hotair--2020-08-19--Miracles happen: Chicago PD arrests woman who live-streamed herself looting stores (video)

On a couple of occasions , we have lamented the lack of arrests being made following the mass looting and destruction taking place when “ peaceful protests ” transform into riots after dark in several American cities .
This is particularly true in Chicago , where even Mayor Lori Lightfoot has complained that the rioters who destroyed and emptied the Miracle Mile seemed to have “ no fear of consequences ” for their actions .
Well , perhaps there is a light at the end of this particular tunnel .
The Chicago PD has managed to arrest one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , August 10 .
Of course , in the case of Taeshia Rochon , perhaps they didn ’ t have to call in their top detectives to crack the case .
Rochon fired up her camera and live-streamed herself robbing two stores on Facebook .
Hang on for the video because it struck me as quite educational .
But first , the basics of the story from CBS Chicago .
A woman has been arrested and charged after authorities said she posted Facebook Live videos of herself looting two stores a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Looting Task Force police set up after the chaos led to the arrest of Taeshia Rochon , 22 , police said .
Rochon was charged with two felony counts of burglary and two felony counts of looting .
In Central Bond Court Monday , the Cook County State ’ s Attorney ’ s office said Rochon posted two Facebook live videos of herself inside a Nordstrom and Sunglass Hut during the looting on Monday , Aug. 10 .
This video is roughly four minutes long , but I would suggest that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just for the flagrant stupidity on display by someone filming themselves committing a crime , but the attitude of Rochon and her pals as they go about their “ business.
” She can be heard laughing and giggling as the crew breaks up the stores , destroying security devices meant to deter theft and chatting casually about how to get the goods loose and who should take what .
Ironically , at one point she yells “ I can ’ t breathe.
” But it ’ s not because there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ s just panting because she ’ s jogging from place to place looking for things to steal .
Take a look via YouTube and make sure the sound is on .
Listening to the entire thing you will note one point of interest .
There isn ’ t a single mention of George Floyd or police violence , inequality or justice .
There is no protesting of any sort .
This was simply a massive group of opportunistic criminals with zero regard for the property of the stores , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety of those around them .
It was a prolonged orgy of smash and grab theft , without a care in the world for whether or not they might run into the police .
And why would they care ?
They clearly knew that the Chicago PD was busy back out on the streets with all of the other rioters who were setting fire to the city and destroying one of the higher end shopping districts in Chicago .
And even where there are cops in the vicinity , they ’ ve gotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many of them are far more concerned with whether or not they can qualify for retirement at this point than trying to tangle with a mob of this size .
I don ’ t want to sound like a broken record here , but every time you hear some BLM activist talking about defunding the police or asking why people can ’ t imagine a world without the cops , point them to this video .
This is what a world without cops looks like .
Broken glass , rampant theft , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into ruin .
When I point out incidents of legitimate violence or misconduct by rogue police officers , I am frequently taken to task for describing them as “ a few bad apples.
” In reality , it ’ s an apt description because the number of cops who go bad isn ’ t even a rounding error in the nation ’ s total police force .
But looking at this video of Chicago ’ s Miracle Mile last week , allow me to ask another question in return .
Does this look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an otherwise huge crowd of “ peaceful protesters ?
” Does it look like “ outside agitators ” coming into the city to cause trouble ?
Get back to me when you have an answer .
I ’ ll wait .

On a couple of occasions, we have lamented the lack of arrests being made following the mass looting and destruction taking place when “peaceful protests” transform into riots after dark in several American cities. This is particularly true in Chicago, where even Mayor Lori Lightfoot has complained that the rioters who destroyed and emptied the Miracle Mile seemed to have “no fear of consequences” for their actions. Well, perhaps there is a light at the end of this particular tunnel. The Chicago PD has managed to arrest one of the looters from the Miracle Mile carnage on Monday, August 10. Of course, in the case of Taeshia Rochon, perhaps they didn’t have to call in their top detectives to crack the case. Rochon fired up her camera and live-streamed herself robbing two stores on Facebook. Hang on for the video because it struck me as quite educational. But first, the basics of the story from CBS Chicago.
A woman has been arrested and charged after authorities said she posted Facebook Live videos of herself looting two stores a week ago Monday morning. A tip to the Looting Task Force police set up after the chaos led to the arrest of Taeshia Rochon, 22, police said. Rochon was charged with two felony counts of burglary and two felony counts of looting. In Central Bond Court Monday, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office said Rochon posted two Facebook live videos of herself inside a Nordstrom and Sunglass Hut during the looting on Monday, Aug. 10.
This video is roughly four minutes long, but I would suggest that it’s well worth a look, not just for the flagrant stupidity on display by someone filming themselves committing a crime, but the attitude of Rochon and her pals as they go about their “business.” She can be heard laughing and giggling as the crew breaks up the stores, destroying security devices meant to deter theft and chatting casually about how to get the goods loose and who should take what. Ironically, at one point she yells “I can’t breathe.” But it’s not because there’s a cop putting her in a chokehold. She’s just panting because she’s jogging from place to place looking for things to steal. Take a look via YouTube and make sure the sound is on.
https://youtu.be/olRfZmUcjv4
Listening to the entire thing you will note one point of interest. There isn’t a single mention of George Floyd or police violence, inequality or justice. There is no protesting of any sort. This was simply a massive group of opportunistic criminals with zero regard for the property of the stores, the future jobs of the employees or the safety of those around them. It was a prolonged orgy of smash and grab theft, without a care in the world for whether or not they might run into the police.
And why would they care? They clearly knew that the Chicago PD was busy back out on the streets with all of the other rioters who were setting fire to the city and destroying one of the higher end shopping districts in Chicago. And even where there are cops in the vicinity, they’ve gotten so little support from the municipal government that many of them are far more concerned with whether or not they can qualify for retirement at this point than trying to tangle with a mob of this size.
I don’t want to sound like a broken record here, but every time you hear some BLM activist talking about defunding the police or asking why people can’t imagine a world without the cops, point them to this video. This is what a world without cops looks like. Broken glass, rampant theft, arson, and inner cities driven further into ruin.
When I point out incidents of legitimate violence or misconduct by rogue police officers, I am frequently taken to task for describing them as “a few bad apples.” In reality, it’s an apt description because the number of cops who go bad isn’t even a rounding error in the nation’s total police force. But looking at this video of Chicago’s Miracle Mile last week, allow me to ask another question in return. Does this look like “a few bad apples” in an otherwise huge crowd of “peaceful protesters?” Does it look like “outside agitators” coming into the city to cause trouble? Get back to me when you have an answer. I’ll wait.


hotair--2020-08-19--Trudeau's Finance Minster resigns and he shut down Parliament (but it has nothing to do with a chari

Trudeau's Finance Minster resigns and he shut down Parliament (but it has nothing to do with a charity scandal)

Canada ’ s Finance Minister resigned Monday but claimed his decision had nothing to do with an ongoing charity scandal that has engulfed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau .
Amid calls from political opponents for his resignation , Canada ’ s finance minister did just that on Monday night .
But the minister , Bill Morneau , insisted his decision to step down was not related to a conflict-of-interest scandal that has embroiled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ’ s government… Mr. Morneau and Mr. Trudeau have been under political fire for not removing themselves from the cabinet discussion when a substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that had connections to both of their families .
In Mr. Morneau ’ s case , his daughter has an administrative job with the group , to which he and his wife have been substantial donors… When asked at a news conference if his decision to quit and not to seek re-election to Parliament had been related to the scandal over the charity contract , Mr. Moreau dismissed the idea .
But he added , “ I wish that , in hindsight , that we had done things differently around the WE Charity.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resignation proof the government was “ in chaos.
” The leader of Canada ’ s New Democratic Party said it looked like Morneau was being thrown under the bus to protect Trudeau .
That ’ s actually a pretty pointed jab at Trudeau .
Last year the Prime Minister was involved in a different scandal known as SNC-Lavalin .
In that instance , two of his Ministers resigned while Trudeau maintained ( contrary to the evidence ) that he ’ d done nothing wrong .
The current scandal involves WE Charity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s mother more than $ 300,000 for speeches was recently given a no-bid contract from the government .
After the scandal broke the contract was rescinded but the situation still stinks like corruption .
In addition to losing his Finance Minister Monday , Trudeau announced Tuesday that he was proroguing the current Parliamentary session , i.e .
shutting it down for a month .
Officially the reason is that Trudeau wants to reset the government with a new focus on the coronavirus , but his action also happens to shut down the ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The move to “ reset ” the government because of Covid comes amid committee investigations into the WE charity affair , in which Trudeau and former finance minister Bill Morneau face accusations of an improper financial relationship with the international development organization .
Both men have apologized for not recusing themselves amid apparent conflicts of interest .
Prorogation will suspend all government business , including the investigation… “ We are taking a moment to recognize that the throne speech we delivered eight months ago made no mention of Covid-19 , had no conception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , ” he told journalists in Ottawa .
The National Post points out that Trudeau could have held his “ reset ” speech in September by simply proroguing Parliament a day before the speech : Trudeau could have waited to prorogue until a day before the throne speech .
Instead , by proroguing now , Parliament will be suspended for more than a month .
A prorogation puts a stop to all ongoing parliamentary work , including on proposed legislation and any studies being done in committee .
Three parliamentary committees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government operations committees — had ongoing investigations into the WE Charity scandal that will be halted by the prorogation .
So there doesn ’ t seem to be any real reason for doing this now except to attempt to reset the scandal situation and shut down the investigations which would likely have generate headlines that were negative for Trudeau .
The opposition parties are seeing this move for what it is .
There ’ s also a hypocrisy angle here as Trudeau ’ s party apparently vowed not to use this tactic back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being asked about his apparent hypocrisy yesterday .
The way he stares into the camera and lies without shame reminds me of Bill Clinton in his prime .

Canada’s Finance Minister resigned Monday but claimed his decision had nothing to do with an ongoing charity scandal that has engulfed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Amid calls from political opponents for his resignation, Canada’s finance minister did just that on Monday night. But the minister, Bill Morneau, insisted his decision to step down was not related to a conflict-of-interest scandal that has embroiled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government… Mr. Morneau and Mr. Trudeau have been under political fire for not removing themselves from the cabinet discussion when a substantial no-bid contract was awarded to a charity that had connections to both of their families. In Mr. Morneau’s case, his daughter has an administrative job with the group, to which he and his wife have been substantial donors… When asked at a news conference if his decision to quit and not to seek re-election to Parliament had been related to the scandal over the charity contract, Mr. Moreau dismissed the idea. But he added, “I wish that, in hindsight, that we had done things differently around the WE Charity.”
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer called the resignation proof the government was “in chaos.”
Bill Morneau’s “resignation” is further proof of a government in chaos. At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances , Justin Trudeau’s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself. 1/3 — Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) August 18, 2020
From the Liberals' carbon tax, to their tax hikes on small businesses, to their massive deficit spending, Trudeau and Morneau's policies have hurt Canadians. Scapegoating Morneau does not solve the problem. As long as Trudeau is Prime Minister, the corruption will continue. 3/3 — Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) August 18, 2020
The leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party said it looked like Morneau was being thrown under the bus to protect Trudeau.
Canadians need a government that is focussed on helping them Not on their own scandals In the middle of a financial crisis, Justin Trudeau has lost his Finance Minister Every time he gets caught breaking ethics laws, he makes someone else take the heat That's not leadership https://t.co/IxGNVnmhyo — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) August 17, 2020
That’s actually a pretty pointed jab at Trudeau. Last year the Prime Minister was involved in a different scandal known as SNC-Lavalin. In that instance, two of his Ministers resigned while Trudeau maintained (contrary to the evidence) that he’d done nothing wrong.
The current scandal involves WE Charity, a group that had paid Trudeau’s mother more than $300,000 for speeches was recently given a no-bid contract from the government. After the scandal broke the contract was rescinded but the situation still stinks like corruption.
In addition to losing his Finance Minister Monday, Trudeau announced Tuesday that he was proroguing the current Parliamentary session, i.e. shutting it down for a month. Officially the reason is that Trudeau wants to reset the government with a new focus on the coronavirus, but his action also happens to shut down the ongoing investigation into the WE Charity scandal:
The move to “reset” the government because of Covid comes amid committee investigations into the WE charity affair, in which Trudeau and former finance minister Bill Morneau face accusations of an improper financial relationship with the international development organization. Both men have apologized for not recusing themselves amid apparent conflicts of interest. Prorogation will suspend all government business, including the investigation… “We are taking a moment to recognize that the throne speech we delivered eight months ago made no mention of Covid-19, had no conception of the reality we find ourselves in right now,” he told journalists in Ottawa.
The National Post points out that Trudeau could have held his “reset” speech in September by simply proroguing Parliament a day before the speech:
Trudeau could have waited to prorogue until a day before the throne speech. Instead, by proroguing now, Parliament will be suspended for more than a month. A prorogation puts a stop to all ongoing parliamentary work, including on proposed legislation and any studies being done in committee. Three parliamentary committees — the finance, ethics, and government operations committees — had ongoing investigations into the WE Charity scandal that will be halted by the prorogation.
So there doesn’t seem to be any real reason for doing this now except to attempt to reset the scandal situation and shut down the investigations which would likely have generate headlines that were negative for Trudeau. The opposition parties are seeing this move for what it is.
Justin Trudeau amputated his right hand to try and save himself when he forced his Finance Minister to resign. Now he’s shutting down Parliament and locking out Opposition MPs to prevent us from holding him accountable and getting answers on his WE Scandal. pic.twitter.com/17U2s9qe5X — Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) August 19, 2020
Shutting down parliament in the middle of a pandemic and an economic crisis, with a planned sitting next week and committees working hard to get answers and solutions for Canadians is wrong. Canadians shouldn't be forced to pay the price for Mr. Trudeau's scandals. — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) August 18, 2020
Canadians are struggling & need answers. What's the plan for people relying on the CERB?
The plan to fix EI?
The plan for child care?
The plan to help safely send kids back to school? Canadians deserve a government focussed on helping them, not a Harper-style tactic & coverup. — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) August 18, 2020
There’s also a hypocrisy angle here as Trudeau’s party apparently vowed not to use this tactic back in 2015. Here’s Trudeau being asked about his apparent hypocrisy yesterday. The way he stares into the camera and lies without shame reminds me of Bill Clinton in his prime.


hotair--2020-08-19--Denver suddenly decides against replacing police with "peace force"

Out in the city of Denver , Colorado , the City Council recently moved ahead with a vote on an unusual proposition .
Councilwoman Candi Cedebaca had drafted a proposal to replace the Denver Police Department with a “ Peace Force , ” comprised of “ Peace Officers.
” The vast majority of those officers would go about their duties unarmed and act more as a mobile counseling service than anything else .
A few trained and armed officers would be kept on hand in case of an emergency .
There were some objections raised to the proposal initially , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the vote .
In what may prove to be a temporary close call for the citizens of Denver , the proposal failed spectacularly .
Only Councilwoman Cedebaca voted in favor of it .
( CBS Denver ) Denver City Council voted to suspend a proposal thaCandi Cedebacat aims to to replace the Denver Police Department with a “ peace force.
” The 11-1 nay vote came during the council ’ s Monday night meeting .
The vote put the proposal on hold along with two other bills that would have limited power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill ’ s sponsor Councilwoman Candi Cedebaca voted in favor of the proposal to replace the police , had it passed it would have been once step closer to becoming a ballot measure this November .
The reason I suggest that this might be temporary is that it sounds like the Council is divided in their opinions on the idea of a Peace Force , with some of the members who voted against it not 100 % in opposition .
Multiple members of the Council stated that the reason they were voting “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure was being rushed and they needed more time to develop a “ thoughtful proposal.
” Council President Stacie Gilmore was a bit vaguer , saying she always wants to give her constituents plenty of time to consider and comment on any new measure .
Conversely , the Mayor was firmly against the plan .
Michael Hancock described the plan as being “ reckless and irresponsible.
” He went on to say that it would never be enacted while he was the Mayor .
It ’ s far worse than just reckless .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the size of Denver .
The same rules apply here as the ones we discussed when Los Angeles and other cities proposed having unarmed civilian officials doing traffic stops .
That ’ s all fine and dandy until you run into an armed maniac that just stole a car .
But Denver ’ s proposal goes much further .
We ’ re not just talking about traffic enforcement .
The change here would apply to the majority of cops out on the beat .
They would be unarmed and unable to fully respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence breaks out .
How long would it take for one of the few armed officers to arrive on the scene ?
By that time the first “ peace officer ” might well be dead , along with any innocent victims caught up in the original incident .
What Councilwoman Cedebaca is suggesting is a system vaguely similar to what the Brits have in London .
Most of their officers , while trained , are unarmed while on duty .
When violent crime takes place , they too have to call in backup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that almost no British citizens have firearms to use in the commission of a crime , so they ’ re more likely to run into knives or blunt objects at the worst .
The same can ’ t be said for Denver , sadly .
Just for the record , so far this year the Mile High City has recorded 65 murders , 720 rapes and more than 3,200 assaults .
But hey… who needs cops ?

Out in the city of Denver, Colorado, the City Council recently moved ahead with a vote on an unusual proposition. Councilwoman Candi Cedebaca had drafted a proposal to replace the Denver Police Department with a “Peace Force,” comprised of “Peace Officers.” The vast majority of those officers would go about their duties unarmed and act more as a mobile counseling service than anything else. A few trained and armed officers would be kept on hand in case of an emergency.
There were some objections raised to the proposal initially, but the decision was made to proceed to the vote. In what may prove to be a temporary close call for the citizens of Denver, the proposal failed spectacularly. Only Councilwoman Cedebaca voted in favor of it. (CBS Denver)
Denver City Council voted to suspend a proposal thaCandi Cedebacat aims to to replace the Denver Police Department with a “peace force.” The 11-1 nay vote came during the council’s Monday night meeting. The vote put the proposal on hold along with two other bills that would have limited power in other city offices. Only the bill’s sponsor Councilwoman Candi Cedebaca voted in favor of the proposal to replace the police, had it passed it would have been once step closer to becoming a ballot measure this November.
The reason I suggest that this might be temporary is that it sounds like the Council is divided in their opinions on the idea of a Peace Force, with some of the members who voted against it not 100% in opposition. Multiple members of the Council stated that the reason they were voting “no” was because they felt the measure was being rushed and they needed more time to develop a “thoughtful proposal.” Council President Stacie Gilmore was a bit vaguer, saying she always wants to give her constituents plenty of time to consider and comment on any new measure.
Conversely, the Mayor was firmly against the plan. Michael Hancock described the plan as being “reckless and irresponsible.” He went on to say that it would never be enacted while he was the Mayor.
It’s far worse than just reckless. This idea is insane for a city the size of Denver. The same rules apply here as the ones we discussed when Los Angeles and other cities proposed having unarmed civilian officials doing traffic stops. That’s all fine and dandy until you run into an armed maniac that just stole a car. But Denver’s proposal goes much further. We’re not just talking about traffic enforcement. The change here would apply to the majority of cops out on the beat. They would be unarmed and unable to fully respond on a moment’s notice if violence breaks out. How long would it take for one of the few armed officers to arrive on the scene? By that time the first “peace officer” might well be dead, along with any innocent victims caught up in the original incident.
What Councilwoman Cedebaca is suggesting is a system vaguely similar to what the Brits have in London. Most of their officers, while trained, are unarmed while on duty. When violent crime takes place, they too have to call in backup with firearms. But the difference is that almost no British citizens have firearms to use in the commission of a crime, so they’re more likely to run into knives or blunt objects at the worst. The same can’t be said for Denver, sadly. Just for the record, so far this year the Mile High City has recorded 65 murders, 720 rapes and more than 3,200 assaults. But hey… who needs cops?


hotair--2020-08-19--Colbert: "I don't think Bill Clinton gets to lecture anyone on what should happen in the Oval Office

Colbert: "I don't think Bill Clinton gets to lecture anyone on what should happen in the Oval Office"

Former President Bill Clinton was given speaking time Tuesday night during the Democrat convention .
He broke the unspoken code of past presidents and heavily criticized the current president in a 5 minute videotaped speech .
Not that Bill Clinton was ever a stickler for decorum .
His first term as president was chock full of stories of how the Oval Office frequently looked like a frat house .
Reports told the tale of pizza boxes and take-out food containers littering up the place while Clinton and staffers were frequently attired in casual clothes more appropriate for the golf course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing the serious business of the nation .
This was particularly notable because the president who preceded Clinton , George H. W. Bush , was adamant about the men on staff always coming into the Oval Office with a coat and tie on to show proper respect for the office .
He led by example .
After Clinton , George W. Bush insisted on the same policy , even on weekends .
Clinton ’ s sloppiness in his personal attire often bled into his behavior while governing .
He was impeached for lying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and obstructing justice .
It was all about a sexual affair with a White House intern .
Stephen Colbert ’ s late-night television talk show was on after Tuesday night ’ s Democrat convention coverage .
Colbert is well-known for the political activism that he weaves into his nightly show .
His show is a must-do for elected Democrats and those running for office .
Colbert is so anti-Trump , in fact , that he created an animated political show for Showtime called Our Cartoon President .
So , it is notable that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s behavior in the Oval Office .
‘ The former president let Trump have it , ’ Colbert said , cutting to show a clip of Clinton stating that the Oval Office ‘ should be a command center.
’ ‘ Instead , it is a storm center , ’ Clinton said in his speech .
‘ But I don ’ t think Bill Clinton gets to lecture anyone on what should happen in the Oval Office .
‘ Those in glass houses should not be allowed near the interns.
’ Hence the dilemma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left in the age of # MeToo .
Bill Clinton is still allowed to participate in Democrat Party events as though he is just another beloved former president , a wise elder in the party .
When Clinton was president , women reporters fell all over themselves to fawn over Clinton though his horndog reputation with women other than his wife was well known .
It should have been embarrassing to feminists but liberal women were happy to turn a blind eye – if Hillary was ok with his behavior , why should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twenty-something White House intern in the Oval Office a total of nine times by her account finally was a bridge too far for some in the Democrat Party .
It wasn ’ t enough for Senate Democrats in the majority at the time to impeach Clinton but he was impeached by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and it became a part of his legacy .
The narrative from the Democrats during the convention is that Trump ’ s White House is in chaos .
Clinton touched on that and I briefly noted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m old enough to remember the stories of how chaotic the transition from GHW Bush to the first Baby Boomer to be elected president was for the incoming administration .
The stories continued throughout his time in the White House of manic late-night sessions , finessing speeches in a last-minute timeframe , and even being so routinely late for everything that it was referred to as “ Clinton time ” .
He ’ s late .
Oh , he ’ s on Clinton time .
So , for once , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill , glass houses .
It was particularly bad timing that Clinton was scheduled for Tuesday night as an embarrassing photo appeared on social media earlier in the day of Clinton receiving a neck massage from one of Jeffrey Epstein ’ s young female sex slaves during a trip to Africa with Epstein , no doubt a perfectly-timed released by a political operative .
Needless to say , there was lots of tweeting about the use of Clinton in light of the photo and in today ’ s political atmosphere with the # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion on CNN reminded everyone that not all Democrats are willing to criticize the choice of Clinton as a speaker and refuse to lump him in with other serial abusers of women .
Ahead of Clinton ’ s appearance on the second night of the Democratic National Convention , the former president was showered with praise by CNN commentators Van Jones and Jennifer Granholm .
However , their colleague Scott Jennings , a former George W. Bush White House official , was puzzled that the Democrats continue to give Clinton a platform .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dumbfounded by this .
How is it that Bill Clinton has not been canceled by the Democratic — how has he survived all of these waves of cancellations when he has been one of the biggest violators of these rules all these years ?
” Jennings asked .
Predictable .
They think the American voters are stupid .
Never change , CNN .

Former President Bill Clinton was given speaking time Tuesday night during the Democrat convention. He broke the unspoken code of past presidents and heavily criticized the current president in a 5 minute videotaped speech.
Not that Bill Clinton was ever a stickler for decorum. His first term as president was chock full of stories of how the Oval Office frequently looked like a frat house. Reports told the tale of pizza boxes and take-out food containers littering up the place while Clinton and staffers were frequently attired in casual clothes more appropriate for the golf course or a pick-up basketball game than for doing the serious business of the nation. This was particularly notable because the president who preceded Clinton, George H. W. Bush, was adamant about the men on staff always coming into the Oval Office with a coat and tie on to show proper respect for the office. He led by example. After Clinton, George W. Bush insisted on the same policy, even on weekends. Clinton’s sloppiness in his personal attire often bled into his behavior while governing. He was impeached for lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice. It was all about a sexual affair with a White House intern.
Stephen Colbert’s late-night television talk show was on after Tuesday night’s Democrat convention coverage. Colbert is well-known for the political activism that he weaves into his nightly show. His show is a must-do for elected Democrats and those running for office. Colbert is so anti-Trump, in fact, that he created an animated political show for Showtime called Our Cartoon President. So, it is notable that Colbert blasted Bubba for criticizing Trump’s behavior in the Oval Office.
‘The former president let Trump have it,’ Colbert said, cutting to show a clip of Clinton stating that the Oval Office ‘should be a command center.’ ‘Instead, it is a storm center,’ Clinton said in his speech. Colbert commented: ‘Alright, that’s true, that’s a good point. ‘But I don’t think Bill Clinton gets to lecture anyone on what should happen in the Oval Office. ‘Those in glass houses should not be allowed near the interns.’
Hence the dilemma for our brothers and sisters on the left in the age of #MeToo. Bill Clinton is still allowed to participate in Democrat Party events as though he is just another beloved former president, a wise elder in the party. When Clinton was president, women reporters fell all over themselves to fawn over Clinton though his horndog reputation with women other than his wife was well known. It should have been embarrassing to feminists but liberal women were happy to turn a blind eye – if Hillary was ok with his behavior, why should anyone else care? Sex with a twenty-something White House intern in the Oval Office a total of nine times by her account finally was a bridge too far for some in the Democrat Party. It wasn’t enough for Senate Democrats in the majority at the time to impeach Clinton but he was impeached by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and it became a part of his legacy.
The narrative from the Democrats during the convention is that Trump’s White House is in chaos. Clinton touched on that and I briefly noted the irony in an earlier post today. I’m old enough to remember the stories of how chaotic the transition from GHW Bush to the first Baby Boomer to be elected president was for the incoming administration. The stories continued throughout his time in the White House of manic late-night sessions, finessing speeches in a last-minute timeframe, and even being so routinely late for everything that it was referred to as “Clinton time”. He’s late. Oh, he’s on Clinton time.
So, for once, I agree with Colbert. Glass houses, Bill, glass houses. It was particularly bad timing that Clinton was scheduled for Tuesday night as an embarrassing photo appeared on social media earlier in the day of Clinton receiving a neck massage from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s young female sex slaves during a trip to Africa with Epstein, no doubt a perfectly-timed released by a political operative.
In the photos, Clinton sits comfortably and laughs as Chauntae Davies, then a 22-year-old massage therapist who acted as Epstein’s personal masseuse, rubs her hands into his shoulders to get out the kinks in his neck. Clinton, then 56, had complained of having a stiff neck after falling asleep on Epstein’s infamous private jet, nicknamed The Lolita Express, while on a humanitarian trip with the pedophile to Africa in September of 2002.
Needless to say, there was lots of tweeting about the use of Clinton in light of the photo and in today’s political atmosphere with the #MeToo movement.
“Bill Clinton is just a huge unforced error. Totally unnecessary and a very bad look in 2020,” CNN host S.E. Cupp tweeted. “Is the ghost of Epstein talking after Bill Clinton?” progressive commentator Kyle Kulinski jokingly asked. “interesting choice having jeffrey epstein and ghislaine maxwell’s friend bill clinton speak at the dnc while the rest of the party is calling trump a rapist,” Twitch TV host Hasan Piker similarly tweeted. “Bill Clinton was: • Seen at Epstein’s pedophile island • Flew on Epstein’s plane 25+ times • In photos with Epstein victim • Paid Paula Jones $850,000 for sexual misconduct Bill Clinton is: • Speaking at the Democratic National convention tonight What happened to #MeToo?” filmmaker Robby Starbuck wondered.
Yet, a panel discussion on CNN reminded everyone that not all Democrats are willing to criticize the choice of Clinton as a speaker and refuse to lump him in with other serial abusers of women.
Ahead of Clinton’s appearance on the second night of the Democratic National Convention, the former president was showered with praise by CNN commentators Van Jones and Jennifer Granholm. However, their colleague Scott Jennings, a former George W. Bush White House official, was puzzled that the Democrats continue to give Clinton a platform. “I have to say… I am dumbfounded by this. How is it that Bill Clinton has not been canceled by the Democratic — how has he survived all of these waves of cancellations when he has been one of the biggest violators of these rules all these years?” Jennings asked. “We believe in redemption, brother,” Jones responded.
.@ScottJenningsKY: How is it that Bill Clinton has not been canceled…when he’s been one of the biggest violators of these rules all these years. .@JenGranholm: How far back are we going to go relitigate this? This has already been asked and answered decades ago. pic.twitter.com/01mhdHUnqq — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 19, 2020
Predictable. They think the American voters are stupid. Never change, CNN.


hotair--2020-08-19--Trump calls for boycott of Goodyear tires over ban on MAGA, Blue Lives Matter attire -- which Goodye

Trump calls for boycott of Goodyear tires over ban on MAGA, Blue Lives Matter attire -- which Goodyear claims it doesn't have

It ’ s hard to believe Goodyear would implement a double standard this flagrant a matter of corporate policy , but the evidence does point that way : It ’ s also hard to believe that the president of the United States would call for boycotting a company before making absolutely sure that he has his facts straight , but that appears to have happened as well : The photo of the slide began circulating yesterday on social media , the font of all bad things in 2020 America .
It was allegedly taken at a diversity presentation at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A local news bureau contacted Goodyear to follow up .
Was the slide a fake ?
Or did it represent the policy at that *particular* Goodyear plant ?
Or does it actually fairly describe the policy for Goodyear as a corporate entity ?
The statement Goodyear sent back made it sound like it really was the policy for the corporation : “ Goodyear is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace where all of our associates can do their best in a spirit of teamwork .
As part of this commitment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their support on racial injustice and other equity issues but ask that they refrain from workplace expressions , verbal or otherwise , in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as other similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of equity issues.
” It ’ s provocative , let us say , that the two acceptable “ equity issues ” listed in the photo are favored by the left and the three unacceptable political slogans featured are associated with the right .
They didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for President ” slogan on the unacceptable list to make it look more evenhanded .
So many question .
How is “ All Lives Matter ” impermissibly political whereas “ Black Lives Matter ” isn ’ t ?
There ’ s an actual political organization called “ Black Lives Matter.
” Is its apparel unwelcome at Goodyear ?
What about a shirt reading “ End Affirmative Action ” or “ End Abortion ” or “ Strong Second Amendment Supporter ” ?
Are those “ equity ” issues or “ political ” ?
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect : As I ’ m writing this post , Goodyear is out with a new statement that … doesn ’ t clear up much , except to say that the slide didn ’ t come from corporate .
Where did the slide come from , then ?
The Topeka plant ?
Does this mean that “ Blue Lives Matter ” shirts are okay , or that “ Black Lives Matter ” shirts aren ’ t , or did the slide accurately state the company ’ s policy after all ?
“ [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party , ” the statement reads — before explicitly making an exception for “ racial justice and equity issues.
” Well , that ’ s basically what the slide said .
Apart from the rote expression of support for law enforcement at the end of the new statement , we ’ re left to puzzle out which issues are unacceptably “ political ” versus which are okay on “ equity ” grounds .
Where does Goodyear stand on “ All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or political party ” is implicated by that ?
As others have noted , the smart play for Trump here would have been to take umbrage not at the slight to himself and his beloved MAGA brand but at the slight to law enforcement in singling out “ Blue Lives Matter ” as unacceptable .
That would fit perfectly with his campaign message that the left is anti-cop and that woke corporate entities eager to signal how progressive they are will necessarily express hostility to cops too .
Instead he spun it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boycott of this particular company could have unintended consequences : Sykes is a Democratic politician in Ohio , an early hint that the other party will try to use this episode as evidence that Trump doesn ’ t care about the Rust Belt ’ s economy .
If he really were prone to playing the sort of three-dimensional chess his most ardent fans are forever praising him for , he would have highlighted Goodyear ’ s policy without calling for a boycott and made it all about disrespecting the police .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something about the Goodyear slide on Fox , got his ego bruised , grabbed his phone , and fired off his angry tweet without stopping to think or to ask Bill Stepien , “ How can we use this most effectively ?
” Ah well .
2020 America , man : The show never ends .

It’s hard to believe Goodyear would implement a double standard this flagrant a matter of corporate policy, but the evidence does point that way:
According to @goodyear tires, a MAGA shirt is a zero tolerance hate symbol. But Black Lives Matter is allowed. pic.twitter.com/1kWRqSDFQa — Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 18, 2020
It’s also hard to believe that the president of the United States would call for boycotting a company before making absolutely sure that he has his facts straight, but that appears to have happened as well:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1296092859226042368
The photo of the slide began circulating yesterday on social media, the font of all bad things in 2020 America. It was allegedly taken at a diversity presentation at a Goodyear plant in Topeka, Kansas. A local news bureau contacted Goodyear to follow up. Was the slide a fake? Or did it represent the policy at that *particular* Goodyear plant? Or does it actually fairly describe the policy for Goodyear as a corporate entity?
The statement Goodyear sent back made it sound like it really was the policy for the corporation:
“Goodyear is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace where all of our associates can do their best in a spirit of teamwork. As part of this commitment, we do allow our associates to express their support on racial injustice and other equity issues but ask that they refrain from workplace expressions, verbal or otherwise, in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as other similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of equity issues.” Melissa Monaco, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
It’s provocative, let us say, that the two acceptable “equity issues” listed in the photo are favored by the left and the three unacceptable political slogans featured are associated with the right. They didn’t even bother to stick a “Biden for President” slogan on the unacceptable list to make it look more evenhanded.
So many question. How is “All Lives Matter” impermissibly political whereas “Black Lives Matter” isn’t? There’s an actual political organization called “Black Lives Matter.” Is its apparel unwelcome at Goodyear?
What about a shirt reading “End Affirmative Action” or “End Abortion” or “Strong Second Amendment Supporter”? Are those “equity” issues or “political”?
Trump’s tweet has had the predictable effect:
Goodyear falls 3% as Trump says not to buy its tires because it decided to “allow our associates to express their support on racial injustice“ but “ask that they refrain from workplace expressions … in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party.” https://t.co/vyrB0OqRfc — Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) August 19, 2020
As I’m writing this post, Goodyear is out with a new statement that … doesn’t clear up much, except to say that the slide didn’t come from corporate.
Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/oO6jUg2rTR — Goodyear (@goodyear) August 19, 2020
Where did the slide come from, then? The Topeka plant? Does this mean that “Blue Lives Matter” shirts are okay, or that “Black Lives Matter” shirts aren’t, or did the slide accurately state the company’s policy after all? “[W]e ask that associates refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party,” the statement reads — before explicitly making an exception for “racial justice and equity issues.”
Well, that’s basically what the slide said. Apart from the rote expression of support for law enforcement at the end of the new statement, we’re left to puzzle out which issues are unacceptably “political” versus which are okay on “equity” grounds. Where does Goodyear stand on “All Lives Matter”? Which “candidate or political party” is implicated by that?
As others have noted, the smart play for Trump here would have been to take umbrage not at the slight to himself and his beloved MAGA brand but at the slight to law enforcement in singling out “Blue Lives Matter” as unacceptable. That would fit perfectly with his campaign message that the left is anti-cop and that woke corporate entities eager to signal how progressive they are will necessarily express hostility to cops too. Instead he spun it as a personal affront. And calling for a boycott of this particular company could have unintended consequences:
Goodyear of course is headquartered in Ohio and makes tires and related products in a number of other swing states. — Niels Lesniewski (@nielslesniewski) August 19, 2020
Akron is known as the rubber city capital of the world, spurred by the innovation & work of Goodyear alongside the hardworking men and women who made it possible. We are very protective of our people and what made Akron the city it is today. Stand down. https://t.co/SGSgsd4buL — Emilia Sykes (@EmiliaSykesOH) August 19, 2020
Sykes is a Democratic politician in Ohio, an early hint that the other party will try to use this episode as evidence that Trump doesn’t care about the Rust Belt’s economy. If he really were prone to playing the sort of three-dimensional chess his most ardent fans are forever praising him for, he would have highlighted Goodyear’s policy without calling for a boycott and made it all about disrespecting the police. Instead, in all probability, he saw something about the Goodyear slide on Fox, got his ego bruised, grabbed his phone, and fired off his angry tweet without stopping to think or to ask Bill Stepien, “How can we use this most effectively?” Ah well. 2020 America, man: The show never ends.


hotair--2020-08-19--Venezuela treats people with coronavirus as 'bioterrorists'

When all you have is a hammer , everything looks like a nail .
That old saying seems to be proving true in Venezuela where the government has deployed its only functioning tool , state security , to deal with the coronavirus .
Venezuelan officials are denouncing people who may have come into contact with the coronavirus as “ bioterrorists ” and urging their neighbors to report them .
The government is detaining and intimidating doctors and experts who question the president ’ s policies on the virus… President Nicolás Maduro has tackled the coronavirus much as he has any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deploying his repressive security apparatus against it .
In commandeered hotels , disused schools and cordoned-off bus stations , Venezuelans returning home from other countries in Latin America are being forced into crowded rooms with limited food , water or masks .
And they are being held under military guard for weeks or months for coronavirus tests or treatment with unproven medications , according to interviews with the detainees , videos they have taken on their cellphones and government documents… “ This is the only country in the world where having Covid is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Venezuelan opposition activist who said he had come down with symptoms of the disease , only to find police officers at his door and government officials accusing him of infecting the community .
Here ’ s a tweet from the armed forces of Venezuela asking people to turn in “ bio-terrorists ” who pose a risk to others .
Official numbers are hard to come by in Venezuela and even harder to believe even when they are released by the communist dictatorship , but Reuters reported this week that the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s capacity to perform tests : The country has registered 33,755 infections and 281 deaths , and infections have exceeded more than 1,000 a day .
Maduro says authorities have performed 1.64 million tests , but has not said if they are rapid tests or PCR ( polymerase chain reaction ) tests , which are considered more reliable .
However , legislator Jose Manuel Olivares , from Guaido ’ s pandemic advisory team , told an online media conference that authorities conduct just 600 to 800 tests a day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks later .
So the official numbers probably aren ’ t that accurate .
There were reports a month ago ( see below ) that there was a surge in cases which had infected some of Maduro ’ s top advisers and dozens of people at state TV .
More recently , a Caracas stadium was transformed into a field hospital which suggests they are expecting lots of new cases soon .
Finally , here ’ s a video from inside one of the detention centers where people are crammed together in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip reads : “ This is how Maduro treats Venezuelans , violating their human rights .
In the CDI of Montalban María Genoveva Guerrero Ramos , they have patients overcrowded , including many at high risk for being over 60 years old .
Nicolás Maduro does not care about the lives of Venezuelans , they treat Venezuelans as enemies and persecute and repress them.
” According the NY Times , the distraught older man is saying , “ Please take me out of here .
I ’ m dying here .
I feel @ @ @ @ @

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. That old saying seems to be proving true in Venezuela where the government has deployed its only functioning tool, state security, to deal with the coronavirus.
Venezuelan officials are denouncing people who may have come into contact with the coronavirus as “bioterrorists” and urging their neighbors to report them. The government is detaining and intimidating doctors and experts who question the president’s policies on the virus… President Nicolás Maduro has tackled the coronavirus much as he has any internal threat to his rule: by deploying his repressive security apparatus against it. In commandeered hotels, disused schools and cordoned-off bus stations, Venezuelans returning home from other countries in Latin America are being forced into crowded rooms with limited food, water or masks. And they are being held under military guard for weeks or months for coronavirus tests or treatment with unproven medications, according to interviews with the detainees, videos they have taken on their cellphones and government documents… “This is the only country in the world where having Covid is a crime,” said Sergio Hidalgo, a Venezuelan opposition activist who said he had come down with symptoms of the disease, only to find police officers at his door and government officials accusing him of infecting the community.
Here’s a tweet from the armed forces of Venezuela asking people to turn in “bio-terrorists” who pose a risk to others.
🚨🗣¡DIFUNDE POR LA SALUD DE NUESTRO PUEBLO Y FAMILIA! 👉🏻 Un trochero es un Bio-Terroristas, que deja en riesgo la salud de todos. 👉🏻 Envíe un mensaje al correo electrónico, con los datos de la persona y su ubicación exacta. ⚠#DenuncieAlBioterrorista #CEOFANB #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/oqI8mavWo1 — @ceofanb (@Libertad020) July 14, 2020
Official numbers are hard to come by in Venezuela and even harder to believe even when they are released by the communist dictatorship, but Reuters reported this week that the number of daily cases was about to exceed the nation’s capacity to perform tests:
The country has registered 33,755 infections and 281 deaths, and infections have exceeded more than 1,000 a day. Maduro says authorities have performed 1.64 million tests, but has not said if they are rapid tests or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which are considered more reliable. However, legislator Jose Manuel Olivares, from Guaido’s pandemic advisory team, told an online media conference that authorities conduct just 600 to 800 tests a day and the results are delivered up to two weeks later.
So the official numbers probably aren’t that accurate.
There were reports a month ago (see below) that there was a surge in cases which had infected some of Maduro’s top advisers and dozens of people at state TV. More recently, a Caracas stadium was transformed into a field hospital which suggests they are expecting lots of new cases soon.
Finally, here’s a video from inside one of the detention centers where people are crammed together in a small room. The description below the clip reads: “This is how Maduro treats Venezuelans, violating their human rights. In the CDI of Montalban María Genoveva Guerrero Ramos, they have patients overcrowded, including many at high risk for being over 60 years old. Nicolás Maduro does not care about the lives of Venezuelans, they treat Venezuelans as enemies and persecute and repress them.”
According the NY Times, the distraught older man is saying, “Please take me out of here. I’m dying here. I feel worse every day.”
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDWyYj7DSdi/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet


hotair--2020-08-19--Governor Abbott to cities: Defund the police and we'll freeze property taxes

Texas Governor Abbott and other top Republican state leadership caused some waves Tuesday over a proposal to stop cities from defunding police departments – they want to freeze that city ’ s ability to raise property taxes .
The hot trend to defund the police is not sitting well with law and order conservatives and that includes Governor Abbott .
Austin City Council voted to defund the Austin Police Department by a substantial amount of money a few days ago and Governor Abbott is looking to nip this trend in the bud .
Tuesday he and Lt .
Governor Dan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bonnen announced the proposal .
All are Republicans .
The men have a legislative proposal – any city that votes to defund police will lose their ability to raise property taxes .
Governor Abbott intends to hit the cities where it hurts – in the pocketbook .
“ Any city that defunds police departments will have its property tax revenue frozen at the current level , ” Abbott said , flanked by the other two Republican members of the “ Big Three ” in Texas state government .
“ They will never be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they defund police.
” “ What they have done in Austin should never happen in any city in the state , and we ’ re going to pass legislation to be sure it never happens again , ” Patrick said .
Bonnen told Hearst Newspapers that the proposed legislation is intended to target any kind of police budget reduction .
“ All local governments that cut or shift funding from their police departments will be prohibited from raising property taxes , ” Bonnen said in an email .
“ This proposal will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety of residents and stop them from using our law enforcement as a political prop.
” Right now the proposal is all talk because the state legislature , which is not in session this year , has to vote on such legislation .
The governor can ’ t just sign a piece of paper to make this happen .
It is a bold move , though , and certainly makes the message clear that defunding the police is not the way to go in large Texas cities .
None of the three men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation which will have to be worked out when the state legislature comes back into session in 2021 .
That is assuming that Republicans keep control of the Texas House and Senate .
Democrats , led by Beto O ’ Rourke , are making a strong push to take control of the Texas legislature .
After the 2018 election cycle , Republicans retained trifecta control of the Texas state government .
Republicans established trifecta control in 2003 .
There are 150 seats in the House and Republicans control the House 83-67 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control the Senate 19-12 .
I don ’ t think that the Democrats will make much headway in trying to wrestle back control of either chamber .
If Abbott wants a property tax freeze , he ’ ll likely get it in 2021 .
As I said , Austin City Council voted – unanimously – to defund the police .
In Austin ’ s case , the money will remain in the city ’ s coffers but one-third of the police budget will be moved to something called the Decouple and Reimagine Safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social experiment in the making .
While sending a social worker to a domestic disturbance call may serve a purpose to help calm the situation down , the woman or man being abused will likely need a police officer to get the situation under control and remove the abusive person .
That ’ s just one example of a possibility that will likely arise .
Social workers can not replace police , no matter how touchy-feely the left wants life to be .
Austin City Council member Greg Casar said the council ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on police to handle social issues , such as homelessness , domestic violence and mental health , and spread it out to other departments with more bandwith .
“ The message from the tens of thousands of Austinites who made their voices heard in this year ’ s budget process was clear : We must decrease our over-reliance on police to handle all of our complex public safety challenges and instead reinvest in domestic violence shelters , mental health first responders , and more , ” Casar said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did — and it ’ s exactly the work we ’ re committed to continue.
” Good luck with that , buddy .
Austin has a growing homelessness problem and it is breeding violence and destruction to parts of the city .
The Democrat mayor is feckless and more concerned about appeasing social justice warriors than maintaining public safety .
Activists in Houston and in San Antonio are trying to defund police , too .
So far , their efforts have not been successful .
In San Antonio , the city council has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police budget , but also moved some domestic violence prevention employees from the police department to the city health department , cut police overtime by about $ 3 million and added about $ 1 million in new spending on homelessness and mental health outreach .
Similarly , the Houston City Council in June voted to up its police budget by about $ 20 million , rejecting an effort to redirect $ 12 million to police reform efforts and other measures , such as giving the police oversight board investigative powers and offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed priority legislation in 2019 which requires many cities , counties and other taxing entities to hold an election if they want to raise 3.5 percent more property tax revenue than the previous year .
Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee , which decides tax policy for the state , are calling Abbott ’ s proposal nonsensical .
To me , a city without enough police protection is nonsensical .
And dangerous .

Texas Governor Abbott and other top Republican state leadership caused some waves Tuesday over a proposal to stop cities from defunding police departments – they want to freeze that city’s ability to raise property taxes.
The hot trend to defund the police is not sitting well with law and order conservatives and that includes Governor Abbott. Austin City Council voted to defund the Austin Police Department by a substantial amount of money a few days ago and Governor Abbott is looking to nip this trend in the bud. Tuesday he and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, along with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced the proposal. All are Republicans. The men have a legislative proposal – any city that votes to defund police will lose their ability to raise property taxes. Governor Abbott intends to hit the cities where it hurts – in the pocketbook.
“Any city that defunds police departments will have its property tax revenue frozen at the current level,” Abbott said, flanked by the other two Republican members of the “Big Three” in Texas state government. “They will never be able to increase property tax revenue again if they defund police.” “What they have done in Austin should never happen in any city in the state, and we’re going to pass legislation to be sure it never happens again,” Patrick said. Bonnen told Hearst Newspapers that the proposed legislation is intended to target any kind of police budget reduction. “All local governments that cut or shift funding from their police departments will be prohibited from raising property taxes,” Bonnen said in an email. “This proposal will disincentivize cities like Austin from compromising the safety of residents and stop them from using our law enforcement as a political prop.”
Right now the proposal is all talk because the state legislature, which is not in session this year, has to vote on such legislation. The governor can’t just sign a piece of paper to make this happen. It is a bold move, though, and certainly makes the message clear that defunding the police is not the way to go in large Texas cities. None of the three men put forth any clarification on the proposed legislation which will have to be worked out when the state legislature comes back into session in 2021. That is assuming that Republicans keep control of the Texas House and Senate. Democrats, led by Beto O’Rourke, are making a strong push to take control of the Texas legislature. After the 2018 election cycle, Republicans retained trifecta control of the Texas state government. Republicans established trifecta control in 2003. There are 150 seats in the House and Republicans control the House 83-67. The Texas Senate has 31 seats. Republicans control the Senate 19-12. I don’t think that the Democrats will make much headway in trying to wrestle back control of either chamber. If Abbott wants a property tax freeze, he’ll likely get it in 2021.
As I said, Austin City Council voted – unanimously – to defund the police. In Austin’s case, the money will remain in the city’s coffers but one-third of the police budget will be moved to something called the Decouple and Reimagine Safety funds. It sounds like a liberal social experiment in the making. While sending a social worker to a domestic disturbance call may serve a purpose to help calm the situation down, the woman or man being abused will likely need a police officer to get the situation under control and remove the abusive person. That’s just one example of a possibility that will likely arise. Social workers cannot replace police, no matter how touchy-feely the left wants life to be.
Austin City Council member Greg Casar said the council’s intent was to lessen the burden on police to handle social issues, such as homelessness, domestic violence and mental health, and spread it out to other departments with more bandwith. “The message from the tens of thousands of Austinites who made their voices heard in this year’s budget process was clear: We must decrease our over-reliance on police to handle all of our complex public safety challenges and instead reinvest in domestic violence shelters, mental health first responders, and more,” Casar said in a statement. “That’s what our City Council did — and it’s exactly the work we’re committed to continue.”
Good luck with that, buddy. Austin has a growing homelessness problem and it is breeding violence and destruction to parts of the city. The Democrat mayor is feckless and more concerned about appeasing social justice warriors than maintaining public safety.
Activists in Houston and in San Antonio are trying to defund police, too. So far, their efforts have not been successful.
In San Antonio, the city council has proposed an $8 million increase to the police budget, but also moved some domestic violence prevention employees from the police department to the city health department, cut police overtime by about $3 million and added about $1 million in new spending on homelessness and mental health outreach. Similarly, the Houston City Council in June voted to up its police budget by about $20 million, rejecting an effort to redirect $12 million to police reform efforts and other measures, such as giving the police oversight board investigative powers and offering no-interest loans to minority-owned businesses.
Republicans passed priority legislation in 2019 which requires many cities, counties and other taxing entities to hold an election if they want to raise 3.5 percent more property tax revenue than the previous year. Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee, which decides tax policy for the state, are calling Abbott’s proposal nonsensical. To me, a city without enough police protection is nonsensical. And dangerous.


hotair--2020-08-19--The weird but watchable DNC nomination roll call

The Zoom convention format is unfortunate in many ways .
There ’ s no live crowd to lend energy to the speeches and the parade of pre-recorded talking heads makes the event feel like a telethon .
Democrats are doing what they can to liven things up within the limitations imposed on them by the pandemic , but they can only do so much .
Last night ’ s roll call was the first convention tradition that actually benefited from the restrictions .
Normally that ’ s the most boring part of the pageant — an hour or so of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ en route to declaring their votes for the nominee .
E.g.
, “ On behalf of the great state of New York , the Empire State , home of the city that never sleeps , where mass coronavirus death is somehow a political credential , we cast our votes for the next president of the United States , Joe Biden !
” On and on in that vein , endlessly .
Even hardcore political junkies can ’ t sit through all of it .
The secret to making it watchable , it turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of delegates hooting about how great it is back home , they actually got to show it off in the on-location clips they recorded to nominate Biden .
Not all delegations took full advantage — Indiana , for instance , seems to have recorded theirs in a random office , with Pete Buttigieg himself apparently the state ’ s star attraction — but others went all-in .
The finished product was part travelogue , part contest to see whether each state could one-up the others .
It had a vibe not unlike the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contestants introduce themselves in costumes playing off their state ’ s particular cultural heritage .
I doubt either party will ever again return to the old roll-call format , even after we ’ ve bid COVID farewell .
( Whether either party will ever again return to the convention format , period , is a separate question . )
For all the variety , though , there was no doubt which state won the competition : Rhode Island ’ s entry was filmed on Warwick ’ s sandy Oakland Beach , where state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s 35 delegate votes to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
And McNamara , who once led a contentious , years-long campaign to give fried squid official recognition in the statehouse , made an enticing appeal to viewers at home .
“ Our state appetizer , calamari , is available in all 50 states , ” McNamara said , as a masked chef in a black apron silently held up a platter with crispy rings of the breaded seafood in its traditional local preparation : slathered in garlic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calamari just got the keynote slot for tomorrow night , ” New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff wrote on Twitter .
The burly guy with the platter of calamari in Rhode Island ’ s clip is in fact a real seafood chef , head of three restaurants in the state — and he ’ s not sure he ’ s voting for Biden , per WaPo .
“ They say they ’ re going to change health plans , the economy , the workforce .
… The only thing that really changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and all these rich people making more money , ” he told the paper .
The GOP should offer him whatever he wants to do a clip of him and Trump eating calamari together at the White House for next week ’ s convention .
Although , Rhode Island ’ s politics being what they are , that might not be good for the poor guy ’ s business .
Trump advisors are watching this week ’ s proceedings closely , of course , and taking notes on what works and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dive off the cliff of the “ Zoom convention ” first .
Republicans can watch their descent and adjust accordingly .
The push by Trump aides to give more airtime to “ normal ” speakers follows an emotional appearance by Kristin Urquiza during the DNC ’ s Monday night program .
Urquiza , whose 65-year-old father died of Covid-19 in Arizona this year , accused the president of promoting an attitude of indifference toward the deadly virus that cost her father his life… “ The Arizona daughter who lost her dad to coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said one outside adviser to the Trump campaign .
“ It reinforced the narrative that Trump has bungled coronavirus , which is something that ’ s on everyone ’ s minds right now.
” How are they going to handle the roll call now , though ?
If they do the same on-location format , even if they had the idea independently , it ’ ll feel derivative .
If they do something more low-key , it ’ ll feel boring by comparison .
Maybe that wouldn ’ t be so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production being staged by Trump , the GOP might need to give viewers an occasional breather .
My suggestion : An entirely food-themed roll call .
The state with the most enticing dish gets to introduce Trump on Thursday night .
Or go as cloying as possible and have young kids whose parents are delegates from each state do the nominating on-location .
“ I ’ m Casey from Pennsylvania , I ’ m nine years old , and I ’ m pro-life because I ’ m glad I was born.
” The @ @ @ @

The Zoom convention format is unfortunate in many ways. There’s no live crowd to lend energy to the speeches and the parade of pre-recorded talking heads makes the event feel like a telethon. Democrats are doing what they can to liven things up within the limitations imposed on them by the pandemic, but they can only do so much.
Last night’s roll call was the first convention tradition that actually benefited from the restrictions. Normally that’s the most boring part of the pageant — an hour or so of floor delegates running through the same shtick en route to declaring their votes for the nominee. E.g., “On behalf of the great state of New York, the Empire State, home of the city that never sleeps, where mass coronavirus death is somehow a political credential, we cast our votes for the next president of the United States, Joe Biden!” On and on in that vein, endlessly. Even hardcore political junkies can’t sit through all of it.
The secret to making it watchable, it turned out, was visual variety. Instead of delegates hooting about how great it is back home, they actually got to show it off in the on-location clips they recorded to nominate Biden. Not all delegations took full advantage — Indiana, for instance, seems to have recorded theirs in a random office, with Pete Buttigieg himself apparently the state’s star attraction — but others went all-in. The finished product was part travelogue, part contest to see whether each state could one-up the others. It had a vibe not unlike the start of a beauty pageant when the contestants introduce themselves in costumes playing off their state’s particular cultural heritage.
I doubt either party will ever again return to the old roll-call format, even after we’ve bid COVID farewell. (Whether either party will ever again return to the convention format, period, is a separate question.) For all the variety, though, there was no doubt which state won the competition:
Rhode Island’s entry was filmed on Warwick’s sandy Oakland Beach, where state party chairman Joseph M. McNamara submitted 34 of the state’s 35 delegate votes to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. And McNamara, who once led a contentious, years-long campaign to give fried squid official recognition in the statehouse, made an enticing appeal to viewers at home. “Our state appetizer, calamari, is available in all 50 states,” McNamara said, as a masked chef in a black apron silently held up a platter with crispy rings of the breaded seafood in its traditional local preparation: slathered in garlic, parsley and sliced cherry peppers… “The calamari just got the keynote slot for tomorrow night,” New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff wrote on Twitter.
The burly guy with the platter of calamari in Rhode Island’s clip is in fact a real seafood chef, head of three restaurants in the state — and he’s not sure he’s voting for Biden, per WaPo. “They say they’re going to change health plans, the economy, the workforce. … The only thing that really changes is the price of things going up, and all these rich people making more money,” he told the paper. The GOP should offer him whatever he wants to do a clip of him and Trump eating calamari together at the White House for next week’s convention.
Although, Rhode Island’s politics being what they are, that might not be good for the poor guy’s business.
Trump advisors are watching this week’s proceedings closely, of course, and taking notes on what works and what doesn’t. Dems had to dive off the cliff of the “Zoom convention” first. Republicans can watch their descent and adjust accordingly.
The push by Trump aides to give more airtime to “normal” speakers follows an emotional appearance by Kristin Urquiza during the DNC’s Monday night program. Urquiza, whose 65-year-old father died of Covid-19 in Arizona this year, accused the president of promoting an attitude of indifference toward the deadly virus that cost her father his life… “The Arizona daughter who lost her dad to coronavirus was a cut through to the heart,” said one outside adviser to the Trump campaign. “It reinforced the narrative that Trump has bungled coronavirus, which is something that’s on everyone’s minds right now.”
How are they going to handle the roll call now, though? If they do the same on-location format, even if they had the idea independently, it’ll feel derivative. If they do something more low-key, it’ll feel boring by comparison.
Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. Given the unpredictability of any production being staged by Trump, the GOP might need to give viewers an occasional breather. My suggestion: An entirely food-themed roll call. The state with the most enticing dish gets to introduce Trump on Thursday night. Or go as cloying as possible and have young kids whose parents are delegates from each state do the nominating on-location. “I’m Casey from Pennsylvania, I’m nine years old, and I’m pro-life because I’m glad I was born.” The script writes itself.


hotair--2020-08-19--Pelosi getting ready to cave on smaller relief bill?

Is the stalemate over a second pandemic relief bill any closer to a resolution this week ?
The chatter in the mainstream media feels like it ’ s dying down a bit , but that ’ s most likely because of the convention coverage eating up their screen time .
But in the background , the issue is still on the minds of many members of Congress .
Now , a group of Democrats has sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to take up a more limited relief bill focusing primarily on the lapsed federal unemployment benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even need to look at the latest round of polling to know that there are a lot of unhappy people out there who remain out of work because of the plague , and losing those enhanced benefits is having a big impact on them .
The question in front of them is whether or not the Speaker can be convinced to stop letting the perfect be the enemy of the good .
( CNBC ) In a letter dated Tuesday , the lawmakers urged the California Democrat and House Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would reinstate the lapsed $ 600 per week jobless benefit until the coronavirus public health emergency ends , then phase it out as state unemployment rates fall .
The House , which left Washington for its August recess before Congress could pass a pandemic aid package , will return on Saturday to vote on a bill that would fund the U.S .
Postal Service and reverse changes Democrats worry will make it harder for Americans to vote by mail in November .
“ We owe it to people waiting to get back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend unemployment benefits to help them pay their bills , but to tie these benefits to economic conditions so workers are not held hostage by another cliff like this one , ” Democratic Reps. Scott Peters of California , Don Beyer of Virginia and Derek Kilmer of Washington wrote in the letter shared with CNBC .
This may sound like good news for all of the unemployed workers out there who are hoping to claw back at least some of the federal enhancements to their benefits for a longer period of time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
First of all , there aren ’ t a lot of signatures on it .
It ’ s unclear how many more Democrats would be willing to sign if given the opportunity .
Pelosi tends to keep a fairly tight leash on her caucus and is well known for having a long memory in terms of people who cross her or question her leadership .
Even if we assume there ’ s strong Democratic support for this proposal , we ’ re still not sure if there will even be a quorum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The whole reason they were being called back was to vote on a bill that would block certain procedural changes being implemented at the Post Office .
But now the Postmaster General has announced that those changes are on hold until after the election .
That measure was probably dead in the water in the Senate and Trump wouldn ’ t have signed it anyway , but with the USPS changes on hold , the vote looks even more pointless .
Will they bother showing up and offering the opportunity to vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s say that they do have everyone assembled .
Nancy Pelosi was given no less than four options from the Republicans to pass a scaled-back version of the unemployment benefits package .
She turned every option down , insisting on the full six hundred dollars per week through the end of the year or the end of the pandemic .
What makes her think that Cocaine Mitch and his caucus are suddenly going to turn around and go for that ?
In other words , would she settle for three or four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duration agreement , or is it still My Way or the Highway ?
If the latter , this would again be little more than a ceremonial vote .
If the Speaker is banking on the public being willing to blame the GOP for the enhanced benefits coming to an end , she may be in for some serious disappointment .
It ’ s now well-known that the House had the opportunity to pass a compromise that the Senate would accept .
The fact that those enhanced payments came to an end rests squarely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perhaps Pelosi should recognize a life preserver when it lands in the water next to her .

Is the stalemate over a second pandemic relief bill any closer to a resolution this week? The chatter in the mainstream media feels like it’s dying down a bit, but that’s most likely because of the convention coverage eating up their screen time. But in the background, the issue is still on the minds of many members of Congress. Now, a group of Democrats has sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to take up a more limited relief bill focusing primarily on the lapsed federal unemployment benefits enhancements. Most of them probably didn’t even need to look at the latest round of polling to know that there are a lot of unhappy people out there who remain out of work because of the plague, and losing those enhanced benefits is having a big impact on them. The question in front of them is whether or not the Speaker can be convinced to stop letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. (CNBC)
In a letter dated Tuesday, the lawmakers urged the California Democrat and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to take up legislation that would reinstate the lapsed $600 per week jobless benefit until the coronavirus public health emergency ends, then phase it out as state unemployment rates fall. The House, which left Washington for its August recess before Congress could pass a pandemic aid package, will return on Saturday to vote on a bill that would fund the U.S. Postal Service and reverse changes Democrats worry will make it harder for Americans to vote by mail in November. “We owe it to people waiting to get back to work across the country not only to extend unemployment benefits to help them pay their bills, but to tie these benefits to economic conditions so workers are not held hostage by another cliff like this one,” Democratic Reps. Scott Peters of California, Don Beyer of Virginia and Derek Kilmer of Washington wrote in the letter shared with CNBC.
This may sound like good news for all of the unemployed workers out there who are hoping to claw back at least some of the federal enhancements to their benefits for a longer period of time, but plenty of questions surround this letter. First of all, there aren’t a lot of signatures on it. It’s unclear how many more Democrats would be willing to sign if given the opportunity. Pelosi tends to keep a fairly tight leash on her caucus and is well known for having a long memory in terms of people who cross her or question her leadership.
Even if we assume there’s strong Democratic support for this proposal, we’re still not sure if there will even be a quorum of members in town on Saturday. The whole reason they were being called back was to vote on a bill that would block certain procedural changes being implemented at the Post Office. But now the Postmaster General has announced that those changes are on hold until after the election. That measure was probably dead in the water in the Senate and Trump wouldn’t have signed it anyway, but with the USPS changes on hold, the vote looks even more pointless. Will they bother showing up and offering the opportunity to vote on the unemployment benefits?
Next, let’s say that they do have everyone assembled. Nancy Pelosi was given no less than four options from the Republicans to pass a scaled-back version of the unemployment benefits package. She turned every option down, insisting on the full six hundred dollars per week through the end of the year or the end of the pandemic. What makes her think that Cocaine Mitch and his caucus are suddenly going to turn around and go for that? In other words, would she settle for three or four hundred dollars per week and/or a shorter duration agreement, or is it still My Way or the Highway? If the latter, this would again be little more than a ceremonial vote.
If the Speaker is banking on the public being willing to blame the GOP for the enhanced benefits coming to an end, she may be in for some serious disappointment. It’s now well-known that the House had the opportunity to pass a compromise that the Senate would accept. The fact that those enhanced payments came to an end rests squarely on the House Democrats’ collective shoulders. Perhaps Pelosi should recognize a life preserver when it lands in the water next to her.


hotair--2020-08-19--The ratings for the DNC are about what you'd expect thus far. Here's why

Karen touched on this earlier , but the ratings for the Democrats ’ convention so far have been less than spectacular .
( And that ’ s putting it charitably at best . )
After two nights of what ’ s traditionally been a gala full of packed galleries and enough balloons to choke half of the remaining Right whales to death once they reach the ocean , we have instead been treated to a series of video chats and lonely speakers that look like they came from the set of some post-apocalypse movie .
The cable news networks haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to muster much fake enthusiasm for the spectacle , spending more time on their own analysts ’ hot takes than the speakers themselves .
That ’ s been reflected in the number of people bothering to tune in and stick around for the full show .
As the AP reports today , viewership is down across the board .
Preliminary estimates show that viewership for the first night of the Democrats ’ virtual convention was down compared with the opening of Hillary Clinton ’ s nominating party four years ago .
An estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 11 p.m. on ABC , CBS , NBC , CNN , Fox News Channel and MSNBC , the Nielsen company said .
Four years ago , opening night drew just under 26 million viewers .
Nielsen ’ s preliminary numbers did not include streaming or networks like PBS and CSPAN ; a more comprehensive estimate is due later Tuesday .
Deadline put the numbers in similarly dismal territory , forecasting a drop of 25 % for total viewers as compared to the opening of Hillary Clinton ’ s big show four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and easy answer is to blame it on the pandemic .
That ’ s precisely what CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper did , proclaiming , “ The coronavirus changes the way we do everything.
” Is that really true , though ?
Obviously , the physical convention itself was altered drastically by the pandemic .
Restrictions on large gatherings and the unwillingness of many people to board a plane or join in with crowds of people meant that the packed conventional halls of the past simply weren ’ t going to be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re talking about the television ratings here .
The Democrats figured out how to conduct the entire affair using remote broadcasting technology .
They still had a full slate of speakers and the usual counting of the delegates and all the rest .
So most of the same content was going to be available .
On top of that , with fewer people traveling ( or even leaving home in many cases ) there should be more people available in their living rooms to tune in , shouldn ’ t there ?
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the convention to draw more viewers in much the same way that Netflix , Amazon Prime and HBO Max have enjoyed higher viewership during the lockdowns .
Taken in that light , this dip in viewership must be attributable to something else .
While pondering the question this morning , two things came to mind as possibilities .
One of them is still related to the COVID-19 situation but in a different way .
Many of the features of the convention have been taking place on multiple/split screens with various speakers taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world like a Zoom conference call .
At the same time , many of the people fortunate enough to still be working during this plague are doing so remotely .
They spend much of their day sitting in on these video conference calls .
Do they really want to tune in to CNN after they finish their work and sit through another one ?
The other factor is one that ’ s been showing up in the polls all summer .
The excitement level and enthusiasm among Democrats for a Joe Biden candidacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s supporters largely remain in a state of either excitement or distress , but the supporters of Biden and Bernie Sanders seem to run the gamut between resignation and resentment .
That ’ s not the type of atmosphere that has people flocking to their television screens to experience the thrill of the moment .
Perhaps things will still pick up for the Democrats , however .
Biden is supposed to give his formal acceptance speech tomorrow night .
I assume he ’ ll be carefully propped up with a teleprompter , flashcards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if his mind suddenly swerves to starboard , but it should at least be entertaining .

Karen touched on this earlier, but the ratings for the Democrats’ convention so far have been less than spectacular. (And that’s putting it charitably at best.) After two nights of what’s traditionally been a gala full of packed galleries and enough balloons to choke half of the remaining Right whales to death once they reach the ocean, we have instead been treated to a series of video chats and lonely speakers that look like they came from the set of some post-apocalypse movie. The cable news networks haven’t even seemed to be able to muster much fake enthusiasm for the spectacle, spending more time on their own analysts’ hot takes than the speakers themselves. That’s been reflected in the number of people bothering to tune in and stick around for the full show. As the AP reports today, viewership is down across the board.
Preliminary estimates show that viewership for the first night of the Democrats’ virtual convention was down compared with the opening of Hillary Clinton’s nominating party four years ago. An estimated 18.7 million people watched coverage between 10 and 11 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, the Nielsen company said. Four years ago, opening night drew just under 26 million viewers. Nielsen’s preliminary numbers did not include streaming or networks like PBS and CSPAN; a more comprehensive estimate is due later Tuesday.
Deadline put the numbers in similarly dismal territory, forecasting a drop of 25% for total viewers as compared to the opening of Hillary Clinton’s big show four years ago.
But why? The obvious and easy answer is to blame it on the pandemic. That’s precisely what CNN’s Anderson Cooper did, proclaiming, “The coronavirus changes the way we do everything.”
Is that really true, though? Obviously, the physical convention itself was altered drastically by the pandemic. Restrictions on large gatherings and the unwillingness of many people to board a plane or join in with crowds of people meant that the packed conventional halls of the past simply weren’t going to be an option this year. But we’re talking about the television ratings here.
The Democrats figured out how to conduct the entire affair using remote broadcasting technology. They still had a full slate of speakers and the usual counting of the delegates and all the rest. So most of the same content was going to be available. On top of that, with fewer people traveling (or even leaving home in many cases) there should be more people available in their living rooms to tune in, shouldn’t there? If anything, the pandemic presented an opportunity for the convention to draw more viewers in much the same way that Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max have enjoyed higher viewership during the lockdowns.
Taken in that light, this dip in viewership must be attributable to something else. While pondering the question this morning, two things came to mind as possibilities. One of them is still related to the COVID-19 situation but in a different way. Many of the features of the convention have been taking place on multiple/split screens with various speakers taking turns. They look for all the world like a Zoom conference call. At the same time, many of the people fortunate enough to still be working during this plague are doing so remotely. They spend much of their day sitting in on these video conference calls. Do they really want to tune in to CNN after they finish their work and sit through another one?
The other factor is one that’s been showing up in the polls all summer. The excitement level and enthusiasm among Democrats for a Joe Biden candidacy is simply not there. Trump’s supporters largely remain in a state of either excitement or distress, but the supporters of Biden and Bernie Sanders seem to run the gamut between resignation and resentment. That’s not the type of atmosphere that has people flocking to their television screens to experience the thrill of the moment.
Perhaps things will still pick up for the Democrats, however. Biden is supposed to give his formal acceptance speech tomorrow night. I assume he’ll be carefully propped up with a teleprompter, flashcards and someone ready to pull the plug if his mind suddenly swerves to starboard, but it should at least be entertaining.