hotair--2020-07-01--Bottles and trash thrown at NYPD responding to crimes

This story is from the weekend , but I wanted to circle back to it as it seems to be emblematic of what ’ s going on in New York City these days in terms of the ability of the police to maintain order in the Big Apple .
Early Sunday morning , the police were dispatched to a scene were gunfire was reported .
Upon arriving at the Harlem neighborhood where the report originated , they were greeted by the sight of hundreds of people having some sort of party in the streets .
But rather than helping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vicinity , dozens of partygoers began pelting the police cruisers with rocks , bottles and garbage .
The cops were so badly outnumbered that there was virtually nothing they could do to address the original report .
( CBS2 New York ) There was a tense scene in Harlem early Sunday morning after NYPD officers responding to possible gunfire had bottles and other debris thrown at their vehicles .
CBS2 ’ s Natalie Duddridge spoke to a few people that were at an outdoor afternoon cookout and gathering , which started Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours .
They said the incident was not related to protests , and the party was peaceful for hours .
But cellphone video taken at around 3:45 a.m. shows the scene getting tense when police showed up .
Bottles and garbage are seen being thrown at police cruisers .
The report of gunfire wasn ’ t sent in by one of the residents .
It was an automated report from the ShotSpotter system that detects the sound of gunfire and pinpoints where it ’ s coming from .
Because of that , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was gunfire at the party or not , but the cops did wind up recovering shell casings at the scene .
The police cruisers wound up having to retreat from the area .
This led to even more complaints from the police unions about Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s “ light touch ” approach to policing the various neighborhoods in the city .
Some video of the incident is included .
Between then and today the situation has deteriorated further .
Our Townhall colleague Julio Rosas has been reporting from the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some locals to set up their own “ CHAZ ” area .
Check out some of the photos and videos he ’ s managed to capture .
You ’ ll particularly want to take note of the places where the “ peaceful protesters ” have decorated their own streets with phrases such as “ NO PIG ZONE ” and “ NYPD SUCK MY D***.
” Simply charming .
The entire concept of community law enforcement has always relied on the assumption that the vast majority of residents are law-abiding and support law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Otherwise , the number of police officers in any given area could always be overwhelmed by the masses they are there to serve and protect .
We ’ re watching that system break down in New York City , Seattle and other locations .
Unfortunately , the thin blue line is being undermined by liberal politicians and media figures who reinforce messages about defunding the police and blaming society ’ s ills on them .
If we see much more of this you won ’ t have any measurable police presence on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll really get a look at what a world without police looks like .
Just don ’ t come out to our suburbs with this nonsense .
Most of us are armed and if you won ’ t help the cops keep us safe , someone else will have to fill the role .

This story is from the weekend, but I wanted to circle back to it as it seems to be emblematic of what’s going on in New York City these days in terms of the ability of the police to maintain order in the Big Apple. Early Sunday morning, the police were dispatched to a scene were gunfire was reported. Upon arriving at the Harlem neighborhood where the report originated, they were greeted by the sight of hundreds of people having some sort of party in the streets. But rather than helping the officers look for any possible shooter in the vicinity, dozens of partygoers began pelting the police cruisers with rocks, bottles and garbage. The cops were so badly outnumbered that there was virtually nothing they could do to address the original report. (CBS2 New York)
There was a tense scene in Harlem early Sunday morning after NYPD officers responding to possible gunfire had bottles and other debris thrown at their vehicles. CBS2’s Natalie Duddridge spoke to a few people that were at an outdoor afternoon cookout and gathering, which started Saturday night and went into the early morning hours. They said the incident was not related to protests, and the party was peaceful for hours. But cellphone video taken at around 3:45 a.m. shows the scene getting tense when police showed up. Bottles and garbage are seen being thrown at police cruisers.
The report of gunfire wasn’t sent in by one of the residents. It was an automated report from the ShotSpotter system that detects the sound of gunfire and pinpoints where it’s coming from. Because of that, we’re not entirely sure if there was gunfire at the party or not, but the cops did wind up recovering shell casings at the scene. The police cruisers wound up having to retreat from the area. This led to even more complaints from the police unions about Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “light touch” approach to policing the various neighborhoods in the city. Some video of the incident is included.
This is what a “light touch” looks like: Police officers responding to a shots fired job in Harlem last night were met with this. @NYCMayor, @NYCSpeakerCojo and company should be held responsible for surrendering our city. pic.twitter.com/R64BYTUhvY — NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) June 28, 2020
Between then and today the situation has deteriorated further. Our Townhall colleague Julio Rosas has been reporting from the city and keeping tabs on the attempts by some locals to set up their own “CHAZ” area. Check out some of the photos and videos he’s managed to capture. You’ll particularly want to take note of the places where the “peaceful protesters” have decorated their own streets with phrases such as “NO PIG ZONE” and “NYPD SUCK MY D***.” Simply charming.
In NYC to cover the Occupy City Hall protest for @townhallcom and people have set up a “No Pig Zone.” They are calling for the city to defund and/or abolish the NYPD. A sign says this is the “City Hall Autonomous Zone.” pic.twitter.com/NtMXPlR2LW — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 30, 2020
The entire concept of community law enforcement has always relied on the assumption that the vast majority of residents are law-abiding and support law enforcement because they know it keeps them safe. Otherwise, the number of police officers in any given area could always be overwhelmed by the masses they are there to serve and protect. We’re watching that system break down in New York City, Seattle and other locations. Unfortunately, the thin blue line is being undermined by liberal politicians and media figures who reinforce messages about defunding the police and blaming society’s ills on them.
If we see much more of this you won’t have any measurable police presence on the streets. And then you’ll really get a look at what a world without police looks like. Just don’t come out to our suburbs with this nonsense. Most of us are armed and if you won’t help the cops keep us safe, someone else will have to fill the role.


hotair--2020-07-01--Trump: "I'm all for masks, I think masks are good"

The line at the end about the Lone Ranger made me laugh .
This is progress .
In May he mocked a reporter for being “ politically correct ” by wearing a mask .
The day before that he retweeted Brit Hume when Hume posted a photo of a mask swallowing half of Joe Biden ’ s face with the caption , “ This might help explain why Trump doesn ’ t like to wear a mask in public.
” Today he ’ s all in favor of wearing them , at least around other people , although it doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take that extra step of donning one himself .
Why ’ d he change his tune ?
The easy answer is that virtually every other Republican on Capitol Hill , starting with Mitch McConnell , has been nudging him to grant the MAGA seal of approval to mask-wearing in hopes that it ’ ll influence populists who have resisted until now .
As Lamar Alexander put it , “ Unfortunately , this simple , lifesaving practice has become part of a political debate that says : If you ’ re for Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you ’ re against Trump , you do.
” Now you can wear a mask and still be for Trump !
But I don ’ t think pressure from other Republicans had much to do with it .
Trump doesn ’ t take orders from them , he gives them .
If you want to change his behavior , you need to show him what ’ s in it for him .
Two pieces of news over the last 24 hours helped do that .
First was this analysis from Goldman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ POTUS can understand : That reminds me of the model put together by a team of computer scientists a few months ago showing that universal masking ( i.e .
80 percent of the public or more ) absent a lockdown would lead to fewer American deaths than an indefinite lockdown without masks would .
In the first scenario , the model predicted that 60,000 people would die ; in the second , 180,000 would .
The key , though , is universality .
A certain high threshold percentage of the public needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( It ’ s not unlike herd immunity in that respect . )
The Goldman analysis also assumed universality via a mask mandate , not just voluntary mask-wearing .
Trump sounded iffy about a mandate in today ’ s interview , as you can see from the excerpt .
He ’ s right to be ambivalent about that as the head of the executive branch , as the feds lack that constitutional power .
The states , on the other hand , do have it .
Pennsylvania issued a statewide mask mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post .
The other news that may have grabbed the president ’ s attention was this scoop about a meeting of the Federal Reserve a few weeks ago , before cases in the south began rising : Federal Reserve officials raised concerns about additional waves of coronavirus infections disrupting an economic recovery and triggering a new spike in unemployment and a worse economic downturn , according to minutes released Wednesday by the central bank about its June 9-10 meeting… “ In light of the significant uncertainty and downside risks associated with the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaken and how long it would take to recover , the staff judged that a more pessimistic projection was no less plausible than the baseline forecast , ” the minutes read .
“ In this scenario , a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak , with another round of strict limitations on social interactions and business operations , was assumed to begin later this year , leading to a decrease in real GDP , a jump in the unemployment rate , and renewed downward pressure on inflation next year.
” That was always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump treated the reopening debate as an either/or : We can either focus on reducing transmissions or we can focus on an economic recovery but we can ’ t do both .
In reality , if you give up too soon on reducing transmissions , you risk a new outbreak that ’ ll get out of hand and wreck your recovery by forcing newly reopened businesses to close again .
Whether they close because a new stay-at-home order is issued or because consumers get too spooked by the epidemic to keep visiting them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue either way .
Maybe Trump has begun to see that .
His only hope of reelection is a big economic comeback , and his only hope of a big economic comeback is restoring confidence in consumers that it ’ s safe to shop and dine out .
Universal mask-wearing gets him closer to both , so now he ’ s unambiguously ( mostly ) pro-mask .
There ’ s a lot of damage to undo here on the right side of the aisle , though .
These numbers from HuffPost are bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask-wearing , but I ’ m going to guess that wearing masks has been less prevalent in the redder southern states that are now experiencing an outbreak than it ’ s been in bluer ones in other regions .
That ’ s especially dangerous for POTUS in Arizona , Texas , and Florida , three must-win battlegrounds for him in November .
If swing voters there blame him for their rising case counts , he ’ s cooked .
His new pro-mask rhetoric should make it a little harder for them to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Politico reports today that the White House is currently debating whether to bring back the daily coronavirus briefing in some form .
That seems like a smart idea to me ( so long as Trump ’ s remarks are short and scripted ) for the simple reason that they need to do a waaaaaay better job communicating to people that they ’ re still focused on the pandemic and , more basically , that they care .
That ’ s one of Trump ’ s main liabilities against Biden .
A little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the White House amid all the “ get back to work ” encouragement might go a long way .
Here he is on Fox Business earlier .
He also said today for the umpteenth time that he thinks the virus will go away on its own eventually , which is true in the sense that herd immunity is a real thing but not encouraging in that it ’ ll take several hundred thousand more deaths , in all likelihood , to get there .

The line at the end about the Lone Ranger made me laugh.
Here's the transcript of Trump's comments to Fox Business about masks: pic.twitter.com/S4F8Oj6nzn — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 1, 2020
This is progress. In May he mocked a reporter for being “politically correct” by wearing a mask. The day before that he retweeted Brit Hume when Hume posted a photo of a mask swallowing half of Joe Biden’s face with the caption, “This might help explain why Trump doesn’t like to wear a mask in public.” Today he’s all in favor of wearing them, at least around other people, although it doesn’t sound like he’ll take that extra step of donning one himself.
Why’d he change his tune? The easy answer is that virtually every other Republican on Capitol Hill, starting with Mitch McConnell, has been nudging him to grant the MAGA seal of approval to mask-wearing in hopes that it’ll influence populists who have resisted until now. As Lamar Alexander put it, “Unfortunately, this simple, lifesaving practice has become part of a political debate that says: If you’re for Trump, you don’t wear a mask. If you’re against Trump, you do.” Now you can wear a mask and still be for Trump!
But I don’t think pressure from other Republicans had much to do with it. Trump doesn’t take orders from them, he gives them. If you want to change his behavior, you need to show him what’s in it for him. Two pieces of news over the last 24 hours helped do that. First was this analysis from Goldman Sachs, which reframed mask-wearing in terms POTUS can understand:
The dire situation [with new outbreaks in southern states] has raised the specter of another round of state-level stay-at-home orders to halt the pandemic’s spread and caused a number of governors to pause or reverse reopening plans. Against this backdrop, a team of economists at Goldman Sachs has published an analysis suggesting more painful shutdowns could be averted if the United States implements a nationwide mask mandate. “A face mask mandate could potentially substitute for lockdowns that would otherwise subtract nearly 5% from GDP,” the team, led by the investment bank’s chief economist, Jan Hatzius, writes.
That reminds me of the model put together by a team of computer scientists a few months ago showing that universal masking (i.e. 80 percent of the public or more) absent a lockdown would lead to fewer American deaths than an indefinite lockdown without masks would. In the first scenario, the model predicted that 60,000 people would die; in the second, 180,000 would. The key, though, is universality. A certain high threshold percentage of the public needs to be masked up to severely curtail transmissions. (It’s not unlike herd immunity in that respect.) The Goldman analysis also assumed universality via a mask mandate, not just voluntary mask-wearing.
Trump sounded iffy about a mandate in today’s interview, as you can see from the excerpt. He’s right to be ambivalent about that as the head of the executive branch, as the feds lack that constitutional power. The states, on the other hand, do have it. Pennsylvania issued a statewide mask mandate this afternoon as I was writing this post.
The other news that may have grabbed the president’s attention was this scoop about a meeting of the Federal Reserve a few weeks ago, before cases in the south began rising:
Federal Reserve officials raised concerns about additional waves of coronavirus infections disrupting an economic recovery and triggering a new spike in unemployment and a worse economic downturn, according to minutes released Wednesday by the central bank about its June 9-10 meeting… “In light of the significant uncertainty and downside risks associated with the pandemic, including how much the economy would weaken and how long it would take to recover, the staff judged that a more pessimistic projection was no less plausible than the baseline forecast,” the minutes read. “In this scenario, a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, with another round of strict limitations on social interactions and business operations, was assumed to begin later this year, leading to a decrease in real GDP, a jump in the unemployment rate, and renewed downward pressure on inflation next year.”
That was always a core argument against reopening early. Trump treated the reopening debate as an either/or: We can either focus on reducing transmissions or we can focus on an economic recovery but we can’t do both. In reality, if you give up too soon on reducing transmissions, you risk a new outbreak that’ll get out of hand and wreck your recovery by forcing newly reopened businesses to close again. Whether they close because a new stay-at-home order is issued or because consumers get too spooked by the epidemic to keep visiting them is inconsequential. There’s no revenue either way. Maybe Trump has begun to see that. His only hope of reelection is a big economic comeback, and his only hope of a big economic comeback is restoring confidence in consumers that it’s safe to shop and dine out. Universal mask-wearing gets him closer to both, so now he’s unambiguously (mostly) pro-mask.
There’s a lot of damage to undo here on the right side of the aisle, though. These numbers from HuffPost are bad:
Nothing there specifically touches on *voluntary* mask-wearing, but I’m going to guess that wearing masks has been less prevalent in the redder southern states that are now experiencing an outbreak than it’s been in bluer ones in other regions. That’s especially dangerous for POTUS in Arizona, Texas, and Florida, three must-win battlegrounds for him in November. If swing voters there blame him for their rising case counts, he’s cooked. His new pro-mask rhetoric should make it a little harder for them to do that, however belated it may be.
Politico reports today that the White House is currently debating whether to bring back the daily coronavirus briefing in some form. That seems like a smart idea to me (so long as Trump’s remarks are short and scripted) for the simple reason that they need to do a waaaaaay better job communicating to people that they’re still focused on the pandemic and, more basically, that they care. That’s one of Trump’s main liabilities against Biden. A little “we feel your pain” empathy from the White House amid all the “get back to work” encouragement might go a long way.
Here he is on Fox Business earlier. He also said today for the umpteenth time that he thinks the virus will go away on its own eventually, which is true in the sense that herd immunity is a real thing but not encouraging in that it’ll take several hundred thousand more deaths, in all likelihood, to get there.


hotair--2020-07-01--NY Times: Say, Mount Rushmore is pretty problematic

Just yesterday the DNC tweeted a statement about Trump ’ s planned 4th of July celebration calling it a “ rally glorifying white supremacy at Mount Rushmore.
” That tweet was deleted pretty quickly but today the NY Times published a piece making the case against Mount Rushmore in more detail : Native Americans have long criticized the sculpture , in part because it was built on what had been Indigenous land .
And more recently , amid a nationwide movement against racism that has toppled statues commemorating Confederate generals and other historical figures , some activists have called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built on land that had belonged to the Lakota tribe .
“ Wherever you go to connect to God , that ’ s what the Black Hills are to the Lakota , ” said Nick Tilsen , a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and the president of NDN Collective , an Indigenous activist group .
Prospectors seized the land during a gold rush in the 1870s , violating the Fort Laramie treaty of 1868 , which recognized the Black Hills as belonging to Native Americans , Mr. Tilsen said in an interview… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial injustice in the United States could provide an opportunity to reconsider the monument ’ s future .
“ Mount Rushmore needs to be closed as a national monument , and the land itself needs to be returned to the Indigenous people , ” he said .
In a statement on Monday , Harold Frazier , the chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe , called the monument a “ brand on our flesh ” that needed to be removed .
Those are some of the Native American objections .
The article also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the monument–Washington , Jefferson , Roosevelt and Lincoln– were all racists .
And yes , the Times links to this book review from 2017 for a book which attempted to make the case that President Lincoln was racist .
[ It ’ s worth noting that the author of the 2017 review didn ’ t seem terribly impressed with the book and called its views of Lincoln and race over-simplified .
The authors of the Mount Rushmore piece don ’ t mention that . ]
South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been threats made against the monument .
Her statement was titled , “ Not on My Watch.
” In recent days , we have seen threats to memorials that honor some of America ’ s greatest leaders .
Some vandals have gone so far as to attack statues of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant , the very leaders who brought the Union through the Civil War and ushered in the end of slavery in our country .
These are the same men who turned Jefferson ’ s ideal into reality .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rushmore .
To those who would threaten America ’ s Shrine of Democracy , I have one simple message for you : Not on my watch .
Mount Rushmore is a National Monument , and I am partnering with the federal government and offering the resources of South Dakota to make sure that proper security measures are in place .
We will do everything in our power to make sure that Mount Rushmore remains as majestic and inspiring as it is today .
President Trump is visiting Mount Rushmore in just a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor to have the President of the United States visit South Dakota , especially to celebrate America ’ s birthday .
Security measures will be in full force for the event , but we know that threats to Mount Rushmore may continue after the President leaves .
We ’ ll stay diligent about protecting it .
I want to make one thing clear : the men honored on Mount Rushmore weren ’ t perfect ; nobody is .
They all had flaws .
But they all had tremendous virtues as well , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Today , America is the greatest nation in the history of the world , and that is in no small part thanks to each president memorialized on Mount Rushmore .
We can learn from their successes , and we can also learn from their mistakes .
And in doing so , we must continue to fight for the American ideal that each of them spent their lives striving for : “ All men are created equal.
” Gov .
Noem should remain vigilant because the fact that the monument is in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t protect it from the new iconoclasts .
It may be harder to reach and harder to pull down , but that just makes it a bigger prize .
I ’ d be willing to bet that , out there somewhere , vandals are already drawing up plans to splash it with red paint or damage it in some way .
There ’ s a social justice reward of status and fame for whoever manages to do it .
I don ’ t have a problem with people who want to petition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historical figures to museums rather than leaving them in public places .
People get to choose their own heroes like they get to choose everything else in America .
Fair enough .
But destroying monuments to American presidents goes well beyond that .
Still I can ’ t help wondering if Rushmore will survive the current national mood .

Just yesterday the DNC tweeted a statement about Trump’s planned 4th of July celebration calling it a “rally glorifying white supremacy at Mount Rushmore.” That tweet was deleted pretty quickly but today the NY Times published a piece making the case against Mount Rushmore in more detail:
Native Americans have long criticized the sculpture, in part because it was built on what had been Indigenous land. And more recently, amid a nationwide movement against racism that has toppled statues commemorating Confederate generals and other historical figures, some activists have called for Mount Rushmore to close… Mount Rushmore is built on land that had belonged to the Lakota tribe. “Wherever you go to connect to God, that’s what the Black Hills are to the Lakota,” said Nick Tilsen, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and the president of NDN Collective, an Indigenous activist group. Prospectors seized the land during a gold rush in the 1870s, violating the Fort Laramie treaty of 1868, which recognized the Black Hills as belonging to Native Americans, Mr. Tilsen said in an interview… Mr. Tilsen said recent efforts to confront racial injustice in the United States could provide an opportunity to reconsider the monument’s future. “Mount Rushmore needs to be closed as a national monument, and the land itself needs to be returned to the Indigenous people,” he said. In a statement on Monday, Harold Frazier, the chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, called the monument a “brand on our flesh” that needed to be removed.
Those are some of the Native American objections. The article also cites complaints that the four presidents included in the monument–Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln– were all racists. And yes, the Times links to this book review from 2017 for a book which attempted to make the case that President Lincoln was racist. [It’s worth noting that the author of the 2017 review didn’t seem terribly impressed with the book and called its views of Lincoln and race over-simplified. The authors of the Mount Rushmore piece don’t mention that.]
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem released a statement Monday saying that there have been threats made against the monument. Her statement was titled, “Not on My Watch.”
In recent days, we have seen threats to memorials that honor some of America’s greatest leaders. Some vandals have gone so far as to attack statues of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, the very leaders who brought the Union through the Civil War and ushered in the end of slavery in our country. These are the same men who turned Jefferson’s ideal into reality. Now we’re seeing threats to Mount Rushmore. To those who would threaten America’s Shrine of Democracy, I have one simple message for you: Not on my watch. Mount Rushmore is a National Monument, and I am partnering with the federal government and offering the resources of South Dakota to make sure that proper security measures are in place. We will do everything in our power to make sure that Mount Rushmore remains as majestic and inspiring as it is today. President Trump is visiting Mount Rushmore in just a few days, and it is such an honor to have the President of the United States visit South Dakota, especially to celebrate America’s birthday. Security measures will be in full force for the event, but we know that threats to Mount Rushmore may continue after the President leaves. We’ll stay diligent about protecting it. I want to make one thing clear: the men honored on Mount Rushmore weren’t perfect; nobody is. They all had flaws. But they all had tremendous virtues as well, and they did incredible things for our country. Today, America is the greatest nation in the history of the world, and that is in no small part thanks to each president memorialized on Mount Rushmore. We can learn from their successes, and we can also learn from their mistakes. And in doing so, we must continue to fight for the American ideal that each of them spent their lives striving for: “All men are created equal.”
Gov. Noem should remain vigilant because the fact that the monument is in the middle of the Black Hills won’t protect it from the new iconoclasts. It may be harder to reach and harder to pull down, but that just makes it a bigger prize. I’d be willing to bet that, out there somewhere, vandals are already drawing up plans to splash it with red paint or damage it in some way. There’s a social justice reward of status and fame for whoever manages to do it.
I don’t have a problem with people who want to petition to remove monuments of, say, confederate historical figures to museums rather than leaving them in public places. People get to choose their own heroes like they get to choose everything else in America. Fair enough. But destroying monuments to American presidents goes well beyond that. Still I can’t help wondering if Rushmore will survive the current national mood.


hotair--2020-07-01--The new UFO/UAP legislation can be tough to parse in today's media

When the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence published a draft of their Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 last week it created a lot of buzz , not just in the ufology community , but among more conventional , mainstream outlets .
The idea of an unclassified report about intelligence that ’ s been gathered on UFOs ( or UAPs if you insist ) and the threat they may pose to our military was certainly a tantalizing prospect .
This was probably particularly true for writers who remain desperate for something – anything – to cover besides the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality is that this is a fairly dense topic , and if you don ’ t cover it on a regular basis it can get easy to either get lost in the weeds or find yourself chasing Alice down a rabbit hole .
That crossed my mind while reading a report on this latest bit of news from Carine Hajjar , an intern at National Review .
Titled “ UFO or Foe , ” the author seeks to lay out some of what the report entailed , as well as some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a couple of excerpts from it .
There may be good reason to keep an eye out for flying saucers .
In the past few years , Navy members have reported unidentified aircrafts following Naval aircrafts off both the West and East coasts .
Apparently , the Pentagon secretly investigated instances like these until 2012 under the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program… The frequency of these sightings has increased since 2014 and one of these mysterious aircrafts almost collided with a Naval pilot in Virginia Beach in 2014 .
What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visible engine and exhaust plumes .
Aside from little green aliens , a likely target for speculation could be Russian or Chinese technology .
While the U.S. stepped back on hypersonic technology , Russia and China invested heavily .
Other explanations have to do with drone technology .
Aside from the obvious throwaway lines about stargazing , tinfoil hats and “ little green aliens ” ( they ’ re not green , by the way , Carine , they ’ re grey ) , there are a number of issues with the article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other outlets .
I wanted to take a moment today and just walk through a few of them to clear up any confusion to the best of my ability .
Carine Hajjar casually states that “ Apparently , the Pentagon secretly investigated instances like these until 2012 under the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program.
” Hoo boy .
First of all , the name of the program was the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program .
It was never referenced as simply “ aviation.
” Her statement also repeats the long-since debunked idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we already have Pentagon confirmation , along with the testimony of AATIP chief Luis Elizondo , that AATIP never really ended .
It shifted departments and was renamed as the recently confirmed Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force .
( The jury is still out as to whether they meant to say “ phenomena ” or “ phenomenon.
” The Senate report used it both ways . )
The program is still in operation today .
She also notes , regarding UAPs , that “ witnesses report a lack of visible engine and exhaust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true , but they also lack wings , rotors , or any other visible flight surfaces , methods of developing propulsion or generating lift .
It may seem like a minor point , but those facets are key to understanding just how completely mind-boggling these things are .
Hajjar goes on to say that “ a likely target for speculation could be Russian or Chinese technology.
” But the Pentagon has already ruled this out almost entirely , as have most civilian scientists who have delved into the data deeply .
The Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign adversaries ” in these discussions to keep from being stigmatized as “ UFO kooks , ” so that ’ s understandable .
But unless and until an even more spectacular but viable theory is presented , the best bet anyone has is that these craft ( like the Tic Tacs ) are manipulating gravity in a small , controlled area .
If one of our adversaries had already cracked that puzzle before us I ’ m pretty sure we ’ d all be speaking Russian or Chinese by now .
After tossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what technology might be involved , ranging from hypersonic missiles to drones , the author then completely misinterprets a statement from Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gaugh ( who regular readers here are very familiar with by now ) when she said the Department of Defense “ has determined that the authorized release of these unclassified videos does not reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems , and does not impinge on any subsequent investigations of military air space incursions by unidentified aerial phenomena.
” But she wasn ’ t talking about the “ capabilities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant the data from the HUD ( heads up display ) shown in the Navy videos .
None of that revealed our own tech to the point where the videos couldn ’ t be released .
They still have no idea how the Tic Tacs fly and have said so repeatedly .
But enough of that .
I ’ ll leave you with the latest rumor from the ufology mill that ’ s been burning up social media this week .
A certain subset of UFO researchers is absolutely convinced that there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imminently ( perhaps this week ) that will expose a black-budget government Special Access Program ( SAP ) focused on crash retrieval of… you guessed it… UFOs .
Do I believe it ?
To borrow a phrase on this subject from the President , not particularly .
But hey… I ’ d be thrilled if it somehow turned out to be true .
Let ’ s just say I won ’ t be holding my breath .

When the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence published a draft of their Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 last week it created a lot of buzz, not just in the ufology community, but among more conventional, mainstream outlets. The idea of an unclassified report about intelligence that’s been gathered on UFOs (or UAPs if you insist) and the threat they may pose to our military was certainly a tantalizing prospect. This was probably particularly true for writers who remain desperate for something – anything – to cover besides the virus and the protests and riots.
The reality is that this is a fairly dense topic, and if you don’t cover it on a regular basis it can get easy to either get lost in the weeds or find yourself chasing Alice down a rabbit hole. That crossed my mind while reading a report on this latest bit of news from Carine Hajjar, an intern at National Review. Titled “UFO or Foe,” the author seeks to lay out some of what the report entailed, as well as some of the history leading up to it. Here are a couple of excerpts from it.
Is this just stargazing? There may be good reason to keep an eye out for flying saucers. In the past few years, Navy members have reported unidentified aircrafts following Naval aircrafts off both the West and East coasts. Apparently, the Pentagon secretly investigated instances like these until 2012 under the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program… The frequency of these sightings has increased since 2014 and one of these mysterious aircrafts almost collided with a Naval pilot in Virginia Beach in 2014. What’s more, witnesses report a lack of visible engine and exhaust plumes. Aside from little green aliens, a likely target for speculation could be Russian or Chinese technology. While the U.S. stepped back on hypersonic technology, Russia and China invested heavily. Other explanations have to do with drone technology.
Aside from the obvious throwaway lines about stargazing, tinfoil hats and “little green aliens” (they’re not green, by the way, Carine, they’re grey), there are a number of issues with the article and I’ve seen similar examples in other outlets. I wanted to take a moment today and just walk through a few of them to clear up any confusion to the best of my ability.
Carine Hajjar casually states that “Apparently, the Pentagon secretly investigated instances like these until 2012 under the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program.” Hoo boy. First of all, the name of the program was the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. It was never referenced as simply “aviation.” Her statement also repeats the long-since debunked idea that it ended in 2012. But we already have Pentagon confirmation, along with the testimony of AATIP chief Luis Elizondo, that AATIP never really ended. It shifted departments and was renamed as the recently confirmed Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. (The jury is still out as to whether they meant to say “phenomena” or “phenomenon.” The Senate report used it both ways.) The program is still in operation today.
She also notes, regarding UAPs, that “witnesses report a lack of visible engine and exhaust plumes.” Well, that’s true, but they also lack wings, rotors, or any other visible flight surfaces, methods of developing propulsion or generating lift. It may seem like a minor point, but those facets are key to understanding just how completely mind-boggling these things are.
Hajjar goes on to say that “a likely target for speculation could be Russian or Chinese technology.” But the Pentagon has already ruled this out almost entirely, as have most civilian scientists who have delved into the data deeply. The Senate has to mention the possibility of “foreign adversaries” in these discussions to keep from being stigmatized as “UFO kooks,” so that’s understandable. But unless and until an even more spectacular but viable theory is presented, the best bet anyone has is that these craft (like the Tic Tacs) are manipulating gravity in a small, controlled area. If one of our adversaries had already cracked that puzzle before us I’m pretty sure we’d all be speaking Russian or Chinese by now.
After tossing in a couple of quotes as to what technology might be involved, ranging from hypersonic missiles to drones, the author then completely misinterprets a statement from Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gaugh (who regular readers here are very familiar with by now) when she said the Department of Defense “has determined that the authorized release of these unclassified videos does not reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems, and does not impinge on any subsequent investigations of military air space incursions by unidentified aerial phenomena.” But she wasn’t talking about the “capabilities and systems” of the UAPs. She meant the data from the HUD (heads up display) shown in the Navy videos. None of that revealed our own tech to the point where the videos couldn’t be released. They still have no idea how the Tic Tacs fly and have said so repeatedly.
But enough of that. I’ll leave you with the latest rumor from the ufology mill that’s been burning up social media this week. A certain subset of UFO researchers is absolutely convinced that there’s another New York Times article out imminently (perhaps this week) that will expose a black-budget government Special Access Program (SAP) focused on crash retrieval of… you guessed it… UFOs. Do I believe it? To borrow a phrase on this subject from the President, not particularly. But hey… I’d be thrilled if it somehow turned out to be true. Let’s just say I won’t be holding my breath.


hotair--2020-07-01--Awful: Disabled man with COVID-19 left to die of starvation in Texas over "quality of life" judgment

Awful: Disabled man with COVID-19 left to die of starvation in Texas over "quality of life" judgment?

Remember the whole “ death panels ” debate of ObamaCare ?
The case of a disabled Texas man with a COVID-19 infection might bring that right back to the fore .
Melissa Hickson recorded a conversation with a doctor who refused to treat her quadriplegic husband because he had no “ quality of life.
” Instead , the 46-year-old Michael Hickson got sent to hospice , where his wife claims he was slowly starved to death rather than treated with Remdesivir .
“ We are going to do what we feel is best for him , ” the doctor told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” How can it be best for Hickson to die from a lack of care ?
St David ’ s South Austin Medical Center allegedly refused to treat quadriplegic Michael Hickson , 46 , because his disability meant he had “ no quality of life.
” He contracted COVID-19 from a staff member in his nursing home , developed pneumonia , and was then hospitalized at St David ’ s .
Texas Right to Life claimed that he was refused food and treatment for coronavirus there for six days before his virus death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recorded conversation between a medic and his wife Melissa , the doctor tells her treating Hickson was futile give his condition .
“ Who gets to make that decision whether somebody ’ s quality of life , if they have a disability that their quality of life is not good ?
” she can be heard asking in the YouTube video .
The Texan reported that Mrs. Hickson got blindsided by the decision to take him out of the ICU , and more so when told that her husband was stable and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovering , why move him to hospice ?
And why cut off his feeding tube ?
On June 3 , he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit ( ICU ) .
On Friday , June 5 , Mrs. Hickson was told Mr. Hickson was not doing well and that she should go to the hospital to visit him .
When she arrived , they wouldn ’ t let her enter his room , but allowed her to FaceTime with him from the hallway .
He was still responsive , puckering his lips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a kiss ?
” and answering that he would like her to pray with him , Mrs. Hickson said .
Then on Saturday , she was told by the hospital that he was moved out of the ICU , was stable and breathing on his own , and that hospice care would be calling her .
Mrs. Hickson was shaken and shocked , wondering why he would need to go on hospice care if he was stable and recovering .
When she spoke to the hospice representative , she was assured that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nutrition through his percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy ( PEG ) tube .
However , the hospital nurse with whom Mrs. Hickson spoke contradicted that .
She said that Mr. Hickson would not be receiving nutrition or hydration and that he would not be resuscitated .
That is when the conversation took place with the doctor , who told Mrs. Hickson that her husband had no “ quality of life ” to maintain and therefore would receive no more care .
Part of the conversation can be heard here : Complicating the issue was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both his wife Melissa and his sister wanted control over his care and had gone to court in the dispute .
The court appointed a guardian ad litem to make decisions for Mr. Hickson while the dispute continued , naming Family Eldercare as the final decider on all health-care issues .
Family Eldercare made the decision to send Mr. Hickson to hospice and stop treatments for COVID-19 .
That wasn ’ t all that got stopped , according to Melissa Hickson .
While this certainly mades for a tough situation , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The doctor informed Melissa that the decision to withhold care was “ what we feel is best for him along with the state , and this is what we decided , ” and that “ this is the decision between the medical community and the state.
” The doctor explained that he did not wish to intubate Michael , which is what the protocol for administering the treatment drug Remdesivir required .
While Melissa agreed that she did not wish to have Michael intubated either , she did not approve of him being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments .
While in hospice , Michael did not receive food or medical treatments , and was instead given painkillers until his death six days later , she said .
He died from untreated illnesses related to the coronavirus .
Good Lord .
If this is true , they literally starved Hickson to death not because of COVID-19 but because of his brain injury .
His death is apparently what the St. David ’ s physician and Family Eldercare thought was “ best for the state.
” Nor do they care much , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is accurate , it ’ s not just like they don ’ t care .
It ’ s that they actually don ’ t care , didn ’ t care , and refused to care for or about Michael Hickson .
Why ?
Because he was inconvenient and costly to “ the state ” and the health care system .
Bear in mind too that this all transpired not in an overwhelmed system forced to triage ICU access , but during a period of stable hospitalization usage .
That this fate awaited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad enough .
Imagine what it will be like for the rest of us when “ the state ” controls all these health-care decisions .
Melissa Hickson declared that her husband was “ murdered ” in this YouTube testimony .
Hard to argue otherwise , unless someone comes up with evidence that they gave him food and treatment during that week in hospice .

Remember the whole “death panels” debate of ObamaCare? The case of a disabled Texas man with a COVID-19 infection might bring that right back to the fore. Melissa Hickson recorded a conversation with a doctor who refused to treat her quadriplegic husband because he had no “quality of life.” Instead, the 46-year-old Michael Hickson got sent to hospice, where his wife claims he was slowly starved to death rather than treated with Remdesivir.
“We are going to do what we feel is best for him,” the doctor told Melissa, “along with the state.” How can it be best for Hickson to die from a lack of care?
St David’s South Austin Medical Center allegedly refused to treat quadriplegic Michael Hickson, 46, because his disability meant he had “no quality of life.” He contracted COVID-19 from a staff member in his nursing home, developed pneumonia, and was then hospitalized at St David’s. Texas Right to Life claimed that he was refused food and treatment for coronavirus there for six days before his virus death on June 11, 2020. In a recorded conversation between a medic and his wife Melissa, the doctor tells her treating Hickson was futile give his condition. “Who gets to make that decision whether somebody’s quality of life, if they have a disability that their quality of life is not good?” she can be heard asking in the YouTube video.
The Texan reported that Mrs. Hickson got blindsided by the decision to take him out of the ICU, and more so when told that her husband was stable and recovering. If he was stable and recovering, why move him to hospice? And why cut off his feeding tube?
On June 3, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On Friday, June 5, Mrs. Hickson was told Mr. Hickson was not doing well and that she should go to the hospital to visit him. When she arrived, they wouldn’t let her enter his room, but allowed her to FaceTime with him from the hallway. He was still responsive, puckering his lips when she said “Can I get a kiss?” and answering that he would like her to pray with him, Mrs. Hickson said. Then on Saturday, she was told by the hospital that he was moved out of the ICU, was stable and breathing on his own, and that hospice care would be calling her. Mrs. Hickson was shaken and shocked, wondering why he would need to go on hospice care if he was stable and recovering. When she spoke to the hospice representative, she was assured that he could still receive resuscitation and fluids and nutrition through his percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. However, the hospital nurse with whom Mrs. Hickson spoke contradicted that. She said that Mr. Hickson would not be receiving nutrition or hydration and that he would not be resuscitated.
That is when the conversation took place with the doctor, who told Mrs. Hickson that her husband had no “quality of life” to maintain and therefore would receive no more care. Part of the conversation can be heard here:
Complicating the issue was a custody fight of sorts over Mr. Hickson. Both his wife Melissa and his sister wanted control over his care and had gone to court in the dispute. The court appointed a guardian ad litem to make decisions for Mr. Hickson while the dispute continued, naming Family Eldercare as the final decider on all health-care issues. Family Eldercare made the decision to send Mr. Hickson to hospice and stop treatments for COVID-19.
That wasn’t all that got stopped, according to Melissa Hickson. While this certainly mades for a tough situation, who thought this was a proper outcome?
The doctor informed Melissa that the decision to withhold care was “what we feel is best for him along with the state, and this is what we decided,” and that “this is the decision between the medical community and the state.” The doctor explained that he did not wish to intubate Michael, which is what the protocol for administering the treatment drug Remdesivir required. While Melissa agreed that she did not wish to have Michael intubated either, she did not approve of him being moved to hospice and asked for alternative treatments. While in hospice, Michael did not receive food or medical treatments, and was instead given painkillers until his death six days later, she said. He died from untreated illnesses related to the coronavirus.
Good Lord. If this is true, they literally starved Hickson to death not because of COVID-19 but because of his brain injury. His death is apparently what the St. David’s physician and Family Eldercare thought was “best for the state.” Nor do they care much, Melissa Hickson says:
On Friday morning, the hospice group called her to tell her Mr. Hickson had died Thursday evening and asked if she’d like the name of the funeral home where his body had been taken. “No one has offered condolences. There has never been an apology or acknowledgment of his death. It’s like they just don’t care,” she said.
Assuming all of this is accurate, it’s not just like they don’t care. It’s that they actually don’t care, didn’t care, and refused to care for or about Michael Hickson. Why? Because he was inconvenient and costly to “the state” and the health care system. Bear in mind too that this all transpired not in an overwhelmed system forced to triage ICU access, but during a period of stable hospitalization usage.
That this fate awaited Michael Hickson in our current system is bad enough. Imagine what it will be like for the rest of us when “the state” controls all these health-care decisions.
Melissa Hickson declared that her husband was “murdered” in this YouTube testimony. Hard to argue otherwise, unless someone comes up with evidence that they gave him food and treatment during that week in hospice.


hotair--2020-07-01--Russians voters approve plan to extend Putin's rule until 2036 (Update)

We ’ ve known for a while that this was coming and now it ’ s happened .
Russian voters have approved changes to the constitution that will make it possible for Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036 .
With most of the nation ’ s polls closed and 20 % of precincts counted , 72 % voted for the constitutional amendments , according to election officials .
For the first time in Russia , polls were kept open for a week to bolster turnout without increasing crowds casting ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic — a provision that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to manipulate the outcome… “ We look at neighboring regions , and anomalies are obvious — there are regions where the turnout is artificially ( boosted ) , there are regions where it is more or less real , ” Grigory Melkonyants , co-chair of the independent election monitoring group Golos , told The Associated Press .
Putin ’ s plan to make changes to the Russian constitution began in January when Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and all of his government Ministers resigned .
At the time it was clear the resignations were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits that he had already skirted once before .
But there was disagreement about what the new plan was .
Would Putin once again switch jobs with Medvedev ?
Would he take some other position in the government for a few years and then return ?
Ultimately he just had his supporters in the Duma vote to reset the term limits allowing him to serve up to two extra 6-year-terms .
That could have settled it but Putin wanted it to be clear that he was only doing this because the people demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where people could signal their support for the changes .
That vote was originally scheduled to take place in April but had to be postponed several months because of the coronavirus .
NBC News notes that revised versions of the constitution , with the changes voted on today already included , have already been on sale in bookstores in Moscow for several weeks .
Apparently 100,000 of them were printed back in March when the Duma vote took place .
So the fix appears to be in .
CNN reports there are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Even before the vote kicked off last week , independent outlets and NGOs posted dozens of screenshots and audio messages suggesting forced voting by employers of big corporations and state-financed organizations .
“ In the past few days we have also seen a large numbers of ballot stuffing , so it feels like at some stage it was clear to [ the organizers ] that the administrative resources to mobilize controlled electorate are running out , they may also be voting in a slightly different way compared to a desired one and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways of rigging , ” Stanislav Andreychuk , co-charman of the non-governmental group Golos , told CNN .
According to Andreychuk , this plebiscite is way less regulated than previous elections his organization monitored : Voting booths set up on park benches violate the secrecy of voting , the usual restrictions on releasing exit polls are not enforced and unregulated campaigning — aided by raffles promising apartments to lure voters to stations — muddy the voter ’ s right to freely exercise their will .
A group of protesters used their bodies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Putin will be allowed to hold power , in Red Square .
They were quickly arrested .
Finally , here ’ s a video clip put together by Radio Free Europe showing how Putin ’ s view of term limits and the inviolability of the constitution has changed over the years .
And here ’ s Putin ’ s pitch which he made to voters yesterday .
Just look at that camera angle .
I guess the cameraman is on his knees .

We’ve known for a while that this was coming and now it’s happened. Russian voters have approved changes to the constitution that will make it possible for Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036.
With most of the nation’s polls closed and 20% of precincts counted, 72% voted for the constitutional amendments, according to election officials. For the first time in Russia, polls were kept open for a week to bolster turnout without increasing crowds casting ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic — a provision that Kremlin critics denounced as an extra tool to manipulate the outcome… Kremlin critics and independent election observers questioned the turnout figures. “We look at neighboring regions, and anomalies are obvious — there are regions where the turnout is artificially (boosted), there are regions where it is more or less real,” Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of the independent election monitoring group Golos, told The Associated Press.
Putin’s plan to make changes to the Russian constitution began in January when Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and all of his government Ministers resigned. At the time it was clear the resignations were all about helping Putin get around term limits that he had already skirted once before. But there was disagreement about what the new plan was. Would Putin once again switch jobs with Medvedev? Would he take some other position in the government for a few years and then return?
Ultimately he just had his supporters in the Duma vote to reset the term limits allowing him to serve up to two extra 6-year-terms. That could have settled it but Putin wanted it to be clear that he was only doing this because the people demanded it so he planned a national referendum where people could signal their support for the changes. That vote was originally scheduled to take place in April but had to be postponed several months because of the coronavirus.
NBC News notes that revised versions of the constitution, with the changes voted on today already included, have already been on sale in bookstores in Moscow for several weeks. Apparently 100,000 of them were printed back in March when the Duma vote took place. So the fix appears to be in. CNN reports there are also reports of forced voting and ballot stuffing:
Even before the vote kicked off last week, independent outlets and NGOs posted dozens of screenshots and audio messages suggesting forced voting by employers of big corporations and state-financed organizations. “In the past few days we have also seen a large numbers of ballot stuffing, so it feels like at some stage it was clear to [the organizers] that the administrative resources to mobilize controlled electorate are running out, they may also be voting in a slightly different way compared to a desired one and they’ve resorted to good old ways of rigging,” Stanislav Andreychuk, co-charman of the non-governmental group Golos, told CNN. According to Andreychuk, this plebiscite is way less regulated than previous elections his organization monitored: Voting booths set up on park benches violate the secrecy of voting, the usual restrictions on releasing exit polls are not enforced and unregulated campaigning — aided by raffles promising apartments to lure voters to stations — muddy the voter’s right to freely exercise their will.
A group of protesters used their bodies to spell out 2036, the date to which Putin will be allowed to hold power, in Red Square. They were quickly arrested.
Видео с акции «2036» Дождь / Мария Борзунова pic.twitter.com/9NScIQhzue — Дождь (@tvrain) July 1, 2020
Finally, here’s a video clip put together by Radio Free Europe showing how Putin’s view of term limits and the inviolability of the constitution has changed over the years.
Update: Video of Putin voting today.
BREAKING: Russian citizens voted in favor of constitutional amendments allowing President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 — He is now 67 years old, He can now remain in power until he is 83. Attached is a video of Putin Voting today. pic.twitter.com/7hL2EaV326 — Nachmen Donn (@NachmenDonn) July 1, 2020
And here’s Putin’s pitch which he made to voters yesterday. Just look at that camera angle. I guess the cameraman is on his knees.


hotair--2020-07-01--Midnight Mitch to Dems: Don't mess with the filibuster any further

This week we received another solid indication that Democrats – particularly in the Senate – are believing their own polling numbers and feeling their oats .
Sensing that Donald Trump may be on the ropes , leading to potential down-ballot successes for progressives , hopes are rising on the left that the Democrats may just take back control of the Senate , scoring the hat trick for total control of the federal government .
That would provide them with a number of options , one of which would be to start tinkering around with the Senate rules of operation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the filibuster for legislation – must be making the rounds , because Mitch McConnell stepped out yesterday to warn the minority not to try it if they do manage to take the majority back .
( The Hill ) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) warned Democrats on Tuesday not to mess with the filibuster rule if they win control of the chamber in November .
He said eliminating the legislative filibuster by reducing the 60-vote threshold for passing bills to a simple majority would be a serious mistake .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remember is that you may not be in total control in the future , and anytime you start fiddling around with the rules of the Senate , I think you always need to put yourself in the other fellow ’ s shoes and just imagine what might happen when the wind shifts , ” McConnell told reporters when asked about an uptick in discussions among Democrats about changing the filibuster rule if former Vice President Joe Biden wins the White House and they capture the Senate .
Midnight Mitch wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hadn ’ t caught wind of at least some Democrats talking about it .
And this is a battle that ’ s been running for nearly a decade now , always in the same direction .
It was Harry Reid who led the then-Democratic majority in the Senate to eliminate the filibuster for executive branch and federal judicial appointments in 2013 .
( Of course , he waited until Barack Obama won a second term before doing it . )
Then McConnel extended that trend to include SCOTUS nominees in 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes would take us into a different phase of the battle .
But would anyone really be surprised to see it happen ?
The partisan nature of the legislature is growing more divided , not less as the years go by .
Getting a win along party lines with zero bipartisan support is no longer looked at as a shameful way to do business .
It ’ s just a case of c ’ est la guerre in the current political climate .
In fact , I would argue we have some members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight party-line votes these days if only as a way to put one in the W column while owning the libs or cons , depending on your preference .
What is perhaps even more intriguing here is the unspoken suggestion apparent in McConnell ’ s statement .
He ’ s clearly discussing a scenario that would only be in play if the Democrats take back the Senate in November .
Is that now an outcome that he is seeing as a viable possibility ?
Admittedly , Trump ’ s numbers are in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there are a number of factors currently in play that could change that significantly , particularly if the riots and unrest move out of the urban centers and into the suburbs in any significant fashion .
Also , if crime rates don ’ t start coming back down , that will likely work against Democrats also .
Even if neither of those scenarios plays out in the Dems ’ favor , Trump is still a lot closer in the battleground states than Joe Biden would like .
( Assuming anyone has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
And most – though not all – of the Senate seats that seem to be in contention will probably wind up going the way of the presidential contest .
Yes , it ’ s obviously a possibility , particularly if the economy is still stalled because of the virus .
But Chuck Schumer may be counting his chickens before they hatch at this point .

This week we received another solid indication that Democrats – particularly in the Senate – are believing their own polling numbers and feeling their oats. Sensing that Donald Trump may be on the ropes, leading to potential down-ballot successes for progressives, hopes are rising on the left that the Democrats may just take back control of the Senate, scoring the hat trick for total control of the federal government. That would provide them with a number of options, one of which would be to start tinkering around with the Senate rules of operation. One thorny issue in particular – eliminating the filibuster for legislation – must be making the rounds, because Mitch McConnell stepped out yesterday to warn the minority not to try it if they do manage to take the majority back. (The Hill)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned Democrats on Tuesday not to mess with the filibuster rule if they win control of the chamber in November. He said eliminating the legislative filibuster by reducing the 60-vote threshold for passing bills to a simple majority would be a serious mistake. “The important thing for our Democratic friends to remember is that you may not be in total control in the future, and anytime you start fiddling around with the rules of the Senate, I think you always need to put yourself in the other fellow’s shoes and just imagine what might happen when the wind shifts,” McConnell told reporters when asked about an uptick in discussions among Democrats about changing the filibuster rule if former Vice President Joe Biden wins the White House and they capture the Senate.
Midnight Mitch wouldn’t have come out with this statement if he hadn’t caught wind of at least some Democrats talking about it. And this is a battle that’s been running for nearly a decade now, always in the same direction. It was Harry Reid who led the then-Democratic majority in the Senate to eliminate the filibuster for executive branch and federal judicial appointments in 2013. (Of course, he waited until Barack Obama won a second term before doing it.) Then McConnel extended that trend to include SCOTUS nominees in 2017.
Expanding that further to include regular legislative votes would take us into a different phase of the battle. But would anyone really be surprised to see it happen? The partisan nature of the legislature is growing more divided, not less as the years go by. Getting a win along party lines with zero bipartisan support is no longer looked at as a shameful way to do business. It’s just a case of c’est la guerre in the current political climate. In fact, I would argue we have some members from both parties who might enjoy some straight party-line votes these days if only as a way to put one in the W column while owning the libs or cons, depending on your preference.
What is perhaps even more intriguing here is the unspoken suggestion apparent in McConnell’s statement. He’s clearly discussing a scenario that would only be in play if the Democrats take back the Senate in November. Is that now an outcome that he is seeing as a viable possibility? Admittedly, Trump’s numbers are in the tank at the moment in national polls, but there are a number of factors currently in play that could change that significantly, particularly if the riots and unrest move out of the urban centers and into the suburbs in any significant fashion. Also, if crime rates don’t start coming back down, that will likely work against Democrats also.
Even if neither of those scenarios plays out in the Dems’ favor, Trump is still a lot closer in the battleground states than Joe Biden would like. (Assuming anyone has pulled him aside to explain the situation.) And most – though not all – of the Senate seats that seem to be in contention will probably wind up going the way of the presidential contest. Yes, it’s obviously a possibility, particularly if the economy is still stalled because of the virus. But Chuck Schumer may be counting his chickens before they hatch at this point.


hotair--2020-07-01--"No more of Jared's woke s***": Trump steering away from following Kushner's advice?

I ’ m a broken record on this point but I can ’ t get over the fact that the president ’ s slipped to a 10-point deficit in national polling and his diagnosis of what ails him is that he ’ s not Trumpy enough .
There ’ s too much “ woke sh*t ” in his campaign , you see .
He ’ s too soft .
Never mind that his chief contribution to the reckoning much of the public ’ s experienced over the past month on racism and police brutality was to send cops into Lafayette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send the U.S. military into America ’ s streets to shoot looters .
There ’ s no “ Trump problem ” that can ’ t be solved with more Trump .
No one should ( or will ) shed tears for Jared , though .
If anything , Trump ’ s giving him his just desserts .
Clearly we ’ ve reached the fingerpointing and scapegoating stage of the campaign ’ s difficulties , a process in which Jared ’ s been a willing participant .
News broke last night that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s in charge of organizing Trump ’ s campaign events , after the humiliation a few weeks ago in Tulsa — even though there ’ s no reason to believe Glassner ’ s at fault .
If Trump ’ s government had done a better job controlling the spread of the virus , Trump ’ s fans would have felt more comfortable filling the upper deck inside the arena in Tulsa .
But Kushner can ’ t say that so he ’ s stuck shifting blame .
Not just to Glassner either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” at campaign manager Brad Parscale for overhyping RSVPs to the Tulsa event before poor turnout embarrassed the campaign , but Parscale is a Kushner ally and seems likely to avoid being fired if Glassner ’ s taking the fall .
The leak about Kushner ’ s supposed anger at Parscale smells like something engineered by him and Ivanka to signal to Trump that the fault for Tulsa lies with others , not with them .
Even though , as the world understands , it ’ s Jared Kushner who ’ s really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not Parscale .
But maybe not for much longer ?
New from Axios : President Trump has told people in recent days that he regrets following some of son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner ’ s political advice — including supporting criminal justice reform — and will stick closer to his own instincts , three people with direct knowledge of the president ’ s thinking tell Axios .
Behind the scenes : One person who spoke with the president interpreted his thinking this way : “ No more of Jared ’ s woke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that following Kushner ’ s advice has harmed him politically… The sources said the president has resolved to stick to his instincts and jettison any policies that go against them , including ambitious police reform… Trump has made clear he wants to support law enforcement unequivocally , and won ’ t do anything that could be seen as undercutting police .
This might also explain his moronic decision to veto funding for the Pentagon in defense of Confederate base names at a moment when he ’ s already taking heat for not supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bounties matter .
From here on out he ’ s going to get crazy with the MAGA cheez whiz .
Like , say , by calling “ Black Lives Matter ” — a movement which more than half the country now says it supports in polling — a symbol of hate : “ Trump now says privately it was misguided to pursue ” criminal justice reform , claims Axios , “ undercutting his instincts , and that he probably won ’ t win any more African-American support because of it.
” He only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allegedly .
Kushner has given Trump some terrible advice , most infamously recommending that he fire James Comey in the thick of the Russiagate probe , which ended up turbo-charging it .
But his advice on criminal justice reform isn ’ t among that .
The First Step Act championed by Trump in 2018 was one of the few broadly popular initiatives he ’ s undertaken as president , with nearly 60 percent in favor .
If anything , Americans think it didn ’ t go far enough : A poll taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the George Floyd protests found 69 percent of American adults believe the criminal justice needs either a complete overhaul or major changes .
Among whites , 65 percent said so .
Forty-six percent of Republicans agreed versus 47 percent who didn ’ t .
What Trump seems to miss , if you believe Axios ’ s reporting , is that measures like criminal justice reform aren ’ t really designed to win over black voters .
Ideally they ’ ll win a few votes from that group , maybe enough to make Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run up the usual 85-point margin or thereabouts .
The point of centrist programs like CJR is to convince white suburban college grads that the president is more moderate and willing to find common ground than they think .
The reason they ’ ve drifted into the Democratic camp is that they don ’ t like his essential Trumpiness .
And there are enough of them out there to swing the election : They made the difference for Dems in the 2018 House races and they ’ re poised to do so again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kiss off that group entirely , apparently in the belief that if he indulges his “ instincts ” he can run up the score high enough among working-class whites to offset every other demographic advantage Biden has working for him .
What happens from here is unpredictable , as I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever seen a presidential campaign that doesn ’ t even try to win over swing voters .
I wonder if Mitch McConnell ’ s ever seen one .
His emphatic break from Trump on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an answer .
If Trump ’ s going all-in on Trumpiness the rest of the way as his “ brand ” then McConnell and Senate Republicans need to do what they can to fashion a brand of their own that ’ s somewhat distinct .
It makes me wonder how they ’ re going to handle the defense bill with Warren ’ s amendment about renaming Confederate-named bases now that Trump ’ s threatened to veto it .
If they want to signal a break with Trumpiness , the obvious move would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By the way , although the “ blame Kushner ” mentality is new-ish to Trump , it ’ s of course not new to his fans .
Tucker Carlson unloaded on Kushner on his program a month ago , telling Fox viewers , “ No one has more contempt for Donald Trump ’ s voters than Jared Kushner does.
” ( Axios notes in its post today that Trump pays close attention to Carlson ’ s show . )
Coincidentally , there ’ s a bruising hit piece on Kushner this morning at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists and officials like “ Jared is a total f***-up .
Everything he touches turns to lead.
” And “ People who have sat in meetings with him , however , describe him as ‘ slow ’ , ‘ a moron ’ and ‘ not really that bright ' ” .
Kushner ’ s made many enemies over the last four years ; maybe watching the campaign falter has loosened some of their lips .
But it could also be that certain nationalists , possibly including those who ’ d like to regain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are whispering to Trump and the media strategically in hopes of ousting Kushner at a moment when Trump is looking for a scapegoat for his polling .
With Jared out of the way , there ’ d be an enormous power vacuum around the president just waiting to be filled .
Stay tuned .

I’m a broken record on this point but I can’t get over the fact that the president’s slipped to a 10-point deficit in national polling and his diagnosis of what ails him is that he’s not Trumpy enough.
There’s too much “woke sh*t” in his campaign, you see. He’s too soft. Never mind that his chief contribution to the reckoning much of the public’s experienced over the past month on racism and police brutality was to send cops into Lafayette Park to strongarm protesters and to threaten to send the U.S. military into America’s streets to shoot looters.
There’s no “Trump problem” that can’t be solved with more Trump.
No one should (or will) shed tears for Jared, though. If anything, Trump’s giving him his just desserts. Clearly we’ve reached the fingerpointing and scapegoating stage of the campaign’s difficulties, a process in which Jared’s been a willing participant. News broke last night that he’s reassigned Michael Glassner, who’s in charge of organizing Trump’s campaign events, after the humiliation a few weeks ago in Tulsa — even though there’s no reason to believe Glassner’s at fault.
Jared Kushner engineered these moves. Glassner, a Trump campaign original dating back to 2015, has been told he will now be handling the campaign’s various lawsuits, sources say… One person familiar with the shake-up defended Glassner as the unfortunate guy whose head needed to roll for the Tulsa rally debacle, where the attendance was nowhere near what the president had anticipated.
If Trump’s government had done a better job controlling the spread of the virus, Trump’s fans would have felt more comfortable filling the upper deck inside the arena in Tulsa. But Kushner can’t say that so he’s stuck shifting blame. Not just to Glassner either: He was reportedly also “pissed” at campaign manager Brad Parscale for overhyping RSVPs to the Tulsa event before poor turnout embarrassed the campaign, but Parscale is a Kushner ally and seems likely to avoid being fired if Glassner’s taking the fall. The leak about Kushner’s supposed anger at Parscale smells like something engineered by him and Ivanka to signal to Trump that the fault for Tulsa lies with others, not with them. Even though, as the world understands, it’s Jared Kushner who’s really in charge of the Trump operation, not Parscale.
But maybe not for much longer? New from Axios:
President Trump has told people in recent days that he regrets following some of son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner’s political advice — including supporting criminal justice reform — and will stick closer to his own instincts, three people with direct knowledge of the president’s thinking tell Axios. Behind the scenes: One person who spoke with the president interpreted his thinking this way: “No more of Jared’s woke s***.” Another said Trump has indicated that following Kushner’s advice has harmed him politically… The sources said the president has resolved to stick to his instincts and jettison any policies that go against them, including ambitious police reform… Trump has made clear he wants to support law enforcement unequivocally, and won’t do anything that could be seen as undercutting police.
This might also explain his moronic decision to veto funding for the Pentagon in defense of Confederate base names at a moment when he’s already taking heat for not supporting U.S. troops aggressively enough in the Russian bounties matter. From here on out he’s going to get crazy with the MAGA cheez whiz. Like, say, by calling “Black Lives Matter” — a movement which more than half the country now says it supports in polling — a symbol of hate:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1278324681477689349
“Trump now says privately it was misguided to pursue” criminal justice reform, claims Axios, “undercutting his instincts, and that he probably won’t win any more African-American support because of it.” He only did it because Jared asked him to, allegedly. Kushner has given Trump some terrible advice, most infamously recommending that he fire James Comey in the thick of the Russiagate probe, which ended up turbo-charging it. But his advice on criminal justice reform isn’t among that. The First Step Act championed by Trump in 2018 was one of the few broadly popular initiatives he’s undertaken as president, with nearly 60 percent in favor. If anything, Americans think it didn’t go far enough: A poll taken 10 days ago in the wake of the George Floyd protests found 69 percent of American adults believe the criminal justice needs either a complete overhaul or major changes. Among whites, 65 percent said so. Forty-six percent of Republicans agreed versus 47 percent who didn’t.
What Trump seems to miss, if you believe Axios’s reporting, is that measures like criminal justice reform aren’t really designed to win over black voters. Ideally they’ll win a few votes from that group, maybe enough to make Biden sweat a bit, but Democrats will run up the usual 85-point margin or thereabouts. The point of centrist programs like CJR is to convince white suburban college grads that the president is more moderate and willing to find common ground than they think. The reason they’ve drifted into the Democratic camp is that they don’t like his essential Trumpiness. And there are enough of them out there to swing the election: They made the difference for Dems in the 2018 House races and they’re poised to do so again this year. Trump now seems inclined to kiss off that group entirely, apparently in the belief that if he indulges his “instincts” he can run up the score high enough among working-class whites to offset every other demographic advantage Biden has working for him.
What happens from here is unpredictable, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen a presidential campaign that doesn’t even try to win over swing voters. I wonder if Mitch McConnell’s ever seen one. His emphatic break from Trump on the important niche issue of masks may supply an answer. If Trump’s going all-in on Trumpiness the rest of the way as his “brand” then McConnell and Senate Republicans need to do what they can to fashion a brand of their own that’s somewhat distinct. It makes me wonder how they’re going to handle the defense bill with Warren’s amendment about renaming Confederate-named bases now that Trump’s threatened to veto it. If they want to signal a break with Trumpiness, the obvious move would be to pass it with veto-proof margins.
By the way, although the “blame Kushner” mentality is new-ish to Trump, it’s of course not new to his fans. Tucker Carlson unloaded on Kushner on his program a month ago, telling Fox viewers, “No one has more contempt for Donald Trump’s voters than Jared Kushner does.” (Axios notes in its post today that Trump pays close attention to Carlson’s show.) Coincidentally, there’s a bruising hit piece on Kushner this morning at Spectator USA replete with quotes from conservative activists and officials like “Jared is a total f***-up. Everything he touches turns to lead.” And “People who have sat in meetings with him, however, describe him as ‘slow’, ‘a moron’ and ‘not really that bright'”. Kushner’s made many enemies over the last four years; maybe watching the campaign falter has loosened some of their lips.
But it could also be that certain nationalists, possibly including those who’d like to regain some influence in the White House, are whispering to Trump and the media strategically in hopes of ousting Kushner at a moment when Trump is looking for a scapegoat for his polling. With Jared out of the way, there’d be an enormous power vacuum around the president just waiting to be filled. Stay tuned.


hotair--2020-07-01--BLM protester who shot driver in Provo, Utah arrested, will be charged with attempted murder

Two people have been arrested in connection with the shooting which took place at a Black Lives Matter protest in Provo , Utah on Monday night .
The suspected shooter , 33-year-old Jesse Taggart , has been arrested and will be charged with attempted murder .
A 27-year-old woman has also been arrested .
Taggart , of Salt Lake City , was booked into the Utah County Jail and held on charges of attempted aggravated murder , aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury , rioting , threatening the use of a weapon during a fight , criminal mischief , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Provo Police… Another person , 27-year-old Samantha Darling , of Ogden , was booked into Utah County Jail on Tuesday night on charges of obstruction of justice and rioting .
There were dueling rallies in Provo , Utah on Monday night .
A pro-police rally in which people drove their cars around the police station and honked horns in support of cops and a counter-rally held by BLM supporters .
That may explain why the BLM supporters decided to block streets and harass drivers .
In the midst of this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t part of either protest tried to get away from the chaos by moving into a turning lane .
His SUV was swarmed by protesters .
He continued to push through the crowd and a man wearing a mask pulled out a gun , aimed and shot him through the passenger window of his truck .
The injured driver accelerated and the shooter ran after him , firing another shot which hit a window but missed the driver .
The driver was able to take himself to a nearby hospital and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting , the suspect concealed his weapon and continued to protest .
As I pointed out yesterday , a bystander who filmed some of the BLM protest said the shooter had been with the protest from start to finish and appeared to be friendly with the other protesters .
He ’ s the one wearing shorts : It ’ s not clear what connection Sam Darling had to Taggart or the case , but based on the obstruction charge it sounds like she lied to the police during their investigation .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guess that means she was there .
Here ’ s her booking photo .
There could still be additional arrests stemming from the incident .
Deseret News reports : “ Police also confirmed Tuesday they were still looking for a second gunman who is believed to have brandished his weapon and pointed it at the driver but did not fire.
” Both Taggart and Darling have Facebook pages .
A page which belongs to Jesse K Taggart specifically mentions the shooting in Provo a couple of times .
This one from a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see how peaceful we are.
” I scrolled through his Facebook page and BLM is the only thing he has posted about for the past month .
Sam Darling ’ s Facebook page also seems to indicate she was at the protest Monday night : So far the name of the victim in this case hasn ’ t been released and I don ’ t see any detailed description of his injuries , but he is apparently still in the hospital .
One other update on this .
The girl with bright pink/orange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elly Swedberg .
There ’ s a photo of her sitting at a table filing a police report , apparently about being hit by a car .
It ’ s not clear if she ’ s claiming she was hit by the white SUV or if that ’ s a reference to another incident which was caught on video .
I wonder if her report matches with what happened in this clip ?
I ’ ll update this post if anyone else is arrested today .

Two people have been arrested in connection with the shooting which took place at a Black Lives Matter protest in Provo, Utah on Monday night. The suspected shooter, 33-year-old Jesse Taggart, has been arrested and will be charged with attempted murder. A 27-year-old woman has also been arrested.
Taggart, of Salt Lake City, was booked into the Utah County Jail and held on charges of attempted aggravated murder, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, rioting, threatening the use of a weapon during a fight, criminal mischief, and firing a weapon near a highway, according to Provo Police… Another person, 27-year-old Samantha Darling, of Ogden, was booked into Utah County Jail on Tuesday night on charges of obstruction of justice and rioting.
There were dueling rallies in Provo, Utah on Monday night. A pro-police rally in which people drove their cars around the police station and honked horns in support of cops and a counter-rally held by BLM supporters. That may explain why the BLM supporters decided to block streets and harass drivers.
In the midst of this, a 60-year-old man who police say wasn’t part of either protest tried to get away from the chaos by moving into a turning lane. His SUV was swarmed by protesters. He continued to push through the crowd and a man wearing a mask pulled out a gun, aimed and shot him through the passenger window of his truck. The injured driver accelerated and the shooter ran after him, firing another shot which hit a window but missed the driver. The driver was able to take himself to a nearby hospital and is listed in stable condition.
After the shooting, the suspect concealed his weapon and continued to protest. As I pointed out yesterday, a bystander who filmed some of the BLM protest said the shooter had been with the protest from start to finish and appeared to be friendly with the other protesters. He’s the one wearing shorts:
It’s not clear what connection Sam Darling had to Taggart or the case, but based on the obstruction charge it sounds like she lied to the police during their investigation. She’s also charged with rioting so I guess that means she was there. Here’s her booking photo.
There could still be additional arrests stemming from the incident. Deseret News reports: “Police also confirmed Tuesday they were still looking for a second gunman who is believed to have brandished his weapon and pointed it at the driver but did not fire.”
Both Taggart and Darling have Facebook pages. A page which belongs to Jesse K Taggart specifically mentions the shooting in Provo a couple of times.
This one from a few days ago is pretty ironic, “see how peaceful we are.”
I scrolled through his Facebook page and BLM is the only thing he has posted about for the past month. Sam Darling’s Facebook page also seems to indicate she was at the protest Monday night:
A short story brought to you by public Facebook accounts: pic.twitter.com/KjSsJldpDK — Chase (@Chase_a_saurus) July 1, 2020
So far the name of the victim in this case hasn’t been released and I don’t see any detailed description of his injuries, but he is apparently still in the hospital.
One other update on this. The girl with bright pink/orange hair is identified in this story as Elly Swedberg. There’s a photo of her sitting at a table filing a police report, apparently about being hit by a car. It’s not clear if she’s claiming she was hit by the white SUV or if that’s a reference to another incident which was caught on video. I wonder if her report matches with what happened in this clip?
I’ll update this post if anyone else is arrested today.