vdare--2020-05-16--About 1/8th of Inner City Boston Has Been Infected

For a couple of months , I ’ ve been calling for more antibody tests of representative samples to see how close we are to Herd Immunity .
From the Boston Globe : Boston has released the results of its coronavirus and antibody testing .
Here ’ s what to know .
“ This is a sample of residents in four zip codes , ” Mayor Marty Walsh said of the coronavirus study results .
“ It does not give us a defined , citywide picture.
” Boston officials Friday released the results of the coronavirus and antibody testing performed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s neighborhoods hardest hit by the ongoing pandemic .
The study , designed to help evaluate community exposure to the virus through representative sampling , found that of those tested in East Boston , Roslindale , and parts of Dorchester , These are kind of dumpy and diverse neighborhoods .
Assuming no overlap , I come up with 9.9 % previously infected plus 2.6 % currently infected = 12.5 % ever infected or 1 out of 8 .
But , the survey excluded people in the hospital or who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
… Walsh , elaborating on the study ’ s results at a press conference Friday afternoon , said the antibody rate is “ lower than what we would have expected from earlier models of the virus ’ s spread.
” … “ I want to be clear that this is a sample of residents in four zip codes .
It does not give us a defined , citywide picture , ” Walsh said .
“ But the results do suggest some lessons about how we move forward.
” Over 5,000 residents in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boundaries of the Dorchester zip codes 02121 and 02125 were invited to voluntarily participate in the study earlier this month .
Roughly 1,000 people expressed interest , and 786 were determined to be eligible , according to officials .
Of those individuals , 750 people enrolled and received testing .
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or who had previously tested positive were disqualified from participating .
Testing occurred over a two-week period at three drive-through sites .
Coronavirus testing was conducted through nose swabs , while antibody testing was carried out through blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color represented over 55 percent of the overall outreach , although the majority , or 62 percent , of those tested were white , 18.7 percent were Black/African American , 12 percent were Latinx/Hispanic , 2.3 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander , and 0.13 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native , data shows .
In the marketing research business , everybody knows that white women are the most cooperative group for participating .
“ We ended up with a demographic cross section that was not a perfect match for our population , but it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhoods and communities , ” Walsh said .
Statistics released by the city have shown the coronavirus is impacting Black residents at a higher rate than white residents , although officials said the test results showed “ there were no significant differences in COVID-19 or antibody rates by race or ethnicity in this sample.
” Antibody rates yielded from the study also showed no difference among the occupations of participants , from frontline , essential workers to the swaths of the workforce currently doing business from home , experts said .
As of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 02121 and 02125 zip codes had been tested since the onset of the pandemic , with 36.2 percent of them testing positive for the coronavirus .
Dorchester has a population of 88,000 , so 1.6 % of the population weren ’ t eligible because they were already positive .
Of 3,053 residents tested in East Boston , 38.7 percent had tested positive , and among 1,937 individuals tested in Roslindale , 29.9 percent had tested positive , city data shows .
Walsh said Friday varying numbers between neighborhoods are an “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be and how targeted our response needs to be and needs to continue to be.
” Boston had logged 11,395 coronavirus cases as of Thursday and had a total of 4,089 recoveries so far , with a continuing decline in the number of active cases , according to the mayor .
So far , 551 city residents have died due to COVID-19 complications .
The city of Boston ’ s population is 695,000 .
So if , say , 1/8th have been infected , that would be around a 0.63 % Infection Fatality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Center for Integrated Diagnostics at MGH , said the study results capture just a snapshot of the virus spread at one moment of time , and pointed out that the antibody rate is by no means near the 70 percent threshold estimated by medical experts that ’ s needed for “ herd immunity.
” “ We ’ re not there , ” he said .
“ We ’ re not at the 70 percent , ‘ We ’ ve all had it , we ’ re safe and past this.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 or 2 percent , which you might expect in a more rural community … where the risk of transmission might be low .
So we ’ re somewhere in between an environment where the transmission is low and the risk is low and where we have herd immunity — and that ’ s a fairly anxious place to be.
” • Neighborhoods : 36.8 percent are from Roslindale , 25.1 percent are from East Boston , 23.2 percent are from 02125 in Dorchester and 14.9 percent are from 02121 in Dorchester • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18.7 percent are Black/African-American , 12 percent are Latinx/Hispanic , 2.3 percent are Asian/Pacific Islander and .13 percent are American Indian/Alaska Native .
According to officials , 1.6 percent preferred not to say and 1.6 percent are unknown .
• 02121 in Dorchester : 2.7 percent tested positive for COVID-19 , 6.3 percent tested positive for antibodies • 02125 in Dorchester : 4.6 percent tested positive for COVID-19 , 12.1 percent tested positive for antibodies

For a couple of months, I’ve been calling for more antibody tests of representative samples to see how close we are to Herd Immunity. From the Boston Globe:
Boston has released the results of its coronavirus and antibody testing. Here’s what to know. “This is a sample of residents in four zip codes,” Mayor Marty Walsh said of the coronavirus study results. “It does not give us a defined, citywide picture.” By Christopher Gavin, Boston.com Staff
May 15, 2020 | 3:10 PM Boston officials Friday released the results of the coronavirus and antibody testing performed on 750 asymptomatic residents in some of the city’s neighborhoods hardest hit by the ongoing pandemic. The study, designed to help evaluate community exposure to the virus through representative sampling, found that of those tested in East Boston, Roslindale, and parts of Dorchester,
These are kind of dumpy and diverse neighborhoods.
9.9 percent tested positive for antibodies and 2.6 percent tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said.
Assuming no overlap, I come up with 9.9% previously infected plus 2.6% currently infected = 12.5% ever infected or 1 out of 8. But, the survey excluded people in the hospital or who had previously tested positive or who had died.
… Walsh, elaborating on the study’s results at a press conference Friday afternoon, said the antibody rate is “lower than what we would have expected from earlier models of the virus’s spread.” … “I want to be clear that this is a sample of residents in four zip codes. It does not give us a defined, citywide picture,” Walsh said. “But the results do suggest some lessons about how we move forward.” Over 5,000 residents in Roslindale, East Boston, and within the boundaries of the Dorchester zip codes 02121 and 02125 were invited to voluntarily participate in the study earlier this month. Roughly 1,000 people expressed interest, and 786 were determined to be eligible, according to officials. Of those individuals, 750 people enrolled and received testing. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or who had previously tested positive were disqualified from participating. Testing occurred over a two-week period at three drive-through sites. Coronavirus testing was conducted through nose swabs, while antibody testing was carried out through blood drawn from finger pricks. People of color represented over 55 percent of the overall outreach, although the majority, or 62 percent, of those tested were white, 18.7 percent were Black/African American, 12 percent were Latinx/Hispanic, 2.3 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 0.13 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native, data shows.
In the marketing research business, everybody knows that white women are the most cooperative group for participating.
“We ended up with a demographic cross section that was not a perfect match for our population, but it did draw significantly from each of our different neighborhoods and communities,” Walsh said. Statistics released by the city have shown the coronavirus is impacting Black residents at a higher rate than white residents, although officials said the test results showed “there were no significant differences in COVID-19 or antibody rates by race or ethnicity in this sample.” Antibody rates yielded from the study also showed no difference among the occupations of participants, from frontline, essential workers to the swaths of the workforce currently doing business from home, experts said. As of May 7, 3,865 residents in Dorchester’s 02121 and 02125 zip codes had been tested since the onset of the pandemic, with 36.2 percent of them testing positive for the coronavirus.
Dorchester has a population of 88,000, so 1.6% of the population weren’t eligible because they were already positive.
Of 3,053 residents tested in East Boston, 38.7 percent had tested positive, and among 1,937 individuals tested in Roslindale, 29.9 percent had tested positive, city data shows. Walsh said Friday varying numbers between neighborhoods are an “indication of how localized the spread can be and how targeted our response needs to be and needs to continue to be.” Boston had logged 11,395 coronavirus cases as of Thursday and had a total of 4,089 recoveries so far, with a continuing decline in the number of active cases, according to the mayor. So far, 551 city residents have died due to COVID-19 complications.
The city of Boston’s population is 695,000. So if, say, 1/8th have been infected, that would be around a 0.63% Infection Fatality Rate.
… Dr. Anthony Iafrate, director of the Center for Integrated Diagnostics at MGH, said the study results capture just a snapshot of the virus spread at one moment of time, and pointed out that the antibody rate is by no means near the 70 percent threshold estimated by medical experts that’s needed for “herd immunity.” “We’re not there,” he said. “We’re not at the 70 percent, ‘We’ve all had it, we’re safe and past this.’ We’re also not at 1 or 2 percent, which you might expect in a more rural community … where the risk of transmission might be low. So we’re somewhere in between an environment where the transmission is low and the risk is low and where we have herd immunity — and that’s a fairly anxious place to be.” Baseline demographics Median age: 42.4 years old
42.4 years old Sexes: 61.6 percent are female, 38.3 percent male
61.6 percent are female, 38.3 percent male Neighborhoods: 36.8 percent are from Roslindale, 25.1 percent are from East Boston, 23.2 percent are from 02125 in Dorchester and 14.9 percent are from 02121 in Dorchester
36.8 percent are from Roslindale, 25.1 percent are from East Boston, 23.2 percent are from 02125 in Dorchester and 14.9 percent are from 02121 in Dorchester Race: 62% are white, 18.7 percent are Black/African-American, 12 percent are Latinx/Hispanic, 2.3 percent are Asian/Pacific Islander and .13 percent are American Indian/Alaska Native. According to officials, 1.6 percent preferred not to say and 1.6 percent are unknown. Neighborhood demographics East Boston: 1.1 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 13.3 percent tested positive for antibodies
1.1 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 13.3 percent tested positive for antibodies Roslindale: 2.2 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 7.6 percent tested positive for antibodies
2.2 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 7.6 percent tested positive for antibodies 02121 in Dorchester: 2.7 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 6.3 percent tested positive for antibodies
2.7 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 6.3 percent tested positive for antibodies 02125 in Dorchester: 4.6 percent tested positive for COVID-19, 12.1 percent tested positive for antibodies
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-05-16--NYT: Actually, It's Good to Go Outside

NYT: Actually, It's Good to Go Outside

A massive problem in American life today is the number of people and institutions averse to learning how to deal with the virus for fear that it would reveal that some of their early opinions were wrong .
For example , many people have doubled down on lockdowns rather than admit that was a crude blunderbuss policy motivated by the ignorance of the times back in March , which of course should be replaced quickly by more accurate and focused practices .
Shouldn ’ t leaders be telling us : Here ’ s what we ’ ve learned over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s extremely important to continue to do X , Y , and Z .
• But , it turns out , it ’ s not terribly useful to do A , B , and C .
( E.g.
, “ Sorry about all our hysteria about packed beaches of doom .
It turns out that we were hornswoggled by the telephoto lens effect.
” ) But instead , The Experts keep screaming at us to do X , Y , Z , A , B , and C indefinitely as if they haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing .
Here ’ s a New York Times article on May 15 that finally sort of gets around to admitting without precisely coming clean that much of the Stay Inside hectoring of the last two months turns out to have been misguided .
But the article never quite mentions that the Latest Conventional Wisdom is different from Old Conventional Wisdom : What We Know About Your Chances of Catching the Virus Outdoors A stir-crazy nation wonders : Is it safe to stroll on the beach in a deadly pandemic ?
How about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffee with a friend at an outdoor table ?
The risk is in the details .
… The good news : Interviews show a growing consensus among experts that , if Americans are going to leave their homes , it ’ s safer to be outside than in the office or the mall .
With fresh air and more space between people , the risk goes down .
But experts also expressed particular caution about outdoor dining , using locker rooms at pools and crowds in places like beaches .
Just look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beaches !
Will the New York Times ever admit it got repeatedly snookered by the oldest trick in its own photographers ’ book : using a telephoto lens to make a picture look more crowded by foreshortening distance ?
So , the country gets stuck between , on one side , a whole bunch of people who remain adamant that the big dangers are beaches and golf courses , and on the other side , people who are convinced that the only reason their tongue-piercing parlor in Atlanta isn ’ t back 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states are persisting with government-ordered shutdown and instead the the least the government should do would be rounding up scaredy-cats and dragging them in to get their tongue pierced today .

A massive problem in American life today is the number of people and institutions averse to learning how to deal with the virus for fear that it would reveal that some of their early opinions were wrong. For example, many people have doubled down on lockdowns rather than admit that was a crude blunderbuss policy motivated by the ignorance of the times back in March, which of course should be replaced quickly by more accurate and focused practices.
Shouldn’t leaders be telling us: Here’s what we’ve learned over the last two months:
It’s extremely important to continue to do X, Y, and Z.
But, it turns out, it’s not terribly useful to do A, B, and C. (E.g., “Sorry about all our hysteria about packed beaches of doom. It turns out that we were hornswoggled by the telephoto lens effect.”)
But instead, The Experts keep screaming at us to do X, Y, Z, A, B, and C indefinitely as if they haven’t managed to learn a damn thing.
Here’s a New York Times article on May 15 that finally sort of gets around to admitting without precisely coming clean that much of the Stay Inside hectoring of the last two months turns out to have been misguided. But the article never quite mentions that the Latest Conventional Wisdom is different from Old Conventional Wisdom:
What We Know About Your Chances of Catching the Virus Outdoors A stir-crazy nation wonders: Is it safe to stroll on the beach in a deadly pandemic? How about a picnic in the park? Or coffee with a friend at an outdoor table? The risk is in the details. By Michael Levenson, Tara Parker-Pope and James Gorman
May 15, 2020 … The good news: Interviews show a growing consensus among experts that, if Americans are going to leave their homes, it’s safer to be outside than in the office or the mall. With fresh air and more space between people, the risk goes down. But experts also expressed particular caution about outdoor dining, using locker rooms at pools and crowds in places like beaches.
Just look at the photos of the crowds on the beaches!
Will the New York Times ever admit it got repeatedly snookered by the oldest trick in its own photographers’ book: using a telephoto lens to make a picture look more crowded by foreshortening distance?
So, the country gets stuck between, on one side, a whole bunch of people who remain adamant that the big dangers are beaches and golf courses, and on the other side, people who are convinced that the only reason their tongue-piercing parlor in Atlanta isn’t back 100% yet is because governors in distant states are persisting with government-ordered shutdown and instead the the least the government should do would be rounding up scaredy-cats and dragging them in to get their tongue pierced today.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-05-18--Will Dan Crenshaw Be The Next Bob Dornan? He Really Believes This Nonsense

Years ago , when I was still a Candidate-Member of the Beltway Right , I attended a dinner where President George W. Bush spoke .
Bush stumbled through his speech in a mostly deadpan voice until he reached the part about spreading “ democratic values ” in Iraq .
I was near enough to then-president to watch his body language change in tune with the sudden passion of his voice .
“ We ’ re doomed , ” I said to my companion .
“ He really believes this stuff.
” I think the same is true of Rep. Dan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36 and elected only in 2018 , he ’ s a grab bag of Dubya-Era clichés , half-truths , and banalities , personifying the braindead state of “ conservatism ” before Trump .
Hence Crenshaw got into trouble in a recent interview by revealing , incredibly , that he didn ’ t know what the 1965 Hart-Celler Immigration Act was—and also that he believes “ people who speak English ” won ’ t go to work at construction jobs .
[ Rep. Crenshaw Unfamiliar With 1965 Immigration Act , Says English-Speaking Workers Won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , May 13 , 2020 ] Crenshaw is not an idiot , exactly .
He ’ s a former Navy SEAL , which requires physical courage , dedication , and raw intelligence ( hence the Obama Administration ’ s attempts to “ diversify ” the SEALs by lowering standards ) .
We ’ ve also seen Crenshaw capably debate serious issues .
For example , he frankly embarrassed Bill Maher when discussing the Trump Administration ’ s response to the coronavirus .
He confidently discussed details and policy nuances , including the Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flailed without his audience of NPC ’ s to mindlessly shriek and applaud .
( I say this as someone who thinks the Administration ’ s response has been pitifully weak . )
However , Dan Crenshaw doesn ’ t know anything about the most important law in postwar history .
It happened at a recent online townhall with Campus Reform , a project of the Conservatism , Inc .
Leadership Institute .
He was asked a question ( at 61m5s ) about how he would Rep. Crenshaw said it was an This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he were discussing a piece of legislation that is currently before Congress .
However , we ’ re talking about something that ’ s been the law for 55 years and is transforming America—very notably his own city of Houston .
Let ’ s be charitable .
Rep. Crenshaw correctly said that there has been some progress on illegal entry because of current DHS policies the “ remain in Mexico ” initiative .
He ’ s right .
However , he also said This is staggering .
“ Border control ” means very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t closed off .
Rep. Crenshaw even admits this incentive exists , but apparently doesn ’ t think we can do anything about it .
Crenshaw says the priority should be transforming our current immigration system into a “ merit-based ” system .
However , seconds later , he says American companies “ just can ’ t ” hire Americans to do certain jobs : Of course , the issue is not that Americans won ’ t do certain jobs , it ’ s that they won ’ t do jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would , employers would rather hire illegals and dodge regulations .
It ’ s unclear what “ studies ” Crenshaw referring to ; he may mean the “ crops rotting in the field ” narratives pushed by supposedly progressive publications like Mother Jones when that Alabama attempted to stop illegals working in agriculture [ “ It ’ s Just Not Right ” : The Failures of Alabama ’ s Self-Deportation Experiment , by Paul Reyes , Mother Jones , March/April 2012 ] .
In any event , why is construction suddenly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do ?
Perhaps some companies would go out of business if they could no longer recruit illegals and dump the costs on the taxpayer .
Perhaps they ’ d be forced to raise wages .
Why is this bad ?
And what kind of “ merit-based ” immigration system does Rep. Crenshaw have in mind if Americans are cut out of jobs like construction ?
Last year , Rep. Crenshaw supported H.R .
1044 , which would have given a structural advantage for Indians seeking H1-B visas [ Fact Check : Dan Crenshaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giveaway Amid Backlash , by John Binder , Breitbart , July 15 , 2019 ] .
If Americans are cut out of jobs that require a college degree and jobs that don ’ t , what are they supposed to do ?
Rep. Crenshaw is also saying all this when the unemployment rate in the United States is projected to reach 25 % , matching the level of the Great Depression [ Goldman Sachs issues warnings about US unemployment , by Matt Egan , CNN , May 13 , 2020 ] .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bravery , Crenshaw is unwilling to confront the Left ’ s hegemonic ideology on race , immigration , and nationalism , There are three possible explanations behind Crenshaw ’ s conduct .
Obviously , the Open Borders insanity pushed by the likes of Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez means that has room Crenshaw to triangulate against them on immigration while not having to upset donors by threatening the flow of cheap labor .
He can thus keep his reputation as an upcoming Republican presidential contender while avoiding serious accusations of racism .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many candidates genuinely had never considered immigration .
It ’ s apparently not a big topic in the country clubs .
Never ascribe to conspiracy what can be explained by stupidity .
Crenshaw doesn ’ t know what the Hart-Celler Act is and will actively avoid learning about it .
Successful conservative careerists know there are certain things it is better not to know .
Why would Crenshaw research the Hart-Celler Act ?
Suppose he did research it and found that America was changed beyond recognition , either through stupidity or malice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge ?
Crenshaw clearly doesn ’ t think anything is politically possible .
In this same Leadership Institute interview , he dismisses the idea anything can realistically be done about Birthright Citizenship , even though that would be far easier than repealing the 1965 Act .
Conservatives also hold a self-defeating moral code .
In my time in Conservatism Inc. , I found that few denizens would actually dispute the truth about demographic change or its dire political implications for the GOP .
Everyone knows demographics are destiny at some level .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn out or suppress certain demographics—for both parties .
Yet there was a curious fatalism about the way Conservative Incers interpreted this truth .
They seemed to feel it would be morally illegitimate ( “ Identity Politics !
” ) to preserve a white majority , even when the other side openly used “ identity politics ” for its own ends .
It was better to lose than to stand morally condemned -- even if the moral code was one crafted by your avowed enemies .
For example , I recall how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a proposed panel on the effects of demographic change and its challenges to the GOP suddenly transformed into a panel on how to win more Hispanic votes .
It ’ s not that people were afraid of what the hostile media would say , or thought the initial suggestion was racist .
They simply could not comprehend that preventing immigration could done .
It was literally unthinkable , politically as well as morally .
Beltway Conservatives discuss immigration as if it is a natural , inevitable process , like soil erosion .
Admitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demographics -- not “ ideas ” —would undercut the movement .
It would require acknowledging racial realities , although to most repudiating racial egalitarianism would be far more blasphemous than denying the Resurrection of Christ .
Their outrage would also be rooted in something closer to religious fanaticism than rational disagreement .
Crenshaw seems to operate in this way .
Consider : • He ’ s opposed to Affirmative Action , not because it hurts whites and Asians , but because somehow it hurts blacks .
• When asked about the consequences of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says “ I know where you guys are going with this ” and avoids the question .
• He warned college students asking Politically Incorrect questions that they ’ d “ regret asking about Israeli foreign aid on camera.
” Not surprisingly , Dan Crenshaw was a special target of the “ Groyper Wars , ” a figure akin to John McCain in symbolizing the cuckservative spirit .
However , I don ’ t think Crenshaw is a shill .
I think he really believes what he is saying , as do other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who think like him .
He genuinely doesn ’ t see the contradiction between saying we need a “ merit-based ” immigration system and immigrants to do the jobs Americans won ’ t .
He truly thinks convincing those who benefit from Identity Politics to give it up is more realistic than stopping or reversing demographic change .
Crenshaw and most other conservative staffers and politicians can ’ t even imagine a moral framework other than the anti-white one they operate under .
If they lose , they believe they deserve it because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough nonwhites .
And they would rather lose if it means they can keep their illusions .
Regardless of whether Crenshaw can see the truth or not , it ’ s going to catch up with his ambitions .
Texas is a battleground state in 2020 , almost entirely because mass immigration has transformed the state population .
As one expert quoted in NPR observed , the “ Latino vote is driving much of the urban shift from red to blue , ” with more and more “ children of immigrants ” reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas Becomes A Battleground State ?
By Andrew Schneider , NPR , May 11 , 2020 ] .
While Crenshaw thinks Birthright Citizenship is almost the “ least ” of our immigration problems , it ’ s actually the Number One threat to his political survival .
If Dan Crenshaw runs for President in 2028 or later , he may well find Texas has gone the way of California .
Crenshaw will be another “ B-1 ” Bob Dornan , a military hero who championed black Civil Rights and smirked about whites losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when psychologically healthier foreigners naturally replaced him with one of their own .
Just as the Democrats gave up on trying to convince the American people and just decided to replace them , American nationalists are going to have to do the same with politicians like Crenshaw .
They can not be convinced .
They must be replaced .
James Kirkpatrick [ Email him |Tweet him @ VDAREJamesK ] is a Beltway veteran and a refugee from Conservatism Inc. His latest book is Conservatism Inc. : The Battle for the American Right .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .

Years ago, when I was still a Candidate-Member of the Beltway Right, I attended a dinner where President George W. Bush spoke. Bush stumbled through his speech in a mostly deadpan voice until he reached the part about spreading “democratic values” in Iraq. I was near enough to the then-president to watch his body language change in tune with the sudden passion of his voice.
“We’re doomed,” I said to my companion. “He really believes this stuff.”
I think the same is true of Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). Although just 36 and elected only in 2018, he’s a grab bag of Dubya-Era clichés, half-truths, and banalities, personifying the braindead state of “conservatism” before Trump. Hence Crenshaw got into trouble in a recent interview by revealing, incredibly, that he didn’t know what the 1965 Hart-Celler Immigration Act was—and also that he believes “people who speak English” won’t go to work at construction jobs [Rep. Crenshaw Unfamiliar With 1965 Immigration Act, Says English-Speaking Workers Won’t Do Construction, District Herald, May 13, 2020].
Crenshaw is not an idiot, exactly. He’s a former Navy SEAL, which requires physical courage, dedication, and raw intelligence (hence the Obama Administration’s attempts to “diversify” the SEALs by lowering standards).
We’ve also seen Crenshaw capably debate serious issues. For example, he frankly embarrassed Bill Maher when discussing the Trump Administration’s response to the coronavirus. He confidently discussed details and policy nuances, including the Administration’s travel bans, while Maher flailed without his audience of NPC’s to mindlessly shriek and applaud. (I say this as someone who thinks the Administration’s response has been pitifully weak.)
However, Dan Crenshaw doesn’t know anything about the most important law in postwar history.
It happened at a recent online townhall with Campus Reform, a project of the Conservatism, Inc. Leadership Institute. He was asked a question (at 61m5s) about how he would
like to amend the Hart-Celler Act and to what extent would you make birthright citizenship, as detailed in the Fourteenth Amendment, retroactive to include the children and grandchildren of illegal immigrants.
(Retroactively stripping citizenship from the children and grandchildren of illegals is precisely what I’ve advocated myself, taking inspiration from India’s nationalist government.)
Rep. Crenshaw said it was an
interesting question, it’s a detailed question, I didn’t even get a chance to look into the act that you’re talking about.
This would be a politically safe answer if he were discussing a piece of legislation that is currently before Congress. However, we’re talking about something that’s been the law for 55 years and is transforming America—very notably his own city of Houston.
Let’s be charitable. Rep. Crenshaw correctly said that there has been some progress on illegal entry because of current DHS policies, above all the “remain in Mexico” initiative. He’s right.
However, he also said
we have many, many other priorities before we get to the Birthright Citizenship issue, when it comes to immigration, it’s the least of our, it’s not the least of our problems, but it’s close.
This is staggering. “Border control” means very little if the incentive for mass immigration isn’t closed off. Rep. Crenshaw even admits this incentive exists, but apparently doesn’t think we can do anything about it.
Crenshaw says the priority should be transforming our current immigration system into a “merit-based” system. However, seconds later, he says American companies “just can’t” hire Americans to do certain jobs:
These construction companies, they have tried, there’ve been studies, I think in Alabama, if you get rid of all the immigrants, nobody will work there….“That’s an American cultural problem I wish we could fix, I wish our teenagers would actually go to work, but they don’t.
Of course, the issue is not that Americans won’t do certain jobs, it’s that they won’t do jobs for low wages.
But even if they would, employers would rather hire illegals and dodge regulations.
It’s unclear what “studies” Crenshaw referring to; he may mean the “crops rotting in the field” narratives pushed by supposedly progressive publications like Mother Jones when Alabama attempted to stop illegals working in agriculture [“It’s Just Not Right”: The Failures of Alabama’s Self-Deportation Experiment, by Paul Reyes, Mother Jones, March/April 2012].
In any event, why is construction suddenly a job Americans “won’t” do? Perhaps some companies would go out of business if they could no longer recruit illegals and dump the costs on the taxpayer. Perhaps they’d be forced to raise wages. Why is this bad?
And what kind of “merit-based” immigration system does Rep. Crenshaw have in mind if Americans are cut out of jobs like construction?
Last year, Rep. Crenshaw supported H.R. 1044, which would have given a structural advantage for Indians seeking H1-B visas [Fact Check: Dan Crenshaw Big Business Talking Points on Green Card Giveaway Amid Backlash, by John Binder, Breitbart, July 15, 2019]. If Americans are cut out of jobs that require a college degree and jobs that don’t, what are they supposed to do?
Rep. Crenshaw is also saying all this when the unemployment rate in the United States is projected to reach 25%, matching the level of the Great Depression [Goldman Sachs issues warnings about US unemployment, by Matt Egan, CNN, May 13, 2020].
The fact is that despite his undoubted physical bravery, Crenshaw is unwilling to confront the Left’s hegemonic ideology on race, immigration, and nationalism,
There are three possible explanations behind Crenshaw’s conduct.
First: cynicism.
Obviously, the Open Borders insanity pushed by the likes of Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez means that Crenshaw has room to triangulate against them on immigration while not having to upset donors by threatening the flow of cheap labor. He can thus keep his reputation as an upcoming Republican presidential contender while avoiding serious accusations of racism.
Second: Ignorance.
John Derbyshire recalls from his National Review days that many candidates genuinely had never considered immigration. It’s apparently not a big topic in the country clubs. Never ascribe to conspiracy what can be explained by stupidity.
Third (my favorite): Self-censorship
Crenshaw doesn’t know what the Hart-Celler Act is and will actively avoid learning about it. Successful conservative careerists know there are certain things it is better not to know. Why would Crenshaw research the Hart-Celler Act?
Suppose he did research it and found that America was changed beyond recognition, either through stupidity or malice. What would he do with such knowledge?
Crenshaw clearly doesn’t think anything is politically possible. In this same Leadership Institute interview, he dismisses the idea anything can realistically be done about Birthright Citizenship, even though that would be far easier than repealing the 1965 Act.
Conservatives also hold a self-defeating moral code. In my time in Conservatism Inc., I found that few denizens would actually dispute the truth about demographic change or its dire political implications for the GOP. Everyone knows demographics are destiny at some level. Every Election Day boils down to crude efforts to turn out or suppress certain demographics—for both parties.
Yet there was a curious fatalism about the way Conservative Incers interpreted this truth. They seemed to feel it would be morally illegitimate (“Identity Politics!”) to preserve a white majority, even when the other side openly used “identity politics” for its own ends. It was better to lose than to stand morally condemned—even if the moral code was one crafted by your avowed enemies.
For example, I recall how, in one CPAC planning meeting, a proposed panel on the effects of demographic change and its challenges to the GOP suddenly transformed into a panel on how to win more Hispanic votes. It’s not that people were afraid of what the hostile media would say, or thought the initial suggestion was racist. They simply could not comprehend that preventing immigration could done. It was literally unthinkable, politically as well as morally.
Beltway Conservatives discuss immigration as if it is a natural, inevitable process, like soil erosion. Admitting the truth that politics is downstream from demographics—not “ideas”—would undercut the movement. It would require acknowledging racial realities, although to most repudiating racial egalitarianism would be far more blasphemous than denying the Resurrection of Christ. Their outrage would also be rooted in something closer to religious fanaticism than rational disagreement.
Crenshaw seems to operate in this way. Consider:
He’s opposed to Affirmative Action, not because it hurts whites and Asians, but because somehow it hurts blacks.
(Why must the argument be framed in this way?)
When asked about the consequences of nonwhite immigration and future politics, Crenshaw says “I know where you guys are going with this” and avoids the question.
(Yet if the questioners are right, what is Crenshaw going to do when his base is demographically swamped?)
He warned college students asking Politically Incorrect questions that they’d “regret asking about Israeli foreign aid on camera.”
(Can he truly not imagine an alternative to operating within—and supporting—the bounds of Main Stream Media-approved opinion?)
Not surprisingly, Dan Crenshaw was a special target of the “Groyper Wars,” a figure akin to John McCain in symbolizing the cuckservative spirit.
However, I don’t think Crenshaw is a shill. I think he really believes what he is saying, as do other Republican politicians and “conservative” staffers who think like him. He genuinely doesn’t see the contradiction between saying we need a “merit-based” immigration system and immigrants to do the jobs Americans won’t. He truly thinks convincing those who benefit from Identity Politics to give it up is more realistic than stopping or reversing demographic change.
Crenshaw and most other conservative staffers and politicians can’t even imagine a moral framework other than the anti-white one they operate under. If they lose, they believe they deserve it because they weren’t able to convince enough nonwhites.
And they would rather lose if it means they can keep their illusions.
Regardless of whether Crenshaw can see the truth or not, it’s going to catch up with his ambitions. Texas is a battleground state in 2020, almost entirely because mass immigration has transformed the state population. As one expert quoted in NPR observed, the “Latino vote is driving much of the urban shift from red to blue,” with more and more “children of immigrants” reaching voting age [Is 2020 The Year Texas Becomes A Battleground State?, by Andrew Schneider, NPR, May 11, 2020].
While Crenshaw thinks Birthright Citizenship is almost the “least” of our immigration problems, it’s actually the Number One threat to his political survival.
If Dan Crenshaw runs for President in 2028 or later, he may well find Texas has gone the way of California. Crenshaw will be another “B-1” Bob Dornan, a military hero who championed black Civil Rights and smirked about whites losing their majority, but who was shocked when psychologically healthier foreigners naturally replaced him with one of their own.
Just as the Democrats gave up on trying to convince the American people and just decided to replace them, American nationalists are going to have to do the same with politicians like Crenshaw.
They cannot be convinced. They must be replaced.
James Kirkpatrick [Email him |Tweet him @VDAREJamesK] is a Beltway veteran and a refugee from Conservatism Inc. His latest book is Conservatism Inc.: The Battle for the American Right. Read VDARE.com Editor Peter Brimelow's Preface here.


vdare--2020-05-18--Patrick J. Buchanan: Will Americans Submit to a Second Lockdown?

Earlier by Patrick J. Buchanan : Fauci vs. Trump—Who 's Right ?
On March 24 , President Donald Trump said he wanted the country and the economy `` opened up and just raring to go by Easter . ''
Easter came and went .
And Trump was mocked for being aspirational and unrealistic .
Yet , with Ascension Thursday at hand , 40 days after Easter , the president seems to have been ahead of his time .
The country , as a whole , is , and has been , opening up .
Sunday 's New York Times reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than two-thirds of the states have been relaxing restrictions as Trump had urged .
The reasons : weariness with the lockdown and sheltering in place , a growing belief that the worst of the pandemic is behind us and undeniably positive news from several fronts in the coronavirus war .
`` New Cases in U.S .
Slow , '' ran The New York Times top headline Sunday , adding the cautionary warning , `` Posing Risk of Complacency . ''
The facts suggest a positive trend .
The number of newly confirmed coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a month .
The number of deaths has fallen from 2,200 a day in April to closer to 1,400 a day in mid-May .
Several days last week recorded fewer than 1,000 deaths , an awful toll but a clear improvement over April .
As of Friday , the rate of new cases of the coronavirus was declining in 19 states and rising in only three .
New Orleans and Detroit have seen sharp drops .
The number of new cases in New York , Massachusetts and Rhode Island has dropped .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Sioux Falls , South Dakota , where meatpacking plants had seen outbreaks , have declined .
`` On eight of the past nine days , '' said the Times , `` there have been fewer deaths announced than there were seven days prior , indicating that the virus toll appears to be easing .
More than half of the 24 counties that have recorded the most coronavirus deaths , including Oakland County , Mich. , and Hartford County , Conn. , are seeing sustained declines .
Still , the thrust of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis we will be courting , should we try to resume normal activities too soon .
Do that , says the Times , and we could easily forfeit all the progress we have made .
Message : Social distancing , sheltering in place , wearing masks , working at home—the practices that broke the back of the pandemic—should be sustained for those able to do so .
Clearly , the opening in many states has been driven by popular protest and public demand .
Crowds have ignored social distancing to demonstrate for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to wear masks and engaged in the time-honored practice since the '60s of civil defiance and disobedience .
The protesters seem to be saying : We deplore the losses and know the risks , but we can not live our lives behind closed doors in our homes until the elites tell us , as though we were children , when we may go out in the yard .
Hence , the next question we are all likely to confront : If there is a sudden resurgence of the coronavirus , a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue state governors demand a new shutdown , a new closure of beaches , parks , shops , restaurants and churches , will the people of this republic comply with those demands or defy them ?
Will the nation answer back to the elites : We did that .
We sheltered in place .
We wore the masks .
We socially distanced .
We stayed in our homes .
We stayed home from work .
We have done all we were told to do to contain the virus .
But , now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans on unemployment and sunk our GDP to Depression-era levels , we 're going back to work .
The political divide has already begun to appear .
Among those making the case for ending the shutdown and reopening the country and economy will be Trump , red state governors like Ron DeSantis in Florida and Brian Kemp in Georgia , conservatives in Congress and populists .
The proponents of a second shutdown will be liberal governors and mayors , the mainstream media and the Nancy Pelosi wing of Congress .
It should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests are best served the longer the shutdown endures and the worse the economic situation on Nov. 3 .
If the economy has failed to begin a robust recovery by fall , the greater the odds that Joe Biden wins the White House .
Yet , even if the pandemic returns in the fall , the establishment can not keep the country closed indefinitely .
Prediction : If the people conclude they have done all they can do to mitigate the suffering from a virus they can not eradicate , they will resist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the establishment will have neither the will nor ability to push them back into their homes .
Ultimately , the people will decide when this shutdown ends , and when a plurality so concludes , the elites will be swept aside .
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers ; his books State of Emergency : The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America , and Suicide of a Superpower : Will America Survive to 2025 ?
are available from Amazon.com .
Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From Defeat to Create the New Majority .
His latest book , published May , 2018 , is “ Nixon ’ s White House Wars : The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever.
” See Peter Brimelow ’ s review : “ Wheel And Fight ” —Pat Buchanan ’ s Nixon Book Provides Road Map For Trump .

Earlier by Patrick J. Buchanan: Fauci vs. Trump—Who's Right?
On March 24, President Donald Trump said he wanted the country and the economy "opened up and just raring to go by Easter."
Easter came and went. And Trump was mocked for being aspirational and unrealistic. Yet, with Ascension Thursday at hand, 40 days after Easter, the president seems to have been ahead of his time.
The country, as a whole, is, and has been, opening up. Sunday's New York Times reports that, for weeks now, more than two-thirds of the states have been relaxing restrictions as Trump had urged.
The reasons: weariness with the lockdown and sheltering in place, a growing belief that the worst of the pandemic is behind us and undeniably positive news from several fronts in the coronavirus war.
"New Cases in U.S. Slow," ran The New York Times top headline Sunday, adding the cautionary warning, "Posing Risk of Complacency."
The facts suggest a positive trend. The number of newly confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. has been dropping for a month. The number of deaths has fallen from 2,200 a day in April to closer to 1,400 a day in mid-May. Several days last week recorded fewer than 1,000 deaths, an awful toll but a clear improvement over April.
As of Friday, the rate of new cases of the coronavirus was declining in 19 states and rising in only three. New Orleans and Detroit have seen sharp drops. The number of new cases in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island has dropped. New cases in Cass County, Indiana, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where meatpacking plants had seen outbreaks, have declined.
"On eight of the past nine days," said the Times, "there have been fewer deaths announced than there were seven days prior, indicating that the virus toll appears to be easing. More than half of the 24 counties that have recorded the most coronavirus deaths, including Oakland County, Mich., and Hartford County, Conn., are seeing sustained declines.
Still, the thrust of the Times article was about the new crisis we will be courting, should we try to resume normal activities too soon. Do that, says the Times, and we could easily forfeit all the progress we have made.
Message: Social distancing, sheltering in place, wearing masks, working at home—the practices that broke the back of the pandemic—should be sustained for those able to do so.
Clearly, the opening in many states has been driven by popular protest and public demand. Crowds have ignored social distancing to demonstrate for an end to the shutdown. Protesters have refused to wear masks and engaged in the time-honored practice since the '60s of civil defiance and disobedience.
The protesters seem to be saying: We deplore the losses and know the risks, but we cannot live our lives behind closed doors in our homes until the elites tell us, as though we were children, when we may go out in the yard.
Hence, the next question we are all likely to confront:
If there is a sudden resurgence of the coronavirus, a second wave, and the media elite and blue state governors demand a new shutdown, a new closure of beaches, parks, shops, restaurants and churches, will the people of this republic comply with those demands or defy them?
Will the nation answer back to the elites: We did that. We sheltered in place. We wore the masks. We socially distanced. We stayed in our homes. We stayed home from work. We have done all we were told to do to contain the virus. But, now, with the shutdown having put 36 million Americans on unemployment and sunk our GDP to Depression-era levels, we're going back to work.
The political divide has already begun to appear.
Among those making the case for ending the shutdown and reopening the country and economy will be Trump, red state governors like Ron DeSantis in Florida and Brian Kemp in Georgia, conservatives in Congress and populists.
The proponents of a second shutdown will be liberal governors and mayors, the mainstream media and the Nancy Pelosi wing of Congress.
It should not go unmentioned that the latter's political interests are best served the longer the shutdown endures and the worse the economic situation on Nov. 3. If the economy has failed to begin a robust recovery by fall, the greater the odds that Joe Biden wins the White House.
Yet, even if the pandemic returns in the fall, the establishment cannot keep the country closed indefinitely.
Prediction: If the people conclude they have done all they can do to mitigate the suffering from a virus they cannot eradicate, they will resist the imposition of another shutdown, and the establishment will have neither the will nor ability to push them back into their homes.
Ultimately, the people will decide when this shutdown ends, and when a plurality so concludes, the elites will be swept aside.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers; his books State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America, and Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025? are available from Amazon.com. Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.
His latest book, published May, 2018, is “Nixon’s White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever.”
See Peter Brimelow’s review: “Wheel And Fight”—Pat Buchanan’s Nixon Book Provides Road Map For Trump.


vdare--2020-05-18--VICE: People of Colour Experience Climate Grief More Deeply Than White People

Granted this is just from Vice , but still : People of Colour Experience Climate Grief More Deeply Than White @ @ @ @ @ disproportionately affected by the climate crisis , but we carry a pain that comes from @ @ @ @ @ terror .
By Nylah Burton May 14 2020 , 8:24am … Working in the climate @ @ @ @ @ climate grief can be difficult for people of colour , whose voices are so often @ @ @ @

Granted this is just from Vice, but still:
People of Colour Experience Climate Grief More Deeply Than White People
We are not only disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, but we carry a pain that comes from a long history of racial terror.
By Nylah Burton
May 14 2020, 8:24am
… Working in the climate movement while trying to process climate grief can be difficult for people of colour, whose voices are so often silenced and ignored.


vdare--2020-05-18--This Day In VDARE.com History, 2016 : Expanding Pavement and Subdivisions: The Cost of Unlimited Imm

This Day In VDARE.com History, 2016 : Expanding Pavement and Subdivisions: The Cost of Unlimited Immigration

Originally published here on VDARE.com on this day in 2016 .
Say good-bye to the open vistas of yesteryear ; say hello to tracts of suburban housing from sea to polluted sea .
There ’ s no surprise : as Washington has admitted millions of immigrants decade after decade , all the newbies need a place to live — or the Americans hope to flee to some undiverse community where English is still spoken .
Perpetual immigration comes with a big cost to American open spaces which can not be unpaved or restored to a pristine state .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ western states , an area totaling 4,321 square miles was developed from 2001 to 2011 .
Natural beauty is part of our national heritage , but it is being destroyed by extreme immigration .
Plus California in particular has suffered from a terrible drought over the past few years , but nobody in government ever says population growth may well overwhelm the water supply .
Around 27 percent of California ’ s population ( more than 10 million people ) is foreign born , a fact not mentioned in the Mercury ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American West is gradually disappearing under a relentless march of new subdivisions , roads , oil and gas production , agricultural operations and other human development , according to a detailed mapping study released Tuesday .
From 2001 to 2011 , an area totaling 4,321 square miles — or 15 times the size of San Jose , Oakland and San Francisco combined — was modified by development in the 11 Western states , the report found , with California losing the most natural land , and Wyoming and Utah changing at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away at our wild places at a fairly rapid clip , ” said Mike Dombeck , former chief of the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in the 1990s .
The report — at www.disappearingwest.org — was produced by scientists at Conservation Science Partners , a non-profit research organization based in Truckee , , who spent a year analyzing more than 30 large databases and a decade of satellite images over Arizona , California , Colorado , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , New Mexico , Oregon , Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Every 2.5 minutes the West loses an area of natural land the size of a football field to human development .
And each year , on average it loses 432 square miles , an area nearly the size of Los Angeles .
“ Protecting wild places is a very conservative thing to do because it keeps options available for the future , ” said Dombeck , now a board member at Conservation Science Partners .
“ Once you have a subdivision put in or roads built into a wild place , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clock.
” To be sure , vast areas of the West , from the Sierra Nevada to Utah ’ s Red Rock Canyons , the Olympic Peninsula and the Greater Yellowstone Area , are preserved in national parks , wilderness areas and other designations .
But only 12 percent of all the land in the 11 Western states enjoys such protections , the report found .
The most is in California , where 24 percent of the state is protected , followed by Nevada at 14 percent and Utah at 13 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 percent and Montana with 7 percent .
Careless development — whether it is sprawling new subdivisions outside Denver or Phoenix , or vast new oil and gas fields near towns like Pinedale , Wyoming –fragment the landscape , the report ’ s authors said , blocking corridors for wildlife , polluting water and changing the West ’ s singular sense of place .
“ There are large landscapes that are still pretty healthy and somewhat protected because of years of conservation work in the past , ” said Matt Lee-Ashley , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a left-leaning think tank in Washington , D.C. that funded the study .
“ But with continued rates of loss , we can ’ t think of that work being finished yet.
” In California , Inland Empire counties lost the most open land .
At the top of the list was San Bernardino County , which lost 60,013 acres of natural land from 2001-2011 , followed by Riverside , Kern , Los Angeles and San Diego .
In the Bay Area , Solano County lost the most , at 10,883 acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sonoma County at 9,193 .
San Francisco , Marin and San Mateo counties lost the least , all below 1,600 acres , while Santa Clara lost 6,225 acres and Alameda lost 5,085 .
The study did not account for new parklands created over the decade .
Private land trusts and parks agencies around the Bay Area have preserved tens of thousands of acres in the past 15 years , from the Santa Cruz Mountains to wetlands ringing San Francisco Bay and the rangelands of the East Bay .
Lee-Ashley , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ken Salazar , said that the solution to preserve the broader West is for cities and states to pass zoning rules keeping development off sensitive areas , along with more funding from Congress to expand national parks and wilderness areas .
Over the past decade or so , Republican leaders in Congress , particularly members of the Tea Party movement , have blocked efforts to expand funding for parks and opposed President Obama ’ s use of executive power to establish new national monuments .
Some Western observers say the solution isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C .
Private initiatives , like a long-standing program in which the Nature Conservancy pays rice farmers in California ’ s Central Valley to flood their fields in the winter to provide habitat for ducks and geese , are just as important if not more so , said Shawn Regan , a spokesman for PERC , the Property and Environmental Research Center , a free-market advocacy group in Bozeman , Montana .
“ There ’ s a $ 12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks , ” said Regan .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West , but we aren ’ t doing a very good job of taking care of what we have.
” Regan said private solutions include paying landowners to lease their water rights , buying development rights from landowners , and encouraging new agricultural technology , like genetically engineered crops , to allow farmers to produce more food per acre .
“ We need more ways to work with private landowners , not against them , ” he said .
“ And environmentalists often discourage ways to work with private landowners to encourage conservation.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues .
Contact him at 408-920-5045 .
Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN

Originally published here on VDARE.com on this day in 2016.
Say good-bye to the open vistas of yesteryear; say hello to tracts of suburban housing from sea to polluted sea. There’s no surprise: As Washington has admitted millions of immigrants decade after decade, all the newbies need a place to live — or the Americans hope to flee to some undiverse community where English is still spoken.
Perpetual immigration comes with a big cost to American open spaces, which cannot be unpaved or restored to a pristine state. According to a report released this week concerning 11 western states, an area totaling 4,321 square miles was developed from 2001 to 2011.
Natural beauty is part of our national heritage, but it is being destroyed by extreme immigration. Plus California in particular has suffered from a terrible drought over the past few years, but nobody in government ever says population growth may well overwhelm the water supply.
Around 27 percent of California’s population (more than 10 million people) is foreign born, a fact not mentioned in the Mercury’s news article.
The natural landscape of the American West is gradually disappearing under a relentless march of new subdivisions, roads, oil and gas production, agricultural operations and other human development, according to a detailed mapping study released Tuesday.
From 2001 to 2011, an area totaling 4,321 square miles — or 15 times the size of San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco combined — was modified by development in the 11 Western states, the report found, with California losing the most natural land, and Wyoming and Utah changing at the fastest rate.
“We are nibbling away at our wild places at a fairly rapid clip,” said Mike Dombeck, former chief of the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in the 1990s.
The report — at www.disappearingwest.org — was produced by scientists at Conservation Science Partners, a non-profit research organization based in Truckee, who spent a year analyzing more than 30 large databases and a decade of satellite images over Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Their conclusion: Every 2.5 minutes the West loses an area of natural land the size of a football field to human development. And each year, on average it loses 432 square miles, an area nearly the size of Los Angeles.
“Protecting wild places is a very conservative thing to do because it keeps options available for the future,” said Dombeck, now a board member at Conservation Science Partners. “Once you have a subdivision put in or roads built into a wild place, it’s almost impossible to turn back the clock.”
To be sure, vast areas of the West, from the Sierra Nevada to Utah’s Red Rock Canyons, the Olympic Peninsula and the Greater Yellowstone Area, are preserved in national parks, wilderness areas and other designations.
But only 12 percent of all the land in the 11 Western states enjoys such protections, the report found. The most is in California, where 24 percent of the state is protected, followed by Nevada at 14 percent and Utah at 13 percent. The least: New Mexico with 6 percent and Montana with 7 percent.
Careless development — whether it is sprawling new subdivisions outside Denver or Phoenix, or vast new oil and gas fields near towns like Pinedale, Wyoming—fragment the landscape, the report’s authors said, blocking corridors for wildlife, polluting water and changing the West’s singular sense of place.
“There are large landscapes that are still pretty healthy and somewhat protected because of years of conservation work in the past,” said Matt Lee-Ashley, public lands director for Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C. that funded the study. “But with continued rates of loss, we can’t think of that work being finished yet.”
In California, Inland Empire counties lost the most open land. At the top of the list was San Bernardino County, which lost 60,013 acres of natural land from 2001-2011, followed by Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles and San Diego. In the Bay Area, Solano County lost the most, at 10,883 acres, followed by Contra Costa at 10,610 and Sonoma County at 9,193. San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties lost the least, all below 1,600 acres, while Santa Clara lost 6,225 acres and Alameda lost 5,085.
The study did not account for new parklands created over the decade. Private land trusts and parks agencies around the Bay Area have preserved tens of thousands of acres in the past 15 years, from the Santa Cruz Mountains to wetlands ringing San Francisco Bay and the rangelands of the East Bay.
Lee-Ashley, a former deputy chief of staff to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, said that the solution to preserve the broader West is for cities and states to pass zoning rules keeping development off sensitive areas, along with more funding from Congress to expand national parks and wilderness areas.
Over the past decade or so, Republican leaders in Congress, particularly members of the Tea Party movement, have blocked efforts to expand funding for parks and opposed President Obama’s use of executive power to establish new national monuments.
Some Western observers say the solution isn’t more federal money from Washington, D.C.
Private initiatives, like a long-standing program in which the Nature Conservancy pays rice farmers in California’s Central Valley to flood their fields in the winter to provide habitat for ducks and geese, are just as important if not more so, said Shawn Regan, a spokesman for PERC, the Property and Environmental Research Center, a free-market advocacy group in Bozeman, Montana.
“There’s a $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks,” said Regan. “We have all these public lands in the West, but we aren’t doing a very good job of taking care of what we have.”
Regan said private solutions include paying landowners to lease their water rights, buying development rights from landowners, and encouraging new agricultural technology, like genetically engineered crops, to allow farmers to produce more food per acre.
“We need more ways to work with private landowners, not against them,” he said. “And environmentalists often discourage ways to work with private landowners to encourage conservation.”
Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN


vdare--2020-05-18--Swamp Strikes Back—Corruptocrats McCarthy, Stivers Desperate To Defeat Immigration Patriot Steve Kin

Swamp Strikes Back—Corruptocrats McCarthy, Stivers Desperate To Defeat Immigration Patriot Steve King

Key immigration patriot Iowa Rep. Steve King thought he had an understanding that he would get his committee assignments back last week , but GOP House leaders are now frantically signaling that won ’ t happen .
This fight over King reveals that the venal Conservative Inc .
Establishment that Trump was supposed to wipe away is still preventing the GOP from turning into a truly National Conservative party—and , despite ’ s Trump ’ s example , remains cowed by the Main Stream Media ’ s Leftist Ideological Hegemony .
According to King , House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing if he could win over the Republican Steering Committee .
King was stripped of his House assignments for a controversy over his defense of Western Civilization , when the New York Times deliberately mispunctuated the ( admittedly inarticulate ) King ’ s remarks to make him sound like a mouth-breathing goon from Central Casting .
Let the record show the only Republicans who went to bat for him : Reps. Louie Gohmert , Brian Babin , Ralph Norman and Paul Gosar [ ‘ It was a political lynch mob ’ : Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exile , by Melanie Zanona , Politico , June 5 , 2019 ] .
King recently told an audience that he and McCarthy had “ reached an agreement ” that he might get some committee assignments .
But then , like the Establishment snake that he is , McCarthy responded that the immigration patriot “ can not be exonerated ” and won ’ t likely receive any committee appointments even if he does win re-election in November [ McCarthy disputes Steve King 's claim about getting his committee assignments back : ' I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foran and Manu Raju , CNN , May 15 , 2020 ] .
Other top Republicans chimed in .
“ I will not allow hate and bigotry to influence the legislation passed by Congress , ” huffed Rep. Steve Stivers , then chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee .
“ He will not be serving on any committee ” Liz Cheney , the No .
3 Republican in the House and a GOP Princess by virtue of being the daughter of Dubya Vice-President Dick Cheney , agreed [ Steve King makes new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by Melanie Zanona and John Bresnahan , Politico , May 13 , 2020 ] .
Stivers is a long-time virtue-signaler against King—and against immigration patriotism .
He condemned King right before the 2018 midterms because he had backed Faith Goldy ’ s Toronto mayoral run and had met with Austria ’ s Freedom Party .
And King isn ’ t Stivers ’ only immigration patriot victim .
He also refused to support Republican Seth Grossman for New Jersey ’ s 2nd district in 2018 because Grossman had shared ( perfectly innocuous ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grossman lost in a district that Trump won .
( But as luck would have it , the Democrat who beat him switched parties this year .
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the GOP leaders ’ Pavlovian bark to prove the anti-racist bona fides : they accepts the New York Times ’ rendition of King ’ s remarks at face value after he showed that they mangled them , probably purposely [ Memo : Fact Checking the New York Times Misquote of Steve King , SteveKing.House.gov , March 6 , 2019 ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ version : White nationalist , white supremacist , Western civilization — how did that language become offensive ?
White nationalist , white supremacist—Western Civilization , how did that language become offensive ?
Significantly , no recording of this exchange apparently exists ( as King should have pointed out immediately ) .
The GOP surely knows the New York Times ’ s racket .
So why not back their own man ?
Aside from their utter terror at the thought of standing up to the usual Two Minutes Hate from the Mainstream Media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a career A from Numbers USA , is perhaps just motivated by social disdain for King , a distinctly Middle American Catholic .
But McCarthy and Stivers simply have donors who like cheap labor .
Stivers ’ career B- from NumbersUSA is misleading .
It ’ s worth reprising his record in detail : • “ I think we should bring in people in the high-tech fields , ” he told CNBC .
“ [ A ] ll these foreign students that come here on a student visa , I think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diploma [ GOP Rep. Steve Stivers makes the case for legal immigration , even as President Trump tries to reduce it , by John Harwood , August 20 , 2018 ] .
• Stivers opposed Trump ’ s travel ban in 2017 because it “ risks violating our nation ’ s values.
” • He supports amnesty for illegal aliens who came to the U.S. as minors would legalize them .
• He demanded an end to “ family separation ” [ House GOP campaign chief calls on admin to stop family separation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Hill , June 18 , 2018 ] .
• He co-sponsored a bill this year to bring in more foreigners [ Stivers , Cárdenas Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Immigration Backlog , Stivers.House.gov , February 26 , 2020 ] .
• In 2019 , he co-sponsored the Indian green card giveaway known as the “ Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act ” and the Big Ag amnesty known as “ Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
” Stivers should not be a high-ranking member in a party that purports to be America First .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would force Stivers and others to allow King to have his committee assignments back .
It ’ s un-democratic to punish King and his constituents over one comment to the pathologically hostile New York Times .
McCarthy has mostly been a disappointment as House Minority Leader .
The Watcher wrote in 2018 that McCarthy , a career B+ from Numbers USA , showed promise as a potential nationalist leader .
In that year , McCarthy proposed a solid wall bill , said diversity wasn ’ t our strength , and called out tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong .
One of McCarthy ’ s first acts as Minority Leader was kneecapping King .
`` That language has no place in America , '' McCarthy said at the time .
`` That is not the America I know , and it is most definitely not the party of Lincoln ” [ House GOP leader : 'Action will be taken ' after King 's white supremacy comment , by Eli Watkins , CNN , January 14 , 2019 ] Bad as that was , what McCarthy said about the shooting of Ahmaud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s best efforts , Steve King might well win in November .
Even a new poll from his chief rival Iowa state Sen. Randy Feenstra shows King with a narrow lead—39 percent versus 36 percent [ Steve King holds narrow lead over GOP primary challenger , by Joseph Simonson , Washington Examiner , May 14 , 2020 ] .
Disgracefully , the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , and the Republican Jewish Coalition and National Right to Life ( ? )
support Feenstra and have helped him out-fundraise King by more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat Steve King , by Jonathan Easley , The Hill , May 17 , 2020 ] .
But , as I argued last year , if King wins the party nomination , he will likely keep the seat .
2020 is shaping to be a much better year for Republicans in Iowa than in 2018 .
King ’ s main threat is cucked Republicans .
It will beyond idiotic if Republicans decide to shun King if he wins re-election or , even worse , back his Democratic opponent .
McCarthy can show himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predecessor Paul Ryan and support King .
It ’ s time for the Business First Republicans to get this message .
A King victory may finally deliver it .
Washington Watcher II [ Email him ] is an anonymous DC insider .

washingtonwatcherii@protonmail.com (Washington  Watcher II)

Key immigration patriot Iowa Rep. Steve King thought he had an understanding that he would get his committee assignments back last week, but GOP House leaders are now frantically signaling that won’t happen. This fight over King reveals that the venal Conservative Inc. Establishment that Trump was supposed to wipe away is still preventing the GOP from turning into a truly National Conservative party—and, despite’s Trump’s example, remains cowed by the Main Stream Media’s Leftist Ideological Hegemony.
According to King, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy promised he could be restored to good standing if he could win over the Republican Steering Committee. King was stripped of his House assignments for a controversy over his defense of Western Civilization, when the New York Times deliberately mispunctuated the (admittedly inarticulate) King’s remarks to make him sound like a mouth-breathing goon from Central Casting. Let the record show the only Republicans who went to bat for him: Reps. Louie Gohmert, Brian Babin, Ralph Norman and Paul Gosar [‘It was a political lynch mob’: Steve King pledges to fight GOP over his exile, by Melanie Zanona, Politico, June 5, 2019].
King recently told an audience that he and McCarthy had “reached an agreement” that he might get some committee assignments. But then, like the Establishment snake that he is, McCarthy responded that the immigration patriot “cannot be exonerated” and won’t likely receive any committee appointments even if he does win re-election in November [McCarthy disputes Steve King's claim about getting his committee assignments back: 'I never said that', by Clare Foran and Manu Raju, CNN, May 15, 2020].
Other top Republicans chimed in. “I will not allow hate and bigotry to influence the legislation passed by Congress,” huffed Rep. Steve Stivers, then chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. “He will not be serving on any committee” Liz Cheney, the No. 3 Republican in the House and a GOP Princess by virtue of being the daughter of Dubya Vice-President Dick Cheney, agreed [Steve King makes new push for committee reinstatement despite racist remarks, by Melanie Zanona and John Bresnahan, Politico, May 13, 2020].
Stivers is a long-time virtue-signaler against King—and against immigration patriotism. He condemned King right before the 2018 midterms because he had backed Faith Goldy’s Toronto mayoral run and had met with Austria’s Freedom Party.
And King isn’t Stivers’ only immigration patriot victim. He also refused to support Republican Seth Grossman for New Jersey’s 2nd district in 2018 because Grossman had shared (perfectly innocuous) articles from VDARE.com and American Renaissance. Grossman lost in a district that Trump won. (But as luck would have it, the Democrat who beat him switched parties this year ) .
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the GOP leaders’ Pavlovian bark to prove the anti-racist bona fides: they accepts the New York Times’ rendition of King’s remarks at face value after he showed that they mangled them, probably purposely [Memo: Fact Checking the New York Times Misquote of Steve King, SteveKing.House.gov, March 6, 2019].
Here is the New York Times’ version:
White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?
Here is King’s:
White nationalist, white supremacist—Western Civilization, how did that language become offensive?
Significantly, no recording of this exchange apparently exists (as King should have pointed out immediately).
The GOP surely knows the New York Times’s racket. So why not back their own man?
Aside from their utter terror at the thought of standing up to the usual Two Minutes Hate from the Mainstream Media and NeverTrump Neocons, Cheney, who has a career A from Numbers USA, is perhaps just motivated by social disdain for King, a distinctly Middle American Catholic.
But McCarthy and Stivers simply have donors who like cheap labor.
Stivers’ career B- from NumbersUSA is misleading. It’s worth reprising his record in detail:
Appreciated the chance to sit down with Ohio DACA recipients this morning. They’re right: we must act to make sure these young people have a future without an expiration date, which is why I am cosponsoring the RAC Act. Read about the bill here: https://t.co/NfjN0SzQtu pic.twitter.com/mtvWVdDoSs — Archive: Steve Stivers (@RepSteveStivers) January 10, 2018
Stivers should not be a high-ranking member in a party that purports to be America First. If McCarthy was a real leader, he would force Stivers and others to allow King to have his committee assignments back. It’s un-democratic to punish King and his constituents over one comment to the pathologically hostile New York Times.
McCarthy has mostly been a disappointment as House Minority Leader. The Watcher wrote in 2018 that McCarthy, a career B+ from Numbers USA, showed promise as a potential nationalist leader. In that year, McCarthy proposed a solid wall bill, said diversity wasn’t our strength, and called out tech censorship.
Sadly, The Watcher was wrong. One of McCarthy’s first acts as Minority Leader was kneecapping King. "That language has no place in America," McCarthy said at the time. "That is not the America I know, and it is most definitely not the party of Lincoln” [House GOP leader: 'Action will be taken' after King's white supremacy comment, by Eli Watkins, CNN, January 14, 2019]
Bad as that was, what McCarthy said about the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery is worse.
An American citizen was gunned down while running in his neighborhood. Ahmaud Arbery's death has left a country mourning, demanding answers.
He was born on Mother’s Day, 26 years ago. My heart breaks for his mom, Wanda. We honor his story by calling for justice. #runwithahmaud — Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) May 9, 2020
Despite the Swamp’s best efforts, Steve King might well win in November. Even a new poll from his chief rival Iowa state Sen. Randy Feenstra shows King with a narrow lead—39 percent versus 36 percent [Steve King holds narrow lead over GOP primary challenger, by Joseph Simonson, Washington Examiner, May 14, 2020].
Disgracefully, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Republican Jewish Coalition and National Right to Life (?) support Feenstra and have helped him out-fundraise King by more than $500,000 [GOP rallies behind effort to defeat Steve King, by Jonathan Easley, The Hill, May 17, 2020].
But, as I argued last year, if King wins the party nomination, he will likely keep the seat. 2020 is shaping to be a much better year for Republicans in Iowa than in 2018. King’s main threat is cucked Republicans.
It will beyond idiotic if Republicans decide to shun King if he wins re-election or, even worse, back his Democratic opponent. McCarthy can show himself to be significantly different than his disastrous predecessor Paul Ryan and support King.
Trump supporters didn’t chant “refugees welcome” in 2016—they shouted “build the wall!”
It’s time for the Business First Republicans to get this message. A King victory may finally deliver it.
Washington Watcher II [Email him] is an anonymous DC insider.


vdare--2020-05-18--Trump Administration Striking Against The Foreign Student "Optional Practical Training" Scam

The mass of under the radar employment schemes for aliens to subsidize Big Tech while it censors patriotic Americans are in the news again .
The Trump Administration , at least the few remaining patriots , is attempting to end the most egregious scheme to subsidize the tyrants at Big Tech , the Optional Practical Training ( OPT ) program where foreign students in the United States on an F-1 Non-Immigrant Visa ( NIV ) are authorized employment and whose employers do not pay various payroll taxes , like Social Security and Medicare deductions .
Under the George Bush Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to foreign students , usually upperclassmen , while enrolled in classes , was expanded to renewable two and three year periods after graduation .
It is now a gateway for Big Tech to transition these low wage workers into H-1B NIVs and maintain them in a helot like class of employers who are ever dependent on their employers for eventual sponsorship for legal permanent residence .
Trump administration hardliners have taken aim at OPT , though not mentioned is Curricular Practical Training ( CPT ) , a similar program to OPT , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs .
Both OPT and CPT actively encourage students to attend diploma mills or to remain in the United States endlessly as a student obtaining multiple degrees .
Most students who do this are technically working illegally , as both OPT and CPT only allow employment during actual school semester or quarter ; foreign students are prohibited from working during semester or quarter breaks and summer break .
However , most continue to work when out of school for those breaks .
Previously , most colleges and universities acted ethically , and limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year graduate students , but recent trends have seen institutes of higher education marketing OPT and CPT to students , especially foreign students who do not have the financial resources to pay for their education .
Now higher education has an opening to poorer students who previously must had to have the full cost of their full undergraduate program or graduate program paid from outside the United States , or by the student working illegally .
Now , they offer basically full-time employment from day one to their foreign students , many in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work illegally in jobs unrelated to the undergraduate or graduate degree .
At the direction of the White House , the Department of Homeland Security has sent recommendations for further restricting legal immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic , according to one former and two current administration officials .
Among the recommendations expected to be considered is the suspension of a program for foreign students to stay in the U.S. to get one or two years of occupational training between secondary education and full-time employment , a move many in the business and university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as Optional Practical Training , or OPT , is an incentive for foreign students to come to U.S. universities , as it provides some cushion between school and employment .
Talk of suspending OPT has pitted business interests against immigration hard-liners like President Donald Trump ’ s senior adviser Stephen Miller , the officials said .
[ Trump Administration Weighs Suspending Program For Foreign Students , Prompting Backlash From Business , Tech , by Julia Ainsley and Laura Strickler , NBC News , May 15 , 2020 ] As usual , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue , presenting this as “ women and immigrants hardest hit ” theme of the press ’ war on immigration enforcement .
The issue of CPT is not even mentioned .
Are journalists completely ignorant of the subjects they cover ?
They say it is about protecting Americans from the China Flu , but that is not correct .
It is about the 30 million unemployed in the United States .
But the pointy head intellectuals just whine about muh racisms .
“ Suspending or ending OPT makes no practical sense — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quality of America ’ s higher education system , and it threatens the international exchange of ideas so vital to academic freedom , ” said Julie Schmid , executive director of the American Association of University Professors .
“ International students contribute nearly $ 41 billion a year to the U.S. economy .
Our campuses and our communities benefit from the contributions international students make to education and research , ” Schmid said .
“ This move does nothing to ensure the health of U.S. citizens during the COVID crisis .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is just bigotry posing as concern for national security.
” The real question though is will Ken The Knife Cuccinelli and Stephen Miller have the power to impose this policy on the Deep State and Jared Kushner .
However , it does not look good .
In an other area of import to patriotic immigration reformers , the Deep State saboteurs have been resisting collecting DNA samples from arrested illegal aliens and only now is something being done , after it was imposed in 2005 by legislation .
The Trump administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pushback inside the agency .
The Department of Homeland Security is inching toward implementation of a decades-old law directing it to collect DNA from the undocumented immigrants arrested by its officers .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has started a small pilot project in Dallas to collect DNA samples of undocumented immigrants who are arrested .
And Customs and Border Protection started another pilot program months ago .
It ’ s a far cry from the robust implementation Congress envisioned when the DNA Fingerprint Act became law in 2005 .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come after years of pushback from senior officials in the department , who argued the requirement was cumbersome and unhelpful .
DHS ’ steps toward implementation of the law come after harsh criticism from whistleblowers and a government oversight office , and after a bit of arm-twisting from the Justice Department .
The move will concern civil liberties advocates , who have long said a massive database of immigrants ’ DNA could be ripe for abuse .
[ DHS Begins Collecting DNA From Undocumented Immigrants After Whistleblower Complaints , by Betsy Woodruff Swan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 , 2020 ] No surprise though , ICE SVU will not collect DNA from those age 13 or younger .
There is no reason for that .
Juvenile arrestees are routinely fingerprinted and give DNA samples .
There is no reason not to both fingerprint and take DNA samples from minors , only those very young , basically infants , can ’ t be fingerprinted effectively , but infants can give DNA samples , which is also highly effective in preventing immigration fraud .
The good news is that someone in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureaucrats at DHS are generally lying and sabotaging Administration policies .
As the greatest man in law enforcement has said , welcome to the party , pal .

The mass of under-the-radar employment schemes for aliens to subsidize Big Tech while it censors patriotic Americans is in the news again. The Trump Administration, at least the few remaining patriots, is attempting to end the most egregious scheme to subsidize the tyrants at Big Tech, the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, where foreign students in the United States on an F-1 Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) are authorized employment and whose employers do not pay various payroll taxes, like Social Security and Medicare deductions.
Under the George Bush Administration, the once minor OPT program, limited to foreign students, usually upperclassmen, while enrolled in classes, was expanded to renewable two and three year periods after graduation. It is now a gateway for Big Tech to transition these low wage workers into H-1B NIVs and maintain them in a helot-like class of employers who are ever dependent on their employers for eventual sponsorship for legal permanent residence.
Trump administration hard-liners have taken aim at OPT, though not mentioned is Curricular Practical Training (CPT), a similar program to OPT, but for foreign students in graduate studies programs. Both OPT and CPT actively encourage students to attend diploma mills or to remain in the United States endlessly as students obtaining multiple degrees. Most students who do this are technically working illegally, as both OPT and CPT only allow employment during actual school semester or quarter; foreign students are prohibited from working during semester or quarter breaks and summer break. However, most continue to work when out of school during those breaks.
Previously, most colleges and universities acted ethically, and limited OPT and CPT to upperclassmen and second year graduate students, but recent trends have seen institutes of higher education marketing OPT and CPT to students, especially foreign students who do not have the financial resources to pay for their education.
Now higher education has an opening for poorer students who previously must have had to have the full cost of their full undergraduate program or graduate program paid from outside the United States, or by the student working illegally. Now, they offer basically full-time employment from day one to their foreign students, many in Indian job shops, but many still work illegally in jobs unrelated to the undergraduate or graduate degree.
At the direction of the White House, the Department of Homeland Security has sent recommendations for further restricting legal immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to one former and two current administration officials. Among the recommendations expected to be considered is the suspension of a program for foreign students to stay in the U.S. to get one or two years of occupational training between secondary education and full-time employment, a move many in the business and university communities are fighting. The program, known as Optional Practical Training, or OPT, is an incentive for foreign students to come to U.S. universities, as it provides some cushion between school and employment. Talk of suspending OPT has pitted business interests against immigration hard-liners like President Donald Trump’s senior adviser Stephen Miller, the officials said. [Trump Administration Weighs Suspending Program For Foreign Students, Prompting Backlash From Business, Tech, by Julia Ainsley and Laura Strickler, NBC News, May 15, 2020]
As usual, the fake news reporters don’t understand the issue, presenting this as “women and immigrants hardest hit” theme of the press’ war on immigration enforcement. The issue of CPT is not even mentioned. Are journalists completely ignorant of the subjects they cover? They say it is about protecting Americans from the China Flu, but that is not correct. It is about the 30 million unemployed in the United States. But the pointy head intellectuals just whine about muh racisms.
“Suspending or ending OPT makes no practical sense — it solves no problem, it reduces the quality of America’s higher education system, and it threatens the international exchange of ideas so vital to academic freedom,” said Julie Schmid, executive director of the American Association of University Professors. “International students contribute nearly $41 billion a year to the U.S. economy. Our campuses and our communities benefit from the contributions international students make to education and research,” Schmid said. “This move does nothing to ensure the health of U.S. citizens during the COVID crisis. As with Trump’s Muslim ban, this is just bigotry posing as concern for national security.”
The real question, though, is: Will Ken The Knife Cuccinelli and Stephen Miller have the power to impose this policy on the Deep State and Jared Kushner?
However, it does not look good. In another area of import to patriotic immigration reformers, the Deep State saboteurs have been resisting collecting DNA samples from arrested illegal aliens and only now is something being done, after it was imposed in 2005 by legislation.
The Trump administration has begun implementing a 2005 law after years of pushback inside the agency. The Department of Homeland Security is inching toward implementation of a decades-old law directing it to collect DNA from the undocumented immigrants arrested by its officers. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has started a small pilot project in Dallas to collect DNA samples of undocumented immigrants who are arrested. And Customs and Border Protection started another pilot program months ago. It’s a far cry from the robust implementation Congress envisioned when the DNA Fingerprint Act became law in 2005. And the moves, which may seem small, come after years of pushback from senior officials in the department, who argued the requirement was cumbersome and unhelpful. DHS’ steps toward implementation of the law come after harsh criticism from whistleblowers and a government oversight office, and after a bit of arm-twisting from the Justice Department. The move will concern civil liberties advocates, who have long said a massive database of immigrants’ DNA could be ripe for abuse. [DHS Begins Collecting DNA From Undocumented Immigrants After Whistleblower Complaints, by Betsy Woodruff Swan And Daniel Lippman, Politico, May 15, 2020]
No surprise, though, ICE SVU will not collect DNA from those age 13 or younger.
As with fingerprints, ICE said it won’t collect DNA samples from anyone age 13 or younger.
There is no reason for that. Juvenile arrestees are routinely fingerprinted and give DNA samples. There is no reason not to both fingerprint and take DNA samples from minors, only those very young, basically infants, can’t be fingerprinted effectively, but infants can give DNA samples, which is also highly effective in preventing immigration fraud.
The good news is that someone in the Trump Administration has learned that the Resistance bureaucrats at DHS are generally lying and sabotaging Administration policies.
That long resistance to implementation from DHS generated concerns in some corners of the Trump administration. And despite the incremental shifts from ICE and CBP, those concerns persist. “There are people, including at the leadership levels of DHS, CBP and ICE, who are determined to prevent the DNA Fingerprint Act from ever going into effect,” one senior administration official told POLITICO. “These individuals are willing to continue to ignore the law and put the safety of the American people at risk. The Obama administration is alive and well at DHS.”
As the greatest man in law enforcement has said, welcome to the party, pal.


vdare--2020-05-17--WSJ: Hispanics, Asians And Native Americans Are Not Being Hit As Hard As Non-Hispanic Whites And Bla

WSJ: Hispanics, Asians And Native Americans Are Not Being Hit As Hard As Non-Hispanic Whites And Blacks.

I just got around to reading the weekend paper edition of WSJ .
It has a very good explanation of @ @ @ @ @ chart showing deaths by race and ethnicity .
They show deaths by share of US @ @ @ @ @ of population where the deaths are occurring .
The latter is what the CDC uses @ @ @ @ @ , Asians and Native Americans are not being hit as hard as non-Hispanic whites and @ @ @ @ @ it looks like in my paper copy : Also , there is a good discussion @ @ @ @ @ The article itself is behind the WSJ paywall : But this chart is available online @ @ @ @ @ White ) Americans STILL `` Hardest Hit '' By Covid-19 According To CDC Death Certificates @ @ @ @ @ Dying Of Coronavirus At Higher Rates Than Immigrants , White Deaths Highest In Relation To @

I just got around to reading the weekend paper edition of WSJ. It has a very good explanation of the numbers and a great chart showing deaths by race and ethnicity.
They show deaths by share of US population and deaths by share of population where the deaths are occurring. The latter is what the CDC uses. Either way, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans are not being hit as hard as non-Hispanic whites and blacks.
This is what it looks like in my paper copy:
Also, there is a good discussion of age groups affected.
The article itself is behind the WSJ paywall:
In mid-April, 30% more Americans died than was typical in the same period in previous years, a Wall Street Journal examination of federal death certificate data shows. Yet the coronavirus’s precise toll still isn’t very clear. https://t.co/an1xHvcau7 — The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 15, 2020
But this chart is available online:
Earlier:


vdare--2020-05-17--NFL Bribing Teams To Hire Black Coaches With Better Draft Picks—Why Not Just Make It Illegal to Hire

NFL Bribing Teams To Hire Black Coaches With Better Draft Picks—Why Not Just Make It Illegal to Hire Whites?

In 2019 , the National Football League ( NFL ) boasted a roster that was only 29.9 percent white .
@ @ @ @ @ percent black .
No one cares about the paucity of white players in the NFL @ @ @ @ @ corner backs , only a handful of white running backs , and a dwindling amount @ @ @ @ @ But , the real crisis is the lack of black head coaches and black general @ @ @ @ @ this problem in a league where 7 of 10 players is non-white ?
How about @ @ @ @ @ you hire blacks to be a coach or a general manager ?

In 2019, the National Football League (NFL) boasted a roster that was only 29.9 percent white. The league is roughly 69 percent black.
No one cares about the paucity of white players in the NFL, especially with zero white corner backs, only a handful of white running backs, and a dwindling amount of white wide receivers. But, the real crisis is the lack of black head coaches and black general managers. How to fix this problem in a league where 7 of 10 players is non-white?
How about boosting draft pick position if you hire blacks to be a coach or a general manager?
Owners to vote on resolution to incentivize minority HC, GM hires, NFL.com, May 15, 2020