westernjournal--2020-08-16--‘Everybody Gets a Ballot’: Governor Signs Order To Send Ballots to 6.2 Million State Residents

New Jersey Democratic Gov .
Phil Murphy has announced that officials will send mail-in ballots to each of the state ’ s registered voters ahead of the November election .
Murphy made the announcement at a news briefing Friday , saying that he would be signing an executive order to allow all voters to cast their ballot by mail .
The order means each of New Jersey ’ s estimated 6.2 million voters will receive a ballot in the mail , though they can vote in person instead if they so desire , according to NJ.com .
“ As much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joining our neighbors in a line to cast our ballots on Election Day … and as much as we are energized by seeking packed polling places , we must recognize that this is not a regular election year , ” Murphy said .
“ We can say that in more ways than one , but it certainly matters in terms of how we go about ensuring a free and open election in the face of this ongoing pandemic , ” he added .
Earlier Friday , Murphy joined CNN ’ s John Berman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America Berman described criticism of mail-in voting and its potential for fraud , especially criticism from President Donald Trump , as “ baseless.
” “ Everybody gets a ballot , ” Murphy told CNN .
“ We ’ re going to have a hybrid model in November.
” “ We like what we saw [ in July ’ s statewide primaries ] , we ’ ll tweak it and that ’ s where we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked , “ Everybody is going to be mailed a ballot ?
” “ That is correct , and if you do vote in-person , you ’ ll have to do what we call provisional voting because the folks won ’ t necessarily know at the voting location whether or not you actually already mailed a ballot in , ” Murphy said .
Berman explained to CNN viewers that voter fraud is “ very rare , ” before bringing up alleged voter fraud issues in the city of Paterson , where there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Berman conceded that there were “ failures , ” including “ a tiny bit of fraud , ” but downplayed the effects of fraudulent ballots on elections .
“ We have a higher probability of being hit by lightning than we do uncovering voter fraud , ” Murphy said .
RELATED : House Dems Stoke Fears of Mail Delays , Call for Postmaster General To Testify Trump commented on the issues in Paterson on Twitter in June : “ Absentee Ballots are fine .
A person has to go through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mail-In Voting , on the other hand , will lead to the most corrupt Election is USA history .
Bad things happen with Mail-Ins .
Just look at Special Election in Patterson , N.J. 19 % of Ballots a FRAUD !
” he tweeted .
“ State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal alleges that Councilman Michael Jackson and Councilman-elect Alex Mendez handled mail-in ballots improperly , ” the outlet reported .
“ Jackson possessed too many mail-in ballots that were not his own and Mendez submitted voter registration applications he knew were false , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third campaign were also charged with election fraud.
” The newspaper also reported the state had seen seen “ misdelivered ballots , ballots dropped in piles in apartment lobbies and ballots burned in a mail truck fire.
” One in 10 ballots in New Jersey ’ s vote-by-mail special elections in May were not counted , according to NJ Spotlight .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has announced that officials will send mail-in ballots to each of the state’s registered voters ahead of the November election.
Murphy made the announcement at a news briefing Friday, saying that he would be signing an executive order to allow all voters to cast their ballot by mail. The order means each of New Jersey’s estimated 6.2 million voters will receive a ballot in the mail, though they can vote in person instead if they so desire, according to NJ.com.
“As much as we enjoy the time-honored traditions of joining our neighbors in a line to cast our ballots on Election Day … and as much as we are energized by seeking packed polling places, we must recognize that this is not a regular election year,” Murphy said.
“We can say that in more ways than one, but it certainly matters in terms of how we go about ensuring a free and open election in the face of this ongoing pandemic,” he added.
Earlier Friday, Murphy joined CNN’s John Berman to discuss his expansion of mail-in voting.
Berman described criticism of mail-in voting and its potential for fraud, especially criticism from President Donald Trump, as “baseless.”
“Everybody gets a ballot,” Murphy told CNN. “We’re going to have a hybrid model in November.”
“We like what we saw [in July’s statewide primaries], we’ll tweak it and that’s where we’re headed, ” Murphy said.
Berman asked, “Everybody is going to be mailed a ballot?”
New Jersey will use a hybrid voting model for the November election, @GovMurphy confirms.
All New Jersey residents will be mailed a ballot for the elections, and it will be up to them to decide if they would like to vote by mail or in person, he added.https://t.co/FwfRKvtCVB pic.twitter.com/HuvQb9CTIF — New Day (@NewDay) August 14, 2020
“That is correct, and if you do vote in-person, you’ll have to do what we call provisional voting because the folks won’t necessarily know at the voting location whether or not you actually already mailed a ballot in,” Murphy said.
Berman explained to CNN viewers that voter fraud is “very rare,” before bringing up alleged voter fraud issues in the city of Paterson, where there were major problems reported during a May special election.
Berman conceded that there were “failures,” including “a tiny bit of fraud,” but downplayed the effects of fraudulent ballots on elections.
“We have a higher probability of being hit by lightning than we do uncovering voter fraud,” Murphy said.
Trump commented on the issues in Paterson on Twitter in June:
“Absentee Ballots are fine. A person has to go through a process to get and use them. Mail-In Voting, on the other hand, will lead to the most corrupt Election is USA history. Bad things happen with Mail-Ins. Just look at Special Election in Patterson, N.J. 19% of Ballots a FRAUD!” he tweeted.
Absentee Ballots are fine. A person has to go through a process to get and use them. Mail-In Voting, on the other hand, will lead to the most corrupt Election is USA history. Bad things happen with Mail-Ins. Just look at Special Election in Patterson, N.J. 19% of Ballots a FRAUD! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2020
NorthJersey.com reported Paterson’s issues included an alleged voter fraud scheme.
Do you think universal mail-in voting would lead to more fraud? Yes No
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“State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal alleges that Councilman Michael Jackson and Councilman-elect Alex Mendez handled mail-in ballots improperly,” the outlet reported. “Jackson possessed too many mail-in ballots that were not his own and Mendez submitted voter registration applications he knew were false, Grewal claims. Two workers for a third campaign were also charged with election fraud.”
The newspaper also reported the state had seen seen “misdelivered ballots, ballots dropped in piles in apartment lobbies and ballots burned in a mail truck fire.”
One in 10 ballots in New Jersey’s vote-by-mail special elections in May were not counted, according to NJ Spotlight.
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--Chicago Mayor Bragged About City’s New COVID Center, But It Cost Taxpayers $1.7 Mil Per Patient

Our younger readers might not be old enough to remember the most insufferable bumper sticker ever created : “ It will be a great day when our schools have all the money they need , and our air force has to have a bake-sale to buy a bomber.
” I came in on the late end of the era of this epigram by author Robert Fulghum — being one of those millennials who still remembers dial-up modems .
My middle-school language arts teacher , a dedicated Jimmy Buffett fan , had one plastered on the painted-cinderblock wall .
The stickers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bumper of forest-green Subarus from sea to shining sea .
I was reminded of that sticker when I saw two divergent stories out of Chicago , one from this week and the other I remembered from last autumn .
The Windy City apparently has all the money it needed to treat COVID-19 victims that didn ’ t really materialize at a cost of $ 1.7 million per patient , but police had to hold a pancake breakfast to buy their own bulletproof vests .
It ’ s not schools and the Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an ironic twist on Fulghum ’ s maxim .
A bit of an explainer : Officials in Chicago , like many major cities , believed when the coronavirus hit that they were going to be overwhelmed , with hospitals overflowing and critically ill patients being refused treatment .
Thus , they built what Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called an “ alternate care facility ” in the McCormick Place convention center .
When it was completed in April , WMAQ-TV quoted Lightfoot as saying it was an “ astronomical feat ” upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 3,000 patients with mild symptoms could be treated at the site , relieving the burden on the city ’ s hospitals .
The transformation was mostly courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers and a firm called Walsh Construction , whom we ’ ll hear about later .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America At the time , the mayor touted this as if it were a signature project .
“ This is the product of all of us working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the project the week before the tour .
“ The size , the speed , and the scope is unlike anything else in the country.
” The mayor was equally impressed during the tour of the hospital — which , according to the Chicago Sun-Times , would end up costing $ 65.9 million .
“ I want to stress just how remarkable it was to pull this all together in a short amount of time , ” she said .
“ Studies will be made about just how fast this project came together.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they ’ d be made as soon as August .
The coronavirus and all its attendant problems are still very much with us .
The McCormick Place hospital is not ; on May 1 , only 21 days after Lightfoot toured that “ astronomical feat , ” WTTW-TV reported it was shutting down .
“ Today , we are pleased to report that the curve is flattening , and our local hospitals and health care systems continue to operate with capacity , ” Lightfoot , who is a lightning rod for critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( a fellow Democratic lightning rod ) .
“ An abundance of caution ” caused officials to spend the money for the hospital , officials said at the time .
That continues to the line , with aides telling the Chicago Sun-Times the hospital was an “ insurance policy ” during an “ immense emergency.
” “ It ’ s something I ’ m incredibly proud of , ” said Samir Mayekar , the deputy mayor for economic and neighborhood development , in a piece published in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t focus on how quickly they were able to turn McCormick Place into a makeshift hospital for two reasons .
First , the miscalculation in terms of how much hospital capacity was needed was way off .
For instance , out of the potential 3,000-bed capacity — which was never reached anyway — McCormick Place saw 38 patients .
There aren ’ t zeroes missing there or other digits I forgot .
RELATED : Chicago Agitators Attacked Cops , Dragged Policewoman Along Ground While Partner Struggled To Save Her At a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , that breaks down to $ 1.7 million per patient .
It would be unfair to say Lightfoot ’ s Chicago was alone in constructing field hospitals that ended up being money pits for cities who could ill afford to burn cash .
The federal government is covering at least 75 percent of the costs , at the very least .
Beyond the money and the miscalculation , however , is how the bidding worked .
Chicago , like many locales , believed the bidding had to be wrapped up quickly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into days .
The bids were handled by a body known as McPier , an entity run cooperatively by the city and the state abd owns both McCormick Place and the nearby Navy Pier .
Out of three bids from construction companies , McPier chose Walsh Construction within hours .
According to the Sun-Times , however , internal emails from an Army Corps of Engineers official stated that both of the other bids on the project were better than Walsh ’ s , and one of the other companies had even agreed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to profit from COVID-19 .
However , as the Sun-Times notes , Walsh Construction is “ a politically connected Chicago company that ’ s built everything from highways to high-rises.
” At least , according to Mayekir , if the pandemic gets worse the medical equipment can be redeployed .
However , the coronavirus isn ’ t the only public health problem that ’ s hit Chicago since the coronavirus crisis .
Like many other cities , Chicago is experiencing an upsurge in violence .
In June , murders were up 34 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And while Lightfoot isn ’ t defunding police by shuffling money into social services like so many other mayors are , the city either can ’ t or won ’ t pay for new bulletproof vests for its officers .
According to WLS-TV , last October , the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation held a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the police department .
That ’ s because a piece of equipment desperately needed by police officers is going unprovided by the city .
“ Bulletproof vests need to be replaced every five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , all coming out of the pockets of officers , ” WLS reported .
“ Thanks to fundraising efforts over the past five years , the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation has replaced 8,000 outdated bulletproof vests.
” For every patient treated at the McCormick Plaza makeshift hospital , given a base $ 500 cost for a vest , Chicago police could have gotten 3,400 of them .
Nix the project altogether and the city could have bought roughly 132,000 vests for Chicago ’ s roughly 12,000 officers .
The capacity to treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s vital to recognize that everyone , at every level , got judgments concerning the coronavirus wrong in some way .
Some overreacted , some under-reacted .
One of the biggest and most expensive overreactions , however , has been with hospital beds and modeling , particularly as it pertains to the decision to construct field hospitals like the one at McCormick Place .
At the local , state and federal level , there was no desire to consider cost or scalability .
Almost everyone over-anticipated what would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fashion .
The problem with being ready for threat that doesn ’ t materialize at a very hefty price tag is that many of the entities paying that price needed that money elsewhere .
Even with a fairly substantial budget , the Chicago Police Department still had to deal with major problems in a city beset by serious crime issues .
That ’ s gotten worse as violent crime in major cities is one of the strange concomitant public health problems the coronavirus has produced .
And yet , how much money is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Consider how much revenue it ’ s already lost because of the pandemic , the upsurge of crime and spasms of looting in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis — including last week ’ s pillaging of its upscale shopping district by a mob of looters — and then ask yourself whether the McCormick Place hospital was worth $ 65.9 million , particularly given a bidding process that looks suspiciously political .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Our younger readers might not be old enough to remember the most insufferable bumper sticker ever created: “It will be a great day when our schools have all the money they need, and our air force has to have a bake-sale to buy a bomber.”
I came in on the late end of the era of this epigram by author Robert Fulghum — being one of those millennials who still remembers dial-up modems. My middle-school language arts teacher, a dedicated Jimmy Buffett fan, had one plastered on the painted-cinderblock wall. The stickers’ habitat, however, was on the bumper of forest-green Subarus from sea to shining sea.
I was reminded of that sticker when I saw two divergent stories out of Chicago, one from this week and the other I remembered from last autumn. The Windy City apparently has all the money it needed to treat COVID-19 victims that didn’t really materialize at a cost of $1.7 million per patient, but police had to hold a pancake breakfast to buy their own bulletproof vests. It’s not schools and the Air Force, I suppose, but it’s an ironic twist on Fulghum’s maxim.
A bit of an explainer: Officials in Chicago, like many major cities, believed when the coronavirus hit that they were going to be overwhelmed, with hospitals overflowing and critically ill patients being refused treatment. Thus, they built what Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called an “alternate care facility” in the McCormick Place convention center.
When it was completed in April, WMAQ-TV quoted Lightfoot as saying it was an “astronomical feat” upon touring it. The plan was that up to 3,000 patients with mild symptoms could be treated at the site, relieving the burden on the city’s hospitals. The transformation was mostly courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers and a firm called Walsh Construction, whom we’ll hear about later.
At the time, the mayor touted this as if it were a signature project.
“This is the product of all of us working together,” Lightfoot had said of the project the week before the tour. “The size, the speed, and the scope is unlike anything else in the country.”
The mayor was equally impressed during the tour of the hospital — which, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, would end up costing $65.9 million.
“I want to stress just how remarkable it was to pull this all together in a short amount of time,” she said. “Studies will be made about just how fast this project came together.”
Do you think corruption tainted the country's coronavirus response? Yes No
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Studies would indeed be made, and they’d be made as soon as August. The coronavirus and all its attendant problems are still very much with us. The McCormick Place hospital is not; on May 1, only 21 days after Lightfoot toured that “astronomical feat,” WTTW-TV reported it was shutting down.
“Today, we are pleased to report that the curve is flattening, and our local hospitals and health care systems continue to operate with capacity,” Lightfoot, who is a lightning rod for critics, said in a joint statement with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (a fellow Democratic lightning rod).
“An abundance of caution” caused officials to spend the money for the hospital, officials said at the time. That continues to the line, with aides telling the Chicago Sun-Times the hospital was an “insurance policy” during an “immense emergency.”
“It’s something I’m incredibly proud of,” said Samir Mayekar, the deputy mayor for economic and neighborhood development, in a piece published in the Sun-Times on Friday.
Chicago functionaries probably shouldn’t focus on how quickly they were able to turn McCormick Place into a makeshift hospital for two reasons. First, the miscalculation in terms of how much hospital capacity was needed was way off. For instance, out of the potential 3,000-bed capacity — which was never reached anyway — McCormick Place saw 38 patients. There aren’t zeroes missing there or other digits I forgot.
At a cost of $66 million for the work, that breaks down to $1.7 million per patient.
It would be unfair to say Lightfoot’s Chicago was alone in constructing field hospitals that ended up being money pits for cities who could ill afford to burn cash. The federal government is covering at least 75 percent of the costs, at the very least. Beyond the money and the miscalculation, however, is how the bidding worked.
Chicago, like many locales, believed the bidding had to be wrapped up quickly. Processes that usually take months were squeezed into days.
The bids were handled by a body known as McPier, an entity run cooperatively by the city and the state abd owns both McCormick Place and the nearby Navy Pier. Out of three bids from construction companies, McPier chose Walsh Construction within hours.
According to the Sun-Times, however, internal emails from an Army Corps of Engineers official stated that both of the other bids on the project were better than Walsh’s, and one of the other companies had even agreed to waive fees because it didn’t want to profit from COVID-19.
However, as the Sun-Times notes, Walsh Construction is “a politically connected Chicago company that’s built everything from highways to high-rises.”
At least, according to Mayekir, if the pandemic gets worse the medical equipment can be redeployed. However, the coronavirus isn’t the only public health problem that’s hit Chicago since the coronavirus crisis. Like many other cities, Chicago is experiencing an upsurge in violence.
In June, murders were up 34 percent year-on-year and shootings up 45 percent. And while Lightfoot isn’t defunding police by shuffling money into social services like so many other mayors are, the city either can’t or won’t pay for new bulletproof vests for its officers.
According to WLS-TV, last October, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation held a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the police department. That’s because a piece of equipment desperately needed by police officers is going unprovided by the city.
“Bulletproof vests need to be replaced every five years. The cost is $500 or more, all coming out of the pockets of officers,” WLS reported.
“Thanks to fundraising efforts over the past five years, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation has replaced 8,000 outdated bulletproof vests.”
For every patient treated at the McCormick Plaza makeshift hospital, given a base $500 cost for a vest, Chicago police could have gotten 3,400 of them. Nix the project altogether and the city could have bought roughly 132,000 vests for Chicago’s roughly 12,000 officers.
The capacity to treat COVID-19 patients is obviously an important one, and it’s vital to recognize that everyone, at every level, got judgments concerning the coronavirus wrong in some way. Some overreacted, some under-reacted. One of the biggest and most expensive overreactions, however, has been with hospital beds and modeling, particularly as it pertains to the decision to construct field hospitals like the one at McCormick Place.
At the local, state and federal level, there was no desire to consider cost or scalability. Almost everyone over-anticipated what would be needed — and in a very costly fashion.
The problem with being ready for threat that doesn’t materialize at a very hefty price tag is that many of the entities paying that price needed that money elsewhere. Even with a fairly substantial budget, the Chicago Police Department still had to deal with major problems in a city beset by serious crime issues.
That’s gotten worse as violent crime in major cities is one of the strange concomitant public health problems the coronavirus has produced.
And yet, how much money is Chicago going to have going forward? Consider how much revenue it’s already lost because of the pandemic, the upsurge of crime and spasms of looting in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis — including last week’s pillaging of its upscale shopping district by a mob of looters — and then ask yourself whether the McCormick Place hospital was worth $65.9 million, particularly given a bidding process that looks suspiciously political.
That’s a lot of bake sales.
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--Animal Rights Group Furious After Finding Pro-Trump Message on Bear’s Tracking Collar

An animal rights organization is speaking out against what it sees as a horrible form of animal cruelty — putting a sticker expressing support for President Donald Trump on a bear ’ s collar .
Help Asheville Bears , a North Carolina-based animal rights group , is offering a $ 5,000 reward to find the party responsible for putting a “ Trump 2020 ” sticker on a black bear ’ s tracking collar .
In a Facebook post late last month , HAB condemned the placing of the sticker as a “ cruel and heartless ” act .
“ HAB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on the person ( s ) responsible for putting this political sticker on this beautiful bear who has already been trapped , tranquilized , and collared unnecessarily , ” the post read .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America The bear had not , in fact , been “ collared unnecessarily , ” as the collars were likely being used in the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Bear Study .
The study is being conducted by N.C. State University in conjunction with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data in order to inform future bear management decisions , ” The Citizen-Times in Asheville reported in May 2019 .
Regardless , HAB seems to think that the collars are needless , and that the “ Trump 2020 ” sticker just made things worse .
“ Whoever put these political stickers on these bears is cruel and heartless .
HAB and our followers hope to stop and expose you , ” the post read .
“ This is now the second bear this happened to , which can only mean either someone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is someone in the public .
Either way , a full investigation needs to be done.
” The person who sent HAB the pictures of the bear took things a step further , going as far as to suggest that the placing of the sticker is even more cruel than the use of the collars themselves .
“ I was able to find out that the bears were collared by the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Bear Study and on May 12 , 2019 , I spoke with a member of this organization who assured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the collars were used to improve bear safety through research , ” the resident said , according to HAB ’ s post .
“ The group sounded committed to protecting our Urban bears and promoting their health and well being .
“ That is why I was shocked to see this on the bear ’ s collar today .
I believe this is an abhorrent practice .
These bears are already suffering enough with the heavy collars and metal ear mutilations .
But to put a political sticker on the collar ?
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The resident seems to think that a “ Trump 2020 ” sticker is somehow making the bear ’ s suffering even worse .
RELATED : Dog Meat Is Back on the Menu in China Perhaps the prankster should have first asked the bear which candidate it was planning on voting for in November .
All kidding aside , using animals as political billboards is a practice neither political party should condone .
That being said , to call this act “ cruel and heartless ” is a bit hyperbolic .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

An animal rights organization is speaking out against what it sees as a horrible form of animal cruelty — putting a sticker expressing support for President Donald Trump on a bear’s collar.
Help Asheville Bears, a North Carolina-based animal rights group, is offering a $5,000 reward to find the party responsible for putting a “Trump 2020” sticker on a black bear’s tracking collar.
In a Facebook post late last month, HAB condemned the placing of the sticker as a “cruel and heartless” act.
“HAB is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the person(s) responsible for putting this political sticker on this beautiful bear who has already been trapped, tranquilized, and collared unnecessarily,” the post read.
The bear had not, in fact, been “collared unnecessarily,” as the collars were likely being used in the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Bear Study.
The study is being conducted by N.C. State University in conjunction with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to “gather data in order to inform future bear management decisions,” The Citizen-Times in Asheville reported in May 2019.
Regardless, HAB seems to think that the collars are needless, and that the “Trump 2020” sticker just made things worse.
“Whoever put these political stickers on these bears is cruel and heartless. HAB and our followers hope to stop and expose you,” the post read.
Should animal rights groups focus on more important issues? Yes No
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“This is now the second bear this happened to, which can only mean either someone in the study is doing this or it is someone in the public. Either way, a full investigation needs to be done.”
The person who sent HAB the pictures of the bear took things a step further, going as far as to suggest that the placing of the sticker is even more cruel than the use of the collars themselves.
“I was able to find out that the bears were collared by the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Bear Study and on May 12, 2019, I spoke with a member of this organization who assured me the bears were safe and that the collars were used to improve bear safety through research,” the resident said, according to HAB’s post. “The group sounded committed to protecting our Urban bears and promoting their health and well being.
“That is why I was shocked to see this on the bear’s collar today. I believe this is an abhorrent practice. These bears are already suffering enough with the heavy collars and metal ear mutilations. But to put a political sticker on the collar? No words can describe my anger and sadness.”
The resident seems to think that a “Trump 2020” sticker is somehow making the bear’s suffering even worse.
Perhaps the prankster should have first asked the bear which candidate it was planning on voting for in November.
All kidding aside, using animals as political billboards is a practice neither political party should condone.
That being said, to call this act “cruel and heartless” is a bit hyperbolic.
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--The Left Wastes No Time in Floating Sick Theory About Robert Trump’s Death

The death of President Donald Trump ’ s younger brother was fashioned into a weapon against him by social media voices eager to launch conspiracy theories .
Robert Trump , 71 , died Saturday Saturday night at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan , according to The New York Times .
The Times , citing a family friend it did not name , reported that Robert Trump had been on blood thinners and suffered brain bleeds that began after a recent fall .
The president had gone to see his brother Friday at the hospital .
The White House on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother , Robert , peacefully passed away tonight .
He was not just my brother , he was my best friend .
He will be greatly missed , but we will meet again .
His memory will live on in my heart forever .
Robert , I love you .
Rest in peace.
” TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America The somber tone from the White House was very different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , as multiple voices sought to tie Robert Trump ’ s death to the coronavirus — and suggest the White House is covering it up .
Members of the president ’ s family expressed their condolences .
RELATED : 'Everybody Gets a Ballot ' : Governor Signs Order To Send Ballots to 6.2 Million State Residents The Washington Post came in for criticism over its initial treatment of Robert Trump ’ s death , linking it to the release of a memoir that criticized the president .
The Post later revised its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , younger brother of President Trump , dies at 71.
” Robert Trump had initially worked on Wall Street , but later became a senior executive at the Trump Organization .
Jack O ’ Donnell , a former Trump Organization executive , told The New York Times that Robert Trump was “ dignified , he was quiet , he listened , he was good to work with .
He had zero sense of entitlement .
Robert was very comfortable being Donald Trump ’ s brother and not being like him.
” “ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Michael D ’ Antonio , a Trump family biographer , said , according to The Times .
“ He was glad to stay out of the spotlight.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The death of President Donald Trump’s younger brother was fashioned into a weapon against him by social media voices eager to launch conspiracy theories.
Robert Trump, 71, died Saturday night at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, according to The New York Times.
The Times, citing a family friend it did not name, reported that Robert Trump had been on blood thinners and suffered brain bleeds that began after a recent fall.
The president had gone to see his brother Friday at the hospital.
The White House on Saturday released a statement from the president saying, “It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight. He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace.”
The somber tone from the White House was very different from the sniping that emerged on social media, as multiple voices sought to tie Robert Trump’s death to the coronavirus — and suggest the White House is covering it up.
Something tells me we’re not going to find out why Robert Trump died and something tells me we all know why. — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) August 16, 2020
Including possibly his own brother. — Nell Scovell (@NellSco) August 16, 2020
Did Robert Trump die from Coronavirus? — Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) August 16, 2020
Members of the president’s family expressed their condolences.
Uncle Robert, we love you. You are in our hearts and prayers, always. — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 16, 2020
Robert Trump was an incredible man – strong, kind and loyal to the core. Anyone who encountered him felt his warmth immediately. He will be deeply missed by our entire family. — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) August 16, 2020
The Washington Post came in for criticism over its initial treatment of Robert Trump’s death, linking it to the release of a memoir that criticized the president.
This headline, on an “obituary” no less, is sick. WaPo should be ashamed of itself. Robert Trump, RIP. pic.twitter.com/5iG4EmmK9D — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 16, 2020
The Washington Post couldn’t put politics aside for one night. They treated the Leader of ISIS better than the brother of the President of the United States.. pic.twitter.com/wqnnK6mTRy — Benny (@bennyjohnson) August 16, 2020
The Post later revised its headline to read, “Robert Trump, younger brother of President Trump, dies at 71.”
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Robert Trump had initially worked on Wall Street, but later became a senior executive at the Trump Organization.
Jack O’Donnell, a former Trump Organization executive, told The New York Times that Robert Trump was “dignified, he was quiet, he listened, he was good to work with. He had zero sense of entitlement. Robert was very comfortable being Donald Trump’s brother and not being like him.”
“You could consider him the quietest of Trumps,” Michael D’Antonio, a Trump family biographer, said, according to The Times.
“He was glad to stay out of the spotlight.”
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--Bald Eagle Attacks Michigan Gov’t Observation Drone, Sends It to a Watery Grave

A bald eagle recently put a drone in its place — underwater in Lake Michigan .
The confrontation between bird and machine took place on July 21 near Escanaba in Michigan ’ s Upper Peninsula , Michigan ’ s Department of the Environment , Great Lakes and Energy said in a release on its website .
EGLE , the acronym for the state agency flying the drone , was mapping shoreline erosion .
Environmental quality analyst and drone pilot Hunter King was making his fourth drone flight of the day when the drone needed to be recalled .
King kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drone as the video began spinning .
“ It was like a really bad rollercoaster ride , ” King said in the news release .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America By the time he looked up , there was only one flyer still in the sky — an eagle that was flying away .
“ I was looking through the camera on the drone with my iPad , and it just went into a spiral , ” King said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think the eagle actually grabbed it , maybe a talon just nicked it , ” King says .
A couple who was watching told King they saw the eagle hit something , but they did not know what .
Officials later learned that the drone landed 150 feet from the shore in about four feet of water .
EGLE Unmanned Aircraft Systems coordinator Arthur Ostaszewski tried snorkeling gear to find the $ 950 drone .
No luck .
He spent two hours walking a gird pattern , remarking in the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was playing ‘ Battleship ’ and wanted to cover the entire board.
” In the end , the drone was never found .
On its way to its watery grave , the drone sent a distress signal that one propeller had been torn off .
Julia Ponder , executive director of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota , said the attack was likely due to what the bird perceived as an incursion into its territory , according to The New York Times .
“ They ’ re the king of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NPR the bird may have simply had enough of the drone ’ s presence .
“ I had flown out and it was on my way back , so it was probably the second time the bird had seen this drone , ” he said .
King said the drone is “ pretty annoying.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A bald eagle recently put a drone in its place — underwater in Lake Michigan.
The confrontation between bird and machine took place on July 21 near Escanaba in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Michigan’s Department of the Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said in a release on its website.
EGLE, the acronym for the state agency flying the drone, was mapping shoreline erosion. Environmental quality analyst and drone pilot Hunter King was making his fourth drone flight of the day when the drone needed to be recalled.
King kept his eye on the video feed from the drone as the video began spinning.
“It was like a really bad rollercoaster ride,” King said in the news release.
By the time he looked up, there was only one flyer still in the sky — an eagle that was flying away.
“I was looking through the camera on the drone with my iPad, and it just went into a spiral,” King said, according to NPR.
“I don’t think the eagle actually grabbed it, maybe a talon just nicked it,” King says.
A couple who was watching told King they saw the eagle hit something, but they did not know what.
Do you think drones are annoying? Yes No
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Officials later learned that the drone landed 150 feet from the shore in about four feet of water.
EGLE Unmanned Aircraft Systems coordinator Arthur Ostaszewski tried snorkeling gear to find the $950 drone. No luck. He spent two hours walking a gird pattern, remarking in the news release that he felt “like I was playing ‘Battleship’ and wanted to cover the entire board.”
In the end, the drone was never found.
On its way to its watery grave, the drone sent a distress signal that one propeller had been torn off.
Michigan Eagle takes on EGLE (Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy) and wins.
Bird can be heard singing “I fought the law, and I won”https://t.co/LXZ13wPjpE — Beau M. LaFave (@BeauMattLaFave) August 13, 2020
Julia Ponder, executive director of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, said the attack was likely due to what the bird perceived as an incursion into its territory, according to The New York Times.
“They’re the king of the skies,” she said.
King told NPR the bird may have simply had enough of the drone’s presence.
“I had flown out and it was on my way back, so it was probably the second time the bird had seen this drone,” he said.
King said the drone is “pretty annoying.”
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--College Censors Anti-Marxism Course After Anonymous, Left-Wing Profs Bash It

At just about every institution of higher public learning in the United States , especially including public schools financed with your taxpayer dollars — you ’ ll be able to find a highly charged political course in most departments .
Take Wright State University in Dayton , Ohio .
There , the student body can partake of an economics course titled “ Socialist and Radical Economics , ” in which they can “ learn the rich history of critical analyses of the dominant form of capitalism ( i.e.
, historical evolution of capitalist ownerships , capitalist labor process , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a critical debate on the prospect of socioeconomic reform.
” Try being an economics professor who wants to teach a course critical of Marxism , however , and you ’ re going to have a harder time finding a public university that ’ ll let you do it .
That ’ s the conundrum Evan Osborne , who ’ s been at his current school since 1994 , finds himself in .
According to The College Fix in a story published Aug. 5 , Osborne wants to teach a course called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Practice , ” which is “ both an introduction to Marxist economic thought and the history of political power exercised in the name of that thought.
” He first proposed the course in fall 2014 , but the school would only let him teach it to honors students .
He requested to open it up to the student body .
Six years later , he ’ s still waiting on that request .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America His school ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the student body to take “ Socialist and Radical Economics.
” In an email to The College Fix , Osborne wrote that the “ short version ” of the problem behind getting approval to teach the course outside of the honors-student environment “ is that we have an angry , radical-left cohort in the department , they praise Marxism in the classroom , they will not let me teach critically about it , and numerous people in the university have refused to do anything about it.
” Osborne wrote that “ dissenters/censors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions on Marxism are keeping him from making his class more widely available .
In 2015 , when he asked the school to consider the class as an elective for all students , anonymous professors complained that he was “ teaching Marxism incorrectly.
” The course wasn ’ t , and hasn ’ t been offered to the full student body since .
“ In my quarter-century at Wright State this kind of anonymous , secret criticism has not happened to anyone besides me , ” Osborne told The College Fix .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 6 that this had serious implications on who could hear his critiques .
“ The honors class … sharply limits who can take it , ” Osborne said .
“ The biggest damage is being done to students in business , in the college of economics .
Most of them are not honors students .
… They deserve to hear.
” “ Clearly , it ’ s all just censorship , ” the professor told Fox “ I have proposed several electives .
All have been approved , not going against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our department.
” Wright State did not respond to requests for comments from either The College Fix or Fox News .
Osborne isn ’ t exactly hiding his political beliefs on the matter .
He started the class because of what he called “ dumb ” critiques of capitalism , which is why he said he thought the results of Marxist ideology ought to be examined .
RELATED : State Dept .
Confirms China Potentially Carrying Out Worst Genocide Since the Holocaust “ I first talk about Marxist economics , where it came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country to talk about the disasters in economics and crimes against humanity , ” Osborne told Fox .
“ Maybe it was a mistake to make the syllabus so honest .
… Fundamentally , what I want is my academic freedom to be respected.
” However , he told The College Fix that his anonymous detractors said certain points needed to be added to his syllabus , despite the fact “ these points of view are already included in our curriculum in other courses.
” Other suggestions were curious .
For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class , Osborne was told to include , as The College Fix described it , “ within his readings on Chinese communism the analysis of an obscure early-20th century Chinese communist.
” “ Why is this bizarre ?
” Osborne told The College Fix .
“ I speak Mandarin Chinese , and read and write the language fluently ; I have published one journal article in the language in fact .
I am currently writing a book on 20th-century Chinese intellectual history , including the development of communist thought there .
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese intellectual history before lunch every day than this objecting professor , or any other professor in our department , will ever know .
“ But apparently as a tenured professor who has taught a wide variety of courses with reasonable competence , and who is very familiar with 20th-century intellectual developments in China , I was somehow not capable of deciding how to teach this class , even the section on China.
” Perhaps this shouldn ’ t be surprising .
Osborne told The College Fix that Wright State makes economics students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course which “ is consistently skeptical of free markets and ‘ capitalism . '
” “ Given the way Marx is favorably assessed in our curriculum , and Marxism ’ s actual historical record , I really thought our students deserved an alternate perspective , ” he wrote .
And you ’ re not going to be seeing that .
Academia has long been described as a liberal vacuum in which conservative professors and students aren ’ t welcome , and conservative ideas die .
It ’ s strange to say , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had it back as little as 20 years ago — or at least as late as 1994 , when Osborne could get a position at Wright State .
This is an important subject that is allowed to be taught at an honors level — something that ’ s indicative of a certain level of scholarly exigency .
Yes , the professor is a conservative .
I ’ m sure the rest of the faculty isn ’ t and they don ’ t hide it , either .
It ’ s more proof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once men like Osborne retire , there ’ s the very high likelihood it will be dead forever if the right doesn ’ t fight back .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

At just about every institution of higher public learning in the United States, especially including public schools financed with your taxpayer dollars — you’ll be able to find a highly charged political course in most departments.
Take Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. There, the student body can partake of an economics course titled “Socialist and Radical Economics,” in which they can “learn the rich history of critical analyses of the dominant form of capitalism (i.e., historical evolution of capitalist ownerships, capitalist labor process, and its socioeconomic outcomes) and to engage in a critical debate on the prospect of socioeconomic reform.”
Try being an economics professor who wants to teach a course critical of Marxism, however, and you’re going to have a harder time finding a public university that’ll let you do it. That’s the conundrum Evan Osborne, who’s been at his current school since 1994, finds himself in.
According to The College Fix in a story published Aug. 5, Osborne wants to teach a course called “Marxism: A History of Theory and Practice,” which is “both an introduction to Marxist economic thought and the history of political power exercised in the name of that thought.”
He first proposed the course in fall 2014, but the school would only let him teach it to honors students. He requested to open it up to the student body. Six years later, he’s still waiting on that request.
His school? Wright State University, which allows anyone in the student body to take “Socialist and Radical Economics.”
In an email to The College Fix, Osborne wrote that the “short version” of the problem behind getting approval to teach the course outside of the honors-student environment “is that we have an angry, radical-left cohort in the department, they praise Marxism in the classroom, they will not let me teach critically about it, and numerous people in the university have refused to do anything about it.”
Osborne wrote that “dissenters/censors” who don’t like his opinions on Marxism are keeping him from making his class more widely available. In 2015, when he asked the school to consider the class as an elective for all students, anonymous professors complained that he was “teaching Marxism incorrectly.” The course wasn’t, and hasn’t been offered to the full student body since.
“In my quarter-century at Wright State this kind of anonymous, secret criticism has not happened to anyone besides me,” Osborne told The College Fix.
Is a college education worth it in 2020? Yes No
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He told Fox News in an interview published Aug. 6 that this had serious implications on who could hear his critiques.
“The honors class … sharply limits who can take it,” Osborne said. “The biggest damage is being done to students in business, in the college of economics. Most of them are not honors students. … They deserve to hear.”
“Clearly, it’s all just censorship,” the professor told Fox “I have proposed several electives. All have been approved, not going against the sacred beliefs of the radical wing of our department.”
Wright State did not respond to requests for comments from either The College Fix or Fox News.
Osborne isn’t exactly hiding his political beliefs on the matter. He started the class because of what he called “dumb” critiques of capitalism, which is why he said he thought the results of Marxist ideology ought to be examined.
“I first talk about Marxist economics, where it came from. … I go country by country to talk about the disasters in economics and crimes against humanity,” Osborne told Fox.
“Maybe it was a mistake to make the syllabus so honest. … Fundamentally, what I want is my academic freedom to be respected.”
However, he told The College Fix that his anonymous detractors said certain points needed to be added to his syllabus, despite the fact “these points of view are already included in our curriculum in other courses.”
Other suggestions were curious. For instance, at a department-committee meeting regarding the Marxism class, Osborne was told to include, as The College Fix described it, “within his readings on Chinese communism the analysis of an obscure early-20th century Chinese communist.”
“Why is this bizarre?” Osborne told The College Fix. “I speak Mandarin Chinese, and read and write the language fluently; I have published one journal article in the language in fact. I am currently writing a book on 20th-century Chinese intellectual history, including the development of communist thought there. In other words, I forget far more about Chinese intellectual history before lunch every day than this objecting professor, or any other professor in our department, will ever know.
“But apparently as a tenured professor who has taught a wide variety of courses with reasonable competence, and who is very familiar with 20th-century intellectual developments in China, I was somehow not capable of deciding how to teach this class, even the section on China.”
Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising. Osborne told The College Fix that Wright State makes economics students take an “institutional economics” economics course which “is consistently skeptical of free markets and ‘capitalism.'”
“Given the way Marx is favorably assessed in our curriculum, and Marxism’s actual historical record, I really thought our students deserved an alternate perspective,” he wrote.
And you’re not going to be seeing that. Academia has long been described as a liberal vacuum in which conservative professors and students aren’t welcome, and conservative ideas die. It’s strange to say, but we probably have no idea how good we had it back as little as 20 years ago — or at least as late as 1994, when Osborne could get a position at Wright State.
This is an important subject that is allowed to be taught at an honors level — something that’s indicative of a certain level of scholarly exigency. Yes, the professor is a conservative. I’m sure the rest of the faculty isn’t and they don’t hide it, either.
It’s more proof intellectual diversity is dying on campuses. Once men like Osborne retire, there’s the very high likelihood it will be dead forever if the right doesn’t fight back.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-16--Air Force Draws ‘Overwhelming’ Response to Public Invitation To Watch Live as Human F-16 Pilot Squar

Air Force Draws ‘Overwhelming’ Response to Public Invitation To Watch Live as Human F-16 Pilot Squares Off Against AI Enemy in Simulated Dogfight

The battle of man vs. machine will take on a new dimension this week as a virtual dogfight is set to take place between an F-16 pilot and an artificial intelligence enemy .
But you had to have acted early .
Due to “ overwhelming interest , ” registration closed early for the event , which is scheduled to take place from Tuesday through Thursday .
During the preliminary rounds of combat , artificial intelligence algorithms will control simulated F-16 fighters in a series of fights between AI pilots .
On Thursday , an Air Force fighter pilot flying a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the king of the AI aces , the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency stated in an Aug. 7 news release .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America In a 2019 DARPA release , Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Javorsek , program manager for the Air Combat Evolution program , outlined why the event matters for the future of the Air Force .
“ We envision a future in which AI handles the split-second maneuvering during within-visual-range dogfights , keeping pilots safer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unmanned systems into a web of overwhelming combat effects , ” he said .
The release noted that “ No AI currently exists , however , that can outduel a human strapped into a fighter jet in a high-speed , high-G dogfight.
” “ As modern warfare evolves to incorporate more human-machine teaming , DARPA seeks to automate air-to-air combat , enabling reaction times at machine speeds and freeing pilots to concentrate on the larger air battle.
” The release declared that the future of aerial combat will require a new set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a role .
“ Turning aerial dogfighting over to AI is less about dogfighting , which should be rare in the future , and more about giving pilots the confidence that AI and automation can handle a high-end fight , ” it stated .
“ To accelerate the transformation of pilots from aircraft operators to mission battle commanders — who can entrust dynamic air combat tasks to unmanned , semi-autonomous airborne assets from the cockpit — the AI must first prove it can handle the basics.
” This week ’ s event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams that were selected last year to compete .
RELATED : US Air Force Helicopter Gets Shot at Over Virginia “ Regardless of whether the human or machine wins the final dogfight , the AlphaDogfight Trials is all about increasing trust in AI , ” Javorsek said in the Aug. 7 release .
“ If the champion AI earns the respect of an F-16 pilot , we ’ ll have come one step closer to achieving effective human-machine teaming in air combat , which is the goal of the ACE program.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be the AI-pilot matchup , which is scheduled for Thursday between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. EDT .
DARPA said that a “ multi-view format will afford viewers comprehensive perspectives of the dogfights in real-time and feature experts and guests from the Control Zone , akin to a TV sports commentary desk.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The battle of man vs. machine will take on a new dimension this week as a virtual dogfight is set to take place between an F-16 pilot and an artificial intelligence enemy.
But you had to have acted early. Due to “overwhelming interest,” registration closed early for the event, which is scheduled to take place from Tuesday through Thursday.
During the preliminary rounds of combat, artificial intelligence algorithms will control simulated F-16 fighters in a series of fights between AI pilots.
On Thursday, an Air Force fighter pilot flying a virtual reality F-16 simulator will take on the king of the AI aces, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency stated in an Aug. 7 news release.
Excited to see see the IAF pilot will battel AI in a virtual f16 dogfight next week. pic.twitter.com/AnLemsd87M — Er. Abhishek singhal (@nicknameabhi111) August 14, 2020
In a 2019 DARPA release, Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Javorsek, program manager for the Air Combat Evolution program, outlined why the event matters for the future of the Air Force.
“We envision a future in which AI handles the split-second maneuvering during within-visual-range dogfights, keeping pilots safer and more effective as they orchestrate large numbers of unmanned systems into a web of overwhelming combat effects,” he said.
The release noted that “No AI currently exists, however, that can outduel a human strapped into a fighter jet in a high-speed, high-G dogfight.”
Will artificial intelligence change the battlefield of the future? Yes No
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“As modern warfare evolves to incorporate more human-machine teaming, DARPA seeks to automate air-to-air combat, enabling reaction times at machine speeds and freeing pilots to concentrate on the larger air battle.”
The release declared that the future of aerial combat will require a new set of skills in which AI can play a role.
“Turning aerial dogfighting over to AI is less about dogfighting, which should be rare in the future, and more about giving pilots the confidence that AI and automation can handle a high-end fight,” it stated.
“To accelerate the transformation of pilots from aircraft operators to mission battle commanders — who can entrust dynamic air combat tasks to unmanned, semi-autonomous airborne assets from the cockpit — the AI must first prove it can handle the basics.”
This week’s event, the AlphaDogfight Trials, will feature eight teams that were selected last year to compete.
“Regardless of whether the human or machine wins the final dogfight, the AlphaDogfight Trials is all about increasing trust in AI,” Javorsek said in the Aug. 7 release.
“If the champion AI earns the respect of an F-16 pilot, we’ll have come one step closer to achieving effective human-machine teaming in air combat, which is the goal of the ACE program.”
The climax of the week’s events will be the AI-pilot matchup, which is scheduled for Thursday between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. EDT.
DARPA said that a “multi-view format will afford viewers comprehensive perspectives of the dogfights in real-time and feature experts and guests from the Control Zone, akin to a TV sports commentary desk.”
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-16--Daviscourt: Seattle Residents Voting for Trump After Democrats Refuse To Stop Rioting

The state of Washington isn ’ t in play in any substantive way this election season , which makes it an odd place to pay attention to voter sentiment .
Joe Biden could call for a ban on espresso , say he ’ ll order the Seattle Seahawks to move to Delaware by presidential fiat and call Kurt Cobain “ a no-talent pony soldier who mumbled everything he sang so no one could tell wretched his lyrics were ” and he could still count on the state ’ s 12 electoral votes .
Neither of Washington ’ s Senate seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
Only one of the state ’ s congressional districts — Washington ’ s 8th , a suburban Seattle district flipped by the Democrats in the 2018 midterms — is remotely competitive .
However , while all of America will have been changed in some way by the events of 2020 , the state of Washington in general — and Seattle in particular — will look the most different , particularly politically .
It ’ s seen some of the most radical of the post-George Floyd foment , particularly in the lawless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of mostly unpoliced demonstrations-cum-riots that followed .
In the midst of this disarray was also a pitched battle tug-of-war between City Hall and the radical left over just how much officials wanted to neuter police in Seattle , none of which actually took into account what Seattle police might actually need to do their job .
This ended up with Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best resigning and with cuts that didn ’ t end up satisfying the radical left , who still want to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan .
TRENDING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America Apparently , compromise talks with people who believe “ compromise ” involves you agreeing to everything they demand demand don ’ t end well .
Who knew ?
So you have frequent property destruction , vans full of explosives , six-odd blocks taken over by protesters and turned into a “ police-free ” zone , anti-gentrification demonstrators marching through neighborhoods at night and demanding white residents give up their homes , political instability and a police force being diminished in the wake of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people who simply want to live in Seattle .
Good , liberal people .
The kind of people who shop at farmers markets and always at neighborhood booksellers instead of — shudder — Amazon or Barnes & Noble .
Fair-trade coffee people .
People who drop BIPOC into group chats an average of 10.3 times per week .
Yoga people , but the kind of yoga people who are aware yoga could be seen as cultural appropriation .
These people are why voter sentiment in Seattle is important to gauge at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man who gave birth to neoconservatism — a phrase that has some baggage now , but which originally had to deal with 1960s liberals who became conservatives out of consternation with the Great Society and radical anti-war protesters .
He also gave birth to the aphorism , “ A neoconservative is a liberal who ’ s been mugged by reality.
” ( He also fathered the smugly delusional NeverTrumper Bill Kristol , but the less said about that , the better . )
Could that phrase hold some truth in modern-day Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Point USA ’ s Katie Daviscourt found some residents willing to say they were considering their options on Biden vs. Trump due to recent events in the city .
RELATED : BLM Invades Residential Neighborhood and Demands White People Give Up Their Homes Granted , not all of these — even a majority — were liberal .
It ’ s also a Turning Point USA representative selecting what were undoubtedly the responses that best illustrated a point the conservative group would like to make .
That said , the fact Daviscourt was even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camera is a miracle .
There were a few anecdotal responses reporting the same thing in other liberal locales : However , if you want an actual testimony regarding someone who was “ mugged by reality , ” I give you the tale of Paul Gallant , an ESPN radio host in the Emerald City .
In June , after President Donald Trump announced he was going to potentially send federal forces into Seattle to restore order , Gallant tweeted this : His chill was harshed roughly six weeks later when rioters set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d thoroughly ransacked below the residential apartment in which he lived .
This is the new reality the left is embracing , at least for the time being .
It appears it ’ s going to be doing an awful lot of mugging .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The state of Washington isn’t in play in any substantive way this election season, which makes it an odd place to pay attention to voter sentiment.
Joe Biden could call for a ban on espresso, say he’ll order the Seattle Seahawks to move to Delaware by presidential fiat and call Kurt Cobain “a no-talent pony soldier who mumbled everything he sang so no one could tell wretched his lyrics were” and he could still count on the state’s 12 electoral votes.
Neither of Washington’s Senate seats are up for being voted on this year. Only one of the state’s congressional districts — Washington’s 8th, a suburban Seattle district flipped by the Democrats in the 2018 midterms — is remotely competitive.
However, while all of America will have been changed in some way by the events of 2020, the state of Washington in general — and Seattle in particular — will look the most different, particularly politically. It’s seen some of the most radical of the post-George Floyd foment, particularly in the lawless CHAZ/CHOP “autonomous zone” and in a series of mostly unpoliced demonstrations-cum-riots that followed.
In the midst of this disarray was also a pitched battle tug-of-war between City Hall and the radical left over just how much officials wanted to neuter police in Seattle, none of which actually took into account what Seattle police might actually need to do their job. This ended up with Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best resigning and with cuts that didn’t end up satisfying the radical left, who still want to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.
Apparently, compromise talks with people who believe “compromise” involves you agreeing to everything they demand demand don’t end well. Who knew?
So you have frequent property destruction, vans full of explosives, six-odd blocks taken over by protesters and turned into a “police-free” zone, anti-gentrification demonstrators marching through neighborhoods at night and demanding white residents give up their homes, political instability and a police force being diminished in the wake of all of this.
And then you have the people who simply want to live in Seattle.
Good, liberal people. The kind of people who shop at farmers markets and always at neighborhood booksellers instead of — shudder — Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Fair-trade coffee people. People who drop BIPOC into group chats an average of 10.3 times per week. Yoga people, but the kind of yoga people who are aware yoga could be seen as cultural appropriation.
Do you think leftist violence has boosted support for President Trump nationally? Yes No
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These people are why voter sentiment in Seattle is important to gauge at this point in time.
Irving Kristol was the man who gave birth to neoconservatism — a phrase that has some baggage now, but which originally had to deal with 1960s liberals who became conservatives out of consternation with the Great Society and radical anti-war protesters. He also gave birth to the aphorism, “A neoconservative is a liberal who’s been mugged by reality.” (He also fathered the smugly delusional NeverTrumper Bill Kristol, but the less said about that, the better.)
Could that phrase hold some truth in modern-day Seattle? In a viral video, Turning Point USA’s Katie Daviscourt found some residents willing to say they were considering their options on Biden vs. Trump due to recent events in the city.
After weeks of riots in Seattle, even Liberals want Law and Order. The Radical Left is creating new Trump voters. Check out what residents had to say: pic.twitter.com/Gi236EvmvO — Benny (@bennyjohnson) August 14, 2020
Granted, not all of these — even a majority — were liberal. It’s also a Turning Point USA representative selecting what were undoubtedly the responses that best illustrated a point the conservative group would like to make.
That said, the fact Daviscourt was even able to get any self-described moderates on camera is a miracle. There were a few anecdotal responses reporting the same thing in other liberal locales:
I live in Oregon. A year ago, if anyone posted something conservative or pro-Trump on a community FB or social media of any kind there would be a hateful free for all. That doesn’t happen anymore. And people are getting more vocal. — MKSwancutt (@MKSwancutt) August 14, 2020
Same in #Massachusetts– people started wearing American flags and eagles, then added MAGA caps. The ones who have the courage to do so have embloded others who may have remained silent. It is precisely why @MassGovernor has betrayed us will give electoral college to pop candidate — Michael Patrick (@usa_patrick83) August 15, 2020
However, if you want an actual testimony regarding someone who was “mugged by reality,” I give you the tale of Paul Gallant, an ESPN radio host in the Emerald City.
In June, after President Donald Trump announced he was going to potentially send federal forces into Seattle to restore order, Gallant tweeted this:
Walked through it last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging, or deaths. Chill dawg — Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) June 12, 2020
His chill was harshed roughly six weeks later when rioters set a fire in a Starbucks they’d thoroughly ransacked below the residential apartment in which he lived.
Came home to my apartment complex. The Starbucks underneath has been destroyed, and cops are telling us to stay away in case something explosive is inside. pic.twitter.com/OOJgzUmusk — Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) July 25, 2020
I feel like I need to buy a firearm, because clearly this is going to keep happening. Enough is enough. It looks like a block party down the street from me. Really angry right now. — Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) July 25, 2020
This is the new reality the left is embracing, at least for the time being. It appears it’s going to be doing an awful lot of mugging.
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--California Hit with Rolling Blackouts, and It Looks Like the Pain Is Just Beginning

Rolling blackouts struck California on Friday as a major heatwave caused a huge demand for electricity to cool off homes .
As many as a quarter of a million customers were impacted by Pacific Gas and Electric alone , according to the company statement .
Outages impacted communities across the state .
The statement said the utility “ was directed by the California Independent System Operator ( CAISO ) to turn off power to about 200,000 to 250,000 customers at a time in rotating power outages given the strain on the power grid during the statewide heatwave.
” “ Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directed to take similar actions .
The power will be turned off in rotating blocks until about 11 p.m. Power could be out for about one hour for each block , ” they added .
TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America Spokeswoman Anne Gonzales said grid managers were “ shedding ” about 500 megawatts of power , according to The Sacramento Bee .
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory through Wednesday , warning that temperatures in some non-desert parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The emergency action was the largest power interruption since last October , when PG & E instituted blackouts due to high winds and fears that downed lines could spark fires , The Sacramento Bee reported .
“ We ’ ve been preparing for this for two days , ” Gonzales said .
“ We ’ re 10 to 20 degrees above normal .
This is all heat driven.
” It was 105 degrees in Sacramento on Friday evening .
Officials were asking the public to conserve .
Heatwaves not only strain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill .
During a 2006 heatwave , Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature : 119 degrees on July 22 , according to the Los Angeles Times .
Last July , it also was recorded that “ coroners in Los Angeles , San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat , with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke.
” Between 350 and 450 people in Los Angeles , San Bernardino and Kern counties died from causes connected to the heat during that time .
We are committed to truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Read our editorial standards .

Rolling blackouts struck California on Friday as a major heatwave caused a huge demand for electricity to cool off homes.
As many as a quarter of a million customers were impacted by Pacific Gas and Electric alone, according to the company statement. Outages impacted communities across the state.
The statement said the utility “was directed by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to turn off power to about 200,000 to 250,000 customers at a time in rotating power outages given the strain on the power grid during the statewide heatwave.”
“Other power utilities in the state are being directed to take similar actions. The power will be turned off in rotating blocks until about 11 p.m. Power could be out for about one hour for each block,” they added.
If there’s a “rolling blackout” in California, blame the Democrat politicians. Their 60+ years of virtual control in Sacramento should have given us a cheap, stable supply of electricity. “Severe heat wave causes rolling blackouts … across California” https://t.co/JxqzQIihnW pic.twitter.com/MSg2VJR4gH — SaveCalifornia.com (@savecalifornia) August 15, 2020
Spokeswoman Anne Gonzales said grid managers were “shedding” about 500 megawatts of power, according to The Sacramento Bee.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory through Wednesday, warning that temperatures in some non-desert parts of Southern California could hit 108 degrees.
Update: California heatwave now expected to be much more intense, prolonged, and dangerous than initially anticipated. (Hence, the new blog post.) This one reminds me of July 2006 in many ways… #CAwx #CAfirehttps://t.co/UHzYO7Mjhe — Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) August 14, 2020
The emergency action was the largest power interruption since last October, when PG&E instituted blackouts due to high winds and fears that downed lines could spark fires, The Sacramento Bee reported.
“We’ve been preparing for this for two days,” Gonzales said. “We’re 10 to 20 degrees above normal. This is all heat driven.”
It was 105 degrees in Sacramento on Friday evening.
Officials were asking the public to conserve.
All Californians can help prevent further emergency measures by conserving power in their homes while their is high demand on shared our energy supply. #FlexAlert — Cal OES (@Cal_OES) August 15, 2020
Heatwaves not only strain the power grid, but they can also kill.
During a 2006 heatwave, Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature: 119 degrees on July 22, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Is California simply too crowded? Yes No
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Last July, it also was recorded that “coroners in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat, with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke.”
Between 350 and 450 people in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties died from causes connected to the heat during that time.
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--AOC Whines and Complains After President Trump Gets Historic Endorsement

President Donald Trump received a historic endorsement Friday , and liberals really don ’ t have anyone to blame but themselves .
To the surprise of absolutely nobody , that hasn ’ t stopped Democrats from whining and complaining about the entire ordeal .
The New York City Police Benevolent Association , a union representing roughly 50,000 active and retired NYPD officers , endorsed Trump during a meeting at the Trump golf course in Bedminster , New Jersey .
As Bloomberg News reported , it is the first time that the New York City PBA has ever endorsed a presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America PBA president Pat Lynch lauded the president and noted the historic nature of the endorsement .
“ I have 36 years on this job , 21 as the president of this fine organization .
I can not remember when we ’ ve ever endorsed for the Office of President of the United States , until now .
That ’ s how important this is , ” Lynch said .
It ’ s hard to blame Lynch for feeling that Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , the current president has been one of the few voices of support amid an overwhelming cultural opposition to all things police .
“ I ’ ve admired you my whole life , ” Trump told officers at the golf club .
“ I ’ ve watched you do a job like nobody else , nobody else has done it .
Truly , you ’ re the best of the best and I ’ m grateful , and I ’ m very happy you ’ re here.
” Even that relatively rote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way Democrats have been treating police officers , with calls to reallocate law enforcement resources and general vilification : RELATED : As Leftists Call To Defund Police , Over a Thousand People Show Up for Massive 'Back the Blue ' Rally Given those types of pernicious narratives , how can anyone blame police officers for supporting a party and regime that actually thanks them for all the good they do ?
Well , leave it to Democrats to find a way to kick and scream about something of their own doing .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is used to doing , immediately began complaining about Trump ’ s endorsement : “ NYPD union endorsed Trump .
I ’ m sure this is part of their neighborhood outreach plan , ” she tweeted .
“ Also , does anyone else see a potential problem with police unions — enforcement arms of the state with lethal weapons — promoting ‘ preferred ’ candidates for office or is that just me ?
” The above complaints don ’ t even factor in the notoriously pathetic and contemptible Democratic leadership of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how can Democrats possibly whine about the New York City PBA endorsing Trump after all that they ’ ve subjected police to ?
Oh , that ’ s right .
It ’ s because Democratic brains can ’ t possibly seem to comprehend anyone or anything being pro-Trump , not matter how much logic is behind it .
So all they ’ re left with are vapid complaints and hollow whining .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

President Donald Trump received a historic endorsement Friday, and liberals really don’t have anyone to blame but themselves.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, that hasn’t stopped Democrats from whining and complaining about the entire ordeal.
The New York City Police Benevolent Association, a union representing roughly 50,000 active and retired NYPD officers, endorsed Trump during a meeting at the Trump golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
As Bloomberg News reported, it is the first time that the New York City PBA has ever endorsed a presidential candidate.
The NYC PBA is proud to endorse @realDonaldTrump for President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/DpT8v8bJtz — NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) August 15, 2020
PBA president Pat Lynch lauded the president and noted the historic nature of the endorsement.
“I have 36 years on this job, 21 as the president of this fine organization. I cannot remember when we’ve ever endorsed for the Office of President of the United States, until now. That’s how important this is,” Lynch said.
It’s hard to blame Lynch for feeling that Trump’s re-election is so important. After all, the current president has been one of the few voices of support amid an overwhelming cultural opposition to all things police.
Do you think President Trump will defeat Joe Biden in November? Yes No
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“I’ve admired you my whole life,” Trump told officers at the golf club. “I’ve watched you do a job like nobody else, nobody else has done it. Truly, you’re the best of the best and I’m grateful, and I’m very happy you’re here.”
Even that relatively rote sentiment is a far cry from the way Democrats have been treating police officers, with calls to reallocate law enforcement resources and general vilification:
Sen. @KamalaHarris says “we need to reimagine how we are achieving public safety” because “we have confused the idea that to achieve safety, you put more cops on the street instead” of allocating resources to other services such as education and housing. https://t.co/mjKRxEI2Yb pic.twitter.com/mRBMqt292J — The View (@TheView) June 8, 2020
“You can’t really reform a department that is rotten to the root. What you can do is rebuild,” Rep. Ilhan Omar explains her calls to defund the police departments. “No one is saying crimes will not be investigated.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/t3q10iJv3C — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 14, 2020
Given those types of pernicious narratives, how can anyone blame police officers for supporting a party and regime that actually thanks them for all the good they do?
Well, leave it to Democrats to find a way to kick and scream about something of their own doing.
New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as she is used to doing, immediately began complaining about Trump’s endorsement:
NYPD union endorsed Trump. I’m sure this is part of their neighborhood outreach plan. Also, does anyone else see a potential problem with police unions – enforcement arms of the state with lethal weapons – promoting “preferred” candidates for office or is that just me? https://t.co/UlmigAuedh — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 15, 2020
“NYPD union endorsed Trump. I’m sure this is part of their neighborhood outreach plan,” she tweeted.
“Also, does anyone else see a potential problem with police unions — enforcement arms of the state with lethal weapons — promoting ‘preferred’ candidates for office or is that just me?”
A fellow New York Democrat, 16th Congressional District nominee Jamaal Bowman, echoed similarly whiny sentiments:
I’m speechless. NYC is a beautifully diverse, working class, democratic city. The NYPD is clearly showing they are not interested in working with the people of our city. This explains their continued aggression against innocent people. It’s time for dramatic change. https://t.co/5Xjl3ThJHa — Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) August 15, 2020
The above complaints don’t even factor in the notoriously pathetic and contemptible Democratic leadership of New York City proper.
So again, how can Democrats possibly whine about the New York City PBA endorsing Trump after all that they’ve subjected police to?
Oh, that’s right. It’s because Democratic brains can’t possibly seem to comprehend anyone or anything being pro-Trump, not matter how much logic is behind it.
So all they’re left with are vapid complaints and hollow whining.
Sounds like a lovely existence.
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westernjournal--2020-08-16--Fact Check: Did Trump Really Vow To ‘Terminate’ Social Security?

Claims from a group backed by the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations that President Donald Trump wants to “ terminate ” Social Security have been rejected by USA Today .
The claims , made by Social Security Works , a nonprofit partially funded by liberal billionaire Soros and focused on expanding Social Security and improving Medicare , was based on comments Trump made recently that temporary payroll tax cuts he made through an executive order will become permanent if he is re-elected .
Trump signed an executive order that temporarily stops employers from taking the money that funds Social Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This will mean bigger paychecks for working families , as we race to produce a vaccine and eradicate the China virus once and for all , ” Trump said , according to a White House transcript .
“ If I ’ m victorious on November 3rd , I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax .
So I ’ m going to make them all permanent.
” TRENDING : Navy SEAL Who Killed Bin Laden Used 8 Words To Utterly Destroy Rioters Ruining America Later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ll extend it beyond the end of the year and terminate the tax.
” Social Security Works seized upon the word “ terminate ” and used it to attack Trump .
“ Millions of seniors and people with disabilities struggle to make ends meet .
Yet Donald Trump says he will ‘ terminate ’ Social Security if reelected .
That ’ s a disastrous plan , ” the group said in a recent Facebook post .
Garrett Watson , a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation , a tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said wiping out the tax is not the same as eliminating Social Security , according to USA Today , which investigated the allegation in its fact-checking column .
“ Strictly speaking , Social Security could be funded using general fund revenue or alternative revenue source , so terminating a tax and terminating a program are distinct things , ” Watson wrote in an email to the news outlet .
However , Linda Benesch , a spokeswoman for Social Security Works , said cutting the tax means cutting benefits .
“ Nearly 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes from payroll contributions , and if Trump terminated payroll contributions , the other funding sources would be insufficient , ” Benesch said in an email to USA Today .
“ By law , Social Security is forbidden from paying benefits if there is not sufficient revenue to cover the cost.
” But Nancy Altman , president of Social Security Works , acknowledged that steps Trump has taken so far “ aren ’ t going to end Social Security.
” She told USA Today that the Social Security trust fund has a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years without any new tax revenue .
RELATED : First Four Facts You Need To Know About Dr. Jo Jorgensen , the Libertarian Party 's Presidential Candidate Social Security Works has tweeted its support of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden .
Zach Parkinson , deputy communications director for the Trump campaign , said connecting a tax cut with Social Security benefits is “ misinformation.
” “ President Trump has been clear : A payroll tax cut will have ‘ zero impact ’ on Social Security benefits or the seniors that rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today .
“ He supports transferring money from the government ’ s general coffers , protecting the program ’ s Trust Fund.
” “ Based on our research , the claim that Trump said he will “ terminate ” Social Security if he is reelected is PARTLY FALSE .
Trump recently signed an order offering temporary relief from the payroll tax that funds Social Security , and he has repeatedly said he ’ d terminate the tax entirely if he ’ s reelected , ” USA Today wrote .
“ But ending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ending the Social Security program itself are not the same , ” the newspaper concluded .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Claims from a group backed by the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations that President Donald Trump wants to “terminate” Social Security have been rejected by USA Today.
The claims, made by Social Security Works, a nonprofit partially funded by liberal billionaire Soros and focused on expanding Social Security and improving Medicare, was based on comments Trump made recently that temporary payroll tax cuts he made through an executive order will become permanent if he is re-elected.
Trump signed an executive order that temporarily stops employers from taking the money that funds Social Security and Medicare out of employees’ paychecks.
“This will mean bigger paychecks for working families, as we race to produce a vaccine and eradicate the China virus once and for all,” Trump said, according to a White House transcript.
“If I’m victorious on November 3rd, I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax. So I’m going to make them all permanent.”
Later in his speech, Trump said, “I’ll extend it beyond the end of the year and terminate the tax.”
Social Security Works seized upon the word “terminate” and used it to attack Trump.
“Millions of seniors and people with disabilities struggle to make ends meet. Yet Donald Trump says he will ‘terminate’ Social Security if reelected. That’s a disastrous plan,” the group said in a recent Facebook post.
Garrett Watson, a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation, a tax policy nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., said wiping out the tax is not the same as eliminating Social Security, according to USA Today, which investigated the allegation in its fact-checking column.
Do you support President Donald Trump's payroll tax cut? Yes No
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“Strictly speaking, Social Security could be funded using general fund revenue or alternative revenue source, so terminating a tax and terminating a program are distinct things,” Watson wrote in an email to the news outlet.
However, Linda Benesch, a spokeswoman for Social Security Works, said cutting the tax means cutting benefits.
“Nearly 90 percent of Social Security’s funding comes from payroll contributions, and if Trump terminated payroll contributions, the other funding sources would be insufficient,” Benesch said in an email to USA Today. “By law, Social Security is forbidden from paying benefits if there is not sufficient revenue to cover the cost.”
But Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, acknowledged that steps Trump has taken so far “aren’t going to end Social Security.”
She told USA Today that the Social Security trust fund has a $2.9 trillion surplus, enough to last three years without any new tax revenue.
Social Security Works has tweeted its support of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
85 years after FDR signed Social Security into law, it is on the ballot. “Joe Biden is running on expanding Social Security. Donald Trump is running to “terminate” its funding… The choice in November could not be more consequential.” #SocSec85https://t.co/yRUDH1IeRU — SocialSecurityWorks (@SSWorks) August 15, 2020
Zach Parkinson, deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said connecting a tax cut with Social Security benefits is “misinformation.”
“President Trump has been clear: A payroll tax cut will have ‘zero impact’ on Social Security benefits or the seniors that rely on the program,” Parkinson told USA Today. “He supports transferring money from the government’s general coffers, protecting the program’s Trust Fund.”
USA Today rejected the contention of Social Security Works.
“Based on our research, the claim that Trump said he will “terminate” Social Security if he is reelected is PARTLY FALSE. Trump recently signed an order offering temporary relief from the payroll tax that funds Social Security, and he has repeatedly said he’d terminate the tax entirely if he’s reelected,” USA Today wrote.
“But ending the tax that pays for Social Security and ending the Social Security program itself are not the same,” the newspaper concluded.
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