already cast and deliver them to the chosen party. Mail-in ballots were indispensable to the realization of this plan.
I will not dwell at length on the years it took the Republican Party, and American patriots, to recognize what the Democrat Party had become or the threat it posed to our country as an enemy within. Suffice it to say that Republicans can still be heard referring to Democrats as “liberals” when it is obvious even to them that there is nothing liberal about their principles or methods. They are vindictive bigots who are actively destroying the First Amendment in our universities, on the Internet and in our once but no longer free press. Suffice it to note that while Democrats accuse Republicans including the President of being racists and traitors, the response of Republican leaders is this: “Oh, the Democrats are just playing politics.”
This is not “playing” people. It is war. They are trying to kill us politically, and we need to respond accordingly, to fight fire with fire. Today’s Democrat Party is a party of character assassins and racists. Republicans know this but are reluctant to say it. That is how a pathological liar and corrupt political whore like Joe Biden can accuse the choice of 73 million Americans of being a white supremacist and also murdering 220,000 corona virus patients. That’s why Biden and his gunslingers can do so with no consequences – without so much as a wrist slap – from “moderates” and independents, who know better. The Democrats’ ability to intimidate well-meaning Americans is that great.
Is this too blanket a condemnation? Where, then, is the Democrat who was outraged by the four-year Russia collusion hoax and the failed coup and impeachment attempts – all of which accused the president, without a shred of evidence, of treason? Where was the Democrat who dissented from the public lynching of an exemplary public servant, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, over an incident that never happened 37 years ago at a time when he was a high school kid? Where is the Democrat who has condemned the violent street criminals of Antifa and Black Lives Matter who got away with conducting the most destructive civic insurrection in American history, orchestrating mayhem and disrespect for the law that led to the murders of scores of people who happen to have been mainly black?
What follows is a basic vocabulary for understanding the political war that has engulfed us. When it is used by enough Americans who love their country, it will cancel the surreal universe that Democrats’ lies have imposed on us, and the war will be on its way to being won.
Democrats are not democrats; they are totalitarians. They have declared war on the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, the Electoral College, the Senate, the Supreme Court, the election system, and the idea of civil order. They have called for the Republican President of the United States to be de-platformed and jailed. Their obvious goal is a one-party state that criminalizes dissent. To them, support for such basic necessities as borders and law enforcement are racist. If you oppose their efforts to legalize infanticide, they will condemn you as enemies of women, and if you make videos of their confessions to selling body parts of murdered infants, they will – like Kamala Harris – throw you in jail.
Progressives are not progressive; they are reactionaries. They are out to abolish liberal value systems and create a status hierarchy where race, gender, and sexual orientation define and confine you to an unalterable place in their new social order. If you are white or male or heterosexual or religious – Justice Kavanaugh was all four – you are guilty before the fact.
But if you are a member of a designated (but increasingly imaginary) “victim” group you are innocent even when the facts show you are guilty – like the reprehensible female who lied to Congress in a calculated attempt to destroy Kavanaugh’s life and career. If you are a member of a “victim” group you have an unlimited license to persecute others. Thus, the LGBTQ lobby is currently behind a nation-wide crusade to strip Christians of their First Amendment rights and criminalize their religion. They use their victim status to leverage their hate of people who don’t embrace their agendas, and deploy it to crush them – and only Republicans seem to care.
Identity politics is a pure form of racism, yet Trump is the only Republican I’m aware of who has had the political spine to call a Democrat a racist. Identity “wokism” is a totalitarian politics because it encompasses every aspect of life, down to the pronouns one is ordered to use. The progressive police state will leave no space free.
Racists and aspiring totalitarians are what Democrats have become. The only moral principle they are guided by is the old Bolshevik saw, “the ends justify the means.” They will say anything however false and condone anything, however criminal, which advances their goal of maximum power.
Since race is the principal weapon wielded by Democrats, this is most evident in their claim that there is “systemic racism” in America, which needs to be rooted out even if it means destroying the very foundations of law and order. When two Republican canvassers refused to certify the election result in Detroit – a city once the richest in America but now mainly black and poor thanks to fifty-nine years of misrule by Democrats – they were accused of “systemic racism.” This charge and the accompanying threats by the Democrat mob were so intimidating the two withdrew their objections. But if there was in fact election fraud in Detroit, to object to it is not by any stretch of the imagination “systemic racism.” To believe otherwise is to believe that black people, due to their skin color, are incapable of committing election fraud. How racist is that?
“Systemic racism” is an assertion made reflexively by Democrats that is never accompanied by evidence. For good reason. Systemic racism has been outlawed in America since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If there were actual instances of systemic racism in 2020, there would be lawsuits – plenty of them. Even making the racist assumption, which the Identity Politics crowd does make, that all white people are white supremacists by dint of their skin color, there are tens of thousands of black lawyers, prosecutors, district attorneys, attorneys general, and elected officials who would be filing lawsuits over a practice that is illegal. You never hear of massive lawsuits over systemic racism, because “systemic racism” is a myth. The myth lives because it is an indispensable weapon wielded by Democrats to advance their anti-democratic agendas and quests for power.
But the only reason Democrats are able to do this so successfully – even going so far as to justify the arson, looting and general destruction in more than 600 American cities this summer – is because Republicans, and conservatives generally, are too cowardly to confront them. This war will continue until patriotic Americans summon the courage to call Democrats the racists, liars, character assassins and aspiring totalitarians that they actually are. And to do so in so many words. Blowback works.
David has a new book coming out from Regnery next April titled The Enemy Within: How A Totalitarian Movement is Destroying America.


powerlineblog--2020-11-22--The Left’s Class War on the Working Class

The left is all about class warfare , but you ’ d be mistaken if you think the class they want to make war on is the upper class .
Quite the contrary : the left is the upper class now , and their longtime critique of “ neoliberalism ” as a mechanism to transfer wealth from the poor to the rich is ironically accurate , as that is exactly what the left intends to do .
Two pieces of evidence to consider .
First , note this piece from the Brookings Institution ( the lead author Mark Muro is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about how the small minority of counties Joe Biden won represent 70 percent of the nation ’ s economic output , while the majority of counties Trump won only account for 30 percent of our economic output .
Specifically : You know what ’ s coming next : a reprise of the “ What ’ s the Matter with Kansas ?
” argument , i.e.
, why do these lower-income working class rubes vote against their economic self-interest ( in other words , for Republicans ) and not vote for us since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
( And as I ’ ve said many times before , it is telling that the converse argument is never made : “ What ’ s the Matter with the Upper West Side ?
” that leads high-income people to vote for Democrats rather that Republicans who will hold their taxes down .
The left ’ s economic interest argument seems to run in only one direction . )
Once upon a time liberal Democrats stood for adopting policies to help the Americans who live and work in those 2,497 counties who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal regions .
Today the left has the opposite disposition .
Their policy priorities these days aim to increase their power and their wealth at the expense of the working class .
Want proof ?
Consider this second piece of evidence : What ’ s the trendy left idea right now that the Biden Administration is thinking about ?
Forgiving student loan debt .
And will this help the working class and lower middle class ?
This Urban Institute chart , based on 2016 data , provides the answer : In other words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student loan debt will benefit upper income households the most—a nice wealth transfer from the working and lower middle classes to the affluent .
By contrast , the left likes to moan on and on about stagnant household income .
Except guess what mom : the fastest growth in median household income occurred in the last two years under Trump before COVID-19 hit .
And key to it was likely the tax cut package and deregulations of 2017 .
There is a lot of serious economic evidence that workers bear between 50 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income taxes , so we shouldn ’ t be surprised to see income growth after tax reform .
No wonder we see such working class devotion to Trump , and a historically high number of people saying they are better off than they were four years ago ( including especially hispanics ) .
Naturally Democrats want to reverse this .
Chaser—quick , who said this : “ I think it is fair to say that in many ways the Democratic Party has become a party of the coastal elites , folks who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are good people , who believe in social justice in many respects .
But I think for many , many years the Democratic Party has not paid the kind of attention to working-class needs that they should ’ ve.
” The U.S. government stands to lose more than $ 400 billion from the federal student loan program , an internal analysis shows , approaching the size of losses incurred by banks during the subprime-mortgage crisis .
The Education Department , with the help of two private consultants , looked at $ 1.37 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government at the start of the year .
Their conclusion : Borrowers will pay back $ 935 billion in principal and interest .
That would leave taxpayers on the hook for $ 435 billion , according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal .
Our government geniuses at work .
Oh goody .

The left is all about class warfare, but you’d be mistaken if you think the class they want to make war on is the upper class. Quite the contrary: the left is the upper class now, and their longtime critique of “neoliberalism” as a mechanism to transfer wealth from the poor to the rich is ironically accurate, as that is exactly what the left intends to do.
Two pieces of evidence to consider. First, note this piece from the Brookings Institution (the lead author Mark Muro is an acquaintance from my Washington days), about how the small minority of counties Joe Biden won represent 70 percent of the nation’s economic output, while the majority of counties Trump won only account for 30 percent of our economic output. Specifically:
Biden’s winning base in 477 counties encompasses fully 70% of America’s economic activity, while Trump’s losing base of 2,497 counties represents just 29% of the economy. . . Biden’s counties tended to be far more diverse, educated, and white-collar professional, with their aggregate nonwhite and college-educated shares of the economy running to 35% and 36%, respectively, compared to 16% and 25% in counties that voted for Trump.
You know what’s coming next: a reprise of the “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” argument, i.e., why do these lower-income working class rubes vote against their economic self-interest (in other words, for Republicans) and not vote for us since we’re obviously such better people? (And as I’ve said many times before, it is telling that the converse argument is never made: “What’s the Matter with the Upper West Side?” that leads high-income people to vote for Democrats rather that Republicans who will hold their taxes down. The left’s economic interest argument seems to run in only one direction.)
Once upon a time liberal Democrats stood for adopting policies to help the Americans who live and work in those 2,497 counties who aren’t as prosperous as the coastal regions. Today the left has the opposite disposition. Their policy priorities these days aim to increase their power and their wealth at the expense of the working class. Want proof? Consider this second piece of evidence: What’s the trendy left idea right now that the Biden Administration is thinking about? Forgiving student loan debt. And will this help the working class and lower middle class?
This Urban Institute chart, based on 2016 data, provides the answer:
In other words, forgiving the first $50,000 in student loan debt will benefit upper income households the most—a nice wealth transfer from the working and lower middle classes to the affluent.
By contrast, the left likes to moan on and on about stagnant household income. Except guess what mom: the fastest growth in median household income occurred in the last two years under Trump before COVID-19 hit. And key to it was likely the tax cut package and deregulations of 2017.
Indeed, median household incomes increased from $64,300 to $68,700 in 2018 alone—an increase of $4,400. To put it another way, US incomes increased more in 2018 than the previous 20 years combined. (Household incomes were $61,100 in 1998 and $64,300 at the end of 2017.) [These figures are adjusted for inflation.]
There is a lot of serious economic evidence that workers bear between 50 and 100 percent of the brunt of corporate income taxes, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see income growth after tax reform. No wonder we see such working class devotion to Trump, and a historically high number of people saying they are better off than they were four years ago (including especially hispanics). Naturally Democrats want to reverse this.
Chaser—quick, who said this:
“I think it is fair to say that in many ways the Democratic Party has become a party of the coastal elites, folks who have a lot of money, upper-middle-class people who are good people, who believe in social justice in many respects. But I think for many, many years the Democratic Party has not paid the kind of attention to working-class needs that they should’ve.”
Answer: Bernie Sanders, in late October.
Chaser #2, from the Wall Street Journal yesterday:
The U.S. government stands to lose more than $400 billion from the federal student loan program, an internal analysis shows, approaching the size of losses incurred by banks during the subprime-mortgage crisis. The Education Department, with the help of two private consultants, looked at $1.37 trillion in student loans held by the government at the start of the year. Their conclusion: Borrowers will pay back $935 billion in principal and interest. That would leave taxpayers on the hook for $435 billion, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Our government geniuses at work. Oh goody.


Our garbage media

“ Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time.
” Winston Churchill “ Proclaim Liberty throughout @ @ @ @ @ the Inhabitants Thereof.
” Inscription on the Liberty Bell

“Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time.” Winston Churchill
“Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.” Inscription on the Liberty Bell


Our insane shutdowns

COVID-19 appears to move with a mind of its own and to strike the elderly , the infirm , and especially the infirm elderly with particular harshness .
The shutdowns undertaken by Minnesota and other state governments constitute acts of willful destruction on a monumental scale .
On this point , see John Tierney ’ s City Journal column “ Lockdown addicts.
” Tierney writes , for example : Instead of reconsidering their policies , local officials are restricting more businesses and closing more schools , as New York City has just done .
Journalists continue treating Covid deaths as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignoring the mounting medical and social toll from lockdowns .
Promising more restrictions , Biden has created an advisory board comprised of individuals who favor stricter lockdowns and foresee restrictions continuing until late next year , even if a Covid vaccine is quickly approved .
Biden and other leaders claim to be following “ the science , ” but that obviously doesn ’ t include the research showing the high costs and low benefits of lockdowns and school closures .
Closing schools was a dubious move in the spring , when the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would likely do little to stem the pandemic ( and noted that school closings in other countries had failed to make a discernible impact ) .
Today it makes even less sense in light of the accumulated evidence .
Tierney draws on several threads with a Minnesota connection to make his argument .
He calls attention to the highly political University of Minnesota epidemiologist Michael Osterholm , now moving on from the Walz to the Biden COVID kitchen cabinet .
Tierney sinks Ostherholm along with Andrew Cuomo in his concluding paragraph : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Cuomo for praise , calling the state “ a model for the rest of the United States.
” This seemed rather bizarre , given that the Covid mortality rate in New York is the nation ’ s second-highest ( exceeded only by New Jersey ’ s ) , and that infections peaked before Cuomo ordered a lockdown in March .
Cuomo also famously justified the lockdown by declaring , “ If everything we do saves just one life , I ’ ll be happy.
” This just-one-life rationale has traditionally been considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is supposed to be based on rational consideration of the common good .
Now it apparently constitutes “ the science ” guiding the next president .

COVID-19 appears to move with a mind of its own and to strike the elderly, the infirm, and especially the infirm elderly with particular harshness. The shutdowns undertaken by Minnesota and other state governments constitute acts of willful destruction on a monumental scale. On this point, see John Tierney’s City Journal column “Lockdown addicts.” Tierney writes, for example:
Instead of reconsidering their policies, local officials are restricting more businesses and closing more schools, as New York City has just done. Journalists continue treating Covid deaths as the only ones that matter, while ignoring the mounting medical and social toll from lockdowns. Promising more restrictions, Biden has created an advisory board comprised of individuals who favor stricter lockdowns and foresee restrictions continuing until late next year, even if a Covid vaccine is quickly approved. Biden and other leaders claim to be following “the science,” but that obviously doesn’t include the research showing the high costs and low benefits of lockdowns and school closures. Closing schools was a dubious move in the spring, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that it would likely do little to stem the pandemic (and noted that school closings in other countries had failed to make a discernible impact). Today it makes even less sense in light of the accumulated evidence.
Tierney draws on several threads with a Minnesota connection to make his argument. He calls attention to the highly political University of Minnesota epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, now moving on from the Walz to the Biden COVID kitchen cabinet. Tierney sinks Ostherholm along with Andrew Cuomo in his concluding paragraph:
Osterholm also singled out New York governor Andrew Cuomo for praise, calling the state “a model for the rest of the United States.” This seemed rather bizarre, given that the Covid mortality rate in New York is the nation’s second-highest (exceeded only by New Jersey’s), and that infections peaked before Cuomo ordered a lockdown in March. Cuomo also famously justified the lockdown by declaring, “If everything we do saves just one life, I’ll be happy.” This just-one-life rationale has traditionally been considered a prime fallacy in making public policy, which is supposed to be based on rational consideration of the common good. Now it apparently constitutes “the science” guiding the next president.
It’s a sad situation.


powerlineblog--2020-11-23--Begin and Biden, compare and contrast

Begin and Biden, compare and contrast

Last month , in a guest post for Power Line , Stephen Silbiger wrote about a 1982 confrontation between Joe Biden and Menachem Begin , Israel ’ s prime minister at the time .
When Biden threatened to cut off aid to Israel , Begin looked directly at the young Senator and responded , in part : Tevi Troy described this encounter last week in a column for the Wall Street Journal .
The main point of Tevi ’ s column was to compare and contrast Begin and Biden .
The two are similar only in the sense that both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimate political power .
As Tevi says , Biden first declared himself a candidate for president in 1987 .
Begin spent 29 years trying to become Israel ’ s prime minister before his surprise 1977 election .
Mr. Biden spent his years in waiting ensconced in the establishment , well-liked by Senate colleagues .
As vice president he cemented a reputation for being able to talk and work with the other side .
Begin , by contrast , was despised by the socialist elites who dominated Israeli politics .
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excluded two parties from consideration for coalition agreements : Begin ’ s Herut ( Freedom ) Party and the Communists .
For years Ben-Gurion wouldn ’ t even utter Begin ’ s name in Parliament , referring to him as “ the gentleman sitting to the right of Mr. [ Yohanan ] Bader .
Begin was a fierce fighter and leader in Israel ’ s quest to become a Jewish state .
Biden missed out on the Vietnam War due to an asthma diagnosis .
Following the establishment of the Jewish state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was unyielding in his principles and positions .
Biden is the ultimate politician without conviction .
He has always taken positions as a matter of convenience , based on which way the wind was blowing .
Indeed , Biden has been on both sides of many key issues of our times — e.g , criminal law and policy , the second war with Iraq , abortion , immigration , and gay rights .
No wonder Begin and Biden butted heads the one time they were in the same room .
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s being clearly inferior to Begin ’ s .

Last month, in a guest post for Power Line, Stephen Silbiger wrote about a 1982 confrontation between Joe Biden and Menachem Begin, Israel’s prime minister at the time. When Biden threatened to cut off aid to Israel, Begin looked directly at the young Senator and responded, in part:
Don’t threaten us with cutting off aid to Israel. It will not work. I am not a Jew with trembling knees.
Tevi Troy described this encounter last week in a column for the Wall Street Journal. The main point of Tevi’s column was to compare and contrast Begin and Biden.
The two are similar only in the sense that both spent about three decades waiting to gain ultimate political power. As Tevi says, Biden first declared himself a candidate for president in 1987. Begin spent 29 years trying to become Israel’s prime minister before his surprise 1977 election.
The similarity ends there. Tevi writes:
Mr. Biden spent his years in waiting ensconced in the establishment, well-liked by Senate colleagues. As vice president he cemented a reputation for being able to talk and work with the other side. Begin, by contrast, was despised by the socialist elites who dominated Israeli politics. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father, excluded two parties from consideration for coalition agreements: Begin’s Herut (Freedom) Party and the Communists. For years Ben-Gurion wouldn’t even utter Begin’s name in Parliament, referring to him as “the gentleman sitting to the right of Mr. [Yohanan] Bader.
Begin was a fierce fighter and leader in Israel’s quest to become a Jewish state. Biden missed out on the Vietnam War due to an asthma diagnosis.
Following the establishment of the Jewish state, Begin became the ultimate conviction politician. He was unyielding in his principles and positions.
Biden is the ultimate politician without conviction. He has always taken positions as a matter of convenience, based on which way the wind was blowing. Indeed, Biden has been on both sides of many key issues of our times — e.g, criminal law and policy, the second war with Iraq, abortion, immigration, and gay rights.
No wonder Begin and Biden butted heads the only time, as far as I know, they were in the same room. They were cut from entirely different cloth, Biden’s being clearly inferior to Begin’s.
NOTE: I have modified this post from its original form to reflect that I’m not sure the meeting Silbiger discussed is the only time Begin and Biden were in the same room.


powerlineblog--2020-11-23--A conspiracy less immense

A conspiracy less immense

As John notes in a nearby post , Sidney Powell has been separated from President Trump ’ s legal team @ @ @ @ @ Cheney is one of the first with the story here .
John doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ vagaries of Powell ’ s contributions , such as they were .
Politico ’ s @ @ @ @ @ the first with the story here .
I thought that Powell ’ s “ a @ @ @ @ @ at the big Trump team press conference last week was the limit , but she @ @ @ @ @ the limit again in a Newsmax interview this weekend .
Letting Powell loose doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s team — didn ’ t they check her claims out before they @ @ @ @ @ press conference ?
— or to the Trump fraud cases , but it may be @ @ @ @ @ terms with the reality principle some time soon .

As John notes in a nearby post, Sidney Powell has been separated from President Trump’s legal team. Politico’s Kyle Cheney is one of the first with the story here. John doesn’t do full justice to the vagaries of Powell’s contributions, such as they were. Politico’s Kyle Cheney is one of the first with the story here.
I thought that Powell’s “a conspiracy so immense” performance at the big Trump team press conference last week was the limit, but she may have taken it to the limit again in a Newsmax interview this weekend. Letting Powell loose doesn’t restore any luster to Trump’s team — didn’t they check her claims out before they served her up at the press conference? — or to the Trump fraud cases, but it may be a start on coming to terms with the reality principle some time soon.


powerlineblog--2020-11-23--The war on standards:  Magnet school admissions edition

America ’ s top colleges and universities grant preferential treatment to Blacks applying for admissions .
For example , Black applicants need not perform nearly as well as White and Asian applicants on standardized tests in order to gain admission .
Admissions data from Yale exemplify the preferential treatment .
Thus far , the Supreme Court has found that race-based preferences in college admissions are permissible if granted ( or couched ) in a certain way .
But the Court has never suggested that colleges are required to grant the preferences , i.e .
that not granting them would constitute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the premise of a story about the Loudoun County magnet school program in the Washington Post called ( in the paper edition ) “ Virginia finds racism in elite school admissions.
” It ’ s also the premise of the findings by Virginia .
What is the “ racism ” that “ Virginia ” found in admissions ?
It consists of the fact that Blacks fare worse than Whites and Asians in obtaining admission because they don ’ t perform as well on the tests used to determine admissions .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentional discrimination .
It ’ s not even unintentional discrimination unless , perhaps , the tests in question are an invalid predictor of performance in the elite magnet schools .
The Post cites no evidence that the tests are invalid .
From what appears in the Post ’ s article , the admissions process operates as follows : Eighth grade students interested in attending an elite program take a test of their “ critical thinking ” ability and a test of their ability in STEM .
Those who pass these tests then take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their writing , grades , and teacher recommendations are assessed .
The first round seems like a way of identifying those with the minimum qualifications for the program .
The second round seems like a way of identifying the best candidates from among the minimally qualified .
Apparently , Blacks fare poorly in the process , although the statistics presented by the Post don ’ t establish this because they don ’ t compare Black acceptance rates with acceptance rates for Whites and Asian applicants .
For example , Post reporter Hannah Natanson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tells us that the Black acceptance rate in 2019 was about 7 percent , but she doesn ’ t provide the corresponding numbers for Whites and Asians .
Loudoun County has tried to increase Black representation in its elite magnet school program .
According to the Post it “ altered ” ( fudged , more likely ) its assessment of applicants ’ writing and began taking “ socioeconomic background ” into account .
Yet , in 2020 only about 3 percent of Black applicants made it into the program .
Under pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the office of its “ blackface ” attorney general — Loudoun County is planning to reduce the number of critical thinking tests applicants take .
Whether this will reduce the numerical disparities in those who perform well enough on these tests is unclear .
It probably comes down to whether Blacks perform better in relation to Whites and Asians on the easier test than they do on the more stringent one .
What reducing the number of tests will do , I assume , is increase the raw number of Blacks who aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stellar critical thinking skills .
This , in turn , will increase opportunities to finds ways to admit a higher percentage of Blacks .
Indeed , the NAACP is proposing that Loudoun County offer admission to “ qualifying applicants on a random basis , ” as opposed to offering it to the most qualified applicants .
This may reduce the racial disparities in admissions rates , but it will not eliminate them .
What it will do is ( 1 ) lower the standards and ( 2 ) treat certain White and Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted under the more stringent standards but not under the modified system — unfairly because of their race .
The Attorney General ’ s office also purports to find systematic discrimination by Loudoun County against “ students of color.
” As evidence , according to the Post , the office ’ s report points to one math teacher who , it is alleged , intentionally marked a Black student ’ s correct answers wrong and to one Black student who allegedly was forced to “ reenact being a runaway slave on the underground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these anecdotes are the best evidence of intentional discrimination the Attorney General ’ s office could find during its investigation , the conclusion should be that that systematic discrimination does not exist in Loudoun County ’ s schools — except , perhaps , against Whites and Asians to the extent the County has already tried to manipulate its magnet school admissions program to lower their representation .

America’s top colleges and universities grant preferential treatment to Blacks applying for admissions. For example, Black applicants need not perform nearly as well as White and Asian applicants on standardized tests in order to gain admission. Admissions data from Yale exemplify the preferential treatment.
Thus far, the Supreme Court has found that race-based preferences in college admissions are permissible if granted (or couched) in a certain way. But the Court has never suggested that colleges are required to grant the preferences, i.e. that not granting them would constitute race discrimination.
Yet, this is the premise of a story about the Loudoun County magnet school program in the Washington Post called (in the paper edition) “Virginia finds racism in elite school admissions.” It’s also the premise of the findings by Virginia.
What is the “racism” that “Virginia” found in admissions? It consists of the fact that Blacks fare worse than Whites and Asians in obtaining admission because they don’t perform as well on the tests used to determine admissions.
That’s not racism. It’s not intentional discrimination. It’s not even unintentional discrimination unless, perhaps, the tests in question are an invalid predictor of performance in the elite magnet schools.
The Post cites no evidence that the tests are invalid.
From what appears in the Post’s article, the admissions process operates as follows: Eighth grade students interested in attending an elite program take a test of their “critical thinking” ability and a test of their ability in STEM. Those who pass these tests then take a second critical thinking exam, and their writing, grades, and teacher recommendations are assessed.
The first round seems like a way of identifying those with the minimum qualifications for the program. The second round seems like a way of identifying the best candidates from among the minimally qualified.
Apparently, Blacks fare poorly in the process, although the statistics presented by the Post don’t establish this because they don’t compare Black acceptance rates with acceptance rates for Whites and Asian applicants. For example, Post reporter Hannah Natanson, whose critical thinking skills seem subpar, tells us that the Black acceptance rate in 2019 was about 7 percent, but she doesn’t provide the corresponding numbers for Whites and Asians.
Loudoun County has tried to increase Black representation in its elite magnet school program. According to the Post it “altered” (fudged, more likely) its assessment of applicants’ writing and began taking “socioeconomic background” into account. Yet, in 2020 only about 3 percent of Black applicants made it into the program.
Under pressure from “Virginia” — i.e. the office of its “blackface” attorney general — Loudoun County is planning to reduce the number of critical thinking tests applicants take. Whether this will reduce the numerical disparities in those who perform well enough on these tests is unclear. It probably comes down to whether Blacks perform better in relation to Whites and Asians on the easier test than they do on the more stringent one.
What reducing the number of tests will do, I assume, is increase the raw number of Blacks who aren’t screened out for less than stellar critical thinking skills. This, in turn, will increase opportunities to finds ways to admit a higher percentage of Blacks.
Indeed, the NAACP is proposing that Loudoun County offer admission to “qualifying applicants on a random basis,” as opposed to offering it to the most qualified applicants. This may reduce the racial disparities in admissions rates, but it will not eliminate them.
What it will do is (1) lower the standards and (2) treat certain White and Asian applicants — those who would have been admitted under the more stringent standards but not under the modified system — unfairly because of their race.
The Attorney General’s office also purports to find systematic discrimination by Loudoun County against “students of color.” As evidence, according to the Post, the office’s report points to one math teacher who, it is alleged, intentionally marked a Black student’s correct answers wrong and to one Black student who allegedly was forced to “reenact being a runaway slave on the underground railroad” during a lesson.
If these anecdotes are the best evidence of intentional discrimination the Attorney General’s office could find during its investigation, the conclusion should be that that systematic discrimination does not exist in Loudoun County’s schools — except, perhaps, against Whites and Asians to the extent the County has already tried to manipulate its magnet school admissions program to lower their representation.


powerlineblog--2020-11-23--Trump Team Disowns Powell

Trump Team Disowns Powell

Sidney Powell ’ s claim that the presidential election was stolen using Dominion voting machines has dominated post-election controversy over voter fraud , but the Examiner reports that the Trump campaign is distancing itself from that claim : With Trump-allied insiders distancing themselves from massive and unproven election fraud allegations being made by Sidney Powell , the president ’ s legal team announced on Sunday that the attorney has no direct role in their efforts .
Sources close to the president told the Washington Examiner neither the White House nor the Trump campaign have seen any of the evidence she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting machines switching millions of votes from President Trump to President-elect Joe Biden .
*** “ Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own , ” Giuliani and Ellis said .
“ She is not a member of the Trump Legal Team .
She is also not a lawyer for the President in his personal capacity.
” I can ’ t explain why Powell would engage is such career-destroying conduct , but it seems pretty clear that the reason she refuses to produce evidence to back up her allegations is the usual one–she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unfortunate for several reasons , not least because there was indeed widespread fraud in this year ’ s election , enabled by lax mail-in voting procedures , ballot harvesting , and urban precincts dominated by Democrats where fraud has long been common .
The same lax procedures that enable voter fraud in the first place also make it difficult to prove after the fact , and it seems highly probably that the Trump campaign will not be able to itemize enough fraudulent Biden ballots in the key states to overturn the apparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Powell ’ s sensational claims turn out to be groundless , as currently appears to be the case , the Democratic Party press will leap to the desired non sequitur , that there was never any voter fraud at all .
Which will make it easy to keep this year ’ s porous system in place for 2024 .

Sidney Powell’s claim that the presidential election was stolen using Dominion voting machines has dominated post-election controversy over voter fraud, but the Examiner reports that the Trump campaign is distancing itself from that claim:
With Trump-allied insiders distancing themselves from massive and unproven election fraud allegations being made by Sidney Powell, the president’s legal team announced on Sunday that the attorney has no direct role in their efforts. Sources close to the president told the Washington Examiner neither the White House nor the Trump campaign have seen any of the evidence she claims to have related to assertions about voting machines switching millions of votes from President Trump to President-elect Joe Biden.
***
“Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own,” Giuliani and Ellis said. “She is not a member of the Trump Legal Team. She is also not a lawyer for the President in his personal capacity.”
I can’t explain why Powell would engage is such career-destroying conduct, but it seems pretty clear that the reason she refuses to produce evidence to back up her allegations is the usual one–she doesn’t have it.
This is unfortunate for several reasons, not least because there was indeed widespread fraud in this year’s election, enabled by lax mail-in voting procedures, ballot harvesting, and urban precincts dominated by Democrats where fraud has long been common. The same lax procedures that enable voter fraud in the first place also make it difficult to prove after the fact, and it seems highly probably that the Trump campaign will not be able to itemize enough fraudulent Biden ballots in the key states to overturn the apparent result of the election. But if Powell’s sensational claims turn out to be groundless, as currently appears to be the case, the Democratic Party press will leap to the desired non sequitur, that there was never any voter fraud at all. Which will make it easy to keep this year’s porous system in place for 2024.


Today’s Biden Blunder

News item : Biden intends to name John Kerry to be his “ climate czar.
” Coincidence ?
I think not !
I can think of no greater condign punishment for the International Order of Climatistas than sending Mr. Flower-Power Zipper Pull to their annual gabfests .
This is the man who puts the goober in “ lugubrious.
” I hope and expect that he will take his inspiration from Saint Greta of Thunberg and windsurf his way across the oceans for the UN climate meet and greets .
According to Vox , Kerry has plans .
And people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who says irony is dead ? )
, Kerry is touting a climate project called “ World War Zero , ” or WWZ .
According to Vox : It will kick off with a “ major social media campaign and an initial six-figure print and digital advertising buy , ” along with a series of town halls across the country to engage people and raise awareness .
.
.
As Kerry has stressed in interviews , he wants “ to be inclusive and to bring people to the table.
” And such people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box left unchecked with this pablum ?
Or any celebrity left behind ?
How can you lose with Sting ( Oh Sting , where is thy death ? )
, Arnold , and Leo de Caprio on your side ?
( Wait—where ’ s Bono , and Katy Perry ?
Can any plan be complete without them ?
Anyway , if you want nothing done , John Kerry is just the man for the job .
No wonder oil and gas stocks are soaring today .
Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times catches @ @ @ @ @

News item: Biden intends to name John Kerry to be his “climate czar.”
News item: Oil and gas stocks soaring on Wall Street today.
Coincidence? I think not! I can think of no greater condign punishment for the International Order of Climatistas than sending Mr. Flower-Power Zipper Pull to their annual gabfests. This is the man who puts the goober in “lugubrious.” I hope and expect that he will take his inspiration from Saint Greta of Thunberg and windsurf his way across the oceans for the UN climate meet and greets.
According to Vox, Kerry has plans. And people. Apparently inspired by a zombie movie (who says irony is dead?), Kerry is touting a climate project called “World War Zero,” or WWZ. According to Vox:
It will kick off with a “major social media campaign and an initial six-figure print and digital advertising buy,” along with a series of town halls across the country to engage people and raise awareness. . . As Kerry has stressed in interviews, he wants “to be inclusive and to bring people to the table.”
And such people! Like these:
Is there any box left unchecked with this pablum? Or any celebrity left behind? How can you lose with Sting (Oh Sting, where is thy death?), Arnold, and Leo de Caprio on your side? (Wait—where’s Bono, and Katy Perry? Can any plan be complete without them?
Anyway, if you want nothing done, John Kerry is just the man for the job. No wonder oil and gas stocks are soaring today. Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times catches this point right away: