freebeacon--2020-05-23--Andrew Weissmann to Part Ways With MSNBC Over Biden Fundraiser

If NBC News legal analyst and former Robert Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann participates in an upcoming fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , it would mean the end of his contract with the news network , the former special counsel investigator told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` If the fundraiser goes forward , I ’ m withdrawing from MSNBC so I can be in compliance with their policy , '' Weissmann said in a Friday night phone interview , in reference to the network 's policy that employees avoid activities `` that may create the appearance of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who joined MSNBC as a legal analyst last November , said he notified the network of his plans to headline a June 2 fundraiser for Biden with the understanding that it was prohibited by his contract .
`` I knew what I was getting into and what the consequences would be , '' Weissmann said .
`` They wanted me to adhere to their policy . ''
An MSNBC spokesman confirmed that Weissmann notified the network of his plans to headline the fundraiser and that there was a mutual agreement that he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Free Beacon reported on Friday afternoon that Weissmann ’ s political activity would put him in violation of the network ’ s longstanding employee policy on political activity .
The policy prohibits employees from making political contributions or participating in any campaign event without prior approval from the president of NBC News .
Reports of Weissmann 's involvement in the Biden campaign fundraiser gave fuel to supporters of President Donald Trump , who have long charged that Weissmann was biased against the president .
`` It doesn ’ t get any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partisan coup against the president and then raising money for his political opponent , '' said Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh .
The decision to overtly campaign for Biden comes shortly after it was announced that Weissmann would be rejoining law firm Jenner & Block , where he was a partner before he was hired by the Department of Justice in 2011 .
He will take over the firm 's investigations division on July 1 .
Weissmann was frequently deployed by MSNBC during the failed attempts to impeach Trump late last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to more effectively execute their case .
Trump was ultimately acquitted on both the articles of impeachment brought against him .
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the planned fundraiser .

If NBC News legal analyst and former Robert Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann participates in an upcoming fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, it would mean the end of his contract with the news network, the former special counsel investigator told the Washington Free Beacon.
"If the fundraiser goes forward, I’m withdrawing from MSNBC so I can be in compliance with their policy," Weissmann said in a Friday night phone interview, in reference to the network's policy that employees avoid activities "that may create the appearance of a conflict of interest."
Weissmann, who joined MSNBC as a legal analyst last November, said he notified the network of his plans to headline a June 2 fundraiser for Biden with the understanding that it was prohibited by his contract. "I knew what I was getting into and what the consequences would be," Weissmann said. "They wanted me to adhere to their policy."
An MSNBC spokesman confirmed that Weissmann notified the network of his plans to headline the fundraiser and that there was a mutual agreement that he would need to terminate his contract to proceed.
The Free Beacon reported on Friday afternoon that Weissmann’s political activity would put him in violation of the network’s longstanding employee policy on political activity. The policy prohibits employees from making political contributions or participating in any campaign event without prior approval from the president of NBC News.
Reports of Weissmann's involvement in the Biden campaign fundraiser gave fuel to supporters of President Donald Trump, who have long charged that Weissmann was biased against the president.
"It doesn’t get any swampier than this: trying to stage a partisan coup against the president and then raising money for his political opponent," said Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh.
The decision to overtly campaign for Biden comes shortly after it was announced that Weissmann would be rejoining law firm Jenner & Block, where he was a partner before he was hired by the Department of Justice in 2011. He will take over the firm's investigations division on July 1.
Weissmann was frequently deployed by MSNBC during the failed attempts to impeach Trump late last year, often offering advice to Democrats on how to more effectively execute their case. Trump was ultimately acquitted on both the articles of impeachment brought against him.
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the planned fundraiser.


freebeacon--2020-05-23--Under Fire, Biden Apologizes for Saying ‘You Ain’t Black’ If You Don’t Support Him

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden apologized Friday afternoon for saying that black Americans who would consider voting against him are n't really black .
On a call with the business group U.S. Black Chambers , Biden admitted his comment earlier in the day was `` too cavalier '' and promised he would not take black support for granted .
He also said he regretted being `` such a wise guy . ''
Biden got himself into trouble Friday morning during an interview on the radio show The Breakfast Club , when he told host Charlamagne tha God that black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump .
`` Listen , '' Biden told Charlamagne , `` if you got a problem figuring out if you 're for me or Trump , then you ai n't black . ''
Biden promised Charlamagne he was vetting multiple black women to be his running mate and pointed to his record as evidence he was the only choice for black voters .
Charlamagne said that reasoning was `` kinda crazy , '' and many other black public figures and politicians also criticized Biden , including NAACP president Derrick Johnson .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote for granted , '' Johnson said in an interview with CBS News , adding that Biden should be mindful of the message he sends black voters .
Sen. Tim Scott ( R. , S.C. ) excoriated Biden shortly after the interview , arguing that Biden told over a million Trump voters who are black that they are not in fact `` black . ''
He also said it is `` sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that do n't agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Combs , who warned Biden in April not to take the black vote for granted , lashed out at Biden in a tweet , saying , `` I already told you the # BlackVoteAintFree . ''
Al Sharpton , host of Politics Nation on MSNBC , also criticized Biden .
`` Whether you say it in jest or not , no one should qualify who 's going to be black , '' he said .
`` I think that is inappropriate . ''
Biden campaign senior adviser Symone Sanders tweeted that Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between his support in the black community and President Trump 's lack of support .
`` The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest but let ’ s be clear about what the VP was saying : he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump ’ s any day .
Period , '' Sanders said .

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden apologized Friday afternoon for saying that black Americans who would consider voting against him aren't really black.
On a call with the business group U.S. Black Chambers, Biden admitted his comment earlier in the day was "too cavalier" and promised he would not take black support for granted. He also said he regretted being "such a wise guy."
Biden got himself into trouble Friday morning during an interview on the radio show The Breakfast Club, when he told host Charlamagne tha God that black people had to vote for him against President Donald Trump.
"Listen," Biden told Charlamagne, "if you got a problem figuring out if you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black."
Biden promised Charlamagne he was vetting multiple black women to be his running mate and pointed to his record as evidence he was the only choice for black voters.
Charlamagne said that reasoning was "kinda crazy," and many other black public figures and politicians also criticized Biden, including NAACP president Derrick Johnson.
"You cannot take the African-American vote for granted," Johnson said in an interview with CBS News, adding that Biden should be mindful of the message he sends black voters.
Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.) excoriated Biden shortly after the interview, arguing that Biden told over a million Trump voters who are black that they are not in fact "black." He also said it is "sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that don't agree."
1.3 million black Americans already voted for Trump in 2016. This morning, Joe Biden told every single one of us we 'ain’t black." I’d say I’m surprised, but it’s sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that don’t agree. — Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) May 22, 2020
Rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, who warned Biden in April not to take the black vote for granted, lashed out at Biden in a tweet, saying, "I already told you the #BlackVoteAintFree."
Al Sharpton, host of Politics Nation on MSNBC, also criticized Biden.
"Whether you say it in jest or not, no one should qualify who's going to be black," he said. "I think that is inappropriate."
Biden campaign senior adviser Symone Sanders tweeted that Biden's comments were meant to draw a comparison between his support in the black community and President Trump's lack of support.
"The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest but let’s be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump’s any day. Period," Sanders said.


freebeacon--2020-05-24--Inside Israel’s War on the Coronavirus

Inside Israel’s War on the Coronavirus

The Israelis are known for their preparation .
Threatened each day by a bevy of terror groups , the Jewish state has had contingency plans in place for most circumstances .
Except one : the coronavirus pandemic that wrecked economies and sickened millions .
Israel , like many other smaller nations , had not developed plans to confront a global pandemic .
But as the coronavirus swept across the world , Israeli society mobilized in a fashion only seen in times of war .
Hotels , for instance , were converted into makeshift hospitals and the Israel Defense Forces ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help communities test for the illness and enact quarantines .
Military technologies typically employed in times of combat were quickly converted to facilitate communications needed to keep the country running .
Israeli military officials told the Washington Free Beacon that this quick response—which included the entire government and military—helped to stave off the virus and potentially save many lives .
In a country of nearly 9 million people , Israel has had just more than 16,000 confirmed cases of the virus , with 277 dying from it .
As infections continue to increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have remained relatively flat , even as its Arab neighbors continue to struggle with the illness .
Nearly half a million cases are centered in the Middle East in countries such as Iran and Turkey ( with 120,000 and 150,000 cases , respectively ) , where the governments have struggled to contain the virus .
Israeli technological innovation , long a centerpiece of the country 's economy , is helping the world combat the coronavirus .
In addition to its work on new types of ventilator systems , Israel 's military , government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools for detection and treatment .
Israeli technology also is powering software that can help detect the virus from a safe distance .
In one clear sign of the country 's success , the U.S. State Department chose Israel as the location of its first foreign trip in more than a month .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed there last week and discussed , among other things , lessons the United States could learn from Israel 's response to the virus .
`` The secretary is making this trip because he recognizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to learn from each other as we address current threats , whether those threats stem from a global pandemic or from Iran 's malign regional influence , '' David Schenker , the State Department 's assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs , said prior to the trip .
Technology has played a vital role in Israel 's strategy , according to Captain Doris , commander of the country 's Sprint Project , a massive online meeting place that was established within 24 hours of the outbreak ( Doris 's last name was withheld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network connected hundreds of Israeli military , civilian , medical , and technological experts together so they could tackle pressing problems posed by the virus without coming into direct contact with one another .
Among other breakthroughs , the Sprint Project spurred the creation of a new type of ventilator specifically manufactured to aid those infected with COVID-19 who are experiencing severe breathing problems .
The know-how for this technology has been shared with manufacturers across the world .
Doris said this `` open innovation model '' employed `` the wisdom of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most pressing issues caused by the virus .
Doctors presented the online group with their problems , and teams of experts have been working to tackle them .
Other projects included compressing oxygen from the sea to help patients , particularly the elderly , who were suffering from breathing issues .
Other efforts were supported by Israel 's Intelligence Directorate , which helped to create the new ventilators .
`` The coronavirus has a lot of bad things and it 's a disaster , but also it gave us a lot of opportunities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The response also included a massive on-the-ground operation jointly run by the IDF and Israeli police service .
`` It does help to be what we call a mobilized society , '' Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus , head of the IDF 's international media branch , told the Free Beacon .
The IDF and the country 's defense establishment utilized their international ties to import much needed supplies .
Instead of buying weapons or defensive equipment , `` we 've been buying medical gear and equipment , '' Conricus said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority is to maintain combat readiness and maintain our continuity of operations so we can continue to defend along all of our borders , '' the country 's fighting force mobilized to help the most at-risk communities battle the pandemic , Conricus said .
Initially , more than 6,000 IDF members were quarantined to prevent the virus from potentially spreading across the force .
At present , just around 700 still remain in quarantine , with that number decreasing daily .
Around 300 service members were infected with the virus , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casualties .
This `` very radical approach of isolating the combat units '' prevented the coronavirus from crippling the fighting force at a time when Iranian-backed terror groups continue to wage attacks on Israel 's borders .
It also differs from that of other nations , including the U.S. , which experienced severe outbreaks of the virus inside the military .
`` When we compare this to other militaries , it is a statistic we are happy with , '' Conricus said .
IDF personnel also assisted in transporting more than 25,000 testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A small portion of the force , around seven to eight hundred troops , assisted police in enforcing lockdowns that were put in place early on .
As with the United States , there were challenges in ensuring the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities adhered to strict quarantine procedures .
In New York City , one of the hardest hit areas of America , Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly threatened Orthodox Jewish communities with severe penalties for assembling on the streets , causing outrage in the Jewish community .
Acutely aware of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tactics when it approached Orthodox populations .
`` We did n't go there trying to circumvent or trying to replace local authorities .
We went there in a supporting position where we worked through the local authorities with their guidance and support and not instead of , '' Conricus said .
`` We were n't perceived as a threat . ''
A similar tactic was employed with Israeli-Arab communities and territories in the West Bank of Israel controlled by the Palestinian Authority .
The IDF , `` from day one , '' worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disinfectants to area hospitals , which still have not reached maximum capacity as a result of the virus .
In the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip , Israel has worked with international aid groups including UNICEF and the World Health Organization to coordinate the delivery of needed supplies .
It has not provided any direct aid to Gaza due to the Hamas government 's refusal to engage with Israel .
`` Israel has been facilitating that aid into the Gaza Strip , '' Conricus said .
`` We understand we have a shared interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive pandemic in Gaza .
Another challenge unique for Israel is the massive disinformation campaign that has alleged Jews are to blame for spreading the virus .
These anti-Semitic allegations have been a hallmark of the rhetoric emerging from some Palestinian leaders and other Arab countries .
Still , Conricus said , Israel has worked with Arab populations inside and outside of the country `` with complete disregard of whatever smear campaign is going on . ''

The Israelis are known for their preparation. Threatened each day by a bevy of terror groups, the Jewish state has had contingency plans in place for most circumstances. Except one: the coronavirus pandemic that wrecked economies and sickened millions.
Israel, like many other smaller nations, had not developed plans to confront a global pandemic. But as the coronavirus swept across the world, Israeli society mobilized in a fashion only seen in times of war. Hotels, for instance, were converted into makeshift hospitals and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deployed across the country to help communities test for the illness and enact quarantines. Military technologies typically employed in times of combat were quickly converted to facilitate communications needed to keep the country running.
Israeli military officials told the Washington Free Beacon that this quick response—which included the entire government and military—helped to stave off the virus and potentially save many lives. In a country of nearly 9 million people, Israel has had just more than 16,000 confirmed cases of the virus, with 277 dying from it. As infections continue to increase across the globe, Israel's numbers have remained relatively flat, even as its Arab neighbors continue to struggle with the illness. Nearly half a million cases are centered in the Middle East in countries such as Iran and Turkey (with 120,000 and 150,000 cases, respectively), where the governments have struggled to contain the virus.
Israeli technological innovation, long a centerpiece of the country's economy, is helping the world combat the coronavirus. In addition to its work on new types of ventilator systems, Israel's military, government, and private sectors are developing new tools for detection and treatment. Israeli technology also is powering software that can help detect the virus from a safe distance.
In one clear sign of the country's success, the U.S. State Department chose Israel as the location of its first foreign trip in more than a month. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed there last week and discussed, among other things, lessons the United States could learn from Israel's response to the virus.
"The secretary is making this trip because he recognizes the United States and Israel have much to learn from each other as we address current threats, whether those threats stem from a global pandemic or from Iran's malign regional influence," David Schenker, the State Department's assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, said prior to the trip.
Technology has played a vital role in Israel's strategy, according to Captain Doris, commander of the country's Sprint Project, a massive online meeting place that was established within 24 hours of the outbreak (Doris's last name was withheld for security reasons). The virtual network connected hundreds of Israeli military, civilian, medical, and technological experts together so they could tackle pressing problems posed by the virus without coming into direct contact with one another.
Among other breakthroughs, the Sprint Project spurred the creation of a new type of ventilator specifically manufactured to aid those infected with COVID-19 who are experiencing severe breathing problems. The know-how for this technology has been shared with manufacturers across the world.
Doris said this "open innovation model" employed "the wisdom of the crowd" to tackle some of the most pressing issues caused by the virus. Doctors presented the online group with their problems, and teams of experts have been working to tackle them.
Other projects included compressing oxygen from the sea to help patients, particularly the elderly, who were suffering from breathing issues. Other efforts were supported by Israel's Intelligence Directorate, which helped to create the new ventilators.
"The coronavirus has a lot of bad things and it's a disaster, but also it gave us a lot of opportunities on the technological field," Doris said.
The response also included a massive on-the-ground operation jointly run by the IDF and Israeli police service.
"It does help to be what we call a mobilized society," Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, head of the IDF's international media branch, told the Free Beacon.
The IDF and the country's defense establishment utilized their international ties to import much needed supplies.
Instead of buying weapons or defensive equipment, "we've been buying medical gear and equipment," Conricus said.
While the IDF's "number one priority is to maintain combat readiness and maintain our continuity of operations so we can continue to defend along all of our borders," the country's fighting force mobilized to help the most at-risk communities battle the pandemic, Conricus said.
Initially, more than 6,000 IDF members were quarantined to prevent the virus from potentially spreading across the force. At present, just around 700 still remain in quarantine, with that number decreasing daily. Around 300 service members were infected with the virus, according to Conricus, who said there were no casualties.
This "very radical approach of isolating the combat units" prevented the coronavirus from crippling the fighting force at a time when Iranian-backed terror groups continue to wage attacks on Israel's borders. It also differs from that of other nations, including the U.S., which experienced severe outbreaks of the virus inside the military.
"When we compare this to other militaries, it is a statistic we are happy with," Conricus said.
IDF personnel also assisted in transporting more than 25,000 testing kits to different labs across the country. A small portion of the force, around seven to eight hundred troops, assisted police in enforcing lockdowns that were put in place early on.
As with the United States, there were challenges in ensuring the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities adhered to strict quarantine procedures. In New York City, one of the hardest hit areas of America, Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly threatened Orthodox Jewish communities with severe penalties for assembling on the streets, causing outrage in the Jewish community.
Acutely aware of this potential tension point, the IDF shifted tactics when it approached Orthodox populations.
"We didn't go there trying to circumvent or trying to replace local authorities. We went there in a supporting position where we worked through the local authorities with their guidance and support and not instead of," Conricus said. "We weren't perceived as a threat."
A similar tactic was employed with Israeli-Arab communities and territories in the West Bank of Israel controlled by the Palestinian Authority. The IDF, "from day one," worked with PA officials to provide testing kits and disinfectants to area hospitals, which still have not reached maximum capacity as a result of the virus.
In the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, Israel has worked with international aid groups including UNICEF and the World Health Organization to coordinate the delivery of needed supplies. It has not provided any direct aid to Gaza due to the Hamas government's refusal to engage with Israel.
"Israel has been facilitating that aid into the Gaza Strip," Conricus said. "We understand we have a shared interest" with the Palestinians in avoiding a massive pandemic in Gaza.
Another challenge unique for Israel is the massive disinformation campaign that has alleged Jews are to blame for spreading the virus. These anti-Semitic allegations have been a hallmark of the rhetoric emerging from some Palestinian leaders and other Arab countries.
Still, Conricus said, Israel has worked with Arab populations inside and outside of the country "with complete disregard of whatever smear campaign is going on."


freebeacon--2020-05-24--Charlamagne tha God: Klobuchar V.P. Pick Would Cause ‘Voter Depression’

Radio host Charlamagne tha God said on Sunday that Joe Biden picking Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) as his vice president would lead to `` voter depression . ''
`` On top of possible Russian interference and voter suppression , [ Democrats ] have to worry about voter depression—that 's people staying home on Election Day because they just are n't enthused by the candidate , '' Charlamagne said in response to a question from MSNBC host Joy Reid about Klobuchar being picked .
`` You ca n't act like this is the most important election ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not make some real policy commitments to the black community , and not listen to some of the demands that the black community are making , '' he added .
Charlamagne 's comments come shortly after a controversial exchange between the radio host and the former vice president where Biden said black voters who do n't support him `` ai n't black . ''
Biden later apologized , and Charlamagne said Sunday that `` the best apology is actually a black agenda . ''
`` It has to come to the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black voters to show up for Democrats and start putting the burden on Democrats to show up for black voters , '' he said .
The radio host also said that picking Klobuchar `` would be suicide '' for the Biden campaign .
Klobuchar is reportedly on Biden 's shortlist for vice president , alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer ( D. ) .
Rep. Val Demings ( D. , Fla. ) , Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) , and Stacey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picks as well .

Radio host Charlamagne tha God said on Sunday that Joe Biden picking Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) as his vice president would lead to "voter depression."
"On top of possible Russian interference and voter suppression, [Democrats] have to worry about voter depression—that's people staying home on Election Day because they just aren't enthused by the candidate," Charlamagne said in response to a question from MSNBC host Joy Reid about Klobuchar being picked.
"You can't act like this is the most important election ever but run a campaign from your basement, not make some real policy commitments to the black community, and not listen to some of the demands that the black community are making," he added.
Charlamagne's comments come shortly after a controversial exchange between the radio host and the former vice president where Biden said black voters who don't support him "ain't black."
Biden later apologized, and Charlamagne said Sunday that "the best apology is actually a black agenda."
"It has to come to the point where we stop putting the burden on black voters to show up for Democrats and start putting the burden on Democrats to show up for black voters," he said.
The radio host also said that picking Klobuchar "would be suicide" for the Biden campaign.
Klobuchar is reportedly on Biden's shortlist for vice president, alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (D.). Rep. Val Demings (D., Fla.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), and Stacey Abrams are African-American women who are potential picks as well.


freebeacon--2020-05-24--Review: ‘The Deficit Myth’ by Stephanie Kelton

Though little-known outside it , Stephanie Kelton has fast become one of the biggest names in the progressive policy world .
A Stony Brook University professor , Kelton has served as chief economist to Senate Budget Committee Democrats and as a key adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) on both of his presidential campaigns .
Earlier this month , Kelton was among Sanders 's selections for Joe Biden 's `` unity task force , '' giving her a direct hand in crafting the presumptive Democratic nominee 's economic platform .
What has really made Kelton 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views .
She is arguably America 's loudest and most prolific proponent of Modern Monetary Theory ( MMT ) , a heterodox school of economics that is the subject of her new book , The Deficit Myth .
MMT had a moment last year , when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) said that it should be `` a larger part of our conversation '' about paying for programs like the Green New Deal .
MMT entails many ideas , but the one for which Ocasio-Cortez attracted pushback is the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Most fears about budget deficits are wrongheaded and dangerous .
That 's a wonky claim , but one with increasingly real stakes .
Thanks to the coronavirus , the federal deficit is projected to swell to $ 4 trillion this year .
Republicans are nervous , while Democrats seem eager to spend trillions more .
The resultant standoff will be decided in part by both sides ' views on deficits—meaning Kelton 's arguments could have a real impact on the country 's fiscal future .
It is helpful , therefore , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are coming from .
They 've produced a great deal of literature—even a 600-page textbook—but The Deficit Myth is an accessible , if at times repetitive , introduction to MMT 's main ideas for the lay reader .
The federal government spends a lot : $ 4.5 trillion in 2019 .
When it spends more than it taxes , it runs a deficit— $ 1 trillion last year—that it pays for by borrowing , adding to the national debt—about $ 25 trillion and counting .
These big numbers are a popular political bugaboo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to argue respectively for cutting spending and raising taxes .
If Congress does n't `` pay for '' its deficits , they argue , financial ruin will follow , in much the same way that normal people can not rack up debt without eventually going broke .
The idea that the federal government has the same financial constraints as a household is what Kelton terms the `` deficit myth . ''
The MMT argument is the contrary : Unlike you or I , the U.S. government can spend and borrow as much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going bankrupt .
The difference , Kelton argues , is that whereas people are currency `` users , '' the U.S. government is a currency `` issuer , '' with a monopoly on production of dollars .
That , plus the fact that the dollar is not pegged to another currency or to a commodity like gold , and that federal debt is only denominated in its own currency , grants the government the special status of `` monetary sovereignty . ''
Monetary sovereignty means it is technically impossible for the government to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it can always borrow or print more .
It is also impossible for it to default , because it can always print money to service debt .
The only constraint on deficit spending , Kelton argues , is inflation—the government can not spend more into the economy than its real capacity permits .
Do politicians actually believe this deficit myth ?
In Kelton 's defense , they do seem to talk a lot about fiscal responsibility on the campaign trail .
But the book focuses more on deficit rhetoric than on actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , speak louder than words .
The federal budget has been in deficit for 76 of the last 89 years ; deficit-constraining measures like the PAYGO rule—about which Kelton makes a great deal of hay—are routinely waived .
Are policymakers really that worried about deficits ?
To this , Kelton and co. might retort that the relevant question is not the existence of deficits , but their size .
They argue , following the doctrine of `` functional finance , '' that the budget 's size should be dictated not by debt sustainability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ productive resources—labor , land , factories , etc.—available to meet that spending .
If the economy is at capacity , deficits send more money after the same goods , raising prices .
But if the economy is below capacity , then added government spending can mobilize otherwise stagnant resources without inducing inflation .
That the government should deficit spend in times of recession is not controversial with most modern economists .
What 's distinct about Kelton is that she wants a reorientation of the government 's whole approach to spending , one unburdened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deficit .
The question policymakers should always ask , she contends , is not `` can we afford it , '' but whether added spending will induce undesirable inflation .
Exercising full `` monetary sovereignty '' would mean Congress sets a list of policy priorities , then prints money to meet them , regardless of the balance sheet implications .
Doing so , Kelton writes , is important because the `` deficit myth '' stands in the way of the other `` deficits '' in our country—the `` education '' deficit , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy '' deficit , and so on .
If inflation becomes an issue , Congress simply raises taxes or borrows more , sucking money back out of the economy .
This proposal is framed as revolutionary because it technically allows for spending unchained from revenues .
But it 's not clear how much change it actually accomplishes .
It amounts , leftist policy analyst Matt Bruenig argues , to a kind of word game , substituting `` use taxes and borrowing to pay for spending '' with `` use taxes and borrowing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The net effect is the same , just with Congress bound by the price level instead of the debt level .
There may or may not be more room for deficit spending right now—bracketing the coronavirus , inflation has been persistently below 2 percent since the Great Recession , and private domestic investment has flagged .
But `` government can worry less about deficits right now '' is not the same as `` Congress can be trusted to spend freely and then manage inflation when it strikes . ''
In point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MMT are its assumptions about politics—semi-utopian assumptions characteristic of the progressive policy world .
Kelton writes late in the book that we have already entrusted the government with `` monetary sovereignty . ''
The best way to bind its otherwise unbridled spending power , she argues , is through a series of `` automatic stabilizers , '' chief among them a jobs guarantee , which would tie spending levels to real economic variables rather than political whims .
This seems a rosy outlook on how the government would act fully unconstrained by debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected representatives to make judgments about measuring inflation—a notoriously tricky undertaking—or about their incompetence to make such judgments .
But both judgments and measurements are subject to political incentive ; an MMT world is one where price measures fall prey to Goodhart 's law , determined not objectively but by what Congress wants it to be .
There is no particular reason for Congress to bind itself to `` automatic stabilizers '' when unbridled spending can flow to its preferred interest groups .
Subjecting the price level to the political process sets stability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of affairs central bank independence was originally designed to combat .
Congress already does a poor job following a standard—balancing the budget—that Kelton thinks does not matter .
In an MMT world , horse-trading drives us inexorably towards hyperinflation—a political reality that no wonky stabilizers can address .
Putting aside this argument , it is also worth noting that if MMT does allow the government to spend freely , it need not do so in line with Kelton 's political program .
Kelton argues that even under MMT , taxes are needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society .
Unconstrained by `` fiscal responsibility , '' however , it is hard to imagine politicians justifying any taxes at all— '' we need to reduce inflation '' can only convince the 30 percent of the populace who understand how inflation is reduced .
MMT already has quiet support among some conservatives who see its usefulness for their own ends .
Take , for example , a report from Sen. Marco Rubio 's ( R. , Fla. ) office which approvingly cites MMT to argue for a national industrial policy .
Abandoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present deficit debates by no means results in the prioritization of the values Kelton prefers .
The point is , MMT can induce a policy arms race .
Myths , after all , serve a political function .
The `` myth '' of balanced budgeting is meant to reduce crowding out of private investment and control inflation .
It also imposes a potent check on the government 's fiscal reach .
The full exercise of `` monetary sovereignty , '' by contrast , is not merely a threat to long-run macroeconomic stability .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government power , with all that entails , and the benefits of which Kelton and her allies are unlikely to enjoy .

Though little-known outside it, Stephanie Kelton has fast become one of the biggest names in the progressive policy world.
A Stony Brook University professor, Kelton has served as chief economist to Senate Budget Committee Democrats and as a key adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) on both of his presidential campaigns. Earlier this month, Kelton was among Sanders's selections for Joe Biden's "unity task force," giving her a direct hand in crafting the presumptive Democratic nominee's economic platform.
What has really made Kelton's name, however, is her policy views. She is arguably America's loudest and most prolific proponent of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), a heterodox school of economics that is the subject of her new book, The Deficit Myth.
MMT had a moment last year, when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) said that it should be "a larger part of our conversation" about paying for programs like the Green New Deal. MMT entails many ideas, but the one for which Ocasio-Cortez attracted pushback is the one to which Kelton's book is committed: Most fears about budget deficits are wrongheaded and dangerous.
That's a wonky claim, but one with increasingly real stakes. Thanks to the coronavirus, the federal deficit is projected to swell to $4 trillion this year. Republicans are nervous, while Democrats seem eager to spend trillions more. The resultant standoff will be decided in part by both sides' views on deficits—meaning Kelton's arguments could have a real impact on the country's fiscal future.
It is helpful, therefore, to understand where Kelton and her fellow MMTers are coming from. They've produced a great deal of literature—even a 600-page textbook—but The Deficit Myth is an accessible, if at times repetitive, introduction to MMT's main ideas for the lay reader.
The federal government spends a lot: $4.5 trillion in 2019. When it spends more than it taxes, it runs a deficit—$1 trillion last year—that it pays for by borrowing, adding to the national debt—about $25 trillion and counting.
These big numbers are a popular political bugaboo, which Republicans and Democrats trot out to argue respectively for cutting spending and raising taxes. If Congress doesn't "pay for" its deficits, they argue, financial ruin will follow, in much the same way that normal people cannot rack up debt without eventually going broke.
The idea that the federal government has the same financial constraints as a household is what Kelton terms the "deficit myth." The MMT argument is the contrary: Unlike you or I, the U.S. government can spend and borrow as much as it wants to without any risk of going bankrupt.
The difference, Kelton argues, is that whereas people are currency "users," the U.S. government is a currency "issuer," with a monopoly on production of dollars. That, plus the fact that the dollar is not pegged to another currency or to a commodity like gold, and that federal debt is only denominated in its own currency, grants the government the special status of "monetary sovereignty."
Monetary sovereignty means it is technically impossible for the government to "run out" of money, because it can always borrow or print more. It is also impossible for it to default, because it can always print money to service debt. The only constraint on deficit spending, Kelton argues, is inflation—the government cannot spend more into the economy than its real capacity permits.
Do politicians actually believe this deficit myth? In Kelton's defense, they do seem to talk a lot about fiscal responsibility on the campaign trail. But the book focuses more on deficit rhetoric than on actual policy examples. Actions, after all, speak louder than words. The federal budget has been in deficit for 76 of the last 89 years; deficit-constraining measures like the PAYGO rule—about which Kelton makes a great deal of hay—are routinely waived. Are policymakers really that worried about deficits?
To this, Kelton and co. might retort that the relevant question is not the existence of deficits, but their size. They argue, following the doctrine of "functional finance," that the budget's size should be dictated not by debt sustainability, but by the amount of slack productive resources—labor, land, factories, etc.—available to meet that spending. If the economy is at capacity, deficits send more money after the same goods, raising prices. But if the economy is below capacity, then added government spending can mobilize otherwise stagnant resources without inducing inflation.
That the government should deficit spend in times of recession is not controversial with most modern economists. What's distinct about Kelton is that she wants a reorientation of the government's whole approach to spending, one unburdened by concerns about the size of the deficit. The question policymakers should always ask, she contends, is not "can we afford it," but whether added spending will induce undesirable inflation.
Exercising full "monetary sovereignty" would mean Congress sets a list of policy priorities, then prints money to meet them, regardless of the balance sheet implications. Doing so, Kelton writes, is important because the "deficit myth" stands in the way of the other "deficits" in our country—the "education" deficit, the "climate" deficit, the "democracy" deficit, and so on. If inflation becomes an issue, Congress simply raises taxes or borrows more, sucking money back out of the economy.
This proposal is framed as revolutionary because it technically allows for spending unchained from revenues. But it's not clear how much change it actually accomplishes. It amounts, leftist policy analyst Matt Bruenig argues, to a kind of word game, substituting "use taxes and borrowing to pay for spending" with "use taxes and borrowing to offset the inflation that pays for spending." The net effect is the same, just with Congress bound by the price level instead of the debt level.
There may or may not be more room for deficit spending right now—bracketing the coronavirus, inflation has been persistently below 2 percent since the Great Recession, and private domestic investment has flagged. But "government can worry less about deficits right now" is not the same as "Congress can be trusted to spend freely and then manage inflation when it strikes." In point of fact, the biggest problems with MMT are its assumptions about politics—semi-utopian assumptions characteristic of the progressive policy world.
Kelton writes late in the book that we have already entrusted the government with "monetary sovereignty." The best way to bind its otherwise unbridled spending power, she argues, is through a series of "automatic stabilizers," chief among them a jobs guarantee, which would tie spending levels to real economic variables rather than political whims.
This seems a rosy outlook on how the government would act fully unconstrained by debt concerns. Necessarily, MMT means asking elected representatives to make judgments about measuring inflation—a notoriously tricky undertaking—or about their incompetence to make such judgments. But both judgments and measurements are subject to political incentive; an MMT world is one where price measures fall prey to Goodhart's law, determined not objectively but by what Congress wants it to be.
There is no particular reason for Congress to bind itself to "automatic stabilizers" when unbridled spending can flow to its preferred interest groups. Subjecting the price level to the political process sets stability concerns against the demands of entrenched constituencies—a state of affairs central bank independence was originally designed to combat. Congress already does a poor job following a standard—balancing the budget—that Kelton thinks does not matter. In an MMT world, horse-trading drives us inexorably towards hyperinflation—a political reality that no wonky stabilizers can address.
Putting aside this argument, it is also worth noting that if MMT does allow the government to spend freely, it need not do so in line with Kelton's political program. Kelton argues that even under MMT, taxes are needed to balance the distribution of wealth in society. Unconstrained by "fiscal responsibility," however, it is hard to imagine politicians justifying any taxes at all—"we need to reduce inflation" can only convince the 30 percent of the populace who understand how inflation is reduced.
MMT already has quiet support among some conservatives who see its usefulness for their own ends. Take, for example, a report from Sen. Marco Rubio's (R., Fla.) office which approvingly cites MMT to argue for a national industrial policy. Abandoning the economic "neutrality" which informs present deficit debates by no means results in the prioritization of the values Kelton prefers. The point is, MMT can induce a policy arms race.
Myths, after all, serve a political function. The "myth" of balanced budgeting is meant to reduce crowding out of private investment and control inflation. It also imposes a potent check on the government's fiscal reach.
The full exercise of "monetary sovereignty," by contrast, is not merely a threat to long-run macroeconomic stability. It is also a profound expansion of government power, with all that entails, and the benefits of which Kelton and her allies are unlikely to enjoy.


freebeacon--2020-05-24--Possible Running Mate Scolds Biden Over ‘You Ain’t Black’ Remark

Rep. Val Demings ( D. , Fla. ) , a leading contender for Joe Biden 's vice presidential pick , said Biden `` should n't have said '' his comment about black voters needing to support him over President Donald Trump .
`` We know we have some serious issues that we 're dealing with in this country .
If we 're going to be able to address them effectively , then we have to hold everybody accountable , even those that we do support , '' Demings said Sunday on CNN 's State of the Union .
`` Look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it .
He apologized for it . ''
Biden told radio host Charlamagne tha God that black voters had to support him over President Donald Trump .
`` If you have a problem figuring out whether you 're for me or Trump , then you ai n't black , '' Biden said .
He later apologized , calling the comments `` too cavalier . ''
Black Republican lawmakers spoke out about Biden 's comments , with Sen. Tim Scott ( R. , S.C. ) calling the comments `` sadly par for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community for granted and brow beat those that do n't agree . ''
Former congresswoman Mia Love called the rhetoric `` extremely offensive . ''
`` I think it 's interesting that the president searched high and low to find African-American members of the Senate and a former member of Congress to speak out on this issue , '' Demings said .
`` It would be nice to hear other Republicans , male or female , speak out on this issue . ''
She also demurred on a question from host Dana Bash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to `` continue to work hard to serve the American people . ''
Demings has said she is being vetted and is on Biden 's shortlist for the vice presidency .

Rep. Val Demings (D., Fla.), a leading contender for Joe Biden's vice presidential pick, said Biden "shouldn't have said" his comment about black voters needing to support him over President Donald Trump.
"We know we have some serious issues that we're dealing with in this country. If we're going to be able to address them effectively, then we have to hold everybody accountable, even those that we do support," Demings said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union. "Look, the vice president shouldn't have said it. He apologized for it."
Biden told radio host Charlamagne tha God that black voters had to support him over President Donald Trump.
"If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black," Biden said. He later apologized, calling the comments "too cavalier."
Black Republican lawmakers spoke out about Biden's comments, with Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.) calling the comments "sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that don't agree." Former congresswoman Mia Love called the rhetoric "extremely offensive."
"I think it's interesting that the president searched high and low to find African-American members of the Senate and a former member of Congress to speak out on this issue," Demings said. "It would be nice to hear other Republicans, male or female, speak out on this issue."
She also demurred on a question from host Dana Bash about the vice presidency, saying she wants to "continue to work hard to serve the American people."
Demings has said she is being vetted and is on Biden's shortlist for the vice presidency.


freebeacon--2020-05-25--Time to Revive the Roast Chicken

Time to Revive the Roast Chicken

Last October Michael Ruhlman came out with his latest cookbook , From Scratch : 10 Meals , 175 Recipes , and Dozens of Techniques You Will Use Over and Over .
For years the bestselling food writer has been urging us to cook more for ourselves because it 's healthier than eating out .
From Scratch just happened to be his latest plea .
It 's a gorgeous book that weighs a couple pounds and is priced at $ 40 , appealing to those of us who tend to mess around in the kitchen .
Five months later , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many restaurants still closed , Americans have turned in droves to home cooking—whether they wanted to or not .
The transition has not been smooth .
Coronavirus infections have disrupted supply chains , forcing nearly 50 meat processing plants to shut down nationwide .
And it 's not just beef and pork : `` Boneless chicken is first to go scarce as coronavirus hits U.S. meat supply , '' Fortune reported last month .
Bad enough there 's a shortage of chicken—but boneless chicken ?
What 's left for us to cook ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protein , and for obvious reasons : It 's cheap and conveniently packaged by part ( thank John and Don Tyson of Arkansas for that innovation ) .
Last year , according to the National Chicken Council , Americans ate 96 pounds of chicken per capita ( versus 58 pounds of beef and 52 pounds of pork ) .
Most of it was boneless .
The data site Statista confirms 61.7 percent of chicken sold in the United States last year was boneless breast , far outselling legs , wings , and thighs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand , account for only 6 percent of all poultry purchases .
If this comes as a surprise , ask yourself when was the last time you bought an entire bird .
On a recent visit to my local supermarket , I asked Lizzie the cashier how many whole chickens she typically scans during her shift .
She paused for a second , shook her head , and said , `` No , I do n't . ''
Yet during this time of unpredictable shortages , that whole chicken may be our best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to a week and is remarkably easy to cook .
Which brings us back to From Scratch .
While Ruhlman devotes chapters to the omelet , steak frites , and lasagne , among other classics , he opens with roast chicken , which clearly holds a special place in his heart .
`` When a chef imagines a meal that makes him or her happy , '' he writes , `` it 's a roast chicken that most think of , the crispy-skinned bird still in its roasting skillet , fat sizzling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center of a table around which family and friends have come together . ''
In fact , a golden chicken in a skillet graces the book 's cover .
`` Home '' is what comes to the author 's mind .
`` The greatest sense of ease and pleasure .
That 's what roast chicken means to me : home . ''
And since home is where we 're all currently stuck , why not add some ease and pleasure by roasting a whole chicken ?
Mine was a fairly small bird , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evans and costing $ 15.64 at Whole Foods .
There were no giblets to remove so I simply washed and dried it inside and out ( holding the bony carcass can take a little getting used to ) .
Ruhlman says to `` sprinkle the chicken liberally with [ kosher ] salt ; you should have a nice crusty layer of it across the whole bird . ''
This may take some self-convincing if you grew up with parents averse to salt ( and if they did use salt , it was Morton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents might not have done : sticking a zested lemon into the bird 's cavity to prevent the meat from drying out .
After that step I laid the bird onto my cast-iron skillet and popped it into the oven at 450 degrees .
Precisely one hour later , the chicken was done , though not ready to eat .
It needed another 30 minutes to rest , but this gave me more time to make the sides—mashed potatoes and green beans sprinkled with the zest from that lemon .
Despite faithfully following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chicken was undercooked—it was n't nearly as dark brown as I expected .
The meat , however , was tender white all the way through and more succulent than any roast chicken I have ever had .
I was so excited about the results that I gave Michael Ruhlman a call and told him all about it .
`` You cooked a chicken perfectly , '' he said with a laugh .
`` You let it rest and that 's all you need to do . ''
He also recommended finding the smallest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most flavor .
Although it was a small bird , it was more than enough to feed a family of four , and I saved the leftover meat for a chicken soup .
And per From Scratch ‘ s suggestion , I saved the bones to make a stock , which required leaving a pot in an oven at 200 degrees overnight for eight hours .
I confessed to Ruhlman that leaving the oven on through the night left me with little sleep .
`` Get over it , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to boil water .
When was the last time you did a braise and could n't sleep ? ''
The stock did turn out great—a deep , rich brown the next morning .
And the soup , filled with shredded chicken , celery , carrots , and pasta noodles , was bursting with more flavor than any can of Progresso .
Of course , it can be a challenge to convince people the above experience was not just a chore .
`` It 's a way I relax after a day of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` A lot of people come home—well , they used to come home from the office—they had kids , they were beat , and some people just do n't like it .
And I get that , that 's fine .
Everybody should n't need to cook , but somebody in your clan has to cook , and usually there 's somebody who actually enjoys it .
So for me it 's meditative . ''
As he put it , `` I calm my brain by mincing an onion . ''
The other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chicken , cooking a stock overnight , and making soup sound time consuming , well , it is .
`` Cooking takes time , '' Ruhlman says in From Scratch .
`` So does going out to eat .
So does watching TV while you wait for food to be delivered .
Everything takes time . ''
Consider this time well spent .

Last October Michael Ruhlman came out with his latest cookbook, From Scratch: 10 Meals, 175 Recipes, and Dozens of Techniques You Will Use Over and Over. For years the bestselling food writer has been urging us to cook more for ourselves because it's healthier than eating out. From Scratch just happened to be his latest plea. It's a gorgeous book that weighs a couple pounds and is priced at $40, appealing to those of us who tend to mess around in the kitchen. Five months later, that would be all of us.
With many restaurants still closed, Americans have turned in droves to home cooking—whether they wanted to or not. The transition has not been smooth. Coronavirus infections have disrupted supply chains, forcing nearly 50 meat processing plants to shut down nationwide. And it's not just beef and pork: "Boneless chicken is first to go scarce as coronavirus hits U.S. meat supply," Fortune reported last month. Bad enough there's a shortage of chicken—but boneless chicken? What's left for us to cook?
Americans consume more chicken than any other protein, and for obvious reasons: It's cheap and conveniently packaged by part (thank John and Don Tyson of Arkansas for that innovation). Last year, according to the National Chicken Council, Americans ate 96 pounds of chicken per capita (versus 58 pounds of beef and 52 pounds of pork).
Most of it was boneless. The data site Statista confirms 61.7 percent of chicken sold in the United States last year was boneless breast, far outselling legs, wings, and thighs. Whole birds, on the other hand, account for only 6 percent of all poultry purchases. If this comes as a surprise, ask yourself when was the last time you bought an entire bird. On a recent visit to my local supermarket, I asked Lizzie the cashier how many whole chickens she typically scans during her shift. She paused for a second, shook her head, and said, "No, I don't."
Yet during this time of unpredictable shortages, that whole chicken may be our best bet—a nourishing food source that can last up to a week and is remarkably easy to cook.
Which brings us back to From Scratch. While Ruhlman devotes chapters to the omelet, steak frites, and lasagne, among other classics, he opens with roast chicken, which clearly holds a special place in his heart.
"When a chef imagines a meal that makes him or her happy," he writes, "it's a roast chicken that most think of, the crispy-skinned bird still in its roasting skillet, fat sizzling, set on a trivet at the center of a table around which family and friends have come together." In fact, a golden chicken in a skillet graces the book's cover.
"Home" is what comes to the author's mind. "The greatest sense of ease and pleasure. That's what roast chicken means to me: home."
And since home is where we're all currently stuck, why not add some ease and pleasure by roasting a whole chicken?
Mine was a fairly small bird, weighing 3.92 pounds, from Bell & Evans and costing $15.64 at Whole Foods. There were no giblets to remove so I simply washed and dried it inside and out (holding the bony carcass can take a little getting used to). Ruhlman says to "sprinkle the chicken liberally with [kosher] salt; you should have a nice crusty layer of it across the whole bird." This may take some self-convincing if you grew up with parents averse to salt (and if they did use salt, it was Morton's iodized).
Something else your parents might not have done: sticking a zested lemon into the bird's cavity to prevent the meat from drying out. After that step I laid the bird onto my cast-iron skillet and popped it into the oven at 450 degrees. Precisely one hour later, the chicken was done, though not ready to eat. It needed another 30 minutes to rest, but this gave me more time to make the sides—mashed potatoes and green beans sprinkled with the zest from that lemon.
Despite faithfully following the recipe, I was convinced my chicken was undercooked—it wasn't nearly as dark brown as I expected. The meat, however, was tender white all the way through and more succulent than any roast chicken I have ever had. I was so excited about the results that I gave Michael Ruhlman a call and told him all about it.
"You cooked a chicken perfectly," he said with a laugh. "You let it rest and that's all you need to do." He also recommended finding the smallest chickens possible as they tend to have the most flavor.
Although it was a small bird, it was more than enough to feed a family of four, and I saved the leftover meat for a chicken soup. And per From Scratch's suggestion, I saved the bones to make a stock, which required leaving a pot in an oven at 200 degrees overnight for eight hours. I confessed to Ruhlman that leaving the oven on through the night left me with little sleep. "Get over it," he said. "Two hundred degrees isn't enough to boil water. When was the last time you did a braise and couldn't sleep?"
The stock did turn out great—a deep, rich brown the next morning. And the soup, filled with shredded chicken, celery, carrots, and pasta noodles, was bursting with more flavor than any can of Progresso.
Of course, it can be a challenge to convince people the above experience was not just a chore. "It's a way I relax after a day of writing," Ruhlman told me. "A lot of people come home—well, they used to come home from the office—they had kids, they were beat, and some people just don't like it. And I get that, that's fine. Everybody shouldn't need to cook, but somebody in your clan has to cook, and usually there's somebody who actually enjoys it. So for me it's meditative." As he put it, "I calm my brain by mincing an onion."
The other challenge is time. If roasting a chicken, cooking a stock overnight, and making soup sound time consuming, well, it is. "Cooking takes time," Ruhlman says in From Scratch. "So does going out to eat. So does watching TV while you wait for food to be delivered. Everything takes time."
Consider this time well spent.


freebeacon--2020-05-25--Chinese Embassy In France Tweets and Deletes Anti-Semitic Imagery

The Chinese embassy in France on Sunday tweeted , and then quickly deleted , an anti-Semitic image portraying the United States and Israel as the grim reaper knocking on Hong Kong 's door .
The image , which has been circulating online among anti-Semites for some time , depicts the United States as the grim reaper holding a scythe with Israel 's flag .
Countries such as Syria , Venezuela , Libya , and Iraq are portrayed as places where America and Israel have caused death and destruction .
The picture reads , `` Who 's next ? ''
in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a door with Hong Kong written on it .
China has been ramping up its anti-U.S. rhetoric as it cracks down on democratic protesters in Hong Kong .
A new national security law forwarded by Beijing would significantly expand the country 's spy apparatus and specifically target protesters who have taken to the streets .
China 's embassy in France released a statement on its website claiming its Twitter feed was hacked .
The country said it is a victim of `` fake news . ''
The statement did not identify anyone or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet .
The distribution of anti-Semitic images , like those posted by China 's embassy , runs afoul of French laws .
`` The Chinese Embassy in France has found that yesterday , someone used the Embassy 's official Twitter account to post a picture captioned ‘ Qui est le prochain ? '
[ who is next ? ]
, '' read the Chinese-language statement .
`` We hereby solemnly declare : That picture violates French law and we strongly condemn such activity that damages the reputation of the Chinese embassy , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our embassy 's duty is to comprehensively , accurately , and objectively introduce China and promote friendship between the China and France . ''
Emily Bruyere , a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , told the Washington Free Beacon that China 's anti-Semitic rhetoric has become increasingly frequent .
`` The fake news story , that the tweet was an accident , obscures the real , non-accidental sentiment that it conveyed — a militancy quickly deleted in cases like this ; widespread in discourse in China , '' Bruyere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begins to get at this .
One beat farther , it ’ s not unusual for Chinese sources to talk about the US-China contest as a zero-sum battle .
So while this may have been an accident , we should also be awake to an increasingly aggressive rhetoric in China and the sentiment it reflects . ''
An email to the Chinese embassy seeking further comment was not immediately returned .

The Chinese embassy in France on Sunday tweeted, and then quickly deleted, an anti-Semitic image portraying the United States and Israel as the grim reaper knocking on Hong Kong's door.
The image, which has been circulating online among anti-Semites for some time, depicts the United States as the grim reaper holding a scythe with Israel's flag. Countries such as Syria, Venezuela, Libya, and Iraq are portrayed as places where America and Israel have caused death and destruction. The picture reads, "Who's next?" in French, with the grim reaper approaching a door with Hong Kong written on it.
China has been ramping up its anti-U.S. rhetoric as it cracks down on democratic protesters in Hong Kong. A new national security law forwarded by Beijing would significantly expand the country's spy apparatus and specifically target protesters who have taken to the streets.
China's embassy in France released a statement on its website claiming its Twitter feed was hacked. The country said it is a victim of "fake news." The statement did not identify anyone or group the country suspects of posting the tweet.
The distribution of anti-Semitic images, like those posted by China's embassy, runs afoul of French laws.
"The Chinese Embassy in France has found that yesterday, someone used the Embassy's official Twitter account to post a picture captioned 'Qui est le prochain?' [who is next?]," read the Chinese-language statement.
"We hereby solemnly declare: That picture violates French law and we strongly condemn such activity that damages the reputation of the Chinese embassy," according to the Chinese embassy. "Our embassy's duty is to comprehensively, accurately, and objectively introduce China and promote friendship between the China and France."
Emily Bruyere, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told the Washington Free Beacon that China's anti-Semitic rhetoric has become increasingly frequent.
"The fake news story, that the tweet was an accident, obscures the real, non-accidental sentiment that it conveyed — a militancy quickly deleted in cases like this; widespread in discourse in China," Bruyere said. "The wolf warrior conversation begins to get at this. One beat farther, it’s not unusual for Chinese sources to talk about the US-China contest as a zero-sum battle. So while this may have been an accident, we should also be awake to an increasingly aggressive rhetoric in China and the sentiment it reflects."
An email to the Chinese embassy seeking further comment was not immediately returned.


freebeacon--2020-05-26--China Builds Massive Spying Capacity in Africa

The Chinese government has established an unparalleled spying capacity in Africa by encouraging Chinese companies such as Huawei to construct government buildings across the continent , according to a recent report .
The report , published by the conservative Heritage Foundation , found that Chinese firms—many of which are state-owned or linked to the government—have built or renovated 186 government buildings in Africa .
Many were constructed in the last two decades .
Senior Policy Analyst Joshua Meservey , the report 's author , said the buildings are `` a likely vector for Chinese spying , '' given the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spy on its inhabitants .
`` Beijing may have better surveillance access to Africa than anywhere else in the world , '' the report reads .
`` The Chinese government could use the information it harvests to advantage its companies competing against American and other firms , glean insights into U.S. security assistance and counterterrorism programs , and recruit or influence senior African government officials . ''
The report comes at a time of heightened U.S. interest in China ’ s activities in Africa , where the communist regime has undertaken hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence .
The U.S.-China Economy and Security Review Commission—a bipartisan body sanctioned by Congress to research China-related issues—held a full-day hearing earlier this month to evaluate China ’ s strategic aims in Africa .
`` The Chinese development model [ in Africa ] often serves to enrich the PRC and expand its perceived sphere of influence , '' Christopher Maloney , a senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development , said during the hearing .
Concerns about China-built government buildings first surfaced in 2018 , after reports that the African Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its stored information to a Shanghai server every evening .
The database was built by Huawei , a federally indicted Chinese tech giant widely accused of acting as a Trojan horse for Chinese spying .
Other government buildings constructed by Chinese companies might serve as conduits of Chinese espionage , according to the report .
Some of the possibly compromised buildings include key establishments , such as Guinea-Bissau ’ s Palace of Justice , which houses not only the country 's supreme court , but also administrative courts and the attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction projects in Africa ] have waxed and waned , but we 've definitely been in a waxing period these last few decades , '' Meservey told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` It 's really since Tiananmen Square in 1989 , when China was increasingly isolated internationally and Africa was a strong source of support , and helped break that isolation . ''
The report identified 40 countries with at least one China-built building , with some construction projects dating back to the 1960s .
Most of the projects involved state-owned enterprises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private companies with close ties to the state , such as Huawei , according to Meservey .
He said the report 's recorded total of 186 China-built buildings is almost certainly an undercount .
`` I know there are some buildings out there I just missed , '' he said .
`` I did find mention of 60 other buildings that I did n't include in the final total , because they were mentioned in sources I was n't confident about . ''
The report has already triggered the ire of the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , denounced Meservey 's findings as `` based on nothing but lies , illusions and ideological bias . ''
As one of the regime 's chief propagandists , Lijian has a long history of peddling Chinese fake news , once speculating that the novel coronavirus might have originated from the U.S. military .
Meservey said China was likely pushing back against his report because his findings `` hit near the mark , worrying the Chinese government . ''
`` If it were widely known that Beijing likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it lavishes on African leaders to spy on them , it would undercut all the core elements of Chinese official messaging to Africa , '' he said .
`` It is something Beijing can ill afford , particularly right now when it is in the midst of a global campaign to obscure its mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak , an effort for which African countries will be an important source of support . ''

The Chinese government has established an unparalleled spying capacity in Africa by encouraging Chinese companies such as Huawei to construct government buildings across the continent, according to a recent report.
The report, published by the conservative Heritage Foundation, found that Chinese firms—many of which are state-owned or linked to the government—have built or renovated 186 government buildings in Africa. Many were constructed in the last two decades. Senior Policy Analyst Joshua Meservey, the report's author, said the buildings are "a likely vector for Chinese spying," given the Chinese government's history of using such buildings to spy on its inhabitants.
"Beijing may have better surveillance access to Africa than anywhere else in the world," the report reads. "The Chinese government could use the information it harvests to advantage its companies competing against American and other firms, glean insights into U.S. security assistance and counterterrorism programs, and recruit or influence senior African government officials."
The report comes at a time of heightened U.S. interest in China’s activities in Africa, where the communist regime has undertaken hundreds of infrastructure projects in a bid for influence. The U.S.-China Economy and Security Review Commission—a bipartisan body sanctioned by Congress to research China-related issues—held a full-day hearing earlier this month to evaluate China’s strategic aims in Africa.
"The Chinese development model [in Africa] often serves to enrich the PRC and expand its perceived sphere of influence," Christopher Maloney, a senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development, said during the hearing.
Concerns about China-built government buildings first surfaced in 2018, after reports that the African Union headquarters' China-built databank was sending all of its stored information to a Shanghai server every evening. The database was built by Huawei, a federally indicted Chinese tech giant widely accused of acting as a Trojan horse for Chinese spying.
Other government buildings constructed by Chinese companies might serve as conduits of Chinese espionage, according to the report. Some of the possibly compromised buildings include key establishments, such as Guinea-Bissau’s Palace of Justice, which houses not only the country's supreme court, but also administrative courts and the attorney general’s office.
"[Chinese construction projects in Africa] have waxed and waned, but we've definitely been in a waxing period these last few decades," Meservey told the Washington Free Beacon. "It's really since Tiananmen Square in 1989, when China was increasingly isolated internationally and Africa was a strong source of support, and helped break that isolation."
The report identified 40 countries with at least one China-built building, with some construction projects dating back to the 1960s. Most of the projects involved state-owned enterprises, while others were constructed by ostensibly private companies with close ties to the state, such as Huawei, according to Meservey. He said the report's recorded total of 186 China-built buildings is almost certainly an undercount.
"I know there are some buildings out there I just missed," he said. "I did find mention of 60 other buildings that I didn't include in the final total, because they were mentioned in sources I wasn't confident about."
The report has already triggered the ire of the Chinese government. Zhao Lijian, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denounced Meservey's findings as "based on nothing but lies, illusions and ideological bias." As one of the regime's chief propagandists, Lijian has a long history of peddling Chinese fake news, once speculating that the novel coronavirus might have originated from the U.S. military.
Meservey said China was likely pushing back against his report because his findings "hit near the mark, worrying the Chinese government."
"If it were widely known that Beijing likely uses some of the 'gifts' it lavishes on African leaders to spy on them, it would undercut all the core elements of Chinese official messaging to Africa," he said. "It is something Beijing can ill afford, particularly right now when it is in the midst of a global campaign to obscure its mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak, an effort for which African countries will be an important source of support."


freebeacon--2020-05-26--PROOF OF LI(F)E? ‘Joe Biden’ Emerges from Basement Wearing Mask, Raising Questions

Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee for president , allegedly emerged from his basement bunker to celebrate Memorial Day with his doctor wife , Jill Biden .
A man purporting to be Biden was photographed wearing a black mask in New Castle , Delaware , provoking questions about the former vice president 's capacity to serve as commander in chief .
Some questioned whether the so-called `` proof of life '' outing was actually a proof of lie outing .
`` It is very good dem strategy to have Joe Biden in a mask at all times because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's easier to swap in the body double , '' said one social media user who describes himself as `` joe biden 's diarrhea brain . ''
Biden , who at 77 is in the highest-risk demographic for death by COVID-19 , has struggled to form coherent sentences even during softball interviews with sympathetic journalists .
Some pundits have suggested Biden would have a better chance of winning if he self-quarantined for the remainder of the campaign .
Others have argued that Biden 's sole focus right now should be staying alive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions from radio host Charlamagne tha God , who challenged the former vice president 's commitment to the African-American community .
Biden responded by saying , `` If you have a problem figuring out whether you 're for me or Trump , then you ai n't black . ''
The remark was widely criticized by people with social media accounts .
A body double would n't be out of the realm of possibility , as there is credible evidence Hillary Clinton relied on body doubles during her numerous health scares in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but due to the identity-obscuring mask , it 's impossible to rule out the theory .
The man in those photos could be almost anyone .

Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, allegedly emerged from his basement bunker to celebrate Memorial Day with his doctor wife, Jill Biden.
A man purporting to be Biden was photographed wearing a black mask in New Castle, Delaware, provoking questions about the former vice president's capacity to serve as commander in chief. Some questioned whether the so-called "proof of life" outing was actually a proof of lie outing.
"It is very good dem strategy to have Joe Biden in a mask at all times because it muffles what he is saying and it's easier to swap in the body double," said one social media user who describes himself as "joe biden's diarrhea brain."
Biden, who at 77 is in the highest-risk demographic for death by COVID-19, has struggled to form coherent sentences even during softball interviews with sympathetic journalists. Some pundits have suggested Biden would have a better chance of winning if he self-quarantined for the remainder of the campaign. Others have argued that Biden's sole focus right now should be staying alive.
Biden stumbled recently when faced with tough questions from radio host Charlamagne tha God, who challenged the former vice president's commitment to the African-American community. Biden responded by saying, "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." The remark was widely criticized by people with social media accounts.
A body double wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, as there is credible evidence Hillary Clinton relied on body doubles during her numerous health scares in 2016. The photographs of Biden are inconclusive, but due to the identity-obscuring mask, it's impossible to rule out the theory. The man in those photos could be almost anyone.
Jimmy Carter?
Jeff Sessions?
Sir Ian McKellen?
Christopher Plummer?
Hunter Biden?


freebeacon--2020-05-26--YouTube Censors Criticism of China

YouTube Censors Criticism of China

YouTube is deleting comments that contain two terms Chinese dissidents use to criticize the government , raising concerns about the tech industry 's willingness to censor content to gain favor with the communist regime .
Comments on YouTube videos containing the terms 共匪 ( Gòngfěi ) , meaning `` communist bandit , '' and 五毛党 ( wǔmáodǎng ) , meaning `` fifty-cent party , '' are automatically deleted from the site shortly after they are posted .
The latter is a derogatory term referring to Chinese internet censors who are allegedly paid 50 cents for every internet post that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Free Beacon that the website 's algorithm has been deleting any comments containing either of the two terms within seconds of their submission .
She blamed `` an error in our enforcement mechanism '' for the deletions , rather than an effort to stymie criticism of the authoritarian government .
The deletions have raised eyebrows among Republican lawmakers , one of whom is calling on the Department of Justice to investigate .
Robert Spalding , a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and retired Air Force general , said that YouTube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the comment section is symptomatic of a larger problem : the Chinese government 's ability to wield influence in American corporations to squelch dissent .
`` The desire of the corporate sectors of U.S. and democratic countries to have access in Chinese market has [ resulted in ] the slow erosion of their independence , '' he said .
`` It 's led to more of a co-optation by the Chinese Communist Party , whether it be AI research facilities in Beijing or censorship on their platforms . ''
YouTube overwhelmingly relies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its comment sections , removing millions of comments that contain what it classifies as spam or hate speech each day .
The automated system , which flags 99 percent of all deleted messages , is also removing any comments that contain the two politically charged terms , which are often used to criticize the Chinese government .
YouTube appears to have been deleting comments containing the two terms since at least October 2019 , when a YouTube user complained that his comments containing the term `` wǔmáo '' were deleted .
The deletions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a New York-based human rights activist , first tweeted about the issue on May 13 .
`` I think it is very unfortunate that YouTube should do such a thing , '' Zeng told the Free Beacon .
`` I hope they can stop helping the CCP to limit our freedom . ''
A YouTube spokeswoman told the Free Beacon that the company is `` investigating '' the matter but did not respond to additional questions as to why the company let the problem linger for months .
YouTube users began complaining about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears to be an error in our enforcement systems and we are investigating , '' the spokeswoman said .
`` Users can report suspected issues to troubleshoot errors and help us make product improvements . ''
The deletion has riled up some China critics in Congress .
Sen. Josh Hawley ( R. , Mo . )
demanded an answer from Google about the matter and questioned why the deletions have been `` happening for months '' if they are an error .
Sen. Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) went further , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case .
`` This is very disturbing .
Why is Google/YouTube censoring Americans on behalf of the CCP ?
This is WRONG & Big Tech is drunk with power , '' Cruz tweeted .
`` The Sherman Act prohibits abusing monopoly power .
DOJ needs to stop this NOW . ''
Google , which owns YouTube , has been repeatedly criticized for its extensive research and business ties with Chinese entities .
Google operates an artificial intelligence research center in Shanghai , where it works with Chinese engineers to conduct `` basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant also had a now-abandoned plan to operate a heavily censored variant of its search engine in China , where the regime has blocked access to uncensored versions of Google .
The Trump administration pledged to investigate the company 's China ties in 2019 after Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel claimed that the company is working with the Chinese government .

YouTube is deleting comments that contain two terms Chinese dissidents use to criticize the government, raising concerns about the tech industry's willingness to censor content to gain favor with the communist regime.
Comments on YouTube videos containing the terms 共匪 (Gòngfěi), meaning "communist bandit," and 五毛党 (wǔmáodǎng), meaning "fifty-cent party," are automatically deleted from the site shortly after they are posted. The latter is a derogatory term referring to Chinese internet censors who are allegedly paid 50 cents for every internet post that they erase.
A YouTube spokeswoman acknowledged to the Washington Free Beacon that the website's algorithm has been deleting any comments containing either of the two terms within seconds of their submission. She blamed "an error in our enforcement mechanism" for the deletions, rather than an effort to stymie criticism of the authoritarian government. The deletions have raised eyebrows among Republican lawmakers, one of whom is calling on the Department of Justice to investigate.
Robert Spalding, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and retired Air Force general, said that YouTube's decision to remove the two terms from the comment section is symptomatic of a larger problem: the Chinese government's ability to wield influence in American corporations to squelch dissent.
"The desire of the corporate sectors of U.S. and democratic countries to have access in Chinese market has [resulted in] the slow erosion of their independence," he said. "It's led to more of a co-optation by the Chinese Communist Party, whether it be AI research facilities in Beijing or censorship on their platforms."
YouTube overwhelmingly relies on an automated flagging system to moderate its comment sections, removing millions of comments that contain what it classifies as spam or hate speech each day. The automated system, which flags 99 percent of all deleted messages, is also removing any comments that contain the two politically charged terms, which are often used to criticize the Chinese government.
YouTube appears to have been deleting comments containing the two terms since at least October 2019, when a YouTube user complained that his comments containing the term "wǔmáo" were deleted. The deletions continued for months until Jennifer Zeng, a New York-based human rights activist, first tweeted about the issue on May 13.
"I think it is very unfortunate that YouTube should do such a thing," Zeng told the Free Beacon. "I hope they can stop helping the CCP to limit our freedom."
A YouTube spokeswoman told the Free Beacon that the company is "investigating" the matter but did not respond to additional questions as to why the company let the problem linger for months. YouTube users began complaining about the practice in October.
"This appears to be an error in our enforcement systems and we are investigating," the spokeswoman said. "Users can report suspected issues to troubleshoot errors and help us make product improvements."
The deletion has riled up some China critics in Congress. Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) demanded an answer from Google about the matter and questioned why the deletions have been "happening for months" if they are an error. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) went further, demanding that the Justice Department intervene in the case.
"This is very disturbing. Why is Google/YouTube censoring Americans on behalf of the CCP? This is WRONG & Big Tech is drunk with power," Cruz tweeted. "The Sherman Act prohibits abusing monopoly power. DOJ needs to stop this NOW."
Google, which owns YouTube, has been repeatedly criticized for its extensive research and business ties with Chinese entities. Google operates an artificial intelligence research center in Shanghai, where it works with Chinese engineers to conduct "basic A.I. research." The tech giant also had a now-abandoned plan to operate a heavily censored variant of its search engine in China, where the regime has blocked access to uncensored versions of Google. The Trump administration pledged to investigate the company's China ties in 2019 after Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel claimed that the company is working with the Chinese government.


freebeacon--2020-05-26--Illinois Dems Bank on a Congressional Bailout

Illinois Democrats passed a state budget over the weekend that relies on billions in still-not-guaranteed federal dollars to avoid a gaping deficit .
The state 's 2021 budget , now headed to Gov .
J .
B. Pritzker 's ( D. ) desk , is written with the expectation that the $ 3.5 billion the state received under the CARES Act will be freed up for general spending .
That would require Congress to change limitations on those funds , which currently can only be spent on expenses directly related to coronavirus—not general fiscal costs .
The bill also gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 5 billion from the Federal Reserve as part of a program backstopped by Congress .
Pritzker 's political gambit is likely to add further fuel to the heated debate in Congress over a state and local bailout .
Illinois , with its chronically underfunded pensions , has already been at the center of that debate , with Republicans arguing that federal dollars should not go toward bailing out state governments that failed to save for a rainy day .
The State Democrats ' move will give ammo to both Republicans , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , who have insisted that states need more money with no strings attached .
Pritzker acknowledged Sunday morning that without an end to the congressional standoff over a federal bailout for state and local governments , the budget will not balance , telling reporters , `` We 're relying on them to do the right thing for Republican-led states and Democratic states . ''
Republican state senator Jason Plummer told the Washington Free Beacon that he has `` no doubt '' that many state Democrats anticipate the CARES Act funds will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far as writing a budget that does not waive the legislators ' annual pay increases even as the state faces a fiscal crisis .
The state 's $ 40-billion budget passed both houses of the legislature on a party-line vote , driven in part by Republicans ' concerns over the potential funding hole .
A Republican analysis of a slightly earlier version of the bill , obtained by the Free Beacon , projected a massive budget deficit that could only be closed with additional federal funds or the voters ' approval of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income tax rate .
The uncertainty around whether either of those funding sources will come through leaves the government potentially facing a substantial shortfall .
`` We passed an unbalanced budget that depends on borrowing and funding from the federal government , and in order for that budget to be balanced as structured , some of the federal money would have to be used for non-pandemic related expenditures , which is entirely inappropriate , '' Plummer said .
Plummer also slammed his Democratic colleagues for taking their automatic $ 1,800 annual pay raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MIA for the last eight weeks . ''
That change is particularly likely to be perceived as a blow to Illinois workers , 13 percent of whom have lost their jobs since February .
Illinois has been at the center of the ongoing dispute in Congress over whether state and local governments should receive general-purpose funds , not specifically earmarked for coronavirus-related issues , as a bailout in the next stimulus package .
House Democrats offered $ 500 billion in their abortive attempt at a bill introduced earlier this month .
Congressional Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea , seeing states ' fiscal woes—particularly insolvent pension funds like Illinois's—as largely of their own making .
`` Liberals in Illinois wrecked the state 's finances long before the China Virus—now they pass budgets that raise their own pay while anticipating billions in taxpayer bailouts , '' Sen. Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
wrote on Twitter , representing the general consensus of his caucus .
That means the Illinois Democrats ' budget gambit is likely to only harden battle lines as Congress weighs another stimulus bill—leaving their state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thread .
`` I have no doubt that there 's a lot of state Democrats that anticipate being able to use federal tax dollars for non-pandemic related expenses , '' Plummer said , `` and that 's something that we ca n't allow because it sets a terrible precedent , and it 's a slap in the face to the states that have done things the right way for so many years . ''

Illinois Democrats passed a state budget over the weekend that relies on billions in still-not-guaranteed federal dollars to avoid a gaping deficit.
The state's 2021 budget, now headed to Gov. J. B. Pritzker's (D.) desk, is written with the expectation that the $3.5 billion the state received under the CARES Act will be freed up for general spending. That would require Congress to change limitations on those funds, which currently can only be spent on expenses directly related to coronavirus—not general fiscal costs.
The bill also gives Pritzker the authority to borrow up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve as part of a program backstopped by Congress.
Pritzker's political gambit is likely to add further fuel to the heated debate in Congress over a state and local bailout. Illinois, with its chronically underfunded pensions, has already been at the center of that debate, with Republicans arguing that federal dollars should not go toward bailing out state governments that failed to save for a rainy day. The State Democrats' move will give ammo to both Republicans, who oppose an unconditional bailout, and federal Democrats, who have insisted that states need more money with no strings attached.
Pritzker acknowledged Sunday morning that without an end to the congressional standoff over a federal bailout for state and local governments, the budget will not balance, telling reporters, "We're relying on them to do the right thing for Republican-led states and Democratic states."
Republican state senator Jason Plummer told the Washington Free Beacon that he has "no doubt" that many state Democrats anticipate the CARES Act funds will be freed up, with Democratic lawmakers going so far as writing a budget that does not waive the legislators' annual pay increases even as the state faces a fiscal crisis.
The state's $40-billion budget passed both houses of the legislature on a party-line vote, driven in part by Republicans' concerns over the potential funding hole. A Republican analysis of a slightly earlier version of the bill, obtained by the Free Beacon, projected a massive budget deficit that could only be closed with additional federal funds or the voters' approval of Pritzker's proposed increase in the top-bracket income tax rate.
The uncertainty around whether either of those funding sources will come through leaves the government potentially facing a substantial shortfall.
"We passed an unbalanced budget that depends on borrowing and funding from the federal government, and in order for that budget to be balanced as structured, some of the federal money would have to be used for non-pandemic related expenditures, which is entirely inappropriate," Plummer said.
Plummer also slammed his Democratic colleagues for taking their automatic $1,800 annual pay raise, noting that they have been "MIA for the last eight weeks." That change is particularly likely to be perceived as a blow to Illinois workers, 13 percent of whom have lost their jobs since February.
Illinois has been at the center of the ongoing dispute in Congress over whether state and local governments should receive general-purpose funds, not specifically earmarked for coronavirus-related issues, as a bailout in the next stimulus package. House Democrats offered $500 billion in their abortive attempt at a bill introduced earlier this month. Congressional Republicans, however, have balked at the idea, seeing states' fiscal woes—particularly insolvent pension funds like Illinois's—as largely of their own making.
"Liberals in Illinois wrecked the state's finances long before the China Virus—now they pass budgets that raise their own pay while anticipating billions in taxpayer bailouts," Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) wrote on Twitter, representing the general consensus of his caucus.
That means the Illinois Democrats' budget gambit is likely to only harden battle lines as Congress weighs another stimulus bill—leaving their state's economic stability hanging yet again by a thread.
"I have no doubt that there's a lot of state Democrats that anticipate being able to use federal tax dollars for non-pandemic related expenses," Plummer said, "and that's something that we can't allow because it sets a terrible precedent, and it's a slap in the face to the states that have done things the right way for so many years."